Infinity Era

Chapters

Chapter 2 – A Life Away
Chapter 3 – Children of Darkness
Chapter 4 – Making Amends
Chapter 5 – Space
Chapter 6 – The Two Titans
Chapter 7 – Calling all Guardians
Chapter 8 – Power
Chapter 10 – Celestial Fire
Chapter 11 – Drinking Games
Chapter 12 – Cosmic Carnage
Chapter 13 – Reality
Chapter 14 – Chaos Theory
Chapter 15 – Chaos War
Chapter 16 – A Recap
Chapter 17 – The Remaining Threat
Chapter 18 – Broken
Chapter 19 – Invasion
Chapter 20 – Strange Encounters of the Equine
Chapter 21 – The Long Road Ahead
Chapter 22 – Out of the Waves
Chapter 23 – Together Through a Thousand Miles
Chapter 24 – Nomad
Chapter 25 – Reinforcements
Chapter 27 – More Than a Symbol
Chapter 28 – Stranger Things
Chapter 29 – Shield
Chapter 30 – Battle: Los Angeles
Chapter 31 – The House of Strange
Chapter 32 – Lighthouse
Chapter 33 – To the War
Chapter 35 – No Autographs
Chapter 36 – A Living World
Chapter 37 – Old Ties
Chapter 38 – Immortal
Chapter 39 – Spidey-Sense
Chapter 40 – Born Again
Chapter 41 – Defend
Chapter 42 – Fire Beach
Chapter 43 – Bang
Chapter 44 – Smells Like a New Car
Chapter 46 – Come Together
Chapter 47 – Reunion
Chapter 48 – Griffonstone Forever
Chapter 49 – I Know Somewhere
Chapter 50 – Of Ponies and A-Holes
Chapter 51 – Heart
Chapter 52 – Catching Up to Do
Chapter 53 – Unnatural
Chapter 54 – The Mad Titan
Chapter 55 – Keep Away
Chapter 56 – Fear
Chapter 57 – Remember Us
Chapter 58 – Valley of Death
Chapter 59 – Pillars
Chapter 60 – Let it all Settle
Chapter 61 – The Comeback Kids
Chapter 63 – To the End
Chapter 64 – Elements
Chapter 65 – After All This Time
Chapter 66 – The Burning Sunset
Chapter 67 – Visions
Chapter 68 – Time
Chapter 69 – The First Wave
Chapter 70 – Sun on Our Backs
Chapter 71 – World on Our Shoulders
Chapter 72 – Mind
Chapter 73 – Just How Powerful
Chapter 74 – The One Born of Fire
Chapter 75 – Typhon
Chapter 76 – Fight Another Day
Chapter 77 – The Battle of Wakanda
Chapter 78 – Hellscape
Chapter 80 – Nothing Lasts Forever
Chapter 81 – The Art of Deceit
Chapter 82 – Graviton
Chapter 83 – It Came from the Earth
Chapter 84 – Snow and Blood
Chapter 85 – Recompense
Chapter 86 – Friendship Was Magic
Chapter 87 – If There’s Something Strange
Chapter 88 – Haven’t Aged a Day
Chapter 89 – Tentative Allies
Chapter 90 – Lock n’ Load
Chapter 91 – Endgame
Chapter 92 – Worlds on the Edge
Chapter 93 – The Seven
Chapter 95 – Soul
Chapter 96 – Ambush
Chapter 97 – Battle of the Dragons’ Lair
Chapter 98 – This Isn’t Love
Chapter 99 – Destiny
Chapter 101
Chapter 102 – The Decimation
Chapter 103 – When I Drift Off
Chapter 104 – So Say We All
Chapter 105 – She’s a Marvel
Chapter 106 – The Forge
Chapter 107 – Welcome Home
Chapter 108 – The Garden
Chapter 110 – Long Live the Infinity Era
Chapter 111 – Five Years Later
Chapter 112 – The Journey of an Ant-Man
Chapter 113 – Thunderbolts
Chapter 114 – Wibbly Wobbly
Chapter 115 – Becoming Whole Again
Chapter 116 – I Am Inevitable
Chapter 117 – My Greatest Creation
Chapter 118 – New Asgard
Chapter 119 – Ronin
Chapter 120 – I Love You 3,000
Chapter 121 – That Shield Belongs to You
Chapter 122 – Suit Up
Chapter 123 – Old Scars
Chapter 124 – Can You Remember?
Chapter 125 – Destiny Fulfilled
Chapter 126 – Time Heist
Chapter 128 – A Story Untold
Chapter 129 – America’s Ass
Chapter 130 – Lost in Space, Time, and Mind
Chapter 131 – A Beautiful New Age
Chapter 132 – Second Chance
Chapter 133 – Something’s Different
Chapter 134 – Little Resistance
Chapter 135 – Diverged
Chapter 136 – One Woman Army
Chapter 137 – The Old World
Chapter 138 – Wake Up
Chapter 139 – Unstoppable
Chapter 140 – Metal Earth
Chapter 141 – Mjølnir
Chapter 142 – The Bell Will Sound
Chapter 143 – As a Team
Chapter 145 – Heartbreak
Chapter 146 – Thor and the World Serpent
Chapter 147 – Unfinished Business
Chapter 148 – For Every Life
Chapter 149 – Come and Get Your Stone
Chapter 150 – Sacrifice
Chapter 151 – I Know You
Chapter 152 – Annihilation
Chapter 153 – Power Play
Chapter 154 – Hunted
Chapter 155 – New Faces
Chapter 156 – Negative
Chapter 157 – Back to the Future
Chapter 158 – Admittance
Chapter 159 – The Blip
Chapter 160 – Aftermath
Chapter 162 – Seis Amigos
Chapter 163 – Trinities
Chapter 164 – Cats and Mice
Chapter 166 – They Need You
Chapter 167 – Payback
Chapter 168 – Worthy
Chapter 169 – As Long as One Stands
Chapter 170 – Avengers
Chapter 171 – Assemble
Chapter 172 – 14,000,604
Chapter 173 – Always Worth It
Chapter 174 – This is Nice
Chapter 176 – Spikezilla
Chapter 177 – The Shaken Earth
Chapter 178 – Grudge Match
Chapter 179 – A Furious Display
Chapter 180 – No Strings on Me
Chapter 181 – Only the Brave
Chapter 182 – Iron Army
Chapter 183 – Legacy
Chapter 184 – Redemption
Chapter 185 – Whatever It Takes
Chapter 186 – No Other Way
Chapter 187 – Ungrateful Universe
Chapter 188 – I Am Iron Man
Chapter 189 – The Real Heroes
Chapter 190 – Change the World
Chapter 191 – Volume 3
Chapter 193 – Peace to the Fallen
Chapter 194 – The Mantle
Chapter 195 – Until We Meet Again
Chapter 196 – You Promised
Chapter 197 – What Did it Cost?
Chapter 198 – A New Beginning
Chapter 199 – Strange Dawn
Chapter 200
Chapter 1
Chapter 9 – When Worlds Collide
Chapter 26 – The Curse of Knoweldge
Chapter 34 – Zephyr One
Chapter 45 – One United Species
Chapter 62 – A Moment to Rest
Chapter 79 – Somewhere Safe
Chapter 94 – Clash of the Titans
Chapter 100 – Grateful Universe
Chapter 109 – Where the Hell Have You Been?
Chapter 127 – An Old-Fashioned Notion
Chapter 144 – What Power Can Do
Chapter 161 – Not Out of This Fight
Chapter 165 – Losing Time
Chapter 175 – The Van That Saved the Universe
Chapter 192 – Only Family

Chapter 2 – A Life Away

Canterlot High School

Near the Portal

9:58 a.m.

Sunset Shimmer hated waking up early during the summer.

It had been a long week. A long week. It was a few weeks ago, but that was a long week. Finals rolled in after weeks of stressing and studying, and overall, Sunset felt she did fairly well. If a solid “A” in every class was fairly well, that is. Sunset couldn’t speak for the rest of her friends, but they’ve been having study groups every night to prepare for that week, so it shouldn’t have been too bad for them.

She always worried about Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, though. That Friday after class they looked to be freer than birds, more so than the birds that instantly rested upon Fluttershy’s shoulders the second she stepped out of the school. Sunset couldn’t help but feel the same way. All that studying seemed to pay off. They all passed with an “A”. It was a long school year, a lot of crazy adventures and magical chaos, and finals week was a pain, but it was over. School was out, and summer vacation had arrived at long last.

Sunset and her closest friends, which consisted of Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow all spent that Friday night celebrating with pizza, video games, and fresh soda that could fill Canterlot High’s soccer team. Oh, and Spike, Twilight’s talking dog. But no one needed to know about that. Later that night, Sunset wrote in her journal to Princess Twilight Sparkle in Equestria. They wrote for hours, even after everyone had turned in for the night, just to make sure everything was settled and confirmed for the next few weeks.

That was a few weeks ago. It came so fast.

Sunset still couldn’t believe she was going to do it.

“So, let me get this straight again,” Rainbow Dash yawned, cracking her back as she and her friends approached the Canterlot High statue directly in front of the empty school yard. The early morning sun burned everyone’s tired eyes. Everyone’s hair styles were poorly-done, even Rarity’s, but they managed for the occasion, dressed in the same outfits and dresses as they wore yesterday. Their usual attire. Everyone looked absolutely exhausted, which was expected after a long night at the movies. They saw a comic book movie. Those were always weird, but Pinkie really seemed to enjoy it, spouting off about her “Phase 4 theories” or something like that after the film had ended. Sunset didn’t know or just didn’t care enough to delve deeper.

Twilight adjusted her large glasses, holding onto Spike with both arms and shaking him gently. Spike yawned rather loudly in her arms, Twilight following suit. Even Sunset joined them, turning her weary gaze over to Rainbow Dash, who looked just as tired as everybody else.

Sunset Shimmer hated waking up early during the summer. She and all her friends. But it was important.

Dash continued, scratching the back of her head. “You’re gonna be abandoning us to be spending a week of summer over in another dimension with alternate versions of us, who are actually magical ponies that can talk and fly?”

Sunset tightened her grip on her bag. “Yeah, that’s… pretty much it, albeit minus the ‘abandoning’ part,” Sunset giggled.

Rainbow still looked unamused with her answer, crossing her arms and raising a brow. Her cracking voice was weary from the early morning endeavor, even as she said, “So… you’re replacing us?”

“Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaimed, flicking the girl’s blue ear. Dash yelped in response, socking Rarity’s shoulder, to which she replied with a punch of her own. Before it could escalate, Applejack separated the two, chuckling to herself.

“Now, now, calm down, girls,” Applejack drawled, pushing the two away and standing between them. She chuckled, tipping her hat to Sunset. “We’ve known this was comin’. Sunset has been plannin’ this here trip fer weeks now. Is that right?”

“Yep!” Sunset said and brought her bag forward, smiling and reaching into it. She pulled out her journal, flipping randomly through the pages, stopping just after the first few. “I’ve actually wanted to do this ever since Twilight—not you, Twilight; pony Twilight—first left this world, but never really… found the courage or the right time to do so. Mostly the right time to do so.”

Everyone raised a brow.

Sunset frowned. “Okay, I’ve never really had the courage to do this! But come on! It’s kind of… you know… scary having to go back and face everypony you’ve left. Especially after everything I’ve done. Especially…” she paused, gripping the book’s edges and holding it close to her chest.

She sighed, “Especially with my former teacher.”

The group of seven each shared a saddened look with one another, all eventually turning towards Shimmer.

She tightened her jaw, frowned, and nodded. “But my last time meeting with Celestia seemed to go well, back during the whole… Memory Stone incident.”

“Don’t remind us,” Rainbow groaned, crossing her arms.

“And Princess Twilight and I have been discussing this for weeks now, and we’ve both decided that now would be the best time to do so. School’s out, Equestria has never been safer, and it just…” Sunset sighed again, this time with a smile. “Now, it just feels right to do.”

It was quiet for a moment, everyone taking in Sunset’s words and the beautiful scenery that came with the rising summer sun. Then, Pinkie happened. She bounded forward, stopping directly in front of Sunset. “Sooooo… it’s a welcome home party, then?” she asked, leaning forward, hands behind her back. “That’s what you’ll be welcomed home to, right? A welcome home party?”

Sunset chuckled. “Well, Twilight did mention that Pinkie has been planning something in Equestria…”

Pinkie took that as the biggest breath of fresh air she’s ever taken, fist pumping in celebration. “Yes! Just the right way to do it! Oh, I am goooood. Even when it’s not technically me, I am goooood.”

Everyone laughed. Even Spike who had decided to wake up fully.

That laughter was broken apart when Pinkie suddenly lunged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Sunset and nearly cracking her spine. Sunset caught her breath and nearly dropped her journal, hands pressed down on Pinkie, desperately trying to push her away so she could breathe again.

“Oh, please don’t stay in Equestria forever!” Pinkie cried, tears beginning to form in the corners of her tightly-closed eyes. “We have so many plans this summer!”

“Calm… down… Pinkie!” Sunset gagged. Pinkie took that as a clear sign to ease up. She took in several calming breaths the moment Pinkie let loose on her grip, gently patting the girl’s pink, fluffy hair. “It’s just for a week, remember? I’ll be back before you know it.”

“It better be just one week!” Rainbow exclaimed, stepping forward. “You can’t forget our trip to Florida! The waves are gonna be huge this year!”

“And our trips to the day spa, darling!” Rarity shouted, hand held out to the sky.

“And our camping trips,” Fluttershy offered to the conversation, smiling when everyone shouted in agreement.

To each of them, Sunset smiled in response. Nodded as well. And said, “I promise.”

The group shared a massive hug, as if that was her promise being nullified amongst them all. Spike leapt forward and licked Sunset’s face. Sunset giggled in response, picking Spike up and hugging him. She handed him back to Twilight once the group broke apart, who turned to Rarity after she stepped forward to Sunset.

Watching as Sunset placed her journal back in her bag, Rarity said, “Who knows? During your time back in Equestria you can catch up with your parents again!”

And just like that, Sunset’s smile faded.

An awkward silence filled the air, but she didn’t pay any attention to her friends or what followed after Rarity’s statement. Sunset thought only of her parents, how she hadn’t seen them since she left Equestria. She never really had a… strong relationship with her family. She dreaded what they must have thought of her now, what with leaving home without warning, stealing Princess Twilight’s crown, never visiting or sending letters to them. And now she was coming back, ready to apologize and put the past behind them. But that was just with Celestia.

Sunset wouldn’t doubt if her parents didn’t even know she was coming back. Still, she forced a smile. A sad one, and said, “Yeah… maybe.”

Applejack shoved her elbow in Rarity’s side, earning a painful yelp from the girl. Rainbow stuck her tongue out at Rarity, smiling as she did so.

Noticing her expression and ignoring the others, Twilight laid her hand on Sunset’s shoulder. “I know you don’t like talking about your parents…” Twilight said, holding Spike with one arm and caressing Sunset’s shoulder with the other, “but if there was ever a time to fully make amends, then you should take every opportunity you can.”

Sunset gripped her bag’s strap, eyes still not focused upwards. She felt Twilight’s grip on her shoulder, how warm it was. How friendly it appeared to be. She smiled at that, finally bringing up her gaze to those glasses and messy purple hair. “Thanks, Twilight. I’ll keep that in mind.”

They ended in a hug, quickly followed by everyone else. This group hug lasted longer than the last, not really promising anything, but signifying a strong goodbye, and an even stronger friendship.

“We really are gonna miss you,” Fluttershy whispered, voice cracking.

“Can you say longest week ever?!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“LONGEST WEEK EVER!” Pinkie screamed.

They all laughed and broke away. Containing her chuckles, Sunset stared at each of her friends, at the wonderful people she’s met, the ones that managed to change her life so much in the best possible way. She really was going to miss them. The last week of school may have been the longest week ever, but deep down she felt like this next one would be even longer. If that was possible.

She kept that in mind as she approached the portal. Looking back, she saw Twilight and the others waving their final goodbyes, even Spike. Twilight gently caressed her geode necklace while holding the little puppy. Sunset felt her own hand move without command towards her neck.

She wore her necklace, the red geode with the sun design still embedded within it. Gently caressing it at first, then gripping it tightly, Sunset smiled, much more confidently then before. With that confidence, she spun around and slowly entered the portal within the stone block.

She held onto her geode even as she swirled through dimensions.

Equus

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

10:09 a.m.

Her mind always felt a bit woozy from using the portal, but not this time. Sunset Shimmer was greeted by the unfamiliar feeling of four hooves, a swishing tail, lack of fingers, and a protruding horn from her forehead the moment she stepped out of the light to rub it. She continued to smile as she felt the horn, ensuring her of the portal’s continued success.

Which also meant…

Opening her eyes after entering the bright light and swirling colors, Sunset flinched and allowed herself to adjust to the light before fully opening her eyelids. A stained glass window on the far left of the room was wide open and bright morning sunlight spilled inside the large library she had seen once before. Within the library, books lined the walls and sat in large piles at the edges of the room, and other than that the room was spotless. Well, save for eight colorful spots directly ahead of her.

Once her eyes had fully adjusted to the assault of the morning sunlight, Sunset blinked a couple of times and rubbed her eyes. She was met with several smiling faces, ones belonging to Princess Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Starlight Glimmer, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash.

On cue to her arrival, Pinkie Pie bounded up and down in a cartoonish fashion, being stopped by Applejack who draped her hoof across the pony’s backside, keeping her to the ground. The farm pony smiled warmly, still holding Pinkie who could hardly contain her own smile. Rarity fluttered her eyelashes, offering a dazzling smile to the arrival of her fellow unicorn. Fluttershy weakly waved her hoof, hiding half of her face and smile behind her long, pink mane. Rainbow hovered above the group, forelegs crossed, smirking and winking down to the unicorn. Three took a step forward, one of them being Starlight and the others being Spike and Twilight, all of them smiling, Starlight’s own being much wider than Spike’s. Sunset returned the favor to Starlight. She brought her gaze forward, meeting the Alicorn’s gaze.

Sunset flinched, however, when a hulking suit of golden and red armor landed behind the three that approached her. Sunset took a cautious step back, eyes widened in shock, horn glowing and at the ready. She was stopped by Twilight’s hoof shooting outwards, assuring her of the safety of the situation. Twisting her neck back, Twilight smiled warmly to the large metal suit behind her. Starlight and Spike followed. Sunset just stared, her horn dying.

The suit was, as she noticed earlier, colored dark red with hints of gold on its arms, legs, and face. It’s eyes and chest glowed a bright blue, the chest especially with its circular design right over where its heart should be. The suit stood taller than the other mares, bringing its gaze down to Princess Twilight. It carried a familiar book with a sun design on its cover. When it spoke, the voice that came out of it completely surprised Sunset. It sounded feminine, a fluid young voice escaping its bulking shape. And it… she said, “Portal deactivated, Twilight.”

Not even her mouth moved when she talked, but Twilight didn’t seem all that disturbed. In fact, she smiled and nodded in response, facing the unicorn once more. Managing to bring her gaze away from the suit of armor for a second, Sunset met Twilight’s gaze, calming under the princess’ warm and welcoming grin.

And what she said. “Sunset… welcome home.”

Sunset Shimmer’s smile returned, forming a curious smirk. Directed at, yes, the seven ponies and one baby dragon, but more specifically, the Mark 45 Iron Man armor.

“Guess you guys got a bit of a story to tell,” Sunset chuckled.

Starlight smirked. “You could say that.”

Chapter 3 – Children of Darkness

Andromeda Galaxy

Sanctuary

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Space was always so beautiful. Thanos liked to imagine that. He knew it wasn’t true. Because within that space, within the darkness and the endless void of no return, there was the blight. An immortal blemish that constantly plagued not only the galaxy he remained, but every galaxy. Every single galaxy. The entire universe even. That blight, that blemish, that sickness, it was but one thing.

Life.

And he stared at it on his throne. He stared into the stardust that ranged from the cool, velvet purple, to the raging, boiling red. The remains of stars, nothing but dust in the vast, open space. They lived their life, expelled their power, and went out. In a flash. So quick. So painless. In such an instant, a life was gone, a life that supplied millions of others on nearby worlds. So fast, it could have been done faster than Thanos could have snapped his fingers.

In an instant. Just like that.

Thanos’ weary gaze turned away from the remains of the stars and rested to the left side of his throne, to the golden gauntlet that he wore upon his hand. Embedded within it, six indents remained, four beneath each finger, one near the thumb, and the last and largest on the face of the gauntlet. Perfectly crafted. Without fault. Created just for him.

And his destiny.

To some, destiny came when it wanted. Sometimes it was meant to be a grand occasion one would have to be patient for in order to reap its full benefits. Others saw destiny as events that are meant to come, unchanged despite the most painful efforts to prevent it. For Thanos, destiny was his to command. He would not wait for the universe to tell him no, to fight back against him and what he saw true. For Thanos, he would seek his destiny and claim it for himself.

But for now, that destiny remained on hold. For now, he and his children awaited the return of his army, and their mission that took them years to reach. Thanos had received the word not too long ago from his Chitauri Elite that they have found them. They have actually succeeded. Their journey across the universe has yielded its reward, for they have succeeded and were returning to Thanos to tell him what they found.

And now, he and his children just had to wait. His children. The Black Order.

“This… is truly a moment you should be proud of, my Great!” the Ebony Maw declared, strutting back and forth atop the great mound of space rock. His bony, white fingers pressed softly with one another, each hand close together, his eyes lost in hope and wonder. Corvus Glaive sneered from the boulder he sat upon, sharpening his glaive with a short blade, the sparks reflecting off his fangs.

Ebony Maw spun around, his attire dancing as he moved to strut forward once again. “As we speak, the Outriders return from their journey. In just a short moment, they will inform us of what they have found, and the Cleansing will finally become… truth.”

“We heard you the first time,” Proxima Midnight growled. Ebony Maw turned to her, spotting Midnight sitting by the steps beneath the great throne. In her hand, her three-pointed spear was pressed to the rock, the tip facing the heavens. Maw stared into her eyes, stared into the madness. “At this point, you’re just sucking up to Father.”

Within the shadows, Cull Obsidian chuckled. Not because it was funny, but because the Maw actually flinched to her comment.

“I just wish for all of you to know of what’s to come,” Ebony Maw said softly, spinning around and away from Midnight’s glare. He held his hands to the heavens, declaring, “For we have been blessed to be a part of Thanos’ children! To be spared once the Cleansing is to begin! And for Father…” he paused and turned around, to the shadowed throne he stared upon, “… to know that this came to be… because of his greatness.”

“This is ridiculous.”

Ebony Maw looked down to her. “You blame the Great Titan?”

“I don’t blame Father,” Midnight said, stepping up to the Maw with spear in hand. Obsidian grunted, stepping out of the shadows and gripping his hammer. Midnight grew closer to the Maw, narrowing her gaze. The Maw didn’t move. “But it has been years since we have sent the Outriders out to the universe, and only now do they decide to return. They should be lucky we won’t slaughter them all when they arrive.”

“If it be at the hands of Thanos, they would be pleased,” Ebony said.

Midnight smiled, slowly circling the Maw. “You grovel like a parasite to Father, too afraid to speak your mind, too weak to hold your own.” She stopped in front of him, eyes meeting his own. “Why is it that he likes you more, again?”

Ebony Maw smiled, slowly raising one of his fingers. Several jagged rocks rose from the ground, centering towards Midnight and hovering there. “Need I demonstrate?”

Proxima Midnight bared her teeth, gripping her spear even tighter. In the right side of her vision, she could see Cull Obsidian growing closer, hammer in hand. Ready for another warm-up before the Cleansing. In the left side of her vision, she saw Corvus Glaive hop down from where he was perched, approaching her. She allowed herself to settle as he came to her side.

“Ease yourself, my love,” Corvus Glaive’s raspy voice said, resting his claws on Midnight’s shoulder. Doing so caused her to settle, just for a moment, and place her spear’s end into the ground. Her body became more relaxed. Even the Maw dropped his finger, the jagged rocks falling to the ground.

Smiling to that, Corvus looked to Midnight and said, “Let Father deal with these… beasts when they arrive. He can be very… considerate.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” Cull Obsidian growled, stepping back into the shadows.

Proxima turned to Glaive, and a smile appeared on her face. Not one of malice or ill-intention, but of content. She let her hand drift upwards, caressing Glaive’s scar-covered cheek. She sighed. “Of course, my love. You always know what to say.”

The two stared into each other’s gazes for a moment longer, eventually breaking away when the Maw declared, “Praise be to the Great Titan! They have arrived!”

In the distance, the Black Order could see as a Chitauri Command Center approached Sanctuary slowly. It was concealed in the shadows, an asteroid three times the size of it blanketing the entire warship in shadows. And from it, only one ship was launched. The Black Order stepped forward, narrowing their gazes and watching as the ship grew closer and closer.

They watched as the Outrider Dropship impacted the asteroid beneath the steps leading to the Titan’s throne. Debris shot up from the dropship’s landing, pieces of asteroid floating off into the void. The ground the Black Order stood upon shook, but then fell into peace and silence. Watching as the dropship began to open beneath them, Corvus Glaive growled, twisting his neck back to the throne.

“Thanos.”

By that single utterance, the throne slowly turned. Away from the asteroid field and the remains of the stars. The throne faced forward, and the Mad Titan, Thanos, stared ahead. In silence. Watching as Corvus Glaive led his children to the feet of his throne and bowed. They fell to their knees, weapons pressed to the rock, heads held low. Then they rose. Thanos blinked and nodded to them. Other than that, his expression was unreadable.

The Ebony Maw took a step forward, standing by Glaive’s side. He held out his hands to Thanos, saying, “The Outriders have returned from their journey, my Great. Allow them to inform you of what they have discovered.”

Thanos nodded once more. His eyes shifted upwards, past the Black Order and towards the steps spiraling downwards. The Black Order followed their father’s gaze, stepping aside as a horde of Outriders poured in from the steps. They arrived in a drove, a mix of limbs and screams following them like the mindless beasts they were. Some trampled over each other. Others led the pack, using their claws on each hand—all four of them—to halt several feet ahead of the great throne of Thanos. Their master. The Outriders turned their eyeless heads forward, dipping them to the ground. Every Outrider did, until none remained fully standing.

Until they all bowed before their master.

“You may speak,” Ebony Maw said, a hint of excitement in his tone. Just the thought of the Cleansing growing that much closer made him tingle. Thanos sighed from his throne, resting his chin upon his right hand.

Amongst the crowd of shifting forms and low growls, a single Outrider stepped forward on two legs. It was considerably larger than the Outriders surrounding it, holding an extra pair of arms, making the count to six. The Outriders in front backed away as the larger Outrider stepped forth to Thanos’ throne. It stared straight ahead, growled softly.

The Outrider General said, “We found them. All of them.”

Thanos lifted up his head. The Outriders surrounding the general began to screech in unison, twisting about from where they stood, growling and snapping their jaws. Savages, Proxima Midnight thought to herself, taking several steps backwards.

A lone Outrider crawled forward. It looked to its general, seeing the nod in confirmation. It approached Thanos’ throne, gazing up to it’s master and saying, “The… Infinity Stone in Asgard was… not found. Asgard… is destroyed.”

Thanos leaned forward.

The Outrider quickly followed up with, “But the Asgardians still hold it in their Ark! They are on their way to Earth. The Space Stone is in the hands… of Loki.”

Just the utterance of his name caused several Outriders to screech in protest. They slammed their hands into the rock, snapping their teeth together and screaming at that name. The Black Order sneered when the Outrider said his name. Thanos… just smiled. He lifted his finger, prompting them to continue.

Another Outrider stepped forward, earning a nod from the general, and said, “The Reality Stone remains with the Collector in Knowhere.” Thanos turned to the Outrider, the beast lowering its head to the ground.

Then another stepped forward. Another nod from the general, and then it said, “The Power Stone is within the vaults of the Nova Corps on Xandar. It is not far from here.”

Thanos contemplated that thought, turning to the next Outrider that stepped forward. It turned out that three stepped forward that time. They bowed quickly to their master. The Outrider General looked down, nodding to them. The first of the small pack crawled ahead, lifting up its head and saying, “We have found two of the Infinity Stones on Earth.”

Two. Thanos blinked at that, his brow furrowing.

The Outrider next to the first said, “The Time Stone… with the Masters of the Mystic Arts.”

The third Outrider hissed, “The Mind Stone… in the forehead of the Vision.”

The first Outrider dropped its head, barring its teeth. Each of the Black Order turned to one another, waiting for it to speak, but hearing nothing but the silence of space. The Outriders had fallen silent. None of them spoke. Barely any of them moved. One would assume they had died on the spot under the gaze of the Mad Titan. Not uncommon.

Finally, Proxima Midnight asked, “Well… what of the last Stone?”

“The Soul Stone,” Ebony Maw whispered. His voice traveled to each Outrider, making them all flinch and cower beneath his gaze. “Where is it?”

The first Outrider lifted its head, its eyeless gaze facing Thanos. It didn’t cower. They didn’t cower. The first Outrider stood up on its hind legs, slowly stepping forward and pausing just feet beneath the throne of the Great Titan. It could feel the powerful gaze that bore the sight of billions of lives vanquished. It could feel the eyes that watched as the universe tore itself apart, nothing to keep it in balance.

It could feel Thanos’ gaze rip right through it.

And it answered, “… Earth.”

The Outriders by its sides nodded, hissing together. “Earth…”

They chanted.

“Earth.”

They all did.

“Earth!”

Until they screamed.

“Earth!”

Until Ebony Maw raised his finger and silenced them.

Proxima Midnight sneered at the beasts before her, her nose wrinkling in disgust. But she couldn’t focus on them right now. The location of the Infinity Stones have been given, and it was her turn to take command. To prove herself to Father. She approached the throne, saying, “I say we save Earth for last. Xandar is the closest. Shall I prepare the Chitauri, Father?”

For that, Thanos didn’t answer. At least not at first.

He left them waiting. In discomfort, in silence, as he closed his eyes. The Infinity Stones… all six of their locations found. Since the birth of time itself, the Stones could never have been brought together, nor could they have been torn apart from one another. They were caught in a twisted limbo, a hell where trillions of lives have been lost just to gaze at the utter power the Stones had. If one could imagine… what bringing the six Stones together, wielding all six, could really do?

Thanos sighed and opened his eyes. His gaze fell down to the Infinity Gauntlet he wielded in his left palm and forearm. The light of the dying suns caused a soft glow to reflect off the gold-colored plating, the six indents bare and waiting. If one could imagine what bringing the six Stones together…

If one had the will… the destiny… to see it through.

“No.”

The Outriders cowered and backed away. The Black Order flinched and did the same. Proxima Midnight backed off, watching as her father rose from the throne and slowly descended the steps. The shadowed throne hid nothing any longer. Thanos’ golden armor shined in the light of the residue of the dying stars. His helmet glistened and gleamed as he stepped off the last step and approached the Outriders. The six that remained directly ahead of their general fell to their knees, refusing to look up unless told so.

And they waited.

Thanos looked to them. Then to his empty gauntlet. His violet skin didn’t even flinch to the aspect of its nakedness. He knew it would be sealed soon, with power beyond comprehension. With power that no one in the entire universe could ever imagine. With power that he would wield… even if it cost him everything. If one had the will to see it through.

And so, Thanos spoke, still holding a lost gaze at the Infinity Gauntlet.

“For years, I had every opportunity to find what I needed. And every single time, those opportunities were stripped away. I could have accomplished it so much earlier. I could have seen my destiny… so much sooner.”

Thanos flexed his left palm, the Gauntlet’s metal plating clenching. He frowned at the sight of the empty indents. “I have been played a fool two times too many. No more. The time for rest is over. Watching as the universe wastes away… is something I can no longer bear. It’s time to take what is rightfully mine… and it begins by fulfilling a deal with the adopted son of Odin.”

He dropped his hand, and more so the Gauntlet. Turning to Proxima Midnight, he said, “Ready my ship.” She nodded without question, the rest of the Black Order following her as she went to obey her father’s command. However, they were stopped. They, as well as the Outrider General and all of its followers. They stopped and watched the scene unfold beneath the throne.

“And as for you six,” Thanos said, eyes landing on the six Outriders still kneeling before him. They lifted up their heads upon hearing their lord and master address them. Thanos reached behind him with his right hand. “I believe a reward is in order for your cause.”

From his back, Thanos unsheathed a massive blade and brought it forward. The Outriders’ jaws fell together, their claws held out to their master and to the blade he wielded. Thanos observed his reflection, saw the stardust and the trillions of lights glinting off of its surface. He turned the blade right, then brought it left, then sliced downwards in less than a second.

So fast.

So clean.

Six heads shot up and fell down with the bodies.

The Outriders screamed in joy. The General held out one of its many hands to the Mad Titan. The several others beneath it did the same. Thanking him. Praising him. The Black Order; Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive, Ebony Maw, and Cull Obsidian just stared. Stared and smiled.

Thanos slid his blood-covered blade into the holster on his back, stepped over the bodies, and began his holy quest.

Chapter 4 – Making Amends

Milky Way Galaxy

Equus

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

9:13 p.m.

The party started mere hours after Sunset Shimmer stepped hoof in Twilight’s library. She hardly had any time to set her bag in the guest room Twilight provided, or even walk around the castle before guests started pouring in. Being a party hosted by the Princess of Friendship herself, plenty of high members from Canterlot and even some celebrities managed to drop by.

Sunset barely knew anypony, but everypony seemed to know her.

The folks from Canterlot, particularly Fancy Pants and the lovely Fleur de Lis, just gabbled on and on about Princess Twilight’s stories from another dimension. She particularly spoke highly of Sunset Shimmer, causing the unicorn to blush whenever it was something positive. It always was. Nopony seemed to mention her past, almost as if it never happened. Part of Sunset wished for that, the other part knew that wouldn’t be possible and accepted that. Though she wasn’t fond of it, the past still happened, and she still lived with that. Her past wasn’t today, however. It didn’t define her now.

Several celebrities managed to drop by for a quick visit. Some Sunset barely remembered, others that were completely new to her. She, of course, remembered Countess Coloratura, who went by “Rara” now. She mostly chatted with Applejack, but spent a good portion of the night meeting Sunset. The unicorn also met Songbird Serenade for the first time. Apparently, she was a new pop artist that sprang up a couple years back. She knew Twilight from when she and her friends saved Canterlot from the Storm King’s invasion not too long ago. That earned Sunset’s attention, something she’ll definitely have to discuss further about with Twilight.

Even some of the students from Twilight’s School of Friendship dropped by with their respected guardians. Sunset had trouble remembering all of their names, but she managed. The first was Sandbar, a young Earth pony who obviously had a crush on Sunset the moment he laid eyes on her. Sunset could catch the hints. Then there was Silverstream, a Hippogriff of all creatures who couldn’t stop freaking out over the fact that Sunset had been to another dimension. Her guardian turned out to be General Seaspray, one of Queen Novo’s naval leaders. Then there was Ocellus, a shy changeling hiding under the legs of Thorax, the leader of said changelings. Sunset really enjoyed his company.

Next was Smolder, accompanied by Dragon Lord Ember. Strange. The last Sunset heard was that the dragons tried to keep as far away from ponies as possible. Something must’ve changed. Something she should discuss with Princess Twilight. Then there were the yaks, two in particular. The smaller one’s name was Yona, who almost crushed Sunset with her hug. Then there was Prince Rutherford. He made it abundantly clear—very loudly to be exact—that he welcomed “dimension pony” into Equestria. Sunset’s ears couldn’t stop ringing. And finally, there was Gallus and what appeared to be his grandfather griffon, rightfully named Grandpa Gruff. One was smug and the other practically coughed his lungs out right in front of the unicorn. Sunset tried to keep her smile the entire time.

None of the students or their guardians stayed very long. They met Sunset, offered their greetings and goodbyes to Princess Twilight and her friends, and left to their respective lands. All except for Sandbar, who Sunset could have sworn was following her for at least an hour before his parents finally arrived to drag him home. Sunset just laughed as he waved goodbye lovingly.

The party started off slow, but once the moon started to rise that’s when things really started to kick off. More guests arrived by the dozen, and everypony present was visited by the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony himself, Discord. The guests from Ponyville especially enjoyed his appearance. They had particular experience when dealing with Discord’s antics, what with the party Discord threw a couple years back in Ponyville that left the town in shambles. Sunset found Discord to be quite the charmer, but also kind of a wack job. He took both as compliments.

As the party dragged on and the celebrities came and went, things started to slow down into the night. The castle wasn’t as crowded as it had been earlier that night, but there were still a good number of ponies filling the halls. Trash lied on empty tables in the dining area, empty plates and cups being thrust into garbage pails by Spike and several other ponies. Small conversations filled the castle, ponies sticking to small groups and chatting amongst themselves until they decided when it would be best to turn in for the night. Others, the more knowledgeable ones, knew Pinkie Pie had at least one more trick up her sleeve, and chose to prepare by finishing off their drinks and moving towards the dining area for a refill. These ponies waved to Sunset as she strode past them.

Sunset Shimmer tried to find her way through Twilight’s castle, through the dining area and entering the maze-like hallways. She frowned. The last time she was in Twilight’s castle, all she saw was the library and a few hallways. Sure, it was big, but she couldn’t have imagined it was so large on the inside with how it appeared on the outside. She tried to keep her mind on the physical attributes of Twilight’s castle, and not on what she had been both anxiously waiting for and dreading all night…

Making amends once again.

There wasn’t any sign of the princesses, nor of Twilight, who Sunset had been looking for after breaking herself away from the conversation in the dining area. She was grateful there were so many ponies who were willing to accept and meet her, but a few minutes of breathing room to gain some insight on her current mission was desperately needed.

The library was closed off for the night, so no finding Twilight in there. None of the guest rooms were occupied, and the throne room was blocked off from all guests. Aside from some lingering ponies in the hallways, the only other place in the castle that she knew ponies would be would have to be in the foyer, directly next to the entrance of the castle.

She found her way there rather easily, standing at the very top of the stairway and gazing down at a room that was nearly full of ponies. Discord was present, which earned most of the attention of the room. Sunset didn’t pay the bystanders any attention, though. Her full gaze was latched with Twilight chatting with some friends from Canterlot. The rest of her friends were scattered throughout the foyer, speaking with close friends and family. Especially Starlight, who was engrossed with the tale of adventure and excitement that Trixie, Derpy, and Maud were trying to tell her. Well, mostly Trixie and Derpy. Maud just stood by with her younger sister, Pinkie, listening and offering her own slice of the adventure she, Trixie, and Derpy had been a part of.

Her words were minimal, yet the story was so… fascinating. Sunset definitely needed to hear about their little “space adventure”. Definitely later. Now, she needed to focus on just one pony.

“Oh, Sunset Shimmer!”

Nearly jumping out of her coat, Sunset spun her neck around, her mane whipping with her. She smiled in relief to only see Spike behind her, quickly making his way down the steps. “Oh, Spike, you can call me Sunset. No need for such formalities,” she told him with a giggle and a wave of her hoof.

Stopping just a few steps above her, Spike frowned, rubbing the back of his head. “Right, sorry. It’s just that Twilight wants me to be on my best behavior tonight and…”

Everything seemed to click shortly after he said Twilight’s name. He snapped his claws, turning to Sunset with a smile and eyes brimming with excitement. “Oh, that’s right! Twilight wanted me to find you and bring you to the foyer! But it looks like you already found your way, so my last job for the party is nearly done!”

He offered his claw and bowed respectively. “M’lady.”

Sunset chuckled and placed her hoof in his claw. “Heh… Don’t call me that,” she said with a deadpan tone, but smirked Spike’s way. They descended the stairs and entered the foyer, passing ponies and making their way near the doors where Twilight was speaking with several other ponies. The whole time she tried not to look at the small wings protruding from Spike’s back.

Instantly, Twilight’s eyes widened with excitement when she spotted Sunset’s bright mane. “Sunset!” Twilight exclaimed, breaking away from the group she was speaking with, all of which turned their attention onto Sunset. “I’m so glad you’re here! You came just in time! Wait, it is time, isn’t it?”

Spike nodded to her, tapping his watch.

“Great!” Twilight said with a giddy smile, hopping on the tips of her hooves like a little filly. Several of her friends from Canterlot, such as Moon Dancer, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, and Minuette, all giggled at her reaction. “Oh, I can’t wait! This reunion is going to be fantastic! I just know it!”

Stepping forward and away from Spike who joined in on another far-off conversation, Sunset chuckled nervously, rubbing her foreleg. “That’s… actually what I wanted to talk with you about, Twilight.”

Twilight paused for a moment, smiled warmly, then turned to the four behind her. “Excuse me, girls,” she told them, facing Sunset and stepping aside with her. “Yeah? So, what’s on your mind?”

“You… do you remember when I came back during the Memory Stone incident, right?” Sunset asked, nearly at a whisper. Twilight nodded, her smile fading and a worrisome expression growing on her face. “So, you should probably know that I’ve already… kinda made amends with Celestia already. Sure, I’ve done some pretty terrible things, said even worse things to Celestia herself. So… what do I even need to say?”

Twilight’s worry vanished when Sunset mentioned Celestia. She just smiled in response, resting her hoof on Sunset’s shoulder. She noticed it was shaking. “Well, that’s always difficult,” she told her in the kindest tone she could manage for her. “Although you did meet with Celestia and apologized already, it wouldn’t hurt to do it again. By the way, you didn’t really stay in Equestria that long.”

Sunset nodded slowly at first. “I guess you’re right.” That nod quickened, her smile growing as she exclaimed, “Yeah, I’m worrying over nothing! It’s gonna be easy!”

Smiling in response to that, Twilight leaned her neck back as Sunset moved in, brow furrowing, the unicorn whispering, “By the way… when did you say the princesses were getting here?”

Three sudden and powerful knocks on the door brought everypony’s attention backwards to the entrance of the castle. Before anypony could intervene, the Mark 45 Iron Man armor flew over everypony’s heads, landing in front of the twin doors and pulling them open. The AI nodded her metallic head, stepping aside to announce loudly for the entire foyer to hear.

And Friday said, “Presenting the rulers of Equestria, the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon, Celestia and Luna, as well as their guests for the night!”

Sunset’s confident smile fell, replaced only with a confused expression. “Guests?” she asked. Twilight could hardly contain her excitement.

That confused expression was then replaced with a look of surprise when she forgot who Friday just mentioned by name. They stepped into the castle, looking as elegant as ever, Celestia mostly. The dark blue Alicorn standing on her right was obviously Princess Luna. Sunset, like everypony else, knew of the story of Nightmare Moon. She knew Luna had returned, but it was still just the second time she had met her… face to face.

The two were trailed by a few Royal Guards who kept the doors open despite the fact that the princesses had already made it inside. Twilight and the ponies around her began to move forward. The entire foyer began to move forward. Sunset stayed where she was, eyes trained on the bright white Alicorn. And she shivered.

“Your Highnesses,” Twilight greeted, bowing to the royal sisters. Everypony else in the foyer followed in the princess’ hoofsteps, save for Discord and Sunset Shimmer. She eventually snapped out of her daze and bowed like the others. She could have sworn she saw Celestia’s warm smile turn her way. She gulped nervously, already sweating with her snout nearly touching the floor.

Nodding to Friday behind her, the AI doing just the same before flying off to the end of the room, Celestia turned her attention forward. “Princess Twilight, I must say this is quite the impressive celebration you’ve thrown,” Celestia addressed, smiling to the rest of the room. Everypony stood back up. Leaning down to her past pupil, Celestia whispered, “I see your organization skills from previous Galas have helped?”

Chuckling in response, Twilight nodded. “Certainly, Celestia,” she said, stepping aside and looking back for the right mare. She saw her standing amongst the crowd, almost looking like she was unsure whether she should back away or remain frozen. Twilight smiled warmly.

“There is somepony here who has been dying to see you again. I think it would all be in our best interests…” Twilight paused, turning back to gaze right into Celestia’s eyes, the twin orbs that held the radiance of the rising sun, “… if we let her speak.”

Celestia’s smile almost broke. She forced herself to keep it, but even Twilight saw that slight falter. “So, I have heard,” the Princess of the Sun said, following Twilight’s gaze.

Everypony followed Celestia’s eyes. Straight to the unicorn now at the center of attention. Sunset instantly crumbled on the inside by the sudden attention shifted her way. Really didn’t imagine it going this way, she thought, taking the first few and very brave steps forward. She had hoped for a smaller crowd, preferably just Twilight and her friends as witnesses. She tried not to focus on them and instead focused on…

“Princess… Celestia?” Sunset asked, the bravery in her voice still standing strong.

The Princess of the Sun awaited the unicorn’s approach with the brightest smile she could offer. Her mane danced to the flow of the wind that wasn’t there, sparkling in the shade of the rainbow it was. “Sunset Shimmer,” Celestia said sweetly, smiling to the unicorn as she slowly approached her. She noticed the shake in her step, causing her to chuckle warmly. “It is a true pleasure to see you once again.”

She shot out her wing, causing Sunset to flinch back and shut her eyes, almost like she was preparing for a strike to come. Nothing did. Instead, she opened her eyes to be met with Celestia’s smile and her left wing opened up to her. Almost like an embrace awaiting her arrival. Sunset was cautious for a short time, but the longer she stared at Celestia’s smile—that same warm, motherly smile—tears began to well up in the corners of her eyes, tears she couldn’t stop. Just like how she couldn’t stop what came next.

The unicorn ran forward and clutched onto the princess’ chest like it was her lifeline, already releasing the waterworks right into the Alicorn’s chest. Even when she spread her dampness onto her coat, even when she bawled like a little filly, Celestia didn’t turn her away or break the embrace. She sealed it. Sunset felt the large wing drape over her like a comforting blanket, like a shield to keep her safe. Just like before. Just like so long ago when she was still her pupil. The thought of that caused Sunset to clutch onto her chest and cry even harder.

“I’m sorry…” the unicorn cried, face buried into Celestia’s chest. “I’m so… so sorry. I wish I could… I wish I could take it all back.”

“Oh, my little pony,” Celestia said, her voice nearly breaking as she rubbed the unicorn’s mane. “It’s okay. Everything’s all right.”

Sunset looked up at her, tears staining her cheeks and burning her eyes. Celestia only smiled, saying in a soothing tone, “From what I’ve heard… there is no need for such apologies, Sunset.”

She lifted her gaze and brought it to Twilight and the approaching Elements of Harmony. Even as she stared at them, she spoke to Sunset. “Your actions in the other world, everything you’ve done to make amends, all of the wonderful friends you’ve made and problems you’ve solved all in the name of friendship… it has all proven that you have changed… in the most wonderful of ways.”

Using her wing, she wiped away Sunset’s tears, but that didn’t stop more from flowing freely. Even Celestia couldn’t shield her own. She bent down and practically scooped the unicorn into her forelegs, holding her as if she was her own daughter.

“Welcome home, Sunset Shimmer.”

Sunset could hear the shaking in Celestia’s voice, almost causing more tears to spring up in her eyes. But she stopped them, wiping her nose with a foreleg and breaking away from the princess. Celestia smiled to her. “Thank you, Princess Celestia,” Sunset said, sniffing loudly before turning to her left, where the Princess of the Night stood with a grin.

Sunset nearly jumped, rubbing her eyes rather quickly. “Princess Luna… it’s great to see you again.”

The Alicorn nodded and began to speak, addressed Sunset as fluently as she could, so clear that everypony could hear her. “I must say, it is an honor to be speaking to the one most highly praised by Princess Twilight once more. And I think it goes to show… that any friend of my sister’s is most certainly a friend of mine.”

Before Sunset could reply, Luna stepped forward for a hug. At first, Sunset was uncertain, but slowly fell into it when Celestia’s calming smile egged her on. Sunset chuckled, breaking away from the princess. “Thank you, Your Highness,” she said to Luna, who smiled and nodded in response.

“How are the ‘Faculty Lots’?” Luna asked.

Sunset actually laughed at that. Luna’s smile dwindled, confusion rippling across her brow. “Was it something we… I said?”

“As much as I would love for this reunion to last, it would be disrespectful to not introduce Sunset to our guests for the evening,” Celestia said, stepping forward with her sister.

“Oh, I agree wholeheartedly, sister,” Luna said, smirking to Sunset.

Catching that smirk and not knowing what to do with it, Sunset took a step forward and said, “Yeah, Friday mentioned something about gue—”

Both princesses backed away, making room for their guests as they entered through the large doors of Twilight’s castle. The doors closed at long last, finally revealing why they had remained open for so long. Sunset’s voice completely failed her, her eyes widening to a size she almost couldn’t fathom. She caught her breath, almost failing to breathe, but did so in small, silent bursts. Her heart practically stopped dead in its tracks, her mind almost doing the same.

When her parents stepped through those doors and entered Twilight’s castle, Sunset didn’t move. She didn’t breathe for a moment, then shortly continued. She didn’t think. Just stood in complete and utter shock. Sunrise and Evening Shimmer nearly shared the same exact fate.

Despite knowing full well why they were brought by the princesses themselves to Princess Twilight’s castle that night, the mare and stallion almost couldn’t believe who was standing just mere feet in front of them. Sunrise Shimmer, Sunset’s father, was a golden unicorn with a dull red mane and heavy wrinkles under his eyes, which were colored a light orange. He stood frozen in time, jaw unhinged, as did his wife. Evening Shimmer gasped loudly, trying to hide her shrieks with a raised hoof. Unlike her husband, her coat was a darker shade of gold and her mane a light shade of yellow and dark orange. She had her daughter’s eyes, bright cyan. Just like Sunset’s.

Sunset quickly looked over to Twilight. The Alicorn smiled as wide as ever, her eyes almost burning with tears as her hoof rose to cover her mouth. Those eyes of hers, just like Celestia, egged her on, pushed her forward.

Almost unsure at first, Sunset took those brave steps of hers forward, between the royal sisters and towards the ponies she was even more terrified to see than Celestia. Neither of them moved, just stood in tense silence as their daughter approached them. Each step was harder than the last, each inch closer a tug at Sunset’s heart after seeing the expressions on her mother’s face. Her father remained frozen in his own way, expression solidified into absolute nothingness. She didn’t care if there was a crowd anymore. She forgot about them a long time ago.

She stopped at a distance that she felt was right, just a few feet between them. Sunset didn’t smile, didn’t say a thing, but stand and stare. That couldn’t even last when she saw her mother break down into tears. That tore her apart, the dam breaking and releasing the flood. The rives flowed free once more when her mother shot forward and clutched onto her with a certain warmness she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“My baby…” Evening whimpered, causing Sunset to start bawling when that voice touched her ears. She brought up her forelegs and embraced her mother, her wavering strength just being enough. Even through the tears, she could see her father follow shortly, his chin resting on her opposite shoulder as he held onto his only daughter.

Sunset cried. She didn’t care anymore. She cried like she never had before. Even worse than when Twilight reformed her, because back then she was being brought out of the darkness. Now, she was being brought back into the life she left, one she never wanted to leave again. She felt her father bring up his hoof, gently rubbing her mane.

“I’m so sorry, Mom,” Sunset whimpered, breaking into more tears as she buried her face in her father’s mane. “I’m so sorry, Dad.”

“Oh, baby girl,” her father whispered, kissing her mane. “It’s okay… It’s all right.”

“If you’re going to leave…” her mother said, breaking away but still keeping her hooves pressed firmly to her daughter, “… please tell us when you’re coming back.”

Sunset managed a tear-stained smile. “Okay… I promise.”

They all fell back into another hug, and right away Sunset knew that all the bad blood they had before was washed clean, leaving nothing but a clean slate for her to rebuild. It was perfect. It was just so absolutely perfect.

“So, Sunset,” Celestia said, stepping forward. “Is it all you imagined a warm welcome home would be?”

She managed to pry her mother’s and father’s hooves off of her for a short period, chuckling at them, who smiled back to her. Turning to Celestia, the reunited family smiled, only Sunset Shimmer nodding. And she said, “It’s even better than I could have imagined.”

“It’s about to get even better, Sunset,” Pinkie declared, bounding forward and becoming the new center of attention. “Because starting right now, the ‘Sunset Shimmer Welcome Home We’re Glad You’re Not a Villain Anymore Party Extravaganza’ after party has officially begun!”

She blew her party cannon after that announcement, spreading confetti all across the room. It covered party guests, the princesses, and Sunset and her family, yet it earned the biggest hoot and holler that the night could offer.

Pinkie Pie stood tall on her smoking party cannon, waving a bright orange flag with Sunset’s cutie mark etched on its face. The three unicorns all laughed at the pony’s antics, watching as she turned to them. “Woohoo! Better stack up on the sugar Mr. and Mrs. Shimmer, ‘cause we’re going all night long!” Pinkie screamed.

Everypony cheered. Everypony except Spike, who was looking forward to turning in for the night. Now he had an after party to attend to. The small dragon sat on the steps leading to the hallways, sighing and letting his head fall back on the upper steps, his wings resting flat. A certain Spirit of Chaos wasn’t even enough to get him up.

“Oh, Spike, you simply must try the refreshments!” Discord exclaimed, hovering a glass filled with popping liquid into Spike’s limp claw. Discord took a large sip out of his own, sighing and smacking his lips. “I added a little something here and there to ours just to give them that much of a kick in the after taste! Twilight wouldn’t let me anywhere near the punch bowl, so I had to sneak these. She has been on my case all night, you wouldn’t believe!”

Sighing once more, Spike leaned forward, his spikes drooping to the side. He didn’t even look into his drink as he clutched the glass with both claws. “Tell me about it,” he muttered, heavy bags under his eyes. He watched Twilight being introduced by Sunset to the unicorn’s parents, laughing and having a great time. It’s like she forgot about his job, or his entire existence. Wouldn’t be the first time.

Discord leaned close to his cheek, sipping on his floating glass. He sighed again, not with content, but with sadness. “There they are… the mares that rule this nation. And here we are… just players trying to get through the game,” he said, paw held out to Celestia, Luna, and Twilight. The rest of his body lay wilting like a shed python skin on the steps.

Spike yawned, looking down at his bubbling drink. He downed it all in one gulp. His weariness left him, the dragon’s eyes widening, his voice rising. “You said it!” he declared, staring into his empty cup, almost as if he was searching for another drop.

Discord caught the look and smirked. “I thought you might like the drink. Now we can groovy all night long!”

However, Spike began to feel dizzy, hiccupping and stumbling to his feet. Discord caught him before he could fall down the steps. He froze in horror, hiding the dragon from the eyes of such ponies like Twilight, or worse, Fluttershy. “On second thought, giving that mixture to someone underage was probably a bad idea,” he whispered to himself, looking down to the baby dragon drooling face-first on the steps. “Do you wanna go lie down instead? Would you like that, lizard?”

Spike turned his head and shook it.

“Wanna go on the balcony and point obscene gestures at ponies leaving the party?”

Spike nodded lazily, burping flames.

“Okay, let’s go on the balcony and point obscene gestures at ponies leaving the party,” Discord said, dragging the baby dragon by his tail, out the door and out of the party. He shut the door with his own tail, but not before muttering under his breath, “It’s more fun than this borefest anyhow.”

Chapter 5 – Space

Space

Asgard

The Statesman En Route to Earth

They came without warning. In a shadow, blocking out the rays of a nearby star and covering the entire ship in darkness. Thor Odinson, the King of Asgard, and his brother, Loki Odinson, did their best to maintain control of the ship. And the situation as a whole.

It all fell apart in mere moments.

The two stumbled throughout the many corridors of the Statesman, lights flickering as every explosion and tremor rocked the ship. Droves of Asgardian citizens sped forward and past them, carrying supplies, weapons, and whatever else to the fight. To the fight for their very survival. Many others carried their children opposite to where Thor and Loki went. So many others. So many families.

Another tremor hit the ship, a devastating explosion felt beneath their feet. Everyone fell and screamed, minus Thor who gripped onto the nearest support beam to stabilize himself. Loki shot up his head from where he lay, seeing the blue lights flicker on and off. Barely staying on. The ship barely holding as their enemy relentlessly attacked.

“We need to ready the escape pods!” Loki offered, turning to his brother for support. The tone in his voice, and the look in his eyes told Thor that he wasn’t planning on getting the civilians out first.

Unfortunately, Thor thought otherwise. He shook his head, growling, “No, we stay and fight! These are our people, Loki! We will not leave them to die!”

As Loki got to his feet, he turned to Thor, smiling. Thor always hated that smile. He always hated Loki when he made it. “I meant for the civilians, of course,” Loki said.

Thor snorted. “You’re unbelievable.”

Before he could offer his clever retort, Thor grabbed him by the back of the neck and shoved him along. The two brothers continued to push through the crowds of screaming Asgardians, finally entering the main bridge of the Statesman. Once inside, the two instantly noticed the massive alien warship through the glass window directly ahead. Its ominous presence blocked the stars and cast a pitch-black shadow throughout the entire bridge. They made their way by sight of the flickering lights and following the screams.

“Heimdall!”

The Watcher of Worlds responded by twisting his glowing orange eyes to the approaching Asgardian King. In his hands, he held the sword that once lighted the Bifrost, now used as his last means of defense against the approaching warship and what was soon to follow. He gripped his blade, Hofund, that much lighter, approaching the son of Odin.

“My King!” Heimdall said. “The enemy warship approaches. No doubt they’ll be planning to come aboard. We are willing to defend the bridge… but we’ll need a leader.”

Upon hearing that brave sentiment, Thor looked to what Heimdall referred to as “we”. Asgardian civilians, taking arms alongside Sakaaran gladiators, willing to do whatever it takes to protect the ship, their families, and their own lives. Thor nodded, turning back to Heimdall. “You have two.”

He turned to his left. Loki tried to laugh, his smile being all that remained. He looked down. “Well, I—”

He wasn’t ready for the sword thrust towards him by Heimdall. Barely catching it, Loki turned to the Watcher of Worlds. Heimdall gripped Hofund, swung it around with ease and precision, and said, “We’re running out of time. The remaining civilians cannot stay on this ship by the time our enemies board."

“Ready the escape pods! Women and children first!” Thor ordered to a pair of Asgardians. They nodded, retreating to the corridors. With that settled, Thor and Loki stood close by Heimdall, glaring into the glass window and the alien warship that remained hovering dangerously close. It wouldn’t be long now. The Asgardians and Sakaarans readied themselves, holding their ground alongside their king and each other.

“Could you have ever imagined we would be fighting for our lives after all the hel we’ve been through?” Loki asked. Thor just cracked his neck, his only good eye watching the invading warship approach so very slowly.

“No, the thought never crossed my mind,” Thor answered sarcastically. He tightened his fists, spurts of electricity dancing across his knuckles. “But life keeps finding a way.”

Loki nodded, staring forward. He twirled the sword in front of him, unveiling a dagger in his free hand. “So it does.”

They readied themselves for the impending onslaught. The shadow that the warship cast led up to their feet, blanketing their legs and devouring their entire bodies. The Asgardians crowded closer together, tightening their grips on their weapons. The Sakaaran gladiators twisted their heads to and fro, the growing silence eating away at their nerves. Thor, Loki, and Heimdall stood at the ready. Waiting. But they flinched when the screams came from behind them.

“My King! My King!”

Thor spun around. So did Loki. So did everyone.

The Asgardians Thor had sent off came sprinting back inside the main bridge. One of them screamed, “The escape pods have been destroyed! Enemies have breached the shi—!”

By that time, the bridge exploded, and three massive pods bore themselves within the Statesman. The Asgardians flew back from the explosion, fire and smoke raining on top of them. Thor, Loki, and Heimdall were lost through the smoke, their bodies launched backwards from the force of the eruption within the bridge. Thor quickly rose to his feet, narrowing his single eye through the smoke. Electricity danced across his forearms, ready to strike to the first body that charged him.

Even he wasn’t ready.

All he saw was the golden gauntlet fly through the smoke and strike him across the face. Then came the screams. And no one heard them. Who could?

Korg wasn’t one for life and death situations. He was more of a gentle giant, per se, only fighting when it counted, and that would have been when he warmed up the crowd back on Sakaar for the Grand Master’s gladiatorial arena. Now, with the revolution a full success this time around, and a brand-new life ahead of him with his pal Miek by his side, he could look forward to a nice, long, peaceful life.

None of that counted anymore when the alien spaceship attacked them. Following the destruction of the escape pods—what with two pods breaking inside the ship and two aliens popping out of them—Korg only saw it fit to round up the civilians somewhere safe. He got a little help on the way, too.

Watching as every last Asgardian citizen pushed through the door and entered the massive supply room of the Statesman, Korg closed the door with his free hand. His other was currently occupied holding his friend Miek, the poor Sakaaran still lacking the appropriate limbs to walk on his own.

“Here, can you hold Miek, man?” Korg asked, already plopping Miek into an Asgardian’s unprepared arms. The Asgardian fell backwards, Miek’s form lying on top of him. Korg didn’t see it, because he was too focused on keeping control of the situation that had already gotten out of hand. And had gone south. Very, very south.

Watching as several Asgardians tended to their families, the Sakaaran gladiators that followed Korg since the revolution on Sakaar stood at the ready, turning to Korg for the next plan. He barely had one. Instead, he said, “All right, men! Got bad news and good news! The bad news is that we lost all the escape pods and the only thing keeping our enemies away from us and the hundreds of civilians is that door over there!”

Everyone spun their heads accordingly to the lone set of doors directly behind Korg.

“Well…”

Korg looked at an Asgardian behind the Sakaaran gladiators.

“What’s the good news?!” he asked.

Korg snapped his fingers. “Oh, yeah. The good news is that we have a Hulk.”

The Hulk roared. Everyone flinched and spun around to the massive, green beast stumbling about in the center of the room. He snarled, turning to Korg and clenching his fists. Ready for quite possibly anything that was coming after them. Korg nodded, all heads in the room slowly turning back his way.

“Pretty… pretty good news right there.”

“And you have me,” a voice declared, causing Korg to spin around. She opened the door and let herself in, her stunning blue cape covered in blood and other filth. Her slim, white armor fared no better, covered in cuts and scorch marks. As she locked the door, she turned to Korg and approached him, blade in hand, fury in her eyes. “You didn’t even lock the door.”

Ignoring that statement, Korg pointed to her, saying, “Oh, I didn’t forget about you. I just forgot your name, is all.” She jammed her blade towards him, his stone hands rising up.

“Call me Valkyrie, Rock,” Valkyrie stated, turning her blade away from him and towards the door behind her. “You’re gonna need it when you’re screaming for help.”

“Hey, man, this is a team effort,” Korg said, lowering his hands, then gesturing them to the Asgardians and Sakaarans behind him. “I mean, I know we’re not much to look at, but we’ve got what our enemies do not.”

Valkyrie looked back, raising a brow. “A Hulk?”

From behind, the Hulk snarled, stomping around, turning to every wall and anticipating the next attack. Korg nodded to that.

“Well, yes, that is important. But most importantly, we have the fighting spirit of those who survived countless months on Sakaar, fighting for the pleasure of the Grand Master until their bones would break and their blood would spill! We have the survivors of Asgard itself, facing complete and total annihilation of their home and still having the courage to face another day and protect the ones they love! If that isn’t true strength, if that isn’t something our enemies should fear, then I don’t know what—!”

The door, the walls, and the room practically exploded.

Several screams resounded through the madness, bodies being launched backwards like ragdolls. Korg, Valkyrie, and several others were unfortunate enough to be a part of them. As they hit the ground, as the explosions ceased and smoke filled the room, everyone began to pick themselves up. Valkyrie was the first, unsheathing a second blade and standing low, eyeing the smoke where the doors once stood.

From behind her, she heard Korg cough. “Yeah, probably should have saved the speech for later. Sorry ‘bout that.”

“Get ready!” Valkyrie cried, swords wielded in each hand. “Here they come!”

Korg got back up, cocked his Sakaaran Laser Rifle, and nodded.

The Asgardian civilians picked themselves, scrounged for their weapons that were scattered following the explosion, and stood at the ready. They couldn’t hide the fear in their eyes, or the shake in their step, but they stood. Between what lied in the smoke and their families.

The Hulk stomped forward, roaring loud enough to shake the entire ship.

Through the smoke, the head of a large hammer soared through, a heavy string of solid chain attached to it. The hammer’s head struck the Hulk square in the face, knocking him across the room. The Asgardian civilians barely got out of the way in time, the Hulk crashing into the ground and at the end of the room. The hammer’s head went flying backwards into the smoke.

And next came the owner of said hammer. Cull Obsidian ran through the smoke, bellowing his own roar. And they weren’t even ready.

Valkyrie barely was. She rolled out of the way, allowing Obsidian to stampede into the room and avoid crushing her. Korg fired away from his rifle, the lasers doing nothing against Cull’s armor. He smacked the Kronan with his hammer, Korg losing his rifle and being launched into the opposite wall, where he hit with a solid crack and fell to the floor below. Valkyrie watched as the massive alien went right for the crowds of civilians. She got back up and charged him.

Only to nearly get her head sliced clean off her shoulders when the shimmering blue blade was swung for her neck. Valkyrie slid on her knees, watching the blade skim the skin on her nose, and twisted herself around to face her assailant.

Proxima Midnight brought her spear back, smiling to the Asgardian Valkyrie.

And she said, “I thought Hela killed all you Valkyries.”

Valkyrie cracked her neck, twirling her blades. “Guess she missed one.”

“I won’t.”

Then they charged. The Asgardian’s precision and fluid strikes and swings with her twin blades did little against the member of the Black Order. Proxima Midnight dodged, blocked, and delivered her own devastating swipes, jabs, and swings that Valkyrie only barely managed to dodge. Proxima jammed the three-pointed edge of her spear right for Valkyrie’s head. She dodged just in time, but was still unprepared for Midnight’s leg rising up and striking her abdomen. Valkyrie lost her breath, looking up to see Proxima jam her palm right into her throat and slam her into the ground, causing her to drop her blades.

As if Valkyrie had enough difficulty breathing, Midnight slammed the bottom of her foot into her throat. Valkyrie instantly shot up, gripping Proxima’s foot and proceeding to twist it in order to get her off. She halted her actions when the three tips of the spear were held dangling over her head, two points aimed for the eyes, the other her mouth. Directly above, Valkyrie could see Midnight smirk.

It was one of victory, and Valkyrie knew it.

“Shit…” she whispered, then gagged as Midnight pressed further into her throat.

In the remainder of the madness, Cull Obsidian slaughtered all who stood in his way. From the terrified Asgardians doing everything in their power to keep the behemoth away from the families. From the Sakaaran gladiators who never even stood a chance against the strongest member of the Black Order. None of them succeeded.

None of them were the Hulk.

Just before he could bring his hammer down on a group of unarmed civilians, a green blur tackled him from the side, driving Obsidian to the opposite end of the room and nearly through the wall. Cull grunted in pain, glaring upwards and snarling like a feral beast. The fist to his face silenced that. It was followed up by another, then another, and again and again and again. The Hulk unloaded every ounce of his anger on the alien, roaring louder with each punch, driving Cull Obsidian deeper into the wall.

Then, Hulk backed away. Cull Obsidian remained where he was, unmoving but groaning in pain. He dropped his hammer long ago, the weapon resting on the floor by Hulk’s bare feet and pieces of the wall he was punched into. The Hulk snorted, wiping the green splatter of blood under his nose with his forearm, backing away from the wall and the carnage he left.

“Banner, look out!”

Spinning to the voice, the Hulk bellowed to see Valkyrie in trouble, beneath the foot of another alien. He didn’t react in time. He was too focused on her to see the spear sent his way.

He could react to the pain that followed. To the spear tearing through his chest. The Hulk stopped, caught his breath, and stood frozen in time. Slowly, painfully looking down, he could see the spear jutting outwards, the three-pointed edge stuck in his chest and green blood pouring out from the wound. The Hulk coughed, more blood spilling from his mouth, as he slowly reached up and gripped the spear.

He didn’t pull it out. An unknown force ripped the weapon right out of his chest and flew back into the awaiting hands of Proxima Midnight. A splatter of blood trailed between them, colored a sickly, dark green. The Hulk stumbled, fell to his knees, his vision blurring and the image of the smiling alien standing over Valkyrie being the last thing the Hulk saw.

He fell.

He breathed. So very slowly.

The pain in his chest was gone, because he was gone. The Hulk was.

Bruce Banner breathed again, seeing the bodies of dead Asgardians and Sakaaran gladiators strewn throughout the burning room. Then, a large boot came crashing in front of his vision, a heavy palm falling on his back and pulling him off the ground.

Banner lazily looked to his left, eyes widening in horror at the bloody face of the alien he had driven into a wall not too long ago.

Cull Obsidian growled, turning to Midnight. With the Valkyrie beneath her foot, she planted her spear into the ground, smiling and hissing, “Father is waiting.”

“The Great Titan thanks you for your sacrifice!”

Ebony Maw walked over the bodies.

“Do not fear for what is to come, for in this cleansing, you shall be remembered!”

The bodies of the Asgardian warriors, the Sakaaran gladiators…

“In this dark time, the pain will be great…”

The Asgardian civilians…

“… the loss even greater…”

The men, women… and children.

“But know… that now and forever more… you are all a part of the Children of Thanos!”

Pods lined the inside of the bridge in the Statesman. Within that bridge, complete and total carnage remained. Fires covered the debris that filled the bridge. Darkness was all that remained, the only form of light being the fires from the inside of the ship and the fires that burned from the stars in space. The surprise attack was something the occupants could have never expected or fought against. Their bodies filled every inch of the bridge. Every last one of them that fought back.

The ones that survived the initial attack were silenced as Corvus Glaive searched through the slaughter, stabbing his glaive into the bodies that moved and breathed. He was very thorough.

The Ebony Maw stared unto his father, the Mad Titan standing in silence, amongst the devastation and staring out into the vastness of space. Several footsteps appeared behind him, prompting Maw to spin about and face his siblings that approached.

Proxima Midnight led Valkyrie forward, the sharpest end of her spear jabbing her in the back with every limp she took. Cull Obsidian carried the motionless body of Bruce Banner slung over his shoulder, his right hand gripping his bloody hammer, the other wrapped around the back of Korg’s neck. Obsidian grunted towards Ebony Maw, tossing Korg ahead like the pile of rocks weighed nothing.

Korg fell to his face, pressing his palms to the ground and slowly rising. The first thing he saw were the bodies surrounding him, the pools of blood stretching across the floor of the bridge. Korg looked around and saw nothing more than that. Just death. So many lives, so many young ones, just gone. He couldn’t believe it. He tried not to.

He blinked. “Miek? Where’s Miek? What did you do to Miek? Did he wonder off again, or… probably… roll off again. Lack of legs will do that to y—”

Cull Obsidian slammed the butt of his hammer into the back of Korg’s head. “Shut up!” he roared, kicking Korg in the back and pushing the Kronan flat on his rocky chest. Korg tried to get up, groaning as he did so, but Cull’s large boot slammed down on him again, keeping him pinned to the floor of the ship.

Korg barely lifted his head, turning left and seeing Loki hiding in the shadows. The God of Mischief remained hidden behind a pile of the ship’s debris, watching with bated breath, with horror in his eyes, as Cull Obsidian dropped the body directly next to Korg. And Korg saw him.

Saw Doctor Bruce Banner lie on the floor, barely breathing, his naked chest pressed to the bloody floor. Unlike Korg, there wasn’t a boot pressed to his back. His fight was over. Banner had given in. The Hulk was gone. Their only good news… was gone.

A shrill scream followed, Valkyrie forced to her knees by the hands of Proxima Midnight. She snarled, quickly rising back to her feet, only to feel the strength of Midnight’s fist collide with her cheek, forcing her back down on her knees. Valkyrie spat her own blood on the floor, adding to the pools, wiping her mouth and already rising up once again. She was stopped, and didn’t move this time, as the blade on Proxima’s spear was jutted her way, hanging very closely and very dangerously to her neck.

Finally noticing the bodies of her people surrounding her, a single tear fell down her cheek, her red-rimmed eyes centered solely on the woman behind her. “You’ll pay for this,” Valkyrie said, her voice still shaking despite the strength she forced. “You all will.”

Proxima Midnight only smirked.

Lying amongst the bodies of his fallen warriors, Heimdall tried to reach for his blade, only to pause as a glaive was centered directly over his heart. He looked up, his orange irises landing on the growing smirk of Corvus Glaive. He expected to feel the glaive tear through his skin, pierce his heart, and end it all. The evil grin on the alien’s face was certain of that, but he didn’t push down. He waited.

“Thanos… Great Titan… I present to you… Loki Odinson.”

Heimdall turned his bleeding forehead to the left, his eyes widening to see Loki being forced out of the shadows. As for Loki, an unnatural force he couldn’t see nor sense gripped him, practically dragging him away from his cover and out into the open. Directly in the center of the bridge and before the destroyed throne. The light of the stars beyond the glass window cast a shadow before him, a massive being standing where the throne of his brother once did.

And all he could recall… was that name.

Thanos.

Loki gulped and remained frozen where he stood. Ebony Maw held no control over him.

His head flicked upwards, turning to the left. The light from the stars shone on his golden helmet, the Titan slowly spinning around until he faced the God of Mischief in the flesh. Truly, the flesh. No holograms. No tricks. Just him. Surrounded by death, the death of his own people, no less. All because of him. All because of what he had.

Thanos smiled. Reaching down, he grabbed Thor’s motionless form and dragged him forward. “Oh, Loki,” Thanos began, every syllable drawn out and so, so low. “You would go through so much deception, so much betrayal, so much pain and death and still the endgame would be the same: You standing before me… a liar… a thief… a cheat… and a fool.”

He came into full-view, no longer any shadows hiding his face and the horrors that came with it. His eyes held a certain type of chaos that Loki wished he would never have had to look upon again. They held what remained. What remained of the billions of lives that he snuffed out on his quest to rid the universe of its sickness, of its overpopulation. And in that chaos, those swirls of nothingness, Loki just stared. He tightened his jaw and did everything in his power not to shiver. Blood coated his cheek, fresh cuts across his face and suit.

When he offered no clever remark, Thanos stopped. He brought back his right palm, Thor’s broken features brought into view. The God of Thunder gasped for air, blood pouring down his lips and painting the floor beneath him a dark crimson. He was even more torn up than Loki, scratches and bruises across his face and blood coating his armor. He breathed steadily, his one good eye shifting to Loki.

Loki stared back. Not a word. His eyes shifted back up to Thanos as he continued to speak.

“I give you the power of an entire army, the choice to rule an entire planet the way you see fit, and all I ask in return is the scepter I give you… and the Tesseract,” Thanos exclaimed. He narrowed his gaze, his nostrils flaring. “Tell me, Loki… where are either?”

Each of the Black Order turned their eyes away from the warriors they held or the bodies they stared upon to turn Loki’s way. And, once more, he didn’t even move. He hardly even breathed. The fires around him showed the fear on his face, the dread in his eyes. Loki knew it too, and finally found the courage to show some form of strength.

He said, “The scepter is on Earth, and…” pausing, he dropped his gaze, thinking for a moment. There wasn’t much room to act, nor to cast illusions that Thanos wouldn’t pick up on. No matter how much he hated to admit it, Loki had little to nothing left to hide. “I have the Tesseract.”

Thor coughed blood, his eye widening at that revelation.

Shifting his attention quickly to Thor and then back to Thanos, Loki managed to say, “I will give it to you… in exchange for my release.”

“Loki…”

Dropping his eyes to his brother once more, Loki watched as Thor became more distressed, just the thought of Loki abandoning them probably flooding his pain-filled mind at that very moment. Loki turned back to Thanos, his eyes trying to show bravery, but still managing to fail. “… Our release.”

Thanos chuckled. “Still bargaining for his life,” he said, his smile fading as he centered his bemused expression on the adopted son of Odin. “Show it to me.”

Loki’s lips sealed shut, tightened into a thin line. He couldn’t even look at Thanos or Thor for that matter. For a second or two, he stood in silence, his body refusing to move despite what his intellect and instincts were telling him. The growls from Thanos’ children behind him became more unsettling as the seconds ticked away, the remaining eyes of the room burning against him.

So, he did it. Lifting up his palm, and through a flush of golden energy, the Tesseract appeared in his hand. Thor’s eye grew even larger. Thanos only further narrowed his own. Dropping the God of Thunder, Thanos reached upward and pulled off his helmet, dropping it like it meant nothing to him. He took a step forward, and with each step he removed a piece of his golden armor. Plating after plating fell off and rested amongst the bodies, until all that remained was a gold and blue attire beneath, his sword on his back, black pants and boots, and the Infinity Gauntlet upon his left forearm and hand.

He stopped feet in front of Loki and plucked the shimmering, blue cube out of his hand. Staring at the Tesseract for a moment, Thanos proceeded to crush his right fist, cracks appearing over the surface of the cube, further and further until…

A blast of whiteness nearly blinded everyone for a moment, but they quickly settled back into the darkness of the bridge. And in that darkness, Thanos opened his hand. The shards of the Tesseract remained, a shimmer of blue hidden in the crystals. Using his thumb to push the glowing blue light out of the crystals, Thanos gripped the light between his thumb and forefinger. Thor barely looked up, gritting his teeth at the sight of it.

The Space Stone. One of the six Infinity Stones. Within the Tesseract all this time…

To his horror, Thor watched as Thanos brought up his left arm, the golden gauntlet on his arm held outwards. He centered the Stone directly over the glove, a flushing wave of blue energy building between the Stone and the Gauntlet the closer they grew. And then, Thanos let go of the Stone, to the indent directly beneath the Gauntlet’s forefinger.

A wave of energy expelled from the golden plating. Thanos clenched his fist, sighing in content as he gazed at the glowing blue gem. The first of the six… now in his possession.

And he smiled. Thanos smiled.

“Fun really isn’t something one considers when balancing the universe,” he said, observing the Space Stone on his gauntlet. It shimmered its might, glowing with raw intensity. He chuckled. “But this… does put a smile on my face.”

“Yes, I assume it would,” Loki said, causing Thanos’ gaze to shift downwards to him. “Now… about our bargain…”

Thanos furrowed his brow. He grunted, nodding and stepping back. Turning around, Thanos reached down and grabbed Thor by his head this time, Loki’s eyes widening at that. With Thor’s head resting in his right palm, Thanos looked back to Loki, saw the desperation and growing worry in his eyes. He smiled again.

Then he looked back to his Black Order. “Kill them,” he said.

In an instant, Valkyrie’s expression changed from fury to dread. Korg’s eyes widened. Heimdall’s mouth fell, hardly any breaths leaving him. Bruce Banner barely even moved, soft moans escaping his lips. He couldn’t do much, but he did hear Thanos’ order. The Black Order smiled, turning to their captives.

Loki fared no better. “What?” he gasped, feeling his heart beat harder than it ever had before. The concept of death was nothing new to him. But here, with little room to act and with every opportunity practically stripped away, his chances to slither out of his situation were as slim as could be.

He shook his head, yelling and pointing to the Mad Titan, “No, we had a deal!”

“I’m just balancing everything out,” Thanos replied, tightening his fingers around Thor’s head, the God of Thunder cringing at the increasing pressure. He didn’t even look at the first son of Odin. Just at Loki. “You betray my trust, I betray yours. Fitting. You lost the scepter, more importantly, the Mind Stone. Which reminds me…”

He broke his contact from Loki, addressing his Black Order when he said, “We’re heading to Earth. Leave nothing.”

On that order, Thanos pulled Thor’s head upwards, his body following. And in an instant, he began to close his fist, his fingers tightening harder and harder around Thor’s head. He screamed. The God of Thunder screamed in agony, his teeth covered in his own blood. He screamed so loud that Loki, no matter how hard he tried, couldn’t get it out of his head, or out of his heart.

The terror didn’t stop there.

“Wait, no! No—!” Valkyrie cried out, attempting to stand and flee. In just one quick swipe, her neck was gushing red, both hands rising up to cover the blood and stop the pain. Valkyrie coughed out, tried to breathe, but failed at both, clutching onto her life. Proxima Midnight snickered behind her, kicking the last Valkyrie forward where her body joined the rest of her Asgardian brothers and sisters.

“No!” Heimdall bellowed, reaching for his discarded blade once more. He nearly reached it, his fingers on the grip, when he felt the sharpest end of the glaive pierce his heart. Heimdall stopped. Looking up one final time, he stared into the wild, hellish eyes of Corvus Glaive. The orange in his eyes slowly, so very slowly, faded away. The back of his head hit the ground.

“Wait, can’t we talk about—?” Korg tried to say, only to be silenced for good as the head of Cull Obsidian’s hammer came crashing down on his own head. Solid, blue pebbles shot out from the impact, Korg’s hand rising slowly before eventually falling to the floor, never to rise again. Cull Obsidian grunted, lifting up his hammer.

And that left three.

The sons of Odin. The last of Asgard.

Them, and Bruce Banner.

Loki spun around, watching in horror as the Ebony Maw slowly approached him, malice held in his smile, evil glowing in his eyes. As one last ditch effort to resist, Loki unsheathed a blade hidden under his cape, charging Maw and jamming the blade right for his throat. And just before the tip could pierce his esophagus, Loki was frozen. He gasped, looking to his arm, to the blade shaking in his hand, and finally to the Maw.

He smiled, raising a single finger and shushing the God of Mischief.

Loki could only watch as the blade was pulled by an unknown force from his own hand. And he could do nothing. He was forced to face his brother as he experienced his own demise at the hand of Thanos. Loki struggled against the force that held him down, feeling the Maw grow closer, feeling the blade on his throat.

He looked up. Up to Thanos.

“Wait, wait, wait! You don’t want to do this! Maybe we can talk this through! Wait, wait!”

All of his words were nothing to Thanos. He continued to crush his brother’s head, Thor’s screams echoing throughout the ship and punching Loki again and again. The blade on his throat grew closer and closer, the sharpest end tilting perfectly, aligning just right. Time was running out, and Loki desperately needed to think of something, anything to spare his own skin.

Out of all of the tricks he had, there was but one left. One he thought he would never have to use.

“You don’t want to go to Earth!”

And just like that, the madness stopped.

Thanos… stopped.

When he did, the Black Order did, staring onto their father with patience, waiting for his command and for what he wished. And what he wished… was to further understand why the son of Odin spoke to him in such a way. He loosened his grip on Thor’s head, but still held the god in place. Thor relaxed, but only so much. Blood dripped from his mouth, his eye barely opening to stare upon his brother.

Not even looking at Loki, Thanos frowned. “And why is that?” he asked.

“Get him off me.”

Thanos looked up. “Maw,” he said. Instantly, the blade fell from Loki’s throat, the force around him vanishing into the air. Loki straightened himself out, breathing steadily and looking up to the Mad Titan. He waited for Loki’s response, his eyes slowly narrowing with each second Loki wasted just standing in shock.

Loki shook away that sensation that plagued him and answered, “I know of another world, a world ripe with magic even greater than Earth, far greater than the Mind Stone.”

At first, Thor couldn’t understand what type of world would have magic greater than an Infinity Stone, or how Loki would have known about it. As moments passed and Thor thought more on it, he thought back to years earlier, where Odin confronted him on the alien world, when the species there had faced their darkest hour and Asgard rained down from the heavens to save them.

When Odin confronted him on the alien world… No…

When Loki confronted him on—

Thor’s eye widened in horror at the realization. He tried to stand up, to fight back, to do anything to stop Loki from dooming an entire planet. “Loki, no!” he screamed. Those screams were silenced once Thanos tightened his fist, Thor falling back to his knees, cringing at the pain that Thanos applied to his head just by flexing his palm.

Thanos frowned at the god whose life he held in his hand. Turning back to Loki, he watched as he gazed at his brother with what appeared to be sorrow, remorse, but strength nonetheless. Then he turned back to Thanos and said, “Let us go… and I will show you.”

The idea of a planet holding greater power than an Infinity Stone was ludicrous. Thanos knew this to be true. He knew he should have crushed Thor’s head and ended Loki for his deceit right then and there. He should have destroyed the ship he stood within and proceeded to Earth, to acquire the next Stone and take the next step closer to his ultimate destiny.

He should have… but he didn’t.

Be it fate, be it destiny itself, but whatever it was that called out to him told him to wait. Listen to the son of Odin, it said. Just one more time, it said. All will follow through. The power of this new world, the magic within it was something he could not simply ignore. For when the time came of the Cleansing, for the balancing of the universe, would this world survive? Would its magic protect it?

Thanos would never know. Unless…

“Fine,” he said at last. Loki expelled a great breath of air, the relief clearly evident in his breathing. That breath was caught when Thanos finished. “But in case this is another trick…”

He nodded to Ebony Maw.

Moving slowly in front of Loki, the Ebony Maw smiled. And when he spoke, his voice was smoother than the softest silk, more horrifying than any final cry Loki had ever heard. And worst of all, Loki felt his mind lose itself, his body fail to his command, and his eyes gaze into the madness that remained within the Maw’s. And he was lost in it.

With his chilling voice, he asked but one question.

“Now… where is this world?”

Chapter 6 – The Two Titans

Equus

Badlands, Equestria

10:47 p.m.

A tear in space opened in the heart of the Badlands. Through that mist of black and blue, Thanos and his Black Order stepped through and onto the new world.

Instantly, the scenery was the first thing they saw. A complete and barren wasteland under the watchful gaze of the night sky and the alien moon’s ghostly white light cascading across the desert. Sandstorms blocked the land in the distance, giving it a sense of endlessness. Mountain tops circled the landscape, hills and valleys stretching as far as the eye could see.

And nearby, amongst the piles of rocks and boulders and dead plant life, remained the skeletal bodies of beasts long since extinguished. Their bones rose high, pearly white and cracked as the Black Order walked past a particularly large one. Corvus Glaive reeled his nostrils back in disgust just staring at the bones.

“This place reeks!” Corvus Glaive gagged, stamping his glaive in the sand with each step he took. “What’s so special about this world?”

“I agree,” Proxima Midnight added, staring at the far-off skeleton of a massive creature. “This place is dead.”

Cull Obsidian just grunted. Resting over his shoulder was Bruce Banner, still unmoving, still shirtless, and still groaning. Still alive. Instead of resting on his free shoulder, Thor was dragged by the back of his armor, eventually laid to rest when Thanos stopped just ahead of Obsidian. Thor was dropped chest-first into the dirt and sand, the God of Thunder gasping for air, coughing when he breathed in dust from the earth.

The Ebony Maw stopped just by Thanos’ side, and with him, the God of Mischief, Loki Odinson, stood in silence. He stared in silence. At nothing. His eyes, as well as his brother’s lone pupil, were dilated and glazed over. They could do nothing but wait and follow the orders that proceeded from Ebony Maw’s whispers.

But he ignored them. For the time being, at least. Instead, he closed his own eyes, breathed in the air of the new world, and sighed. His fingers danced with one another, his thoughts processing, his very being taking in the energy of the world he stood upon and the kind of magic it held.

And it was unlike anything he had ever experienced.

It was not a dark magic coined by sorcerers with thoughts of only death and destruction on their mind. It was not a magic fueled by hatred, or of alchemy, or every possible consideration of how magic could be formed or birthed. The world he stood upon, of which he, his siblings, and his father remained, contained a magic that was… harmonic. It was the perfect word to describe it.

Harmony.

“Do you feel that, Father?” the Ebony Maw whispered. He breathed in several more times, exhaling with a sigh. “That energy… that ripple of power. Oh, it’s overwhelming.”

“Guess Loki wasn’t lying,” Midnight said.

Nodding to that, Ebony turned to the Mad Titan, stared at his backside. “What say you, Father?” Maw asked.

Thanos didn’t respond at first. He was busy staring at the distant peaks, at the star-filled skies and the alien moon. But most importantly, he gazed at the tallest peak in the valley, the mountain that resided mere miles directly ahead of them. He stared at that mountain, at the devastation that surrounded, at the shattered boulders and dark crevice within it. He closed his eyes and felt the world. He felt the sand touch his skin as the air blew around him. He heard the cries of dead wind. He could smell the horrid stench of the wasteland. His fists clenched, the Gauntlet’s plating responding in kind.

“I know this world.”

And just like that, the Black Order turned their attention to Thanos. Thor tried to push himself up, but Cull Obsidian planted his boot on his back, keeping him down.

“I’ve seen it before… in my dreams,” Thanos muttered. He bent down, and with his right hand, grazed the sand beneath him. He felt the particles between his fingers, bringing his hand close and watching as the dust faded away into the air. In his expression, his eyes, he felt only emptiness. “I was meant to come here.”

“Why?” Glaive asked, breaking the silence that Thanos was trapped in.

He ignored Glaive’s question. Standing back up, Thanos stared at the Gauntlet, at the Space Stone for several seconds. The gem shimmered a dark blue, its center lighter than the rest of its being. Thanos clenched the Gauntlet tight, looking back to the tallest peak in the center of the wasteland. He felt a strange chill race across his violet skin. The first time in a long time.

“What is this world?” he said, asking no one. He turned around when the Maw started moaning.

He had his eyes closed, his hands held low, fingers outstretched to point to the earth beneath him. “Oh… Oh, it’s so beautiful. This magic, this harmony, I sense it far away. The strongest on this world…” Ebony Maw paused, opened his eyes, “… and yet… something is blocking it. Blocking me. Something’s coming.”

“What’s coming?” Proxima Midnight asked, her body tensing up.

Ebony Maw blinked. Breathed. And said, “Something darker.”

As the deathly silence of the night creeped back in, it was drowned away as the ground erupted and the earthquake followed through. The Black Order stumbled to keep themselves steady. Loki nearly fell, but straightened himself out and turned his attention forward, towards Thanos. Towards the darkest form of energy he had ever felt pulse across his skin and throughout his body.

Thanos felt it, too, but it was far from being the darkest energy he had ever felt. Still, he kept his balance as the tremor continued its onslaught, keeping his eyes latched with ground, jaw tightening and teeth clenching. And then, it came.

“Thanos!”

The voice.

Followed shortly by the earth erupting several yards in front of them. The Black Order proceeded to back away, weapons at the ready. The ones that stayed where they were happened to be Cull Obsidian—having to keep his foot planted on Thor—and Thanos. The others took several precautionary steps back as they observed what spewed from the earth. Thanos observed it, as well. And he frowned.

It erupted from the ground as a stream of fire. A massive stream of fire. Just the width of it was larger than the ground all four members of the Black Order and Thanos covered. On closer inspection, they noticed the fire to be a form, a single pillar of bright burning orange and blood red. That pillar of fire bent at an angle, moved about that fire wouldn’t normally have done. In fact, Thanos noticed how the fire seemed to move… as a serpent would. His theories seemed to be true, as the face of the fire finally came into view, staring down from its elevated position high above the earth. And it stared at them.

Its face was pointed, much like a serpent. Several jagged horns remained atop its head. But its eyes were the worst, glowing a bright red, even brighter than the fires that consumed its entire form. The beast, the serpent, whatever it was, stared down at the Black Order. More importantly, it stared at Thanos. Even more important, it knew his name.

Meaning that the wrath of Thanos was spread throughout most of the known universe. Just as he wanted. Thanos narrowed his eyes on the beast. The beast did the same towards the Mad Titan, and for several seconds, that was their situation.

Until Ebony Maw somehow found the strength to step forward, closer towards the creature. After several seconds of nothing, he assumed it wasn’t going to attack them, at least not yet. For the time being, he would get a closer look. “Well, this is certainly an interesting development,” Ebony Maw said, growing closer and closer to the flaming serpent.

He was stopped by Thanos, who held up his right hand to him, and spoke out. “Who are you?”

The beast exhaled through its nostrils. It slowly leaned downwards, closer towards the Mad Titan and his children. Thanos could feel the heat increasing, his gauntlet clenching, the Stone shimmering. Just in case they needed an escape.

The creature studied them, its burning gaze narrowing for a second, then relaxing. When it spoke, its mouth would not move. It was as if the voice was carried out through its entire essence. That essence, that unhinged darkness and energy made even the Maw tingle in his knees. Thanos could feel the same flushing throughout his veins.

It was a darkness they had never encountered, an evil they had yet to experience. And it said, “My name…”

The beast paused, almost appearing to be lost in thought. Turning its head back to Thanos, the creature finished, expelling a torrent of flames from its nostrils.

“I… am Typhon.”

The beast known as Typhon lowered its head even further. Thanos could feel the heat on his skin, but he would not back away like his children had.

“You dare step upon my world, Mad Titan?” Typhon growled.

The fires were so bright on its skin, even brighter in its eyes that Thanos couldn’t stare into for long, no matter how much he wanted to intimidate the beast. It was like staring into the heart of a newborn star. Keeping his gaze locked with the beast’s mouth instead, Thanos said, “If it be a step closer to destiny… then I suppose I have.”

Typhon snorted, flame shooting out from its being. “What do you want with Equus?”

“Equus?” Thanos said, tasting the name on his tongue. “So that’s the name of this world. I had a feeling. First the dreams, then… it would seem fate itself wants me here.”

Typhon narrowed his eyes, the glowing slits burning with raw, red energy. “Then fate is wrong.”

Raising a brow at that, Thanos flared his own nostrils, mirroring the beast called Typhon. The Black Order stood with their weapons at the ready, pointing them to Typhon, leaning back and preparing themselves after the beast’s tone shifted dangerously low. Studying their positions, looking back at Thanos, Typhon snarled, leaning back several yards.

“Whatever you plan, I will ensure that you will not bring about the destruction of the world that is rightfully mine. Not until the Princesses… and the Pillars pay for what they’ve done to me.”

“Princesses…?” Thanos repeated.

“Pillars?” Proxima Midnight whispered to her husband. Corvus Glaive just stared at her, barring his teeth, just as confused as her. They both turned back to the fire, flinching as Typhon roared.

“Enough of this!” Typhon bellowed, rearing back his neck. “The fate of the universe hangs in the balance, by a simple thread! I have seen it for myself! Trillions of lives vanquished in an instant! Entire worlds crumbling, collapsing, my own following! I will not allow you to leave here to continue on that path of universal devastation!”

And as he said those words, that deadly final threat, several eruptions surrounded the Black Order and Thanos. Thor and Loki could do nothing but watch. Watch as several burning red tendrils shot out from the dirt, just as equally massive as the serpent’s head that glared down at them from above. But instead of holding facial features like Typhon, the tendrils were as sharp as blades, pointed ends turned towards Thanos and his children. Poised to kill.

“Stand ready!” Glaive yelled, weapon jutted outwards from his hands.

Thanos turned about, staring at the tendrils that surrounded him. Instantly, he shot out his hand, the Infinity Gauntlet and the Space Stone reacting to his will. The Stone shimmered, its energy coursing through the air and attaching to Typhon’s body, then to the tendrils, then completely fading from existence. Thanos bellowed, bringing back his gauntlet and staring at the Stone in shock.

Whatever it was, whatever Typhon was, he was invulnerable to it. It did nothing. “That’s not possible,” Thanos breathed, turning his eyes back to the beast snarling from above. He didn’t react in time to the smaller tendrils shooting out from the ground beneath his feet. They latched onto his arms, wrapping around Thanos’ gauntlet so tight he couldn’t even move his fingers. Nor could he close his fist. Thanos barred his teeth, looking back to see the same thing befall his children. The tendrils wrapped around the arms and legs of each of the Black Order, keeping them frozen in place, unable to escape no matter how hard they struggled.

“So weak,” Typhon taunted, the tendrils hovering higher and rearing back. Ready to strike. Typhon’s gaze and tendrils constricted ever so tighter, centering solely and only on Thanos. And he was disappointed. “You should have never come to Equus!”

By that, the tendrils shot down, halting once Thanos raised his head and yelled, “Wait!”

The tendrils stopped. Mere yards above their heads. The Black Order slowly twisted their heads back to their father, limbs still held down from the flaming tendrils. They spotted Typhon above, glaring at them from below. Fire practically melted from his face and eyes, dripping down and dying in the sand. Burning ash evaporated from its being, and even so Typhon waited.

“I don’t want this world.”

Typhon leaned in closer, until his gargantuan face was mere feet from Thanos’ own. He glared down at the Mad Titan with a forever cinder boiling in his eyes, narrowing the slits until each eye glowed even brighter. He stared into Thanos’ eyes, searching for the deceit but finding none. He growled, finally releasing the Mad Titan and his children. The fiery tendrils slid back into the dirt, the Black Order rubbing their limbs. Thanos clenched his gauntlet.

“I want balance,” Thanos continued, shielding his eyes from the brightness with his right palm. “For in this vast universe, there is a constant sickness, a lone cancer that cannot be cleansed… unless one was willing to do so. To gather the power needed to do so. If I can, and I will, this universe will be free from overpopulation… and you, Typhon, will have this world… and so much more.”

Typhon backed away a few feet, Thanos lowering his arm to rest by his side. He said, “You just need to trust me.”

The beast leaned further back, eyes widening at that statement. “Trust you?” Typhon laughed. His laughter faded shortly, replaced with a soft growl that only intensified as the constant seconds of pain and torment powered on. He screamed, “The last time I trusted someone… my children were slaughtered!”

It was at that did Thanos actually flinch in surprise. How such a beast, an uncaring and vile monster could actually have children that he cared for, that he loved, and he lost… was sounding more and more familiar the longer he thought about it. Thanos stared at the Gauntlet, at the Stone and the empty spaces with it, and closed his eyes.

It was because of his lust for saving the universe, his constant drive to acquire the Stones, that he sent away his favorite daughter to find one in particular. And she left him, never returned. Joined a group of freaks and called herself a hero.

Thanos opened his eyes and saw the world. He saw Typhon, and Typhon saw the world, staring off into the distance of the dead and barren landscape. “What happened here?” Thanos asked. And for just a second, a fleeting moment, he sounded sincere.

And for just a moment, a brief millisecond that would never come to pass again, Typhon actually appeared… saddened. The fires on his body began to cool, began to dim down, but still held a great amount of strength. Not one of fury, but from within. From his deeper, more personal power. From the heart that hadn’t beat in over a thousand years.

And he spoke. His voice was not one of anger like it had been before. It was… calm.

“The land you look upon was once a thriving landscape… where I ruled with my children. We were a strong race, a proud one, but this land could not hold us and our growing family. We needed to expand.”

Typhon turned away from the hills covered in sandstorms, his gaze falling before Thanos’ feet.

“The Princesses… and the Pillars… thought otherwise.”

He growled softly, continuing. The Black Order began to lower their weapons, listening. Loki, Thor, and even Bruce Banner stared at the flaming beast, remaining silent.

“They turned against me… turned the whole world against me and my children. Our home became a barren wasteland in the aftermath, and with a magic far greater than I could have fought against… the rulers of this world struck me down, banished me beneath the earth, and proceeded to do the same with my children.”

Typhon slowly closed his eyes, the brightest lights dying out.

“Every… last… one of them.”

Thanos could feel his eyes start to burn. It wasn’t because of the fires.

“Until we were all prisoners of Tartarus, where we were tortured constantly, endlessly for more than a thousand years. Until I was nothing more than a spirit, a soul of my former self. I thought I could fight back, deliver that one last final blow to the rulers of this wretched world when Ultron came to me.”

The name, Ultron, caught Thanos for a moment, but he remained silent, allowing Typhon to continue.

“But he as well… let my children die… until I was but the last of my kind.” Thanos’ head perked up even higher at that statement alone. Typhon’s eyes stared into the ground, a grieving look appearing in the twin flames. “And so… I waited, in hiding, within the shadows and always watching, never fighting. But growing stronger… every single day. Until the day would come where I would enact my vengeance on this world and the rulers of it for taking everything away from me!”

The fires returned just as bright as before, if not even brighter having to rekindle old, painful memories. Typhon’s eyes lit up like a burning furnace, centering down on Thanos alone. His children held out their weapons once more, returning their attention to the tendrils zeroing in and the massive head closing down on them.

“And I will not allow you to wipe half of this world away before I do so.”

“Then I won’t.”

Typhon’s head backed away, his neck leaning several yards backwards, eyes slowly widening.

Turning away from the tendril she faced, noticing how it too began to slither backwards, Proxima Midnight looked at her father. “What?” Midnight blurted out.

“Father…” Ebony Maw began, his tone sounding betrayed. The Black Order were silenced in the instant Thanos raised his gauntlet. To silence them. To trust him.

“We share somethings in common,” Thanos said, staring right into the eyes of the beast. It didn’t hurt this time. The fire in his eyes had cooled considerably. They cooled even further with Thanos’ next words. “You are the last of your race… and I am the last of mine. Your home was destroyed… and so was mine… despite our most desperate acts to stop its collapse. And you only want to give your children a better life.”

Thanos’ gaze was elsewhere for a moment.

Tightening his fists, Thanos continued. “I see what you want… justice done right, and I can give you that. I can give you your form again, your strength again, your life again. This world can be yours… again.”

Somewhat startled by his offering, Typhon nonetheless growled, leaning closer. “And how do you propose to do that?” he asked.

Thanos thought for an instant, then turned towards the Gauntlet. The Space Stone continued to glow calmly against it, its power rippling off of it in unseen waves. Thanos slowly lifted his gauntlet, to Typhon, who studied the weapon and the Stone. Thanos then said, “I’ll need one more Stone. With it, you’ll have the power to finally be reborn.”

He lowered the Gauntlet after that compromise. And Typhon… was silent. As if the world-breaking, race-killing, Mad Titan Thanos was willing to offer him something was insane as it was, it was even more insane for Typhon… to listen. If what he said was true, what with them sharing similar things in common, then how far could Typhon truly trust the Mad Titan to live up to his end of the bargain? He could slaughter them right there, burn their corpses and fling their bones to the Badlands, and the universe would be saved. And no one would know Typhon saved it. They would only know… if he lived again. If what Thanos said was true, he could live again.

If what he said was true…

Typhon leaned in once more, much closer than he had before, and stared the Mad Titan in the eyes. Thanos did the same. Titan to Titan. He didn’t look away. Neither did.

“Swear to me.”

Thanos’ brow wrinkled.

“Swear to me… when you bring me that power… that Equus, the Princesses… and the Pillars… are mine.”

To Typhon’s relief, Thanos smiled and raised his right hand. “When I get what I need, when I snap my fingers…” he did just that, “Equus and all with it… will still exist.”

The fire was extinguished. The tendrils fell back into the ground. And Typhon retreated back into the earth. The silence of the night slowly, very slowly, followed through. The winds of the Badlands surrounded Thanos and his Black Order. They stumbled about, weapons lowered, wondering whether or not what they just experienced was real or a dream.

Thanos knew it to be true. He knew that the proposal he made to save their lives cost them a planet that would be spared for the Cleansing. But in the end, would one world truly matter in the grand scheme? It would not, Thanos thought. This world didn’t belong to him. It belonged to someone more deserving, someone with retribution to fulfill.

But still… that didn’t mean Equus wouldn’t experience salvation… beforehand.

But before that, Thanos thought back to his own proposal, to the power he promised Typhon in exchange for their lives. The power he promised…

Power.

Looking back to Proxima Midnight, Thanos slowly smiled. “Midnight… as you were saying about Xandar…?”

Author's Note

Don't count on Typhon or Thanos keeping their ends of the bargain. Equus may still be in danger from Thanos' ultimate goal.

Chapter 7 – Calling all Guardians

Andromeda Galaxy

Xandar

Nova Empire

A Chitauri Leviathan tore through a Xandarian superstructure, spewing building debris across the landscape and the terrified Xandarian populace below. The multitude of races scattered in fear as the Leviathan roared over their heads. These races, ranging from across the entire galaxy, of which the planet protected by the Nova Corps was known for, could do nothing as hell and fire rained down from above.

The sky was blotted out, the three suns shielded by the clouds and the Chitauri warships that descended upon the helpless Nova Empire. The brave Nova Corps did all they could, rallying every able-bodied soldier they could to take to the skies and bring down the invading forces. But it was all for not. They came without warning. Without remorse.

And they intended to leave nothing.

Chitauri chariots, Leviathans, and starships took to the air, wiping out any Nova craft that stayed in the skies, trying desperately to hold off the alien forces invading their home. The flaming husks of Nova Star Blasters rained down from the sky, crashing into buildings, hitting markets filled with innocent civilians, and killing even more as they impacted the ground. Xandarians screamed and fled, knowing not where to go in the madness.

As for Rhomann Dey, Denarian rank of the Nova Corps, he knew exactly where he was going: straight home to his wife and daughter and getting as far away from the fight as possible.

The madness and chaos only worsened as the Chitauri drew closer and closer to the Nova Corps Headquarters. Rhomann could see the warfare continue as he ran past several windows lining the walls of the complex. Several Nova Corps ran in his direction, towards the hangar bay to acquire a Star Blaster and join the fight for their survival. And Rhomann would do the very same, as soon as his family was safe. He had caught word that the Chitauri had warships over every major district in the Nova Empire, including the one holding his wife and daughter.

They needed to be safe. He couldn’t continue the fight unless he knew they were safe. Rhomann Dey ran as fast as he could and didn’t stop, even as the Nova Empire crumbled around him.

Throughout his dead sprint through the Headquarters, Dey was constantly thinking of why exactly were the Chitauri attacking Xandar? Why now? All he could deduce was that the Chitauri were on Xandar, laying waste to the city and heading towards the heart of the Nova Empire. There was only one being in the entire universe who controlled the mighty fleet of the Chitauri army.

Thanos.

And he was coming for them.

Rhomann Dey was too old for gunfights, but his piloting skills were nothing short of incredible. Once he acquired a Star Blaster, he could fly over to his wife and daughter, get them to a safe house he knew of, then get back into the fight and aid his Nova brothers and sisters in the sky. Until the bitter end if need be. It was a plan he had set on his mind throughout his entire sprint to the hangar bay.

A plan… that would have to be put on hold as his communicator screamed.

Slowing to a halt just by the control center, and managing to catch his breath in the meantime, Dey activated the communicator on his wrist, gasping, “This is… Denarian Nova Corps Rhomann Dey speaking… What’s going on down there, Nova Prime?”

Nova Prime, Irani Rael, responded quickly, her voice muffled by the static. “Dey! I need word on the invasion above ground! Are you near the control room?”

Turning to his left, Rhomann Dey stepped into the control room, activating the hologram displaying the entire Empire before him. He lifted his wrist, “I got you covered, Nova Prime. What do you need to see?”

As Nova Corps ran right on by him, completely ignoring Dey and proceeding to the hangar bay, Nova Prime asked, “Where are the Chitauri headed?”

Dey tapped away at the hologram, bringing images of the warships in the sky closer for inspection. As expected, as he could see from the large windows surrounding the control center, the warships were headed straight for the Headquarters. Dey shook his head, saying, “Got bad news, Prime, the Chitauri are headed right for us. They’re—”

Then suddenly, the warships halted, then began to rise. Higher and higher. Even the Chitauri Leviathans and starships began to retreat from the surface of the planet. Rhomann couldn’t believe it, not at first, then quickly swiped away with both hands on the hologram, observing the entire Nova Empire. Through every district, the warships retreated and fled to the upper atmosphere.

Dey almost smiled, relief flooding his heart. Just the thought of his wife and daughter still safe kept his mind at ease. He said, “Scratch that, Prime. Looks like the Chitauri are retreating from the fight. The only question is…”

Nova Prime didn’t respond. Not for several seconds.

Then, without warning, the screams erupted from his communicator. But Rhomann Dey wasn’t paying attention to that. At least not at first. The entire Nova Corps Headquarters trembled as if an earthquake was ripping the earth in two directly beneath it. It was followed by an explosion so deafening that Rhomann felt his bones shake, from his feet to his skull.

Holding onto the base of where the hologram originated, Rhomann brought up his wrist and asked, “Prime, what happened?! Are you all okay down there?!”

The screams came back. But he could make them out this time.

And they screamed, “He’s here! Thanos is here!”

Dey’s eyes grew so massive they nearly popped out of his skull. Then, Nova Prime called to him, said to him, “Rhomann, Thanos is coming for the Orb! We’re doing our best to hold him off, but it won’t be enough!”

“If he gets his hands on that Orb then Xandar is gone!” Rhomann yelled, gripping even tighter onto the base of the hologram. The fear for his family’s safety quickly crept back into his heart once the realization came to him. If Thanos got the Orb, and more importantly, the Power Stone, he could wipe out all of Xandar in seconds.

Seconds.

Dey did not have that kind of time. Not enough time to save his family. He needed to leave.

Now.

Until Nova Prime screamed, “We need you to contact the Guardians of the Galaxy!”

Rhomann Dey was already by the exit of the control center when she said that. He stopped.

“We are out of options, Rhomann! Thanos is getting nearer! Send a distress signal to the Guardians right this instant!”

Rhomann stared at the empty hallway. If he wasn’t the last one out of the Headquarters before, then he surely was now. Through the glass windows, he could see the fires ranging across every district, the Chitauri fleeing from the planet’s surface.

“That is an order!”

He could see his district straight ahead, and even though he was miles and miles away, he could have sworn he saw his home. His wife. His daughter. How terrified they were, wondering where Rhomann was. Where daddy was. He tightened his fists, slowly looking back to the control center console where the hologram of the burning empire still shimmered.

Through his communicator, he heard an explosion.

“Shit, he’s here! Open fire!”

Then nothing but blaster fire and screams. Then static. Then nothing.

There was no one else in the control center but him. Everyone had already fled the empire or joined in on the fight that wasn’t there anymore. They would never know that Thanos was there, nearing the Power Stone, and ready to end everything. Not unless someone told them what to do.

Rushing back to the control center console, he deactivated the hologram and flipped a switch, then pressed down on the big golden button on the console with his thumb. He spoke into the console with the clearest voice he could, and he could even hear his own voice echo throughout the cities around him. Its who he addressed, after all. Every city, every district, and every Nova Corps member.

“This is Denarian Nova Corps Rhomann Dey on all frequencies. The war is lost. The Orb is in the hands of our enemy. All Nova Corps members proceed with complete evacuation of the planet. Ready the Arks and get as many Xandarians off the planet as fast as you can.”

He flipped another switch, turned a nozzle, and pressed his thumb down on the big red button on the console, the one they only used for emergencies at levels they haven’t seen since the Battle of Xandar four years ago.

Back when the Guardians of the Galaxy saved their entire planet.

With sweat streaming from his forehead, his heart pounding with fear and adrenaline, Rhomann Dey quickly said, “This is the Nova Corps sending a distress signal to the Guardians of the Galaxy. If you can hear us, if you can get this message in time, then please hurry! Xandar is under attack! We are out of options! I repeat, please hurry!”

He sent the distress signal then took off as fast as he could to the hangar bay.

The rest was practically a blur to him. His Star Blaster was the only one left in the entire hangar bay. He sprinted, never stopping, his sides crying out in pain and his heart working harder than it ever had in years. But he didn’t care. His communicator received nothing and he could only fear the worst. He could only pray that Nova Prime and her soldiers could hold Thanos off for just a moment longer. Just a moment longer…

By the time he fled the hangar bay and took flight, Rhomann Dey was propelling himself through the carnage the Chitauri left, completely ignoring the rest of his Nova Corps brothers and sisters as they fled to the districts, the massive Nova Arks rising from beneath the seas. They fled to get the civilians to the Arks. They fled to save their families. But Rhomann Dey saw them. He saw their sacrifice and pressed his forearm across his heart. It was only a matter of time.

Just a moment longer…

Rhomann Dey saw his home approaching closer by the second. He punched it, the Star Blaster jetting even faster. Dey steadied himself as he drew nearer, needing to fly in for a safe landing, safe enough not to damage the ship so his family could get off the planet. It was a race against time, a race against life and death itself. His home was getting closer. Dey bit his lip, sweat blinding him for a moment.

Just a moment longer…

He made it. He saw his home draw near, his wife and daughter waiting for him. He couldn’t see them, but he could feel them in his heart. He never let that adrenaline die, slowing his Star Blaster down for a smooth landing on his home’s landing pad.

Then it happened.

The sky erupted into a bright, brilliant violet.

Rhomann Dey’s Star Blaster was nearly blown out of the sky, but he quickly regained control, spinning his head around and seeing it.

The Nova Corps Headquarters was gone. It was gone, replaced only with a tower of dark purple. And it quickly spread. Faster than he could have anticipated. A violent and hellish wave of purple washed over the Nova Empire, completely dissolving the Arks and the districts near them. The very earth beneath the cities erupted as if a thousand volcanoes had gone off at once, spewing its purple volcanic rock into the violet-painted skylines. Nova Star Blasters were blown out of the sky instantly as the wave washed over them, evaporating into nothing. And that wave approached him.

Faster and faster.

Gritting his teeth and yanking down on his ship’s steering wheel, he violently pulled it downwards, putting everything he could into the overdrive. His Star Blaster cried out, rocketing straight towards the sky and never stopping. He could barely move as the increased speed forced him back into his seat. But he managed to look back. Just once. And he saw it.

He wished he hadn’t.

His city, his district, his home… was washed away instantly. Vaporized in a violet light.

But he wasn’t.

He kept flying and flying, faster and faster, until he no longer saw the purple skies and burning air. Until he saw nothing but the blackness of space. His Star Blaster sputtered and died, the weightlessness of space following. And Rhomann Dey drifted, he and his Star Blaster, through space. Safe and sound.

He breathed. He lived. He stared back at his burning world. Nothing survived.

Absolutely nothing. The entire surface was quickly consumed in a hellish purple, streaks of blackness stretching from the Nova Empire and throughout the rest of the world. And Rhomann Dey just watched, as his home burned away, as his family became just another number. A single tear fell from his eye.

Fell from the eye of the last Nova Corps. His eyes shimmered a bright purple as Xandar exploded.

The Power Stone shimmered a bright purple as Xandar exploded. Thanos clenched his fist, clenched the Infinity Gauntlet and brought it forward, let it rest near his smile. He and his children watched as chunks of the planet slowly drifted apart, the core of Xandar burning a brilliant violet before slowly, slowly dimming into nothing.

Just… nothing. Thanos looked to his gauntlet, to the second Infinity Stone he placed beneath the middle finger. The Power Stone. Truly and utterly brilliant, its magnitude and strength unmatched by any other, except the remaining Stones, that is. He smiled to it, his gaze then shifting to the three standing before him, watching as the remains of Xandar burned away.

Loki, Thor, and Banner. Loki stood as frozen stiff as he could manage, his eyes still glazed over, but with a purple shimmer glowing in his irises as the planet’s remains burned into nonexistence. Thor was hardly standing, gripping his abdomen in pain, palm pressed to the glass in front of him, glazed eye watching the chaos unfold. Banner remained on his knees, clutching the healing wound over his heart and watching with complete and utter horror in his eyes.

His eyes that were completely clean. No glaze. No control.

He saw and experienced everything.

“Maw.”

Bruce Banner slowly spun his head around, shaking as he did so, watching as the Ebony Maw crept over to them by command of the Titan Thanos. Bruce watched, fear gripping his healing heart as the Maw smiled and whispered, “Return.”

Both Thor and Loki’s eyes returned to normal, the glaze vanishing. Loki and Thor both gasped, as if they had been drowning and had only now come up to the real world. And the first thing they saw were the devastated remains of an entire planet drift away. Thor pressed both of his palms onto the glass, his only wide widening in horror. Loki just trembled, spinning about as he heard that laughter.

That horrible chuckle he knew all too well. Thor spun around, as well.

Thanos smiled at them, his eyes holding nothing but malicious intent. In his gauntlet, the three of them could see a second shimmer of light. A second Infinity Stone. Thor’s mouth fell, not a breath leaving him.

Looking to his gauntlet, then to one of the trio, Thanos said, “You’ve done very well, Loki. So unlike you.”

Loki said nothing. Neither did Thor. He stood and clenched his fists, electricity sparking across his knuckles. Bruce Banner just trembled. Thanos crushed his gauntlet into a fist. “And so, unlike you, I’ll keep my end of our bargain. You give me the world you promised, and in return, I let you go. All of you… go.”

He chuckled, the Space Stone shimmering. “Should’ve specified where.”

A vicious portal of blue and black appeared directly in front of him. Just as viciously, the portal was thrust their way, faster than the trio could react, faster than they could move to get away, and faster than they could even let out a scream.

And even in the vastness of space, when they did scream no one heard them.

“This is the Nova Corps sending a distress signal to the Guardians of the Galaxy. If you can hear us, if you can get this message in time, then please hurry! Xandar is under attack! We are out of options! I repeat, please hurry!”

“Shit,” Rocket Raccoon cursed, watching Star-Lord silence the distress call by pressing a single button on the console in front of him. Both he and Rocket sat side by side, the pilots of the Milano spacecraft, two of the six Guardians of the Galaxy that piloted their ship through the wormhole and towards the source of the distress call.

It was just an average day for the Guardians of the Galaxy. Flying by a few cluster of planets, listening to Quill’s Zune and rocking out to the songs they’ve never heard before in their lives, save for Quill, of course. Then, completely out of the blue, their communicator started to go crazy. It wasn’t just any communicator. It was one specially included with the Milano after they had saved Xandar a few years back. It was a direct line to the Nova Corps, for whenever they needed to contact the Nova Corps or when the Nova Corps needed to call the Guardians.

In this case, they desperately needed the Guardians. Good timing, too. They were running out of units and needed the cash. It had been a while since their last job. Tapping away along with Quill, Rocket kept the Milano in stable position as they soared through the wormhole, growing nearer to Xandar’s location. Rocket thought back to the distress call, smirking and chuckling a tad. Might as well break the awkward tension with some good old-fashioned heckling.

“And I thought Quill cried worse in his sleep.”

Peter Quill, Star-Lord, suddenly turned to the raccoon on his left. With accusing eyes, he declared, “You don’t know that!”

Rocket smiled, keeping his claws on the handles that helped steer the Milano. “Oh, but Gamora does!” he said.

“What are you insinuating?” Gamora asked from one of the front seats beneath where Peter and Rocket sat. Her black and fiery red hair spun as she shifted her heated gaze to the raccoon, her green skin wrinkling as she narrowed her eyes at him.

Rocket turned his head down to meet her gaze. He pointed a claw her way in an accusing manner. “Hey, what did we say about using words we don’t know the meaning of?” Rocket asked, suddenly turning the focus on Gamora. “You know that hurts Drax’s brain!”

“Yeah!” Drax declared, spinning his neck left from his seat directly beneath Quill. He settled back into his previous position, mumbling, “I hate words that don’t come from me.”

“Back to what Gamora was talking about,” Peter interrupted, keeping his eyes on the wormhole ahead. “We are not… you know… that intimate yet.”

“Why doesn’t she sleep in her own room, then?” Rocket asked.

“Because she has nightmares!” Peter said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I thought we established this!”

“Quill, you have nightmares,” Gamora deadpanned.

Peter held out his hand. “We both have nightmares… sometimes… mostly me. The point is that we keep each other company! Nothing more than that.”

“I am Groot!”

“Whoa, slow down!” Peter yelled. Gamora’s jaw fell, turning her disgusted eyes to Groot in the back seat.

The adolescent Groot leaned on one of his seat’s armrests. His stumps for legs lay lazily over the opposite armrest, slowly swinging back and forth. As for his attention, the majority of it was focused on the handheld video game he was enamored with. The name “Arcade Defender” was plastered on the video game’s face, the adolescent Groot’s eyes glued to the bright screen. That is, until, he caught everyone’s attention with his rather vulgar sense of humor.

At least someone found it funny. Rocket laughed out loud. “Hell yeah, Groot, you sick bastard!”

“Pay attention, Rocket! And you, Groot, zip it! And watch your language!” Peter scolded, turning his heated stare back to Groot, who only raised a brow and shrugged before returning to his game. Peter shook his head, focusing ahead. “Teenagers… Jesus.”

“We need to focus!” Mantis said loudly, her seat directly behind Quill’s and right to Groot’s. She closed her eyes, her antennae glowing softly. “We’re nearing Xandar! I can feel it!”

“Yeah, when Bug Eyes is telling us to focus you know something is wrong,” Rocket muttered. Mantis heard him, giggling at the name he gave her.

Groot smirked in his seat, returning to his handheld video game. He nearly reached his high score, tapping away furiously on the screen.

As the rowdiness within the Milano simmered down, Peter Quill assumed his command of the ship once again. And at that moment, he became the Star-Lord once more. Super serious, badass space nomad and fearless leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. “We’re approaching the end of the jump. Hold steady,” Star-Lord addressed to them.

The Milano slowed down as the wormhole neared its end, and as they exited the jump, their eyes lit up in shock and awe. The Guardians of Galaxy paid witness to a massive warship come into focus, then instantly vanish as it jumped to some unknown destination, trails of cosmic dust being all that remained where it once was. They never got a good enough look at it.

Choosing to focus instead on Xandar, Star-Lord said, “All right, Guardians, don’t forget this might be dangerous, so let’s put on our mean faces.”

Mantis tried to, but only ended up puffing out her lower lip and frowning. That expression slowly faded away, as did everyone else’s, when Xandar finally came into focus. Those “mean faces” that Quill wanted never came to be. All that was left on each Guardian’s face was confusion… and horror.

“What the hell?” Rocket whispered, leaning forward in his chair.

Swirls of space dust colored a sickly, dark purple remained, slithering across massive chunks of debris, surrounded only by billions upon billions of asteroids filling the void where Xandar once remained. At its core, Xandar had vanished, and the core of the planet itself was extinguished. Shades of a hideous purple was all that glowed across the debris, eventually fading away into nothing but a dark, dead slab of rock that once harbored life.

Gamora, nearly breathless, said, “It’s Xandar.”

“What’s left of it,” Peter said, eyes gazing to the chunks of the planet beyond the glass and above his head.

Mantis’ large eyes reflected the burning purples from the planet’s debris. An eerie silence followed, encircling the Guardians and trapping them within it. “What happened?” Mantis asked.

Groot slowly looked up from his video game, his eyes glistening from the violet flames of the planet’s surfaces. “I am… Groot,” he said, astonishment in his voice. He lost his last life in his game, but even Groot didn’t seem to care at the moment.

Each of the Guardians were so awestruck by the remains of the planet Xandar, and the Nova Empire as a whole, that they didn’t even notice the three bodies hurtling their way before it was too late. They impacted the glass shield of the Milano, causing almost every Guardian to nearly leap out of their seats. Rocket observed the bodies, waving his claw out in front of him.

“Ew! Wipers, wipers! Get ‘em off!”

“Hold up,” Star-Lord ordered, peeking closer at the bodies that hit their glass shield. One was heavily-built, short hair and an eyepatch covering his right eye. He was absolutely filthy, blood stains across his beard and body. The second one was much skinnier, wearing what appeared to be a cape of some kind. His long, black hair and pale white skin were splotched with dark crimson. The third one was shirtless, scrawny, and barely hanging onto life.

Peter Quill needed to know for sure. He leaned forward in his seat, narrowing his eyes at the trio they hit. “Their bodies don’t look frozen over. They may still be alive,” he observed.

The largest one opened his eye.

Mantis screamed. Quill fell back in his chair, saying loudly, “Or they are still alive!”

“Let’s go, Quill!” Gamora said, already up and out of her seat, racing towards the Holographic Space Suits and the exit of the Milano.

Quill wasn’t far behind her. “Right!” he said, hopping out of his seat.

“What did we agree on about not taking in hitchhikers?” Rocket asked, looking back towards Quill and Gamora. He noticed that Mantis went with them, only Groot remaining in his seat playing with his game. Drax was there, too, beneath Quill’s chair, but he was fast asleep in his chair, drooling onto his shoulder.

“Does no one listen to me anymore?!” Rocket exclaimed.

“I am Groot!”

“Oh, screw you, too, you medium-sized asshole!” Rocket said, hopping out of his seat and rushing to join Quill and the others. Groot just smirked at his furry backside, returning to his video game and completely ignoring the three splattered on their windshield.

Author's Note

Chapter 8 – Power

Milky Way Galaxy

Equus

Badlands, Equestria

11:39 p.m.

The second Thanos stepped foot on Equestrian soil, a tremor resounded across the valley of death, in the heart of the Badlands.

A vicious black and blue portal opened for Thanos and his Black Order, all five exiting the swirling blue and black mist as it quickly faded away. The Space Stone on Thanos’ gauntlet dimmed down as the portal closed, but it never stopped shimmering, as well as the newly-acquired Power Stone. The Badlands remained just as they were. The night was still alive and well, and the desert surrounding was just as horrid a landscape as when they first arrived. None of that mattered.

Thanos raised the Infinity Gauntlet into the air. The winds howled, the dust storm picking up around them, blotting out the night sky. The Black Order shielded their eyes from the storm, but Thanos stared on. He narrowed his stern gaze, clenched his gauntlet, and yelled, “Typhon!”

He had felt Typhon’s presence the second he stepped on Equus the second time, but now the tremor had only increased, as well as the storm around them. Before it could get any worse, before the sand was certain to devour them and never let them escape the desolate wasteland known as the Badlands, the wind stopped.

It stopped as the eruption of solid earth followed, Typhon’s serpent-like head and demon-like eyes broke through the storms and silenced it. The wind died. The sand fell. Typhon’s towering, burning neck and flaming head were all that remained of it.

When it all settled and the silence of the night returned—save for Typhon’s burning skin—the beast slowly narrowed its eyes on the Mad Titan, slithering closer. Thanos didn’t even blink this time as Typhon’s burning gaze met his own. Not even the Black Order backed away from the increasing temperatures.

Smoke and ash drifted from Typhon’s head and nostrils, the beast growling, “You have returned… quickly. I assume with the power needed to resurrect me?”

Thanos smiled and slowly turned his left wrist so it faced forward. Typhon shifted his gaze to the Gauntlet, widening at the purple gem shimmering next to the bright blue one. Thanos slowly began his approach, stopping just a few yards from Typhon’s burning face.

He clenched the Gauntlet, the Power Stone glowing brightly. “This may hurt a bit.”

Typhon glared at him.

“I have been tortured for more than a millennium, every shred of my skin melted and peeled away. My intestines, my heart, my lungs, everything within me was ripped away and thrown to the River Styx. My bones were melded to the very chains that held Tartarus together, every year pulling harder and harder and harder until… there was nothing left. Until my very soul was trapped in a forever burning hellscape, forced to watch as my children suffered the same fate.”

Snarling at every syllable, what appeared to be Typhon’s maw yielded burning magma that dripped into the dirt and sand. He brought back his neck only slightly, narrowing his slit eyes at the Mad Titan. More specifically… at the Infinity Stone and the power it held, the same power he would experience very shortly.

He said, “I know what it means to hurt. If it hurts… then I’ll scream.”

Thanos could admire that. Willing to go through anything to reach his goal. Strange how fate works, bringing two Titans together, working together, fighting in the end for similar causes. If he wanted to, Thanos would have smiled. But he didn’t. He couldn’t when he focused on controlling the Power Stone’s energy. The gem shimmered brightly as he clenched the Gauntlet harder and harder. But unlike on Xandar, Thanos thrust its energy outwards instead of directly to the ground.

A stream of raw, unending energy was propelled from the Stone and the Infinity Gauntlet. It was so great, so unhindered, that the Black Order nearly fell back from the shock wave that followed. They shielded themselves as the wave of energy pulsated throughout them. Thanos didn’t even move. He kept his left arm jutted outwards, his fist shaking as he forced the Gauntlet and the Power Stone’s energy directly ahead of him.

He watched as it struck its target, right in Typhon’s neck.

Instantly, the burning red skin encompassing Typhon’s neck shifted to a horrible dark purple. Typhon howled in pain, rearing his head straight to the heavens and screaming to the stars. Those screams turned into high-pitched screeches. The Black Order cringed at the sound, some covering their ears. Thanos gritted his teeth, but kept the energy flowing.

Unlike when the same power impacted Xandar, this power didn’t completely overwhelm Typhon. It nearly had, devouring all of Typhon’s neck. It had nearly reached his head, but stopped just at the bottom of his jaw. The purple cracks across his skin yielded, then slowly began to retreat. The purple sickness across Typhon’s body quickly fell back to where it originated, where Thanos drove the beam of energy. Typhon’s screams soon turned into roars, then… laughter.

“Yes!” Typhon exclaimed, looking down to his neck to see the purple energy withdraw from his skin and flood into his very essence. He reared his head back, roaring, “Yes! The power… I can feel it! My body! My being! They’re…! They’re…!”

A shock wave of energy was all that could be expelled from Typhon’s statement, ending his voice there. Thanos cut off the energy flow, shielding his eyes as a wave of energy washed over him and his children, spreading for miles on end, all originating from Typhon. Lowering his naked palm, Thanos stared at the flaming serpent, concern in his frown.

Nothing seemed remotely different. Typhon just appeared winded, his head drooping lower and lower to the ground. Speaking of the ground, it had barely survived the shock wave that had occurred not too long ago. Chunks of rock had been expelled from the earth, a small crevice surrounding the Titan. As for Typhon, he breathed steadily. Almost like he had functioning lungs and he was breathing for the first time in more than a thousand years.

Perhaps not far from the truth. “The power…” Typhon breathed, in and out, slowly and steadily.

“I assume it worked.”

Typhon nodded, his glowing red eyes slowly dimming, quickly closing. “Yes… I must rest now… and let the power flow throughout. Let it… rebuild.”

Nodding to that, Thanos lowered his arms so they rested by his sides. His Black Order stepped closer to him, all of their eyes centered on the wilting beast grow smaller and smaller. “I’ll take good care of Equus while you’re gone,” Thanos declared, watching as the mighty tower became less than it was before.

But just before he could fully collapse, Typhon reared forward at speeds that were so unlike him previously, even with his weakening state. The Black Order jutted their weapons outwards, but found no need for them as Thanos stared down the mighty Titan. Neither blinked. Neither flinched. Typhon admired that.

“Do not forget, Mad Titan. When I return… this world is mine… and the Princesses and the Pillars are mine to kill.”

Thanos said nothing, didn’t even nod. He and his children just watched as the beast disappeared beneath the earth. They felt another tremor pass throughout the Badlands, much stronger than any previous one they had encountered. Amplified with the strength of the Power Stone, there was no wonder Typhon’s descent was much stronger than previously. But unlike the previous times, they could see where Typhon traveled next.

A wave of red energy shot away from where Thanos and his children stood. They watched as the bolt of red shot across the Badlands beneath the dirt, impacting the tallest peak in the wasteland, the destroyed mountain directly ahead of them. Another tremor passed, not as strong as where they stood but equally as devastating. The mountain Typhon had struck began to crumble, then began to rise higher out of the ground, practically growing three times before their very eyes. And it just kept getting bigger. Proxima Midnight’s jaw fell. Corvus Glaive shared the same fate. Ebony Maw narrowed his gaze and watched as the mountain grew taller and taller, wider and larger. Cull Obsidian watched on in silence. They all looked somewhat concerned, impressed, or surprised.

Thanos was not like his children very much.

The mountain trembled, then yielded. If it was massive before Typhon had struck it, then it was colossal in size afterwards. No longer was the peak sticking straight out of the ground. It was larger, wider, appearing more like a volcano than a mountain. At least, that’s what Thanos and the Black Order thought. Coincidently enough, a black smog began to bellow from the peak, rising and building just above the mountain.

Then all was still and quiet.

As if nothing had even happened.

“You can’t trust him, Father.”

Thanos slowly turned around, gazing towards Proxima Midnight. She continued, dropping her head a tad. “He threatened to slaughter us the second we stepped foot on this miserable world, and now we just gave him enough power to do… whatever it is he just did.”

“If he was able to resist the Space Stone beforehand,” Corvus Glaive took over, “how powerful will he be now?”

“And when the time of the Cleansing is to be upon us, what of Equus, Father?” Ebony Maw asked. Cull Obsidian grunted and nodded, standing behind his siblings, hammer resting on his shoulder.

Thanos turned his eyes to each of their concerned gazes. His expression was unknown, his eyes holding little emotion and revealing nothing. When he answered, his voice sent shock waves across each of his children. “He spared our lives and we made a bargain. I’ve fulfilled that bargain. I’ve given him rebirth. I owe nothing more.”

“Yes, but at what cost?” Maw asked. “Now, this world will be spared!”

“Not necessarily.”

The Maw actually stepped away from that statement. Just an inch, but it showed. He was clearly taken by surprise at the revelation his father had revealed. Thanos looked to his gauntlet, stared at the two gems still glowing as bright as when he first laid eyes on them. “The Infinity Stones will take time to acquire, and in the meantime, I will be certain to have this world experience salvation… even if it may be spared from the Cleansing.”

He heard silence for a moment, then a soft chuckle. Thanos looked to Proxima Midnight, seeing her smile and shake her head. “Just like old times?” Midnight asked, fingers tightening around her spear.

“Half the world’s population,” Thanos muttered, his voice lost in pure bliss as he gazed at the Stones. “Nothing more… nothing less.”

Corvus Glaive smiled sickly, each of his fangs showing. “We will ready the Chitauri right away,” he said, bowing his head. The rest of the Black Order bowed their heads, as well, but were shocked to see a blue portal appear behind them. They turned back to their father, seeing him hold out his gauntlet and control the very fabric of space with just the blue gem.

“Leave that to me,” Thanos told them. “As for the rest of you, take my ship and retrieve the Reality Stone.”

It took a while for Ebony Maw to nod along with the rest of his siblings. The portal’s light cascaded their shadows across the dirt, leading to Thanos’ feet. He asked, “What will you do, Father?”

He smiled. “Make things easier.”

And so, he would. They didn’t need to be told a second time. The Black Order stepped into the portal, one by one. Thanos closed it quickly. As the light died and the Stone’s light began to dim down, Thanos breathed in the dead air and dust. He stared at where the portal once remained, nothing left but wisps of sand blowing through the wind across the vast desert landscape.

The portal wasn’t very large, just big enough to fit Obsidian. Other than that, Thanos hadn’t crafted a portal from the Space Stone any larger. For what he had in mind, he didn’t know if the Space Stone could have created a portal big enough for him to “make things easier”, as he had stated not too long ago. Then again, the Space Stone wouldn’t be working alone.

He looked to the Infinity Gauntlet, brought it closer, and stared at the second gem. At the Power Stone. The very Infinity Stone that could burn planets in an instant and rebirth ancient Titans long since dead for over a thousand years. Its strength was never-ending, had no limit. The strength of the Power Stone and the ability of the Space Stone molded together… He hadn’t tried it before.

He would now.

With his children on their mission to acquire the Reality Stone, that just left three. Thanos thought back to where the remaining Stones be, all three resting in one central location. One world. Planet Earth. He knew exactly where that was. The years of constantly waiting, constantly watching events unfold on the miserable planet taught him well enough what he should expect. He raised his gauntlet, higher and higher, the face of it turned to the night sky.

No need to constantly hop back and forth across the entire galaxy any longer. Thanos would make things easier.

Looking to the stars for guidance, Thanos finally found it, both the Space and Power Stones igniting brighter than any star that night. Then he closed his left hand.

Chapter 10 – Celestial Fire

Earth

Florida, USA

Clearwater Beach

11:48 p.m.

Jack Spencer was never lucky with the ladies.

The pulsating beats from the massive stereo systems could be felt for miles across the long, sandy beaches. It was so incredibly loud that the very sand danced alongside the twirling, half-naked bodies of the partiers. Colorful lights shot off from the massive stage and bounced up and down, following both the beat of the song and the hundreds of people dancing to it.

Summer nights and parties. Late summer nights and parties. The entire beach had transformed into a rave once the sun fell, and it had been going strong non-stop. Aside from the mountains of trash stacked in massive piles and scattered across the edges of the area the rave was occurring, and completely ignoring the couples making out on tangled blankets from one end of the beach to the other, Jack Spencer found the experience to be relatively enjoyable.

Sure, he got a few drinks splashed in his face whenever he got too close to the nearest chick in the smallest bikini, but when didn’t that happen every now again? Jack liked to believe that, anyway, as he stumbled towards the shore to take a piss. He slurred the wrong words to the wrong song he wanted to think of as he undid his belt buckle, zipped his fly down, and let nature take its course.

Jack wasn’t particularly kept “together” considering he was on his fifth Jack Daniels and counting. He always liked to drink something named after him. He was an ass that way. But when he decided it was time to drain the tank, he thought of no better place than the wide ocean, the same place where all little sea critters did their business. It only made sense to follow the natural order of things, right?

He tried to, at least. The shore seemed to shrink away from his piss trail. Confused, Jack whistled a tune and stumbled slowly forward, looking like a bow-legged jackass holding his dick and flinging his piss all over the place. A couple broke their lips away from each other and saw him, trying to hide their laughter.

They never saw the shore shrink back into the sea.

No one did.

No one except Jack.

“Hey!” Jack burped, continuing to push himself onward, trying to catch the water with his draining urine, which had miraculously managed to continue in a stream lasting longer than twenty seconds. “Where do you think you’re going, buster! You’re not going anywhere until I add to your density or whatever science shit…”

Jack let loose whatever else he had when the sirens started crying.

The sounds of the rave were instantly drowned out by the sounds of concerned partiers, everyone yelling at the DJ to turn up the music. They used more colorful language. The DJ flipped everyone off and pointed towards the ocean, all eyes turning in said direction. By the time everyone did, the tsunami sirens were drowned out by the screams.

Human screams. Terrified, shocked, confused, all directed towards the approaching tide and retreating quickly from it. But not Jack Spencer. Even as the entire beach line was abandoned and everyone ran for their lives, only Jack Spencer was the one to notice the massive planet covering half of the night sky.

Then the wave washed him and half of the city away.

Equus

Manehattan, Equestria

9:55 p.m.

Coco Pommel was awakened to the sounds of the city. She groaned, pulling the side of her pillow over to cover her face, and hopefully block out the constant noise. It was no use, as even the slightest, smallest noise managed to slip through her pillow and keep her awake. Aggravated, the pony kicked away her covers and strode towards the window.

It had been a long, busy day for Miss Pommel. What went as an average planning schedule for the Midsummer Theater Revival turned to absolute disaster when her actors cancelled on her, saying they would be spending the summer traveling to Saddle Arabia to be performing in another play. That information alone set Coco back even further on her planning for the play. She would have to hire new actors, still set up an appointment for renting the location, set up the stage, and get the costumes ready. If things didn’t get going more smoothly by tomorrow, she would have to push the Midsummer Theater to the end of summer!

It was tiresome. It was painful. Coco sighed as she approached her apartment’s window. If only she had Applejack and Rarity to help her this time around. That option was always on the table. But for now, she just wanted to get a good rest before starting the same routine the next morning. Those sounds that just so happened to arise almost near midnight kept her up. At least, that's what her clock read.

Pushing her curtains that stood directly behind her desk aside, she expected to see the usual traffic jam, ponies screaming at each other, everything that ever was Manehattan and nothing else.

That’s not what she saw.

Instead, the light of the moon that used to shine directly into her apartment was no more. It was dimmer, surely not as bright as it once was. It was not as it once was, appearing to have been shattered, broken against another moon that was nearly identical to it. Her eyes widened at that, but her jaw fell when she saw the other world hanging directly over her city.

She could see the lights, presumably from the cities that could have existed on the alien world. It was so dangerously close that Coco Pommel instinctively took a step back, but not before casting a quick glance to the city below. Ponies screamed and fled the streets, some gazing up to the planet and sharing the same expression Coco felt. She found slight comfort in that, knowing now she wasn’t seeing things.

Her attention shifted to something else, something that literally arose from her desk. Her quill and parchment began to float, hovering just a few feet above her wooden desk. Coco froze at that, her breathing intensifying. Mustering up enough bravery, she rose her shivering hoof and poked at the quill. It spun from her touch, but continued to hover in place.

By the time Coco brought her hoof back, she was already off the ground, hovering several feet from her floor. Her screams joined the thousands of other ponies who began to rise from the earth.

Earth

New York, USA

Manhattan

Curtis Hoyle’s Rehab Session

11:59 p.m.

Frank Castle’s watch beeped twice, causing the drowsy veteran to stir in his chair. He stared at his watch, noticing that the time read midnight. He growled, but decided it was as time as ever to head home.

“I was wondering when you were gonna get up.”

Frank looked back, noticing Curtis stacking the remaining chairs away. Sighing, Frank got up, practically dragging his chair, the metal legs scratching against the floor. It was not Frank’s first time during Curtis’ rehab sessions for recovering veterans, but week after week things only seemed to be getting more stale. Nothing seemed to change. Other veterans—people—always told Curtis that he was doing something right, that they had something to look forward to. For Frank, he just felt like he already told his story to them, and he was just there for Curtis.

Not a bad thing, just something he felt obligated to go to instead of willing. Pulling the chair forward, Frank handed it to his old friend, who smiled and received it. “Hey, Curt. Sorry about drowsing off during your…” Frank began to say, but was instantly cut off.

“It’s not the first time it’s happened, Frank. No biggie,” Curtis said, placing the last chair with the others.

Curtis walked past Frank, who only nodded and followed several feet behind him. “You should’ve woke me up earlier,” Castle called to him, who only chuckled to that.

“I was planning on it, but you just looked so peaceful,” Curtis laughed, placing the remaining cookies into a zip lock bag. There wasn’t much coffee left, so he just placed the dirty mugs into his backpack and left the coffee maker. He shoved the cookies into his backpack, zipped it up, and whipped it to his backside. He met Frank’s humored look, his smile growing wider.

Frank actually laughed. “Must be thinking of someone else.”

Both men chuckled at that, turning towards the exit and making their approach. When Frank came to his side, Curtis dropped his gaze. He said, “I wasn’t intending to make the meeting last so long, so sorry about that.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it,” Frank said, slapping his shoulder. “Time gets away from ya.”

“You ready to head out?”

“You already locked up the place?”

“Just about to do that. Go on, I’ll meet you outside,” Curtis said to Frank, who nodded and zipped up his jacket, heading for the building’s exit. Curtis reached into his coat pocket, fumbled with his keys, and turned off the lights to the room. He closed the door and locked both. Checking them just for safety reasons, neither budged, and Curtis held onto his keys as he approached the exit.

As he did, something came quickly, causing Curtis to furrow his brow. It sounded quiet at first, but quickly rose the closer he got to the exit. It sounded like the blaring of car horns, which was normal, but then it transformed into something horrific, something a veteran like Curtis Hoyle hated hearing.

Screams.

He ran out the doors, seeing Frank gazing up to the night sky.

“Hey, Frank, what’s all that—?”

Curtis couldn’t even finish that thought. He stopped dead next to Castle, eyes in complete and utter disbelief at what he saw. Resting on the horizon, appearing so large that the very skyscrapers of New York City appeared like blades of grass to it, an alien planet hovered dangerously close. Too close. The sounds of terror erupted further into the city, news choppers quickly filling up the night sky and approaching the horizon.

As for Frank Castle and Curtis Hoyle, they just stood there.

Curtis turned to his left, noticing absolutely no change in Frank’s expression or appearance. He held that same scowl he had most of his waking life, and he glared at the planet that filled a strong portion of the night sky. “Frank…?” Curtis gasped.

Frank turned his way, noticing the worry and confusion grip Curtis’ features. He only sighed, turning back towards the alien world. “Ah, shit.”

Equus

Mount Aris

Hippogriffia

10:03 p.m.

The horns sounded off slightly past midnight. At least, that’s what all the clocks in Hippogriffia read. After that, the city of Hippogriffia awakened from the night. Hippogriffs big and small, young and old, royalty and commoners, arose from their rebuilt homes and stumbled through the reconstruction efforts of their city. They passed the gates, stood on the edge of their mountain, and stared at the alien planet directly over their heads.

It covered nearly all of the night sky, small lights blinking upon its continents. The moon’s light was even brighter and larger than before, considering a second moon had impacted Luna’s own. Chunks of the two moons slowly drifted closer and closer to both worlds. Not only that, but large waves crashed against their mountain, nearly reaching the summit but stopping just close enough for the mist of the sea to reach near the city’s entrance. The Hippogriffs turned to one another, whispering words of worry, some of the young ones crying.

Queen Novo and her daughter, Princess Skystar, the highest authority amongst their people, approached the edge of the mountain, several Hippogriffs backing away to let them through. Queen Novo, clear-minded and calculated, glared at the alien planet hanging so dangerously close to their own. She glared at the irregularly-massive waves impacting her mountain. She glared at the fact that the homes that laid at the base of the mountain were gone, consumed by the ocean.

Princess Skystar, more free-spirited and bubbly, gasped loudly, gripping the edge of the cliff with her claws. Her eyes grew ten times as wide, an excited scream escaping the young princess.

“Oh… my… goodness!” Skystar cried, the tips of her wings flapping up and down, causing her to rise slightly on the tips of her claws and hooves. She clutched onto her mother’s neck, who hardly looked amused by her behavior. “Mom, look! A new world! And you know what that means… New people! Can we offer a warm welcome? Huh?! Can we, can we, can we?!”

She pressed firmly on Novo’s side with her claws. The Queen just shook her head, bending her head down to the nearest guard to her right. “Send a letter to Princess Celestia right away. Inform her of this anomaly,” she whispered. The guard saluted, spread his wings, and took off back for the castle deeper within the mountain.

General Seaspray and the remaining guards stood by their queen, gazing onto the world above. Sky Beak stood by his children, Silverstream and Terramar. They rubbed the sleepiness from their eyes, standing by their cousin Skystar’s side. Their beaks fell in awe. Skystar, on the other hand, hopped up and down in clear excitement, not a hint of weariness in her form.

Seaponies arose from the ocean waves, shocked to see the peak of Mount Aris at such a close proximity. They were even more shocked, however, to see the alien world above their heads and glinting on the ocean surface. Ocean Flow swam towards her husband Sky Beak and her children, hugging them, turning in fear to the world above their heads.

With that, Queen Novo and her subjects stood in continued silence as the new world sat quietly above them. Like a sleeping giant. Hippogriffs questioned their queen, but she could offer no answer. No true explanation. Princess Skystar clapped her claws together, grinning as wide as her beak could manage.

“I got a really good feeling about this one!”

Earth

Edinburgh, Scotland

5:09 a.m.

It was everywhere. On the early-morning news stations, on every station, throughout the country, and even the entire world. Everyone either heard of it or saw it with their own eyes. Those who hadn’t would soon, because that morning the entire world would change forever.

The Vision knew this and turned off the television. He stared for a moment at his pale, tannish palm, looking over his hand with a certain dullness. A soft mumble from behind caught his attention, and he turned around. To the bed. Where she lay.

He stood up, slowly making his way over to the mattress and tangled sheets. Lying there, alone, with her dark hair just as a tangled mess, was the most beautiful sight he ever laid his eyes on. There she lay, Wanda Maximoff, her clothing discarded and only the sheet covering her nakedness. She lay with a soft smile, dreaming of elsewhere, anything other than the madness of the real world. The Vision gently caressed her forehead, earning a sigh and a soft smile from her.

And then he turned. He pushed the drapes away, staring out into the cloudy morning sky. And above, through the clouds, as clear as could be, was the planet.

It was alien, surely, as was the moon that had impacted Earth’s own natural satellite. Heavy chunks of space rock were drifting away from the impact zone. Slowly. So very slowly. There was nothing of interest found in the destruction of the two moons, so Vision looked towards the alien world.

The soft, morning light made it difficult, but he could certainly notice several lights illuminating from the surface of the planet, indicating some form of possible life. It was a stretch, but it’s what he could formulate at the moment. There appeared to be several white splotches scattered across the surface, possibly being clouds, indicating an atmosphere, one with moisture. Water. Which most certainly pointed to life.

Alien life.

Already, the circumstances and fallout from this event that morning played through Vision’s growing mind. After the last alien attack, humanity would most certainly discover that there was life on the alien world, and respond with ill intentions. They would either be confused, scared, or angry. That didn’t even count how much destruction the new world would cause to Earth just from its gravitational pull, and Earth to the new world. Why or how it appeared near Earth was still a mystery he would need to solve.

But at that moment, at that very moment he saw something. It was a flicker, but one that caught his interests. He swore he saw two other lights from the planet’s surface, one purple and one blue. He flinched as his forehead—as the Mind Stone—began to pulsate.

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

Celestia’s Quarters

10:12 p.m.

Celestia stepped onto her balcony after hearing the cries from Canterlot below. She ignored the cool, summer wind and the cries that came with it. She focused on the more important cries, the ones from her subjects. Her little ponies. She didn’t even need to look to Canterlot to know what had disturbed them.

More than half of the night sky was gone, replaced by a dark orb with shimmering lights upon its surface. At first, Celestia thought it was a ship, but then noticed its distance, where it lied, its shape, and what it appeared to be. It was a planet. A new world. One that somehow appeared. Just appeared. Celestia gripped the edge of her balcony, the screams from the ponies below creating a symphony of terror the longer she stared at the new world and the remains of…

Of her sister’s moon.

Luna’s moon remained nothing but a smoldering cluster of space rock slowly drifting away from the second moon it impacted. They shone a ghostly, pale white, resting, drifting, moving closer and closer towards her world and the new one. Celestia gasped, her jaw falling but no other breaths escaping her.

A pair of hooves impacting marble brought Celestia out of her petrified state. It was followed shortly by a painful cry that tried to remain concealed, but was unable to do so. Celestia turned around, gazing and nearly breaking down herself to see the tear-stained face of Princess Luna.

Her little sister. Nearly broken.

Her eyes were bloodshot, chest heaving in and out as tears streaked down her cheeks. She wore a frown, a furious one. One that held unbridled rage and boiling intensity she had never seen. But it was held together, somehow held together by whatever strength and determination that Luna had crafted over the years since her return. But still… Celestia hadn’t seen her cry so terribly since the rise of Nightmare Moon.

“Sister…” Luna breathed, her voice shaking, all with pain, fury, and confusion.

“Get Discord and stop the moons from getting any closer,” Celestia ordered. She didn't even hesitate.

“But—”

“Now!”

Luna flinched back. Her expression of confusion was replaced instantly with one of forced strength and rising determination. She nodded, disappearing in a flash.

The cries came back, even more horrible than before. Somehow, Celestia couldn’t just hear the cries from Canterlot. She heard the ones from Ponyville, from Manehattan, from Fillydelphia, from everywhere. They all combined into a mixture of pain, horror, confusion, and so much more. So many terrible things that Celestia had to close her eyes and clench her jaw just to be able to face it all. The longer she did so, the longer she tried to block out the cries, the more powerful they came. Like a blistering fire that couldn’t be stopped.

Celestia opened her eyes. Canterlot was beginning to awaken from the commotion. The second world and the second moon remained where they were. And she didn’t know why. “What does this mean?” she asked no one. No one replied.

As she stared at the new world dangerously close to her own, the wind picked up, screaming past her ears. It sounded like seven screams, the kind she knew. And Celestia shivered. She shivered despite the blazing fire ringing in her ears.

Chapter 11 – Drinking Games

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

10:16 p.m.

Sunset’s parents didn’t last “all night long” as Pinkie would have wished. They left not too long ago, offering their last goodbyes for the night to their daughter. It was a tearful visit, one that Twilight and—admittedly—Applejack got a little emotional over. Sunset promised them she’ll visit in a day or two, after she got accommodated with Twilight and her friends first.

They spent the next three hours indulging themselves in Twilight’s throne room, drinking their laughter away with Applejack’s family apple cider and the stories they shared. When the party had ended and everypony went home, all that remained within the confines of Twilight’s castle were Twilight, Applejack, Pinkie, Rainbow, Rarity, Fluttershy, Starlight, and Sunset. They surrounded the Cutie Map, each pony occupying a major throne except for Sunset and Starlight. Starlight sat in Spike’s empty throne, knowing the young dragon who was hanging out with Discord for the night wouldn’t mind. Sunset sat on a small stool no bigger than Spike’s throne.

She didn’t mind. She was trying hard to hide her blushing cheeks as Starlight told everypony the story. And, of course, Twilight just had to interrupt several times.

“So, while we were off during our friendship mission, you decided it was a good idea to leave the castle unprotected to travel to another dimension with Sunset?” Twilight Sparkle asked, turning her gaze right to Starlight, who was slightly cramped in Spike’s much smaller throne.

“Oh, come on, Twilight!” Starlight said, tipping her apple cider only slightly. “It’s not like you keep this castle protected when we’re all gone anyway!”

“I have Friday!” Twilight exclaimed.

“Come now, Twilight,” Rarity said, sipping from her glass of cider, everypony else having a wooden mug. “Friday’s been tending more to the library than any other room in this castle! If anything, she is more like… a glorified librarian than a guard.”

The Alicorn blinked. Maybe it was the weariness of the late night that was getting to her, or that her cider was nearly empty that made her frown. She stirred the tip of her hoof around the edge of her mug. “Yeah… I really should look into getting some guards,” she chuckled.

Taking a big gulp from her mug, Starlight placed her cider aside. She managed to conceal a small burp. Sunset giggled at that. “Besides, I learned a pretty good friendship lesson while I was there!” Starlight said, turning to Sunset. “How has Juniper been, by the way?”

Sunset gripped her mug with both hooves, staring into it and smiling. “She’s definitely a lot happier now. Thanks to you.”

Rainbow chuckled, holding out her mug. “We seriously need to take a vacation to that human dimension. Sounds like a blast.”

“It really is,” Sunset agreed, pulling her mug forward and gulping down nearly all that remained. She was still trying to get back into the flow of using actual magic with her horn, but she was feeling too tired to even attempt it. So, she awkwardly fumbled her mug, nearly slamming it onto the map beneath her when her eyes widened.

She gulped down the cider in her bloated cheeks, saying, “Maybe you can all come back with me after this week! The girls and I were planning a lot this summer.”

“They won’t mind to see a second version of themselves?” Fluttershy asked, hiccuping after her large consumption of Applejack’s delicious apple cider.

Sunset laughed. Both at Fluttershy's adorable hiccup and the thought of seeing two of every one of her friends. “That does sound pretty awkward now that you mention it!”

“But it also sounds really fun,” Twilight said, earning several nods. She raised her mug with her magic and took a sip. “Then again, we have the School of Friendship to run. I’m sure we can figure something out. Give the kids a break for a week.”

A few moments of silence and smaller conversation filled the room. Pinkie babbled on to Fluttershy, Applejack and Rarity doing the same. Sunset looked to her right, noticing Rainbow Dash leaning back on her throne and gazing into her nearly-empty cider mug with a slick grin. She noticed the three gashes on the left side of her face, from her jaw bone to the bottom of her eye. It looked like it had cleared up ages ago, but the scars were still there. Sunset couldn’t recall Rainbow back in the human world having any scars, let alone on her face.

The human world… Which reminded her…

“Hey, everyone…” Sunset muttered, her voice apparently sounding much louder than what she heard, because everypony turned her way. Everypony. Sunset shook her head, chuckling. “Uh… I mean… everypony… Gosh, that’s gonna take some getting used to.”

Everypony laughed, but stopped to let her continue. Sunset forced herself to break her eyes away from her cider mug, bringing them forward so she could see everypony present. From Starlight to Twilight, then Applejack and Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy, and finally Rainbow Dash. They all eyed her. Smiled at her. She smiled too. “I just want to say… thank you… for setting all of this up.”

Twilight giggled. “You can thank Pinkie for the party.”

Pinkie stood up on her throne, grinning wide. “And Twilight for inviting everypony!”

Rarity smiled. “And the princesses for bringing your parents.”

Sunset nodded to each of their statements, almost freezing at Rarity’s. She continued. “Yeah… especially after everything I’ve done. I really shouldn’t deserve this party… this acceptance… after I blatantly betrayed Celestia and tried to take over another world.”

Some smiles fell, others remained intact. Twilight’s sympathetic grin remained where it was, her soft eyes holding well with Sunset’s weary pair. She said, “It just means so much that you would all go through this much effort just to welcome me back.”

“Do not dwell on the past, darling!” Rarity said, waving her hoof. “That’s why it’s called the ‘past’ for a reason. What matters now is that you’re home, among friends and family.”

Sunset raised her mug. “I couldn’t have asked for a better bunch of ponies to be my friends. I know tonight is where we’ve all formally met,” Sunset said, addressing Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack, “… but I feel like I know you ponies just as well as I know my friends back in the human world. For that… I want to say thank you… for everything.”

“To friendship,” Twilight declared, raising her mug.

“To friendship!” they all said and drank away whatever they had left.

Several sighs reverberated across the throne room, several empty wooden mugs smacking against the map just to add to it. “Anyway… Sunset!” Rarity exclaimed, leaning forward on the map, gazing longingly at the unicorn across from her. More accurately, at what she was wearing. “About that absolutely stunning geode around your neck…”

Unfortunately, Rarity’s interests and Sunset’s long-overdue story would have to wait. The throne room doors burst open, everypony flinching in their seats and spinning towards the entrance. Collapsing forward, Spike clutched onto his chest, breathing rather heavily but managing to shout, “You guys! You guys!”

“Spike?” Applejack asked, already getting out of her throne. “What’s goin’ on?”

The young dragon shakily stood up, one claw over his heart, the other pointing behind him. He gasped, “You… all… have… to see! Outside!”

“Okay, Spike, just calm down—!” Twilight said, stepping out of her throne and approaching him. He shocked everypony when he yelled at her.

“Now!”

Maybe it was the panic in his voice, the desperate and terrified tone that he added to it. Maybe it was his eyes, wild and animalistic. Whatever it was, they all got out of their seats and rushed through the twin doors. As everypony shuffled past Spike out of the throne room, Twilight gripped his shoulder, stopping him so they were alone.

“What happened, Spike?” she whispered.

He gulped. He tried to. What he said left a strange chill rushing up Twilight’s spine. “There’s something seriously wrong with the sky.”

Twilight kept that in mind as she and Spike caught up with the rest of their friends. They had just made it outside of the castle, Applejack and Rainbow Dash shoving the massive doors aside and allowing everypony to step into the cool, night air. The rest of Ponyville was alive and awake, several terrified screams emanating from the town. They didn’t pay attention to that. They couldn’t.

“What in tarnation…?” Applejack whispered, her jaw falling instinctively.

Pinkie’s eyes nearly bulged out of her skull, Rarity and Rainbow Dash almost sharing the same fate when they turned their heads skyward. Fluttershy whimpered, cowering near Rainbow. “Oh, my…”

But none of their reactions were as bad as Twilight’s. She stepped in front of her friends, on Sunset’s right and Starlight’s left, and gave quite possibly the loudest and most profound gasp out of all her friends. It was probably the largest intake of air she’s ever had. Her jaw fell, eyes widening in both shock and awe. She couldn’t even lie when she felt that same horrified chill race back up her spine. Spike was right. There was something seriously wrong with the sky.

Luna’s moon being almost completely demolished was one of them, a second moon right next to it and suffering almost the exact amount of damage. The other thing was the massive planet hanging dangerously overhead, dangerously close to their own world. It was so massive that it covered nearly all of the night sky. It probably did, but the darkness of the night made it difficult to see how much the planet consumed.

“Sweet Celestia,” Twilight gasped. She brought down her gaze, finally noticing Discord standing just a few feet ahead of her and her friends. His head was to the sky, hands resting on whatever he called his hips. “Discord? What is this? What did you do?”

The Spirit of Chaos blew a raspberry. He spun his neck around, eyeing the Princess of Friendship. “Don’t look at me, Twilight. This is beyond even my understanding.” The Alicorn’s gaze fell, only to return to the alien planet above her head. Discord joined her, shaking his own. “Hmm… I do recognize this world, however. It’s Earth.”

“Earth?” everypony except for Sunset gasped, looking to one another. They gazed back to the dark planet above them shortly.

Discord stroked his goatee. He was thinking back to the correct Earth, the one that currently rested in their own dimension. It had the same features, the same basic structure and look as the Earth he remembered. He said, “The one in this galaxy, I presume. You know, the same world you and your friends spent a couple summers back.”

“Twilight?” Sunset asked, her voice so quiet the Alicorn nearly missed her. Twisting her neck to her left, Twilight gazed at the unicorn, noticing the quizzical and somewhat worried look in her eyes. She asked, “The same world that Friday came from?”

Twilight nodded grimly, twisting her gaze back to the sky. Sunset joined her, sighing. “Starting to wish I came back at a better time.”

No moment of stunned silence followed. From what went to straight shock transformed into surprise when a flash of light appeared directly in front of the group. In its aftermath, Princess Luna stood panting, bloodshot eyes centered on the group ahead of her.

“Princess Luna!” Twilight cried, taking several steps forward. Instead, she halted when Luna raised her hoof.

“There is no time for formalities, everypony,” the Princess of the Nights declared, dropping her hoof and immediately turning towards the Spirit of Chaos. “Discord, I’m going to need you to come with me.”

“Luna…” Twilight tried again, this time standing on Discord’s right so she was sure Luna saw her. And she did. She turned her beet red eyes to the Princess of Friendship and listened shortly to what she had to say. “What’s happening?” she asked.

And it was a question she could not answer. Her voice trembled, clearly worried and confused, which wasn’t uncommon. Luna dropped her gaze, sniffing and trying to hold herself together. She was a liar if she didn’t share Twilight’s feelings, or at least similar ones. It was at that moment did Twilight notice the wetness of her cheeks, the red of her eyes.

The remains of her moon. Twilight gasped, a hoof rising to cover her mouth.

“Be patient, Princess Twilight,” Luna told her, mustering up enough strength to sound strong. It hardly held well with the Alicorn. “We will discover what this all means soon enough. Discord.”

Discord just shrugged. “Oh, very well, Lulu,” he said, the princess frowning at that name but charged up her horn just the same. Discord quickly waved goodbye just before she could release the teleportation spell. “Be right back, everypony!”

“Discord…” Fluttershy whimpered.

Luna stopped. Discord stopped. The two of them stared at the Pegasus, seeing her leave Rainbow’s side and stumble forward. Luna sighed silently through her nostrils, her expression softening. She was surprised to see Discord’s own expression remain similar to her own.

Fear gripped her. The circumstances, what it left, and what it meant were all still up in there, all still unknown. That unknown was scary, terrifying even. Neither Luna nor Discord could have expected anything else as a reaction from Fluttershy, let alone any of the others. She was still clearly on edge after seeing the alien planet, still shaken to see Luna’s moon remain a shattered husk. Luna had managed to halt it and the other on their slow journey to their worlds, which would have inevitably ended in total destruction. She couldn’t move the planet any further away. That was a type of power that was beyond her. But she did stop all of the moon husks.

Seeing the expression on Fluttershy’s face, worry both for what the alien planet meant and worry for her friend, Discord only smiled. He nodded to her. “I promise I’ll be back.”

He vanished alongside Luna, and everypony just stood there. Gazing at the world.

The large, blue planet with its lands covered in flames hanging within the portal didn’t exist.

That’s what Rarity wanted to believe, but she still stood behind her friends, hoof over her heart, a horrified expression on her face, and her eyes holding nothing but vivid and terrible visions of what was to come. Visions she prayed would never come to her again, and for nearly two years… that’s the way it was. For a time, she started to believe that they were simply nothing, and not to worry any longer. But now… the pieces were falling into place. One by one. Slowly coming together.

She slowly looked down to her shaking hoof, then to her friends. She tried to reach out to them. She tried to tell them something… but found no strength to do so… and remained silent with them. With the cold corpses that flashed across her vision.

Chapter 12 – Cosmic Carnage

Earth

London, England

6:59 a.m.

Reporter Aden Mulford and his camera crew were the first ones to film the alien world live on television. They stumbled through the streets, Aden practically dragging his cameraman forward so they could get the best shot possible. They eventually ended up in the middle of the road, but Aden didn’t worry about traffic. There was none.

Literally everyone was in the street, out of their cars, on the sidewalk, leaning out of building windows, or waking up that morning and walking outside just to catch a glimpse of the alien planet slowly appearing over the horizon. Aden Mulford kept his focus, weaving through people in the road that were far too focused on the sky to pay the reporter or his camera crew any attention.

“Ah, bugger off, the lot of ya!” Mulford shouted, shoving an elderly man to the side, knocking him into his wife. Without even apologizing, Aden dragged his cameraman forward, shaking his head and mumbling, “Everyone’s all knees up and losing their goddamn minds, but not me. Oh, this is big. Bloody brilliant! Move!”

He wasn’t wrong, after all. It wasn’t every day there was an alien world right on the horizon just waiting to be filmed. There was no way in hell the studio would reject his footage. He’ll be big because of this. Even amidst the chaos, the calamity and fear that spread through the British people of the United Kingdom, Aden Mulford just cared about one thing, and that was who would report it all.

And so, he held out his gloved palm to his cameraman, causing him to stop dead in the street. He gave the man a thumbs-up, his man setting up the camera and bringing it to life. Another thumbs-up from the man behind the camera, and they were live. Aden straightened his bright blonde hair, tightened his neck tie, and cleared his throat.

“This is Reporter Aden Mulford of Sky News,” Aden declared, stepping aside to prepare his grand reveal. It wasn’t much, as the camera caught pretty much half of the planet hanging over Aden’s head before he even began. Still, he shot out his free hand that wasn’t holding a microphone, pointing directly to the horizon where hundreds of other civilians were facing.

“That is right, ladies and gentlemen! You are witnessing an alien planet directly over the horizon!” Aden said. The camera got it all, the rising morning sun making it quite difficult, but definitely not hindering his shot by any means. The sun had barely dipped over the horizon, almost blocked by the planet resting above it, but sneaking through to cascade a bright morning sunlight upon the United Kingdom. The edges of the world shone a bright yellow from the sun’s light, the face and opposite edge blending in with the morning sky.

Aden licked his lips, fresh sweat building and streaming down his face. “There is not a word from the Prime Minister as of yet, but we can most certainly deduce that—!”

A parade of screams interrupted Aden, causing him to bring his gaze to the retreating civilians. They either rushed past him or hid inside the nearest building they could find. Aden, confused at first, turned to his cameraman for answer. All he saw was his cameraman point to the skies, his camera aimed high above. Following his directions, Aden’s jaw fell, his eyes popping out of his skull.

Through the morning clouds, something emerged.

Something fell.

Three things did.

Aden slowly brought up his microphone. He gulped, then steadied himself for what he was prepared to announce. “Ladies and gentlemen…” He ignored the screams from the civilians around him as he shouted, “We are live to what appears to be alien warships descending to Earth!”

Two of the three things he saw were just that. Massive warships, slowly descending through the clouds and causing two shadows to fall across London. They were so large that they blanketed miles of the city. Aden noticed the four tips each ship held, all leading to what appeared to be the control centers of the ships, shimmering blue lights pulsating off of their pitch-black frames. Only two ships emerged, the third was a Chitauri Leviathan that screeched so loud Aden almost collapsed.

But he did run.

“Go! Go!” Aden screamed, picking himself up and taking off down the street. His cameraman barely managed to keep up, he and Aden bumping into several civilians as they, too, ran for their lives.

Aden spun around for a quick second, immediately stopping dead in his tracks. “Wait, look!” he shouted, hands held out, finger pointing to the sky. His cameraman stopped, twisting his body and the camera around to what Aden was pointing at.

He just managed to catch the beast ramming into an invisible wall of some sort. That’s the best Aden could have explained it to be. The Leviathan dove jaws-first towards the city, only to be stopped by a shimmering yellow shield that blanketed all of London. It crashed, collapsing in on itself and lying dead, hovering several miles above the city. The two warships stopped their descent.

Everything stopped.

Aden slowly brought up his microphone and breathed heavily into it. “Ladies and gentlemen… bloody hell,” he said, he and every other citizen of London gazing at the dead alien above their city.

Equus

Fillydelphia, Equestria

5:10 a.m.

The sun rose later than everypony expected. That was the least of everypony’s worries. Those worries, those fears, and those terrors emerged from above. Directly above. The ponies of Fillydelphia stepped outside of their homes and business that misty, summer morning only to be witnesses to a cosmic terror they could have never imagined.

They could only watch as the alien ships descended upon their city.

At first, there was only one of them. Then, a second appeared. Then a third. Then hundreds upon hundreds of smaller ships divebombing the city of Fillydelphia in a swarm of darkness. Like locust. Completely and utterly consuming the sky until it was dotted with black and blue. The ponies of Fillydelphia could do nothing more than run away, hide in their homes, and pray that no evil would come upon them. That they would be safe.

They waited for the attack to come, for their city to fall. The streets were abandoned in seconds.

But nothing came. Several minutes passed, and still nothing.

Soon enough, ponies began to reemerge. They shuffled nervously, keeping their children and loved ones close as the morning sunlight spilled into the city, and nothing else. Everypony turned their heads to sky, several gasping in awe at what remained.

Those hundreds of invading ships were instantly destroyed the moment they dove down to Fillydelphia. Resting miles above the city, a golden wall of energy shimmered every second, a new ship hitting it and instantly crashing into oblivion. The massive warships halted in their descent, hovering menacingly above the city, but doing nothing more than that.

For the ponies of Fillydelphia, they shared a collective breath of relief. The Chitauri Leviathans circled above them, like serpents circling their prey.

In Orbit of Earth and Equus

Remnants of the Moons

The alien invasion started slowly, but soon began to pick up as more and more warships and alien beasts emerged out of the bright blue vortex that appeared through a tear in space. They arrived in droves, in thousands, beyond compare of any other army the two worlds could have offered. And they invaded.

Or, tried to. The golden shields that surrounded each planet prevented the ships from descending any further within the atmosphere, stopping them just a few hundred miles above ground. Several thousand explosions could be seen erupting from each planet’s surface, the invasion halting after that and remaining on hold.

Discord found it all to be quite comical.

He remained in the cluster of the moon chunks, resting on possibly the northern pole of Luna’s moon, drifting around the remnants of the two moons like a small orbit. Discord couldn’t really tell what part of the moon he circled. He took a wild guess and set up his cozy throne, equipped with a built-in snack bin and cup holder. He watched the chaos unfold worldwide with quite possibly the best seat in the house.

Holding the largest set of binoculars he could conjure up, Discord laughed and laughed as more alien ships crashed above the planets, his lion paw shimmering as brightly gold as his shields around the two worlds were.

Author's Note

Y'all ready for a bunch of morons to meet a Pirate-Angel next chapter? :ajsmug:

Chapter 13 – Reality

Space

The Milano

The first one they dragged in was the skinny guy. Star-Lord and Mantis set him down on the bed resting on the left side of the Milano. The second they laid him on the bed, Mantis draped the blanket over him, her hand resting across his forehead. Star-Lord watched as her antennae glowed softly.

She spun around, eyes wide with concern and a bit of panic. “His heart is weak, but he is still alive,” Mantis explained, turning back to the man. Star-Lord let out a breath of relief, knowing that his conscious would be clear when he turned in to rest later on. At least they saved one of them. Still, the cuts on the guy's chest still sent shivers in his gut.

As for the others, he didn’t know. Gamora dropped the second man they pulled out from space onto the bed resting opposite to them. The only way Peter Quill could identify him was his longer black hair and dark cape and suit. Gamora studied the man, feeling his near-frozen skin and checking his neck for a pulse. She waited several seconds, looking elsewhere. Quill came to her side, staring down at the second man they plucked out of space.

Gamora brought her green-colored hand back, turning to Quill and saying, “He’ll make it, but we need to warm him up.”

“Got it,” Peter said with a nod, reaching down and tossing the blanket right across the man’s face and body. Gamora stared at him, dumbstruck. Peter just sniffed, rubbing his nose.

“How stupid are you?” Gamora asked.

“Is that a rhetorical question?”

“Unbelievable,” she said, standing up and retreating out of the room. “I’ll be right back. Keep him alive!” she called back.

Peter scoffed, pulling the blanket off the man’s face. “Gamora, I’m just messing around! Come on!” Peter called, trying to laugh off the situation.

“You should really take things more seriously, Quill,” Drax said from behind Peter’s shoulder. Star-Lord nearly jumped out of his skin, turning on Drax and clutching his own heart.

“Jesus, dude,” Peter gasped. “We need to get you a bell or something. Weren’t you asleep like five minutes ago?”

“Much longer than that,” Drax answered, his eyes beyond the point of serious. Peter shook his head, still clutching his recovering heart. “But listen to me, Quill. These men almost died out there in the vacuum of space. No suits, hardly any clothes, and the only thing separating them from the cold, cold embrace of death… was us. We should be proud of what we’ve done.”

From the bed beneath them, the man’s hand weakly reached out and touched Drax’s pant leg.

“Zombie!” Drax screamed, delivering a punch right into the man’s face. His eyes rolled back into his head, his body slumping back into the cushions. Drax looked to Peter’s horrified expression, smiling wide in return. “I saved us!”

“No, you idiot!” Peter said, bending down and wiping the trail of blood leaking from the man’s nose. He constantly checked for a pulse, Drax just staring in bewilderment behind him. Gamora stumbled back in the room, holding a bottle in her hand, already annoyed by the situation and knowing little to nothing about it.

She saw the blood and the growing bruise from the man Peter tended to. “What did you do?” Gamora yelled, shoving Quill away.

“He came back alive!” Drax declared, pointing at the man. “He was going to kill us!”

“All he did was touch your leg!” Peter yelled.

Gamora shook her head, shaking the steel bottle in her hands. “I think they grow up one day… and I’m hilariously wrong every single time.”

She dumped a large portion of the strange fluid into her hands. It was gelatin-like, about as clear as water. Gamora rubbed the substance together in her hands, leaning towards the man’s face. Gently, she applied the substance to his frozen skin, moving in small, circular motions that only grew larger until she finished off his entire face. Gamora backed away, rising to her feet and shaking off the goop from her hands. Quill backed away as she flung some of it his way, be it intentional or not.

“Check his forehead,” she told Quill. He nodded without question, minding the goop on the man’s head and feeling around. It was cold at first, but then the substance began to grow warmer, then became hot. Soon enough, Peter felt the skin beneath actually warm up.

Turning to Gamora, Quill said, “He’s warming up.” He brought his hands back when Gamora tossed the bottle to him.

“Give it to Mantis,” Gamora ordered, sounding almost like she was in charge all of a sudden. Peter sneered at that. Gamora glared at him. He cringed at that, quickly turning to approach Mantis.

“I hate every single one of you!”

Gamora, Peter, and Drax turned to the voice, watching as Rocket struggled to pull the largest man across the Milano’s floor. He growled, his claws tugging harder and harder on the man’s collar. It was ultimately fruitless, the raccoon falling on his back and grunting as he did so. He let loose several more curses, to the universe and his fellow Guardians.

Gamora just sighed. “Peter, help Mantis. Drax, come with me.”

“Oh, no, don’t mind now! I completely got it!” Rocket screamed with his back on the floor.

“Shut up and help me get him on the table,” Gamora ordered, stepping over him and grabbing the largest man by the arm. Drax grabbed his other arm, hoisting the man onto the table without Rocket’s help. The raccoon growled, standing back up and dusting himself off.

After tending to the shirtless man, Peter and Mantis walked past Rocket, joining Gamora and Drax as they studied the largest of the group they saved. Rocket watched them for a second, then turned around once the obnoxious beeping sounds from Groot’s video game grew larger behind him. Spinning around, Rocket watched as Groot stumbled his way, ignoring the two men on the beds and staring only at the game in his wooden hands.

“You could’ve helped, Groot!” Rocket told him.

“I am Groot.”

“‘Back problems’?! You’re gonna have back problems when I get done with ya!”

“Will you two knock it off and get over here?!” Quill called, his annoyed gaze joining Gamora’s.

Grumbling to himself, Rocket turned around and joined his fellow Guardians around the table. He muttered, “Back problems my hairy ass” under his breath. Hopping up on his stool, Rocket joined the rest of the Guardians in observing the largest man in the room. And that was saying something, considering Drax was standing right next to him. Not Quill, though. Rocket always thought he was kind of scrawny.

Rocket sneered, getting more and more disgusted looking at the dried blood on the man’s face. “What’s the big deal over here anyway?”

“The big deal,” Gamora said, glaring at the raccoon, “is that this is one is still warm. We won’t need the substance to warm him up.”

“Oh, thank God,” Peter said, tossing the empty steel bottle back to Gamora. “We just used the rest on the skinny guy back there.”

Shaking her head, Gamora tossed the empty bottle behind her, her gaze falling back to the man. He truly was unlike the two previous men they pulled in. Similar to them, blood covered his lips and scratches across his face and exposed arms. Bruises and dirt splotches stained his skin, making him appear even more filthy than the last two. Other than that, he was completely different from them. His short, spiked hair was pointed near the forehead. His beard was just as filthy as his person, if not filthier and more unkept. He wore an eyepatch over his right eye, but Gamora wasn’t focused on his face any longer.

Her gaze was centered on the man’s biceps. She gently caressed his arm, Peter slowly turning her way. “His muscle structure is unlike anything I have seen,” Gamora said, flinching a tad as she touched his bicep, almost as if she was shocked by electricity. “Simply… powerful.”

“Hey, hey, I think that’s enough fondling the poor man, okay?” Peter said, but his voice told Gamora otherwise. It told her of the jealously arising in his tone, to which she replied by simply dropping the man’s bicep on the table. It hit with a solid thump.

Pursing his lips at that, Quill brought his fingers forward and felt near the man’s neck. He felt for a pulse, found it to be pretty faint, and backed away. “Mantis, see if you can bring him back,” Peter told her, to which Mantis nodded and stepped forward.

Groot stood behind Rocket, but he wasn’t looking at the man. He was too focused on beating his high score. Rocket sniffed the man, turning to Mantis as she lowered herself to her knee and gently pressed her palm on his filthy forehead. Her antennae dipped low, nearly touching the man. Each orb on her antennae shimmered softly, Mantis closing her eyes.

“If he wakes and eats your brains, don’t come crying to me,” Drax muttered, everyone slowly looking at him. All except for Mantis, who raised her head and opened her eyes.

“Wake,” she commanded with a single breath.

Instantly, the man shot up like a bomb went off beneath him. He roared as he pushed himself off the table and knocked away both Rocket and Drax. Mantis screamed and fell on her back. Gamora stepped back, pulling out a short blade. Peter Quill pulled out one of his Quad Blasters, setting the weapon for stun and aiming it at the back of the man’s head. As for the large man, he stumbled forward, palm pressed to the wall near his right.

He breathed.

He actually breathed actual air. The man took in several calming breaths, trying to soothe the adrenaline running through his veins, but he just couldn’t. Flashes of his previous encounters flooded back into his mind, causing him to nearly keel over when he remembered his people lying in their own blood before him. He remembered seeing Xandar erupt into nothing but purple dust. He remembered but one being responsible for it all…

Looking down, he found some form of relief to see his brother breathing softly on the bed beneath him. “Loki…” he said, turning his gaze over to the bed opposite of him. “Banner…”

Banner didn’t reply. His eyes were closed, his naked chest barely rising, indicating life, being more than enough for the man to acknowledge. Then, very, very slowly, the man turned back around, his only eye landing on the group that had saved them from certain death. And if they weren’t some of the strangest group of people he had ever seen…

One was a human, another a green human, a third a gray human with red tattoos, the fourth a large-eyed woman with tentacles rising out of her forehead. Then there was a rabbit and another a walking tree. And they all stared at him.

Thor stared right back, trying to remember how to breathe.

“Who the hel are you guys?”

“So… let me get this straight…”

Thor nodded towards Rocket to let him continue. He sat on Rocket’s small bedside, the Guardians of the Galaxy standing around the God of Thunder and appearing just as awestruck with his story as Rocket was confused. Thor sipped the warm drink with content, pulling the blanket tighter across his shoulders.

“You come from a place called ‘Asgard’ that just blew up when a fire monster drove his sword into the entire city. And now, Thanos, the most dangerous son of a bitch in the entire universe, attacks your ship, kills your people, makes a deal with a giant fire serpent, destroys Xandar, and is on his way right now to acquire the rest of the Infinity Stones?”

Thor took another sip, nodding. “Yes, that is all I can remember. I wish I could be more of use.”

Still trying to process everything Thor had told them, Star-Lord still nodded, smacking Thor’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t sweat it. After all the shit you just went through… I’m surprised you’re just here to tell it to us in one piece.”

“Well, there’s more to me than meets the eye,” Thor said, pointing to his remaining pupil and smiling to that. Peter breathed a laugh at that, watching as Thor took another long swig from his drink. He brought the cup down, licking his lips. “By the way, this drink is fantastic.”

Peter smiled. “Oh, it’s noth—”

Thor slammed the cup onto the ground, splattering the remaining liquid over Quill’s boots.

The Guardians turned to Thor with quite possibly the most bewildered looks they’ve ever put on. Thor just blinked. He asked, “What?”

“The hell is wrong with you?” Peter asked, bending down to pick up the remains. He shook his head, groaning, “Aw, you broke my favorite cup!”

As Peter tended to the remains of his Darth Vader mug, Gamora remained hiding in the shadows of the Milano, listening to their discussion and remaining deathly silent whenever Thor mentioned Thanos. Still, she felt her heart drop when he spoke of his world being lost, of his people dying by her father’s hand. Because of what he wanted…

“I’m sorry for what happened to your people,” Gamora told him, cutting off her own thoughts. Thor looked at her, Gamora trying to put on a strong face. She felt she owed him that. “I know what it’s like… to lose everything… especially at the hands of my father.”

Thor raised a curious brow, which transformed into a hate-filled frown. “How is that murderer your father?” Thor growled.

“Adopted,” Gamora replied, crossing her arms. “Killed my parents in front of me, took me away from my people after he slaughtered half of my world’s population. Over the past twenty years, he… made me into a weapon. I managed to get away.”

She left out the part where she didn’t get away. She left out the part where her father let her go, to begin her mission for the hunt of the…

Once more, she cut off her thoughts. Sighing, she said, “I just didn’t imagine we would be seeing him again so soon.”

Thor nodded sadly. “I am sorry.”

Gamora simply nodded, staring at the floor.

Wiping his mouth and rubbing his beard, Thor turned to Rocket and Groot. One sat on a swivel chair and the other played with his video game. Thor stared at Drax, who was ready to cut him down with the look he gave him. He looked at Peter Quill, the man dumping the remains of his favorite cup into the disposal, shaking his head as he did so. “I can’t thank any of you enough for saving us out there. A few more seconds, and I fear we would’ve been killed had you not arrived in time.”

“What are their names?”

Thor turned to the bug-eyed woman. “Come again?”

“The other two we saved,” Mantis said, her eyes wider than usual. “What are their names?”

“My brother, Loki. The one with the… girlish hair,” Thor explained, caressing his own filthy hair as he did so. “Then Banner, a friend of mine who hails from Earth.”

“Earth,” Peter repeated, finally turning back to Thor. “You mentioned that Earth was in danger from Thanos. What was the name of the other planet you mentioned?”

Thor nodded. “Equus,” he said, his smile growing as fond memories of the planet returned to him. “I have many pony friends there.”

“Ponies…” Quill said. The remaining Guardians reacted differently. Some looking away, Gamora and Groot being them. Some stared at Thor in silence and thought, Mantis and Drax being the only two. Quill had a smart-ass grin growing across his face. He narrowed his eyes and slowly looked to Rocket, who only sighed when he met Peter’s growing grin.

“Ponies…” Rocket repeated, groaning and rubbing his eyes.

Thor raised a brow. “You know them?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” Rocket said, exhaustion and annoyance in his tone. “We had an annoying encounter with a few of them a couple years back.”

“Oh, come on, they were adorable,” Peter said, holding his hand out to Rocket.

“They were a pain in my ass!” Rocket yelled.

“I still think we should have eaten them.”

Everyone looked at Drax.

Drax looked down, hands on his belt. “No one likes my ideas.”

“Come now, I’m certain you can come up with a swell idea one day,” Thor declared, standing up and smacking Drax’s shoulder. Drax stared at his shoulder, glaring at Thor as if he had just been struck. Thor wasn’t even looking at him, turning instead to Rocket and saying, “The ponies will grow on you, Rabbit, just as they have grown on me.”

Rocket leaned forward on his swivel chair. “What the hell did you just call me?”

Thor chose to ignore his question and instead stood in front of Quill. Peter stared him down, almost measuring him up. He hated the fact that Thor was taller, more muscular, and had better facial hair than him. It didn’t help that Gamora was checking out his backside with his back turned, an interested brow rising from her green forehead when she went a little lower. Peter frowned at her, turning back to Thor with that same frown.

“Star-Friend,” Thor began.

“Lord,” Quill corrected him, groaning.

“Star-Friend-Lord,” Thor began again. Peter’s frown worsened. “Remind me again of our exact coordinates.”

Still not keen on Thor messing up his name twice in a row, Quill just sighed, shaking his head. “Just outside where Xandar once was.”

“Then we are not too far,” Thor said, stepping aside and approaching the nearest glass window. He stared out into the vast space beyond the glass, almost losing himself in the memories. “Many years ago, some close friends of mine deemed the Aether too powerful to be kept on Asgard. So, they left it in the hands of the Collector in Knowhere.”

“The Collector?” Gamora said, earning a nod from the God of Thunder.

“What’s the ‘Aether’?” Rocket asked.

Gripping the blanket tighter, Thor continued, answering their concerns. “I’ve done some searching over the years for the whereabouts of the Infinity Stones, and the very first one I found just happened to be the very substance that nearly fell into the hands of Malekith.”

Thor spun around, eyeing the Guardians of the Galaxy. He said, “The Reality Stone.”

The Guardians remained silent. Gamora looked pale, her condition only worsening as Thor continued, her fears becoming more and more reality.

“I left it in the hands of the Collector, but only after he swore to me he would never sell it, not even to the highest bidder,” Thor explained, returning to stare at Rocket’s bed. “I can bet my last eye that Thanos is headed to Knowhere right now to retrieve the Stone.”

He dropped the blanket draped across his shoulders on the bed. Wiping away the raccoon hair that lingered on his shoulders, Thor said, “We need to leave now.”

“Whoa, whoa, hold up!” Rocket immediately fired back, catching Thor by surprise. He pointed a claw at him, shouting, “Since when did we agree to do this? This is your crusade, pal! I don’t want any part of it, and I think I can vouch for everyone here when I say… we don’t want any part of it!”

Peter nodded. “Going up against Thanos…” he muttered, shaking his head. Mantis shook with fear from where she sat, Peter resting his hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

Gamora said nothing. She kept her eyes closed and tried not to shiver.

“I know it is terrifying to think about,” Thor said, turning to each Guardian, desperation growing in his eye. “But I have lost… so much… Thanos has taken away… almost everything from me… and still I will not run away when I know what he wants. If he gets all the Infinity Stones, he can destroy the entire universe—”

“Not the entire universe.”

Thor slowly turned to Gamora. Everyone followed him. She hated it when the silence grew, when everyone’s eyes were on her.

She forced herself to say it, to say, “Just half of all life in the universe… with a snap of his fingers. That’s what he’s always wanted.”

“And we cannot allow that,” Thor picked up for her. He fell to a knee, staring Rocket in the face, turning to Groot who couldn’t give less of a damn of what he said. “I know you’re scared and you want to save your own skins; trust me, I have seen that firsthand. But we cannot allow Thanos to achieve his goal. We cannot stand idly by as he kills trillions of lives, our own possibly being some of them.”

Standing back up, Thor breathed steadily. He slowly looked to each Guardian, and this time they could see the despair in his eye, hear the near-hopelessness in his tone. Most of their concern for him was gone when he messed up their names again. “Star-Friend-Lord, Gamora, Rabbit, Tree, Drax, and… whatever your name is,” Thor addressed them, turning to Mantis. She still smiled despite him not remembering her name yet.

“None of you look very strong, but believe me,” Thor continued, ignoring everyone’s frowns turned his way at the insult, “… that only together… can we stop Thanos.”

They remained quiet after that, only Thor’s steady breaths being the last sound in the room for quite some time. Thor stared at them, shifted his gaze from each Guardian, and meeting the same expression each time: eyes low, face crestfallen, body language showing defeat, fear, and whatever else. That is until he felt the strong palm on his shoulder.

“I am with you, Pirate-Angel-God,” Drax declared, Thor turning his way and smiling. “Thanos will pay for what he has taken away from me.”

“Did you just call Groot ‘Tree’?” Rocket asked, Thor giving him a glance before turning towards Peter Quill. “All he ever says is his own name!”

“I am Groot,” Groot mumbled, returning to his game.

“What do you say?” Thor asked, facing Quill and slowly smiling. Peter didn’t say a word, didn’t smile, just stared into Thor’s eye and tried to size him up. His smile was starting to creep him out. Add that to the many things Quill didn’t like about Thor.

“Quill…?” Gamora prodded, bringing Peter out of his daze. Thor turned to Gamora, noticed how her tone and attitude hadn’t shifted ever since they started talking about Thanos. About her father. He kept those thoughts close for future observation.

In the end, Quill sighed, nodding to Gamora and turning back to the God of Thunder, determination ripe in his eyes. Thor liked that look. He really did. It meant only one thing…

“Buckle up, asshole,” Star-Lord said. “We’re gonna go get ourselves killed and blame you for it.”

Andromeda Galaxy

Just Outside Knowhere

Thor watched as the Milano exited the jump, the wormhole disappearing and the massive head of the deceased Celestial hovering amongst the ruin of a dead star. And nearly hidden in that stardust, appearing just as horrifying as when he first laid his eye on it, was Thanos’ ship, Sanctuary II. It remained near the Celestial’s head, appearing almost like a speck to the massive skull.

Thor grinned. Once more, he was right. Things were already turning around for him. They would stop Thanos here, prevent him from retrieving the Reality Stone, and avenge Asgard and Xandar. The billions lost already in Thanos’ twisted end goal would not stay in vain.

Spinning away from the glass window, Thor entered the main bridge of the Milano. To his left, Banner remained in critical condition. His chest barely rose, he shivered constantly despite having the warming gelatin applied to him earlier. He appeared pale white, and not green which would have been very beneficial for Thor at the moment when they were about to face Thanos.

To his right was his brother. Loki would remain on the ship, as he still appeared to be resting and recovering. He wouldn’t appreciate the large bruise Drax left for him, but he would get over it. Thor knew he would. Or he wouldn’t. Sometimes he couldn’t really tell. Sometimes he didn't care, too.

Directly ahead of him, Thor could hear the banter from the Guardians of the Galaxy grow louder as they approached Knowhere. Thor listened in, standing above his brother.

“All right, Guardians, we’re approaching Knowhere,” Star-Lord said, increasing the speed slightly on the Milano. “I want no funny business. You listen to me and we’ll make it out of this alive.”

“I’d rather listen to Gamora, to be honest.”

“Rocket!”

“What, she’s had more experience with Thanos!” Rocket explained, only seeing as Quill shook his head and glared at the Celestial’s massive eyes. “I’m just saying, she might want to take the reins from you this time around!”

“I am Groot.”

“Ha! ‘Wouldn’t be the first time’! Ain’t that the truth!” Rocket exclaimed, slapping his paws together.

“Groot!” Quill yelled, turning back to the adolescent with furious eyes.

Gamora just shook her head, a slight crimson blush growing in her cheeks. It didn’t seem to end, Groot constantly spouting off more and more vulgar jabs at them. She didn’t have the strength to talk back, not with her father’s ship hovering in the distance. Her heart only ached when she saw it, knowing what was coming and still dreading it.

“I am Groot.”

Rocket just laughed, smacking his paw on the control panel.

“Don’t encourage this!” Star-Lord yelled.

Rocket shook his head, turning to Quill. “What, it’s hilarious!”

“I am Groot!”

Rocket laughed even harder, Drax quickly joining in. Peter turned his disgruntled gaze downwards to Drax.

“I am Groot!”

Another fit of laughter from Rocket and Drax. Rocket wiped a tear from his eye and Drax slapped his knee. Both Mantis and Gamora barely hid the blushes on their faces.

“I am Groot!”

Rocket’s laughter died, his smile fading away. “Okay, now that’s just gross,” he said, focusing on steering the ship in silence.

Drax turned his eyes towards Rocket, his brow furrowing. “I find Groot’s humor to be very entertaining!”

Groot looked up from his game, smirking down at Drax as he said, “I am Groot.”

Drax laughed at that, possibly harder than he had previously. Rocket bit his tongue, looking towards Quill. His face was similar to the raccoon’s, just as cringy. Each of the Guardians minus Drax slowly turned to one another, sharing the same expression as Drax continued to laugh.

Finally, breaking through Drax’s laughter, Peter asked, “You have no idea what he said, do you?”

Drax’s smile slowly left him, his eyes looking back towards Quill and telling him all he needed to know. Pursing his lips, biting his lower one, Peter admitted, “He called your mother a cancerous whore.”

“You son of a bitch!” Drax yelled, popping out of his seat and going for Groot.

“Someone stop him!” Rocket yelled, focusing on controlling the ship alongside Quill. Despite the screams from his fellow Guardians, Drax charged on, quickly approaching the teenager with fury in his eyes and fists balled. However, he was stopped just in time by a certain God of Thunder.

“Calm yourself, my friend!” Thor told him, his mighty palm pressed to Drax’s chest, and with his superior strength, held back Drax. “Save your anger… for Thanos.”

He should. He would. Backing away from Thor, Drax cast Groot one more evil glare before returning to his chair. Groot smirked his way, returning to his game. He wouldn’t be on his game for long and was forced to turn it off as they entered through the empty eye socket of the Celestial and landed within Knowhere.

Several moments passed as the Milano settled itself in Knowhere’s strangely empty hangar bay. The steps to the ship fell and touched the metal plating of the floor, each of the Guardians and Thor stepping out and entering upon the inside of the Celestial’s head. They observed their surroundings, Star-Lord and Thor leading the group with Gamora right by Quill’s side. Drax strode forward with Mantis close to him, her wide eyes gazing in wonder and worry over the unnatural silence that filled Knowhere. Most of the time, they would see workers harvesting the brain matter and spinal fluid from the several tanks and walls within the Celestial. However, everything was so… empty.

So quiet.

Rocket didn’t like that. He growled and gripped his laser rifle tighter, his free hand held out to Groot. The adolescent Groot only yawned, waving Rocket’s hand away from him. As if he needed protection. He could take care of himself, Groot thought to himself.

As they traversed Knowhere, it wasn’t long before they entered the market place. Surprise, surprise, it was just as dead as the rest of the place. Walking slowly down the center path between the abandoned markets, Quill almost smiled, feeling like Clint Eastwood in some of his favorite western flicks as he entered the ghost town with his fellow outlaws.

But the time for nostalgia was not appropriate, as they soon came upon the Collector’s Museum. The front doors were busted open, though it did look like it was repaired since the Guardians’ last visit, back when they were still trying to sell the Orb to him. Both Thor and Star-Lord entered first, Quill trying to be first in order to lead his team. Thor wouldn’t have it or just didn’t care, quietly sneaking around the burning museum and listening steadily.

They entered the Collector’s personal collection, finding nothing but utter horror left. Several pods that once housed different creatures from across the universe had been destroyed, said creatures either missing or lying dead in their own lifeblood. Wires and debris hung from the ceiling of the museum, the rest of the building covered in small flames and surrounded by death and destruction. It looked just as nothing changed since the Guardians left it, like another Infinity Stone had gone off.

They didn’t need to have that dreaded thought plague them. They needed to hurry.

Until Thor stopped them when he raised his fist.

Star-Lord nearly crashed into Thor’s backside. Growling, especially when the rest of his team listened to Thor, Star-Lord asked, “What do you think you’re—?”

Thor turned back, shushing Peter quickly.

Ready to let Thor have it, his pent-up anger finally ready to release on the God of Thunder, Peter stopped himself, listening. Then he heard it, the voices coming deeper within the museum. Thor slowly moved forward, stepping over the broken glass from a nearby pod. Peter bit his tongue, hating the fact that he followed behind him. The other Guardians followed suit.

“Need I break your mind any further?”

They all stopped, peeked out from cover, and observed the scene before them. Lying with scratches upon his face and blood dripping from his lips, the Collector, Taneleer Tivan, stared up in horror as the four members of Thanos’ Black Order surrounded him, their weapons jutted his way.

Drax narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists. “I don’t see Thanos,” he whispered.

Thor shook his head, whispering back, “He must have sent his scavengers instead. I’d recognize them anywhere.”

His hate-filled glare was particularly focused on the one with the glaive. The one responsible for killing one of his best friends. He tightened his fists, spurts of electricity crawling across his forearms.

Gamora remained silent, a small sense of ease entering her heart and calming her nerves when she realized Thanos was nowhere to be seen. However, a new sense of dread began to build when she saw the familiar faces of each of her siblings center around the helpless Collector. She tightened her jaw, slowly pulling out her sword.

The Ebony Maw smiled down at Tivan. “Last chance… where is the Reality Stone?”

The Collector hissed, breathing steadily, refusing to look at any of them. “I don’t know what you’re talking abou—AHHH!”

Corvus Glaive touched the sharp end of his glaive right over the Collector’s heart, pressing softly but slowly increasing the pressure. The Collector reached out with his gloved-hands, clutching the floor as tight as he could, his teeth pressing tighter together. The pain only increased the longer he remained silent. Finally looking up to the Maw, finally feeling the wetness build over his chest and stain his favorite robes, the Collector gave in, nodding quickly.

“Okay, okay, okay,” he stated, pointing across the room. The Black Order turned their eyes to a lone drawer amongst several others, hiding beneath the base of his control panel. “The Stone is in there… but you’ll need a—”

Cull Obsidian crushed the entire control panel, including the drawers beneath. The Collector just stared, blood dripping from his lower lip. He finished by saying, “… key.”

The largest of Thanos’ children stepped back, looking at his own palm as he approached the rest of the Black Order. And within his hand, the one that was free from the grip of his hammer, Cull Obsidian opened it and gazed upon the Aether. A dark red essence glowed from within the container, a smile growing across the faces of each Black Order and only a look of dread appearing on the Collector’s.

That dread quickly changed into near-shock as a great roar appeared from his right. He turned that way, as did every member of the Black Order, and were not prepared as Thor Odinson leapt forward and drove his lighting-fueled fist into Cull Obsidian’s face. Obsidian was launched backwards, bringing the Aether with him as he and Thor crashed through several untouched pods.

The rest was utter chaos.

“You were supposed to go when I—Ah, screw it!” Star-Lord screamed, leaping out from cover and firing away with his duel Quad Blasters. Rocket trailed him, firing from his rifle and screaming every step of the way. Drax followed closely behind them, both of his knives already unsheathed as he gave off his own war cry. Gamora was right behind them, saying nothing but charging with determination and hatred ripe in her eyes.

Both Mantis and Groot stayed behind, one out of fear and the other out of boredom.

Star-Lord jumped in the air, his Jet Boots giving him that extra speed he needed to drive his right leg into Corvus Glaive’s chest. Glaive grunted at the hit, rolling and already back at his feet, charging ahead. He was stopped by Rocket Raccoon’s blaster fire, each shot hitting him somewhere else on his body. Corvus roared at them, trying to block the shots with his glaive. Star-Lord joined in, hovering several feet above the ground and unloading shot after shot on the helpless member of the Black Order.

He was impaled with the laser’s, pushed back and eventually falling over a crushed pod, disappearing behind the carnage on the other side. Both Quill and Rocket kept their weapons trained on that area, slowly moving in closer and closer.

Corvus popped back up, screaming a pain-filled cry as he chucked his glaive right for Quill. He barely swerved out of the way from the weapon, unable to prepare himself as Corvus shot up into the air with unreal speed and latched himself onto Star-Lord. The two came tumbling down, Rocket hurrying to Quill’s aid.

Drax the Destroyer yelled as he charged Ebony Maw. Though somewhat confused at first from the strange animal bellowing his way, the Maw readied himself, flinging several pieces of broken glass his way by just raising his finger. Drax was ready, sliding into cover behind the base of a destroyed pod. The glass hit the pod in an onslaught of fury, Drax growling and peeking out from cover. The glass shards were few, and he found his opening.

Quickly shooting up from cover, Drax tossed one of his knives right for Maw’s head. The blade was frozen in mid-air, mere inches from Ebony’s face. The alien sneered, waving the blade away but surprisingly unprepared for the charging Destroyer. Drax used his other knife to stab the Maw in the shoulder with speeds he wasn’t prepared for, Ebony screaming at that. He used his mind to force Drax into the ground, keeping him steady as he pried at the knife in his shoulder.

Drax kicked out his leg, the Maw screaming once again. And once again, Drax kicked him, this time in the chest. Ebony Maw flew backwards, hitting the floor several yards away.

Gamora charged without a sound, swinging her blade Godslayer and hoping to see the unsuspecting head of the member of the Black Order flying into the air when she turned around. Unfortunately, she felt the impact of the spear against her blade. She spun around and glared into the wrathful eyes of the alien woman.

She held her spear tight, lowering it slowly but still kept it pointed Gamora’s way. “Hello, sister,” Proxima Midnight said with a sickening smile. “It’s been a while.”

Gamora just growled, gripping Godslayer even tighter.

“Father misses you,” Midnight said, her tone slick and menacing. “He always talks about you, his favorite daughter!”

She lunged for Gamora, the two’s weapons connecting and sending sparks across the floor.

Midnight held her spear outwards, slowly circling Gamora. The assassin did the same, blade pointed Midnight’s way. “I always hated you for that,” Proxima growled.

“The feeling was mutual.”

The two continued to circle one another. Gritting her teeth, Proxima said, “I hated you before, but I absolutely despised you for the mission he gave you!”

She watched as Gamora’s strong expression suddenly fell apart. Her eyes fell to the ground, her shoulders slumping, her weapon dipping only slightly. Midnight caught the change in attitude, her brow furrowing and eyes narrowing.

“What? Did you find it?” she asked. Instead, Gamora just shifted her eyes quickly over to Peter and Rocket struggling with Corvus Glaive, then to Ebony Maw strangling Drax in mid-air, and finally to Thor catching Obsidian’s hammer and flinging Cull across the room. Midnight chuckled, Gamora eyeing her once more. “Oh, I see… You haven’t told them of your true mission… have you?”

Gamora screamed and rushed her, blade swinging for her head. The two struck, weapons igniting several sparks as they connected, but not once did either draw blood. In the end, they were about as equally matched as two sisters could be.

“We don’t have time for this!” Cull Obsidian roared. Each child of Thanos shifted their attention to Obsidian. He managed to get away from the God of Thunder, stumbling out in the open. In his hand, he held the Aether. Quickly, the Black Order abandoned the fight and retreated towards Obsidian. Midnight hissed Gamora’s way one last time, spinning around and running as fast as her legs could push her towards her siblings.

“No!” Gamora screamed, chasing after her.

“Stop them!” Thor bellowed, rising from the debris Obsidian tossed him in, but it was already too late. The Black Order crowded together, a beam of blue energy falling down and surrounding them. The Guardians of the Galaxy could only watch as the Black Order were sucked up straight into the air, straight into Thanos’ ship that hovered dangerously close to the Collector’s Museum. Their hope to chase the ship down was lost when it vanished, only trails of stardust remaining.

Mantis and Groot stepped out of the carnage and approached the group. Drax rubbed his neck, placing his knives back into his holsters as he stared at the hole in the ceiling. Gamora was unnaturally silent, her breathing sporadic, her eyes glazed over as she thought back to her encounter with her sister. Star-Lord looked to Thor, the God of Thunder stepping out of the wreckage and approaching them.

“That Aether thing…” Peter said, Thor turning his way, “… that was the Reality Stone, right?”

Thor nodded grimly.

“Shit,” Rocket cursed, lowering his rifle and gazing to the floor.

“You can’t let them escape.”

The Guardians picked themselves up, Thor following them as they turned and approached the bleeding man lying on the floor. Tivan gasped as the Guardians surrounded him, Quill bending down to get a closer look at him. His concerned gaze fell to the Collector’s heart, seeing the rising pool of blood building right over it. He sighed.

“The Reality Stone…” the Collector gasped, staring into Quill’s eyes, “… its power… can warp the very fabric of reality itself! If Thanos gets his hands on it… there’s no telling what he’ll… what he’ll…”

He died right there, choking on his own blood. His crimson pooled around him, leaking from his jaws. Frowning at that, Star-Lord rose to his feet, placing his Quad Blasters back into his holsters. “Now what?” he asked, the question held in the air but clearly focused towards Thor.

As for the God of Thunder, as he watched the Collector die right in front of him, the gravity of the situation finally caved in. Thanos had three Infinity Stones now. That only left three to go, then the universe was doomed. If they could not simply defeat Thanos’ children, then how could they hope to defeat the Mad Titan himself?

Not alone by any means.

“We’re going to need help,” Thor finally answered.

“What kind of help?” Rocket asked.

Thor turned to the raccoon, breathing heavily. “The rest of my team.”

Chapter 14 – Chaos Theory

Milky Way Galaxy

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Castle

Hours Before the Invasion

It was the dead of night in Celestia’s and Luna’s throne room when Discord and Princess Luna appeared in a flash. By then, Celestia was already pacing through the empty room, muttering empty assurances to herself. She lifted her gaze from the marble floor and focused on the duo approach rather quickly.

“Celestia!” Luna cried, basically collapsing into her older sister’s embrace.

“Oh, Luna,” Celestia breathed, pressing her neck deeper into Luna’s mane, furthering the warm nuzzle between them. Discord made sure to hack into the nearest brown paper bag he conjured up at their overly-affectionate ways.

The sisters broke away, Celestia’s hoof pressed firmly on Luna’s shoulder. “Excellent work. And the moons?”

“The largest chunks have been dealt with. They will remain where they are. The smaller pieces of debris will burn up before they even reach the surface of the two planets,” Luna explained.

That earned a sigh of relief and a growing smile out of the Princess of the Sun. “Excellent,” she said, turning to their guest Luna brought. He tapped his cloven hoof on the marble floor impatiently, yawning to himself. Celestia took a step forward, passing her sister. “Discord… I would wish to understand this phenomenon—”

Finally reacting to his name, Discord rolled his eyes. “Oh, you and your former pupil are both the same. I also would wish to understand, because it’s beyond my understanding.”

That was… news to Celestia. And Luna. At the very least, they thought the alien world was just a prank taken too far, or an optical allusion created by Discord just to get some more merriment out of terrifying Ponyville’s citizens. But seeing his expression, seeing the dead and serious look in his twisted eyes, they both somehow knew he was telling the truth. Somehow.

Which meant the alien world was as real as ever. Celestia nodded, straightening herself. “Very well. And the alien planet…?” she asked, urging Discord on the information he most likely already knew.

Discord crossed his arms. “It’s Earth,” he plainly stated.

“The same that Princess Twilight and her friends…?” Luna asked, pausing as she came up to her sister’s right.

Discord nodded to her. To them both. “The very same,” he said.

Noticing the lack of humor in his tone, Celestia growled and looked away, knowing it to be true. “This can’t be a coincidence,” she said, muttering to the floor, but speaking loud enough so Discord and Luna weren’t tossed aside from the conversation. “Something has brought our worlds together for reasons we still don’t understand. I have already received reports from Hippogriffia of rising tides, ponies floating from the ground in Manehattan, and widespread fear over the loss of Luna’s…”

And she stopped. She didn’t want to bring up the recent travesty, or bring up her gaze, but she failed at both. Luna’s eyes hardened, a painful look in each that she couldn’t help to resist. Celestia couldn’t blame her. For as long as they have been alive, raising the sun and raising the moon were tasks that each sister took with great pride. They did so for many years, and even when Luna was banished on the same moon, she somehow still loved and appreciated the gift she was given. She cared for the moon more so than she did for anypony else, minus her sister. Losing it… was like losing a part of herself.

Now, she could only let the gravity of the two worlds move her moon, lest she risk bringing the shattered pieces away from their safe location and towards the planets. The devastation it would cause…

Luna completely understood her circumstances, but she couldn’t completely hide her emotions.

“If I may intervene for a moment…?”

Both sisters broke away and returned their gazes to Discord, who stood with a raised talon. The two nodded and remained silent for what he had to say.

Smiling at that, Discord twirled in mid-air choosing to hover near the closest stained glass window of Princess Twilight. Through it, he could see the blurred image of planet Earth. He stroked his chin, saying, “Yes, it would seem that Earth is causing several global anomalies, such as the ones you just mentioned. I wouldn’t be surprised if Equus is causing the same on Earth.”

“Global anomalies?” Luna asked. Discord nodded. “What can we expect?”

“Oh, the usual world-ending catastrophes…” Discord said, having an extremely long piece of parchment appear of thin air. He placed a pair of reading glasses on, clearing his throat and counting off each catastrophe on his free hand. “Tsunamis, super storms, earthquakes ranging from any size, drastic changes in weather and temperature, polar shifts if we’re unlucky, near-zero gravity directly between the planets—that’s a new one—and many, many more.”

He ended up with more fingers on his paw than he intended, having all the extra fingers and the parchment vanish. He took off the glasses, breathed on them and rubbed out the splotches with his paw. “You know, I would keep a close eye on the location of Earth at all times. Keeping track of its course can—”

Discord froze in mid-sentence, his eyes growing wide, his pupils dilating. He fell flat on his face, twisting and twirling like a serpent with its prey caught in its grip. Celestia and Luna each shared a brief look of confusion before turning back towards the squirming draconequus.

Sooner than later, he stopped squirming, and instead chose to lie on the marble floor and shoot his head up like an alert canine. “Wait…” he muttered, twitching his neck from side to side.

“What is it?” Celestia asked, curiosity ripe on her tongue.

“Let me guess,” Luna said, her deadpan tone showing. She waved her hoof in the air, staring up at the ceiling. “It’s your… sixth sense… or one of your chaotic senses?”

Discord sat up, twisting his neck fully around to gaze at Luna. His slick smile showed as he replied with, “Actually, it’s my Spider-Sense, but good guess, though.”

Slightly taken aback by that response, the sisters watched as Discord spun himself around—his head included—until he was facing the princesses. He said, “And according to it… we will be getting some unwelcome visitors of the extraterrestrial kind by sunrise.”

Celestia’s eyes widened at that statement. There was something about Discord’s tone, or the way he said it, that didn’t spell well for her. Normally, she would take Discord’s advice with less than a grain of salt, but considering the circumstances and how Discord didn’t seem to be lying during the whole situation, she could only consider his words close to that of the truth. Which meant alien visitors would be arriving by sunrise. That was only hours from now.

“Are they humans…” Celestia asked, just to be certain, “… from Earth?”

Unfortunately, her heart fell when Discord shook his head, closing his eyes and breathing steadily, almost as if he could see the extraterrestrials he mentioned at that moment. “This is beyond Earth,” he said, voice nearly at a dead whisper. Completely unlike him. She knew he wasn’t lying now.

“How many of these… ‘visitors’… are we getting?” Luna asked.

Discord’s brow furrowed a tad. He growled, shaking his head, eyes still closed. “Hard to tell… but… they won’t be looking for friendship when they get here.”

That was all she needed to know. Celestia stamped her hoof so hard on the floor it nearly cracked the marble, both Luna and Discord flinching and turning her way. “Discord, we need you to teleport Earth back where it came from, then work on protecting our world from these invaders!” she shouted, her furious expression nearly dying out when Discord waved his disfigured hands to her.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Time out!” he declared, blowing a whistle and tossing a yellow flag into the air. The two sisters watched as the flag hit the ground, their eyes turning back to Discord wearing a referee’s uniform. It quickly vanished, replaced only with the draconequus lost in a hysterical fit of laughter.

He wiped away an imaginary tear, holding his chest. “You can’t… you can’t expect me to teleport an entire planet across the whole galaxy now, do you?” he asked, his incredulous look facing the two sisters.

“Are you saying you’re not powerful enough?” Luna asked, stepping forward.

“You’re pushin’ it, kid,” Discord growled, all humor in his tone lost as he pointed a talon right at Luna’s chest. He looked to Celestia. “What I’m saying is that it would be no trouble whatsoever to teleport a pony Pegasus—let’s use Fluttershy as an example—and her annoying friends to another planet across the galaxy. But a planet and everything on it?”

“Surely you’re up to the challenge?” Celestia said, a brow rising.

Discord hovered in mid-air, circling above the two sisters. He smiled and said, “Well, I do enjoy a good brain-stumper every now and again, but the challenge to it comes from whether or not it was Earth or Equus that was teleported.”

He landed right behind them, prompting the two to turn around.

“If it was Earth that was teleported to us, and even if I could manage to teleport it, I wouldn’t have enough energy to bring its entirety back in its original solar system without causing some… side effects. Same goes for Equus.”

Luna frowned. “What kind of ‘side effects’?”

“How many innocent lives are you willing to risk?”

Celestia joined her sister in that growing frown. Luna snorted, looking to the glass windows and the shadow that planet Earth cast upon Equestria. “Then we’re stuck like this,” she mumbled.

“For now,” Celestia said, stepping closer towards the glass windows, the shadow that Luna saw earlier slowly cascading into their throne room. “Until we know fully what we’re dealing with, I would wish for Discord to protect these worlds from these invaders.”

She twisted her neck around, spotting Discord still standing behind Luna. “Can we trust you with that?” she asked him.

He chuckled, then laughed, then bowed to Princess Celestia. And he said, “I may not be able to move these worlds, but you can bet your sunny little butt that I can shield them!”

Celestia ignored his comment, instead saying, “For all of our sake, you need to.”

Discord winked, vanishing with a snap of his claws.

“How are we supposed to know fully what we’re dealing with, sister?” Luna asked, taking a step closer to the windows where Celestia stood.

“We have allies on Earth,” Celestia said, gazing out the stained glass window. The blurred image of Earth was all she could see covering the night sky like a pure black blanket. That blanket continued to spill into her throne room, reaching her hooves. “Some of which Twilight and her friends have grown well-suited with.”

“The Avengers?” Luna asked. She noticed the subtle movement of Celestia’s head, almost like a nod, but stopping halfway and gazing to the floor. “Sister, you know as well as I that their last encounter ended with the disbanding of the Avengers. Their team, their friendship, all of it was shattered due to the recklessness of their leaders, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash.”

Celestia turned her neck back, eyeing Luna with a raised brow. “And have we not forgiven Twilight and Rainbow Dash for such actions?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

Luna did too, sighing. “Yes… sister. Despite…”

“Despite how hypocritical it may have been… Oh, Twilight,” Celestia sighed. The memory of their private discussion was still ripe on her mind. The utter shame in her former pupil’s eyes as Celestia lectured her for nearly an hour on trust and friendship, both of which Twilight desperately needed during her time on Earth, was absolutely heartbreaking. So much so that Celestia felt a warm hug and an assurance from the Princess of Friendship was all she needed in return. An assurance that told her that Twilight would uphold the Magic of Friendship… no matter what.

And as for Rainbow Dash… she fared well. Celestia’s lecture for the Pegasus was shorter, briefer, and less harsh than it had been for Twilight. While she was angry that Rainbow would deliberately break several of Earth’s laws and threaten the peace between their worlds, she was also relieved to know that Rainbow Dash upheld her Element through it all. For Steve and his friend that desperately needed help. For that… she was forgiven.

It had been so long. Time seemed to do the trick, as her previous encounters with Twilight and Rainbow Dash seemed to show vast improvement. They were smiling to one another, laughing, being as good of friends as they ever were before... Earth. Their friendship... appeared to be healed. That didn't mean the scars had vanished. Celestia gazed out the stained glass, returning to the present. “Twilight informed us that though they may be separated, they are still a team, and can still be assembled at a moment’s notice.”

Celestia’s voice began to trail off the longer she gazed up to Earth blotching out the darkness and beauty of her sister’s night sky. A natural feeling of sadness swept over her, but Celestia ignored it for a now. “Perhaps… there would be no better time than now for such.”

Luna slowly began to nod, standing by her sister’s side and gazing into the massive black orb that began to consume the night.

Celestia continued. “After all… if anyone is to have a larger grasp on the situation at hoof, it would be them.”

“Shall we inform Twilight and her friends, then?” Luna asked, Celestia turning her way. “After all… if there’s anypony that would be willing to bring the Avengers back together, it would be them.”

Celestia smiled to that comment of hers, nodding in response. She and Luna both turned away from the window, the elder saying, “I will return to my quarters and send a letter right away. Hopefully they will be able to arrive tomorrow morning.”

“Let us pray that Canterlot isn’t a complete frenzy by then,” Luna scoffed, trotting towards the exit.

Celestia nodded, following Luna out of their throne room, away from the dark blanket that covered it. “Let’s.”

Chapter 15 – Chaos War

In Orbit of Earth and Equus

Remnants of the Moons

Present Time

Discord could only watch from his elevated position as the vortex, of which the alien army spewed out of, slowly dissipated until it was gone.

Taking an extra-long drink from his soda, Discord released his claw from the drink and let it float aimlessly in the weightlessness of space. He stroked his goatee in thought, cloven hoof resting over his lizard leg. He sat alone on his throne, said throne floating amongst millions of chunks of Earth’s moon and Luna’s moon. While some chunks of rock did seem to be straying too far away, the two largest pieces of landmass of which the two moons once were did seem to be caught in each planet’s orbit. The largest hunks stayed relatively close together, a few miles apart each, and the smaller pieces drifted away or fell towards the planets, where they would burn up before they even reached the ground.

But with the moons dealt with, those were the least of his concerns. His only concerns relied solely on keeping his focus on maintaining the shields around the two worlds, and now wondering just what happened to the portal the alien army came from. Just moments ago, more and more alien warships and serpent-like beasts exited the vortex and charged towards Earth and Equus. After Discord created the golden shields surrounding both planets, the alien army ceased the attack, choosing to remain just hovering over the shields. Discord made an example of them and destroyed the warships that lingered too close. The remaining armada fled to the outer orbit of the worlds.

Discord gently tapped his throne, the lion paw shimmering a bright gold, just as the shields he created were. It was the oddest thing, Discord thought, trying to puzzle the situation together. Why would the portal close now? Surely the full weight of the alien armada hadn’t left the portal, so why would the powers that be cut off their army when only one-third made it through?

Discord slowly smirked. Probably to keep them from dying by Discord’s disfigured hands. Whatever the reason be, Discord knew his mission was a success. The worlds were protected from the alien threat, he would deal with the remainder of the alien armada very soon, he would figure out a way to put the planets back to their original place in the galaxy, and he would return to Equus and his dear, sweet Fluttershy as a full-fledged—

“Just what do you think you’re doing?”

Discord’s smile vanished when he heard those words whispered right by his ear. Not only his ear, but from within him, within his very being, within his twisted heart, and even… in his mind. The voice was strong, powerful, and held a sense of dread and foreboding that almost made Discord’s skin crawl. Almost.

“What’s this?” Discord asked himself, his neck spinning fully around, observing his surroundings. Aside from the cluster of moon debris surrounding him and his throne, there was nothing. Nothing but space, the stars, and the two planets hanging directly ahead of him, dangerously close to one another.

The voice came back, making Discord frown as he felt it reverberate within him. “You have the power to hold back my armies with just a snap of your fingers. I call that impressive… but not unheard of.”

Discord slithered around his throne like a serpent would, eventually coiling on the back and gazing into the remnants of the moons, where they had collided. “And who might you be?” Discord asked, his chaotic tone heard even through the silence of space.

It was like that for several seconds, just silence. The remnants of the moons slowly orbited above and below him, chunks hitting one another, floating alongside Discord’s throne around the two worlds. Then, the voice returned, Discord’s ears flicking at every syllable.

“I have suffered through so much, lost so many. I would have only one goal, and that is to see balance brought to the universe, to save itself from the extinction I nearly experienced. The longer you protect these worlds, the longer you prevent me from attaining my goal. I’m afraid I cannot allow that to happen.”

“Well,” Discord stated matter-of-factly, standing up on his throne. He didn’t know where to look, or who to speak to. So, he just spoke as loudly as he could to whomever was present that he—for some odd reason—couldn’t see. “The longer you—whoever you may be—keep trying to attack these worlds, then the longer I—the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony—will keep having to protect them! If you wish to keep up with these cowardly mind games, then perhaps we could settle this with some good ol—”

And just like that, Discord’s mouth had vanished. Beyond his control. Feeling his voice leave him, Discord looked down to see butterflies fly away from where his mouth used to be. Surprisingly enough, they didn’t die instantly within the vacuum of space. They fluttered away as if their wings actually beat against air.

“You talk too much.”

Snapping his claws, Discord’s mouth reappeared. “That can’t be right,” Discord muttered, slowly narrowing his crooked gaze across his surroundings. The deathly silence of space was his only companion for a time, several chunks of the moons impacting one another above his head. “Where are you? How did you—?”

He felt the laughter around his heart, making it feel… cold.

Then the voice said, “Is it so insane to imagine filling the vacuum of space with breathable air, changing gravity to fit my will, or to project my voice to be heard amongst the death-filled silence?”

Directly behind him, a similar vortex to the massive one he had seen earlier appeared. Discord slowly turned, his eyes widening to see the aliens step out from the portal and land to the piece of a moon beneath them. They were five in total, two larger than the others, three smaller than the rest. But only one led them. He stepped forward on Luna’s moon, dust spewing upwards from his steps. He approached the throne, confronted Discord and smiled to him. Discord just stared, just as silent as the space surrounding him.

And Thanos lifted the Infinity Gauntlet, the Reality Stone glowing brighter than the others. “If so, Spirit of Chaos… then you really need to rethink your reality.”

Embedded within the Gauntlet on his left hand, a red gem shimmered brighter than the other two. And as he clenched his fist, a piercing ring broke out through the silence of space, and Discord heard it. He actually heard it, just as he heard the voice from the Titan. As if it wasn’t strange enough, Discord’s throne completely evaporated into nothing but a red mist, forcing Discord to take flight and hover several yards away. At least, he tried to. The red mist his throne had transformed into suddenly sprang forward, several red tendrils shooting out and wrapping themselves around Discord’s limbs, neck, and body, keeping him completely immobilized.

Struggling to escape but finding not means of doing so, Discord gritted his teeth and looked downwards. Below him, Thanos and his Black Order approached closer, but only Thanos was able to prepare the Power Stone for use. He clenched his left fist, the purple gem glowing, and fired a single beam of violent violet energy right for Discord’s heart.

He snapped his talons at the last second, the draconequus vanishing from the tendrils as they were blown into nothing from the purple blast.

Bringing his gauntlet back, Thanos stared at where the Spirit of Chaos once was. A flash of white appeared behind him, causing Thanos to spin towards the disruption. And what he saw was a single tail strike each child of his, sending them spiraling through the weightlessness of space, directly towards several debris of the two moons.

Cull Obsidian crashed into a smaller piece of Earth’s moon, breaking through it until he came to a rest on a sturdier and much larger piece of Luna’s. Corvus Glaive landed on his feet directly above, hissing as he looked down and glared at the draconequus several yards beneath him. Proxima Midnight nearly flew out into the emptiness of space, yet she caught herself by digging her claws into the nearest rock she could, eventually rising up and planting her spear on it in order to stay grounded. The Ebony Maw slowed to a halt, hovering amongst the masses of two massive pieces of the moons. Using the will of his own mind, the Maw hovered in place, smiling down to the draconequus. A worthy opponent at long last.

As for Thanos… he simply chuckled at the strange creature. Discord readied himself, smiling Thanos’ way, and using his talons to egg the Titan on. He waved him forward, saying, “Perhaps we haven’t met. I’m Discord, Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony, and I know a thing or two about shifting reality.”

Before Thanos could even say a word, Discord snapped his talons and the rock beneath Thanos split in two and crushed him between them. Dusting off his paw and claw at a job well done, Discord’s smile vanished when the rock erupted into a blast of violet. Discord shielded himself, lowering his arms when he noticed that Thanos stood without a scratch, the purple gem glowing violently.

As the Power Stone slowly dimmed down, Thanos eyed Discord closely and smiled. And for just a brief moment, a flicker of unease passed through Discord’s features at that smile. Still raising the Gauntlet, Thanos said, “And I’m Thanos. I’d say it’s been a pleasure, but—”

He crushed the Gauntlet into a fist, the Reality Stone reacting upon his command. And that command was to turn Discord into a mouse, to which he did and hit the moon beneath him with a quiet squeak. Thanos chuckled at that, approaching the tiny rodent with the Power Stone shimmering brightly.

“It really hasn’t.”

He fired a continuous beam of purple energy right for the mouse. Discord’s eyes widened at that, his little legs scurrying off to avoid the direction of the beam. He frantically dodged and weaved, through holes in the ground and across moon rocks, the beam quickly trailing. Soon enough, and thankfully for him, the edge of the moon he ran on was approaching. He hopped off the edge, where the power of the Reality Stone had shifted gravity earlier and caused him to fall. He snapped his tiny paw just in time and emerged on the other side of the moon chunk as a massive dragon.

He didn’t give Thanos the pleasure to gaze upon his chaotic will. He breathed a torrent of flames that covered the Mad Titan from head to toe. He went on for several seconds more before sealing his jaws and gazing at the scorched moon surface. Through the smoke that faded away, all that was left was a blue portal quickly vanishing.

Then a terrible war cry came from above, prompting Discord to twist his neck back. Using the power of the Space Stone, Thanos opened a portal directly above Discord’s head. He came hurtling downwards, the Reality Stone shifting gravity in his favor. He reached back, unsheathed his massive blade, and drove it right into the side of Discord’s neck.

Discord screeched in pain as the blade tore through his scales with ease. Swiping at his neck, he caught Thanos with his left claw and pushed him away. Thanos crashed into the chunk of the nearest moon, using his blade to slow himself down. He shot up his head, his wild eyes watching the dragon slash back and forth, continuing to bellow in pain.

“Now!” Thanos yelled, ripping his blade out of the moon rock and placing it back in his holster.

Ebony Maw raised his hands and, using the power from within the darkest portions of his mind, ordered several pieces of moon rock to break from orbit and bend to his will. He fastened several chunks of the two moons to sharpened points, hurling each piece towards the flailing dragon below him. At such speeds and velocity, the blade-like moon chunks hit Discord’s body relentlessly, breaking through the scales and drawing blood. Discord howled in pain, using his massive arms to block the projectiles.

Leaping from moon chunk to moon chunk, Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive charged with their respected weapons in hand. With the added weightlessness in space, they flung themselves from their positions, one below the dragon and the other above. Corvus caught himself on Discord’s swinging tail, the added gravity from the Reality Stone making him nearly slip free. He tore his glaive through the beast’s flesh, eventually finding his footing and rushing up the dragon’s tail. Proxima Midnight chucked her spear from above, the weapon impaling Discord near his eye, barely missing. She held out her hand, the spear pulling her through space and towards Discord’s head.

He swatted her away with his claw, scratching once at his face and dislodging the spear. It fell where Midnight did, on a far-off moon chunk resting several yards from where Thanos stood. Cull Obsidian charged forward, several yards higher than Discord’s position, and leapt off the moon piece, hurtling straight towards the screaming dragon. In the corner of his vision, Discord could see the approaching alien, but couldn’t turn fully to face him.

Cull Obsidian slammed his hammer against Discord’s face, completely breaking the beast’s jaw.

That was it. Willing not to be their target any longer, Discord snapped his claws and returned to his original draconequus form. He healed his own jaw in the process, snapping his talons to the three in his immediate line of sight.

“Something a bit more fitting!” Discord declared.

Corvus Glaive, who had nearly reached the dragon’s head before it vanished, was turned into a teddy bear with a toy wand. He floated away, Ebony Maw’s mouth falling in shock. He, too, was transformed by the snap of Discord’s fingers, but into a toy plush of Squidward instead. Cull Obsidian was changed into a toy truck in a flash of white, all three of them floating about aimlessly above Discord’s head.

The draconequus laughed. Truly taken aback by Discord’s power, Proxima Midnight stared up in bewilderment to the fate of her siblings. All of that changed when Thanos raised his gauntlet and the Reality Stone shimmered. When he clenched his fist, all three of his children returned to their original forms in a bright flash of red. Discord shielded his eyes from the brightness, crying out in pain as Corvus drove his glaive right into Discord’s chest. Ebony Maw pushed Discord into the moon beneath them with just a flick of his wrist. And Cull Obsidian finished it by slamming his hammer right into Discord’s head, crushing it into the moon.

And for a moment, everything was still. The Black Order slowly came together, Ebony Maw floating down to join his two siblings who had supposedly slain the powerful creature. Proxima Midnight joined her father, standing mere feet away from Glaive and Obsidian. Their weapons remained within the draconequus, almost like they didn’t know whether to remove them or leave them be, as the fate of the beast was still uncertain.

In Corvus’ glaive, he felt a pulse. His twisted gaze slowly looked down, to where the blade had pierced. Right into the beast’s heart. Another pulse. Then another. Faster and fast—

Discord raised his talons and snapped them.

The moon beneath their feet erupted, and out came several of Discord’s own arms impaling a different member of the Black Order. Discord’s second lion paw shot out from beneath Cull Obsidian, impacting his abdomen and throwing him into the moon chunk directly above their heads. His body disappeared into an explosion of white dust as he made impact. Discord’s second eagle claw grabbed Corvus Glaive by his shoulder, flinging the alien back until his body disappeared into the moon cluster. A third of each of Discord’s arms shot out in different directions, one grabbing Ebony Maw and forcing him several yards back into a piece of Earth’s moon, keeping him immobilized. The other grabbed Proxima Midnight, covering her entire chest and slamming into the moon’s surface directly beneath her, continuously pushing her into the ground and crushing her.

And Discord rose up, spun around, and glared at the one who remained. His pupils glowed a bright red, his teeth sharper than normal. “Enough!” the Spirit of Chaos screamed. Seven more arms shot from the moon beneath him, all of them charging towards the one who remained standing.

All seven of them were caught in an aura of blue. All seven of them burned into nothing but a purple flame. And only Discord remained, Thanos firing the Power Stone’s energy right for his heart. It struck its target, launching the draconequus into the moon cluster. He eventually made impact, his back crashing against the face of a piece of Luna’s moon. Several cracks against the moon’s surface appeared, Discord head dropping, the pain in the back of his throat building.

He looked up and nearly vanished in time once Thanos’ gauntlet struck the moon’s face.

“RAH!” Thanos screamed, the Reality Stone giving his jump that much-needed speed and force when he eventually impacted his target. At least, almost impacted his target. The Gauntlet, which was meant to burn Discord’s body away into ash once he connected, only broke the moon chunk he landed on, a purple wave of energy breaking through the moon piece and shattering it.

As clusters of moon debris shot out from the showing of the Power Stone’s strength, Thanos flinched as a flash of white caught his attention on the left. He turned that way, seeing Discord appear and trying to catch his breath. Thanos grunted, swinging his right arm 180 degrees across and slamming it where Discord was, and once more, he vanished.

He appeared a second later, and this time Thanos was ready for him. He shot out his gauntlet and gripped the draconequus by the throat. Discord’s flow of air—of which came into existence from Thanos’ Reality Stone—was frozen once the Mad Titan sealed his palm, nearly crushing Discord’s throat. And he intended to do just that, if the draconequus hadn’t smiled and spread his wings. His tail wrapped tightly around Thanos' hand and forearm.

“Let’s go for a ride, shall we?” he said.

Before he could react accordingly, Thanos felt himself be pulled straight through the moon cluster, Discord's wings beating furiously as Thanos continued to hold on to him. But gaining enough speed, Discord spun around and managed to break his hold on him, flinging the Mad Titan straight for a group of large chunks of moon. Thanos hit each one, the zero-gravity causing his body to bounce off each moon and eventually crash into the furthest one. The one where Discord could see that it lined up perfectly with him. A straight shot right for Thanos.

Using a pair of binoculars and a protractor, Discord vanished both away and snapped his claws. In his eagle claw, a large trident appeared, to which the draconequus analyzed it before shrugging. “Namor won’t mind if I borrow this for a second,” he said, aiming the three points right for his target.

“And…” Discord slowly said, aligning his target just perfectly to where each point would make a devastating—and quite possibly deadly—impact. Then he found it. Then he snapped his talons again and a pair of rocket jets appeared on his backside.

“BLAST OFF!”

He was gone. The rockets ignited and sent the draconequus traveling at speeds he had never gone before. He traveled hundreds of yards in mere seconds, the trident still jutted outwards, still intending to impale his target as it quickly began to approach. And he had almost succeeded. He had nearly reached his target.

He nearly did.

Thanos raised the Infinity Gauntlet and stopped him. The trident’s tip was mere inches from Thanos’ chest. And Discord, awestruck as he ever was before, could only stare, not only at the glowing blue Stone, but at Thanos. At what he did. But more importantly, at the small trail of blood dripping from his lip.

Thanos, using the power of the Space Stone to keep the draconequus at bay, frozen and unable to move even his eyes, brought up his free right hand. He breathed steadily, gently caressing his lower lip and staring at the wet residue he felt. Bringing his finger forward, he stared at the red splotch that painted it, nothing but breathing being his response to that.

Until he lowered his hand and glared at Discord. Then he smiled, and it was so vile and wrong that Discord actually felt his heart beat a tad faster, with a coat of ice quickly surrounding it.

Of which shattered when Thanos said, “I like you.”

Both the Space and Power Stones lit up, and Discord, still within the grasp of the Space Stone’s aura, felt the burning sensation of the Power Stone eat away at his skin. The aura of the Space Stone caved in on him, slowly but surely crushing the draconequus right there. The rockets on his back slowly crumbled, sputtering until they both died. The trident was twisted until it resembled more like scrap metal if anything. And Discord…

He screamed. Not in anger, not in a triumphant way… but in pain. A pain he had never truly felt.

What was once a formality now became a life or death situation as he tried desperately just to snap his talons, but he couldn’t even flex his palm, let alone move his fingers. His body continued to burn and crumble, his tail following and becoming nothing but flaking, purple ash. His cries of pain grew louder and louder, his eyes shining a blinding white. And just before things couldn’t get any worse, Thanos roared and flung his left fist to the right.

And Discord… was thrown straight through a piece of Luna’s moon. Completely through it. Completely shattering it and tearing through the moon piece. He shot out like a burning asteroid, a trail of moon dust following him as his body fell to the largest piece of Earth’s moon that had remained intact from the collision.

When he crashed upon it, his eyes blinded through the pain and dust, he felt something rather… strange. When he came to a rest on the moon’s surface, he noticed something about it. It was… smooth. The moon’s surface wasn’t usually smooth, mostly rough and rocky. Breathing steadily despite the pain, Discord weakly pushed himself up, his bleeding eyes rising up to observe his surroundings.

He barely had clear vision, but even Discord could see he was near the center of an abandoned city resting on the Moon.

Towering structures that barely held together stood in the distance. Large cracks covered the surfaces of several gray-colored buildings. Discord couldn’t tell, but he presumed to be in what appeared to be a market of some kind, several smaller dwellings resting to his left and right. Probably for selling goods. Or he lied where someone called their home, and they were the dwellings of families. All of it was abandoned, and all of it led to the largest structure in the entire city. Lying in the center of it all, a massive castle stood proudly, watching over the city with not a single life in it, at least to Discord’s knowledge.

Still quite taken aback by his discovery, Discord finally came back to reality when he heard the crash of feet against solid stone behind him.

“No more games.”

With the Space Stone, Thanos opened four different portals, each of which a Black Order member hopped out of and stumbled forward. They collected themselves, gripped their weapons, and centered their attention on the draconequus, quickly glaring at him. Discord gulped the saliva he didn’t have, turning back to Thanos. He snapped his claws, ready to end the fight and turn Thanos into the raisin he always saw.

Except nothing happened. Discord snapped again, and still nothing. Thanos kept getting closer, the Reality Stone constantly glowing, constantly protecting him from Discord’s magic. Desperate now, Discord snapped several times, and still nothing would happen to Thanos.

“No more tricks.”

With the Reality Stone, Discord’s entire left arm turned into bubbles, each of them popping in Discord’s face. He gasped, raising his lion paw and ready to snap, ready to bring his left arm back. To escape in a flash of light. To do anything to retaliate. It, however, was caught by Thanos, the Infinity Gauntlet encompassing Discord’s entire right arm. All three Stones shimmered right in Discord’s face, the draconequus trying to pull away and failing against Thanos’ far superior strength.

He stopped struggling when Thanos looked right at him, prompting his gaze to meet the Mad Titan’s. “No more discord,” Thanos whispered, his face as solid stone.

The Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony… lost.

Thanos kept his solid gaze centered with the draconequus’. Discord tried to break free, tried to snap his fingers, but Thanos’ grip on his only remaining hand and arm was tight, far too tight for Discord to even move his hand. The struggling continued, the draconequus’ breathing rapidly increasing until Thanos gripped his head with his empty palm, forcing his eyes to meet his own.

“Destroy the shields,” Thanos said. So calm. So collected. Nothing at all like Discord at the moment.

All that fear, all that worry and desperation completely vanished when Thanos said those words, because they brought to light what would happen if Discord did just that. The alien armada would be free to attack both worlds. Thousands, possibly millions of lives would pay the price, and the life of his dear, sweet Fluttershy… could be one of them.

He could never take that risk. Never. So, he replied the only way he could. “Never,” Discord growled, trying his hardest to keep a furious glare.

Thanos smiled. The Black Order smiled. His gauntlet tightened up even harder around Discord’s arm, causing the draconequus’ expression to crumble. “Fine…” Thanos growled, the Power Stone glowing violently in Discord’s horrified eyes. “I’ll do it myself.”

In one quick flex of his palm within the Gauntlet, the Power Stone completely burned away Discord’s remaining arm. Discord screamed out, feeling the returning pain amplified and centered solely on his arm. He shot back his head, roaring out to the moon cluster and the endless heavens above him. He tried to pull away, and actually succeeded this time, but only because he noticed his right arm had turned into nothing but ash and rock. Golden flakes of energy burned away as did the remainder of his lion paw in a violet ember, and so too did the magic that encompassed it.

And as Discord fell and laid on his back, he could see the aftermath of the pain he endured, the pain that would surely be felt by billions of others. Thanos, letting the dust fall away from his gauntlet, and his children turned their heads to the planets resting above them. The magical shields fell. They could see the golden light surrounding each world slowly dissipate, eventually fading away into nonexistence.

And Discord could see as the alien warships slowly, so very slowly, descended upon the worlds almost instantly, knowing that no longer was there anything left to protect them. And humanity, along with ponykind, would suffer. His dear, sweet Fluttershy would face their wrath… because of him. Because of his failure. Because of Discord.

“The last three Stones are clear for the taking,” Corvus Glaive said, turning to Thanos. “What happens now, Father?”

Thanos eyed the invading Chitauri warships cautiously, seeing them vanish into the atmosphere of each world. “Send out the Outriders once more to Earth. We need confirmation on the whereabouts of the remaining Stones. They will report to me once they have found them. Go. Obsidian, accompany Glaive,” he ordered. A single portal appeared after the Space Stone began to glow on his gauntlet.

As the two brothers stepped through the portal, Ebony Maw chose to step forward instead, fingers pressed to each other. “And what about you, Father?” the Maw asked.

“We,” Thanos said, bringing his head down and addressing the remaining two Black Order, “will lead the invasions in the meantime. Equus may be spared from the Cleansing, but they too will experience salvation soon enough. And Earth…”

He looked up to blue world above, resting dangerously close to Equus. Each planet could be seen reflecting in Thanos’ eyes, Earth in his left and Equus in his right. “I expect great opposition. They know we’ll be coming. They’ll be ready.”

Ebony Maw and Proxima Midnight nodded to that, the Maw asking, “What do you suppose we do?”

“Catch them off guard,” Thanos quickly replied. His two children were silent for a time, causing him to turn back and stare at them. He said, “Burn their cities. Crush all opposition. Ensure nothing stands in our way when we retrieve the Stones.”

Proxima nodded, then turned her eyes to her left and nodded that way. “What about him?”

Thanos turned in the direction she noted, spotting the draconequus lying beaten, bruised, burnt, and broken. He stared at the worlds above him in shock, armless and without any fight left in him. He was done. Put up an admirable resistance, but, like all the others, fell short.

Thanos admired that. “Keep him alive… but out of the way.”

Discord stared on in utter horror. Without the use of his arms, with his body aching and crying out in the pain he couldn’t fix with just a snap of his fingers, he felt completely and utterly useless. Like he had failed, doomed his very life. Not only his own, but the lives of so many more. He wondered how easy it would have been to try and teleport a world to safety, to where it originally belonged. Innocent lives could have been lost in the process, but with the endgame he stared upon, with what was soon to befall the two worlds now… maybe he should have taken the chance.

At least then one world would have been safe. At least Equus would have escaped the terror that would soon arrive like the entire sky falling on top of them, like the heavens burning and chaos raining down from above. And it would be beyond his control. Because of his failure. And he could do nothing but watch, lie in pain, and do something he hadn’t done in many, many years…

Pray that his friends would be spared. His eyes flickered away from the two worlds for a brief second.

It was from their battle that caused a few chunks of the moons to drift away, edging closer and closer to the planets. A particularly large one drifted towards Earth, to the North American continent. To the East Coast. To New York. One that wouldn’t burn up in the atmosphere when it would get close enough. Discord could only watch from where he lay. He turned his head right when a shadow fell over him, when Proxima Midnight slammed her boot against his head.

Author's Note

Chapter 16 will be delayed until further notice. It's gonna be an Ant-Man and the Wasp chapter. ;)

Chapter 16 – A Recap

Earth

San Francisco, California

X-Con Security Consultants Headquarters

11:05 a.m.

“All right, all right, all right! You guys have no idea the kind of stuff Scotty’s been into these past few years! I know, I know that he told me never to tell anyone, but we’re like family, we’re like familia, you know? You guys can keep a secret, right?”

Luis dropped his plastic bag full of pastries on his desk, turning to his two friends and fellow colleagues. Both Dave and Kurt nodded in understanding, turning to one another after setting their Starbucks coffee down on their respective desks.

Dave smiled. “Oh, yeah,” he said, zipping an invisible line over his mouth. “My lips are sealed, man. This is for Scott.”

Kurt nodded, his Russian accent heavy when he said, “They will have to kill me to get the information out.”

Luis slapped his hands together, licking his lips in preparation.

“All right, so it went down like this…”

Dave and Kurt took their seats, sitting patiently in silence as Luis began his long… long story.

He tried to make it fast, his hands moving as fast as his lips. “After I got the word out there that Scotty was looking for some badass contacts in the more-than-normal world, the Avengers of all people came to pick him up for some secret mission!”

“The Avengers?” Dave asked, mouth falling agape.

“What kind of ‘secret mission’?” Kurt asked, leaning forward on his desk, sipping his coffee.

Luis’ smile only continued to grow. They had no idea what was coming. That was always the best part about telling everyone his stories. “Scotty told me that it was for creating a portal to another world!” he exclaimed. Their expressions said it all: confused as all hell. It didn’t get any better. “He was all like, ‘Daaaamn, Luis, if you’ve seen the kinda crazy alien shit I’ve seen, you don’t even wanna know what happens next!’”

“So, what happens next?” Kurt said.

“So, Scotty and Hank Pym, the same genius billionaire we stole the Ant-Man suit from all those years ago, worked together to create this alien portal, right? And the next thing you know, talking alien ponies are coming out of it and meeting with the Avengers!”

“Talking alien ponies?” Dave exclaimed, almost choking on his coffee. “Like the same kind that got caught up with that attack in Washington two years ago?”

“Yeah, the same ones!” Luis said, flicking his finger out to emphasize that point. “Scotty wasn’t there to meet them when they came out of the portal, but he told me that Hank Pym told him, ‘Yo, Scott, you can’t be tellin’ no one about these ponies, man! Especially what we did to bring them to Earth, the fuzz would be riding straight up our asses, you feel me?’”

Luis felt a bead a sweat roll down his head. Dave’s mouth wouldn’t close and Kurt just looked just as confused as ever before. “Then Scotty was all like, ‘You got my word, man! Ain’t no way in hell am I tellin’ anyone how we built that portal!’ Then the next thing you know, the Avengers are comin’ to Scott again for his help! Not to build a portal to pony land, but to help fight the rest of the Avengers!”

“Ah,” Kurt said, nodding. “Incident in Germany. Heard all about it in news.”

“You didn’t hear this,” Luis said, grinning madly Kurt’s way. He shook his head, his smile twitching. “Scotty even fought some of the ponies.”

“You shittin’ me?!” Dave shouted, almost falling out of his chair. “That’s like… against the law to fight ambassadors, right?”

“I know, right?” Luis said, still grinning from ear to ear. He couldn’t help but chuckle a little, saying, “But Scotty told me everything that went down, you know? He told me how he straight up turned giant and threw those ponies and Avengers around like they weighed nothing!”

“Back home, we put horses down who get hurt. Much less painful that way.”

Luis’ smile fell for a short moment, his eyes turning to Kurt. Dave spun around in his chair, furrowing his brow and turning his disgruntled frown towards their Russian friend. Kurt slowly sipped his coffee. “I’m… pretty sure that’s how it works everywhere, Kurt, not just in Russia,” Dave said.

Kurt shrugged and looked out the window, bringing his coffee to his lips. “Not the way we do it.”

Luis shook his head. “Anyway, after the fight, Scotty was lying there in pain all like, ‘Damn, those colorful, magical ponies kicked my ass!’ Then he was sent to the Raft with the Avengers and ponies he fought with, ya know? Straight up prison life again! Only this time, it was out in the sea, so there was no way any of us could have gotten him out!”

Luis bit his lower lip, already knowing what their expressions would be.

“Then, wouldn’t ya know, Captain America was the one who busted him out!” he yelled, glad to see he was right. Dave’s mouth fell and so did Kurt’s, neither breathing. “After Scotty made it back to the States, he came up to me and was all like, ‘Luis, man, I trust you more than I trust myself, so I need you to put in a good word for me if they try to put me away, ya know?’ And I was all like, ‘I got you, Scotty! You’re closer to me than my cousin Ignacio, who by the way was taking me bar hopping for my birthday earlier that day, where we saw all these very lovely chicas with these fine ass—”

“That’s… completely unrelated, but all right!” Dave interrupted, still smiling and prompting Luis to continue.

“I’m sorry, I get off track pretty fast,” Luis apologized, hands held outwards. “Anyway, where was I…? Oh, yeah, Scotty just called me earlier this morning so he could—!”

The door to their business opened, and lo and behold, Scott Lang entered with Hank Pym and Hope van Dyne trailing right behind him. Neither of the latter seemed eager for a conversation, as they turned their eyes immediately away from Dave, Kurt, and Luis. Scott, on the other hand, looked about, smiling wide when he saw them. “Knock, knock!”

“Scotty!” Luis exclaimed, his arms held out wide.

“How’s it goin’, Luis?” Scott said, meeting Luis’ hug with one of his own. He patted his back, turning his gaze over to the rest of his gang. “Dave, Kurt!”

“Scott!” Dave said after drinking shortly from his coffee, standing up and rushing over to give Scott a hug. He gave a strong one, another one to Kurt, backing off and staring at the three’s matching uniforms.

Pursing his lips at that, Scott slowly nodded. “So…” he began, meeting Luis’ gaze. “X-Con, huh?”

“It’s the perfect way to get back in the world,” Luis said. His smile was so contagious that Hope and Hank wanted to throw up. “Who wouldn’t want to hire a bunch of ex-convicts as security consultants?”

“Yeah,” Hope muttered, rolling her eyes. “Who wouldn’t?”

Ignoring—or just not hearing—Hope’s comment, Luis turned his attention over to the oldest guy in the room, as well as the smartest and richest. That's usually how Luis saw him. Luis held out his hand to him, grinning wide as he said, “How have you been, Mr. Pym?”

Hank Pym mumbled something under his breath, continuously shaking his head alongside scratching his goatee. “Not good,” he muttered, moving right past Luis’ hand without even looking at him. “Not good at all. If you all want to help, then take a seat.”

Almost immediately, Luis and his colleagues rushed over to their respective desks. Scott, in turn, just stared at what they called “his desk”. It looked as if they had found it in the dumpster. Frowning at that, Scott didn’t pay too much attention to what followed. Luis ran around his desk, almost spilled his coffee in the meantime, and settled himself in his chair.

Luis smiled up at Pym, gesturing the man and his daughter to the two chairs resting in front of him. “So, what’s this about? Scotty was pretty quick on the phone.”

“Something just came up,” Scott said, turning away from his desk. “Something big.”

“How big?” Dave asked.

“Too big,” Hank said, rubbing his snow-white goatee. The frustration in his features were clearly evident, added to the aged intensity growing in his brow and wrinkles. Pulling off his glasses, Hank rubbed his eyes and groaned, “Not only are goddamn aliens invading the planet, but we got our own problems to deal with! Starting with this fading, ‘ghost-like’ character.”

“Yeah, and then there’s that alien world above our own,” Hope said, crossing her arms.

“That’s beyond us,” Hank grumbled, placing his glasses back on the bridge of his nose and resting his hands in his lap. “We can’t worry about that now.”

“What about the invasion?” Scott asked. He stepped forward, causing Hope and Hank to spin back towards him in their seats. “Shouldn’t we call the Avengers? San Francisco could be in danger! I-I mean, I got contacts—!”

“They’ll deal with it,” Hank said, holding his hand out to Scott to stop his rambling. He waved that hand, grumbling as he faced forward, “Knowing Stark, he’s probably on the case right now. But as for us… and you three…”

Hank practically froze, his throat becoming very warm and very slippery, like the words found trouble trying to escape his person. He didn’t want to say it, but with what was at stake, with his daughter constantly shifting her worry-filled gaze his way, he knew he had no choice. They had no choice at the moment.

He couldn’t believe he was saying it.

“We need your help.”

And almost instantly, that child-like wonder and smile appeared on Luis’ face once again. “Oh, wow, that’s awesome, Mr. Pym! That’s so cool that you need our help, considering we were the ones who broke into your lab all those years ago and you never wanted to hear from us again. You remember that? No? All right, so it went down like this…”

Hank sighed as Luis continued to ramble on, his eyes elsewhere. “God help us all.”

Chapter 17 – The Remaining Threat

Earth’s Moon

The Inhuman City of Attilan

By the time Discord finally regained consciousness, an Outrider Dropship fell from Thanos’ Sanctuary II and landed on the surface of Earth’s moon, spewing dirt and moon rock into the air upon impact. His vision, as crooked as it was before, still managed to get a good look at the dropship. It was a towering structure, several hundred yards tall and the base slowly opening to unveil its occupants.

They charged towards the abandoned city on the Moon, but by then, Discord’s vision began to fade once more, all sounds around him dying quickly. The sun’s rays burned his eyelids, causing the Spirit of Chaos to open his eyes once more. He couldn’t hear, all sounds around him drowning out and all but a piercing ring remaining. It sounded nearly identical to when the Mad Titan crushed his fist within the Gauntlet, the Infinity Stones unleashing their power and bending to his will.

Discord felt his body still aching. The burns were still there, still managing to eat away at his flesh. He wanted to snap his fingers. He desperately needed to heal himself, but all that remained of his right arm was a burnt stump stopping at the elbow, the end cracked with glowing, purple veins. His left arm was completely gone. He tried to move his lower body, but only groaned at the pain flooding through him.

Discord settled in silence, his eyes shifting to the right to see Proxima Midnight turn his way. Her twisted, sickening grin made his head hurt all the more. His eyelids fell, and darkness quickly came to take him back into its cold embrace.

“… found in the exact location as last time?”

From time to time, followed by several waning seconds of that same awful ringing in his ears, Discord could hear the conversation directly ahead of him. He tried to open his eyes, saw darkness cloud the edges of his vision, and only saw the blur of Thanos’ backside as he spoke down to several smaller aliens, the ones that presumably came from the dropship. They each had four arms, long faces, jagged teeth, and no eyes. And they bowed at the feet of the Mad Titan, one of them speaking to him.

Its mouth moved, but Discord only caught a portion of all that it told.

“… just where we last felt it. The Soul Stone is ready for you, my Great.”

Even with his back turned, Discord could recognize Thanos’ voice anywhere. “And they don’t know of it?”

“I fear they may soon enough.”

Discord’s mind faded into blackness for a moment, and when he returned he could see a different alien amongst the small crowd crawl forward, looking up at Thanos expectantly. Its jaw fell and words came out of its mouth, but Discord could hear nothing. When the ringing died out and sound returned for just a second or two, he caught all he needed to hear.

“… the northern land of a large island, where the humans call ‘Scotland’. The Mind Stone remains with the Vision, and the Scarlet Witch protects him.”

Thanos nodded to that, turning to the remaining Outriders. “And what of the Time Stone?”

The feral beasts shook their heads, each looking to one another. One finally found the courage to speak up. “Our scout has not returned,” it hissed, dropping its head. “Not yet.”

Frowning at that, Thanos eventually nodded. “Very well,” he said, twisting his neck around. “Maw, Obsidian, take my ship and prepare the attack for the Soul Stone, then await further instructions.”

Discord hadn’t even noticed the remaining children of Thanos crowding around him. The edges of his vision were so painfully dark that he could only truly focus on what laid directly ahead of him, and even then, it was still blurry. Discord could still see as Thanos opened a portal for them, the Space Stone on the Infinity Gauntlet glowing brighter than the other two. Both Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian entered it without question, the vortex dying out.

“Glaive, Midnight, retrieve the Mind Stone by any means.”

He opened a portal for them, as well. Corvus Glaive hopped through it first, trailed closely by Proxima Midnight. She was the last child of Thanos to leave the surface of the Moon, but not before sending Discord one final, knowing smirk. The portal she stepped into vanished.

The Outriders returned to their dropship standing in the distance, the massive ship’s engines pushing it from the surface of the Moon and returning to Thanos’ Sanctuary II. Speaking of it, Thanos’ gargantuan ship slowly turned around, flew straight through the moon debris, and approached Earth steadily. Several chunks of the two moons impacted the ship, breaking into smaller pieces as the Sanctuary II tore through the debris with ease.

Straight ahead. No stopping. Right for the planet where the full weight of the Chitauri army had been unleashed and its hell rained down upon the unsuspecting world. And Equus would fare no better, several hundred more Chitauri warships descending upon it and its helpless populace. Discord watched it all in complete frozen horror, another shadow falling over him.

He looked up and gazed into the burning eyes of the Mad Titan. And he cowered beneath it. He actually felt himself shiver, and he hated himself even more for it.

Thanos just stared at him. “Now what shall we do with you?” he said, his heavy tone being the last thing Discord heard.

Discord knew deep down that whatever Thanos’ intentions for him were, the endgame wouldn’t be pleasant. It never seemed to be. And he could only wait for that moment to come as his mind faded into unconsciousness. The last thing he heard was his voice, but it was even worse for the last thing Discord saw to be that unsettling smile. Just for him.

Mid-Jump

The Milano

Doctor Bruce Banner awakened to see a bug-eyed woman staring at him.

His body ached and cried, a constant, painful thumping in his chest as his heart continuously pumped blood throughout his system. Each heartbeat hurt, causing Banner to grit his teeth and gently caress the area above his heart. The wound was gone, but it was still sore. He tried to remember why. As he remembered, there was a fight, he got stabbed, and he turned back into Bruce. The Hulk… was strangely silent. His mind was still a bit foggy as he blinked away the weariness and the remnants of pain that still lingered on.

And when he turned his neck to the left, he had to blink several times just to make sure he saw the antennae sticking out of the woman’s head. Her unusually large eyes grew even larger when his gaze met hers, her mouth falling but not a breath leaving her. Bruce felt he should introduce himself, at least, but the dryness in his throat only caused him to wheeze out a response, followed by a whooping cough.

“Calm yourself. My name is Mantis, and you’re safe now,” she told him, offering the sweetest smile. She tried to, at least. It appeared somewhat forced and awkward. He felt the woman’s hand rest over his forehead in a comforting manner, his breathing steadying to that touch. “He’s awake!” she called out, turning her head to her right.

And then, Banner surprised even himself when he moved the blanket off of him and tried to stand up. Mantis gasped, placing both of her palms on his shoulders to keep him from falling over, which he nearly did. He managed his footing, however, and nodded to Mantis in assurance. All of that assurance quickly vanished when Thor nearly tackled the weak doctor in a spine-breaking hug.

“Banner, my friend!” Thor exclaimed, squeezing every bit of breath out of Bruce. He heard the wheezing, the desperation for air, and broke away, smiling apologetically to Banner and resting his mighty palm upon Banner’s shoulder. “We thought you dead.”

Blinking, Bruce rubbed the sore spot over his heart. “We?” he asked, Mantis gently placing the blanket over his shoulders, Thor removing his hand.

“Yes, we,” Thor said with a grin, directing Banner’s gaze to his right, to where five individuals were seated and stared out into the swirling lights of the wormhole they traveled through. Thor held out his hand, saying, “Meet the Guardians of the Galaxy. It’s what they call themselves.”

Bruce observed them, his gaze flashing to Mantis as she cautiously walked past him and to her seat. Beyond her, there were six seats directly ahead, four resting on ground level and the other two resting below. One was a human piloting the ship they were in, clearly focused and simply waving his hand over his shoulder. The other to his left was a raccoon, an actual raccoon that seemed to help pilot the ship. He grunted Banner’s way.

The two below were different colored aliens, Bruce thought. One was a bald man, skin colored gray and red tattoos covering his face. That’s all Banner could really see. The other was a green woman with long, black and red hair. She offered just a simple nod to Banner, focusing ahead. And the last one, resting in the seat right next to Mantis, was a living, breathing tree playing a video game. Yeah. Banner knew right then and there that he had officially seen it all.

“The Guardians of the Galaxy?” Banner asked, clearing his throat and narrowing his eyes at them.

“You gonna keep repeating everything that comes out of Beardo’s mouth?” Rocket grumbled from where he sat. He heard a chuckle, or what tried to sound like one, come from behind him, prompting Rocket to turn his head back.

“A talking raccoon,” Banner chuckled. “Thought I’d never see the day.”

Peter’s eyes widened. Mantis caught her breath. Rocket unleashed his own, practically screaming, “What did you just call me?!”

“Easy, Rocket, easy! He didn’t know, he didn’t know!” Quill tried to say, holding out his hand and forcefully keeping Rocket in his seat.

Bruce took a step back, somewhat startled by the rising tension that, for some reason, started because of him. Wouldn’t be the first, and definitely won’t be the last. Sighing at that thought, Banner turned to his right to take a seat on the empty bed. At least, he thought it was empty.

Sitting in the middle of the bed with a large bruise on his face and smile to go with it, Loki stared at the man. Banner stared right on back. Neither could seem to break away. “Hello again, Bruce,” Loki finally said, still holding that wicked smile Banner knew all too well.

“Loki…” Banner slowly said, almost like he couldn’t fully remember if this was the first he has seen Loki in the flesh since New York. Taking a step to his right, keeping his eyes focused on Loki, he said, “You look… awful.”

Loki’s eyes trailed him like a serpent would. “I could say the same for you.”

Banner could acknowledge that, nodding. Several seconds of tense silence passed. Bruce gripped the blanket tighter around his shoulders, the ship’s floor cold beneath his naked feet. “Do either of you mind catching me up on what just happened?” he asked at last. He rubbed his head gingerly. “Mind’s a little fuzzy.”

Thor was the first to open his mouth amongst the two brothers, and the first to close it when Star-Lord announced, “We nearing the end of the jump. Approaching Terra in five…”

“Terra?” Banner repeated, turning to face the glass shield passed Thor. Both Odinson brothers followed his stare, watching as the wormhole began to brighten, signifying its end approaching. And Peter Quill almost couldn’t believe where he was going.

“… four…”

Thirty years. That’s how long it’s been since he’s seen his home planet. He could still remember all those years ago when Yondu and his Ravager compatriots practically stole him from his home world. It was just after his mother died and he refused to look her in the eye. His eyes burned, his hand reaching for the pedal and ready to yank it back and slow their arrival. No need to think of past mistakes now.

“… three…”

Each second was a lightyear they tore through like it was nothing, yet it felt so much longer. So much more drawn out, and Peter, for some strange reason, felt that wouldn’t be too bad. The thought of returning home after so long, after leaving everything behind despite his control, was mind-boggling and somewhat… heartwarming. He didn’t know the feeling. It was alien to him. But seeing his home world again, after so many years, just brought something to his heart that he couldn’t explain. His eyes burned even more.

“… two…”

He may have called it “Terra” most of his life, but deep down in his heart, it was always Earth.

“… one.”

The only thing he kept thinking about was how much Earth had changed since he had been gone and lived his life. Did Earth finally manage to create the Death Star like President Reagan always wanted? Were any of his favorite cartoons and celebrities still around? And most importantly, was Footloose still the greatest movie of his and every generation?

When he yanked back on the pedal and the Milano exited the wormhole, to say things have changed was an understatement.

As the stars came into view and the rainbow swirls of the wormhole vanished, all that was left was one of the oddest sights they had seen. Maybe for Thor, Loki, and Banner, but definitely not for the Guardians. That didn’t mean it hadn’t caught them off guard. Because planet Earth did lay just ahead, and it still looked as healthy and alive since Quill left it.

However…

The only thing off about the planet… was the alien world hovering just over it, the alien world they flew on by and gazed wondrously at. All of the Guardians’ heads swiveled to the right, their eyes latched on the massive planet. Even Groot lowered his game to stare at it.

“Well, that’s new,” Quill finally managed to mutter.

“No, no, no,” Thor mumbled, his tone sounding more and more distressed. In his eyes, he saw Earth resting in the distance, but hovering dangerously near it and above them was a second planet, holding several similar traits to Earth. Blue sky, white clouds, lush, green lands. But it was different to the world he came to know and love. It was… alien. Thor leaned onto Rocket’s chair, muttering, “That world wasn’t there.”

When the two shattered moons came into focus and the Chitauri armies could be seen hurtling towards the two planets, none of the Guardians could manage a word. Bruce Banner clutched onto the blanket that covered his shoulders. Loki stared on in utter silence, seeing the Chitauri again making his skin crawl. An unknown expression glowed in his eyes. Even he didn’t know what it was or what he felt. He couldn’t even open his mouth.

Only Thor was willing and able to speak, and even then, he was breathless.

“Something is very wrong.”

Chapter 18 – Broken

In Orbit

Sanctuary II Approaching Earth

Nebula

Pain was nothing new to Nebula. Since her world and her people were slaughtered at the hands of her adoptive father, the intergalactic warlord, Thanos, all she experienced her entire life from that moment on was pain.

Nothing else.

From the moment Thanos began training her, day in and day out she was beaten, cut, stabbed, dismantled, and transformed into a weapon. The very few parts of her that remained—the parts of her that were still Luphomoid—were completely overshadowed by her infused cybernetics. Every time, Thanos would have her face her sister, and every time Nebula would lose. And every time… he would remove a piece of her and replace it with something he deemed better. Until she was better.

Nebula was no stranger to pain. It had become a part of her as closely as the machinery that crowded her bones, muscle tissue, and heart. All of which were pulled apart as Nebula lay suspended several feet above the ground, the field of energy keeping her frozen in place, but fully awake and endearing every shred of ripping pain that flowed through her veins and circuits.

Standing beside her, a lone Chitauri Elite guarded her, checked her status, and made sure she experienced just enough pain to feel the full weight of the punishment Thanos deemed necessary, but not too much so she remained conscious for the whole ordeal. As the Chitauri Elite strode in front of her, checking her brain status, Nebula realized just how different the Elite were from the regular Chitauri fodder.

For one thing, they were much larger and much taller, wearing bright golden and dark blue armor. They never showed their faces, a slick golden mask and bright blue visor shielding whatever instrument of terror remained beneath. The weapons they carried were much larger than the standard Chitauri gun, and much more powerful, as well. Short swords rested on the Elite’s belt from what Nebula could see. Nebula sent a glare its way as it observed her brain, the Elite growling at her before retreating to the back of the room.

Unveiling the two individuals standing just by the entrance. Nebula’s remaining eye narrowed, the other suspended outwards and hovering in place. Slowly approaching, and chuckling manically as he did so, the Ebony Maw paused just mere feet in front of Nebula. Behind her, Cull Obsidian rested his hammer on his shoulder, glaring down at the suspended Luphomoid.

Nebula glared right on back. Back at her two adoptive brothers.

“And how is our guest doing today?” Ebony Maw asked, his fingers tapping gently with each other.

Nebula spat at him. Tried to. The spittle was frozen in the beam the second it exited her mouth.

Grimacing only slightly, Ebony continued. “May we find it to our surprise to see our least favorite sister pay us a visit after… so long. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Cull Obsidian just growled, meeting Nebula’s glare with an especially heated one of his own.

Such beasts, Ebony thought. Sighing, the Maw continued. “Be that as it may, you came with ill intentions this time around, sister. What was it again? Oh, yes, I do recall now.”

Ebony Maw waved his hand, and doing so caused Nebula’s body to be dismantled even further apart. She screamed in agony as she felt her body being torn from her, the very structure of her face, arms, legs, and body broken up and forcefully pulled apart. The torture yielded for a brief time, Nebula struggling to catch even her breath as her mechanical lungs were outstretched beyond what was practically functional.

“Nearly killing our father in his sleep!” Ebony hissed, standing in closer and nearly smacking his head against her broken one.

Seeing her seethe in agony, wriggling about as to try and make a difference to her current situation, the Maw just shook his head displeasingly and stepped back. “What have you to say for yourself, sister?” he sighed.

“Thanos…” Nebula managed to say, her vocal chords pulled to their limit, “… will never win.”

The Maw smiled. “He already has.”

As he watched her angry eye slowly cool, saw what remained of her facial expression that once held wrath and now only be filled with concern, he continued. “You thought it safe, didn’t you? You thought the Outriders would have failed. Oh, no, sister. We are simply here to tell you that the Soul Stone has been found.”

Nebula screamed, trying to break from her bondage but ultimately failing. The only eye that remained in her skull kept its heated and hate-filled glare locked with the Maw. But the Maw saw differently. She tried to put on a strong face, and she nearly hid it well behind the hatred and the fury. But deep down, he saw it clear as day. The fear in her eye, the increasing speed in her pulse, and the terrified breaths she tried so desperately to hide all showed.

“We have found it without having to tear you apart, piece by piece. We have found it conveniently resting on the same planet holding two other Infinity Stones. And most importantly…” Ebony Maw leaned closer, much closer than he had before, and whispered to her, “… we have found it without the help from our traitorous sister.”

Nebula knew they weren’t talking about her.

Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian left her alone with the Chitauri Elite. Left her as she screamed at their backsides every step of their retreat.

“The time is nearly upon us, sister. Pray you are spared alongside us.”

For hours, the Chitauri Elite spent that time reassembling her. He took his sweet time, making sure that every second was as excruciating an experience as Thanos wanted his daughter to have. And finally, Nebula was finally completely reassembled, every mechanical piece that hovered within the beam now attached and locked to the rest of her.

As the Elite was ready to initiate the sleeping gas on his prisoner, he was momentarily paused by the sound of a short but prominent pop.

Lifting his head, the Elite growled, looking back to the daughter of Thanos suspended several feet from the ground. She was motionless, as before, but something stuck out. It was her eye. The Elite could have sworn he locked that in place. Hissing as he approached the front of her, the Elite pressed his claw onto her mechanical eye, locking it back in place in her skull.

He turned to make his way back to the console, only to hear that same pop.

Turning about once more, he growled even louder when the same eye came undone. He stomped his way in front of her, pushed his claw into her eye even harder than last time, and died instantly. It was so fast, so unpredictable that the Elite couldn’t even react in time. She shot out her hand and gripped his forearm, bringing the Elite into the beam with her and snapping his neck in the process. Just before the body could fall, Nebula managed to reach down and snatch one of his short blades from his belt. She flung the blade towards the console, destroyed it upon impact, and disabled the beam that kept her suspended.

Both her and the body of the Chitauri dropped, but only one rose again. Nebula breathed, malice ripe on her tongue.

Her first instinct was to take hold of Thanos’ ship, find her father, and ram it right into the Mad Titan himself, but then the recurring thought of how many Chitauri Elite she would have deal with came quickly. Dealing with one was no problem, but the thousands of others that were on board would be impossible. Not to mention having to deal with Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian, two of the most dangerous members of the Black Order.

Another thought came to her cybernetic mind. Thanos knew of the location of the Soul Stone, which meant he knew where all six were now. Either he already got to Gamora or was going to find her soon enough. Either way, Nebula couldn’t let that happen. She focused on that thought and affirmed to herself that she was going to see it through, to find her sister before Thanos did. Which meant she needed to escape as soon as possible.

Quickly, she ran from the room, snatched her Electroshock Batons dangling from the wall before she did so, and sprinted through the many corridors of the Sanctuary II.

The inner sanctums and halls within Thanos’ personal ship always managed to scare Nebula when she was younger. As part of Thanos’ sick methods of perfecting her, he would leave her within the ship for days, forcing her to find her own way out, survive by herself, and escape the ship without the help from her father. Strangely enough, Nebula still remembered her way around. The maze-like corridors were pitch-black near the ceilings, but Nebula knew the way.

Just beyond the next corridor, the hangar bay would be directly ahead of her. And from there, she would steal a ship and make her escape. That was the plan, at least. The many Chitauri Elite rounding the corner nearly ruined that.

Silencing her breath, Nebula leapt back into the shadows, waiting as silently as she could manage as the several Chitauri strode down the corridor. They passed her, one by one until they had vanished, only their footsteps remaining echoing across the walls. When even those were silenced, Nebula finally caught her breath.

She exited the shadows and turned her eyes back to where the Elites had gone. And there was nothing. The ship was so silent she could practically hear her own heartbeat in her cybernetic eardrums. Turning the corner, she faced the long hallway directly ahead of her, and immediately stopped.

Both Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian did, as well. Nebula stared silently at her two siblings, feeling her heart race faster and faster as the grin grew on Maw’s lips. Obsidian grunted, pulling his hammer away from his shoulder and smacking the face of it on his opposite hand.

“Well, well, well,” Ebony Maw chuckled. “It’s about time you found your way out.”

But before he could even raise his finger, Nebula whipped out her Electroshock Baton and struck the control panel to her right. The lights flickered on and off in the corridor all three of them stood in before eventually dying out. Several things happened. Cull Obsidian launched the face of his hammer right into the darkness, where he presumed Nebula to be standing. The chain rattled as it flew, the face of the hammer striking something solid. There was a feminine cry that could only come from Nebula, a gust of wind, and retreating footsteps. Ebony Maw flicked his fingers straight upwards.

Once the lights came back on, both brothers could see Obsidian’s hammer embedded within the wall at the end of the corridor, the chain lying on the floor. But Nebula was gone. Spinning towards the footsteps, both Maw and Obsidian could see their sister making a break for it. Straight for the hangar bay.

As Cull Obsidian yanked his hammer’s head free with a powerful roar and charged after her, Ebony Maw simply walked Nebula’s way. He took his time, smiling to her retreating form.

“You cannot run forever, sister! Your salvation is at hand!” he called to her. She vanished into the next corridor. Cull Obsidian gave chase, hammer in hand, roaring with every step he made after her. Ebony Maw continued with his slow approach, finally reaching the end of the corridor and turning accordingly.

All he saw was the door lock behind Nebula and Obsidian ram his shoulder into it.

Nebula fell forward, the impact from her brother charging the door causing her to fall flat on her face. She gritted her teeth, shot up her head, and stared straight ahead. And lying ahead, she realized that she made it. She was in the hangar bay. Quite possibly the largest section of the entire ship, the hangar bay held several Chitauri starships. They were a far cry to what the Chitauri fodder flew around in, those near-worthless chariots. The starships were something else entirely.

Piloted by the Chitauri Elite, the ships were constructed horizontally. Their wings shot out several yards across, exhaust ports resting on the bottom of their wings and at the back of each ship. The cockpit was large and circular, one in particular empty and awaiting Nebula’s arrival. So, she did just that.

Hopping inside and starting the ship, the cockpit’s covering fell over her, locking in place as the starship came alive. Chitauri language hovered in her line of sight, but Nebula waved it all away with just a single flick of her hand. She gripped the ship’s handles, throttling them forward and lurching the ship up and off the ground. The Chitauri starship hovered in the center of the hangar bay, slowly turning to face the massive doors that blocked her escape. The only thing that remained.

Red lights and sirens blared within the massive bay, the twin doors slowly splitting apart once the starship approached it. All remaining air and gravity within the hangar bay were gone, the starship floating within the weightless space. Nebula flicked several more switches and readied herself, pushing down on the throttles and launching the starship forward, out in the blackness.

And finally to her escape. Cull Obsidian roared, slamming his hammer repeatedly against the door.

“There is no need for chase!” Ebony called out, causing Obsidian to eventually give in and cease his pounding on the door. Good timing, too, because had Cull continued to ram his shoulder and hammer into the door just one more time, both he and Maw would have been sucked out into the vacuum of space.

But Obsidian didn’t know that. He turned to the Maw for an explanation. He finally reached Cull’s side, staring out beyond the glass window and pressing his hand down to the console beneath him. The red lights died. The sirens stopped. The twin doors slowly began to close.

Bringing his hand back, Ebony Maw smiled and said, “Let her go. She is of no use any longer. For now, we must focus…”

He stared from the glass window towards planet Earth, the twin doors slowly blocking it. He stared at the continent of Africa. It, too, vanished once the doors to the hangar bay finally closed.

“For now… we have our own mission.”

Chapter 19 – Invasion

Equus

The Crystal Empire

9:46 a.m.

Widespread pandemonium was a common theme in the Crystal Empire, so much so that Prince Shining Armor and Princess Cadance had grown accustomed to hear Crystal Ponies screaming for their lives and see them running through the streets. That’s what they expected to see when they stepped outside on their castle’s balcony.

While they did see and hear just as they expected, it was the implications for their behavior that came as a shock. Most of the Crystal Ponies were bundled together in the several roads filling the empire like veins leading to the heart, which was their castle. But they all stared straight upwards, screaming with hooves pointed to the sky.

Shining Armor and Cadance followed their eyes, their hooves, and their voices.

And what they saw… made them completely understand.

High above the Crystal Empire, barely pushing past the heavy clouds of the Frozen North and hovering dangerously close to the magical shield surrounding the empire, an unknown ship remained. It wasn’t any ordinary ship, like an airship. What Shining Armor and Cadance saw appeared completely and totally alien to them.

Alien.

That’s all they saw.

Across its four dark tips that stretched completely across the empire, hundreds upon hundreds of smaller ships emerged and divebombed the empire below. Thousands of screams erupted, but were instantly silenced once the ships collided against the magical shield surrounding the Crystal Empire. Small ripples across the surface of the shield showed the impacts of where the smaller ships hit, but nothing more than that actually happened.

Flurry Heart giggled at the sight, raising her tiny hooves towards the only thing protecting her and her family. The ships kept on falling, shooting at the dome with what appeared to be some form of blue energy.

Shining Armor narrowed his eyes, a heavy glare growing across his brow.

“Shining,” Cadance gasped, tightening her grip around Flurry Heart, who was still amazed by the bright lights above. Turning her way, Shining watched as his wife asked, “What do we do?”

Shining held his strong expression, saying, “We contact Celestia and Luna and tell them everything that’s happened.”

Both husband and wife looked back towards the sky, towards the alien warship hanging over their empire. Nothing managed to break through the magical shield protecting the Crystal Empire. No matter how many ships they had or how strong their firepower was, Shining Armor was certain of one thing...

“The Heart will keep us safe.”

Earth

California, USA

Dockweiler Beach, Los Angeles

11:49 a.m.

The early morning beachline was filled with spectators, tourists, and those just setting up their equipment for a long day at the beach. There weren’t many people just wishing to enjoy the slightly-larger waves on that day. Mostly everyone on Dockweiler Beach was busy gazing at the alien world just barely over the horizon.

People brought cameras, held out their phones, and used any form of technology they had just to capture a glimpse of the alien world they had heard all over the news about. It rose over the southwest horizon, slowly but certainly growing larger as its full face was soon to completely cover California in a blanket of darkness. Before then, people took as many pictures and filmed as much footage as they could before the inevitable sirens started screaming.

They came earlier than everyone thought.

The tsunami sirens blared out, causing every citizen to flinch and turn towards the direction of the sound. Every pole within a ten-mile and presumably larger radius was screaming, warning of the oncoming tsunami that was soon to be upon them. No one saw a building tsunami when they turned back to the ocean. The waves remained as they were, not sinking back or growing larger.

But they did see the alien ship high above the Pacific Ocean, slowly hovering towards the city.

The ship was so unbelievably massive that people couldn’t even capture it all on their phones or cameras. Even if it was miles away, the ship covered nearly all of the skyline directly ahead. And it only grew more and more massive the closer it got. By then, people were already screaming. They already turned and ran from the beachline. But by then, they were too late.

Hundreds of Chitauri chariots were already in the air, already swarming the air above the beach and invading the city of Los Angeles. And the Chitauri Command Center kept on its slow, slow pace, eventually enveloping the entire beach in darkness.

Equus

Hyperborean Mountains

Griffonstone

9:52 a.m.

The attack shook nearly half of the city, and almost brought it down the mountain. Gabby stopped her daily mail delivery, seeing griffons fall out of their homes and catch themselves before they could hit the ground. Greta held herself on the nearest mailbox, the earthquake almost making her collapse. Gallus and Grandpa Gruff turned their beaks to the sky. And as for Gilda, she pushed open her door and stared straight up to the skies, just like them.

Every other griffon did.

There was nowhere else to look but up.

To the alien warship descending upon their kingdom’s capital city.

A low and very powerful hum came from the alien ship and reverberated throughout the entire city of Griffonstone, griffons covering their ears, some falling right out of the sky when the resulting shock wave followed. Gabby found herself lying on the nearest roof, covering her ears as the ship continued to make that horrible noise. It stopped, and Gabby finally looked back up.

Only to be one of the many witnesses of the horror that followed.

The bright, morning sky, just once filled with the alien planet on the horizon and the warship above their heads, was now dotted with hundreds of smaller ships. Those ships grew even bigger, descending upon Griffonstone with the intent of complete and utter annihilation. That’s what followed, that is. Complete and utter annihilation.

Gabby screamed and flew away, towards the house nearest to the base of the mountain and away from the oncoming alien fire that fell upon her city. Peeking her head out, Gabby watched as the aliens fell down to Griffonstone, and the griffons that inhabited the city flew up, meeting them halfway.

Gilda and Greta were two of those griffons.

Once they realized the intent of the invaders was to destroy, they took it upon themselves to fly straight into the chaos and show the invaders just who they decided to mess with. Gallus tried to join them, but he was stopped by Grandpa Gruff who dragged the young griffon into his home for safety. The two griffons found some form of comfort once they realized an entire flock of griffons trailed closely after them. That hint of comfort was completely lost once they were tangled in a mess of alien chariots and blue energy beams firing past them.

Tightening her jaw, Gilda weaved and dodged the oncoming onslaught of invading forces. It was nearly a blur, but she focused straight ahead and latched herself onto the only chariot that was headed directly for her. The invader piloting the chariot growled, swiping at the griffon with its light gray arm. Gilda ducked and roared, using her talons and slashing the invader right across the face.

Its faceplate flew off from her strike, the invader spinning back towards her and narrowing its green eyes. Gilda found herself freezing at its appearance. Its face looked unlike anything she had ever seen. If anything, it reminded her of those robots that attacked Griffonstone a few years back. With this creature, she couldn’t even tell what it was. All she knew after gazing at its features was that it was alien.

An alien.

Its jaw unhinged like a snake, screeching so loud Gilda almost let go of her grip on its chariot. She did, eventually, after it drove its fist right into her face. Gilda, dazed and confused, plummeted through the air, watching as more and more aliens flew straight over her and towards her home.

She felt a pair of talons grab her, prompting her attention back to see Greta hovering behind her. “You’re not out of this fight yet!” she yelled.

Gilda frowned, then nodded. Then she and Greta spun around and flew back towards the fight.

Earth

Berlin, Germany

9:53 p.m.

Berlin was already on fire by the time the ships started falling from the sky.

Citizens filled the streets, thousands of men, women, and children running. Not knowing where, but anywhere that wasn’t on fire. Cars swerved out of the way of the running citizens, many people just deciding to abandon their vehicles and try their luck at making a break for it on foot. Everyone ran in the same direction, backs turned towards the heart of the city, some unlucky souls taking a brief second to look back.

And they saw a Chitauri warship hanging over their city, nearly concealed through the darkness of the night. Its bright blue lights pulsated off of its massive exterior, giving the German citizens an indication of where it remained. They didn’t pay it much heed, as the hundreds of ships that left it was their main concern. Those Chitauri ships filled the night sky, firing down upon the city of Berlin with relentless force and no sign of letting up.

By the time the German army arrived in their own home, it was already too late. Jets and helicopters were blown of the sky, bombers sharing the same fate. Ground forces stood no match against the superior air dominance of the Chitauri chariots. It wasn’t long before the Chitauri deployed their own ground forces, dropped off by the many Leviathans that descended from the warship. The German army held off as long as they could, they fought through the night as the alien army fell on top of them. They weren’t enough.

Berlin burned and infected the night sky with its ash and flame, painting the black a horrific orange. Those colors were joined by the screams of the citizens of Berlin, as what remained was consumed by all-out warfare. They screamed all night long.

They screamed as their world was set ablaze under the brilliant night sky.

Equus

Dragon Lands

The Dragons' Lair

9:56 a.m.

Dragon Lord Ember dropped her scepter and fell to her knees, pressing her claws near her father’s eye. The former Dragon Lord Torch lay in the ruins of a small mountain, several scorch marks across his body and wings, his armor torn, his horns broken, and his breathing slow.

The Dragons' Lair surrounding the two was encompassed in flame and explosions, more than what was naturally present. It was due to the alien warships covering the skies and dropping off their soldiers. Those soldiers consisted of hundreds of smaller aliens that Ember and her squadron of teenage dragons tried to fight back. However, the warships let loose even greater soldiers, ones she couldn’t even imagine trying to fight on her own.

That’s why her father and the adult dragons joined the fight, as well. The skies were covered in soot and fire, bodies consisting of dragons and aliens dropping like flies every second. They impacted the earth with such power that the very ground was constantly shaking. But Ember paid the attack or the rising tides of war no heed. She remained on her knees, jaw fallen only slightly, and stared into her father’s massive eye. Into the bloodshot ridges that were slowly being covered by her father’s eyelids that just couldn’t seem to stay open.

“Dad!” Ember cried, smacking the scales right next to his eye. His eyelid flinched upwards, but slowly began to fall once again. “Dad, you gotta get up! We need you out there!”

Her father, as brave and thick-headed as she always knew him to be, led a group of dragons to attack one of the alien warships head-on. To cut the head off of the snake. They were ambushed mid-flight, only about a mile away from the warship when a pack of Chitauri Leviathans caught them. Her father had managed to hold them off, but only for so long. Soon enough, the dragons he trusted most of all, his closest allies, were all taken down and fell to the earth. He was the only one, the last dragon to fight off the remaining Leviathans and take on the warship.

He only succeeded in doing one of those things, but at a great cost.

Ember’s tear-filled eyes shot up to the alien warship still hanging over the Dragon Lands, still unleashing an unending army. Her eyes fell back down, her ears managing to catch her father’s voice over his pain-filled breaths.

He managed to move his head only slightly, his large pupil tilting her way. Ember gritted her teeth, more tears building in her eyes. Torch saw as his daughter still kept her claws pressed to his face. Breathing, the dragon managed to say, “Go… they need you.”

Ember, as stubborn as ever, shook her head. “I’m not leaving you here to die!” she screamed. She pressed her forehead against the scales beneath his eye, the tears freely falling from her eyes and flowing down her snout. Her body shivered, her claws tightening. “I… can’t… let you. I can’t do this alone.”

“Ember…” Torch whispered, his powerful voice sounding weak and distant. Ember brought up her head, gazing into her father’s eye, into the pupil turned her way. Torch could see her, he could see how big and strong she had become. She wore the golden armor she forged after she became Dragon Lord. The scepter she carried now just lay on the ground, her attention only to him.

He almost smiled at that. Breathing out and causing a large dust cloud to pick up near his mouth, Torch said, “My daughter… you have become so strong.”

Ember’s eyes continued to burn, her face contorting into different levels of raw, emotional stress with every last word he said. Every last word. He smiled at her, but she didn’t see it. All she saw was his eyelid slowly closing, his pupil rising up and away from her.

“I trust no other dragon… to lead our people…”

She couldn’t see the white of his eye any longer, nor could she hear or feel a breath leave or enter him. Ember waited several seconds, feeling the world shake around her, knowing everything was falling down and burning away. But she still waited.

“Dad…”

And waited.

“Dad!”

Even when she knew…

“Dad!”

He was gone.

She wanted to fall just like all the others, her claws now covering her head and the tears falling down her face. Those thoughts traced her mind, but they were overshadowed by the overwhelming roars of her people fighting. Crying. Dying. They were an army without a leading force, without someone to make the choices to save their land and their future.

Ember opened her eyes. No more tears fell. She just frowned. That frown transformed into something even more furious, heated breath leaving her barred teeth. She picked up the Bloodstone Scepter lying next to her and got back up. She got back up. Spinning around, she glared at the invading alien army.

She saw dragons fall from the burning skylines. She saw the aliens winning the war, trying to take everything away from her and her people.

Ember tightened her grip on the scepter, the bloodstone shimmering.

They sure as hell could try.

With newfound fury and willpower, Dragon Lord Ember took to the skies and led her people into the war for their very world. And they followed her. Every single dragon followed her.

Chapter 20 – Strange Encounters of the Equine

Canterlot, Equestria

Train Station

2:03 p.m.

When Twilight and her friends managed to get off the train, they were greeted to a wave of ponies trying desperately to get on the train. They paid no heed to the ponies around them, the ones trying to enter Canterlot, let alone the Princess of Friendship and her closest friends. Before they knew it, the train was filled, the doors closing and conductors refusing to let anypony else on.

Twilight and her friends managed to sneak away before the growing mob managed to get any rowdier. Making their way through the train station, the eight mares and one dragon couldn’t even imagine how terrible Canterlot must have been if the train station was an indication on the current state of events.

Their group consisted of Twilight leading the pack—naturally—Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hovering above their friends, Rarity and Applejack trailing on Twilight’s left and right respectively, Spike directly behind Twilight and Pinkie hopping right by his side, and finally Starlight and Sunset following in the back of the group, taking in the scenery and the chaos.

Because when they entered the streets of Canterlot, that’s all it was: chaos.

After the news of the alien invasion being halted basically at each planets’ gates spread like wildfire, nearly all of Equestria was shaken, and rightfully so. The only thing keeping Equestria safe was the golden shield that had miraculously spread over the two worlds, thus preventing the aliens from enacting the invasion. Twilight knew all of this when Celestia sent the letter earlier that morning explaining everything they discussed with Discord about.

Which meant that the planet hanging above Equus… definitely was Earth. Discord was telling the truth. That same letter told Twilight that she and her friends may need to contact Earth… as well as the Avengers. The reasoning behind Celestia’s intentions were sound, as she and her friends had the closest connection to them, but the thought that Celestia gave her was still a little strange to think about. It made Twilight feel uneasy, as well as the rest of her friends.

Because Celestia wanted them to help bring the Avengers back together.

She believed that they could have a greater understanding on the situation at hoof more than they currently did, which probably wasn’t wrong, but just the thought of returning to Earth after so long pushed Twilight the wrong way. She knew the others felt the same, minus Sunset. After all, meeting their human friends… especially after what happened during their last excursion on planet Earth…

Nothing ended well last time. No matter how much she wanted to say or believe otherwise, there was that little part inside of her heart that still hadn’t healed.

That didn’t matter now. She could care less about her feelings when the fate of both of their worlds hung in the balance. If that meant having the most awkward reunion imaginable, then so be it. They were just about to leave for Canterlot earlier that morning, but were stopped when Spike burped out yet another letter.

When they all read it…

It was as if all their hearts seemed to fall, even Sunset’s. Especially Fluttershy’s, the mare constantly in a state of worry the entire train ride. Celestia informed them that the shields have fallen, that Equus and Earth were vulnerable, and that they lost contact with Discord.

She didn’t write another letter, just informed them in her last one to get to Canterlot immediately. Twilight ordered Friday to watch over the castle while they were gone. The AI somehow appreciated that, being much more willing to protect the castle instead of being cooped up in the library all day. With that out of the way, the ponies and dragon got on the first train that morning straight to Canterlot, constantly looking to the skies, wondering if anything would ever descend to their world.

Not too surprising, Canterlot—while heavily defended with Royal and Lunar Guard patrolling the streets and rooftops—also seemed to have the same shield that once protected it during Shining Armor and Princess Cadance’s wedding, and the same shield that Shining Armor used to protect Canterlot during the Ultron Offensive. It barely held then, so just the sight of that light violet shield camouflaged with the bright blue sky and hanging over their heads wasn’t too comforting. That probably explained why ponies were leaving the city. It fell twice before, so what kind of assurance could this one offer? Canterlot’s skies were otherwise empty, minus the airships leaving the city.

While the defense of Canterlot would certainly be a topic Twilight would discuss with Celestia about, that wasn’t their main concern at the moment. Their main concern was getting to the castle, meeting with the princesses, and knowing exactly what they had to do. Whether that be helping in warding off the alien invaders, or traveling to Earth via Twilight’s portal back home to get the Avengers back together. Whatever it was, she was ready. Her friends however…

Rarity shrieked as ponies push by her without even offering an apology. She scoffed at the ponies leaving their homes and filling the streets, all rushing past her and her friends in a way that completely disregarded the ponies in the middle of the street.

“Oh! Why, I never!” Rarity exclaimed, crying out as a pony stepped on her hoof as he fled towards the train station with his large bag. She kissed her hoof, frowning behind her. “What in the name of Celestia has gotten into these ponies?”

“You’re telling me!” Rainbow said, ducking as a Pegasus flew over her head. “It’s practically a frenzy in this city!”

Applejack held onto her hat as a group of ponies blew past them, kicking up dust as they did so. “Ah haven’t seen it this bad since that good-fer-nothin’ Storm King invaded!” she said.

Sunset Shimmer narrowed her eyes, raising a foreleg to block out the morning rays of Celestia’s sun. She hoped it was Celestia's sun. She eyed the airships leaving Canterlot, the hundreds of Pegasi taking to the skies. “Been a while since I’ve been here. Is it always this hectic?” she asked.

Twilight shook her head, continuing down the nearly-empty road to the castle. “Not always. Everypony’s just freaking out because the shields that Discord were supposed to keep up broke.” She sighed. “I don’t blame them. The thought of another invasion… this time alien…”

Fluttershy whimpered, hovering closer to Rainbow Dash. “I really hope Discord is okay,” she said, her fellow Pegasus patting her shoulder.

“He’s the Spirit of Chaos,” Starlight assured, looking up at Fluttershy with a supporting smile. “I’m sure he’s fine.”

It was wishful thinking. Even Starlight tended to doubt the tone she used, the assurance in her voice. Sure, Discord was a pain and a goof. But when it came to helping the ponies he knew he cared about, it wasn’t like him to just abandon them. Or maybe it was. Starlight didn’t really know him all that well. But Twilight did. Fluttershy did.

Neither of them felt well.

They had just passed the last buildings leading into the city when Rainbow said, “So, about this whole… plan Celestia has…”

The buildings were behind them, leaving only the gardens and the castle ahead. Twilight kept her pace, her friends following, but listened in to what Rainbow had to say. “She wants us to travel to Earth to get the Avengers back together?” Dash asked.

“Yes, Rainbow, that’s what she mentioned in her letter,” Twilight confirmed with a nod.

“Then why are we in Canterlot and not back at the castle where your portal is?”

A sigh left the Alicorn, her eyes closing. She kept at her pace, shaking her head. “I told you already, Rainbow, because the princesses wanted to discuss their plan with us before we did so! It’s the smart thing to do considering we have little to no idea how Earth or an alien army are right at our doorstep!”

Rainbow huffed, looking away, showing her scars. “Just doesn’t feel right.”

“None of this feels right,” Starlight said. “And if you ask me… it would probably be for the best if we contacted the Avengers. Like Celestia mentioned, they would know more about this than us.”

“Yeah, well, nopony asked you, Starlight,” Rainbow suddenly snarled, turning on Starlight.

“Rainbow!” Applejack shouted, spinning her neck back to glare at the Pegasus. “What in the hay has gotten into you?”

Rainbow didn’t even look at her, keeping up with her stubborn attitude. “Nothing!”

“Is it the fact that we may just have to meet with Tony and the others again that’s got you acting this way?” Twilight asked. They entered the Canterlot Gardens, the castle not too far ahead. But somehow, they didn’t pay attention to that. All attention suddenly shifted to the rainbow Pegasus screaming over their heads.

“No!”

“Then what is it?!” Twilight screamed and stopped dead in her tracks, causing everypony else to flinch and stop just as suddenly. She must have struck a nerve, knowing Rainbow’s particularly painful past with the Avengers. But at that moment, Twilight didn’t seem to care. She just wanted to get to the castle and meet with the princesses, and there was Rainbow complaining like she usually did, wishing to do things her own way or just be as stubborn as always.

The Alicorn and the Pegasus glared each other down, a familiar fire beginning to spark, something neither of them wanted but couldn’t help. The ponies behind them just stood in silence, some glaring like Applejack and Rarity, others uncertain like Starlight, Spike, and Sunset, and others downright terrified like Fluttershy. Pinkie belonged to none of those categories. Her eyes lit up and a tiny gasp left her, the mare spotting something in the distance.

“Are you that hot-headed and stubborn as to reject help from the only people who could be willing to help us understand what’s going on?!” Twilight asked, her voice as hot as melting steel.

“I’m not rejecting their help!” Rainbow shot back, just as heated.

“Then what are you doing?!”

The Pegasus rose her hooves and pressed them against her head, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth. “I’m just… I just…!”

“Everypony, please!” Pinkie Pie cried, hopping near the two ponies. She pointed directly between them, to something directly between them. “Stop fighting and look at that awesome—!”

“Not now, Pinkie!” both Twilight and Rainbow shouted.

The mare flinched back, sniffing hard with large tears boiling in her eyes. Those tears instantly vanished, as did the hurt expression on her face when what she had mentioned earlier exploded into a flurry of lights and sparkles. The resounding pop caught everypony off guard, everypony spinning towards the location of the sound. Both Twilight’s and Rainbow’s fury died, their expressions shifting from anger to confusion.

Whatever it was, it appeared to be a flurry of orange sparkles dancing around in a growing circle. That circle shifted as it grew, forming a large oval that barely touched the ground. The oval’s face was away from the group of ponies and one dragon, instead facing the castle. Each mare took a quick step back once the oval pulsated, shooting off orange sparks that danced and died across the grass.

So that’s what Pinkie was trying to show them.

“Ooooo! Freaky deaky!” Pinkie exclaimed, her eyes as large as dinner plates. Her jaw, however, fell once something actually stepped out of the oval. Pinkie gasped. Everypony else did, too. It was at that moment that Twilight realized it wasn’t just an oval that appeared out of thin air. It was a portal.

And a human stepped out and stopped just feet in front of it.

He—they assumed it was a he considering his short, dark brown and silver hair, the goatee also being a dead giveaway—looked very strange. He stumbled forward wearing an attire that took each mare by surprise. Twilight instantly connected the attire similar to that of Star Swirl the Bearded, considering the blue robes he wore beneath. Alongside the robes, the man wore a long, dashing red cape with pointed tips near his face, said face staring straight forward and completely disregarding the ponies to his right.

The man in the cape looked around, gazing wondrously at the castle that laid ahead. Somehow, after several seconds of silence, the only sound being that the portal continued to make, he still didn’t notice the ponies. He was too focused on what was directly ahead of him to take notice to the eight awestruck equines and one frozen dragon.

He did react to the voice coming from the portal, though.

“Is the air breathable?” the voice asked, having a somewhat far-eastern tone to its male voice.

Taking a few cautious breaths just to be certain, the man replied with a nod, and said, “I’m alive, aren’t I?”

The ponies shifted their attention from the man and back to the portal, remaining silent. The voice said, “Don’t be a smart-ass. Did we find the right planet?”

“Let me see and…” The man took the moment to look up, spotting the planet resting above the atmosphere. “Yep!” he said, pointing straight up with one hand. “There’s Earth!”

“How can you tell?” the voice asked.

“I can see North America,” the man said, adjusting his finger.

“Are you sure? Last time we almost appeared on Venus!”

“Yeah, explain to me how that trajectory works,” he muttered under his breath, but was quick to add an: “I’m certain.” He said it loud enough, turning his head right so his voice was able to travel clearly to the man within the portal. As he turned his head, he took notice to the eight ponies and the young dragon that continued to stare at him silently.

His eyebrows shot up, his jaw falling just slightly. “Ah, locales. Perfect.”

Then suddenly, without warning, the man with the dashing, red cape began his approach. The mares huddled closer together, Twilight at the ready with her horn, still unsure if she should trust the human just yet. He offered a weak smile, waving. “Uh… hi. I hope you’re all as concerned as we are about the planet near the atmosphere?”

He stopped about five feet from them, noticing how on edge they appeared to be the closer he got. Waiting for an answer, contemplating whether or not if they can even talk, the man was pleased to see the pack leader—the violet Alicorn—nod in response. First successful alien contact, the man thought. Good job, me.

“Yes… we are,” Twilight said. She didn’t let her guard down, studying the man now that he was closer and in full-view. He wore several different robes around his waist, joining the blue. On his fingers, he wore a large ring of some sort, his hands shaking very subtly. Odd.

He smiled. Or, tried to. It was a weak one at best, if not a bit awkward. The strange man pointed to Earth as he spoke. “I’m from Earth, the planet right… there. And this planet…?”

“Equus,” Twilight answered. None of her friends said a thing, some still on edge, some like Rainbow holding a distrustful glare at the man. Only, he didn’t act hostile towards them. He just nodded to Twilight’s answers, finding it somewhat satisfactory.

“Perfect,” he muttered, shaking hands rising to rest on his hips. He noticed that the ponies were watching his movements closely, the Alicorn furrowing her brow at his shaking palms. He narrowed his eyes just the same as he got a closer look at her, at the violet Alicorn.

“‘Equus’?” he repeated. The ponies froze, the Alicorn nodding. He raised his head suddenly, jaw falling farther as the thought finally recurred to him. “You know what, you and your friends there look familiar. Would you happen to be the alien ambassadors that visited Earth not too long ago?” he asked.

They still remembered them. Then again, after their whole fiasco on Earth, it was hard to forget. Nodding once more, Twilight took a step forward, growing somewhat less tense around the man. “Yes, we are,” she said, her hoof pointed to herself and then moved across the rest of her friends.

“My name is Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends; Spike, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, and Sunset Shimmer.”

A few of the ponies smiled and waved at him, those ponies being Starlight, Sunset, and Pinkie Pie, if the man could recall their names. Others remained distrustful, which the man didn’t take offense to. Those ponies were Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash. Spike was still awestruck.

The man nodded, pursing his lips at their reactions. “Pleasure,” he said simply.

The Alicorn stepped forward, narrowing her gaze at the man. He brought his attention down to the mare that stepped even closer to him. She was either getting used to his appearance or getting closer to strike him down. Either sounded plausible. She didn’t go through with the latter, instead asking, “Who are you and why do you want to know?”

That’s when he actually smiled. It looked so forced, so strange. And he said, “Twilight Sparkle, my name is Doctor Stephen Strange, and I believe we can help each other.”

Chapter 21 – The Long Road Ahead

Panthera, Abyssinia

Miles Above the Liberated City

2:14 p.m.

The cheers came early that morning. There were no fireworks, as no one would be able to see them in the sunlight, but the celebration in the capital city of Panthera most certainly sounded as if fireworks were needed as that special icing on the cake.

Tempest Shadow imagined similar fireworks that she concocted from her own shattered horn. Her horn sparkled, shooting off a strand of electricity before she cut off the flow of magic. Sighing, Tempest knew she had to keep better control of her magic. Without a full horn, she could barely contain even the simplest of magic from escaping the aftereffects of her thoughts. She looked down from the open underbelly of her airship, seeing rising balloons and the sound of a million cheers cry out from the city.

She knew she should have felt good, and part of her did. It was a grand feat, after all, freeing an entire city once under the complete control of her former master, the Storm King. But after the events of the Canterlot Invasion and the defeat of the Storm King, Tempest took it upon herself to undo everything the Storm King had done, and that meant liberating every land and every city they had taken before Canterlot. They had freed previous towns and villages earlier, but seeing Panthera, the capital city of the nation of Abyssinia, cheering as they were liberated almost warmed the unicorn’s heart.

She didn’t smile, though. If it meant soothing her conscience and cleansing her soul of all the terrible things she had done just for one restored horn, then it would have to suffice. Apparently, her ally Captain Celaeno thought differently. The parrot chuckled to herself, arms crossed as she stared down to the celebrating city below them.

“You gotta admit…” Celaeno said, turning to the unicorn standing next to her. Tempest turned her eyes away from below, shifting them Celaeno’s way. The parrot smiled, her beak wide as she said, “It feels pretty good.”

Following the liberation of Canterlot, Tempest offered to take Captain Celaeno and her crew of misfit parrot pirates with her to join their journey on freeing the rest of the world still under the Storm King’s control. She thought of it as an apology for destroying Celaeno’s ship with her magic, to which the pirate crew gratefully accepted. Since then, the two have been traveling in partnership, freeing town after town, great lands, and now an entire capital city.

“It’s the right thing to do,” Tempest replied, her steel-covered hoof rising to rest on the railing separating them from a long fall down. She stared at the city. “They no longer have to fear the Storm King with him dead.”

Celaeno nodded at that response, arms still crossed. Her claws danced on her left arm, tapping quickly. “So, after this,” she said, breaking the growing silence between them. Tempest turned back, Celaeno seeing her pink scar. “After all this ‘liberating the lands under the Storm King’s control’, what’s next for Tempest Shadow?”

She hadn’t told anypony else other than Twilight and her friends her real name, which was probably for the best. When the time came, when she actually saw Celaeno and her band of parrot pirates as more than just allies in the liberation campaign, then perhaps they could know. As for now, the old face, the old identity that she carried all those terrible years under the command of the Storm King would have to suit. It seemed a suitable punishment for herself—as nopony else would give her one.

That, and never fully having her horn ever again.

“You know… I never really thought about it all that much,” Tempest finally replied, hoof still resting on the railing. Her eyes fell once more to the city, an expression that showed deep thought building on her face.

Celaeno looked away, brow furrowing. A light bulb shone brightly in her mind, the parrot turning to Tempest and asking, “Got any… old home you could—?”

“No!” Tempest said, her voice a little louder than either of them had anticipated. Tempest recoiled at her own voice, her free hoof rising to cover her mouth. When her hoof fell, she shot a quick gaze to Celaeno, ignoring the confused look on her face and saying, “I… I-I mean I… don’t.”

She looked away from her expression, clearing her throat. “How about you?” Tempest asked, hoping to put the spotlight on someone else.

Luckily for her, it worked. Celaeno chuckled, then laughed. She pried her sword from its sheath, pressed her crystal peg leg against the railing, and held her sword straight out in front of her. “After we get a new ship like you promised, then it’s back to skies!” she declared, that commanding and powerful voice only a captain would have rising higher. “Back to adventuring! Back to treasure hunting! Back to… everything we used to be.”

And just like that, her expression deflated. She brought her sword and peg leg back down, the parrot sadly placing her sword back in its sheath. She sighed, shaking her head and closing her eyes. “It’s been so long. Gotta wonder if we even have it anymore.”

Tempest felt a pang of guilt strike her. After all, it was somewhat her fault for Celaeno and her crew to fall into their predicament of an identity crisis. She aided the Storm King in capturing and enslaving every pirate within their reach of the skies, ordering them to abandon their past lives and ship goods from then on. Or suffer.

“I assure you, Celaeno,” Tempest said, facing the pirate captain. Celaeno opened her eyes and turned to her. “You will get your new ship very soon. Take it as an apology after I… well…”

“Blew up our last one?” Celaeno asked, smirking the unicorn’s way.

Frowning, Tempest looked away. She nodded and grumbled, “Yes.”

Celaeno chuckled, punching Tempest’s armored-shoulder playfully. “Hey, it’s all in the past now. And you’re better from it. Isn’t that right?”

“I would like to think so,” Tempest mumbled, though her voice sounded very uncertain.

“You hear those cheers?” Celaeno asked, holding up a claw towards her ear and bending over the rail. Tempest watched her movements, stood in silence as she leaned back and smiled at her. “That’s all because of you, because you wanted to undo all the wrong the Storm King had wrought on the world. Don’t just think so, Tempest.”

She held out her claw to the unicorn, forming a fist. “Know so.”

For some reason, the pirate’s words held some form of comforting warmth to them, something she would have never expected from swashbuckling treasure hunters. And for that brief moment, Tempest actually had a small smile on her lips. She raised her hoof.

Then instantly brought it down once that obnoxious voice and pudgy pair of feet came tumbling down the stairs.

“Commander Tempest!” the voice cried, already out of breath after the first few steps down.

Sighing through her nose, Tempest slowly turned around, spotting the short, overweight hedgehog catching his breath several steps above her. Celaeno crossed her arms once more, watching in silence. Tempest’s patience quickly began to wear thin the longer the hedgehog kept trying to cool down. He even held up a finger, his hand falling back to rest on his knee.

Tempest’s eye twitched. “What is it, Grubber?” she snarled, causing Celaeno to flinch her way.

“Oh, I need to work out,” Grubber said, rising up to rest on the stair railing. He just thought of his own words, then shook his head. “Stupid idea. Commander Tempest… Ma’am… Sir!”

“Just spit it out!”

He slowly stepped down the metal stairs, playing with his pudgy fingers and refusing to meet Tempest in the eyes. “Okay, I know we didn’t see any fireworks after we liberated the city—which would have been totally cool and I would be one hundred percent down for—and I know it wouldn’t make sense for there to be fireworks in the day, but there are now!”

Tempest narrowed her eyes. Grubber whimpered and froze where he stood, several steps above her. At least he felt somewhat confident looking down at her. Better than the other way around at least. “And why is that important?” Tempest growled.

“Because it’s not coming from the city!”

Both Tempest’s and Celaeno’s eyes began to grow.

“What—?”

The entire airship buckled. Tempest fell on her face, then slid back to land into Captain Celaeno’s chest. They both looked up to see Grubber wobbling on the stairs, then scream as he came tumbling down and rolling their way like a large ball of fur. Tempest held out her hoof and stopped Grubber dead in his tracks, her steel-covered hoof meeting his face.

“What was that?” Celaeno gasped, noticing the airship regaining control of its flight.

Tempest breathed, then looked through the railing to the city below. She could barely see it. All she could see was the blossoming orange explosions and rising smoke. She caught her breath. The cheers quickly began to transform into screams.

Terrible, terrible screams. “Grubber…?” Tempest breathed, looking back to the hedgehog on her hoof.

Grubber mumbled out a painful grunt, then pushed himself off the unicorn. Rubbing his nose, Grubber said, “Yeah, I can’t even explain this one. You’re gonna have to see it for yourself.”

So, they did. The group of three picked themselves up and rushed up the metal steps to the top deck of Tempest’s airship. At first, she couldn’t seem to see what was wrong. But as she stepped fully onto the deck, saw fully what was falling from the skies, then she began to understand. Somewhat. The sheer size and image of the invading army dropping from the sky and bombing the city in shimmering, blue lights still managed to shock her to where she couldn’t understand.

They fell through the clouds, appearing as nothing but black dots from their distance, but they knew it wasn’t the case when one of the invaders flew right past their airship. Tempest Shadow galloped forward and leaned over the edge of her airship, gazing down to just catch a glimpse of the invader that flew past them. It screeched out a terrible cry, leading its flying chariot down to the city, joining the hundreds of others.

“Whoa, that’s so crazy,” Grubber said, leaning over the edge next to Tempest. “I mean, a city that was just liberated from us—the army that invaded it—is being invaded again from another army! Talk about irony, right?”

Tempest couldn’t even reply to Grubber’s foolish comment. Her eyes were glazed over in horror, her jaw open and without even a single breath leaving her. Her mane blew wildly in the high winds. She didn’t pay attention to the commotion behind her, her eyes focused only on the city and the screams.

“Captain Celaeno!” the parrot pirate Mullet shouted, sliding down the chains connected to the massive balloon above them. He landed in front of his captain, Celaeno turning his way.

“What do you have, sailor?” she asked.

Mullet turned towards the skies, watching with his one good eye as more and more invaders continued to fall. “Unknown, Captain! Whatever they are, they aren’t lookin’ to negotiate!”

“Bwaaahhh!”

Everyone turned to see the parrot Squabble leaning over the edge of the airship, one claw holding the heavy chains leading up to the massive balloon. He pointed outwards, straight up to the sky, and screamed once more. “Bwaaahhh!”

They all shifted their attention where Squabble had pointed. The Storm Guards filling the deck of the ship growled, holding out their spears and shields as if it was their only form of protection. The pirates all backed away, beaks falling open in shock at the unrealistic size and fury of the descending ship. Even Tempest brought up her eyes when the shadow fell over her. She gasped, backing away and gazing to the heavens to see it clearly.

She still couldn’t believe it.

An unknown ship broke through the clouds, releasing so many more of the invaders that they had seen earlier. But that wasn’t all. It also released several massive, serpent-like creatures. The serpents roared and appeared to swim through the skies, diving down to the city and joining the invasion. But not before they joined the smaller invaders in attacking the airships still commandeering the skies.

Tempest Shadow gasped once more, watching in horror as several of her airships erupted into flame. Some were taken down by the overwhelming numbers of the invaders, and some were just destroyed on impact from the flying serpents ramming into them.

“My ships!” the unicorn cried. She noticed several of those small, black dots getting closer, the flying serpents turning their way. Spinning her neck around, she glared at the parrot behind the wheel of the ship and ordered, “Get us out of here!”

Boyle saluted, twisting the wheel of the airship. Everyone on board held on as the ship suddenly took a wide turn left, its engines igniting and sending the airship full steam ahead and away from the city. It wasn’t long before the airship regained stability in its flight, everyone slowly rising back to their feet. Celaeno rubbed her head, turning towards her friend Lix Spittle and asking, “Status report?”

Lix Spittle nodded and leaned over the edge of the airship, using her spyglass to observe if they were being followed. She saw as the flying chariots and serpents suddenly spun back, facing downwards and falling to the city. Huffing in response, Lix nodded and turned back. “I don’t think they’re following us! Too preoccupied with the city!” she announced.

Mullet groaned, rising to his feet. “We can’t just leave all those citizens to die!”

“You got a better plan?” Boyle asked, his grip on the wheel tightening once he noticed how close Mullet was getting to it.

“Quiet!”

And just like that, the pirate crew was silenced, turning towards their captain. Squabble hit the face of the deck with his own face, squawking and turning his attention to his captain with a dopey smile on his false beak.

Captain Celaeno tightened her claw into a fist, her expression tightening as well. It fell apart when she sighed, turning towards the unicorn facing her. She said, “Tempest… if we’re gonna have any hope in taking back that city, then we’re gonna need new ships.” She looked to her crew, saw them coming together near the wheel and watching her. Waiting for her. “I’m gonna need a new ship.”

“That’s the least of our worries,” Tempest replied, trotting right past Celaeno and stopping right in the front of the airship. She stared out into the known lands ahead, the thick clouds covering most of it below. She breathed through her slightly-separated lips, gulping and closing her eyes. “We need more than just ships…”

In the darkness of her own mind, she saw something. A flicker. A spark. An electric current of uncontrolled magic and she stopped it, trying to clear her mind and think to what she wanted. That flicker came back, this time igniting a flame that consumed an entire city. The screams came later, silenced by the resounding explosions still echoing in her eardrums.

She gasped and opened her eyes.

“We need allies.”

Celaeno smiled at that, twisting her hat on tighter. “Lucky for us, I know just the people… uh, Hippogriffs,” she said, Tempest turning back to her. She only saw Celaeno twisting back and pointing a claw towards the parrot at the wheel. “Boyle, onward to Mount Aris!” she ordered.

The parrot saluted with his hook. “Aye aye, Captain!”

The last of the airships in the late Storm King’s armada took a short turn left, adjusting and following a straight path into the rising clouds and endless skies. The Storm Guards remained on deck, constantly scanning the skies just in case they were being followed. Grubber retreated to his quarters, rubbing his stomach and trying to hold down his second breakfast. Captain Celaeno continued to order her crew around, keeping the ship in order because the pony that owned it wouldn’t. She turned to her, seeing the unicorn fall on her rump and rest her head on the edge of the airship.

Tempest Shadow took one final look at the city they saved, now just a rising cloud of dark smoke with an alien warship descending towards it.

Chapter 22 – Out of the Waves

Mount Aris

Hippogriffia

2:29 p.m.

From atop Hippogriffia Castle, Queen Novo and her daughter Princess Skystar hastily made their exit onto the balcony. What they heard prompted them to leave the throne room with their guards. What they saw chilled each Hippogriff down to the very last bone.

What they heard was a low, awful hum that resounded throughout the mountain, from the entrance and all throughout Harmonizing Heights. What they saw was an alien warship hovering several hundred yards above the waves, slowly but surely approaching Mount Aris several miles away. That wasn’t all. Hundreds of smaller ships exited the much larger one, quickly approaching Hippogriffia faster than Queen Novo could have anticipated. The alien chariots flew overhead, firing blue streams of blaster bolts into the mountain and onto the city below. A single chariot flew for the castle, firing a single bolt of energy towards the balcony.

The guards flew in front of their queen, their shields barely blocking the blaster bolt. Queen Novo shielded her daughter with a massive wing. Once the chariot flew out of sight, Novo and her daughter Skystar lifted their beaks to the sky, staring into the swarm of alien chariots flying about, divebombing their home.

“I don’t think they’re here for a warm welcome,” Skystar said, trying to chuckle at that, but failing to hide the quiver of fear in her voice.

Still shielding her daughter, Novo retreated into the castle, shouting, “Ready all forces for an immediate counterattack! Every able-bodied Hippogriff take to the skies and defend our home!”

Every single guard, adviser, and soldier alike standing in Novo’s throne room reacted instantly. Their faces all shared similar expressions, all stone-cold and eyes filled with determination. No longer would they run and hide like they had with the Storm King. No magic pearl to keep them safe underwater this time. No time for acting like cowards. Novo wouldn’t have that a second time, and neither would her army.

The commanders of her personal navy, led by General Seaspray, nodded to their queen. They spread their wings and flew outside through the open balcony. Unsheathing their swords, the Hippogriffs took to the skies, but the leaders of Novo’s navy disappeared behind the mountain, diving into the ocean and retrieving their only means of fighting back successfully: the full-force of Queen Novo’s naval superiority.

Stratus Skyranger, a Royal Hippogriff Guard, saluted and flew his way through the throne room’s exit, weaving through the castle halls, flying up the steps of the watchtower, and pausing at the very top. The Hippogriff guard could see the alien forces demolishing their home, divebombing houses and firing their weapons away at civilians. Tightening his beak, Stratus pulled out a horn from underneath his armor. He took in a deep breath, pressed his beak to it, and made the call to arms. The Horn of the Hippogriffs cried out throughout the entire mountain, telling every citizen of Hippogriffia one thing…

Defend their home.

And they did.

The reconstruction efforts at the base of the mountain were completely halted or just destroyed. Hippogriffs big and small, male and female, dropped whatever tools they had and fled from the onslaught and alien fire. They flew upwards towards the mountain, many getting shot down by the Chitauri chariots flying after them. The ones that successfully managed to make it back into Hippogriffia were met instantly with another wave of chaos.

Even more Chitauri chariots filled the sky within Hippogriffia. Blue blaster bolts shot across the air every second, Hippogriff citizens and guards dropping like flies. Trees holding homes burned and fell to the ground. The Hippogriffs that had entered the city stood dumbfounded, but quickly found their sense of place when a chariot flew towards their group, three Chitauri hopping off and rolling on the mountain ground. The Hippogriffs scattered once the Chitauri whipped out their rifles and fired at them.

A few screams were silenced once the blaster bolts hit a couple female Hippogriffs, striking a lone male Hippogriff in the heart. The dead bodies fell in the air and hit the ground without another sound. The others successfully made it into their respective homes, shutting the door behind them. The three Chitauri completely ignored the fleeing Hippogriffs above and around them, focusing only on the ones that had escaped them.

They waited, their rifles pointed at the doors. Each of the Chitauri softly growled, fingers on the triggers of their weapons. When the Hippogriffs finally arrived, they didn’t come from the doors they escaped through. They burst through the weak ceilings of the houses, spears in their talons, crying out as they dove on the Chitauri. They didn’t even get a shot off, three Hippogriffs driving their weapons right into their chests and silencing them. The Hippogriffs turned their heads to the skies once more, seeing even more Chitauri filling it. They spread their wings, gripped their weapons, and flew into the madness.

To defend their home.

Almost every citizen took up arms and joined the fight for their very survival. They knew there was no running this time, not when the cry of the Horn of the Hippogriffs sounded off. All they knew was that they held the line there, they fought for their home, their people, and their very way of life. Almost every citizen was a part of it. Almost every citizen, male and female, took part.

Not the children, though. They were forced into homes, into small huts, into basements, and told to keep quiet. For if all else failed, the future of Hippogriffia lied with their children. Almost every child was picked up and flown into somewhere safe. Almost every child was safe.

Silverstream and Terramar were unfortunately unaccounted for.

Brother and sister, siblings raised together since birth, quietly moved from tree to tree, sneaking behind trunks and pausing at every turn. Terramar held out his claw to his sister, peeking out from the tree trunk they hid behind to gaze out into the open. Dead bodies littered the mountain floor from what he could see, most of them Chitauri… but many of them Hippogriff. Terramar gulped at that. Other than that, it was relatively calm, and it was a straight shot to their house still standing amongst the ruin of several others.

“Do you see anything?”

Terramar took in a calming breath, turning back and gazing into his sister’s terrified eyes. And it absolutely killed him to see Silverstream so scared. As long as he could remember, Silverstream was always the happy-go-lucky member of the family, second only to Skystar, who they hardly saw considering her important duties as a “princess”. Silverstream was always the life of the family, the heart that kept them alive, and the smile that lit up everyone else’s.

But no… she just looked completely and utterly lost. Her mane was in shambles, her beak slightly shivering alongside her body. She played with her claws nervously, small cuts and dirt marks on her body. Silverstream sat in the shadows, flinching at every explosion, crying out once a particularly large one hit the tree they hid behind. Luckily, the following boom from the explosion silenced her screams, Silverstream covering her beak and closing her eyes.

Chunks of wood fell around them, but not one piece hit them. Some splinters got in their manes, to which Terramar dusted his off. He looked up and saw flames eating away at the very top of the tree. He exhaled, turning to his sister. “I think we’re good.”

Silverstream opened her eyes, still covering her beak. She watched as Terramar stepped out of the shadows and into the light, peeking out once more and nodding. He turned her way, pointing out. “Okay, just follow my—”

An alien hand wrapping around his throat cut off his voice. He lost all the air in his lungs when that same hand, that same arm, and that same alien stepped forward and threw him into the mountain wall. Silverstream screamed. Clawing at the alien palm, Terramar gasped for air, staring right into the beast’s reptilian-like glare. It growled, lifting up its rifle with its free hand and pointing the glowing tip Terramar’s way.

“I got ya, bro!”

Silverstream, finding the bravery in her heart, latched on the Chitauri and began clawing at its face. Leaving clear claw marks on its helmet, Silverstream’s desperate attempt to save her brother’s life was short-lived. The Chitauri promptly swatted Silverstream aside, the Hippogriff landing with a painful yelp leaving her. Barely looking up, Silverstream hissed at the pain, gasping only when the Chitauri tossed her brother aside, its attention set on her.

It raised its rifle, the sharpest point at its tip centered her way. Silverstream screamed, shielding her head as the Chitauri brought its rifle and the blade down on top of the small Hippogriff. Except, it thought it did. The blade never reached its target.

Silverstream felt her heart still beating, still heard her own breath, and never felt the pain. Slowly, she lowered her claws from her head and looked up from where she lay. She gasped. She grew small tears in the corner of her eyes. And that smile finally returned to her beak, followed shortly by her overly-ecstatic voice.

“Dad!”

Sky Beak growled at the Chitauri standing above his daughter, his talons wrapped tightly around the alien’s rifle. The Chitauri looked from the rifle to the Hippogriff in shock. It couldn’t do anything else other than that. In one swift move, Sky Beak swung the rifle aside, unsheathed his blade, and swiped his right arm cleanly across the Chitauri’s neck. An unknown black fluid shot out from the slice, the Chitauri crumbling before Sky Beak.

“Dad…”

With his breathing slowing slightly, Sky Beak turned his eyes up to see Terramar struggle to find his footing. Gasping, he placed his blade back in his holster, rushing over to Terramar and wrapping his arms tightly around him. He felt Silverstream latch onto him, his arm reaching back and bringing his daughter in close. He could feel them trembling in his arms, scared, confused, but well alive.

“Kids!” Sky Beak said with a relieved gasp of air. “Oh, thank goodness you’re okay!”

“Dad,” Terramar wheezed, coughing loudly, both at his wounded throat and the growing smoke, “what’s going on out there?”

Breaking the hug and bringing his children forward, Sky Beak could see the terror and bewilderment in their eyes. The dirt and dried blood from the scratches on their faces were also there, only making Sky Beak wonder what would have happened had he been too late. Shaking his head at that terrible thought, he said, “Son, even I don’t fully understand it, but I know for certain that we’re doing our best to fight back.”

The sound of a flying chariot crashing into the house above them caught their attention. The flames eating away at the tree began to drop particles of ash and fire down to them, the burning husk of the Chitauri chariot hanging loosely over their heads. That was enough to get them to move, predominantly Sky Beak. He reached forward and pulled his children onto his backside, letting them latch on to him.

“Now hold on,” he told them, feeling their claws digging into his back, but he didn’t care. He just cared for their safety. Spreading his wings, Sky Beak stepped out into the light. “I need to get you two to your mother. You’ll be safe in Seaquestria.”

Terramar and Silverstream both shared a terrified look and whimper with one another, closing their eyes and holding onto their dad with every bit of strength they had left. And with two of his own flesh and blood latched onto him, Sky Beak took off at a quick gallop through the burning city of Hippogriffia. He paid no heed to the Chitauri flooding the streets, all turning his way and firing at him. He didn’t look at the flying chariots suddenly focused on him, chasing him past the gates of the city and right off the mountain.

He flew them downwards. Straight downwards, dodging blaster bolts and using the back of his wings to hide his children from the eyes of the aliens he knew were on his tail. Without the use of his wings, Sky Beak began to free fall down the mountain, only able to dodge and weave through the air. The ground was approaching faster, and the Chitauri were getting closer. Narrowing his gaze, Sky Beak saw a slab of rock sticking out directly in his path.

Pulling out his sword, Sky Beak risked just a moment to get the aliens off of his tail. And for just a moment, he shot out his wings, his children a clear target. But before the Chitauri could even fire at him, he sliced the slab of rock, pushing it and himself outwards, and took off. The Chitauri didn’t even stand a chance when the slab of rock fell in front of them, their chariots smacking right into the stone and erupting into a flurry of flame and metal.

“Dad, look out!” Silverstream cried.

Looking back, Sky Beak gasped and flew away from the mountain, dodging the flaming husks of the chariots just in time. Both Terramar and Silverstream watched the remains of their pursuers fall to the very base of the mountain, crashing and erupting into a bright fury. Doing so prompted their attention to the rest of the mountain coming in full-view.

Mount Aris was swarmed by Chitauri chariots. All the sky was blotted, from blaster bolts to the bodies of Hippogriffs and Chitauri alike. Smoke and ash rose from within the mountain, several explosions appearing from within and upon it. It reminded the two Hippogriffs of the Storm King’s invasion a year earlier, but much worse. So much worse. When they turned their gazes forward, all they could see was an even larger army approaching their home.

And with them… they brought even bigger monsters than the Storm King.

The Chitauri Leviathans exited the Command Center, flying just over the waves of the ocean and quickly approaching the mountain. They were two in total, but surrounding them were reinforcements. Even more aliens than either sibling could count. They were so engrossed with the giant, flying serpents that they hardly took notice that they had made it to the beachline.

And waiting for them was their mother, Ocean Flow. The seapony was waiting by the water’s edge, her concerned eyes watching with relief as Sky Beak brought forward both of her children, safe and sound.

“Oh, Terramar, Silverstream!” Ocean Flow exclaimed, wrapping her arms around both of her children and bringing them close. They hugged their mother in return, Ocean Flow breaking the embrace and looking them over. “A few scratches here and there, but nothing a little oyster cream won’t heal right up.”

Breaking her eyes away from her children, Ocean Flow stared into her husband’s gaze. She smiled, hugging her kids once again. “Thank you, Sky Beak,” she told him.

“Keep our kids safe, Ocean Flow,” Sky Beak said, his voice strong.

Rubbing their manes, she nodded. “I promise.”

Sky Beak nodded to that, spreading his wings. Terramar’s eyes widened. “Dad, what are you—?” he began to say, only to bring up a wing to shield himself from the onslaught of dirt and sand once Sky Beak kicked off the ground and took to the skies.

Lowering his wing, Terramar gasped. “Dad, wait!” he screamed, reaching out. He spread his wings, as well, but was stopped when his mother grabbed his claw and dragged him back. Terramar fought back, looking at his mother in shock.

With eyes just as hurt as his, she said, “We have to let him fight with the others, Terramar!”

“I have to help him!”

“No, you don’t!” Ocean Flow declared, reaching out her fin and grabbing Terramar’s pearl necklace. In a flash of white, Terramar was a seapony, dragged into the ocean by his mother. Even as he fought back, Ocean Flow turned to her daughter, teeth clenched as she yelled, “Silverstream, come here!”

Silverstream obeyed without question. Without a fight. She held onto her pearl, her body transforming in a flash. With her seapony form, Silverstream swam into the water, joining her mother and brother and watching as her dad took to the skies, joining the fight.

And join the fight he did. Sky Beak soared several hundred yards above the ocean, flying with the Hippogriffs that had managed to turn the tides of the onslaught at Mount Aris. The Chitauri wave that attacked the city was defeated, at the cost of so many Hippogriff lives. To Sky Beak’s grim realization, just over a hundred Hippogriffs were flying around him, all to the same target.

To the hundreds of Chitauri flying their way.

The two Leviathans charging ahead.

And the Command Center getting closer and closer to their home.

Sky Beak’s ashen expression held as he flew. Taking a moment, he observed what the remainder of the Hippogriff army had left. Numbering in just over a hundred strong, they held spears, shields, swords, and other weapons of war, their armor gleaming a bright gold, their cries echoing across the ocean’s surface. Despite facing overwhelming odds, they were fearless. They would fight to the very last Hippogriff. And so would he.

Unsheathing his sword, Sky Beak screeched as loud as he could, wings pushing him faster towards certain doom. And so many others followed him. So many Hippogriffs destined to die if they pursued the enemy any further. And they would. They would die for their people, for their home, and for their families. They would lose it all to keep them safe, even for just a moment longer.

They would…

… not face the enemy alone.

Sky Beak shot his gaze downwards, screeching out. So many others looked down as well, halting in their charge ahead to stare onto what erupted from the sea below.

They had arrived. They were there. Queen Novo’s navy. The Hippogriffs screeched, weapons held to the sky.

Several ships rose from the ocean waves. They were gray in color, their metallic armor glinting in the afternoon sunlight. Spilling torrents of water back into the sea, the Hippogriff navy stood between the Chitauri and Mount Aris. The seaponies upon the hulls of the ships all transformed into their Hippogriff forms. General Seaspray was among them, unsheathing his blade and pointing it to the alien army ahead. The massive ships, fifteen in total, charged full-steam ahead, firing off their cannons towards the Chitauri. Their firepower managed to hit several at a time, chariots erupting into nothing but flame, dead aliens falling from the sky and hitting the ocean.

Speaking of the ocean, the Queen’s naval power wasn’t the only help they received. Sky Beak watched as hundreds of seaponies rose from the waves, several leaping forward and charging towards the alien army. They all held spears. They all faced the enemy. They were all fearless.

With the seaponies backing them, Sky Beak returned to the reality of warfare and held out his sword. He screeched into the air, the Hippogriffs with him doing the same. They charged ahead. Seaspray held out his sword, screeched out into the ocean air, and sliced downwards. Instantly, massive wings began to rise out of the waves by the sides of the ships. They bounced up and down, slowly pushing the ships above the water and into the air. The propellers spun faster and faster on the sterns of the ships, keeping them airborne, pushing them higher and higher into the sky. All fifteen ships soared.

Seaspray cried out a second time, slicing at the air with his sword. All fifteen ships fired their cannons at once, striking a single Chitauri Leviathan. The beast roared, its body erupting into flame and its own destroyed armor. The ships that managed to fly by it fired once again, striking the exposed sides of the beast. The Leviathan let out one final cry before falling to the ocean below, its gargantuan body launching tower-like waves into the air before it disappeared within the blue.

Sky Beak watched it all with incredulous eyes. He watched as Novo’s navy charged right for the heart of the invading forces. Right for the Chitauri warship. And he, his people, and all of Hippogriffia followed.

Chapter 23 – Together Through a Thousand Miles

Earth

Edinburgh, Scotland

9:35 p.m.

They tried to hide it away. They’ve stayed hidden for so long, yet it was all for naught. They thought they were truly and utterly alone in the world, that they could keep it away and hide its power. But they were wrong. There was no power on Earth that could hide the Mind Stone.

He closed the curtains on the windows, shielding their presence from the outside world. It was already too late. Perched upon a building top, hidden in the shadows and the soft, drizzling rain, the Outrider stepped forward. Its claws gripped the edge of the building it stood upon, its eyeless gaze centered solely on the location of the Mind Stone. Just as they discovered last time. They never moved. They stayed exactly where they were.

They made it so much easier.

Baring its fangs, the Outrider stared one last time at the location he was bound to find. “Mind…” the creature hissed, vanishing completely out of sight. Its mission was complete.

Now off to tell its superiors.

As for the Vision, he just got off the phone. After recently closing the window curtains, very little light remained in their apartment. The only light he could truly distinguish was what came from the face of his cellphone. The call had ended, the name “Tony Stark” fading away as did the light from the phone.

And then he was caught in complete and total darkness. That is, until, the lamp at the front of the bedside popped on. In that warm, yellow glow of the light bulb, Wanda Maximoff sat on the bed, her concerned gaze falling on Vision. He looked to his cellphone's blank face, sighing and eventually meeting the young woman’s instead.

It still made him feel weak.

In just the few years they had been fighting together, the Vision found a particular interest in Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch. He never called her that. He always saw her as Wanda, as the fiery spirit of the Avengers. As the fiercest, most dangerous, most powerful woman on Earth. As the woman… he had fallen in love with.

And she could say the same for him. While most saw the Vision as an android, as the robot of the team with just a bit of a higher intellect than everyone else, Wanda saw him differently. She saw the man who was gifted with power beyond his control. He was the man who was shown strength and knowledge beyond Earth and beyond their very understanding. And he wielded that power to his advantage. Just like her. She stared at him, at the human-like design he had chosen for his disguise. She stared at the shimmering yellow light pulsating in his forehead, causing him to hunch over.

Wanda quickly got off the bed and rushed over to him, placing her palm on his chest and keeping him standing. He was wearing a dark blue shirt and tan pants, his skin a similar color. His hair was a soft blonde, his eyes a deep blue. She stared at those twin blue eyes, his gaze trailing her up and down. She wore a thin white shirt, black jeans and socks. Her dark brown hair fell straight down her head and rested, flushing over her shoulders. Her face, her eyes, her worrisome expression, all of which Vision saw as beautiful.

They had been hiding for a couple years. And in those years, they both felt something between them, something they chose to ignore at first. But as the time and the tension moved on and on, they decided to let it happen. To try and make them work. And for the two years they had been together, things weren’t as bad as they had thought it would be. Neither had been in a relationship prior, and neither Wanda nor Vision had truly been… intimate beforehand. It was different for them. It was alien at first, but through trial and error, through the unknown, they had made it work. They worked.

They had been together, as a couple, ever since.

“The Stone,” Wanda whispered, her fingers rising up and twirling closer towards Vision’s forehead. “It’s happening again.”

As the red energy flowed from Wanda’s fingers and into the Stone, Vision surprisingly waved her away. The bright yellow slowly dimmed, nothing but a dark tan remaining on his forehead. “I’m fine, Wanda,” he told her.

Even when he tried to keep his balance and eventually succeeded in doing so, Wanda remained by his side, always studying him. Knowing the foreboding expression on his face, she assumed it would be due to his previous discussion with Stark. Prompting that thought further, she placed her palm on his shoulder, asking, “What did he say?”

“Nothing… comforting,” Vision replied, his voice sounding very weak. Her palm traced upwards, meeting his cheek. His hand found her own, bringing it closer so he could kiss her palm. “It would seem my assistance is required elsewhere. The world is ready to fall apart, and Mr. Stark thinks he has a plan in order to turn the tides.”

Wanda’s hand fell. “Against that army?” she asked, backing away slightly. He just nodded, listening as she continued to sound flabbergasted. “Vis, even if he manages to assemble half the world, it still wouldn’t be enough to take on an alien army that massive.”

“Maybe not,” Vision said. He looked down to his hands, shaking his head. “But what use would there be in hiding?”

He stared at her. Wanda knew that stare. That wanting look, desperately needing her to think the same thoughts as he. She didn’t want to. She knew what he wanted and she wouldn’t have it. Wanda shook her head instantly, much to Vision’s dismay. His hands fell to his sides.

With her head still, Wanda’s breath quickened. “I can’t go back, Vis. I’m basically a wanted criminal. For all we know, this is a trick by Stark to bring me back in—”

“He would not do that to you,” Vision sternly declared, taking a step closer.

Their eyes met, the lightning meeting the fire, and they both froze. Completely alien. Completely different lifeforms. One an android, the other a monster. Polar opposite, yet somehow finding that balance and seeing deeper within. In an instant, both the intensity and the denial faded away into nothing, leaving the two practically breathless, their bodies almost touching. It was like the first time they saw each as something different than what the world saw. And it was… electric. It was just right.

Vision sighed, reaching forward and wrapping his fingers with hers. Wanda silently gasped. She shuddered under his touch, his other hand rising and caressing her cheek. She looked at him, he at her. Their differences, what made them so unique and misunderstood from the world, that is what made them feel the strongest.

Wanda sighed, a tiny smile gracing her lips. Whatever the feeling the Vision felt, be it love or something completely alien—like the Stone—it burned and rippled throughout him whenever he saw that smile. It made him want to melt in her gaze. She raised her free hand, placing it against his cheek lovingly.

Just like that, her smile faded. Her eyes became more serious, her tone falling flat. “We can’t take that chance, Vis.”

“I know,” he told her quickly, slipping the cellphone in her shaking palm. Wanda’s eyes almost fell to it, but Vision’s hand brought her towards him once more. “That is why I need you to contact Steve Rogers once I leave. He will come to you, he will offer you a safe haven, and if need be… keep you safe.”

Wanda blinked, almost smiled. “I can take care of myself, Vis.”

“I know you can.” The Vision’s hand fell from her cheek, covering her hand that held the phone and closing her fingers over it. He held her there, tightening his hands over hers. “But I can’t take that chance.”

The two stared into each other’s eyes for what felt like eternity. An eternity they wish they could have, but knowing they never could. It was a dangerous life they both lived, one on the run and the other aiding a fugitive. But they lived it for each other. They hadn’t realized their hands were still held with each other. They didn’t care. They just didn’t care.

“We’ll be together… through a thousand miles if need be,” the Vision whispered.

Wanda looked into his eyes, her own darting back and forth, looking for the strength, the deceit, all that he was and tried to become. Her pupils dilated. “I know you’re not lying,” Wanda said, a breathless gasp escaping her. “I feel you.”

Vision felt her breath on his lips, the smell of herbal tea still strong. He leaned in, inch by inch. She did the same. “I feel you,” he whispered back.

They both broke the distance and their lips met. At first, Wanda was unsure of what it would be like, kissing a robot. But she soon realized—after several times to be exact—that it probably never felt any different, and it hardly was now. His hands reached up and gently caressed her cheeks. He was always so gentle with her, the way he massaged her when they kissed. And Wanda was no different.

She placed her palms against his chest, one closed and the other trailing his pectoral. Her hand played around over his chest, fell to his abdomen, feeling his strength, trailing west to caress his rib cage. Their lips smacked, Wanda diving in for more. Vision pleased her, a short but clearly audible moan escaping the Maximoff. He knew he couldn’t do this now, not with the time they had, no matter how much he wanted to. Wanda, though a tad disappointed, felt the same. And just like that, before it could escalate into something more, it was over. They were both breathless, gazing into each other’s eyes.

A moment the two wanted to last forever, but knew it couldn't. Vision's hands fell from her cheeks, Wanda's slowly dropping to rest over her legs.

When they parted ways and Vision left the bedroom, Wanda stared at his retreat. She gripped the cellphone with both hands. She flipped it open, found Steve’s name in the contacts, and hovered over the “Call” button. She knew Vision would be safe. And she knew he would be there for her if she needed it. They would be there for one another, even if separated by a thousand miles.

Because they knew they worked.

She pressed the button and listened to the ring.

Chapter 24 – Nomad

Edinburgh, Scotland

Streets

10:03 p.m.

Wanda Maximoff was the only soul in the streets of Edinburgh. Street lamps kept the path ahead of her alive and bright, which was something she desperately needed so late at night. She had checked her phone, noticing that it was already ten at night. She sighed, feeling a chill slip through her coat.

The late-night drizzle wasn’t too bad, but the strong wind was beginning to damper her attitude, as if she wasn’t already feeling horrible as it was. Not only did she have to say goodbye to Vision so he could go fight in an impossible war, but for the first time in a long time… she was alone. It was at times as so where she would desperately wish to see her parents again, only to feel the strong arms of her brother wrap around her and keep her safe in the dark, lonesome nights in Sokovia.

Wanda stopped in the middle of the empty road. Closing her eyes, controlling her breathing, she sighed and tightened her hoodie. No more thinking of the past for her. She continued down the road for what felt like endless hours. She came across several buildings shrouded in shadow, her gaze shifting across each one. Her eyes finally landed on a large warehouse at the end of street, causing her to stop where she was.

Wanda checked her phone, to see whether or not the address Steve had texted her was the same as it read on the building. Thankfully, it was, and her search was over. She made her way towards the warehouse, where Steve told her he would pick her up.

At least, she would have, had her ears not pick up something behind her.

The Scarlet Witch spun around, her eyes alert and on the hunt for any sign of movement in the dead street behind her. Rain particles fell from the light of the street lamps, and a few vehicles were parked near the sidewalks. She scanned the rooftops, seeing nothing but shadows left and right. Up and down. It was all darkness.

She waited several seconds longer, silencing her own breathing and just listening to the quiet of the night. The rain splattered against the top of her hoodie. It hit the street softly, barely making a noise, but it was the only noise she heard. She caught no movement in the road, in the buildings, or on the rooftops. Her earlier assumption may have been true after all. Maybe she was the only soul awake that night. Maybe she was just feeling a little on edge, especially with leaving Vision. She didn’t need her emotions getting in the way of her safety.

Letting that thought sink in, Wanda turned back around and faced the warehouse. But what she saw wasn’t the building. It wasn’t the empty street ahead.

She barely caught sight of it when the foot shot forward and slammed against her chest.

“AH!” Wanda yelped, her entire body launched backwards and rolling several feet from the impact. Even when she felt her chest hurting with each breath she took in, she still gasped when she saw the dark figure leaping towards her, what appeared to be a golden spear in its hands jutted her way. The sharpest point to be specific.

Wanda rolled out of the way just as the spear stabbed the cement. Rising back to rest on one knee, Wanda observed her assailant. She was nearly dumbfounded by its appearance. It wasn’t a man, nor a woman. It didn’t even appear human. Whatever it was, it was covered in black robes, a dark hood equipped with two golden horns resting over its head. The creature’s claws gripped the handle of its spear, slowly rising up and turning its face to the Witch. Then she saw it for what it truly was. Its face snarled at her, the beast baring its fangs as its gray-colored skin wrinkled in agitation, probably to see her still breathing and moving.

She was so dumbfounded by the creature’s appearance that she nearly wasn’t ready when it struck again. This time, it screamed as it drove its glaive right for Wanda’s heart, and it nearly reached its target had Wanda not lifted her hands.

Corvus Glaive stood in disbelief, his glaive frozen just inches from her chest. It was caught in a red haze of energy, the mist spilling from her fingers and originating from the fury in her glowing red irises. Then, she grunted, rising to both feet and launching Glaive across the street with pure ease. He roared as his body tore through a glass window, disappearing into the building she flung him in.

Wanda couldn’t even catch her breath, nor could she allow her heart to settle when the second spear came her way. She ducked, spinning on her knee and rising both hands just as the three tips of the spear came down on top of her. The psionic energy flowed from her palms, freezing the spear right before it could finish the job, and in that short moment of clarity, Wanda observed her second attacker.

Although it was alien, Wanda could tell it was female. The long, blue hair and larger breastplate gave that away. Her wild eyes were filled with bloodlust, her bared teeth barely holding the hisses that slipped through. Like the other one, she had small horns on the sides of her head, but they seemed to grow from her head, colored as black as the skin surrounding her forehead and eyes. A sliver of black was painted vertically on her chin and lower lip. From her white, gold, and black armor, the alien woman stood ready for a war, the glowing blue tips of her spear pushing down further and further onto Wanda.

Had the Scarlet Witch not ducked and flung her hands over her, Proxima Midnight would have succeeded in subduing her target. Instead, Wanda fell onto her back and flung the woman completely over her, Midnight launched into a truck and splitting it in half. Wanda spun around, palm pressed to the earth, adrenaline rushing through her eyes and veins.

She darted her gaze over to the building, seeing the first alien leap out of the window she threw him in. He hit the street with his feet first, slowly rising up with his glaive in hand, snarling at the Scarlet Witch several yards ahead of him. Wanda turned her attention right, to see the alien woman rise up, struggling at first, but eventually finding her footing and glaring towards Wanda. Then slowly, weapons pointed her way, the two began to approach Wanda.

And straight ahead, Wanda could see the warehouse.

She wasted no more time with them and shot her hands to the ground, the psionic energy pulsating and launching her straight into the air. Both Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight shot their heads to the sky, watching as the Scarlet Witch tried to escape. Midnight hissed at that, raising her spear and chucking it right for her back, grunting as she did so. Looking down after hearing that grunt, Wanda yelped and spun accordingly, dodging the spear just as it was about to strike her. Doing so caused her to lose her balance, the Scarlet Witch screaming as she began to free-fall into the warehouse. She crashed through the ceiling window, impacted a pile of wooden boxes, rolled several feet more, and finally came to a rest on the cement.

Her body screamed in pain, but Wanda kept her own screams in, lest they find her faster. She knew she needed to get away, to find Steve and fast. She didn’t know if he was already there or if he was several minutes late. Whatever the answer be, Wanda knew she would most likely be late herself. That thought became all the more evident as the two aliens leapt over the wooden boxes and charged Wanda.

Grunting at the pain in her limbs, Wanda stood up anyway and readied herself for their arrival. Proxima Midnight was the first, diving forward with her spear in hand and driving it right for Wanda’s heart. She blocked it with a wave of her arm, her hand creating a red shield of energy in front of her. Proxima’s spear bounced off of it, the woman spinning accordingly and regaining her momentum. Wanda did the same, slipping to her knee as Proxima’s spear was swung for her head. She grunted as she pushed her right hand outwards, a pulse of energy knocking Midnight several yards back, her feet skidding on the cement.

Wanda didn’t even hesitate to shoot her hands to the left, catching Corvus Glaive in mid-air and flinging him across the warehouse. Glaive impacted several wooden boxes, his spear falling from his grip, clattering on the ground as his body did the same. She watched his descent, quickly turning back towards her second adversary.

Midnight was already going after her.

Wanda’s palm shimmered a bright red, the young woman growling at the bottom of her throat. Then they went at it. Proxima swung both the three tips of her spear and the sharpened blade at the other end for Wanda’s head and exposed parts, but each time the Maximoff would shield herself and retort with a blast of energy from her fingertips. Midnight hissed and snarled with each strike she delivered and only grew more furious the longer the Witch continued to block her. It reached the breaking point when Proxima raised the blade at the bottom of her spear and brought it down for Wanda’s shoulder. The Maximoff, however, managed to back off in time, the blade impacting the ground inches from her feet. As if that wasn’t enough, Wanda proceeded to keep the spear stuck to the cement, the red haze surrounding Midnight’s weapon and slowly slithering up to her arms.

Proxima gritted her teeth, slowly looking up and meeting the Witch’s gaze. She stared into the shimmering red irises, seeing the adrenaline and the determination flooding through her. Midnight’s right hand was slowly consumed by Wanda’s magic, but she ripped her left arm back just in time. Just in time to bring it back and form her palm into a fist. Just in time to punch Wanda across the face before her magic could consume her.

Wanda’s neck twisted left from the strike, the taste of warm metal growing in her mouth. Wanda cried out, unprepared for the kick in her back that sent her sprawling onto the cement below her. She hit the ground with a painful grunt, instantly turning onto her back and raising her hands just as the glowing blue blade on Midnight’s spear came down on top of her. Her magic caught the blade right before it could slice her neck, Wanda seething at the pain in her cheek and struggling to hold the weapon away from her.

Before she knew it, she was face to face with the alien woman. Proxima Midnight bared her teeth once more, continuing the pressure from her spear and slowly easing downwards onto the Witch. She struggled to keep the weapon away from her, her breathing increasing at a terrifying rate to see the blade grow nearer to her throat.

“Enough games, girl!” Glaive shouted, picking up his weapon and slowly approaching Wanda’s prone form. Wanda lifted her head back, her eyes catching the second alien appearing upside down from where she lay, but clearly standing and nearing her with his glaive in hand.

Hissing, Wanda struggled to breathe, looking back to the alien on top of her. “What do you want from me?!” she yelled, still managing to hold the blade inches from her with her magic.

“Where is the Vision?!” Proxima Midnight screamed. The blade grew even closer, Wanda screaming as she felt its edge on her neck. “Where is the Mind Stone?!”

Her screams echoed throughout the warehouse, like a cry for help. Wanda always believed she could take care of herself, but against such odds, against such dangerous opponents, it was surely beyond her control alone. She continued to scream, cry, yell out for someone, anyone to respond.

Her screams never went without an answer.

Corvus Glaive felt an unnatural force slam into his side, sending him crashing through a glass window and into a small backroom within the warehouse. Proxima Midnight shot up her eyes, easing the pressure on her blade for just a moment to catch a glimpse at what had struck her husband. The darkness of the warehouse gave her no support, but she did manage to see a flash of silver and red disappear into the shadows of the ceiling.

She stood up, weapon in hand as the Scarlet Witch below her clutched her throat and eased her breathing. She was still alive, turning her attention once to the alien woman and then to the direction she stared. Within the shadows of the warehouse, a sliver of light remained from the light bulb slowly rocking back and forth above. But behind it, still standing in the shadows and even darker than the blackness itself, a lone figure stood.

Proxima Midnight narrowed her eyes, seeing no one she recognized in the shadows. All she saw was an enemy, someone preventing them for fulfilling their mission. So, she raised her spear, and with a powerful scream, chucked the three-pointed end right for the dark figure. The spear flew through the air without fault, with true precision and accuracy. It flew so fast and so direct that nothing would be able to stop it in time, especially with the distance between the two. Nothing she knew of.

Midnight’s smile completely fell apart when the figure caught her spear at the last second.

It was so fast, so unreal that she had to take a second look and see if what she witnessed was true. The figure lowered its right hand that caught the spear, bringing the weapon to its side and slowly, so very slowly, stepping into the light.

She barely understood what she saw. It was a man, wearing a dark gray and white attire. His skin was filthy and tan. His dull, blonde hair was slicked back, an unkempt dark blonde beard resting on his humorless face. But what Midnight was truly enamored with were his eyes. The lack of mercy, the pure, fiery and kindled determination that burned bright in each orb was something she nearly shuddered to stare into for too long. The fact that he—whoever he was—managed to catch her spear and glare her down was something she didn’t take lightly. She didn’t even know who he was or what he wanted, but she already wanted to see his corpse beneath her boot.

But Wanda knew who it was right away.

It may have been two years, but she could never forget the face of Captain America.

Just like she could never forget her friend, Steve Rogers.

Proxima Midnight screamed, showing her claws and charging the man standing under the light. Steve reacted instantly, chucking the spear right back at her. Midnight ducked to the right, noticing how off the throw was. It took a second to comprehend and realize his attention was never to hit her, but to throw the spear to his compatriot.

She caught it with pure ease.

She looked at the spear with a determined glare.

The Black Widow found her target.

As Corvus Glaive jumped out from the backroom and out into the open once more, he was the first enemy that Natasha Romanoff saw. She charged his way, Glaive spinning about just in time to swing for her head. Natasha slid on her knees, her white hair bouncing to her movements as she sliced the blade on the end of Midnight’s spear into Corvus’ abdomen. The blade cut through his armor easily, Glaive clutching the wound, staring at the blood that painted his claw. He roared at her, but was unprepared for when the Widow drove all three points of the spear right into his chest.

Proxima Midnight cried out. The weapon sunk deep into Corvus’ chest, Glaive’s mouth falling open and refusing to close. He glared at the woman that had struck him. Natasha glared right on back, her white bangs covering her right eye. It hardly shielded the fury that shimmered in each of her eyes. She pushed her point, driving the spear deeper into his heart. To her surprise, Corvus continued to raise his weapon, ready to bring it down on the Widow.

Rogers was already there. He slammed his shoulder right through Proxima Midnight, sending the woman spiraling into a pile of boxes. Like a steaming freight train, Steve Rogers leapt forward towards Corvus’ backside, ripping his glaive right out of his hands, spinning it once, and driving it right through him.

Corvus Glaive caught his breath, looking down to see his own weapon pierced right through his chest and stopping a foot from where the Widow stood, the spear she held imbedded within Corvus’ body. He gave one last furious growl, glaring at the Widow the entire time before his head fell slack.

Natasha ripped out the spear, stepping back. Steve Rogers did the same, watching as Glaive’s body hit the ground without another sound. The only remaining sound in the warehouse came from Proxima Midnight’s piercing cries. Both Steve and Natasha turned accordingly, watching as Midnight tore her way through the boxes she crashed into and pounced towards Rogers. Neither Steve nor Natasha even moved. They saw him quickly approaching in the corner of their vision.

And they watched as the Falcon dove down and slammed his feet against Midnight.

She fell with astounding force into the cement, her body rolling several feet before she forced herself into a pouncing position. As she stood up, she raised her claws, glaring at her approaching enemy. The Falcon, with metal wings extended, slowed down mere feet in front of Midnight. She slashed at him, but he deflected her strike with a wing and raised his left leg, using the speed from his jetpack to deliver the devastating kick that sent Midnight crashing into the hard wall.

Her body fell without another movement, lying on the cement in total silence.

Sam Wilson finally landed, his wings retracting into his jetpack. He analyzed her body for a moment longer with his goggles, and for several seconds she still didn’t move. Knocked out cold. She still had a pulse, though.

“Sam!” Steve called to him, earning Wilson’s attention. His expression said it all.

“She’s alive,” Sam confirmed, earning a nod from Steve. “Him?”

Both Rogers and Romanoff looked down to the body of the alien they had killed. A small pool of blood began to build around him. Steve just sighed, shaking his head. “Dead,” he answered.

Natasha shook her head, dropping the bloody spear she held next to him. “We need to move.”

Steve and Sam both nodded, turning their heads back to hear Wanda’s continued groaning. “Wanda, are you okay?” Steve asked, dropping the glaive by the alien’s body and rushing to Wanda’s side. He held out his hand for her, holding her shoulder as she tried to stand.

“Yeah, I’m fine, Steve,” she grunted as he pulled her to her feet. She lifted up her eyes, staring into Steve’s own. The merciless glare he held not too long ago was gone, replaced only with the caring expression he carried with him through thick and thin. Wanda managed a short but sweet smile. “Thank you.”

Noticing the trail of blood leaving her upper lip, Steve nodded her way and helped her stand. She yelped as her feet touched the ground, a pain rippling in her backside. Steve bent down, wrapping her arm across his shoulder and keeping her steady. “Quinjet’s just outside. Let’s go,” he said, addressing his team.

As the four made their escape deeper into the warehouse, none of them—not even Falcon—checked the pulse on Corvus Glaive. He slowly raised his claw, gripping his glaive tightly.

Falcon closed the large door behind them, locking it and ensuring they were alone by scanning the room with his goggles. Aside from the towering piles of boxes and supplies, there were no other pulses but their own in the gargantuan room. The ceiling spilled shattered moonlight through the window-panes, but other than that they were trapped in complete darkness.

Natasha led the group while Steve aided the limping Wanda through the storage room. It was the same area they had entered the warehouse earlier, and it was close to where they had hidden the Quinjet outside. They were almost home.

“Hold tight, Wanda,” Steve told her, feeling her body clench in pain as they moved swiftly and silently through the darkness of the room. “We’re almost there. We’ll get you the medical you need.”

“Vision…” she whispered back to him. “They wanted… Vision.”

Steve blinked at that, turning his eyes to meet Wanda’s expression. Her eyes were barely open, her upper lip cut and bleeding pretty badly. “Are you saying they wanted our Vision?” Sam asked, running up to her opposite side that wasn’t occupied by Steve. Wanda weakly nodded.

“Why?” Natasha asked, looking over her shoulder.

Wanda steadied her breathing, staring at the floor as she answered, “They wanted the Mind Stone.”

Steve stopped. Natasha did, too. They all did. Caught under the moonlight, the soft patter of rain on the windows above being the only sound amongst the group of four, Steve slowly turned his eyes to meet Wanda’s, the woman’s worrisome expression held his way.

Breathing softly, Wanda shook her head. “What’s happening?” she asked.

For a moment too long, Steve didn’t answer. He held Wanda close, the woman shaking in pain in his strong grasp. Sam gulped and looked to the floor. Natasha came close to Steve’s side, saying, “First an entire alien planet appears next to Earth, then the Chitauri start invading every goddamn nation in the world, and now we got two aliens looking for the Mind Stone.”

Steve nodded grimly, his jaw tightening. “There’s something bigger going on here,” he said.

“We need to protect Vision,” Wanda muttered. “We need to find… Stark.”

He looked at her. Sam and Natasha followed, staring blankly at Wanda’s expression. “Stark?” Steve asked, almost as if the name hurt to say, his own voice struggling to keep the strength.

Wanda nodded, coughing. “Vision went to him, to help him in the fight against the Chitauri. He told me to contact you… right before he left.”

He heard her words, but Steve hardly brought them close. He was too lost in thought, thinking only of Tony Stark and his unfortunate last encounter with him two years prior. Back when things were easier to fully grasp, to know when someone was right and wrong, and to know who the true enemy was. Even when those lines were blurred at first, they became clearer down the road, but even then, it was already too late.

The Avengers were broken apart. Fractured, left only in the hands of Stark and whoever stood with him. And Steve kept his promise, that whenever Stark needed him, no matter what, he would be there. He and those who stood with him.

But for some reason, for something that Steve didn’t want to delve too far into, he just couldn’t bring himself to make the first move. To call Stark for help. For all he knew, Stark would track their location the second he called, send a squad courtesy from Secretary Ross to arrest them, and end whatever feud they had when Steve and his team were behind bars.

With what was happening in the world, Steve doubted that idea. Slightly. He didn’t know if taking the chance was the right idea.

So, instead he told her, “We need to get you somewhere safe, Wanda.”

“We need to help Vision!” Wanda shouted, backing away from Steve and managing to stand on her own two feet. She wobbled a bit, but held strong, glaring at Rogers. “If they get to him first, if they try and take the Mind Stone from him… he’ll die!”

Steve stood dumbfounded, Natasha on his left and Sam on his right, all staring silently at the Maximoff. “Please, Steve,” Wanda begged, her eyes burning and tears threatening to fall. “Please…”

“She’s right,” Natasha said. Both Steve and Sam turned her way, waiting silently as she continued, a slight hesitation in her voice. “It’s time to put these scars behind us and focus on what truly matters. We need to keep Vision safe. If that means facing Tony again, then we’ll do whatever it takes.”

Steve hesitated. He wanted to, at least, but after seeing the expression in Natasha’s eyes, turning back to stare into Wanda’s own, he felt the weight push harder and harder on his shoulders. Sam offered no help, waiting on Rogers’ answer. After thinking on it longer, several seconds turning into nearly a full minute, Steve eventually faced Wanda head-on. He threw his emotions aside, forced himself to focus on what truly mattered, as Natasha said.

And he nodded. “You’re right.”

Steve reached into his back pocket, pulling out his cellphone. He flipped it open, went to contacts, and stared at the only other number available besides Wanda's. The one that read “Tony Stark”. He stared at it for several seconds, stared at Wanda. Stared at her desperate eyes. Taking in a deep breath, he looked back at the phone and almost pressed “Call”.

“Incoming!”

Sam’s warning was barely met with response. His wings extended, his jetpack launching him into the air by the time the spear was sent hurtling where he once stood. The team scattered, Wanda slipping onto her back and Steve looking straight upwards. Straight into the darkness. He heard the piercing cry, saw the glowing blue spear and the woman it belonged to falling right from the black and downwards to him. Steve instantly backed away, watching as the woman touched ground and drove her boot right into his abdomen.

Steve flew back, impacting the side of a large pile of supplies. Once he hit the floor, he looked up to see his cellphone lying directly ahead of him, its face still bright but the call not going through.

Its light faded once the foot came down and crushed it.

Steve clenched his jaw, following the leg upwards until he saw the familiar black robes, the alien-like armor, the vicious-looking spear, and the horrific glare of Corvus Glaive. Still alive. Still killing for a fight he knew Rogers was capable of. Proxima Midnight rose to full height, standing close to her husband, weapon jutted outwards just as his was.

Baring his fangs, Glaive hissed, “Wretched humans.”

Steve got back up, glaring just the same at the duo.

Then they struck.

Both Midnight and Glaive swarmed Rogers in a wave of slashes from their weapons and bellowing cries. The screams were meant to disorient him, to make him clutch his head as their piercing wails assaulted his eardrums. Surprisingly enough, he stood unaffected, dodging and blocking the oncoming strikes with fluid precision. He delivered his own counter-attacks with vivid accuracy and mind-boggling superiority. Both Glaive and Midnight nearly fell to their knees when Steve blocked their weapons with just his wrists and struck them in their abdomens.

It didn’t end there. Steve jumped, swinging his left leg and smacking Midnight across the face. She hit the supply crates to her far left, dropping her spear as she did so. Corvus drove his glaive right for Steve’s face, but he ducked and gored the Black Order member with his shoulder, driving him into the door where they had entered. Glaive crumbled to the floor, clutching his wound.

Midnight growled as she got to her feet, charging Rogers with his back turned. In the corner of her vision, she looked right and swung in that direction when the Black Widow tried to catch her with her attention elsewhere. Natasha leaned her neck back, sliding underneath Midnight’s blade and appearing on her opposite side.

The two stood face to face for a second, Natasha driving her foot into Proxima’s chest. The Black Order member screamed, swinging her spear back and driving it towards the Widow. It was caught in a powerful grasp, prompting her to turn back and see Steve Rogers gripping the end of her spear. His glare was all she needed to see. She kicked him in the gut and swung for his head.

But Natasha was already on her, driving her fists into her backside, nearly causing Midnight to crumble. She let out a painful yelp, spinning back and going for Natasha. Doing so broke her attention from Rogers, allowing him to drive his boot into her leg and cause her to fall to one knee. In her wounded state, Natasha drove her fist across Midnight’s temple, spinning her to face Rogers. He delivered a powerful punch across her left cheek, sending her back to Romanoff. The Black Widow kicked her square in the chest, launching her into Steve’s grasp. And he tossed her clear across the room, right into the door where Glaive hit and onto the floor where he lay.

Her spear fell to the floor next to Corvus’ glaive. She coughed violently, looking up through blurry vision to see Rogers, Romanoff, and Wilson approach them. His large, metallic wings retracted into his jetpack, a pair of Steyr SPPs in his hands, pointed her way. She glared at them, but focused the majority of her attention on her wounded husband. “Get up… get up!” she urged him.

“Last warning,” Steve growled, his fists clenched. “Surrender now.”

Proxima hissed at them through clenched teeth.

“We don’t want to kill you,” Natasha said, stopping when Sam and Steve both did, mere feet in front of the two aliens. Her eyes were without humor, her tone beyond the point of serious. “But we will.”

“Who do you work for?” Sam asked, machine pistols trained on Midnight.

Glaive slowly lifted up his head. Midnight turned to him, her hand resting over his heart. Her voice returned, much more vile and sinister than prior. “You’ve already lost. Your corpses will be the few of the billions that will lie at our feet. Our father will tear apart these miserable worlds until he’s satisfied.”

When she turned to them, her eyes were practically on fire with how enraged she looked. Sam almost took a step back, Natasha followed. Steve stood his ground, meeting her glare with his own.

She showed off her sharpened teeth, growling, “And we’ll tear apart this entire island to find the Stone.”

And before they could respond, a blue beam of light showered down on the two of them, their bodies flying up into the air. Steve, Natasha, and Sam looked upwards, saw as their bodies vanished through the glass and completely disappeared into the night sky. The beam of light was still there. It wouldn’t be for long.

“Come on! We can’t let them escape!” Steve ordered, spinning around and taking off for the exit. Natasha was right behind him, Wilson just as close. “Sam, get Wanda!”

Right before they could pass her, Sam bent down and wrapped Wanda’s arm over his shoulder, bringing the woman close to him as he helped her out of the warehouse. He followed Steve and Natasha, Rogers slamming himself shoulder-first into the door they locked behind them once they entered the warehouse for the first time that night. The lock broke off instantly, the door swinging open and allowing all four to step out into the cool, night rain.

As they stepped outside, they saw the beam of light from where it originated. They were witnesses to the final threat Proxima Midnight gave them. They were witnesses to the Chitauri warship that descended upon the city.

Chapter 25 – Reinforcements

Equus

Mount Aris

3:14 p.m.

To say things could have gone from bad to worse for the Hippogriffs was an understatement.

Shortly after they had killed the first Chitauri Leviathan and went to work on the second one, three more spawned from the underbelly of the Chitauri Command Center, a plethora of Chitauri chariots and starships joining the fight. The battle in the skies raged on for nearly an hour afterwards, Hippogriffs filling the skies and colliding with the Chitauri air dominance.

Consisting of the Hippogriff army were Sky Beak, Stratus Skyranger, the Hippogriff Royal Guard, and several other citizens who answered the call to arms and chose to defend their home and their families. Queen Novo’s navy left the seas and took to the skies to join the fight in the air. Their fifteen ships soared through the sky, firing off their cannons towards the Leviathans and any Chitauri that tried to swarm them. General Seaspray led the charge on the lead ship, sword in claw, directing the cannons where to fire.

The Hippogriffs were outnumbered five to one. The Chitauri filled the sky like locusts, completely overpowering the Hippogriffs that broke away from formation. Dead bodies, both Hippogriff and Chitauri, fell every second, down to the awaiting ocean beneath them. While the Hippogriffs may have had a disadvantage in the air, where they truly held the backbone of their defense was in the ocean. The Chitauri that flew too low, that tried to sneak through the fight to attack Mount Aris, were instantly taken down by the seaponies.

They leapt out of the water like dolphins, spears in their fins and launching the pointed ends right for the Chitauri piloting the chariots. The Chitauri couldn’t fight back against them. They appeared too fast for them to react, then disappeared within the waves before they could retaliate. Any Chitauri that flew too low was gone. The majority stayed in the skies.

Where the Hippogriffs were quickly losing the fight.

Several seaponies abandoned the ocean once they saw the disadvantage, transforming into their Hippogriff forms to aid in the air. Even then, it helped little against the overwhelming odds. Sky Beak in particular found the fight to become more and more pointless as time went on. He latched himself onto a chariot, driving his sword into the alien that piloted it. The chariot fell down to the ocean, Sky Beak flying off and watching as its occupants were swarmed and killed by seaponies.

Wiping his brow, Sky Beak struggled to catch his breath. He hadn’t stopped fighting for almost an hour, and yet the battle was no closer to being won. No matter how many aliens he killed in defense of his people, there would always be more awaiting him. More that kept exiting the large warship that kept getting closer to Mount Aris. The miles between the two were dwindling. Soon enough, there wouldn’t be any power great enough to stop the aliens from destroying their home.

Their options were running out, as was the distance between the warship and the mountain. And to make matters even worse, he heard a terrible sound. Sky Beak looked back to the skies, back to the fight, to see a Leviathan roar and shake the very fabric of reality itself. Sky Beak felt his bones quiver from the power of its bellow. It flew directly over him, the Chitauri that latched onto its hide firing off several bolts of energy to the naval ships.

A single Hippogriff naval ship fired away at the Leviathan, but it did little to nothing without aid from the other ships. The Leviathan roared, dipping its fins downwards and striking the ship, severing it completely in half. A gargantuan explosion resulted from the impact, a shock wave so great that it knocked Sky Beak back several feet in the air. The Leviathan flew off unharmed. The naval ship fell to the ocean below, covered in flames. Sky Beak shuddered as he saw several Hippogriffs just the same, their smoldering bodies impacting the water.

A distress horn resounded from a second ship, prompting Sky Beak’s attention to the far left of the sky. He could only watch in horror as another Hippogriff ship was completely and utterly swarmed from all angles by chariots and starships, their blaster bolts tearing apart the hull of the ship. An explosion followed shortly, a bright orange and yellow infecting the air as the ship fell from the sky. The Hippogriffs that flew towards the ship to help it instantly retreated as the Chitauri turned their attention onto them, abandoning the ship they had destroyed.

That wasn’t the end of it. Sky Beak could even see a third ship to his right swarmed just the same. The chariots flew over it, several Chitauri leaping off and landing on the deck of the ship, slaughtering the Hippogriffs on board with their laser rifles. The flames consumed the entirety of it, the naval ship slowly falling from the sky and landing in the ocean. A massive explosion followed once it hit the water, seaponies fleeing but several caught in the blast.

And just like that, in the span of less than a minute, they had lost three of their fifteen ships.

And Sky Beak was utterly frozen. His shell-shocked eyes stared at nothing, the carnage of the battle appearing as just a blur in his vision. He could see as General Seaspray screeched out into the air, the naval ships quickly retreating from the fight lest they lose anymore. The Leviathans chased after them, the responding cannon fire doing nothing to their tough exteriors. More and more bodies dropped like rocks from the sky, blue blaster bolts firing over his head, the final cries from dying Hippogriffs assaulting his eardrums until nothing but a piercing ring was all that was left.

“Sky Beak!”

He shook his head, the ringing slowly fading away once he turned his attention to his fellow Hippogriff. She tried to catch her breath, hovering mere feet in front of him. Several others trailed behind her, holding bloody swords and spears but looking absolutely lost. Like they came to Sky Beak for answers to the madness.

“The warship is getting closer to Mount Aris! We have to stop them here and now! What do you suggest we do?!”

They came to the wrong Hippogriff.

Although he tried his best to hide it, Sky Beak appeared just as broken, terrified, lost, and confused on the situation and how to handle it. Their best form of retaliation, the Queen’s naval power, was retreating back to Mount Aris. Without it, the Chitauri decimated what remained of the Hippogriff army. More bodies of Hippogriffs fell than Chitauri, the numbers quickly dwindling the longer they waited for Sky Beak to come up with a plan, any plan, to stop the warship from reaching Hippogriffia.

But he had none. Not one.

The screams of his fellow Hippogriffs assaulted his eardrums for so long.

... Until the sound of thunder ceased those screams.

The Hippogriffs ahead of him lifted their eyes, their attention brought to the darkening sky behind Sky Beak. He joined them, watching as the sun was slowly blotted by an oncoming wave of storm clouds. The battle, despite the storm coming, kept raging on. But when a powerful horn cried out into the air, it caught even the attention of the invading Chitauri forces.

Heads turned around. The fighting ceased for a moment. All eyes stared into the dark clouds moving with such an unnatural precision towards the battle. And within that darkness, two glowing blue slits appeared, and an airship tore through the storm clouds and entered the light under the sun. Sky Beak, as well as everygriff around him, gasped in shock. They knew the airship. From its ominous appearance, its entrance, and the blue symbol on the face of it.

The same airship that belonged to the late Storm King, now back in the Hippogriffs’ home.

And as with the thunder that came from the exhaust of the airship, the terrible lightning followed suit, this time from the bridge of the airship. In a powerful and resounding crack that caused nearly every Hippogriff to cover their ears just at the sound of it, a bolt of lightning shot from the bridge of the airship, tore through the air with unrealistic speeds, and struck the heart of the battle.

The Hippogriffs shielded themselves from the lightning.

They felt only the electricity tingle their feathers, but no pain. Sky Beak and the Hippogriffs that remained stared in awe as the lightning broke apart in several web-like strings and hit only one thing: the Chitauri. Not a single Hippogriff was harmed. The Chitauri were.

They so were.

The lightning continued on for several seconds, the bolts shooting outwards and striking chariots and starships alike. Explosions and eruptions appeared at every second, dead Chitauri and burning ships falling down to the ocean. The lightning strikes filled the entire battle, leaving nothing but the Hippogriffs flying when it finally ended. The Hippogriffs that remained screeched out into the air, raising their swords and spears to the airship that flew past them.

Sky Beak slowly began to smile. He, too, alongside his Hippogriff brothers and sister, screeched into the air and raised his weapon.

And as for Tempest Shadow, she stood her ground at the bow of her airship. Her shattered horn began to crackle with electrified energy, the glare in her eyes and the ferocity on her face showing the pain and power she unleashed upon the second lightning spell.

Captain Celaeno ordered the airship’s direction accordingly, pointing her sword to the Chitauri Leviathan directly ahead of them. “Charge it from below, where its armor is weakest!”

Boyle the parrot saluted with his hook, directing the airship accordingly. Tempest had already fired her spell, the bolts of lightning shooting out from her horn and creating the brightest lightshow the pirates had ever seen. It created quite the spectacular amount of damage as well, the Leviathan’s underbelly erupting into a fury of fire, armor, and its own burning skin. The beast cried out one final time, the electricity circulating across its entire body until it eventually dropped from the sky. The airship flew out from under it just in time, the body of the Leviathan crashing into the waves.

Tempest yelled in pain, falling back onto the deck of the airship and clutching the area around her broken horn. Mullet and Lix Spittle came to her side, helping her back to her armor-plated hooves. They turned to their captain, who nodded and held out her sword.

“Approaching the second serpent! Fire the harpoon on my command!”

The remaining two Leviathans were far too preoccupied trying to chase down Queen Novo’s naval ships to pay any attention to the small airship approaching them from the side. By the time they realized its presence, it was already too late.

“Fire!” Captain Celaeno screamed, swiping down with her sword.

The front of the airship opened, firing a single harpoon that tore through the air and impaled the nearest Leviathan by its neck. The chain tightened, the harpoon latching on and refusing to let go. The Leviathan cried out in pain, breaking away from the chase and centering its widening jaw on the airship.

“Full throttle on the engines!”

Then, in an instant, the airship barreled upwards at speeds beyond what it flew at earlier. The increasing speed and power from the ship’s engines, followed by the weakening strength of the Leviathan, allowed the airship to pull it by its harpoon. The Leviathan was yanked backwards, the airship pulling over its head, then taking a dive towards the ocean.

Just before it could touch the waves, the airship pulled up, dragging the Leviathan into the ocean and killing it upon impact on the sea floor. The harpoon retracted soon afterwards, the airship taking to the skies once more.

And they weren’t alone anymore.

Watching the two Leviathans crumble from the air, General Seaspray ordered the naval ships to turn back. The remaining twelve made a dangerous 180, charging ahead to the final Leviathan that remained airborne. They circled the beast, firing their cannons in unison and bringing the beast down in a flurry of flame and dying screams. The Leviathan hit the ocean with an astounding explosion, its armor and body parts flying outwards.

Together, the Hippogriffs joined back in the fight alongside Tempest Shadow’s airship. A fresh wave of Chitauri chariots and starships exited the warship, charging towards the Hippogriffs and resuming the battle, now the disadvantage being on the Chitauri’s side.

“Who’s piloting that ship?!” a Hippogriff screamed, bringing Sky Beak out of his awe-stricken daze. He couldn’t even formulate any words. Thankfully, he didn’t have to.

“Reinforcements,” Stratus Skyranger answered, flying to join the small group of Hippogriffs that had swarmed around Sky Beak. “We’ll need to act now on the warship while they’re buying us time! Anygriff have any ideas?!”

A moment of silence filled the thirteen Hippogriffs, each of them looking to one another for answers, some turning to Sky Beak who had remained quiet the entire time. Sky Beak, unbeknownst to them, already had a plan cooking the moment he turned his attention back to the alien warship. He stared at the Chitauri warship, saw how low to the ocean it was. Probably less than a hundred yards above the water. Sky Beak gently caressed the piece of the Pearl of Transformation around his neck.

“The shard of the magic pearl can transform any Hippogriff into anything they desire, correct?” Sky Beak asked. Several Hippogriffs were taken aback by his strange request, turning to the Royal Guard member for an answer.

“According to our queen, yes,” Skyranger replied with a nod.

“I know what to do!” Sky Beak declared, gripping onto the pearl piece, a shimmer of light appearing in his clenched claw. “Follow my lead!”

He instantly dove downwards, down to the ocean below them. Although somewhat hesitant, the remaining Hippogriffs, including Skyranger and the Royal Guard that followed him, all dove down to the ocean and slipped through the waves. Although they could see several hundred dead bodies filling the ocean, their eyes widened when they saw what Sky Beak had transformed into.

And they followed him, every Hippogriff gripping their pearl piece.

Three more Leviathans, the last ones the Command Center had, were unleashed into the battle. The Hippogriffs engaged with the Chitauri, blaster bolts tearing through their golden armor and dead Hippogriffs falling from the sky. Queen Novo’s naval ships engaged with the Leviathans, the Chitauri swarming them, the Chitauri doing the same with Tempest’s airship.

Several Chitauri ground forces leapt from their chariots and landed on the deck of Tempest’s airship. They were instantly met with the fury and strength of the Storm Creatures, their blaster bolts doing nothing to their superior shields and armor. Tempest Shadow growled at the sight of the aliens on her deck. She fired another spell, one not as powerful as her previous, but nearly as deadly. The lightning struck each Chitauri, their dead bodies falling flat on the airship’s deck.

“Alien scum,” Tempest sneered, turning her eyes away from their smoldering corpses and staring out into the open skies, where the battle for Hippogriffia continued to rage.

Until…

Tempest heard it. She and every Storm Creature, pirate, Hippogriff, and Chitauri heard it even through the madness of warfare that consumed the air. Tempest rushed over to the side of her airship, peeking over and gazing wondrously to the ocean below. She paid no heed to the alien warship directly beneath her ship, now only a mile away from Mount Aris and closing fast.

Until…

… it was stopped.

Tempest’s jaw fell.

General Seaspray lowered his sword, his beak falling in shock.

Every Hippogriff looked to the ocean below them, below the Chitauri Command Center, and stared in awe as the towering tentacles rose from the water.

There were so many, too many to count. The tentacles were gargantuan in size, colored a dark brown as torrents of ocean water fell from their rising height. They surrounded the entire alien warship, and, all coming down at once, wrapped themselves around it. The Chitauri responded instantly, shrieking in horror and fleeing back to the warship, firing away at the tentacles. Even the Leviathan retreated from the fight in order to save the Command Center. But they, alongside the Chitauri that tried to flee, were taken down by Tempest Shadow’s airship, Novo’s navy, and the combined forces of the Hippogriff and seapony army.

Then, miraculously enough, the tentacles continued to pull down further and further until the Command Center—even with its massive strength and exterior—eventually gave in. The engines died out trying to stay airborne. The Chitauri Command Center collapsed and fell from the sky, the tentacles pulling it into the ocean.

Once the warship exploded with enough light and power to rival the sun itself, the tentacles vanished. Just… vanished… in a flash of white.

The rest followed shortly.

With the Command Center destroyed, the Chitauri still in the air instantly died. So quick. So painless. Their bodies, their chariots, their ships all plummeted to the ocean, where they met a murky demise within the darkness. The remaining Leviathans all died. All dropped. All fell into the ocean. Their corpses remained over the waters, just barely over the waves.

And with that, the Hippogriffs and seaponies emerged victorious.

Sky Beak, Stratus Skyranger, and the remaining Hippogriffs flew out from the sea, the pearls around their necks dimming down. They joined in on the victory, staring in awe at the carnage that remained.

Novo’s naval ships, the twelve that survived, returned to rest on the ocean’s face. The Hippogriff’s upon them screeched in joy, weapons held to the sky. Hippogriffs flew back and forth, screeching and cheering. The seaponies below leapt out of the water, cheering over their victory. The massive carcasses from the alien serpents remained sticking out of the ocean, all remaining chariots and starships sinking below. The remains of the warship were consumed by the ocean, only fires remaining where its husk lied.

“Dad!”

Instantly, Sky Beak was met with his two children, Terramar and Silverstream, the two in their Hippogriff forms as they flew up and tackled their father in a hug. He chuckled at that, returning the hug with an equally-powerful one. Lifting his gaze, he was met with the smiling and appreciative face of his wife, Ocean Flow, flying alongside her fellow Hippogriffs.

As he broke the hug with his children and embraced his wife, the Hippogriffs surrounding him cheered his name, holding their weapons in their air, all of them cheering for Sky Beak. He and his family hovered in silence, each of them smiling wider and wider.

“That was some quick thinking there, Sky Beak!” Skyranger announced, smacking Sky Beak on the back. “Transforming into krakens and bringing down their mother ship? Absolutely brilliant! You saved our hides back there!”

But Sky Beak wasn’t staring at his fellow Hippogriffs. He was far too focused on the airship that flew towards Mount Aris.

Still holding onto his family, knowing for certain they were safe and sound, Sky Beak said, “I wasn’t the only one.”

Queen Novo, along with her personal guard, stepped out onto the balcony of Hippogriffia Castle. Her daughter, Princess Skystar, was allowed to join her when they received word that the aliens were defeated. But Queen Novo’s wing was still extended downwards in a protective manner, still shielding her daughter once the late Storm King’s airship hovered towards their castle.

The guards readied their weapons, just in case anything might arise from it. Strangely enough, the airship did not attack. Instead, it paused just in front of the balcony, descending until the ramp met the balcony and the airship’s occupants met the gazes of the Hippogriff royalty. Skystar peeked out from her mother’s wing, a small gasp escaping her.

Standing on the bridge was Tempest Shadow, the Storm King’s leading commander and now leader of his remaining forces. Her expression held no humor, just deathly seriousness and urgency. Joining her was Captain Celaeno and her parrot pirate crew. Behind Tempest, her Storm Guard stood at the ready, weapons and shields gripped tightly in their paws. The Hippogriff Royal Guard growled at that, tightening the grips on their weapons. The Storm Guards, however, didn’t look ready for a fight. They looked like they just got out of one, and considering the aftermath Novo and her guards could see from the castle, they probably did.

And they probably helped them win.

Queen Novo held out her claw to her guards, who lowered their weapons upon their queen’s orders. Novo stood in silence after that, studying the expressions from the pirates, to Tempest’s adrenaline-filled eyes, and finally to her little companion. By Tempest’s side, the obese hedgehog smirked at the queen and her daughter, stepping forward.

“Oh, yeah, that’s what I’m talking about!” Grubber shouted, waving his pudgy little paws in the air. “We came in, we took care of business, and we saved Hippogriffia like total bosses! Kind of ironic that we pretty much destroyed this place last time we came here, but we saved it now! Boom!”

Both Novo and Tempest seemed to ignore that outburst, their attention focused forward, on each other. Taking the next step closer, Queen Novo cleared her throat, her somewhat distrustful eyes centered on Tempest and her forces.

“Well, well, well… what have we here?” Novo began. Skystar appeared right by her side, her mother’s wing stopping her from proceeding any further. Her wing couldn’t hide the smile, though, no matter how hard she tried. “Tempest Shadow. I prayed I would never see your face in Hippogriffia again, considering your last visit.”

Then, to everyone’s surprise, Tempest instantly fell to her face, bowing in respect to the Queen of the Hippogriffs and her daughter. The Storm Creatures did the same, lowering their heads and falling to one knee. Even the pirates followed, which surprised Novo the most considering they were, well, pirates. Grubber’s eyes darted back and forth, and then he finally decided to bow alongside Tempest. He was too late, Tempest already rising back to full height.

“Apologies, Your Majesty, but we have far greater threats to deal with.”

Her voice was filled with urgency, every drip of her tone telling Novo that they came seeking help. That they came to lower themselves in order to save the Hippogriffs and seek their aid. Whatever grudge they had, Novo knew she had to put it aside for now. Because the attack earlier, and the terror that slipped through Tempest’s voice, they all told Novo that there were indeed far greater threats to deal with.

And so, she nodded, stepping aside and extending her wing to them. “Let’s discuss this inside.”

Chapter 27 – More Than a Symbol

Lake Ontario, USA

Above the Lighthouse

6:03 p.m.

Qovas was beginning to feel rather impatient with the Humans.

From the bridge of his starship, the leader of the Remorath could see the pitiful excuse of a base the Humans called their home. A sliver of land, an erected lighthouse, and miles of water directly beneath. Earth’s sun had begun to slip away, making way for the night. Like any of it mattered. Qovas would acquire what was promised to him at any time, as long as it was today. For what was promised to him, by the leaders of HYDRA itself, was the dangerous element known as Gravitonium, as well as the Inhumans the Humans below kept with them.

And what did they ask in return? Simply the protection of the Confederacy against the Mad Titan himself, Thanos. But Qovas knew, right away when Thanos had unleashed his army onto both Earth and the alien world over their heads, that that protection would no longer be adequate. Even the might of the Confederacy was no match against Thanos and his holy quest.

The Humans didn’t know that. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t know that. And their leader, Phil Coulson, definitely didn’t know that.

All communication with the Humans below had been cut off, making Qovas’ patience that much slimmer. He tried to keep it all together, and not bombard the lighthouse below with the full might of his starship. The Gravitonium the Humans held would be worth it. Not only was it a rare element, highly valued amongst the cosmos, but it was also extremely powerful. So powerful, in fact, that it could split an entire planet apart. The Confederacy, even with their great power, would be feared and respected even more with that kind of strength under their belt.

It was a power the Humans refused to relinquish. To make things even more irritable, Phil Coulson had the audacity to say his pitiful “Lighthouse” was able to withstand anything Qovas and his starship had in terms of firepower. Qovas almost smiled at that statement. He most certainly believed Coulson to be telling the truth, but that didn’t mean Qovas wouldn’t retrieve the Gravitonium… other ways.

Standing on the bridge of his starship, Qovas stared down to the lighthouse below, where the Humans held their last stand against the Confederacy. He stood with his hands behind his back, his long, black jacket practically touching the floor. With him stood his Remorath marauders, weapons in hand, ready to follow the next order that befell their great leader.

He smiled at the lighthouse below, his dark skin curling upwards. He said, “Earth’s shield… Phil Coulson, refuses to negotiate. I think it would all be in our best interest to… follow through with our deal anyway. He dares to mock the power of the Confederacy, but with the Gravitonium, we will be the most feared power in all the universe.”

He spun around accordingly, facing the Remorath behind him. They held their short blades, the masks on their faces not even hiding the fury in their eyes. Qovas smiled to them, holding out his hand. “Retrieve the Gravitonium. Kill any Human… or Inhuman who would dare stand in your way. By the power of the Confederacy, we will not be denied our…”

The Remorath, every last one of them, lifted up their heads. Their eyes grew wider, each of them taking several steps backwards. Qovas furrowed his brow. It was almost like they appeared uneasy, that they saw something that made them… fear. Impossible.

The low growl said otherwise.

“What?”

Facing forward once more, Qovas eyed the glass shield that separated himself from the alien air of Earth. And all the sunlight was gone. A dark shadow rushed forward and fell upon his starship. Qovas knew better than to call it a shadow. He knew right away that the creature that fell upon his ship belonged to the one they promised to protect Earth from.

It was too late to react accordingly, to do much of anything but experience the complete and total destruction of the starship once the Chitauri Leviathan flew straight through it, devouring the bridge in one bite and tearing the ship in half. The remains erupted into a flurry of red and orange blossoms, the massive hunks of what remained falling down to the lighthouse and ocean below.

They impacted the secret S.H.I.E.L.D. base, sending shock waves reverberating throughout the Lighthouse. The roar of the Leviathan flying overhead did the exact same thing.

The Lighthouse, Electrical Room

6:05 p.m.

The resounding earthquake throughout the Lighthouse was the least of Leo Fitz’s problems. Not only was he desperately focused on restoring control of the Lighthouse, but his main concern lied with reversing the shutdown protocol Coulson had activated by mistake. The last thing they needed was staying underground for who knows how many years.

Thankfully for him, he wasn’t alone in checking electrical breakers and restoring full control of the Lighthouse back with S.H.I.E.L.D. Joining him was his equally-educated, lovely as ever, and wife Jemma Simmons. She stood directly behind him, watching intensively as he tinkered with the control systems of the security in the Lighthouse.

Another earthquake. Fitz bit his lip and shook his head. The aliens must have already started their attack on the Lighthouse. After he and Simmons got the shutdown protocol reversed, they would immediately return to Coulson to ready the Lighthouse for an alien attack, as they should have from the start. Then… something else followed through. Something that made both Fitz and Simmons immediately stop what they were doing and listen closely.

They listened to the powerful roar that echoed throughout the walls of the Lighthouse.

Then silence. No more tremors. No more screams. It was so quiet they could hear their own breathing again. Unnaturally quiet for an alien attack. “All right, Fitz,” Simmons said, gripping her husband by his shoulder, “no more messing around. Time to get systems running again.”

“Messing around, she says,” Fitz mumbled, returning to the electrical breaker. He tinkered with it for several seconds longer, sticking out his tongue in concentration. Then finally, by removing a wire and flicking a switch, they waited and listened for what followed.

“And…” Fitz whispered, pressing his thumb down on a single button, “… got it.”

The electrical room lit up, the light bulbs above their heads shimmering to life. Not only that, but the following effects from Fitz’s work reawakened the rest of the Lighthouse. Like a rock thrown in a pond, the resulting waves brought the Lighthouse back to life, the hologram of General Rick Stoner staring at them from outside in the hallway. He informed not only Fitz and Simmons, but every agent in the Lighthouse of the safety of the situation. The nuclear attack—that never was—had faded away, and the world above ground was habitable once more.

Fitz and Simmons ignored him, Simmons smiling to the warmness of the light bulbs above her head. Turning that smile to Fitz, she could see his own beginning to grow.

He exhaled a chuckle. “Let there be light.”

“We need to find Coulson,” Simmons exclaimed, grabbing Fitz by the hand and leading him out of the electrical room and into the hallways.

Together, the two dodged and weaved around approaching agents to reach their destination, the Lighthouse’s main control room. It was in there where they would find Phil Coulson and inform him of their current situation. But when the two of them finally arrived, they could see that their current situation was no longer their main concern.

The control room was nearly filled to the brim with agents, some Fitz and Simmons knew personally and some they didn’t. The ones they knew stood close together, their eyes focused forward, centered on the man with his face glued to the screens attached to the wall.

The ones Fitz and Simmons knew were Melinda May, Alphonso Mackenzie, Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez, Piper, Davis, and, of course, Phil Coulson.

Deke Shaw was there, as well. Fitz and Simmons’ biological grandson.

Considering both Fitz and Simmons were barely even married, it was odd enough to know they already had a grandson standing mere feet in front of them. The reason being when the agents were sent forward in time through the White Monolith, they were stuck in a future where the Earth had been destroyed, completely uninhabitable. All that remained of humanity lied within the Lighthouse, which had managed to survive on a chunk of the Earth drifting in the shattered planet’s orbit. They were under the rule of the cruel Kree species, and with the help of Deke Shaw, they were able to return to the present and hopefully change the inevitable future that awaited them and the planet.

Joining them back to the present was Fitz and Simmons’ grandson. Deke stood with his arm in a sling, his free hand holding the container of Gravitonium they were tasked to destroy by sending the dangerous element into the Sun. That, unfortunately, would have to be put on hold, because the second Fitz and Simmons stepped forward and stared at the same exact screens that every other agent faced, they soon realized that upgrading the Zephyr One for space travel won’t be happening any time soon.

On every single news channel their screens could showcase, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. witnessed a world under siege. Cities in flames and the militaries of the world fighting back against the alien invasion. They could only watch as Chitauri warships descended from the skies, hundreds upon hundreds of chariots leaving them and bombarding the cities they decimated. Gigantic Leviathans roared as they tore through buildings, slithering through the air before the camera footage cut out. The agents had nothing to say. Everyone’s expressions were shaken, some ashen, all of them completely immobilized and frozen to the screens.

Alphonso Mackenzie, or Mack for short, glared at the screens. Yo-Yo Rodriguez stood close to him, her robotic hand gripping his sleeve as Chitauri starships obliterated American military choppers, their burning husks hitting buildings and impacting the streets. Melinda May stood with her fists balled in fury, her fuming eyes watching as the aliens continued to destroy city after city. Piper and Davis exchanged a glance, returning to the screens with distress in their eyes. Fitz and Simmons approached Deke from behind, their grandson turning back only slightly to see their approach. Together, all three of them stared on in with confusion and terror rippling through their expressions. An aerial shot from a helicopter revealed the Chitauri scouring the streets of what appeared to be Los Angeles, the aliens walking over the dead bodies of dozens of civilians.

And Phillip J. Coulson had just about enough of it.

With his arms crossed, hand resting over his mouth, brow furrowing at the horrific images of the alien invasion, Phil could hardly believe they were back, that the Chitauri had returned with an even larger army than what Fury had informed him about. He could only think of the last time the Chitauri had arrived to Earth with ill intentions, back during the earliest days of the Avengers Initiative. It was a simpler time, to what Phil could recall. He was just another high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, just another true believer under the shadows of gods, super soldiers, and men in metal suits.

All of which changed for him after he died.

Stabbed through the heart at the hands of Loki, Phil could only remember what Fury had done for him. The man had gone through heaven and hell to bring Coulson out of the darkness, injected him with alien blood just to get Coulson back in the fight. He went through so many hoops so that Phil could live again, so that he could run S.H.I.E.L.D. after it fell and rebuild from there.

Unfortunately… things never turn out how they’re initially planned.

World-ending events, threats from remnants of HYDRA, and literally being sucked into the year 2091 to see the Earth itself completely destroyed were all becoming the norm for Phil Coulson and his band of most-wanted misfits. S.H.I.E.L.D. was nothing like it used to be. It worked in the shadows now, labeled as a terrorist organization after the rise of HYDRA from within S.H.I.E.L.D. Whatever remained of it did things in the dark, their agents wanted terrorists, trying to convince the world otherwise, that they were back to protect the world, not destroy it. They could only do so much when the world saw them as a threat.

And as the leader of said “threat”, Phil Coulson watched as the world itself was being slaughtered by the alien race that decimated New York six years ago. Not only that, but an alien planet hung dangerously over their own world, causing massive amounts of terror, speculation, and damage across Earth. The governments of the world were trapped in a frenzy, caught off guard, their focus on trying their absolute best to control the situation.

Phil knew this was their time. The world would be focused on dealing with the threat of the alien invasion and the planet, which would give S.H.I.E.L.D. enough time to make a difference, to help turn the tides of this attack. How they would do so, Phil had no idea. The Chitauri outnumbered them, outpowered them. They needed more than what they had. They needed a plan. They needed reinforcements.

Phil felt down for his phone, but yielded. He knew he couldn’t make the call just yet, not with their own situations to deal with. Qovas and his alien buddies were dealt with as it seems, the Lighthouse had gotten out of lockdown thanks to Fitz and Simmons, and yet they still had the Gravitonium. They still needed to get rid of it.

Letting his arms fall to his sides, Coulson turned fully around, the eyes of his fellow agents centering on him. His friends turned his way; Mack, Fitz, Simmons, Yo-Yo, Deke, and… May. Phil met her gaze and held it for several seconds, finding the strength to say what was needed to be said. For them. For his team. For Earth’s shield.

“As you can all see,” Phil began, “the Chitauri are back. To make matters worse, they have a lot more than just one mothership. And even though we now have full control of the Lighthouse, we still have to deal with the Gravitonium… on top of dealing with this full-scale invasion.”

A few voices whispered to one another. Phil interrupted their side discussions. “So, here’s what I think,” he said, facing Deke and eyeing the Gravitonium capsule he held in his uninjured left arm. “We can’t get rid of the Gravitonium with aliens that are surrounding the atmosphere. Zephyr wouldn’t last ten seconds against that type of firepower. We hold onto it for a little longer, keep it locked in the lab and get everyone in here for a briefing on our next move.”

Everyone remained still, some looking back to the screens, some still staring at Coulson. He frowned, declaring loudly, “That’s an order!”

Instantly, the room shuffled about. Fitz and Simmons came to their grandson’s side, taking the Gravitonium from him and walking to the lab for safekeeping. Deke shuffled quickly behind them, spouting off about the Chitauri, who they were, why they were attacking Earth, and so forth. Phil descended the steps and reached the ground level of the control room, coming in contact with Agent May.

“Phil…” May began, her voice somewhat distant.

“Think that was a pretty good speech?” Coulson asked with a smile. “I mean, I started to blank a little about—”

“The Chitauri, Phil,” May began again, this time finding her voice. Coulson fell quiet, letting her speak. She shook her head, her eyes falling to the ground. Her hands rose to rest on her hips. “We can’t face something of that magnitude, even with what we got.”

“Just get everyone together in this room, and I’ll handle the rest,” Phil told her.

May took a look around, nodding to Coulson. “This is mostly everyone. I’ll round up the stragglers in the halls.”

She turned to make her escape, but only stepped a few feet away from Phil when his voice called to her. “May…”

Freezing where she was, May slowly turned back and faced her superior. Through the chaos that filled the control room of the Lighthouse, the screens showcasing the world on the brink, Phil Coulson had his eyes scanning and attention centered on one individual. A single individual who was not present but he desperately wanted to find. He gazed back to Melinda, his eyes telling her exactly what he wanted to know, and something May had kept from him for several hours.

“Where’s Daisy?”

Unidentified Cemetery

The Grave of Jiaying

6:10 p.m.

They called her Quake. They called her Inhuman. Some called her a hero, some even called her a monster and a terrorist along with the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hardly anyone called her Daisy Johnson.

But that’s who she was. The daughter of a crazed lunatic and a genocidal Inhuman. Starting off as a professional hacker with Rising Tide, and going by the name of Skye, Daisy wouldn’t stop until she discovered the truth of who her parents really were. That all changed when Michael Peterson, a.k.a. “Deathlok”, came into the public revealing more than normal human abilities. Right in the aftermath of the Battle of New York, seeing everyday superheroes was quickly becoming the new norm. The next step was knowing on how to deal with these “gifted” individuals.

Daisy found herself caught up in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s business sooner rather than later, and even earned a spot on Phil Coulson’s team. After several firefights, getting shot a few times, Daisy realized it would probably be best to learn how to fight. Just being a hacker with the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn’t help in the long run.

Training from Melinda May definitely helped, but everything in Daisy’s life changed once she experienced terrigenesis. Once she came out of it with her newfound powers, Daisy was more than just human. She, like her mother, was Inhuman. They were beyond what average humans possessed. They held abilities that made them unique, abilities they could use for good… as well as for evil. Her mother, unfortunately, chose the darker side of things. Daisy didn’t. With the power to literally shake the earth beneath her, Daisy Johnson became the hero many knew as Quake.

Worst came to worst, and after losing nearly everything—Grant Ward being HYDRA, her mother going insane and dying in the end of her grand scheme, and losing someone she might have called a real lover—Daisy Johnson stuck with her team, with her friends, with the only family she felt she truly had. With Phil Coulson and his team, Daisy felt like she belonged somewhere. Even when they faced vengeful spirits with flaming skulls or was sent to the future to undo what was to come, they had been together through it all.

Which is why it hurt Daisy so much to know that Coulson may be dying.

Whatever deal he struck with the Ghost Rider in order to stop Aida from destroying the world, it was killing him, making him weaker, and the longer he tried to deny it, the quicker it meant he would be gone. For good this time. Daisy wouldn’t let that happen. Even if she went beyond orders, even when she went dark, she would do whatever it took to ensure Coulson lived and they prevented the inevitable “quaking” of the Earth. Whether or not she was to blame for Earth’s destruction, she still didn’t know.

With help from Tony Caine, she was given the Centipede Device with the Centipede Serum inside, the same serum that John Garret used to gain enhanced strength and invulnerability when he turned on S.H.I.E.L.D. If that didn’t save Phil’s life, then Daisy didn’t know what would. Unfortunately, the serum was missing a key ingredient, a specific set of Inhuman DNA that would keep Coulson alive.

A type of DNA that had regeneration and longevity powers. The only DNA Daisy knew her mother had.

With a shovel resting on her shoulder, Daisy Johnson strode through the empty cemetery. The sun was nearly gone, the coolness of the summer night beginning to settle in. In her long, black jacket, with her long, black hair, Daisy stopped, standing in front of the lone grave with a single name resting on the face of the cold stone.

Jiaying. The rest was covered by the dirt Daisy flung at it as she drove her shovel into the ground. Daisy dug faster and faster, the threat that Phil Coulson’s life was on the line giving her the strength and energy needed to push through the exhaustion. She kept digging and digging until…

She struck something. Through the dirt, Daisy had struck the coffin. Tossing the muddy shovel aside, Daisy bent down into the dirt and began scraping away, peeling apart the covering of the coffin and gazing at what remained. Nothing but bones of her deceased mother. Daisy frowned, shutting her eyes and keeping her emotions in check. She may have been insane, but she was still the only real mother she had. The thought of what Daisy would do next almost made her feel dirty, but she knew better. The greater good hanged in the balance if she did literally anything else.

Johnson collected as many bones as she could and stuffed them in her bag. Once she had finished, spotting the orange glow of the Centipede Serum from her bag next to the bones of her mother, Daisy wiped her hands against her jeans and hopped out of the grave. Tightening the strap over her chest, she heaved her bag over her shoulder and picked up the shovel, ready to clean up the evidence.

An ear-piercing roar stopped her from doing just that.

Falling to her knees, dropping the shovel down into the grave, Daisy felt her heart rate increase tenfold. She turned her attention to the night sky, gaping in awe at what flew over her head. Never in her entire life did she imagine she would see it. Even when she was still a hacker riding the coattails of the Battle of New York, Daisy never imagined she would see a Chitauri Leviathan with her own eyes.

Yet there it was, roaring once more as it slithered high above her head, past the cemetery and towards the unsuspecting city ahead of her. Daisy followed its directions, her chest heaving with added adrenaline and confusion, the fear quickly filling each eye once she saw not only one Leviathan, but three others swarming the city ahead of her. Not only that, but they descended from the skylines, right from the Chitauri warship that fell upon the city.

The screams quickly came, followed by the sirens, all completely drowned out by the invading alien force completely overwhelming the city. Daisy Johnson didn’t stay and watch. She ran as fast as she could, taking what she came for, leaving the evidence behind, and not looking back.

No matter how much it hurt to hear the screams. Because she knew she had a mission to finish. She had a goal. She would save Coulson. She would do whatever it took to understand where this invasion came from and how it could be stopped, how she could avenge the people who screamed out in terror. And she would see through with it no matter what.

Because that’s what S.H.I.E.L.D. did.

Author's Note

More Than A Symbol

Chapter 28 – Stranger Things

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Castle

4:24 p.m.

It took more than two hours for Doctor Strange and Wong to see the rulers of Equestria. Two long, painful, question-filled, pony-inducing hours. Strange was surprised he managed to last through it all. Wong was so dead inside that he barely even gave them the attention they wanted. He wouldn’t budge with some of the questions Princess Twilight managed to sneak in. So, she set her attention on Strange.

And as the massive group of ponies and one dragon—which included Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Sunset, Starlight, and Spike—and the two members of the Masters of the Mystic Arts made their way through the towering, seemingly endless hallways of Canterlot Castle, Twilight took every last second she could trying to distinguish who they were and how they got to Equus.

Twilight had no idea Earth had wizards. The idea alone made her brain fizzle with the possibilities and the unknown. All of which she needed to know. There was no doubt about it that Twilight was practically on Strange’s heels, coming up to his side every now and again to ask yet another question. All of which the sorcerer ignored, much to Twilight’s dismay.

“Once more, I think I need to apologize for not getting either of you alone with the princesses sooner. Did I apologize already? I-I think I apologized,” Twilight said, chuckling and letting a snort slip through. “It’s just with all the madness going on with the invasion, and now we have two wizards from Earth wanting to chat with Celestia and Luna… you can see that I’d be a little on edge. That, and you won’t answer any more of my questions. Please, let me ask you more!”

Doctor Strange shook his head, doing his damnedest to ignore the violet Alicorn begging to his right. He continued with his long strides down the hall, closer to their destination. He hadn’t prayed in a long time, but he prayed they reached the throne room soon. He could only take so much of Princess Twilight’s constant flow of bothersome questions.

“Starting to regret making first contact,” Strange whispered over to Wong on his left.

Wong almost chuckled at that, leaning back to Strange. He said, “At least be grateful they got us time with their leaders.”

“Oh, I am grateful,” Strange whispered back. “I’m just getting tired of all this pestering for knowledge on who we are and what we do. Like you said, we need to keep as much secrecy to the Masters of the Mystic Arts as possible, and she’s touching the Cloak of Levitation again.”

The Cloak smacked Twilight’s hoof away on Strange’s command. Looking back and down to the pony on his right, Strange could see Twilight rub her hoof with her wing, smiling innocently up at the Doctor. “Sorry,” she told him, a slight crimson blush on her cheeks.

Pulling on the tips of the Cloak, Strange looked over to Wong, who only shook his head and whispered, “If she’ll stop pestering, then answer her questions.”

Stephen raised a brow. “You serious?”

“I’ll tell you what you can and can’t answer. Now, get her to stop.”

“Okay,” Strange said loudly, spinning around and stopping the line of ponies dead in their tracks. They looked around and over each other’s withers, gazing up to the man in the cape and his Asian friend. Wong stood with his arms crossed, frowning down to the ponies below. The mares looked rather confused, Spike crossing his own arms as a form of retaliation.

But Strange wasn’t focused on Spike or any of the other ponies. He focused his attention specifically on Twilight, holding his finger out to her and declaring, “One question.”

Twilight blinked. “What?”

“You get one question, each of you do, then I’m sealing my lips,” Strange explained.

Ruffling her feathers in agitation, Twilight looked aside, scoffing loudly and turning back to Strange. “But… that’s unfair!” she exclaimed with a stamp of her hoof, almost sounding hurt.

“Things aren’t really fair at the moment, Princess,” Stephen told her, taking a step back and joining Wong in frowning at the mares. Specifically Twilight and her childlike behavior. “We have two worlds in danger from an extraterrestrial invasion. I would expect someone of your stature to be a little more concerned about that.”

Twilight’s ears fell at that revelation. Her head fell, her eyes gazing sadly at the floor. She looked as if she didn’t even want to ask a question any longer. She looked that way because she knew Doctor Strange was right. Their worlds hanged in the balance of life and death, and here she was acting like a little school pony again. It was an incredible moment, certainly, meeting members of Earth’s mystical defenders. But it hurt knowing that she had to put her childlike wonder aside for now and focus on the matter at hoof. After a question that Strange allowed. One question.

“Just one?” Twilight asked, giving almost a pleading expression. Strange had to hold back the sudden sensation he felt when staring into her saddened gaze. He held his ground, nodding firmly.

Sighing at that, Twilight thought back to her slew of questions she had in store for Strange had he ever intended to open up. She had so many on the organization he worked for, his magical skill set, the history of his ‘Masters of the Mystic Arts’, it was so hard to choose just one. Then again, she thought back to what he said, about focusing on what really mattered at the moment.

The first question that came to her mind on that thought was perfect. Twilight smiled at that, looking up at Strange and asked, “Okay… why do you need our help?”

Strange looked to Wong for confirmation. The man pursed his lips, frowned, and nodded to him. Sighing, Strange turned back to Twilight’s victorious smile when she saw him give in. A small victory for her. “As you can see, we don’t really know… too much about the situation. We felt if we made contact with the leaders of this world, then we’ll get a better understanding.”

Twilight almost chuckled. “Heh… just like us.”

“We’re not so different, Twilight Sparkle,” Strange said, and actually managed a small smile to go with it. Twilight smiled even wider back. They were breaking ground, building partnerships. Maybe even friendships. The short but warm bond building between the two was instantly vanquished when Pinkie Pie bounded into the center of attention.

“Oh! Oh! I wanna ask the wizard something! I wanna ask the wizard something!” Pinkie announced excitedly, waving her hooves around and bouncing around both Wong and Strange.

“Easy,” Strange said, holding out his hands to the mare bounding about. “One at a time… uh…”

“Pinkie Pie!” the mare exclaimed, freezing in mid-air directly in front of Strange and Wong. She held out her hoof to him, Strange still somewhat hesitant and confused on how exactly she was floating without wings, a horn, or a magical cloak. Whatever it was, it kept the mare floating to their eye level. It certainly kept the mare smiling. “Nice to meet ya!”

“I’ll try to remember your name this time,” Strange told her, shaking her hoof quickly. “What’s your question?”

Once Pinkie Pie hit the marble floor, the question she asked managed to confuse both the sorcerers and even her friends. And what she asked was: “Who’s Beyoncé?”

As if everypony wasn’t already focused completely on the pink pony, their total attention was centered on her now. Twilight’s mouth fell, not a syllable escaping her. Rainbow and Applejack slowly looked to one another, neither one of them having the slightest idea what Pinkie was on about. Strange and Wong, on the other hand, looked somewhat surprised. Somewhat. Like Pinkie Pie wasn’t the weirdest thing they had ever seen.

Looking to Wong, Strange playfully nudged his shoulder and asked, “You wanna answer this one?”

“Funny,” Wong stated, his humorous smile vanishing and only a frown remaining.

Chuckling at that, Stephen turned back to the pink pony, pursing his lips at her as she sat like a well-trained puppy right at his feet. “Well… she’s a pop artist, singer, actress on Earth. I haven’t listened to her in years, but Wong…” Strange said, looking over to his friend, “gave her a go. He’s like her number one fan now.”

Wong shook his head. “Again, so funny.”

Laughing at that, Doctor Strange waved the ponies forward, prompting them to follow him. He said, “Here, let’s walk and talk.”

As the two sorcerers continued on their journey to the throne room down the hall, the ponies managed to collect themselves, both on Pinkie’s question and the even stranger answer she was given. Picking themselves up, they followed quickly behind Strange and his friend, Spike hot on their heels.

Pointing down to the orange farm pony to his right, Strange said, “You… uh… Apple… something…”

“That’s Applejack, partner,” Applejack corrected for him, turning her emerald eyes up to the wizard.

“Again, I want to apologize if I can’t remember all your names,” Stephen told them all.

“Don’t sweat it,” Applejack chuckled, pushing down her hat. She tapped her hoof to her chin, looking up to the ceiling as she thought about her one question she was allowed to ask. Her eyes shot out to the left, spotting Strange’s naked palm. “Ah guess mah question would be… why are yer hands always shakin’ like that?”

Following her gaze, though not needing to, Strange spotted his hand and brought up both of his palms. As he lifted them closer to his face, a slight shiver could be seen on each of his hands, the scars still clearly evident. In the corner of his vision, he could see the ponies growing uneasy after seeing the scars. “I try not to show that,” Strange sighed, dropping his hands. “All you need to know is that I got in an accident. Next question?”

Rainbow Dash shot forward. She hovered between Wong and Stephen and asked, “How’d you know where to find us?”

Her tone was still distrustful, that much Doctor Strange could pick up on. Her eyes, her body language, her growing frown, all of it also added to that idea that she still didn’t trust either Wong or Strange. Somehow, Stephen couldn’t blame her. An alien world and invasion appearing right on their doorstep and they’d shoot the first thing that knocked. Thankfully they kept their fingers—or in this case, hooves—off the trigger long enough.

“Would you believe me if I said it was luck?” Stephen asked, smirking at Rainbow. Her frown was answer enough. “We managed to get a portal working to Equus, failed a couple times, but actually managed to step through one that brought us to civilization, the capital of this nation, no less. Guess fate brought our paths together.”

Appearing somewhat satisfied with that answer, Rainbow flew back to join her group of friends behind Strange. He followed her path, looking down to the Pegasus directly below her. “You?” he said, pointing her way. The pony yelped and backed away, moving forward behind Applejack. “You got a question?”

Fluttershy mumbled, “I… don’t really have a question. Sorry.”

“Great! Next?” Stephen exclaimed, Fluttershy’s expression shifting from fear to confusion.

“I have a question!” Rarity announced, stepping forward to trot on Strange’s right, between Wong and Stephen. “Where did you get your absolutely dashing cape, darling? It is simply lovely!”

The Cloak of Levitation tickled her chin, Strange quickly swatting it aside. Rarity giggled, hoof pressed over her smile. “And quite the charmer.”

“He’s a smart-ass,” Strange muttered. The Cloak promptly smacked the back of Stephen’s head, causing him to stumble forward. The mares behind him all tried to hide their giggles. Glaring back at them, Strange rubbed the back of his head, saying, “I found it in the Sanctum Sanctorum, and apparently it chose me of all people. And I think it likes you, too.”

The Cloak rubbed Rarity’s mane, the unicorn giggling at the touch of the cape.

Spike, using the extra momentum from his wings, pushed himself off the ground and floated on Stephen’s left. He asked, “All right, so what are you a doctor of anyway? And is Strange like your superhero name or something? Kinda weird.”

“That’s two questions, but I’ll allow it since the yellow one didn’t use hers,” Doctor Strange said, Fluttershy’s confusion shifting to a disgruntled frown. “If you must know, I was a neurosurgeon before I devoted my life to the mystic arts. And I’m not a superhero; we’re more like protectors of sorts. And ‘Strange’ is a weird name to you?”

Spike snickered, crossing his arms. “It’s kinda strange.”

“Horrible joke. I like you a little less now,” Stephen said, Spike caught off-guard by that response. He certainly wasn’t ready for his next retort. “Yet you live with ponies literally named ‘Rainbow Dash’ and ‘Twilight Sparkle’. Next question.”

The ponies mentioned by name didn’t take too kindly to that insult, burning a hole in the back of Stephen’s head with the growing flame in their eyes. Already seeing the rising conflict, Starlight managed a calming chuckle amongst the group, being sure to move between Twilight and Strange.

With her teacher trying to look around her, Starlight turned her attention back to Strange. She felt she needed to change the subject fast, lest the situation escalate. So, she asked her question. “Your magic. I don’t think you ever explained it to us. Is it anything how unicorns conjure spells?”

Looking to Wong, he saw him stumble for a moment with his thoughts. He finally gave in, nodding to Strange. “Well, it’s not like your magic that stems from each of you, as well as the world around you, as Twilight told me,” Strange answered.

The Alicorn smiled gratefully at that, the anger in her eyes cooling down. Rainbow still looked mildly annoyed by the wizard’s continued presence. Strange continued. “The magic we, as the Masters of the Mystic Arts, wield stems from the literal energy of the Multiverse, drawn from other dimensions. Think of it like as a language, a code, even. We can hold the very fabric of reality in our hands. We could make weapons of war…”

Strange shot out his right hand, a blazing orange blade spewing out from his palm. The ponies flinched back in shock, gazing in awe at the glowing sword. He pulled back his hand, disintegrating the sword and meeting his other hand. His two hands danced in a unique way, unlike anything Twilight had ever seen. Strange held out his right hand, spinning his fingers in quick, small circles.

“Hold out your hoof, Starlight,” Strange said. Somewhat hesitant, Starlight obeyed and lifted up her left hoof. To her amazement, a small orange spark appeared in her hoof, several more sparks shooting out as a juicy red apple rested in her hoof. “We could even make nature’s delicacies. Whatever you can perceive and are allowed to perceive. And that’s just the tip of iceberg.”

A large bite appeared out of nowhere, embedding itself in the apple. More and more followed, the apple eventually covered in bite marks, nothing but the stem and core remaining. The apple core vanished once Strange dropped his fingers, disappearing in a shower of harmless, orange sparks over Starlight’s hoof. Strange tapped just over his heart, offering a small burp, then quickly apologizing for it. The unicorn’s jaw was agape, staring at her empty hoof in awe. The rest of the ponies stared blankly at Starlight’s hoof, then back to Strange, simply amazed by the magical prowess that Strange explained to them. All except for Twilight, who could magically conjure an apple anytime she wanted. She rolled her eyes, turning back to Strange. However, she had to admit that how Strange ate it was... especially clever.

Turning their heads back to the Sorcerer Supreme, the ponies all met his gaze shortly, the man smiling back at them. “Last question?” he asked, turning his eyes to the unicorn with the fiery mane.

And Sunset Shimmer already knew what she was going to say. Narrowing her eyes, not a smile to be seen on her lips, Sunset asked, “Who are you… the Masters of the Mystic Arts?”

Twilight mentally kicked herself for not asking that question. Once more turning to Wong, the man already looked dead set on telling Strange no. And he nearly did, but Strange could read his face as easily as he could speed-read a book. What Wong told him, just by his expression, was that he could answer her, but only with so much information. They couldn’t know the whole truth of how they were formed. Just the basic history.

Then no more questions.

Sighing, Strange dropped his head to the ground. His footsteps became much slower. His voice suffered as well. “The Masters of the Mystic Arts began once Agamotto was able to draw power from different dimensions. His intention was to protect the Earth from dimensional threats, and so formed the protectors of the Earth Plane, the Masters of the Mystic Arts. We keep the balance in this dimension. Any and all threats to our world, our universe, our dimension, will be dealt with by us. Mostly mystical… rarely physical.”

He could see a pair of massive doors approaching at the end of the room. Strange, for some reason, kept on talking, even when they had begun to reach their destination.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t really stand idly by this time around, even for a physical threat.”

“How come the Avengers never told us about you?” Rainbow asked.

“We have already said too much,” Wong stated firmly, Rainbow turning his way with a frown.

“And as much as I would like to ask more questions,” Twilight said, looking up hopefully to Strange. He looked as if he completely forgot she existed, causing Twilight to huff. Remembering to control her breathing, Twilight pressed her hoof to the twin doors. “It would appear we’ve made it.”

With aid from her magic, Twilight opened the door for her friends, Doctor Strange, and Wong. And before them stood the throne room to the rulers of Equestria, the throne room of a Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. It was absolutely stunning, at least to Strange and Wong. The marble was a mixture of light and dark blues, several pillars lining the walls to the throne room. As well as the pillars, there were several decorative drapes, stained glass windows, and a single red carpet that led directly to the twin thrones. Beneath said throne, and where both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna sat, several high-ranking Royal Guard, Canterlot royalty, and other dignitaries stood together and argued. To the princess about the situation. Their tired eyes turned away from the madness below their throne and centered on their newest guests.

Princess Twilight, her friends, and her two visitors from Earth.

The weariness from both Celestia and Luna’s eyes instantly vanished. Celestia stamped her hoof twice on the marble beneath her throne, causing the ponies beneath them to silence their conversations. “Leave us!” Princess Luna declared, hoof outstretched to the doors. “We will continue this discussion later!”

Grumbling at that order, the ponies left the throne room with their muzzles to the air, casting Doctor Strange and Wong the oddest—and somewhat most disgusted—looks they could manage. Neither sorcerer paid them any heed, keeping their eyes only on the princesses. They looked absolutely exhausted.

From what Twilight told Stephen, Celestia and Luna were the most regal and majestic ponies in all of Equestria. Their strength, beauty, and influence were matched by no other. Yet they appeared like they could barely keep their heads up, their eyelids drooping every few seconds. Strange pursed his lips and sighed. Twilight even managed to inform him of their current state, that the princesses took it upon themselves to hold up a magical shield around Canterlot, to protect the capital of Equestria from any invading hostile forces. The toll it must have been taking on them to keep up such a powerful shield was clear as daylight.

And yet, they still managed a smile when it was just them left in the throne room. Minus the two Royal Guards standing at the bottom of their thrones, the room was empty save for Twilight and her friends, the sorcerers, and the princesses. Strange admired their strength and determination, still offering a warm smile to them. He already felt welcomed.

“Doctor Stephen… Strange… is it?” Celestia asked.

“And with a close friend of mine,” Strange said, approaching the thrones and holding out his hand to his left. “His name is Wong.”

Together, the two wizards paused several feet from where the Royal Guards stood, an appropriate distance from the thrones. They bowed their heads in respect, the ponies and dragon behind them doing the same. “It is a pleasure to be in your presence, Your Majesties,” Wong said, dropping his head.

Strange dropped his gaze just the same, bowing appropriately to the royalty. “Yes, thank you for your time.”

With heavy bags under their eyes, Celestia and Luna still managed another smile. The burden of keeping Canterlot safe was something they carried with pride. They would ensure that no power from the alien armies would be able to pierce the combined strength of the Princess of the Sun and Moon. It was a burden they knew they had to uphold. For their little ponies. The ones that stayed, that is.

“It would seem we have even more visitors from Earth,” Celestia said, managing a small chuckle. The ponies, Spike, and the sorcerers rose up to full height, Celestia resting a hoof over her heart. “We apologize. As two members of Earth’s more… mystical power… we were not properly prepared for people of your stature.”

“Hardly a stature, Your Highness,” Strange said, almost chuckling. “Not many people on Earth know we even exist.”

Rainbow Dash blinked at that, furrowing her brow in thought. She wondered if the ones who did know of their existence were the Avengers. She would never know because Strange would never tell her. Another reason she didn’t like the wizard.

“Besides,” Stephen began, taking a few steps forward. “I think we have more important matters to deal with.”

Luna nodded, her tired eyes resting on the wizards. “That we do, Mr. Strange.”

“Doctor, please.”

Luna closed her eyes, letting her head fall, telling Strange she both understood and apologized. Celestia managed a tiny grin, saying, “So… Doctor Strange, Twilight was kind enough to inform us of every detail she could manage before our meeting. She mentioned you were… not willing to reveal more about who you were.”

“They told us a bit more about their organization, the Masters of the Mystic Arts, as we were making our way to your throne room,” Twilight interjected. All the eyes in the room quickly shifted her way, the violet Alicorn managing a weak and awkward chuckle. She slowly backed away to join her friends, pointing to Celestia. “I’ll tell you everything later.”

“With that dully noted, it would be in our best interest to know more about this situation, Doctor Strange,” Princess Celestia said, returning her weary gaze back to the sorcerers.

“An alien invasion is something we don’t normally deal with,” Luna explained. She turned her head to the stained glass windows, the afternoon sunlight spilling in and giving somewhat of a clear image of the world beyond their throne room. “Yet we’ve managed to send several battalions of our Royal and Lunar Guard out to deal with these threats attacking our Equestrian cities. That much we were able to understand and act upon.”

Watching as Luna dropped her head, both in a lack of strength and disappointment, Celestia sighed and nearly did the same. She faced Strange and Wong, saying, “Yet what we can’t seem to understand—”

“Is why there’s an alien planet above your atmosphere.”

Twilight nearly lost her breath at Strange. Not many ponies were able or willing to interrupt Celestia just like that, with no fear or hesitation in their tone either. Celestia didn’t react at all the way Twilight imagined she would. She just grimly nodded, staring at the marble floor in disappointment. She and her sister.

Strange almost did the same. “I was afraid you’d say that.”

“You do not understand either?” Luna asked, looking back at him.

“It’s a mystery to us,” Wong said. He held his hand behind his back. “We were hoping the rulers of this world had clearer knowledge on the subject.”

Celestia’s fears had come true. Neither Earth nor Equus had any knowledge on the threat and how to properly deal with it. The invasion was one thing—something so profound that they had been holding the shield nonstop since they lost contact with Discord—but with Earth causing massive amounts of destruction on Equus, something of that size and magnitude was something Celestia and Luna weren’t prepared to face. And neither was Earth.

At least, the Masters of the Mystic Arts didn’t know how to handle the situation. There were still others who might hold the answer. Celestia said, “There still might be those who know more than we.”

Strange and Wong listened intensively, but were surprised to see Celestia’s focus centered on the ponies behind them. Specifically, Twilight Sparkle. Strange and Wong spun accordingly to the young Alicorn. Twilight’s ears perked upwards, the mare stepping forward once Celestia addressed her.

“Twilight, since you and your friends are here, we ask of you to travel to Earth to bring the Avengers back together. Do whatever you can, and once you do, bring them back to Equus so we can figure out a plan to reverse this madness that has befallen both of our worlds.”

Twilight nodded without question, before Strange could take in the information Princess Celestia had given out. By that time, Twilight had already turned back to face her friends, almost ready to leave Canterlot Castle and head back to Ponyville.

“Hold up,” Strange said, holding out his shaking palm to the ponies and dragon. They stopped, turning around to face Strange. He slowly looked back to Celestia, a single brow raised as he took a few cautious steps towards the throne. The guards at the base of the throne narrowed their eyes, tightening their grips on their spears. Strange stopped, then asked, “The Avengers?”

Both Celestia and Luna nodded. “Yes,” Celestia answered, tilting her head slightly. “Do you know them?”

Instead of answering to her, Doctor Strange looked back to Wong, who was already cooking up the same plan in mind and expression, the same plan Strange was formulating. Turning from Wong, Strange looked back towards the thrones. “We might be making some changes to your plan, Princess,” he said, pointing to Twilight. “The ponies can stay here and help deal with your own problems at hand. We’ll take care of the Avengers for you.”

Rainbow appeared somewhat relieved by that statement, Twilight taken aback by it. Celestia began to rise from her throne, raising a hoof. “Doctor Strange, we cannot simply let you take upon this burden—”

Once more, he interrupted her. And once more, Twilight looked ready to crack. Holding out his hand, Strange said, “It’s no issue for us, really. If it gets us closer to a solution, then we’ll gladly help.”

Celestia opened her mouth to interject, but instead turned to Luna for support and guidance. The Princess of the Night simply shrugged, nodding to Strange. Celestia seemed to give in, as well, slowly taking a seat back on her throne. “Well… thank you, Doctor Strange. Good luck.”

Smiling to them, Strange smacked his friend on the shoulder, facing away from the thrones and walking away. “Come on, Wong,” he said, pausing just in front of the ponies and Spike.

“And just how do you two plan on returning to Earth?” Luna asked.

Doctor Strange just smiled back at the Princess of the Night. Facing forward, he waved the ponies away, to which they backed off and watched as Strange spun his right hand in a large circle, the Sling Ring acting upon his command. Instantly, a sparkling orange portal opened in the center of the throne room. Within it rested the inside of a larger sanctum, the ponies peeking inside and mouthing words of complete awe. Twilight, as well, almost lost her composure at the mystical artifacts and rows upon rows of books. Ancient, mystical, alien knowledge. She couldn’t help a tiny squeal of excitement leave her, her hoof failing to hide her giddy smile, her eyes sparking with childlike curiosity.

Both Strange and Wong stepped inside the portal. Strange looked back and waved to the princesses one final time, saying with certainty, “We’ll be in touch!”

And just like that, the portal closed, and they were gone. As was Twilight’s giddy smile.

Raising her brows, Luna slowly nodded her head, puffing out her lower lip. “Hm. Earth has wizards. That’s strange.”

“That’s Mister Doctor Strange,” Pinkie corrected her with a grin.

Chapter 29 – Shield

Earth

Lake Ontario, USA

The Lighthouse

6:32 p.m.

When the doors to the Lighthouse opened, Daisy Johnson entered the bunker to be met with the disapproving glares from Yo-Yo and Mack.

Daisy halted just as the doors closed behind her with an audible lock following. She stood as still as could be, shifting her eyes quickly from Mack to Yo-Yo, from Yo-Yo to Mack. The strap to her bag was wrapped tightly on her shoulder, her right hand gripping the strap for extra assurance. Her mouth fell slightly, but not a word leaving her. She simply watched in silence as Yo-Yo crossed her robotic arms.

God, Daisy could still hardly believe what happened to her.

Once simply a Colombian freedom fighter who had undergone Terrigenesis, Elena Rodriguez was given her nickname “Yo-Yo” considering the Inhuman abilities she had gained during the Inhuman Outbreak. She was able to travel from one place of her choice and back faster than anyone could have blinked. Faster than a heartbeat. She moved back and forth, faster than the eye could see, like a yo-yo. Hence the name.

It didn’t take long for Yo-Yo to be recruited into S.H.I.E.L.D. and fight alongside Daisy, her fellow Inhuman. Together, they fought with S.H.I.E.L.D. through the Watchdogs, Aida, the Framework, and even getting shot forward in time to 2091, to a destroyed Earth alongside the rest of the agents. After freeing the remaining humans from under the Kree rule, they had managed to return to their own time, to prevent the apocalypse that was said to have come from Quake, from Daisy. In the process of learning how to do so, they were ambushed by General Hale, her daughter Ruby slicing off both of Yo-Yo’s arms.

They were able to save her. Daisy’s eyes fell to Elena’s arms, the cybernetic ones still crossed. Mack had managed to save her, Fitz and Simmons giving her replacement arms from a dead robot. They managed to make it work for her. Daisy could have sworn that Fitz and Simmons could do God knows anything. Which meant her plan to save Coulson was guaranteed to work with their help.

But not before she could slip through Yo-Yo and Mack.

Then there was Alphonso Mackenzie. They called him “Mack” for short. During the HYDRA Uprising, Mack stayed loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D. and fought back against the HYDRA sleeper agents. He was under the command of Robert Gonzales alongside Bobbi Morse and joined Phil Coulson’s S.H.I.E.L.D. team to infiltrate and discover the whereabouts of Nick Fury’s Toolbox, a device with the capability to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. from the ground up. Once Gonzales was killed by Daisy’s mother, Mack rejoined S.H.I.E.L.D. to fight in the war against the Inhumans. He would later help Daisy in recruiting newborn Inhumans, which is how he met Yo-Yo Rodriguez, one of his closest allies and lover.

He joined Daisy, Yo-Yo, and the rest of his team in the future where he defeated the Kree leader of the Lighthouse, Kasius. Mack joined the rest of the agents in returning to their own time, where the new threat of General Hale, the Confederacy, and now the Chitauri lingered over their heads. Dangerous times to be alive. Even more dangerous to be a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Mack found no trouble in fighting for what was right, despite not like fighting at all. He only did what he had to do to protect his team, his friends, and the world.

Despite their frowns, Daisy offered a small smile, descending the steps and meeting them on ground-level. Holding onto her strap with both hands, Daisy said to them, “I don’t think I need to tell you about the giant flying aliens outside, do—?”

“Where the hell have you been?” Mack asked, his voice on edge.

Daisy stopped where she was, mere feet in front of the duo. Already knowing her answer before the silence became any more suspicious, Daisy smiled again. “Little side mission from May,” she said, trying to slip through between them. “You wanna know more? Go ask her about—”

Yo-Yo blocked her path, her shoulder touching Mack’s.

“Are you insane?” Yo-Yo said. Her Colombian accent was heavier than normal, and for a second, Daisy thought she would start cursing at her in Spanish with how fuming she looked. “With the entire world hanging in the balance, with you apparently to blame for the apocalypse, what made you think it was a good idea to go out there by yourself? What if something had happened to you and we wouldn’t have known?”

“Guys, I can perfectly take care of myse—”

“What if you kicked off the apocalypse and we were too late to know?” Mack questioned her.

Daisy appeared shocked at Mack’s accusation. Making her shock clearly evident by her facial features, Daisy scoffed, “Okay, we don’t even know if I’m the cause or no—”

Yo-Yo interrupted her again, Daisy breathing heavily through her pursed lips. “And with those… things out there, Daisy?!”

“Will you let me talk?!” she screamed. Yo-Yo dropped her arms, letting them rest by her sides. Mack still kept his crossed, still holding his frown with Johnson. She steadied her breathing, looking away and gripping her strap even tighter to ease the anger. “Jesus…”

Staring at her long, black hair, Mack’s eyes slowly fell down to where her attention was settled, where her anger was directed. “What’s in the bag?” he asked. It wasn’t calm by any means. The tone in his voice hadn’t changed. Just as threatening.

Bringing her head back up, Daisy just pursed her lips, shrugging to them and offering her best poker face. Mack already knew something was up. Daisy said, “Again, mission from May. Not allowed to say anything, so you can try to ask her.”

“Daisy,” Mack stated firmly, asserting his position in front of her, refusing to move like the brick wall he was built like. Daisy lifted her eyes and tried to meet her steel-cold gaze with his. They faced off, both refusing to back down. “What’s… in… the bag? We really don’t have time for this.”

“Don’t make me take it from you,” Yo-Yo threatened, Daisy knowing full well she could do just that, faster than Daisy could even breathe.

“Hey!”

The voice broke the tension, eased the conflict, and brought everyone’s attention off of Daisy’s bag and back towards the hallway. Right where Melinda May stood. She frowned at Mack and Elena, nodding them away and back into the hall. “Coulson wants everyone in the control room! That means you two! I’ll deal with Daisy and her mission.”

Casting Johnson one last look, Mack eventually retreated with Yo-Yo by his side into the hallway, taking a turn and making their way to the control room. They didn’t see May waiting for them to leave. They didn’t see her rush over to Daisy and give her a breathless hug, crushing the young woman with her strength. Daisy didn’t care. She returned it.

Breaking away, May gripped Daisy’s shoulders and asked, “Did you get it?”

Daisy nodded with a smirk. “Centipede Serum,” she said, knowing to keep her voice down. She reached into her bag and pulled out the appropriate contents, the large vial of orange liquid. “Check.”

Melinda appeared well relieved to see it safe and sound. She knew she could trust Daisy with such an important mission. The next step was keeping it a secret until the time to save Coulson was needed. “Keep it somewhere safe for now,” May told her. “We have other issues to deal with. Get to the control room as soon as possible.”

Daisy replied with a nod, placing the serum back in her bag—near the bones of her mother—and zipped it back up. She watched as Melinda was already at the end of the hallway, taking the turn Mack and Yo-Yo had. That just left Daisy as the last agent not in the control room. No longer in the hallway, as well. She dropped her bag off in her room, being sure to lock the door as she ran for the control room.

The Lighthouse, Control Room

6:35 p.m.

Phil Coulson could finally breathe steadily again when Daisy ran into the room, the door closing behind her, ensuring the room that she was the last agent inside. With that, they could finally begin the full rundown of the situation at hand.

His eyes fell across the room, at the complete lack thereof. The entire control room was nearly filled with agents, the ones that had managed to make it through the worst S.H.I.E.L.D. had ever experienced and were ready to fight another day. Brave souls like Piper and Davis, two of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most trusted and loyal agents. Phil was proud to have them with him when they enacted his plan. Then… his eyes fell to them…

The men and women who had been with him nearly at the beginning of it all.

Yo-Yo Rodriguez, standing tall alongside Mack. On Mack’s left stood both Fitz and Simmons, their grandson Deke Shaw remaining silent by his grandmother’s side, keeping his eyes focused on Director Coulson. Melinda May stood by Deke, Daisy Johnson finishing it off by standing on May’s left, all their eyes on him, their mentor, their leader, their friend. Their family.

Phil sighed through his nostrils. Leopold James “Leo” Fitz. What a name, what a guy. Quite possibly the best brains that S.H.I.E.L.D. had to offer, easily the best engineer currently on their roster, coming up pretty evenly with his lovely wife Jemma Simmons. He had been with Coulson since the beginning, since Phil was brought back to life and put back in the field. They had been through hell and heaven together, against HYDRA, the Inhumans, Hive, facing his own creation Aida, the Framework, the future, and now what inevitably lied ahead.

Unlike the others, Fitz wasn’t taken to the future. He went into suspended animation for 74 years in order to help save his team and the woman he loved. Together, with help from the grandson he never knew he had, they had succeeded in returning to their own time to try and prevent the apocalypse that was soon to fall upon the Earth. Their efforts so far had been fruitless. No matter what they did, Fitz believed they were taking more and more steps closer to doomsday. They were caught in a loop. And now they had the Chitauri to deal with.

At least he wouldn’t be alone.

Alongside his fellow agents, there was no one else Fitz trusted more than Jemma Simmons. His beloved, the love of his life, his equal and his partner. Jemma and Fitz and been in S.H.I.E.L.D. together for as long as when they had first joined. She was a genius biochemist and one of the youngest S.H.I.E.L.D. had to offer. She was bright, witty, and with Fitz by her side, nearly an unstoppable force. All of that changed when she was sucked into the future, leaving Fitz behind.

Under the control of Kasius for the majority of her time in 2091, it was only until Fitz came to them did he manage to set her free, and in turn, helped them all escape back to their present time. He proposed to her in the future, and they were engaged and married back in the present. Joining them was their grandson Deke Shaw, attending their wedding without even knowing they were his grandparents. Together, Fitz and Simmons worked to prevent the destruction of Earth, helping to devise the plan of sending the Gravitonium—of what was used to destroy the Earth in the future—straight into the sun. Their plan, unfortunately, was put on hold at the moment.

Then Phil turned to her. Melinda Qiaolian May.

She had been by Phil’s side forever. An experienced pilot and soldier, May had only retried from duty after a traumatic experience in Manama, Bahrain involving an Inhuman child she was forced to kill, lest she cause even more damage—of which May had witnessed personally and knew… it had to be done. The warm woman that day completely fell apart, replaced only with the cold, heartless May that lived for years afterwards. And Coulson never knew why for so long.

When she was brought back into action, May joined Coulson’s team as a pilot, desperately not wanting to go out into the field. But after the HYDRA Uprising, she simply had no choice any longer. After learning of Coulson’s resurrection, May helped Phil rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. from the ground up, with help from the Toolbox Fury had given them. After Daisy had gotten her Inhuman powers, May took it upon herself to help Daisy train and harness her new strength, taught her to fight, to live as an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. Phil didn’t know what would have happened to Daisy had May not done that.

She had fought with Phil, led S.H.I.E.L.D. with him, became his most trusted friend… that Phil was starting to feel for something else. That they could be something else. Against Aida, traveling to the future, trying to prevent the apocalypse, there was ever a dull moment. But sometimes Phil wished for those dull moments… so he could spark something with May. That they could finally be something together… instead of just soldiers.

All thoughts that could be saved for later. They had to get back to the war, like the soldiers they were.

“Unless you didn’t get the message earlier,” Director Coulson began, using the remote in his robotic hand to flip the screens back on. They ignited to life behind him, showcasing a world under siege, desperately fighting back against the alien invaders. Daisy’s mouth fell open, her eyes staring in horror to the chaos erupting worldwide. Several agents whispered amongst themselves, some not even bothering to hide their concern from Coulson.

Lowering the remote, Phil took a step forward to his fellow agents, still higher than them from his elevated position on the concrete podium. “The Chitauri are back, larger than before. Just like in New York six years ago, they’re attacking cities. The only good news that could come from it is that Qovas and his alien goons hanging over the Lighthouse are gone. He just got a taste… or should I say, the Chitauri got a taste of him.”

The control room was deathly silent, save for the screens behind Coulson. “Bad joke, sorry,” Phil apologized, walking across the concrete podium. “Unlike New York six years ago, they’re attacking military complexes, entire aircrafts on our planet’s oceans, doing everything in their power to cripple our chances of fighting back.”

“They’re smarter,” May muttered, a few uneasy glances shifting her way.

Phil stopped directly in the center of the concrete podium. He stared at his fellow agents, tightened his palms into fists, and kept his hardened stare as strong as he could. “And unlike New York six years ago, the Chitauri haven’t dealt with me and my team.”

“What do you suppose we do, sir?” Davis asked.

“What can we do?” Piper piped up, turning to Davis with an incredulous look. “If you haven’t noticed, the entire goddamn world is under attack. These Chitauri outnumber us a thousand to one, and that’s being generous. We can try, but with what we got…”

Piper let the image alone of the number of agents they had—which rounded up to about thirty or less—finish her statement and her argument. A cloud of disappointment and concern hung heavy over the crowd of agents, several looking to one another, counting, trying to see each other as larger in number than they knew they were.

Fitz puffed out his lips, let out a shaky breath. Simmons rubbed his shoulder comfortingly. Deke did the same with his opposite shoulder. Fitz shrugged him off, saying, “This is a job bigger for us, Phil. I know it’s been years, and I know we have the limited resources as well as means of communication, but…”

He caught himself mid-sentence, already knowing the reactions he’ll get to the ridiculousness of the request he was ready to give. The horrifying sounds from the screen behind Coulson urged him on, pushed him forward, gave him the courage to say what probably no one else was thinking.

“… I think it would be in our best interest if we contact Nick Fury.”

Fitz, as well as the rest of the room, caught himself once more when Phil just smiled. Especially when he said, “Oh, I already did.”

May took a step forward, her brow tightening towards Coulson and his announcement. That was his plan all along. He knew they would be outnumbered, outgunned, outmatched. The fact that he was able to contact Fury at all still surprised her. The rest of the room fell silent when Coulson pulled out his phone from his pocket, studied it for a moment, then flipped it open.

He wrinkled his nose, chuckling and holding out his phone for all to see. “Old number. Told me to use it if there was ever a situation we couldn’t handle. I’ve managed to convince him to get back in the game, and he’s given us a mission.”

Pocketing his phone, Phil took a step forward, then another, then rested his hands on the metal railing separating him from the ground below, his agents, and his friends. His family. They could only wait and watch with anticipation as a knowing, slick smile began to grow across the Director’s lips. A childish smile. May could have sworn she saw a sparkle of excitement in his eyes when he said it.

“He wants us to get the Avengers back together.”

And everyone caught their breath. The resounding conversations that were sparked from that filled the entire room, agent turning to agent, whispering the possibilities and the dangers of doing so. Not Coulson’s team. They stood dumbfounded, frozen, unable to speak, but clearly thinking of what Coulson had just told them.

Daisy especially found herself beginning to smile. Not-so-fond memories of her time as Skye, trying to get word on enhanced people, trying to help them, came rushing back. It was a time of superheroes, a time of hope and belief. It was a time that was much simpler for Daisy, back when she didn’t have to worry about whether or not she destroyed the entire Earth. And all people could talk about, all she could really talk about, were the Avengers.

The possibility of finally meeting them, meeting the heroes she looked up to, was something that brought a cheerful smile to her face. She could feel her heart beginning to beat more rapidly than she anticipated, staring upon Phil’s face and finding no deceit in his eyes. He was being positive. They were going to be bring the Avengers back together. And Daisy couldn’t stop smiling. She did eventually when the weight of the situation finally recurred to her once more. She wasn’t meeting her heroes for autograph signing. They needed to get them back together to save the world. No time for games. No time for smiling.

None of Daisy’s mindset stopped Phil from smiling like a little kid.

“Anyone else get goosebumps?” Coulson asked. The room turned back to him, not a single soul raising their hands. “Just me? All right.”

Deke raised his hand, Phil happy at that. “No,” Deke said, shaking his head and slowly dropping his uninjured hand, “not that. Who the hell are the Avengers?”

Phil’s smile slowly began to fade. His eyes were lost somewhere else, back to a time where he could stand in the open and not get shot at or hunted constantly. Where no one, not even Fury, tried to hide him from the world. Back when he met his heroes, his allies, face to face… for the last time.

Not anymore, that is.

Phil sighed, taking a step back. He turned around and stared at the screens, at the alien invasion and the crumbling cities. At the world’s armies fighting back and defending their nations. At a world in desperate need of heroes. When he spoke, he had never sounded so distant. “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I’ve seen them since they were first assembled, worked hard to make sure that the idea, that the… ‘old fashioned notion’ as Fury used to put it, worked in the end. And in the end, our end… my end… it worked.”

Phil nodded, smiled softly at the fond memories, all of which he never experienced but was told by Fury. “They became something greater than a team. They became a family. And we’ve helped ever since, in the shadows, always there but never seen. But ever since the Accords, since the Avengers were disbanded, the world’s needed some heroes. We’ve done all we could, but even this…”

Phil pointed at the screens, facing his agents once again. “This is something we can’t face on our own. We need the Avengers.”

Several nods from the crowd, among Coulson’s team, and even Melinda May herself. Phil smiled at that, beginning his approach to the railing.

“But first…” he said, looking about amongst the crowd of agents, “… we’re seriously understaffed. May, get Zephyr One and the Quinjet ready for flight. I want all agents other than my team prep and ready the Lighthouse for anything the Chitauri might throw at us. Fitz, Simmons, Deke, Mack, Yo-Yo, Davis, Piper, and Daisy, you’re all with me.”

Upon those orders given, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t hesitate to follow through with them. The room shuffled about, leaving only the ones individually called by name standing beneath Phil. He smiled down at them, hands in his pockets, nodding once. “We have a few friends to pick up,” he told them, assured them, caused them to question him.

“What friends, sir?” Simmons asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Some old and welcome ones,” Phil said, still smiling. “Hunter, Morse, Deathlok… and Reyes.”

The name alone froze the team where they stood, all of them exchanging looks, Deke with his especially confused one not knowing any of the people Coulson mentioned. Daisy’s smile quickly shattered when she mentioned that name, her eyes shifting down to Coulson’s chest, to the area where he was slowly but surely dying. And it was all because of him, because of Reyes and what he was.

Jemma cleared her throat. “Um… sir… we don’t even know where Robbie is.”

“Last time we saw him he literally took the Darkhold to Hell,” Daisy said, meeting Coulson’s eyes then shooting back down to his chest.

And all Coulson could do was smile. None of them could tell what it held, not even May. “We don’t know where he is, do we?” he said, stepping aside and pulling his hand out of his pocket. In it, he held the remote, rewinding one screen. Just one. To the time the footage caught something that made each agent have a double take. And Phil just kept smiling. “You can thank WHIH for this.”

An amateur piece of footage, shaky as all hell and barely even audible, was all the agents saw at first. The footage began to focus, and when it did, when they actually saw it, their jaws fell. In the streets, there walked a man with a flaming skull. In his skeletal hands melting with fire, he dragged a burning chain. The hellfire in his eyes, the glowing orange orbs of ancient evil, stared straight ahead. The footage shifted over, straight to the Chitauri warship hovering over the city of Los Angeles in the distance and the chariots flying right for the street.

That’s where the footage ended.

And Phil just couldn’t stop smiling, though with a tad grim look in his eyes. He turned back to his team, almost laughed at their expressions. “I hear it’s really hot in Cali this time of year.”

Author's Note

Little update. Due to school starting up again tomorrow, probably won't be able to keep to my three day schedule of chapter updates. Updates might be more random, but count on a new chapter coming every weekend... hopefully. Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all next time!

Chapter 30 – Battle: Los Angeles

California, USA

East Los Angeles

Streets

3:24 p.m.

A squadron of F15-E Strike Eagles broke across the skylines of Los Angeles, over the neighborhood streets and straight towards the city. They were accompanied by several UH-60 Black Hawks carrying an abundance of U.S. Army soldiers. Their fight was centered towards the city of Los Angeles, where the Chitauri Command Center was slowly but surely approaching.

Consuming the very skyline of Los Angeles, the Chitauri army spread its infection throughout the city. Towers of smoke rose higher than the largest skyscrapers. Massive fires spread and ate away at the outer rims of the city, Chitauri chariots and starships divebombing buildings, the streets, and even spreading further out to attack the neighborhoods of East Los Angeles.

U.S. forces quickly moved through the streets, leading their IAV Strykers towards the city where the majority of the fighting occurred. Even with support from their armored vehicles, the U.S. Army were desperately unprepared while they were busy trying to evacuate civilians from the area. A battalion of Chitauri chariots flew overhead, sending an array of energy bolts directly on top of them. The U.S. forces took cover and returned fire, their rifles pointed to the sky, firing away whenever they caught a glimpse of the flying chariots in the burning afternoon sunlight. The air was ripe with gunfire and blood-curdling cries, both from the attacking aliens and the soldiers spouting off orders.

The soldiers were unable to stop the Chitauri from entering civilian evacuation sites. It only got more and more difficult when Chitauri leapt from the chariots they rode and landed on the body and blood ridden streets of East Los Angeles, whipping out their rifles and firing away at the surrounded U.S. forces. They were forced down the road, returning fire and retreating behind destroyed or burning vehicles for cover whenever they had the chance.

A squadron of U.S. soldiers led their Stryker down the road, halting once the Chitauri blocked their path, their rifle fire preventing them from proceeding any further. They took cover behind their Stryker, the armored vehicle taking the majority of the alien blaster fire. The Chitauri leapt upon the destroyed vehicles, firing away on the lone group of soldiers.

East Los Angeles was consumed along with the rest of the city. Consumed in flames and chaos and warfare. Civilians scattered about, thousands still in the city and hundreds more lying in the streets of East Los Angeles. The U.S. Army’s goal to evacuate civilians was put on hold with the Chitauri already nearing the city and unleashing its forces. They couldn’t order a nuclear strike with hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians still in the area. Their only hope was to push into the city and begin the evacuation before they had a chance of nuking the warship. Millions had already fled, millions still unaccounted for. Abandoned vehicles filled the crowded highways, people taking the chance of escaping the city on foot.

The Chitauri were far too preoccupied with protecting their Command Center, laying waste to the city, and dealing with the U.S. forces to pay heed to any other distraction. The U.S. Army was focused on dealing solely on protecting the citizens of Los Angeles, digging deeper into the fight and pushing back the alien invasion by any means possible.

They were all caught up in the war.

None of them saw the orange portal rip through the very fabric of reality.

The portal appeared in the street, revealing a gray landscape within that stretched for endless miles. Completely dead, darkness filling the edges of the world within the portal. And out of it stepped a single being. A lone person. A human. He emerged out of the orange portal, the sparks swirling around its edges dying out once the portal vanished.

And Roberto Reyes stood dead center in the street, a slick, gray chain wrapped around and over his chest and shoulder. His face appeared weary, his short, black hair covered in sweat alongside his face and mustache. His black jacket was spotless, the pair of white vertical lines decorated on his jacket painted in dust and dirt. His black pants and shoes were filthy, both from his journey through Hell and his previous predicaments. He clenched his hands into fists, the black gloves responding in kind.

Robbie was no stranger to Hell. His whole life was practically filled with it, ever since he dropped out of high school and took a job as a mechanic at Canelo’s Auto and Body. Life only got harder, and it got even worse when Reyes decided to take his uncle’s car—a 1969 Dodge Charger known as the “Hell Charger”—out for a spin one forsaken night. He made the mistake of doing so. He made the mistake of crossing with the Fifth Street Locos.

He made the mistake of bringing his little brother Gabe along for the ride.

He tried to get him and his little brother away from the Locos as fast as he could, but they caught up no matter how fast he drove. They shot up the Hell Charger, sending bullets into both Reyes and his brother, and leaving the crime scene after watching the Hell Charger crash and burn. When Robbie was flung from the car, in his final moments of life, he prayed to God, to whatever was out there to save his little brother. When he hit the road, Robbie Reyes died on impact.

He thought he did. A voice called out to him in the darkness that followed, asking Reyes just one thing. It asked if he wanted vengeance on those that harmed him and his brother. Reyes, without any power on earth, with what little power he had left in the darkness, said yes.

And he gave up his soul at that very moment, to a being without any remorse, any mercy. It dragged his little brother out of the demolished car, standing over Robbie’s dead body and bringing him back to life with a simple touch. A single touch that consumed all of Robbie’s face in flame, his skin burning away as he screamed in agony. What was left was the roaring skull, the unending flame burning across its head and out of its mouth. Reyes could breathe again. He could move again. He was alive… again.

It was then did Reyes become something other than human, something not from Earth but from another world, another dimension. Something that couldn’t feel pain, both from itself and for the pain it inflicted upon others who were deserving of it. Robbie Reyes, after being resurrected from the dead, became the Ghost Rider.

His little brother Gabe survived the crash, but was considered disabled and forced to remain in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Enacting revenge, both for his own death and what happened to Gabe, Reyes ensured that the lives of the Fifth Street Locos that committed the crime came to a quick, painful, and abrupt end. The Ghost Rider in him, the demon that possessed the man, determined who deserved to die, and it led Reyes on a killing spree throughout East Los Angeles. He took down criminals and gang members for years, earning the reputation as “The Rider” amongst the populace of his hometown.

His little brother never knew what really happened that night. He found out soon enough when S.H.I.E.L.D. interfered with their lives.

It all began when Quake tracked Reyes down, earning her own reputation as a vigilante. She thought she could defeat Reyes and stop his murder spree from going on any longer. Daisy Johnson never lasted against the Ghost Rider. She, like all the others, failed to stop him from doing what he was meant to. But unlike the others, the Ghost Rider saw something in Daisy’s eyes. She wasn’t like the others who tried to kill him. She was only trying to do good in the world. He let her live after their encounter. Since then, S.H.I.E.L.D. has followed him nonstop.

Reyes was eventually forced into their business when he realized his uncle Eli Morrow had planned to use the power of the Darkhold to acquire ancient, mystical powers. With the power of the Darkhold, he could become the most powerful man in the world, using his strength to rule with an iron fist. Reyes knew he had no choice but to kill him and take the Darkhold somewhere where no one would find it. While being forced into the Inter-Dimensional Gate, Reyes managed to kill his uncle, but was unfortunate enough to be sucked straight into the Multiverse.

He fell right into Hell’s awaiting embrace, forced to do the bidding of the Spirit of Vengeance for weeks until he finally managed to escape and return to the Earthly Plane. With Eli dealt with for good, Reyes rejoined with S.H.I.E.L.D. to bring down the android known as Aida from using the power of the Darkhold to cause a catastrophic event on Earth. They succeeded, the Spirit of Vengeance entering Coulson’s body in order to trick and defeat Aida once and for all.

It came at a price, a price Phil was willing to pay to ensure the safety of Earth. Robbie didn’t envy him for what he bargained with: His very life for possession of the Ghost Rider.

With Aida destroyed and the Darkhold finally in his hands, Reyes took it upon himself to bring the book to Hell and hide it away, ensuring that no one would use its evil powers ever again. He opened the portal right in front of Coulson, Daisy, and the rest of S.H.I.E.L.D. and disappeared. They were the last real humans he saw in nearly a year.

And now, with the Darkhold safely in Hell, Robbie could rest and return to his home and the only real family he had left, his little brother. When he exited the portal, when he stepped foot in East Los Angeles, his satisfied smile instantly vanished. His smile slowly faded away, leaving only a grim expression mixed with denial.

“No…” Reyes muttered, shaking his head. “This ain’t right. This ain’t right!”

He stared straight at the Chitauri warship closing in on Los Angeles, the city in flames, the skies pockmarked with explosions, falling debris, and dogfights between the U.S. Air Force and Chitauri chariots and starships. Explosions rocked the earth with tremors, causing Robbie to stumble. He observed his surroundings, spotting a squad of U.S. soldiers in a firefight with several Chitauri in the middle of the street. Beyond them, his house stood. He could barely see through the smoke and fire and madness of war.

Beyond them… Gabe was left all alone. Unprotected. He didn’t even know if he was alive.

Reyes took off in a dead sprint, that thought alone giving him the adrenaline and energy needed after a long journey through Hell. He weaved around cars, sometimes hopping and sliding across the hoods of a few that remained abandoned and burning in the middle of the road. He didn’t stop, not even for the U.S. soldiers that shouted at him when he ran past them.

The Stryker fired away with its 30 mm cannon mounted on top, Reyes covering his head to the onslaught of bullets that rang throughout the air. The cannon managed to strike several Chitauri in the street, rising up and blowing a chariot right out of the sky. The flaming husk that remained careened and fell down to the street, impacting the Stryker. The soldiers managed to get out of the way in time, Reyes doing the same as the chariot crashed into the Stryker and blew them both to hell.

The resulting explosion sent fire and metal scrap across the street, none of which hit Reyes and simply laid next to him in the street. With just the sound of the fire and far-off battles raging elsewhere, Robbie slowly raised his head and observed the area. The bright afternoon sun nearly blinded him, hanging heavy over Los Angeles under siege. The alien warship remained dead ahead, but Reyes wasn’t focused on that. He could see his house getting closer.

Pressing his gloved-palms to the street, Reyes wiped off his jacket and eyed his house, kept his attention focused only on it. He never saw the blaster bolt before it was too late. The stream of blue struck Robbie right in the heart, the man keeling over and clutching his chest. He didn’t fall to his knees, but kept his face contorted in pain down to the street. A group of Chitauri emerged from the destroyed vehicles in the street, their rifles centered on Reyes, slowly approaching the lone human.

They watched, and they actually flinched when he shot up his head and glared at them.

When they looked into his eyes. When they saw the burning orange in his pupils. They actually began to back away, just a few inches. But it showed. They showed their unease, their discomfort. Their fear. Reyes’ face contorted into a different kind of a pain, a pain he had become and accepted. A pain he used to his advantage.

His eyes glowed bright orange. “Wrong move, cabrón,” he growled, shutting his eyes as tight as he could and gritting his teeth, trying to hold in his painful screams. The Chitauri could only watch in horror as the man’s face burned away into nothing but ash, the sound of boiling skin evaporating off of his person. And what remained, what glared upon the small group of aliens slowly rose to full height.

The Chitauri cried out and fired away, using their remaining rounds on the demon.

The blasts did nothing to the Ghost Rider.

The Spirit of Vengeance just growled, the flames flickering off its skull. The demon turned its glowing orange dots for eyes to the closest Chitauri, approaching it slowly. The lone Chitauri continued to fire away, the blaster bolts doing nothing to the Rider. The alien screeched out, using its rifle as a weapon and swinging for the Ghost Rider’s burning skull.

The Spirit caught the rifle with its left hand. Both it and the Chitauri slowly looked to it, the alien in shock and the demon focusing back its way. Before the Chitauri could react, the Ghost Rider shot out its right hand and began to strangle the creature by its throat. The other Chitauri continued to fire on the Spirit, but it was fruitless. The lone alien in the Rider’s grasp cried and struggled, both claws gripping Ghost Rider’s right arm. The Rider, with its far superior strength, actually forced the alien to its knees just by lowering its arm. It closed the distance between them, meeting the alien’s gaze and burning it to a crisp.

Its gaze, its eyes, its head, and its body. All burned away into nothing but ash when the Ghost Rider roared into its face. Tossing whatever remained of the creature aside, the Ghost Rider shot its flaming eyes over to the two that remained. They stood frozen in shock, their rifles low to the ground. They slowly began to back away. The Spirit of Vengeance raised both of its hands, two flames burning to life in its palms. Looking to each, the Ghost Rider turned back to the Chitauri, not even making a sound as it shot out both of its hands. A torrent of flames exited the Rider’s hands, striking and consuming both Chitauri before they could escape. They breathed their last cry, their bodies evaporating into nothing but ash.

The Ghost Rider dropped its hands. Behind the flaming husk of the Stryker, the remaining U.S. soldiers peeked around the corner and saw it. They saw the Ghost Rider. They saw it unsheathe the chain wrapped around it, striking it across the ground and igniting the steel into a burning flame. They watched as it walked down the street, approaching the Chitauri army all by itself.

The Ghost Rider growled, grabbing the Hellfire Chain with both hands as it saw the Chitauri chariots charging for the street directly ahead. Blocking its path and the house it needed to reach. That Reyes needed to reach. There was minimal understanding between the two, and Reyes was only able to control so much that the Spirit of Vengeance allowed. But for now, it gave Reyes the control he needed.

In the corner of its vision, the Ghost Rider could see a small family evacuating their house. In the front yard, what looked to be the oldest brother suddenly pulled out his phone and started to record the events unfolding in the street. The young man was pulled away by his father, forced into the house as they continued to evacuate their home of all the essentials needed to escape the warzone.

Then came the chariots. The Ghost Rider growled, flame bursting out from its head as it slashed the road with a whip of the Hellfire Chain. The first chariot flew directly down the middle of the road, the Chitauri upon it firing a round of blaster fire on the lone occupant in the street. The blasts hit the Rider in the shoulder, then in the leg, then continued to blast away at its body. It mattered none, the Ghost Rider rearing back with the chain and slashing it downwards. The Rider dipped to the right, the Hellfire Chain cutting the chariot in half. Its burning remains crashed and scattered across the road.

The second chariot chose instead of dive-bombing the Ghost Rider like its ally had to hover in place, firing several bolts and blanketing the street where the Rider stood in black and blue eruptions from the blaster fire. And for a moment, the Chitauri believed to have been successful. The smoke cleared, and a chain shot through it, impaling the two Chitauri standing on the chariot straight through their skulls. Growling softly, the Ghost Rider ripped its arm away, yanking the Hellfire Chain as well. The chariot teetered to the left and crashed on the sidewalk, erupting into a flurry of flame.

The Spirit stared into the fire where the chariot once remained, where the aliens were but burning corpses. Slowly, it looked back to the city, to the hundreds of other chariots, starships, and alien serpents filling the skies and demolishing Los Angeles. Then, in quick successions, the U.S. soldiers Reyes had ran past earlier proceeded to run past the Ghost Rider, completely ignoring him and rushing straight into the fire and death. Straight into the war. The Ghost Rider watched them, whipping the Hellfire Chain across its shoulder and wrapping it tightly around. Their war would continue. The Rider's war was elsewhere.

Kicking down the front door, the Ghost Rider entered into Reyes’ home. The smoke alarms began to cry out as the Rider slipped through the kitchen, its glowing eyes searching back forth, staring down the dark halls and looking through each room. Then it stopped. Still hearing the chaos unfold in the world outside, the Ghost Rider listened even more carefully than that. It could hear it, the frantic beating of a heart nearby. Slowly tilting its head to the closet at the end of the hallway, the Rider approached it, apprehensively reaching for the handle.

Gripping it, turning it, opening it. The Ghost Rider stared down onto the fearful expression of Gabriel Reyes. He sat in his wheelchair, huddled in the corner under the coats to keep himself as secure as possible from the madness falling down outside. He spun his head around, eyes widening at first to see the Ghost Rider. Then it clicked.

“Robbie?”

The flames consuming the Ghost Rider began to simmer down, the brightest fires on its skull being that of the vivid veins rushing down its forehead. Even those began to dim. The last lights that burned on its face were the orange in its eyes, and even those faded away when the skin merged across the skull, the hair returned to normal, and Robbie Reyes took full control of his body once more.

Watching with eyes filled with fear and wonder, Gabe breathed a sigh of relief. “Robbie… I thought you were dead!”

“You won’t have to worry about that,” Robbie said, breathless. He bent down and practically tore his brother from his wheelchair, gripping him in the tightest hug he could manage. He still gave an easy one regardless, knowing his enhanced strength. “I knew you’d be here. Who brought you home?”

“It was S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Gabe replied, Robbie breaking the hug and staring him right in the eyes. “You know, Daisy and all of them. They said they’d keep a close eye on me.”

Robbie looked to be in thought, as if he was processing the intel given to him from his brother. S.H.I.E.L.D. was still involved with their lives. Robbie mentally cursed at that. Then again, they still managed to keep Gabe safe for so long, especially with how long Reyes had been gone. If anything, he could thank them for that.

“Where have you been, Robbie? It’s been like a year since I’ve seen you.”

Then came the question similar to his own thought process at the moment. Robbie thought back to where exactly he had been. He spent the last year searching for a safe haven for the Darkhold in Hell, fending off as many demons that crossed his path, and getting sidetracked again and again when the Spirit found those who deserved worse fates than what they were given in Hell. As if the Ghost Rider could offer a punishment worse…

And he did. Every single time.

Robbie shook his head. “It doesn’t matter,” he said, blinking several times. Standing back up, Robbie grabbed Gabe’s wheelchair and spun it around, pulling him out of the closet with his incredible strength. “What matters is that I’m here, and I’m gonna get us out of the city and somewhere safe.”

Gabe looked back at him, as he gripped the wheelchair’s handles and appeared elsewhere for a moment. “Where?” Gabe asked.

“I don’t know,” Robbie muttered, already wheeling Gabe through the halls and towards the living room. “Just somewhere… not here.”

Slowly facing forward, Gabe just shrugged. “I’ll take it,” he said, staring out into the world beyond their busted down front door. “It’s literally like Hell outside.”

You don’t know the half of it, Reyes thought to himself, shaking his head. He lifted Gabe’s wheelchair over the front door, wheeling him out into the blistering sunlight, both brothers shielding their eyes with a free hand. Robbie grumbled, “Let’s get you to the car.”

“Robbie…”

Slowly dropping his gloved-palm, Reyes’ eyes began to grow. So large. He took in slow, steady breaths as he stared upon the rows of Chitauri chariots surrounding his front lawn. They had their weapons trained on him, the barrels glowing bright blue. In the center of it all, hovering in a starship larger than any of the chariots, a Chitauri Elite growled from within the cockpit, focusing all fire on the two.

Gabe watched and listened as their weapons began to heat up, only to witness Robbie moving in front of him, blocking his line of sight with the starship. Robbie simply held out his hand to Gabe, growling very softly, “Stay behind me… and don’t… move.”

One of the leading chariots held a Chitauri that raised its claw into the air. Ready to unleash the firepower the Chitauri squadron was capable of. Robbie Reyes barred his teeth, his eyes igniting into a bright, brilliant orange. None of it came to pass. What did was a sleek, black Quinjet passing overhead, its minigun tearing through the horde of Chitauri and blowing them all out of the sky.

“Whoa!” Gabe yelled, shielding his head at the sound of the minigun crying out into the air. The burning husks of the chariots and the starship hit the street in front of them, but Gabe didn’t seem to care. He tried to catch another glimpse at the Quinjet somewhere in the sky. “What was that?”

Reyes didn’t need to give the Quinjet a second glance when he knew what was coming. His groans were drowned out by Gabe’s awestruck gasp when the S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Zephyr One exited out of its cloaking ability, hovering down to the street directly in front of the Reyes’ house. Robbie just shook his head, returning to the wheelchair’s handles and pushing Gabe along. His sighs joined his groans once he saw the ramp of the Zephyr fall open, two particular individuals he knew personally stepping out. To greet them.

“Great…” Reyes muttered, wheeling the shocked Gabe past the destroyed chariots. He stopped just at the end of the ramp, watching in silence—with a glare on his face—as Phil Coulson and Daisy Johnson walked forward towards them. Phil, as always, was wearing his shit-eating grin and sunglasses. Daisy, on the other hand, looked as dead serious as she always tried to when standing in the presence of the Ghost Rider.

“Mr. Reyes,” Phil began, taking off his sunglasses. “It’s mighty fine to see you again.”

Gabe stared directly upwards, still in awe from the Zephyr’s size and height. “Yeah…” Robbie mumbled, gripping the wheelchair’s handles tighter.

Gabe’s eyes fell downwards, almost having a double take when he met Daisy’s gorgeous face. She flashed him a warm smile, breaking through the serious attitude. “Hi Gabe,” she said as sweet as ever.

Already flustered, Gabe cleared his throat, returning her smile. “Hey Daisy.”

“What do you want?”

Unlike Gabe, Robbie was blunt, to the point. He had seen enough spectacle to not be affected and simply walk right through it. Or, more accurately, burn right through it. To prevent anything happening to his Zephyr, Phil just smiled to Robbie, holding out his prosthetic hand. “We want to help, and we need your help. It’s kind of a mutual thing—”

“We’ll be fine on our own,” Robbie interrupted. He turned Gabe’s wheelchair to the left, already beginning to push him away. “Come on, Gabe.”

Gabe tried to object, but Daisy beat him to the punch. “We can offer Gabe a safe environment, a place that not even the Chitauri know about nor can be able to penetrate,” she explained, causing Robbie to pause, and causing a slick smile to grace her features.

Slowly, he looked back at her, staring into her eyes and searching for the deceit. And with the power of a certain demonic spirit, that became a specialty for him. When he could find none, Robbie turned his head over to Coulson, who just smiled and wrapped his hands together.

“The Lighthouse,” Phil clarified. “State of the art bunker. Built to withstand a nuclear war… and even an alien invasion.”

Robbie didn’t look impressed by any means. A shame, because that’s what Phil was kind of hoping for. So, he finished it off by saying, “What I’m trying to say is… we can guarantee Gabe’s safety.”

Robbie was having trouble finding trust in the agents. Although he could see no deceit in their eyes, that never necessarily meant they could keep their promises, or their false hopes. Looking down to his brother, he could see Gabe gazing up at him, eyes desperate. Eyes that were still human, unlike Robbie. “What other choice do we have?” Gabe asked.

“We take the car and drive as far away as possible.”

“Last time we tried to drive away from a fight, you died and I became paralyzed,” Gabe told him. Robbie’s face hardened at that statement, looking away. Gabe pressured him further, his expression becoming more desperate, more pleading. More alive. “Come on, Robbie…”

Robbie Reyes never liked S.H.I.E.L.D. They got into business that wasn’t theirs, messed with power beyond their understanding and control, and dealt with evils that could obliterate them in less than a second. Just by the sheer size of the Chitauri army around them, Reyes had little to no faith in S.H.I.E.L.D. to have a concrete plan in order to turn the tides. He would be surprised if they even had a plan at all. And for whatever reason, they needed Reyes and the Ghost Rider to see it through.

He just knew.

And he gave himself up to them just the same.

“So glad we could come to an agreement,” Phil said, still holding the knowing smile. Reyes didn’t even look at him, hauling Gabe up the ramp and into the Zephyr. Phil joined him, saying, “By the way, the whole Darkhold thing, did you—?”

“Taken care of,” he confirmed to him. Daisy took Gabe away from Reyes, nodding to him to assure Robbie that she would handle him with care. He watched Daisy roll Gabe deeper into the Zephyr, turning back to Phil. The relief in Coulson's eyes were so genuine, as was the smile widening on his face.

“Great,” he said, sighing heavily at the end. Another weight off his shoulders. As the ramp closed behind them, both Phil and Reyes could feel the Zephyr begin to rise. Phil turned back to Reyes, realizing just how long it had been since their last meeting. “A lot has happened since you’ve been gone. First, there was this huge White Monolith—”

“Coulson,” Robbie interrupted him, not at all interested in their adventures in his absence. If he was going to be a part of their “saving the day” plan, then he needed to know the facts. He needed to understand just the size and scale that the alien invaders had in their arsenal. So, he stepped in front of Coulson, looked him square in the eye, and said, “All I need to know is what’s happening out there.”

Phil smiled again. Reyes was really starting to hate that smile. “Oh, you know, just the end of the world.”

Author's Note

More Than a Vengeance

Chapter 31 – The House of Strange

New York, USA

Manhattan

The Sanctum Sanctorum

7:46 p.m.

“Now, explain this to me again, but clearer and less idiotic.”

Wong and Doctor Strange moved swiftly throughout the Sanctum, only one of them holding the Eye of Agamotto. Stephen gripped the Eye in his left palm as he strode about in the Sanctum in his blue robes, the Cloak of Levitation elsewhere at the moment. If anything, Strange was in his leisure attire. The Cloak knew when it was time to act, when the time came for Strange to need it. Now was not the time.

Now was the time for preventing mass genocide and convincing Wong to do so.

He was not so easily swayed, trailing Strange closely through the halls of the Sanctum. “The Time Stone cannot be used as a weapon of war, Strange, as much as you would like it to,” Wong told him, shifting his eyes back to the Eye of Agamotto every few seconds, ensuring that Strange did nothing with it if things didn’t go his way. “It is an ancient relic of which Agamotto himself—!”

“Yeah, yeah, I know, his most ‘prized possession’, ‘threatening the very fabric of time’,” Strange groaned, looking down at the Eye of Agamotto in his palms. The two of them stopped at the very top of the staircase that led to the bottom floor of the Sanctum, the foyer resting beneath them. He sighed. “But just think about it, Wong. If we freeze time—hell, if we reverse it, we can stop this invasion from even occurring! We can save millions of lives!”

That statement alone didn’t even cause him to flinch. He was dead set on his decision, frowning Stephen’s way. “It is not that easy, Stephen,” he told him.

“Sounds pretty damn easy to me,” Strange retorted, looking down the steps.

“It isn’t!” Wong replied, growing more infuriated at Strange’s stubbornness. They stood eye to eye, seeing which one of them would break first. Neither would. Wong sighed, cooling his gaze, but never ceasing the strength that he offered. “Listen to me, Strange, the Time Stone is not like the magic we wield. You got lucky once in dealing with Dormammu, but that doesn’t guarantee you can use it just as well as last time!”

That struck him somewhere deep. After losing the Ancient One, after being therefore known as the Sorcerer Supreme amongst the Masters of the Mystic Arts, demoralizing his ability to control magic was like a slap to the face for Strange. He slowly narrowed his eyes, a heated glare glowing in his twin orbs. When he spoke, his voice was lower, more threatening. “I’ve been training… for two years in mastering the power of the Time Stone! Our fellow sorcerers have deemed it safest in my hands!”

“Not now! Not this time!” Wong shot right back. “This is beyond mystical threats, Strange! This is beyond what we were prepared—!”

Doctor Strange had no more of it. He scoffed rather loudly, rather obnoxiously, and proceeded down the steps. Wong watched his descent, clenching his fists at the top of the staircase. “What do you think you’re doing?” he shouted.

“Taking the Time Stone,” Stephen mumbled. His voice was still loud enough for Wong to react accordingly. He gripped the Eye in his left palm, descending the steps further and further to the foyer. He said, “I’m stopping this invasion.”

“You cannot!” Wong declared, moving right after him. “We have sworn an oath to protect the Stone no matter the costs! If it falls into the wrong hands—”

“The longer we wait here and bicker, the more innocent lives are killed!”

“We cannot threaten the safety of this dimension!”

“I can prevent this invasion from even occurring!” Strange yelled, spinning around just at the last few steps. He clenched both of his fists to conceal his growing fury and frustration, his palms shaking. He stared at Wong like he was insane, holding out the Eye of Agamotto to him. “We can save millions of lives! Or did you not hear me the first time?!”

Wong shook his head, pointing at him as he yelled, “And then what?! You reverse time, we keep it frozen to prevent the invasion, and we are no closer to discovering how or why it even started!”

Strange snorted and turned away, reaching the end of steps and moving towards the exit. He was halted by the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak expelling from Wong’s fingertips, the red bands wrapping around his arms. Doctor Strange grew a furious frown, breaking the bonds before Wong could tighten them. He spun around, right hand sparking a holographic Tao Mandalas. His left hand held the Eye. Wong shot out both of his hands, a shield appearing in each one in sparks of orange energy.

The two sorcerers stared each other down, Wong on the last few steps and Strange already on ground-level. Their Eldritch Magic was strong, quite possibly equal to each other. The years they spent sparring with one another, training continuously for hours on end to defend the way of the Masters of the Mystic Arts, both Strange and Wong knew each other’s tactics. They knew each other’s strengths, weaknesses, abilities. Strange knew Wong was more skilled than he was, as he had more experience. Wong knew Strange was a loose cannon, dealing with magic in ways never before seen by the Masters of the Mystic Arts. It had made him unpredictable, dangerous, and more importantly… powerful.

“You were always rebellious,” Wong growled, fists still shot outwards, the glowing discs on his hands slowly spinning with raw, magical energy.

Strange just frowned, his own shield sparking with unrelenting power. “I was always right.”

“To this day, you still do not understand the severity of what you hold,” Wong told him sternly, walking down the steps and slowly approaching Strange. He never lowered his guard. Neither did Strange. “We took an oath… you took an oath… to protect the Stone no matter what.”

“And I will,” Stephen affirmed to him.

Dropping his hands, the sparks surrounding his fists died out, leaving just Wong. His eyes held concern. No fire or fury. Just concern and a hint of harsh reality. “You can’t know that.”

He had hoped the harshness, the reality of his tone would bring Strange back to it. Instead, it seemed to do the opposite, Stephen slowly lowering his right hand and turning his attention to his left. To the Eye of Agamotto. To what remained within it. He shot up his head. “Maybe I can.”

“Enough of this,” Wong declared, swiping the Eye of Agamotto from Strange’s grasp. Stephen turned accusingly to Wong, but he was already up the steps. Strange met him halfway.

“Wait!” he called out, gripping Wong by his tunic. “Just give me… ten minutes alone with the Time Stone. I swear to you that I won’t steal it. I just—”

“We will discuss this later,” Wong said after facing him. He held out the Eye for him to see one last time, ready to continue upwards. “For now, we keep the Stone safe in the Sanctum. With the Vapors of Valtorr over us, nothing will be able to find the Sanctum Sanctor—”

Three loud knocks reverberated across the Sanctum. The two sorcerers turned their attention to where the sound originated, that being the front door. Looking to one another, both Strange and Wong descended the steps and approached the front door. They stood on-guard, hands held outwards, ready to deal with any possible threat that had found them, even through the Vapors of Valtorr no less.

When they opened the doors, standing before them was a certain God of Thunder Strange had known and dealt with personally.

He wasn’t the only one.

By his right was his half-brother and God of Mischief Loki, standing with a sly grin as he met the somewhat startled expressions from the sorcerers. On Thor’s left stood a man practically naked and covered in a thin blanket, observing the Sanctum in awe. Doctor Strange and Wong slowly turned their eyes above, to the alien spaceship hovering directly over the street and facing the Sanctum. Within the cockpit, Strange and Wong could see a human and a raccoon piloting the ship. The human seemed to be at a loss for words as he observed his surroundings through the glass windshield. The raccoon yawned.

Then it spoke to the human, moving its mouth like it was actually talking.

Stephen slowly dropped his hands after several seconds of nothing but awkward, confusing silence. Wong did the same, gazing wondrously at the spaceship hovering over the street. They both brought their eyes down to Thor. “Wizard!” he exclaimed, smiling as wide as he could, with relief.

His brother, Loki, smiled as well. But it held a certain sinister undertone. “Vapors of Valtorr?” Loki asked, smirking at the end. “Quite clever.”

Doctor Strange slowly looked back to Wong, smirking as well. “You were saying?”

Wong just frowned. He never loosened his grip on the Eye of Agamotto. “Exactly my point.”

Chapter 32 – Lighthouse

Lake Ontario, USA

The Lighthouse

8:51 p.m.

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. exited Zephyr One and led Gabe and Robbie Reyes throughout the Lighthouse. As if literally landing within the lake’s waters without a single drop touching them wasn’t impressive enough, the underground bunker and the bustling agents were all quite the sight to see for Gabe. His head weaved back and forth, eyes wide and mouth agape to the size and spectacle of it all.

Robbie just couldn’t wait to get out of there. He mostly couldn’t stand Coulson’s smile.

“Welcome to the Lighthouse!” Phil declared, walking backwards and holding out his arms. While Daisy wheeled Gabe through the sliding bunker door, Robbie stepped inside and observed his surroundings. Phil continued to lead them, still walking backwards, still trying to impress them. “Safest and most secure bunker S.H.I.E.L.D. has to offer. And I can confirm that this baby can survive even the Earth splitting apart.”

Reyes turned his way, his brow curling into a frown. Phil pursed his lips, waving it away. “I’ll tell you later,” he said, spinning around.

“Because right now…” Daisy picked up for him, turning her attention to Phil Coulson’s approaching office. The next corner and the fifth door on the left would lead them to their destination. Well, Phil and Robbie’s destination. She and the other agents behind her just waited for their next orders. Robbie twisted his attention to Johnson on his right, the Inhuman wheeling his little brother down the hall.

She finished off her statement by saying, “Coulson needs to debrief you on the situation.”

Phil nodded at that, not even turning around. “Daisy, take Gabe to the guest room, the one next to yours. Should be safe for him,” he ordered. She nodded, smiling down to Gabe, who smiled back at her, a slight blush on his cheeks. Robbie slapped his shoulder, Gabe staring at him bewildered.

Robbie’s eyes told Gabe to watch himself. To not do anything stupid. He sent the same stare to Daisy, though increasing the flame and ensuring hell to pay if she let anything happen to his little brother. “I’ll watch out for him,” Daisy assured him, her eyes and her nod giving him her word.

That would be enough for now, Reyes thought to himself.

“Everyone else, back in the Zephyr for takeoff and await further orders. May, you’re with me,” Phil continued, giving out the orders and the agents responding in kind. Mack led Yo-Yo, Davis, Piper, Deke, Fitz, Simmons, and several other agents back where they came from, disappearing on the turn down the hall. Daisy was the only one left with Coulson, May, and Reyes. She continued to push Gabe down the hall, past Coulson’s office and towards his guest room. The two brothers cast one glance to each other before Phil broke their eye contact.

He held open his office door for Robbie, hand gesturing inside. “Mr. Reyes, if you will…”

That same damn smile. Robbie stared at him for a moment, eventually giving in with a disgruntled sigh and turning left into Coulson’s office. He closed the door behind him only after he let May inside. The two of them stood abreast, watching as Reyes observed Coulson’s office, walking about slowly, taking in his environment. Watching as Reyes picked up Phil’s bobblehead of Captain America, Coulson stepped forward, saying, “So, as you can see—”

“Aliens,” Robbie finished for him, staring deeply into the red, white, and blue shield the small toy held. It was the same shield and attire that Captain America wore into battle during the attack in New York. Reyes curled his lips upwards. “Same ones that attacked New York six years prior. Yeah, I got that part.”

He turned around, facing a simple smirk on Coulson’s face. At least, he thought it was just a simple smirk. Knowing Coulson, there was something else behind it. “You know your history,” Phil said.

“It’s more than history,” Robbie responded, setting down the bobblehead on Phil’s desk. May watched the toy’s head bounce up and down, bringing her eyes back on Reyes. “These freaks came and tried to annihilate us once before. We know our enemy. We take from our enemy. We learn from our enemy. You see any of those Chitauri weapons on the black market?”

Phil and Melinda looked at each other, then back to Robbie. They both shook their heads, keeping their knowledge about the black market away from Reyes.

“Got in a few run-ins a couple years back. It doesn’t matter,” Robbie explained, shaking his head at the unpleasant memories. Hands rising to rest on his hips, Robbie sighed, facing Coulson and May. “So, they tried New York, and now Los Angeles? Why?”

“It’s a little easier to understand than that.”

“What are you talking about?”

To emphasize his next point, Phil pulled up his jacket’s black sleeve, holding out the prosthetic limb that replaced his left hand. In his palm, a light shot out and displayed a hologram right above his hand. It showed an image of planet Earth, several red anomalies appearing over its surface and creating ripples like several stones to a pond. “The Chitauri aren’t just attacking Los Angeles. They’re attacking almost every major city on the planet, crippling our military, and even invading the alien world above the atmosphere,” Coulson explained.

Reyes slowly broke his gaze from the hologram, staring at Coulson questioningly. “Alien world?”

“Appeared not too long before the invasion started,” Phil said, the hologram over his palm showing a second planet near Earth, the same alien army invading its surface. “What’s curious about all of this is that the Chitauri are also invading the alien world.”

“While simultaneously invading ours,” May added, her cold stare locked with the hologram.

“Two birds with one stone,” Robbie muttered, shaking his head. “Question is…”

“Who threw the stone?” Phil finished for him. When he brought down his hand and the light from it died, all that was left was a slightly confused Robbie Reyes. He furrowed his brow, his lips rising in what appeared to be the start of a sneer.

Instead, he just asked, “Why do you need me?”

“Your ability to travel to other dimensions can be especially helpful, especially if we might be dealing with something beyond our understanding,” Phil explained, then slowly began to smile. “Plus, I’m also a big fan of how you turn into that skeleton with the flaming head.”

Phil waved his hands over his hair as he said that, almost trying to mimic the flame that consumed the Rider’s skull whenever Reyes turned. Robbie didn’t even flinch a smile. “You’re welcome to keep it,” he muttered

“I’m good,” Coulson told him, dropping his hands to rest by his sides. “Dealt with it once. Definitely don’t need it again.”

“I don’t blame ya,” Reyes murmured, looking away. Phil let his grave tone, the way he worded it, the way he looked, rest in the back of his head for the time being.

He continued, walking back and forth across his office. “Our mission, given directly from Nick Fury, is to bring the Avengers back together. We…” he paused, looking to May who only crossed her arms at him, “… I thought it would be a good idea to get you back on the team. We could use your strength, your powers, anything to help us bring back Earth’s Mightiest Heroes and push back against this invasion.”

His journey across his office led him directly in front of Reyes, pausing and meeting the gaze that Coulson knew Reyes was capable of increasing. Capable of terrifying and breaking. Burning and enslaving. It was a gaze he used once himself. “What do you say?” Phil asked, holding out his hand. “One more time?”

Robbie seemed to contemplate Coulson’s offer with little thought given, almost like he had already made up his mind the second he stepped foot on Zephyr One. And those decisions he had made were either to help them… or take his brother and leave. Coulson really hoped he hadn’t chosen the latter. Staring down at Phil’s hand for several seconds, Reyes, lifted his gaze, meeting Coulson’s.

“You promise to keep Gabe safe?”

“With our lives,” May assured him.

That was all he needed to hear. “All right,” Reyes said, gripping Phil’s right hand with his own and squeezing it. “I’m in.”

Phil smiled, then broke away from Robbie, feeling the growing heat on his palm slowly rising over unbearable. He knew what it was: a promise. That if they got Gabe hurt, then they’ll have to deal with the Rider. “Thank you, Robbie, you won’t regret this. You’ll be saving billions of lives,” Phil told him, turning to his right. “May, get the Zephyr ready for takeoff. We still need to pick up Bobbi Morse, Lance Hunter, and Agent Peterson.”

May didn’t move. Not right away, at least. She stood with her arms falling flat on her sides, her eyes meeting Phil’s and needing a promise. Another one Phil didn’t know if he was able to keep. “Then we’ll be ready?” she asked.

It was fairly simple enough. He smiled at her, nodding just once. “Then we’ll be—”

Three gentle knocks came from the office’s door. Breaking away from May for just a second longer than he would have hoped, Phil told whoever stood on the opposite side to come in. A S.H.I.E.L.D. agent stumbled inside, his attention only on Phil and not on the Ghost Rider they had brought in. “Director Coulson, sir.”

His voice was shaking, uneven. Phil took a step forward. “What’s the problem?”

“It’s… Glenn Talbot, sir. He… wanted to speak with you.”

The Lighthouse, Talbot’s Cell

8:57 p.m.

As Phil Coulson made his way through the dark hallway, into the secure area, and finally on the opposite side of Glenn Talbot’s cell, he still had a hard time believing that the same man curled up in the corner of the cell was once a highly-respected member of the United States Air Force, someone who had led the attack on HYDRA during their uprising four years prior, and someone who had become one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s biggest pains in the ass.

His rise and fall to that status was certainly an interesting one. Ever since he had taken the fight to S.H.I.E.L.D. once HYDRA revealed themselves, Talbot had always tried to go out of his way to show that Coulson and his band of misfits that called themselves “the new S.H.I.E.L.D.” were nothing but terrorists. After many failed attempts, Coulson had managed to convince Talbot otherwise, and the two would work together to put S.H.I.E.L.D. back in the spotlight, ready to help protect the world.

With the failed Project Patriot, and with one of Aida’s robots disguising itself as Daisy Johnson to shoot Talbot in the head, S.H.I.E.L.D. was once more labeled as nothing but a threat to the world they swore to protect. Talbot survived, but ended up in a coma. When he awoke, he was held under the jurisdiction of General Hale. A HYDRA sleeper agent. She forced him to reveal to her the location of the Particle Infusion Chamber, a device that would create a super soldier for HYDRA, much like the Americans did when creating Captain America.

They also brainwashed him, HYDRA forcing his wife to tell him his trigger words over the phone. Under their control and following orders from powers beyond his control, Talbot was forced to capture the young Robin Hinton and unveil the location of the Lighthouse to their unfortunate alien invaders. Talbot wasn’t well. For all Coulson knew, he could still be brainwashed. They couldn’t take any chances. Especially not with the mission ahead of them.

“It wasn’t supposed to go this way.”

Glenn continued to mutter to himself in the corner of the cell, like he was all alone, in his own little world. Like he was insane. Phil knew otherwise. Talbot may have been an ass, but he was a smart ass. He knew how to get shit done. He did everything in his power to see S.H.I.E.L.D. shut down for good. He may have failed each time, but Coulson couldn’t deny his fighting spirit. So, to see him curled up, practically shivering and losing his mind was something Phil just couldn’t accept.

“How was it supposed to go, Glenn? Enlighten me,” Coulson said, his breath fogging up the bulletproof glass in front of him, separating him from the inside of Talbot’s cell. Glenn didn’t even turn around. He just flicked his head slightly to the right. Phil took that as him paying attention. “You kidnap Robin—a child for God’s sake—take her away from her mother, and then proceed to reveal the location of the Lighthouse to Qovas and his alien goons!”

Placing his prosthetic hand on the glass, Coulson shook his head, sighing, “If it hadn’t been for the Chitauri, who knows what the Confederacy could have done to the Lighthouse.”

Talbot wore several layers of shirts and a large, black jacket that he basically worshipped in his current state. He continued to mutter nonsense, and for a moment, Phil could have had him confused with Gollum from Lord of the Rings. Even when he spoke, it was slightly pitched higher than normal, the man flinching his neck every second or two.

“I had to…” Talbot whispered, punching his opposite palm repeatedly. “Dammit, don’t you see? I had to!”

“No, you didn’t,” Phil retorted. “I know you, Talbot. I know how strong you are. Anything HYDRA forced in your head, you can easily force it right back out. Like how you survived that bullet. That’s who you are: strong-willed. You were built to fight, Talbot. I need you, the real you, to come out and fight for what really matters now!”

He never removed his hand from the glass. He could only see, through his cautious breaths on the cell’s glass, as Talbot stopped shivering. He stared in silence at the corner, the only movement Phil could register being that of his own breathing. He had him now, with his mind focused, his attention waiting for the next words that came from Coulson. He needed to make them clear.

“Am I able to do that yet?”

Talbot slowly turned his head around. Until he met Coulson’s eyes. Until Phil saw his face and how dreaded it appeared. His thick, brown mustache was terribly kept together, his beard faring no better. Phil could still see the scar on his head where the bullet hit. And through it all, through everything Coulson tried to tell him, all he could ask was: “Where’s my son?”

Phil dropped his hand. His face read disappointment, a hint of sadness, and a pinch of defeat. But he knew within that Talbot’s heart was in the right place. His mind, however, would still need some healing. “Your family’s safe, I assure you,” Phil told him.

“Take me to him.”

Didn’t even mention his wife. Just his son. “No can do,” Coulson said, keeping that earlier thought in mind for possibly later use. He could see the rising anger build in Talbot’s features when he denied him escape. He didn’t let off. “Until we can get the Avengers back together and stop this alien invasion, you’re staying in this cell where you can’t be a menace to anyone else.”

“Don’t leave me in here,” Talbot breathed, quickly rising to his feet and approaching the glass. Phil didn’t even take a step back, nor did he flinch as Talbot practically pressed his nose into the glass. Even when he slammed his fists into the glass, Phil still didn’t move. He just held that same poker face he had mastered over the years.

“You’re making a mistake! I can help!” Glenn yelled, his fingers curling and trying to dig at the glass.

Phil just nodded to him. Not in understanding his plight, but assuring the man of what they intended to accomplish. “We have it under control. And trust me… you’ll be safer in the Lighthouse.”

He left Talbot to his own thoughts and screams, choosing not bother with either any longer. Not until they figured him out and got him the help he deserved. Forced to watch as his only means of escape left the room, Talbot roared and slammed his fists into the glass over and over again. Until his knuckles began to bleed, and even then, he still punched them.

Glenn Talbot settled his bloody palms onto the glass to rest, his heavy breaths being the only sound he could hear for so, so long. He shook his head, breathing softly, “It wasn’t supposed to go this way. This isn’t how it’s supposed to end. Not here.”

He stared out of his cell, towards the hallway that led to the laboratories, where he witnessed the agents take the Gravitonium and store it for safe-keeping.

“I can fix this.”

Author's Note

We'll have a return to Tempest next chapter. :raritywink:

Chapter 33 – To the War

Equus

Mount Aris

Hippogriffia Castle, War Room

6:59 p.m.

Tempest Shadow and Queen Novo held uncertain stares with one another throughout the entire debrief. Queen Novo brought her guards, her generals, and her guests into Hippogriffia Castle’s War Room beneath the peak of the mountain. Tempest and Captain Celaeno stood side by side on their edge of the round table, a large map displayed in front of them.

And in front of them, besides the war map, stood Queen Novo, Princess Skystar, General Seaspray, Stratus Skyranger, Sky Beak, and several other high-ranking Hippogriffs. It appeared even Sky Beak’s family was with him, what with the two children named Silverstream and Terramar close by his side, under his wings, and standing by their mother and father. Surrounding the War Room were some of Tempest’s Storm Guards, spears pressed to the solid floor, gripping their shields as they glared and growled at the Hippogriff guards surrounding the room, as well. They kept their temper in check, knowing the consequences with Tempest standing right in front of them.

Grubber and the pirates retreated into the mess hall of Hippogriffia Castle, more than earning their reward in desserts and rum for helping to save Hippogriffia. The Queen allowed it. Tempest ignored it. Celaeno wished she could be a part of it, but knew greater matters lied ahead of them.

One could cut the tension with a knife. Both Tempest and Novo sent uneasy stares back to each other every now and again. To say it was awkward was an understatement. Letting General Seaspray babble on about the battle, the casualties, and the reports that came with it, Novo just kept thinking back to when Hippogriffia was invaded for the first time a year ago. At the claws of the Storm King, he ransacked their beautiful city, searching for the inhabitants… and what they held.

Thankfully, they never found them. Never found the Pearl. They made sure to leave Hippogriffia a smoldering husk of what it once was before they left the fallen empire. And leading the attack, slaughtering Hippogriffs left and right, all to get to the Queen and the Pearl, was her.

Tempest Shadow.

Novo never forgot the Hippogriffs she killed. Those names were burned in her mind as her blank stare slowly grew into a glare the longer she stared at the unicorn with a shattered horn. Even then, even with the unicorn’s past, Novo knew she couldn’t hold the grudge forever. Especially since Tempest and her allies helped save Hippogriffia from certain destruction. Without their help, Mount Aris would be nothing but rock lost to the sea.

Knowing that, even with knowing what she did, Novo closed her eyes and breathed in, steadily releasing her anger. Tempest caught every last hint of her emotions, relieved to see that anger fade away and a simple stare had returned her way. That was more than enough that she could ask for, especially considering the horrible things she had done to the Hippogriffs while in service to the Storm King. She didn’t expect to be forgiven from them anytime soon, but just knowing that the anger wasn’t there any longer was all she could ask for.

With the tension slowly ceasing, the two alpha characters slowly brought their gazes down to the war map, where General Seaspray pointed to the ocean directly ahead of Mount Aris’ location. He said, “Here is where the alien spacecraft landed. The seaponies have searched the vessel inside and out, confirming that nothing survived in the crash.”

“And when we brought down that ship,” Stratus Skyranger picked up for him, turning to the Queen, “the army fell with it.”

“Instantly,” Sky Beak continued, his family looking to him, as well as the rest of the table. “It’s like the mothership is the heart… and the army is the body. We take out the heart and everything else fails.”

“Which means we know how to beat these things,” Tempest Shadow said, the table turning to her and her chilling tone. “Take out the ship and they die.”

She didn’t see the sneer that General Seaspray sent her way. She only turned her head his way when he cleared his throat. “Very well,” Seaspray muttered, shifting his gaze to Novo on his left. “My Queen, what is our next course of action?”

“My Queen!”

Before she could even reply, the voice from behind caught everyone’s attention. A lone Hippogriff guard broke through the doors to the War Room, flying to the Queen and offering her a scroll. He said, “My Queen, the letter from Princess Celestia has arrived at last.”

Nodding to him, Novo picked the scroll from his talons and bid him away. Once the doors closed and the room remained as it once was—with the rising silence slowly plaguing the War Room—Novo unraveled the scroll and silently read it to herself. The longer she stared at the single piece of parchment, her frown thickened. Skystar leaned her head over to try and read herself.

Novo sighed, dropping the letter on the table. Skystar leaned forward, frowning when Seaspray picked it up, his own face falling after reading the first few lines. “Just as I feared,” Novo said. “This attack wasn’t just focused on Panthera and Hippogriffia. It’s everywhere. Celestia just informed us that their dragon allies in the east are in desperate need of assistance, although they don’t want to admit it.”

“Neither do the griffons,” Seaspray sighed, his tone slightly annoyed, handing the letter to Skyranger and Sky Beak. He ignored the children, Skystar and Silverstream holding their bemused expressions to one another.

“Panthera has already fallen, so there’s no hope in heading there without getting outnumbered and outgunned. Our next course of action…” Novo paused, her talon hovering over the map and landing on a piece of land to the northeast, “… is here. The Dragon Lands. There’s still a fighting chance, and if we can gain some much-needed allies in the process, it would be more than worth it.”

“My Queen, the dragons made it clear that they do not require—” Seaspray began.

“We’re going to the Dragons Lands,” Novo declared, her voice sending shivers down her general’s spine, as well as many other army leaders. She glared only at him. “That’s an order, General.”

Seaspray knew better than to continue the argument with his Queen. So, he shrugged his wings, sighing, “Very well.”

While the Hippogriffs were lost in their conversation and Novo’s current plan, Tempest was lost in her own thoughts, specifically with one of Novo’s previous points made. That point being that Panthera had fallen. Panthera. One of the first cities attacked and invaded by the Storm King and his forces, as well as one of the first to be liberated by Tempest. Now… it was just one of the first to fall. Tempest closed her eyes, knowing full well that if they didn’t act soon, so many more cities, nations even, would face the same fate as Panthera.

Cities that the Storm King devastated. Cities she swore she would save once the Storm King fell.

“Tempest…”

She opened her eyes, turning her attention back to the group surrounding the table. Queen Novo, as well as the rest of her Hippogriffs, stared at her with expectant gazes. Novo pressured further, nodding her head to Tempest and asking, “What say you?”

Tempest Shadow was almost at a loss for words, her throat unnaturally dry. She resumed her thoughts to their previous point made, how Novo wished to send her armies to the Dragon Lands. She went with that. “The dragons are strong,” Tempest began. “The Storm King never wished to attack them for that very reason. They can hold out for some time, but not forever. Afterwards, I believe we should travel to Griffonstone to—”

“Griffonstone?” Seaspray gasped. Tempest turned towards the Hippogriff’s way, her brow furrowing and her expression shifting from confusion to irritation with what he said next. “Ms. Shadow, while you may relish in victory even with the loss of your own people, the Hippogriffs value all life! Would we really risk even more of our people for some selfish, self-centered griffons?”

Novo tried to interrupt, but Tempest beat her to the punch.

“They need our help!” Tempest shouted, slamming her hooves on the war map and standing taller, presumably to appear more intimidating to Seaspray. The Hippogriff guards tightened their grips on their spears. The sparks from her horn only added to the intensity of her voice. “I don’t give a damn if they don’t want it! They’ll die if they don’t know how to take out those motherships or have the allies to do so!”

Tempest almost backed down after seeing Novo’s shocked expression. She barred her teeth, feeling the pressure from the room center on her. She always tended to lose her cool, something Tempest was working on correcting. To everyone’s surprise, though, Seaspray slammed his claws on the table in retaliation, standing up and flaring his wings. The Storm Guards surrounding the room growled, jutting out their spears. The Hippogriffs replied with just the same, glaring down the Storm Creatures, awaiting their superiors’ orders.

General Seaspray stood his ground, meeting Tempest’s electrifying glare with his burning one. Very slowly, as clear as could be, he said, “I will not sacrifice the Queen’s navy, or our Hippogriffs… for those griffons!”

Tempest didn’t unleash the fury building in her heart. Instead, she replied with wit, smirking towards Seaspray. What she said made his expression almost make her laugh. And what she said was, “I thought you valued all life?”

“That’s enough!”

Both Tempest and Seaspray shifted their heads towards the center of the pack of Hippogriffs, and in that center stood Queen Novo. Her infuriated eyes were focused only on Seaspray, ignoring Tempest. “General, sit down and stay quiet. Do not speak unless spoken to,” she ordered him. Tempest smirked. Seaspray dropped his beak and raised his talon to object, but saw the look in her eye, heard the heated breath escaping her, and sat down.

Offering her claw, Novo held it out to Tempest Shadow and her companion, Captain Celaeno. When she spoke, the two could only smile appropriately. “Tempest and Captain Celaeno risked their lives to save our very own. They are fine pilots, fine warriors, and great pirates,” Novo addressed them, smiling and winking to Celaeno. “We deserve to hear them out.”

Ignoring Seaspray’s continuous sneer, Captain Celaeno smiled and tipped her hat to the Queen of the Hippogriffs. “You can thank my crew. They did most of the work. All I did was lead them in the right direction,” she said.

“And what a fine leader we have,” Novo complimented her, their smiles meeting each other. Novo’s fell apart quickly, the graveness in her expression replacing it. She addressed the table when she spoke, not just Tempest and Celaeno. “Tempest is right. We cannot stand idly by as our fellow creatures suffer at the hands of these aliens.”

She slid her talon across the map, everyone’s eyes following her.

“We take back the Dragon Lands, then head to Griffonstone. We gain allies along the way, build up our forces into a single army these invaders can’t hope to stand against. From nation to nation, we will free our world from this plague!”

Novo’s speech was met with resounding applause from her fellow Hippogriffs. Even Seaspray, eventually giving in and clapping begrudgingly. He forced himself to throw away his sour attitude when Novo offered her wing to him, saying, “General, the floor is yours.”

He smiled appreciatively at that, standing fully upwards and clearing his throat.

“I will ready our remaining forces,” Seaspray began, pushing the small replicas of Novo’s navy across the map. “We will sail tonight and strike tomorrow morning on the beaches of the Dragon Lands with Queen Novo leading. Skyranger, Sky Beak, round up as many Hippogriffs from our army as possible. The Royal Guard will remain here to defend the princess and our kingdom. I will prepare Queen Novo’s navy in the meantime. All is well, then?”

The response he was given were several nods in confirmation, from Tempest, to Celaeno, to the Queen and the Hippogriffs by her side. The only ones who didn’t nod, who didn’t agree, were the children. Silverstream and Terramar turned their gazes skyward, to their father, fear filling their eyes when they realized what was coming. That their father had to leave them.

Princess Skystar fared no better, still frozen solid after Seaspray mentioned the part about her mother leading their forces directly into the war. Directly on the frontlines. Unfortunately, the children were too shocked to speak, yelping only once Seaspray smacked his claw over the Dragon Lands.

“Dismissed!”

Mount Aris

Hippogriffia Outskirts

7:13 p.m.

Novo had to try and convince Princess Skystar that what she meant was for the best, that leaving Hippogriffia and leading her people into battle was for the best for all of Equus. The young princess just couldn’t seem to wrap her head around the larger picture, fighting her mother every step she took away from the castle and closer to the war.

“But whyyyy?” Skystar whined, flying forward to catch up with her mother. “You can’t leave, Mom! I don’t know the first thing about running a kingdom! All I know is how to run parties! Please, you have to stay! Let Seaspray lead the Hippogriffs!”

To her continued dismay, Novo just shook her head. She carried with her a golden helmet, armor to match and a spear resting on her backside. Her eyes were stone, focused on the skies ahead and what filled them. Her naval ships hung in the air, all twelve that survived the initial invasion. Hippogriffs pockmarked the air, several seaponies arising from the ocean and transforming into Hippogriffs and joining the army above.

“It’s not that simple, Princess Skystar,” Queen Novo began, not even looking onto her daughter or her tearful expression. “My people need me to lead them. If they see me on the frontlines, they’ll follow. Through Tartarus and back if need be. And if we don’t come back… I’ll need you to lead the Hippogriffs.”

When she brought her gaze down, that’s when she saw her daughter. Saw her shattered expression, the tears leaking down her cheeks. And it nearly broke the queen, Novo sighing and raising her wing to bring her daughter in closer.

“I don’t want you to go…” Skystar whimpered, shuffling closer to her mother and leaning into her for comfort. She sniffled, drying her eyes on her mother’s feathers. “I don’t wanna be alone.”

Novo kissed her daughter’s forehead, pressing her own to Skystar’s. Their eyes met, the tear-filled and the warming stone. “You’re never alone, baby. Know that. Use that,” Novo’s calming voice told her, the two falling into a close hug shortly afterwards. “I’m going to miss you so much. Be brave… I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Skystar tightened her beak, fresh tears leaking through her closed eyelids despite how hard she tried to keep them in. She gripped her mother’s feathers, stammering but managing to say, “I love you, Mom.”

“Love you too, baby,” Novo finished, holding her only daughter for several more seconds before finally breaking away. And when she did, she immediately shot her head over to her right, towards the edge of Mount Aris. “Ocean Flow, come here please.”

Replying instantly, Ocean Flow chose instead to walk over to the queen, still trying to get back into flying after spending so long in Seaquestria. Novo leaned forward, close to her ear. “I’m going to need you to watch over Skystar while I’m away,” she said, meeting Ocean Flow’s eyes. “Can I trust you with that, sis?”

“Anything,” Ocean Flow said with a reassuring smile. The siblings hugged, offering no tears. When they broke away, the two turned to see Terramar and Silverstream hugging their father in a tearful goodbye. Ocean Flow sighed. “I’m already watching over my kids… I’d be more than welcome to keep an eye on my niece.”

“Thank you, sis,” Novo said with a grateful smile on her beak. They fell into a hug once more. “This is goodbye for now.”

Ocean Flow smiled, eyes closed as she broke away from her older sibling. Once their eyes met, Ocean nodded to her, gave her that assurance of her child’s safety. “Go save the world, sis,” Ocean told her. All the confidence in the world just by Ocean’s voice, all of which Novo tried to embrace. The Queen smiled to her younger sister, placing her helmet over her head and taking flight.

Ocean Flow watched as her sister took to the skies, shielding herself from the onslaught of wind Novo picked up once she kicked off the ground. Slowly, Ocean turned her attention back to the edge of the mountain, where the army flew beyond her family. She approached her husband. Breaking away from his children, he turned his eyes onto Ocean Flow, smiling softly her way. He almost broke to see the rising tears in her eyes.

And Sky Beak held that smile, saying, “So…”

Ocean Flow silenced him with a kiss. It had been so long since he felt his wife’s beak to his, but it was just welcoming as it had ever been before. When she broke away, her eyes held that love, that hope, and that strength that made Sky Beak love her all the more. “Please… just be safe… for us,” she told him.

Sky Beak nodded, still holding his slick, warm, half-smile. The two pressed their foreheads together, closing their eyes. The setting sun on the edge of the ocean, the alien world joining it, cast a warm glow on their faces. A resounding screech broke out through the air, from General Seaspray no less. Sky Beak lifted his gaze, meeting his wife’s and nodding to her. He placed his golden helmet over his head, stepped back several feet, and fell from the peak of Mount Aris.

Ocean Flow, Terramar, Silverstream, and Princess Skystar—as well as several Hippogriff friends and family—ran and halted at the edge of the mountain, staring onto their armies taking to the skies. Sky Beak was a part of them, spreading his wings and taking flight. General Seaspray took to the air, leading the twelve remaining naval ships as they soared slowly through the skies, towards the northeast. Alongside Queen Novo, Stratus Skyranger, and her Hippogriff army. Alongside Tempest Shadow, Captain Celaeno, and their warriors and pirates upon their airship. Towards the northeast. To the Dragon Lands.

To the war.

Ocean Flow reared back, shot her beak forward, and screeched out into the air. Her children joined her. Soon enough, their screeching reverberated across all of Mount Aris, until every Hippogriff—big and small, rich and poor, Royal Guard and civilian—that remained in Hippogriffia joined her. They screeched to their friends and family that flew to the war, to save their world from the invasion. They screeched for their people. They screeched their battle cry.

All except for Princess Skystar, the current ruler of Mount Aris and Hippogriffia, who just couldn’t seem to find the strength needed to join her people.

Chapter 35 – No Autographs

Edinburgh, Scotland

Streets

3:48 a.m.

By the time Steve Rogers and his team made it to their Quinjet, it was already in flames, joining the rest of Edinburgh.

The populace of the city awoke shortly after the warship fell, the Chitauri unleashing their horde upon the capital of Scotland. The night sky was lit up in a flurry of bright orange flames and streaks of blue. Chitauri chariots dominated the skies, dive-bombing buildings, tearing apart the streets of Edinburgh, and leaping into buildings, slaughtering the populace. One of the first things the Chitauri destroyed was Steve Rogers’ Quinjet, the four Avengers retreating back into the city once the Chitauri focused their fire on them.

They had no choice but to take to the streets, rushing from building to building, doing everything in their power to survive the onslaught of the Chitauri invasion and hopefully… escape it. Steve Rogers led his team, which consisted of Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff, and the weary and wounded Wanda Maximoff. The screams from the city, from the Chitauri, from the helpless people of Edinburgh constantly assaulted Steve and his team. He wanted to turn back, to do everything in his power to protect these people.

He knew he couldn’t. The Chitauri were too many. They were so few. They killed whatever tried to stand in their way, but they were never stuck for long, moving swiftly across the European warzone to find an escape. That escape was slowly approaching, the outskirts of the city within range. Steve picked up the pace, ensuring that Sam kept a close eye out and helped Wanda throughout the madness. As he turned back to ensure his team’s safety, Rogers’ eyes fell upon Edinburgh.

And what remained.

What befell it.

What they couldn’t prevent.

No matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn’t. The Chitauri invaded via Command Center, the gargantuan warship hanging over the capital city and releasing droves of chariots and Leviathans down upon Scotland. Explosions plagued the night, lighting up the city as buildings collapsed into a fury of fire and ash. The Leviathans roared out into the night, slithering through the skies and circling the city. The Chitauri pockmarked the darkness of the night sky, the storm clouds releasing torrents of rain to douse the flames. It did little. The showers couldn’t contain the fires of Hell. It raged and raged.

And Steve Rogers just stared at it.

He wanted to fight. Every shred of his being cried out to him, begging him to answer the calls for help. When the Chitauri attacked once before, he didn’t hesitate to risk his life for every citizen he could find. Captain America would have given his life just for one innocent. Captain America would have led his soldiers into the war and fought when no one else could. Captain America would have done that.

He would…

But Steve Rogers couldn’t. He needed to protect his team first and foremost, his friends. They weren’t ready for a fight that big. They were tired, wounded, desperately unmatched for an army of that size and magnitude. They would retreat, gather themselves, then do everything in their power to turn the tides. Not now, though. Now… they needed to run.

Steve clenched his jaw at that thought. Running from the war, from the fight, letting innocent civilians die. They couldn’t save them, no matter how much he desperately wanted to. Hundreds of thousands have already perished worldwide from the invasion. More would just add to that. So much more. They couldn’t protect them, defend them, nor save them.

They would return… and avenge them.

Rogers tried to convince himself of that painful thought as he turned away from it all, his back to the screams. He would only face more ahead as Wanda collapsed in the streets, crying out to her wounded leg. Sam fell over her, his wings jutted outwards in a protective embrace. Natasha spun her neck around, rushing back to the two on the concrete. Steve came running up to them.

Sam checked her leg, pulled up her pant leg, and observed the large cut on it, probably a wound during her fight with the two aliens earlier that night. Shaking his head, Sam turned back to Steve, saying, “She’s hurt bad, Steve!”

“We’ll find some medical on the way!” Rogers replied, already striding past the two of them. He kept his eyes locked with the outskirts of Edinburgh, very few buildings remaining ahead of them and nothing but open land beyond that. “Right now, we need to get out of this city!”

His eyes slowly fell down to Romanoff, the Widow slowly backing away from whatever she could see in the darkness above. “We got incoming, boys.”

She said it so quietly that nobody heard her. They were too preoccupied with their gazes latched to the stormy blackness above. Rain pelted them, wetting their hair and keeping strands latched to their forehead. Black Widow barred her teeth, whipping out her staff and separating it in half. “We got incoming!” she screamed.

The street was ambushed instantly, chariots dive-bombing the four Avengers upon Natasha’s final warning. Sam bent down, using his right wing to shield Wanda as she lied against the door of an abandoned vehicle. Wilson stood in front of her, his wing shielding himself, his machine pistols at the ready as the Chitauri filled the road ahead of him. He and Wanda both watched, breaking away from the Chitauri to see Steve rip the car door out from Wanda’s left. She could only stare as Steve stood behind the group, the car door he gripped held outwards like a shield.

After counting how many hopped off the chariots and covered the street behind them, Steve shot his gaze back, waving his team away as he shouted, “Get out of here; I’ll hold ‘em off!”

The Chitauri screeched and swarmed them, firing away with their rifles and diving in straight for hand-to-hand combat with their targets. Steve Rogers proved to be a formidable opponent, delivering strikes straight from his fist that sent Chitauri plummeting to the street, lying dead upon impact. He used the car door to block oncoming strikes from the Chitauri rifles, slamming its edge onto their heads and neck, killing them instantly.

He shot his head back for a split second, growling to see that Sam, Natasha, and Wanda hadn’t moved. They did their best to fight back, to hold off the swarming pain. Natasha drove her baton into the legs of the nearest Chitauri that swung for her, kicking its legs out from under it and delivering the killing blow by slamming her baton into its neck. It lay on the ground before her, her ferocious glare shooting upwards as the next came. And the next. And the next. Steve shook his head, turning back and kicking a Chitauri square in the chest.

“We’re not leaving you behind, Steve!” Sam yelled, using his right wing to protect Wanda while his left acted as his personal shield. He fired away with his Steyr SPP, picking off Chitauri one by one, doing his best to aid Natasha and the creatures that swarmed her.

Steve slammed the door against the nearest Chitauri. He spun around, screaming, “Go!”

“Not without you!” Romanoff shouted back, whipping out her pistol and sending two rounds into the alien directly ahead of her. It dropped dead, bullets riddled in its chest and dark blue liquid spilling in the rainy streets. More came her way, firing at the Widow and Natasha barely rolling out of the way.

Grumbling at that, Steve shot his head back to the Chitauri, raising the car door to block the onslaught of their firepower. A certain Chitauri he could see through the window picked off a small object from its belt, igniting and tossing it right for Steve. Jaw falling, Steve brought the door towards the object and braced for impact. He was launched back once the grenade was thrown his way, the car door just being enough to block most of the blast. It skittered away from his grasp. Rogers hit Natasha, the two rolling on the street and resting flat on their backs. Sam looked down, eyes widening behind his goggles. He bent down, using his wings to create a protective dome around him and Wanda.

“Steve, get up!” Sam called from within his containment, looking through the small crack between the wings. He could see Steve pressing his gloved-fists to the cement, groaning as he and Natasha pushed themselves up.

When he lifted his eyes, he and Natasha met, the rain pelting and rushing down their faces. They could hear the alien growls all around them, slowly circling and overcoming them. Natasha lips were barely separated, her eyes shifting over to her right. Steve turned to his own, whispering, “Oh, God…”

The Chitauri circled them, staves raised, the ends of their barrels glowing bright blue. They had already fired on Wilson, his wings being all that stood between them and Wanda. And them… they had them surrounded. Completely at their mercy. Neither Steve nor Natasha moved, almost unprepared for what the Chitauri had in store. Almost frozen solid as their rifles ignited.

Almost shocked to see the resounding gunfire fill the air, tearing apart the Chitauri that filled the road.

Their bodies were torn apart, like shreds of paper against the onslaught. Both Steve and Natasha shielded their heads from the gunfire, looking up only once they felt the gust of wind and the Quinjet fly directly between the buildings, out of sight and quickly making another turn their way. Instead of striking the Chitauri in the streets, however, it dove downwards and fired another round from its minigun, taking out the chariots that filled the skies.

Once it flew past, the chariots hit the streets in fiery husks, the Chitauri screeching to the skies and to the Quinjet. They were so focused on the Quinjet that they nearly forgot about the two Avengers lying before them. That’s all they needed.

Steve and Natasha finished off the remaining Chitauri that had survived, Sam joining quickly and launching himself in the air, unloading his magazines into what remained below. Steve delivered blow after blow, his fists a bloody pulp of alien blood as he stood over the remains of the final Chitauri. Natasha drove the end of her baton right into the creature’s skull, its dead body falling before her. Sam hit the ground feet first, wings retracting into his backpack when he noticed that the fight was over.

They had won.

For a moment, that is.

Placing his machine pistols back into his holsters, Sam breathed heavily, scanning the skies. The Quinjet had mysteriously vanished, out of sight but not out of mind. It was all the Avengers could think about. Sam started them off, asking, “Who was that?”

Steve couldn’t seem to find the right words at the moment to answer Sam’s question. He and Natasha were constantly looking upwards, trying to block out the pouring rain, and find what had saved them. His beard was soaked, leaking droplets of rainwater as he kept his head pointed to the skies. He wouldn’t turn away. Neither would Natasha. They almost completely ignored Wanda.

“You guys…”

Finally turning back her way, Steve and Natasha could see as Wanda raised a shaking finger down the road, where the outskirts of Edinburgh lay ahead. Sam joined them, following all of their gazes where Maximoff pointed. The Avengers remained frozen in the rain, watching with awestruck expressions as a massive Quinjet—much larger than any Quinjet they had seen before—slowly descended to the street. It appeared to be camouflaged, the ship’s hull colored pitch-black once it came into view. Its wings were so long that the plane had barely fit between the buildings, just having enough room to settle dead center in the street.

Its engines slowly died, nothing but the patter of rain atop its roof and in the street being the only sound amongst the deathly silence of the Avengers. Steve Rogers took the first and cautious steps forward, hand held out to Natasha, Sam, and Wanda behind him. Sam had already picked up Wanda and slung her arm over his shoulder, keeping the woman close and ensuring she was safe by his side. He followed Steve to one of the largest planes he had ever seen. And he had seen quite a lot in his time.

The Avengers steadily approached the unidentified jet, led by Steve Rogers until they reached the tail, where the rain poured above them in small streams. Before they could take another step forward, they took a precautious step back when the ramp to the plane fell downwards, opening up and revealing the light from within to the four standing soaked in the storm.

Once the ramp touched the road and settled there, the Avengers lifted their heads to the inside, where a lone man stood in the light. His shadow was cast upon them, Steve having to raise a hand to block out the brightness of the lights. He couldn’t see much of the man, just his face darkened from the shadow he cast and his hands resting in his pockets, wearing a black suit and gray T-shirt beneath. Steve could make out more of his appearance as he strode down the ramp, slowly becoming more and more visible with each step he…

Steve dropped his hand.

Natasha’s jaw fell, a silent gasp leaving her.

Sam’s mouth slowly fell open. He and Wanda didn’t share the same astounded expressions as their fellow Avengers, but were still somewhat surprised to see a familiar face. More so Wilson, less so Wanda, as she had never seen him before in her life.

The others have. Especially Steve and Natasha.

They could never forget the man that brought them together so many years ago, the man that lit the fire and ignited the Avengers into the team they were. The man… who was supposed to be dead.

Phil Coulson smiled at their expressions.

He didn’t laugh, though. No need for that. Instead, Coulson reached up and removed his sunglasses, finally meeting the eyes of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff once more. After so many years, after so long of standing on the sidelines as the Avengers tore apart cities, fought amongst themselves, and were now divided. Soon to be brought together again by him.

By them.

Phil met Sam’s eyes still hidden behind his goggles, smiling to see Wilson well and alive once more. He didn’t know the Falcon very well, or the Scarlet Witch at all for that matter, but now would be more than enough time to settle that. To settle everything that happened.

And it began by breaking that barrier. They stood apart from each other, the Avengers soaking in the rain while Phil stood without a drop on him, safely under the tail of the Zephyr One. For so long, neither side could bring themselves to break that barrier between them, and Phil couldn’t blame them. They might as well be staring at a dead man. That was the last they saw or heard of him anyway.

In the end, as Coulson preferred it to be, Steve was the first one to speak. To say, “Phil…”

He said it almost like he couldn’t believe what he was staring at, like it was a dream, something that shouldn’t be. Coulson couldn’t blame him, nor Natasha for her frozen state of shock. All of that changed. All of those unsettling expressions shifted to growing smiles when Coulson spread his own, his familiar smile being the assurance they needed to know it to be true. To know he was true.

Especially when he said, “It’s good to see you again, Captain.”

“This doesn’t make any sense.”

Phil continuously smiled at that, to the Avengers walking behind him as he led them through the Zephyr. Even now, it was still a joy to see their reactions to all the tricks S.H.I.E.L.D. had up their sleeve, especially Coulson. Their greatest trick yet. It brought him back to simpler times, back when he was just bringing said Avengers onto the Helicarrier for the first time, seeing their shocked expressions after watching it rise right out from the ocean waves.

Natasha walked on his left, Steve on his right. Sam walked behind them and held up the wounded and limping Wanda. “We saw you dead. We watched as they carried you away, Phil,” Natasha exclaimed, leaning forward to possibly learn something from his expression. Even now, he still held that same, knowing smile. Like he never even changed. Natasha grinned at that, breathing a breathless gasp. “How is this possible?”

Phil turned her way. “When it comes to S.H.I.E.L.D., Natasha, almost anything is possible. Just wait till I tell you guys about our trip to the future.”

“Trip to where now?” Sam asked, looking up.

“Another story for another time,” Phil interrupted, taking back control of the conversation before it steered somewhere he didn’t wish to discuss at the moment. “What’s important to know is that Nick Fury was the one who brought me back from the grave. He said I was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most important assets, if you can believe that.”

“I can,” Steve said with a warm smile.

Phil smiled back to him, continuing shortly. “Fury deemed the operation classified, not even the Avengers knowing about it. He gave me alien blood, just the kind to resurrect dead agents stabbed through the chest by mischievous gods. Before we all knew it, I was back in the game at S.H.I.E.L.D., eventually rising to status… of Director.”

All three Avengers looked his way, minus Wanda who kept her head low. “Congratulations,” Steve told him, his voice sounding surprised.

Phil nodded to that. “Short-lived victories,” he said, waving his hand in front of him in small, circular motions. “One thing led to another, S.H.I.E.L.D. was shown as nothing but a terrorist organization not once but twice, and we traveled to the future to prevent the total destruction of Earth.”

“I would assume you guys… failed considering current events?” Sam piped up from the back.

“Oh, we didn’t account for the Chitauri coming back. The Earth was literally destroyed in the future, completely shattered in half.”

They stared at Phil in total silence, the only sounds being their footsteps. Coulson pursed his lips, nodding in response. “We’re working on it,” he said, facing forward to the set of doors directly ahead. “But in the meantime, now would be appropriate for you to meet the rest of your team.”

At first, Steve assumed that Phil was referring to Stark and the others and was actually starting to feel apprehensive about what remained beyond the sliding door. His growing anxiety was settled when several new faces were all that he and the Avengers saw when Phil led them into the main bridge of the Zephyr. It was like every activity, be it monitoring, scanning, and—hopefully not—piloting seemed to cease for a brief respite the moment the doors slid open and out stepped Director Coulson and the four individuals behind him.

And they all knew who they were. Phil Coulson stared forward, smiled wider than usual. He held out his hands to the four behind him. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he announced, stepping aside. “Mission complete. I’d like you to meet the Avengers.”

Several agents rose from their seats, clustering together just to get a sight of them. Others, the ones with a little more backbone, stepped forward and filled the gap that stood between the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the four members of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. The bridge of the Zephyr One was cluttered with noise, bodies, handshakes, smiles, laughter, and everything else that came from meeting superheroes. Steve was well accustomed to meeting fans—though it had been a couple years—but he still had to force a smile and shake as many hands that were offered his way. It wasn’t all that bad. Part of him was glad to see there was still a S.H.I.E.L.D. after so long.

Natasha took in the atmosphere as much as she could with a bright smile on her face. It had been four long years since she had been a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. A piece of her almost forgot what it was like, the secret agent life. Part of her missed it, the other part moved on to protecting the world alongside her fellow Avengers. Sam couldn’t shake too many hands, soothing the hurting Maximoff. Phil stood close by them, only allowing the agents to interact with Steve and Natasha.

And low and behold, Phil couldn’t help but smile at what he saw. “It is an honor to meet you, Captain,” Leopold Fitz said, shaking Steve’s hand roughly with both of his. Rogers chuckled, gripping both of Fitz’s palms and shaking it even harder in return.

“Yes, it—” Jemma began, realizing her voice was cracking. She cleared her throat, holding out her hand to Rogers. “Yes, it is. Oh, so exciting!” she exclaimed, beaming to see the Captain America’s hand gracing her own. The same hand that did its part in saving the world more than once. It was softer than she expected, much calmer than the way he shook her husband’s.

Steve smiled to them, releasing his hand from the young, British woman. “It’s nice to meet you both,” he told them, hands resting on his belt. “And it’s Steve Rogers, by the way.”

“So… the Avengers, huh?” a voice called from behind. Fitz’s expression almost broke, his eyes widening and his mouth opening wide to stop Steve from turning to meet it, but it was too late. Spinning about, Steve gazed onto the young man with the arm sling, his somewhat fatigued and joyless expression centering on Steve Rogers and observing him up and down. It was almost like he was wondering if who was standing before him really was one of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”.

Eventually, he just shrugged, holding out his free hand. “I’m Deke. I’m their grandson.”

“Deke!” Fitz shouted, hand rising to cover his face. “You’re not supposed to tell people that.”

After shaking Deke’s hand, Steve managed a short but polite chuckle, turning back to Fitz and Simmons. “You two look so young,” he told them with another chuckle.

Simmons gripped onto her husband’s arm, leaning onto his shoulder with a laugh. She sighed, shaking her head and saying, “It’s a long story.”

While Steve Rogers dealt with trying to comprehend the story Simmons was telling him, while also having to deal with more fans in the form of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Natasha Romanoff’s fate was quite similar to Steve’s, although with less hands shoved her way begging to be shaken. She took it one step at a time, taking quality moments to meet each individual.

“Ms. Romanoff,” Mack said, stepping forward with his hand outstretched and his smile welcoming. He had to bend his neck down to Natasha, the Black Widow smiling up at him. She looked down to his hand. “It’s a pleasure.”

Natasha gripped his, finding it stronger than she expected. As well as Mack, feeling her hand tightening around his. She said, “The pleasure’s mine… um…”

“Alphonso Mackenzie,” he told her, still gripping her palm, almost trying to see if she would ease on the pressure. She didn’t. “My friends call me Mack.”

Natasha smirked knowingly his way. “I’ll call you Mack, too.”

Breaking the handshake, feeling his hand fill up with much-needed blood once more, Mack offered it to his right, to where Yo-Yo stepped forward and joined Natasha’s smirk with her own. “This is my girlfriend, Elena Rodriguez. We call her Yo-Yo, on account of her powers.”

“I’ll call her Yo-Yo—Wait, powers?”

“Can move back and forth faster than you can blink,” Yo-Yo said, smirking at Natasha’s frozen expression. “Wanna see?”

Natasha slowly smiled, holding out her gloved-hand. “You know what… I’ll take your word for it.”

They gripped each other’s hands and shook. Natasha finally took notice to her metallic palms, raising a curious brow at that. She gave off a soft “huh”, Elena already beginning to explain her situation to the Black Widow. While she did so, while their conversation just became numb to Phil Coulson’s ears, the Director turned back and managed to hear Wanda groaning, Sam lifting his eyes to him.

“Fitz, Simmons, take Ms. Maximoff into the medical station and get her patched up,” Phil said.

“Right away,” Simmons declared, stepping forward alongside her husband, forcing themselves to break away from their conversation with Steve Rogers. They approached Sam, who allowed the woman to ease into their arms. Fitz and Simmons wrapped Wanda’s arms around their shoulders, gently making their way to the medical room in the Zephyr. She vanished alongside them in the hallways.

Sam watched them leave, assuring Wanda had a safe journey to get some medical help. As he stepped out into the cluster of agents to follow their trail, he was stopped by a taller individual, almost bumping into him and his heavy armor. The two stared each down, Sam observing the man from head to toe. He met his eyes, saying, “Cyborg?”

Deathlok raised a brow, smiling slightly. “That easy to tell?”

“Mostly the head,” Sam said, caressing his own. Deathlok rubbed his scalp, turning his eyes downwards back to Wilson. Watched him chuckle lightly. “That, and I scanned you.”

Deathlok chuckled at that, joining Sam’s. He held out his hand. “Michael Peterson,” he said.

“Sam Wilson,” Sam replied, gripping his metal-plated hand and shaking it hard. “Good to meet you.”

The congregation of Avengers and agents grew only louder the longer Phil let it persist. He let it go for as long as possible, grinning wide and proud to see the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. finally reunited after so many years. So many years of having to help from the shadows. No more. That night would mark the start of the rebirth of S.H.I.E.L.D., to prove to the world they were truly there to help. The bonds they held with the Avengers, the growing bonds Phil was watching before his very eyes, just brought a warm feeling to his dying heart.

Both Steve Rogers and Natasha met with Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter, Steve eventually running into Mike Peterson, who was also a pretty big fan. Big surprise there, considering he was the first cyborg to be a fan of Captain America. At least, it was a first for Steve. Natasha was locked in a conversation with Morse and Hunter, the couple explaining the wedding disaster to the Black Widow, who found the story to actually be quite entertaining. Sam was with her, laughing alongside Lance and Bobbi. Steve smiled at that, glad to see his team interacting well with the agents.

He turned to his left, unfortunately bumping into a young woman with long, dark hair. Steve apologized quickly, but soon met her eyes, saw the ripe excitement and the growing grin on her lips. She wore an agent’s uniform, silver gauntlets on her forearms and gloves covering her palms. Steve couldn’t help himself and actually joined her smile, chuckling heartily to see her giddy expression the longer she stared at him.

She shook her head. “Hi,” she began shakily, shooting out her hand. “My name’s Daisy.”

Almost apprehensive at first and noticing that her fingers were practically touching where the star used to be on his chest, Steve chuckled at her. Daisy took a step back, blushing profusely. It only worsened when his powerful hand fell into hers, shaking it gently, yet still strong. Just right. Just like him. “Steve Rogers.”

After forcing herself to break away from the handshake, Daisy rubbed her shoulder nervously, holding her small and awkward smile with her idol. “I-I already know who you are… and you,” Daisy said, pointing to Natasha who came up to Rogers’ side. Natasha’s lips parted, her brow furrowing as she stared at the young woman with a curious smirk. “Captain America… Black Widow… I’m kind of a big fan, always have been… and… uh…”

“You all right?” Steve laughed. It wasn’t the first fan he had met, but she was definitely one of the most skittish. It was adorable.

Daisy blushed, rubbing a strand of hair to rest behind her ear. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, it’s just… I’ve always tried to be like you two, a superhero and a kick-ass secret agent. I’ve always looked up to you both… never thought I’d ever see the day you two were standing right in front of me… so…”

Natasha picked up for her. “You have superpowers, too?”

Having to force herself to meet Natasha’s gaze, Daisy smiled, her black bangs bouncing to her movements. “People call me Quake. I can pretty much create earthquakes with my hands,” she stated proudly, holding up one of her gauntlets for the Avengers to see. “You can thank the Inhuman powers for that.”

They stared at her gauntlets until she dropped them, returning their eyes back to Johnson. She almost crumbled under their combined gazes, smiling and shaking her head. “It’s just… such an honor to meet you both, really,” Daisy exclaimed, holding her hand out to Natasha. She shared Johnson’s smile, raising her gloved-palm and meeting Daisy’s. Her eyes lit up at the touch. “So awesome… Black Widow… Captain America…”

“It’s…” Steve said, interrupting her, raising both of his hands, “… just Steve, if you don’t mind.”

Eyes bugging out, Daisy pulled her sweaty palm back, turning to Rogers with a sorrowful expression, feeling like she had done something wrong. “No, not at all,” she said, trying to justify herself. “I… actually prefer to call you… by your actual name, knowing we might be working close together, it might be simpler to… do so.”

“You sure you’re all right?” Natasha asked, smirking her way.

“Right as rain,” Daisy said, her chest rising and falling sporadically. She pointed to the front of Zephyr, stumbling in that direction. “Whoa… I need to go lean against that wall over there.”

Natasha and Steve both smiled at each other.

“Heads up!” Coulson announced, silencing every conversation and keeping the attention of the bridge on him. With all eyes centered his way, every Avenger and every agent, Phil continued. “I hope you all got acquainted with each other, because we’ll be working close with the Avengers for quite some time. Nick Fury’s mission was very clear: we get every Avenger back together, we bring this team back together.”

Steve and Natasha’s smiles both fell at that. Sam shot his head over to Rogers, who acknowledged his look quickly.

Phil held out his prosthetic hand to said Avengers, declaring, “Since we already have Captain America, Black Widow, the Falcon, and the Scarlet Witch with us, that doesn’t leave many more. Our next stop is New York, to pick up Tony Stark and whoever else is with him. Any questions?”

Steve shocked the whole room when he raised his hand. Everyone turned towards him. Every agent, every fan, every cyborg, every technician, everybody. Even the one standing in the shadows, turning his fiery eyes to the First Avenger. He listened from the darkness, listened and watched to how Phil would react.

He almost didn’t, then slowly pointed his way. “Yes… Captain?”

Dropping his hand, Steve rested it with his other on his belt. “Stark’s gonna do things his own way,” he said loudly, smaller conversations sparking just from the first sentence. They silenced when he continued. “I suggest we do the same, head on a different course. Somewhere safe.”

Phil was almost taken aback by Steve’s response. Then again, after remembering how both Steve and Tony felt about the Accords, it didn’t necessarily feel out of left field. He could tell the tension was still there, no matter how much Steve tried to justify it. “Captain, with all due respect, our orders from Fury are clear. We need to bring the Avengers back together—”

“And we will,” Rogers interrupted him, hands gripping his belt tightly. “But right now, with what’s happening to the world around us… I just don’t see us making it to New York in one piece.”

“Don’t underestimate us, Captain!” Davis called from the pilot’s seat, Piper by his side waving back. Steve and several others turned their way, Rogers smiling at them.

“I don’t,” he replied, turning back and observing the crowd of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that surrounded him, all the bright, young, experienced, and brave faces that would risk their lives just for him and his team. For the mission. He respected that. “I don’t underestimate any of you. But for precaution… we need to go somewhere to recuperate for the time being, to gather ourselves and understand exactly what’s going on here.”

“The aliens we fought offered a pretty… menacing warning before they retreated,” Natasha offered, giving Steve a little more support for his argument.

“What did they say?” Phil asked.

Everyone turned to Sam as he said, “‘Our father will tear apart these miserable worlds until he’s satisfied.’”

Repeating it word for word, exactly as they heard it. More hushed whispers broke out amongst the agents, Phil turning to Steve and Natasha for confirmation. Their eyes were enough, but their nods were the nail in the coffin. “There’s more going on here,” Phil admitted, finally nodding as well, finally giving Steve the leeway he desired. “All right, Captain, we’ll listen to you. We’ll follow your lead… as long as you help us reunite the Avengers by the end of this.”

He watched as Steve slowly ended up nodding, despite how much he appeared against it. Like he was trapped in his own inner battle. “We won’t have any choice,” he eventually muttered.

“Great,” Phil said, turning his eyes back to the shadows of the Zephyr, watching as the young man stepped out and approached the large group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Once he entered the light, Phil could see that his attention was focused primarily on Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff. The Avengers only. He held out his hand towards the end of the crowd. “Captain, I’d like you to meet Robbie Reyes. He helped track you down.”

Consequently to that, every agent backed away as Reyes made his approach, splitting like the Red Sea as he stopped just behind Rogers and Romanoff. The two Avengers were joined shortly by Sam Wilson, the three turning back to meet the man’s gaze. It nearly caught them all by surprise, seeing the bright orange ignite in his dark pupils. Just for a split second, then it was gone, replaced only by Robbie’s growing, distrustful frown.

“How was he able to do that?” Natasha asked, sharing his frown with one of her own.

He replied almost instantly, stepping closer until he stood a foot away from both Steve and Natasha. “It’s called the Spirit of Vengeance, chica,” he told her, voice sneering at the end. Natasha wrinkled her nose at the nickname, reeling her neck back only slightly as she saw his eyes light up a bright orange. “It has no bounds.”

Once the fire died down, leaving just the man in its place, Natasha held a closed smirk his way. She said, “This one’s got a fiery mouth.”

“You have no idea,” Reyes muttered, his voice low and threatening.

He stood up to the Avengers, sizing them up, studying and knowing them just by staring into their eyes. Reyes saw everything. Their strengths, their weaknesses, their hopes, desires, fears, all in less than a few seconds. Steve slowly began to frown, Sam joining him the longer Reyes stared into their eyes without a word. Wishing to break the rising conflict amongst them, Phil Coulson stepped forward, declaring loudly, “You want him to find somewhere safe, Captain, he can find pretty much—”

Steve raised his hand, cutting Coulson off. “That won’t be necessary.”

Almost scoffing at that, Reyes stared only at the one they called Captain America. “You know somewhere I don’t?” he questioned, slapping his finger on Steve’s uniform.

He met the man’s eyes and saw something hidden within it. Something great, beyond anything Robbie had ever seen before. His smile fell apart the longer he stared into that knowledge. Knowledge beyond compare, experiences to go alongside it. And through those eyes, through that knowledge, Steve Rogers held a knowing smirk.

“I know somewhere most of the world doesn’t.”

Chapter 36 – A Living World

Equus

Klugetown, Bone Dry Desert

6:07 a.m.

Beyond the point of nowhere, resting on the very edge of Bone Dry Desert, the small industrial city of Klugetown was currently in the midst of rebuilding itself. Nearly from the ground up, considering the massive flooding the city had endeared not too long ago. Not many understood what caused the flooding. Some saw the alien planet drift over their heads and blamed it. Others weren’t bright enough to understand the catastrophic events that befell not only their town, but their very world, and went about their business just trying to repair what they owned, helping no one.

Even though Capper Dapperpaws was smarter than arguably everyone in Klugetown, it was still quite the phenomenon that he was trying to wrap his head around it. It was quite the chore.

The damage was chore enough. All of Klugetown was in the dirt-filled streets, picking up debris that they believed belonged to them. There were always quarrels on what belonged to who, a few confrontations and fights breaking out. They didn’t last long, what with others stealing the goods that remained in the midst of the fighting. Overturned carriages, barrels, stands, and even homes lay in ruin within the streets, making travel difficult and helping even more so.

Mostly everyone tended to themselves, only the small, feeble, and weak-minded who hadn’t yet learned the harshness and cruelty of the real world offered their assistance to others. They were shooed away. People tended to themselves, stayed away from others. The cruelty, the total loss of friendship was there, as ripe as ever. Capper had seen what the world was capable of. He had personal experience of hurt, betrayal, hatred, fear, everything that came from the world and made it what it was. He could have easily went by his own business, sneaking a few fruits here and there to ease his growling stomach. Maybe the old him would have done something like that.

That wasn’t Capper anymore. Since he met those seven little heroes a while back, they helped change his perspective on things. Just because he had the ability to steal, to lie, to thieve, to be exactly what Klugetown expected from its inhabitants… that didn’t mean he needed to. He did his best to be the first of hopefully many to change their ways in Klugetown. Capper left Verko and his crime spree. He didn’t steal from anyone. He did everything he could—and he couldn’t even believe it himself at first—to help others.

His efforts were small. But that’s how great things usually started: small. Capper told himself that every day, especially on that bright morning as he lifted a market stand back to its legs. It weighed a ton, but Capper managed, settling it down for its owner. Capper smiled at his handiwork, wiping his fur-covered brow of sweat.

“There you go, ma’am. Right as rain,” he said, resting his paw on the sign of the fruit stand. The owner, a female lizard, smiled appreciatively to the anthropomorphic cat, settling her bag of fruits down on the table beneath her, already beginning to reorganize them. She didn’t pay attention to Capper as his eyes stared hungrily down.

His eyes fell to her bundle of oranges resting on the face of her table. Capper could feel his mouth watering at the fruit, his stomach crying out to him. His tail swished back and forth behind him, almost crawling instinctively up to the table. She wasn’t looking at him, bending down behind the table to pick up more fruit. The temptation was there, but Capper knew better. He was better now. She came back up, meeting his green eyes. Shaking his head and swatting at his tail, Capper offered a smile and a tip of his head, saying, “You have a good day now.”

The female lizard smiled at him, tossing the cat an orange. He fumbled with it at first, then gazed at the bright orange resting in paws, almost like a slab of gold resting before him. His eyes shimmered, then fell, his voice doing just the same. “I can’t. Really, I can’t. You look like you need it more than me.”

She shook her head, closing her scale-covered hands over his, assuring him that he possessed the fruit now. Capper smiled at that, then quickly smirked her way. “Can’t talk much, can ya?” he asked, seeing her nod. A mute. He nodded his head to her anyway, saying, “Much obliged, madam.”

They waved to one another and parted ways, Capper returning his gaze to the debris-filled dirt road ahead of him. He tossed the orange up in front of him, almost playing with his food, and caught it with one paw, his smile much brighter than it had been earlier that morning. Even with all of Klugetown dealing with the worst flooding its ever had, not a smile for miles, Capper couldn’t help but keep one on. Maybe it was the thought of the fruit he was soon to devour that put him in a good mood, but he knew it wasn’t that simple. He smiled because he didn’t steal from her to get what he wanted. He smiled because he did the right thing.

Even if he got nothing in return—which was most of the time he performed a good deed—it always felt nice to be helping someone. Capper almost chuckled at the thought. He never imagined he would have left the life of thievery, ever since he was abandoned by someone he would have considered to be his only friend in the cold, depressing world. Chummer. Capper almost tried to rid himself of that name, of the cat that betrayed and almost killed him, and for what? A life of crime, of stealing, of living on the streets and making everyone else’s life worse than it had to be? No. Not Capper. He didn’t need that life. Not anymore.

It had been years since the last he saw of Chummer escape Klugetown in that burning airship. Capper shook his head, digging his claw around the edges of the orange and ripping a piece out. He tossed the fruit in his mouth, munching on it with content. Screw him. Capper couldn’t care less what happened to that traitor. He was much better living off a life of helping others instead of stealing from them, which is what Chummer thought their future relied on.

But when Capper passed by several of Klugetown’s market folk, several of which he had helped in the past, they waved his way, calling out to Capper in a friendly, non-hostile way. Most of the time, and with many similar faces, they would have sent curses his way, threatening to actually hurt Capper if he didn’t leave their business alone. Now, they just saw him as a helping hand. As a friend.

Capper smiled and waved back.

He could get used to that.

As children played in the mud that had accumulated in the dirt streets ever since the flooding, and others tended to their business and homes to get everything back up and running, Capper moved directly down the street, looking for those who needed help, eating his orange with every sashay of his hips, with every step he took. It was no easy life by any means. It was rewarding, though. Much more rewarding than the life he left. Sure, he didn’t get as much food and money as he had in the past, but the satisfaction he earned more than made up for that loss.

And Capper strode through the streets of Klugetown eating his orange, almost on top of the world, as the sun disappeared.

The warmth he felt on the inside didn’t feel as good when he couldn’t fell the warmth on his fur and red coat. Lowering his orange from his mouth, Capper turned his eyes skyward and shielded his gaze for a brief second, flinching at the brightness of what remained of the sunlight. Once it faded as well, Capper, including all of Klugetown, were trapped under a blanket of near-darkness. The shadow that fell upon the city nearly left them blind, yet slivers of sunlight managed to spill through and give some clarity to the town. Curious, Capper kept his eyes peeled as he stared up into the sky.

Maybe it was the tall buildings blocking his view, but it appeared that all of the bright, blue sky was consumed by a dark cloud. As he trailed the cloud lower and farther away, he noticed it appeared to be spreading, consuming the skies surrounding Klugetown and the desert and ocean that separated them from the rest of the world. The black clouds, with what appeared to be lightning striking across its surfaces, originated somewhere deeper, somewhere beyond Bone Dry Desert. Capper kept following the clouds, his curious eyes eventually landing north. Deep where the Badlands remained.

Resting an arm beneath the other, his paw gripping the orange and the other tapping beneath his chin, Capper hummed to himself, staring at the dark clouds, taking in their features. Nearly pitch-black, lightning striking within it, no smell of rain but rather the smell of burning sulfur ripe in the air and causing several citizens to cough agitatedly. Capper even managed to notice smoke filling the air, small ash particles snowing within Klugetown. He brushed a few pieces of ash off his coat shoulder, taking several more steps closer to the darkness.

His bright green eyes stared at it, almost glared at it, as he said, “That can’t be normal.”

An ash particle fell in his eye, causing Capper to flinch and shake his head. When he rubbed at his eye, that’s when he felt the earthquake rumble throughout the city. “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Capper stated, hands held out in a fleeting effort to grip onto something to prevent falling flat on his face. He felt no need to, as the tremor was short and ended as soon as it had arisen. Several citizens within Klugetown began to cry out as their homes and buildings shook, startled and even frightened screams rising from even the deepest portions of the city.

Capper didn’t have time to understand what the earthquake meant. Something else came just as fast. Just as impactful. Just as startling as everything that fell upon Klugetown that fateful, summer morning. A growl.

A growl.

Even Capper couldn’t believe it at first, but that’s what he heard. As clear as his feline ears could have picked it up, Capper was certain he heard what sounded like a deep, hellish growl from deep below ground. Not only beneath his paws, but all around him. Filling the smoke in the air, billowing down from the black clouds above their heads and shielding the sunlight. Deep from within even himself.

Capper tried to hide it, but he couldn’t He couldn’t hide the shiver race across his skin beneath his fur. “Oh, that really can’t be normal,” he muttered, shaking his head and staring up at the clouds once more. And once more, he followed their trail, back to where they originated within the Badlands. Beyond that, into the more… civilized world above, Capper could fondly remember the inhabitants that lived passed the mountains.

More so, he remembered of the higher authority within those lands, one of which held command over the sun the clouds above tried to hide. Capper could bet on his hidden stash of catnip that she wouldn’t be too pleased to know about that. Not too pleased one bit. He smirked, opening his coat and stuffing what remained of his orange into his pocket.

“Luckily… I know some ponies who can deal with that,” he said with that same, knowing smile, closing his coat and pulling on the shoulder straps. After clearing his throat and cracking his knuckles, Capper took the first few steps on his long journey to Canterlot, to inform said higher authority of what had occurred. And maybe… get a little sneak peak of what was brewing in the Badlands.

Those thoughts seemed fleeting when he took another look above. One last look for a while, as he saw lightning strike across the darkness, lighting it up for a brief second. The clash of thunder followed, but Capper knew it wasn’t thunder.

It didn’t sound anything like thunder. He gulped, pulling on his shoulder straps even tighter when the ash started to fall even harder. The air was becoming thinner, more smoke filling it. “Got a nasty storm brewin’,” he said, a slight pinch of fear escaping his tongue.

He may not have accomplished his goal of being the first of many to change their ways within Klugetown, but he was the first of many more to leave it.

Chapter 37 – Old Ties

Earth

New York, USA

Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan

8:12 a.m.

All it took was a simple turn of the door handle for the man to enter the apartment room. No strength needed. It was unlocked, surprisingly. And unsurprisingly, lying face-first on her own desk was Jessica Jones, a bottle of Jack Daniel’s resting near her limp hand.

Luke Cage shook his head pitifully at the sight, gently closing the door behind him.

He didn’t make his approach quiet by any means, but even his loud footfalls against the apartment’s floor didn’t cause the woman to stir. She remained unmoved, her long, black hair tangled and lying in disarray over her head and arms. Luke sighed through his nostrils, wondering how it was even possible for Jessica to even force herself to get up in the morning. He couldn’t focus on that right now, instead choosing to stand directly in front of her desk, staring down at her limp form without a hint of humor in his expression.

“Hey,” Luke whispered, reaching down and gently prodding her left hand. Aside from his touch, she still didn’t move. He said louder, “Jessica, it’s me, Luke. Are you still alive?”

Not even a sound. The weak joke he made was starting to become more and more reality the longer he stared at her motionless body. Before he made the attempt to check for a pulse, his eyes shot over to the bottle of Jack still resting near her right hand. Raising a curious brow, Luke stuck out his lower lip and sighed, “I guess I’ll just help myself then.”

Once his hand gripped the bottle and lifted it from the table, Jessica’s hand shot up like a rattlesnake, striking Cage’s forearm and refusing to release. Luke smiled down at her, glad to see that her priorities still relied on booze. She threw her head back, her hair following her, revealing the disgruntled and drained expression of Jessica Jones. “Not on your life, douche—”

She paused once she opened her eyes fully, the blur fading and Luke Cage’s familiar face coming into view. Jessica’s frown loosened, only slightly. Not her grip, though. She held onto Luke’s hand, and more importantly, the bottle of Jack like her life depended on it.

Snorting in his direction, more so his grin, Jessica groaned, dropping her hand. “Oh… it’s you.”

Luke continued to smile. He noticed how her gaze was still latched to her bottle of Jack, causing Luke to let it rest back on the table. She clutched it with her right hand, dragging it across the wooden desk closer her way. “It’s me,” Luke sighed, his hands falling into his jacket pockets. “How have you been, Jessica?”

“Shit-faced,” Jessica replied, pouring the bottle into a small glass, the whiskey a dark, golden brown. Noticing Luke’s dull expression, she raised her eyebrows and said, “Oh, you mean… other than shit-faced. Not shit-faced, then.”

Luke breathed a chuckle at that, his smile falling down to Jessica’s attire. She wore a long sleeve gray shirt and blue jeans. Her hair was a tangled mess, her attention set only on focusing the stream of whiskey into her glass. “You know, you should really lay off the alcohol once in a while, Jessica,” Luke told her, meeting the heated glare from Jones shortly. “It might be good for you.”

“I’m sorry, did I ask for your opinion?”

“No, you did not.”

Downing the small glass of Jack, Jessica forced the liquid down her throat, feeling the sickening drink begin to calm her growing nerves. Barely. It burned like hell, but nothing she hadn’t experienced several times before. Lowering the empty glass, Jessica breathed steadily and wiped her mouth, studying Luke’s stance and clothes. He wore a black jacket over his favorite yellow T-shirt, blue jeans to go with it. He stood slightly slanted, like he owned the goddamn world.

“What are you even doing here, Luke?” Jessica asked with that same sickened frown.

He picked up a discarded chair, of which was thrown across the room during one of Jessica’s drunken rages last night. She watched as he settled it directly in front of her desk, taking a seat with the back of the chair pressed to his chest. “I came to talk… and maybe get some coffee. No offense, but you look like you need it.”

Her expression shifted, almost appearing disgusted at first. “Oh, my God, if you just came here for a booty call then count me in.” Her expression then changed to a calmer demeanor, her voice following, her eyes holding a pinch of lust in each orb.

Thankfully, before it could escalate to something further, Luke held out his hands, chuckling lightly. “No, no, it’s… not that,” he said, quickly losing her interest with that statement alone. It was all nearly gone when he said, “It’s just coffee. Nothing else.”

Jessica rolled her eyes, bringing the empty glass to her lips. “Whatever… you know you can’t handle me.”

Finally noticing she was out of Jack, she proceeded to pour herself another glass. Luke sighed at that, shaking his head slowly. He still couldn’t believe she could drink so much, especially so early in the morning. They may have held something together in the past—admittedly slept together a few times—but he never took her for someone who would end up killing themselves in alcohol. She obviously did it to hide her pain, her past, what she did to him and what others… did to her. Luke didn’t know all of her past. All he knew was what she did to him, what she took away from him… and how it was nearly impossible for him to forgive her.

How she murdered his wife.

Her life under the control of Kilgrave.

Eventually having to deal with the loss of her…

Luke exhaled through his nostrils, closing his eyes. Lowering the glass from her lips, Jessica stared at Cage quizzically. That puzzled expression changed instantly to pent-up fury when he spoke. When he said it.

“I heard about what happened to your mother.”

Jessica slammed her glass to the desk, not hard enough to shatter it—which she was clearly capable of—but hard enough to make a statement. “You know, I’m gonna stop you right there—”

“No, Jessica,” Luke stated, affirming his position and refusing to back down. Even to her. Even to her diamond-piercing glare. A glare that could probably pierce his bullet-proof skin. “All you do is push the past behind you and try to drown it in booze. You push others away who try to help. That hasn’t worked before, and it sure as hell ain’t working now. That’s no way to heal.”

Her hand tightened around the glass, causing small cracks to appear. “Maybe there are different ways to heal.”

Luke didn’t back down, furthering his own tone. “Not this way, Jessica,” he growled.

The glass shattered right in her palm, causing Cage to flinch. His eyes reverted back to Jessica, who was still shaking with anger as she continued to clench her gloved-fist around the broken glass. She pointed that fist to Luke, more specifically, her finger. “I don’t need you,” she hissed, “or Claire, or Danny, or whoever the hell else trying to tell me how to live my goddamn life! If I want to spend it… drinking the rest of it away… because I want to… then you have no right to try and change that.”

Seeing his expression shift from determination to concern—partially due to the cuts on her palm from the glass—Jessica eventually followed his gaze, her own anger deflating when she saw the blood dripping from her right hand. Letting the bloody glass fall from her palm, Jessica seethed at the cuts, pressing her other glove to it. She cursed silently, sitting back down in her chair.

Luke Cage watched her carefully, finally nodding. “Let me just offer my condolences.”

Jessica lifted her frown, her lower jaw outstretched as she centered said frown Cage’s way. Seeing his eyes, his desperation to do good, Jessica just shoot her head and reached into her drawer. She muttered, “Fine.”

She brought out and up a small medical kit, including bandages, cleaning alcohol, and disinfectant. Jessica only bothered with the alcohol and bandages, hissing slightly as the liquid touched the cuts on her naked palm. Her bloody glove lay on the desk, both it and Luke watching her work. After tightly wrapping the bandages around her hand, Jessica flexed it a couple time to see if it was good, which it was, causing her to sigh in the end.

That sigh turned towards Cage, making Jessica shake her head at his expression. “God, you make me feel like a dick sometimes.”

Luke almost laughed. “I make you feel like that.”

“Let’s change the subject, something that doesn’t involve me,” she interrupted, bringing the entire bottle of Jack close to her heart. Leaning back in her chair, Jessica asked, “So… what have you been up to since our last… excursion?”

The last word was laced with venom, like it was difficult for her to get out. She dowsed that venom away when she shot her head back, the bottle following, as she took a quick drink from the Jack Daniel’s. Obviously referring to the Hand, the fate of New York City, and all the madness that encompassed it, Luke slowly nodded his head. “I took over Harlem’s Paradise.”

Jessica almost choked on her drink. “No shit?”

Seeing the look on her face, the near-shock, almost made him laugh again. He smiled big and wide though, quite proud to be exact. “Oh, yeah,” he said, grinning like a madman.

“Why?” she asked, wiping her mouth with the bandages on her right hand. “I thought Harlem’s Paradise belonged to that bitch Mariah Stokes?”

Luke nodded, eyes shooting downwards. “It did… until she died.”

Jessica’s eyes slowly widened. Luke watched as she just shrugged it off, like it was just any other death in the city of New York. “Didn’t know you had it in ya, Luke,” she mumbled, the bottle pressed to her lips.

“Not by me, Jessica,” Luke groaned, his bemused expression shifting to her eyes, the eyes that couldn’t give less of a shit at the moment. “But in her will, she gave me control of Harlem’s Paradise. Still don’t know why… but I ain’t complaining.”

Jessica lowered the bottle, swallowing what accumulated in her mouth. “Really?”

“It’s fantastic,” he stated. Seeing the strange look on her face, Luke tried to back up his claim by saying, “Jessica, with me looking over Harlem’s Paradise, people know who’s in charge. They know who to fear. They know that I can protect Harlem better than any cop ever could.”

“Taking the law into your own hands, huh?”

“I’m just doing what the law failed to,” Luke said, his eyes holding a heavy promise. “Laying said law… down.”

That didn’t sound like the Luke Cage she knew at all. The Luke Cage she knew was hard on crime in the streets and even harder in bed. But most importantly—and being something she never could be—he was a saint, working closely with the law enforcement in order to bring down any drug lord, crime boss, or whatever came from Harlem. Sure, their last meeting dealing with the Hand required them to work outside the law, but other than that, he was as clean as a baby’s ass.

Maybe that last mission together changed him. Maybe…

Jessica shrugged, downing the bottle of Jack. “Whatever makes you happy.”

Maybe she didn’t give a shit.

Her words were slurred, Jessica’s face contorting into disgust with that last drink she forced down her gullet. Unlucky for her, Luke caught every second of it. “You’re fading, Jessica,” Luke stated, chuckling a tad to see her head sway back and forth, trying to glare at him but failing each time. Standing up from his chair, Luke held his hand out to her. “Come on, let’s go get that coffee.”

Turning her eyes from his hand, back to his face, then back to the hand, Jessica just sighed, resting her left in his right. “Screw it,” she mumbled, pulled to her feet and practically directed out of her own apartment room.

Almost having to lead her step by step, Luke chuckled, “No putting any Jack in it.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

Luke proceeded in front of her when Jessica waved him and his assistance away, watching instead as he stood in front of her door, ready to open it and proceed outside to the elevator. However, he stopped like he was frozen solid, Jessica unfortunately too hung over to pay close attention. She hit him face-first. “You mind moving?” she murmured in his backside, pushing away and watching as Luke turned fully around. “I thought the body came after the coffee?”

Her comment wasn’t acknowledged, nor was it even heard from Cage. She could see as his eyes were focused solely on what lied behind her, and all that really did was her window. Nothing special. Yet when he spoke, his voice was nearly at an ashen silence, saying, “Jessica…”

“What?” she muttered, finally following his eyes to her window.

And what they saw…

Jessica’s frown disappeared. Her jaw fell, her legs working on their own and proceeding to the window. Sunlight poured inside, the drapes out of the way and revealing all the sky to her and Luke. Jessica was at a loss for words, not even her own breathing being heard. The sounds of distress, of terror, from the city of New York was all they could hear.

They witnessed a stream of light shoot across the sky from Jessica’s window, falling left towards Central Park. It was so bright that it almost appeared like a second sun in the morning sky, causing Jessica to flinch accordingly as it nearly blinded her in its descent. A trail of fire and smoke accompanied it, the light eventually disappearing behind the buildings and the morning sun being all that remained.

Then all was still. Jessica finally heard her breathing.

“Jessica, get away from the window.”

The tremor hit, followed by the resounding screams. Car alarms, horns blaring, shattering glass and rumbling earth filled the air as Luke and Jessica stumbled and maintained their balance. Her apartment room fared no better, practically shaking from the movement of the earth beneath it. Her desk bounced and rattled, the bottle of Jack Daniel’s shaking violently and crashing on the floor. Normally, Jessica would have rushed to the spill to clean up and save whatever she could. However, she couldn’t bring herself to look anywhere except the window.

At the large cracks that appeared once the shock wave enveloped her home.

Jessica blinked. Breathed. Watched the buildings ahead of her get torn apart. “Oh, fu—”

“Jessica!”

Luke Cage wrapped his large arms around the frail woman, yanking her backwards like she weighed absolutely nothing to him. The following explosion sent both Luke and Jessica reeling back from the window, shards of glass shooting outwards like bullets, penetrating Luke’s back and inflicting no other damage than tears in his jacket. The eruption from outside, the collapse of the building, all of it both Luke Cage and Jessica Jones felt as they fell alongside her apartment.

Author's Note

Chapter 38 – Immortal

New York, USA

Chinatown, Manhattan

Chikara Dojo

8:12 a.m.

Morning sunlight managed to spill inside and fill the bedroom within the Chikara Dojo. It filled the tangled bed sheets, covered the feet managing to spill outwards. There were two pairs, the sunlight reaching upwards and covering the bare arms of the bed’s occupants. It was warm, but not nearly as warm as the two locked in each other’s embrace.

Before the sunlight could even reach his eyes, Danny Rand slowly opened both. The first glorious sight he saw that morning was the lovely expression of Colleen Wing lost in slumber. Instantly, the thoughts of their night together flushed back into his memory, causing a warm smile to spread across his lips. He stared at her sleeping form, watched her naked chest rise and fall beneath the sheets, her slender curves gently move alongside her breaths, all until the sun finally reached her eyes.

Seeing them flutter open made his own heart flutter. “Hi,” he whispered to her.

Colleen smiled. It was quite easily the sweetest, most beautiful smile he had ever seen. “Hi,” she replied, her long black hair lying in tangles over her eyes. None of it concealed that smile. He just couldn’t help himself and brushed her hair away, plunging forward for a morning kiss. Colleen sighed lovingly into his lips, reinforcing his push with one of her own.

When they broke away, the two stared into each other’s gaze, holding their foreheads together and locking securely. Colleen noticed his short, scruffy, blonde hair was just as tangled as her own, his soft scruff on his neck and face short, sweet, and simple. He adjusted himself more comfortingly, arm around her, scooting over so the heat from their naked bodies radiated off each other. “Sleep well?” Danny asked.

“Mhm,” Colleen mumbled, nodding her head. She was still quite tired, yawning carnivorously and shutting her eyes. It was so adorable Danny could hardly take it. “You?”

Rand breathed a little chuckle, leaning forward and kissing her forehead. “Heavenly.”

Smiling to the affection, she gently rubbed her fingers to his chest, caressing his pectorals and gracing the dragon tattoo. The black, slithering dragon curled over his heart. The tattoo that signified his strength and title. The Mark of Shou-Lao.

The mark of the Immortal Iron Fist. Colleen’s smile slowly began to deflate.

How he fully acquired it was still hard to believe for Colleen. She wanted to trust Danny—a relationship like theirs definitely required trust both ways—but she still had trouble trying not to take his words with a grain of salt. She knew that Danny was the son of the two billionaires Wendell and Heather Rand, and that he became orphaned and nearly died when he and his family experienced a plane crash. He lost both of his parents, having been saved by ancient monks and taken to be raised in K’un-Lun. That much Colleen understood to be true, although she never truly saw K’un-Lun herself, even when Danny took her straight to the Chinese mountains where it was located, only to find nothing. Like it had completely vanished.

Once he was trained by the Order of the Crane Mother to become a martial artist, Danny then partook in the Trial of Shou-Lao, which required Danny to kill Shou-Lao the Undying. A dragon. Colleen still had trouble trying to believe that part. In his victory over the beast, the Mark of Shou-Lao was burned against his chest, Danny plunging his hands into the burning brazier which contained Shou-Lao’s heart. Doing so granted him the power of the Iron Fist.

After finally returning home to New York, Danny sought to reacquire his family business—and hopefully his home—in the form of Rand Enterprises. It was a hard-fought war to reclaim his name and ownership of Rand Enterprises, not to mention having to deal with the Hand and Madame Gao using his business for her own twisted goals. Both Danny and Colleen learned that the Hand was still a threat to deal with, and Danny’s title as the Iron Fist gave him a certain destiny: to destroy the Hand by any means necessary.

They had succeeded. Barely.

After searching the globe with Colleen to learn of the Hand’s whereabouts, the mysterious Black Sky of the Hand murdered their only lead, prompting Danny to return to New York. It was back home where he met Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Matthew Murdock, better known as the Daredevil. Having succeeded in fulfilling his prophecy in defeating the Hand, Danny and his new allies didn’t come out of the war without loss.

That loss being Murdock. They left him to die, to fend off his love Elektra as the building collapsed all around them. Colleen could clearly remember Danny still holding severe regret for leaving Matthew to die. She had comforted him for hours, the two trying to convince him that what Murdock did was for his own doing, his own quest. Danny’s quest wasn’t over, even with the Hand now gone. His only goal now was to fulfill Murdock’s last wish.

And that was to protect New York City, to become its defender. That was the last he ever saw of Jessica or Luke for quite some time.

But when Claire Temple called Rand, informing him that Luke was currently in some deep shit, he found some comfort knowing that Cage was glad to see him since their war with the Hand. If anything, he could see Luke as being a friend of his, maybe even a best friend. With little to no surprise to Rand, Luke was indeed in some deep shit with a man known as “Bushmaster”. Together, the two destroyed one of Bushmaster’s growing labs creating a dangerous drug called Nightshade, known for giving unnatural powers to whoever consumed the plant. Once the mission had ended, Danny assured Luke that if he needed him for anything, that he wouldn’t hesitate to call Rand over.

He hadn’t heard from him since. That was months ago, to Colleen’s knowledge.

Now, with quite possibly the hardest parts of their lives beyond them, Danny and Colleen spent their free time together trying to create something. A relationship. A love. Hopefully something even more in the future. The hard parts came during the day when the two traveled the city, people gawking at Danny Rand, the lost child of the Rands, the billionaire. Danny appreciated the attention to a limit, trying to wave off the crowds and bring Colleen with him. The fun parts of their relationship came at night, when it was just them and no one else to bother the two.

Those were the parts Danny appreciated the most, just being by Colleen’s side. Talking to her, living with her, loving her. Being a part of her life and her a part of his was bliss in the highest form, something even food couldn’t satisfy his chi with.

Her stomach grumbled. Danny chuckled at that, seeing her squirm. “God, I’m hungry.”

Danny sighed, feeling his stomach to be malnourished as well. He clenched his fist, feeling the lack of chi as it hardly glowed. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he muttered, eyes locked with the soft golden glow burning within his fist.

“We should probably get up and get some breakfast.”

“Yep.”

A moment of silence between the two. The sounds of New York outside of the dojo were as loud as ever before. Danny chuckled once more, looking left to Colleen. “Too tired?”

“Too tired,” Colleen whined with eyes still closed, smiling slightly at the end.

“We got some time,” Danny mumbled, scooting closer and bringing Colleen nearer to him with his arm. She appreciated his touch, his warmth, and snuggled up on his chest. Danny smiled downwards, using his left hand to brush her hair, playing with it, gently soothing her. It seemed to work, Colleen’s satisfied sighs being evidence of that.

After several seconds, maybe even minutes of pure, heavenly bliss wrapped in each other’s embrace, Danny slowly felt the morning sunshine not being enough to keep him awake. Colleen’s soft body against his own was more than enough to make him feel drowsy once more, his eyes closing ever so softly. The sounds of New York were like a lullaby, Colleen his blanket, and their heartbeat the dreams that came next.

Of which both of theirs quickened at an unrealistic pace when they heard the piercing screech from outside the dojo, followed heavily by the massive tremor and explosion. Both Colleen and Danny sat up urgently in their bed, Wing grabbing the blanket to cover herself as the tremor followed throughout the entirety of their dojo. Shelves began to shake, nightstands falling and even the bed itself managing to move slightly, even with its occupants atop it. Danny held Colleen close to him, his concerned gaze shifting every which way as the earthquake continued to consume the dojo, almost reminding him of the Hand’s previous attack on New York last year. He didn’t need those thoughts in his head. The Hand was destroyed.

It was something else entirely. He knew it to be true when their glass window shattered, Colleen yelping in fright. And then, almost as quickly as it had come, the tremor ended, leaving just the sounds of utter chaos from the outside world. By chaos, both Danny and Colleen heard the screams, the sirens, the collapse of several buildings and the screeching of tires in the roads. More crashing. More screams. More chaos.

And from their window, both Danny and Colleen could see as a new flicker of light appeared. Darker. Heavier. Brighter than even the light of the morning sun. Danny looked over to Wing, the woman flicking her terrified eyes back to him. “We should probably get up,” she said, voice slightly shaking with a pinch of fear.

“Yep!” Danny shouted, flinging the sheets off of him. After leaping to his feet, he spun around, pointing to Colleen and saying, “Get some clothes on! Hurry!”

Colleen nodded and flung the covers aside. Per Danny’s request, Colleen proceeded to put on all the necessities first, then pulled up her black pants and put on a plain white shirt. After tying her shoes tightly, she looked back to see what Danny would wear. He pulled up his tan jeans first of all, putting his socks and shoes on and then focusing on just a single shirt, a green flannel. As he buttoned up the flannel, Danny followed Colleen into the heart of the dojo, his head low and focused on the buttons.

He gave up on the final three, revealing just the head of the dragon tattoo on his chest. His adrenaline, hearing the constant screams and sounds of destruction outside, made him shake with his movements, appearing on edge and hardly able to keep himself still and calm. Shuffling by the exit, Danny spun accordingly when Colleen came up to him. And with her, she held her Japanese katana and slid it deep into its sheath, the strap wrapped around her shoulder.

She met Danny’s muddled expression. He asked, “Is the sword necessary?”

Colleen only shrugged, pushing past him and exiting the dojo. “We’ll find out.”

Without not much else left to discuss, Danny followed her out the door. Together, the two of them stepped outside into the morning sunlight, pushing open Chikara Dojo’s doors and seeing the chaos unfold firsthand. A speeding vehicle came careening by in the street, several civilians fleeing from the light that laid in the distance. The car crashed against a lamp post, said lamp falling down and hitting the street. Families exited out of their homes, workers from their business, all to stare in the same direction that Danny Rand and Colleen Wing stared towards.

It was a firestorm. The lights, the fires, the explosions, the destruction that remained in the distance sent several pillars of smoke into the air, a great horizon of red and orange cascading across the sky. The smoke joined the fires that consumed the skylines, causing the sun to appear as a bright red orb hidden behind the smoke-filled air. The sirens emerged from and drove towards the chaos, to the heart of the fire, the screams within all of Manhattan.

And neither Danny nor Colleen could even breathe. If they did, they would breathe in the deadly smoke and result as a coughing mess like many other citizens that fled from the firestorm, their shirts covering their mouths. Doing the same, Colleen coughed violently, narrowing her gaze and gasping, “Oh, my God, Danny…”

“What the hell…?” Rand whispered. He turned down to the street below them, stepping forward and shouting. “Hey! What the hell just happened?! What’s going on?!”

He was met with the same responses to the situation he had already heard earlier: just more screaming. Colleen joined him on the sidewalk, her shirt covering her mouth. “I don’t think anyone knows,” she mumbled through her shirt, the smoke already painting the clear white a deathly black.

Danny breathed steadily, coughing only slightly but doing nothing more than just that. Already, the ashes from the firestorm consuming northern Manhattan were falling like snow on that early summer morning. Danny brushed the flakes away, turning his worry-filled gaze towards the fire. Towards the birth of it all.

“Whatever just happened, it was probably near Central Park,” he said, holding out a hand to block out the piercing rays of both the sun and fires. It continued to consume the horizon, more screams and sirens and other madness assaulting his eardrums. “Maybe a bomb went off or something.”

“A terrorist attack?” Colleen asked, stepping forward by his side.

“That, a gas leak, or… something else,” Danny stated, fear bleeding in his tone. Already, he started off at a slow jog, slipping past civilians running in the opposite direction. “We won’t know unless we check it out. Come on.”

Colleen was already right behind him, weaving through the fleeing citizens with slick precision. By the time she came up and joined Danny, he was focused dead ahead, his eyes straight into the fires that ate away at New York. Both it and the sun glowed a bright red.

Almost as red as the eyes of Shou-Lao, but not nearly as deadly.

Danny Rand clenched his fist. “And help as many as we can.”

Author's Note

Chapter 39 – Spidey-Sense

New York, USA

Queensboro Bridge

Class Field Trip to Museum of Modern Art

8:12 a.m.

“Um… excuse me… but is this seat taken?”

Peter Parker lifted his head up from the seat directly in front of him, turning his drowsy attention over to his left. Instantly, all the weariness flooding his systems had rejuvenated with fresh life when she came into focus. His eyes widened at the sight of her, forcing him to take out his headphones and give his full attention… to her.

Her green eyes, her long, red hair tied up in a ponytail, even the freckles on her nose and cheeks were perfect. Everything about her was just so perfect. Her clothes, her skirt, her boots, even the way she held her books in her arms was just so… perfect. Peter couldn’t describe it any other way. He couldn’t describe her any other way than just perfect. He could feel his face starting to warm the longer he kept his eyes locked with her brilliant emerald gems, his heart thumping sporadically beneath his skin.

Peter was so enamored with her appearance that he nearly missed her leaning down to him, eyes wide and a smile on her face. “Um… hi?”

Mentally slapping himself, being so profound he actually shook his head to fall out of his stupor, Peter blinked several times and tried to smile back. “O-o-oh! Hi!” he stuttered. She giggled at how loud he was, leaning back a tad. He shook his head one more time. “Sorry… what did you ask again?”

Still holding that smile, even as she rolled her eyes playfully, she asked, “Is this seat taken?” She pointed downwards, to the empty seat on Peter’s left. He followed her direction, staring blankly and dumbly at the seat, like he had lost his voice. “It’s okay if you’re saving it for a friend or—”

Eyes widening at that, Peter shot his head back to her, holding his hands out. “No, no, no, I’m not saving it for anyone!” he stated rather loudly, turning his attention forward to his friend Ned sitting in the seat ahead of him. He was busy on his phone, headphones deep in his ears. “Sorry, it’s… No, it’s fine. You can s-sit here.”

She smiled sweetly at him. Peter gulped nervously as she settled herself on his left. Her leg just so happened to brush against his own, Peter instantly bringing his back and blushing profusely. “Thanks,” he heard her say, settling her books on her legs and bringing her backpack to rest by her feet. She sighed, staring straight ahead. “I would’ve stayed in my seat in the front of the bus, but some of the girls just decided because I was the ‘new kid’ that I should start from the bottom. ‘Work your way up’, they said.”

Her tone was in a mocking manner, clearly mocking the more popular crowd taking the front seats. Peter shot his eyes to where she stared, spotting Flash Thompson laughing with some of his buddies, the most popular girls on their phones and laughing with their friends. And near the back of the bus sat Peter Parker and his gang of misfits. Directly ahead of him, Peter could see Michelle already fast asleep and listening to her music, her forehead pressed to the window. Ned was sitting next to her, playing on his phone. Other than a few remaining nerds and band geeks in the back, it was just them. Just Peter and his closest friends on a field trip to the Museum of Modern Art.

And now her.

And he had completely missed everything she had said afterwards. Quickly shifting his eyes back to her, he saw her sigh, shaking her head and facing him. “Sorry, I’m rambling,” she apologized with a wide smile, hand pressed over her chest. That hand suddenly snuck forward faster than Peter could have reacted, held out to him.

“My name’s Mary Jane Watson.”

After Peter finally stopped being an idiot and realized her hand was meant for shaking, he nodded to that, shooting out his hand and gripping hers as gently as he could. Not too soft, though. He didn’t want her to think he was a weakling by any means. It felt right, Peter shaking her hand before he realized he was supposed to give her his name. That’s how meeting people worked, after all.

“I-I’m Peter-Man,” he said, almost slapping himself at what he just said. He tried to make it better. “I-I-I mean, I’m Spider-Parker. I-I mean—! Oh, crap…”

His hand fell from hers and landed flatly in his lap. Just his luck to blow it in the worst possible way in front of the prettiest girl he had ever seen. His luck wasn’t the greatest thing in the world. In fact, it screwed him over more times than he could count. The Parker Luck, a term he started coining not too long ago. It fit well for how stupid he felt sometimes.

To his great relief, she just laughed it off. Peter’s heart picked up even faster just seeing that smile on her face, the way she giggled afterwards. His face was heating up again, Peter quickly scratching his hair to keep the attention away from his cheeks, especially when she turned back to him.

“Peter Parker, I think you meant?” she said, trying to suppress her giggles.

Peter nodded to that for her confirmation, still scratching his head. “Yeah,” he mumbled, shaking his head. “Sorry, I’m just—”

“Blushing?”

He raised his head in a split second at that statement, turning his eyes to Mary Jane. His eyes were as wide as the bus tires, his voice traveling at a thousand miles per hours. “N-no! I-I—!”

Mary Jane just laughed again, and he found ease in that laughter. So calm, so playful, so perfect. Just like her. She gently shoved his shoulder. “I’m just messing with you, Peter!” she giggled, watching his expression slowly begin to calm down. She smirked his way, brushing her ponytail over her shoulder. “So… Spider-Man is your favorite superhero, too?”

“Huh?” Peter asked dumbly. Realizing he needed to capitalize on her current assumption—and not one he dreaded to think she already figured out—he suddenly jerked his head up and down. “Oh, yeah! Yeah, totally! Spider-Man’s my favorite… alongside Iron Man. I kinda have… two favorites.”

“Oh, my gosh, same!” Mary Jane said, eyes wide as she scooted herself to fully face Peter. He could feel his heart beating rapidly against his chest just at her movement, at how much closer she was to him. She placed her hands over her chest, sighing, “Iron Man has been, like, my favorite superhero since I was a kid… but Spider-Man took that spot when he…”

She suddenly paused, darting her head back and forth. “Can you keep a secret?”

Peter nodded like a moron.

Mary Jane leaned in closer, so close that her lips were practically inches from Peter’s own. He felt his face burning up at the sudden proximity between the two. It didn’t help that he felt her breath on his lips, her scent filling his nostrils. She smelled so good. Like strawberries.

God, you’re so weird, Peter. Stop focusing on that and listen to her!

“A couple years ago… when I was walking home from work… these thugs tried to steal my purse,” she began. Peter’s eyes widened, but his shock was just as fake as the expression he put on to look surprised. Because he knew what she was going to say. “And then, when they backed me into an alley, Spider-Man himself swooped in and beat them to a pulp!”

Peter blinked. He forced himself to shake his head. “No way.”

Mary Jane bit her lower lip, nodding excitedly. She sighed, falling back into her seat. “He saved me that night…” she said, her voice nearly lost in a dream-like state. Peter had to take a double take to make sure he heard that correctly. “And despite what people say about him, all the rumors going around that he’s a ‘menace’ or a ‘brute taking the law into his own hands’… I can tell he’s just trying to do what’s right in the world.”

Parker slowly began to smile at her, the first real, genuine smile he had since he met her, and not one that was nervous or forced. “Oh, and he’s a total goof,” Mary Jane admitted, giggling at Peter’s shifting expression, from satisfaction to confusion. “Yeah, when he was trying to swing away on his webs, he totally hit a fire escape and landed in the dumpster.”

Mary Jane tried to hold her laughter in. Peter just slowly shook his head, sighing. “What an idiot, right?” he said, staring blankly at the back of the seat.

“Yeah,” Mary Jane nodded. Her eyes were elsewhere, staring upwards, smiling like she just couldn’t help herself. “But he’s still the best idiot in New York. If I could see him just one more time…”

Peter looked back at her, watched as she began to daydream of Spider-Man. “Yeah…”

He sighed and faced away, his left arm rising to rest on the seat in front of him. He let his head rest on his forearm. He put one of his headphones back in, his other ear empty just in case Mary Jane wanted to tell him something, maybe to make fun of him some more. He knew she didn’t mean anything harsh, but that didn’t mean she was wrong. Peter really was an idiot. Not only had he failed several times to stop the Vulture, but he had managed to disappoint Tony Stark to the point of him having to take back the suit he made for Parker. If that wasn’t the most depressing moment of his life…

No… No, he knew it wasn’t.

Yet, even the Parker Luck seemed to fail at times, and it was at those moments of failure did Peter truly rise above and accomplish what he once thought was impossible. He managed to put an end to the Vulture’s crimes, managed to save him in the crossfire, and finally proved himself not only to Tony Stark and New York… but to himself. That felt better than any specially-designed Avengers suit. Well… just a little bit.

Peter smiled to that, to his decision he made last summer to remain a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. To remain the hero of Queens, and maybe even the rest of the New York City. Wishful thinking, but he could dream. He held that smile even as he pulled up his phone and flicked through the songs. He almost picked one, his thumb hovering over “Castle On The Hill” by Ed Sheeran, when he stopped. When his smile faded.

When he felt it.

The… tingling sensation.

It was oddly similar to goosebumps—like he had felt several times before—but it was specific. Oddly directional. So very odd. He felt it crawl all across his forearm, prompting his head to rise up and his concerned expression to latch with his left arm. All he noticed were several strands of hair on his arm pointing straight upwards. Every strand of hair. Peter furrowed his brow at that.

“Peter…?” the unmistakable voice of Mary Jane Watson prodded. She turned right, noticing Peter’s arm and his somewhat startled expression. “What’s wrong?”

Peter didn’t answer. He just couldn’t seem to find his voice at the moment. Luckily for him, he never needed to say a word. The blinding streak of light gave Mary Jane all the answers she needed. Some of them. “What—?” she gasped, watching with awestruck eyes as the streak of light broke across the skylines, diving down and striking Manhattan.

Utterly blinding everyone in the aftermath. Mary Jane Watson caught her breath, flinching.

Several students did the same, many rising out of their seats to get a closer look at what had transpired. They all suddenly fell back down in their seats when all of Queensboro Bridge began to shake. The whole world shook, cars veering and trying to maintain control. Even the bus driver, as elderly as he was, managed to keep control of the bus. Both Peter and Mary Jane turned to one another, then back towards the city they were approaching. A ball of light, of fire, emerged from where the light had struck, several buildings collapsing from the eruption and continuing to spread.

The screaming came shortly. “Oh… Oh my… God!” Mary Jane screamed, hands covering her mouth. She wasn’t the only one. Practically every student, at once, proceeded to lose their minds. They jumped out of their seats, rushing towards the front of the bus to gaze out the front windows. Others pulled down the windows near the seats, leaning out of the vehicle and pointing towards the devastation. Every student was in a frenzy, a panic. Even Flash Thompson and the popular girls.

Everyone except for Peter, Ned, and Michelle.

Already hearing the sirens, the screams, and whatever else came from the explosion, Peter leaned forward so his head was between Ned and Michelle, who were still either asleep or playing games. Peter tapped Ned’s shoulder several times, his best friend pulling out one of his headphones and turning back to him.

Keeping his eyes locked on the devastation in New York City, Peter said, “Ned, I need you to keep their attention to the city.”

Curious at that, Ned turned his own attention to the city. His mouth fell, his breath leaving him. “Holy shit,” Ned muttered fearfully, leaning forward and pressing his palms to the window. Unfortunately, Michelle was caught beneath him, her face smushed into the window. She instantly woke up, trying to push Ned off of her. “We’re all gonna die!” he shouted.

“Ned, you fat shit, get off!” Michelle cried, her eyes, too, eventually turning towards the fires.

During the added commotion—every student abandoning the left side of the bus and moving towards the right—Peter scooted past Mary Jane, her focus all too preoccupied on the burning hellscape within New York City. When he exited out of his seat, Mary Jane crawled forward on her knees, hands pressed to the bus window as she and her fellow classmates stared with horror-filled eyes onto the devastation.

The bus driver was having none of it. He adjusted his large glasses, turning back. “What’s the matter with you kids? You never seen a meteor hit Manhattan before?” he stated, making sure to keep his eyes on the road. He paused, frowning. “Come to think of it… neither have I. Hold on, I’m turnin’ this bus around!”

The old man spun the wheel sharply, students screaming and falling back in their seats or on the floor. “Excelsior!” the bus driver declared, driving over the concrete barrier and steering back into traffic, back towards Queens to keep the students safe. They were his number one priority, after all.

As the students picked themselves up, groaning in pain from the sudden lurching of the bus, Mary Jane Watson rubbed her forehead and looked about, suddenly noticing a lack of students. One student in particular.

“Wait… Peter?”

Peter Parker was already on the outside of the moving bus, donning his Spider-Man mask and leaping straight off Queensboro Bridge.

And the old man steering the bus looked back in his rear-view mirror, spotting the figure disappear beneath the bridge. “Was that a bug?” he asked.

The Spider-Man swung directly beneath the bridge. He swung towards the opposite direction to where the bus was ahead. He swung towards the fires, towards the chaos, towards the devastation, towards the sirens and the screams. Because that’s what he did. That’s who he was.

That’s what heroes did.

Peter tried to convince himself of that even as the fear gripped his heart, the unknown still lingering in his mind. What was that that hit New York? Their creepy, old bus driver said it was a meteor, but what did he know? Whatever it was, it caused an explosion to rock even the Queensboro Bridge. There were people in trouble, people who needed a hero to save them. Whether he did it on instinct or not, Peter knew that no matter what… it was the right thing to do.

No matter how much he was scared to know what it was. Good thing he wore the mask.

As Peter swung from under the bridge, he finally came across the rest of Manhattan, firing a strand of synthetic webbing towards the nearest building he saw. There were some gawkers, some turning their eyes away from the fires and spotting Peter swing over their heads. Some called out his name, yelled to Spider-Man, but Peter ignored them, already losing their attention when he swung out of sight into the nearest alley he could find.

Slowing himself to a stop, Peter reached into his backpack and pulled out the rest of his suit. Laying it aside, he began to strip, starting with his shirt, his shoes, then his pants. He kept his Captain America boxers on. No need to remove those. Peter proceeded to don the rest of his costume. He sent one last look in his surroundings. No one was in the alley, and everyone in the streets were flooding in the opposite direction, away from the fires.

Perfect. Pulling his suit on, Peter went in feet first and then jammed his arms inside. The suit was incredibly loose, but all of that changed when he smacked the small spider symbol over his heart. It instantly tightened to fit his body smoothly. The eyes of his mask narrowed and widened, Peter looking down to his wrist and tapping once on his Web-Shooters. They activated to his touch, the several hundred web combinations rolling across his palms. Peter selected the simplest one, just the standard types of webs to get around faster.

And once again, Spider-Man took the scene. Peter sighed, flinging his backpack to the brick wall to his left and firing a strand of webbing on it. “Don’t get stolen this time!” he shouted to his backpack stuck to the wall, running out of the alleyway and straight into the madness.

He didn’t even run into the street, just leaping into the air and firing two strands of web at the building directly ahead of him. He pulled hard, using the momentum to launch himself across the air. Feeling the air wrap around his body, the whistling of the wind crying against his ears, Peter focused instead on where the screams were coming from. He landed on a rooftop, rolling once before he was already up and running again, jumping off the building and falling down to the street below.

Peter caught himself with a strand of webbing, flinging himself across the street and towards the massive firestorm already growing near Central Park. He landed on another building, gripping a flag pole resting on said building and leaning off of it, one hand gripping the pole and the other hovering off the edge. Just like him. The white eyes of his mask narrowed, analyzing the firestorm where the supposed meteor had hit.

“Okay… maybe that creepy, old guy was right all along.”

The idea of it being a meteor was starting to make more and more sense, considering the impact had managed to destroy several nearby buildings. Pillars of smoke emerged from the impact zone, as well as several other areas of devastation. He wasn’t too far from where the impact was. He could get a closer look and help as many people as he could along the way.

That was his plan… at first.

When the low, horrifying hum came directly above his head, Peter Parker knew that plan was bound to change. A dark shadow fell over him and the city, blanketing several blocks, maybe even more that he couldn’t see. When he lifted his head—his white eyes widening just to catch a portion of it—Peter’s jaw fell when he saw it.

When he saw the clouds break apart and the alien spaceship entered New York City.

It was massive in size, Peter having to strain his neck just to look from one end of the ship to the other. The alien spacecraft was as dark as the shadow it cast, several hundred blue lights glowing off its surface and quickly becoming larger and brighter the closer it descended upon the city. The wind seemed to pick up from the spaceship’s descent, the heated air and burning ash from the fires washing over Peter and the city streets below him. As if things couldn’t possibly get any worse, the ship halted in its descent, another powerful growl escaping it.

Right as it unleashed its armada.

“Oh, God…” Peter muttered, the eyes of mask growing as wide as they could when he saw the alien ships exit out of the mothership. The hundreds upon hundreds of chariots exiting the ship and invading the helpless and shaken city of New York. Peter didn’t know what the worst part of it was; whether it was the fact that it was the Chitauri invading New York again, or that the Avengers weren’t there to stop them.

It was just him. Alone.

“Oh, God. Oh, God! Oh, God!” Peter screamed, leaping off the flag pole and firing a strand of webbing, catching the side of a nearby building. He didn’t have a clear direction on where to go next. His first intention was to go straight into the fires, to help as many people as he could. But as he thought earlier, that plan was bound to change. And it did.

To the point where he didn’t know where to go. He didn’t even know what to do when the Chitauri fired down upon the buildings, the streets, and even at him. Peter yelped as he swung back and forth, continuously moving onward down the street, continuously dodging the bright blue lasers shot from the chariots right for him. He could see as the blasts impacted the street below, innocent civilians fleeing the scene and rushing into their homes or away from the scene. Peter didn’t know if he would do the same.

More blaster bolts fell over him, Peter managing to swing out of the way, that same tingling sensation constantly directing him where to go. He didn’t know how it worked or why it worked, but he appreciated it nonetheless. Spider-Man could see as several chariots flew past him, dive bombing the street and dropping off many of their soldiers. He watched as they fired on the hopeless civilians trying to escape.

“No, no, no, no!” Peter panicked. He barely thought what he did next, just knowing he needed to protect as many lives as he could. When he was low enough, he fired a strand of webbing directly on one of the alien’s blasters, then as he swung past them, he yanked hard and pulled the Chitauri with him, smacking the creature right into its allies.

Looking back, Peter could see as the aliens tumbled in the road, lying from the impact almost like they were dead. Wait… A blue stream of alien gunfire prompted his attention backwards. “Hey, watch it!” he shouted, eyes narrowing on the Chitauri chariot directly on his tail. It fired again, Peter swinging to the right side of the street.

He looked back, the whites of his mask’s eyes widening to see the side of the nearest building approach quickly. Not having enough time to fire a web in the opposite direction, Peter shot out his legs and ran across the side of the building effortlessly. The chariot continued to fire at him, demolishing the side of the building he ran against. Looking back once more, Peter fired a strand of webbing directly in front of his feet, right on the building. He leapt off, still holding the web strand and firing a second towards the building opposite to him. Catching and holding himself in-between, Peter looked over and watched as the aliens riding the chariot were clotheslined by his web. They fell to their deaths, the chariot falling and crashing into an empty vehicle, the two erupting into nothing but flame.

“Whoa… I just killed those things,” Peter breathed, still holding both strands of web and hanging between the buildings. His head slowly fell to the street, the sounds of the war falling down all around him quickly growing numb. “I just killed…”

What many say about their first kill, how they never forget it, how it completely changes them, how they feel like the worst thing on planet Earth afterwards… it was all true. Because right then and there, Peter Parker felt like the worst thing on planet Earth. He had just taken a life, several lives already, and didn’t even know how to properly react or recover. Peter had never killed anyone, especially not since he became Spider-Man. The very thought was something he would never dare to consider. He wouldn’t hesitate to give a few punches and kicks some criminal’s ass every now and again, but taking away their life… a human life…

Then again… they weren’t really human.

They had a one-track mind… to destroy and kill as much as they could.

Spider-Man lifted up his head. The screams of New York City finally came back to him, riper and more horrifying than ever before. The whites of his eyes slowly narrowed, and beneath that mask, a determined expression began to form. No fear. No hatred. Just strength.

He used that and swung his way into the chaos. Right into the madness. And all around him, the Chitauri swarmed. He always had a target, an enemy to take down. He made sure they didn’t take another innocent life. He fired a strand of web towards a chariot beneath him, ripping the pilot right from his seat. The two others standing on the chariot dropped alongside the ship, impacting the road and exploding.

“Heh! You guys aren’t so tough!” Peter said as he was instantly sideswiped by a flying chariot.

Grunting heavily at the hit, Spider-Man looked up to see the Chitauri snarl down at him, lifting up its rifle and aiming right for his head. Peter’s eyes widened, already vanishing and crawling underneath the chariot as the creature began firing. Slowly, he snuck to the backside, popping his head up and studying what the threat was. Three Chitauri, all focused ahead. Peter smiled beneath his mask, crawling on top and joining them with their backs turned. He switched to another web combination, spraying a large ball of the white substance into his other palm. The sound caused the remaining two Chitauri to spin around, spotting Parker standing right behind them.

“Grenade out!” Peter shrieked, leaping off the ship. He tossed the Web Grenade towards the chariot, the ball of webbing exploding and encompassing the entire chariot in sticky, synthetic webs. The Chitauri struggled under the webbing, the chariot falling down towards the street where it eventually crashed and burned.

Landing and rolling on the nearest rooftop he could find, Spider-Man stopped to catch his breath. He felt like he just ran a marathon, his chest burning and sweat already beginning to wet his hair. Peter took off his mask, breathing heavily as his sweat-covered hair started to blow in the wind. It was then did Peter realize just how hot the wind had become.

The ashes falling like snow also caught his interests. All of which led back towards the firestorm near Central Park. Peter’s eyes remained frozen, his body tensing up at the horrific scene and the carnage that laid between him and it. Constant explosions, constant alien ships, constant screams were in the air and filled Peter with so much dread that he actually felt his heart ache at the scenery. He was quickly reminded of similar scenes of destruction and chaos six years ago in the very same city, with the very same alien army invading their world. He knew he had to help them, because the way he saw it, there wasn’t anyone else able to fight back against them. No one except the Avengers, and they were gone. Disbanded. Not there to save them now.

Peter gulped. Despite how far he had traveled, the alien warship was still hanging over his head, almost like he hadn’t even moved. The Chitauri still greatly outnumbered him, swarming New York like they were locust and the buildings were blades of wheat. The city burned, pillars of smoke towering higher than even the tallest skyscrapers he could see. Sirens wailed. People screamed. The Chitauri bellowed and destroyed all in their wake.

And Peter Parker just couldn’t seem to act on it.

Except…

Except when he saw them already flying past the island of Manhattan, towards the rest of New York and the cities beyond. Especially towards Queens. Towards home. Towards…

“May…” Peter whispered.

He didn’t waste another second not to act, pulling his mask over his face and flinging himself off the rooftop.

Chapter 40 – Born Again

New York, USA

Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan

7:46 a.m.

26 Minutes Prior to Lunar Impact

How long had it been, Matt? Days, months, weeks, years even? Were you even still alive? Who would even find you? Who would even remember you?

Matthew Murdock stirred in his slumber.

You gave your life for this city. You saw the world you built, the world you wanted, and the world that was beyond even you… crumble away when that building fell. Fighting a war that wasn’t even yours, and for what? For your old mentor? For Stick? He’s dead… because of her.

Matt breathed in heavily, almost gasping in a lungful of air. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to move.

She was far gone and still you wouldn’t give her up. You let your team—your friends—get away without you. Everyone you loved… all safe… as you stayed with her. Fought her. Loved her even as she denied who she truly was again and again. There was no saving Elektra and you know it. She’s dead… you’re dead… for nothing.

Gritting his teeth, Matthew arched his chest upwards, groaning in agony as the flushing pain reverberated throughout his body. Like small convulsions, slowly becoming more and more evident.

Lord, forgive me for my sins. I have been a sinful man, done horrible things in my life to protect the city I love… the people I love… and I still wasn’t strong enough. Don’t let their pain be for me. Comfort them in this time. Be with them, Lord. Be the Protector that I couldn’t.

He breathed so very loudly, his chest sporadically rising and falling from the bed frame. Trying to open his eyes, Matthew saw only a piercing light above him, the whiteness of the walls giving him a sense of ease. Just like they always said it was… Heaven really was a world of white and light. “Lord… forgive me…” Matthew whispered.

Please… forgive Elektra.

He closed his eyes and let death take him…

… Only it never did.

Matt gasped, eyes popping out of his skull. Like newfound life was just breathed into him, Matt instantly felt the wave of pain flush across his body. He groaned heavily, stuttering in his breathing as painful tears began to boil and flow at the corners of his eyes. Raising his palms, Matthew could see through his slightly-blurred vision as his palms—old scars still evident on the pale, white skin—that his hands shook uncontrollably. He clenched both into fists, the whites of his knuckles shaking and shaking. Both of his hands burning through the world that he saw.

The pain was real, of this world. There was no rest for him. Not yet. God decided otherwise. His time on Earth was not yet finished, Matthew imagined. Seething through clenched teeth, Matthew shut his eyes tight and pressed his hands to the bed beneath him, slowly but surely pushing himself to sit upwards. It was quite possibly the hardest thing he ever had to do, his entire body screeching to a halt and begging, begging him to stop and rest.

Matt opened his eyes. Saw nothing but the world on fire.

He shook his head, pushing and pushing and fighting the constant battle with himself. Finally resting in a sitting position, Matthew took in several calming breaths, several small victories. Sure enough, he could hear his heart thump slowly in his chest. He could hear the blood flow through his veins, giving his body function and life. Reaching upwards, Matt gently caressed his abdomen and pectorals, feeling nothing but numerous bandages. He gasped lightly, continuing to feel and get a better grasp at the situation.

All he could force himself to remember was the last thing he saw before the earth fell over him. And that was the final moments as he held the woman he loved in his arms, their lips locked, knowing for certain what it was finally like to live again. Those final moments with Elektra—after having bested the Hand and the influence they had over her—were all Matt could have ever wished for.

Being with her one more time would have been even better.

But that fleeting hope was gone. She was gone. Matt shut his mouth, closing his eyes at that final thought.

He shot his head up, twisting his neck accordingly. Several soft footsteps came from his right, slowly getting closer. When the door at the end of the room opened, Matthew turned his head right, spotting the older woman. The nun. Her face and body resembled a flaming shell, shades of red and orange blistering across her face as she slowly came into view. She paused directly by his bedside, staring at Matt with concern in her eyes. Almost like she didn’t want to speak.

“We would hope… today was the day you awakened.”

Her heartbeat was fast. Faster than normal for someone her age. Curious at that, Matt tilted his head her way, his eyes staring straight ahead, almost looking right through her. “Where am I?” he asked. When she spent several seconds refusing to answer, he prodded further. “Who are you? Where’s—?”

She raised her hand. “All questions… you should save for her.”

Matt breathed. “Who?” he asked quietly.

Her face contorted into a grimace. Her stance, her expressions, her breathing, all of it slowly put a picture together for Matt. And he didn’t even see it until she finally said, “Your mother would wish to speak with you.”

How long had it been, Matt?

Matthew Murdock thought of that as he stumbled throughout Clinton Mission Shelter, almost aimlessly, thinking only of his mother. And it was true. How long had it truly been since he had seen or even heard of his mother? His father, Jack, always pushed his questions away when he was younger, when he would always ask those questions. Sooner rather than later, he eventually gave up, and just believed she had passed away.

Apparently not, as he was currently walking to her office now.

He wore a black T-shirt and baggy, gray pants. No shoes graced his feet, just a pair of socks that rested by his bedside. Matt didn’t seem to mind. The only things that currently kept consuming his thoughts were the constant pulsating pains in his body. Even after several weeks of recovery and rest that the nuns had told him about, he still felt absolutely broken. Yet he pushed on, more important matters to deal with. Other than the pain, questions flooded his mind with every step he took.

He entered the chapel of the convent, rows and rows of seats lining up and facing the stage, where the empty podium remained with soft, morning light spilling inside. No one was present. All he was directed towards was the doors behind the stage, where Sister Maggie’s office remained. With each painful step forward, all Matthew could think of was his mother.

The only answer his father would give him about his mother was her name. He never did forget it. Margaret Murdock. Everything else was completely blank, forcing Matt to have to wonder what she was like. She was clearly a part of the Catholic faith, probably helping to steer Matthew to that point as well without even being in his life. He almost smiled at that thought, pausing just by the doors when he stepped up to the empty stage. And that was it.

Just the pair of doors that laid between him and the mother he never knew.

Murdock sighed through his nostrils, gripping the door handle and pushing inwards. The office door was open, unveiling more morning sunlight and the shadow of the only life that lived and breathed behind the desk. Matt gently closed the door behind him, beginning his approach steadily towards the office. His eyes were forward, wide open, gazing at the woman whose face was on fire. That’s all he saw.

But he knew differently.

He felt it differently.

When Margaret Murdock raised her head from the Bible, her jaw fell and her eyes widened when he entered her office. Stopping. Waiting. Alive and well. Matthew saw her, too. Even though all he could truly see was the flames that consumed her face, body, and surroundings, what she really held was aging, white skin, long brown hair flowing over her shoulders and resting just above her chest. She didn’t wear a headdress, only a standard black and white uniform. Her brown irises gazed in Matt’s blank ones, her eyes nearly burning just at the sight of him.

Her only son.

Sister Maggie couldn’t help herself and broke out into tears, rushing over and wrapping her arms around him. She was careful with him and his injuries. He didn’t even move, just let her embrace him for as long as she pleased. He could feel her trembling, her shaking voice whispering in his ear, “Matthew…”

Continuing to let her shake against him, Matt gently brought her forward, hands gripping her shoulders. Margaret stared at him for a moment longer, almost incredulous to see her son all grown up. So at ease. So unlike her. With what he said, it was no wonder why he didn’t look that surprised.

“They said you were my mother.”

Margaret took in a painful gasp of air. It only worsened with what he said next, his eyes staring at her blankly. “Is it true?”

“Yes,” Margaret exhaled, shaking her head. She brought her hand forward, resting it on his shoulder. He didn’t even acknowledge it, just stared right into her eyes. “Yes, it is, Matthew.”

“Prove it.”

She slowly brought her hand back, shocked, almost like she was struck right then and there. Her voice was even more electrified, asking breathlessly, “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Matt said, taking a step closer. “Prove it. What was my father’s name?”

“Jack Murdock,” she answered almost instantly, her brow still furrowing at his growing agitation. Why he was acting defensive was not unheard of—she almost expected it—but to see him so incredulous, more so than her, slowly but surely injured her already weakened heart. Especially with his continuing questions.

They only got harder for her. “How old was I when you left?”

She felt her heart fall to that question. “Matthew… I—”

“How old?” he pressured on, taking another step forward and causing her to hit her desk.

Margaret could tell he was done waiting. After all, he had spent his entire life just waiting to know if she was even alive or dead. There was no hiding the truth any longer. “You were a year old,” she admitted, turning aside and shutting her eyes. “Just about to turn two.”

“Why?”

“What?”

“Why did you leave?” Matt asked, further emphasizing the question and the answer he wanted. Margaret opened her eyes, continuing to look away in silence. He slammed his fist on her desk, causing her to yelp in fright from the sudden threat. He was clearly fuming with anger, his facial features twitching in agitation. “Where the hell have you been for the past thirty years?”

She sighed at that, finally letting that pent-up fear that gripped her for so long ease away. Getting it out of her system and off her chest was something that would close the regret she held. She wanted someone—someone other than her fellow sisters—to listen to the truth. “Please, take a seat. It’s about time I told you.”

Matthew removed his fist from her desk. It thumped with pain, but he ignored it. He instead focused all of his attention, all of his heart, and his hearing… to her. She took her seat behind her desk, Matthew dragging a chair forward and sitting down. Margaret began by folding her fingers over each other, releasing a great and regretful sigh. “I always wanted to, you know? I always wanted to come back, to be a part of your life again, but… I just… couldn’t,” she said, head falling into her palms. “Oh, Lord, it’s so hard.”

“Just start from the beginning.”

She looked up, meeting her son’s gaze. It wasn’t harsh like earlier. Much calmer now. Sincere, even. That’s all she really needed to begin again.

“I married Jack at a young age, around our early twenties when I realized I was pregnant with you. After you were born, I… I started suffering from a form of… postpartum depression. I always wanted to be a good mother, but I kept having all these doubts, all these fears gripping me and telling me otherwise. Those fears turned into paranoia and eventually turned into a mental illness.”

Margaret tried to breathe, but it only came in as a painful stutter, something she didn’t want to relive or reimagine. Matthew watched her movements carefully, all the while listening to her heartbeat.

She gulped, looking away and refusing to meet his eyes. “One night… I imagined that Jack was trying to turn against me… and I always thought that the separation that didn’t exist was because of the child we had. Because of you.”

Looking up, she met her son’s gaze. Matt continuously stared at her, refusing to blink.

“I tried to hurt you… that night. Jack was able to stop me before I could even lay a finger on your head. I sobbed in his arms for hours and…” Margaret said, stopping only to shut her eyes tight and prevent the tears from slipping through. She succeeded, only barely, and continued, “… and I realized that the longer I stayed around you two, the more insane I would grow. So… without telling Jack… I left home… swearing never to go back until I got better.

“The church took me in almost instantly. They said I would be safe there, giving me the right care and counseling needed to cure my depression. All the years I spent recovering… all I could really think about was you and Jack. I thought of nothing else… not until I saw you two again.”

When she opened her eyes, fresh tears slipped down, cascading down her cheeks and impacting the Word of God beneath her.

“But even then, I knew I couldn’t.”

Matthew breathed. That’s all he could.

“I knew… that if I went back… I could threaten the both of you again. I didn’t want to take that chance, Matthew. I just wanted you to be safe…”

That was all she could manage before forcefully dropping her gaze, her eyes shut tight as more painful tears fell from her eyes and impacted the Bible pages. She shuddered, sobbing rather loudly within the confines of her own office. Almost utterly alone. Had it not been for Matt, she may as well have been. She practically was, considering how silent and motionless he was during her whole ordeal, appearing to do nothing but stare.

But he wasn’t doing nothing. As she poured her heart out to him, Matt spent those moments listening not only to her words, but her heart. He heard her heartbeat, how calm and collected it was. No increase. No decrease. Just pain. True, human pain. That was all he really needed.

His hand fell over hers. Margaret gasped lightly to her son’s touch, lifting her red-rimmed eyes up to see him slowly smile her way. And what he said made even more tears fall from her face, her face contorting at his words.

“I knew I recognized your face from somewhere.”

Margaret instantly remembered the days before her depression, watching as her only son gazed up at her from his crib, from her arms, watching and waiting as she slowly put him to sleep every night. Singing to him, kissing his forehead, being the mother she once was. And she cried. Margaret Murdock cried harder than she had in years.

He didn’t make it any better, gripping her hands with his own. She met his gaze, noticing the tears in his eyes, one in particular slipping down his cheek. “I appreciate the honesty… Mom.”

She smiled alongside him. A smile that didn’t last, finally taking notice to his eyes. The blank stare, the tears that filled it, the way he hadn’t…

“Matthew, you haven’t blinked since you came in here.”

Chuckling to that, Matt dropped his head, bringing his hand back and wiping his eyes free from the wetness. He said, almost admitted, “Well, I’m blind, Mom, so…”

“Blind?!” Margaret nearly screeched, leaping out of her seat. “What happened?!”

He could only imagine the look on her face, but he kept his eyes to the floor, remembering everything that came to be. From the toxic chemical spill that took away his sight, meeting Stick and training with him for years on end, breaking away and becoming something even more. Memories, many good and many more even worse, flooded back into Matt Murdock. Every cut, every stab, every bruise, every punch, every heartbreak, every friendship, every enemy, and every day…

And he could only smile. “It’s a long… long—”

Matt’s smile instantly vanished. He titled his head, freezing in place and silencing his tongue.

“Matthew?” Margaret began, flinching only when her son raised his hand to her.

In that continued silence between them, Margaret watched her son focus only at the opposite wall, staring only at it. Yet Matthew was elsewhere. His enhanced hearing caught something, a break of wind, a screech of something large hurtling downwards, approaching and only growing more and more powerful. Louder. Quicker. Its distance was closing fast…

“Wait…” Matt muttered, darting his head slightly back and forth, still facing the wall opposite to his left, “… something… something’s coming.”

Margaret blinked. “What’s com—?”

“Get down!”

Glass shattered over them as the resounding eruption shook the very foundation of New York City. Margaret screamed as her son gripped and shielded her head, bringing her down to her desk as the glass rained over them. The explosion that followed, the tremor shaking the entire church and office, was so powerful it nearly knocked Matthew off his feet. Yet he remained determined, holding his mother with whatever strength he had left, until the end of his life if need be.

That didn’t come to pass, unfortunately, as the tremor ended and Matthew breathed again. He almost didn't want to breathe. All it did was remind him that he was still alive, still trapped on Earth and away from true bliss. A bliss... he once believed was gone. A bliss... now shaking with fear in his arms. A new reason to live. A new reason to act. The pain returned to him, all of it overshadowed by the rising adrenaline in his veins. Both he and his mother turned accordingly, eyes shifting out of the office and towards the door that separated them from the world beyond the convent.

“Matthew!” his mother screamed, running around the desk to stand by his side. “What was that?!”

Matthew already had a fairly clear idea what it was, but he needed to check it out himself just to be certain. “Stay here,” he told her, ignoring his mother’s eyes but still hearing her fearful heart, never once letting it leave his senses. It was difficult, considering everything else that assaulted his ears. “I’ll check it out.”

“Matthew, no, you can’t—!” Margaret declared, stopping him by gripping his forearm.

Matt turned back to her, both mother and son meeting each other’s eyes. They each found comfort in it, Margaret seeing her son—even if he was blind—and knowing he was there. For Matt, he was just glad to see her, even if she was surrounded by a world on fire. “It’s okay, Mom,” he whispered to her, prying her hand away and holding it tightly. For assurance. For a promise. “I’ll be fine.”

She let him go—almost regretfully—after that. And Matt Murdock exited his mother’s office, continuously pursuing the constant screams, the rising sirens, and the undeniable sounds of buildings crumbling to the ground. His heart burned after hearing that dreaded sound, only worsening to hear literally everything else. And he could. He heard everything.

“Everyone, stay inside! Don’t go near the windows!” Matthew yelled, entering the chapel where several nuns were busy trying to repair what had fallen over, collect the broken glass spread across the carpet. They made way for him, watching as he pushed open the doors that led to the outside world.

Matt’s senses shot skywards, feeling the heat on his skin, smelling the death in the air, tasting the smoke on his tongue, and most importantly… hearing the chaos and terror unfold within Hell’s Kitchen. He looked about, citizens fleeing and in flames, away from the second sun burning bright in the fire-filled skies. The city and the skies were on fire. The world he saw, even with his sight, was exactly like that. Everyone saw it. They all experienced the torment Matt went through with every day, seeing a forever burning hellscape.

And that hellscape burned on the horizon, a second sun rising from the ashes of Central Park, burning away as buildings crumbled in the distance, almost like a small nuclear explosion had just impacted Manhattan. But it was more than that. Matthew would have felt the radiation in the air, but there was none. Just ash and fire. And screams. God, the screams…

All of it was overshadowed once more. Matt tilted his head, this time to the skies, and not only heard it coming… but felt it. Something else… something bigger. Something far… far worse. He heard the massive engines growing louder, the low and terrible hum overwhelming his senses and making him stumble backwards. Back into the nunnery and into his mother’s office. He ran every step of the way, no more pain. No time for that.

“Mom…” Matthew breathed, standing on the outside of his mother’s office. Margaret stood up from her seat, holding the broken glass pieces from her window and tossing them in her trash can. She approached her son, already seeing the soot and ash paint his face.

But completely unprepared for what he asked of her.

“When you picked me out of the building… was I wearing a red suit?”

The doors to the convent opened wide, allowing Daredevil to run straight out into the smoke and ash-filled air. Hardly anyone paid him any attention. A few glances his way, but everyone in New York was preoccupied in trying to flee the madness, to run in the opposite direction to where Daredevil was running.

He stood in the center of the street, covered head to toe in his Daredevil attire. From his dark red and black armor and boots, to his devil-horned mask, Matthew Murdock was ready for whatever chaos the suit was willing to withstand. The nuns had managed to repair most of it, a few scratches and tears revealed in minor places. On his left hip, his billy clubs remained resting in a small pocket. His light red eyes turned towards the sounds of crying, of people trying to recover from the blast. There were no cars, so he remained motionless, only shifting his head in the direction he needed to go.

More screams from the right. Deeper into the madness.

He ran where his senses told him to run, listening closely for every shout in pain, for every terror-filled scream, for every cry for help. The majority led closer to the heart of the storm, to the heart of the flame. To the impact zone… where the fireball rested over Central Park.

Matthew Murdock ran right for it, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen entering the face of Hell itself.

Right as the Chitauri Command Center dropped into New York City.

Author's Note

"War changes people. Sometimes they see things they can't unsee. Come home to find home's not there anymore. It changed. Or maybe they did."

Chapter 41 – Defend

New York, USA

Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan

8:19 a.m.

Two slabs of rubble had risen from the remnants of the fallen apartment complex, and Luke Cage was the one beneath them. He grit his teeth in agitation, using his enhanced strength to toss the slabs of building debris to the sides, roaring as he did so. The first thing that came to him was the blinding light of the blood red sun, followed instantly by the realization that it wasn’t the sun.

Surrounding the lone man, nothing but carnage remained since the blast. The city street was filled to the brim with shattered buildings, flipped vehicles, and consuming fire. The crooked skeletons of the buildings that had managed to remain standing even after the explosion and resulting shock wave hung in the distance, some eventually crumbling to the ground with a wave of dust rising from where they once stood. The morning sky was colored a sick orange and blood red, fire and ash falling from the sky and smoke rising higher to rival the skyscrapers. The air was hot. Not normally warm on a summer morning, but blistering hot. Luke was already sweating profusely and he hadn’t even been out in the open for more than a minute. It was like a nuclear bomb had gone off.

Luke prayed that wasn’t the case and brought his attention downwards, to the sound of a rising groan. To the woman he had shielded and protected with his own body. Lying on her side, Jessica Jones rolled over and pressed her forearms and elbows into the building debris beneath her, forcing herself to rise up despite the tearing pain rippling through her body.

Lifting her face riddled with cuts and dirt, Jessica glared through her long, dark bangs. She seethed heavily through her teeth, her gloved-fists clenching tighter as the seconds passed. “Ow,” Jessica growled.

“Jessica,” Luke said to her, bending down and gripping her arm. He hoisted her to her feet without effort, the young woman almost crumbling to her knees once her feet were pressed to the building rubble. She grabbed onto him to support herself, but held out her free hand to him, to tell him to hold off with his hands. To tell him that she could stand on her own.

Luke looked at her, from her head to her toes. Blood coated her cheeks and slightly above her eyebrow, rolling down the side of her eye and her nose. Her plain white shirt was scratched and torn, fresh cuts beneath the tears and blood already beginning to stain it. Her pants were slightly better, the blue jeans with hardly any tears and no blood. Nothing but filth coated it now. Still, seeing her shirt nearly ruined, the blood just making things worse, caused Luke to act. Despite what she did or said.

He removed his black jacket, revealing the simple yellow T-shirt beneath. It was practically clean. The same couldn’t be said for his jacket, to which he placed it over Jessica’s shoulders much to her dismay. “Your shirt’s cut up, Jessica. Just wear it.”

Glaring at him, she saw as he offered a strong glare in return. She still wondered if he was as strong as her. They never really did test that idea. Nevertheless, Jessica just sighed, forcefully grabbing Luke’s jacket and stepping aside. She rammed her arms into the appropriate holes, cringing a tad at the cuts on her arms. Zipping it up, Jessica looked down to inspect herself. The jacket was cut, filthy, and a size too big for her. Not as bad as the shirt she wore beneath. It would do for now.

“Something hit Central Park,” Luke stated, turning towards the massive, red fireball in the distance, where the fire and ash originated from. He raised a hand to rest over his brow just to stare at it, his eyes narrowing.

“Think it was a nuke?” Jessica asked, her eyes moving across the ravaged ground of building rubble. The place she called her home was nothing more than the concrete and brick that lay beneath her feet. She scoffed, shaking her head. “I mean… shit looks like what a nuke would do.”

She suddenly froze as her eyes trailed to a certain area upon the building debris. Luke just shook his head, lowering his hand from his brow. “If it was a nuke, I think we’d all be dead right about now. Maybe a satellite… or even a meteor.”

His voice fell on deaf ears, causing Cage to turn to Jones so he could directly speak to her. He said, “Whatever the case, we need to—”

Instead, his own voice was lost, watching only as Jessica stepped over the remnants of her apartment carefully. Cautiously. Hauntingly. She approached an area several yards away, stopping dead in her tracks and looking downwards. “Jess…” Luke said, following right behind her.

When he came to her side, it was then did he finally see it. It was then did he finally understand why she had fallen silent. Directly ahead of them, Luke Cage could only see slivers of bodies scattered throughout the debris. Some hidden, some barely poking out, some lying directly beneath and ahead of them. But Jessica had already seen them. Her focus was on the man lying dead at her feet.

At Malcolm Ducasse.

But not only him…

Directly ahead of them… Jessica gazed in horror at the limp, motionless, and bloody bodies of Oscar Arocho and his son Vido.

“No…” Jessica gasped, her pained voice stuttering. Luke watched on in silence, only acting when he saw Jessica fall to her knees, pulling at the debris that lay over Malcolm’s body. His blank eyes stared up at her, Jessica’s paralyzed expression trying to focus on the debris. “God… no, no, no, no!”

Her mind screamed at her, tried to convince herself that they were still alive, that she could still save them. Despite what her mind actually told her, despite what her heart was trying to break to her, and despite Luke grabbing her shoulders and forcing her back, all Jessica could do was deny and fight. Two things she was particularly skilled in and ashamed of.

“Jessica,” Luke began, holding Jessica still with his enhanced strength as she slashed about and jammed her legs outwards, desperately trying to fight him off. She sent several curses his way, constantly trying shout over him if she couldn’t overpower him. “Jessica! Get back! They’re gone!”

“Get off me!” she cried, voice cracking heavily, legs flailing about.

“Jessica, look at me! Look at me!”

He placed his palms against her cheeks so her head was between them. At first, it was to keep her still, to stop her from doing something rash. But after seeing the look on her face, the red in her eyes, Luke slowly began to release the pressure he put in his hands. And she didn’t fight back. Instead, even when she felt his strength leave him, Jessica just shut her eyes, breathing steadily as the smoke and ash filled the air between them. Her breathing was ragged, in pain, a certain wetness building in her eyes the longer Luke held her.

Feeling his warmth, Jessica opened her eyes and stared into Luke’s own. The sympathy was there, as strong as ever before. “I’m sorry,” his powerful voice told her, wiping her cheek free from the tear that had managed to escape her. “But we need to move and search for other survivors.”

She couldn’t say a word, and just nodded in defeat. Neither one of them could say a word as they stepped out of the building and entered the streets. Jessica forced herself not to look back.

Things didn’t look any better the longer Luke Cage and Jessica Jones searched the streets of Hell’s Kitchen. They didn’t even know if they were even in Hell’s Kitchen anymore. Everything just looked the same. Like a firestorm had swept through the city. Like a bomb had gone off.

Both Luke and Jessica were starting to wonder if they were the only survivors. That dreaded thought became more and more apparent as they lifted debris and pushed them aside, screaming out for anyone to hear or respond. Entire blocks were covered in building debris, not a single structure remaining. The heated wind blew against the smoke and ash, making it appear like a monsoon had filled New York with how hard and fast it all fell and rose.

Jessica was already becoming winded, the heat from the firestorm in the distance and the residue cascading over them making her more and more delirious. She tried to find shade under a building that hadn’t fallen, but even then, it hardly helped. Her long, black hair stuck to her sweaty forehead the more she tried to push it behind her. Luke's black jacket was almost unbearable to wear, but she kept it on in fear of her cuts getting exposed to the ash.

Luke hardly fared any better. Although his skin was free from any cuts due to his impenetrable abilities, that hadn’t meant he wasn’t feeling every ounce of the heat and struggle that laid ahead of them. It was like walking in the heart of Death Valley, the sun still barely rising in the sky yet feeling the intensified heat from the fire and smoke. Sweat practically poured down his head, arms, and chest as he tossed building debris aside and shouted for anyone still alive. His yellow shirt was already stained with sweat, Cage wiping his brow with his arm as he moved on to the next building. And the next.

And the next.

And still nothing.

Bodies pockmarked the roads, many lying face down and scorched from the initial blast. Luke took a moment to count his and Jessica’s luck for being inside when the explosion hit Manhattan. Still, with every body he checked, finding no pulse in any that remained in the streets, he was growing more and more hopeless, shaking his head as he rose to his feet.

Breathing rather heavily, Luke looked back to see Jessica leaning against the remains of a building, the shade covering her as she stared aimlessly above. “Jess!” he called to her, watching as Jones slowly forced her attention his way. Both of them were already reaching their limits, as evident by their heaving chests and sweat covered faces.

“Come on!” he urged her, watching as Jessica groaned and pushed herself off the building face. “We need to find shelter so we—!”

“Hello?!”

The two of them instantly froze. Luke spun around, Jessica focusing his way, where the voice was birthed down the street. The voice came again, much louder from previously, probably indicating it was getting closer. “Anyone out there?!”

“We’re over here!” Jessica screamed, palms surrounding her mouth to amplify her voice.

Together, both Luke and Jessica stood in the center of the street, watching as two figures emerged at the very edge, just rounding the corner. The heavy smoke in the air and the ash falling made it hard to decipher who they were, but as they focused their attention their way and began to quickly approach, both Luke and Jessica realized who they were sooner rather than later.

And they couldn’t be happier to see them, Luke more so than Jessica.

Danny Rand and Colleen Wing slowed to a halt, narrowing their eyes to see if who they saw was actually there. Their assumptions were correct, relieved gasps and smiles spreading all around as they moved forward, meeting Luke and Jessica halfway.

“Danny?” Luke said, spreading out his arms and meeting Rand for a hug, the two slapping each other’s backs. They both broke away at the same time, Luke’s right palm on Danny’s shoulder and Rand’s right hand gripping Luke’s bicep. He noticed that Danny’s green flannel was already drenched with sweat, the first few buttons already unhooked and revealing the dragon tattoo beneath. Colleen fared no better, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. They were all in the same boat. “Are you and Colleen all right? What the hell just happened?”

“One question at a time,” Danny said, breathing rather quickly. Luke nodded as a response. With his free left hand, he held it out to Luke, saying, “We’re fine… and we’re just as lost as you two. Do you have any idea how this could have happened?”

As the two tried to tell each other that they didn’t know a thing about the current situation, Jessica stepped forward and found herself trapped when Colleen wrapped her arm around her, bringing in Jones for a quick hug. Jessica hardly even returned it, patting Colleen’s back with her left hand. Breaking off, Colleen smiled weakly at Jessica, the private eye not really having much to smile about.

“How are you doing, Jessica?” Colleen asked.

“Oh, I’m fine,” Jessica sarcastically began, nodding her head. “Just lost my apartment… some good friends…”

Colleen’s smile completely faded, her gaze falling to the ground. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said. After noticing the burnt body to her left, she quickly brought her gaze back to Jones, asking, “So… how did you run into Luke?”

“Tried to offer me some coffee before the…”

Her voice trailed off, eyes staring back to the fireball hanging over Central Park. Colleen followed her, both shielding their eyes at the onslaught of light that met them. The blistering breeze blew in their faces, both women turning back towards each other. “You have no idea what it was either, do you?” Wing asked.

“Was kinda hoping you guys did,” Jessica admitted. Turning over, she looked to see Danny and Luke still lost in their own conversation. “So… you and Danny, huh?”

Colleen blushed lightly at that. “Yeah…”

Jessica just nodded and said, “Nice.”

“Hey, Jessica.”

Both turned accordingly, facing Luke and Danny. Jessica nodded his way, saying, “How’s it goin’, Karate Kid?”

Not too keen on that nickname just yet, Rand shrugged his shoulder, looking off in the distance. “Pretty awful,” he said, facing them again, his tone and voice far more serious than it had been previously. “But right now, we can’t spend anymore time complaining about it. We need to find as many civilians as possible and get them to safety.”

“You didn’t find anyone on the way over here?” Luke asked.

Danny turned his way. “You didn’t either?”

The silence between them was as dreaded as the sounds of far-off buildings finally crumbling to the earth, finally succumbing to the devastation and fires surrounding them. More sirens, more screams, more chaos unleashed. Danny tried to not let it get to him just yet, shaking his head, palms on his hips. “Crap…” he muttered, scratching his chin scruff in thought. “Okay… okay, then maybe we should—”

“You gotta be shitting me.”

Jessica’s voice was so distinct they could tell who it was without even a second thought. It just gave off that certain vibe of not giving a shit and being damn proud about that fact. But even then, even when she said those words, a hint of surprise could actually be heard. The remaining three of the group turned accordingly to Jones, watching as she stared and slowly glared up to the building directly behind the group. They followed her piercing glare, their eyes landing on the lone survivor amongst the ruin standing at the very edge of the rooftop. He nearly blended in to the red skylines behind him, but everyone could instantly tell who was standing high above them, looking down their way.

Watching them.

Overseeing the madness unfold in his city. They almost couldn’t believe it.

They almost couldn’t believe that Matthew Murdock was still alive.

The Daredevil pulled out his billy club, breaking it apart and holding the pieces directly in front of him. Between each club, a steel fiber cable hung tightly. He proceeded to swing one end of the club out in front of him, throwing his grappling hook to a lamp post and leaping off the rooftop. The lamp post managed to hold his weight, Daredevil swinging through the air and coming to a grinding halt in the streets. The grappling hook retracted, the billy club resting in Daredevil’s right glove.

He was met with the awestruck expressions of three out of the four people he wanted to see again. The fourth expression, the furious one, belonged to none other than Jessica Jones. Matthew was apprehensive at first about confronting them, but knew that greater matters laid ahead, and what happened in the past could wait later.

He hoped for that. “Hey,” Matt began, trying to offer a tiny smile and nod. He only managed one of those, his thin lips refusing to curl upwards. “I thought I heard your voices.”

No one moved. Their heartbeats, from what Matt could hear, were fast, yet their movements were frozen. All except for one. Jessica started off at a walk, then quickened her pace once Murdock turned her way. He said, “Jessica, I’m sorr—”

Jones slapped him. It caught everyone by surprise. The sound was so piercing that it left a ring in Matt’s left ear. Daredevil let his head rest to the side, his tongue already feeling around and tasting the trickles of metal. “Ow…” he muttered.

“You’re lucky I didn’t break your jaw, asshole,” she told him, grabbing his shoulders fiercely, tightening her palms ever so slowly and forcing his attention on her. “Now, you better have a damn good reason why you’re still alive, or I’m gonna make you wish you stayed dead.”

“Easy, Jess! Back off!” Luke said, pushing her aside. She sneered at him, Luke glaring right on back. He broke away from her rather quickly, shifting his concerned gaze over to Murdock. He spit out the residue of blood Jessica had inflicted on him from the strike, wiping his mouth with his forearm.

“Thanks, Luke,” he said, turning to Cage and slapping his shoulder. “It’s good to see you again.”

“I can say the same for you,” Luke said, slapping his shoulder back, much harder than Matt had done. He groaned at that, rubbing his shoulder as Luke asked, “You doin’ all right?”

“Little sore, but I think I’m good to go,” Matt said, rolling his shoulder and feeling a satisfying pop shortly. He turned accordingly, staring at the astounded expressions that still gripped both Danny Rand and Colleen Wing. “Danny…”

Before anyone could have reacted appropriately, Danny walked over and hugged him. Jessica looked somewhat taken aback by that, frowning either way and stepping aside. Once Rand broke the hug, he held Matt’s shoulders, staring into the red eyes that the mask offered, seeing nothing beyond them. “Matt, what the hell happened?” he asked, almost breathless.

“Let’s just say someone pulled me out of the rubble and nursed me back to health, and leave it at that,” Matthew responded, stepping back from the group to give them all enough space.

“What about your girlfriend?” Jessica asked, not even trying to hide the sneer in her tone. That sneer quickly died when she saw whatever portion of his expression he allowed. His shoulders slumped, a tiny sigh leaving his nostrils as he gazed to the tattered street. “Oh… sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Matt whispered. He sighed once more, raising his head and staring straight ahead. The light of the morning sun and the fireball over Central Park gave his costume even more detail and light. They could see why he performed his vigilante deeds mainly at night. He was a clear target during the day.

The pain in his voice was gone, replaced only with forced determinism. “Right now, we need to focus. There are people in New York who still need our help.”

“Well, sniff ‘em out,” Jessica told him, her voice resembling a mocking tone, obviously focused around Matt’s enhanced smell.

“I can hear them instead,” Matt stated, no sense of humor in his voice. Jessica frowned and watched him dart his head back and forth, his neck twitching in several directions. “All right… I got someone. Several, to be exact.”

“Lead the way, Matt,” Luke said, nodding him forward.

Matthew nodded and pushed past them, already hearing their conjoined footsteps behind him. A particular pair came up to his side, Daredevil not even having to turn to hear Danny’s heartbeat to his left. He said, “Despite how Jessica acted… we’re all glad to have you back, Matt.”

For that, Murdock finally smiled.

They searched the ruins of New York together for survivors. They had long left Hell’s Kitchen and already lost track of which section of the city they were in. They were practically lost, Matt’s enhanced senses being their only guide to the survivors he had managed to catch with his hearing. Other than that, everything else was barren, dead, a burning husk of what once was the city they grew up in. Their home. Jessica didn’t let the sappy parts get to her, but Luke, Danny, and Colleen definitely showed their emotion to the bodies littered in the ravaged streets. Luke could have sworn he saw Matt getting a little choked up after they had left Hell’s Kitchen in the ruin it was already in.

Thankfully, the heat was beginning to clear, the blood red in the skies fading once the clouds were breaking apart and the sun began to unleash its rays onto the devastated city. It hardly helped, but they would take whatever was offered to them. Soon enough, they were stopped once Matt raised his gloved-fist, shifting his head over to the alleyway ahead of them. He waved them forward, the group remaining silent as they stepped onto the sidewalk and approached the alleyway.

It was practically cloaked in shadow, hardly any light managing to reach inside between the two building. The five of them stopped when Daredevil stopped, staring into the darkness and waiting. Waiting for Matt to say something. Waiting for practically anything to happen.

It was still somewhat of a surprise to see a pair of pistols jutting out of the shadows, followed by a female voice that declared, “Freeze, assholes!”

While some like Danny, Colleen, and Jessica begrudgingly raised their hands slowly while at gunpoint, Luke didn’t even move, knowing from experience that no gun would be able to hurt him. Then there was Matt, who refused to move and instead stared straight ahead, already knowing who was hiding within the darkness. Already knowing who were behind the triggers.

It came as a surprise for everyone else when they finally stepped out.

“Misty?” Luke stated, narrowing his eyes to see if he saw her correctly. There was no misjudging her, especially with her robotic right arm gripping the pistol alongside her left. Detective Knight furrowed her brow at them, instantly noticing Luke Cage but actually being surprised to see the rest with him.

“Luke?” she said, dropping her pistol. “Danny, Colleen, Jessica…?”

Everyone she mentioned by name dropped their hands and nodded her way. Her eyes trailed over to the far left, widening just at the sight of him. “You?!” she gasped. “You’re alive?!”

Daredevil just nodded.

The short moment of shock was followed by several unsettling seconds of silence between the groups. Truly, there were two groups. Luke Cage may have saw and focused mainly on Misty Knight to begin with, but his eyes slowly turned to the right, where he saw the woman he really hoped had stayed at home. He knew her, he knew Claire Temple. He knew she was a helper—as well as a strong-willed fighter—and wouldn’t turn away from the suffering of others. Claire’s jaw fell the same time her pistol did, the firearm resting on her side. Neither she nor Luke could turn away from each other.

As for the rest of the group behind Misty and Claire, they consisted mainly of random civilians, the many of which managed to survive the blast. Several were injured, some holding their blood-covered wounds and holding onto one another. Probably close friends. Probably families. All under the protection and watchful eyes of Detective Knight and Claire Temple.

But there were others. Others that knew more to those like Jessica Jones and Matthew Murdock more so than the random faces in the crowd. One in particular was Patricia Walker—Trish, for short—the successful radio talk show host and former best friend to Jessica. Their falling out revolved around close and personal ties to Jessica’s family, the murder of Jessica’s mother by Trish’s own hands to be exact. Nothing was ever the same after those terrible events, and even then, Trish couldn’t stare at Jessica’s growing glare at her forever. She clutched onto her purse, staring sadly to the concrete floor beneath her. Jessica didn’t change. She glared only at Trish a moment longer before turning away and swearing never to look again.

Then there were two others. The people that Matthew Murdock considered to be his only true family left in all the world. At least, he used to think that before his mother came back into the picture. Still, seeing Karen Page and Franklin Nelson made him catch his breath. Matthew knew Franklin best as Foggy, his best friend and co-founder of Nelson and Murdock. He knew Karen as one of his closest friends, and a former lover, only to break off when Elektra came back into his life. Their relationship was complicated. Matt could only assume that him dying and coming back to life was only going to make it even more complicated.

The expressions on their faces assured him of that.

That moment of silence finally ended when Luke took the first few steps forward to personally greet Misty with a hug. As the group congregated—offering hugs, handshakes, and several other side conversations about health, safety, and whatnot—there were a few who remained where they were, shifting their uneasy stares to the people they didn’t expect to find.

Luke stared at Claire after breaking away from Misty, the two eventually hugging despite the past behind them. Trish didn’t even move from her spot. Neither did Jessica. Danny and Colleen offered quick hugs to Misty and Claire. Foggy and Karen stared at Matt, simply failing to speak as they watched Claire offer a powerful and almost tearful hug to the Devil. And although they couldn’t see his eyes behind the red lenses, they could just feel that he was staring right at them. Despite being blind. Despite seeing a world on fire.

And he was.

“This is crazy,” Luke said, turning back to Misty. “What are you doing here?”

With her hands still gripping her pistol, both the prosthetic and the human, Misty stepped out only slightly and stared out into the fire. “After the explosion, the NYPD sent out officers throughout the city. They wanted us to try and find as many civilians as we could and bring them back to the station. Lucky for me,” she said, turning back to the alleyway and gazing towards the crowd of civilians, “I got quite the batch to look after.”

“We got quite the batch,” Claire corrected her, holding out her own pistol. Misty nodded to that.

Breaking their stares, both women turned to Luke Cage. He addressed not only himself, but the rest that stood alongside him. To Danny, Colleen, Jessica, and Daredevil. And he told them, “You might need some help, then.”

However, the reaction he got was not what he expected. Misty scoffed lightly through her lips, offering an amused smile his way. “You sure you want to work with the law this time?”

Before Luke could even react accordingly to that statement, almost everyone’s side conversation had fallen silent when the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen spoke.

“Guys…”

Luke, Misty, and Claire turned accordingly to Daredevil. Danny, Colleen, and Trish joined them, several other citizens behind them doing the same. Jessica, Karen, and Foggy were the final ones, everyone remaining silent and watching as Daredevil twitched his head back, his lips slightly parted, hardly a breath leaving him as he listened. And he listened. But they didn’t need to hear it.

They could already feel it.

“I probably should have told you beforehand… but we got incoming,” Daredevil whispered.

“Incoming?” Misty repeated. She and everyone else watched as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen slowly turned his head to the east, to the skies breaking apart and letting loose the natural sunlight. Not only that. She followed Daredevil’s gaze to the sky. Everyone did.

And watched as the clouds broke apart and the alien warship emerged over Manhattan.

“Jesus Christ…” Misty gasped, hands falling to her sides. The citizens around her reacted differently, several screaming out. Children crying to their parents and many more backing away deeper into the alley. Claire and Misty tended to the crowd, assuring them of their safety. Karen and Foggy remained close by each other’s side, Trish Walker clutching onto her purse like it was her lifeline, gazing up onto the alien warship with fear gripping every detail of her irises.

The few that remained stood their ground, even going so far as to stand openly on the sidewalk, surrounding the entrance of the alleyway. Those few were Matt Murdock, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, and Colleen Wing. “That’s not man-made,” Danny muttered, stepping even further into the street.

“Let me guess,” Jessica began, groaning as she did so. “Aliens?”

The very second after she said that dreadful word, the warship howled, unleashing its army onto the defenseless city of New York. They scattered across the sky like flies, flying downwards and already firing upon the buildings that remained standing from the impact, at the citizens that survived that first strike. The civilians quickly began to panic even more, falling back into the alleyway. Once Misty and Clair tended to them, Jessica just sighed.

“God, this day sucks,” she said, the increased wind whipping at her hair. It was colder. Slightly.

Taking notice to every sound, every heartbeat, and every explosion that rocked the city of New York, Daredevil looked back towards the closest heartbeats. Towards the crowd of people who could hardly defend themselves. Claire and Misty could only do so much. They needed protectors to get them to the police station. They needed those who could defend them.

They needed…

“We need to defend these civilians,” Murdock stated loudly. The four by his sides heard him, all turning his way as he took another step out onto the street. Even Claire and Misty turned back to him.

“Get them somewhere safe,” Luke said, clenching his fists and glaring at the alien army. Danny Rand did the exact same, his right fist shimmering a bright gold. Colleen unsheathed her katana slowly, gripping the handle with both palms. She, as well as Misty Knight, Claire Temple, Danny, Luke, and Daredevil, all stared upwards, watching as the aliens fired upon the city.

Danny looked over to Jessica, who kept her head low. “You ready for this?” he asked, still keeping his fist tight and holding the power of the Iron Fist strong.

Jessica turned to him, then back to the street, then… slowly up to the skies. To the alien army attacking her home. “One last time?” she asked, looking to Danny, Luke, Colleen, and Matt. None of them even moved, but their expressions gave her the answer she really wasn’t hoping to find.

In the end, she just nodded, facing the skies once more. “Screw it. I hope I’m the one who dies this time.”

New York City was covered in fire. For miles and miles, innocent civilians ran for their lives, not knowing where to go, only to run from the alien swarm directly over their heads. Police did all they could, but even they weren’t enough when the Command Center blanketed New York in a massive shadow. The aliens screeched out, dive-bombing the city and unleashing their wrath on the populace.

The Second Chitauri Invasion began.

And the Defenders stood ready, stood together, for whatever space could throw at them and their city.

Author's Note

It's official. Infinity Era takes place AFTER the Season 8 Finale. :pinkiehappy:

Chapter 42 – Fire Beach

Equus

Dragon Lands

6:27 a.m.

The beaches of the Dragon Lands were relatively calm. It was the only serene location in all the Dragon Lands, the lands deeper within coated in fire and warfare. The waves lapped against the rocky surface of the beach floor, stones of various sizes only growing larger and larger the further they were away from the waters. Red gemstones dotted the waters and beaches, jutting outwards to the ocean, pointed tips to the skies. To the clouds.

To the various naval ships of the Queen of the Hippogriffs.

The heavy morning fog broke apart once all remaining twelve naval ships soared in perfect harmony, perfectly lined up in formation. Their shadows from the early morning sunlight cascaded across the beachline, sending darkness across the rocks and red gemstones. And just as they flew past the ocean waters and hovered several hundred feet above the beaches, that’s when the Hippogriffs charged forward.

Several leapt directly out from the ocean, transforming out of their seapony forms and back into their natural Hippogriff bodies, taking flight and charging full-steam ahead towards the battle. Some even landed on their claws and hooves, rushing towards the fight in a massive stampede. From the naval ships steaming right on ahead, out came the remaining armies under the command of Queen Novo. General Seaspray stood at very edge of the leading naval ship, staring straight into the war directly ahead of them, watching as the Hippogriff armies descended below and took to the ground and skies. The sweltering heat from the fires in the distance plagued the wind and blew directly into his face. Seaspray didn’t even flinch, wearing his heavy, golden armor and unsheathing his blade, jutting it outwards and leading the naval ships from the skies.

Whereas Queen Novo took the battle from the ground. She landed with a dull thud, claws and hooves first on the nearest boulder, standing straight up and glaring towards the war that awaited them. Her golden armor shone brightly in the early morning sunlight, the brightness from the sun slowly being enveloped in the smoke and clouds. Jamming the butt of her spear into the stone beneath her, Queen Novo watched as droves of Hippogriffs took to the skies and ground, several transforming into numerous beasts of war. From rhinos to manticores, Ursa Minors and Majors, bugbears and chimeras, and even rocs and hydras, the Hippogriff army was diverse in their forces and explosive, charging straight into the battle knowing their queen would be with them. Fighting with them. Leading them through hell.

Joining her on the large boulder, Sky Beak and Stratus Skyranger landed and approached her sides, Sky Beak on her right and Skyranger on her left. They donned their golden armor and stared alongside their queen onto the burning sunrise, towards the sounds of chaos unfolding beyond the hills and mountains within the heart of the Dragon Lands. The hordes of the queen’s armies galloped and soared past them, all three looking upwards and watching as General Seaspray’s naval fleet flew overhead, following the army to what lied beyond.

The crackling thunder prompted Novo, Sky Beak, and Skyranger to turn their beaks skywards, directly over their heads to see the dark clouds slithering forward, the unmistakable airship belonging to Tempest Shadow falling behind the rest of the naval ships. Novo raised a curious brow at that. It was odd. Usually, Tempest would have been leading the attack, as she had been across the seas between the two empires. She wondered what the situation on deck for Tempest was.

Meanwhile, on deck of Tempest’s airship, both Captain Celaeno and Tempest Shadow were busy trying to decipher why the airship was slowing down. The determination in Tempest’s eyes faded away once she heard the engines below beginning to sputter, the wind greatly decreasing, their speed alongside it. It was a scramble on deck, both Celaeno and Tempest ordering pirates and Storm Guards around, the unicorn sending several below deck to tend to the engine.

Joining them was Grubber. Involuntarily, of course, as Tempest practically kicked him down the steps below deck, shutting the hatch.

Grumbling at that, Grubber dusted himself off and glared at the hatch several steps above him. He would have given Tempest a piece of mind had he already not reached the bottom of the stairs, the climb back up looking long and tiresome. That, and she kind of freaked him out. He convinced himself that he did it for the first reason. Rolling his shoulders and huffing at that, Grubber waddled over to the engine room near the back of the airship. It was almost pitch-black in the underbelly of the airship. Grubber hated going below deck. It always gave him the creeps, and that he could actually convince himself of. At least he wouldn’t be by himself, he thought as he pushed the metal door aside and entered the engine room.

Red lights flashed on and off, a few remaining on and being the only light other than the dwindling fires within the furnace. Storm Guards bustled about back and forth, growling at one another to keep the airship running no matter what. Something like that. Grubber couldn’t understand about sixty percent of what they were saying. Several guards were shoveling more coal into the furnace, keeping the fires heavy so the engines kept on running.

Grubber shook his head at that. “Numbskulls,” he muttered, waddling forward and placing his chubby palms around his mouth. “You guys are doin’ it all wrong!”

The Storm Creatures halted their actions, all slowly turning towards the pudgy hedgehog. He stepped forth, trying to push a Storm Guard aside and failing at just that. He almost knocked himself over when his weaker arms had failed to even move the Storm Creature a centimeter. In the end, he just huffed in exhaustion, walking completely around the Storm Creature and descending deeper into the engine room. The guards watched him carefully, their blue eyes following him into the supply closet at the end of the room.

His voice sounded off from within the closet, saying, “If you wanna get the ship runnin’ faster, ya don’t need to add more coal! All ya have to do is add some of that special juice the Storm King used to make us make for him!”

He grabbed the last container of Storm Gas resting on the empty shelf, waddling back towards the Storm Creatures with the large jug sloshing back and forth in his arms. He settled the gas jug directly in front of him, patting its exterior and trying to catch his breath in the meantime. The guards looked down to the jug resting beside Grubber, seeing only the Storm King’s face imprinted on it, a pair of lightning bolts by his crooked lips.

“Hm. Last one,” Grubber contemplated, staring at the gasoline jug thoughtfully. He just shrugged in the end, pulling the cap off and pouring its contents right into the engine’s gas tank. “Eh, might as well go all out.”

Tossing the empty gas container by the feet of the Storm Guards, each creature slowly looked to one another, then turned their glowing blue eyes back to the hedgehog. They watched as he approached the main control console, cracking his back and his knuckles as he did so. He barely managed to lift his hands to the dials and buttons, looking back to the Storm Guards as his pudgy, little hands gripped two dials.

“Ya see, all ya gotta do is—!”

He turned the dials right, instantly causing the engines to erupt in flames. The rest was complete chaos. The furnace shot out fire in practically every direction, Grubber and the Storm Guards actually being pushed back from the intense heat and searing flames. Red lights blared within the engine room, the siren wailing as steam shot outwards and blinded the inhabitants below deck. They were already running amok, patting their fur-covered arms of the fire that had managed to latch onto them. Grubber screamed and flailed his arms about, his mohawk already consumed by fire.

All of which Tempest Shadow and Captain Celaeno didn’t hear nor know of by the time the airship instantly shot forward, every pirate, guard, and unicorn launched backwards and falling flat on their backs. Celaeno pulled herself up to the ship’s steering wheel, gripping it with both talons. She looked about, spotting her crew trying to get back up, only to fail as the wind kept pushing them down.

Tempest stumbled over to the edge of her airship, holding onto it as the whipping wind blew in her face, mane, and eyes, nearly blinding her. Yet she could still make out their current direction and status, just reaching the rest of Novo’s ships and barely pushing past the Hippogriff armies beneath them. Barring her teeth at that, Tempest spun her head back to the steering wheel, where Celaeno met her wild gaze. She shouted, “Get us lower!”

Captain Celaeno complied with a firm nod, reaching over to her left and pushing down on the handle jutting upwards from the floor, thus beginning the ship’s descent. It was almost too fast. They were reaching the rocky surface of the Dragon Lands, almost too fast, a descent towards imminent destruction if Celaeno kept at the current pace. She tightened her beak, narrowing her gaze directly ahead, keeping the airship as straight as possible as the ground came faster and faster.

Until…

“Hit the brakes!” Tempest screamed.

“Hold onto something!” Celaeno roared and shot her claw over to the right of the steering wheel, grabbing the brake handle and yanking it back with a powerful grunt escaping her. Almost as instantly as she did so, the engines nearly grinded to a halt, several masts shooting outwards from the airship and instantly catching the wind. The airship’s speed greatly decreased from that, any Storm Guard or pirate not gripping onto the ship like Tempest was immediately falling forward from the sudden loss of speed.

Those that remained standing, those many Storm Creatures who held onto the ship like their commander and leader Tempest Shadow, followed her as she leapt right over the edge of the airship, down below to the ground where the ship just barely flew over. The fall wasn’t far, wasn’t too painful even as Tempest and the many guards who followed her rolled several times before finally finding their footing. Then they ran.

Tempest led the attack, galloping as fast as her steel-plated hooves could carry her across the rock-covered wasteland. The Storm Creatures on her tail ran on all fours, managing to keep up with the unicorn as they descended further into the Dragon Lands, towards the mountains, and into the Dragons’ Lair. Tempest looked up, watched as her airship picked itself up, storm-fueled exhaust leaving its engines as it led the charge alongside Novo’s ships.

And she did, as well. Leading Novo’s army right alongside the queen flying over her head.

The Dragons’ Lair

6:32 a.m.

Dragon Lord Ember had kept the fight going as long as she could. Even when her bones ached, her scales cracked, and her muscles cried out to her, she never stopped. For nearly an entire day, the war for the Dragon Lands raged on, from one end of the Dragons’ Lair to the next. Completely consuming their home in war, fire, and death.

And there, Ember stood, alongside several of her dragon allies, in the heart of the whirlwind, fighting back against their alien invaders with everything they had left in them. Ember didn’t know how or when she lost her golden helmet, but she still stood fighting with only her breastplate, her arm, leg, and shoulder guards, and the Bloodstone Scepter gripped tightly in her claws.

All around them, for as long and far as Ember could tell, there was nothing but carnage that surrounded them. They had nearly lost the skies, the Chitauri outnumbering them ten to one. Although the Chitauri only had two warships, the armies that came with each were a force that the dragons—no matter how much Ember wanted to deny it—couldn’t fight against. They may have had strength in size and brutality, but the aliens had strength in numbers, in firepower, and quite literally everything else.

The chariots the Chitauri flew in their air dominance performed poorly against the superior might of the dragon army, yet it was the Chitauri starships piloted by the Elite that truly aided in turning the tides of the war in the Chitauri’s favor. The starships were numerous. Bigger, faster, swifter, and deadlier than the chariots. They could dive-bomb a squadron of dragons on the ground and vanish back into the clouds before any of them could react. They, and the massive Chitauri Leviathans slithering above, kept the majority of the dragons grounded.

Most of the adult dragons had fallen earlier in the battle, leaving just the younger generation to tend to the center of the conflict. Ember led them, every young adult and teenage dragon she could muster and were willing and able to fight. For several yards, that’s all Ember managed to catch, just her and her allies fighting side by side, against the alien forces fighting them from all angles. In the distance, she witnessed the dwindling adult dragons breathing fire across the landscape, onto the Chitauri ground forces trying to swarm them. The mayhem seemed to spread for miles on end, no end in sight if more aliens kept dropping from their warships.

Ember growled at that, slamming the face of her scepter onto an approaching Chitauri. The alien flipped several times in mid-air from the strike, lying back-first onto the ground, dead on impact. Swinging the Bloodstone Scepter completely around, Ember unleashed a torrent of red-hot flames directly from the stone onto a bundle of Chitauri fodder trying to come up behind her. They screeched as the flames consumed their bodies, all five of them dropping to the ground, slowly becoming motionless.

“Come on!” Ember screamed, holding out her scepter and blocking the oncoming strike from a Chitauri. Hissing at that, Ember looked over to her fellow dragons, lost only in the cluster of Chitauri filling the battlefield. “Don’t give them anything! Keep up the fire! Keep up the fight!”

The dragons responded in kind to their Dragon Lord’s order. Garble in particular swooped downwards, breathing fire upon several Chitauri beneath him. He laughed jeeringly at their flailing, flame-covered bodies, unbeknownst to the chariot swooping downwards to him. A single Chitauri soldier dove from the chariot, tackling Garble in mid-air.

He wasn’t the only one.

Ember was tackled from the side, her Bloodstone Scepter rolling away from her. The Chitauri quickly straddled her, driving the bladed end of its rifle right for her throat. Ember grabbed the rifle, managing to keep the blade just inches from her throat. Gritting her sharpened teeth, Ember breathed fire on the alien, kicking it in the chest and ripping its rifle right out of its hands. As the beast screeched and swatted at the flames on its face and arms, Ember swiped low with the blade, slicing the alien’s head clean off its shoulders. She tossed the rifle aside, the weapon hitting the ground the same time its body did. Ember darted her gaze left, spotting her scepter lying in the midst of the madness. She got back to her feet and ran for it, only to get shot in the shoulder by a blue stream of energy, the plating blowing right off.

Gripping her bare shoulder, Ember shot her animalistic-like eyes back where the shot originated, to the Chitauri starship flying mere feet above the ground and jetting right for her. Firing right at her. The blasts tore apart the stone ground, rocks and gems flying outwards as the blue bolts stampeded her way. Ember shot out her wings, taking off and diving towards the nearest boulder she could find. She could feel the gust of wind as the starship flew past her, driving straight upwards and into the smoke and fog. Right back into the alien-filled skylines. Growling at that, Ember stood back up, only to fall right back down when a flurry of gunfire was sent her way, striking the boulder she hid behind.

Ember shot her head out from cover, glaring at the small squadron of Chitauri zeroing in on her, rifles jutted her way and firing at the rock. Ember ducked back into cover, her chest heaving as she tried desperately to think of a plan out of her situation.

While she remained behind the boulder, the young dragon Smolder flew into sight, gazing down to her Dragon Lord in danger.

It was normal for dragons of nearly all ages to be engaged in conflicts alongside the rest of their fellow dragons. Only the very young, only the smallest drakes remained hidden, somewhere safe as their elders dealt with the fight, so they could ensure their future. Smolder sided more so along the elder dragons, despite being so young. Lucky her. She didn’t mind, honestly. In fact, she was old enough to know that the dragons stood together against their enemies, that they fought as one when all were needed. She was a dragon. She had her wings. Her people needed her. That’s all she needed to get into the fight. She wore silver, steel-plated armor and a helmet alongside it, a small mace in her claws. She hadn’t really fought that much during the battle, only having to defend herself from time to time

Spotting Dragon Lord Ember in trouble, however, Smolder took immediate action.

“Ember!” Smolder screamed, suddenly turning towards another scream in the distance. Garble was currently getting the life choked out of him. She rolled her eyes, sighing, “Oh, great.”

Flying down to him, Smolder gripped her mace, shouting, “Hey, ugly!” The Chitauri turned its head back, meeting the spiked edge of the mace. The Chitauri screamed, dropping Garble and crumbling as Smolder stood over its chest, repeatedly smashing her mace into its head over and over again. Until nothing but a black mesh remained, spewing that same black and blue liquid with each strike, some of it even getting on Smolder.

“Aw, sick!” Smolder exclaimed, flying off and gagging at the blood on her armor. Garble remained silent, jaw unhinged and eyes wide with disbelief at what just happened. Neither one of them could understand why Smolder had saved him, or how she managed to do it, by the time several more of the alien creatures surrounded them.

They spoke in a garbled, alien tongue, rifles raised at both the teenage and the younger dragon. Almost appearing apprehensive at first, the two slowly started to look to one another, hoping either one had a way out. Just from their expressions, neither did.

They didn’t need to.

Several bolts of electricity shot out across the sky, causing the two dragons to flinch and face the disturbance ahead. They could only watch in astonishment as those bolts of electricity struck the earth, encompassing each alien that stood before them. The Chitauri withered about and screeched their final cry, eventually falling dead. Those bolts of lightning didn’t stop. Both Garble and Smolder watched as those bolts shot out across the landscape and struck several Chitauri. Only the Chitauri. Ember looked up, her jaw falling as she witnessed the lightning shoot over her head, blowing chariots out of the sky and killing countless more of the creatures on the ground. The Dragon Lord followed where the lightning bolts originated, Ember actually gasping to see a pony… a pony… race towards them.

And she wasn’t alone.

Joining her were several large creatures covered in snow-white and black fur, glowing blue eyes, and running on all fours. They trailed right behind the unicorn wearing dark armor, all of which wore armor that were equally as dark. They traveled in a stampede, charging right past Ember and towards the remainder of what had managed to survive from the pony’s lightning spell.

The Chitauri were few, but they instantly swatted aside, stabbed, and pummeled to the earth by the strange creatures, all of which carried spears, swords, and shields with them. Whatever they were, they weren’t there to kill the dragons, several running right on by the dragons that remained and focusing only on the aliens. Staring bewildered at that sight, Ember stood slack-jawed behind the boulder, finally returning her gaze to the dark orchid unicorn she had seen earlier.

That’s when she saw the rest of them.

Massive, flying ships soared over the Dragon Lands, breaking through the smoke, fog, and clouds and unleashing barrages of cannon fire onto the aliens in the air. Starships erupted into flame once they were struck, falling to the earth quickly, joining the death toll. The Chitauri focused their attention skywards, to the twelve ships entering the warzone. But that wasn’t all. That wasn’t nearly all. Across the landscape, plowing across the rocky surfaces, an army consisting of various creatures—mainly Hippogriff—joined in on the madness, following the ships in the sky, roaring and screeching and killing every last alien that stood in their way. Both on the ground and in the air.

Chitauri Leviathans roared out, all eight of them still slithering about in the skies shifting at once towards the approaching reinforcements. They were instantly met with a barrage of cannon fire from the twelve naval ships, a cluster of Hippogriffs and dragons swarming them from all sides. The Chitauri in the skies were decimated by the overwhelming forces, more and more dropping like flies and outnumbering the dragons that fell. And Ember watched them all fall down, watched as their enemies crumbled one by one. An airship soared over her head, spewing what appeared to be dark storm clouds from its exhaust. Ember stared at it only momentarily, bringing her attention back to the unicorn.

A count of six Chitauri soldiers surrounded her, six that abandoned their chariots and landed on the ground to deal with the unicorn that murdered their kin. They cocked their guns and laser rifles, all pointing at the prone pony. Ember studied that stance closer. She wasn’t lying down in defeat. No… she was readying herself for a pounce, her eyes wild with hellfire.

Then they fired.

Then she moved.

Not a single bolt struck her.

Tempest Shadow shot about faster than any of the aliens could even fathom, rolling across the rocky surface and driving the bottom of her back hoof into the sternum of the alien directly across from her. It sent the beast flying backwards, striking a gemstone jutted out of the ground and impaling the creature on it. But she wasn’t done. Far from it. Now on all fours, Tempest bent down and hopped in the air, dodging the blaster bolts intended for her. She spun fully around, striking two Chitauri, one for each of her back hooves. Their skulls impacted the ground so hard they split upon contact. Snarling at that, Tempest didn’t hold up and shot over to the next one, sliding on her back and kicking out the Chitauri’s legs. She delivered a powerful stomp into its cranium, killing it instantly, then finalizing her last attack on the only two that remained. They aimed their rifles right for her, never hesitating and firing away.

Tempest dodged to the left, ducked to the right, then growled and fired a lightning bolt from her horn. The cracked, broken horn sent an untamed spell right for the beasts, its power unknown, the after effects being all that Tempest could deduce from the spell. The lightning struck both in their place, their bodies exploding into nothing but a black and blue splatter.

Then… she took her moment of rest. Ember slowly stood back up, staring only at… her.

Tempest Shadow stared right back. Neither one of them could quite deduce it. Ember still remained momentarily frozen and baffled at what she just saw and was still currently witnessing, and Tempest just tried to maintain her breathing, soft crackles and sparks appearing over the shattered end of her horn. Ember’s brilliant red eyes met Tempest’s moderate opal. And just like that… both could feel it. That spark. That bond between two warriors, two leaders, each knowing what it meant to sacrifice, to give, to be brave, to do whatever it takes in order to ensure total victory. Either one could see that in the other’s eyes. Tempest narrowed her own, her horn beginning to brighten and sparks shooting out of it.

At first, Ember readied herself for the confrontation, but even she wasn’t completely ready for the Bloodstone Scepter levitated her way. Tempest barely managed to fling Ember her scepter, grinding her teeth as she struggled just to perform a simple levitation spell. But she managed in the end, tossing the scepter back to its rightful owner, Ember catching and staring at it momentarily.

The two leaders looked back to one another, a mutual respect already formed just by the looks they gave each other. Then Tempest turned away and galloped straight into the war, joining her soldiers. Ember watched her leave, her jaw having not closed the entire duration of their meeting.

“Dragon Lord Ember!”

Somehow, she had managed to hear her voice called out in the midst of the warfare unfolding around them. Turning back around, Ember watched only as three Hippogriffs gently fluttered down to her. The first one, and easily the largest, shot her wings out as she approached Ember steadily, the Dragon Lord growing wary at the sight of them. The Hippogriff noticed her expression, curling her long, pink wings back to rest by her sides. And striding on each of her sides, two more Hippogriffs joined her, all three of them wearing bright, golden armor. Similar to theirs, to the dragons’.

Still appearing somewhat unsure of their presence now mere feet before her, even Ember was stunned for a brief respite as all three bowed their heads to her, closing their eyes as they did so. An obvious sign of respect in the strangest of times for Dragon Lord Ember.

The largest one in the center raised her head, golden helmet still resting over it as she said, “I am Queen Novo of the Hippogriffs. With me are Stratus Skyranger of my royal guard, and Sky Beak, one of Hippogriffia’s finest soldiers.”

Both Hippogriffs raised their heads, nodding and smiling to the Dragon Lord. As for Ember, she remained somewhat neutral on their appearance, still holding a furrowed brow but not an appreciative smile for miles. She slowly nodded her head, her jaw still hanging open. “All right…”

Almost unsure of what to make of Ember’s expression, Novo just cleared her throat, trying to remain composed and respectful. “We received word from Princess Celestia that you were under attack from an extraterrestrial threat, as was most of our world,” she said, offering her wing in the direction of her forces. “We thought you could use some help.”

Ember followed the direction she pointed to. “Is that so?” she mumbled.

Before her, the battle over the Dragons’ Lair had increased tenfold, new foreign armies entering the conflict and inflicting tremendous damage to the enemy forces. Novo’s naval ships and Tempest’s airship took on the Leviathans, the chariots, and the starships. The Hippogriffs dealt with everything else, their many different forms making the battlefield appear even more cluttered and chaotic than ever before. More so than the Dragon Lands had ever seen.

And Ember simply remained indifferent about the entire ordeal. A tiny part of her was relieved to know they had reinforcements—with it being a fighting chance, but the rest of her roared viciously at that thought, knowing those reinforcements weren’t dragons. It was an old ideology, an old pride from her father and his father before him, and his father before him.

Novo seemed to read her thoughts, saying, “I know you dragons are a proud race, and you would rather deal with threats on your own, but right now we can’t have pride standing in the way of our survival as one united species.”

Ember almost laughed at that statement, choosing only to smile and shake her head. “One united species, huh?” she repeated, the tone of her voice especially heavy on the sarcasm.

Novo was already not in the mood, frowning. “We can discuss this later,” she concluded with a stamp of her spear in the ground, pointing the tip directly into the air. “Right now, we need to strike those.”

She pointed to the skies, to the two Chitauri Command Centers still hovering over the Dragons’ Lair, still unleashing hordes and hordes of alien reinforcements. Ember followed, once more, to the direction Novo had pointed, staring hatefully towards the two warships that still remained over her homelands. Ember flared out her nostrils, shooting out hot steam from each one.

“We had one of those attack our very empire, and the second we managed to bring it down, every last one of these invaders fell to the ocean.”

Ember looked back at her. To the Queen of the Hippogriffs. There was absolutely no humor in her voice, or in her eyes. She stared Ember dead in her own, stating flatly, plainly, truly, “Dead.”

A Chitauri Leviathan gave off its final cry as three of Novo’s naval ships blew it out of the air, its burning corpse dropping and impacting the ground, making the very earth shake around it. Ember held her ground, the Bloodstone Scepter’s butt pressed between the rocks. “So, we take out the biggest ships, we take out the armies?” Ember asked, twisting her neck back towards the Command Centers. She didn’t see Novo nod her head in confirmation, instead nodding her own. “Yeah, we had a hunch that’s how it worked. That’s what my Dad and several others tried to do…”

A brief moment of mournful silence befell the Dragon Lord, Ember dropping her gaze and closing it. The prolonged seconds ticked away, more screeches and roars filling the air, more explosions and more death. Ember opened her eyes. No tears. Just fight. “We’re losing more dragons than we’re killing these things, and we don’t have too many adults left that are needed in order to take on ships that size…”

She waited several moments later after she gave the grim news to Queen Novo, and still there was nothing on the other end of the conversation. Turning back once more, Ember raised a brow at the expressions of each Hippogriff, at their growing smirks, those smiles lifted up high to the alien warships up above.

“What?” Ember asked, turning from Sky Beak to Skyranger and then back to Novo.

Novo looked to Sky Beak and Skyranger, smirking their way. They nodded to her. They already knew what to do.

With that, Queen Novo held out her claw to Ember. “You might want to stand back.”

Curious at that, Ember stared at her and watched as the Hippogriff actually started to back away from her own two soldiers. Breaking out of her continued stupor over the situation as a whole, Ember joined the queen and stepped aside, giving plenty of room for the two Hippogriffs to…

Touch their necklaces. Ember frowned, that frown almost instantly vanishing when a bright flash of light encompassed the area where the two Hippogriffs once stood. And in the aftermath of that flash, all that remained of the Hippogriffs were towering, gargantuan, fearsome, fire-breathing dragons. Ember’s jaw fell for the umpteenth time that day. Novo kept on smiling.

Spreading their massive wings, the two dragons shot out into the air, instantly taking flight and soaring directly into the heart of the conflict, towards the very birth of the war for the Dragon Lands. Novo and Ember stumbled forward, watching everything unfold. As they flew over the Hippogriff armies engaging the Chitauri, several Hippogriffs turned their gazes skyward, to the two colossal dragons flying overhead and roaring for all the Dragons’ Lair to experience. Soon enough, a large majority of the Hippogriff army abandoned their weapons to the earth, clutching onto their necklaces and letting the light take and change them.

Dragon Lord Ember could only watch in total amazement as dozens and dozens of monstrous dragons rose from the ground, rearing their necks back and roaring out into the battle, sending the war cry for all to hear. Then they all spread their wings and took to the skies.

Straight for the Chitauri Command Centers. And the dragon army below cheered.

Chapter 43 – Bang

Earth

New York, USA

Manhattan

8:41 a.m.

Karen Page shoved Daredevil against the brick wall, practically yelling in a hushed whisper, “You are… unbelievable, you know that?!”

Foggy Nelson remained behind her, turning his concerned gaze from Karen, to Matt, and back to the rest of the group taking a much-needed rest in the nearest alleyway they could find. Things could have gone better for them the past twenty minutes. The streets of New York were practically a warzone, alien ships flying every second and searching for moving bodies down below. Misty Knight, Claire Temple, Colleen Wing, Luke Cage, Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, and Daredevil made it their duty to get the group of civilians to the police station in Harlem. Thankfully, they didn’t run into any aliens on the way. So far, that is.

Taking a well-deserved respite for everyone to catch their breath as they moved from one alley to the next, Karen and Foggy made sure that no one else was around the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen when they finally were able to confront him. And confront him they did.

Matt groaned as his back hit the brick wall, the soreness flooding his muscles and tendons still not fully recovered. He expected hostility from Karen the second she got some alone time with him. And how could he blame her? The last she ever heard of him was when he was supposedly crushed to death when that building came crumbling down following the defeat of the Hand. For all he knew, she was probably still mourning. Of course she would look furious to see him standing alive and almost well before them. Nothing compared to Foggy’s expression, though. He wasn’t angry, he wasn’t relieved. He just looked betrayed. They needed an explanation, and fast.

The thing with that was that Matt didn’t even know if he could give a clear enough one.

Forcing himself to meet her fiery glare, Matt held up his gloved-hands in a clear sign of defeat, finally admitting to her, “I’m sorry, Karen… Foggy. I barely understand how I got out of that mess, too.”

He spoke so low that Karen and Foggy had to lean in even closer to listen. Karen’s eyes were bloodshot, both from the smoke and ash burning the air and the pain she constantly felt seeing Matthew Murdock still alive and breathing before her. Her long, blonde hair was a disheveled mess. Foggy was no better, soot and cuts fresh on his face and a dangerous gash across his forehead. Other than that, they were alive. They were safe. Matt would guarantee that.

Taking a quick peek to his right to see if anyone was looking their way, Matt could tell that nobody was, and returned his focus on his two closest friends. “Well, you had to have gotten out of it somehow! Jesus Christ, Matt!” Karen whispered sharply, slapping him with both hands in his chest one more time. He offered no resistance, taking every hit he knew he deserved.

Karen kept her palms pressed to his suit’s chest, staring directly into his red eyes. She silently scoffed, shaking her head. “Do you realize what we had to go through?”

“Do you realize what I went through?”

And just like that, Karen’s anger slowly began to diminish. Her hands fell away from his chest, finding refuge by her sides. She wasn’t alone, thankfully, as Foggy was right by her side, both staring into Matt’s unknown expression with the devil mask constantly shielding his eyes. Even then, it was still hard to tell what he was thinking. They learned to envision Matt’s emotions through his voice and actions, the former especially.

Especially then.

“I had her back,” Matt stated flatly, let it rest in the open for Karen and Foggy to fully digest. “I finally broke through whatever the hell the Hand forced into Elektra’s head, whatever they made her to be. She was herself… just for a few seconds… and then the world separated us again. I lost her not once… but twice now. As far as I know, I died under that building and those nuns didn’t save me.”

“Nuns?” Foggy asked.

Matt nodded. “They pulled me out of the wreckage. Practically pieced me back together. I don’t think they saved her.”

Foggy took a step forward. “You didn’t ask them?”

“I… I was a little preoccupied, what with one of the sisters actually turning out to be my mother who I haven’t seen in thirty years. I guess I just forgot to—”

“Your mother?”

Both Matthew and Foggy turned to Karen. Her anger had completely vanished, leaving just an awestruck and almost heartbroken expression. Matt even had to catch himself when he finally put the pieces together. It was no secret that he and Karen had been a “thing” together for a while, yet over time, their relationship only seemed to deteriorate. Things between them didn’t get any simpler when Elektra fell into the picture.

Almost as quickly as she came back into Matt’s life, he found himself falling back into hers, the two rekindling the old flame they once held together. Matt didn’t seem as if he wanted to believe it anymore, especially with Karen around, but he had fallen back in love with Elektra. But love could be focused for later. For now, he refocused all of his senses onto Karen, finally answering her question with a swift and stern nod.

“Yeah.”

“They didn’t find Elektra?”

It was a little longer pause for Matt, but he still shook his head regrettably. “No.”

Karen’s expression was even more difficult to pinpoint. A part of her looked somewhat torn on that idea of Elektra being lost to the collapse, but it was overwhelmed by her feelings for Matt’s well-being and happiness. Seeing him absolutely crestfallen by that admission, Karen slowly nodded her head, stuttering softly, “I’m sorry, Matt.”

He nodded to her, appreciating the honesty she put in that statement, no deceit in her heart from what he could hear. And even though she already made her position and concern clear and true, she sealed the deal and hugged him in the end. With her arms held tight around him, Matt slowly eased himself into her embrace, having not felt it in nearly a year. How he hadn’t smelt her wonderful scent, or felt her warm, shivering body close to his, or heard that unforgettable heartbeat right by his very own. It was comforting. It was just what he needed.

Foggy joined in and patted his shoulder. “It’s good to have you back, buddy,” Foggy said, smiling softly in Murdock’s direction. Matt smiled at that, the first one directed at Foggy in a long time.

“Fall in!”

The group of three broke apart, turning accordingly to Misty Knight’s voice and where she brought everyone’s attention. The civilians obeyed without questions, listening to the one with the handgun and the robotic arm. Not much else to do in a situation like that. While Danny, Colleen, and Claire tended to ease the crowd from the chaos unfolding outside of the alleyway, Luke and Jessica stepped forward to Misty.

“What’s the story?” Luke asked.

Currently on her phone, Detective Knight grumbled and brought her phone down, nothing but screams unfolding on the other end of the line before it was cut short. “Shit,” she cursed, turning back to the duo behind her. “Just got some bad news. The station in Harlem was just hit by more of these flyin’ things. And get this…”

Daredevil, Karen Page, and Foggy Nelson joined the small crowd building in front of Misty. She looked to each one of them her jaw unhinged as she said it. “The officers who made it out… they said it was the same goddamn aliens that attacked New York six years ago.”

An unsettling silence filled the crowd, not only the small one in front of Knight. The citizens actually quieted down for a short moment, the screeches, explosions, and screams from outside being the only sound. Daredevil grit his teeth at that. “The Chitauri?” he asked for clarification.

Misty just nodded grimly.

“Looks like they’re back for seconds,” Jessica groaned.

“We can’t head to Harlem if those things are crawling around there,” Misty explained, pocketing her phone away and gripping her pistol with both hands. “If there’s another station nearby, then maybe…”

“Where are we exactly?”

They all looked to Danny Rand. Claire and Colleen kept their focus on the civilians while Rand joined Luke, Jessica, Matt, Karen, and Foggy. Misty stared at him for a moment, shrugging and saying, “Probably just outside Hell’s Kitchen.”

An explosion rocked a nearby building, debris shooting out into the road and the crowd of civilians crying out at that. As Colleen and Claire quieted them down, Danny only shook his head, scratching his stubble. “Okay… I say we head back and find a police station in there. Probably somewhere the aliens haven’t hit already.”

“Either that or a sewer,” Jessica muttered.

While not technically the most appreciative suggestion, Misty Knight would have taken anywhere except where they were. Because the moment Jessica finished that statement, something hovered downwards to the street, slowly facing towards the alley where she and the others stood, trying to hide in the shadows. Yet it still saw them.

“Shit,” Knight whispered, ripping his pistol forward, right above all of their heads. “Get out!”

Misty unloaded on the Chitauri chariot hovering just outside of the alley. The four Defenders and two civilians in front of her all ducked accordingly, Luke Cage less so and instead focusing on the direction of Misty’s shot. He spotted that same chariot, the bullets bouncing off of it without harm dealt to the aliens. The creatures responded in kind to the gunfire, unleashing several bolts of blue energy from their rifles down into the alley. The civilians screamed and made a run for it the other way out, without the help from either Colleen or Claire despite their best efforts to keep the peace. They ran with them, trying desperately to escape the alien blaster bolts.

Misty Knight and the remaining Defenders and civilians were right behind them. They made it outside almost immediately. Looking back momentarily, Luke Cage could see as the chariot managed to fly its way inside, scraping the sides of the brick buildings and shooting sparks all across the alley floor. Noticing the chariot’s lack of mobility while trying to chase them down, he looked over to the large, green dumpster to his left. He gritted his teeth and approached it, both hands gripping the sides of the dumpster and chucking it straight into the air, right at the chariot. Luke blew the alien ship right out of the air, already feeling that small sense of victory leave him when that burning husk of a chariot came teetering downwards his way. And where…

Colleen had managed to direct the civilians safely onto the other side and out of the alley, yet there was one who was still standing just outside of it. One who was helping, as well. Luke didn’t waste a second longer and tackled Claire out of the way, the chariot crashing and sending burning shrapnel out of the alleyway.

The resulting crash spewed fire and metal out into the street, but the civilians were already safely on the sidewalk, watching the events unfold before them. Luke and Claire groaned as the man lied just on top of her, the two finally meeting each other’s gazes for the briefest of moments.

“Come on! Come on! Get up!”

Both Luke and Claire turned to Misty Knight, fumbling to their feet and brushing themselves off, trying desperately to hide their blushes. It was easy to do so with the fire in the clouds over their heads, everyone’s attention literally focused anywhere else but on the ground. Chariots soared in the air, firing down upon the buildings that remained standing, down into the streets, down where the screams were ripe and hopeless. Misty Knight stumbled about, her robotic hand gripping her pistol, the other not knowing what to do. Just like herself.

“What’s the plan now, Detective?” Jessica sneered, trying to round up the civilians like sheep.

Several Chitauri flying by caught her eyes, Misty watching as they sent a volley of alien gunfire upon a building at the end of the street and escaped before even watching the building come crumbling down in a heap of dust. Misty flinched as a far-off explosion sounded off like it was right next to her, the usually well-kept detective slowly deteriorating. “We need to get these civilians somewhere safe!”

“Where?!” Danny roared, clearly tired of not having a clear location to turn.

He was somewhat satisfied with her response. “Anywhere but here!”

“Daredevil!” Danny yelled, a chariot flying over his head, a gust of wind trailing.

Murdock paused on the sidewalk, tilting his head slightly, listening for a serene and safe location. A place with no war. No death. He found it, just dead ahead. “This way!” Matt screamed, waving everyone towards him. “Follow me!”

He led them straight into the street, the area littered with abandoned vehicles and where nothing but more and more aliens flying above remained. Almost hesitant, the crowd looked to their protectors for a solution and watched as they followed behind the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. They took that as a close enough guarantee of a safe haven and ran for it. Luke Cage, Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, Colleen Wing, Claire Temple, and Misty Knight protected all the sides surrounding the crowd, keeping them in one group, keeping them moving forward.

All up until a Chitauri landed on the car in front of Daredevil, crushing it beneath its feet. The creature slowly rose to full height, the chariot it leaped off of flying away. Matt slowly looked up as well, the crowd behind him doing the same. The alien was light gray in color, golden armor and robes decorating its body. A large gun was attached to the creature’s left arm, the end of the barrel glowing a bright blue. Without even seeing the face beneath the golden mask, Murdock could already tell the creature was glaring at him. He heard the low, near-silent growls.

He could see as the world burned around him, the flaming creature raising its gun right for him. “Shit,” Matt cursed.

A brick hit it right in the head before it could pull the trigger, a splatter of dark blue liquid shooting out from the impact. The creature yelped and fell behind the car, not coming back up afterwards. Daredevil looked back, heard Jessica’s increased heartbeat and saw her burning face behind him. She scoffed a chuckle, shrugging her shoulders.

“You were just standing there with your dick in your hand.”

“Yeah?” Matt said, pulling out his billy club. “Move to your left.”

“Wha—?”

A Chitauri landed behind her, another chariot zooming by. Jessica spun around, actually having to look upwards just to meet its heightened gaze behind its mask. “Oh, shi—!”

Danny tackled her just as the Chitauri swung down for Jones. Matthew shot out his billy club and charged forward, the end meeting the Chitauri right in its forehead. Growling at that, the creature was unprepared for Murdock when the billy club shot right back in his palm, the Daredevil sliding forward and striking the beast in the kneecap, instantly cracking it and making the alien crumble. Before it could even let out a tormented cry, Daredevil rose to his feet and spun around, gaining momentum as he struck the beast with the side of his billy club hard enough to crack bone.

And crack it he did. The creature’s skull split with a resounding crack, the beast resting limp for a second or two before it fell forward into the road, face-first and without another sound leaving it. Matt remained standing, breathing heavily and gripping his bloody billy club. Danny pushed himself off of Jessica, offering her his hand. She offered a glare in return, but gripped his hand with her own eventually. Once Danny pulled Jessica to her feet, that’s when more chariots flew past them.

That’s when more Chitauri dropped and landed in the streets.

That’s when every single one of them surrounded the civilians.

That’s when the Defenders took action.

A Chitauri foot soldier bellowed an alien cry, reaching back and whipping out its rifle. The weapon unfolded in its claws, the barrel pointed directly towards Claire Temple and the citizens behind her. They all screamed in unison once the creature fired at them, shielding themselves and their loved ones once the blaster fire shot right for them. Claire shielded the crowd with her own body, fully intending to give her life for others. She heard the blaster bolts make their impact, but felt no pain.

Slowly lifting her head, Claire took notice to the large, burly, yellow shield standing in front of them. The Chitauri lowered its rifle, the beast just as awestruck as the crowd that Luke Cage protected. Glowing on his chest, several impact points from the Chitauri’s rifle shimmered and smoked, but other than that, he was completely fine. Still standing. Opening his eyes and glaring at the creature.

Before the Chitauri could even return to reality and raise its rifle, Luke Cage charged it, rearing back and grunting as he delivered an earth-shattering punch directly into its chest. The armor plating completely failed, the beast’s bones shattering once Luke’s fist made contact. The Chitauri flew backwards like a rocket from the strike, impacting the side of an abandoned, burning vehicle and crumbling to the street.

A Chitauri Commander growled at that, raising its fist in the air and screeching to its fellow soldiers. They moved in on the crowd, poised for the kill. Misty Knight and Claire Temple responded in kind by unloading their pistol magazines onto the approaching aliens, dropping only a couple before being forced to retreat. They split the crowd into the two, Misty taking them behind a bundle of cars on the side of the road and Claire doing the same in a relatively safe distance apart from Misty’s group. The two slid behind the cars the civilians packed behind, rising up only to retaliate with pistol fire from the Chitauri’s far superior alien blaster bolts.

As the Chitauri moved in to strike down the unarmed civilians down the street, the only thing that stood between them and an easy victory were five individuals refusing to back down. Refusing to die. The five who just wouldn’t seem to give in against the overwhelming odds. Because they didn’t know the meaning of quit, even when the aliens that attacked their city six years ago were back, delivering that final, killing blow onto New York.

Because they would do whatever it took to defend their city.

Daredevil didn’t give the Chitauri any room to fire, charging right into their discomfort zone and delivering strike after strike with his billy clubs. He swung low, striking the first Chitauri in front of him right in its sternum. As it bent forward clutching its wound, Daredevil jumped in the air, swinging his legs as he did so and smacking the alien directly behind him across its faceplate. As the beast behind him twisted its neck at an unnatural angle, Daredevil finished off the one in front of him with a hit across its face. The beast growled and gurgled on its own blood, falling to the street with a dull thud. Daredevil didn’t let up, not even for a second, twisting his head and hearing the beast’s growl several yards away. Quickly approaching Jessica with her back turned. He reared back, tossing his billy club with such speed and precision that it killed the Chitauri it hit on impact.

The billy club struck the Chitauri in the side of its head, the beast crumbling mid-swing with his rifle. Just as it was about to slice Jessica Jones in half. As for the detective, she was caught in-between two Chitauri, ducking down and sending a punch right into the gut of the alien directly in front of her. As the beast fell forward flat on its face, Jessica quickly rose up, unprepared when the Chitauri behind her wrapped its larger arms around her skinnier frame, trying to subdue her. Jones was having none of it, breaking the creature’s arms with just her palms and flinging it forward, a painful cry leaving both it and its companion once she slammed its body forcefully against the other.

Blowing the hair out of her face, Jessica turned to her right once she saw a Chitauri land on the roof of a car. It aimed its rifle at her, but Jessica was faster and kicked out the car out right from under it. The vehicle skidded across the cement, the alien falling flat on its chest. Before it could even get up, Jones silenced it with her boot, her foot crashing down and crunching its skull beneath it. Grimacing at the black and blue liquid painting the bottom of her boot, Jessica turned to the next Chitauri, the one of the many endless hordes hurtling their way. She caught its rifle swung for her, delivering a powerful punch right into its face.

Colleen Wing rolled forward, dodging the Chitauri swinging its bladed edge of its rifle right for her head. Rising to her knee, Colleen sliced at where she presumed its Achilles tendon would be. She struck something, as its piercing cry and dark blue blood exploded out from the cut. Colleen didn’t stop, ducking as the beast swung once more for her head. She appeared in front of it, slicing upwards with her katana and beheading the creature. Its head bounced against the gravel, the Chitauri falling alongside the rest of the bodies dotting the road. Colleen snorted, twirling her katana and focusing her eyes on the next target. And the next. And the many more.

In the edge of her vision, she could see Danny Rand dealing with the Chitauri surrounding him fairly well. He always could hold his own pretty well, but that was against common thugs, drug dealers, and even fellow students back at K’un-Lun. Danny didn’t know what to expect from actual extraterrestrial life. It turned out, they hardly fought any better than punks trying to pick a fight in the streets. For Danny, that is. A single Chitauri foot soldier fired away at the Iron Fist, but Rand was too fast, dodging and weaving as the blaster bolts zoomed past him. Once he was close and personal with the alien, Danny offered several quick, precise, and devastating blows into the Chitauri’s chest, what he had presumed to be weak points. They always worked on people, and it appeared that the aliens weren’t any different. The creature’s arms went slack, dropping its rifle and allowing Danny to deliver the killing blow. He jumped backwards, performing a flip and sending his foot right into the beast’s chin. Its head shot upwards, a sickening snap following its body hitting the road.

Danny wasn’t done, back on his two feet and flipping once more as he heard the Chitauri behind him swing for the back of his head. He could feel the Chitauri’s back against his own as he rolled directly over the creature, landing on his feet and already spinning around, striking the beast across its face with his foot. The Chitauri spun halfway around from the hit, falling to its knees and eventually its chest. Danny watched it fall, quickly turning his attention to the several aliens surrounding him. He raised his fists and backed away, eventually hitting another backside. And another. And another.

Spinning with his fists leading the way, Danny froze momentarily to see Luke, Jessica, and Matt standing behind him, just as surrounded as he was. They all shared a look before turning about, staring at the many Chitauri raising their rifles to them, growling an alien tongue to one another. Communicating, having their prey finally cornered and defeated.

Luke Cage just breathed, looking over his shoulder and down to Rand. “You ready for some patty-cake?” he asked.

Danny slowly smirked, nodding once. Jessica frowned, looking from Danny, to Luke, and finally settling on Murdock. Neither one of them had a clue as to what they meant.

Then, before any of the creatures could flex their claws and pull the triggers to end the four Defenders right there, Danny’s smile fell, just a tight, determined, and focused frown on his face. He lifted his right fist, the creatures actually gazing in wonder and shock as his fist glowed a bright gold. Jessica and Matt saw what was coming, Jessica moving behind Cage and Matt in front of Rand. Then Danny spun around, slamming that glowing fist right into Cage’s palms.

It happened. None of the Chitauri could have seen it coming. The resulting shock wave from Rand and Cage’s combined teamwork filled the road they occupied, tossing cars through the air and ripping right through the Chitauri foot soldiers and commanders. Their bodies flipped about through the air as the gust of energy ripped them from the ground. Cars fell on top of bodies, the other Chitauri silenced once they hit the ground. The air was quiet for a moment, the resulting boom from Danny’s fist finally settling.

Once his fist finally broke away from Luke’s palms, Danny stared at it for a moment before finally returning to the area around them. Matthew and Jessica looked about, almost awestruck at the power Rand held in just his fist. Luke flexed his palms, flinching as did the rest of his team when the bombardment of alien gunfire fell around them. Both Luke and Danny shielded themselves—Matt covering Jessica with his own body—turning accordingly to the sky to see two chariots flying down to them, firing more and more blue bolts to strike them down.

Danny reacted instantly, shooting his stare downwards to a lone taxi cab abandoned in the street. With his fist leading the charge, Danny ran forward, reared back, and drove his fist into the side of the car. He grunted heavily, actually screaming as the punch sent the vehicle straight into the air, flipping it several times where it impacted both of the chariots. Luke stood in front of Danny as the resulting residue from the explosion fell over them. Matt pulled Jessica underneath Cage, waiting as the fire and metal impacted the road.

Then all was silent.

Minus the sounds of warfare and slaughter occurring outside of their fight, the Defenders slowly stood back up to full height. The surrounding dust and smoke in the area was lit up once Danny’s glowing fist appeared out of the darkness. That light finally settled, Rand breathing heavily as Jessica and Matthew stood directly in front of him, just as winded as he. The remnants of the chariot burned around them, keeping a small pocket where they stood completely bare. They all looked over to Luke Cage, nodding appreciatively to him. Luke nodded back, patting the flames eating away at his shoulder.

Colleen Wing stood with her katana soaked in a dark blue and black substance, her white shirt almost as filthy. Behind her, she and the Defenders looked back to see Misty Knight and Claire Temple still alive, still holding their ground with the civilians as safe as they ever were before. Their fight, however, was long from being finalized. Misty pointed her finger to the sky, down the road, where her pistol faced the same direction. Colleen followed. The Defenders followed.

Several more chariots turned the corner at the end of the street, soaring right for them, dropping even more Chitauri foot soldiers into the street to meet the Defenders. Those chariots flew past, only one remaining hovering in the center of the road, facing the resistance.

“Ready for round two?” Matt breathed, twirling his billy clubs once.

None could answer him. He took their conjoined sighs, growls, and increased breathing as answer enough. Jessica tightened her fists, glaring at the Chitauri weaving between and hopping onto the vehicles, pulling out their rifles and aiming right for them. Luke narrowed his frown, taking the first steps forward alongside Danny and Murdock. Jones joined them, all four of them beginning their slow approach to the inevitable fight.

Then they stopped when they heard the bang.

It broke across the air, silencing even the distant warfare for a brief moment. The Defenders all paused, even Colleen did, even Misty and Claire did and stared headlong at the chariot that was shot right out of the sky. Whatever hit it didn’t cause the chariot to explode. If anything, the pilot was taken out, the remaining ship falling down and impacting the street where the explosion followed through. The Chitauri looked about, several confused, all of them turning to the buildings to find where the shot had come from. Another bang, and a Chitauri’s head was blown off its shoulders. Then another. Then another.

Bang, bang, bang!

Until nothing remained. Until all the Chitauri in the road were dead. The skies above the street were momentarily cleared, the resulting silence almost making the rest of the invasion disappear for a moment too long. “What?” Danny gasped, lowering his fists and gazing to the street and the buildings.

There were no more resounding blasts from what was clearly a gun, a sniper rifle to be exact, as far as Matt could identify. The four Defenders looked around, noticing no more enemies. Nothing left to fight. They all spun around, Danny’s confused expression meeting Colleen’s puzzled one. They all seemed to share the same fate.

“Is everyone all right?” Daredevil called out, watching as Colleen’s fiery form spun around.

“We’re good!” Claire said, giving Matt a thumbs-up, obviously referring to all the civilians present, Misty Knight, and herself. Daredevil checked everyone’s heartbeats just to be certain, sighing with relief in the end.

“What the hell was that?” Danny asked, his head darting back and forth, his body swiveling about. Misty, Claire, and Colleen came together with the remaining four Defenders, the crowd of concerned and shaken civilians right behind them. Most were quiet, keeping their terrified eyes to the buildings around them, almost expecting another shot to go off and pick them out one by one.

“Those were sniper shots,” Luke said. He pointed down the street, towards the building facing them at the end of the block. “I got a flicker.”

“I got it, too,” Matt said, listening in closer in the direction Luke had pointed out. He silenced all else around him, only focusing on the building. He could hear heavy footsteps against the floor of the building. High up, probably the tenth floor, moving back towards what sounded like a staircase. The heavy footsteps—now sounding like large boots—traveling quicker, moving downwards.

And just then, Karen’s phone rang, breaking Matt from his concentration. Almost every eye shifted her way, Karen quickly handling her phone and hoping to get the attention off of her. She fumbled with it, finally sliding her finger across its face and bringing it close to her ear. “H-hello?” she stuttered, remaining silent as the heavy voice on the other end spoke only to her.

It was short, the other end cutting off before Karen could even start to question the caller. Yet her expression seemed to hold no sense of wonderment. Lowering her phone, Karen looked over from each Defender, to Matthew, and finally settling her gaze on Misty Knight. “We need to head towards that building.”

“Excuse me?” Misty said, turning on Karen with an incredulous look. “You want us to go towards the sniper fire? And who the hell’s on the other line?”

“Just…” Karen said, almost pleaded, “… trust me… okay?”

Shaking her head, Misty turned around to face Claire and the others. She eventually nodded, turning back to Daredevil. They both saw him nod. Misty checked the skies, seeing that it was clear for the time being. She sighed, nodding Karen forward and holding her bionic arm to her. “Lead the way.”

And she did, walking right alongside the Defenders down the street and towards the building amongst several others. With hardly anyone else other than the main four leading the group, Karen sent an appreciative smile Matthew’s way. He smiled back, yet he could hardly hide the grim expression. The sole reason he trusted Karen’s judgement on the situation was because he was quickly starting to deduce who was firing from the building. His voice on the other end of the line only confirmed Matt’s suspicions.

As for Detective Knight, she walked alongside Colleen Wing and Claire Temple, the group of civilians close behind them. They followed right behind the four Defenders and Karen Page, Misty constantly on edge, constantly shifting her uneasy gaze back to the lonesome building ahead. “Whoever it was, they didn’t shoot us,” Claire said, coming up on Misty’s side.

Misty’s lips fell into a straight line. She gripped her pistol even tighter in her robotic hand. “Let’s just find out who it was.”

The large group descended deeper down the street, eventually coming to a rest in the front of the building. Its unrelenting and somewhat haunting shadow fell over them, and even in the much-needed coolness of the dark, many still felt a pang of unease rush over them. It didn’t help to constantly hear the distant screams and explosions consuming New York like an ever-growing virus. But finally, their fears were settled once the person’s shadow appeared from beyond the glass doors of the building. That darkened figure continued to approach, closer and closer towards the Defenders and the civilians behind them.

Karen Page held her breath with every step the figure took, finally breathing again when he came face to face with the doors. He pushed the doors open with his Marine Scout Sniper Rifle, stepping outside into the morning light and under the bright, fiery skies.

And Frank Castle didn’t look happy to see them.

“Castle?!” Foggy exclaimed.

“Frank…” Karen whispered, Matthew looking back towards her. Their eyes met for a second, Matt’s hidden behind his red lenses. Their feelings were still mutual on the subject, each having known one way or the other who was on the other end of the line.

Matt nodded, facing forward and staring at the man before them. The murderer. The Grim Reaper. The Dead Man. “The Punisher,” Murdock finally murmured.

The Punisher stood with his signature scowl plastered on his face, almost like it was forever indented into his facial structure, never to be removed. His short buzz cut was as black as his trench coat and armor, allowing the pale white skull that glared on his armored chest to stick clearly out for all to see and fear. He wore a large backpack, presumably carrying even more weapons rather than just the MSSR he gripped in his hands. Grenades, pistols, magazines, and all sorts of military weaponry were attached to his person, hanging just as menacingly as his frown.

Still, he nodded his head upward, directing his glare at Murdock. “Hey, Red,” he growled. Matt breathed steadily, actually relieved to know that Castle still referred to him by the nickname he gave him, and not his actual name. Page suddenly approached him, the two seemingly knowing what to do. Castle dropped his rifle to his side, holding his left arm outwards and allowing Karen to meet him for a hug. “Karen. Good to see you’re safe.”

“Excuse me,” Misty interrupted, stepping forward alongside Colleen and Claire. All three women stared at Frank, their distrustful eyes meeting with Castle’s hateful ones. Misty didn’t back down, instead pushing forward. “But do you mind tellin’ us why you nearly took our heads off back there?”

Karen broke away from Castle, Frank laying his hand on her shoulder and directing her to Murdock’s side. She followed, listening in as Castle took a step forward, addressing Misty. “But I didn’t, did I?” he said, earning a frown from Knight. “I don’t kill innocents, Detective. I keep ‘em safe from the scum that’s trying to take my city.”

“Does that mean you’re with us?” Danny asked. “You’re trying to protect your city, too?”

Frank turned towards Rand, glaring his way. “Lives come before property, Richie Rich,” Castle told him, earning a frown from Rand at that name. Frank ignored him or whatever else he tried to retaliate with, instead focusing ahead towards the crowd of civilians standing in shock. He pointed their way. “I’m just here to help these people get to a safehouse.”

“Then I guess you’re with us,” Colleen said, almost smirking his way as she gripped her katana.

Before Castle could reinforce his stance that he was clearly not with them, in came Murdock to interrupt him, earning a disgruntled sigh from the Punisher. “A safehouse?” Daredevil asked.

“Got one from a friend,” Frank said and left it at that. He stepped further onto the sidewalk, raising his rifle so it rested on his right shoulder and bicep. He noticed the precautionary steps backwards some of the citizens took when he drew nearer. Ignoring that, Frank nodded them forward, nodded mainly to Knight, Claire, and the Defenders. “Now come on, we’re burning daylight!”

It was a short confrontation, one that led in only one sure-fire direction. A safe haven. A safehouse. Whether or not they could fully trust the Punisher, Misty Knight knew they had no other choice in the matter. Either they followed Castle to his supposed “safehouse”, or they keep looking for God knows how long in Hell’s Kitchen for a station that was probably already burnt to the ground. Not much of a choice, but she reluctantly followed behind him. They all did.

“We’re not the only ones burning it,” Misty muttered under her breath. The chaos unfolding around them continued to assault New York City, more fire and smoke billowing into the sky and surrounding the Chitauri Command Center hovering over the heart of Manhattan. And the Punisher, the Defenders, Karen, Colleen, Claire, Misty, Foggy, Trish, and the remaining civilians walked right alongside the street, remaining vigilant as Frank Castle led them to safety.

“Hey.”

Frank looked over to Luke Cage on his right. The well-built black man offered Castle his fist, Frank staring at it for a moment before Luke finally added, “Nice shots.”

Frank lifted his eyes, meeting Luke’s. He nodded to him, tapping his own fist to his. “Nice moves,” he told Cage.

“Nice ass.”

Both men looked back to see Jessica Jones striding right behind them, her eyes clearing trained on Castle’s lower backside. When she brought up her gaze and met Castle’s, she offered a tiny, sultry smirk his way. Frank raised a brow at that, shaking his head and trying to remain focused. For them. For his people.

For his city.

Author's Note

More Than a Killer

Chapter 44 – Smells Like a New Car

New York, USA

Manhattan Airspace

9:05 a.m.

The ramp of Tony Stark’s cargo plane fell open in mid-flight, the man himself stepping forward alongside James Rhodes and the Vision. Instantly, they were met with a heatwave blasting inside the cargo plane, the heated wind pulling on Stark’s jacket and hair and causing the Vision’s golden cape to flap wildly behind him. Tony Stark raised a hand to block the bright lights and intense heat.

Once his eyes began to adjust, he lowered his palm and stared out right into the heart of war. The plane shook madly, Chitauri ships—both chariot and something else completely alien to them—shot downwards, intending only to inflict death and destruction upon the city below. Smoke blotted the skylines, only the sounds of explosions, screams, and alien gunfire surrounding them. Being all that they could hear.

All three of them represented the Avengers. They were practically cut in half compared to their last excursion with the Chitauri six years prior, Stark imagined. They weren’t much, but it was all Stark could manage at the moment. He would recruit others along the way, doing everything in his power to fight back and win the impossible fight.

It wouldn’t be the first time he did something that was impossible.

It would probably be the last.

He prayed to whatever god that was watching over him to make sure that wouldn’t be the case.

“Now remember!” Happy Hogan called from the pilot’s seat, all three Avengers spinning their heads back to gaze to the front of the plane. Happy was clearly struggling to control the plane, the shielding holding only so long against the enemy alien gunfire hitting its exterior. He shouted, “You find what you need! You take out that Command Center! You call me right away! Got it?!”

Tony nodded his way, giving him an “OK” hand gesture. “Glad to have you with us on this one, buddy!” he called to him, facing back towards the open ramp and staring at nothing but miles of open air, all leading to the war-torn city of New York.

The three stared a moment longer than intended, just listening to what awaited them the second they stepped off the plane. “Long way down,” Stark commented, his voice barely heard by the individuals on his left and right.

James Rhodes nodded at that, Tony turning his way. He stood in his Mark IV War Machine armor, specifically designed by Stark to be bulkier, heavier, and more supportive of Rhodes in his condition. He had been walking better ever since the incident in Leipzig, but Stark went the extra mile to ensure something like Leipzig never happened again. He equipped the Mark IV with an emergency power source. Two to be exact. Again, he went the extra mile for his friend.

James took several steps forward down the ramp, the mask of the Mark IV closing tight over his face, the suit’s red eyes lighting up. He stomped to the very edge, saying, “I’ll go first and clear us a path.”

“We’ll be right behind you!” Tony called to him, watching as James looked back to them and saluted once, stepping off the ramp and plummeting down to the firestorm below.

The Vision watched Rhodes fall, feeling a soft palm on his shoulder, prompting his attention to his right where Stark patted his shoulder. The man who created him nodded, his hand falling from Vision’s shoulder. “Okay, I’ll be right behind you.”

“One step at a time,” Vision said.

Tony sighed through his nostrils. He was glad the explosion rippled through the air, hiding the stutter in his breath and voice. “This is the first. The hardest,” Tony muttered, watching Vision’s cape disappear into the smoke below. The android was gone, soaring right off the ramp and joining Rhodes in the freefall. Tony looked back. “You need anything else?!”

Happy broke his eyes from the steering wheel for a second longer, looking back and meeting his old friend’s eyes one more time. Hopefully not the last time. “Just stay safe… for her sake!” he said. He could only see Stark’s signature smirk, then watched as he slowly backed away closer to the drop. Tony held out his arms, those hands falling down and gripping his silver jacket.

“I made a promise!”

Tony shouted that as he pulled on the straps of his jacket, tapping twice on his Arc Reactor. The rest came naturally to him, especially Stark falling back-first out of the cargo plane and down towards the city of Manhattan. Instantly, Stark was met with the whipping wind pulling at his face and hair, the heat from the fires eating Manhattan slowly beginning to eat Stark, as well. That heat was doused quickly once Tony’s suit began to take form. The nanoparticles crawled outwards from the Arc Reactor, slowly consuming Tony Stark’s entire body, from his chest to his back, to his arms and legs, and from head to toe. In mid-air, the mask materialized and shielded Tony’s face and eyes, giving him clear sight on the approaching earth. And just like that, with a mile above ground to go, Stark had successfully activated and donned the Mark 50 Iron Man armor.

He didn’t let up on his descent, planting his feet and palms straight and firing away. Stark was shot forward, descending further, faster to the ground. Just as he reached the level parallel to the rooftops, Stark instantly changed direction, flying straight ahead instead of down. And just as instantly, he was met with a swarm of Chitauri flying past him in squadrons of chariots.

The cargo plane camouflaged and vanished once Stark fell into combat, flying off to a safe distance without even confronting any Chitauri. The same couldn’t be said for Stark, currently caught in the middle of an alien swarm. With his feet and his palms pushing him forward, Tony shot out his right or left palm every few seconds, sending repulsor blasts into approaching and retreating chariots, blowing them right out of the sky.

As Stark dodged the burning remains of the chariots, he looked onwards and spotted Rhodes and Vision in the distance directly ahead of him. The Mark 50’s HUD zeroed in on War Machine, watching as he flew over an approaching Chitauri starship and unloaded several magazines of ammunition from his armor’s gauntlets. The ship burned and crashed, barreling downwards to the streets and impacting several abandoned vehicles. Unfortunate Chitauri foot soldiers were caught in the explosion, their burning bodies thrown about like ragdolls once the ship impacted the ground.

A golden stream of energy shot straight downwards, winding down the road and slicing apart anything that was caught within sight of the Vision. The AI Avenger flew between the buildings, the Mind Stone shimmering bright as he fired a constant stream down to the aliens infecting the street. Several were sliced in half, down the middle, or killed from nearby explosions once the Vision’s beam impacted a car. War Machine flew just in front of him, unleashing several small bombs from his dispensers on the back of his armor. Those bombs impacted the road, killing everything alive. Killing all the Chitauri. Stark gazed at the explosions and smoke he flew over, bringing his attention back to his fellow Avengers.

In a flash, the Vision held Mjølnir, the wrath of the God of Thunder striking down on a Chitauri chariot and destroying it with a bolt of lightning. The War Machine roared a war cry almost reminiscent of the Incredible Hulk, the green beast flying against a building and slamming his fists against the aliens gripping onto the building sides. Another powerful roar from the Hulk. From Doctor Banner.

Stark shook his head. Dreaded memories tried to resurface from the Battle of New York six years ago. He couldn’t help himself. The similarities were uncanny, almost like he was trapped in some twisted limbo, forced to relive the same nightmare over and over again.

He couldn’t think of that now. Shaking his head, Stark focused elsewhere, on the situation and the mission laid before them. “Homer, give me a rundown.”

“The Mark 50 is performing exceptionally well,” Homer replied, the AI’s voice just as young and confident as ever before. The complete polar opposite to his creator. “Repulsors, Unibeam, Micro-Missiles, Lasers—”

“Yeah, yeah, skip the noise, we’re on the clock here,” Tony interrupted, firing away at more approaching Chitauri, sending their chariots burning to the streets and buildings.

“The nanotechnology is air-locked and sealed, suited perfectly for space travel. All systems go at 100%,” Homer explained. His voice stuttered for a moment, a slight bit of static on the other line. He returned shortly, saying, “Airwave disturbances are making it difficult to get a full reading on the city.”

“Ah, crap,” Stark whispered, nearly spat. His eyes watched a squadron of Chitauri starships shoot across the sky, spinning in formation and facing the right, firing upon the city below. More chariots headed his way. More shit to deal with. “Well, give me something.”

“Yes, sir,” Homer complied, spending several seconds in silence as Stark fought and flew. “The piece of lunar rock that impacted Central Park at approximately 8:15 a.m. managed to wipe out close to eight blocks, the resulting shock wave crashing through seventeen more. The Chitauri Command Center arrived three minutes and forty-seven seconds later. We have hundreds of Chitauri in the area—too many to be precise—three Leviathans in Hell’s Kitchen, the Upper East Side, and Upper West Side respectively.”

Tony took the news gravely. Already, things were looking worse than they ever were before in New York. At least back then, they had a portal separating them from the full Chitauri fleet army. But now, they were right on their doorstep, no portal to help cut off the attack. “What about Queens?” Stark asked, breaking away from his own dreaded thoughts. “Was Queens hit?”

Silence on the other end. Longer than last time.

“Homer?”

“Sir, Peter Parker’s suit has been activated. I just located him two clicks to the west.”

Stark shot up his head at that information, already feeling more alert knowing Parker was near the area. He followed his HUD’s compass to the west, seeing nothing but carnage lying between him and Parker. Tony slowly smirked, breathing a single chuckle. “Knew he couldn’t stay from the fight. Like a moth to the flame… or… spider… or…”

“You talking to yourself again, Tony?” Rhodey asked from the shared comms link.

“No tellin’ how long the kid’s gonna last,” Tony muttered again, facing ahead and seeing Rhodes and Vision directly in front of him, having slowed down to join Stark in flight. Stark stared at them for a moment longer, then he turned westward. “All right, Rhodey, trail close! Vision, on me!”

Iron Man took off, pushing in the afterburners and sending the Mark 50 straight across the rooftops of the buildings beneath him. War Machine did the same, the Vision flying directly behind him and following two of his fellow Avengers. While following the signal that Homer planted, Tony Stark was obligated to shoot down several more Chitauri chariots, even striking at the ones standing and sniping on rooftops. And no matter how many all three took out of the fight, deep down Tony knew that it was for nothing. It was just one ship that created the damage in New York all those years ago. It was a seemingly endless army then, and it was just as vast and horrible as it ever was before.

Again, more painful memories Stark would have rather hoped he had forgotten over the years. His HUD zeroed in on a certain web-slinger leaping high above the rooftops, dodging Chitauri blasts from the chariots chasing right after him.

“There he is!” Stark called out, both Rhodes and Vision spotting the same red figure flinging above the rooftops. “Homer, get Parker in the call.”

“Hacking now, sir.”

It was a short moment before the undeniable squeal of Peter Parker’s voice came crying in everyone’s collective comms link.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit! Oh, my God, what is that?! How many of these things are there?!”

Peter could barely turn back to see what was chasing him, let alone focus on maintaining control over his web slinging. What with the world falling around him, it was difficult to even know where to look next, because everything was the same. The same madness, chaos, death, and warfare. It was hardly a war with only one soldier fighting it, Peter doing everything he could against the limitless army. His efforts were futile, his intentions centered only one other person, not on the aliens. He could only feel the constant tingling sensation grip his neck, his arms, and practically all his senses as more and more blaster bolts shot by him, missing him by inches every single time and striking the street below him. Peter looked back once more, seeing the chariots grow evermore closer, the aliens readying their rifles and locking on.

Until all the chariots behind him were blown out of the air.

Peter watched as each burning husk dropped like rocks, plummeting to the street and nearby cars below and sending even more explosions where they crashed. He kept staring, kept swinging, until he heard that familiar voice yell in his ear, “Kid!”

“Mr. Stark?!” Spider-Man gasped, twisting his head about to see the trails of fire followed closely by the flying android. He centered his gaze on the Iron Man, the whites of his mask’s eyes narrowing. “What are you guys doing here?!”

“First of all, I’m telling Aunt May you said those naughty words, and second, you’re seriously outgunned,” Stark said flying over Parker’s head and gazing back for only a few seconds longer. He could see Peter watch the three fly over him, his eyes wide with wonderment. Iron Man faced forward, his palms planted and continuously keeping him airborne. “Homer, we’re ahead of schedule. Give Parker a hand.”

His HUD lit up, showcasing a specific set of armor. A specific suit. Tony nodded. “Launch 17A!”

The very earth and air shook once an ear-splitting roar broke out amongst it, a horrifying crash following shortly. Tony spun around in mid-air, his eyes widening behind the mask to see a Chitauri Leviathan crashing through the nearest building, almost hitting Spider-Man. “Oh, no!” Peter screamed, the whites of his mask’s eyes shooting open, quickly firing off a strand of webbing to the opposite end of the road. He pulled himself towards the building, barely dodging the Leviathan’s jaws come crashing down where he once was.

His luck just couldn’t seem to turn, as the Leviathan found no other interest but Peter, spinning accordingly and chasing right after the Spider-Man. The building where it erupted out of came tumbling down, nothing but a tower of dust and smoke rising where it once stood. The beast roared once again, hot on Parker’s trail and closing in fast.

“Kid!” Stark shouted, changing course and instantly shooting downwards like a bullet. Right for the Leviathan’s head. And like a bullet, he did a devastating amount of damage. Tony didn’t land on just his feet. The nanoparticles swarmed around his fists, the metal morphing and creating two massive jackhammers that replaced both of his fists. Using his own speed—as well as the increased speed from the thrusters on the end of each hammer—Stark drove the jackhammers directly into the head of the Leviathan.

The blow was strong enough to push the beast off course from Parker, but only for so long. It cried out in frustration, the power of Stark’s hammers leaving large cracks upon its armored head, but doing nothing more than that. As the beast tried to shake Stark off, Tony turned his gaze to the right, spotting Rhodey firing away at the creature’s head. Reluctantly, the creature finally gave in and roared in Rhodey’s direction, turning in mid-air and chasing War Machine over the rooftops.

Iron Man hopped off and caught flight, watching as the Leviathan’s tail impacted the side of the building before leaving the street. His jackhammers morphed back into his own two hands, those palms igniting and keeping him hovering above the road. He could see that Parker had already made it to the end of street, probably several blocks down. Tony sighed, shaking his head. He probably didn’t even know that that Leviathan wasn’t even chasing him anymore.

He had other things to worry about, however.

Especially when he dropped right out of the sky.

“Kid…” Stark murmured into his comms, hearing nothing but continuous “no’s” and eventual screaming. From Parker.

Down the road, across several blocks of unceasing devastation, Spider-Man had run out of webbing. He proceeded to fall several hundred feet above the ground. Screaming and trying to fire his webs again and again, Peter Parker went for his belt, fumbling with his extra web cartridges but failing to grab them. His body flailed about uncontrollably, dropping faster and faster.

“Homer,” Tony said, jetting forwards to Peter. His body was falling faster than he flew, Prompting Stark to put in the afterburners. “Hurry… now!”

It was one second until Homer finally responded.

“Inbound, sir!”

Tony caught the slight whistle coming quickly to his right. Soaring across the sky, with a trail of fire bursting behind it, Tony Stark looked over to see the steel pod heading his way, if not slightly behind him. It flew right past him, Tony shifting his gaze forwards and watching as the steel pod broke apart, launching the suit and impacting Peter’s backside.

Peter’s eyes widened behind his mask, watching and feeling as his body was consumed by a fluid, metallic substance, traveling faster and faster until even his eyes were covered, leaving nothing but darkness. Then light. Then a newfound power rippling across his entire body. Everything became clearer, slower, almost as if he could calculate every precise action to take before he even made a decision. He did the first thing that came to mind.

He fired a strand of web and pulled himself just before he hit the street, dodging burning vehicles and littering Chitauri that remained. He used his free right hand to guide him, pressing his palm into the street and sliding across the road. He pulled hard and launched himself in the air. Gaining a height he never thought was plausible in his suit, Peter flew across the hair, releasing the webbing and landing on the nearest roof he could see. He rolled several times, eventually spinning and gripping onto the rooftop with his right hand to slow himself down.

Peter came to an eventual stop, standing up. His eyes shined a bright blue, the large, golden and black spider on his chest as bright as the rest of the suit. The red, the blue, the armor, the suit, it fit Parker like a second skin, moved with him. Breathed with him.

The Iron Spider was fully functional.

“Mr. Stark, it smells like a new car in here!”

Tony shot across the sky, glad to see Parker alive and well. He landed right in front of him, observing Item 17A for a moment longer and just how well it fit on him. He looked good, the suit adjusting and fitting just how he intended and designed it. “How do you feel, kid?” Stark asked.

Peter took the opportunity Stark gave him to observe himself. He lifted his forearms, gazing wondrously at the metallic structure that gripped him, covered him, and became a part of him closer than his old suit ever felt. It felt better than his old suit, as well. He could feel it even when he wore said suit underneath it. His HUD was even more advanced than his previous one, offering thousands of web combinations, analyzing the suit, his surrounding area, and constantly checking his status.

And it was perfect. He felt absolutely perfect. Perfect… and better than ever before.

Peter tightened his palms into fists. “Stronger,” he breathed.

Tony nodded at that, his mask deforming and revealing Stark’s face beneath, especially revealing that small grin tugging at his lips. That satisfied, proud grin as he gazed at Parker. He shook his head and got rid of that smile. “There’s a lot more to it than that,” he said, watching as Peter lifted his head back to him. Tony pointed back, to the air and where the Chitauri Command Center hung over the city. “All right, so here’s the rundown. We take out that ship, we take out the aliens. Every last one of them.”

Peter’s eyes widened, the bright blue of his suit’s mask still as bright as ever. “And you’ll need my help for that?” he asked, voice high and hopeful.

“We can’t just have you sitting on the sidelines,” Tony told him, turning back to Parker to see his widened eyes gazing at him. Even when he wore the mask, Stark could still see that sense of wonderment, definitely heard it in his voice. Shaking his head, Stark added, “We’re understaffed, is what I’m saying. If anything, you’re the B-Team.”

Peter’s head fell, but he still nodded anyway, giving two thumbs-up. “I’m cool with that.”

“Good,” Stark said with a smile, his nanoparticles closing back over his face and forming the mask of the Iron Man. “So, let’s get—”

But Peter wasn’t looking at him anymore. He had lifted his head and stared straight beyond Tony, his hands falling and his feet slowly backpedaling away. “Oh, crap…” Parker whispered.

Curious at that, Tony’s curiosity didn’t last forever when he heard the roar. Stark spun about, already backing away alongside Parker. The Chitauri Leviathan from earlier turned in their direction, its maw opening up and charging towards the rooftop the two stood upon. Stark held out his arm across Peter, almost shielding him, watching alongside the Spider-Man as the Leviathan drew nearer. He shot out his other palm, his hand transforming into a repulsor cannon.

He dropped the cannon when Vision killed the Leviathan with a single blast of the Stone, slicing its head clean off with the energy beam. The head fell first, the rest of the creature falling down to the street just where the building lied. It crashed, shaking the earth, and collapsed further down the road. Finally breathing again, both Tony and Peter turned over to the Vision hovering just in front of them, his gaze shifting their way.

“God, we could’ve used you six years ago,” Tony groaned.

“Wait, Mr. Stark,” Peter said, his mask materializing back to reveal his other Spider-Man mask beneath. He pulled off the sweaty mask, revealing his panicked face. He pointed hastily towards his hometown, back to Queens. Stark followed his finger’s direction, then turned back to Parker. “Before we take out that ship and save New York… I-I gotta go save Aunt May.”

Then, to his shock, Tony was already on it, nodding his head once. “I’ll take care of it,” he said, looking elsewhere for a moment. “Homer, contact Happy to get May Parker out of Queens and to the safehouse.”

“Already done, sir.”

Nodding at that confirmation, Stark turned back and met Peter’s eyes. He saw the gratitude ripe in each, bated breaths leaving his indebted expression. “Thanks,” Peter told him, already breathless.

“Don’t thank me yet,” Tony muttered, facing the city once again. “We got a lot of work to do.”

The second Leviathan roared out, driving its head right into the face of a far-off building. Parker flinched at that, watching as the building came crumbling down. He stared onwards to the devastation that continued to fall down and all around him. The Chitauri kept coming from their mothership. Their chariots and starships were still dive-bombing the city, still killing innocent civilians. And there they stood, finally having the means and will to stop it.

And Peter finally had someone with him. A team. He may have been just the B-Team, but it was a team nonetheless. “I’m on it, Mr. Stark!” he yelled with a firm nod, running forward and leaping off the rooftop with newfound adrenaline in him. As he fell, his mask materialized back over his head, the blue eyes lighting to life and giving the Iron Spider his sight. He zipped across the buildings, flung himself towards the face of danger. He definitely felt stronger, faster, greater in every way.

And Stark just watched him go. Watched the hero do what he did best. “Homer,” Tony said, launching himself off the rooftop and catching flight, “you got any more static?”

“No, sir, I’m getting a clearer picture.”

Iron Man soared across the skies riddled with fire and conflict, Rhodey in the distance chasing a pack of Chitauri chariots and blowing them out of the sky. Then there was the Vision and Parker, both trying to take on the second Leviathan, Vision flying close behind it and Peter trailing close as he swung from building to building. The suit fit him. He definitely deserved it.

Stark stared at him a moment longer. He finally faced forward, saying, “All right, locate any civilians still in the area. We need to start evacuating.”

“Sir, I’ve managed to locate a large group of civilians to the northwest. They seem to be moving east.”

Tony nodded at that. “Give me some insight.”

Across his HUD, several boxes of footage appeared with what was clearly an aerial view of Manhattan. The Chitauri Command Center was squarely in the center of the city, the fires and the smoke that the satellite footage gave him spreading further and further as the warship unleashed its armies upon the city. Stark’s satellite gave him a view of the large crowd of civilians, Tony zooming in to get a closer look at what he was trying to see.

And the first thing he saw were five individuals protecting them. Five individuals that led the crowd throughout the desolation. There were only two he truly recognized, even with his elevated eyesight. Only two he could recognize just from the dark trench coat, sniper rifle, and devil outfit.

Tony Stark slowly smirked. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Author's Note

Be Greater

Chapter 46 – Come Together

Earth

New York, USA

Manhattan

9:26 a.m.

The Defenders did all they could. They did only what they could do best. Alongside the Punisher, Colleen Wing, Claire Temple, and Misty Knight, that’s all they did and could do: defend.

When more Chitauri landed in the streets, flew in the air, and tried to slaughter the civilians like they were insolent cattle, the only people standing in their way were them. And they would stand, they would fight, and they would die for whatever it took to ensure the safety of innocent lives. As Frank Castle fired bursts from his M4 assault rifle into the sky—trying to pick off the Chitauri that lingered on the rooftops as well as taking out the chariots trying to dive-bomb them—that left the streets a complete fight for survival.

Claire and Misty ordered the civilians to retreat behind abandoned vehicles or buses, remaining out of the fight as they focused the majority of it on themselves. Claire and Misty hid behind cars and fired madly down the street or into the air to aid Castle. They went through several magazines, of which Misty was desperately running out of, so they each made their remaining shots count. Claire gripped her pistol tightly, breathing steadily and ignoring the sounds of warfare surrounding her. She fired.

That bullet traversed down the street, shooting past Castle still focused on the skies and impacting the Chitauri foot soldier going for Murdock’s unprotected right side. The bullet tore through the creature’s skull, the dead alien landing and joining the others lying at Daredevil’s feet. As for Murdock, he and the remaining three Defenders engaged the enemy head-on, meeting their rifle fire with precise strikes and killing blows up close and personal. The Chitauri may have been trained soldiers, but the Defenders were something else entirely.

They were fighters.

Martial artists.

Bullet-proof.

Almost everything the Chitauri weren’t.

Daredevil engaged two Chitauri at once, ducking once the first swung its blade right for his head. Sweeping low and fast, Murdock knocked the creature’s feet out right from under it, delivering a killing strike with his baton right into its throat. The alien screeched and gurgled, but quickly lost its breath at its shattered esophagus and died right there. Matthew didn’t stop, flinging his billy club to his left and hitting the second Chitauri square in its forehead. The strike did nothing more than disorient the alien, its helmet still ringing from the hit. In that short moment, however, Matthew took it and caught his baton mid-air, spinning and sending two devastating blows into the creature’s sternum. It hunched forward, screeching as Murdock drove his knee right into its faceplate. The Chitauri fell back, lying motionless in the street.

Matt had no time to rest, already sliding into cover behind the closest vehicle once a third Chitauri started firing at him, its blaster wrapped securely around its right arm. The creature kept on firing at the car, glass spilling over Murdock as blue bolts shot over his head. But Matthew wasn’t focused on that at the moment. He connected both of his billy clubs, hearing the resounding click and snap, ensuring him the billy club was fully fastened and ready. Gritting his teeth, Daredevil listened carefully for the sounds behind him, listening as the gunfire finally stopped, and the Chitauri growled in agitation, trying to reload. He took that moment and hopped over the car.

Just before it could fire again, Daredevil flung his billy club right at the creature’s neck. The steel fiber cable shot out, the other billy club wrapping around the Chitauri’s neck and the cable tightening around it. An exasperated gasp escaped the Chitauri, the alien reaching for its throat with its left claw to remove the cable, and completely left itself open for attack in the meantime. That’s just what Murdock did. Running forward, Matt closed the distance between him and the alien, the cable shortening as well. Jumping and rolling over the creature’s shoulder, Matt grunted and pulled hard on the billy club. The cable still tied tight around the creature’s neck sent the beast flying over Matthew’s back, Murdock finally releasing the cable and watching the beast land right into…

Jessica Jones smacked the Chitauri’s body away like it weighed nothing. And it was nothing compared to her superior strength. She sent her signature frown towards Matthew, the two meeting each other’s fatigued expressions before returning to their own battles. Jessica wheeled her head in the direction of the screech to her right, her black bangs flying alongside her. She gasped and ducked to the side, yelping in pain as the blue bolt tore across her left shoulder. Gripping the wound, Jessica revealed the burn after removing her palm, already seeing the alien blast cauterize the wound and burn the blood. Seething at that, Jessica turned back to where the shot originated, already having to move again once the alien swung its rifle’s blade right for her head.

The blade impacted the street where Jessica once stood, the Chitauri watching as Jones’ boot came down and split its rifle in half. She didn’t stop there, fighting through the pain and blocking the Chitauri’s right arm trying to elbow her. Jessica’s nose curled upwards as she snapped the creature’s arm in half just as well, as easy as snapping a toothpick. It wailed in her grasp, Jessica ending its pain by slamming its face on the roof the car directly in front of her. Letting the creature’s dead body fall to the ground, Jessica spun around and very nearly rammed her fist into the charging alien.

Had the black palm gripping its shoulder not appeared, that is. Both Jessica and the Chitauri froze at that, the alien unable to move as the palm gripping it completely halted its forward mobility. The man behind the palm let go shortly, only after flinging the Chitauri’s entire body back and into the building on the side of the road. Brick and glass exploded from the impact, raining down into the street. Luke Cage huffed at that, spinning around and meeting Jessica’s constant frown. He could have sworn he saw a bit of relief in her eyes, overcome quickly by the rising exhaustion and adrenaline trying to fight one another for dominance.

The adrenaline won, more Chitauri swarming the both of them.

As Jessica struggled with dodging and punching back against the aliens, Luke Cage moved rather slow, knowing fully well that nothing the aliens threw at him so far had done anything but leave burn marks on his clothes. The few Chitauri that attacked him next were no different. One hopped on the hood of a car, firing numerous shots from its rifle right at Cage. The blue bolts struck him, but did nothing more than that. He walked forward and lifted his palm, blocking and snapping the blade swung for his head. He grabbed the Chitauri that tried to slice his head off, flinging the creature right at the other on the car’s hood with devastating force. Their bodies snapped and broke upon impact, their dead forms falling in the road and joining the others. Luke rolled his shoulders, driving his right forearm low and sweeping the charging alien right off its feet. The creature flipped in the air from the hit, Luke delivering the final blow by sending his fist straight down onto its chest. Several cracks appeared in the cement once the creature hit it, blood already spilling from its mouth and indented chest cavity.

Danny Rand was busy fighting an unfair fight. Usually, that would entail the scene of four Chitauri at once swinging at Danny with their claws and swords, but no. Danny saw it unfair only for them once the power of the Iron Fist flowed through him once again. Danny offered quick and destructive blows from his glowing fist onto the aliens that tried to slice him apart. He blocked the oncoming punch from with his right elbow, swinging with his left fist and hitting the creature in its chest. He ended it with his right fist, the fist that glowed, the fist where the power lied. He struck it across the face, the Chitauri spinning several times in mid-air and landing dead instantly. Danny roared and spun to his left, ramming his golden-glowing fist into the unfortunate Chitauri that landed in his line of sight.

Once the fist connected, that’s all that was needed. Its body completely blew apart from the punch, the remaining limbs and body fluid flying outwards and blinding the Chitauri to Danny’s further left. Rand didn’t hold, slamming his left elbow into the creature’s chest and ending it with another punch from the glowing fist. Not as hard as last time, but equally as deadly. The alien flew back like a bullet from the hit, impacting the side of a car and practically tearing the vehicle in half. Alien blood and sweat flew from Danny’s face as he ducked on instinct from the sword, rising back up and slamming the face of his fist into the face of the final Chitauri that stood against him. He watched as the creature’s body flew straight into the air, its last screeches sounding off as it hit the pilot of a flying chariot. Danny’s eyes shot open, the Iron Fist quickly retreating back and diving to safety once the chariot impacted the road where he once stood.

Luke swiveled his head further down the road, towards the sound of the crash. He acted quickly and ran back, the burning body of the Chitauri chariot crashing further and further, spinning over vehicles and closer towards his friends. Jessica and Matt were nearly back to back, giving Cage all he needed to tackle both of them to the street, Jones crying out and Matthew cringing as the burning chariot flew over them.

All three turned towards the chariot, Luke rising up and allowing Matt and Jessica to get back to their feet. Neither looked particularly in a hurry, slowly easing themselves up to stare dreadfully towards the remaining carnage. Both Frank and Colleen sent the burning chariot a sideways glance, the ship finally coming to a rest just mere feet in front of them. More alien cries and screeches came down the road. Frank Castle turned his gun away from the sky and focused towards the screams, unloading his magazine down the street. Colleen twisted her head in the direction Frank shot at, her jaw falling.

“Guys…” Jessica muttered, facing in the same direction.

Both Luke and Matt slowly spun around as well, seeing a sight none of them were pleased to meet. Hidden behind a burning vehicle, Danny tried to crawl outwards into the middle of the road, but paused to grip his bleeding side. Grumbling at that, Danny lifted his shirt to see long, ugly scratches on his rib cage. Blood coated each one, Danny tightening his teeth together and shutting his eyes tight, feeling the strength leave him and the pain just build higher and higher.

The strength leaving him… Danny shot open his eyes.

“No…” Danny muttered, staring at his dimming fist. “No, no, come on! Not yet!”

Then he heard the screams. The cries. The alien shrieks reverberating from down the road. Danny planted his palm on the hood of the car he lay behind, forcing himself up but falling to his knee in the end. He, alongside everyone that stood behind him, all saw as more and more chariots flew between the buildings, dropping off more and more Chitauri in the street. Even more than last time. Alien starships filled the air, all flying in their direction. All numbering to a far greater threat than they had ever faced before.

More than the Hand.

More than the first few waves of aliens.

More than anything.

And it was all blown away before they could even comprehend it.

The missiles shot down from above, raining like fireworks and impacting like bombs once they struck the chariots and blew apart the aliens standing in the street. Danny shielded himself and eventually fell back from the shock waves that followed, the similar screams from the Chitauri coming shortly. But they weren’t to spread fear over their enemies. They were in pain. Dying once the enemy fire blew them away. All heads turned skywards, every last head in the street that wasn’t alien turned to gaze in shock at the War Machine flying over them.

James Rhodes hovered several yards in the air, just above and in front the group of civilians. His HUD locked on to the remaining Chitauri in the road. They numbered close to fifty, forty-seven in total. More chariots flew his way, all centering towards the War Machine Mark IV. Rhodey shot out his arms, unveiling machine guns within his suit’s gauntlets, shoulders, and even his backside. Numerous missile launchers fell open, all aiming at a specific target down below.

“Heads up,” James said, proceeding to fire and mow down all the Chitauri in the street. Bullet shells fell from the suit of armor like snow, the missiles trailing off of him in wisps of smoke. Frank Castle lowered his assault rifle, he and Colleen, Misty and Claire, and all four Defenders watching the bullets fly from the War Machine, all slack-jawed and hardly breathing. Hardly any of them saw the Chitauri getting ripped apart from the bullets and missiles.

They were all too focused on the flying robot shooting a golden beam of energy from its forehead.

The remaining chariots in the air were instantly blown to bits once the Vision flew by. Every civilian shielded themselves as the chariots exploded, fully expecting the remains of each to come falling down on top of them. But they didn’t. Not a single piece of shrapnel did. Everyone, Defenders included, turned around and stared at the flying android. With all the chariots in the vicinity destroyed, the android spun and hovered behind the crowd, his golden cape flapping in the wind and the sun’s light blocking his identity. It was all they could focus on before the alien blaster fire came above and behind them.

A Chitauri starship managed to slip past War Machine’s line of sight, Rhodes busy standing in the road and finishing off what remained of the Chitauri threat. The starship fired away at the crowd, blowing cars into the air with its blasts and quickly approaching where Danny Rand lay. The rising screams from the crowd assaulted his eardrums, Danny’s eyes only on the starship as it flew past the buildings and fully intended on crashing into him and the civilians that stood behind him.

It would have… had the repulsor blast not completely blown it out of the air.

The starship erupted into a flurry of orange and yellow lights, its remains flying down and impacting the street to Danny’s left and right. Not a single piece of shrapnel touched him, miraculously enough. Danny shielded himself all the same, only lowering his arms as the fires above his head quickly died down. That was one of the reasons. The main reason he lowered his arms was to stare at the second suit of golden and red armor that landed directly in front of him.

It landed on its right knee, both palms shot outwards with bright blue repulsors glowing in each hand. The suit of armor slowly stood back up, facing the carnage that remained of the starship and watching as the War Machine finished off the remaining Chitauri. The crowd of civilians gasped in awe, Foggy and Karen sharing similar expressions of shock. Trish couldn’t even breathe any more, her mouth refusing to close once her eyes landed on the familiar suit of armor. Misty Knight and Claire Temple lowered their pistols at long last, they—as well as everyone who stood behind them—just as frozen at the mere sight of it.

Frank Castle did nothing more than glare. Colleen Wing nearly dropped her katana. Luke Cage remained somewhat indifferent, his lips slightly parted to show his surprise. Jessica Jones furrowed her brow in confusion, those brows slowly rising when she finally realized who it was. Matthew Murdock knew instantly who it was. He could hear him coming from a mile away. The Daredevil slowly smiled.

As for Danny Rand, he could do nothing more than gaze in utter shock and awe at the Iron Man standing mere feet in front of him. And Tony Stark finally turned around and away from the fires, finally meeting the startled and astounded expressions faced his way. It wasn’t uncommon. Stark had seen plenty of similar faces turned his way from time to time. The last one he saw belonged to the young man with the dragon tattoo lying on his back in front of him.

Stark lowered his head, the Mark 50 analyzing him and instantly catching his identity. But Stark didn’t need a suit of armor to tell him what he already knew. He knew the kid’s identity the second he finally saw him. The remaining Defenders—alongside Castle and Colleen, with Claire and Misty trailing—proceeded to step forward to Danny, watching as Iron Man offered Rand his hand.

“Well, well… if it isn’t the lost son.”

Danny breathed at that statement, forcing his eyes away from the golden and red mask and facing instead towards the golden and red palm offered to him. With slight reluctance, Danny gripped it and was pulled back up to his feet, nearly face to face with Tony Stark himself. Both men, both billionaires seemed to analyze each other with that quick second, Stark staring at the strange tattoo and Danny seeing nothing but the blue of his mask’s eyes.

It wasn’t long before the others arrived. “Wait…” Luke interrupted, both Danny and Tony turning accordingly to Cage. He pointed from Rand to Stark, then the other way around, asking, “You two know each other?”

“Not really,” Danny muttered, Stark twisting his neck back towards him, his suit making the appropriate noise to his movements. Jessica Jones and Colleen Wing found themselves almost transfixed by the Iron Man armor, both quickly focusing instead on Rand’s answer. “Just because we’re both billionaires doesn’t mean we keep tabs on one another.”

Stark nodded, his mask materializing back and revealing his face. There were a few gasps, probably those who still hadn’t believed it was Tony Stark himself who came to their aid. He ignored it and said, “Hardly. Almost non-existent relations. If anything, my company overshadowed yours.”

While Rand didn’t take Stark’s comment about his family’s company particularly as well as Stark had hoped, he could already tell that Tony was focused elsewhere, moving on to the next set of eyes turned his way. There were several, Tony waving once to the crowd of civilians and addressing them all. It gave him plenty of time to focus on someone else…

“The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen…” Stark sighed, everyone turning to Daredevil.

Murdock did nothing more than force a closed smile, nodding Stark’s way before facing the ground. Tony didn’t push further—finding no interest with the current situation still plaguing him—and instead moved on to the other man he had the unfortunate pleasure of running into a couple years back.

“Castle,” Tony stated. Plainly. Flatly.

Frank felt no different, gripping his assault rifle tightly in both palms. “Stark.”

“You’re still wanted by the government, you know that?”

“Not anymore,” Frank said, Misty frowning his way at the information Stark offered. “They made me a deal.”

Tony pursed his lips, slowly shaking his head. “Well, I guess I wasn’t informed of that.”

Before anyone else could even open their mouths next, they were silenced once the War Machine landed on Tony’s right, causing Danny and Jessica to take a precautionary step back. They knew the Avenger wasn’t going to hurt them, yet after seeing what he did to the Chitauri, they didn’t want to be too close. Luke stayed where he was and Matthew continued to look away, his last encounter with War Machine not going particularly well for either of them.

“Streets are clear, Tony,” James said, his mask retracting back and unveiling his face to Stark.

“Good work,” Stark told him with a nod, his eyes turning skyward. “Vision, keep your eyes up and open! Make sure nothing comes near these civilians!”

The Vision nodded without a word, keeping his head on a swivel, constantly scanning the skies for a threat. The Chitauri were far off, nowhere near their vicinity. A short moment of clarity and rest would be just what the civilians below needed. He shot his head to the right when an anomaly appeared quickly, swinging closer and closer to the street where the citizens stood. Vision stared a moment longer, his guard lowering when he spotted the large, black spider on his chest.

Both Rhodes and Stark lowered their guards all the same when the Spider-Man swung completely over the building, firing a strand of web and slowing his descent to them. He landed on both of his feet, frightening Jessica and Colleen to his right only momentarily. Luke and Danny stared quizzically at the young man, Matthew just further keeping his attention off of old scars.

Peter Parker rose up to full height, the glowing blue of his mask’s eyes widening as he pointed back where he swung in from. “Mr. Stark, that flying snake thing’s armor is too tough, but I managed to take out one of those ships!” he exclaimed excitedly, that excitement quickly dying once Stark just yawned.

“I still got twelve—scratch that, make it thirteen—on you, kid,” Tony said, Peter’s hand falling and slapping his side. “You need to start catching up.”

While Peter was busy letting his optimism crumble, the crowd behind him all conversed amongst themselves. Peter managed to catch them say his name, his head swiveling over to see the civilians pointing to him and staring in awe. Some even managed small smiles. Others, like most of the crowd, stared in disbelief, seeing so many heroes standing before them.

Then there was Jessica Jones, frowning at Parker and groaning. Peter turned towards the woman, watching as she closed her eyes and shook her head, her black hair shaking as she did so. Jessica sighed, murmuring, “Oh, great, the Spider-Kid from Queens.”

Peter’s eyes widened, both his mask and what lied beneath. “You know about me?” he asked.

Jones just stared at him, still holding that famous frown. “Kid, everyone in New York knows about you,” she stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. At least, that’s how Peter caught it, his optimism quickly rising back up to full spirit.

“Oh… that’s awesome,” Parker said, almost sounding breathless. The looks he got from the New Yorkers behind Jessica and the others seemed to make sense now. Spider-Man was becoming a bigger hero than Peter had realized, if what Jones said was true, that is. He was definitely bigger than Peter Parker. He was so lost on that idea that he almost didn’t realize that Tony’s mask wasn’t on… while his still was… in front of civilians. “You… You don’t have your mask… Your identity…”

Looking down to Parker, Stark stared at him for moment longer before eventually shrugging it off, instead saying, “Everyone knows me.”

“Oh, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Peter said, almost hitting himself for having forgot about that crucial fact about Iron Man. He slowly lifted his head, looking over to the civilians and then stepping to his left so that Jessica blocked their view. Before Jones could even question why he did that, Peter turned back to Stark, raising his hand and pointing towards himself. “S… S-should I…?”

“It’s… not mandatory. You do you, kid,” Stark told him.

That was somewhat good enough for him. Letting his mask materialize back into his suit, Peter stepped forward to Jessica, holding out his hand. “I’m Peter,” he said, his voice lower than usual as to not attract attention to his name from the crowd several yards beyond them.

Jones frowned at that. At his hand. At him. “I don’t care.”

Nodding to that rejection—as if it wasn’t the first time—Peter turned further to his left, offering his hand once more to Luke. “I’m Peter,” he said again.

That time, he was met with a powerful handshake in return, Luke offering a strong, small smile. “Luke Cage,” he told him, watching as Peter said it was nice to meet him before breaking the handshake and facing Danny to Cage’s right.

“Peter.”

“Yeah, Danny Rand,” Danny replied, looking away after shaking Peter’s hand. By that time, Parker was already facing the last member of the Defenders, a certain Devil of Hell’s Kitchen who really didn’t want to gain Peter’s attention. It was fruitless, the young Spider-Man shooting out his hand and waving Murdock’s way.

“Hey, man!” Peter exclaimed, watching as Daredevil turned to him. Peter’s smile suddenly fell, both of his hands held outwards, towards Daredevil. “N-no hard feelings, right?”

To his relief, he watched as Daredevil waved it off, saying, “No, no… it’s… it’s fine.”

He was expecting it a mile away, but it already came faster than Matt anticipated. The looks he got from his fellow Defenders, from Jessica and Luke especially. “Wait… now you two know each other?” Luke asked, his voice louder than before.

“Guess I forgot to mention my little skirmish in Germany, huh?” Matt said, offering a weak chuckle to damper the rising flames he could see from Jessica’s person.

It hardly did a thing, Jones stepping forward and nearly slapping Murdock again had Cage not put his arm across her, blocking her approach. “How much more shit are you gonna keep from us?” Jessica snarled instead.

“I’d hate to break this up, but we’ve got bigger problems on our hands!” Rhodes yelled, his mask covering his face once again.

Both Peter and Tony’s masks materialized back over their faces, their eyes lighting up a bright blue. The confrontation between Murdock and Jones ended prematurely, all four Defenders slowly turning in the direction Tony and Peter faced. Frank Castle growled, lifting up his assault rifle and reloading it. Colleen stood by Danny, gripping her katana in both palms as she and many others faced the road ahead. The long road ahead. The one currently being refilled with even more Chitauri than ever before. Misty and Claire checked their magazines, standing in front of the crowd of panicking civilians.

A single Leviathan roared, charging downwards and practically tearing between both of the buildings to its target. Peter gulped, saying, “There it is.”

Tony Stark looked back, saw the fear in the eyes of every civilian that stood behind them. The last line of defense standing between them and the Chitauri forces. Stark slowly faced forward, his palms forming into fists. “They don’t get through us, not even one.”

Daredevil lifted his billy club and broke it apart, twirling both.

Jessica Jones licked her lips and stepped forward, tightening her fists.

Luke Cage did the same, instead cracking his knuckles at the end.

Danny Rand followed suit, shooting out his fists and fighting an internal conflict for more strength. More power. More light of the Iron Fist. Nothing came, but he stood his ground anyway. With them, his friends. With Tony Stark, James Rhodes, and Peter Parker. With the Avengers.

As for the Vision… he didn’t waste another second. He flew straight ahead and down towards the street, firing away with the Mind Stone and meeting the Chitauri Leviathan head-on. And so began the madness, the chaos, the sickness of warfare once more.

And the Defenders weren’t alone this time.

The wave of chariots and Chitauri came like an unstoppable flood, faster than they could have anticipated, but not fast enough where they didn’t react. While the Vision dealt with the Leviathan, that left the Defenders and the remaining Avengers to fend off against the foot soldiers, the commanders, and the Elites that walked amongst them. The battle that followed near ripped the street completely apart.

Bullets and repulsor beams flew, meeting the Chitauri rifle blasts in the crossfire. War Machine and the Punisher moved forward down the street, firing away at any Chitauri they saw. Spider-Man and Luke Cage fought side by side, Peter webbing up any alien he saw and flinging them to Cage, to which he quickly put down before they could break free. Danny and Jessica fought alongside with Colleen, the three meeting the Chitauri close and being more than enough of a match for them to handle. That left Daredevil and Iron Man, one rushing by ground and the other by air. Daredevil roared as he pushed himself off the hood of a car, flying in the air alongside Stark and driving his foot into the nearest alien he could find. Matt quickly engaged with a group of Chitauri while Tony flew down and landed on his feet, skidding across the concrete and firing a single repulsor at a Chitauri Elite.

The Elite blocked the blast with its shield, growling and smacking its blade against it.

Lowering his glowing palm, Stark analyzed the Elite, watching as it grew nearer to him, a squadron of Chitauri foot soldiers and commanders behind it. “Aren’t you a big boy?” Tony called out, the Elite growling and swinging its blade forward. The Chitauri cried out, charging right for Stark and the people behind him. Stark narrowed his gaze, shooting his head back. “Rand, on me!”

From his backside, Stark unleashed a cluster of miniature missiles, each one firing off and striking a single Chitauri, killing every last one in front of him, leaving just the Elite. Stark launched himself forward and drove his fist right into the Elite’s head. It raised its shield before he could do so, leaving just enough room open for Danny Rand to strike. He slid forward, sending his fist right into the creature’s abdomen with such power that it nearly caused the alien to crumble right then and there. But it stood its ground. It fought off the Avenger and the Defender with much more fury and strength than any Chitauri foot soldier ever could.

It wasn’t enough.

Danny managed to disarm it, flinging the beast’s shield across the road. As the Elite swung for his head, Rand ducked and drove his foot into its exposed sternum. Stark capitalized, blowing the creature’s hand right off its arm and causing its sword to fly off down the road. He didn’t stop there, grabbing the Elite by the throat and flinging it to the ground. Stark raised his foot to bring it down on the Elite’s head, but froze when Rand let out a heavy cry, driving his glowing, golden fist right into its visor. It died instantly at the punch, several cracks appearing in the cement where its head used to be.

After Danny brought back his fist and the gold flushing underneath his skin faded away, all Stark could do was stare at it a moment longer, Rand eventually turning his way. “You wouldn’t happen to have ever heard of Extremis, have you?” Stark asked.

His question went without an answer, Colleen Wing’s piercing cry breaking out. Danny instantly twisted his attention towards the scream, he and Stark spotting Colleen lying on her chest, her katana strewn from her reach. She struggled to rise, constantly clutching her stomach.

“Colleen!” Danny screamed, rushing over to her. Only Stark was the one to see the Chitauri standing over her, its feet planted on the roof of a car it fired from. Tony shot out his palm towards the Chitauri to blow it to kingdom come.

And he very nearly would have if someone had not already done it for him…

In the form of a yellow, spiked crystal of all things.

The crystal came practically out of nowhere, shooting down and stabbing the Chitauri right in its back. As if that wasn’t shocking enough, the Chitauri bellowed out a horrific cry, its body convulsing for nearly five seconds before it crumbled off the car and lay dead in the street. Tony lowered his palm and turned around, his eyes shooting upwards. Danny slid to a stop right next to Colleen and checked her wound, barely moving her hands and cringing just the same to see the large, red splotch resting over her stomach. More Chitauri cries, now all around them, sounding off at once. Danny barred his teeth and lifted his burning eyes, fist raised and already glowing with newfound strength and ferocity.

All of which would never have to be used.

Several more crystals came from above, being just precise and accurate enough to take out every last Chitauri that stood. They pierced them from the back, the front, took out starships and chariots alike. All at once. The Chitauri that stood face to face with the likes of Daredevil and Spider-Man now just convulsed where the were, dropping dead before ten seconds had even passed.

All of them did.

Leaving nothing but humanity in the streets.

The Vision hovered over the remains of the Chitauri Leviathan in the road, slowly spinning around to gaze at the fluttering, red cloak slowly descending down to the street where his fellow Avengers remained standing. Curious enough, the Vision followed suit and landed in the street, cautiously approaching the cloaked figure from behind.

They all watched him descend like an angel, his long, red cape flowing in the wind, keeping him airborne, and eventually kept him hovering just above the center of the road. His arms—which were presented in a more unique stance, an X-formation—were covered in silky, blue robes alongside the rest of his body. His fingers were even stranger, two fingers on each hand pointed upwards and the others curled inwards, nearly forming two fists. Tony Stark slid his mask away, revealing the confusion that gripped not only him but every last member of the Avengers and the Defenders, as well as the Punisher and the civilians with him.

As if things couldn’t get any weirder, an orange portal appeared right next to the man, another stepping out and appearing just as mystical and off-putting as the man that descended like an angel no more than five seconds ago. Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones all shared the same expressions, just as bewildered as everyone else. Danny was busy tending to Colleen, finally shifting his head over to the man he could only define as... a wizard.

Doctor Strange looked to all of them, his eyes finally settling on one man.

And he said, “Tony Stark… Avengers… we need your help.”

After hearing nothing but silence as a response for several seconds, Stephen Strange realized that hovering right in front of them probably wasn’t a good first impression. He needed to meet them on their level, ground-level to be exact. His feet touched the ground, the Cloak of Levitation falling alongside his arms. He took a few steps forward, already pausing when Tony Stark pointed his way.

“I’m sorry, are you givin' out tickets or somethin'?” Stark finally asked.

Ignoring that, Strange proceeded with what his intention in the warzone was to begin with. He stared right at Tony and said, “I don’t think I have to explain that the fate of the very world is at stake… but what I do… is that the fate of two now are. And the fate of the universe.”

It took a second or two for Tony to process that, Jessica and Luke behind him already looking skywards. “That world?” Stark asked, pointing directly above him, a few more eyes shifting to the alien planet barely seen through the clouds.

Doctor Strange’s expression remained unmoved, his lips pursed and his tone unchanged. He offered his hand to the portal still open, Wong by his side doing the same. “If you all will come with us, we can offer a safe haven,” Strange said, speaking not only to the Avengers, but to everyone. All the civilians looked to one another, Misty and Claire still unsure of what to make of the situation.

But Frank did. He stepped forward before anyone else did, shouting, “Hey, listen—!”

“More so,” Strange interrupted him, his tone far-more unapologetic and fiercer, even more than Castle’s. He spun his neck around, meeting Frank’s glare and offered one of his own. He finished by saying, “… than what you have planned, Frank Castle.”

Frank didn’t question how or why he knew his name. A question that could be saved for later, as he, the civilians, the Defenders, and the Avengers all followed closely behind Doctor Strange into the swirling portal. Not having much of a choice in the matter.

Chapter 47 – Reunion

New York, USA

Greenwich Village, Manhattan

177a Bleecker Street

9:49 a.m.

What they thought was just another block decimated by the alien invasion actually turned out to be completely unscathed. Once the large group led by Doctor Strange and Wong passed through the unusual mists nearly blending into the very air, that’s when they realized it was all a mind trick.

“Don’t be startled!” Stephen Strange called out, waving along the worrying civilians and confused Avengers and Defenders. “The Vapors of Valtorr are like a camouflage! Nothing can see us; we look just like the rest of the city!”

“The rest of the city that’s burning?” Tony Stark commented, walking past Strange with a bemused expression. Peter Parker was on the man’s right, the Iron Spider mask covering his face and his glowing, blue eyes scanning the buildings around them. Rhodey and Vision were either by Spider-Man or behind Stark, walking closely together wherever Strange directed them.

Grumbling at that, Doctor Strange pulled his cloak forward, speed walking so he could catch up to Stark’s left side. “Don’t remind me, Stark,” he told him, voice hushed as to not attract too much attention from the other civilians. “As much as I would like to worry about the invasion like you, there’s something important we need to discuss.”

Tony wheeled on him, still keeping up with his pace but meeting Stephen’s eyes all the same. There they walked, there they met. Two very alpha and leading figures trying to see who was superior, who had the greater will and the greater strength. Stark could see the hardened determination in Strange’s eyes, laced tightly around the steel-like, almost dead stare that Strange radiated. And Stephen as well could see into Tony’s eyes, right through his very person and witness the years of genius and experience. Of chaos and warfare. Of knowledge and torture. How any man could hold it all in gave Strange a pinch of respect for Stark, more so than he ever had before for the Iron Man.

Finally breaking away, Tony sighed and stared down the clean road ahead of them, holding out his arms. “Well, where do we discuss it?” he asked.

“In here, please!” Wong announced, all eyes in the crowd turning towards the building directly to their left. Misty and Claire held out their hands to the civilians, stopping them before they could take another step forward, pausing just in front of the building. Frank Castle, Matthew Murdock, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Danny Rand aiding Colleen Wing along step by step all gazed wondrously at the structure they almost seemed to completely miss. Stark, Rhodes, Vision, and Parker all appeared the same.

It wasn’t a particularly unique building by any means, blending in well with the others by its sides. The dwelling stood at the end of the road, Wong standing at the top of the short steps that led to the large pair of doors he held open. What appeared most off about the building, however, was the strange symbol embedded within the glass window near the roof. Stark had never seen the symbol before in his entire life. A personal design choice maybe. Considering their hosts, Stark knew that wasn’t entirely the reasoning. He, as well as the Avengers, all walked ahead to where Wong stood, Doctor Strange right beside them.

Strange paused and looked back, nodding to Misty Knight.

Misty eventually nodded back, finally having the chance to put her pistol away. “All right, you heard the wizard!” she called out, waving to the crowds behind her and Claire. She pointed to the building with the odd symbol on it, saying, “We got a safehouse over here! Gather up! Single file line inside! No pushing, no shoving! We’re safe now!”

“I wouldn’t recommend yelling that loud,” Stephen told her, Misty spinning about and meeting the man who had suddenly appeared behind her, nearly face to face with her.

Taking a precautionary step backwards, still not trusting Strange fully, Misty raised an interested brow and asked, “Why is that?”

“The Vapors of Valtorr only block sight,” Doctor Strange answered, watching as that revelation finally settled in on Misty. More and more civilians limped or walked past them, a few giving Strange some unsure, wavering glances before proceeding into the Sanctum. Strange nodded their way, turning aside from Misty. “Might want to tell that to your civilians when inside.”

With a brush of his cloak, he was gone, walking beside his fellow New Yorkers into the Sanctum Sanctorum. And Detective Knight watched him, shaking her head and eventually proceeding forward as well. She still couldn’t believe a sorcerer of all people lived in New York, let alone came to their aid. But hell, she wasn’t complaining. She had been fighting all morning. It would be nice to just sit back and recover for a moment.

The others, unfortunately, didn’t feel the same. The Defenders alongside Colleen Wing and Frank Castle were the last ones inside, all seeming to walk in tandem, close together, still quite unsure of the situation laid before them that awful morning. A few of them were still trying to fully comprehend the weight of the alien invasion descending upon their city. A few others accepted the harshness of reality, but still found themselves struggling to believe that a wizard was the one to offer them safety.

Jessica Jones was one of those few, leaning closer to Luke, Murdock, and Danny. “You sure we should trust these guys?” Jessica asked, only Luke turning her way. Matthew was focused ahead and Danny was busy carrying Colleen’s arm around his shoulder. “They look a little sketchy.”

“That wizard guy took out more Chitauri in less than ten seconds than we could all day,” Luke said, meeting Jessica’s incredulous expression. He couldn’t blame her. After everything that had happened to them that morning, from meteor hitting New York, to the Chitauri striking Manhattan once more, and now to the wizards… he couldn’t blame her for being on edge.

Sighing, Luke faced forward. “We stay close. Keep our eyes open and our guard up.”

Jessica took that as best as she could, facing forward and proceeding closer to the building. Danny, on the other hand, turned his attention away from Colleen for a second and focused on Murdock. He noticed his neck was twisted to the side, his lips slightly parted. “What do you have, Matt?” Rand asked, Colleen hissing in pain as she clutched her wound.

Daredevil was silent for a moment or two. Then, his head was straight and still, his voice muttering, “A few other heartbeats… right inside the building.”

“Safe haven, my ass,” Frank growled under his breath, assault rifle still held tight in his palms.

They were the last ones into the Sanctum, the building Frank saw as not being able to withstand the forces of the alien invasion, yet still stood without a scratch amongst the carnage. He still didn’t trust it, just as Wong didn’t trust the outside world.

Wong took one last look outside before closing the doors and locking them. He never saw the invisible Outrider watching from a rooftop, its own camouflage fading away and revealing the sickening creature underneath it. The Outrider barred its teeth at the closed doors and hissed, “Time…”

It vanished once more, not a single eye spotting it.

The Sanctum Sanctorum

9:50 a.m.

Tony Stark, James Rhodes, the Vision, and Peter Parker were the first ones to stop dead in their tracks. As droves of civilians walked past them into the confines of the Sanctum, all they could do was stare straight ahead. James’ mask slid backwards, revealing his awestruck expression beneath. Vision’s mouth lightly fell, a thin smile forming when he saw them. Peter Parker’s eyes widened, both the mask and what lied beneath, at who he saw standing in the center of the foyer.

But Tony was the most startled by far, nearly losing his breath at the sight of them. At the three individuals he hadn’t seen in years, two of which were long-lost Avengers and the other was the villain who brought them all together in the first place.

Thor, Loki, and Bruce Banner stood together in a cluster, only turning in tandem when they heard the doors open and watching the civilians flood inside the Sanctum. Then they all stared straight ahead, towards Tony Stark and the ones who stood with him. Each group observed each other. Banner wore some old clothes of Strange’s, Thor wearing a set of filthy, black armor, minus the sleeves. Loki wore a dark blue suit and cape, the inside of the cape a bright yellow, but splotched with filth and blood stains. All of them appeared absolutely shaken, gazes widening to see Stark.

He kept his eyes lingering on Loki a moment longer than he wanted before forcing them away and onto the others. “Bruce…” Tony said, blinking a couple times to make sure who he saw was true. “Where the hell have you been?”

Banner broke the tension trying to rise between them by stepping forward and wrapping his arms across Tony. He could actually reach behind him, considering his armor fit almost neatly alongside his jacket and skin beneath. It was actually an incredible upgrade, Banner thought, as Stark slowly hugged him back. The show of friendship ended shortly, Banner breaking off but only leaving room for Thor to practically ram himself into Tony with his bone-crushing hug.

“Stark!” Thor exclaimed, slapping his palm on Tony’s metallic backside and creating several loud clangs to sound off.

“Good to see you again, Thor!” Stark said, having to lean back from Thor’s overly-affectionate ways. That, and his weight. He slapped Thor’s shoulder, prompting him to end the hug fast. When he finally did, Stark maintained his balance, pointing to Thor’s biceps. “Have you gotten stronger? What do you use, ‘roids, protein shakes, what is it?”

Thor chuckled at that, not knowing what “‘roids” or “protein shakes” Stark was referring to. “Nothing to it. Just went on a journey of self-discovery. You seem to have gotten an upgrade,” the God of Thunder said, pointing to Stark’s Arc Reactor.

Tony nodded at that, tapping once on the glowing hole resting over his chest and holding his armor together. “Nanoparticles. Work like a charm. I like the haircut,” he said, taking notice to the eyepatch covering Thor’s right eye. “Damn, what happened to your eye?”

“Oh, my sister cut it out before Surtur impaled her with his gigantic blade.”

“Jesus Christ, forget I even asked.”

The Avengers continued to reunite, allowing the Defenders—alongside the Punisher, Colleen Wing, Misty Knight, Claire Temple, and the other civilians—to slip past the gods among men and scatter about throughout the foyer of the Sanctum. The civilians moved about and studied their surroundings, several resting on the steps of the stairs or nearby couches and chairs. Some remained standing, others sitting near the walls and comforting each other, their friends, and their families. Misty and Claire moved about, asking anyone if they needed help with anything. Claire offered her skills as a medic to those injured. She wasn’t alone. As Wong closed the doors and proceeded to tend to the civilians with their wounds and needs, Doctor Strange returned his attention back onto Stark and the other Avengers.

He approached them from behind, slipping past Loki and appearing on Stark’s backside. When he spoke, all eyes within the crowd of heroes turned accordingly to the Sorcerer Supreme. He looked from Thor to Stark, saying, “Your friend here, the God of Thunder, has offered some very, very helpful insight on the situation.”

“Including…” Tony prompted him onwards.

“Who was responsible not only for the Chitauri invasion—” Strange began.

“But for the alien world above us,” Thor finished.

Tony turned from one man to the other, furrowing his brow at their expressions. He saw the piercing coolness grip each of them, so cold Stark could almost feel it pierce his own armor and send shivers down his spine. He held strong, and instead asked, “Who?”

“Thanos,” Banner breathed, stepping forward. Stark turned his way, his own jaw falling to see the terror laced around Banner’s eyes when he said that name. “He’s a plague, Tony. He invades planets, he takes what he wants, he wipes out half the population. He sent Loki. The attack on New York six years ago, that’s him.”

The name was what caught Tony Stark. Thanos. The name he constantly knew troubled his heart but could never fully pinpoint what it was, what it meant, or what he could do to prevent it. Then Banner said he was the one behind New York, the one behind the first Chitauri invasion. It was all coming full circle. The nightmares, the dreading, the constant shadow hanging over his shoulders and telling him he couldn’t protect the Earth… it was all referring to one being.

Thanos.

The one who sent Loki. Pausing at that, Stark looked over to the brother of Thor, the God of Mischief choosing to remain outside of the group and hopefully out of the conversation. That wasn’t possible any longer when all eyes suddenly turned his way, Loki sighing at that. “He sent you?” Tony asked.

Loki could sense the hostility as ripe on his tongue as it was shared amongst them. Yet there was no use in lying or finding a way out of his current dilemma. His very fate, his actions for survival, all depended on those who stood against Thanos. “Yes,” Loki answered.

“You with him?” Stark asked.

“Never again.”

“You with us, then?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“You better make the right one…”

Loki smirked. “Then I suppose I’m with you.”

Though the tension between Stark and Loki still remained strong, the only way for it to cool was to drop the current conversation and move on to the next, let the tension settle. Thor, unfortunately, managed to make it worse. “Loki may have also been responsible for all of this,” Thor said. Loki slowly stared at him, his smile falling as he crossed his arms. Thor met his gaze, clearing his throat. “But we’re not one hundred percent certain yet.”

While the two brothers shared a resentful and private conversation amongst themselves, Tony Stark was trapped in his own thoughts. Spider-Man, Vision, War Machine, and Doctor Strange all watched him silently, the sounds of the constant cries and groaning from the civilians scattered about almost sounding like wisps of air to them. Their complete focus was on Stark and his thousand-yard stare.

“This is it,” Tony finally muttered, his back to them. He faced them shortly. They all saw the grim expression in his features, the loss of strength in his eyes. “It’s all been leading to this. This… Thanos… he’s been in my head for six years. Everything I wanted to do to protect the Earth, everything with Ultron, with the Accords, it was all for this moment. Either we stop him here or else he’ll take Earth.”

“He doesn’t want Earth…”

Tony looked to Doctor Strange. They all did. Even Thor and Loki did, breaking away from their private discussion to see what Strange had to say. With his gaze to the floor, Stephen tightened his lips and slowly shook his head. His shaking palms gripped one another, resting just over his stomach. When he finally met the eyes of the Avengers, he said, “He wants the Infinity Stones.”

Vision blinked, his eyes widening at that. “Like the Mind Stone?”

“Precisely,” Strange said, nodding to the android. “As well as the Time Stone, which is safe back in Kamar-Taj under the protection of the Masters of the Mystic Arts.”

“Okay, about… twelve percent of what you just said there made sense,” Tony added, Stephen turning his disgruntled frown towards Stark. Pointing over to Vision—more accurately, his forehead—Stark asked, “Why does he even want the Stones?”

“Universal genocide,” Thor said. “With all six Infinity Stones, he could become god-like, unfathomably powerful; just a snap of his fingers could wipe out half of all life in the universe.”

“He already has three Stones,” Banner continued, counting off on his fingers. “Space… Power… Reality… which already makes him the most powerful being in the universe.”

“Space, Power, Reality…” Tony muttered, pointing over to Vision, “Mind…” then to Strange, “Time… That just leaves one more Stone. Where is it?”

He turned to Strange for an answer, clearly expecting the wizard to know considering he knew a hell of a lot more about the situation than Stark could ever have. Unfortunately, the expression on Strange’s face said it all, the sorcerer shaking his head. “The Soul Stone… It’s location… is currently unknown to us.”

Stark cursed under his breath, rubbing his chin and goatee in thought. He turned away and stared at the recovering and resting civilians. They had been through absolute hell, having experienced not one, but two alien invasions in their city. Stark wanted to do more. There was so much more he could do on Earth to prevent any more lives from being taken. And the longer he stayed with wizards and Norse gods talking about the fate of the universe, the longer he stayed away from Pepper and the promise he made her.

Then again… would what the wizards had planned take longer than what Stark did?

“So…”

Doctor Strange faced Stark once again.

Tony sighed through his nostrils, both flaring as a large outtake of air slipped out of him. “About that world…” he said, letting the rest trail off his tongue and hoping Strange would catch it.

And did he ever… and reply with a fastball.

“It’s planet Equus.”

The fastball struck Tony right in his chest, tearing through his armor and making him lose his breath. Tony took a step back despite his best efforts to remain standing, his enlarged eyes contained and trapped within Strange’s frozen stare. “You gotta be shitting me,” Stark whispered, his voice stuttering.

Doctor Strange just shook his head, confirming Tony’s worries. “I wish I was.”

“I might be missing something here,” Peter Parker said, several eyes turning his way. He pointed straight up towards the ceiling, a few heads turning in that direction as he said, “Equus… as in… the same world the pony ambassadors came from?”

Managing to maintain himself, Tony nodded to him, saying, “The same one, kid.”

“Kid?” Stephen repeated, looking from Parker and then back to Stark with a cynical look. “I thought he sounded young. This isn’t going to be a particularly ‘safe’ journey, so if you want to tell me, Stark, why you have a child trailing behind you? I-I mean, who is he even, your ward?”

“No, I’m the B-Team,” Peter responded. Strange just frowned his way, watching as Parker approached him. His mask materialized back, revealing his face to Strange and Tony. Thor, Loki, and Banner stood by, watching the scene unfold before them. He offered his hand to Stephen, to which he only looked at. “Actually, I’m Peter.”

“Doctor Strange,” the Sorcerer Supreme responded, facing Stark once again. We bowed his head slightly, pursing his lips when his own name filled the group. “My mistake. We weren’t formally introduced.”

“Oh, we’re using our made-up names…”

Strange furrowed his brow at that, spinning back and staring curiously at Parker. His mask slid back over his face, the blue eyes lighting back up. “I’m Spider-Man, then.”

Doctor Strange stared for a moment longer before shaking his head and returning to Stark, to someone who actually had the mind and willpower to be just the man Strange needed for what lied ahead. “We promised to take this information about who caused these cataclysmic events to the rulers of Equus. If we were all to travel there together, then we could put our minds to understand how to stop these events from transpiring. What do you say, Stark?”

But Tony was already walking away, his metallic feet striding and stomping across the foyer floor of the Sanctum Sanctorum. His Arc Reactor burned bright, the Mark 50 so fluid and moving to his movements like a second skin. On the outside, he looked to be in thought. But on the inside, he was in a deafening battle with himself.

Of all the planets in the entire cosmos, it just happened to be Equus to appear right on their doorstep alongside an alien invasion. As if shit couldn’t get anymore complicated, the reality of the situation told Stark that he needed to travel to Equus, meet with the same ponies who took part in the disbanding of the Avengers, and work with them in order to turn the tides of the invasion. His nerve, his old scars told him no. But everything else begged him yes. It wouldn’t be all bad, anyway.

He just wouldn’t look at Rainbow Dash the entire time. Better for both of them.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Twi and the others,” Stark said, prompting the eyes behind him to rise back up and stare at his backside. Tony slowly spun back around, meeting his fellow Avengers and staring into Strange’s powerful set of irises. “We do this together, we do it fast, and we do it clean. This invasion has to end now.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” Doctor Strange said with a strong nod, turning to his left and shouting, “Wong! Tend to the civilians while we’re away! We’ll be meeting the princesses on Equus and stopping this invasion!”

Several heads turned at that. The heads belonging to the Punisher, Daredevil, Luke Cage, Danny Rand, Colleen Wing, and Jessica Jones. While those like Misty Knight and Claire Temple had more important things to deal with at the moment, the Defenders found themselves simply standing awkwardly amongst the crowds. Frank Castle had slipped his assault rifle back into his backpack alongside his MSSR. He stood by Karen and Foggy, chatting only with Page and ignoring Nelson. Danny was too busy to focus on what the wizard and the Avengers were up. He, instead, kept all of his attention solely on Colleen and her wound. The two sat on the stairsteps, Danny gently prodding Colleen’s stomach with the bloody tissues offered to him from Wong. Luke, Matt, and Jessica stood silently, watching the Avengers converse with one another.

“Jessica…”

That voice. Jones knew it personally, forced herself to despise it ever since her mother was killed by the one behind the voice. She didn’t even give Trish Walker a moment by her side, already turning away and walking to the maze-like hallways that awaited her within the Sanctum. “No,” she flatly said, turning her back on Trish.

But Trish was determined. She caught up with Jessica, almost grabbing her friend’s arm. “Jessica, please, let me talk to you. Jessica, just for once listen to me—!”

“No, Trish, you listen to me,” Jessica snapped, wheeling back and nearly slamming her forehead against Trish’s own. Walker took a few steps back in precaution, raising her hands only slightly to see Jessica’s horrific glare sent her way. She shot her finger right beneath Trish’s chin, hissing, “I was not the one… to murder my mother. That was you. Despite everything… she could have changed. She was close… to having changed.”

Trish appeared hurt, the red in her eyes clearly evidence of that. “Jessica—”

“And you took that away!” she nearly screamed, already trying to slow her rapid breathing when numerous eyes shifted their way, including the eyes and ears of Luke Cage and Matt Murdock respectively. Refusing to make more a scene, Jessica blew her hair out of her face, shaking her head. “We’re through. I’m done, Trish. The longer I’m staying under the same roof as you, the more I’m reminded of my mother’s bloody corpse lying beneath me… and seeing you standing there with a gun. As long as that stands… then so do I. In fact…”

She turned her head left, Trish still staring at her with a wrenching heart. She slowly followed Jessica’s gaze eventually, almost gasping to see who she was calling to.

“Hey!” Jessica called out to the Avengers, Tony and his group turning accordingly to Jessica’s voice. “You heading to that alien planet over our heads?”

Unsure of how to respond to her question, the remaining Avengers and Strange remained silent. It was Spider-Man in the end who responded. “Pretty soon, yeah,” Peter answered, Tony’s head swiveling his way as if he was just betrayed.

Jessica sneered in Trish’s direction, already abandoning her side and striding forward to meet with Stark and the others. Trish watched her leave, her injured eyes only doing so much not to release the tears. “You want some backup?” Jessica asked, stopping right in front of Stark and Strange with the others staring from behind. She rested a single gloved-palm on her hip, meeting their confused expressions. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m already over this whole ‘alien invasion’ bullshit.”

It took a second or two for them to respond. And already, Jessica’s attitude went from bad to worse faster than she would have hoped.

“Is this civi serious?” Rhodes asked.

“Excuse me?” Jessica growled, the tips of her voice mixed with venom. Her glare was quickly growing, only worsening when the Iron Man himself took a step forward and stared at her like he would an insolent child. Like she didn’t know what she was doing. Like she was just another one of the helpless citizens of New York trying to do good in the world. That wasn’t her anymore.

She was just tired of the bullshit.

“Listen, ma’am,” Stark began, resting his glowing palm on her shoulder. “We just think you’ll be safer here with the others. So, why don’t you just take a seat and get some rest for the—Jesus!”

Jessica reached upwards and forcefully pried Stark’s hand off her shoulder, actually managing to bend it at an awkward angle. Even with the Mark 50, Stark nearly fell over from the woman’s surprising strength. Almost superhuman. The reactions that followed were appropriate. Peter shot out his hands, telling Jessica to wait. It was followed by several more “no’s”. War Machine shot out his palm, the end glowing a bright red to signify the threat he sent Jessica’s way, obviously telling her to let go without even saying a word. Thor, Banner, Strange, and Vision all flinched at her showing of brute force. Loki, on the other hand, slowly smiled, a hand rising to rest below his chin.

“Calm down,” Rhodes slowly stated, his palm glowing brighter. Jessica’s glare only worsened, not a single muscle in her body otherwise moving. “Let him go now.”

“Hold up, Rhodey!” Tony said, holding up his free finger with his other hand. Breathing steadily, trying not to move as much as to keep his right arm intact, Tony looked up to the black-haired woman staring pitifully at him, her ruby-red lips as flat as the floor Stark was currently trying not to fall on. “You got some impressive strength there… uh…”

“Jessica,” she stated. So flat. So plain. So tired of the bullshit. Stark could respect that.

“All right… Jessica,” Tony slowly said, trying to meet her eyes and successfully doing so. He wanted to find come common ground, probably give her what she wanted. And what she wanted was to leave the Sanctum. “Wanna come to pony land with us?”

Jessica’s frown didn’t get any better. “Pony what?”

“He’s talking about Equus,” a noticeable voice from behind Jessica stated, Jones and the others turning appropriately to the voice and finding the Devil it belonged to. With him walked Luke Cage, the two meeting by Jessica’s side and facing the Avengers before them. Murdock finished by saying, “The planet above our heads, the same planet where the alien ambassadors came from two years ago.”

“Why do you want to leave, Jessica?” Luke asked.

She finally let go of Stark’s hand, Tony caressing the metal plating carefully. She lied when she said, “Oh, you know… get some fresh air for once… and not breathe in smoke. If where we’re going is safe, without an alien invasion constantly hanging over our heads, then I’m out of here.”

“It’s safer than New York,” Strange admitted, thinking back to where Princess Celestia and Luna were situated. He watched as Jessica turned his way, allowing him to further state, “But you’ll find that the Sanctum is just what you’ll—”

“I’m going,” Jessica stated firmly, crossing her arms towards them. Looking back only a few inches to her right, she asked, “You jerkoffs coming, too?”

Luke looked to Matt, who observed Wong and several other sorcerers emerge and aid the civilians. They tended to their wounds, offered them tea, water, or whatever drink they desired. The civilians were shocked to see the sorcerers conjure such drinks in their own hands, offering the cups to their shaking palms. Alongside Claire, they seemed to be exceptional medics, tending to wounds with their dancing fingers, sealing cuts and cleaning up blood.

Whoever they were—the sorcerers and wizards, that is—they had everything under control.

“We won’t be much help here or outside. Against that army…” Murdock mumbled, Luke turning his eyes back to Matt. Daredevil shook his head, almost like he was unsure of himself at first, but eventually gave in. “We have a better chance if we stick with the Avengers, to understand how this started and how to end it. What do you think?”

What did Luke think? What did the famous Luke Cage have to say about the situation laid before them? What did Power Man himself have to say to the suffering, the alien attacks, to the complete disregard for human safety and life? He didn’t have much to say at all. He could only think of the circumstances, crossing his burly arms as he did so.

He could walk right out that door and take on as many aliens as he wanted, knowing they couldn’t hurt him, and probably save a few more lives in the process. That thought did cross his mind, but it was overshadowed by the overwhelming possibility of what would happen if he followed Tony Stark and his Avengers to Equus, to try and find a way to stop the invasion altogether. The lives he could save, all of which the law couldn’t in these desperate times. Luke Cage knew that in desperate times… there were desperate measures that needed to be taken.

He finally concluded, sighing but ultimately nodding his head. “I’m down if you are.”

“Count me in.”

Both men turned to Frank Castle approaching them from behind. His dark trench coat swayed behind him with every step he took, his heavy boots stomping across the slick, marble foyer floor. The first thing they saw was the white skull painted on his black armor, then they gazed to the genuine frown plastered on Frank’s face.

“Lost a lot of lives today,” Castle told them. He could see Stark’s uncertain eyes shift his way, but he didn’t really care. He tightened the straps on his backpack, saying, “I answered the call to arms when the towers were hit, and I’ll answer it again if it means ending this invasion.”

Matthew Murdock wouldn’t have it any other way. He had personal experience knowing that when Castle had your back, nothing touched you. Nodding at that, Murdock looked over to Stark and the others, eventually seeing the nod in return. “We might as well get Danny… and say a few goodbyes,” Matt muttered, speaking only to Cage, Jessica, and Castle. Only Cage and Castle responded to that, Jessica standing where she was and refusing to leave the Avengers’ side.

And only Stark was the Avenger to actually hear what Daredevil said. His eyes shot back, to Danny Rand sitting alone with Colleen on his left.

The remaining Defenders took the last moments on Earth that they could, returning to the crowds and the people that had made significant impacts on their lives. Friends and family. Lovers and allies. Luke offered Misty and Claire two long, drawn-out, and tearful hugs, promising he would be back soon. Murdock did the same for both Karen Page and Foggy Nelson. Karen whispered in his ear while in his arms, telling him not to make promises he couldn’t keep.

The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen had no response to that.

As Castle offered his only hug to Karen after Murdock, that just left Danny Rand. He sat by his closest friend, his only lover, Colleen Wing, and gently padded away at her bleeding wound with the tissues given to him from the sorcerer. He paid no heed to the conversations around him, his one and only focus being on her. He didn’t even come to notice the loud, metallic footsteps stopping right in front of them, followed by that voice…

“Need some help?”

They both lifted their heads and gazed at the Iron Man standing before them. Unsure at first, Danny almost appeared defensive of Colleen, lowering his guard only when he felt her hand on his own, telling him without a word to let Stark offer his aid. She nodded his way, her eyes filled with pain she tried to keep in, but ended up only showing her human side and giving in to the agony gripping her.

Danny couldn’t stand to see her that way. He slid across the stairstep, making sure to keep his fist clenched as Stark fell to his knee and held out his right hand. “All right, move your hand away,” Tony told her, watching as Colleen slowly obliged. Once she moved the bloody bandages and her own crimson-painted palm, Stark almost grimaced at the sight of her abdomen, burned skin surrounding the bleeding wound. Tightening his fist, a few nanoparticles moved away and formed the spout, firing a cool mist directly onto the burn.

Colleen hissed slightly, causing Danny to tense up. Both eased themselves eventually, seeing and feeling as Colleen slowly relaxed, the medical suture spray already doing what modern science could only dream of. Colleen smiled appreciatively towards Stark, Tony smiling back and standing back up to full height. Danny quickly slid back over and checked Wing’s wound, Colleen giving him the assurance he needed by pressing her forehead against his, whispering words of comfort to him.

It was all he could have ever asked for. Danny slowly looked back, met Tony Stark’s gaze with his own. A tiny nod later, and Rand finally said, “Thank you.”

“No sweat,” Stark said with a tiny smile. “Also, your… friends wanted you to tag along.”

“I’ll pass,” Danny said, slipping closer to his love, wrapping his arm over her shoulder. “Colleen needs me.”

“No, Danny, I’m fine,” Colleen told him, Danny already spinning her way for a retort, but falling short when she pressed her lips against his, pushing hard one last heartfelt and passionate time with Danny on Earth. The two broke away, both almost breathless. “Just… go without me, okay? Go stop this invasion. I’ll be safe here with the others.”

As Claire checked Colleen’s healing wound—sitting next to her on the stairstep—Misty remained standing, her strong and unbroken gaze meeting with Danny’s very own. “We’ll watch out for her,” Misty assured him. Danny stared at her, at them, back at Colleen… and finally nodded.

He felt Stark’s metal palm on his shoulder. “Come on, then. Us billionaires got some business models to compare.”

As he pulled Danny up to his feet and away from the women, Danny sighed, grumbling, “I’m not even running Rand Enterprises anymore.”

“It’s a joke,” Stark said, already hearing the incoming call from his earpiece. He pushed Danny forward and waved him ahead, saying, “You’ll learn to get sick of them the longer you hang around me!”

Once Danny joined the rest of his fellow Defenders alongside Strange, Parker, Loki, and the Avengers, Stark pressed his fingers to his ear, answering the call with a solid, “Hello?” A muffled but familiar voice on the other end spoke rapidly, Stark holding out his hand as if he stood right in front of him.

“No, there’s a change of plans… we won’t be able to take out the Command Center just yet,” Tony quickly explained, already flinching when he heard the shouting on the other end. “I know I promised her… I know… Well, tell her something came up. Tell her… tell her we’re gonna fix this faster… I’m not lying, Happy. Seriously.”

He stopped right by Peter, gripping his shoulder as he did so. Parker turned his way, the mask falling away and his slight confusion evident by the expression on his face. He listened without a sound leaving him as Tony stared elsewhere, continuing to mumble, “Okay… okay, that’s great to hear… Yeah, I’ll tell him… All right, keep me posted.”

His metal hand fell from his ear, Tony smiling over to Peter. A helpful smile. A comforting one. One that held plenty of good news in a time where chaos reigned and the universe was at stake. “Just got news from Happy that May is safe. He got to her in time.”

It was like the biggest breath of fresh air Peter could have inhaled. “Thanks, Mr. Stark,” he said, his own smile finally returning to him after so long. Stark really liked to see the kid smile. “Really, you have no idea how much this means to me.”

Tony was about to respond before Strange interrupted him.

“Stark! Peter!” Both turned on that, meeting Strange’s eyes and watching as he spun his hand in a circle formation, the others around him confused as to what he was doing. Well, everyone except Loki and Thor. “We’re leaving for Equus now!”

Doctor Strange backed away as the vortex erupted into several orange sparks. The portal to Equus was open at last, Jessica Jones and the three behind her slowly approaching it steadily, cautiously, ready for practically anything to happen. The four Defenders and Frank Castle entered first, then Vision and Rhodes, then Thor, Loki, and Banner, then Strange himself. As for Tony Stark and Peter Parker, they remained standing in the center of the foyer a moment longer, Peter gazing wondrously at the shimmering orange portal whereas Stark stared at the floor, his lips pursing in thought.

He breathed out, turning back to the kid on his right. “You did good out there,” Tony said, staring at Peter. That’s when he met his eyes, the young and the old sharing that simple connection but holding so much more.

Tony hadn’t thought much about it lately. In fact, the first he ever heard of the Spider-Man was on YouTube, and then carefully watching him to see what he would do next, who he would save next, how much of a hero he wanted to become. He just wanted to do good in the world. He just wanted to be what Tony Stark knew he wasn’t anymore. He showed his strengths and weaknesses in Leipzig. He proved himself last summer against the Vulture to be a hero not only to stop the bad guys… but to do what was absolutely right… no matter what.

If that wasn’t something the Avengers were defined as…

He sighed and shook his head. “Screw it,” Tony said, pressing his fingers on Peter’s shoulders simultaneously, ultimately knighting Peter. It held so much more weight, making Peter practically lose his breath when Stark actually said it.

“All right, kid. You’re an Avenger now.”

Tony Stark turned and left for the portal. And all Peter Parker could do was stand there dumbstruck, trying to comprehend the words sent to him, the new title bestowed upon him, and the responsibility that came with it. He wanted to try and comprehend it, but his smile grew so damn big and proud that that’s all he could think about.

Peter Parker.

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Now full-fledged Avenger.

Chapter 48 – Griffonstone Forever

Equus

Hyperborean Mountains

Griffonstone

7:58 a.m.

For all of Gallus’ life, he had known only the piercing pain of lonesomeness. His parents abandoned him and fled Griffonstone the moment they could, Grandpa Gruff took him in and kicked him out the second he could care for himself, and from that moment on he was on his own. Alone. No family. No friends. No griffon he could consider being close to.

All of which changed when Grandpa Gruff chose him to represent the griffons in Twilight Sparkle’s School of Friendship. For so long, Gallus dreaded every second flying to Equestria, being forced into the school, and especially having to meet all of the ponies and other creatures. But for some odd reason—a reason he still couldn’t explain to that day—he had found… a bond not with ponies… but with other creatures. Others completely separate species from him. There was a pony amongst them, yes, but the rest were so different. So unlike him.

So why did they become his best friends?

Silverstream, Yona, Sandbar, Smolder, and Ocellus. There were no other creatures he could consider being closer to, no one else he could consider being as good of friends as they were to him. No one else he could see as being his family. Ever since his little stunt he pulled in ruining the Hearth’s Warming Tree last Hearth’s Warming Eve, he knew from that moment on that his friends would be with him through it all. They were the family that he never truly had, ones who would sacrifice their own happiness just so they could be together. He saw their smiling faces, the excitement each of them had when they exchanged gifts the next morning, only to be told by Head Mare Twilight that they could go home to their families after all, and live their lives as friends… closer than ever before.

He saw that. He saw his whole life flash before his eyes right before the Chitauri foot soldier slammed its rifle in the side of his head.

Griffonstone lied in ruin. Trees that held homes for every griffon were either in flames or in tatters, slowly crumbling to the ground as pillars of smoke rose into the air, joining the hundreds of Chitauri chariots that hovered over the capital city. Several Leviathans circled from above, circling over their prey that stood within the massive mountain city below. And the lone Chitauri Command Center hovered high above it all, the clouds and swarming snowstorm nearly blocking it from the griffons’ sight.

As for within the city, Chitauri filled the streets alongside the scrambling and screaming griffons. The ones that tried to flee the city were instantly gunned right out of the air, a new body flying off and falling every minute or so. The resistance, the Griffon Army itself, were bested in just a day’s time. Soldiers were forced into the lines just like every other griffon, commanders and medics slaughtered on sight to prevent any form of recovery or strategy.

As for the civilians…

The Chitauri made it absolutely clear where they wanted them to stand…

Half of all griffons in the city on one side… the other half on the other.

The road ahead was empty. Completely bare save for one Chitauri Elite standing tall and heavily armored, a long blade in its right hand, its blue visor observing the culling of Griffonstone’s population. To its right, the Elite could see those who would be spared, the griffons who would experience years and years of plentiful food, supplies, and salvation. The ones who were randomly chosen to be saved. Gilda and Greta stood on that side, forced back into the crowds with the Chitauri blocking them in the front and the back, guns trained on them. Then to the Elite’s left… stood the hundreds who would give their lives in the balancing of the universe. The universal scales, the balance that their master, the Great Titan himself, saw fit would only remain in that important state if there were those willing—or unwilling—to give their lives for it. Hundreds remained on the left side, screeching and screaming as the Chitauri forced them back to remain in line. Hundreds stared fearfully at the Chitauri pointing their weapons at them.

As did Gabby. As did Gallus.

He, like many others, realized they would never lie down and take death when there was something they could have done. So, with the Chitauri in front of him turning its head and rifle to the side, growling an alien language at a pack of griffons to remain in line, that’s when Gallus took his chance. Despite everything Grandpa Gruff behind him yelled, Gallus still chose to fight. Still decided to fight an impossible battle, because that’s who he was. He knew what it meant to fight every single day.

Against aliens, however…

The Chitauri lifted its rifle, blocking Gallus’ attempt at fighting back and knocking him away. It made its statement even more clear by slamming the butt of its rifle into the side of Gallus’ head. The griffon fell to the dirt, yelping in pain as he did so. When he opened his eyes, the sounds of the fear and panic were slow to come back, yet the blur in his vision took even longer for him to see clearly. Reaching upward, Gallus felt around where the alien had struck him, touching something cool and bringing it forward for investigation. A dark crimson painted his talons. Gallus tightened his beak at that sight.

Another sound prompted his attention forward, the sound of a Chitauri rifle charging up. Gallus lifted his head to see the same alien that hit him point its rifle his way, the end glowing a bright blue. It fired. Not at Gallus, who flinched and closed his eyes, anticipating the blast to finish him. A painful, final screech came from behind him, a body landing just mere feet in front of Gallus. Finally opening his eyes, Gallus gasped and saw who it was.

“Grandpa Gruff!” he screamed.

Several other griffons did as well, all of which were silenced when the Chitauri threatened them with their far-superior weaponry, forcing them back in line. Gilda and Greta screamed at that, staring with disbelief in their eyes at the fallen griffon lying in the road. They tried to push through, but the Chitauri pushed them back even harder, already growing more and more impatient. Some looked to the Elite for the order, knowing the griffons wouldn’t stay still for much longer. The lone Chitauri Elite saw the disruption unfold down the road, growling and screeching out the order.

The Chitauri all lined up.

The ones on the left side all raised their rifles towards the griffons.

The left side of the road began to panic even further. The right side watched on in horror, seemingly frozen in shock for what was soon to befall their species.

And Gallus could do nothing but crawl forward, his bloody talons pulling Grandpa Gruff’s body to him. Shaking him, almost desperate at that point, Gallus called out again and again to Gruff, to the only other griffon who had once shown him a shred of kindness in the past. Yet there was nothing. Grandpa Gruff’s eyes stared straight upwards, to the alien mothership hanging over their city. His beak was slightly parted, blood splotches upon his chest and abdomen. There was no response for Gallus.

Nothing at all.

Gallus sat with his dubious expression latched only onto Gruff’s cooling corpse, nearly missing the Chitauri lined up in front of them raise their rifles. He didn’t even pay attention to the Chitauri that killed Gruff aim its rifle right at him once more. The Elite at the end of the road held its sword high into the air. The griffons screamed even more. Gallus pressed his bloody claw onto Grandpa Gruff’s chest, slowly closing his eyes.

The snow fell around them, filled Griffonstone with a blank whiteness, freezing to the touch. The Chitauri Elite kept its sword in the air, turning from its right… over to its left. And it very nearly brought that sword down. It nearly gave the order to cleanse Griffonstone. The Chitauri nearly won.

The Elite flinched forward, its chest exploding and torrents of dark blue liquid pouring out of its mouth. It let out one last painful growl, a low gurgle leaving its throat. All the Chitauri in the road slowly turned their heads back to the Elite, barely lowering their rifles when they saw it…

When they saw the harpoon impaled right through the Elite’s chest.

The Elite forced its head downwards, gazing down to the bloody harpoon jutting out of its chest. More pain ripped through its body as the harpoon extended its claws outwards, then suddenly pulled back with a force the Elite couldn’t hope to hold against. The Chitauri all faced completely down the road and watched as the Elite was forcefully yanked into the sky, disappearing between the snow-white clouds hovering close over Griffonstone.

The chariots flying above suddenly wheeled in the direction the harpoon had come from, some flying towards the clouds and searching. Others remained hovering just over the road, the Chitauri standing still and gripping their rifles, unsure of what to make of the situation without the Elite commanding them. As for the griffons, they remained silent, Gilda and Greta keeping their gazes plastered to the skies, searching, waiting for anything else to happen. Gallus slowly lifted his head, staring in the same direction the Elite was pulled towards. The tears in his eyes almost blinded his vision, the large gash on his forehead dripping blood to the bottom of his cheek.

It was so quiet he could’ve sworn he heard his blood drip and fall onto the snow.

It wasn’t silent forever.

It never truly was.

The whiteness of the clouds was suddenly filled with a bright orange, growing brighter and brighter until the fireballs shot out from the clouds, impacting each chariot precisely and blowing them right out of the sky. The air lit up a bright yellow and orange, griffons shielding themselves from the raining debris and the Chitauri screeching out in protest to such deliberate acts of aggression. It didn’t end there.

Gallus could’ve sworn he saw the shadow and wingspan of a dragon soar directly over the road, concealed only by the clouds. Followed by another. And another.

And so many more.

The Chitauri were at a loss of what was transpiring. Their current air support was gone, either vanished in the clouds or blown out of the sky. They had lost their commanding Elite, giving them no orders on dealing with the griffons. They scrambled about, some firing straight into the clouds, towards the shadows, ultimately hitting nothing. But something responded. Something fired back.

Innumerable spears rained from above the clouds, firing downwards so fast that the Chitauri barely had time to react. They pierced the earth in the center of the road, impaling Chitauri where they stood or even killing them on the spot. Not a single spear hit the griffons. They fell with such accuracy that the griffons could only assume the spears were thrown, and not simply be just a bizarre act of nature.

The shadows flying above indicated that. The resounding screeches that weren’t griffon by any means showed that. And the roar of the airship’s horn filling the air proved to the griffons… that help had arrived.

The airship donning the glowing blue insignia of the Storm King flew into sight.

The armies of Queen Novo, of Dragon Lord Ember, all filled the skies and broke apart the clouds.

Nothing but complete and utter chaos remained afterwards.

Queen Novo—alongside Sky Beak and Stratus Skyranger—led a particularly large Hippogriff army directly down to the city of Griffonstone. They flew below the buildings, ultimately swooping down to the road where the griffons were lined up and picking up their spears. The Chitauri that had survived the initial attack were instantly struck down once the Hippogriffs flew past them, either getting slashed at with swords or impaled with spears. Many Chitauri died from the Hippogriffs’ attack, but even more survived and responded by firing madly into the air.

Had it not been for the griffons finally finding their opening and attacking, they would have actually managed to kill a Hippogriff. Not a single Hippogriff died. The griffons made certain of that.

Gilda was the first one to attack, offering a resounding griffon outcry and leaping forward, wings outstretched as she latched herself onto the first Chitauri she could see. The alien’s back was turned to her, its attention to the sky, completely unprepared once the griffon slashed and claws at its face and eyes. Gilda shot her eyes down as the two stumbled across the road. She spotted a lone spear sticking straight out of the ground, the Chitauri quickly approaching it with its back turned, struggling to fight off the griffon. Gilda wrapped her tail around the grip of the spear, yanking it out of the ground and leaping off the Chitauri’s back. It stared straight upwards, the claw marks on its face failing to hide the shock in its eyes when Gilda tossed the spear to herself, ramming it down right into the Chitauri’s neck.

The spear tore into the earth a second time, this time Gild being on the opposite end of it, the Chitauri impaled on its sharpened point. The beast was pressed to the ground, its own lifeblood spilling out from the wound and painting the dirt beneath it. Gilda breathed heavily, her claws gripping the spear as tight as she could manage and refusing to let up. For a while, all she could hear was her own breathing. That faded once the sounds of echoing warfare filled Griffonstone once more.

And the griffons weren’t alone when it did.

Gilda looked about, her beak falling in awe to see the clouds break apart and reveal who had truly come to their aid. She almost lost her breath when she saw the army of the Dragon Lord filling the skies above Griffonstone, already locked in combat with the Chitauri Leviathans, starships, and chariots. Joining them were even more Hippogriffs than Gilda had seen earlier, surrounding the ten flying battleships commanded by General Seaspray of the Hippogriff navy. He stood at the very edge of the bow of the leading ship, commanding the queen’s ships with his curved saber in claw. The battleships engaged with the Leviathans, actually managing to kill one in a devastating explosion that followed its erupting body. Gilda’s beak fell. They actually managed to kill one of those things! The griffons—though it was painful to admit—couldn’t even dent its armor, let alone kill it.

The Hippogriffs weren’t alone.

Gilda watched as the Dragon Lord herself, Ember, shot her Bloodstone Scepter high into the snow-filled air, roaring loud and leading several massive dragons towards the battle in the skies. They engaged with Leviathans, chariots, and even directed their attention towards the Command Center high above their heads, slowly becoming more visible as the clouds continued to break away. Gilda couldn’t believe what she was seeing. It seemed like a fleeting hope brought to life right before them, a saving grace emerging at the last second to deliver that killing blow to the aliens invading their home.

Gilda suddenly felt that fighting spirit rekindle in her chest, that fire waiting to be unleashed the more she saw the aliens fall from the sky, more of them hitting the street and houses dead on impact. That fire spread through every griffon, every last one that was forced into lines, forced to face a fate of life and death. Once the Storm King’s airship flew over Gilda’s head and its shadow passed the road, that’s when the griffons struck back.

The Chitauri that had survived both the onslaught of Novo’s forces and the Hippogriffs flying past them were not so lucky once the griffons cried out and attacked. They swarmed from both sides, picking up discarded spears and alien rifles and using them to their advantage, stabbing or shooting at the Chitauri in the road. It was too much for the aliens to handle, far too many griffons swarming them to react and fight back. Gilda watched—still struck with an unending shock reverberating throughout her body and mind—as Greta and many other griffons got back into the fight, stealing weapons from the dead Chitauri and taking off into the skies, to aid in the battle. To save their home.

Gilda mentally slapped herself and did the same, ripping the spear from the Chitauri’s neck and spreading her wings. She joined every last griffon that took to the sky, engaging the chariots and starships the second they slipped through the clouds. The rest was lost in war.

Gallus wasn’t.

While mentally and physically frozen for the time being, merely sitting on his rump over Grandpa Gruff’s body, Gallus slowly began to come to when he realized that help had arrived in droves of Hippogriffs and dragons. Help had arrived. It actually came… did what the griffons once thought was impossible: work together and accomplish the unthinkable. Gallus saw as Leviathans were killed left and right, by dragons and Novo’s battleships. He saw starships and chariots burn and crumble from the sky. He watched as the Chitauri in front and around him were overcome by the griffons choosing to fight back and not lie down. Something he decided earlier and suffered the consequences that came with it.

That Chitauri that struck him was focused elsewhere, firing down the street at retreating griffons, managing to pick off a few. Gallus stared at the creature, felt the pulsating wound on his head grow even more painful the longer he kept his growing glare on the alien. The longer he stared at it, the more ferocious the fire inside of him was growing. The sight of Grandpa Gruff’s already cold corpse beneath him was all that was needed to unleash the fire.

It came out as a piercing yell, the Chitauri spinning back and pointing its rifle for the griffon. Yet it was too late. Gallus pounced and knocked the alien on its back, keeping his back paws pressed down on the rifle as his claws went to work on the creature’s head. Gallus yelled. He yelled and cried as loud and as emotional as he could when he punched the Chitauri across its head again and again. Tears blotted his vision, but he was too far gone to let that sorrow consume him. He let the emotions of rage and desperation take over, his claws gripping the alien’s head and proceeding to slam it against the rock and dirt numberless times. Again and again and again. Until crimson wasn’t the only colored painted on his claws. He screamed the entire time, his cries outweighing the sickening crack that came from between his claws.

Gallus tossed the creature’s head away from him, backing off with eyes closed tight. He breathed steadily, only hearing that and the painful cries that tried to escape him for a moment. When he opened his eyes, he was shocked to see that the Chitauri continued to move, growling softly despite Gallus putting all of his strength in seeing its end.

That end came quicker than he expected, a spiked, metal mace swinging downwards and crushing the Chitauri’s head beneath it. Gallus flinched back, both from the mace and the blood that shot out from the alien’s head. He followed that mace to its owner, his eyes widening and his beak forming the biggest smile he could manage.

“Smolder!”

The young dragon pulled back her mace and rested it on her shoulder, smiling over to the griffon before he nearly tackled her in a tight hug. “Gallus!” she exclaimed, surprised to see so much affection the griffon offered her, considering his somewhat nonchalant attitude back at the school. When she had to push him off of her, the two observed each other, chuckling at their own appearances. Gallus stared at her helmet and armor, and she at his forehead. “Got a pretty nasty hit there!”

Gallus chuckled at that, prodding his wound but not minding it much. He was still busy smiling to see one of his best friends alive and well. “What are you guys doing here?!” he asked.

“Oh, you know,” Smolder said with a slick grin, letting her mace fall to the ground so she could lean against it. “Just saving your asses.”

Countless dragons roared out into the cloudy skies, some born to be dragons, others Hippogriffs transformed into pure beasts of war. The Griffon Army—and those many griffons that flew with them into the battle consuming the skies above Griffonstone—stared in a conjoined awe as the dragons that swarmed the skies suddenly swarmed the Chitauri warship above. They were even more shocked to see Queen Novo’s naval ships suddenly turn upwards, their massive wings pushing them to the Command Center of the Chitauri army. Hundreds of dragons. Hundreds of Hippogriffs.

The griffons didn’t wait and joined in on the singular charge to the mothership.

They were instantly passed by the Storm King’s airship literally storming by them.

Tempest Shadow, Captain Celaeno and her crew, Grubber, and the Storm Creatures all aboard the main deck of the airship held onto something tight, all narrowing their eyes as the wind and snow whipped wildly past them. Flying upwards at a near vertical angle, the occupants aboard Tempest’s airship held on to literally anything that was close enough so they didn’t fall back. Tempest herself gripped onto the railing on the edge of the airship, gritting her teeth as the freezing wind pushed against her. Celaeno held onto the steering wheel of the airship, both flying and commanding it while Tempest was preparing for the final attack.

Once they managed to break through the clouds and the nearby explosions from the opposition, the airship adjusted itself into a more stable position, its occupants releasing their grips on the ship to stand straight up. Without the clouds blocking their vision, Tempest and the parrot pirates stood on the very edge of the airship, gazing onto the Chitauri Command Center a mile away.

And closing fast.

Ember and her dragons tried to make headway closer to the warship, only managing to sneak slightly more than a dozen larger dragons through the madness of swarming Chitauri chariots and Leviathans. Ember and various other teenage dragons fought in the skies, trying to keep the attention of the Chitauri on them while the adult dragons dealt with the mothership. Tempest and the others standing upon the airship could see as their plan worked, the dragons breathing fire and spreading those flames across the hull of the Command Center. The dragons flew all around the warship, managing to deal a helping of damage before being forced to retreat by the approaching Leviathans.

They were cut off short. The Command Center still flew, still supplied the Chitauri with more and more reinforcements despite the flames burning away on its exterior.

“Tempest, we need one more lightning spell to bring down that warship!” Mullet shouted, his bright red hair flapping against the frozen wind. The temperature had dropped a considerable amount with their elevation, and the fires on the warship wouldn’t last much longer because of that. The armor on the Command Center would not be weakened for much longer.

Holding onto her hat with her free claw, Captain Celaeno held the steering wheel with the other, turning slowly to the unicorn on her right. “You sure you can handle that?” Celaeno asked.

Tempest Shadow didn’t even look at her. She kept her hardened, brutal, and somewhat hesitant glare locked on the approaching Command Center. Despite what the dragons had done, it wasn’t enough to take it down. Dammit, Tempest knew it wasn’t enough, and was already dreading to know what needed to be done. She could already feel the insurmountable pain ripple across her forehead—around the base of her horn—just thinking about it.

But she ignored it. She knew she had to. “I’ll take care of it,” Tempest muttered, already slowly approaching the bow of her airship. Celaeno could hear the pain in her voice, the slight stutter to it. Tempest was strong, that much she knew. She could only wonder how strong, though.

The unicorn pressed her steel-plated hoof on the very edge, nearly at the end of the bowsprit, and paused. The near-frozen wind chilled her to the bone, but Tempest didn’t let that bother her. She could only focus on the task at hoof, at the alien warship only a hundred yards away and closing faster. The flames were quickly dying, leaving little to no room left for her to act.

Except now.

Tempest closed her eyes. She knew what was needed, an unbridled power she hadn’t reached before, stronger than her spell in the Dragon Lands. Stronger than anything she had ever attempted before that. There was no telling what it would cost, how much of her strength would be needed and taken away from the spell. Tempest threw those thoughts aside and focused only on the spell. There was no other way. The warship needed to fall… now.

With her eyes shut tight, Tempest focused all of her strengths, all of her efforts, all of her training on one particular spell, the one she used the most. The electricity already began to crackle and pop just over the head of her broken horn. Tempest grimaced as she felt a familiar wave of pain flush in her forehead, the shattered horn not helping in containing the magic that was needed for the spell, unleashing the aftereffects onto her mind and hurting her. The unicorn twisted her neck at an unnatural angle, gritting her teeth and forcing her head forward. More sparks shot off, actual streams of electricity crawling down her horn and her face. They shot outwards even further, striking the airship’s bowsprit, even the deck itself.

Tempest felt it. The darkness she saw exploded countless times into electrical discharges, the lightning building bigger and brighter, fighting to escape. Growling in agony, Tempest opened her mouth despite her best efforts and released a painful roar. Electrical torrents of energy shot out from her horn, striking the heavens, nearby clouds, and almost a Storm Guard. The creatures backed away on the deck, their worrisome eyes focused only on Tempest. Celaeno watched as well, just as worried as the guards, if not more so. Like a lightning storm had suddenly filled the heavens, the clouds brightened and dimmed with pure energy. All of which originated from her...

Until her very skull felt like it was going to split down the middle, Tempest found another darkness creeping into her vision, a darkness she didn’t want to embrace. The mission came first. Her path, her journey, her goal to redemption kept her awake, the weariness threatening to take her before she could finish the spell. As if things couldn’t grow anymore painful, tiny cracks appeared on what remained of her horn, Tempest wailing in agony, tears streaking down her face.

A shadow fell over her. The horn of the Chitauri Command Center sounded off, louder than ever before. Tempest knew where she was.

“Tempest, now!” Celaeno screamed.

She opened her eyes.

The resulting shock wave made every living thing within a hundred-yard radius completely deaf for several seconds. Storm Creatures and even the pirates were thrown back once Tempest Shadow shot her head to the sky, unleashing the spell upon the warship above them. Grubber fell back into the commander’s quarters, the door shutting closed as he rolled in. Celaeno gripped the steering wheel to hold herself steady, her hat flying off. Boyle managed to catch it with his hook, using his free claw to hold onto the deck.

When Celaeno lifted her eyes, she gasped and stared in reverence. Everyone else alongside her did the same. Tempest Shadow fired her strongest spell yet, the lightning so powerful that it lit up the sky and destroyed anything that had the misfortune to fly past Tempest’s line of sight. Chariots and starships were simply vaporized had they flown close enough, the unrelenting heat and power from the lightning strike shooting upwards and impacting the bottom of the Command Center.

The results were instantaneous. The lightning spread out like a ripple effect, consuming the entire exterior of the ship, traveling miles and miles across it surface in less than a second. Tempest kept up the fire, the occupants on the airship gazing up in a shared, awestruck stare. They all saw as the lightning caused several explosions and eruptions to cascade across the warship. Tempest held the spell for as long as she could, finally pulling back when her last bit of strength had vanished, all of it traveling with the lightning up to the ship.

And, despite all the damage she had dealt to it, the warship still flew. Large chunks and pieces of it broke off following the explosions that gripped it, but the remainder of the ship still held strong. The Command Center still unleashed its army to Griffonstone below. Tempest could feel her heart drop at the sight of it, flaming husks of debris raining down and nearly hitting her airship. The darkness returned, eating away at the edges of her vision. And she welcomed it this time.

Almost did.

The bright red tower spewing upwards made Tempest’s eyes shoot open.

Dragon Lord Ember watched from below alongside her fellow dragons fighting for their lives and the lives below them. She could see as Tempest and her allies unleashed a powerful lightning spell onto the warship, managing to deal a helpful amount of damage, but doing nothing more than that. It wasn’t enough. The Chitauri Command Center still flew, now slowly descending from the sky. More Leviathans came from it. More chariots. More starships.

No more.

Ember tightened her claws on the Bloodstone Scepter, the rock upon it shimmering a bright red, responding to Ember’s intentions. Reeling the scepter back, despite facing the countless Chitauri that charged right at her from above, Ember focused all of her focus and energy on the bloodstone. It shined so bright that all within the skies could see that red light breakout amongst the whiteness, turning accordingly to see the Dragon Lord unleash her fury.

And she did, in a resounding roar that escaped both her and the Bloodstone Scepter. The tower of fire escaping the weapon shot straight upwards, decimating the Chitauri that tried to swarm the Dragon Lord from above. The tower of red tore right through them, impacting the bottom of the Commander Center and finishing what Tempest Shadow started…

Completely destroying it.

In an explosion so profound and powerful, the warship erupted once the power of the scepter incinerated it from within. The blast lit up the sky, like Celestia’s sun so bright and loud above the city of the griffons. A resulting shock wave spread out in a massive radius throughout the sky, breaking apart storm clouds and dropping the remains of the Command Center across the sky and mountain range. The Chitauri crumbled instantly, chariots and starships simply dropping like rocks. The Leviathans gave off their final roars before dying all the same. Their bodies fell and impacted mountains, disappeared into foggy crevices, and left only the dragons, Hippogriffs, and griffons alone to conquer the skies once more.

The cheers came fast, dragons roaring in victory and the griffons screeching out all the same. Ember lowered her scepter, smiling to see her enemies fall before her. Mostly to see her allies alive and in victory. General Seaspray took off his golden helmet and stared at the bright orb of fire where the Command Center once was. All ten of Novo’s naval ships hung in the air, halting in the flight upwards and proceeding to celebrate. The Hippogriffs on their decks screeching to the skies. All ten of the battleships. They didn’t lose a single one. It was a total victory for the Hippogriffs. Seaspray cried out to his forces, his sword high in the air to exemplify their stance at the end of the battle.

High above their enemy.

The parrot pirates all cheered as one, flinging their hats in the air. Boyle handed Celaeno hers back, the captain joining her crew and flinging it in the air. The Storm Creatures held up their spears and shields, roaring towards the bright orb that once was the Chitauri’s mothership. Grubber pushed the door open, rubbing his head and groaning. He joined everyone else who was cheering, despite not knowing what they were cheering for.

As for Tempest Shadow… she couldn’t even smile. Her victory had to be celebrated from within, because she couldn’t force herself awake for much longer. She gazed longingly at the second sun in the bright white skylines, the darkness once more clouding her vision, the pain rippling through her mind. That darkness fully consumed her, Tempest passing out and falling forward, almost right off the airship.

Had it not been for Lix Spittle and Squabble catching her, she would have fallen off and become just another body in the sky.

The city of Griffonstone had experienced the worst conflict of its entire life. The griffons within it had never experienced a more terrifying type of conflict, one where the invaders were focused solely on their eradication, and not for their resources like previous attacks have shown. When the Griffon Army, the Hippogriffs, the dragons, and every appropriate leader flew back down to the city, all they could find was a city in celebration. The Chitauri that had filled the city were dead, leaving just the original populace and the reinforcements that had arrived.

Queen Novo and Dragon Lord Ember landed side by side, looking to one another and nodding. With them were Sky Beak, Skyranger, Garble, and several other Hippogriffs and dragons. The griffons—such as Gilda, Greta, and many others descended from the clouds and landed in their broken city, cheering alongside their fellow griffons. It was so odd to experience a simple form of comradery amongst them, all the griffons uniting for one specific purpose. And they stood together as well in victory. It was an alien feeling, but one no griffon seemed to mind, all of them screeching and crying into the air. Gabby and Gallus entered the celebration late, but didn’t seem to miss out on much. Smolder was right by Gallus’ side, the two smiling wide to see the aliens drop dead from the sky and the remaining species standing tall.

In victory.

That was such a powerful and comforting word Gallus could hear again and again and it would never get old.

Victory.

While the celebration continued, only minor hostilities remaining amongst the griffons, dragons, and Hippogriffs, Novo and Ember both turned their heads skywards. Novo spotted her ten naval ships descending from the clouds, a relieved smile growing across the queen’s beak. Ember smiled with relief as well once she managed to catch Tempest’s airship descending alongside the battleships. The majority of their forces had managed to make it out of the battle alive. Their allies were all present and accounted for.

Leaving just the griffons.

As if on cue, six members of the Griffon Army approached Queen Novo and Ember. They bowed their heads respectively to the higher authority, Novo and Ember giving them ease. “We cannot thank either of you, or your people, for what you’ve done here today,” one of the soldiers said, removing his helmet and revealing the black feathers on his face.

“We lost all our commanders,” a griffon soldier explained, removing his silver helmet. “But that didn’t stop us from fulfilling our duty to protect Griffonstone. Without your aid, without your leadership, we could only have expected the worst to happen. Thank you.”

They all bowed their heads once more. Several more members of the Griffon Army did the same, having the dignity to know when to accept and appreciate help when given to them. The populace of Griffonstone, however, were a different story. Numerous civilians, griffons who had taken up arms and fought back against their invaders, still stared with uncertainty—and with a bit of hostility—towards the leaders of the Hippogriffs and the dragons. Gilda, Greta, Gabby, Gallus, and Smolder all stepped closer, a few other defining griffons joining them and standing as examples amongst their griffon brothers and sister. The griffons now faced a different dilemma, knowing where to stand on the conflict laid before them.

While the griffons decided that amongst themselves, Dragon Lord Ember stared at the griffon soldiers ahead of her and Novo. She planted the butt of her scepter into the dirt, a knowing grin tugging at her lips. “An army without leaders,” Ember noted. The griffon soldiers lifted their heads, meeting Ember’s stare with curious ones of their own.

“Our orders from the rest of the Griffon Kingdom was to defend our capital city and hold this invasion back,” a soldier responded. He held out his wing to the remains of Griffonstone, saying, “With Griffonstone safe… that still leaves us with orders yet to be fulfilled.”

“What he means to say is…”

All heads shot over to the approaching griffon. Griffons to be precise, alongside Smolder standing by Gallus, both of them smirking alongside Gilda, the one who led them. With Greta and Gabby by her sides, Gilda pointed not only to herself and them, but to all of them. To all the griffons, all the dragons, and all the Hippogriffs. Addressing all of them when she said, “Whatever this is… we’re in.”

“As long as we get payback on those sons of bitches,” Greta added, several griffons sounding off in agreement. Gabby cheered alongside her fellow griffons, finally glad to see them all agree on something, even if it was the horrible aspect of fighting and warfare, something Gabby took little to no interest in. She remained silent afterwards, watching the events unfold before her.

Gallus cheered next to Smolder’s side, earning curious smiles from Novo and Ember. They looked to Smolder, who only chuckled and said, “Oh, we’ll need Gallus.” Seeing the humorous look in their eyes, Smolder crossed her arms and added, “Yeah… he’s a fighter.”

Both Novo and Ember turned back to Gallus. Despite the blood trail painted from the side of his head and falling down to his cheek, the young griffon nodded to them, a certain fire glowing in his eyes. Ember joined his resilient smirk, nodding to him. Novo did the same.

“Well, all right, kid,” Ember said, staring at Gallus and Smolder. She addressed the griffons, the dragons, and the Hippogriffs. All of them. When she held her Bloodstone Scepter into the air and shouted, “Welcome to the army that’s gonna save Equus!”

The army, now more than a thousand strong, all cheered in one, diverse, resounding roar.

Chapter 49 – I Know Somewhere

Earth

Approaching the Mountain

The Nation of Wakanda

4:08 p.m.

Phil Coulson felt the gloved-palm of Steve Rogers resting on his shoulder. Prompting his worrisome expression away from the approaching mountainside, he instead let his eyes fall into the comforting and strong embrace that Captain America was capable of. Despite ripping the star off his chest, despite having no shield in sight, despite abandoning the mantle as the Sentinel of Liberty, the true Steve Rogers—the man born to be that hero—still smiled to him.

Phil let his childlike wonder almost slip through, finding ease in Steve’s smile. Gripping the man’s shoulder tightly, Steve Rogers said, “Trust me on this.”

And for some reason Phil already knew, he did. He trusted Steve Rogers. He trusted the man to lead the Zephyr One straight into the quickly approaching mountain. With his hands pressed on the seats behind the pilots—Piper and Davis—Phil could tell they were growing uneasy the longer they kept the Zephyr flying straight ahead. On any other given occasion, they would have turned the ship away. But considering Captain America himself was telling them to fly forward, then there must have been something to it.

“Keep going,” Phil said behind them.

That, and their director told them to. With much reluctance lingering, Piper and Davis kept the Zephyr centered forward, straight ahead, right into the face of the mountain growing larger by the second. Piper looked back, spotting Steve Rogers’ strong smile holding on. She looked to Coulson, seeing that same smile, albeit still holding some forms of worry for what lied ahead.

When she faced forward, that’s when the Zephyr impacted the mountain. She flinched and closed her eyes, expecting death to come with resounding force. Other than the unusual sounds filling her ears, there was nothing. The Zephyr kept flying. Davis elbowed her to get her eyes back open, saying she definitely needed to see this.

Piper opened her eyes. Her jaw fell, a tiny squeak of a gasp escaped her, she and Davis completely awestruck on what they witnessed. Phil Coulson seemed impressed by what he saw lying within the mountain camouflage. He seemed impressed. A part of him—a part of him a long time ago—always knew there was something special about that lone, African nation.

Steve smiled, his elbow pressed against the wall of the pilot’s cabin, his palm against the glass windshield. The afternoon sunlight spilled inside, almost blinding them. But none of it could hide the capital city of the nation of Wakanda.

The occupants within the Zephyr One crowded around windows, stared with eye-boggling shock at the maps materializing in holograms in the main bridge, and just couldn’t get enough of the approaching city in the distance. Fitz and Simmons stared at the images appearing on the maps, Mack, Yo-Yo, and Deathlok right behind them. Others—and mostly every agent—surrounded the walls of the Zephyr, peeking out of windows to witness the city with their own eyes. Daisy Johnson was one of them, alongside Bobbi Morse and Lance Hunter, Deke Shaw, and Robbie Reyes. Some were awed by the scope and scale of the African city. Others—mainly Reyes—just looked bored.

Melinda May’s Quinjet flew by, Daisy staring at it for a moment before returning to the sprawling city. The closer they got, the more the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. realized that the buildings weren’t any ordinary buildings. The skyscrapers appeared more like something one would see rising in Dubai, but even more futuristic. Once they flew past the towers, the shadows fell across the Zephyr, Daisy and her fellow agents gazing at each for a prolonged period of time. They were all gaping in awe, unable to fully process the type of utopia they had entered.

Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, and Wanda Maximoff came up behind Steve Rogers and Phil Coulson. Wanda, with a slight limp to her step, met Steve’s welcoming grin with one of her own. The afternoon sunlight felt nice after being cramped up in a medical room all night and day. Natasha’s white bangs bounced and swayed to her movements, the Black Widow resting her elbow on Phil’s shoulder as the two of them smiled warmly to the oncoming Wakandan capital city. Sam rested his hands on his belt, his goggles still covering his eyes, but not hiding his smile. A safe refuge at last after all the madness they had been through was enough to cheer him up.

“Phil…”

Everyone—not just Coulson—turned to Steve when he called to him. His beard seemed to glow in the sunlight, his eyes narrowed as the light shone bright through the Zephyr’s windshield. They seemed to approach the center of the city, a massive palace awaiting them. Steve slowly turned his warming gaze away from it all… and just seemed to focus on his allies. His friends. The only people in the world he could truly call his family.

And Phil Coulson was a welcome member of it.

He said, “Welcome to Wakanda.”

The Royal Palace of Wakanda awaited patiently for the arrival of the Zephyr One. From the pilot’s cabin, Phil and Steve could see as the large landing pad rested below, the ramp leading straight ahead towards the palace and the numerous Wakandan guards standing at the ready. Between them all, three figures stood proud and ready, wearing what appeared to be proper royal attire. Phil and his agents couldn’t fairly tell. They only way they could was if they got closer.

Piper and Davis settled Zephyr One down on the landing pad, Phil watching from the pilot’s cabin as May set the Quinjet down on the landing pad to their right, where the Wakandan guards directed her to land. Once the Zephyr fully settled down and Piper and Davis killed the engines, that’s when the remaining agents and Avengers within the ship took the next steps forward, continuing onward in their journey to sanctuary.

The ramp of the Zephyr One fell down, and aside from a few agents remaining inside to tend to the Zephyr, practically everyone stepped out and approached the Royal Palace. The long bridge ahead of them led only to the large group of Dora Milaje alongside their king and princess. There were a few uncertain glances shared between the agents and the Wakandan royal guard, but those tensions didn’t last long. Steve Rogers and his Avengers led them onward, alongside Phil Coulson, Melinda May—who had just caught up with the rest of her team—Daisy Johnson, Fitz, Simmons, Deke, Mack and Yo-Yo, Morse and Hunter, Deathlok, and Robbie Reyes.

The massive group nearly walked side by side, most of the agents walking behind Steve and the Avengers. Aside from all of the shocked expressions Steve managed to catch from the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents staring upon the Golden City, there was one in particular that he found to be the most interesting. Robbie Reyes walked on Steve’s left side, by Coulson’s left, his eyes shooting across building to building, his brow heavy and continuously furrowing in thought. Calling to him, Steve saw as Robbie shot his eyes his way.

Smirking, Steve asked, “Was it a bit difficult for the ‘Spirit’ to see Wakanda?”

To his mild surprise, however, Robbie just shook his head. “Nah,” Reyes answered, facing forward once more. He held out his finger, waving it a little as he said, “But K’un-Lun… now that’s a bit tougher.”

Although mildly confused by that response, Steve chose instead to focus ahead to the approaching royalty of Wakanda standing just mere yards ahead of them. There was T’Challa, the Black Panther himself, standing in the center between the Dora Milaje. He wore a black and purple royal attire and a short black beard on his cheeks and chin. He smiled warmly to Steve and his allies, managing to ease Phil and the agents’ tensions. On T’Challa’s right stood Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje. She stood with her vibranium spear planted in the ground alongside the other elite, warrior women. She held a distrustful look in her eyes, staring only at Phil Coulson during their approach. On T’Challa’s left stood his beloved Nakia, the young woman wearing a golden dress with numerous bracelets decorating her forearms. She smiled to the group, to everyone standing alongside Steve Rogers. Phil found more comfort in her stare than he did with Okoye and the Dora Milaje.

Then there was the princess standing on Nakia’s left. The Princess of Wakanda, Shuri, smiled big and bright to the approaching group led by Steve Rogers and his fellow Avengers. Her hair was stylized into two individual buns, her orange outfit nearly as bright and welcoming as her grin. Once they were close enough for Shuri’s standards, she broke the barrier between them and ran ahead.

“Hello again, Captain!” Shuri exclaimed, running forward and practically tackling Steve with a hug. Rogers chuckled at that, returning the hug just as strong as her. Natasha, Sam, and Wanda smiled slightly at that, Phil and his agents standing awkwardly once Steve stopped in his tracks. They could only watch as the distance between the Wakandan royalty and themselves broke apart, King T’Challa and his guards slowly approaching them.

“It’s nice to see you again, Shuri,” Steve said, patting her back. She held on longer, but the forced coughs from her older brother behind her prompted her to break it. Smiling to both her and her brother, something seemed to click the moment he met Shuri’s eyes. Using that thought, he asked, “How’s… uh… Buck doin’?”

To his relief, he saw her nod, that same warm smile gracing her lips. “He has recovered fully.”

Steve still held his, nodding to that statement. “Thank you,” he told her.

As Shuri backed away to stand by Nakia’s side, so then did approach the King of Wakanda. Steve met his eyes the second he stepped forward, already shooting out his gloved-palm to meet T’Challa’s hand. “T’Challa,” Steve said, gripping his hand and shaking it firmly. “Looks like I’m always thanking you for something.”

The Black Panther smiled mysteriously, gripping the super soldier’s hand with his own. “No worries, Captain, anything for a friend,” he told him. Once the two broke away, he then turned his attention to the remaining Avengers, nodding to them, then finally resting his ever-watching eyes on the ones who he didn’t recognize. “And these must be your other friends you mentioned.”

“Yeah,” Steve said, stepping aside to allow Phil and the others the spotlight. “Phil Coulson and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”

T’Challa observed them. They were certainly a… unique bunch. Most of them still seemed quite impressed with Wakanda’s technology to give the king their full attention. Others, like Phil Coulson, Melinda May, Daisy Johnson, Robbie Reyes, and a couple others focused only on the royalty. It was their leader, the one called “Phil Coulson”, who stepped forward and offered the king his hand.

“Your Majesty,” Phil said after properly shaking T’Challa’s hand, bowing his head as he did so. “Thank you for your kindness in offering us sanctuary.”

“Oh, we don’t do that here.”

Breaking his hand away, rising and meeting T’Challa’s eyes, Phil furrowed his brow. “What?” he asked. “Sanctuary? Kindness?”

“No, the… bowing,” T’Challa responded, chuckling a tad alongside Shuri and Nakia. Okoye still kept her stone-faced expression hard on the agents, the rest of the Dora Milaje following her. “You don’t need to do that. We can offer the others if you like.”

Phil instead smiled to that. “That would be greatly appreciated.”

“Considering S.H.I.E.L.D.,” Nakia said, heads swiveling her way, “we were a tad hesitant to let you into our nation. If you hadn’t known, S.H.I.E.L.D. had been trying to understand the secrets of Wakanda for many years.”

That was no secret to Phil Coulson. For as long as he could remember, Nick Fury was always so obsessed with understanding Wakanda, mostly their rich source of vibranium and what they intended to do with that much power. But unlike Fury, Coulson wasn’t so obsessed. He simply smiled to Nakia, the sun in his eyes making him squint. “I know, but you won’t have to worry about a thing. Wakanda’s secret is safe with us,” he told her. Told them.

T’Challa sighed, looking elsewhere for a moment. Memories of the outreach mission, of revealing to the world what Wakanda truly was still lingered on. Still, for some reason, haunted him. “We shall see.”

Upon that, the remainder of the Avengers alongside the agents stepped forward and introduced themselves with T’Challa, Shuri, and Nakia. Not much was accomplished when Okoye and her Dora Milaje grew even more tense with how many people started crowding around her king. That tension quickly died when T’Challa focused back to her, holding out his hand to reassure her.

“Calm yourself, Okoye,” he said with a smile, eyes lingering to the spears they all seemed to wish to point at the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. T’Challa shook his head, offering his hand over to said agents. “They are friends.”

She turned back to T’Challa, and practically repeating him, spoke in a malice and distrustful tone. “We shall see.”

Following that, T’Challa returned to the Avengers and agents, smiling to them all. He shook Natasha Romanoff’s hand, the bad blood between them almost instantly washing clean when their smiles met one another. He shook Sam Wilson and Wanda Maximoff’s hand, then moved on to the others. To Daisy Johnson, Leopold Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Melinda May, Robbie Reyes, and many, many more.

After introducing themselves to the King of Wakanda, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were still awestruck on the flying trains zooming about the skies, followed by the futuristic ships seeming almost alien. They turned those observations and question to Shuri, who was more than welcome to answer them all. She especially found interest in the ones called Fitz and Simmons, their curiosity of Wakandan technology stronger than anyone else’s she had ever seen. Daisy and May stood with Coulson, gazing to the city with awe-stricken smiles alongside their director. Peterson, Morse, Hunter, Mack, Yo-Yo, Deke, and many others felt almost exactly the same. And, like the agents, the Avengers were nearly the same.

Minus Steve Rogers, who had seen almost all of it before.

Almost.

“I hope you do not plan to simply stay here for a visit, Captain,” T’Challa asked.

Intending to do something similar to that, Steve almost frowned his way. “Why is that?”

He noticed the sudden shift in T’Challa’s expression. From what once held a welcoming brightness and positivity was replaced with a grim coolness, unease resting in his irises and refusing to leave. Even his voice dropped to near-freezing temperatures. Especially when he said, “We have a problem.”

Royal Palace of Wakanda, War Room

4:16 p.m.

King T’Challa led them all throughout the Royal Palace, eventually finding sanctuary within the towering walls of the War Room. Stepping past the two Dora Milaje with a Wakandan salute, T’Challa stepped first through the sliding doors alongside his little sister Shuri and love Nakia by his sides. Okoye and Ayo were the first behind him, each step of their path met with the vibranium spears impacting the marble floor.

Following right after were Steve Rogers and Phil Coulson, the respective leaders of both the Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D. Behind them, cluttered together but moving as one, large unit were Daisy Johnson, Natasha Romanoff, Melinda May, Sam Wilson, Leo Fitz, Wanda Maximoff, Jemma Simmons, Deke Shaw, Mack, Elena Rodriguez, Bobbi Morse, Lance Hunter, Michael Peterson, Robbie Reyes, and many other faceless agents.

They were led to a room with towering windows lining the wall to the right of the room, dipping, afternoon sunlight spilling inside and giving the War Room a cozy, orange glow. Several Wakandan higher authority were scattered about, many leaders from many different tribes speaking to one another of the current events and threats soon to befall their glorious nation. M’Baku, the leader of the Jabari Tribe, was present, speaking privately with the Queen. Lying in the center of the War Room, where most of the tribal leaders surrounded, laid the great war map of Wakanda, showcasing the entire nation in an easily accessible bird’s-eye view. There was a constant flow of new and old information hovering over the map, equipped alongside with live video footage of the borders of Wakanda…

Where the alien warships hung dangerously over… and were slowly approaching.

Once the doors slid to a close, all heads in the room swiveled over to their rightful king… and his many, many guests. M’Baku broke away from the Queen, reeling his nose back to see so many outsiders in their nation, within the Royal Palace no less. As for the Queen Mother of Wakanda, Ramonda, she gave off a hearty sigh of relief, traveling over and wrapping her arms around her son and daughter.

“Mama… you do not need to worry much longer,” T’Challa whispered, rubbing his mother’s back for comfort, mostly for her. When she backed away, T’Challa gripped her shoulder, saying, “We may have found the answer to our problems.”

“Is that so?” Ramonda asked, eyeing the large group behind her son. She sent an uncertain glance to the agents, a somewhat hesitant one on the Avengers, then settled on the Captain himself. Exhaling a great gust of relief, Ramonda approached him, saying, “Captain…”

“Your Majesty,” Steve said, offering his hand, to which the Queen Mother replied by grasping it with both of her palms. Once she released him, Steve settled his hands to rest on his belt. “Tell us what’s happened here.”

Queen Mother Ramonda beckoned everyone—not just Steve Rogers—forward deeper into the War Room. Through the glass windows, Daisy Johnson and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. could see the bustling Golden City of Wakanda alive and well, unbeknownst to the chaos unfolding within the War Room. They were met with more tense stares from the likes of M’Baku, the large tribal leader backing aside as Daisy and Coulson slipped by him. They were all stopped only when Ramonda centered their attention to the war map, letting them find their place around it.

The Queen Mother waved her hands over the hologram, the large group of agents and Avengers surrounding it and watching her work. They saw as the map of Wakanda zoomed outwards, showcasing all of Africa, even the entire Earth in one large, shimmering blue hologram. “As you can plainly see from this map, the alien armies invading Earth have halted for the time being,” T’Challa explained, pointing to the Earth and showing where the images of the alien ships began retreating from the cities.

“Instead,” Ramonda picked up for him, “many of these alien ships loom ever so closer to Wakanda, just inside our borders, and drawing nearer to our capital city every day.”

“It is like they know the Golden City is there,” Nakia added, earning several huffs from nearby tribal leaders, a few grim nods to go with that.

“We fear once they attack our city, then the invasion will resume on Earth,” T’Challa said, rubbing his beard. He focused solely on the blue image of an alien Command Center, his eyes hard as vibranium rock. “These… aliens… they are smart. They will attack the most powerful nation in the world with their strongest forces, hoping to cripple us, and deliver the final blow to our world.”

“We will see to it…” M’Baku growled, Phil, Reyes, and several others turning his way. He gripped his club even tighter, huffing loudly, “… that they fail.” Many more resounding huffs followed the leader of the Jabari Tribe, soft chants that didn’t grow any louder than that.

Phil watched the comradery amongst the Jabari Tribe continue on for several moments, his eyes finally returning back to the map of Earth hovering in front of him. He seemed to notice a notice a large selection of Chitauri Command Centers zeroing in on the lone nation of Wakanda, practically circling it. A constant flow of information zoomed across the globe, but Phil ignored that due to language barrier, focusing only on the African nation.

“How did they find your city?” Phil asked.

T’Challa, Shuri, Ramonda, Nakia, and Okoye shifted their attention over to the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. The remaining members of the Dora Milaje stood stagnant, standing behind the rulers of Wakanda with their spears in hand. Steve Rogers and his Avengers looked over to Phil Coulson. The remaining agents, even those who stood by his side, looked to Coulson, as well. He didn’t mind all the attention. It was practically the norm for him. He pointed to the Earth. To Wakanda.

“If it’s cloaked in a camouflage looking like a mountain, how else would the Chitauri know where to look? I mean… S.H.I.E.L.D. may have been snooping on Wakanda’s secrets over the years, but we never came close to finding anything like… this.”

He addressed his surroundings, to the advanced technological achievements made by the Wakandan people and their nearly limitless supply of vibranium. When he dropped his hands to his sides, that’s when he looked back to the rulers of the nation. And he saw something… but it was hidden. Through willpower, through whatever they tried to bring up to shield the truth, that’s what they held. T’Challa raised a hand to cover his mouth, his eyes to the floor. Ramonda’s palms intertwined with one another, her lips pursed. Nakia and Shuri did the same. Okoye just glared at Phil. The Dora Milaje all did.

“You all know…” May said, keeping her arms crossed, “… don’t you?”

“You will speak to the royalty of Wakanda with respect,” Okoye snarled, quickly breaking whatever silence filled the Wakandan royalty. “Do not forget you are guests here… who can easily become enemies.”

“Easy, Okoye,” T’Challa said to her in their native tongue, holding his hand out to the leader of the Dora Milaje. Lowering his hand, T’Challa looked over to Phil Coulson and Melinda May. He nodded only once. “And yes… we do. Shuri.”

His little sister instantly went to work, her hands bringing the Earth in closer and zooming in on Wakanda once more. She brought up several pieces of video surveillance, either live or filmed in the past. She waved them aside in linear formation, pausing on a specific video too dark to see. “This footage was captured a couple weeks prior,” Shuri explained, tapping twice on the black box and expanding it for all to see. “It shows from our Border Tribe that they have captured sight of a strange creature seeming to… retreat from the border.”

She let the rest speak for itself, playing the shaky footage for all to see. Steve Rogers, hands still on his belt, stared with narrowed eyes. Natasha was by his side, her lips slightly parted as she struggled to make what strange creature Shuri spoke of. Phil and his fellow agents did the same, some tilting their heads, Robbie Reyes glaring every second. The only sound in the War Room came from the video, voices crying out to capture the retreating creature. It was practically night in the footage, very few lights offering any detail.

Then, they saw it. They tried to. It was so fast, the shaking footage barely offering anything. But they still caught it. Dipping between the trees as it ran across the partially-lit road, the alien ran on all fours. Or should they say… all sixes. It—whatever the hell it was—had an extra pair of arms, running across the road like a dog would. And then it vanished out of sight.

Not in the bushes.

Not in the trees.

In the road. Just… vanished into thin air.

As the video ended, Shuri spoke and explained, “The most unusual of this footage… is that the creature seemed to vanish before they could catch it.”

She froze the footage on the clearest picture of the creature, the clearest they could manage. The Avengers took a step forward. The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. did the same. T’Challa stared with his hand still resting beneath his chin, stroking it in thought. Both Steve and Phil had seen their fair share of aliens in the past, as well as creatures that Earth housed. Whatever was in the footage… wasn’t any kind of animal from Earth. It was simply the strangest alien either had seen. It was even stranger to see the alien vanish like a cloaking mechanism. That meant it could go unseen. That meant it could have been in Wakanda for days, maybe even weeks, and no one would have known.

They just didn’t know. None of them did.

“We believe this to be an alien scouting the perimeter… running away once it was caught,” Shuri explained, eyeing the alien with growing unease, with a pinch of interest to add to it. “But… it didn’t seem to just be scouting. It seemed to be… searching for something.”

“How far did it get?” Steve asked.

“No clear idea,” T’Challa answered. “With its vanishing abilities, it could have been under our noses for Bast knows how long.”

As Shuri waved the video footage away and brought back the map of Wakanda, Phil was busy pacing across the war map. He brushed past Steve and Natasha, both Avengers staring at his backside curiously. Finally pausing next to Fitz and Simmons, Phil placed his palm on the war map. He sighed. “Other than vibranium and your superior weapons in military… what would the Chitauri want with Wakanda that would require scouting parties to be searching for something?”

He looked to his left, noticing the stares that T’Challa, Shuri, Nakia, Ramonda, and Okoye sent his way. No glares from the Dora Milaje. They, like him, appeared just as lost.

“The aliens that attacked me…”

Everyone turned towards the Scarlet Witch. Standing right by Daisy Johnson’s side, Wanda looked up, an unknown pain in her eyes as she said, “They wanted Vision. They wanted the Mind Stone that was bound to his forehead. They destroyed all of Edinburgh… just to find it.”

“The Mind Stone?” Fitz asked. Wanda turned his way, knowing him as the one who healed her wounds. A familiar and welcome face. Fitz waved his hand in front of him in small, circular motions. “I’m sorry, c-could you elaborate?”

“Your Highnesses…”

All silence fell in the room. Nothing came from M’Baku. Nothing came from the other tribal leaders. Nothing from the royalty or the agents or the remaining Avengers. Just Steve Rogers. He had the spotlight now, turning his eyes over to T’Challa, his sister, his mother, his lover, and his guards. His eyes held a certain wisdom, if not a piece of grief still lingering and refusing to let go. Something he wanted to but couldn’t, knowing its knowledge and keeping it for future use. Now was that use. Now was the time. When he spoke, his voice was devoid of any form of ease. The dark, near-frozen seriousness of his tone almost sent shivers down Shuri’s spine. It sent shivers across Ramonda’s skin.

“Would any of you ever happened to have heard of… an Infinity Stone?”

All eyes suddenly shifted to the royalty, some not even knowing what Steve was referring to, and others who knew plenty of what he meant, dreading it all the same to hear the response. For a while, there was none. T’Challa looked to Ramonda, his mother back to him, both knowing not—even deep down—what he meant. Nakia looked to Okoye, the woman just as confused as her.

“No,” T’Challa responded.

“I have not,” Ramonda added.

Shuri was silent.

Steve didn’t catch it, slowly nodding and looking aside. He started off at a slow walk, back to T’Challa. “There are six Infinity Stones in existence,” Steve began, pacing around the war map with his hands on his belt. “My friend, Thor, told me all he could about them. Space, Power, Reality, Time, Mind, and Soul. They were birthed during the creation of the universe, scattered about throughout the cosmos. Our friend… the Vision… was gifted with the Mind Stone during his creation three years ago. With it, he was granted unnatural strength and abilities… none of which Earth had ever seen.”

Steve paused, his eyes gazing out the large window to the sprawling and spiraling city below. He looked beyond that, to the borders of Wakanda. He stared for so long, almost trying to see how close the Chitauri were. “These aliens, the ones who attacked Wanda, wanted the Mind Stone for a reason. They said that their father was going to rip apart our world… presumably for the same reason they were hunting the Stone.”

“We think, that is,” Natasha added.

“So why…” Steve said, spinning back around and approaching the war map once again, “… would a worldwide invasion be put on hold and their focus diverted to Wakanda… unless they were trying to find something very, very important?”

He laid his cards on the table. All of it. Leaving nothing. Once more, heads shot over to the royalty. A few mumbles shared between the King of Wakanda and the Queen Mother, between T’Challa and Nakia, and finally returning to his mother. Shuri remained quiet through it all, shifting her uneasy glances back to her brother, her eyes diverting back to the map again and again. Not just on the city… but on Mount Bashenga.

T’Challa and Ramonda nodded to one another, turning back to Steve Rogers. T’Challa said, “Captain, we swear to you we do not know of any ‘Infinity Stones’ of which you speak so dangerously of. The reasoning for which these aliens have focused on our nation is clearly for our superior military strength and weaponry, mainly our supply of vibranium—”

“Actually…”

The silence in the room was deafening when someone had interrupted King T’Challa, that someone being none other than the Princess of Wakanda herself. Shuri looked about nervously to the many eyes diverted her way, breathing steadily, almost silently to those who turned to her. Steve Rogers’ jaw fell barely. Phil Coulson took a step her way, his brow furrowing to the young princess. Many others shared their expressions. Especially her mother. Especially T’Challa.

Slowly raising her hand, Shuri tapped away on the map, zooming onto Mount Bashenga, the area that held the Great Mound directly beneath it. She looked back to them, a sparkle of hidden knowledge flashing in her eyes. “I might have something.”

Chapter 50 – Of Ponies and A-Holes

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Castle

8:49 a.m.

“My friend Wong and I traveled to Equus earlier yesterday… to get some much needed answers for ourselves, like why there’s a… damn planet above the atmosphere. Guess they wanted to know, too,” Doctor Strange explained, almost leading the entire group of Avengers, Defenders, Asgardians, and one lone Punisher through the halls of Canterlot Castle.

He was joined, practically walking side by side with the Iron Man himself. Tony Stark moved swiftly and loudly through the halls, the Mark 50’s metallic footsteps echoing across the marble floors and walls. His Arc Reactor burned a bright blue, it being the only light save for the morning sunlight spilling in through the stained glass windows. He surely wasn’t alone.

Joining Tony Stark—in no particular order—were James Rhodes, the Vision, Peter Parker, Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, Luke Cage, Frank Castle, Thor, Loki, and Bruce Banner. Some, like the New Yorkers consisting of Parker, the Defenders, and Castle, were busy analyzing their surroundings, still quite surprised to be walking within a castle on an alien world. Peter Parker was new to the whole superhero business, so it was obvious that he was feeling a bit uneven at the moment, still not fully grasping the thought of actually standing upon an entirely other world. First time for every hero, Peter supposed.

As for the others, as for Castle and Murdock and Rand and Jones and Cage… some of them just couldn’t believe their day. A little more than two hours ago, Jessica was waking up to a hangover and Luke’s face standing over her, and now there she was, traversing the towering, colorful walls of an alien castle, soon to meet the rulers of said alien world as an extraterrestrial invasion ripped apart both of their worlds. Jessica sighed and closed her eyes, the headache still ripe. It was at times like so where she wished for the simpler times where all she had to deal with was just ninjas. Danny and Luke felt very similar to her, the two of them walking side by side, gazing up to the towering ceilings surrounding them, staring at the stained glass windows and the stories each seemed to tell. Almost all of them showed majestic horses of some kind, some with wings, some with horns, some with both. Matthew remained silent, trudging through the halls alongside his team, Frank by his side and neither wishing to look anywhere but straight ahead, to reach their destination and end the invasion.

They hoped, anyway.

Doctor Strange continued to speak, the Cloak of Levitation swaying behind him with every word that slipped out of his mouth. “When we got back to the Sanctum, that’s when we ran into Thor, his brother, Bruce, and the others.”

“Others?” Stark asked, turning to Strange on his left.

Meeting his eyes, they held a certain mystery to them, something Stark couldn’t seem to pinpoint. Another reason to add to the many Tony didn’t really like about Stephen Strange. “You’ll see for yourself,” Strange told him, facing ahead.

Murdock listened carefully to their conversation, listened to Strange’s heart for any signs of deceit. When he could find none, he focused instead on the heavy palm slapping his back, almost making Matt lose his breath. The pain that rippled through, however, left aftereffects. Turning back only slightly, Matt met the eye of the God of Thunder himself.

Thor smiled wide, hand now rising to rest on Matt’s shoulder. He said, “You remind me of the Draugr I’ve slaughtered in Muspelheim, my friend.”

Danny, Luke, and Jessica all turned to Thor at that statement, all furrowing their brows at that and then turning to Murdock to see his response. All he could really do was weakly smile and say, “I… appreciate that.”

Thor slapped his shoulder, Matthew almost crumbling to the floor. “Well, you look stronger than Draugr, that’s for certain. You will make a fine warrior against Thanos,” Odinson exclaimed, pushing past Matt and Danny to walk alongside Peter Parker, asking for the Spider-Man’s name.

“Walking with Avengers… with gods… with wizards… it’s weird,” Jessica whispered to Luke.

“It’s unbelievable,” Luke responded, Jessica staring up at him. “I mean, we’re on an alien world, Jessica. Still having trouble wrapping my head around that.”

“God, I miss Jack Daniel’s,” she groaned. The splitting headache she felt said otherwise, but she ignored it. “Would really help right about now.”

“Heads up,” Danny said, pointing forward. The others by his sides all leaned in, trying to pinpoint what he was talking about. Danny dropped his hand, his eyes slowly widening. “We got… horses.”

“Ponies,” Matt corrected him. Castle grunted in response to that.

Jessica saw them. She shook her head, still not believing it. “Oh, you gotta be shitting me.”

Tony Stark stopped dead in his tracks. Everyone else with him did the same, almost in unison. In his expression, in his eyes even, there was a foreboding and somewhat haunted look. With it was mixed with raw, emotional distress slowly rising higher and higher the longer he stared. Strange remained silent, staying where he was and allowing Stark to take the necessary steps forward. And he did.

Right towards them.

Just outside the throne room doors stood Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Starlight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Spike. A fiery-maned unicorn stood alongside them, somepony completely new to Stark and his Avengers. The Defenders were still awestruck, everyone minus Murdock gazing at the alien ponies with complete bewilderment. Jessica’s shock was quickly shifting to her signature frown, Castle already way ahead of her.

And on the opposite side—across the floor that might as well have been a hundred miles between them—Twilight and her closest friends all slowly spun their heads around, jaws falling and eyes popping up to see them. Some seeing them again… some seeing brand new faces for the first time. All of them caught in a single state of awe. Almost all of them instantly filled with the overwhelming weight of emotion falling once they saw Tony Stark take the first few steps forward. One of those ponies, especially, was Twilight Sparkle. Another one was Rainbow Dash, the Pegasus staring at him for only a moment before refusing to look any longer, taking the backseat in the group for the first time in forever.

The Princess of Friendship was the first among them to take the first steps. Apprehensive at best, but powerful nonetheless.

“Tony…” Twilight said, her voice a deathly-quiet whisper. They still heard her. He still heard her.

And Tony met her eyes, met the emotion and burned with her. “Twilight…”

They approached one another, the two sides of two different worlds standing face to face. They stopped, and all was silent. As if the war outside their walls didn’t even exist any longer, that was the state they were trapped in. Tony stared into her eyes, Twilight into his. They saw each other. They knew each other. In a heartfelt show of affection, Tony fell to his knee the same moment Twilight leapt forward into his arms. The two were nearly breathless, Twilight standing on her hind legs and Stark on one knee. As if nothing else in the world mattered to them, just knowing each other were safe, finally willing to put the past away and just… happy to see one another again. Tony heard the sniffle, felt Twilight shiver against him as she cried, tears slipping down her cheeks and hitting his shoulder blades, the tears falling easily down the smooth texture of the Mark 50.

“Glad you all are safe,” Tony said to her, his voice traveling to each mare and dragon. He held the back of her head, listened to her stuttering cries as she gripped his neck with all the strength she could muster. It didn’t hurt in the slightest. It was so warm Stark nearly felt teary-eyed himself, but closed his eyes to stop the burning sensation from worsening.

Twilight broke off, meeting Stark’s eyes and smiling wide. Sniffling hard, the Alicorn rubbed her nose with a foreleg, tears burning on the edges of her eyes. She kept her smile strong, even as she said, “We can happily say the same.”

They hugged once more. With her chin resting on his metal shoulder, the Princess of Friendship spotted the rest of the Avengers, even Peter Parker, standing with awkward expressions and stances. Twilight smiled to them, almost chuckling when she said, “Well don’t just stand there, say hi once in your lives.”

Stark actually chuckled at that, smiling to hear Twilight mimicking what he said so long ago. Mirroring him just as she always had. It was only two years, but it felt like a lifetime since he had said those very words to the very ponies and dragon standing ahead of him. It felt like forever since he had seen their faces, their smiles, and their joyous outlook on life. It made his own life feel all the more depressing the more he thought about it. He didn’t think anymore and instead enjoyed the hug Twilight prolonged. Not like he kept it going by any means.

While the two stayed in their embrace, the remainder of the two sides finally clashed. Fluttershy and Rainbow met with James Rhodes, offering hugs and asking about his legs, to which he explained to them that he was fine. The suit offered him plenty of mobility. Applejack and Starlight shook Vision and Banner’s hands respectively and offered their greetings, Applejack glad to see Bruce again. The feeling was mutual for Banner. The two mares then turned to Thor and Loki, the Odinson brothers smiling down to them. More so Thor, as Loki tried to keep a safe six-foot distance between any pony that came near him. He watched from the sidelines, watched the numerous displays of affection between the ponies and so few of the Avengers with a distant look on his face.

Spike and Sunset confronted Peter Parker, the Spider-Man glad that someone—in this case, a dragon and a unicorn he had never seen before—was willing to meet his handshake. It felt nice after being rejected by Jessica and Strange. Pinkie Pie hopped forward and smiled up brightly to Frank Castle. The Punisher offered her a short glare before facing away. She remained in the corner of his vision, Frank keeping all of his willpower focused on not turning her way. When he wouldn’t budge, Pinkie just shrugged and turned to the other four. To the Defenders.

“Hi!”

None of them made a sound, still somewhat bewildered by the presence of talking, alien ponies surrounding them. They still could hardly believe everything that’s happened to them since they woke up that morning. The ponies were easily the sugar-filled icing on the “What the hell?” cake they’ve had that day. Especially Jessica, who stared at Pinkie with the most abrasive and incredulous look she could muster.

When none of them seemed to find the words to acknowledge her, Pinkie pouted, then sprang back to life when she saw the familiar devil mask and costume. “Hi, Daredevil!” she said with a quick wave of her foreleg.

Danny Rand, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones all slowly turned to Matt accordingly, in unison, all sharing the same dumbfounded expression. Matt forced a smile, already seeing the expression on their burning faces. He lifted his palm to Pinkie, then instantly dropped it. “How’s it going?” he simply asked.

“Goooood!” Pinkie said with a bright smile, hopping up and down. “Who are your friends?”

Pointing to each of them, Murdock said, “Danny, Luke, and Jessica.”

Landing back on the floor, Pinkie put on an even brighter smile—if that was even possible—and shot out her hoof to them, to Rand first of all, to which the Iron Fist backed away with how close she appeared to him. “Hi, Danny! Hi, Luke! Hi, Jessica! My name’s Pinkie Pie, and it sure is great to meet ya!” she exclaimed.

She held out her hoof to Danny, then Luke, then Jessica, obviously hoping at least one of them would accept her hoof in friendship. Creating quite the scene, Pinkie Pie and the Defenders were unaware of the wary eyes sent their way by none other than Rarity herself. Her eyes, not so focused on Pinkie, shifted precariously back to Daredevil, then to Danny, then quickly turning away from Luke and Jessica.

Rarity kept a good distance away from the Defenders, her eyes darting back to them every now and again. For a single moment, a flash of fear slipped through her vision, the unicorn shaking her head and focusing only on Bruce Banner approaching her. She did everything in her power to keep the horrible memories from resurfacing, putting on a forced, fake smile as she offered Banner a hug.

“Good to see you again, Thor,” Starlight said, hugging the God of Thunder when he bent down. There was no apprehension when she did so, already clearly remembering Twilight and the others vouching for her when Thor and his team arrived to Canterlot yesterday. Thor and Banner, specifically, wanted to know how Starlight was there, when the last they knew or heard of her was as a villain, basically giving her life during the Battle of Canterlot three years ago. They explained themselves—more so Starlight did—she offered her hoof in friendship, and Thor met it with a great big hug, one only Thor could give.

He was just glad to have friends… and not anymore enemies.

Patting her back, Thor stepped aside and nudged his brother. “The last we heard of Starlight Glimmer,” Thor chuckled with his arms crossed, standing beside Loki and Banner and turning to the God of Mischief, “she perished during the Ultron Offensive. She takes after you of faking her death.”

Starlight shrugged, looking to the side and smiling. “Never really died to begin with, but…”

“Thor!” a cracking voice called out.

“Rainbow Dash!” Thor yelled with a grinning face, holding out his hand and meeting Rainbow’s hoof in a loud slap, the two of them tightening their grips against one another. “Good to see you once more, my equine friend!” he told her.

Backing away, still hovering in mid-air, Rainbow smiled widely. Her eyes rose and latched onto Thor’s upper head, the mare shaking her own. “I still can’t get over your haircut! It honestly looks… so much cooler now than it did before!” she exclaimed, narrowing her eyes. “Also… is that a scar near your eyepatch? I didn’t notice it when you came to Canterlot yesterday.”

“Also noticed your scars, as well,” Thor pointed out, gesturing near his own left cheek where Rainbow’s three scars remained. “Just as battle-hardened as myself, it seems.”

The reunion persisted. More ponies met the Defenders for the first time, Pinkie trying to introduce them, but almost all of them tried to stay away from Frank Castle. He didn’t care either way, keeping his arms crossed and focused only on the throne room doors ahead, waiting for the formalities to end. Twilight offered her hugs to Bruce Banner, Thor, and even tried to meet Thor’s brother—the first of her friends to attempt so—to which Loki replied with a polite bow and a mischievous smile. Twilight kept that in mind, managing to abandon that thought when she spotted the golden and dark blue spider embedded on the red, metallic suit.

“Peter,” Twilight called with a smile, trotting forward to Peter Parker breaking his discussion with Sunset to turn her way. “It’s so nice to see you again. Love the new suit!” Twilight pointed out, raising her hoof to center it right over Parker’s heart. Right over the blue and gold spider.

“Yeah, Mr. Stark made it for me,” Peter said with a grin, feeling around with his palms and even observing his own suit for himself. Still smiling at that, Peter dropped his gaze and met Twilight’s. He cleared his throat, telling her, “You look like you’re doing well.”

Twilight nodded, that same smile bright on her lips. “So do you.”

A moment of tense, awkward silence before Peter finally shook his head. “You know what? I’m just gonna hug you,” he chuckled awkwardly.

“Okay!” Twilight chuckled back with a shake of her head, not even having to rise up on her hind legs to meet Peter’s hug, the teenager falling to his knee and bending down to meet her fully. They both patted each other on the back, the two breaking away and unveiling the pony standing behind Parker the entire time, watching the reunion unfold with a warm smile on her golden face.

Which reminded her…

“Everyone… can I have your attention?”

All eyes suddenly shifted over to Princess Twilight. From Stark, to Rhodey, to Vision, to Peter, to the Defenders, to Strange, to Castle, to the Asgardians, and even Bruce Banner. Everyone, everypony and dragon included, turned to Twilight to see her wrap her foreleg across Sunset’s withers, bringing the unicorn close to her and clearing her throat.

“Sunset, I’d like you to meet the Avengers. Tony, James, Vision… everyone… this is a really good friend of mine, and one of my personal pupils… Sunset Shimmer,” Twilight explained, holding her hoof close to the unicorn’s shoulder.

Sunset Shimmer offered a tiny wave, smiling to all of them. Some of them smiled and waved back. The Defenders were still silent, still refused to move, save for Murdock who at least raised his hand to her to signify a wave. With her hoof still outstretched, she breathed a chuckle and said, “I… know all of you already… most of you. Twilight was very descriptive in her stories.”

Twilight blushed at that and wiped her eyes free from any lingering tears, chuckling a tad at Sunset’s statement. The first Avenger she heard respond was Tony Stark, the Iron Man himself. Twilight absolutely gushed over him, telling Sunset of all the wild and crazy things he had invented, everything he showed her, all the battles they had been a part of. Almost everything. The things she left out were either personal or… too embarrassing to bring up. Tony smirked to the unicorn, blinking rapidly and almost losing his breath. He quickly turned back to Murdock, Castle, and the others, completely forgetting to introduce all the new faces.

“And these are… uh…” Tony stuttered, facing Murdock, Rand, Cage, Jones, and Castle. “Do you guys have a team name?”

“What team?” Castle growled.

“Oh, you know,” Thor began, pointing to Stark and Parker, “they have the Avengers—myself included—Loki, Banner, and I have founded the Revengers, so there must be a name for your team, as well.”

“There’s no team,” Jessica spat. Matt seemed somewhat crestfallen hearing that leave Jones’ lips, especially after everything they had been through together.

“Hold up,” Peter said, stepping into the conversation. He pointed to Matt, saying, “Didn’t you tell me that you guys defended the city against a bunch of ninjas?”

“The Hand, yes,” Murdock answered with a nod. Jessica and Danny frowned at Matt, nearly in disbelief to know that Murdock was giving away almost everything that they did. The amount of things Matt was keeping secret from them was starting to get more aggravating with each revelation.

“You all consider yourself defenders of New York, then?” Parker continued, pointing to the five of them.

“Well…” Luke muttered.

Peter smiled, holding out his hands. “How ‘bout the Defenders?”

“That’s a stupid-ass name,” Jessica said with her signature frown, Peter’s smile instantly falling apart. It quickly rebuilt itself when Danny shrugged.

“I think it sounds pretty good,” Danny mumbled.

Luke eventually gave in, shrugging with a loud sigh, “I guess it fits.”

Matthew nodded as well. Jessica just scoffed at the rest of them with a shake of her head, turning instead to stare into the sunlight. Frank growled, huffing loudly onto his crossed arms. “Ain’t no way in hell I’m in your little posse.”

“Well, you’re here, aren’t you?” Peter asked.

“On my own accord,” Frank affirmed to the Spider-Man, and practically to everyone else. Fluttershy whimpered and hid behind Applejack at Castle’s growing brutish tone. Applejack, Starlight, and Rarity all slowly glared at him, watched as he jammed a finger towards his armored chest. “On my own mission. All of your jobs are to just point me in the right direction.”

“Glad we can come to a consensus,” Tony groaned, the sarcasm laid thick. He approached the mares, eyeing each of them slowly, saying, “With introductions and reunions out of the way, I think now would be the best time if we…”

He caught himself when his eyes drifted… slightly more to the left.

And saw her.

She saw him.

Neither could seem to look away this time. It was as if everyone suddenly felt the drop in temperature in the hallway, Doctor Strange shifting his curious gaze from Tony Stark… and onto Rainbow Dash. The two seemed permanently locked in a frozen stalemate, neither seeming to know what to say, especially considering Tony Stark himself was on one end. Yet there was one thing for certain… each of their eyes held an unknown tale, a painful emotion that neither of them could fully express. Strange couldn’t see much of it, but he could feel the tension between them, already knowing there was bad blood the longer the silence persisted.

It got to the point to where Twilight was growing more and more anxious, her friends alongside her nowhere near sharing the same emotions. Twilight knew there was certainly a painful past held between Stark and Rainbow, what with each standing on opposites sides of what they believed was right. Twilight would know… She stood with Stark against the rest of the Avengers that stood with Captain America. Including those ponies that stood with Steve, Rainbow being one of them.

Just when she thought she needed to intervene herself, Twilight stopped and listened, jaw falling to see Tony lift his hand.

“Hey, Rainbow.”

It was barely anything. Probably the poorest excuse of a greeting every given, offered in the weakest, most defeated tone Stark could manage. And Rainbow Dash was no better, not even smiling when she nodded his way and mumbled, “Hey, Tony.”

Nothing more than that. More silence rising. A perfect moment for Twilight to take action.

“I know what happened in the past was… questionable,” Twilight explained, stepping in-between them. The spotlight shifted her way, Doctor Strange’s observant and questioning gaze landing on her and making Twilight stumble. Only shortly, though. “But right now… we really can’t focus on the past. There’s too much at stake for that. So, for now… let’s all agree to put the past behind us, okay?”

Twilight hoped they would see it her way. She really hoped they were mature enough to accept her conditions and realize that there was too much to deal with than looking back to what could’ve been done better. They’ll cross that bridge when they come to it, but it was still miles and miles away. The war, the battle raging right on their doorstep, was dead ahead.

And they couldn’t stop from moving forward.

In the end, Stark was the one to nod first. “Agreed,” Tony said at last.

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah,” she stated simply.

Twilight could tell she didn’t sound entirely certain about that statement, but accepted it nonetheless, quickly realizing she wouldn’t get anything better from Rainbow. With that dealt with for now, Twilight sighed heavily, turning over to Doctor Strange and meeting his eyes. He seemed to understand her plight, dropping his head to her in understanding.

“We should go,” Strange said, the attention shifting his way. He stepped aside and held out his arm and cloak to the throne room doors, nodding to everyone. “The princesses await.”

“That’s the plan, Sherlock!” Pinkie exclaimed, hopping forward and joining her friends in their approach to the doors. Everyone else followed shortly, the Avengers, Defenders, Asgardians, Banner, and Castle right behind the mares and Spike. Just before Pinkie could pass him, Strange frowned at her.

“Don’t call me that,” Strange said, unamused by her innocent smile.

She looked to Tony passing her and pointed to him, whispering loudly, “Can I call him that?”

Stephen furrowed his brow at her, turned to Stark, then back to Pinkie again. “Why?” he asked.

Pinkie just winked to him, hopping forward to the doors Twilight opened for everyone.

Doctor Strange stared straight ahead for a moment longer, eventually shrugging and realizing not even to question the bumbling shit that came out of Pinkie Pie’s mouth. Her philosophy still intrigued him, though, especially how she seemed to break every aspect of the laws of physics. More to think about later, as Strange was the first behind the ponies to enter the throne room, the Avengers and everyone else behind him.

And standing on the other side—minus Princess Celestia and Luna and their personal guards at the bottom of their thrones—there remained six more. Six more people who stood between them and their meeting with the princesses. Six more who surprised Twilight and her friends for a mere moment, their eyes settling when they realized who it was. Six more who caught all the Earth-bound heroes by surprise, just from their appearance alone. Minus Banner, Thor, Loki, and Strange, who had seen and met them before. It still left Tony Stark and his Avengers dumbfounded, none of them—not even Vision—quite sure what they were looking at.

Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot, and Mantis nearly felt the same way towards them.

All six of them turned around together, as one unit, facing away from the thrones and turning towards the many who came from the hallway. To say all of them were a bit surprised was an understatement. While Peter Quill and Gamora tried to understand the unusual armor attached to Stark, Tony was busy wondering why a raccoon was standing on two legs next to a buff dude with red tattoos and a green woman, or why there was a walking tree playing a video game, or why one of the women had unnaturally large eyes and antennae poking out of her forehead. The feelings that Stark had were passed around mutually amongst the Avengers and Defenders, Thor stepping forward with a wide grin on his face. Stark was concerned at first, then felt somewhat at ease to see Thor grip the hand from the guy with 70’s porno ‘stache, both of them seeming to have known each other.

Still hesitant to make the first move, Stark and his side stayed where they were, allowing Doctor Strange, Banner, and Loki to proceed forward without them, joining the ponies alongside the six strangers. Tony remained where he was, only lifting his head when Princess Celestia did.

“Twilight!” Celestia exclaimed, then paused as she saw the rest who followed. “Tony Stark… Avengers… thank the heavens you could come at last. It’s a pleasure to see you all again.”

“We only wish,” Luna yawned, “… it could have been a simpler time.”

“Feeling’s mutual,” Stark stated with a confident and assuring nod. He took several cautious steps forward, Rhodes and Vision looking to one another before proceeding behind him. Peter gulped as the gray guy with the tattoos narrowed him out specifically, keeping his glowing blue eyes on Parker. The Defenders and the Punisher had no other choice but to proceed, see how far the rabbit hole fell.

“Your Highnesses,” Strange greeted. He stopped only for the six individuals standing between him and the thrones. The others behind him did the same, each of them peeking around Stephen just to get a look at the odd six standing before them. Stepping aside, Strange held his hand out to them, turning back to Stark and the others. He said, “Avengers… meet the Guardians of the Galaxy.”

“The Avengers…” Peter Quill said, letting the name sit on his mind. He crossed his arms. Gamora rested her palms on her hips. Drax let his hands fall to his belt, near his blades. Groot played on his game, reaching a new high score. Rocket barred his teeth, crossing his arms alongside Quill, trying to look as intimidating as him. Mantis smiled and waved.

“The Guardians of the Galaxy,” the Vision said. He stared quizzically at the group ahead of him, holding no ill will in his gaze or expression. Tony Stark’s hands remained at his side, his tightening brow forming an uncertain frown forward. Peter Parker remained neutral, still not keen on trusting them yet. Their team name, however, managed to calm his nerves. James Rhodes stood on similar grounds as Stark. The Defenders; Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, and Luke Cage, all had little to no idea what they were staring at. They held no malice, no distrust, just… nothing. Frank Castle remained like them, but still sent an intimidating glare their way.

It took so long for the two teams to finally cross with one another, so long in fact that Twilight felt the need to intervene once more, Strange even having similar feelings. Princess Celestia could sense the intensity of situation even from where she sat, the unsettling silence giving great weight to the already dangerous situation. She could only hope when they eventually introduced themselves, that that’s all it would be. Introductions. And a shared, mutual understanding of the severity of the situation.

The two sides met and congregated at long last. Stark and Quill found each other immediately, already seeing their stance as leaders amongst the others. Like two dogs analyzing one another from top to bottom, Stark finally settled on the man’s face, Quill doing the same. Tony lifted his hand to him, saying, “You look like you’re from Earth.”

“I am, actually,” Peter replied, offering a humorous smile. “Got taken away about thirty years ago by a bunch of space pirates.”

“Oh, and you’re like… what… honorary space pirate and Flash Gordon wannabe or whatever the hell you call yourselves?” Tony said. The rest of their teams were lost in conversation and introductions amongst one another to hear them, so they couldn’t hear Tony’s statement or Peter’s soft chuckle.

Peter shook his head, grinning with his eyes closed. “No,” he said, opening his eyes. “That’s funny… and a compliment, but no. I’m Star-Lord, legendary outlaw, leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy, and captain of the Milano.”

Nodding to that, Iron Man simply said, “Tony Stark.” Then he added, “Billionaire, genius, playboy, philanthropist.”

“Technically, I’m the captain,” Rocket muttered from Star-Lord’s left side. Only Stark was the one to flinch back, not even noticing the raccoon before it was too late. The way that it stood and wore clothes weren’t even the worst of it. The fact that it actually uttered words spooked Stark the most.

“Holy shit, it talks,” Tony gasped.

“His name is Rocket,” Quill corrected him, pointing down to Rocket. “And he’s not the captain, ‘cause I’m the captain!”

“I thought we agreed on Rocket being the captain,” Drax said, both Stark and Quill flinching when he suddenly seemed to appear on Peter’s right, not even Quill prepared for that.

Star-Lord scoffed, holding out his hands. “When did we agree on this? I didn’t agree!”

“I am Groot.”

“You don’t agree with anything we do!” Peter yelled, pointing down to the walking, living, breathing tree beside Rocket Raccoon. And Stark just watched them argue with the most bewildered expression he could manage, still trying to understand how any of them actually worked. They were aliens sure, but why was one of them a raccoon? Were raccoons aliens all along? Why was a tree playing a goddamn video game?

Who the hell even were these guys?

While the rest of the teams met, Thor approached the lone woman breaking away from an uncertain Spider-Man, turning his way and offering a short but sweet smile. “Told you we’d be back,” Thor said with a large smile, stepping forward and meeting Gamora with a hug.

“Yes, you did,” Gamora whispered. The two broke away, Gamora’s eyes shifting downwards to the lone unicorn approaching and staring up at the alien woman. She slowly raised a green finger, pointing it right at the unicorn. “You look familiar.”

Starlight raised her hoof just the same, saying, “You look familiar, too.”

“Two years ago?” Gamora continued.

“The raccoon called me a horse.”

“I stopped him from shooting you.”

The two found their ground, smiling to one another. “My name’s Starlight Glimmer,” the unicorn said, holding out her hoof for Gamora to shake. “And you?”

“Gamora,” she replied, gripping Starlight’s hoof and shaking it tenderly. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Starlight.”

Thor smiled to them, chuckling heartily as the two of them turned his way. “Certainly an interesting interaction you two have had before. Wish I could have been there to witness it myself,” the God of Thunder told them, eventually chuckling his way over to Drax and Sunset Shimmer.

“Did I just hear the name ‘Starlight Glimmer’ over here?”

The unicorn’s head was on a swivel, so many new and old faces causing her heart to race faster than she could remember any of their full names. Still, she smiled to the approaching Star-Lord, bowing her head respectively.

“That’s… my name,” Starlight bashfully said, hoof over her heart. “And you are?”

“Star-Lord, legendary outlaw,” he said with a far-too serious expression and tone, Gamora rolling her eyes at that. “I know your best friend. We had quite the adventure a couple years back.”

“That’s where I know you from!” Starlight exclaimed, hoof falling and head rising back up. “Trixie told me all about her space adventure! She was sure to mention you… Peter Quill.”

Gamora smirked at that, smirked at Starlight. Peter tightened his lips, making his voice deeper when he said, “I go by Star-Lord…” Seeing the humorous expressions on their faces—especially Starlight’s—Quill just sighed, his puffed-out chest shrinking back to normal. “Please,” he said.

Starlight chuckled and waved her hoof. “I’ll be sure to remember that. Just like how I remembered that you said I had a sexy voice.”

She finished that statement with a knowing, sultry wink sent Quill’s way. “Nope, no I didn’t,” Peter objected, turning to see Gamora’s surprised expression slowly turning into a frown. He waved his hand out in front of him, shaking his head quickly. “I swear to God, I…”

Gamora’s expression said it all, ranging from anger and then shifting to bemusement.

Peter eventually gave up, saying, “Come on, you have to admit, it’s a little sexy.”

It took her a second or two to process that. “Yeah, it kinda is,” Gamora admitted with a shrug.

Starlight could only laugh, the mare clutching her sides and falling on her back.

Mantis was busy showing the ponies and Spike their internal emotions, Pinkie already asleep on the floor from having personally felt Mantis’ touch on her forehead. The other ponies among them were Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Sunset, Fluttershy, and Applejack, the mare currently feeling a sense of ease flush into her as Mantis continued to rest her palm onto her shoulder. Spike hopped forward, beating his wings rapidly with excitement, begging Mantis to be next. Breaking her hand away from Applejack and resting it on Spike’s shoulder, she said, “You have a brave heart, little one. So much hope. So much… love… for your friends and—”

Spike’s eyes shot open. “Just my friends, yep!” Spike suddenly interrupted, trying to pull away from Mantis. His excitement quickly turned into dread when Mantis wouldn’t let him go, more emotions flushing into her, a warm smile appearing on her lips.

It was too late for him to run now, the alien woman’s eyes widening when she said, “No! True love for a pony!”

“I-I-I think you’re wrong!” Spike yelled with beats of sweat rolling down his head, trying to pry Mantis’ hand off his shoulder.

“I’m not!” Mantis said, pointing directly to Rarity. “It’s for her!”

Rarity’s eyes shot open, the unicorn taking a step back. The ponies around him all “dawwwed” in unison, Rarity herself joining them. Mantis stood back up, her brow furrowing, unsure of what she had done to make the ponies act that way. She just told them what the dragon was feeling. As for the dragon, Spike fell onto his bottom, claws covering his face as beets of red plagued his cheeks. For his sake, he felt a hoof rest over his scales, the dragon looking back and meeting Rarity’s warming and beautiful smile.

“Oh, Spikey-Wikey,” Rarity said to him, offering a small kiss on his forehead. “No need to be so flustered. I think it’s adorable.”

Spike sent a goofy smile her way, blushing profusely at the kiss mark still resting on his forehead.

Frank Castle groaned at all the lovey-dovey bullshit. He remembered exactly why he hated every last one of the ponies, considering his last encounter with them two years ago in Germany. Nothing went well that day, and he could thank all of it to Twilight and her friends. He turned around, shaking his head and nearly bumping into someone almost of his size. He remembered his face, the name he referred to himself, and his stance among the space freaks. By his side stood the raccoon, staring up at Castle with a frown.

“You the leader here?” Frank asked, ignoring Rocket’s eyes.

Peter Quill nodded proudly, offering a slick smirk and sending it Rocket’s way. The raccoon groaned, rolling his eyes. “That I am,” he said, holding out his hand. “Name’s Star-Lord, and these are the Guardians of the Galaxy. The people of whom I am the captain of.”

Frank looked to his hand, eventually giving in and shaking it. “Look like a bunch of assholes.”

“Lucky for you, we take that as a compliment,” Rocket said, Frank glaring down at him. If anything, his scowl seemed to lighten, slight confusion remaining to see the talking raccoon beneath him. “What about them?” Rocket asked, pointing to the four standing several yards behind Castle. Frank turned back, spotting Murdock and the others hanging back.

None of the Defenders looked keen on interacting with the Guardians. Murdock, the only one willing to actually break that mold, nodded to Rocket and Quill. “Name’s Daredevil,” he told them, the reds of his lenses turning from one to the other.

Both Quill and Rocket looked at each other, both practically spitting laughter at one another. It didn’t help that Murdock was dressed as the devil himself. “And I thought Star-Lord was a dumb-ass name!” Rocket laughed. Peter almost laughed again, then quickly turned his growing frown on the raccoon to his left.

With the laughter going on for several painful seconds, Jessica stepped forward, helping Matt out. “And who the hell are you supposed to be, Trash Panda?” she asked.

The laughter instantly died. Peter’s eyes widened. Rocket’s jaw fell, slowly turning her way.

“Oh,” Rocket stated, his voice low. It quickly rose up as he began a slow approach, pointing his claw right at Jessica. “Oh, you do not want to play this game with me, bitch!”

To end the confrontation, Frank stopped Rocket’s approach with his boot, pushing Rocket back with little effort where he once stood by Quill’s left. As Rocket stumbled back from the push, Peter saw to it to end Castle’s aggression, holding his hand out to Frank’s chest and resting his other to his belt, where Castle saw him grip what looked to be some kind of firearm. A space gun of sorts. The threat was clearly laid out either way, and Castle replied by sending a heated glare right into Star-Lord’s eyes. Peter refused to back down, even if it was the most terrifying scowl he had ever seen. He didn’t let that show, nor would he dare to admit that.

“Push me again!” Rocket yelled, taunting the Punisher. “See what happens, shithead!”

The fires had nearly ignited, Frank’s patience growing mighty thin with that last insult. The firestorm would have nearly unleashed had it not been for the intervention of a certain rainbow-mane Pegasus flying in-between them.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Rainbow Dash yelled, pressing her hooves on both Castle and Quill’s chests, trying to break the two away from each other. “Break it up! Break it up!”

Gamora reached forward and snatched Rocket back by his arm before he could engage the Punisher, the raccoon glaring up at her and Gamora glaring down at him.

“What’s going on over here?” Twilight asked, her voice high and urgent. The Alicorn trotted forward alongside the rest of her friends, each of their eyes riddled with worry and slight fear. Fluttershy looked ready to fall apart, just hearing the foul language leave the raccoon’s voice being enough to make her faint. But she held strong. Even Celestia and Luna rose out of their thrones, ready to act despite the weariness flushing through their bodies.

“Nothing that concerns you,” Frank growled, turning to Twilight once before facing Quill again. Not even Rainbow’s hoof on his chest would keep him back forever.

“Yeah,” Peter added, shooing Twilight away. “So just take your wings, your horn, and make like a tree… and get out of here.”

Frank shook his head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

Quill smirked his way, scoffing, “Buddy, we’re a team of douchebags comprised of one legendary outlaw, a master assassin, whatever the hell Drax is, a bug-eyed girl, a talking tree, and a gunslinging raccoon. We never made sense to begin with.”

“Damn straight,” Rocket said, crossing his arms. “And don’t call me a raccoon.”

“What can we call him?” Danny Rand asked.

“Try Rocket!” the raccoon yelled to Rand—mainly to everyone—arms still crossed.

Twilight pressed her hoof to her forehead, sighing wearily. Not even five minutes and they were trying to kill each other. “Just… try and be nice to one another,” Twilight practically begged. “We really don’t have the time or energy to be fighting each other now of all times.”

“I would listen to Princess Twilight and her friends, gentlemen.”

The voice sounded like pure silk, as smooth as the richest milk. As harmonious and alluring as the purr of a cat. And what a cat it belonged to. Everypony and everyone turned accordingly to the voice, their gazes landing within the shadows beneath Celestia and Luna’s thrones. The cat in the long, red jacket purred from where he stood, smiling over to the large group of heroes, gods, wizards, ponies, and vigilantes centering their gazes on the thrones. His green eyes glowed in the darkness.

“They can certainly change lives,” he purred.

Leaning against the fountain on Celestia’s right, Capper Dapperpaws returned to analyzing his own claws, his long, bushy tail swishing back and forth. The mares gasped, all except for Starlight and Sunset, the two unicorns narrowing their gazes towards the shadows of the thrones. To where the lone cat stood. Spike crossed his arms, snorting out a plenitude of steam from his nostrils.

“Capper?!” Twilight practically shouted, already trotting forward at a near-gallop towards the anthropomorphic cat. The rest of her friends followed, Starlight and Sunset somewhat hesitant. Spike rolled his eyes, glaring at Capper when he wrapped his arms around Rarity and gave her a warm hug.

“Hello again, my little ponies!” Capper exclaimed, offering a hug to everypony, bowing respectfully and kissing the hooves of both Starlight and Sunset, introducing himself appropriately.

“What are you doing here?” Fluttershy asked. “I thought you wanted to stay in Klugetown.”

“Well, that was initially the plan, until something… came up… like… way up,” Capper said, motioning his finger straight to the ceiling. Each of the mares looked to one another, confusion gripping all of them. Spike met Twilight’s gaze, neither one of them seeming to understand.

“What do you mean?” Twilight asked.

Leaning forward, Capper rested his right paw on Twilight’s neck, the other on Spike’s, and pushed them onwards, whispering, “I think it would be best if we let the princesses explain that part.”

He motioned them forward, all eight ponies and Spike eventually stumbling back to stand under the presence of the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon. And, just as they saw them last, they looked absolutely exhausted—if not even more so now. A complete day had passed since they had taken it upon themselves to defend Canterlot with the most powerful shield they could conjure, ensuring that no force—either alien or otherwise—could break it. It showed. It showed in their weakly-flowing manes, the bags under their eyes, and the dying look in their eyes.

They couldn’t even smile this time. Twilight’s ears fell against her skull, as did Sunset’s to see their former teacher look so… out of it.

“My little ponies…” Celestia began, her voice low at first, the princess having to clear her throat and begin again. “I have received word from our allies. They came without warning, without remorse. Without mercy. Princess Skystar has assumed command while her mother, Queen Novo, engages the enemy on foreign lands. With our own forces bound to Equestria, to defend our nation under siege, we can only hope for the best for Novo and her growing allies.”

“Our astronomers have also noted that the invasion on Earth has suddenly halted,” Luna explained, catching Stark, Strange, and practically everyone else by surprise. “Yet the one on Equus rages. While our armies deal with the aliens attacking our cities, our scouts are certain that Canterlot’s skies remain clear. The shield we hold over the city will ensure that nothing will be able to get through. As long as we hold it…”

Luna’s horn shimmered a bright blue, as did Celestia’s a bright gold. The shields outside—from what everyone could see glowing through the stained glass windows—began to glow similar colors, eventually falling back to the original violet. The two sisters groaned as their horns dimmed down, the large bags under their eyes showing the lack of rest, showing the weight they had to carry.

Yet they remained strong, Luna holding her powerful gaze as she finished by saying, “The enemy can do nothing to us.”

“The shield will not fall,” Celestia added, a sigh following that. “If only the same could have been said for Discord. He was the first line of defense against the aliens. He was meant to protect our worlds above the atmosphere, to make sure no aliens even reached the surfaces. Unfortunately… we lost contact with Discord shortly after…”

A moment of silence. Stunned, almost haunting silence that devoured the two sisters.

“After…” Bruce Banner prodded. Fluttershy whimpered, almost not wanting to find out.

Princess Celestia closed her eyes, then allowed herself a few short seconds for composure. She still tried to convince herself of it, now knowing the true fate of their world and where they had been thrust within the galaxy. Truly, their planet was taken… pushed to an alien system right next to planet Earth.

“After we realized that the sun moved on its own, without my aid.”

It was still difficult for her to fully grasp, knowing that the source of her strength, her knowledge, her power no longer required her input to move like the sun that loomed over Equus. The sun peeking over the horizon now, the alien star was that of Earth’s. A whole new system. New rules to live by. New rules to understand. Many Celestia was still trying to.

Luna continued, the silence having nearly taken her sister. “With that information, we can assume that Equus was brought to Earth instead of the other way around. That left one mystery solved at last… leaving just a few more…”

Celestia nodded to her sister, returning her gaze down to the Avengers and those who stood with them. “Thor wished to wait until the rest of his team were present to tell of the true threat behind this chaos that has been inflicted upon both of our worlds,” the Princess of the Sun stated, nodding to the God of Thunder.

“Speaking of which,” Thor interrupted, turning to Stark. “Where are Steve Rogers and the others?”

Rainbow Dash picked her head up at that, forcing herself to swivel around and center her gaze on Tony. She, as well as Twilight and the rest of her friends, waited for an answer. The throne room was dead. The guards beneath Celestia and Luna’s throne coughed, the sounds echoing off the walls for several seconds.

“Now’s not really a good time, Thor,” Tony stated, his voice devoid of life. Thor tried to object, but Stark held his metallic hand out to him, saying, “I’ll explain later, just… let them finish.”

Rainbow and Twilight both appeared disappointed by that answer, the two of them falling back to join the rest of their friends in the shared sorrow.

“Allow me to explain,” Doctor Strange said, stepping forward. The princesses leaned forward only slightly, turning their gazes from Thor and resting them on the Sorcerer Supreme.

Recollecting on what Thor had told him, Stephen nodded and said, “Thor informed me that this was all because of the intergalactic warlord Thanos. He was the one who brought our planets together, with the Space Stone most likely. All you need to know about Thanos is that he’s hellbent on culling half of all life in the universe, and with all six Stones he could do just that.”

The princesses seemed certainly taken aback by that information, each looking to one another with their own shocked expressions. “Where is this… Thanos?” Luna asked, tasting the name on her tongue like a vile liquid.

Thor said, “With the Space Stone, he could be anywhere.”

“You speak of these Stones…” Celestia interjected. “What are they?”

“The Infinity Stones,” Strange replied. “Most powerful objects in the known universe. Brought together could guarantee devastation at a universal level hitherto undreamt of.”

“Did you seriously just say ‘hitherto undreamt of’?” Stark asked.

Strange turned back to him. “Are you seriously focused on that and not the current situation?”

“It’s all old news,” Tony muttered, rolling his hand in front of him, obviously telling Strange to hurry up the conversation. “I’d rather be focused on how we can stop Thanos. But that’s just me.”

While they argued amongst themselves, the ponies below were stuck on what Strange had brought up about the Infinity Stones. The only other Infinity Stone Twilight and the others knew of was the Mind Stone, and that rested within Vision’s forehead. It still rested there, the ponies looking towards it and watching the yellow gem shimmer even without the morning sunlight. Thor and Doctor Strange both mentioned a “Space Stone” as well as all “six” Infinity Stones. Resting a hoof on her chin, Twilight pondered that thought, especially pondering on the one called Thanos, the one who supposedly brought their worlds together in the first place.

“With our combined barrier,” Celestia said, bringing the focus back to the main conversation, “we can ensure that Thanos won’t come anywhere near our city. The very magic that can move the sun and moon will greatly outweigh anything this Thanos can throw at us.”

James Rhodes twisted his neck over to his left, squinting his eyes towards the glass window. He slowly approached it, his large, metal footsteps stomping across the marble floor.

“Indeed,” Luna concurred with a firm nod. “With that now known, we can move forward to the next mystery that plagues us still, one that the fair Capper has brought to our attention…”

“Tony…”

Stark and everyone else turned to see Rhodes standing in front of the large, towering, glass window, holding no artistic design over its surface and showcasing only the world that lied outside the castle. James kept his eyes to that outside world, only saying, “Come check out the sky.”

Slowly, almost apprehensively, Tony Stark led the way, followed by Vision, Parker, and many others. Practically everyone and everypony. They all crowded around the window, everyone having enough room to see the dark cloud rising out from the south—from the Badlands—and slowly devouring the north. A wave of darkness fell upon the lands beneath the clouds, mountains and hills becoming blanketed in black. What was most odd about it, however, were the lightning strikes shooting out and within it. Some of them were pure white. Most of them were blood red.

None of it spelled anything good.

Stepping back, Tony pointed to the window, asking, “What the hell is that?”

In her eyes, Celestia could only emote dread. It was stronger than fear. Stark caught all of it, listening as Celestia explained, “Capper has traveled all the way from Klugetown… to inform us of some strange readings in the Badlands. It would seem a new volcano has emerged, completely enveloping and overshadowing the mountain where the Gates of Tartarus once stood. From it, this cloud of ash… of fire… of darkness and other uncertainties has been slowly covering the land.”

“If anypony can explain the unnatural order that’s been brought to light, it’s the princesses,” Capper said with his arms crossed, the cat winking to Celestia and Luna.

Nodding appreciatively to Capper’s input, Celestia continued. “Luna and I cannot leave Canterlot or else the shield will fall, nor can our scientists, guards, or armies further study this phenomenon what with the invasion threatening our species and crippling our world.”

“We must remain in Canterlot,” Luna added. “We will lead the war effort against these aliens alongside Shining Armor and Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire. Their armies are more than ready to engage the enemy right above their heads.”

Celestia sighed, closing her eyes and resting them for a short moment. A moment she desperately wished could last longer, but knowing deep down that wasn’t the case. She muttered, “The longer we leave this volcano unattended and unstudied, the closer it could come to erupting and causing even further chaos and destruction upon our land. It certainly looks to be ready to erupt. That’s something… we simply cannot deal with at the moment.”

Hearing their plea, the ponies shuffled about amongst themselves, looking to one another, hoping for an answer. Some of the Avengers, Stark included, looked back towards the window, staring hauntingly into the dark clouds coming faster by the second. The Guardians looked about, Star-Lord and Gamora gazing up into the blackness, seeing nothing. Feeling almost nothing, a sense of unease still sneaking in. Everyone else was silent, Doctor Strange himself lost within the dark, gazing curiously through the window and into the sickness that were the smog clouds.

No one said a word. No one willing. No one brave enough to come to the conclusion that was inevitable. Biting her lip, Twilight finally gave in and asked, “What about us?”

Everyone and everypony turned her way. Her friends, the princesses, the Avengers, Guardians, Defenders, and everyone else all staring at the lone Princess of Friendship.

“My friends and I can investigate the volcano!” Twilight continued. She held out her wing to her right, pointing to the Avengers, Defenders, Guardians, Loki, Strange, and the Punisher. “A-and they could all help too! With all of us working together, I can guarantee we’ll learn more about this new volcano, and then we can help them in dealing with this Thanos!”

“Now, hold up—” Frank Castle tried to say, stepping forward with his hand outstretched to Twilight.

“Wait, what even the hell is going on here?” Jessica Jones spat out.

“I concur.”

All looked to Doctor Strange. He gazed out the glass window alongside Stark, Rhodes, and Vision. “That ash cloud isn’t natural. Since we don’t know where Thanos is or where he’ll appear next, we’ll help in understanding what this volcano means for this world. But only if…” Strange paused, looking back and taking several steps forward to the thrones, staring from one princess to the other, “… you’ll help us in return.”

They didn’t even waste a second, both sisters shooting their eyes to Twilight and her friends. They all nodded at once, standing tall and ready once Celestia and Luna gazed their way. They certainly were ready, Celestia thought to herself.

“Understood,” Celestia stated loudly with a firm nod. Luna nodded as well, closing her weary eyes and drooping her head only slightly. Celestia sighed and rested her hoof on Luna’s shoulder comfortingly, soothing her with warming whispers.

With that assurance given to them from the Princess of Equestria, Doctor Strange stepped forward and pushed past Star-Lord and Gamora, the two of them still quite unsure on that final statement and where their journey lied next. Focusing only on the Iron Man, Strange approached his side and asked, “What do you say, Stark? One step closer to ending the invasion?”

Stark met his eyes, but only shortly. The majority of his attention was shifted towards the rest of his team. They looked as ready as ever, nodding to Tony from one to the next. From Rhodey to Parker, from Vision to Thor, to Loki and Banner. He then looked over to Murdock and his Defenders. None of them appeared to be on the same page, all of them seeming to focus on other things, things that probably didn’t matter in the long run. Castle joined them. Stark would convince them otherwise soon enough, turning over to Quill and his Guardians. They appeared to be in the same boat, none of them certain on the situation or the mission given to them from the princesses.

Then he looked to Twilight and her friends, seeing her hopeful eyes shift his way. To add even more of a reason to hate her convincing ways, Twilight puffed out her lower lip, almost begging for Stark and the others to join them. It didn’t take long to convince him. After all, they could definitely use the help from the Avengers.

Tony finally gave in, saying, “Might as well.”

The absolute flutter of Twilight’s expression could’ve melted Stark’s heart had it broken through his armor. Thank God the Mark 50 was his best suit yet.

“With that taken care of,” Capper proudly announced, every eye in the room turning to his strut, watching as he made his way to the exit of the throne room. “I think I will… indulge myself for a job well done in the dining area, if you don’t mind, Your Majesties?”

Celestia bowed her head to him, Luna following her. “Thank you again for all your hard work, Capper,” Celestia called to him. Capper bowed one last time before making his grand exit, the doors swishing closed behind him.

Right before the door closed, Thor spotted his swishing tail and asked, “Was that a talking cat?”

Tony shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Why are you even surprised at this point?”

Rocket sighed and crossed his arms. “Oh, yeah, he knows what a cat is...”

“You don't even know what a cat is,” Quill muttered. “By the way, I'm the captain.”

“Go sit down, Quill.”

Chapter 51 – Heart

Earth

The Nation of Wakanda

Vibranium Mine, Mount Bashenga

5:16 p.m.

Steve Rogers was led this time by the young Wakandan princess within the depths of quite possibly the most magnificent sight he had seen in his long, still somewhat short life. Joining him—always close by his side—was Natasha Romanoff on his left, Phil Coulson on his right, and three very special agents that chose to further understand the full weight of the situation.

Daisy Johnson, Leopold Fitz, and Jemma Simmons. One was determined to keep Phil alive by any means necessary, and chose to follow him through thick and thin while the others were taken to their guest rooms to get some much-needed rest. Daisy didn’t need rest when Phil’s life was constantly on the brink. She could sleep when she died. And then there were Fitz and Simmons, the newly-married couple having just seen their grandson Deke walk off with Mack and Yo-Yo to their respective guest rooms while in Wakanda. The two of them were just as hungry for knowledge about the vibranium mine as was the King of Wakanda and the Queen Mother.

T’Challa and Ramonda followed closely by Shuri’s side, the young princess leading the large group of ten individuals behind her deep into her laboratory. Constantly guarding the king were Okoye and Ayo, their hardened stares kept straight ahead, vibranium spears held tight and pointed skywards. The entire journey to Mount Bashenga, even when she wasn’t looking, Shuri knew that her mother and brother were constantly watching her, constantly asking what she had found.

And every time Shuri would say: “There is no better place than my lab to explain.”

Walking down the spiral stairway and entering a pure whiteness, a kind of cleanliness the likes of which Steve, Phil, and Daisy had never known even existed, the massive group of Wakandans, agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Avengers stepped forth and observed the world beneath the earth.

Numerous Wakandan scientists bustled about, experimenting on or finishing some of Shuri’s previous works, barely even casting the Avengers or agents a sideways glance. They acknowledged their king and Queen Mother, responding with a strong Wakandan salute. Both son and mother responded in kind, giving the scientists the ease needed to resume their work. Together, they all followed Shuri towards the clean, white desk resting before the massive glass window. While the young princess got to work on bringing up her old files and studies on her touchscreen holograms, the rest of the group not native to Wakanda took in the pure majesty of the vibranium mine before them.

It quite possibly went on for miles, several trains zooming back and forth throughout the towering blue and black rock structures filling the nearly-endless caverns. The blue rocks shimmered with alien intensity, the truth of vibranium’s history given to Coulson and Rogers while in flight to Mount Bashenga. Shuri told them everything, how the vibranium meteor struck Africa thousands of years ago. The founding of Wakanda was based solely on the fact that the neighboring tribes would share the alien rock, and so became the most powerful nation on Earth over a millennium later. In secret. Hidden from the rest of the world.

Steve leaned forward, pressing his right palm flat on the white desk as he observed the glowing rocks intently. It was quite intriguing, actually, for Steve Rogers. All his life, since he became Captain America more than seventy years ago, he had wanted to know more about the impenetrable metal his iconic shield was made from. And standing there, amongst his friends and teammates, he was finally able to witness the source of his shield’s strength. One of the many sources of his strength, the shield included. Steve sighed and looked down, seeing his empty forearm. Feeling the lack of weight on his back somehow managed to make him feel… heavier. He stepped back and joined Natasha, Daisy, and Phil, the three of them lost in awe and wonder to the massive vibranium mine directly ahead of them, Phil more so.

But they were nothing compared to Fitz and Simmons.

The two of them—practically breathless, almost shaking—nearly struggled to reach the desk that belonged to Shuri. Like their fellow agents, like the Avengers before them, they both gazed into the depths of the vibranium mine. Unlike them all, their jaws refused to close fully, their bodies finally giving in to the shivers that constantly flowed across their skin and up their spines. They almost couldn’t believe it. The most powerful, volatile, and expensive metal in all the world… resting just a few hundred yards in front of them. Not only that, but the very ground they stood upon, the ceilings, the walls, the technology that put S.H.I.E.L.D.’s own to shame was all made from vibranium! A world they never knew existed were hundreds of years ahead of the rest of humanity in terms of technology, and it was all because of the glowing blue rock surrounding them.

It was surreal. Fitz and Simmons could hardly breathe. Fitz managed, saying, “This is… this is absolutely…”

His gaze lingered to the trains constantly bustling back and forth, the tracks creating a sort of path for them as they twisted and turned about within the mine’s depths. His voice failed him, his shocked breaths being all he could manage. Simmons took over, breathing, “Spectacular.”

A hologram was sauntered their way, their gazes falling to it. Both Fitz and Simmons turned to their left to see the young Wakandan princess smile at them. Shuri received a couple smiles back, watching as the newlywed couple enlarged the hologram so they both could study it further. The hologram offered information, statistics, showing the energy dispersion not only at a level the mines encompassed, but spreading throughout all of the nation of Wakanda. The energy, all flowing from the vibranium rock like heat from a radiator, was completely off the charts, more so than what the normal levels had previously shown.

Furrowing their brows at that, Leo and Jemma slowly returned their gazes back to Shuri. They felt Phil and Steve’s presence behind them, the two of them studying the hologram they received. Pointing to it, Fitz asked, “What is all of this?”

He obviously referred to the abnormal energy dispersion rippling through the nation, originating from the vibranium mine, of which Shuri had complete control and oversight of it. Even she appeared somewhat hesitant when Fitz asked that question, her lips pursing and gaze falling down to the hologram beneath her. T’Challa and Ramonda leaned forward, either one trying to meet Shuri’s gaze, but both failing to do so. She kept her eyes low, on the information labeled on the hologram, and finally responded. She could feel almost every eye in the lab on her.

“Over the past few months, I have been getting some strange readings deep below the vibranium mound. Far stranger and unique than anything we have ever come across before,” Shuri explained, expanding her hologram so all the group could see. Even some scientists broke away from their experiments to listen in and watch silently.

Letting the stats and information flow, Shuri showcased a small animation of Mount Bashenga letting loose ripples of energy across the map of Wakanda. “The more vibranium we continued to harvest, the deeper we continued to dig, and the energy only got stronger,” she said, tapping away on the hologram, showing the ripples grow larger and spread further, encompassing all of Wakanda and even spreading out of its borders. T’Challa, Ramonda, Okoye, and Ayo all gazed to the hologram with disturbed expressions.

The area where the energy waves ended was in a perfect circle formation around the country, lining up perfectly where the alien warships surrounded. Whatever it was, the energy the vibranium was giving off, whatever it was that Shuri and the miners and struck… the aliens found its signal. And they followed it.

“We began studying it,” Shuri continued, some eyes returning to her, most of them focused on the hologram and what Shuri showed next, “analyzing its patterns and how far its influence spread. We discovered that whatever this energy source was… it was not simply a part of the vibranium meteor. It may be something else entirely. And whatever it is, it holds great power throughout all of Wakanda. It spreads its energy like a beating heart throughout the entire nation. Only now with our continued mining and study were we able to discover it at long last.”

There was an uncertain silence plaguing the group. Daisy Johnson, Natasha Romanoff, and Fitz and Simmons remained like children in the theater, completely silent with eyes as large as dinner plates. Phil and Steve seemed relatively calm, eyes narrowed, taking in every breath of information that flowed from Shuri and the hologram she controlled. Ramonda, Okoye, and Ayo still appeared shaken, now realizing the truth of what the aliens wanted. At least, that’s what they saw to be the truth.

T’Challa knew there was more to it.

He had kept his hand resting on his chin for several minutes, watching the ripple of energy expel from the very mine they remained within and spread throughout his kingdom. None of it seemed right. Everything—down to the aliens invading their home, the talk of energy beyond that of what they already knew—seemed just… wrong. Not natural, at least by Wakanda’s standards.

“What kind of power?” T’Challa asked at last.

Shuri looked over to her left, to her older brother, and saw him completely focused on the hologram. Either that, or the vibranium rock behind it. Shaking her head, Shuri answered, “I don’t know for sure, but it is beyond our very understanding as Wakandans. Bringing ourselves… to admit that… I think we can conclude that this power… is beyond our world.”

“Well, surely it is beyond our world,” Okoye said. “The vibranium rock crashed into Wakanda from space.”

“This new energy source,” Shuri almost interrupted, turning her shaken expression onto Okoye and Ayo, the two members of the Dora Milaje seeming somewhat taken aback by her eyes, “… is not of the vibranium.”

T’Challa closed his eyes and pondered, hand still resting on his chin. Okoye and Ayo looked to one another, as did the Avengers and Daisy with Phil. The Queen Mother herself saw the uncertainty spread from one individual to another, her eyes finally, slowly, returning to her daughter. “What are you saying, Shuri?” Ramonda asked.

Gulping slightly, Shuri explained, moving her hands in rapid formation. “We can hypothesize that this energy has been leaking from the vibranium for many, many years… and we just managed to pierce it fully, allowing the full potential of it to be unleashed throughout the remainder of Wakanda and beyond. That’s how these aliens found us. This is what they want.”

The young princess turned her head over to her left to meet the gazes from Steve and Natasha, the curious looks from Daisy and Phil, and the simply fascinated expressions from Fitz and Simmons. It gave her the confidence to say what she was dreading to ever since they arrived to her lab.

“This energy…” Shuri continued, then paused, almost not wanting to continue when she felt her mother’s wrathful gaze burn her way, “… and this is only a hypothesis… but it may have been able to infect the plant life, not the vibranium that we initially believed. And whatever this energy was, it gave the Black Panther his powers… it allowed T’Challa to travel to the Ancestral Plane and meet the souls of all the former Black Panthers… as well as father…”

T’Challa turned to his little sister as she struggled with that last statement, watching as she seemed to hurt herself trying to breathe. She leaned her back against the desk, her breath shaking as she exhaled, a soft sniffle following her ragged breathing. Wiping her eyes, Shuri turned them instead to her left once more… letting them fall to one person…

“Steve…”

Steve Rogers perked up to the mentioning of his name, almost every eye shifting to his direction. Meeting Shuri’s gaze and holding it with as much strength as he could muster, Steve listened closely, let the silence of the lab and Shuri’s heavy breathing being all that he could hear.

As well as her voice.

Especially when she asked…

“What were the Infinity Stones… by name?”

His jaw fell, but nothing came from it. He just realized what Shuri was leading to in her revelation, almost hesitating when he turned to the somewhat offended looks he received from Ramonda, Okoye, and Ayo. T’Challa, as always, was focused elsewhere, to his own thoughts.

Sighing, Steve looked away and kept his gloved-palm pressed to the desk, his other resting on his belt. And he said, “The Space Stone, Power Stone, Reality Stone, Time Stone, Mind Stone, and…”

Then he turned back and met Shuri’s eyes. Natasha turned to him. Daisy looked to Rogers. Phil slowly realized where they were headed. What the endgame was. What it all… truly meant.

“And the Soul Stone,” Steve finished.

Just like that, it almost seemed to click for everyone present. Queen Mother Ramonda took in a sharp gasp of air, Okoye’s jaw falling alongside Ayo’s. T’Challa closed his eyes and let his head fall further into his palm, his entire mouth shielded by it.

“So, what if…” Shuri exclaimed, turning around and facing her family, her friends, her allies, her eyes almost burning with tears, “… what if… what these aliens want with Wakanda… is not just our vibranium but something more. Something that’s been beneath our feet forever but we never truly realized its power until now?”

“Shuri,” Ramonda stated fiercely, taking a powerful step forward to her daughter. Shuri nearly crumbled under her mother’s glare, a tiny gasp leaving her. The Queen Mother’s voice was practically on fire, her lips trembling when she asked, “You would change Wakanda’s very history, our religion, everything we were built on for a hypothesis?”

“Mother, this—”

“You are saying that all of this,” she pointed to the vibranium glowing outside the glass shield, “our rich history, our god Bast… is all because of an alien stone?”

Shuri felt the accusations punch her in every which way, the young princess standing back up and facing it either way. She rose to full height, meeting her mother straight on, never once blinking or backing down when she affirmed her position… and said it.

“How different is that from an alien rock?” Shuri retorted. Ramonda’s gaze only worsened, Shuri pushing further by stating, “Mother, I’m not trying to change our religion, I’m just… expanding upon it. Bast could have very well existed on Earth far before the vibranium even came here, but it was our plight… that the panther goddess chose to bless us… and allow us to contain this power beyond our world.”

And there it was. Everything she had discovered and dreaded letting the rest of Wakanda know for so long. It was all there, laid on the table, fresh for all to see. And none of them, none of her family, none of her guard seemed to understand it like she and Steve, and Phil, and the others understood it. That, and seeing her mother’s constantly hurt expression started to weigh heavily on her, Shuri sighing and dropping her head. “But it is just a hypothesis.”

“Beyond our world.”

Ramonda broke her gaze from her daughter to turn to her son. Every Avenger, every agent, everyone diverged their eyes and ears to King T’Challa. Just as they saw him last, he had kept his eyes closed and continued to do so for several seconds longer in peace and quiet. And the longer he remained in that state, the further he delved into the remnants of times long past.

He thought back to his crowning ceremony, seeing his father in the Ancestral Plane, only after consuming the Heart-Shaped Herb. He saw his father after so long, the last time being his burnt and bloody body lying in his arms, T’Challa cradling him and crying for the father that was lost, the one he would never get back. He saw his father’s soul, and the souls of those who came before.

The souls who came before…

Space.

Power.

Reality.

Time.

Mind.

T’Challa opened his eyes.

“Son…” Ramonda whispered, she and Shuri leaning forward. Okoye and Ayo stood at the ready, their full attention locked with their king, shocked to see him so shocked. Scared to see him scared. Hardly breathing to see his chest not even moving.

With his eyes staring into another world, T’Challa kept his attention forward, with the vibranium mine beneath Mount Bashenga. “These alien warships,” he finally said. “How far are they?”

Okoye raised her beads resting around her wrist, bringing up a materializing hologram of the same kind that appeared in the War Room. “The ships are one hundred miles away and closing in,” Okoye explained, turning her widened eyes back to her king and dropping her wrist.

And she watched as he began to act, prompting her and Ayo to follow their king. “Evacuate the city,” T’Challa ordered. Ramonda was right behind her son, watching as he turned from Ayo to Okoye and said, “Engage all defenses!”

Then she saw as he turned around, eyes as hot as burning iron, and pointed directly behind them. With that same tone of voice, that same powerful order, King T’Challa, the Black Panther, pointed to one individual among the many. One man among the masses. One super soldier… without a weapon.

“And get this man a shield!”

He addressed the Wakandan scientists handling the vibranium weaponry. He addressed his little sister Shuri. He pointed directly to Steve Rogers when he said that, the First Avenger’s jaw dropping at that and not a single breath leaving him. He could do nothing more but watch as T’Challa, Okoye, Ayo, and Ramonda made their retreat up the spiral stairs.

Phil Coulson smiled slowly. Daisy did the same. Natasha smirked up at Rogers. Fitz and Simmons were just as breathless as the second they stepped into the labs. And Shuri practically beamed with excitement.

All while T’Challa and his people exited the vibranium mound, their minds set only on protecting their very way of life. Their king led them every step of the way, the Black Panther growling, “They will come for us… and what has been beneath our feet forever.”

Chapter 52 – Catching Up to Do

Author's Note

Got a lot of fun interactions between the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Defenders, and Equestrians in this chapter, so don't be intimidated by the length of it! :twilightblush: Enjoy!

Chapter 52 – Catching Up to Do

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Archives, Celestia’s Private Study

9:54 a.m.

“How much do you know?”

“Enough.”

“Let me reword that. How much did Twilight tell you about us?”

“Oh, just as much as she wanted… which was a lot. She practically followed me to my guest room in her castle just… rambling on about Friday, the world she came from, her creator…”

Tony Stark stared at the fiery-maned unicorn for a moment, slowly letting the silence she allowed to pester him further. He never showed it. Though with Sunset Shimmer sitting right next to him, sending that red-hot smirk his way the longer she stared at his dumbfounded expression, it was hard to keep his posture straight, clean, and to the point.

“All she could really talk about the most was… the Avengers,” Sunset sighed, adding a small, adorable chuckle at the end of it. “She said that three years ago… a man in a metal suit fell from the sky and hit Ponyville. That day changed her life forever. And when the Iron Man himself finally reunited with his team… they fought alongside Twilight and her closest friends… and a certain unicorn who turned away from… from…”

“Ultron,” Tony finished for her, looking away sullenly.

Sunset clapped her hoof against the cushion-covered bench, making a soft smacking sound. “That was the name. Anyway, she said that alongside the Avengers, they were able to stop him from unleashing Tartarus itself to consume all of Equestria and the world. Guess that gave you guys a bit of a reputation around here, huh?”

“Just like you?” Tony said, facing her but mostly her smirk. “First prodigal child of Princess Celestia?”

Sunset blushed at that, looking away with a tiny smile. “If you mean first student, then no. Celestia has had hundreds of personal pupils before me considering how long she’s been alive. Except… I guess I was the only one to actually betray her. Guess I am famous for something around here.”

The unicorn dropped her gaze, a certain pang of sadness filling each orb. Tony absorbed the emotion in her tone, especially her last few words. Then almost as instantly as the depression settled in, Sunset sprang up with renewed vigor, meeting Tony’s eyes and making him flinch.

“But seriously, a deranged, genocidal robot?! That’s insane!” Sunset exclaimed. “Not to mention your little skirmish with Captain America and his team of Avengers?! You guys are crazy…”

Tony stared at her, unsure of what to make of the unicorn. Noticing the odd look she received from Stark, Sunset blushed again, quickly adding with another smile, “B-but still really cool!”

Unfortunately, Tony didn’t respond to her smile with one of his own, like she was hoping. Instead, he leaned forward, metallic elbows resting on his armor-plated knees. His fingers interlaced with one another, the glowing orbs within his suit’s palms shimmering between the fingers. “Twi told you all about the Accords?” he asked, voice so very soft. Eyes so very distant.

And how could Sunset blame him? The way Twilight described it, the disbanding of the Avengers must have been a difficult time not only for Twilight and her friends, but also for Stark. With that in mind, Sunset nodded, even when his eyes weren’t on her, and said, “Well… not all of it. She left out the more…personal stuff.”

Stark slowly nodded in return. He could appreciate that. He could appreciate Twilight for keeping some of what happened two years ago between them. Some scars were better left hidden for no one to see. Recollecting on past mistakes always made his head hurt, Tony leaning forward and rubbing his face of the weary nature that tried to take over. The cool, metal plating of the Mark 50 covered his hands, arms, shoulders, and anything below his neck in dense nanotechnology. His Arc Reactor burned bright blue, facing the large room and crowd accompanying him and Sunset.

They weren’t alone in Princess Celestia’s private study. Within the Canterlot Archives, Celestia herself gave Stark and his team of Avengers, New Yorkers, sorcerers, Asgardians, assholes, and ponies a moment of recollection and preparation for the big journey to the Badlands. They were tasked by the two royal sisters themselves to track and study the new volcano that had emerged where the Gates of Tartarus once stood. Discovered originally by Capper, now Twilight and her closest allies would begin to fully understand its nature and properties, how close it was to erupting, what precautions needed to be taken to prepare for such an eruption, and so forth.

That, and Celestia wanted them to get some quality time alone from the rest of Canterlot just… to reunite with one another. Rekindle old friendships. Catch up after so long and so far away. Some—like Tony and Sunset for example—took the brief moment of rest to just chat. Properly introduce themselves, share a few stories of past adventures. But most just kept to themselves, or tired to considering Pinkie Pie, Twilight, and Spike kept trying to spark conversations amongst the large group.

Princess Celestia’s private study within the Canterlot Archives was a sizable room. Towering ceiling, large windows with morning sunlight spilling inside to keep everyone warm, rows upon rows of books alongside the walls covered in bookshelves, nearly reaching the ceiling. The fireplace was dead, large pillows, chairs, and coffee tables filling the area around it. Most likely where Celestia read her books, or where she read her letters when Twilight was still learning about friendship. And within that massive room, the just as massive group of humans, aliens, and enhanced individuals alike either rested on chairs, against the walls, stood lonesome, or had smaller conversations.

Amongst the many who were present, the ones accounted for were, of course, Tony Stark and Sunset Shimmer resting on the one of many cushioned benches within the study. Then there were Twilight, Pinkie, Spike, Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy, Starlight, and Rarity. Fluttershy mostly kept to herself, the only other person in the room she could talk to other than her friends being Bruce Banner. She and Rarity were one in the same, the fashionista unnaturally quiet and sitting near the edge of the room where Vision and Gamora were talking. Every once in a while, she would lift her gaze and shoot it across the room, quickly darting it back to the floor and shutting her eyes tight. It was unusual. Hardly anyone paid her any attention. She didn’t get involved with any conversations and no one dropped by to say hi to her.

Then there was James Rhodes standing in his Mark IV War Machine armor, more accustomed to checking his own armor statistics then chatting with anyone else. As noted earlier, Vision was speaking with Gamora near the end of the room, Gamora trying to understand how he got the Mind Stone stuck in his forehead. In the distance, Star-Lord kept a close eye on his girl, ensuring that this “Vision” character didn’t try anything smart. Peter Quill couldn’t trust a guy in a cape, not since Ego. Keeping the ponies amused around the dead fireplace, an enthusiastic—if not a tad shy—Peter Parker tried to explain to Fluttershy, Applejack, and Starlight how his powers worked. The mares were all mesmerized by his stories of heroism back in a place he called “Queens”, Fluttershy managing to break out of her shell and even offer a growing smile to all of Peter’s heroic stories. Peter was even breaking away from his shyness as well to see all of their glowing smiles. He was just glad to stand on the right foot with the ponies this time around, considering his last time practically fighting them back in Leipzig. Bruce Banner was with them, as well. After all, it was the first day he met Parker. Might as well learn as much about him as he could.

Spike sat with Thor in the chairs near the fireplace, keeping a good enough distance to remain out of Parker’s stories and instead share their own with each other. Spike, especially, was enthralled with Thor’s recent adventures across the universe. Thor was more than welcome to share some of his stories, especially with someone as meager as Spike. Though, he did appreciate the dragon’s new set of wings… even if they were tiny. Rainbow Dash hovered near Drax, the burly Destroyer munching on a bag of Zargnuts. Rather loudly to be exact. She slowly turned her frown over to him, Drax seamlessly unaware of her presence as he chewed and chewed.

A secluded and lonesome Doctor Strange was clearly focused on other matters, the Sorcerer Supreme hovering in place while meditating. Even then, there was Pinkie Pie bouncing around him in a complete and perfect circle, spouting off a million questions a second about what he was thinking about, what his favorite flavor of ice cream was, what his favorite song by Beyoncé was, and so on, and so on. Strange was clearly struggling to keep his peace, the Cloak of Levitation keeping him suspended above the ground, but not from Pinkie’s constant chatter.

Twilight was focused elsewhere, focused primarily in trying to make amends with Frank Castle. Their last meeting didn’t end in the best of terms for either of them. Twilight, as the Princess of Friendship, and remembering clearly of the scolding she received from Celestia about upholding that friendship, knew she had to put the past between her and Castle behind them. She offered her hoof in friendship to the Punisher. He only offered a sideways glance in return before eventually turning back to the exit, ensuring that he remained as far from the noise and ponies as possible. Twilight eventually gave up after several minutes of no response, snorting and leaving Castle as he leaned against the bookshelf. She would get to him eventually. Maybe in a more secluded location away from all the conversation, somewhere he’ll be more comfortable to open up.

Instead, Twilight chose to formally introduce herself to the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen and his fellow compatriots. That’s how she referred to them anyway, none of them yet certain on the title of the “Defenders” as Spider-Man had chosen for them. Still, they introduced themselves to the Princess of Friendship, first being Daredevil—that’s the name he told her—then Luke Cage, then Danny Rand, and finally—and begrudgingly—Jessica Jones.

Groot was in the opposite corner of the room, sitting on the bench and playing video games. Rocket sat right next to him, polishing his laser rifle and muttering curses only he could hear. He couldn’t care either way if anyone else heard him… or what he said about them. Mantis stood awkwardly, her hands close together, the empathic, insectoid, alien woman trying to meet someone’s eyes. No one would look at her. She kept turning her attention back to Frank Castle, the Punisher really not trying to look at her.

And finally, there was Loki, standing alone behind Thor’s chair, doing his damnedest to remain out of the conversation, out of the spotlight, and out of everyone’s way. Out of all times to be the center of attention, now was not it. Especially after their little excursion in the Badlands, they would go after Thanos. They would want to know about Thanos. They would want to know how he was able to get so powerful so fast.

Then they would turn on him.

Plenty of time to flee once they left for the Badlands.

And that was everyone.

Just as weird, frantic, and somewhat still comforting as Stark remembered. Nodding at that single shot of everyone interacting, Tony thought back to his discussion with Sunset Shimmer, finally realizing he had been silent for nearly two minutes and counting.

“That’s good to know,” Stark finally said, the unicorn on his left perking up to his voice. Watching as he leaned back, his metal suit clanking against the wall he rested against, Sunset met Tony’s eyes once more, the man holding his hand out to her. “So, as you were saying about that quote unquote ‘human world’ you came from…”

Raising an intrigued brow, Sunset asked, “Yeah… what about it? You interested in the fact that there’s another world inhabited by humans?”

“No, it’s just—” Stark began to say, then stopped himself. A short moment of recollection, almost like he didn’t want to say what came next, but knew he had to. He had to know. “It’s just… Do you ever recall seeing… a horse step out of the portal?”

Sunset was stupefied for a few seconds. That’s how long it took for her to finally click, the mare’s jaw falling and her eyes shooting open. “Oh! Yeah, I do remember that! Some horse stepped out of the Canterlot High School statue! Gosh, you should’ve seen the faces on Lyra and Bon Bon.”

The sad part was that he did. “Funny story…” Stark regretfully began, Sunset slowly looking back his way. “I… actually… may have… stepped through Twilight’s portal that time.”

“Wait… that was you?”

“Please don’t laugh,” Tony said quietly, almost begging. “I still have nightmares.”

Sunset giggled, waving her hoof out to him. “Oh, don’t worry. We already did our laughing a while back. In fact, you were pretty much the talk of the whole school for, like, three months.”

Swallowing that information, Stark sighed heavily, his forehead falling into his right palm. “Goddammit,” Tony muttered. Sunset giggled again, hoof failing to cover her smile.

While Sunset continued to enthrall Tony about her world and all the crazy, magical adventures she had been on in the past, the room was constantly shuffling about. Ponies moved from Avenger to Guardian, to Defender and Asgardian, many taking a seat near the God of Thunder. Thor seemed to attract quite the crowd, soon to begin his tale of the end of his home... the story of Ragnarök. Peter Parker was there, as well as Bruce Banner, Loki standing far behind his brother and remaining far from the story. While many ponies, mainly Twilight, Starlight, Pinkie, and Applejack took nearby chairs and pillows and surrounded Thor, Spike was there to begin with. Rarity sat somewhat close, still remaining unnaturally quiet throughout the duration of Thor’s tales. Fluttershy was busy wandering about, turning her attention to the two creatures she had found the most interest in…

Yet couldn’t find the courage to actually start a conversation. With Rocket sitting in silence and polishing his firearm and Groot playing his video game right next to him, Fluttershy decided that now would be the best time to break the mold and introduce herself. After all… she did want to learn more about them… ever since she first saw them two years ago.

“Um… hello there,” Fluttershy meekly began, raising her yellow hoof and waving it towards the raccoon. Her long, pink mane managed to cover her right eye, her failing smile as well. “My name is Fluttershy.”

Rocket glared at her, barring his teeth and returning to his gun shortly. Fluttershy felt that look, that denial punch her right in the heart, but she stood her ground, determined in the end. “Um… I was just wondering… considering you’re a raccoon and all…”

Mantis gasped, twisting her head far left over to the yellow Pegasus. Groot looked up from his game. Rocket looked like he was going to explode, but just sighed, returning to polish his gun and mumbling more curses under his breath. Fluttershy, unsure yet still apprehensive of what she had just done, continued. “How… um… how did you learn to talk?”

He wasn’t going to budge. Realizing that after nearly ten seconds of silence on his end, Fluttershy turned her head over to Groot, the adolescent about to reach a new high score. “Your name is… Groot, right… from what I heard earlier?” she asked.

His wooden fingers keeping mashing away on the handheld video game, his eyes glued to the screen. Fluttershy leaned in, asking in nearly a whisper, “Are you an actual… living tree?”

He kept playing, intentionally ignoring her, or trying to at least. “Um… excuse me?” she quietly asked, gingerly reaching forward and tapping his shoulder. Groot raised his head and shot it her way, Fluttershy yelping as several loud beeps escaped from his video game. Groot turned back, gasping and gripping the handheld electronic even more furiously than last time.

Game over. He was so close to actually beating Arcade Defender this time. Not even a new high score. Huffing at that, Groot glared back to Fluttershy, the butter Pegasus flinching under his heated gaze. “I am Groot,” he grunted, shifting to a flat sitting position, back against the wall, raising his handheld so it blocked his face from her as he started a new game.

“Groot, that’s no way to talk about someone’s mother,” Rocket muttered.

“I am Groot.”

“Even if she did have it coming.”

Fluttershy’s ears fell, the Pegasus retreating back to the pillows and chairs near Applejack, Peter Parker, Starlight, Thor, and Spike. Mantis stared at her retreat, a pang of sadness filling her massive orbs for eyes. She seemed to notice the especially large group that Thor was accumulating, the one where Fluttershy fell back to. Thor, on the other hand, was just in the middle of explaining his battle with Bruce Banner on Sakaar. The ponies were especially enthralled with that, Twilight and Pinkie leaning forward in anticipation for the next drizzle of information.

Rainbow Dash hovered a good enough distance away from Thor and his group. She fidgeted in mid-air, really wanting to check out what Thor was talking about. She could go for a good story since Drax apparently would hardly budge with her. It was difficult, considering Twilight wanted them to make some friends with the new faces amongst their visitors. Wishing to break the apparent bad blood between them—Rainbow clearly remembering that it was Drax who said he didn’t like her the first moment they met each other two years ago—Rainbow was still having trouble trying to find some common ground with the Guardian.

If anything, all he ever did since she came up to him was eat his bag of Zargnuts. Very loudly.

After a few more aggravating crunches coming from her left, Rainbow sighed, twisting her head in that direction and watching as Drax continued to chew on the alien delectable. “Are those pretty good?” she finally asked. Her answer was just more chewing. “Can I have one?”

She received no response, Drax continuing to crunch away at the Zargnuts. He slowly reached into his bag, so slow in fact that he looked to be moving at an inch a second. Frowning at that, if not more confused, Rainbow asked, “Oh, so you’re just gonna ignore me then?”

With his hand falling into the bag, Drax whispered, “I don’t know who you’re referring to.”

Rainbow’s neck leaned backwards, her frown worsening. “I’m referring to you!”

“That’s not possible.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You can’t refer to me because you can’t see me,” Drax responded, plucking a Zargnut out of the bag at long last. “The only way you know I’m here is because I’m still talking.”

He moved slightly to the left, sighing with content and pulling the Zargnut out of the bag, slowly but surely raising it to his mouth. “Much better,” he whispered, popping the treat in his mouth and crunching it between his teeth. Rainbow raised a brow in his direction, her jaw refusing to close as she tried to pinpoint what exactly his deal was.

“What are you doing?”

Swallowing, Drax didn’t even look her way. He whispered, “I have mastered the ability… of standing so incredibly still… that I have become invisible to the eye. Watch…”

His hand slowly fell back towards the bag.

“I can still see you.”

Drax reached into his bag, pulling up another Zargnut. “No, you can’t.”

“Yes, I can!”

Plopping the treat into his mouth, Drax crunched on it annoyingly loud, sighing, “There must be something wrong with your perceptibility… because I am certain I’m invisible.”

Rainbow smacked her hoof to her face. “You know what? Okay. You’re invisible. I give up.”

Drax closed his eyes, clenching his fist tight in victory. “I knew it,” he whispered, still munching away on his snack. Rainbow rolled her eyes and hovered away from him, towards Thor’s growing audience and taking a seat right next to Fluttershy. It didn’t seem like she had missed that much, already arriving to the best part. Before she even knew it, the rest of the room all came together.

All surrounded Thor. All the ponies, Spike, the Guardians, the Defenders, and all of the Avengers, Tony Stark included. Doctor Strange was finally at peace without Pinkie bothering him, continuing in his meditation away from the group. Frank Castle merely shifted his stance to be facing the growing crowd, arms still crossed, glare still heavy, patience still running thin. Jessica Jones was no different, standing the furthest away from Thor unlike the rest of her team. Part of her still couldn’t believe how she got tied up into all of the madness that was falling down on Earth, let alone getting involved with… magical, talking horses.

God, she still couldn’t believe it, the detective groaning through her sighs as she stood with her arms crossed, head down, and mind elsewhere. She still managed to catch a smidgen of the God of Thunder’s story.

“I then turned my sister’s attention to Asgard and said, ‘But he can!’ Then Surtur himself burst forth from the castle grounds and drove his blade straight through her heart and the heart of Asgard! It was quite awesome.”

The ponies were quite possibly the best audience Thor has had in years. They gasped at appropriate times, remained silent during the rising tension, then remained in utter awe at the grand conclusion of it all. It was refreshing to see other perspectives on Thor’s predicament, similar to having brought tales of adventure from other realms back to Asgard’s young, growing minds. Children were always a wonderful audience… especially children of Asgard.

And when he looked in their large, colorful eyes that’s all Thor could really see… the eyes of the children lost forever. Of the dead race… the dead world of the Asgardian people. Thor leaned back in his chair. “Until I saw my home explode into a billion pieces of rock and debris. That was one of the many downsides of my recent adventures.”

“One of many?” Twilight pondered out loud, tilting her head. Sunset sat on her right and Pinkie on her left, Starlight next to Pinkie, then Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Spike in his chair, and finally Rarity further away from the rest of her friends, barely raising her eyes. Thor stared at all of them, his last, good eye meeting theirs and seeing only regret. Painful grief… something he still couldn’t fathom, even now.

He couldn’t continue, so Bruce Banner picked up for him. Gulping quietly at first, Bruce stepped forth, standing on Thor’s left and resting his palm on the god’s shoulder. He said, “It wasn’t long before myself… the Hulk… in actuality, and Thor, Loki, and many others were attacked by another ship. And our… our refugee ship didn’t have the capabilities to defend itself. When they boarded, they…”

Just like Thor, that silence, that sickness consumed his throat and silenced his breathing. His eyes gazed a million miles away.

“They did… what?” Starlight asked, almost not wanting to know. None of the ponies appeared to want to know either, like they were huddled together watching the same horror movie, expecting the scare to arrive at any second.

Finally, it was Loki himself who said it. Many eyes shifted to near the corner of the room, where the God of Mischief remained leaning against the wall, his eyes gazing through the window perched high above him. And he said, “We were the sheep… to our own slaughter.”

“So many warriors…” Thor mumbled, his eye gazing longingly to the floor, “… so many families… friends… like nothing to them.”

There was a certain time and place Twilight and her closest friends had heard Thor, the mighty God of Thunder, sound so seemingly lost in despair, the hope in his voice but a distant, fleeting memory. It was the only time they had seen him last, three years ago when he stood with them against Ultron, but even then, he still held strength in his tone, the mighty Thor still willing to seek for something to fight for. But now… the battered, beaten, wounded, broken, and aged God of Thunder had seen something that shook him to his very core. And for a moment… Twilight could only see a scared, old man where one of the strongest Avengers sat before her.

“Who…” Twilight began, her voice shaking, “… w-w-who were they?”

Thor looked at her. His remaining eye met her twin, violet irises, each sharing a certain knowledge. Experience, power, tragedy, so much they’ve seen, wanted to forget, knowing they never could. “You’ve already heard his name… the one responsible for bringing your world to Midgard,” he responded.

Banner shifted his gaze over to the ponies. “Thanos,” he stated grimly.

If that didn’t bring everyone together…

Frank Castle lifted his head. Jessica Jones did the same. Rarity slowly raised hers, that name catching her heart and gripping it tightly in a frozen, hellish embrace. Even Doctor Strange broke from his meditation to turn towards Banner and Thor. He rose to both feet, the Cloak resting against his backside as he strode over to stand on Tony Stark’s left side.

Thor was right… Twilight had heard that name before. They all did. It was merely a name, yet it contained so much catastrophic weight behind it that each mare felt the dread flood over their systems without having even known much about the alien behind the name. That’s how powerful it was. That’s how powerful he was. Each pony slowly looked to one another, feeling similar sentiments of unease as they gazed in each other’s eyes.

And yet Rarity felt the worst, she just hid it so well.

She didn’t know why, she couldn’t tell how, but that name… that… wretched name somehow managed to shake her to her very core. Other than that day in her entire life, she had never heard the name, the word before, never mentioned or thought of once. Yet it managed to sneak into her mind, delve deep into the darkness, sparking something. Rarity ruminated on it throughout the noise and constant chatter amongst her friends. The name brought up something, she didn’t know what… but something she would rather forget…

But couldn’t. The unicorn kept her head low, her eyes closed, and her hoof continuously rubbing her opposite foreleg, steady, fearful breaths leaving her shaking lips. Nearly silent. Hidden from her friends.

Sunset Shimmer was the one who finally asked, “Who’s Thanos?”

No one could seem to answer. Until Drax turned to his close friend and announced, “Gamora… is the daughter of Thanos.”

Everyone looked at her, minus her fellow Guardians. Complete, sickening silence. Gamora, managing to ignore the look she received from the Vision on her far left, closed her eyes and instead focused on her own breathing. Once more the center of attention, already feeling the growing cynicism shifting in her direction. The growing distrust.

Something they really didn’t need right now.

The truth. Nothing left. Leave it all on the table… most of it, Gamora thought to herself.

So, that’s what she did. She gave the truth. Most of it.

“For as long as I knew him, Thanos only fought, only bled, only dreamt of one thing in his life, and that was to wipe out half of all life in the universe. He traveled from planet to planet, cleansing half of each indigenous population to see his dream come to fruition. That’s how he took me from my planet… after he cleansed it.”

Gamora opened her eyes, not expecting the responses she got. While some like Thor, Peter, and the rest of her closest friends—the ones she could call her family—all understood and held no humor in their expressions, everyone else was filled with nothing but pure dread. Tony especially, finally getting the rundown on the alien that’s been torturing him for six years. Finally seeing the monster within the nightmares. And it was just as horrible as he imagined.

Maybe even worse.

Nothing compared to the ponies, though. Spike included, sharing similar expressions of growing angst, fear, and some even appearing to be sick, mainly Fluttershy and Twilight. How anyone—other than a cold, heartless machine—could have the audacity to actually want to kill half of all life in the universe, even going so far as to murder billions on alien worlds… was something they just couldn’t fathom. How anyone could have that type of will, that type of sick, twisted ideology was something not unheard of to the Equestrians… yet still hard to swallow. Rarity continuously shuddered, even as Gamora continued and made it all the worse.

“He tried to push me into his cult, make me the most feared member of the Black Order. But I wouldn’t give in. I wouldn’t fall prey to his doctrine… fully. I have done things…” Gamora said, pausing as wretched, horrid memories of her times leading Thanos’ forces, actually helping in cleanse infant worlds and reaping the benefits… just to prove to father her worth. “Things I am not proud of… things I pray I can take back, but knowing I never could. Not unless I failed Thanos and suffered because of it. I got away as soon as I could… and was willing… and able to.”

Peter Quill wrapped his arm across her shoulder and pulled her in close, comforting her. Gamora was new to affection, but accepted it anyway and rested her head on Quill’s shoulder. He rubbed her arm gingerly, kissing her black and red hair. She seemed to ease further into his embrace, sighing contently, if not a tad shakily. Breaking away from Quill, Gamora faced the mares once more, meeting their horrified expressions with her own.

“If he collects all of the Infinity Stones, he can achieve his dream. He can wipe out half the universe with a snap of his fingers,” Gamora explained, snapping her own to clarify her point. The snap reverberated across the study, causing each mare and Spike to flinch back at surprise, some of them catching their breath. Some of them losing theirs. Gamora looked to them and their expressions, feeling every inch of it in her soul. “Just like that, and we would lose. No going back. It all ends.”

Her hand fell to her side, and she was done.

Yet the terror of Thanos’ legacy continued to grow, continued to spread from one to another. The heads of the ponies swiveled around to Mantis, the young, alien woman rubbing her own palms and whimpering. Almost like she didn’t want to say it.

“Death follows him like a shadow,” Mantis whimpered. “That’s who Thanos is.”

“He’s been in my head for six years,” Tony finally piped up, eyes turning back to him. Especially Twilight’s. “Since New York, he’s been torturing me. In my head, in my sleep, in every goddamn waking moment of my life since then, and everything I’ve done to prevent this has failed. Ultron turned against us. The Avengers turned against one another. Pristine moment for Thanos to turn against us.”

Doctor Strange looked to Stark, the Iron Man not meeting the Sorcerer Supreme’s gaze that time. But someone did. Somepony did. “Stephen,” Twilight said, his head perking her way. “What was the Infinity Stone you and Thor mentioned?”

Doctor Strange nodded to her request, stepping forth. “I can do better than that,” he said, raising his shaking palms and bursting his fingers outwards towards the ceiling. Unsure at first to what he was doing, the mares all gasped as a shower of light exploded above them. Several Tao Mandalas spun ferociously over the ponies’ heads, not just them but everyone looking and observing the light show Doctor Strange put up for all to see.

The lights shot out, creating what appeared to be a canvas of blackness, representing the vastness of space above their heads. Doctor Strange continued to move his hands in unique, mystical fashions, something Twilight couldn’t understand but couldn’t look away from. As he worked, he said, “In the beginning, there was nothing… then boom.”

The Tao Mandalas exploded, showering the blackness with hundreds of dots of white, red, and orange. Stars. The lights shimmered in the ponies’ eyes, each of them with expressions so lost in wonder they couldn’t even close their jaws. Their necks craned backwards, observing the mystical, alien universe above their heads.

Strange continued. “During the birth of the universe, six essential elements of the virgin cosmos came into existence. Space…” a blue gem shimmered into existence, “Power…” a purple gem right next to it, “Reality…” a red stone glowing violently by the others, “Mind…” the yellow rock shining just as bright as the one on Vision’s forehead, “Soul…” the orange gem resting beneath the others, followed by the last green stone, “… and Time. These were known as the Infinity Stones. Over time, they were cast out throughout the universe, the Time Stone finding its way to Earth… where the Masters of the Mystic Arts hold it in safe hands to this day.”

The ponies, especially Twilight, all stared at him in mixtures of wonderment, soft anger for having lied to them about the Time Stone, and complete shock. Even as the light show ended and Doctor Strange dropped his hands, not a single breath could be taken by any of the ponies. They just received the history of the universe in less than a minute and none of them could even fathom or process it. Even Twilight struggled in that regard. Despite that—knowing she could study it further with Strange—Twilight focused and thought back to the Stones he mentioned.

“Well… Vision has the Mind Stone,” Twilight said, Vision turning her way. Their eyes met for a brief second. “So, we know where two Stones are.”

“And we know we need to keep Vision as far away from Thanos as possible,” Stark said.

“We don’t even know where he is,” Vision stated, earning a few disgruntled sighs throughout the room.

“What we do know is that we have the Time Stone safe, and the Mind Stone is with us,” Bruce Banner explained. “That just leaves the Soul Stone, considering Thanos already has three Infinity Stones, so he’s already unstoppable.”

Hearing that caused a collective whimper to spread amongst the mares, mostly Fluttershy and Rarity. Rainbow let a short, fearful gulp escape her. Thor must have heard different, because all Banner received from him was soft chuckle.

All heads in the room slowly turned accordingly, all staring at the God of Thunder with his large biceps crossed over one another. On his face, he wore a slick grin, shaking his head and continuing to chuckle away the threat of Thanos. Banner faced him fully, the mares looking to one another, the Avengers, Guardians, and Defenders doing the same.

Sighing at last, Thor stared at nothing, still holding a soft smile. “Such a quaint thought, Banner. Nothing in this or any other realm I’ve traveled has been unstoppable. There were legends, there were fears, even the great Surtur himself fell by the power that flows through me. Thanos is just another number to the many bastards I have slaughtered, no matter how many Infinity Stones he wields. And do you know why he will fall before me? Do you know why Thanos will fail?”

He spun in his chair to meet Banner’s gaze as he asked that. Even when he sat, Bruce still felt Thor was taller than him. He raised his hand, pointing his finger to Bruce and declaring low, strong, and threatening, “Because fate wills it so.”

While some were awestruck by Thor’s declaration, Applejack remained unmoved. She cleared her throat, Thor turning her way, and said, “This… ‘Thanos’… He sounds like the toughest there is.”

“Well, he’s never fought me,” Thor said with a humorous grin.

“Yeah, he has,” Rocket groaned from where he sat, his deadpan tone laid thick.

“He’s never fought me twice,” Thor corrected himself. He not only pointed to Rocket, but to every mare, every dragon, and every one. “And next time it’ll be a fair fight, where I will be good and ready for wherever Thanos may appear! He may have the Reality Stone from where his children killed the Collector. He may have the Power Stone taken after he decimated Xandar. And he may have the Space Stone acquired when he slaughtered my people, but he can never be able to withstand the wrath… of the God of Thunder. With vengeance fueling my fists… I will see his end.”

A moment of silence, the ponies staring at him. Everyone staring at him. Some shocked, some still in disbelief, some barely hanging on. Thor chuckled breathlessly, shaking his head. “You know, my friends, I’m 1,500 years old… I’ve taken more than I’ve lost in that span of time, yet these past few years have been especially cruel. Lost my mother to a Dark Elf… my father to his own age… my hammer…”

It was at that moment that Twilight and her closest friends realized that Thor no longer wielded the mighty Mjølnir, his palms bare. A soft, collective gasp escaped the mares, minus Sunset. Spike’s jaw fell at the realization, Thor managing to leave that part of his story out when he told Spike earlier. Thor continued shortly. “My home destroyed… my people and closest friends lost to the Mad Titan… and now the two worlds I love brought into this madness. I lost that assurance… of their safety.”

“Aren’t you afraid?” Fluttershy whispered, yet it was so quiet in the private study that even Frank Castle could hear her from clear across the room. Thor turned his head her way, his lone eye meeting her fearful ones. She shuddered where she sat, Rainbow looking to her sympathetically. “This… monster… sounds t-t-terrifying.”

Loki stared at him, arms crossed, expression hanging over the edge. Waiting for what his brother would say next. A warm chuckle escaped Thor, the God of Thunder smiling softly and looking only to the ponies. To Fluttershy. To his friends. He told them, “I’m not afraid to face Thanos once more… because I have very little left that he can take from me. And he will not… take another thing from me. He would have to kill me for that to happen.”

“And what if he does?” Rainbow asked, her voice unnaturally quiet.

Even that managed to slow Thor’s rising enthusiasm, grinding it to a halt and managing to deflate it. His expression fell, his eye following. “Well, if he does, then… what more could I lose?” he asked, his voice sounding so lost, so distant. So defeated. Then they saw it, never once before even humoring the thought of ever seeing it grace the face of the God of Thunder. But it was there…

A tear rolled down Thor’s cheek. He quickly wiped it away, hoping no one had noticed but knowing that everyone did. A show of weakness, something no leader, no god should ever present to those who needed him, those who would stand with him against the face of Hel itself. He slowly closed his eye, let that pitiful show of grief eat away at him just as the silence had.

The sound of trotting hooves came soon. He lifted up his head and nearly came face to face with the small, delicate Pegasus. He nearly did… had she not already hugged him.

Ponies showed their emotions all the time. Fluttershy could see it every single day, even more times in the past. To see someone she considered a friend, someone who experienced so much turmoil, so much pain, loss, regret, and many more horrible tragedies burned her heart and hurt her soul. She hugged him for his grief, for his fear, to him and him alone. To all of those he had lost… and what little he had left. And Thor soon realized, with that brave, little pony who broke through the tension and saw his stress, willing to help… He realized he had so much more he could lose. The ponies. His friends. The worlds he had come to love…

All if they didn’t stop Thanos.

Especially Loki… considering Thor never even mentioned his name. Especially considering he was one of the few Thor could still lose in the end.

He tried to not let it get to him. “I assure you, brother,” Loki said, Fluttershy breaking away and Thor turning back to meet his eyes. His cold, calculating, wounded eyes. “The sun will shine on us again.”

Rainbow slowly turned her growing, heated glare towards the God of Mischief.

Everyone was so captivated by Thor’s story, his loss, and the scene unfolding before them that they completely missed Mantis scooting closer and closer to where a certain Punisher stood alone. Right up until she was but a few feet away from him, his gaze lingered to the group just mere yards ahead of him, a dreary and bored expression etched on his face. He was drowsing out, not even noticing the alien woman on his left.

Slowly, she turned to Frank and introduced herself. “Hello… I am Mantis.”

Frank almost flinched, turning his scowl in her direction. She offered the best smile she could, one she had been practicing with Drax. It appeared just as awkward as ever. He just glared at her. Mantis didn’t seem affected by his show of dominance, simply stating, “You seem… broken. Can I touch you?”

“You like that hand?” Frank asked at last.

Mantis brought up her palm, staring at it close to her face. She held it towards Castle, asking, “Mine? Yes, I do.”

“Then keep it away from me.”

“Thor told us earlier that it was you who told Thanos about Equestria!” Rainbow Dash shouted, both Mantis and Castle darting their heads back to the large group ahead of them. There, they could see the rainbow-maned Pegasus hovering accusingly towards Loki, jamming her hoof in his direction, then towards Thor. “Thor only held back because he didn’t want to tell the princesses! Well, they’re not here! Look who’s caught red-hoofed now!”

“Now, Rainbow,” Thor interrupted her, raising his palm and lowering her hoof for her. “Loki only did so to protect me from Thanos… and himself.”

Rainbow’s jaw promptly hit the floor. In the corner of her vision, she could see Loki flash her a mischievous smirk. “B-b-b-but he—!” she started.

“That’s enough!”

Every eye in the room turned back towards Danny Rand. Castle snorted. He could hardly wait to see what Richie Rich had to say. Mantis furrowed her brow by his side, hands held close together by her chest. As for Rand, he didn’t mind to know that all the silence in the room was diverted his way. Every frown, every awaiting look, everything he had experienced time and time again. He didn’t back down from it. He kept his expression hard and tone even harder.

“We can’t play the blame game right now… and we really can’t be fighting with one another when Thanos is our true enemy. No time for making enemies. It’s time for a united front,” Danny explained, keeping the focus of his speech mostly on Rainbow Dash and Loki. Neither seemed impressed.

In fact, both just seemed slightly perplexed. Rainbow Dash especially, with a sneer to boot, asked, “Um, I’m sorry, but who even are you?”

“Don’t say it,” Jessica whispered.

With eyes like fire, Danny tightened both of his hands into fists, leaning against the chair that Luke Cage sat in. “I’m the Immortal Iron Fist,” he replied in a slick whisper.

“He said it,” Jessica groaned.

Danny expected a plethora of reactions, primarily in the more “shocked” category. Then there was awe, wonderment, deceit, uncertainty, so many different reactions to having paid witness to the Living Weapon of K’un-Lun standing before them. At least… that’s what he expected. It was nothing at all what he received.

From across the study, Rocket looked up from his rifle. Even Groot lowered his video game and shared Rocket’s glance towards Rand. He asked, “Did he just say ‘Immoral Fister’?”

Blinking at that, Danny ignored the tiny giggles escaping the mares. “What?” Danny questioned, shooting his furrowed brow towards the raccoon. “That’s nothing at all what I just—”

“Isn’t that like a rock band?” Star-Lord asked.

“No, that’s Iron Maiden,” Peter Parker corrected him.

“Are you related to Iron Man?” Pinkie asked, Danny turning to her. She nearly shot off like a rocket from her pillow, gasping, “Oh, my goodness, are you two brothers?! Tony, you never mentioned a younger brother!”

“Oh, yeah, forget to mention that he didn’t exist,” Stark mumbled.

“I thought his name was Immoral Fister?” Rainbow objected.

“Okay, enough!” Danny shouted. Things didn’t go off as he initially hoped it would. The ponies were a short fuse away from losing their collective patience, several blushing, many trying to contain their laughter. The Avengers, Guardians, Strange, and the Asgardians were hardly any better. “It’s Iron Fist. If that’s too hard, then just call me Danny. But names aren’t important, ‘cause right now we need to focus on Thanos.”

“I agree with the one who fists!” Drax exclaimed, wanting to turn attention to the fact that Thanos was still alive and out there. The attention, however, shifted instead to Drax’s statement. Danny rested his face in his hand, Rainbow chuckling and Fluttershy, Twilight, and Starlight blushing profusely. Applejack wore a shit-eating grin and watched the madness unfold, as did Sunset. Pinkie kept on smiling like a maniac. Spike was the only one in the room confused, not understanding the apparent joke birthed from Danny’s superhero name. He never had time to fully realize it…

“Loki…”

And just like that, the laughter died. The rising positivity amongst their situation dimmed down to a more sensitive level, the conflict and relationship between two brothers being the centerfold. All eyes were on them, Loki facing Thor and the God of Thunder’s neck twisted back towards him.

“I appreciate what you did on the Statesman… saving my life… and Banner’s,” Thor began, looking to Bruce to see him sigh. “But I think Bruce and I can agree that we would have rather died than to have brought Equus into this war.”

Loki snorted, arms still crossed tight across his chest. “Equus would have suffered regardless whether we lived or died,” he retorted. “In this scenario, we have more bodies—more preferable strength—against Thanos and his disgraces of villainy that he calls his children. If we had died… it would be easier for Thanos to win.”

There was no clear or easy answer. Many still held contempt for Loki and what he did, bringing Equus close into the war that Thanos brought with him. Some—mainly Loki himself—couldn’t blame him for helping to spare his brother’s life, as well as the life of someone he may have considered an enemy at one point in his life. Sunset and Starlight found special interest in Loki, knowing him to have once been an enemy to the Avengers from Twilight’s stories she learned from Stark. How anyone could be responsible for so much suffering, willing to turn away from it, only to fail time and time again… yet still stand with them? It sounded familiar… especially for Sunset and Starlight.

“So, what do we do now?” Spider-Man asked, breaking the rising silence. He wasn’t the only one to do so. The very second after he asked that—before anyone could formally respond—Pinkie Pie shot up from her pillow, all four hooves planted on the cushion and twitching profusely.

That wasn’t all. Her eyes exploded into a shower of sparks within her irises, her mouth forming a small “O”. Pinkie went into a full fit of twitches and spasms shortly after, bouncing across the room, screaming and cheering as she did so. The Defenders shielded themselves as the pink mare soared over their heads, Tony Stark backing off alongside Rhodey. Her friends watched and rose from their seats, heads darting across the room, following her descent into furthered madness. Doctor Strange’s eyes bounced back and forth, eventually settling in the middle of the room where Pinkie froze. Pinkie Pie was as stiff as a board, shivering as if she was caught in the heart of a snowstorm.

Then all was quiet once more. A few books fell from the shelf where Pinkie hit, but other than that, it was completely silent, all eyes on the pink mare settling herself back on the floor. “What the hell was that?” Doctor Strange demanded.

“Thaaaaat,” Pinkie sang, bouncing over to Strange with a consuming smile, “was my Pinkie Sense! Do you wanna know what it said? Huh? Do ya? Do ya? Do ya?!”

“I’m inclined to say yes,” Strange responded awkwardly.

“Well,” Pinkie began, pulling out an especially large parchment from within the infinite abyss that was her pink, fluffy mane. She unraveled the scroll, the paper traveling past every leg and nearly reaching the end of the room. “According to my official Pinkie Sense Log™, bounding around the room then suddenly pausing to have an ice-piercing cold rush through my body is an indication that we ALL need to go to the Badlands!”

The parchment rolled back and was practically sucked into Pinkie’s mane. “I know some of you have been wanting to stay here, and while some of you can—namely only three—the rest of us are going to have to go to the Badlands and study that volcano!” Pinkie finished, ending it with an adorable squeal and a grin to go with it.

Though some still haven’t recovered from Pinkie’s strange behavior, others shook it off, focusing instead on what she wanted from them. “And why should we listen to you?” Jessica asked, sending her official scowl in Pinkie’s direction.

Pinkie gasped. “You’re not listening to me, you’re listening to the Pinkie Sense! And the Pinkie Sense has never been wrong!”

Star-Lord didn’t know why, but the way Pinkie worded that—alongside her fearful eyes and equally-serious expression—sent an uneasy feeling in his gut. One of many that day. “And what if we don’t?” he pondered the thought, the pink mare spinning his way.

Seeing her expression shift from serious to terrified just solidified his worries. Especially with what she said next. “Something reeeeally bad will happen to Canterlot.”

Doctor Strange’s brow wrinkled at that statement, a few uncertain and worrisome eyes meeting from across the room and sharing the same feelings. Tony looked to Twilight, the Alicorn sighing through her nostrils, nodding softly to him. Peter Parker turned to Quill, neither one of them certain of what to make of Pinkie’s ominous statement. Well… Parker had something of an idea.

Pinkie grinned, completely wiping the fear from her face and replacing it with that same bubbly personality. “So, what do you all say?” she asked, hoof raised to them all.

No one responded. No one except Strange, all other eyes just frozen on Pinkie. Doctor Strange stepped forth, Pinkie spinning around to meet his gaze. “What ‘bad thing’ will happen to Canterlot?” he asked.

“I… I don’t know!” Pinkie admitted, hooves tapping away on the carpet beneath her as she thought more on it. “The Pinkie Sense doesn’t really work like that. It doesn’t really go into that many specifics, but it’s never failed me yet!”

“How does it work?”

Pinkie just shrugged.

“Wonderful description,” Doctor Strange sighed. He felt a tug on the Cloak of Levitation, prompting his attention to his left and downwards.

Twilight Sparkle was his greeter, the Alicorn dropping her hoof and staring up at him expectantly. And she was the first to say it, to tell him, “Stephen, just… just go with it.”

Stephen Strange… shut his mouth. He… listened. Weird. He didn’t expect Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, of all ponies to actually agree with something so ridiculous as a “Pinkie Sense”. He was almost starting to hold her in a higher regard… but he didn’t drop her just yet… almost interested and wanting to see how she would back up her claim.

“I’ve learned… we’ve all learned a long time ago that Pinkie’s Pinkie Sense is something of an enigma… as is the pony it comes from,” Twilight explained the best she could. From her side, Pinkie popped her hoof against her lips, making a soft popping sound. “Although it may not seem it, but Pinkie’s right. Her Pinkie Sense has never been wrong. In all the years we’ve known her, her Pinkie Sense has managed to steer us in the right direction every single time. I know it’s hard to believe it, but trust me… we need to follow this.”

Wow. That’s all Strange could say. He didn’t though, already finding himself coming closer to her terms than expected. It wasn’t the first time in his life he experienced the impossible, and there he was… an abandoned neurosurgeon now Sorcerer Supreme of the mystic arts. “So just… follow the sense?” he asked.

“Yes,” Twilight said with a supporting smile.

“I’m down!” Peter Parker said, raising his hand. Twilight, Strange, and even Tony turned his way, as well as many others. “Trusting your senses has always worked for me!”

“Everyone else?” Strange asked. Several nods slowly consumed the remainder of the room, leaving just a few unaccounted for. Pinkie bounded up and down, her smile growing bigger and bigger, glad to see everyone in agreement for something. Well… almost everyone. Which reminded Strange exactly of what Pinkie had said. “Pinkie told us that three individuals can stay in Canterlot while the rest of us travel to the Badlands. And since I’m told we should follow it exactly…”

He looked to Twilight and Pinkie, the Alicorn offering a sheepish grin and Pinkie Pie hopping in place, hardly containing her excitement for the adventure ahead of them. Strange shook his head, sighing, “Who wants to stay here?”

“I’m out.”

All eyes turned to Jessica Jones raising her hands, letting them fall as she broke away from her Defenders, from the group, and made her way towards the exit. As if the sudden declaration of her departure hadn’t yet reached any of the room’s occupants, people looked to one another, Pinkie’s smile deflating alongside a portion of her mane.

“Jessica,” Luke said, rising from his chair and almost knocking it over. “Jessica, wait! Stop!”

Luke grabbed her arm, the woman turning to him furiously. “What are you doing? You were the one who wanted to come here in the first place! Don’t you want to help stop this invasion?”

God, she wanted to punch him so hard. Preferably somewhere it hurt so he would let her go and no one else would be able to stop her from leaving the shitshow she had been forced to induce. Jessica tried to ignore all the eyes turned her way, focusing only on Cage. “To be honest, I don’t even want to stay in this toy-colored, shitty wonderland you call a castle,” she snarled, Twilight gasping at that. “I’d rather stay in the Sanctum Sacktorum or whatever the hell he called it than deal with this galactic bullshit.”

“Okay, look,” Luke said, still refusing to let go of her arm, even as she declared her stance and tried to pull away. “You don’t have to fight for us. But if we have a chance of saving our world, then shouldn’t you take it? Shouldn’t you fight for your friends and family?”

Jessica stopped struggling. Her eyes met Luke’s… and they were red. She saw only that, felt her blood boiling but still managing to keep in the steam. It slipped through, Fluttershy whimpering behind them. “My best friend murdered my mother… my only family left,” Jessica ripped her arm away from him. Complete silence filled the room. “The way I see it… I have neither family… nor friends left.”

Danny sighed. Murdock remained as motionless, as emotionless as he tried to, yet that statement still managed to get to him. Luke took a step back, staring at Jessica’s expression and seeing no deceit behind it. Twilight’s ears fell at that revelation. The ponies looked sadly to one another, Sunset especially to the Princess of Friendship.

“In fact, I’d rather take my chances with New York and stay in the Sanctum then spend it in a desert with you freaks,” Jessica declared, referring to everyone. Holding nothing back. Rocket growled at her, Drax doing the same. “And if you didn’t get the memo, the princesses said there were no aliens attacking Earth anymore. The invasion halted, unless you all had your heads up your asses the entire time she was explaining that.”

“For the time being.”

Jessica looked to Murdock, sneering his way. Murdock didn’t hold back, stepping forth and continuing his argument. “You really think these aliens are gonna leave Earth alone forever? You must be pretty damn stupid to believe that. I know you, Jessica. You’re not stupid. You’re one of the smartest detectives I’ve ever met. So, you should know… that dying for nothing is no victory for you.”

“Sounds pretty damn nice to me,” Jessica said, her voice shaking, eyes burning the longer she stared into the Devil’s eyes.

“It’s not,” Daredevil continued, slowly but surely weakening Jessica’s stone skin and breaking through to what truly mattered. “Stay with us, Jessica. I can’t promise your safety… none of us can promise something like that. But you can’t stand there and honestly admit to yourself that you would rather die on your knees than die for something worth fighting for. Because you, Jessica Jones… you’re a fighter.”

Jessica wanted to slap him. She wanted to slap him so hard his mask cracked in half. And she nearly did… but stopped. Everything he told her didn’t come from their “team” or the Avengers, or the ponies, or whatever else Jessica didn’t care about. He came from him. He meant every word of it. Jessica was stunned into silence, her eyes burning red and threatening tears. Not because of Murdock’s sentiment… but because he was right.

“Pinkie,” Luke called, the mare slowly turning her head his way. “Is Jessica meant to go with us?”

The mare stared at her for some time, studying her. And Jessica… stared back. She found a strange sadness in Pinkie Pie’s eyes, the mare tilting her head to the side, little tears managing to break through the longer she stared into the eyes of Jessica Jones. Seeing her life… her love… her fights… her wars… her pain… herself. Pinkie sniffled, slowly nodding with a soft smile. Jessica’s head fell, a soft sigh leaving her. With her black bangs almost blocking her eyes and face, she lifted her gaze and met Murdock’s smile. Jessica didn’t know if she should frown, glare at him, or smile in return. Definitely not the latter. She stared into the red lenses that his mask held, that devil mask still hiding his full face.

She couldn’t even believe she was saying it. “All right… I’ll go,” Jessica finally said, several responding smiles filling the Defenders and the ponies. “But on one condition.”

Those smiles fell. Especially Murdock’s, Jessica stepping forward and almost breaking what little distance that still stood between them. She stared right into his eyes, through the red lenses and seeing the blank stare beneath. Murdock saw the fire in her eyes, the fire consuming her face and body. Her heartbeat quickened.

She said it. “Take off your mask.”

The air in the room stiffened. Ears from ponies perked up, Spike’s wings flapping and the dragon flying up and into the air, joining Rainbow Dash. Tony Stark crossed his arms, he and Rhodey slowly turning their eyes from Jones to the Daredevil. Many more followed. So many more followed. Every Guardian, every Avenger, every pony, every sorcerer, every Asgardian, and every… Defender.

Leaving just Matt.

He was stuck, hearing every heart turn his way, every murmur focused on him. Everyone waiting for what would happen, for how he would respond. For so long, he simply remained as stoic and unmoving, his expression hardened to fine point of dismissal. Jessica Jones didn’t make it any easier, pushing forward.

“Only way we’re a team is if we trust one another,” she told him, Murdock mentally battling himself throughout the endeavor. It was hard enough to actually admit to hearing Jessica refer to them all as a team. It was harder to listen to her. “So… can you trust all of us with your identity?”

Daredevil barely breathed, his hands tightening into fists. “Jessica, that’s—”

“Just take off the goddamn mask or I’ll just tell everyone who you are,” Jones finished.

No escape now. She had him trapped in the corner, every eye burning against him, the silence eating the rest of him. Every part of Matt’s instinct and livelihood told him no, they couldn’t know who he was. But the sensible part of him… the rational… it knew there was more at stake. He knew there was more at stake. With the end of the world literally on his doorstep, what more could he truly hide from the world?

The Daredevil thought of that. As he removed the devil mask from his head. As he gripped it with both palms, lifting it and lowering it so the devil horns lied just beneath his chest. He slowly spun around, every fire-filled gaze staring onto the pale, white face and filthy, brown hair tattered on his head. The eyes that couldn’t see anything but fire gazed straight ahead, a soft sigh leaving the man behind the Devil.

And he said, “My name is Matthew Murdock.”

There were a few hushed whispers amongst the crowds, the ponies looking curiously to one another, then back to the man named Matthew Murdock. So far… not so bad. Matt actually felt a little bit… at ease finally revealing his identity to them. It may have been a larger group than the Defenders, but it still felt somewhat… natural.

Until Tony Stark broke the silence and asked what was on everybody’s minds. “Are we supposed to know who that is?”

“No, Stark, you’re not,” Matt said with a slight chuckle, turning in Tony general direction, not meeting his gaze which confused Stark momentarily. “And I would prefer it if you didn’t from here on out.”

Pinkie Pie shot up from the carpet, pointing straight at Murdock and shouting, “I knew you were Matthew Murdock! I knew you were the blind lawyer! I just knew it!”

That statement alone caused another frenzy of questions to fill the study, the most prominent one being: “Blind lawyer?” Stark asked that one, too. Matt sighed, dropping his head and his hands, his right still gripping the Daredevil mask.

“I’ve had enough.”

Lifting his head—many more following him—Murdock turned to his left. There, he could see Frank Castle making his retreat to the study’s exit. Lost for brief moment, Murdock shook it away and stepped past Jessica. “Castle, what are you doing?” Matthew asked.

His large, black trench coat swayed with every step he took. He reached down and plucked his backpack and bag of weaponry and slung them over his shoulders. Grunting at the added weight, Castle didn’t even look back at them. “You all can go off on your little pony adventure, but I’m gonna focus on the fight that’s actually my war, the war for New York!” he shouted, turning back only slightly to meet Matt’s empty gaze. “Like you said, Murdock… they’ll come back. And I’ll be ready for ‘em.”

“Frank, we need you—” Matt started to say, taking another step forward.

“No, you don’t,” Castle already argued, pointing a gloved-covered hand directly to Stark. “You have… ‘Iron Man’, you have ‘Thor’, you even have wizards and whatever the hell those assholes are supposed to be!”

He pointed across the study, to the Guardians of the Galaxy sending conjoined glares his way. All except for Mantis, who simply waved to all the eyes suddenly diverged their way. She refocused her attention back to Castle, slowly making her way around the room and abandoning her fellow Guardians. He continued to ignore Murdock’s statements, his pleads, and had his mind set, his back turned to the exit so he couldn’t see who was approaching it.

“The longer I’m here, the more innocent lives are in danger!” Frank declared, finalizing his statement with a wave. “Best of luck to all of you!”

“You can’t leave without my help,” Doctor Strange stated, freezing Castle in his tracks, stopping him from turning fully around.

Frank closed his eyes, feeling a boiling frustration ready to be unleashed. They weren’t worth it. Curtis Hoyle’s rehab sessions taught about controlling anger, using it only at the right times. Castle wasn’t a patient man by any means, but even he could hold back when it was needed. They weren’t needed. The people in New York, the ones were suffering, they needed him.

Snorting, Castle faced fully towards the exit, tightening the straps on his backpack as he finally opened his eyes. “Then get your magical ass out here and open a—!”

Mantis blocked his path, making him freeze on his way towards the exit. He looked down, almost shocked to see her hand placed over his chest, resting right over the forehead of the white skull painted on his armor. Right over his heart. Her antennae gently glowed a soft white, Mantis’ jaw falling and a painful gasp of air leaving her. Almost as instantly, tears began to flow freely from her eyes, down her cheeks and dripping to the floor.

As she wept, Frank felt certain memories flushing into his mind once again, things he tried to keep down and away for anyone to catch. And yet… whoever this alien woman was… she saw it. She saw all of it. Every bloody stain on the merry-go-round, every bullet-filled body lying in the massacre, and those three bodies lying at the feet of a certain man’s perspective… right before he heard the bang and everything went black.

The memories were closed, as was Frank’s heart. Nothing could contain the unrelenting fury that followed. His bags hit the floor with resounding force, the Punisher grabbing Mantis by the throat and slamming her into the wall to his left. The insectoid yelped, gasping in pain and gripping onto Castle’s vein-filled palm wrapped around her throat. The bookshelf rattled from the impact, a few books managing to fall off the shelf and impact the carpet.

The rest followed as he expected. Distant voices crying out, urging Castle to stop, all of which were numb to his ears. Then there was retaliation, coming forth as Mantis’ fellow Guardians.

Star-Lord had his gun trained to the back of Frank’s head, Gamora with her blade against his neck on his opposite side. Several more rose from their seats, ready to act. Before they provoked a larger fight, Peter held out his free fist and shouted, “Hold up! Calm the F down everyone!”

“If you were wise, you would put down our friend,” Gamora threatened, Godslayer edging closer and closer to Frank’s windpipe. Yet it didn’t even seem to notice the sword by his throat, or the gun on his head. All of his focus, all of his fury, was all diverted to the fearful Mantis he had suspended several feet from the floor.

“You have ten goddamn seconds to explain what you just did,” Frank hissed, seeing more tears flow from her alien eyes, her face turning a shade of purple.

Easing the pressure on his grip, Castle let Mantis breathe fully, the woman practically gasping for air. Grasping onto his palm with both of hers, she found her footing on the bookshelf beneath her, managing to stand and not be completely throttled in the air. “I am an empath! I can see and feel emotion whenever I touch someone! And you… Frank Castle… you feel great emotional pain!”

“I am two seconds away from wringing your little neck into a piece of tattered flesh,” Frank growled. Peter Quill turned his Quad Blaster from stun to kill. Frank felt the coolness of Gamora’s blade resting on his neck, the sharp edge scraping skin. Frank ignored it again, despite his better judgement, and growled, “Why did you do that?”

When she answered, it was almost like a wake-up call. Something he didn’t except nor could he anticipate to hit him so hard.

“You need it.”

Frank’s eyes slowly shot open, his anger cooling to acceptable levels. He finally felt Gamora’s blade. He finally heard Quill’s firearm heating up against his head. Castle released her, Mantis practically crumbling to the floor and coughing loudly. As he backed away, Quill and Gamora came to her side, easing Mantis back to her feet.

Silence. All eyes on him. Waiting.

Frank Castle was nothing short of ill-tempered. Had it been any other circumstance, he would have picked up his bags, walked away, and demanded the princesses to send him back to Earth because Strange certainly wouldn’t now. That’s how stubborn he was. That’s the wall very few could hurdle. And those that could didn’t make it far afterwards… because Frank wouldn’t allow it. He would never let anyone get as close to him as his…

He let his head fall. His hands formed fists, knuckles cracking as wretched memories flooded him again and again, no power of heaven or hell being enough to push them back down. There they all were… watching him… like an animal in a cage, waiting for the next show to start. He couldn’t believe he was watching so much pony-filled bullshit. He nearly lost it when the Pegasus actually hugged Thor. That’s why he stayed back. That’s why he stayed away.

Just like every other time.

But… not now.

Frank didn’t want to admit it—he hated admitting things that were impossible—but the princesses wouldn’t let him go home. After what he did to Mantis, his patience already hindered as it was, one wrong move with the princesses and he was stuck on an alien world. The only other way back was with Strange…

… and them.

They wouldn’t trust him. How could anyone trust him after he practically strangled the nicest, sweetest alien girl right before their very eyes. He could already tell they were whispering murmurs against him, maybe that Alicorn or her unicorn friends ready to freeze him with that paralysis spell like she did two years ago in Germany. If she saw him as a threat, that is. Whether Frank wanted to admit it or not, he needed them in order to get back to Earth, and they apparently needed him to stop the invasion occurring on Equus. They needed a reason to trust him.

Give me a reason to trust you… so I can give them a reason.

Frank lifted his eyes and found Starlight Glimmer herself standing amongst her friends, she as well as each of them staring at him, all waiting. Waiting for what he would do next.

He took a deep breath in…

What the hell are these ponies doing to me?

And he started…

“Years ago, I took my wife, my son… my daughter… all of us to spend a day at the park. That’s all it was. That’s all I ever wanted it to be. By God, you could look at the sun and it would blind ya the second ya did. Not a cloud in the sky, that’s how beautiful it was. Never wanted nothin’ more than that.”

Peter Quill, Gamora, and Mantis all slowly looked to Castle, Mantis shaking, knowing what was coming next. Tony Stark and his Avengers took slow steps forward at first, pausing just the same. The remaining Guardians, Asgardians, and Defenders remained where they were. The ponies got closer, falling silent as another story was presented to them. Rainbow and Spike took a seat on the floor.

“Next thing I know… bullets are flying… people are screaming, running… dying all around me. Bunch of gangs, murderers… they had a mission that day… and that mission was to take every last thing that had meaning to me,” Frank continued, looking away from everyone. “And they did. By God, they did…”

Shaking breaths escaped the Punisher. Nothing but silence was all he could hear from the other end. When he continued, Frank couldn’t even hear himself like he used to. Like someone else took over.

“You ever hold your little girl… your son… your wife… and think there could ever be anything in the world so precious, worth anything more than what you already had. You can’t.” Stark’s eyes slowly fell to the carpet, a knife slowly easing its way into his heart. “And you see that… you see them as the bloody corpses those murderers turned them into… just lying in your arms… and you think there could have been something different you could’ve done. You can. But it was too late. That right there, that’s… that’s what Hell is.”

There were pained gasps at Castle’s reveal, many ponies visibly crying now—only Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Twilight being those few, Starlight closing her eyes. Everyone else was stuck in pure and utter shock, Mantis closing her eyes as more tears slipped down her cheeks, not being able to hold the same strength twice. Except for Murdock, Matt struggling to hold back tears. He hid it well. It wasn’t the first time he heard the story, but it never got any easier to hear it the next.

Frank seemed to be in the same boat, sniffing rather loudly and rubbing his nose with a sleeve. “I don’t give a shit about your fight,” he muttered, reaching down for his bags. “I’ll fight on my own. Always have… always will.”

When he rose back to full height, he was stopped once more by a hand, this one falling on his shoulder. Not as gentle as Mantis’, but soft enough to tell Frank that whoever it was meant no ill will. If anything, he meant the opposite. Slowly turning back around, Frank Castle met the alien eyes of Drax the Destroyer.

“I will remain visible for this,” Drax said, offering a strengthening smile to the Punisher. “You cannot allow your past mistakes to determine your future. Much like we cannot choose our allies in a war. We simply must face the obstacles ahead… with whoever would be willing to stand with us. Going alone… never works. I know.”

Frank didn’t fight back.

“Just like I know what it means to lose,” Drax continued, still gripping Castle’s shoulder, the Punisher still not responding to that. “As Quill has said once before, we are losers. And you, my friend… are a big loser.”

“I didn’t necessarily put it that way,” Quill interrupted, then was promptly ignored.

Drax’s eyes met Frank’s, and that brief moment of respite was all Castle needed to see the pain in his glowing, blue eyes. He saw the loss, the tears boiling, threatening to fall. The agony, the pained past… he saw that. Just as much as he saw the smile that joined it. Frank furrowed his brow, confusion gripping him, turning it to the Destroyer.

“My Ovette… my Kamaria… taken from me when Thanos cleansed my world,” he said, voice so soft and so sincere. “And yet I still know I cannot win while I stand alone. My friends… my new family… they are exactly what I needed. They are what you need, too.”

He didn’t simply address just the Guardians alone when he meant that. And he meant that. He meant every last word of it, his smile joining his tears, mixing with his pain and his loss. His happiness… something that still left Frank Castle perplexed. He lost his family. His wife, his daughter… taken from him by another, and yet there he stood before Frank, smiling to him the way only a friend could. He may have been alien, but he was still a man, like Frank. Like someone who had lost someone so dear and so precious and fell because of it.

And they both rose… Castle closing his heart and Drax giving his out to others. And the fruit of Drax’s labors were as clear as day, Frank looking back to Peter Quill and Gamora. Looking to Mantis. Looking back to Groot and Rocket. The aliens, the assholes… the people he had found a new family in… because he was willing to admit that loss and look again for something to fill it. And he smiled because of it.

Frank let his eyes fall. His vision was blurry, and he could’ve sworn he felt the dampness dot his eyelashes, paint his cheeks. It was short, Castle quickly wiping it away and turning back to Drax. But he already saw him. Everyone already saw him. And they hardly saw anything different… minus the supporting smiles they sent his way.

“We do this now, then we can work on stopping the invasion,” Stark said, breaking the silence and watching as Castle turned his way.

Frank gave in.

He couldn’t believe it himself. There was no other option that seemed positive in his favor except… to go with them. To fight with them. To save the world with them. And maybe… maybe it was something Maria would want him to do. Maybe Frankie would see him more as just a soldier. Maybe Lisa would see him as a bigger hero than ever before.

Everything he could look forward to when he saw them again.

He nodded, stepping back so Drax’s hand fell from his shoulder.

All on the same page. Everyone had finally reached some form of common ground. With no other objections, Doctor Strange felt several eyes turned in his direction, meaning that it was time. “All of us have to go?” Strange asked, focused directly at Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie looked to the Punisher, then back to Strange, nodding with a large grin. She was the first one to make her way towards the exit and actually successfully reach it, Doctor Strange slowly following behind her. He watched her bounce, somehow growing more used to her bubbly behavior. Twilight’s advice was actually starting to work the more he started to believe Pinkie Pie was an actual thing.

That was the cue. Matt put on his mask. Thor rose from his seat. Rainbow Dash and Spike hovered in the air, the large group of ponies trotting their way out of Celestia’s private study. Tony Stark led Peter Parker, James Rhodes, and Vision out of the study, right behind Twilight and her group. Murdock did the same with the Defenders, Frank Castle being the one leading the rest of them this time. Matt smiled at that. Everyone pushed past Drax, but it was Gamora who laid her hand on his shoulder, smiling his way. Quill did the same, patting Drax on the back and leading him and his team out of the room. Until no one was left.

Until Pinkie shot out her hoof by the exit doors, declaring, “Wait! Only three have to stay!”

The Pinkie Sense. Nearly everyone had almost forgotten. It asked of everyone but three to go to the Badlands, and according to Twilight and Doctor Strange, they had to follow it exactly or else things would turn… sour for them in the end. It didn’t take long for volunteers to start piping up.

“Not sure what kind of use I’ll be worth,” Banner said, several heads shifting in his direction. He nodded absentmindedly, pursing his lips to Tony and Stephen. “Hulk and I got stuff to work out anyhow.”

“I would rather stay… and not be a burden any further,” Loki said, looking from Rainbow’s glare to Thor’s uncertain eye.

“Oh, well, I’ll stay too,” Spike announced, hovering back to the ground and landing. His wings folded back into his sides, holding out his claws and saying, “The Badlands aren’t even really that fun. Went through it trying to stop the Storm King, and it’s nothing but sand, sun, and boring. No thanks.”

With the three decided, Pinkie declared, “That works!” She led the group back into the archives and out in the hallway, bounding forward with each step. Twilight stared at Spike a moment longer, eventually nodding to him and making her retreat. Spike nodded back, offering a helpful smile to the Alicorn. That smile faded when he watched who she approached from behind.

“Frank…”

The Punisher looked down to Twilight Sparkle walking on his right. She, like many, struggled to hold back her tears, wiping her snout with a wing. When she looked up at him, Castle couldn’t have pictured a closer look of sincerity… except for the one on Drax earlier. “I… I’m so sorry. If I had known what you truly went through—”

“It’s fine,” Castle grunted, opening the Canterlot Archive doors for him and Twilight. “We have other issues to deal with.”

That simple gesture was enough for Twilight. A baby step closer to—hopefully—a growing friendship between her and Frank. Smiling gratefully to him, she joined her friends out into the hallways of Canterlot Castle. Amongst them were Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity falling behind, Sunset, Starlight, and Pinkie Pie bounding forward alongside Doctor Strange. Tony Stark, Spider-Man, War Machine, Thor, and Vision were close behind Strange. Matthew Murdock, Frank Castle, Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, and Luke Cage walked amongst the Avengers. Drax, Rocket, Groot, and Mantis followed as well. They were a different team, something Twilight was still struggling to fully comprehend. Never in her life would she have imagined studying a volcano alongside a talking, vulgar raccoon.

Yet for some reason she smiled every step of the way.

Star-Lord kept the door open for Gamora, them being the last two out of the archives and into the hallways. Further down, Peter could see the rest of the group turning the corner left, meaning they were already far behind. Ready to pick up his step, Quill could only stop once Gamora laid her hand over his chest, prompting him with both her strength and her eyes elsewhere.

He followed, brow furrowed, confusion ripe. “What’s up?” he asked quietly, leaning against the nearest wall Gamora brought them to.

As for the Zehoberei woman, the fiercest woman in all the galaxy, the most feared and deadly assassin known throughout hundreds of star systems… she shivered. The glass window portraying tales of heroism and unveiling the beauty of Equus just outside the warming sunlight meant nothing to her. For she could only feel a piercing darkness clouding her heart, a cloud of fear overcoming her senses and making her as someone she wasn’t.

But Quill didn’t see that. He had seen Gamora as the woman who fought, the woman who smiled, the woman who danced, the woman who laughed, the woman who cried beside him, and the woman who loved him… just as much as he did her. No amount of fear he saw in her eyes could take away that perfect picture of the woman he had fallen in love with. He knew it was serious. He shut his mouth and listened to her.

“With what’s to come…” Gamora finally began, taking in several deep and cautious breaths as she stared out into the morning sunlight. “If Thanos… gets me… I want you to promise me…”

She looked right at him, no sense of deceit located in her beautiful eyes when she said it.

“You’ll kill me.”

The sunlight was showered by a cloud, making the shadows of the castle fall over her face and darken it. As for Peter Quill, he had to take a quick second to fully comprehend what she just said, if she actually said it… and if she actually meant it. He stared into her eyes, seeing the red overcome the beauty, the pain shielding the truth.

Peter leaned forward. “What?” he said, voice so silent. Complete disbelief.

“I know something he wants,” she continued, staring out into the darkness that came forth onto Canterlot. The cold made her shudder. “If he gets his hands on that information, the universe could be in danger. I know I’m asking more than you could ever force yourself to do, but please, Peter… you have to kill me.”

“What do you know?” he asked.

“I can’t tell you,” Gamora whispered, shaking her head. “Your life would be at risk.”

“I would rather die,” Quill snarled, gripping her shoulder tightly, his breathing uneasy through his flared nostrils, “… then have you die. Please, Gamora, you can’t expect me to—”

She closed his mouth with her palm, struggling to breathe herself, hardly keeping in the tears. “Swear to me…”

Peter dropped his hand from her shoulder, the adrenaline in his eyes slowly but surely draining from his entire body. Her tone, her posture, everything had taken a turn towards uncharted and dangerous territory, to where neither were comfortable entering. Yet they did it together, Gamora meeting her love’s eyes and crying.

“Swear to me on your mother.”

When she lowered her hand from his mouth, all she could see was… nothing.

Yet she knew there wasn’t nothing flooding in his senses, his mind, and his heart and soul. Gamora rarely ever brought up Peter’s mother, deeming it a subject far too serious for any of their friends to touch upon. But this was different. The entire universe was at stake. Quill’s love for his mother, for the woman lost, was equal if not more sacred than his love for Gamora. All she could do now was wait and understand how far that love would go…

And Peter Quill… nodded.

He nodded.

“Okay.”

Gamora lets loose the tears, fully knowing the type of sacrifice Peter had just agreed to. There was no going back. Once Thanos tries to take her… that was it. She would gladly die by the one she loved more than anything else. She felt his soft palm grace her cheek, the Guardian looking up and meeting Quill’s eyes, Peter wiping her tears away and closing the distance. Their lips met. A blissful feeling of warmth entered the two as they melted into each other’s embrace, enjoying their love. Enjoying each other.

Enjoying what little time they had left to be alive.

A noticeable cough came from behind Gamora, both Guardians breaking away from each other and turning appropriately to see the humorous expression of Starlight Glimmer at the end of the hallway. She wasn’t alone, practically the whole cast of ponies observing the scene from several yards away. Fluttershy could hardly hide her blushing features, the mares giggling amongst themselves and vanishing back behind the wall. Pinkie winked at them, clicking her tongue seductively.

“We’re leaving for the Badlands now!” Doctor Strange announced loudly, Pinkie shooting upwards and disappearing back into the hallway.

Star-Lord and Gamora both sighed, the two of them eventually nodding to one another. They followed the ponies and turned the corner, close by each other’s side, taking every moment to be together. They saw Doctor Strange preparing the portal, all of the Avengers stepping forth through it. Peter and Gamora joined their fellow Guardians, both sending the mares equal frowns, the ponies trailing close behind them with noticeable and innocent smiles.

All except for one.

And Rarity just couldn’t seem to know why.

It was so unlike her to be silent during common introductions and easing conversations amongst friends. Where had her strength gone? Her voice was but a distant echo that had vanished and refused to return throughout the entire discussion in Celestia’s private study. And still the pony, the unicorn, the snow-colored fashionista still couldn’t find that strength to push onwards. Her friends moved on without her, entering the portal that sent them straight into the burning winds of the Badlands.

All she could do, all that was allowed for her, was to stare onwards. To Matthew Murdock and Danny Rand being some of the last few in the portal, followed alongside by Luke Cage and Jessica Jones. She stared at those two in particular… for the longest time… refusing to beforehand, but now finally falling prey to what tried to resurface.

What tried to resurface…

Another man with dark skin lied by a smaller female, her flowing, dark hair tangled and lying in disarray, blocking her face. They weren’t even the worst ones.

Rarity blinked and shook her head, gasping for air. She pressed her hooves against her head, teeth clenched tight alongside her eyes. More flashes, more pieces, everything coming together to paint the vivid and horrid image she had dreaded to fully recognize. Rarity shot open her eyes, finally being able to breathe again. Until she was certain she was the last soul in Canterlot’s halls.

When she turned back towards the portal, Luke and Jessica were gone. Her friends were gone. All that remained was Doctor Strange staring quizzically at her, his brow furrowed and yet not a word leaving him. He just waited for the unicorn, watched as she stood frozen in the middle of the hallway almost having a panic attack, then finally making her way towards him.

She shivered with every step she took. Strange kept watching her, even as she hopped into the portal and entered the burning sunlight within the Badlands. Stephen didn’t.

He pondered. He thought of Rarity’s actions prior. She was so couth and polite when he had first met her, hitting it off straight away with the Cloak and even going so far as to wish to be his friend. Childish thoughts. Then all of a sudden, when he returned to Canterlot with more allies, she appeared… distant. Cold. Like a completely different pony had replaced her. The way she looked at others—at the Avengers, the Defenders, and the Guardians specifically—it showed something else in those large eyes of hers. Something… dark.

Something Strange could ponder about another time. Strange sighed and left those thoughts for further study, entering after her and closing the portal.

Doctor Strange couldn’t read minds yet. He really wished he could.

Because all Rarity saw was the same horror, the same bodies, the same death. All she heard in her mind was the same name over and over again…

Thanos.

Chapter 53 – Unnatural

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Chapter 54 – The Mad Titan

Badlands, Equestria

Northern Valley

8.7 Miles Away from Mount Tartarus

10:19 a.m.

The titan sitting on the throne, covered head to toe in gold, adorning a smile on his lavender face wasn’t there.

Except he was. He was standing before them. He was real.

And Rarity screamed.

For as long as they had known her, Twilight Sparkle and her closest friends knew Rarity as somepony who could, in fact, be overdramatic at times. Situations deemed tame enough for anypony to face it with their chins held high and determination in their eyes only thrust Rarity into a fit of dread, sometimes even pulling forth a couch seemingly out of nowhere to mope on. Then came the situations that required her action, more so with the threat of her friends’ safety on the line. With that knowledge in her heart, Rarity could be one of the bravest, kind-hearted, and loyal ponies Twilight had ever known. Such as when they faced that manticore so many years ago, Rarity stood her ground, and delivered kicks necessary to ensure the safety of her friends.

The moment the Mad Titan himself stepped forth into the Badlands, it was a moment unlike anything the girls had ever seen or heard from their friend. They never heard her scream so loud, fill the screech with so much pent-up emotion, pain, and worst of all, terror. It was a moment that Twilight and the others actually had to physically calm her down, the snow-white unicorn constantly trying to backpedal away, her horrified eyes refusing to look anywhere except where the Titan stood. She shook her head in disbelief, every intake of air released as just more and more screams. It was so loud it split through the air, cut it in half and earned the attention of the Avengers, Defenders, Guardians, Master of the Mystic Arts, and Punisher.

… As well as Thanos.

As the mares tended to Rarity, trying to keep her from fleeing, constantly holding her down and trying to talk some sense into her, it was a pristine moment for Twilight and the others to observe once more the cause of her blight. The cause for Rarity’s fear. The cause…

He stood at an intimidating eight feet or so, though it was difficult to tell considering his distance from the group. His attire consisted of a gold and blue garment decorated with intrinsic design, his black pants and boots not as well decorated. A large blade rested on his backside, Twilight dreading to think what he intended to do with it. His skin was a light violet, either scars or birth deformities upon his face, bald head, chin, and shoulders. Twilight turned from his massive biceps lower to his left forearm and hand, where a golden glove remained with three gems glowing dully on it. One blue, the other purple, and the last one red. His eyes—for whatever reason—seemed to be the worst of all, and what Twilight presumed to be Rarity’s source of fear. She couldn’t deny that she felt a shiver race across her spine when she met his gaze.

The color of his irises was not uncommon, a light blue in his twin orbs. It wasn’t the color that struck Twilight close to her heart, it was what was held within it. An unknown malice, a prudent step closer to the edge of madness lied within his gaze. Yet there was something else. Strength, maybe, an unwillingness to surrender. A complete lack of fear and filling the empty void with intimidation, a look mastered over many, many years. Whoever he was, wherever he came from, he had experience. He had seen horrors beyond that of Equus. And to many, to Rarity and Twilight especially, that was terrifying.

Because it showed that he overcame it and stood smiling before them.

Rarity’s cries were silenced only when the Titan eyed the mares—right through Twilight and centering his gaze solely on the unicorn. Rarity stood panting, eyes widening once the Mad Titan finally spoke, addressing her…

“Shhh… he’s resting.”

Only Rarity’s uncontrolled panting remained within the ears of the ponies, that and the constant shrieks and cries of the hundreds of serpents arisen from the valleys of the Badlands. The Avengers, Defenders, Guardians, Doctor Strange, and Frank Castle hardly fared any better. Some, like the Guardians—mainly Gamora—stood with looks of dread on their faces. The Defenders were somewhat indifferent, still trying to recover from the madness that occurred earlier with the serpent attacking them. The presence of the towering alien just added to their confusion. They stood ready all the same, Danny Rand tightening his right fist as he rested on one knee. Doctor Strange and Castle each shared a quick glance before returning those eyes to the Titan, uncertainty in each, yet growing unease quickly rising. The Avengers seemed just as lost. All except for three…

Vision, Thor… and Tony Stark.

The Mind Stone had warned Vision prior of the threat soon to befall them, and he gazed with as much trepidation as he felt in his mind. Thor tightened his palms into fists, electricity dancing across his knuckles once he laid his eye on the one responsible for slaughtering half his people, causing the deaths of his best friend and allies. He stood before them, before him, soon to feel the full wrath of the God of Thunder.

But as for Stark…

He saw more than just the purple skin or the golden gauntlet. He saw more to the intimidating presence the alien titan practically radiated. He saw more because he knew more, because he was cursed with that single image of the Mad Titan himself hanging within his mind and soul. Because he was tortured with that, because he knew there was something more to the alien invasion of New York six years ago, and with even more dreaded knowledge given to him by Bruce Banner, Tony was certain the one standing before them was…

“Stark…”

Tony forced himself to break away from the Titan and looked to Thor.

Odinson breathed cautiously, nodding his head once, never turning his last eye away from who stood before them. “That’s him.”

It was him.

Thanos.

Tony Stark slowly turned his head back to look towards him, just as much fear and dread in his eyes as Gamora. Together, they all stared onto Thanos, the Mad Titan several yards away, observing the landscape before him and the twenty-five individuals he came across in the Badlands. It took a moment or two for Stark to realize that he didn’t come alone.

Thanos’ eyes trailed across the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, lingering on his daughter a moment longer before finally settling on the eight mares once more. He instantly noticed how tense the unicorn became, her friends by her side keeping her still, whispering sharp words of ease and comfort to her. Yet they never took their eyes off him. None of them could. His eyes trailed longer before finally settling on the yellow Pegasus with the long, pink mane. The most meager and pathetic sight before him, amongst all eight of them. She was the one.

“Fluttershy, is it?”

Heads swiveled accordingly, eyes landing on the Pegasus called by name from the Titan. Fluttershy, flinching at first, almost proceeded to back away, but stood her ground and offered what could barely be called a nod. It was more than enough of an answer for Thanos.

Bringing forth his left hand, Thanos held it out for them to fully recognize. He stared only at Fluttershy, saw the horror grip her features when she saw. Thanos’ expression was as hard as stone, never breaking away from the Pegasus when he said, “His last wish was to see you one more time.”

Fluttershy gasped, hoof rising to cover her mouth, tears leaking from her eyes.

It was the first moment that Twilight and the others finally realized that Thanos hadn’t come alone. They were so enamored, so horrified by the Titan’s presence that they failed to realize that the limp form of the Spirit of Chaos lied within the grasp of Thanos, gripped tightly by his neck with the Infinity Gauntlet.

Thanos held out Discord for all to see and pay witness. He remained silent for the following moments, letting Discord speak for himself, see the ponies he loved and pay his final bargain. The draconequus could barely do that, the persistent pain from the Power Stone still lingering both outside and inside his body. His skin was burnt, violet scorch marks pockmarked across his body. His tail was completely gone, nothing but flakes of purple ash falling from it. When he lifted his head, he struggled to do so. The first thing he saw—the only thing he truly wanted to—was Fluttershy.

He saw every second of her pain as she gazed upon him. Discord’s facial features flinched as his body constantly felt like it was burning. Despite such agony flushing through him, he still forced himself to speak. To speak to her. “Fluttershy…”

The Pegasus gasped once more, her eyes burning. “Discord…” Even some of Fluttershy’s friends stood in utter shock. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were especially unique, not really having the strongest relationship with the draconequus. But even they could hardly stand to see him in such turmoil. Twilight, as well, stood frozen, jaw agape, unable to process what she was witnessing.

It only got worse.

Discord blinked, slowly shaking his head. To Twilight, to the Avengers, and especially to Fluttershy. He apologized to them. For his failure. For everything. “I… I’m sor—”

That apology was cut short by Discord’s screams of agony. That, and the Power Stone glowing violently against the Infinity Gauntlet. The mares flinched back, Fluttershy crying out, crying Discord’s name, being held back by Rainbow herself who was even managing to struggle to hold back her fellow Pegasus when it happened. When Discord’s eyes glowed viciously purple and he gave his final cry…

When Thanos crushed his gauntlet into a fist, the strength of the Power Stone incinerating and crushing Discord until he was a pile of dead, burning rock by his feet.

And the rest was silence. Ignoring the cries from the meager Pegasus, Thanos slowly looked to the Infinity Gauntlet and opened his palm. “I can now say it's been a pleasure,” he said, staring longingly—almost sadly—at the fading dust from his gauntlet. The last remnants of the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony.

The last of Discord.

He stomped on the rock that once was Discord, smashing the stones beneath his feet as he proceeded forward, closer to the group. As expected, the ponies were practically paralyzed, staring in disbelief to what Thanos had just done. Discord, one of the Elements of Harmony’s greatest foes and one of—if not the greatest threat Equestria had ever seen was held within Thanos’ grasp like he was nothing. And just as he was nothing, Thanos murdered him without a second thought. He killed him. He actually did it. He actually killed the Spirit of Chaos, something Twilight once believed to be an impossible feat. Whoever Thanos was… he was far, far worse than what she was told or could have imagined.

And he was moving right for them.

Ignoring the reduced crying from the Pegasus, Thanos turned instead to focus on the others. He gazed to the Avengers—Earth’s Mightiest Heroes—and almost chuckled when he saw them for himself. Two men in metal suits, a child, a certain God of Thunder, and his target. The one with the Mind Stone. A pitiful excuse for heroes. His gaze lingered for a moment on the Iron Man, Thanos smirking to Thor, before he finally rested his eyes to the Guardians of the Galaxy.

To her. Smiling at that, Thanos said, “Hello, daughter. So, these are your friends.”

Gamora took a defensive position, gripping Godslayer even tighter than before, watching her father approach them slowly. Then, in an act of foolish bravery, Peter Quill moved in front of her and shouted, “Back off, Grimace!”

Thanos smiled, clenching the Gauntlet. “Ah, the boyfriend,” he observed, interest in his tone, covered heavily by malice. He continued to move.

Peter pulled out his gun, saying, “I swear to God, I will blow that nutsack of a chin right off if you take one more step.”

Thanos stopped. He would humor Quill for the brief moment. Not once did he feel even a morsel of worry, nor could he believe that Quill could hurt him. He believed he would try, but that's all he could believe of the Star-Lord. He, like the many that stood before him, were as about as pathetic as he could’ve imagined, perhaps even more so. Yet perhaps the most disgraceful sight was once more that of the ponies. He had seen many races, many creatures of the universe he had saved from extinction, and all were more intimidating than the equines that stood before him. He looked to Twilight, at her pale, almost sick expression. He mostly saw the horror, looking from Discord’s remains, to the serpents constantly moving about miles away, and finally back to Thanos. Again and again and again. She met his eyes, almost faltering to them.

When he gazed into her, he saw something he hadn’t expected: strength. She, more so than the others, held a certain and powerful strength deep within her. She didn’t show it, certainly, but it was there. She was their leader. The Alicorn amongst them was their leader. A worthy opponent, maybe. Hopefully something more than that.

Thanos smiled. Twilight shuddered under that, her chest rising and falling rapidly, watching as Thanos spoke to her. “You’re curious, little one. Afraid of the snakes? These serpents… they’ve finally found their home. A home your rulers have torn asunder.”

He looked back to the Badlands, to the serpents towering over it, to Mount Tartarus continuously spewing its sickness into the atmosphere. Such chaos from a living world, the storm even more so. A world that was once beautiful… taken away by forces beyond its control.

Beyond his control.

“You see the truth of it all,” Thanos continued, facing forward once again to ignore painful memories. “It’s terrifying… turns the legs to jelly. I ask you to what end… will you continue to hide from the face of truth? You see now that there’s no power, no amount of lies or deceit one could concoct to keep the world hidden from what lies beneath. I trust you’ll find out soon enough of what truly awaits you… and you would be willing to face it.”

Twilight couldn’t really tell if she was listening deafly to his words or actually absorbing them. Her mind kept thinking back to what they were warned about. She gazed to the gauntlet, saw the glowing gems upon it. Three gems. Bruce Banner said he already had three Stones. Thor’s words earlier… made sense now.

“You’re Thanos,” Twilight stated through her bated breaths. Sunset and Starlight both gulped silently, never taking their eyes off of the Mad Titan. Applejack narrowed her gaze, trying to show strength through the growing worry in her eyes. Fluttershy’s own widened at that revelation, the name reoccurring to her from the horrors that Thor and Banner mentioned. Even Rainbow seemed spooked by that, she and Pinkie the most uncertain out of the bunch. Not knowing whether to stare into the face of terror itself with courage, a smile, or something else entirely.

Rarity couldn’t stop shaking. She couldn’t stop staring. She couldn’t stop seeing the horrible visions. Thankfully, Thanos didn’t look at her again, nodding to Twilight’s answer.

“Observant. Smart. Ideals to live by,” Thanos remarked. He turned his head from the ponies and onto the Guardians once more, shifting over to Thor… and the one who stood behind him. “I see you’ve brought me my Stone.”

The Vision stiffened at that remark, Thanos looking to him. More accurately, at what remained within his forehead. Thanos stomped forward, staring only at Vision with each step closer. “Only three to go and the universe will be saved.”

When he stated that ominous remark to himself, he raised his left forearm and crushed his palm into a fist, the Space, Power, and Reality Stones gently glowing. Three other indents remained barren, one above the pinky finger, the other the thumb, and the last and largest on the face of the Infinity Gauntlet. To his continued amusement, they broke the line of sight Thanos held with Vision, standing their ground between him and the Mind Stone.

Thanos stopped as well. His brow slowly hardened, as well as his gaze, on those who stood in the path to salvation. “Who are you to deny the survival of existence itself?” he asked.

“Who are you to determine how the universe should live?” Murdock questioned, Jessica and Luke looking to him, almost in disbelief to hear him speak out to the Mad Titan. Danny never turned away from Thanos, his glare almost as heated the increasing heat in his right fist.

Thanos found their resilience both as a nuisance and a grateful challenge. He respected them a pinch more for deciding to stand—not lie down—for what they believed in. And like so many more, they would die for those beliefs. “I’m the only one who can determine that,” Thanos responded, looking away shortly. “At least I’m the only one… with the will to act on it.”

They remained where they were, defending their friend. Refusing to move.

“Foolish children, it’s a simple calculus,” Thanos said, facing mostly Gamora when he said it. “This universe is finite, its resources finite. If one consumes, another starves, and it only grows from there. Like a virus. Like a cancer. With all six Stones I could simply snap my fingers…”

He did just that, the snap reverberating from his right hand much louder and more profound than the mares had anticipated, causing half of them to flinch. Gently lowering his hand, Thanos looked to all of them that time, his eyes far beyond the point of serious. What he spoke of he believed with a fervent passion, every word like lust to him, prophetic in scope and as powerful to boot.

“And the universe would be saved,” he finished.

Not once did his teachings of truth reach them as he would have hoped. Especially his daughter, who continuously rebelled against him since the day he saved her. Today was no different, Gamora looking to her father with pain, hatred, and simple disgust in her eyes. “Because you’ll kill half of everything,” she stated with a stutter in her tone.

“At a cost, yes,” Thanos said, his right hand resting on his knee, his boot pressed against a piece of abandoned rock. He looked down, his lips pursing at the painful memories. If his words wouldn’t convince them, then maybe the sight of the truth would. Lifting the Gauntlet, the Reality Stone shimmered brightly, a flush of red overcoming the landscape, the air, and the very world that they stood upon.

The ponies could only watch as their world was shifted, changed in reality to that of a healthy, alien landscape. Once the red wave washed over them, they could see nothing but towering structures hovering in the distances, star-like in design and fully functioning with life bustling about in the streets passed Thanos. It was one of the most beautiful and magnificent sights Twilight or any of the ponies had ever seen, a living, breathing alien world before them.

A world that belonged to the one they feared.

“But my world of Titan was lost because I failed to follow what I believed. I failed to follow my destiny and it cost me everything,” Thanos explained. He dropped his left hand the second his head fell sullenly, the power of the Reality Stone vanishing and removing the false view of reality. The Badlands returned, the serpents returned, and Mount Tartarus returned, all as horrible and wretched as before. “My people… gone. My world… a desolate wasteland. The Cleansing will require the greatest cost of all, as well as the hardest choice that comes with it.”

“And then what?” Doctor Strange finally asked.

Raising his head, Thanos met the stare of the Sorcerer Supreme. “I finally rest,” he replied, head swiveling to the right. “Watch the sun rise on a grateful universe.”

Thanos gazed to the east, to the rising sun and planet Earth slowly coming into view above it. Its warmth, its giving life rested upon the two worlds. Two worlds sickened with population, still destined to die like Titan if he did nothing. As well as the rest of the universe, a universe that sun shone upon. A universe… that was still in danger of extinction.

He let his head fall, his eyes gazing sullenly once more to the dirt and sand of the wasteland. “The hardest choices require the strongest wills.”

To the continued surprise of the mares, they watched as Doctor Strange was the first among them to step forward, past every Avenger, Defender, Guardian, and pony. Past them and standing before Thanos with resilience, with strength, with power Twilight really wished she had right about then. He shot out his hands, sparks shooting out from his palms. “I think you’ll find our will… equal… to yours.”

A pair of Tao Mandalas appeared on each of his fists, the Master of the Mystic Arts glaring at the Mad Titan and willing to fight, willing to stand up and prevent universal genocide. And thankfully, he wasn’t the only one.

The team readied themselves. Stark and Parker’s masks materialized over their heads and their eyes lit up a bright blue. Rhodes’ lifted up his arms, machine guns emerging from his wrists. The War Machine armor unveiled several rocket launchers and the minigun rising from his shoulder to focus on the Titan. The Vision tightened his fists, the Mind Stone glowing fiercely. Thor did the same, the roar of thunder high over their heads, his forearms shooting currents of electricity towards the earth.

The Guardians of the Galaxy followed suit, Quill pulling out his second Quad Blaster. Gamora held out Godslayer, the blade focused solely on Thanos and his throat. Mantis gulped, stepping back behind Drax who pulled out both of his short knives, gripping each tightly. Rocket growled, aiming his rifle right for the Mad Titan. Groot glared at the Titan.

The Defenders were almost hesitant, but were ready nonetheless. Daredevil’s grip on his billy clubs were as hard as ever, his breathing increasing, staring only onto the burning Titan. Luke Cage cracked his knuckles. Iron Fist stood up, his right fist glowing a bright gold. Jessica Jones remained somewhat uncertain, but stood ready for anything anyways, the burning wind tugging at her hair. The Punisher lifted his assault rifle, finger on the trigger.

The eight ponies remained where they were. Some tried to look ready for a fight, one birthed by Doctor Strange and followed through by everyone else. They either stood with their friends or watched from the sidelines. The time for watching the fight was over. Sunset, Starlight, and Twilight’s horns burned brightly with their own magical auras. Twilight and Rainbow shot out their wings, Dash lowering herself in a readying, pouncing position. Her glare was horrific, as was Applejack’s, and could rip through steel and reach its target cleanly. The farm pony tipped her hat forward, the brim hardly shielding her glare. Pinkie Pie licked her lips, smearing dark red cupcake frosting on each of her cheeks. She lowered herself like Rainbow, Fluttershy and Rarity standing behind them, refusing to look anywhere except where Thanos stood. And they watched him with just as much dread and fear in their eyes as when they first saw him.

Thanos lifted his head, stood fully upwards and gazed at them. He smirked. “I’d hoped I would.”

He lifted the Infinity Gauntlet and crushed it into a fist, the Space Stone ripping out several rocks straight from the earth surrounding him. As they hovered ominously around him, the light shone from the Gauntlet shifted from blue to bright red. Thanos roared as he swiped the Gauntlet across him, the Reality Stone changing the rocks into a flock of ravenous birds. Without wasting another second, he unleashed the birds upon them.

“Scatter!” Stark yelled. His repulsors shot him straight into the air, the energy fired from his palms striking the flock of birds but doing little to nothing against them. He fled as the birds swarmed him, the flock doing the same to the rest of the team.

People shot off in one direction, others in another, but all lost in a frenzy to escape the swarm of birds constantly pecking, ripping, and tearing at the flesh of those Thanos ordered. Gamora was the only one spared, not a single bird touching her, giving her a clear shot straight for Thanos. That’s what she did. With Godslayer in hand, Gamora screamed every step of the way, charging her father and leading her attack blade first. Thanos blocked the strike with the Gauntlet, sparks shooting off from the swipe. Their eyes met, malice met with pain as daughter continuously attacked father.

And Thanos didn’t fight back.

He blocked her strikes but didn’t dare strike back.

Peter Quill activated his mask, the wave of blue overcoming his face and unveiling the glowing red eyes of his helmet. He flew into the air with his Jet Boots, fired continuously into the swarm of birds trailing him and Stark. The Vision flew off in the distance, the power of the Mind Stone easily tearing through the birds and destroying them in a mist of red, confirming they weren’t real, but a false reality concocted by Thanos. Vision continued to do so, spreading the golden beam from flock to flock, effectively killing each bird until very little remained. With them dealt with, Star-Lord looked down to see Gamora facing Thanos alone. He didn’t think anymore and flew straight for the Titan, firing relentlessly from his Quad Blasters.

The blasts hit Thanos in the back and shoulder, the Titan only grunting from the impact of the shots. He looked up, watched as not only Quill but Iron Man, War Machine, and Spider-Man flew towards him, Parker attached to Rhodes’ underside by a strand of web. Looking away caused Thanos to nearly miss the Destroyer sliding forward. He wasn’t ready when Drax sliced at his leg with his dagger, the Mad Titan roaring at that and swinging low for Drax. The Guardian blocked Thanos’ attack with his own forearm and wavering strength, engaging the one who killed his family. At long last.

In the distance, watching the fight unfold, the Punisher, Groot, Mantis, and Rocket all stumbled behind a large hill of rock and sand. Castle, after removing his long, black trench coat, settled his bag of weapons to the side, alongside his assault rifle. Rocket settled on the top of the hill, belly against it, aiming down the sights of his laser rifle as he centered the crosshairs on Thanos. Groot and Mantis were behind him, looking from Rocket to Thanos again and again, Groot on edge as any teenager would be.

“Stay close to me, Groot!” Rocket ordered, reloading his rifle and charging it up, never taking its crosshairs off of the Titan attacking his friends. Cocking the rifle, the weapon revving up, Rocket grinned and gazed down the sights. “Let’s show this purple asshole what happens when you mess with the Guardians—”

A Marine Scout Sniper Rifle was placed on Rocket’s right, the raccoon looking over to see Frank Castle lying on his stomach just as Rocket was. He wore only his heavy armor, the skull design hidden by the sands as the Punisher tended to his weapon. Rocket watched him tinker, asking, “You don’t want to get up close and personal?”

Adding his last clip into the MSSR, Frank looked to his left, to the raccoon waiting for a response. “I’m tired of lugging this thing around. Might as well use the last of it.”

Rocket slowly grinned, returning to his rifle. He and Castle both fired from the rocky hill, their target being the Mad Titan. They provided cover fire as Doctor Strange flew in for the attack. Some of their shots hit, most of them didn’t considering Thanos was constantly moving, constantly fighting against more and more waves of enemies. Slamming Drax into a pile of bones from a deceased dragon, he turned around only to be met with a burst of webbing blinding his sight. Thanos grunted and growled, prying at the webs as Spider-Man, Stark, Rhodes, Star-Lord, and Strange went to work on him. Stephen created both a sword and shield out of Eldritch Magic, swinging for Thanos and blocking his strikes. Iron Man fired from above, he and Rhodes unloading continuous repulsor blasts on the Titan. Star-Lord and Parker fought from ground-level alongside Strange. Peter fired two strands of webbing, each end attaching to Thanos’ shoulders. Pulling back, Peter launched himself forward, his feet connecting neatly with Thanos’ chin.

Grunting, Thanos ripped the web from his eyes, giving him perfect clarity of the fight. He used the Space Stone to pull Peter right out of the air, flinging him across the ground and making him impact Quill. Both Spider-Man and Star-Lord yelled in pain and were flung helplessly across the sand, their bodies rolling down the hill. Thanos then turned to Strange, grabbing his blade before he could bring it down on his shoulder. Ripping it away until the magic faded, Thanos kicked Strange directly in the chest. He tried to, Strange’s magic creating a shield just as the kick hit him. Stephen hovered back from the force of the impact, the Cloak of Levitation granting him proper flight.

Thanos glared at the sorcerer, interrupted by more repulsor blasts from above and further away. With the Power Stone, Thanos roared as he fired a stream of violet energy straight for Stark and Rhodes. The energy barely struck them, both Iron Man and War Machine fleeing as Thanos continuously fired at them. The blast impacted Stark, the Iron Man grunting in pain and falling to the earth. Once more, Thanos was interrupted, this time by the God of Thunder himself. Thor delivered a powerful strike against Thanos’ cheek, the added force of the lightning actually managing to launch the Titan through the bones Drax had struck earlier. Rolling several yards, Thanos picked himself back up rather quickly, focusing only on Thor.

The God of Thunder leapt through the dust and smoke, his only remaining eye glowing a bright blue. Fueled by hatred, vengeance, and whatever pain Thanos had thrust him through, Thor used that and flew straight for the Mad Titan, no hesitation or thought put into his actions. Just revenge guiding him. A fool’s mistake. Thanos used the Reality Stone to send a pillar of rock directly into Thor’s sternum, launching the King of Asgard across the Badlands. His body vanished in the dust storms.

Another blast of energy struck Thanos on his left shoulder, prompting his attention in that direction. To his surprise, he could see Twilight leading the charge alongside her friends. The four mares—Starlight, Sunset, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie—galloped beneath her, Rainbow Dash flying right by Twilight’s side. The other two were unaccounted for, probably off cowering somewhere else. Thanos saw it in their eyes, that Fluttershy and Rarity weren’t fit to face him.

They, however…

Ultimately preparing himself for whatever form of strength he had seen in Twilight earlier, Thanos was unprepared for the tackle. Like he was hit by a freight train, Thanos quickly recuperated and pressed his boots deep into the sand, looking down to see who was pressed against him. Luke Cage struggled to hold the Mad Titan, gritting his teeth as he continued to push with all his might. It wasn’t enough, Thanos gripping his shoulder and flinging him directly into War Machine. He knocked James out of the air, both hitting the sand farther off. Watching their descent brought his eyes away from the remaining Defenders, Matthew and Danny leading the charge.

Daredevil slid on his knee, striking Thanos’ kneecap with his billy club. It did little to harm Thanos, but it got his attention. Gazing down to the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, Thanos quickly raised his forearm and blocked the oncoming strikes from the Iron Fist. His fist, as Thanos had noted earlier, was no longer glowing. He was fighting a battle without aid from the Weapon of K’un-Lun. Thanos smiled. He kicked Danny square in the chest, Rand launched back and impacting a dragon bone. He lied within the dragon’s remains alongside Drax.

Watching his friend get knocked aside, Murdock was unprepared for Thanos when he swiped low at him, the Gauntlet hitting Matt across the face. With a painful grunt, Daredevil was thrown aside, lying in pain several yards away. Thanos didn’t hesitate any further. He lifted the Infinity Gauntlet and closed it, the Space Stone ripping the ground ahead of him directly upwards.

Jessica Jones, in an attempt to charge Thanos with his attention elsewhere, was launched backwards once the ground beneath her erupted. She flew through the charging equines, Sunset catching her with her magic and leaving the others to take on the Titan.

They didn’t achieve much.

Thanos clenched his fist, the Power Stone firing a beam of energy right for the mares. They scattered in multiple direction, Twilight and Rainbow into the air, Pinkie to the far left, Starlight to the right, and Applejack ducking and sliding right underneath the blast. Holding onto her hat, Applejack—when she was within range—planted her front hooves deep into the earth, reared back, and bucked Thanos square in the stomach. Applejack didn’t think she could’ve delivered a stronger buck in her entire life. What could usually topple trees only made Thanos stumble back an inch or two. If anything, he was just as surprised as her how hard the buck was, yet it did little to nothing. With a face gripped with shock, Applejack yelped as Thanos kicked her, sending the farmer tumbling across the sand.

Thanos grinned, that smile instantly vanishing once a cupcake impacted the left side of his face. Snarling at that, Thanos wiped his cheek and gazed at the glazed goody, turning towards the source of the strange attack and seeing only frosting. A second cupcake hit him right between the eyes, Thanos wiping at his face with more annoyed bickering escaping him. Pinkie smirked from her attack, looking up and watching as Rainbow Dash zoomed over her. Thanos wiped his face clean, watching just in time as the rainbow Pegasus charged him head-on. He raised his gauntlet, but was mildly surprised to see her kick his left hand away, deliver an equally fast kick with her other foreleg across his face.

Fast, indeed.

But not faster than him.

Thanos reared forward and yanked the Pegasus by her throat, Rainbow gagging at the loss of oxygen. With cruel intentions in mind for the Pegasus, Thanos stumbled forward once he felt the powerful blast of magic hit him in the backside. Without even turning to see her first, Thanos roared and chucked Rainbow Dash with as much strength as he could give right for the source of the magical blast. Even Starlight couldn’t teleport away in time once Rainbow’s body hit her own, both mares fumbling about through the air before they came to a painful crash down the hill.

Blasting the ground where Pinkie stood with the Power Stone, Thanos then focused his sights on the remaining pony, the only one who had yet to attack but was soon to do so. Twilight, with added intensity and vigor to her strength, flew straight downwards, unleashing beam after beam of energy onto the Mad Titan. She fired an assortment of spells, from paralysis to electric, and yet they did nothing to him. Thanos raised his gauntlet, the Space Stone yanking Twilight right out of the air and bringing the princess close and personal with the Titan.

She was forced into Thanos’ left hand, the Gauntlet’s metal plating hard against her throat. She was only given a second to gaze into the hated eyes of Thanos, to cower under it before he smirked her way, tossing the Princes of Friendship across the Badlands with such power that she flew straight for the sea of serpents. Twilight screamed as she fumbled through the air, trying desperately to maintain her flight pattern, to do anything to stop herself from reaching the serpents and their hungering gazes.

She was just about to teleport away when she felt the all-too-recognizable strand of webbing impact her back, followed by the familiar and friendly voice shout, “I got you, Twilight!”

Twilight yelped as she was yanked back into safe and comforting arms, Twilight looking up and seeing the mask of the Spider-Man gazing down to her, the eyes widened to see her safely in his arms. However, that left nothing for Peter to latch onto anymore. No buildings, no street signs, just a fall leading to the hard, rocky surface of the Badlands. Twilight and Peter watched the ground approaching faster by the second, the Alicorn shutting her eyes and Peter doing the same, both ready for the impact. Peter pushed his shoulder out, intent on taking the full force of the landing.

He never felt the pain from the impact. He hardly felt the impact at all. All he and Twilight heard were the strange robotic sounds escaping his backside, followed by the sound of metal impacting rock again and again. They rolled until they came to a sudden stop, actually seeming to hover mere feet above the ground. Curious, Twilight opened her eyes and looked about, staring down and noticing the four legs embedded within the ground. Those legs rose up, Twilight’s eyes eventually falling back… to Peter.

The suit came equipped with four additional legs!

Shaking away her shock, Twilight asked, “Peter, what are those?!”

The blues of Peter’s eyes slowly opened, gazing once to the Alicorn safely in his arms and then to the extra pairs of legs protruding from below and his backside. “What are what—Oh, my God, what are those?!” Peter shouted, the eyes of his mask as wide as could be as he finally took notice to his suit’s extra limbs.

Their predicament was deaf to Thanos. He was already focused on other matters, that of his daughter trying to fight him.

Again…

And again…

Never once faltering, never once holding back. Gamora unleashed every bit of pent-up anger and pain that she endured over the years while in servitude to Thanos. There was a lot of it, which showed with every cry that escaped the assassin, every tear leaking from her eyes as her blade connected to Thanos’ gauntlet, getting no closer to ending but merely fighting an uphill war. She couldn’t take it much longer, but refused to give in. Refused to let Thanos have his way yet again.

She would kill him today or die trying.

Thanos simply refused to fight his daughter. Out of all his children, he wouldn’t hesitate to end their lives if it were absolutely necessary, if they dared to rebel against him. Gamora was always different, always stronger, always more loved than any of his previous children. He trained her to be his equal, to be someone to stand with him when he saved the universe. And there they stood, at odds, against one another, one believing in falsehood and the other in truth.

And both just as passionate to defend those ideas.

Just as he defended himself. Thanos continuously backed away as Gamora unleashed more strikes and slashes onto him, all of which were met with blocks from her father. Noticing the quickly approaching Vision, Star-Lord, Sorcerer Supreme, Drax, and Iron Fist in the distance, Thanos clenched his gauntlet and used the power of the Reality Stone to subdue his daughter. Several tendrils formed from the sand, shot upwards and wrapped tightly around Gamora’s limbs and body. The woman struggled, but eventually fell to the earth as the tendrils continued to pull, continued to keep her restrained. She screamed and flailed no matter what, because she was the fighter Thanos had created.

The unrelenting fire that would see to Thanos’ end no matter what.

With his daughter dealt with and safe, Thanos jumped over her and ran forward, meeting his adversaries before they even had the chance to get a foot closer. Coming to a halt, Thanos rammed the Gauntlet forward, the Power Stone unleashing a wave of energy that impacted the group, every single one of them caught in the wave and falling because of it. Their limp bodies impacted the earth, all except for the Vision.

Who rammed Thanos right in the heart.

With such speed and ferocity the Mad Titan almost couldn’t anticipate it.

But he retaliated.

Jamming his elbow into Vision’s backside, Thanos came to a stop several yards from Vision’s attack. He bent downwards, had to take the punch that Vision sent straight up into his chin in order to fully grab him. With the Vision in his grasp, trying desperately to fight back, Thanos clenched his fist, the Infinity Gauntlet igniting a bright purple as he sent a Power Stone-fueled punch right into the Vision. Almost completely through him. The Vision was shot back like a rocket.

And Thanos watched as he crashed through rock, bone, and came to a stop lying in the dirt. Sneering at that, Thanos began his approach, his sights set only on the Mind Stone and nothing else. Perhaps that was his mistake, not seeing the full picture, not paying attention to the fight and only thinking of what was needed to be done. One step at a time. Right now, he needed to focus.

He needed that Stone.

He almost didn’t hear the Alicorn approach from behind, and was almost unprepared for her. Turning back, Thanos readied for the impending fight, but instead watched as the Alicorn flew past him, her attention, her focus, her worry only on Vision. He watched from the distance, watched as the mares, this time all eight of them, came together around Vision. They shared concern for his well-being, trying to get him to stand, trying to do anything to ensure his safety.

Then Fluttershy slowly raised her hoof… and pointed it behind Twilight.

All of their heads swiveled over, landing on him.

It was just them left.

The Avengers, Guardians, Defenders… they were dealt with, leaving just the ponies between him and the Mind Stone.

Thanos smiled. Even grander than last time.

Chapter 55 – Keep Away

Badlands, Equestria

Northern Valley

8.5 Miles Away from Mount Tartarus

10:22 a.m.

The sun shone heavy, the ash falling from the plume of darkness spewing from Mount Tartarus. Across the Badlands, the shrieks and cries of the serpents traveled for miles on end, hundreds of the beasts arisen within the valleys. They remained between Mount Tartarus and the cataclysmic battle occurring between the Mad Titan, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Guardians of the Galaxy, New York’s Defenders, the Sorcerer Supreme, and the Punisher.

All of which were missing in action, leaving just Thanos facing the six Elements of Harmony, Starlight Glimmer, and Sunset Shimmer. And they stood between him and the Vision. Between him and the Mind Stone.

Between him and his destiny.

Thanos’ smile faded, leaving just an annoyed sneer as he began his approach. The moment he moved forward, each of the ponies instinctively reacted. Applejack and Rainbow Dash took defensive positions in front of their friends. Rarity and Fluttershy cowered behind Starlight and Sunset, the two unicorns trying to put on brave faces but only furthering their own anxieties the longer they stared upon the Titan. Pinkie Pie gulped, looking to Twilight to guidance. For help. For leadership.

And Twilight…

She didn’t know.

She didn’t know how to handle a situation like the one laid out right before her. If they moved, if he got his hands on Vision, if he took out the Stone… their friend… would die. Twilight didn’t know if she could handle that again, especially having witnessed Discord’s death not too long ago. Twilight already firmly made her position clear, refusing to move even as the Titan approached them. Yet if they didn’t move, if they tried to stand against Thanos again, then she didn’t know what would happen. He was strong enough to kill Discord, powerful enough to hold off against the Avengers, and so relentless that he tossed her friends around like they were ragdolls. He took a paralysis spell right in the chest and didn’t even flinch. There was something about him, about Thanos, that Twilight just couldn’t understand. That she just didn’t know.

That she just didn’t know how powerful he was.

And that made her terrified of him.

Any sympathy she could have had for him and the loss of his home world, his people, and everything he once had completely burned away the moment Discord had in his grasp. There was no more sympathy to be given, no more thoughts on whether or not Thanos could be reasoned with. He made his position clear and he was coming for the Mind Stone, ensuring that no one would stand in his way. The Guardians, the Defenders, the Avengers, and everyone else already experienced that.

But Twilight stood her ground. Even if it meant giving their life, Twilight would ensure that her friends—and Vision especially—would be safe. There was no more power in the entire universe that could change her mindset, no strength greater than her love for her friends, and the duty she would uphold as the Princess of Friendship.

He reached back and unsheathed the massive blade from his backside. Twilight’s eyes widened, her heart dropping when she spotted the blade. It arose from behind him with a sickening slicing sound, the blade seeming to emanate power when it came into view. The sun shimmered against its edge, Thanos swiping at the air once before letting the sword rest on his right side, still gripped tightly in his palm. Vision groaned behind the Alicorn, Twilight gazing back for a moment to see him trying to lean forward, clutching his abdomen in pain.

He stared passed her, Twilight’s eyes following his to land once more on the Mad Titan. And he just kept getting closer.

Applejack, managing to find that spark of courage, shot out her hoof and yelled, “Now, y-you stay back, ya hear?!”

She tried to keep on a hardened frown, and knew the difficulties that came with doing that when facing something—or someone—that truly terrified her. Thanos was unmerciful, relentless, just the sight of his eyes caused every mare, Rainbow included, to shiver at their hooves. Yet for some reason, perhaps the wearied strength in Applejack’s voice, Thanos stopped.

That brief moment of rising optimism completely fell apart when they saw Thanos tilt his head skywards, his eyes gazing off into the east. Then came the loss of sunlight, the approaching shadow upon the Badlands. The temperatures instantly began to cool, the eight mares looking from the sand and following the shadows—and even Thanos' gaze—towards the east.

In the distance, beneath the smog and barely blocking the sun, planet Earth hovered just over the Badlands, approaching slowly with each passing second. The sunlight glinted off the edge of the hemisphere, sending a blinding light across the Badlands. Thanos stared straight into the light, his face flinching at the brightness. It wouldn’t be long before Earth was directly over the Badlands. He could already feel gravity starting to shift, becoming lighter. He heard the serpents in the distance, their cries of anguish and freedom, all mixed together in a resounding chorus of salvation. He turned back to the mares and saw all eight of them do the same, meeting his gaze.

He saw the terror flush their eyes, the forced courage each of them tried to evoke. Pathetic. With what Thanos had seen so far from them, they were nothing short of a disappointment. How such creatures could have bested a being as powerful as Typhon was even more of a disappointment. And now they stood between him and his destiny. Like so many before them…

“Amidst two changing worlds, you still find reasons to resist the inevitable,” Thanos declared, beginning his slow, steady approach to the eight ponies. They tensed up, readying themselves in defensive positions. Thanos didn’t even flinch. “This day will extract a heavy toll, and when the time comes you eight… will suffer more than anyone.”

Twilight’s horn ignited, alongside Starlight and Sunset’s. Thanos paused for a moment, watching as many of their expressions were forced to change from fear to determination. False strength, dying hope, and worthless efforts for an inevitable conclusion. Their resistance was strong, certainly. That much Thanos could give and humor them.

Thanos didn’t even smile to their show of resistance. His brow furrowed, a low breath leaving his nostrils. He gripped his blade even tighter. The Infinity Gauntlet tightened in his left hand, the three Infinity Stones glowing softly. Thanos met their furious eyes. Every last one of them. “Unless… you move.”

“Not a chance, Prune Face,” Rainbow growled, her hoof pawing at the dirt.

Thanos’ nostrils flared at that name, a small smirk tugging at his lips. Rainbow’s resistance was shared amongst them, a unified strength the ponies each held. They didn’t know when to quit. They didn’t know the type of power that stood before them. They didn’t know… how reality truly functioned. And how could they? They’ve lived in a fantasy world, knowing only what their superiors have told them. They’ve never experienced true loss, true suffering, like the kind he had. Like the kind… someone else had.

“Foolish equines… You’ve known so long what it’s like to win,” Thanos said. He gazed back to the serpents, saw them screech and cry to Mount Tartarus, to the heavens. To everything they’ve lost. Thanos gazed longingly, almost sullenly to them, his eyes falling at long last. “Soon… you’ll know what it’s like to lose.”

He turned back to them. Not a single one of them relinquished. Not a single one of them moved. They still stood as one, between him and the Mind Stone. Thanos slowly lifted his left hand and crushed it into a fist. The Reality Stone glowed a vicious red, and the rest followed suit. The sand beneath their hooves began to react, the mares looking from the Titan to the very ground beneath them.

What felt like a shock wave were merely waves of sand that pushed everypony aside. The mares yelped and screamed as the waves pushed against or even carried them away. It was strong enough to send ponies rolling down nearby hills, others slammed against the sides of rocks or the remains of deceased monsters. The wave of sand finally subsided, each mare far from where they once more, all gone and leaving just the Vision lying by himself. Thanos narrowed his eyes, dropping the Gauntlet and swinging his sword outwards, continuing his approach, much more quickened steps than before.

Vision tried to stand, gritting his teeth as he pressed his left fist into the dirt and pushed himself upwards. The Power Stone’s essence continued to radiate and eat away on his person, another painful scream leaving him as the Mind Stone shone even brighter than before, Thanos’ eyes latched with it. The distance between them was shortening, Vision resorting to simply crawling back and furthering the distance. Thanos shortened it even faster. He was so focused on Vision that he hardly paid any heed to the pink pony resting on his shoulder, nor did he ever feel her presence there.

He definitely heard her when she whipped out a megaphone from her mane and pressed it against his ear, shouting, “HI, MY NAME’S PINKIE PIE! WHAT’S YOUR—?!”

Thanos roared at the assault on his eardrums, rearing to the side and reaching for Pinkie on his right shoulder. The Gauntlet grabbed nothing but air, Thanos already looking up when he saw the small tuft of pink mane hanging over his eyesight. With her hooves pressed firmly against his bald head, Pinkie scoffed and shouted, “You didn’t even let me finish! I was going to ask what your favorite—!”

Thanos pried at his head with the Gauntlet, once more grabbing nothing but air. For some odd reason, Pinkie shot out from beneath his attire, her snout pressed to his nose as she gasped for air. “Gosh, it is hard to breathe in there! Anyway, as I was saying—!”

Bellowing in anger, Thanos clenched the Gauntlet and punched his chest, exactly where the pink nuisance was. Except, she wasn’t. He only ended up punching his own chest, Thanos staggering back from the force of the Infinity Gauntlet. Looking about his person, Thanos snarled and lifted the Gauntlet, clenching his fist and igniting the Reality Stone. Upon his command, the burst of red energy escaped from him, Pinkie Pie caught within the wave and forced to lie in front of him. She tumbled across the sand, her eyes bouncing and her head wobbling.

“Whoa, what a rush,” Pinkie muttered, shaking her head and gazing back up to the Mad Titan. Frowning, Pinkie shot back up on all four hooves, crying, “One second! How am I supposed to know your favorite type of rock if you won’t even let me ask?! Oh, by the way, what’s your favorite type of rock? I was just asking because my sister Maud just loves rocks, and you seem to have a pretty nice collection your—!”

Thanos chuckled. Pinkie’s rambling stopped, the party pony meeting Thanos’ eyes and watching as he stood straight up. Sword in hand, gauntlet in the other, Thanos met Pinkie’s eyes. He said, “Aren’t you a persistent one.”

Pinkie flashed a smirk, waving her hoof. “I try.”

“I’ll give you a choice,” Thanos said, holding out his blade so the edge was centered just over her neck. Despite the great distance between them, Thanos could easily dash forward and remove her head if the situation called for it. He liked her, though. He smiled her way, saying, “Move or die.”

Licking her lips, Pinkie lowered herself in a defensive position, a look of raw determination practically glowing from her facial features. She smirked at him, nodding his way. “Bring it on, Cable!”

Thanos lifted the Infinity Gauntlet, the Power Stone shimmering. But before he could close his gauntlet, he felt a strong burst of wind strike him from the left side, hitting him right in the cheekbone. Turning towards the source, Thanos watched as Rainbow Dash zoomed across the sky, came down, and slid to a screeching, dust-covered halt right by Pinkie’s side, the two of them standing once more between him and Vision. Thanos sneered, lurching forward when he felt the strong kick in the back of his head, followed by three stronger magical blasts all hitting him at once. Raising his gauntlet, Thanos blocked the beams of magic and turned towards their source.

Applejack galloped forward and slid to a stop on Rainbow’s left, being the pony responsible for bucking him in the back of the head. Descending towards the three mares, Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight continued holding their magical beams on the Mad Titan until he swiped at them with his gauntlet, cutting off the streams. Starlight’s magic around her body faded, letting her plop on the ground next to Applejack. Sunset’s own fiery red magic faded from her body as well, the unicorn joining Princess Twilight directly in front of the group. Fluttershy joined shortly, standing on Pinkie’s right, holding a bit more confidence in her eyes knowing she was standing amongst friends to face their foe.

And Rarity…

She remained hidden behind a pile of rocks, gazing fearfully onto the battle before her. No amount of strength she could muster could get her away from the rock she clutched onto and hid behind. No amount of strength was found in the shivering, whimpering unicorn.

Standing back up to full height, Thanos lowered the Infinity Gauntlet and, once more, saw the ponies standing in his way. Defending the Vision. Defending the Mind Stone with everything that they were. And if everything that they were was more than what Thanos had seen previously, then perhaps the fight ahead would not be a complete waste of time. Perhaps… he may just have to use some effort.

“Oh, you ponies are such an amusing race,” Thanos commented, lifting his head so his eyes rose to meet theirs. None of them backed down this time. They all held the same fury and strength that Twilight—and even Pinkie Pie—had. Thanos smiled at that. He clenched both of his fists, the right gripping the blade and the left igniting the strength of the Power Stone.

“It’s a shame all things must come to an end.”

Thanos finished that statement with a powerful, echoing roar, slamming the Gauntlet straight into the earth. Rocks split apart, the earth trembling as a wave of purple shot out and encompassed each mare, yet not moving them as Twilight’s protective shield in front protected them. The resulting tremor wouldn’t, each pony shooting off in a different direction as rocks shot up into the air and the earth was ripped apart in long, purple gashes. The ground they once stood on was torn to shreds in a wave of purple, only spreading so far and ending shortly after.

Lifting his gauntlet from the dirt, Thanos brought his attention forward and grunted as Rainbow Dash dive-bombed him, driving her hind leg right into his forehead. Thanos staggered back, lifting his gauntlet to shield himself as Twilight flew around him, firing off multiple spells to wound or slow him down. They did neither, Thanos swiping downwards at her with his blade. Twilight’s jaw fell, her horn igniting as she flashed away in a bright whiteness. Thanos’ sword hit nothing but rock and dirt, the Mad Titan ripping his blade out of the earth and looking about for where the princess would appear next.

His gaze loomed across the battleground, seeing many rocks glowing a violent purple rise from the earth he destroyed and hover in place. Obviously due to the lower gravity brought forth from Earth hanging over the Badlands, as Thanos hadn’t used the Space Stone recently to lower the gravity himself. Upon one of the rocks, a flash of white appeared, Thanos already preparing to meet Twilight’s gaze. He raised his gauntlet towards it…

Only to witness Starlight Glimmer appearing on one of the many floating rocks surrounding him.

Thanos lowered his gauntlet, meeting the eyes of the unicorn. Starlight met his dull blue, her heated glare not once backing down. Her horn remained ignited in a bright turquoise, the unicorn glaring down to the Titan beneath her. For a moment, that’s all there was. Just a face off between the Titan and the pony. Thanos spotted her horn, seeing the magic practically radiate off of it.

“Any more magic tricks?” he spat.

Starlight tilted her head only slightly, still holding that glare. A short, willful smirk tugged at her lips. “I have a few up my sleeve,” she responded. “Ever heard of Similo Duplexis?”

Ready to end the pitiful confrontation, Thanos hesitated only when he watched her horn—and more so her magic—begin to change. A swirl of white encompassed the light turquoise, another white flash following. Thanos blinked, and within that time of less than a second, he watched as not one, but two, then three, and so many more Starlight Glimmers began to appear. Each new Starlight would appear on a floating rock, some even surrounding Thanos on ground-level until he was completely outnumbered by a number he couldn’t even count.

The spell had ended, each duplicate of Starlight shouting, “But on a larger scale!”

Thanos spun about, gritting his teeth when he counted all of the false unicorns, having already lost track of the original of which they spurred from. Her voice brought him back to what he presumed to be the original, Starlight Glimmer smirking his way. “Mixed with Excelero…” she muttered, her horn once more igniting a fierce turquoise.

Before he could react, Thanos felt a great force impact him from below, striking at the back of his leg. He turned around, seeing nothing but the line of Starlights with their horns aglow. Another blow on his back, causing him to hunch forward. They came too quickly. He couldn’t react fast enough. One Starlight after another shot forward with speeds even Thanos couldn’t counter with, delivering a punch, a kick, or even a magical blast whenever they flashed past him. The Titan staggered back and forth, mere blurs of each Starlight zooming across his body every second. With each painful grunt that left him, Thanos only grew more and more irritated. The hits were like playful slaps to him, they just came at a quickened pace. Growing rather tired of the feeble attacks, Thanos lifted his gauntlet and crushed it into a fist, the Space Stone sending a wave of force that sent each Starlight back.

The ponies picked themselves up, each Starlight still holding that fearsome glare as each of their horns glowed even brighter than previously. In one conjoined manner, the army of Starlights fired beams of magical energy onto Thanos, who lifted his arms to shield himself from it. From her pitiful hits from earlier, Thanos had to admit that her magical strength was definitely an improvement. Definitely not strong enough to take him down, but powerful enough for him to know it had to end soon.

Roaring as the magic continued to blast against, Thanos raised the Infinity Gauntlet high into the air, crushing it and the Reality and Power Stones glowing in unison. The sand around him already began to swirl at his feet, forming multiple tendrils that glowed a fierce purple. The tendrils shot out, broke through the magical beams, and impaled each Starlight right through the heart. The Power Stone’s energy completely destroyed the false duplicates, Thanos watching as the tendrils struck their targets and vaporized them. All except for one…

Starlight gasped, bringing up a magical shield just as the tendril struck it. The sand faded away, the unicorn removing her shield to see Thanos smiling menacingly up to her. Her heart fell. He looked nowhere else because there weren’t any other copies of Starlight to be seen. Not a one… but her.

“There you are,” Thanos growled, ripping the very fabric of space surrounding Starlight. The Space Stone glowed violently, yanking Starlight from atop the floating rock and bringing her right into Thanos' awaiting grasp. Starlight yelped, losing her breath when Thanos gripped her by her throat, holding her out and gazing right into her fearful eyes. That fear only continued to rise when she realized that he literally held her life in his hand.

Prying at the Gauntlet’s fingers, Starlight continued to struggle. Thanos observed the mare for a moment. “You’re strong,” he said, watching as she stopped struggling and gazed right at him, right into his eyes. He slammed the end of his blade right into the earth, causing Starlight to gasp and turn her eyes to it, then back to him, watching as he reached for her forehead. For her horn. “Let’s see how strong you really are.”

With that ominous threat given, Thanos gripped her horn with his finger and thumb, already bending it at an awkward angle. Starlight tried to flash away, to escape, but couldn’t the moment he began bending her horn. Starlight shut her eyes tight, screaming in agony as she felt her horn being viciously pried apart from her head. Thanos ignored her screams, focused only on the horn and the effects he was doing to it. Magical spurts of energy shot out, none of which hurt him. A turquoise light shimmered from her horn, tiny cracks appearing at the very base, slowly but surely rising up as Thanos continued to put on the pressure.

Right before he snapped her horn, a blur of red tackled him with such force that Thanos completely relinquished the unicorn from his grasp. Starlight hit the dirt with a painful thud, Starlight rising up only slightly before collapsing in exhaustion and agony, a painful migraine growing around the base of her wounded horn.

Vision tussled with the Mad Titan as they flew across the wasteland. Planting his feet into the dirt, Vision roared as he threw the Titan directly into a pile of dragon bones. Thanos’ back impacted the spine of the deceased creature, the Titan looking up and watching as the Vision charged up the Mind Stone, firing a golden beam of energy right for Thanos’ heart. Instinctively raising the gauntlet, Thanos blocked the beam of gold, directing it to impact Vision instead. The android fell back from the blow, rolling several yards away.

Thanos once again began his approach to the wounded android, pausing only when he saw the orange portal appear on his right. He looked to it, fully expecting the wizard to appear. Instead, he was mildly surprised to see the golden unicorn leap out of it. He was even more surprised to feel his entire body enveloped in her magic, the unicorn actually ripping him from the ground and flinging him completely over her. Thanos impacted the ground head first, spewing dirt and rock upon impact.

Sunset Shimmer landed on all four hooves, skidding across the dirt and spinning accordingly to face both Thanos and the portal. The portal vanished, a second one appearing directly behind Thanos, unveiling Doctor Strange. Hopping through and hovering in mid-air, Strange witnessed Thanos lying on his chest. “Good work, Sunset!” he called to the unicorn, nodding to her.

Sunset nodded back, quickly turning to Thanos once more. They watched as Thanos began to rise up from the dust. Acting fast, Strange expelled the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak from his right fingertips, the bright red bands wrapping tightly around Thanos’ arms and gauntlet. The Titan struggled against the magical bands, Strange closing his fingers together and tightening them even further.

Already physically struggling to keep Thanos down, Doctor Strange looked down to the unicorn. “The freezing spell, now!” he called to her.

Sunset nodded once more, her horn’s magical aura shifting from red to a bright blue. Twisting her neck, already feeling the piercing coolness consume her horn, Sunset grunted as she fired the freeze spell right for Thanos’ torso. The bright blue enveloped his body, starting from his legs and swallowing his entire body. Thanos looked down, watching as the ice crystals already devoured his lower body and were quickly rising up to consume the rest of him. Struggling against Strange’s magic, Thanos still managed to bring his left forearm forward, closing his fist and unleashing the Power Stone’s strength.

Sunset could only watch as her spell ended just short, purple veins covering the outside of the ice crystal until it exploded. Shielding herself with her magic, Sunset was nearly blown away from the force of the Power Stone, but managed to hold her ground. Doctor Strange, however, was not so fortunate. Flung back from the explosion, Stephen looked only to watch as Thanos ripped him out of the air with the Space Stone, flinging him right for the army of serpents deeper into the Badlands. Strange soared right at them, quickly raising his Sling Ring and creating a portal right before the nearest serpent could chomp at him. He flew through the portal and landed with a painful thud elsewhere, almost close by Thanos and Sunset’s showdown.

As Thanos ripped his legs from the remaining ice shards keeping him locked with the ground, Sunset Shimmer lowered her shield and gazed to the Mad Titan. Finally free, Thanos stepped forth and zeroed his eyes on the unicorn responsible for almost trapping him in a block of ice. He frowned.

Sunset breathed steadily, sweat glinting off her forehead from the early morning sun. The sun’s light shone upon the fiery-maned unicorn, even glowing off of her red geode. She almost crumbled beneath Thanos’ fierce glare. Without aid from Doctor Strange, she was just another pony standing in Thanos’ way. Just another pony who could fail. Her doubts kept telling her that, but Sunset knew otherwise. She knew not to underestimate herself, because she was something Thanos had never seen before.

And she would be certain he knew that.

“If ice won’t stop you…” Sunset breathed, gazing onto the rising sun, then back to the Mad Titan, a spark in her eyes, “… maybe a little fire can.”

His brow tightened at that response, Thanos readying himself for whatever the unicorn had in store. Even he was slightly surprised to see her following actions. Sunset Shimmer closed her eyes, her horn glowing a soft red, as it usually had when she concocted a spell. However, it only grew brighter and brighter and brighter as the seconds ticked away. So bright in fact that Thanos had to shield his eyes from the brightness, the Gauntlet raised to block out the increasing rays. He could still see what was happening to her, Thanos’ lips twitching in agitation at the increasing light…

As well as the heat.

What Thanos could see was nothing compared to what had actually become of Sunset. Her magic consumed her, the unicorn slowly rising up from the earth, shards of shattered rock rising alongside her. The brightness from her horn, from her magic, from her very essence shimmered in a way that rivaled that of the sun. Thanos could only watch and wait as Sunset held out her hooves, the ends of each nearly touching one another. The magic began to grow more intense, sparks of fire shooting off from her body, Thanos watching the entire ordeal with a somewhat amused expression on his face.

She kept her head low, a tornado of literal fire surrounding her, covering her body, yet none of it seemed to harm the unicorn. Not even a flinch of pain from her. She was as one with the fire as she was with her own soul and mind. Thanos could watch, he could hear as she finally spoke. When she finally spoke in a quiet, almost painfully quiet whisper…

“I answer the Call of the Phoenix.”

… that’s when she erupted.

When Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes, they were as pearly white as that of fresh snow, as bright and powerful as the face of the sun. The tornado of fire consumed her very being, exploding outwards and revealing a pair of phoenix wings erupting from her sides. Her mane looked to be like it was literally on fire, her tail and wings radiating ashes and burning cinders.

Thanos grinned. Showing her true power. “Finally.”

He reared forward and fired a violet beam from the Power Stone. Sunset responded by shooting out her hoof, a torrent of flames spewing outwards and meeting Thanos’ blast. The two forces met, a stream of energy showering outwards where they struck one another. Despite Sunset’s greatest magic holding well, it only lasted so long. The strength of the Power Stone was unmatched by any other spell known to ponykind, the stream of violet quickly breaking through the fire and reaching the pony. It would have had Sunset not already vanished.

Her phoenix wings pushed her out of the way, the unicorn flying straight for Thanos and even managing to go through the Power Stone’s beam for just a short moment. A burning, magical bubble surrounded Sunset as she tore through the purple stream of energy, eventually bringing her face to face with the Mad Titan.

And she didn’t hold back.

Every ounce of strength, of magic, of fight that was within Sunset Shimmer was unleashed when she engaged Thanos in close combat. She drove her hind legs forward first, the added energy from her phoenix magic being enough to knock Thanos straight into the earth. She didn’t hesitate, unleashing a bright flurry of flames straight from her horn and right into the earth. As the flames subsided, Sunset could only see the rock and dirt where Thanos once was.

To her far left, appearing in the distance was blue and black portal, and the Titan himself stepped out of it. Sunset turned in that direction, eyes widened to see the Reality Stone glowing a bright red. Then, to her continued shock, she watched as the air around Thanos began to shift, swirling from a gas… to liquid water. Thanos shot out his left hand, streams of water following in the direction he ordered. Unable to escape, Sunset raised her wings as a protective shield and felt the impact of the below-freezing water on her wings. She grit her teeth, screaming as the water eradicated the flames and continuously pushed her back further and further, making her smaller and smaller. Dousing the flames until they were nothing.

Until only a soaked, heavily-breathing Sunset Shimmer was all that was left. Thanos sneered, transforming the water surrounding him into sharpened blades of ice, of which he hurled straight for the unicorn. Gasping at that, Sunset looked up to her right and spotted a piece of rock hovering in the distance. Her horn ignited and she was gone, just as the ice shards struck the earth where she once stood. With each flash, Sunset appeared and disappeared, hopping from rock to rock, firing a concussive spell on the Mad Titan, ultimately growing closer with each blast. Thanos struggled to find his target, the mare constantly appearing then disappearing. A concussive spell struck him right in the head, the Titan staggering backwards and shaking away the dizziness.

Just as Sunset Shimmer appeared directly above him. Her horn charged up, ready to fire an even greater spell on the unsuspecting Titan. Something she should have learned by now…

Thanos was almost always suspecting it.

He shot out his right hand and snatched her right out of the air. Sunset yelped, gasping in shock to feel Thanos’ palm wrap around her chest, throat, and belly. She completely lost her breath when he swung her around and actually drove her right into the ground. She could actually feel the earth split and break apart beneath her from the force of the impact, the unicorn unable to take in the much-needed gasp of air on account of Thanos’ palm crushing her chest. She pried at his fingers with her hooves, her eyes shutting tight as she struggled to break free.

All the while Thanos just sneered above her. “I thought you’d be a formidable fighter, but you’re just like all the others. Nothing special about you,” he growled, watching the unicorn thrash beneath his hand. But she wasn’t listening to him.

She only stopped thrashing when her eyes lit up a brilliant white once more, her geode shimmering a bright red, her hooves pressed to Thanos’ fingers. Then she saw everything.

A world completely ripped apart. Bodies of an unknown species lying to the left, a far more sinister species walking amongst the massacre, searching for survivors only to silence them. To the right, there were those who were spared, those crying and reaching for their loved ones not so fortunate as them. The ones lying in their own blood.

Sunset Shimmer saw it all. She saw it all with the most horrified and gruesome expression she could muster. Not only having to witness the dead bodies numbering in the hundreds, Sunset could also see a world under siege by alien invaders, gigantic ships and creatures pockmarking the skylines and the invading species inflicting their will upon the populace. Screams resounded in the distance. Fires ate away at crumbling buildings. Ash fell from the bright morning skies.

Sunset witnessed nothing short of the beauty of annihilation.

“Let us go now.”

Sunset caught her breath. She knew that voice.

“Where are we going?” a child’s voice asked.

To her surprise, Sunset watched as two forms walked past her, one giant… and one so small. She was but a ghost, an observer to what her geode—her magic—wanted her to see. She couldn’t intervene no matter how much she would have wished. Instead, she observed the great titan standing before the child, her green skin and black and red hair splotched with dirt and grime of the chaos surrounding them. The titan, the Mad Titan, stared down to her, wearing what appeared to be heavy, golden armor, almost ceremonial in a sense.

The world fell apart around them, those living behind the child and those dead behind the Titan. Sunset watched as the Titan bent down to one knee, resting his massive palm on the child’s shoulder. With as much sincerity he could muster, he said, “Somewhere to keep you safe.”

“What about my mother?” the child asked. The Titan made no movement. “My mother… my father?!”

A rock struck Thanos’ cheek.

“Gamora!”

Sunset, the child, Thanos, and the nearby Chitauri all turned accordingly to the voice. They all watched as two Zehoberei citizens broke through the surviving crowds and charged the Great Titan with no fear in their hearts. The Chitauri instantly surrounded them, knocked them to their knees, and held them down. They struggled to fight back against their enforcers. Sunset and the child could only watch the terror unfold. Then Thanos plucked the toy from the child’s hands, marching forward and standing before the two foolish citizens.

Thanos caressed his cheek where the rock had struck, ultimately meeting the father’s furious eyes. He smiled. “You stay away from my daughter!” the woman, the mother, screamed.

The woman. The man. The daughter. She remembered the name the father gave the child. Sunset gasped, her body flinching as two short blades expelled from the toy.

And as the curse of the observer, she could only watch as Thanos slit their throats. Right before the child’s eyes. Their bodies joined the others, the Chitauri dragging them into the slaughter. Sunset was practically shaking, but she couldn’t even imagine how the child must be feeling. Thanos grabbed her wrist, practically dragging her away from what remained of her life. And the child screamed and cried, fighting him every step of the way.

And Sunset could only watch. The curse of the observer.

“Come now, Gamora. We have much to do.”

Sunset blinked away the whiteness from her eyes, her hooves falling from Thanos’ fingers. She couldn’t blink away the tears, streams slipping from each eye and slowly cascading to the dirt beneath her head. Thanos’ brow tightened at that, his eyes digging deeper into her million-mile stare and seeing…

He didn’t know what. Whatever it was, it was something the pony shouldn’t have.

Further increasing the pressure of his hand over the mare, Thanos fully expected her to react to it. Except she didn’t. She laid on her back almost as if she were dead, horror riddled in her expression. He knew she was alive. He could her feel her terrified heart racing against his palm.

“Demon… what did you see?” he snarled, clenching the Infinity Gauntlet until all three Stones glowed violently, dangerously close to Sunset. She never answered.

Thanos never found out.

Spider-Man appeared through a bright orange portal and punched Thanos right in the cheek.

“Magic!” Peter Parker shouted, slipping through another portal. Thanos staggered to the right, feeling the palms against his head and watching as the Spider-Man drove his feet right into his chest. “More magic!” He disappeared once more through another portal.

Then appeared through one more. “Magic with a kick!” Peter shouted, driving his boot in Thanos’ head the moment he said that. And just like last time, he vanished through a portal. Thanos snarled. Shaking away the weariness and listening for the sound. The spark of the portal, followed shortly with, “Magic with a—!”

Thanos spun around, driving his fist right into the chest of the Spider-Man. Peter screamed as he flew, disappearing amongst the bones scattered within the wasteland. “Insect!” Thanos shouted, flinching once he felt the billy club strike him right in the eyebrow. Thanos turned accordingly, looking to see the billy club return to the hand that threw it.

Daredevil, Luke Cage, and Gamora all charged and engaged with Thanos. Blades and billy clubs were blocked by Thanos’ gauntlet, Luke’s strength met by one greater than his. Thanos caught Luke’s punch with the Gauntlet, lifting the man off the ground and sending an even stronger punch right into his chest. Gamora rolled under Luke’s body as he flew over her, the assassin swinging Godslayer right for Thanos’ leg.

In the distance, on another hill, Doctor Strange stepped forth via portal. He witnessed the skirmish unfold before him, Murdock and Gamora hopelessly outmatched for the Titan. They held their own, but only for a moment. It wouldn’t last until—

“Hey, Criss Angel, give me something!”

Turning towards the voice, Strange spotted Jessica Jones running right for Thanos when his back was turned. Obviously referring to him, Stephen complied and pressed his hands together, twisting them and forming two fists. He pulled the fists apart, creating a string of Eldritch Magic between his hands. When the pommel was finished, Strange brought his fists back together, shooting out his fingers and creating a flurry of sparks. Ultimately, he created a weapon. A sledgehammer.

He flung it right across the valley, the hammer spinning rapidly right for the woman he sent it to. Jessica caught it with pure ease, her enhanced strength giving her everything she needed to handle the hammer, carry it without slowing down, and deliver it with just as much force as she intended. When she grew close enough, Jessica reared back and drove the head of the sledgehammer right into the back of Thanos’ leg. The Titan roared at that, falling to one knee and looking down to meet his assailant.

Jessica glared at him, through every second as she drove the sledgehammer’s head right beneath his chin. The force of the hit, coupled with the Private Eye’s increased strength, sent Thanos straight into the air. He went flying for several yards, eventually coming to a painful crash. As Thanos slowly began to rise, he was met once more with a fist right into his cheek. Staggering in the opposite direction, the Titan turned forward to see who had struck and stand before him… face to face.

Danny Rand, the Immortal Iron Fist, with his clothes tattered and blood leaking from his forehead, met the Titan’s glare with one just as savage. Thanos glared at him, his nostrils flaring. He looked from Danny’s eyes bleeding with determination to his right fist, noticing it shaking, held out in a threatening manner.

Thanos didn’t hesitate. He got back up, reared his left arm back, clenched his fist, and sent the Infinity Gauntlet with all three Stones’ powers fueling it right for the Iron Fist. Danny Rand did the same, bringing his right arm back, his fist already clenched, igniting into a bright, blinding gold. Both drove their fists forward. Both held the intention to kill with their strikes. Both met each other halfway.

The Infinity Gauntlet and the Iron Fist connected.

What resulted nearly shook the world.

Those who had intentionally tried to charge Thanos in his wounded state—such as Gamora, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Twilight, and Pinkie Pie—were all blown back while they mere feet from Thanos’ presence. The resulting shock wave from the collision of the Iron Fist and the Infinity Gauntlet sent everyone and everypony flying backwards. Some went a few yards, some went several, but all felt the powerful gust of energy from the collision. The only ones still standing within the vicinity were Thanos and Danny Rand.

Danny almost couldn’t believe it.

Neither could Thanos.

They both looked to their fists in shock, Danny more so than Thanos. The Mad Titan took no more chances to wait and finished the confrontation. He smacked Rand in the side of the head, the Iron Fist flipping through the air before he came to a painful crash amongst a pile of rocks, where he laid groaning in pain.

Thanos hunched forward, feeling a powerful blast hit him in the back. Turning around, Thanos raised his gauntlet and used the Reality Stone to block the oncoming sniper fire. The bullets turned to mist before they could even reach Thanos. Spotting the location of the sniper with a glint from the sun aiding him, Thanos pointed the Infinity Gauntlet right for it, ordering with a loud and powerful voice, “Typhon!”

From where she lay, Twilight Sparkle lifted up her head, her ears perking up when he said that name.

From atop the hill in the distance, the Punisher and Rocket Raccoon could feel the earth shaking beneath them. Having just spent the rest of his sniper ammunition on the Titan, Frank Castle was just about to come up with a new tactic when he felt the world tremble beneath him. Rocket, Groot, and Mantis all felt the same.

“It’s coming!” Mantis screamed, eyes gazing off into the distance, towards the sea of serpents.

“What’s coming?!” Frank shouted back.

He got his answer soon enough. The hill of which they stood upon erupted, sending rock, sand, and dirt in nearly every direction. Frank, Rocket, Groot, and Mantis fell back, rolling down the hill. Only Rocket and Frank were able to catch themselves, looking up to see yet another serpent rising before them. Its scales were black and brown, just as last time. Its eyes glowed a vicious red with black slits centered their way, just as last time. It struck them… just as last time.

Only this time, Groot actually did something.

Several vines and wooden tendrils shot out from the ground, surrounding the serpent and keeping its jaws separated for the moment. As the creature thrashed within Groot’s grasp, both Rocket and Frank turned to the adolescent. “I am… Groot!” he shouted, palms digging deeper into the sand, obviously struggling to keep the monster at bay.

Frank may not have been able to speak Groot, but he could tell what Groot wanted him to do. Abandoning his sniper rifle, Frank reached back and plucked his shotgun right off of his belt. He loaded in the AA12’s drum mag and completely unloaded every shell right into the creature’s awaiting maw. Blood and venom shot out as he blew apart its gums, its fangs, as well as its tongue and the roof of its mouth. The serpent screeched and pulled back, Groot still managing to hold it in place.

“You’re being too generous with your shots!” Rocket shouted. He reached into his bag and plucked out a strange-looking grenade, something Castle had never seen nor thought it was a grenade at first. The raccoon chucked the device right into the creature’s mouth, yelling to Groot, “All right, you’re free to go, Groot!”

Once Groot released his vines from the serpent, the creature’s head thrashed about, turning back to Frank, Rocket, Groot, and Mantis. It hissed and lunged for them. Rocket smirked, pressing the button on his small device. The head of the serpent exploded in a bright, blue explosion, spewing blood and brain matter all over the group of four. The body of the serpent tilted back and forth before eventually crashing against the hill.

Frank slowly wiped his face of the crimson, spitting the remnants that managed to slip into his mouth. Groot acknowledged Frank’s disgust with his own, wiping at his arms as the blood leaked into him. Mantis stood blood-soaked and shivering. Rocket was laughing his ass off.

“Did ya see that?!” he exclaimed. “That serpent was so ready to chomp on us, it didn’t… it didn’t even expect the explosion! Ha, ha, ha, ha!”

He leaned against Frank’s pant leg, punching it again and again as his laughter never once subsided. Once it eventually did after nearly a full thirty seconds, Rocket broke away from Castle, wiping his eyes free of the tears and the blood. “Oh, man… I’ve got some problems.”

With their problems dealt with, all that left was the remaining heroes squaring off against the Mad Titan himself. Doctor Strange once more entered the fray. He was once more accompanied by Sunset Shimmer, the two of them now joined by Star-Lord as they were the only three up and standing to take on Thanos next.

Leaping from rock to rock, Peter Quill fired continuous blasts from his Quad Blaster, each shot striking Thanos. The first shot hit him in the back, bringing Thanos’ attention away from Strange. In response to Star-Lord’s attack, Thanos replied by firing blasts from the Power Stone right for him as he hopped from rock to rock. His ground was running out, Thanos ready to finish him once he landed on the earth. Unfortunately, Thanos only witnessed orange disks appearing once the rocks ran out, Quill hopping from each one closer and closer to Thanos. Another Quad Blaster shot struck Thanos in the shoulder. Noting the similar magic, Thanos spun around and struck Stephen in the side of his head with his right hand. The Sorcerer Supreme was sent flying backwards, coming to a painful crash upon the dirt and sand.

When Thanos turned back, he fully expected to see the disks vanish and Star-Lord falling to the earth. Instead, all he saw were even more disks, this time colored red instead of orange. Another shot from the Quad Blaster, another step closer to Thanos. Sunset Shimmer planted her hooves forward, her horn glowing a fierce red as she created stepping stones for Peter to hop on. She led him directly to Thanos, watching as Quill hopped over him, planted a bomb on his backside, and rolled on the other side. Thanos spun around, meeting the metal mask and glowing red eyes of Star-Lord.

To add insult to upcoming injury, Peter flipped him off, shouting, “Boom!” as he hopped back into one of Strange’s portals. Thanos raised his gauntlet, only to nearly fall flat on his chest when the bomb exploded.

High above the ground, Strange’s portal placed Star-Lord on a floating rock. With the lower gravity due to Earth hanging high overhead, Peter Quill was literally upside down as the rock tilted and hovered over Thanos. He didn’t care. His mask was sealed tight around his face, his eyes a burning red, as he loaded in the Gravity Mine and fired it at Thanos. Right at his feet.

Once the Gravity Mine struck the earth, it opened up and unleashed a stream of electricity that consumed Thanos’ right hand, keeping him immobilized and low to the ground. Thanos stared at his right hand, then shot his gaze skywards to see Quill loading in another shot, this time for his left hand. Thanos couldn’t let that happen. He shot out his left hand, the Gauntlet using the power of the Space Stone to pry Star-Lord right from his perch. He flung Star-Lord right at Sunset, knocking the two through the air.

The duo came to a painful crash at the bottom of the hill, Peter rolling to his back and grunting as Sunset landed right in-between his legs. Groaning at the pain in his crotch, Quill pressed the side of his helmet and caused it to materialize away. He gazed down to the mare between his legs, her head resting on his abdomen, as they both slowly came to.

When their eyes met, each could already make out their circumstances. Sunset looked to each of Peter’s legs, then to his abdomen, then back to Quill. Peter’s nose wrinkled, his eyebrows rising to see their predicament. Sunset quickly scrambled to her hooves, trying to apologize. “Well, shit, at least buy me a drink first,” Peter interrupted.

Sunset paused, then rolled her eyes with a scoff. “Men,” she muttered, stepping over Peter’s right leg and ensuring to create as much distance between them as possible. Unfortunately, Peter’s next comment caused her blood to freeze.

Struggling to get up, Peter rubbed his crotch and groaned in pain. Looking her way, more so her flank, he said, “You got a great ass, Sunset.”

The mare turned on him, death in her eyes, but a crimson blush on her cheeks. Peter smirked like an asshole as she stated very clearly, “Trust me… I’m not your type.” In other words, she told him to screw off.

All of which were only motivators for Peter Quill. “You’d be surprised with the women I’ve slept with,” he told her, standing back up and dusting himself off. Of course, there was no woman like Gamora that could take his heart. Sometimes just messing with the ponies was a lot of fun. Plus, seeing the blush on her cheeks as she tried to remain as angry with him as possible was always adorable.

Thanos managed to rise back to his feet, crushing the Gravity Mine beneath his boot and thus releasing him from its grasp. His freedom was momentarily halted when he felt the repulsor beam strike him in the shoulder. Turning accordingly, Thanos spotted both Iron Man and Princess Twilight charge him from the sky. Right as Stark grew near, Thanos swiped with his right forearm, smacking Tony right out of the air and sending him tumbling across the rock and sand.

Watching as Stark clawed at the rock to slow himself down, Thanos felt his left arm—and the Infinity Gauntlet—being pried from him by an external force. Looking to his left, Thanos watched as Twilight’s magical aura was wrapped around the entire gauntlet, the Alicorn trying to pull and actually attempt to remove the Gauntlet from his hand. Thanos’ expression shifted to unbridled rage, the Space Stone glowing and grasping the pony and ripping her right out of the air.

He flung the Alicorn right for Stark, who managed to catch her as carefully as he could, flip through the air, and land on both feet. Letting Twilight fly off on her own, Stark shot out both of his arms, the Mark 50 ejecting multiple magnetically levitating cannons from his backside. His Proton Cannons lit up a bright, brilliant blue, firing a conjoined beam of energy right for the Titan. Thanos raised the Gauntlet, using the Power Stone to absorb the force of the Proton Cannons. He was still pushed back several yards, the Titan’s feet digging through the dirt and sand as Stark’s energy beams continuously beat against him and the Gauntlet.

Thanos lifted his head, stared passed Stark to see his blade embedded within the earth far off in the distance. He focused not only on the Power Stone but also on the Space Stone, using its power to rip his blade from the ground and fling it towards him. The edge of the blade struck Tony’s shoulder, knocking him forward and disabling his Proton Cannons. When the energy beams pelting Thanos ended, the Dark Lord reached forward and plucked his sword right out of the air, just in time for Stark to fly towards him with an energy blade expelling from his suit’s right hand. The two engaged in close combat, Stark going for his exposed throat with his energy blade. Thanos swung downwards, his sword striking Stark’s and nearly slicing it in half.

With his left palm, Tony fired a repulsor beam right between the Titan’s eyes. Thanos staggered back, Stark thrusting forward and jamming the blade towards his throat. Thanos caught him before he could get close enough, driving his forehead forward and butting it against Stark’s own. A resounding clang broke out, Tony shot backwards and tumbling across the rocks. He looked up, watching as Thanos charged him with his blade leading, fully intending on driving the end right through Stark’s back.

A powerful blast of magic came from Thanos’ left, so strong in fact that it knocked the Titan right off his feet and sent him sliding and rolling across the sand. Once the beam of magic ended, Thanos quickly got back to his feet, looking to the sky to see Twilight Sparkle flying right for him, nothing short of murder bleeding in her eyes as her horn charged up once again. Thanos readied himself, pressing his feet hard into the earth, lowering down, watching as she grew nearer and nearer.

She fired again.

Even stronger than last time.

Thanos punched it.

With the power of the Reality Stone, Thanos turned the magical blast into nothing but bubbles, the Alicorn’s jaw falling in shock to see her flying right for Thanos, to see him still standing. He dodged to the right, driving the edge of his gauntlet right in the princess. Twilight shielded her body with her own magical aura, the Alicorn flying straight into a pile of rock Thanos once stood in front of.

With her back pressed against the rock, Twilight wearily looked up, her body still encased with a violet glow. Her eyes widened when she saw Thanos approaching her, holding up the Gauntlet and the Power Stone glowing. “Now, Rainbow!” Twilight screamed, teleporting away.

Thanos dropped his gauntlet. Turning about to see where she might appear next, he froze when he heard the sudden sound of whistling wind. It came from behind him. Slowly turning towards it, Thanos gazed to the clouds above and paid witness to one of the grandest sights he had yet seen on planet Equus.

The clouds broke apart, the sound barrier breaking as a single pony—a pony—created a cone of air around her, descending faster and faster to the earth. She kept going further and further until… the boom came. The resulting explosion sent a shock wave of rainbows cascading across the skies, so powerful that it actually managed to shake the earth and break through the dark smog. Thanos watched it all with eyes gazing wondrously to the rainbow explosion, his eyes trailing downwards to see a stream of rainbows descending faster to the ground… then suddenly shot towards him.

Thanos’ eyes widened. He raised his arms just as the pony slammed right into his chest.

Rainbow Dash, using the power of the Sonic Rainboom, actually managed to launch Thanos clear across the Badlands, to as far east as she possibly could. Her wings batted until they burned, the Pegasus pressed to Thanos’ chest as the two of them tore across the landscape. Rainbow gritted her teeth, kept her eyes closed tight as she pushed harder and harder against him. She opened her eyes only when she felt themselves slowing down.

And Thanos ensured that. He jammed his blade downwards, the end digging into the earth and ultimately slowing himself down. And slowing Rainbow Dash down. Until they both came to an abrupt and terrifying stop. Rainbow’s eyes widened at that, her heart nearly stopping when she saw the world freeze around her. She didn’t have time to look up when Thanos grabbed her tail and flung her across the land.

All he could collect from her were her screams, her body disappearing through the dust and smoke. He could focus no more on the rainbow Pegasus when he felt the bullets penetrating his backside. It didn’t end. Thanos had to raise his arms and slowly spin around to face the onslaught and stop it from persisting. The bullets rained down from the glare of the sun, blinding Thanos just long enough for the Chitauri starship to slam right into him.

Both Thanos and the starship were battered into the earth, both rolling for several yards, lost in a mix of ship parts, rocks, sand, dirt, and one Mad Titan. When Thanos finally came to a painful stop, a destroyed wing from the starship falling on top of him, he once more got back to his feet, if not a bit slower this time around. Pushing the wing off of him, Thanos staggered for a moment, only to feel a punch strike him across the right side of his face.

Thanos raised his head, spotting his attacker stand before him. “Well, well…”

Nebula growled, whipping out her Electroshock Baton. “You should’ve killed me!”

“Would’ve been a waste of parts!”

Nebula screamed, the Luphomoid charging forward and driving the side of her baton across Thanos’ face. The Titan took the hit, quickly raising his gauntlet as she struck again. And again. And again. Time and time again, unleashing ever last bit of pent-up hatred she had for the man who took everything away from her, tortured her, and made her the monster she was.

Thanos swung for Nebula’s head with his sword, but she ducked and drove the side of her baton into Thanos’ chest. He raised his gauntlet and blocked her strike, the Electroshock Baton flinging around Thanos’ body. Nebula moved swiftly around her father just the same, catching the baton on the other side and smacking it across Thanos’ head. “You’ve gotten better,” the Titan said with a smile.

Nebula shook her head. “I didn’t learn it from you!” she screamed. “Where’s Gamora?!”

Thanos ended the family reunion with a swift strike straight into her chest. The cyborg flew across the starship’s wreckage, landing painfully on the other side.

Twirling his blade, Thanos took a step forward, only to feel a bolt of lightning strike him square in the chest, pelting him through the earth and pushing him further and further back. Once the lightning ended, Thanos waved the smoke away and stared straight into the heavens. High above, he could see Thor descend from the clouds, bolts of electricity striking across the skies, surrounding him, consuming him, fueling him and the unbridled vengeance flowing through his veins.

For a brief moment, there the two remained: Thanos lying on his back and the God of Thunder slowly approaching him, his last remaining eye glowing a frightening blue, lightning striking the ground with every step he took. Thanos roared, leaping straight into the air, sword high above his head, as he drove it straight down where Thor stood.

Instead, he only watched as his sword was caught by Thor’s left palm, his right fist driving straight into the Titan’s chest and launching him right back where he started. Looking only to Thanos, Thor proceeded to take his sword and bend it at an awkward angle, the powerful metal eventually shattering under the King of Asgard’s strength. He tossed the broken pieces of the sword aside, slowly beginning his approach to the Titan.

Thanos instantly shot back to his feet, jamming the Infinity Gauntlet forward and clenching his left fist. All three Infinity Stones lit up like a burning blaze. Thanos’ intent was to vaporize the God of Thunder like he should have from the start… except once again he didn’t. Thor paused, his chest rising and falling slowly, his fists still clenched. And he waited for what Thanos would do next.

He just didn’t expect it.

“No…” Thanos said, dropping his arm. “I don’t need the Stones to beat you.”

Thor didn’t say a word. The irrepressible hatred he had for the Mad Titan was something he just simply couldn’t control. At that moment, nothing else in the world mattered to Thor other than seeing Thanos dead at his feet, bloody and begging for mercy.

Of which the God of Thunder would provide none.

Then they struck.

And the world trembled.

The might of Thor and the Great Titan shook the earth with each powerful punch each delivered. Thunder roared heavy directly over their heads, the clouds of the world and the smog of the volcano clashing and creating a deadly mixture of gray and black, the blue and red lightning striking in the heavens and upon the earth. And in the middle of it all, Thor and Thanos fought. Even without the mighty Mjølnir, Thor was just as powerful. Without the mighty Mjølnir, Thor was stronger than ever before. He had reached his full potential, and he unleashed all of it on the one who took nearly everything from him.

Thanos was just as relentless. Instead of being fueled by vengeance and hatred, Thanos’ attacks were more calculated, precise, and equally if not more devastating than Thor’s own. Thor was fighting blindly, vengeance and bloodlust being all that he saw. That was his mistake. That was his downfall. Thanos dodged Thor’s lightning-fueled punch, driving his fist into Thor’s rib cage and delivering a second punch from his gauntlet right across Thor’s face. The god staggered back, clutching the side of his cheek but ultimately ignoring the pain, returning to the fight with as much forced strength as he could.

His punches never met his intended target. Even the lightning he pulled from the heavens to strike Thanos didn’t seem to do much. Every time Thanos would use the Reality Stone to turn the lightning into mist, then proceed to punch, kick, and beat Thor down further and further with just his fists. Thor felt his strength waning, the king catching Thanos’ glove right before he could bring it down on him. It left himself perfectly open for Thanos’ other fist, of which he drove straight into Thor’s face with such ferocity and power that the God of Thunder shot across the valley and broke right through a massive piece of rock. His body tumbled and rolled a few yards more before finally settling.

Thor breathed in the dust of the earth, trying to stand and only failing.

Only failing.

Again.

And again.

And again. Thor closed his remaining eye and fell back to the ground, his mind fading away.

The battle resumed shortly. Thanos was met time and time again with another challenger, another fighter, hoping to make a difference, to hurt Thanos in some way, and they would fail all the same. Every time they would fail. They would come at Thanos with something new, something tried, a new hope to hopefully bring Thanos to his knees. And every time they would fail. Yet the battle resumed, the Vision, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Nebula, and War Machine taking on Thanos next.

In the midst of that battle, remaining safely in the distance and away from the fight, the eight mares began to come together and recuperate. Either recovering from their own injuries dealt by the hands of Thanos, or emerging from their hiding places to escape Thanos’ wrath, the ponies limped or flew or teleported to one location hidden behind a large pile of rocks.

Twilight and Rainbow fluttered to the dirt, the two mares looking to one another and then towards the rest of the group. Rainbow rubbed her tail as she did so, then proceeded to caress her wing of the pain flushing through it. They could see Sunset and Starlight appear in a flash, Sunset aiding the wounded Starlight and gently analyzing Starlight’s horn. Rarity and Fluttershy were joined quickly by Applejack and Pinkie Pie, the two mares asking Rarity and Fluttershy if they were okay, which they were. More so Fluttershy, as Rarity still hadn’t uttered a single word. She just continued to hold that petrified gaze, looking from one of her friends to the other.

“Any luck?” Applejack asked, meeting Twilight’s worrisome eyes.

Looking through the small gap between the rocks, Twilight could see the battle unfold before them. Stark, Parker, Vision, and Rhodes did their best to keep Thanos at bay, another figure leaping through the air and joining the fray. Twilight never noticed the newest individual before. Something to look into later. She focused instead on the gauntlet on Thanos’ left hand, on the three Infinity Stones glowing upon it.

“Nothing we do seems to hurt him,” Rainbow interjected, Twilight turning back to her, every other eye doing the same. Dash looked back to the skies, still seeing some residue from her rainbow shock wave. “Dude took a Sonic Rainboom like it was nothing.”

“It’s the gauntlet,” Sunset explained, several heads swiveling her way. Including Twilight’s. Still sitting next to Starlight and aiding the wounded unicorn, Sunset said, “Those Infinity Stones are giving him all the power he needs. As long as he controls them, there’s no spell we can use to stop him.”

Fluttershy whimpered, cowering next to Applejack, the mare rubbing her mane to comfort her. “He’s unstoppable,” the Pegasus quivered.

“No one’s unstoppable,” Twilight responded, gazing back through the crack between the rocks. She watched as Thanos unleashed a beam of purple energy—fueled by the power of the universe itself—straight into the Vision, his back impacting a large stone erected from the earth. Twilight furrowed her brow, breathing steadily. “All we need to do is take away his power.”

“How do you suppose we do that?” Sunset asked. Starlight looked up, tried to meet Twilight’s gaze.

The Alicorn thought for a moment on how they could accomplish such a challenge. Her eyes darted back and forth, finally returning forward. Twilight cast one more glance to the Infinity Gauntlet before returning to her friends, all seven of them forming a small circle around Twilight.

The princess began, her voice breathless. “All right… here’s the plan.”

Peter Parker’s body was flung like a rag doll directly into Tony Stark, the two of them falling to the earth. Thanos turned War Machine’s bullets into pure air with the Reality Stone, blowing back James Rhodes with the Power Stone. He ripped Nebula from the ground with the Space Stone and tossed her through the air, the Luphomoid landing elsewhere.

All oppositions were dealt with.

There was nothing left standing between him and the Mind Stone.

Thanos looked to his left, watching as Vision tried to push himself off the rock, clutching his abdomen as fresh waves of pain flushed throughout his body. The two’s gazes locked momentarily, one rippled with rising trepidation and the other with growing anticipation. Thanos’ eyes rose hardly an inch, spotting the shimmering, yellow gem embedded within the android’s forehead.

He raised the Infinity Gauntlet, all three Stones glowing.

The Vision’s Mind Stone flared to life, the android readying himself for whatever came his way.

Even when he knew he couldn’t.

And just before Thanos unleashed the power of the three Stones, he vanished.

He vanished in a flash of white. Vision’s Mind Stone dimmed down, the Vision’s confused eyes gazing skywards to find the explanation he was needing. Flying directly behind where Thanos once stood, Twilight Sparkle hovered in place, horn aglow, a firm nod sent Vision’s way.

Then he, Stark, Parker, Rhodes, Nebula, and Thor all watched as she teleported away just the same. Just as Thanos had.

Author's Note

God, I love Christmas break. Lets me get back to writing more. Expect more frequent updates, and happy holidays, everypony! :twilightsmile:

Chapter 56 – Fear

Badlands, Equestria

Northern Valley

8.5 Miles Away from Mount Tartarus

10:29 a.m.

Iron Man got back to his feet.

Spider-Man swung next to him, landing on Stark’s right.

War Machine rose up from the dirt, approaching Tony from the left.

Thor wiped the blood from his lips, limping towards Stark.

Nebula and Vision both stood back up, their eyes shifting forward.

And they all looked in the same direction. Exactly where Stark was staring. His mask materialized away, revealing the desperation in Stark’s eyes as he gazed south through the sea of serpents and towards the volcano. He could’ve sworn he saw a flash of white within the twirling towers of scales and screeches.

As the smoke rose and the ash fell around him from the black smog high above, Tony Stark asked, “Homer, where’d they go?”

There was a short respite of silence before the AI responded. “I’ve located Princess Twilight, sir. She seems to have transported the target approximately 7.5 miles directly south.”

Stark’s throat became dry, his heart nearly falling. “Near the volcano.”

“Correct, sir.”

While the four Avengers gazed uneasily south to Mount Tartarus, more so at the sea of serpents separating them from a clear shot to the volcano, Nebula stood from afar, clutching her Electroshock Baton weakly in her right hand, her left holding her abdomen as waves of pain flushed within her circuits. She heard a groan to her right, the cyborg slowly turning in that direction and spotting the red android limping her way. Probably limping to his fellow Avengers, only she stood in his path.

The Vision crumbled to the dirt, yelping in agony. He clutched his abdomen with one hand, the other his forehead, his fingers so dangerously close to the yellow gem burning in his mind. Nebula stared into the light, into the gem that was infused with his very being. Her eyes widened the longer she stared, the Luphomoid’s eyes eventually falling down to the android it belonged to.

“The Infinity Stone…”

Vision looked at her. Nebula stared, her expression hardened. No sympathy for his pain or plight.

Spider-Man’s mask’s eyes narrowed shortly, returning to average size as he faced away from the screeches and the cries of the snakes. “What do we do, Stark?” Peter asked.

Tony didn’t look at him. He could only stare at the volcano. He could only think of what asinine idea was going through Twilight’s head. Facing Thanos on her own, separating her chance of receiving backup. Either she had a full-proof plan or she just signed her own death certificate. Neither seemed pleasing for Stark. “She’s gonna get herself killed,” he finally answered. “We need to get to her. Now.”

“Tony, the snakes…” James rebutted, the mask of the War Machine facing south.

“Fly over,” Tony replied almost instantly, looking from Rhodes, to Thor, and finally settling on Peter. His mask closed over his face, the eyes igniting a bright blue. “And try to keep up.”

He shot off like a rocket, the Mark 50 gone in a blaze of fire. Rhodes was right behind him. Peter bent his neck back and watched them, cracked it a little, then proceeded forward. Proceeded south. “Try to keep up,” he whispered to himself, picking up to a dead sprint directly towards the serpent army. The trails of fire erupting from both Stark and Rhodes’ exhaust seemed to grow fainter and fainter as the two men soared high above the serpents, intending to fly straight over them to reach the volcano. Peter focused forward to the approaching serpents, the nearest beasts’ eyes turning downwards away from Iron Man and War Machine… and instead focused on the young Spider-Man.

They hissed, flicked their black tongues, exposed their fangs, then shot at him.

The blues of Peter’s eyes narrowed. He shot out his hands, fired two strands of web, one hitting the serpent on his left and the other on his right. He pulled himself forward, flew feet-first right between the jaws of the beasts as they bit down on nothing but smoke and air. With them out of the way, Peter had everything he needed to ensure quick travels across the Badlands, such as plenty of towering structures to web to. The only downside was that the towers were constantly moving. And they were trying to kill him.

Trying to stop him from reaching Twilight. Always an obstacle for Parker. He mentally groaned at the thought.

The first two serpents Parker slipped past turned around to see the Spider-Man zip back and forth, flinging himself between the twirling bodies, snapping jaws, and painful screeches of the serpent forest. They nearly returned to the cluster of snakes before a second body landed behind them. Twisting their necks fully around, the two serpents gazing downwards to the lone God of Thunder.

“Wretched beasts,” Thor growled, stomping forward. His last eye shifted from the serpent on his left to the one on his right. Then to the second on his right. Then the third. Then the many, many more that rose higher and higher, all glaring down and hissing at the King of Asgard standing alone.

No matter what number stood before him, Thor showed no fear to their strength or towering height. All he knew was that they stood between him and Thanos. Between him and his friend Twilight. That’s all the motivation he needed to put an end to their wickedness. Jamming his left arm back to the skies, Thor gazed to the heavens to see an accumulation of cumulonimbus clouds bending to his will. Light blue and snow-white lightning shot across the clouds, building larger and larger directly over Thor and colliding with the dark smog. His fingertips began to electrify, those fingers shaking and forming a powerful fist.

The serpents, all ten of them, hissed in unison, launching their fangs right for the God of Thunder. Like a lightning rod, several bolts of electricity shot down from the heavens and struck Thor in his left fist. His body was nearly covered in electricity, the lightning bolt continuously falling down and striking Thor, fueling him, giving him the power he desired. With his eye a piercing blue, Thor slowly faced forward, watched as the time seemed to slow and the serpents only grew nearer, their fangs outstretched, roaring to the lone Asgardian.

Roaring in return, Thor shot his left fist right at them, unleashing a bolt of lightning so powerful it struck from one serpent to another. Like a web. Like a chain of certain destruction befalling the serpents. The lightning encompassed each serpent’s body, the beasts reeling backwards as the lightning consumed their bodies and burned them from the inside out.

Thor continued to unleash his newfound strength on the army of serpents, as Stark, Rhodes, and Parker charged straight through the sea of creatures to reach the mountain.

Center Valley

1 Mile Away from Mount Tartarus

10:30 a.m.

Thanos reappeared in a flash of white, practically flung to the earth like a discarded piece of waste. When he made impact with the dirt and sand and rock, the Mad Titan actually found it to be quite troublesome to get back to his feet that time around.

His breathing was heavy, heavier than usual. When Thanos planted his palms into the dirt and rose to one knee, he coughed. He coughed through the smoke in the air and the ash raining around him. Rubbing the sand from his eyes with his right hand, Thanos blinked several times, finally looking about to take in his new surroundings.

Looking to his right, Thanos could see nothing but miles and miles of Typhon’s beasts of war. They emerged from the earth, rose higher than nearly every mountain within the Badlands, but were no match for the mountain directly to Thanos’ left. He turned in that direction, spotting Mount Tartarus and noticing it to be even more massive up close.

With the sun on his back, Thanos leaned forward, his elbow on his knee, as he gazed to the volcano. It was still as black as the smog that spewed from its top, as sinister and gargantuan as the moment it rose that one night he gave Typhon the rebirth he desired. With every passing moment, every shriek of pain from the serpents to his right, every blood red lightning bolt shooting across the darkness, Thanos only knew it was a moment closer to Typhon’s resurrection. So much closer to the time when he would reclaim the world that was rightfully his. Which meant Thanos didn’t have much time left. All he could account for was that his Chitauri seemed to have been performing exceptionally well in dealing with the populace on Equus. Some minor hiccups here and there, but they would achieve Thanos’ desires soon enough.

Sighing through his nose, Thanos gazed longingly to the volcano, his head falling forward. He gazed to the earth, listened to the cries of the world and still closed his eyes in the end.

He was tired. Thanos almost had to convince himself of that cold, hard truth. He was tired. Weary. Weak. The ongoing battle, the seemingly endless fight just continued to push him back further and further from his destiny. He was as close as he could’ve gotten to the Mind Stone. He could’ve ripped it right from Vision’s head had the other nuisances not interrupted him again…

And again…

And again. Time and time again, he would be close and it would be stripped away, just like in the past. Just as it had cost him everything before. Thanos clenched his jaw at that thought. He promised himself there would be no power in the universe to keep him from his destiny, no power greater than the one he wields to see to it that his destiny wasn’t taken from him a second time. His body may have been weary, but his mind, his will, everything else that he controlled was just as limitless as the Infinity Stones in his gauntlet. Where he was transported would be just another minor setback in the grand scheme. And by its end, Thanos would finally find his rest.

He couldn’t rest now.

Thanos got back up to full height.

Nearly did. Starlight Glimmer lassoed his right arm in a binding stream of turquoise magic.

At first, all he felt was a flash of white on his right side, followed quickly by his right hand being yanked outwards, possibly in a weak attempt to remove his arm from his socket. Turning in that direction of the disturbance, Thanos noticed it was the same unicorn he had bested first of all. Starlight still stood determined, albeit a tad wounded from her previous scuffle with the Titan. Her horn was aglow and had wrapped several tendrils of her own magic tightly around Thanos’ right arm, only tightening further and further the longer Thanos let it persist.

Holding no stress in his situation, Thanos stared amusingly at the unicorn’s feeble attempts. He almost smiled, saying, “What do you think you’re—?”

They were done talking. Nothing but action and willpower from the opposing side was his received response. Thanos felt another tug, this time on his left arm. On the Infinity Gauntlet. Turning towards it, Thanos’ eyes actually widened when he saw Sunset Shimmer standing several yards away, the same type of magic wrapped tightly around his left hand and stopping only at the end of the Gauntlet.

And for a brief moment, Thanos actually felt something.

He ignored it at first. Furrowing his brow, Thanos pulled back, finding it to be increasingly difficult as the unicorn wouldn’t let up on her tightening grip. The Titan barred his teeth, seething harshly, “What—?!”

Another flash of light that interrupted him, this time directly ahead. Thanos turned towards it, spotting the Alicorn princess standing before him. He met her gaze, saw the glow of white in her horn. A mistake. One of many he made that day. Mistakes he couldn't afford to make any longer. Another flash of light, this time that blinded him momentarily. Thanos roared and reared his head back, his feet digging and pushing against the forces that tried to contain him, tried to keep him down.

Twilight’s horn never died. She watched for only a second as Thanos thrashed against the combined strength of Starlight and Sunset, pulling against the duo, trying to regain his sight that Twilight had momentarily stripped from him. She wouldn’t have much longer to enact the rest of her plan. She needed to act now and ignore the rest of the world.

“Applejack!” she screamed, her horn igniting brighter as she teleported Applejack right behind the Mad Titan. She charged him at a gallop, spinning accordingly when she was close enough and bucked Thanos right in the back of his leg. The strength of the buck was so strong that Thanos actually screamed at that, crumbling down to one knee. Applejack smirked. A smirk that didn’t last as she shot her head over to her left.

“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight yelled. Her horn shimmered just as bright as before, and just as before, within that flash of white, Rainbow appeared. Flying straight down for his other leg, Rainbow rammed herself shoulder-first into Thanos’ left back leg. It fell just as the right had, the Titan on his knees and his arms pulled apart.

Twilight saw as Thanos shook his head to regain his senses, his eyes blinking several times and turning away from the ground, rising higher. That couldn’t happen. Looking straight up, Twilight bellowed, “Pinkie Pie!”

A flash of white appeared over Thanos’ head, the pink mare falling right for the Titan. She fell with a smile, screaming, “Weeeee!” on her descent. In her hooves, she held a massive hammer, of which she smashed right against the back of Thanos’ head when she landed on his back. The force of the impact, plus Starlight and Sunset regaining some ground and continuously pulling Thanos’ arms, pushed the Mad Titan down further. His eyes were facing the earth, slowly rising once again.

They didn’t have much of a time window anymore. Twilight had to take what she was given. With her horn igniting once more, Twilight directed the teleportation spell directly ahead of Thanos. Directly ahead of herself. Right in front of him.

“Fluttershy!”

Another flash of white, and the yellow Pegasus was standing beneath the Mad Titan. And she stood her ground. She jumped forward, ensured that her gaze met Thanos’ perfectly by the time he raised it up. When their eyes met, when their gazes connected and locked, both were seemingly frozen in time, trapped within a battle that went beyond willpower. Thanos was trapped in a power he had yet to encounter, a force he had never experienced. A strength… he was almost disgusted to have been lost in. It was beyond his knowledge, beyond his understanding of willpower.

When his eyes met Fluttershy’s Stare, Thanos froze.

He stopped struggling.

Within that piercing coolness of Fluttershy’s cyan eyes, Thanos saw nothing but approaching darkness clouding his vision. He fought back. Though he didn’t physically show it as much, Thanos fought back with everything that his mind and will were capable of. The Pegasus, in return, shot out her wings, her eyes widening even further, her glare piercing even farther. And her Stare… digging even deeper.

And Thanos was lost in it.

His facial muscles twitched, showing clear signs of struggle and fight. Momentary gasps of air and growls escaped the Titan, a cry of frustration and anger here and there, but the Titan was stuck. He was trapped. He did nothing more than that. Locked in a battle beyond everypony else’s comprehension, Fluttershy couldn’t believe she had actually managed to hold the Stare with someone as terrifying and powerful as Thanos. The Stare she used, the one she continued to hold, was unlike any other Stare she had used before. Even the one she used against Discord wasn’t as strong as the one she held now.

Just the thought of Discord… of what Thanos did to him… only further fueled her anger… and the Stare. Fluttershy unleashed all she had on Thanos, the Mad Titan’s eyes held with hers, looking nowhere else… but her. And he saw nothing, only trying to break free from that nothing. Fluttershy on the other hoof…

She saw everything.

The longer she held that Stare, the longer she did so, she only further saw deeper into who Thanos was, what he was capable of, and the past sins he had committed. Every horrible deed, every drop of blood shed, every cry and every final breath lost to the hands of the Mad Titan were visible and true to Fluttershy as she gazed into his eyes and saw him for who he truly was: a monster.

Fluttershy’s ears fell. Her wings slowly began to deflate. Her glare… began to fade.

“Is he under?!” Twilight cried out, almost begging to know.

Fluttershy blinked hard to hold the tears in, but held the Stare nonetheless. “You have to hurry!” she responded in a painful cry. Twilight watched the Pegasus struggle, Fluttershy slowly crumbling under the Titan’s horrific stare. Fluttershy’s neck bent to each side, yet her eyes never turned away from Thanos’. “It’s… too… hard!”

Already hearing and acknowledging the desperation and pain in Fluttershy’s voice, Twilight knew they had to act now. No more time was left. They needed to get the gauntlet off of him before Fluttershy gave in. With her horn glowing, Twilight teleported Rarity to her right, already galloping past her and sliding to a stop right next to Sunset. “Rarity, we need to work fast to get the gauntlet off! Fluttershy can’t hold it forever; let’s go!”

Together, the two ponies latched their magic onto Thanos’ gauntlet, whipping their heads back and pulling as hard as they could manage on the Infinity Gauntlet. It hardly moved an inch, the unicorn and the Alicorn pulling back even harder in efforts to remove the gauntlet, and in turn, remove Thanos’ power.

Yet even with their combined powers, they still struggled to even move the gauntlet, let alone take it from Thanos’ forearm. It was so tightly attached, Twilight would have assumed it was actually a part of him, actually molded in with his skin. Twilight knew better than to think that, knowing that their efforts—as minimal as they were—still managed to move the gauntlet. Only slightly.

Twilight looked to Fluttershy, watched as her forelegs trembled, as her lip quivered. As her Stare slowly began to lose its strength. Gritting her teeth, Twilight knew they didn’t have much time left. She and Sunset weren’t enough on their own to remove the gauntlet in time. Darting her head back to her left, Twilight actually had to double take when she noticed that Rarity hadn’t even moved.

Not even an inch.

She just sat there, eyes wide, shaking.

As she stared at Thanos… in fear.

Completely frozen in it.

“Rarity…?” Twilight muttered, gazing to her friend who still hadn’t responded to her calls from earlier. Neither did she respond to her calls now. Of all times. When she… when they desperately needed her most. Twilight started again, more desperation in voice. “Rarity, what are you doing? We need your help! We need your magic; we can’t do this without you!”

Rarity didn’t move.

Applejack, hopping onto Thanos’ left shoulder in an effort to weigh him down, turned to see what the commotion was about. To her left, there was Twilight and Sunset desperately trying to finish Twilight’s plan, to try and remove the glove from Thanos’ hand. Applejack furrowed her brow. Rarity was supposed to be with them, like they all agreed on. Yet instead she was sitting directly ahead, staring only at Thanos as her body shivered like a terrified foal.

Applejack shook her head, almost in disbelief, shouting, “Rarity, get yer flank over here now!”

Fluttershy cried out from down below, Applejack’s head shooting downwards to see her friend visibly struggling to keep Thanos at bay. All of them struggled. From Starlight, to Sunset, and even to Twilight. But Fluttershy was the worst of all. While the others managed to hold their ground and even slightly succeed by what Sunset and Twilight were accomplishing, Fluttershy just looked to be pushed further and further down. She was fighting an uphill battle… and quickly losing.

Rainbow Dash flew forward and landed on Thanos’ right shoulder, opposite to Applejack. “Rarity!” the farm pony cried out, Rainbow looking from her and then over to the unicorn.

She hadn’t responded to their cries. Rarity, her eyes glossed over in a fog of fear, continued to stare straight ahead, everything else being numb to her other than the single image of the Mad Titan kneeling before her. Nothing else spoke to her other than that image. Nothing else filled her mind other than seeing that Titan standing over her friends, her home, and her world as they all burned away. Nothing gave Rarity the will to act…

Rainbow gritted her teeth. They were standing beneath a ticking time bomb and continued to lose that precious time. Hearing the pain-filled whimpers below, Rainbow looked down and saw as the tears flowed freely from Fluttershy’s beet-red eyes, the Pegasus becoming smaller and smaller as time ticked away, as they lost more of that time the longer they didn’t act.

Looking from Rarity then to Fluttershy, Dash screamed, “Fluttershy, you have to hold it!”

She shook her head in response to that, crying out, “I can’t! I-I can’t!”

Though nopony else could fully understand her plight, Fluttershy knew that none of them would want to. None of them would want to see the full severity of Thanos’ cruelty. Because she saw it. Within that Stare, within that power she held over other creatures, Fluttershy saw everything she didn’t intend to. She witnessed every horrible deed Thanos had committed. Every city fallen, every body shot and torn, every life stripped away, every planet burning, every child crying, every blood drop falling, every sword raised, every war cry given, every horrible act of will… of treachery… of evil…

She saw it all.

And she couldn’t fathom it.

They were out of time. Fluttershy would give in. Rainbow could see that Rarity still wouldn’t react to their cries and that Sunset and Twilight were still nowhere close to getting the gauntlet off. Her head darted back and forth, from Rarity to Sunset, Rarity to Twilight. Down to Fluttershy and eventually taking actions into her own hooves. Rainbow kicked off Thanos’ shoulder, dashed over to Sunset’s right and placed her hooves around the edges of the gauntlet. She began prying at the progress the unicorn and Alicorn had made, Twilight turning away from Rarity and focusing on Rainbow.

“Rainbow, what are you—?!”

She didn’t finish by the time she felt a tug, a movement, one greater than she and Sunset had felt. Staring straight, Twilight could see as Rainbow’s involvement helped in actually moving the gauntlet continuously, inch after inch until it was slowly but surely coming off. Twilight’s eyes widened, focusing nowhere else but on the gauntlet. She and Sunset yelped and growled as they tugged back with their magic, Rainbow’s wings beating furiously as her hooves gripped the end of the gauntlet.

Their progress showed, the glove slipping further off. Twilight could see Thanos’ violet palm beneath. Sunset screamed, “It’s coming off! Almost got it! Almost got it!”

Her shrill cries, amplified only by Twilight and Rainbow’s own, were nothing compared to Fluttershy’s…

… when she finally gave in.

It was too much. Never in her life had she seen such cruelty, such disregard for life and bloodshed that Fluttershy felt sickened, like she was going to faint. She very nearly did, shutting her tear-filled eyes and screaming as loud as she could. As loud as her heart could express the pain she experienced, the pain the billions of lives had experienced under the wrath of the Mad Titan Thanos. But she never could fully express that pain. No one could.

Thanos blinked. His dilated eyes shrunk back to normal.

The darkness was gone.

He was free.

Clenching his jaw, Thanos took the moment he had to fully realize and react to his situation. The first thing he felt was the warm air against his naked left palm. Shooting his eyes in that direction, he could see as the three ponies very nearly succeeded in removing his gauntlet. Twisting his wrist, Thanos snatched the Infinity Gauntlet right from their combined auras and hooves. Twilight, Sunset, and Rainbow all fell back in unison from the sudden interruption. Looking up together, all three could only stare in horror as Thanos’ gauntlet returned to his left hand, his fist clenching and the Infinity Stones igniting.

The Power Stone sent a shock wave of energy that flung all three of them even further away. Reaching back with his left palm, Thanos caught Applejack by her mane and flung her right from his back, completely over him and across the valley. Her body spun madly in the air, Applejack screaming as her intended destination lied with the shattered rocks directly ahead of her.

“AJ!” Rainbow Dash yelled, shooting out her wings and kicking off from where she lay. The Pegasus zoomed across the sky, eventually snatching Applejack right before she could strike the rocks. Barely managing to hold her, both mares came to a tumbling crash safely within the sand beyond the rocks.

The others weren’t so lucky. Thanos wrapped his right hand around Starlight’s magical tendrils, the unicorn sliding forward in response to Thanos’ superior strength. Gripping onto the turquoise tendrils, Thanos yanked Starlight forward and slammed her body right into Fluttershy, the pair crashing into Rarity and the three of them rolling and separating painfully in the dirt. Starlight’s magic died, the unicorn lying cheek-first in the sand. She barely forced herself to look up to see Pinkie Pie continuously managing to allude Thanos’ grasp time and time again.

Practically appearing everywhere on his body at once, Pinkie popped up and vanished, saying “Hi!” every time she would appear. And every time, Thanos would grab her, and fail every single time. With his head turned to the right, Pinkie appeared on the left, whispering in his ear, “Surprise.”

Thanos nearly turned on her had the cream pie not been slammed right in his ear. Roaring at the annoyance, Thanos reared back on his opposite shoulder, actually managing to grab the slithering pony and bring her forward. He held her body in the Gauntlet, his fearsome glare meeting her triumphant one. “Double surprise!” Pinkie screamed, a pie in each hoof, as she slapped both of them right into Thanos’ face.

The Titan staggered back, flinging Pinkie Pie as hard as he could as far away as he could. Hearing her distant screams fade away, Thanos wiped his face clean of the pies with his right hand, slight residue and cream still remaining on his cheek and chin. Still, his vision was clear, and he smacked Twilight right out of the air with the side of his right arm. Her attempts to fire weakened spells in hopes of slowing him down only further infuriated him, Twilight falling back on all four hooves and sliding to a stop several yards away. Turning towards the Alicorn, Thanos noticed he was standing on higher ground, the ponies beneath him to his far right.

Joining Twilight, Starlight and Sunset appeared in a flash, bringing with them Rarity and Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash appeared from behind, flying forward and dropping off Applejack before landing next to Sunset and Fluttershy. Then came Pinkie Pie, bounding out of nowhere and joining the group as if nothing had happened previously, like she hadn’t just been thrown across the valley. She still wore a bright grin and a determined frown Thanos’ way.

And there they stood.

A brief moment of respite that felt like years, at least to Twilight and Thanos. For Twilight, her mind was racing, running on pure instinct knowing that her plan had failed and Thanos still held the gauntlet. There wasn’t any feasible way Thanos would fall for that again, nor would he allow them the opportunity to get close. Their only chance to end the fight in their favor as quickly as possible faded away into ash. Twilight tightened her jaw, tried not to quiver under Thanos’ wrathful glare, and did everything in her power to stand strong against him. With her friends.

And as for Thanos…

He looked down to the Infinity Gauntlet on his left forearm. Moments ago, he had witnessed his palm as naked as his right, the gauntlet mere inches from being removed and his power stripped from him. Mere inches. All of which the ponies nearly obtained. His destiny… nearly taken away a second time… by them.

Breathing heavily, trying to regulate it, Thanos slowly looked from his gauntlet to the eight mares. He witnessed their unease, their growing anxiety, their desperate hopes in searching for another solution. Thanos closed his mouth, a tight line of his lips being all that remained alongside his hardened glare. Twilight met it with forced strength, a quivering lip, and an unknown fight directly ahead of her.

She never expected him to say it. “I underestimated you equines,” Thanos admitted. He lifted the Gauntlet, clenching it slowly, all three Stones glowing softly. Thanos looked from it… down to the ponies mere yards ahead of him. Mere inches. Thanos gritted his teeth at that wretched thought. “I can assure you I won’t make that mistake again.”

The thunder from the smog growled overhead, blood red lightning clashing against the darkness. Twilight breathed heavily, almost crying out when she asked, “How far are you willing to take this?”

Thanos’ head shot back mere inches. His eyes widened at her remark, almost in disbelief. As if everything she hadn’t already witnessed was proof enough, the princess was still just as stubborn as every other fiend that stood between him and his destiny. Just like all the others, she lacked that knowledge he was cursed with, lacked the sight to see the grand picture, as well as the will to know what was needed to be done to save the universe.

He said, “Whatever is required to achieve my destiny.”

“And you’ll lose yourself because of that!” Twilight shouted, stamping her hoof forward, so hard and deep in the dirt. Thanos stared down at her, met her eyes and saw every shred of pain, of wisdom, of experience she had witnessed herself. And she said, “I know what power does, Thanos! I’ve seen it firsthoof! It corrupts! Do you really want that to happen to you?!”

Starlight looked over to Twilight, knowing full-well who she was referring to. Her eyes fell to the sand, only rising when Thanos seemed to scoff.

“You think you know what power can do?!” Thanos snapped. He suddenly wheeled back, stared off in the distance to what lied behind him. And what did… was Mount Tartarus. The tallest peak in all the Badlands. The volcano. He looked to the volcano with power radiating in his eyes, power within the Infinity Gauntlet, power that he wielded because he chose to, because he needed to, then turned back to them. To her.

And he said, “You have much to learn, little one.”

He offered no other remarks, no final statements than just that. His final act of vengeance, of retaliation against the species he no longer deemed a burden—but more so a worthy and formidable race—was set solely on Mount Tartarus. He raised his gauntlet in the air, as if he had caught something within his grasp, and slowly began to crush his fist. The Space and Power Stones ignited from the Gauntlet, their strength and supremacy shown not only to the equines, but to all within the Badlands. To all of Equus.

To all the universe of what their creations were capable of.

And the ponies watched, growing disbelief, shock, and fear gripping their features the longer they stared onto it. Onto the impossible. They watched as Thanos’ power shot across the valleys and encompassed all of Mount Tartarus within his influence. The entire mountain trembled, the very earth they stood upon shaking and refusing to end the longer Thanos kept his eyes and gauntlet to the volcano. The ground surrounding it began to erupt, geysers of steam and fire spewing out from the earth and numbering in the hundreds. The earth… began to rise… bloat like a bubble beneath the volcano.

“No way…” Rainbow Dash muttered, her eyes widened, reflecting the geysers of fire shooting up from the earth. She slowly shook her head, the others by her side doing the same. The heated wind picked up around them, blowing into their eyes, their manes, and right through their very souls.

Twilight Sparkle stood in utter astonishment. The light from the erupting volcano shimmering in her eyes, the Alicorn whispering, “In Celestia’s name…”

Thanos closed his fist.

Mount Tartarus erupted.

A shock wave so profound, so completely unearthly that it shook the entire world and their very state of being and existence. For a brief moment, none of the mares—not even Thanos—could hear a thing. They became deaf following the initial eruption. Once the shock wave passed them, so too did the sound, and it returned far more horrible than ever before. The mares stood in complete shock, disturbed at the type of power they just witnessed. But mostly, they gazed upon the ball of fire, ash, darkness, and pure whiteness shoot out from the volcano, chunks of earth ripped from the mountain and flung through the air in trails of fire. They numbered in the thousands, Mount Tartarus’ eruption blotting the skies and becoming brighter than even the sun that shone down upon them and their world. The sounds of the world ripping apart was all the ponies could hear.

And they watched as Thanos finally turned his gaze back to them, his teeth clenched alongside his gauntlet, as he bellowed out a powerful roar and hurled the chunks of volcanic rock right at them.

Author's Note

"When the Earth starts to settle..."

Chapter 57 – Remember Us

Badlands, Equestria

Center Valley

1 Mile Away from Initial Eruption

10:33 a.m.

Thanos’ body disappeared as the hunks of volcanic rock soared past him, his body vanishing within the smoke and fire. All that left for the eight mares was the rising plume of darkness and light billowing further and further outwards from the eruption, the earth melting at a burning magma as it was flung towards them.

Twilight Sparkle didn’t waste a second longer. She screamed, “Go, go!” She didn’t even have to look at her friends, knowing they would be right with her. She made a complete 180, taking off at a full gallop across the dirt and sand as burning chunks of volcanic rock flew past her, impacting the earth and ripping it to shreds. The wind screeched as more and more pieces of rock flew over them, the rest of the mares joining Princess Twilight.

In her retreat.

In their retreat.

The remaining seven ponies didn’t even hesitate the moment Twilight spun around. The Pegasi remained on the earth, galloping alongside the Earth ponies and the unicorns. All of them. From Sunset to Starlight, Applejack to Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash to Fluttershy, and lastly to Rarity. She broke out of her stupor, adrenaline filling her veins once again, running alongside her friends towards escape. Where that escape lied was nowhere in clear sight. The only land ahead of them was the valley filled with towering serpents, all of them facing the volcano and the approaching mares. As they ran, they looked back every second or two, trying to catch a glimpse of what was trailing them.

It was even more horrific than before.

A cloud of darkness and fire melted the atmosphere. The very skies were burning, a towering behemoth of ash, flame, and rock spewing outwards from where Mount Tartarus once stood. It reached so high it scraped the heavens. It spread so far, the approaching pyroclastic flow and ash cloud shot out and flowed down the earth at terrifying speeds. Falling even faster, thousands upon thousands of molten rock fragments rained down like hail, impacting the ground and shaking the earth the larger the rock fragment. Those chunks of volcanic rock flew in their direction, hundreds of pieces big and small striking the earth near, above, and behind the retreating mares.

Yet the sounds…

As the shock wave passed them earlier, their hearing returned and they heard every last bit of the volcanic eruption that infected the Badlands. They heard the terrified shrieks of the serpent army as pieces of burning landmass was flung their way. They heard the earth being ripped apart as fire and magma spewed outwards from below the ground. They heard what sounded like growling thunder ricochet across the valleys, impact nearby mountains, and finally fall on them.

Just as suddenly as the volcanic rock fell on them.

It came at a terrifying rate, Twilight spinning her neck back and gaping in horror as the burning stone hurtled their way. She lit up her horn in an effort to vanish her and her friends to safety, but did nothing as Starlight fired a stream of turquoise magic right in the heart of the rock, blowing it to a hundred pieces of red-hot pebbles. It stung when the pebbles touched the back of their heads and their coats, but it hurt a lot less than a massive hunk of rock landing on them. The eight mares ran.

They ran and they ran and they ran. Closer to the serpents, watching as they were enveloped in smoke and fire as the volcanic rock rained down on top of them. Twilight, Rainbow, Sunset, Applejack, Fluttershy, Starlight, Pinkie, and Rarity saw it all unfold before them as they galloped towards an unknown fate.

Fate turned in their favor, a sparkling portal of an orange whirlpool opened before them, revealing sanctuary within the sparks of orange, a land untouched by the horrors of the volcano’s death and fire. The mares looked up in unison, spotting Doctor Stephen Strange high above and concocting the portal for them. “Get out of here! Go!” Stephen yelled.

The ponies didn’t need to be told twice. Bringing their gazes forward, all eight of them quickly approached the swirling vortex, leaping into the light and vanishing as all eight of them jumped into the portal. It closed, the orange sparks dying once Strange lowered his hands. Hearing the growl of the earth trembling to his left, Strange turned to it, spotting the approaching ash storm and pyroclastic flow enveloping the land and swarming towards him. Slamming his palms together, Stephen rubbed each hand as more sparks of Eldritch Magic burned in his fingertips. Just as the cloud of death fell over him, Stephen shot out his palms, fingers outstretched, unleashing a wave of energy that expelled the ash cloud. It spread further, the magic wiping away the pyroclastic flow until nothing but a clear valley remained. And stepping forth to oppose him, Thanos walked with the Reality Stone glowing a fierce red, protecting him from the heat and the ash.

Their eyes met. Doctor and Titan. Thanos lowered his gauntlet, watching as Strange’s magic washed over the landscape and kept the valley they stood in safe from the ash cloud. Thanos saw as the pyroclastic flow and the ash filled the ground and rolled down it several yards to his left and to his right, even high above him. The land they stood in remained untouched by the fires, the heat, and the darkness of the ash, leaving a valley pockmarked with rock structures, bones of deceased creatures, and volcanic rock soaring through the ash and impacting the earth around them.

Thanos slowly turned back to the Sorcerer Supreme. Doctor Strange stared right on back at the Mad Titan, his hands held outwards, crossed in an “X” formation, ready to enact another spell to keep the Titan at bay. Thanos noticed a lack of equines in their vicinity. Thanos sneered at that, saying, “You can’t defend them, or this world. You can’t even defend your own!”

With his shaking hands still at the ready, Strange shook his head and answered, “Not alone.”

He shot out his right hand and spun it, the Sling Ring glowing and creating a portal directly behind Thanos. Hearing the sparks erupt behind him, Thanos spun around only to witness a body leaping out of the portal, smash his glowing fist against his face, and even manage to knock Thanos to the ground. The strength of the fist was something he had only felt once before. Rising out of the dirt, Thanos looked up to see that figure roll forward, spinning about and facing the Mad Titan with a burning glare.

The Immortal Iron Fist, Danny Rand, held out his right fist, the shimmer of gold in his hand glowing fiercely, as did his glare. “Petulant child,” Thanos growled, rising to his feet. Danny yelled, charging forward and meeting Thanos with the Fist. The Titan did well to block his strikes, missing a few times and allowing Danny to get in a few good hits. Unfortunately for Thanos, those hits originated from the Fist, allowing Thanos to feel every inch of pain that came from it.

Roaring as Rand connected more punches, Thanos brought back his right fist and swung it for Danny. He ducked accordingly, Rand rising back up and driving the Fist right into Thanos’ chest, directly over his heart. The impact and the force of the punch sent Thanos skidding across the dirt, his feet pressed firmly to the ground, Thanos fully intending to not fall down again. Looking up, Thanos brought the Gauntlet forward and fired a beam of energy from the Power Stone, striking the ground where Danny ran, flinging him several feet into the air and coming to a painful crash several yards back.

Thanos had no moment of rest by the time the other portals appeared. One on his left and one on his right. Thanos made the mistake of turning to the one on his left and spotting Jessica Jones hop out of it. The next thing he knew he was pulled right from the ground, the force of the tackle sending Thanos directly into the nearest rock erected out of the earth. The onslaught didn’t end there. Thanos only had a second to witness his attacker by the time Luke Cage drove his fist directly into his face.

Several times. Never once halting. Luke grunted with each punch across Thanos’ face, the Titan pushed deeper and deeper within the cracking rock. Connecting his fist right in Thanos’ forehead, Luke brought back his hand and stared at the damage. Thanos’ head fell slack, the Titan groaning. Taking no other chances, Luke reared his fist back, only to gag on his own breath when Thanos shot his left palm forward with incredulous speeds. He caught Luke by his throat, the Titan rising out of the rock and reaching full height, a couple feet higher than Luke himself.

Fully intending on crushing his fist, Thanos was halted by a disturbance on his backside.

Leaping into the air, Jessica Jones landed on Thanos’ back, gripping the back of his attire and yanking him back with all her strength. Thanos stumbled backwards, nearly releasing Cage. Reaching for the woman on his shoulders, Thanos was unsuccessful and only felt the full strength of the Private Eye once she slammed her fist right into the back of his head. Thanos then stumbled forwards, rearing his head back when he felt the strands of Jessica’s hair touch his head. He reached back again, successfully grabbing her by her right arm and flinging her forward. Both Jessica and Luke yelled in pain as Jones’ body was slammed into Cage’s. With the two Defenders lying on the ground, Thanos ended their confrontation and kicked them, their bodies dispersing and rolling away to lie unmoving.

Three down. A portal behind him. Thanos barred his teeth and spun around, seeing only the billy club flung for his head. It hit him right above the eye, Thanos grunting at that and meeting his assailant. Matthew Murdock shot out his left hand, the billy club returning to it as he sprinted right for the Mad Titan. Thanos swung for him, watching the Daredevil slide underneath his punch. He swung again, this time with his left hand, this time lower. To his mild surprise, Daredevil dodged again, flipping in the air and landing several feet back.

Their gazes locked. Thanos saw the devil mask, the two red horns, the bright red lenses. The strength, determination, and complete lack of fear. Daredevil saw only the burning Titan. Barring his teeth, Murdock held up each billy club and connected them with a sharp twist. He shot out his right hand, the extended billy club held out and gripped tightly in his fist.

Thanos only smiled. “You think you can best me with a stick?”

Tilting his head and cracking his neck, Matt said, almost breathless, “I learned from the best.”

He waited no longer and charged the Titan, delivering precise and wickedly fast strikes from the billy club. He struck Thanos’ abdomen, gripping each end of the club and driving the edges against Thanos’ head, rib cage, and across his cheek. Thanos grunted, rearing down and swinging for Murdock’s head. He ducked, breaking apart the club and flinging one end around Thanos’ throat. The strong, steel fiber cable wrapped tightly around the Titan’s throat, Thanos gasping as he felt his oxygen nearly cut off. The end of the club wrapped further around, finally returning to Daredevil’s awaiting palm. Stepping back, Matt pulled and further tightened the cable around Thanos’ throat.

Almost desperate, Thanos gripped the cable with his right hand, his other lifted to the skies as were his eyes and focus. He shot out his gauntlet, the Space Stone plucking a flying piece of burning rock right from the air and flinging it right for Murdock. Daredevil lifted his head, hearing the approaching rock and quickly moving away. He released his grip on his billy club, unable to get to safety as the volcanic rock impacted the ground where he once stood. Matt was flung in the air from the force of the impact, rolling to a painful stop in the dirt.

Ripping the cable and billy club from his neck, Thanos tossed the weapon aside, feeling only a gust of energy strike his backside. Stumbling forward, Thanos spun around to witness the Master of the Mystic Arts descend from the air. He remained several feet above the ground, glaring to the Mad Titan beneath him. Thanos stared right on back, saying, “You don’t quit, do you?”

Strange clenched his fists, still holding them out to the Titan. He said, “We can’t afford that, not with you wanting to murder trillions.”

“I can snap my fingers, and it would all cease to exist. I call that… mercy,” Thanos responded.

“You’re a genocidal maniac,” Strange retorted.

Thanos looked away. The ash cloud surrounding them began to clear for a moment, revealing the sun’s light within the distance. It fell on Thanos for just a moment. Just a moment. Then the darkness returned. “That’s what they always called me. Maniac, madman… Mad Titan. They always said I was wrong, and yet with every planet I’ve cleansed I was proven right time and time again. What does that say?”

Strange’s fists ignited, forming a pair of Tao Mandalas. He glared down to the Titan, his brow furrowed with ripe determination. “It says you’re insane, and we need to stop you.”

Thanos smiled, clenching his own fists in return. The Power Stone glowed upon the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos launching a stream of violet energy right for the Sorcerer Supreme. Doctor Strange slammed his fists together, shooting out his palms and creating an even larger Tao Mandalas. The magical shield blocked the purple energy blast, Strange flying right for Thanos with an Eldritch Sword shimmering in both hands.

They struck and shook the very earth around them. But not nearly as much as Mount Tartarus continued to do.

Zipping through the last serpent, Spider-Man successfully made it through the miles of towering snakes and snapping jaws. He landed on both feet, sliding to a stop on the dirt and catching his breath. Peter Parker looked back, sighing in relief to know that nothing but clear skies and empty valleys remained ahead. Nothing between him and protecting Twilight.

As an added bonus, he looked up to see Tony Stark and James Rhodes fly over his head. He managed to keep up with them the entire journey. Peter gave himself a mental pat on the back for that, watching as Iron Man and War Machine flew by and soared right for Mount Tartarus and where Twilight was engaging Thanos.

Peter faced fully forward, the blues of his mask’s eyes widening at the sight of it.

Mount Tartarus was gone. Nothing but a rising mushroom cloud of fire and darkness remained, thousands of fragments of volcanic rock spewing outwards and several hundred pieces flying his way. To make matters worse, he could see as Tony and James immediately shot out their hands and feet and froze in mid-air, spun around, and retreated right back where they came from. Peter’s shoulders deflated when he witnessed the volcanic rock impacting and tearing apart the valley directly ahead of him, only growing nearer.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding me!” Spider-Man screamed, wheeling around and firing two strands of web right for the serpents. He yanked himself forward just as a piece of molten rock impacted the ground where he once stood. The pair of serpents he slipped through bit at the air where he once was, completely ignoring the volcanic rock flung their way. The serpents cried out as the molten stones struck them.

From within the sea of serpents, Spider-Man flung, flew, and shot his way through the twirling, towering bodies of the monstrous, demonic snakes. As he did so, that same tingling sensation told him what was coming, directed him where to go, and kept Peter safe as he zipped and swung through the fangs and jaws snapping at him and managed to dodge the burning rock falling from the sky and striking the beasts. Several serpents were crushed as larger pieces of landmass struck the earth with such fury and power it created secondary explosions upon impact, igniting several more serpents until their bodies were encompassed in fire. The screeches and cries from the snakes were amplified tenfold. Peter did his best to ignore the cries, focusing only on escape.

From above the sea of serpents, Iron Man and War Machine flew high over the heads of the snakes. They shot up every now and again, snapping at Stark and Rhodes, trying to catch either between their jaws. The two responded with repulsor blasts and a plenitude of ammunition, courtesy of the War Machine. Several rockets shot out, striking the serpent rising up and blocking Stark and Rhodes’ path. As they tore through the smoke, Rhodes turned his head back, shouting, “Tony, we got a situation up high!”

Following his best friend’s gaze, Stark looked back for only a second to see it. To see the hundreds of chunks of rock flung their way, the trails of fire following closely behind them. They only got bigger and bigger, each fragment of volcanic rock nearly striking the two men and instead zooming past them to strike the serpents below. Tony turned away from the massive eruption in the distance, focusing only ahead, continuously dodging more and more hunks of melting rock. They kept flying, watching as the sun’s light and warmth was covered by the ash cloud, trails of fire falling from the heavens and crushing the earth below.

They just kept getting bigger and bigger. Bigger and bigger. Bigger and…

A dark shadow fell over them. Both Tony and Rhodes looked back in unison to see the gargantuan piece of earth hurtle towards them with speeds they couldn’t counter. They tried to. They tried to fly away, to break off from the rock’s descent, but even they weren’t fast enough. The massive piece of landmass fell over them, Iron Man and War Machine caught underneath it and driven straight into the earth, right in the heart of the sea of serpents.

The explosion that followed was devastating. Dirt, rock, and earth were expelled from the ground as the landmass made impact. Serpents in the dozens were crushed beneath it, their cries silenced as the rock extinguished their lives. A shock wave of dust and fire shot out from the impact, burning even more serpents and enveloping all in the surrounding area in a wave of fire. More serpents cried out as their bodies burned to a crisp. More serpents were flattened by even more falling rocks.

Spider-Man was blown away, the wave of dust and fire overcoming him until his body vanished within it. All could be heard of him were his screams.

Lost within the sea of the serpents’ screams.

Just before he could make it out on the other side.

Standing just on the edge of the serpent army, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor, Vision, Punisher, and Nebula gazed up in horror to the eruption of Mount Tartarus. They ran back, a few frozen in terror as the volcanic rock numbering in the thousands approached quickly, impacting the grounds surrounding them. They were unprepared once the shock wave of dust expelled from the towering serpents, knocking them all to their backs or chests. Many tried to rise back to their feet, only to fail time and time again as more volcanic rock struck the earth around them, the tremors knocking them back to the dirt and sand. More explosions followed. More molten rocks fell. More chaos ensued.

Peter Quill reared forward, grabbing Gamora by her hand and trying to pull her to her feet. Looking up, Gamora cried out to Peter amongst the shattering explosions around them, tried to call to him through the screaming winds of the rocks soaring over their heads. She cried, “Peter!” But he didn’t hear her. He didn’t look at her.

The red of his mask’s eyes slowly rose up.

Gamora slowly rolled over, lying on her side when she saw it.

A piece of earth, ripped straight from the mountain, falling right for them. Its shadow blanketed the earth it struck, spewing a torrent of dust and fire once it collided with the ground, breaking apart the surrounding lands and spewing earth right from below. Serpents were crushed beneath it. The rising tower of rock and sand quickly enveloped the Guardians of the Galaxy, Nebula, Thor, and the Punisher. Their bodies were blown aside, the lower gravity within the Badlands sending their bodies spiraling across the valley before they finally landed within a safe distance, a wave of dust washing over them.

In the aftermath of the collision, as the dust began to settle in the valley once more, the Vision emerged and descended towards the ground. In his arms, he held a wounded Mantis. The sun’s rays managed to split through the dust cloud, vanishing only once a piece of burning rock would fly across it. In the distance, more fragments from the volcano continued to rain down, but for now… in the calm within the storm of fire and ash… the Vision tended to the wounded.

Laying Mantis down softly in the sand, Vision analyzed her wounds, minding his own in the process. Her head softly fell towards him, eyes opening slowly to meet the Vision’s. Vision nodded to her, assuring her of her safety. His head—as well as hers—perked up when he heard the sounds of the portal emerging behind him. Almost readying himself for the impending fight, Vision spun his neck around and was relieved just to see one of Doctor Strange’s portals birthed within the madness.

And out of it came eight terrified equines.

They jumped through the portal and landed painfully below, their coats covered in soot and dirt. The portal died the moment they exited it, the sparks fading and leaving just them. The eight ponies tried to stand, tried to recuperate, tried to catch their breath. All attempts that only led to failure. Time and time again. Failure was ripe in their expressions and body language, the mares looking pitifully to one another, all eventually falling back to Twilight, to see how the Alicorn would react to her plan failing in the worst possible way.

And in her eyes, in her expression, there was only defeat. That, and awestruck horror directed straight ahead. Many followed her. Many refused. Sunset Shimmer was one of the ponies to follow Twilight’s gaze and latch it with what remained of Mount Tartarus. And just as Twilight had, Sunset gazed in horror to the aftermath of the volcanic eruption. Ash and fire rained from the skies like snow, the remaining chunks of rock continuously falling in the distance like rain. Smoke and flame filled the horizon, nearly blocking the sun and causing a dark shade of orange and yellow to cascade across the Badlands. Sunset felt her eyes burning with tears at the heat and smoke in the air, her lungs nearly filled with her, causing her to gasp and cough. Each of the mares filled the same way, gazing in horror to the absolute devastation that filled the Badlands. Nothing but darkness remained where Mount Tartarus once was, a plume of fire and ash matching that of a mushroom cloud. Despite the heat of the desert, despite the fire falling around them and burning the air they breathed, the mares still shivered.

They all did. Especially when the blue and black vortex opened mere yards ahead of them. Swirling shades of misty blackness, encompassed with clouds of blue practically sucking the air where it emerged, the portal was birthed and out came the Titan himself. Thanos, stepping through the trails of black and blue, stomped forth onto the sand and dirt, glaring at the eight mares standing before him.

Yet his eyes trailed elsewhere as well. Beyond them.

Twilight looked back to Vision, watching as the Mind Stone practically burned in his forehead. The Vision growled in agony, hunching over and clutching his head. He fell to his knees, the Stone shimmering brighter and brighter, making him weaker and weaker. Pushing him further and further down. Twilight grit her teeth, slowly turning back to face her adversary.

But he was already walking towards them. More so intending to walk through to get to Vision. Twilight felt her heart freeze, then drop, then come to the realization that this was it. They were all that stood between Thanos and the Mind Stone. No more plans. No more time. All they could do was defend him, and do everything in their power to keep Thanos away from him

That’s what they did. What they tried to do.

Rainbow Dash was the first one, flying right for Thanos at top speed. Applejack was right behind her, kicking up shards of rocks surrounding her and bucking them right at the Mad Titan. The fragments of rock shattered once they struck Thanos, dealing no damage to the Titan. Thanos responded by simply raising his gauntlet and closing it, the Power Stone sending a wave of violet energy that knocked both Rainbow off course and Applejack right up from the ground. She hit the dirt and rock beneath her with a painful thud, both mares lying unmoving.

Pinkie Pie galloped forward, yanking her party cannon seemingly out of nowhere and firing a helpful supply of cake batter towards the Titan. Thanos ignited the Reality Stone, turning the batter into bubbles and Pinkie Pie into a string of ribbons. Her body fell limp, the wind pushing the ribbons that were once Pinkie’s body away from Thanos’ path. Pinkie’s large, blue eyes blinked and stared at the Mad Titan, watched as he continued forward. Thanos used the same power of the Reality Stone to transform the whimpering Fluttershy into a young spruce tree. Her terrified eyes opened and widened from within the branches, gazing to Thanos as he stomped past her, closer to the Vision.

Rarity cowered beneath the fearsome glare of Thanos. Realizing the terrified unicorn would do nothing more than cower and cry before him, Thanos sneered and raised his gauntlet, the Power Stone blasting the earth where she sat. Rarity screamed as her body was flung like a rag doll from the explosion, her head striking the ground rather hard, and the unicorn’s mind fading into black as she came to a rest several yards to Thanos’ left.

They were nothing to him. Like foolish children begging for attention, and Thanos kept them down, ignored the cries and brought order to the chaos. He tossed them aside like the bumbling pieces of discarded nuisances they had shown to be. And this time they stayed down. Smart. Except for the only three that remained, the only three Thanos truly saw as worthy adversaries.

Using the Space Stone, Thanos ripped several pieces of rock up from the ground. He cut off the energy from the Space Stone, letting the lower gravity within the Badlands to take the rocks and keep them hovering above the earth. Twilight Sparkle dodged and weaved through the rising chunks of rock, even blowing right through one with a blast of her magic. All that stood between her and Thanos. Her glare was met with Thanos’ own, the Titan firing a stream of energy from the Power Stone right at her. Twilight flew out of the way from the Power Stone’s beam, Thanos trailing her with it, trying to strike the Alicorn down. With his sights set on Twilight, the two remaining unicorns teleported from one rock to another, eventually finding their ground on the largest piece of stone that had arisen from the earth.

Twilight enveloped a rock with her magic, flinging it right for Thanos. He destroyed it with a single punch of the Gauntlet and the Power Stone, the massive piece of rock spewing fragments over him. Tossing the remaining rock out of his path, Thanos gazed upwards to find where the Alicorn vanished to. Resting upon the largest chunk of earth, Twilight stood with her friends Starlight and Sunset, standing right between them as they all stared down to the Mad Titan.

Looking to her left and to her right, Twilight nodded firmly and shot out her wings, her horn igniting. “Together now!” she shouted, rising higher above the two unicorns and hovering above the rock as it slowly teetered closer to Thanos. Both Starlight and Sunset nodded in return, charging up their horns despite the pain flooding through their bodies.

With all three of their horns aglow, the mares fired a continuous stream of combined magical energy directly down at Thanos. Yet—to the surprise of the Alicorn and her friends—Thanos dodged it with rejuvenated speed and precision. He leapt through the air, vaulting from one rock to another, higher and higher to the Princess of Friendship and her two friends. The magical stream of red, turquoise, and violet eventually broke apart, instead with each mare firing madly where they thought Thanos would jump to next, missing him every single time. Their eyes shot open, their jaws fell in horror when Thanos jumped right for them, right for the rock they stood upon, and punched it.

Twilight managed to escape before the Power Stone could fully destroy the rock fragment. As she flew off, she could only watch as the rock exploded in a bright array of violet. Landing painfully to the earth below, Starlight and Sunset bounced from the impact, their bodies eventually coming to rest alongside the others, their eyes slowly closing as the pain and darkness finally consumed their minds.

And that was it. Twilight just watched as each of her friends were defeated and tossed aside as if they were nothing to Thanos. None of them stood a chance. Not even a little bit. Thanos walked right through them and continued to do so, narrowing the distance between him and the wounded Vision. Twilight’s heart sped up at that thought. If Thanos got his hands on the Mind Stone, he would be that much closer to wiping out half of all life in the universe.

And he would kill her friend in order to do so.

Thanos was once again stopped, not by detrimental force against him, but by his own will. He paused only momentarily when the Alicorn landed directly ahead of him, her head held low, her wings outstretched. A gust of wind and sand shot out from her landing, the dust painting Thanos’ boots. When she brought up her head, all there was in her eyes was pure malice. Nothing but fury laced in her facial features. More and more forced strength. Thanos’ lip nearly twitched in an amused smile.

“You won’t get to Vision,” she said, making herself low and ready. “I’ll make sure of it.”

“Twilight Sparkle…”

All other distractions in the world were ignored. It was if she could hear nothing more than his voice, the deep, resonating power that was built within it, and calling out to her. By name. The fury and strength in Twilight’s expression slowly faded away, replaced only with a disturbed wonder. She slowly rose back up, gazing towards the Mad Titan, meeting his eyes filled with untold horrors and knowledge and more importantly… seeing him smile at her.

It was so sick, so unnatural and wrong that Twilight actually took a step back out of her control. “How do you know me?” she asked, her voice failing to hide the timid nature burning within her.

He still held that smile. He answered, “In my dreams… My word, how you’ve grown.”

Twilight didn’t know why, she didn’t know how, but the way he spoke to her—how he knew her—caused something to snap. How anyone could have seen her—all her strengths, weaknesses, past pains and triumphs—and still treat her and her friends with such scorn tore her apart. He knew her. He knew what she was capable of. And he still stood against her to commit one of the greatest acts of evil she had ever heard. Because he knew he could. Twilight’s lips twitched, unyielding anger bubbling up deep within her and finally unleashing. Finally showing Thanos the true power of the Princess of Friendship. Twilight’s face shifted to that of a feral animal, teeth clenched, glare burning, wings outstretched, her body low, and her horn shimmering far brighter than ever before. The very rocks by her hooves began to rise.

Then Twilight shot up, her very magic fueling her with the power needed, with the power she wanted. Every last bit of it focused on Thanos. And she unleashed it all in one powerful blast of magic. The stream of violet and white shot out from her horn with such speed and ferocity that the very air screamed as it tore through the sky and descended for the Mad Titan. Thanos did nothing more than raise his gauntlet, the power of the Infinity Stones being more than enough for her minuscule magic. Compared to the very energy that helped shape the universe, her magic was nothing more than a flicker against it. Meaningless. The blast struck and pushed against the Gauntlet, pushed against Thanos, but didn’t break through. It wasn’t enough.

She wasn’t enough.

Thanos cut off the magic, swiping his gauntlet to the side and gazing skywards to meet the Alicorn, yet she was gone. Vanished in a flash. She reappeared in that same flash, directly behind Thanos. When he spun around, he almost wasn’t ready for her next attack. In fact, he looked almost intrigued. Larger stones began to hover in place around the Alicorn, truly exemplifying the power of the Princess of Friendship. Twilight glared at him with more hatred than she ever held for anyone else, using that anger to further strengthen her magic. She barred her teeth, held out her hooves, her eyes nearly a piercing white as she focused her magic right between her hooves. The magic flowed from her horn, filled her veins and escaped through her hooves. Between each, a ball of violet began to form, began to pulsate, began to radiate with unhinged power. And from that power, Twilight Sparkle gave it life. She gave it a direction. She gave it an intention.

She fired it right at Thanos and screamed as she did so.

The ball of magic spun violently once it left the Alicorn, growing only more and more intense and powerful as it descended faster to the Titan. It seemed to rip apart the very fabric of reality around it, lightning striking the ball of energy and only further fueling it. As the energy ball finally contacted Thanos, he ensured that he was able to absorb it. Thanos clenched the Gauntlet and watched as the magic’s energy fell within the Space Stone’s glow, completely absorbed within it. He then unleashed that same power, amplified even further from the power of the Infinity Stones, and sent it right back at Twilight. The ball of magic shot out like a rocket for her, Twilight barely managing to dodge it and fly right down to meet Thanos head-on. Behind her, the ball of magic exploded, creating an array of energy and lights that broke apart the clouds of ash within the sky. The explosion was so profound and bright that Thanos almost had to shield his eyes just to keep them on the princess.

She flew straight down towards him, firing a paralysis spell as she did so. The blast that was meant to cripple and freeze him did nothing more than cause him to stagger backwards, the Titan blocking the next oncoming paralysis spell and meeting the princess up close and personal. Twilight, using her magic to enhance the strength in her body, dove with her hind legs leading, bucking Thanos square in the chest. He nearly crashed into the pile of rock behind him, looking back up and watching as Twilight charged up her horn and shot out her wings. She fired, a resounding shock wave of magic exploding from her horn and sending Thanos right into the rock column back-first. Thanos looked up once more, raising his arms just as Twilight latched herself onto him.

She reared her left hoof back, an aura of violet surrounding it as she swung and struck Thanos in the cheek. The punch—even when fueled by her magic—did little to nothing. Thanos scowled at her, rearing his neck back and head-butting her right in the snout. Twilight heard a sharp crack and fell backwards, rolled several yards, and came to a rest on her back. She felt a stinging pain in her face, a hoof rising to rub her nose. She brought back her hoof, spotting the crimson painted on it and feeling it continuously flow from her nostrils. Ignoring the blood, Twilight looked up and saw Thanos jump towards her, the Gauntlet reared back, his full intentions set on crushing her beneath it. Twilight lit up her horn, an explosion of magic escaping it the moment she closed her eyes and felt all else to be still.

When she managed to hear her own breathing, feel her own heart rate, Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. Directly above her, she could see Thanos completely enveloped in her own magical aura. The freezing spell, one she had cast many times before, worked just as well against a Mad Titan as it had her friends and even an army of feuding ponies. He was frozen mid-air, fists closed, teeth clenched, staring down to the Princess of Friendship. Twilight took a much-needed breath of air, rising back up to her shaking hooves and dusting the dirt and sand from her wings. With her horn still aglow, Twilight closed her eyes and took in several breaths of burning air. They were probably the calmest, most refreshing breaths of air she ever breathed.

Then she heard it.

The irregular sound of pure, wrathful energy… powering up.

Twilight’s ears perked up, her head spinning around to see the Reality Stone on Thanos’ gauntlet glowing brighter than her own magic surrounding it. Her eyes shot open, feeling the magic instantly drain from her horn and his outer body as the Reality Stone unleashed its power. Twilight quickly jumped back the moment Thanos was released, his fist coming down and crushing the earth where she once stood. Twilight tried to kick off the ground and fly, her wings batting wildly, but the rush of wind and dust flooded over her, knocking the Alicorn into the sand. She yelped as she hit the ground, her hooves rising to cover her head as the wave of sand washed around her, overcoming her.

Losing her in the darkness.

Shreds of light managed to break through the dark and smoke, emerging from the sun. Twilight could hear nothing but the howls of the distant wind and her own shaking breaths, her eyes slowly opening to witness her surroundings. All around her, she saw nothing but a wave of dust, sand, and smoke, all bathed in a golden glow from the morning sun. She lay on her belly, blood still dripping from her snout, somehow being the only sound she could hear for a moment as it fell into the sand and dripped onto her hooves. Even the wind seemed silent. She couldn’t even hear her own breathing.

Just the drip of blood.

And the irregular sound of pure, wrathful energy.

“I see it…”

Twilight caught her breath, looking about through the smoke and dust and seeing nothing more than that, but hearing so much more. She heard his voice like a breath over her shoulder, constantly whispering to her, speaking only to her.

“You’re afraid. That simple instinct of facing life and death. The desperation you must be feeling.”

Twilight scrambled to her hooves, unable to hide the constant shiver racing in each. She spun around, eyes wide and locked with the cloud of dust surrounding her, his voice always seeming to appear behind her, in front of her, or just all around her. Twilight’s chest rose and fell faster than before, her horn bright and ready to defend herself.

“It must hurt so bad to know that you can do nothing to stop it, even with the strength you have. You trained your entire life in one specific power.”

“You don’t know me!” Twilight screamed, instantly catching her breath once again when he responded.

“Twilight Sparkle. Element of Magic. Princess of Friendship. Friendship… such dying ideals. You try to control this magic, this power that fuels this world… and your friends. Yet you’re nothing. You hurt, you’re damaged, you’re not fit to hold that title, that responsibility. Often times you are nothing more than a disappointment, much like reality.”

To her surprise, Thanos appeared through the smoke on Twilight’s right, smiling down to the Alicorn. “At least… you were.”

Twilight didn’t even hesitate and fired a beam of magic right at his heart, Thanos disintegrating into a red mist. Twilight gasped at that, taking several precautionary steps backwards as she saw the red mist completely fade away. She still heard his voice through the thick fog, meaning the Thanos she saw was nothing more than a copy, a false reality created by the Stone. She didn’t know for certain. That’s why she was scared.

“Now… you have shown impressive strength, princess. But you’ve never faced me, you’ve never seen what I can really do.”

Thanos appeared again, this time on her left side. Twilight reared her neck back and stamped forward, firing another beam at another copy. It too faded into nothing but mists of red. She staggered to and fro, darting her eyes back and forth and her head on a constant swivel. “You’re scared… I know you are. Scared to lose.”

Twilight shot blindly into the smoke, crying out as she did so.

“I know what it’s like to lose, to feel so desperately that you’re right… yet to fail all the same.”

Twilight fired again.

“You can dread it…”

And again. Until tears started to well up in her eyes, painful breaths of air escaping her.

“Run from it…”

Twilight stopped firing, stumbling in no certain direction, gazing fearfully into the smoke.

“But in the end…”

The smoke and dust finally cleared, Twilight spinning around and staring onto Thanos as he approached her. Her hooves moved on their own, finally giving in to the fear flooding through her. Her jaw fell, as did her ears against her skull as her head kept rising higher and higher to finally meet his eyes. He clenched his gauntlet, all three Infinity Stones glowing on its surface. Thanos looked to the Stones… and finally onto her.

“Destiny still arrives.”

Despite every ounce of fear she felt, Twilight still put on a brave face. She shot out her wings and hovered above the ground, her magic keeping her airborne. Her magic glowing bright within her horn. Thanos furrowed his brow, shooting out his gauntlet and using the Reality Stone to suck the very magic right from her horn. Twilight felt like her life was being drained, the mare gasping and her eyes opening wide to see the Reality Stone actually consuming her violet aura surrounding her horn… until nothing remained. The act weakened her, Twilight’s eyelids drooping and her jaw falling, no breaths leaving her.

Her eyes only widened when she saw the fist coming, but even then she did nothing to stop it.

Punching her across the face with his right fist, Thanos watched as Twilight landed in the dirt chest-first, skidding several feet before finally coming to a painful stop. Her mind thumped with pain. Her skull ached. Hearing nothing but a constant ring in her left ear, Twilight got back up anyway despite the pain in her neck and face. She spun her neck around from where she lay, a stream of blood leaking from her nose and painted across her left cheek in a straight line. Her eyes shot open wide when she saw the Power Stone glowing on his gauntlet, Thanos unleashing a stream of pure energy from the Stone right at her.

Commanding every last bit of magic and strength she had left, Twilight concocted a bubble of magic to protect her from the blast, finding no other strength to move or teleport away fast enough. So, she took it. She took it all. She took the very power of the universe against her. The Power Stone pushed her back, the bubble cracking against the violent stream of energy beating against it. Tears welled up in her eyes, Twilight closing them tightly as her hooves dug further and further back from the blast. Her horn ignited, Twilight teleporting away just as the Power Stone breached her bubble and blew it apart.

She only had enough strength to teleport mere yards into the air, the Alicorn flying forward despite the pain flooding her systems, damaging her mind, and weakening her magic. Even Twilight wasn’t impressed with the spell she fired at Thanos, but she gave it her all. She gave everything she had left in a ditch effort to bring the Mad Titan to his knees. The magical blast was nothing more than a brush of wind to Thanos, and he made that clear by using the Reality Stone to turn her magical beam into nothing but bubbles. Twilight gasped, batting her wings and trying desperately to stop herself from getting any nearer.

Unfortunately, she flew right into Thanos’ grasp, directly into his right hand. He gripped her by the throat, the Alicorn’s hind legs thrashing beneath her and her wings doing the same. Her hooves pried at his fingers, Twilight’s eyes closed tight as she did everything in her power to fight back. Thanos clenched his jaw as he witnessed her meek efforts. He brought up the Gauntlet, the Power Stone fueling it as he drove his fist right into her chest.

Twilight was shot back like a rocket, her body tumbling across the sand, rock, and dirt until she came to a painful crash in the sand. She tried to breathe, her mouth wide open but not a single breath able to enter her lungs. She couldn’t feel that desperate need for air. She could only feel the Power Stone as it burned her. It burned the feathers on her wings, her violet coat, and even the skin beneath it. Her mane and tail had scorch marks as the Power Stone slowly continued to eat away at her. The moment she took in that breath of air, when she actually forced herself to open her lungs, Twilight gasped and cried out. Her bloodshot eyes darted over to her right, spotting Thanos as he slowly approached her. His menacing frame, the glare in his eyes, all of which Twilight caved in and cowered beneath. She whimpered, crawling back until she hit a pile of rocks. Twilight leaned against the rocks, trying to stand, trying to get away.

She fell anyway, the pain too much for even the Alicorn to handle. Crying out as she did so, Twilight fell and kicked up a small amount of dust around her body. Seeing her wounded, Thanos scowled and slowly closed his left fist, all three Stones beginning to glow. Ready to end it.

He didn’t close his fist. He couldn’t. Thanos looked down to see a restraint fly downwards and latch tightly against the palm of his gauntlet, the armor a bright red, the light in the center of it an even brighter blue. Confused at first, Thanos’ answer came shortly when he heard the unmistakable repulsor from above.

Lifting his head to it, Thanos watched as the Iron Man landed in the area between him and Twilight. He slowly rose to full height, the burning blue eyes of the Mark 50 glaring at Thanos from afar. Thanos chose to stare right on back, an amused expression filling his eyes and facial features. Twilight lifted her head up, blood painting her snout, cheek, and tears leaking from her eyes when she saw Tony standing between them. Standing up to Thanos. Standing to protect her.

She was breathless, watching the events unfold before her.

Tony breathed, saying, “You keep the fight on me, all right?”

Thanos smiled. “Stark.”

Although not as shocked as Twilight was earlier, Tony still stood slightly shaken. He said, “You know me?”

“I do… Both of you,” Thanos responded with a slight nod, taking a brief second to turn his gaze to the wounded Alicorn lying in the distance. Tony did the same, his expression softening and even hurt to see Twilight in the state she was in. He and Thanos faced each other in unison, the Titan finishing with, “You’re not the only one cursed with knowledge.”

Tony exhaled, almost scoffed. “My only curse is you.”

From his backside, Twilight could see several small missiles extrude outwards, eventually flying off his suit and directing towards the Titan. Thanos readied himself, shouting, almost taunting, “Come on!” Each missile impacted him directly, but through the smoke the Titan still stood.

Stark didn’t even waste a second, jetting forward and planting his feet ahead of him, the nanotech forming a large foot thruster. When it impacted Thanos, the resulting blast sent Thanos teetering backwards. Meanwhile, Stark flipped back and landed on his feet, the nanotech quickly forming a pair of foot clamps and keeping him latched with the earth beneath him. With that added leverage, Tony’s arms formed a pair of battering rams, the thrusters at the ends of each launching them forward and smacking against the Titan, sending Thanos crashing into the same rock column Twilight knocked him into, that time almost completely shattering it.

Thanos shook his head, quickly retaliating and wrapping his naked palm around Stark’s helmet. With one swift pull, Thanos ripped Stark’s mask clean off his head. Twilight caught her breath. Almost shocked at first, Tony quickly looked back up to see Thanos rearing back. The nanotech created another mask just as Stark raised his arms, failing to fully block the punch Thanos drove into his face. As Stark fell backwards and landed on his chest, Thanos pried at the constraint latched onto his gauntlet, eventually ripping it free.

“Tony, look out!” Twilight screamed, her eyes reflecting the light of the Power Stone.

Lifting up his head to gaze at her, Tony spun around—his mask slightly scraped from Thanos’ punch—only to witness Thanos charge up the Power Stone and fire it at him. Rising back up to one knee, Tony only had enough time to bring up a shield from the nanotech on his left arm. The Power Stone’s energy blast impacted the shield, Tony skidding across the earth but nonetheless lasting against it. Finding his opportunity, Tony broke away from the Power Stone and flew straight for the Mad Titan. Thanos raised his gauntlet, but was actually surprised to see Stark kick it aside, pressing it to the earth alongside his foot. A large clamp formed around both Stark’s foot and the Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos looked from it up to Stark, watching as he spun towards him, a power mallet forming in his left fist, striking Thanos across the face.

Thanos kept his head low. Steadily, softly, breathing even softer, Thanos raised his right hand and graced the side of his cheek. He looked to his two fingers, seeing the splotch of blood against it. Thanos slowly smiled, still feeling the slight sting on his lower lip, now joined by the sting on his right cheek.

He lifted up his eyes, met Stark’s, and said, “All that for a drop of blood.”

Beneath his mask, Tony’s face slowly fell apart. Just as everything else did.

Thanos roared, overpowering Stark’s clamp and sending the Iron Man flipping through the air, eventually coming to a painful crash on his back. Tony looked up, eyes widening and arms rising just as Thanos unloaded punch after punch. Each time his fist would break through Tony’s arm, striking his mask and shattering it even further. Each punch was more devastating than the last, the nanotech crumbling and breaking as Tony laid there and took it. Tried to defend himself… and failed each time.

Twilight couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. Her heart continued to fail her, dropping farther and farther with each punch Thanos delivered into Stark’s face. She was watching a nightmare, a complete and utter nightmare. There was no other explanation. She wanted to believe anything else other than to be witnessing reality playing forth before her. And that horror, that fear continued to plague her the longer she stared, making her limbs feel numb, her jaw slack and teary eyes gazing to the terrifying events unfolding. And the worst of it was that she could do nothing.

She could only watch as one of her closest friends was beaten in a way she never could have imagined.

Bringing Stark to his feet, Thanos reared the Gauntlet back, the Power Stone glowing fiercely against it, unloading a powerful punch that sent Iron Man tumbling back, the remaining armor smacking against the stone and rock until Stark came to a screeching halt. Tony gasped for air, the side of his face visible from his shattered mask, his eyes darting upwards to see Thanos sneer his way, quickly approaching him. Tony forced himself back to his feet. He cringed at the intense pain flooding through him, at his shattered armor doing everything in its power—everything in his power—to fight back. The nanotech scurried up his legs and body, eventually forming around his hands so Stark could successfully craft two repulsor beams. He fired those beams at the Titan, Thanos blocking each with his gauntlet and the Space Stone.

He wouldn’t stop. Neither would Stark. He quickly shot his eyes back to Twilight, the pony—his injured friend—resting merely feet behind him. He was the only thing standing between Thanos and Twilight. The only thing. It was no simple fight for his own life anymore. He was fighting for another life. Fighting for his friend’s life. For a friend that couldn’t fight anymore. Facing forward once again, Tony unloaded every bit of power he had left in his shattered Mark 50 on the repulsor beams, only watching as they melted against Thanos’ gauntlet. Like hot, burning magma dripping from the solid gold plating. And Thanos just kept coming, narrowing the distance between them until there was nothing left. Thanos smacked Stark’s arms aside, managing to rip the remains of Stark’s helmet away as well. With his face bare and the battle wounds visible, Tony quickly raised his arms above his head, Thanos bringing his forearm back down and smacking it against Stark’s, the two caught in a small stalemate.

That quickly ended, Thanos prying Stark’s left hand aside. Shooting his right arm down, Tony allowed the very little nanotech he had left to form a katar on his right wrist. Twilight gasped at the small dagger jutted out from his hand. She held her breath as Tony drove the blade forward, intending to stab Thanos right in his chest. Her heart fell when Thanos dodged it. Tony’s face showed his dismay.

Both of them gaped in horror when Thanos ripped the dagger right from Stark’s wrist, twisted it, and drove its end into Tony’s abdomen.

“No!” Twilight screamed, hoof held out. The tears flowed freely from her eyes, mixing with the blood on her cheeks, falling down the pain riddled in her expression. She saw the end of the dagger sticking out from Stark’s back. “N-no…”

Tony Stark gasped for air, pressing his free palms on Thanos’ chest and the other on his right arm. He struggled to maintain his footing, almost falling into shock to see the dagger embedded deep in the left side of his abdomen, just beneath the rib cage. Staggering, Tony was forced back as Thanos moved forward. Tony looked from Thanos’ palm gripped tightly around the katar and onto his face, into his eyes, seeing the expression of the Mad Titan remain almost stagnant throughout their entire scuffle. Now, it seemed to soften, showing almost a sense of lament hidden in the swirling shades of light blue in his eyes. And most of all… admiration.

The silence was infectious, painful, riddled with Tony’s agony-filled gasps. Twilight watched on in tormenting horror as Tony fell back, sitting down on a pile of stones. His head fell slack forward, Thanos reaching up with his gauntlet and pressing it softly on Tony’s head, bringing it back up. So he could meet his eyes. So he could fully experience the sincerity when he said it.

“You have my respect, Stark,” Thanos told him. Blood leaked from Tony’s lips, his vein-filled eyes forced to stare into Thanos’ own. Thanos pursed his lips, slowly nodding. “Both of you.”

Tony felt the pressure on the gauntlet on his head lessen, allowing him to turn over to Twilight on his far left. Her mane was tattered and burnt, as was her coat and wings. Bloody and beaten. Tears everywhere. The mare only stared on in shocked silence, still in disbelief to what she just witnessed. Stark was right there with her, gritting his teeth as more blood slipped through his lips. Thanos forced Stark’s eyes back to him, the two minds meeting, the two cursed souls staring into one another.

Seeing what each had been plaguing them. Tony his nightmares… and Thanos…

He breathed out and ignored his plaguing thoughts, nodding once more. When he spoke, his voice was soft, sincere. Truthful. “When I’m done, half of humanity will still be alive.”

He backed away, releasing Stark’s head. Tony gazed to the dagger deep within his abdomen, gasping at it. More blood leaked from his lips and his wound, Tony trying to breathe, finding the task to be more and more difficult. He looked up, watched as Thanos continued to back away, finally stopping merely a few feet away from where Tony sat.

And he slowly looked over to Twilight. “Very, very impressive.”

Twilight Sparkle tried to maintain her own breathing, looking away from Tony and joining his gaze, latched on to Thanos. A single, painful tear was stripped from her eye and fell down her left cheek, rolling through the blood. Her jaw was agape, eyes wide and in pain. She could do no more than that. The two battered souls, the two leaders lay beaten, broken, bloody, and devastated. Shocked to the very core. They couldn’t say a word. Thanos never even let them.

“I hope they remember you.”

The Badlands burned around him, the ash, smoke, fire, and death filling the skies and blotting out the sun. Tony Stark and Twilight Sparkle laid there, gazing to the Mad Titan. Waiting, unable to do much of anything else. Thanos lifted the Infinity Gauntlet towards them, all three Stones glowing. Twilight’s eyes slowly widened even further. Tony stared straight on, tightening his expression.

Thanos did the same. “I do hope… those that survive… remember… everything.”

Author's Note

“You don’t know me.”

Artwork by NCMares

Chapter 58 – Valley of Death

Badlands, Equestria

Northern Valley

8.5 Miles Away from Initial Eruption

10:45 a.m.

As Thanos closed his left fist and began to power up the three Infinity Stones, Twilight Sparkle and Tony Stark found themselves lost.

Lost in pain.

Lost in torment.

Lost in the fight.

And lost in themselves.

The agony they suffered was growing more and more numb the longer their fates had become realized. Stark’s stab wound pulsated with pain, the majority of it focused on the left side of his abdomen, the katar still embedded in it. His armor was a shredded mess, bits and pieces of the nanotechnology still clinging onto Tony’s chest, legs, and right arm. Tears on his skin leaked drying blood, pockmarked across his face and exposed skin. He did his best to hold in the emotion, to keep the pain in check. Blood fell from his parted lips and red burned in his eyes. As for Twilight, she hardly fared any better. The feathers on her wings were burnt and disheveled, similar fates befalling her mane and tail. Her coat held several burns and cuts, attributed to Thanos’ inflections on her and every single time she crashed on the rocks. Blood leaked from such cuts, the burns holding dried blood and exposed skin. Her face expressed every inch of torture she experienced, from the broken snout leaking blood, the crimson painted across her face and cheeks, the black bruises starting to appear, and the tears constantly falling from her wide and terrified eyes.

Both of them experienced the same torment. They both faced the same reality, fully coming to terms with how they lost. Twilight’s plan to relieve the gauntlet from Thanos’ grasp only ended in failure, in the worst possible way. Mount Tartarus erupted and would cause unforeseeable damage across Equestria. And it was all her fault. Because she failed. Even when her friends tried to fight back, did everything in their power to resist and stand up against tyranny, they only failed. And Twilight shared their fate. Despite giving everything she could, she was still no match for Thanos.

Who was he?

And Stark fared no better. His most advanced suit he could create—the most advanced suit he would ever create—was nothing more than shreds of metal barely hanging onto his suit underneath. The Arc Reactor flickered on his chest, barely holding onto life. His best work… treated as mere fodder to Thanos. His mind treated as a plaything to Thanos’ will, used as a means to torture Stark for years. And used as a means to see the man behind the suit, to see Stark… as just that. Just a man… standing up to a god. There was no hope in that, and Stark knew it. Despite wanting to evade and reject that thought as much as he wanted to, the evidence was clear as the approaching day. Thanos beat him. He beat him hard. He had the power to kill him with a flick of his wrist, a clench of his fist, and yet he prolonged it… just to tell Stark he had his respect. What good was that respect if he was only intending to murder Stark right then and there? Absolutely nothing.

But not only him.

Tony’s tortured mind kept flicking back and forth to the dreaded thought that he not only failed himself, his team, and possibly Earth with that threat Thanos gave him, but he also failed to protect his closest friend on Equus. He failed to reach her in time, Thanos already putting a number on her, as evident by the broken body lying to his left. And now, despite pushing his suit to the limit, despite using everything in his arsenal, the Iron Man wasn’t enough to protect Twilight. Tony Stark wasn’t enough to keep Thanos from reaching his goal. He wasn’t enough to keep his friend safe.

And now Thanos clenched his fist and the three Infinity Stones glowed bright, intending to vaporize the two souls lying in agony together. And he very nearly did.

A portal appeared beneath Thanos.

A bright, burning, orange portal.

A portal they knew.

It replaced the ground he stood upon, the Mad Titan falling down and vanishing as the portal did. A collective breath of relief escaped both Stark and Twilight, that relief quickly replaced with painful intakes of air, suffering whimpers from the Alicorn, and seething breath from the Iron Man. He barely even paid notice to the second portal appearing further to his left, only Twilight fully turning towards it to see four individuals falling through the portal hovering slightly above ground.

Matt Murdock, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand all landed painfully in the dirt and sand. None of them got up, hardly even moving as they groaned with conjoined agony shared among them. Twilight stared at them a moment longer, her struggling inhales of air due to her broken snout only further increasing alongside her rapid heartbeat. When she brought her eyes back forward again, she saw that same portal open again in the distance, several hundred yards away.

Amongst the hovering hunks of earth floating in the distance.

A boulder where the portal transported Thanos.

To where her eyes lingered still, finally spotting the whipping red cloak and the sorcerer to go with it.

As Thanos’ feet landed upon the hovering rock, he gazed skywards to see several more chunks of earth floating between him and the Sorcerer Supreme. Doctor Strange descended from the skies, volcanic rock hurtling behind and around him from the right. Trails of fire and smoke fell alongside the remains of Mount Tartarus, the air filled with smoke and ash, nearly blocking the rays of the morning sunlight. Yet nothing could block Thanos’ sight from Strange, the Titan slowly approaching the sorcerer with a frown in his gaze. He paused once he reached the edge of the boulder, merely waiting for what Strange would do.

Stephen slapped his palms together, sliding his left up and right down as two bolts of Eldritch Magic burned in his fingertips. Upon the rock he stood on, Strange knelt down and jammed his fists into the rock, the Eldritch Lightning shooting out from his hands and descending towards the Mad Titan. The powerful bolts of fiery energy shot from boulder to boulder, ripping the stone apart and ultimately reaching where Thanos stood. The lightning impacted nothing but rock, Thanos leaping upwards and jamming the Infinity Gauntlet right for Strange. The Power Stone unleashed a beam of energy right for the Master of the Mystic Arts, but Strange was ready.

Summoning the Mirror Dimension, the Power Stone’s energy was completely vaporized as it entered the false reality. Jamming out his palms, Strange shot the fragment of the Mirror Dimension right for Thanos, in hopes of trapping the Titan within it. Unfortunately, Stephen didn’t expect it to be that easy. It sadly wasn’t, Thanos merely punching the fragment and turning the Mirror Dimension into nothing but shards of shattered reality, almost resembling broken glass. Not yet finished, Thanos closed his fist and the Space Stone ignited, sucking the fragments of the Mirror Dimension within it. The Space Stone continued to absorb it until there was none of it left, and it just kept going. Just kept growing. Until a black orb of nothingness appeared on the Infinity Gauntlet. A miniature black hole, only growing stronger, sucking in reality faster, until nothing would remain.

Thanos threw it at Doctor Strange. Threw the black hole.

The black hole continued to grow larger as the seconds passed, as the distance between it and Strange narrowed. Practically ripping apart the boulders it flew by, tearing apart the very ground, sucking in air and even light itself, the black hole reached Stephen. The Sorcerer Supreme was already prepared for it, rubbing his palms together and shooting them outwards, a gust of Eldritch Magic bursting forth and impacting the black hole, transforming it into nothing but a swarm of emerald butterflies.

They fluttered past Thanos, the Titan lifting his arms and flinching. An annoyed grunt left him, the bugs vanishing and allowing Thanos to turn his attention back to the wizard. He watched, little amusement in his eyes, as Doctor Strange hovered off the boulder. He waved his arms in a circular formation, several more limbs suddenly appearing on his person. As if he had transcended even reality itself. Thanos sneered. His sneer only grew as Strange shot out his arms and multiple, dozens, maybe even hundreds of copies of Strange appeared and quickly surrounded Thanos. A duplication spell. Just like the unicorn from earlier, but on a grander scale. The Mad Titan stumbled about, his eyes darting to each copy, watching as they all reared back and shot their Eldritch Whips onto Thanos.

His arms were nearly encased in the Eldritch Magic, Thanos actually having trouble to move. The copies of Strange kept him at bay for the time being, but it was short-lived. It always was. His feeble attempts meant nothing when Thanos held three Infinity Stones in his power. He struggled to lift up his left hand, but when he finally closed his fist and the Power Stone ignited, it sent a pulse of energy through every Eldritch Whip, straight up the burning orange strands, and returning to their masters. The copies of Strange all evaporated into nothing, the pulse of energy hitting the original Stephen Strange and nearly knocking him back.

Not even wasting a second, Thanos shot his gauntlet into the air and used the Space Stone to rip Strange out of it. To ensure the sorcerer had no control, Thanos literally pulled the earth itself, the very space that surrounded Strange, until the Sorcerer Supreme was pulled into Thanos’ awaiting left hand. The earth settled, finally stopped rolling forward once Strange’s throat was gripped by the Infinity Gauntlet. Struggling against the Titan’s grip, Strange grit his teeth, held his breath, and listened.

“You’re full of tricks, wizard,” Thanos said, reaching forward and gracing the area where the Eye of Agamotto once was resting over Stephen’s heart. He felt nothing. Saw nothing. Thanos frowned, bringing his right hand back. “But you seem to have forgotten your greatest weapon. Yield the Time Stone before you regret everything.”

“The Stone is safe, somewhere you’ll never find it,” Stephen growled, hands gripping the Gauntlet.

“Is that so?” Thanos asked, smiling a pinch at the end. Strange felt a chill race in his heart just staring into that wicked smile. “Would you bet your life on that?”

Strange affirmed his stance with a glare. “Without hesitation,” he spat.

“Oh, that moment will come soon enough, but first…” Thanos muttered, pausing only to turn to his right. Nearly spinning his head and body fully around, Thanos saw in the distance the Mind Stone in Vision’s forehead, still glowing fiercely and the Vision still hunched over. He retreated his gaze back to Stephen, the sorcerer’s eyes returning as well. “Other sacrifices need to be made.”

Tossing Strange away, Thanos watched as his body hit the ground rather roughly. He remained unmoving after that, the wizard finally bested. Finally meeting his match. With that dealt with, Thanos shot his head over to the wilting Vision, the android still struggling to find his footing. He was alone. Nothing more standing in Thanos’ way. It was just him and the Mind Stone. With an extra kick in Thanos movement, the Titan took that first step towards his destiny.

And was once again disrupted.

He felt it, the weak tug on his left forearm and hand. However, it only grew stronger, managing to yank back Thanos’ left arm so he couldn’t even move, nor could he move his fingers. Gritting his teeth, Thanos turned towards the source of the disruption and saw it. Saw her.

Twilight Sparkle, once again, continuing to fight the unwinnable. Continued to stand against the unbeatable. Continued to resist the irresistible. Thanos could have smiled, but refused to. In fact, he snarled instead. Once more, another interruption keeping him away from his destiny. A mild interruption, surely, but one that he was certainly growing more and more irritated with.

That irritation quickly changed into something else…

“Stephen, get Vision somewhere safe!” Twilight screamed.

Desperation.

That, and anger.

Pure, fiery, unfathomable anger.

Thanos roared, pulling against Twilight’s grip around his arm, but he hardly moved. She wouldn’t budge, Twilight managing to hold him still by wrapping her remaining strength and magic tight around his gauntlet. His fingers were practically frozen stiff, preventing Thanos from closing his fist and using the Stones. Thanos pried at the violet force around his forearm with his right hand, doing little to nothing against it. He couldn’t fight a magical aura without the Infinity Stones. He couldn’t close his fist as the magic held his fingers with a vice-like grip. He could only pull and struggle, Twilight appearing to struggle even more than the Titan. Her hooves dug into the dirt and sand as Thanos pulled back.

His desperation only grew when he saw Doctor Strange rise from the falling ashes. He stumbled at first, but slowly complied with Twilight’s request, holding out his hands and beginning to spin his right hand in a large circle. The battle between Thanos and Twilight, the battle of strength and will, quickly shifted to a much higher scale. Thanos pulled even harder, screamed even louder, did everything in his strength to reach the Vision. He could already see the orange sparks appearing behind the android, forming the vortex that would lead to Vision’s escape to an unknown sanctuary, one Thanos knew not of. That’s why he fought. That’s why he pulled, slowly, inch by inch, growing closer to the android.

And Twilight only continued to fall. The last remnants of her strength and magic she used to keep Thanos from reaching her friend was all she had left. The very magic that had lifted an Ursa Minor, had bested the greatest of foes, had saved her life more times than she could count... was not enough. It was wavering, quickly depleting from her horn and body the longer she kept Thanos at bay. She could barely even watch, only managing to pray that Vision got back up and reached the portal in time. Her body screamed at her, only agonized grunts managing to escape the princess’ muzzle. But she held firm despite losing that ground. She held him back with everything she had left, and it was still barely enough.

Thanos shot out his free right hand as he dug through the dirt, approaching the Vision slowly, reaching out to the android and growing closer with each footfall. Until he was mere yards away, Thanos anger shifting to rising hope, his jaw falling as he saw his fingers just feet away from the shimmering Stone. His upper lip twitched. His eyes narrowed. He cried out.

Nothing compared to Twilight’s voice.

“Vision!”

The cry reached him, Vision’s eyes opening wide and the android shooting his head upwards. He could witness the travesty and horror for a mere moment, his eyes landing on Thanos reaching for him—for the Stone—then turning to Twilight. Her eyes were wide, tear-filled, distraught, shifting from Vision to something behind him. And he turned to it.

Saw the empty hallway of Canterlot Castle within the vortex of orange sparks.

And despite the pain flooding his circuits and mind, Vision kicked off the ground and flew towards it. Just as Thanos reached him. And just then, he slipped out of his grasp, Thanos’ eyes darting upwards to see the portal close… and leave nothing else. Thanos’ face completely fell, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Thanos nearly abandoned the thought of the magical grip on his gauntlet. He nearly ignored the world burning around him. His only thought, his only sight was on the Mind Stone… and now it was gone. To somewhere he didn’t even know. So close… just as before… and taken from him… just as before.

His mouth slowly closed, his teeth gritting together. He slowly, so very slowly, rose back up to full height. With his left arm still extended in Twilight’s direction, Thanos kept his gaze in the opposite, to where the portal once was. To where his destiny once lied… now just another step back in the grand endgame. The Alicorn—once filled with relief to see Vision escape to Canterlot—was soon filled with growing dread the longer she stared onto the back of Thanos’ head. He didn’t struggle anymore. He didn’t pull against her. He just stood there… staring in silence. It was so quiet between them Twilight could actually hear a drop of blood fall from her nose and impact the rock near her hoof.

The sounds of the earth came back, the aftermath of the eruption of Mount Tartarus still filling the air with grinding rock and resounding explosions in the distance. Yet Thanos and Twilight ignored it. They only focused on one another, Thanos’ head slowly turning back to her. And when their eyes locked, Twilight’s heart dropped. Because at that moment, at that exact moment she stared into the twisted swirls of madness lost in his light blue irises, she saw only thing…

Hate.

She nearly crumbled under it, her ears slowly falling flat against her aching skull.

And her heart stopped when he said it.

“That was a mistake.”

The rest came almost too fast for Twilight to comprehend, her mind still trapped in the darkness of fear she allowed to cloud her senses. She allowed Thanos to get inside of her, change her, twist her, bring her guard down and kill her fight. With little to no strength, it still didn’t matter when Thanos ripped his arm free from her magical aura. Twilight cried out, stumbling forward as she felt Thanos yank her by her own magic. It didn’t end there. Twilight barely managed to gaze upwards when her eyes met Thanos once more. And by then it was already too late to do anything. By then she had no power left to fight back.

Thanos closed his fist—the Space, Power, and Reality Stones glowing bright against it. Brighter than ever before. Fueled by a new type of power Thanos gave it. Rearing back, the very essence of reality itself being shattered as he tightened his fist, Thanos drove the Infinity Gauntlet right into the mare. Right into Twilight’s chest. The power from all three Stones, from the full force of Thanos’ strength, sent Twilight backwards with such speed that when she hit the furthest rock erected from the earth, it nearly split. A heavy crack broke out through the air. Several large cracks appeared on the face of the rock, Twilight’s eyes slowly closing as her body landed in the dirt beneath the shattered stone.

Motionless.

Not a sound.

Just like all the others.

The three Infinity Stones died down, Thanos’ fist relaxing.

Doctor Stephen Strange crumbled to one knee, his free hand resting on the other knee. He could only rest there and watch as Thanos gazed out into the madness. To what remained of the Badlands. To what remained of the world and the people he afflicted. He listened to the cries of the dying serpents, saw the remains of Mount Tartarus as nothing but a plume of ash and fire. The remains of once was came falling down as shreds of burning ash. Nothing more than that.

Thanos gazed longer. Gazed for a thousand miles. And still he saw nothing.

“Three to go.”

His final words before he clenched the Gauntlet and stepped back into the blue portal. The power of the Space Stone faded away, leaving nothing but dust and air where Thanos once stood.

Thunder shook the very earth and sky. Within the clouds of ash and fire resulting from the volcano’s eruption, the black smog continued to billow, continued to rise from within the darkness. Blood red lightning struck against the dark, lighting up the land beneath. The land torn by fire and rock. The land ripped, shredded, and filled with death and destruction. Volcanic rock plagued the earth, continued to fall from the skies and impact further away. The screams of the serpents cried out against the thunder, against the sounds of rock hurtling and burning. Hundreds of serpents lay dead against the burning rock that impacted the earth. The Badlands of Equestria were completely demolished. Torn asunder. Shown the very might of the universe.

Dust storms began to arise once again, the smoke and ash clouds filling the air and nearly blocking out the rays of the sun. Only slivers remained, darkness filling the landscape and spreading a sickly brown across it. As the ash cloud from the eruption of Mount Tartarus rolled overhead, surrounding the sky that wasn’t consumed by the smog, a soft snowfall began to drop. Particles of white fell around the burning landscape, but it did not cool it by any means. The fragments of white were not snow by any means. It didn’t bring cheer or rest to the battle that once filled the Badlands. It brought sickness. It brought dread. It brought death itself to the valleys filled with it.

The ash began to fall.

And the heroes began to rise.

Coming together at long last, nearly every last person limping their way towards Doctor Strange, the teams hardly looked to one another and merely cared for their own wounded. For their own sufferings. For their own failures. The Guardians of the Galaxy led by Peter Quill were a tattered mess. Quill limped forward with Gamora helping him walk, his arm draped across her shoulder. The two of them appeared visibly in pain, but they hid it well. Drax was helping Mantis as well, the limping woman leaning onto her friend for support. Groot and Rocket trailed from behind, Groot’s young eyes gazing to the falling ash particles, his wooden palm held out to them. It burned once a flake of ash landed on his palm, Groot grunting and holding his hand tight. Rocket’s brow rose at that, a sigh leaving him to see Groot trying to dodge the ash. Trying to dodge the pain. Nebula limped far behind them, gazing to her sister, trying to reach her.

The Defenders all limped past Stephen Strange, casting him a lonesome, lost glance before settling themselves on the ground, sitting on shattered boulders. They checked their wounds, each of them bleeding, beaten, weary, and lost. The only one among them who stood was Daredevil, his senses off the charts and trying to catch every heartbeat of his team. Of everyone, trying to see if everyone was accounted for. Frank Castle came up behind him, holding his AA12 shotgun and gazing out into the falling ash, almost completely awestruck by the beauty of the madness.

The God of Thunder stumbled forth, his breathing ragged and heavy, his only eye landing on Doctor Strange and looking nowhere else. Strange felt his gaze, turned to it, barely acknowledged it with a nod. He could tell from the look Thor gave him that they were short a team member, short an Avenger. Even without words, Strange’s nod seemed somewhat comforting, a mere flicker of hope amongst the hopelessness of the aftermath.

They all heard a pain-filled cry, many ignoring it and many more turning in the direction of it.

Tony Stark screamed as he pulled the blade from his abdomen. The sound of tearing flesh was only drowned away by Stark’s agony. After finally pulling the dagger free and letting the blood flow, Tony relinquished the katar and sealed up his wound. The medical suture spray exited what remained of the Mark 50 on Stark’s right hand, covering his stab wound and stopped the flow of blood, allowing Stark to breathe normally once again. The spray would finish the rest and further speed up the healing process. With that reassurance in mind, Tony turned to the approaching bodies on his right.

Peter Parker limped forward alongside James Rhodes, his armor torn, both staring at Stark. Peter’s mask was gone, allowing Parker to express just from his facial features the horrors of what he experienced, and the horrors of what remained. The red Arc Reactor on the War Machine armor flickered every second or two, James looking back towards the remains of the volcano. He gazed back to Stark, watched as Peter helped him to his feet.

The ponies recuperated shortly afterwards. Pinkie Pie returned to her normal pony self alongside Fluttershy, the effects of the Reality Stone fading away now that Thanos was gone. Applejack pulled her hat from the dirt, brushed it off, then sighed as she settled it back on her head. Rainbow Dash spread out her wings, cringing as they extended fully before finally settling back to fold against her body. She limped alongside Starlight and Sunset, the two unicorns surrounding Tony and Peter. They were joined shortly by Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, and even Rarity. Some of the mares—mainly Rainbow Dash and Applejack—sent an infuriated glare towards the unicorn. And who could blame them?

They still blamed her for ruining everything.

Rarity didn’t even give them any attention. Her eyes, her gaze, all the horror in it stared only to the ground, as if she was lost in some strange world. Her eyes were transfixed, nearly glazed over. After finally breathing again, seeing no Mad Titan flash through her vision, Rarity blinked numerous times and looked about. She saw her friends, saw their desolate expressions, and counted only six of them.

“Twilight…?” Rarity whispered. Several of her friends’ heads arose, seeing Rarity dart her head back and forth, searching. Desperately searching. “Twilight?” she called out, louder now.

Seeing the ponies now looking about, all of them calling out the name of their friend, Tony Stark lifted his gaze and stared straight ahead. He and Parker both did, passed Thor and Stephen Strange limping their way, passed the Defenders sitting on the rocks and only Daredevil looking passed them—directly where Stark and Parker stared—and passed the Guardians of the Galaxy approaching Thor and the others. Passed all of that, and Stark saw her.

Through the smoke and dust, there was Twilight lying on her side, her back to them.

Not moving.

“Twilight…” Tony muttered, beginning with a first step towards where the Alicorn lay. It was a limp, Peter trying to help him, only to watch as Stark ignored the pain, ignored everything, and tried to run. He failed, struggling with each step towards his friend. “Twilight!”

No answer. No response. He received several looks as he pushed past the mares, Thor, Strange, Nebula, Quill and the others, all of which turned in his direction and his destination. They all followed. All of them taking their time, all slowly approaching the shattered stone where Stark was intending to go. As he limped past the Defenders, Stark could only hear Murdock mutter, “Oh, God…”

He felt his heart freeze at that, his adrenaline rushing as he and Parker ran—finally ran—to where Twilight lay in the dirt. “Twilight!” Stark shouted, slipping and falling to his knees as he came to a rest by the pony’s side, Peter on the other. Dragging her outwards, Stark rolled Twilight on her back to check the damage.

Her eyes were shut. The dried blood on her face and body was just that. Dry. Nothing fresh. Nothing flowing from her wounds. With a jaw slightly agape, Twilight’s head fell to the left, no other movement or sound escaping the Alicorn. Stark looked down to her chest to see the scorch marks. He stopped breathing. He bent down, pressed his ear to her heart, and stopped breathing.

Because she wasn’t.

Darting his head back, Stark shook it madly, ignoring his own pain and focusing all of his effort in bringing her back. He pressed his bloody palms right over her heart, continuously pumped against it, and continued to deny fate. “No, no, come on now, Twi. Come on. We… we need you to… Come on, get up.”

She didn’t. Her eyes remained shut, her body unmoving to her will even as Stark pumped his hands into her chest, causing her to move slightly. But other than that… nothing. Stark continued to mutter failing hope, Peter Parker watching from above with utter hopelessness. His jaw was agape, eyes wide with worry just watching Stark work in bringing Twilight back. He wasn’t alone by any means.

Soon enough, the Guardians stumbled forward with Thor, Strange, Rhodes, and the ponies trailing from behind. The Defenders got back up from where they sat, leaving just Jessica Jones by herself. She, Nebula, and the Punisher stood from afar, watching the crowd come together in the distance, just watching. Waiting.

Doubting a miracle.

As the crowd was formed and the eyes of the many landed on Tony Stark resuscitating Twilight Sparkle, they could only watch in silence. They could do nothing more but wait, hope, pray for something to happen. Stark’s efforts were plain and raw, desperate, as he pushed down again and again, praying to get Twilight’s heart pumping. But it didn’t. It wouldn’t.

He never stopped.

“Come on, Twi… Come on. Come on, come on, come on,” Stark continuously whispered, continuously pushed against her chest, continuously prayed to God even though he hadn’t in years. Her eyes remained closed. Her mouth was still agape, no air entering or leaving. Peter Quill stared on, dumbfounded, his brow furrowing but no words leaving him. No words could. He was frozen in shock, just waiting for what would happen. Gamora laid her hand slowly over her stomach as the seconds ticked away, feeling sick, feeling lost. The ponies pushed through the legs of the towering heroes, finally stumbling forward and gasping.

Terror struck their eyes, their hearts, and their very souls the moment they saw Twilight laying there. Just laying there as Stark tried to bring her back to life. Fluttershy cried out, tears welling up in her eyes as her hooves rose to cover her mouth. Rarity nearly did the same, her lower lip twitching and whimpers escaping the unicorn. A flash of horror struck her, but she ignored it. She ignored the inevitable fate and prayed for a miracle. Pinkie, Rainbow, and Applejack all stood in disbelief, unwilling to fully understand or believe the circumstances of what just happened… or what was going to happen. Stark’s futile attempts to bring Twilight back from the dark only furthered their anxiety, tears staring to grow in their eyes when reality was dawning on them as was the rising sun. Starlight and Sunset shook their heads, refusing to believe it, refusing to accept what was lying in front of them.

They cried all the same.

After several more pumps and still nothing, Stark grit his teeth and lifted his wild eyes. The cuts from his forehead made blood leak down the side of his face, but he didn’t care. He looked to the many, saw a blur, and shouted, “God… dammit, does anyone know CPR?!”

He never stopped pumping into her chest. He only did when Starlight Glimmer ran forward and pushed his hands aside with her magic. Nearly falling onto his back, Tony stopped himself and gazed onto the unicorn. He watched, everyone watched as Starlight analyzed Twilight’s form rather quickly, closing her eyes and charging her horn. Dropping the tip of her turquoise-embedded horn down to Twilight’s chest, a quick and sudden shock struck the Alicorn right over her heart. Her body jumped upwards, but quickly settled back down. Unmoving. Not breathing.

Starlight breathed rapidly, charging up her horn and doing it again. Same result. “No, no, Twilight, please,” Glimmer whimpered, tears flowing from her eyes and hitting Twilight’s scorched chest. She shut her eyes tight and charged up her horn, but was surprised to feel a shove on her side. Turning to it, Starlight looked to see Sunset Shimmer charge up her horn even further, even brighter, even stronger than Starlight’s wounded one.

She touched the tip of her horn to her chest, the red bolt of electricity shooting outwards and entering the Alicorn. Another flinch—heavier than before—but nothing came out of it. Sunset shook her head, lips quivering, tears falling as she dipped her head and did it again. And again. And again. Nothing but failure.

“Please don’t…” Sunset cried, growing more desperate, charging up her horn again and failing again. She shook her head, hoof placed over Twilight’s own. “Please, Twilight!” Sunset screamed.

No response. Sunset grit her teeth and charged up her horn to the fullest of her power.

“Stop.”

The voice’s response was met with a firm shake of the unicorn’s head. “No!” Sunset cried.

“I said stop!” the voice shouted. Sunset suddenly felt herself and Starlight pushed back by a gust of wind, a gust of energy. They turned to the source, watching with hurt in their eyes as Stephen Strange approached the area where they once stood. He glared at them, offered them no sympathy. “Or you’ll kill her yourself.”

They stared at him. Everyone and everypony did. They watched as he pulled at the tips of his cloak’s collar before bending down to one knee. Directly on Twilight’s side. They watched and listened as Strange slowly closed his eyes and exhaled through his nostrils. The dirt surrounding him settled. The wind died down. The very fabric of reality slowed to a halt… for him. Gazing to it all, the ponies and the heroes turned back to Strange. Peter and Tony watched with anticipation, fear still lacing the edges of their expressions.

He slowly lifted his shaking hands, the scars of past pains still evident. His fingers moved in a wicked and ancient dance, his arms crossing one another, forming an “X”. With his fists shaking, Strange opened his eyes. The Eldritch Magic glowed bright in his irises, making them shimmer a soft orange. He slowly let his arms break away, his right fist falling slowly to Twilight’s chest. As it shivered just over her heart, his fingers shot out, and the Tao Mandalas appeared in a shower of harmless sparks over the Alicorn.

The ponies watched with dread, hope, fear, and passion filling their eyes, dangerous mixtures of all. Passion for their friend. Passion for the hope of life. Fluttershy stopped crying, hooves still covering her mouth, as she and her friends watched Stephen work. None of them knew what he was doing. None of the Guardians, Defenders, Rhodes, or even Thor knew. But they waited and watched all the same.

With his palm wide open over the Tao Mandalas, Strange pursed his lips and focused on what came next. His fingers shot downwards, impacting the disc just precisely to complete the spell. Strange was completely focused, sweat and blood pouring from his forehead as he worked. With his fingers done tracing the disc, Strange breathed again and… let the magic do the rest.

He pressed down. The Tao Mandalas exploded, evaporating into swirls of orange dust as it entered safely through Twilight’s chest, nostrils, and body.

It was only a couple seconds more—after the magic completely entered her—did Twilight breathe again.

She gasped for air, eyes wide and alive as her heart was rejuvenated. Arching her chest upwards, Twilight took in the remaining moments of peace to breathe. To feel. To live again. Tony Stark remained where he sat, he and Parker feeling a wave of relief rush over them. It only remained with Peter, something else slowly overcoming Stark.

That brief moment of peace and relief shared not only amongst Twilight and the surrounding heroes was gone. Twilight’s closest friends ambushed her, showering the Alicorn with hugs, tears, cries, and everything they could give. Strange allowed himself a soft pat on the back for that, his eyes darting over to see Applejack—amongst the chaos—smile his way, tears flooding her eyes. Memories of the people Stephen had saved and their families thanking him with hugs came back. But this was different. Just her smile felt more grateful than any hug he received in the past. And Strange managed a smile back, even if he didn't know it.

As Twilight smiled and appreciated their hugs, she still was trying to recover, feeling the overarching pain come back with full force. She tried to tell her friends that, but through their cries and their hugs, Twilight just couldn’t. She cried with them. She hugged them back with whatever strength she had left. It wasn’t enough, and she nearly crumbled in Sunset’s crushing hug.

Grunting at that, Twilight patted Sunset on the back, her other hoof rising to rest on Sunset’s shoulder when she heard it. “You died… y-you died…” Sunset whispered shakily, her body shivering against Twilight. She said it over and over again, the unicorn’s tears falling and rolling down Twilight’s back. That realization fell over Twilight like a dark shadow, her eyes slowly widening as she returned the hug. Her eyes fell over to Stark and saw the same thing.

Tony heard her. He heard what Sunset whispered, let that thought sink in. He fell back and rested to a sitting position, his hands resting on his legs, his suit torn and the Arc Reactor flickering on and off. On and off. Living and dying.

The remaining serpents screeched and sunk back into the earth, leaving several hundred lying dead amongst the volcanic rock burning throughout the Badlands. The sun’s light was shrouded in shadow, in smoke, in ash. And Tony Stark stared at that dark ash cloud above the destroyed volcano, lightning striking throughout the darkness and cackling throughout the air. Like laughter. Tony stared at it.

Stared at a living world dying.

Chapter 59 – Pillars

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Castle, War Room

10:51 a.m.

“We can’t explain it either. Just all of a sudden, the Chitauri warship decided to leave the Crystal Empire and take its invading force with it. Where it went… we’re still trying to figure that out… something I’m sure you’re tired of hearing by now, Your Highness.”

Princess Celestia was tired of many things, but that was a first.

The Canterlot War Room was dimly-lit, circular and expansive in size and shape. Aside from the Royal Guard standing outside the exit and Celestia’s personal guard within the War Room, nopony else—without orders from the princesses themselves—were required to be present during Princess Celestia’s personal call with Prince Shining Armor. She and her sister Luna stared into the flickering holographic image of Shining wearing his purple and golden armor, no helmet to reveal his sweat-drenched blue mane. The hologram spewed from the magical crystal hovering just above the War Room’s table, the shard a gift straight from the Crystal Empire, a means of communication with Shining Armor and Cadance without the need for travel.

Surrounding the large table, several higher-ranking members of Celestia and Luna’s guards stared into the shimmering blue light the crystal spewed upwards, gazing onto the uncertain expression their former captain gave when he offered the grim and unsettling news from the invasion in the Crystal Empire. But they weren’t alone. Far from it.

Doctor Bruce Banner, Spike, and even Loki himself stood on the opposite side of the long, straight table. While Spike struggled to peek his eyes over the table because of his and its height differentiation, Banner and Loki kept their concerned gazes to the hologram and the news that came with it of the invasion on Equus. Banner more than Loki, the God of Mischief’s eyes cold and calculating, little concern and more of an interest burning in those mischievous eyes of his. Spike had to hop up and down to see the hologram, eventually giving that up and flying up to take a seat on the table itself. Celestia and Luna didn’t mind. They had other issues to deal with.

“It is not that we’re tired of hearing of it, Shining Armor, but we are growing weary of not knowing,” Celestia responded. Shining’s head nodded at that, the hologram flickering and the magic of the crystal beginning to weaken. Celestia sighed. It needed a recharge, something even Celestia didn’t feel like accomplishing. Her body ached, her mind faded, and her magic continuously drained the longer she and her little sister held the shield over Canterlot. At times, she was thankful she or Luna didn’t have to raise the sun or moon any longer. The magical strain would have probably been too much, even for them. But it would all be worth it. Their little ponies needed them for protection.

Turning to Luna, watching her eyelids slowly droop every other second, then quickly shoot back up to remain awake, Celestia faced the hologram with a sigh. “You are not the first to give us this information, Shining Armor. Our allies in the east, from Saddle Arabia to the land of the minotaurs, all speak of these alien warships retreating from their own invasion. Our astronomers even noticed a larger presence of alien warships hanging over Earth.”

Shaking her head to rid herself of the weariness, Princess Luna grumbled, “Even Queen Novo and her allies have noticed a decline in alien attacks with the nations they have come across. With this information, we deduced that the invasion on Equus has halted for the time being… and instead has diverged to our… ‘neighboring’ world.”

Even Luna’s tone seemed off-putting, the weariness taking a toll on her attitude towards Earth. More malice. Less concern. Shining Armor nodded once more in the magical hologram, saying, “What do you suppose this tactic is meant to do?”

Just from seeing the expressions of the two sisters, Shining could already tell he wasn’t going to get a straight answer. He prepared himself for that, pursing his lips. “We are growing weary of not knowing,” Celestia finally replied, repeating her statement from earlier.

Shining shook his head, sighing in response. Then, he said, “We’ll keep our eyes and ears open, let you know if anything comes up.”

The two sisters nodded. “Give our best to Cadance and Flurry Heart,” Luna said.

“And be safe,” Celestia added.

With a simple salute as a response, Shining’s horn shimmered and the hologram ended. The magic cut off, the shard slowly descending to the face of the table and lying in its decorated container, the crystal as dark as the solid oak beneath it. Then silence. So silent anypony could have heard the princesses’ heartbeats. A silence that couldn’t last, nor a moment of rest the sisters desperately needed. Instead, they felt the heavy and powerful eyes staring at them from the end of the table. Even with Celestia, Luna, several guards, Bruce Banner, Loki Odinson, and Spike… they still weren’t alone.

Princess Celestia turned to her far left, her eyes landing at the very end of the table and the pony who occupied it. The ponies who surrounded it. The shared strength, healing, beauty, bravery, hope, and sorcery that filled it.

Celestia and Luna faced that. They faced it head-on and asked, “What do you suppose this means?”

All heads shifted to the end of the table, all in silence, all eyes waiting.

And Star Swirl the Bearded kept them waiting.

He stroked his snow-white beard in thought, eyes that held years of tamed potential, knowledge, power, and magic beyond comprehension flushing, thinking, contemplating alongside the other Pillars of Old Equestria. His large hat bent lazily backwards, dark blue with stars decorated upon it. As well as his cloak, resting on his backside and shielding his light gray coat. The remaining Pillars noted the eyes of the War Room centering their way, hardly any of them ready to face them.

Instead, they thought.

Rockhoof, the burly stallion much larger than any other Royal Guard present, watched Star Swirl stroke his beard. Rockhoof followed suit, rubbing his hoof across his light auburn beard, even if he couldn’t make sense of the situation at all. Aliens were not his forte. Such invasions were—for lack of a better term—completely alien to him. His braided mane rest on his shoulder, the other occupied by his traditional shovel, weapon of legend.

Mistmane, nearly the wisest amongst her fellow Pillars—second to Star Swirl—never found comfort in battle. She would have rather settled disputes over discussion, finding a formal form of agreement. But this was no ordinary dispute. This was war. An alien invasion. She remained silent, the wrinkles on her face showing both her age and uncertainty.

Flash Magnus once glared at the hologram of Shining Armor, his agitation only furthering with every grave form of news that the Prince of the Crystal Empire gave. Unlike his fellow Pillar Mistmane, Flash Magnus was an expert of warfare. He was birthed in it, forged by it, lived in it nearly all his life. He knew nothing more than to gain the upper hoof in conflict, ensuring victory for himself and his fellow ponies. Watching as aliens slaughtered countless lives, took countless miles of precious land and resources, and did the same thing to an innocent world directly over their heads made the Pegasus steam with fury. It didn’t help to know that the aliens decided to hit and run, retreating to a known location with an unknown strategy… at least to the Equestrians. The unknown in battle always made Flash furious, the Pegasus ready to pick up his shield and lead the fight himself, right out of Canterlot, and take as many guards with him as he wished.

Somnambula could feel Flash Magnus’ unbridled rage like a radiation spike, the Pegasus mare placing her hoof comfortingly on her fellow Pillar’s shoulder. Magnus closed his eyes and let Somnambula’s humming comfort him and his fury. She was always talented and respected in that aspect of their bond. As for the mare out of time, she could only think of the fleeting hope in Equestria, as well as their world. She could feel it… as ripe as Magnus’ anger right next to her. A world in danger of loss, so much of it that hope would soon follow. A pain unlike any other… burning on their nation’s own soil.

Mage Meadowbrook could feel it, too. As the master of healing, Mage could only feel as much pain as the world did. Her hoof constantly remained over her own mouth, hiding her quivering lip, her eyes burning with tears. What more could they do? Like Shining Armor explained, they were at war with an alien race hellbent on eradicating life on a cataclysmic scale. There was no time for healing, sadly. Now was only time for war… for retaliation. For a plan.

Stygian even seemed uncertain in that aspect. As the one who forged and built the Pillars of Equestria, the one who birthed each and every plan the heroes of Equestria took with them into battle, he was at a loss. The war not only directly on their soil, but all nations’ soils, kept his mind focusing on the wrong things. What should they do now? Should they gather nearby nations and recover? Should they plan a counterattack? Should they ready their defenses—whatever defenses they had left—and wait for the inevitable final strike? More of a scholar than a hero, Stygian looked to the pony who inspired him for the answers this time.

Star Swirl couldn’t provide them. Not in the way Stygian, Mage, Somnambula, Flash, Mistmane, Rockhoof, or anypony would have wanted. He was nearly lost in his own thoughts, thinking more of the aliens, their origin, their name provided to them from a certain “God of Mischief”. As if that alone wasn’t the most intriguing part of their excursion to Canterlot, now Star Swirl was faced with uncertainty. For the war ahead, for the oncoming battles certain to follow, and the blood, sweat, and tears that would be needed to ensure their survival.

Survival. Star Swirl nearly chuckled at the thought of it. How they—relics from a time long past—could have been able to survive for so long, against so many foes, face so many obstacles and still come out alive. Still survive. They always had plans to ensure. But now… not even Stygian could formulate a strong enough one at the moment, given his continued silence. Without a plan… what of survival?

“This… Earth you mentioned…” he finally said, heads perking up, shifting back to the ancient stallion and his allies. He lifted his eyes, the eyes of unbridled knowledge and magic staring at the two Alicorns. He remembered when they used to be just fillies. How time truly flies. How its stolen. “It is much more technologically advanced than our world, yes?”

The two Royal Sisters could only nod, awaiting in silence for what their former mentor would say next.

Star Swirl’s light blue eyes fell to the solid oak table beneath him, his lips parted, a tired sigh leaving him. One of thought, pent-up and unsure of itself. One that didn’t have a plan. “Then I deduce that the aliens chose to focus all of their efforts on Earth for that very reason. Why waste precious soldiers and resources attacking a… primitive world when they could strike where the most resilience would be? Perhaps that is why these ‘Chitauri’ chose to flee.”

Celestia and Luna both nodded at that thought, not throwing it away. Acknowledging it. Accepting it. Everypony else slowly followed, the remaining Pillars, Spike, and Bruce Banner doing the same. Except for one.

The one that chuckled.

The spotlight shifted quickly. Every Pillar, every princess, every Royal Guard, every dragon, and finally Doctor Bruce Banner turned accordingly to the face, the smile, the sinister and knowing grin of Loki. He stood particularly far at the very end of the table, far from anypony or anyone else. That distance didn’t matter any longer, the God of Mischief slowly pacing around the table, walking past both Bruce and Spike. Settling his eyes on Star Swirl and his fellow Pillars, Loki ceased his laughter. He chose to smile instead. Much more was given that way. Much more uncertainty of what Loki truly knew.

He liked the spotlight, the dousing of power in a room to suddenly shift and shine his way. The lust for that power was something Loki always tried to obtain once before… and even now there were still lingering urges. But he refrained. He exhaled through his grin and shook his head.

“The Chitauri do not flee,” Loki explained. Some undecipherable chatter from some insignificant guards arose, of which Loki ignored and continued. “They work as one. They live… as a hive mind. Wherever they go, they are ordered from a higher power. This mass exodus can only mean they will return. But for now… they wait.”

He made sure to send an especially cocky smirk over to Star Swirl when he said, “Simple as that.”

While a heated battle of wits and knowledge—masked in silence—took place between the glare of Star Swirl and the smirk of Loki, that just left the rest of the room to contemplate. Unknown conversations between Royal and Lunar Guard, the Pillars chatting amongst themselves, filled the War Room. They were nearly all silenced when Princess Luna spoke, quieting down mere seconds when her voice filled the room. A showing of her own power. Loki smiled at that, at the opposing force.

“You seem to know much of these ‘Chitauri’ from what you’ve told us… Odinson,” Luna spat, still trying to believe that the mischievous little snake standing before them was the brother of Thor, a hero of Equestria. Adopted, but still… “What would they wait for?”

He stared at her. At Luna and nopony else. Either she was too tired to care or couldn’t find it, but there was something in his eyes. Intrigue, maybe. He definitely studied her in that short moment he gave, smiling a pinch. Just a pinch. Luna’s frown worsened.

“For the right moment,” he replied. Luna snorted in response to that, still not keen on Loki’s smile. He held out his hands, breathing a dead chuckle. “I seem to… know from experience.”

“If you consider ‘failure’ experience,” Banner muttered. Spike laughed.

“I consider ‘experience’ experience,” Loki shot back, sending a glare to the young dragon.

Before things could escalate, Star Swirl held up his hoof, near-silence entering the room. More power. More opposing forces. Loki frowned at that. “Regardless, we will be ready. When Twilight and the others return, they will use the Elements of Harmony to defend our world. The greatest magic of all will sure to put these… ‘aliens’ in their place,” the leader of the Pillars declared.

Once more, several nods were his response, from princess and guard alike. Loki just rolled his eyes, stepping back from the table and leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Seeing the nods of approval from his fellow equines—what could barely be called approval from the alien Banner and the dragon Spike—Star Swirl nodded in return, sighing, “And with that taken care of, we can focus on other matters.”

The room was unnaturally silent after that. A cold chill seemed to enter the silence, striking everyone where they felt it the most: in the heart. The unnerving silence pestered still, eyes slowly shifting back to Star Swirl and holding there. Even Celestia and Luna seemed taken aback by Star Swirl’s unusual silence. Since he and the rest of the Pillars had returned, all they could do was talk and interact with the future world, living the rest of their lives and making new friends along the way.

The way they saw him now reminded them of when he was still their mentor, still as cold and distant as ever before.

“Such as…?” Celestia said, leading Star Swirl on.

Star Swirl lifted his eyes to her, then turned to Meadowbrook, then to Somnambula. They nodded, then turned to Stygian and Mistmane, then to Rockhoof and Flash Magnus. A shared, mutual understanding between each of the Pillars of Old Equestria.

“You spoke highly of these Avengers,” Rockhoof said, his Coltic accent heavy. He laid his massive hoof on the table, the solid oak creaking under his weight. “What of their excursion to the Badlands with Twilight and the girls? And what of the new volcano that has arisen? If there is any volcanic activity, shouldn’t I be the first to know of it?!”

His voice suddenly rose, becoming more deranged, more at edge. Celestia and Luna—pretty much all the room—flinched back at his outburst. They could hardly blame him, considering his past with volcanoes and his home. The remaining Pillars were quick to ease his qualms.

“Calm yourself, Rockhoof!” Mistmane declared, resting her hooves on her towering friend’s shoulders, settling him back to the ground. Turning her aged and heavy eyes to the rest of the table, the elderly mare stated, “We just wish to know is all. The safety of this land is of the highest regard to the Pillars.”

Before Celestia or Luna could even open their mouths, the doors burst open, revealing a Royal Guard rushing inside. Panting, heavily sweating, the guard saluted once before nearly shouting, “Your Majesties, word from Thorax and the changelings. Scouts from the Changeling Empire have spotted massive serpents rising out of the ground from the edges of the Badlands.”

Star Swirl, the Pillars, Luna, and Celestia froze at that.

Others, like Bruce Banner and Spike, seemed concerned, turning fully to the guard to see what he would report of next. Their friends were in the Badlands. Their concern was expected. What wasn’t expected were the looks of dread filling each expression of the Pillars, even reaching and infecting the Princesses of the Sun and Moon. Grave images, tragic events from a time past filled their eyes, a time none—no one as ancient as any of them—could have imagined. Other than Loki, the most ancient deity standing absolutely bored in that room. Either he didn’t know what they spoke of or he didn’t care.

The princesses and the Pillars… were a different story entirely. They all turned accordingly to the lone guard, gazing at him with dread in their eyes, disbelief, and every other horror imaginable. Fidgeting under their gazes and the continued silence, the stallion stamped at the marble floor, unsure of what to do next, other than to finish the rest of the report. There was still more. How could he forget?

“They… even mentioned seismic events occurring following the volcano’s erupt—”

“What did you just say?”

The guard turned to Star Swirl. To all of the Pillars. They were all staring at him, all of them holding the same expression. Hidden knowledge. Hidden fear. His mouth became dry, his forelegs wobbling under their combined, hardened eyes. “What?” he shakily asked.

“Repeat what you just said,” Celestia ordered, the guard shifting his attention to the authority. No calming or motherly tone. Pure strength. A direct order. No humor. Just action.

With seemingly no other choice, the guard cleared his throat and repeated, “Scouts from the Changeling Empire have spotted massive serpents rising out of the ground from the edges of the Badlands… ma’am.”

He added the final “ma’am” because he didn’t last time. A faint hope that that was what caused Celestia to act in such a way. He knew it wasn’t. Their expressions remained the same. Just as horrified as before. “Was… that what you wanted to—?”

“Leave us,” Luna stated fiercely, the guard straightening at the Princess of the Night’s tone. She didn’t let up, turning her wild eyes towards him. “Now.”

The second he left and when the two guards at the exit closed the door, Star Swirl nearly shot out off the ground, hoof pressed to the table and another resting just over his forehead. He kept his eyes closed tight, his teeth even tighter, as he whispered curse after curse. Meadowbrook rubbed his back comfortingly, staring onto one of her closest friends with concern ripe in her baby blue eyes. She—as well as the rest of the room—could only listen to his inconsistent jabbering, all of it under his breath.

“The dark clouds… the tremors… the volcano… and now the serpents… I should have seen this coming from miles away. I thought for certain we vanquished him.”

The other Pillars reacted accordingly to the grave news, some deflating, some growing infuriated, some uncertain like Star Swirl. He looked to Celestia and Luna, who remained just as grave, if not more so. Definitely more so, especially Celestia. Her brilliant white coat that once reflected the light from the sun like a cloud in the sky had become pale, her mane moving so slow it took an eternity for a single wave of her mane to reach the end. Her eyes were wide, gazed nowhere, as large bags formed under each and her heart beat rapidly in her chest.

Banner took notice to all of it, his brow furrowing at the condition of the usually calm and confident Princess Celestia. “Are we missing something? W-what’s going on?” he asked.

No one could seem to answer him, the silence becoming more and more dreaded as life ticked away. Spike paced across the table, concern in his reptilian gaze as he focused it all on the princesses. That concern changed directions, nearly every eye in the room turning to Star Swirl the moment he sighed. That’s all it took. Just a sigh.

He couldn’t imagine what they would do when they learned the truth.

With his remaining hoof falling down to rest by his other, Star Swirl breathed in steadily and calmly through his nostrils, trying to regain that strength he lost at the grave news. He only appeared a thousand years older, shaking his head slowly. Back and forth.

Back and forth.

Then stopping. “We know him by the name… Typhon.”

Loki actually turned his head at that, a brow raising in interest. Alongside Spike and Banner, the remaining guards in the War Room looked to one another, some questioning, some knowing the legend, some still in disbelief. The remaining guards remained silent, just absorbing the knowledge they were granted in the presence of such ancient and powerful figures of Equestria’s history. That fact alone led them to believe every word that came out of their mouths.

There was a lot.

“The Father of Monsters,” Rockhoof said.

“The Titan of Wind,” Mistmane added.

“The Lord of Destruction,” Flash Magnus growled.

“The Primordial of Disasters,” Somnambula whispered.

They came so slow, one at a time, but they felt faster than that. It felt like rapid fire, like different bullets impacting everyone and everypony harder and harder. That’s how Banner felt at least, gulping to hear of Greek legend brought to life. Then again, he once fought the legions of Tartarus itself three years ago. He should have expected this on an alien world where fantasy became reality. Spike turned to Celestia and Luna for confirmation, only seeing the dread and the loss of life, of courage, of anything that they were.

He turned back to the Pillars. Like everyone else. “From Typhon, all monsters within our world were birthed,” Meadowbrook explained, still comforting her friend Star Swirl. Her large eyes, once filled with healing, now with unbridled concern, slowly washed over the room. “He and his children… grew so massive that they planned to take all of Equestria. Maybe even all the world.”

“Luckily… we were able to devise a plan to stop just that,” Stygian picked up for her, Mage nodding to that. The feeble unicorn—although not actually present in the battle—remembered keenly of what had transpired that wretched day more than a thousand years ago. It felt like yesterday. The curse of Limbo.

The skies were bleeding a sickness of black and blood. They raged with thunder, lightning, rain mixed with sulfur and fire and all forms of death, pestilence, famine, and war. It was the end of the world. There was no other way to see it. Stygian saw only the end of the world. The once flourishing lands in Southern Equestria became the battleground that determined the very fate of Equus. Nearly every race was involved. Every dragon, griffon, Hippogriff, minotaur, pony, every race willing and able to defend their world from the monsters that claimed to take it for themselves. Leading them, leading the charge for their very existence were the two young princesses. With them were the Pillars of Equestria.

Together, they faced the seven-headed demon and his army of creatures great and small, feral and wretched. The very earth was ripped apart, the skies torn asunder, and the universe itself gazing down to the cataclysmic battle occurring on such a young world. And it watched alongside Stygian as the beast was slain by the combined forces of Equus. He and his children, one by one, banished to the world beneath, trapped behind the magical gates constructed in the aftermath, bound to never escape and threaten the world above ever again.

And the Badlands were founded shortly after. No one lived there. Who could?

“With aid from the princesses, we were able to banish Typhon and his children to Tartarus before he could destroy Equestria… and the world,” Star Swirl said, ripping Stygian right out of his mind and the horrible memories that filled it. The young unicorn shook his head, turning to his fellow Pillar and closest friend. “From our magic, the Gates of Tartarus were crafted, a magic so great not a single being, dead or alive, could escape its hold.”

“He was the first prisoner of Tartarus,” Celestia added, turning to her younger sister, both of them already seeing the dreaded nightmare Celestia experienced what felt like a lifetime ago, “… and now… we fear he has returned.”

Luna closed her eyes, seeing the seven serpents, hearing the seven screams as clearly as her sister did. Celestia closed her eyes and joined her sister. She dreaded the moment the nightmares would become visions of tragedies to come. She prayed they were anything but, just more nightmares from more pain haunting her past. She didn’t have that reliance any longer. The serpents in the Badlands, the volcano, the black sickness nearly reaching Canterlot… all of it pointed to only one dreaded conclusion.

“But w-why now?” Mage asked, bringing Celestia and Luna out of their stupor.

Star Swirl, remaining calmer than any of the other Pillars, merely waved his hoof and said, “It matters not. We have the Elements now, a much greater magic than what we used to defeat him before. We must be ready for when he does return, though. For if we do not have the Elements ready in time—”

“If Twilight and the girls aren’t ready in time…” Celestia interrupted, her voice breathless, Star Swirl opening his eyes at that revelation.

Flash Magnus snorted, pressing his armor-plated hooves on the solid oak. “They’ve probably already engaged with Typhon. This ‘plan’ to have them of all ponies to study this volcano was doomed from the start. You should have called us earlier, Your Highnesses.”

Every head suddenly shifted towards the two princesses, almost accusingly. And Celestia and Luna could offer little for a rebuttal, the two of them still trying to accept the reality of the situation before them. Their eyes were elsewhere, minds even further away, but they still managed to respond.

“They insisted on it,” Celestia said, her voice as tight as a whisper, but not as quiet as one.

“And now they’re probably suffering because of it,” Star Swirl declared, rising back to full height and making his retreat to the exit. The remaining six Pillars followed him, followed their leader, and turned towards the exit doors of the War Room. “We will travel to the Badlands ourselves and retrieve Twilight and the others. With them safely in Canterlot, we can then traverse to the Everfree Forest and collect the Elements.”

“As far as we know, Typhon could have grown stronger over this thousand-year rest,” Rockhoof commented, his free hoof gripping the handle of his shovel, his frown heavy and focused towards the doors to his escape to battle.

“Then let’s hope the Elements are stronger,” Star Swirl growled… then sighed. His eyes fell just in front of the door, gazing down to the slight crack between each, the light slipping between. A sudden silence, then another sigh. “And hope Twilight and her friends are still safe.”

Standing at the exit doors, Star Swirl held his hoof to the two princesses, bidding them farewell. They responded in kind, hooves raised, eyes hard and pain-filled when realization of Twilight and the others’ fates still lingered. Still unknown. Banner and Spike fared no better, only wanting to know about their friends. About the Avengers. About what the hell happened in the Badlands. Even Loki shared a pinch of concern. Just a pinch. It was still unknown the fate of his brother… and what he could call his “team”.

Not for long.

The War Room doors burst open once more, smacking Star Swirl in the side of his face. Shouting at that, Star Swirl stumbled backwards, nearly falling into the awaiting hooves of Stygian and Flash Magnus. He rubbed the pulsating pain in his cheek, turning instead to whoever stood on the other side of the doors. And once more, it was but a mere guard, nearly falling apart at the stares he received, at the effects of his actions.

But he didn’t apologize.

He didn’t have time to.

“Your Highnesses, the Vision has returned.”

Chapter 60 – Let it all Settle

Badlands, Equestria

Northern Valley

8.5 Miles Away from Initial Eruption

11:00 a.m.

The ash smelled of sulfur. It burned the exposed areas of his skin. He felt that. He could hear the volcano growling and spewing torrents of molten magma into the air, filling the land surrounding it in a fiery inferno. He felt the heat, tasted it, gagged on it, breathed it. All he could do was breathe it.

It was the air. Mixed in a dangerous and fatal combination of smoke and ash, the air blinded those who tried to lift their heads to the sky, to see the inevitable firestorm consume the heavens and scorch the clouds. Daredevil, needing no sight, experienced all of it. He experienced every taste, every touch, every sound, and every smell. Even though he already saw a world on fire, he feared he wasn’t alone in that regard.

Stumbling forward, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen shakily reached upwards and removed his mask. Sweat and ash had stained his forehead, his hair a filthy mess. With the devil mask resting between his gloved-palms, Matthew Murdock limped onward, finally sitting down on a shattered stone, struggling to breathe. He gazed downwards, but he stared at nothing. All he could was feel… and experience. Luke Cage and Danny Rand were right by his side, their eyes gazing skywards, sweat glistening off their faces. Both used their shirts as a means of shielding their mouths of the ash once they turned their eyes to the remains of the initial eruption. Jessica Jones sat feet away from Murdock, her eyes shifting to him once before settling back to the ground. To the ash starting to build like snow around her boots.

Doctor Strange rose up to full height, spinning around accordingly and facing away from the equines and Stark. His eyes glazed across the large group. He asked, “Is everyone all right?!”

His voice boomed with command, vibrated with authority. The dried blood on the side of his head and the soot painted on his skin and robes meant nothing to him. His first priority—minus ensuring the Time Stone’s safety—was to ensure everyone else’s. No one seemed to be.

Aside from the eight equines, Stark, and Parker behind him, the remaining Avengers appeared just as shaken. James Rhodes stood in his torn War Machine armor, the red lights flickering, but the suit holding strong. Thor’s breathing was growing more sporadic, the God of Thunder observing his surroundings, gazing back to the blistering fires eating the horizon behind him. The air was a sick, golden orange, ash falling like snow. He saw it all and his heart raced, his breathing heavy. His coughs even more so.

The Guardians of the Galaxy fared no better. Star-Lord’s lower lip was bleeding, Peter Quill clutching his abdomen as he shuffled around, staring into the dark ash cloud trying to block the sun’s rays. He stared for a thousand miles and still saw nothing but chaos. Gamora clutched her blade Godslayer, her palms shaking despite the battle having ended minutes ago. She stared only to the ground, ignoring Rocket and Groot by her sides. The two of them observed their surroundings, Groot blocking the light from blinding him with a raised, wooden palm. Rocket nearly did the same, still holding onto rifle with a free claw. Drax the Destroyer and Mantis came together, Drax aiding the wounded Mantis and never leaving her side. She stared out into the falling ash, her eyes larger than usual. More terrified than usual.

Nebula stood in the distance, finally noticing her sister standing alongside the rest of her friends. The rest of her family. Placing her Electroshock Baton on her hip’s belt, Nebula slowly broke away from Frank Castle and Jessica, limping towards the Guardians. Towards her sister. As for Castle, he held onto his AA12 shotgun so tight that his palms shivered. His armored chest and combat pants and boots were all filthy and torn, mixtures of blood and soot painted on the white skull and black armor. His arms and biceps were free from the constriction of the trench coat, his hardened, cold-blooded stare turning from one Defender to the next, seeing nothing.

Nothing but defeat. Exhaustion. Poor bastards.

Once everyone slowly collected themselves, even slower when coming together, Quill turned away from the chaos unfolding near the eruption. His eyes lingered a moment longer on the burning corpses of the hundred-foot tall serpents scattered across the valley behind him. He shot his eyes over to Strange, to Stark, and to the ponies. A wild, almost feral expression grew on his person, Star-Lord screaming, “What the hell just happened?!”

Who could blame him? Everyone felt the same. Everyone saw and experienced the same torment, the same pain, the same battle, the same fear, the same confusion. The same everything. The Punisher stepped forward, shaking his head and growling, “We just got our shit rocked, that’s what happened.”

While the few chose to argue amongst themselves of the current and past events, the even fewer took the moments of respite to observe one another. To observe the wounded, specifically… the ponies. Once Twilight was brought back up to all four hooves, aided closely by Sunset and Starlight, the full weight of their agony and exhaustion finally caught up to them. The adrenaline each pony felt over fear of Twilight’s fate slowly began to fade, and what replaced it was the pain they all endured. Rainbow nearly collapsed, clutching onto her wounded wings and forelegs. Applejack was right by her side, the farm pony clenching her teeth to hold back the ripping pain from her hind leg muscles. She tended to her friend, trying to soothe the pain in Rainbow’s right wing. Rarity and Fluttershy took a seat in the dirt, each facing opposite directions, each facing parallel fears that still traumatized them. The meager yellow Pegasus shivered, the snow-white unicorn whimpering quietly to herself. Pinkie looked about aimlessly, to each and every one of her friends and the pain they shared. She never looked more lost, more hurt, than at that moment when she saw her friends.

Peter Parker stooped down to the three mares, asking Twilight if she was all right. Tony couldn’t hear her response. He could barely see the weak nod she offered Peter, a short and sweet smile to add to it. Yet her frame, her body, her eyes, they all spelled nothing but torment, both on the outside and deep within. Everything else became numb, deaf even. Only for Tony. The world burned around him, and all he could hear were those words. He could only hear those words…

You died.

It burned more than the ashes that hit his skin. It hurt more than the pulsating agony ripping in his abdomen from the knife wound. It slowly but surely killed his heart and wounded his spirit the more the dreaded realization came to be. Twilight almost died. She did die… for just a moment. That moment for Stark, trying desperately to kick her little heart back to life felt like light-years. It felt like a nightmare, nearly as worse as any terror in the night he ever had. When Thanos tortured him, when the constant pressure from the world and the Avengers tore apart everything Tony Stark tried to be and was.

Seeing Twilight’s body beneath him, not breathing, not living… was so much worse than any of that. So much so that he ran to her when she nearly collapsed into the dirt.

Trying to break away from Sunset and Starlight’s help, Twilight assured them and Peter of her stance, of her minimal strength just being enough to walk on her own. The first step she took sent a skin-tearing pain right up her foreleg and through her chest, the Alicorn crying out as she almost collapsed. Peter caught her, held her close to his heart, his arm draped over her withers. Tony’s damaged suit retracted back into his Arc Reactor, leaving just the silver and orange camo jacket he wore beneath to be painted by ash and smoke.

With Peter on one side and Tony on the other, the two Avengers slowly brought Twilight back to her hooves. She breathed so heavily, not pushing them away, but trying to fight her own battles all the same. She grit her teeth, pressed her hooves to the ash-covered dirt, and rose up. Her forelegs quivered, a painful exhale escaping the princess as she fell once more. Yet she got back up… and fell again with each step forward. Peter, Tony, Sunset, and Starlight never left her side. They couldn’t.

Holding her still from moving onward, Tony pressed his hand just over her heart, feeling the rapidness of it, already fearing it. The blood continued to drip from her awkwardly-angled snout, falling into the dirt alongside her ragged breaths. She coughed rather loudly, more blood spitting out and painting the sand a sickening crimson.

“You need medical,” Tony muttered to her. Twilight turned his way, the red in her eyes nearly succumbing all the white and violet. Tears of pain built in the edges of her eyes, but she didn’t object. She breathed, her expression crumbling, as she lowered her gaze from Stark.

“They all do,” Peter said, Tony looking to him and where his eyes were focused. Dead ahead. Right towards the painful cries he knew all too well. Tony forced himself to look.

They were wounded. They all were. They just showed it differently. The five mares sat or lay in the dirt, some of them wailing in pain, tears in their eyes, as the full weight of the battle finally caught up with them. Rarity and Fluttershy prodded their injuries, painful tears in their eyes, but even then the wounds weren’t that serious. There was something else in their tear-filled gazes. Rainbow and Applejack looked to be the most in pain, trying to keep the tears in as Mantis and Strange tended to their wounds. Pinkie Pie applied a smiley-face bandage on her own hoof, staring at the grin sadly, kissing it even more so. Tony turned around, watching as Sunset aided Starlight with her wounded horn. Blood coated Starlight’s forehead, both from the dangerous laceration just over her eyebrow that nearly blinded her left eye, and from the very base of her horn. Small cracks were formed there, dark crimson managing to slip through the more Starlight moaned in agony. Sunset was hurt, too, as were all the mares, but she stayed strong. As much as she could. Her bruised cheek and blood-covered lip were still evident. Still as clear as day.

Still as horrible as that day had been.

For everyone.

Especially Gamora.

As she saw the suffering, the inhumane acts of depravity of which her father was most accustomed to, the Guardian could do nothing but stand and stare. In silence. Listening to the pain, to the cries, to the world breaking apart and not being able to do a thing about it. That’s what hurt her the most. Not the wounds. Not the cuts. Not the bruises. Those healed. But standing there, letting evil persist and infect and not being able to stop it… That lasted. That burned brighter than any sun, stabbed deeper than any blade, and broke apart greater than any volcanic eruption.

Thanos came to them, obviously wanting the Mind Stone Vision held with him. And yet… he could have taken her. He had every opportunity to rip Gamora from her friends, from her family, from her team… and take her as far away as possible so he could learn from her. Discover what she knew. And find out… that she lied.

He didn’t take her.

He could have.

Yet there she was, standing by the man she had fallen in love with. Alive. Unholy knowledge still deep within her. Unholy knowledge that would never—

“Gamora!”

She knew that voice. She knew it so well. She knew it as the sister she never had, as the sister that was given to her, as the sister she fought, bested, and nearly killed time and time again. The voice that screamed of unheard pain with every loss that would follow their fights. The voice that told Gamora… it was her. She spun around, as did every Guardian, when Nebula ran for them.

“Nebula…” Gamora gasped, her voice shrill and painful. Just seeing the desperation in her sister’s steps made Gamora want to burst into tears. She held strong, limping forward and trying to meet Nebula for a hug.

She didn’t respond in kind, much to Gamora’s dismay. Instead, Nebula gripped her sister’s arms, Gamora doing the same. They stared into each other’s eyes, the Luphomoid and the Zehoberei. Two completely separate species. They couldn’t be any more different. Yet all they could see was a sibling. A sister. Family.

Tightening her jaw, even more so her grip on Gamora’s arms, Nebula told her, “Thanos knows.”

Unsure at first, Gamora furrowed her brow at that statement. Quill and the remaining Guardians piled around Gamora. They even started to earn the intrigued gazes from the likes of the Avengers and Strange, several heads piping up when the Luphomoid cyborg mentioned that name…

It only took a few seconds more for the sparks to fly in Gamora’s mind, to finally put the pieces together. Staring into her sister’s eyes, despite the machine mixed with the flesh, Gamora was still able to see it: the grimness. The dread. The unfiltered horror that Nebula could never have forced even to save her life. It was there, and Gamora read it like a book.

Like a map.

Leading to the ultimate prize, the ultimate conclusion…

“He knows where the Soul Stone is,” Nebula finished.

Lightning broke across the clouds of ash and smog, so bright it lit up the heavens, so loud it caused several Avengers and Guardians to flinch. But not her. Not Gamora. Her expression solidified into a petrified state of unholy terror, her hands falling away from Nebula’s arms, slowly falling to her sides. They continuously shivered, the assassin unable to process what would come next. She was lost in her own mind, in the terror that gripped it, the dreaded realization that came from Nebula’s truth. The only assurance she had left—the only assurance the universe had—was gone. The mystery of the Soul Stone’s location didn’t die with her as she prayed it would. It lived, and it was found.

And Gamora couldn’t even fathom the consequences that would follow because of it.

“Where?”

The voice emerged from behind—the question birthed from the King of Asgard himself—and nothing but unnerving silence followed. Everyone ignored the sounds of the volcano. Everyone and everypony turned to the Guardians of the Galaxy, all eyes landing on the two sisters. All breaths bated and waiting on Gamora.

Sunset Shimmer remained silent alongside Twilight, Starlight, Stark, and Peter. All they could do was remain silent as they stared onto the backside of the alien woman. Her black and red hair slowly whipped in the blistering wind. She cautiously turned around at long last, her tear-filled eyes finally meeting everyone else’s. She nearly shattered at their stares, at their silence, at the looks she received.

Especially from Quill. “What’s she talking about?” he asked.

Gamora closed her eyes, a tear finally slipping down her cheek.

Sunset’s eyes fell to her geode, slowly widening to see it shimmer a dull red over her heart.

Then it went dark.

Curious at that, Sunset furrowed her brow at the geode, eventually turning back to Gamora. It was the only other way she could look. Alongside everyone else. Everyone that fell silent… and listened. “I found a map... years ago. Don’t expect me to give it up, because it’s gone. I burned it,” Gamora slowly explained.

“What kind of map?” Strange asked.

His tone was harsh, hardly considerate of the pain she expressed. Gamora couldn’t blame him. They were at war. From war came suffering. They all suffered. One way or another, every last individual still alive in the Badlands suffered. Be it in the past, now, or soon to come, they had all faced trials and tribulation one way or another. Gamora would never complain nor admit to her sufferings being far greater than any others’, because she knew it was true. No one could know of her past, of its truth. Of its agony.

But if they didn’t… if she continued to lie… half the universe would perish.

Gamora kept her eyes closed tight, more painful tears managing to slip down her cheeks. Nor from her wounds, not from the cuts and the bruises painted on her green skin, but from within. From a wicked and depraved secret she would have taken to her grave. A secret that would have risked all of their lives had she told them.

But it didn’t matter now…

“A map to the Soul Stone.”

Her father already knew.

“It led to…”

Gamora stopped. Then breathed.

“Earth.”

Then stopped breathing.

Gamora sensed everyone’s eyes on her, but she could feel Peter’s stare. She felt it dig deeper, stare within, touch her heart and show to her… just how hurt he was. She knew his eyes looked nowhere else, stared only onto her with betrayal ripe in each orb. For her lies. Her deceit. After all their years together, becoming something more, and there she stood knowing something that could threaten the universe… And it remained on Peter’s home world. Quill’s expression was ludicrous, nearly lost, but mostly shocked. Pangs of hurt could be seen in his eyes as the world burned between them.

Gamora never saw it because she refused to meet his gaze. She forced herself to reveal the worst secret she ever kept, but there was no power in the universe to force herself to turn to him.

Instead, she faced Strange. “We…” Stephen growled, pointing a quivering, scar-laced finger right at her, “… will discuss this later.”

Gamora made no retort. She stared right at him, eyes burning red, wind pulling at her hair and practically melting her skin. It was all she could offer. Turning away from her, Doctor Strange stared at the dirt ground. The cut on the side of his head had already dried thanks to the scorching heat and unrelenting wind. He ignored such wounds, shaking his head as he droned on, almost letting his own thoughts out for all to hear. “Thanos has been playing us like a fiddle this whole time. He didn’t want us, he never did. All he wanted was to draw us out in the open so he could get Vision’s Stone.”

“How did he even know where to find us?” Rhodes asked, stomping forward in his hulking suit.

“Don’t know,” Strange said with a shake of his head. The Cloak of Levitation tried to clean the blood off the side of his face, but Strange waved it off. “Can’t focus on that now. Our main concern relies on getting Vision somewhere safe, getting back to Earth, and finding the Soul Stone.”

Easing himself away from Twilight, ensuring that Parker remained by her side and refusing to let her go, Tony turned to Strange, slowly rising back up. “Where can we keep Vision?” Stark asked, Strange turning his way. “There are two invasions on Earth and Equus, and Thanos’ eyes are everywhere!”

“We’ll figure it out!” Strange retorted.

“What about the volcano?” Parker asked, several heads swiveling back towards the Spider-Man. Peter nearly crumbled under their furious eyes, realizing he had breached the argument with almost completely irrelevant information. It became even more irrelevant when the pony by his side coughed rather loudly into her foreleg, heads turning her way.

The ponies turned to their friend, eyes wide and worried.

Lifting her bloody and bruised face, Twilight turned to Peter on her right, murmuring, “What volcano?”

Her tone tried to be humorous, but it lacked any and all forms of humor. Her voice scratched against everyone’s ears, telling them that the Alicorn hurt. She hurt bad. If she tried to mask it, she did a painfully bad job at doing it. They could hardly blame her, given her current, broken, battered, and beaten state. Everyone instead turned to the remains of Mount Tartarus, to the focus of Twilight’s statement. A titanic caldera remained where the largest peak in the Badlands once towered. Plumes of ash, fire, and darkness billowed in the air and blotted out all the world to the south, threatening to tip northwards. The wind pushing in their direction threatened that horrifying thought, something more to warn the princesses of when they returned. Towers of molten rock and magma shot out from within the caldera, blood red and radiating heat, death, and decay. Lightning and thunder roared from within the dark clouds above the eruption, just as red as the fires and lava consuming the lands surrounding it.

Twilight coughed, bringing everyone’s eyes back to her and away from the horrifying display. Shaking her head and lowering her shivering foreleg to the sand, Twilight gazed only to the ground, stuttering, “We’ll report… everything we’ve learned here… to Princess Celestia and Luna. I’m sorry… for bringing you all into this. If I had known… if I had…”

Her eyelids fell, the Alicorn collapsing forward. Stark shot down, helping her from falling flat on her face. “All right, princess, save your energy,” Tony warned her, watching as her pupils barely moved from between her eyelids. Her head nearly went slack. She was hardly breathing.

Lifting his head back up, Stark stared at the Sorcerer Supreme. His eyes said it all, but he still said, “Portal to Canterlot, please?”

Strange nodded, spinning accordingly so his eyes turned to everyone. Everyone and everypony. They lingered a moment longer on the mares, seeing the blood seep through the gash above Starlight’s eye, or the sickening black bruise on Applejack’s hind leg, or even the shell-shocked, million-mile stare from Rarity. They lingered only on them. “Get the wounded in first! Everyone else follow!”

Stephen watched as someone—be it Guardian, Avenger, or even the silent Defender—shakily gathered themselves and their allies. Some wrapped others’ arms around their shoulders, moving accordingly to the orange, sparking portal Strange created with a continuous wave of his hand. The Guardians were first, but Gamora was last. Peter didn’t even offer her his hand when he stepped from the sand and into the safety of Canterlot’s halls. Groot bent down, and without her permission, scooped Fluttershy into his arms. She barely objected, turning to see the adolescent’s concerned gaze focused only on her. A far cry to how he used to stare at her with detest. He and Rocket limped into the portal, the raccoon with his rifle resting on his shoulder.

Then walked the Avengers, away from the aftermath and into security. James bent down and offered Rarity his hand, to which she managed to take after breaking away from her daze. He gently led her into the portal. Thor was next, bending down and scooping up the two mares. Applejack and Rainbow objected heavily, but Thor gave them nothing, no bargaining. AJ and Dash eventually just turned to one another, then back to Thor, then eventually gave in. Each pony rested on a bicep, frowning from having to be carried. Then again, the pain in Applejack’s leg and in Rainbow’s forelegs and wings reminded them of the challenge that would come if they walked or flew themselves. They accepted Thor’s care, their frowns eventually fading. Stark nodded to Parker, telling him to get Starlight and Sunset. He nodded, retreating over to the two unicorns to ensure them of his presence, helping them step through the portal, more so Starlight than Sunset.

Then that left Stark.

He and Twilight.

There was no way in hell she was walking in her condition, and even Stark’s wavering agonies slowly began to make a comeback. Grinding his teeth, he bent further down, scooping the Alicorn as gently as he could. As carefully as he could manage. Like he would a child. With her eyes half-lidded, the Alicorn slowly relaxed her head on Tony’s bicep, her eyes gazing just below the Arc Reactor. She met Tony’s gaze, the man just as weary, beaten, and bloody as her. He really tried not to show it.

“You owe me… big time.”

Twilight breathed a chuckle, darkness slowly trying to overcome her vision. It was comforting, and Twilight nearly welcomed it had Stark’s voice not piped up, “Hey, none of that. Eyes on me. Come on.”

The two stepped through Strange’s portal, the ash raining around them as they did so, the golden sunrise burning against the side of their bodies. The two tortured minds, the wounded souls, made their way in broken unity into Canterlot. Stephen turned around, still keeping the portal open for them.

Nebula was first, not even meeting Strange’s gaze.

Then walked Frank Castle, a slight limp in his step. He grumbled to Stephen before stepping inside. Strange gazed to his backside, then slowly turned back to the last four.

Luke Cage offered Murdock his hand. Matt took it, cringing as he was forced back up to his feet. He sent a thankful nod Cage’s way, Luke nodding in return and turning to his right. He lifted her up, wrapped her arm across his shoulder, and made his way to the portal. Jessica didn’t even object. She said nothing at all. Danny Rand let his hand—his bloody fist—rest on Matthew’s shoulder, let it linger, before he let it fall.

Then Matthew put on his mask and followed right behind him, the Daredevil entering the portal.

Strange watched them. He nearly closed the portal. He nearly did… had the slight sniffle not caught his ears. He turned towards it. He didn’t even notice her.

“Pinkie…”

The lone Earth pony continued to stare out into the smoldering hellfire that once was Mount Tartarus. Her mane was nearly deflated, the cotton-like ends flapping in the wind alongside the ash that fell around her. The sunshine began to darken, the smog from the eruption finally beginning to take it. To devour it. To conquer it. And there she stood, her face away from Strange just staring in silence.

Until she turned around… and met his curious eyes.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen,” she whimpered, heavy tears in her eyes.

Stephen furrowed his brow. “How was it supposed to?”

Pinkie Pie made no further remark, staring at Strange for a moment longer before eventually dragging herself towards his portal. Her mane and tail were practically flat, a slight discoloration in her coat. Doctor Strange watched her leave, enter the portal, and step into Canterlot.

And he remained.

As far as he knew, as the last soul in all the Badlands, there he remained. There he thought. There he considered the circumstances and the final words offered to him from a force he still could barely understand. Pinkie brought them there, said they all needed to be together when they confronted the volcano. Something along those lines. And now…

Stephen lingered on those thoughts, feeling the area just over his heart. His palm shivered where the Eye of Agamotto should be. Where the Time Stone should be.

Then he stepped into his portal and closed it.

Chapter 61 – The Comeback Kids

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Castle, Hallways

11:07 a.m.

Defeat was always a lingering demon. Tony Stark knew it well. Most of his life was pampered, offered to him, achieved with his superior intellect and his father’s gifts. He had known only defeat a handful of times, but they were great enough to rival even his masterful achievements. Losing his home to the Mandarin, allowing Novi Grad to be destroyed and all the lives lost because of it, killing the Avengers over the Accords, and now… reality set in.

He almost died. Thanos, the same man—the same monster—who had been torturing him for six years could have easily ended him. Just by closing his fist. Just like that. Him and… Twilight. All previous failures and fears were minuscule, they were nothing compared to that grim and dreaded thought plastered and refusing to vanquish Stark’s other thoughts. A small part of him always believed they could get out of any situation unscathed—or at least alive. Ultron, the Accords, they were nothing. They made it out because they fought together, as a team. Nothing could bring that down.

Thanos made it perfectly clear that none of that meant jack shit.

He made it clear that they—despite all of their achievements, all of their victories, all of their strength—that they were nothing compared to him. Even Twilight, with her friends, they were still no match for him. Tony and Twilight together… no match. With the Guardians of the Galaxy, with New York’s Defenders, with the Punisher, with a blue, alien girl of all things, and a Sorcerer Supreme… no match.

Stephen Strange felt particularly ill about that defeat.

All his life he knew very little about what it was like to lose. He lost his little sister Donna at a young age, failed to save her from drowning, but other than that the majority of his life was nothing but success. Victory after victory, acquiring his M.D. and Ph.D. at the same time at medical school, allowing him to become one of the top neurosurgeons in New York. After the crash, after losing his hands… perhaps there was a time Stephen could recall feeling truly at odds with himself. Feeling truly and totally defeated. It was only thanks to the Masters of the Mystic Arts did he find his place in the world again, and now that position… was more important than ever.

The Time Stone had been threatened. Thanos had proven that he was a capable foe, powerful enough to be able to control more than one Infinity Stone at once, dangerous enough to be able to withstand not only him, but the Avengers, the Guardians, the Defenders, and the Elements of Harmony. And completely kick their asses while doing so.

But they shouldn’t feel defeated, because they stopped him. They stopped Thanos from acquiring the Mind Stone. Yet they didn’t celebrate such victories. The underlying, wrenching feeling of defeat, of a kind they had never experienced before, being completely and utterly overpowered by someone so much more powerful than them… was there. It was real.

Everyone knew it.

Everyone and everypony.

Doctor Strange saw it all.

The suffering, the agony, the crying, the tears, the blood, the bruises, the beaten and the weary all scattered about, trying to push onwards but only failing to their human—or non-human—characteristics. Everyone expressed pain. Everyone could get hurt. But the ponies… they hurt. They hurt the most of all. Simple scrapes, cuts, bruises and limps from the likes of the Avengers, the Guardians, and even the Defenders, but the ponies were different. Strange couldn’t blame them.

They had never experienced such forms of depravity, of chaos, of world-breaking power and rage the likes of which Thanos was clearly capable of. They tried to show strength, tried to simply stand and walk, but it was nothing. Failure. Defeat. Loss. Everything they felt and believed were. Twilight Sparkle could barely stand, her friends Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy trying to keep her awake and alive. Sunset was busy tending to Starlight’s wound just around her horn, trying to stop the bleeding and failing at that. Rainbow and Applejack tended to their injuries, eyes watery and teeth clenched as they prodded the large cuts and bruises pockmarked on their bodies. Even Stark found trouble staying on his feet, Parker having to pick him back up every now and again.

Then there was Rarity, watching it all with the biggest eyes Strange had ever seen grace a pony. Staring at them but seeing nothing. Trying to breathe but only breathing fear. Trying to live but only living in that entrapment.

Doctor Strange tried to delve deeper into that, but stopped when came seven individuals from down the hall. More ponies, some he had never seen nor met. They came across as that of a higher authority, looking from Peter Quill and his Guardians leaning against the wall and one another for support with barely a wavering glance. They turned to the Defenders, sending the same glance their way before finally settling on the Avengers.

And who were with them.

“Twilight!” the pony with the long, white beard exclaimed, practically galloping forward towards the Alicorn. He wore blue robes and an erected, colorful hat resembling that of a clichéd wizard more than anything. Strange took a particular interest in him, watching as the remaining six individuals galloped or trotted right behind him, eventually stopping just in front of Princess Twilight and the Avengers she stood with.

Barely lifting her head, Twilight’s broken features almost lit up when she saw them approach her. “Star Swirl!” she exclaimed just as well, cringing as a wave of pain flushed through her, more blood seeping down her nostrils. Pinkie and Fluttershy remained close by her side, turning to Star Swirl as he held out his hoof to the Alicorn, to which she managed to take.

Managing her breathing, Twilight lifted her gaze once more, smiling weakly to the remaining ponies with Star Swirl. “Pillars…” she greeted them. Rockhoof, Stygian, Mistmane, Flash Magnus, Somnambula, and Make Meadowbrook offered helpful smiles to the Alicorn, all of which falling when she coughed up a helping of crimson into her free foreleg. Turning back to Star Swirl holding her hoof and keeping her standing, Twilight forced a smile. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank us just yet,” Star Swirl told her, finally observing the remaining Avengers that stood behind Twilight and her friends. He turned back to Twilight, stared into her bloodshot eyes, at her broken snout, at the blood and bruises painted on her face. “What happened out there?”

“Pillars?” Stephen asked, several eyes finally taking notice to the seven new faces. Quill and the Guardians cast them a waning glance, sighing before returning to themselves. The Defenders didn’t even look. None of them paid much attention to anything except themselves. Murdock always had his ears open, though. Frank acted like they didn’t even exist, finding interest only in his injuries. The remaining Avengers seemed to be the only people taking notice to the Pillars, all their eyes on them.

Facing away from Princess Twilight momentarily, Star Swirl the Bearded and his compatriots turned instead to Doctor Strange and his allies. Tony Stark leaning on Peter Parker, James Rhodes and Thor standing awkwardly, all silent as the near-ancient unicorn stepped forth to them. To Strange. The two of them took the moment to analyze one another, no words exchanged, just wandering eyes and furrowing brows. The two minds, the two wizards, seemed to be at odds just by each other’s presence, trying to deduce who looked more ridiculous. Star Swirl wasn’t alone, the remaining Pillars right behind him. The remaining Avengers stepped up behind Strange, the two sides meeting at last.

Snorting softly, feeling the presence of his allies behind him, Star Swirl held up his hoof to himself. “We are the Pillars of Old Equestria, some of Equestria’s greatest defenders. Myself, Star Swirl the Bearded, and my allies,” his hoof waved across to the remaining ponies by his side and behind him. “Mistmane, Flash Magnus, Mage Meadowbrook, Rockhoof, Somnambula, and Stygian. And you are?”

Not even going to attempt to remember all of their ridiculous names, Stephen just nodded, a thin line that could barely be identified as a smile gracing his lips. “Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts,” he replied with a firm nod, turning over to the four who stood with him. “This is Tony Stark and his fellow Avengers, Earth’s greatest defenders. It’s a pleasure.”

Star Swirl nodded to them, a few smiles from the likes of Meadowbrook and Mistmane. “Mystic Arts, hm?” Star Swirl inquired, rubbing a hoof down his long, pearly-white beard. “How very interesting…”

“The Bearded, huh?” Strange retorted, chuckling weakly. “Gotta wonder how you got that name.”

Behind him, Stark just rolled his eyes, clutching onto his abdomen as he leaned against the wall.

He didn’t think anyone caught that, but Star Swirl did, the unicorn acknowledging their impatience. “Certainly tales for another time. Unfortunately, due to Princess Twilight’s severe injuries, I don’t think we can acquire an accurate description of what happened in the Badlands. None of her friends seem capable of recounting those events either.”

Twilight gently took a seat against the hallway wall, still cringing as Pinkie and Fluttershy soothed her, tending to her wounds as best as they could. Her ragged breathing was joined only by the sounds of suffering and sniffles amongst the other wounded mares. Applejack, Starlight, and Rainbow Dash specifically tried to keep things down to a minimum, but they couldn’t ignore the cries of their body. No matter how hard they tried to. Sunset gently rubbed the back of Rarity’s mane—the fashionista still appearing as lost as a missing puppy—looking over to Twilight and the rest of the girls, seeing the same amount of suffering shared amongst them. Those eyes turned to Star Swirl, the two unicorns casting a glance of shared understanding between one another.

“So, perhaps you can offer some insight, Doctor Strange,” Star Swirl exclaimed.

“First things first,” Tony interrupted, several heads shifting in his direction. Managing to stand on his own without Parker’s help, hand resting over his abdomen, Stark grunted and pushed away from Peter, assuring him without even saying a word. What he did say was: “Where’s Vision?”

“The Vision is in safe hooves,” Meadowbrook answered, earning several sighs of relief from the Avengers, Strange as well. “He’s currently with the princesses in the War Room, though perhaps a hospital bed would be a far more suitable environment for him. As well as the rest of you…”

Her uneasy eyes shifted downwards to Stark’s abdomen, his blood-covered palm shielding what could be a dangerous or even fatal laceration. She gulped softly, that gentle gaze of hers meeting back with Tony’s. They quickly turned to the God of Thunder when his booming voice erupted in the empty hallways. Save for them.

“Why?” Thor asked. “What happened?”

“We were hoping we could ask that ourselves,” Flash Magnus replied.

A painful cry broke out. Nearly everyone turned to see Danny Rand get his shoulder popped back into place thanks to Luke Cage. The remaining Defenders were silent, cared for themselves, cast no one a second glance. Jessica sat on the floor, back to the wall, with the worst scowl ever plastered on her face. Blood fell from her forehead, her eyes low. Murdock was quiet, stared straight ahead, breathed softly and just listened.

That was how things were, shared amongst even the strongest Avengers and greatest Guardians. The aching feeling of defeat was still as ripe as ever before, since they stepped foot out of the Badlands. No one could say a word, no one could express any other feeling than they already had. Everything was laid bare in the Badlands, the deepest secrets and greatest fears expelled for all to hear. And no one could say another word than that. The tension was so thick it choked them of air, keeping them quiet, unable to speak.

Doctor Strange sighed, almost closing his eyes. When he spoke, the unsettling silence seemed to cause the Pillars to flinch, turning back to the Sorcerer Supreme. “His name is Thanos. I won’t go into much detail, but all you need to know is that he wants half the universe dead. We just witnessed that ideology firsthand in the Badlands.”

“The universe?” Mistmane questioned. Strange could only nod, several others doing the same. Several Avengers in particular, even some form of movement from the Defenders. Even the Guardians started to eavesdrop on the conversation.

“Oh, my…” Meadowbrook gasped, hoof pressed just over her racing heart.

While the Pillars were still trying to decipher how anyone could even bring about such death and destruction in the first place, one among them asked what was on all of their minds. “How is such genocide even possible?” Stygian asked.

“He can achieve that with what’s called the Infinity Stones,” Stephen explained, pointing to his own forehead. “Our friend, the Vision, has one of those Stones embedded right in his forehead.”

“Infinity Stones…?” Star Swirl repeated, rubbing his beard once again. A mineral—possibly several—capable of bringing about genocide at a universal scale was something completely unheard of to the ancient unicorn. It terrified most ponies—his fellow Pillars and Twilight’s friends to name a few—but intrigued him more so. “How interesting… What else happened?”

“Other than Thanos, we were seemingly ambushed by a cluster of… giant… snakes of all things.”

“Snakes,” Rockhoof interrupted, stamping his massive hoof into the solid marble, making the ground tremble slightly. “And of the volcano?”

“It’s gone,” Stark grumbled. “Erupted.”

The Pillars began to speak in secret, hushed whispers between themselves. Star Swirl sighed, the others with him fearing the worst, knowing the inevitable conclusion. Uneasy glances were shared between them, shushing once Star Swirl began to speak. “It is just as we feared. Doctor Strange, you and your allies must deal with this… ‘Thanos’ while we will deal with the serpents.”

Strange raised a curious brow. “Why? What’s their importance in all of this?”

“An old foe, I’m afraid,” Star Swirl replied. Unbeknownst to him, Twilight Sparkle’s ear twitched when he said those words… An old foe. She slowly lifted her head, lips slightly parted as she forced her gaze to the left, watching and listening the conversation unfold between the Pillars and the Avengers. She took particular care to listen to Star Swirl’s words.

Star Swirl waved his hoof out, saying, “Nothing us ponies cannot handle. With the Elements of Harmony safe, there is no power on this planet that can hope to stand against us. We will defeat our old foe just as we have before. Nothing to it.”

Somewhat interested on the idea of the “Elements of Harmony” and their purpose, Strange kept the idea close to heart and mind and nodded regardless. “Well, all right. Guess that leaves just us,” Stephen said, turning back to the rest of the Avengers. “What do you say we head back to Earth and—”

“Also…”

Every head in the hallway shifted back to the Pillars. Doctor Strange slowly faced forward once again, his brow furrowing to the Pegasus who interrupted him. Flash cleared his throat. “Princess Celestia and Luna wanted to let you know that the invasion on Earth is in full-force, and the one here on Equus has halted for the time being. It seems all is quiet on the Equestrian front.”

That… was certainly a game-changer.

The tides of war had shifted, and in a way Strange nor Stark nor anyone could have really expected. Quill, Gamora, and Mantis all appeared somewhat shaken at that information, the remaining Guardians keeping their hardened frowns clear as day. The Defenders remained adamant, although still appearing taken aback by the news nonetheless. Castle shared the same fate, as did Nebula. As for the Avengers, they remained uncertain. The ponies looked to them for a reaction, for a plan, for a means of knowing how to fight back and get out of any situation, just like they had before.

And when they finally responded… when he finally responded, they clearly weren’t expecting it.

“We can’t bring Vision to Earth,” Tony Stark said.

No one was.

“What?” Strange growled, whipping back to face Tony. He was seen leaning against the wall for support, Peter on his left just in case he needed help walking. The remaining Avengers were in the same boat, as were the mares, all eyes shifting and all silence falling on the Iron Man. Twilight, especially, was almost shocked to hear his suggestion.

“You’ve seen what Thanos can do… we all have,” Stark continued, clearly focusing his tone towards Strange. “If we bring him somewhere Thanos’ forces are completely surrounding, then we’re basically signing his death certificate. We were lucky no innocent lives were in the Badlands, but you see… what Thanos is capable of. If we bring Vision to Earth, he’ll have all eyes on that planet. He will not stop until that Stone is out of Vision’s head.”

“I-I’m a little confused on your logic, Stark,” Stephen retorted, eyes shifting in his direction. “What, are you saying we leave Vision here, nearly defenseless, while the rest of us go to Earth?!”

“Stop putting words in my mouth, Doc,” Stark suddenly barked, stepping forth and nearly butting heads with the sorcerer. “Canterlot looks pretty well-defended, huh? Celestia and Luna… two ponies who have the power to move the sun and the moon… holding a shield over this entire city. And last time I checked Thanos has no idea where to look for Vision. He doesn’t know where Canterlot is, so therefore he doesn’t know where Vision is. All of his forces are focused on Earth. So, we all go to Earth… we bring Thanos’ attention to Earth… we recuperate, recover… and take the fight to him!”

Silence. Utter silence. The two stared each other down, both bloodied, beaten, and bruised, but both standing tall and intimidating, trying to push the other down by sheer force of will and voice. Neither crumbled. Stark and Strange eyed one another for several seconds more, Tony finally ending it with, “Doctor… do you concur?”

And to everyone’s shock…

“All right, Stark,” Stephen finally replied with small nod. “We get back to Earth, and you need to get the remaining Avengers back together. I’ll warn Wong and the rest of Masters of the Mystic Arts in the meantime.”

“What do you mean?” Rhodes asked.

Strange turned around to James, but more so to face the other Avengers when he articulated himself. “Time Stone’s been threatened. I need to check on it back in Kamar-Taj,” he explained. Stepping aside from the rest of the group, gaining enough space for him to crack his knuckles and ready himself, Strange continued. “When Thanos comes for the Stone… and he will come for it… I’ll open a portal, take Thanos somewhere he can’t hurt anyone, and we’ll all stop Thanos before he has the chance to take it. Sound like a plan?”

He twisted his neck back, eyes landing on Stark and his team, waiting for some form of a response. Stark kept one hand on his healing abdomen, the other against the wall, eyes to the floor, trying to think. He turned back to them, to his team. Peter pursed his lips and shook his head. James was nearly the same, looking to Stark and nodding. Thor offered one firm nod to Tony. Just one that spoke volumes.

“It’s not much, pretty much everything can go wrong, but… it’s all we got,” Tony replied.

“It’s all we need,” Strange said, turning from Stark to the remaining members of their team. Whatever they could call their “team”. None of them, not even Stephen felt comfortable pushing that name upon them. “Everyone pick yourselves up! Get ready to move! We’re heading back home!”

As he finished with those words, Strange shot out his hands and started to form a portal from the Sling Ring. With some effort, the portal was finally birthed, spewing orange sparks across the marble floor of Canterlot Castle’s hallways. The Pillars were slightly taken by surprise from such odd forms of magic being performed before them. Star Swirl, as still the wondering mind as he ever once was, just took it all in with keen interest, remaining silent for the following events to bypass.

“Thor, go pick up Banner and your brother,” Stark said without even looking at him.

Thor snorted a chuckle. “You trust him already, Stark?”

Tony shook his head. “Just… get them.”

No time for merriment and games. Thor took the hint just from the tone of his voice, his smile crumbling fast and his expression hardening. He simply nodded in response. “Very well.”

As Thor made his escape down the hallway, asking Somnambula where Loki and Banner were before he did so, that left the remaining Avengers, Guardians, and Defenders alone with the eight mares and seven Pillars. Nothing was too sweet. Nothing was too sad. Short goodbyes were given, Avengers assuring ponies that they would return when things started to cool down. In the meantime, the ponies in turn promised to keep Vision safe in Canterlot. A few hugs, not too hard, everyone minding their own injuries.

Naturally, Quill led the Guardians of the Galaxy to the portal first of all, slipping right through the Avengers and mares as he did so. Almost with revitalized energy, like he just couldn’t wait to leave. Rocket, Groot, Drax, Nebula, and Mantis were the first ones in the portal, followed by Rhodes and Frank Castle. Tony and Parker remained momentarily, bent low, speaking with Twilight over personal matters. Then Quill stopped. Just on Strange’s left, pausing to turn when he heard that voice call out…

“Gamora…”

In response to her name, Gamora stopped where she was, just right behind Quill. Together, the two of them slowly spun around to face the inevitable. To hear the unexpected. To experience the unwanted. Especially Gamora.

Especially when Sunset Shimmer stood before them. She stood awkwardly behind both Gamora and Quill, almost losing her train of thought when both turned to her. Even some other eyes in the hall turned her way, something she wasn’t expecting nor wanted for what she was going to say. Despite that, Sunset took in a deep breath, held it in, and slowly eased it out. A tip from Twilight. Always helped.

Not this time.

Shaking her head regardless, Sunset began without even looking at her. “I… I-I…” she stumbled, another deep breath, some recollection, then began again. “I… saw what Thanos did to your world… to your parents. If you’re wondering, it’s all the geode; it’s magic allows me to… do that when I touch somepony… or someone in this case.”

Her golden hoof barely graced the red necklace, Gamora’s eyes rising back up to meet the unicorn’s.

“I just want to tell you that I’m sorry,” Sunset forced out, finally finding the courage to meet Gamora’s eyes. She needed it. Both of them did, to know either were willing to meet each other and see the truth in their statements, see the look in their eyes, and know they were both willing to lay it all down and hold nothing back. Surprisingly enough, it seemed to work, Sunset already growing more confident just by holding Gamora’s painful stare. Her eyes burned red, both of theirs’ did, at the mention of Gamora’s parents.

It only grew worse over time, that horrible, sickening dread left to pester and rot in Sunset’s head. “I can’t imagine… losing my parents… or living the life you were forced to. I understand it must be difficult, trying to turn away from a life you once lived, trying to push down old pains… and they still try to come back. I-I just want you to know… that you’ll always have friends here looking out for you.”

Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Starlight Glimmer all forced smiles to the Zehoberei. They didn’t really look forced, despite the injuries they all suffered, the terror they all experienced, the dread of Thanos still lingering over them. They still found a reason to smile, despite the pain. And Gamora… found a reason to accept that.

While the idea of Sunset digging up her past and learning of her parents was still hard to grasp, she eventually let that thought slide, knowing that Sunset knew too much already to stop her. The truth was already out there, another one of many that came from the fiercest woman in the galaxy.

And the most cursed.

“Thank you.”

It was all she could say. All she could offer them. Then she turned around with Peter Quill and stepped into the portal.

Sunset’s smile slowly deflated the moment she heard the scream.

It was quiet, like a whisper, like something only she could hear because nopony else seemed to react to it. Furrowing her brow at that, Sunset’s head fell down to her geode, a slight twinkle in her eyes when she finally saw it: the geode softly glowing, softly emanating the quiet squeals that no one but her could hear. Then it slowly dimmed, became quiet once more. Not a peep.

Sunset lifted her head and they were gone. Gamora, Peter, and the rest of the Guardians… all gone through the portal back to Earth. However, right before she stepped into the swirling orange, Stephen stopped her, saying, “About the Soul Stone—”

“I’ll tell you soon,” Gamora whispered in response, casting Strange one last stare before entering the vortex. Then she was gone. Then the light from Sunset’s geode died.

Then Thor declared, “Final haul!”

Everypony and everyone turned accordingly to the King of Asgard. With him strode Loki and Bruce Banner, Spike fluttering next to them. The four of them almost broke apart when Spike’s eyes landed on Twilight, the young dragon taking off with such speed it could rival that of even Rainbow Dash. Banner as well took towards Stark, noticing his injuries and already questioning how he received them. That left Thor and Loki, the two hopping through Strange’s portal—after Thor gave his goodbyes of course—much to Loki’s dismay and reluctance to be anywhere near Strange’s magic.

As Spike reunited with Twilight, practically tackling the Alicorn in a hug, Bruce caught up with Tony and Parker. “What happened?” Banner asked, widened eyes zipping up and down as he analyzed Stark’s cuts and injuries.

“We’ll explain everything back at the facility. Come on,” Tony said, Peter having to walk by his side just in case he collapsed. Stark held his own relatively well, only pausing just at the face of the portal.

They looked back one last time, to them. The eight mares came together, Twilight holding Spike, gazing to Stark and Peter with uncertainty in her eyes. Several ponies shared her expression, many others trying to put on brace faces, forced smiles. All masks trying to hide the pain. Tony would lie if he wasn’t trying to do the same thing.

Peter lifted his free palm in what could barely be identified as a wave. Then he and Stark were gone, alongside the rest of the Avengers.

The last ones in the portal were the Defenders and Stephen Strange himself. The Sorcerer Supreme sent one last look to Twilight and the girls, staring momentarily, more so on Rarity and Pinkie Pie. He nodded, an unknown look in his eyes that held something else. Knew something else. The orange sparks finally died and the vortex closed.

And all was quiet on the Equestrian front.

Twilight Sparkle stared at it a moment longer. While the rest of her friends slowly turned back to their own injuries, their own selves, and to one another, there were still those lingering eyes. Star Swirl and the Pillars were a few of those eyes, still latched to the wall where the portal once was, almost expecting it to return for a second.

Wincing, Twilight pulled Spike off of her, saying, “Easy there, Spike. Still not feeling too well.”

Breathing had become a challenge, as if a piercing pressure was placed on her lungs. That dreaded thought and conclusion alone only assured Twilight of one of Tony’s many responses to her, how she definitely needed some medical assistance. Peter Parker’s response to that also held weight, how they all needed medical. She wiped her snout and felt nothing, the area around her snout growing numb. Not good. Definitely needed some medical and fast.

“We… we saw the smoke all the way from Canterlot!” Spike cried, the Alicorn finally fully facing the young dragon. Spike, for the first time, finally took in Twilight’s state. Her wings and coat were disheveled and burnt, her mane and tail sharing the same fate. Dried and new blood painted her face, lips, and forelegs, a red in her eyes that just didn’t seem to go away. Her snout was angled awkwardly, Spike only fearing the worst for it. Bruises, cuts, and other wounds were present, like she had just been in the worst fight of her life. None of her friends were any better.

“Twilight… what happened out there?” Spike asked.

She didn’t know.

She didn’t know if she had the strength to say it, the strength to move her mouth up and down, a type of strength her body desperately needed to rebuild. She didn’t know if she could describe it in its fullest, only experiencing a mere portion of the type of horror seen in the Badlands. She didn’t know everypony else’s pains, sufferings, agonies, thoughts, worries, fears, or whatever else that plagued them. She didn’t know a lot of what had just happened to her, or her friends, or her world.

What just happened was something even Twilight didn’t know if she could explain.

She needed answers.

“Star Swirl…”

He turned appropriately to the Princess of Friendship, he and the rest of the Pillars of Old Equestria. They watched, he watched, everypony watched as she approached him steadily, limping with every step. Stopping mere feet before Star Swirl the Bearded, Twilight forced her neck up and her eyes forward, meeting Star Swirl’s and refusing to look anywhere else, refusing to turn away until she got an answer. Until she knew…

“What do you know about Typhon?”

Chapter 63 – To the End

Earth

Upper Atmosphere

Sanctuary II

Proxima Midnight and her husband were both undoubtedly, undyingly, unforgivingly loyal to their father. Whatever wish he dreamt, whatever command he gave, whatever order bestowed upon them… they would not rest, they would not stop until it was fulfilled. Only until their father was fully satisfied. Their recent work did not reflect that ideology they were forged in.

Corvus Glaive and his wife stood together, side by side, gazing out into the vast darkness of space from the bridge of Sanctuary II. They knew it only as home, the very ship they stood within being the lair of their uprising, of their mingling, of their training, of their pain… of their love. Thanos was very accepting of his children, very patient and very kind if they did as they were told and returned in victory. Thanos expected no less from the very children he saved from their planets and trained with all their lives. Failure resulted in judgement, which resulted in agony beyond comprehension. But worst of all… resulted from father’s faith to fall away, turn elsewhere. He would no longer look at them the same way again… unless they proved themselves once more.

The needing of a father’s love, of attention, of that bond was something Proxima and Corvus had felt all their lives. It always gave them strength on the battlefield when they claimed infant worlds in Thanos’ name. It was what united them in the first place, brought their love to one united being, made them even stronger when they fought together. It all stemmed from their father, the one who brought them together to begin with.

Now…

Now…

Earth was so hauntingly gorgeous. They never really stopped to admire planets meant to be taken for the Great Titan, but Earth caught them. She caught them in her burning embrace. Her lands, her skies, they bled an inferno so great that the light of sun mixed with the reds and the oranges cascaded across the clouds and the ground. The seas were a beautiful portrait, the colors of the universe, of the Milky Way, of the stars within it and the sun’s own glory spread its love onto the planet and showed her invaders… there was something mystical to it. There was something hidden within the rock. Something they needed.

Thanos gave them one last opportunity to redeem themselves after their failure in Scotland. He showed his fury only when necessary, he expelled his anger only when it mattered. He concealed it so very well, but it was obvious they had disappointed him. His last words before he left them once again were very, very clear. They will take the Soul Stone no matter the costs. They will move towards Africa, towards Wakanda, ready to join the Chitauri warships and begin the invasion. All of Thanos’ forces will be under their control. All of his children’s control. Everything… under their control.

Then he was gone, off on his own quest yet again.

When he came back, they would have the Soul Stone for him. That was what Thanos had told them. No more mistakes. No more holding back. It was all or nothing.

Only their “all” wasn’t truly present at the moment.

“What did the Maw say of his presence?” Proxima Midnight asked, breaking the space of silence between them in the dark, towering essence of Sanctuary II.

“Maw and Obsidian will return shortly, once Thanos commands it,” Corvus Glaive replied. In his hand, in his right claw, he gripped his glaive tighter than usual, the sharpened point pressed hard to the floor of the ship. With every subtle movement, every breath of aggravated air that left him, the point scratched the surface further and further.

“Guess we’re going this one on our own for now,” Proxima commented, an alien sense of fear barely rising on her tongue.

“For now,” Corvus replied almost instantly, ready to ease his beloved’s anxiety. Turning to her, hoping to change the subject matter for the time being, he asked, “Are you certain we cannot just take the mound? The Stone’s presence is directly beneath—”

“An impenetrable shield,” Proxima interrupted him. “The Outriders already informed me.”

Glaive sneered, his fangs glinting the light of the sun and the burning Earth. He would have a firm discussion with the Outriders later for keeping valuable information from him. Only at that moment, he would remain by his wife’s side, discussing strategy, ready to claim the nation of Wakanda in the name of Thanos. One nation was nothing compared to what Glaive had accomplished in the past. Entire worlds once crumbled to their knees just by the strategies Corvus alone was able to calculate and create. Single, decisive, effective, and powerful strategies that led to the collapse of entire civilizations would be more than enough for one simple nation on a burning world. There would be little fight.

Yet his wife’s words made him all the more disheartened. “Our weapons alone cannot penetrate their shield over the mound. If father was here, his Stones could easily grant us access, but he is not. This is our mission. We cannot afford to disappoint father a second time,” she explained, gripping her own spear just as tight—if not tighter—than her husband.

Proxima closed her eyes, hearing the disgruntled growls leave Glaive’s throat. She picked herself up, saying, “However… the Outriders spoke of a shield generator within the capital city. This generator supplies the shield over the mound, as well as the shield over the city. Since defenses improved in the capital city, the Outriders cannot sneak in and destroy it. If we destroy it, then the mound is ours… as well as the Soul Stone.”

“How do we know the shield over the city isn’t as fortified as the one above the mound?” Corvus asked, turning to his beloved.

She turned to him as well, the two meeting each other’s twisted, burning, shimmering, and loyal gazes. All the Earth burned just in their eyes alone. Each saw that. “The blood have proven their worth,” Proxima whispered, facing forward once again, the light shimmering on her face, making her appear more than mortal. “Their bodies have been the first of what is to be many Outriders to blot their lands. We take that city.”

They stood together, gazing out to the Earth beneath them. The humans beneath them, as the fires ate away at their world.

“To the end…” Proxima whispered, holding out her left palm.

Corvus placed his weapon into his left claw and gripped her hand with the other. “To the end.”

The Nation of Wakanda

Royal Palace of Wakanda, War Room

7:57 p.m.

With the invading forces moving dangerously closer every second towards the city, the final battle just over the horizon, and the Golden City’s outer defenses barely holding, Steve Rogers realized just how minuscule he truly was compared to the grand scheme of it all.

The golden sunset made Wakanda appear on an otherworldly scale. Fresh sunlight peaked just over the mountain ranges, dipping further and further until only the night would remain, and the stars of the Milky Way would shine down upon the lone African nation. Though Steve knew the sunset was not pure, not by any means. The slight shimmer of the blue dome hovering above and around the capital city was still visible, still made Steve feel so unrealistically small. Especially seeing the Chitauri Command Centers hanging in the distance, their bright blue lights glowing fiercely on their exteriors, making them visible for miles and miles. They only grew nearer as the sun faded, night finally settling. The enemies of Wakanda were circling their prey, vultures nearing, monsters of war ready to enact the invasion.

Steve wasn’t alone. Within the towering glass windows, within the War Room, his Secret Avengers were right by his sides. Natasha, Wanda, and Sam. The only people in the world he could actually trust fully, to no end, to fight and die by his side. Then there was Phil Coulson, an old ally, an old friend, alongside Daisy Johnson and Melinda May. The other agents were preparing the defenses alongside the Wakandan forces, readying the city for the greatest defense they could muster. The Jabari and Border Tribes were already setting up strategic defense points, readying the machines of war, ready to defend their home.

Robbie Reyes was elsewhere, probably somewhere he and the Spirit couldn’t be bothered.

Then there was T’Challa, the Black Panther, his love Nakia, his mother Ramonda, and his closest guards of the Dora Milaje. Okoye and Ayo gazed alongside their king, alongside the Avengers and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. out into the city below, to the lands afar, and to the war ahead of them. All of them appeared pale, on edge, gripping their weapons and each other’s hands just seeing the alien warships in the distance, so far away yet massive to the eye. They only grew closer with each passing second. Shuri was still in her lab beneath Mount Bashenga, promised to arrive first thing in the morning to give Steve—as she put it—the “best damn shield in the world”.

As for Steve, he returned his attention, his hundred-year-old eyes, back to the stars. The shield above the Golden City shimmered like the ocean’s surface, and like the face of water it would ripple every few seconds, signifying in the worst possible way that the shield wasn’t permanent. It would hold momentarily, but if pressed too far, if too much pressure was added against it, the shield would fail. Leaving the capital city of Wakanda fresh for the taking.

Of course, they could have easily rerouted most of the energy from the shield generator onto the capital city. They could have easily ensured the Golden City’s safety with just the press of a few buttons. But they didn’t. They couldn’t. The shield was barely holding because most of the generator’s energy was being focused over Mount Bashenga, where Shuri was.

Where the Stone was…

Yet the Chitauri still set their focus on the capital city. Just as they had since Wakanda started tracking them before they even entered the nation. They weren’t going for Mount Bashenga. They weren’t going for the Stone.

“The Chitauri either want Wakanda’s strength out of the picture… or they really want that Stone,” Phil Coulson said, ending the silence, seemingly capable of reading Steve Rogers’ conflicting thoughts. Several heads swiveled in the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s direction, every eye from the royalty of Wakanda turning back to stare. To question. To understand everything that he meant.

T’Challa sighed, staring at the floor of the War Room for several seconds too long. He stood in the face of one of the greatest challenges any good king could know and fight against. The very safety of his home, his city, and his people were on the line, threatened by an external force too great for them to handle, on a scale far larger than anything Wakanda was capable of. The city’s populace may have been safely evacuated and taken to the home of the Jabari, but there was still the city. Still his home. Still everything that the aliens wanted.

“They will come for the Golden City,” T’Challa said, his voice grim, his eyes plastered with dread. His mother, his lover, his guards all looked to him. Everyone did. They followed his head, his gaze as it slowly faced forward, staring out onto the approaching warships. Maybe there were ten. Maybe there were a hundred. Maybe there was so much more he couldn’t see. “They will come for the shield generator. With it destroyed… Mount Bashenga will be theirs.”

“They will have the great power within the vibranium,” the Queen Mother Ramonda uttered.

“They will have the heart of the nation,” Nakia fearfully whispered.

“That’s not gonna happen,” Steve declared, already easing the growing anxiety just by the power and tone of his voice. The voice that inspired millions to turn against the face of tyranny more than seventy years ago. It still held the same strength as it did back then, perhaps even more so. Despite ripping off that star, despite abandoning the mantle as Captain America, the real Steve Rogers was still there. The same kid, the same man, the same fighter was still alive.

And Steve Rogers turned to them, assured them with one, single, powerful now. “We’ll defend the outer perimeter with our lives if we need to, Your Highness.”

Unfortunately, even the great Steve Rogers’ hopeful tone mattered little to the royalty. “It would be a short-fought battle, then,” Ramonda exclaimed, hands held tightly with one another, lips pursed even tighter.

“You don’t think we can handle a few alien bugs?” Natasha asked, an amused grin tugging at the edge of her lips.

“They won’t get through us,” Wanda growled, her irises flashing red for a brief but powerful second, the sound that was birthed from it sending chills across Ramonda’s skin. Daisy Johnson, arms crossed, slowly turned to Maximoff on her left. To the Scarlet Witch. She could practically feel the power from the woman radiating off her person. She wondered if Wanda could feel her power too.

“I think she means we won’t last forever,” Sam commented, eyes shifting to the Falcon. Watching as he observed the group, counting off in his mind and appearing only disheartened once he reached a number not even close to being satisfactory, they could see as he shook his head, turning to Steve. “And she’s right. We’re seriously understaffed.”

Understaffed. He didn’t know such a simple word could be so profound, so undeniably realistic. So utterly terrifying. Steve Rogers slowly let his head move on its own, following his instincts to the ones he could trust, the people he could call his friends, his team. His family. Perhaps there was no one else he could consider closer than Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow, someone he could consider a sister. Despite their complicated past, where she stood in the disbanding of the Avengers, he still trusted her more than anyone. Then there was Sam Wilson, one of his closest friends becoming one of the most essential Avengers he could have by his side. Next to Natasha, Steve could trust no one else but Sam. Wanda Maximoff, raised as a survivor turned villain, Avenger turned fugitive, enemy turned friend. She was just as powerful, maybe even more, since the day he met her. There was no doubt that Wanda was one of the strongest Avengers on the team, and someone Steve would gladly fight through hell with.

Phil Coulson, Daisy Johnson, Melinda May, and the many more agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. came to them when they needed it most, when even the Avengers needed saving. Steve was practically enamored with Phil’s story, with Daisy’s powers, with everything S.H.I.E.L.D. had done since its collapse four years ago. And Phil was there. Daisy and May were there. They were there fighting and living and raising the banner of what S.H.I.E.L.D. was always meant to be. Because of that… Steve felt closer to them than he ever could have before. Fighting with Phil, fighting with S.H.I.E.L.D., it brought back memories of a time where he was still part of a real team. A real coalition. Those were the days.

Black Panther and his Wakandan army. Their city alone was proof of the raw power Wakanda had and proudly wielded. Even when they fought on opposite ends, even when he tried to kill his best friend, Steve could still admire the determination, the strength, the will of King T’Challa. He and his people would proudly live and die for the nation. For their people. And so would Steve. So would the Avengers, to do everything in their power to prevent the inevitable.

But they weren’t enough.

“Captain…”

Steve Rogers turned to it despite no longer acknowledging that title. He only saw Phil. The fan, the man, the agent, the survivor. The friend. The one who started it all, staring into Steve’s eyes with a look that meant nothing else… but one thing. Then he nodded. “It’s time.”

And it was. Time to end the war before it got out of hand. Time to stop the inevitable and turn the tides. Time for a united front against the forces of evil that sought to destroy them. Time to bring the Avengers back together.

“It’s time,” Steve repeated, slowly nodding in return. Phil Coulson smiled.

Steve spun around, taking off at a slow pace at first, one that only quickened when he was instantly trailed by the rest of his team. “Avengers, you’re with me. Phil, Daisy, May, on my tail. Your Majesties…” Steve said, pausing and spinning about to face the royalty of Wakanda once more. They stood and stared as he and those who walked with him froze just at the exit of the War Room. They all did, just standing and staring, the two sides facing one another with what could have been a thousand miles away.

Steve nodded to them. “We’ll be back soon.”

“Where are you off to, Captain?” T’Challa asked, stepping forth alongside Nakia and Okoye.

Rogers faced the exit, sighed heavily, then turned back to Phil. He offered a warm smile, to which Steve finally returned. It shortly died, the First Avenger turning back to the Black Panther once again. “Off to set things right.”

He faced the exit. Took one step forward.

“Oh, and T’Challa…”

T’Challa, Okoye, Nakia, Ramonda, and all the Dora Milaje were silent.

Steve looked back one last time and said, “We need all hands on deck.”

It only took a second, just one second, for T’Challa to understand just what he meant. He nodded, watching as Steve and his allies exited the War Room, undoubtedly making their way to the runway. To the Zephyr One. To home.

All hands on deck…

Kissing Nakia softly, assuring her to stay with his mother for the time being, King T’Challa called to Okoye and the rest of the Dora Milaje, the remaining guards in the room not guarding the Queen Mother following their king right out of the War Room as well. “Are you sure he is ready?” Okoye asked, coming up fast next to her king.

The Black Panther clenched his fists and stared right into the darkness, saluted the guards by the exit, and growled, “The White Wolf has rested long enough.”

Chapter 64 – Elements

Equus

Everfree Forest, Equestria

The Tree of Harmony

5:34 p.m.

They shouldn’t have been out of bed, but they couldn’t help it. They couldn’t rest. One could argue they felt better already.

Twilight Sparkle led her group of friends—of which consisted of those wounded and those not so wounded—into the Everfree Forest. More specifically, near the Castle of the Two Sisters. Even more specifically, right into the cavern that held the most powerful relics in all of Equestria. Maybe in all of Equus. With her stood her closest friends; Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, and Spike. They all gazed in conjoined awe, shared wonder, and pure intensity. The light of the Tree of Harmony shone down upon them, the individual colors of each Element of Harmony shimmering within the dark cavern.

The light blue of Laughter.

The pink of Kindness.

The violet of Generosity.

The orange of Honesty.

The red of Loyalty.

And the magenta of Magic.

Birthed from the very seed of the Pillars of Old Equestria, with the strength and power capable of protecting Equestria for over a thousand years, the Elements of Harmony have always been the final resort to every situation, the assurance that the ponies knew would never fail. Just gazing into the light, the majestic, raw energy that the Tree and the Elements radiated gave Twilight a sense of ease, her wounds almost completely nonexistent. Short victories, the mare closing her eyes and breathing in deeply the moment, the power of the Elements raining down over her and her friends.

Otherworldly. The Elements of Harmony were unlike anything Equestria or its foes had ever known.

And they would once more be needed when the time was right.

“Why don’t we just take ‘em?”

Rainbow Dash. Always looking for a shortcut when there was none, always diving into situations head-first without analyzing it. Twilight sighed, her ears drooping and her head falling. Each of the mares wore some form of bandage on their bodies, wings, forelegs, or heads. Everypony was worn to the bone, eyes barely open, bodies barely standing, given a short burst of energy only when standing under the light of the Tree of Harmony. But even that faded. None of them were in any condition to fight, to go to war, to take on a foe like they had once before. Not since the Badlands. Every form of fight within them just seemed to be snuffed out. Like a candle. Except for Rainbow of course, who would kill herself in the end just to prove her loyalty was greater than her own well-being. Twilight had made herself specifically clear not only to her friends, but to the princesses as well that they were only leaving Canterlot momentarily, to check on the Tree of Harmony to see if it was still safe. To see if their greatest weapons were still safe.

The aliens never found it. The horrors and shadows of the Everfree Forest managed to conceal its power another day.

“The Elements are safe, Rainbow,” Twilight finally responded, her voice still as hoarse as when she left the hospital. None of the mares sounded the same since the Badlands. Her eyes gazed to the Tree, to her Element, a gleam of hope shimmering in her pupils. “We’ll know when to get them when the time is right. I don’t think any of us—in our conditions—are capable of wielding them at the moment anyway. But when we do, when Typhon… returns… we have the Elements at our disposal and the Rainbow Power. For now… it’s best to keep the Elements hidden where they’re safe, away from the public view, where no one but those we trust know where they are. We can’t risk it.”

Rainbow was not satisfied with that response, but the bags under her eyes, the weariness in her features fought so heavily against her that she couldn’t force herself to argue any further. Her body, her wounds, every single cut and bruise she sustained in the Badlands inclined her to agree with Twilight. Typhon could return at any moment—in the next day, hour, minute, or even the next second—and if she tried to use her Element against it, in the state she was currently in, there would be no hope. The enemy didn’t know where the Elements were, so that was another plus. She let her head fall, a heavy sigh escaping her when the reality of the situation finally dawned on her.

“When is Typhon returning?” Starlight asked, the bandages tight around the base of her horn.

Twilight gazed at her star within the Tree of Harmony for what felt like a millennium. “Star Swirl said it could be at any time, and that he’ll inform us when Typhon awakens from the Badlands. Regardless, we’ll return to either the castle or the Tree and have exactly what we need. Whichever is closer.”

The other ponies padded the dirt within the cavern with their hooves, some nodding to Twilight’s plan. Others, like Rainbow, were inclined to agree, though still held some wavering doubts on the whole situation as a whole. Not only did they have to deal with Typhon and his inevitable return, but the looming threat of Thanos was still up in the air. He still wanted Vision, more so what he had in his forehead. And he would stop at nothing to retrieve it. Then, of course, there was still the madness with the alien invasion, though it had halted momentarily on Equus, there was no telling when it would come back in full, devastating force. So much to think about. So much to worry, to fear, and to dread.

“Well, what do we do in the meantime?” Applejack pondered aloud, asking the question everypony was thinking.

Twilight was quick to respond. “Vision still needs protection from Thanos,” she said, already hearing the bodies shifting her way, the gasps of air. She spun around, faced her friends, and shot out her hoof to their accusing stares. “Don’t… even start. It’s not that I don’t trust the princesses to keep Canterlot and Vision safe, it’s just that…”

Twilight’s words trailed off, leading to nowhere. Her hoof eventually fell alongside her head, a sigh leaving her. Her invigorated spirit, the adrenaline she felt only momentarily quickly died, unpleasant memories arising when she tried to support her own claim.

“We all saw what he did to us,” Sunset began, picking up for Twilight, practically reading her mind. Twilight turned to the unicorn, wondering if she really could. “What he’s capable of. If Thanos… finds Vision… in the condition we’re in…”

“He’ll walk right over us,” Rainbow said.

“And kill Vision,” Fluttershy whimpered.

They all found themselves on the same page, faster than they could have even realized it. There was no doubting the very fact that Thanos proved to be the greatest foe they had ever stood against in their lives. He tossed around the Avengers—the greatest heroes the mares had ever known—like they were ragdolls. He pushed around the Guardians of the Galaxy—with a name like that, they had to have been powerful heroes—like they were children. He defeated Doctor Stephen Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, the Master of the Mystic Arts, like those titles held no weight. He beat down the Defenders—New York’s finest heroes—showing them just how human they really were. And then there were the ponies.

Against Nightmare Moon, Chrysalis, Sombra, Tirek, the Pony of Shadows, Cozy Glow, and even… Discord… they always came out on top. They always found themselves basking in the presence of victory. They always knew what it was like to win. Nothing was able to take that away, because they knew with friendship by their side…

“Foolish equines… You’ve known so long what it’s like to win…”

They had nothing to fear.

“Soon… you’ll know what it’s like to lose.”

Twilight Sparkle gasped, head rising. She soon realized she was facing the Tree of Harmony once more, beyond her own motor control. She didn’t want to, but all her thoughts turned back, were forced to face and experience Thanos again and again. Just thinking how him, and his Stones, were able to swat each of her friends around like flies. She experienced that power firsthoof, knowing just how deadly Thanos was when in possession of the Infinity Stones. She nearly died earning that experience. She never wanted to experience it again.

But now, one way or another, she would. They all would. When the time came…

“What about the Pillars?” Spike asked. The first words out of him since they entered the forest.

“I don’t even think the Pillars are strong enough to stop Thanos,” Twilight forced herself to admit. She really needed to force out the words that came next. “You all saw how weary the princesses looked, even they won’t be able to stop him.”

“Twilight…” Rarity whispered, almost gasped. Almost in disbelief to what she was saying.

Everypony was. “I know it sounds wrong, that none of us want to admit it, but still!” Twilight exclaimed, voice cracking, hurting despite all the medical attention she received prior. It all hurt. It all always still hurt. Collecting herself, Twilight began again, her voice shaking. “Thanos destroyed… an entire volcano… just by closing his fist. This is big… like, really big. Bigger than anything we’ve ever faced… or ever will face. None of us alone are capable of holding Thanos back. We need help.”

She turned around once again. Faced her friends once again.

“Avengers help.”

All of their jaws promptly fell.

“You should have told them that when they were still here,” Rainbow muttered, her voice weak.

“With the state of things at the time?” Twilight said, shaking her head. “No… no, they wouldn’t have gone for it. But now that things have cooled down for the moment, I believe that an Avenger—or several—would be enough help to protect Vision while we deal with Typhon.”

Not trusting in the princesses or the Pillars of Equestria? They shaped Equestria into what it was that very day, ensuring more than a thousand years of peace, prosperity, and protection. They were always the answer to the questions with none, the solution to the problems deemed too difficult for even Twilight and her friends to handle. Star Swirl was Twilight’s idol, the greatest wizard in all of Equestrian history. Was it even Twilight that was talking? But she was right. What was happening, everything that had happened prior, was more than anything they had ever faced before.

And they were not enough.

“How about Wanda?” Pinkie asked.

So out of the blue, so completely random that everypony had to turn to her to see if she was serious. Sometimes they could never tell with Pinkie. Though seeing her expression, her hopeful eyes and giddy smile despite the bandages on her coat and the bruises on her skin, they could assure themselves that she was serious. That her suggestion came from the heart, from the soul, from her stomach, somewhere she knew she could trust.

“Wanda?” Twilight prompted, earning several bubbly nods from the party pony.

“Yeah, I mean, did any of you see Wanda with Tony and the others? I don’t think so! Which means she’s still on Earth and one hundred percent ready to go!” Pinkie declared, smiling wide to finish off her bold claim.

“You’re still just trying to play matchmaker with Wanda and Vision, aren’t you?” Spike deadpanned, crossing his arms.

Pinkie blew a loud raspberry, blowing spittle in Spike’s face. “Of course not! Why would you think such a thing?” she replied, still smiling with a rare mixture of innocence and mischievous intent. Only Pinkie could have made an expression.

Still trying to comprehend what Pinkie was leading to, Twilight on the other hoof came to terms with Pinkie’s randomness, and found some hardy truth in it. Her head tilted to the side, brow furrowing in wonder and suspicion. “Wanda is… very powerful,” she mumbled, heads shifting her way, breaths silent for her. Twilight lifted her gaze, barely smirking towards her pink friend. “You know what, Pinkie? That sounds like a plan.”

Pinkie clapped her hooves, squealing with uncontrollable excitement. The other mares just stared at the two.

“And we still might get some other help in the meantime,” Twilight spoke, mainly to herself, seldom to her friends. As she trotted past each mare and dragon, a slight limp in her step, Twilight twisted her neck back. “All right, girls, back to the castle. It’s time to set things right.”

That alone raised the spirits of the ponies, Spike especially. After so long, after holding so many grudges, so many horrible memories of what once happened… it was finally time to set things right. Time to get some Avengers help. Time to go to the only world they knew… where they could find just that. Everypony trotted after Twilight with a little more pip in their step, only Spike flying and the Pegasi grounded due to their injuries. But they didn’t care. They had a journey ahead of them, one that would lead to an unforeseeable destiny, with only one goal in mind.

Set things right.

As they left the canyon that held the Tree of Harmony, they never saw the Outrider staring down at them. Its claws gripped the edges of the cliff, growling silently and watching the eight equines and one lone dragon enter into the forest foliage. It looked back to the massive city of Canterlot, the far more massive shield over it trying to camouflage with the natural colors of the sky. But it was still there, still barely visible. Still protecting…

“Mind…”

It vanished. Not an eye in the world saw it.

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

5:44 p.m.

The library was unusually silent. Not a natural silence, not one that Princess Twilight would have loved to hear when she indulged herself with a day’s worth of reading some of her favorite novels. It was a silence she dreaded to hear the longer it persisted. A silence shared amongst her, her friends, and even the AI known as Friday.

It was a silence that rested only in the unknown, the fear of it, the inky blackness of doubt that led to an unknown destiny. They all stood within it, like an ocean rising up straight to their necks, trapping all of them in that unnatural silence. Threatening to drown them. They all stood within it while gazing at the shimmering portal in Twilight’s library.

Leading the group of ponies and Spike was Twilight herself, her expression hardened to a fine point, jaw shivering, eyes burning to see the swirls of magic within her mirror portal. Sunset gazed at the portal longingly, wondering just what the world was like on the other side. Wondering if her friends were having the time of their lives during their summer vacation. Of course, she could only wonder that, as the book resting on the stand was not the one to her human world, but the one to Earth. Twilight made that evidently clear with the Avengers logo stamped on the face of the book.

Together, they stood in that unnatural silence, watching, waiting as Friday bustled about readying the portal. The AI-controlled Iron Man armor hovered directly over the mirror, settling herself on Twilight’s right. She and her friends watched the AI do her magic. Friday placed the cords she gripped just underneath her chest plating, her eyes igniting an even brighter shade of blue. She fired a beam of light straight to the ground, a hologram emerging where the light showered.

And then they waited even longer.

Waited for an eternity.

Waited for infinity.

Until finally, that knowing and friendly voice arose within the light. “Sir, it’s Princess Twilight.”

Twilight breathed in…

The face of Tony Stark emerged through the light, just as awestricken as Sunset Shimmer was to the type of technology she was witnessing. But for other reasons entirely, Stark gazed through the light, meeting her eyes. “Twi…”

Twilight breathed out. “Tony…”

“What happened?”

Twilight could barely breathe anymore. “We need to come back.”

Chapter 65 – After All This Time

Earth

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

7:46 p.m.

The Milano slowly touched down on the empty launch pad near the impressive facility, the engines slowly but surely dying and the inhabitants within the ship hardly faring any better.

Gamora sat in her designated chair, staring aimlessly, hopelessly straight out of the ship’s windshield. Earth’s sun slowly began to set on the horizon, golden and orange rays burning the heavens alongside the fires of the alien invasion. Within the forest the Milano flew upon, a lone facility rested in the heart of it, the exact coordinates Tony Stark had given them to follow.

Silence was a trait Gamora usually carried with her, but the others… silence was hardly ever an issue. Peter Quill, Drax, Mantis, Rocket, and even Groot could not seem to find their voices, the unnerving, anguish-filled quiet affecting all of them. There was not really an issue during takeoff, but it only grew more prominent on the journey to Earth, to finding the New Avengers Facility, to eventually finding sanctuary and only then it didn’t even end. It only grew worse. There was a blinding issue that all of them knew yet none were able to speak of it, not even Drax. Nor Quill. He kept his eyes focused solely on driving and never once turned to Gamora.

Because he wanted her to say it. They all did.

For seconds on end, nearly reaching a minute, no one moved a muscle. The Milano sat quietly on the Avengers landing pad as the sun slowly faded and the darkness of the night sky began to arrive. Equus’ shadow and surface hung ominously in the distance, resting on the water’s surface. Gamora slowly turned around, meeting her sister’s eyes. Even Nebula remained silent, shoulder pressed against the ship’s wall, arms crossed, and refusing to speak. Waiting for Gamora to do that for her.

To break the seal and respond to what everyone was thinking about.

And she did. “Quill… everyone… please, just… you have to understand.”

The Milano creaked, but other than that not a sound in response. Until…

“We understand plenty,” Drax growled, refusing to look up at Gamora from his lower seating.

Gamora gazed down below, staring at Drax with a hurt expression. She turned her head back to Rocket and Groot, the two of them refusing to meet her stare. Nebula closed her eyes and dropped her head. Mantis stared at her hands. No one else left. No one but…

“Quill…”

Peter shook his head, staring out the opposite window on his right. Gamora opened her mouth to continue, but Quill beat her to it, almost snarling, “Any more secrets you want to keep from me?”

That was it. She tried to remain collected. She tried to stay calm. She did everything in her power to reach that apology that had been building and burning inside of her since the Badlands. She let it out. She let it all out. “I’m sorry!” Gamora practically screamed, ripping her harness away and jumping out of her seat. She turned to everyone, but glared mostly at Quill. “Okay?! Is that what you wanted to hear?! I’m sorry, but if any of you knew about the Soul Stone then Thanos wouldn’t have hesitated in torturing every single one of you to get that information! And then he would have killed you all anyway! You think I would have wanted that?!”

Everyone stared at her. Awestruck. Even Peter’s anger seemed to cool momentarily, his furrowed brow and weak jawline falling as he gazed up at her. Gamora retreated into the back of the Milano, walked briskly past her sister, and nearly collapsed in the center of the ship. She remained standing, remained strong through it all, through all the flushing emotion and pain ripping her apart inside and out. She raised a hand to cover her eyes, her face, her mouth, anything to shield the tears. Her silent cries turned into weeping, which soon reached Quill and the others. Sighing mentally—as well as kicking himself in the ass for making his girlfriend cry—Peter got out of his seat and trailed Gamora. As he stood mere feet behind her, he hesitated. Lifting a hand, he paused. And laying it on her shoulder, he froze when he felt her shiver.

Gamora barely moved to his touch. Even she surprised herself when she said it. “I didn’t… want to lose another family.”

Mantis gasped. Peter’s jaw slightly fell, and for good reason. That was the first time Gamora ever used the “F-word” to address them. Family. Gamora’s breathing seemed to falter, her mind finally realizing what she had said, and… it was right. She didn’t turn away from it. She acknowledged it, accepted it, and believed in every bit of it. Turning around, facing Peter, Nebula, Drax, Mantis, Groot, and Rocket, Gamora saw them all staring silently at her.

She blinked, a single tear rolling down her cheek to see them. Her family. It felt so right to finally see that. So much so that it didn’t hurt when she said, “I’m sorry for lying… for all these years about something this important. From here on out… no more secrets.”

“No more secrets,” Peter replied almost instantly, Gamora slowly turning to his warm smile.

“No more secrets,” Drax muttered, smiling softly towards his fellow Guardian. To his family.

“No more secrets,” Mantis said, trying to smile.

“No more secrets,” Rocket grumbled, almost hesitating to. Almost like he had several secrets. He did.

“I am Groot,” Groot answered. They could all assume what he meant.

“No more secrets,” Nebula whispered. Her head fell once again, watching as Quill closed the distance and met her sister’s lips. The two were always emotional with each other. They all were. It was sickening. Absolutely sickening. Nothing but a sickening… family. Nebula’s lower jaw trembled, the cyborg forcing her eyes closed at that thought.

Peter broke the kiss, Gamora almost completely transfixed in it. As her eyes fluttered open, she met Peter’s smile. Her heart soared when she heard him say, “I love you more than anything.”

Gamora’s breath stuttered, but she smiled and returned it. “I love you too.”

They hugged. The remaining Guardians got out of their seats and joined in on the group hug, Groot practically dragging Rocket out of his chair. When they all came together, Gamora took that as a genuine apology accepted. Nebula stared at them, seeing Mantis smile her way, waving her towards them. Nebula slowly shook her head, sending a glare that could kill her where she stood. Mantis flinched. She didn’t stare for much longer afterwards.

Not much was said after that. A hurdle they overcame was a lot less hard when they were together. All that left were current events and issues to deal with, some they once more wouldn’t be alone in facing. The Guardians of the Galaxy—Nebula included—stepped out of the Milano, the ship’s ramp falling down and impacting the solid concrete of the landing pad. When they stepped forth onto the planet’s surface, Peter Quill took a brief second to… simply breathe it all in.

Had it not been for the smoke burning the sunset and filling his lungs, he probably would have breathed in the lush smells of the nearby forest, or the green grass surrounding the entire facility, or even the water reflecting the alien world to his far left. Everything he had missed for thirty years… all plagued by the stench of the alien invasion. His home burned and there was only so much Star-Lord could do. He never wanted to return home to Earth because it was the place his mother died. So many painful and pitiful memories… but also so many wonderful and beautiful ones. It was the world his mother grew up in, the world he was born to. If he could see that—not the war, the pain of the past—then maybe he could breathe it all again.

Peter Quill breathed in… and out.

“There he is!” Rocket called out, already breaking off from the rest of Guardians and moving towards the front doors of the New Avengers Facility. Peter watched him take off, him and Groot, as they approached the front doors and Tony Stark stepping out of them.

And he did not look well. After having just finished speaking with Twilight via hologram, Stark came to realize he had more than just a few new faces in the New Avengers Facility. Aside from Rhodes, Parker, and Thor, the Defenders made themselves at home trying to patch themselves up. With help from Homer. of course, who would no doubt inform Stark of when Twilight and the girls were going to make the jump to Earth. She never told him when they were coming, just that they were coming. More crap to deal with alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy joining in and hunkering down, waiting for the next call from Doctor Strange to get ready for the next fight.

The next fight for the fate of the very universe.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, his plan was shaky. Off-putting. Even Stark himself tried to argue with the logic behind his own plan. Leave Vision practically unprotected in Canterlot while they get ready for wherever Thanos may appear next. Be that for the Time Stone, wherever the Soul Stone was—hopefully Gamora would explain like she did privately with Strange earlier—or even the Mind Stone. Wherever he turned to first, they would be ready. That was the easy part.

The hard part was getting the rest of the Avengers back together. Stark didn’t even know how he was going to go through with that, considering his complete lack and disability of communication with Rogers. Another bridge to cross. Another hurdle to leap. Something to worry about later.

He forced his eyes down below to the approaching raccoon and talking tree. The rest of the Guardians followed behind them, Stark’s eyes trailing upwards to see the massive starship resting in the vacant—or now non-vacant—landing pad. His brow furrowed at that, Rocket already answering the question before he could even form it.

“All right, we didn’t bail on you! Just like we said, okay?” Rocket began. Tony was a sweating, bemused form of a human being at the moment, not to be messed with and definitely not in the mood for jokes. Rocket caught on fairly quick. He pointed a claw towards the Milano. “You see, that Strange guy dropped us off where we parked the ship in pony land. We felt it would be safer in our hands and not theirs.”

“I thought ponies had hooves,” Drax whispered to Nebula.

“Don’t talk to me,” Nebula whispered weakly back.

“Sooo… we decided to drop it off here for free parking,” Rocket finished, Gamora bending down and flicking his ear. Rocket cursed at that, rubbing furiously at his ear as he hissed at Gamora.

Tony turned from Rocket and the Guardians and off towards the Milano resting where the Avengers Quinjet would usually be parked. Unfortunately, the Quinjet was stolen by a certain Captain America two years ago in an eventful brawl at a German airport. “It’s not like anyone’s using it,” Stark finally said, the Guardians all facing him. “All right, everyone inside and get yourselves patched up. We got plenty of medical supplies if you need them. And Gamora…”

Stark gripped his bandaged abdomen, his left palm resting over the bloody wound on his left side. With all eyes on him, mainly Gamora’s, Stark pressed on, meeting her eyes and saying what needed to be said. “We’re gonna need to know where that Soul Stone is.”

To his surprise, he saw her nod almost instantly. “No more secrets,” Gamora replied.

“Guess we’re not the only ones who heard about the free parking,” Peter Quill interjected, breaking the conversation and Stark’s train of thought. His eyes led the many others to the far right, to where the alien world rested over the water’s surface and where the unidentified ship was quickly coming into view. Quickly breaking out of its camouflage and entering within New Avengers Facility airspace.

Tony Stark took the first steps forward. First limps to be exact, as his body still hadn’t full recovered since the Badlands. His mind was still teetering, and the sight of the gargantuan jet slowly descending upon the only remaining landing pad within the facility did not help in that regard. As noted earlier, the ship was massive in both size and length. He thought it was a cargo plane at first, maybe Happy, but quickly tossed that idea aside. Happy was in the safehouse. Pepper was in the safehouse. They were safe.

So who the hell was parking their giant-ass ship on his property?

The jet, black in color, almost completely blending in with the approaching night sky, finally came to a soft and safe landing. Resting directly opposite to the Milano, the massive jet faced away from the facility, its ramp turned towards Stark and the Guardians of the Galaxy. The engines died and the silence of the forest came shortly, only masked by the distant sounds of destruction and chaos filling the city of New York. Even without an alien warship hanging over it, the aftermath left New York in shambles, unruly, unjust, and uncontrolled. Stark couldn’t focus on that.

He had to focus forward.

Because when the ramp of the jet fell and touched the landing pad…

Tony breathed in sharply, his chest expanding beyond that of natural. He didn’t know if what he was seeing was real or not, or if he was losing his mind or if life and death didn’t even hold any meaning any longer. The longer he stared the more he struggled to believe, his eyes refusing to meet what was there—who was there. He blinked hard, a warmth in his eyes, a wetness building when he finally came to terms with the face of reality itself.

Stepping down the ramp and onto the landing pad, right off the concrete and onto the grass where Tony shakily stood, Phil Coulson walked towards him.

Not only him… but everyone.

Steve Rogers.

Natasha Romanoff.

Sam Wilson.

Wanda Maximoff.

And two new faces.

Tony gazed in disbelief, watching nearly the rest of the Avengers finally step forth and come home. But that wasn’t what took his breath away. That wasn’t what started to make him show tears. Of everything he ever lost, ever built, ever known, there was one man who was there since the beginning, being that single spark that connected the fuse and brought them all together in the first place. The man who brought Stark off his high horse and led him down to humanity and humility, ultimately becoming something greater. It was all because of him. It was always him.

It was always Phil Coulson.

Someone who was supposed to be dead was smiling right at him, mere feet away. God, Stark hated that smile, but seeing it again after six years made him start tearing up even worse. “Coulson…” Stark whispered, his breathing ragged, shaking, almost unbearable to control.

Coulson smiled. That same one. “Hey there, Iron Man.”

He was real. He was there. He was alive. Tony breathed out. He didn’t know if he was smiling or crying, so he tried to fake both and turned instead to the one he had been both dreading and hoping to reach for days. Now he was home, standing just behind Phil with his hands on his belt, like he always used to do. Despite the beard, the tattered uniform, and lack of a shield… it was still the same Captain America behind it all.

“Steve…”

Steve Rogers just stared, nodding once. Just once was all that was needed.

New Avengers Facility, Living Room

7:51 p.m.

The room wasn’t silent anymore when Stark walked in. Not just because it was Tony Stark and the Guardians of the Galaxy that trailed him, but because they weren’t the only ones. Right behind Stark and the Guardians, in stepped just a few individuals that took almost everyone’s breath away.

Steve Rogers and his Secret Avengers for Peter Parker, Rhodes, Thor, and the Defenders.

And Phil Coulson for Rhodes and the Odinson brothers.

Nothing could stop the God of Thunder as he shot up from the lone chair in the living room and practically crushed Phil in his arms with a powerful hug. Not a word. None could be formed. Just disbelief and warm greetings shared amongst the masses.

As Phil chuckled lightly and patted Thor’s back, the remainder of the two teams finally came together. James Rhodes led the opposite side, the exoskeleton armor attached to his waist and legs allowing him to press forward with his hand leading and meeting Steve’s. He was out of his heavily-damaged War Machine armor, minor cuts and bruises painting his arms and face. Meeting Natasha with a hug and a smile, James set the groundwork for the many others that followed.

The many others.

Peter Parker was one of them, walking up to Steve Rogers almost shakily in his Iron Spider suit, face unveiled, unsure of how Captain America would react to the kid who gave him a bit of a scuffle in Leipzig. Luckily, and thankfully, Steve only smiled when Peter introduced himself—first as Spider-Man and then as Peter. He met the young man’s hand with a firm shake, a smile seen through the beard. Then, individually, Peter met each of the remaining Avengers. First was the Black Widow herself, then the Falcon, and finally Wanda Maximoff. All a bit awkward considering their history, but they all pushed it behind them one way or another.

It didn’t take long for Daisy Johnson and Melinda May to get involved, joining the congregation and meeting the remaining Avengers who stood with Stark, as well as the other heroes who chose to follow. The Defenders; Matthew Murdock, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand all arose from the chairs and couches where they were tending to their own wounds to introduce themselves, some very reluctant to do so but realizing they would have to eventually. One of those people was Jessica, the Private Eye hardly shaking a hand, offering a greeting, or even introducing herself. The most she did was nod her head their way as Matt, Luke, and Danny shook hands with the others. Matt especially, gladly shaking Steve and Sam’s hands once again, the two men glad to see Murdock still alive and well. As well as he could be.

The other was Frank Castle, who never even made an effort to rise from the chair at the complete opposite of the living room, as far away from the group as possible. He was focused solely on the large gash on his bicep and sewing it back up.

Even the Guardians of the Galaxy seemed reluctant to open up to so many new and strange faces. Uncertain ones. Unknown ones. They didn’t even need to make the first move when Steve Rogers stepped forth and offered his gloved-hand to Quill, Star-Lord meeting his grip with a firm handshake. The Secret Avengers and the few agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their acquaintance with the Guardians shortly, not really having the opportunity to do so outside.

It had been nearly two years since the team had been separated. Two long, painful, and anxious years of worrying, fearing, and hiding. But no more. The time for hostilities and divide had come to an end. The time for a united front was near. At least, that’s what the majority would have hoped for. That’s what the majority seemed to see when they smiled, laughed, hugged, and came back together after so long. No time for grudges. No time for politics. No time for law. Only action.

As for Tony Stark, there always seemed to be something off for him. Whether it be the curse of knowledge that he and no one else held—though he tended to even question that considering his previous encounter with the Titan who had been torturing him. Whether it be the constant oversight of the situation, of the outcome, of the endgame, Tony Stark always had a plan. He always found a way. But for that moment, that brief warmth of comradery and coming together shared amongst the two teams, Stark found himself taking the backseat in the situation, remaining uncharacteristically non-hyperverbal for the first time in forever. He found that sullen silence plaguing, eating away at him like shards of metal cutting closer to his heart. Only he heard the silence.

He remained, like Castle, out of the group but within earshot.

After finally breaking the hug with Phil, Thor gripped the man’s shoulders, complete disbelief in his eye as he breathed heavily, slowly, almost completely out of breath. He said, “Son of Coul, to what witchcraft has brought you back to us?”

Phil chuckled lightly, missing that nickname that Thor and Lady Sif would give him from time to time. “Nothing to it, big guy. No magic, no sorcery… just science doing the work. And alien blood.”

“Yes, you cannot forget that,” Thor laughed, slapping Phil’s shoulder. He rested his mighty palm there, gripping Phil and holding him there, ensuring that he was still real, and not a ghost like all the others that plagued Thor. “You should have fought by our side at times prior!”

Phil shrugged, sighing, “It was protocol to be discreet, but we did offer a helping hand here and there. Who do you think sent the whereabouts of Loki’s staff in the hands of HYDRA?”

Now that got a few heads turning, specifically the original four Avengers in the room. Tony, Natasha, Thor, and even Steve fully faced Coulson when he said that, eyes widened, surprise heavily indented in their expressions. Steve asked, “That was you?”

Phil just smiled. “Helping hand here and there.”

“Is that so?”

The voice came to Phil like a cold, piercing dagger straight through his back and into his heart, causing his blood to freeze. He gasped quietly, his heart practically freezing on the spot. Facing the origin of the voice accordingly, turning away from Thor and instead facing his far left, Phil Coulson was met with a sight he never thought he would come across again. He least expected him to be locked up in some Asgardian prison cell for the rest of his life, if what Fury told him back then was true.

Yet there he stood, the God of Mischief himself.

Loki smiled at Coulson. Phil’s own smile slowly deteriorated. The original four Avengers could feel the tension in the room cut like a scepter through flesh, unyielding and unforgiving memories of six years prior flushing into every single one of them. As for Daisy and May, they had only heard stories, but even they could tell when Loki himself was standing right in front of them. Daisy clenched her fist, May taking a dangerous step forward, both women ready to defend the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in case Loki decided to finish what he started.

Thankfully, no hostility arose, Loki simply saying, “How do you do, Coulson?”

It came as a shock, for Phil and everyone alike. Shaking off the unease, Phil nodded. “Just fine, Loki,” he replied. “And you?”

“I wish I could be the same,” Loki said. To everyone’s continued shock and awe, they watched as Loki offered his hand. He actually did. “No hard feelings?”

Tony watched it all with incredulous eyes, Steve as well. Natasha and Thor held their breath, Odinson staring at his brother and looking through his eyes for any signs of deceit, for any other wicked trick up his sleeve. He couldn’t see anything, though he never really could even when he still had two eyes. A breath of fresh air filled the room when Phil met his hand and shook it. “You’re lucky my heart’s still pumping.”

Loki’s smirk grew even wider. “We all die eventually.”

Even though he was staring at Phil, he winked right at her. Right at Daisy. She didn’t know why, but that wink sent a cold chill right down her spine. No. No, she knew exactly why. She just didn’t want to admit it. Instead, she tried to focus on sending a horrific and threatening glare towards the God of Mischief, of which came out pretty damn pathetic when Loki simply smiled her way before he made his hasty retreat.

Before the unnerving and awkward silence could settle in, James cleared his throat, several heads in the room turning his way. Slapping his fist into his palm, Rhodes sighed, “You guys… really look like crap.”

Obviously addressing Steve and his team, Sam Wilson just chuckled. “Well the hotels weren’t exactly 5-star.”

“I-I think you look great.”

Now it was Natasha’s turn to gasp at that voice. Turning accordingly, facing the darkness of the hallways near the living room, Natasha and the rest of her team gazed into it. Then they watched, with bated breath, as Bruce Banner entered the room from one of the many shadow-filled corridors. He nervously parted past Frank Castle, and maybe his shirt was a size too big alongside his pants, but it was still the Banner they knew and loved.

“Yeah… yeah, I’m back.”

The Banner Natasha knew and…

“Hi Bruce,” she said, voice soft and welcoming.

He stared nowhere else except where she stood. For a time, he dreamt of the moment when he was reunited with his old team, his old friends, with… her. Maybe it was a time when he was still trapped inside the Hulk’s body, forced to watch as he engaged in gladiatorial combat for months. But after coming back out, after finally realizing that he was there, he was home, and finally reunited with his friends and… her… Bruce realized that he didn’t know what to feel.

So, he played with his palms, nodded once to her, and said, “Nat…”

To the point where Natasha’s own smile wouldn’t be enough to hide the growing wetness in her eyes, Falcon eased the tension in the room, offering a much-needed: “This is awkward.”

Thor scoffed at the growing silence, turning from one side of the room to the other. One team to the next. From Tony Stark to Steve Rogers. He said, “I was not born yesterday, my friends. Why do you all appear at odds with each other? I thought we were a team, yet you all appear—”

“Divided,” Steve finished for him, even if it technically wasn’t the word Thor had thought of. It fit better, though. Much better than what Thor had in mind to describe the tension. Turning to Steve, Thor’s smile slowly began to fall apart when he gazed into Rogers’ expression.

A moment of tense silence. Sickening silence. “What happened?” Banner asked.

Steve’s head fell, as did Natasha’s and Sam’s. Wanda’s hand rose up to cover her mouth, her eyes slowly falling to the floor. James Rhodes, Peter Parker, Matt Murdock, and Frank Castle all sighed and looked away. Thor and Bruce looked from one Avenger to the next, eventually finding themselves turning… to him.

Tony Stark rubbed his face and goatee, sweat glistening off his face as he was clearly struggling with his bandages and wounds. The silence built higher and higher, Stark realizing no one would say anything for quite some time. Breathing in and forcing the pain to subside, Stark said, “Couple years back… the government got involved with the Avengers’ business. Real bad stuff happened. Real bad stuff with… the ponies.”

Thor and Bruce were dead silent. Tony continued. “People got hurt. Government blamed us, signed the Sokovian Accords, and forced us to work for them or retire.”

Thor frowned, shaking his head. “Well, surely you told your government how important the Avengers—!”

“It’s not that easy, Thor,” Steve interrupted, the God of Thunder turning to him, eye wide.

Then he turned back to Stark, he and Banner, and gazed at him with eyes wide and horrified when he finally said. With his arms crossed, hair a mess of sweat, soot, and blood, Stark finally said, “The Avengers broke up.”

Thor took in that moment, let that reality enter and influence him, change him, make him understand the plight of the humans and finally see their circumstances. Perhaps that was why Stark was so apprehensive about talking about Steve Rogers for the longest time. Bad blood had been spilt between them, and no one made any effort to clean up the stains. At least, not until now.

“Well, we need everyone here now,” Bruce exclaimed. “Where’s Clint?” He looked about through the living room, almost expecting Barton to be hiding in some shadowy corner. Unfortunately, even the Hawk wasn’t spying on them from afar that time.

Natasha stood with her arms crossed, her breath hard when she said, “After the whole Accords situation, he and Scott took a… deal. It was too tough on their families. They’re on house arrest.”

Bruce stared at her. “Who’s Scott?”

“Ant-Man,” Steve instantly replied, hand resting on the nearest counter.

“There’s an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?” Bruce asked.

“And a Black Widow,” Parker joked in hopes to lighten the mood. He turned to Natasha for support, Romanoff only staring at him bemused.

“And a Mantis,” Quill offered.

“I’m Mantis!” Mantis exclaimed, smiling wide and awkward. It definitely was awkward, the silence in the room and the heads shifting towards the Guardians being evidence of that.

“Oh, by the way, these are a few friends of mine,” Thor said, offering his hand to the Guardians of the Galaxy. “Star-Friend-Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rabbit, Mantis, and Tree.”

Definitely not satisfied—though not surprised—that Thor had gotten half of their names wrong again, the Guardians begrudgingly waved to the rest of the room, to the ones they still hadn’t personally met, mainly Phil and his agents. Nebula didn’t even move, as Thor hadn’t even mention her. She wondered if he even realized she was there. She didn’t make it obvious.

“I am Groot,” the adolescent Groot said with a wave.

Phil furrowed his brow at that. Daisy’s jaw fell, almost in disbelief to what she was staring at: a living, walking, talking tree. Melinda May tried to keep her infamous hardened expression, but even she struggled when she witnessed the sentient tree and raccoon. She had seen a lot of shit in her time within S.H.I.E.L.D., but they definitely took the cake.

Then there was Steve, the only one willing to rest his own hand over his heart, and although uncertain at first, finally said, “I am Steve Rogers.”

Just as awkward saying it as it had sounded.

Banner didn’t have time for another moment of quiet. Time to get everyone up to speed. He picked up right after Steve dropped his hand, saying, “Okay, look, Thanos has the biggest army in the universe, and he is not gonna stop until he has all six Infinity Stones. Including…”

He stared at Wanda. “Vision’s Stone.”

“Thanos?” Steve asked.

“The one who wiped out half my people,” Thor responded, stepping forward to Rogers. “The one who will not stop until he has acquired the Infinity Stones. He already has three of them. The Time Stone is safe with Strange and his wizards. The Vision is safe with the Mind Stone in Canterlot. And as for the Soul Stone—”

“Canterlot?” Wanda finally asked, still quite shaken on that revelation about Thanos and the Mind Stone. When no one spoke for some time, not even Banner, the Maximoff slowly put the pieces together by herself. Breathing through clenched teeth, chest quickly beginning to rise and fall, she snarled, “You left him alone on an alien planet?”

“It’s not like he’s far,” Tony piped up, Wanda turning her red-filled irises his way. “Equus is right over our heads, and the princesses got a shield over the city.”

“That planet is Equus?” Natasha asked, nearly breathless at that revelation.

Just like she was ignored, though several from Steve’s team felt the same impact of that reveal, Wanda just shook her head. “We have to go back for him,” Wanda stated, already starting off a brisk pace towards the basement, where the portal to Equus remained.

“Whoa, no can do!” Parker exclaimed, jumping in front of the Scarlet Witch and blocking her path. Almost crumbling under her fiery glare, Peter stood his ground and said, “We got a plan! It’s gonna work out!”

“What plan?” Sam asked, turning from Stark and then to Rhodes. “What’s the kid talking about?”

James slowly nodded in consideration to their confusion, realizing quickly that Tony was pretty much fed up with talking at that point. So, he said, “We have… somewhat of a plan.”

“What percentage of a plan do we really have?” Drax asked.

“Those aliens that attacked us wanted Vision’s Stone!” Wanda interrupted, screamed, almost cried. “We need to protect him, not let someone else do that for us!”

Then the heartfelt reunion, what was meant to be just that, devolved into a shouting match on several different fronts. Logic over emotion. Hope over fear. Safety over love. The Guardians and the Defenders mostly remained out of it and left the Avengers to deal with their own issues amongst themselves, soon every member within getting involved and trying to prove their plan, their idea, their hope for a successful outcome was superior. It was all becoming so familiar.

That’s why Tony Stark broke away while they argued amongst themselves. Straight into the darkest hallway. Steve followed right behind him. Watching him make the turn left into the armory, Steve slowly made his approach, almost apprehensive to the idea of facing Tony alone, with no one else present. The thought always occurred to him prior, what he would say, how he would mend the gash that had been torn between them. Maybe he would. Maybe they wouldn’t.

Maybe he should start.

Stepping into the lime green light filling the armory, the only light available hovering just over the nearest workbench, Steve Rogers leaned against the door’s entrance. He gazed straight ahead, watching as Tony proceeded to peal apart the bandages around his waist. Stark paused almost instantly the moment he saw Rogers in the left corner of his vision, his hands falling to the workbench and a sigh leaving his nostrils.

Steve dropped his eyes, let his hands rest on his belt. “The guys really missed you,” Tony murmured, Steve’s head rising up at that remark. He watched as Stark proceeded to peel off the flickering Arc Reactor from his chest. Surprisingly enough, it was simply attached to his black wife-beater, so it came off with ease. Stark still grunted as if it was organically attached. As if it was still a part of him.

“Don’t act like we didn’t miss you, too,” Steve said, trying to lighten the mood with a smile to go with it. To ease the tension between them.

Stark didn’t catch on. Or he did and he was already tired of Steve’s presence. “Did you, though?” he barked, turning his swivel chair over to face Rogers. Steve’s smile slowly fell, only worsening with every word that followed. “Or are we here for just… work, because you need an extra body or two for whatever the hell you got planned. For whenever it goes to hell.”

“We—!” Steve paused, controlling his rising anger. He forced himself to remain calm, knowing there was more on the line that desperately needed him to be. “We do. There’s a war coming to Wakanda and we’re not enough to face it. That’s why we came home. That’s why we came to you.”

“To get the band back together,” Stark muttered, applying the new Arc Reactor over his chest. “We gonna play for a sold-out crowd?”

Steve nodded, hands on his belt. “The Chitauri are back.”

Stark slammed his palm on his workbench, causing Steve to flinch and tighten himself in response. Pointing a shaking finger right at Rogers, Stark exclaimed, “Yeah, and didn’t I say exactly what was coming and still all of you wanted to do your own goddamn thing?”

“There’s no time for this, Stark!” Steve said, voice rising higher and higher, almost reaching the breaking point. He hoped the others arguing would be louder than them. “The Chitauri want something in Wakanda, and they’ll tear apart the entire city, maybe even the nation to get it!”

Tony scoffed, facing away to finish his work. Steve sighed. It was just like Stark to blow off what needed their attention, something Tony just didn't understand. Leaning his back against the door frame, Steve began again. “I know it’s hard. It was hard for all of us. But now’s not a time for fighting amongst ourselves. You and I both know that the world… and the universe depend on it.” Steve’s words seemed to fall on deaf ears, Rogers turning accordingly to see Stark fixing himself up.

First by lifting his wife-beater and untying the bloody bandages. When the bandages came off, the laceration came forth, as dark red and deep and even more terrible than Rogers imagined it would be. Whatever had pierced him, it must have been a large blade of some sort, the cut going through his back and into the left side of his abdomen. Spraying more medical suture spray over the wound, Stark exhaled shakily through clenched teeth, laying the medical device back on the workbench. He finished it off with a shot of whiskey to numb the pain, laying the empty shot glass alongside his tools and the shattered Arc Reactor of the Mark 50.

Steve watched as he leaned back in his chair, applying fresh bandages over the wound. He didn’t even bother with the blood that leaked. “What happened?” Steve asked.

Tony stared at him, breathing through his bloody, parted lips. Then he opened his mouth.

“Sir.”

The familiar voice came from behind, Steve stepping aside to allow the hovering drone into the armory. Stark gazed at the large, floating eyeball of the drone. “Yeah, what is it, Homer?” Tony asked.

The AI narrowed its robotic iris. “You wanted me to inform you when the portal was activated.”

Steve’s mouth fell and he stopped breathing.

“Our guests?” Stark asked, already knowing the outcome. Already unsure of it. Already conflicted. But ready nonetheless.

“Twilight Sparkle and her friends are here, sir.”

Then Steve breathed again.

Author's Note

School's back. Back again. Expect less updates, maybe a chapter a week. Thanks for understanding. :)

Chapter 66 – The Burning Sunset

Earth

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility, Lower Levels

8:00 p.m.

The doors opened and everyone saw the ponies.

The ponies and the young dragon. And he had wings. Spike had wings. Steve smiled, almost breathed a laugh through that grin.

A separate set of species divided, one standing at the opposite end of the room, the other right dead in the center of it, where the portal slowly but surely fizzled out and died. With the loss of such light and life in the room, all that was left were the eight equines and one baby… one young dragon. They all—especially Spike—looked older since the last Steve Rogers or any of the other Avengers had seen them. But they knew who they were. They knew their friends when they saw them.

Almost every single one of them: Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Starlight Glimmer, Spike… and a newcomer. Another unicorn. Her golden coat shimmered in what little light there was, her fiery red and yellow mane slightly bouncing to her flinch. She flinched at just how many people were in the room, how many Avengers she recognized and others completely new to her, people even Twilight hadn’t described in her stories. And she, like the many others in that room, was silent. And waited.

Watched as the two sides slowly… very slowly… came together.

It took great strength, enormous courage, and enough reluctance for either side to make the first move. For several moments, both were frozen. Both only saw the pain and the misery of the past still plaguing, still tainting the ground before them, preventing them any access forward. Twilight’s first hoofstep caused a brief flash across her vision, the sight of a bloody and beaten Bucky in the arms of Captain America, both nearly shrouded in the snowstorms of Siberia. When she blinked and breathed again, she only saw Steve Rogers standing in the middle of the massive group ahead of her. Then she froze again.

Steve’s first step created a vivid and terrible image of Twilight Sparkle launching a beam of magic right into Tony Stark’s Arc Reactor, blowing it to bits and sending the Iron Man falling on his backside, unmoving. Steve stopped after one step, breathing so very softly. He and the many others who stood with him were just as frozen in their movement, only able to gaze ahead and see the ponies and dragon as they were.

Not as they used to be.

Not what they could be.

Only as they were.

All of them looked absolutely winded, bags under their eyes, bruises and scars on their faces and bodies, bandages concealing dreaded wounds. Nothing good. They looked to be just as beaten and broken as Tony Stark and his team were, which got Steve thinking on why that might have been. Something bad must have happened on Equus, from what little Stark told Rogers. Twilight and her friends could have shared the same thoughts, seeing Steve Rogers and his team of Avengers just as filthy, unkempt, and ultimately… changed since the last they saw of them. Beneath the different color hair, the different outfits, and even the facial hair, it was still the same Avengers they had befriended years ago. The same Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff, and Steve Rogers.

Captain America.

Twilight’s ears fell when she didn’t see his shield. Her heart fell even harder to see the star removed from his chest.

Then there were others, others Twilight or any of the girls had yet to be properly introduced to. One was a middle-aged man wearing a tight black jacket and the other two were stern-faced Asian women, one with silver gauntlets and the other with a scowl that could melt steel. They both stood with the middle-aged man, the man meeting Twilight’s stare. Almost all of their stares. He smiled in the most mysterious way. Other than them, it was all familiar faces.

All familiar pasts.

All familiar pains.

That didn’t stop Rainbow Dash. Hardly anything ever did. Despite the bandages on her wing, she flew clear across the room and practically tackled Steve in a hug.

Several gasps broke out, some too quiet to even recognize. Hushed murmurs, a few uncertain glances, but nothing more than that. Rainbow didn’t care. She didn’t care for what the room, the world, or the universe saw. She didn’t care if the Steve Rogers she saw was a fugitive, one of if not the most wanted man on Earth. She didn’t care if he was criminal anymore. She didn’t care how others saw her decision on where she stood. She knew exactly where she was, with her friend, finally together again.

Tightening her hooves around his neck, Rainbow felt a painful burn growing in her eyes, the mare sniffling and shaking her head. “That is the coolest beard I’ve ever seen,” she said with a strong grin, chuckling and burying her face in Steve’s shoulder.

Steve chuckled, closing his eyes tight to keep the wetness concealed. He gripped onto the mare even tighter, Rainbow returning the gesture in kind.

The rest followed suit.

Pinkie Pie was next, bounding into Natasha’s arms with warm tears and cheerful cries. Romanoff held onto the pony in her arms with as much strength as she could give. With as much love for her friend as she could give. Pinkie stroked Natasha’s hair, observing her white bangs in her hoof, chuckling and whispering in her hair, “I like this color better.”

Natasha smiled and shook her head, closing her tear-filled eyes and holding the mare close.

Ponies like Applejack, Rarity, Starlight, and Twilight Sparkle reunited with Steve’s team, meeting them with warms hugs and friendly greetings, ensuring them that there was nothing in the past for them anymore. Nothing to hold them back. The Avengers were home, and their friends from Equus were there, gladly there to be with them, to unite with them once again. Ponies who once stood against them during the Accords now sealed the wounds and cleaned up the blood, mending what once was torn. Others like Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Spike, and Rainbow Dash reacquainted themselves with Black Widow—surprised to see her standing with Rogers—Sam Wilson, and Wanda Maximoff. Their smiles, their hugs, their tears, they all meant something genuine. No grudges, hardly any guilt, just friends finally happy to see one another again.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

And perhaps… just perhaps… make some new ones along the way.

Turning accordingly, Twilight broke away from Steve only momentarily, just nearing her hug with him, and faced the new face behind the new voice. Standing in his black jacket, still holding that mysterious smile, the man stared down at the Princess of Friendship. With him stood the two women, arms crossed, hands on their hips, all staring blankly to the Alicorn.

“We’ve heard a lot about you,” he said. He held out his hand—the one without the black glove—to her. “My name is Phil Coulson, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Welcome back to Earth.”

Twilight smiled, laid her hoof in his hand, and shook it. Daisy and May finally smiled too.

New Avengers Facility, Living Room

8:21 p.m.

Sunset Shimmer stared into the burning sunset. From the burning city of New York.

Things had gone swimmingly since the equines’ return to Earth. Steve’s Secret Avengers laid all past sins and mistakes with the ponies completely behind them, taking a brief moment to just… catch up. That brief moment turned into several minutes, nearly half an hour of just mingling in the facility.

Rainbow Dash spoke with Steve, Natasha, Sam, and Wanda over their past adventures in hiding from the government, especially Romanoff considering Rainbow never even knew of her following with Steve after the disbanding of the Avengers. She was still eager to know more, but there were things even Steve was willing to keep from her. Stuff even the Secret Avengers had to keep secret.

Fluttershy sat with Thor and Banner near the couches, near Melinda May and Daisy Johnson, finally meeting the two young women for the first time. Loki stood behind them, resting near the end of the room with Frank Castle. Hardly either of them paid a glance towards the mares, the Punisher shining his shotgun and pistols, sharpening his knives again and again. Loki just couldn’t wait to leave.

Applejack stood with Tony, Parker, and Rhodes, telling them all about Twilight’s plan for coming back to Earth in the first place. Stark was especially intrigued with the Avengers part of the plan. As they discussed it, the Guardians of the Galaxy were busy readying themselves for what was surely the next big fight ahead. With Nebula by their sides, they checked their weapons, sharpened their blades, and went over the Soul Stone’s location, Gamora telling them everything.

The Defenders remained within earshot, not particularly ecstatic as the Avengers were when the ponies came back, but accepting of their company nonetheless. More so Matthew, Danny, and Luke, as Jessica hadn’t removed the scowl from her face since the Badlands. Maybe it was the fact that she got dragged into some universal war for existence, a war she never wanted to be a part of, and now she was willingly—or perhaps unwillingly—fighting it to ensure the safety of the universe. Either that… or she was still reeling on the fact that she got her ass kicked by some alien grape man on a pony planet. That alone was a hard pill to swallow, and Jessica hadn’t uttered a word since. She sat alone in a chair at the edge of the room. Matt, Danny, and Luke were talking amongst themselves, trying to figure out what their next destination would be. With the Avengers, it could be anywhere. Homer flew back and forth around the room, offering food, drinks, and medical aid to those who needed it. And Sunset…

Sunset Shimmer stared into the burning sunset. From the burning city of New York. And Phil Coulson stood with her.

She didn’t know why, but the way he talked, the way he knew things, his knowledge, humor, and seemingly steel-edge of authority in his person made Sunset gravitate towards him the most. Others like Spike, Twilight Sparkle, and even Pinkie Pie took particular time in learning more about Daisy Johnson from Quake herself. Then there was Rarity and Starlight speaking with Melinda May on the couch. All of them just… talking. Meeting one another. S.H.I.E.L.D. and Equestria finally, truly coming together.

Earth and Equus finally mending those wounds. Sunset sighed at that thought, Phil turning to her. “When Twilight told me…” Sunset began, closing her eyes. The orange from the burning skylines reflected off her golden coat, making her shimmer under it, “… all about Earth, I… expected something grand. Beyond comprehension. Something better than… the world I come from. A world filled with superheroes… with gods… It was mind-boggling. It was breathtaking to imagine.”

They stood in front of a simple glass window that separated them from the outside world, from the smoke and ash filling the air and blotting the skies. Within those skies, the fires burned bright from the city of New York. The sirens, the cries of depravity, of loss, and human suffering were barely audible, but they were there. Still alive. Still existing. The aliens… they were still attacking Earth, but New York was spared momentarily. No alien warship hung over it any longer. It still burned either way. Still burned from past wounds.

And it scorched the sunset, making it even brighter, even more blood-soaked. Sunset barely opened her eyes, gazing to the carpeted floors and sighing again. “Guess I just didn’t take into account what a world on fire would look like.” The sunset reflected off her geode.

From far outside their conversation, Matt Murdock turned his head slightly in their direction. Other than that, not a word from the Devil.

With his eyes just resting on the horizon, Phil Coulson stared at the fires curiously. Almost breathing them in despite the distance, despite the separation, and truly absorbing the pain New York, Earth, and Equus must have experienced. “We didn’t take into account the size of this invasion. S.H.I.E.L.D. was meant to be Earth’s last defense if all else failed,” Phil explained, Sunset lifting her head and gazing up to him. “Now that we have the Avengers… I still don’t know.”

“You’ve noticed too?” Sunset quietly whispered. Her eyes darted back, trying to be discreet.

“It’s clear as day,” Phil replied, not really keeping his voice low, but low enough to ensure only he and Sunset were a part of the discussion. He didn’t know of others in the room who might have been… enhanced in that category, Murdock slowly keeping his head at a constant swivel.

Phil turned back, staring at Steve Rogers leaning against the counter, the Captain watching as Rainbow Dash tried to explain their recent fight in a place she called the “Badlands”. It didn’t seem to go well. He then turned to Tony Stark standing clear across the other end of the room, arms crossed, brow furrowing to the farm pony beneath him, Parker, and Rhodes. Phil exhaled sadly through his nostrils, once more taking in that distance of separation between Stark and Rogers.

“The way they look at each other from time to time, even if they’re trying to hide it behind smiles and hugs, it’s still there. The divide,” Phil said. He didn’t necessarily keep it constrained to just Tony and Steve when he said that.

“Will they still be enough?” Sunset asked, hope clearly audible in her tone. Deflating hope.

“They’ll have to be,” Coulson replied. “Because even if S.H.I.E.L.D. can’t protect all the world from this invasion, we’ll need them to.”

She wanted to know more. She wanted to ask more, and Phil would have been more than willing to provide the best answers he could, even to the questions he didn’t have the outcome for. “All right!” Stark’s voice called out, the man of the hour stepping in the heart of the living room. “Could everyone gather up, please? Quickly. We don’t really have… time at the moment. Not anymore.”

Tony stood wearing his silver and orange camo hoodie, the freshly-repaired Arc Reactor for the Mark 50 burning a bright and healthy blue underneath the two flaps. Phil and Sunset exchanged a short glance to one another before eventually falling in alongside everyone else. Everyone. From Peter Parker, James Rhodes, Thor, Loki, Bruce Banner, the Defenders, the Guardians of the Galaxy, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, Wanda Maximoff, Daisy Johnson, Melinda May, the eight mares, and finally Spike. Even Frank Castle stood in the massive circle surrounding Stark, albeit outside the group, but still there. Still listening. Phil Coulson joined shortly, standing between Daisy and Twilight, hands in his pockets, his and all other eyes resting on the Iron Man.

Pursing his lips, shuffling back and forth, Stark began. “AJ just gave us a rundown on the situation, so I’ll just give the basics. Vision is safe. He’s in Canterlot where the two princesses who control the freaking sun and moon are holding a shield over him. Yeah, Phil, I’m serious. Even then…”

He paused, his eyes darting across almost every individual surrounding him. He felt like a minnow swarmed by a hungry drove of piranha fish. God, he wished that were the case. “Twi and the others thought it would be for the best if an Avenger or two stuck around in Canterlot… as a… final means of defense for Vision.”

A few furrowed brows and looks of confusion shot across the room, Natasha twisting her neck over to Steve, and Rogers doing the same. Before they could fully object to the idea, Twilight stepped forth, threw in her own two cents to the situation. Violet hoof held out, she said, “None of you will have to worry about a thing. Canterlot is the most fortified city in all of Equestria. Nothing will break through the shields or even get inside the city with Celestia and Luna protecting it.”

Nodding at that for her support, Tony looked about the room. “Any volunteers?”

“I’ll go.”

Not even a moment of hesitation. It was almost instant, so fast that Stark hadn’t even anticipated it. When he turned to the owner of the voice, it all soon made clear sense who would react so quickly. Everyone turned to the voice, knowing immediately who would volunteer first without even having to face her. Wanda Maximoff stood with her arms crossed, scars healed and expression hardened. Her eyes were dead set on Stark and her position she took. Steve gazed for a moment or two only at her, uncertainty in his eyes. Pinkie took a moment to hoof pump secretly to herself, hardly containing her squeals of delight.

Nodding slowly at that, Tony turned back to the many. “Anyone else?” he asked.

No one moved. No one said a thing. No one except Steve. After finally accepting Wanda’s stance and decision—realizing how much Vision meant to her—Steve finally nodded to her. To Tony. He said, “We’ll need as much help as we can get. Twilight, is Wanda enough for you?”

Twilight had been hoping more than one Avenger would take up the mantle and join them in Canterlot. But even then, the Scarlet Witch was more than enough help considering how powerful she was. Heck, her last visit in Canterlot nearly toppled the entire city when her brother…

Painful thoughts to think about. They had other pressing matters at hoof. Realizing no one else would step forward, Twilight forced a weak smile and nodded to Rogers.

“Guess that’s settled,” Tony said, clapping his hands rather loudly in order to gain the attention of the room. As if everyone wasn’t already focused enough on him. He pointed to Maximoff. “Wanda, take the girls and Spike back to the portal. You know how it works. Safe journey, all of you.”

Nothing more than that. Not really much else needed. Wanda nodded only once. Steve stepped forth, declaring loudly, “As for the rest of you, stack up in the armory! Get what you need! Our next stop is Wakanda!”

He seemed to deflate only slightly, the severity of the situation finally returning and reminding Rogers what was coming. What was needed of them. What they needed to know in order to be ready for what they would face. Even he was hardly ready. Gazing to every face, all old and new, Steve kept his eyes as sharp as daggers, as hard as the densest vibranium.

“And get ready for the fight of your lives,” he told them.

No one said a word. They hardly could. Jessica Jones slowly closed her eyes and dropped her head, still holding onto her wounded shoulder. A warm palm on the opposite brought her eyes back up, back up to meet Luke’s supportive expression, the strength that she clearly lacked at the moment. It was enough to get her back to her feet and face the battles ahead. And she stood with them through every step forward, stood with Matt, Danny, and Luke.

Short goodbyes were given, everyone and everypony knowing the severity of their situation and moving quickly with the formalities. Quick hugs, no more tears, and constantly moving bodies. Steve and Rainbow shared one last hug before they were forced to break away. While May left to prep the Zephyr One for launch, Daisy and Phil remained in the facility a moment longer, guiding uncertain eyes to the outside world, the massive jet waiting for them. Joining Phil and Daisy outside were Thor, Loki, the Defenders, and Spider-Man. Following Steve Rogers into the armory were Natasha, Sam, Castle, and Rhodes. Wanda offered her hugs and goodbyes, turning to Twilight and the others and telling them to follow her.

She left with them, Twilight pausing momentarily to gaze at the last remaining individuals in the living room. Other than Quill and the Guardians and Bruce Banner, all there stood was Tony Stark himself, palms gripping the edge of the dining table, staring nowhere else but the floor. Staring for a million miles and still seeing nothing. And when he turned to face her, she saw that nothingness.

That loss.

That desperation.

It made her feel all the more anxious. Despite the nod he sent her way, despite the nod she sent back, neither felt particularly at ease when they turned away from each other and went their separate ways. With the ponies walked an Avenger. With Stark walked one less. Neither felt any better, but they ignored those deep, desperate thoughts, thinking only of the positives, of what was needed from them.

Within the massive armory of the New Avengers Facility, Natasha plucked a few spare magazines off the table and jammed them into her belt. As for James Rhodes, he had just started fitting into his repaired Mark IV War Machine armor, the bulky suit of pure weaponry and malice chugging to life as the red Arc Reactor burned from within the armor. His mask closed shut, the red eyes igniting to life. Sam Wilson collected several magazines for his machine pistols, nodded to Natasha, and made his way out of the armory, joining Rhodes. As for the Punisher, he gathered all he could, from grenades, short blades, shotguns, assault rifles, and even weapons he could hardly identify and shoved them into his bag. If what Steve Rogers said about prepping for the fight of his life, then it only made sense to ready himself for war. Slinging the large bag of fresh weapons over his shoulder, Frank stomped his way outside the armory, joining Sam in his escape to the outside world and the Zephyr One.

He didn’t even look to Natasha nor Steve as he slipped past them. More like shoved past them, both Avengers gazing to Castle’s backside momentarily—thinking why exactly the Punisher was standing with them in the conflict before finally returning to each other.

“How you feeling?” Steve asked, leaning against the wall.

“Things could be better… less awkward,” Natasha sighed twisting her head slightly. She loaded her pistol with a fresh magazine, cocking it pack and sticking it into her side holster. “But overall, I’d say we’re good.”

Steve nodded, eyes staring elsewhere. Nowhere. “We got the team back together. That’s one less problem to deal with.”

Natasha turned away from the weaponry lying on the desk, barely turning to Steve. “Did we?”

Rogers lifted his gaze and just stared at her. Natasha, with her lips slightly parted, not a breath leaving her, just stared right on back. Then she proceeded out the door and left the armory without another word, letting that dreaded silence between the two hang in the air like a toxic fume. Like something Steve didn’t want to breathe in but knew he had to eventually.

He turned away anyway. He tried to. His gaze shot across the armory as he spun to face the exit, stopping just short of it. Stopping just short to gaze at the lone shield hanging on the wall, the three gashes still embedded on it. The star was still proudly engraved in the face of it, facing tyranny and years upon years of those who stood against freedom, safety, and the right of every human life. The circular shield hung on the wall like a memento from a time before, like an antique from an age forgotten.

It hung on the wall, just… waiting there. For something. For someone.

Steve stared at it for the longest time.

Too long. He turned and left it once again.

“You sure you can’t get the Hulk to come out and play?”

Exiting the darkened hallways, Steve came across Tony and Bruce chatting closely with one another. Everyone else was gone. The living room of the New Avengers Facility never looked deader. Pausing just short of their conversation, Steve stood still and listened, watched as Banner shook his head. “I’m telling you, he won’t come out,” he told Tony.

“All right, we’ll get Veronica prepped for you when we hit Wakanda. Might as well make sure you’re at least… somewhat useful,” Stark explained, slapping his palm of Bruce’s shoulder and directing him completely around, facing the exit of the facility. “Get on the jet with Coulson. I’ll see you there soon.”

Although somewhat hesitant, Banner nodded regardless, exiting the facility and entering the near-darkness of the outside world. Leaving just Tony and Steve the only other inhabitants in the place they formerly called home. Stark sighed, his shattered expression drooping to the floor. The only light in the approaching darkness came from the Arc Reactor. Everything else was black, concealed in shadow, as was half of Steve’s face and body. “Got everything you need?” Stark asked without even turning around.

“Just about,” Steve replied with a firm nod, even when he Stark never saw it. He approached him from behind, Tony already starting off at a slow pace towards the exit, almost like he was constantly moving away from him. “How we looking?”

“Quill and his team were headed for their spaceship last I could tell. Guess we’re hitching a ride with you and Phil. What’s our timeline?”

They stepped outside. The sun had nearly vanished, its light fading and only the darkness of the night sky remaining, the twinkling of the stars burning bright, the fires from the eruption of Mount Tartarus still visible on Equus’ surface. Steve didn’t see that, only Stark had, shuddering as he gazed skywards. As they walked side by side closer and closer to the Zephyr One, the Guardians of the Galaxy mingled near the Milano to the far right, a few eyes darting their way. A particular pair of eyes to be exact. A particular Guardian who broke away and trailed the two Avengers.

Steve shook his head, finally answering. “Not good. The Chitauri are about to send their biggest invasion force on Wakanda. I think…”

Tony turned to him after hearing that dreaded pause.

Steve turned back, met Stark’s eyes. “I think we know why.”

“I know exactly why.”

Both men, both Avengers, stopped dead in their tracks and spun around to meet the near-dead expression on Gamora’s face. Almost like she saw a ghost, like she was the ghost. Like she lost her soul.

Chapter 67 – Visions

Equus

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

6:39 p.m.

Twilight let Spike stay.

After finally returning to their home planet, finally traveling throughout the swirling colors and near-infinite dimensions within the portal, the coordinates allowed them to return safely to Twilight’s library, the sun still barely in the sky, unlike Earth. Obvious time differences Twilight would have to formulate later. At the moment, they had a visitor with them, an Avenger who was not back on Equus for pleasure or leisure. Quite the opposite in both regards.

Wanda Maximoff was greeted to the friendly face of the AI Friday, the Iron Man armor glad to see Wanda safe and sound after practically three years of her absence on Equus. Wanda felt the same, not so surprised to see not much had actually changed since she was in Twilight’s castle. Reminiscing, of course, like many things, could wait.

Everypony took a moment reconstruct themselves for what little time they were given before they would inevitably be needed to travel. Once again to Canterlot to ready themselves for the end of the world. However, Spike was the only one to actually object, telling Twilight and everypony else that he would rather stay at the castle with Friday. He was sick of constantly traveling. He just wanted to sit back, relax, and maybe enjoy a comic book or two. Twilight highly doubted that, considering Spike could barely keep his eyes open. She let him stay regardless, already feeling the weariness of their adventures starting to creep up on her as well.

She tucked that weariness away, somewhere it couldn’t emerge. She needed to. A bright blue portal was birthed out of the void and entered the face of reality itself within her library.

Everypony present turned accordingly, rising out of their chairs and sofas to approach the portal cautiously, the outer rims of it radiating a blue fire. Wanda held out her hand in front of Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, standing in front of the five mares as a means of protection. Others like Starlight, Sunset, and Twilight seemed to somewhat recognize the magical portal that had emerged in the castle’s library. It looked eerily reminiscent of the portal belonging to the magic of Chancellor Neighsay’s artifact. However, much more grateful company stepped forth from it.

Star Swirl the Bearded and the Pillars of Old Equestria entered into Twilight’s library, Star Swirl taking in a breath of air and opening his eyes. Twilight smiled. “Star Swirl!” she exclaimed, trotting forth and wrapping a foreleg around the elder pony’s neck. The two exchanged a quick hug, Wanda dropping her guard only momentarily. Now knowing his name to be Star Swirl, Wanda’s eyes trailed across the six others that followed closely behind the pony with the wizard hat and beard. All while Twilight and Star Swirl conversed with one another.

“I see you’ve learned the more… advanced teleportation spell,” Twilight noted, quickly shaking her head and offering an awkward grin and chuckle. “As expected.”

Star Swirl smirked, nodding once to her before turning his head back to gaze into the bright blue portal still active. “A much more efficient way of transportation rather than blind teleportation.”

“I thought only Neighsay could make that type of teleportation spell?” Twilight wondered aloud.

“With his magical artifact, yes,” Star Swirl replied, turning back to face the Alicorn. “But performing the spell of the same type of magic is also possible, just quite… difficult… and timely. I’ll teach you on another day, but for now…”

He stepped forward, past Twilight and approached the young Avenger, eyes gazing up to her. Wanda rebuilt that defensive wall within her, still uncertain of the unicorn, still waiting for what he might try and do. Instead, he offered her his hoof, as well as when he said, “We thought it would be in our best interests to introduce ourselves to our soon-to-be guest.”

And just like that, her defenses were gone once again. She really needed to work on that. She gently took the pony’s hoof into her hand, gripping it lightly and saying, “Wanda.”

“Star Swirl. It’s a pleasure,” he greeted with a smile, already sensing the great power that resided in the Avenger just by her touch. So much of it, so much that could even rival his own. So much that remained untapped. Twilight and her friends had chosen a fine defender for the job. “Rather than taking that dreadful machine you call a train up to Canterlot, we can just travel by portal, if you wish.”

Star Swirl broke away from Wanda when he said that, turning to Princess Twilight and her friends for a response. Twilight exhaled, grinning softly with half-lidded and tired eyes. “That would be fantastic. Thank you.”

As Wanda proceeded to meet the remaining members of the Pillars—including Rockhoof, Flash Magnus, Meadowbrook, Somnambula, Mistmane, and Stygian—Star Swirl turned to the rest of Twilight’s own friends. They all yawned in consideration of Twilight’s previous yawn, some of them barely standing on their own.

“None of you appear able anyways,” Star Swirl observed, stroking his beard. With the eyes of the mares now on him, he continued. “Twilight, I think you and your friends should take the appropriate measures in ensuring you acquire enough rest and recollection of yourselves when we return to Canterlot. Maybe your wounds would have healed further by tomorrow morning, at least to acceptable levels.”

“Can’t argue with that,” Rainbow Dash said with a shrug, yawning carnivorously shortly after.

“Then it’s settled,” Star Swirl declared, spinning around to face the Avenger just as she finished shaking Stygian’s hoof. “Wanda, my dear, if you would be so kind as to follow my friends and I.”

After breaking away from Stygian, Wanda rose to full height, watching as Star Swirl proceeded past her and approached the portal. “Is Vision safe?” she asked at long last. He stopped. They all did. Twisting his neck back, Star Swirl’s eye met Wanda’s own pair.

Star Swirl nodded. “See for yourself.”

They entered the portal, one pony at a time. Trailing close behind the Pillars were the eight mares, Starlight and Pinkie assuring Wanda of its safety and following close behind. Wanda, although a tad uncertain of the magic before her, finally took the next brave step forward, pressed her palm into the bright blue flame, and entered into it.

The next thing she knew she was in the halls of Canterlot Castle itself. Just like that. A seamless journey. And standing there, tall above the others, leaning against the wall, was him.

“Vision!”

A collective share of flinches and gasps filled the hallway as the ponies made way for the Scarlet Witch. The Vision raised his head, stepping forth to meet her halfway. “Wanda!” Vision said, expelling a helping of painful air as he nearly collapsed into her arms. “You’re safe.”

Despite his hardened shell of an exterior, Vision felt so soft in her arms. So weak. Even his voice failed to deliver that strength he used to offer. She pelted his face with kisses all the same, several hard, a few soft, finally meeting his lips. Pinkie Pie practically melted right then and there, a soft, drawn out, loving sigh escaping her at the mere sight of the two. When she broke away, she was practically breathless, gazing into his eyes. “Of course I am. Of course.”

Vision nodded appreciatively to that, then proceeded to hunch over, clutching his abdomen.

Wanda caught him before he could fall, lowering Vision to rest on one knee. “His wounds…” Flash Magnus spoke, Wanda barely even tuning to the Pegasus in shining armor. “Not even Canterlot’s doctors could help him.”

“They never could,” Wanda muttered. She proceeded to mend his injuries, her fingers dancing and inflicting a red haze within his blast wounds. The Pillars were instantly captivated by her abilities, Twilight and the others having grown accustomed to them. Sunset, despite not having met Wanda previously, still saw the psionic energy as something of a familiarity. Twilight really was great at telling stories.

“Incredible magic,” Mage Meadowbrook commented, Wanda not even looking at her, her full focus on Vision. “You certainly are skilled with that there, Miss.”

“It won’t be enough,” Wanda hated to admit, cutting off the energy and sealing the wound to the best of her abilities. Whatever type of blast Vision had taken was far beyond that of her magic, far beyond that of the Stone she had gotten her powers from. Finally turning back to the ponies, Wanda nodded to them. “I’ll stay with him, do all I can.”

“We’d hoped you would,” Star Swirl said, smiling softly to see a plan come together. Part of a plan. Part of their plan. Just that thought killed Star Swirl’s smile, the ancient unicorn turning his gaze over to Twilight and the rest of the girls. Barely managing to stand, each of the eight mares practically teetered amongst one another, eyelids drooping, heads falling, Pinkie snoring.

Star Swirl sighed to see Twilight share the same fate. Then again, after all they’ve been through, he couldn’t really blame any of them. “With that settled, I’d say it’s time to turn in early for tonight. Celestia knows you girls need it,” he told them.

Twilight wanted to object, but her own yawns cut her off. Instead, she turned back to the rest of her friends, either seeing them all barely awake or nearly fading. Nothing else other than that. Nothing but shared looks of understanding and agreement, all of them wanting the same thing. Needless to say, but Twilight wanted it too. Smiling to Star Swirl, then to Wanda, Twilight bowed her head to each. “Good night… and good luck you two.”

Wanda finally looked away. Finally looked to the Alicorn. “Thank you, Twilight.”

Vision barely looked up, still gripping his abdomen. “Thank you,” he said, nodding once to her.

With what little was settled—much more left to hope on—the mares and the Pillars proceeded to disperse. Twilight, being more familiar with her surroundings, led her friends to the guest wing of the castle, Star Swirl and the remaining Pillars trailing behind her to find their own rooms. Ponies split up as the hallways broke apart, leaving just the two Avengers left alone, in the big, dark castle.

Vision grunted as he tried to rise to his feet, Scarlet Witch returning to reality and helping him back up. With her palm pressed over his chest—where she had hoped his heart to be—Wanda waited and listened to his breathing, the sound of air entering his very being, whether or not it kept him alive, and gently left him. He met her eyes, slowly shook his head.

And said, “Wanda, there’s little more you can do to stop the inevitable.”

“What?” Wanda questioned. She gazed further into his robotic lenses, seeing the man beneath the machine. The human. What part of him was just that. Her own eyes widened. “No, Vision—”

“He wants the Stone, Wanda,” he interrupted, pressing his own free palm onto her own. “Thanos is stronger than the Avengers, stronger than anything we’ve ever faced. Even together we’re not strong enough to stop him from attaining the Mind Stone.”

His words meant little to her, no matter how far he pushed or how real he sounded. She would not give in, accept the fate that would befall him. Continued to deny destiny. “I will not let him get to you,” she continued to say, continued to fight, deny, and hope.

Vision breathed. Lived. Stared into her. “He’ll kill you, Wanda.”

“No, he won’t,” Wanda argued. Continued to. “I swear I’ll protect you and the Stone.”

Vision looked away, stared at the marble floor for what felt like an eternity. The sun had just disappeared behind the mountain of which Canterlot rested, the rays vanishing and the darkness of the night settling in upon the castle grounds. Lanterns and candles dotted the gardens outside, stars beginning to blink to life, the lights from planet Earth shimmering against the planet’s surface. The beauty of life, of reality meant nothing to them. To him. When faced with such dreaded circumstances, especially his current thought process, one could not admire the beauty of the worlds. One could only face that dread…

“No… we have to destroy it.”

And accept it.

Wanda was not one of those people. Her expressions suddenly deflated, a whiteness even paler than her natural skin color filling her veins and making her shiver. Shiver because there was no hint of deceit in Vision’s tone. Because he was being real with her. He tapped at the Stone, muttering, “I’ve been giving this… quite a lot of thought as of recent. If it was exposed to a power source either equal or greater to it… perhaps a power source birthed from the Stone itself, passed down, and only enhanced… by its user… then perhaps—”

“No, Vision,” Wanda sniffled, pressing further onto him. “It won’t ever come to that. You can’t expect me to—”

Vision shook his head. “I know it’s not fair. It shouldn’t be you but it is. Wanda…”

He held her face in his palms, looked nowhere else but the beauty in her eyes. The tragedy, the twisted nature of her life brought forth by loss, warfare, demons, and heartbreak. Those swirls of chaos had birthed an angel, and that’s all the Vision saw. He saw her. Saw her mixed in the chaos.

“If all else fails… you have to destroy the Stone. For the good of the universe.”

Wanda stared into his eyes.

Her hand rose up and graced his own. Vision took that as her answer, just as horrifying a revelation as when he first proposed it to her.

Next Morning

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Castle, Hallways

7:00 a.m.

Just outside the guest rooms, Star Swirl and the Pillars of Equestria waited and watched as Twilight Sparkle and her seven closest friends exited out of their respective rooms. Some ponies appeared to be early birds on a regular basis, but even those ponies had trouble waking up on the time they agreed. Applejack especially, the mare having trouble sleeping without having to tossed and turn on her injured hind leg. As for Rainbow Dash… well, she just hated waking up early altogether. She and Sunset.

Other than that, they were awake and ready for the day. Whatever it may bring. Mostly. Star Swirl took whatever he could get from them, nodding their way. “Well, you all seem to be doing fairly well,” Star Swirl noted, the rest of the Pillars observing and smiling to the mares, who smiled back, whether they be forced or not. “Your wounds have healed… remarkably fast.”

Minus Starlight’s bandaged horn, everypony else appeared to be in similar boats. The advanced magical healing spells from Canterlot’s finest doctors had done wonders for the ponies, Rainbow and Fluttershy stretching out their wings fully, Applejack and Pinkie Pie stretching their legs, and the unicorns cracking their necks satisfyingly.

Twilight sighed as her neck popped, a dream-like smile and sigh leaving her. “There have been advancements in medical spells since your day, Star Swirl,” Twilight replied with a smile. A winded one, but a smile nonetheless.

“So it seems,” Flash Magnus acknowledged with a firm nod. He cleared his throat, holding out a wing that led to the exit. “Well then, shall we get—?”

Twilight raised her hoof. “Just… a moment.”

The Pillars froze, all of them already turned and prepared to make the short journey to the train station. They paused, heads shifting back and gazing towards the Alicorn. Twilight met the rest of her friends, all of their eyes gazing into one another, heads nodding in unison. Twilight faced back to the Pillars, wings fluffing, nervously. “We’ve been talking, my friends and I, and… we would like to discuss something with Celestia before we leave. Something important.”

Her eyes grew cold, then melting into Star Swirl’s. “Something you told us about.”

That coolness, like a frozen fire, finally impacted Star Swirl where he felt it, deep down in his heart. The pang of realization rushed into him like a breath of air, like a breath of reborn life. He slowly nodded, already understanding without even needing a word more from her. “Very well.”

It was all he could say, all he could do other than follow Twilight and the girls towards the throne room. When they entered, when the morning sunlight was as bright as the marble floor and the pillars that lined the glory of Celestia and Luna’s expanse of power was shown, the only ponies they saw were the Royal Sisters. The guards at the bottom of their thrones meant little to nothing to them, only seeing Celestia, only seeing Luna meant something grander, something important.

The same could be said for the sisters. “Twilight, girls!” Celestia exclaimed, the weariness from her face almost completely vanishing, happy to see her old student and her friends already on the clear path to recovery. Her smile… slowly fell… when her eyes turned… “… Star Swirl. Is everything all right?”

Seeing the dead expression on his face, the look of dread riddled in his stare, Celestia had reason to find worry when not only he, but all other members of the Pillars entered into their throne room. Even Luna raised her weary head, frowning to see that look in Star Swirl’s eyes. “Momentarily,” he commented, hoof turning over to the princess on his right. “But Twilight and her friends would wish to speak with you on rather important matters.”

Celestia straightened herself, Luna still slouched and appearing absolutely dead, both mentally, physically, and magically. “Yes, what is it, Twilight?” the Princess of the Sun asked.

“What do you know about Typhon?”

Luna’s eyes snapped open. She shot up like an alert canine. Even Celestia lost her breath at just the utterance of that name, that name she and her sister knew all too well. There was no hesitation. The lack of pause in Twilight’s tone of voice was clearly evident, as was the stone-cold seriousness burning in her violet irises. Not only her, but the rest of her friends. The rest of the Pillars. Even Star Swirl the Bearded.

Everypony holding that same look Celestia and Luna wished nopony else could have held other than them.

Gulping silently, Celestia asked, “Whatever would make you—?”

“The volcano, the serpents, everything in the Badlands,” Twilight interrupted, refusing to remain quiet any longer, refusing to pause, refusing to hold back those burning questions melting her very insides with a painful firestorm that just couldn’t end. “There was more to it. Much more to it. Much more thanks to what Star Swirl told us.”

She pressed forward, stamped her hoof into the marble only once. It was loud enough—the room was quiet enough—to echo across the walls, finally reaching the princesses and taking their breath away. “So tell me… tell us… everything you know,” Twilight shakily declared.

What could she tell her? Everything Celestia knew of that dreaded name and the monster behind it was surely something Star Swirl had already informed to Twilight and the girls. She didn’t have to say anything. History had already been told, already been written. That of course wasn’t true. Recent history, so recent that Celestia’s still had vivid nightmares—visions—of what was to come almost every single night. She didn’t sleep much, still managing to hold the protective dome over Canterlot alongside her sister. What few hours of rest she was actually given… all she could see were those seven heads.

Those same seven serpents.

Heard those same seven screams.

Every single time. And that was real. Luna saw it all too, Celestia turning to her and seeing the complete loss of life in her gaze, her mane hardly moving, hardly alive. Princess Celestia sighed through her nostrils, her head slowly, painfully, facing forward once again. Her muzzle faced the marble floor, her golden-covered hooves, and she sighed.

She wanted to cry, but only managed to whisper, “What I dreaded has come to pass. Or… will.”

Not a word in return.

“No matter how much I denied it, tried to push it down, try to block out as much out as I could… there was no hiding from the visions. Not dreams. Not nightmares. Visions. In these visions, I’ve seen our very world reborn into fire and storm, reborn by the very beast who swore vengeance so long ago. The beast who tried to take Equus once before, who is ready… to take it once again.”

“Typhon,” Luna spat, her snout wrinkling into several layers of hatred and disgust.

There it was. It was real. The last Celestia had a vision, Tirek returned from Tartarus. That much was so real that it struck Twilight and her closest friends where it hurt. Somewhere they had personal experience in knowing and believing. They stood there and shut their mouths, letting the darkness of the situation finally fill them up and wound them even further than their injuries ever could.

“We have been studying the Badlands as of recent,” Mistmane said, continuing from where the silence had dipped off into oblivion. Twilight and the girls turned her way, the other Pillars doing the same for their fellow ally. “As well as what remains of Mount Tartarus.”

“It still burns,” Rockhoof growled, the butt of his shovel pressed hard into the marble floor, almost making it crack under his increasing pressure. “All of the Badlands still burn.”

“Typhon’s rebirth is close at hoof,” Somnambula spoke, the wisdom in her tone taking everypony’s breath away. “If we do nothing now, the destruction of Canterlot and our very way of life will be assured.”

“But we’ve been doin’ some talkin’…” Meadowbrook trailed off.

“And Twilight and her friends some traveling…” Flash Magnus continued.

“And came to a decision,” Star Swirl said with a firm, final nod.

Then all looked to the meager pony. The gray-colored unicorn. Stygian, the last Pillar of Old Equestria, affirmed his stance among his allies. And he declared, “We have decided that now would be the best time to bring the Elements of Harmony to Canterlot.”

All heads shifted to the thrones.

And watched as Celestia almost instantly nodded, nearly in tears. Her horn was aglow, her face, her mind, her very state of being practically shaking where she sat. “You’re right,” Celestia whispered. She couldn’t hide the pain in her voice, the absolute dread and fatigue still plaguing her body, heart, and soul. Every waking moment was a fear that Canterlot, her home, her little ponies could be attacked, a fear that she and her sister wouldn’t be enough to hold the shield for as long as they had been holding it already. And every moment she closed her eyes—whenever she tried to gain a semblance of rest and recollection—she would only face the fear of imminent and assured destruction and vengeance on a scale unlike anything Equestria had ever felt. There was no rest. There was no peace. There was only fear… and that fleeting light of hope.

That hope standing right in front of her and her little sister.

That hope remaining with Twilight Sparkle and her five closest friends.

“You are all right,” Luna affirmed. Celestia watched as the Princess of the Night took command, finally rose from where she sat and glared upon the face of destiny itself. Straight into the darkness and glared right into it. She nearly jumped off of her throne, declaring loudly, “The time for rest is past. The time for action has begun!”

Celestia rose as well, joining her sister through hell and heaven, through rest and action. Through peace and war. And she shouted, “We have stood in the face of total annihilation once before… and we didn’t back down then! We will not back down now!”

Luna added, “We will be victorious.”

Celestia gazed below, to the hope-filled eyes of Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony, to the tears boiling in Sunset Shimmer’s gaze, to the smirk burning on Starlight Glimmer’s face. To the Pillars of Old Equestria, her old teacher, and seeing just how proud he was to smile truly at her. “My dear Twilight… my friends… my little ponies…”

She slowly extended her pearl-white wings, appearing otherworldly. Heavenly. Godly. “The fate of Equestria… and our worlds… remain with you.”

And Twilight Sparkle nodded. Her heart raced, her blood pumped, and her soul felt rejuvenated. More so than it had felt in days. Standing with her friends, every Pegasus, Earth pony, and unicorn standing proud and tall, confident grins on their faces, Twilight declared, “Don’t worry, princesses. We won’t let you down.”

They left with the Pillars, the throne room doors shutting loudly behind them. Then all was cool. All was quiet save for the sounds of multiple hooves clopping and proceeding forward down the massive hallways within Canterlot Castle. “Twilight, I must ask you and your friends…”

And just like that, everypony stopped behind her. Behind the Princess of Friendship. Together at last, they all gazed into the eyes of Star Swirl the Bearded, the rest of the Pillars standing right behind him, the seven meeting the other seven, Twilight and Star Swirl leading each pack and staring into each other’s eyes. Star Swirl narrowed his breath, his body tensing further and further as he finally asked the only question worth asking.

“Are you truly ready to wield the Elements once more?”

Not even a hint of hesitation. Just confidence. “We’re still a little scratched up, but unlike yesterday… I think we’re finally ready,” Twilight assured him with a smile and a nod.

They all nodded.

“Star Swirl,” Sunset Shimmer asked, stepping forth alongside her friend Twilight. All eyes on her, but she didn’t really care. She had grown used to it over the years, grown used to living and believing alongside a group of friends she could love with all her life. She was glad to have found another. “From what you and the Pillars have seen in the Badlands, how close are we to Typhon’s second coming?”

Each of the Pillars knew that answer, but only Star Swirl could say it. “Near.”

Twilight turned to her friends, stared mainly at Rainbow. They both slowly grinned to one another, already knowing what was coming. “Let’s go get our Elements back.”

“Just like old times,” Rainbow exhaled, that same, slick grin plastered on her lips, meeting Twilight’s.

All to cover up the lingering shadow of doubt.

Chapter 68 – Time

Earth

Kathmandu, Nepal

Kamar-Taj

7:54 p.m.

Wong was one not to take risks. Since his life had truly begun while in servitude to the Masters of the Mystic Arts, he had known to only follow what was absolutely necessary, what was needed to achieve the greater good. The safety of the universe and all of reality itself. When Stephen Strange burst forth in the Sanctum Sanctorum covered in blood, bruises, and fear, Wong knew something terrible had happened.

As so, as he thought, the Time Stone has been threatened. The very fate of the universe now relied with the Masters of the Mystic Arts to defend their greatest treasure and weapon. Wong led that defense, the sorcerers that followed him numbering close to half a hundred as they gripped swords, staffs, and other weapons of war infused with magical properties. Wong himself held the Wand of Watoomb in his right palm, leading the many sorcerers and apprentices—those dangerously unprepared for war—to gather their last remaining ally in all of Kamar-Taj.

Doctor Strange.

The Sorcerer Supreme retreated to his personal study to recover while Wong gathered the masses. And perhaps even come up with a plan, as Wong had only one in mind, one that didn’t even seem as sound as he would have wished. As Wong and the sorcerers trailing him walked through the expansive, unresponsive walls of Kamar-Taj, weapons in hand, faces hardened for war, there was very little to be said.

But they managed. “What of the London and Hong Kong Sanctums?” a sorcerer asked, tailing close behind Wong.

“The guardians of each sanctum will do well to defend each. New York as well remains guarded for the time being,” Wong responded instantly, eyes widening to see Stephen Strange’s door coming into view at the end of the seemingly-endless hallway.

A younger apprentice scoffed, his master turning towards him. “Even then, how many will have to die in order to keep your Eye of Agamotto safe?” the apprentice questioned.

“Watch your tone, child!” Wong practically yelled, beating the sorcerer to condemning his own apprentice. He paused just outside Strange’s door, the army of sorcerers stopping just as well, all eyes on Wong. “All of you have taken an oath to keep the Time Stone safe from harm! Do not forget what you have given your lives for.”

An unsettling pang of silence followed, the eyes of the young ones falling to the ground before slowly forced to face forward once more, forced to face the eyes of war burning in Wong’s gaze. As for Wong, he could only sigh, his grip on the Wand greatly loosening just to see so many young faces. So many young ones who had to pick up the sword and fight the war of men. A callous and wretched loss to be, but a loss that may have to come. Wong shook his head, reaching back and gripping the door handle with his free palm, slowly beginning to twist it open.

“Perhaps none of you truly do. Perhaps only the Sorcerer Supreme truly knows the severity of the situation, given his firsthand experience in dealing with this threat. You all can learn something from him, as only he knows how important the Time Stone really—”

Wong pushed open the door, then he and the other sorcerers proceeded to drop their collective jaws at the sight of it. The sight of him.

And what he was doing with the Time Stone.

“Strange!”

Doctor Stephen Strange sat cross-legged, the Cloak of Levitation allowing him to hover a few feet above the very ground itself. His eyelids were closed, yet his eyes danced wildly underneath, darting in every direction possible within the span of a few seconds. Not only his eyes, but his head, his skin, his very body twitching and shivering as the power of the Time Stone was opened to him. As the Eye of Agamotto rested not on its stand within Kamar-Taj, but around the Sorcerer Supreme’s neck. With it opened, the power of the Time Stone flowed around his wrists, up his arms, and even encompassing his very heart and mind. The green energy flowing from the light within the Eye continued to pulse and swirl around Strange, the man seeming to be lost, his head dancing and flickering madly from side to side, up and down, left to right, again and again and again.

Until Wong forcefully yanked on his arm and ripped Strange right from his stupor. Stephen gasped, his eyes practically bugging out of his skull as the energy surrounding him retreated and coiled back into the Eye, the necklace firmly shutting and concealing the power of the Time Stone. Their fellow sorcerers gathered around Stephen and Wong, standing quietly and listening to Strange’s breathless gasps of air.

“What happened?” Wong proceeded forward, his eyes darting from the Eye of Agamotto and back up to Strange. He gripped his arm even tighter, demanding, “What did you do with the Stone?”

Strange was out of breath, out of his mind, and nearly out of time. Taking the power of the Time Stone, willingly seeing the horrors that would come from it… all of it just to see… the future. His skin was pale, beads of sweat practically streaming from his forehead. He felt mentally and physically ill, his mind and heart racing at a million miles per hours. The only reason he subjected himself to such torment, forced himself to witness such tragedy, was to see…

“I went forward in time… to view alternate futures… to see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict,” Doctor Strange explained, exhaled heavily between breaths.

Wong’s eyes slowly widened, his jaw just falling and refusing to close. Hardly any of the remaining sorcerers moved, barely any of them even breathed for that matter. The only sound in the private study was from Strange’s own breathing. “How many did you see?” a sorcerer apprentice asked.

“14,000,605,” Strange replied breathlessly.

Wong paused, dropped his gaze, then finally turned it back. “How many did we win?”

Strange stared at him, not even needing the power of the Time Stone to know that all of reality seemed to freeze, hang off into oblivion after Wong uttered those words. And oblivion it was, Strange thinking of the millions of possibilities, of obscurities, of falsehoods, of dying hopes, and fainting victories. He still couldn’t believe it. His eyelids twitched, his eyes refusing to meet Wong’s or anyone’s for that matter. He stared into space, stared into the millions of visions of which he forced himself to pay witness to, each more horrible than the last. His face grew ten times paler, a slight shake in his head, a twitch in his skin, and more sweat dampening his head and body. His body shivered, his very soul quaked at the prospects of what was to come. And what would come…

“I…”

What would be needed…

“I… I-I...”

What would have to happen.

“... I don’t know.”

Wong’s heart froze. Every sorcerer finally breathed again, their eyes so wide that tears started to leak and burn from them. But perhaps nobody’s eyes were as wide as Strange’s, witnessing the bigger picture, knowing far more than what any could fully comprehend or dare to. And he was cursed with that knowledge, forever cursed with the power to do everything to prevent what was to come. Cursed to know what he was allowed see.

He stared at Wong and whispered shakily, “I couldn’t… see the endgame.”

Strange and Wong proceeded forward, hardly a word leaving the army of sorcerers and apprentices behind them. In their hands they gripped the weapons of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. In their hearts they knew only dread and untimely destruction was what awaited them. In their eyes they saw only what Strange gripped in his shivering hand.

The Eye of Agamotto swung helplessly from Strange’s right fist, the necklace coiled tightly around the scars that painted Strange’s pale white skin. Within that Eye held the power to reshape time itself, and there walked Strange like he couldn’t wait to get rid of it. Or he couldn’t allow anyone else to hold it, a dreaded balance of chaos that only Stephen Strange was capable of.

Together, they all approached the lone stand resting in the room to the entrances of the three sanctums. New York, London, and Hong Kong were all sealed, what little light there was in the room cascading downwards onto the lone stand resting between the grounds of the three doors. Strange and Wong paused, gazing longingly to the stand, more so Strange.

Wong, instead, turned to Stephen and asked, “From what you saw… from what is to come… what do we need to do?”

Stephen shifted his gaze over to Wong, ignoring the army behind him. Holding out the necklace, Strange proceeded to rest its edge on the stand, as gently as he could, as quietly as he could. His heavy breathing followed shortly, his voice muttering, “Not many outcomes reside in our favor. But the one… the ones that do… require us to bring reinforcements to Kamar-Taj.”

“Reinforcements?” Wong asked.

Strange lifted his eyes back to Wong, forced away from the Eye of Agamotto only momentarily. For the last time. “As in the Avengers,” he specified.

Despite the severity in his tone, Wong still seemed incredulous. As well as the sorcerers behind him. Shaking his head, Stephen spun around, whipping the Cloak as he did so. “We’re not enough, Wong,” he explained, stepping forth to the London Sanctum, then to the Hong Kong Sanctum. “None of us ever will be. Leave the Stone here, on its stand and defend it with your lives. I’ll be right back.”

Strange turned to the door that led to the New York Sanctum. It stared down upon him, its shadow encompassing and eating Strange’s very existence. It felt that way at least, Stephen feeling so utterly small compared to the grand scheme. He gulped, eyes practically sweating raw determination, anxiety, and worst of all… fear. Fear of…

“And do what has to be done.”

He forced himself to raise his hand, open the door to the New York Sanctum, and close his eyes…

Just as it exploded.

The resounding shock wave sent a blast so forceful and powerful that it knocked Strange and Wong clear across the room, their bodies smacking the door to the London Sanctum. Chunks of rock and stone fell atop of them, the dust filling the room, blinding the sorcerers that had not been blown aside from the explosion. As the fire subsided, as sound and life finally returned to the room that held the Eye of Agamotto, the sorcerers proceeded to rise back to their feet, gaze into the smoke, and pay witness.

Two forms stepped forth from the smoke and fire. One massive, bulky, and gripping a hammer in its right claw. And the other small, lengthy, stepping cautiously over the destruction and torn bodies that lingered near the stand of the Eye. Gripping their weapons tight, the sorcerers stepped forth, ready to meet their assailants with raw strength boiling in their veins, alongside the very energy of the universe flowing within their weapons.

The smaller of the two raised his bony fingers. To the continued shock and awe of the young sorcerers, several shards of stone and brick began to rise from the shattered grounds and walls. The shards were sharpened to a fine point, each end directed towards those who stood, those who rose, those who still managed to breathe.

Ebony Maw grinned. He flicked his wrist forward.

Flinging several shards of stone and brick right into their hearts, Ebony watched as each of the sorcerers were killed almost instantly, their bodies torn like paper, blood spewing like geysers of fire. Their bodies crumbled to the floor like sacks of rocks, joining the pebbles that remained of the temple that housed the Eye of Agamotto. Speaking of which, Ebony Maw finally flicked his gaze over to the lone stand, the ancient relic resting upon it, untouched by the chaos within the room.

Hesitating almost, Ebony raised his left hand. Not a word.

Cull Obsidian growled and reared forward, his massive palm devouring the stand and the Eye of Agamotto. Easily crushing the rock within his grip, Obsidian found it to be a little more troublesome to finish crushing the necklace when Wong fired a concussive Eldritch blast straight into his heart.

Cull was flung right back into the New York Sanctum, Ebony Maw spinning about to watch his body crash to the lower levels of the sanctum. He only turned back when he heard the gust of wind, barely catching a glimpse of Doctor Stephen Strange practically ramming into him at full speeds with aid from the Cloak of Levitation.

As the only two sorcerers left standing, they did all they could to protect the Stone.

Everything in their power.

The fight proceeded outside of the Sanctum Sanctorum’s walls, Doctor Strange and Ebony Maw struggling for dominance within the air and Wong and Cull Obsidian battling dead center in the streets. Knowing full well that Obsidian still held the Eye of Agamotto—and more importantly, the Time Stone—within his greedy claw, Wong wasted no time in unleashing everything he had on him. All of his knowledge. All of his power. Twisting and turning the Wand of Watoomb with skilled precision and deadly accuracy. The Eldritch Magic that flowed within the weapon allowed Wong to drive its face directly into the road, ripping a slab of concrete right from the street and hurl it directly at Cull. The towering beast of the Black Order roared, crushing the slab of concrete with just a slash of his hammer, flinging the head of it directly towards Wong. Without hesitation, Wong shot out his hands and proceeded to create a portal large enough to capture the head of the hammer, a second portal created directly next to it and flinging that hammer right back at Obsidian. The beast was unprepared, the chain axe smacking right into his forehead.

Wong charged Cull when he was down, Obsidian quickly rising back up and bringing an abandoned taxi cab with him. Grunting as he spun around, Cull flung the taxi right for the sorcerer, the vehicle spinning through the air at unrealistic speeds. Unfortunately for Cull, his brutish attack meant nothing to Wong, as the Wand he gripped simply created a large enough blast in return to completely nullify the velocity and impact of the vehicle. It careened to the side, resting on its hood as Wong stood with his Wand held out, completely untouched and unscathed. Cull Obsidian roared, keeping his right hand clenched tight around the Eye of Agamotto.

Further down the road, Ebony Maw had successfully taken the skies and knocked Strange back to the earth. With his boots skidding across the shattered cement, Stephen was barely focused enough to block Maw’s oncoming strikes. The Black Order member hovered high above, his telekinetic powers shown through the streets of New York City. Cars and power lines were ripped right from the ground, trees and lamp posts following, slabs of concrete sharpened to that of blades. All hurled right below for the vulnerable Doctor Strange.

Stephen pursed his lips, tightened his expressions and shot out his fists, creating a pair of Tao Mandalas capable of blocking the oncoming attacks and blowing aside the massive pieces of debris Maw flung at him. Unlike Strange, Ebony was becoming quite amused with the antics from the magician. Creating a rift within the madness, a moment of clarity within the fog of chaos, Ebony Maw declared, “Your power is quaint! You must be popular with the children!”

“You’re trespassing in this city and on this planet!” Strange retorted, fists held out, the Eldritch Magic burning from his Tao Mandalas.

Ebony sneered, still so high above ground and above Strange in every aspect. “No formalities with you, then? Very well. Brother, the Stone!”

Ebony shot out his palm behind him, his eyes darting back and latching onto Wong’s backside. Stephen’s eyes widened to see the fire hydrant next to Wong erupt, spewing torrents of water directly into his fellow sorcerer’s legs. Wong grunted as he was flung through the air, his body slamming through a glass window and crashing into a nearby shop. With Wong dealt with, Cull Obsidian growled, opening his palm and gazing down to the Eye of Agamotto upon it.

He crushed his hand. The spell protecting the Eye shattered as did the necklace.

“No!” Stephen screamed, Maw turning back to him. Except he was already gone, vanished through a portal of his own making. Curious, Maw spun around, watching a similar portal emerge and the Sorcerer Supreme leaping out of it. His curiosity turned to fury when he witnessed Strange wield an Eldritch hammer, slamming the face of it against Obsidian’s oblivious head. The brute growled as Strange went to work on him, driving, slamming, and pushing Cull down further and further.

Ebony Maw had enough by the time Strange unsheathed an Eldritch saber from his right hand, the edge focused on Obsidian’s exposed right arm. “Fool!” Maw screamed, jamming his fingers towards the very ground Strange stood upon. Instantly, coiling around Strange’s body like feral serpents, several tendrils of wiring began to slither across Stephen’s body and constrict him of movement. The Eldritch saber faded away, Doctor Strange forced to his knees before the two members of the Black Order.

As Ebony descended closer to the earth, Stephen quickly found his gateway of oxygen shortening with every passing second, the wires tightening further and further around his limbs, body, and neck. His eyesight began to leave him, but not before witnessing the glowing green light escape the palm from Cull Obsidian. Maw breathed sporadically, almost harmoniously alongside Cull, the beast gazing wondrously to the Infinity Stone lying within his grasp.

The power of time itself.

But not for them, no. For someone greater. For someone deserving of it. For their lord, master, and father. Both Children of Thanos turned back to the struggling sorcerer, hearing him utter, “The Masters… of the Mystic Arts… will gladly die… to ensure that Stone’s safety.”

As Cull growled at that, Ebony instead raised his hand, crushing it into a fist. “You’ll only wish you were dead,” he hissed, watching as Strange’s mind began to fade from the lack of oxygen, his body crumbling. He smirked menacingly. “Have fun with our pets.”

He released Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme taking in the biggest gasp of air he’d ever had. It was short lived, Cull Obsidian smacking the side of his hand against Strange’s body and launching him clear across the road, his body impacting the side of an abandoned vehicle. Doctor Strange’s mind faded from black to white, lightness and darkness, reality and falsehood. What he couldn’t deny, what he could clearly see, however, were the two assailants, the two members of the Black Order standing side by side in the street. And Strange watched them…

Watched as they vanished through the blue beam of light yanking them off the ground and into the Q-Ship above the road. By the time Strange finally realized an alien spaceship had arrived, it was already too late, the circular spacecraft spinning wickedly before facing completely around. Its engines—whatever could be called its engines—ignited, launching the ship straight into the atmosphere. And they were gone…

Gone.

With the Time Stone.

It was just that easy. Doctor Strange let his head fall as New York City burned around him, the Sorcerer Supreme trying to return to his two feet but already failing, already crumbling back to the street like the defeated slump he knew he was. The pain he felt was great, yet the reality of the situation, the horrors of it, the complete picture was far too much, far greater than any pain that could dare to threaten him. Even as Wong rushed to his side, his body a blur, his voice a slur, Strange thought only to the outcome of their situation.

The Time Stone was taken. It was actually gone. Everything they had done to protect it, every measure, every plan, every sorcerer… had failed. Wong pulled Strange back to his feet, talking to him, screaming to him, yet none of his words managed to reach Stephen in his state of mind. Even as they limped back into the Sanctum Sanctorum, all Strange could see was the greater picture, the grander outcome, laced with immeasurable loss, pain, suffering, and…

He stopped. He and Wong. Just by the shattered entrance to the Sanctum.

And saw it.

The death.

The foyer floor of the Sanctum Sanctorum was littered with bodies, several guardians and sorcerers amongst them. But taking up the majority of those slaughtered like cattle, like forgettable casualties—like numbers—in war… was everyone else. Every citizen. Every man, woman, child… simply gone. Every citizen of New York they vowed to protect within the walls of the Sanctum… lied buried amongst the others, blood painting what ground wasn’t covered by a corpse.

Every life vanquished.

Every single one of them

Karen Page’s eyes stared right at Strange, not a breath leaving her blood-soaked lips.

Foggy Nelson gaped in horror, his body a torn mesh of blood and clothing.

Misty Knight lied with her cheek pressed into the blood, her eyes shut, body unmoving.

Claire Temple still held her pistol, the magazine completely empty, as she lied motionless.

Colleen Wing held her katana close, the weapon shattered, as was her chest.

Trish Walker lay with her forehead bleeding, body torn and stabbed, like all the others.

Like all the others.

Doctor Strange and Wong stood frozen in horror, the blood in the faces completely leaving them. They were almost numb to the explosions rocking the outside world, what remained of New York burning away as the Chitauri warship descended upon the Sanctum Sanctorum.

The Child of Thanos was right. Stephen wished he was dead. He wished he died right then and there. But he didn’t. He lived and saw and was never numb to it all.

Chapter 69 – The First Wave

The Nation of Wakanda

The Golden City

3:21 p.m.

The Zephyr One soared downwards into the bustling metropolis, what remained of the Golden City’s populace fleeing in a mass exodus out of the city’s limits to safety within the snow-capped mountains.

The Milano trailed right behind the massive, jet-black plane, the Guardians of the Galaxy gazing in total awe to the scope and beauty of the capital city of Wakanda. The afternoon sun burned the skylines, unveiling the towering shield resting over the entire city, specks of darkness dotting the skies beyond the city.

Notable specks.

On further analyzation, the occupants of both the Zephyr One and the Milano realized they were warships, black and blue in color, colossal in size and scale. Chitauri Command Centers, numbering in the dozens, filled the air high above the capital city of Wakanda. Staring downwards, staring straight ahead, every Avenger, every Guardian, every Defender, every agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., and everyone could see even more warships mere miles above the earth, circling the shield. Circling the Golden City with malicious intent.

The armies of Thanos were ready and waiting.

Steve stared at it for what felt like an eternity by the time the Zephyr One finally touched ground. What followed felt like more of a blur than anything else, bodies moving about, twisting, turning, voices ordering and calling for names. Steve just walked right through it all, almost blindly following the likes of Phil Coulson and Sam Wilson outside the Zephyr and onto the landing pad near the Royal Palace of Wakanda.

So many followed behind him. So many Avengers, Defenders, and agents. In the corner of his vision, Steve could see the Milano touching down on the free landing pad next to May’s Quinjet, an assortment of Wakandan jets and ships and machines of war prepped and ready for launch. Ready for the impending battle ahead. Steve faced ahead, almost unprepared for King T’Challa’s awaiting handshake.

He did not stand in his royal garb. Instead, T’Challa stood from toe to neck in his Black Panther armor, the seamless vibranium alloy sketched and fitted perfectly alongside his body and muscle structure. Steve’s gloved-palm met T’Challa’s, the two enhanced individuals meeting each other’s haunted gaze. Steve found some form of comfort in that, knowing he wasn’t facing the darkness alone.

“How much time we have?” he asked.

T’Challa broke away, his eyes still gazing into the face of death. “Not much. The impending battleground awaits out arrival. You will have my King’s Guard, the Dora Milaje, the Border and Jabari Tribes.”

Behind him, Okoye and Ayo responded with firm nods, gripping their vibranium spears alongside the other warrior women numbering in the dozens. Steve felt even more comfort in that, nodding in return. “Anything else?”

“How ‘bout a semi-stable hundred-year-old man?”

That voice was followed shortly by the coming of an old ghost, an old face, and a welcome old friend. Steve, Sam, Phil, and everyone who followed turned accordingly to see James Buchanan Barnes approach with a smile on his face, a sense of togetherness in his eyes. He wore a fresh pair of blue and green clothing, brown hair still as long as ever, and metallic arm still holding the bright red star of the Winter Soldier. His demeanor, his face, his very essence screamed anything but the past assassin, however. Steve grinned, stepping forth and wrapping his arms around Bucky’s figure, the two men meeting for a hug. Sam wrinkled his upper lip, but nonetheless offered a short smirk towards Barnes. Phil beamed at the sight, witnessing two living legends reunited.

Tony Stark looked literally anywhere else. Especially not at Barnes.

Breaking away, Steve patted James’ shoulder. “How ya been, Buck?”

“Ah, not bad,” the White Wolf stated with a shit-eating grin. “For the end of the world.”

Royal Palace of Wakanda, War Room

3:24 p.m.

“Everything’s ready… Large extraterrestrial presence over Wakanda, bigger than we’ve ever seen, Nick. We’re gonna hold ‘em here… Yes… Yes, I know. If all else fails… if everything goes to hell… just keep the Helicarrier ready. Thanks, Nick. Be in touch soon.”

Director Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D. had a long and happy life. More so the former than the latter, if prior years could account for that. In all his years working in secrecy, living too many lives to count, and meeting extraordinary individuals every child dreamt of becoming, everything seemed so surreal for him. Back in the day, that is. Now, facing annihilation at the hands of the very monsters who attacked New York following his death—the same monsters who lived and breathed under the wrathful rule of the Mad Titan Thanos—Phil Coulson had just about run out of tricks up his sleeve.

All except for one.

He turned off his phone, cut off the call with Nick Fury, and pocketed the device.

Not many chose to stand with Phil. Most of everyone, of every hero, every vigilante, every soldier, every agent, and every warrior chose to take the fight straight to the Chitauri, leaving just a select few awaiting to watch the battle unfold from the best seat in the house. Those who stood with Coulson—gazing downwards through the towering glass windows—were Loki, Shuri, Leopold Fitz, Jemma Simmons, Deke Shaw, and the Queen Mother herself. Quite the unusual bunch, but a bunch who would not last long in a battle against the Chitauri. Loki especially, considering he would be their first target. Several other Wakandan Royal Guard remained by the queen’s side. No other tribal leaders remained within the War Room. All had retreated to safety outside of the city, being with the rest of their tribe, praying for all of Wakanda.

Queen Mother Ramonda gazed below, spotting M’Baku and the men from his Jabari Tribe meeting with Steve Rogers and his massive team. At least there were those still willing to defend the capital city of Wakanda, those who lusted for a fight, those awaiting to give their lives for their home.

She felt a palm on her shoulder and turned to see Phil Coulson gazing at her from her right side. “It’s all right, Your Majesty. Your city will be safe,” he assured her, the greatest amount of sincerity he could offer in his voice.

And all Ramonda could do was close her eyes, shake her head, and face forward. To the long, blood-soaked road ahead. “It’s not the city I’m worried about.”

Her eyes fell to her only son, the King of Wakanda speaking amongst the many who stood with him. Okoye, Ayo, M’Baku, Nakia, the Dora Milaje, the King’s Guard, the Jabari Tribe. The Avengers. Everyone. But most of all, she stared at T’Challa. She remained strong through the rising wetness building in her eyes, the shiver traversing her skin, her spine, her very soul at the mere thought of what was to come. And she stared mindlessly at it, praying. Praying.

The dropships fell from the Command Centers and proceeded to hit the ground outside the northwest section of the barrier. The Wakandan forces began to assemble, ships flying over to the soon-to-be battleground carrying tanks and warriors alike. And everyone followed.

Every Avenger and those who stood with them in the face of annihilation.

Except for those in the War Room, Queen Mother Ramonda praying with all she was.

Wakandan Fields

6.3 Miles Outside the Golden City

3:25 p.m.

All the armies of Wakanda flew across the skies, ships carrying massive battle tanks and carriers zooming across the African plains holding warriors and Avengers of every kind. Doctor Bruce Banner watched them all zoom past him for several moments, several minutes, as he tinkered away on the strewn body parts of the Mark 49 Iron Man armor. The Hulkbuster 2.0.

Stark heavily suggested it, called in Veronica before they even arrived to Wakanda and got everything settled down in the fields. Just in time for Bruce to be able to arrive by Zephyr One. The Avengers and agents dropped him off alongside the awaiting armor, leaving with him one very special friend to keep him company. To protect him.

Bruce found himself consistently turning his gaze back to Natasha time and time again.

He couldn’t help himself. He wanted his focus to diverge onto the armor, to get everything set on the suit that would keep him alive long enough to hold back Thanos’ army. But still, his eyes would trail away, rise up the slender legs, the sleek and armored body, and rest on the gorgeous expression of Natasha Romanoff. She was currently facing away and speaking with Steve via comms, only the side of her face visible to Banner, all that was needed to make his heart stand still.

He waited until she finished talking, lowered her hand from her ear and stood in the impending silence. “This is it,” Banner said to her, watching as she quickly turned to face him. Almost caught off guard, Natasha blinked, shook her head, and then offered a breathless exhale through a smile.

“At least we’re together again,” Natasha replied. Obviously referring to the Avengers being reunited, a small part of her really… didn’t mean that. A small part of her kept thinking back to times of past, of war, of pain like a kind she hadn’t felt in years. A kind that tore her heart to shreds, knowing the last she ever saw of Bruce Banner was the man's determined smile telling her goodnight, leaving her alone to return to his own room. Then he was gone the next morning. Took a Quinjet and left the planet.

And there they stood, mere feet apart but feeling like miles. That didn’t separate them, though, neither wanted it to. Bruce’s lips parted, as if he wanted to speak but nothing could leave him. Natasha smiled softly, a slight wind tugging at her white bangs.

“Yeah,” Bruce said, juggling the small device he used to fix up the armor between his palms. It was so wet, so completely covered in sweat that Banner knew most of it was from the coming conflict. He convinced himself of that. He shook his head, rising it to meet her eyes. “Listen, Nat, about leaving Earth, about being AWOL for three years, I just—”

“Bruce.”

He lost his voice. Lost his breath at the mere sight of her eyes meeting his once again.

“We can…” Natasha said, almost struggling herself. More pain from the past, stuff she kept down low, far beneath her soul… and even her heart. She held out her hand, seeming to pat that pain down with the others. “We can save that for later.”

All Bruce could do was nod, knowing she spoke only the truth. Only fact. Only the harsh reality.

“Hey, Beauty and the Beast!”

Both turned skywards to see Stark of all people hovering yards behind them, palms and feet ignited and keeping him airborne. His repaired Mark 50 armor gleamed and shimmered in the afternoon sunlight, the Arc Reactor burning bright blue over his chest, his eyes just as bright. “It’s show time! Suit up!” he shouted.

He flew off.

Leaving just the two.

Bruce faced Natasha once more, watched as she pulled out her twin batons and connected them, forming a short staff. Twirling it around, Natasha let the weapon rest in her right hand, a soft nod and an even softer smile sent Bruce’s way. “Suit up, Big Guy.”

6.5 Miles Outside the Golden City

3:28 p.m.

The dropships impacted the earth with such ferocity that it spewed dirt, fire, and death across the landscapes with each deafening impact. The fires spread and inflicted their travesty upon the forests on the outskirts of the shield barrier, sending pillars of smoke high into the air and blotching it in blackness.

The afternoon sunlight pierced the approaching clouds, a sickly golden and dark brown color infecting the bright blue skies, a horrifying darkness slowly overcoming the light. The Chitauri Command Centers hung in the air, dotting the skies, streams of fire escaping the massive cumulonimbus titans as more and more dropships struck the land resting just outside the barrier protecting the Golden City. Protecting the shield generator.

Ultimately protecting the Soul Stone.

The Wakandan army readied itself just inside the shield, a mere splotch of empty land separating Wakanda’s last defense from Thanos’ daring invasion forces. The Wakandan armies brought all they had to the table, holding little to nothing back. From the Golden, Jabari, and Border Tribes all lined up accordingly in massive battalions across the African plains, to Wakandan battle tanks arranged and resting directly behind the tribal warriors, to jets and ships hovering overhead and constantly focused dead ahead to the approaching enemy air forces, Wakanda had everything laid out in defense of their city. They even had rhinos of all things.

The Border Tribe stood with their beasts of war, the armored rhinos growling and shuffling from side to side, eager to meet their foes in battle. The Dora Milaje stood with their king, the Black Panther himself stepping forth and meeting M’Baku’s grip in a firm handshake. After M’Baku was finished inspiring his tribe’s men and women with a powerful, earthly chant of course, courtesy of the Jabari. The mighty Wakandan battle tanks settled themselves firmly onto the earth, each of their four, spider-like legs spread out and pushing the bodies of the tanks above the ground. The tanks’ barrels were all jutted forward, focused where the guns on each ship were pointed. Dead ahead. To the vast, empty plains where death, fire, and destruction would soon reign supreme.

Melinda May’s Quinjet zoomed across the skies, the Milano close behind and constantly patrolling just inside the perimeter of the massive shield barrier. Within the Milano, the only Guardians of the Galaxy present were Rocket—piloting—Groot acting as co-pilot even if he didn’t know a thing about flying, and Mantis, the alien woman not suited for warfare and choosing to remain safe in her seat as Rocket took command. May flew alone. She always worked better like that anyhow.

The Avengers stood alongside the King of Wakanda. Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, and Bucky Barnes all standing alongside King T’Challa. Steve wasn’t entirely sure how everyone felt about Bucky being labeled as an Avenger, but to hell with it anyway. Everyone was an Avenger that day. Steve would take as many heroes as he could. Further to Steve’s left, amongst the masses and even hovering above them, Tony’s team stood ready. Stark hovered alongside Rhodes in their individual, repaired set of armors. Banner stomped forth in his gargantuan juggernaut armor, the Hulkbuster 2.0, courtesy from Stark. Thor remained opposite to Stark, further away from any other Avenger, clenching his fists and focused only ahead, to the fight surely to fall upon them. Fighting his own battle. Lightning cracked overhead, the smell of rain burning Steve’s nostrils. And last but not least, the young and terrified Peter Parker stood, tried to stand beneath Tony Stark, not even his Spider-Man mask shielding the fear in the young man’s eyes.

Mixed within the masses, even standing on Steve’s right, the Defenders prepped themselves for the battle awaiting them. Daredevil gripped his billy clubs and gazed across the empty lands ahead of him, eyes uncertain beneath the red lenses of his devil mask. Jessica Jones was given similar gauntlets to that of Steve Rogers, similar shields strapped tightly around each forearm. She was even granted a set of vibranium armor from the Dora Milaje, intent on keeping her safe from harm considering her complete lack of defense for herself. The breastplate and armored leggings surprisingly didn’t suck like hell to carry around. For metal, it was surprisingly light. Jessica took what she could get, glaring alongside Luke Cage and Danny Rand to the towering dropships nearly hidden through the black smoke.

The Guardians that remained bound to the earth—unlike Rocket, Groot, and Mantis—were Quill, Gamora, Nebula, and Drax. Each held their respective weapons in hand, standing further down within their own group of badasses—or so only Quill imagined for themselves—gazing silently and watching Thanos’ forces mobilize. For Quill and Drax, it was just another day in the park. Probably the shittiest park in the galaxy, but a park nonetheless. For Gamora and Nebula, it meant more to them than that, noticing quickly the Outrider Dropships continuously falling from the heavens, knowing damn well who might be commanding the attack. Nebula tightened her fist around her Electroshock Baton. Gamora gripped Godslayer, eyes darting off in the direction of Mount Bashenga every other second.

Just in case anything tried to go for the Stone.

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or at least those who chose to fight, were either mixed within the Avengers, Defenders, Guardians, and Wakandans or stood within the several firing squads remaining directly ahead of the Wakandan tribes. Frank Castle held his ground with the agents on the frontlines, even taking it upon himself to command said agents, each one of them equipped with assault rifles, shotguns, and sniper rifles. Perfect for long and short-range combat. Perfect for their situation. The Punisher himself held a massive light machine gun, or LMG for short. The M249 SAW. Bastard of a weapon, at least for those on the opposite end of the barrel. To Castle it was Christmas come early. He stood ahead every agent, every Avenger, every Wakandan. He stood as the lone soul first to experience the face of war itself. Behind him stood Lance Hunter, Bobbi Morse, Alphonso Mackenzie, Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez, Deathlok, Piper, Davis, and many other faceless agents decorated in black S.H.I.E.L.D. armor.

Close to the Avengers, Robbie Reyes stood precariously next to the White Wolf, next to Bucky Barnes. Something within him—something he knew far too much of—begged for escape, sensing the great sin and guilt of the man standing by its right. Reyes ignored the Ghost Rider, the tightening of his fists being evidence of his internal struggles. Daisy Johnson stood alongside Black Panther, Ayo, Okoye, M’Baku, and Nakia, the agent being the bridge that brought both Avengers and Wakandans together. She liked to think that.

Steve stood with Bucky on his left, Jessica on his right, and Natasha and Daisy further down. He was afraid Tony might do something rash when he spotted Bucky, but was relieved to see Tony putting the past behind him. Like they all had. He couldn’t really tell where Stark was mentally with his mask constantly blocking his eyes and face from him. He stared straight ahead, alongside James Rhodes and Spider-Man, waiting for the imminent battle. He and Frank Castle did well to hide their emotions in Bucky’s presence. Steve kept a loose eye on Castle just in case.

Within that short moment of clarity, Daisy walked over to Robbie, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You all right to do this?” she asked, pure sincerity in her tone, not wanting Robbie to stand with them just so they could “use him”. Reyes was quick to respond, shaking his head.

Despite that, he said, “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just…”

Daisy could hear the sound of his gloves crying out as he continued to tighten his fists. He was struggling, fighting with the demon inside of him for reasons she didn’t understand, something she feared she never could be able to. Even then, Reyes breathed out through his nostrils, growling, “Let’s just show these freaks what happens when you mess with Earth.”

Lance Hunter wore an armored S.H.I.E.L.D. mask birthed for war, a large minigun resting in his hands. With belts of ammunition coiled around his feet, his wife-to-be Bobbi Morse was right by his side, trying to talk him out of it. The mask, at least. “Is the mask really necessary?” she asked, frowning his way.

“Is the call sign really necessary, Mockingbird?” Lance taunted. He turned his eyes to her, seeing Bobbi’s flattened expression, followed only by her worsening frown. “Of course it is, ‘cause Mockingbird is badass, just like the mask.”

Sighing at that, Mockingbird gripped her assault rifle and faced forward. One of the many reasons she tolerated and loved Lance was his enthusiasm. On her left, Mack stood ready with his Shotgun-Axe. It was exactly how it sounded, the head of an axe attached to the underbarrel of a pump-action shotgun. Standing with him was his girlfriend, the ever-ready Yo-Yo just waiting for the moment she needed to take off and speed things up.

They stood with several other faceless agents, brave enough to stand on the frontlines alongside Frank Castle, a man who knew war more than any of them combined. Behind the frontlines, Jessica Jones gazed forward with eyes riddled with dread. Her body ached, her mind quaked, and her nerves shivered to every fine point in her body. She looked away from the alien armada she was about to fight and down to the gauntlets around her arms, the Wakandan-made shields looking more like panther paws when she clenched her fists and they extended, showing three sharpened claws near her fists.

Sighing and dropping her arms, Jessica turned instead to the shimmering, bearded face of Captain America. Or Steve Rogers. Or whatever the hell he wanted to be called. He wore the same gauntlets, the same weapons that that Shuri chick gave Jessica. At least they were similar in one way. Part of her barely believed Steve, or Tony, or any one of the Avengers even thought she would be good enough to stand with the likes of them, with the likes of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”. To them, she was nobody, just another civilian granted extraordinary powers from God or whatever other being for shits and giggles. Jessica sighed again, lowering her head to the grassy ground beneath her.

And she heard herself say, “Why did you let me come here?”

She didn’t mean to. Part of her wondered why she would even open her mouth in the first place, let alone direct her voice to someone like Captain America. But even then, it was too late to change anything. He was staring right at her, his ancient eyes meeting hers. “I’m not a soldier,” Jessica continued, mentally slapping herself for continuing. “I’m not a hero. I’m not like any of you.”

Jessica wanted to pull at her own hair, kick her own ass for trying to talk to them, for trying to find some form of mutual ground with those so high and mighty above her. But she talked anyway, that resilience continuously fighting and beating back the rage and the demon inside of her that demanded for seclusion, for isolation, for…

“No…” Steve uttered in response, a tiny gasp leaving her. She stared right at Rogers, his own gaze falling to the dirt. Just like her. Then he stared into her eyes again. “But you were willing to stand up for what was right.”

Jessica scoffed. “Barely.”

Steve pressed on. “But you still did it. You’re still here, still standing with us. That ‘barely’… is still enough. And even if you give just enough, then that right there… that shows you’re a hero.”

Jessica faced away, faced the terrifying road ahead. “Trust me, boy scout… I’m no hero.”

Unnerving silence filled the air between them, not even the sounds of the fires burning, or the armies growing, or the earth erupting could pierce through it. Another demon trying to break out, fight its way out of what Jessica had stowed deep down inside her heart and mind. Something she didn’t want to bring up, but for some reason…

“I knew this kid…”

Just did.

Steve turned back to Jones, stared silently and listened intently. She seemed to be shivering, on edge, as if the words physically hurt her when pronouncing and muttering. She whispered, “Vido… God, such a great kid. Annoying as shit, but still… really nice. He was probably your biggest fan. He always asked… if I ever knew you.”

Steve could have sworn to God he saw a tear in her eye. Maybe it was the smoke in the air. Maybe it wasn’t. “Guess that shit doesn’t matter anymore now that he’s dead,” Jessica sniffled.

Then stiffened when she felt a warm palm on her left shoulder. Turning to it, shakily glaring at it, Jessica followed the glove, spotted the Wakandan gauntlet, and met the eyes of Steve Rogers once again. She would have never admitted it, but Jessica Jones found comfort from the warmth in his eyes. Peace. Serenity. The horrors and grief from the past didn’t even seem to matter anymore. Just him, Captain America, the hero smiling to her. Seeing his equal.

“Thank you for standing with us,” he told her.

Jessica didn’t move his hand away. “I didn’t have much of a choice,” she responded, forcing herself to look away.

Steve stared straight ahead, straight into the heart of madness and the battleground for the fate of the universe. He saw the Chitauri Command Centers numbering in the dozens, the dropships erected out of the earth and the fires billowing within the African forests. All separated from them by just a simple shield. A shield that could break. Just like them. He may have exemplified the true stature of a soldier, a hero, a fearless leader on the outside, but deep within… he was terrified. He never really showed that before, and now was no different.

He let his hand fall from her shoulder, Jessica turning to him.

He proceeded forward when he saw the three figures emerge from the tree lines and approach the shield. Steve sighed, “We never do.”

6.6 Miles Outside the Golden City

3:29 p.m.

Several Chitauri warships surrounded the Golden City, just outside and several miles above the shield, some near the upper atmosphere, but all of them focused on one goal: destroy the Golden City’s shield generator by any means necessary. Kill anything that got in the way. An easy mindset to implant and inflict upon the pets of Thanos. Speaking of the Mad Titan, Thanos’ personal ship—Sanctuary II—and several Chitauri warships continued to release more and more Outrider Dropships from the upper atmosphere.

Until a little more than a dozen filled the land outside the barrier protecting the capital city.

From those dropships came Cull Obsidian, Corvus Glaive, and Proxima Midnight. Together, the three members of the Black Order, three of Thanos’ children, approached the towering, light blue shield. Midnight sneered at the shield resting before her, dragging her blade across its surface, spurts of electricity dancing across the edge of her weapon. The connection was lost the moment she brought her blade downwards to rest by her side, her eyes wandering up to meet three particular individuals, two of which she nearly hissed at to see once again.

Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, and T’Challa confronted the three siblings. Unlike Steve, T’Challa, and pretty much everyone else present for their confrontation, Natasha Romanoff smiled at them. Glaive and Midnight growled softly at that. “Still sore from last time?” Natasha said, smirking at Midnight’s reaction to that, the Black Order member keenly remembering her last encounter with the Black Widow and her allies.

Corvus stepped forth for his wife, declaring, “These feeble defenses mean nothing. With your shield generator gone, Thanos will have that Stone.”

Black Panther shook his head, stating firmly, “You are in Wakanda now. Thanos will have nothing but dust… and blood.”

Cull Obsidian growled, his fist clenching the handle on his chain axe even further. It was Proxima’s turn to smirk, Natasha’s brow furrowing at that. Her expression seemed to falter, only slightly, especially with the words that left Midnight.

“We…” the child of Thanos hissed, smiling at Natasha, Steve, and T’Challa, murder in her eyes, “… have blood to spare.”

On that remark, Proxima affirmed her statement by jamming her arm in the air, her blade held to the sky, a powerful grunt leaving her.

That wasn’t all that followed.

The Outrider Dropships proceeded to open, the three defenders of Wakanda gazing skywards to see the towering dropships beginning to break apart, the faces of each unveiling what they carried. The blood, as Midnight put it, had been allowed to flow free. They fell from within the hulking dropships numbering in the dozens, screeching, crying, roaring, and shrieking as they fell into the trees and impacted the earth. Even higher above, the Chitauri Command Centers all roared in unison, a powerful horn crying out to the battlefield below, to the heavens above. The Chitauri unleashed their army into the skies, the chariots and starships numbering in the hundreds, plaguing the cloud-filled skylines until there was very little blue left in it.

All while Steve, Natasha, and T’Challa returned to their allies.

“You guys got back here fast,” Jessica noted, turning from Natasha to Steve, then back to the Black Widow.

“Speed walking helps,” Natasha replied, trying to smile, trying to do much of anything other than show the nervous chill race across her skin at the events unfolding before her.

“Did they surrender?” Murdock asked, gazing straight ahead, seeing the roaring fires but hearing and experiencing so much worse. So much that would befall them. So much so that he basically answered his own question.

Steve answered it anyway and tilted his head, not really shaking it but offering nothing comforting in return. “Not exactly.”

They saw, everyone did, as Proxima Midnight slashed at the air, bringing her sword firmly down by her side. Grunting out her only order, not a word to be spoken. None needed.

The Chitauri flooded the skies, diving forward and firing relentlessly from their chariots and starships right into the shield. They did little damage, nowhere close to piercing the shields, thus easing a few tensions amongst the Wakandans, Avengers, and so many more. But what came forth from the tree lines, what broke out and rose together in a stampede so massive that it blotted the lands surrounding the forest were an army of alien hounds, twisted and feral creatures with four arms, black and golden skin, and no eyes in sight. Their jagged teeth hung in their maws, claws tearing at the earth and proceeding forward with only one goal implanted in them, one single mission they would see to their very end.

Breach and destroy.

Kill everything.

Even themselves if need be.

That’s exactly what they did. The army of Outriders proceeded to drive themselves into the face of the shield barrier, the raw electricity coursing through their bodies upon impact and frying them instantly. That didn’t stop them. Nothing did. More and more Outriders continued to pelt themselves against the shield, their burning corpses lying in bundles surrounding the edges of the shield. They only continued to grow. The shield continued to hold.

Neither lasted forever.

Even the Chitauri waited outside and watched as the Outriders impacted the shield, a select and lucky few even managing to push through and break through the weakened shield, ultimately ripping themselves apart in the end. Their torn bodies lied as burning husks inside and out of the shield.

“They’re killing themselves,” Okoye whispered, nearly feeling her skin turn green at the sight.

“Fodder,” T’Challa growled, eyes glaring to the massacre he and his allies witnessed on Wakanda’s lands.

From beyond the barrier, Proxima Midnight smiled with sinister intent, the army of Outriders pouring forth from the tree lines, stampeding past her, and driving themselves into the shields. Again and again. No stop. No other deliberate intent other than to charge, die, breach, and repeat.

A few managed to breach through the weakened barrier, charging ahead as if nothing had even affected them. As if they didn’t feel pain. They screeched and charged blindly ahead, with an intent only to decimate and destroy anything in their path. The Black Panther saw every single one that had survived. “Castle!” T’Challa shouted.

That was his cue. The Punisher fell to one knee, shot out his LMG, and roared, “On my mark!”

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. who stood with him; Lance Hunter, Bobbi Morse, Mack, Yo-Yo, Deathlok, Piper, Davis, and many other faceless agents all readied themselves. Assault rifles and snipers were raised, the large firing squad above the Wakandan army ready and waiting. Ready and waiting for Frank Castle. The Punisher glared down his line of sight, hands gripping the LMG so tight the weapon shivered. But he remained still when it mattered.

Right when he bellowed, “Fire!”

They did. Lance Hunter’s minigun spun to life, roaring so loud and so profound that it lit up the landscapes of Wakanda with light and bullet shells. Unloading and unleashing everything they had, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. picked their targets appropriately, firing bursts or single shots from their weapons onto the charging aliens. Outriders dropped left and right, the bullets shooting over, past, and right through them in devastating streams of orange and yellow. Frank Castle, leading the assault, merely fired bursts from his LMG, conserving as much ammunition as possible for the mighty army resting before him. Every single one of his bullets hit, every single Outrider in his line of sight dropping and dying instantly.

The firing squad ceased momentarily, taking the moment to reload. Black Panther heard the silence follow, shouting out his next order. The line of Border Tribe that stood with him whipped their cloaks out in front of them, creating a shimmering shield line of pure energy. The Dora Milaje from behind them jutted out their vibranium spears, the ends pointed like the ends of gun barrels. The Black Panther grunted another order, then watched the lights soar.

Bolts of energy were fired from the spears, directly and safely over the heads of the firing squad of agents and impacting the grounds where the Outriders ran. The bolts of energy did even more damage than the bullets, but that didn’t stop the White Wolf from unloading his magazine right into every alien he saw. That didn’t stop Falcon and War Machine from flying straight into the carnage, unleashing rounds upon rounds of ammunition right into the charging beasts of war. Even Banner aided, pointing the Hulkbuster’s palms forward and firing streams of repulsor blasts that decimated one Outrider to the next.

Everyone else waited. And watched.

Sam Wilson flew mere yards above the ground, unloading his Steyr SPP magazines down onto the aliens. A single Outrider leapt upward, slashing at the air Sam once occupied. “You see the teeth on those things?!” Wilson shouted, dodging and flying off.

“All right, back up, Sammy; you’ll get your wings singed,” James Rhodes warned. The War Machine flew just near the edge of the shield, dropping bombs right from the back of his armor. The bombs impacted the ground where the Outriders were entering, erupting and scorching the lands until they were nothing but plumes and pillars of inferno. Very few Outriders made it out, the flames clinging on and eating their bodies.

The onslaught continued, Thanos’ army gaining more ground than it was losing soldiers. The agents, Wakandans, and Avengers continued to fire everything they had, bullet shells filling the grasslands, bolts of energy pelting and burning the dead grass, killing any Outrider that got in the way. When their magazines ran empty, requiring a fresh reload, Frank Castle was the first to notice the Outriders trying to go around. The agents behind him started to notice it. Everyone noticed it soon enough.

“They’re flanking us!” Punisher roared, reloading his LMG as fast as he could.

“Cap, if these things circle the perimeter and destroy the shield generator then there’s nothing between them and the Infinity Stone,” Banner explained. The glowing yellow of the Hulkbuster’s eyes turned to face Rogers, the hardened expression of the man gazing straight ahead, seeing only one option left for them.

“Then we better keep them in front of us.”

Okoye turned to Steve, then to her king, wishing to understand how it was possible. “How do we do that?” she asked.

And T’Challa appeared no different than Steve on that decision, that choice. He appeared even more grave, even more hardened. Knowing exactly what needed to be done. Turning to Okoye, his eyes said it all, Okoye finding no comfort in them. “We open the barrier,” he stated, facing forward and raising his finger to rest just over his ear. “On my signal… open northwest section 17.”

“Requesting confirmation, my king. You said open the barrier?”

“On my signal.”

“This will be the end of Wakanda,” M’Baku growled, gripping his club with a shivering fist.

“Then it will be the noblest ending… in history,” Okoye whispered, her voice as sharp as the vibranium spear she held proudly.

Steve clenched his fist, his Wakandan shield enlarging and sharpening on every edge. Jessica Jones’ chest rapidly began to rise and fall, the Private Eye shortly doing the same with own gauntlets. The Punisher and the agents continued to fire, looking back every now and again to T’Challa. The Black Widow gripped her staff in her right hand, eyes narrowing and glaring daggers right down the body-filled battlegrounds. Glaring right at Proxima Midnight doing the same. Peter Quill pressed the side of his face, his mask materializing in a wave of blue, the reds of his eyes igniting to life. Iron Man clenched his metal fists, the orbs of light further brightening with pure, repulsor energy. Peter Parker gulped.

“Yibambe!” T’Challa bellowed.

The Punisher froze. The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. all slowly twisted their heads around.

“Yibambe!” the Wakandans responded in kind. In one, harmonious chant. More than a chant. It was a call. A call to arms. To battle.

Every Wakandan lowered their cloaks and gripped their spears, brandished their swords, and hardened their glares.

Morse abandoned her assault rifle, whipping out her dual batons as she gazed dead ahead, the wind pulling at her long, blonde hair. Hunter tightened his grip on the handles of his minigun, eyes narrowing beneath his metallic mask. Mack cocked his shotgun, glaring down the barrel of it, watching the approaching Outriders number in the dozens. And only grow from there. Yo-Yo Rodriguez tightened her metal fists, nearly standing on her toes, ready to take off and be back at any second. Deathlok readied his forearm rocket launcher, Piper and Davis gripping their assault rifles like they were their lifelines. Frank Castle stared nowhere else except down the barrel of his light machine gun, his fist shivering as he clenched his weapon tighter and tighter.

“Yibambe!” King T’Challa shouted.

The Avengers stood ready, every single eye focused straight ahead. Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bucky Barnes, Tony Stark, Peter Parker, Thor, and Bruce Banner. James Rhodes and Sam Wilson returned shortly, hovering alongside their team. Their allies. Their family.

“Yibambe!” the Wakandans cried, slamming their spears into the earth, shaking the very foundation of Wakanda just by their voice.

The Defenders glared dead ahead, Luke Cage and Danny Rand looking to one another, each only nodding once. Danny tightened his right fist, the gold shimmering brightly in his knuckles. Jessica Jones took one step forward, one step that took her breath away. And Daredevil… just stood there. Stood and listened. Waited. Heard T’Challa’s heartbeat rapidly increase every second.

“Yibambe!” Black Panther screamed, his throat bleeding.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were ready. Star-Lord whipped out his Quad Blasters, twirling them, gripping them tight, ready to show Thanos and his goons what happened when someone messed with the Guardians. Drax, Gamora, and Nebula all stood with him, weapons in hand, ready for the world to fall on top of them.

“Yibambe!” every Wakandan roared, chanted, cheered.

Everyone was ready.

Absolutely everyone ready with the sun on their backs. The world on their shoulders. The very universe itself gazing down and watching…

Watched as the Black Panther stepped forward. “Wakanda forever!”

T’Challa unsheathed his claws.

Iron Man shot right off the ground.

James Barnes cocked his M249 SAW.

Daredevil connected his billy clubs.

Robbie Reyes ignited. The Ghost Rider roared.

The Black Panther’s mask materialized over his face.

“Wakanda forever!”

They charged in unison, in one conglomerated army of Avengers, Defenders, Guardians, agents, vigilantes, Wakandans, and most importantly… heroes. Every single one of them. Their army was so massive it filled the lands that burned, trampled the bodies that lay in shreds from bullet and blaster wounds, and charged straight ahead into the chaos. Those that flew took to the skies, Iron Man and War Machine leading with Falcon, the Milano, and May’s Quinjet shortly behind. Together, all of them led the Wakandan jets and ships into the heart of madness itself.

Daisy Johnson and Ghost Rider ran alongside the White Wolf, Black Panther, Ayo, Okoye, M’Baku, and Nakia, the many more Avengers, Defenders, and Guardians right by their side and charging into battle. Frank Castle’s eyes shot open, the Punisher standing straight up and shooting out his hand into the air, waving everyone forward.

“That’s the signal! Go, go, go!”

The Punisher and the agents charged alongside them, some even leading, running and firing their weapons onto the approaching Outrider swarm. The Wakandan battle tanks lifted their barrels into the air, firing barriers that landed several yards ahead. Each barrier dug into the earth, the vibranium metal forming protective shields erecting right out of the ground. Several agents slid forward, using them for cover as they continued to fire, watching as the army of Wakandans rushed past them. Frank watched them all rush past him in a swarm so massive it rivaled that of Thanos’ forces.

Black Panther raised his wrist, shouting, “Now!”

The shields were opened upon his order, the Chitauri and Outriders pouring into the Golden City’s lands like blood out of a fresh wound. Hundreds of chariots filled the air, starships flying in and unleashing complete and utter hell upon the earth and in the skies. The Outrider General screeched, jamming one of its six arms directly ahead. Directly to the oncoming army. Its wave of Outriders stampeded past it, numbering in the hundreds.

Each army nearing the end, facing the beginning, experiencing everything that came with it.

T’Challa and Steve Rogers raced ahead, daring to be the first two to meet the army head-on.

Only they weren’t. They turned to the skies to see them darken. To hear the thunder…

Thor shot right into the air, leaping from the very earth with shards of lightning raining down from the heavens, from the armies of clouds building around him. With his last eye a fierce, electric blue, Thor screamed and drove his fist into the earth, bringing with him the wrath of the God of Thunder upon his foes.

And they all heard him.

Chapter 70 – Sun on Our Backs

The Nation of Wakanda

6.6 Miles Outside the Golden City

3:31 p.m.

Thor unleashed his wrath upon the Outrider swarm, driving his lightning-fueled fist directly into the earth where the peak of their army had reached. A powerful tremor followed, the cackle of the thunder overhead so powerful it shook the very foundations of Wakanda. The lightning rained down from above the darkness, striking the earth where Thor had impacted and completely obliterating any Outrider within the vicinity. The lightning electrified the air, demolishing any chariot or starship close enough in plumes of fire. The earth was scorched surrounding Thor, fire and lightning shooting outwards and impaling any foe the God of Thunder deemed unworthy.

The biggest bang to any battle had rung out. The following chaos bled through it.

Steve Rogers ran right past Thor, leaping forward alongside T’Challa directly into the flowing stream of water that separated the fresh wave of Outriders from themselves. When the two came down in unison, the impact of their very bodies—added with the speed and force they had collected in their dead sprint forward—knocked several of the gnashing beasts directly onto their backs. Steve proceeded to unleash all hell and fury he had been slowly building up since Scotland, that unbridled rage and adrenaline that could never be quenched fully utilized as Steve slashed, punched, kicked, and drove his gauntlets into every living thing he saw standing in front of him. Nothing lived after a devastating punch from Rogers.

The Black Panther delivered that same kind of fight into his enemies, against all who stood against Wakanda and his allies. His vibranium claws made mincemeat of the Outrider fodder, easily ripping through their hardened shells of skin. T’Challa ducked as an Outrider swung for his head. Turning accordingly, Black Panther reared back with his claw and slashed at the side of the beast’s head, the Outrider screeching out and crumbling to the water. Together, both Steve and T’Challa engaged in a wicked dance of pure precision, accuracy, and devastation. They weaved together like pure silk, leaping to where the other stood, punching and slashing at any Outrider that came between the two leaders.

Luke Cage—with his added abilities to his advantage—rushed forward faster than anyone else, meeting the army of Outriders with his own shoulder. The speed and force of his very body was like a freight train as he drove his shoulder forward, lowered his head, clenched his muscles, and roared. His body tore through the Outriders and sent them skittering to the dirt and grass. Jessica Jones ducked underneath the pounce of the rushing Outrider. Sliding forward, Jessica twirled around for added momentum and slammed the side of her shield right into the face of the next Outrider that came forward. The next Outrider that charged her. The added strength from Jones launched the beast clear across the battlegrounds, its body disappearing in the madness. Danny Rand was right by her side, the power of the Iron Fist leading his attacks as he punched, kicked, swung, and screamed his way through wave after wave of Outriders. His precise and deadly strikes ensured quick and flawless victories time and time again.

Danny sent that scream alongside his glowing knuckles, the Iron Fist being the next bang that followed in the cataclysmic war. He struck a cluster of Outriders directly in front of him, the blast from the Iron Fist killing all eight of them instantly, their bodies flung madly backwards into the approaching wave. Just as the Wakandans rushed past Danny. Just as the next wave of Outriders charged ahead.

Just as the two armies collided.

A cluster of utter madness was all that was left. Bodies, limbs, blood, vibranium weapons, and screams followed the impact of the two opposing, gargantuan forces. Each side met at the impasse in the stream of water, the majority of the fighting occurring within the splashing waves, blur-like bodies, and agony-filled cries. Outriders rushed like snarling hounds between bodies, slashing low at legs and high at necks when they came into contact with an enemy body. The Wakandans struck with their spears, swords, vibranium-fueled weaponry, and even their very bodies as they engaged with the Outriders in close combat. The strength and speed of the Outriders proved effective, smashing right through the legs of a rushing Border Tribe member, his body twirling in the air before coming to a splashing crash in the water.

Wakandan ships engaged almost instantly with Chitauri chariots and starships, streams of blue meeting, blasting, and destroying ships constantly, every second, no end in sight to the massive battle in the skies. The Wakandan battle tanks lifted their barrels high into the air, firing energized blasts birthed from vibranium itself, taking out several starships and chariots in the process. The battle in the skies was hard-fought. The battle on the ground was a complete clutter of chaos, bodies, and blood. Armored rhinos charged through it all, stampeding in a powerful wave of over a dozen and trampling any invading alien that was unfortunate enough to get in their way. Unfortunately, despite their immense size and strength, the rhinos were also massive targets. Chitauri swooped down and shot at them from above. Outriders swarmed the rhinos when they strayed too far from the pack, ripping the Wakandan riders right off the beasts and slaughtering them both. The rhinos offered a short but needed space to breathe in the meantime, the Avengers pressing forward in the cleared lands they trampled.

The kinetic energy building up in T’Challa’s suit showed itself as a flush of violet across the Black Panther armor, unleashing a devastating blast of energy every several seconds or so. Depended on how many creatures got a lucky hit on him, which wasn’t many. He and Steve Rogers continued to engage the Outriders head-on, leading many of the ground forces into the slaughter. An Outrider emerged from within the billowing plumes of smoke and dust on Rogers’ right, Steve too preoccupied on his left to deal with it. Right as the Outrider pounced, it was met with a furious kick in the side of its head, Steve spinning accordingly to meet a familiar face and suit.

The Outrider fell to the water in a heap of limbs and blood. Daredevil stood ready next to Rogers, turning to him and offering a single powerful nod. Steve nodded back, returning to the battle and the very fate of the universe. Daredevil twirled his billy club, never leaving Rogers’ side. Fighting alongside him and driving his club into any Outrider that got near them.

Meanwhile, the White Wolf was a soldier lost in the middle of the madness, firing madly in almost every direction with his LMG. Whenever an Outrider got too close for comfort, Barnes would smack the side of his weapon against the beast’s skull, ending it by driving the end of his metal fist into its shattered face. Drax the Destroyer enjoyed the fighting, standing back to back with Bucky and kicking, punching, slashing, and roaring with laughter at the feeble beasts that tried to strike him down. Bucky turned his eyes back occasionally to see the red-tattooed alien laughing like a psychopath as he stabbed an Outrider to death. Barnes gave Drax an incredulous look, but returned to combat and accepted the assistance Drax offered nonetheless.

Black Widow swung and drove and twirled and danced her staff around any Outrider that grew near to her. Slamming the edge of her staff against the side of it’s face, Natasha had intended to end the beast with an electrified burst right from her staff. Instead, she was met with a blast of energy raining down from above, striking the Outrider directly over its twisted heart. Spinning her head around, her bangs swinging wildly as she did so, Natasha watched as Star-Lord flew down and landed mere yards ahead of her. He rolled forward, pointing both of his Quad Blasters ahead and firing relentlessly upon the swarm of Outriders headed his way. He heard a wicked snarl coming from his right, the reds of his mask’s eyes turning towards it to see an Outrider galloping towards him. Too close to fire. Too fast to react. Natasha rolled forward and swung her staff low, striking the creature in the bottom of its jaw. She ended it by jamming the electrified end of it right through the bottom of its jaw and into its skull.

A horrific cry came from above, Natasha darting her eyes forward and watching as the Outrider pounced on her. She held her staff between them, the snarling creature gnashing and snapping at her throat with its golden, jagged teeth. Natasha struggled to push it off, the Outrider’s multiple arms clawing at the dirt, her armor, her skin, and everything around her. Just as its teeth hovered over her face, a blast from above struck the side of its head, a final cry leaving the beast before it slumped to Natasha’s right. Breathing rapidly, Romanoff sat up and turned to the direction of the blast.

She was met with Peter Quill’s hand offered to her. She took it without another thought, Quill yanking her back to her feet. “Thanks,” she mumbled.

Star-Lord’s mask nodded. He darted his eyes about the battlegrounds then leaned in, whispering loud enough for her to hear him say, “Normally I would say you’re welcome, but considering Gamora doesn’t want me talking to any other female after she heard about the whole ‘Sunset’s got a great ass’ debacle, all I can really say is… I don’t know what to say.”

Natasha stared at him, jaw barely hanging open. She twirled her staff moments later, saying, “How about you shut up and help me kill these things?”

“Sounds like a plan,” Quill replied and held up his Quad Blasters.

Speaking of Gamora, she and Nebula engaged with just about everything that stood in their path. With Godslayer and Nebula’s Electroshock Baton leading the attack, the two were practically untouchable. The two sisters fought as a near-stable unit, years of combat between each other allowing each to know what move they would enact, what slice, what punch, what attack they would concoct. And when they fought side by side, that was even more devastating for their enemies, both glad to not see the other at the end of their weapons. They were joined by Daisy Johnson, the agent blasting a cluster of Outriders away with a shock wave of energy from her hand. Both sisters turned to her, almost taken aback by her powers.

They both lost their collective breaths when Daisy jammed her palm into the earth, glared ahead to the swarm of Outriders charging them, and let the Inhuman power flow out of her.

The very earth trembled, what felt like an earthquake causing the earth to split apart and send jagged spikes of dirt and rock directly upwards, skewering and impaling multiple Outriders. Those who weren’t killed by the rocks instantly fell to their backs or faces upon the tremor Daisy Johnson sent their way, leaving the swarm of Outriders lying in disarray long enough for the Wakandans to swoop in and finish the job. The several tribe members rushed past Gamora, Nebula, and Daisy, all three women gazing to the massacre in shared, stunned silence.

Mockingbird and Deathlok, unlike their fellow agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., engaged with the enemy in close quarters. Leaving no room and no breathing space for Thanos’ hounds, Bobbi Morse smacked and bested every Outrider that charged her, swinging her twin batons and connecting neatly against the aliens. Deathlok, the mighty cyborg stomping across the African plains, used only his fists and his strength to deliver death upon the Outriders. Just a single punch from him sent an Outrider sprawling across the ground, unmoving, gurgling out its last breath. He continuously fired and reloaded his forearm rocket launcher, blowing apart groups of Outriders and even taking out several chariots in the skies. Mack cautiously moved forward with his Shotgun-Axe, pumping and firing accurately and precisely to each and every Outrider that tried to charge him. When there were too many, when there were those even Mack couldn’t see, a blur would appear and send the Outriders crashing and dying several yards away. Mack felt practically invincible knowing Yo-Yo was watching his back, his front, and every part of him with her heightened speed.

Ghost Rider slashed entire waves of Outriders into nothing but ash with just one swipe of its Hellfire Chain. The burning chain twirled and danced across the battlefield, surrounding the Ghost Rider in a protective wave of fire. Driving its arm forward, the Spirit of Vengeance watched as the Hellfire Chain impaled not one, not two, but five Outriders in a single, burning kabob of melting flesh and screaming bodies. Bringing its free arm back, the Rider growled as its palm ignited into a bright inferno, its intention to set the Outriders skewered on its chain into a blaze. The demon nearly would have had Iron Man not flown down and sliced each one of their heads off with the blade protruding from his right hand. The Ghost Rider watched as Tony Stark flew mere feet above the ground, unleashing a barrage of repulsors and missiles across the battlefield. Plumes of fire and explosions broke out as bundles of Outriders were scorched and blown apart, courtesy of Iron Man. The Rider growled, ripping its chain from the dead bodies and proceeding forward, its burning hell-like eyes turning to a particular individual. A particular red star shining bright on a metal arm. The Spirit of Vengeance growled.

The Mark 49 Iron Man armor burst forth from the ground, using the added momentum from the repulsor blast on its feet to drive its fist into the cluster of Outriders charging forward to the behemoth set of armor. And within that armor, Doctor Bruce Banner did everything in his power to control the juggernaut of a machine, firing repulsor blasts and punching alien after alien. And upon that armor, Peter Parker leapt forth and fired a strand of webbing straight for the ground. Straight into a group of five Outriders.

Only when he yanked himself to the earth, the four legs of the Iron Spider materialized from his back, each pointed end impaling each of the aliens as Spider-Man landed his punch on the Outrider directly beneath him. The creatures died all around him, Parker narrowing his gaze and allowing his heightened senses to take control. Several more Outriders charged him. Peter ran forward and dove straight into the clutter, the Iron Spider legs smacking and slashing the Outriders apart. They were the eyes in the back of his head, his guardian angel as he engaged even more of the alien dogs on foot.

James Rhodes and Sam Wilson ruled in the skies, firing endlessly into the endless waves of enemies down below. Whether it be nearly limitless rounds of ammunition, repulsor blasts, small drones, and even missiles, they always found their target. Outriders and Chitauri dropped dead whenever they swooped by.

They especially dropped when Melinda May provided a sweeping run with the Quinjet, the minigun on its belly ripping apart the grounds and any Outrider or Chitauri that got in the way. Dust shot up in quick successions, the cry of the Quinjet’s engines erupting from the skies as May soared back and forth, continuously returning to the battlefield to provide air support.

While May was engaged with the war down below, the Milano took out several Chitauri chariots and starships trailing behind the Quinjet, Rocket yelling nonsense as he blew them to shreds. Groot and Mantis hung on for dear life inside, watching the chaos unfold through the glass windshield with every blossoming explosion of yellow and orange shower in front of them. Not a single starship managed to strike down the Milano, Rocket’s superior piloting skills weaving the Milano miraculously in and out of twirling Wakandan ships and laser blasts constantly filling the skies. Any starship that trailed the Milano didn’t last long in the never-ending onslaught in the air.

The husks of burning chariots, starships, and Wakandan jets constantly fell to the earth, creating several domino explosions upon impact. Upon the blood-soaked battleground for the fate of the very universe, things were turning sour on the frontlines, specifically for the defenders of Wakanda. Several agents were getting swarmed by Outriders, the beasts leaping right over the vibranium barriers and ripping the armored agents to shreds, not even their screams able to escape before they were silenced.

Frank Castle saw the massacre occurring to his left and right, the limitless Outrider swarm continuously pushing them back further and further. Castle hated to admit that, growling softly before roaring, “Fall back! Fall back!” He offered the agents an escape, providing cover fire as the Outriders continued to charge forward.

Firing quick, short bursts from their assault rifles, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. looked to one another before making their retreat further back into the lines. Some fired as they ran, others hoping they could make it and sprinting back without firing a single shot. Some survived, most didn’t. Agent after agent was picked off, tackled and torn apart, dragged into a further cluster of Outriders. Lance Hunter covered them, his minigun tearing through the charging Outriders like they were paper. Piper and Davis picked off approaching Outriders as well, allowing several agents to rush past them as they too made their escape.

Until only Frank Castle was all that was left on the frontlines. Until he, too, began to slowly back away into a retreat, his M249 SAW constantly pointed forward, never turning away from the charging enemy forces. He picked off one Outrider after another, until he ran out of ammunition in his magazine and ran for it the rest of the way. The Outrider army was right behind him, meeting the full force of Wakanda when they came into contact M’Baku and his Jabari Tribe.

Natasha Romanoff grit her teeth and swung her staff like hell as more and more Outriders came her way. By the time even she realized she was being surrounded, a blur of red came to the rescue, Black Widow barely catching a glimpse of the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen standing by her side. Neither had the opportunity to acknowledge each other, both Romanoff and Murdock dodging, swinging, and driving their weapons into precise pressure points—or what assumed to be—on their assailants. They went down all the same.

Black Widow swung downwards with her staff, smacking the last Outrider standing right on the top of its skull. As she was low, Daredevil hopped over her, twisted his body in mid-air, and flung his billy club right into the face of the beast. The creature fell back, the billy club bouncing off and returning to Matthew’s hand. There the two stood together, each heavily breathing, looking about to see no other Outrider left alive within their vicinity.

Twirling her staff, Natasha turned her eyes over to the Daredevil, smirking his way. Matthew heard her heartbeat slow down, meaning she found ease for just a short moment. He turned to her, saw her burning face nod once his way. “Nice moves, devil boy,” Natasha complimented.

Murdock pursed his lips in what was barely a smile. “It’s Daredevil,” he corrected.

“I know,” Natasha said, offering a wink directed only towards him. A wink that said all too much to mean anything else. Or she was just flirting with him, being the natural flirt she always was. Murdock didn’t delve into it too much and instead watched her leave, still flashing him with that sultry grin.

Such easing moments were sparse. Most of everything in that wretched battle consisted of broken bodies, final screams, guns blazing, claws slashing, explosions rippling, and indecipherable pain sounding off every second. Within the madness, within the war, Bucky Barnes found no one else to watch his back. Drax wondered off minutes earlier to who knows where, leaving just the White Wolf to deal with the aliens that got in his way.

No one watching his back.

No one to stop the Ghost Rider from gripping his shoulder and flinging him to the earth.

Sprawled on his back, Barnes gasped and quickly came to, almost instantly losing his breath when he felt the heated palm wrap around his throat and keep him compressed to the ground. Gripping the hand wrapped tightly around his esophagus, Bucky pressed all of his strength in prying it off. Even with the added strength of his metal arm, the hand didn’t loosen. Not even an inch. James finally lifted his eyes skyward to meet his attacker, practically blinded by the brightness of the sun.

Not the sun. The fires whipping off into the air emerged from the flaming skull glaring down at Barnes, the Ghost Rider growling as it observed the sinful spirit beneath it. The blood on his soul, the blood on his hands was more than enough evidence for the Spirit to act. Opening its jaw, the Rider held up its left palm, an unending cinder burning in its palm. The other hand tightened further around Barnes’ throat, the White Wolf clenching his jaw and shutting his eyes tight from the pressure.

The Ghost Rider roared, reeling back on its left hand and bringing it straight down on his heart.

James jutted out his free hand and screamed, “Wait! Stop!”

It did. With its palm burning, ready to smite the sinful man, the Ghost Rider stopped and stared into his eyes. Breaking away from the Spirit of Vengeance, the man within, the human Robbie Reyes saw more than just the blood on the man’s hands. The never-ending conflict of control between the two caused the Spirit to recede, allowed Robbie’s human passion to take command momentarily. Then the demon returned, then Robbie. Then the Ghost Rider. Then Reyes. Then both of them. It saw everything. The torment, the twisted, tortured soul and mind. Despite the sin, there was still a man. Still someone trying to be forgiven. A soul begging for escape from that sin in the past. The Rider’s jaw fell, the Spirit tackled from the side by an Outrider.

Quickly rolling to the side, Bucky picked up his LMG and rose to one knee, firing off a single burst of rounds onto the Outrider clawing at the Rider’s back, Barnes being tackled quickly himself. Returning to the dirt and once more sprawled on his back, Barnes was relentlessly pelted with slashes from the beast’s claws and snaps from the alien’s jaws. Whipping out his short combat knife, Barnes jammed the blade into the creature’s chest, the Outrider screeching in agony, but ultimately unaffected. It proceeded on its onslaught on the White Wolf, nearing his throat with its snapping, golden teeth.

Only to squeal as a chain was wrapped tightly around its own throat.

James’ eyes widened, watching as the chain melting with fire yanked the Outrider right off of him. Rolling once more, Barnes instead watched as the Outrider was dragged all the way to lay at the feet of another. The Outrider screeched and thrashed about on the dirt, its struggling only intensifying when the chain ignited into a blistering inferno, scorching the beast until it remained as nothing but ash.

Barnes slowly lifted his eyes, stared into the burning orbs of chaos within that of the Ghost Rider’s. Whipping the Hellfire Chain around its body, the Ghost Rider stared only at Barnes, ignoring all else in the world for just a brief moment. It seemed to contemplate prior events, the flames bursting forth from its nostrils and between its teeth.

Then James watched, remained as silent as ever, as it pointed at him and declared, “Innocent.”

Then it walked away. Walked into the madness and didn’t turn back to him. Barnes wished he could do the same, but after that encounter he always took an extra long look over his shoulder time and again, even as he picked up his weapon and returned to the war.

Luke Cage and Iron Fist fought together, having grown used to the idea of becoming stronger together. They always did find some sort of ease fighting side by side. An Outrider leapt from the battle and pounced on Cage, the Hero of Harlem catching the wriggling alien by its throat and holding it high in the air. Gritting his teeth as the creature clawed at his face and drew no blood, Luke roared and slammed the creature onto the ground back-first. He ended it by slamming his fist multiple times into its pointed face, making it as flat as a pancake. Wiping his fists clean of the alien blood on his filthy and torn shirt, Luke Cage proceeded forward, taking out more and more Outriders coming his way.

Danny Rand on the other hand—or fist in his case—found it to be increasingly troublesome to stay in the fight, fatigue quickly setting in, the intensity and seemingly endless battle finally getting to him. His Iron Fist had faded moments ago, Rand having to rely only on his martial arts to keep him alive. Even that wasn’t enough against an army continuously pushing against him. Danny was rammed in the side, sent to the dirt as the Outriders bit, clawed, and flung him around like a piece of meat given to the hounds. Danny shielded his face and eyes with his arms as the Outriders clawed at him, his shirt ripped off and revealing the Mark of Shou-Lao embedded over his heart. An Outrider slashed at his chest, creating several, blood red scratches just over the dragon. Danny screamed in pain, but that pain didn’t end there. It intensified to a level he couldn’t even fathom, the beasts biting at his wrists, prying apart his legs, and continuously slashing at his skin. Danny screamed even louder, lifting his right fist close to his face and begging, praying for that power to return to him. Nothing. His fist remained as dark as the blood painted on it. And he screamed.

Loud enough for rescue to come rushing in.

M’Baku roared and slammed his club into the face of the nearest Outrider, completely shattering the beast’s skull. The other Outriders turned accordingly, charging M’Baku and those who followed him. It was a short battle, M’Baku and his Jabari Tribe completely overpowering the Outriders with their superior weaponry. With all the aliens dead, M’Baku bent down and helped Danny to his feet.

“Thanks,” Danny groaned, acknowledging and grimacing at the several cuts on his body.

M’Baku nodded his way, gripping Rand’s arm tighter with his own. “Today, you are one of us, brother.”

Positive sentiments that, in the end, mattered little against the grand scheme. Nakia and Black Panther fought together in the madness, the two lovers caught in an ancient and beautiful dance, locked with one another as they fought, protected, and lived together. Okoye and Ayo led several members of the Dora Milaje within the carnage, Thor alongside them and delivering bolts of lightning straight down from the heavens onto their foes, clearing a path for the warrior women.

Steve Rogers rammed the end of his shields over the Outrider beneath him, the force of the punches being strong enough to kill the creature merely on the second impact. With his hair a tattered mess of sweat and alien blood, Steve looked up through the rising smoke and dust and was barely able to lift his shields in time. The powerful slash impacted Rogers’ forearms, the shields protecting him from the hit but not from what came after.

Steve was sent rolling backwards, eventually coming to a rest on his side. Rising quickly to one knee, Steve lifted his gaze once more and met his attacker head-on.

The Outrider General growled, walking tall on two legs and standing at nearly seven feet. Unlike the other Outriders, Steve noted how it held an extra pair of arms, making the count to six. The creature also looked to be bulkier, stronger, faster, deadlier in every single way. A pair of horns on the sides of its head also differentiated it from its smaller counterparts, the General’s attention center solely on Rogers.

Steve gave it all the attention it desired.

He charged forward, already sliding underneath its slash from one of its many arms. Driving the face of his shield in the back of its leg, Steve didn’t relent, unleashing punch after punch from his gauntlets onto the towering beast. Roaring at that, the Outrider General grabbed Steve by his throat and flung him forward, giving him no space to breathe as it was already on top of him, driving its claws deep into the dirt where his head was.

Steve rolled, moved, and blocked the Outrider’s advances, its claws slashing and digging against his shields but unable to penetrate the hardened vibranium. Lifting his feet, Rogers grunted and kicked the General right off of him, the beast staggering back on its two feet. It was Steve’s turn to give it no time to breathe, already back on his feet and rushing forward faster than any Olympic sprinter ever could. Quicker than Outrider could react to, even the General among them. Steve jumped in the air, driving the end of his right shield right into the beast’s jaw. He heard a sickening crack, followed painfully by the shrieks of agony from the Outrider General. It slashed at him with its left claws, Steve dodging to side, grabbing the beast’s wrist, and driving his shield’s end once again into solid bone, snapping the Outrider’s arm.

The beast screeched, thrashing about but unable to break the hold that Steve had on it. And Steve didn’t let up, not even an inch. Gripping the Outrider’s shattered arm, Rogers pushed the other two arms aside and rammed his shield against the creature’s face again and again, drawing more and more blood with each devastating punch. The sounds of solid vibranium against bone and skin was horrific, but Steve was relentless, the First Avenger relentless in his attacks, unforgiving in his motives.

Ultimately effective in his actions.

Rearing back, Steve sent one last powerful punch right into the creature’s head, roaring loudly as he did so. The force of the punch sent the Outrider General on its back, kicking up dirt, dust, and blood alike. But Rogers wasn’t finished. He landed on top of it, smacked its flailing arms aside and drove the gauntlets into the Outrider’s face again and again. Finally finished and finally resting when the General of the Outriders stopped moving. Stopping breathing. Lied in its own pooling blood with the leader of the Secret Avengers standing atop of it.

And breathing.

And living.

And staring at the blood on his fists.

And all around him, the war only continued. Never halting. Never changing despite losing that leadership, despite losing a powerful member of their own kind. The Outriders were still as relentless as ever before, the Wakandans and those who stood with them doing everything in their power to hold them back, keep them from breaking the lines and entering the city.

Steve Rogers lived and breathed, gazing to it all. Seeing everything and feeling even more than that. He especially saw the orange portal emerge out of the air, forming behind Tony Stark and the Defenders.

Tony landed right behind Daredevil and the rest of the Defenders, firing a repulsor blast into the face of the charging Outrider going for Jones. Jessica spun her head around for a millisecond, saw Stark behind her, then continued the fight, continuously falling back alongside the rest of the only people she could consider her friends. Frank Castle fell back near them as well, firing off continuous bursts from his LMG into the crowds of Outriders and even into the air to the flying Chitauri. Together, the six of them formed a small group; Tony, Matt, Luke, Danny, Jessica, and Frank all huddled near one another and fighting off the approaching enemy swarm.

All up until Tony saw the portal be birthed behind him. He spun accordingly, saw the familiar orange sparks and especially saw the familiar Sorcerer Supreme stumble out of it like a drunkard on Saint Patrick’s Day. He looked even worse than that, the sounds of the war around them meaning nothing to Stark. He saw the desperation in Strange’s eyes, the blood on his face and the horror etched in his expression. At that moment, Tony’s face fell apart, his heart dropping at the realization, that Strange’s assumptions had come true. Meaning that Thanos was on the hunt. Meaning that he was coming for the Time—

“Thanos has the Time Stone!” Doctor Strange declared.

Shit.

Tony’s heart fell even further, his body nearly crumbling had his suit not been formed around him, keeping him steady and alive. The Defenders, one by one, all slowly turned around in the short respite they were given from the fight. Every single one of them heard what Strange had uttered, almost in disbelief to it, refusing to believe it. Frank Castle lowered his LMG, glaring right at Strange through heated, wearied breaths.

“What happened?!” Stark demanded, stepping forward to Strange.

And he told them. He told them everything. Holding nothing back. Giving every horrifying detail.

Until he realized who he was speaking to, who those lives in the Sanctum Sanctorum really were. What those lives meant to them. Stephen’s eyes slowly widened, his breathing intensifying, his heart falling to see the shattered expressions from Matthew Murdock, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Danny Rand, and Frank Castle.

“What?” Jessica whispered. In all the time he knew her—or any of them knew her—Strange had never heard her utter a word in such a way. So soft. So weak. So completely broken beyond reconstruction. She looked to be on the verge of a mental breakdown, the rims of her eyes bleeding tears, threatening to fall. And Strange couldn’t even blame her. No one could.

He had just told them that Thanos’ minions came and slaughtered their friends. Like cattle.

Like nothing.

Stephen Strange stared only at Jessica, but turned to each Defender soon enough, saw the horror, saw the pain, saw the denial, saw everything he didn’t want to. He shook his head and whispered, “I’m sorry. There was nothing we could’ve done.”

“Asshole!” Castle screamed, stomping forward and nearly butting his head against Strange’s. With his eyes on fire, almost showing tears after hearing about Karen Page’s fate, Frank shouted, “Tell me you’re lying!”

Stephen slowly, painfully shook his head. Again. It hurt even more the second time.

The Defenders nearly collapsed. Murdock gasped, tried his hardest to breathe and failed every single time. He cried out, falling on his knees and abandoning his billy club in the dirt. He gripped the edges of his helmet, the sides of his head, and yelled. Screamed until he couldn’t even formulate a sound through his bleeding throat. Karen, Foggy, Claire… all of them… gone.

Just like that. And he could do absolutely nothing to change that.

Luke held his heart, stumbling backwards as the reality hit him like a shock wave, stabbed him and hurt him more than any blade or bullet ever could. Especially at the news of Claire and Misty’s fate. Danny fell down and clutched his head with both bleeding palms, digging his fingers through his hair when he realized—forced himself to—that he would never see Colleen alive ever again. It hurt him even more to realize that he could have stayed with her, been with her, defended her to his last breath but didn’t. Just didn’t. Jessica Jones fared far worse than either of them, her thoughts only returning to that one individual she wanted to forget, now could only think of her. Of Trish Walker, the only other person she could have considered her best friend and sister before that friendship was torn apart by a single bullet. Jessica stumbled about blindly, her hand rising to caress her head as her lips trembled, her face shattered, as did her heart.

Realizing she never made amends with her. Realizing her last words to Trish were: “As long as that stands… then so do I.”

Jessica Jones fell. She fell right on her ass and cried. Cried and clutched her head and her heart through clenched, bleeding teeth.

Frank Castle didn’t waste a second more. He reared forward and punched Stephen right in his cheek, Strange taking and knowing he deserved every part of it. Tony pushed Castle back, Frank shoving him aside and screaming at the sorcerer lying in the dirt, “This is all your fault! We should’ve never trusted you! Give me one goddamn reason I shouldn’t put a bullet in you right now!”

He jammed his M249 SAW right at Strange, right where he lay. “Frank, stop!” Stark yelled, prying his LMG by its barrel and ripping it straight into the air. The two grappled with each other momentarily before Castle broke away, aiming his LMG right for Iron Man. Tony replied in kind, his repulsors charging up and his palms open directly to the Punisher.

“Stop!” Strange cried, begged, held out his hands and rose back to his feet between the two. “Please! Trust me… I would have rather died than them if I could have… but we can’t turn against each other. The universe depends on it.”

He turned his eyes to every individual, every heart and soul tattered and destroyed. He eyed Tony Stark especially, staring right into his eyes when he said, “The universe depends on all of us.”

Then they heard the screams.

They all turned around, all stared from where they sat or stood to Thanos’ approaching forces breaking through their lines, charging towards them. Unleashing complete hell upon the lands of Wakanda. But not just the Outriders. Not just the Chitauri.

Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive, and Cull Obsidian stepped forth through the split shields, hordes of Outriders rushing past them, the second wave following close behind. The daughter of Thanos jammed her blade in the air, a count of five Chitauri Leviathans swimming through the air and entering the dome behind her. They roared so loud it shook the very earth.

Just as the towering Threshers did when they burst forth from the ground and ripped apart anything unfortunate enough to get caught under their blades.

Author's Note

Chapter 71 – World on Our Shoulders

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

7:38 a.m.

The ash cloud managed to block out the sunlight, leaving all of Canterlot under the veil of a light gray coat of unbreathable atmosphere. Specks of ash fluttered down and painted the mighty capital of Equestria in gray, like a sickened snowstorm plagued by the smell of sulfur and the distant sounds of coughing. Canterlot citizens, Royal and Lunar Guard alike, and even the Wonderbolts themselves had fallen prey to the ash, shielding their mouths and nostrils to stop the inhale of any foreign speck.

Canterlot had faced far worse troubles in the past. The volcanic eruption of Mount Tartarus proved troublesome, but nothing too dangerous. The mighty, magical shield high above the city as a massive dome shimmered lightly under the light gray skylines. Constantly, the skies were patrolled by Lunar Guard and numerous Wonderbolts, keeping a watchful eye out for any other foreign intrusion other than the flakes of ash that harmlessly broke through the shield and entered Canterlot. Nothing magical about them. Not a threat to be too worried about.

Star Swirl the Bearded frowned at that, blowing a speck of ash off his snout.

As for Twilight Sparkle and her closest friends, that somewhat short moment of ease started to fade away when they noticed the ash cloud billowing over Canterlot. When it started to snow the infectious specks of burning glass and rock, the mares made it their top priority to shield their noses and mouths to avoid breathing in any ash. Pinkie, unfortunately, didn’t get the memo and stuck out her tongue, trying to catch the flakes of what she thought was snow. She realized quickly her mistake and started coughing and gagging upon the first flake of ash she ingested. Rainbow Dash kept turning her eyes to the air, her healed wings used as a means of shielding her nostrils and mouth from the ash. High above, she witnessed several Wonderbolts taking action alongside the Lunar Guard, Celestia’s Royal Guard sticking to the streets and rooftops. Rainbow sighed, wishing she could join them, but knew her loyalties lied with her friends for the moment.

Capper was right behind them, using his own coat to shield his mouth. Still better following his friends than being cramped up and bored in his guest room back in the castle. The girls didn’t object.

The remaining Pillars of Old Equestria traversed alongside Twilight and the girls, following close behind Star Swirl and analyzing the ash like each speck were ghosts of demons long past. Even the smell struck each of them as familiar, though none of them smelled for long due to the ash entering their lungs. They each grew a dreaded sense of nostalgia at the smell, their eyesight only seeing the ash cloud, knowing with certainty what it all meant.

Typhon was near at hoof.

And they were running out of time.

As the large group trotted quickly down the streets of Canterlot, Star Swirl continuously tried to concoct the very same spell he had used to teleport to Twilight’s castle the other day, the same spell Chancellor Neighsay was able to perform. Of course, his magical relic made it simpler, and Star Swirl’s frustrations were clearly evident by his bulging facial muscles, his horn igniting and dying time and time again. Curious, and growing a tad anxious, Twilight turned to her idol, actually witnessing the great Star Swirl the Bearded struggle.

He stopped. They stopped. They watched as he held his horn high in the air, a few sparks and a bright light emanating from the tip of his horn, but other than that there was nothing.

“Blasted,” the wizard grumbled, dropping his head and glaring at the solid concrete under his hooves. “Blasted all. I cannot get a clear image of or shot at the Everfree Forest with this ash cloud in the way. With it clouding our destination, the spell won’t work. Blasted.”

“Ease yourself,” Somnambula cooed, rubbing his shoulder.

“We better take the train,” Flash Magnus said, shifting his head down the opposite street, the one that lead to the train station and the train that brought them to Canterlot in the first place. “It’ll take longer… but what other choice do we have?”

“We could use a standard teleportation spell,” Twilight suggested, heads shifting her way instead. Twilight padded her hoof on the concrete, sighing and fluffing her feathers. “But even then, we’re still not at a hundred percent, and that requires more than one magic-user to concoct for where we’re headed. And it especially doesn’t help with the ash clouding the airwaves.”

Several of her friends were inclined to agree, especially Sunset and Starlight. Even Twilight wasn’t truly feeling herself, like a part of her really had died back in the Badlands. Twilight knew she and her friends just needed the time to heal both physically and magically, but with their sort of time… that couldn’t happen.

Before any unsettling silence could fill the group, Sunset finally noted the ash cloud like Twilight had, going a step further and noticing the shimmer of the shield high above Canterlot. “How come that ash is getting through the shield?” Sunset pondered aloud.

Twilight had an answer to that almost immediately, like she was firmly defending a position. “Well, it’s natural. The shield only disrupts entry from any foreign threat or magic,” she responded.

“Anything born of Typhon is not natural,” Rockhoof grunted.

“Well, the volcano probably was,” Twilight retorted. Rockhoof added to her retort by snorting.

“The train, then?” Starlight groaned. Twilight nodded.

Rainbow sighed through her wings. “Looks like we’re headed to the train station.”

Seeing everypony start to slump and groan at the idea of sitting in cramped train seats for the next few hours nearly brought Capper’s mood down to the dumps. He eventually picked up his feet when the group turned and made their next destination to the train station down the opposite street. He approached Rarity and Applejack from behind, clearing his throat. Nopony looked at him.

“Buck up, girls,” Capper said and pulled down his coat to smile at them, coughing a tad before raising the coat once more over his mouth. When hardly anypony even offered him a glance, except for Fluttershy who, of course, always smiled up at him, Capper turned instead to the group ahead, trotting nearly side by side with Twilight. He focused primarily on the one with the cape. “Hey, Mr. Wizard Guy… Pony… Guy, what was our destination again?”

Star Swirl looked back at the cat, raising a brow at that “attempt” at his name. “The Tree of Harmony,” Star Swirl replied, his tone aggravated, tired, really not keen on that name.

“Is that right?” Capper thought aloud, stroking his fur-covered chin, then realized it was hidden underneath his coat. He turned instead his attention onto the ponies, the girls he had allowed himself to grow closer to than anyone else. He noticed the mares shivering under the ash fall, none of them quite comfortable with their current, grave situation. “Hey, don’t you worry about a thing, everypony.”

Several heads turned back at his sincere, caring tone, a definite shift from the usual calm and smooth demeanor that Capper Dapperpaws practically radiated like the glare of the sun. His eyes told a different tale as well, softer, meeting all of their gazes and constantly shifting, constantly meeting them where it mattered. He even dropped his coat and smiled at the mares, trying his hardest not to take in any deep breaths as to avoid the ash still dropping.

He continued, a few of the ponies’ jaws slowly falling open. “You may feel like you’re at your lowest right now… but the way I see it, things can only go up from here. Lived my entire life like that, and just look at me now.”

He held out his arms, his filthy coat stained by juice, food residue from Canterlot’s finest, and ash still falling on top of him. His fur, unkempt and disheveled, was barely presentable, even for someone like Capper who had much higher standards. Even then, he could argue he looked so terrible because he forced himself to get up early that morning to follow the girls back to Ponyville. To the mares it was a hit or miss, a few bemused expressions shared among them, a couple shake of the heads, a giggle, and finally Twilight…

“That’s not comforting,” Twilight said. Seeing Capper’s hurt expression, Twilight eased it by smiling his way, offering a sly, little wink.

Capper pointed at her, chuckling lightly. “Ah, see? Already smiling. Now what did I tell—?”

He stopped dead in his tracks. His voice froze. Below zero. Right then and there.

A powerful, earth-trembling horn cried out.

It was so great, so utterly unearthly that it shook the very earth itself. The grounds of Canterlot, the buildings, the streets, the ponies that stood upon them shivered where they stood. Every expression shattered, every smile fading away like dust, leaving just a skeleton, a crust of what once was. And in that crust, terror laced what was left. Terror. Fear of the unknown. Everypony turned to the skies to look for an answer, to see the disturbance, to find that closure.

Instead, they looked up in horror.

And all watched as a bright beam of violet light broke through the ash clouds and struck the outside of the shield.

It was instantaneous.

So unrealistically unbelievable.

The shield was engulfed in a wave of violet, like a plague run wild, a wildfire fully unleashed upon a dead forest foliage. And like a forest floor, the shield burned away into nothing but cinders, shards of once were falling from the skies and either fading away or shattering upon the streets or buildings, destroying anything underneath. Whatever citizens that remained in Canterlot—those who still believed and trusted in the princesses to keep them safe—fled in terror. The air that was once colored by the gray of ash was now showered by the light of the violet storm above their heads, the dome protecting Canterlot fully taken, fully decimated in a single, calculated, devastating blast.

Twilight could have sworn she heard the pain-filled cries of Celestia and Luna, two sisters, in unison deep from within the confines of Canterlot Castle. Already miles away. Then silence. Then the return of several hundred of those screams echoing across the entire capital city of Equestria.

As the fire burned the skylines and rained down upon Canterlot.

Twilight may have had doubts, but they were minuscule. Every part of her she understood without a doubt knew that Celestia and Luna could be trusted. She trusted them with her life, which was no simple showing of respect and love. Yet the mere sight of the crumbling shield, the mighty dome held by the Princess of the Sun and the Princess of the Moon together shattering into nothing but cinder and flame struck Twilight deep, knowing that all of her fears had become reality before her. Seeing every effort, every sleepless night, every prolonged pain just come crumbling down that easily shook her to her very core. But the screams were what got to Twilight the most. The screams of everypony caught in the coming conflict, under the storm and within the eye of war itself. It was horrifying, a chorus of unholy screeches and cries echoing off of every building face, bouncing down every street, and hitting her with its full force. Her little ponies…

“W-what…?” Twilight shakily whispered, shivering on her own four hooves as she gazed up into the skies, the violet and red fires eating what remained of the dome reflecting off her eyes. The rushing wind finally hit Canterlot with every bit of strength it had, blowing everypony’s manes back, Twilight’s own nearly clouding her tear-filled vision. “No… No, that’s not…!”

“Possible…” Star Swirl whispered. Twilight turned to him, saw his expression just as shattered as she must have felt, must have looked. In all her days that she had known him, respected him, looked up to him, never had she seen him look so… small. He shook his head in disbelief. Everypony did. “H-how—?”

“Uh, guys…?” Capper interrupted, ponies turning around to see him shakily pointing his claw forward, in the opposite direction. Where the light emerged. “Is that new, or is it just me?”

Together, every mare and every Pillar turned in the direction Capper pointed. Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie all took a preemptive step back at the sight of it, a knowing sense of dread filling their very souls when the familiar sight emerged. Star Swirl the Bearded, Mistmane, Flash Magnus, Somnambula, Rockhoof, Mage Meadowbrook, and Stygian all stared onward in shared confusion, intrigue, and a growing sense of disturbance.

When they all stared into the swirling blue and black portal.

And onto the being that stepped out from it.

In his left arm, he carried a golden gauntlet. On his person, he wore his worn blue and gold attire, and black pants and boots. His violet skin held only two scratches, one on the lower lip and the other on his right cheek. But other than that, unharmed. In his eyes, there was only swirls of pure determination, chaos, and the most powerful strength of all mixed within it, commanding it, fueling the being with all that he needed to face the road and those who stood before him…

Will.

The portal closed and Thanos stood on the streets of Canterlot.

And he stared right at them. The fire from above continued to rain down, scorching the air into a sickly orange, purple, and gray, the light of the sun trying desperately to break through. Never succeeding. And there was Thanos in the middle of it, responsible for it all, showing once again just how insignificant their powers were compared to him. His eyes met that of Star Swirl the Bearded, Mistmane, Capper, and even Twilight Sparkle.

Not a smile. Not a frown. Just nothing. Twilight trembled all the same.

“Things can only go up, huh?” Rainbow muttered.

Capper only gulped, saying nothing.

While the Pillars of Equestria were still trying to decipher their challenger, Thanos lifted his gauntlet and crushed his fist, the Space Stone blowing away the clouds and unveiling the Chitauri Command Center right above Canterlot. Hidden in the ash. Right on top of them the whole time.

Then the war fell following the cinders.

The Chitauri invaded, unleashed all of their power from the warship above onto the shaken city of Canterlot. Chitauri chariots, starships, and Leviathans filled the air alongside the fire, dropping down into the city and unleashing complete hell upon it. The Royal and Lunar Guard quickly responded, donned their armor, their swords, everything they had and were and struck back, meeting the invasion halfway in the air. The Wonderbolts joined soon enough, the skies no longer filled with just fire and war. But eruptions, colors beyond that of yellow and orange. Bodies, more pony than alien. Blood, a mix of every kind. Screams. All of it.

Frozen in awe to it all, the Elements, the Pillars, Sunset, Starlight, and Capper finally returned to their foe. And they watched him begin his approach, slowly, one step at a time but closer every single time to Canterlot Castle. Where they stood blocking his path. He stared at them every step.

While Twilight still stood in disbelief, praying beforehoof never having to witness the same Titan and horror she experienced in the Badlands ever again, only to stand and stare fully onto the face of depravity itself, the others took action. More so the Pillars. More so Star Swirl the Bearded. The ancient unicorn took a mighty step forward, roaring, “Cease!”

The mere power of his voice, amplified heartily by his magic sent a shock wave of pure energy outwards onto the street ahead. Thanos, in response, merely positioned his shoulder slightly forward. Other than that, he was unmoved, continued his slow approach towards Canterlot Castle. Star Swirl sneered, raising single hoof and waving it out in front of him in a perfect circle. His horn shimmered a bright whiteness, a disk of energy birthed directly near his hoof. The disk shimmered just as white as his horn, Star Swirl expanding the magic to grow nearly three times his size, the massive disk of energy spinning violently before being thrust forward with a push of Star Swirl’s hoof and a release of his breath.

The disk of magic struck Thanos with its face, finally moving the Titan in reverse and pushing him further down the road. Thanos clenched his jaw, showed his teeth, pressed his naked palm against the disk and slammed his other fist shut. The Power Stone erupted, sending that same disk—only amplified—right back at its creator. It came so fast that Star Swirl and the Pillars hardly had a moment to react, each one of them blown violently back once the disk imploded after it struck Star Swirl.

Twilight, the girls, and Capper all watched in conjoined shock and horror as the heroes of Equestria were thrown aside like they were nothing, like fodder, following the blast. Each of their bodies flew off, some crashing through buildings, shops, and even further down the road, out of sight and out of the impending fight.

And what a fight it was.

As the invasion rained down around them—not a single Chitauri or guard or Wonderbolt interfering with the showdown—Rainbow Dash was the first to charge. She flew at Thanos with such speeds, even with her injured wing, that she knew no being would be able to dodge in time. Thanos merely lifted his gauntlet and closed his fist, the Space Stone making her body phase seamlessly through him and crash directly into the erected pillar of concrete Thanos raised with the same Stone. She slid downwards in pain, coming to rest at the bottom of the pillar.

Next came Applejack and Pinkie Pie, the two Earth ponies bravely but foolishly galloping forward right for the Mad Titan. Thanos dealt with them quickly and easily, the Power Stone merely flinging them from the ground and sending them crashing on the sides of the road, rather painfully to be exact. Their bodies bounced, each mare having little to no strength to even stand. Thanos walked past them.

Fluttershy flew and Starlight galloped, the unicorn firing a weakened concussive spell, the strongest spell she could manage in her wounded state. The blast bounced off Thanos’ hardened skin without even a scorch mark left, the Mad Titan growling and swiping at the air, striking Fluttershy hard and sending her body crashing right through an empty carriage. The Pegasus cried and whimpered as she came to a painful stop on the sidewalk, trying to stand back up but only failing. Again. Starlight stared only at Fluttershy as she too was ripped from the ground, Thanos’ Space Stone sending Starlight crashing through a window of a random coffee shop.

Sunset Shimmer and Capper Dapperpaws took matters into their own hooves and paws at that moment. Sunset proceeded to rip slabs of concrete right from the road and fling them at the Titan with as much strength as she could muster. Capper, in the meantime, dashed forward on all fours, dodging the blasts from the Power Stone that Thanos sent his way. Lifting the Gauntlet once more, Thanos caught each slab of concrete before they could crash against him. Using the power of the Reality Stone, Thanos morphed the concrete into their purest form, that of slick cement. He flung the cement right at Sunset in a wave, the unicorn able to teleport away in time.

Capper moved to the sidewalk as the wave of cement washed over the road. Pouncing to the top of a carriage, Capper leaped forward and got close enough to actually slash at the Mad Titan with his claws. He struck Thanos’ cheek, rolling behind him and gazing upwards, both he and Thanos wondering if he actually just did that. Either way, Capper suffered. Thanos slammed his forearm directly into the cat’s chest, sending Capper flying into the side of a building, crumbling quickly to the sidewalk in a heap of limbs and painful grunts. Thanos snorted and faced the road once again.

And Rarity…

Rarity just stood there, shaking like a leaf. Like a coward she knew she was at that very moment.

Thanos sneered at her and walked past, not a singe hair on her mane harmed. The mare simply wasn’t worth his trouble and time. But the next one…

The last one…

She was.

Twilight Sparkle watched as every single one of her friends fell. One by one. Once again like they were nothing, even more worthless in their wounded state than in the Badlands where they were at the top of their game. Shedding away every painful tear, wiping clean every horrible, dreadful thought of the Mad Titan still torturing the feeblest part of her mind and soul, Twilight spread her wings and put on a brave face. She took action. She shot right off the ground and charged Thanos head-on.

The Mad Titan smirked. It was small, it was insignificant, but it was there. Just for her. Once more using the Reality Stone, Thanos proceeded to rip pillars of concrete right from the street and fling them right at her. They struck the road where Twilight flew like snapping serpents—like the kind she knew—but every time they would miss by inches, Twilight dodging them every single time and growing closer to Thanos by the second. When she got to him, she was still trying to figure that out, but she would bring with her every known spell she had, every bit of strength she had gathered over the minimal rest period to see to it that Thanos was stopped there and then.

And in that moment, Thanos noticed the Pillars of Old Equestria rise again and charge him, coming from every angle, every blind spot. Even those he flung to the street rose again, every mare and even Capper, all pushing forward and fighting to the bitter end. All of them knowing, praying that their next effort would bring Thanos to his knees, that they would work that time. They would succeed that time. They would win that…

Time.

Thanos smiled right at Twilight, raising his gauntlet just as she was mere feet from him. The face of it was directed right at the Alicorn, Twilight’s eyes shifting to it for a split second. It was that second that lasted an eternity, that was frozen when she saw the brightness erupt from the clenched gauntlet. And she was trapped in it, kept in her place alongside her friends, alongside Capper, alongside even the Pillars of Equestria. All of them completely trapped in it.

And Thanos briskly walked right out of it. Right passed them all.

He faced Canterlot Castle in the distance, all four Infinity Stones on his gauntlet shimmering. The Time Stone especially, resting just beneath the Infinity Gauntlet’s smallest finger.

Chapter 72 – Mind

Canterlot, Equestria

7:47 a.m.

The Royal Guard stormed the streets of Canterlot as the face of Tartarus opened up in the skies and unleashed the flying demons down upon the capital city. The demons, the aliens, were locked in fierce combat in the skies with the ponies plastered in a golden armor, wielding weapons with renounced vigor, strength, and bravery in every strike. The Lunar Guard dominated the skies, their brutal and vicious tactics and weaponry proving their worth in the battle against the Chitauri. They numbered in the dozens, close to the hundreds, doing everything in their power to keep their city safe.

They all turned their blades to the ground, to the street, where the invader walking towards the castle would face his doom. Together, the Royal and Lunar Guard charged the streets, roaring their war cry, attacking in a wave of Pegasi and bat ponies so immense that it darkened the city, the little light there was no longer visible. And they all charged in one massive unit, together to one goal, to one being lifting his eyes to the shadow washing over him.

Thanos froze them all in that moment.

Just like that, every Pegasi, every unicorn, every Earth and bat pony alike were trapped, stuck, frozen in mid-air or upon the ground like statues. Despite their bodies being restrained by a force they couldn’t comprehend, their minds, their eyes could still witness and experience the horror they faced. Their faces were frozen in expressions forged by warfare, but they experienced worse, felt worse, saw so much worse as the Mad Titan strode past them all. Not even a wavering glance.

He kept his left fist clenched tight. The Time Stone continuously shimmered a bright green.

As he slipped past the crowd of ponies in armor without harming a single one of them—finding no need when the threat they held was gone the moment they were frozen by the Time Stone—Thanos proceeded forward down the empty road, his eyes set on only one target, one his Outriders made certain was present in the city under the dome.

Canterlot Castle rested just ahead. Clenching his fist further, the Infinity Gauntlet reacted and unleashed the energy of the Power Stone in a single stream of violet power. It struck the outside of the castle, decimating the outer structure in a violent explosion.

Instantly, rushing out of the castle’s walls and galloping with spears and swords alike, the Royal Guard charged Thanos and screamed. No intent of stopping.

Thanos smiled, glad he wasn’t alone in that regard.

Canterlot Castle, Hallways

7:49 a.m.

The very foundations of Canterlot trembled. Those who remained in the castle grounds ran about wildly, like chickens with their heads cut off, no intention of heading somewhere safe, only trying to escape the madness and get as far away as possible. The hallways roared and crumbled as numerous explosions rang from outside, chunks of marble and concrete raining from the ceilings and impacting the castle’s floors. Canterlot Castle’s nobles, Royal Guard, and servants galloped about madly, trying to find the nearest exit, trying to make sense out of the chaos.

And within that chaos, they ran.

The two beings who couldn’t have been more different holding onto each other with their very lives. One after the other, they each tried to pick the other up, every tremor and every explosion shifting the balance of the massive city and sending either one to their knees. But they would be there for each other. Their only interest was keeping the other safe.

The Vision could only hope for that, his body crumbling as the Mind Stone burned in his head.

Wanda Maximoff nearly fell thanks to the added weight Vision applied to them, the Scarlet Witch pushing through the pain and picking up the android. With his arm slung over her shoulder, her eyes wild and adrenaline-fueled, she turned to her right to notice a room gated off from the rest of the hallway. With a blast from her psionic energy, the gates were ripped open, Wanda practically dragging Vision inside. She flung the gates closed and locked them as they were before, the near-pitch dark archives being the most welcoming sight for Wanda.

Carefully, she settled Vision by the base of the massive hourglass in the heart of the archives, asking steadily, “Vis, are you all right? What is it?”

The Vision gazed up slowly to her, saw the swirls of chaos in her eyes from the adrenaline, making her all the more beautiful. How he wished they could have more time. How he wished there was a still a future for them. Dreams and wishes that were just that. Destiny settled in and struck Vision where it hurt the most. He hunched to the side, growling in agony as the Mind Stone shimmered a bright yellow in his skull.

“Vision,” Wanda stuttered, fearing for him, grasping him and doing all she could to hold him.

And when she brought him back from the world of pain, his eyes opened and saw only the horror, trapped in another world of agony. He whispered, cautiously, shakily, his voice so small she almost saw a different person.

What he said was: “He’s here.”

Wanda furrowed her brow, her chest shivering. “Who—?”

“There he is! Stop him!”

Wanda spun her head around, quivering as her eyes latched to the gated doorway and saw the empty hallway on the outside. The voices cried out from it, the following screams and eruptions short to come. Screams and cries echoed from deep in the hallways of Canterlot Castle, only growing louder and louder with each passing second. Time ticking away. Reaching an impending doom.

“Wanda,” Vision breathed, Maximoff managing to turn away from the horrific sounds and face him once again. Only this time there was no dread in his expression, no pain in his voice. Just exhaustion, desperation, and worst of all… acceptance. Especially when he said, “It’s time.”

She knew exactly what he meant. The moment she stared into his eyes and listened to his voice. She shook her head violently, practically seething, “No!”

“They can’t stop him, Wanda. None of Celestia’s guards, not even the princesses can. But we can,” Vision explained, having to grab her wrist when she tried to stand up and flee, fight the inevitable and unwinnable battle. Almost forcing her to her knees, Vision met Wanda’s expression and saw every shred of torment flushing in and out of her eyes, trembling down her lips and beating in her broken heart.

And Vision held her still. “Please, Wanda, you have the power to destroy the Stone.”

Wanda still shook her head, tears in her eyes. “I already lost someone I loved in this city! I won’t lose you, too!” she cried.

More screams and more explosions followed shortly, the hallways of Canterlot Castle burning a bright violet, orange, blistering fires showcasing horrific shadows upon the walls, indicating a larger presence nearing them. Looming ever so closer. The Vision saw it all, the Mind Stone practically screeching in his head, warning of the inevitable. Slowing dropping his gaze, Vision graced Wanda’s hand for several seconds more, kissing it softly and gazing back up to her.

“We are out of time.”

He directed her palm just over his forehead.

“I-I can’t,” Wanda whispered, her voice shivering. More tears escaped. “I can’t kill you.”

Vision shook his head. “You must,” he whispered back, every ounce of exhaustion and agony in his tone clearly evident, making Wanda want to crumble right then and there. The Mind Stone continued to shimmer brightly, Wanda gazing into its soft, yellow glow between her fingers. But most of all, she saw Vision. She saw him accept every bit of it.

She saw him release her hand. “If you don’t, half the universe dies.”

Her body moved on its own, ignoring the cries from her heart, the pain in her body, the screaming in her nerves and only obeyed her mind, knowing that there was no other way. She slowly backed away from him, palm still outstretched, fingers shaking and lip quivering. She stared only into his eyes as she and him parted, making the distance each saw feel like miles and miles and miles.

And through those thousand miles… they still weren’t—

“It’s all right… you could never hurt me.”

Wanda gasped, her breath shaking as a single tear slipped down her cheek.

Vision’s brow rose lightly, hopefully, staring into her beauty and seeing it all. Knowing her all.

“I just feel you.”

They were together. Through a thousand miles and even further than that, Wanda knew they were as one, closer than ever before. That alone gave her the final ounce of strength needed to clench her jaw, narrow her eyes, force a frown, and drive her fingers forward. And she did. She unleashed every bit of strength within her, the psionic energy expelling from her palm in a stream of red. It impacted Vision’s forehead, right in the center of the Mind Stone.

The resulting gust of energy blew books off their shelves, sent scrolls flying off and rolling onto the carpet. Vision’s own cape flapped madly behind him from the continuous gust of energy blowing into him, pushing against only him and impacting only the Mind Stone. Yet there was no force to push either of them away from each other, look nowhere else except the other’s eyes. In Wanda, Vision saw only pain, tears rolling down her cheeks faster and faster as she held her power to the Mind Stone, stared nowhere else but on the android—no, the man she had fallen in love with. In Vision, Wanda only witnessed unhinged agony beyond comprehension, the android gasping and expression locked in a continuous state of torture. But deep within it, deep within that pain and suffering there was still that twinkle of acceptance, of the life fate chose to bestow upon him.

As if his pain had subsided. As if the agony was gone and he had found his calling. His peace.

The doors exploded and Wanda turned around.

Stepping forth into the Canterlot Archives, Thanos stared onto a sight that made his very body stand still, his blood freeze, and mind quickly beginning to comprehend the situation laid before him. There was the Vision, the Mind Stone glowing brighter than normal, due to the Scarlet Witch unleashing her powers upon it.

Trying to overcome the Stone’s power.

Trying to destroy it.

Gritting his teeth, Thanos took a step forward and nearly fell back. Jamming out the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos absorbed as much of the oncoming onslaught as he could, taking a quick moment to realize what had happened. Wanda Maximoff broke her free hand away and shot it right at the Mad Titan, a second stream of psionic energy striking Thanos square in the chest. The continuous stream of energy wasn’t meant to kill him. It wasn’t meant to hurt him. It only acted as a means of holding him back. Thanos knew it was so and pressed his palm against the psionic wave, the Space Stone creating a shield that pushed back, fought back, allowed Thanos to continue forward.

One step at a time.

Closer to the two every single time.

Wanda turned back, faced the eyes of the one she couldn’t any longer, because every time she did, she only felt her heart being further torn to shreds. Because with every pulsating ounce of power she unleashed from her hand, all she knew was that its purpose was to see to the destruction of the Mind Stone, of the one she could have ever grown close enough to truly love again. To truly feel again. To truly and utterly feel like a human again, instead of a monster.

And him with her. Wanda Maximoff had ultimately changed Vision’s life in the most wonderful of ways. From being birthed into conflict, live a life in continuous war with enemies, allies, and even family, the Vision never once thought he could ever be more than just what he was created as: a machine. A weapon, maybe. Something not… human. But with Wanda, Vision had found that respite with her. He had found that missing piece of himself he had always longed but never knew of it until he met her. Wanda had changed his life, made him to be… human.

And together they finally became just that.

He blinked. Wanda knew it was impossible, but she swore she tears.

“I love you.”

Her face shattered, red hot tears boiling and falling from her face at an uncontrollable rate. Several different emotions flooded her already wounded heart and continued to further drive that stake deeper and deeper into it. Into her. Her magic continued to flow from her fingertips, drive into the Mind Stone as Wanda clenched her eyes shut and screamed. Screamed with every bit of pain she endured. Screamed with all the strength left in her heart and soul.

Just as the Vision’s face began to crack.

Thanos looked up, turned away from Wanda, and saw the Mind Stone. He saw the several jagged cracks grow larger and brighter on the android’s face. She screamed, unleashing everything she had on the Mind Stone, fully intending to destroy it.

Thanos caught his breath. The Mind Stone shimmered brighter than ever before.

Thanos raised the Infinity Gauntlet and clenched it. A second light emerged, brighter than the Mind Stone, being so powerful it caused all of reality to falter to it, to yield to it. Especially Wanda, frozen in her actions, frozen in place as the haunting, green light showered behind her.

The power stopped. All else faded away.

Vision opened his eyes and still felt completely alive.

Forced to watch as the Mad Titan rose up behind Wanda.

His body was completely numb, every sense of feeling and strength within him just gone as the Mind Stone shimmered and shivered from within his forehead. His face held several jagged cracks, each radiating a bright yellow that slowly began to dim from within his skull. The Vision gasped, breathed steadily and was forced to watch the events before him unfold, actually trying to convince himself that it wasn’t real, that he had died, that he wasn’t alive to see it…

Frozen in time, Wanda Maximoff could do nothing as her energy had faded. As she was lifted from the ground by an unknown force, spun around to meet the horrific glare straight from the Mad Titan. Thanos held up his gauntlet, the Space Stone bright and blue as it wrapped its energy tight around the Scarlet Witch’s throat. Steadily, he moved her aside, allowed himself to be able to witness his prize firsthand.

The Mind Stone. Almost destroyed, but still intact. Still as powerful as ever. He could mend that just as easily.

The Time Stone’s energy faded, leaving just a gasping, struggling Wanda Maximoff in Thanos’ grasp. Turning to her, Thanos watched the young woman thrash, or tried to, within the power of the Space Stone. Meaningless, fruitless struggles to resist the inevitable outcome. She had nearly destroyed the Mind Stone, taken away his chances to reach his destiny. Frowning at that, Thanos sent a horrific glare towards Wanda and affirmed his stance, made his decision with the life in his hand.

The Space Stone glowed and tightened around Wanda’s throat. She gasped. Vision gasped. Thanos stared, said nothing. His breathing, so very softly, began to shake as he tightened his fist… just a bit more. Wanda’s bloodshot eyes widened, her hands wrapped around her own throat to fight the unknown force, only to ultimately fail as she felt the hard, wet snap.

Then felt nothing else.

Her eyes slowly fluttered to a close. Her hands draped to her sides. Her body fell limp, a single stream of blood flowing down her nose. Nothing compared to the streams of tears painted on her face.

Vision remained there, on his knees, wishing to die right then. Begging for it.

But not by him.

Not by his hand.

Thanos exhaled softly, his heart slowly releasing the tension building up inside of him. That lingering pain remained, however, seeing the broken, bloody, cold, and lifeless face of Wanda Maximoff stare straight into him. He wondered how long he would face that death time and time again. He didn’t stare any longer and released his grip, the Space Stone darkening and her body crumbling to the floor. There Thanos shakily stood, slowly looking to his gauntlet and staring at it for moments on end. Through the blur, there she lay, her hair tangled and concealing her face, concealing the horror that Thanos couldn’t force himself to look upon again.

Thanos breathed and closed his eyes. Waited only for a second and finally returned to his destiny. Turning accordingly, Thanos gazed onto the lone android on his knees, still frozen, still unmoving. The Time Stone’s powers had faded long ago, but even then, he was still trapped. Too wounded to fight, too wounded to move, too completely broken to live without her.

He gasped as he felt the metallic palm wrap around his throat, slowly lifting him up right off the floor. Breathing in nothing but intakes of agony, the Vision could do nothing but stare onto the one who took everything from him, took his very world and his only love. Thanos didn’t even look into his eyes, seeing not the man but only the machine that held his Stone, a simple barrier that stood in the way of his ultimate goal. And like a barrier, he tore it down, and finally saw the light.

Thanos pressed his fingers around the Mind Stone, pushing inwards deeper and deeper.

Vision gasped and cringed, the pain unlike anything he had ever felt. And then…

It was gone.

Thanos pierced his skull, his fingers wrapped tightly around the gem. The color instantly drained from Vision’s body, leaving him a cold, lifeless machine. Thanos tossed the machine away, its body laying near the woman’s and remaining there.

As the silence of the battle had settled in, Thanos took no other precious time to observe the Stone. He wasted nothing more. Every reluctance had faded when he gazed into the light and saw the Mind Stone. The fifth of the six, resting just within his fingertips. The universe… resting within his fingertips. Lifting his gauntlet, Thanos tilted it just slightly so the thumb was positioned directly beneath the Mind Stone. Releasing his fingers from it, the stream of energy building between the Stone and the Gauntlet was relinquished.

A flushing wave of serenity entered within Thanos, striking the deepest, darkest, most conflicted parts of him and bringing him back to the light, bringing him back to his purpose for all the bloodshed, for all the pain, the suffering, the loss. For… everything. Clenching his fists and tightening his muscles, Thanos finally settled to a single state of bliss as he finally, finally… stared at his gauntlet.

The Mind Stone rested just on the thumb, shimmering a soft, serene yellow amongst the others.

Then Thanos breathed again. Breathed and muttered, “One to go.”

Just one more.

Then he would finally—

“Stop!”

Stampeding hooves and that powerful bark prompted Thanos’ attention backwards, to where his eyes met a legion of heavily-armed Royal Guard standing at the entrance of the Canterlot Archives. Thanos fully faced them, his arms resting by his sides, his expression hardening but no further action other than that taken.

“By order of Princess Celestia and Luna, you are hereby ordered to surrender at once!”

Celestia and Luna, controllers of the sun and the moon. Thanos had heard stories, knew of the legends, had delved into the history of Equus and especially its rulers. The ones who had taken everything from Typhon. And there they stood, the two princesses among their guards and staring onto the face of depravity itself.

Thanos slowly met their eyes. Met the eyes of the princesses. No smile graced his lips. There was just nothing. Instead, they turned to see the two bodies lying on the floor of the archives, the two indistinguishable bodies of both Vision and Wanda Maximoff. Celestia gasped. Luna’s face twitched and twisted into a horrific glare, unbridled hatred and power boiling in her twin irises. Her older sister was soon to join her, the power of the sun and the moon centered dead ahead.

They didn’t hesitate and charged him, using their combined magic to blast Thanos right through the castle.

Chapter 73 – Just How Powerful

Canterlot, Equestria

7:56 a.m.

Reality had frozen over Star Swirl the Bearded like a gust of nothingness. A flash of green, a mere moment of realization of his predicament, then Star Swirl finally realized what he needed to do. He focused all his strength, all his energy, all his mastery of spells and magic unlike anything Equestria had yet to fully experience and concocted a singular blast, to break through the bonds of reality and time itself. His ancient time travel spell, the scroll nearly engraved in his mind, did not allow him to reverse the events that had transpired, but instead break them.

His horn ignited into a brilliantly bright cyan, the elder stallion still frozen in mid air as his horn erupted. A wave of magic flushed across the street of Canterlot, encompassing not only his entire being, but the rest of the Pillars. Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Every single one of them who had been trapped in time itself.

It felt like seconds passed, but the mares knew that wasn’t the case. Thanos was gone. Canterlot was even more devastated than earlier. Everything felt so different. Twilight Sparkle fell to the ground on all four hooves, clutching her forehead and staggering where she stood. Sunset Shimmer shook like a soaked hound, her body trying to recover from the strange type of magic she was trapped in, as everypony was trapped in. Rarity shivered, Rainbow Dash shaking her head and stamping furiously back and forth across the street, darting her head in every wicked direction. All she saw—all everypony saw—was the same thing.

The invasion.

All of Canterlot had erupted into a bonfire of chaos. The skies were plagued with raining chariots and starships, several burning up as the Wonderbolts and Lunar Guard engaged them in the skylines. They fell like shooting stars burning up in the atmosphere, the roars of the gargantuan Chitauri Leviathans causing the entire capital city to tremble. Above it all, through the ash and fire plaguing the air, the Chitauri Command Center hovered over the heart of Canterlot, continuously supplying the Chitauri invasion with no clear end in sight to their own twisted rapture.

But that wasn’t all. Deep down the street back to Canterlot Castle, passed the hordes of Chitauri foot soldiers battling Celestia’s Royal Guard, the very castle itself was locked in a deep battle for supremacy, the undeniable screams from Celestia and Luna sounding off. They were trailed closely by severe explosions from within the castle, shaking nearby buildings and even collapsing towers attached to the castle.

Star Swirl gritted his teeth at the sight and sound of it all, hearing the two princesses he had trained since they were fillies crying out in pain, crying out in anger, in battle, in a fight for their very lives implored him to take action and join them. But his duties lied elsewhere, his mind arguing with him and telling Star Swirl they had a job to fulfill, to reach the Elements of Harmony and save all of Equestria. Perhaps that was the recluse in him, the old, withered, angry pony who thought of only the mission, not the ponies who had been willing to stand with him through it all. He wanted to get to the Elements of Harmony. The ash cloud was gone, and he could have begun the teleportation spell to ensure them all of their destination at the base of the Tree of Harmony.

But there was no possible way he could have concocted the spell.

They were simply out of time. Plus…

The screams from Celestia and Luna were only getting louder.

Shaking his head, Star Swirl spun back towards Twilight with adrenaline-fueled vigor, the anthropomorphic cat and the rest of her friends standing behind her and meeting the pony’s wild gaze. He shouted, “There’s no time! You must get to the Elements of Harmony by any means necessary!”

Blinking furiously, still trying to recover fully, Twilight shook her head when she put the pieces of Star Swirl’s puzzling words together. “Wait, what about you?!” she screamed.

“Thanos is going for Vision, and it appears Celestia and Luna are trying to stop him from doing just that,” Star Swirl responded, gazing back to Canterlot Castle and watching it crumble slowly, painfully. He let the slightest shiver of doubt cloud his movements, thankfully not his voice. “The Pillars will do the same.”

“No,” Twilight affirmed her stance, stamping her hoof in the street. She shot out her wings, addressing those who stood with her when she said it. “We stop him together. Here and now!”

“No, you won’t,” Flash Magnus retorted, stepping forth. Frowning his way, Twilight and her friends only appeared more crestfallen with words he chose. How he worded it. The pain of the truth, the face of reality. “We can hold off Thanos for the time being, but if you and your friends don’t get to the Elements and secure them in time… I’m afraid all of this would have been for nothing.”

“We need to protect Vision!” Sunset cried.

“And we will!” Rockhoof roared, driving his massive hoof into the street and causing everypony to stagger where they stood. His mighty hoof rivaled even that of the explosions shaking Canterlot, but he subsided, holding his shovel tight and meeting the mares where it mattered most: in their eyes, deep in their hearts and souls. “But right now, we need you to give us that assurance of our victory! We need the Elements in your hooves! We need you to save us all!”

Slightly taken aback by Rockhoof’s tone, Twilight stepped away, hoof raised, her voice shivering. “B-but—!” Twilight began, instantly frozen by Star Swirl’s voice.

“None of that!” Star Swirl interrupted. A painful exchange of eyes between the two took place, Star Swirl the Bearded and Princess Twilight Sparkle seeing nothing else, seeing nopony else but each other. From what began as a mere idolization, then a relationship between student and teacher, had finally reached the point of more than just that. The two had grown to be more than just a fan, more than just a piece of history to be studied, more than anything they could have expected from each other. Thanks to Twilight, Star Swirl had discovered the magic of friendship, and together, the two had become as close of friends as either could have hoped for. Thanks to her, Star Swirl had opened up, discovered a new world he had never even imagined delving into when he truly believed there was nothing more to discover in the world.

Thanks to Twilight, Star Swirl’s life had been given meaning yet again.

He slowly lifted his hoof, resting it on his forehead and saluting the seven mares behind Twilight, before falling down and bowing before the Princess of Friendship. Twilight gasped, watched as the remaining Pillars, the heroes of Equestria, her heroes… all bowed to her. All together. All in honor and praise and respect to the Alicorn princess.

“It has been… a genuine honor to have fought by your side, Princess Twilight,” Star Swirl muttered, snout nearly pressed to the ground.

When he arose, when all the Pillars did, Twilight had already shed a tear. All of the mares behind her, even Capper, looked genuinely shaken by Star Swirl’s words. They were meant to be words of comfort, of assurance, but to them it sounded different. It sounded deeper. It sounded like a goodbye.

And it wasn’t over.

Without even turning, Star Swirl said, “Stygian, you will accompany them.”

Everypony, Stygian included, turned fully to Star Swirl at that. “W-what?!” the light gray unicorn stuttered, hoof rising to cover his heart. Seeing the look in his eyes, praying he was wrong, only furthered his fears. Star Swirl’s eyes were as hard as stone, as serious as they had always been prior. No escape. He meant every word. Shaking his head, Stygian declared, “No, Star Swirl—!”

“The Pillars of Equestria will survive,” Star Swirl assured him, laying his hoof on the unicorn’s shoulder. “Either today… or through you if need be.”

Stygian grit his teeth, heated tears brimming at the edges of his eyes. “I will never leave your side again!” he cried.

To his shock, he gasped when Star Swirl pushed forward and hugged him, wrapped his forelegs around the unicorn and assured him of his presence, of his protection. Of his promise. Stygian nearly collapsed when he listened to Star Swirl’s next words, each whisper striking him deeper in the heart.

“It’s all right, my friend,” Star Swirl whispered, finalizing his words with one more tight squeeze. “You never did.”

It was the most painful experience in Stygian’s life to have Star Swirl, his closest ally and friend, finally break away from him. He watched, with Twilight Sparkle stepping up by his side and Sunset Shimmer doing the same on his opposite, as Star Swirl backed away to stand with his fellow Pillars. To stand tall in the face of tyranny and destruction, to give that responsibility—that secret burden—of Typhon’s destruction to the next generation, handing off the torch and going off to fight another unwinnable battle.

Still, with that plaguing him, he said, “Go now! We have a plan!”

“Be safe!” Meadowbrook called.

“Stay alive!” Somnambula followed.

“And save us all!” Mistmane finished.

They were all gone before any of them could object, Twilight and her closest friends and allies watching the Pillars of Old Equestria gallop away towards Canterlot Castle. Some, like Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, didn’t want to part without a hug, without some further showing of their friendship. But even they knew they were out of time.

They simply had none left. Which quickly reminded Twilight of their predicament. Shaking her head, breathing again after what felt like an eternity had passed, Twilight turned to her friends and asked the question she already knew the answer to: “Are you all ready?”

Sunset, Starlight, Rainbow, Applejack, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Capper, and Stygian all nodded, some more hesitant than others. None of them were. None of them really were, but they didn’t let that stop them. Equestria needed them. Equus and Earth needed them. The very universe needed them to take action, throw their fears aside, and finish the mission.

With that dreaded thought still in mind, still victimizing her, Twilight stepped forth in the center of her group of friends. “We need to get out of here, teleport to the Tree of Harmony. One pony alone can’t do it, so I’ll need some help. Sunset, with me,” she explained quickly, bending her head low after seeing the firm nod from Sunset. She didn't know if she and Sunset alone could generate enough magic to get them all the way to the Tree of Harmony in one go. Twilight didn’t even turn to Rarity for assistance, the only other unicorn strong enough with her magic. The rest of their friends gathered close, ensuring that they would be within the magical burst that transported them alongside Twilight and Sunset.

“You’re not doing this spell without me, are you?”

Both the Alicorn and the unicorn arose, turning to the voice and widening their eyes when they saw her. “Starlight…” Twilight gasped, seeing that spunky smile from Starlight Glimmer grace her face once more. That rising hope in Twilight’s heart fell when she lifted her eyes mere inches from Starlight’s own. “Wait, no, your horn—”

Surprisingly, Starlight waved it off. All the fears, all the warnings, all the worries. Just like that. “It’s okay, Twilight,” Starlight assured her with a firm wink. “We need all the help we can get.”

Understatement of the century, Twilight thought, laying her thoughts and worries aside to instead focus on all that mattered. She dipped her head, Sunset and Starlight following, and closed her eyes. Together, all three of their horns began to spark, a bright shimmer of light emanating between all three horns pushed together. Stygian, wishing to be of service, knew he shouldn’t interrupt, knowing with certainty that his magic wasn’t strong enough to aid theirs. It made him wonder why Star Swirl let him go. For his feebleness? For his worthlessness? Each seemed plausible for a weak unicorn such as he, but Stygian knew better than to think of Star Swirl in such a light.

To him, Star Swirl knew what he was doing. He always had the sense of power, of knowledge.

That’s why he trusted his judgement.

Closing his eyes, Stygian prayed to Celestia, to Luna, to whatever god existed in the vast universe to keep his friends safe from harm. And with a flash, through one agonizing cry, they vanished.

And Canterlot burned in their absence.

Canterlot Castle, Throne Room

7:59 a.m.

The doors to Celestia and Luna’s throne room exploded inwards, two forms engulfed in cinders shooting through and crashing against the solid marble flooring, bouncing across the smooth surface, and eventually coming to a rest by the feet of the two thrones.

Princess Celestia gasped in pain, trying to rise from the floor.

Princess Luna held in the agonizing cry through gritted teeth, shakily rising to her hooves.

Neither could fully rise above, however. Rise above the face of reality laid out in front of them. Neither could accept what had befallen their beloved city and their little ponies. Things had only gone from bad to worse ever since their shield was destroyed. What might have felt like the greatest sense of pain either had ever felt practically exploded from their horns the moment the shield was demolished in one, singular blast. Since then, nearly blacking out from the torment in their minds, the two finally came together to hear of their personal guards warning them of an intruder in Canterlot Castle. Just one intruder. Just one oppressor.

Both sisters feared they had the same being in mind. They feared even worse to know where that being was headed. Gathering their strongest personal guard, Celestia and Luna proceeded to the sounds of chaos and destruction, finding the most horrific sight lying within the Canterlot Archives.

And lying there, the Avenger they swore to protect, the Avengers within their veil of protection, were dead. Wanda Maximoff, her neck shattered, not a breath leaving her. The Vision, forehead destroyed, his mind and his life taken from him by the one still standing. The intruder. The oppressor. The being the two sisters dreaded since they first heard his wretched name.

He turned to them, they to him. Then they wasted no other time and attacked with all their might, all their heart, all their strength and all their soul. And it was all for naught. In the end, they fought. They bled. They defended. They gave it their all to bring him to his knees and vanquish his evil from Canterlot forever, just as they had to every villain prior. Just as in the end, they always came out on top. And in the end…

The two sisters turned to their oppressor, turned forward to see what remained of the throne room doors fall to the Mad Titan.

And Thanos stared at them, all that remained of Canterlot’s will to fight lying in pain, in their own blood and tears beneath their own thrones. Flaring his nostrils at that, Thanos lifted his left arm, all five Infinity Stones on his gauntlet shimmering to life when he closed his fist. He tightened his lips into a fierce frown, ready to end the threat against him and his destiny.

He very well would have had the shovel, the shovel of all things, hadn’t flown forward and struck the Infinity Gauntlet.

Forcing his arm down, Thanos spun about to face his new assailants. Even to his surprise, he was practically launched from the marble floor when he felt the impact strike his lower abdomen. The force against him, the pony known as Rockhoof, galloped forward with his head held low, his teeth grit, and his power unrelenting as he gored the Mad Titan right into the nearest pillar resting on the wall.

Numerous cracks arose from the impact, rising directly up the pillar and infecting the ceiling of the throne room. Roaring at that, Thanos gripped the pony beneath him with his free right hand, tossing him directly ahead so he could get a better look at his attacker. At his multiple attackers.

They stood at the entrance to the throne room, the massive doors lying disheveled, destroyed, and in flames near their hooves. But none of them seemed to pay the doors any heed. All of their focus, all of their attention, the center of their aggression was focused solely on him. On Thanos. The pony with the long, white beard glared dead ahead, his horn aglow with that same ancient whiteness as seen in his eyes, as shown on his beard, as expressed in his power. The largest among them picked his shovel right off the marble floor, twirling it with unique precision and stamping it hard into the ground, breaking the marble as a clear threat to Thanos of the power that stood before him.

Thanos saw them all. Saw the six ponies ready and willing to fight. Everything except the threat.

He stood ready all the same, both fists clenching, but only one holding the power of the universe.

Star Swirl the Bearded furrowed his brow, his horn shimmering a fierce whiteness as he fired a beam of magic right at Thanos. One of his stronger spells, some even the higher-level unicorns had trouble concocting, yet Star Swirl prepared and fired it in a matter of milliseconds. The stream of white broke the distance between them, Thanos quickly reacting and raising the Infinity Gauntlet, the beam bouncing off the gold plating and shooting straight up to the ceiling, completely blowing it apart. As the ceiling began to crumble above them, Thanos took advantage of the chaos and shot his palm into the air, clenching the Gauntlet and flinging the chunks of marble with the power of the Space Stone. His target stood directly ahead of him, all six ponies gazing in shock to see the ceiling come rushing down right at them.

Flash Magnus blocked one of the chunks of marble with his shield, successfully breaking through the smaller pieces of ceiling in his feeble attempt to reach Thanos. It ended shortly when a larger chunk of ceiling fell right on top of him, crushing the Pegasus right into the floor. Mistmane flashed away, the ceiling caving in where she and Star Swirl stood. As for the ancient wizard, Star Swirl protected himself with a magical shield, a large portion of the ceiling falling on top of him. Somnambula picked up Mage Meadowbrook and charged Thanos alongside Rockhoof, all three Pillars weaving and flying through the crumbling ceiling like clockwork.

Once the madness finally ended, a new form of conflict emerged within the dust, Thanos engaging three of the six Pillars of Old Equestria head-on. By Mage’s word, Somnambula flew forward and tossed the Earth pony right for Thanos. Meadowbrook, a fierce form of determination glowing in her eyes, reached underneath her skirt and revealed a concoction of noxious fumes stowed away in a tight bottle. A formula of her own making, meant to disorient and destabilize predators the size of bears. When she was close enough, she chucked the bottle right into Thanos’ face, the bottle shattering and spewing the green fog across Thanos’ vision. Growling at that, swiping at his face in last ditch efforts to block the fumes from entering his nose, Thanos kept his eyes closed long enough for Somnambula to dive-bomb him, the Pegasus driving her hind leg directly into Thanos’ forehead.

She hit the ground and slid several feet alongside Meadowbrook, the two mares gazing upwards to see their damage done on the Mad Titan. To their dismay, Thanos waved the fumes away like they were nothing, swiping low with his left leg and striking the two Pillars. Meadowbrook and Somnambula screamed as they flew across the throne room, eventually coming to a painful crash against the wall and window, nearly shattering it.

As he blinked away the fumes clouding his vision, Thanos once more felt a powerful force strike him from the side. Rockhoof didn’t let up, unleashing every bit of strength and skill he had in ensuring the one who harmed his friends and fellow Pillars got the just punishment he deserved. Swinging and driving with his shovel leading the attacks, Rockhoof managed to get plenty of good hits in on Thanos, his strength definitely adding to the impact of each blow. Rearing back, Rockhoof managed to knock him further backwards with a powerful buck, the Coltic pony watching him fall to one knee.

“Not so strong, are ya?!” Rockhoof shouted with a triumphant grin. Thanos, since they had first laid eyes on him, said nothing. He kept his head low, his breathing steady, as he stared only at the ground. Completely vulnerable. Rockhoof snorted, sliding his shovel back into one of his many holsters as he galloped straight for him.

Just mere feet from the Titan. Mere feet from driving his shovel directly into Thanos’ skull.

Just as Thanos lifted the Infinity Gauntlet and ignited the Reality Stone.

He didn’t even lift his head.

Didn’t even see for himself as the marble morphed into numerous pillars of sharpened daggers, jutting upwards with the speed of light itself. Rockhoof, once mere feet from striking the Mad Titan down once and for all—at least in his mind—was frozen in place. Trapped in time, it seemed. Unfortunately, fate could not be that generous. Rockhoof gazed forward with a look of utter shock forever plastered on his facial features, a single stream of dark crimson leaking from his agape jaw. Not only from his mouth… but from his body. From his limbs. From his neck.

Everywhere the spikes impaled him.

“Rockhoof! No!” Flash Magnus screamed, finally breaking free from the chunk of ceiling that had fallen on him.

Slowly, Rockhoof’s head fell slack, his eyes closing even slower. His shovel struck the marble floor with a haunting clang, never to be picked up by its rightful owner ever again. Hearing the cry from their fellow Pillar, the wounded Meadowbrook and Somnambula looked up from where they lay. There could be no horror greater than the kind they witnessed before them, both mares gasping and crying out to see their fellow Pillar, their friend, Rockhoof, dangling mere feet from the ground. Meadowbrook covered her mouth to hold in her vomit, unable to keep in the tears. Somnambula’s lower lip quivered, the mare slowly shaking her head in disbelief.

All while Thanos got back up.

Flash Magnus roared and took off with the speed of a thousand Pegasi right for Thanos’ black heart. His voice cried out in anguish, in unfiltered affliction for the loss of his close friend and ally. The one who killed him, the one they called Thanos, would meet the full wrath that Flash Magnus brought with him alongside his shield.

He came with speeds greater than Thanos could react, the Pegasus driving his shield directly into Thanos’ head. Grunting at that, staggering back a few feet, Thanos readied himself for the next attack, already watching as the Pegasus in silver armor began to swoop down for another strike. He had him. Firing the Power Stone’s energy, Thanos watched as the stream of violet impacted the pony directly, but to his growing annoyance found that the shield managed to hold well against the Power Stone. Thanos clenched his jaw, holding nothing back and giving the Stone all he had. The bronze weapon of legend held strong, but not forever. Flash Magnus felt himself being pushed back far enough to where his wings gave out on trying to push back on the power against him, his hooves touching ground and skidding back yard after yard. Growing anxious, Flash could see several jagged, purple veins growing across his shield, warning him of what was to come. Much to his objection and denial, Flash abandoned his shield and flew out of Thanos’ reach. Just as the shield erupted into a plume of violet fire.

With nothing left to use, hardly a strategy left, Flash Magnus followed his only instinct left. He charged Thanos straight away, his approach so fast that Flash knew Thanos couldn’t have any hope of reacting in time against—

Thanos, with lightning-like reflexes, reared up his left arm and struck Magnus right in his chin, causing him to veer off into the opposite direction and intention. Pausing in mid-air, Flash shook his head to regain his senses, and when his vision finally returned to him… all he could see was purple.

The beam from the Power Stone vaporized Flash Magnus before he could even scream.

“Magnus!” Meadowbrook cried, her tear-filled eyes watching what remained of her friend float down into a pile of black and purple ashes. Somnambula gritted her teeth, her lips twitching in that of a feral snarl. She shot out her wings. Meadowbrook wanted to fall down and cry, unleash every shred of agony she felt in her heart after the horror she just witnessed display before her. Instead, she put on a brave face, tears in her eyes as she closed her face from the world.

Her hoof rose up and her mask came down. Together, they charged, one on the ground and the other taking to the air. Not knowing what would happen when they reached him. Not knowing what type of power would be needed to bring him down. All they knew, all they could believe in, was that they would do it together. They would be together when they faced the ultimate darkness ahead.

And still together, they were trapped, frozen in an aura of blue.

Plucked from the ground and out of the air, struggling in the invisible grasp they were in, Somnambula and Mage Meadowbrook stared in the only direction they could, meeting the only other pair of eyes they were forced to. Thanos glared at them, the Infinity Gauntlet raised just below his chin and the Space Stone a brilliant blue. His fierce, unforgiving glare met the shivering, pinprick-sized pupils of Somnambula, turned to the blank mask shielding Meadowbrook’s face. But beneath it, the mare quivered. The mare showed her fear. Pure, raw, unholy and wretched.

He crushed both of them.

The Space Stone shimmered even brighter, Somnambula’s eyes rolling into the back of her head as she felt her bones snap, her body crumble, and her very being collapse on itself. Meadowbrook experienced the same horrific torment, a painful squeak of agony leaving the two of them. The only possible sound they could have made when Thanos finally released them. His fist relaxed, the two broken mares falling to the marble floor in a heap of torn muscles, skin, shattered bones, and pooling blood. Thanos stared pitifully to the two, hearing the flash of magic behind him and the blast impact his backside.

The force of magic that struck him was stronger than the others, aged to perfection, showing just how much care and practice was put into mastering the type of spell fired on him. Spinning accordingly, Thanos’ gaze locked with the ancient unicorn mare standing so bravely up to him, holding a familiar glare he had seen so many times before from the ponies of Equestria. Especially when they were directed at him.

As her horn started to die down, Mistmane finally took a moment to realize what had happened. Since she flashed away, she had taken several moments within that veil of protection to ready herself for the oncoming battle, infusing her magic with enough strength to topple the mightiest of foes. When she came back to reality, that magic merely staggered the Great Titan, leaving Mistmane to pay witness to the horror of what she had missed.

Directly ahead of her, the torn bodies of Somnambula and Meadowbrook lied by the feet of the Mad Titan. To her right, she could see Rockhoof’s bleeding remains impaled by several jagged pillars of marble jutting right up from the ground. Even further to her right, a noticeable and destroyed shield lay burning, a pile of black and purple ashes lying just mere yards ahead of it. Mistmane’s jaw fell in horror, her mind unable to process what she was witnessing, unable to believe it. It was as if she was trapped in some wicked nightmare, unable to escape, to wake up, to live again.

A nightmare she realized was all too real when she found time around her frozen once again.

She was able to stare forward the moment Thanos froze time with his appropriate Infinity Stone. In fact, fate bestowed a wicked and cruel outcome for her, forced to stare into the face of her executor as he enacted the dreaded deed. Mistmane, frozen in time, jaw agape with stabbing pain that inflicted her heart and soul, stared straight into the eyes of madness itself. His golden-plated fingers shot outwards, a disk of green energy enlarging and slowly spinning, starting to resemble that of a clock’s face.

Then Thanos started slowly, horrifically twisting his wrist and palm clockwise. Trapped under the influence of the Time Stone, Mistmane was forced to endear the punishment Thanos inflicted upon her. And he watched, under his own power, as he proceeded to advance Mistmane’s age beyond that of which any mortal pony could have survived. Her jaw only further fell, her pupils slowly fogging up and the remaining color in her coat fading away. Her mane and tail fell apart, leaving only mere strands upon her head and rump. Thanos kept his face as hard as stone through the entire, horrific endeavor, finally relaxing his palm. Finally cutting off the power of the Time Stone.

Mistmane fell, dead before she hit the ground.

The piles of marble ceiling exploded outwards, revealing a fuming and magic-fueled Star Swirl the Bearded hovering upon the ground. His cloak and hat waved and danced as if he was surrounded by water, his hooves pressed firmly together as the ancient pony concentrated, finally opened his eyes and unveiled the blinding whiteness that engulfed his pupils.

That whiteness instantly faded the moment he laid eyes on what remained. He gasped.

Lying upon the throne room of the two sisters, his allies… his friends… all of them just…

Mistmane. Her eyes were wide and blank, her jaw agape and her skin wrinkled and colorless beyond recognition. Her mane and tail were barely there, one of his closest and must trusted allies lying like a ghost upon the ground. Lying dead.

Somnambula… Meadowbrook. The two mares laid together in their shared pool of blood, Meadowbrook’s face thankfully concealed but Somnambula’s present for all the world to see. Star Swirl prayed no one but himself witnessed the horror of what Thanos had done to her and Meadowbrook, their broken and twisted bodies lying disheveled upon the floor.

Flash Magnus. All that could have remained from the Pillars’ most loyal and bravest member was a pile of burning cinders on the floor. His shield, Netitus, one of the most powerful and ancient of the artifacts belonging to the Pillars of Old Equestria, forged in the fires of the strongest volcanoes, able to withstand that fiery breaths of a hundred dragons… lay shattered, burning at the tips of a wicked, violet burn.

Rockhoof. Unyielding depravity, unholy treachery, and unforgivable cruelty. There were no other words to describe what Thanos had done to Star Swirl’s dear friend Rockhoof. The burly stallion lay suspended feet above the ground, several jagged pillars impaled through him, his dark blood flowing freely and creating a massive pool of crimson beneath the Pillar.

They were gone. They were all… gone. His allies, his comrades, his… friends. Those who chose to stand with him against countless threats against Equestria, followed and waited with him through the prison of Limbo, and gave their lives for the protection of the land they loved… and the ponies they chose to love. Living legends, all lying dead.

And the only other one still standing was him.

Thanos turned about and met Star Swirl’s horrified expression.

Which slowly twisted into a glare of otherworldly proportions.

With his mind being set solely on stopping Typhon, Star Swirl never even imagined the possibility of them having to deal with the Avengers’ villain. Yet there he stood, amongst the corpses, amongst the blood and destruction of his wake and yet he still would not yield. The five Stones on his gauntlet indicated that, Star Swirl clearly remembering that he needed six to achieve his goal, six to wipe out half of all life in the universe.

Star Swirl kept that in mind. Next to the mere image of his friends who stood with him through a thousand years lying dead at Thanos’ feet. That fueled him. That pushed him. That gave him the strength to unleash everything he had and hold nothing back.

The clouds swarming ahead began to electrify, swirling like serpents as Star Swirl shot his horn to the heavens, screamed as hard as his throat and his heart could manage. Tears streamed down his cheeks in rivers. For the loss of his friends. For the loss of nearly everything he held dear. Thanos merely watched in mild amusement as lightning fell from above, striking Star Swirl’s horn and fueling his body with the power from the very heavens themselves. Holding his hooves to the sky, his cloak dancing madly behind him, Star Swirl the Bearded glared ahead, to the only target he had in mind.

His horn fired, streams of lightning and pure, heavenly whiteness shooting out with such ferocity and strength that it ripped apart the very marble flooring between him and the Mad Titan. It came with such power that it shattered every window within the throne room, screaming and ripping through the air when it finally impacted Thanos.

He wiped it away. He wiped it all away with the power of all five Infinity Stones.

A swipe of his left arm, and the magic was gone. Vaporized. Thanos snarled, stalking the lone stallion with slow, cautious footsteps forward. Star Swirl snarled in return, the tears unable to blind him because his eyes were burning with a whiteness like the face of the sun itself. His beard looked to be on fire, the pony moving his hooves about in ancient and wicked ways, unleashing the greatest spells known to ponykind. More so than ponykind ever knew even existed.

Two bands of pure whiteness shot out from Star Swirl’s hooves, acting like whips as they shot out and struck the Mad Titan, wrapping him in an unbreakable bond. Thanos clenched his left fist and snapped the bonds with a mere wave of his arms. He continued forward. Star Swirl roared, firing a beam of magic straight from his horn into the storm clouds above the throne room. The magic fused with the storm, pelting Thanos with hundreds of razor-sharp, needle-like raindrops that fired as fast as bullets. Thanos raised his gauntlet, the Space Stone creating a shield above his head, protecting him until the storm subsided. He continued forward.

Star Swirl remained unmoved, unfazed despite his strongest spells providing no benefit to him or his cause. He gritted his teeth, snarled as his hooves waved in continuous, ancient dances, forming a massive circle directly ahead of him. His horn began to spark, unleash fumes of black and green, dark purple and red. Ancient, forbidden dark magic fueled his very being, Star Swirl firing a portal with a guaranteed one-way ticket to Tartarus. He almost gasped when the portal reached Thanos, consuming him, capturing him and his very being vanishing from the throne room.

A brief respite of silence. Of breathing. Then a blue portal appeared seconds later and Thanos stepped right back into the throne room, unshaken. Star Swirl’s eyes… slowly dimmed back to his normal light cerulean irises, the whiteness gone, his very understanding and beliefs shattered before him. And Thanos continued forward.

He just kept walking, just kept that hardened stare centered solely on Star Swirl.

Star Swirl gulped.

Desperate now, the pony wizard unleashed all he had left. The marble flooring cracked and ripped apart, massive boulders of rocks and marble flung towards the Mad Titan. Thanos demolished them with the Power Stone, mere pebbles remaining as Thanos crushed them beneath his feet. Star Swirl felt a cold sweat building against his forehead, his heart falling continuously into his stomach as the Titan only grew nearer, his strongest spells proving to be fodder against the strength of Thanos and the Infinity Stones. He fired again and again, beam after beam of magic shooting out and being even more powerful than the last. Thanos swatted each spell aside with the Gauntlet, eventually raising it to halt the continuous stream of magic Star Swirl fired.

The Titan, the being, the beast, the monster approached Star Swirl, severing the distance and meeting the unicorn up close and personal. With each step forward, Star Swirl’s magic being reduced to harmless sparks against the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos made Star Swirl appear all the smaller. He no longer hovered above the floor, but stood upon it, his forelegs quivering as he tried to hold what little strength he had against the Mad Titan. Against the very god Star Swirl faced. He shook his head at that thought, considering it unfeasible, how any being could make themselves to be godlike by simple stones. His thought process, his fears and his worries were struck aside as Thanos smacked Star Swirl in the side of the head, cutting off his magic. A painful shout escaped the unicorn.

The pain didn’t stop there, despite Star Swirl begging for such. It only just begun.

Trying to teleport away was fruitless by the time Thanos snatched his horn with speeds inconceivable to the pony mind. And with speeds just as unrealistic, Thanos twisted his wrist, and in a sickening and horrific snap, ripped Star Swirl’s horn clean from his head.

A resulting shock wave filled the throne room, pure whiteness shooting out like lightning that struck what remained of the walls and pillars. Star Swirl the Bearded gaped in silent panic, his gaze frozen in an unholy expression of pain and shock. He almost shut his eyes when he felt the warm drip of blood flow from his shattered horn, but he simply couldn’t.

He simply couldn’t move as the shock and reality encompassed his very being.

Thanos dropped the bloody horn from his palm, letting it fall to the floor. With that same right hand, Thanos slowly reached forward and wrapped his digits around the pony’s throat. Star Swirl didn’t even move. He hardly reacted. Only when he felt himself being suspended from the ground, his oxygen slowly being cut off, did he begin to thrash and struggle.

Star Swirl gripped the edges of Thanos’ palm, shaking and trying desperately to fight himself free. The unrelenting pain from his forehead finally emerged in full-force, the blood continuously flowing and painting his entire face a dark red. Still he fought. Still he resisted. Still Thanos stared pitifully at him, almost offering an amused grin to the pony’s struggle.

Especially when he stopped struggling, and with his final, blasphemous words uttered, “You… will never be… a god.”

Thanos smiled at that. A closed grin, an amused one. Turning Star Swirl to the princesses, their bodies bleeding and lying in pain, Thanos was certain that Star Swirl was able to see them, and the two sisters him. Luna tried to stand, to approach Thanos and continue the fight, but failed every time. Celestia, on the other hoof, remained in a prone position at the bottom of her throne, weakly lifting her head to see the horror displayed before them, having seen all of it already… but truly experiencing the worst yet to come when her old teacher, her friend, Star Swirl, hung bleeding, beaten, and strangled in the hand of the Mad Titan. By his feet, all the Pillars lay dead. Where he stood, the throne room, the mere image of pure, unchallenged rule in Equestria remained in shambles.

And there stood Thanos. He remained.

“Funny thing about gods,” Thanos muttered, causing every breath to cease, every eye to turn. To him. He eyed only Star Swirl, then slowly turned that gaze to the two princesses of Equestria. “You make them bleed… and the world will stop believing in them.”

Star Swirl turned his head to them, his eyes seeing them. They saw him. All the blood, all the bruises, all the torment, all the unfathomable pain all three experienced. They all saw it. And they all dreaded it.

Thanos closed his right fist, crushing Star Swirl’s windpipe and snapping his neck. Celestia’s heart stopped. Luna’s eyes shot open, her jaw doing the same. Turning to the two princesses, Thanos merely stared at them as he released his grasp around the pony, dropping his lifeless body in front of the two sisters. There he lay, the great Star Swirl the Bearded, reduced to nothing but blood and failure.

Much like them. Thanos clenched his fists, his eyes falling to the floor.

“For countless years, I have seen the greatest the universe has had to offer.”

Celestia gasped shakily. Luna gagged horrifically. Thanos lifted his eyes to them.

“Magnificent warriors,” he muttered, looking back to Rockhoof’s lacerated corpse, “dauntless soldiers,” the remains of Flash’s shield, “and many, many valiant heroes.”

He turned and stared on, to Meadowbrook’s body, to Somnambula’s blood-covered face and limbs, to Mistmane’s ancient, wrinkled, near-skeleton-like skin. All of them unmoving. All of them finally free. “And every single one of them…” Thanos whispered, staring downwards to Star Swirl’s body. To his eyes that wouldn’t close shut. “Every single one has fallen to their knees… before me.”

He lifted those eyes once more, the Princesses of the Sun and Moon joining him.

“What makes you think you’re any different?”

Something changed in them. Something snapped. Celestia slowly grit her bloody teeth, shakily rising to her hooves and narrowing her eyes in a singular, powerful glare.

“You think you own the sun and the moon? Not anymore.”

Luna no longer fell. She no longer crumbled. Seeing her friends, her mentor, some of the last ponies that had lived as long as her fall by his hand changed her. Fueled her. Gave her everything she needed to stand up and hold herself. Hold her ground.

And Thanos lifted his gauntlet, all five Stones glaring harshly to the two sisters. Ready to kill.

“Now I’ll show you just how powerful I am.”

Celestia gave the strongest war cry she ever uttered, charging the Mad Titan with speeds he nearly couldn’t anticipate. Nearly. She latched onto him, fired a beam of raw, golden energy straight from the power of the sun. She was intending for his arm. His left arm. To slice it clean off. No more trying to subdue. No more holding back. Just no more. Celestia fought and cried and bled with all that she was.

And it still wasn’t enough. Thanos tossed the Princess of the Sun aside, firing a conjoined beam from all five Stones directly into Celestia’s chest, roaring as he did so. The multicolored beam of energy struck Celestia in the heart, a shattering cry leaving the Alicorn and sending her right through one of the few pillars that remained standing. Her body traveled for miles, vanishing within the ash clouds surrounding Canterlot and beyond.

“Sister!” Luna cried. Thanos spun to her instantly, wasting not another second and firing the very same power right at the younger sibling. Luna shot out her wings and took to the air, the blast missing her by a hair and instead destroying the twin thrones behind her. As marble and dust shot out from the explosion, Thanos shielding himself from it, he turned instead directly above to see the Princess of the Night finally take action.

Her horn ignited a bright blue, a pair of magical, twin swords appearing out of thin air. She dove straight for his head, Thanos leaping out of the way just as her blades impaled the floor where he once stood. Snarling and ripping her blades free, Luna glared at Thanos with a fierce, raw intensity none had seen since the rise of Nightmare Moon. A type she hadn’t experienced since that dreadful day many, many years ago. A part of her—the darkest part of her—whispered its malice into her ear, telling her to unleash that power inside of her. The power of Nightmare Moon. With it, she would be stronger than him, able to conquer and strike him down, bring him to justice for all the horrible deeds he had committed. It would be sweet justice, and she would live. Equestria would survive. The universe would be saved… by its rightful ruler.

Luna tightened her posture, twirled her magical blades, and glared ahead at Thanos. In control of the battle ahead, her mind, and herself. She ignored those desires of power, chose to focus what strengths she had to strike her foe down. She would never lose who she really was ever again.

Then they struck.

Her blades danced and twirled in precise, deadly strikes and slashes. Thanos managed to block every single one of them, catching one of the blades by its edges and rip it right from Luna’s aura. The princess gasped, lifting up her eyes as Thanos’ boot shot forward. She was unable to move away in time, forced to take the hit and roll back a few yards. Quickly recovering, Luna shot into the air, her last blade in tow, as she swooped down and swung for the Titan’s head. Thanos ducked, reaching back with that incredible speed of his and snatching her hind leg. Luna’s eyes widened, a fearful gasp leaving her.

Thanos roared as he slammed the Alicorn into the marble floor, then behind him, then tossed the Princess of the Moon dead ahead, where the remains of her and her sister’s thrones once stood proudly. She impacted the wall behind it with such ferocity that the wall shattered behind her, the Alicorn leaving a deep indent where she crashed. With eyelids slowly falling, Luna fell and landed upon the demolished thrones, left completely unmoving.

A twitch, a breath of air, and a raise of her hoof. Thanos nearly rose a brow at that, watching as the princess tried to rise back up, not truly knowing the meaning of quit. Of defeat. With one of her eyes sealed shut and bruised, the other darted straight ahead into the skies, then quickly back to Thanos. Unfortunately, Thanos caught her eye, turning his head back and gazing to the ash and storm clouds.

Only the clouds had dissipated, leaving a clear blue sky and the morning moon shattered above.

The moons. Barely visible, massive chunks still hardly holding on. Sighing at that, breathing steadily from that moment on, Thanos slowly turned back to Luna, seeing the Alicorn struggle to rise back up, rise up and continue the fight that she couldn’t. He admired that. Her pride, her will, her ability to hold her own and stand her ground, even when the outcome resided with only one.

Perhaps there was more to Equus than he realized.

Thanos met her eye. Luna stared into his. He said, with the utmost certainty and respect, “Rest now… Princess of the Moon. Your war is over.”

And it was.

He lifted his gauntlet to the heavens, pierced it, the very power from the Space and Power Stones unleashed and engulfing that of the two moons. Princess Luna watched on in awestruck horror as the moons were overtaken by his power, the very power of the universe. He turned back to her, gauntlet still raised, teeth clenched tight, as he flung his left fist right at her and eventually struck the floor with it. The marble cracked under his strength, but it was the Space Stone that remained aglow, ultimately creating a portal for Thanos and sucking himself into it.

He was gone.

But what he left… what he had done… remained.

Princess Luna slowly lifted her eyes to the heavens when she saw the light, witnessed that mighty chunk of moon hurtling downwards into the atmosphere, pierce through the mountain of which Canterlot resided and hurtled with the light and power unlike anything Luna had ever experienced.

And never will again.

She closed her only eye as a piece of the moons—of her moon—quickly fell and overcame them.

Canterlot, Equestria

8:05 a.m.

When they heard the blast from above, they all turned their heads skywards. Every single pony, every Wonderbolt, every Chitauri, and every inhabitant of Canterlot turned to see the atmosphere break apart and make away for the hurtling meteor quickly approaching Canterlot.

And before they even realized it, before they even knew the meteor came from the two moons, it struck. It struck right through Canterlot Mountain and completely shattered it, completely blew it apart and continued to rain its destruction upon all of Canterlot. The Wonderbolts, led by Spitfire, instantly fled on her command, seeing the moon piece approaching the city. Only one other thing blocked it.

The Chitauri Command Center.

Screeching in panic, the Chitauri abandoned the invasion and ignored the retreating Royal Guard, Lunar Guard, and Wonderbolts, instead choosing to charge right for the meteor before it could strike the Command Center. They were nowhere close to reaching it, the moon chunk crashing straight through the mighty warship and enveloping all of it in a massive blossom of fire. The Chitauri instantly died, every chariot, starship, and Leviathan falling to the capital city below.

They weren’t alone.

The piece of Luna’s moon struck Canterlot alongside everything else that fell with it. It struck the capital city of Equestria—struck Canterlot Castle specifically—with such ferocity and power that it shattered the entire mountainside in a matter of seconds. Buildings toppled, fire encompassed what remained, silenced anything that survived, and completely and utterly destroyed Canterlot in one, single blast. The Wonderbolts escaped as the shock wave passed over them, the Royal and Lunar Guard sharing a similar fate. Behind them, Canterlot crumbled, the remains of the mighty city falling in a plume of dust and fire down the mountain.

Princess Celestia saw it all where she flew.

The fires reflected in her eyes, the crumbling mountain shaking her bones and her nerves, and the shock wave blowing straight through her mane, body, heart, and soul. In that soul of hers, that stricken, shattered, wounded soul was that of shock, disbelief, and worst of all… horror. The ponies that trusted her, that believed in her, that lived with her were gone. In an instant. In one blast, all of those lives were vanquished, wiped from Equestria and disappearing through the dust and fire.

But her heart… her heart was broken. She tried again, and again, and again, and again… and still nothing. No telepathic response from her sister. Despite her cries, despite her mind calling out to her, calling with all her remaining magic and strength, there was just nothing.

Just… nothing.

And with her heart broken, the lone sister gazed onto the crumbling city of her beloved ponies. Of her beloved…

“L… L-Luna…”

It was all she could utter when that same blast struck her once more. Dead in the heart.

Celestia cried out once more, her body flying off into the wilderness, into the deepest, darkest remnants of the forests several miles outside of Canterlot, where she vanished. Where Thanos saw her vanish once and for all. The Mad Titan hovered in mid-air thanks to the power of the Space Stone, observing the carnage left from his excursion to Canterlot to retrieve the Mind Stone. Seeing it shimmer against his gauntlet, being the second to last Infinity Stone he needed filled him with renewed vigor, just enough for him to breathe in the smoke and fire from the burning remains of the city miles beneath him. And then to breathe out.

But he didn’t smile. He couldn’t seem to find himself at that moment.

His destiny was closer than it ever was before, yet he didn’t see that for some reason. Something clouded him, something he couldn’t push down. Something that remained in the back of his head yet he continued to ignore time and time again. Conflicting thoughts, the destruction of an entire civilization just for his willful needs. He thought of that… then instantly drifted back to an old promise he made, the thought of Princess Celestia and Luna, the Pillars of Equestria, bringing him back to the very first moment he stepped foot on Equestria’s soil. Something to distract him from what truly plagued the Mad Titan for the longest time.

Thanos’ eyes slowly turned and gazed south, to the Badlands.

He clenched his fist. The Infinity Gauntlet tightened.

The Time Stone instantly reacted to his will.

Chapter 74 – The One Born of Fire

Ponyville, Equestria

Town Square

8:05 a.m.

The teleportation spell, with the added power of an Alicorn and two highly-trained unicorns, would have been more than strong enough to get the group of ten to their desired destination. From the streets of Canterlot to the cave that held the Tree of Harmony within the Everfree Forest, such a spell would have been no trouble whatsoever for the likes of Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, and Starlight Glimmer.

The group of ten reappeared in a flash near the Town Square of Ponyville. And Starlight screamed. She screamed and collapsed in the dirt, clutching her head. Her horn.

Nearly collapsing in exhaustion, Twilight and Sunset wobbled a tad on their hooves, their narrowed eyes eventually falling down to the prone mare lying in their dirt. Their eyes shot open, already bending forward to bring Starlight back to her hooves. As for the remaining seven, they all looked about, already knowing they weren’t meant to be in Ponyville. Pinkie and Fluttershy gazed around them, noting the rest of Ponyville’s populace taking interest to the sudden ten individuals who teleported in a bright flash in the center of town. Rarity and Capper turned to the skies, already seeing the dark ash clouds heavy over Ponyville, already dreading it. Rarity especially, noticing the color of the clouds. The dark gray mixed with the light.

As for Stygian, he saw something even more. Something within those falling ash particles. He felt more than just the sweltering wind battering him relentlessly. He smelled more than just the smell of sulfur in the atmosphere. He knew there was more because he remembered every wicked and forbidden detail from so long ago. He stepped forth, away from the group and facing only to the south, his eyes wide with horror.

Rainbow Dash and Applejack shook their heads to regain some form of consciousness, the act of teleportation still not sitting well with them. After blinking a few times, the two finally opened their eyes, finally taking in their surroundings and gasping when they saw it all.

Ponyville. Home sweet home.

They weren’t supposed to be there.

They were supposed to be…

“Hey, what gives?!” Rainbow exclaimed, spreading her wings and shooting back and forth in mid-air, gazing off deeper down the streets of Ponyville. “We’re nowhere near the Everfree Forest, or the Tree of Harmony for that matter!”

Bringing Starlight back to her hooves, Twilight asked, “Starlight, what happened?”

Just bringing her eyes up a few inches more gave her an answer. The base of Starlight’s horn was bleeding. Bad. Small cracks that had once been concealed due to the work of Canterlot’s medical staff had reappeared, even larger than before. From within the cracks, sparks of turquoise magic leaked through, even spurting at the tip of her horn, uncontrolled and unbalanced. Small veins bulged around Starlight’s forehead, surrounding her horn, slowly but surely dimming down as the seconds ticked away.

Already knowing the answer to their plight, Twilight and the rest of her friends remained silent. Starlight shook her head, finally breathing, “I’m sorry… I must’ve… must’ve cut the spell short. I tried to hold it… I’m sorry, Twilight. I’m sorry, girls.”

“You have nothing to be ashamed of,” Sunset assured her, patting Starlight’s back rapidly, almost shivering herself in a sense. Even her voice quivered when she noticed the ash clouds blocking all forms of sunlight.

Except it wasn’t the ash clouds that time.

The sky darkened.

The world trembled.

“Uh… girls?” Capper muttered. Then gasped in one single direction.

Everypony followed. Even Stygian, forced to turn away from the south to witness what couldn’t be real. Forced to witness fate’s cruel hoof befall upon the city of Canterlot. Twilight released Starlight from her grasp, taking a few cautious steps forward, closer, wondering if what she was seeing was real. Pinkie Pie shivered, her mane deflating. Fluttershy whimpered, cowering behind Rainbow Dash. Applejack pulled her hat back, allowing her massive eyes to take in every second of reality before her. Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened, her jaw falling as the light burned in her twin irises. Sunset and Starlight slowly lifted their eyes skyward, both of them holding their breath at the mere sight of it.

And Rarity…

Rarity cowered once more. Taking several slow steps back so she was behind the group when it happened.

Ponyville's populace crowded together around the center of town, mares and stallions young and old, rich and poor, awake and alive all staring in the same direction. To the north. To the mighty mountain peak resting several miles away, and the city of Canterlot burning on the side of it. But that’s not what they all stared at. Nopony stared at Canterlot.

Every living creature, everypony stared onto the burning ball of fire streak down from the shattered moons, break through the atmosphere, completely shatter the mountaintop, and drive its unrelenting force into the Chitauri Command Center.

As well as the city beneath it.

Canterlot lit up the darkness.

Not in any way they had previously known. Not when Cadance and Shining Armor expressed their love for one another and expelled the Changeling Invasion. Not when the Storm King was defeated and the magic of the princesses was returned to them. Not when every single time the ponies won. No. Canterlot lit up the darkness because it was on fire. Because it exploded.

Because the mountain crumbled instantaneously.

Following the initial impact, the shock wave shot so far and spread to a length so profound that it deafened the small town of Ponyville only momentarily. Once the shock wave passed over them, once sound had returned, all that could be heard was the shattering of rock and screaming. A massive plume of fire and darkness erupted from Canterlot Mountain, the remnants of the city crumbling down alongside massive pillars and chunks of rock straight from the mountainside. Ponyville reacted almost immediately, ponies frantically running about and screaming their heads off, returning to their homes to conceal themselves and their doormats.

As for the ten heroes, they stood in absolute shock and awe.

Absolute. Unadulterated. Complete and utter shock and awe.

Their eyes lit up like the lunar rock that had impacted the city of Canterlot. Their jaws fell and their bodies quivered in place, unable to fully process the face of reality glaring down at them from the mountain miles and miles away. It impacted so much closer, the mares feeling the fire actually eat away at their hearts as they saw what remained of Canterlot burn away into dust and rock down the mountain. Almost instantaneously, memories flushed throughout each of the mares’ minds, memories of every best moment they’ve had in the capital city. The Royal Wedding, Twilight’s crowning ceremony, the celebration following Ultron’s defeat, and every single time they had to visit the princesses. The princesses…

All of it… just gone. In an instant. In a flash of light.

Many ponies saw that, but it was Twilight who saw deeper, knew deeper, felt even worse than anypony could have ever felt. Because despite everything against them, all the odds, all the deterrents, every single doubt pushed against where Twilight stood, she still firmly believed in the princesses to keep Canterlot safe. She still believed in that mindset, but crumbled right then and there. She fell apart inside and out, not because that hope had shattered…

… but because her parents also believed in it.

Her eyes watered, tears falling relentlessly from the Alicorn’s face as she witnessed Canterlot’s remains burning and crumbling to the very bottom of the mountain. The earth trembled following the impact, ponies falling to the dirt, tripping over themselves, and shaking Twilight Sparkle to her very core. Deep into her broken heart and battered soul. And deep within, nothing could stop that tremble in her spirit. She felt it constantly consume her, never releasing the Alicorn princess despite her greatest cries.

She breathed again, the tears blotting her vision when she realized… that she was shaking. Not only from within… but from the earth.

All the earth trembled and only continued to do so for minutes on end.

“By the powers of the world…” Stygian whispered, trembled under the glare of the fires within the Badlands. And everypony followed him. Everypony turned to the south to see the earth open.

Thanos ignored the face of destruction he was swarmed in. The smoke rose from the fires of Canterlot’s remains, trying to blot his vision but never succeeding. The heated wind ripped at his clothing but never once turned him away. Every sound, every portion of agony and suffering felt during the destruction of Equestria’s central power remained. It was all that remained and continued to infect Thanos’ twisted, darkened soul.

But even then, he ignored it. Tried to, as he lifted his left arm and directed it forwards in one single direction. Towards one intention. His left fist clenched even tighter, Thanos twisting his wrist until only the Time Stone was the brightest Infinity Stone resting upon his gauntlet.

He saw that light in the corner of his vision, but all he stared at was the burning remnants of the lands scorched in war and death. He slowly smiled. Tried to. It was almost as forceful as the words that left his very being.

“Never say I don’t keep my word.”

He opened his palm. The disk of green energy formed between his large fingers. Then, once again, he slowly began to rotate his wrist, his palm moving in a painfully slow clockwise direction.

All of reality and time bent to his will almost instantly.

The clouds surrounding the Badlands were the first to change according to the power of the universe, the swirls of ash and storm forming a whirlpool of fire and chaos. The lands torn from his past battle—from previous wars fought on its soil—began to react, the stone and rock splitting and trembling while under the bright green glare miles and miles away. The tremor filled all the Badlands, from the tallest and mightiest of mountains quaking to the smallest and feeblest of pebbles dancing across the sand. The storm resting over the heart of the Badlands grew even more massive, time itself increasing at an exponential rate and only furthering the power of nature itself within the twisted realm of the Badlands. And as any storm, it began to thunder. Then lightning. Then rain.

The thunder growled like a feral beast. The lightning was blood red. The rain was that of acid and venom.

Then the earth ripped open, unveiling the one born of fire once again to the world of Equus.

And Thanos only twisted his wrist, the Time Stone glowing a fierce and demented green.

“It’s time,” the Mad Titan said, his eyes meeting the blood red glare of the serpent titan. Of all seven of them. “… to be born again.”

Chapter 75 – Typhon

Badlands, Equestria

The Caldera

8:09 a.m.

Lightning ripped apart the lands that hadn’t been overtaken by fire and magma. Swirls of darkness, of sickness, of unrelenting storm clouds filled with ash and fire swarmed the skies, blotting out any chance of the sun’s warmth to break through and blanket the world in its glow. The storm began to pick up, spewing torrents of rainfall onto the desert wasteland.

Except it wasn’t rainwater. The air and ground burned with the acid and venom that fell from the storm. The clouds swirled around the massive caldera like fearsome serpents strangling its prey, tightening it ever so softly by its throat. By its heart. The lightning fell down from the eye of the storm, striking the caldera directly in its center. Again… and again…

And once more.

Until a mighty earthquake tore through the Badlands and ripped them asunder.

Mountains shook and crumbled, hills were demolished and sunk into the earth, and entire landscapes were ripped from their seams. Jagged rocks and cracks shot out across the landscape in wicked formations, pillars of dust, dirt, and fire shooting up where the land split. The chaos and devastation spread for miles on end, encompassing the battleground Thanos and the Avengers engaged in, and spreading even further than that. So much further.

Titanic mountains of rock began to rise from the very earth, creating a sound so ear-splittingly horrid that it would have deafened any living creature within a mile’s radius. New canyons were birthed, chunks of land sinking downwards and falling to a fiery grave deep below ground. The remains of creatures long past fell victim to the shifting landscape, their bones falling deep into the dark and fearsome crevices filling the Badlands.

All was a chaotic, otherworldly shift. The tremor was so massive that it didn’t just shake all of the Badlands, but it also shook the very foundations of Equestria. Maybe even all of Equus. Under the light of the ghostly green glow from Canterlot’s destruction—the Time Stone that sped up the birthing process at an exponential rate—the mighty caldera trembled and quaked, the lands around it splitting upwards, finally unveiling its demon.

All seven of them.

In the heart of the caldera, with the lands breaking open and what remained of Mount Tartarus truly, utterly being destroyed, out came the one born of fire. Out of the fires of Tartarus, of Hell itself, the gargantuan shadow was all that emerged from the earth. Fall did the mighty pillars of rock and stone from its ascension, the dust vanishing and only the remnants of fire and magma burning off of its tremendous hide. From its many heads, several crowns spiked upwards, the jagged horns rising high enough to resemble that crown, that title, that beast. The head in the center, in the heart of the caldera rose up first of all, breaking through the rock and stone that tried to conceal it, ripped through the lava that had warmed it, birthed it. From its mighty jaws, a powerful roar escaped, being so utterly thunderous that it sent a shock wave across the Badlands, ripping apart the lands where its head emerged.

It opened its eyes. The twin slits of pure, fiery desolation burned with the flames of a million stars, so red and so filled with unbridled rage and hatred. The likes of which Equestria had never seen. That single head, that single crown rose up and only continued to do so. It was not alone. Never alone. A second head emerged miles to the right of it, breaking through the edge of the mighty caldera and spewing an ocean of lava directly into the atmosphere when it broke free, screeching a wondrous cry to the universe above. Then the third ascended, to the far left and destroying what remained of the caldera. The mighty serpent’s neck dripped molten rock and magma, its maw filled with jagged teeth, lining its jaws for miles.

Then the fourth head emerged directly behind the three, followed closely by the fifth. What remained of the caldera was mere hunks of rock and magma, the body of the massive creature finally rising and crawling out of the fiery womb. The sixth and seventh heads finally soared high and above the earth, all of them screaming, crying out, the storm above shooting down lightning and painting the mighty Father of Monsters in blood red. The acid and venom pelted its body, but not once was able to pierce its scaly hide. Another tremor shook the world, the seven crowned heads bending low as the creature ripped its claws free from the ground. Its right palm arose from the earth, bringing with it slivers of lava that dripped and hung from its five claws. The first head, resting amongst the center of the other six, roared and jammed its palm right back onto the ground, shaking the very foundations of Equestria once more. It pulled itself out of the fires, its second arm finally emerging and the other hand clawing at the earth, clawing to its freedom.

As the rest of its body was pulled from the fires and rested against the Badlands, a colossal tail ascended from the earth and slashed at the heavens, culling the storm and slicing it in half. In that break, the sun’s light managed to slip through, showering the mighty beast in a golden, fiery glow. The seven heads began to rise slowly, lava, dust, and rock falling from its many necks. The golden light shone behind it, spreading its shadow across the entirety of the Badlands.

A shadow that only grew larger when the massive wings rose against its sides.

The golden light of the sun made it appear like a veil of darkness washing over the Badlands. The tips of each wing, the ends of each managed to touch the very edges of the Badlands. From the east… all the way to the west… the mighty Typhon was once again reborn.

The green light from Canterlot Mountain vanished.

And he screamed. All seven of them screamed. So loud that it broke the sound barrier, destroyed the storm, and warned all for hundreds of miles… what was coming. Who was coming. And he was. All four of his limbs began to rise, pushing the vast dragon from the ground and proceeding forward. Every step caused a tremor to decimate what remained of the Badlands. Upon his body, hundreds of smaller serpents screeched and slithered about, their necks connected to his scales, all watching, thrashing, screaming as the mighty Typhon trembled forth.

Then started to run.

Then sprinted across the Center Valley to the Northern Valley in less than a second. The storm clouds slithered across the skies, following the Titan of Wind as he spread his wings to the fullest extent. All seven of Typhon’s heads swam as his body ran dead straight, to the only mountain he could focus on. To the heart of his rage and hatred. To Canterlot. He screeched.

And upon the edges of the Badlands, near the northern border, the Changeling Empire arose from its slumber.

The populace of the Changeling Empire gathered quickly, changelings large and small, young and old, every single one of them colorful and alive forming in clusters, taking to the sky, all of their eyes centered deep to the south of the Badlands. At first, it was only the thunderous cries of the storm that had awoken the mighty empire. But after witnessing the earth split apart, suffer through the many earthquakes that followed, and observe firsthoof the seven-headed dragon rise forth from the fires of Tartarus, the Changeling Empire finally took action.

But not even Thorax or Pharynx could react quick enough. None of the changelings could when Typhon himself stormed across the Badlands, a journey lasting several miles that had been covered by the Lord of Destruction in mere seconds. The only order Thorax could utter in that amount of time was a call, a single call that cried, “Retreat!”

And they did. They all fled the Changeling Empire just as Typhon kicked off the ground, flapped his wings, and took to the skies. With just a flap of his wings, the gust of wind created sent changelings fumbling through the air, dust storms to emerge and blanket the land, and encompass the entire Changeling Empire in dirt. Then he was gone, took to the air with another hellish roar following him.

But not before his mighty tail wiped away the changelings’ entire empire.

His eyes, all fourteen burning red slits, glared to the only other obstacle standing in his way.

A mere town with a crystal castle erected amongst it. Then Canterlot. Typhon roared.

Ponyville, Equestria

8:12 a.m.

For as long as he had lived, for as many monsters he had helped vanquish, there was only one Stygian never wanted to see again. The one who had nearly overtaken Equestria with help from his very children of chaos and desolation. The one who had very nearly succeeded in besting the princesses of Equestria, the Pillars, and every power on Equus. The one… who lived once more.

The one born of fire rose up like a demon from the darkest, fiery pits of Tartarus, spreading his wings and his destruction across the vast, empty wastelands. Even from where they stood, for nearly a hundred miles, the golden glow of the sun allowed them to see just a mere fragment of the beast’s true size and scale. His roars, his screeches, and his cries were so loud and traveled so far that they could hear it. Every single pony could hear the screams from the seven-headed demon and turned to the south to see with their very own eyes… the beast himself.

Twilight watched as the monster she was warned about—as they were all warned about from Star Swirl himself—finally came to be. The one, the beast, Typhon stomped forward across the Badlands, roaring with one of its many heads as it proceeded… north. To them. They were out of time. There was no more dreading the time when Typhon finally returned. No more planning. No more anxiety. Only action.

The plan…

Twisting her neck around, Twilight’s face showed clear panic and frustration when she spotted the edges of the Everfree Forest deep in the distance outside of Ponyville. Even deeper, the Castle of the Two Sisters stood hidden in the foliage. Deep below even that, the Tree of Harmony was safe, hidden from the world and every eye that could only hope to find it.

All of which were too far away.

Facing forward once again, her mind set on overdrive, her heart racing at a million miles an hour, Twilight Sparkle tried desperately to come up with a solution. After their botched attempt to teleport straight to the Tree of Harmony, Twilight knew none of the unicorns were capable of concocting another spell, especially herself. Twilight stood on shaking forelegs, her mind and forehead pulsating with pain after teleporting such a great distance from Canterlot to Ponyville. If she, Sunset, or even Starlight even attempted another spell like that, they would surely pass out. Or worse…

They didn’t have time for that.

All they really had time for…

Twilight’s eyes gazed forward, to the south, ignoring the approaching titan and instead focused only on the castle. A tiny gasp escaped her, a shimmer of light flickering in her large, twin pupils.

“This isn’t the end,” Twilight automatically said, barely even present herself to hear those words escape her mouth. The rest of her friends all turned her away, trying desperately to focus off the massive dragon stomping closer and closer to Ponyville with each tremor-filled step forward.

Taking a step forward herself, Twilight affirmed her stance in the face of total annihilation. The heated wind blew in her face and mane, making her appear otherworldly for a mere moment. Just a moment. Her voice carried on, holding that strength, holding that title for who she really was. She glared at the titan. She glared back to the remains of Canterlot, watching the green light from the unmistakable Infinity Gauntlet… fade away.

Narrowing her eyes, Twilight frowned and uttered, “He wants us to believe it is, but it isn’t.”

Stygian, Capper, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Sunset, Starlight, Rarity… and Rainbow Dash all slowly turned from the remains of Canterlot Mountain to face Twilight once again. They witnessed where she stood, where she stared, where she faced, and who would stand with her when the inevitable followed.

The Castle of Friendship stood at the southern edge of Ponyville. Not too far, but not too close either. And within it remained the only other option they had, a solution Twilight had in mind from the very get-go but soon enough… everypony had as well. Almost everypony. Stygian, Capper, Starlight, and Sunset sat back and watched the magic unfold.

All that left was Twilight, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity. Six ponies who all had the same thought in mind, the same intention. They all looked to one another, then back to Twilight, seeing the Alicorn firmly nod their way. Then she took off at the fastest gallop she could manage. They all followed her. Even Stygian. Even Capper. Even the two unicorns all followed the Princess of Friendship right to her castle.

The storm only grew more and more restless, ash falling at an increased rate and thunder roaring overhead. Or maybe it was Typhon. Twilight’s eyes shot back and forth from her castle to the approaching titan every second or so, the Alicorn choosing instead to focus on the only thing that mattered, the only other power that mattered at the moment. The lightning in the skies shot across the heavens, even striking the grounds around Ponyville. They ranged from yellow, to purple, to even blood red by the time the horrific roar filled the atmosphere around them. Ponies ran to and fro in a complete state of panic, having already witnessed two traumatic events unfold and now being caught in a whirlwind of desolation.

All of which would mean nothing soon enough. Twilight believed that with all her heart, with all her soul, with all her body and mind as she blasted her castle doors aside. The caravan of ponies and one single anthropomorphic cat raced behind her, following the Alicorn as she ran and weaved through the maze-like hallways of her castle, eyes searching, hearts pumping, almost all of them knowing what needed to be done to ensure their safety.

“Friday! Spike!” Twilight cried out, racing towards the library and hoping with all her heart that they heard her. To her relief, as they neared the doors, they were opened to unveil the Mark 45 Iron Man armor and a young dragon holding a comic book in his claws, both of whom turned to see the large cluster run past them. Friday and Spike exchanged a quick glance before eventually following right behind them.

And when they finally caught up, the doors to the throne room were wide open, allowing everypony an entrance behind Twilight. Spike gasped for air, stumbling into the throne room and holding up his claw to Twilight, asking her what was happening. His words were slurred in a gasp-filled mumble of dialogue, all of which Twilight ignored.

Instead, she approached only the heart of the room, the circle of thrones surrounding the large, crystallized map of Equestria and beyond. And upon it, resting over the Badlands was a massive cloud of darkness, swirling and unrelenting, slowly making its approach to Ponyville.

Seeing Twilight gazing furiously to the Cutie Map, then to each individual throne brought a few of the remaining ponies up to speed. Those still left in the dark were Capper, Stygian, Friday, and Spike, all of which remained silent for what followed.

“Rainbow Power?” Starlight and Sunset whispered in unison, both mares slowly staring at the back of Twilight’s head for confirmation.

Twilight nodded only once. “Rainbow Power.”

Rainbow Dash’s cheek twitched as she stared at her throne, her hoof rising to caress her scars. Fluttershy stared at her very own throne resting next to Rainbow’s, the Pegasus quivering at the thought of what must be done. Pinkie Pie gazed to the throne with her cutie mark resting on the face of it, a smile finally finding its way onto her own face. Rarity’s jaw fell slightly, her large eyes latched to the throne belonging to her. And she shivered. Applejack held her hardened stare wit her own throne, turning over to Twilight to watch as she approached her throne. All of them knew of its power, knew what it could do. Besting the all-powerful Tirek absorbed with the power of every pony in Equestria, they knew what would be needed from them. They all turned to Twilight.

Laying her hoof on its rest, Twilight’s eyes fell, not a single breath escaping her broken expression. She closed her eyes, breathed in steadily, then breathed out. Her heart only ached all the more, but she ignored it. She needed to when all the world depended on the actions they took at that very moment.

“It’s the only other power that can rival the Elements, the only other power we know can be enough to face Typhon,” Twilight explained carefully, a way for even those who had never heard of the Rainbow Power to understand what it was, what it was meant to do. She turned to the group for confirmation on that, every single eye latched on her, all breaths held for her.

Then a roar shattered the silence. Shattered it into a million pieces with how unbelievably close it was. They were out of time. With her heart in her throat, near-panicking, Twilight shot her hoof out and said, “We’re out of time. Everypony, to your thrones!”

The last words came out as a yell, as an order. As a call to action.

And everypony followed.

Leaving behind Starlight, Sunset, Capper, Stygian, Friday, and Spike, the remaining six mares each united with their respected thrones. Rainbow and Fluttershy flew onto theirs, settling themselves and watching the remaining ponies take their seats. Pinkie Pie bounded completely over the Cutie Map, landing in her throne with a bright an excited smile on her lips. She could hardly sit still, overly-excited for what was to come. Rarity gently pulled herself up into her throne, rubbing her foreleg gingerly and turning to Applejack. The mare hopped up onto her seat, gazing back to her cutie mark embedded on the throne. Then her eyes fell to her right, watching as Twilight Sparkle was the last to rise up.

The last to sit down.

But the very first to close her eyes.

The very first to say, “Let’s do this, girls.”

And they did. Individually, they all closed their eyes in unison, thinking only of past victories and blissful memories of when they were together. Every time they were together. Every party, every laugh, every cry, every adventure, every day, every night, every villain bested, every battle won… every battle lost. Twilight flinched at that, maintaining her breathing to focus on what really mattered.

Everypony felt that, thinking of every happiest memory, every victory they experienced when they were together, knowing with all their hearts that the magic of friendship was enough. They were enough to face the darkness and light it up. Despite the doubts, despite the pain, despite the scars. Rainbow Dash flinched at that, hardening her expression and keeping her eyes shut tight.

As long as they had been together, there had never been a challenge too tough, a foe to great, a monster too powerful for them to come together and face it as one. From the very power that birthed the Elements of Harmony themselves, each mare could feel that semblance of energy flow through them. With their eyes remaining closed, a blissful feeling entered them. And then, one by one, all of their thrones started to shimmer. The cutie marks on each began to glow. Starting first with Twilight’s, then Applejack’s, followed by Rarity’s, Pinkie Pie’s, Fluttershy’s, and Rainbow…

The light from her throne shimmered for a mere second… before flickering.

Before dying.

Rainbow Dash shot open her eyes and gasped the same moment Twilight had. The Alicorn rested a hoof just over her heart, taking in lungfuls of precious oxygen, only to feel that same heartbeat of hers. Only to feel the same body, the same coat, the same mare after everything they had done. No new power filled her, no magical energy to fuel her and her closest friends with the power needed to save their world. Instead, she felt nearly drained of that power, her heart falling further and further into the abyss.

She turned to her right, stared at Rainbow Dash’s dark throne. Rainbow did the same, watched as the light faded from Twilight’s.

Then came Rarity’s.

Then Applejack’s.

Then Fluttershy.

Pinkie Pie.

Every single throne. Every single cutie mark as dark and gloomy as the expressions on their faces. Even the Cutie Map, once bright with a luminescent glow deep from within the castle, was dark. The map faded away, leaving just an empty crystal table. The light that filled the map, filled the thrones, slowly but surely… left. It was as if the life of the throne room was snuffed out, only the darkness of uncertainty remaining. The darkness and the silence.

Friday’s flashlights lit up, lighting up the darkness for a brief period. Stepping forth under the glow of the Mark 45, Stygian held out his hoof to Princess Twilight, asking, “W-what happened?”

She didn’t answer. None of the mares answered. They all stared straight ahead, appearing lost in each other’s gazes, trying to find an answer but knowing nopony had one. Not even Twilight. So they stared, off into nowhere, into the unknown, searching desperately for a way out. For an answer to the darkness. Only nothing was there. They were all trapped in a sea of ink, lost in it.

“Twilight,” Starlight Glimmer warned, noticing the shaking walls of the castle. She slowly backed away towards the exit, Capper and Sunset joining her. “Rainbow Power. Now!”

Twilight hardly heard her. All she could do was sit and stare, her massive eyes latched tightly with the dark map. She slowly stared further down, rising her shivering hooves and staring only at them. She shook her head in disbelief, softly uttering, “It’s not… I-It won’t—”

Her voice failed her. All voices—every single voice in her head, everything she believed in—failed her. A mighty roar broke out and silenced all who dared to oppose it. The strength of the roar, the ferocity and power of it shook the very earth to its core. The castle trembled and only continued to do so, the large tree roots from the Golden Oak Library swaying haphazardly above.

“We need to get out of here!” Capper cried, dodging the falling chunks of crystal that fell from the ceiling. All around them, from the shattering glass windows due to the roar from earlier, to the crumbling crystal foundation of the castle, everything was coming down. Nothing was able to stand.

All of it soon to be buried deep below ground. Sunset Shimmer froze at that thought, but quickly shook herself back into action, looking from all the mares still trapped on their thrones, unable to perceive the reality of the situation. Especially her. Especially…

“Twilight!”

The Princess of Friendship slowly returned to the real world. Every single one of her friends followed shortly after. She heard the roar. Saw the shattered windows surrounding the throne room. Witnessed the trembling castle, the roots from her old home swaying back and forth high above her head. Heard the beast grow nearer. Closer… to her.

“No…” Twilight whispered. Everyone turned her way, trying to catch what she had said. Shaking her head, Twilight corrected herself and shouted, “Go! Go, everypony now! Go!”

It was a frenzy to escape the throne room. From Pinkie Pie bounding outside to Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flying as fast as their wings could carry them, everypony abandoned the throne room and made a daring escape to the exit of the castle. Dodging shards of crystal as they made their escape, the only pony to hesitate just so happened to be Twilight.

The Princess of Friendship paused just outside the throne room, her tear-filled eyes watching as every memory, every beloved, cherished thought of past adventures, past events, and past happiness came falling down. As did the roots of the Golden Oak Library that held those memories, crashing down on top of the Cutie Map and shattering all seven thrones into nothing but dust and fragments. A large tug on her foreleg forced Twilight away, the Alicorn releasing the tears as she galloped away from the devastation.

Everything trembled. From decorations, priceless vases and other household items, everything shook and fell during the massive earthquake. The ceiling nearly came down on top of the large caravan, chunks of crystal falling down and almost striking somepony unfortunate enough to be within its path. The ones furthest down the hall were Friday and Spike, waving the rest of the group ahead.

Until a massive pillar of crystal fell between the two, separating them behind a wall of inseparable rock.

After the dust cleared, both sides noticed the crystal reaching all the way to ceiling, no room to climb or squeeze through. Slamming his claws against the crystal, Spike tried desperately to push it down, but his meager strength did nothing to move it. “Twilight!” Spike cried, claws pressed against the wall. “Twilight, can you hear me?!”

“Yes, Spike, I hear you!”

“What are your orders, Twilight?” Friday asked, Spike twisting his neck back to the AI.

Twisting her own neck back as well, Twilight noted those who stood with her. Capper, Stygian, Sunset, Starlight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash. It would be difficult, but she could get them out. They would be all right. “Friday, get Spike out of the castle!” Twilight ordered, facing the crystal wall once again.

“Aye, Twilight!”

The sound of repulsors bursting to life and Spike crying out Twilight’s name was all the Alicorn could hear for seconds on end. Even as spun around, faced her group of friends, and yelled, “Group up!” She heard nothing else but those screams from Spike, remaining almost as long as the roars from the mighty Typhon.

But they never could persist. She constantly heard that roar plaguing her, haunting her…

Growing closer every single second.

Until the whiteness erupted from her horn and encased all of her friends into a shield of safety. Then they were gone.

Right as everything fell.

Heaven fell and the fires of Tartarus were unleashed upon ponykind.

The tremendous storm clouds had swarmed over Ponyville, the acid and venom raining down and pelting the homes of innocent ponies. Those still in the streets took refuge under any shelter they could find, unable to look anywhere else except the skies. They could look nowhere else as the shadow fell over and blanketed their beloved home in darkness.

Blood red lightning struck the earth. Thunder roared in the skies. And from it, breaking through the clouds and into what little light remained, the seven towering heads screeched out for all to hear. For all to know. For all to look up into the skies in horror once more. The wingspan of the mighty Typhon stretched further than all of Ponyville, the demonic colossus soaring high above the ground. From where he flew, the very earth was ripped apart, the gust of wind following him acting like a powerful dust storm that devoured anything in its path.

And once that storm reached Ponyville, once Typhon arrived and revealed himself to the populace, he made sure everyone saw him.

His immense shadow flew over Princess Twilight’s castle.

His tail slashed at the crystal tree.

The Castle of Friendship shattered, falling slowly to the earth as the dust storm enveloped what remained.

And within that storm, a light emerged.

Becoming two. Becoming the eyes of the Mark 45 Iron Man armor as it flew through and escaped the dust. Within the safety of the armor’s arms, Spike held on for dear life, shielding his eyes as Friday carried him to safety and away from the devastation.

That devastation emerged only from the one born of fire. The one flying across all of Ponyville and decimating it in a wave of dust, wind, and fire. Houses toppled over, buildings engulfed in a firestorm straight from the bowels of Tartarus itself. Ponies that hadn’t found shelter could only gaze up in horror, watch as the shadow of the mighty titan flew over their heads, and then find themselves ripped off the very earth, burned to a crisp, or buried beneath a mountain of dust as the wave of death washed over Ponyville.

Typhon roared out, all seven heads screaming as the titan flapped his wings downwards and took off directly up into the clouds. The wave following him ended just short of Ponyville, leaving the remains of the town a desolate wasteland of shattered homes, burning buildings, roads pockmarked with devastation, and worst of all…

Those who had lived… forced to witness it all.

A bright flash emerged just on the outskirts of the School of Friendship, instantaneously clearing away the dust within the vicinity and unveiling Princess Twilight and her closest allies. They all gasped as the dust settled, their eyes landing on the most horrific sight any could have beheld.

Their home. A home many of the ponies had lived most of their lives remained as just a remnant, a piece of what it once was. Buildings lay in ruin, fires eating away at those that hadn’t toppled over. The road was filled with junk, the remains of the homes, and even the scorched forms of… ponies. Burned to a crisp. Anything outside was killed in an instant, in a single wave of fire that torched anything in its path. The mares all gasped, tears filling every single one of their eyes, Stygian and Capper gazing to the carnage horrifically.

Behind them, Friday descended. As she touched ground, Spike leapt forth from her arms and proceeded to the group of ponies and Capper, pushing past every single one of them until he came to a painful stop right by Twilight. And stared alongside her.

Stared onto Ponyville burning away.

The Primordial of Disasters screamed several miles above their heads, circling the skies.

“Twilight…”

The Princess of Friendship breathed in the death-filled air, the ash burning her eyes.

Behind her, Fluttershy stepped forward, asking, “What do we do now?”

All she wanted to do right there was die. Die alongside the rest of the ponies unlucky, unwilling enough to have been spared. Die with the ponies that trusted her to keep them safe from any threat to Ponyville. Die alongside her castle that remained as a desolate pile of crystal just mere yards ahead of her. Die with every memory, every victory, everything that had ever transpired within those walls, now lying destroyed, forsaken. But she didn’t die. She lived.

And she ran. They ran with her. They ran to their families to get them as far away from Ponyville as possible.

Typhon roared from above, burning all the heavens and all the earth with just his breath.

Chapter 76 – Fight Another Day

Ponyville, Equestria

Crystal Cave

8:16 a.m.

Maud Pie lowered her chisel from her jaw, settling the tool on the ground and raising her head slowly, carefully, as her younger sister Pinkie Pie screamed and rambled behind her.

“And I got Gummy and the Cakes and as many ponies as I could out of their homes and out to join Twilight and the others! Oh, and you don’t have to worry about Mom, Dad, Marble, and Limestone! I already ran over to the Rock Farm before I came to get you just so I could tell them to stay indoors, stay in the basement, and stay with each other! Just like we planned for the apocalypse, and by ‘we’ I mean ‘I’, and by ‘I’ I really mean me and Gummy! And by ‘me and Gummy’ I mean—!”

“Pinkie.”

The adrenaline-fueled pink party pony halted in her actions, her hooves holding the small, toothless alligator high above ground while she stood balanced on just one hind leg. As for the ponies behind her, the Cakes stood underneath the light of the crystal caves Maud Pie chose to live. They held their little ones, Pumpkin and Pound Cake, whimpering softly in their parents’ hooves. All the while Pinkie Pie kept spouting off and rambling about nonsense to her older sister the past few minutes. All the while Maud Pie, chiseling away at the nearest stone fragment within the cave, finally stopped and listened, her hardhat’s light bulb keeping the darkness away.

But just the tone of her voice, the complete lack of humor that Maud Pie practically breathed, managed to stop Pinkie of all ponies dead in her tracks.

And from that silence, Maud Pie turned around, and adjusted her plain as rock stare to Pinkie Pie and the Cakes. She noticed their bags, their disheveled manes, all of them seeming to be out of breath, except for Pinkie, of course. Maud caught on quickly. “Do you need me to come with you?”

“Um… well… yeah! That’s why I was here in the first place, to pick you up! Thanks for reminding me!” Pinkie exclaimed with a squeak and grin.

Maud stared at her sister and her smile for several seconds on end, nothing but the silence of the caves and the sounds of the nearby waterfalls echoing across the walls. The Cakes were clearly unnerved, looking about at every tremble of the earth, at every roar filling the world above them. Maud especially took interest into that sound, pausing and caressing the nearest wall of crystal.

“Been noticing changes in the rock structure. Lots of unnatural vibrations and cracks. Whatever caused this is still out there,” Maud noted, silencing herself when that same roar struck over their heads like thunder in the clouds. Pumpkin and Pound Cake quivered and whimpered, the parents trying to calm them down. They hardly took notice to Maud slipping past them, finally noticing the lack of light in the dark caves and turning towards the only source.

Pinkie, Gummy in her hooves, and the Cakes all followed Maud out of the caves and into the light. She walked over to her room, or what could be considered a room. The ceiling rose higher than even the caves, waterfalls and what little sunlight there was pouring down from above. She approached her bed, her wardrobe, and pulled out the bottom shelf. Firstly, removing her helmet and setting it inside the shelf, her eyes turned to the only bag in that sat snugly in the center of the shelf, Maud bending down and picking it up between her jaws.

She closed the shelf and proceeded slowly to her bed. Behind her, the Cakes stamped about impatiently, turning to Pinkie to hopefully have her hurry things up. Unfortunately, even Pinkie wouldn’t be any help, the mare shushing the two and watching Maud cautiously. Laying her saddlebag on her bed and opening it, Maud was greeted to a sight she once thought she would never see again, nor find the need for ever again. However, just a part of her knew she would be needing them. The fear in her sister’s voice—even if she tried to hide it and hide it well—was there, meaning something else was. Just gazing onto it brought back memories of past adventure, of past pain, of past friendships and past…

Just the past.

Maud reached inside, without even a smile, and pulled out her Asteroid Gloves. She checked each, glad to see they still fit and functioned just as the day they were given to her. She set them back into her saddlebag, tossing it across her back and turning appropriately to Pinkie and the Cakes, seeing their jaws agape and eyes wide to the strange, alien devices she once held out.

“Ready,” Maud replied, voice monotone, eyelids half closed. Or half open. It didn’t matter.

All that mattered was that she was ready and Pinkie was smiling again. A smile that Maud somehow felt wasn’t going to last forever. Just a feeling.

Ponyville, Equestria

8:18 a.m.

The remaining buildings that hadn’t fallen nor burned had ponies rushing out in droves, some collecting their prized possessions, their families, anything that held meaning to them as the sirens in Ponyville cried out. Warning them. Screaming to all that had survived the wave of fire to evacuate the town immediately. Those sirens came from above, from the Mark 45 Iron Man armor flying over the remains of Ponyville.

By order of Mayor Mare and Princess Twilight Sparkle.

The town was a frenzy, but on the outskirts certain ponies took the opportunity to find their closest friends and get them to safety. For instance, Starlight Glimmer picked up Trixie in her brand new, freshly repaired wagon after the last one was… well… crushed by a spaceship. Trixie made certain to keep this new wagon safe and secure, opening it and responding only for Starlight and friends. So it came as no surprise to the Great and Powerful Trixie that when Starlight arrived ragged, heavily breathing, with tears in her eyes from the smoke in the air… that she took caution. And action. Mostly action. She gathered her favorite magic tricks, stuffed them in a large suitcase, and trailed swiftly behind Starlight back into Ponyville.

What was left of it.

Leaving her wagon in secure location within the trees, Trixie had to pause and take it all in, the burning skylines and shattered earth infecting not only Ponyville, but all of Equestria. From the highest peak in Canterlot—a city that was no longer there—to the darkest edges of the Badlands—a smoldering ball of fire burning the atmosphere deep into the wicked southern lands. Everything was burning. Screaming and dying. Starlight had to nearly drag her into the hellfire in order for her to move again.

Applejack tended to her family, galloping as fast as her hooves could carry her all the way to Sweet Apple Acres. Once entering her house, she noticed that nopony was home. Everything was seemingly abandoned in an instant. She called out to Granny Smith, to Big McIntosh, and definitely to Apple Bloom, perhaps screaming her name the loudest.

The only response she received was a quiet, shrill cry from below. A cry that almost sounded like her name. The cellar.

The doors were thrust open in less than five seconds, Applejack gazing down ferociously into the dark depths of the Apple Family’s cellar. And within those shadows, deep in the darkness, huddled together in the tightest corner with several empty barrels surrounding them as some kind of false shield were the three ponies that meant more than anything in Applejack’s life. She sighed heavily, relief filling her veins to see Granny Smith, Big Mac, and Apple Bloom safe and sound.

She didn’t even hesitate, ordering all three of them out of the cellar and back inside to pack their things. Granny Smith asked why. Big Mac asked what was going on. Apple Bloom asked the only question Applejack could truly answer.

“Where are we goin’?”

But even that seemed difficult.

“Somewhere safe,” Applejack responded in a shivering voice. She tried to act strong, for them, but even then couldn’t hold in the fear of doubt.

Deep into Ponyville, within the Carousel Boutique, Rarity finally found Sweetie Belle clutching onto Opalescence beneath Rarity’s bed. Both were obviously frightened from the explosions, from the storm, from the roars of thunder and the clashing of lightning infecting the heavens. And Rarity… she could offer no words of comfort, no words to soothe the damage that had already been done to her boutique or to her little sister.

All she could do was hold her, she and her feline companion. Hold her as tight as she could and never let go. Never break away. Never again think of the tragedies that were certain to come.

But they slipped in anyway, the body in Rarity’s hooves becoming much colder.

Much stiffer.

Losing that heartbeat.

“Rarity?”

Sweetie Belle’s precious voice brought the unicorn out of her nightmare, bringing back the real world and the real dangers that lied ahead. Shaking her head, she held Sweetie Belle’s own between her hooves, telling her very carefully, very cautiously what they were going to do. Where they were going to go. And no matter what happens, no what she sees, she will never leave her side. Sweetie Belle, though slightly confused, grew more and more fearful after seeing the dread in her sister’s eyes, the shake in her voice, and the shivering in her hooves.

And Sweetie Belle nodded.

Together, the two sisters rushed out of the boutique that was barely standing, that had somehow managed to survive the wave of fire. With Opal in Sweetie’s hooves, both Rarity and Sweetie Belle ran to the Town Square, where Friday flying from above ordered civilians to retreat to. Sweetie Belle gazed up and saw the Iron Man armor fly over her head.

And she didn’t leave Rarity’s side. Never did.

As for Rainbow Dash, she bucked open the doors to the only other house that held meaning to her, seeing it practically abandoned and not a pony in sight. No parents. No aunts. Nothing. With her heart in her throat, Rainbow soared up the stairs, found the only other bedroom, and nearly slammed right through the door with how fast she was flying.

Inside, Scootaloo turned away from her window, gasping to see the one and only. “Rainbow Dash!”

“Hey, kid!” Rainbow breathed, opening her right wing to allow Scootaloo to sneak in a quick but warm hug. After breaking away, Rainbow continued to look about her room, as if by some false hope to find somepony else within Scootaloo’s bedroom. “Where is everypony?”

“They… they were all at work! Then this huge dust storm just blew through Ponyville and—”

Rainbow’s eyes shot open. Slowly she turned back to Scootaloo, those fear-riddled eyes meeting Scootaloo and causing the young Pegasus to falter in her words. “They were outside?” Dash asked. So quiet, So weak. So unlike her.

“Y-yeah… why?”

Rainbow only gulped, shaking her head and spinning around to face the exit. She stared only at Scootaloo, bending down just for her. She spread out her wings, leaving her backside bare and open. “All right, kid, hop on. And keep your eyes closed. Don’t want any dust getting in your eyes.”

“Is the storm pretty nasty out there?” Scootaloo asked, hopping onto Dash’s back, trying to meet her eyes. Only she couldn’t.

Rainbow couldn’t meet hers. Instead, she stared dead ahead, tightening her jaw and shortening her breath. “Yeah,” she choked, gulping down whatever tried to arise. “It’s pretty bad.”

That was more than enough motivation for Scootaloo to hold on tight. Once feeling her tiny hooves wrapped around her neck, Rainbow Dash didn’t hesitate any longer and flew right out of the empty house. Right out into the burning and desolate world of Ponyville, of Equestria. And Scootaloo kept her eyes shut tight through it all.

Fluttershy had returned to her own little cottage near the outskirts of Ponyville, by the edges of the Everfree Forest to gather as many of her animals as she could. Once together, she soothed their worries and their fears by telling them to retreat to Zecora’s hut. Throughout all the Everfree, perhaps in all of Equestria, that was where she knew they would be safe. Fluttershy knew Zecora wouldn’t mind. Plus, she still owed Fluttershy for helping her with the whole Swamp Fever epidemic.

Entrusting the safety of all of her animals in Angel Bunny and Harry the Bear, she was forced to watch every little creature slither, fly, and rush into the depths of the accursed forest. Every creature she had spent months, years knowing, caring, and loving… all leaving her cottage an empty, dark, and lonesome home.

Fluttershy didn’t stay long. She could only watch as the last bird flew into the trees before the tears blotted her vision, forcing her to turn and fly back towards Ponyville.

And it was in Ponyville where the commotion really started to heat up. Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Capper, Spike, and Mayor Mare all trying to ease the tensions and worries of Ponyville’s populace. When Friday soared down to them, fell right out of the skies and landed feet first upon the shattered and burning earth, she brought with her torrents of civilians, several of which carried bags, colts, fillies, and their wounded loved ones all towards Town Square. With them were the others. Rainbow Dash carrying Scootaloo, Applejack and Rarity rushing along with their families in tow, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie hurrying along with Maud Pie and the Cakes close by, and finally Starlight and Trixie entering the madness for what it was. Twilight and the others tried to see them. They really did.

But all they saw were the desolate, horrid remains of Ponyville.

Nearly all of the town had been wiped out of existence, burned to ash and vanished from the face of the earth. Pillars of smoke lined the skies and reached higher than any clock tower, as black as the worst sickness known to ponykind. The clouds were gray with that snowfall of ash and burned with the reds and oranges of pure hellfire straight from the bowels of Tartarus. The rain that once was acid and venom had subsided for the briefest of moments, giving the ponies of Ponyville enough time to gather and flee. Within the clash of blood red lightning, however, Twilight's hopes of escape were all but vanquished, the constant shadow of the seven-headed dragon flying over their heads, ready to strike at any moment, forever haunted her. At any moment he could fly down and finish what he started, snuff out the remaining shred of life and hope that survived from his desolation. But he waited. He taunted.

He hunted, circling the clouds from above and waiting for the right moment. His roars clashed alongside the thunder. They were the thunder, shaking the earth with every cry.

Forcing her head away from the clouds, Twilight instead turned it to the north, to see those trails of smoke escape from the decimation of Canterlot at long last. And leading that smoke trail, finally unveiling themselves, Spitfire and the Wonderbolts came to a sliding halt within Ponyville. Every single Wonderbolt behind her took what little moment of rest they had to collapse and catch their breaths, only a select few somehow managing to remain standing.

Those select few were Spitfire herself, Soarin, and Fleetfoot. Removing her soot-covered goggles, Spitfire coughed heavily and approached Princess Twilight, declaring, “Your Highness! Things just went from bad to worse! Canterlot is gone!”

It was all she could utter before she fell into another coughing fit, her left wing rising to cover her mouth. The other Wonderbolts fell prey to the sickness of the smoke filling the air, several Pegasi clutching their throats and shielding their mouths. It wasn’t long before Rainbow Dash flew down and landed next to Twilight, allowing Scootaloo to hop off of her before approaching Spitfire herself. Laying her hoof on her captain’s shoulder, Rainbow was surprised to see Spitfire wave her off, assuring her she was fine.

“What about Celestia?” Twilight begged, Rainbow and Spitfire turning to the princess. She grew even more desperate from Spitfire’s prolonged silence. “Luna? The Pillars?!”

“We can neither confirm nor deny their current location,” Fleetfoot piped up, heads swiveling back to the mare.

That hadn’t soothed Twilight’s worries in the slightest, the Alicorn on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown right in the heart of Ponyville. “That doesn’t mean nothin’! They could still be out there for all we know!” Soarin exclaimed, trying to heighten the spirits of the crestfallen Wonderbolts and Princess of Friendship.

“In the meantime,” Spitfire interrupted and pointed at hoof right at Twilight’s chest, Twilight and the others facing her, “you’re the only other highest command in the nation. So… what are your orders, Princess Twilight?”

Twilight hesitated only momentarily, Rainbow Dash shifting her way, waiting alongside the rest of the Wonderbolts for an answer. Even Dash wasn’t quite clear what Twilight’s endgame was in Ponyville, other than evacuating as many ponies as possible. Their answer came shortly, Twilight affirming her stance with a solid stamp in the dirt.

“Help us gather any stragglers and bring them to Town Square. We’re evacuating Ponyville.”

Spitfire replied with a firm salute, adjusting her goggles back over her eyes and turning to the remaining Wonderbolts. They all followed suit, in one organized unit, following their captain back into the skies and deeper within the remains of Ponyville. Every member kicked off the ground and spewed dust from where they once stood, Scootaloo gazing in awe to see the several trails of smoke and lightning following the squad of Wonderbolts.

As the Wonderbolts scoured the skies and the grounds of Ponyville, the growing crowd of ponies started to pile up, forming a rather restless mob. Within that mob, Derpy flew back and forth, dodging other Pegasi that shot back and forth across the air. Derpy tried her hardest to remain at a steady flying pace, but holding the rather heavy saddlebag while dodging ponies in the air was growing too tiresome of a challenge for her. So, she landed on the ground, cautiously making her way through the crowd until eventually… her unequal pupils shrunk. She gasped.

“Trixie! Maud!”

Both ponies turned accordingly, almost losing their conjoined breath when Derpy slammed into them with a speeding and powerful hug, the added weight from her saddlebag nearly launching the mares on the ground. Mostly Trixie and Derpy, as Maud stood as still as stone as Derpy finally broke off, smiling with heavy relief their way.

“Oh, I’m sooooo glad I found you guys! I was afraid I’d be alone during all of this!” Derpy explained, smiling sweetly to the two mares. Trixie managed a weak grin. Maud didn’t even move. Not even a flinch of her lips. Just that same, solid, emotionless expression. She had never been happier to see Derpy all right. Her eyes trailed to Derpy’s backside.

“Looks like you and I had the same idea in mind,” Maud noted, bringing forth her saddlebag.

Derpy, more ecstatic than ever, pulled her large saddlebag forward, and the same time as Maud, unveiled what was inside. While Maud revealed a metallic glove with a glowing green gem upon its surface, Derpy barely managed to pull out the large mechanical vest, eventually settling it on the ground near Trixie’s hooves. The unicorn backed away, hoof held up, as she grimaced at the sight of the dreaded vest Derpy brought with her.

“Ugh! Why would you carry that horrid thing?!” Trixie asked.

Stuffing the vest back into her saddlebag, Derpy stared at Trixie only momentarily, finally saying, “The Domino Gun saved me more times than I could count! Don’t you remember?”

“Oh, how could I forget?” Trixie deadpanned, not so fond memories resurfacing of just how Derpy acquired such a weapon in the first place. Maud, on the other hoof, managed a small smile, stuffing her Asteroid Glove back into her bag.

A smile that never could have lasted.

The skies broke apart, unleashing a hellfire of lightning and thunder.

The crowds of Ponyville began to panic, Pegasi trying to flee and the Wonderbolts instantly soaring to the stragglers, pushing them back safely into the herd. They, too, found themselves turning skywards, watching alongside everypony else. From Trixie, Maud, and Derpy all gazing to the heavens opening, to Twilight and her friends all gathered and doing the same, to Mayor Mare and the populace of Ponyville standing in horror, shaking under the weight of the tremor that shook the skies and the earth. From within that opening, breaking through the storm and soaring across the air, the mighty Typhon made his presence known once again.

Then panic.

Complete, frantic, uncontrolled.

And rightfully so. Ponies ran for their lives, for their loved ones, for everything left they held dear. Everything that could be taken in a mere instant if Typhon just turned one of his many heads downwards to the remains of Ponyville, just to finish what he had started. It could have been so easy for him to breathe in and exhale upon the town, wiping it off the face of Equestria. Like it never even existed. It could have been so easy for him to act upon it and finish it…

Only he didn’t.

To everypony’s surprise, the seven-headed monstrosity landed on the furthest mountain outside of Ponyville, the only mountain capable of holding such a beast. Within the mountain ranges, Typhon flew down until he found a mountain capable of his size. Despite the towering peak practically scratching the heavens, Typhon still towered higher, making the mountain dwarf under his shadow. The earth shuddered and trembled as he settled himself upon the mountain peak. His claws scratched the edges, sending rock slides and avalanches of snow down to the earth below. The seven heads growled, slowly rising higher and higher, all gazing in the same direction. North.

Then all was still.

Even with the distance, even when separated by miles, Typhon was still so utterly massive. The mountains, several thousand feet tall, appeared like mere boulders beneath the gargantuan dragon. The ponies of Ponyville settled themselves in silence, all eyes widened with both fear and wonder to the massive dragon and what he would do next. Even the storm seemed to calm momentarily, the beast seemingly focused on something, needing that silence to…

Twilight Sparkle breathed silently, slowly narrowing her eyes on the titan. His body slithered and slunk upon the mountain peak, the seven hundred serpents on his body crying out, hissing, all finally shushing in unison, leaving the lands of Equestria… unnaturally silent.

It was an unnaturally silent day. Silent and cold. Despite everything, the windchill finally arrived, ponies shivering on the spot, but not a single utterance. Not one. It was as if the temperature, the atmosphere, the very natural environment shifted in the dragon's favor/ Everypony was focused solely, only on the titan upon the peak, all eyes watched as the seven heads rose higher and higher, stretching further and further north. Listening. The reds of each eyes on the beast narrowed slowly, the nostrils on the seven serpent heads widening as torrents of air entered and exited even slower.

Everypony held their breath. All was quiet on the Equestrian front.

It took nearly a full minute for Twilight to realize where exactly Typhon was staring. She followed his gaze, meeting it at the destruction of Canterlot Mountain. What was left of it, the dust cloud rising and eventually fading away… leaving nothing.

No city.

Just nothing.

Typhon’s eyes narrowed only further, a few heads growling at the absence of the city of Canterlot. The serpents upon his body were becoming unruly, acting only in correspondence to Typhon’s growing aggravation and rising flame of anger. He held still, the seven heads stretching even further, listening far more carefully for every and any sound that arose from the mountain. His claws tightened against the mountain, shattering the rock upon it. His wings slowly started to unfurl once more, but he held together. Just a little bit longer.

He breathed in, smelled the air for their blood. Again and again…

And still nothing.

But what was there, smiling over the destruction of Canterlot and every life within it, the Mad Titan himself hovered in mid-air. Upon his gauntlet the five Infinity Stones were bright and alive, and he, Thanos, was smiling over it. Over all of it. Directly at him.

Typhon’s eyes shot open. All fourteen of them. Realization struck him like the powers of the earth a millennium ago, thus unleashing his pent-up hatred and rage when the pieces of the dreaded puzzle came together at long last.

Their blood was nowhere to be found. He couldn't smell it. Not flowing. Not alive.

And Thanos was still there. Alive.

“The Princesses… the Pillars… They were mine to kill, Thanos!”

His voice shot out throughout the silence like the horrid crack of thunder, shaking the very foundations of Equestria once again. Ponies screamed and held onto each other, gazing fearfully to the towering dragon menacingly turning towards Ponyville. Twilight gasped at his words, eyes widening when the horror of the situation, the worst possible scenario, fell upon her. The princesses… the Pillars of Old Equestria… they couldn’t be…

Only her thoughts could be considered for later, as the now, the reality of the world, needed her attention. She watched alongside every life in Ponyville, maybe even every life in all of Equestria, as Typhon slowly, horrifyingly turned his many heads directly above. The swirling vortex of clouds broke apart upon his command, unveiling the blue planet molded in with the sky. The lone continent directly in his line of sight, the fires burning upon its surface, the battle for the very universe occurring just on the face of Africa…

And even then… Typhon saw deeper. He saw beneath it. And there was light.

The last light of the six.

Typhon’s wings unfurled fully.

“If you would take what’s mine… I shall take what’s yours!”

From afar, Thanos’ smile vanished as Typhon spread out his wings, ripped himself off the mountain peak, and took off right for the heavens. Right out of the atmosphere. Into the darkness of space and the stars and towards the only other object standing in his way: Earth.

Thanos watched the entire time, in stunned silence, as Typhon did just that.

The mountain was shredded as the gargantuan dragon leapt off from its surface. With the beat of his wings, a gust of wind so powerful was sent forth upon the world he flew off of. It encompassed nearly all the land, that wind decimating a portion of the Everfree Forest, of the distant wilderness, and especially the remains of Ponyville. Every building that had survived the initial wave were all vaporized instantaneously, boards of wood, chunks of cement and brick flung across the roads and demolishing anything in its path. Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, Trixie Lulamoon, and every other unicorn that could manage created a vast shield to protect the ponies around them. They did very little once the wave of air, dust, and debris struck them.

Ponies were flung right from their hooves, every Pegasi pulled right out of the air and tossed to the earth fiercely. Unlike the first wave of fire, the second wave of dust and air did not last as long, merely fifteen or so seconds before slowly dying down and unveiling the carnage.

Ponyville was gone.

Everything was gone.

Nothing but desolation, a graveyard of what once was.

Twilight and her friends could only watch with their surviving friends and family. Watch as the mighty Typhon disappeared from the sight. Watch as the storm slowly faded. Watch as the clouds broke apart and unleashed the sunlight, the warmth, and the horror from above.

And they ran once more. Off to nowhere. Anywhere except where the Chitauri Command Center hung over Ponyville. But it wasn’t alone. Not by a long shot. Twisting her neck over her shoulder, Twilight Sparkle looked passed the massive stampede of ponies she had created and towards the skies behind her. Every cloud broke apart. Every shred of the sky was opened, and out came many more Chitauri ships. Many more warships. Many more Command Centers. So many that they dotted the skies and fully unleashed their invasion force upon the defenseless Equestria.

And the world.

So they ran, following Princess Twilight Sparkle out of Ponyville and towards the only other form of a safe haven she knew of. And she wasn’t alone in that regard. Zecora stood on the edges of the Everfree Forest, several of Fluttershy’s animals by the zebra’s side and waving everypony towards the forest just like Zecora. Waving them towards safety, towards sanctuary.

In that mighty stampede, the remnants of Ponyville disappeared within the trunks of the trees, the shadows and veils of the Everfree Forest concealing them from the rest of the world. Zecora and the animals waited until every last pony was safe and inside the forest foliage. Then followed the animals, leaving just the lone zebra standing on the edge.

Leaving Zecora to watch Equestria be plunged into the fires of the alien invasion. Leaving her to watch Typhon’s body disappear into the atmosphere, vanish just over the continent of Africa. Then she turned around and ran. Not a word.

None.

Chapter 77 – The Battle of Wakanda

Earth

The Nation of Wakanda

Upper Atmosphere

4:21 p.m.

The invasion of Wakanda was playing through rather smoothly for Thanos’ forces. The shields surrounding the capital city had been breached, the frontlines of the defending, enemy forces had fallen, and the Outriders and Chitauri were consistently making more and more headway further into the Golden City, growing ever so closer to the shield generator.

All ahead of schedule. In just a moment’s time, the resisting enemy legion would crumble under the sheer might and magnitude of the Mad Titan’s armies. Numerous Chitauri Command Centers hovered over the upper atmosphere above Wakanda, dotting the skies and filling it with even more supporting Chitauri. Leviathans swam downwards to the awaiting planet, Chitauri chariots and starships numbering in the hundreds, all leading to the burning lands of Wakanda below.

A certain Command Center among the others, larger in size and scale, unleashed dozens upon dozens of Outrider Dropships, Leviathans, and hundreds of Chitauri upon the helpless African nation. No other Command Center matched it in reinforcements, no other ship was able to dominate the skies like it, other than Thanos’ Sanctuary II, safely outside the barrier near the Battle of Wakanda. It supplied the armies of Thanos more so than any other Command Center. It gave rejuvenated life to the invading forces every second, ensuring complete and total victory for the Mad Titan.

It would have.

A shadow blanketed the light of the sun in darkness, leaving the massive Command Center within its veil of black. Almost instantaneously, a certain form of dreaded panic filled every Chitauri that exited the Command Center, every Leviathan screeching out in shared terror, making several 180s and turning back towards their ship. Every starship and chariot did the same, every last Chitauri—from the Elite to the foot soldier—gazing in awe and horror to the shadow falling upon their ship.

Massive, leathery wings that seemed to stretch forever, cascading a shadow upon the Earth as dark as the blackest ink. Seven conjoined heads like slithering serpents, fourteen blood red eyes radiating the strength of a thousand supernovas. The body of a titan, colossal in size and unimaginable to any of the weak-minded Chitauri fodder of its true scale. Slithering, twisting, snapping jaws of a thousand and more serpent heads attached to the titan’s body, all faced to the Earth. All facing to the only other thing standing in its way.

Even in the silence of space, every single Chitauri could have sworn they heard the beast roar.

It was not like any natural bellow the creatures had ever heard. It was darker, deeper, struck each and every living Chitauri within the most wicked parts of the hearts, showing to all an ancient evil the universe had never known. The kind of sickening, frozen horror struck every last Chitauri, freezing them on the spot, every last Leviathan almost lost, unable to follow the basic hive mind. None of them could even utter a sound, trapped in that frozen, perpetual state of terror. Utterly trapped.

Utterly forced to watch as their Command Center was obliterated.

The colossal beast drove itself heads first right into the Chitauri Command Center. With its own added speed, with the sheer strength and force of the impact the beast made, the Command Center stood no chance against it. The explosion was so fierce, so unimaginable that the Chitauri would have gone blind to the brightness rivaling that of the sun itself. They would have gone blind if they hadn’t instantly died. Every last Chitauri, Leviathan, chariot and starship were completely decimated following the explosion. With the destruction of the largest Command Center, the thousands upon thousands of reinforcements that had flowed forth from it died and hovered aimlessly in the vacuum of space. Once the blast reached them, however, their bodies, their ships, everything was vaporized in a stream of fire.

An explosion so powerful, so otherworldly filled the upper atmosphere and shook the very Earth. The shock wave was so profound that nearby Command Centers were decimated almost instantly, killing even more Chitauri. Numerous domino explosions rang out across the upper atmosphere, filling the darkness of space with light. A light so bright and horrendous that almost every eye upon Earth saw it. They witnessed the light burning the skylines, painting the darkness of the night, the warmth of the afternoon in a sickly yellow and red. Like the death of a star.

Like death.

With the destruction of the largest Command Center amongst Thanos’ army—alongside the eradication of several other nearby Command Centers caught within the blast—what remained fell to the Earth in streams of fire, entering the planet’s atmosphere at ludicrous speeds, filling the sky with streaks of light. What fell and impacted the Earth were the remains of the Commander Centers destroyed, the decimated hulls of the chariots and starships, the mighty Leviathans, and the bodies of the thousands of Chitauri.

It was like a meteor shower, unlike anything the Earth had ever seen. And as the remains of the many Command Centers fell, so too did the mighty Typhon.

He fell alongside the shower of fire, entering Earth’s atmosphere and witnessing the nation of Wakanda in its full glory. The fire rippled across Typhon’s body, the titan’s wings extending and slowing his descent, legs jutted outwards and claws outstretched. Ready to make impact. Ready to take.

And they never could have hoped to see him coming when he finally did.

Wakandan Fields

6.6 Miles Outside the Golden City

Minutes Earlier

James Rhodes, the War Machine, seemed to have found the perfect solution to dealing with Thanos’ troops. As they spilled forth in droves from the opening upon the shield’s surface, Rhodes fired relentlessly down to the flowing wave of Outriders. The submachine guns within his armor’s gauntlets used their entire magazines, the shoulder-mounted minigun firing as his ammunition within his gauntlets dwindled.

The onslaught of firepower from above completely decimated the invading forces from below. Outriders were torn to shreds from the piercing rounds Rhodes applied to his ammunition. He didn’t relent, a torrent of rockets expelling from his backside and shooting down to the gap within the shield. The resulting explosions tore Outriders apart, demolished oncoming chariots and starships in a violent blossoming of oranges and yellows.

James’ mask lit up as he stared down to the fires, a determined and somewhat relieved look on his face to see Thanos’ forces nearly fall apart from his onslaught. Hell, he could have managed a smile, already reloading all of his assets and preparing to fire again.

Until a chained axe flew through the air and knocked him right out of it.

War Machine grunted at that, the heavy armor quickly dropping to the earth and crashing against it, crushing unfortunate Outriders and Chitauri that just happened to be in his path of destruction. Lying face-first, James Rhodes finally lifted his head, dirt and grime falling from his mask as he spotted his assailant.

The chain retracted, bringing the axe back to its owner. Cull Obsidian ripped his arm back as the axe returned to the weapon’s handle, a ferocious grunt leaving the child of Thanos. He wasn’t alone. Scattered across the battlefield of Wakandan warriors and Outrider beasts, Proxima Midnight was right there, fighting on the frontlines alongside her husband Corvus Glaive. Together, the two fought as one, dancing together in a wicked and ancient dance of war as they sliced and slaughtered anything unfortunate to be in their way. Anything that stood in the path to the capital city. To the shield generator.

To the Infinity Stone.

As the defensive lines of Wakanda crumbled, the Black Order seized their moment and pressed on with the fire, relentless and unforgiving. Unbridled and unquenchable. Controlled, balanced, and utterly effective in every single way. Their past experience in decimating infant worlds—their knowledge of warfare and strategy all but guaranteed the Children of Thanos another victory. Leviathans, starships, and chariots flew over their heads, filling the air and battling the Wakandan ships for dominance of the skies. Swarming past them, the Outriders and Chitauri filled the African plains to the brim, rushing forward in a wave that could not be stopped. And if it could, there was always reinforcements.

As well as the Threshers.

The massive drilling machines tore forth from the earth and rolled forward onto the battlefield. Their blades shredded anything that was caught in their way, the mighty machines creating numerous trenches along the grasslands. The Chitauri made great use of the divots in the earth, diving in them , using the very earth as cover, and firing upon the retreating agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., ultimately unleashing pure, raw trench warfare upon the Wakandan landscape. The Threshers numbered in the dozens, ultimately trying to reach the final defensive line of Wakanda, where the Wakandan battle tanks still remained, still fired relentlessly into the swarms of alien invaders.

As the Falcon, Melinda May in her Quinjet, and the Milano all flew back and forth and fired onto the Threshers—while destroying a couple—there were just too many to deal with. Too many to worry about when the skies were already a war-filled frenzy of madness and death. The skies were darkened with clouds and raining fire, the apocalypse itself falling down and decimating the Wakandan landscape within its hellfire.

The King of Wakanda witnessed the desolation of his home, witnessed the world itself falling down and burning his kingdom. But despite the overwhelming rush of anger and determination to defend his home, just seeing the odds against them—the staggering enemy forces narrowing on Wakanda and pushing them over the edge—the Black Panther had no other choice. Especially after seeing the Threshers grow nearer, ripping apart Wakandans caught under their rotating blades.

“Fall back!” T’Challa screamed, facing away from the battle and turned instead to the few of his people that remained. “Fall back now!”

The Wakandans retreated just as the Thresher arrived to his location, T’Challa ready to dodge out of the way. A wave of rockets flew directly over his head, impacting the sides of the Thresher and demolishing the machine in an explosion of metal and fire. The mighty drill fell apart in a cloud of smoke and flame just mere yards where T’Challa stood, the Black Panther turning to the skies to see the War Machine zoom over him, fly across the battlegrounds, and engage with the largest member of the Black Order.

Rhodes fired enough ammunition to fill an entire armory upon Cull Obsidian, but after seeing the alien block his firepower with a shield, James flew in for close quarters. He pried out his electrified baton from his backside, slamming it against Obsidian’s head. He nearly did, Cull raising his shield and blocking the blast from War Machine’s baton. Distraught, James could only watch as Obsidian reacted quickly, wrapping his claws around Rhodes’ legs and slamming him upon the earth, spinning him around, and tossing War Machine clear across the battlefield.

Grunting at that, Cull Obsidian turned around to see the Black Panther rushing across the plains towards him, dodging and weaving neatly and easily through the charging Outriders. Gripping his axe tightly, Obsidian tossed the weapon’s head directly for T’Challa. The Black Panther jumped clean over the axe, over several Outriders, and met Obsidian with his fist leading the charge. Cull raised his shield just as last time.

Only this time the kinetic energy that had been building in T’Challa’s suit was strong enough to send Obsidian back first into the earth with just one punch.

The addition of the Threshers quickly turned the tides of war into the Chitauri’s favor, but even with that added edge there was still enough of a fight left in the Wakandans to warrant a lasting battle. That fight resided in the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the Defenders, and the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. All those who stood with them fought to their very last breath, against overwhelming odds in a struggle deemed unwinnable. But with those superhumans, those gods, those otherworldly beings, that spark of hope was there. That fight was still alive in every Wakandan and agent.

Even when hardly any of the Avengers fought side by side.

And amongst that madness, blowing Outriders and Chitauri away like they were nothing, the Inhuman Quake was quickly making headway through the battle. Every other second was a fight for survival, hardly any breathing room and hardly any air to breathe. The fire burning the outer landscapes within Wakanda had clouded the air with blinding smoke, the Threshers zooming back and forth across the battlefield kicking up torrents of dust and fog. So for Quake, for Daisy Johnson, every second was a fight for survival. No rest. No breathing. Just fight.

Jamming out her palm, the shock wave flowing forth from her fingertips sent the bundle of Chitauri foot soldiers flying through the air, all four of them shredded as a Thresher tore across the land resting ahead of Daisy. As the Thresher passed, all that remained was a trench embedded in the earth, Johnson taking the quick moment of peace to finally breathe again.

A breath that turned into a scream as she felt the blade slice against the side of her head.

The blade came with a fierce punch, Daisy launched forward and tumbling down into the surprisingly deep trench. She tumbled and rolled, eventually coming to a rest at the bottom of the trench, lying on her chest and hardly moving. Daisy tried to rise back up again. She pressed hard, dug her Quake Gauntlets into the ground to push herself up, get back to her feet and back to the fight. All of her instincts cried out to her to get moving. She didn’t wait for any of the Chitauri or Outrider to get close to her, so no one would wait for her to get back to her feet.

Her instincts were blaring red at the sudden sound of feet landing behind her, Daisy gasping and twisting completely over. She jammed out her palm, only to scream as that same blade that created a gash of blood near her eyebrow slashed at her palm. Daisy cried out, gripping her hand and gazing to the slash just resting on her right hand, fresh blood pouring out and painting her glove crimson.

And once more, that same blade fell down to her, Daisy’s eyes meeting the end of it near her throat. Her eyes trailed upwards on the blade, meeting the owner and the eyes that glared down upon her. And Proxima Midnight sneered at the mere sight of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

“Your power is strong,” she told her, watching as Daisy turned from her eyes to her blade again, not knowing which seemed more intimidating. It mattered little, Midnight’s eyes glaring down at the Inhuman. “Not strong enough.”

“She doesn’t have to be.”

She knew that voice. By Thanos’ greatness, Proxima Midnight knew and loathed that voice. With her frown only worsening once it reached her eardrums, Midnight turned around to see Natasha Romanoff standing there, staff in her hands, torn and tattered by warfare but standing regardless. Standing ready. Standing alive and glaring at Proxima. Turning in the opposite direction, she could see Okoye twirling her vibranium spear, pointing its end right for Midnight. She sent a firm nod to Romanoff. To her and the one who stood with her.

Sending her growing glare back to Black Widow, Midnight realized what that second nod meant.

Jessica Jones stood on Natasha’s right, blood and grime painted on her face, body, and armor. Especially her gauntlets, the pointed ends resting by her sides. Yet her glare, her signature Jessica Jones glare was as alive and bright as ever. She stared at Proxima Midnight, scowling, scoffing, and saying, “God, you are one ugly mother—”

Midnight charged them with a horrendous scream.

Her first target was obviously Natasha, jamming her blade right for Black Widow’s throat. To both of their surprise, Jessica jumped right in front of Romanoff, ramming the end of her shield right into Midnight’s breast plate. The Black Order member skidded across the dirt, not even hesitating and swinging right for Okoye’s head. Okoye ducked, jabbing her spear’s end for Midnight’s weak points. She twirled, spun, and slammed the edges of her weapon against the alien woman again and again, and each time Proxima would either dodge or block her strikes.

Their confrontation ended shortly as Midnight swung low, taking out Okoye’s legs and sending the Dora Milaje flat on her back. Ready to end her, Proxima lifted her blade and drove it down where Okoye laid. Natasha slammed her own body into Midnight’s backside, the two tumbling further away into the dirt and grime of the earth. Kicking Natasha off of her, Midnight quickly rose to full height. Romanoff grit her teeth as she did the same, breaking her staff in two and swinging her twin, electrified batons right for Midnight.

She wasn’t alone.

Directly behind Proxima, directing surprisingly-devastating blows onto Midnight’s back was Jessica Jones. Midnight quickly realized she was fighting a war on two fronts, blocking more and more of Natasha’s oncoming strikes while suffering the blows dealt by Jones behind her. Jessica drove her boot right into Proxima’s leg, causing the alien woman to fall to her knee. Lifting her blade just as Black Widow’s batons came down on her head, Proxima pushed Natasha off of her, spinning rapidly and slicing low, below Jessica’s vibranium breast plate. Jones stepped back and gasped, hand placed over her exposed abdomen. When she lifted her palm, Jessica was almost sickened to see it completely drenched in red.

Something she couldn’t acknowledge for long as Midnight kicked her right in the heart. As Jessica tumbled away, all that left was Natasha Romanoff on her back, Midnight already advancing and straddling the shaken woman. She jammed her blade’s edge right for the Widow’s throat, Natasha barely managing to stop it with her twin batons. The blade rested softly on her neck, Natasha clearly struggling to push her away. She only grew nearer, closer every second to her desired target. Midnight narrowed her glare, tightened her jaw as her blade slowly fell on her throat.

Then she felt the sudden tug on her hair, then her entire scalp nearly yanked back by the external force standing behind her. Proxima screamed at the sudden invasion, reaching back for whoever had grabbed her. Unfortunately, even she wasn’t truly ready for it. Was never truly ready for her and the power she held.

Daisy Johnson, blood splattered on the side of her face, yanked hard on Midnight’s hair, falling down to one knee and planting her free palm directly on Proxima’s spine.

The rest was followed by a quake.

With a shock wave escaping her very fingertips, Daisy watched as Proxima Midnight was launched directly into the air, arms flailing and body thrashing. Just before she could come falling down, Midnight snatched onto the nearest chariot, hitching a ride and vanishing from sight. Daisy took a much-needed breath of air.

A moment that never could have lasted.

She heard the tremble, she and the other women crawling out of the trench to see a Thresher charging right for them. Merely yards away. No time to move or time to run. Just no time at all. Just as Natasha, Okoye, and Jessica shielded themselves—as if that would protect them from the twirling blades—Daisy took another route.

Gritting her teeth, tightening her palms into fists, Daisy Johnson nearly fell to her knees as she reared up and threw her hands downwards, straight to the earth beneath her. In a desperate, last ditch effort that came from pure instinct and nothing else, Daisy never could have imagined it would have worked. But it did. It worked in their favor in the best possible way.

As the shock waves left her palms and entered the ground, the following earthquake shot out and ripped the very land surrounding them to shreds. But more importantly, it ripped the ground where the Thresher charged to directly upwards. As the land erected forth, the four women could only watch in shared awe as the Thresher flew over their heads, only dust and dirt falling over them, leaving the Thresher to impact the nearest Leviathan. The blades easily cut through the beast’s armor, slicing through like butter and removing the Leviathan’s head clean from the rest of its body. Both the Leviathan and the Thresher crashed against the earth, unmoving. Dead. Destroyed.

Defeated.

Jessica Jones gazed in shock, as did Okoye and Natasha, the Black Widow managing a short smirk on her end. Daisy Johnson slowly twisted her head back to them, her gaze meeting Natasha’s. Especially her smirk.

Jessica breathed. “Holy—”

“Shit,” Natasha finished. Though it wasn’t directed at Jones, Johnson, or anyone else. Her smirk fell, her eyes slowly widened in horror. Then came the screams, prompting Okoye, Jessica, and Daisy all in the direction Natasha stared to. They weren’t alone.

Everyone saw it.

The desolation. The invasion. The overwhelming wave of Outriders and Chitauri alike, numbering in the hundreds, blanketing the Wakandan landscape and airspace with their army of darkness. They washed over the lands of Wakanda, the African plains filled to the brim with charging Outriders, screeching Chitauri, and blaster bolts. The skies were dotted with chariots, starships, and more and more Leviathans swarming forward, unleashing everything they had on the dwindling defensive forces.

Leading the onslaught was Corvus Glaive, the brilliant strategist amongst his group of Chitauri Elite, ordering Chitauri and Outriders back and forth, jamming his spear forward and roaring just one order. Just one that sent an onslaught never before seen on Earth.

The third wave arrived.

While the Wakandans were still in the midst of losing against the second and first.

The Black Panther sliced and tore through the oncoming waves of Outriders charging for him, Nakia and Ayo fighting by his side. Instantly, in less than a second, they were gone, T’Challa twisting his neck back and forth to find them. Within the cluster of twisting bodies, blaster bolts, and screams, T’Challa could see his love being dragged away, an Outrider biting hard on her foot and pulling her through the dirt.

“Nakia!” T’Challa screamed, kicking up dirt and rushing with speeds that even surprised himself. Unfortunately, he went nowhere and fast, an Outrider from behind tackling him right into the dirt. Black Panther rolled across the sand and grass, trying to rise but only falling again and again as more Outriders started to swarm him in his prone state. They bit, slashed, and tore at his body, unable to pierce the vibranium armor but still managing to keep him off his feet, tossing the King of Wakanda like he was a slab of raw meat tossed to the hounds.

Steve Rogers was pressed and pounded, his back against solid stone erected from the earth. The Outrider against him bit and slashed at Rogers’ throat, the only thing separating it from achieving its goal being Steve’s shield. The end was pressed firmly to the Outrider’s throat, the beast’s torn and burnt flesh hanging off its limbs as it gripped onto Steve’s gauntlet and continuously snarled and thrashed.

Tightening his jaw, Steve turned to his left, unable to move as another Outrider pounced him from the side. He tumbled and fell to the dirt, the Outriders instantly swarming him, biting him, slashing at his exposed skin. All he could was shield his head and eyes with both gauntlets and take every excruciating second of pain as the beasts slashed at him.

Driving his fist with such power into the nearest Chitauri, Luke Cage continuously backed away, his eyes gazing in both shock and awe to see the overwhelming army swarming the lands and skies of Wakanda, quickly pushing towards him and those who stood with him. The Ghost Rider was one of them, catching an Outrider by its throat and slamming it into the ground, incinerating the thrashing beast just by squeezing its palm into a fist. With the Outrider nothing but ash beneath it, the Ghost Rider arose and reached for its Hellfire Chain, only to feel the overwhelming force of numerous other Outriders tackling both itself and Cage.

Iron Man landed upon the earth and fired repulsor after repulsor, taking out every single Outrider he saw until even his suit couldn’t keep track of how many were charging for him. Seeing the overwhelming odds, Stark flew off the ground, only to get caught by his foot, pulled back to the ground, and instantly swarmed by a drove of Outriders. Tony fought them off regardless, bringing forth two nanotech blades from his wrists and slicing at any alien that drew near, eventually having to fall back near Daredevil, Doctor Strange, and Peter Parker. Together, the four of them fought. Fought and survived. Just barely.

Peter Quill and Sam Wilson flew side by side, both instantly getting knocked out of the air by Outriders.

Iron Fist and Nebula fought alongside Gamora. The first taken was Gamora, then Nebula, Danny Rand only being able to witness the Outriders dragging them away before being taken himself.

Lance Hunter ran out of ammo for his minigun. His eyes widened beneath his metal mask, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent quickly sprinting for his life to the last line of defense. Finally joining the rest of his fellow agents, and his wife.

Bobbi Morse rolled across the grass, slicing low with her baton and knocking a Chitauri right off its feet. It was all she could do before Lance pulled her back, screamed at her to follow.

Only her eyes weren’t on her husband. All she could stare at was the impending wave of fire and death slowly consuming Wakanda. And in her eyes danced those flames. In her eyes screamed those Chitauri and Outrider invaders. In her eyes the darkness of the clouds, the smoke, and the immense army charging towards them was all she could see.

It was all she could hear.

All she could experience.

It was all anyone could experience.

“There’s too many of ‘em!” Bruce Banner screamed. The Hulkbuster continued to punch and blast and incinerate any Outrider that tried to get too close, but with the third wave reaching the heart of the Wakandan defenses, Banner experienced that full impact. The Hulkbuster punched and fired a beam of energy, both of which were cut short as the group of Outriders clutched onto his arms and body, eventually bringing the hunkering titan down to the earth.

The Hulkbuster crashed with a deafening thud, the Outriders taking the only advantage they could on Banner and swarmed the massive suit of armor, biting and clawing at its face and eyes. Within the crumbling Hulkbuster, Doctor Banner looked about madly, adrenaline pouring through his veins and fleeing from his body in streams of sweat. He wanted to scream. As everything failed and the systems of the Hulkbuster finally died, all Banner wanted to do was scream. And he did.

Except when he did, it didn’t even sound like him. In fact, it almost sounded like—

Bruce caught his breath, his eyes widening, his pupils enlarging. “Nat…”

In the distance, through the chaos and the bloodshed, Natasha Romanoff was thrown to the ground by a Chitauri Elite. She looked up only to see the Elite point its blade right at her, a swarm of five Outriders charging forth and overcoming the Black Widow. Natasha shielded her face from their claws, but she couldn’t protect the rest of her body, the Outriders going to work on clawing, biting, and slashing at her skin. All she could do, all she could manage was an ear-piercing scream. A call for help? A cry in pain? She didn’t know.

Thank God someone did.

The Hulkbuster shuttered. The Outriders atop of it, clawing at its face, paused only momentarily. Then another stutter. A tremble. A tremor. The mighty suit of armor shook from beneath the crowd of Outriders, the aliens upon it gazing into the suit’s dark eyes. They could see nothing, nothing but the darkness of death overcoming their foe.

That’s what they thought.

But when the single green fist burst forth from the armor’s chest, they knew they were wrong.

The green palm grabbed the only Outrider it could, the thrashing beast caught within the hand and gazing downwards to see…

The Hulkbuster erupted, and from it came the Incredible Hulk roaring so loud he told all the Earth who had arrived, who was alive, and who to fear. The roar was so powerful that anything nearby instantly froze, turned towards it, and felt their bones shiver. The Outriders surrounding him all backed away, claws risen, jaws falling but not a single sound able to leave the near-mindless beasts. The Hulk grit his teeth, glaring down to the Outriders that had swarmed him, attacked him, and to the beast thrashing in his hand. But they weren’t his priority.

He heard that scream again.

The Hulk’s glare faded. He turned in the only direction that mattered, spotting Natasha still being overwhelmed. That spark inside of him, that unbridled and uncontrollable rage the Hulk had felt so many times before came back with fiery vengeance. His brow slowly deformed into a horrific glare, his eyes on fire, his teeth tight and breath seething, raging, roaring so loud it shook the very air itself.

Without hesitation, the Hulk crushed the Outrider in his palm, stampeded across the battlefield and rushed towards the Elite and its forces. The Chitauri Elite’s blue visor turned accordingly to the deafening roar, unable to do much else as the Hulk slammed his forearm against its body, ripped the Outriders covering Natasha apart, and screamed at anything else that dared tried to come near.

All in less than five seconds.

Struggling to move, Natasha Romanoff slowly pressed her elbow into the dirt, seething with pain as fresh cuts and tears on her face and body cried out to her. But when her eyes arose to the being blocking out the sun, to the one standing before her, it was if all the pain in her body just vanished. Just left her. Just like that.

Because when the Hulk slowly turned around to face her, all Natasha could really do was smile. Smile and breathe, “Hey, Big Guy.”

The Hulk snorted. Slowly, he bent down to her, almost conflicted in his own actions. Like he was still in that eternal conflict between Banner and himself. But when he gazed into her eyes, saw Natasha’s eyes and the beautiful smile grace her lips once more, his heart rate began to simmer. His anger began to cool. Everything began to slow down.

He lifted up his palm, cautiously drifted his fingers to her own.

The Outrider screeched and latched itself onto Hulk’s backside, driving its teeth right into the Hulk’s neck. Hulk roared and thrashed about upon the ground, Natasha quickly rolling to cover as the stumbling beast reached back and pried the Outrider from his back. With the alien in his grasp, Hulk was ready to end it, only to feel another wave of Outriders charge him, try to tackle him, try to bring him back to the earth where they had him once before.

“Fall back! Fall back! There’s too many! Retreat, retreat!” Frank Castle bellowed as loud as he could, firing off several bursts from his M249 SAW. Just hearing his own voice spout off orders to soldiers, warriors, reminded Castle of a time he dreaded to remember, several flashes of the terrorists he had killed in the Middle East returning to him in full force. Every alien that tried to charge him, every alien that ripped apart S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, Wakandans, all Castle could see where his own men and women being gunned down from some unknown sniper fire, dying for nothing.

Frank shook his head, pulled the trigger again and again. More flashes from the end of his barrel, more flashes of terrorists dying by his hand, bullets ripping through their bodies and turning their blood into paint on the walls, upon the dirt and sand. Frank growled, roared, consistently firing and shaking his head as the dreaded PTSD made its horrific return.

As the bodies of the agents and Wakandans rushed past him, only Castle remained standing, picking off Chitauri and Outriders alike. It got to the point where Frank could hardly see straight, his vision blotted by crimson, his enemies all appearing the same to him. He saw the aliens, then the terrorists, then the Irish mob, then Billy Russo, then every single demon that came back to haunt him every time he pulled that trigger.

The Outrider screamed, leaping for him.

The Punisher screamed right back, tossing his LMG aside and reaching back, ripping out his pump-action shotgun and blowing the Outrider’s head clean off its shoulders. Huffing at that, completely unfazed by the alien blood painted on his face, the Punisher stomped forth while the others ran back. He huffed again, almost like a grunt of intimidation. Like an animal would. Like a feral beast standing before the alpha of the pack, challenging dominance.

Frank Castle cocked his shotgun and charged straight ahead. He roared every step of the way, blasting every single alien, every single demon that stood in his blood red line of sight. He fired and cocked. Cocked and fired. Again and again and again until he only sweated his enemy’s blood, until all he saw were countless bodies charging and lying before him. Until he ran out of ammo. Even that didn’t stop him. He pulled out his combat knife from his pant leg, twirling the blade with slick precision. The only Outrider that charged him met Frank with his knife in hand, the Punisher driving the end of it into the creature’s gut again and again, drawing blood, insides, and whatever other uncertainties remained in the Outrider’s body.

The Outrider cried out, falling on its back as Frank took advantage and straddled it. He plunged the knife deep into the creature’s chest, roaring with blood dripping from his face—blood that wasn’t his—and screamed his battle cry right into the Outrider’s face. The alien gave its last cry before falling limp under the Punisher’s wrath, Castle ripping his blade free and gazing forward.

To the line of Chitauri aiming their rifles right at him.

Frank darted his eyes from one alien to the next, seeing the ends of their rifles glowing, threatening to fire and end him right then and there. And Frank…

He lifted his knife, blood dripping from it and his own body. Ready to fight. Ready for another round. Ready to die and see his family again.

Not even they could offer him that.

Because they all crumbled.

Frank lowered his knife, his eyes slowly widening. He stared silently to the dead Chitauri lying in front of him, the Chitauri he hadn’t killed. Then to the many more he hadn’t killed. The thousands upon thousands of Chitauri foot soldiers, Elite, Leviathans, chariots, and starships simply… dropping. Just dropping to the earth and lying there.

Dead.

Starships and chariots—once impacting the ground—killed anything caught within their explosion. Leviathans killed even more once they crashed upon the earth. Outriders were caught underneath their shadows, unable to escape as the gargantuan, flying beasts fell to their doom. And those that survived, all those Outriders, the few remaining Chitauri, the Black Order, the Wakandans, and the Avengers all stared. Confused. Shaken. Silent. A brief respite in the war for the very fate of the universe before it eventually kicked right back into gear, the armies of Thanos charging straight ahead, straight to the unmoving defense force of Wakanda.

They didn’t move because they all looked to the skies.

All watched as the massive remains of the Command Centers fell to the world, crashing right through the shields above the Golden City, and struck the earth. They struck the battlefield, struck the blood-soaked lands filling Wakanda, but most importantly… landed directly on top of the approaching Outrider and Chitauri swarm. A wave of fire and metal burst forth from the eruption, far enough for the Wakandans and Avengers to stand in a safe distance, but close enough to inflict a horrific amount of damage upon the Black Order’s troops.

Several hundred were crushed, thousands more incinerated by the wave of fire. The path leading to the capital city was blocked by the wave of fire, creating a towering wall separating the Outriders from their target. And standing on the other side, the Wakandans, Avengers, Defenders, Guardians, and agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were nearly silent. So very quiet beyond reason, beyond belief, frozen in shock to the events they had just witnessed.

It didn’t end.

As the Black Panther arose from the dirt, Steve Rogers following alongside every other hero and Wakandan that had nearly fallen in battle. And they all gazed in the same direction, watching the wall of fire rise higher and higher, the decimated remains of the Chitauri Command Center resting within the middle of it all. Despite thousands of questions filling everyone’s minds, there was only one that mattered, one that everyone wanted an answer to…

How?

A deafening eruption came directly behind them that time, several flinching and spinning towards the disturbance. Ripped right through the shield, another Chitauri Command Center had fallen right out of the sky and struck the earth. Its remains stood erected upon the ground, burning away and slowly but surely crumbling as its armies once had. T’Challa and several others slowly lifted their heads to the shield above Wakanda. It was nearly torn to shreds, numerous open pockets clear for any Chitauri to invade. The Golden City was clear for the taking, and yet no attempt was made. Not a single Command Center hovering above the shield made any sort of movement, gave any sort of order to invade. Not a single Chitauri above the shield.

Not a one.

“What the hell is this?” James Rhodes asked, stomping forth. The red of his mask’s eyes gazed skywards. “What’s happening?”

No one answered him. No one could.

The skies trembled, every head and every heart turning to it. Turned to see the thunderstorm starting to arise, lightning striking across the heavens and only growing nearer, closer to the Golden City. The dark clouds only grew darker, the wind starting to pick up. Starting to burn.

Steve Rogers breathed, holding his abdomen and gazing to the skies. Stared at the lightning. The first thing that came to his mind, the only person that did. He turned to him, spoke so softly that even the God of Thunder had trouble hearing him over the roars of the clouds. “Thor…?”

Just one look from the King of Asgard gave Steve the only answer he dreaded. He took one more look to the clouds, really stared at the lightning, and noticed its color for the first time.

Noticed the blood red.

Noticed the swirling clouds, the pitch-black blanketing the light.

Like serpents.

The wind really picked up, pushing the air right through everyone’s faces, through their bodies and their very souls. And it was hot. Blistering hot. M’Baku breathed heavily, sweat and blood streaming from his forehead as he and his Border Tribe gazed to the heavens, stared onto the crumbling shield, to the swirling clouds. Everyone did. Everyone stared up…

Watched as the clouds shattered…

… and witness the titanic dragon fall from the heavens.

Just… fall.

As if that hadn’t already taken their breath away, they watched as its massive wings extended, the fire trailing it finally subsiding as the massive beast struck the earth, shattering right through what remained of the shield over Wakanda. As its claws made impact with the ground, followed shortly by its gargantuan body and seven, towering heads, the resulting shock wave filled all of the lands surrounding the Golden City. It was strong enough to knock everyone on their backs, fling the Wakandan battle tanks right from the earth like they weighed nothing, and nearly rip May and the Milano right out of the air. Numerous Wakandan ships weren’t so fortunate, the shock wave blowing them out of the sky and sending their husks crashing to the grasslands.

Everyone was quick to rise again, all eyes centered on the dragon, looking nowhere else but the astounding sight resting miles before them. All seven heads, giant leathery wings, and colossal body faced not the defenders of Wakanda. No. The dragon had set its sights before it even landed, all seven heads pointed in one direction, all fourteen glowing red eyes centered on…

No…

T’Challa caught his breath. His heart quickened… before falling deep down into the darkest realm of his soul.

No…

The dragon leaned forward, roared with all seven heads, and proceeded to approach the Golden City. With no stop in sight. No other end but…

T’Challa’s eyes widened beneath his mask. No!

The shield above the Golden City fell. The shower of fire fell to the nation of Wakanda. The Black Order, gazing through the tower of flames, witnessed everything before them, stared upon the seven serpent heads scream out to the skies, roared alongside the earth-shattering thunder and air-breaking lightning. And they retreated.

They all did. Every last Outrider, every last surviving Chitauri following the Black Order to the remaining ships, to the dropships, all flying back towards Sanctuary II and the Command Centers still surrounding Wakanda. Still surrounding the chaos unleashed upon the nation.

And even they retreated.

From the orders of the Ebony Maw standing alone within Sanctuary II.

He had stood there, watched the entire battle from its uprising to its eventual—and utterly surprising—end. After having received word from the upper atmosphere of what had happened to the Capital Command Center, now having to witness that same decimation fall upon their prize, fall upon the city that was rightfully theirs—rightfully their father’s—Ebony Maw knew…

He knew…

He only knew one thing.

“Thanos will hear of this betrayal,” the Maw whispered, his eyes gazing to the mighty Typhon unleashing his hordes upon the Wakandan capital.

Chapter 78 – Hellscape

The Nation of Wakanda

6.5 Miles Outside the Golden City

4:24 p.m.

He burned the very lands he walked upon. He scorched and infected the air with his sickening breath. He spread turmoil and chaos with every mighty step he took, shaking the earth and the foundations of Wakanda beneath him. His eyes burned and centered on the ultimate prize resting before him.

Typhon wailed to the Golden City of Wakanda, slowly but surely making his way towards it.

King T’Challa stood with his allies, almost numb to the events having unfolded before him.

As if witnessing the complete decimation of his people, hundreds of brave Wakandan soldiers giving their lives for their home wasn’t enough, then being forced to watch as the only shield keeping Wakanda safe from the Chitauri invasion completely fell apart. And when it fell, so too did the dragon that dropped straight from the heavens, burning in a unholy fireball as it descended from the skies alongside the blood red lightning and the swirling vortex of clouds. It was as if the very atmosphere, the environment itself shifted to its presence, the clouds billowing and spitting a dark green rain in the edges of the Wakandan battlefield. Its smell was horrific, but not as bad as the black smog escaping the seven-headed beast’s numerous maws. It polluted the air, filled the already smoke infested skies with even more black and sickness.

The Avengers stood as one for what felt like the first time in eternity. Iron Man, Black Widow, Thor, the Hulk, Spider-Man, Falcon, War Machine, the White Wolf, and… Steve Rogers. He turned to them, to his team, for the briefest of milliseconds, and saw them for who they were. Even through the armor, the grime, the bloodshed, he still saw them. Saw Natasha Romanoff, Thor, Bruce Banner, Peter Parker, Sam Wilson, James Rhodes, Bucky Barnes… and Tony Stark. Together, they stood. Together, they all gazed in the only direction they could, watching with awestruck wonder and shock as the titanic dragon burned the skies and stomped ever so closer to the capital city of Wakanda.

Steve stared too, stared for eternity alongside the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Peter Quill—alongside Gamora, Drax, and Nebula—all stood together and watched as the dragon fell from the sky, struck the earth, and proceeded to rip it apart with every mighty stomp forward. Of all the shit Peter had seen in his life, that definitely took the cake. Wakanda was already a pretty messed up place, and the battle he and his fellow Guardians took part of had shaken him to his very core. But seeing the dragon, seeing the seven heads cry out to the world struck him deep, struck him somewhere he never even thought was reachable. Yet there he was, he and Gamora and Drax and Nebula all watching in shared horror as the dragon clawed at the earth, growing so much closer to the city they were supposed to protect.

From the cockpit of the Milano, Rocket and Groot had the best seats in the house when the dragon crashed into the world. They sat in their seats frozen in silence, Mantis sitting behind them and holding the most terrified expression she could muster. Flying beside them, Melinda May in her Quinjet hovered almost aimlessly above the burning landscapes below. She had seen the worst that mankind was capable of in her long, dreaded career at S.H.I.E.L.D. She had seen Inhumans rip through human minds and force them to do their bidding. She had been forced herself to make the hardest decisions, decisions that haunted her to that very day.

But seeing those glowing red eyes, those giant, leathery wings, those seven slithering heads, and hearing that wretched roar cry out amongst the thunder in the clouds… that was a level all on its own, a new form of horror and tragedy Melinda May never could have experienced in her own life. But she experienced it there, in Wakanda, right then and there as she sat still, paralyzed in her seat within the Quinjet. Down below, the remaining agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fared no better.

Daisy Johnson felt the wind blow in her face, throw her black hair aside and let it flow behind her. But it wasn’t cool by any means. The wind was hot. Blistering hot. It did not originate from the fires dotting the landscapes. It did not come from the remains of the Chitauri warships scattered across the grasslands. No. The fire, the heat, the wind came from the dragon itself, as if the gargantuan beast actually radiated the fire. That would explain the smoke escaping its jaws. Yet she stood there, sweating profusely alongside Lance Hunter, Bobbie Morse, Alphonso Mackenzie, Elena Rodriguez, Piper, and Davis. The numerous other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who had survived the initial battle stood and stared aimlessly, like lost souls in the darkest pits of Hell gazing onto Satan himself.

As for Robbie Reyes, the Ghost Rider gripped its Hellfire Chain with one palm, the other slowly tightening into a fiery fist just by staring onto the seven-headed demon before it. Alongside Ghost Rider, the following Defenders could hardly stand at all, let alone gaze onto the burning demon that fell from heaven.

The sun and the air were darkened by its cloud, the fires raging and heat in the wind like that of a great furnace. Like a falling star, the dragon fell from heaven and struck the earth, all seven heads and all seven crowns upon them facing the helpless city. Matthew Murdock could only see the Biblical events unfold before him, struggling to believe that whatever it was—maybe even truly the Devil itself—was real. The seven-headed dragon. The Beast. The Devil, Satan, demon, whatever it was… it was real. It was there. And the Daredevil could only gaze onto its burning form, listen to every horrible cry that escaped its jaws. Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage all fell under the same boat, frozen in shock, eyes plastered to the beast stomping forth to the Golden City.

Frank Castle stared numbly into the distance, the blood dripping from his face and body and painting him as a warrior coated in warfare. But deep down, when he stared onto that beast that fell from the sky, he could feel his heart drop. The bloody blade fell from his limp fingers, striking the earth and resting there. Forever. Doctor Strange was in a world of his own. His eyes were plastered to the seven-headed dragon he had seen before, the dragon that was meant to come.

Typhon was meant to come here, in Wakanda, and Strange knew… it couldn’t be stopped.

He knew that.

M’Baku and the Jabari Tribe, Okoye and Ayo with the remaining Dora Milaje, Nakia standing with the Border Tribe, and the Wakandan army itself all gazed in shared horror and unison to the dragon approaching their city, their capital of their beloved home. Several eyes slowly shifted over to one person, one man whom they trusted. One king who could bring them out of the abyss and into the light. The King of Wakanda just felt himself freeze at that, watching as the mighty beast proceeded forth towards his home with no mercy, no relent, and no stop in sight.

No mercy.

No relent.

No stop.

He froze.

The shields crumbled above, shards of the blue dome fizzling out while others fell right from the air. No piece survived for long, every single shattered shard of the shield fading away before it could hit the grass. Surprisingly enough, the Chitauri did not continue the invasion. It was as if the dragon’s mere presence frightened them off, warships abandoning the Wakandan airspace and numerous other Command Centers retreating from the battlegrounds. Leaving the skies bare.

Just enough for the clouds to invade and spread a new form of sickness.

The sun was gone, blackened by the swirling clouds. Shards of sunlight managed to sneak in, break through the clouds and give light to the darkening landscape. The clouds gathered heavy around the dragon, swirled like a vortex. Like serpents. Like the many hundred attached to the body of the beast. Lightning the color of a bright crimson shot out across the darkness, lighting it, filling it with renewed life. Within the center of it all, of which the clouds followed, the dragon stomped forth to Wakanda’s capital.

Nothing stopping it.

Nothing…

Okoye had to double take when she saw the Black Panther charge forward without hesitation. Without word. Without order. He just ran ahead, right past every agent, every Wakandan, every Defender, every Guardian, and every Avenger. And when they all saw him, watched as King T’Challa raced ahead into the chaos awaiting them, no one else hesitated. No one else froze like he had.

They ran.

They flew.

They charged as one.

What remained of the Wakandan army and numerous tribes raced forward alongside their king. M’Baku, Ayo, Okoye, and Nakia were quick to follow, running with T’Challa, running with their king to face the storm together. Black Panther cast his gaze quickly to his left, seeing his friends and family run with him. Charge with him. Then he turned right and saw her. Nakia never turned away, never ran in the opposite direction, never stood still. She ran with her love and never once held back. It was all T’Challa could focus on before his eyes were forced ahead.

Hearing the repulsors, T’Challa saw as the Iron Man flew high overhead, leading the charge in the skies alongside War Machine, Falcon, the Milano, the Quinjet, and what remained of the Wakandan ships. T’Challa felt more at ease to see he and his people weren’t alone. There were those still willing to follow them into the gaping maw of Hell itself.

And one of those people was Steve Rogers.

He—with the likes of Natasha, Hulk, Thor, Peter Parker, Quill and his three Guardians, Doctor Strange, the Defenders, and Bucky—all quickly caught up with the remaining Wakandan forces. Though Strange allowed the Cloak of Levitation to fly him forward from then on, the growing army only increased in size with the likes of the Avengers and Defenders joining them.

It only grew from there.

Daisy Johnson led the remaining agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., charging ahead and joining the Wakandans. Joining them as one living, breathing people. Lance Hunter abandoned his mask, ripping out dual pistols from his belt and charging alongside the Mockingbird, Bobbi Morse rushing headstrong with her twin batons. Mack gripped his Shotgun-Axe and ran as fast as his legs could carry him, his girlfriend Elena rushing at average speeds right by his side. Piper, Davis, Deathlok, and Ghost Rider all joined them, trailed closely by what remained of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. They weren’t much. Less than twenty soldiers. But they ran all the same. Against such horrific odds, knowing not what to do but to join the cause. Fight together as one.

Defend Wakanda… with everything that they were.

They didn’t know what would happen when they reached the dragon. They didn’t know if they were strong enough, large enough in number, or willed enough to take on a beast so massive, so utterly gargantuan that when they grew nearer in their charge… they finally realized just how big the dragon was. Its crowns scraped the skies, its body larger than any mountain within Wakanda. It encompassed so much land that anything behind it was blotted out, not a single one of the defense forces of Wakanda able to see the world beyond it. Its claws, whenever they struck the earth, created a feral dust storm and tremor that shot out and nearly made the beast’s attackers stumble.

But they never fell.

One of the mighty heads of Typhon saw this.

The hundreds of serpents upon his body saw this.

Typhon cried out. The serpents cried out. They all, in conjoined unison, faced the earth, every last serpent extending their jaws and pointing their mouths… to the earth. Together, they all proceeded to gag and cry, hiss and thrash, until nearly every serpent upon Typhon’s body began to cough up that bulge in their throats, spit out that white egg sack upon the ground. And when those sacks struck grass, they exploded upon impact, unveiling the crying, screaming, thrashing, horrific children of Typhon.

They were multiple, numbered in the hundreds and only continued to grow from there as the serpents spit out more and more eggs. Beasts of Tartarus, demons with disfigured faces and bodies, monsters of Equus, and numerous other demonic entities rose forth and proceeded to stalk the landscape. There were hellhounds, a pack of three crawling forth on top of a boulder and gazing out to the battlegrounds that awaited them. Their black fur burned with red cinders, ancient and demonic language written right on their bodies, their skull-like faces, and glowed within their crimson eyes. The pack growled as more and more hellhounds emerged from their eggs, joining them to glare upon the approaching Wakandan army.

Monsters and demons ranged from cyclops to chimeras, harpies to dragons, hydras to manticores, and hundreds of deformed, skeletal-like demons that practically melted with fire. Their eye sockets were empty, the burnt skin hanging off their bones like rags, like tattered clothing. The skeletal army had limbs literally morphed with weapons, ranging from swords to axes and scythes. Chugging alongside the skeleton army, numerous other reptilian-like creatures emerged from their egg sacks, some lizard-like, others similar to serpents, but all of them unquestionably loyal to their father.

Every last one of them.

The skeletal army led the charge, the most horrific battle cry escaping their unhinged jaws as they pointed their limbs, their weapons dead ahead. Towering demons and monsters of all shapes and sizes roared out, charging alongside the skeletons, the demons, the hellhounds, the serpents, the monsters, with every last child of Typhon towards one specific location, one specific goal.

Unleash hell.

That’s exactly what they did when the two armies collided.

It was nothing like Thanos’ army. It was nothing like the swarm of Outriders, the Chitauri, or even the Black Order. It was worse on every single scale.

While the Outriders were biological engineered creatures bred for warfare, the hellhounds were fiercer, quicker, and more feral when they finally made impact with the Wakandan forces. Even the demonic, skeletal army proved to be fearsome foes, the clang of vibranium against Tartarian metal sounding off as the swords from the demons struck their opponents’ own blades. From the earth, Black Panther and Steve Rogers made the most headway once again, with Thor coming in for backup. His lightning-fueled fists struck multiple packs of demons, their bodies bursting apart and crumbling to the ground. The Hulk rammed his own body against a towering behemoth, both he and the demon roaring in each other’s faces. The demon, with jagged horns protruding from its skull, slashed with its nail-like claws right for Hulk’s head, the green beast ducking and ramming his shoulder right into the demon’s abdomen. He brought the beast down on its back, proceeding to slam its face in with his fists again and again.

Black Widow, Spider-Man, and Ghost Rider all fought in a cluster. The Spirit of Vengeance brought demons down to their knees, just a single punch from his fists sending every skeleton, every hellhound, and every reptilian monstrosity back to hell from whence it came. His Hellfire Chain was unraveled, the whip of fire dancing through the air before swiping forward and burning multiple demons right on the spot. Natasha and Parker rushed forward, Peter firing a strand of webbing onto the nearest skeleton and yanking as hard as he could. He ripped its spine clean from its body, Peter allowing the Iron Spider’s additional arms to burst forth and cover his backside. Natasha rolled as a skeleton swung for her head with his sword, the Black Widow spinning accordingly and wrapping her palms around the creature’s wrist, yanking him downwards, Natasha proceeded to drive the blade directly into the demon’s skull, the sword piercing its lower jaw and bursting forth right on the top of its head. It fell dead, Natasha already turning to the next demon. And the next.

Star-Lord, Gamora, Nebula, and Drax were dealing with a cluster of skeletons when a dragon landed directly ahead of them, spewing a torrent of flames where the four Guardians stood. Shielding themselves, they realized there wad no need when Doctor Stephen Strange landed right in front of them, creating a wall of Eldritch Magic right from his fingertips. The massive Tao Mandalas burst forth, devouring the flames the dragon spewed and redirecting them to their surroundings, burning every demon that surrounded them.

All that left was the dragon, the winged beast with scales burning a bright orange and red, flames flickering off its body and wings and burning in its eyes. The dragon snorted out pure flame from its nostrils, rearing back and breathing in deep to unleash another torrent of fire from its jaws. It never had the opportunity when the Iron Fist struck its cheek, sending the dragon rocketing back and crashing into multiple other demons and creatures of hell.

Danny Rand fell back to the earth, the Guardians and Strange watching as he single-handedly dealt with all the swarming demons trying to charge them. The golden glow of his right fist, followed by the raw determination in his eyes made Danny Rand an unstoppable force. He punched, kicked, dodged and drove his Iron Fist again and again into any demon that tried to come near. Everything was either destroyed upon impact of the Iron Fist or slowly withered to the earth, screeching out their final cries before settling into a dark and lonesome world of nothingness.

The remaining Defenders were soon to join him, Daredevil and Jessica Jones fighting with all the strength they could muster. Luke Cage fought with that same vigor, killing demons with each deafening strike from his fists. With them soon came the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daisy Johnson blowing back a cluster of hellhounds with the power that quaked in her palms. Lance and Bobbi fired and struck at any demons that got in their way, Mack slamming the axe head from his shotgun down onto a demon’s shoulder. He pried out the weapon, roaring as he swung it for the beast’s neck and severed its head clean from its body. A demon with an axe attached to its right arm charged Mack from behind, leaping into the air and bringing the weapon down on Mack’s backside. Only the blur stopped it, that blur being Yo-Yo Rodriguez. She literally saw every aspect of the battle, meticulously shifting the odds ever in their favor as she ran through the madness, the rest of the world and reality slowing down for her.

Piper, Davis, Deathlok, and the remaining agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fired relentlessly on the approaching demon swarm. Their bullets did little to the behemoths, but easily tore through the hellhounds and skeleton army. And fighting on the frontlines, leading the assault was Black Panther, M’Baku, Nakia, Ayo, Okoye, and the full weight of the Wakandan tribes. The battle upon the earth was hard-fought, deadly in every sense of the word, but ultimately shifting in the tides of the heroes.

But from the air, things weren’t so bright. Nothing truly was. The battle had only just begun.

Iron Man, Falcon, War Machine, Melinda May, the Milano, and the Wakandan ships found themselves swarmed by a cluster of harpies. The demented, female-like creature screeched and clawed at their enemies, War Machine’s bullets managing to take out several dozen, but there were always more. Always more that kept spewing from egg sacks Typhon’s serpents kept birthing. It got so bad that Stark could hardly see anything, forcing him to fly closer to the ground, leaving him open for any pouncing demon upon the earth. Thankfully, Stark knew better than to keep himself open for long. He dodged and weaved through the air, firing a cluster of rockets from his backside into the demon army, blowing up several dozen each time. Sam Wilson did the same, launching numerous drones from his jetpack that exploded once they the ground. It only last so long.

Agent May couldn’t even see anything. The harpies, the dragons, anything that flew in her way blinded her, cracked her windshield as they made impact, and quickly overcame the Quinjet. May fired everything the ship head, from the minigun to the rockets. All useful when the Quinjet burst into the flame from the dragon swooping overhead, breathing a wave of fire directly onto the Quinjet. The ship teetered and careened through the air, firing rockets and bullets in every direction, until the Quinjet came to a devastating crash on the outskirts of the battle. Melinda May kicked the Quinjet’s windshield open, ripping out her pistol and firing onto the crowd of demons that swarmed her the second she stepped out into open air. Daisy and the other agents quickly came to her aid.

The cluster of harpies were relentless, swarming and overcoming the Milano as well. Numerous other Wakandan ships were taken out by either dragons or harpies, falling to the earth as did the Milano. Rocket—despite being a phenomenal pilot—couldn’t keep control of the Milano forever, and was forced to bear himself as the ship crashed right in the middle of the demon army. Not on the side. Not in the outskirts. They weren’t that lucky.

Regardless, watching as the demons proceeded to swarm the ship, Rocket fired away from the cockpit of the Milano. The bullets from the ships proceeded to shred anything that was caught in front of it, demons, beasts, dragons, monsters, hellhounds, anything caught standing or charging for the front of the Milano were instantly torn apart. Rocket kept firing, kept his fingers on the triggers and screaming like a madman. Groot and Mantis shared a quick and horrified glance with one another, Groot smiling just as mad as Rocket was.

“I am Groooot!”

The adolescent hopped out of his seat, ramming his fist directly into the windshield of the Milano and knocking it clean off the ship. Rocket, after having run out of ammunition, watched as Groot hopped out right into the battle, swinging madly with his fists and impaling numerous demons with his arm, the vines and roots shooting outwards.

Almost shocked by Groot’s actions, Rocket quickly shook it away and turned back. From her seat, Mantis lazily bobbed her head back and forth, a large, red gash on the side of her head definitely not looking too good. Grumbling, Rocket pried his laser rifle from the floor of the Milano, cocked it, and stared right at Mantis.

“All right, stay right here and don’t move! I’ll keep us covered!”

He had hoped she heard him. Mantis lifted her head only slightly, her eyelids starting to droop. That was the best he was gonna get, Rocket hopping onto the nose of the Milano and firing upon the charging demons, picking off several that tried to rush the Milano, and picking off even more that tried to rush Groot’s backside.

Amongst the madness, Steve Rogers was flung through the air, a pack of hellhounds surrounding him. He fought them off valiantly, barely rolling out of the way as a demon stabbed the dirt where he once lay. The demon, standing at a menacing seven feet, roared at Rogers, lifting its claws and jamming its foot repeatedly into the ground where Rogers continued to roll. Steve quickly readjusted himself, lifting his gauntlets just as the demon’s blade came down on his head. He knocked the sword aside, jamming his shield into the demon’s abdomen and knocking it back. Shaking off the pain, the demon screeched, its skeletal-like head centered solely on Rogers, its razor-sharp teeth practically dripping molten magma. Steve grit his teeth, fists held out, the First Avenger breathing heavily.

Swinging its sword once again, the demon was met with Rogers blocking its strike. The demon retorted by grabbing Steve’s right arm and prying the gauntlet right from his forearm. It tossed the shield into the madness of bodies and bloodshed, doing the same thing with Steve’s left arm. Rogers kicked himself free, gazing to his arms to see his shields gone, leaving his arms bare and open for—

Steve’s eyes shot open, the Avenger ducking and rolling as the demon swung its sword right for his head. Even with his sweat-drenched hair blinding his vision, Steve let his instincts take command, every ounce of his strength put forth when he rammed the creature in the back of its leg. The leg snapped like a toothpick, the demon screeching out as it fell to its back, Rogers straddling him. It came quick, too quick for Rogers to react. The demon shrieked and jammed its blade into Steve’s shoulder.

Rogers grunted in agony, gripping the blade by its edges with his gloved palms. He could even look as the sword dug into his shoulder, forcing every bit of his strength once more to pry it out. Slowly. Painfully. He screamed as the blade was released, Steve twisting the creature’s own arm at an odd angle, ripping the sword right from its arm, and driving its end directly into where he presumed its heart to be. The demon thrashed and screamed, but slowly fell beneath Steve Rogers.

Gripping his bloody and wounded shoulder, Steve hopped off the corpse and nearly collapsed right then and there. He gazed about, breathing so very heavily that he felt as if his lungs were going to explode. Staring forward, Steve could see it all. He could see the bodies slamming into each other, the colossal demons stomping across the battlegrounds and swiping low at the field, ripping bodies right from the earth whether they were demon or Wakandan. Dragons and harpies and every other horrible abomination he could imagine filled the air alongside the smoke and the ash and the death. That’s all there ever was. Nothing but that.

And beyond it all, stomping across the battlefield and slowly approaching the Golden City, the seven-headed dragon continued on its rampage. Whatever it was, wherever it came from, it had a goal in mind. It set its sights on the capital and wouldn’t stop until it reached it. And it unleashed an army right from its very being, filling the African plains in mere minutes and only continuing to do so.

Steve stared onto the beast. He watched as one of the heads birthed a gargantuan behemoth right from its jaws, supplying the army while the rest of the body proceeded closer to the city.

What was this thing?

Word, meaningless. Thoughts, unimportant. All that mattered was the now and reacting appropriately now to the madness. But all around him, all Steve could see was madness. All he saw and experienced and breathed was seeing his friends and allies being tossed around, forced back, and fighting for their very lives. The defense of Wakanda had completely fallen apart.

In the corner of his vision, he had witnessed Frank Castle retrieve his large LMG, stomping ahead with that horrific glare painted on his face. Painted alongside the alien and human blood. Some of his own. He reloaded the M249 SAW and stomped forth, roaring and unleashing the weapon’s unrelenting firepower upon the approaching beasts of hell. He roared louder than them, louder than anyone Steve had ever heard.

Then he turned in the opposite direction, watched as his closest friend Bucky Barnes fired with his own LMG, the same type of weapon that Castle had, upon the demons and monsters. He shot harpies right out of the sky, unprepared as the hellhound latched itself onto Barnes’ backside and bit hard onto his shoulder. James cried out, thrashing and trying to pry the demon off his back.

Steve’s eyes widened, the Avenger forcing himself back to his feet to act. To retaliate. Just as the hellhound tackled him from the side and knocked him to the earth.

Bucky grabbed the hellhound by the back of its neck with his metallic arm, using its added strength to fling the fierce canine right from his back and clear across the battlegrounds. Jamming his M249 SAW forward, Bucky caught himself when he heard the roars. Just as powerful as the demons’ own, if not more so, prompting his eyes in its direction. There, he saw the Punisher himself unloading everything his gun had on the nearest chimera. The beast staggered back as the bullets impacted and tore through its hide, but it stood alive regardless.

Just as Castle ran out of ammo.

The chimera launched itself at Frank, knocking the Punisher flat on his ass and back. His LMG rolled out of sight, leaving Frank bare and open for the beast. He crawled backwards, eyes wide and filled with adrenaline as the chimera screamed and pounced him. Had the metal fist not struck the beast in its lion head, it would have ripped Castle to shreds.

The beast fell on its side, its underbelly exposed which allowed a torrent of bullets to rip it utterly apart. The creature slashed and cried, but slowly faded away into the cold embrace of death. Frank watched the chimera slowly die, his eyes turning right to meet that of his savior’s. Perhaps neither truly expected to see one another when their eyes met. Perhaps Castle had expected a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, someone who had actually fought by his side earlier on in the battle, but no.

He stared into the eyes of James Buchanan Barnes. The Winter Soldier.

Bucky stared into the eyes of Frank Castle. The Punisher.

And neither could seem to move. All except for Barnes, who felt his metallic, left arm being forcefully gripped and yanked back. Turning accordingly, Bucky’s eyes widened when he saw his arm latched by a long, slithery tongue, Barnes following it to see the demonic lizard glaring at him from afar. The creature barred its teeth, backing up and dragging Barnes towards its awaiting jaws. Panicked, and finding no other means of escape, Bucky jammed his LMG forward and fired every last bit from his magazine into the creature’s face. The bullets pierced the creature’s mouth, eyes, and teeth, but couldn’t pierce its heavy scales. Still, Barnes found himself dealing quite the amount of damage, the lizard starting to break away and give in.

He was almost free.

Nearly there.

Until his eyes turned left, watched as the demon leapt through the air, axe in tow…

And freed him.

Barnes screamed, falling on his back and watching as the lizard’s tongue retracted, returning to the deceased, demonic reptilian. And with it carried Bucky’s arm, the metal gleaming in the sunlight, the red star shimmering. Bucky gulped, looked over to his left arm, and saw nothing. His shoulder remained, but the forearm was lacerated, shredded metal and sparks dancing off his wound.

His eyes returned forward, head perking up when the scream caught him off guard. The same demon that sliced off his arm held that same axe high above its head, the weapon attached to its right arm, nearing Bucky’s head and ready to bring it down. The gun cried out faster than Bucky could lift his LMG, Barnes flinching as the bullet soared right over his head and struck the demon square in the chest. It was followed by several more, the creature gasping for air before falling flat on its back.

Dead.

Barnes could hardly believe what he just witnessed. He turned his head back, eyes latching onto the pistol jutted forward, the smoke exiting the barrel and the pistol lowered to Castle’s side. Frank breathed heavily, limping forward to Barnes, slowly raising his pistol. Bucky tightened his lips, closed his eyes, and fully expected to hear and feel the gunshot and then nothing else.

Instead, he felt a hand wrap under his right arm.

He felt himself being pulled up to his feet.

He opened his eyes and could hardly believe it was Frank Castle who slung Barnes’ arm over his shoulder. He kept his pistol pointed outwards, slowly but surely limping forth and making a hasty retreat away from the battle. He and Barnes. Both of them together. Two soldiers, both wounded, ensuring they could escape and live to see another day.

As they retreated, Bucky watched as numerous demons charged them. Castle picked them off with his pistol, earning perfect headshots each time. Right between the glowing red eyes. Every single time. Barnes heard him huff with each kill, growl every time he ran out of ammo, and roar whenever he slammed a new magazine inside right before he killed again and again.

Keeping himself and Bucky safe. And alive.

Away from the battle and away from Typhon’s horrific cries.

Royal Palace of Wakanda, War Room

4:30 p.m.

Phil Coulson watched everything, every single decisive moment since the Battle of Wakanda had begun. He watched his heroes battle it out for the very fate of the universe, giving their lives and their bodies to ensure nothing made it passed them and reached the city.

Of course, no one could have accounted for the dragon.

Not even Phil.

With him, Loki gazed out into the madness of the war and was actually shocked to see the seven-headed dragon crash right through the shield, shattering it instantly. Leopold Fitz and Jemma Simmons were both utterly breathless, Jemma trying to conceal her fearful cries as the gargantuan titan stumbled closer and closer to Wakanda. To them. Deke Shaw shivered, his wide eyes gazing alongside his grandfather’s. He and Fitz exchanged that look of horror, twisting it to Coulson for an answer. An explanation.

Only there was none.

The Queen Mother Ramonda stood with her youngest child Shuri, she and the Wakandan royal guard standing by and watching events unfold before them, watch travesties befall their people on the battlegrounds below, and witness the towering behemoth of a dragon diverge its attention for their city.

It got to the point where the tremors of the beast’s footsteps could be felt in the War Room. After realizing that the Avengers wouldn’t be able to reach them in time, what with the demon army stopping them from doing just that, Coulson took matters into his own hands once more. He thought about making a call, but knew he wouldn’t even have time for that.

So, instead, he said, “Everyone get to the Zephyr. We need to leave.”

He proceeded towards the exit of the War Room, joined promptly by Loki, Deke, Fitz, and Simmons respectively. But he stopped. Just at the exit he stopped and did a head count. He turned back, Fitz and Simmons doing the same alongside Deke. Even Loki hesitated momentarily. Just momentarily.

And all stared onto the Queen Mother.

“Your Highness,” Phil prompted her, taking a step forward and staring nowhere else. “We need to leave now. You and your daughter, your guards, all of us have to go.”

She stayed right where she was, gazing off through the massive window and onto the battle unfolding for their very world. Her hands gripped each other, shivering slightly over her abdomen. Shuri, confused and nervous, looked to her mother. And Ramonda stared straight ahead, keeping that frozen expression latched with the dragon.

“Mother, we have no choice,” Shuri urged, panic rising in her voice. When Ramonda refused to move, Shuri gripped her arm, pulling with all her might. “Please, mama, we can’t stay here!”

“You can’t stay here.”

Shuri froze. Phil Coulson remained silent, remained out of the conflict between mother and daughter, knowing it was only meant for them. “I know my place,” Ramonda whispered, her lip quivering. The lands before her were being torn asunder, the dragon toppling the outer defenses of the city. Her home. “I was born in this very city… and I will live as long as I can… to die in it. Alongside every Wakandan who gave their lives defending our home… so will I.”

“Your Majesty,” Coulson interrupted, knowing they were desperately running out of time and didn’t need this type of pride getting in their way. “We can’t let you do that.”

“You will, and you must,” Ramonda fiercely stated, jamming her bloodshot eyes over to the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. And when they locked gazes, when Phil stared into her and saw the burning soul that was the Queen Mother, saw the raw determination bleeding from her eyes and flowing down her cheeks like the tears that they were, he knew he couldn’t fight against that. He fought many things in his life, but that was a losing battle. A battle they were already losing time on.

Shoving Shuri along, Ramonda closed her eyes and gasped. “Take my daughter. Keep her safe… away from here!” she cried, Shuri swiping her mother’s hands away, staring at her with disbelief streaming from her tears and expression. But she didn’t move. Her stand was clear, the Queen Mother nodding to Coulson. “Do it… before I change my heart.”

“I’m not leaving you, mama,” Shuri cried, leaping forward and wrapping her arms around her mother’s waist. Simmons whimpered, a hand rising to cover her mouth and shield her cries, but not her tears. Fitz held her close, watching the scene as silently as he could. Shuri dug her head into her mother’s dress, the tears blotting her vision and slurring her voice. “I’m not leaving my home.”

Ramonda held her daughter close, hardly concealing her own tears of pain, of anguish, of terror. She kept the fear inside where it belonged, bringing her daughter’s face close to her own. “Where you go…” Ramonda muttered, taking off her necklace and letting it rest on new shoulders, “… Wakanda lives.”

And Shuri had absolutely nothing to say. Nothing.

“Go… go and don’t come back. Return only to rebuild, my child!” Ramonda called out, pushed her daughter away and into Phil’s arms. She almost fought back, but after staring into her mother’s eyes, seeing the promise, the assurance, and felt Phil’s warmth hold her tight, Shuri calmed herself and… followed them.

She left.

They all did.

Leaving just the few, the brave. The Queen Mother of Wakanda breathed steadily, sharply, more tears boiling in her eyes and slipping down her cheeks to see her daughter for quite possibly the last time. Wiping her cheeks and eyes free of the distractions, Ramonda stepped forth and returned to her position, watching the battle unfold and the dragon zero in on the Golden City.

The Zephyr took off from the landing pad, jetting off far away from the city and towards the impending battle. Ramonda watched.

“You should have gone with them,” she said, knowing only her royal guard remained.

And only one of them responded. “We will never leave your side, Queen Mother.”

Ramonda breathed in sharply through her nostrils, shakily exhaling and watching the buildings tremble and fall once Typhon entered the city. “Wakanda forever.”

All seven heads rose up, all seven mouths opening, a brightness erupting deep within the dark.

“Wakanda forever,” her guards whispered in unison.

6 Miles Outside the Golden City

4:33 p.m.

“There’s way too many!” Star-Lord shouted, the reds of his mask’s eyes darting back to his allies, only to return forward when he blasted a pouncing hellhound right in the chest.

As much as everyone hated to admit it, Peter Quill was right. From the skies blanketed in the darkness of the clouds, the harpies, and the dragons, to the earth filled with stumbling behemoths, cackling demons, and armies upon armies straight from the gaping mouth of Hell, everyone soon came to realize that there was too many. The odds were stacked too high against them. They were being pushed back and hardly making any ground closer to the city.

The city Typhon already breached.

“We gotta fall back!” Steve declared as loud as he possibly could.

“Steve, behind you!” Natasha cried. Spinning about, Steve drove forward with his right fist leading as he punched the snarling hellhound right in its skull, shattering it instantly. The hellhound dropped dead, Steve ripping his eyes back forward with his sweat-drenched hair following him, blowing madly in the chaos.

And what chaos it was.

Fire and death rained down as dead harpies and dragons fell from the onslaught delivered by Tony Stark and James Rhodes. The grounds surrounding the city were filled to the brim with bodies, slashing weapons, claws, and screams. There was hardly any breathing room, and what was given was only taken time and time again by more demons. They kept on coming, all birthed from the serpents on the dragon’s body. And all it was… was that chaos. Nothing else.

Steve flinched. Natasha too. Even Stark high above.

They all did when Phil Coulson’s voice yelled in their comms, “This is Director Coulson on all channels! The Golden City has been breached! This battle is lost! Retreat to the Zephyr One! I repeat, retreat to the Zephyr One!”

At first, people were wondering what he meant by that, then turned to the skies to see a massive jet break through the smoke and fire. It flew clear across the battlefield, away from the fighting and resting just behind the Wakandan forces. The ramp on the backside of the Zephyr opened wide, Coulson himself running down and waving everyone towards him. Towards their escape.

Towards retreat, a word no one wanted to accept.

But knew they had to.

The first people on the jet were Frank Castle and Bucky Barnes, both practically carrying each other up the ramp and into the awaiting arms of Fitz and Simmons to get them the medical attention they deserved. Joining them without questions, without hesitation, were Daisy Johnson and the remaining agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Melinda May limped as she ran, joined quickly by Mack, Yo-Yo, Hunter, Morse, Piper, Davis, Deathlok, and even the Ghost Rider. Robbie Reyes currently, the Spirit returning deep within and leaving Reyes a sputtering mess on the floor of the Zephyr. All that survived were eight other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Just eight. Phil’s heart ached even worse than it had before just counting them.

All it took was one glance for Quill and the other Guardians to call it quits. After seeing the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents book it, that prompted them to follow suit. They had seen the Milano crash ahead earlier, but considering the overwhelming demon army standing in their path to their ship… they didn’t see any other way accept turning back. That’s exactly what they did, Peter Quill leading Gamora, Drax, and Nebula back and into the Zephyr One.

With his mask deteriorating, Quill pressed his comms link and said, “Rocket, if you’re still out there, get to the Zephyr One!”

“The what?!”

“The big black jet! Turn around and you’ll see it!” Quill shouted in irritation, lowering his hand from his ear and turning back alongside Gamora and the others. Staring off towards the world burning down and the battle turning in the enemy’s favor. “Come on, Rocket…”

Deep within the battle, a certain raccoon was busy scrounging around the bodies, observing and admiring the limbs scattered across the landscape, but deciding they were ultimately useless. Groot was busy himself, fending off more and more waves of hellhounds, skeletons, and other beasts of hell while Rocket continued to dig around aimlessly.

“I am Groot?!” Groot called back, twisting his neck back to Rocket. His eyes widened when he saw Rocket still unmoving, still keeping his eyes plastered to the dirt. “I am Groot!”

“What?!” Rocket yelled, scurrying off next to a deceased, demonic lizard, cursing when it wasn’t the right one. “I’m just lookin’ for somethin’! Get Bug Eyes and go on ahead; I’ll catch up with you guys later!”

“I am Groot!”

“I’m serious!”

“I am Groot!”

“It’s not just some ordinary arm! I had my eyes on that bad boy since we landed in this crap hole! Got this big red star on it and everything! Oh, man, the units I can get with that thing—!”

“I am Groot!”

“Don’t you tell me what to do, Groot!”

“I am Groot!”

“I know we’re out of time, but seriously—!”

“I am Groot!”

“But—!”

“I. Am. Groot!”

“Ugh, fine!” Rocket admitted defeat, rushing over to the Milano and pulling Mantis right out of the cockpit. When Groot came to their aid, he wrapped his roots safely around Mantis’ body, carrying her clear across the battlefield to their retreat. But Rocket hesitated, looking to the demolished remains of the Milano and sighing.

“Arm looked like a piece of junk anyway.”

He joined his fellow Guardians in the Zephyr One soon enough.

Joining them were the Defenders, all four of them nearly collapsing as they made their way safely into the Zephyr’s embrace. Matthew took the moment to catch his breath, listening to his and all of his friends’ heartbeats to ensure everyone was accounted for. There was Rand safe and sound sitting next to Jessica, Luke leaning against the Zephyr’s walls. All of them absolutely spent. Then came Doctor Strange, settling himself away from everyone else to take a seat in the far-off corner of the ship. His head fell into his hand, Matthew hearing his heart beating harder than everyone else’s, aching far worse than anyone’s ever could. Matt leaned on that, then turned quickly to the approaching hearts.

Tony Stark flew inside, his mask materializing back and turning around to see Rhodes do the same. In came Parker, the Spider-Man’s mask retreating and revealing his sweat-covered face and horror-filled eyes. Then Sam Wilson. Then Thor. Then Natasha and finally Steve Rogers. It seemed like everyone did a headcount, specifically Coulson and Rogers. As they counted away, both men seemed to come to the same conclusion, their meet meeting and sharing the same feelings.

Steve ran back out and stood on the ramp, shouting, “T’Challa!”

Black Panther sliced the throat of a thrashing demon, twisting back to gaze onto the call of the First Avenger. Beyond the blood-soaked and body-infested battleground, the lone Zephyr One sat on the grass, its ramp extended, so many souls inside and awaiting just the few more. Upon it, Steve Rogers called to them, waved them forward, and shouted, “Get on board! We need to leave now!”

Steve’s heart dropped when he saw T’Challa shake his head.

“You may all leave… but it is not your city that is in danger! It is not your people who need protecting!” T’Challa shouted in return.

M’Baku slammed his club against the skeletal head of the demon, crushing it, killing it. Standing above it alongside his Jabari Tribe as they glared down and chanted to the oncoming waves of Typhon’s children.

“We will stay!” the king screamed.

Nakia, Okoye, and Ayo cleared the path alongside the Dora Milaje and Border Tribe, leaving the lands bare and awaiting the oncoming forces of evil. The awaiting forces of Wakanda. They gripped their weapons tight, vibranium shimmering under the sun.

“We will fight as one!” King T’Challa bellowed, roared so loud that everyone heard him. Everyone got behind him. Everyone stared in the same direction as their king and saw the waves upon waves of demons flooding the lands separating them from their city.

And everyone watched the seven-headed dragon enter it.

“We will die to defend our home!” Black Panther roared.

The Hulk did, too.

They all did, charging forth alongside the Black Panther towards the impending clash. An army of demons, of alien reptiles, of monsters straight from Greek legend itself all roared in response, charging together to meet the Wakandan army halfway. Some ran on two legs, others on all fours, almost all of them brandishing a sword, an axe, a scythe, any form of weapon that could kill, maim, and scar. And they all ran. They all screamed, rivaling the Wakandans in their own battle cry.

With the Hulk raging by their side, T’Challa and his army rushed forth towards their city, to the overwhelming odds, and stood against it. Fought against it. Fought against fate and the very universe itself. Because when their armies clashed, when the bodies fell and blood soaked the air, all that mattered was that who remained standing, who stood against the fallen and raised the flag of victory. T’Challa could see no flag in sight, just unending waves of death and destruction awaiting them.

He thought that was all he could see.

He wanted desperately to just see that. But no…

Fate saw differently.

When the two armies were only a hundred yards away and closing in, T’Challa found his eyes shifting ominously upwards, beyond his own will, to the unnatural sound bellowing above and beyond. Above and beyond, standing within the Golden City, the demonic dragon slowly curled its seven necks backwards. Slowly but surely raised them high into the air. Altogether, in perfect synchronization, all seven jaws fell at the same time.

T’Challa stopped dead in his tracks.

As did M’Baku.

As did Okoye.

Ayo.

And Nakia.

The Wakandan army continued to charge ahead and past them, leaving the leaders gazing to the same thing, leaving them as the two armies neared closer and closer. But they never made it. Neither side clashed with the other.

All there was… was fire.

From the jaws of the mighty Typhon, an unbridled flame boiled deep from within the beast’s wicked heart and soul. And from all seven jaws, towers of fire expelled directly downwards, straight into the city, filling the darkness with the brightest light anyone could have imagined. The flames continued to rain down from the jaws of the dragon, impact the capital city, and burn it to its very core.

The fire shot out like a shock wave initially, the firestorm shattering buildings and creating an explosion so immense and so powerful that the blast shot out across the entire city. Buildings crumbled. Lands erupted into pure fire. Across all the valleys surrounding it. The wave of fire decimated everything in its path, shredding trees and scorching rivers into nothing but blackness. It even reached the army of demons, engulfing every last one of them in the storm. But it wasn’t finished. Far from it.

The wave washed over the entire demon army and kept spreading further and further…

And further…

Never stopping.

Even for the Wakandans.

T’Challa’s eyes widened, the king shielding his face with his forearms as the fire washed over him. Over everyone. Several Wakandans cried out, tried to run away, tried to raise their shields, tried to fall behind a rock, a tree, anything for cover but it was all pointless. Their cries were instantly silenced as the wave of fire and death washed over the African plains and engulfed it all within a fiery inferno.

Zephyr One picked up, barely escaping the flames and knocking Steve Rogers back inside, the ramp closing and everyone trapped in a perpetual state of darkness and uncertainty. A darkness that could only spread, only grow, only infect as the fire finally died and the smoke began to rise.

Within that darkness, only one body remained standing.

T’Challa slowly, shakily lowered his arms and observed the aftermath. His eyes opened.

He breathed.

He coughed.

He lost that breath.

The valleys surrounding the Golden City were no longer lush with grass and flowing rivers. Instead, they were filled with flame and cinder, the blackness of the smoke infecting even the earth itself. Everything was black, burned to a crisp from the wave of fire. In the distance, T’Challa witnessed what remained of the Golden City, his home, his kingdom… just burn.

Just… burn.

A horrific mushroom cloud hung higher than any building Wakanda could have constructed, mixed with the fires that engulfed the city and burned the plains surrounding it. The blackness of the smoke in the air and death of the grasslands infected the cloud, a burning fireball glowing deep from within it. It rained down ashes. Black ashes. Glowing red ashes. Almost every horrific color imaginable.

T’Challa stepped forward, his breath shivering, his body quaking, like he was lost. In a dream. A nightmare. Anything but reality. But he fell to his knees anyways, let the tears burn in his eyes and flow freely down his cheeks when he saw them.

When his mask materialized away and he saw them.

His people were gone. Just husks of burnt bodies. Okoye, Ayo, M’Baku…

T’Challa cried out, his jaw open wide but refusing to close when he saw her face. What remained of it. “… Nakia!”

Her body lied with the others, remained just as scorched and shredded as everything else. Everyone else. All around him, all T’Challa could see where bodies once the smoke cleared. There was nothing else, no other armies, no other glories, but death itself. But even in that death, in that frozen state of nightmarish shock, T’Challa found no glory in it. There was no glory in having given their lives for their home because there was no home.

Not anymore.

He fell to his knees as his country was in flames. As all the Earth and Equus were in flames.

And he screamed. Screamed so loud that he rivaled that of Typhon’s roars to the heavens above, all seven heads rising from the smoke and fire and crying out to the skies. Crying out to Earth. To Equus. To the universe.

Hulk rose up at long last, pants burning, gazing skyward to see the Zephyr One hover slowly down to him and the Black Panther.

Author's Note

Chapter 80 – Nothing Lasts Forever

Equus

Ponyville, Equestria

Days Later

12:23 p.m.

Fog and mist covered the air and filled the valleys, the dark gray clouds high overhead threatening a storm, but never delivering. The air smelled. Not natural. Anything but. Darkness, complete and utter darkness blanketed Southern Equestria and the Badlands. Somehow, someway, that darkness made its way to the north, infecting every land and every city within its veil. And it smelled.

Smelled of fire. Of sulfur. Of death.

Yet the silence was the worst. From the peaks behind Canterlot Mountain, to the very dwellings of Ponyville below, there was not a sound to be heard. No animals. No wind. No ponies. Just nothing. Just like Canterlot.

Nothing there. Just like Ponyville.

Hardly a thing left.

A valley of desolation filled what remained of the once joyous town in the heart of Equestria. Homes that once housed the love and friendship of ponies, families, anyone who looked for a better life were toppled over, burnt to near-indistinction. Hardly a single home remained standing, the husks and skeletons of what once lived and held were hunched over, kneeling in defeat. In death. Only Town Hall stood fully, but even it was devastated, nearly beyond repair, the fog and mist swirling the grounds and the building like slithering serpents on the constant hunt.

But they weren’t there for Town Hall.

Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts had a mission and it was clear.

Their hooves clopping and pattering across the dirt roads was the only sound for miles. It sounded that way at least, Rainbow managing to catch the slight creak of a desolate building hardly standing, swaying in the silent wind. Spitfire, Soarin, Fleetfoot, and the rest of the Wonderbolt squadron trailed right behind Rainbow Dash, she and Spitfire leading the way through the ghost town.

Sometimes they would fly behind large piles of debris, constantly keeping their heads on a swivel, eyes to the sky, and peering through the fog. Just because they didn’t see any threats didn’t mean nobody was watching them. Hunting them. Their defenses and guards were on high alert, ultimately pushing forward in silence through the graveyard of homes.

And sometimes they would cross that graveyard, see the burnt husks of bodies lying together on the dirt, nearly shielded by debris and ash. It could never cover them. It could never shield the frozen faces of pure horror laced on the corpses molded against the earth. Rainbow kept her eyes forward, on the mission, and dared not turn to them. Dared not to see the true face of evil and depravity that surrounded her. She and the Wonderbolts moved on, their hooves pushing past or stepping over the risen mounds of scorched dirt.

Until finally they found it.

Rainbow’s heart fell when they found it. Her expression nearly shattered, but she remained strong. She remained together just long enough so nopony could see her crumble.

But she stumbled. She stumbled and walked through the remains of what once was. The crystal that once shimmered a bright and brilliant blue and violet were just gray. Dead as the clouds in the sky and the dirt on the ground. Rainbow could barely identify the debris she walked through as the crystal castle she and her closest friends spent so many days in, lived so much of their lives within, plotted and planned and laughed and sang within. She couldn’t even see that same light, feel that same warmth, those same smiles and laughter that filled the hallways. It was all gone, faded away alongside the smoke and fog that swam across and flew away from the remains.

From the remains of the Castle of Friendship.

Never in her life did Rainbow Dash imagine such a symbol of power and magic could fall. The Castle of Friendship not only represented Princess Twilight’s authority throughout all of Equestria and beyond, but it showed the world who had saved it multiple times, unveiled the magic of friendship to every nation, every species, and every threat that dared to harm Equestria or the world. With the Castle of Friendship standing, it told the world that the Elements of Harmony lived. They stood together. They were united and everypony knew it.

The whole world knew it.

Rainbow Dash’s hoof dug through the wreckage, unveiling a small gem within the carnage. Her eyes adjusted, pupils slowly widening when she witnessed the single image within the crystal. A single image of her, Twilight, and the rest of their friends sharing a group hug, bright smiles on their faces. Instantly, the image brought Rainbow back to simpler times, remembering keenly the exact moment the memory was taken from. The moment she learned that her Sonic Rainboom, the Sonic Rainboom, was so strong, so immense that it singlehoofedly helped each of her friends earn their cutie marks at the same time. They hugged when they realized that, when they realized that destiny itself brought them together. That it was their destiny to be the best of friends.

She saw that, felt it, remembered the memory within the crystal like it was yesterday. A simple gem held that much power. A gem that joined the others by the decimated remains of the Golden Oak Library’s roots when Rainbow relinquished it from her hoof. It was so weak, so utterly dead that the gem cracked once it impacted a shard of crystal from the castle. Cracked right down the middle.

Rainbow paid it no heed and moved on, rummaged about alongside the rest of the Wonderbolts. That memory wasn’t the mission.

When they finally came across it…

Everypony’s hearts seemed to deflate. But it was Rainbow Dash’s expressions that fell the hardest, was struck first, and felt the full weight of the impact.

The Cutie Map and the accompanying thrones surrounding it were destroyed. Crushed, shattered, demolished beneath the remains of the roots of the Golden Oaks Library. At first, Rainbow nor any of the Wonderbolts even noticed them. They were so perfectly blended in with the rest of the chaos that they didn’t expect to see them so… broken. But there it lay, crushed under the weight of the loss of the Castle of Friendship.

Under the weight of their loss.

Removing her goggles, Fleetfoot sighed and looked about, eventually returning her gaze to the shattered map and thrones. “The princesses ain’t gonna like this,” she muttered. Numerous other Wonderbolts ultimately sighed alongside her, keeping their eyes to the dark gray clouds, to the fog slithering around them. Waiting for anything to happen.

But it was Rainbow Dash who made the call.

Her right ear flicked upwards, Rainbow standing still and straight like an alert canine. Several other Wonderbolts followed her, especially Spitfire, the two mares turning accordingly to the disturbance. Spitfire had to remove her goggles to see them, but Rainbow had already spotted the lights in the sky.

Chitauri. A lot of them. Many chariots and many starships heading right in their direction.

Too many.

Without a word, Rainbow zipped off at lightning speed towards the graveyard of houses and used them for cover. Spitfire raised her left wing and made a silent signal to the rest of the Wonderbolts, donning her goggles and retreating right alongside Rainbow Dash. The Wonderbolts vanished in seconds, retreated through the fog, debris, and mist that filled Ponyville.

All of them returning to safety within the most dangerous forest in all of Equestria.

Everfree Forest

Castle of the Two Sisters

12:31 p.m.

Friday did everything that was asked of her. The AI made no complaints, gave no opinion, but followed every order given to her from Princess Twilight, from Applejack, from anypony that needed assistance.

There were a lot. Nearly all of the Great Hall within the Castle of the Two Sisters was filled with ponies. From families grieving the loss of their loved ones during the desolation of Ponyville, to familiar faces sitting around, receiving rations and lunch from the likes of Zecora, Pinkie Pie, and numerous other ponies willing to help. Friday was grateful she wasn’t alone in that regard. Even the Cutie Mark Crusaders, not finding much reason to smile, chose to when they went around and asked if anypony needed anything. Some food. Some water. More blankets, pillows, anything.

The Great Hall was near-madness, ponies shuffling about to and fro, constantly moving and constantly keeping folks alive. Being the suit of armor that she was, Friday easily towered over everypony present. Big McIntosh nearly rivaled her, but came short. Like they all did. He was helping as well, taking good care of Sugar Belle and the rest of the Apple Family. Pretty much all of the Elements were helping out, alongside Capper, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike bustling about, asking if anypony needed anything to keep them as comfortable as possible. The expansive halls of the Castle of the Two Sisters shielded the inhabitants of Ponyville from the rest of the world, but it was hardly a place to live considering its conditions. It was hardly a place to call home. But it was shelter. It was safe. Princess Twilight always wanted to renovate and repair the castle. An old dream of hers, abandoned when things changed. Yet a part of her always wanted to return to finish what she started.

Things always changed. Friday’s eyes shifted over to the pony in question, watching as Twilight Sparkle flew about the Great Hall, landing only to confront old friends, injured ponies, and ask if they were okay. If they needed anything. Even in times of crisis, when the world needed the leadership from the Princess of Friendship, she still found time to remain on the earth, remain tied to reality and be as humbled as she could manage.

Besides, the world had another princess to look to for that leadership.

Friday’s eyes shifted over to the balcony overlooking the Great Hall. Standing dead center upon the balcony, with what little light managed to break through the windows and the clouds from the sun that wasn’t hers anymore, Princess Celestia watched the noise and bustle travel throughout the castle. Throughout her old castle, a place she once called home.

By her side, Stygian remained, the last Pillar of Equestria being her only form of communication with the rest of the world. Every minute or two, a letter would arrive via magic from Stygian’s horn. It was a simple mailing spell, mastered by dragons, but ponies could achieve it as well. Even for somepony not as gifted as Stygian, he studied hard. He learned fast. He was able to receive and transmit scrolls and letters for Princess Celestia whenever the moment arrived.

The princess stared onto the ponies she and Zecora helped round together and bring to refuge. The Great Hall was nearly filled to the brim with ponies and even more families. That didn’t even count the hallways, the multiple guest rooms, and numerous others. Celestia’s only regret was that she couldn’t save more. The noise assaulted Celestia’s eardrums, her ears flickering every second or so. Despite the noise and the commotion traveling throughout the Great Hall—and very well the rest of the castle—Celestia found some mild assurance knowing that she kept a sound barrier around the castle grounds. Another simple spell, blocking out every sound they made from the rest of the world. For all their enemies knew, the castle was as dead as the rest of Ponyville.

As dead as Canterlot.

As dead as most of Equestria.

Princess Celestia closed her eyes and breathed in steadily. She exhaled shakily, her mane hardly flowing, hardly remaining alive and vibrant. The past several days had been the hardest she had ever experienced. The hardest all of Equestria and the world had ever experienced. The greatest storm she had ever faced. Her allies in the east suffered just as hard. Celestia hadn’t received word from Queen Novo and her allies in days. Their enemies filled Equestria’s skies and grounds and there was no telling how immense they were, where they would strike next. Every form of military power Equestria knew were either scattered or destroyed. All Celestia really had left were the Wonderbolts, and they hadn’t returned yet from their mission. Celestia wanted to keep the hope that they were just running late, that they found something.

Anything.

But she knew not to keep such hopes up. Not after Canterlot. Not after the world fell from her.

From deep below, standing amongst the masses, Celestia’s eyes met that of Friday’s. The AI’s cool, blue gaze stared deep into the princess’ pondering look, her furrowed brow, her ancient and weary eyes. For some reason, some odd… twisted reason, Princess Celestia found Friday’s stare to be somewhat… haunting. The blank expression of the Iron Man mask, the still posture, the unblinking eyes staring only on Celestia as the world around her cried and moved on, aided and suffered, watched as the highest form of authority stared down at them. Watched them suffer under her stare.

She closed her eyes and broke away instantly when that thought entered her.

And Friday watched as she turned and left the Great Hall, head held low, wings small by her sides. Trying to look as utterly small as possible. Practically dragging herself and her very soul out from everypony’s view.

“Friday, could you help us gather more water from the river?” Fluttershy’s voice called.

Friday did everything that was asked of her. The AI made no complaints, gave no opinion, but followed every order given to her. Every single one.

The halls were ancient. So very cold and haunting. So very lifeless and obsolete. Like ghosts. Like her.

Like Celestia as she passed through them.

Asking to be left alone, Princess Celestia couldn’t even watch as Stygian broke away, turned to make his way back to the Great Hall and aid anypony that needed the assistance. He assured her he would return if anymore letters arrived. Celestia said nothing but offer a mild nod in return. She didn’t know if Stygian saw it or not. His retreating hoofsteps was answer enough, their vibrations and echoes following her for hallways on end.

The quiet shards of armor lined the halls she traversed, Celestia recounting times when ponies actually wore such armor. The kind of ponies who wouldn’t have hesitated in following the princesses of Equestria into battle, the kind that would rush through the fires of Tartarus itself as long as the princesses were by their side. Celestia had decorated the castle with such armor to remember the heroism, the courage they fought alongside in the past. The kind that helped them fight against all forms of evil that threatened their home. Now they just stood there, that courage and heroism collecting dust and staring blankly at the princess that failed.

Watching her keep her head held low, her eyes nearly closed, and practically dragging her tail into the room she retreated into. Away from their stares. Away from the darkness.

The light clung to her like the ghostly arms of past sins. It sunk in through the window, the fog in the air making the light appear as white as snow, fill the dark room with enough natural light to keep her company. She didn’t need company. One of the reasons she wished to be alone was for that. Probably the worst place to retreat to would be her old reading room, the same room she and Luna shared so many years ago. A lifetime ago.

That’s exactly where she went, not following rhyme or reason and only letting her mind, her heart, her soul lead her to a place of solitude. The only place in the dead and cold castle she could find comfort once again. It came not. The ghostly hands from the white light consumed her as Celestia fell into its grasp, the Princess of Sun staring only to the dusty pillows and blankets strewn throughout the room’s flooring.

Her eyes trailed to a lone pillow with the sun stitched to its face. Celestia almost smiled, fondly thinking of Twilight. Her old apprentice truly did wish to make the old place feel like home again. Then her eyes froze, her smile faded away like the light from the clouds when her gaze paused to the other pillow lying next to it, its face hidden underneath the large blanket. Cautiously, Celestia raised her shivering hoof and pushed the blanket aside, gazing onto the dark blue pillow.

Onto the crescent moon stitched upon it.

The sudden impact and thrust Celestia felt drove straight into her heart, the Alicorn gasping and seeing only flashes. She remembered days prior, gazing onto the burning husk of dust and debris that dropped from Canterlot Mountain. Simply dropped and impacted the earth with such ferocity that it shook the world to its core. Shook Celestia herself to the deepest and dearest parts of her she never even imagined existed.

Then the blast came, right from the five glowing gems upon the golden gauntlet.

It struck her with such raw power that Celestia couldn’t even scream in time. Her body hurtled through the air and above the trees with speeds she had never traveled, crashed through the concrete ceiling with force she had never exerted. She demolished and tore through the castle floors until she came to a painful stop. Finally stopped and breathed again. The blast she experienced from the Infinity Stones was meant to kill her. Death would have been a privilege, an escape from Tartarus itself, but fate deemed otherwise. Fate wished to torture the Princess of the Sun and kept her alive through every excruciating second when she crashed, skidded, and came to a stop and realization by the foot of her old throne.

By the feet of her own and her sister’s thrones.

The darkness of the Castle of the Two Sisters devoured her, entrapped Princess Celestia within its walls once again. The ancient thrones glared down upon her, one cast in the light, the other in darkness. Celestia’s old throne was far from the sunlight.

Yet her sister’s shined under its warmth, a warmth Celestia would never feel again.

She collapsed right then and there, clutching the dark blue pillow close to her heart, crying.

Crying so loud it echoed throughout the castle halls. Wailing in lament, heartbreak, able to escape the castle itself but never allow the world to hear it.

Chapter 81 – The Art of Deceit

Sanctuary II

2:39 p.m.

Thanos hadn’t thought much of the art of deceit. All his life he had known that the only path to survival was to remain truthful, stick to your beliefs and fight the universe itself for them. Anyone who saw such beliefs and tried to deny them, tried to foolishly stand in the way of what was true… then they were a hindrance. A threat. Any and all threats that stood in the path to truth and destiny needn’t stand for long. Thanos did well to communicate to all his truth, the only path to salvation for the universe.

And they denied him. So many planets denied him.

But Thanos knew he could not hold the truth from them. He needed all life to understand what must be done to save the universe—no matter how horrible or genocidal it may be—because his home planet faced extinction. His home planet of Titan refused to understand the truth and look where it got them: a barren wasteland, the titan race extinguished, leaving just Thanos the sole survivor of his own apocalypse. If there was a chance, just a moment Thanos could go back and prevent his home world’s destruction, ignore the politics and the voices of his people and do what had to be done…

He could. He could use the Time Stone right then and there and stop the inevitable. But he didn’t. Thanos knew he couldn’t, otherwise he would have never begun his journey to save the universe, his path to save numerous worlds from facing extinction. Though they cursed his name before, they would surely praise it now for the prosperity and health he brought upon their worlds. Billions dead to save trillions more. Trillions to die to save countless others. There was no arguing that logic. Thanos knew he was right with every shred and fiber of his very being. He would spread that truth through every planet, every galaxy, until all the universe knew it and believed it as he did.

Yet the art of deceit intrigued him.

Thanos hardly ever lied. The only times he ever did was to his children, ensuring that they never learned it yet experienced it all the same. Hide them from the horrors he committed when they were younger, only wanting them to follow him later in their lives. Be his successors in a way if he couldn’t achieve his destiny. It was what he did with Gamora, with Nebula, with the others. Only one truly rose amongst them to be his true successor, and there she stood. Against him. How fate truly was cruel.

Other than that, Thanos hardly ever lied. He kept his word when it mattered, and when it mattered to him… he never broke it. He felt some common ground between him the titan serpent, actually saw a piece of himself in those hellish red eyes. A being who lost something precious, something they could never get back, but used it as a means to bring forth true salvation, true reclamation. When Thanos saw that in Typhon’s eyes, he knew he wasn’t alone in the universe. There were others who wanted to change fate, and Typhon was one of them, wrongfully persecuted for just wanting to give his children a home.

Wrongfully taken from me. My world. My people.

Thanos closed his eyes and breathed. His breath was nearly frozen, the fog exiting his nostrils and fading away in the darkness of Sanctuary II.

When he opened his eyes, he saw those giant, leathery wings expand, take off towards the skies, and strike the Earth with enough force to shatter a continent. It didn’t, thankfully, and Typhon only proceeded to burn the nation of Wakanda to its core. Claim its riches… and slowly proceed to claim the greatest prize of all. It would not be long before Typhon discovered the location of the Soul Stone, claim it for himself, wrongfully turning his back against Thanos even after their deal. Their promises.

Yet Thanos knew he somehow shattered that promise. The only reason for Typhon to try and claim the Soul Stone for himself and prevent Thanos from achieving his destiny would be if Thanos had turned against him prior. True, Thanos may have twisted his words against Typhon, who never picked up on it, but even then there was still a world for him to take, a species for him to rule. All Thanos tried to do was save it beforehand by cleansing half of it.

The art of deceit truly worked wonders. But Thanos…

All he could hear were those simple words…

They were mine to kill.

Thanos stared onto the mists of the Frozen North approaching. That’s what they called it, the ponies of Equestria. They called it the Frozen North and Thanos now knew why it was so.

If you would take what’s mine… I shall take what’s yours.

The princesses and the Pillars, numerous leaders of Equestria whom Thanos hadn’t known prior to his first steps in Equus. Or maybe he did. Maybe those dreams he had of Equus years ago told him more than he could remember. Maybe he truly did turn his word against Typhon… but only when it mattered. When he claimed the Mind Stone, there they stood in his way, the princesses and the Pillars of Equestria. They threatened him with death, threatened to stop him from achieving his destiny and actually attempted to remove the Infinity Gauntlet from his grasp. A mistake.

One they learned.

When his destiny was on the line, any promise made, any deal struck, any word given could be easily broken. Nothing else truly mattered other than fulfilling his destiny and saving the universe. When it came down to it, in the end, nothing else would matter other than gazing onto that sunrise and watch a grateful universe thank him for a job well done. A moment of rest that would remain too far from his grasp currently. Anyone who tried to prevent that wouldn’t for long. No princess. No Pillar. No Avenger.

Not even Typhon.

The snow impacted the hardened windshield of Sanctuary II, no other sound but Thanos’ own breathing keeping him company in the darkness, in the towering walls of black glaring down upon the Mad Titan. It was slightly below freezing, but Sanctuary II provided enough warmth through the storm. Even then, Thanos’ breaths froze in the air, but he didn’t care.

He stopped the Chitauri invasion on Equus shortly after Typhon’s betrayal. Every last Command Center abandoned the attack and instead diverged their attention onto Earth by Thanos’ command. They circled the only nation that mattered, numbering in the dozens as they swarmed the lone nation of Wakanda. As it burned. As the storm covered nearly all of the continent of Africa and centered solely on Wakanda, where the beast hunted.

Where the Soul Stone remained hidden. But not forever.

The time would come when Thanos and his children took the fight to Wakanda. In the meantime, a certain thorn in his side had long overstayed its welcome. The Crystal Empire it was called, a shield with enough strength that Thanos had yet to see for himself still holding. Stronger than the shield over the Golden City. Stronger than the shield over Canterlot, his Chitauri told him. The magic within the shield was able to destroy numerous Command Centers with pure ease, stopping them before they could even reach the empire. That magic somehow even managed to destroy several more Command Centers throughout Equestria. It had persisted longer than it should have, murdered thousands of more Chitauri than it ever should have. No more. With just the Sanctuary II, Thanos personally led his army deeper into the Frozen North, where the Crystal Empire remained waiting.

Where another threat would soon be dealt with.

Which reminded him…

For many days now and counting, Thanos had spent particular attention to the Outriders who returned to him to inform the Mad Titan of another threat, another of Equus. Intrigued, Thanos looked further into the so-called “threat”. To say he was impressed and interested was all he could give. There were no other words Thanos could use.

No words to describe the growing army led by Queen Novo and Tempest Shadow.

Of all the foes that stood in his path, Tempest was certainly one that caught his eye. He had watched her invade the Dragon Lands with an army of Hippogriffs, hold her own even against Chitauri Elite and numerous other foot soldiers. When he had heard word of the very same pony leading an army of dragons onto his Command Center and destroying it in one blast…

Now that made Thanos smile.

There were very few ponies on Equus who had earned his attention, earned that minimal semblance of respect that Thanos could offer. One of those ponies was Twilight Sparkle. The Princess of Friendship seemingly vanished from sight. Not even his Outriders could find her or her allies. And the other pony was her. Tempest Shadow.

Her allies had managed to destroy several of his Command Centers, slaughter thousands of his Chitauri, prevent Equus from experiencing salvation. But for some reason… Thanos found no reason to be discouraged. They were nowhere to be found and Thanos was not worried in the slightest. With his promise shattered to Typhon, then what truly mattered?

Only one thing…

His destiny.

Though he would have never shown it, Thanos eagerly awaited the moment he confronted the unicorn. Tempest Shadow would certainly be a worthy opponent. The others… they were fodder. All of them. The Crystal Empire was a nuisance that would be dealt with personally and swiftly. Tempest, however… she intrigued him. If he ever did confront her, he would wish for her to know of the respect she earned. It was all he could offer her before she, too, would fall.

The skies cleared and Thanos saw it. The Crystal Empire and the bright shield that protected the mighty utopia. Thanos’ smile left him, a smile brought forth from thinking of that broken unicorn, and he returned to the mission. To his destiny.

His gauntlet tightened into a fist and all five Infinity Stones shimmered upon it. It never felt so bare, especially the largest, darkest hole resting on the face of the Infinity Gauntlet.

Chapter 82 – Graviton

Earth

Lake Ontario, USA

The Lighthouse

5:20 p.m.

When Daisy Johnson, Melinda May, Leopold Fitz, Jemma Simmons, and pretty much every agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. made their way into their secret underground bunker beneath the lighthouse, they found it hardly held together.

Nearly destroyed.

Every hall, every wall, every computer, and even the ceiling itself… just demolished.

The group walked into what appeared to be a scrapyard of cement and electronics, wires hanging from what remained of the ceiling and gentle sparks dancing within the darkened areas. The evening sun shone heavy upon what remained of the Lighthouse, exposing the bunker to the world, showing what remained of S.H.I.E.L.D. and hiding nothing.

They were supposed to return home, gather any remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents there were for the Helicarrier. There weren’t many survivors.

Bodies littered the floor, agents wearing lab coats or body armor strewn together, mixed in a heap of torn flesh by the collapsed structure of the bunker. Very few rooms remained intact, and the ones that did held little of value. With every failure to make contact, Daisy’s heart continuously fell further and further into the abyss, her skin turning pale white when they came across it. There was only one room left, one room untouched by the chaos.

Gabriel Reyes’ guest room.

Deathlok didn’t hesitate and ripped the metal door off its hinges, tossing it aside and allowing the rest of the agents to enter by him. Apart from the assault rifle jammed in their direction from the lone S.H.I.E.L.D. agent guarding the pack of scientists and technicians, everyone remained calm. And within the group, being shielded by even those without a weapon, Gabe Reyes sat still in his wheelchair, eyes cooling with relief to see Daisy Johnson and the other agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Melinda instantly eased the tension, asking the lone soldier what happened while they were gone, and why they didn’t bother to contact them. One of the scientists answered while Daisy knelt in front of Gabe, asking if he was all right. He was. The scientist, in the meantime, began to explain, saying that after the Gravitonium breach in the Lighthouse, all communications were cut following the explosions that nearly caused the bunker to collapse in on itself. Fitz and Simmons turned to one another, then asked again about the Gravitonium.

Asked where it was.

The group dispersed after that, Deathlok taking the remaining survivors and wheeling Reyes onto Zephyr One to reunite with his older brother. That single scientist, covered from head to toe in dust, blood, and grime led Daisy, May, Fitz, and Simmons directly into the laboratories. What was left of them. They were in even worse condition than the rest of the Lighthouse, what seemed to be the aftermath of a megaton explosion directly in the heart of it all. More importantly… the Particle Infusion Chamber was destroyed. Exploded from the inside.

And the safe holding the Gravitonium was also destroyed.

And it really didn’t help that the cage holding Glenn Talbot was empty.

It didn’t take a S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist to put two and two together.

Phil had warned May and Johnson about Talbot’s status, his mind, his current condition and how unstable he was. For all they knew, HYDRA still had control of his mind and he was out there wreaking havoc beyond comprehension. With the Gravitonium… the pieces of the puzzle were slowly coming together. The future they had dreaded for days on end, the world shattered and humanity under the enslavement of the Kree slowly started to become more and more of a reality. They wanted to act on it. Dammit, May knew she wanted to lead a group of agents and track Talbot down and put a stop to him before he caused some serious and irreplaceable damage with the Gravitonium.

But they couldn’t. With their current status, they just couldn’t waste time trying to find Talbot… wherever he was in the world. Their focus was on the Avengers, stopping Thanos’ goal, and saving the universe. It hurt like absolute hell to accept that, to turn away from fate and the impending future that awaited them and their world. It hurt so much to face away and make an escape to Zephyr One, leaving their only other home behind in shambles.

But not before Daisy led Fitz and Simmons to her own room, where she revealed to them the bag she kept hidden under her bed. The same bag, when handed to Fitz and Simmons and zipped open, contained the Centipede Serum and Daisy’s own mother’s bones.

The two looked into the bag, then to Daisy’s hardened expression. Not a single crack. She said, “You have all you need. Use it to make a cure…”

“For Phil?” Fitz asked, prompted, led the Inhuman on.

Daisy’s eyes fell, a sharp inhale of air filling her chest and nearly making her shudder. She nodded regardless. “Don’t tell him… please.”

They didn’t. They wouldn’t. With what was at stake, losing someone so close to them, someone like a leader to them, would completely destroy them. They didn’t need that with the universe at stake. They didn’t need that plaguing their minds. So, with the bag in tow, Fitz and Simmons followed Daisy out of her room and towards the Zephyr One. The last souls out of the Lighthouse, carrying the bag close to heart and never letting it go.

Never letting them go.

The ingredients to save Phil Coulson’s life. Never letting him go.

The Zephyr One flew up to the invisible Helicarrier and it was so, so quiet.

Chapter 83 – It Came from the Earth

Equus

Above the World

3:45 p.m.

Tempest Shadow jolted up from the mattress, gasping for air and crying in pain.

Her horn was on fire. Whatever was left of her horn was burning with agony. In an attempt to calm it, Tempest tightened her jaw, seethed through clenched teeth, and gently prodded the wounded horn. It wasn’t just the horn when she finally felt it. Her forehead, her mind, her entire skull was practically splitting open. If Tempest had no other purpose in her life, she would have wished to die right then and there to stop the pain. But she did have a purpose.

Instantly, ancient memories flushed throughout her boggled and thumping mind. She remembered seeing Panthera burn as her airship left the thousands to perish and cry. She saw the city of Hippogriffia under siege, the seas filled with corpses and the skies blotted with fire and darkness. The Dragon Lands were torn by a fierce invasion straight from the clouds, the scorched lands only further resembling the molten face of Tartarus itself by the time they had saved it. Even Griffonstone, a city under siege, Tempest leading the charge with dragons, Hippogriffs, and the whole lot that followed as she drove her magic straight into the bottom of the erupting warship.

Then the light showered over her. Not even able to light up the darkness.

But that purpose was still there, still as evident as the day the Storm King betrayed and attempted to kill her. At that moment, Tempest knew she would undo every wrong her old master had committed upon the world, and that led her and her new allies towards several subjected and enslaved locations. Each one worst than the last. And each one they freed.

What little good that mattered now considering the circumstances.

Nevertheless, Tempest Shadow was nothing short of relentless. And stubborn. Allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness, Tempest instantly noticed her surroundings. The bed she was in belonged to her. The poorly-lit room was the captain’s quarters. Her room. The constant shake and shiver and bounce and turn of the floor beneath her allowed Tempest to realize she was still on her airship. Looks like they somehow made it out. That gave Tempest some semblance of rest, though it didn’t aid the ripping pain in her skull.

As the ship continued to rock against the heavy winds outside, the convulsions really didn’t help Tempest recover any faster. She groaned, trying to push the blankets off of her and take the first steps to recovery. The moment her hoof was pressed to the wooden flooring, however, Tempest instantly buckled, like all the strength she thought she had recovered just vanished. Crying out, Tempest fell to the floor, hooves outstretched and catching her the moment her muzzle nearly connected.

She breathed where she lay, feeling quite utterly small and defeated but nonetheless still alive. Her body ached and her mind quaked, but her heart still beat. She was still alive. The door opened and Tempest lifted her eyes to it.

There stood Grubber with a fresh washcloth and a bowl of hot tomato soup. Of which was practically launched into the air when Grubber spotted Tempest prone on the floor, the bowl flipping and landing perfectly on his dome. The steam from the red-hot soup radiated off of Grubber’s face, the pudgy hedgehog screaming even louder than Tempest had when she fell. He pried the bowl from his face, quickly applying the washcloth onto his head, face, and eyes. It provided minimal recovery, but it helped. Kind of.

Of all the times Tempest didn’t need a headache…

She groaned, trying to stand and only shakily rising to all four hooves. She was surprised to say the least to see Grubber instantly arrive by her side, offering his aid and bringing Tempest back to her bed. Taking a seat and collecting herself, the unicorn was about to nod appreciatively Grubber’s way, but only found herself cringing to see the red burn marks left from the soup on his face.

He didn’t seem to notice, or the pain was so severe that he already lost sense of feeling in his face. He offered Tempest the soup-painted washcloth—which she politely declined—and just dropped it on the floor. Instead, he told her, “You really shouldn’t be up and movin’ like this, commander, ma’am, sir. They always say that sleep is the best medicine. Don’t know who says that, but they’re probably smart.”

His usual lisp was a pleasant sound. Tempest made that evidently clear with the heavy groan that escaped her, a steel-plated hoof rising to caress her forehead. As Grubber fluffed her pillow, Tempest held out her free hoof and said, “Griffonstone.”

Turning back, staring quizzically, Grubber asked, “Wha…?”

“What happened in Griffonstone?” Tempest reinforced, finally opening her eyes and turning the bleeding veins towards the flinching hedgehog.

“Oh… Oh, that!” Grubber exclaimed, pushing away from Tempest’s bed and taking a firmer stance directly in front of her. Tempest sat and stared silently, eyelids drooping further and further as Grubber continued to drone on. “… Then you were like, ‘BOOM! What’s up now, alien bugs!’ Unfortunately, as cool as your magic was, it didn’t really destroy the warship. Yeah, we needed Ember’s help for that last part.”

“I know that, Grubber,” Tempest groaned, recalling clearly past torment as vivid visions flashing like lighting across her bloodshot gaze. Practically snarling at that point, Tempest said, “What about after I passed out?”

“Oh, that? We won.”

Tempest pulled herself back an inch or two, her mouth falling slightly open. “Just like that?”

Grubber nodded. “Just like that.”

“Then we need to plot our next course,” Tempest hissed, rising once more off of her bed, catching the hint Grubber laid by fluffing her pillow but denying it anyway. She didn’t need anymore rest. They had a war ahead of them and were currently down one soldier.

With Grubber’s help—though not wanting it but accepting it anyway—Tempest limped forward towards the exit doors. Sighing to catch her breath, still trying to recover her own footing, the unicorn wobbled like a newborn, like a filly still trying to learn how to walk. Tempest narrowed her eyes hauntingly at that fact. She asked, “How long was I out of the fight?”

Shrugging, Grubber responded, “Oh… not long. Just a few several days.”

“Days?!” she shouted, already finding that hidden strength within her and leaving Grubber falling in her own dust. With enough speed, she rammed the door with her own armored shoulder and stumbled out into the near-freezing wind. Almost instantly, her spiked mane started blowing softly against the frozen breeze. Her coat kept her moderately warm, but there was still that chill that slipped in and broke through her armor, causing her bones and teeth to shiver. Tempest’s eyes were wide, darting in every possible direction on the deck of her airship.

The deck was covered in fog. The mere sounds of rope swaying in the wind, wood and metal creaking and crying out as the engines of the airship roared and tore through the skies over some unknown country. Some unknown world to Tempest. As for the unicorn, the freezing air felt somewhat comforting against her horn, but it didn’t help the headache. It especially didn’t help to feel the rising panic in her veins, merely spotting a few silhouettes of some certain parrot pirates further off on the deck. Other than that, no one. No other sound within the fog, the white clouds curling over the deck and filling the air like slithering serpents circling its prey, just so happening to be the lone unicorn feeling so completely lost.

Like she once was many, many years ago.

Like when a small filly felt utterly abandoned in the world. Not a friend to trust. Nothing to believe but herself.

That’s how she almost felt until the cloud faded away. Then the light of the sun broke through and unveiled the truth hidden within the veil. Tempest’s jaw fell, her eyes widening and not a gasp of air able to leave her. She was awestruck, truly taken aback by the scene laid out before, above, and all around her.

As they passed out of the cloud, the army of Equus’ strongest species filled the skies. A battalion of dragons both young and old, experienced or not, flew alongside the likes of griffons, something that hadn’t been seen in over a thousand years. The Griffon Army consisted of soldiers straight from the rest of the Griffon Kingdom, even including numerous civilians who took up arms during the invasion of Griffonstone. Those civilians were Gilda, Greta, Gallus, and several others. Smolder flew alongside her closest ally in the war. The Hippogriffs still remained a dominant force out of the army that filled the air. Their ten naval ships flew alongside the dragons, the massive wings on each one batting up and down and the engines on the sterns keeping the ships afloat on the clouds. Out of all ten ships, there was one dominant one, one larger than the others that flew directly next to Tempest’s airship. The unicorn could already tell it was General Seaspray’s.

But even then, the sight before her was awe-inspiring. A sight unlike any other. One united species coming together to fight the battle the rest of the world couldn’t. Not alone, that is. Somehow, Novo’s “official” name for them didn’t sound like total bullcrap anymore.

One United Species. Tempest breathed a humorless chuckle, a tiny smile cracking against her lips as she gazed onto the mighty army she helped build. More than a thousand strong and only growing. The name was growing on her, too. It grew even larger just by gazing to the legendary sight that filled the skies above Equus. A sight Tempest could proudly say she was alive to witness herself.

“Well, wakey-wakey! Looks like someone had a nice, long rest!”

Turning accordingly to the familiar squawk, Tempest almost continued to smile to see none other than Captain Celaeno piloting her airship. If there was anyone she would want doing that… “‘Nice’ is being too generous,” Tempest groaned as she limped towards the parrot captain. Celaeno chuckled at that, not even turning but feeling Tempest’s presence on her right.

Cracking her neck, Tempest stared into the oncoming clouds and said, “Get me caught up.”

Holding the steering wheel steady, Celaeno focused ahead, but still opened up to the unicorn. “Well, you didn’t miss too much. After the Battle of Griffonstone, the Griffon Army informed us of the rest of the invasion occurring in the Griffon Kingdom. So, we saved a few more cities and moved on to the next nation. Not too difficult with the army you practically built.”

Ignoring that—knowing better that they all aided in the construction of their army—Tempest nodded wordlessly. A nod that fumbled when Celaeno sighed. Even through the heavy engines, dragon roars, and whipping wind, Tempest heard that.

She heard, “We traversed the world for days, seeing destroyed cities and fallen nations. There were a few alien motherships we were able to take out, but several more got away. Almost in unison. Looks like that hive mind theory Sky Beak came up with wasn’t completely insane, huh? Anyway, it’s been quiet the past couple days. We’ve been trying to get word out to any nation needing assistance, but got nothing back. Novo and the other leaders are readying their forces for the next course of action back in the lead naval ship.”

Tempest’s head swiveled back on that statement, spotting the massive Hippogriff naval ship right next to their airship, a squadron of Hippogriffs, dragons, and griffons patrolling around and guarding it. The other nine naval ships flew in the distance, consumed by fog and shadow. Tempest furrowed her brow.

It had been quiet for days. The war had left their front and not a single cry for help heard. Cities and nations had fallen in their absence. Their next course of action pointed… somewhere. At least that’s what Celaeno told her. Whether or not that was completely accurate was up for debate. But there was something she needed to know for certain. Just one thing.

The next fight.

If there even was one.

“Get us closer to their ship,” Tempest ordered, Celaeno almost taken aback by her abruptness. Turning to the unicorn, she witnessed Tempest Shadow staring down the mighty naval ship and its even mightier wings beating against the wind, fighting through the clouds and leading the Hippogriff navy through the storm.

And Tempest stared it down. And said, “I need to speak with Novo.”

Captain Celaeno realized quickly who’s ship she was piloting. She had no other say in the matter other than to follow her word. Turning the steering wheel appropriately, Tempest’s airships made a safe and slow journey across the waves of clouds and stopped a securing distance from the lead Hippogriff naval ship. Several Hippogriffs awaited their arrival on deck, watching as the ramp of the airship fell and settled itself on the naval ship.

And out came the airship’s leaders. The Hippogriffs gasped, stepping aside to see Tempest Shadow awake and trotting forth. Back from her near-coma. Practically back from the dead. Alongside the unicorn strode Captain Celaeno, the parrot captain leaving Boyle in charge of piloting the airship. Tempest didn’t even give Grubber the chance to want to come. She left him and every Storm Guard back on the airship, assuring them she didn’t need their help even in her winded state. She didn’t need their protection.

She didn’t even need to protect herself. The Hippogriffs saluted her the moment her steel-plated hoof touched the naval ship’s deck.

Though somewhat hesitant on that, Tempest was only further awed to see Celaeno salute back, the Hippogriffs breaking away and returning to their own menial duties. The days that passed were better suited to have been months or even years, because the amount of communication and training between the separate species was impressive to say the least. Almost like they were born to congregate and work together.

Tempest was quickly broken from her stupor when Celaeno waved her forward. Shaking her head, Tempest picked up the pace despite her recovering joints crying out to her in protest. She kept in the stress and soreness flooding her muscles, focusing only on the approaching bridge of the naval ship coming into view. Absolutely massive, even larger up close and personal. They were let in without hesitation, the Hippogriff, dragon, and griffon guard stepping aside to allow the parrot and pony though to the inside of the strategic command center.

And it was near-silent. Despite every leader, every general, every form of royalty present.

The moment Tempest and Celaeno entered through the doors, they took notice to the interior design. Windows lined the walls that weren’t occupied with steering and mapping navigation, engine control consoles, and any other Hippogriff fancy doodad. Something probably not even designed by them but more so their Equestrian neighbors aiding them in the reconstruction of their navy. The windows showcased the bridge of the naval ship and a large majority of the outside world. It was clear for miles, approaching clouds in the distance but nothing they should be worried about in terms of weather conditions.

They all seemed to have their hooves, claws, and whatever else full.

Those present were Queen Novo and Sky Beak, the two receiving letters from one of Ember’s messenger dragons. Speaking of the Dragon Lord, she stood with her back pressed firmly against the bridge’s wall, Bloodstone Scepter nearly resembling her posture and state of mind. Furious. Not knowing where to go or do next in the middle of a war would do that for someone practically birthed for it. As for General Seaspray, he and Stratus Skyranger stood over the massive map of Equus, plotting their next course, but not really doing anything without word from their queen. They stood and babbled military jargon while the griffon generals by their sides did the same.

Never did Tempest imagine Seaspray would be standing with griffons of his stature. Last she recalled, Seaspray wouldn’t dare sacrifice a Hippogriff to save a griffon. Yet there he stood, practically brothers in arms with the species of another nation as they planned and coordinated their forces on the map. The griffon general must have come from the rest of the Griffon Kingdom they saved. Celaeno’s explanations from earlier helped clear the fog still residing on Tempest’s mind.

Queen Novo was currently engrossed with a letter from none other than Princess Skystar. The dim light of the lantern high above the command center’s ceiling gave her enough light to read each word carefully, but she didn’t need its warmth. A warmth filled her when she read that Hippogriffia was safe. More so, her daughter was safe, she and her sister leading Mount Aris quite fine while in Queen Novo’s absence. Even Sky Beak was relieved to receive word from Ocean Flow, informing him that all was well with Hippogriffia. He sent a letter in return affirming his current condition, and to tell their kids that he loved them and would be home soon. Novo sighed with relief and leaned back in her chair, settling the letter on the table before her, other scrolls and letters from very few nations responding to their calls lying in disarray.

There were no other attacks on Mount Aris while they were gone. That much gave Novo enough ease to press forward with the mission, to continue the fight until all of Equus was freed from the sickness of the alien invasion. The virus had nearly been cleansed, not a single sighting of an alien warship for days. And they reached out, to every corner of the globe, every kingdom and every nation within their reach. Ember’s dragons sent out the messages, but they received very little. Worse, one of their strongest allies refused to respond. Either they were too focused on their own war or something terrible had happened.

No letters sent magically to Canterlot ever returned with a response.

Equestria was silent. And they were soon to find out why.

Bringing her eyes back down to the letters on the table before her, Queen Novo’s gaze latched with the entrance, actually widening alongside her smile to see Tempest Shadow standing before them once more. And with her, Captain Celaeno still as well since their last excursion. The rest of the room reacted appropriately.

“Tempest!” Novo called out, heads swiveling to the Queen of the Hippogriffs and then suddenly shifting in the direction Her Majesty’s eyes stared. Several Hippogriff guards instantly saluted, griffons more hesitant to do so, probably due to their lack of interaction with the former commander of the Storm King’s army. Sky Beak and Skyranger smiled and nodded her way in a show of companionship and comradery, Tempest returning them with a simple bow of her head and a firm nod to Seaspray. He closed his eyes and bowed his head to her.

Turning to the other end of the room, Tempest’s eyes connected with the Dragon Lord’s.

Ember stood with her back against the wall, arms crossed, a complete lack of armor on her body and lack of distrust in her eyes. She smirked Shadow’s way, nodding slightly to the broken unicorn. Tempest barely responded, offering a simply nod as her only response to the dragon she hardly held a connection with, and instead turned towards the only creature she wanted to see at the moment.

“Queen Novo.”

She arose from her seat, wings extending before shortly returning to curl by her sides. She looked like a mess, but Tempest didn’t dare say that out loud. She may have been brash, but she wasn’t stupid. Novo’s light fuchsiaish gray feathers were ruffled and unkempt, slightly burnt in various places, showing her war scars and proudly donning it. Her forelegs were bandaged in a few spots, dried blood seeping through and sending enough of a message to Tempest of Novo’s battle wounds. Her eyes were heavy, bags large under her eyes and showcasing her age and lack of rest.

Tempest felt all the worse for feeling rather well-rested, knowing they all fought the war she vowed to continue while she was trapped in the darkness of her own mind. Her own brokenness.

No one seemed to blame her but herself, all smiles and respectful expressions sent her way as she and Celaeno finally stood before the Queen of the Hippogriffs. Novo held out her claw, asking, “How are you doing, dear? Does anything still hurt? Our medics did all they could for you, but if there’s anything…”

Tempest tried her hardest to ignore the shocking pain reverberating within the shattered horn, pulsating every excruciating second within her skull. It hurt even more to try and conceal it from their watchful eyes, Tempest holding up her hoof and silencing the queen. “You don’t need to worry about me anymore, Your Highness. I appreciate all of your help.”

She didn’t necessarily just mean Novo’s help when she said that. Everyone was quiet listening anyway, taking the hint she laid out for them and responding in kind. Dropping her hoof, Tempest stared into Novo’s aging eyes and asked, “What’s our next destination?”

Just the war with her, then. Novo sighed, accepting that and bringing herself back into that dreaded world of warfare. Or lack thereof in their current case. Settling herself by Seaspray’s right and griffon general’s left, Novo laid her claw on the map of Equus, pointing to the nation of Equestria circled in bright red ink.

“We’re finally ready to take the fight to Equestria,” Novo explained, the room silencing for her. The Hippogriff queen stared silently at the map for a second longer, the rest of the lands blotted in fire and desolation before she returned to reality. “With the invasion halted for the time being, we’ve decided that now would be the best time to aid our Equestrian allies in this time of silence.”

“We haven’t received word from Celestia nor Luna for days now… not even from Canterlot, despite all the letters we sent,” General Seaspray took over letting that grave silence fill the void. As for Novo, she stared sullenly where Canterlot resided on the map, the rising metropolis upon the mountain side a shining beacon to the rest of Equestria. Its fate unknown. Novo was growing more and more worried for one of her oldest allies… and closest friends.

Clearing her throat, Novo continued, her claw rising and stopping further south on the Equestrian front. “To start this new campaign to retake Equestria, we need to head to the Equestrian Badlands. But not for a war just yet.”

Tempest furrowed her brow. Celaeno crossed her arms and remained quiet, eyes wide and latched onto the queen’s claw fall from the map. “Then what for?” Tempest asked.

Confused, she looked to Ember. The Dragon Lord finally moved, finally fully smiled and pulled the Bloodstone Scepter with her away from the bridge’s wall. And she finally joined them, her fellow leaders of the One United Species Army, and smiled. Smiled to Tempest especially when she gripped her scepter tighter and said it.

“Paying a visit to an old friend.”

Badlands, Equestria

Changeling Empire

4:31 p.m.

They traveled to the Changeling Empire in hopes to rekindle an old flame nearly doused by the darkness of war, of the invasion that plagued their world. They traveled to the Changeling Empire in hopes for repairs to their war machines, their naval ships, Tempest’s airship, their armor and weaponry. They traveled to the Changeling Empire in hopes for pure necessities they had run dry of, such as medicine, food, water, and even recovery from the war effort to retake Equus.

But when they finally arrived to the Badlands, there was no Changeling Empire.

Not anymore.

It was just… gone.

Once a recovering landscape surrounded by the horrors of the wastes that was the Badlands, the Changeling Empire was practically reduced to rubble and cinder. The mighty castle that was only growing day by day, appearing more and more beautiful with the regrowth of vegetation and actual plant life to the Badlands lay as a shattered structure with its pillars scattered and its foundations crumbled. The outer lands inhabited by growing changeling families were scorched by a fire that seemed to burn forever. All hope for a rebirth of the earth in the Badlands had faded away alongside the rising plumes of burning ash and smoke, joining the rest of the wasteland, and daresay, appearing just as when Queen Chrysalis was still in power.

But somehow worse. Because now it looked like a fallen empire.

Surrounding the burning remains of the castle, hundreds of changelings flew and scattered about in dying hopes of rebuilding what once was. They tried to recover and recapture that blissful slice of heaven King Thorax brought them to, families working hard to rebuild the castle, rebuild their homes, and come together as one species yet again.

And with King Thorax and his brother Pharynx leading them, then they shouldn’t feel lost.

They shouldn’t…

When the skies broke apart and the Hippogriff naval ships descended from the clouds, nearly every changeling dropped what they were doing and gazed in awe to the might and majesty of it all. They were actual witnesses to history playing forth before them, the sun finally shining on them and the warmth even greater than they could have imagined. They watched as dragons flew with Hippogriffs and griffons, all of them descending to their fallen empire and… helping.

Actually helping.

It was them who came for help in the first place, but it was the One United Species Army that arrived to aid them in their time of need. When all seemed hopeless in their fruitless struggles to rebuild that perfect image of their society, there came the Hippogriffs, the griffons, and the dragons to join them in their cause. And leading them were famous figures across many nations, some even Thorax hardly believed arrived to help them of all creatures.

Queen Novo of the Hippogriffs.

Dragon Lord Ember of the dragons.

The leaders of the Griffon Army.

Tempest Shadow and the late Storm King’s forces. From upon their airship, several parrot pirates waved down to them, squawking and cheering as aid finally arrived from the heavens. And Ocellus gazed onto it with eyes showered under the light of the sun, the young changeling losing her breath as she was tackled to the dirt by two very familiar bodies and laughs.

“Ocellus!” Smolder exclaimed excitedly, pulling the changeling to her hooves and bringing her in for a tight hug. Gallus did the same, not even caring if others were looking. He was just glad to see another one of his friends made it out of the madness. Another piece of his family lived and breathed.

“Smolder?” Ocellus gasped, seeing the dragon smirk her way. The changeling’s jaw fell, turning to the griffon on her left. “G-Gallus?”

Gallus winked her way. Ocellus couldn’t hold it back and pulled the two in for an even tighter hug than before, squealing with delight, “Oh, I’m so glad you guys are okay! I was so worried that something happened to you! All the news from Thorax, f-from across the entire world—!”

“It’s all right, Ocellus!” Gallus said, interrupting her. Breaking the hug, the three stood together in the dirt, stuck in their own reunions as the rest of the species congregated and united to help one another. In the distance, Ocellus’ family smiled at the sweet sight of their kin reuniting with her friends.

Holding out his claw to the skies and the armies that filled it, Gallus concluded with, “We’ve been kinda busy just saving the world!”

Ocellus’ eyes shot open, her jaw falling and refusing to close. They were saving the world. The army that filled the air, the army that consisted of species Ocellus never imagined to stand together other than her own group of friends were joined together to save the world. Any prejudice, any claim, any falsehood tossed at them from ponies in the past saying such things that creatures like them could never find that bond that ponies shared… well, that didn’t mean anything anymore. Though she only imagined it to be true with her own friends, the undeniable proof was all around her.

Hippogriffs helping changelings.

Griffons helping Hippogriffs.

Dragons helping all of them.

All of them coming together.

It was almost enough to make Ocellus burst into tears right then and there. And she nearly did, but fell silent alongside her two closest friends. Fell silent alongside every changeling, every dragon, every griffon, and every Hippogriff and watched as the leaders of each faction came together on the mounds of what once was… of the Changeling Empire.

Thorax and Pharynx met them halfway, stepping forth on their pillar of stone and rubble to meet the eyes of Novo, Ember, the griffon generals, and Tempest Shadow.

And all of them bowed to one another. The crowd of various species crowded together and around the leaders, silent as ever as their home burned and the Badlands howled. Rising up, Queen Novo smiled respectfully to King Thorax. He responded in kind, smiling even wider to see Ember give him a firm but helpful wink of assurance. It hardly eased the dreaded news he needed to give them.

Nothing but the truth of what they were up against.

What they saw destroy their empire in one wave of fire and death.

He didn’t even hesitate. “While we appreciate the help, I’m afraid you’re all too late.”

Novo sighed, the eyes of Ember and Tempest falling onto the shattered remains of Thorax’s castle. Ruffling her feathers, Novo offered her sincerest eyes, regretful in every sense of the word. She said, “I am so sorry for your loss. We all are. If we had known what you were up against sooner, we would have left Saddle Arabia as soon as we—”

“We’re not talking about the Changeling Empire,” Pharynx interrupted.

The leaders froze on the spot, all gazing up with somewhat haunted expressions at that. Thorax and Pharynx gazed down to them, no sense of humor in their glazed and colorful eyes. It looked so colorless from where they stood, completely lacking that life. “What?” Novo breathed.

Thorax had to force himself to say it. It hurt just as much as the day he saw it for himself. And what he said—what he painfully uttered was, “Canterlot is gone.”

Not a word. None able to form. The crowd was so unconditionally shaken that even the slightest cry of the wind could be heard, the snap and crackle of a far-off burning fire filling the air with sound. The only audible sound. Everything else was dead. Their hopes, their spirits, their voices. Everything.

So, Pharynx brought life to that. The only changeling with enough strength to say, “A meteor right from Luna’s moon fell and destroyed the entire mountain and city. Canterlot fell alongside the mountain… and our scouts have found no signs of either princess in the remains.”

“At least there was some semblance of explanation for Canterlot,” Thorax continued for his brother, struggling after Pharynx mentioned the grim fate of two of his closest allies and friends. Nevertheless, he put on the bravest of faces and tried not to quiver. “But whatever destroyed our kingdom came from deeper within the Badlands.”

While Novo and Ember were still reeling on the fate of Canterlot and the two Royal Sisters with shared, horrified silence, Tempest Shadow was in an entirely other world. A world cloaked in shadow and death, uncertainty and the soft glow of molten inferno. A world separated by miles of sprawling desert and wasteland, hidden within the mount peaks and dust storms raging deep within the wastes that lied ahead.

The world she saw was the Badlands. Several miles of fog and darkness filled it, so completely unlike the rest of the Changeling Empire. Far worse in every sense of the word that Tempest could ever know. It was a darkness far deeper and more horrifying than the dark that consumed her after she unleashed the full force of her power on her foes. A darkness that looked to be that of a dust storm ranging in the size of tsunamis, so thick and deep that not even the darkest ink could compare.

But even then, she said, “Show us.”

Northern Valley

8.7 Miles Away from the Womb

4:58 p.m.

They showed them.

They showed them all of it. King Thorax and his brother Pharynx, trailed by numerous other changeling scouts and soldiers led the leaders and various other members of the One United Species Army towards the land of the event. The event that led to their affliction, their pain, their torment, their suffering, and their loss. When the massive group of various species stood on the edge of the Northern Valley, they gazed into the heart of darkness itself, the wind so fierce and so unearthly it nearly pushed them all back, away from it, away from the truth.

Like the greatest magical bomb that had ever gone off, the remains of Mount Tartarus were just that: remains. Hardly anything that even resembled a mountain survived the eruption. Even then, not even the caldera survived.

Canyons deeper than any crevice throughout all of Equus—even deeper than those in the oceans—were scattered about in wicked webs across the Badlands, where the caldera was birthed and further spread an unknown, earthly sickness across the landscape. Deep within the darkness of the canyons, smoke rose from the rivers of magma flowing across the surface. That smoke, that darkness, that sickness filled the skies and burned it. A storm that never ended swirled over the remains of the caldera, now above the gargantuan canyon where a hellish fire burned forever. Fires straight from Tartarus itself. Due to a lack of inhabitants following the Ultron Offensive, there were no demonic screams nor entities escaping it. Instead, the sounds of thunder raged overhead, the cry of the blood red lightning shooting out and striking the earth every several seconds.

The land was devastated beyond repair. No amount of care, affection, or rebuilding could ever fix the unworldly damage brought upon the Badlands. While others gazed in shock and awe, Tempest Shadow stared with a furrowed brow of thought. While others saw the canyons for wicked designs brought about by nature, Tempest saw an intricate and specifically-designed earthquake, forming something within the earth.

Something distinct…

Her eyes widened when she finally saw it.

Finally saw the claw prints and marks near the edges where the canyons ended.

Finally saw the seven distinct canyons all lined up perfectly with one another, facing north.

Finally knew what to do.

“We need to find Princess Twilight,” Tempest Shadow fearfully uttered.

Chapter 84 – Snow and Blood

The Crystal Empire

Near the Shield

7:51 p.m.

The Crystal Army stood in a battalion of over three hundred ponies strong. Earth ponies, unicorns, Pegasi, all standing or hovering in one conjoined force, lined up perfectly on the outskirts of the Crystal Empire. They stood or flew with armor gleaming in the fading sunlight, the darkness of the night soon to overcome the light. All of their faces hardened, their weapons brandished, eyes centered on the magical shield separating the healthy grasslands from the apocalyptic Frozen North just beyond the light.

And within that snow, Sanctuary II hung menacingly in the storm and fog.

It was a ship far different from any other that tried to invade the Crystal Empire. Though despite its larger size, none of the Crystal Ponies nor the army of the Crystal Empire felt too worried. Every other warship that tried to penetrate their shields had failed, the magic of the Crystal Heart being powerful enough to hold off any foreign threat that dared to enter their empire. Every last warship that tried to attack were instantly destroyed by the magic of the Crystal Heart. The Heart itself spread its magic and strength throughout the rest of Equestria, intent on protecting the nation from extraterrestrial invaders. The Heart succeeded in destroying several warships across Equestria. It looked to be an assured victory.

Especially when the aliens fled from the Crystal Empire. Shining Armor and Cadance nearly declared victory in name of the Crystal Empire, ponies celebrating in the streets. Far too early for that unfortunately. Shining knew it was never going to be that easy, and he was right. When his scouts spotted Sanctuary II approaching from the wasteland of the Frozen North, he was slightly surprised to hear the new warship not approaching from above like all the others.

No. It was meeting the empire face to face.

Shining Armor ordered his strongest battalions to meet them at the outskirts of the empire. The Crystal Army wasn’t the largest fighting force in Equestria by any means, but they proved to be one of the most effective and lethal armies three years ago during the Ultron Offensive. Cadance led them well. The Crystal Empire rose in victory back then, so there was no doubt they could hold them again.

The rulers of the Crystal Empire watched from the castle, Shining Armor staring through a massive spyglass to watch his forces engage the enemy. Behind him stood Princess Cadance holding her only child Flurry Heart. With them was the Royal Crystaller and magic adviser Sunburst, trailed by numerous Crystal Guard ordered to protect the royalty. They were all unnaturally silent, save for the soft, bubbly sounds escaping Flurry Heart, Cadance soothing her daughter and shushing her quietly.

All to give Shining Armor the quiet he needed.

With his eye dug deep in the spyglass, his left hoof keeping it as steady as possible, Shining Armor trailed across all three hundred of his best soldiers, seeing them lined up perfectly. Just as they practiced time and time again. Now to put all of that training to good use. Nothing would have made Shining prouder than to have fought by their side, lead them as any good ruler does. But his place resided with his castle, his family, his ponies. He stood in his bright purple armor and wore his blade all the same.

As for the rest of the Crystal Empire, the populace was directed to bundle together near the Crystal Heart and away from any form of conflict. They didn’t know what the newest warship wanted nor what it was capable of. Better to keep the Crystal Ponies safe in the heart of the empire than not at all. Crowds of Crystal Ponies still continued to pioneer towards the Crystal Heart, directly beneath the castle where the royalty waited in festering silence.

Just an unnatural silence.

Shining Armor directed his spyglass once more to the massive warship hanging within the snow. It was barely visible, just a shadow and an outline hanging menacingly and glaring right at him. The bright red lights upon its face were all Shining could truly make out, spreading across the hull of the ship like vivid veins, but not wicked in their direction. Accurate. Healthy. Alive and breathing. It was unlike the warships they encountered before. Shining was cautious in his approach, directing his troops to stand in the warship’s path.

The shield separated them now, Shining’s spyglass falling back down to his army.

Only to stop.

His spyglass centered on the snow and fog just on the outside of the shield. Stepping forth, a bipedal being approached the Crystal Empire on foot. Even from the great distance between them, Shining could still somewhat accurately describe his person. He was tall, well-built and hopelessly unprepared for the freezing temperatures of the Frozen North. All he really wore was a sleeveless ceremonial garb, pants, and boots. And a glove. He was already near-frozen, his skin a dark purple that most likely resulted from trying to traverse the Frozen North’s unforgivable wasteland.

But when he exited the fog, he didn’t look cold in the slightest. He didn’t appear affected by the storm in any way, shape, or form. He stepped out of the snow and fog and stopped just short of a hoofball field’s distant from the shield protecting the Crystal Empire. It was difficult to tell, but Shining Armor could almost see a hardened expression on his face, no sense of feeling or sympathy in his gaze. He just frowned upon the shield standing in his way.

He lifted his left arm high into the air, twisted his wrist, and unveiled the five gems.

Shining dropped his eye from the spyglass, his jaw falling. He tried to speak, tried to answer Cadance’s questions of concern, but it was too late.

Thanos clenched the Infinity Gauntlet into a tight fist, the Space Stone igniting and consuming the front portion of the magical shield standing before him. With the Space Stone’s light brighter than any other, Thanos proceeded forth and opened the shield slowly, deliberately. The Crystal Army reacted almost instantaneously, spears jutted outwards, shields up and out, blades unsheathed and ponies crowding together to form an impenetrable wall of pure pony and crystal, eyes hardened to the lone being standing before them.

Now free to enter the empire thanks to his magical stones.

But it wasn’t Thanos who wanted to be the first inside. Even he didn’t want to meet the full force of the Crystal Empire awaiting him on the grasslands. His desire for bloodshed and invasion had grown shockingly faint ever since he acquired the fifth of the six. Once he achieved all six Infinity Stones, his rest would finally come. There was no need to be the first in the fight any longer. That was his past, a time long gone. A time before the Infinity Stones and his destiny far from reach. Now it was closer than ever. No need in causing the first blood, dropping the first body, and leading his forces to total domination.

He let his Outriders do that for him.

With his gauntlet still high above his head, Thanos narrowed his eyes and watched, listened as the Outriders stampeded right past him. Their bodies were a blur of gold and black, snarling abominations of science and flesh that tore so easily through the storm and snow almost like it wasn’t there. He watched as they easily entered the two separate climates, exiting the snow and entering the warmth, the grasslands, charging ahead to meet the Crystal Army with the full force of the Mad Titan.

Although surely taken aback, the Crystal Army held their ground, gripped their spears tighter and stood closer together. Anything to ensure their wall held. Even against such insurmountable odds rushing towards them in a wave of screeches, claws, and teeth. Even without the aid of Shining Armor by their side, they knew his alliance lied with far more important matters. He was watching them, waiting to see if they were capable enough to protect their empire.

They did. They stood. They held.

The Outriders impacted them with the ferocity of a thousand freight trains.

Crystal-plated hooves dug against the grass, burly stallions pushed back foot after foot until even the line began to falter. Outriders were almost immediately impaled by the spears, thrashing about and only furthering their advance. Pegasi that tried to dive-bomb the waves of Outriders from above were snatched right out of the air, a blur of black and gold and they were gone, lost within the stampeding bodies and snarling jaws. The Crystal Army held and fought, rammed their shields into wave after wave of Outriders and proceeded to stab at them with their spears, their swords, their magic, anything they had. The body count began to rise, mainly for Thanos’ forces.

It never lasted.

Just as Thanos stepped foot onto healthy, living grass, the line crumbled. The army of Outriders was just too much, too many for the Crystal Ponies to handle. With all their might, they held. It just wasn’t enough. One simple flaw, one simple chink in the armor was all it took to pierce and destroy it. Once one pony fell to the might of the Outrider swarm, that was it. The line crumbled and it was a bloodbath from that point on.

Shining Armor growled, almost roaring in fury to see it with his own eye. He pushed the spyglass aside and stepped away from the podium’s edge, cursing under his breath to see the line break and all-out warfare consume the outskirts of the empire. In the blink of an eye, the streets would be infested with those alien hounds. Already, a small panic began to ensue amongst the populace, ponies scrambling to reach the Crystal Plaza beneath the castle.

He needed to act. He needed to turn and stop tuning out his wife. He did and listened to her cries. And she said, “Shining, the Crystal Ponies! We can’t afford a panic right now!”

It was already aggravating against his ears, the cries of the Crystal Ponies below rising every second. In less than a minute they would have a full-blown riot if they didn’t act to calm them. To lead them. With the approaching alien forces already storming past the grasslands and nearing the streets, there wasn’t much they could do. They couldn’t keep the ponies in the streets. They needed to evacuate, and fast, lest they have a massacre in their hooves. But that just created a whole slew of other problems. They needed somepony or several to hold them off so everypony could escape in time. Maybe…

Just maybe they could.

“You’re right. We can’t,” Shining Armor declared, withers falling and body nearly deflating. Cadance already didn’t like his posture, nor his tone any better. It only worsened when he lifted his head, hardened his hurting gaze and stared Cadance right in the eyes. Right in the soul. “So take them, all of them. Leave the Crystal Empire and take them to Equestria. Lead this exodus to the Everfree Forest, find Celestia, just like she told us. Just like we planned.”

Cadance didn’t yet pick up on it, but the gasp in her voice and the fall in her heart told Shining and herself… that it was time. To enact the plan… “Only if all else failed,” Cadance uttered so very softly.

Shining Armor didn’t say a word, the chilling winds from the Frozen North tugging at his mane and nearly blowing it in his face. Never hiding his eyes, though. Never hiding the pain of that revelation. Cadance didn’t want to accept it anymore than he, but after witnessing their lines fall so easily, so quickly, see the Frozen North already beginning to infect the Crystal Empire from the opening in the shield… she knew there was no other choice.

They wouldn’t be able to escape in time if somepony didn’t stay to keep the enemy busy.

Her eyelids shivered, not from the cold. Tears began to burn and boil near the edges of her vision, Cadance crying out and rushing forward. Shining met her halfway, the two clutching onto each other. For warmth even under the glare of the dark clouds high above the empire, the snow billowing inside and infecting the grasslands. For each other, husband and wife holding each other so close for their love, their life, their world.

For quite possibly the last time.

“By Celestia’s name, don’t be found,” Shining Armor whispered sharply through chattering teeth, eyes shut tight.

Cadance held him even tighter, her face buried into his mane and neck. “They’ll never see us.”

The two broke away only to signify their love with a binding kiss. One that lasted, one either could have hoped lasted forever. It unraveled shortly, the two knowing the circumstances, giving their final goodbyes in utter silence, their eyes locked in a loving entanglement that could never be broken.

Shining’s eyes fell. His heart ached, nearly broke, but he pressed forward. Remained strong.

For her.

“Hey, baby girl,” Shining whispered, bending his neck lower to the bundle of blankets resting in Cadance’s foreleg. He unveiled the blankets, the large, blinking eyes staring curiously above, the smile of the little filly big and bright to see a familiar face. Shining smiled, too, heavy tears in his eyes. She would never know what they meant. “Hey, Flurry Heart. Daddy’s gonna go away for a bit, okay? But don’t you worry… don’t you worry for a second, baby. Daddy’ll come back for you real soon. Real soon, I promise.”

Yet somehow, she did. So incredibly smart for a filly her age. Flurry Heart whimpered, held out her hooves and held onto her dad’s muzzle. When he forced himself to break away, Flurry cried out, hooves flailing to find that comfort of her father, eyes watering to see that blurry version of her dad grow further and further away. A select number of guards followed directly behind Princess Cadance, ensuring the Alicorn’s safety as she proceeded to the Crystal Plaza below. One final look shared between them, and she was gone.

But never alone. Turning abruptly to the pony on his right, Shining Armor held out his hoof, laid it on the pony’s shoulder, and told him, “You keep them safe, you hear me? No matter what. I’ll be back soon.”

Sunburst could only nod, knowing there wasn’t much else he could do. “I promise, Your Majesty.”

“Good. Then go.”

They did. They fled until it was only Shining Armor and his personal guards. They were all that stood on the podium of the Crystal Castle, gazing down onto the streets of the Crystal Empire, snow beginning to fall from the massive opening resting where the battle commenced. Stray alien hounds made it out of the conflict, striding down the streets and charging straight ahead towards the castle. But down below, the crowds of Crystal Ponies had already fled. They vanished under the leadership from Princess Cadance, disappearing from the plaza and escaping the empire. A mass exodus. Gone in mere minutes.

Leaving just them.

… And him.

The Outriders halted just near the plaza, refusing to take another inch of land and instead chose to snarl and snap their jaws at the very few ponies that stood in the way of the Crystal Heart, the source of their master’s affliction. Surprisingly, he didn’t let the Outriders proceed any further. The Mad Titan himself took the burden for them, stepping past the snarling alien hounds and approaching what remained of the Crystal Empire.

Guards numbering in the dozens, spears jutted forward, all forming protective barriers around the Crystal Heart. And in the center of them all, Shining Armor stood with his helmet pressed tight over his head, malice, hatred, and years of skill burning in his twin irises. That’s all there was. That’s all they needed to ensure the Heart’s safety.

Thanos sighed through his nostrils. Not a word.

His bones felt so very strained, his muscles weary, and his mind slowly being overcome. By what, he still didn’t know. There was always that will that burned brighter than any star in his heart, mind, and whatever remained of his damned soul. He always imagined—through every world he conquered and saved—that nothing would stand in the way of his destiny, and that will he had would allow him to press onward, keep up the fight that almost seemed impossible.

And yet when it was possible, when saving the universe from a fate his world had suffered was but a Stone away, he felt… tired. His will…

Thanos pressed on anyway. The war was almost over. His rest was near. Just a little bit more…

He stared into Shining Armor’s eyes, the snow falling past him and barely reaching the hooves of the Crystal Guards. He ignored all of them and only stared at Shining, seeing the warrior amongst the fodder. He had kept a close eye on him prior, studying him, his tactics, his army. His life…

Thanos looked about. The two armies stared down one another, but perhaps that was for the best. No more bloodshed. No more pain. Even if just for a respite. Then Shining slowly proceeded to unsheathe his blade with his magic. Then Thanos said, “You’re a fine soldier. You don’t deserve to fall like the others had. You need to lead your people for what’s to come. Don’t do this.”

For a time, Shining Armor actually loosened his nerves, slowly began to exhale, and try to pinpoint what exactly the Titan was getting at. His voice sounded surprisingly genuine, his eyes appearing even more so. The aura around Shining’s blade slowly dissipated, the Crystal Guards looking from one another, almost faltering like their ruler had. Almost. Unlike them, Shining Armor felt a genuine pang of woe in Thanos’ voice, a certain sadness and longing in his eyes. When he lifted them, both stared at one another, Thanos hoping to find that common ground and Shining still searching for it. Then he said it…

“Think of your family. Your daughter.”

That was it.

Shining’s eyes shrunk to pinpricks. Without warning, without hesitation, he ripped out his sword and shot it into the air, pointing the edge directly into Thanos’ chest. “Don’t you dare talk about my family!” he screamed, bellowed, roared. Every single one. “Take them!”

The Crystal Guards charged in a conjoined, heated battle cry, spears leading them as they met Thanos and his Outriders.

It wasn’t even a fight.

The blast wave was so corrosive and powerful it knocked every guard off their hooves. Weapons and armor went flying, ponies too, but they didn’t make it far. Nothing made it far once the violet wave washed over them. In just one blast, the Crystal Guard were incinerated by that violet wave of energy, dozens of bodies turning into flaming cinders as the wave washed over them. The resulting shock wave blew what littler survivors there were clear across the plaza, Shining Armor being one of them. He skidded and rolled clear across the bottom of the castle, eventually finding his rest near one of the castle’s legs.

There, Thanos stood amongst the ashes, forcing every shred of his will not to look onto them. Slowly, he dropped his gauntlet and let it rest by his side, the Power Stone’s energy slowly fading away as he unclenched his fist. Not a single Outrider harmed. They all backed away as Thanos proceeded on his own, waiting on their master’s word. But other than that, silence on their end.

Passing the shattered armor and burnt corpses, Thanos slowly lifted his gaze to the grand prize, the reason he had arrived to the Crystal Empire in the first place. The reason for the continued bloodshed. Just a little bit more. There sat the Crystal Heart, spinning rapidly and ensuring the empire was protected alongside Equestria. Perhaps all of Equus if he let it fester.

Enough of that. Thanos reached for the heart.

“No!” Shining Armor screamed, using his own speed and body to ram Thanos right in his gut. Surprisingly, Thanos was pushed back a few feet, the Mad Titan nearly losing his breath from such a hit. Nevertheless, he recovered quickly, raising his gaze to the fuming unicorn.

There he stood between him and the Heart once again, sword encased in his magic, the pony breathing like a feral mutt. The Outriders screeched at that, but didn’t move from their spot. They waited on their master’s word, to give the order and they would rip the equine limb from limb.

But he never gave the word. He slowly rose up to full height and faced the pony.

Alone.

His fight.

He never clenched his fist the entire time.

Roaring, Shining Armor made the first move and charged the Mad Titan, meeting him with a swipe of his sword. The metal forged by the greatest blacksmiths in all of Canterlot, made from the strongest metal deep from within Canterlot Mountain merely bounced against Thanos’ gauntlet. Shining slid back upon that impact, eyes wide and jaws agape in utter shock. Thanos just stood his ground, frowned, and waited for what Shining would do next.

As stubborn as he was, Shining was no idiot. He wanted to go all out and let his rage fuel him, let the death toll be his motivator and avenge every life the Titan had taken from him that day. When it was only Shining Armor alone that stood between him and the very foundations of the Crystal Empire—his home—he would have allowed such anger to fuel him. He should have done that and let that strength motivate him. But he didn’t. He wasn’t stupid. He charged ahead and let his training, his mind, and his heart lead him with every jab, every strike, and every slash at the Mad Titan. The blade bounced off and sparked against the Infinity Gauntlet, Shining somehow, someway making headway and pushing the Titan back and away from the Crystal Heart.

He didn’t let his rage control him despite it desperately wanting to. He kept in control and he dominated the battle. It didn’t last.

It never would have.

When Thanos somehow found an opening, he instantly capitalized on it. The blade struck and Thanos pushed against it, gauntlet and sword locked in a deep stalemate. Thanos and Shining Armor both stared into each other’s glare, the magic of the unicorn somehow pushing back against the strength of the Dark Lord. It didn’t matter. Thanos found an opening and he took it.

He rammed the gauntlet into Shining's skull, his helmet clanging against it and the unicorn staggering back. Thanos capitalized and—

Shining ducked on instinct, swiping low with his sword and slicing neatly against Thanos’ abdomen. The Titan gasped, froze in place. Shining faced forward once again, slowly backing aside to see the damage for himself. He never lowered his sword, nor dropped his guard. He just watched as Thanos slowly dropped his right hand and caressed his abdomen.

There was no armor to protect him there. When he lifted his palm, it was painted just slightly.

Just slightly violet.

Thanos breathed again, found his comfort, his mortality, and smiled at it. Shining swung at him again, but Thanos caught the blade in his right palm, staring down to the unicorn and smirking his way. He snapped the sword with just a flick of his wrist, shocking Shining Armor just long enough for the fight to end.

Adding three precise and deliberate strikes was all it took to knock Shining down for the count. The first punch went directly into his neck, the fingertips hitting so precise that Shining lost his voice, his breath, and couldn’t breathe. The second punch struck Shining in his chest, shattering his armor and making him buckle, destroying any sense of his strength and guard that remained. The third and final punch was the strongest and the most devastating by far. A single fist struck Shining in the side of his head, the unicorn rolling in the distance and his broken helmet rolling even farther than that.

And it was finished. Shining Armor lay in his growing pool of dark red, barely breathing. Barely alive. Thanos breathed again and stomped forward, no more distractions, nothing keeping him from the light. Other than that slight pain in his abdomen, Thanos prodded it lightly before centering on his mission once again. If anything, it furthered his purpose, actually gave him incentive to not be so careless in actions. That loss of will to continue the fight kept him open for the strike. Had it been higher, the neck perhaps, than his destiny could have been severed. Severed like his head from his body.

He had been careless the past couple of days. No more. The blood on his palm and the pain in his gut pushed him harder, led him to the Crystal Heart and allowed him to reach for it. Allowed him to focus on his journey and ensure his destiny would be achieved. Nothing would change that.

“Stop…”

For some reason, he did.

Thanos paused just inches from the rotating Heart and turned to the voice, his eyes slightly widening to see Shining Armor pull himself, drag himself, force himself into an unwinnable fight once again. When he was but a foot away, Thanos watched the pitiful sight before him, his expression unchanged. Shining laid his hoof onto Thanos’ foot. His breathing was so ragged, so wet and broken that the Titan nearly held pity for him.

Nearly. The rest was filled with something else.

As Shining lifted his head to defiantly remain in the Titan’s path, at least know he stared his foe in the eye and glared with as much hatred as he could muster before he was surely finished, Shining saw something else in the Titan’s eyes. That smile was barely visible, but it was his gaze that held the most light. They held a certain contempt, but more than that. Consideration. Processing. Acknowledgement.

Respect.

With blood in his eyes and his ears still ringing, Shining still saw the Titan smile at him. He still heard him say, “You’re not like the others. You don’t fall so easily.”

It didn’t sound like a compliment, but it was one Thanos rarely gave to others. Bending down, Thanos caressed Shining’s tattered mane with his left hand, the unicorn growling at him, hardly seeing a thing through his blood-covered vision. But the intent wasn’t to calm him by any means. When Thanos clenched that fist and the bright yellow Stone ignited, Shining found himself gazing right into it. Unable to stare anywhere else despite his wavering strength.

His wounded heart.

His tattered soul.

And even his mind… as it too was taken from him.

Thanos nodded, staring down and smiling to the unicorn when he gazed into the Mind Stone’s power. “Good. Then stand… for me.”

He did. Despite the pain flooding his systems, crying out in his body, it was his mind that ignored it. It was his mind that was no longer controlled by Shining Armor. The pony who once proudly ruled the Crystal Empire now stood at attention by Thanos’ left side, his irises a bright, alien blue.

Deep outside into the dragging winds of the Frozen North, Princess Cadance held her child close to her heart. The young Flurry Heart was wrapped up tight in the warmest blankets in all the Crystal Empire, the little filly’s eyes shut tight as the snow and wind blew into her face. Into her mother’s face. Into the faces of every guard, every Crystal Pony, and everyone who followed her through the storm. They were many. They were one. They followed their princess through the madness and trusted her to lead them into paradise once again.

Sunburst dug through the snow, pushing alongside Princess Cadance, aiding her when needed. Never leaving her side because he kept that promise. Then he heard it. They all heard it. The crack. The shatter. It was so profound that it nearly silenced the cries of the Frozen North’s winds. Every head twisted completely around, every eye watching, every breath holding, every heart falling…

The shields crumbled, the Crystal Empire consumed by the snow and fog.

And they just kept marching. Headed south and away from the freeze.

Chapter 85 – Recompense

Earth

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier

10:28 a.m.

S.H.I.E.L.D. made a new arm for Bucky.

The rest of the Helicarrier bustled about planning battle strategies, listened carefully and conversed with Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Steve Rogers, Tony Stark, and Stephen Strange on what they were going to do next. How they were going to achieve that. If they were even able to. Others were sent to the medical bay, their own guest beds, to recover and recuperate until the inevitable call to action arrived. As for James Buchanan Barnes, he sat in one of the many guest rooms, alone on the bedside as he tended to his new limb.

The metal was slim and shiny, silver and black vibranium decorating the exterior. Soft blue lights shimmered like veins across the arm’s surface, the undeniable S.H.I.E.L.D. logo alive and vibrant on Barnes’ new, metal hand. Bucky flexed his palm, fingers bending in and out as he tried and tested the arm to his liking. A lot of fancy doodads, too much for James to understand. It came equipped with an EMP, X-Ray Projector, electronic comms link, and an Energy Shield. A simple, normal arm would have sufficed, but Fitz and Simmons were really persistent to equip him with the best of the best.

As Barnes tampered and flexed with his palm and wrist, the door to the guest room slid open. All alone in the near-pitch black room, several empty beds resting beside him, James Barnes turned to see the door open and a burly figure standing within the light. Bucky instantly jolted upwards, tightened his muscles, and left his guard on an all-time high.

Even through the shadows, he could still make out Frank Castle’s figure standing before him.

Neither one of them parted on particularly common ground. The last Barnes ever saw of Castle was his killer’s smile staring at him from across the Quinjet, saying with as much assurance as any man could give: “This isn’t over.” For two years, Barnes felt at ease within Wakanda, the most secured nation in the world. Knowing well that he would be protected. Even then, a part of Barnes always looked over his shoulder, wondering if somehow, someway, Castle would follow through on his word.

He had him now. When everyone was getting put back together, making battle plans, or literally anywhere else on the entire Helicarrier, there he was. Frank Castle had Bucky Barnes alone. James expected a gun, a knife, a fist, anything to be pointed in his direction in a threatening manner. He never expected him to sigh, press his shoulder against the door frame, and try to meet Bucky’s eyes.

“Hey, Barnes…” Castle muttered, dropping his gaze away from Bucky. His hands fell into his torn combat pants’ pockets, the Punisher grumbling softly to himself. Trying to think of what to say. It wasn’t necessarily easy for him.

He sighed, saying it anyway. Screw it. “What you did back there… for me… You know, I appreciate it.”

Flashes of the demonic beast charging Frank Castle came as muzzle flashes from the end of his LMG’s barrel. The beast lied dead, Barnes turning to Frank. The two meeting each other’s eyes. Then an axe, a scream, and very little else that Barnes could clearly remember. Another flash actually showed Frank Castle pulling James to his feet, wrapping his remaining arm across his shoulder, and dragging him out of the war.

Bucky’s mouth fell slightly. Not a single breath left him. His guard, so very softly, fell. “For what it’s worth… thanks for pulling me out of there,” Barnes replied.

Castle lifted his eyes, saw as Barnes raised his hand. His human palm, no metal and no robotics visible. Just him. Just Bucky. “Are we good?” he asked.

He hesitated. Frank only often stared onto James Barnes as the Winter Soldier, as the weapon of HYDRA used to murder dozens of people throughout history. A murderer. A killer. Every time Frank let him get away, he always regretted it, because he knew someone always got hurt because of Barnes. But things were different. Things changed. The universe was at stake and so many more people would die… if Frank didn’t keep his focus on far more important things.

So that’s why he stepped forward and met Bucky’s hand with a firm shake. “Yeah… we’re good.”

Neither man smiled to one another. The handshake was firm enough, strong enough for both to push what happened behind them. Once and for all.

Bucky turned to the face of his hand, watching and listening in as the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo pulsated and cried out. Not only his hand, but everywhere. The Helicarrier roared to life. A call went out, a brief and distinct Maria Hill ordering everyone into the bridge for a debrief. Frank and Barnes met each other’s eyes, a firm nod sent to Bucky, both men entering the Helicarrier’s hallways for the short journey back into the fray.

But deep within the massive ship, hidden in the Helicarrier’s laboratories, Jemma Simmons and Daisy Johnson and Melinda May all lifted their heads in unison to the intercoms scattered about the ceiling. They all heard the same message, knew the same thing, knew exactly what was coming and what they had achieved. Daisy turned from May to Simmons, nodding to both of them. Especially to Jemma.

Especially to the syringe filled with the Centipede Serum lying on the lab tray.

It had been tireless work that had lasted several sleepless hours, a project meant to be kept in secret in fear over all of it being forcefully scrapped. It was a thankless effort, knowing the recipient of the serum would never accept it, someone who had already accepted death and was currently standing on that doorstep. May leaned forward, grasping the serum between her fingers and gently tightened her palm around it.

What she held was Phil Coulson’s only hope to live again.

Knowing what would happen if Phil ever found it, all three knew they had to hide it, give it to Coulson at the appropriate time and place. With the current circumstances, it just wasn’t the time. Daisy offered her hand to May, the two women looking into one another and seeing that promise, that assurance both so desperately desired. May somehow managed to release her grasp from the serum, handing if off to Johnson and watching her work.

Studying the orange liquid only momentarily, Daisy carefully slid the syringe in her Quake Gauntlet. For safe keeping. Knowing no one but them knew where to look for it. And when the time was right… they would save Phil Coulson.

Knowing he wouldn’t even try in that regard.

With that, the group of three split and entered the Helicarrier’s bridge individually, not to cause any arising suspicions from anyone seeing them walking together. When they all eventually entered, everyone else was already present and accounted for. Every Avenger, Guardian, Defender, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, simply everyone crowding together and around the large table near the end of the bridge. Sitting around that table was Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, those who followed them standing around, listening, waiting.

Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage were given new clothes from their torn ones, and their wounds tended to by professionals. Matthew Murdock, T’Challa, and Peter Quill sat alongside Stark and Rogers, the five men exchanging glances with silence. The Hulk stumbled around, Thor and Natasha keeping him calm and doing their best to avoid any sense of anger or anxiety from the Incredible Hulk. The near-mindless beast didn’t seem to be in the fighting mood at the moment anyway. As long as Natasha was by his side, his heart rate remained cautious and calm.

Doctor Strange consulted with Fury, Coulson, and Shuri near the command consoles of the Helicarrier. Former director Nick Fury tapped away at the holographic maps, showcasing current video footage of Wakanda via satellites. The African nation burned softly, plumes of ash and smoke flowing in the direction of the current wind trails. A storm of epic proportions was already swirling over the nation, preventing any further access to Wakanda. Shuri stared onto the footage with heavy eyes, caressing her mother’s necklace over and over again.

Rubbing his goatee, Doctor Strange shook his head and broke away from the video footage. He didn’t need some hindered technology to tell him what was hiding underneath the storm. He knew what attacked Wakanda. He saw what fell from heaven and struck the earth, burned the city, and roared out to the stars with the strength of a thousand megaton bombs.

He knew because he saw it all once before. He knew it would come. He knew what they needed to do to respond. Stepping away, Strange said, “Turn it off.”

Nick, Coulson, and Shuri exchanged a glance before gazing onto Stephen’s backside. “Oh, you got a better look, Doctor?” Fury called out, Maria Hill breaking away from her march around the bridge to gaze onto Fury and Strange.

“You could say that,” Strange muttered under his breath. Curious on that, all three followed close behind Strange to the table where the majority surrounded. Stephen took the stage, pressing through Drax and Jessica so he could gather everyone’s eyes. He cleared his throat. “Can I have your attention please?”

He got just that.

Every eye, every head, every breath turned towards Doctor Stephen Strange. The Sorcerer Supreme stood with so little by his side, so many standing with the tide headed his way. He faced it by staring into the eyes of those who hurt the most, those who had lost more than Strange could ever imagine. Yet if they did nothing, if they didn’t come together to face the oncoming war… then they all would lose even more in the long run.

So much more.

He began.

“I know… these days have been hard. Hard for most of us… harder for others. There are words I can never make to ease every single one of you… but that’s why we’re not here to ease. The only way any of us make it out of this mess alive is if we come together and put an end to Thanos’ plans.”

“What are his plans?” Daisy asked, crossing her arms, covering her gauntlets from Phil’s turning eyesight.

“Wakanda,” Fury began. Steve lifted his eyes away from his gloved-palm and turned them onto Nick, watching as he addressed everyone—especially T’Challa. “Whatever fell out of the sky and struck the capital city is still residing in that very nation. Whatever attacked Wakanda came from Equus. Whatever is in Wakanda… the Chitauri are starting to congregate towards it in their biggest invasion force yet.”

“It’s all or nothing for them,” Coulson added.

Strange picked up for Fury, stating, “Thanos is heading to Wakanda. That much is clear. From what Gamora told us, the Soul Stone is residing in that nation, and Thanos needs it to fulfill his genocidal plans. Stark and I experienced Thanos firsthand on Equus. Even with the numbers we had back then… it wasn’t nearly enough to stop him. So… we need more.”

“What are you suggesting, Doctor?” Natasha asked, looking up from the Hulk’s hand she was soothing. The rumbling Hulk exhaled heavily through his nostrils, gazing onto the crowd of extra-ordinary people and remaining in silence. In silence… such a new concept for him. The Hulk snorted and let Natasha continue to rub his open palm.

Gazing at the Black Widow, the Sorcerer Supreme held a certain wisdom in his eyes. Something she could never fully understand, that none of them could truly fathom. Instead, he took the next necessary step forward. “Simple,” he said. “A reunion.”

Everyone who wasn’t staring at him did at that utterance.

“We can’t fight this war alone. We need allies… and I got the perfect bunch in mind.”

Almost as if he could tell time itself—to which no one really denied nor accepted—a plethora of orange sparks appeared in the bridge of the Helicarrier. Agents rose from their seats, reaching for their pistols, but were all stopped by Maria Hill’s voice. She ordered them to keep their weapons holstered, gazing into the orange sparks and witnessing multiple portals forming. And out of each came several sorcerers, both young and old wielding ancient weapons and determination prime in their glares.

Leading them was Wong, the Wand of Watoomb twirled in his hand and resting by his side. He sent a firm nod towards Strange. They were ready. They were all ready, waiting on the word from the Sorcerer Supreme. And while the rest of the Helicarrier was dead silent, struck in awe and wonder to the sight before them, it was Stark who cleared his throat and raised his hand.

“Well, surely you don’t mean this is it? I mean, no offense, but an army of a dozen or more sorcerers isn’t gonna be enough to stop Thanos,” Stark explained, Stephen facing him and for the first time since they had known each other… offered a smirk Tony Stark would have more than approved.

“It’s not,” Strange replied. “Who said we only had allies on Earth?”

Chapter 86 – Friendship Was Magic

Equus

Everfree Forest

Castle of the Two Sisters

8:42 a.m.

The summer thunderstorm was strong in the outside world. Rain pelted the Everfree Forest with an unrelenting temper, the storm birthed from that of the rage of nature itself more powerful than anything mere Pegasi could concoct. As the thunder roared and the lightning struck, the creatures of the Everfree took refuge within caves, beneath shrubs, and anywhere they could find shelter. As for the inhabitants of Ponyville, that shelter came within the cold, cold walls of the Castle of the Two Sisters.

With the newly-repaired ceiling preventing torrents of rainwater from falling on the families cuddled together for warmth, it still couldn’t stop everything. Small droplets of rain fell from the ceiling, already filling up the scattered buckets placed across the Great Hall’s floor. Parents tended to their young ones, fillies and colts alike finding very little time or reason to smile and play like they used to. The warmth of the summer sun as they galloped across Ponyville’s hill was but a distant memory, the only warmth coming from that of their parents as they cradled the young ponies and tried to soothe their worries with faithless promises of a better tomorrow.

The Apple Family was currently missing one member, Granny Smith sitting in her rocking chair Rainbow Dash had managed to retrieve for her during the Wonderbolts’ many excursions to the outside world. Big Mac held Sugar Belle close, Friday walking by and offering the two some more water. They took it, Sugar Belle whispering a soft “thank you” before sipping on the glass cautiously, offering it to her coltfriend. Big Mac shook his head and let her finish the rest. They sat against the wall right next to Granny Smith, Friday flying off to tend to other ponies’ needs. The chair creaked back and forth, the near-ancient mare sound asleep as Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo tried to find solace in the silence near her. The three fillies played marbles as the rest of the world lamented and cried and shivered and huddled close. All three of them watched the constant scenes of depression fill the Great Hall, finding little reason to smile themselves. Friday flew back and forth and helped ponies.

They really wished they could help, too. Not much need of the Cutie Mark Crusaders for a cutie mark-less problem.

Though the Great Hall was a perfect snapshot of the depressive state that had fallen over Equestria, the rest of the castle was already such. Hallways were practically barren, a few select rooms occupied by ponies handing out food and supplies for the long haul that Princess Celestia and Twilight expected them to remain in the ancient castle’s remains. Blankets, toiletries, canned foods, anything that was pure necessity was offered thanks to those select few hard-working ponies. Zecora led those efforts, consistently escaping the old castle to travel to Ponyville’s remains, search for supplies, and make a safe trip back to the Castle of the Two Sisters.

But other than that, the rest of the castle was practically abandoned. Save for a few rooms and the castle’s library, which was occupied by three very interesting mares. Trixie Lulamoon, Derpy Hooves, and Maud Pie were the only inhabitants in the Castle of the Two Sisters’ library. While Derpy flew around the library’s massive selection of ancient texts—more so bumping into crumbling pony statues and knocking down towers of books that Trixie had stacked—Maud took a more cautious and calm approach to how they tried to find the right book.

Derpy gathered as many texts as her hooves could carry, flying down from the highest bookshelf to where Maud was situated on a pile of pillows and blankets. As for the mellow mare, she sat curled and comfortable on the pillows she had gathered for the long, long reading session she indulged herself in. While her younger sister was off somewhere else in the castle with her friends, Maud took it upon herself to help the ponies she would have considered some of her closest friends. It wasn’t much, but reading into advanced unicorn spells while Trixie practiced such spells was the least she could do.

As for Trixie, she was practicing her magic. To the best of her ability, Trixie carefully hovered books into place to stack into massive towers. So far, she had created more than ten towers of stacked books that nearly reached the second to top shelf in the library. Unfortunately, Derpy’s consistent clumsiness knocked over a few of her stacks, the unicorn scolding the blushing Pegasus until both eventually returned to their work: Derpy gathering more books for Trixie and Maud and Trixie practicing the spells Maud read off for her.

Ever since Ponyville was burned to a crisp, there wasn’t really anything they could do other than sit and wait in the dead castle that somehow belonged to Princess Celestia a lifetime ago. How anypony could live in it was beyond Trixie. Nevertheless, rather than being bored out of her mind, Trixie took it upon herself to practice more on her magic while everypony else decided to moan and groan over something that couldn’t be controlled. At least there were a couple of ponies that shared her mindset, or just didn’t want to sit around doing nothing.

“Could you be a little more careful?” Trixie hissed at the flailing Pegasus. “You don’t have to carry so many books at once!”

“But they all look so interesting!” Derpy called from above, the stack of her books lying in her hooves so high it blocked even her eyesight. Like it hardly mattered, her flight pattern still just as abnormal and off-putting when she had nothing obstructing her sight.

Grumbling at that, Trixie tried to focus on her personal studies. The spell was laid out in front of her, multiple books opened to scattered pages that Trixie tried to read off all at once. Tried to focus on all at once. Despite that impossibility, Trixie muttered, “You can’t try and overflow a unicorn with too much information. One spell at a time… right, Maud?”

The storm battered against the roof.

“Maud?”

With her horn dying down, Trixie turned to see the Earth pony engrossed with the text lying by her forelegs, her dull gaze reading along the lines and eyelids stuck in their same, bored position. Snorting at her incessantly rude and silent behavior, Trixie took a step towards the mare to give her a piece of her mind, but was promptly stopped dead in her tracks when Derpy flew right over her head. The Pegasus settled herself by Maud’s left, dropping the fresh pile of books and blowing on them to brush away the dust. Maud didn’t react to the dust particles floating down to the pages she read, Derpy leaning over to catch what she was reading.

Just seeing the expression on Derpy’s face change from curious to anxious as the Pegasus slowly backed away only furthered Trixie’s interests. The unicorn took another step forth, halted once again by Maud’s rock-hard stare. So bland. So basic. Yet so utterly powerful that it froze Trixie on the spot.

Yet what she said froze her even further. “I know you’ve been looking ever since we got back from Ego’s planet, and Derpy and I even managed to find some books you probably never even knew existed.”

Just hearing the name of the alien world where some of Trixie’s worst—and albeit, best—memories occurred caused Lulamoon to tense up, gulping softly to herself. It had been quite some time since the three of them discussed… that topic when not engrossing others on their tales of adventure. Not trying to over-exaggerate, to trying to entertain… just trying to talk about it.

Even then, she asked, “What are you talking about?” A wall of familiar silence met her, Trixie stamping her hoof and jamming it to the book by Maud’s hooves. “Those are all spell books, right?”

“This,” Maud replied, holding out the large, dusty book and tossing it to Trixie with relative ease despite its size. Catching it with her magic, Trixie stared at the book’s cover. It was an Equestrian lineage text, dating far beyond anything Trixie had encountered herself. She opened it to the page with the corner bent at the top, the page where Trixie held her breath and opened her eyes. Really opened her eyes. She only had to read the name on the page to feel her heart race at a million miles per hour, and even then she could hardly breathe again.

Just after reading the name “Lulamoon” big and black at the top of the page.

“The Lulamoons go back for several generations, even before the rise of Nightmare Moon,” Maud explained, she and Derpy watching as Trixie flipped through the many pages consisting her family’s ancient history, connections, distant relatives, and so forth. Derpy flew back behind Trixie, trying to catch more into what she missed earlier.

As for Maud, she saw Trixie’s increased vigor in flipping the pages, in reading the lines, and only growing more and more lost. Maud sighed, willing to kill the hope in Trixie’s spirit before it happened on its own. “But nothing on your father. I don’t think there are any books here that recent.”

Trixie stared longingly, sadly at the pages about her lineage, the story of her family ending just short, possibly continued in the next volume. A volume that probably didn’t even exist despite the vast assortment of random textbooks surrounding them. She sighed, closing the book with a sad smile directed towards Maud. “Well… it was a valiant effort nonetheless. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry, Trixie,” Derpy sniffled, hovering behind the unicorn and holding out her hoof for Trixie’s shoulder.

It met nothing but air, the unicorn trotting forward and leaving Derpy in the dust. “Don’t be!” Trixie declared, offering a heavily-forced smile to both of them before making her escape to the library’s exit. “You all tried, and that’s all that matters. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I… I-I need to get some more water before we continue practicing.”

Her hoof pressed softly against the library’s door, a silent and weakened sigh leaving Trixie Lulamoon. Her muscles worked, pressed against the door, and took that next step towards uncertainty.

“Ba-aa…”

Trixie turned back to the two ponies almost instantly, head and ears high like an alert canine. “Did you say something?” she called out.

“No,” Maud replied instantly, eyes glued to the lineage texts as she slowly flipped the page. Derpy smiled Trixie’s way, shaking her head innocently, eyes staring in different directions. She flew off to gather more books for Maud, more spells for Trixie to try out, leaving said unicorn trapped in that otherworldly silence. Even the hard pitter-patter of the rain pelting the roof was numb to her hears. Somehow… the softest drops of rainwater touching the floor was all she heard. That, and her shaking breath, her shivering nerves, and her rapidly-increasing heartbeat.

All of which Trixie Lulamoon tried to ignore as she pushed herself out of the library and listened for every whisper in the long, darkened hallways.

Castle Basement

Organ to the Outside

9:03 a.m.

They took the Elements of Harmony the first moment the opportunity was given to them.

Secluded under the warmth and light of the Tree of Harmony, the six relics from a time long past hung awaiting their rightful owners. When they finally came, they took them. All six Elements were pulled forth from the Tree and were joined once more with the corresponding mare each belonged to. They formed the appropriate necklaces and tiara, the Elements of Harmony joined with the six mares.

Once again.

Twilight Sparkle stood tall and focused, her tiara shimmering in the candle light.

Applejack spread out her hooves, licking her lips as her necklace and orange gem dangled.

Fluttershy gently caressed her pink Element of Kindness, sighing softly as she readied herself.

Rarity was right with her, her spirit almost unwillingly to try again. Her Element hardly shined.

Pinkie Pie looked to be the only one other than Twilight ready to try again, confident smile ready along with her baby blue Element of Laughter.

Rainbow Dash snorted, pawing at the stone floor with her hoof. Her Element of Loyalty dangled from her neck, her eyes hot and ready for round two.

Within the bowels of the Castle of the Two Sisters, deep into the basement and inside the room that held the ancient pipe organ, the six mares stood in a perfect circle in the heart of the room. Crowded together by the edges, sitting on pillows and tending to the flames of the many candles strewn about to give the room some light, Starlight Glimmer and Spike watched the mares’ endeavors look more and more bleak. Starlight’s horn was bandaged as tight as possible, the mare unable to concoct any spell while she was still recovering. It was annoying, but she got used to life using only her mouth and hooves. It was different, but she lived. Capper leaned against the wall right next to them, paws in his pockets and uncertainty in his glowing green eyes. Uncertainty for them, his friends, and what they tried to accomplish.

Only to fail.

Sunset Shimmer proceeded forward and abandoned the other three, getting a closer look for herself to see what Twilight and the girls would do different the second time. It turned out… not much. Twilight seemed to have so much confidence in it succeeding that they repeated the same steps, each mare closing their eyes and caressing their individual Elements of Harmony. Surprisingly enough, each pony slowly began to hover off the ground, each of their Elements softly glowing with a faint, whispering cry resounding throughout the basement. Sunset’s eyes started to grow a little more hopeful, as well as Starlight, Spike, and Capper’s.

While they gained a little bit more traction that time around, it only ended in the same outcome. The Elements dimmed until no light remained from within them, each mares’ hooves touching ground rather harshly considering they hovered much higher than last time, at least three or four feet above the ground.

Though each pony expressed their combined failure in their own ways—Rainbow snarling and bucking at nothing but air, Applejack grumbling to herself and rubbing her temples with the tips of her hooves, Rarity nearly deflating and sliding down to her rump—it was Twilight who appeared the most shaken by the outcome of their efforts. The first failure was nothing, as it hadn’t been the first time the Elements acted strange around them. But the second time… when all of them were surely concentrated to achieve the same goal… only to end in the same way…

Twilight’s expression said it all. Pale and grim. Shaken and unnerved. But stubborn.

Her frown returned, the Alicorn jutting out her wings and declaring, “Again.”

“Twilight, it’s not working,” Fluttershy offered, squeaking in fear to see Twilight harshly turn her frown towards the meager Pegasus.

“Then we try again,” Twilight affirmed her statement, stamping hard on the stone floor and causing a powerful echo to cry out within the massive, towering room. “We’ll keep trying until we know for certain that the Elements of Harmony are still working.”

“Maybe we need a break,” Applejack suggested, pulling back her hat so her eyes fully met Twilight’s. “It’s been a really rough week for all of us, Twilight. Pretty sure none of us are a hundred percent at the moment.”

Twilight scoffed, surprising Applejack. Holding up her hoof, Twilight stated firmly, “Unless you all didn’t realize, but we almost got it, we just need a little more—!”

“Darling, you seem a little on edge…” Rarity murmured, holding out her hoof and willing to place it on Twilight’s shoulder for comfort. She was shocked to say the least to watch Twilight smack her hoof away, a gasp leaving the unicorn and several other of her friends. Sunset included.

“Do I?!” Twilight barked. “Because last time I checked, the Rainbow Power just failed on us when we needed it most! Don’t try and say I’m a little on edge when our very last means of saving Equestria isn’t working at the moment—!”

“Twilight!” Rainbow shouted accusingly, hovering feet above ground and flaring out her wings.

The Alicorn wheeled on her, eyes wild and feral. “What?!” she screamed. Both Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy flinched back at that. Applejack rose up taller, her gaze hardening on the Alicorn. Never in her or any of their lives did they hear Twilight speak or act to her friends in such a way. There was only one other time they could recall, but even then, none of them wanted to remember. Too many painful memories. Too many friendships lost in a pointless civil war.

Seeing all of their expressions, Twilight finally collapsed. Finally broke apart and allowed that light to shine inside of the darkness that clouded her heart, mind, and soul. She slid down to rest on her rump, her wings falling by her sides, her head drooping alongside her ears. Shutting her eyes, Twilight allowed that darkness to return. To cloud her sight from them, to not see the hateful expressions they most surely wore. For her and how she had changed.

“I’m sorry…” Twilight started, praying to change that. “I’m just… I just want to know we can keep Equestria safe… I want to know that ponies can look to us to protect them, to know they’ll be safe from harm as long as we hold the Elements and their magic flows through us… and none of this so far is reassuring. The Elements aren’t working… and now…”

She gently reached up and removed her tiara, staring sadly into her magenta star embedded on the face of the crown. Seeing her own reflection. The rest of her friends fell silent after that, Rainbow falling back to the floor and crossing her forelegs, wings curling softly by her sides. She dropped her snout and frowned to the floor, just like all the others.

Leaving out the four standing in the distance.

“I don’t think it’s the Elements that’s the problem…”

Everypony, Spike, and Capper turned accordingly to Sunset. Though despite the stares she received, Sunset didn’t let it deter her from her word, from what she wanted to say. For too long she witnessed the struggle, heard of the conflict, listened to stories from Twilight and Tony Stark and the lot of them and only took on the role as the observer, the listener. She knew of their complicated relationship with the Avengers as of late, but even more so found it to be concerning now more than ever. Not just their relationship with the Avengers…

Letting her geode rest on her hoof, Sunset gazed longingly in it, already seeing all the wonderful memories she had with her friends back in the human world. Memories so fond she couldn’t help but sneak in a tiny smile. A soft sigh later, letting her eyelids shield her eyes, and Sunset began.

“I don’t know if the Elements of Harmony are anything like the seven geodes my friends and I wear back in the human world, but what I do know is that whenever we wear them, whenever we come together to face something that might as well be unwinnable… we wear these and we overcome those battles. Through the geodes… my friends and I are connected. That magic we share, the magic of friendship, saved us more times than I could count. They haven’t failed us yet…”

Sunset dropped her hoof, her red geode swaying softly against her neck before settling. She jutted that hoof outwards, pointed to every single mare, and finally let it fall on Twilight. “If the magic of friendship could work through these rocks and through my friends… then why not all of you?” Sunset asked.

The tension that had aroused was like that of a sleeping dragon, ever present but once provoked fully made itself known and visible. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity visibly shrunk at Sunset’s words, already having a sense of where she was headed. The situation, the conflict rising amongst them already mirrored past experiences on an alien world. Dreading it all the same. Applejack pursed her lips, eyes refusing to rise to meet the unicorn’s. Same with Rainbow Dash, the Pegasus puffing out her lips and keeping her forelegs crossed. Only Twilight was willing to meet Sunset’s eyes, brow continuously furrowing, continuously trying to understand.

“Are you all not connected?” Sunset asked. Her eyes fell on every mare, washing and settling on a select couple. “Is there some sort of grudge I’m not hearing about?”

Applejack obviously didn’t get the hint, clearing her throat and stating, “Well… Rainbow and I came to terms with Rarity’s mistake back in the Badlands. We forgave her after we came here to the castle, ain’t that right, Rares?”

“Correct, Applejack,” Rarity replied with a warm grin towards the farm pony.

Smiling appreciatively, Applejack turned to meet Sunset’s approval. Only there wasn’t any. Sunset’s expression was hardened to a sharp point, the daggers cutting deep and where it mattered. Shaking her head, Sunset uttered, “I’m not talking about that.”

Applejack rose a brow, even as Sunset faced away from her and turned to another. The pony in question shot open her eyes, taking a step back to properly calculate what Sunset was trying to get at. Raising her hoof, she rested it over her heart, asking with sincerity, “What, me?”

Sunset gazed into Twilight Sparkle’s offended eyes, her almost hurt expression. “Not just you…” Sunset followed up, shifting her gaze in Twilight’s opposite direction. Towards the only mare every eye in the room eventually fell upon.

To Rainbow Dash’s awaiting expression of confusion.

To see the room suddenly turn on her was nothing new, but for their current situation, what Sunset had suggested… Rainbow didn’t need to be a genius like Twilight to see where she was headed. In fact, she almost prevented it, raising her hooves in defense of herself and Twilight.

Sunset beat her to the finish. That was a first. “I wanna hear it,” Sunset firmly stated.

“What is there to hear? We made up,” Rainbow said as if it was old news. As if there was nothing to hide, that she was being as open to her friends as feasibly possible. As if it was so obvious that it didn’t need an explanation, which begged the question as to why she was even providing an answer to Sunset’s response. Crossing her forelegs, Rainbow affirmed her stance by hovering in the air, nodding firmly to Twilight.

Twilight nodded back, facing Sunset. Nothing to hide. “Rainbow and I are friends again, Sunset. It may have taken… a few weeks after we got back from Earth… to heal… but it all worked out. A hug, a promise, and that was it. Nothing to it.” Nothing to hide.

“Yeah, I mean…” Rainbow interjected, Sunset and Twilight turning to her. Holding an incredulous expression, she said, “We haven’t used the Rainbow Power since we beat Tirek. That was years ago. We’re practically pros with the Elements, though.”

Sunset definitely didn’t buy that. Frowning, raising a curious brow, she asked, “Then why haven’t they worked?”

“We’re probably just a little rusty,” Twilight answered. Sunset turned that frown, that disbelief towards the Alicorn. Twilight saw it as clear as day, reaffirming her statement by saying, “And a little… downtrodden. But nothing we haven’t bounced back from. We always have.”

Sunset sighed and shook her head, breaking away from Twilight’s eyes. Almost like a parent would to a difficult child. Walking away, Sunset paused only momentarily when she heard Twilight’s unmistakable hoofsteps following close behind her. That undeniable voice came shortly with that unforgettable hoof resting on Sunset’s shoulder. The unicorn made no movement to recognize Twilight’s presence behind her. Like something deep down was still eating her, something Sunset knew they had to realize sooner… rather than when it was too late.

Yet Twilight’s smile was still there to offer Sunset that assurance she was desperately lacking. With her hoof resting on Sunset’s shoulder, she stared into the back of the unicorn’s head, smiling all the same. “You don’t have to worry, Sunset. We forgave each other.”

That spurred something, something that caused Sunset to raise her head and perk up her ears. Letting her hoof fall, Twilight took a step back as Sunset turned to face her once again. Her and the rest of her friends. But really only Twilight and Rainbow. Her brow furrowed to them, jaw falling but not a word leaving her. Not a breath. Her lips wrinkled almost as if she wanted to say what was burning in her mind, but a part of her held back, letting loose only what mattered.

Only what they needed to hear and what she needed to know.

“You said it… but did you mean it?”

Twilight and Rainbow’s expressions… fell. Slowly, deliberately, showcasing the realization that dawned upon them and brought them out of the clouds and back to earth. As if they could see nopony else, heard nothing else but their own breaths, the two mares slowly turned to face one another. That short and very small connection was limited, but the two ponies saw clearly what was burning in each other’s eyes. They tried to, but both broke away before they could delve deeper, already believing on past affirmations, truths, and looking to that as their answer and nothing else.

Because they knew it was true.

Twilight said, “Of course.” No doubt and no worry in her voice.

Rainbow nodded to Sunset without a word. Knew that if she spoke it wouldn’t be as convincing as Twilight’s.

Sunset’s expression said it all, the doubting, the concern. But before she could delve deeper, Rainbow excused herself from the rest of the group, saying she was late for patrol with the Wonderbolts. She pulled off her Element of Harmony and handed it off to Spike for safekeeping. Quite rapidly in fact, faster than she normally acted. The young dragon stared at the Element, sighing to it. Starlight and Capper gazed down to him before meeting each other’s eyes, each feeling the same amount of doubt. After the failed practice they just witnessed, there was little to be hopeful more. More so to doubt in times such as theirs.

But not nearly as much as Sunset Shimmer had. She stood alone amongst the candlelight as everypony else proceeded to disperse along with Rainbow Dash, none of them feeling quite welcome in the cold and dark of the castle’s basement. Sunset stood alone amongst the darkness, despite hearing Pinkie call to her to come help with baking more food for the families. She didn’t even offer a response, knowing she would probably feel better helping ponies who needed it. She should probably just drop it like the others had, go back upstairs and start baking more bread, more cupcakes, and forget any of this ever happened and believe in more false hopes like Twilight.

That wasn’t who Sunset Shimmer was. She was a believer, but only where it mattered. Seeing the way Twilight and Rainbow looked at each other—despite saying all was forgiven—hardly held any weight. Though they could be telling the truth. It was hard to tell just by anypony’s word. So, she didn’t want just anypony’s word. She wanted the word.

Knowing not if she could even trust Twilight or her word, Sunset left the basement and traversed the castle to converse the subject with somepony she knew always held the answer. Somepony she knew she could trust.

Princess Celestia.

Chapter 87 – If There’s Something Strange

Ponyville, Equestria

10:19 a.m.

Over an hour of nothing.

Rainbow Dash sighed and lowered the binoculars from her eyes, blowing a raspberry and leaning back on the shattered roof she and the Wonderbolts occupied. What was once the Town Square, where Town Hall proudly stood, now was just a graveyard of past memories, all of which too good to be true. With the reality setting in, with the real world occupying what once was, not even warm memories could settle their worries.

Town Hall had remained standing despite nearly toppling when the waves hit. It creaked and cried but made no other movement as the Wonderbolts took a rest from patrol to scout the nearby areas instead. Led by Spitfire, Soarin, and Rainbow Dash, the Wonderbolts had remained in a cluster of no more than a dozen ponies. They were constantly scanning the skies, keeping a look-out to see if anything was coming their way or there was anything left of interest. To their cause and to the cause of Equus.

The sky was gray and the storm clouds were heavy, the recent rainfall painting the graveyard of homes into a sickly wetness, boards of wood soaked and snapping under the pressure of trying to keep the myriad of damage afloat off the ground. What remained of nearby buildings crumbled under the pressure, but not Town Hall. Its foundations were strong enough to hold itself and less than a dozen Pegasi on its roof. Even as Rainbow leaned back and handed off the binoculars to Fleetfoot.

“C’mon, Dash, we’re not here to laze around,” Spitfire strictly stated. She and Soarin were focused on the binoculars in their hooves, eyes gazing out onto the desolation. Only after Spitfire lowered her pair did she notice Rainbow Dash taking it easy.

Unsurprisingly, Rainbow waved it off, narrowing her eyes into the dark storm clouds high above. The smell of rain filled her nostrils, the distant rumble of thunder soon to make its triumphant return. “How many times have we been back here, again? And how many times have we actually found something that could help us? Oh, yeah, zero.”

Spitfire snorted, lifting her binoculars and staring through them once again. “Smart-ass.”

“Point still stands,” Rainbow groaned, leaning forward and stretching out her wings. Spitfire’s jaw fell, her free hoof grabbing Soarin’s binoculars and adjusting his eyesight in her direction. His jaw promptly fell, as well.

Rising to all four hooves, Dash stretched the rest of her limbs and sighed, “There’s nothing here. Might as well head back before the storm settles in.”

She was met with a resounding nothing. That was new. Furrowing her brow, Rainbow turned to every member of the Wonderbolt, watching them all gazing in the same direction, binoculars or not, completely ignoring her. Frowning at that, Rainbow shot that frown over to Spitfire. Even she was ignoring her, gazing off into the clouds.

“Hey, did you hear me?” she called out, flying over until she was hovering close by Spitfire’s left, right next to her ear. “That storm’s gonna come in real…”

She was silenced by Spitfire’s hoof closing her jaw, directing her head to gaze in the only direction that mattered at the moment. Then she understood. Rainbow Dash finally caught what everypony else was so enamored with. It broke out of the clouds where Southern Equestria originated, storming across the skies in not one, not two, not even three, but multiple ships. Massive in scope and scale. It wasn’t Chitauri, not by any means. For the first time since the Wonderbolts took flight to the outside world, they found something worthwhile.

Something that could actually benefit their cause.

Breaking out of the dark clouds, an armada of Hippogriff naval ships flew across the skies, entering Ponyville’s airspace and occupying it. They weren’t alone. Dotting the skies in the hundreds, to the numbers Rainbow couldn’t dare to count, numerous Hippogriffs, dragons, griffons, and changelings flew about until they too filled all of Ponyville’s airs. Rainbow’s jaw continued to fall, her massive eyes nearly popping out of her skull with how wide they were growing. She saw Gilda, Greta, Ember and Thorax within the mix, leading their appropriate forces. She saw Queen Novo of the Hippogriffs, the brother of Thorax, Pharynx, flying close by her and Sky Beak’s side. But that wasn’t what caused Rainbow Dash to take off with renewed speed and vigor. That wasn’t what caused every Wonderbolt to drop what they held and follow closely behind her. That wasn't what got them landing in the desolate streets of Ponyville, gazing up to the clouds in one, conjoined chorus of eyes and gasps.

Just in front of the remains of Twilight’s castle, Tempest Shadow’s airship landed gracefully upon the dirt road.

The side of the airship faced them, the ramp slowly opening and unveiling its inhabitants to the slack-jawed Wonderbolts standing numbly in the empty street. A helping of smoke and mist trailed out from the belly of the beast, the airship groaning as its engines slowed to a near-halt. A rest at long last. From the beast of metal and steam, several shadows and bodies appeared out of the smoke. They stamped downwards on the ramp until every hoof, every claw, every paw touched the dirt. Until every eye met Rainbow Dash’s. Met the Wonderbolts.

And a smile joined them. Especially Rainbow when she saw Captain Celaeno and her unruly band of parrot pirates once again. While Celaeno offered a slick grin and wink towards the pony that helped them get back their “argh”, it was completely overshadowed by the pony that encompassed that name, that title she gave herself. The burden of her past she carried still to that day.

Tempest Shadow landed upon the dirt, raising her head and meeting her eyes. “Rainbow Dash!”

“Tempest?” Rainbow stated, questioned really. The last she ever saw of the unicorn was last year when she and Celaeno left with the rest of Storm King’s army to “free the world” as she put it. There were hardly any Storm Creatures with her, and not another airship in sight other than her own. No, the skies were filled with something greater than that, something Rainbow never would have expected.

So, she held her hoof to the broken unicorn, then to the skies. Then asked, “What’s going on? What’s… all of this?”

Tempest took a step forward. Then another. To the point that it was almost too close for comfort. To the point where the Wonderbolts nearly felt threatened by the unknown adversary that had entered Ponyville. But Rainbow knew better. She stood her ground even as Tempest nearly got in the Pegasus’ face. A tightening of her hardened stare, the wrinkles on her face, just on her snout showing the urgency in her expression.

Especially in her voice when she demanded, “Where’s Twilight?”

Everfree Forest

Castle of the Two Sisters

10:36 a.m.

Rainbow Dash and Tempest Shadow arrived late to the reunion neither expected.

They practically slammed themselves into the front doors of the ancient castle, both with widened eyes and rapidly-expanding and deflating chests. They practically ran and flew towards the castle, the remainder of the One United Species Army either hovering in the air by the naval ships, airship, or even near the adult dragons. Those who followed the two mares were the leaders of the army, all of them gaping in awe when they entered the front doors of the castle.

The Wonderbolts flew inside, hovering in mid-air and gazing onto the scene within the Great Hall. Dragon Lord Ember and Thorax stood together, numerous other changelings and dragons standing by their sides, Smolder and Pharynx being two of them. Gilda, Greta, Gallus, and several other griffon generals entered behind them. Captain Celaeno, her parrot crew, and Queen Novo entered shortly after, the Hippogriffs and Storm Guards that followed behind them gasping into near-silence when they saw it.

They saw all of it.

The Great Hall to the Caste of the Two Sisters was practically filled to the brim with ponies. Crystal and non-crystal alike. The populace of the Crystal Empire was merged with the inhabitants of what once was Ponyville, the conglomeration of depressive states, saddened expressions, and pure defeat shared amongst them. The Crystal Ponies no longer glowed thanks to the loss of the Crystal Heart, losing that connection and magic that made them who they were. They appeared just as dull and crestfallen as everypony else in the Great Hall.

Leading what remained of the Crystal Empire, Princess Cadance and Sunburst were currently discussing important matters with Princess Twilight and her friends. Starlight and Sunburst were locked in a hug, the two childhood friends assuring one another they were fine and they just made it out of the worst with barely a scrape. Sunburst could hardly believe her when he gazed to her bandaged horn. Twilight was currently trying to calm little Flurry Heart down, the baby Alicorn reaching for her aunt with renewed vigor. Twilight shushed the filly and gently rubbed her forehead, assuring to Cadance that they were all right. Everypony was safe in the castle.

Then they noticed the doors had burst open.

Then every head swiveled around and gazed onto the most unlikely group Equestria had ever seen. A short respite of silence filled the Great Hall…

Then they all came together.

No discrimination. No biases. No time for that. Species intermingled, met ponies with hugs, firm claw/hoof handshakes all around. Ember reunited with Spike, the young dragon diving into her abdomen and trying to crush her with a hug. Sighing with a tad blush in her cheeks, Ember patted his scales and pried him off. Thorax was next, bending down to meet Spike for a softer hug. A warmer one. Gallus and Smolder quickly spotted him out of the rest, reuniting with Sandbar with devastating tackles and hugs. The pony laughed as two of his best friends tackled him to the ground, Sandbar pushing himself up and pushing them off. A bright smile filled his features. The first in days. The two of them were nearly the same.

“How’d you guys get here?!” Sandbar questioned, meeting Gallus’ fist with his hoof in a solid hoof bump. He did the same with Smolder’s fist. “And who’d you bring? Buncha changelings… Wait, is Ocellus here, too?”

Smolder shook her head, removing her dented, silver helmet and letting it rest under her armpit. “Nah, Ocellus decided she wanted to stay in the Changeling Empire to help rebuild with her family. As for the rest of us… guess you could say we’re the army that’s gonna save Equus.”

“We practically saved it already,” Gallus triumphantly stated, rubbing his claws against his chest with a proud grin to join his ego.

Sandbar’s eyes grew even wider as he further observed the large assortment of species interacting with the ponies. Turning to his best friends, he asked, “So everything’s better out there? We can finally go home?!”

Keenly remembering the state of which Ponyville remained in, Smolder and Gallus dropped their smiles, nervously rubbing the back of their necks. It was Smolder who said, “Not quite.”

Curious at that, Sandbar was never able to further delve into that when a powerful voice boomed out of the madness. Louder than the constant rabble of words and greetings, louder than the stamping of consistently moving hooves. So loud that everypony, especially Twilight, turned towards it to see Tempest Shadow break through the crowd and make her way directly towards her.

“Princess Twilight!” Tempest called out once again, Rainbow hot on her steel-plated hooves. When she was but a foot’s distance away, Tempest halted in her actions, breathing heavily and gazing into the expression of pure shock and awe on Twilight’s face.

“Fizzlepop…” Twilight observed, scanning the unicorn up and down, finally settling on her eyes. But really on her shattered horn. Tempest didn’t mind Twilight using her real name, allowing only the ponies she was most comfortable with—the ponies she actually may have considered… friends—to call her that. She still cringed all the same to see Ember and Grubber in the edges of her vision turn to her on that name, curiosity in their smirks.

“This is… quite a surprise. You’ve made a few friends, it seems,” Twilight noted.

“Allies, yes,” Tempest affirmed with a solid nod. Behind her, Queen Novo and Sky Beak made their approach, stopping just short with Ember and Thorax shortly joining them. With them were the griffon generals. Captain Celaeno and her crew. Grubber and the Storm Creatures right behind Tempest, the pudgy hedgehog smirking Twilight’s way. And Tempest ignored all of them, whispering sharply, “But Twilight, there’s something we need to—”

Twilight raised her hoof, causing Tempest’s voice to surprisingly… leave her. “I would love to fully catch up… but…”

Tempest caught Twilight’s movements, the unicorn’s eyes shrinking over to Princess Cadance and her battalion of Crystal Guards. To the assortment of Crystal Ponies gazing fearfully to the fearsome dragons in battle armor, to the monstrous Storm Creatures wielding spears and shields, and to the unruly parrot pirates. So caged in their own land, their own world, unfamiliar with current customs, the Crystal Ponies whimpered and backed away.

Tempest’s demeanor flattened, her ears nearly falling flat against her skull. “Oh… of course.”

Smiling and nodding appreciatively to Tempest, Twilight returned to her sister-in-law’s awaiting stare. She cleared her throat, the rest of the room slowly quieting down as the two princesses spoke to one another. “Cadance… as you were saying about the Crystal Empire?”

“It’s gone.”

If the room wasn’t already quiet then… it was absolutely dead silent following that statement. Ponies were clearly taken aback, especially Twilight and her friends. The empire they had known for years, the place they saved from King Sombra, from the devastating snowstorm, where Cadance and Shining Armor ruled peacefully… just to be gone. Jaws fell, gasps were taken, and everypony’s eyes were latched onto them. The spotlight was on them now.

But perhaps nopony took it harder than Twilight. She physically took a step back, almost shaking her head in disbelief. The look of dread and wearied despair in Cadance’s eyes already told Twilight what she didn’t want to know. “W-what?” she whispered. “But… h-how?”

Cradling Flurry Heart in her left foreleg and soothing her tiny whimpers, Cadance sighed and stared to the floor. “He came for us, the Titan Celestia warned us about, invaded with his army and destroyed the Crystal Heart. The empire… was lost to the storm.”

Thanos. Twilight should have known. Shaking her head at that, wanting to do something much worse but couldn’t with the crowd eyeing her. She didn’t stare at the but felt their stares, looking to her for an appropriate response. Looking for their leader. Tightening her expression, Twilight asked, “What about Shining Armor?”

She didn’t say a word, just stared at the floor and beyond. Flurry Heart continued to whimper louder in her embrace.

“Cadance,” Twilight stated, her voice harder, colder, much firmer and demanding in its power. She took a step forward that time, her eyes hard, hurt, forcefully meeting Cadance’s and bring the Alicorn’s gaze back up. “Where is my brother?”

It didn’t come any easier that second time she tried to admit it to herself. Cadance just pursed her lips, closed her eyes, and shook her head. Doing everything in her power not to shed a tear, to show that weakness that her ponies didn’t need from her. It was more than enough of an answer for Twilight, telling her all she needed to know, and dreading it all the same.

Telling her that he was gone.

She didn’t accept it, not at first. The denial was strong in her expression, the shake of her head, the burning in her eyes. Twilight did everything in her power not to believe it, but it was there. Biting into her and only threatening to eat away until she accepted it. As if losing almost everything that held meaning to her wasn’t enough, now her brother—another piece of her family—was gone, too? Twilight closed her eyes and pursed her lips, just as Cadance had, not having the strength to keep in the tear.

“What about Canterlot?” Cadance asked, already regretting it when she saw the tear slip down Twilight’s cheek. Her voice slowly trailed off when Twilight’s eyes opened again and all she could see was the blood, the veins, the fire and the pain. “We haven’t received letters for days and…”

There was never an easy to put it. Never an easy way to tell the ones you loved of what they had lost. It was the hardest thing for Cadance to tell Twilight of her brother, so hard that she couldn’t even bring herself to formulate the words. And just as with Twilight, what she was forcing herself to say came where it hurt the most, where her tattered heart wept and her soul cried out. But she did it anyway. She did it because she needed to know.

They all needed to know.

“It’s… It’s gone… as well as everypony with it. The Royal and Lunar Guard… Canterlot’s citizens… Princess Luna… the Pillars… my parents… They never made it out of Canterlot before it…” Twilight’s voice trailed off, growing more and more ragged, painful breaths of air entering her and exiting as whimpers, as silent cries. Tears slipped down her cheeks, eyes closed tight and teeth grit as hard as she could manage. As hard as she could keep in the pain from fully destroying her.

Cadance gasped, eyes boiling and wetness slipping, finally escaping. The Crystal Guard with her all promptly dropped their jaws, not a word leaving their battalion. Even Sunburst was frozen at that statement, his glasses slowly sliding down to the edge of his snout. He didn’t even push them back up.

Queen Novo overheard their conversation, standing behind Tempest with a look of shock and horror plastered on her face. Canterlot… gone? Princess Luna… the Pillars of Old Equestria… It couldn’t be true. Novo didn’t believe it. How the princesses or Equestria’s greatest heroes could fall to a bunch of parasites from space was beyond ludicrous. She took a brave step forward, ready to break the silence Twilight had birthed from her painful statement, and held out her claw.

Until even she dropped it. The silence pestered and infected even Queen Novo, the Hippogriff ruler letting her eyes fall. Just as everyone else had.

Rainbow Dash quickly began to catch on to the growing unease, never keen on silence lasting too long to begin with. It was growing unbearable, the Pegasus sighing heavily. Loud enough for ponies, griffons, Hippogriffs, dragons, and all else to hear. “Well… now what? We got this big army here… What are we gonna do with it?” she said, more of a statement than a question. More of a rally cry than a concern. Wishing for everyone to rise out of the darkness and face the light, together if need be. But never alone…

And everyone did. They all lifted their eyes in unison, raised their heads passed Rainbow Dash and onto the light, out of the darkness. Thinking it as more of a metaphor more than anything, Rainbow furrowed her brow when she realized they were all staring onto a literal light source glowing behind her. So, she turned around, and met a sight she couldn’t have been more relieved to see.

The orange portals spinning with a ferocity enough to burn sparks across the Great Hall’s floor. The color of them, orange in hue, grew large enough for two beings to step out of them. A relieved and almost jovial sigh escaped the likes of Princess Twilight, Starlight Glimmer, and the rest of their closest friends. Others like Tempest Shadow, Princess Cadance, Queen Novo, and those who followed them all took a precautionary step backwards when the two humans stepped forth onto Equestria from the alien portals.

Doctor Strange and Wong met quite possibly the largest welcome party they could find.

Wong still didn’t know how Stephen Strange knew exactly where to lead the portals to, but he wasn’t complaining. He didn’t delve into and instead stared onto familiar faces with a firm nod and an assuring smile. He watched, took a step aside as the Sorcerer Supreme confronted them. All of them. From Twilight and her closest friends, their families, to Spike, to Starlight, to Capper, to Stygian, Friday, Trixie, Derpy, Maud, Tempest, Grubber, Celaeno and her crew, Novo and her Hippogriffs, Ember and her dragons, Thorax and his changelings, Pharynx, Gilda and the griffons with her, Cadance, the Crystal Ponies, the Storm Creatures, and every last pony in the Great Hall that turned towards the doctor.

So goddamn many of them.

And Stephen smirked at that, smiled to Princess Twilight and her friends as he paused just in front of them. “Twilight Sparkle… I’m gonna need you all to come with me,” Strange announced loud and proud, assuring and worrisome. A strange mixture, but one that nonetheless earned all of their attention. As if he hadn’t already received it by then.

No hello, no greetings, no nothing. Just business. Somewhat disturbed by Strange’s tone, Twilight shook it off for the time being, trying to gaze into the portal behind Stephen and Wong. “What happened?” she asked.

“Something big… something we can’t face alone. We need you,” he admitted, Wong nodding behind him, to Twilight specifically.

While the rest of the room—especially the One United Species Army—were trying to understand what in Equestria’s name was happening with the obscure wizard alien stepping out of the portal and asking for their help all of a sudden, it quickly donned on those who knew the strange wizard aliens that they came to Equus because it was important, because they were facing something on Earth that they couldn’t do alone. And they needed their help.

“How many of us do you need?” Starlight asked.

Then another portal appeared next to Strange’s right, appearing right on cue when Starlight finished that question. And out of it walked Steve Rogers himself, stepping forth by Strange’s side and meeting Twilight with that desperate gloom burning in his eyes. But mostly… she saw the fire. She saw the call to action. Then another portal, Tony Stark emerging from it and stopping on Wong’s left. He stared onto the mares he had come to know and love, nodding to Twilight, to Starlight, to all of them. To Rainbow Dash. Portal after portal, more and more Avengers, Guardians, Defenders, agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and so many more emerged, all of which were accompanied by a sorcerer.

Until the room was ablaze with orange light and a renewed fighting spirit.

“Everyone,” Doctor Strange said.

Chapter 88 – Haven’t Aged a Day

Castle of the Two Sisters

Celestia and Luna’s Reading Room

11:02 a.m.

Celestia offered the cup of tea in her golden aura. Sunset Shimmer accepted it with her slow, cautious hooves, smelling the sweet aroma and sighing contently. “Thank you,” she mumbled.

Princess Celestia smiled at that, settling herself on her old pillows from a time long past. “I… do tend to find peace when tending to other ponies’ needs. Whether that be just making a cup of tea...”

Sunset sipped the tea, letting the mixture swirl on her tongue and fill her with much-needed warmth. She sighed heavenly, smiling to the Princess of the Sun. “It’s perfect.”

The morning sun was hidden behind the storm clouds, the smell of rain high in the air and the cold chill of the wind blowing against the reading room’s walls. The windows cast a ghostly white light that spilled into the room and filled it with enough light to keep the two together. No need for candles. The room was perfectly balanced between the light and the dark. Not too bright so the two ponies weren’t blinded by it, and not too dark so the two old friends could actually stare onto one another.

Celestia poured herself a cup of tea, breathing in the steam from her cup and sighing. A smile tried to sneak its way onto her lips, and while the grin did make headway, it was ultimately halted once Celestia brought the cup to her lips. Fond memories resurfaced to the time she and Luna hid away from their parents and read, played, and ate snacks and drank tea in the very room she remained in. The cup fell from her lips, landing rather shakily on her plate when Celestia’s aura finally vanished from it. She kept her eyes closed for a brief moment of silence, swallowing her tea and opening her eyes.

And there she was. Sunset Shimmer. Her old student staring at her with mixtures of worry, sadness… and strength in her eyes. She always was so strong.

Knowing she was causing quite the scene, Celestia cleared her throat and forced a smile. She adjusted the pillows beneath her, her wings unfurling and fluffing back neatly against her sides. “Can’t really recall the last time you and I shared a cup of tea, Sunset,” Celestia mentioned, Sunset’s ears perking high at that. She smiled, sighing softly, “But that is the past, yes. What is it you wished to speak with me about today?”

Taking a soft sip from her cup, Sunset lowered her plate to the small table set between her Celestia. She played with her free hooves, ears starting to droop but nonetheless holding strong. The mare herself holding strong with a deep breath and an exhale.

“I was wondering… about Twilight and the girls.”

“Mm,” Celestia murmured through closed lips, lifting the cup and bringing it to her lips. “Yes, you all have been quite busy it seems with the Elements of Harmony.”

Sunset cringed back. “You heard all that?”

“While these walls may be thick, the castle itself is falling apart. Quite a storm of emotions deep within the basement, it sounded like.”

“Yeah, you could say that,” Sunset muttered under her breath, looking away. Shaking her head, she brought her eyes back up and met Celestia’s. “But… I want to be more specific. Nothing held back, okay? I don’t want to hold anything back from you.”

Celestia was glad to hear that, proud once again to see Sunset learning from her past mistakes and building off of her new character. The new… her. It seemed almost surreal to see Sunset Shimmer sitting in front of her once again. It felt like a lifetime ago for the princess. Nonetheless, Celestia nodded her way, remaining patient and quiet for her to continue.

“Twilight and Rainbow Dash,” she said. “What really happened between them?”

Celestia almost coughed on her tea. “Twilight did not tell you herself?”

“Well, she did, but… she never really went into too much detail about what happened on Earth. She tried to make it sound sincere, but I could tell…” Sunset was saying, her voice starting to trail off. Her face contorted into numerous emotions, the most visible being uncertainty.

“You could tell what?” Celestia asked.

“I could tell she was holding something back,” Sunset replied. She stared onto her former mentor with wide, hopeful eyes. She asked, so very softly, “So… what is it?”

Celestia nodded. She nodded and dropped her cup of tea back onto the table softly. She took a deep breath and exhaled, wings slowly extending and making the light from the window shimmer behind her, against her coat, making her truly appear otherworldly. As her wings fell, Sunset was already fully engrossed. Not even a word and Celestia already had her complete attention. And despite it being difficult for Celestia herself, she took a few breaths of caution before beginning.

It never got any easier.

“It was a time… where we thought we could expand the reach of friendship to alien worlds,” Celestia began, flushing memories, some painful, some fond, all of them meaningful. “So much potential, far greater than anything we have known on Equus. An alien world with a race we had yet to fully know. What were they like, what was their culture, did they know friendship like we do? After the events of the Ultron Offensive, the world the Avengers came from sounded…”

“Dangerous?” Sunset offered.

Celestia chuckled softly, her eyes falling. “No… no, not dangerous. Exhilarating. Yes… that was the way Luna and I used to see it. An alien world filled with limitless possibilities, technology that overshadowed our own, and a hope… for a conjoined tomorrow. We never realized how wrong we were. We truly did realize what Earth was when Twilight and her friends returned. So, yes, Sunset… we realized it truly was dangerous in a way. In the end, that is.

“Acts of terrorism, of hatred, fear, other ghastly attributes that divides instead of builds. I never would have let Twilight or the others go themselves if I had known humanity was capable of such horrors. Not all of them, surely. Twilight made that specifically clear. Humanity’s capability for friendship, peace, everything we desired was there… but like every species, there is a darkness to it. A darkness that infects, like a sickness. Twilight and the girls experienced that sickness firsthoof. They became victims to it… especially Twilight.”

Sunset’s mouth refused to close, forming a tiny “o” of intrigue. Her eyes were wide, watching Celestia unfurl events like the great storyteller she was. It was no fairy tale that time around, unfortunately. Every word she uttered was the truth. Every painful word.

“That fear that infected her… it caused Twilight to try and control fate. She ignored her heart… who she was. That title as the Princess of Friendship had never been more skewed since the moment she decided to ignore Steve Rogers’ best friend. She chose to ignore his plight, his pain, his suffering… all in order to keep the peace. To prevent another disaster that she never recovered from.”

That caught her for a moment, Sunset gasping quietly. “Never?” Sunset asked.

The light made her shadow fall across the table and even Sunset herself. It hid her expression, the years of pain and turmoil etched in every wrinkle and scar. Celestia stared at nothing, but felt so much more burning in her heart. “I have trained Twilight since she was a filly. I know her favorite meal… her favorite book… her strongest spells… her greatest failures… her most triumphant feats. I never imagined there would be a day I had a child of my own to care for like her paren…” she caught herself on that, starting again, “… but Twilight was as close to me as any daughter could have been.”

Sunset’s ears fell at that last statement, but Celestia didn’t even seem to catch it. Lowering her eyes, her expression almost shattering, Sunset barely lifted her pupils to gaze back onto the princess’ face she never could have seen in the shadows. “She’s really close to you, huh?” she mumbled.

Celestia nodded, not even looking at her. Not having the strength. “Yes… but never once had I seen her so… like herself. Like nothing had damaged her. The moment she returned from Earth, I saw the pony that was damaged. She and Rainbow Dash. They stood on opposite sides and nearly destroyed a friendship… and for what? Politics… ignoring the pain of another. Neither should have fallen from that. Twilight and Rainbow were too strong for that. But even sickness makes us all weak… and Earth changed them just enough for neither to see the friend they fought against.”

It always hurt to remind herself of what Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash had become when they were on Earth. They would have arguments, certainly, but never a moment either raised a hoof to one another, threatened to fight one another, or even hurt one another. They returned to Canterlot with bruises, scars, pain etched on their faces and confliction in their hearts. Their souls. Some of it from Earth… but most of it from each other.

“Even when she and Rainbow made amends at long last, I always thought it seemed a little too… fast. Pain like the kind they endured while on Earth takes years to heal, and both ponies just shook it off in a couple of months. Whenever I saw the two together, they acted like nothing had happened. Almost as if their journey to Earth, the split with the Avengers… like it never even happened.”

“And that’s concerning,” Sunset said with a nod, levitating the tea to her lips.

“Very much so,” Celestia agreed with a nod and her word. “Yet after I heard of their victory over the Pony of Shadows, I didn’t think any longer on the subject. Their friendship had healed, the Elements of Harmony had saved us once again. All was well. Then again… I didn’t really take into account that the Pillars of Old Equestria were with them that day. Their connection with the Elements was still there, the very magic that created the seed to the Tree of Harmony finally reunited with their creators… Perhaps there was some external power that stopped the Pony of Shadows that fateful day… Perhaps…”

Celestia nearly collapsed, sighing with a near-existential crisis burning in tone. Her eyes shut, her head fell, and an agonized exhale left her lungs. Almost like her soul was being ripped right from her body. “Perhaps I should have never sent Twilight and the girls to Earth in the first place.”

Sunset gazed onto her, watched the princess of Equestria that had ruled for over a thousand years, brought about the longest moment of peace in all of their planet’s history, become the strongest most effective leader Sunset had ever known… crumble before her. She shivered, whimpered, cried, wept, broke down and showed the world who she truly was. Showed Sunset at least, the only soul capable of seeing her in that broken state. The unicorn sat uncomfortably as her former mentor cried, shutting her own eyes and placing the cup and plate back on the table. Rather firmly. Rather suddenly.

“Celestia,” she declared, her voice just as firm and sudden. It was enough to cease Celestia’s torment, the Alicorn lifting her gaze hidden in the shadows and turn it towards the pony shimmering under the light. “A wise pony once taught me that it’s never our fault for things fate puts into place. We can’t gaze into the future. We can’t change the past without causing irrecoverable damage in the present. Things happen… for a reason. We can sit here and blame ourselves for things we had no control over… or we can focus on today and try to create a better tomorrow. That’s how we become our strongest when we fall… That’s how we know who we truly are.”

A gasp from the other side of the table. Celestia sniffled rather hard, tears burning at the edges of her vision. “You still remembered the first lesson I taught you…”

Sunset shrugged with a tiny smirk to go with it. “Well, when you nearly burn down Canterlot Castle with a spell you wanted to impress your teacher with… that tends to stick with you,” Sunset chuckled, rubbing the back of her head nervously. “Gosh, I was a wreck after that spell. Haven’t cried that hard in my life…”

Her voice started to trail away, eyes widening when she saw the shadow cover her. Celestia arose from her pillows and proceeded forth. She stopped directly next to Sunset Shimmer, almost gazing wondrously onto the unicorn’s face and into her eyes. Sunset was frozen where she sat, gazing up like a child would. Celestia hadn’t seen that expression on her face in years. So much wonder. So much innocence. So much that was lost…

And then regained. Celestia smiled at that. “The lessons I’ve taught you have served you so well. Despite our difficult past… I always saw a pony who could be something more. Something greater. Beneath that proud exterior… there was a leader. There was somepony I was glad to have raised alongside your parents.”

She almost broke right there, closing her eyes tight and exhaling hard through her nostrils. Even Sunset was starting to show that raw emotion, Celestia’s words always so warming, so tenderly, so painful and true that they struck where it mattered the most. When Celestia opened her eyes again, they were beet red, tears freely flowing down her cheeks once again. No pain that time.

“I am glad to have been your teacher… just as I am proud that you were my first daughter.”

Sunset couldn’t hold it in anymore. She may have cried years ago when she nearly burned down Canterlot Castle trying to impress her teacher, but the hardest she ever wept was right then and there, embracing her mentor, her friend with a powerful and tearful hug. Celestia returned it with just as much strength, both wings wrapped tenderly around the golden unicorn. Together the two wept, cried, two broken ponies finally finding those pieces each held and mending them once again. Making each other whole again.

The hug ended but they still embraced each other, Celestia wiping Sunset’s tears away with the tip of her wing. Sunset gazed up to Celestia like she used to do when she was but a filly to her own mother, Sunset hardly seeing the difference anymore. Celestia felt the same exact way, smiling down to her and declaring proudly, “You have grown so much… yet have barely aged a day.”

Sunset chuckled at that, dropping her eyes. “Well, it’s only been four years after all.”

Celestia… froze at that.

Noticing the unnerving silence that settled in and replaced the warmth with a piercing coldness, Sunset emotionally shivered at that. She was so shaken that she turned back to Celestia rather rapidly, trying to meet her warming gaze yet again. Yet Celestia looked away from Sunset’s eyes, unable to meet them. Unable to find the strength or her voice that somehow… vanished.

A tad confused at her actions, Sunset leaned closer. Narrowed her eyes. Repeated the same statement, clearer and much firmer the second time around. “It’s only been four years after all… right?”

She didn’t answer.

It was Sunset who pushed Celestia away from her, the Alicorn almost hurt by that action. It was a weak push to separate the two of them, but it still felt harder than that. It hurt so much more than that, especially seeing the hardened expression grow ever more feverishly across Sunset’s face. The disregard for the bond the two just rebuilt, all of it just clouded by the horrid revelation Celestia prayed Sunset would never reach, Celestia saw all of that on Sunset’s face. It hurt so much. Hurt Celestia more than it ever could Sunset.

Standing her ground, hooves outstretched and firmly planted, Sunset stated, “I never saw Twilight when she was your pupil, and you said you’ve been training Twilight since she was a filly.”

Closer and closer. Celestia always pushed the revelation to the back of her mind, intending to tell her one day… but not today. Not in the times they were in. Neither needed that type of agony eating away at them, Celestia with it constantly plaguing her and Sunset desperately wishing to know it. It was a double-edged sword, something Celestia didn’t want Sunset to experience like she had. Like Sunset’s parents had…

“How long have I been gone?”

There it was. Princess Celestia physically flinched at that, turning aside and refusing to meet her friend’s eyes. No matter how much it hurt, no matter how much it killed her. Sunset stamped her hoof into the solid stone beneath her, causing Celestia to flinch once again. “Celestia!” she shouted, fear in her voice, overshadowed by the pain. “How. Long. Have I been gone?!”

Her eyes hardened, her expression that of solid stone. Even with her trembling lips, Celestia held her ground and met Sunset’s fury with strength of her own. She finally turned away from the shadows and met the fire straight ahead, embraced it with everything that it was. It burned.

“Fifteen years,” Celestia admitted.

It burned so hot and so excruciating.

Sunset Shimmer stumbled backwards at that, stammered with her words, her breath, her very understanding of reality. “F… F-fifteen…?” she gasped. Celestia made no movement, no change of expression or of heart. Sunset could barely breathe. She had been gone from Equestria, her home, everything… for that long. She couldn’t even imagine the world changing in that amount of time. The world teetered and turned, Sunset feeling rather nauseous. She tried to calm her breathing, tried to grasp reality once again, but couldn’t…

Couldn’t because she left her parents alone for fifteen years.

Twilight Sparkle burst into the reading room, declaring to the two of them that the Avengers had arrived.

Chapter 89 – Tentative Allies

Castle of the Two Sisters

The Great Hall

11:56 a.m.

After finding her footing once more, Sunset Shimmer followed Twilight and Celestia out of the reading room and through the winding hallways. All to reach the Great Hall. Some ponies managed to push away trauma, seeing it as a moment of their lives where they were at their weakest, something they had no control over, or something they did have control over and still failed all the same.

Some ponies had better, easier lives. But not Sunset. Not her.

She had been absent from Equestria, all of her family for fifteen years. For her, it didn’t feel that way. Life at Canterlot High, through all four years of high school, it may have seemed like a blur, but it was real to her. It was real to Sunset because she experienced all of it. There was nothing she could do to ever experience the torment she put her parents through for fifteen years, leaving them with nothing but a tearful explanation from Princess Celestia.

Sunset felt horrible, lower than she ever had in her life. Even lower than the times she broke away from Celestia, from Equestria. Lower than when she tried to steal Twilight’s crown, fall from that, and have the entire school turn against her. Lower than when all of her best friends’ memories wiped Sunset clean from them. What she heard from Celestia, that dreaded revelation was worse on every scale.

And she carried that with her, too. Just like all the others. When the time came, she would truly make amends. With her parents. With everyone. But not now. Now… they had other matters to focus on. Other matters that needed them to push their emotions aside and lead with their minds, the strongest part of themselves.

Sunset tried to convince herself of that. The hallways were so long.

When they finally made it to the Great Hall, the first thing all three of them noticed was Tony Stark confronting the suit of armor that he instantly recognized.

The reunion was massive, far more so than Celestia or Sunset ever even imagined. Certainly, the idea of all the Avengers returning to Equestria within the Castle of the Two Sisters was sure to be a large event. Celestia was even starting to question if the Great Hall would have been large enough for ponies and Avengers alike. But before Twilight could even explain, they walked onto the balcony overlooking the Great Hall and saw nothing but bodies. No floor any longer. The Great Hall was practically filled to the brim with ponies, Crystal Guards, Crystal Ponies, Hippogriffs, dragons, griffons, changelings, Storm Creatures, Avengers, Guardians, Defenders, agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and humanity alike.

The fact that none of it was pure chaos and just an intermingling of separate species struck Celestia the most. She, Twilight, and Sunset stared from above on the balcony, jaws unhinged, eyes wide, and watching as none other than Queen Novo, Dragon Lord Ember, King Thorax, and numerous griffon generals flew towards them, meeting the Princess of the Sun with courteous bows.

And a few warm, tearful hugs to go with it. Mainly from Novo.

While the rest of the room was already mixing and fraternizing, Tony Stark was confronted by the bulking suit of armor from days past, a blast of nostalgia that nearly took the breath right out of him. Amidst the large, furry and scaly bodies Stark weaved and dodged between, he was struck frozen when a certain suit of armor hovered down in his line of sight, blocking his path. Meeting his eyes.

The Iron Man Mark 45 stared down her creator, both of them somehow losing their voices. An AI like Friday knew very little emotion, yet just seeing the man that made her who she was, standing before her in a freshly polished, smooth and vivid, new set of armor struck the AI. A glitch maybe, surprising considering whose hand made her. As the bodies flowed around them, leaving the two alone within a stream of voices, hugs and tears, bodies and flyers, all that Tony Stark and Friday could do was stare at each other.

Until it was Stark who finally pursed his lips and nodded once her way. “Friday.”

Friday’s neck bent downwards, the eyes of the machine observing Stark from toe to head, making the appropriate sounds to the wiring of the suit’s joints. “New suit?” she asked, her Irish accent still as heavy as Stark had programmed it.

Tony nodded, tapping on his temple. “New voice in my head.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet a true veteran, designation F.R.I.D.A.Y.,” Homer chimed in.

“Friday is just fine,” the AI responded with a raised palm.

Already showing more human qualities. Out of all his suits, all the AIs and the voices he put into his head, from Jarvis, to her, and finally Homer… Stark was glad to see another had succeeded in that regard, in the best possible way. Now if he could just get working on Homer again. Putting that in the back of his mind, Tony laid his palm encompassed with the Mark 50 and Friday’s shoulder, patting it softly.

“Damn good to see you’re still burning bright.”

“You too, Tony,” Friday stated with a firm nod. Stark could have sworn he saw a smile meet his own. Or he was just going insane. Either was possible.

It wasn’t truly chaos within the Great Hall until the Guardians of the Galaxy stepped in. And when they did, they made sure everyone knew it. But only three ponies truly did realize it, three ponies that pushed through the crowd to meet them face to face. Once again after so long. Derpy was the first, practically crashing into Rocket with a bone-crushing hug. The raccoon objected at first, tried to fight her off, but realized it was useless and just stood there, waiting for her to break it herself.

The Guardians, although somewhat surprised, regained that sense of ease when they realized who it was. The butter mane and gray coat were easily identifiable, but when her crossed eyes popped open, each of them wore a smile on their faces once again. Once again after so long. It was Peter Quill who fell to one knee to meet Trixie for a galloping hug, the unicorn glad to see her family. Somewhat family. It was hard to explain. She didn’t care and hugged Quill, Gamora, Drax, Mantis, everyone.

Everyone except Nebula. She was approached solely by Maud, the two observing one another, neither one truly taking the next step that was necessary. The only thing either one did was nod to each other. Then it was Maud who said, “Hey.”

Nebula followed. “Hey.” Rather quietly. Rather not to be heard.

Thankfully, no one other than Maud did. The rest of the Great Hall was already too massive, too loud for anyone to have caught Nebula’s voice amongst the masses. As if that was her only concern anymore, but Nebula and Maud turned appropriately when they all heard the simultaneous and unmistakable squawk of a parrot.

Of several.

“Well, well, well… what have we here?” the voice called out, every Guardian turning appropriately. They were almost shocked to see a crowd of parrot pirates walking towards them, stopping just short and leaning against one another, crossing their arms, and smirking their way. The largest among them—at least the one with the largest hat—whistled their way, smiling with her arms crossed. “Buncha ragtag group of outlaws, unlikely bunch dreaming of something better out of their lives… Yeah, I can tell. Pinkie Pie told us all about the Guardians of the Galaxy.”

They all watched as the parrot held out her claw to them. No one specifically, just to them. And she smiled when she stated firmly, “Name’s Captain Celaeno. I’m the leader of this… particular pirate crew.”

“Greatest group of treasure hunters the skies had ever known!” Mullet declared, cheering and jamming his sword high in the air. He was met with resounding cheers from his fellow pirates, all except for Celaeno, her claw still extended, smile still held towards the Guardians of the Galaxy.

It was Quill who was most shocked to see a bunch of parrots walking upwards and actually talking to them, but he quickly realized what planet he was on again and returned to that insane reality. He made an attempt to meet Captain Celaeno’s claw with his hand—perhaps state firmly of his own role amongst the Guardians, being captain among them and all—but was late to the party. Gamora met Celaeno’s claw for a firm handshake, ultimately bringing the two teams together.

“Gamora,” she stated, shaking Celaeno’s claw. She began addressing the rest of her team, ignoring the frown on Quill’s face. Not only for stealing his thunder, but not referring to his right name when confronting strangers. “This is Peter Quill, Drax, Rocket, Groot, Mantis, and my sister… Nebula.”

Celaeno pulled her claw back after Gamora released her hand. She tipped her pirate hat to the rest of the Guardians, winking their way. “A hardy pleasure to all of you,” she declared with a smile on her beak. Quill was wondering just how a beak could form a smile in the first place, his brow furrowed on that thought.

But it was Rocket who was truly baffled, turning from Celaeno to Gamora, to the parrot and to the Zehoberei. Again and again, only one thing burning on his mind.

“Why do you two sound exactly alike?”

Both Captain Celaeno and Gamora turned Rocket’s way, both of their eyebrows rising pretty much simultaneously, like either one was standing in front of a mirror. “What are you talking about, Rocket?” Gamora asked.

Celaeno chuckled heartily. “The raccoon is the funny one! Guess Pinkie was right again!” Gamora chuckled at that, as well, joining Celaeno’s.

While the parrots shared a hearty, pirate laugh amongst them, Rocket gripped the sides of his head, an exasperated expression filling his facial features as he clawed at his own ears. “Holy crap! Is no one hearing this but me?!” he cried, looking to his remaining Guardians for support. None of them seemed particularly interested in his near-mental breakdown. Quill picked his nose and flicked it.

“I thought I was the funny one,” Drax whispered sadly to himself, Mantis laying her hand on his shoulder comfortingly.

It took some time before the rest of the Great Hall came together. Lots of tearful reunions, plenty of hugs, even more apprehensive confrontations from the likes of Tempest and her crew meeting the Avengers for the first time. Led by Twilight, of course. Having seen almost nothing like the kind of species the Avengers were, Tempest was rightfully uncertain with their extraterrestrial visitors. By the end of the day, she ended up shaking Steve Rogers’ hand. A victory in Twilight’s book. A victory that was short-lived when Doctor Strange cleared his throat.

It was somehow loud enough to silence the entire room. Even Twilight was impressed with that one. She watched as he took center stage, the spotlight literally on him as the light from the sun spilled in from the glass windows resting against the balcony’s wall. He stood straight and tall even with every eye on him, every breath held for the Sorcerer Supreme. And he was the only one breathing. The only one to take a deep breath before…

“Thank you all for… being so accepting,” Doctor Strange announced. His eyes washed over the entire crowd, pleased to see so many familiar faces mixed within the crowds, so many odd species standing together, seeing nothing but one race. He hoped for that, at least. He held out his shivering palm towards the light, constantly moving his head on a swivel and turning as he did so. “There are dark days ahead of us. Whether we choose to ignore it… face it… run away… or run towards… we all need to acknowledge that what happened was out of our control! No power on this planet… or ours… is enough to take down the one who has afflicted our worlds.”

He had their complete, undivided attention. The Cutie Mark Crusaders gazed with wonder-filled eyes to the all-powerful wizard, the three fillies hanging by Big Mac and Sugar Belle’s hooves. Tempest Shadow and Queen Novo listened carefully, intrigued by the human’s words, his knowledge. He spoke of the one responsible for the pain brought upon Equus. They listened even closer.

“His name is Thanos!” Strange continued. “He invaded our worlds with his alien armada! The power he wields is that of the very universe itself! He holds four Infinity Stones at the moment… and beneath the nation of Wakanda the sixth Stone lies in wait! If he acquires it… he can be that much closer to achieve his destiny of wiping out half of all living organisms within this universe! Half of everything we know… we love… everything and everyone! But we have a plan to stop this!”

Nick Fury took the stage, arms behind his back as he declared, “Earth has recently been visited by an extraterrestrial beast! This dragon… of which I assume your rulers are very familiar with… came to Wakanda, burned it to its core, and remains there as we speak! Thanos’ forces are gathering around the entire nation of Wakanda, waiting for the right moment to strike! No matter what happens, we cannot allow Thanos to get his hands on that Infinity Stone! As for the Titan’s current location… we’re a little bit blind on that!”

Princess Cadance stepped forward, her voice surprising many. Even more so when they saw the filly cradled in her free foreleg. Both Fury and Strange spun accordingly to the pink Alicorn when she stated loudly, “The Titan of which you speak of attacked the Crystal Empire! We did our best to hold him back, but he walked right through us and destroyed the Heart! Our power was nothing compared to his own…”

“As well as Canterlot,” Twilight added, heads and eyes swiveling her way. She met Fury’s eye and ignored everyone else’s, pursing her lips and staring with a hardened gaze. “The beast that came to Earth from Equus… from the Badlands… His name is Typhon. He… he destroyed my home. Like Thanos did.”

The utterance of her voice, the way in she worded it spelt so much unfathomable dread that it struck everypony where it mattered. Everypony and everyone. Tempest was silent on that, but not for reasons many would have suspected. She was silent because Twilight already knew about the monster from the Badlands. Everyone knew about Typhon apparently, everyone else so obscenely shaken by a beast they probably never even witnessed. Her whole purpose for trying to find Twilight in the first place was to inform her of the devastation in the Badlands, but now she was out of the loop. She never felt more out of place than right there.

“And Vision.”

Perhaps there was somepony else who felt worse than her. The entire room turned to the voice belonging to none other than the Princess of the Sun. It felt even more dreaded than Twilight’s, filled with even more pain and regret than the Princess of Friendship. The burden Celestia carried weighed more than even that of the sun itself, knowing the grave circumstances that awaited her failure to stop Thanos from entering Canterlot. From reaching the castle. From…

She knew every eye was on her. So she closed her own.

“When… my sister and I faced him… he had already acquired the Mind Stone from…”

There was no power on Equus, Earth, or the entire universe that could force Celestia to finish that sentence. She didn’t need to, the grave tone of her voice followed by the defeated posture, the low-hanging head, it all spelled one thing as clear as day. The Avengers were deathly silent on that. Canterlot was gone… along with Vision. Their worst fears—some of Stark’s worst fears—came to fruition in the inevitable end. Thanos found Vision in that inevitable end. He took from him the fifth Infinity Stone needed to complete the set. All of Canterlot was swept away in the process if Twilight’s words were to be taken as fact.

As for Wanda… she was nowhere in sight. They could only assume the worst, as if there was any other choice in their circumstances.

“He just needs one more,” Steve Rogers uttered with horror on his tongue. Fluttershy shivered at that, many other ponies and even some members of the Defenders, Guardians, and agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. sensing that fear and feeling it for themselves.

But not Thor. He stepped forth, and with a mighty shake of his fist, declared, “Then we make our last stand at Wakanda! We will take the strongest among you all! Who is with us?!”

Nopony made a move.

With his fist still jutted in the air, Thor awaited the moment an army of Equestrians surrounded him ponies young and old wishing to take up the mantle and save the universe from Thanos’ wrath. The only sound he heard was his own, ragged breathing. The only movement he spotted was Loki laying his palm on Thor’s right shoulder.

“There’s a thing called… subtlety, brother,” Loki whispered aloud. “You seem to still lack that.”

“Well, I’m game!” Rainbow Dash declared, flying over to hover near Thor’s left shoulder. The God of Thunder was proud to see none other than his favorite pony be the first to join him. Yet his smile soon fell when Rainbow opened her eyes and sent those twin daggers over to his brother, jamming her hoof in his direction. “And we definitely don’t need any lip from you, especially after what you’ve done!”

The Great Hall seemed to fall silent to that statement alone. Thor held his breath, his one good eye widening. Loki’s smile completely fell apart, the God of Mischief surprisingly silent alongside the rest of the world. Not even a retort.

“What did Loki do this time?” Fury groaned.

Rainbow turned directly towards Fury and the others who stood with him, wild ferocity in her eyes. “It’s because of him that all of this is happening in the first place! Thor told us all about it, told us that Loki was the one who spilled the beans about Equestria to Thanos! We wouldn’t even be in this mess if it wasn’t for him!”

Nobody objected. Everyone looked at Loki. Absolutely everyone. From the accusing glares of Cadance’s Crystal Guard, Pharynx, Gilda and many of her fellow griffons, and especially from Tempest Shadow and Grubber. Ember snorted hot flames from her nostrils, gripping her Bloodstone Scepter even tighter, slowly unfurling her wings. The dragons by her sides slowly did the same. Then there were others who remained indifferent, shocked, or just confused over Rainbow’s accusations. Thor didn’t object to them, so they assumed it to be true. They were Princess Cadance, Thorax, Novo and her Hippogriffs, several Crystal Ponies, Celaeno and her pirate crew, and especially from Twilight and her closest friends. While the Princess of Friendship wasn’t particularly angry with Loki, she was more so turning that aggression towards Rainbow Dash. She was trying to make enemies when they needed allies more so than ever before! Typical Rainbow, to hold a grudge. Twilight was just about to open her mouth, defend Loki even for his unholy actions, and bring Rainbow Dash back to the reality of their situation…

But it was Celestia who beat her to that.

Celestia, having already lost Luna because of Thanos, almost lost a clear motive. A clear train of thought processing and mental capability. She had no doubt to trust the word of one of the Elements of Harmony, but even if that word pointed to the one responsible for such destruction, such desolation, so much pain and suffering… and not even by his own hand. It was because of the brother of Thor… was Luna taken from her. There was no easy solution, no clear sense of togetherness for Princess Celestia. For a moment—a brief millisecond—she only saw red. She only imagined what type of hellfire she would rain down from the heavens when she met Thanos again… only to turn that aggression to the one truly deserving of the blame.

It was but a flicker, a spark of raw and fatal emotion within her… and then it was gone. She took a calming breath, held back what burned from within, and tried to collect herself. Now was not the time to blame. Now was the time to come together. Now was the time for action.

In the end—even if it hurt like hell—it was Celestia who held up her hoof and declared, “No.”

Twilight’s jaw promptly fell. As did Rainbow and Loki’s. All at the same time.

“‘No’?” Ember questioned, jamming her scepter towards the hovering mare and staring harshly at Princess Celestia. “What do you mean ‘no’?! You heard it from Applejack!”

“My name’s Rainbow Da—”

“He’s the cause of all this!” Ember shouted, interrupting Rainbow and jamming her scepter directly towards the God of Mischief. “If this ‘Thanos’ guy is responsible for sending the invasion on our world, and the guy responsible for telling Thanos about our world in the first place is standing right here, then I say we—!”

“No.”

Ember’s fire burning deep within her was not quenched, not even for a bit. Not like Celestia’s had, where a thousand years of keeping that calming sense of peace from within was so far from Ember’s being. She turned her red-hot eyes over to Queen Novo, the Hippogriff responsible for interrupting her.

She came up by Celestia’s right side, meeting Ember’s feral glare with an equally-powerful one. “We don’t have time for this… Ember,” Novo stated. “Fighting amongst ourselves… after everything we’ve been through… you want to destroy all that for something we can’t change?”

Ember felt a presence on her shoulder, turning to it and almost feeling the fire die when she stared into Thorax’s assuring gaze and calming smile. “There’s so much more on the line than this, Ember,” Thorax told her, hoof gently resting on her shoulder. Warmly. Comfortingly. Somehow, someway calming her down. “If we don’t focus our efforts where it truly matters… then we’ve already lost.”

Such powerful words for such a weak leader. Well... not weak anymore, it seemed. She taught him how to be that leader, that sense of strength within his voice all originating from her. Ember groaned at that, knowing it was true, stamping the butt of her scepter onto the stone floor. Ultimately asserting her stance to remain as neutral as the rest of the room on the touchy subject.

“Thank you, Ember,” Celestia said with a soft bow of her head. Ember generously replied with a snort of smoke pointed in nobody’s direction, refusing to meet the princess in the eye. Regardless, Celestia turned her attention to the rest of the room once more. “What has occurred… we cannot change. So much worse will befall our two worlds if we refuse to do nothing. Novo, Thorax, Fury, a word please?”

Thorax practically dragged Ember into their private discussion. Coulson trailed behind Fury, meeting the numerous leaders into a private, almost whispering discussion. Ponies leaned forward to catch just a word of what they were saying. It was pointless, their discussion already ending in less than a minute. After a soft break from their group, they all stood side by side, facing the larger crowds and awaiting breaths.

Celestia softened their worries by declaring, “As Nicholas Fury has stated prior, the invasions on our worlds have ended, and all alien warships remain over Wakanda.”

Gamora stepped in. “If he has the Mind Stone, then all he needs is the last Infinity Stone. The Soul Stone. No doubt Thanos is heading to Wakanda as we speak.”

“Twilight,” Doctor Strange said, surprising everyone when he addressed her, stepped forward to her, and spoke clearly and only to her. Twilight almost didn’t expect it, but accepted it nonetheless. “We have a plan. If we can ambush Thanos somewhere he’s not expecting it, do everything in our conjoined power to get that Gauntlet off his hand, then we can end all of this. Is there anywhere on Equus we can go that’s far from any local population?”

Twilight opened her mouth, raised her hoof… then promptly shot down both at the same time. Several disappointed expressions filled the room after witnessing Twilight’s actions, a dreaded shadow of doubt covering Twilight’s heart when she saw them all. Her first thought was the Badlands, but they were already destroyed. No stable ground there. Pretty much all of Equus was devastated and trying to pick up the pieces. No place really safe from harm.

As she contemplated these thoughts, it was Stygian who stepped forth to the Sorcerer Supreme, pointing his hoof accusingly to him. “You would wish to bring that monster onto our world yet again?! He’s taken both of our worlds and molded them like clay. There’s nothing more we can do!” Stygian declared. Strange opened his mouth to offer his retort…

“How ‘bout the Dragon Lands?” Spike suggested, the entire room facing the young dragon. Stephen, Stygian, and Twilight all turned to him at the same time, eyes wide and breaths held. He didn’t even look nervous. He just shrugged his shoulders and said, “I mean, come on, there’s enough open space and deserted landscapes there since the last time I’ve visited. And since the dragons can migrate pretty fast, the entire area would be empty of life!”

It was probably a stupid idea. Spike should have just kept his mouth shut and let the older, more experienced individuals try and figure out how they were going to save the universe. But to his surprise, to the surprise of pretty much everyone present, they agreed. Starting with Princess Celestia and only growing from there. Ember was not too keen on that idea, but after seeing several nods of approval and satisfaction fill the Great Hall, she obligated herself to fall in line, too.

“Ugh, fine!” Ember groaned. “We’ll clear out the Dragon Lands for you guys! As long as we get first hits on that Thanos freak!”

“Get in line,” Gilda growled, smirking Ember’s way as the griffons behind her shot up their spears and swords, shouting with thunderous approval. Ember, after feeling rather demonized as of late, was finally glad to have a smile find its way back on her lips. The rest of the Great Hall joined in on that thunderous approval, smiles and cheers and chants filling the silence with rejuvenated life once again.

As if Spike’s smile couldn’t get any bigger.

“That was a great idea, Spike!” Twilight congratulated, nuzzling the dragon’s cheek with her own. Blushing at that, Spike pushed her off and waved his hands, admitting it just came off the top of his head. No big deal. It was a much bigger deal to everyone else, pretty much the entire room in shared comradery and roaring approval of Spike’s suggestion. Even the leaders of each nation nodded to one another, settling their eyes on Spike, smiling his way. Especially Thorax. It all ended when he met the silence, the stillness from the Sorcerer Supreme.

Spike’s smile fell when he turned to Doctor Stephen Strange. Something in his eyes spelled uncertainty, but held a certain strength, a solidity to the shared conclusion on their next course of action. He nodded the dragon’s way. Not a smile. Not a sound. Not a word. Spike somehow felt a chill enter his heart from that icy stare alone.

As the room began to settle, Fury stepped forth and took command, saying, “So, it’s settled. We bring Thanos to Equus, to the ‘Dragon Lands’, and ambush him there and take off the Gauntlet… or kill him. Whichever is fine by me. What’s say you, Princess Twilight?”

“I…” Twilight began, the wide smile on her face slowly deflating when she realized just exactly what she was agreeing to. Ambushing Thanos, trying to take off the Infinity Gauntlet… vivid flashes of what happened the last time she tried that resurfaced, nearly taking her breath away. “I’m… I’m not… sure. Knowing what happened last time we tried to take on Thanos in the Badlands… I don’t know how we’re gonna be able to stop him now… especially when he has five Infinity Stones as compared to the three when we fought him.”

The silence that followed from the Princess of Friendship spread like an infectious disease, slowly consuming the rising spirit and hope within a blanket of darkness, several Hippogriffs and dragons, griffons and ponies, everyone falling silent and joining the princess within it. Especially Twilight’s closest friends, each mare turning to one another, each one seeing and experiencing every horrifying detail that Twilight described. Their failure to stop Thanos the first time, the shadow of doubt clouding their vision and leading to nothing. No hope.

Rainbow Dash hovered in mid-air before finally settling herself next to Fluttershy, the Pegasus sighing rather heavily. A few heads sparked to life and turned her way. Rainbow shrugged, murmuring, “Well… things have never really been in our favor, have they?”

And she was absolutely right. They never were. Since the beginning, every foe they had faced could have taken Equestria ten times over, but it was their bond, their friendship that in the end… saved the day. Despite every overwhelming odd, the magic of friendship, the love that they shared as best friends led them to victory every single time. But even Rainbow didn’t seem too hopeful on that, her downtrodden expression facing the floor and frowning at it. Frowning because even she didn’t know how they were going to get out of the chaos.

“Friendship is what makes us strong,” Sunset Shimmer declared, every head turning her way. Every head. Especially Twilight and Rainbow’s, the unicorn turning specifically to Twilight Sparkle and pointing her way. “You taught me that. We’ll fight by that.”

Rainbow scoffed. “Against him? We’ll die trying.”

“Then we’ll die with that,” Sunset replied, no humor and no fear of death in her eyes.

Not many of the mares shared her input or her way of thought. Many like Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and even Applejack remained uncertain. Starlight Glimmer shook her head and glared at nothing, maybe at herself. At what she was feeling.

“I’m not ready to face this, Twilight,” Fluttershy whispered shakily, being the only pony brave enough to say what everypony else was feeling. Some deep down… some even deeper, but all of them feeling it eat away at their hearts all the same.

Meeting Fluttershy’s terrified expression, Twilight Sparkle let her gaze fall momentarily. The light of the sun fell on her, the silence of the room centering solely on her. Waiting for her. “Neither am I,” Twilight finally replied, lifting her eyes and bringing that newfound spirit, strength, and hope into every inch of her expression. Of her smile. Of her nod when she declared, “So we’ll do it together.”

She turned to the massive group of remarkable people and smiled. They all smiled back. Avengers, Defenders, Guardians, sorcerers, agents, Hippogriffs, griffons, dragons, changelings, and ponies alike. All for one, noble purpose in the end.

“Today, we don’t fight for just one life. We fight for all of them!” T’Challa shouted, jamming his fist in the air. And everyone cheered, knowing that this, this fight was what they were born for. That all of them were born for this. The final nail had been struck. The final torch had been lit. The final cry had been given. The Great Hall erupted into furious roars from even more furious saints.

Rarity made not a sound and stared at the rejuvenated life before her, seeing nothing but death awaiting them. Out of the corner of her vision, she never did see Doctor Strange remaining just as silent and staring only at her.

Author's Note

Just officially finished writing Part I of Infinity Era! We still got quite a few more chapters to go until Part II... so hold onto your butts... :trollestia:

Chapter 90 – Lock n’ Load

Earth

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier

2:22 p.m.

Celestia and the remaining leaders of the One United Species Army retreated to the Dragon Lands to prepare their forces for the ambush. Stygian went with her, already planning the ambush. So many ponies followed them. Trixie, Derpy, and Maud were the first volunteers. Capper and Friday were next. Then Sunburst with numerous Crystal Guard. The Wonderbolts followed their princess through every fire, every storm, and every end. They stood with her in the Dragons’ Lair.

Leaving just Twilight, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Sunset, Starlight, and Spike solidifying the plan with their tentative allies.

They were led and followed closely behind Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Stephen Strange, and T’Challa. Right into the main bridge where life bustled so organically and fluidly they almost believed it to be a living organism. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents pursued to their own journeys back and forth across the bridge’s floor, leaving a clear space that led directly to a round table and Nick Fury facing the windows and the endless, Earthen skies. With him stood Phil Coulson, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., as well as Maria Hill, Melinda May, Fitz, Simmons, Deke, and Shuri.

Back to Earth through one of Strange’s portals and the first thing the mares see is the inside of a floating battleship. Granted, Twilight and the others did catch a sneak peak of the ship three years prior when the Helicarrier entered Canterlot with reinforcements during the Ultron Offensive, but it was different back then. Everything was so different, so much easier. The mares and Spike were all in total awe when they stepped hoof and claw into the Helicarrier’s bridge for the first time. Starlight especially.

Sunset even more so. She looked like a child in the candy store, eyes sparkling wide and jaw refusing to close.

Trailing them was an army of heroes.

From the remaining Avengers including Thor, Black Widow, Spider-Man, Falcon, War Machine, and White Wolf. The Guardians of the Galaxy with Star-Lord leading, Gamora by his side, Drax, Mantis, Rocket, Groot, and Nebula directly followed. New York’s Defenders, including Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist. The Punisher walked right with them, holding no name to their team but standing with them regardless. Daisy Johnson and Robbie Reyes led the remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. agents ready for war, from Mack, Yo-Yo, Hunter, Morse, Davis, Piper, and Deathlok.

The surviving S.H.I.E.L.D. agents during the Battle of Wakanda surrounded the army with the sorcerers in tow. Wong led the dozen sorcerers, following right behind Strange. The massive group walked ahead, some dispersing as they came across Fury and his conglomeration. They remained on the main bridge, but broke off to allow some breathing room, to give Fury more of an open look at who he was dealing with. Some went off with their own teams, others staying behind. But absolutely everyone watched the ponies stop just behind Stark, Rogers, Strange, and T’Challa. Even they stepped aside, allowing the mares a full glimpse of what awaited them.

Twilight gasped. Everypony did, including Spike. Fury, Coulson, Hill, May, Fitz, Simmons, Deke, and Shuri all backed aside once they heard the gasp emerging from behind them. And once they turned, once they unveiled the massive hologram displayed right in front of Fury’s command console, they truly did see the lights shimmer in all the ponies’ eyes. Even the young dragon’s own.

What was plastered on the holograms were an arrangement of maps, battle strategies, a headcount on every able-bodied individual who would be partaking for the last stand. The plan was laid out in extraneous detail, so much so that Twilight couldn’t even read the small letters as they rolled up the hologram’s screen. She didn’t need to. Steve already informed them they would get a rundown from Fury himself. All that left were the maps, locations of live footage from S.H.I.E.L.D. satellites showcasing Wakanda and the Dragon Lands. Both were tormented landscapes, torn from the constant scourge of warfare and desolation. Wakanda burned with an unnatural hurricane infecting it slowly, dozens and dozens of Chitauri Command Centers surrounding the borders and closing in. The Dragon Lands were infested with the carcasses of alien warships and dead Leviathans.

Both would soon prove to be the battlegrounds for the fate of the universe.

Twilight flicked her eyes over to Fury and Coulson. She opened her mouth, took in a breath to speak. The sliding doors behind them burst open, bending at an angle they weren’t supposed to allow the stumbling behemoth of muscle and low IQ to enter into the Helicarrier’s bridge.

“Bathrooms small!” the Hulk declared, pushing right through the table and knocking over each individual chair. Heads spun on pure reaction, nearly the entire bridge turning towards the bumbling Hulk. Twilight and her friends were especially taken aback, none of them having seen the Hulk in full glory for quite some time. Sunset even more so, having only heard of the green, radiated beast from Twilight’s stories.

Yet there he was, pausing before he could take another inch closer to Fury. Pausing when his eyes fell to Twilight Sparkle, Spike, and the seven remaining equines joining them. Twilight took a brave step forward, looking up to the Hulk expectantly, hesitantly. “Doctor Banner?” she inquired as calmly as feasibly possible. Not to worry him. Definitely not to anger him.

The Hulk hadn’t arrived to the Castle of the Two Sisters. He was surprisingly absent for the big reunion, but there were so many people present that Twilight and the others never even took notice of Bruce’s absence. Now they understood why.

Huffing their way, Hulk grumbled something incomprehensible, refusing to meet Twilight’s or anypony’s stare for long. “Ponies smaller…” he mumbled, turning aside.

Another one stepped forward, the butter Pegasus. Hulk flinched at her, eyes widening to match her own. “Since when did you and the Hulk sort things out?” Fluttershy asked, sincerity and peace ripe in her stare.

“No!” Hulk shouted. The ponies took several steps back in response, a yelp escaping Fluttershy, Sunset's horn burning with a bright intensity. She realized she didn’t need it soon enough. He stumbled away back into the halls, waving his hand as he did so. “No ponies!”

He forcefully closed the sliding doors behind him, both breaking off and falling to the floor. Hulk didn’t even care, already gone and vanished through the Helicarrier’s corridors. As silence returned alongside normality within the bridge, the ponies could only turn to their allies for support on that one.

“Banner’s going through some stuff right now,” Natasha commented. She stood with her arms crossed, a weary sigh leaving her heart. “He made it very clear—very loudly—not to bother him unless it was time for ‘big fight’. His minimal words, not mine.”

“And a big fight it shall be,” a voice called out, heads swiveling and necks turning to the owner.

The young lady wore a bright orange, decorative dress and a gorgeous necklace dangling around her throat. Her hair was tied into two buns, her dark skin wrinkling into a smile on her face as she approached the group of mares. She offered a short hug and a kiss on the cheek to the Black Panther, surprising Rainbow only momentarily. Explanations soon came.

The young lady stopped just ahead of Twilight and the others with her. She smiled sweetly to them, folding her hands against her abdomen and bowing out of respect for the Equestrian royalty. “My name is Shuri, brother to the Black Panther, and princess of Wakanda,” she stated at long last, easing the ponies’ many questions. She rose up, still holding that smile to them. “I have heard stories from Coulson and Fury. You must be Princess Twilight Sparkle. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Her hand extended, fell to the Alicorn princess. Although somewhat uncertain at first, Twilight laid those uncertainties to rest and responded with her hoof and a smile. Shuri gripped her violet hoof rather softly, shaking it and bringing the two together at long last.

“Twilight, it’s a pleasure. And these are my friends; Spike, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Starlight Glimmer, and Sunset Shimmer… but… you’re probably not gonna remember any of their names.”

“Already got it down,” Shuri replied with a smirk, tapping softly on her temple. Unsure of what she meant, Shuri broke the hand/hoofshake and stood up tall. That finger then adjusted to point to each pony specifically, land on each one as she said, “Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, and Spike!”

She exclaimed proudly on Spike’s name, playfully poking the chubby dragon in his belly. Spike giggled at that, rubbing the spot where she poked, obviously ticklish. Rainbow smirked her way, Applejack doing the same and tipping her hat to the Wakandan princess. Rarity was in awe to the vibranium necklace around her throat, but bowed respectfully alongside Pinkie, Fluttershy, Sunset, and Starlight.

Twilight was busy trying to close her jaw and breathe again. “That’s impressive,” she told her, watching Shuri shrug to the compliment, as if it wasn’t the first one she got in that regard. “You’ve got quite the mind there.”

“Nothing compared to what she’s capable with it,” T’Challa interrupted their little discussion, stepping forth to stand side by side with his younger sister. He laid his palms against his own chest and body, the black suit tight against his muscles and frame. “The Panther Habit suit which you see… flawlessly designed with vibranium weave.”

“Can also store any foreign impact, transform it into kinetic energy, and redistribute it upon any impact given by the wearer,” Shuri explained further, bending down and pointing to specific regions on the suit where she spoke of. Mainly the biceps, the claws, and the chest.

While most of the ponies—mainly Rainbow Dash—simply nodded to that bit of information they probably wouldn’t need nor remember, Twilight Sparkle was caught. Trapped in her old, scientific ways. Even Sunset was taken aback by that information, ears perking up in wild interest. But nothing compared to Twilight, the Alicorn struggling to even maintain her breathing patterns.

“Kinetic energy?” Twilight gasped, observing T’Challa’s Panther Habit from top to bottom. “Wait, you mean to tell me that this suit is made of the same metal from Steve Rogers’ shield, can bend and mold as easily as any suit, and can store kinetic energy and use it as an offensive means?!”

Shuri shrugged again, hands held tight behind her back, that adorable smile burning on her lips alongside the crimson on her cheeks. “Little side project of mine. It’s brother’s favorite pair of pajamas.”

“Quiet,” T’Challa mumbled to her with his native tongue, nudging his little sister playfully with his elbow. She nudged back, the two siblings smiling to one another. Finally finding some form of peace after the treacheries they and their people endured.

Twilight was no longer in the same boat, struggling to wrap her head around such technology. “That is… absolutely mind-blowing!” she exclaimed, hoof once pressed firmly against her forehead now shot out to express her anxieties. “How… h-how did you even manage with the tensile strength, craft vibranium into individual and flexible strands? How did you even handle the energy absorption process without it—?!”

“Your Majesty!” Fury called. He shattered whatever form of bond was beginning to build, all heads turning back towards the front of the bridge and reasoning for their presence there in the first place. Fury leaned against the railing, his one good eye holding absolutely no humor and his face completely devoid of any sort of emotion. Save for impatience. “Clock ain’t waiting for us.”

The Alicorn’s ears fell, flopping sadly against her head. She drooped her head and snout low, sighing. “Right… sorry,” Twilight mumbled, almost shamefully. As she dragged her tail and herself closer to Fury and the others, Shuri bent down and halted Twilight momentarily.

“I’ll tell you later,” she whispered into the princess’ ear.

That alone got the smile to return to Twilight’s lips.

As the mares gathered around and the silence returned to the bridge once again, Nick Fury returned to the holograms and began tapping away at them, showcasing the map of Wakanda laid out flat. He sighed, facing forward and leaning back against the railing once again.

“And since the clock ain’t waiting for me, either… I’ll make it short,” Fury announced. He swiped right at the hologram. Several live body cameras sparked to life, showcasing burning and darkened landscapes. Numerous soldiers in black traversed those lands, silenced assault rifles and snipers in tow as they pushed through dense trees, burning grasslands, and seemingly-endless valleys. Fury continued. “We got S.H.I.E.L.D. scouts entering Wakanda as we speak. They’ll be our eyes and ears, tell us when Thanos brings his purple ass to whatever… ‘Typhon’ is guarding. The big dragon and his demons seem to be digging for something beneath Mount Bashenga… but I’m fairly sure we all know what it is.”

One look from Fury to Gamora was enough to confirm that. A second glance to Shuri and a nod that followed offered that assurance.

Fury pointed his finger back to the maps, an aerial view of the seven-headed beast stomping forth towards Mount Bashenga barely visible. “You see, satellites have shown that the dragon—”

“Kinda looks like King Ghidorah.”

Everyone fell back into silence and turned towards Spider-Man.

Peter Parker smiled nervously to them all. Tried to at least, already offering up his support for the claim. He held up his hand, dangled it out towards the camera footage and muttered, “From… Godzilla? The really old… Right, shutting up now.”

He, too, fell back into that silence and remained by Natasha’s side. The Black Widow patted his shoulder comfortingly.

With that out of the way, Fury returned to the hologram. “The dragon doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Thanos is gonna want that Infinity Stone underneath Mount Bashenga, so if he tussles with Typhon—and somehow manages to come out on top—Strange will be there to meet him before he can take another step.”

Stephen Strange took over, stepping up to the plate and holding his bat for all to see. His fist shivered with the Sling Ring large and obviously visible on his fist. He pointed to it, saying, “I’ll use my Sling Ring to transport Thanos to the Dragons’ Lair. At that moment, the second you all see Thanos, that’s when you enact the ambush. He’ll never see it coming, and when he does it’ll be too late.”

“We will have the dragons trap Thanos within a blanket of molten lava,” T’Challa said, stepping forward and pointing to the holograms changing by his word, showcasing the small animations of the Mad Titan being encased within the lava spewing forth from the dragons’ maws. “Have the changelings become windigos… and freeze the Titan where he stands.”

The animation did just that, bringing forth numerous Avengers and ponies rushing towards the contained Thanos. Steve Rogers stepped up, hands on his belt, his right one rising to point to the screen.

“After that, I’ll be leading the teams to work on getting that gauntlet off of Thanos’ hand,” Steve said, he and everyone else watching as the animation followed through, ending with Thanos eradicated and the gauntlet removed. Despite that mild ease of seeing what was possible, Steve still held a grim look in his eyes, turning that expression to everyone who stood behind him, Every step of the way. “By any means necessary, if any of you see an opening… you don’t hesitate to take it. That gauntlet needs to come off.”

Stark finished for him, adding, “If anything goes south, we stick to the plan. We don’t go off on our own. We don’t waste our efforts unless it’s on the gauntlet. If you can’t do it alone… find someone to stand with and distract Thanos long enough for us to get that gauntlet off.”

“With the gauntlet and Thanos’ source of power taken care of, we can finish the job,” Fury finalized, letting out a breath of pent-up unease as he sat on the railing and crossed his arms. It wasn’t a full-proof plan by any means, but it was the best they could come up with considering the type of time they had left. Still, he left it open for discussion, the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director holding out his hands to the many eyes and the many blank expressions.

He asked, “Any objections?”

No one did. Either they didn’t have the strength, they agreed to it, or they were just indifferent. When it came time to voice their opinions, right then and there mattered more than ever before. It was nearly a full fifteen seconds of utter silence before Peter Quill cleared his throat. Almost every eye in the room shot in his direction.

He didn’t even notice it. He just stared at Fury and asked, “You think we have what it takes to stop this?”

Fury opened his mouth… then promptly closed it. By his own will or by some external force that he never knew—or perhaps he possibly did—it was there. It was real and it needed to be addressed. The doubt. The fear. The horror of what awaited them if anything went wrong in the plan. They could handle some hiccups, they could deal with a minor injury, with cuts and bruises and broken bones. Deaths… those were always harder. But if they did nothing, if they sat back and admitted to themselves that they let half the universe die… then who were they?

Not who they believed they were.

Fury leaned back and crossed his arms, eye low and facing to the floor. “For as long… as I’ve been in this business, Mr. Lord,” he began, already stretching Quill’s nerves by that name. Peter let it slide and remained silent. “I’ve seen a lot of crazy things. Aliens falling from the sky… word of a billionaire fighting out of a cave in a metal suit… a Norse god decimating a small town… a seventy-year-old soldier frozen in ice… This may just take the cake if Thanos finishes what he started. We may not be the biggest army in the universe… some of us may not be the strongest, the smartest, the most well-equipped to handle a job like this. But if we don’t… who else could? I can’t guarantee any of us will come out of this alive… but that’s the risk we’re all willing to take.”

He stepped up, closed the distance between his side and theirs, and stared with a fiery intensity onto those who still doubted, onto those who didn’t know the outcome and could only trust his word. Each other. Hopefully themselves. He stared at Star-Lord, at all of them, and finished, “I hope… it’s the risk.”

Then silence from their end. Every body unmoving, every eye centered on Fury, unwillingly to break away and undoubtedly uncertain for what remained ahead of them. But in the end, that’s what truly made them human, mortal, so unlike the external forces commanding fate.

And in the end… it was the First Avenger that stepped forward. “I’ll take that risk,” Steve Rogers declared, nodding once to Fury. Nick stared straight into his eyes, saw no sense of quit and only the fight. Just as alive and bright since the day they pulled him out of the ice.

“Me too,” James Barnes added, stopping just short of Steve’s left.

“Me three,” Rainbow Dash uttered, flying over to hover on Steve’s right. Both Rogers and Barnes met her eyes, saw her smirk, and joined her.

One by one, everyone slowly came together. Knowing not what lied ahead but knew they would face it together. Knowing who they stood against and realized the outcome was never truly certain, never truly resting in their favor. They needed to fight for that outcome, reach it with as much strength and unity as any of them could muster. And when the time came, when it needed them most of all to do what none others could—what no remarkable individual could accomplish—they would be there. Facing it. Even when they didn’t know what was coming.

Rarity knew exactly what was coming.

It plagued her the moment she stepped hoof into that life, experienced what the universe was capable of. And it terrified her. It struck her so deep that no healing was possible. No treatment could ease the wound inflicted on her mind, her soul, her very understanding of reality, time, and fate. She refused to step forward with her friends because she knew that what awaited did not lie in their favor. She refused to stand with her friends because…

Because she couldn’t agree to die.

And they needed to know that.

Slowly, she turned her eyes shakily to Twilight’s backside. Raised her hoof to her. “T-Twilight—”

She was interrupted when the entirety of the Helicarrier buckled.

It was so sudden, so brief but so powerful. Agents toppled over in their chairs and fell to the steel flooring filling the bridge. Almost everyone fell, held onto someone close, or grabbed the nearest object to steady themselves. Others like Tony and Rhodes already activated their masks, the bright red and blue eyes igniting and scanning their environment for threats. Once the tremor filling the Helicarrier ended, everything stabilized. Everything returned to normal.

Rarity really wished it had. Instead, she lost her voice yet again and let the inevitable continue to unfold. “What the hell was that?!” Daisy shouted, she and May exchanging wild and uncertain glances before turning them to Coulson, hopefully for answers. The expression on his face said it all, Phil already moving towards the security footage and flicking through it on the main hologram.

“Check all scanners, Agent Hill!” Fury shouted, finding his balance once again and facing the front windows, trying to look for whatever had struck them. “Find out what hit us!”

“Nothing hit us, Fury,” Coulson immediately responded, even faster than Maria Hill. His eyes were practically glued to the screen, facing away from it to meet Fury’s eye, just as wide as his own. “But we do have a visitor.”

Phil stepped aside to allow everyone to get a closer look at what exactly he was referring to. They all saw it, almost all of them unable to believe it. Except… for a select few. Daisy and May shot each other the same horrified glance, Fitz and Simmons doing the same. All four of them slowly, painfully turning back to the live security footage on the deck of the Helicarrier.

Standing outside within the foggy clouds and blistering wind, Glenn Talbot smiled directly into the camera’s face. Even from so far away, he stared directly into the near-minuscule camera. He somehow saw it. The lone human being stood in the center of the Helicarrier’s landing pad, the remainder of the ship deactivating its cloaking mechanism from where he stood, spreading out and infecting the rest of the ship. His torn jacket and jeans swayed in the wind alongside his large beard, yet nothing could conceal that smile, that smirk, that known sense of power practically flowing through his eyes. No one moved a muscle from within the Helicarrier’s bridge, everyone seemingly fixated on the live camera footage of Glenn Talbot just staring at them.

And smiling. It was the only thing that gave Twilight a chill of unease to flow down her spine. The other mares and Spike, too, a certain aura of unsettling power practically radiating off of the man’s essence. For too long, nobody made a move, everyone seemingly frozen by the man and his smile. Yet it was Phil who finally acted.

“Can I borrow that?” he asked Fury, pointing specifically to the small microphone on his jacket. Fury didn’t object and pried the device from him and handed it to the Phil. Adjusting it right next to his mouth, Coulson leaned forward and stared directly into the camera footage, meeting Talbot’s eyes. Glenn’s smile grew even wider. “Hey Talbot… we missed you at the Lighthouse. Mind telling us where that Gravitonium went off to?”

Talbot almost looked like he chuckled at that, his eyes softly closing, lost in a state of bliss, before returning with that otherworldly stare.

“Oh, you won’t have to worry about that. It’s in good hands,” Talbot responded. He spoke so calmly, but his voice seemed amplified somehow, as if he was secretly wearing a similar microphone on his jacket that allowed him to speak over the high winds and especially the distance from the deck to the bridge. Yet there was nothing that they could see. Just him.

“We’re in quite a mess, aren’t we, Phil?” Talbot continued. “Just got my family somewhere safe… saved the city from the Chitauri… but it looks like we got bigger fish to fry this time around.”

Everyone in the bridge remained silent, held their breath. Fury leaned forward alongside Coulson. Steve and Tony took a single step closer, neither one refusing to drop their guard. Not even for a second. Not even when Talbot said the very next words…

“I wanna help,” Glenn announced, slightly louder than before. He held up his palm. “Just point me in the right direction and I’ll kill Thanos for you.”

Now if that wasn’t the most asinine thing they had ever heard. Rainbow scoffed, looking to Applejack and Sunset and rolling her eyes at that. Pinkie held her hoof to the side of her head, rotating it and rolling both pupils in more of a “crazy” sense. Even some of the Avengers appeared unconvinced. But it was the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. who actually shuddered at that statement, knowing the sincerity behind it. The promise and the strength that he laid thick. It was even stronger than they remembered.

“How are you…?” Phil began to question. Then Phil noticed the deck surrounding Talbot. He watched—everyone watched with complete astonishment as Glenn slowly closed his palm into a fist. Instantly, the nearby generators and deck floor began to fall apart, pure, hardened metal crushed like tinfoil, the cement of the deck curling and cracking like glass beneath his feet. It didn’t end there. The bridge began to shudder, the glass windows showing definite signs of tension and stress pressed against it. The glass began to crack, computers and chairs crushed slowly, painfully, as S.H.I.E.L.D. agents rose up and backed away in shock to the phenomenon occurring before them.

And before it could get any worse… it stopped. Right when Talbot released his palm and let it fall slowly to his side.

There was no questioning it anymore. There was definitely no questioning him… any longer. Phil Coulson returned to the footage, met Talbot eye to eye, man to man, and stated the obvious. “Talbot… you absorbed all the Gravitonium.”

Glenn smirked at that. “I don’t like ‘Talbot’ anymore…”

He held out both of his arms, his palms faced to the heavens, as he slowly rose from the Helicarrier’s deck and hovered directly in front of every single eye. And they all saw him now.

“Call me… Graviton… and get me a new uniform.”

Chapter 91 – Endgame

Equus

The Dragon Lands

Dragons’ Lair

4:40 p.m.

Littered with dead dragons, Chitauri ships, and deceased Leviathans, the battleground was set.

Princess Celestia and Queen Novo were in charge of the ambush on Equus’ front, with obvious word and input from Dragon Lord Ember, considering whose land they were soon to be fighting on. Sunburst represented the Crystal Empire and stood with those various guards, leaving Princess Cadance to remain in Equestria with Flurry Heart just in case the ambush failed. Just in case… Celestia or Twilight didn’t return. Equestria would need a leader. Thorax and the griffon generals stood alongside them, each and every leader from the various nations surrounded by their personal guard.

Celestia was backed by Spitfire and her Wonderbolts, Stygian joining her. Novo stood with Skyranger and Sky Beak by her sides. Seaspray was gone, awaiting orders alongside the rest of the naval fleet. Ember was surrounded with numerous dragons, big and small, young and old. They were with their Dragon Lord and watched the skies, intent on keeping their leader safe. Her golden armor shimmered under Celestia and Novo’s own, the three leaders radiant under the fading glare of the sun. Thorax’s brother Pharynx stood with him, he being the more dominant force in the changeling rule. Pharynx commanded several changeling guards to be at the ready, an entire army hiding in plain sight and in waiting. The several griffon generals were scattered across the Dragon Lands, commanding larger groups of griffons while Gilda, Gallus, Greta, and many more stuck with their more personal allies. Gallus stood close by Smolder’s side, both seemingly aware of their missing friend. Sandbar remained with his family back in Equestria, by his request. Probably for the best.

There were the more unruly of the various races, as well. Tempest Shadow watched from the fading clouds to the impending battlefield below them. Her airship hovered ominously overhead, silent as a whisper with her own army awaiting on deck for her word. A platoon of Storm Creatures were as still as statues, Grubber amongst them and standing in hardened, heavy armor a few sizes too big for the hedgehog. Captain Celaeno piloted the airship with her crew surrounding her, swords by their sides but claws gripping their handles. Always at the ready. The wind blew softly into Tempest’s face, shaking her spiked mane. Not too strong. Just a whisper. She slowly turned back to Celaeno, the parrot captain meeting Shadow’s gaze and hardening it with her own. A nod between the two.

Ready.

Back on the shattered earth, a group of remarkable people were scattered and uncertain. Unsure of the future, of what truly awaited them, but readied themselves nonetheless. The Avengers consisted of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, the Hulk, Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson, Peter Parker, James Rhodes, and Bucky Barnes. Various couples standing together, staring off, trapped in their own conversations while the Dragons’ Lair burned around them. They could only talk about the plan. Again and again and again. Nothing else to know except what to do. And to do it right. Loki and T’Challa stood with them, only one of them truly wanting to be there, truly wanting to get vengeance on the Titan who took away his people.

Loki never looked so nervous as he gripped his twin daggers and stood behind his brother, under his shadow. Like always.

In the distance, the Defenders with the Punisher hardly looked any better. Matthew Murdock was constantly on patrol, listening for every possibly sound, every possible threat that could come to them. Within their team—whatever they could call a team—everyone seemed to assume that Daredevil would be leader. He took that position silently, explaining their role in the ambush as carefully and quietly as possible. The Dragon Lands was a near-graveyard of silence. Pure, unsettling, haunting silence with distant roars and crying winds. Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Danny Rand, and Frank Castle were constantly scanning alongside Murdock, none of them really listening. All of them tightening their fists, hardening their hearts, and cocking their pistols. Waiting for the Titan to show his face.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were a different story entirely. While the Defenders were more reclusive, they stood amongst their alien allies, more so the equines. Peter Quill and Trixie stood together with Gamora, Drax and Mantis looking over to Rocket and the pony alongside him. The raccoon was currently engrossed with the Pegasus’ Domino Gun, adjusting the metallic vest with a couple more enhancements. Most importantly, he fixed it so it could hurt organics, namely the purple Titan kind. Derpy looked sick to her stomach as the Domino Gun adjusted and whirred to life on her body, the twin guns rising on her shoulders and resting there. Groot gently patted her mane to ease her worries. A weak smile soon found its way back on Derpy’s face, but it never could have lasted.

Nebula sat alone, on a rock, with Maud by her side.

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were standing by and waiting for orders. Led by the Inhuman Quake, Daisy Johnson, she was surrounded by Mack, Yo-Yo, Deathlok, Hunter, Morse, and the eight faceless agents, the eight soldiers who had survived one war and were ready for another. Mack loaded in a fresh shell for his Shotgun-Axe, Yo-Yo Rodriguez tightening her metallic fingers over and over again. Deathlok scanned the battlefield, spotting no other life forms but their own army. Hunter and Morse were side by side, husband and wife conjoined with rifles and knives on their person and at the ready. Robbie Reyes, the Ghost Rider, stood with them, his glare focused to the world above them. To the African continent.

To the Helicarrier hidden in the skies. With the camouflage active, the massive flying fortress was practically invisible to the naked, mortal eye. Within it, Nick Fury was standing by with Maria Hill, Phil Coulson, Shuri, Melinda May, Fitz, Simmons, Deke, Piper, and Davis watching alongside the many other agents to the screens displayed on every computer. They all watched, in silence, as the scouts traversed the devastated hellscape that was the Wakandan capital. No Typhon. No demons. No Mad Titan.

Because they weren’t at the capital. Fury already ordered the scouts to search where Shuri told him of, to Mount Bashenga. The scouts replied without a word—as not to give their position away—and went off in silence, towards the next objective. Everyone awaited word from the scouts on the current state of Wakanda and when to give Stephen Strange the word to act.

Upon the surface of the Dragons’ Lair, Doctor Strange and Wong stood together, an army of a little more than a dozen sorcerers right behind them. In silence alongside the Sorcerer Supreme. The whispering wind tugged at the Cloak of Levitation, making it sway while Strange was so still, unable to move. Frozen where he stood. Wong gripped the Wand of Watoomb tighter and tighter as he glared at the Earth within the clouds, the growing storm over Wakanda growing fiercer by the second. It wouldn’t be long now. Stephen Strange stared with a settled gaze, his face pale, his chest rising and falling at a steady, cautious pace.

But every now and again he would sometimes flick his gaze over to his far right, let them settle on a particular group of ponies he just couldn’t take his eyes off of.

Mixed amongst the groups of Avengers and Guardians, Twilight Sparkle and her friends had never been more nervous in their entire lives. Rainbow Dash trotted back and forth, creating a small trench with her hoofprints in the dirt and rock. Applejack tightened her lasso and settled it on her backside, then focusing on her father’s hat and tightening it, as well. She needed to have that assurance that she truly wouldn’t be alone for the battle of the very universe. Pinkie Pie was consoling a weary and worried Fluttershy, not even Pinkie holding her usual, bubbly attitude considering what awaited them. Rarity stared at the ashes that forever rained within the Dragons’ Lair. Stared in silence. Not a word left her nor a single movement.

Each Element of Harmony remained with their rightful owner, held tightly around each mares’ neck and secured on Twilight’s head. They had faith the plan, the ambush would work, but knew that if all else failed… the Elements would be on-site, ready at a moment’s notice. Even if prior moments to test the Elements hadn’t ended in the most satisfactory of ways… Twilight and the others had confidence they would work out in the end. They always have in the most unlikely of times. Today would be no different. Celestia approved their use of the Elements for the awaiting battle, though Twilight could have sworn she sensed a bit of hesitation in her voice. Something she kept it mind, further back and unimportant at the moment.

Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, Spike, Capper, and Friday were amongst them.

Everyone was in position. Ready for Fury to give the word to Strange.

Then ready for absolutely anything that followed.

Nebula sat alone on the cracked rock and stared solemnly at her Electroshock Baton. Her robotic fingers caressed the weapon, her few nerve endings hardly feeling the electricity coursing through the baton. The cyborg of her never truly held that same sense she once possessed, the Luphomoid she still contained feeling the shock course up her arm. Still feeling that sense of impending doom, the part of her untainted by her father. Out of anything she was or would be, Nebula would always place her trust in that part of herself.

Knowing she couldn’t with the rest or anyone else. Even when Maud Pie sat right next to her, upon the dirt and not on the rock, Nebula showed little to no interest or emotion. Despite their history. Despite their past. Despite what they built before.

“Hey.”

Nebula sighed, keeping her gaze tightly locked with her baton. Maud was unperturbed, staring to the Luphomoid and asking, “Are you nervous?”

It was nearly a minute of silence between them. A silence filled with distant dragon roars, the cry of the wind, and the near-silent airship engines courtesy of Tempest Shadow high above the clouds. Finally, Nebula sighed again, lowering her Electroshock Baton. “If you knew my father, you would know how I feel,” she replied at long last.

“I don’t know your father,” Maud retorted just as fast. She looked nowhere else but to Nebula, seeing that apprehension slowly eat away at her, consume her like the parts of her that didn’t belong. Like a monstrous infection. Only Maud didn’t see that. She didn’t see a monster sitting before her. “But I know you.”

She laid her hoof softly on Nebula’s leg, Nebula finally turning her eyes lower to the Asteroid Glove and the hoof it belonged to. Those eyes trailed forward and met the pony’s, a somewhat solid sense of assurance in that dull look in her eyes. And Maud told her, “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

With her voice, it should have hardly sounded convincing, but Nebula didn’t hear that. She didn’t hear that dead tone that any average person would have. They were not average by any means. They were torn, broken people, species who didn’t belong, who were rejected, seen as outcasts. To her, Nebula heard that sincerity. The part of her that wasn’t monstrous started to tear at that, having not felt such a sensation since Gamora offered her a hug so long ago.

So alien. So unlike anything she had ever known or experienced prior. It tore her. It made her turn away. But not again…

Nebula reached down with her right hand, dug softly into her boot, and retrieved a small slip of paper. Almost taken aback at first, Maud stared onto it almost curiously, her eyes widening by centimeters. To some, it was just a folded, torn, worthless slip of paper. But to them, it was the Rock Soup recipe Maud gave her so long ago.

Still with her.

“You always were,” Nebula told her with a whisper.

Maud smiled softly at her, a tiny one, a smile that hardly existed.

Nebula mirrored her and smiled back.

And no one experienced that smile but them. Nebula’s sister could not experience such a tremendous event, the Guardian standing with her arms crossed, hair blowing softly in the heated wind, and her eyes latched with planet Earth high above her. But mostly, she could only stare to the growing storm surfacing around Wakanda, nearly blotting out the entire continent of Africa. The eye of the storm glowed a dark and hellish red, glaring down right at her.

The entire cosmos rested on their shoulders now. Whether they lived or died didn’t matter, but they could not, they absolutely could not let Thanos get his hands on that last Infinity Stone. It was hard for Gamora to trust others outside of her team. It all relied on Nick Fury and his agents to relay the message of Thanos’ whereabouts to them, to where Doctor Strange would then transport himself to Earth so he could bring Thanos to Equus, where so many others would fight for their lives as well as so, so many others to ensure that gauntlet was removed. Destroyed. All of the above. It was so hard for Gamora to trust them with that. One mistake and it was all over.

Despite the warmth in the wind, Gamora shivered where she stood. She prayed no one saw any from of weakness from her, not needing it now of all times.

A hoof softly patted her leg.

Dammit, Gamora cursed mentally, knowing someone saw that weakness. Somepony to be exact. Closing her eyes and shifting her head to the mare arriving to her left side, Gamora stared onto the golden coat, the fiery red and yellow mane, and the brilliant eyes of Sunset Shimmer. She stared onto Gamora with more than enough hope, the kind that just didn’t exist at the moment. The Guardian was somewhat eased by that, knowing at least one of them held it.

Yet what Sunset told her made Gamora nearly lose her balance. She practically read her mind, saying, “You don’t have to worry, Gamora. I know it looks bleak now… but things always turn out the way they should. They’ll turn out all right…. even with so many odds stacked against us.”

They barely knew each other. They were two completely separate species of alien and yet that never stopped Gamora from finding a family. From finding a lover. It didn’t stop her anymore, especially from finding a friend. That hope, that spark of strength was so radiant in her voice, her tone, her expression. Everything that Sunset was… was a beacon. A fire. They needed that more than ever. Gamora was glad to have a smile return to her lips at the assuring words. She rubbed Sunset’s mane, gently caressing the unicorn’s ear. Smiling at that, Sunset was glad to see that assurance return to Gamora once again, but it was completely overshadowed by the necklace glowing right over her heart.

Her geode softly glowed, softly cried, almost as if in some kind of response to Gamora’s touch. Sunset’s smile slowly faltered, fell apart and turned to the geode resting on her chest. And when her hand drew away from the mare, the geode softened. It silenced. Sunset furrowed her brow at it, stared nowhere else even when Iron Man sighed.

Standing in his Mark 50, Tony stared aimlessly about the Dragon Lands, the wasteland already burning and resembling more of a garbage heap than the lair of the Dragon Lord. Whatever. He sighed, responding to Sunset’s words with, “Well, we have one advantage; he’s coming to us. So that’s what we use.”

While the mares, Spike, Capper, and Friday broke away from each other and turned to Stark—Sunset included amongst them, somehow breaking away from her geode but keeping it in mind—there was one among them… who didn’t. Rarity caught her breath, keeping her head low and whimpers even lower. Thanos was coming to them. Right… she still needed to convince herself of that. Sooner or later, she needed to realize that.

“You got the Avengers in position?” Twilight asked, she and her friends approaching Stark and his cluster of Avengers. The Guardians turned their way, joining Gamora alongside Sunset.

“Rogers’ll handle that,” Tony replied, pointing off somewhere, probably to Steve. Probably not. Steve and his group turned in their direction either way, eyeing Stark. Tony didn’t take his eyes off Twilight and the girls. With another sigh, he let his hands rest on his hips, dropping his head and shaking it softly. “Just gotta say, Twi… you and your friends… we wish you the best of luck. We may have more numbers than we did before, but if you go out there without the intent to do what’s needed, if we fail…”

Rarity closed her eyes, breathing in shakily. Painfully. The next words hurt even more.

“We know the stakes, Tony,” Twilight said, a fierce nod joining her alongside Rainbow’s confident smirk, Applejack’s assuring grin, Pinkie’s naïve optimism, Fluttershy’s weak smile, Starlight’s fearsome scowl, Sunset’s convincing stance, Spike’s supportive thumbs-up, Capper’s slick leer, and Friday’s stoic posture. “We know what we have to do. Everything’s going to turn out fine by the time the dust settles. It always has. Always will.”

Rarity bit her lip, slowly shaking her head and keeping in that scream.

Stark smiled at that, at all of them. It was gone the second he turned away from them. “That’s what I like to hear,” he said, eyeing home and watching the darkness and the fire swirl around Wakanda. Turning back to his Avengers, Tony pursed his lips and nodded. Uncertainty all around. “Storm’s picking up. All right… Parker, I want you and—”

“WE CAN’T DO THIS!”

Tony dropped whatever he was going to say and wheeled sharply towards the shriek. Every Avenger flinched at that, Steve’s teams included, the Guardians that weren’t paying their group any heed suddenly finding them to be the center of attention. But it was the mares who nearly jumped out of their coats, the scream originating directly behind them. Friday stepped aside alongside Capper, Spike and the girls getting front row seats to the near-mental breakdown occurring before them.

It hurt so much more to see Rarity under that spotlight.

She didn’t hesitate, turning her wild, feral, and tear-filled eyes towards them. “I should have told you all long ago, before any of this madness ever happened! I should have said it the second you came for us in that cave on Foal Mountain!” She pointed harshly at Stark and Thor, then turned her crazed and wounded expression to Steve and Natasha, Bruce Banner under the influence of the Incredible Hulk, the beast huffing her way. But they understood what she meant all the same. Some of them. Her closest friends were still puzzled by the looks on their faces, each mare turning to one another for support, none of them having it.

“Foal Mountain?” Rainbow inquired, her eyes suddenly widening. “Wait, Rarity, are you talking about—?”

“Yes, I’m talking about that!” Rarity screamed, her glare reddening. Rainbow instantly recoiled, her face practically scrunching back alongside her body. She didn’t interrupt again. Rarity continued, everyone silent. “When Wanda forced her magic into my head, I saw something I had kept down for nearly three years now. Something I didn’t want to be real so I forced myself to believe it wasn’t. But I was wrong. I was wrong to keep it hidden from all of you, pretend it didn’t exist, and act like all of this is just a coincidence!”

“Rarity, what are you saying?” Twilight asked, her voice growing more and more soft. The wind tugged at her mane, nearly shielding her hurting eyes. Never hiding the tears burning in them.

Rarity tightened her jaw and looked away, frustrated grunts and painful breaths entering and leaving her soul. She couldn’t open her eyes, nor turn them to every other eye. It hurt too much for that. She continued anyway, forcing herself through every agonizing syllable, each one a flash of horror striking across the darkness in her eyesight.

“What I saw… in that vision… w-was… w-w-was all of you…”

It was quiet now. Rarity knew what that meant. The world was watching. No turning away like she wanted to convince herself. No more keeping it down and hiding it from the world like she so desperately begged for. It ate away and killed whatever form of spirit or strength she had left in her body and mind. She could only dread what it would do to the rest of the world. The rest of her friends…

Rarity opened her eyes.

“All of you dead.”

She forced herself to turn to them to say it, tears streaking down her filthy cheeks in polluted rivers of soot and sorrow. And she saw every Avenger, every Guardian, every one of her closest friends staring at her with as much disbelief as there was shock. Just as much horror infecting their expression like it had infected Rarity since the beginning.

She didn’t stop. She couldn’t anymore. “My home was destroyed… Ponyville in shambles, everything gone. In the skies, there was another planet… another planet burning. An alien invasion… the road filled with… with all of…”

Rarity was visibly shaking like a wounded animal, whimpering like one, too. Her lips quivered and more and more tears fell from her eyes and painted her cheeks. But it needed to be said. She was too far into the darkness to stop then. She needed to find that closure, reach the light and find peace. That part was always the hardest, and Rarity dreaded that part would never come.

“With all of you,” she finished. Tried to. There was more. With no more tears, Rarity simply stared at them all with an expression so dead it was like she was hardly in control any longer. Her expression hardened, eyes red and having nothing more to hide.

“And there he was… staring at me and smiling from his throne.”

Not many understood who she referred to. As the silence pestered like waning buzzards, it become apparent, to some quicker than others. But to a select few… they knew exactly what she meant.

“Thanos,” Gamora whispered painfully, her heart falling.

Who she meant. Rarity nodded and dropped her eyes, her head, everything.

Though slightly shaken by her words—especially when Rarity looked at him when she talked about the bodies—Star-Lord kept his composure somewhat strong. The strongest he could manage. “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Peter asked.

Rarity looked away in shame, admitting, “I was so afraid. Like before, I didn’t want to believe it was real… but now I realize that what I saw was slowly becoming reality. Truth.”

That shame quickly changed into a call to action, Rarity rising back up to all four hooves and declaring to all of them, “If we go into this battle… I’m afraid none of us are coming out.”

“No.”

Now it was her turn to drop whatever she was getting at and wheel towards the one who spoke out. The one who replied to her call, her warning, and faced that fire with a powerful step. Then another. Then many more that Doctor Strange approached them with. Wong was by his side, the two sorcerers stopping just short behind Rarity. Rather, in front of Rarity, considering the mare had fully faced them and they had earned the attention of every Avenger, every Guardian, and every mare. Spike, Capper, and Friday, too.

Stephen didn’t let that stop him. Not even for a second. He couldn’t allow that. “What you saw… that vision…” Strange began, eyeing them all but Rarity more importantly. She needed to know most of all. “I promise it won’t come to pass.”

A spark of hope flashed in her eyes, quickly doused and killed by the confusion. She took a step forward, gazing with wide, curious, and tearful eyes to the Sorcerer Supreme. “How… how do you know?” she asked.

Doctor Strange turned away from them and stared up to the Earth, away from Wong and the people he lied to. He stared into the storm, into the eye of it, the red. And deep within, he saw the glow of orange. Not right at that moment… but he did see it.

Once before.

He said, “We’re in the endgame now.”

Author's Note

Here we are. The last 10 chapters in Part I. Y’all ready for this? :pinkiecrazy:

Chapter 92 – Worlds on the Edge

Everfree Forest, Equestria

Castle of the Two Sisters

4:53 p.m.

Princess Cadance soothed her whimpering child, cradling the young Flurry Heart as the foal cried for her father. The Alicorn rocked her back and forth, sat atop the peak of the staircase overlooking the Great Hall. Her lullabies did little to ease Flurry Heart, and the more Cadance stared into her glistening, tear-filled eyes, all she could see was more of herself.

A pony waiting alongside everypony else. Waiting as the soldiers, the leaders, the brave went off to fight a war even Cadance couldn’t fathom the outcome of. She was left alone, in charge with the remaining Crystal Guard and the populace of Ponyville and the Crystal Empire under her watchful gaze. Under her protection… and maybe even her future leadership in case…

Cadance didn’t want to think of what might happen tomorrow. She only needed to think of today… and a lot could happen today.

Thankfully, Zecora was there, helping as many ponies as she could. But even then, the overwhelming, underlying pang of worry and fear gripped every last pony, zebra, what have you within the Castle of the Two Sisters. Almost everypony felt the same, clutching onto one another for comfort, for warmth, for the unknown that awaited as the sky cracked and the thunder roared.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders huddled closely around Granny Smith and Big McIntosh, the burly stallion holding onto his marefriend Sugar Belle as the storm outside grew more and more intense. The three little fillies gazed skyward, stared onto the alien planet hidden between the openings in the ceiling and the shattered storm clouds above.

Sandbar and his family saw it, too.

Princess Cadance especially saw it. The red eye of the storm growing over planet Earth, breaking through all obstructions and glaring right at her. At every last one of them. Then the clouds covered the light and the darkness of the storm washed over the Castle of the Two Sisters.

Leaving everypony in that perpetual, inescapable black.

Yakyakistan

4:54 p.m.

Yona heard the horn of the yaks cry out, prompting her and her family to escape the warmth of their home and enter into the village of their people, the capital city of the nation of Yakyakistan. She charged ahead, hooves pelting and crushing the piles of snow standing in her way as she and her family finally came to a rest near the center of town.

And it was there that Prince Rutherford broke away from the mighty horn displayed in the center of town. Slowly, deliberately, he turned his attention to the large crowd of yaks gathered together in one conglomerated swarm, one single tribe. Despite his eyes being hidden underneath his heavy bangs, he still managed to spot Yona and her family amongst the masses.

It was no time, no place, no moment for such a yak as young as her. For all the yaks so young and so innocent to be witnesses. But they needed to learn one way or another. They needed to understand the world of which they lived and the world they would inhabit and rule once Rutherford and his people passed on to next life. For the world in which they lived…

Prince Rutherford turned his head up the skies, through the falling snow and between the storm clouds. Every yak followed, every eye opening, every jaw falling, and every breath failing. Yona herself caught her heart in her throat, raising a hoof to press it firmly against her chest.

It was all she could do when the alien planet came into view between the storm, the red eye staring down onto their home.

Peaks of Peril

4:55 p.m.

Autumn Blaze heard the commotion outside her home and immediately felt her heart drop into a pit of dread and horror.

There were screams, shouts of anger, fear, worry, adrenaline fueling all of it with enough power to get the attention of the entire Kirin village. Practically tossing her book across the room and throwing herself off her couch, Autumn Blaze nearly took off at a full gallop towards her door that led to the outside world she called home. All the while, the lurking sense of dread continually filled her heart and soul until she could hardly take it.

For as long as she could remember, the Kirin were not normally a “calm” race by any means. Certainly, they experienced the longest moment of peace and prosperity in their village since Applejack and Fluttershy arrived to solve their… vow of silence problem, but that was only because they previously torched their own home because of some stupid disagreement. Which escalated into a fight. Which ended up turning several Kirin into fearsome Nirik and nearly burning down their home. Since then, their leader Rain Shine ordered all Kirin to no longer speak in hopes to prevent another tragedy, but Autumn just couldn’t seem to keep her mouth shut.

Banishment was the worst, but she managed, and thanks to Applejack and Fluttershy, the Kirin were ale to find their voices again and cool off their anger in simpler, non-harmful, non-burning down the village kind of ways. And since then, the Kirin were able to experience their longest moment of peace and happiness. Not a Nirik to ruin the day, not an argument that didn’t escalate into something worse, just… nothing that reminded them of the past.

Even then, Autumn still held a dreaded feeling that that day would return in full, horrifying force. When she heard those screams, already Autumn Blaze knew that it finally had. Yet she was able to find herself pleasantly surprised to see that she was wrong. Once she stepped hoof outside her door and into her village, there were Kirin out in the streets, many of them fleeing for their lives, but mostly all of them gazing skywards.

Not a Nirik in sight.

Rain Shine stood with her people, all of them watching as the darkness fell over their land and wind picked up. It was heavy, rain beginning to pelt their village relentlessly. Autumn Blaze stood in the epicenter of it all, watching as Kirin she knew and loved ran past her in screaming droves. She pushed past all of them, the rain soaking her mane and pressed flat against her skull, but never blocking her sight. She stopped just short on Rain Shine’s side, tapping the Kirin leader with her hoof and asking what was everyone freaking out about. It was just a storm. They had faced far worst in the past.

Rain Shine didn’t even look at her, but Autumn didn’t truly need her answer.

That answer came from above, from the dark red light shining on them and earning Autumn Blaze’s attention. Her jaw fell, her eyes shot open, and all else fell into a sound of silence as the horrified storm on the alien planet grew even fiercer as the seconds ticked away. The eye of the storm, the great red spot, shined down directly onto their village. Autumn Blaze held her breath. It was all she could to keep from screaming.

Changeling Empire

4:56 p.m.

Ocellus, her younger sister, younger brother, mother, and father all worked tirelessly to repair their home. The destruction of the Changeling Empire left a mark on them that just couldn’t be repaired, though. No matter how many stones they replaced, how many homes they rebuilt, and how much they cared for their home, it could never fill the void within them of what they had lost.

Queen Chrysalis’ rule left every changeling as but a drone, a soldier, a simple pawn in the wicked queen’s plans to take Equestria. Ocellus could hardly recall a time where she was just another one of them, just another mute, faceless, drone willing to give her life for the bug that wouldn’t even hesitate to sacrifice a hundred changelings to get what she wanted. Her family was lucky. They were spared the inevitable that so many other changelings had in the past. But when Thorax brought them out of the light, showed them they could survive by giving love instead of taking it, Ocellus was one of the first to follow. One of the many to experience the life they had been missing all along.

And all was new. All was different. And for the better. The changelings had never known such prosperity until Thorax came into power. But that prosperity never could have lasted. All good things came to an end. They always have and they always would. When Typhon came from deeper within the Badlands and torched their empire… that was it. All they could do was rebuild, but even then, they could never fix the hole the demon left in their hearts.

Something else filled it. Not with happiness. Not with assurance or the promise of prosperity and healing to come.

Every changeling dropped what they were doing, stopped in their tracks, and stared. Ocellus and her family could only stare alongside every other changeling as the alien world hovered ominously over their heads. The eye of the storm stared openly at them, the red spreading a fire of color across the torched landscape of the Changeling Empire.

Mount Aris

Hippogriffia

4:57 p.m.

Silverstream was joined shortly by her brother Terramar and her mother Ocean Flow by the edge of Mount Aris. The Hippogriff capital stood against heavy, dangerous tides as the alien world of planet Earth hung over their home. The storm clouds that weren’t natural—fueled by an external and evil force—filled the air but just so happened to create that break, that glimpse to the world above and the impending battle that awaited.

Everygriff watched on from the safety and the comfort of their homes. Those that remained outside, only the brave, stood together, in one harmonious unit as the wind tore at their manes, the water droplets of the ocean and rain splashed against their faces, and the assault of the thunder raged against their eardrums.

A pair of Hippogriff Royal Guards stood by and watched the chaos unfold in the outside world. They remained frozen in their statue-like state, gripped their spears tighter and tighter as the storms raged. Unlike their stone-faced stature, Princess Skystar was calm, composed, and quiet on her mother’s throne. As acting queen of the Hippogriffs, Skystar would remain in that calming state, ensuring to her people that she would be the leader they needed.

Not the one she didn't feel like.

The Dragon Lands

Dragons’ Lair

4:58 p.m.

Celestia faced many storms in her lifetime. During times of peace, political and emotional of every kind. During times of suffering, of wars, of plagues unimaginable, she had only survived because of the ponies by her side. Because there were still those willing to fight with her through the fire, grime, and wind. Today would be no different than every other battle. The storm from Earth glared down at her, the eye of it burning like a newborn star. Like a second sun.

And Princess Celestia glared right back. The armor she wore resembled that of the kind she wore during the Ultron Offensive three years prior, her golden spear the very same weapon she led into the fight with. Her scowl was just as horrible as the moment before Ultron’s legion fell onto Canterlot, and it was probably even worse awaiting for the Mad Titan in the Dragon Lands. Because that time she didn’t have the assurance of her Royal Guard or the Equestrian Army to back her up.

She lost that assurance of her younger sister to be right by her side.

Yet with every loss came a gain. Queen Novo was right by Celestia’s side, golden armor and spear resting on her person and the Hippogriff queen turning to Celestia and nodding her way. That supportive, reassuring stance, that smile, everything she was and held was almost enough to ease Celestia’s pangs of fear. That lonesomeness she once felt was gone, however, thanks to the various species who chose to stand with her.

Like once before… so many years ago against a demon with seven heads.

Dragon Lord Ember gripped the Bloodstone Scepter with both claws, her golden armor and mask sealed tightly over her scales and face. In her narrowed eyes, there was only a fierce sense of readiness, the dragon and her people gazing up alongside Celestia and Novo to the clouds, to the alien world, to whatever awaited them in the storm. They weren’t alone. None of them ever were.

Every single creature apart of the One United Species Army—from Hippogriffs, to dragons, to griffons, to changelings, and to the newest race recently joining them… the ponies—they all stared above, looking up to Earth, to the continent of Africa with a massive storm brewing over it. All of them were waiting… dreading… fearing… ready for what would inevitably happen.

Gallus and Smolder turned to one another, each one flashing a confident smirk. Smolder turned away and put on her silver, dented helmet, lifting her mace and shield. Gallus lifted up the griffon saber he was given by one of the griffon generals, that confidence still burning in his eyes as the two of them stared onto the alien world. The wind blew heavy, fires in the distance raging, the apocalyptic wasteland of the Dragons’ Lair… waiting.

The Avengers were waiting.

The Defenders were waiting.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were waiting.

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were waiting.

The sorcerers were waiting.

Tempest Shadow, Captain Celaeno, both of their crews were waiting.

Sunburst and the Crystal Guards were waiting.

The Wonderbolts were waiting.

Doctor Strange was waiting.

Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Friday, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Spike were waiting. All of them waiting for the Helicarrier above and the Sorcerer Supreme before they would get into position.

Not a word was spoken for so long. The only sounds possible were that of the crying wind and the approaching storm. They didn’t need another word. Everyone knew what to do. And yet they still heard the approaching radio chatter from the Avengers, Phil Coulson telling everyone good luck, especially them. Especially…

“It’s been an honor fighting by your side, Steve,” Coulson said via comms.

Steve Rogers slowly raised his finger to his ear. Paused. He could never look away from home, from the eye of the storm, the glowing red hellhole that every eye in the world saw.

He breathed again. “The honor was mine, Phil.”

Earth

The Nation of Wakanda

11:59 p.m.

Thanos stepped forth onto the crescent hill overlooking the landscape. As he emerged, he was greeted to a fresh wave of sulfur, smoke, and ash blowing into his face and flowing downwards from the storm-filled skylines. He gazed in that initial direction, spotting the heart of the demonic storm resting, circling, approaching the lone stump, that single mound erected amongst the valley.

The Black Order followed right by their father’s sides. Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive nearly hand in hand, Midnight planting the end of her spear into the scorched grass resting on the hilltop. Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian joined them, the Maw calm and calculated, Obsidian growling upon the wretched sight displayed before them. Ebony Maw pressed his fingers tighter against one another. Midnight narrowed her eyes. Glaive barred his fangs. Thanos sneered.

Shining Armor reached the top of the hill, stopping just short on Thanos’ left. His irises—colored a bright, alien blue—gazed upon the land of desolation displayed before them.

The burning hellscape hadn’t escaped the wrath of the Father of Monsters. Whatever remained of the Golden City was but a blip of its former self, a simple cinder resting in the distance. Between it and the mound, a trail of fire and destruction remained, clear signs of the beast’s looming and everlasting presence. The skies burned, storm clouds constantly swirling overhead and unleashing an unquenchable fire upon the nation of Wakanda. Yet it was the eye of the storm that brought light upon the darkness, brought day onto the night. The burning red spot plastered upon the heavens gazed straight downwards onto the valley directly ahead of Thanos and his Black Order, unleashing a soft, red haze upon the nation.

Both Thanos and each member of the Black Order turned their heads to the equine standing on their left. Corvus growled as he spoke. Proxima bared her sharpened teeth. Ebony stared bemusedly upon him. Cull tightened his claw against his axe. All of them already sick of the pony Thanos brought along with them.

Shining Armor didn’t even care. His expression showed clear signs of lack of rest, heavy bags under his eyes but clear, forced determination and will etched over it. He took a step forward, analyzing the valley like the skilled tactician he was. “Typhon’s demon army is surrounding the mountain,” Shining explained, his eyes wide, unblinking, and mind out of his control. “We can clear them out with the Outriders. Then the Black Order and I—”

Thankfully, for Shining Armor’s sake and safety from the Black Order, Thanos raised his left hand. Shining was instantly silenced without even a word of command, the power of the Mind Stone still ultimately affecting his thought process. Ultimately making him unquestionably loyal to the Mad Titan.

The swirls of control flowed in the unicorn’s bright blue eyes, all of which Thanos saw when he turned to him. “I admire the optimism, Shining Armor, but it won’t be necessary,” he addressed, lowering his left hand and the Infinity Gauntlet as he did so. Shining nodded without question, without complaint, and turned to face the same direction Thanos had.

It was beyond the valley filled with crying demonic entities, beasts of Tartarus upon the earth and within the air, swarming like vultures and buzzards around the great storm of fire hanging over the mound. Demons and titans great and small, fodder and behemoth, all turned in the same direction, the same place where Thanos and his children turned. Out of the wall of smoke shielding the rest of the nation from Thanos’ eyes, the beast finally emerged and stomped forth onto the land atop the Great Mound. His titanic, leathery wings extended, pushing away the smoke and unveiling to his children once and for all… who stood atop the universe itself. They cried and cheered and screamed for him. Their father. Their savior. Their salvation.

Typhon roared out to all, for all, and glared down onto Mount Bashenga.

And Thanos slowly glared to him. To the one standing on top of the Soul Stone.

Sanctuary II, an Outrider army, and Thanos’ Chitauri fleet hung behind them, waiting. Numerous more Command Centers emerged out of the smoke near the outskirts of the valley, waiting. The entire valley, the entire nation, the entirety of all reality and the universe was silenced. Waiting.

He was far passed waiting a second longer.

Thanos clenched the Infinity Gauntlet, slowly beginning the approach. He practically left the Black Order, Shining Armor, and his army in the dust. But it was their eyes that fell to the Gauntlet and the five Infinity Stones did they finally move again, finally react when their father said, “Come, my children. Destiny awaits.”

Chapter 93 – The Seven

The Nation of Wakanda

Mount Bashenga

12:00 a.m.

A night came forth that purged the lands and cleansed the heavens, the early morning hour so dark and so desolate that an inky blackness filled the outskirts of Wakanda. That storm that infected, that grew so massive that nearly the entire continent of Africa suffered under its veil, billowed its heart directly where the beast remained. That heart, that eye, glared down with a fiery strength and spread that reddened light across the valleys surrounding Mount Bashenga. The mountain itself was dark.

The shadow that fell over the mountain belonged to none other than Typhon.

With seven towering, serpent-like heads, seven crowns adorned amongst the horns, and wings so massive and so powerful they spread from one end of the valley to the other, just a simple wave clearing away the dust and smoke that filled the air. Allowing all the world to see him. Upon his body, hundreds of serpents cried out and shrieked, all of them slithering about, thrashing, hissing and biting towards the lone mound of dirt and rock and Wakandan technology. Despite standing in the valley below Mount Bashenga, Typhon easily overshadowed it. The panther statue was trapped in a frozen state, forever roaring at the seven-headed dragon.

At him and his approaching children.

Slowly the mountain was swarmed from all sides, Typhon’s titan-like children approaching Mount Bashenga with only one certified intent glowing in their hellishly-red eyes. The titans were colossal in size, their arms extending even further than their own bodies as they strode like silverback gorillas towards the lone mountain structure. And by the time they neared it, stopping just short of the vibranium tower and gazing down into the Great Mound, they waited.

All turned towards their father.

Of the seven heads, the middle head chose to lean forward. Being the First of the Seven, it reared forward and shouted, “Cleanse it!”

They did. Without any second of hesitation. Roaring in unison, all three titans raised their massive claws into the air before driving them all at once onto the mountain’s surface. The tower instantly fell, the titans unhinged as they clawed, tore, ripped, shredded, and dug further and further into Mount Bashenga. The First narrowed its wrathful eyes, the red shimmering and seething with unbridled fury. Watching as his children dug… and waiting for them to strike the treasure within.

“It shall be mine at last,” the Second growled, leaning forward on the First’s left and earning its attention. It glared down onto the destruction of Mount Bashenga, eyes burning greedily. “Before the sun shall arise, the Soul Stone will be within my grasp. Its power… unrivaled by any other! Then this world… all its riches… will rightfully return to me!”

“The time will come again where I shall find proper rest,” the Third piped in, rising amongst the smoke and appearing on the First’s right. The Third narrowed its eyes upon the mountain. The other heads growled softly in protest, unimpressed with the Third’s ignorance and sloth. “No more wrenching in agony within the bowels of Tartarus. This world will be our throne once more.”

The panther statue finally fell as chunks of the mountain broke off and descended deeper into the blackened pit of the valleys Typhon stood upon. His children continued to dig, tore apart the inner laboratories and only furthered their advance. The Fourth grew heavily attentive to their progress, leaning forward from behind the Second and First and hissing.

Lustfully stating, “Yeeeessss… how easily did fall the mighty mound of the Wakandan nation? Their precious vibranium could not save them… and now it gleams under my glory. With the Soul Stone in my possession… Oh, the bountiful power it will give.”

“With the Soul Stone in my possession,” the Fifth interrupted, breaking the Fourth’s dream-like trance and bringing its eyes over to the far left. The Fifth continued rather quickly, spewing all forms of vulgarity and gluttony. “The bastard children of Earth will see once again who properly rules them! Just as I have devoured my kin so long ago… so too will humanity suffice. No will of man nor strength of god shall come lest they fall between my jaws.”

While the others mainly ignored the Fifth and its rash and unruly behavior, the Sixth nearly bowed its own head to it. He gazed with envious longing, nearly whispering, “But of course! To your power, to your power, and to your power, is there truly anything in this universe that could hope to stand against us when we acquire the Infinity Stone? Against… me?”

“Do not be foolish!” the Seventh head roared, rising behind the others and earning several of their eyes. The First and Third ignored the Seventh, keeping their eyes latched onto the burning and crumbling mountain. The Seventh reared its head back and barred its fangs, an unholy fire arising deep within its maw. It glared at the heads, stating with as much assurance as there was pride, “We have enemies beyond our reach! The one who took away what was rightfully ours to begin with still lurks within the shadows, still seeks to claim all of our victories for himself! Do not waste my time and retrieve the Stone!”

“I shall not waste time,” the First growled softly, every other head returning forward alongside it. And with the seven heads all in tandem once again, Typhon stomped forward and gazed down into the destruction. His children backed away as their father approached the hole within the Great Mound, unveiling the caverns deep below ground. The walls shimmered an alien blue, the crystalline walls of black metal traveling for miles and miles and miles. No end in sight. The vibranium meteorite sat presently, openly, and truly and utterly defenseless.

Typhon did not waste anymore time. He reared all seven heads back, took in a deep and longing breath, and exhaled all that had been burning and raging within himself. The streams of fire and destruction rained down from his jaws, from every last one of them, and struck the mountain. Struck the vibranium mine. The heat was so intense and filled with such otherworldly strength that it decimated the vibranium in less than a minute, digging even further than any of his children could ever manage. His army slowly backed away, the light and heat from his jaws showering over his army of demons and offspring within a bright, orange glow.

And even as that fire died, even as Typhon closed his jaws and leaned back from the mountain, that glow was still there. It wasn’t there before… but it burned softly after and only continued to do so for minutes on end. It was not of Typhon’s fire did the light emerge. The light within the earth arose only because it was unearthed at long last. After so many years resting, dormant, its power was finally unveiled to those who had freed it from its tomb.

Typhon narrowed all fourteen of his slit eyes, remaining more silent than he ever had before. All of his children did the same, the titans and the demons alike, all approaching the mound and gazing into the rising smoke. Deep within the blackness Typhon had created, something had definitely been unearthed. The soft, serene, alien glow shimmered near the very bottom of the crevice, miles below ground. By any means, any form of light wouldn’t have made it as far through such darkness. No darkness could hold it. No darkness could conceal the light.

Definitely not from the orange glow of the Soul Stone.

It was reality and not some false dream. The beast and his children were awestruck while gazing onto the light of the Infinity Stone. Typhon’s offspring were frozen where they stood, unable to think or act properly while the orange warmth of the Stone flushed and washed over them. It gave them a sense of serene possibility and bliss unlike anything they had ever felt or knew. For those so weak-minded, they fell prey to the Soul Stone’s influence and knew not what it truly meant. Typhon was far from weak-minded. He gazed head-on into the light deep within the crevice, only further skewering the distance between himself and the Stone.

Yet for some reason… he couldn’t push himself further.

It was beyond him, beyond any form of energy, will, or strength he had in him to move another inch—another centimeter—forward. Typhon was caught at that, growling as he tried to push himself forward, grip onto the mountain and forcefully reach inside, claim the Stone for himself, and return to what was rightfully his from the start of his long and cursed life. But he couldn’t. The powers that be, an unknown universal entity kept him at bay, shielding the Soul Stone from him and any who grew near.

He barred his fangs at that, all seven heads fully intent to burning the rest of the mountain to a smoldering crisp, perhaps even the rest of the nation until it was all but a crevice. Like the one that contained the Soul Stone he so lusted, so greedily desired for his intended return and rule of the Earth. But he was halted once more. Not by the powers that be… but by the cries of his children.

Typhon lifted his heads and gazed onto the valley before him. Saw it to be true.

The sea of demons and offspring all turned in the same general direction, spinning completely around and crying out. Then they were split, severed down the middle. Demons big and small, from demonic reptiles to beasts of legend, slowly backed aside and made a clear path for the small group pushing forward towards their father. With any other circumstance, they wouldn’t have hesitated to rip apart any who dared approach the Primordial of Disasters in such a way. Yet they were held back by two factors, forced to let them through for two reasons only. One was their father, keeping them back just by control of his inner thoughts to each and every one of them.

The second was the glow of all five Infinity Stones upon the gauntlet Thanos wore.

They were entranced by it, struck by it, feared its power and cowered under its glow as the Mad Titan and his Black Order slowly, cautiously approached the Lord of Destruction. Thanos held burning contempt in his stare as he led his children right into the darkness. Ebony Maw followed shortly behind him, striding carefully between the crying demons and snapping jaws of the beasts of Tartarus. Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight sneered at the two walls surrounding them, following closely alongside the Maw. Cull Obsidian growled softly to the demons, watching as numerous hellhounds growled and barked at his tremendous structure and hide. He gripped his axe even tighter, huffing and focusing forward. Where it mattered.

Where Shining Armor walked amongst them. The undeserved, unofficial member of the Black Order, Shining Armor kept his focus only forward, where Thanos commanded him and the Mind Stone propelled him. He saw only what his master wanted him to see. He obeyed only the words that escaped his mouth, followed the Mad Titan to wherever he desired. Whether he wanted to or not. He had no say in the matter as long as his eyes shimmered that alien blue and the Mind Stone was alive and vibrant.

The path, their journey ended quicker than expected. Every member of the Black Order came to an abrupt halt the moment Thanos had, the Mad Titan gazing upwards through the smoke and flame. They did, too. Every child of Thanos, every child of the Titan of Wind, and Shining Armor all bringing their eyes skywards to the seven towers, the seven jaws, the seven heads. The Seven.

Typhon met their stares with an oversaturation of burning flames in his eyes. In all fourteen of them. To add to that intimidating factor, Typhon propelled himself upwards even further on the mountain, clawing at its edges as he rose taller than even the highest mountain peak. Nearly scraped the heavens and the swirling clouds of cataclysm and fire above. And when he had settled himself over the destruction of Mount Bashenga, he bent forward, leaned down, gazed onto Thanos and his pathetic excuse of warriors he called the Black Order.

Thanos could say the same for Typhon’s own spawn. Yet he didn’t even turn to them, just stared forward to the smoldering crater that once was Mount Bashenga, pursed his lips, and nodded softly. “I take it you’ve been rather busy,” Thanos stated, loud enough to be heard even over the piercing cries of the demon horde surrounding him.

Every single head upon Typhon’s body tensed up, almost like they were seemingly offended by that statement. Several of them hissed at that, but only one was willing to respond.

“Busy…” the Sixth head observed, studying the desolation of Wakanda and the fires that burned it. He snorted through his nostrils and blew smoke into the polluted skylines, bringing that fiery glare down to the Mad Titan and narrowing it. “Busy… but not satisfied. I have you to praise for that.”

“I don’t need your praise,” Thanos responded instantly, shocking many demons by that blasphemous statement. They cried and growled his way as Thanos took a few more brave steps forward. He stared only to the Titan that stood in his path, never once backing down. “I don’t need another thing from you… Typhon. All I need is what lies in that crevice.”

The crevice of which he spoke rested a hundred yards in front of Thanos. The One Born of Fire stood upon it, unmoving, unshaken from the Mad Titan. Quite the opposite as he laughed. Chuckled, really, but it was still alive. Still unlike anything Thanos ever expected from the Titan of Wind.

He lowered all seven of his heads, only the Fourth rising to growl, “Typhon… Oh, yeeeessss… I remember it well. The Greek legend, the mythos that mankind created to ease their putrid gods, make them higher than they ever were. Do you know of the Greek legend of Typhon… Thanos?”

Thanos said not a word. The Black Order remained silent and stared. Shining Armor was frozen.

The Fourth continued. “The Father of all Monsters, Typhon battled the mighty god Zeus for control over all the universe. He was defeated… struck in the heart by the god’s thunderbolts and banished into the depths of Tartarus where he faced an eternal punishment. Typhon… the one who wanted to claim an entire world for himself and his children… but was stopped by the powers of said world. Stopped by the magic of the princesses… by the will of the Pillars… by the conjoined strength of every race that be… and banished into the realm of the Underworld, rightly named ‘Tartarus’… where he and his children suffered for more than a thousand years.”

The Fourth chuckled once again in that lustful nature, leaning forward and nearly smiling to the Great Titan. “Ohhh… you see it now?”

His breath was that of sulfur and venom, brimstone and death, spewing a wind almost strong enough to throw them on their backs. It pushed the dead grass forcefully down to the earth, the dirt and dust rushing past their feet and hooves like that of an impending storm. Typhon could have easily breathed a wave of fire where they stood, but he didn’t. He let them live a moment longer. They were not distressed. They stood strong, Thanos and his Black Order.

Thanos specifically, wrinkling his nose to the smell but holding his ground nonetheless. “You came here to Earth to claim the last Infinity Stone,” he observed, watching the Fourth head fall back amongst the others. “Why?”

The heads slithered about overhead, almost circling Thanos, almost constricting the space around his prey. Like he was hunting. “I knew I could never trust you, Thanos,” the Third head hissed and groaned. “You’re just like all the others. All words, but no heart. All strength, but no true will. You boldly declare yourself the savior of the universe when the universe needs not saving. It needs dominion. It needs order to escape the chaos it has become. Since I have been banished, I have only seen the world I was destined to rule… become just that. Overpopulation is not what needs correcting, Thanos. Your ideology, your destiny… is false.”

Just the utterance of those words brought Thanos out of his eased state of being. He clenched both fists, only one holding nearly all the power of the universe.

The Second rose amongst the others, continuously circling the Black Order. It uttered, practically spoke in a whisper on everybody’s shoulders, “This world was never humanity’s to begin with. This universe belonged only to the Elder Gods, the ones who brought this world from birth and raised it to be just that: ours. Our Eden. Our blessed land to expand and rule. And with that power came a choice… either become like all the others, just as powerless and worthless under the watchful eye of the Demiurge… or become greater. Choose our own destiny, our own law, our own life…”

All seven heads halted just in front of the Mad Titan, all fourteen eyes glaring down onto Thanos and narrowing there. All of them speaking at once. “Our own identity.”

Lightning clashed against the clouds and struck the earth, thunder growling overhead and only worsening in the eye of the storm. Thanos pondered on those words. The words of which Thanos had heard were of ancient mythos, more ancient than even his Eternal heritage. But there were stories, certainly, of the Elder Gods. Their history, their legend was something Thanos was still somewhat fuzzy about. Practically a forgotten story.

So, he asked, “Who are you?”

The many heads of the Titan reared backwards, all of them gazing out into the storm, the heavens, the universe, and held there for seconds on one. He showed all his stature and height, power and might. As if there was any among them with the power to rival his own. When he spoke at long last, his voice traveled across all the land.

“I have gone by many names over the thousands of years Earth has existed,” the Seventh said, turning downwards to gaze upon the minuscule specks that were the Great Titan and his children. He remembered every name, every title he was given and spoke of them. “Apep. Ophion. Tiamat. Leviathan. Serpent God. But if you truly must know… you may know me as the Elder God… Set.”

The single utterance of that name—Set—shook the heavens and caused the earth to groan. Whether that be by the serpent’s own doing or an external force, Thanos felt it all quiver beneath his boots. And he stared, he and his children, onto the one they now knew for certainty… was real. The one they would now see only as Set. The Elder God. The creature of legend… living and breathing once more.

Wind rippled across the clouds and filled the air with burning cinders, yet Thanos and his children stood tall. Stood even against the towering beast that scraped the heavens. Stood against Set.

The Seventh head never looked away and bent forward, closer to Thanos. Set spoke. “And yes… the world of which you see is my original home. Birthed in chaos, planet Earth came to know life through the ever-giving Demiurge and Gaea. The Elder Gods are this world’s original rulers… rightful rulers. But instead… the Elder Gods chose to pity lower life forms, and so forced us to live amongst them. They were fools. They did not understand the raw power of which we were capable. None of them were capable except for me.”

Set broke away and turned instead to his home world. Saw it burning under his watch, the kingdom of fire that he envisioned for so long finally brought to fruition. It would be the first kingdom of many that Set would rebirth. And from that point on, none would stand in his path again. All except for one. He narrowed his many eyes at that aspect.

“None were willing to take the necessary steps to our destiny… so I needed to claim it for us! This world was always ours, always will be, and I did whatever it took to assure us of that destiny! Very few agreed with me… those who didn’t…”

He hissed and growled, numerous heads slithering about and the serpents on his body crying to the skies. Thanos remained unmoved despite the horrific sound that nearly made Shining Armor’s ears bleed. They stood their ground still, watching as the heads of the Serpent God came together.

“They felt true retribution soon enough,” the Fifth declared, growling softly as his maw dripped with raw magma and venom. “When it came to devouring my own kin, I did not hesitate, because I knew they stood in the path to the Elder Gods’ destiny. They called me the first murderer… my offspring and I. Gaea… would not take our rebellion any longer. She gave birth to a child known as Atum, the Demogorge… of which had only one sole purpose.”

The heads suddenly thrashed about, wings unfurling and the titanic serpent crying out. The sound was so horrific that it broke the sound barrier, Thanos and his Black order actually having to flinch and shield themselves as the shock wave passed over them.

“He devoured us!” the First roared in wrathful spite, the remaining heads joining suit. “My offspring… my brother Chthon… nearly all of us slaughtered by the sinful spawn of our parents! Those of us who survived… merely myself and my children… were forced to flee from Earth. Yet I swore—I swore with near-dying breath to return to the world of my rightful rule and bring forth the vengeance of a thousand miseries that Demogorge had inflicted upon me! But I had to remain in hiding… recover and gather my new army for a return home…”

He seemed to recover rather quickly, merely a few seconds of silence before the beast began to chuckle. The sounds reverberated across the landscape, the Fourth head rising and actually smiling with a burning, demonic essence to the Mad Titan.

“What better place to hide than the infant world of Equus?”

Thanos’ eyes opened. Fully, in true realization. Set’s Second head slithered about, hovering just over Thanos and saying, “They were a primitive race, unruly and unkind to one another. They would offer no resistance and do nothing as I intended to take the planet for myself, absorb its magic, and return to the Earth. I would defeat Demogorge once and for all… crush any Elder God who dared stand to appose me… and rule the Earth as was our birthright.”

A sigh from the Sixth, a slither of its head, and it spoke.

“Yet… I always seemed to underestimate my foes… a fatal flaw I would never make again. On Equus, I inherited the name ‘Typhon’ after discovering the Greek legend on Earth to conceal myself from Demogorge. Despite my distance… I was always connected, always found ways to push my consciousness, my thoughts, my will and my power across the universe. Call it the power of the Elder Gods… but my influence was far-reaching. Far-reaching… yet nearly blind to the powers of the world I remained.”

The heads settled themselves in a safe, hundred-yard distance from the Mad Titan, watched him carefully and hungrily. Especially the Fifth when it licked its lips and uttered, “When Equus turned their united sword against me, I was defeated in my wounded state… sent to Tartarus to be tortured as you have heard. But what you have not… Thanos… is just how you knew the world of which you stepped upon that fateful night.”

The realization was only growing more and more menacing, only Thanos truly knowing what was coming next. It didn’t hurt to know that, but it was difficult to absorb and believe what came next.

“Do you remember that night, Mad Titan?!” the First bellowed, rearing forward and nearly crushing Thanos beneath his snout. Thanos made no movement, no indication to show worry, fear, or apprehension to the sudden distance that had vanished between the two. “Have you always wondered of the world of which you’ve seen, the equines that infect your memories, and the dreams… of so long ago?”

The demon serpent twisted and slithered and hissed about playfully, only growing more and more amused to see Thanos’ expression flicker in a weak disturbance of sense and reality. The uncertainty was there, nearly shadowed by the unsettling nature of the Serpent God. Still, his expression hardened, his heart remained unmoved, and he stayed silent and let the beast spout his chronicle.

Watched as almost every head nodded slowly to him, some of them smiling in sick satisfaction to finally unveil… the truth.

“Yes, Thanos… you can deny it all you want, but it is true. It was I who gave you those dreams. My influence may have been weakened by the bonds of Tartarus, but no chain, no gate, no beast of Hell could hold my consciousness forever. You know of the world of Equus because I allowed you to. You discovered the planet only because I willed it, knowing you would be the one to ultimately free me from my bondage, restore me to my strength when you began your journey to acquire the Infinity Stones.”

His expression was almost priceless, eyes widened to the point that shock was inevitable. Set chuckled all the same, every head rising back to tower over the insignificant power that resided beneath him. Even with the power of the universe in his hand, Set had risen above it. His strength was unmatched by any other. He decimated the Changeling Empire without even trying. He destroyed the castle of Princess Twilight Sparkle alongside burning Ponyville to a ruin. He slaughtered the Chitauri army and forced Wakanda to its knees just with one breath. There was no power on the two worlds—or any world—that could hope to stand against the Elder God. And Set knew it.

He believed it with everything that he was and became thanks to Thanos. That power he gave him, the power of the very universe stored in that simple Stone was more than enough that Set needed to achieve his destiny. Nearly… achieve his destiny. The Earth was still far from conquering, and the species of Equus would feel his wrath for imprisoning him soon after. But before that, before any of those dreams could become a reality like they were destined to be… one more stood in his way.

And he had just broken him. Set had won.

“Do you see it now, Thanos? It was never you pulling the strings all along…”

He believed… he had won, at least. There was nothing but silence on the other end, the wind howling and the storm brewing but not a word from Thanos or his children. It was as if all of reality had come to a standstill, Set actually having to lean forward with every head to listen and observe. There he stood, the Mad Titan Thanos, amongst so many and yet so utterly small against the weight of Set’s army. He kept his head low, fists tightened, and expression hard. Unbroken.

Unbroken.

Set was taken aback, but ultimately unaffected. He asked, “Have you nothing to say… Thanos?”

He did have something to say. Only one thing left on his mind and burning in his soul. Thanos slowly brought his gaze back up to meet the serpent’s. From Titan to Elder God. The universe was silent. All of it was. As Thanos clenched his gauntlet even further and brought forth its power.

“You’re standing on my Stone.”

Chapter 95 – Soul

The Nation of Wakanda

Mount Bashenga

12:24 a.m.

Greater than the Tartarian fires upon the molten earth. Greater than the storms of which the winds did tear at the seams of the world. Greater than the power of life itself, Mistress Death descended upon the mortal plane. Her essence illuminated streams of light that coiled around her state of being, slowing, fading away as to let the darkness settle in and surround her. Breathe with her. Exist the same moment the embodiment of death did so.

Thanos turned fully around to face what he once thought was truly lost to him. She was just as he remembered… a lifetime ago. The cloak of shadows constrained her body and allowed her feminine figure to take shape. Her hands and feet were bare, as chilling and frozen as that of freshly fallen snow upon the earth. Without a doubt, even colder. Her face, though mostly concealed in that shadow, also held the same color as her skin, pale whiteness upon every wrinkle, every pore. The sides of her jawline held what appeared to be rows of teeth, resembling that of a skull. An ancient symbol remained embedded on her forehead, the cloak of shadows falling down to grace the top of her head and flow downwards. But within her eyes there was something different. Her eyes… were so blank and so black that they seemed unending, a chaotic darkness that traveled forever. One could get lost and never escape once locked in her otherworldly gaze. Thanos knew of such power. He was the only being to fall into them and actually escape.

And when Thanos stared into them again… he was no longer pulled in. Mistress Death didn’t seem too disturbed by that fact. If it had been any other mortal being, certainly. But with Thanos… she knew that someone of his stature, his power, his will would be able to achieve what very little could. He had proven that many times prior, and now… there he stood on the edge of infinity. His destiny… if he chose to follow it.

And what it demanded.

None of the Children of Thanos seemed to notice the dark entity that had entered their plane of existence. They seemed trapped in time, frozen and gazing to their father in a perpetual state of darkness that clouded their vision and silenced their hearing. For what Mistress Death would dare utter before them… only needed to be heard by the one wielding the gems. It had been many, many ages since Death had seen the Infinity Stones brought together. Entropy, Infinity, and Eternity so wished the Stones would be used to benefit life. But as with all things, to control the power of the universe would only end in destruction.

With that destruction came creation. The birth of the universe because of what they wished to control. The Infinity Stones were lost to the cosmos, and only Death had managed to discover one of them, the only Stone she deemed the most powerful, the one needing her careful protection to ensure that none would acquire it for their own selfish goals. And if one did wish to acquire it, with a soul as genuine as their intentions, then it would be theirs…

For the ultimate price. But only if they were truly willing to give it.

So, when she stared upon the face of the one she had lost, there was something different to Son of A’Lars. The young Titan of which she knew so long ago now stood battered, bruised, bloody, weakened, and barely able to stand on his own two feet. Even his smile surely faded, an aged look of utter exhaustion gripping him, holding him and refusing to let go. It was a far cry to the confident, charming, young Thanos that had wooed her that life ago.

But as with time, things changed. People changed. And even Thanos, even when he came so far, appeared utterly changed. The weight of the Gauntlet and the five Infinity Stones seemed to weigh him down, Mistress Death analyzing every inch and detail of his person in the minimal seconds of silence she was granted.

By then, Thanos sighed and took a step towards her. He caressed the Infinity Gauntlet like a lover, letting both hands sway gently by his sides, head held low. “If I had known the guardian of the Soul Stone would have been you…”

The ancient deity’s lips slowly coiled into a tiny smile. “Oh, if you had known,” Mistress Death whispered, yet it was so profound that Thanos heard it over the raging winds filling the mountainside. “If you had known, Thanos, you would not have come.”

“There is no power in this universe that can keep me from my destiny,” Thanos boldly declared. He took several more steps forward, until even the distance between them was surely severed. He stood mightily over her, Death itself having to crane her neck backwards to fully gaze into his eyes. And in it, nothing but pure determination. Absolutely nothing else.

Especially when he said, “Not even you.”

Though there were no visible movements, Mistress Death shuddered at that statement. A clear reminder of her past with the Titan and the choices that came with it, the kind that haunted her still. She wondered back then why he wished to court her of all beings, but soon discovered it was to quench the lust for his own destiny, to cleanse half of all life from the universe in a sick, twisted perversion to save it. He imagined that she could achieve that for him in exchange for his love. It was before he had known of the Infinity Stones and what power they held. Despite his promises, despite how she felt in return to him, Death knew that such decimation on such a scale was something she could not do. It went against the order of balance. When she denied him of that… he abandoned her, pushed aside whatever life he had intended with her, and sought to acquire his destiny for himself. That part of him was lost, and the pain that followed filled Thanos with all the more reason to fulfill his significance for living. There was a reason Death had spared him out all his race when the destruction of Titan came. And yet she denied him of it. So, he turned away from her. No matter how much it hurt.

If she had a heart… perhaps Mistress Death would have felt it break. She never even told him about her knowledge of the Soul Stone. Maybe to protect the universe… or maybe as a means to strike Thanos where he had struck her. He was already hurt when he forced himself to leave her, follow that twisted ideology of his and achieve his destiny for himself. Now there they stood, just one more barrier until Thanos could actually achieve that which Mistress Death denied him.

All of those painful memories of what could have been flooded into her. She imagined Thanos felt the same way, the noticeable twitch in his facial features and the crumbling in his eyes being indicators of that. She nodded sadly, whispering, “Yes… you have made that quite clear before.”

There was a moment between them. No wind. No sound. Just the two trapped in what could have been an eternity of solitude, their own personal bubble safe and secure from the rest of the universe. Though Mistress Death saw it as such, Thanos only saw a prison intent on keeping him from what he was born to accomplish. Yet it wasn’t him who broke that moment. It was her.

She took a step forward, her cloak dancing madly behind her. She never looked away from his gaze, even with it so hostile towards her. Even how much it hurt. “Do you ever imagine what life could have been had we followed our desires? I think of that every single day, yet when I stand before you now… I find no strength to say it as I had intended. I see no love in your eyes, Thanos. What has become of the man I once loved?”

Her hand rose up to grace his cheek, but Thanos pulled away. Death did so, as well, like a startled animal. Pulled herself away as Thanos sighed heavily through his nostrils.

“He evolved,” Thanos responded. “Past the false desires his love offered. He didn’t need her anymore to attain his rightful destiny.”

The words hurt, but Death fought through it all the same. Her tone took a more aggravated approach, the Mistress declaring, “You speak of destiny so easily, but never once considered what is needed to acquire it.”

Thanos scoffed. “You don’t think I’ve considered?” He caressed his right cheek, his abdomen. “Not from the blood I’ve shed, the lives I’ve ended, the worlds I’ve burned? Those who stood in the way of my goal realized that I would stop at nothing… absolutely nothing… to see to it that the universe would be saved of the fate that befell my home world. A fate that you… allowed to happen.”

“By natural order, yes,” Mistress Death argued. “But what you desire is beyond natural, Thanos. No matter how many lives you wipe clean from existence, there will never be that peace you so desperately acclaim. But even now… by my word I cannot stop you. So… I won’t.”

Thanos opened his mouth to offer his retort, but fell into that silence once again when she uttered those final lines. For a guardian of the Soul Stone, Thanos at least suspected he would need to best her in some way. When he realized it was Death of all beings, however, there was some hesitation in his intent. Of all the beings in the universe, she was one of the few he hesitated to. Even with whatever past they may have held, Thanos would not allow that hesitation to cloud him and his actions any further.

“However…”

There was that hesitation again, and once more Thanos felt himself falling into it because of her. He stared on, watched as Mistress Death approached even closer, the black orbs that were the endless pits of her eyes gazing into him. He nearly let himself fall into that as well when she continued.

“Know this, Thanos. The Soul Stone holds a special place amongst the Infinity Stones. One could say it holds a certain… wisdom. You cannot acquire the Soul Stone, you cannot hope to obtain the power and knowledge that comes with it… unless you are willing to part with one of the most essential… truths of life.”

It would not have been easy. When it came to the power of the universe itself, it never was. The Infinity Stones took a part of Thanos he never even realized, made the battles he fought so much easier… yet somehow kept pushing him further and further down. By Death’s words, the Soul Stone would be no different. And for Thanos it would be no different to acquire it all the same.

Turning around, Thanos approached the crevice of what once was Mount Bashenga. The darkness within, illuminated by the light and warmth of the Soul Stone’s glow deep in the heart of it all, could not contain what was rightfully his. “What does it need?” Thanos asked, the orange light shimmering on his face.

“The Soul Stone… demands a sacrifice.”

He narrowed his eyes, almost flinched at that. Despite such revelations, he remained unmoved, Thanos twisting his neck slightly right and asking, “Of what?”

An answer… even Thanos wasn’t truly prepared for.

“You must be willing to give up that which you truly love. A soul… for a soul.”

His brow furrowed at that, almost as if he couldn’t understand what he heard. He spun fully around and met her facial features, but could already tell the second he turned… that her words were truthful. Mistress Death remained unmoved. Why would she lie over something such as this? And with that realization, the horror that came with it struck the Titan where he stood, deep in his heart and remaining there. Thanos’ face fell apart. His eyes softened, a look of despair filling his expression when he knew of what the Stone demanded. He dropped his head, his gaze, and stared blankly to the earth by his feet. He only came back to reality when he felt that chilling cold pierce his chest, the open palm of Mistress Death resting over his heart.

He could have sworn he witnessed her expression soften, almost break into sorrow. She steadily took in that breath of air, exhaling with a painful cry. Even then, she remained strong, lifting her blackened gaze to meet Thanos’. All the universe silenced for them.

“I dreamed this day would come. Even now, as the universe burns above you… crying out to you and saying… no… you always find a way, Thanos. There was always that barrier that stood in your path, and every time you would cross it anyway. Through blood, fire… death… you would achieve it. So, would you achieve this? One last sacrifice?”

To that, he brought up his head. His eyes fell into hers but he was not lost in them. He saw their past once again but he did not lose himself for it. Instead, he saw the pain and chose to turn away from it. Thanos laid his right hand over hers and said, “There was a time… where I would have given in to such carnal pleasures. That time… is gone.”

Prying her hand off his chest, Thanos was slightly surprised to see her retaliate. The Mistress ripped her hand away from his grasp, staring with hurt melting off her expression. With that pain came the quiver in her voice, Death saying, “You wound me, my love.”

“You and I both know that’s not true. Not anymore.”

She seemed to nod her head, accept that statement and see through it. See the truth in Thanos’ voice and especially… his heart. “And so, it is true. No love for death… No love for life… What do you love, Thanos?”

The question was open but Death knew there was only one end to it. She could see it in his expression, the loss of strength and crushing of his character. His very being. Mistress Death narrowed her eyes onto his, pressed her palm gently over her chest, and declared, “Even when my soul is not for the taking… you would not even consider me. But… there is still another… one I felt in your heart.”

Thanos nearly fell apart at that, every shred of him that time. The words pierced him harder than the revelation from earlier, because he knew for certain… she knew for certain… what was needed. Death continued. “You must choose now, Thanos, between your love for destiny and the love still beating in your heart. You must ask yourself, as you have proven that you will not listen to Death…”

She faded away, but he could still hear her voice lingering in the air, whispering in his ear. Asking that one, simple question that Thanos just couldn’t seem to answer.

“How far can one’s love reach?”

There, he was left alone, the reality of the world returning and the Black Order gazing onto their father’s backside. He faced the open crevice where that orange light continued to shower below, above, fill the nation of Wakanda with light. Shower on top of him and leave Thanos with that choice. His destiny lied before him and yet… he couldn’t move. Because he knew exactly how to acquire it.

He closed his eyes, a tear falling down his cheek.

Chapter 96 – Ambush

The Nation of Wakanda

Mount Bashenga

12:27 a.m.

The Black Order and Shining Armor approached him from behind. Whatever had just transpired, whatever form of conversation and revelation Thanos was trapped in was finally gone, because when they approached him from behind, they asked him a question. A short, simple question that he actually reacted to.

“Father… are you all right?”

Proxima Midnight’s question went without answer.

Thanos opened his eyes, the orange light burning from the heart of the crevice reflecting the tear on his cheek. It was but a moment for Thanos to nearly disregard his children, to turn away from everything that held meaning to him, everything that he focused all of his mind, his body, his might, and his will to for the past several days. Even for years beyond that. But he did disregard them. He turned away from them because an even greater sensation entered him and dared not to leave. For just a moment, Thanos had forgotten his destiny… and thought only of—

“I think I can answer that.”

All thoughts were cut short, but lingered still. In the back of his mind. To return to later. Thanos turned around. The Black Order followed. Shining Armor spun with his horn aglow and turned it to Doctor Strange standing alone, in the wind, upon the hill, staring at them from the bottom of it. As the wind tugged at the ends of the Cloak of Levitation, the rest of Doctor Stephen Strange remained unmoved. Even when Ebony Maw sneered his way, Proxima Midnight jammed her spear in his direction, Corvus Glaive did the same, and Cull Obsidian growled ferociously at him. Shining Armor was silent, at the ready, but Strange knew he wouldn’t attack.

None of them would.

As for Thanos, the Mad Titan slowly faced forward, his teary eyes cleared as the smoke in the air burned away whatever form of liquid tried to arise. With that sense of solitude but a distant memory, Thanos returned to reality once more. The pain of it, the truth, and the insurmountable barriers that still remained between him and his ultimate goal. One of those barriers, one he could easily cross, just so happened to be the same sorcerer from the Badlands. Narrowing his eyes, hardening his expression, Thanos met Strange’s gaze and didn’t once turn away.

“You speak of things you could never understand, wizard,” Thanos expressed, in both his weakened voice and dreary body language. His face held strong, though, but Strange could catch the hints he left.

He knew even more than that. And he proved it by saying, “I do… more than you could ever know.”

Thanos scoffed, almost smiled at that. But there was no joy in his expression, his eyes, or even his heart. It all burned and ached, and not even the Great Titan could conceal it. “You know what it means to sacrifice all that you have?” he said, voice a pained whisper just barely audible. “To push no matter the cost, no matter the pain, the suffering? Until you have lost everything… you could never know.”

Doctor Strange frowned. “And you’ve lost everything?”

Thanos didn’t answer. He couldn’t. The winds were strong but barely made a noise, even Thanos’ own children turning to their father to see if he would respond. All of their expressions fell when Thanos’ head did, the Titan’s eyes dropping to the grass and closing. Strange shook his head at that, stepping forth and shooting out his fists.

A pair of Tao Mandalas appeared on each fist, the Sorcerer Supreme earning back their attention. “Regardless, the last Infinity Stone remains without a guardian. I’m afraid I can’t let you retrieve it,” he declared.

Thanos didn’t even move. After nearly ten seconds of silence, it was the Black Order who took action against the clear threat placed before them. Ebony Maw led them, Midnight and Glaive jutting their weapons forward as they slowly approached, slowly hunted the sorcerer. Obsidian growled and unfurled his axe’s head from the grip, swinging it by his side mercilessly. Even Shining Armor began to approach, the magic in his horn only growing stronger and brighter.

And still, Strange would not move. The Maw snickered at that. “You’ll accomplish nothing,” he proudly warned, palms rising to rip shreds of vibranium from the earth and point their jagged ends towards Stephen. “Your powers are inconsequential compared to ours.”

When he finally did move, it was in a way not even the Maw anticipated. It started with a smirk.

“Well, it’s a good thing I’m not alone.”

And ended with the Tao Mandalas vanishing and Strange igniting the power from the Sling Ring towards the earth, beneath their feet. He motioned his palm in a large, circular formation, bringing to life the sparks and finally the screams that filled each member of the Black Order as they fell. As Shining Armor fell.

But not a word left Thanos as the ground vanished from his feet and left nothing but open air.

Down… down… down to the shattered earth of the Dragons’ Lair below.

Shining Armor caught every member of the Black Order within a zero gravity, magical bubble. They hovered in mid-air, unable to do anything but watch as Thanos fell through the clouds, dropped like a rock towards the Chitauri debris-filled landscape. With another pulse from his horn, Shining directed the bubble to quickly bring the Black Order and himself safely to the grounds below, in a last-ditch effort to catch the Titan before he could impact the ground.

Because Thanos definitely wasn’t making any effort to save himself.

The ground only grew larger as the seconds flew away. Thanos could have easily clenched his fist, used the Space Stone, Reality Stone, Time Stone, anything he desired to slow his descent. But he didn’t move. The only moment he did was when he was one hundred yards above the earth, jamming his feet downwards and striking the ground with his gauntlet and right knee heavily pressed into it. Rock and dirt shot up and outwards upon impact, and numerous cracks within the earth danced away from him. But after the crash, as Thanos kept his head low and body still, he carefully breathed and slowly arose.

His children arrived shortly, Shining Armor cutting off the magic and allowing every Black Order member to land safely upon the ground. Carefully, they approached their father with concern heavy in all of their eyes, especially the Maw’s. Yet when they asked him again, that simple question of whether or not he was all right, Thanos could not answer.

But not because of his weariness. Not because of the revelation he experienced. Thanos couldn’t answer because he lifted his head towards the sound of the powerful horn that cried out to the world they were in. The seemingly-alien world… of what just turned out to be planet Equus. The Dragon Lands. The capital of such, the Dragons’ Lair… and the aftermath of his Chitauri invasion lying in ruin across the vast landscape. The remains of two Command Centers were scattered about, their husks like shattered skeletons that arose from the earth, reminding Thanos of a world he knew by heart, making him flinch at that. Dead Leviathans and the remains of two Chitauri armies filled almost every shred of land, leaving almost nothing. Except for that horn that finally died.

Except for what followed.

Before he could even say a word, Thanos was blasted in the chest by a stream of red-hot and blistering yellow fire. The Black Order turned horrifically to the event they had witnessed, watching Thanos get battered into the earth by the unending stream of fire, further and further away from them. Turning accordingly to the source of the attack, they watched as Dragon Lord Ember flew with her Bloodstone Scepter leading, the fire expelling violently from the mighty gem upon it. With her flew a dragon army numbering in the dozens. Not a single one had an intent to stop.

Quickly, the Black Order readied themselves for the onslaught, but were once more interrupted by the ground exploding behind them, ripping every last member off their feet and flinging them through the air like rag dolls. As they landed upon the rocks and broken gem stones, the Black Order and Shining Armor twisted their necks about to the source of the newest attack.

And bursting forth from the clouds, ranging from three, to five, and finally to ten, the Hippogriff navy arrived with the capital ship leading. General Seaspray stood upon the deck jutting his saber forwards, screeching out to the heavens, and unleashing a full barrage from every last naval ship onto the Black Order below. Call it overkill, but they took no chances.

They couldn’t afford that.

The Black Order knew what it was. From being transported to a deserted location on another planet, the cry of the horn earlier, the sudden attack from the Dragon Lord and her army, and now the onslaught from the Hippogriffs and their navy… it was an ambush. And they never even saw it coming.

And therefore, they had no other option but to retreat.

The Black Order fled, Shining Armor providing protection from the mighty, magical shield he concocted. As the ten naval ships fired their cannons upon them, ripping the earth to shreds behind the Children of Thanos, Shining could only block so many cannonballs before even his magic was growing strained. He fled alongside the four others, slipping through the remains of a deceased Leviathan and ultimately escaping the barrage of cannon fire from above.

Only to appear on the other side and meet the end of Star-Lord’s barrel. He was joined by the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and an army of griffons all pointing their weapons at the five individuals.

It took several moments for Thanos to realize where he was. After being pummeled into and against the earth by the searing flames raining down from above, it finally ended, Thanos only having the strength to lean forward, press his palms onto the ground, and try to rise. It was once more all for nothing. Several tremors surrounded him, Thanos hardly having enough time to look by the time the fire returned. Even worse than before. While the flames couldn’t harm his hardened, Eternal skin, it was still relentless in its assault, Thanos having to raise both hands just to block the fire from scorching his face.

And in that quick moment, that simple respite of minimal fire to block his vision, he witnessed an army of dragons surrounding him. It was all he could do to keep from screaming as more than seven adult dragons unleashed all they had on him. They all landed and circled him, a few dragons hovering above as they breathed in deep and covered the Titan with torrents of flame and lava. The heat was horrific, actual beginning to burn and melt the rocks by Thanos’ feet. Yet the Titan still remained. He grunted, growled, and held on with his own two feet planted into the earth.

Thanos had about enough. If what they were attempting was their greatest means of attack, then he had undoubtedly overestimated them. But to his surprise, he could see the Dragon Lord land just mere yards ahead of him, with her was standing Queen Novo and King Thorax as they all glared upon the Mad Titan. With that, they jutted their hooves, weapons, whatever they held forward and waited.

And Thanos could only watch as the flames held him down, as the lava poured over him, and ultimately witnessed a conglomeration of Hippogriffs and changelings rising forth into the air and charging towards him in a seemingly-endless swarm. Changelings morphed right before his eyes, from mere rocks camouflaged upon the earth to their original forms, and then finally transformed into the wicked creatures known as the windigos. The Hippogriffs followed, leaving just an army of the neighing, flying, winter spirits hovering high above the Mad Titan.

The rest followed just as Thanos had suspected. Perhaps even more than he expected.

Every last Hippogriff and changeling that had morphed into windigos took numerous, deep breaths in… and unleashed the sub-zero winds and freezing snowstorms from their jaws. It impacted the molten lava and burning flames covering Thanos’ body, leaving a hardened shell forming quicker and quicker around the Titan. Thanos’ eyes enlarged. He screamed as he jutted his gauntlet outwards, tried to clench it into a fist, do anything to stop the onslaught from resuming. Unfortunately, even he wasn’t fast enough that time. The hardened rock surrounded Thanos’ entire left arm, stopping his hand just short of his bent fingers. He couldn’t even move them.

He couldn’t even move.

The fire and ice only persisted, the dragons and the windigos intending to keep Thanos immobilized for as long as possible. For as long as they could. With only his head and arm visible, Thanos flicked his glare away from the onslaught and instead focused directly ahead. Not on the Dragon Lord. Definitely not on the Queen of the Hippogriffs or even Thorax.

No. His eyes shot open when he witnessed the Avengers charging right for him. But not just him, for they had their sights set on something very particular. Something—even with the shortening distance between them and the rock forming over Thanos’ face—that even Thanos managed to see.

Their eyes… latched to the Gauntlet. His gauntlet. The rock covered Thanos’ widening eyes and concealed his rage-filled roars, leaving just the Infinity Gauntlet and the Titan’s left forearm visible upon the rock, jutted outwards and completely open.

Steve Rogers made no hesitating movements. He charged forward with as much speed as he could muster, shouting as loud as humanly possible, “It’s clear! Finish it!”

He ran, faster than Natasha Romanoff. Faster than Thor. Faster than even the Hulk, James Barnes, and the Black Panther. But Iron Man was faster. He flew so fast that Novo, Ember, and Thorax couldn’t even comprehend the blazing blur that jetted over their heads and charged solely towards the mound of rock where the Mad Titan once was. They didn’t see the nanotech blade jutting forth from his wrist. They couldn’t comprehend how utterly quick it was…

… before it was too late.

Tony Stark flew down with his blade centered on Thanos’ arm, his intent to slice the arm clean off his body and thus rendering the Infinity Gauntlet useless without a bearer. He didn’t hesitate. He never once hesitated. Neither did any of the Avengers. They ran and flew forward knowing that the Infinity Gauntlet needed to be removed by any means necessary. But even then, reaching Thanos in less than three seconds, they still weren’t fast enough.

They just weren’t.

Even with the rock growing, building, hardening faster and faster on his person, Thanos knew what was coming. He may have been blinded by the rock but even he could tell what they were planning to do. The ambush, the never-ending onslaught of fire and ice to keep him grounded, and all of it just keep his left forearm free. They were certainly clever.

But that was all Thanos was going to give them. He forced every ounce of his strength to crush the rock building around his left palm, managed to shatter it at the last moment, and ignite the fire of the Space and Power Stones upon the world. Tony was so close, mere inches away from the blade connecting, slicing, severing the Gauntlet free from Thanos’ grasp. He still wasn’t fast enough. None of them truly were.

The blast that followed allowed Thanos to ensure that everyone felt it. Stark, being the closest, felt the full weight of the blast from the two Infinity Stones, Iron Man blown away alongside all the dragons, Hippogriffs, and changelings within the closest vicinity. The rock formed around Thanos was ripped apart, the shards flying off and impaling several Hippogriffs and changelings. Novo, Ember, and Thorax were all thrown backwards alongside Rogers, Romanoff, Thor, Hulk, T’Challa, and Barnes. The shock wave was so otherworldly strong that it took several moments for everyone to get to their feet again.

By then, Thanos had already had enough.

From the immense, emotional turmoil he had endured, the battle with Set, and the constant pain and revelation still haunting the back of his mind and tormenting his heart, Thanos had simply had enough. He forced every shred of weariness to be buried deep within him, never allowed to be shown while in the face of war. Though he had grown tired of it, Thanos realized that if he did nothing, if he allowed his plaguing thoughts and fatigue to take control as he had prior… then he would lose everything. What was meant to be his—his true, utter destiny—would be taken from him if he lied down and let them win. If he gave in to his exhaustion, his pain, then everything he worked for would be for nothing. Everything he believed in, worked for, loved…

Loved…

Thanos roared. He screamed and cried so unbelievably loud that all the Dragon Lands heard him. Perhaps all of Equus heard that bellow. Maybe even the Earth and its inhabitants. And maybe even all the universe. Thanos didn’t care who heard him. He simply didn’t care and fought with everything that he was. With his destiny on the line, nothing else mattered.

So, he clenched his Infinity Gauntlet, ignited his Infinity Stones, and grit his teeth as a raging fire escaped his being. And everyone felt it.

The destruction and pain were insurmountable. The power of five Infinity Stones was unleashed upon the Dragons’ Lair, where every life within it experienced the strength of the universe with their own eyes, their bodies, their very existence. The Reality Stone ripped open a hole in the earth, shredding the pillars of rock and stone into sharpened daggers numbering in the thousands. Thanos unleashed all of them with a swipe of his arm, the shards of rock impaling numerous Hippogriffs, changelings, dragons, and so forth. Every piece of landmass, every tarnished skeleton of the Chitauri fleet. Everything.

Just before those shards could strike the leaders, the Avengers, any of them, Princess Celestia struck the world before them and birthed forth a golden shield so massive that it created a mighty wall between them and Thanos. Every last shard of rock was vaporized, creating mists and sparkles of golden light as they passed harmlessly through. Though to Celestia’s shock, her shield was vaporized just as easily. In a vast explosion of violet. Celestia’s hardened glare nearly broke apart at that, the Alicorn nearly unprepared for the blast of the Power Stone heading right for them.

The magical shield she brought forth—though not as massive as the prior one—still managed to fend off the strength of the Power Stone. Just for the time being. Ember, Novo, and Thorax all stood behind Celestia and held their ground, pushed alongside her against Thanos’ fury. Luckily for them, it didn’t last long.

Keeping the stream of violet energy focused on the Princess of the Sun and those who stood with her, Thanos wasn’t able to focus on the webbing that blinded him. A second time. Thanos roared at that, cutting off the Power Stone and prying at the webbing covering his eyes. Spider-Man swung down, driving both of his feet directly into Thanos’ chin, causing him to stagger to the side.

Enough. Thanos pried at the webs and removed them from his vision. He was greeted to the wretched sight of the Incredible Hulk roaring in his face and tackling him to the earth. The two struggled against each other, both wrestling the other for dominance. Thanos was on his back, shielding his head as the Hulk slammed his fists repeatedly onto his chest, intending for the face. Catching one of his fists, Thanos delivered a blow directly into Hulk’s right cheek, launching him off the Titan. Back on his feet, Thanos raised his right fist and fully intended on bringing it down on the hulking beast beneath him. The cool webbing latched onto his fist, Thanos turning to it and seeing the young Spider-Man prying at his own strand of web, hopelessly trying to pull Thanos back.

Only it was never his intention. He just distracted Thanos long enough for the Hulk to get the upper hand yet again.

Driving his fist into Thanos’ chin, the Hulk roared and rose back to his feet, continuously pummeling Thanos further and further down until he was on his knees. And just before he could send the Titan flat on his chest, he pulled back, alongside Parker, and held Thanos’ right arm still. Lifting his gaze to that, Thanos was somewhat taken aback by such actions, but quickly realized what they were intending to do. He already felt Steve Rogers and Tony Stark on his left arrive rather fast, palms wrapped around the Infinity Gauntlet, prying at it with all their strength.

Thanos bellowed at that, rising back to full height. He was brought back down just as fast when Thor rained down his lightning from above, sending a bolt directly into Thanos’ backside. Thanos screamed at that. He landed behind the Titan, driving his boot into the back of Thanos’ leg and keeping him on his knee. He held Thanos by his leg, turning his lone eye forward to see Natasha and T’Challa hold down Thanos’ other leg, keeping him planted to the earth and granting him with as little mobility as possible. James Barnes, the White Wolf arrived shortly, using his enhanced strength from his metallic arm to grip Thanos’ left and keep him steady, unmoving. He thrashed about all the same, fought them every second he could manage.

But even his rage-filled roars were cut short when the billy club shot around him, the steel fiber cable wrapping tight around his throat once more. Thanos was beginning to see red, looking back only slightly to witness Daredevil, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Danny Rand all holding onto the cable and club, using all of their conjoined strength to keep him fastened firmly with the ground. Seething pure, wrathful breaths at that, Thanos brought his eyes forward to see the Sorcerer Supreme, the one who brought him back to Equus in the first place… now floating down before him with raw determination glowing in his eyes. Thanos glared at him with enough hatred to torch a planet.

He held out his hands once before, twirled one of them in a circle like he did prior, and watched as Mantis fell through the portal hanging directly over the Titan’s head. The insectoid woman landed directly onto Thanos’ awaiting shoulders, her palms instantly pressed against the sides of his head. She shut her eyes aggressively tight, an unhinged sense of power flowing from her brightened antennae and entering into Thanos’ head by her touch. The Mad Titan roared out with every bit of strength that he had, thrashing his head about in a vain attempt to fight her off. His eyes, too, were shut as tight as possible. Mantis grunted, focusing every bit of her energy to try and put him under.

Thanos felt his mind fading, a cloud of uncertainty beginning to arise and blind what stood before him. However, within that cloud Thanos found a certain sense of ease, of rest. It was tempting, so much so that the Titan nearly fell for its grasp. He imagined what it would be like to shut his eyes, to allow the darkness to take him for a long, well-awaited slumber. His body cried out to him and demanded for such. His muscles ached and his bones quaked under the pressure, willing to give in, waiting on the mind and heart. As the swirls of gray filled his eyes, Thanos gasped and nearly let that happen. He felt that ease wash over him as his body, his mind, and his will… slowly give in.

But he was able to open his eyes once again, break through the clouds of gray and the waning sense of peace and security. Through it, he saw the flash of white, the six distinct equines standing before him wearing ancient relics around their necks. A tiara… upon her head. And they all glared at him, almost all of them, as they closed their eyes and allowed the Elements of Harmony to flow through them, empower them, give them the necessary strength to bring down Thanos once and for all.

Twilight Sparkle and her closest friends arose from the earth, their six Elements igniting bright enough for Thanos to blink again. To see again. To see the equines and find that fire once again.

Thanos released the pressure he held on the steel fiber cable around his neck, causing the Defenders to stumble backwards. With that leverage, Thanos rammed the back of his head into Mantis’ sternum, making the Guardian lose her breath. He ripped his left arm away from Tony and Steve, the Infinity Gauntlet swiped from their hands and pulling the Avengers into the rock and dirt. With that hand, Thanos reared back and grabbed Mantis’ arm, tossing her into Twilight and her unsuspecting friends. The mares yelped and cried out, their bodies tumbling forth across the earth alongside Mantis. The Elements of Harmony dimmed to nothing, to darkness.

He never once hesitated. Not even a second.

Clenching his fist, Thanos fueled the Gauntlet with the strength of the Power Stone, driving his fist directly into Hulk’s face. The shock wave that followed sent Natasha, T’Challa, Thor, and the Defenders all outwards from Thanos’ position. Especially Hulk, who took the majority of the strike and was sent flying clear across the battlefield. Ripping his right arm forward, Thanos yanked Peter Parker towards him and rammed his left arm into Spider-Man’s face, earning a painful yelp from the young Avenger. He remained like the other Avengers, foolishly rising back to their feet and charging Thanos headstrong for the next round, unwilling to surrender, never once giving in.

Thanos screamed and drove the Infinity Gauntlet into the earth, shattering it as the Power Stone erupted forth. The wave of violet washed over every Avenger, every mare, and sent them flat upon the earth, unmoving after that blast. Every last one of them, from Stark, Rogers, Natasha, Thor, T’Challa, Barnes, Doctor Strange, Parker, and the six equines. All of them lied upon the earth, completely at Thanos’ mercy.

What little he had left.

Clenching his gauntlet and powering up all five Stones, Thanos was once more interrupted. By a barrage of cannonballs of all things. He shielded himself, actually having to back away as the powerful cannon fire descended upon him from above. Using the Space Stone to shield him, Thanos tore his gaze away from the Avengers and mares lying before him to gaze to the heavens. And within it, an army he had come to know burst forth.

An army he had seen been birthed since day one.

Leading the assault was Tempest Shadow’s airship, followed closely by a plethora of dragons led by Ember, Hippogriffs by Novo, griffons with numerous generals and Gilda and Greta, the Wonderbolts led by Spitfire, Thorax, Pharynx, and their changeling swarm, and a fleet of naval ships commanded by General Seaspray. All of them flying down and focused only on him, the Mad Titan. The Hippogriff naval ships fired away, every single cannon aimed at Thanos and unloading every last cannonball on the Dark Lord. The rest of the One United Species Army charged forward, a unified battle cry filling the air with triumph and warfare all mixed within the blood and fire that rained down from above.

And all of it was silenced.

A war cry so profound, so earth-shattering, so deafening that no creature could have believed it came from one being. Only it did. It came from Thanos when he swiped his left arm clear in front of him, the five Infinity Stones bright and burning upon the Gauntlet. It was as if he swiped his arm clear across the skylines, every last naval ship blown apart and ripped to shreds as the influence of the Space and Power Stones washed over them. Hundreds of dragons, griffons, Hippogriffs, and changelings were vaporized in the blink of an eye.

It was that easy.

The following explosions deafened any nearby creature. The eruptions of the ten Hippogriff naval ships were so powerful that it sent ten distinctive shock waves clear across the skies, breaking apart the clouds of ash and darkness and blanketing the entire Dragons’ Lair under the light of ten different stars. The yellow was transformed into a horrific red, the sounds of the following explosions ripping apart the sound barrier and blowing any dragon, any griffon, any Hippogriff, and any changeling right out of the air. Any Hippogriff upon the ships were vaporized, Seaspray’s last sight being that of the bright violet overcoming the deck of his naval ship before he was consumed in it.

As sound returned to the vast battlefield following the shock waves, the burning husks of all ten naval ships fell right out of the air. Queen Novo, Sky Beak, and Stratus Skyranger could only watch in horror as the ships that helped save their home, freed so many others, simply dropped. Struck the earth and erupted once more into blistering towers of pure hellfire. Dragon Lord Ember removed her golden helmet, her jaw fallen and refusing to close as the fires reflected off her brilliant red eyes. Smolder and Gallus did the same, the young griffon refusing to believe what he just witnessed. They flew alongside Ember, Thorax, and Pharynx, none of them or their followers willing to believe what had just transpired. What had just fallen from the sky.

While the others were trapped in that disbelief, Tempest Shadow witnessed it all and so much worse. She fought through it anyway, ordered Captain Celaeno to send the airship full speed ahead. Right into the Mad Titan. She didn’t once hesitate, not even to that asinine request. Tempest was mad, fueled by pure adrenaline, and let that consume her. But if there was one thing Celaeno for sure knew about her… was that Tempest wasn’t crazy.

Not in the slightest.

So she charged, put the airship into full throttle and gunned the engines to their maximum potential. The airship blasted forward, right through the smoke and flame filling the air and meeting the Titan’s gaze just at the right moment. Grubber held on for dear life to the nearest Storm Guard, every last one of them clutching onto the sides of the ship as they narrowed the distance between them and the Titan. And Thanos saw them.

Watched as they foolishly charged headlong into the fight, desperately trying to do anything in their minimal power to turn the tides. Thanos narrowed his eyes at them, jamming out the Infinity Gauntlet and igniting the Power Stone. Except there was one thing he forgot about that airship, that very same airship that Tempest Shadow led into battle.

It came with a harpoon.

And that harpoon fired from the front opening of the ship, descending so fast that Thanos couldn’t even blink in time. It struck his chest, the sharpened end of the harpoon impaling Thanos right in his heart. Catching his breath at that, Thanos shakily stood with his left arm extended, violet blood flowing quickly out of his mouth and onto his chest. Onto the harpoon that stuck right out of it. With continuously fading vision, he watched as the airship didn’t once stop, fully intending to strike him down right then and there.

Its shadow fell over him, but stopped. The pain was overwhelming in his chest, but stopped. Thanos intended to use the Power Stone to decimate them, but stopped. Instead, he used the Time Stone and reversed all of it.

The airship backpedaled while under the influence of the Time Stone, the harpoon ripped out of Thanos’ chest and the wound instantly healed. In that short moment of clarity, returning time to what it once was, Thanos gave himself an extra second. It was all he needed to fire the Power Stone forward, strike the side of the airship, and ultimately cut it off course.

The blast of the Power Stone barely struck the airship, but it was still utterly devastating. The outer hull exploded outwards, the engines on fire and Captain Celaeno having no choice but to pull away. Thanos watched it all from the ground, saw the blistering fires from within the airship’s belly and the trail of smoke it left behind as it retreated from the fight. Like the cowards they—

A cry emerged from the earth and Thanos turned to it. From the airship’s deck leapt a single being, that shadowy figure rolling gracefully upon the debris-filled earth and galloping forward. Right at him. Sneering at that, Thanos shot out the Infinity Gauntlet and fired multiple blasts from the Power Stone. The explosions struck the earth, but the shadow was faster, dodging, sliding, and weaving as graceful as a dancer to avoid the energy beams. When the distance was cut, the shadow jumped right through the air, broke through the smoke, and met Thanos head-on.

The Titan raised his gauntlet to stop the shadow, but was halted by a steel-plated hoof striking him across the face. It was so accurate, so painfully precise that Thanos nearly hunched over from the force of the hit. Instead, he lifted his gaze, watched that shadow slide forward to a complete and dead stop directly in front of him.

And the first thing he saw was the broken horn.

“You must be Tempest,” Thanos said with a growing, wicked smile.

Tempest Shadow snorted at him, pawing at the earth, horn crackling with raw magic.

Not another word. Just how he wanted it to be. They struck and it was just how Thanos wished it would become. A battle to remember. A battle forged in respect, of which there was no other kind Thanos could offer. Maybe she didn’t hold the same respect for him, but that didn’t matter to Thanos. She fought with just as much heart as he had wanted her to.

Tempest leapt through the air and unleashed a bolt of lighting straight from her horn. Thanos raised his gauntlet and blocked it, the Space Stone absorbing the spell and sending it right back at her. Managing a quick teleportation spell—though with her shattered horn it made it much more difficult—Tempest appeared where she didn’t want to: directly in front of him. With her eyes wide, a quick gasp escaping her, Tempest rolled to the side just as Thanos’ fist crushed the rock and earth where she once stood. Using that momentum, Tempest pushed off from the ground and bucked the Titan square in the face, the same spot she struck him the first time. He felt that one.

He felt it and ignored it all the same, grabbing Tempest’s tail in mid-air. Tossing her with more than enough strength, Thanos watched her fly clear across the landscape. He shot out his gauntlet, the Power Stone burning and intending to fire a decimating blast right onto the unicorn. As she flailed in mid-air, Tempest bent her neck appropriately, firing another lightning spell that struck Thanos where he stood. Except that time, the lightning coiled and formed tight tendrils around Thanos’ left arm. Growling at that, Thanos pried at the electrified tendrils, completely disregarding the unicorn pulling herself right for him. Hearing the rage-filled war cry, Thanos lifted his eyes only to see the blood boiling in her veins, the red of her eyes fueled with bright, lightning blue. She led herself by her hooves, bucking Thanos square in the chest. He really felt that one.

Especially when Tempest performed a perfect flip, landed on all four hooves, and fired a lightning spell right at his heart. She held nothing back, the electricity coursing throughout Thanos’ body as the Titan bellowed and trembled where he stood, nearly falling to his knees. He shut his eyes tight and roared to the sky. Tempest was relentless, ignoring the trail of blood that flowed from her snout and especially the one that fell from her horn. Instead, she put on the pressure, intending to fry the Titan and end his tyranny once and for all.

But instead, she could only watch as he lifted the Gauntlet, clenched it into a fist, and unleashed a wave of pure, violet energy across the earth. And all of it was scorched to cinders, quickly approaching Tempest faster than she could gasp.

But not faster than she could concoct a shield. It was weak, even by her terms, but it was all she could manage—especially with her wounded horn—and with what little time she was given to react. As the earth was torn asunder around her, her shield dissipating as the wave washed past her, Tempest Shadow opened her eyes and took in that much-needed breath.

It was caught once Thanos drove forward with his left fist leading, striking Tempest across the right cheek with so much force that it sent the unicorn flying and tumbling across the battlefield. She eventually came to a painful crash through the remains of the same Chitauri Command Center she destroyed, crashing through its hull and disappearing within the inner sanctums.

Thanos rose, breathed heavier than he expected, and nodded once in the direction she vanished in. A battle to be remembered indeed. A battle forged in respect. That much he could offer her.

It wasn’t always like that. One after another they just kept coming. Unending. Relentless. Intent on ending his destiny when he was so, so close. Closer than ever before. And every second, Thanos fought them off. All the while he was fighting himself, the pain in his heart worse than the pain from the impalement of the harpoon. Worse than the lightning that consumed his body. Worse than any other pain he ever knew. It never got any easier.

It only worsened when he saw his daughter charging towards him with the weapon he gave her, his own tears beginning to blot his vision.

Chapter 97 – Battle of the Dragons’ Lair

Equus

The Dragon Lands

Dragons’ Lair

5:31 p.m.

The first thing they could do was freeze. While trapped at gunpoint, spearpoint, any point, all the Black Order could do as an initial response was freeze where they were. The Guardians of the Galaxy made their slow, cautious approach, Star-Lord leading his team consisting of Drax, Nebula, Rocket, and Groot towards Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive. His eyes widened when he spotted the unicorn behind them. A prisoner perhaps. Quill made his movements extra careful, his heartbeat rapidly increasing.

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were right behind them. Every last one of them walked with their assault rifles leading, Daisy Johnson actually approaching with her left arm extended, palm outstretched, and ready to blow any of the aliens before her straight to kingdom come. Her eyes fell on Proxima Midnight. The alien woman stared back, snarling as she met the eyes of Quake. She was joined by Mack, Yo-Yo, Hunter, Morse, and Deathlok, every last one of them intending to end the Children of Thanos right then and there. Then they saw the unicorn…

They gasped.

An army of griffons surrounded the air, ground, and practically every direction, thus trapping the Black Order within their circle. They hovered or stomped slowly towards the aliens, spears extended and intending only to harm as much damage to their invaders as possible. When they witnessed the Prince of the Crystal Empire amongst them, Shining Armor, they hesitated. Just for a second.

That was all the Black Order needed.

Ebony Maw ripped his hands straight into the air, bringing forth a tower of dirt and rock that completely showered over them and created an impenetrable wall between the Black Order and their ambushers. Quill shielded his eyes from the flying dirt and sand, Rocket not so fortunate and trying desperately to rub his eyes clean, cursing off every swear word in the dictionary. Bringing forth his mask, the red eyes ignited and witnessed the tower of dirt blocking them. Then Star-Lord saw the axe fly through it. He ducked.

Everyone else wasn’t so lucky. The axe head struck Drax square in the chest, knocking back the Destroyer and causing him to crash into the crowd of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents like they were bowling pins. Groot fell onto his back alongside Nebula, Rocket already low to the ground and gazing with burning eyes to the chain right over his head. The chain firmly attached to the axe was ferociously yanked backwards, flipping Daisy right off her feet and knocking into Deathlok’s backside. Morse, Hunter, Mack, and Yo-Yo were the only ones who recovered, Yo-Yo reappearing in a flash and the three other agents firing relentlessly into the tower of dirt. Mack cocked his Shotgun-Axe and unloaded everything he had into it, hoping he struck something on the other side.

Once the tower dissipated, the chain returned and the axe reattached itself to Cull Obsidian’s hammer. He brought forth his retractable shield and blocked their onslaught of bullets, the remainder of the Black Order behind his burly figure. As the gunfire ended, that was their cue. Midnight leapt from behind her brother’s backside alongside Corvus Glaive. They engaged the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., tearing easily through the faceless soldiers in black and meeting the likes of Quake, Mack, Yo-Yo, Hunter, Morse, and Deathlok up close and personal.

Glaive roared as he drove his weapon straight for Mack’s heart, the agent quickly raising his Shotgun-Axe and blocking the strike. Yo-Yo responded by slamming her own shoulder into Glaive’s side at supersonic speeds, knocking the Black Order member to the dirt alongside his glaive. Midnight swung madly with her spear towards Bobbi Morse’s head, but she ducked, weaved, and slashed at the alien’s open rib cage and kneecaps with her twin batons. Proxima responded in kind, gripping a handful of Morse’s long, blonde hair and slamming her back-first into the rocks. She raised her spear, intending to fully crush Morse’s windpipe with the three-pointed end. Lance Hunter’s onslaught of bullets stopped her from doing just that. Raising her armor-plated forearm, it was all Midnight could do as Hunter roared at her to get away from his wife, approaching her quickly and unloading his entire magazine onto her. She lifted her spear and rested it on her free arm, firing a pulsating blast that struck Lance dead in the chest. He was launched backwards, arms and legs flailing even as he came to a crash upon the dirt.

Deathlok responded to his fellow agent’s plight. He fired a single rocket from his wrist and struck Midnight on her open side, driving her forward onto the dirt near her husband.

Growling to see his siblings bested, Cull Obsidian roared and charged ahead, axe leading with every ferocious stomp forward. Drax slid out of his eyesight, tripping up the bumbling beast and allowing Groot to step up in front of him. The adolescent gave his own war cry, a high-pitched scream escaping him as he fired two vines straight from his palms directly into Obsidian’s chest. He launched the strongest member of the Black Order several yards backwards, beyond the corpse of the Leviathan and vanishing with his roars becoming all but a distant cry.

He grit his teeth at that. Folding his arms across his chest. Ebony Maw rose forth from the earth and brought with him several jagged shards of Chitauri armor lying upon the rocks. He charged forward with the shards joining him, but was promptly halted when Star-Lord leapt upwards and rammed his gun into Maw’s chin. It didn’t end there, Quill firing relentlessly from his twin Quad Blasters onto the grounded child of Thanos. Seething at that, Ebony Maw ripped several chunks of rock from the earth and threw them at Peter, knocking him backwards.

With that distance created, he hovered once more high above the ground and flew away, screaming, “Brother, sister, retreat!”

Corvus and Proxima instantly followed on his word, yanking their weapons from the dirt and leaping over tattered starships and chariots into a swift, dead sprint towards escape. Even Shining Armor followed, vanishing in a flash before any of them could react in time. Quill watched them run from where he lay, sighing through his mask. Another part of the plan ending in failure. He just prayed Gamora and Mantis turned those tides from their positions.

Within the heart of the Dragons’ Lair, the catastrophic battle for the fate of the universe raged on. The Mad Titan Thanos engaged with every Avenger, every Defender, and every species of Equus that dared to turn their weapons his way, dared to charge him and try to overcome him. Every time they would fall, harder and harder upon the ground but getting back up regardless of their injuries. They knew so much hung in the balance if they didn’t. Just like the plan. If anything went south, they stuck with someone and did everything in their power to bring the Titan to his knees.

Every last one of them was having great difficulty with that last part.

Especially Gamora. When she confronted him, she was surprised to see so much pain in his eyes. She could have even sworn she saw tears shimmering under the glare of the sun. But it was hard to tell, and she never cared to dig deeper, only seeing a target and fully willing to bring him down. No matter what it cost her. She swung and slashed at the man who murdered her father—then claimed to be her own father—with every form of life within her spirit. Every strike was a scream of pain that escaped the Guardian. And every block was pressure pressed further into Thanos’ heart, daring him to give in against his daughter. He couldn’t.

Not even for her. He caught Godslayer and snapped it in half, using the Space Stone to launch Gamora further away and trap her tightly against the earth. She thrashed and screamed against the force she couldn’t fight against, but it was pointless. Thanos ensured the bonds wouldn’t hurt her.

It was all he could before he was attacked yet again.

As for the six, young, weakened heroes lying scattered upon the rock and soil, they were not able to witness such catastrophe fall down around them. The smoke blinded the battlefield, the fires from the Hippogriff naval ships blotting the skies and only managing glimpses of the sun to shine through before darkness filled the land. Again and again, a constant and confusing cycle of night and day overcoming the battlegrounds. As for those six, young, weakened heroes… only one was able to rise first of all. She rubbed her forehead with a violet hoof, adjusting the tiara on her head.

And Twilight Sparkle nearly fell back down when the flash of bright rose appeared directly in front of her. When that flash subsided, Twilight rubbed her eyes to clear out the black spots dotting her vision. The moment she lowered her foreleg was the moment her breath was taken away from her, her heart stopped, and her mind nearly blanked.

“Shining…?” Twilight gasped, taking a soft step forward and narrowing her eyes. There he stood, the mere image of him shrouded in the smoke-filled air. Her eyes widened, a breathless cry leaving her as a large smile percolated across her lips. “Shining Armor! You’re alive!”

The smoke began to fade, unveiling that form, showcasing none other than Shining Armor standing before her. Twilight couldn’t have been more relieved, now having true confirmation that her brother had survived the assault on the Crystal Empire. And better yet, he was there! Come to help in their dire time of need! Only… he didn’t look… entirely there. Twilight noticed it instantly, her smile slowly… painfully… falling apart.

And it was all because of the bright blue glow in his eyes.

She slowly shot out her hoof. “Shining… are you okay? What’s wrong with your—?”

His gaze narrowed into a frown, his hoof quickly swiping forward and smacking hers completely aside. Bringing her foreleg back to her side, Twilight backpedaled and kept a safe six-foot distance between herself and her brother. She didn’t want to, but after seeing that look in his eyes, the near-dead expression on his face, Twilight quickly realized that her assumptions were correct. Shining Armor wasn’t there, at least not entirely.

“Shining!” Twilight cried out, dodging his swipes and punches by millimeters. “Shining, stop!”

But he didn’t. He proceeded forward and never halted in his actions to harming Twilight, putting an end to anything that stood in the path of the Great Titan. Twilight had seen that determination only once before, the shimmer in his eyes joining it and leading Shining Armor through the heinous actions he committed. It brought forth pains from the past, but something Twilight knew how to heal. Something she knew how to fix.

Kicking off the earth, Twilight shot out her wings and proceeded to dodge Shining’s magical beams escaping from his horn. If there was one thing Shining excelled at more than her, it was his military training. Meaning his shots were as accurate as much as he physically tried. While being under the control of the Mad Titan, his will was not his own. He was but a puppet to Thanos and used to the full extent of his power. The magic singed Twilight’s wing and hind leg, but no other damage than that. Twilight grit her teeth and fought through the burning pain, all the while building the spell deep within her horn.

Shining fired continuously into the air, trying to knock Twilight right out of it. She flew about and dodged his strikes, still containing that spell, still doing everything in her power to keep it under control just long enough. Just long enough… until she was finally ready. And when she was, she flew forward, dodged Shining’s spell, and unleashed that magic in a singular strike directly into his skull.

Right into his horn. His head. His mind.

Shining Armor’s eyes widened to the point of bulging out of his skull, the magic dying alongside Twilight’s flight, the Alicorn skidding to a halt mere feet in front of him. As her hooves dug into the rock and dirt, Twilight raised her head and kept her horn beaming, just in case there was still a little bit more of the mind control still stuck inside of him.

She found that sense of ease once again as Shining stumbled about, rubbed his forehead, and blinked his eyes open. Several times. Looking about the wasteland and eventually turning that pair of soft cerulean eyes onto his little sister. He blinked again, breathed, and narrowed those eyes.

“T… Twily…?”

That was all the assurance Twilight needed for her to hug him. Her face almost shattered, broken tears escaping her scrunched eyelids as she leapt forward and wrapped her forelegs tight around her brother’s neck, squeezing him with as much love as she could offer. Though slightly taken aback, Shining eventually laid his hoof on her backside, patting her softly and listening to her pained whimpers.

“I knew it. Even somepony as stubborn as you can’t die that easily. Cadance is gonna be so relieved,” Twilight cried on his shoulder.

His eyes shot open at that, a relieved breath escaping him. He couldn’t remember much. It was as if he was trapped inside a horrible dream, watching events unfold but refusing to believe they were real. Like he was held against his will as someone else took command. A part of him, perhaps the darkest part… finally allowed to take control. But that didn’t matter anymore. Twilight brought him back to his senses. She always was a quick thinker. And now, he just received confirmation of his wife’s safety. It was subtle, but it was there. It was all he needed to hug her back fully.

“She’s safe…” Shining breathed.

“Flurry Heart, too,” Twilight explained, breaking away from Shining but remaining in front of him, her tears joining his arising ones. She held that strong grin his way, that assuring one, and nodded. “They got all the Crystal Ponies to the Castle of the Two Sisters.”

Shining wanted to laugh. He wanted to jump for joy and cry even harder than he already was, shed a little bit more liquid pride than he was used to. But he couldn’t. The horrific roar filling the Dragons’ Lair brought both siblings’ attention to the far east of the battlefield. They turned in unison, accordingly to the war cry to see Thanos’ wave of destruction decimate swarm after swarm of the One United Species Army. In the middle of it all, the Mad Titan stood with his back facing them, firing conjoined blasts from the Infinity Stones upon his adversaries. Never once turning around.

Never once knowing what was standing less than a mile behind him.

Maybe Shining did remember something. He remembered that grin on the Titan’s face being the last true thing he saw before he was caught under his influence. Shining narrowed his eyes into a fearsome glare. He couldn’t wait to wipe that grin away. “Guess that leaves just one last problem to deal with,” Shining Armor growled. He turned slightly to his right, smirking. “You ready for this, Twily?”

Twilight twisted her gaze slightly to her left, smirking. “Right behind you, BBBFF.”

So forth they charged, leaping and flying over the tattered remains of a Chitauri army, never once slowing down knowing the other was right by their side, chugging along towards the inevitable battle that neither knew if they would make it out. All they knew was that they had each other, they fought together. That’s what they used.

Both brother and sister fired a beam of a magic from their horns, the conjoined meeting and striking the Titan square in the back. Thanos hunched forward, grunting rather heavily upon that hit. Turning towards it, ready to face whoever dared to rival him, Thanos was genuinely welcoming to the fact that it was Twilight Sparkle of all equines to face him yet again. A confrontation he would rather face compared to the others. However, galloping alongside her flight pattern, unleashing spell after spell onto him, was the unicorn he so rescued from the Crystal Empire. Freed from his salvation. Ripped back into the horrors of reality of which Thanos pulled him from.

And there they stood against him. Against his destiny. Growling at that, baring his teeth, Thanos shot out his gauntlet and fired a blast from the Power Stone onto them. Shining Armor slid beneath the wave of violet, Twilight dodging at the last second and firing an ice-colored spell right for the Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos grunted as the spell connected, his eyes landing onto his left palm and gazing to the shard of ice encompassing his entire gauntlet. He was distracted for too long, barely lifting his eyes to meet Twilight’s Sparkle’s hind leg swinging forward and striking him across the cheekbone.

Shining Armor leapt forward, his horn brighter than the sun as he fired a singular beam of raw magic for Thanos’ left arm. He expected to catch Thanos off guard, by surprise, but was surprised himself to see the Titan react so quickly. With almost unnatural speed, he clutched Shining Armor in his right palm, slamming the unicorn directly into the earth and causing him to lose his breath instantly upon impact. Raising his left arm, Thanos yelled viciously and rammed the ice-covered gauntlet right where Shining’s head was.

The ice shattered, the rock beneath it cracked, but Shining was gone. Vanished in a flash of purple. Once Thanos lifted his gauntlet free from the earth and ice, he listened carefully and turned accordingly to the following flash of light, both Twilight and her older brother standing at attention. Directly behind him.

They both readied themselves for another round, but Thanos had other plans. He clenched his gauntlet and brought forth the power of the Reality Stones, weighty pillars of rock rising forth from the earth and knocking both ponies right off their hooves. They landed on their backsides at a safe distance between each other, only able to watch as the rocks fell on top of them and kept them plastered against the ground. Thanos ripped his gauntlet away, the red light fading as he gazed humorlessly upon Twilight and Shining. He was growing rather tired of them. Well-spent. He would have smiled had it been any other circumstance.

His attention was immediately shifted elsewhere, to the rousing cry of the Queen of the Hippogriffs. Turning immediately, Thanos was instantly bombarded by three of the such, Queen Novo with her lackeys Sky Beak and Skyranger. The two Hippogriffs swarmed him from all sides, one transforming into a horrific creature Thanos seemed to recall being a mixture of an insect and a bear. The Hippogriff-turned-Bugbear roared in his face, tackling the Mad Titan and rivaling him in size. But not nearly in strength. Thanos held his ground, his feet pressed heavily and deep in the shattered rock and dirt beneath him. He held strong, grinding his teeth together as the Bugbear growled, chomped and slashed at every exposed piece of the Titan it could get.

Thanos bellowed as the creature slashed at his face with its claws, driving his Infinity Gauntlet into its exposed rib cage and firing a blast from the Space Stone into it. The Bugbear cried as it flew backwards, impacting Stratus Skyranger and bringing both Hippogriffs crashing through a rock. Sky Beak transformed back into his Hippogriff self, trying to get back up but only failing time and time again. Only able to lay and watch as his queen engaged the Dark Lord by herself.

He failed to notice the light of the sun shine down from above his head, but when he finally did… a smile filled his beak once again.

Queen Novo was relentless with her assault, driving and slashing, stabbing and swinging her spear towards the one responsible for the invasion of her home, the destruction of her world, and the loss of the so many Hippogriff lives. So many lives in general. To prevent even more innocents from facing his depravity, she fought her heart out and ensured the Titan knew that she was there. She was willing to give it all. She was not backing down. Thanos hardly cared either way, raising his gauntlet to block the downward strike from her spear. As the sharpened metal collided against the hardened steel of the Infinity Gauntlet, the two momentarily caught each other’s glares.

Then Thanos snapped her spear in half with his right arm, rammed his forearm directly into her, and watched the Hippogriff queen fly backwards and tumble across the earth from the force of the hit. It was all he could see before she vanished from sight, before Thanos was blinded under the glare of the sun. Raising his hands in a feeble attempt to stop the light, Thanos narrowed his stance and glared right into it. Watched as the fires faded away from the white, elegant wings, the light of the afternoon sun burning right behind the golden armor and the pure magnificence of Princess Celestia.

She lowered her head, her eyes as white as the face of the sun encompassing the sky directly behind her. In her expression, there was only malice, a stern face forged to the point of absolute destruction, unyielding determination, and the will… to see it all through. The light faded and Thanos was finally able to open his eyes fully, gazing onto the same princess he had struck so many days ago. She lived after all.

Survived with a fiery vengeance trailing her.

The Princess of the Sun stared only to the Titan, eyes ablaze with a burning whiteness, her wings no longer flapping but protruded outwards and beyond the reach of the sun. She hovered in that position of dominance and fire, the sun somehow growing brighter, becoming larger, infusing her with the power she so desired. Despite the star belonging not to her, it still fell to her will. The light and strength of the alien star filled Princess Celestia and she used that. She used every last bit of it to fire a stream of light directly from her horn and onto the Mad Titan. The light was so ferocious, so fiery and untamed that it scorched the lands between them, incinerating rocks into dust, turning the air into fire, and striking Thanos with the power of the sun itself.

He raised his gauntlet at the last moment, all five Stones igniting as the blast hit him. Thanos closed his eyes so the brightness would not blind him. The effect of the attack and the severity of his situation escalated to unbearable levels. The heat was intense, even worse than when the dragon army attacked and doused him in flame. It grew so bad that the attire on his body began to burn, his skin pushed to the extent of its resistance. It burned. It burned worse than any pain he knew. Physical, at the very least. Knowing he couldn’t hold it forever, Thanos lifted his gauntlet higher, the blast connecting with the golden glove and the five Stones.

And Thanos stopped. He was being forcefully pushed back from the power of Princess Celestia and that of which she unleashed upon him, but no more. The five Infinity Stones ignited and held strong against the power of a star. Thanos used that. He rose back up, cautiously approached the flaming Alicorn with teeth as tight as he could possibly manage, and returned the fire. The power was unleashed from his gauntlet, all five firing forth and blasting through Celestia’s strength, her magic, and tearing through everything that remained. The Alicorn held for as long as she could, the light fading from her eyes the moment the powers of the universe tore through her strength. Ending it there.

Thanos watched as the blast struck Celestia and sent her flying clear across the warzone, even her screams becoming a distant memory to him. Another life bested… another three that took her place.

Dragon Lord Ember, King Thorax, and Pharynx charged Thanos as one, the two changelings transforming into a maulwurf and a flying insectoid monster respectively. The mole-like creature of which Thorax became screeched out as it smacked its claws against Thanos’ body, sending the Mad Titan crashing against a rock structure with a painful grunt escaping him. Pharynx, in his massive, flying, spider-like form, screeched and pounced upon the Titan, grabbing his shoulder between his jaws and tossing Thanos directly into the air. Right where Ember wanted him. With that ferocious cry leaving her, Ember drove the power of her scepter right into the Titan’s body, sending him flying back down into the earth. All three charged at once, Ember with her Bloodstone Scepter leading, Thorax clawing at the ground to sever the distance between him and the Titan, and Pharynx screeching with his pincers raised and ready to impale as he pounced once again.

Thanos stopped their advance with a raise of his left arm, a clench of his fist, and a shock wave from the Power Stone. All three were blown aside as the power of the universe washed over them in an explosive wave, practically melting Ember’s golden armor and singing Pharynx’s insectoid skin, forcing him to change back into his changeling form. Thorax’s maulwurf hide resisted for only so long before he too was forced to change back, he and his brother blown aside and crashing into the deceased Leviathans or against pillars of stone. Ember struck the earth back-first, grunting and crying as she bounced and skidded to a painful halt near the corpses of various Chitauri foot soldiers. Her Bloodstone Scepter bounced alongside her, rolling to a stop mere yards ahead of her.

And for the first time, she didn’t get back up to retrieve it. She lied there, groaning in pain, one eye open and one elbow pressed to the earth in a desperate attempt to rise. It ended shortly, Ember crumbling in defeat.

Thanos rose from the dirt and clenched his gauntlet once more, intent on seeing the Dragon Lord becoming nothing but a pile of flaking ash before him. However, he found himself losing all sense of sound and sight as a piercing wave crashed behind him, the sound so intense that it stung his eardrums to the very molecule. Thanos roared in agony, clutching his head and shielding his ears from the onslaught he was trapped in.

From behind the Mad Titan, Daisy Johnson held out both of her fists, the gauntlets around her arms quaking and unleashing that power upon the Titan. Further and further he fell, crying as loud as he possibly could as the sound and energy assaulted every part of his body and mind. Daisy, on the other end, flinched and gasped in growing exasperation. A trickle of blood flowed from her left nostril as she kept up the waves of energy from her fists, but even she knew she couldn’t hold it forever. She watched, at long last, as the God of Mischief arrived in a flushing wave of green that he used to camouflage with in plain sight.

Daisy allowed herself a short moment of relief, glad to see that Loki hadn’t left her to face Thanos alone. Just like they planned. How unlike him.

Loki charged forth with a blade shimmering into reality within his left palm, the God of Mischief screaming with every step he took, every boot planted firmly and fiercely upon the rocks beneath him as he drove forward, launched his blade to Thanos’ throat, and expected to see the battle finally end his favor. As it always should have been from the start. As a means of payback for what the Mad Titan did to his people.

That growing optimism that filled both Loki and Daisy quickly turned into dread when Thanos rapidly raised his gauntlet, the Space Stone flaring to life as it captured Loki’s blade and forearm mere inches from his throat. Despite the constant flow of energy from Daisy’s fists crashing against the Mad Titan, he still held strong, slowly turning his clenched facial features down to the God of Mischief. Loki shivered under his grip, trying to keep a brave face but failing.

And falling. Thanos ripped his blade away and kicked Loki square in the chest, sending him crashing through a pillar of gemstone. He remained unmoving after that. Gaining that much-needed momentum, Thanos reared back and unleashed a wave of the Space Stone that blew aside Quake’s attack. But she was persistent, strong, raced forward despite the blood flowing from her nose, despite the migraine forming in her skull, and engaged the Titan. Her punches and kicks were met with heavy blocks from Thanos, her feeble fighting skills no match against the Titanian.

It especially didn’t help when he caught her punch with the Infinity Gauntlet. It was at that did Daisy catch her breath, shivering gasps escaping her agape jaws as the blood fell down her upper lip. Thanos frowned at her, holding no admiration for her foolishness. Instead, he bent the young woman’s right wrist within his gauntlet, earning a painful cry from Johnson and nearly making her crumble right then and there. But she held strong, stood her ground, and glared at Thanos every second she was given. Another thing to admire of the Inhuman.

It was all Thanos could offer before he reared his right fist back and punched her across the face. The punch was so devastating that Daisy actually bounced against the gravel and dirt she impacted, her head hitting first of all and instant darkness taking her. Johnson’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, silent breaths escaping her lips as her mind faded.

Before he knew it, another came.

They just kept coming.

Thor flew downwards and unleashed a helping of lighting from his right fist and struck the Titan where he stood, immobilizing him for the time being. Then to his right, even Thor was slightly surprised to see the unicorn gallop forth and fire a volley of lightning from her shattered horn onto Thanos. The Titan screamed as each bolt struck him, pushing him further away and down to one knee. Both were breathing rather heavily, their gazes eventually finding one another.

Thor saw the scar on her right eye, beneath her broken horn. Tempest saw the scar beneath his eyepatch, both warriors finding some alien sense of ease as they met each other without a word. Not even a grunt. They just both turned back to the Mad Titan as he began to stand, unleashed that lightning crackling inside of them, and cried out as that power flowed forth and struck Thanos once more. Thor’s remaining eye shimmered a bright blue. Both of Tempest’s glowed the same.

And Thanos bested them all the same.

A singular blast from the Power Stone, one for each of them. The first hit Thor, the second struck Tempest’s shield she concocted, but knocked her back with the same amount of force that Thor endured. When Thanos rose again, he was once more met with an opposing force, but one… that came not with an attack. At least not at first.

“Thanos!”

He turned to the thunderous voice, almost as powerful as the trembling waves that Thanos suffered not too long ago. When he fully turned around and met the owner of the voice, he was almost taken aback by what he witnessed. A man descended from the clouds of smoke and fire, a dancing cloak waving in the winds behind him. The sun glowed off of his grandeur, his feet finally touching upon the earth and the man steadily, bravely approaching the Mad Titan. He wore a black and gray suit that seemed molded with his skin, three distinct red orbs decorated across his chest. His tan skin wrinkled when he smirked the Titan’s way, a graying goatee and slicked back hair hardly affected by the increasing winds. It only took a moment for Thanos to realize that the winds weren’t natural. They swirled around him, circled around the man who came from the sky.

And all he did was stare at Thanos.

Until finally Thanos asked, “And who might you be?”

Glenn Talbot’s smirk faded away, a burning rage ignited within his eyes. In that fire, the Titan was consumed. It was all he saw. All he wanted right then and there. And he was going to have it. “Graviton,” he replied, lifting his palms skywards. Thanos watched with mild amusement as he began to rise from the earth, shards of rock floating as he did, captured under his influence. “You’ve invaded my world, threatened my species with war and the universe with decimation… and thought you could get away with it.”

Thanos smiled humorously. “Thought?”

Graviton was not amused. His glare only furthered, his rage only brightened, and he centered it all on one being. Every last bit of that power. “It’s time you experienced the full power of Gravitonium.”

Every last bit of his power.

It was as if the world was ripped at its seams beneath him, trapped under his veil of influence. The earth cracked, opened, unveiled its deposits and filled the atmosphere with fragments, stones, pillars, boulders, entire shards of landmass that rose forth from the ground. Hovered dangerously above and centered solely on the Mad Titan. Jagged canyons were birthed forth, landscapes scattered about the battleground falling, descending deep into the darkness and fire that filled the world beneath the Dragons’ Lair. All of it rose up, touched the sky, and hovered alongside Graviton, numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

All with just a flick of his pointing finger.

What followed came from a twitch in his smile.

Every last piece of earth that was ripped from the ground was thrown with the speed of shooting stars. They were hurled past Graviton and not one piece touched him. Not even a pebble. It rained fire and rock as every last shard of it came hurtling down to the lone Titan. Graviton watched, smiling the entire time, as it all fell down.

A smile that never lasted when Thanos raised his Infinity Gauntlet and brought forth the power of the Space Stone.

With just a simple clench of his fist, the bright blue Stone sucked in every fragment, every rock, every piece of jagged landmass and disintegrated it to its tiniest particle. They fell within the influence of the Infinity Stone, a horrifying dark portal swirling to life upon the face of the gauntlet. Tightening his jaw, Thanos reared back and threw the growing black hole right for Graviton. With eyes widening, Talbot shot out his hands, the power of the Gravitonium catching the black hole before it could grow any nearer to him. It was caught within his invisible grasp, growing bigger, fiercer, absorbing the earth, the air, and even the light. Glenn clenched his jaws and slammed his palms together, crushing the black hole and killing it right then and there.

As the darkness faded, what was left was a Titan leaping through the air and ramming his gauntlet into Talbot’s chest. The force of all five Stones sent Graviton spiraling backwards, with speeds that could have broken the sound barrier. The impact of the Gauntlet to Graviton’s chest certainly did, and when he made impact against the hull of a fallen Chitauri Command Center, nearly everything that remained of it practically crumbled inwards. Before Talbot could even shake his head to regain his senses, there he was, stepping through the vicious black and blue portal and meeting Graviton face to face once more. No smile.

Glenn responded in kind. He met Thanos’ earth-shattering roar as he drove himself—headfirst—into the beam of the Power Stone. And he broke through it. Glenn Talbot flew through the Power Stone’s energy and tackled Thanos right in the chest. The two beings fumbled about through the air and against the earth, each one wrestling the other for dominance, for that single opening that neither would offer. It ended shortly, Thanos ripping his cloak free from his body when he slammed Talbot and dragged him across the earth. His feet touched ground, continuously dragging Talbot until his cloak came free, the battered man tumbling while Thanos stood tall above him.

But that didn’t last. Talbot hovered right back up where his feet were barely touching the ground. He puffed out his chest, clenched his fists, and narrowed his glare on the Titan before him. Then they struck yet again, meeting each other with fists and power beyond comprehension. The world of Equus trembled under each punch, massive cracks and devastating earthquakes filling the land whenever their fists landed, whenever that power was unleashed. Graviton reared back with his left fist, Thanos doing the same, and both of them striking one another across the face. Thanos' punch was devastating enough, but it was the added energy of all five Infinity Stone that brought Talbot to his knees. Made him gasp for air. Made him fall…

On his knees, trying to quickly rise, Glenn was shortly interrupted by the Titan, Thanos punching him yet again with every Stone bright and alive upon his gauntlet. Graviton was forced—back first—into the awaiting earth, numerous, vein-like cracks surrounding him upon impact. He tried to breathe, but couldn’t even take in that breath as the Titan stood over him, repeatedly smashing that Gauntlet into him over and over and over again. Every single time, the five Stones would fuel his punches. Every single time, the earth would crack further. Every single time, the power of the universe exploded outwards and unleashed that chaos upon the Dragons’ Lair, birthing lightning right out of the earth, sending various earthquakes across the globe, and crumbling entire nations as an afterthought.

Until Thanos finally pulled away, stepped out of the massive crater of which fell under his creation. Finally sent one last glance to the so-called “Graviton” before his attention was diverted elsewhere, onto the raging Hulk tackling him from the side.

And within that crater, Glenn Talbot laid hardly breathing, hardly moving, hardly understanding what just happened or how he could fail so easily. He knew soon enough, that even with the power of a morsel of Gravitonium… it wasn’t enough to stop Thanos. He needed more.

He needed to be stronger.

The Hulk roared out, slamming his fists and forearms and anything he could utilize against the Mad Titan, as even Thanos was unable to block the oncoming strikes that rattled his bones and perturbed his mind. He was gaining impressive headway as well, driving Thanos’ backside into a pillar of rock and further pressing him into it, keeping him immobilized.

But to his shock, to his surprise, to his horror that boiled down deep inside of him—a place not even the Hulk knew—Thanos pried at his arms… and slowly pushed him away. His strength was not powered by the Stones, every last one of them dim upon the Gauntlet. The Hulk witnessed that and held an expression of pure, shaken alarm. Then he was beaten senseless.

Thanos applied vicious, precise, and devastating blows onto the Incredible Hulk. Strong, certainly, but more exact if anything, striking pressure points the Hulk didn’t even know existed. And when he backed off to clutch those wounds, that was when Thanos fully unloaded on him. Every blow was lethal, able to cripple any average mortal by just one hit. The Hulk merely buckled under the strikes, caught under Thanos’ will and abused like his plaything. Thanos finished the short confrontation by driving Hulk’s face into his kneecap, a sickening crunch following the impact before Thanos lifted the great beast high above his head… then proceeded to slam him down upon the earth.

There, the Incredible Hulk lay, battered and beaten and fading in his own blood.

Thanos sneered at the pathetic display before him. He expected a challenge from someone so powerful, but was merely gifted a pawn. Just like all the others. And like all the others, he raised his gauntlet to him, intent on finishing off the worthless excuse of a life laying before him. He would have had the Hellfire Chain not struck and wrapped wickedly around his gauntlet.

Furrowing his brow at that, Thanos was instantly yanked to his left, the Infinity Gauntlet pried at by an opposing force that shocked even the Great Titan. Standing several yards away, the Ghost Rider growled as it gripped the Hellfire Chain with both hands, a stream of fire escaping its jaws and nostrils at the sight of the Titan’s eyes meeting its own. Before Thanos could properly react, the Rider proceeded to pull him towards its gaze, wrapping one piece of the chain tighter and tighter around its own arm.

Severing that distance. Bringing Thanos closer to the eyes of Ghost Rider.

The fires burned bright against the Infinity Gauntlet, the Hellfire Chain managing to burn the metal to a red-hot state. Witnessing such, Thanos’ jaw fell, his teeth barred and feral as he clawed at the chain with his bare hand. He roared as the fires singed his palm, Thanos gazing to his right hand and seeing the horrific burn that was left for him. The fires of more than a dozen dragons could not hurt him. The strength of the sun itself could not burn him. Yet this fire—this unholy fire that burned against the chain managed to singe his skin.

It was no ordinary fire. Thanos could already guarantee the fire melting in the Rider’s eyes wasn’t ordinary either. He pulled back, kept his grip on the Gauntlet and did everything his strength could manage to hold back against the Spirit of Vengeance. He could not close his left fist. The Stones could not help him. Even his strength began to falter as he slowly, inch by inch, was pulled towards the Ghost Rider.

Towards the awaiting Penance Stare that burned in its hellish eyes.

Continuously fighting against it, Thanos was running out of ideas when he felt the blast strike his backside. He turned his head slightly right, managing to spot Peter Quill lead Rocket and Drax to a full-on assault while Thanos was immobilized. Joining the Guardians were Spider-Man, Twilight Sparkle, her five closest friends, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike. Another shot from Quill’s Quad Blaster, striking Thanos across the face. Baring his teeth, Thanos planted his feet upon the earth, and the Ghost Rider hesitated. It froze as even its strength was halted. The Rider then felt itself being yanked forward, Thanos whipping the Rider towards his oppressors from behind.

He screamed every second as the Hellfire Chain unraveled from his gauntlet, thus allowing him to fire a wave from the Power Stone onto his attackers. The wave washed over and knocked everyone back, Ghost Rider impacting the Guardians and mares and flinging through the air before they all came to a painful and pitiful crash several yards away. Thanos was just about ready to clench his gauntlet once more, and once more was interrupted by the explosions. At least that part was new.

Flying down from above, Tony Stark discharged a plethora of incendiary rockets from his shoulders, the explosions encompassing Thanos within a wall of fire. As he soared past, Stark took one last look backwards to witness that fire vanish before his eyes. All of it suddenly absorbed by the Space Stone, unleashed again as Thanos shot out his clenched gauntlet right for the Iron Man. That tower of fire struck Stark and knocked him completely off-course, Tony grunting as the fire launched him into the remains of a Chitauri Command Center. He blew right through it, the explosion that followed destroying what remained of the mighty warship standing upright upon the world.

Another kick on his cheek earned a hearty grunt from the Titan, Thanos’ eyes latching to the rainbow Pegasus regaining her flight pattern and swooping in for another hit. Thanos shot his gauntlet out to her, but fell to his knee when Steve Rogers slid forward and drove his boot into the back of his leg. Earning his interest, Steve slammed his fist across the Mad Titan’s temple, staggering him for a moment. A moment was all he needed.

Twilight and Thor flew down from above and gave it all they have. They struck the earth upon a mound of rock, elevated higher than where Thanos knelt. Every power from the heavens flowed into the God of Thunder’s fists and fired downwards upon the Titan. Every last shred of magical prowess that Twilight Sparkle was and knew filled her horn and her eyes ignited into a brilliant whiteness. She gave it all she had, screaming as that stream of magic left her horn and struck Thanos right into his back.

Thanos screamed in return.

He rose up and roared through every second of the excruciating pain washing over his body. And even then, he didn’t fall. He clenched his gauntlet, triggered the bright violet of the Power Stone and swiped his entire left arm clear across his line of sight. The gust of energy followed and ripped apart the earth.

It tore Steve right off his feet and caused him to impact the rock beneath him.

It pulled Rainbow Dash right out of the air and flung her viciously to the ground.

It tore apart the mound of rock Twilight and Thor stood upon and captured them.

Ripped right through them.

Twilight felt the energy of the Power Stone flow right through her veins, concealed her cries and washed over her in a blanket of pure, wrathful energy. Unending. Relentless. No end to its strength and no clear end to the pain. When Twilight and Thor fell alongside their friends, their Avengers, they touched the earth and felt an unknown darkness cover them. They fell, motionless, impacting the world as if they had died right there. The darkness clouded Twilight’s vision, the Alicorn’s breaths being all she heard before that too began to grow numb against her ears.

All she could do, all she could witness was the battle continue without them. Reach its peak… and fall from there.

Thanos wiped out several armies, from changelings, griffons, Hippogriffs, dragons, and so forth. Like they were nothing. She watched him grab Tony by his throat as Stark desperately tried to drive his nanotech blade into the Titan’s chest. Instead, he experienced Thanos’ fist fly across his face, Stark hitting the ground and unmoving after that, the lights of his mask’s eyes flickering on and off. Bodies rained down from the sky. The earth bled and burned and cried. Chaos was all that remained.

Chaos and Thanos. And…

Twilight lifted her head off the dirt, her jaw refusing to shut, lungs refusing to breathe when she witnessed Nebula and Gamora charging Thanos. It wasn’t their act of bravery that earned Twilight’s fading eyesight. For the first time… she saw something she never expected from the Mad Titan… something that burned in her memory even as her vision faded into blackness.

Fear. Clear on his facial features. Then Twilight gave in to the dark and passed out.

But it was never because of them together that Thanos experienced that wretched feeling. It was for her. His daughter… and the horrible choice that haunted him still as they struck and broke his heart.

Chapter 98 – This Isn’t Love

The Dragon Lands

Dragons’ Lair

5:39 p.m.

“Twilight…! Twilight, you gotta get up!”

The world was sideways when Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. Ash and darkness rained from the fire in the clouds and the pillars of flame sprouted forth from the earth. Chaos and devastation filled the capital of the Dragon Lands, the skies dotted with dragons, changelings, Hippogriffs, griffons, and every other creature known to ponykind. Pockmarking the skies like a storm of buzzards. Furrowing her brow at that, Twilight could feel that painful ring finally leave her ear, allowing the mare to rise again, tilt the world back on its original axis.

Her left cheek was painted a sickly gray, mirroring that of the ash-covered earth she once laid against. On the horizon, with the sun beating down upon the world of Equus, a cataclysmic battle burned forth upon the earth. Every manner of hero, of creature, of living being with the will to continue on charged towards that horizon, in the heart of it all where the Mad Titan held them off one by one. The power of the Infinity Stones was unleashed upon their minuscule world, shattering the atmosphere, shredding the earth, every form of natural existence bending to Thanos’ will.

But around her, once her hearing was able to return, Twilight could only witness every last one of her closest friends picking themselves back up off the dirt, licking their wounds, and fighting through the pain. There was no other pony that emphasized that more than Rainbow Dash, a sickening gash on her right temple that spilled a river of red that mixed with the black soot painted on her face. She grit her teeth and shot out her wings, every manner of ignoring the pain and keeping the tears in. Applejack helped up Rarity, the unicorn stumbling on her hooves and clutching her forehead, but nonetheless nodding to her Earth pony friend. Starlight Glimmer and Pinkie Pie pulled Fluttershy off the ground, minding her wounded hind leg, but the Pegasus fighting through it all the same. Even through the tears. Spike walked about aimlessly, lost in the haze of ash and desolation, his gaze finally landing on Twilight and calling out to her.

“Twilight!”

Crying to her.

Sunset pressed her hooves into Twilight’s shoulder, bringing the Alicorn back to the world and the state of it once more. Crying to her, “They need our help!”

The fiery mare shot her hoof clear across the battlefield, to which Twilight mindlessly followed as if time itself slowed to that of cold honey. And clear across those torn landscapes, fighting as if their life depended on it, the Avengers took the fight right to Thanos and his children. The Black Order was relentless, ensuring no defender of Earth ever reached their father.

Proxima Midnight made that her only goal, her line between life and death to allow none of the wretched humans a centimeter closer to Thanos. With her father fighting his own battles, he needed every means possible to attain victory. The more bodies were thrown his way, the further he was pushed from that victory, that destiny. To assure her father’s clarity of that victory, she held them off. Every last one of them that tried.

Black Panther was tackled from the side, his line of sight to the Titan cut off when Proxima threw him to the earth. His vengeance against the one who invaded his home—undoubtedly led it to its destruction—would not go without retribution. But even then, there was still another, one who dared to stand in the path of the Black Panther. When T’Challa kicked her off and quickly rose from the ground, his eyes narrowed to see the alien woman jut her spear forward, the three-pointed ends directed at his chest, a fierce snarl leaving the child of Thanos.

T’Challa unsheathed his claws.

Proxima Midnight screamed a ferocious war cry.

They charged and the two warriors clashed. She stabbed with her spear leading, T’Challa knocking the end of the spear aside and slicing upwards for her jugular. Intent on seeing her life blood fly in the air and paint the ash crimson, T’Challa growled to see her lean backwards at the last second, his claws only shredding an inch off her flowing, blue bangs. But other than that, still alive. Still dangerously accurate. She spun in mid-air, reared the blade on the other end of her spear upwards, jamming it down and striking the Panther on his right shoulder. Deadly precision, a guaranteed kill shot.

The alien metal struck the solid vibranium weave and did nothing more than that. T’Challa gripped the spear by its handle, ripped it away, and drove his left fist directly across Midnight’s face. Proxima was down for the count, the Panther pouncing forward with claws at the ready, ready to end the fight in his favor. Unfortunately, even he didn’t expect to see the energy blast escape her spear. And when it was too late, it struck his abdomen with such ferocity that T’Challa was launched backwards, landing flat on his chest and fighting to get back up.

Black Panther pressed his elbows into the dirt, leaning back and gazing to his abdomen, witnessing with shock continuously growing in his widening eyes his vibranium suit nearly melted away, the Panther Habit having reacted accordingly to the unknown energy blast that struck it. T’Challa instantly recalled the moment Ulysses Klaue fired his robotic arm cannon onto his suit, the vibranium technology breaking down and suffering from the blow. That moment was no different now. The suit slowly repaired itself but it was far too slow. The child of Thanos had a means to break through his suit. She had a means.

T’Challa could only look up to react to that cry, watch as Proxima Midnight descended upon him with that spear high over her head. He flinched only when that strike of lightning shot out across his vision, filled the air with electricity of which T’Challa had never felt before. That bolt struck Proxima on her right side, knocking her out of the air and several yards away from the Panther’s prone position.

On his left, T’Challa slowly turned to gaze upon his savior. He never expected the unicorn to be the one standing there, haphazardly breathing with every intake appearing like a struggle for her. Her forelegs wobbled, her eyelids twitched and her body shivered. From her horn, that electricity coursed and sparked across her forehead, but it was untamed. Uncontrollable. Broken. As was her horn and the pony it came from. Every second of its power seemed to be a torment unlike any other for Tempest Shadow.

T’Challa could only stare at her, at the pain in her face. At her shattered horn.

Then she was taken just like he was.

Proxima Midnight swiftly lunged towards the quivering unicorn with a claw outstretched, catching Tempest by her throat and dragging her several yards across the sharpened, splintered rocks upon the earth. Although her armor protected her from such, it never could have prevented that lack of oxygen, the forceful pressure placed on her neck once they came to a screeching halt. With her back pressed to the ground, Tempest could only gaze upwards to the snarling expression of Proxima Midnight. Her long, blue hair dangled over her face, but never able to conceal that ferocity. That bloodlust glowing in her red glare.

Tempest raised her hooves and gripped Proxima’s forearm, utilizing her remaining strength to pry her off, release the grip around her throat and bring that precious oxygen back into her lungs. Even that began to fade along with her strength, the unicorn’s vision beginning to darken like the clouds in the sky, a blurred version of Midnight glaring down over her. In a last-ditch effort to free herself, Tempest used what remained of her willpower to bring forth one last spell. The electricity coursed through her horn, escaped as a mere spark, but died.

Died alongside her fight as Tempest Shadow gave in. The pain was so overwhelming upon her broken horn that Tempest could do nothing to fight against it. She always fought hard against the cries of her body, her mind, pushing herself to the limit every single time to ensure that victory. But not anymore. She let the darkness overcome her vision as the sparks faded away from her horn. Every last one of them. Leaving nothing but a unicorn giving her last breath as Proxima choked the life away.

Natasha Romanoff grunted heavily as she drove her staff across Midnight’s forehead, launching the Black Order member away from Tempest, freeing the unicorn and allowing her to take in the biggest intake of air she ever could. As Proxima struck the earth back-first, she quickly shot out her feet and caught the Black Widow mid-pounce, striking her square in the abdomen. As Natasha lost her breath, she felt herself hauled completely over and kicked free from Midnight’s prone position. Natasha hit the ground with a painful thump, the Widow groaning and rolling to her side. The moment her eyes were opened was the moment she raised her staff.

The child of Thanos growled with feral and malicious intent as she approached the wounded Natasha. A short blade extended from her right wrist, Proxima jamming it downwards right for the Widow’s face, intent on seeing a lacerated pound of flesh and skull beneath her by the time she was finished. But Natasha was persistent, lifting her staff to block Midnight’s strike from coming an inch closer. Even that didn’t last, the tip of the blade lowering as Natasha’s strength began to face. Her eye twitched over to the tip, pupil shrinking to see it descending.

With Proxima Midnight having no intent to stop from what Natasha saw in the swirling chaos in her eyes. A chaos… that surely died the moment Proxima’s movements were not her own.

Her pupils shrank like Natasha’s had feeling that electric current course over her body. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t even close her jaw as that electricity caught her nerves and froze her on the spot. Proxima Midnight gasped as she felt herself rise from the ground. It was the only sound she could possibly attempt before she was silenced by the dragon’s jaw chomping down on her.

Natasha could only watch on from her backside as Proxima was launched right from the earth by an unknown force, flung into the air where the awaiting jaws of a dragon caught her. A sickening crunch filled the air, doused instantly by the wingbeat of the gargantuan dragon and followed with the beast’s ferocious roars filling the heavens. It flew off after that, into battle to engage the Titan alongside its dragon kin.

A moment of silence filled the air before it was inevitably filled with the sounds of war. When Natasha pushed herself off the ground, she saw Tempest Shadow sitting like she was: a drained expression and a broken body. It filled the unicorn’s face and features, the final sparks from her horn falling and dying as Tempest slowly breathed. She never thought she could miss breathing before it was almost taken from her. That gaze eventually turned to Romanoff, the Black Widow never once taking her eyes off the unicorn that saved her life.

Even with Proxima’s blood painted on the side of her face, she smirked.

Something Tempest couldn’t even manage by the time she fell back and passed out.

He never even knew his beloved was dead. Corvus Glaive fought off the oncoming strikes from Steve Rogers with just as much fury and brutality as he ever had before. Steve blocked the swing from his glaive, driving his fist forward and punching Corvus square in the forehead. The alien howled at that, stumbling backwards and giving Steve all the room he needed. Shaking his head to regain as much sense and perceptibility as possible, Corvus reacted quickly and raised his glaive to block the kick from Rogers.

Steve flipped through the air, gaining momentum for his right leg as he swung it fiercely down, right down the middle, of the precious weapon Corvus held. It snapped in half, Corvus gazing horrifically to the two ends of his glaive before Steve drove his boot dead center in his chest. The child of Thanos was practically thrown on his back, the two ends of the glaive bouncing across the rocks as Steve broke the distance and straddled the alien.

His punch was caught by Corvus, the Black Order member’s right fist flying upwards and striking Rogers right on his chin. The punch was strong enough to shatter any normal man’s jawline, but Steve walked out of it with just a trickle of blood flowing from his bottom lip. Not necessarily walked, considering Steve fell on his back from the force of the punch. Just as he was about to rise, Steve instantly caught his breath as that claw was forcibly thrust into his throat, tightening by the second, cutting off his airway and earning several agony-filled gasps for air. Rogers clutched Corvus’ forearm, but was unable to break the grip. Glaive narrowed his glare, tightened his wrist, and pushed further and further until…

Steve shut his eyes as the black liquid sprayed over his face. Corvus’ expression fell, his glare faded, and his breath left him as the sharpened end of his own glaive tore through his backside and escaped right through his chest. Destroying anything in-between.

As the blood trickled down from Glaive’s mouth, Steve grunted as he pushed the deceased alien’s corpse off of him, the body landing on his left and remaining there. With that dealt with, Steve maintained his breathing once again and turned to his guardian angel. A pleasant and welcoming sight to see Rainbow Dash hovering above, breathing just as heavily as him with the same amount of alien blood painted on her hooves.

He nodded appreciatively. She offered a weak smile in return.

The Ebony Maw witnessed his siblings fall one by one, unable to do much in return as he had his own struggles to conquer. As well as dealing with the pestering filth trying to overcome his father, the Maw was currently locked in a battle for dominance against the burning creature that just didn’t know when to die. He threw nearly everything he had at it, from pillars of jagged rock to every sharpened gemstone within his will. He stabbed, lacerated, crushed, impaled, did everything that would have killed anything with a beating heart.

But the Ghost Rider would not be conquered.

It would not be denied.

It pushed through every fire and storm and faced the unholy with a burning vengeance.

Ebony crossed his arms, clenched his fists, and showed his snarl as the fragments of sharpened rock fired at the Rider with the speeds rivaling that of bullets, like the aftermath of an explosion sending shrapnel in every which direction. But his intent was deliberate, the shards firing off and slicing right through the approaching Spirit with malicious devastation. They tore through the Rider’s dark jacket, leaving several dark pellets upon its front and exiting its back. It stomped forward, narrowing its burning glare as the fragments disintegrated when they neared its skull.

He was growing desperate, the Maw ripping forth a massive boulder high above his head and bringing it right back down upon the earth, right where the Rider approached him. To his continued shock, Ebony Maw only witnessed his boulder exploded into a million burning fragment, the fist of the Ghost Rider jutting outwards where the rock met it. Lowering its fist, the Spirit of Vengeance glared upon the child of Thanos hovering high above. It snorted, flames dancing hellishly off its face.

Ghost Rider unsheathed its Hellfire Chain, the metal igniting into a fierce firestorm as the Rider waved it high and around its head, whipping it back and launching its flaming end towards the essence of its fury. The Maw could do nothing more as that wicked chain wrapped around him with speeds even he couldn’t comprehend, the undeniable leader of the Black Order reduced to a mere fool before the beast of which he could not fight against. Of all the creatures of the universe he had slain for the Great Titan, not one was able to best him and his power.

But when that chain tightened around him and he felt the fires of Hell burn against his body, he felt that. He felt it deep within his damned soul and he screamed because of it. Then he was yanked forward, off his pedestal of swirling rock fragments and brought down to the earth, to reality itself, and forced into the Rider’s hands.

More importantly, its eyes.

For as long as he had served Thanos, the Maw had witnessed every horror the galaxy could offer. From the crumbling of entire civilizations, to the slaughter of numbers incomprehensible to the mind. He had fought and served through every tragedy, every bloodshed, every slaughter and never once questioned what might be. He lived through it all and bore a smile on his face as long as his father was pleased. But when he gazed in those eyes… all of it came back.

And he finally saw it for what it truly was.

“Your eyes…” the Ghost Rider growled, every wretched growl from Hell emanating in its voice. It gripped the Maw by his throat, the alien gasping for air, fighting to be free, but couldn’t even move once his eyes finally fell into the demon’s grasp. Its eyes glowed a violent orange, the flames swirling, digging, unearthing what even the Maw knew not of. “Your soul… damned to the core.”

The Hellfire Chain retracted like a living serpent, returning to the Rider. But even then, the Maw didn’t move. He just couldn’t. Even when the Rider narrowed that distance, tightened its jaw, and snorted flames right into his face.

“Guilty.”

The Spirit of Vengeance opened its eyes and the Penance Stare was unfurled. The child of Thanos screamed, his eyes bursting into flames as those fires quickly ate away at what remained. Ebony, with his dying strength, clenched his fist before it burnt to ash. The Rider heard a horrific crack from above, its burning eyes shrinking and its head darting skywards. The scream of the air itself prompted the Rider’s eyes to the massive pillar of decimated metal descending upon him. A chunk of a Chitauri Command Center, from the very remains they battled near. The Ghost Rider raised its arms just as the mighty tower fell on it, bursting the earth inwards and causing a devastating sinkhole to emerge upon the impact zone.

Tony Stark witnessed the tower of alien metal careening in his direction, the Iron Man dodging to the far left just as it fell behind him, missing him by mere feet. As he watched the tower strike the earth on its side and kick up a storm of dust, Stark quickly brought his attention forward, downward, where three particular mares were engaged in close combat with the largest member of the Black Order.

Cull Obsidian roared as he swung his axe into the ground, Sunset Shimmer vanishing away at the last second the axe head impaled the rock beneath her. The alien goliath flinched as the weak spell impacted his left, the beats turning in that direction and witnessing a wounded Starlight Glimmer clutching her forehead, rubbing furiously to regain just an ounce of control and power from her weakened horn. It all amounted to nothing when she opened her eyes and gasped, jumping back as Obsidian slammed his retractable shield upon the earth where she stood. The rocks flew into her face, Starlight shielding her eyes but unable to shield anything else as Cull ripped his own shield out of the rock and drove it across her face.

Starlight screamed as she flew across the air, impacting an erected pillar of gemstone and bouncing painfully off of it. She struck the ground with an agonizing thump and yelp, the mare trying to rise as the blurred image of Cull Obsidian approached her. His shield retracted back on his wrist, a large blade unsheathing upon that same fist and the beast huffing as it charged her prone form. And she could do nothing to stop him. Not even a teleportation spell.

She didn’t need to do a thing. Once Obsidian leapt through the air towards her, Tony rammed right into him with his own shoulder. Cull struck the rocks and bounced off of them, sliding to a painful halt several yards away. With nanotech wings extended from his backside, Tony brought forth a nanotech energy blade in his right arm and a Nano Repulsor Cannon in his left. Cull Obsidian got back up. Neither one hesitated.

“You got his rear?!” Tony called out, jetting forward and firing a devastating blast from his Repulsor Cannon onto the beast. Cull blocked the blast with his shield and grabbed him with his hammer, the locking mechanism clutching Stark within its grasp. He spun him around, tossing Iron Man clear into a destroyed Chitauri starship.

“I’ve got him!” Sunset called out when she reappeared in a flash behind Obsidian, lassoing his legs in a bright red aura. The beast grunted in confusion, looking downwards to witness his legs constrained by an unknown force, preventing him from even moving. He couldn’t even turn to meet the unicorn responsible, but even then, that was the least of his worries.

“Okay, hold him down! Hold him down!” Twilight yelled from above, her wings flapping furiously and her horn burning brightly once she fired a single beam of magical energy onto Cull’s backside. The beast roared at her, tossing his axe’s head straight for the Alicorn. Twilight cut off her spell, dodging just in time as the chain flew past her. Just in time to witness the spell shoot upwards and blow the chain clean off the axe head.

Cull Obsidian looked to his handle, noticing the broken chain and the lack of an axe. Both he and Twilight turned accordingly to the source of the attack, seeing Starlight standing tall, despite the blood and the bruises, and glaring right at the last member of the Black Order. Then she fired at him, unleashing every last bit of her magical strength right into his chest. It took more from her than she realized, the mare never noticing the cracks growing against her horn as she fought through the tears.

Twilight aided her, firing down on Cull’s backside. Obsidian roared, trying to block the attacks with his shield, but he simply couldn’t. He was getting attacked on both fronts, unable to fight with that kind of odds. It especially didn’t help when Iron Man flew overhead, jutting both palms outwards and unleashing two repulsor beams right on top of him. Sunset was the last to join, her added magic able to push Obsidian down to his knees, his body overheating due to the onslaught of energy pushed against him. His armor was beginning to melt against the intensity, his hardened shell of a skin flaring and burning as the beast tried desperately to block it all with his arms.

“Do it, Tony!” Twilight cried, still holding her magic strong.

The moment Twilight shouted that, Tony broke off. He lowered his arms, only raising his left with a miniature missile joining it. A perfect lock. He fired. The rocket flew forth from his wrist and struck Obsidian dead in the burning chest, the screaming from Cull Obsidian dull against the resounding explosion that encompassed his very being.

Twilight shielded her face from the brightness and the heat. Sunset backed away as well, lifting a foreleg to block her eyes from the intensity of the light. Starlight’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, the mare falling to the dirt. When the smoke faded, all that was left of Cull Obsidian was the handle of an axe. Nothing else.

Tony hit the earth, his mask turning to Twilight, Starlight, and Sunset. Starlight clutched her head in pain, her horn, while Sunset tended to her. Twilight breathed steadily as she fluttered downwards and touched ground, gazing to the lone axe handle and sighing at that. “That was the last of them?” she asked, eyes shifting over to the Iron Man.

Stark nodded, his expressionless Iron Man mask turning towards the horizon. “Yeah, that just leaves…”

The mares turned in accordance to Stark’s trailing tone. Their hearts instantly dropped the moment they spotted the Titan himself standing amongst the desolation that surrounded him.

Dead dragons shimmed under the light of the afternoon sun. They weren’t alone by any means. Changelings scattered about against the earth, joining countless griffons and even more Hippogriffs. Dragon Lord Ember’s helmet was pressed firmly upon the dirt, half of it shattered, the Dragon Lord nowhere to be found. Celestia’s spear was shattered, lying near Novo’s golden helmet. The remains of the Hippogriff naval ships burned in the distance, blotting the skies in a sickness unknown to the world of Equus, a sickness of burning metal and bodies. Towers of smoke filled the clouds and blackened them, but unable to stop the sunlight from breaching the clouds and reaching the land. And in the heart of it all, the Mad Titan stood.

Holding off against his two daughters.

Nebula attacked with such raw ferocity, screaming bloody murder with every swipe and strike from her Electroshock Baton onto the one she so dearly despised. The one who took practically everything from her and who she was. There was no argument as to why she fought what remained of her heart out. Everything she did to push against him mattered more than anything else. To her, it was more than just a fight to save half the universe.

Gamora didn’t want to fall in the same boat, knowing that if she let her emotions take control she would lose that focus on the fight, become as irrational and unresponsive as Nebula. But it was already too late. Thanos knocked Gamora aside with his left forearm, the Zehoberei flailing through the air before she came to a painful crash upon the dirt, sliding to a stop and lying there. Thanos’ intent wasn’t to harm her, but to halt her. The hit was as soft as he could manage, but as deliberate as to keep her down. He didn’t share the same amount of restrictions for his… other daughter.

He caught her Electroshock Baton with his open right palm, the Titan cringing as the electricity coursed across his entire wrist. Grinding his teeth at that, Thanos ripped the baton from her grip, driving his boot into Nebula’s chest and sending her careening across the gravel and ash. He tossed the baton aside, his glare only on Nebula’s wounded form as she desperately tried to rise again. She seethed as the pain rocked her veins and circuits, overloading her senses with nothing but raw agony. When she turned where she laid, Nebula witnessed her father approach her slowly, the fire in his eyes unable to be quenched. He clenched his fist and ignited all five Infinity Stones, pointing the Gauntlet at her, intending on ending what he should have long ago.

But as with her rebellious spirit, she had but another word to say.

“You can’t win,” Nebula growled.

He stopped, annoyance infected with the curiosity. He never turned the Gauntlet from her, but remained silent to let her speak her final words. He almost cursed himself for allowing that.

“Without all the Infinity Stones… you’ll always lose,” Nebula hissed, fist to the earth, hatred to her father. Her eyes showed nothing else. “Don’t you see it? There’s no other way this is going to end… but you being denied the only thing you love!”

Her screams went without response for the longest respite. There was no clear recovery from it. Thanos lowered the Infinity Gauntlet, his left arm swaying by his side, all five Stones dimming to nothing. From the madness of war, the severity of it all, Thanos had nearly let his hatred and rage blind him from what truly mattered. Yes, they tried to take the Gauntlet from him—multiple times—and thus denying him of what he so rightly deserved. But for the majority of the battle, he had remained relatively stable, able to hold his ground and protect himself from any foe who turned their sword to him. There were moments, however… where he froze.

Whenever she confronted him… Thanos stumbled. He hesitated. He resisted the urge to defend himself and raise his arms against her offenses because it was her. It was his daughter. His successor. His finest warrior and favorite of her siblings. The one who excelled beyond any other under his watchful eyes. The one who triumphed over every world they invaded, brought back the spoils just to please him, and earn that smile of gratitude. Earn that respect that Thanos very rarely gave. It was her… the one who broke away and wounded his heart, followed her own quest, her own life, and denied him every step of the way. After everything he gave her. After giving her his own heart… Thanos watched time and time again as she simply threw it away.

He still held it to that day, that hour, that second, for all time and even when he would pass… he would still love her as the true child he never had.

Thanos looked to the Infinity Gauntlet, to the open indent open its face. So barren. So cold. So empty… unlike his heart that still beat with life and love unlike ever before. He closed his eyes, fresh tears stinging his eyes and threatening to fall. He laid his right palm over the Gauntlet, blocking that last indent even though his eyes were closed. He still felt it all the same, that pestering feeling upon his palm and reminding him…

“No other way…”

He opened his eyes and turned around. To Gamora’s wounded form. As she pushed herself up, she stared back, that dreaded glare bright in her eyes. That fire still alive and ever-growing. Never ending. Forever hating him despite all the love he gave her. Thanos blinked, a fresh tear escaping him.

“A soul… for a soul.”

Thanos approached her where she lay, Gamora pulling herself back to her feet and raising her fists, a last desperate attempt to resist him. Her fire wasn’t nearly as strong as Nebula’s, but Thanos admired it all the same. He wanted to admire it, but there was only depth to his dread, no end in sight as every step closer reminded him of that wretched thought. That final end that he just couldn’t seem to see. It infected him. Killed him. He walked anyway.

Stopped directly in front of her, a distance separated by mere feet. Gamora stood strong, breathed ragged breaths, but nonetheless reminded silent for what he would say. Listening… as it dawned upon her in the worst possible way.

“The Soul Stone demands a sacrifice… of that which I truly love,” Thanos explained, clenching both fists and looking nowhere else but into her eyes. Watched as her fists fell, her jaw dropped, and the realization filled her senses. It became especially evident—truer to her than she ever realized prior—when that tear slipped down his cheek. “Of whom… I truly love.”

Gamora’s fists fell.

She took a soft step back.

Thanos took a step forward.

“No… you can’t do this,” Gamora gasped, chest rising at a horrific speed. Adrenaline filled her tone and aided her senses, the woman ready to run at a moment’s notice. Still, she stood what little ground she had all the same, despite backing away. Tried to convince him of his folly, his falsehoods, his failed beliefs and tell him…

“This isn’t love.”

He only took another step forward, pausing momentarily to state, “I ignored my destiny once. I cannot do that again. Even… for you.”

Gamora’s lower lips quivered. It broke Thanos’ heart, right down the middle. Right in half.

“I’m sorry, little one.”

Thanos held out his hand towards her, but she ran. Gamora ran with every pulsating strength in her heart, as far away from him as possible. She had no other means to fight him with, no other power on that world or the other or even the universe that could stand against him. All she could do was get as far away from his possible. Like she had before.

Thanos severed the distance by severing her legs with the Reality Stone, the painless process removing Gamora’s legs and causing her to fall to the earth. Coughing roughly at the dirt in her lungs, Gamora turned around, gasping in horror to see her legs simply… gone. And in shadows of her vision there he walked, her father continuously approaching her with only one intent in mind. The pain in his face and the inability to quit was still there. Never leaving him.

And still she tried to get away, finding her means by crawling through the dirt and rock, crying out with every agonizing inch of ground she covered. A cry of pain. A cry for help.

Help came.

In every last form.

Sam Wilson swooped downwards, unloading his last magazines directly into the Mad Titan and screaming every second he did so. Thanos destroyed his wings with the Power Stone, the Falcon crumbling shoulder-first to the ground and rolling out of sight. Sunburst and Capper charged forward, the unicorn firing off his strongest spell and the anthropomorphic cat leaping for the Titan’s throat. Thanos caught Capper by his own, tossing the feline directly into Sunburst and blowing them both aside with the Space Stone. Wong and his army of sorcerers led the next assault, the Wand of Watoomb slamming into the earth and ripping the ground apart where Thanos walked. The Titan froze them all where they stood with the Time Stone, briskly walking past them.

The Punisher roared as he charged forth with an LMG, holding the trigger and unloading everything he had onto Thanos. Daredevil rushed forward and tossed his billy club right between Thanos’ eyes. Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand all ran right for him, intent on defending Gamora with their lives. The Iron Fist led Danny’s punch, but Thanos ended it all with the Power Stone, the shock wave knocking all of their feeble attempts away and swatting them like flies. Like insignificant children trying to gain his attention. James Barnes followed suit, the Energy Shield lighting to life on his left arm and the White Wolf charging with that. Thanos blew him aside with the Power Stone, Barnes flipping through the air and crashing in the dirt alongside Rand and Cage.

Trixie hovered from the earth, her cloak swaying in the wind she created. Her horn burned and she fired her strongest spell. It bounced right off Thanos’ gauntlet, the Titan ripping the rocks right from beneath her with the Reality Stone and dragging her back to the ground, consuming her under its fold. She cried out to Maud and Derpy, the two mares already engaged with the Titan. Maud used her Asteroid Gloves to rip chunks of earth and fling them right at Thanos. Derpy fired her Domino Gun, the lightning-like bolts striking the earth and centering on her only target. Thanos kept the Reality Stone bright, the lightning bolts breaking off and returning to her. Right into her and Maud’s chests. The two fell to the dirt, Thanos walking past them, both of their eyes slowly falling.

Friday and Deathlok were the next in line to defend Gamora, rushing past the Guardian and unloading everything they had. Deathlok fired his rockets from his wrists, Friday blasting forward with a fist leading her. Thanos swatted her with the Gauntlet, the Mark 45 breaking apart and numerous limbs scattering about across the ground. Thanos returned fire on Agent Peterson, firing a blast from the Power Stone directly into the ground he stood upon, ripping him right from it. Groot and Rocket followed, the adolescent driving his arms into the earth and covering Thanos in several vines. The Titan broke away from them, using the Space Stone to throw both the raccoon and the tree from his line of sight.

James Rhodes hovered from above, releasing every missile, every bullet, everything in his arsenal onto the Mad Titan beneath him. Thanos caught all of it within the Space Stone, clenching his fist even further and capturing War Machine within it. James caught his breath as his suit crumbled like tinfoil within Thanos’ will, the Titan tossing the War Machine armor aside like the other hindrances in his path. James struck a stone erected from the earth, the crumpled suit rolling to a stop. They just kept coming. Thanos kept his expression cold, emotionless, and hard. Not needing anything else to get in the way of his destiny.

Even when Twilight Sparkle and her eight friends followed her into battle. Every last one of them, from Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike. They all charged him and gave him everything they had. The Alicorn and unicorns fired every spell they had, the Pegasi flew from the air and dived at him, the Earth ponies upon the earth and ready to buck him—save for Pinkie who ripped out her party cannon and filled it with who knows what. Even Spike flew from above, breathing in deep and releasing a torrent of fire upon Thanos’ head.

He ended it all with the Power Stone. Every spell was blocked, every Pegasi thrown to the earth, every Earth pony lifted off the ground, and every flame doused as the wave of energy washed over them and knocked them down. It was so strong that none of them got back up, allowing Thanos safe passage through. There she was, still trying to crawl away. With the constant distractions, Thanos hadn’t realized that Peter Quill had arrived to her aid, dragging her away to keep her from him. Thanos’ face nearly broke, his steps quickening, every stomp upon the rock stabbing him further and further.

Thunder roared overhead, Thanos lazily looking up to see the King of Asgard flying from above with a cape of lightning flapping behind him. Thor cried out with every agonizing last cry from the Asgardians the Titan slaughtered, driving his fist straight for Thanos’ head. Instead, his lightning was killed by the Reality Stone. He was caught by the Titan’s grasp and punched so severely, so devastatingly that when he hit the ground, he was out cold in an instant. Thor could only stare on, his last good eye watching as Thanos stepped over him and continued forward. Then darkness overcame the light of fury he once had, nothing but a pathetic sense of feeling eating away at the God of Thunder.

Finally realizing he wasn’t strong enough to beat him.

Iron Man flew forward and landed between Gamora and Thanos, driving his palms out and firing two repulsor beams onto the Mad Titan. Once more, they connected with the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos unrelenting in his pursuit and walking right through it. The repulsors melted away off his gauntlet, Tony Stark desperately losing that ground. When he finally did, Thanos knocked his arms aside and fired the Power Stone right into his Arc Reactor. He flew right over Steve Rogers, the first and last Avenger to stand up to the Titan. Sliding first to dodge Stark, then rising up to meet Thanos with quick, precise, and devastating punches. One in his gut, another in his chin, and a third across his cheek.

Peter held Gamora by her arm, his free hand digging against the gravel and drawing his own blood to do so. He didn’t care. He fought through every shred of pain in order to keep Gamora safe. And just seeing Thanos trying to get to her, that prompted Quill to fight on. His mask was gone and his other hand gripped a lone Quad Blaster, soon touched by her hand.

“Peter!” Gamora cried out. “Wait!”

Stubborn as always, Quill shook his head, digging his feet against the ground and continuously dragging Gamora forward, away, as far from her father as possible. “I have to get you out of here!” he shouted, not even turning her way.

“No, you don’t!” Gamora screamed, prying at his hand and pulling his grip off of her. Peter fell forward as his hand was pried from her, gazing back to see Gamora crash on the dirt and gravel. Cursing at that, Quill ran forward and scooped her up, but Gamora pushed him away, palms pressed to his chest, eyes to his own. “Peter… it’s time.”

He furrowed his brow, left palm gripping the Quad Blaster even tighter. “What are you talking about?”

A part of him knew what she was talking about. A part of him knew but refused to acknowledge the tone of her voice, the shrill of her cry. Especially when she pushed herself off the dirt, straightening to a position that met Peter on his eye level. On his knee. The tears blotted her vision, her face crumbling to the point that Peter had to listen to her. Had to listen to himself.

“You promised!”

Steve caught the Infinity Gauntlet between his hands. Thanos felt that, his confusion gripping his facial features to the point far beyond that of mere annoyance. He narrowed his frown to the mere mortal man holding his gauntlet, holding his strength far greater than any other. And he screamed. Steve Rogers screamed as he somehow, someway, held against the strongest tide. Fought against the greatest threat. Stood against Thanos.

“We can’t stop him… but we can’t let Thanos win, either. If he gets his hands on me, the Soul Stone is his!” Gamora cried, tears now freely flowing down her cheeks.

The wind tugged at Peter’s hair, simple locks unable to block the red in his eyes, the despair on his face. The total loss of life in his soul. “What do you want me to…?” He already knew… just didn’t want to say it, admit it, bring himself to do it.

Her hands fell to his left hand. Peter closed his eyes. No.

She lifted him up, aimed the Quad Blaster directly into her face. No.

Broke her hands away and let Peter do the rest. Only he couldn’t. He couldn’t—no matter what will of him was left—bring himself to follow on his word. His facial features twitched in clear agitation, the heated wind blowing into his face. He refused. He refused to look at her and face that pain, that torment, see the tears on her face that tried to convince him otherwise. After losing his mother, taken from Earth, killing his own father, Peter Quill just couldn’t take another. Couldn’t lose another… despite what he promised to Gamora and swore on his… his…

He just didn’t know if he would come back if he did.

Finally, he opened his eyes, stared down the sights of his gun aimed right for her. Her tears, her fears, her plight and her strife… all of it showering down her face and through her voice that cried out to him, begged him, “Please, Peter, you promised!”

Thanos had enough. Rearing his right fist back, he drove it directly into the man’s face. Steve Rogers, having risen above so much prior, lost his voice and fell to the mighty hand of the Great Titan. He laid upon the rock and ash, leaving just Thanos surrounded by a sea of bodies. Unmoving. No longer in his path. His eyes softened and he took in that needed breath of air. He didn’t care if it hurt. It always did.

Peter forced himself not to care if it hurt. It always did. It always would. Because no matter how hard he tried, he would always just see the woman he fought, the woman he saved, the woman he danced with, the woman he lied with, the woman he cared so much for on the end of his gun. There could never be a power to force himself to see anything else.

He just saw Gamora.

She saw the man… “I love you… more than anything,” Gamora whimpered, holding that weak smile despite everything. To help him. To calm him. To allow him to follow through…

Quill had never seen her so strong, felt himself be so weak. He couldn’t stare at her as he did it—as he did what he must to save the universe—not even as the tears tried to blind him. With a tear slipping, he said, “I love you, too.”

He shut his eyes the same moment Gamora had, grit his teeth as she did, and forced every nerve in his body to give strength to his left finger. To do what needed to be done.

He pulled the trigger.

Then briefly witnessed bubbles escape the barrel of his gun.

The rest of the Quad Blaster morphed into a plethora of bubbles, a familiar but horrifying sound emerging forth from it. As if every pop created that same essence, that same chime that both Peter and Gamora dreaded to hear. Peter Quill could only gaze to his hand in unknown horror, slowly lift his gaze back to her once more.

A large, purple hand fell on Gamora’s shoulder, Quill’s eyes trailing further upwards. Gamora quivered as she felt that presence behind her, eyes gazing nowhere forward, her mouth unable to close as the breathless whimpers escaped her. Quill never even noticed Thanos standing behind Gamora before it was too late, and when it was too late, he knew it. When Thanos just stared at him, a slight smidgen of admiration in his eyes before he vanished.

Through the black and blue portal with Gamora in tow.

Leaving the disheveled, shaken Peter Quill on his knee, trying to breathe again.

Behind where Thanos once stood, several wounded bodies began to rise back up, Twilight and her friends looking about frantically. They cried out, demanded to know where Thanos was. He was gone, and Gamora with him, Twilight’s eyes falling to the lone Star-Lord on his knee. Then her eyes—all of their eyes—shot upwards to see Doctor Stephen Strange hovering above.

Listened to him declare, “Through the portal, all of you!”

Her curiosity was spiked, especially when that familiar orange portal sparked to life behind her and her friends, a swirling vortex that showcased a burning wasteland shrouded in orange on the other side. Furrowing her brow at that, Twilight twisted her neck back to Strange to understand where exactly he was sending them. And it was clear by her expression that she wouldn’t move until she got an explanation.

He said all he could. “Thanos is on Earth! He’s going to get the Soul Stone!”

That was more than enough.

Gasping, Twilight spun viciously around and took off at a full gallop towards the portal. The rest of her friends followed. Despite the wounds, despite the cuts, the bruises, everything… they picked themselves and raced each other to the portal, knowing only that they needed to stop Thanos by any means necessary. Twilight was trailed closely by Applejack, then Sunset, Starlight, Pinkie with Spike riding her, Rarity, Fluttershy, and finally Rainbow Dash. She was the first inside the portal that led to another planet, flying by with the rest following shortly.

And then it was cut off, shut, killed. Closed away just as Iron Man jetted forward with full intent to enter behind them. Only he couldn’t. He flew forward and pressed his feet firmly to the earth, skidding for several yards before shooting his head back wildly. His mask materialized away, revealing that bleeding nose and temple, but most of all revealed the shock in his eyes. The confusion. The betrayal. Especially when he gazed skywards.

The rest of the Avengers were not far behind, all of them slowing to a stop when the portal died. The Guardians of the Galaxy—what was left of them—were with them, Peter Quill slowing himself and deactivating his Jet Boots. His feet touched upon solid ground, once again, Star-Lord glaring to where the portal used to shine bright, now leaving just the devastated landscape of the Dragons’ Lair. He, too, turned his ferocity to the sky, to the lone Sorcerer Supreme hanging over their heads and holding out his hands to them.

Then watched as those hands turned into shivering fists.

Then listened to him say, “I can’t let you through. Just them.”

Earth

The Nation of Wakanda

Mount Bashenga

12:44 a.m.

The portal died the instant they set hoof and claw on Earth. In the nation of Wakanda, no less. Twilight expected the grandest of cities overlooking the massive African continent, tales of grand lineage passed down from generation to generation, the lands of which they walked upon being the world of the future. It was what Shuri and T’Challa always told her it was.

It wasn’t. The nation of Wakanda was a burning hellscape of pure desolation. The lands that surrounded them were filled with scorched bodies of alien and demon descent. Smoke filled the edges of the nation, covered the mountains like a dark blanket, all leading up to the horrific storm clouds above. They swirled about directly over the vibranium mound, a gargantuan eye in the heart of the storm colored a bright, alien orange that cascaded its glow upon the lands, giving light to the early morning hour. Like a second sun. Thunder roared above and lightning clashed in the distance, threatening a storm. But they didn’t pay attention to that. Their only concern lied at the top of Mount Bashenga.

Thanos. His back to them. His head low and his eyes gazing nowhere else but the bottom of the Great Mound. Twilight felt a sudden wave of unease wash over her, her teeth tight and showing as the Alicorn galloped up the hill with her friends right behind her. Never stopping. Never ceasing. Never giving up and calling out to him…

“Wait!”

He didn’t even move.

The mares all fell in line, Twilight leading the pack and keeping a safe ten-foot distance between herself and the Titan. Her friends, herself included, all breathed rather raggedly, looking nowhere else but where Thanos stood. On the edge. Spike hopped off of Pinkie and chose to stand with Twilight, joining Sunset Shimmer and Rainbow Dash. All of them held that stance like they were at the ready, fully willing to charge the Titan at a moment’s notice. But for some reason… they all waited. Waited on Twilight’s word.

And what she said to him. “You don’t… have to do this,” Twilight told him, hoof outstretched to Thanos’ backside. Not a movement from him. “We can work this out, Thanos. I know you’ve lost… far more than any of us ever could… but you’re going about a solution all wrong. This is not the way. There are other ways to help the universe other than pure slaughter! Killing half of every life… will do nothing… will help nothing… but there can be another way. You can turn away right now, Thanos. Stop this bloodshed… and trillions of others. Please…”

There had never been more sincerity in her voice. And right there it mattered more than ever, the Princess of Friendship still willing after everything to save him, to stop him from causing the greatest travesty to ever befall the universe. She knew that wanton destruction and endless fighting could not stop Thanos; they tried that many times before. Perhaps there were still other ways to reach to him, to find that pain he held and finally heal it. End the conflict… without another life lost.

Thanos lifted his head at long last. He turned back to them, and in his grasp… he held her. The eight mares gasped and Spike took a precautionary step backwards. By his right palm, he held Gamora still, by her shoulder, the lone Guardian crying silent breaths as her teary eyes finally fell upon the mares. Her legs were returned to her, but she hardly looked like she could stand. She could hardly do anything at all while her father held her still.

She couldn’t do anything… but they still could.

So, she begged to them and cried, “P-please… kill me…”

If the ponies and Spike gasped before, they absolutely lost their breath for several seconds on end. Their jaws fell as one, eyes widened to the point of no return. Every last one of them were shocked as to why Gamora wanted them to kill her. Because of Thanos? Because her father had her again and she didn’t wish to be taken? They didn’t know, yet the fear in Gamora’s eyes was as real as the storm above their heads, the tears in her eyes, and the whimpers escaping her soul.

Sunset was the first to shake her head, the first to utter, “No… no, we can’t.” Her breath was a whisper, but they all heard it. Her refusal fell amongst the others, Rainbow Dash growing that fierce glare as she shot out her wings, ready to strike the Titan where he stood. Twilight’s mouth slowly but surely closed, that look of shock replaced with raw determination. Even Rarity forced a frown, stamped her hoof in the dead grass and affirmed her stance alongside her friends. Against the Titan that haunted her. But even then, none of them experienced what Sunset had. None of them felt that wave of memories enter into her and reveal the child and the Titan. The burning world. The switchblade…

Her geode cried out to her, more than ever before. Sunset gazed to it, shocked that nopony else was hearing that shrill cry or reacting to it. Or her. Crying out to see tears in Gamora’s eyes, seeing her desperation to end her own life. Crying for more than that.

And she still turned away from it. They all did. They refused, one by one asserting their stance and standing against him. Thanos witnessed such, the Titan shaking his head. In pity? Disappointment? Something more…? They didn’t know. Thanos wondered if he even knew.

“You speak of things you could never understand,” Thanos weakly stated, even his own voice sounding distant and unknown to him. “Speak of solutions to the inevitable. Speak of controlling fate… yet never once considering what must be done to actually achieve that.”

Thanos gazed to his left hand, to the Infinity Gauntlet upon it and the Stones. He came so far. That alone tossed away any self-doubt, the Titan knowing that he had made it. His destiny had arrived at long last. He raised his gauntlet and gazed to the five Stones, hardening his eyes, his expression, everything.

“I know where I stand,” he declared firmly. Without hesitation. Without doubt. He stared at Twilight and let her know that. “And I refuse to turn away from my destiny.”

Twilight’s eyes fell, letting the weight of that statement reach her. For once… it finally did. “Then you are truly lost,” she replied, lifting her pain-filled eyes to Thanos. “Now, girls.”

She closed her eyes.

So did Applejack.

So did Fluttershy.

So did Rarity.

So did Pinkie Pie.

And so did Rainbow Dash.

Spike, Sunset, and Starlight all proceeded to back away as the six mares proceeded to rise forth from the grass, the wind beginning to heighten to otherworldly levels. One by one, each of the Elements began to brighten. Slowly… warming up to the point where all six Elements of Harmony were alive and vibrant. Perhaps more than ever, Twilight’s magenta tiara shimmering so bright it caused Thanos to flinch back. Swirls of magic began to form around them, the six Elements, the six ponies, finally coming together once again as they hovered before the Titan.

And that was as far as they got.

Thanos jutted out the Infinity Gauntlet and clenched it. The bright green Stone ignited and unleashed a wave over them, freezing every mare within that moment, Twilight opening her eyes and holding that expression of shock when she witnessed the Time Stone among the others. It was already too late, every last one of them—including Sunset, Starlight, and Spike calling out to warn Twilight—frozen in time. Caught in the moment. Cut off just short of stopping him.

The same moment Gamora felt Thanos release her, but not before pulling something from her person. She spun around to face that, to see what he had done, and stopped. Frozen solid. Just like the mares… but able to experience it all the worse.

When she turned towards him, it was only when she heard that undeniable sound of the extending blade. When she turned towards him, Gamora already realized her mistake but was unable to stop it. It was already too late. Thanos had already removed the switchblade from her side holster, unsheathed it, and drove it forward.

Both he and his daughter flinched at the sound.

Both of them felt the pain that inevitably followed.

But only one experienced it for herself.

Gamora quivered where she stood, losing her breath in that final gasp. She looked down where Thanos forced himself not to and gazed onto his right palm. Stared onto the switchblade—the first toy he gave her—right beneath her heart. The wind blew hair in her face but it could never conceal the pain, the heartbreak, the complete shatter of her heart once she lifted her tear-filled eyes to him. She couldn’t even cry out.

She lost that breath when he stabbed her.

Thanos bent down, fell to one knee—wanted to fall farther—but held on to her. Removed his right palm from the blade and rested it on the back of her head. Gamora fell to her knees. Slowly, deliberately, he pressed his forehead against hers and cried. Closed his eyes and let the tears fall in silence between them.

By the time the ponies managed to escape thanks to Twilight and Sunset’s magical outburst, it was already too late to act. The Great Mound erupted into a flurry of light and the eye of the storm exploded outwards.

Showered that orange, blinding light upon the world and caught them all within it.

When Thanos opened his eyes, he was gazing to the stars.

They were dotted everywhere, like jewels upon the grandest, darkest canvas. He felt weightless, almost as if he was among them, among the many stars in the universe and free from that duty he was bound to. It was but a moment before the light of the world returned to him in an orange blaze, the smoke and the clouds consuming the night sky.

Thanos arose from the grass and gazed to the light of the world. He was no longer near the Great Mound or the light within it. He lay at the bottom of Mount Bashenga, Thanos gazing to it to see that orange glow. That light showered upon the desolate nation of Wakanda and painted all the skies orange, making it appear almost as if it was day.

But never was there more light than what shimmered in his right palm.

Looking to his right hand, Thanos slowly unfurled his fingers and gazed upon the awe-inspiring majesty of what lied upon it. He felt his breath escape him, only able to return to bask in the glory of what he now held and controlled. The power of the universe, the power of every soul within it, bowed before his will. He rose up.

The Soul Stone was finally gifted to him. The orange gem shimmered brightly, proudly within his grasp. For the one who truly earned it, understood its power. More so than any other would have ever been willing to. With as much caution as he could muster, Thanos adjusted the Stone to rest between his fingers, the Titan slowly raising his palm just over his gauntlet. Just over the face of it.

In that barren opening upon the Infinity Gauntlet, Thanos released the Soul Stone. It was complete.

Finally.

Chapter 99 – Destiny

The Nation of Wakanda

12:48 a.m.

The first thing Thanos felt when he placed the Soul Stone on his gauntlet was the pain. It flushed across the Infinity Gauntlet, consumed his entire forearm and infected every fiber of his skin, his mortal body, and his mind in a rainbow of veins. Thanos clenched both fists, crying out to the skies as that power fused with him, as the energy of all six Infinity Stones now merged with his very being. Never once had there been someone who had the will or the strength to wield all six infinity Stones. The pain that came with it, the weight, the burden that he held was insurmountable.

That’s all Thanos felt for seconds on end, just the pain.

Then everlasting bliss.

When the agony flushed away, all that was left on Thanos was his original state of being. He breathed steadily, slowly turned his gaze to the Infinity Gauntlet. There it was, proud and bright in the heart of the Gauntlet for all the universe to witness. But only Thanos, for the moment, saw it. He saw the Soul Stone large and bright upon the face of the Infinity Gauntlet, joining the five others in a plethora of lights. It was done. It was finished.

Thanos gasped, hardly even believing it.

“Stop!”

He knew that cry by now. Turning to it, Thanos watched as all eight mares and that young dragon descended from the peak of Mount Bashenga, reaching the base where Thanos stood alone. As they all slid to a stop—mainly the leading six with the other three standing back—each mare was breathing as heavily as they could manage, their wide and horrified eyes latched with the Gauntlet and all six Stones resting on it. Twilight Sparkle, most of all, appeared to be hanging by a lone grip off that edge, just one more push being all that it would take to cause her to fall.

But right then she stood. She stood her ground and shot out her wings, that terror in her eyes transfusing into something powerful. Something determined. Something that wouldn’t quit even when it was over. It was all over. But still, Twilight refused to believe that. That fight, that resistance, it still burned strong within her. Thanos stood in silence, lowering his arms to rest by his sides so he could stare at her with his guard lowered. Just for a moment. Just to see what she would do.

What she said was, “It’s over… Thanos.”

Her breathing was so ragged Thanos could have sworn she was fighting for her life, nearing that never-ending pit to oblivion. Her will and determination was what sparked his interests, lowered his guard, and allowed her to speak and act freely before him. And Thanos didn’t stop her. He wanted to see it for himself.

Laying out his arms, palms open wide, Thanos whispered, “Then finish it.”

That’s exactly what they did.

Twilight shut her lips and grit her teeth, closing her eyes as the Element of Magic sparked to life upon her tiara. Pinkie Pie slowly shut her eyes, her bouncy mane swaying in the cold, cold wind as her Element of Laughter burned. Applejack lowered her hat nearly to block her eyesight, her hoof gracing her Element of Honesty and lighting it up a bright orange. Fluttershy kept her wings tight to her body, a quiet whimper leaving her heart as she shut her eyes and touched her necklace, the Element of Kindness shimmering a soft pink. Rarity was next, her breath shivering as she forcefully closed her eyes and touched her necklace. The last thing she saw was the Mad Titan before that brightness of her Element of Generosity filled the air. Finally, Rainbow Dash extended her wings, holding that glare and that frown as her eyes closed tight and her Element of Loyalty burned bright.

Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Spike all slowly backed away once more, watching their closest friends rise forth from the world. The magic began, birthed out of nothing and swirling around all six Elements of Harmony. All six mares that held them. They hovered forth and kept their eyes shut as that magic infused each Element. Sunset witnessed it all—flashes of memories when Twilight did the same thing to her to rid Sunset of the She-Demon entering and leaving her for good. A shrill cry came forth from her geode, but Sunset didn’t hear it. She stared only to them, the increasing wind circling the six mares and whipping Sunset’s mane wildly across her awe-stricken face.

Countless memories filled each pony. The time they first entered the Everfree Forest on a quest to find the very Elements they wielded, the moment they all came together to defeat Nightmare Moon once and for all was the first thing each of them saw in that darkness. Applejack flinched at that. Then came forth the memory of each one of them losing themselves, coming back together and defeating Discord, trapping him in that stone prison for what they believed would be the last time. Fluttershy winced, holding in her whimpers. When their cutie marks were swapped, their destinies changed, all for Twilight to earn her wings thanks to the magic from the Elements that consumed her followed. Rarity shivered. The moment they gave up those very Elements to the Tree of Harmony to save Ponyville from the foreign infestation came next, Pinkie Pie gasping for air. Then that magic from the Tree, birthing the Rainbow Power that defeated Tirek and sent him back to Tartarus, was what flowed through their memories next. Rainbow Dash’s expression tightened. The Pony of Shadows was vanquished, with the Pillars of Old Equestria standing by their side and their magic flowing through them and the Elements of Harmony, strengthening them, giving them the power to finish it.

Twilight Sparkle opened her eyes. They were a blistering white before…

Before…

A tear. A split. A fracture broke through those memories and each pony felt it. Felt it like a stab wound right in their hearts. Every last one of them felt it at the same moment and cried out because of it. Perhaps nopony cried out more than Twilight, the Alicorn screeching in unhinged agony as the Elements all reached the breaking point, as the tiara burned on her crown. Their light was brighter than ever before, but without that escape, that magic did nothing. It burned brighter than the largest star… brighter than any star Thanos had ever witnessed… and then it died.

Doused in an instant.

In that instant, every last necklace and tiara grew dull, the light fading and leaving nothing but lifeless gemstones within the gold. All six mares practically passed out, falling to the grass rather roughly and lying, trying to stand once again and regain their composure. Sunset, Starlight, and Spike all gasped and cried out, rushing over to their friends to understand what had gone wrong, to know how they could fix it. But it was too late. Sunset lifted her eyes away from Twilight’s and gazed to the Mad Titan approaching them. Sunset snarled like a feral hound, her horn shimmering a ferocious red, intent on only seeing nothing standing where Thanos did.

She never could have. Even when she tried. Thanos blew them all back with the Power Stone, every mare and every dragon captured within that wave and falling back because of it. If their minds were fading before, then they were already lost at that point. Nearly every last one of them fell into that darkness that desperately called to them, and that time they listened. From Sunset, Starlight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Spike, and even Rainbow Dash. Every last one of them passed out as that energy took their minds and led them to nowhere. But one remained. One still held that dying torch in the darkness and traversed it still. She was stuck, however, trapped in the dark with nowhere to turn. Not knowing what to do. Completely and utterly lost within it.

Twilight Sparkle lay upon the grass and cried. It was heart-wrenching, horrifyingly strong and seemingly endless. The Alicorn kept her head low, eyes shut as tight as her fading strength could manage as she let loose the tears. Let loose the whimpers and the gasps for desperate air. Her tears stained her snout and fell to the dead grass in tiny droplets. Her body quivered and quaked, like an abandoned foal forgotten, left to die, not a life in the world knowing or caring if she did.

But there was one… who saw her. There was one who stepped forward and gazed to her sorrow with just as much boiling in his tear-filled eyes. His gentle breaths fell into silence, his footsteps being the only sound in the world. And Twilight lifted her head to that, raised her tear-stained face to gaze onto the Titan that walked up to her.

Spoke to her with more sincerity than she ever could have expected.

“I understand… child… more than anyone. I know how you must feel. The loss. The pain. Everything. You were never alone in that regard,” Thanos said to the Alicorn, pausing just short of a few inches in front of her. His boots remained near Twilight’s head, the Alicorn shivering and whimpering as she stared up at him. No other word or sound could leave her. She didn’t have that strength anymore.

Then he did something that continued to surprise her. At first, he lowered himself with his right palm leading, intending for Twilight’s head. She winced at that, cowering beneath his touch and what he would do. However, his fingers were gentle against her scalp, softly caressing her mane and ears with a touch she never felt before. Twilight shivered all the same while under his touch, knowing it was wrong despite how it felt, despite the warmth Thanos tried to give to her.

And when he finally pulled away… he took her tiara with him. Twilight gasped, another tear slipping down her face as she weakly held out her hoof to it, to his right hand and how he observed it. The tiara, the star gemstone that was the Element of Magic rested in Thanos’ palm, the Titan studying it with waning interest. He sighed through his nostrils, eyes half-lidded and slowly returning to the Princess of Friendship.

He opened his palm to show the tiara to her. More importantly, he opened his palm to all of them, his fingers falling to the five other mares who lied with their dead Elements still attached to their necks.

He said, “You see it now. There is no magic of friendship. The most powerful ‘magic’ of all is what I wield.”

Using the Space Stone, Thanos pulled the remaining Elements of Harmony from their respective mare just as they began to awaken once more. The many eyes, the many heads turned accordingly to witness their necklaces float freely into the air, hovering before Thanos. Their weariness instantly faded away, the mares gasping when Thanos closed his right fist and crushed the tiara. Then further tightened his left and crushed the remaining five necklaces, the last five Elements. All of them falling to the earth in shards of gold and dead rock.

The ponies were deathly silent, but Twilight was the only one to whimper at that, to shudder when she witnessed what remained of their last means crumble near her hooves. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t possibly be real. But even Twilight couldn’t deny that forever. Just like she couldn’t deny what followed.

Thanos slowly raised his left arm, his eyes staring forever but only centered on the Infinity Gauntlet. His expression seemed to be lost in a sea of wonder, like he was in a dream, like even he couldn’t believe what was happening. He quickly turned those thoughts aside, thinking of only one thing. The only thing that mattered to him now more than anything.

Anything…

He slowly twisted his wrist, the face of the Gauntlet centered on the mares. He caught his breath, gazed forever.

“The most powerful magic of all… is this.”

He lowered his middle finger to connect with his thumb. Pressed it.

Twilight’s eyes burst open. She shot out her hoof and screamed.

“No—!”

Snap!

Then all of reality turned white.

When Thanos opened his eyes, he was gazing to an endless sea.

It was everywhere, burned brighter than any form of light or sensation Thanos had ever experienced. But it did not harm him. The clouds above his head were like a fog of orange, endless and forever. The sea he stood upon rippled under his boots, mixtures of crimson and soft orange spreading further, further, until he could see no longer. The world in which he stood upon was limitless, boundless, completely void of life and barren to every eye who would dare to witness it.

Thanos caught his breath, slowly turning his eyes to his left palm and seeing it bare. No gauntlet. No Stones. No more weight that kept dragging him down. It was as if that wretched burden he carried was suddenly lifted, Thanos finally free. The pain he felt was cleansed, every wound upon him healed to the point that Thanos felt born anew. But when he lowered his left hand, gazed to what lied beyond it, that familiar pain returned.

A lone structure stood within the world of orange, erected above the endless sea. Thanos narrowed his eyes. He had seen that structure before, those pillars, and he especially recalled the lone figure standing beneath it. Completely alone. But Thanos already knew who it was even from his distance. That dreaded feeling returning to claim his heart began to burn as he took that step closer. The sea rippled with every step he took, but Thanos did not see that.

He saw only the young girl standing with her back facing him.

Thanos stopped. Just short. Gazed onto her black and red locks as she stared forever, away from him, to an unforeseeable destiny. Thanos nearly quivered where he stood, those dreaded tears threatening to arise and blind him again from what he saw.

“Daughter…”

Never again.

The young girl slowly began to turn once his voice called out to her. And when she did, when she unveiled her face and showed him the truth, Thanos nearly fell apart. It was her, his daughter. His little Gamora so young as the day he first saved her. She expressed no tear to his plight, kept her lips pursed and her expression soft.

As was the innocence that escaped her voice. “Did you do it?”

The last thing he saw was the pure whiteness succumb reality. “Yes…” Thanos muttered.

Several seconds of seemingly-endless silence filled the void of the unknown. Gamora just stared onto him, into him, saw him for what he truly was and still could do nothing to change that. All she could do was ask, “What did it cost?”

Lifting his head, Thanos saw her. Saw the life that kept him tied to himself, saved his life from devolving into madness. Gamora meant more to him than she would ever know. Now she would never know, because he knew that which he saw wasn’t real. It was but a fragment, an image of how he always saw her. As his daughter. His one, true love.

“Everything.”

A drop in his head...

“Was it worth it?”

Thanos lifted his head after he let it fall. And he just stared at her.

Just stared and said nothing.

Doctor Strange held them off for as long as he could, slamming entire pillars of Eldritch magic into the earth to prevent any sorcerer from conjuring a portal to Earth. That’s all they did. After Stephen cut off the only portal to the Earth, they took it upon themselves to conjure several at a time, allow the Avengers to enter them and aid in the fight against Thanos.

But every single time, Stephen Strange would stop them. By using any means, the full front of his magical arsenal, and doing everything in his power as the Sorcerer Supreme to keep them from creating a portal, preventing any of them from reaching Earth. He fought off the Avengers, held his own against Tony Stark and even Thor, and barely managed to escape Star-Lord’s wrath. Even through it all, breathing heavily with blood splotched on his right temple and cheek, Doctor Stephen Strange held his ground. High above the air, hovering over all of them.

To his rash actions, Wong cried out, “Stephen, what do you think you’re doing?!”

From his elevated position, Doctor Strange held out his palms with a pair of Tao Mandalas fiercely spinning in each hand. The Cloak of Levitation kept him airborne, the Sorcerer Supreme gazing down to every hero he held back. He was one against an army, every Avenger, Defender, Guardian, and sorcerer turning their aggression towards him. And what he did…

Still, he firmly held his stance, declaring, “I can’t let any of you go to Earth!”

“Hold him down!” Wong ordered, the sorcerers behind Stephen complying and whipping bands of Eldritch magic upwards. The whips wrapped tightly around his wrists, constraining the wizard and making him lose control of that magic. Stephen turned frantically to his hands, gazing downwards to see Wong jam the Wand of Watoomb right for his chest. The Crimson Bands of Cyttorak expelled forth from the mystical weapon, wrapping around Strange’s entire body and locking him firmly in place. Doctor Strange fell to the earth after that, not even the Cloak able to keep him afloat.

And with that taken care of, Wong spun around and conjured the fastest portal he could manage. The Sling Ring birthed forth its magic, the orange portal swirling to life and opening large enough for everyone to enter. That’s exactly what they did. Entire armies of heroes flew or ran as fast as their legs could carry them into the portal, leaving just Wong and the sorcerers within that general vicinity in the Dragons’ Lair, within the Dragon Lands. Upon Planet Equus.

The sorcerers pulled Stephen off the dirt and onto his feet, the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak still keeping him tightly constrained. He didn’t fight them anymore. All he did was hold his breath as Wong led him and the sorcerers onto planet Earth.

The Avengers that burst forth onto their home were led by Iron Man, Tony Stark jetting forward and scanning his surroundings for any form of life. War Machine was right behind him, joined by the Mark 45 AI Friday. All three of them hovered for seconds on end as they constantly scanned the nation of Wakanda, scoured the burning landscapes, and tried to find Thanos.

Not too far behind, Steve Rogers slowed his sprint to a halt when he realized that there was nothing there. Natasha, Thor, Bucky, Falcon, and Spider-Man were right behind him, every last one of the Avengers searching alongside their leader. Seeing nothing just like Steve.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were led by Star-Lord. And Peter Quill was screaming as he flew through that portal, his last Quad Blaster leading his emotion-filled charge into the fight. Except there was no fight. Quill jetted forward and crashed upon the grasslands, raising his free hand to deactivate his mask.

Holding out his last Quad Blaster, Peter whirled his head around to a near 360 degrees, roaring with raw, emotional pain in his voice, “Where is he?!”

There was no fight because there was no Titan. Thanos was gone. The remaining Guardians of the Galaxy ran forward shortly after, Drax gazing to the storm-filled clouds, Groot and Rocket doing the same. Behind them, the four Defenders and the Punisher stumbled forth onto the Wakandan fields, Castle jutting his LMG outwards and Daredevil scouting and listening carefully, billy club held tight in his fist. But they were already too late. There was no fight.

Only what remained.

Black Panther bent down the moment he exited the portal, his mask materializing back to gaze at only what remained. His home… but a barren, burning wasteland. Mount Bashenga, its ruins, lying further to his left. Even the grass beneath his feet had perished, swaying softly and breaking under the dying wind. He didn’t bend down to grace the grass of his homeland. He bent down to pick up a shattered shard of vibranium lying in the burning grass.

T’Challa stared somberly at it, clenching his palm around only what remained

Leaving the others to witness it for themselves.

When they realized Thanos was gone, their guard dropped exponentially. Matt Murdock pulled off his devil helmet, letting his sweat-stained hair fall flat against his scalp. He breathed and let that rest consume him, even when he stood with his wounded friends, the remaining Defenders. Tony Stark and the Avengers all slowly succumbed to the same sickness, Iron Man twisting his gaze further across the landscape… until he heard that undeniable whimper.

His eyes faced it, his feet touching the earth. “Twi…” Tony called out, his mask vanishing into his suit alongside the rest of it. The nanotechnology of the Mark 50 disintegrated back into the bright Arc Reactor resting over Stark’s heart, leaving just him. Leaving just Stark in his gray camo jacket to gaze into the face of desolation, the horror gripping his expression as the blood and bruises did.

His voice carried over, every eye turning to it and witnessing the same thing. Watching as Twilight Sparkle held out her hoof and allowed Pinkie Pie to grip it. Hoisting her friend back to her hooves and rubbing her back, the Alicorn slowly wheeled her eyes—so lost and so utterly helpless—onto the one who called to her.

She gazed to Tony and the others, the many more who were too late. All of them standing as statues and remaining just as silent. Backing away from Pinkie Pie and approaching them, Twilight lifted her right foreleg, even her breathing shivering alongside her body. Especially her voice, when she shook her head and tears burned down her cheeks.

“I… I’m so sorry,” she muttered.

It didn’t take long for them to realize what she meant. But it was Peter Quill who cried out, rushing up the large hill within the valley and practically crumbling when he stood over her. He did crumble. He completely fell apart once his knees touched the earth and his eyes fell on Gamora.

“No! No, no, no, no!” Peter screamed, clutching her face and body. She remained unmoved, eyes closed and lifeless. He shook his head rapidly, the tears blinding him, unable to see anything else but her. Hear anything else other than his shattering heart. And his own screams. “No, God, please! Gamora! Gamora, please NOOO!”

“She’s gone, Quill,” Starlight whispered, the unicorn standing several yards behind him, unable to look anywhere else other than the heart-wrenching sight before her. Before all of them. Her face practically broke, tears leaking down her cheeks as Sunset Shimmer joined her. Walked past her. Sat next to Quill and cried with him.

Her geode was dark and remained like that. Sunset didn’t even notice as she gazed to Gamora’s body and let the tears flow free, her body convulsing, unable to keep in that pent-up sorrow and agony. But unlike Quill, she didn’t completely lose herself. She didn’t lose everything. Even when she felt it all the same. And as Peter’s fellow Guardians gazed upon their fallen family, they all slowly congregated near them. Every last Avenger, Guardian, Defender, sorcerer, pony… and Spike… all coming together to surround Quill and stand with one another. In silence.

They were joined shortly by the remainder that entered the portal. From Maud Pie, Derpy, Trixie, Capper, Shining Armor, Sunburst, several sorcerers, and Wong. And who they held in bondage. Everyone else stayed on Equus. That silence started to build as every eye fell on Gamora, the fallen Guardian, and listened to Peter Quill’s remorse as he cried over her. Cried over the love he would never get back.

Even as the storm began to arise and the lightning cracked in the distance, it could never conceal Quill’s torment. Drax stared at that, at those clouds, asking, “Where’s Thanos?”

“Gone.”

Nearly every eye turned to the sorcerers and Wong, all of them backing aside to reveal Doctor Strange firmly tied together by the glowing red bands. When they realized his fight was gone—just as they realized Thanos was gone—they removed their bonds from him, letting Strange stumble forward and finish what he started.

“Far… far from here,” Stephen struggled to breathe. Every eye minus Quill’s was on him, watching the Sorcerer Supreme like he was a leper. Stepping aside and holding that distrust in their eyes. When he maintained that breathing pattern, he proceeded aimlessly forward, staring only to the mound of vibranium rock lying upon the grass. He sat down upon it and exhaled every last bit of exertion that plagued him still.

And still they would not turn away from him. Especially Tony. “Why wouldn’t you let us fight?” he asked, his face only expressing that look of despair. Of loss. Of wishing to know just like everybody else. The blood trickled down the bridge of his nose, joining the deadly gash on the side of his face.

Stark shook his head, asking, “Why would you do that?”

Almost all eyes were on him. The thunder roared overhead outside of Thor’s will. The storm only grew more and more feral as the light of the second sun showered a soft orange over all the land. And Doctor Strange sat in the heart of it all, seeing the heart of it all, staring to his shivering palms and listening to his heartbeat. To his breathing that just couldn’t seem to stop shaking. Almost all eyes were on him and he needed to tell them just one thing.

Stephen lifted his eyes to them. Shook his head to them. To Tony Stark.

“I’m sorry… There was no other way.”

It was the last thing he said before he shattered into ash.

Chapter 101

PART II

“All right, Scott, this is a mic check.”

Ant-Man opened his eyes and stared out into the limitless expanse known as the Quantum Realm. It had no end, no beginning, just endless space that flowed, breathed, danced and lived in vivid and unique colors unimaginable to the human mind. Especially for Scott Lang, just staring into the unnatural blues, reds, orange, yellows, and… whatever color that just flowed past him making him already feel nauseous.

He floated, drifted aimlessly in the endless. Scott tried to remain as still as possible, refusing to even move a muscle until he knew for sure he was safe. His mind rattled, finally returning to the voice in his head. In his helmet, but it was close enough.

“Mic check 1, 2! 1, 2! How’s everybody doin’ tonight in the Quantum Realm?” Scott announced loud and clear. The response was immediate.

“Scott, we read you,” Hank Pym’s undeniable voice chimed in his ear.

Ant-Man continued to gaze out into the swirling lights of the Quantum Realm. His left palm gripped the small containment unit while the other drifted softly by his side, swaying against the nothingness, Scott almost trying to swim in the weightlessness. “Ah, I just… I just wanted to make sure,” he stated, eyes falling down to his left hand.

He reared forward with his right palm and loosened the containment unit, the small vessel expanding and instantly absorbing nearby particles that Scott didn’t even realize he was bathed in. The container devoured the yellow slivers of light and energy like a black hole, Scott Lang slamming his right palm on its head and sealing it tight. “Okay, healing particles secured for our… new ‘Ghost’ friend,” he informed the three on the other end of line.

Those three just so happened to be Hank Pym, Janet van Dyne, and Hope van Dyne, daughter to the previous two mentioned by name. After a rather intense, deeply intriguing, and way too complicated series of events that Scott couldn’t even begin to describe with the amount of time he had, their little team of miscreants just so happened to find a way to contact and save Hank’s wife Janet from the Quantum Realm. Trapped for thirty years in the swirling emptiness of energy and… well… nothing else. Scott couldn’t even imagine being stuck in there for that long, let alone less than a minute. It was about time to come out.

The Ghost, Ava Starr, needed those healing particles now more than ever.

Hearing the assuring voice of Hope made Scott tingly in his happy place, but he kept himself under control. It was going to be a while before he could get there with her in their relationship. Still, Scott held his breath, listening to her warming voice tell him, “Great. Preparing for reentry in… 5… 4… 3—”

The abrupt and startling sound of static followed. Then dead silence.

Scott flinched at that. His brow furrowed, eyes narrowing as he looked back and forth and darted his stare in almost every single direction, as if by some faithless chance he would be pulled out. Or find their voices again. Only there was nothing. For several seconds on end and even nearly into a minute… still nothing. The Quantum Realm was dead silent and Scott really didn’t like how quiet it was.

“Hello?” he called out, hearing that continued quiet on the other end of the line. Scott closed his eyes, breathing a sigh. “Ha, ha, very funny. Hank, quit screwing around; you told me yourself not to screw around.”

A lone walkie-talkie dangled by its wire and swung lifelessly back and forth. Back and forth. A slew of computers and other scientific equipment lay on the rooftop and were used for analyzing, powering, and controlling the Quantum Tunnel resting in the back of Scott’s van. They were all seemingly abandoned, nothing but a pile of ashes floating, descending, falling dead to the rooftop where Hank, Janet, and Hope once stood.

“Hank?” the walkie-talkie questioned, Hank Pym’s particles falling over it.

“Hope?” Hope van Dyne’s ashes floated away, leaving but a mark forever stained on the roof.

“Janet?” Janet van Dyne remained as nothing but dust. Even that faded away.

“Guys… Guys… Okay, seriously, don’t joke around; bring me up, let’s go.”

The world outside the Quantum Realm, beyond the roof and even further still… didn’t respond. Nothing but silence and distant screams for miles and miles and miles.

“Guys!”

The Quantum Realm swirled and breathed, lived and grew, forever traveled on and on with light and darkness in every corner. Vivid colors for as far as the eye could see, if any eye could see. If anyone could pay witness to the endless space and see it all. For thirty years, Janet never witnessed it all. There was not a chance in hell she could ever observe it all.

Scott Lang was stuck in the Quantum Realm for two minutes, fourteen seconds and counting… and he already believed he saw everything there was.

“Uh, oh…”

Chapter 102 – The Decimation

102

Earth

Clint Barton’s Homestead

12:01 p.m.

The arrow struck the target on the tree at high speed. A perfect bullseye.

Clint smiled at that. It looked like all the training paid off. That, and his daughter actually took his advice to heart for once. Still, a damn good shot either way. With the glare of the midday sun bright and burning, Clint could only squint in his daughter’s direction, chuckling fondly and holding up his open palm to her. “Good job, Hawkeye!”

Smirking at that, Clint’s daughter just shook her head, meeting her dad’s palm with a high five. “Come on, Dad,” Lila responded, staring up at him humorously. “You know no one else can take that title from you.”

Clint wanted to scoff, and he nearly did, his face scrunching up as to indicate that. “You kidding me?” he asked, laying his palm on her shoulder and directing her eyes back to the target. Back to her arrow. He made sure she saw it, almost chuckling to see her struggling to hide the proud smile. “Did you see that shot? Hon-honey! Laura, did you see your daughter?!”

“You’re all I can stare at other than this grub!” Laura Barton responded with a wide smile, removing the hot dogs from the barbecue grill and laying them on the wooden table. A plethora of plates, napkins, drinks, condiments, and, of course, hot dog buns lay upon the table, just waiting to be torn into. Cooper and Nathaniel Barton were nearby, playing catch with the youngest child miraculously managing to catch and throw the baseball, albeit with minor difficulty. That, and Cooper wasn’t really throwing it too hard.

“Not too hard, Coop!” Laura warned, turning from the hot dogs and onto her two boys.

Cooper rolled his eyes, sighing, “Sure thing, Mom!” He underhand tossed the baseball, Nathaniel awkwardly holding out his glove and barely managing to catch the ball.

“Nice catch, Nathaniel!” Laura cheered softly from behind the lunch table. She retreated over to the grill and killed it, returning shortly to the table and calling out, “All right, practice and playtime’s over! How many of you want mustard on your dogs?! Do I have any takers for mayo?!”

“Uh, two mustard for us, Laura!” Clint called quickly, waving to his wife while holding up two high fingers. He slapped Lila’s back, prompting her onwards towards the target. “All right, go get your arrow. We’ll work on your draw more later.”

“Sure thing, Dad,” Lila responded, walking over to the tree, bow in hand.

In that short moment of recollection, Clint Barton really took it all in. The sunshine, the calm, summer breeze, the picnics in the wide, open fields of his own farmlands. It was surreal. Just a couple years earlier, Clint could recall aiding a wanted criminal from the likes of one of his fellow Avengers. All of it ending in the worst possible way. That was the price when he was part of a family away from family. But soon after, Clint realized that being put on house arrest was probably one of the best things that happened to him in recent memory. He was spending more time with his kids, his wife, got to see Nathaniel grow up and even pass what he learned to his oldest child. Just the thought of knowing tomorrow would hold the same promise was something Clint looked forward to every day. It was moments like that where Clint really didn’t feel the ankle monitor tightened beneath him.

“Clint!” Laura called, voice rising over Barton’s own thoughts. “You and Lila hurry up! Hot dogs are getting cold, and I am not turning that grill back on! You know it hates me!”

Chuckling softly at that, Clint played with the arrow between his fingertips, facing the sun and where his wife and boys were standing. “All right… We’re comin’; we’re hungry!” he called back. Turning away, Clint spun the arrow once between his fingers, approaching the tree with his eyes low, slowly rising up, his voice hardening and calling, “Lila, let’s go.”

When he approached the tree, Clint stopped dead in his tracks. His growing smile deteriorated into a confused line of nothingness, brow furrowing when he saw that nothing. Just nothing and no one near the target or the tree. Or anywhere near him for that matter. All he really saw was Lila’s bow lying in the grass.

Clint took a step forward, eyes peering behind the tree. “Lila?” Nothing. “Honey?”

Not a single response. The nearby barn door was shut and locked tight, and there was no way Lila could have run off to it or anywhere else without making some sort of noise, definitely not with the few seconds Clint was turned around for. His eyes were glued to Lila’s bow laying coldly in the grass, Clint taking a soft step backwards. “Hey, babe?!”

Nothing. Clint shot his head up like an alert canine, eyes peering back to the picnic table.

“Babe…” Barton called, dropping the arrow from his hand and leaving it behind. It didn’t matter anymore, his full focus centered only on his family. The family that wasn’t there anymore. “Laura!”

Clint whistled, more panic in his steps as his eyes turned wildly across the farmlands. “Boys!”

Then he ran, directly to the picnic table to see the abandoned gloves and baseball resting in the grass. Not a single soul anywhere near the table. The food lay with the mustard turned over, the hot dogs strewn over the wood and even a couple spilled onto the grass, the dirt. The ash.

“Boys!”

Clint spun around, heart beating sporadically. Eyes wide with newfound dread and horror. He called and cried out again and again

“Laura!”

But no one responded. No one could.

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

4:14 p.m.

Some Time Later

The S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier hovered ominously overhead Avengers HQ. The gargantuan quad engines were alive and strong, keeping the Helicarrier afloat and unnaturally silent above the massive facility. Storm clouds gathered, the smell of rain high in the air and the minimal life signs within the ship noting the approaching rainstorm. Amongst those minimal life signs, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Alphonso Mackenzie stood in the heart of the bridge, gazing out the windshield while Piper, Davis, and a handful of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents worked overtime to keep the Helicarrier flying and alive.

While their people worked downstairs.

Downstairs encompassed the New Avengers Facility, the living room filled to the brim with reports laid out on coffee tables, chairs, and even the floor. A large hologram was displayed on the main desk, showing the growing casualties worldwide. Points of interest, cities, damages, a map of the entire Earth and Equus hovering dangerously in orbit together. The thousands killed minutes after the worlds came into close contact. The millions slaughtered during the Chitauri invasions… all leading up to…

Three billion for Earth. And counting.

Two billion for Equus. Shuttered to a halt given the minimal communication.

Steve Rogers stared with eyes wide and expression cold. His hardened breaths were short, facial expressions minimal and leaving the beard unmoving. A white shirt covered his body, unable to hide the terror oozing from his being. His eyes reflected the light of the two worlds displayed on the hologram, turning towards the rising casualties. “This is a nightmare,” Steve mumbled.

Natasha Romanoff gulped softly. Her cold, black jacket clung to her body while her skin shivered either way, the white bangs hanging from her head shivering slightly to her movements. She shook her head, saying, “I’ve had better nightmares.”

Steve acknowledge that grim realization with a sigh from his nostrils. The two Avengers heard a soft cough behind them, prompting their attention to the living room’s entrance. Standing there silently, James Rhodes and Melinda May met the alert expressions from Steve and Natasha respectively, Steve asking, “Any word on that pager?”

Rhodes and May just shrugged. It was James who said, “Still sending that message that May pointed out. The symbol… we’re still trying to decipher.”

Grumbling to himself, Bruce Banner somehow managed to earn the attention of the entire room. He sat surrounded by reports from Washington, from New York, from everywhere that expressed the rising death toll. The chair he was in could barely contain all the pieces of paper he drowned himself in, let alone contain a split Doctor Banner. Ever since the Dragons’ Lair, since Hulk got the wake-up call of the century, he remained hidden and refused to come out. It was a complete turnaround to how the Hulk usually operated, demanding control whenever the opportunity was granted. Yet right then and there, possibly in the heart of the most stressful situation Banner could have imagined for himself, the Hulk was quiet. It wasn’t natural.

It wasn’t Hulk.

Banner rubbed a palm through his hair, scratching and rubbing the back of his neck. “Any idea why Fury used that pager in the first place?” Bruce asked, leaning forward and shifting his eyes to the left of the living room, where Rhodes and May continued to stand still.

Melinda crossed her arms, her eyes falling and a certain darkness overcoming her expression. Her heart. Her very voice when she said, “He didn’t have time to tell me.”

The room fell silent after that, even quieter than any of them would have wished for. Rhodes sighed rather heavily, his exoskeleton suit crying out as he turned and made his exit. But not before he called back to say, “I’ll keep an eye on it.”

He left with May leaning against the exit’s frame, arms crossed and downtrodden expression refusing to look up, look to the light. Look for hope. Even as the literal beacon stepped forward to her and paused, allowing May to take the necessary steps to rise up and meet his eyes. And she saw Steve Rogers, the First Avenger asking, “How’s Daisy holding up?”

May shook her head. “She won’t even come out of the Helicarrier.”

“Shuri?”

“Still mourning,” she responded. “Says she wants to leave soon. Go and rebuild what’s left.”

Steve looked away. “I don’t doubt her.”

A troubling sense of understanding filled Steve’s wounded heart. Of course Shuri would wish to return back to Wakanda. She still had her people with the Jabari hiding in the mountains, the mass exodus of which her brother and mother ordered after hearing word of the invasion soon to befall Wakanda. Since recent events, after learning what happened to T’Challa, the whole weight of Wakanda rested on her shoulders. Steve prayed for her.

But right then, his attention was caught elsewhere. Steve looked to Rainbow Dash and Rarity, the only two mares present in the entire facility just… sitting together near the couches and chairs and a lone coffee table. Not a word from them, no form of life other than the flicks of their ears, the sniffling of their noses, the blinks of their eyes as they both gazed to the same object lying on the heart of the coffee table. Steve looked away when he stared down to the same object, rather not wishing to face the past once again.

“What about Stark?” Steve whispered.

May closed her eyes. “We’ve been trying. Searching… for days and there’s nothing.”

“Thor?”

She shook her head.

More bad news after another. It was as if the haunting reminder of what awaited him when he turned his head, stared back to the holograms, and saw the body count only continue to rise in the thousands every few minutes was not the worst to come. The Avengers were split, morally and physically. Half of their team gone for God knows how long and so many other friends taken during the Snap. They were left to pick up the pieces, so much of it that they were crumbling under the weight. Fallen into the hole and not even given a shovel.

And for once in his life, Steve didn’t know if they would be able to crawl out of it.

Rainbow Dash and Rarity stared sadly onto Applejack’s hat, the remains of the Elements of Harmony inside it. Neither mare could think of anything other than home when they saw that.

Equus

Mount Aris

Hippogriffia

2:29 p.m.

They came from around the world.

In droves, matching in airships large and small, numerous and plentiful. Many more simply took to the skies, including the newly-crowned Dragon Lord and what remained of his people. He was an elder dragon, experienced in age and humble in accepting the responsibility that came with wielding the Bloodstone Scepter. There were others, the leaders of the Griffon Kingdom flying with a multitude of royal guards and soldiers accompanying their trail. But they weren’t all there was. Not by a long shot.

Airships from Equestria dotted the skies, joining the massive flying fortresses from the likes of the land of the minotaurs. Steel behemoths resembling ships by sea, the smog from their multiple engines polluting the storm-filled skylines. A powerful horn cried out from the ships, one by one, alerting the Hippogriff Kingdom of the approaching minotaurs. Other airships joined the likes of Equestria’s own, the zebras from their own nation and their leaders gazing to the darkened mountain awaiting them. Flying by, the airships from Abyssinia joined the direction of the wind, the king and queen of the feline people standing upon the deck and watching as Hippogriffia and her people zeroed in. All of them were flying in the same direction, every ship in the sky and every boat in the rising sea swarming and moving slowly towards the same mountain peak. Joining shortly was Pharynx and his remaining changelings, the king of the Changeling Empire meeting the solid stone of Mount Aris and sighing. Regardless, he bowed his head to Sky Beak and met the Hippogriff soldier with a short hug.

Sky Beak was the one to end the hug with the changeling king rather quickly, smiling appreciatively to Pharynx and his people for accepting their invitation nonetheless. He had many more creatures to greet, offering a silent thanks of gratitude to Pharynx before moving on to the king of the griffons, then his queen. With him stood his wife and child, Ocean Flow and Terramar respectively meeting with the royalty alongside Sky Beak. Around Ocean Flow’s neck, a necklace of black pearls hung under her sad smile, beet red eyes joining the likes of Gallus when the young griffon met her claw for a short handshake. Even when he knew they were still in mourning, his eyes were wide and hopeful, looking around for a friend within the family.

Terramar just met Gallus’ wandering expression with a look of grief, the tears in his eyes growing. Terramar looked aside, closing those eyes and unable to open them again. Gallus took that for what it offered, his heart falling again.

Just like back in the Dragons’ Lair.

It didn’t last forever, thankfully. In the corner of his vision, Gallus shifted his tear-filled eyes and spotted something within the crowds of rushing bodies and silent greetings. He saw King Pharynx meeting with the Dragon Lord, a trail of changeling guards, civilians, and families huddled together behind and beside him. But directly behind him, curled tight as to not draw attention, the young changeling sat with two younger of her own species sitting beside her. Two younger siblings to join Ocellus.

Until her head swiveled slightly back, eyes widening and head perking upwards when she saw him. Gallus mirrored her almost instantly, breaking through the crowds as fast as his wings could beat. Ocellus mirrored him almost instantly. Then they met, Gallus and Ocellus locking one another in a tight, tearful hug. Either one of them could have expelled every pent-up emotion and experience they had been through since they last saw each other, but right then they just wanted to hold each other. Best friends finally reunited.

“Gallus? Ocellus?”

They turned in unison, Gallus and Ocellus losing their breath collectively when they saw Sandbar. Joined by his mother, the two ponies stared to the heart-wrenching sight before them. Sandbar’s mother was dressed in black, the mare already bound to shed more tears as she let her son go and meet his friends. The ones that made it out alive.

Sandbar practically galloped into their awaiting embrace, the Earth pony practically dominating the hug and clutching Gallus within his left foreleg and Ocellus in his right. Gallus forced a chuckle and held him back, Ocellus whimpering and burying her face into Sandbar’s shoulder as she shivered into her best friend’s embrace. The three held onto each other even as so many more races and different species moved on by, congregating towards the heart of the mountain and the center of Hippogriffia.

Eventually, they broke, Sandbar counting his friends and stopping shortly. “Yona?”

The yaks walked by, the three of them searching the crowds for several seconds in silence. Gallus and Ocellus shook their heads.

“Smolder?” Sandbar continued.

Gallus stared at him silently. That was answer enough.

Sandbar closed his eyes, opening only after a deep breath and the unrelenting courage that followed. “… Silverstream?”

Ocellus looked away, a hoof rising to conceal her face and the tears that followed. It wasn’t able to conceal the cries, joining the hundreds of others within Hippogriffia. Soon enough, they got up from the dirt and collected those that held meaning to them, joining the congregation towards the heart of the mountain city. Ocellus gathered her two younger siblings and led them alongside Sandbar and his mother. Gallus followed behind them, Sandbar’s mother noticing the lack of family the young griffon walked with, stood with when they finally arrived and joined the hundreds of others. Her face broke, a hoof rising to caress the griffon’s head. Gallus froze at the touch, shivered under it, but accepted it nonetheless. Accepted that silent invitation to a family.

They stood amongst the hundreds of others. Houses built within the very branches of the trees growing out of the mountain held Hippogriffs of all ages, families split in half and missing key members. Adorned on every house, every wall and every tree branch visible, lanterns lighted the darkened shadows of Hippogriffia. Even under the afternoon sun, the storm clouds blocked nearly all forms of natural sunlight, forcing them to take matters into their own claws. Those lanterns were numerous, passed around by several Hippogriffs to whomever held nothing. It took several minutes, but soon enough every dragon, every yak, every griffon, every changeling, every zebra, every minotaur, everygriff and everypony were either holding a lantern or a candle. They brought light to the hovering darkness, faces illuminated within the oranges and yellows. Griffons, dragons, changelings, and Hippogriffs hovered in the air, holding their candles close to heart and every single one of them gazing in the same direction.

Hippogriffia Castle stood tall and within the shadows, illuminated under the glow of the hundreds of lights surrounding it. Upon the balcony, adorned in black pearls and a dress to match, Queen Novo slowly approached the edge. By her sides, Hippogriff Royal Guard stood at attention by her sides. Novo held nothing but a candle in her claw, heavy eyes gazing to the dancing flame.

She had seen too many fires. Recent memory had become horrible memories that plagued her to that very moment. Canterlot was gone, nothing but smoldering remains after they finally arrived to Equestria what felt like a lifetime ago. So many nations and capital cities fell with it. The Dragon Lands burned in the back of her mind, the sun setting on that wretched day as the lands were pockmarked with bodies and dust. Nothing else other than that.

The same dust Novo came home to when she found nothing but it on Skystar’s throne.

“Your Majesty.”

Queen Novo blinked and came back, staring to the wilting flame and turning back to the voice that called to her. Behind the guards, standing at attention was none other than the pony Stygian. Stygian arrived shortly after Princess Twilight decreed it to be so. The last Pillar of Equestria would find his place where it should have been all along, standing beside her through every course of action and whatever should come next. Knowing Princess Twilight would be absent while on Earth, she felt it to be only fair that Stygian helped where it mattered.

He held the sky lantern in his hoof, offering it up to the queen. Upon it was written the name of the princess. The queen’s daughter. Novo smiled sadly, finding some mild form of peace to see Skystar properly off. She plucked the lantern from Stygian’s hoof and sat down, a candle in one claw and the lantern in the other. Novo stared silently to them both, offering a weak nod that none would have seen where they stood below the castle. Only her guards saw it, both Hippogriffs planting their spears into the marble floor twice.

And what followed earned the sighs of pain from the crowds below.

Two banners unfurled from the base of the castle, flowing downwards to reveal the unmistakable sun on the right banner and the unforgettable moon on the left. The revered cutie marks belonging only to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. Several ponies lowered their heads and closed their eyes upon witnessing the marks of their late rulers, holding up the candles high above with shaking hooves. Other species reacted differently.

The Dragon Lord held out his Bloodstone Scepter, pointing it to the castle. To the banners in silence, in honor, in mourning for what he and the rest of his race arrived in Hippogriffia to do. Beneath him, his fellow dragons each held a lantern and had written the names of the ones they lost upon them. They ignited the lanterns with a soft flame within them, breathing softly and spitting the fire so as to bring light to the lanterns. They held up their claws to the sky. The yaks pounded their hooves into the mountain floor, perfectly synchronized and ending in ten consecutive stomps. They held their lanterns high, each one decorated in their own native tongue of those taken away. The griffons followed suit, the king and queen unsheathing their sabers and pointing them to the banners of the Two Sisters. Many other griffon soldiers and guards followed. The civilians, the families, they joined the multitude and held their lanterns above them.

The king and queen of Abyssinia bowed their heads in silence, their feline people awaiting their word while holding the lanterns softly. The changelings did the same, King Pharynx holding his lantern and igniting it. He stared somberly to the name of his brother, Thorax, upon its face. Then he released his to the sky. Every changeling did. The Hippogriffs followed shortly, then, too, did the zebras. The minotaurs. The dragons, yaks, griffons, and finally the ponies. They lit the sky lanterns and let them fly off into the darkened, stormy skies. Their eyes were brimmed with tears, watching as the hundreds of candle lights flew softly into the darkness. The two banners blew delicately in the wind, the ponies of Equestria mourning their princesses with silence and light.

Mount Aris was bright amongst the black seas that surrounded it. The swarm of lanterns flew off into that black, an unknown journey awaiting each and every last one of them. A final resting place soon to be secured for the vanished. For every name.

And after Queen Novo released her lantern, opened her tear-filled eyes once more, she was greeted to every face, every heart, and every voice crying out to her.

“Hail Queen Novo! Ruler of Equestria!”

Chapter 103 – When I Drift Off

103

Space

The Benatar

528 Hours Adrift

The shattered face of the Iron Man mask sat alone upon the Benatar’s metal floor. An alien blue, neon green, a mixture of the two colors blanketed the flooring, the walls, the empty seats and everything in-between in a soft, alluring glow. Beyond the windshield of the spacecraft, the endlessness of space rested ahead. Stars dotted the black canvas in a whirlpool of colors, not just black and white. Blues, violets, reds, greens and even yellows painted the canvas and gave it even more life. The Milky Way Galaxy swirled and stirred, the heart of it like a star shimmering down into the emptiness of the Benatar.

That light fell upon the seemingly abandoned Iron Man mask. It never was. A cold, dry, and shivering palm reached forward, gently caressing the face of the mask like it held a deeper meaning, a connection only man would feel with machine. For Tony Stark, that connection came with a price, the greatest price of all. He had relied so heavily on the suits that they eventually became a part of him, something he could never truly let go of lest he abandon a piece of himself. It was that choice he made that guaranteed a life of torment, of hiding, of refusing to deny and only to further dig deeper. He caressed his mask like it was a part of himself.

Then promptly abandoned even that and pressed down on the side of the mask.

The eyes ignited, Tony Stark sighing and tapping away on the mask’s forehead. “Is this thing on?” he asked, the eyes shortly scanning his person from top to bottom. Constant flickering followed in the unknown gaze of the Mark 50. That was the best he was going to get out of it, Stark imagined.

As for Tony, he sat leaning forward on the Benatar’s cold floor, staring hopelessly into the mask’s eyes and knowing he only had so little time with the recording. Better make it worth it. He leaned back, the black wife-beater frizzled and sweat-stained against his bone-like appearance and glowing Arc Reactor resting over his heart. A grizzled fuzz had grown across his pale, white face, eyes bloodshot and nerves shivering after every syllable. He fought through it.

“Hey Ms. Potts… If you find this recording… don’t feel bad about this.”

For her.

Stark kept up his minimal movement and blood flow, just to gain those extra, precious moments of life still beating in him. He leaned forward and rubbed his face with a shaking palm, sighing, “Never wanted… to leave you the way I did. Never wanted to leave you like this. For what it’s worth, even if this message somehow gets out there… I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry… for everything. For leaving you, my friends, anything I could have called… a family. You probably think of me as that selfish assho… that selfish man I used to be, and you’re right; I still am. I just thought I could change what happened. I thought I could pull off one last trick. I didn’t want you to worry, but I realize now that’s never gonna happen as long as I’m still kicking. Well, you won’t have to worry for much longer. Recollecting…”

Tony shook his head, grinding his teeth together and eventually closing his eyes. For ten years, it had been a constant fight for survival. From beginning to end, Tony Stark now realized the full weight of his failure. A world he could have protected only ended up suffering in one of the worst ways imaginable. Not only home, but Equus and every life with it. All he wanted to do was keep the Avengers as a team, protect his world… and the ones he loved. Sitting on the brink of collapse, Tony knew exactly… what it was like to lose. He carried that pain.

Not much longer it seemed. When he opened his eyes, Stark stared deep into the eyes of the Mark 50. He sighed through bated, shivering breaths, exclaiming, “God, it seems like a thousand years ago. I fought my way out of that cave… became Iron Man… realized I loved you. Hell of a journey we’ve been on together. Yeah, you know what they say…”

Tony leaned back, sighed painfully with his back against the cold, metal surface of the Benatar.

“Part of the journey is the end,” he mused, somehow finding comfort in that dreaded revelation. “You know, being adrift in space for… twenty-two days now is a lot more fun than it sounds. Food and water ran out… four days ago… oxygen will run out tomorrow morning… and that’ll be it. It wasn’t all bad, though. Got to finally meet Smurfette… sorry, ‘Nebula’. Oh, she’s great, you’d love her. Once you get passed the whole… ‘want to kill you with a sideways glance’ demeanor she’s actually really sweet… gave Twi and me the last bit of food.”

Upon the utterance of that name, a slight limp was heard within the bridge of the Benatar. Tony never heard it, nor did he pay attention to the life appearing on his far left, just out of his vision. When Twilight Sparkle stepped forward, she stopped just barely out of the shadows, listening intently but refusing to interrupt Tony when he was in the middle of his recording. She looked utterly distraught, but mostly tired and weakened. Her rib cage was visibly evident on the sides of her chest, a disorganized and frazzled mane and tail hanging limply from her person. Her coat was unkempt, pale and poor to match the lifeless expression on the Alicorn. Even her wings were barely knitted together on her sides, almost drooping, but still hanging on. Still holding onto that life.

Her vein-filled eyes stared from the shadows, silent breaths falling even more silent as to catch every word Stark said.

Tony breathed in sharply, resting a palm over his weary gaze. “God… Twilight. If you’d known her, you’d see she’s just as stubborn as me. Wouldn’t let me leave the facility without her; thinks she’s my guardian angel or something. Could you imagine that? I really wish… you could’ve met her. I’m sure you two would’ve hit it off. Or she would just annoy the hell out of you like she does me.”

Twilight’s ears fell, a downtrodden expression filling her face and eyes. She lowered her head and eventually felt that weakness continue to push her down… only to halt momentarily when Tony spoke again. Her ears perked upwards.

“Only… I don’t mean that,” Tony said with a soft shake of his head. “If I was able to find some solace in these final moments, I’m glad it was with her. Tell her friends I’m sorry… for not bringing her back home. Tell everyone I’m sorry… for not coming back. For not coming back to you.”

It was that statement alone that made Twilight sniffle, a boiling sensation filling her eyes and leaking out what little moisture was left in her body. Not many tears left to cry, not much fight left to live. Twilight Sparkle took another step forward, her face unveiled from the shadows and showing that loss of life, showing the skin sagging inwards and revealing the bone. She paused, watched as Stark fared no better than her and leaned forward to his mask.

He tapped on its face. Said…

“When I drift off, I will dream about you… It’s always you.”

And with that, he turned off the recording, the final sounds of the Iron Man mask fizzling into silence. Then nothing. Tony Stark caressed the face of his mask with a thumb, that alone being his final will before he fell back onto the cold surface of the Benatar’s walls. He breathed so very heavily, as if believing the next intake would be his last, knowing that with given time… it would be.

Time was short and he gave his heart where it belonged, back to Pepper. All he could really do was pray the message got out, or someone else found it and somehow had the goodwill to deliver it properly. A fading hope, but one Tony could dream about alongside her. His chest rose and fell in a chorus of inhales and exhales, even that beginning to drift off as his eyes flickered to a close.

Then promptly shot back open when he heard those soft trots to his left.

He turned in that direction, wanting to smile but not even having the strength for that when he saw her approach him. Twilight Sparkle walked with a visible limp, the wound on her hind leg still recovering as far as he could recall. She looked just as “great” as him, bone-dry and bone showing without the proper necessities to keep them afloat. Stark was surprised to at least see her walk. He had given that up about a day ago.

Settling herself down with a visible struggle, Twilight released that growing discomfort when she took a seat right next to Tony’s left. The pain in her leg continued to throb, Twilight wishing to release it but not having the strength to concoct a pain-killer spell. Any attempt to concept a spell of any kind—in her condition especially—resulted in nothing but dying sparks flaking off into nonexistence. They ran out of medicine a week prior, so that definitely didn’t help, either.

Instead, she faced forward and stared at the broken Iron Man mask, knowing Tony’s eyes were on her but being completely unable to find the right words. Her mind was going, as was many things. Finally, it was Tony who asked, “How long were you listening in?”

Twilight’s jaw hung open as she breathed heavily and stared onto the broken mask, almost expecting it to respond. She eventually closed her mouth and shook her head. “Enough.”

“I hope it was worth it,” Tony pointed out, weakly lifting his hand and slicing at the minimal air, “because I am not saying that again.”

A weak chuckle from her end. Barely even a smile before they both faded away. Twilight’s bloodshot eyes lifted high above, to the ceiling that had entrapped her for weeks on end. That same lifeless expression returned to the Alicorn, an arising sense of dread filling her before Twilight forced herself to imagine otherwise.

She even forced herself to hold onto that hope, force herself to say, “Tony, you know you can’t give up hope. There’s always a chance.”

A sharp inhale from his end, Twilight barely even looking over to gaze to him. “We took that chance already, Twi. This,” Tony said, lifting his arms and letting them fall just as hard against his legs. “This was our last chance. Unless you can… find the coordinates to Earth, power up this thing, and get us back home before tomorrow morning…”

Both of them knew the grim fate that awaited them the next morning. There was no rising sun in space, but the hours alone resembled that awakening and dawning of the day and night. Their hours slowly ticked away and every second felt like a punch that took some semblance of breath with it. That terrifying realization filled Twilight once again. Usually the optimist and always finding a way out of immanent disaster, Twilight Sparkle finally realized the severity and hopelessness of their situation. No time for hope, for optimism. Not now. Not ever again. There was no rainbow blast to get her out of her situation. There was no magic of friendship to make all the bad things go away.

All there was… was her, Tony Stark, a ship dead in the water, and time.

They had fought hard, pushed their conjoined minds to the limit of their personal expertise, and still came up short. Just short of the Milky Way Galaxy. Stark had given in long ago. Twilight still believed to the bitter end… until it became apparent what fate ultimately led to. And when Twilight finally accepted that, she was terrified. It barely showed on her facial expression, but it was clear in her eyes. Her vein-filled, bloodshot eyes.

“There was never a doubt in my mind we could do this,” Twilight whispered shakily, gulping rather softly and tasting nothing. Not even saliva. Every last bit of moisture in her body went to the tears, the Alicorn weakly crying and fighting harder… knowing it was worthless. She tilted her head to the ceiling and shut her eyes tight, teeth clenched as those tears flowed down the sides of her face. “I just wanted to believe again.”

Without even a moment’s hesitation, Tony lifted up his left arm and draped it across Twilight’s withers. He weakly pulled her towards him and knew he wouldn’t be able to do more than that. He was relieved to see her curl up by his side, head resting against his shoulder, pushing forward and allowing Stark to hold her. That was exactly what he did, cradling the Alicorn on the floor of the Benatar as she rested her face against his chest, against the dying light of the Arc Reactor. Facing the dying of the light in the endless canvas before them.

Her cries were concealed, every last drop of tears vanishing as she fell fully into Tony’s embrace and felt his arms wrapped around her. Her face glowed against the light of the universe shining down upon them. It glowed against the Arc Reactor. “We should have never left,” Twilight whispered, head resting on his chest.

Tony could only nod, his head eventually falling in the same direction she faced. “Yeah.”

They stared out the Benatar’s windshield and watched the galaxy turn, felt each other’s heartbeats, their breaths. Waited together.

Waited to die.

Weeks Earlier

Earth

The Nation of Wakanda

9:35 a.m.

A short circuit and the crumbling of the outer armor later, the walls of the Milano fell inward to reveal Rocket Raccoon standing on the other side.

He wasn’t alone. With him stood and walked Groot and Nebula, the remaining Guardians of the Galaxy entering into the darkness that was their ship at one point. The inside was but the barren and torn remains of what the spacecraft once was. Limp wires hung from the ceiling, the shattered windshield spreading broken glass alongside the strewn seats. The ship was tilted slightly against the earth, forcing Rocket, Groot, and Nebula to pursue the ship cautiously, watching step after step.

Rocket paused by his seat, the torn chair lying with blaster and claw marks ripped into it. Memories flooded almost instantly, the Battle of Wakanda taking one of the hardest tolls on the raccoon. Other memories persisted, clear ones of him and Quill trying to fight over who would drive the Milano. Quill was always an idiot. Rocket could still see his excited smile as he got them out of meteor shower slightly unscathed. He laid his paw on the worn leather, sighing through his whiskers and digging into his knapsack. He pulled out three repair tools and spun slowly around, holding them out to the taller figures standing behind him.

“Just point the pointy end to anything that looks broken and pull the trigger,” Rocket explained, watching as Groot toyed with the repair tool curiously, Nebula simply staring at it, heaviness in her robotic eyes. Her eyes shot up when Rocket declared, “Chop, chop! We don’t got all day.”

“What will you do, fox?” Nebula asked, lowering the repair tool but continuing to grip it.

Rocket was already hard at work, spraying a fresh coat of circuitry, metal, and armor onto the damaged surfaces of the Milano. Even onto the seats. Everything was instantly repaired where he pointed the tool, the Guardian hardly looking back as he mumbled, “Just try to finish up here. Go work somewhere else. And Groot, don’t try and point it in your face. It doesn’t taste good.”

“I am Groot.”

“Of course I’ve tried it. It tastes like ass.”

Whatever their conversation devolved into, Nebula had no idea nor did not care as she stumbled off elsewhere into the Milano. With the repair tool in hand, she stopped and stared straight up into the ceiling, pointing it upwards and spraying a helping of the unknown gas-like substance onto anything worth repairing. That was all she did for minutes on end, eventually turning into hours as she continuously searched up and down the ship for damages. There was a lot of them.

A lot of time to think.

The worst had come and gone. What might as well have been the end of days only started another tomorrow, a new beginning for her and the very people she could have considered friends. Maybe even family. Maybe not. Nebula didn’t know nor didn’t even dare to consider the possibilities. The only family she had left were either dead or gone, the sister taken out of her own control and the father vanished after having achieved his goal. Since that wretched day just mere days prior, all they could really do as a means to recover was come together, gather themselves, and pick up what they had left. By the looks of the Milano, it wasn’t much. Still, progress was being made with her repair tool.

Out of all the trials in her lifetime, Nebula had known no greater pain than to deny her father his wishes. Even then, when she stood against him from acquiring his destiny and taking the Soul Stone for himself, that pain she experienced was nothing compared to what followed. For even if she considered Gamora an enemy at one point in her past, recent memory saw her as a friend. A sister. She didn’t deserve the death at the hands of their father. A meaningless death. Another soul taken in Thanos’ ultimate conquest and achievement.

Nebula nearly dropped her repair tool, trying so very hard to maintain her breathing patterns. Her robotic lungs functioned only to what was allowed, never to consider the flaming emotions burning in the Luphomoid right then and there. Her tear ducts were removed long ago as to prevent that showing of pain, of weakness. Just the thought of her sister taken from her, especially after what they had formed… it forced an unknown sensation into her. Pain, surely, but something else entirely. Real, raw emotion flooded the pain, filling it with the alien sensation of loss.

So much of it. Nebula actually fell down from that weight, sitting down on a repaired bench and clutching the side of her metallic head, trying so hard to cry and release that pent-up pain in the quietest way possible. For her, for someone so broken, that was impossible.

“Hey!” Rocket called out, Nebula turning her eyes over to the right to see the raccoon standing in the Milano’s hallway. “You finished in here? We’re ready to test her out!”

Her only response was a weak nod.

Following Rocket back into the bridge and pilot’s cabin, she observed a clean finish of what was once a demolished wreckage of what once was. The windshield was fixed and without a scratch, still embedded into the earth and tilted sideways, but that could be fixed. With just a few flicks of the switches, a couple more buttons pressed, and the throttled pushed into action, the Milano groaned to life and began to rise from the dirt. Nebula quickly ran to the nearest seat and buckled herself in, turning to see Groot smile her way and offer an off-putting thumbs-up.

Probably because he was happy their ship was airborne once again.

It took some fighting—and even more swearing—for Rocket to get his full grip around the controls and pilot the freshly-repaired Milano, but sooner rather than later, it was a success. They were traveling faster than any jet could ever achieve in the sky, flying clear across the barren and dead landscapes on the outskirts of Wakanda. The storm clouds were beginning to gather, painting the approaching skylines into a sickly gray.

That didn’t seem to deter Rocket in the slightest, the raccoon calling back to Nebula and Groot, “New ship, new name! I think I’ll call her the… Benatar! Bit of ring to it! What do you think?”

Groot agreed with several solid nods and his typical response. Nebula was silent.

As they flew over the dead landscapes, Nebula could only gaze to the massive, rotting skeleton of Typhon—of Set—lying amongst the body-filled graveyard surrounding what remained of Mount Bashenga.

Chapter 104 – So Say We All

104

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

8:04 a.m.

A fresh falling of morning rain pelted the Benatar as it descended to the landing pad just outside the New Avengers Facility. Stepping outside to the dew infecting the air with its smell, the three Guardians of the Galaxy proceeded forth to the facility’s grounds. Rocket led the trio, followed closely by Groot and Nebula hanging behind.

Her eyes danced upwards, spotting the massive S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier hanging just over the facility. Once they stepped under its shadow, the rainfall no longer impacted them. They walked upon dry grass and concrete every last step of the way through the front doors of the New Avengers Facility. In the corner of her vision, Nebula could see S.H.I.E.L.D.’s own Zephyr One resting on an opposite landing pad, drenched in rainwater and seemingly having been resting there for quite some time. It appeared they had guests awaiting them.

Further onwards onto the grass and away from any form of basic structure, a lone grave was oddly erected against the earth. Nebula instantly turned away, shutting her eyes and refusing to let anymore painful memories resurface. She did not need to focus on the pain of the past and only needed to look towards what tomorrow could bring.

It hurt either way to stare onto her sister’s grave, where Nebula buried her. She faced only towards the facility’s doors, following what was left of her team inside.

Upon instant entrance to the New Avengers Facility, things were already a heaping mess of constant movement and chatter. The main living room was filled with waning bodies simply recovering from their own wounds or trapped in a perpetual state of silence or shock. All of the above. Many chose their seats in the various chairs or couches strewn about. Their names were Matthew Murdock, Frank Castle, Thor Odinson, Bruce Banner, Shuri, Davis, Piper, a cluster more of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and the ponies.

Murdock and Castle were situated in the far corner of the living room, both men resting in silence, in mourning as they gazed nowhere and felt only the world crushing them further and further down. Thor was secluded from the rest of the various groups in the living room, finding his solitude within his own troubled mind as he constantly held his own hands, clenching and flexing the muscles again and again until he started to feel sick. He felt the nauseous feeling of defeat strangle him and remind the God of Thunder what he lost, what he could have prevented, and what he planned to do about it. His remaining eye flicked back and forth across the floor, stared to his own scratched palms, and finally returned upwards to stare at nothing. No one.

Banner was currently adjusting to his own damaged mind. He didn’t remember much from the Battle of the Dragons’ Lair, but all that he could really recall was waking up in the middle of the burning landscapes, surrounded by nothing and no one. It was only until Wong came back for him did he inform Banner what had happened, what Thanos had done, and how they failed to stop him. Bruce felt the weight of those words crash over him harder than the Hulk had fallen, the green demon remaining surprisingly silent for the past couple of days. Bruce sat beside Shuri, rubbing a palm through his weary eyes as the young Wakandan princess stared only to the vibranium necklace she toyed with between her hands. She stared somberly at it, seeing only the desolation of her home country and the flames licking the edges of the Wakandan nation, forever burned into her mind.

Piper and Davis sat side by side on the same couch, Davis having recently received the news of the fate of his family. His wife and child… both gone… like the billions of others worldwide. On his right, Piper slowly lowered her hand into his own, intertwining her fingers to lace with his. A fellow agent, a fellow soldier, and a comforting friend with him through every storm they faced. Their fellow agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. felt just as worse, nearly all of them stumbling about through the living room and calling away on their cellphones, trying to reach loved ones and learning everything they could. Learning if they lost anyone.

Twilight Sparkle sat with her closest friends, those that were seemingly spared of the cruelty that fate had brought upon them, their worlds, and the universe itself. Sitting with the Alicorn princess were Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Sunset Shimmer, and Starlight Glimmer on the bundle of couches. Fizzlepop Berrytwist—more respectfully known as Tempest Shadow—sat on the couch she alone occupied, her eyes widened and breaths hardened as she stared only to the floor, to her armor-plated hooves, and tried desperately to understand what she saw in the aftermath of the battle. It all played through on repeat within her head. The falling of her airship, gazing forth onto the deck only to see not a single life, save for Captain Celaeno’s. Then she vanished in a gust of ash. It didn’t take long for Tempest to be informed from Twilight what had actually happened, why so many ponies, humans, and creatures alike had suddenly vanished.

Even Twilight struggled to explain it. Even then, she appeared just as utterly shaken and broken down while resting on the couch alongside her friends. A box of tissues, some medicine and other supplies, bottled waters, food, and other necessities lied against the coffee table, yet hardly anypony took of its splendor. A few tissues to dab at the eyes and get rid of the unnecessary tears that plagued them still, but so little more other than that. Sunset, Starlight, Rarity, and Twilight especially appeared to be the most affected by recent events, all of their eyes seemingly bloodshot from the tears they couldn’t offer anymore. Rainbow Dash was shaken, truly, but she didn’t show it well. She remained strong alongside Tempest, but that didn’t mean either mare hadn’t changed since…

Since the Snap.

Maud and Derpy wanted to go home after the battle, Maud to find and inform her family of what happened to Pinkie Pie… and Derpy to find her own friends and family back at the Castle of the Two Sisters. They had not heard back from either mare since.

Other than the ones mourning, there were a select few who refused to fall down, who refused to rest and took every precious moment they had left to be alive to compose themselves. After having taken the greatest weight and bearing it on their shoulders, experiencing the worst loss any of them ever had, they pulled each other out of the grime and back onto their feet to assess the full scale of the damage.

Those select few were Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, James Rhodes, Wong, Friday, Alphonso Mackenzie, and Melinda May. They were situated in another section of the living room, practically transformed overnight into a strategic War Room. They surrounded a large, open table, Steve Rogers leaning forward and placing his empty palms on its flat surface. Cuts and bruises painted his face, his thick beard still hardened like the raw determination glowing in his eyes. A lone hologram of planet Earth sat directly in the heart of the table, Steve staring intensely into it.

Yet he was not satisfied. “Friday, see if you can get a lock with the satellites,” Steve ordered. “We need all eyes on Earth and Equus.”

“Aye, Captain,” the Mark 45 Iron Man armor responded in her soft, Irish accent. The AI’s eyes ignited into a brilliant blue, a metallic palm rising up to press firmly against the side of her head’s armor plating. “Designation H.O.M.E.R., acquire connection with your personal satellite then I’ll clock in right with you.”

Fused as the facility’s leading AI, Homer responded, yet his voice could be easily heard within the visible hologram that everyone could see. “Yes, ma’am.”

A flurry of lights shot over the hologram of planet Earth, satellite to satellite connection slowly being established worldwide as Homer dug in to acquire every insight they needed. “This might take a while,” Friday sighed.

Evident of that, Steve nodded and leaned away from the hologram, still staring intently into it all the same. He shot his eyes over to Natasha and James, both of them visibly concerned with the slow progress they were making. It was progress, certainly, but it would only reveal their worst nightmares sooner or later. Natasha’s pale white skin and light blonde hair shivered as the Black Widow gazed into the hologram of planet Equus emerging. Rhodes kept his arms crossed and head on a slow shake as the image kept getting clearer and clearer. Mack and May stood beside the sorcerer Wong, none of them feeling particularly comforted to get that clear image of both worlds. With those images, data began to flow, collecting information and the death toll from around the globe, Earth first of all. They all glared with a fiery intensity, bated breaths waiting. The inevitable was soon to be upon them.

The sound of the faucet running broke Steve out of his thoughts and turned them instead to the clear opposite of the room. To the man leaning clear over the sink and washing his hands of the ash still somehow attached to it. “Tony?” Steve said, letting his voice travel in that silence.

The heat from the sink rose up in vapors, but for Tony Stark he didn’t feel a thing. He washed his hands clean of whatever form of grime or sickness managed to stick to his skin. When that was over with, Tony turned the dial and doused his face with a handful of cold tap water. His palms gripped the edges of the sink and countertop, hands and limbs shivering uncontrollably. Even when he looked into the sink, with his eyes blurred from both the water and the tears, all he could see was that same grime flow away. That same dirt and dust that plagued him still. The same ash…

He stumbled awkwardly back, almost tripping over himself had it not been for James catching him. “Easy there, Tony!” Rhodes told him fiercely, worried gaze watching his best friend practically collapse over himself.

Suddenly, as the holograms fizzled and flowed, Tony Stark became the center of attention. Everyone turned his way, from Wong, Melinda, Mack, Natasha, and finally Steve. Friday kept her attention solely to maintaining connection with the hologram and the various satellites Homer was plugging her into, unable to perceive her creator’s near-breakdown.

“I’m good,” Tony whispered, straining against James. “Rhodey, I’m fine.”

“You sure?” James whispered.

Tony nodded his head rapidly. “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah… just… give me a sec.”

That second evolved into nearly a full minute, the group watching as Tony proceeded about the room while cautiously laying his hands back on the countertop, slowly crushing both of them into fists to mask his growing unease. His heavy breaths were also a dead giveaway to his distress. Despite that, some were unmoved, though Natasha could hardly hide her concern for Tony’s well-being.

“Tony, we could use your help over here,” Natasha told him. She refused to meet his gaze only momentarily, lifting her eyes only after Tony turned away from her, proceeding forth towards the hallway to make his hasty escape.

All Tony said was, “You got it under control.”

“Tony—” Steve began.

“You do not seem to understand—” Wong followed up, taking that step towards Stark.

Tony suddenly wheeled around, causing Wong to stop dead in his tracks and the room to turn deathly silent. “Maybe you don’t understand,” Tony hissed through gritted teeth. That anger seemed to rise only momentarily before quickly being killed, leaving just the fuming remains of what once was. In that, there wasn’t much strength left. “I lost the kid, Wong. I lost him. Could’ve been me, should’ve been… but it was him. And here we are…”

He walked over to the same countertop he leaned against prior. Once near the dishes, Tony threw a metal bowl across the furthest countertop. “Stuck… and trapped while the rest of the world suffers! You know what I’ve been thinking this whole time while you all were… gallivanting to God knows where doing God knows what… I was thinking how we lost.”

Tony was unhinged, turning towards the people he might have called a team a couple days ago.

“How is it… that we could’ve lost… when we were all there, when we had Thanos exactly where we wanted him? Two more minutes… that’s all we needed was two more minutes, all of us together, and we could’ve gotten it. But instead… your high-and-mighty friend the Sorcerer Supreme decided otherwise. He decided to completely ignore what we all agreed on… what he orchestrated… just to screw us over in the end.”

“Stephen Strange was many things, but a fool wasn’t one of them,” Wong argued.

Tony shook his head and scoffed. “Yeah, how do you know?”

Wong paused once again, thinking over his words and carefully selecting them. The eyes of the room were on him and he needed to make himself absolutely clear, knowing he was absolutely certain. He said, “Before the Time Stone was taken, he… informed me and the other sorcerers that he looked forward in time to see all the possible outcomes. Whether we win or lose… he saw it all through the power of the Time Stone.”

“Well, we lost, all of us,” Steve said, everyone still somewhat caught on Wong’s revelation alone. “Did he mention that?”

Wong nodded. “Just one possibility…” he said, turning back to Steve and his fellow Avengers, “out of the fourteen million he saw.”

Natasha leaned back from the table she stood against, lips parted and eyes widened, neither willing to close fully. James caught his breath, mind basically reeling on the sheer possibility of fourteen million outcomes on whether they win or lose. Mack and May looked to one another, Melinda finding the courage to take a step forward.

“Did he say if we won?” she asked.

Wong shook his head. “He couldn’t see that. But whatever he did back in the Dragon Lands… it was for a reason.”

More grave news to add to the pile. As if knowing there were fourteen million possibilities to how everything was going to end wasn’t bad enough, Doctor Strange just threw away quite possibly their only chance to have won when he refused to let any of the Avengers fight alongside the ponies back on Earth. Just for that decision alone, half of the universe was gone. Dead. They lost. Just one possibility out of the fourteen million.

Before another word could be uttered, Wong opened a portal near the exit.

“Now where are you going?” Mack asked.

Stepping inside the swirling orange sparks, Wong turned back after witnessing the destruction within the Sanctum Sanctorum. He nodded their way, saying, “The Sanctum remains unguarded. I have already been away for far too long. I must gather the remaining sorcerers… and help rebuild. If you need help from the Masters of the Mystic Arts, you know where to find us.”

With that, he waved out his hands and cut off the portal. As the portal vanished, Daisy Johnson and Robbie Reyes stepped out of the hallway and emerged by the entrance to the living room, approaching Mack and May. Daisy met them both for a hug, more so gripping onto May with as much strength as she could muster. She was thankful, to say the least, to see that May made it out alive.

On the other hand, Reyes approached Mack only. No signs of good greetings and not even a smile. All he demanded to know was where his little brother was. He explained, through harsh and vivid description, of having searched the Helicarrier inside and out and there was still nothing. No one. When he finally learned of the truth, when Mack finally told Robbie about Gabe Reyes’ fate, it was the same moment Daisy learned of Phil’s.

Melinda told her through a soft whisper, but it came out like a shout and a punch directly into Daisy’s chest and right through her heart. She forcefully had to take a step backwards, reach out and grab onto the nearest object to prevent herself from collapsing. The only thing that grabbed onto her was Steve Rogers, the First Avenger catching Daisy before her legs eventually gave out on her. Then her strength. Then her face contorted into several levels of unhinged pain and sorrow, a terrible cry leaving Daisy as she clutched onto Steve’s arm. He held her close, watching as the young woman fell into his embrace and wailed helplessly into his chest. As Daisy cried within his arms, all Steve could do was comfort her, having already done his fair share of crying after hearing of Phil Coulson. Natasha, as well, gazing onto the heart-wrenching scene with eyes burning.

It didn’t get any easier the second time around.

Robbie, on the other hand, was infuriated. He pointed a shivering and accusing finger directly towards Mack, saying that Phil promised to keep Gabe safe. Mack retorted by saying that Phil was dead. They never could have seen it coming and there was nothing they could have done to stop it. Robbie could have done worse. He could have done far worse to Mack, May, the Avengers, and even the entire facility had he let that anger fully burn. Maybe he should have. Maybe the Spirit wanted too much from him. Instead, he walked away deeper into the facility, stormed quickly past the ponies and into one of the darkened hallways.

He created a large enough scene to earn the ponies’ attention, but only for a moment. It didn’t take long for each of the mares to fall back into that silent pit of despair they were slowly fighting their way out of. They came up short either way, that unnerving silence plaguing them and keeping the living room as dead as a graveyard. Perhaps that was being too generous.

In that breaking of the silence, it was Rainbow Dash to utter the first words shared amongst the mares. She leaned back against the couch cushions, shaking her head and muttering, “Always thought we could come out on top.”

They were in their own little world, separated from the minimal conversations shared by the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, the remaining Avengers, and even the few Guardians of the Galaxy that entered and situated themselves amongst the masses. Just the utterance of Rainbow Dash’s words was enough to spark a conversation among them, though one that didn’t start off in a clear direction. It found its path when Rarity sighed, shutting her eyes and looking away shamefully.

Rarity said, “I should have told you all… from the very beginning.”

Obviously referring to her visions as of recent memory, that was all they became: memory. Rarity had not experienced another flash or episode following the Snap, convincing her remaining friends that whatever happened… seemed to finally reach its conclusion. The visions had warned her for several years prior and only then did they become fulfilled. Only then did Rarity—at their very last moments before oblivion—reveal to her friends the grim fate that awaited them. And even after she warned them, even when they shared the same cursed knowledge she held, it happened anyway. Rarity lost her friends, her allies, even… Sweetie Belle.

That wretched thought alone cut a knife deeper into Rarity’s heart, the unicorn’s fate contorting into an all new degree of suffering as a painful tear slipped down her cheek. As for Twilight Sparkle, as for somepony who know what it was like to suffer just as worse if not more so than Rarity or any of her friends, all she could offer was a sigh before weakly turning over to Rarity on her far left.

“It’s not your fault, Rarity,” Twilight told her, trying to sound strong but sounding utterly changed. Utterly damaged.

“Then whose is it?” Rarity asked, sniffling and rubbing a foreleg across her snout.

“No one’s,” Twilight responded, trying to lift her tearful gaze from the floor. She only ended up closing her eyes in the end, sighing through stuffy nostrils. “Just… no one’s. We lost, simple as that. We fought… we tried our hardest… but in the end we came up short. There’s no pushing any blame to any of our friends. We lost together.”

Twilight opened her eyes, saw the specks of ash still painted on her hooves. Her eyelids shivered, boiling tears threatening to fall before she eventually closed them again. “That’s all that matters.”

Further on Twilight’s left, sitting between Rarity and Starlight, Sunset Shimmer just shook her head. “There’s always gotta be something else that matters, Twilight,” she called out, voice straining against the pain that consumed it still.

“Like what?” Twilight retorted, her voice cracking and a fresh helping of tears beginning to flow down her face. She turned accusingly to Sunset, eyes hurt and face even more so. “Family? You still have yours, but I lost… all of that. Thanos killed our friends, half of all life in the entire universe, and he got away with it. We don’t even know where he is. We come together… we rebuild… and all of it wouldn’t matter when we know that Thanos is still out there, knowing he could do it all over again.”

On Sunset’s left, the weary and wounded Starlight Glimmer leaned forward, joining Sunset’s hardened and determined stare when she said it. “Then we face him together again.”

Twilight, unfortunately, wasn’t moved. “Then we’ll lose together again.”

Tempest Shadow raised her eyes, her jagged, rose-colored mane softly flowing to her actions. Seeing Princess Twilight and her friends continuously losing that precious hope hardly made Tempest feel any better. It only reminded her of her own failure. After every battle, every victory, nearly losing everything during the Chitauri invasion, and finally gaining those much-needed allies to a scale she could have never imagined, all that was left was Tempest trying to imagine losing nearly all of it again. From the Hippogriffs, to the dragons, to the griffons, the changelings, Captain Celaeno and her crew, the Storm Creatures, and even Grubber…

She didn’t want to imagine it forever, so instead she turned her head around and spotted Thor in the back room, brooding to himself and gazing to nothing. Furrowing her brow at that, Tempest asked aloud, “What’s wrong with him?”

Obviously referring to Thor, Tempest could see as various eyes suddenly turned in her general vicinity. Nearly all the room except—surprisingly enough—Thor turned her way. Eventually, it was Rocket who then said, “Well, he’s pissed. Rightfully so. Lost half his people, his world, his brother… Yeah, a lot of that going around to be honest.”

While Tempest and the remaining mares turned to see Rocket taking a seat next to Groot on one of the various chairs scattered about the living room, Thor took the short moment of recollection he was given once the conversation surrounding him began to dull. He stared once more to his palms, clenching them into shivering fists as spurts of electricity began to crawl across his knuckles and wrists. He held that wrathful power within him, that uncontrollable strength of the God of Thunder just waiting to be unleashed.

Only… Thor had tried that before. Many times, to be exact. And every single time, Thanos had merely swatted him aside, beat him down, or pushed him away like an insignificant worm. Even worse, Thanos had achieved what he intended from the start. Trillions of lives across the cosmos completely wiped away, terror and fear spread out amongst the Nine Realms without a guardian to protect them. His own brother, Loki… taken from him yet again. For good. Despite what the Allfather told him many moons ago, Thor still felt completely and utterly powerless against the Mad Titan. For even if he was stronger than his own father, what did that matter against the power of the very universe itself?

Thor lifted his head, his remaining eye igniting with a fiery torch to lead himself into the dark. Asgard didn’t need an Avenger for the suffering it endured. It needed a king.

And a king needed his weapon.

Without even a moment’s hesitation, Thor instantly shot up from the bench he sat upon and proceeded to the exit of the New Avengers Facility. He strode past the bundle of couches with the six mares resting upon them, walked briskly past the Guardians of the Galaxy and even managed to earn the attention of the rest of the room with the words he said.

“Where are you going?” Rocket asked.

“To kill Thanos.”

It was so abrupt and so clear that no one could have possibly fathomed it for the first few seconds. Once Thor nearly reached the exit doors, that was when the room took action. Rocket took off from his chair and scurried on all fours across the room, calling out to Thor to slow him down. Next followed the ponies, Twilight and Rainbow Dash leading the group of six off the couches and following directly behind Rocket. Groot and Nebula were soon to follow, trailed shortly by Bruce Banner.

“Whoa, whoa, Thor!” Banner cried, reaching his backside and grabbing the god by his shoulder. “W-what do you mean you’re gonna kill Thanos? We don’t even know where he is.”

“Yeah, and if you somehow even manage to find him in the entire universe, what are you gonna do to kill the purple bastard?” Rocket asked, crossing his furry arms. “None of us—not even when we were together—managed to beat him!”

It was as if their words were but more weight to add to his troubles. Growing feverishly dangerous and horrifyingly true. They hadn’t been able to defeat Thanos even with the full weight of Equus’ army and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. What chance did he alone stand against the Mad Titan? Thor contemplated that as he slowly spun around, faced the numerous eyes turned against him and their awaiting, silent breaths.

Finally, he shook his head and began. “I have listened to your troubles, all of your complaints for too many days now. You call your loved ones, your families, your friends, hoping by some slim chance they were spared Thanos’ wrath. All this suffering… this loss… it must not go unanswered.”

If the eyes of the room weren’t on him then… they most certainly were now. Every last Defender, every last Guardian, every last agent, Wakandan, pony, and Avenger turning to the God of Thunder and listening intently, in silence, as Thor continued.

“You know of what I’ve lost, my friends,” Thor stated, his lone eye growing misty. “I saw all these people die. Friends of mine, family even… and your own kin. I have bared the greatest of weights of which this universe dares to throw at me. Yet when Thanos came… When he came, I was not ready. None of us truly were, but when I face the reality of it now… I know that I alone am not strong enough to face Thanos. Even all of us together are not strong enough to equal his wrath. Therefore, I have decided to go on a little quest to… even the odds.”

“What quest?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Thor turned to the rainbow Pegasus, but spoke to all when he said it. “Nidavellir.”

The ponies scrunched their faces at that answer, at that strange word that left Thor's lips. They turned to one another, Twilight especially, hoping she had some form of an answer to that. She didn't. Nopony did.

“Nidavellir is real?” Rocket gasped, hopping onto the nearest countertop to meet Thor at his eye-level. The God of Thunder smirked his way, seeing the giddy optimism from the tiny beast reminding Thor of himself in his youth. “Seriously? I mean, that place is a legend. They make the most powerful, horrific weapons to ever torment the universe! I would very much like to go there, please.”

“The rabbit is correct, and clearly the smartest in this room,” Thor observed, pointing across the entirety of the living room.

Banner shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“You willing to bet on that?” Shuri called from where she sat.

Ignoring them both, Thor turned to Rocket fully and said, “I will need a crew to accompany me on this fine quest. Would you be willing to follow me through the very treacheries of Helheim itself?”

“Free trip for some free weapons?” Rocket mused, responding with a solid nod and a demonic-like smile. “Count me in!”

“I am Groot!”

“Of course youths are welcome to come! All ages permitted to see the glory of a neutron star!” Thor exclaimed with a widened grin, his spirit slowly being lifted to see so many volunteers still willing to fight. Still willing to believe. He stopped just after resting his palm on Groot’s shoulder, eyeing the six mares standing before him with widened, innocent, and awaiting eyes. “How about you, my fine equine friends, will you join me to craft this weapon I speak of?”

“What weapon are we talking about here?”

Suddenly, the entire room shifted at once to turn to Steve and his group. Natasha, Rhodes, Mack, May, Daisy, and Tony followed shortly behind the First Avenger, walking right into the current conversation from the opposite room. It was Stark who posed the question in the first place, eyes slowly shifting back over to Thor to see what his response would be.

Thor responded with bated breaths, stating low and powerful, “The Thanos-killing kind.”

A bold statement for an even bolder god. While Steve would have liked to know more about the “Thanos-killing” weapon prior to the Snap, it nonetheless offered up an interesting opportunity. They could use the weapon to hopefully kill Thanos, perhaps even take the Stones from him and undo everything he had done to the universe. Again, it was an opportunity, a dream more than anything, but it was there. If Thor’s words were true, it was possible.

Furrowing his brow and scrunching his face at that, Tony Stark slowly approached the group consisting of Thor, Groot, and Rocket. He kept his arms crossed tight, the Arc Reactor of the Mark 50 burning bright between the flaps of his jacket. “Well, if you’re going out to space to make this… ‘Thanos-killing weapon’, you might as well track Thanos down in the meantime. Two birds with one stone.”

Rocket grumbled, “Well, we don’t have the greatest tracker in the Benatar, and that’s not even considering where in the entire universe Thanos is hiding.”

“I think I might know.”

The entire room shifted their attention to the cybernetic Luphomoid. Nebula, in her silence, found the opportunity to speak when the pondering thought of her father’s current whereabouts continuously arose. The moment they reached a crossroads was the moment she acted, stepping forth and saying, “For as long as I’ve tried to please my father, I knew that every ounce of pain I experienced would be far more worth it in the end. For if my father ever succeeded in his mission, he told me we would all find proper and eternal rest… in the Garden.”

“Where?” Steve asked.

“I don’t know,” Nebula weakly responded, eyes falling to the floor. “He never told me or Gamora. He… wanted it to be a surprise.”

Tony slapped his palms together. “All right, I’m game.”

“Tony—” Steve was preparing to say.

“They’re gonna need a tracker,” Stark shot back, eyeing Rogers with a rising intensity in his eyes. At first, Steve thought Tony’s intensity arose from their previous argument, but it soon became apparent it went deeper than that. Far deeper, especially when Stark continued. “If this is our last chance to find Thanos, kill him, and undo everything he’s done… then we have to take it.”

Steve tightened his jaw, lowering his eyes and eventually shooting them over to Rocker still standing on the countertop. “I am gonna need another pair of eyes on the navigation system,” Rocket begrudgingly stated.

“I will accompany you,” Nebula added and took another brave step forward. “I will do my best to find the Garden.”

“I’m coming, too.”

Their eyes simultaneously met the pony who said that, a stunning silence filling the group when it was Twilight Sparkle who stepped forth. Even her friends were taken aback by her statement, seeing only the grieving Twilight Sparkle the past couple of days and nothing else than that. To see her take a stand, make that powerful statement, and willfully exchange her safety for a chance… it was definitely needed. Sunset and Starlight slowly smiled. Rainbow and Rarity made no movements. Tempest was indifferent, listening in silence to see what the princess would do next. What choice she would make...

Unfortunately, not everyone felt the same way. “Twi, it’s probably better if you and the girls stay here where it’s safe,” Tony explained to her, hand held out to the mare.

And even more unfortunate for Tony, Twilight shook her head, that stubborn nature he knew quickly making its triumphant return. “There’s no guarantee you can track Thanos with the limited technology you’re given,” Twilight explained, a hoof rising to point to her horn. “I can make a spell that can sense magical pulses, including the Infinity Stones… and eventually the person who holds them.”

“Yeah, but how far-reaching is that spell of yours?” Stark retorted, arms crossed.

“She won’t be able to do it alone,” Sunset interrupted, trotting forward and laying her foreleg across Twilight’s withers. It was a subtle adjustment and statement, but strong enough to indicate where Sunset Shimmer stood, right by her friend’s side. Twilight smiled appreciatively to her, the first real smile in a long time.

Sooner rather than later, it caused a chain reaction, the next pony stepping forth. “You guys seriously aren’t gonna get rid of me that easily,” Starlight chuckled, joining the two mares. Even with her bandaged horn, it didn’t deter her. She eyed both Thor and Tony, nodding with fierce and forced strength. “We’ll help with the spell.”

Recognizing the pattern, seeing only the stronger magic users present and stepping up to the challenge and the journey, Thor counted the horns and saw only two more. One broken and one belonging to… His smile slowly faded, eye softening when he saw her. That gaze alone brought back all of their heads, from Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight to see their fellow unicorn standing awkwardly, gazing fearfully, staring into the unknown.

“Rarity?” Twilight asked, almost promoting her to stand with them. To join them.

Her only response was a weak shake of her head, eyes falling to the floor.

Watching that rising optimism only nearly fall apart urged her to take a stand. Seeing the princess and her friends finally take action after falling into the abyss was respectable. For a moment, she imagined they never would have, but when they finally wished to make a difference—something that encouraged even her to change her ways at one point—that was when Tempest Shadow stepped forward.

And she did, Tempest proudly declaring, “I’ll go.”

That statement alone caught Twilight completely off guard, a slow and appreciative smile finding its way onto her, Sunset, and Starlight’s lips. It was interrupted almost instantly when Thor exclaimed with heightened delight, “Great!”

All the mares instantly shot back to Thor, watching as he made a complete 180 and proceeded forth to the doors, his finger high in the air as he declared boldly, “We ship off now then!”

“Wait, right now?” Twilight gasped. She abandoned her friends’ sides, trotting quickly ahead to catch up with Thor, only to find it to be a hopeless effort. Instead, she called to him, “I-I mean, shouldn’t we set a proper course with a strategy?”

“We’ll do that on the way,” Thor replied. He opened the facility’s exit doors for Rocket, Groot, Nebula, and Stark to pass through. “It’s a long journey.”

Twilight still wasn’t convinced that just up and leaving was the perfect strategy at the moment. Her mind was racked with the possibilities, consequences, and threats of what awaited them in the vast unknown of deep space. She focused on one at a time, speaking loudly, “Well, what about food, water, medicine? We need proper supplies before we can just leave the planet!”

A plethora of tightly packed supplies from the coffee tables hovered directly overhead, each of them encased in a bright red aura. Twilight’s gaze shifted upwards, then turned to her right when Sunset trotted past her. “I got this, Twilight,” Sunset said with a solid smirk, making her way to the exit where Thor was waiting for her. Starlight and Tempest followed closely behind, Shadow passing Twilight with a sideways glance before focusing ahead and making her exit.

It was a start, but something that at least took some of the worry away. “Okay then… leaving the planet,” Twilight whispered with a deep breath following shortly. Her eyes suddenly bugged open, the realization smacking her like a hoof to the face. “Oh, wow, we’re gonna leave the planet. We’re gonna go to space… Okay, I’m fine. Totally fine.”

Watching as Twilight stumbled about with a hoof caressing her forehead wasn’t a comforting sight by any means, and Steve made that absolutely clear when he approached her and asked, “Are you sure about this, Twilight?”

It took a moment, but she eventually calmed herself considerably well. All it took was a hoof pressed to her heart, a deep breath in, and a deep breath out. A method she learned from Princess Cadance so long ago. Yet she didn’t think of its origins too much, knowing the pain that eventually came with it. “Yeah,” Twilight replied, turning to Steve with a confident and assuring smile. “This is our last chance after all… might as well take it.”

It wasn’t much, but it was all Steve was going to get. He accepted it nonetheless, nodding her way before stepping aside to let her pass. Allow her to confront her remaining two friends who hadn’t even considered going into space. “I’ll be back soon, girls,” Twilight said with a firm smile and an even firmer hug to both Rarity and Rainbow Dash. Both ponies replied with weakened hugs in return, eventually breaking away when Twilight slowly made her exit with the others.

“Hey…” Rainbow Dash called. Twilight stopped, then spun her neck around as her mouth fell into an “o” of surprise, of hope. She waited, watched as Rainbow fumbled nervously over her words. Then she smirked, raised a wing and saluted the Princess of Friendship. “Don’t make me come out there and save your flank.”

Twilight replied with a firm smirk in return, saluting with her wing just the same. Then she faced the road ahead and exited the New Avengers Facility.

Not even knowing that Rainbow’s smirk was forced, too.

The entire facility followed the group outside, Steve Rogers leading the caravan and standing beneath the shadow of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier so as to prevent any rain touching them. They watched in a massive cluster of bodies and concerned expressions as the team led by Thor, Rocket, Tony, and Twilight made their way into the repaired Milano’s underbelly, now known as the Benatar as mentioned earlier by Rocket Raccoon.

Sunset carried in the supplies alongside Starlight, Tempest Shadow’s armor-plated hooves stomping onto the metal flooring of the Benatar as the three mares made their way inside and vanished. Nebula and Groot trailed behind them, followed lastly by Rocket and Twilight. Thor took a short moment to call out to his remaining allies, waving their way.

“After we have crafted my weapon and found Thanos, we will return to Earth posthaste!” Thor shouted, smiling with budding confidence towards Steve Rogers. To everyone, he nodded their way, that smile burning with rising determination. “Then we will strike him down together.”

Steve replied with a solid nod in return. Thor took that as he could, returning to the Benatar and making his way inside its bowels. “You might want to get as many allies together as possible, Cap!” Tony followed up shortly. He eyed Steve Rogers, sending a nod to his hardened expression. “Gonna need all the help we can get.”

Steve made no movement to that. He was the last one inside, Stark’s body disappearing as the ramp of the Benatar shut with a firm lock following. With its occupants safely inside, the Benatar lifted off the earth and turned in the appropriate direction: straight up. The engines ignited, spewing a helpful torrent of wind across the grass and the remaining occupants of the New Avengers Facility. Rainbow Dash and Rarity shielded their faces as the wind blew their manes wildly behind their heads, their narrowed eyes turning back to the sky to watch as the Benatar propelled itself directly into the clouds.

It vanished within the storm.

“What other allies do we have?” Natasha asked. Steve just shook his head, staring up alongside all those he had left.

Chapter 105 – She’s a Marvel

105

Space

The Benatar

Earth Upper Atmosphere

“Do you have any clear idea where this… ‘Garden’ is?”

Tony Stark’s question nearly went without an answer. Even as the Benatar broke through the atmosphere and entered into the pitch-blackness of space, it was a question that lingered still. The group enjoyed a few short moments of weightlessness within the zero-gravity environment, Twilight and the ponies especially, before the artificial gravity activated and their feet and hooves touched the floor once more.

And with that stable ground achieved, one of the pilots finally answered Stark. Nebula tapped away on her console from where she sat, occupying Star-Lord’s empty seat and the secondary pilot’s seat. “Most likely where your world calls the Andromeda Galaxy,” Nebula finally answered, readying the Jump Point and tapping repeatedly on her console resting before her chair.

“All right, progress is something,” Tony mused, tapping his fingers against his own seat’s arm rest. Strapped in and secured, Tony counted the seats and spotted only eight, each of them occupied by Rocket to Nebula’s left, Thor sitting in the bottom chair right next to Groot, and Twilight taking the seat on Tony’s left. The extra seats in the back of the cockpit were filled with Starlight and Sunset. Tempest Shadow was the only one of their group to remain on all four hooves, hardened eyes gazing out the windshield and armor-plated hoof resting on Twilight’s chair in order to stabilize herself. Sunset was appearing green from the recent launch, Starlight and Twilight instantly mesmerized by the blank canvas and shimmering diamonds of open space surrounding them.

Tony turned away from the ponies only momentarily, eyes retiring to the front of the ship. “Thor, what about this… whatever the hell you called it? The place where we’re gonna make a new hammer for you?”

“Nidavellir,” Thor corrected, slapping his control console, not really knowing how it worked. He eventually gave up, staring out the same windshield. “We don’t have to make another hammer. Maybe a shield like Rogers, or maybe a sword. I would like a sword…”

“Whatever you need so we can kill Thanos,” Tony replied with a nod, turning away to his far left.

It was there did he witness an event that would forever remain in his memory. It was the event of Twilight Sparkle staring out the windshield and seeing Earth. Not only Earth. In the glare of the sun, Twilight could see her home world resting over Earth’s horizon, the fragments of the two moons drifting aimlessly about the twin worlds. The mere image caught Tony for a second or two, but it was Twilight and the others’ reactions that held him there longer than it should have.

Sunset’s queasy stomach began to calm when Starlight tapped her shoulder and prompted her attention to their left, each mare’s eyes bugging open and jaws falling. Not a single breath shared between them. They leaned forward in their seats as far as their seat belts could allow, joining Princess Twilight in gazing to the pure awe and majesty of the two worlds in near-orbit of each other. There was a considerable distance between Earth and Equus, a slight gap so perfectly aligned so neither planet collided with the other. The perfect distance to lock both worlds in eternal orbit, certainly not a safe orbit by any means… but it was better than collision and total annihilation.

Still, seeing her home world from space was a moment Twilight would remember forever. Not many ponies got to witness the image she, Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest gawked upon. The only other pony that came to mind was Luna, and… well… Twilight didn’t want to think too heavily on the pains of the past. She tried to ignore Luna’s shattered moon and instead stare to vast, blue oceans, the sprawling, green and brown landscapes, and the gorgeous storms and clouds covering Equus’ surface. The shimmer of the sun was caught between the two worlds, the windshield of the Benatar strong enough to shield their eyes from any harmful rays. Allowing them to take every second in.

“First time, huh?” Rocket called, leaning over his seat to stare to the four ponies.

Twilight, face frozen in a state of everlasting awe, blinked rapidly and managed to break away from the sight of her world and Earth. She turned and met Rocket’s eyes, the raccoon somewhat smirking on his end. The other mares continued to gaze out into the beauty of it all.

“In space,” Rocket continued. “You look like you’ve never been to space is what I’m saying.”

Sighing, Twilight adjusted herself in her seat, hooves nervously gripping her seat belt as she turned back to the windshield on her left. “Yeah, I guess you could say that,” she whispered, still loud enough for the entire bridge to hear. “Then again, none of us have ever really… been to space.”

Rocket nodded, able to understand their plight. He offered his concerns to them by stating loudly, “Just don’t throw up on my ship. And don’t forget to hang onto something.”

“Hang onto something?” Tempest repeated softly, her lone hoof quickly tightening onto Twilight’s arm rest.

Nebula zeroed in on her console, both hands gripping the steering handles for the Benatar. With eyes hardened and focused forward, Nebula declared, “Coordinates set. We jump in 3… 2…”

Tempest’s eyes widened when she witnessed the same sight that the rest of the Benatar’s occupants had. She raised her right hoof and joined it with her left, holding an iron grip with Twilight’s chair. Nebula stared out the windshield, eyes reflecting the glinting energy of the wormhole quickly forming before them. The Jump Point was ready.

“… 1.”

Nebula and Rocket gunned it.

As the engines to the Benatar burst forth and sent the ship skyrocketing into the approaching wormhole, every occupant reacted either differently or indifferently. Those like Thor, Groot, Nebula, and Rocket had faced the jump numerous times and it was all mere frequency for them. Others, like Tony, Twilight, Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest were instantly pushed back into their seats, hands and hooves gripping the arm rests and eyes widened to the point of exertion. Tempest did not have that luxury, the unicorn nearly flying back had her grip on Twilight’s seat not been completely solid. She was strong enough to hold her own, and surprisingly hold herself against the vast power of the Jump Point.

They quickly approached what appeared to be a shimmering hexagon amongst a mighty portrait of the same shape. It only grew larger as they slipped instantly within and past it and entered the wormhole. Twilight’s eyes only grew even larger, the flowing lights of red, purple, blue, and orange zooming past her with speeds that were incomprehensible. It ended sooner than any of the mares had thought. The jump was shorted than expected. By the time the wormhole had ended, they passed another hexagonal wall and exited on the other side of… nothing.

Just miles and miles of black, open space, stars dotting the limitless canvas.

“Jump successful,” Nebula stated loudly, bringing forth her console and analyzing the ship’s response to the jump after their recent repairs. “Current status is nominal. We are situated just inside the east quadrant.”

Undoing his seat belt and rising from the chair, Tony apprehensively approached the front of the ship, hanging between Rocket and Nebula as all three of them gazed out into the wild, black yonder. Tony breathed, “Welcome to Andromeda.”

“A whole other galaxy,” Starlight gasped, gazing out alongside the other mares to the universe beyond the windshield to their left and right. The remaining mares each took a moment to release themselves from their seats and take those necessary steps onto the Benatar’s floor. With that freedom, they moved about the cabin and either joined Stark or went off to gaze wondrously to the galaxy beyond. Ripples and waves of alien stardust painted the skies and colored every hue imaginable. Distant galaxies became brighter, more visible from their distance, Twilight already recognizing several galaxies right off the bat from her times stargazing back on Equus. There were constellations they recognized, others completely new and just waiting to be discovered.

“… Wow.”

It was all Starlight could say to keep breathing again.

Twilight turned to Tempest, seeing the look of awe plastered on her once stone-cold face. “Really far from home now, aren’t we?” she said with a smile.

Tempest shut her mouth, shook her head, but refused to look anywhere else but out there. “I’m used to it.”

“All right, Thor, you’re gonna need to be our eyes for this one… or… eye, I should say,” Rocket explained. The raccoon’s sudden intrusion to the minimal conversations sparked a certain interest amongst the mares, each of them turning to the front of the cabin. There, they could see Tony walking over to Rocket’s left, the seat twisting over to face a navigation panel displaying countless star systems and planets across a vast, black map. “Tony and I’ll handle the navigation, so all you have to do is point us in the right direction.”

Just before the real work could even get started, Starlight’s voice rose up, prompting the attention of the cockpit to shift back to her. “How… how are we even gonna know where to go?” Starlight asked. “We’re in space. There’s no one way, up or down, left or right. It’s just… nothing.”

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Thor calmly stated, climbing the stairs from his lower position and ruffling Starlight’s mane with his palm. With a strand of turquoise hanging over her vision, Starlight blushed mildly and blew it out of her eyesight. She and the others watched as Thor snuck in-between Rocket and Stark, pointing to the map laid before them. “Our first stop is Nidavellir. You’re going to want to reach the edges of the ninth quadrant, there we shall find the realm of the World Tree. In its heart, the rings of the Dyson sphere will be visible for hundreds of thousands of miles. The neutron star will keep it bright. It’s impossible to miss.”

“Locked in,” Rocket said, working as Thor talked. Finishing the same time Thor had.

“Got the ninth quadrant on our radar,” Tony observed, nodding to that. “We should probably save our jumps for the trip back home. You girls better settle in for the long-run.”

“How long are we looking for this journey?” Sunset asked.

“A day or two. Maybe longer,” Thor answered, stepping back to make room for Groot stepping past him. He turned to the mares, smiling quickly to them, then returned to the main windshield of the Benatar, gazing out to it alongside Nebula. “Then begins the real journey: finding Thanos.”

“It will be long,” Nebula intruded. “But we will return to Earth.”

With that information settled and stored for safekeeping, Twilight and the remaining ponies with her nodded to it. Then, the undeniable sound of a belly gurgling caught their ears, Thor and Tony and everypony turning to Twilight. “Guess we better start making some lunch then. Getting kind of hungry myself,” Twilight said with a weak blush, softly rubbing her stomach.

“I am Groot.”

Finally noticing the adolescent standing directly behind her, leaning over with a wide smile to the Alicorn, Twilight instinctively took a step back, brow furrowed and expression confused. “Uhhh…” Twilight mumbled, hoof risen, voice trailing away.

“He said he wants to help,” Rocket explained. He didn’t even look away from the map.

With that brief respite of understanding finally achieved, Twilight nodded slowly, returning her eyes to the young Groot and smiling up to him. “Of course you can help, Groot,” she told him, Groot seemingly pleased with that. Twilight turned to the rest of the cabin. “All right, who here wants a sandwich?”

Nearly everyone raised a hand or hoof. Even Nebula, slowly being the last one. “No daisies, please,” Stark called from his face glued to the navigation console.

Nodding to that, Twilight faced the rest of her two friends, Sunset and Starlight. “Okay, girls, let’s get started,” she told them, each mare offering a slick smile in return. Twilight nearly returned that smile, stopping short when her gaze shifted over to the broken horn. “Tempest?”

The former lieutenant of the Storm King’s armada stared only to the vastness of space directly ahead of her. “You go on ahead,” she replied, barely turning her head.

“You don’t want to help us?” Sunset asked, stepping forward and nudging Tempest’s armor-plated ribs with an alluring smile to go with it. “It’ll be fun.”

Unfortunately, Tempest didn’t see the quality of making food with “friends”. The concept of friendship alone was still new to her, the unicorn mainly having been making allies as of late instead of friends. When faced with the opportunity for the calming bonding moments such as preparing lunch with others, she simply didn’t know how to confront it. Instead, she blocked herself and said, “There’s nothing ‘fun’ about making sandwiches. I would rather stay in the cabin and help anyway else I can.”

“You’d be helping us,” Starlight said, smirking the unicorn’s way. It hardly worked a second time.

“I’ll pass,” Tempest argued, her mild mood quickly turning sour the longer the ponies behind her continued to pester. “Besides, we’re going to need eyes everywhere on this journey. There’s no telling what we’ll…”

Her voice instantly stopped dead. She froze right on the spot, head tilting just slightly. A spark of her horn, a gasp in her voice, then nothing more than that. Her eyes were wider than they ever were prior or after the jump.

Brow hardening, Twilight turned from Sunset to Starlight, slowly finding her way back to Tempest Shadow. “What we’ll… what?”

The light from the nearest star slowly vanished. All four mares and Groot turned cautiously to the front windshield, watching that light disintegrate and only a dark shadow overcome the cockpit and the Benatar as a whole. The darkness was so profound that it pried Tony and Rocket’s eyes away from the navigation console, Nebula from steering the ship, and Thor from his own deepened thoughts. All of it soon encased in shadow from above.

All of them soon encased under the shadow of Sanctuary II.

Thor’s eye popped open. “You’ve got to be shitting me.”

Then the chaos struck.

Starships began to bombard them from the underbelly of the massive spaceship, attacking them in waves and waves of incomprehensible numbers. There were not only Chitauri in the assault, but hundreds of Sakaarans flying Necrocrafts. Their green and blue blaster bolts fired across the Benatar’s hull in a volley of light and destruction, impacting the ship and causing it to fumble about amidst the intense pressure. It didn’t take forever for Nebula and Rocket to react, both Guardians ramming down on the controls and sending the Benatar right out of the heart of the enemy fire.

It was simply no use. Despite dodging and weaving and flying in every which direction, the train of starships and Necrocrafts followed close behind, unleashing torrents of blaster fire that mainly missed their target, luckily striking it every few seconds longer the Benatar was chased. In the distance, Sanctuary II gave chase, its menacing, colossal size hovering slowly behind the insignificant ships directly ahead of it.

Within the Benatar, it was nearly if not more chaotic. Ponies were rolling and sliding and falling and tripping over one another as the ship swerved and dodged the blaster fire intended to blow it into the death-filled cold of space. Groot situated his hands onto the nearest console, wrapping his roots tightly around it and keeping himself steady. As for Thor and Stark, the two Avengers tried to find their stability, as well, eventually hanging onto the seats for dear life as the Guardians piloted the ship like madmen.

“They’ve been tracking us!” Nebula screamed after analyzing her console. “Thanos knew we’d try to find him!”

She and Rocket swerved the Benatar in a complete 360 degrees turn, firing off as many rounds of ammunition they could before being forced to face forward and fly off yet again. The damage they inflicted was minimal, but it wiped out three to four Necrocrafts and Chitauri starships in the aftermath. By the time the ship was stabilized, Stark pressed his palms firmly into the metal floor, pushing himself back to his feet and gazing out the windshield to see the army that trailed them. He saw Sanctuary II.

He saw what needed to be done.

“Good!” Tony shouted.

Nebula wheeled on him, turning harshly from where she sat. “How is any of this good?!”

It was just then did she witness it for herself. Everyone, from Groot, Thor, and even the mares could witness it. Tony Stark pulled down on his jacket’s twin straps, tapping not once but twice on his Arc Reactor. In an instant, a swarm of nanobots consumed Stark’s body from his heart, to his toes, and eventually to his head, the mask of the Mark 50 sealing tight and the blue eyes lighting to life.

Iron Man stood up fully, turning back to Nebula and staring into her expression of pure shock. “Just means we’re on the right trail,” he told her, voice audibly lower from the mask.

With Rocket yelling at Nebula to focus on helping him steer, Tony turned over to Thor and helped him to his feet. Noticing the visible change to Stark’s appearance, Thor didn’t have time to admire it when Tony turned back to the two pilots.

“All right, I’m gonna need someone to open the airlock for me,” Stark told them, seeing both Rocket and Nebula’s heads twist around to him, watching as he suddenly faced the God of Thunder once more. “Thor, get you and your band off this ship. There’s gotta be an escape pod somewhere.”

“We got one!” Rocket called back, firing at a Necrocraft and blowing it in a flurry of orange and yellow. “What are you gonna do?!”

The Benatar sustained a powerful blast from above, everyone inside lurching forward and back. Just as the ponies maintained their standing, they were nearly pushed back to the floor before Groot caught them. Giving silent thanks with a few nods—Tempest more so pushing herself away from them—Twilight and the others turned once more to Stark and Thor.

“We’ll keep the fire focused on us!” Tony shouted, his head darting over to the rest of the ship. He saw the bridge diverge into different areas, the signs hanging from the ceiling reading “Drax’s Room”, “Rocket’s Room”, “Quill and Gamora’s Room”, “Bathroom”, and eventually “Escape Pod” in bright red letters. Tony took that with a solid nod, turning back to his team. “Right now, that weapon Thor needs is top priority! Thor!”

“On it!” Thor responded, pushing past the mares and making his way for the appropriate room. “Rabbit, Tree, follow me!”

Rocket strained against the steering controls, screaming as he did so and eventually breaking off and jumping out of his seat. “Nebula, it’s all yours!” he called back, rushing on all fours right behind Thor. Nebula responded by grinding her teeth together, trying desperately to keep them alive.

“So what are we supposed to do?!” Sunset shouted, stepping back to allow Rocket to rush past her. The raccoon paused only for a second, turned to Groot and nodded him along. He then approached the nearest supply container beneath the many control consoles strewn about.

Rocket furiously checked his supplies scattered across the Benatar’s bridge. He eventually pulled out a small, circular device, no bigger than his own paw. He shook his head, cursing with a following bellow, “There’s only one holographic spacesuit left on this ship! Unless you all just want to sit on your asses here, I suggest three of you come with us!”

Sunset, Starlight, Tempest, and Twilight all froze, all took several short seconds to turn to one another. Before any of them knew it, their journey had gone from awe-inspiring to horrible in less than a few minutes. Not only did they have a trail of Thanos’ own army eating away at them slowly, deliberately, but now they had to be separated in order to finish that journey. None of them could comprehend it, and even a couple amongst them were already ready to take that brave step forward, namely Tempest and Sunset. They never could have suspected who spoke out.

“I’ll stay,” Twilight finally said. All their eyes suddenly fell on her, the disbelief mixed with the doubt. Then the pain, filling Sunset and Starlight’s eyes most of all, prompting them to take action.

“No, Twilight, you can’t,” Starlight tried to argue, tried to take her place, but was ultimately shut down early. Even Sunset and Tempest had no room to speak or offer their place in return for Twilight’s safety. The Alicorn had already made her decision, had already stamped her hoof in the metal flooring and stared onto her friends with a fiery intensity none of them had seen before.

“That wasn’t an offer,” Twilight stated fiercely. “That was an order.”

Arguably as the strongest and most competent magic user amongst them, Twilight had a stronger position to hold her ground and fight. As the ruler of Equestria, Twilight had a higher say and authority than any other pony on that ship. And as their friend… as the Princess of Friendship… she made that choice and would proudly give it all for her friends’ safety. The hurt was evident in everypony’s eyes, mainly surprise in Tempest’s own. Surprise and a hint of admiration.

Maybe more than just a hint.

Rocket offered the device to the Alicorn, to which she took and slapped it over her heart. The holographic spacesuit instantly swarmed over the entirety of her body, the bright blue wave concealing her within a safe containment of which she could breathe, even in space. That wasn’t all. Tony slapped an Aero-Rig on her backside, the metallic jetpack forming tightly over her back and finally covering her chest and stomach. Twilight took in that cautious breath of air, feeling the spacesuit and the Aero-Rig clutch her body rather soundly.

That hand never left her back, Twilight looking up to see the mask of the Iron Man nod down to her. “Glad to see you flying high with me,” Tony told her.

Twilight smirked with brimming confidence his way, nodding once.

After a quick hug from Sunset and Starlight, Twilight had to break away given the limited time they had left. Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest eventually followed close behind Rocket, he and Groot meeting with Thor within the escape pod. Tony was right behind them, Twilight hesitantly following to see where he would go. The duo paused just short of the escape pod, seeing Thor, Rocket, Groot, Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest Shadow all packed in and ready to go. A nod of affirmation from Thor to Tony. A look of hope from Sunset to Twilight. A powerful nod and a snort from Tempest.

They ejected. Tony and Twilight jumped out right after them, Tony calling to Nebula, “Smurfette, you’re gonna need to patch in to my comms!”

“On it!” Nebula shouted back, now burdened with the opportunity to pilot the entire Benatar on her own. She raised her console. “Asteroid field incoming! I’ll try to shake them off!”

The instant Twilight jumped into the vacuum of space was an experience she would never forget. The weightlessness was expected, but with no solid ground to stabilize herself, Twilight found it to be even more difficult to move around. It really didn’t help to know they were being swarmed and shot at from all angles from over a hundred different enemy ships. Flailing about, Twilight screamed out until she saw Tony coming to her rescue, his metal palm slapping against the Aero-Rig and igniting it.

The rest came almost instantly natural to her.

The Aero-Rig felt almost too natural, like a second skin if anything. The way it reacted to Twilight’s instincts allowed for nearly flawless flight patterns that her wings had no control of in the harshness of space. Soon enough, Tony left her on her own, engaging with the Chitauri spaceships and Sakaaran Necrocrafts that swarmed behind Thor’s pod. With that absence, Twilight took a short moment to adjust to the Aero-Rig, what it wanted out of her, what she needed out of it. She ran out of time when the asteroid came hurtling her way.

Screaming, Twilight shot up with a blast from the Aero-Rig’s propulsion thrusters, the Alicorn barely dodging the massive piece of space rock. With her breathing loud and ragged, Twilight focused forward to see what awaited her. Hundreds upon hundreds more asteroids filled the vastness of open space directly before her, Nebula flying the Benatar directly into the madness. She was a surprisingly skilled pilot, the Chitauri and Sakaarans that trailed her unfortunately not so. Their ships impacted the rocks in fiery eruptions, the Benatar making it out unscathed every time.

It never lasted. A lucky asteroid would strike the hull of the ship, one of the Necrocrafts would manage a shot on the Benatar, more and more every time adding even more damage to the ship and adding to Nebula’s frustration. Just as the flashing lights appeared overhead, Nebula growled and practically ripped the steering controls upwards, managing to barely dodge the largest asteroid she had ever seen. She flew straight up its body, the cluster of Necrocrafts trailing her smacking right against its face and exploding upon impact.

As Nebula nearly escaped the wall of fire, she appeared on the other side with a fresh wave of Chitauri starships meeting her. “You both need to protect me!” Nebula screamed, unleashing several rounds of ammunition into the enemy fighters and hastily making an escape back into the asteroids.

“Don’t worry! We’re coming back for you, Nebula!” Twilight responded in kind through her comms. Blasting off into the minefield of asteroids, Twilight carefully considered her options as she dodged and flew above and around entire hurtling pieces of space rock. Her considerations ended shorter than she would have liked when a Necrocraft shot past her, nearly blowing into the Alicorn.

Twilight shot back, flying past the Necrocraft and unleashing a magical beam from her horn. The spell passed harmlessly through her spacesuit and struck the ship, destroying it in a bright, blossoming orange. She soon became the next center of attention, several more Necrocrafts and starships turning to the asteroid field to pursue the Benatar and the flying Alicorn. Almost every single time, Twilight would take them out, firing the same spell and a volley of other spells into any spacecraft she saw firing at her. Almost every single time she came out on top. Almost every single time Twilight would escape their wrath.

The one time she didn’t was when she got shot in her hind leg.

The blaster bolt courtesy of the Chitauri starship struck Twilight when she wasn’t looking, scraping the edge of her hind leg and nearly severing her wing. It hurt all the same, Twilight screaming out as she dodged and lost control of her flight pattern. She landed on the nearest asteroid she could find and proceeded to clutch her wound, hiding within the rock’s structure to avoid contact with anymore enemy ships. They came upon her anyway, firing a volley of rockets on the asteroid she clung onto, Twilight screaming for help.

“Twilight!” Tony screamed, hearing her cries in the comms. He turned from Thor’s escape pod and back to the asteroid field, noticing the oncoming waves of starships beginning to swarm the pod. For a moment too long, he hesitated. He turned rapidly back to the pod, then to the asteroids, then to Thor. Then to Twilight.

The cluster of starships surrounded the asteroid, Twilight peeking over the rock structure she hid behind and watching those final moments of the starships’ blasters lighting up. A different fire lit up in the darkness of space, the repulsor blasts filling the asteroid field until every last starship within Twilight’s vicinity was annihilated. Twilight looked up, seeing that suit of armor fly over.

He arrived to her position on the asteroid, firing at any ship that drew near to them. “Should’ve never let you out of my sight!” Tony exclaimed harshly, palms outstretched and blowing away any Necrocraft or starship that drew near. Gritting her teeth and fighting through the pain, Twilight got back up and shot up her head, her horn igniting and firing blast after blast of magic, joining Stark in his return fire.

Sooner rather than later, the odds were quickly shifting against them. The enemy ships kept on piling on top of them, the asteroid they stood upon was quickly getting decimated further and further by the blaster bolts. Even Stark didn’t have eyes in the back of his head, several shots striking his backside, shoulder, rib cage, and even the side of his helmet. Twilight suffered equally as much, forced to fly off the asteroid as a volley of rockets struck the ground she stood upon. Following that eruption that Tony was caught in, pieces of his suit began to break off, his thrusters beginning to fail him as he escaped the remains of the asteroid.

“We’re getting overrun!” Stark shouted, trying desperately to direct himself in the weightless void, simultaneously firing at the crowd of ships trailing him and further tearing apart the Mark 50. His HUD flashed dangerously red, showing the loss of precious oxygen. Stark’s adrenaline was shifted to overdrive, his Iron Man suit shooting off several flares and missiles in every which direction. Most struck the ships tailing him, others impacted nearby asteroids.

Missing that last Chitauri starship that made it through it all. By inches. It shot Stark right in the chest.

He was blasted back, floating aimlessly until his body struck the nearest asteroid. The back of his head struck the solid rock, Tony’s HUD turning dark as his oxygen depleted. Leaving nothing. Stark took in that last deep breath as his suit quickly failed him. As it died even faster.

“Tony!” Twilight cried. She flew as fast as the Aero-Rig would allow, slamming on the rock with all four hooves. Cringing under the pain her hind leg carried, Twilight ignored it and used her own body to shield Stark. She hardly even noticed the Chitauri starship hover slowly behind them, her full focus only on Tony and praying he was still alive.

It was all she could do before the starship charged up its blasters.

Then both her ears and Tony’s were filled with Nebula’s shrill cries.

The Benatar hurtled forward at top speed, Nebula screaming through every second of her ramming the ship right into the Chitauri’s backside. The starship exploded, the Benatar tilting awkwardly as the fire consumed its exterior and large chunks of the ship itself broke off upon impact. Twilight could only shield herself and Tony as the debris sprayed over them before fading off into the zero-gravity void. When she was able to breathe again, she witnessed the Benatar float over them, Nebula’s voice returning to her eardrums.

“It’s no use to fight them off now! Thor and the others have already jumped! We need to retreat!” Nebula explained through the comms, opening the airlock for Twilight and Tony below her.

Already seeing the approaching, reinforcing swarm of Chitauri quickly entering the asteroid field, Twilight returned her concern to Stark and wrapped him delicately in her aura. She carried him back up into the Benatar. The airlock was open for them, but only for so long as the damages the Benatar sustained had its unquestionable side effects. The airlock failed, sucking out several pieces of machinery, repair tools, and supplies before Twilight forcibly closed it with magic, crying out as she finally settled herself on the metal floor and pried the Aero-Rig off of her. Tossing the jetpack away and ripping free the spacesuit, as well, Twilight gasped for air and took in several gasps, having been in space for no more than five minutes but already missing what it felt like to breathe natural air. As natural as it could have been. Twilight took it for whatever it was worth, finally being able to realize…

She was the only one breathing.

Catching that gasp, Twilight turned back to the ruin of the Mark 50 lying beneath her. Entire portions of the armor were either torn or missing, even a small chunk of the mask broken and revealing Stark’s motionless lips beneath it. Twilight took the time to gasp then.

She ripped off Tony’s shattered mask, tossing it aside and begging him to wake up. Prying even harder at the shreds of armor resting over the Arc Reactor, Twilight proceeded to send harmless jolts of electricity into his chest through her horn. His chest jolted upwards, but he remained motionless. Breathless. Maybe even lifeless. With sweat pouring down her tear-filled eyes, she slammed her hooves into his chest and began to compress downwards, hoping by some slim chance to kick-start his heart again. Another failure. Time was running short, Twilight looking rapidly from Tony’s chest to his face again, his nose, his lips, hoping to see them move or take in that precious oxygen. But he wouldn’t. He just wouldn’t breathe.

Twilight knew what she had to do. Closing her eyes, she breathed in sharply through her snout, scrunched her face, and pressed her lips right onto Tony’s. Ignoring all the red flags, Twilight expelled a helping of oxygen into Tony’s mouth, breaking off and driving her hooves into his chest once again, diving down and pressing her lips to his. Again and again until…

Tony gasped for air, crying out as his eyes bugged open wide and he nearly scrambled to his feet right then and there. Only he stopped in a sitting position, managed to take in that precious breath of air, then slowly turned his eyes to her. To the pony sitting there, staring at him with tearful eyes wide with hope. Hope and…

“Oh, God, did you just give me mouth-to-mouth?” Tony breathed.

Relief. Twilight cried, a widened smile joining her tears as she wrapped her forelegs around Tony and hugged him as hard as she could. Stark gasped out a grin, reaching upward and wrapping his right forearm around her backside and hugging her even tighter. It was a tearful embrace for both of them, one that unfortunately couldn’t have lasted any longer than they would have wished.

Because they listened to Nebula scream, “Jump in 3, 2, 1!”

The ship shot forward, sending both Tony and Twilight hard on their backs and rolling across the ship’s flooring. The Jump Point didn’t last as long as the last one, perhaps a second or two shorter before the ship sauntered to a brief and unexpected halt. Tony and Twilight shared a look with one another before pushing themselves back up. They limped together into the cockpit to see Nebula frozen in her seat, visibly shaking.

“Nebula?” Twilight whispered. She tried to approach the Luphomoid’s side only to see her robotic eyes plastered with the windshield, hands gripping the steering controls so hard they could have shattered right then.

“Oh, no…” Tony muttered. He approached the navigation console, it alongside most of the control consoles in the cabin heavily damaged and beyond repair. The ship’s tracker and map were dead, joining the Benatar as dead in the water. “Do we have a read on Thor?” Stark asked.

Nebula brought up her console, shaking her head pitifully. “Most of the ship’s systems are down… heavy damage in the navigation controls from the impact sustained earlier. Engines at 14% stability… fuel running low.”

From the strength in her voice, both Twilight and Tony could tell she felt absolutely crestfallen. Unquestionably defeated. As she weakly shoved the console away from her face, Tony stepped closer to Nebula with Twilight laying a hoof on his thigh. He shot his eyes down to her, pieces of his Mark 50 still hanging off his person.

“He jumped, Tony… They’re safe,” Twilight told him, assuring Stark of Thor’s position following the surprise attack. That alone earned a helping sigh of relief from the Iron Man, all of it taken away when he finally took notice to their current circumstances.

Nebula leaned forward in her seat, metallic hand resting on her forehead as she gazed into the seat’s control console. “I shouldn’t have driven the ship into that Chitauri,” she muttered weakly.

“You saved our asses,” Tony retorted. It mattered little to Nebula either way.

Twilight limped forward, blood seeping down her hind leg. She didn’t pay heed to that, instead focusing to the outside universe beyond the windshield. “Where are we?”

“I tried to get us back to the Milky Way Galaxy,” Nebula answered, her eyes rising from her console and gazing straight above and even straighter ahead. “But we came up short.”

When Tony turned to it, he caught his breath and refrained from breathing for several seconds on end. Twilight followed suit, her eyes wide and teary when she stared into the blackness and saw the light. They all followed her eyes directly ahead, gazing into the heart of the spiral galaxy of the Milky Way. Millions and millions of miles away.

With the ship damaged, fuel low, and not even a jump left to their name, the possibility for tracking Thor and the others was a helpless effort. Trying to somehow find Thanos with his monstrous behemoth searching for them in the Andromeda Galaxy proved to be even more so. The mission was over, finished, killed before it could ever really begin. Their only chance left to even make it out of their situation alive was dead ahead. Somehow, all three of them knew what needed to be done and fast. Before it was too late.

They needed to get back to Earth.

Present Time

Nebula hadn’t heard a single sound from the cockpit of the Benatar for over an hour.

As she cautiously traversed the darkened and empty halls and rooms of the ship, the lone Guardian could only see the amount of work that had been accomplished the past twenty-two days. So much done to repair the ship without the devices she and Rocket used to repair it so long ago. Pieces of flooring remained upturned, wiring and innards of the Benatar lying beneath her feet as Nebula carefully proceeded over them. As she entered the bridge, the cabin, found the cockpit and saw its occupants, Nebula’s metallic heart slowly fell to the sight of it.

There lay Tony Stark and Twilight Sparkle, the man resting on his right side as the Alicorn lay right under his warming arm. The shattered mask of the Mark 50 rested beside them, that cool, blue and green tint of light showering over the couple in a cold, cold blanket. Like an embrace. A kiss of death. Nebula’s face nearly fell apart to see them share their final moments together, her heart aching to see all that effort gone to waste. Tony had done his best to repair the ship, get them home, and save their lives. But like Nebula, he came up short. They all did in the end.

Stepping forth as quietly as she could, Nebula knelt down and laid her fingers on both Stark and Twilight’s necks. A pulse for each. Faint, but certainly still alive. Her heart fell even further when she realized it wouldn’t be much longer. Not wishing for them to leave her while lying on the dirty floor, Nebula carefully moved Stark’s arm and pulled the limp form of a man back up to his feet. She laid him in the pilot’s seat, watching as his head went slack to the left and remained that way. Eyes shut and not even a breath, at least not anything she could hear. Nebula’s eyes fell, her arms carefully falling around the Alicorn and cradling her close to her chest.

She laid her right into Stark’s lap and arms. Taking a step back, Nebula watched what she had created, where she had left them with waning pain in her expression, burning in her eyes. No tears. Unable to make them. With a single hand still resting on his shoulder, Nebula grazed Twilight’s mane and rubbed it softly, a final grasp for each of them. One last touch before she turned away and refused to look a second longer.

Left them in peace.

And in peace, the two souls felt it, a giving in and giving up of that life and the spirit and taking them away to whatever form of afterlife was real and what wasn’t. Twilight felt it as the pain she felt for days on end finally began to drift away, only the memories of her past life finally resurfacing and playing before her. From her childhood with Shining Armor and Spike, to moving to Ponyville and meeting her best friends, through every trial and tribulation and always coming out on top. In victory. With her friends. That was how it always ended and even then… she was still with a friend. The darkness was cold but Tony Stark was warm against her. She felt only that as she allowed that darkness to win.

As for Tony, he didn’t have much of a legacy to be proud about. He didn’t see his life flash before his eyes, he didn’t see God or any other deity he didn’t believe in. He only saw her, Pepper Potts, the woman he loved and swore to marry the moment he got back from saving the world. That was all he saw. He only saw her as he drifted off and dreamt away.

It was so very cold, even with Twilight in his arms.

It was so very dark… even with the approaching light.

Only that light grew brighter. Stronger. More and more powerful as Stark seemingly came back to life and flinched against it. Whatever it was, it was rude enough to stop Tony from dying peacefully, forcing him to open his bloodshot eyes and gaze into the heart of lightness with his very own fading vision. Even Twilight’s eyes began to flutter open, a weak mumble leaving the Alicorn as her eyes shifted upwards to the light. Then they bugged open. As did Stark’s.

Gazing into the light and seeing a person hovering within it.

A human, eyes a fiery yellow beneath the bright red of the mask they wore. The suit they wore also bore the same hue, a golden star resting over the chest and joining the red and blue streaks painted on the suit. A golden, flowing mohawk shot up from the top of the helmet, the rose lips of the human marked in a look of slight hesitation. A frown, perhaps. But something deeper, holding obvious signs of wonder… and concern.

For the helpless lives spending their final moments adrift in space.

For those who had given up hope of ever being rescued.

For those who had only thought death was the only escape.

But for Captain Marvel, she knew it wasn’t.

She further approached the windshield, slowly as not to startle them, staring softly onto the pair. Tony followed suit, pushing himself with as much strength as he had left to hold Twilight in his left arm and walk the distance between his seat and the windshield. He proceeded down the stairs to the lower level, practically falling over and catching himself and Twilight with a palm pressed to the glass.

The light only grew brighter. Both Tony and Twilight lifted their weary heads and stared straight into it. Watched as her gloved-palm fell onto the glass just the same.

Meeting his.

Chapter 106 – The Forge

106

Space

Benatar Escape Pod

Realm of the World Tree

“How do you say… ‘I’m sorry I left you’?”

“I am Groot.”

“How about… ‘ambidextrous’?”

“I am Grooot.”

“How about—?”

“Look, it’s always gonna be ‘I am Groot’. You get the picture yet?” Rocket interrupted, twirling around in his seat, crowded by two more resting behind him. In those seats, both Groot and Sunset Shimmer sat by side, the adolescent smiling innocently while the mare could do little more than blush mildly.

“Just trying to fix that language barrier,” Sunset sighed, leaning back in her adjustable seat. “Though I don’t really see how I’m going to if everything he says is just ‘I am Groot’.”

“I am Groot.”

Sunset shot out her hooves to the teenager, her brow hardened and eyes even more so towards Rocket. “Ya see? No idea what he just said.”

“He says he doesn’t want you to worry over it,” Thor called out, all three individuals spinning around in their seats to gaze upon the backsides of the God of Thunder. He stood facing the only other windshield in the small escape pod, arms crossed and gazing onto the beauty of the realm of the World Tree. “Also that he thinks you’re pretty.”

While Sunset merely smiled to the young Groot, who could only look away and rub the back of his wooden head nervously, Starlight Glimmer chuckled at the thought of it. Most of her attention was focused on stockpiling their remaining rations, which weren’t looking too good at the moment. While levitating the small packets of food and water that remained into the storage, Starlight shook her head at the conversation outside of her.

“Aw, how cute,” Starlight mused. Then she furrowed her brow, dropping what she levitated and turning towards Thor. “Wait, you speak Groot?”

“Yes, they taught it on Asgard, it was an elective.”

“I am Groot.”

“Yeah, you don’t want to know what he said that time.”

It had been three weeks. About that time. They sort of lost track after the first two weeks. Rations were low and everyone was always hungry. As hungry as they could have been, considering nopony wanted to take the next packet of food without feeling utterly guilty just looking at the hungry faces around them. Tempest Shadow had cut herself off from rations a couple of days ago, and it showed. Despite the protests from Sunset and Starlight, the unicorn made it evidently clear she would rather see them make it on their journey than her. Maybe the rations weren’t the only thing she had given up on. Still, despite her rumbling tummy, Tempest remained adamant, glaring to the ceiling and then to the front windshield, where nothing but darkness and space rocks were their only greeters for miles on end.

“How much longer?” Tempest weakly stated.

“We are not far now,” Thor stated proudly, an achieved sigh leaving the God of Thunder. He could see it, the heart of the World Tree spreading its vapors throughout the darkness of space. Those branches painted the black a holy white, appearing more like stardust than anything, but Thor knew better. They had made it. It had been a difficult time for everyone involved. They were certainly the bravest bunch he had ever had the pleasure of working with—especially Stark and the few that didn’t make it with them. They tried contacting them for days and there was always nothing. Yes, they went through many trials and pains, perhaps keeping their sanity within the cramped escape pod for three weeks was the greatest achievement. That, or everyone able to stand in the same room that functioned as a bathroom.

They certainly have grown close over the journey, and now… that journey had finally reached its end. No jumps left, no jumps needed to have finally reached their destination. Thor turned away from the back windshield, earning the attention from the rest of the pod. “A word of wisdom, my friends. Nidavellir’s forge harnesses the blazing power of a neutron star. Its energy has created some of the fiercest, most devastating weapons to ever emerge in the universe. It is the birthplace of my hammer. It is truly awesome.”

The only pony among them to have witnessed the hammer of which Thor was speaking so painfully of was Starlight Glimmer, and even then, she didn’t pay it too much heed three years prior. She didn’t give any of the Avengers their rightful due because back then… they were her enemies. They were all forced to work together for the greater good against Ultron and his forces of evil. Despite growing well with the other Avengers, perhaps it was Thor Starlight had not been able to find that common ground with yet. It was certainly difficult, but being physically trapped in a cramped pod for three weeks did manage to create some form of grounding between the two. Between all of them.

It was certainly better to be trapped with others than alone, like she was so long ago.

Rocket’s voice cut off her thoughts, declaring, “Hey, we’re coming up on something.”

Almost instantly, a rejuvenated form of life filled the escape pod as everypony and everyone swarmed towards the front windshield. They did not have many false alarms considering most of their journey had been nothing but space. As long as they were coming up on something, then that something was worth checking out. With every occupant surrounding Rocket, they all paid witness to the grandest form of engineering and design nearly all of them had ever seen.

They flew past the lone asteroid to enter into a realm of darkness and light, the soft whiteness of a distant star cascading its soft glow across the grand feat of Dwarven construction. Rings larger than any of the mares could have imagined circled the dark sphere resting in the center of the mighty machine. Rocket and Groot expressed their awe through a single “Whoa” each, though for Groot it came out differently. As for the ponies, each showed their astonishment through their widened eyes, agape jaws, and breathless expressions.

“Is this supposed to be Nidavellir?” Sunset asked, voice high and lost in wonder to the mighty forge they were approaching. She looked back up to Thor, only to question why his face showed a complete lack of hope and awe… and instead be filled with despair.

“No, no, no… the star is dark, the rings are cold,” Thor observed, palm to the glass and eye wide with worry. After abandoning his friends back on Earth, losing Stark and the others, all that was keeping Thor hopeful throughout the long journey was to see the bright star from the heart of Nidavellir warm his spirits, rejuvenate his soul, and strengthen his fight for the unwinnable battle ahead. Now… it all remained dark, cold, and lifeless.

“We need to investigate.”

Thor’s final words before the rest fell into a wonderment of silence and darkness. The mares took every second they could to gaze to every form of metal pillar, mighty ring, and even the dark star itself until they came into the forge. The escape pod landed with a soft thud upon the metal earth, allowing the mares to exit and breathe actual air instead of recycled oxygen. When inside, they were gifted to the sight of the forge itself, a mighty complex of wires, weapons, and crafting stations larger in scope than anything they had ever seen before. Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest stumbled about, Sunset eventually shifting her gaze to the massive sphere in the heart of the rings, hovering in that darkness. Like a sleeping giant.

“This place is massive,” Sunset exclaimed, still as breathless as the moment she laid eyes on it.

“Where have all the Dwarves gone?” Thor asked, proceeding up a small fleet of stairs.

Tempest pushed over an empty mold, then questioned, “Dwarves?”

“They live here, crafting weapons and keeping the star bright,” Thor explained, turning from the Dyson sphere and then back to the forge itself. Not a single light other than the white star hovering high above that station. Thor’s voice was soft, frozen breaths leaving him in gusts of vapor. “Yet there is nothing. The forge hasn’t gone dark in centuries, so why now does it…?”

“Uh, guys?” Starlight interrupted, having followed Thor, Rocket, and Groot up the steps and pointing a shaking hoof to one of the many work tables stationed in the area. The rest of the mares and her team followed her hoof, gazing to that which she spoke of. “Does this gauntlet look familiar to any of you?”

And that which she spoke of… just so happened to be a mold that resembled a very familiar and horrifying glove. It stood erected against the crafting table, six distinct holes pressed into the mold and creating the undeniable image of the Infinity Gauntlet each of them had the displeasure of recognizing.

“I am Groot…” Groot cautiously stated, slowly looking over to Rocket and Thor. It seemed Rocket shared the same feelings, gazing up to Thor and looking for that response.

“We need to get back to the pod.”

It was exactly what they all needed to hear. It was exactly what they did, only to be stopped by a massive boot crashing into Thor’s chest and sending the God of Thunder spiraling through the air. The ponies gasped, watching as Thor crashed roughly against a solid pillar of metal and came to a painful landing upon the floor. They turned towards the source of the disturbance, seeing only a mighty arm swing downwards and strike them all where they stood. The mares screamed as they fell down the stairs and skidded across the floor, only Tempest being the one to rise back to her hooves. Just in time to see Rocket and Groot get knocked aside all the same, Tempest charged, her horn igniting and spurts of electricity shooting off from its shattered top. She would have engaged with the dark, towering figure had it not been for Thor shooting out his hand to stop her.

For some reason, she did. She stopped dead in her tracks and watched that giant stomp forward and raise its metal fist towards Thor. Only for the God of Thunder to scream, “Eitri, it’s me! It’s Thor! Please, stop!”

He did. To Tempest’s amazement, the hulking beast stopped just short of crushing Thor with his fist. Tangled hair dangled from his head and concealed his expression, but soon enough the other mares, Rocket, and Groot found their footing once again and cautiously began to approach the giant from all sides. And Eitri, the Dwarven King with no people to rule, stared down to the God of Thunder he almost didn’t recognize.

“Thor?” Eitri cried, visibly shaking from both his hardened fists and quaking body. “You were supposed to protect us… Asgard was supposed to protect us!”

Thor slowly got back to his feet, holding out his hands defensively. “Asgard… is destroyed.”

Eitri’s expression took on a whole other level of despair on that news alone. That despair quickly shifted to confusion when his head shifted over to the noise he had heard coming from his left, spotting the three mares standing below and gazing up to him in mixtures of wonderment and anger. Then he turned to Rocket and Groot, the two of them doing the same. “Who are these creatures?” he asked.

“These ‘creatures’, for your information, are ponies,” Tempest Shadow answered, prompting the Dwarf’s attention to the broken unicorn. She slowly approached him, metal-plated hooves stomping harshly on each stair step closer to him. “We have traveled… across the entire galaxy to find this place. We are out of rations, out of time, and out of patience. So, unless you want this to get dirty, I suggest you ignite this forge and get us the weapon we need. Now.”

Her horn sparked, the obvious threat written, packaged, and delivered with Eitri receiving it shortly. Only, to her surprise, he only grumbled in response, pointing his metal fist to her and declaring, “You have a big mouth, little one. I just don’t want to see it.”

“That is not… the way we treat friends,” Thor interrupted their rising feud, hand held out to Tempest once again to calm her down. With the unicorn offering a snort in response and taking her steps backwards, Thor took that as best as he could and focused only on the Dwarf King. “Eitri… tell me what happened here.”

Realizing shortly that they wouldn’t leave him to his torment anytime soon, Eitri closed his eyes and sat down. His metal hands comforted his fall, but the pain he felt in those palms never left him. It was all he could think about as he recalled the wretched events that occurred years prior. “300 Dwarves lived in these rings. 300 innocent lives… all but one. When Thanos came here, he ordered us to construct a device capable of wielding the power of the Infinity Stones. None would dare to help him… except me. I thought… if I constructed the gauntlet, he would spare us. Then he…”

Eitri paused, looking away.

“Then he killed them all anyway… all except me.”

“Oh, my gosh,” Sunset gasped quietly, hoof rising to cover her agape jaws. Starlight shared her expression, her breathing growing rather ragged amidst the death-filled coldness of space and metal they were surrounded in. Tempest Shadow was hardly shaken, keeping her expression hard even against the mention of Thanos’ name.

“Your life is yours, he told me,” Eitri said, lifting up his fists forever forged into slabs of metal. “But your hands… those are mine. I cannot help you… not with what fate has cursed upon me.”

“Eitri, you need to listen to me,” Thor began quickly, already knowing their time was short and the wretched news of Thanos’ depravity only further fueling him. He stepped forth, holding out his hands for Eitri to pay attention closely. “Thanos has already done it. He killed half the universe but the Stones remain intact, I’m sure of it! We can undo every last wretched deed Thanos has done but only if I have the weapon capable of standing a chance against him and what he wields. You must believe like I do, Eitri, that it was never your hands that created those weapons.”

Eitri’s eyes slowly opened, alongside his heart. He had never seen such desperation practically radiating off of the son of Odin, but if what the words he spouted were true—if Thanos truly had already won—then what was the point? If they could undo what he did, if they could save the universe with the opportunity Thor was promising Eitri in his most desperate hour… then he mustn’t wait. He must listen.

“Every axe, sword, hammer, shield, spear, dagger, weapon, anything you have ever made lies in here,” Thor exclaimed, shivering finger rising to point to his temple, to his head. To his mind. “And that is something Thanos failed to take away from you. We can take a stand even when the universe bows, when all hope is lost and everyone believes we have already lost the war. But Eitri… the war has merely just begun. You must think now, my friend, for the fate of the universe itself lies on our choices now. You must tell me…”

Thor stepped forward, his last remaining eye wide with burning adrenaline.

“What… can stand… against the Infinity Stones?”

It was a long shot, but perhaps Thor was right all along. Perhaps wasting away and watching as the universe died alongside the Dwarven race was not how Eitri saw his last moments. If there was a chance to take it all back, to undo the damage and save what once was, then there was no better moment than right then and there.

There was no other time than right then to bring it out.

“Follow me.”

Eitri’s voice traveled amongst the masses, the mighty Dwarf rising up and stomping forward out into the midst of the forge. The ponies stepped aside to make way for him, soon joined by Thor, Rocket, and Groot. Reluctantly, the three of them eventually followed, as well. They followed the mighty Dwarf into an even mightier room. Mold casings lined the walls, a pair of metallic clamps moving across the ceiling and prying a specific mold from its place, bringing it forth to rest before the group.

“Whoa…” Starlight managed to utter. It was all she really could.

“What, what are we lookin’ at here?” Rocket asked, pointing to the mold.

“A mold,” Eitri answered. “A king’s weapon, I should say. Said to be the strongest in Asgard and all the Nine Realms, even being able to summon the Bifrost. It is Nidavellir’s greatest possession. If you want a weapon to rival the Stones… look no further.”

That statement alone brought their attention back to the simple mold casing for what would become the weapon to defeat Thanos. Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest all held their breaths as their eyes widened to the point of exertion, each mare refusing to breathe.

“Does it have a name?” Thor asked, turning back to Eitri.

The Dwarf smirked, turning to Thor and nodding. “Stormbreaker.”

Just getting chills from that name alone—like lightning itself raced across her coat and spine—Sunset Shimmer shivered and focused ahead. Turned back to Eitri and asked, “What do we need to do?”

Eitri stared down to the small pony, sighing heavily through his nostrils. “It will be difficult, but we need to melt the Uru metal into the mold… by awakening the heart of the neutron star.”

On that, the Dwarf King turned around to gaze upon the rings and the Dyson sphere, soon every head and every eye doing the same. Within that encasement, a living star was just waiting to be released once again, a feat that nopony, not even Rocket and Groot, knew what was needed to be done in order to accomplish such a task.

Thankfully, Thor did.

“Rabbit… get back to the pod.”

“Is everyone in position?” Rocket asked, activating all comm links within the Benatar pod. He hovered dangerously above one of the many rings of Nidavellir, being the sole pilot and occupant of the pod while the rest of the group were either inside the forge… or there was Thor standing atop the escape pod with a wire attached to its surface.

“Ready!” Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest all harmoniously declared through the comms.

“Ready!” Thor shouted from above the pod Rocket was piloting.

“I am Groot!” Groot replied from within the forge.

“The mold awaits, but a word of caution,” Eitri’s voice chimed in everyone’s ears. “The forge has been dark for years. There is no telling if the sphere will function as it should or the rings will turn.”

“If we don’t take this chance, half the universe will continue to suffer,” Thor called, hopping off the Benatar pod and landing upon the surface of the mighty rings of Nidavellir. All he could see was the whiteness raining down atop of him, the dark sphere and the frozen rings being constant reminders of Thanos’ wrath brought upon the innocent Dwarves. Another thought to fuel Thor’s rage for the upcoming moment. Another spire to raise to his duty and his quest for the weapon destined to kill the Mad Titan. Thor’s grip around the wire tightened, Rocket’s voice rising in his comms.

“Look, man, this has been a fun adventure and all, kinda messed up in a few places, but overall not a bad time. Look at where you are now,” Rocket said, paws gripping the controls of the escape pod. He hovered directly over the God of Thunder, shaking his head. “I think you’re going about this the wrong way. I mean, you’re in space! You’re not gonna be able to move these rings!”

Thor placed both palms upon the wire. “Just watch.”

Rocket was about to say something, only for that something to transform into a plethora of horrific screams and cries for help when Thor began to twirl the escape pod around like it was nothing. Like it weighed nothing. Like he was never in space to begin with. Spinning about rapidly, only continuing to pick up speed, Thor finally released the pod and let himself fly from the ring.

“Ignite the engines!”

Rocket pressed forward, ignored the twirling mess his brain had become, and roared as the engines came to life. The escape pod burst forth, dragging Thor along for the ride as its added speed sent Rocket and Thor directly around Nidavellir until they came to a quick and abrupt end on the opposite set of rings. Just as Rocket flew past them, Thor planted his feet upon the closest ring’s surface, ripping apart yards and yards of pure steel in order to slow himself down, keep himself planted within it, and ultimately release the rings from their entrapment of frozen ice.

Thor achieved nearly all three, coming to a complete stop, lodging himself into the ring, but doing nothing more than that. With his palms gripping the wire with all the strength he had, Thor shouted, “More… power, Rabbit!”

Rocket responded in kind, putting everything he had into the thrusters, nearly draining all of the fuel. Wary of that, Rocket gazed back through the rear windshield. Thor lifted his eye above to the rings hanging over his head, and with an exasperated growl, found ease when those rings… began to move. The ice that sealed them shut began to crack against the pressure, finally releasing after enough stress pressed against it. The rings proceeded to move into position, the Dyson sphere erupting into a flurry of lights and color beyond imagination.

The heart of Nidavellir was opened, the neutron star escaping the bounds that held it and showing the Nine Realms its power. Across the vast universe, the strengthening star that infused every enchanted item was once again set ablaze, and every eye within the rings and the forge and nearly beyond was captured under its glow. The fiery oranges shot out and burned the blackness of space, the soft violets and blues of the neutron star dancing across the sphere’s surface like tentacles from an ancient beast stirring in its slumber. Finally awakened.

Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Tempest Shadow, Groot, and Eitri were all caught within its light, gazing from the forge onto the ignited star. The dying star, birthed from a supernova centuries prior, but a powerhouse all the same. Sunset shook her head as the energy rippled past her face and mane, making her shudder, unable to breathe. “This is incredible…”

Eitri smiled down to her. “Just watch.”

The eye of the star opened, unleashing a beam of pure, raw, otherworldly energy directly into the forge. Eitri, Groot, and the three ponies watched with awe-stricken eyes, the manes from each mare blowing wildly behind them as their eyes could grow no larger, their jaws could fall no farther, and their smiles could beam no brighter. Even Tempest let a small grin slip out. The eyes of the ponies all showcased the vivid beam of light shower across their heads, impacting the forge and reawakening the mighty machines within Nidavellir.

Eitri nodded, a weary but accomplished sigh leaving him. “Well done, boy.”

From the lone escape pod finding its position high above, Thor pressed his face against the front windshield, unable to contain the giddy smile that escaped the God of Thunder. He pointed down to the ignited star, a newborn light returning to the rings of the heart of the World Tree. “That’s Nidavellir!” Thor proudly declared.

Rocket’s eyes reflected the pure majesty of it all, a smile sneaking its way onto the raccoon’s face. But before that smile could grow any further, the clamp which held the eye of the sphere snapped, and the coldness of space returned to the three ponies, Groot, and Eitri. The sun died down and the darkness returned.

Eitri shook his head, grumbling, “Dammit!”

“Dammit? What’s dammit?” Rocket asked via comms.

“It is as I feared,” Eitri growled, stomping forward with the mares trailing him, every eye gazing into the darkness of the Dyson sphere. Eitri shook his head once again. “Years of disuse have destroyed the clamp. With the eye damaged, I cannot heat the metal.”

Thor stared from atop the escape pod, his expression injured after witnessing such events play through. They had come so close only to be closed off from what fate willed into place. Perhaps… fate chose this, chose them… to commit the unthinkable. Thor pondered on that thought a moment longer, knowing there was no other way to stop Thanos than with the weapon to rival him. He had made his decision long ago… he must finish it.

“How long do you need?” Thor asked.

“A minute… maybe longer,” Eitri responded.

Thor stared down to the sphere, to the dying star growing and burning within it. He gulped, affirming his stance by standing up fully. “I’m going to keep it open.”

“That’s suicide.”

“So is facing Thanos again without that axe!”

Without another doubt in his mind, Thor leapt from the pod and down to the awaiting star, the swirls of raw, fiery energy still coursing throughout the emptiness of space between them. From aboard the forge, the small group could only pay witness to Thor’s heinous decision and act, Sunset and Starlight gasping to see Thor actually follow through on his statement, as ridiculous as it sounded.

Tempest just shook her head. “He’s insane.”

Watching Thor land upon the surface of the clamp surrounding the eye of the sphere, Starlight sighed. “He may be insane, but he’s not stupid.”

“Standing against a star?” Tempest retorted, tightening her lips and watching with just as much anticipation as everyone else. Perhaps not as much worry, considering she held no faith for whatever Thor wished to achieve. “Your friend will get vaporized instantly.”

Shaking her head, Sunset Shimmer held her breath and watched with shivering hooves as Thor took a stand in front of the eye. She whispered, hope in her voice and even more hope burning in her eyes, “Come on, Thor.”

Perhaps they all held a fleeting sense of hope within them. Especially the God of Thunder himself, Thor gazing out to the forge awaiting its power source. The axe awaiting its strength. The hopeful eyes of the ponies silently cheered him on, believing in him even when he didn’t fully believe himself. When he finally realized where he was standing...

Against death itself. “Allfathers, give me strength,” Thor breathed.

“Do you understand, boy?” Eitri shouted, the mares and Groot turning their heads away for a moment to gaze onto the Dwarf. “You’re about to take the full force of a star! It’ll kill you!”

Thor stared right at them, stared only at his friends throughout the entire ordeal. “Only if I die.”

“Yes… that’s what… ‘killing you’ means.”

Tempest slowly turned over to Starlight, brow raised. Starlight just looked away, shaking her head with another sigh to follow. “He’s not completely stupid.”

No final words to give. No final words he needed to offer. Letting them be his anchor that tied him down to the physical realm, Thor offered one last smile to Sunset Shimmer and his friends, thanking them silently for standing with him through the impossible journey… soon to be made possible. His spirit would not be taken from him that day. Valhalla and his family would have to wait a moment longer. Thor had an unfinished mission to finally accomplish. It started with him gripping the edges of the clamp, pulling with every bit of his strength and slowly unfurling the light from the eye.

Once the clamp was set into place, once Thor had found his footing, the eye of the sphere opened once more. The temperature surrounding Thor already jumped up a thousand degrees and quickly climbed the further Thor opened it, the longer he held it open. Holding the clamp was possible for him, containing his screams was not. No mortal being, no matter how strong, could withstand the force of a star. And Thor… screamed.

He screamed so unrealistically loud that it could be heard even through space, hitting each of the mares and Groot right in the heart without the use of the comms link. Those bellows only persisted, the beam of energy unleashed once more and impacting the forge.

“Hold it!” Eitri cried, rushing back to the casting station. “Hold it, Thor!”

Thor stared back into the swirling chaos within the light of the star, forced to return forward as the pressure was too intense for him to handle. All he could manage for the short moment was to hold his ground, keep his grip tight, and not let go. It was already unbearable, Thor’s heightened body and hardened Asgardian skin already beginning to burn against the power of Nidavellir. His suit and armor were beginning to melt, Thor wailing in unhinged agony as the heat, fire, and wrathful power of the neutron star washed right through him.

The screams were horrific, stabbing Sunset, Starlight, and Groot right in their hearts, the looks of despair on their faces clearly evident. Even Tempest was beginning to grow worrisome, surprised to say the least to know that Thor managed to survive for more than ten seconds already. Not long enough to melt the metal, but long enough to earn her continued attention and growing admiration.

Eitri stared down into the rising heat to see the Uru metal beginning to heat up, turn red-hot, and slowly start to melt into the mixture. But it wasn’t enough, Eitri lifting his head and staring onto the light and listening into the horrific screams.

“He’s giving in!” Eitri declared, turning back to still see solid slabs of Uru metal intact. “I need more time!”

From the face of the star, Thor kept his eye sealed tight, one last painful cry to leave the son of Odin as the fires burned the back of his head and consumed his face. Sunset took a step forward, listening to those screams and breathing harder as each second ticked away. As Thor’s life continued to escape her grasp, knowing she didn’t do a thing to save it.

Only…

Sunset shook her head, twisting her neck back to Eitri. “No… you need more heat.”

On that statement alone, Eitri lifted his eyes to the mares and witnessed both Sunset and Starlight take their places around the casting iron. The heat and energy from the star’s beam made their faces sweat and their manes blow wildly in every direction, yet they remained undeterred, standing their ground and gazing ferociously onto the iron.

“Girls, on me!” Sunset shouted. Starlight affirmed her stance by Starlight’s side, spreading out her forelegs and snorting, horn igniting.

“What are you doing?!” Tempest screamed, stepping forward then taking a cautionary step back once the heat from the star and the iron impacted her like a blazing oven. With a foreleg raised, she continued. “Are you all insane, too?! You can’t match the power of a star!”

“Just stand back if you’re not gonna help,” Starlight grumbled. Tempest’s face fell at that, but not in hurt by any means… but in awe.

Both of the unicorns closed their eyes in unison, a radiating power flowing through the air and infecting their horns simultaneously. As they slowly rose from the metal earth, Sunset and Starlight opened their eyes to reveal pure blankets of nothing but white glowing inside of them. Their horns withheld all of that energy, then finally released the magic and fired it right into the casting iron. Although nothing happened at first, Eitri then turned back to the mixture to see the white flames beginning to consume the metals, melting them even faster. Eitri tightened his jaw, metal palms nervously pressed onto the iron and waiting as every painstaking second passed. And then…

Thor gave in, his mind fading as his arms broke away from the clamp and he flew straight towards the forge. He was caught within the star’s beam, Rocket trailing right behind him just as the sphere closed and the fire died a second time. He crashed into the forge, rolling several times upon the floor until he came to an eventual halt upon the metal flooring, unmoving and unresponsive. And then…

The mares gave in, as well. The immense pain from their horns was almost too much for either to handle, Starlight especially since her horn still hadn’t fully recovered. Even with the weeks of rest she gave it, the amount of energy she released at one time was nowhere near safe for her to handle. Starlight passed out first, the mare’s eyes rolling into the back of her head as she hit the floor with a solid thud. Then came Sunset, the fire from her horn fueling the iron as long as she could handle, as long as her mind was bright and her heart was beating. But even then, it was as much as she could give. She gave it all… then gave in. She collapsed right next to Starlight, Groot sliding to the floor right between them and dragging the ponies to safety.

He pulled them near Thor, checking their pulses and finding both to be quite alive. Spent, weary, and utterly exhausted, but still alive. Tempest Shadow stood several feet behind Groot, watching with disbelief in her eyes to what she had just witnessed. She did not even notice Eitri pouring the mixture into the mold, cooling it significantly and then ripping the mold off the table and onto the floor. Rocket jumped out of the escape pod, rushing over to Thor and checking on him.

Tempest slowly stared onto Thor especially, her eyes filled with unbridled awe… and respect. For Sunset and Starlight, of course, but for Thor most of all. The feat he had just accomplished was nothing short of a miracle, and the fruits of his labors lied before them, Eitri smashing the mold and unveiling the prize from within.

“Thor… Thor, can you hear me?” Rocket said, shaking Thor’s shoulders but getting no movement from the god himself. “He’s dying!”

“I am Groot!” Groot cried, kneeling over the two mares and turning to Thor with pain burning in his eyes.

“He needs the axe!” Eitri shouted. He quickly shot his gaze down to the head of the weapon, the two pieces burning bright red but ultimately remaining lifeless, powerless. Shaking his head, Eitri stood up fully, looking about with a wildness in his eyes. “I need more time to power it up and find the handle!”

Tempest laid her hoof over Thor’s chest, feeling a very faint and fading heartbeat. Her expression—for the first time in the longest time—softened as she gazed onto his burnt, broken, and near-lifeless expression. Such raw power from such a magnificent individual, giving it all for some fleeting hope to save the universe. He had done the impossible, something Tempest didn’t even imagine was obtainable. Yet there it was, the weapon he wished for lying on the filthy floor and slowly darkening. Slowly fading as the power from it and Thor left them both.

“No…” Tempest whispered, taking several steps back. Her gaze slowly fell, slowly turned, finally faced the towering Dwarf once more, his eyes joining hers. Both of them experiencing that intensity she felt. Tempest Shadow hardened her expression, releasing that intensity with every ounce of her will when she said it. “You need us.”

She turned to Groot, he turned to Tempest. Both of them somehow, someway… knowing the same thing. Knowing exactly what to do. They both nodded to one another.

Standing aside to see what she would do, Eitri was more shocked if anything to see such raw power leave the unicorn. For he saw the power of heaven’s might itself, rivaling even that of the God of Thunder when several bolts of lightning shot out from her shattered horn and consumed the axe head. Tempest Shadow lowered her face to the ground, eyes tightened to a close and will pushed to the breaking point. For with every pain and trial that came with her horn and her magic, Tempest knew there was no escape for it. There was no escape for her now, right then and there, as the axe head began to rise from the ground and slowly be consumed by that power.

Crying out, tears welled up in Tempest’s eyes as she gazed onto the blurry image of the two axe pieces rising higher and higher, Tempest falling further and further. Her lightning shot out in every which direction, uncontrollable as Tempest gave her last cry and collapsed. Just as Groot shot out his left arm and wrapped his vines tightly around the two pieces. He cringed as the lightning tore at his limb, but fought through it all the same as the magic from Tempest’s horn finally vanished and the pony fell to the floor in a defeated heap.

She could barely lift her head, barely stare onto the lone image of Groot wielding the mighty head of the axe high above his own, screaming through every second as he lifted his right hand and sliced downwards. He severed his left arm, ultimately creating the handle for the weapon and letting it strike the ground with a powerful and resounding clang.

Stormbreaker was complete.

The ponies began to awaken, standing back up one by one with help from Rocket.

Thor’s palm twitched.

The axe began to rise forth from the steel floor, spurts of electricity shooting off of its face. Witnessing such an event playing forth, Groot began to back aside to watch events unfold at a safe distance. Rocket, picking up Sunset to stand back on her hooves, slowly turned to see the axe rise. Starlight and Tempest stood together, wearied gazes widening at the mere sight of it. They watched, everyone did, as it suddenly shot forward and flew into Thor’s hand.

A storm of lightning filled the forge and caused the mares to back away rapidly. Swirling clouds of fire and lightning surrounded the floor where the god laid, the winds picking up to a level none could fight against, Tempest holding Starlight and keeping the two mares latched to the ground. Groot shielded his face, only dropping his right and remaining limb once the storm died. And once it died, there stood Thor Odinson.

God of Thunder.

King of Asgard.

With his weapon in tow.

A bright red cape joined him as the electricity slithered across his body and armor. His back faced the group consisting of Sunset, Rocket, Starlight, Tempest, Groot, and Eitri, cape flapping in the wind that slowly began to dissipate. Slowly began to return to Thor and the axe he wielded. When he spun around to face them, his left eye shimmered a bright and otherworldly blue, joining the fire melting off of Stormbreaker.

Then he turned to them, jamming his axe in the air and screaming, “Bring me Thanos!”

A plethora of lightning shot out from the head of the axe, filling the forge with rejuvenated light and life forever more.

Chapter 107 – Welcome Home

107

Earth

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

8:47 p.m.

Natasha Romanoff knew much about loss in her life. For the young girl who didn’t even know who her parents were, taken to the Red Room Academy to be utterly changed both mentally and physically, and faced nearly every storm imaginable through a long, painful, and troublesome life. One would not find much joy or comfort within that darkness, nor find a reason to look to the next tomorrow.

It was only until she became part of a team did she find that belonging, after Clint Barton was ordered to kill her and instead chose to ignore those orders, bring her to another home she never thought existed. She found that team with S.H.I.E.L.D., lost it like most of the world had when HYDRA infected it, and found another team—a permanent team—with the Avengers. They had faced greater storms, far greater challenges than the world could ever handle on their own, but they always came out on top. Natasha could always rest easy knowing they always won in the end.

She hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in days.

She could hardly sleep at all, spending most of her nights trailing the New Avengers Facility alone. Utterly alone. She sat that way, near the various windows lining the facility and the garden specifically. A lone tree sat within the small garden, meant to bring a small snippet of life within the massive complex. Despite that life, it only reminded Natasha of what they failed to preserve, the Black Widow gazing sadly to the raindrops falling from the tree branches. Several lights warmed the facility and brought light to the garden under the blackness of night, cascading an even greater shadow passed Natasha. The facility was so quiet.

Natasha even quieter.

Steve Rogers hardly fared any better. After weeks of straining and stressing, Steve found seldom comfort to just take a moment to freshen up. He stood alone in the bathroom, tapping the razor on the edge of the sink and plucking the lone towel off its stand to dry his face. When he brought the towel down, his beardless face gazed solemnly to his own reflection. The scars and bruises from past battles had healed remarkably fast, yet they left their mark in other ways.

Steve sighed, leaning forward and pressing his palms on the edges of the sink. Even moments of rest could not truly be filled without concern infecting it. There was no other way to go about it but confront the issue head-on, and that was all they had been doing for weeks on end. They hadn’t come any closer since they first begun, Steve’s heart only further falling when the death toll continued to rise. The world called upon them but there was nothing more they could do. The deed had already been done. Thanos won. All they could really do—all they tried to do—was pick up the pieces.

And Steve never felt more utterly small while doing so as the leader of the Avengers.

Turning back to his reflection, Steve pursed his lips and sighed through his nostrils. The day had ended, and all he could do was look towards another tomorrow.

But even that was halted when James Rhodes called out, “Hey, the pager just turned off!”

Time seemed to freeze, much like Hell had for Steve right at that moment. For more than three weeks, nothing had changed or diverged from every other waking moment in the facility. They would count the dead worldwide, maintain contact with Equus and their status, search the stars for their lost Avengers, and stare at the pager that never seemed to acquire contact with anyone. That was the routine and it never changed for three weeks straight. Until then.

Grabbing his black shirt and quickly stuffing it over him, Steve ran out of the bathroom and congregated into the living room, where Rhodes was waiting with an already large gathering. They consisted of Melinda May, Bruce Banner, Frank Castle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pepper Potts, Matthew Murdock, and Natasha Romanoff. The Black Widow turned to Steve the same moment Rhodes had, both of them confronting the First Avenger and James offering him the blank pager.

“Did the battery die?” Steve asked, thumbing over the ancient device.

James shook his head. “The battery’s fine. It just shut off out of nowhere.”

“Well, reboot it, get it back on or something,” Steve retorted, handing the pager back to him. “Whatever Fury wanted it for, it was still sending a message. We still need to find out who was on the other end of that line—”

“Guys.”

Steve’s voice failed him, both he and Rhodes turning accordingly with Natasha shortly following. They weren’t alone. May turned away from Steve’s conversation to focus back to the settlement of chairs scattered about throughout the living room. Frank, Banner, Pepper, and the two mares all followed, too, all eyes in the dark living room centering on the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen.

Murdock sat on a lone chair, a plain white shirt and jeans joining him while his tinted glasses remained on the nearest coffee table. He sat with his back faced to them, leaning forward with his elbows propped on his knees. Staring forward and nowhere else. His eyes were so wide that he simply refused to blink, seeing only that burning world but hearing so much more than that. He felt the vibrations that no one else could, listened to those strange, alien sounds descending further and further from the soft rain clouds above. And it only grew. It got loud enough for Matthew to assume it was coming their way.

And it was. And he said, “We got incoming.”

The next thing they knew, they were all following Murdock outside of the New Avengers Facility to step foot on the wet, summer grass. The rain had nearly depleted, a mere sprinkle hitting every single one of them once they stepped out from the shadow of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. And once they did, they were greeted to the sight of the Benatar itself hovering down to them. Only, its engines were dark. It was heavily damaged.

And someone else was holding it.

From Steve, Natasha, Bruce, Rhodes, Melinda, Castle, Matthew, Rainbow, and Rarity, every last one of them wore that look of complete disbelief. It infected every last one of their expressions. Neither one of them were coherent enough to take the lead, take that next step forward. But it was Pepper Potts who led that group further onto the grass, her heart aching to see the very ship Steve had told her Tony had flown off in. It descended and landed softly on the facility’s grass, the landing gear extending outwards and prompting the Benatar to remain standing.

It was so silent to follow. The pitter-patter of the soft rainfall was all they could hear impacting the Benatar’s metal surface. They could not speak. They could not breathe. They could only stare to that lone individual standing beneath the massive ship, the one who literally carried it from the sky and let it down on the earth itself. So gently. So powerfully. They could only stare…

Captain Marvel turned to them, her helmet materializing back into her suit and revealing that long, golden hair flowing down to her shoulders. Her expression fully showed that concern to them, a golden array of lights literally shimmering from her body as it slowly began to die down. The lights faded, leaving just her and that agape expression meeting theirs. She breathed. She breathed Earth’s air, the first time in twenty-three years.

It felt good.

Though, they could not stare at her forever. The ramp of the Benatar painfully opened, nearly crashing against the grass to showcase the amount of damage the ship had sustained. He stumbled down the steps, the team of Avengers, Defenders, S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, and ponies all gasping when they finally saw them. They witnessed Tony Stark stumble down bare foot and nearly breathless already, taking in a gasp of air with Twilight clutched in his bone-thin arms. Pepper cried out, rushing forward and catching Tony just as his feet touched the wet grass.

“Oh, my God!” Pepper cried, hands gripping the sides of Tony’s face and pressing her lips firmly to his. Her face contorted, fresh tears slipping through the pain as she broke away and met his gaze. Tony’s expression shattered just as worse as hers, perhaps even more so to see a familiar and loving face. One he never thought he would see again.

“Hey Pep…” he weakly stuttered. As the tears slipped down her cheeks, Pepper nearly crushed Tony in a hug, Stark breathing heavily as his free hand found its way on the back of her head, holding her close. Never letting go ever again.

Twilight was caught in-between their hug, the Alicorn chuckling softly before falling into a fit of coughs. It was the first moment Pepper actually noticed the pony in Tony’s arms, Potts taking a step back to stare at her fully. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Ms. Potts,” Twilight greeted with a weak grin.

She couldn’t offer anything more, another series of coughs leaving the Alicorn. Tony let her down to join her friends, Twilight almost instantly bombarded by both Rarity and Rainbow Dash, both ponies capturing Twilight in a powerful hug. They eased off shortly after noticing Twilight’s current condition, Rarity analyzing her as best as her medical eye could offer and assuring Twilight that they needed to give her plenty of soft foods and water. Only as they made their way back to the facility, the visible limp and wound on Twilight’s hind leg spelled that a far more serious treatment was necessary. Bruce joined them, followed closely by May offering her medical expertise to Twilight.

Nebula sat down at the bottom of the steps, staring at their reunion. From Tony Stark and his beloved wife-to-be, the Avengers with their own, and the ponies with their princess and friend. It was comforting to see, to know their journey—though it had ended in failure—had finally come to a close. They were safe amongst allies. Her eyes slowly fell, that somber silence filling the lonesomeness that surrounded her. Then, she spotted that pair of shoes stand in front of her, Nebula lifting her eyes.

Frank and Matt approached her, Castle holding out his hand for Nebula to grip. It took several seconds, the Luphomoid unsure of what they were doing, but in the end… accepting it nonetheless. Accepting them nonetheless. She gripped his palm, allowing Frank to pull her back to her feet. To her continued surprise, she watched as Murdock laid his hand softly on her shoulder, Nebula flinching back only momentarily. He did it again, and that time Nebula didn’t move. She allowed them to take her back to the facility, the promise of a warm meal and water giving her the strength to join them.

To accept them and what they offered.

Steve helped Pepper with Tony, Stark telling him, “I lost Thor. I lost them.”

“It’s okay, Tony,” Steve whispered to him, assuring Stark that everything was under control, that he didn’t need to worry any longer. Seeing Tony stand as a near-skeleton was ominous enough. They didn’t need him—in his current state—to worry. He handed off Tony to Rhodes, the rest of the team following them into the facility with Stark constantly whispering that he “lost them”.

Leaving just Steve and Natasha to fear exactly what he meant. It was just him, Twilight, and Nebula who stepped off that ship.

Except…

They both turned around almost simultaneously, both witnessing Captain Marvel approaching them. Her eyes no longer held that concern from earlier, but a fiery intensity that matched the shimmer of golden rays clutched to her body from earlier. While Natasha hardened her guard, Steve instantly noticed the symbol resting on her chest, right over her heart.

The star.

Matching the pager exactly.

He lifted his eyes to meet her own, and Carol Danvers asked, “Where’s Fury?”

Chapter 108 – The Garden

108

Andromeda Galaxy

Planet 0269-S

The Garden

A tower of golden light shot down from the heavens and impacted a forest, decimating anything caught underneath and scattering any animals within the vicinity. Any nearby earth and dust were pushed aside and burnt to a crisp as the radiating lights from the Bifrost Bridge made its impact and continued to pelt the ground with its unrelenting fury. Trees leaned back from the force of the blast, only swaying to their original position once the Bifrost finally died...

And once Thor stepped out of it, Stormbreaker in hand and Rocket, Groot, Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest right by his sides.

Each member of the group took a moment to analyze their surroundings, first and foremost checking to see if the air was breathable unlike the last couple of planets they visited. After a few cautious and calming breaths, they came to the conclusion that they were safe. They were surrounded by a cluster of trees, strange blue, alien veins crawling across and up their trunks to join the mushrooms and other fungi infecting them. The morning sunlight crawled over the horizon, a strange and welcoming warmth joining that orange and blazing star as it pelted them right in their faces. Some of the mares flinched back from the brightness, Starlight and Sunset especially. Tempest simply stared straight on into the light, narrowing her eyes alongside Rocket and Thor.

“Are we here this time?” Starlight asked, foreleg raised to block the onslaught of sunlight.

“Hey, unicorn,” Rocket piped up, checking his portable tracker to find their exact coordinates. “What does that rock around your neck say?”

“My name is Sunset,” said unicorn replied, her frown deepening and twisting that expression to the raccoon. “H-how do you not know this already? We’ve been stuck in an escape pod for three weeks.”

“Sunset,” Thor interrupted. Sunset peeled her gaze away from Rocket, turning it back to see Thor glaring straight ahead into the morning sun. No humor. No patience. The unbridled rage could be felt melting off of him as the fire did from Stormbreaker’s head. He didn’t even look at her as he stared right on ahead. “The geode?”

He was obviously out of patience, much like many of them. Sighing but accepting that conclusion nonetheless, Sunset turned away and instead chose to face onwards to the exit of the forest they were trapped in. Beyond the scorch mark the Bifrost had left, Sunset stepped out of it and analyzed the soft dirt beneath her hooves. She gazed to it, tightening her jaw. “Well, from Rocket’s navigation and Eitri’s knowledge… we should be…”

She lowered her hoof, burying it deep into the soil and letting it rest within the earth. Sunset closed her eyes. Her free hoof rose up to caress the red geode resting over her heart, a calming sigh leaving Sunset Shimmer. It took a few moments, but the magical prowess of her geode finally began to take shape. Though she hadn’t been able to practice on living beings as much as she would have liked thanks to Rocket’s stubbornness and Thor’s inability to let her peer into his emotions and memories, it only allowed Sunset to further delve into what the geode was truly capable of. Not only could she see something with a beating heart, but all life fell into her grasp. The geode’s energy had grown exceptionally strong over the past several weeks. Maybe from her encounter with Thanos… maybe since its connection when she first touched him and felt the power of those Infinity Stones embrace her…

Whatever it was, Sunset felt it all the same. The geode shimmered within her hoof and over her heart, showcasing the entire planet itself within her eyes. She saw several flash images fly across the darkness in her vision. Swaying tree lines spreading across the entire planet, the world’s rings dangling across the night sky as time suddenly sped forward at a thousand hours per second. Alien birds chirping in the trees, animals of unknown species and origin running across the vast valleys, swimming in the oceans, and looking to the farmlands. Plants, a harvest, all of it growing at an exceptional rate thanks to the provisions of the farmer. A lone scarecrow and armor. A dark hut…

The Infinity Gauntlet.

Ripping her hoof away from the soil, Sunset gasped and shot open her wide, adrenaline-filled eyes. She took in several breaths of air, Starlight and Tempest coming to her sides and laying helpful and comforting hooves on her shoulders. Until she was finally able to speak again, Sunset lifted her eyes and stared fully into the sunrise, out of the forest, and the world that rested beyond them.

And she said, “I think we’re here.”

“Finally,” Tempest sighed, joining her gaze. She flinched and groaned, clutching her forehead as her horn fizzled and popped harmless sparks. It was harmful only to her, the unicorn stumbling about and nearly blacking out if Starlight hadn’t been there to let Tempest lean against her for support.

“It’s the horn again, isn’t it?” Starlight whispered. Tempest could only gaze to Starlight in response, the painful tears in her eyes being a certainty for her answer.

Despite that showing of pain, Tempest nodded regardless and pushed herself back to her hooves. “I’ll be fine,” she shakily whispered, pushing onward alongside Sunset Shimmer. Starlight apprehensively joined her burdened eyes, gazing onto the back of Tempest’s head. Her horn.

Groot showed his concern by stating, “I am Groot.”

But it was Rocket who just couldn’t speak. He had seen the entire ordeal play through before him, and only after the ponies or no one else was watching did he decide to pull it out. Reaching into his back pocket, Rocket unveiled a small, curved Uru blade courtesy of Eitri. The metal shimmered under the glare of the early morning sun, the Asgardian runes upon its surface gleaming and glowing a soft blue momentarily. A gift from Eitri to Rocket for his work. More like a payment, considering Rocket wouldn’t leave Nidavellir without something to make the trip worthwhile.

He lifted his eyes and stared onto the shattered horn on Tempest’s forehead.

Noted how perfectly the Uru shard could fit upon it…

Rocket groaned, shaking his head and pocketing his payment away where it belonged. With him.

Letting that moment of peaceful silence affect them all, Rocket took a moment to jot down their exact coordinates on his tracker. Sure, they weren’t one hundred percent certain it was the right planet, but it was better to be safe than sorry. It soon occurred to Rocket that maybe that certainty fell into the absolutely when Thor strode past him, the raccoon and Groot’s eyes rising up to witness where the God of Thunder was off to.

It turned out he was following them.

Sunset led the way. On her left slowly trotted Starlight Glimmer, and on her left, Tempest Shadow slowly proceeded alongside them. They walked right out into the open, the cluster of trees unveiling a single opening that led right into the morning sun. Their three shadows cascaded fully across the dirt and reached all the way to Rocket and Groot, Thor’s swaying cape soon joining them as he walked slowly behind each mare. But they saw it first. They were the first ones to step put of that forest and gaze upon the pure and utter majesty… of the Garden.

Another world joined the sun on the horizon, resembling that of Earth and Equus’ current situation. Or maybe it was a moon. That sunlight, to their surprise, was mostly concealed by a near-solar eclipse. The edge of the world shimmered a bright and glorious orange and yellow, the lingering and smaller moon in the morning sky high overhead. Further below the mountain range, a series of fields filled the valleys. A healthy and sprawling landscape of farmland and rivers filled those valleys, the light of the sun reflecting off the strong bodies of water. It spread so far and so vast that they could stare forever and still be caught in that beauty, forever caught in that moment of bliss and prosperity. The world was so healthy and rich that the very air they breathed filled them renewed vigor and strength, all signs of weariness instantly leaving the three mares as they gazed with expressions locked in awe, the sun glowing on their faces, igniting in their eyes.

It left them in such a state of peace that they nearly didn’t see the lone-standing hut resting within the heart of the valley below. And moving within the farmlands surrounding it, tending to the fields and keeping them alive… was a large, violet figure.

Each of the ponies silently gasped when they saw him at the same moment.

When they finally saw Thanos.

If there was any other undeniable proof that they were on the right planet, the evidence was right there before them. It could have been any other Titan tending to his fields, but from what they could see, what they could believe… it all pointed to one final conclusion: Thanos was there. They had made it. They had found the Garden.

The golden glove shimmering on his left arm was also a dead giveaway.

Thor didn’t wait a second longer and swiftly pushed past Sunset and Starlight, making his way off the mountain and down towards the valley below.

If it hadn’t been for the ponies, Rocket, and Groot, he most certainly would have.

“Thor, wait, what are you doing?!” Sunset sharply whispered, knowing their distance from the Titan was great but taking every precaution possible nonetheless. She galloped forward and slid to a stop in front of the God of Thunder, hoof outstretched to stop him right in his tracks. It hardly mattered, Thor practically pushing right through her.

Sunset held her ground regardless, Starlight and Tempest soon to follow with Rocket and Groot prying at Thor’s cape and doing everything in their power to keep him constrained. Their efforts were practically fruitless, Thor merely tightening his grip around Stormbreaker’s handle and continuing onwards out of the forest, his gaze locked and centered only on one thing...

Thanos. His back to them, his focus only on tending to his garden.

“He’s right there,” Thor growled through clenched teeth, seething with unbridled rage.

“Yeah, yeah, we know he’s right there, but that’s kinda the problem!” Rocket whispered fiercely. He ran ahead, stopping at just the edge of the mountain and shooting out his paws in hopes to stop Thor. And finally, to all of their relief, he finally did, breathing with such ragged pain that they almost believed he would fly off and engage with Thanos.

He nearly did, sparks of electricity dancing across his armor and forearms. Thor barred his teeth like a feral animal, the fire in his eyes seeing only the Titan. “I could end this right now.”

“Or you could warn him of what we’re trying to do!” Starlight argued, trying to keep her voice down and their position hidden. Thor didn’t even look at her, barely paid heed to the mare whose hoof was pressed firmly to his thigh. “You could cause him to retreat again, hide on some other planet in a whole other galaxy where we’ll never be able to find him!”

Their words were almost numb to his ears, every wretched deed Thanos had done to him and the universe replaying again and again in Thor’s head. From the slaughter of half his people on the Statesmen, the death of his best friend, the destruction of Xandar, the infliction of the worlds he loved, and finally to the death of half of the universe…

“He killed my brother.”

He could never forget the worst part of it. The thunder began to cry out in the distance, lightning dancing over the clouds and off of Thor’s own body. Tempest looked back quickly to see Thanos lift his head to the approaching storm. She felt her heart freeze at that, jamming her panic-filled gaze back to Thor.

“Thor, listen to us,” Tempest declared in a powerful yet silent tone. It was so strong that it earned Thor’s interest only momentarily, just being enough. “He killed a lot of people and ponies. He killed trillions of lives and he’s going to pay for it. But you need to calm down and wait for all of us to face him together! Just us… we’re not enough. Even with Stormbreaker… we’re not enough. We need a strategy… we need a bigger team… and we need the element of surprise.”

Thor breathed for several seconds on end, the storm clouds continuing to billow and swarm around the fields above Thanos’ hut. But for just a moment, he caught that breath, turning back to his friends all standing before him, all gazing to him with pleading expressions.

“I have the coordinates,” Rocket suggested, holding out his tracker for Thor to see. “He’s not going anywhere as long as he knows we’re not here with him.”

Even with that, Thor still gripped onto Stormbreaker, though the shift in his current status was clear and visible. It just needed that last push, that final anchor to keep him strapped safely and securely to what truly mattered. That came down to the unicorn known as Sunset Shimmer, Thor turning to her and seeing his ally. His friend. The one who believed in him from the very start of their journey.

“Come on, Thor…” Sunset whispered, begged, showed it in her large, pleading eyes.

He could have ended it. He could have turned the very might of Asgard itself and rained it straight down from the heavens onto the Mad Titan. Every life lost, every pain felt, everything Thanos had done to be turned against him and fueled the wrath of the God of Thunder… only for it to be halted. He stopped what his emotions desperately wanted and instead chose to listen to his friends.

Even if it hurt like hell.

He lowered his axe, Stormbreaker’s head slowly falling closer to the earth. Just like that, his rising anger was cooled exponentially, like a hot poker jammed in water and the rising steam escaping his long, winded exhale. His eye was wide as the storm clouds broke apart, the thunder quieted, and the lightning ceased. The group of Sunset, Starlight, Tempest, Rocket, and Groot showed their relief through shared exhales, almost matching Thor’s but never once able to hold that same anger.

That same rage.

They could only leave and experience that together, followed Thor back into the forest where he jammed Stormbreaker to the skies and the Bifrost Bridge rained down on top of them.

They left begrudgingly—mainly Thor—as they returned to Earth.

Author's Note

You took us to many strange and wonderful places... It's time to come home.

Artist: light262

Chapter 110 – Long Live the Infinity Era

110

Andromeda Galaxy

Planet 0269-S

Once they reached their Jump Point, the Benatar slowed to a halt just above the planet’s upper atmosphere. The occupants from within the spacecraft took as much time as they needed to readjust themselves, observe their surroundings, and ready up for the fight ahead. Resting ahead was the alien world they knew only as “The Garden”. The world where Thanos was currently situated.

They had made it. The time had come. After more than three weeks of constant suffering for both worlds, the loss of half of all life in the entire universe, and the strife Thanos had brought upon it all with the six Infinity Stones he held to that very moment… it was all going to come to an end. All that mattered was whether or not they left that planet with the Stones safely secured, by any means necessary. No matter how many gave their lives for it, no matter what happened in the next few minutes, all that mattered was the Infinity Stones. The fate of the universe relied on them now, the crew of little more than a dozen brave souls about to commit the impossible.

They could save the universe… but only if they lived… and he died.

Carol was the first one out of the Benatar, the vacuum of space having seemingly unaffected her while the golden lights created a cascading, protective suit around her. Her long, blonde hair flowed like it was under water, waving furiously behind Danvers as she hovered just in front of the Benatar’s windshield.

“I’ll scout it out,” Carol declared from her comms link, informing everyone and everypony inside the ship. Steve, Natasha, Nebula, Bruce, Daisy, and Rhodes all surrounded the front of the Benatar, gazing to Danvers on the other side. She nodded firmly. “Be back soon.”

In a gust of golden light, she shot downwards straight into the atmosphere, a haunting and unsettling silence filling the cockpit of the Benatar. Everyone’s bated breaths were held only momentarily, waiting in raw anticipation to see whether or not Carol would return to them. The suspense was growing to a level that was almost unbearable, not a single shimmer of light returning for almost a full minute.

While others worried for Danvers, Steve settled forward and reached into his back pocket, pulling out a small compass. When he flipped it out open, all that remained within it was a picture of Peggy Carter smiling up at him, unfortunately not having that same smile return her way. Steve gazed painfully to the compass, eventually flipping it closed, unable to meet her eyes. Somehow… knowing he might see her again sooner than expected.

“This is gonna work, Steve,” Natasha assured him, already sensing that rising trepidation and solemn acceptance from Rogers on her left.

Pocketing the compass away, Steve slowly looked over to her, saying, “I know it is… because I don’t what I’m gonna do if it doesn’t.”

Sunset, Starlight, Tempest, Rainbow, and Rarity all huddled up, each mare staring in the same direction and gazing longingly to the same alien world. They were down yet another friend out of the dozens they had lost weeks prior, only that time… they knew when they returned home that they were going to see every single one of them once again. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Spike, Sunburst, Celaeno, Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, Celestia…

And Twilight would be right there, waiting for them when they came back. Even without her superior magical prowess, the mares were still fairly stacked for their own arsenal as it were. Sunset, Tempest, and Starlight especially held just as much power as Twilight, if not slightly more so when joined together. Rarity may not have been particularly skilled in magic, but she would do whatever was necessary to ensure half of all life came back that day… even if it meant facing that fear once again.

Rainbow Dash was ready. Simply, sternly ready for whatever awaited them on Thanos’ world.

Her large, rose-rimmed eyes lit up the color of gold, widening even further when Carol Danvers returned at long last. Dash held her breath and tensed her nerves for whatever would come out of Danvers’ lips, Carol slowing herself down just in front of the windshield. Her expression was focused, fortified to the point a pure, dedicated soldier would have been when faced with the greatest challenge any of them would have ever faced. When she spoke, everyone was silent, her voice filling their comms and their ears.

“Planet’s barren. No defenses. No warships. No armies of any kind. It’s just him.”

That alone earned several exhales of relief and release, all that pent-up tension of what awaited them finally finding its escape. Their focus could finally be shifted to the one true threat left.

Then they stopped breathing again when Carol said, “I’ll go in first. Come in after me.”

Steve was quick to respond, stating, “Carol, you’re gonna need support down there.”

Despite being the leader of the mission, Steve’s words of worry and warning did little to deter Captain Marvel from her desired target. She merely smiled to Rogers. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll soften him up for you.”

Then she was gone, the first and only one to lead them towards the planet. To lead them right into the fight.

The Garden

It was morning. The twenty-third day.

The wind was calm and collected, tree lines swaying softly under the breath of nature itself and the warmth of the morning sunlight. Rivers and grasslands sang out in a chorus of natural beauty, a symphony of untold vigor as that harvest for the summer was coming in exceptionally well. It had quite the caretaker, after all.

A lone scarecrow sat under the light of the golden and yellow sun, the aged armor and helmet from years of warfare so scratched and dented it was certain to ward off any unfavorable pests within the farmlands. And within that harvest, as the insects buzzed about and the nearby birds chirped in the distance, a lone Titan stumbled within the crops carrying a large sack in his right hand. His left swayed alongside his constant limps, the golden glove forever embedded upon his forearm and shimmering under the sunlight.

Pausing just within the crops, the Titan slowly gazed to his left and spotted a fresh fruit. Perfectly ripe and suitable for breakfast. Sighing, he bent down and cringed at the pain pulsating in his left leg and arm, ignoring it momentarily as he gripped the fruit within his gauntlet and plucked it right off its stem. Last one for the morning meal. Bending to his right, the pain was much less as he pulled the sack forward and placed the fruit safely within the confines of the others. He tightened the bag to a close, turning his wearied gaze across the farmlands and onto his lone hut erected against the earth.

Moving past the scarecrow without even a passing glance, the Titan proceeded up the steps carefully, leading with his right every step of the way as his left limped pitifully behind him. There was no door awaiting him, the Titan merely stepping inside the confines of his home and settling the sack of fruit on the wooden table. Bending down in the heart of the hut, the Titan grabbed a pair of rocks and scraped them together, creating a flurry of sparks and igniting the fireplace once again. He returned to the table and began preparing his morning breakfast, unloading the fruits and skinning, chopping, and piling them into a large basin. His right hand did most of the work, the left hanging limply from his side.

With the fruits in the pot, the Titan began adding the spices, a mere pinch here and there, and a bucket of water to finish it up. Lifting the basin from the table, the Titan spun around and proceeded towards the fireplace, the flames already fully alive and awaiting his presence. He placed the pot directly over the fire, settling himself to a sitting position and finally resting after the morning harvest.

The flames flicked light across the darkness of the hut, illuminating Thanos’ face and showcasing the vivid weakness displayed upon it.

He took in a deep breath as the water began to boil, eyes falling to the fire and gazing forever into the flickering lights. His gauntlet—molded and reformed to fit tightly against his left forearm—reflected the lights from the fire and merely reminded him of the nominal comfort he could truly enjoy in his retirement. The tattered rags he wore upon his body hardly constituted for the ceremonial and warlord garb he proudly donned in his youth. The past had existed as a constant reminder for Thanos of his days before his destiny, before it was fully realized and finally achieved.

The deed was done all the same. He could finally rest and find that splendor every morning to the rising sun greeting him, just as the universe greeted him for a job well done. Yet… even with his destiny achieved and the work finally finished, Thanos seemed to grow only more distant from that dream of his. There was a silent but present weight that continued to grow, continued to infect and drag him further and further down. It all began when he snapped his fingers, the scars upon his left arm only further damaging his body. His mortal body. It grew to a pestering nuisance, but soon became something even more serious, something Thanos knew he couldn’t turn away from forever.

The present weight of the Infinity Gauntlet, of destiny fulfilled, left Thanos weak… broken…

And vulnerable.

The perfect moment for that approaching light to strike him down.

Seeing that light only grow brighter, Thanos lifted his gaze only to widen it. Raised up his arms only to take the full hit. Pushed back against it only to fall. And within that light, Carol Danvers shot right into Thanos’ hut and pelted him with two raw photon blasts.

Thanos was driven into the earth itself, grunting with ragged pain as the beams of golden energy only continued to pelt him further and further into the dirt. There stood Captain Marvel, landing just on the edge of the massive hole she had created and further unloading a continuous stream of energy from her fists and into the Titan. She kept firing until she could see nothing else, until only smoke and darkness remained in the gaping maw of the dirt and Carol Danvers was all that stood within the hut. Carol dropped her arms, fists tightened and resting by her sides as she breathed, kept her face stone frozen, and stared.

Looked for any sign of movement.

A sound.

Anything.

A tiny smirk crawled its way onto her lips. Almost too easy…

She never expected the light. All six of them.

The blast came quicker, impacting Carol so fast that there was no chance she could have dodged it in time. It hit her square in the chest with such ferocity that Danvers nearly lost her breath, the rainbow beam launching Carol straight through the ceiling and clear across the entirety of the Garden. The blast came like a solid wake-up call, returning that fire Carol had delivered to Thanos and intensifying it tenfold. That was how it felt when Carol impacted the side of the mountain, the beam finally dying, leaving just her.

Leaving just a startled, fully awake, fully aggravated, and fully shaken Carol Danvers.

The cracks on the side of the mountain began to spread, like a virus, all originating from the impact zone on the face of the peak. On its surface, embedded several yards inwards, Carol slowly started to come to, her vision blurry and all forms of sound slurred to the point of nonexistence. The hardest part wasn’t forcefully ripping her arms from the rock she had been thrown into, the hardest part was trying to breathe again—trying to think again—her chest actually feeling like it had been compressed inwards from the blast. It took a moment for her to collect herself, but even that wasn’t enough time.

Just after she pulled her right leg from the rock, her eyes caught a quick glance upwards, spotting Thanos leaping right through the air. Quickly flying towards her. The bright, purple Stone upon his gauntlet was the brightest of all as he reared back on that fist.

Carol’s eyes widened, her hearing returning just in time to hear herself utter, “Oh, shi—!”

Thanos struck the mountain with the Power Stone fueling his punch. A mighty tremor spread throughout the Garden, shaking the foundations of the farmlands to their very core as the distant mountain trembled and erupted. The entire peak was obliterated in a wave of violet light, thousands of fragments of stone and pebble shooting outwards like bullets as only two beings fell from the explosion. The mountain fell as Carol Danvers impacted the earth once again, bouncing roughly against it and eventually coming to a painful, skidding stop.

She tried to open her eyes, she tried to breathe again. Gritting her teeth and hardening her emotions, Carol shot open her bloodshot eyes and gasped for air. Her left elbow was pressed firmly to the dirt, Danvers desperately trying to prop herself up. She pressed her right fist down next, fighting through the unknown pain flushing through her systems, across her skin, and right through her very being. If the blast from earlier knocked the wind out of her, that punch took every last breath that was left. Leaving just her.

Leaving just Carol shakily pushing herself back up as Thanos landed mere yards ahead of her.

He landed perfectly on both feet, the Titan lifting his eyes and narrowing that glare to the lone human that had the audacity to face him while he was at rest. With an expression like hardened stone, Thanos pried at his tattered rags of his shirt with the Gauntlet and ripped them off in one swoop. His toned, muscular physic showed itself under the morning sunlight and rising flames of the mountain peak behind him, birth defects like wicked veins traveling down his pectorals and both arms. His left arm—where Carol stared—was scarred beyond repair, the Infinity Gauntlet molded tightly against his own skin, becoming a part of that skin.

And upon it, all six Infinity Stones were ignited once more. The first time in weeks.

Prying at a massive boulder in the distance, Thanos used the Space Stone to hurl it right at Carol, right in her blind spot. Just as she rose to her feet once again, Carol heard the sound of the approaching object and turned to block it, not fast enough once again in that regard. The rock struck her in the right side of her face and body, shattering the rock and causing Danvers to hunch in the opposite direction and nearly crumble to her knees. He didn’t let up. Not one second.

Thanos was relentless the second he closed the distance between them. While hunched forwards, Carol reared up with a ferocious punch right into Thanos’ gut, the Titan catching her fist with the Gauntlet and ripping it aside. With that same hand, Thanos struck Carol in the side of her face, splaying her hair in a wild direction as her body flipped clear across the dirt ground, landing harshly and painfully back into the earth. She grunted, rolling over on pure instinct just as Thanos crushed the dirt where she once lay with his boot.

Carol quickly hovered back to her feet, delivering precise and deadly punches fueled by her cosmic energy right on top of Thanos. Thanos staggered back from the punches, eventually pushing right through them and latching his gauntlet tightly around Carol’s neck and chest. He slammed her fiercely into the ground, shattering solid earth right beneath her, lifting her by her neck, and tossing her entire body right into a crowd of boulders. Danvers impacted the stone with a solid crack, not from her but from the rock she crashed against. Feeling her mind begin to darken, Carol quickly shook it away and focused on the fight ahead.

Tried to.

When Thanos reached her, it was almost entirely one-sided from that point on.

He rammed his boot into her chest, slamming her right back into the stone and earning a rare grunt of pain from Captain Marvel. She fell to her knees, Thanos unloading with devastating and fearsome punches across her face. One strike in particular came from his right fist, a punch so hard that it struck her cheekbone and sprayed a helping of dark blue-green blood across the dirt, Carol’s lips bleeding fiercely as Thanos continued to beat her down. Further and further. She could hardly even block his attacks, desperately trying to get back into the fight.

Only to realize that fight was turning terrifyingly against her.

It struck her faster than Thanos’ punches, hit her where Thanos couldn’t, caught her heart and brought her face to face with that horrifying aspect of reality. She wasn’t in control of the fight anymore. The tides she had so comfortingly rode on for years traveling the galaxy and being the hero she believed she was… had suddenly turned against her. That sudden shift completely took her out of the fight, her mind unable to focus, her body unable to defend herself as Thanos took complete control.

From the Benatar above, Rocket piloted the ship to observe the battlefield already in place, the devastated mountain coming into view and breaking through the smoke to witness the onslaught. Steve saw it all with his own two eyes, Carol fiercely trying to defend herself as Thanos was relentless in his advances, landing several devastating punches that would have crippled any normal human within seconds. Carol took them as best as she could, forcefully being pushed back and pushed down as Thanos proceeded to dominate the fight.

It was just as Steve feared. He turned to the rest of the cockpit, to everyone else, and shouted, “Danvers is getting overwhelmed! Let’s get in there!”

Trapped on one knee, Carol didn’t even have time to wipe the blood from her bleeding nose when Thanos rammed his left palm right into her throat. He held her there, tightening the Gauntlet fiercely around Danvers’ neck and watching her squirm within it. Her palms gripped the edges of the Gauntlet, Thanos actually shocked to see her successfully managing to pry the fingers apart from her neck. Gritting his teeth, Thanos reared back and tossed Carol clear across the dirt ground and into the nearby bundle of trees that led into the larger forest.

The tree she struck completely shattered, falling forward and landing upon the earth the same moment she had, lying vertically like she was. She laid there for several seconds, maybe even ten, Carol counting each alongside her ragged breaths as she slowly, painfully began to rise once more to her feet. Never once staying down. Always rising back up.

With her back to him, Carol placed a bloody, gloved-palm on the trunk of the tree for support, cringing and hissing as she finally rose back to her feet. She stumbled a bit, had to lean against the tree to actually stand, but there she was. Bleeding, bruised, beaten and weary… but alive. Alive and ready for round two.

Thanos groaned behind Carol. Her long, disheveled hair hung limply in front of her face, strands blowing out as she exhaled heavy gusts of air. She didn’t even turn back when he began to speak to her.

“You made a mistake to come here,” Thanos stated loudly, louder than the ship he saw hovering several yards behind him. Turning back to her, he gazed to her backside, saw her shaking body lean against the tree. He sneered. “This place… of rest… It doesn’t deserve to see such bloodshed. Especially yours… Kree. Human…? Do you even know who or what you are? I assume so… otherwise you wouldn’t have foolishly flown in here all on your own. You couldn’t possibly be Kree with how poorly trained you are. Yes… you must be human. A foolish, arrogant, pitiful human.”

With every rapid step forward, Thanos only continued to mock her, having already grown far too tired with her insolence. The horrid pain in his left arm had only intensified thanks to her, Thanos pushing all of that pent-up agony and rage and focusing all of it on her. It seemed to do the trick. It seemed to get to her all the same, just as it had to Thanos.

Carol’s palm slowly curled into a fist upon the tree trunk, the edges of her skin and suit igniting into a fierce, golden firestorm. She ignited, the cosmic energy coursing through her veins and shimmering across her entire body, setting her eyes aflame in that same golden divinity. Her hair began to slowly dance, slowly burn just as the rest of her body did.

Just as she reached Binary.

In one quick turn, Carol screamed and grabbed the entire toppled tree, flinging it completely around and smashing its remains against the Titan. Thanos was launched backwards from the hit, but Carol wasn’t done with him just yet. She took off at incredible speeds, toppling several other trees that surrounded her as she jetted forward and tackled Thanos right through what remained of the mountain. The duo tussled and turned in mid-air, Thanos eventually gaining the upper hand and slamming Carol into the earth once they eventually made impact.

Thanos rolled to his feet, jamming out his gauntlet and firing a single blast from the Power Stone directly into Carol’s chest just as she rose up from the dirt to attack him once more. Her body vanished into the distance, leaving just Thanos kneeling within his own damaged crops. It took only a few seconds for Thanos to realize the real fight had just begun, the approaching Benatar being clear evidence of that.

Then came the lumbering Hulkbuster right through the crops, Bruce Banner jamming out the suit’s palms and firing a conjoined repulsor beam right into Thanos’ chest. The Titan couldn’t even raise his arms in time, close his left fist in time. He grunted and cried as the beams struck him, tossing him clear across the harvest and deeper into the Garden. Even as Thanos came to a crash on his back, he didn’t have a single second to collect himself as the Hulkbuster landed right on top of him, delivering fierce and powerful blows right into Thanos’ unprotected face.

“You murdered trillions!” Banner screamed from within the Hulkbuster, rearing back with his right fist and driving it into Thanos’ forehead. His head bounced against the gravel and dirt, a stream of violet blood leaking from the Titan’s lower lip as he finally, painfully lifted the Infinity Gauntlet.

Clenched it.

Used the Space Stone to rip the juggernaut armor right off of him.

Banner went flying, crashing off in the distance elsewhere as Thanos tried to rise back up to his own two feet. He fell once again as Steve Rogers leapt from out of the crops, sending his left fist with as much power as he could offer into Thanos’ temple. The Titan grunted painfully and fell to his knee, watching as Rogers rolled directly ahead and skidded to a stop several yards away. Then came the Black Widow, Natasha Romanoff sliding underneath Thanos and driving her baton across his cheek as she emerged on his right side.

They weren’t finished.

Out of the harvest, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen emerged, flinging his billy club as hard as he could right into Thanos’ forehead. Thanos reared his neck back, grunting at that and placing a palm right where the club hit. He almost wasn’t ready for when Daredevil ran forward, plucked his billy club right out of the air, and jumped forward with his legs leading. He drop-kicked Thanos square in the chest. The Titan stumbled backwards, nearly falling. Nearly.

Nebula only furthered that wretched possibly, emerging out of the purple smoke and fire that slowly began to consume the crops. She screamed with just as much rage and agony as Thanos had, slamming her Electroshock Baton against her father again and again, watching with red in her vision as Thanos feebly tried to block her assault. He ended the confrontation shortly, however, catching the baton and tossing Nebula out of sight. Several smaller explosions caught Thanos in the back, the Titan roaring at that and spinning about to see the War Machine flying overhead, unloading an entire payload of explosives down right on top of him.

Thanos tried to raise his arms, tried to use the Stones to prevent it, but he just wasn’t fast enough. He was so discombobulated by the unending, unruly assault that he just couldn’t seem to focus on the fight at hand. His one-on-one confrontation with the Kree/Human Hybrid from earlier was a different story entirely, but it was only right then and there did he truly feel turned around.

Thanos was flung back from the explosions, the ripe fires from Rhodes’ explosives consuming the rest of the Titan’s growing, summer harvest. As War Machine flew past him, Thanos slowly rose back up to his feet, only to feel all of reality around him shutter and quake, the Titan screaming and clutching the sides of his head, his ears, at the overwhelming sound waves.

Daisy Johnson stood erected on top of the hill right on the hut’s doorstep, both fists shot out and releasing two constant waves of tremor-like energy right on top of Thanos. She watched with a stream of blood slowly easing its way down her nose as Thanos crumbled to his knees, both palms latched tightly to his head and screaming out against the onslaught of energy. Then she watched as he fought through it, placing his palms against the earth and pushing himself back up to full height.

Right on time. Daisy cut off her energy just before her mind could go blank, turning her wild expression to the crops and screaming, “Now!”

Almost instantly, Thanos felt a plethora of vines swarm his lower body, consuming his legs and rising up to cover half of his entire self. From behind, Groot cried out with his arms embedded deep within the soil, those vines of his unable to control Thanos forever. It was just enough time for the Ghost Rider to emerge right out of the harvest, burning anything in its path, glaring to the lone Titan resting before it.

The Spirit growled, unfurling the Hellfire Chain and whipping it forward. Where the vines stopped on Thanos’ lower half, the chain wrapped firmly around. An instant wave of unbearable heat began to consume Thanos the moment the Hellfire Chain ignited. It grew even worse, rivaling that of even the Infinity Gauntlet the moment Thanos had snapped. The Titan growled and screamed from where he was constrained, the chain creating red-hot veins across Thanos’ chest and body the longer it held him there.

Running out of options fast, Thanos pushed all of his willpower to simply raise his left arm. Close his fist. And unleash the power of the Reality Stone. The wretched red Stone shimmered against the Gauntlet, allowing Thanos to safely escape the bonds of both Groot’s vines and the Hellfire Chain, leaving just him standing amongst them.

He didn’t waste a second more and ignited the Power Stone, spinning around and screaming with every second that he drove that power into the earth. In every direction he could see. The howls of the Titan were unlike anything the Avengers had ever heard, the blasts striking Ghost Rider and flinging the Spirit of Vengeance clear across the Garden, nearly slicing Steve Rogers in half had Murdock not tackled him out of the way, and almost hitting Natasha had Bruce not leapt in front of her and the Hulkbuster taking the majority of the blast. Daisy dived to safety as the hut was the decimated. James Rhodes flew out of Thanos’ line of sight, a single blast nearly singeing his armor.

The light of the Power Stone eventually faded, and in that aftermath, all that was left was a lone Titan. Breathing heavily. Standing alone within the violet fires that consumed his lands. His chest was burned to a bright red, several scorch marks from the chain leaving a nasty indent across his pectorals. Not only that, but the Infinity Gauntlet was glowing bright red, as well, a rainbow of veins slowly consuming the scars across Thanos’ left arm…

And slowly growing.

They weren’t going to stop. Thanos could only look about and see them rising back up, ready to face him again no matter what it took from them. No matter what he took. His ragged, painful breathing soon wasn’t the only sound in the battlefield, the engines of the Benatar rising forth behind him and earning Thanos’ attention. When he slowly spun around, he was greeted to the backside of the spacecraft facing him, its ramp lowered and the Punisher sending his signature glare right at him.

It wasn’t the only thing he sent.

From the Benatar’s ramp, Frank Castle fired a single shell from his M32 Grenade Launcher. The grenade nearly hit its target, completely destroying the pocket of land to Thanos’ right and blowing the Titan right off his feet. Still not satisfied until he saw a burning crisp of a Titan left, Frank roared at Rocket to keep the ship steadier for him. Rocket complied and directed the Benatar closer to Thanos, Frank taking aim and firing off another round.

The second shell once more hit the ground near Thanos just as he was rising back up, sending the Titan further across the ground as the explosion rippled right through him. He landed on his backside, an agonized grunt leaving the weary Titan. He got back up anyway. He raised his gauntlet and fired a single beam from the Power Stone right towards the Benatar, but he missed.

Just by inches.

Just when Rainbow Dash flew past him and delivered a deafening punch across his face.

Thanos crumbled to one knee, spraying droplets of violet blood across the dirt just as Rainbow flew in for another strike. The second punch was even more devastating than the first, knocking Thanos flat on his back and leaving him open for a third strike. Rainbow landed right over his heart, snorting fiercely into his eyes and repeatedly punching him across the face.

Screaming through every second, “You killed my best friend!”

Thanos caught her hoof, gritting his teeth as he drove his free fist across her cheek and sending the Pegasus several yards in the opposite direction. He tried to get back up. With all his strength, with all his will, with every forceful push in his legs… and he only ended up falling again. Down to one knee, actually aghast to believe what was happening to him. Every ounce of power he held within the Infinity Gauntlet only felt like a greater hindrance to his own ability to focus, to fight, to do anything to actually survive the battle ahead. His vision blurred, his own hearing becoming distant and leaving the once Great Titan as a stumbling mess, shaking his head and doing everything he had left in him just to focus ahead.

He was already too late. Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Tempest Shadow, and Rarity all galloped out of the smoke in a charging caravan of unicorns. All at once, they skidded to a halt, igniting their horns and firing a conjoined beam of magic at him, Tempest’s lightning being the center of it all and sending Thanos tumbling across the fires and the crops. He tried to shield himself, but it was too much for him alone to handle. Without the Stones to fuel him, it was just Thanos in his weakened, broken state. He wasn’t enough.

He actually screamed in agony once he crushed his left palm into a fist, sending a wave from the Power Stone to flush across the four mares and knocking them out of his sight.

His skin was actually beginning to smoke, raw heat rising from his left bicep as those colorful veins continued to consume his arm and slowly begin to eat away at the side of his face. Thanos fought through it all, fought them all at once and fought even himself. Fought even the Infinity Stones and his cracking gauntlet. Just to get back up again.

And the moment his feet laid flat against the earth was the exact moment the Bifrost struck.

Thanos shielded his eyes from the intense brightness, gazing through his arms to see the colorful tower of light impacting his farmland relentlessly. But it wasn’t just the Bifrost that met him. Right from the light, an axe flew out of it and swung dangerously towards the Titan. Thanos’ eyes enlarged, the Titan ducking just as the axe nearly decapitated him. Though he managed to escape its sharpened end, a bolt of lightning shot out from the axe, striking Thanos right in the chest and pushing the Titan several yards back, flat on his rear end and only able to gaze to where the axe returned.

Stormbreaker returned to the Bifrost, to the God of Thunder stepping out of it. Thor gripped his new weapon tightly in his right palm, glaring ahead to see none other than Thanos lying before him, expression speechless. Awestruck. Thunderstruck.

Thor smiled with ill intent. At long last.

Thanos got back up, pointing the Infinity Gauntlet right at him. That smile instantly left him the moment he reared back with the axe. He gripped it with both palms, growling and unleashing that rage-filled roar as he threw Stormbreaker, the axe striking Thanos and embedding itself in the Titan’s left shoulder and flinging him into a mountain wall. Thor pulled the axe back from where he stood, ripping a chunk of flesh right off of Thanos’ shoulder and earning an even more satisfying, painful cry from the Titan.

As Stormbreaker returned to Thor’s hand, the God of Thunder cut the distance between them and jumped high in the air, the clouds darkening and the atmosphere electrifying as bolts of lightning struck down and impacted Thor and his weapon. With his last remaining eye burning a bright blue, Thor roared once again and drove the end of Stormbreaker right on top of his desired target.

Right for the head.

Thanos’ roars joined his as he jammed the Infinity Gauntlet in the air and ignited the Space and Power Stones at once.

What followed shook the entire planet.

The blast was the first that came of it, sending Thor and Stormbreaker several yards apart from each other. The earth itself was torn asunder, any nearby Avengers or ponies forced to retreat and reach a safe distance. Only there was no safe distance. Everywhere they turned, everywhere they looked were just entire shreds of landmass—each several miles long—being ripped from the very ground and lifted forth as if an earth-shattering earthquake was currently underway. Mountains crumbled, canyons were formed, the sky was on fire, and the earth was levitated several hundred yards above the natural order. Thanos kept it up for several seconds longer, screaming until his throat shed bled as those veins consumed the Gauntlet and burned his left arm to a crisp.

But he didn’t stop. He would throttle the entire planet to ensure his foes never reached the Infinity Gauntlet. Only that didn’t happen.

Captain Marvel reengaged quickly, practically appearing out of nowhere, between the rising chunks of earth just to slam herself against the Gauntlet. She cried out as her palms gripped the edges of the glove’s fingers, prying Thanos’ hand apart and preventing him from closing his fist. She nearly pried the Gauntlet off, turning instead to its edges and pulling with all her might, her Binary form bright and blinding to the Titan before her. Only it wasn’t enough. She made the mistake of releasing Thanos’ fingers while she went for the Gauntlet itself.

That was all Thanos needed. He clenched his fist, once more igniting the Space and Power Stones at once. At first, Carol didn’t feel much of anything. Then the slithering, blue energy of the Space Stone began to crawl up her arms, Danvers gazing fearfully to see that energy start to… douse her cosmic power. Her Binary energy began to die down as the power of the Space Stone consumed her, Carol finally realizing that power because she felt it before. So long ago. She knew that very same power that overcame her own because it was her own.

And that was all she could do.

Thanos pushed her to her knees, clenching his fist and slamming Carol into the earth from the Power Stone’s blast. He finished their confrontation by driving his left fist into her face, Carol’s eyes slowly rolling into the back of her head. A single stream of blood rolled down her nose and across her cheek. The golden energy faded from her body, leaving just her.

Leaving just Thanos as the lone being standing amongst the ruin. He breathed with such unhinged agony that every breath felt wet, ragged, blood leaking from his lips, his shoulder, his entire being like that of a bloody, broken warrior standing amongst the aftermath of the greatest war in history. All around him, the devastated earth lay in burning desolation, his harvest destroyed and the mountains crumbling to the earth in the distance. Smoke blotted the skies and barely concealed the light of the sun, unable to fully hide Thanos standing over his work.

He waited until all of the Avengers began to rise back up, all of their eyes centered on him. He looked to them, continued to breathe, and stated loudly, “Don’t you all… see what has become of your crusade? There is no end for your journey. There is no end… to any of this. Your fight is pointless, all of this… destined to happen.”

His breaths came out like stutters, Thanos glaring to the surrounding Avengers. As he lowered the Infinity Gauntlet to face Carol. As she opened her eyes and weakly whispered a final breath once the Stones lit up before her.

As the Titan boldly declared, “I am… inevitable.”

He tried to kill her. He clenched his fist and tried to leave their beloved Avenger as nothing but a pile of burning ashes before him. Thanos was caught just a second early, Banner grabbing his arms and holding him back with the Hulkbuster. He tried to fight back, he screamed out in protest, but it was too late. The Avengers swarmed him. The ponies swarmed him. Numerous hands from the likes of Steve Rogers, James Rhodes, Matt Murdock, and Natasha Romanoff all grabbed at his left arm, the magic from Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Rarity all lassoing Thanos’ entire arm and bringing it closer to the earth. Closer for all of them to begin prying the Gauntlet off. Nebula held his right arm alongside Banner, Daisy, Tempest, and Rainbow Dash, all of them screaming and crying and doing everything in their power to hold him still.

Numerous veins bulged out from Thanos’ neck, the Titan looking from his right and slowly over to his left, aggravated howls leaving him once he noticed nearly every Avenger reaching for the Infinity Gauntlet. For the Stones upon it. Even with the ripping pain flowing through his body, Thanos cried out and slowly closed his left fist, the Infinity Stones lighting up…

Then he heard the distant thunder…

Then Thanos slowly gazed forward and saw Thor high above him…

Then Thor threw Stormbreaker again, striking Thanos right in the chest. Right in the heart.

Thanos couldn’t even breathe. All that came out were wretched, final gurgles and cries.

The remaining Avengers went for the Gauntlet almost instantly, hands reaching for the Stones with Thanos’ strength neutralized. Looking through his bloodshot eyes, Thanos could see as they neared his gauntlet, as the Infinity Stones were mere inches from their grasp. Destiny fulfilled was soon to be destiny stripped, stolen away from him if they got their hands on the Stones. Thanos did not know what would become of him. All he knew was that his destiny could not be taken.

No matter what.

With his last remaining strength, in a last-ditch effort to prevent the Avengers from taking his destiny from him, Thanos slowly raised his left arm higher and higher into the air. Steve and the others struggled to hold him, Thor roaring right in Thanos’ face while driving Stormbreaker’s head further into the Titan’s heart. It did not matter to Thanos. He only stared to the Infinity Gauntlet, lowering his middle finger to press against his thumb.

The Infinity Stones shimmered. All six of them. One last time.

And Steve could see it with his own eyes, his breath leaving him when he saw the subtle cracks grow across each Stone. Further and further. Growing so vivid and so dangerous that even through the light that erupted from them… Steve could still see the Stones shatter.

Snap!

Thanos snapped his fingers.

All of reality turned white.

And all that was left was them.

The Garden slowly burned under the morning sunlight. The entirety of the planet crumbled and fell as thousands of earthquakes shattered the planet and destroyed what remained, turning the lush, healthy landscape into a burning hellfire within the span of a few minutes. The Benatar slowly descended from the smoke and fire-filled skylines, Frank Castle and Rocket Raccoon leaping off to meet them halfway. Only to stop.

Only to stare at the state of their fellow Avengers.

Steve slowly came to, shaking his head and pressing his fists into the dirt and ash, grunting as he rose from the earth and stood again. Murdock offered him his hand, Rogers taking it without complaint and offering Matt an appreciative nod. It was all he could. Mere words failed him when they turned to the rest of their team.

Natasha and James were the first ones up, pulling Daisy, Nebula, and Robbie Reyes back to their feet. Bruce stumbled about in the tattered remains of the Hulkbuster armor, the helmet retracted back and revealing the true and utter horror off of Banner’s features. Sunset offered her hoof to Tempest, who eventually took it and joined the other mares. From Starlight, Rainbow, and Rarity, all of them could only look to the desolate remains of where Thanos once stood.

Leaving just Thor standing frozen, gazing downwards.

Carol’s glove rose from the ground, prying at the dirt and pulling the rest of Captain Marvel out of the hole. She crawled out of the divot in the earth, spotted the center of Thor’s attention lying directly before her. The Infinity Gauntlet. Gritting her teeth, she used her remaining strength to push over the Gauntlet. Then she gasped. As did everyone else. Thor remained deathly silent.

They all saw it and still couldn’t believe it.

Mainly Carol Danvers, who could only blame herself for what had happened. For what she allowed to happen. Steve Rogers, on the other hand, stared onto the face of the Infinity Gauntlet with an expression frozen cold, hardened and unbreakable. Knowing deep down that he was only lying to himself, knowing that expression broke when he saw it.

The Gauntlet remained on the burning grass, no Stones upon it.

The Infinity Stones were destroyed, no sign of Thanos anywhere.

All that remained where he once was… was a blood-stained Stormbreaker.

Chapter 111 – Five Years Later

111

Five Years Later

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

10:57 a.m.

Above Landing Zone A

General Rainbow Dash of the Equestrian Army could barely even see the goliath refugee shuttles making their entry into Equestrian airspace. They broke through the heavy storm clouds, followed the flashing lights from the nearby Wonderbolt Pegasi and Canterlot airships leading them to the landing zone.

It was all a stale routine for her at that point in her life. More Earthen refugees leaving the hopeless efforts on their home world to search for a new opportunity, a new life on the Equestrian front. Spanning across the severe reconstruction sites around Canterlot Mountain, gargantuan steel and concrete structures stood erect upon the city’s edges. The Landing Zones were barren and clear, more Wonderbolts waving landing lights in their hooves like burning flares to call to the shuttles making their descent from the skies. The Landing Zones led into the redesigned and refined train stations surrounding the edges of Canterlot Mountain, which undoubtedly led to Ponyville and the refugee camps stationed there.

As for General Rainbow Dash, she and Commander Tempest Shadow stood upon the lead airship of Equestria’s Grand Fleet, a mighty behemoth of a warship formed from metal, wood, and fire. It spanned more than a mile long, a towering balloon attached to its deck alongside several dozen cannons the size of castle pillars. The balloon kept the ship afloat alongside the steam-powered engines on the stern. It was an astounding feat in Equestrian engineering and a clear sign of the nation’s dominance within the world. Joining it was the rest of the Grand Fleet, dozens and dozens of smaller airships pockmarking the skies like crows. Like vultures. Forever circling and protecting the capital of the Equestrian Empire.

The ship they stood upon was rightly named the “War Horse”. It sent a haunting and frightening image and shadow upon all the refugee shuttles as they finally made their landings. Safe and secured, ensuring them the power of the nation they were granted to enter as well as what was willing to defend them from any signs of a threat. Upon the edge of the bow, Rainbow Dash and Tempest Shadow stood side by side, soldiers in arms, as they watched the shuttles open and the ramps descend to the awaiting Wonderbolts and Equestrian Refugee Service members. The ERS consisted of various unicorns and Pegasi, hardly any Earth ponies present as their expertise lied to more pressing matters. Nearly all Earth ponies were stationed back in Ponyville or throughout the rest of the Equestrian frontier, doing what they were born to do: farm.

Now more than ever, Equus needed farmers. They needed food. And they were getting a helping of fresh hands for the field by the looks of the refugees.

Various men and women stumbled out of the darkness of the goliath shuttles and shielded their eyes from the brightness of the day. Even with the sun shielded by the thundering storm clouds above, the bright gray of the skies would still be quite unbearable on first viewing. General Dash and Commander Shadow could only watch from above the War Horse as various humans and ponies—surprisingly enough—entered onto Landing Zone A, B, C, D, E, and F, each one spanning and circling across Canterlot and the mountain.

The ponies exiting the shuttles caught Rainbow’s interest, but only for a second before she finally realized they were probably just visitors, families reuniting with those who chose to remain on Equus. The ponies stepping out of the shuttles were returning from their new lives on Earth, the ones who sought new opportunities and new lives upon the sister world when Equus could offer them none. Alongside the ponies, the humans entering Equestria’s capital either for the first or the last time came with their lives literally attached to their backs, carrying large strollers filled with the necessities to rebuild. As well as their families. It was quite possibly the largest conglomeration of children General Rainbow Dash had seen in a long time, their innocent and curious eyes gazing to the vast majesty of Canterlot’s reconstruction.

The mighty pillars of the Equestrian Empire were finally coming to a near-completion. The sprawling city of Canterlot took years to finally find its place back on the mountain of its original birth, but after several dangerous months of reconstruction, the base of the city was completed and the real rebuilding had begun. Various towers lined the skylines within Canterlot, hundreds upon hundreds of refurbished and rebuilt homes that housed hundreds of families. There were still hundreds more that needed to be finished, a constant drove of worker ponies flying by and with an even more constant flow of noise and bustle within the mighty capital city. The refugees were gathered and directed towards the offices within Canterlot. Their paperwork needed to be settled before they could ship off on the trains to their desired destinations. Mostly humans filled that void, the majority of the ponies already gaining entry to the trains and taking off. Several horns sounded off as the chugging of the steam engines powered up and the trains shipped off out of Canterlot.

As they watched the shuttles settle themselves onto the Landing Zones and the refugees and travelers from afar made their first steps onto Equestrian soil, Rainbow and Tempest could feel the wind start to pick up around them, the smell of rain fresh in the air. The wind tugged at their manes, Rainbow’s mane slightly shaved in the back and spiked forward in the front, practically covering the entirety of her right eye and leaving the left open and visible, the fiery stare cautiously watching each and every shuttle and refugee. As for Tempest, her spiked manecut remained much how she preferred, although with her shattered horn still present and forcing her to shield the wound with a forward spike of her rose-colored mane.

They both wore the new Equestrian standard uniforms for the reformed Equestrian Army, a navy-blue set of steel armor and jumpsuits beneath with helmets resting under their forelegs. The bright, violet star remained as a large patch on their shoulders, signifying who ruled them and the nation as a whole. Who they proudly followed and led her army across the vast, rural plains of the Equestrian frontier and beyond. To establish order amongst the chaos. To bring peace to Equestria and her allies.

A crack of thunder broke out the same moment Captain Spitfire landed behind them. She saluted, declaring loudly over the thunder, “General Dash, Commander Tempest! The Wonderbolts and I have successfully unloaded the refugees! No issues!”

Rainbow Dash slowly nodded, gazing nowhere else except upon the refugee shuttles. Upon the Landing Zones. The city of Canterlot. Tempest was the only one to meet Spitfire’s eyes, Rainbow naturally silent amongst the screaming wind and roaring thunder only growing closer.

Finally, she said, “Good work, Captain. As you were.”

Spitfire nodded, tightening the strap of her helmet around her head as she shot out her wings and flew off the deck of the War Horse. Tempest Shadow slowly looked away as the gust of wind from her jump blew her mane slightly back, forcing her to return to Rainbow’s side and watch, wait as the storm settled in and covered their fleet in its rain.

And General Rainbow Dash stared on, in silence, as those refugee shuttles collected a helping of ponies and less humans and rose up from their world. Returned to Earth to continue the endless cycle.

Canterlot Castle

Throne Room

11:03 a.m.

“There has been a… slight increase to the refugee caravans coming from your very capital, Your Majesty. We… do not wish to point any fingers, especially during this severe financial and population crisis, but… all we ask is a quick notification of the exact numbers you wish to bring to Earth prior to actually doing so. That way we can better prepare. Is that too much to ask… princess?”

Almost everything seemed to be too much to ask of Princess Twilight Sparkle. She just never showed it on account of the already overwhelming weight placed upon her withers.

The Canterlot Throne Room was poorly lit, a mere collection of less than a dozen flaming cauldrons lining one end of the room to the other. They were draped along the walls, the pillars, and the stained glass windows alongside the dark violet drapes adorning the cutie mark of the ruler of Equestria, the bright purple star etched upon each surface and remaining unmoved. No draft. No wind. Hardly even a breath. The storm was picking up and sprayed a helping of rain against the windows, the light gray of the clouds seeping and giving minimal light to the darkness.

Resting just before the golden throne, a row of thirteen drones hovered mere feet above the floor. They were formed in a semi-circle, facing the throne and the Princess of Friendship resting upon it. From those drones, a shimmer of blue light expelled from their irises and revealed live images of various world leaders. Hailing from Earth, the leaders of America, France, Great Britain, Russia, Japan, and Saudi Arabia all sat presently in their chairs from where they were situated in their home countries, the hologram revealing just them. Hailing from Equus, the rulers of Hippogriffia, the Changeling Empire, the Griffon Kingdom, the Dragon Lands, the Minotaur Nation, Abyssinia, and Yakyakistan stood at attention, their holograms flickering slightly as the kings and queens of each proud nation looked about to those present and accounted for.

They looked, especially, to the president of the United States, the man dropping the question to the ruler of Equestria. Several heads flickered as they turned towards Twilight’s direction, awaiting her response. Queen Novo, especially, awaiting Twilight’s final word on the subject.

The duo had become almost inseparable over the years. When Twilight was off trying to save the universe with the Avengers, there was Novo, taking her place and uniting the two kingdoms of Hippogriffia and Equestria for the time being. It was only until Twilight and her friends returned to Equus did that bond shatter, Novo resuming her rule in Hippogriffia and Twilight assuming command over the nation of Equestria. Without Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadance, or even Shining Armor left to rule, the fate of her home now rested on her withers. They needed a leader to bring them out of the chaos and criminal darkness that Thanos had left them in years prior. Twilight was that beacon for a short time, rebuilding from Ponyville and eventually beginning the reconstruction efforts to Canterlot once order was sustained worldwide.

Even when she was at her lowest points, falling further and further down with hardly any help from her other allies across Equus, there was Novo once again. She helped Twilight through every endeavor she faced, helping the young princess naturally enter into the realm of ruling a nation until it slowly became natural for the Princess of Friendship. It was what Celestia and Luna would have wanted for her, and Novo was more than willing to oblige and fill out her old friends’ last request.

Together, Twilight and Novo had helped to keep the flow of resources between the sister worlds strong and managed human integration and equine travels to Earth. A year after the Snap, humans began arriving to Equus for new chances and opportunities via space shuttle. NASA supported the endeavor. It was only after the rulers of the sister worlds signed an accord. The Earthen/Equine Accords stated clearly that any species may travel to and fro from the sister worlds through the newly-established refugee shuttles, bringing with them their lives if need be and starting over on either world. Considering the extreme and sudden drop in resources following the Decimation, the accords also mentioned the use of greater farmland needed for resources. Most of all the humans who traveled to Equus were farmers on Earth, their crops nearly destroyed and unable to be harvested. On Equus, miles and miles of fresh pastures and farmlands were just ready for their arrival. The accords ordered that all crops harvested would be shared equally among the sister worlds, the shuttles going back and forth between the planets also dropping off supplies along with refugees and visitors.

Unfortunately, the refugee crisis was still one of the many defiant issues that Princess Twilight had to deal with in the current day and age. She could not complain, as just as much ponies traveled to Earth as humans did to Equus. It must have been hard for the United States and various other countries just as well as it had been for Equestria, having to deal with so many lost lives, picking up the pieces following the invasion, and now faced with a flow of refugees looking for hope and the start of a new life. The war truly never ended. A war of politics now filled the void of bloody and wretched warfare that plagued their worlds just before the Snap.

After nearly thirty seconds of silence, Twilight Sparkle laid a hoof just over her heart, breathed in, and exhaled, releasing that pent-up anxiety with a flow of her hoof outwards. An old trick from an old friend. When she opened her eyes, heavy bags lay underneath her eyelids, her mane straightened properly with the golden crown resting upon her dome. She sat elegantly and dressed appropriately for the meeting, even though her inward appearance managed to slip through her facial features given the drained expression on her face.

“No, Mr. President, it’s not,” Twilight finally said, the light of the holograms reflecting off her golden-plated hooves and crown, especially from her face and eyes. A lone drone hovered forth from behind her throne, resting on Twilight’s side and displaying a holographic scroll for her to point to. “Our most recent caravans have just left with approximately one hundred and sixty-two refugees. You can send them straight to Filthy Rich in D.C. so he can get their paperwork signed and everything.”

The president of the United States nodded softly to that information, leaning outwards to speak to his Secretary of State momentarily on the recent information given. “Moscow will not take in any more refugees,” the Russian president spoke up, the holograms translating the Russian into Ponish, English, and various other appropriate languages. Twilight shifted in his direction with a pair of raised brows. “Should you continue to do so, we will be forced to excommunicate the recent inflow to the wildlands.”

“You would kill them?” the minotaur king snarled, stamping his axe heavily upon the stone floor of his castle, the sound traveling even through the hologram.

“Not ‘kill’,” the king of Saudi Arabia corrected, earning the furious eyes from the minotaur. “My homeland has suffered enough turmoil these past five years. Much… of our homelands have suffered and need the space to rebuild. The wildlands of Asia are barren. Many refugees can form their new lives away from an already crowded civilization.”

“Should we do the same with the humans you have sent to the Changeling Empire?” Pharynx hissed, Novo and Twilight darting their widened, warning eyes to the changeling king. “The Badlands are as barren as they come.”

“Is that a threat, changeling?!” the French president growled, nearly rising out of his chair as he and many others glared to King Pharynx. Mainly, the Russian president and Saudi Arabian king. The leaders of Japan, Great Britain, and the United States turned to their fellow Earthen rulers, offering them to calm down.

In the end, it was Princess Twilight who shot out her wings, raised her hoof and firmly declared, “That will be enough! As long as a steady flow of resources are continuously offered to the refugees, then you may allow them on their terms to decide where they wish to settle other than your cities! Is that understood?”

It took a moment for the remaining Earthen leaders to fall in line, but they eventually did, the French president snorting as he settled himself back in his chair. Queen Novo filled the unsettling silence that followed Twilight’s declaration, breathing in loudly and stating, “Unless… there are other issues we would wish to discuss…?”

The president of the United States shook his head. As did the Russian president, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and so forth. From the king and queen of Abyssinia, to the new prince of the yaks, the Dragon Lord, the griffon royalty, and the many more that eventually fell in line, they all slowly shook their heads. Novo cleared her throat, but several already cut off their holograms and ended the live stream.

“I think we can firmly… declare… this meeting… adjourned,” Queen Novo stuttered, watching as one after the other, each hologram flickered off and the rulers cut off their holograms. That last word came out as a sigh, leaving just Novo, Pharynx, and Princess Twilight as the final leaders amongst the throne room. The president of the United States sent a firm nod to each before he ended the hologram.

Dropping her gaze and shaking her head, Novo unfurled her wings and fluffed her feathers to stretch out her weakened joints. She turned slowly to King Pharynx, the dark changeling merely gazing to her before he dropped his eyes all the same, cutting off his hologram. Leaving just them. The ones who started it all and would always seem to finish it all.

Princess Twilight and Queen Novo slowly lifted their eyes to one another. One so utterly tired and the other so weakened, neither one able to tell the difference between either. Queen Novo offered a tiny, helpful smile from her beak, muttering, “It never gets easier, Twilight.”

“I’m starting to see that,” Twilight sighed with a fluff of her wings. Regardless, she breathed in anyway and lifted her eyes back to Novo, joining her smile and nodding firmly to the Hippogriff queen. “Be well, Queen Novo.”

Novo’s hologram flickered, the queen nodding to the pony princess. “Fair winds, Princess Twilight.”

Her hologram vanished, all thirteen drones spinning accordingly and leaving the throne room in single file, the Royal Guard by the throne room’s entrance opening the doors and allowing the levitating drones to escape to their recharging station. The massive, twin doors closed rather loudly, the echoing thunder of that sound reverberating off the walls, flowing past the drapes, and hitting the lone princess on her throne. Twilight breathed in sharply, closing her eyes the instant that sound reached her.

Until only her shaken breaths were all that remained in the desolate throne room.

Raising a shivering hoof, Princess Twilight once more placed it over her heart, trying so hard to breathe in and successfully doing so a second time. However, when she tried to breathe out, when she tried to release that pent-up anxiety, it only escaped as a whimper. As a cry. All of it just reminding her of Princess Cadance. Her sister-in-law…

It was already too late to turn away from it. The influx of memories filled Twilight Sparkle with so much mixed emotions that she could only express them all in her shattered facial expression, her eyes tightly closed as well as her teeth when those beads of tears grew at the edges of her eyelids. The pressure had only been building, never once ceased or released since Twilight took the throne and the sister worlds came together to solve the crisis together. It only seemed to create even more problems, various riots sprawling from Equus’ cities to Earth’s own when the flow of resources between each just didn’t seem to add up evenly. Even by the shortest margin. People were hungry. Warlords fought in abandoned cities for control over resources, land, and sacred shelter when they were in a time when all three became a scarcity. All of it fell on her withers, her shoulders, her everything…

Something that Princess Celestia, Luna, and Cadance could have handled easily.

But they weren’t there. Like so many others, they had left two worlds—an entire universe—to pick up the pieces, mourn for the Vanished, and get right back to living. Get right back to having a life. Sometimes they had to start over that life, look for something new, and find that hope on another world entirely. And they would find Princess Twilight leading one of those worlds, the lone Princess of Friendship never feeling more alone and friendless than ever before. She even wondered why she still let others call herself that. If anything, she had never been more undeserving of that title. Merely five years ago, even when it felt like yesterday, she had her closest friends by her side, ready to face the dangers that threatened Equestria with the magic of friendship by their side. It never ended any other way… except them standing proud, on top of the world, in victory for ponykind and the world as a whole.

But they weren’t there. Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Flurry Heart, Trixie Lulamoon, Ember, Thorax, and… Spike.

Shining Armor…

Her parents.

Twilight couldn’t contain herself anymore and cried. She pressed her hooves firmly against her forehead and whimpered pitifully, painfully, wailing with such agony that the pair of Royal Guard by the entrance doors broke their stone expressions and closed their eyes all the same. Forced to stand guard and protect the last ruler of Equestria, even they couldn’t stand to see Twilight cry. She had done it many times, but this one took the cake. They dropped their heads and gripped their spears even tighter, trying to hold in their own tears as Twilight continued to cry.

As those tears flowed down her cheeks, her hooves, and pelted her throne softly, Twilight lifted her head and breathed in several times. Harshly, through her stuffy nostrils and into her shivering lungs, until the tears finally ceased and she could focus again. Her family was gone. Nothing could change that. The world moved on and so did she. She needed to be strong.

For herself and her little ponies.

Ponyville, Equestria

The Castle of Friendship

11:15 a.m.

Starlight Glimmer sat alone in the throne room, only her throne filled amongst the few others.

The barren others did not have a pony to occupy it, merely a towering stack of folders that also covered the rest of the crystal table, the remains of the Cutie Map forged together as best as the finest unicorns Equestria had to offer could. It no longer held that magic that once flowed within the rest of the castle, however. That magic had long since been snuffed out, leaving just a dark, cold Castle of Friendship within the rebuilt town of Ponyville.

Starlight was currently muzzle-deep in the small stack of folders before her. The folders were filled with many things, most of which being important notices from other towns and cities, citizen complaints, construction contracts, and even refugee papers. Since Mayor Mare was among the Vanished, the leadership within Ponyville fell solely on whoever sat on the crystal throne. Not only that, but Starlight was also placed as headmare of the School of Friendship, leading the school through a strong but very tedious five years. Gallus, Ocellus, and Sandbar were among the few first graduates, Starlight herself present during the ceremony and handing them their diplomas, a hug each, and congratulating them for completing their studies at the School of Friendship. The real challenge began when they took those lessons back home to teach them on their own.

Her life never slowed down since the Snap. In those long, five years, Starlight had led Ponyville to a successful recovery… as well as herself. Her horn was as good as new, perhaps even more so after a couple years of training and perfecting her magical prowess. Even then, Starlight hardly found a moment of rest while maintaining the current state of Ponyville as well as running the School of Friendship, which was a battle all on its own. Other folders on the table were papers she still hadn’t had the time to grade. She still had to set up final papers and arrange the next graduation ceremony within the next couple weeks.

Thankfully, she wasn’t entirely alone. Rarity, Maud Pie, Derpy Hooves, the surviving members of the Castle of the Two Sisters… and even Sunset Shimmer stayed with her to help rebuild. While Princess Twilight was busy running the nation, the reconstruction of Ponyville fell to them. They helped to provide food, clothing, and other necessities to ponies, Crystal Ponies, and any other creature who traveled to seek asylum and help within their humble town. Even migrating humans from Earth settled either on Sweet Apple Acres or elsewhere nearby, working for Big Mac, Granny Smith, or even themselves to provide fresh crops and other resources by word of the accords. They were designated and protected as refugees, but they always wanted to be called farmers. Starlight could tell the humans were proud creatures, fond of their work and hard workers nonetheless.

Rarity returned to her boutique, but didn’t design the finest, most elite dresses and suits Equestria had ever seen any longer. Instead, alongside with Sunset Shimmer, she led the Distribution Center within her own boutique, employing several ponies—and even humans—to creating clothing and other necessities for those who couldn’t provide for themselves. Derpy Hooves became the manager of the Post Office in Ponyville, delivering the majority of Starlight’s letters on her own time while also managing an entire crew of human/pony employees. She was Starlight’s own personal mailmare. Then there was Maud Pie, who had led the reconstruction efforts and expanded Ponyville several miles outwards. She was the lead construction manager and personally managed any form of rock structure that got in the way of their drilling, mining, and constructing of new homes and search for resources.

Sometimes she missed just studying rocks. But she moved on. She had to.

Much like Starlight Glimmer moved on.

There were days when Starlight still yearned for what could have been. She could have been flying kites high in the air alongside her best friends. Trixie and Sunburst were but many of the names plastered on the memorial stones in the Ponyville Gardens. She could have… spent a life with her closest friends, having perilous adventures saving the world… but sometimes things didn’t work out. Life put her behind a desk, upon a throne, living the most of it the only way she could: helping others.

Time to get back to that selfless life.

A few soft knocks struck the throne room’s exit doors, each one magically pulled aside to allow the unicorn entry. “Knock, knock,” Sunset Shimmer greeted, smiling softly to Starlight. Her fellow unicorn merely lifted her head, a short, silent greeting without even looking her way. Sunset approached the table, staring to the towers of paperwork and Starlight’s snout pressed into it. “Hey, how are you doing?”

Starlight closed the folder with her magic, levitating a fresh folder out of the shrinking tower towards her. “It’s going.”

Sunset nodded, taking a seat on the throne that labeled her own cutie mark. “That’s good. Hey… Rarity and I were gonna go get some lunch later on… and we wanted you to join us.”

Sunset’s heart fell. It was the moment Starlight shook her head. “I’m really busy with this new construction contract right now. I’ll get lunch later. You girls go on without me.”

“Come on, Starlight,” Sunset pushed, leaning forward and holding out a hoof to Starlight. Offering it to her. Saying, “You haven’t left the castle in days. I get that your running Ponyville and the School of Friendship and all, but we’re working as teachers too, ya know? We got other duties and we’re still trying to find time for one another. Don’t you think you should do the same?”

Starlight snapped the folder shut in front of her, turning her worn, vexed stare onto the unicorn sitting to her left. The unicorn in question leaned back a few safe inches, furrowing her brow and staring onto Starlight with an almost hurt expression, mainly doused with confusion and concern. An odd mixture of the two. Starlight caught it all the same, sighing as she lowered the folder in front of her. Her anger dwindled, leaving just her.

Just Starlight forcing herself to say it.

“Don’t you think it’s time… you go home?” Starlight murmured. The reaction she was expecting came forth, Sunset leaning even further back, tilting her head, and even more hurt crawling into her eyes and filling her expression. Starlight shook her head, already backing up her rather harsh statement. “Your friends are probably worried sick. Five years… Come on, Sunset. Not even a letter? How long are you gonna keep yourself trapped here?”

The longer she sat there and listened, the further Sunset continued to shrink back against her words. Mostly because she was right. Mostly because Sunset hadn’t come to truly face the reality of what she had left. Back in the human world, all of her friends were probably visiting that same statue every day, hoping by some slim chance their friend Sunset Shimmer would walk right out of it. Or they had all already moved on, went off to college and got their degrees. Maybe they all had a life after. All of it she sacrificed to stay in Equestria and help her friends and family there.

Just returning to that wretched thought brought Sunset’s gaze down, the unicorn tightening her facial muscles and closing her eyes tight. She shook her head, a painful sniffle following the sharp inhale she took. Starlight gazed to her, every shred of exasperation she once held now replaced with rancid distress. Her eyes began to burn the moment she heard that sniffle, gazing onto Sunset Shimmer and waiting. Waiting for her to defend herself.

“There’s never a dull moment here,” she finally replied, lifting her gaze and staring onto Starlight. Sunset began to cry, hot tears leaking down her cheeks as she shook her head and faced Starlight head-on. Starlight faced her, too, the pain clearly evident on her face. Matching Sunset. “But mostly because I don’t know if I could face them after all this time. After what I promised them…”

Starlight blinked. Her vision was getting blurred with tears. “What’s a visit going to hurt?”

“Starlight, there’s so many ponies here who need me,” Sunset argued, her voice cracking. “And if I go… I’m afraid I won’t ever want to come back to Equestria. I barely wanted to leave back when you girls first welcomed me here. Now with the life I have, with my parents, helping ponies and people less fortunate day in and day out… how am I supposed to stay in the other world knowing I left all of this? All of you?”

Starlight brought forth the folder once again, pulling out the papers and laying them out in front of her. She never turned away from Sunset. She stared right into her and told her, “I guess that’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself then.”

With that final word, Starlight got back to work. Sunset quietly scoffed, more like she tried to breathe again. Knowing she wouldn’t get another word out of Starlight for the rest of the day, Sunset hopped out of her throne… and left. She walked right out of the throne room and traversed the cold, dark hallways of the Castle of Friendship. It used to be filled with so much life, so much love. It hardly deserved that title of friendship anymore. Sunset didn’t want to leave Starlight alone in the large, barren castle… but she really didn’t have a choice in the matter. Starlight chose her place in the world.

Perhaps it was time for Sunset to choose hers.

She stumbled upon the library, the titan-like doors glaring over her in silence. Gazing up to them and their mighty structure, Sunset took in a deep breath through her nostrils, pushing aside the doors with her magic and stumbling inside. Friday wasn’t there to greet her that time, the suit of armor elsewhere in the castle. Probably charging. Once inside the darkness, Sunset gazed to the shelves of books, hundreds and hundreds that could never be read. They slowly collected dust over the ages. They weren’t the only objects collecting dust, it seemed.

The Mirror Portal lay directly ahead of her, its empty mouth almost beckoning to the unicorn. Sunset reached for her knapsack, feeling her journal still resting within its confines. Always with her. Still holding the magic that kept her tied to the human world. As well as with the geode around her neck, swaying softly to her movements, it seemed to reach out to the portal, reach out to that life Sunset left behind. The life she sacrificed to live another.

She had her parents and ponies who needed her on Equestria. Just leaving them would be selfish. She could visit her human friends anytime, but the portal was only used for communication with the Avengers. Then again… they haven’t really had contact with the Avengers in months. Neither had Twilight in the human dimension contacted her since. Not a single message in her journal. Not a word. Would her journal even work with the Mirror Portal? Would her friends even forgive her for breaking that promise so many years ago? Why hadn't Twilight contacted her? Could she even contact her? Could Sunset even contact her friends?

Would she even be brave enough to make that decision?

She turned around and left, leaving a trail of tear droplets. Back to work.

Earth

New York City, USA

1:22 p.m.

The fog had rolled in and covered New York City in a blanket of white. Clear, silver lining that left a desolate, silent death upon the city. A silent death. Many hundreds of thousands experienced that five years prior, the following chaos and destruction leaving what remained of New York as a wasteland. It only came to be rebuilt following the order the United States military brought upon the city, rightfully turning New York into a police state overnight.

That was years ago. Even with life still bustling about in the midday, things seemed so much slower than they used to be. Hardly any cars filled the roads, and thousands more remained abandoned in parking lots surrounding vacant baseball fields. Even Lady Liberty herself held a collection of abandoned ships by her harbor, pulled in from sea with no seamen to steer them home.

Within the city of New York, a lone rehab center stood in the fog and darkness. It was owned by Curtis Hoyle, a veteran who had worked closely with a certain Frank Castle a lifetime ago. Neither one had seen each other since the Snap, and Curtis had been left to tend to what remained of his usual crew who came in to vent. Some were taken, others spared. Curtis was lucky enough to be meeting with some familiar faces that day, some new ones… and a bit of both.

A bit of both from the likes of Steve Rogers.

They sat in a circle of chairs, filling the empty room with some form of life. Even for a war hero, a living legend like Captain America… like Steve Rogers… he found it difficult to connect with others of his particular field. Some were veterans from Afghanistan, bringing with them haunting wounds like Curtis’ prosthetic leg. Others brought in different kinds of scars into that group, scars recollected and brought forth through painful discussions and even more painful memories.

Steve picked up for them when there was a lull in the conversation. “We were in Germany when it happened. Me, Buck, Morita, Pinky, Dugan, all the Howling Commandos; you know them, right?” Steve began, smiling a tad when the others around him chuckled and nodded their heads, knowing exactly who he was talking about. “Anyway, we had finally come across the HYDRA compound, one of the last ones in all of Nazi Germany. It was gonna be the same routine, just break in guns blazing and raise utter hell. Do whatever it took to win the war. Until… Happy Sam wanted to… take things a little slow for once. We had a couple of close calls before, but… you know, we always kind of knew we were untouchable back then. What with the famous… Captain America leading you and all… there was no way in hell any of us were gonna die.”

Several of the veterans surrounding Steve slowly nodded their heads. Curtis was leaned forward, hand covering his mouth, listening intently to the words of wisdom. Steve continued after a short moment of recollection. “I didn’t know why… but we went with Happy Sam that day. We snuck in… and it just so happened that HYDRA was waiting right by the doors for us. Biggest arsenal and defense I had ever seen. If we had broken through those doors guns blazing… by God, none of us would have made it out.”

“The kid trusted his instincts,” the veteran to Steve’s left piped up, earning Rogers’ attention. “Sometimes that’s better than following orders.”

A solid round of approval filled the circle, Steve nodding to the man on his left. “I didn’t know then… but I know now why we went with Happy Sam’s advice. If we push on as fast as we can… we can miss what’s important. We can go too fast and life will already be gone. It’ll have been taken from us and we wouldn’t have had time to react. If we take things slow… live what life has given us… then maybe we can all admire those choices we made in the past. Maybe… we can truly appreciate what we had… before it was lost.”

Steve let his head fall following those heavy words, almost unable to remain as strong as he did for so long. Before that silence could make its triumphant return, Steve felt a presence on his right, turning to it to see a World War II veteran sitting on his right. He laid his hand on Steve’s shoulder, a certain strength and… magic… hidden behind his large, dark sunglasses.

The man said, “You know, back in ’45, I left a loving wife at home while I went to go fight the fight off shore. Me and my buddies all enlisted together, knew we were gonna make it out of the war alive… what with Captain America rooting for us! But… I lost my buddies in Okinawa. I still visit their graves every year, and this year was no different. Why would next year be any different? All I know is that I won’t be facing those graves alone. They’re always there.”

His old, warming palm tightened on Steve’s shoulder, Rogers never looking away from his eyes. Unable to. “In a way, Captain… we never really lost them. We didn’t lose anyone. And even if we lose ourselves… we’ll see them again. One day.”

He finished with a large, toothy smile. It was almost mystical in a sense, holding a deep and powerful wisdom that Steve wished he had.

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

3:21 p.m.

Natasha Romanoff sat alone within the living room, letting her long, orange hair overcome the blonde and drape over her shoulders as she stared hopelessly into the various holograms standing in front of her. She listened as they argued, as she lost control of the meeting and let them diverge into their own state of chaos.

Among the holograms, those participating were James Rhodes, Queen Shuri, Captain Marvel, Nebula, and Rocket Raccoon. They were all off elsewhere in the world or the galaxy, helping to maintain the order they had somehow established following the Snap. The two Guardians of the Galaxy were off-world alongside Carol Danvers, helping Captain Marvel lead the reconstruction efforts across a vast number of planets that had also suffered just as bad as Earth and Equus. Rhodes mentioned he was somewhere in D.C., helping to solve some sort of refugee crisis that had recently broken out. Shuri was streaming right from the War Room in the Golden City of Wakanda, currently taking the lead.

“We don’t know how it happened,” Shuri stated, dressed in a fine, ceremonial cloak with royal jewelry displayed upon her neck and arms. “All we can decipher from the earthquake was that it was under the Atlantic Ocean, leaving beached whales within rivers on the coast.”

“Did it harm any refugee settlements?” Rhodes asked.

Shuri shook her head. Captain Marvel shrugged her shoulders. Carol Danvers wore with her an updated addition to her attire, the red and the blue streaks switching places and the gold being much more prominent, especially on the star resting over her heart. A short, blue sash was tied around her hips, swaying gently to her movements, joining the likes of her long, golden hair falling past her shoulders.

When she spoke, everyone turned to her. “Things are still looking pretty bleak up here. Judging by this recent news… I can tell things haven’t really changed since I’ve been gone.”

“Yeah, how long are you gonna stay away from your home planet this time?” Rocket interrupted, Carol turning his way. “They’re your people, Danvers. Kinda messed up to let them deal with this on their own.”

“Earth has the Avengers, furface,” Carol retorted. “The rest of the universe just lost the Nova Corps, so they need another line of defense to help keep the peace. The rest of you… might not hear from me for some time. But if you need me… for anything… you call. Okay, Natasha?”

Glad to be a part of the conversation again, Romanoff breathed in sharply, leaning forward from the chair she nearly drowsed off in, and nodded. “Yeah, no problem, Carol. You keep the peace in the stars.”

With that, Carol’s hologram faded away, followed shortly by Shuri and Rocket’s. Nebula eyed Natasha from where she sat, nodding once to the leader of the Avengers. “We’ll be in touch… Romanoff,” Nebula told her. More of a promise than a statement. Natasha nodded either way, watching as Nebula’s hologram faded.

Leaving just the old pair in silence between them.

Natasha and James had a history, to say the least. Whether that be getting Stark out of his wild situations gone south, standing on the same side in an Avenger civil war, or even fighting against the forces of evil for the fate of the very universe… now just left as the few remaining Avengers just trying to keep as much order and sanity to the broken worlds as possible. Their lives were never dull. The Black Widow and War Machine had seen enough bloodbaths to leave them stained in crimson, most likely their souls if anything. Nothing was displayed on their skin, their hopeless expressions, as they slowly turned to one another.

“I know things have been hard…” Rhodes said, watching as Natasha’s aged expression eyed his own. She could see the grays in his hairline. He could see the wrinkles under her eyes. Stress and age. A deadly combination for either of them. “I wish I could be there with you, Nat. But duty calls. Anything comes up, you don’t hesitate—”

“I don’t hesitate to call you,” Natasha croaked out, forcing a teary smile. “I know, Rhodey.”

He could see the tears starting to well up in her eyes, but he didn’t dare point them out. He simply nodded, stating softly, “Keep in touch.”

The last hologram was gone and Natasha began to cry.

She surprised even herself with how long she was able to keep it in. It started when the grave news only began to pile up, leaving Natasha with even more trials to overcome and more situations to handle and control. More outreach. More contact. More sleepless nights. Leaning forward on the desk, Natasha placed her palms over her mouth, covering to the bridge of her nose as tears began to leak free and flow down her cheeks. Her palms. Natasha wiped them away just as she heard the doors open and the pair of feet made their way inside the facility. The doors were always locked.

A couple of Avengers came to visit her.

Wiping her eyes, Natasha sniffled and spun her chair around, facing the entrance of the living room just as Steve Rogers and Matthew Murdock entered. Steve wore a plain T-shirt and jeans, leaning against the wall as Matthew made his way inside shortly after. He was dressed to impress, a slick tie and suit only a lawyer would wear as his cane tapped away at the floor. His dark red shades hung just on the bridge of his nose, Matt smiling Natasha’s way as he folded up his cane and sighed.

“How are you doing this fine day, Ms. Romanoff?” the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen asked.

Natasha almost smiled. She always wondered why it was Murdock’s attitude that made her smile. If anything, he should be just as miserable as her considering he lost more friends than she ever could. Maybe it was the Devil underneath it all, the beast within the human that sent a certain… wild sensation from Murdock towards Romanoff. The saint within it all shined brighter, giving him that strength to smile even in the darkest storm. Whatever it was, she liked it, and it almost made her forget about the horrible day she had.

And to top it all off, Matthew Murdock was an Avenger now, which meant she got to see him almost every single day. How tragic. She couldn’t hide the smile any longer and let it beam, joining Matthew’s. God, she hated it when he did that.

“I’m pushing on, Matt,” Natasha replied, looking to Steve. “How about you, Mr. Rogers?”

Steve settled himself on the opposite side of the desk, taking a seat and staring intently at her. “I’d say the rehab went by pretty successfully. Curtis was asking about Frank.”

Natasha beat him to the punch, shaking her head. “Haven’t heard from him in years.”

Steve turned back to Murdock, watching as he settled himself on the distant couch. Matt merely held out his hands in a surrendering manner, admitting, “I haven’t even attempted to look for him. Don’t really have time anymore. Things have been… really busy back in Hell’s Kitchen. My mother and I, we were… running some housing efforts with the church. Try to get as many people clothed and fed as we can. I only dropped by because Steve dropped by the cathedral… and I guess I could help here if you needed anything.”

He flashed that same, warming smile. As warm as the fires of Hell. Natasha smiled back, dropping her gaze from his. “You really are a saint, devil boy.”

A short, calming silence between each, filled with Natasha’s own sniffles and her failing to conceal them. “It was probably better you didn’t hear from the rest of the team,” Romanoff finally said, Steve and Matt’s eyes turning her way. “Otherwise you would be a… mess like me.”

“You’re never a mess, Ms. Romanoff. The way you’ve handled the Avengers… I’d say you’re the bravest among us,” Murdock told her, a supportive smile sent her way. He succeeded in his mission to make her blush, the Widow waving a strand of blonde and orange hair behind her ear.

Natasha scoffed out an even larger smile, a tear slipping down her cheek. “God, I hate you,” she said with a shake of her head, voice cracking and tears falling. “Well, you do know how to make a girl blush, Murdock.”

“Is that what happened? I couldn’t tell on the account of… being blind,” Matt joked, that time earning a soft chuckle from Natasha. Seeing her so distraught from earlier was something Matthew hated to see. He always loved it when she was happy, when she smiled. She was always… so beautiful either way.

“The way you’ve handled things…” Steve began, shifting the attention of the room back to him. He smiled appreciatively to Natasha from the other side of the desk. “Never a doubt in my mind you could lead this team.”

Natasha quickly wiped her eyes, hiding away whatever tears lingered still. She took several seconds that time, shaking her head. “Well, I won’t take all the credit. It was all of you who brought us out of this madness, brought me back to realize who I was. Even before the Avengers, I didn’t know where this life was taking me. I could’ve killed for a living. I lost everything and everyone I ever knew. Everyone I could have known. I used to have nothing…”

Another tear escaped her hold, falling down her cheek and meeting her smile. “… and then this team gave me a family.”

That statement alone got a grin out of Matt, Natasha succeeding in making him smile that time. The moment of warmth between the three Avengers lasted as long as they wanted, the coldness of the world creeping its way back in when Steve brought them back to that reality.

“I keep telling everybody they should move on,” Steve said with a shake of his head, turning to Natasha with that knowing smile. “Some do… but not us.”

“How do we move on from this, Steve?” the Widow asked. “How can we possibly focus on tomorrow when yesterday never leaves? I’ve tried, Steve. I’ve worked day in and day out and we’re nowhere close to protecting the world since the day we lost.”

“Maybe we don’t move on,” Matt replied, both Steve and Natasha turning his way. They watched as he folded his hands together, his fingers interlacing and his gaze unknown behind the darkness of his glasses. They could only assume he pondered, stared through them and saw that blazing earth. Heard their heartbeats. Knew who they were when no one else could. “We keep trying to protect the world. We keep trying because it’s our job.”

Natasha didn’t know how she felt about that, the weight of the world literally resting on her shoulders. She sniffled and wiped once again at her eyes, asking, “When is it ever gonna be someone else’s job?”

Steve stared only at her. Stared at her with a sad, strong smile. “When we’re done.”

She chuckled and shook her head. “Yeah, I have a feeling we’re a long way from being…”

Her voice trailed away, eyes rising and turning to the right of the living room. To the empty sofa save for Matthew Murdock and watching as he flinched rather heavily. His neck twisted to the far right, mouth agape as he took in a sharp breath and remained utterly silent.

“Matt…” Natasha muttered, nearly rising out of her chair. “Matt, what’s wrong?”

He could only say, “Front gate.”

By then he just stayed quiet and listened.

“Hey, uh, hi! This is Scott Lang! You know me from a few years back!”

The security camera instantly flickered to life, showcasing a live footage hologram of the front gates on the facility’s property. Steve and Natasha turned to face it, Matthew remaining unmoved even as the hologram shimmered brightly on his face. It showed everything he heard, but Murdock didn’t need it. He could already see a disheveled, middle-aged man standing by the rusting, front gate of the New Avengers Facility, drenched in rainwater with the overheating 1972 Ford Ecoline van directly behind him.

“Matt, you said this was the front gate?” Steve asked, rising from his chair alongside Natasha.

“Scott Lang! You know, Ant-Man? I know-I know you know that!”

Murdock held his breath, flinched even more subtly. “He’s there now.”

Scott Lang smiled brightly in the eye of the security camera, pointing to the front gate and shouting, “Yeah, that Ant-Man! Can you buzz me in? I got one hell of a story to tell ya!”

Chapter 112 – The Journey of an Ant-Man

112

The Quantum Realm

5:08:42

Scott Lang

Maybe there was a whole other side to the end of reality.

If he could mentally keep time, Scott Lang could only assume that he had been trapped in the Quantum Realm for seventeen hours. It felt that long, and thankfully he didn’t have to rely on his lesser instincts to keep track of himself or his own surroundings. The Ant-Man suit came equipped with a watch on its forearm, and even when he traversed a world completely hidden from what was perceivable, the watch still kept that time of what was real close to him.

It told Scott that he had been wandering the Quantum Realm for a little more than five hours.

And he wandered. He failed to resume contact with Hope, Janet, and Hank on the other end, several minutes of nothing but silence being that indicator to give up and weigh his options. Even if he wasn’t equipped for it, he tried to grow manually, tampering with his suit and pressing down repeatedly on the small button on his forefinger. No luck. After having to physically swim across the vast nothingness of the sea of colors he was left in, Scott somehow managed to find some form of solid ground. It took a couple of hours to actually reach that point in his journey, but it was a step in the right direction nonetheless. Scott really wished it was the right direction. Any form of solid ground—or whatever type of ground it was—was better than swimming in nothing.

For a few hours, Scott simply walked. He gazed upon the majesty and terrifying scope of the Quantum Realm. It was an ever-moving, chaotic mixture of the beautiful and the horrifying, like a bright, colorful, wondrous cave that went on forever. Sometimes he would come across a molecular beast swimming over his head, forcing Scott to slide to cover and wait for the creature to lose interest. His eyes danced wildly beneath the bright red lenses of the Ant-Man helmet, Scott talking to himself to ensure he wouldn’t lose his mind.

“All right… this looks like the place Janet would have stayed. Really cozy… real homey. That’s gotta be the couch… that’s gotta be some kind of… bathroom. Maybe. God, I’m hungry.”

Maybe he already did.

Maybe there was a whole other side to the end of reality.

No way to know unless he found it. It felt like forever, but it had only been a little more than five hours, Scott already dreading the moment he would have accepted his fate of ultimately being trapped in the limitless expanse. No hope of rescue. No clear idea how he was going to feed himself. There was just… nothing. That was all Scott could see as he walked aimlessly, for what seemed to be miles—or centimeters—but Scott could never really tell. He dragged his feet across the swirling, dancing ground, heavy arms swaying by his sides as even his head fell slack forward, eyelids heavy as the insurmountable weight started to push him down. The colors and swirling lights played with his brain, making him see things he would have desired, sometimes things he dreaded. His arms were a blur, fingers appearing in the dozens, blackness overcoming the edges of his vision.

How Janet even survived for thirty years in the Quantum Realm was beyond him. Alone, no doubt. Scott was already starting to miss Hank’s voice yelling in his ear. He was really missing Hope, the dreaded thought occurring to him that he probably wouldn’t see her for days. Maybe longer. That, or he would already be dead.

Just that thought made him think of his daughter… of Cassie. He lifted his head and gasped quietly, that painful revelation creeping its way in and refusing to leave him. He had a reason to continue to fight and he would do whatever it took to see her again. Scott, however, couldn’t focus on it forever. He wanted to think of Cassie but his focus trailed elsewhere. Directly ahead of him.

Then he reached that end, lifted his eyes and opened them wide. He had reached it.

He saw the end of reality.

Kind of.

It appeared to him as a swirling vortex, its center a bright and vivid purple and blue with the rest of it consumed by an ever-expanding swirl of red, joining the rest of the expanse surrounding it. Beside that vortex, surrounding nearly every edge, corner, and everywhere he could turn, Scott could only see several more. Dozens, hundreds of vortexes spanning as far as his eye could see. The ground had ended mere yards ahead of his feet, stepping off into that gaping maw of a vortex. It was practically waiting for Scott, the bright purples and blues swirling against the red lenses of his helmet’s eyes.

Ignoring the clear signs of danger, disregarding the compact, almost miniature cities trapped in distant pockets lying above him, Scott Lang never realized he stepped right into a time vortex before it was too late.

Before he even knew it, he was flying.

It was so fast it was almost incomprehensible. Scott thought he screamed but all that could escape his voice was a multitude of the same reverberation, amplified almost ten different times. His limbs became distorted, mere blurs of several arms and legs at one time. Scott flailed as he fell, as he flew, as he darted straight into the purple and the blue and was forced to stare straight into it. He saw things he couldn’t even imagine. They flashed by as broken windows hidden within various different directions, fractures of a seemingly distorted version of reality. That was what he saw.

Scott almost didn’t believe it.

He saw alternate realities. Entire universes locked away within pockets of the vortex. The flashes lingered, Scott screaming as they flew across his vision and infected him, sending his brainwaves into overdrive to try and comprehend everything displayed before him. He could have fallen into any one of the directions. He could have turned a centimeter and winded up in some alternate dimension, another reality, or some other universe entirely… only he didn’t. He flew straight through it all and saw the swirling lights at the end of the long, dark tunnel. The bright reds, yellows, and oranges. All leading up to the piercing whiteness resting in the heart of it all.

Ant-Man screamed as the white overcame his vision. He closed his eyes…

Running face-first into a pile of dusty cardboard boxes and old Christmas decorations.

The U-STORE-It Self-Storage facility in San Francisco wasn’t one of the most well-kept storage facilities around. There were entire sections filled to the brim and threatening to spill over into the walkway had the steel fences not been risen to separate each section. Poor lighting, plus the rat infestation, and add it all up to the unbearable dust constantly floating and swirling in the air made it a struggle for any living creature to survive within it.

Scott experienced that struggle as he fumbled at his helmet, deactivating the Ant-Man mask and allowing the man beneath it to gasp in sharply. He instantly started coughing, waving a gloved-palm out in front of him to wave away the dust particles floating down on top of him. In the blur of his vision, Scott could see the Quantum Tunnel in the back of the van start to die down, the colors fading and the tunnel itself slowing down.

He saw the driver’s door open wide, a familiar face stepping out and approaching Lang. Even through the blur, Scott easily recognized his best friend.

“Luis?” Scott wheezed, eyes narrowed.

The man in question blinked rapidly, unable to breathe or perceive who was lying in front of him. He finally convinced himself after a solid two seconds of hard bargaining with his own mind, Luis smiling wide and exclaiming, “Scotty!”

He hugged him. Scott caught his breath, almost coughing but accepting the hug with an equally-strong one. He tried to, at least. Luis’ hug was surprisingly powerful, definitely something Luis wouldn’t have done for Scott after only seeing him a couple days ago. Scott’s worriment only seemed to heighten when Luis broke the hug, gripping Lang’s shoulders with shivering palms. His mustache looked bigger, Scott thought.

Luis shook his head, a slight wetness in his eyes as he observed Scott from top to bottom. “I thought you were dead, man! I mean, I assumed that, considering I haven’t seen you or my van in five years! I mean, I’ve been tracking the van down in my spare time since you borrowed it last and never returned it, but I never even assumed you were in my van this whole time!”

His words started to ramble off, but Scott caught him before it could last another minute and a half. “Wait, five years?!” Scott nearly shouted. The following silence that filled Luis’ voice was already unsettling. It wasn’t natural. Scott shot out a grin, then a breath-filled chuckle as he shook his head. “No… no, you’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

Luis didn’t speak for a full ten seconds. Something was seriously wrong.

Dropping his eyes, Luis bit his lower lip and slowly nodded. He rose up to his feet, hand held to his best friend, and said, “All right, here’s how it all went down…”

The reunited partners in crime drove right out of the storage facility with the security guard giving them a pile of Scott’s belongings and the van to boot, watching them drive off and thanking God he didn’t have to hear Luis’ babbling a second longer. Scott wasn’t given that privilege, taking the passenger’s seat and letting Luis drive, considering Scott still was feeling a bit woozy. Especially after what he witnessed in the Quantum Realm. He didn’t talk about that. He didn’t have the opportunity to when he gave Luis an inch and he took a mile.

Luis went on and on and on. Throughout the entire drive and even into a seemingly-abandoned neighborhood. He explained how he got the call from Dave back at X-Con and shouting how Kurt just vanished from his chair. It was so quick that he barely even had time to call Luis. The line cut off and Luis was forced to drive all the way to X-Con, only to have already missed his close friends. Nothing but dust remained in the office, Dave’s phone lying in it. It didn’t take long for Luis to realize what was going on, what with the dozens of wrecks he had already seen on the drive. He checked the nearest TV and flipped to the news station. He didn’t have to. It was on every station.

The national emergency message. Set on repeat and played for hours and hours.

Luis didn’t waste a second more and drove all the way to Scott’s house, only to find it empty save for a lone, giant ant wickedly rocking on the drums. He tried his best to remember where Scotty had to have been, remembering that Hank Pym, his wife, Hope, and Scott borrowed his van for quantum testing or whatever. Scotty just… didn’t make it clear where they were going to be testing it.

Scott interrupted his rambling, saying, “What about Cassie? Maggie? Jim?”

He responded by saying he checked up with them shortly after he realized he wasn’t going to be finding his van anytime soon. They were all okay. That statement alone was nearly cut off when Scott exhaled a powerful sigh of relief, falling back into the seat and resting a palm over his forehead. Luis continued shortly, saying that whatever happened to Kurt and Dave happened to pretty much half of the entire population. Scott turned to him on that, eyes wide with disbelief. Voice breathless.

“Yeah, man, the government came out after a few weeks and said it was like the Rapture or something,” Luis explained, left hand on the wheel and the right waving about to match his flamboyant descriptions. “But then they corrected that when the Avengers announced that it was really this dude called Thanos. Apparently, he got these crazy-ass stones that have alien powers or whatever and he used them to wipe out half of all life in the universe.”

“Half of all…?” Scott gasped, unable to blink as the information slowly began to process. It must have clicked for him because it soon started to make sense. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together. The reason he didn’t get pulled out of the Quantum Realm was probably because Hank, Janet, and Hope all… “I mean, I knew there was an alien invasion, but it ended! Then Hank, Janet, and Hope put me in the Quantum Tunnel and…”

Scott’s voice began to trail off, his brow hardening when he recounted Luis’ earlier words.

“Wait, you said five years… then you said a few weeks.”

Luis turned away from the road for a second to meet Scott’s eyes. He especially faced the question, when Scott asked, “Luis… how long have I been in the Quantum Realm?”

It was a rare moment to see Luis sigh, especially with sadness laced around his tone. He faced the road again and softly shook his head. “I don’t know how long you’ve been in there, but out here… it’s been five years, Scotty.”

Scott stared forward, laying a palm over his eyes as he fully embraced that revelation and let it sink in. Let it sink deep and long. He fell once more into his seat, groaning weakly, “Five years…”

Luis hit the brakes, Scott leaning forward almost close enough to hit the dashboard. Facing forward to realize how close he had been, Scott was about to chew Luis out for not warning him about the brakes… when he stopped. When his voice left him. When his eyes centered forward out the front windshield and saw the small family of ponies crossing the street.

Ponies.

They crossed the crosswalk that Luis nearly drove through. They waved to Luis with their hooves, silently thanking him for letting them cross, then turned those large, colorful eyes to Scott Lang in the passenger seat. His jaw was agape, breathless and dumbstruck by what he was witnessing. The small filly gazed wondrously to Scott, almost sharing his expression as her father pulled her along with his magic. From his magic horn that shot out from his forehead. Scott followed them slowly, never once breaking his expression until the ponies successfully made it to the opposite sidewalk.

Luis pursed his lips. “I guess I should’ve told you about the refugee crisis, too.”

Scott finally turned that same expression to his friend, finally letting it settle and allowing himself to breathe, blink, and speak again. “You still got time.”

Scott and Luis observed the world. It was a journey that lasted minutes on end, traversing a neighborhood with half of all the houses practically abandoned, overgrown grass and plants overtaking the small pockets of civilization. Missing posters lay crumbled in the streets or attached to the wooden streetlights, all seemingly worn by age and abandoned. A kid on his bike rode along on the bike path, both him and the van shooting past a small group of ponies playing hopscotch. Young ponies at that, the small fillies and colts minding their own business as the kid on the bike sent them a scowl. The mare and stallion from the closest house ordered their children to come inside, a short scuffle for the door following the group of fillies and colts.

Not only that, but they were everywhere. Almost seamlessly integrated into human society. Ponies walked among humans, each side casting the other an uncertain glance before returning to their own business. Some ponies stayed in the houses with their families. Others had jobs, mail ponies delivering stacks of letters from one house to another alongside mailmen. All of it looking so absolutely normal to everyone except for Scott Lang.

He stared out the passenger window, forehead nearly pressed to it, as Luis rambled.

“Ya see, that alien planet that’s still above ours, it’s filled with ponies, Scott. Same kind you ran into a while back. Anyway, the ponies wanted to integrate into our society when we started to do the same. Guess there was a resource crisis first of all, and both worlds kinda needed more farmers to make enough food for everyone. It took a couple years, but soon enough there was a steady flow of refugees from our to world to theirs, and their world to ours. Guess they got more integrated into human society faster than we expected.”

Scott slowly shook his head, eyes latched to a Pegasus repairing a phone line alongside the relaxing repairmen. All of them wearing the same uniform. “This is crazy.”

“You know, that’s what I thought, too, then I tried the Apple Family’s apple cider after they started selling it last year, and man…” Luis paused, breathing in sharply through his nostrils and holding out his right hand in an “okay” sign. “That shit is the bomb. Now, I’m kinda okay with ponies living among us or whatever. I think you’ll get used to it soon.”

“Not… just that, Luis, but…” Scott began to say, shaking his head once more as his eyes returned to the outside world. To all that had changed. “… everything.”

It was several more minutes of rambling before Luis finally quieted down. They passed a memorial site, hundreds of stone pillars erected from the earth and dozens of mourners gazing upon them. Human and pony alike. Scott’s interests were heavily raised, Lang practically pressing his face against the window alongside his open palms just to stare at them all. Luis slowed the van down, shaking his head and sighing, “The Walls of the Vanished. Hundreds in almost every major city. They have millions of names of people who were taken during the Decimation. That’s how your family…”

He stopped. Scott turned around, stared at him with eyes wide and waiting. Almost dreading.

Luis tightened his lips, actually stopping the van near the sidewalk so he could fully turn to his best friend when he said it. When he turned to him, stared into his eyes, and said, “That’s how your family and I found out you were among them.”

It only took a second for Scott to react.

“Get me home.”

He didn’t see any other way for him to properly respond.

Luis drove for a few short minutes, already having been driving Scott to his house but taking that short detour around the memorial site. By the time the van slowed to a halt in the only parking spot available, Scott practically clambered out of his seat and outside, stumbling across the grass and reaching the front door in record timing. Luis cut him off just short, managing to convince Scott… that it was probably best if he knocked first. Better way not to startle her.

Scott agreed. Whatever eventually got him to his daughter. He stood behind Luis as he knocked on the front door, softly and controlled as opposed to what Scott would have most likely done. The following five seconds felt like another five hours, or five years, or however long Scott had been trapped. But it was just five seconds.

It was just five seconds.

Then…

“Uncle Luis! What are you doing here?” a feminine, almost mature voice called out, the brown-haired, young woman stepping out of the shadows with that bright smile joining her. “I thought you were gonna spend the rest of the day looking for your va—?”

Luis stepped aside, revealing Scott.

She stopped just on the other side of the door. Her jaw fell. Refused to close.

Scott stepped forward. Stopped just on the other side of the door. His jaw fell. Refused to close.

She didn’t waste another second longer and pried open the door, taking those short steps outside only to pause once again. No barrier separating them. No tragic news keeping them apart. It was just them, the sixteen-year-old Cassandra Lang and the undeniable face of her father, Scott Lang. Complete shock was plastered on both of their expressions, then the break, followed by the painful tears escaping Cassandra’s eyes as she lifted a shaking hand towards him.

Rested it on his cheek. She cried out, knowing he was real.

“D… D-Dad?”

Scott felt his heart drop when she said that. He raised his hand opposite to hers, laid it on her own cheek. “… Cassie?” he whispered.

She hadn’t heard him call her that in so long. Cassandra cried out once more, leaping forward and practically strangling the father she thought was dead in a hug. The father everyone told her was dead. Scott slowly eased into her embrace, still somewhat flabbergasted to actually be holding his teenage daughter when just a day ago… he was holding his little Cassie. His little Peanut.

Together, they broke, Scott’s hands resting over her tear-covered cheeks as their eyes met. He saw those eyes, knowing with certainty—right then and there—that it was her. He smiled through his own tears, gasping for air, trying to breathe again.

“You’ve gotten so big.”

It was all he could say. The only thing that came to his mind.

That, and wondering what to do next in a world five years later.

Author's Note

Happy Fourth, my fellow Americans! As for everyone else... wassup?

Chapter 113 – Thunderbolts

113

New York, USA

Chinatown, Manhattan

District of the Hand

4:49 p.m.

New York City was ripe with warlords of every kind. From the fearsome Dogs of Hell gang, to the vicious Irish mafia, and even to the minimal but powerful Watchdogs, several districts in the once sprawling city were reduced to police-sanctioned ghettos. The law hardly held any power when armed militia took to the streets, hid in the sewers, and fired upon resource caravans just to acquire a morsel. The warlords controlled small pockets of Manhattan. Small… but powerful.

But none as powerful as the Hand.

Since their “collapse” after losing many of the original founders years prior, it took several years to regather what they once held and rebuild their once flourishing underground empire. With the right leadership, the Hand found that strategic regathering and reformed their assassin organization. They swept through the streets, killing any opposition to their goal and targeting rival warlords when the resource caravans came strolling in to the city. Most notably, the drug trafficking business grew especially profitable for the Hand. As it did once before.

Within Chinatown, unofficially renamed to the “District of the Hand”, a hidden compound disguised as a storage warehouse maintained the lead operations of the Hand and its vicious warriors. Ninjas, assassins, armed guards and militia strolled about and watched as the lower slaving force amongst them toiled away and created entire supply lines of heroin. Not exactly Steel Serpent, but strong and profitable nonetheless. So many poor and easily-manipulated people out there in New York needing some form of comfort for the loss of their loved ones following the Decimation. So much profit.

In the heart of the Hand’s main operations, a long, dark table sat in the center of the board room. It could hardly be called such, merely one of the various basement-level areas beneath the hidden compound in Chinatown. Cold, concrete walls surrounded the board room, various lamps high overhead and flickering every few seconds. The room was dark in its corners, but well-lit where it mattered: amongst the new leaders of the Hand, their armed guard… and their savior. Their unifier.

The Black Sky stood at the head of the table, watching behind a balaclava-cladded face and eyes flickering back and forth as the various members and leaders of the Hand discussed their current operations and recent raids. Even with what was to come.

“Resource caravans travel through the district at approximately 12:15 p.m. and are led and followed immediately by police escorts,” a higher-ranking member of the Hand explained, drawing his finger across a large map of Manhattan displayed upon the table. “We were successful in attaining today’s deployment and acquired a helping of stored food packets and waters. They should last us a couple of weeks… if we plan to cut back on the slaves’ shares?”

“They will earn nothing,” a Hand leader responded in thick Japanese. The table turned to him, saw as he crossed his arms and glared hatefully to the map. “Their efforts as of recent have been most… disappointing.”

Another leader nodded, the man covered in heavy tattoos from his face all the way down to his legs. “Agreed. The drug trade is entering an all-time low, and that doesn’t even account for the raids we’ve had on our supply chains throughout the city.”

“Dogs of Hell?” a Hand member asked, turning to him.

“Irish mafia this time,” the Hand leader responded. He crossed his burly arms much like the Japanese man, his shiny, bald head glimmering under the lamplight as he leaned forward on the table. He pointed to the District of the Irish Mob, tapping twice with his fat finger. “We’ll hit ‘em back. All on your word, Black Sky.”

The entire table shifted over to the head of it, every single eye latched with the dark red and black figure practically standing in the shadows, only emphasizing the dark and brooding shape stirring within it. Like a lurking predator, eyes on the ultimate prize but simply waiting, stalking, analyzing the situation and the best play intended. The best kill imaginable. With the likes of the Ultimate Weapon of the Hand returned to them, the reborn organization could rest easy knowing they had assured victory on the Black Sky’s word. They just needed to wait.

They held their breath. The Black Sky raised a head in order to speak. Everyone fell silent…

Then stood together in perpetual darkness as every light went out.

It wasn’t just in the board room. Lights went out in the entire compound, from the basement levels to the entire warehouse on ground-level. A collective set of shouts and or screams filled the darkness, various different languages ranging from Japanese, African, and even Greek crying out for the light to come back. Questioning what was happening. Looking for something or someone to grab onto. The armed guards proceeded to whip their assault rifles forward and activate the flashlights on their underbarrels, jamming the lights in every direction possible to catch a glimpse of the surrounding area. One after the other, the flashlights would die out. The assault rifles would be yanked from their arms and destroyed.

Followed shortly by the agonized squeals from the guards before they were silenced.

The board room fell silent, as well. Every leader of the Hand slowly turned in the direction of the exit doors, steadily unsheathing their blades, katanas, and pistols from their pockets or holsters. They listened, only the soft, shaking exhales of their own breaths being the sounds in the entire basements. Then they heard the bodies drop, prompting them to fully unveil their weapons and jam them in the direction of the exit doors. It was a waiting game from that moment on.

Waiting in the shadows. Seeing nothing in that black.

Just waiting… and breathing… until the lights came back.

First and foremost from the flaming skull standing amongst the broken and torn bodies of their guards.

Gunfire followed instantly, the screams from the Hand and its various members unloading entire magazines into the dancing flames encompassing the human skull. Flashes appeared every second, the streams of orange slicing through the being’s dark jacket and body from head to toe. The bullets impacted the wall behind the flaming skull, but other than that… it still stood. The Hand slowly dropped their empty weapons, lowered them just far enough so they could gaze fully—with as much fear riddled in their eyes—as the being slowly reached for its chest. They watched it grab something.

The Hellfire Chain ignited.

The Ghost Rider roared.

“Bring me the Black Sky!”

Whipping the burning chain back, the Rider struck the entire table and sliced it straight down the middle. The two ends of the table shot outwards and struck the two sides of the Hand’s leaders, perfectly knocking them all aside as to create an empty path for the Ghost Rider towards its desired target. The end of the Hellfire Chain would have easily sliced the Black Sky in half all the same, but the leader of the Hand was too quick. The Ultimate Weapon dodged backwards, flipped in the process, and landed gracefully on two feet, arms outstretched and wielding two weapons. A duplicate.

The Black Sky raised a pair of eyes, narrowed them both, and danced within the shadows. The darkness that encompassed the Black Sky’s body—from the cloak, the balaclava, and the ceremonial robes—all clung tightly to the Weapon, making the Black Sky more agile, fierce, and practically untouchable within the dark. The Spirit of Vengeance hardly cared, pushing forward despite the constant dodging, jumping, sliding, and striking from the Hand’s leader. The various other leaders proceeded to return to their feet, lifting their swords and blades and charging the Rider with its back turned.

Several fist-sized holes in their chests and heads stopped them from taking another step.

The Hand returned their attention to the exit doors once again, watching as the lights flickered back on to reveal the white skull painted on the black body armor. That attention eventually fell to the large Heckler & Koch MG4 LMG, the end of the barrel lighting up and blowing away any assassin caught within its sights. More and more bodies fell to the ground as their blood sprayed in the air, illuminated under the lamplight, and painted the walls.

What survived of the Hand’s leaders fell behind concrete pillars and returned fire, SMG’s fighting against the raw, animalistic power of the massive machine gun.

And the Punisher that wielded it.

While Frank dealt with the remainder of the Hand, all that left for the Rider was to finish off their hit, the leader of the most notorious warlords in all of New York. With the Hand finished off for good, that would leave none others left. The Irish Mob, the Watchdogs, and the Dogs of Hell had all been properly terminated, leaving Manhattan safe for the time being. All that was left… all that Frank Castle and Robbie Reyes had left to deal with… was the Ultimate Weapon of the Hand.

The Black Sky.

The Weapon drove a vicious front kick into the Rider’s sternum, merely staggering the Spirit of Vengeance for a second before the Ghost Rider proceeded onward, a roar joining it in relentless combat. It swung the Hellfire Chain forward, the Black Sky ducking and looking backwards as the chain easily sliced through the concrete pillar behind the Weapon. Fractures of rock and concrete flew into the Black Sky’s face, earning that short moment of hesitation from the Weapon to allow the Rider to finish it.

It drove its gloved-palm forward, wrapping the Black Sky’s throat in a tightened grip and slamming their hit into what remained of the pillar. While the Weapon struggled against the Rider’s far stronger grasp, the Black Sky opened a widened, adrenaline-fueled pair of eyes to meet that of the Ghost Rider’s. The flames flickered off the demon’s skull, spewing red-hot ash from its maw when it bellowed, “Did you think you could hide?!”

Its question went without an answer, a short, powerful grunt leaving the Black Sky as she drove her weapon into the bottom of its skull. A sai. One of a pair.

The Ghost Rider roared at that, flinging the Black Sky to the far left of the room. She bounced off the floor, impacting the hardened concrete wall with a solid crack and a painful cry. While the Rider proceeded to pull the sai from the bottom of its jaw slowly out, Frank Castle walked past the torn bodies of what remained of the Hand. That was all there was, just remains. Bullet holes pockmarked the bodies of the foolish that tried to fire back, some of their heads and faces completely missing and only a red splotch of blood and skull left as a horrific reminder of what was left in the Punisher’s wake.

He proceeded to the Black Sky’s prone position, LMG resting in his arms and hands as the last remaining member of the Hand tried to raise a pistol to Frank. The only other Hand left that wasn’t the Weapon. Frank merely raised his LMG and fired a single round into the Japanese man’s head, completely blowing it apart and spraying blood and brain matter across the floor and even onto the Black Sky’s black cloak. The crimson shimmered under the lamplight, the Black Sky flinching and shivering to see the second to last remaining finger of the Hand torn away from her. She gripped her sai in her left palm, hidden from the fearsome glare of the Punisher.

The second she charged him with a terrifying shriek was the same moment Frank drove the butt of his LMG into the side of her head. She collapsed almost instantly after that, a limp body lying amongst the death, blood, and remaining two lives within the board room. The Ghost Rider analyzed the sai she used earlier, orange, hellfire eyes narrowing on the weapon. The demon flinched its gaze towards the Weapon’s direction, gazing down to the Black Sky shakily rising to her knees.

Her balaclava was ripped away by the Black Sky herself, unveiling a long, dark blend of hair falling to her shoulders. With it removed, she took in several cautious breaths of air, some of her last as she felt the presence of both the Punisher and the Ghost Rider zeroing in behind her. Her time had come at last. After all the progress they had made, only for it to be taken away once again, perhaps her destiny truly lied in the dirt. Perhaps that was what fate and life had determined for her long ago, and she was far too stubborn to accept it. Slowly easing herself around, a small stream of blood fell from her right nostril as she glared her last into the Punisher’s eyes. Then flicked them over to the Rider’s, sending that last vicious, rebellious glance.

Frank Castle sneered her way, finger on the trigger as he aimed down the sights and locked her head in perfectly. If it hadn’t been for the Ghost Rider’s palm falling on his barrel and positioning it downwards, the Black Sky’s head would have resembled the rest of the Hand’s. Nothing but red.

“What the hell are you doing?” Castle growled, ripping his LMG away from the Rider’s palm, only to fail in that regard as the Spirit’s grip was practically unbreakable. From its eyes, Frank could only see the demon staring solely onto their target. Onto her. Into her eyes. Frank pointed right at her. “This is our hit, right? The leader of the Hand, the Black Sky?”

The Ghost Rider replied with a slow, controlled shake of its head. It was followed shortly be a statement that surprised the only two remaining heartbeats in the entire board room.

“It’s her. Elektra Natchios.”

Elektra took in a short gasp of air, her eyes widening and the blood continuously dripping from her nose, down her upper lip, and striking the solid concrete. It was the only sound in the entire underground facility. It was as if that name held meaning to her. Once before, perhaps, but strikingly powerful either way. Like it triggered a memory she thought she had lost, a life once forgotten and buried far below ground… like she was once before.

The name even caught Frank for a moment, causing him to furrow his brow and jam it in her direction. He didn’t point his weapon to her any longer, and instead jammed a solid finger right for her chest. She darted her gaze to Castle once more, holding her breath as he asked simply, “You?”

Almost wanting her to acknowledge and accept it on her own terms.

It was hardly an acceptance, but it wasn’t anywhere near a denial. She remained on her knees, chest heaving frantically and painfully as the two mercenaries only continued to glare at her, wait for her, listen steadily to her breaths and shaken heart. The name held meaning, certainly, and a part of Elektra knew what it was, what it held, and what life it had.

The life she had…

“What do you want with me?” she finally asked. Their response froze her heart.

It was Frank who smirked and shook his head. “Murdock could never shut up about you.”

Her eyes fluttered open fully, a gasp taken, her heart racing. Another name… one that somehow meant more to her than even her own. Then it clicked. Then she asked, “You know where Matthew is?”

Chapter 114 – Wibbly Wobbly

114

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

5:07 p.m.

Scott Lang exhaled through his palms, letting them fall and rest on his hips. “And that’s how it happened.”

Natasha, Steve, and Matthew were all circulated throughout the living room, Steve and Murdock continuously moving back and forth, side to side, listening intently to every word that left Scott’s lips. Natasha, on the other hand, had remained situated on the lonesome couch, a hand resting on her chin and curiously deep in thought. For a couple of hours, that was how she remained… simply absorbing what Scott was trying to tell her and everyone else present.

As for the other pair of Avengers, Steve and Matt turned to one another once Scott had finally finished speaking, the man’s eyes waiting for their word. Their approval. Perhaps even their trust. Whereas Steve was somewhat hesitant in that regard, he still had no reason to distrust Lang, especially after all he did for him and Buck years back.

Scott’s heartbeat was certainly rapid, but Matt could tell he was far from lying.

Every word of it was the truth. He made that clear by lightly slapping Steve’s arm and nodding his way. Rogers took Matt’s wordless decree with a firm nod in return, finally resting his eyes back to Scott Lang and seeing the unease suddenly flush away.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” Steve told him, burly arms crossed and expression soft. Helpful. As strong as could be. “Being away from your family for that long… your daughter especially… God, I can’t even imagine.”

Scott nodded appreciatively to that, then paused. “You know, it didn’t feel that long,” he muttered. The room’s eyes were on him and he didn’t even meet them. “I mean, five years still, that’s just… Jesus, that’s… wow. But it felt different, for me, at least. You, Luis, everyone I come into contact with keeps telling me it’s been five years since I stepped in that tunnel.”

He stopped once again, faced away for a moment, then faced them all head-on with that widened expression.

“Well for me it’s been five hours.”

Their shared surprise was welcome, Steve tilting his head and furrowing his brow. Matthew breathed in that information and softly exhaled, taking a seat next to Natasha as he rubbed a palm through his hair. The Widow, on the other hand, refused to remain silent like the others. She leaned back, crossed her legs. “How is that even possible?” Natasha asked with a curious brow.

Scott slapped his hands together, breathed in sharply, and just as sharply exhaled, “You guys know anything about quantum physics?”

Neither Steve nor Natasha had an answer to that. Matt shook his head. “Just that it’s a theory.”

“Okay,” Scott mumbled, hope falling to see their downtrodden faces shared amongst one another. Still, at least one of them had a semblance of the idea, Scott jamming his finger towards Murdock and taking a step his way. “Okay, well, it’s a lot more than just a theory, Devil Man!”

“Daredevil,” Murdock corrected and groaned.

“Before I keep going, do you have any food?”

“Would you like a sandwich, Mr. Lang?”

“Oh, my God!” Scott gasped, clutching his heart. He promptly fell back to the nearest chair behind him, clutching it but somehow remaining on two feet. He pointed straight to the ceiling, trying to remember how to breathe. “Where the hell did that voice come from?”

“That’s just Friday. She’s the head AI here in the facility,” Steve replied.

“She keeps us patched in with everything going on around the globe and what’s happening above our heads,” Natasha added.

Scott mindlessly nodded to that, not even trying to imagine the complications that came with planetary contact. He was, however, interested on the planet. “With the ponies?” Scott asked.

“She’s currently situated in the Castle of Friendship,” Matt said with a firm nod. He leaned forward from the couch he sat upon, hands gripping his cane and eyes hidden behind the dark red shades. “But we’ve secured a distinct connection from there to here.”

“Yeah, I’m still… trying to believe that,” Lang said while rubbing the back of his head. After a few seconds of silence, Scott suddenly recalled that a certain voice was waiting on him. He eyed in no particular direction, not really knowing where to turn to respond to Friday. “Yes, a sandwich would be great.”

“Turkey, ham, or peanut butter and jelly?”

Scott lifted his head to the ceiling, almost apprehensive to that statement, unsure to where he was supposed to be speaking to. “Uh… all three?”

Friday’s continued silent that followed was as much confirmation as the group needed for what she had shipped off to do. Steve chuckled at that, smiling Scott’s way as he leaned against the nearest wall. “You sound like you haven’t eaten in five years.”

Scott took a seat on the couch opposite to the Black Widow, a palm rising to his head while the other rested on his abdomen. He breathed in deeply before softly sighing, “Maybe a part of me actually experienced that, most likely the stomach, but still…”

Natasha tilted her head at that. “What do you mean a ‘part of you’?”

And it was at that moment where Scott stopped talking. For the longest period of time since he stepped foot in the New Avengers Facility, his continued silence was unnerving to say the least. It was even more unsettling the way his eyes gazed in no particular direction, seeing no particular end in sight and gazing off into… nothing. He stared at nothing, spoke to nothing, and breathed for nothing. It was all the Avengers could experience out of him, but for Scott Lang he saw so much more. He sighed and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees, his eyes low, and his breath tightened. The moment he lifted those large, desperate eyes was the moment the Avengers fully embraced him.

“All right, you guys are gonna have to really follow me on this one.”

It was when they knew they had to listen.

He began. “When I was stuck in the Quantum Realm, there was… something I probably shouldn’t have seen. Definitely something I shouldn’t have walked right into. Then again… if I hadn’t, I probably wouldn’t even be here telling you guys about this. You see, before she was… taken… Janet told me about these anomalies called time vortexes. Basically, they’re these whirlpool spawns of… otherworldly energy. Janet said she crossed a couple in her time, but she never, under no circumstance, ever stepped inside one. Because she told me there was no way out if you do.”

Scott leaned back and shot out his arms, palms open wide to the world around him.

“And yet here I am. Janet told me that she had only seen a couple when she was stuck inside the Quantum Realm. But for me… there were hundreds. All of them compacted into the vast expanse, swarming around each other while others appeared to be miles away. I know it’s hard to picture… but for me it looked just like—”

“A universe.”

Scott turned to Steve. Natasha did, too. Murdock just listened, turned nowhere, and experienced the conversation on a level no one else could have. He listened to the various heartbeats in the room, listened as Scott’s only continuously rose. Never turning away from the truth, but fully unveiling every last image of what he witnessed. When Scott’s heart suddenly slowed to Steve’s interruption, Murdock could tell that Steve had hit it on the nail. Which only further left even more questions…

“Galaxies. Entire pockets of reality swirling in their own little worlds,” Steve continued, arms still crossed and eyes still latched with Lang’s. He shook his head from where he leaned against the wall. “I don’t know about you, Scott, but the Quantum Realm sounds a lot bigger than you made it out to be.”

Scott nodded for all to see. “That’s not even scraping the surface, because when I stepped into the time vortex—”

A drone flew up to Scott’s right, holding a metal plate with a sandwich resting on its surface. “Mr. Lang,” the drone called, Friday’s Irish tone softly evident within the voice. Turning to it, Scott could only gaze into the robotic iris for so long before he began to feel uncomfortable. Instead, he smiled thankfully and took the plate from the drone’s metallic arms. That smile slowly deteriorated, gazing onto the mess of bread, meat, and condiments slapped on the plate.

“You just put… turkey, ham… and peanut butter and jelly all together,” Scott observed, turning to the drone once more with that ludicrous expression on his face. Like someone had literally slapped him and had pissed all over the hand.

Friday wasn’t affected in the slightest, the iris widening slightly while hovering innocently by his side. “You said all three,” she responded, a slight sense of sass added to it.

“You know what? This is disgusting, but I don’t even care,” Scott said. He placed the plate down on the table, taking a large bite out of the sandwich and spewing the excess jelly and turkey back onto the plate. As Friday turned to leave, Scott chewed carnivorously and licked his fingers, the sides of his mouth leaking jelly and peanut butter. Natasha scrunched her face at that. “Anyway, as I was saying, after I stepped inside that time vortex, things only got weirder. I was basically free-falling from that point on, okay? And you know how you see your life flash before your eyes moments before death… well, I kinda saw that, too… only…”

He took a moment to swallow, but even then, he remained silent several seconds after.

“Only what?” Murdock asked.

Scott put the sandwich back on the plate.

“It wasn’t… all I saw,” he finally responded. The moment he lifted his head was the moment he saw their eyes. The strange looks on their faces said it all, followed by the rising disbelief the longer Scott rambled on about the impossible. On that basis, Scott rose up from the couch.

“Look, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but we live in a time where multicolored ponies are walking among us! Okay, literally everything is on the table at this point! What I saw when I fell in that time vortex were alternate versions of reality! Different dimensions! Various different timelines all swirling together in their own little pockets! On account to me actually witnessing my own birth, my childhood, when I first met Luis, when I found the Ant-Man suit, and even my own deathbed, I can only assume that what that time vortex showed me… was something I could have reached.”

The room was silent. The three Avengers kept their tongues frozen, their expressions even colder, as Scott lingered on his words. He laid a hand on his hip, the other rising up only to slap against his side. He sighed, shaking his head.

“I could feel it. These different pockets were trying to pull me in, l-like they had their own gravitational pull. And those flashes of my life that I mentioned… I can almost guarantee those weren’t flashes. They felt real, like I was right there once again reliving those moments. Maybe a part of me did. Maybe a part of me was able to go back—for a few seconds even—and relive those moments, see them again from another lens.”

“Scott, what you’re saying…” Natasha interrupted. She watched as Scott turned his astonished expression to hers, eyes wide and wild. Fully leaning on the edge of the impossible but still daring to take that leap. Natasha was wondering if she was even willing to gaze upon it. “You’re talking about…”

“Oh, yeah,” Scott said with a nod, a smirk, all of the above. “Time travel.”

He expected their reactions to be just as incredulous as the moment he convinced himself to believe the possibility. That was all it was, truly: a mere possibility. He could rave for hours and hours how time travel functioned in all of his favorite movies and television series, and even in science fiction in general. But for the possibility of the real, the consequences that came with it, when time travel was proposed as not just a possibility… but a reality… then Scott Lang had most certainly discovered something that could change the course of human history. Certainly, everyone would like to go back and kill Hitler, or prevent 9/11, or stop any other wretched event that cost countless human lives in the process. So much suffering could be prevented… but at what cost? They save how many lives in the past, and how many more would be affected in the future? Would the world still remain intact as it should? Would people who have made a definite impact in history not even have been born?

In a timeline of just five years, what could really be drastically changed?

Just one thing.

Scott walked about the living room, every word laced with the rising desperation in his heart. The Avengers were silent and let him vent. “I know it’s a long shot, but it’s a shot that we’ll have no choice but to take. There’s a chance, okay… for us to harness this power within the Quantum Realm and utilize it under our command! We can focus that power to several distinct moments in time! To the future… and even to the past!”

“Like before the Infinity Stones?” Matt asked, almost breathless.

Steve was completely breathless, his voice so quiet that even Matthew had struggled to hear him. “Before Thanos snapped his fingers.”

“Exactly!” Scott said, pointing directly to Steve Rogers with both hands and walking straight to him. He slapped his fist into his palm repeatedly, emphasizing almost every syllable that escaped his adrenaline-fueled tongue. “We can do this Back to the Future style, baby! We can change the past to save the future! We can bring everyone back!”

And he was finished. He let those words linger in the air, realizing shortly that it was more like a bad fart if anything, considering the expressions that filled the Avengers. They were uncertain, faces downtrodden once they took a moment to actually realize what Scott was trying to convince them of. Murdock never spoke up about Lang lying in any sense, so they could trust his story. His word, however, it needed a lot more than just a heartbeat to gain the full trust of the Avengers. Mostly all of them were still trapped on the possibility of time travel, and accepting that as a plausible option.

If there was ever a moment they could have gone back, changed one thing or several out of the many mistakes they made five years ago, they wouldn’t have hesitated to make that choice and follow through with it. Now, with Scott Lang literally giving them that moment, that opportunity, they froze. One of the Infinity Stones was the Time Stone, so the idea of altering time was possible and it existed. With time travel being considered, they could only wonder what repercussions came with it. They could stop Thanos from snapping his fingers, but what then? What would the world become then? It was impossible to fully understand it, yet if they could save… trillions of lives that were unjustly taken away by one man’s will… then what was stopping them from doing just that?

It would take much, much longer to fully understand it… but…

“Steve, this is…” Natasha gasped, shaking her head from where she sat. Right by Matthew’s side. Steve turned to her, stepping away from the wall to allow his arms to fall to his sides once again. He stared right into Natasha’s expression, watched as she shook her head and gazed straight on.

“This is out there,” she said and looked to him, met his eyes. Saw no sense of irresolution.

Just Steve Rogers.

And he said, “Just means it’s possible to reach.”

He nodded to Natasha Romanoff, turned to Matthew Murdock, and settled his strengthened eyes on Scott Lang. Said to all of them, “We need to get the team together.”

Chapter 115 – Becoming Whole Again

115

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

Princess Twilight Sparkle’s Throne Room

3:45 p.m.

“Princess Twilight, you have an emergency call from designation F.R.I.D.A.Y.”

Lowering the scroll from her face via magic, Princess Twilight Sparkle gazed straight ahead. The darkness of her throne room was hardly aided by the flaming cauldrons lining the pillars, the pair of guards standing idly by her throne while the two others stood at attention by the open doors. Apparently, she had a visitor from one of her various messenger drones, and was so engrossed with the current tax bill that she hardly paid attention to the world around her.

The small drone hovered at the foot of her throne, the large iris blinking with robotic innocence. The voice was a lot more masculine than her other drones. Young but skilled. Experienced but youthful. With a quill and scroll still hovering by the sides of her head, Princess Twilight finally closed her agape jaw and softly cleared her throat. She lowered both objects, nodding for the drone to continue.

With that subtle order given, the drone hovered forth and stopped just mere feet ahead of Twilight’s face. A bright blue light escaped the pupil of the drone’s eye, expelling a single image and recording of the Mark 45 Iron Man armor. Friday, the AI controlling the suit, stared directly onto Twilight Sparkle, face unmoving but hand held out to the Alicorn nonetheless.

She said, “The following message is considered top secret. I will await one minute to allow any unspecified visitors to leave the premises. If you would allow the message to continue automatically, simply wave your hoof in front of this drone’s iris.”

Twilight nodded to her guards. They nodded in return, looking to one another before making their hasty escape out the throne room’s doors. Even the last two Royal Guards stationed by the doors made their exit, as well, the massive twin doors slowly shutting to a firm close. Utter silence began to seep in, the darkness overwhelming and all-consuming. It was so quiet Twilight could hear her own heartbeat in her ears. It had only been twenty seconds. It was all she could take before she waved her hoof to just get to the message already.

“This message comes directly from the New Avengers Facility. Date: April 28, 2023. The Avengers have recently come into contact with an old friend they have once assumed to be among the Vanished. This friend is Scott Lang, and he has provided extremely precious information that cannot be fully explained in this message alone.”

Though she wasn’t particularly startled by the fact that it was a top secret message—considering she got a plenitude of those after she had become the sole ruler of Equestria—Twilight’s suspicions only continued to rise after Friday mentioned that the message came from the New Avengers Facility. It got even more interesting to know that one of the many billions who were taken from them in the Snap was actually found alive. Scott Lang. The Ant-Man. She didn’t really know him personally, but he was a friend of the Avengers. An ally once thought dead, only truly missing. Her attention was fully captured, the Princess of Equestria leaning slowly further where she sat.

She stared right into Friday’s bright, brilliant blue eyes. And what she said took her breath away. “Captain Steve Rogers requires your presence immediately, Your Highness. They might have a plan to undo the events five years prior, but desperately require your expertise and assistance.”

Twilight simply had to have a double take on that. She couldn’t truly fathom what she had just heard before it became apparent to her that Friday meant nothing else. She simply carried a message that came straight from the Avengers. And with that message, a forgotten hope reemerged. A dream, perhaps. Something that was once sought towards years ago but ultimately abandoned, knowing it could never be truly achieved. Knowing that, everyone moved on with their new lives. They picked up the pieces, they rebuilt, they formed new alliances and created new opportunities. Everyone and everypony simply… lived the rest of their lives.

Despite what was taken from them so long ago.

… And now it could be undone?

Friday mentioned they “might” have a plan, but that simple “might” was still a possibility to achieving the impossible. How the Avengers could even comprehend such a feat was beyond Twilight, or how a simple man named Scott Lang gave them that fleeting hope to begin with. It was all so bizarre, outlandish, and definitely out there. Definitely something Twilight didn’t expect to receive or hear that cold, lonesome Sunday.

But it definitely changed it.

“If you would like to respond to this message, simply wave your hoof in front of this drone’s iris.”

Twilight didn’t even move. For several seconds, she simply couldn’t form a coherent thought or speech pattern to be recognized as a suitable response. She didn’t even know how she could respond to that message, that undeniable revelation that was given to her. It had taken her breath away and Twilight couldn’t even breathe. Her lower lip began to shiver once that possibility returned to her, when the idea of the Decimation being undone could have been. It was a dream. A hope that was killed a long time ago. She had given up of ever seeing her friends, her family, everyone.

But now… Steve Rogers had the audacity to claim she could see them all again?

The tears sprang forth and began to dribble down her cheeks, Twilight Sparkle gasping for air and quickly shutting her eyes. Her breath shivered, silent cries filling the throne room. Not just cries, but astounded exhales and even more painful inhales. Astounded because just knowing there was a possibility once again filled her with reinvigorated hope… and painful because she didn’t want it to fade.

Because she didn’t know if she could ever come back from another hope that ended in failure.

Her inner conflict would have to wait. The throne room doors burst open, the familiar voice crying out, “Twilight!”

Quickly rubbing her eyes and cheeks free of the tears, Twilight pushed the small, hovering drone away from her face so she could catch a glimpse to her visitor. Or, perhaps, visitors. The drone faced the front of the throne room, as well, ending the message and blinking softly to the two mares racing forth towards the throne.

“Rainbow Dash…” Twilight breathed softly. She watched as General Rainbow Dash of the Equestrian Army flew forth at breakneck speeds, slowing herself and landing upon the carpet, skidding shortly before stumbling to a halt. Breathless. Bug-eyed. Staring fully onto her. Twilight looked away to the unicorn galloping right after her. “Tempest… W-what are you two doing here?”

As Commander Tempest Shadow of the Equestrian Grand Fleet slowed herself right on Rainbow’s left side, she breathed spastically with sweat streaming down her face. Even her spiked mane was in shambles, the same almost being said for Rainbow Dash. A slight frizzle to her mane covering her right eye, but nothing other than that. She sweated, too, but not nearly as bad as Tempest.

“Guess you got the message, too,” Rainbow breathed, holding out her left hoof and the small drone that hovered over it. Tempest did the same, a drone in her right, held out to Princess Twilight.

The hovering drone on Twilight’s right blinked at that, turning to the princess and fully expecting an immediate response. Only there was none. All Twilight Sparkle could do was sit numbly on her throne and try to comprehend that the message just wasn’t sent to her… but to her friends, as well. It was real. It was happening. That hope that the Avengers spoke of existed and they wanted them back on Earth. She sat there, open-mouthed and refusing to breathing, simply staring onto her friends.

Rainbow Dash had certainly changed the most since the Decimation five years prior. For what was once a Wonderbolt proud and true, a professor at the School of Friendship, the weather manager at Ponyville, and the Element of Loyalty… had become the leading general of Equestria’s armies. She gave up the Wonderbolts years ago to help rebuild Equestria’s army alongside Tempest, left Spitfire to lead the fleet on her own. With so much of Equestria’s own infrastructure and defense force so utterly disheveled, broken, and scattered, it was a miracle Rainbow Dash and Tempest were able to collect what remained and reassemble it from the ground up. By far their crowning achievement would have to be the War Horse, a purified symbol of Equestria’s renewed fighting force and the nation’s power amongst the worlds. The flying fortress continuously hovered above Canterlot, protecting the capital city alongside the Equestrian Grand Fleet… Tempest’s own personal achievement.

Tempest had remained an adamant and stubborn unicorn for as long as Twilight knew her. She felt she still owed an unpayable debt to Equestria, even after her tireless efforts over the past five years. Even after everything she had given. Twilight thought about it with what little time she had to herself to recollect on those the universe spared her. A part of Tempest still hadn’t forgiven herself for the Storm King's invasion so many years ago. That same part still hadn’t found peace even after she nearly united all of Equus’ armies and turned them against the same threat. They all still failed in the end… but perhaps Tempest took it harder than anypony else. Much harder than Twilight realized prior. In response to that failure, Tempest focused all of her efforts to truly rebuild the world. She was one of the leading ambassadors alongside Twilight herself to the various nations, being the leading spokesmare to help reunite and rebuild the world she owed that debt to. It was never paid off in her eyes, despite all she had done. Equestria’s Grand Fleet was her final achievement, vowing to dedicate the rest of her life to ensure peace was held within her world… and between the sister worlds. The Twin Worlds of Sol.

Taking a short gasp to contain herself, Rainbow lowered her hoof and allowed the drone to fly off and out of the throne room. She breathed heavily, saying, “We both decided… it would be best to come together and figure this out as a team. Just like old times, huh?”

She practically smiled. A youthful, invigorated grin almost creeping its way back onto Rainbow’s lips. The first one in she didn’t know how long. Unfortunately, that smile wasn’t met with a favorable return. Princess Twilight simply gazed from her throne, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply.

“Rainbow…” she softly exhaled, shaking her head. “Oh, Rainbow, I’m not sure about this.”

“What?” Rainbow responded, brow furrowed and tone growing harsher by the second. “Wait, Twilight, are you being serious right now? The Avengers have contacted us for the first time in months with quite possibly our last chance to bring everypony we lost back! And you’re not sure about that?!”

With every emphasizing point she made, Rainbow took a firm step closer to the throne. Even after five years, it felt so completely off to see Twilight standing taller than her. Sometimes she missed the days when their thrones were circular, all the same height, giving them that same equal power amongst each other. Time changed that. Time put Twilight on Equestria’s throne and Rainbow leading a vast, powerful army. Though she still never felt more powerless against her, so much smaller than the Princess of Friendship.

She even gazed down to Rainbow with that condescending stare, Twilight sending a deadpan frown to Dash to add to it. “Don’t be dense, Rainbow. You know there’s more to it than that.”

There certainly was more to it than that, much more than even Twilight was willing to admit. Though she refused to even acknowledge it herself, plenty of ponies around her had seen the stark shift in the Princess of Friendship’s personality. Even her own friends in Canterlot and Ponyville had seen it, but hardly ever came around to admitting it. Never once admitting it to Twilight herself. The truth was… she had become greatly reclusive since the Decimation. Certainly, they needed each other to help rebuild the nation, but once there was a firm foundation achieved and everypony went their separate ways… the toll that Twilight carried made itself clearly evident. Brighter than the sun.

She had shut herself away, facing the world with a forced sense of determination and a helpful smile to go with it. A smile to ensure her little ponies and the world around her that they stood amongst the ashes. They remained despite what was taken from them. The burden she carried from that moment on took so much more than Twilight could give. She only left Canterlot for national conferences, meetings with world leaders, or the occasional mingling with Canterlot’s citizens. She very rarely visited Ponyville and her friends there, the last time being two years ago. They came to Canterlot to visit her often, but even then the meetings were shortened. They all had duties and lives to focus on. Not much time for leisure any more. Not much time for friends any more…

Even the title of the Princess of Friendship meant very little to her any longer. She mainly helmed the title as Princess of Equestria far more than the other. Even when others referred to her as such, she hardly acknowledged it.

Knowing there was not much to acknowledge in that name.

The Princess of Equestria continued on, ignoring General Dash’s fearsome glare and saying, “We have so much more work to do here, girls. We can’t just… go off on some random adventure like we used to. We have jobs. We have ponies that need us. I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but we need to accept reality and focus on tomorrow.”

“You think we’re not focusing on tomorrow?” Rainbow snarled. She pointed her hoof to the stained glass window, to the image of Twilight, Rainbow, and Tempest standing proudly upon a bright, reignited Equestria. She pointed to herself, to the image of her staring off alongside the sunrise, never looking any prouder. Definitely a stark contrast to how she appeared then. “I gave up my entire life to help rebuild this country with you. I spent hundreds of sleepless nights tirelessly working to reform and strengthen our military of which you never use by the way.”

“We’re trying to keep the peace, Rainbow,” Twilight groaned. Honestly, she should have known by then that they weren’t trying to enforce fear upon the world. It was order, certainly, but it was peace. There hadn’t been an uprising or riot in years, and it was all because of that showing of dominance.

The shadow of the War Horse fell over Canterlot Castle, darkness overcoming the light.

“That’s beside the point,” Tempest cut in. She stepped forth and rested a steel-cladded hoof on Rainbow’s chest, pushing the Pegasus slightly to the right, silently telling her to back off. She faced the throne, a fuming Rainbow Dash snorting behind her. “The point we’re trying to make is that we have only focused on the future. And with what the Avengers want from us, what they’re hoping to achieve, it’s only to help our future. Billions of lives taken… and billions more that can be reunited with them once again. This isn’t some random adventure, Twilight… this is what we were meant to do.”

Tempest Shadow emphasized her point by taking just one more step closer. One more step further into Twilight’s heart and pushing on. Desperately trying to convince her. Desperately fighting with her words, her pain-filled eyes, as she asked, “If there’s a chance… don’t you want to take it?”

Several seconds of silence filled the throne room. Twilight breathed in.

“Of course,” Twilight exhaled painfully, shutting her eyes. “Five years ago, definitely. A couple of years ago, maybe. But now… Girls, things have changed. We all moved on. We have a country to run, stable relations to keep with an entirely other world, and we can’t just drop all of that for a chance.”

“It was always a chance for us, Twilight,” Rainbow interjected, much calmer and more controlled thanks to Tempest’s interruption. She stepped forth and gazed straight into Twilight’s eyes, each just as painful. Yet what she said hardly helped the tears cease in Twilight’s eyes.

“It was a chance for us to go into the Everfree Forest, reclaim some relics meant to be mere legend, and defeat Nightmare Moon. It was a chance when we stood against Discord with those same relics and did the same exact thing, not even knowing if we were fully able to control them after what Discord did to us. But it worked. Count that to how many other times we went up against so many other insurmountable odds and came out on top! All of it was for a chance… and this is no different.”

She fully expected to see Twilight’s mood shift dramatically from that. It did… but not in the way she had hoped. What went from apprehensive and adamant transformed into something darker, the shadows from the War Horse not helping in any regard to lighten the mood. Twilight’s face darkened as she raised it, her eyes hardening and lips doing the same. A straight line of nothingness as she glared down to Rainbow Dash and Tempest Shadow. Her voice fell several octaves, the paid riddled with the anger and only fully blossoming when she said it.

“Was Thanos any different?”

The name caught everypony by their hearts. His name was almost unspeakable, becoming more like a curse if anything. Normally, there would have been slight hesitation to even mentioning the Titan behind the Gauntlet, behind the death, behind all the desolation he caused in the universe. But for that moment, Twilight declared his name with as much emphasis as to support her stance. She didn’t turn away from it. Everypony visibly flinched to the name, but stood regardless.

“Thanos is dead,” Tempest replied in a shaking breath. Twilight’s darkened expression shifted towards the unicorn, gazed to her broken horn, and fell into her eyes. “We can do this, Twilight.”

Rainbow Dash aided her, stepping forth and declaring, “Just give us… a few days. Just a few days and then we can come back to our lives here. Novo can handle everything while we’re gone… just like she did before.”

Listening to that proposal made Twilight’s heart fall. Not for the reasons it should have. It fell to that rising hope that Rainbow and Tempest gave her. It fell because there was some merit behind their words, some reasoning to their claims, and some plausibility to how they can achieve such. It fell to know that Thanos was certainly dead, with the Infinity Stones alongside him. That hope to undo all the damages was gone with Thanos’ death. He was certain to take the Stones with him. Now they stood one last time, the three that faced a familiar storm so many years ago, given that same hope to save the universe. Twilight dropped her head and sighed.

“I’m so tired, Twilight,” Rainbow sighed, stealing Twilight’s own breath from her. The Pegasus took another step forward, eyes hurt and bleeding tears. They never fell, however, even when she shook her head and shivered. “I’m tired of living in a world without my best friends…”

Twilight lifted her gaze, a shimmer glowing within the tears and shining within her pupils as she met Rainbow’s.

“Aren’t you?”

Ponyville, Equestria

Castle of Friendship

4:28 p.m.

Rainbow Dash’s personal airship was much faster than the train. They had arrived to Ponyville in record timing, a plethora of Royal Guard falling from the ramp and clearing a path of Ponyville citizens to allow Princess Twilight a safe passage through.

The crowd gawked to her, human and pony alike. Even Gabby the griffon flew by and waved to Twilight Sparkle and her friends, returning shortly to her mail work once the Royal Guard cleared out the bystanders. Though some lingered still, Twilight assured her guards it was safe and ordered them to focus ahead. To the lone standing Castle of Friendship next to the familiar school Twilight used to run.

She breathed in… and breathed out. A smile found its way onto her lips. It certainly had been a long time, and seeing some familiar and friendly places was enough to calm the princess’ nerves.

Seeing those familiar and friendly faces was even better.

The front doors to the castle opened and they were instantly greeted in a shower of hugs. From Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, Rarity, and even Derpy and Maud, the welcome party was much-needed and well appreciated from Twilight and Rainbow. Tempest… not so much, but she accepted the hugs nonetheless.

“Oh, Twilight, you look absolutely frazzled, darling!” Rarity cooed after breaking her hug, toying with Twilight’s mane while the Alicorn merely scrunched her face at the invasion, smiling softly nonetheless.

It certainly had been quite some months since she had seen Rarity last. Not much had changed, other than the tight ponytail she had adjusted for herself, her mane still as vibrant and beautiful as always. A pair of glasses sat at the bridge of her snout, the kind she wore when she dealt with creating various dresses and clothing. Definitely with the kind of workload she was given considering her new business in the Distribution Center in Ponyville. A couple of uneasy bags hung under her eyes, but it was still the same Rarity she knew. Her same friend as ever before.

Twilight raised her hoof and laid it over Rarity’s, chuckling softly. “It’s okay, Rarity! No need to get any more worked up than you already are.”

“Considering the messages we all got, I think that might be a problem,” Maud droned, she and Derpy trotting forward and holding out their right hooves. In each, a simple drone hovered and blinked innocently to the Princess of Equestria. Twilight blinked back, brow furrowing in a curious stare.

“Wait, you got the messages, too?” Twilight pondered aloud.

“Friday told us that Steve was very specific in who he wanted to come back to Earth!” Derpy exclaimed excitedly, hooves shooting outwards as she hovered in mid-air. She even reached into her saddlebag, pulling out a large, metallic vest that Twilight had only seen one other time before. The Alicorn caught her breath at the sight of the Domino Gun in Derpy’s hooves, uneasy memories flushing inwards just at the sight of it. It really didn’t help when Maud did the same, pulling the pair of Asteroid Gloves from her saddlebag and giving Derpy a hoof bump with them.

“Yeah…” Twilight whispered. Noting the sudden drop in her voice, the Alicorn shook her head and turned back to her friends. She tried to manage a smile, the audible gulp escaping her instead. “Guess we’re really doing this, huh?”

“You don’t have to worry, Twilight,” Starlight said, trying to ease Twilight’s clear tensions with the whole situation. Twilight turned to her, almost sighing sadly to see the larger bags under Starlight’s eyes. If there was anypony who tried to take as much responsibility as Twilight, it was Starlight. From taking over the position as mayor of Ponyville, rebuilding the Castle of Friendship, and singlehoofedly running the School of Friendship as headmare and teacher, perhaps Starlight truly just wanted to cement her place among her friends. She wanted to be useful whereas she couldn’t by Twilight’s side any longer, considering Twilight’s rise as ruler of Equestria. No more being a student to the Princess of Friendship. It was her turn to be the teacher for the next generation.

And it showed in every painful inch and detail of her weariness. She tried not to show it through her smile, saying, “I got Cheerilee to handle the school while we’re gone and left Amethyst Star in charge of Ponyville and the Castle of Friendship. I’d say we’re good to go for a few days. Just… a few days.”

Her eyes shifted over to a certain general of the Equestrian Army. Rainbow sighed, eventually nodding. Knowing Starlight, she would undoubtedly keep to a tight schedule and be back earlier if time or circumstance permitted it. She really was Twilight’s old pupil, Rainbow imagined.

Twilight turned shakily to both Derpy and Maud, the Earth pony placing the Asteroid Gloves back into her saddlebag while Derpy did the same for her Domino Gun. Their weapons made for war. Why in Equestria they needed them was beyond Twilight. Whatever plan the Avengers had in mind would most certainly spell trouble no matter what happened. A part of Twilight wished she had packed more appropriately.

That part of her won in the end.

“So, are we ready to do this?” Sunset asked, tightening her saddlebags and looking about amongst the group. From Rainbow, Rarity, Tempest, Starlight, Maud, Derpy, and finally to Twilight. All of them seemingly packed and ready for the jump to the world above. She adjusted her hoof to be pointing up the staircase that led to the hallway. “Friday’s waiting for us in the library and—”

Her voice trailed away when Twilight’s hoof shakily rose.

Sheepishly smiling, Twilight mumbled, “Just… one more minute. I… I-I need to get something.”

She made her way through her bundle of friends, each mare turning curiously to one another before they all eventually fell shortly on Twilight’s path. Following the Alicorn up the stairs, through the winding hallways, passed the library, and finally into the throne room, the group were brought back to an old but welcome sight nonetheless. Individual thrones circled around a crystal table, the remnants of the old castle reformed into the new. The roots from the Golden Oaks Library were completely destroyed when the castle fell years ago. It was unfortunate, but Twilight paid the lack of roots no heed. She proceeded to the back of the throne room, facing the pair of locked doors specially added on Twilight’s word during the rebuilding.

Her friends watched as Twilight dipped her head low, gently injected her horn into the hole on the face of the door, and ignited her magic. Numerous veins of the soft violet filled the doors, activating the locking mechanism and automatically pushing the two doors open. All that rested in the towering backroom… was a simple lockbox lying on a single shelf just on Twilight’s eye-level. She opened it with her magic, as well, pulling forth the object of her desire. As she turned back to her friends, they slowly fell into a state of silent curiosity, none of them truly able to form the right words as to why Twilight wished to bring it of all things.

Resting in her aura was Applejack’s hat.

Resting in the hat were the remains of the Elements of Harmony, dozens of colorful, dead shards lying scattered within it.

Sunset’s mouth fell. “The Elements of Harmony?” she asked, still unable to close her mouth.

“Don’t even try to ask me why,” Twilight explained, the magic around Applejack’s hat fading and the hat falling into her awaiting foreleg. She closed the distance between her and it and brought the hat close to her chest. Close to her heart. She breathed in deeply before letting out a shaking exhale. “It just… it just feels like we need them. Who knows? Maybe this plan will work out in the end after all and I can finally give this back to Appleja—”

Her voice stopped. Dead. Sunset’s ears fell against her skull once she noticed Twilight’s hurt expression. Rainbow began to feel that old, familiar pain creep its way onto her face, her expression scrunching and tightening to keep in that pain. Rarity practically deflated, a depressed sigh leaving her when she saw Twilight’s eyes, her growing, hopeful smile… only to see it all fall apart in an instant. Starlight and Derpy shared similar fates. Maud and Tempest remained unmoved, perhaps a drop in their eyes, but nothing more than that. Twilight nearly broke right then and there, boiling tears threatening to fall. She hadn’t realized how hard the hat was pressed to her chest before she finally released the pressure.

“You don’t have to worry, Twilight,” Sunset assured her, stepping forward and laying a helpful hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, offering an even more comforting smile. Her burning eyes fell to the hat, joining Twilight’s saddened stare into it. “I have a good feeling everything will turn out how it’s supposed to.”

A deep breath in, and one out. She had done that a lot lately. “I hope you’re right,” Twilight sighed, rising back up from her sitting position to join the rest of her friends in their stance. And join them she did, those helpful smiles moving about and filling every mare, everypony, and falling altogether on Twilight Sparkle.

A smile that couldn’t last when the mission came back to her. “I also would have hoped the last time we saw the Avengers had ended on a cleaner note.”

Luckily, Sunset was right by her side, smiling and assuring her, “It’s only been a few months. It won’t be that weird.”

Earth

Brooklyn, New York

Denny’s Diner

10:02 a.m.

The next morning after they had arrived to the New Avengers Facility, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Matthew Murdock, and Scott Lang treated their equine visitors to breakfast in Steve’s hometown of Brooklyn. It was there that they had promised the eight ponies a strong start to the morning… as well as meeting an old, familiar, and friendly face.

They never expected the face of the Incredible Hulk.

They definitely didn’t expect to see nothing but Bruce Banner from him, either.

From Twilight, Sunset, Starlight, Tempest, Derpy, Rainbow, and Rarity, all of them stared onto the sight before them with eyes incredulous, jaws agape, and completely and utterly motionless and breathless as the towering, green… Bruce sat on his side of the table. The other half of it. Maud was the only mare monotone throughout the entire ordeal, her only form of movement being the reach for her glass of water or the soft, slow blink of her eyes. Other than that, complete silence from the ponies. A complete and total lack of an intelligent response as they gazed to the intelligence… of the Hulk.

Bruce Banner chewed on the entire pancake he had jammed into his gaping maw, his green lips smacking and massive hands swaying in the air as he explained, “Pretty big change? Yeah, I get it. Been a while since I’ve joined up with the Avengers and all. Hey, it’s just like old times! You, and you, and you, etcetera, etcetera, and of course… the big green! Me!”

They were in a Denny’s for the morning breakfast rush. Hardly a rush, considering a mere handful of patrons were present. A collection of humans and ponies were bustling about, either situated on the various tables or working within the diner itself. Just beyond the window they all were situated against, several other ponies roamed the streets of Brooklyn alongside even more humans. All of them practically molded against the same society, two different worlds blended into one. The only person who didn’t seem completely situated with that was Scott Lang, the man sitting between Maud Pie and Derpy Hooves as he, too, was simply at a loss for words at the sight of Bruce Banner.

At the sight of the Hulk.

At the sight of both.

Raising the glass of milk to his lips, Banner took a soft sip that emptied half the glass. Sighing as he lowered the milk, Bruce continued. “Look, I can tell you’re all pretty tongue-tied right about now. Trust me, if you told me that Bruce Banner and the Hulk could come to a peace five years ago… I would’ve thought you were insane. Nah, after I left the Avengers a few years back, it really got me thinking. Why didn’t the Hulk want to come out? Why was he so afraid? At first, I thought it was because I got my ass kicked, or… he got his ass kicked. No, I realized that it was because the way I had been treating him. You know, like a disease, a fail-safe, something that didn’t deserve to have full control.”

He laid a helping of syrup on his pancakes, diving in for another mouthful of half the stack as he pushed the bowl of eggs over to Scott Lang, offering it to him. When he denied it, Banner chewed for several seconds on end, holding up a green finger politely to let himself finish.

He swallowed. “Well, eighteen months down the line and some serious mental training later… you may now bask in the glory of what I managed to accomplish. Arguably one of my greatest achievements: the brain of Banner and the brawn of the Hulk… molded into one. The best of both worlds.”

He held out his arms at that, quite pleased with himself. “I call him… Professor Hulk. Pretty nice ring to it, huh?”

With a clear lack of royal regalia joining her, Twilight Sparkle sat between Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff. Sunset sat on Rainbow’s left. Rainbow had a complete lack of her uniform and armor. Tempest didn’t fall into that line while sitting on Rainbow’s right, wearing her armor within public becoming a strong normality for her. Matt sat beside Maud, taking the window. With Starlight sitting across from Tempest and Rarity on Natasha’s left, Twilight turned to Sunset on her deep right, an eyebrow slowly rising.

Both mares completely taken aback by the situation and how weird it was.

“We… haven’t seen you in a few years since you left the Avengers, Bruce,” Twilight managed to sputter out after clearing her throat. She tried to stare at him, still unable to perceive the same Bruce Banner with the hulking body sitting before her. “Is this what you’ve been up to this whole time?”

“Aside from making the public eye turn a complete 180 on the image of the Hulk, I’d say I’ve just been keeping it easy,” Bruce replied, cleaning his lips with a white napkin. “Heck, I’m practically a celebrity now. Everyone loves the Hulk, and they don’t see him as a threat anymore! Honestly, things couldn’t have turned out better for the Big Guy.”

Scott shook his head. “I’m so lost.”

Banner smiled at him, but was unable to respond when a slight tap on his arm brought his attention to the right… and downwards. Standing there giddy and smiling, a youthful Earth pony hopped excitedly up and down once Banner’s eyes met hers. She exclaimed, “Um, excuse me, Mr. Hulk… but… could I get a picture with you, please?”

She held out her hoof, her smartphone offered to Bruce. “Big fan,” she said with a toothy grin.

Almost ignoring the Princess of Equestria to her right, the mare only shivered with excitement when Bruce gently plucked the smartphone out of her hoof, offering that large, welcoming smile to her. “Absolutely, my little pony,” he told her, handing the phone to Lang. “Here, Scott, can you take that?”

“Oh, sure,” Scott replied, taking the phone and holding it out to take the picture.

He saw as Banner bent down and wrapped his right palm softly on the back of the pony’s back, both of them smiling wide. Banner declared, “Say… green! Greeen! You get that?”

Scott nodded, offering the phone back to the pony. “You want a picture with me? I’m Ant-Man.”

The entire table watched as her smile almost deflated, still barely held awkwardly upwards. She tilted her head slightly sideways. “Um… who’s that?”

“You know what? Just take the goddamn phone.”

He handed her smartphone back rather roughly, Hulk handing it off to her and watching as she pocketed it away into her Denny’s apron. “I… really should get back to work now,” the pony quietly explained, scanning the diner as if she was scouting for her boss. When she was in the clear, she turned back to Banner and whispered sweetly, “Thank you!”

She scurried off, back to work and cleaning the tables.

“They’ve seamlessly adapted to our technology. It’s incredible,” Bruce said with a smile, big green thumb pointed to the mare in question.

“Yeah, it’s unsettling,” Scott groaned, falling back in his seat. Derpy offered a sympathetic pat on his shoulder. “Ponies have jobs on Earth and everything.”

“You act like we’re gonna take over your world or something,” Maud piped up on his left.

Scott turned to the mare. “You’re joking, right?”

Maud slowly blinked. “Am I?”

He was at a complete loss from that response. It was practically unreadable, something Scott was usually an expert at. Ignoring the giggles from Rarity and Starlight, Lang faced the individual sitting across from him, elbows pressed on the table as he leaned forward and asked, “I thought you said they were our allies?”

Steve nodded, taking a sip from his glass of water. “The few allies we have.”

Twilight nodded at that. “Yes, Scott, Maud is just playing with you. She just shows it differently.”

Still quite uneasy with the pony on his left, Scott steadily shifted his eyes her way once more. “You sure about that?” he asked no one in particular, maybe the entire table, as his eyes studied Maud Pie from top to bottom.

Maud slowly smirked his way, eyes half-lidded and knowing.

“It’s always nice to see you again, Bruce, but you know why we’ve called you in,” Natasha said, bringing that table back to her and the focus of the conversation where it mattered. In an instant, Banner’s expression seemed to soften, almost sadden, as he recalled just what his old team wanted from him in the first place. Couldn’t even enjoy a free meal with old friends anymore.

“You’re trying to undo everything that’s happened…” Bruce said, gulping. “With time travel.”

It was the first time any of the mares had been informed on what exactly the Avengers had been planning to do, and it was none other than time travel itself. Twilight and Starlight were instantly captured by that, each mare turning to one another and holding their breaths and tongues for several consecutive seconds. Both had the same thought in mind, the same dreaded, wretched revelation that came with time travel. Just before Twilight could open her mouth to it, Matthew beat her.

Being relatively quiet for the breakfast, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen finally found his voice. Murdock leaned forward, eyes hidden behind the dark shades as he explained, “We know it’s a stretch. But Scott gave us the possibility and we’re willing to take it. Alone, we won’t be able to do it. Amongst us, you’ve got the biggest brain here, metaphorically and physically. If anyone could figure this out… it’s you, Bruce.”

Twilight’s voice seemingly failed her, both she and Starlight facing the same probability. There would no doubt be a moment where they would have to tell the Avengers about the truth and the dangers of time travel and its effects, but just hearing about the possibility… caught them for a moment. They were intrigued, guided towards that hope, and fell silent because of it. No doubt holding that truth in the back of their minds for later.

Banner slowly nodded his head, gazing longingly to the table as he mused, “I’m definitely gonna need to take a look at that van you drove to the facility, Scott. If we’re gonna figure this out, I’ll have to check out that Quantum Tunnel you mentioned earlier.”

“So, you’re saying you can do it?!” Rarity asked excitedly, practically leaping to her hind legs from her seat. Just the possibility of having all the stress, all the work, and all the wretched years taken away so she could go back to what really mattered was almost overwhelming. Living her dream of becoming a world-renowned fashion designer alongside her best friends and family could return to her. All those who were taken away from her. It was possible and it could be done.

Unfortunately, her hope fell alongside her heart when Banner shook his head. “Never said that,” he said, lifting his eyes to the unicorn. He offered a faint smile. “But I’m willing to give it a try.”

Rarity’s ears straightened, a hopeful and gleaming smile returning to the mare.

Banner tried to smile wider, but ended up only sighing. “But even before that… we’re still missing a few Avengers.”

“We know,” Steve said. “That’s why Natasha and I’ve come up with a little… split up.”

“Split up?” Rainbow asked, turning to Steve on her left and looking for that answer.

“We’ll split up,” Steve continued, looking straight at her and eventually… the rest of the table. Everyone present. “Twilight, you and Starlight, Sunset, Matt, and Scott will join Nat and I to get Tony. Bruce, you’ll take Rainbow, Rarity, Tempest, Maud, and Derpy to find Thor. You’re more than welcome to take the Quinjet, considering where you’ll be going.”

“The Quinjet?” Rainbow pondered. Steve turned to her, watched as she shook her head and asked, “Wait, how far is Thor? Where did he go?”

She wasn’t there when he told them… four years ago.

“A little place called New Asgard,” Steve answered.

Rainbow’s eyes slowly enlarged. With the rest of the team breathing in that information, Scott Lang was still stuck on the person he was supposed to meet up with. “What about Stark?” Scott asked.

His question… didn’t seem to reach them until miles later. In that time, each Avenger took a moment to recollect and regather what information they had, what they knew, and what awaited them. Most importantly, Steve and Twilight seemed the most affected by that question. Steve appeared downtrodden, not even able to find the strength to reach for his glass of water. He almost looked guilty. Twilight on the other hand… appeared apprehensive. It had been a short few months since she had last visited Tony, but it still wouldn’t be a welcome meeting by any means. What they were going to ask of Stark would require more from the man than he would ever be willing to give up. With what he had grown, what he had built, what five years down the line had done to him and Pepper and their lives together… the possibility of changing all of that for their time travel plan seemed…

It didn’t seem right.

But they would cross that bridge when they came to it.

Turning to him, Twilight slowly nodded Scott’s way. “It’s better if you see it for yourself.”

Natasha smiled to the table, laying some cash down for the meal. “Avengers… disassemble.”

Chapter 116 – I Am Inevitable

116

Five Years Earlier

Sanctuary II

After the Second Snap

The pain was universal.

It infected and ripped at every tendon, every molecule, tore apart the very fabric of his being down to the last atom, and then it destroyed those, too. It very well could have destroyed him, killed him, left him as but a smoldering shell of what he once was. In that light, when the deed was accomplished, he had focused the heavy majority of his willpower to destroy all six Infinity Stones. The second he snapped his fingers, he felt them shatter, watched as they were obliterated. It took a piece of him he never thought he could get back, that heavy majority of his will used to do the impossible.

That very minor pinch of will was used to teleport Thanos back to his ship.

He didn’t know why he did it. By all means, his life should have been taken and he would have accepted it nonetheless, knowing there was no other way the Avengers could have possibly taken away his destiny. Thanos had destroyed the Stones and accepted whatever fate wrought upon him from that moment on, knowing with certainty that his destiny would be protected. Perhaps he just couldn’t face the reality of death just yet. Perhaps death was an old concept he just didn’t want to accept.

Maybe he just didn’t want to see that familiar face smile coldly his way as she took him.

He fell as a smoldering, scorched, and cringing heap on the cold, steel floor of Sanctuary II. He lay on his back, the vicious blue and black portal instantly vaporizing the second Thanos hit the floor. Without the power of the Space Stone to fuel it, the portal had no reason to exist. It vanished in less than a millisecond, closed forever as Thanos lay on his backside and groaned softly.

There was already a pool of blood growing around him, from his left shoulder torn and flesh visibly ripped off from his encounter with the God of Thunder and his new weapon. His chest continued to spill a helping of blood from the wound by the same exact weapon, the cut much deeper and nearly impacting that precious, beating heart that pumped so rapidly, Thanos’ vision was beginning to blur. His breath was tightening, blood leaking from his jaws and painting his chest further with every agonizing cough, every painful intake that gurgled and cried out.

His left arm… was completely scarred.

Scorched.

It was blackened, smoke rising off the withering bicep as those same sickening veins had crawled up Thanos’ entire shoulder and infected his body. The entire left side of him was caught within that sickness, the side of his face scarred and burnt beyond repair. His left eye was bloodshot, a wretched scar tearing right through it and sending several red veins into his pupil. It made it hard to see, but that was the least of Thanos’ worries.

The pain was unlike anything he had ever known. Physically, maybe. Mentally and emotionally… perhaps not. The first time he snapped his fingers, there was a portion of Thanos that was killed alongside it, that emotional anchor that kept him tied to what truly mattered and stopped him from falling into that pit of insanity. With the Snap, he had proved that he was fully willing to give everything he ever loved to ensure of his destiny’s achievement. He proved to himself that in the end… it was all worth it.

With the Second Snap… all Thanos proved was that his destiny would not be taken away.

Was it all worth it?

He could only speak those words to himself, no hope of ever hearing her voice again while tied to the mortal plain. Perhaps it would be worth it in the end, the darkness overcoming his vision, his breath shortening, and the pain slowly numbing away.

… Thanos was not even granted that.

The living realm was not finished with the Titan just yet.

In an instant, like a flocking instinct had filled the inhabitants of Sanctuary II, multiple swarms of Chitauri and Outriders surrounded and fell to their lord and master. The first to find him was an Outrider, sniffing his face and observing his wounds before crying out to the rest of the ship. Crying out for help. Various Chitauri Elite filled the throne room of the Great Titan, gazed in horror to see Thanos himself lying in a broken, bloody, and fading state. He only continued to fade and fall faster and faster.

The Elite ordered droves of Chitauri fodder to carry their master to the medical bay, watching with pained anticipation as the Titan was hauled off with hardly even a movement in response. Hardly even a breath. He carried with him a trail of blood out of the throne room and throughout the mighty, towering ship. His eyes fell under his eyelids, a heavy breath softly exhaling as that darkness consumed him.

And he didn’t even attempt to fight it.

When Thanos came back to that realm of the living, he was greeted to a flushing wave of unhinged agony eating at his body and the bright, white lights glaring down at him from above. He screamed.

Multiple machines hung precariously above the Titan, the robotic, almost monstrous medical personnel tending to Thanos’ wounds. There were a lot of them. The majority of their attention was centered just over his heart, the axe wound having nearly reached the life-giving organ. They spoke in a garbled, robotic, alien tongue to one another, removing burnt flesh and muscle in order to stop the bleeding and seal the wound. They were programmed to ignore the cries of agony from their patients, especially from their master.

A lone Chitauri Elite oversaw the procedure. Various other Chitauri were walking about the medical bay, carrying supplies and tools for the machines to handle. Others more attuned to the medical field applied pain-relieving injections to calm the Titan from his pain, some even helping to remove the burnt skin from his left arm while the machines cooled him off and applied the appropriate healing.

Throughout the entire surgical endeavor, he was screaming.

He thrashed on the table, the straps barely able to contain the unholy strength of Thanos as the machines and Chitauri backed away, let him thrash, then proceeded to work on him when he took a short moment to breathe again. Thanos’ eyes flickered back and forth as his chest arched into the air, a blistering pain shooting out from his chest when he realized that the medical drones still weren’t finished with his chest cavity. He could barely see the several clamps and lasers surgically sealing the wound and stopping the influx of blood seeping outwards. It was almost enough to make Thanos black out once more, but he held on.

The pain was too much anyway.

By the time he was done screaming, when all the adrenaline and panic in his body had faded and all that was left was a wilting Titan upon the surgical table, the machines and Chitauri got back to work. He didn’t even fight them that time. He was too weak. The pain made him that way, turned him from what he once was. Every fiber of what he was screamed for that pain to end and for death to claim him as its champion. He had no more reason to fight. He had no more reason to live when all that he had was taken or finished. The loyalty of his troops—in the end—saved his life. Kept him alive.

They could just as easily end that.

Thanos slowly turned his head and let it rest on the right. He stared straight into the burning blue visor, the golden mask, and the towering structure of the Chitauri Elite gazing down at him from the end of the room. It lifted its head when Thanos weakly raised his right fingers, listening intently for the words barely escaping Thanos’ dried, bloodied lips.

“Kill me…”

For as long as the Elite had served Thanos, there was never a moment of weakness that he ever showed. Thanos was as cruel, as bloodthirsty, as brilliant, as philosophical, as diligent and strong through every waking second of every fighting moment. The softest the Elite had ever seen his master… was when he spoke to or of his daughters. Daughter, to be exact. But right then, in that moment of weakness that would not last, Thanos showed a whole other side the Elite never knew of…

Weakness.

And the Elite could not stand for that. He would not allow his master to give in for some pain that would not last.

The Elite shook his head, gazing to Thanos’ widened, wounded eyes. He stood his ground and told him, “We cannot let you die, my Great. We will have no purpose. Our lives… are you.”

The procedure continued on. For hours and hours and hours. Every second spent saving the Great Titan’s life. Even when he didn’t want it. Even when Thanos would only mutter, “Let me die… Let me be with her…”

Every single time.

“Daughter…”

Crying out and begging for the pain to die.

“Gamora!”

The surgery was a success.

For the most part.

What had once been the feared, ever-looming and ever-present Dark Lord known as Thanos had been reduced to a state that one may perceive to be incomprehensible. His mind drifted, his body failed him, the once philosophical and utterly unstoppable force changed both on the inside and the out. He remained as a shell of his former self, hardly ever leaving his throne room, hardly ever present for his Chitauri. Sanctuary II had never been colder, quieter, practically lost in the vacuum of space and stopping nowhere. Heading nowhere.

In that time, Thanos was even more so.

It took days, weeks, months…

Years…?

However long it took to regain that lost strength, the Chitauri were certain to see their master return them to glory. Mostly for Thanos to return himself to that pedestal he had built for years and years, dominating his corner of the universe and earning that dreaded reputation amongst the cosmos. For so, so long, various Elite took more of a commanding role amongst the ranks of Thanos’ remaining armada. In that time of quiet, they eased their master’s worries and pains, keeping him alive every single day as he only seemed to wish for the opposite.

But he grew stronger. Through physical, mental, and spiritual training, Thanos grew. He was strengthened. He was hardened. He was built back from the ground up. While the physical portion of the rigorous training his Chitauri put him through showed powerful results, the other two… didn’t. In fact, his psychological and spiritual essence only continued to grow more fractured as time went on. His body healed, but it took more than that to become whole again. Without the right mindset, Thanos only became that outer being he once was.

Just the shell…

And with that shell—no inner spirit to strengthen and guide it—Thanos grew more wrathful.

It showed in his fighting, the sparring sanctum within Sanctuary II fresh with boiling blood painting the walls and severed bodies scattered about the floor. They were various alien species, some robotic drones, and even a few Chitauri fodder. Anything to improve Thanos’ skills on the battlefield and return him to his former glory. He stood as a ragged mess, as a warrior bathed in that crimson darkness with a pair of dual short blades in each hand. He wore no attire upon his upper body, thus showing his wretched scars over his heart and upon his left shoulder. On the entire left side of his face and body. His pants were soaked in that crimson, dripping from the tips of his blades to the soles of his boots. He knelt amongst the bodies, breathing heavily and gazing to the floor.

Even as the doors before him broke apart and slid upwards and downwards, unveiling his final opponent.

With a pair of mighty chains attached to its neck, the humongous Chitauri Gorilla stumbled inside the sparring grounds, growling and smacking the Chitauri that held it at bay aside. Ripping the chains from its neck, the Chitauri beast reared up on its legs, slamming its fists against its armored chest before driving those fists into the metal earth. Roaring right into its master’s face.

That was when Thanos lifted his eyes. The clean… and the scarred.

Then he struck.

With a ferocious roar joining him, the Titan tore through the blood and body-soaked sanctum in order to reach his target. He ran at breakneck speeds, sliding underneath the Chitauri’s swinging forearm in order to appear on its backside. Once there, he rammed the left blade into the beast’s rib cage, a horrific cry leaving the Chitauri. Thanos reached for his blade, only to feel that palm grip his left arm and fling him clear across the sparring grounds.

Tumbling across the metal flooring, Thanos grunted and growled as he slid back to his feet, lifting his wild and bloodshot eyes towards the oncoming rampage stampeding his way. The Chitauri Gorilla huffed with every stomp closer, the blade still embedded in its side and Thanos’ eyes solely attached to it. He could roll out of the way, go for the blade before the beast reacted, and finish what he initially started.

It didn’t go that way at all.

It went as far as Thanos rolling to the right before it all fell apart. Once he did, the beast merely stuttered to a halt before slamming its arms down right on top of the Titan. Right before he could even get back to his feet. Thanos only had a brief second to react, and he did so poorly. He made rash decisions on instinct instead of years of training and experience. Following his failing instinct forced him to raise his left arm in order to catch the strikes. He merely blocked them, the Chitauri Gorilla slowly overpowering the Titan and pushing him to his knees.

Then it grabbed Thanos by his scarred, left arm, twisting it painfully and slamming Thanos on the metal earth. Repeatedly. Even through the ragged, painful screams that escaped him. His last blade skidded off out of his reach, the Chitauri snorting before tossing Thanos into the wall, the Titan grunting with agonizing clarity as he fell to the floor in a broken, bloody heap.

The Chitauri shook its head, slamming its fists into the ground before charging again.

It stopped when Thanos raised his right hand as well as his voice.

“Enough!”

Just the single utterance of the word from his master prompted the beast to instantly halt, the stumbling Chitauri snorting before slowly easing itself back into its cage. Slowly backing away from the sparring sanctum just as the Chitauri Elite made their way inside. They wore ceremonial garb, long blue and gold capes flowing from their backsides as they slipped through the massacre and approached the kneeling Thanos. He had made a considerable distance away from the wall before the weight of his own failure pushed him back down, lungs wet with blood, muscles torn and bleeding.

Thanos refused to even look at them. He breathed and listened.

One Elite stepped forward, arms behind his back. “We need you to be better.”

Thanos’ heavy breaths filled the sanctum, the Titan trying to lift his head but even failing to do that. He shook it instead, mumbling, “I can’t.”

Slowly, the Elite turned to one another, speaking in their sharp, alien hisses before eventually turning their falling visors back to their lord and master. How he knelt in the slaughter only reminded them of the days he led them in his conquest, taking aged and dying worlds and cleansing them for the greater good. He led those battles, those unwinnable wars and stood on the top of every fallen empire. Yet there he knelt, unable to defeat one of his own creations.

Destiny had changed him, certainly in more ways than one.

A lone Elite began to circle the Titan in his lowly state, Thanos observing him cautiously as he softly spoke. Softly warned, “This is not an option. The universe will soon discover who cleansed half of all life, and when they find out it was you… they will come for you. In this current state, they will take you. They will strike you down.”

Thanos breathed and wiped his bloody lips. “They already have. Let them finish it.”

“This,” the Elite growled, emphasizing each word as he forced himself in front of his master’s eyesight, “is not… an option.”

Thanos slowly eased his eyes forward, glaring with the intensity of a dying star into the Elite’s visor. A glare that threatened more than a simple maiming if his soldiers dared to take another step forward out of line. The Elite noticed such, taking a step away and conversing once more in those strange, alien hisses amongst the others. Another Elite rose up from behind, Thanos barely shifting his attention back. “However, there are… others,” the Elite mentioned.

Thanos knew what was coming. They had been consistently offering the option to him for months, and he continuously denied it, knowing he could become stronger on his own. Knowing he would soon leave the mortal plain. “Enhancements?” Thanos considered.

“For your arm,” another Elite replied, claws held out to the bloody and scarred limb hanging limply on Thanos’ left. “It seems to be your greatest hindrance on the battlefield still. A simple… medical procedure could change all of that. Your mind, however… that will take more.”

Thanos’ mind was his personal domain alone. None were allowed anywhere near what he held dear in the confines of his shattered consciousness. None would be able to withstand the torment that he carried with him to that day, to that second of every waking moment and even in the darkness of rest. His nightmares were his burden, his sanctuary within sanctuary. He would not let them touch his mind.

His arm, however…

Thanos lay upon the medical table, observing as the machines hovered above him and burned their blinding white light into his vision. They all soon retreated to the left side of the table, their small, robotic arms flicking towards the scarred and broken arm that lay pathetically upon the table. It was all numb to Thanos anyhow, the Titan turning away once the sound of the hovering drone caught his interests.

Above him, the flying drone carried a large, metallic, endoskeleton arm. It settled itself on the left side of the table, joining the other machines as they prepared the saws and surgical tools. Thanos watched as the drone handed off the endoskeleton arm to the medical machines, the robots observing them momentarily before turning to the Titan himself. They held it out for him. Thanos stared onto it. He sighed.

It was not meant to be visible on the outside.

“Great Titan,” a Chitauri medic spoke forth, Thanos lifting his head further down and gazing to the fodder holding out a large syringe. “Would you wish I injected you with a pain-nullifier?”

Thanos shook his head. “No.”

He laid back, gazed into the haunting darkness of the ceiling and held his breath.

“I need to know this.”

He needed to know of the pain. He needed to understand what it offered, what it meant to him, and how much it mattered. How much it could change him on the battlefield. For if Thanos could understand the burden that came with it, he could truly be one with it as if it was his own flesh, bone, and blood. That was the only way for a warrior to rise above such adversity.

They began.

He knew the pain. It was a familiar friend. He knew it and remembered every last blood-curdling scream.

The Chitauri Gorilla roared and sent spittle across the floor, stampeding forth with the intensity of a steaming train with no intention to stop anytime soon.

Thanos had no intention to stop it.

He used it to his advantage. As the muscles tightened across his left arm, Thanos reared back and with a mighty cry, flung his blade clear across the sanctum. It struck its target with deadly precision, right between the beast’s neck and shoulder blade. The Chitauri cried out, skidding to a halt as it reached upward to pry the blade the loose. While it was distracted, Thanos took that prime opportunity.

With his remaining blade tight in his right palm, the Titan sprinted forward and leapt through the air, diving down with his blade leading as he drove it into the Chitauri’s opposite shoulder blade. The Gorilla cried out, rearing back to snatch the Titan from its backside. But Thanos was too quick. He was too unpredictable for the feeble-minded beast to comprehend. Upon the Chitauri’s back, Thanos reared forward and grabbed the left blade with his right hand, the right blade with his left hand. With his arms crossed over one another, Thanos watched as the powerful claws of the Chitauri had found him, reaching for him as the seconds shattered away.

Thanos grit his teeth, let out an ear-piercing battle cry as he uncrossed his arms.

Severing the head clean from its shoulders.

A torrent of black lifeblood spewed forth like a broken geyser, spraying across Thanos’ face and body as the Chitauri Gorilla’s body slowly fell slack. Its arms and legs gave away, the body hitting the floor shortly after the head did. And when it fell, Thanos jumped free from it, rolling across the sanctum and resting shortly after on one knee. No longer broken. No longer defeated.

But rising forth in victory.

The first ones to meet him in that glowing sensation were the Elite once more, congratulating their lord and master with several nods and bows. Their voices calling out…

“Well done, my Great.”

It was all needless banter that the Titan no longer heard. Their voices dropped to an incomprehensible slur as all Thanos could hear, all he could see, and all he could feel were various other emotions and pains flushing through him. The training was complete for now, but the real struggle, the true battle had only just begun for him. He thought only of that as he retired to his personal sanctum.

Just near the towering throne room, Thanos’ quarters remained as an even darker shroud of chaos and disorder. He lay upon his bed, what could be called a bed. It was a metallic containment cell, allowing for seamless zero-gravity whenever he laid his body upon its splendor. Thanos did not rest. He could not rest. He rose up and suited himself for a sitting position, elbows easing themselves to his kneecaps. In the darkness he was entrenched in, Thanos stared onto nothing, seeing so much more than the darkness could allow.

Turning to his left arm, Thanos noted the progress of his Chitauri with waning interest. The scars were still there, but the strength had returned to him. Metal plates could be seen protruding out of his skin, Thanos slowly flexing and releasing his fingers from the fist he formed them into. He could subtly feel and hear the metal grinding against his flesh and bone, slowly becoming more and more apart of him as the days went on. As the weeks turned into months, and years became but another day.

If what life had burdened him with from that point on was to be taken as an absolute, then Thanos did not seem to grasp the idea of why he continued to live on.

Some of his thoughts still pondered to the moment he saved himself. The very second before he destroyed the Infinity Stones, Thanos saved himself from the wrath of the Avengers, transported himself to the safety and confines of his sanctuary. Back then, when things seemed to be so much simpler, Thanos saw it as just an escape. An escape from them, from death… and even from himself.

During his time in the Garden, Thanos found solemn comfort to know that the work was done. He could finally rest knowing that the universe was spared the tragic fate of his own world. However, the universe turned against him when the Avengers came as an overwhelming storm of ferocity and power, so much so that he couldn’t even stand against it as he did before. The Gauntlet, the Stones, they had become more of a weight to him than ever before, a hindrance on the battlefield that nearly cost him his life. Only… a part of him… wanted to die.

Every day on Titan II felt like more of the same. It had only been a few weeks of the harvest and it felt like a millennium. Retirement from the bloodshed, from the war, from the constant struggle was meant to be the most rewarding aspect to destiny fulfilled. Yet it was a burden, a constant burning agony that never left him since the moment he stepped foot off Earth. The moment he snapped his fingers for the first time was the moment he would always cherish and dread.

For it was the moment he saw his daughter. For the last time.

Since then, there had only been the wretched desire to be with her, to die and let his soul truly rest with his beloved child once again. He had considered it since then, finding it so incredibly easy to let that blade sink slowly into his skin, into his heart, across his throat and let the life flow free from him, let his wounded spirit finally find that escape it so desperately desired. But Thanos knew better than to give in to the desires of himself. He taught himself that ideology after he discovered the Infinity Stones and sought them, knowing his personal loves could not stand in the way of destiny.

That same ideology still burned in him.

He needed to live. He needed to remain as the Dark Lord of the universe. For if he was to perish, if he were to leave the mortal plain right then and there… Thanos would not be able to feel truly complete. He needed to live because… he couldn’t face that death. He couldn’t face her.

More personal love that tormented him so. More reasons to live every single day and carry that burden as the darkness clouded his judgement, clouded his vision and airwaves and nearly strangling him in it. But Thanos knew there was more to his survival than a mere distaste for an old love, a fear of facing her once again and unable to perceive what would come after. The fear of the unknown was not what kept Thanos alive…

He thought he would feel complete after cleansing the universe… but the Mad Titan had the feeling, the fear that something was off.

The forsaken fear that his work was not finished.

Chapter 117 – My Greatest Creation

117

Present Time

Earth

Stark Residence

12:40 p.m.

Afternoon sunlight spilled forth from the heavens and gleamed across the lake. Within the warming forests of North America, a lone cabin stood near the lakeside and spread a blanketing shadow across the waters. Ripples from tadpoles, from fish, from insects upon the surface made the waves dance a harmonic and rhythmic tune no man could play. The light from the sun showered down, broke through the towering tree lines, and rested upon the lone, humble abode.

Anthony Edward Stark stepped out of it and breathed in. Took it all in. Let it all out in a long, winded, and satisfying exhale. He wore a soft, black coat and green T-shirt, black pants and shoes to boot. Pun intended. Tony had come to truly appreciate puns more often in his retirement. And that retirement showed, slivers of gray in his dark brown hair, aged but satisfied wrinkles tugging at his facial features. He was a man who stepped out of a great storm and smiled to see another day.

As the birds chirped in the tree above and the sun shone heavy in his eyes, Tony Stark made his way over to the recreation area. It was a little spot for him and Mrs. Pepper Stark to sit back, cook some cheeseburgers, and spend countless nights gazing into the campfire or onto the moonlit water’s edge. Only, it seemed to be that his recreation area was infested with an invasive intruder. A tiny playhouse, a colorful tent, no taller than his waist, amongst a strewn collection of toys, dolls, and crude crayon drawings.

Tony pursed his lips at that, shaking his head as he turned about absentmindedly. He looked anywhere else except where he knew she would be. “Morguna!” Tony called out, clapping his hands three times as he took a seat on the log resting by the doused campfire pit. “Come on, Squirt, I’m not playing hide-and-seek right now; it’s time for lunch.”

The flap of the tent was pushed aside, revealing the gold and blue Iron Man mask upon the small offender. “Hand over the juice pops, or prepare to be vaporized,” the child declared, pointing an innocent repulsor light right to Stark’s face.

Tony Stark smiled to his daughter.

“Listen, you can kill someone with that. You’re lucky its set to stun,” he explained, watching as the child slowly stepped fully out of the tent to rise up to his eye-level. He lifted the helmet from her head, allowing the dark brown bangs to fall from it and rest softly on the sides of her face. “Well, at least someone appreciates my work. Where did you find your mother’s mask?”

Morgan Stark played with her fingers, smiling innocently to her father. “In the garage.”

Tony thumbed over the Rescue mask, exhaling through his nostrils in an almost-scoff, shaking his head as he did so. “Funny, that’s usually where the junk goes, and last time I checked… everything I make…”

Morgan knew what was coming, beating him to the punch. “Is worth it.”

“Worth everything,” Tony mused, gazing longingly to the child no older than five, his own flesh and blood standing right before him with that curious and innocent smile on her lips, just as so in her two, shimmering eyes. If there was ever a chance to be living that perfect dream he had so many times before, Tony was glad that he lived to experience it in full. Through every storm, every war, every decision he made that threatened his life and the ones he loved, he was grateful to know there wouldn’t be any more of that. He had her to remind him of that.

More musing. Tony blinked, shifting on the log and resting his palms on Morgan’s shoulders. “Now come on, how ‘bout it? What’s rumbling in that tummy of yours?”

Morgan bit her lip, standing uneasily. Knowing he would never approve. “Popsicles.”

“Popsicles?! For lunch? Come to think of it, I’ve been craving some juice pops as of recent. Wow, great minds think alike, is that right?”

“I don’t know,” Morgan softly said, shaking her head and letting her head dance back and forth.

“Well, I know,” Tony exclaimed, reaching forward and scooping his child into his arms, “that Mom… is gonna be very upset if we don’t eat the sandwiches she prepared for us. So how ‘bout we sneak some juice pops out of the fridge for later?”

Morgan nodded her head excitedly, wrapping her arms around her father’s neck and resting her head just beside his. Stark smiled, facing forward and proceeding back to home. But not before he could let loose a sneaky quip, muttering, “God, I’m a great influence.”

It was a smile, a moment that he wished could last forever.

Nothing ever did.

He stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the black car pull up to his dirt driveway. The sole reason he didn’t proceed directly towards his house was when his eyes met that of the driver’s, locking hardened gazes with the First Avenger himself. Steve Rogers stepped out of the vehicle, hand on the open door, staring straight ahead and meeting Tony’s worrisome eyes.

It was not uncommon to get a visit from Steve every now and again. Last time he dropped by was a summer back when he wanted to catch up, fish with Morgan, and just spend some time reconnecting with Tony and adjusting to the new lives they both decided to live. It wasn’t what truly worried Stark. When Natasha Romanoff, Matthew Murdock, Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer, and Twilight Sparkle stepped out of the same vehicle, that was when Stark started to question things.

His heart stopped when Scott Lang was the last one out of the car. Out in the open and up from the grave Tony thought he was forever resting in.

His agape expression would not last, Morgan fumbling in his arms as she gasped and cried out, “Auntie Twilight!”

Tony was forced to let her leave his arms, setting Morgan down onto the dirt and grass to allow the child to run forward. She shot past Steve and Natasha’s towering legs, impacting the group of mares and practically slamming herself face-first into Twilight’s chest and neck. Her tiny arms wrapped tightly around the Alicorn, Sunset and Starlight cooing adorably as Twilight couldn’t help but let a few out herself. She could hardly ever keep them contained whenever she saw Morgan Stark.

Her niece. Not by blood, of course… but by something deeper.

“Oh, Morgan…” Twilight sighed, eyes already burning. She forced the tears to stay, once again forcing a smile as she raised her wings and wrapped Morgan in a warm bundle of feathers. The two eventually broke, Twilight patting Morgan’s bright red nose with the tip of her hoof, playfully asking, “How’s my favorite niece doing?”

Morgan’s smile didn’t last forever, a confused furrow growing in her brow. She played with her fingers, standing awkwardly as she asked, “Thought you weren’t coming until Thanksgiving?”

The innocence and confusion in her voice alone was enough to make Twilight break right then and there. She sounded so painfully concerned that it broke Twilight’s heart knowing what would come further down the road. What was needed out of all of them. Despite that, Twilight smiled even more painfully, shaking her head with her eyes softly closed.

“Well, sweetie… things change,” Twilight explained. Tried to. She stared up to Tony standing behind his daughter, that growing concern filling him the longer they stood there. That growing concern for their presence… as well as a certain Ant-Man. Twilight smiled back to Morgan, opening her burning eyes. “We got quite a story for ya.”

It was quite a story.

Scott Lang told most of it, still trying to convince Tony that he was sitting there in the flesh and blood before them. Explaining the Quantum Realm situation, his time within it, and what he saw, Scott was further able to explain the true meaning of what the Avengers were present on Stark’s residence for. Tony sat alone upon his cushioned chair on the front porch of his home. Morgan sat on the nearby couch and played with Twilight’s mane and wings, even allowed to curl Sunset’s fiery golden and red mane. Starlight watched it all with a waning smile, the pain in her eyes evident. She turned that pain back to Stark, seeing his expression crumble when Scott brought up the possibility of time travel.

The possibility to undo the Snap.

Bring everyone back.

Quite satisfied with his final words of hope to Stark, Scott leaned back in his chair and held out his hands. “So… what do you think?” he asked, palms folding back just over his lap.

Tony played with his brown and gray goatee. Finally, after a moment to taste the information and story presented to him, and especially taking time to analyze each Avenger and pony to see if the truth was shared among them, Tony slowly nodded. “I’m thinking you might not want to run into traffic.”

Scott’s smile quickly shattered. “What?”

“Unless you’re staying for dinner, which by all means you’re welcome to,” Tony continued, practically ignoring Scott’s shock and the rest of the team’s uncertainty.

“No, Stark, are you listening to us?” Lang pressed on, leaning forward and holding out his shivering hands to Tony, real panic beginning to settle in when the possibility that Tony Stark wasn’t going to be backing them up became more of a reality. He reaffirmed his statements from earlier, emphasizing with each powerful point he made. “We can bring everyone back. None of this would have happened. It’ll all be just like a bad dream, and we can go back to what once…”

Steve laid his palm on his shoulder, cutting off Scott’s provoked plethora of words escaping his words. Prompting Scott’s eyes over to the couch, Steve turned as well to join the Ant-Man. Twilight was covering Morgan’s ears, the innocence and confusion upon the child’s face staring solely at Lang, merely catching a smidgen of what he said. Despite being so young, despite not knowing the intricacies and depth of what Scott Lang was truly describing, she still had that Stark blood in her. She was still growing. Still learning. She was a lot smarter than she looked.

And Scott stared into her large, confused eyes, seeing the innocence that was ripped away from his own daughter after having missed five years of her life. “… was,” he finished softly.

Now he could understand why everyone was so hesitant about coming to Stark’s residence for his help in the first place. Scott turned back to Stark, seeing the rising anger boil in his skin and turn it a soft pink. Not fuming by any means, but starting to heat up. He held it all in either way.

“No,” Tony softly muttered, shaking his head. “You weren’t here for this, Scott, so I’ll say it again… and just in case you all misheard me a few years back.”

Steve, Natasha, Matt, Scott, Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight all focused solely on Tony when he leaned forward on his seat, staring with rising intensity in an even more intense and fuming tone. “I’m. Done,” he growled.

Scott was unshaken, despite everyone else taking a backseat. “Listen, Tony—”

“Let me break it down for you, Ant-Man,” Stark interrupted, bringing severe attention to Scott’s ridiculous alter ego. He crossed one leg over the other, holding out his hand to Lang and staring at him with a hardened, deadpan expression. His voice only emphasized his bemusement, stating, “Your plan to save the universe and bring back trillions of lives… is based on Back to the Future?”

Scott slowly played around with that thought, shrugging in the end. “Well, it sounds stupid when you say it.”

“That’s because it is stupid,” Tony snapped, hearing a whine of distaste from Morgan. As Twilight cooed softly to her niece, Stark just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Slowly easing himself into mild comfort. “Not only is time travel basically impossible without the Time Stone, but it’s uncontrollable. Unpredictable. You said it yourself, you were almost pulled into thousands of random timelines had it not been by that slim, pinprick of a chance that you were pulled out right at that very second. It’s a valiant effort… I’m sorry for your loss… but it’s time to move on.”

“We can’t move on from this, Tony,” Twilight weakly muttered, watching as Morgan climbed down from the couch to wish to rest in her father’s arms. Tony eased himself to her position, pulling Morgan up and hugging her softly. Cradling her and whispering words of comfort. Twilight watched it all with shivering eyelids and burning tears. “I’ve tried… we all have… but there isn’t a day that goes by where I wish we could go back and change what happened.”

She stared right at Morgan, the child’s eyes meeting her aunt’s before she shifted to her opposite cheek on Tony’s shoulder. Away from Twilight.

It was always going to be the hardest decision for Twilight to make. There was never a way around it. Even she still struggled to convince herself of that. Once Scott Lang and the Avengers brought back the possibility of time travel and undoing the events of the past to save the future, Twilight knew the burden that came with it. That single choice, one little act in the past to completely alter the future and change it from what it once was. She and Starlight knew a hefty deal about the dangers of time traveling, and especially what it could mean if they actually succeeded in undoing the Snap. Everything they had managed to build from then to that present moment could be permanently altered or even undone, never to have even existed. The butterfly effect was a dangerous and twisted game, able to create futures that were either a paradise or another version of Tartarus. In a timeline of just five years, Twilight wouldn’t have hesitated to take that chance of time travel if it meant all the heartache and the troubles that came with it could be taken away. All of it taken away if the Snap had never happened…

Even what others had built.

Even Morgan.

But even then, that was just one possibility out of the millions.

A single tear fell down Twilight’s cheek, the Alicorn quickly dropping her gaze to rub her eye. She raised them both, breathing in deeply before painfully uttering, “… No matter what.”

She almost expected to hear the inevitable lashing out from Stark for the harsh reality she and the Avengers laid before him. Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight all forced themselves to gaze into Tony’s glare, the man practically shaking with how irate he was becoming. Instead, all he did was hold Morgan tighter, pointing a shivering finger over to the couch where it hit Twilight right in her heart.

“There are certain things,” Tony shakily began, his anger steaming out through his heavy exhales out of his nostrils, “I would like to say to you right now, but can’t because there’s a child here. So, I’ll say this: I wish you all the best of luck. I hope… wherever your paths lead… are where your hearts are. Maybe then you’ll know why we can’t change the past.”

Stark got up.

“Tony…”

He wanted to curse. He nearly did, muttering that wretched word under his breath so softly that not even Morgan would have been able to hear it. She didn’t. The voice was what earned that curse out of him, Tony knowing exactly who it belonged to. He had to force himself to turn to it, face the man he was starting to grow closer to over the years, only to see that same, damning individual who helped bring down the Avengers to begin with. Tony didn’t want to see that, but it was all he could.

Steve Rogers met Stark’s eyes, the painful meeting the furious, the begging meeting the painful. All of it blending and bleeding out when Steve said, “This is our second chance.”

Tony merely held Morgan closer to his heart, tightening his arms around and beneath her. “I have my second chance right here, Cap. I’m not giving that up.”

He made his stance and would gladly fight for it if he needed to. None of the Avengers wanted one, remaining where they were with faces downtrodden but accepting nonetheless. Ignoring the rising guilt growing inside of him, Stark shook it off for the time being and made his escape back inside the cabin. But not before he could let one last statement linger in the air where he once stood.

“You’re free to stay for dinner.”

None of them stayed. They all abandoned the front porch shortly after Tony left and retreated into the confines and safety of his residence, of the life he built. Trapped in the semblance of reality and peace he had crafted for himself, away from the world and the troubles that filled it. He had found peace and that was all that mattered to him now. It was disheartening to hear that, but nothing to deter the Avengers from their goal. Even if it hurt.

“I don’t think we’re really welcome here,” Matt sighed, joining the rest of his team by the car. He laid his hands on the head of his cane, palms resting over one another as the ponies stopped shortly by his sides, Twilight continuously sniffling and rubbing at her eyes to stop the tears.

“After that fiasco?” Natasha whispered, shaking her head as she gazed back to the cabin. She sighed alongside the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. “Kinda knew Tony would never go for this, was hoping otherwise. After what he’s built, though…”

A recollection of silence filled the group. Some pondered on the possibilities of time travel, how their effects in the past could change the future. They mostly wondered if Tony’s fears were right, that if they changed too much or too little… or just enough… that it would take away almost everything they had built in the present. That was the most important thing. The other was what Sunset brought up.

“Well, now what?” the unicorn asked, gazing to the group.

“Now…” Steve said, staring up to the falling sun, “we go home. You, me, Twilight, Star, and Scott. Banner will meet us there and will need our help with the Quantum Tunnel.”

“We’re still doing this then?” Starlight asked.

“We have a lot more work to do,” Rogers replied, eyes shifting back to Starlight in order to nod her way. Steve looked to the campfire pit, to the ensemble of toys and drawings resting near the playhouse. “If we’re going to change the past… we better learn how to not change all of it.”

“It’s a slippery slope, but we wish you all the best of luck,” Natasha said.

Twilight had ceased her crying, furrowing her brow and turning that expression up to the Widow on her right. “Where are you going?” the Alicorn asked aloud. Sunset and Starlight both followed.

Natasha turned to Matt, sending that small, sly smirk his way. Murdock smirked back, eyes unknown behind the dark red tint of his glasses. Scarred fists tightened against his cane. Both could feel the hint of sadness burrowing deep in Natasha’s smile.

They both turned in unison to Twilight Sparkle, the Black Widow stating firmly, as strongly as she could, “To save an old friend.”

Chapter 118 – New Asgard

118

Tønsberg, Norway

New Asgard

9:51 a.m.

Bruce Banner stepped out of the Quinjet alongside all the ponies that came with him.

They were clustered together, not one single file line but in a conglomeration of colorful mares. From unicorns to Pegasi and the lone Earth pony, all of them trailing behind the colossal Doctor Banner as the Hulk strode forth onto the soft, healthy grass swaying under the morning sun. Hardly even a sun, considering the distant storm clouds had succeeded in consuming the majority of the sunlight. It was a storm that would take hours to reach them, so they had plenty of time.

Rainbow Dash pondered the thought if that storm was natural or not. It wasn’t odd to have Pegasi who had migrated to Earth to try and manipulate the weather to better suit their living conditions, but after the United Nations outlawed any tampering of weather from Equus’ refugees a few years prior, Rainbow highly doubted it. It was most likely to be a natural storm, the growing thunder and distant lightning sending shivers down her spine, cool wind into her face, and the realization of what they had finally entered into.

The sign they walked past stated proudly “Welcome to New Asgard”. They ignored the “Please Drive Slowly” beneath it, considering it wasn’t much of a drive to reach the supposed kingdom of the God of Thunder. It wasn’t much of a walk, either, Rainbow Dash choosing to fly alongside Derpy. Tempest Shadow and Rarity trotted together on Banner’s left while Maud slowly made her way behind the group, taking her time and breathing in her surroundings. She especially noted the rock structures they passed, Maud jotting down the size and shapes of each one in her journal for safekeeping.

By the time they had reached the port, the group came across a band of fisherman casting them a few odd glances. They ignored the stares, choosing to focus dead ahead. They all came together, the group of Bruce, Rainbow, Derpy, Tempest, Rarity, and Maud, the Earth pony finally catching up to them. It looked to be a fishing village of some sort, transformed slightly to accommodate a much larger populace. The colony of houses sprawled up the hills and even further into the mountains and along the shoreline, various different people and even some griffons and dragons bustling about. Droves of children born after the Decimation—Asgard’s future—played along the shoreline and within the hills. Banner sighed.

Out of all the Avengers, Bruce had the most sympathy for his old friend Thor. Not only did he lose his home of Asgard, half his people, his best friend Heimdall, and his brother Loki, but half of his surviving populace of Asgard were taken during the Snap. He had very, very little left to his kingdom and his people. It took him months to actually find the Statesman, but when he did, he returned it to Earth and founded New Asgard in the land his father told him about many years ago. Norway was very accepting of one of the Avengers settling there with his people, and soon enough the colony of New Asgard was founded and attracted sightseers and even settlers from around the globe. Even from off-world. Some settled to offer their help. Some settled for a new life—much like the griffon and dragon refugees flying about and fishing nearby. Some even settled to catch a glimpse of the King of Asgard.

But he wasn’t present. He hardly ever was. Banner asked about and no Asgardian knew where Thor was at the moment. Even Rainbow asked a few griffons, and they had no idea where he was. After a short rest to reconvene amongst themselves, the group stood awkwardly in the center of the village, watching as Asgardians, humans, and griffons alike bustled about to fulfill their daily chores of fishing, building, and farming. Larger, adult dragons rested soundly on the distant hills while the younger generation worked away.

There was always that waning thought in Banner’s mind about why Thor truly did go into exile. Five years ago, after they ambushed Thanos and tried to steal the Infinity Stones, it was Thor’s presence that made the most difference among the Avengers. With Stormbreaker in hand, Thor had reached a whole other level of power the likes of which Bruce, Rainbow, or any of them had ever seen before. It was only Tempest, Sunset, Starlight, Rocket, and Groot who knew how much suffering and turmoil Thor went through to acquire Stormbreaker in the first place, so when Thanos destroyed the Stones and himself in the process, Banner could hardly blame Thor for feeling the weight of the universe crash down on top of him. He had nearly succeeded in killing Thanos, the axe embedded deep into the Titan’s chest before Thanos snapped his fingers again.

He blamed himself. Thor refused to see it any other way and blamed himself for what happened. He took that weight with him when he left the Avengers and sought to find his people.

And that was the last Bruce had ever seen him.

After nearly a full minute of no luck, Tempest sighed and took a seat on the stone street. “Do you think we’re going about this the wrong way?” she asked aloud.

“What do you mean?” Rainbow asked.

“Well, obviously Thor isn’t here or he is and he doesn’t want to be disturbed,” Tempest answered, facing the group and shaking her head. “After what he went through to get that axe only for us to still lose in the end… could you really blame him?”

No one paid any heed to Derpy hovering higher and higher from the port, scanning the nearby hills with her awkwardly-directed eyesight. The conversation continued amongst the grounded members, Banner affirming his stance when he said, “Well, we’re not leaving here without him. So, you all might want to settle down for a bit if you’re done—”

“Hey, everypony!” Derpy called from above, prompting everyone’s heads to shift towards the skies. The second they did so only further grew their suspicions on the storm, noting how close it was to the land. It was odd because it definitely hadn’t been hours since Rainbow last saw the storm. It had only been about ten or so minutes. From somepony who was once the weather manager in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash knew her storms. She knew there was something unique about the clouds above.

It turned out to be the center of attention when Derpy pointed to those same clouds, then to the bundle of hills where the storm clouds were gathering, swirling over them in what appeared to be the eye of the storm. She called, “I think I might have a lead on where Thor is!”

They all exchanged various glances of concern, yet intrigue. Uncertainty, yet curiosity. Bravery, yet that haunting shiver of worry crawling up their spines as the thunder growled just over New Asgard. Like a beast slowly hunting its prey and waiting for that perfect moment to strike. Everypony anticipated that strike from a bolt of lightning, but never saw a single bolt strike the earth or across the heavens. It just waited above them, the cool wind blowing across them and making their journey into the hills that much more difficult. Bruce led the way, following close behind him being Rainbow, then Derpy, Maud, Tempest, and finally Rarity. All of their manes were splaying wildly against the force of the wind, their heads low to the ground and eyes shut tight as the winds only increased the closer they got into the hills.

The closer they got into the eye of the storm.

But they needed to. They finally realized they had to when they reached the top of the hill.

He was sitting alone in an open field of grass, overlooking a great peak to the vastness of the ocean surrounding his kingdom. Upon his person, a gray jacket with intricate and lovely Asgardian runes were displayed on the back and arms, his black pants cross-legged. The ocean waves clashed against the pillars of rock beneath the peak, the cry of thunder overhead and the wind pushing past his face and creating a harmonious cry only he could hear, a mystical chant forgotten a lifetime ago upon the ruins of Asgard. Yet he was unmoved. He sat with his back hunched forward and his long, golden hair dancing with the wind.

For a moment too long, the group Banner led into the hills didn’t know how to approach him. Especially Rainbow Dash, considering she hadn’t seen Thor in years, possibly the longest amongst them. It all began with that first, brave step forward, Rainbow Dash and Bruce taking the lead as the group of four trailed slowly behind them, apprehension evident in their eyes. All except for Maud, who witnessed events unfold before her with a glazed expression. She wasn’t bored by any means; it was just how she expressed herself in nearly every situation and emotion.

Even concern.

That same concern that filled Rainbow’s voice as she approached his left side. “Th… T-Thor?”

His long, ruffled and golden beard hang lazily from his face and down to his chest. A simple gray T-shirt lay underneath the jacket, the almost unnoticeable extensions of his chest indicating he was breathing. And with that breath, life came forth. He opened his remaining left eye as the right was covered by a black eyepatch. He stared straight on into the gray, swirling storm above the ocean for a second longer, eventually shifting that stare onto the mare to his left. He was eye-level with her, instantly taking notice to the blue coat and the rose-rimmed iris from the only visible eye, the other consumed by her rainbow mane.

For the first time in a long, long time… Thor smiled.

“My friends…” Thor softly exclaimed, voice weaker than expected. He turned back to them. Tempest and Rarity exchanged a glance, Derpy and Maud doing the same. Banner stared sadly onto Thor’s backside, the god failing to notice him for the moment. “My, you all certainly have grown since the last our paths have crossed.”

His gaze fell back to Dash, the rainbow Pegasus smiling through the pain rippling in her heart. Just from the octave of his voice, Rainbow could tell Thor was in pain. She had heard it before. She had been there before herself and managed to overcome it. Had it not been with the help of her friends, however… Rainbow could only fear where she would be following the Decimation. Thor, unfortunately, didn’t follow that same path.

She forced that smile, sighing shakily through her nostrils. “Yeah… you could say that.”

Thor grinned at her, spinning about to see Banner appear on his right. He exhaled a breath of shock, stating proudly, “Banner… you have finally conquered your demon.”

“Made peace is more like it,” Bruce corrected, meeting Thor’s smile with a sad one in return. Even that smile faded, Bruce’s eyes falling to the grass as he towered awkwardly above the God of Thunder. “Listen, Thor, I know now isn’t really a good time, but we’ve decided that… Well, we kind of need your help with something back at the New Avengers Facility and we just thought that…”

Thor broke Banner’s train of thought with his weak chuckles.

“Oh, Banner, Banner, Banner… you talk too much. You think too much,” Thor softly explained, turning away and facing out into the oceans that traveled for an eternity. Pillars of rock pockmarked the ocean surface, the clashing of waves against them distant, not as concerning as the storm clouds above their heads. Thor shook his head. “Avengers? My friends, there is more to this life than just an idea, an… old-fashioned notion. Look at that over there…”

He pointed to a slew of ships exiting the mists and fog of the ocean’s surface and approaching the port. “The fishermen have returned with a bountiful catch. New Asgard will feast well tonight. Perhaps I could join them. Yes, perhaps I could…”

His voice fell away from him, turning into ragged and unholy silence that engrossed the group surrounding the King of Asgard. The longer it persisted, the longer they stood in the cold winds, unease filling their veins. Rarity softly cleared her throat, taking those soft, cautious steps closer on the god’s right side, directly between Thor and Banner. “Um… Thor? Darling, you… you seem to be doing fairly well with yourself. Meditation, I take it?”

Thor didn’t say a word, just stared softly into Rarity’s eyes with that even softer smile.

Rarity bit her lip, rubbing a strand of mane that had flown across her vision behind her ear. “But… we couldn’t help but return to an old issue. Something came up, darling. The Avengers, they… we think we have a plan to fix everything.”

He stared at her innocently, like the clues she was laying down were numb to his ears. He furrowed his brow and shook his head, that humorous smile on his face opening for him to ask, “What would require fixing?”

Rarity’s expression broke, the mare turning back to Banner and the rest of her friends. Maud and Derpy cast her an uncertain glance—the best she could make of Maud’s. Rainbow held that same uncertainty, shaking her head and dropping her gaze. Tempest, on the other hoof, held nothing back. No clues, no hints, no nothing.

She stated firmly, directly to Thor’s backside, “The Decimation.”

Just like that, Thor’s smile completely vanished. His humbled and innocent expression darkened as the clouds did so above, a flurry of lightning cackling in the distance with the rumble of thunder stirring overhead. The wind even picked up, Derpy flapping her wings to keep herself situated with the earth while Tempest steadied herself, as well. Rarity was pushed back against the wind, holding her ground and tightening her jacket across her shivering frame. She and the others turned back to Thor, seeing him further himself forward, hunched and gazing forever into the seas.

“Did you hear me?” Tempest asked aloud.

“Yes, I heard you loud and clear,” Thor said. It came lower than anypony expected, like a beast growling in its slumber. Ready to awaken…

Rainbow, unfortunately, was deterred from the hints. She took that step closer on Thor’s left, trying to meet his remaining eye as she demanded, “Well…?”

The wind blew across his face, blowing strands of gold out of his eyesight. The hardened glare he had formed was nearly unbreakable, the God of Thunder breathing heavier and heavier as the seconds ticked away. As he could only think of that word that escaped Tempest’s mouth. “I have my people here who need me,” he murmured, body visibly shaking, gloved-fists tightening in his lap. “That is all that matters now.”

While a shared expression of pain filled each mare and Banner, it was Rainbow Dash who flared her wings, rose her voice, and screamed out against the onslaught of wind. Everyone turned to her with a look of trepidation radiating off their faces. Thor just stared on, taking the full fury.

“Your people? Your people?!” Rainbow shouted against the thunder resonating shortly afterwards. Her mane blew wildly across her face, revealing both bloodshot and pain-filled eyes every second. She jabbed her hoof accusingly towards Thor. “Your people hardly even see you let alone know who their king is! From what we’ve seen and heard, they’ve been taking better care of themselves without your help! I’m sorry, Thor, but don’t you realize what's going on?! The Snap, the Decimation, the Vanished, all of it can be undone! What, you’re just gonna sit here all day knowing that Thanos killed everyone we loved?!”

Then he turned to her, slowly at first so as to contain that unrelenting agony and fury that burned in his veins and fueled that rising heat from within him. He had kept his eye closed for the entire onslaught of screams Rainbow hurled his way, only opening his left eye when he was fully facing her. When he did, Rainbow had to physically take a step back, chest heaving quickly when that bright, otherworldly blue shimmered in his eye and stared right through her.

Even that light eventually faded, leaving just the vein and tear-filled eye meeting Rainbow’s. He lifted and pointed a shivering finger in her direction. “Don’t…” he muttered, “… say that name… again.”

The raw power in his voice could be felt between each pony, even Banner. Like a bolt of lightning had struck each and every one of them in a plethora of electric webs and hit them all dead in the heart, causing them to lose their breaths. For everypony present, that caused them to take a step away from the confrontation.

But for Rainbow Dash, it only caused her to push further. “So, what, you’re just gonna let Eitri down? You’re gonna let the universe down? We didn’t travel all the way to Norway just to listen to you betray yourself! And for someone who got the killing blow on Thanos—!”

Thor quickly rose to his feet, easily towering over Rainbow Dash and the mares, but failing to match Banner in height or build. It was still intimidating nonetheless, Bruce taking a step back as the wrath of the God of Thunder was unleashed. Pent-up and broken. Painful and agonized. Rainbow practically fell on her back as Thor fired back at her, the Pegasus falling to her rump and gazing with shaken uncertainty in Thor’s bellowing rage.

He yelled, “Thanos is dead! He’s gone! My mission is done! I’m done!”

Several bolts of lightning shot across the sky, lighting up the rising darkness and bringing chaos into the storm. A single bolt struck the earth to their far left, Derpy and Rarity shrieking as the strike decimated the grass and left nothing but a burning corpse in the earth. Rainbow shot her eyes back to where the lightning struck, gasping fearfully when Thor towered further over her. The storm clouds grow fierce, lightning striking the heavens and even the ocean’s surface, close to where they were standing. Everypony gazed upon the confrontation with held breaths, shaken expressions, and fearful hearts. But in the end, it was Thor who eventually gave in.

He turned away from them, shutting his eyes and approaching the edge of the mountain peak. Instantly, the storm began to die down, the darkness dissipating and the lightning growing calmer. Rarity and Tempest came to Rainbow’s aid, helping the shivering mare back to her hooves as they all slowly, steadily… turned back to Thor. They saw only his backside, watching apprehensively as Bruce Banner approached it.

“Thor…” Bruce softly began, laying a palm on the god’s shoulder. Not even an acknowledgement to Banner’s presence, Thor’s eye closed tight and his expression shivering. Banner stared onto it nonetheless, holding the pain and expressing the strength. “I know what you’re going through.”

Thor shook his hand off his shoulder. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’re in a rough spot. You’re depressed, looking for all means to find that semblance of happiness again. Meditation. Solitude. Exile. Just to find peace again. Believe me, I was there, too. You wanna know who got me out of it?”

“Natasha?” Thor guessed, tried to humor him. He sniffled. “How is she?”

What Banner said was something Thor didn’t expect to hear that day.

“It was you,” Banner explained. He bent down to reach Thor’s eye-level, waiting patiently for Thor to make that next step on his own. To break that barrier he himself had built. He nearly succeeded in doing so, turning barely to his right before retreating dead ahead again. “Listen, Thor, we can’t do this without you, pal. You were the one who killed Thanos, so it only makes it right that you would help us to bring everybody back. This is a chance we may never get again. This is a chance for all of us to redeem ourselves.”

He didn’t know why, but it seemed that his words finally reached Thor where it mattered. He turned to Banner fully, breathing in his friend’s words before breathing them out in hard, shaking exhales, alongside the burning tears filling his eye and flowing down it. He could only think back to that single word Banner had mentioned, that single statement that took his breath away and promised more than he could have ever hoped.

“… Everybody?”

Banner nodded, a soft smile growing across his lips.

“Thor…”

Both god and Hulk turned around to see the bundle of mares make their approach. The voice didn’t sound intimidating, powerful as Rainbow’s had. It wasn’t sophisticated or charming like Rarity’s was. It wasn’t as edged as Tempest’s sharpened tongue. It was soft. Concerning. So full of innocence and strength that it was just powerful enough to catch the attention of such beings. And Derpy Hooves stepped forward, gazing onto the God of Thunder’s expression with one so hopeful, one so pained and concerned for his well-being that it caused Thor to hold his breath. Just for her.

She said, “If there’s a chance… to change everything that’s happened… then why not take it?”

And that was it. That was all she had to say, yet it took that breath right out of Thor’s lungs. He contemplated, replayed her words, Banner’s words, and everybody’s words over and over again in his head. The recent and the final, Thor still hearing his brother Loki calling out for him as he shattered into ash right before him. He fell back down to the grass and took a seat, his breath practically taken from him. All the strength that Thor tried to convince himself he still had faded alongside that ash in his mind, the flakes of the past like a burden too great to abandon.

There, the God of Thunder sat, trying to breathe and trying to find himself. That piece of himself he tried to find was long abandoned, the piece that blamed himself for the Second Snap. For the destruction of the Infinity Stones, everything Thanos had taken away from them when Thor knew… he had the power to stop it. He had all the power in the universe flowing through him, yet he was not strong enough. Even right there and then… he was not strong enough.

Not even to get up again.

So, instead he sat, turning back to his friends with tears in his eye. He painfully, truthfully asked, “How do you know this is going to work?”

Just wanting to know the truth.

Rarity laid a hoof on his shoulder, meeting his pained expression with one even more so, the tears filling her eyes but the strength still standing. Rarity… still standing, still saying, “We don’t.”

Author's Note

“Remember this place. Home.”

Chapter 119 – Ronin

119

Tokyo, Japan

Yakuza Stronghold

8:22 p.m.

The streets of Tokyo were wet with rain and blood. Screams and neon lights painted the air. Alongside the rapid gunfire from machine guns and pistols, the cries of the Yakuza henchman were soon silenced once the shadow easily tore through them.

Like a thief in the night, the shadow drove itself through the streets of Tokyo with a katana in hand, blood on its tongue, and a fiery determination glowing in his eyes. Nothing but bloodlust leaking alongside the rain that drenched the shadow. Like that thief, the shadow stole every life that came into contact with him, any life foolish enough to stand in his way from his ultimate goal. The Yakuza were helplessly unprepared, unable to perceive where the shadow would appear next. Whenever he did, he would tear right through any life that got in his way. Brave of the Yakuza to die for their leader. Brave, but foolish.

The last thing any of them saw was the shadow of black and gold, followed by the slash of silver that silenced their screams.

Akihiko was beginning to grow worrisome. That iron grip he held over the streets of Tokyo were starting to wane. It didn’t take long for him to realize that his Yakuza empire was finally crumbling right before him, after years of dominance and security, strength and fear, might and prowess. All of it falling apart body by body at the hands of the shadow. But Akihiko was smarter. He knew his trail was being compromised and anticipated such an attack from the likes of him. He just didn’t expect him to show up so early… and rip right through his men with such ease.

By the time the shadow fought its way up the stairs into the set of building complexes, that was when Akihiko finally took action. No longer watching from the sidelines in the comfort of his secured and heavily-guarded room, his final hiding place from the shadow. Even with a man as much stature and power as him, Akihiko could feel a very weak and very human shiver travel up his spine. He stepped away from the window once the shadow vanished into the building complex, a trail of screams and gunfire leading straight to his door.

The Yakuza boss slowly closed his eyes, didn’t even see as his burly henchman whipped out their pistols and pointed the barrels directly at the door’s face. He steadily breathed, tried to maintain that uncertain and fearful breathing pattern that had infected him so. The screams only grew louder, more ragged and wet as they quickly, suddenly… stopped.

Akihiko breathed out. He unsheathed his katana.

The door exploded inwards and pistol shots rang through the air.

It was flurry of chaos in the span of a few seconds. Wood chips and pistol shells flew across the air and blinded nearly everyone in the room, save for the dark shadow. He tore through the room with such speed and ferocity that the henchmen were unable to perceive where he was. By the time they did, it was too late. Their throats gushed red geysers as the slash of silver whipped past them, leading straight to the head of the Yakuza and meeting his blade head-on.

The howling pain came forth like a steaming freight train, being so utterly quick and powerful that it sent Akihiko backwards like a rag doll thrown against the glass window, only he was big enough to shatter it. He screamed in his descent, crashing on the roof of a parked vehicle and smashing it inwards. Akihiko cried out to the agony flushing through his veins and bones, katana still gripped in his bleeding arm as he pushed himself off the car’s roof and fumbled on the street. When he rose to his feet and tried to make his dastardly escape, Akihiko paused, his eyes centered solely on the road ahead.

The rain tried to wash away the deeds of but one man. It fell heavily in order to cleanse the streets, but nothing could have taken away that mere image of Akihiko’s men strewn across the street. The neon lights from the building complexes to his left and right showcased the shimmering crimson glowing in the street alongside the torrents of rainwater. It covered his men, flowed from them and their wounds inflicted on their bodies. Especially their necks.

All of them silenced. Nothing but the horrific sound of the rain striking the earth.

… Then came the pair of boots landing in the street behind him.

Akihiko couldn’t run. Not anymore. Not with the shadow standing directly behind him, rising to full height with his katana glimmering under the neon light. His time of running had finally come to an end, no men left to stand in the way, take the sword that was meant for him. That night, under the darkness of the sky and the weight of the rain, it would end between them. Akihiko’s legacy, the shadow’s hunt, and their feud. All of it would end and determine who was the stronger among them.

He slowly turned around, seeing the dark hood and the face mask of the shadow standing before him, mere yards that separated his katana from Akihiko’s heart. His entire body was cloaked in that shadow, the rainwater drenching him and making him glow under the neon city. His katana dripped alongside the rain, but a separate color from it. A darker, more sinister color.

Akihiko clutched his arm that dripped the same color. With his katana hanging in that same hand of that same arm, the Yakuza spoke softly, loud enough to be heard over the storm and to reach the shadow. “You just couldn’t stop, could you?”

His Japanese was heavy, thick in accent and even thicker with ragged weariness. The shadow did not move. Not even a breath. The rain fell around him and created a haze of colors in the mist.

Smirking, Akihiko continued. “Every outpost, every hideout, enough dead to fill a mass grave… and all of it just find me. You must be a man with quite a lot of time on your hands. Even more blood. Though, I should expect nothing less from you... The famous Ronin.”

Beneath that face mask, Ronin sneered. His eyes narrowed as he slowly held out his dripping katana, pointing its crimson edge right for the Yakuza. His target. The end of his hunt. When he spoke, his Japanese was softer, more controlled and far more menacing.

“All the sleepless nights I’ve tracked you down. Your crimes end tonight. The universe has Thanos,” Ronin said, bending low as his other hand fell towards his katana. He gripped the weapon with tightening ferocity, his hood dripping rainwater and shielding his eyes within those shadows. Showing nothing… especially not mercy. “You have me.”

He ignored the pain tearing in his arm, Akihiko forcefully lifting his katana and gripping its handle with both hands. By the time he struck it was like a flash of lightning, Akihiko crying out with surprising speeds that any normal man would have toppled over from had they faced it. Especially with the strength of the strike added to the speed, Akihiko fully expected to at least see some form of a reaction to it. But Ronin didn’t even flinch. He only took action when it mattered, sidestepping and slashing forwards to connect his blade with the Yakuza’s. Sparks danced across the air, the two fully engaged in close, sword-slashing combat.

Akihiko screamed with every swing and thrust and slice he directed towards Ronin, the shadowy figure merely dodging or blocking his attempts with relative ease. It was not uncommon for Akihiko to face a man with impressive sword-fighting attributes, as the many he had slain in the past matched up almost perfectly with Ronin, but there was something else about the shadow that caught his interests, made him hesitate…

And made him feel that wretched, human feeling of fear.

Especially when Ronin locked his katana with Akihiko’s, ripping it to the ground as he slammed his boot on its edge and sliced upwards. Akihiko fumbled over his feet, his breath tightening in his chest as he slowly reached for his heart. He ignored the broken tip of his katana as the fresh blood fully flowed from his chest and painted his palm a sickly red. He was still standing. He took in that breath and gasped when he realized he was still breathing.

Still fighting.

With a blood-filled battle cry, the Yakuza spun around and reared back with his blade, swinging downwards where the Ronin stood like a solid statue. The man sidestepped once again, keeping his katana low when he caught Akihiko by his abdomen and sliced cleanly across it. The man caught his breath like before, that time falling to his knees with his katana clattering to the street before him.

Ronin caught the man by the back his shirt, tossing him with relative ease directly behind him. Akihiko lay with his back wet and bleeding against the solid concrete, groaning weakly as his body ached and cried, bled and fought. Even when his fighting spirit had died long before that. Looking up through the bright lights and the rain pelting his face, Akihiko gazed onto the face of his oppressor. His judge, jury, and executioner. Ronin stood tall over him, bloody katana in his grip.

“Mercy…” Akihiko begged, shivering hand held out. “Please, mercy.”

Ronin didn’t even flinch. Not even a twitch of remorse in his eyes. He merely raised his katana high above his head, its end shimmering and dripping just over the Yakuza’s heart. He whispered sharply, his final words to his mission, “No mercy to give.”

“Clint!”

The name shot out like gunfire, that bullet tearing through Ronin’s chest and directly into his heart. It was stronger than any strike or slash or any form of an attack that Akihiko tried to inflict upon Ronin. It was stronger merely for the fact that it was a name Ronin hadn’t heard directed his way in years. It meant something to him, something he knew very much of and hardly looked back to. What he did look to, however… was the sound of the boots hitting the street directly ahead of him.

The figure was cloaked in black, much like Ronin was, except there was no gold attached to his person. His suit and armor were pitch-dark, a black mask and faceplate covering his identity. Upon that mask, a pair of horns were erected from his forehead, beneath them a pair of glowing red lenses for his eyes. It wasn’t the only red on his person, his gloves and belt also the same color. The two “D’s” laced with each other just over his heart was also that crimson. For a moment longer, Ronin continued to hesitate, continued to gaze upon the figure rising up higher and higher and turning to face him. Those red eyes glowed under the darkness of night, the rain painting the suit in droplets of the rainbow, neon lights. The ground of rain and blood was laid before them, both warriors staring intensely to one another. Ronin had abandoned his eyes, turning to something else that took his breath away.

Like the glowing red Avengers symbol on his left shoulder.

Ronin’s eyes grew ten times larger than they should have.

While the rain continued to smack against the street, the figure took a brave step forward and spoke out. The Daredevil spoke and said, “This isn’t the way. We’ve lost too many lives already. I know you. I know you’re better than this. Let him go.”

Obviously referring to the Yakuza boss completely at the mercy—or lack thereof—of Ronin, Daredevil watched as Akihiko’s head shifted in his direction, the fiery expression on his face laced with the unhinged terror. He definitely didn’t expect to be saved by a demon that night, but when Ronin surprisingly backed off, Akihiko counted his blessings and breathed again.

He twisted his gaze back to the approaching Daredevil. “Oh, thank you. Thank you so mu—”

He pulled something from his leg belt with such speed that Akihiko didn’t even see it. The Devil tossed his billy club directly into Akihiko’s forehead, knocking him out faster than when the club returned to his dark glove.

Ronin cast his target a sideways glance before returning back to the Devil. The only reason he could find to obligate himself to back away from the Yakuza was the mere presence of the demon himself. He seemed oddly familiar, a shattered memory trying to fight its way back into Ronin’s husk of a mind, but ultimately failing. He had only backed away because that Avengers symbol simply took his breath.

All he could utter was, “Who are you?”

The Devil stopped, billy club in hand and rain-drenched. The second he spoke the name was the second almost everything started to click. “Daredevil. I stood with you alongside Captain America years ago,” he explained, watching as Ronin’s eyes remained just as wide, just as shaken. The truth didn’t make things any easier. It definitely wouldn’t make the next step any more so. But he said it anyway. He needed to.

“You can’t fall to their level, Clint. You can’t be the monster they want you to be anymore.”

He flinched to that name once again. Ronin shook his head, hand tightening around his katana’s grip. “This is all I can be,” he whispered shakily.

“I don’t believe that,” Daredevil fought back. “I believe there’s a second chance.”

“My second chance was taken from me!”

Then he struck, swinging at the Devil with incredible speed and ferocity with his katana leading. His growing agitation had only unfurled into something horrific, the name of the past and the pains that came with it only prompting Ronin to lash out to the only thing that brought those memories back. Daredevil was ready before Ronin even had the thought of attacking, the Devil having already listened to the man’s increasing heartbeat and sensing his adrenaline-fueled attack from a mile away.

He tossed his billy club with insane speed right for Ronin’s chest, the shadow blocking the club with his wrist and continuing on in his pursuit for the demon. Daredevil held out his left palm, his remaining billy club in his leg belt shooting upwards into his grasp by an invisible, magnetic pull. His open palm shimmered a soft blue from that magnetism, dying and closing over the club as he met Ronin’s katana. The two held there, Ronin’s burning glare melting through the red lenses of the Daredevil mask.

Ripping his katana aside and creating a flurry of sparks against the baton, Ronin reared back with his left fist and struck the Devil across his face. The punch came fast, Daredevil falling to his knee as Ronin lifted his katana once more. Daredevil was faster that time, rearing out his right palm. In the corner of his vision, Ronin could see that palm shimmer a soft blue. Then the billy club thrown earlier was pulled by that same force, striking Ronin’s left shoulder and returning to the Devil’s right hand.

Though slightly shaken from the hits they received, both men got back up fully and struck again. Ronin was on the clear offense, Daredevil holding well and deflecting the shadow’s furious and deadly slashes with even more precise blocks from his billy clubs. He responded in kind, swinging and driving his batons into any exposed area that Ronin allowed. His katana took the majority of the blows. The kick, however, was something he didn’t expect.

Daredevil made some notable distance between them, waiting and watching as Ronin cut it by rushing forth with his katana leading once more. A mistake. Bending low, the Devil flipped backwards and struck Ronin at the bottom of his jaw, the strength of the kick sending the shadow flipping back. Both men miraculously landed on their feet, Daredevil on one knee and Ronin as well. He had his fist planted into the street, his free hand shivering and gripping his katana outwards. He lifted his eyes, both narrowed to see the Daredevil with both batons held outwards, head low and waiting.

Then he lifted that head and the red eyes met his. “Come home, Clint,” he said. “We need you.”

The rain flowed down his hood, making it so that no one could see within the shadows. No one could see the burning tears infecting his eyes. Ronin blinked, his breath shaking as he growled, “Where were you five years ago?”

He nodded his head. Behind him. “Helping her.”

And behind him, the Black Widow stood within the slaughter of bodies and blood and rain. None of it touched her, her umbrella held up and keeping the woman underneath it dry as a bone. Nearly. She almost broke down in tears to see what he had become, what kind of man he had aspired to be following the Decimation. The bodies said it all. After the short scuffle between Daredevil and Ronin had ended in a stalemate, Natasha made her approach and stopped just dead behind him. He didn’t even move when Daredevil motioned to her, prompting Natasha to take the next step.

She blinked heavily, trying to breathe but only shaking. “I was afraid… it wouldn’t be easy when we found you. But I can tell that you’re not even willing to go without a fight.”

For a while, he didn’t even act like he heard her. The continued silence pestered on and only further drove that blade in Natasha’s heart. Until finally… he stood up. She watched with bated breath as Ronin threw down his hood and took off his mask. The rain instantly covered him and his mohawk, pelting his shaved head with unending ferocity. He slowly looked back at her.

And Clint Barton never looked more aged.

Five years had taken more from him than anyone else Natasha knew. Definitely alongside Twilight and Thor for how much suffering he had to endure. Those five years showed themselves on every visible and painful wrinkle on his face, the rain flowing down his cheeks and emanating tears. Maybe they were tears. Natasha held her breath as the pain fully began to flush across her features, seeing Clint’s face and eyes for the first time in five years.

“I’m tired of fighting,” Clint whispered, shaking his head. “But I’m not tired of running.”

“If you run with us… we can help you,” Natasha retorted. She took another step closer. “We think we know how to undo everything, bring back everyone that was taken by the Snap. I know what you’ve lost, Clint. We’ve all lost something. Someone. But if you come home… come… with me… we can do this. We can save your family.”

The full explanation was always difficult, but it was the individual’s reaction that was always more so. Just seeing his face contort into various levels of pain by her words alone made her feel sick, knowing with every ounce of her being and soul the amount of pain Clint had experienced. What he lost. Like him, she felt as if a family was taken from her, a niece and two nephews. That alone earned the tears in Natasha’s eyes to return.

Joining Clint’s. “Don’t do that…” he whispered woefully. “Don’t give me hope.”

Natasha took another step to him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t give it to you sooner.”

Daredevil’s mask retracted back, the metal forming into his suit and revealing the disheveled, weary, but satisfied face of Matthew Murdock beneath. He watched the world burn between both Clint and Natasha, their fiery bodies growing closer together as Natasha severed that distance, brought Barton under her umbrella.

Her hand reached into his, fingers interlacing with his own. His was weak at first, but in time… he held her back. He always did.

Author's Note

Chapter 120 – I Love You 3,000

120

Stark Residence

Earlier That Night

Dinner didn’t have any guests that night.

It went mildly as expected. Delicious pot roast prepared by the exquisitely talented duo of Mr. and Mrs. Stark, and with a bottle of temperately cooled and aged fine wine to top it off. Or maybe two. Morgan didn’t get any and enjoyed the splendor of a tall sippy cup of milk. She complained about it, but Tony and Pepper wouldn’t hear a thing. Not until she was of age or when Pepper wasn’t looking.

It was his turn for the dishes that night, Tony Stark left by the cruel fates to tend to every plate and cup exposed to their meal. In a way, Tony was grateful they didn’t have guests for that evening. Less plates to handle and more time for him to spend with Pepper on the couch. Perhaps more time for a little… something else. Stark pondered that, wondered if Morgan was still asleep so he and Pepper could actually have that much-needed alone time. That was what Tony wanted to think about.

But he couldn’t.

His mind kept drifting off back to earlier that day, when they received a few unexpected guests… and one very unexpected ghost coming back from the grave. It had been five long years since Tony left the Avengers, but by God it felt even longer than that. In a way, it didn’t feel long enough, what with a few years spent with his wife and daughter and now in comes the Avengers, the Princess of Equestria, and Scott Lang saying they could go back in time and reverse everything that ever happened.

That was not a topic for discussion during dinner, but it lingered still. In the air and in the back of Tony’s cursed mind. The simple possibility, though… was greater. It continued to eat away at Stark’s mind and tried to overcome the doubt, the fear, the life that he had built with his family. Within that possibility came the overwhelming weight, the guilt of everything he was turning his back on. He turned his back on the Avengers five years ago, the world when he married Pepper, and now it would be the universe itself to top it all off if he ignored it a third time. It was slightly less painful the past two times.

With his hands a shivering mess, Tony set down the plate and towel in the sink. He breathed in softly through his mouth and sighed a great deal when it finally released. He gazed out to the window, the fragments of the moons illuminated bright and beautiful across the starry night. Equus hung on the horizon, the lights across the planet’s surface almost as gorgeous. He could wake up the next day and see that planet gone, those moons mended, and everything turned back to normal like it was a flip of the switch. It was never that easy, though.

It never could’ve been.

Then his eyes had the audacity to fall to the rack of fine china, pictures, and other useless utensils of the past that Pepper just loved. He strode past the picture of his father and shakily gripped the one next to it, gazing softly to the framed image of him and a young, ecstatic Peter Parker. Both with their hands behind each other’s heads, bunny ears tall and obnoxious, and Peter having accidentally turned the Stark Internship certificate upside down. Tony smiled a closed grin, shaking his head at that. It was a smile that painfully shuddered, fell harshly when his eyes fell back to Peter.

It never could’ve been.

It was never that easy.

He could turn his back on that, just like he did before.

Maybe he would. Maybe he would fall asleep that night with another wretched nightmare haunting him in the back of his mind. Maybe it could be another gamble and Pepper’s warm embrace would shield him from the harshness of the reality he turned away from. Maybe was just a simple calculation, and maybe was something Tony Stark never took for an absolute. He was either all in or never turning back.

Just that once, just that night… he ignored his own rules. Tony entered the living room and considered that maybe for the longest time, readjusting the dining table and clearing it of any unwanted decorations or scraps left over from dinner. He tapped twice in the heart of the table, stating quietly, “Homer, can you run a couple diagnostics for me?”

The entire dining table lit up a gorgeous blue, the bright iris in the center blinking to life and meeting Tony’s disturbed and wondrous face. “Yes, sir. About what?” Homer asked just as quietly.

“Run… time travel test numero uno.”

“Time travel, sir?” Homer pondered, already setting up the hologram and test run. It formed a mighty and tall linear oval, breaking apart to create that road-like path that represented their current timeline. While it continued to morph and change, Homer continued to speak. “You’re actually considering what Captain Rogers and Mr. Lang—?”

“Just… considering,” Tony interrupted, walking around the table cautiously, eyeing the hologram even more so. Save for the blue warmth of the hologram, not a single light was present in the dining area. Pepper was in the living room waiting for him and Morgan was fast asleep upstairs. He just needed a little more time to himself. A little more time to consider. “That’s what these tests are for.”

“Right. Setting up test now.”

The hologram began to react to what Stark tapped in, a timeline test set five years in the past. Hypothetically, if they were to enter the Quantum Realm in that moment, traverse to the time when Thanos had all six Stones and just before he snapped his fingers… they could get the drop on him. With a full arsenal and maybe with another hint of luck… they could pull it off. Only, things didn’t turn out the way they did in Stark’s head. The test failed, the various streams of lights breaking off from the road and diverging to other timelines separate to theirs. Completely and forever lost in time.

Tony crossed his arms and shook his head. “Yeah, ya see, time flow is all jumbled up. There’s no telling where we could end up if we obey the laws of quantum physics.”

“I didn’t take you for someone who knew his quantum physics, sir.”

“Yeah, it’s a fun little read. You should give it a try,” Tony mumbled, jabbing his fingers into the hologram and setting new points for them to jump from and towards. Five years in the past didn’t work, but how about longer? Before Thanos found the Stones. Before any of them found the Stones. Tony tapped in a few years prior to the Snap, waving in the coordinates and stepping back.

Homer chuckled at Tony’s comment. “I’ll keep that in mind. Beginning test two.”

Another failure. No matter what, no matter what time he wanted to go towards, they would always branch off elsewhere entirely. Tony didn’t know much about the Quantum Realm, but from what Lang told him and the schematics Pym conjured up a lifetime ago that Stark… borrowed… there was still that chance that they could end up in that singular moment they desired. He just couldn’t find it. It was lost, like a needle in a haystack.

If only he had a magnet.

Maybe he did. Tony held out his hand after several minutes of scratching his goatee, pointing towards the hologram and asking, “What if… we didn’t obey the laws of quantum physics?”

“Sir?”

“What if Lang wasn’t just spouting hot air?” Stark continued, a fresh pulse of adrenaline flushing into his veins and filling his mind with renewed life. Tony jabbed and dragged furiously on the hologram, bringing up energy pulses Pym recorded years ago from the Quantum Realm and adding them directly to their paths. “What if we could control the chaos, use that energy to direct us specifically where we want to go? We’ll need… we’ll need a GPS or something; something to keep track of our locations in case one of us gets lost. Something to… turn us in the right path.”

“Sir…”

Tony stepped away and observed his work. “Something to bring us back.”

“Sir!” Homer shouted, taking Tony out of his pipe dream and back to the reality of the real world. “This is sounding more than a consideration at this point. Even if we can manage to craft such a device, there’s still that possibility of undoing our present time… of losing what you’ve built.”

And with the reality of the real world, it hurt. It hurt hard enough for Tony to feel it, taking a step back as if he was physically struck in the heart. He breathed rather harshly, gulping and muttering, “Yeah, there’s always that.”

“I’m sorry, sir. It’s impossible to know. We can only theorize.”

“Boy, you know me so well,” Tony murmured, leaning forward to rest his palms on the dining table. No matter what, he could only see that lone image of the hologram reflecting off the table’s surface. A theorization was more than he had been doing for years, and that was enough to lift Tony’s head and gaze back into it. “You just love it when I break my own rules.”

“You’re meaning to follow that possibility, sir? All of it for a chance?”

Tony gazed straight into their current timeline, eyes staring even further than that. “Yeah, I usually tended to make chances in the past, before you. Most of ‘em ended in mistakes… but let’s just see if this one will, too.”

“Yes, sir. Beginning test three.”

Tony didn’t expect much. By all means, it should have ended the same exact way as the others, if not make it slightly further back to the points in time Stark laid out. They weren’t exact points, but just any moment before Thanos acquired any of the six Infinity Stones. The hologram went on longer than the others, crafting a single path that didn’t end in failure. It returned. It completed a single, unbreakable loop back to the present time with all six Stones safe in their possession.

Tony fell back into his chair. He lost his breath. He could only stare up to the hologram, didn’t even hear Homer’s words declare the test a success. From it, he could only see that path to undo the events of five years prior. A single journey, one that just might lead to his life remaining intact in the present. It proved to be a success in the test run.

It worked. Tony Stark figured out time travel.

Hands over his mouth, practically breathless, Tony shot out his arms and declared with a hefty and successful voice, “Shit!”

“Shit.”

Tony furrowed his brow at that, spinning about in his chair to see the little girl in her onesie sitting on the stairstep. Morgan stared up at her father innocently, that naïve smile plastered over her face. “What are you doing up?” Tony asked. “I thought I told you nighty-night?”

Morgan smiled wider, repeating softly, “Shit…”

“Nope,” Tony declared with a finger jammed in her direction. “You didn’t hear that from me; that’s your mother’s favorite word. She taught me it.”

Playing with her toes, Morgan asked, “What are you doing up? Why didn't you wanna sleep?”

“Because I got important shit going on here!” Stark said, thumb pointed to the hovering, glowing hologram.

Morgan stared quizzically at him, Stark instantly regretting his actions and beginning his work on the damage control. “Scratch that, you didn’t hear it,” he told her, rising out of his chair and scooping the giggling, writhing child in his arms. “I’m taking you back to bed, missy.”

It was a hard-fought battle up the stairs and back into Morgan’s room, Tony’s daughter refusing to stay still in his arms. It especially didn’t help that Tony offered his own plethora of tickles to her stomach and armpits, the bundle of cuteness laughing uncontrollably even as Tony laid her in bed. “Tucked in. Little… ghost light here. Who am I kidding? You’re braver than me. No night-light. Huh, is that a fair compromise?” Stark asked.

After she managed to compose herself, Morgan settled in her cushions and blanket, staring up at her father with wide, hopeful eyes. “A story would be better.”

“I’ve already told you the best ones,” Tony argued. After seeing the look of disappointment fill her features, Tony felt a pang of guilt cloud his heart. Not his mind, as something else entirely consumed that. Still, he offered his daughter a sweet smile, bending forward and kissing her forehead. “I’ll wake you up if I got a better one. Goodnight, kiddo.”

He rose up to full height, opening her door to make his exit. “Love you tons.”

But he stopped.

When she said, “I love you 3,000.”

It wasn’t everyday someone could have a heart attack from an overwhelming wave of warmth. However, the words that escaped Morgan’s lips caught Tony to a standstill, the man seemingly frozen, unable to process it. Sure, she told him that she loved him before, but it was that simple statement… that ridiculous assumption of how love could be counted by a number that held him. It was childish, foolish… and everything he could have ever wanted to hear.

“3,000? Wow…” Tony breathed, blinking to come back to the real world and the life he built within it. He stared down to Morgan with that warm smile on his lips, pushing past the door and shutting it behind him. “All right, go to sleep, or I’ll sell all your toys.”

Morgan grew that devilish and playful smile as the darkness filled her room.

But she slept well that night. Nothing to disturb her as the realm of dreams took Morgan Stark on an adventure beyond imagination. With that taken care of, Tony made his way down the steps and weaving through the halls of his home, eventually making his way to the living room. There, waiting for him by the fireplace and the blazing orange and yellow flames was his wife.

Pepper Stark sat with a book in her hands, her legs splayed on the couch cushions and showing her long, slender calves all the way up to her thighs, her short shorts a soft teal in the fire light. She also wore a white T-shirt, the straps of her black bra high on her shoulders while her shirt fell to the edges. Her golden blonde hair fell down to her back, swaying softly as she turned around to see her husband make his approach.

Standing on the opposite end of the couch, Tony’s face held a strong smirk within the light of the fireplace, Pepper already worried on what it held. She smiled all the same, even as he told her, “Not to brag or anything, but Morgan loves me… 3,000. You were in the low… 600 category.”

Laughing, Pepper closed her book and laid it on the coffee table. “Is that right?” she asked, rising up and meeting her husband halfway. She pushed him down to the couch, straddling him and throwing strands of her golden hair to her backside. They both met each other with smiles, Pepper’s wide as her arms fell on his shoulders and behind his head. “Well, guess who loves you more than 3,000?”

Tony held that same, shit-eating grin. “Oh, let me have a wild guess.”

She didn’t even let him try, sealing his mouth and his unceasing banter with her own lips. Soon, not only did the sounds of the popping fire fill the living room, but the soft smacks of Tony and Pepper’s lips meeting and breaking again and again did, as well. The warmth from the fireplace wasn’t alone, the rising heat building between the two lovers unceasing and unquenchable. Pepper could feel as Tony’s hands rose up to explore her body, resting on her hips as she slowly began to gyrate her lower body over him. Before anything could escalate out of control, Pepper forced herself to break away.

She was breathless as she asked, “Morgan’s asleep, right?”

“God, wouldn’t that be hilarious if she walked in on this?” Tony said, smiling up to her expression. “I’d blame it on you, temptress.”

Pepper giggled, shaking her head. “Oh, shut up.”

She kissed him again for several seconds on end. Under the cautious moonlight with the warm fire to soothe them into the comforting embrace both had formed, Pepper fully expected the night to be filled with passion. Instead, it was filled with growing angst, Tony slowly falling away from her lips and refusing to return her kiss. Pepper took a second to gaze onto Tony’s expression, seeing his eyes gaze elsewhere and that haunted, almost broken face turn away from her.

“Tony? Is something wrong?” Pepper asked. He didn’t even say anything. She fell back on the couch cushion beside him, sighing sadly. “Not in the mood, are you?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just…” Tony tried to argue, failed, and tried again. “I can’t get it out of my head. Could’ve ignored it like I did for dinner, but now… Pep, I figured out time travel.”

Her reaction was just as he imagined, perhaps even worse. Pepper’s shoulders deflated, that look of utter confusion filling her and refusing to let go. “I thought you said…?”

“It was impossible,” Tony clarified, holding up his finger. “Was is the keyword here. After a few diagnostics… we might be able to change a couple things in the past if we take the right path. It’s a one-shot deal. But if we pull it off, things might stay the same for us.”

He met her eyes and tried to find that same hope he had. Only, things never really turned out that way for him in the end. Pepper gazed onto her husband with that same look, a look added with the confusion, a look he had known for many, many years. Whenever he flew off to do something he wasn’t supposed to, possibly dragging her along with him, there was that look.

The hopelessness.

“Might is the keyword now,” Pepper added.

Tony turned away, shaking his head and biting his lips. “I didn’t expect you to be on board. Hell, I’m still trying to paddle towards it. But I can’t lock this away, Pep. I can’t… throw it in the lake and keep it trapped there. There’s too much we can bring back.”

Pepper scrunched her face into a look of pain, already seeming to know what was coming next. “And how much are you willing to sacrifice for that?” she asked, needing to know.

“When I can bring myself to it…” Tony paused, slowly shifting his gaze away from the fire and onto her. The two stared deeply into one another, seeing all the years and conflict and turmoil that had ravaged their lives and their relationship worst of all. Neither one of them could turn away from it. They just couldn’t look away from the world they turned their backs on again. Especially him.

Especially Tony. “… Whatever it takes.”

Pepper was afraid of that. Afraid… but relentless nonetheless. Her life was torn asunder ever since the Decimation, leaving but a semblance of happiness with what she and Tony had crafted together. A home, a life, a daughter. They were so lucky but billions of others weren’t. So many others weren’t given that second chance that they got. Pepper knew that was for a purpose, and only now did she finally breathe in that revelation.

Tony met her eyes, telling her soundly, “But if you want me to stop... I’ll stop.”

To see her husband so willingly able to simply drop what he had discovered was admirable. It was courageous. It made her love him even more, if that was possible. Yet even given that opportunity to turn away again... Pepper couldn’t find herself doing that. So many lives unjustly taken and there they were living the rest of theirs in luxury. In rest. In solitude from the world and the horrors that filled it still. Pepper shook her head to that, shocking Tony for a second.

Then she said it. “What if I didn’t want you to?” she asked quietly, burning eyes rising to meet his and see that same pain cloud it. To emphasize her new stance, where her heart fully lead her to, she leaned forward and fought harder. “This is our decision, Tony. Can’t say I’ve been particularly innocent with keeping my back turned on the world. You bring me this opportunity... God, do you think either of us can rest now?”

Her eyes reflected the fires to their side, showing the withering tears and the pain flooding out. “Will you be able to rest?” she asked him, sincerity laid heavily in every syllable.

Tony was caught on that. Thinking it over, tasting it, absorbing and breathing it again and again. “Maybe if I was by your side,” he offered quietly.

“Do this for both of us,” Pepper assured him, the tone of her voice stronger and much more confident in her decision, finally feeling her heart fall in the right place in a long time. There was always that unfathomable darkness that clouded her, the guilt she felt for five years. For the first time, it was finally being lifted. Maybe it was the right path.

Her hands fell into his, holding her husband tight as she asked, “One path?”

“One path,” Tony assured her, kissing her palm and holding her even tighter. “Then I’m coming back home… to both of you.”

She was on board. It took some convincing—more so for himself—but there she stood, with him until the end of the line, knowing full well that whatever plan he had in mind wasn’t guaranteed. Nothing was ever guaranteed for them. It was always a gamble. There was always the risk when in love with the Iron Man, and Stark finally realized maybe there was more than just an absolute to his life. Everything he had ever done, ever known, ever wished for… was a maybe. It was time to take that next step. There was just one more thing to take care of. One more maybe.

He made sure no one was present when he did it.

Chapter 121 – That Shield Belongs to You

121

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

11:20 a.m.

They answered the call. Every last one of them.

Steve Rogers and Matthew Murdock were not present for the Helicarrier’s entrance. They were witnesses of the time travel tests in the hangar bay alongside Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, Scott Lang, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Derpy, Maud, Tempest, Sunset, and Starlight. A few guests were able to join them, as well, those familiar faces belonging to none other than Thor Odinson and Clint Barton. Clint’s reunion with the mares he was most acquainted with went as well as expected, tearful hugs from the likes of Twilight and Rarity while Rainbow held it all in. Forced it in like Clint did. His heart fell when he noticed a lack of a certain pink mare amongst the group, already assuming the worst. He was glad Starlight was still there. Still alive. Sunset was really nice to him. They all were. He could assume why.

Clint merely watched the group fumble around with the “time machine” Scott brought with him, arms crossed and tattoo sleeve clear as day as he leaned against the wall. Thor sat in his jacket and sweat pants, a broken and longing look forever filling his facial features as he gazed to his old team tinkering about with the Quantum Tunnel.

The Quantum Tunnel in Scott’s van provided a means for the Avengers to tap into the limitless energy source of the Quantum Realm and harness it under their control. They tried to, at the very least. Failures and complications arose when Scott first and foremost volunteered as the test subject. Then Derpy stepped forth. Banner, with the minimal time he was given to actually study the tunnel, haphazardly organized a small station he used to control the Quantum Tunnel. With everyone and everypony present, they witnessed Scott and Derpy standing side by side near the back of Scott’s van, the Quantum Tunnel alive and vibrant behind them. They stood in safety suits, Derpy’s specially designed and Scott’s hauntingly reminiscent of a certain Hank Pym’s personal attire.

For the ponies, it was their final day on Earth before they promised to return to Equus. Starlight and Twilight were adamant and unmoved by Rainbow, Sunset, or anypony else who wanted to stay a minute longer. Once the sun set on that day, they would go home, back to their lives and their jobs that desperately needed them. Banner made sure to get the test running as quick as possible.

When it finally did, when Steve wished Scott and Derpy good luck and they vanished into the tunnel, it was only a few seconds before both returned. Their suits were visibly baggy, Scott about twenty years younger and Derpy standing as a cross-eyed filly.

Things didn’t get any better from that point on. A couple more malfunctions from Bruce’s end, sending the duo back through time again and again, and they came back as a baby and a foal respectively. Derpy’s straight forward eyes glistened, the baby pony crying loudly while Scott sucked on his suit’s thumb. Tried to and failed, Scott joining the foal in tears. Natasha and Steve ordered Bruce to bring them back to their original ages, Banner trying with all his might to figure out the blasted machine. He ended up punching it, yelling at Sunset to cut the power.

She did, and when they returned both Scott and Derpy were back to the same age, shaken and uncertain… but pleased to be back to what was normal. As normal as it could have been, Scott declaring, “I think I just pissed my own ass.”

Derpy rattled her head, removing her helmet and breathing out, crossed gaze returning and joining her smile. “Whoa… that was a rush. Oh, no, I’m gonna be sick!” Derpy exclaimed, hooves rising to cover her muzzle as she shot off with lightning-like speed to the nearest trash or bathroom. She didn’t make it to either, discharging herself right on the hangar floor with Rarity rushing forward and patting her backside, soothing her with calming words as the unicorn tried to look literally anywhere else.

Scott passed out and fell face-first on the ground, cracking his helmet.

Bruce shot out his hands and declared proudly, “Time travel!”

Twilight, Steve, Natasha, Rainbow, and Tempest all gazed to Banner with deadpan expressions.

“What?” Bruce asked. “Look, we did it. I see this as an absolute win.”

Starlight and Maud rushed over to pick Scott up and check him for injuries. Clint merely shook his head and dropped his gaze from where he stood, Thor sighing sadly and doing the same. Steve was about to persist into Banner’s ramblings when Matthew tapped his shoulder, prompting Rogers out of the hangar bay with the motion of his head. Together, the two of them walked directly through the halls and towards the living room, where Murdock told him he heard a few guests finally making their way to base. Once the Helicarrier made its presence known above the facility, Steve was the second one to know. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. contacted him on his personal cell, informing Steve to keep the doors unlocked for them. For all of them.

Steve and Matt met them in the living room. The first inside were the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Director Mackenzie meeting Steve and Murdock with firm handshakes. Behind him firmly strode the remaining commanding agents in the entire organization. Melinda May shook both Steve and Matt’s hands, a frozen look of hardened steel embedded on her face. Piper and Davis were next, reuniting with the two Avengers properly. Then she stepped forward…

Quake herself—Daisy Johnson—strode forth in a skintight black and purple jumpsuit. Her hair was dyed differently since the last she crossed paths with Steve or any of the Avengers previously. It had been a couple of years after all. Her soft, light brown hair was decorated with purple highlights, long and flowing down her shoulders. The silver gauntlets remained on her forearms, Daisy slipping past Mack and May and stopping just short in front of Steve Rogers and Matthew Murdock.

Her hardened expression broke, that sweet smile returning to her as she stepped forward and met them both with a warm hug each. Steve met her smile alongside Murdock, glad to see a familiar and friendly face in Daisy Johnson. They weren’t alone by any means.

Shuri returned from her duties in Wakanda, a couple of Dora Milaje trailing her before she said it was safe to proceed alone. The warrior women stamped their vibranium spears in the floor twice before spinning around and returning to the exit of the facility, standing guard while Shuri reengaged with some old friends and socialized. She hugged Steve and Daisy, asking how each were doing since the last they conversed. Unfortunately, their short reunion was shorter than expected, the doors once more opening to reveal the next set of Avengers entering the facility.

Captain Marvel led the group of remaining Guardians of the Galaxy. Nebula, Rocket, and Groot trailed slowly behind Danvers, Carol’s blue sash waving behind her as she quickly approached Mack, Steve, and Shuri. The room seemed to emanate from her presence alone, it being so powerful that every eye turned her way, somehow gravitating towards her. Carol offered a quick but strong nod to both the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and to the Queen of Wakanda, eventually turning her eyes to the lead Avenger in her presence.

“Captain,” Carol greeted formally, holding out her gloved-palm for Rogers to accept.

“Captain,” Steve responded, meeting her palm with a strong handshake.

James Rhodes landed just outside in his Mark VI War Machine armor, pushing through the front doors in loud, heavy footsteps towards the growing crowd of familiar faces. His helmet retracted back in his bulking suit, Rhodes smiling and meeting Steve and Matthew’s hands. He made sure to grip them softly, considering the power the War Machine held just in the suit. Breaking off, Rhodes turned to Danvers and nodded her way. Carol smiled to him with her arms crossed, nodding back.

That still wasn’t it. When Steve called everyone, literally everyone responded. It still came as a surprise and an even worse shock for Murdock especially when he heard the familiar heartbeats coming quickly. Then every head turned to the front doors, seeing the black 1969 Dodge Charger make its way towards the facility. The Hell Charger revved its fiery engine, driving up to the front of the facility and parking in the lot near the front doors. When those front doors opened, everyone was taken aback to say the least. They never expected to see Frank Castle or Robbie Reyes that day, responding to Steve’s call and actually willing to join them for what was to come. Yet there they were, the firmly established team of vigilantes stepping inside the New Avengers Facility. That was what everyone else was focused on…

Everyone except Matthew.

Because right behind them, a faint but familiar heartbeat caught his senses. Even with the dark shades covering his eyes, Matt flinched. Steve could still see the visible pain shift across Murdock’s features. At first, he didn’t understand why Matt was acting in such a way. Probably because he sensed Castle and was taken by surprise just like everyone else. It went deeper than that.

When she stepped forward… Steve finally realized that.

Both Frank and Robbie stepped aside, unveiling the woman who had been standing behind their tall, protective bodies. They stepped away right in front of Murdock, making sure there was nowhere else she could have looked except dead ahead. She gasped when she saw him, Matt hearing that breath and losing his own. Unable to breathe, perceive, or believe who was standing in front of him, Matt shook his head, a pang of agony flushing through his veins and into his heart. He tried to ignore it, tried to believe otherwise. But she was right there. Flesh and blood, beating heart, and flaming, burning body standing before him.

Elektra Natchios felt the same exact way. “Matthew?” she whispered, so utterly quiet no one heard her.

Matt dropped his cane. He heard her.

And he could finally believe it. “Elektra?” he whispered back.

The distance between the two was cut, Elektra taking those necessary steps that both needed. In just a breathing distance, the two stood, both completely at a loss for words. Shakily, Elektra rose a hand and rested it against Murdock’s cheek. He did the same, his fingers feeling her forehead and pushing her strands of hair aside. He felt her. He heard her. That was more than enough for Murdock to believe again. Elektra gasped out, cried, leapt forward and hugged him with a fierce intensity. She shivered against Murdock’s body, Matthew returning her embrace with just as much strength, his palm wrapping around the back of her head as he held her close. Right next to his beating heart.

Feeling hers.

“I believed I lost you,” Elektra whimpered, tears welling in her eyes as she held Matthew tighter and tighter. She shut her eyes, those droplets escaping and striking Matt’s backside. “I believed for so long…”

Murdock couldn’t even speak. He just held her. Never letting go again. “Me too.”

Steve stepped outside the facility, his own eyes growing misty and needing the fresh air while he left Matthew and Elektra personal time to reunite. He left everyone to do just that, taking the moment of peace to just… acknowledge it all. Their failings and their proceedings. He observed the Hell Charger to his left, the Benatar further off and resting on the lawn. Directly in front of him, Steve could see the Zephyr One resting on the front lawn. High above him, the Helicarrier hovered over the facility, its quad engines somehow nearly silent despite keeping the gargantuan war vessel afloat.

His hands fell deep into his pockets, knowing that despite the old team finally coming together after years of absence and silence… it may have been for nothing. A sleepless night of studying the Quantum Tunnel had led to only failure in trying to understand and harness the power of time travel. Scott made it sound easy, and even Banner did at times, but he could tell neither one of their experts knew a lick about how to control the chaos of the Quantum Realm. It only pained him more to know that Twilight and the others would most likely be leaving later that night if things didn’t proceed quickly, and he couldn’t blame them. They had a country to run. They had ponies back in Equestria who needed them. The time they could give just by being there right then and prior was more than Steve could have asked of them. He was grateful for their help either way, even if they did decide to leave them to their hopeless efforts.

Nothing but hopeless efforts to a hopeless cause.

Steve pondered that, the reverberations growing louder from within him as he finally lifted his head, gazed out across the lawn and onto the speeding Audi e-tron GT.

Curious at that, Steve furrowed his brow and watched the car speed across the road. Once it became clearer, Steve recognized the color and license plate, the car screeching and drifting to the far right as it ended up on the front steps of the New Avengers Facility. Right in front of Steve Rogers. The door opened and Tony Stark stepped out, hovering just outside the open car door.

Stark had a lot of expectations that day, and seeing Steve Rogers alone outside the New Avengers Facility already didn’t spell anything too comforting for him. The look on his face was even more disheartening, but it didn’t deter Tony from being there. He met Rogers’ expression with a strong, helpful smile. It fell quickly after, nothing but a straight, emotionless line filling what remained.

“Thought you already made up your mind?” Steve asked, hands still in his pockets.

“Oh, I did,” Tony mused, fingers tapping on the side of his car door. A moment of awkward silence filled them both, Tony shaking his head and biting his lip. “But… then again… you guys always got me thinking back in the day. Must’ve jogged something since your last visit. Is Twilight still here?”

Steve nodded, earning a sigh of relief from Stark. “They’ll be leaving later tonight.”

Tony’s brow hardened, lips pursing in thought. “Yeeeaaah… about that…”

Curious at Tony’s words, Steve stared at him quizzically. Tony stared back, meeting Steve’s expression with a knowing grin. “I think we all might be staying here longer than we expect to,” he told him, noting how long that curious expression filled Steve’s face. “I’m saying that I figured it out, Rogers. God, do I have to spell it?”

Steve sighed, nodding again. “That would be appreciated.”

Tony stepped fully out of the vehicle, closing the door behind him and holding up his left wrist. Turning from his eyes to his wrist, Steve only further narrowed his eyes when he spotted that strange wrist device attached to his hand. He continued to analyze it even as Stark said, “Little invention of mine. I call it a Time Travel GPS. Working title, but for now it fits.”

“You’re on board?” Rogers asked, turning back to Tony’s eyes.

Tony’s smirk only continued to grow. He turned to his left, muttering, “Almost.”

He followed Stark to the back of the vehicle, watching as Tony opened the trunk and pushed aside the blanket splayed across the trunk’s flooring. What emerged bright and colorful under the near-afternoon sun only caused Steve to sigh, his expression faltering when Tony pulled it for him to fully see.

Steve didn’t need to see the pain of the past at the moment. Even his old shield brought back painful memories.

Tony took the shield right from the facility’s armory after the Second Snap, keeping it for himself after he outed Steve and the rest of the Avengers from his life. Like years before, he still felt like it belonged to the man who actually made the shield, Tony’s own father. However, the way he held it now was a little more… calming. Offering. It was even repaired from what Steve could see, the ancient claw marks removed and glossed over in a shining, shimmering coat. Stark stood awkwardly with it, that same smile still held Steve’s way, even when he didn’t respond in kind.

All he could respond with was a shake of his head, saying, “Tony, I don’t know—”

“Try it on,” Stark persisted.

With as much reluctance as he could offer, Steve reached forward and plucked the shield right from Tony’s arms. It was heavy at first, somewhat awkward from not holding it for several years. But soon, that familiar weight returned to him, the feeling and shape growing accustomed once in the right hands. And when he held it, Steve stared down to it, an ancient and forgotten smile returning to him.

Captain America’s rightful shield returning to him all the same.

“Still fits,” Steve noted with a smile, turning that warmth back up to Stark. “Thank you, Tony.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Tony told him, pointing beyond. “What’s the situation look like inside?”

Resting his left arm and shield to his side, Steve shook his head. “We’ve been having some trouble… like with baby Scott and Derpy.”

Stark pulled out his briefcase and shut the trunk, nodding just once. “Just point me to it.”

Tony Stark’s reception was met with an overall positive field of view. What wasn’t seen or wasn’t heard never fell upon the group, nor did any pay attention to the negative light. Tony met Rhodes with a strong hug, best friends reunited at long last. They all congregated to the hangar bay with Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Carol Danvers, and Alphonso Mackenzie leading the group of newcomers to the facility. Those previously present harmoniously turned at the same time to see their approach. Clint pushed away from the wall he leaned against, eyes latched onto the man he hadn’t seen in over six years. Thor, as well, turned from his chair and fully opened his eye to see the one and only Tony Stark entering an old and forgotten home of his. Natasha, Bruce, and Scott all focused in congregation alongside the others, Natasha’s warm smile growing across her red lips when she saw that notable smirk grow across Stark’s face. Behind him walked an army.

Meeting the army of equines.

After finally tending to Scott’s health and confirming he was fine, Twilight and Sunset, Starlight and Rainbow, Rarity, Maud, Tempest, and finally Derpy all turned in accordance with the rest of their fellow Avengers. Derpy was still feeling a little green, but even she was able to smile when the likes of Rocket Raccoon, Nebula, and Groot came into the picture. However, her crossed eyes rose up to join the rest of the mares, rising past Groot’s trunk-like legs to gaze onto his face.

The young adult smiled warmly to the mares, Groot offering a gruff and friendly, “I am Groot.”

Five years definitely showed, especially for Groot. For all of them.

For… “Tony…” Twilight muttered, almost breathless with disbelief.

Stark pursed his lips and gripped his briefcase with both hands, nodding once to the Alicorn.

Before a moment of awkward silence could infest them, Steve took a step outward, announcing loud to the congregation, “Make yourselves at home! We’re gonna be here all day, so you might as well get settled in!”

They followed through on that order, the likes of Director Mackenzie taking Daisy, May, Piper, and Davis to settle down and set up their operations near the van. Rocket let Groot to go off and get some food in the kitchen while he and Nebula joined up with Steve and the other Avengers. Reyes gravitated towards the kitchen, as well, while Frank followed closely behind him. The Punisher cast both Murdock and Natchios a waning glance, watching as they both settled themselves privately towards the living room. Probably for the best to get some personal time to ask questions and learn from one another where either had been the past five years. Carol joined Steve and Tony alongside James, forming a growing group of Avengers, Guardians, and equines around the control console for the Quantum Tunnel.

“As for the rest of you,” Tony acknowledged, turning from every Avenger to finally rest his eyes with Banner’s, “... might wanna sit down for this one.”

He held out his briefcase for everyone to notice. They did. They all listened to him, leading Stark to one of the various offices in the hangar bar. They congregated as a massive unit, from the likes of Tony, Steve, Natasha, Bruce, Thor, and Clint to Carol, Rocket, Nebula, Shuri, James, and Scott. With them trotted or flew the mares, Twilight walking alongside Tony with Sunset and Starlight joining her. Maud trotted slowly by Nebula’s side, each one of them casting the other a quick glance, an even quicker smile shared between them. Derpy hovered by Rocket, the raccoon silently greeting her with an upwards nod. Derpy stuck out her tongue and did the same, trying to look cool and utterly failing. Rocket rolled his eyes and focused ahead. Tempest strode alongside Clint and Thor, Rarity by her side and both unicorns gazing with growing uncertainty towards the God of Thunder. There was a dark cloud of unease hovering above him, and it sent shivering chills across either mares’ coats.

And Rainbow Dash…

She hovered right next to a certain Captain America, eyes falling down to his left arm and smiling softly to it. “It’s good to see the shield back where it belongs,” Rainbow commented, rose-rimmed irises rising up and meeting Steve warmly.

Steve smiled back.

They settled themselves in the largest office in the hangar bay, Tony laying his briefcase down on the table and popping it open. Twilight and Sunset propped themselves up by his sides, hooves resting on the table as Tony pulled out a plethora of strange wrist devices. Twilight tilted her head at that, her growing curiosity matched with Sunset’s. She matched perfectly with the rest of the Avengers, Tony holding out his left wrist and declaring, “This… is a Time Travel GPS.”

Everyone fell silent. Carol leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. Rocket hopped up on the nearest table and stood up, meeting Natasha and Scott’s height to his left and right, Natasha barely paying him any heed while Lang just couldn’t look away from the bipedal raccoon crossing his arms. As if the ponies weren’t already the most batshit insane creatures he had seen walking the earth.

Tony continued, making sure everyone could see his wrist. “What it allows us to do is travel to and from certain points in time, wherever we want as long as we adjust the coordinates and year in them. The only thing it’s missing, however… is the means to travel through time. That especially doesn’t help from what Mr. Rogers told me about some… complications.”

Scott crossed his arms and studied his shoes. “May have aged rapidly…”

“I threw up!” Derpy exclaimed, waving her hoof high in the air.

“Lovely,” Tony grunted, dropping his wrist to rest his palms on the table by Sunset and Twilight.

“We have a plan,” Natasha said, bringing the focus of the room on her. She turned all around, trying to meet every eye through every syllable she uttered. “Use the Quantum Realm to find those time vortexes Scott told us about. After that, we find the six Infinity Stones years before Thanos even has a chance to get them. We bring those Stones back to our time, snap our fingers, bring everybody back.”

“Boom,” Rhodes stated aloud. Just then, he furrowed his brow at Natasha’s explanation, turning back to her, Banner, and Stark. “Wait a minute, if we can go back in time, why don’t we just find Thanos when he’s a baby and… well…”

He made the motion with his pointing finger, wrapping an invisible rope around in front of him before tightening both of his fists outwards. It took a second for others to catch on, but when they did a good chunk of the room was practically mortified. Others fell completely on the opposite end, Rocket nodding slowly alongside Nebula.

Rainbow even raised her hoof. “I’m down.”

“No, you’re not!” Twilight shouted, pointing an accusing hoof in Dash’s direction. She turned that same accusation towards Rhodes, disgust in her expression. “James, that is horrible!”

“It’s Thanos!” Rhodes argued.

Banner shot out his green hand, declaring, “You got it all wrong—”

“Honestly…”

Everyone turned accordingly to Starlight Glimmer, the rising heat and tension in the room cooling considerably when Starlight allowed it to be so. She captured her audience and let that silence be that washing flood over them, cooling them to the point where she could get her point across clear and concise. Perhaps a point she should have brought up much, much earlier.

From where she sat in her chair, Starlight shook her head and stared to the floor, recalling her personal experiences with time travel. Every mortifying and wretched nightmare turned into reality for what could have been had Twilight not saved her. She breathed shakily, beginning with a soft, somber tone, “Messing with time… doesn’t really end well for anyone. Time tends to mess back… and Twilight can back me up on this.”

The room took a sudden and complete shift to the front.

“Twilight…” Steve called, his voice distant, eyes longing. Wanting to know.

The Alicorn fidgeted from where she stood. Ever since she discovered that the Avengers wanted to bring everyone back and save the universe with time travel, all she could ever really think about were her own experiences with the phenomena. Heck, she and Starlight practically broke the universe last time they messed with time travel. She held it in for quite some time now, but it was finally time to come clean. Time to reveal the horrifying truth about time travel.

She sighed and hopped away from the desk, slowly trotting over to its side to present herself fully to every eye in the room.

“Years ago, back when Starlight was still… well… evil,” Twilight began, sending a weak and awkward smile to the unicorn. Starlight merely rolled her eyes and smiled back. “She… stole an ancient spell from Star Swirl the Bearded. A time travel spell, modified slightly to her own desire in order for her to change the past on our world so that my friends and I never met. The only problem was… that it was dangerous.”

Starlight took over, saying, “Every time I would alter something slightly in the past, a new, horrific scenario would play out in the future. Whether that be an old villain succeeding in their plans to rule Equestria, the complete destruction of our world and all life, or… sometimes even worse than that… we couldn’t deny that messing with time was the wrong way to solve any problem. Because if we do… it could create even more problems for the future.”

Twilight returned to the spotlight. “We even considered it back on Equus after Thanos destroyed the Infinity Stones, but even then we knew that just one little act can snowball into an apocalyptic future. It especially didn’t help to know that Star Swirl’s spell was lost in time after the whole debacle. Even if we tried to replicate it… there was no telling what we could cause.”

Twilight took a seat right on the floor, her eyes falling to it and joining Starlight’s downtrodden expression. “There was no telling what we could damage,” she finished sadly.

An overwhelming sense of uncertainty and even early defeat filled every Avenger and Guardian, the equines faring no better and letting that darkness consume them. Carol Danvers, especially, knew much of what they were all feeling, having grown quite accustomed to it in recent time. Failure was no stranger to her, and it was an unwelcome one all the same. With that clouding sense of uncertainty laid upon their foundations, one soul found the strength to smile again. To laugh.

They all turned to see Bruce Banner chuckling softly, confusion filling their gazes. Shaking his head, Banner rested his mighty palms on his hips, stating softly, “You know, a lot of people hold the same ideas on what time travel really is. How it works, how the future can be changed by our actions in the past…”

His tongue jutted his lower lips outwards, Banner tracing the inside of his mouth as he lifted his eyes and met Twilight’s. “What if I said we could prevent all of that?” he said with a smile.

No one said anything. No one objected to Bruce or his words. They just listened in, bodies moving closer and breaths held. Twilight quickly stumbled to all four hooves, a gleaming sense of wonder and hope filling her large, violet eyes. With every eye on him, Banner turned his head aside, eyes hidden beneath his glasses gazing onto Stark’s wrist device. “I’ve been doing some side research while we were studying the Quantum Tunnel. Taking a look at those time vortexes Scott mentioned; it turns out they’re real. Each one can lead off into a timeline completely separate to ours, but similar in a sense.”

“What kind of sense?” Carol asked.

Bruce turned to her. What he said took their conjoined breaths away.

“In theory… changing the past doesn’t change the future… it only creates a separate timeline from our own,” Banner explained, meeting Twilight’s eyes once more. “Every horrific scenario of the future you and Starlight witnessed, Twilight, that was a separate timeline. All we need to do is take the Stones from the past and to our present time, bring everyone back, return the Stones to the exact moment they were taken… and everything will turn out fine. Everything will play out like it has, and our future will be saved.”

Everyone and everypony were caught in similar or separate states of awe. They all tried to absorb Banner’s words, breathe them in and believe them, but it still seemed too difficult to do so. It still seemed utterly unbelievable. Even Banner fell into that category, sighing as he took a seat on a scrunched and bending chair. “But, of course… that’s just a theory.”

“I would say that’s a breath of fresh air if you didn’t include that last sentence,” Stark piped up.

Bruce turned his way. “Sorry, Tony.”

Stepping away from behind the desk, Tony closed his briefcase and made his roundabouts throughout the room, cascading across every Avenger, every Guardian, and everypony. “You know, I’ve been worried about this whole ‘time travel thing’,” he uttered mindlessly, just speaking what came up first and foremost. He shook his head. “God, we gotta get a better name for that.”

“Time Heist?” Scott suggested.

“Okay, Scott doesn’t get to name anything from here on out,” Tony replied, a disgruntled frown growing across Lang’s features. Tony ignored him, leaning against an abandoned chair with his hands tightly straining against it. “But… I just never knew for certain if the plan to undo the past would change my life now. If it is just a theory, then maybe we can take my plan close to heart all the same.”

Clint shrugged, the room turning to him when he offered, “It wouldn’t hurt to follow the path Tony laid out. Which would be…?”

“Three years,” Tony said, stepping away from the chair. “Three exact moments in time where we know the Infinity Stones are at. 2012 when the Space, Mind, and Time Stones are in New York. Hopefully the wizard will be a little more understanding of us taking his precious relic. 2013 when Thor mentioned the Aether to us a while back, also known as the Reality Stone. And… um…”

“2014 for the Power Stone,” Nebula suggested, the room shifting her way. “That was when Quill found it on Morag. It was before Ronan or my father knew of its whereabouts.”

“Could that work for the Soul Stone, as well?” Sunset inquired. “It would probably still be in Wakanda, right?”

Shuri nodded. “The Soul Stone should still be concealed under the vibranium meteor by that time. However, reaching it… would be a very difficult endeavor.”

“I think we can manage,” Tony returned, taking that spotlight and basking in it, arms held out and waiting for their vast approval. “So, what do you think?”

The room was quiet, mulling over the plan again and again in their heads. In theory, it could work out. If the tools they were given functioned properly, then they most certainly could travel to the past and obtain the Infinity Stones in each desired location. The complications that surrounded it, however, spelled an even greater means of trouble for the future or themselves. If they failed in the past—and with as much Pym Particles as was on Scott’s person allowed—then there could be no other chances left. That didn’t even amount to the theories of time travel Banner and Twilight suggested. Would the past change the future? Would their actions not even change a thing? It was a gamble, the biggest gamble of their lives. But it was a gamble where they needed to make a decision. Nowhere else in the universe were others trying to change what happened, Carol knew that for a fact. But right there, on the small, insignificant planet Earth… there were those brave individuals willing to take that chance.

Only if they agreed to it.

Unfortunately, not everyone saw it the same way. Someone still had some waning fears of what awaited them, and he made his presence known when he said, “It’s a little more complicated than that.”

The room fell silent and the spotlight turned on Scott Lang.

His skin was pale, arms crossed and hand resting on his chin and over his mouth. The subtle shiver in his limbs could be seen, as well as the shake in his tone could be heard when he spoke, “I’ve been telling you guys for days now, and you’ve even seen what the Quantum Realm does when Derpy and I went through. It’s nearly unstable in how it works. We could go back in time, we could be thrust into alternate realities, different timelines from where we need to go, in another universe entirely. I’ve seen it! We can’t be sure because the Quantum Realm is just that: uncertainty. We could try again and again, but… in the end, I just don’t know what’s gonna happen if we step into the unknown.”

That same, familiar fear filled them once more, Scott once again bringing them back to that horrible reality of messing with forces they did not fully understand. Thor showed it well in the fear laced around his facial features, the shaking breaths leaving the God of Thunder. Even Twilight, Starlight, Sunset, Derpy, and Rarity showed their unease, some mares visibly shivering while others whimpered softly. Almost in a defeated manner. Even Rainbow Dash, Maud, and Tempest Shadow fell because of that, a bead of sweat trailing down Dash’s forehead and a soft gulp on Tempest’s end. Maud exhaled softly through her muzzle, drawn-out and winded.

And there he was once again, able to bring them out of that darkness.

“That’s why we have these,” Stark said, once again lifting his wrist to show the device attached to it. He pointed back to his briefcase. “One for each us, and plenty more where that came from. As long as we can harness the quantum energy, I can get us exactly where we need to go and back.”

Even with unstable assurance, Scott was hardly moved. He couldn’t really take it any other way, knowing that doing something, in the end… was better than doing nothing. He met Tony’s eyes, finally nodding. “I just hope you’re right, Stark.”

Tony dropped his wrist. “Yeah, I hope I am, too. Hopeful we at least get second chance.”

Just then, the light bulb went off in Scott’s brain at those words. His eyes arose, bugged and adrenaline-filled. “A second chance… but what if we had more than that? We’ll need a backup plan just in case,” Scott said with a snap of his fingers. He turned about in a full 360 degrees with Carol staring at him with a hardened, confused brow rising. The mares giggled to his antics. Finally, he found his target, approaching Rhodes quickly.

He asked, “War Machine, you think you can give me a quick ride somewhere?”

James smiled, mask closing over his face and red eyes igniting to life. “Better buckle in, regular-sized man.”

Author's Note

Let the time travel arguments commence. *grabs popcorn*

Chapter 122 – Suit Up

122

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

1:29 p.m.

The rest of the day was filled with hard work and a lot of it. When Scott came back to the facility with James Rhodes, he was dragging alongside him a rolling briefcase. When open, Scott revealed to the rest of the Avengers, Guardians, agents, and equines the rows upon rows of bright red vials. Pym Particles, he called them. He acquired them from Hank Pym’s laboratory in his private office, the only place that wasn’t confiscated because no one knew where it was hidden.

No one except Pym and Scott Lang.

He explained that the Pym Particles, when properly utilized with the Ant-Man suit, could allow the user to shrink to microscopic size in order to reach the Quantum Realm. It was how he was able to enter the Quantum Realm in the first place, and he made sure to bring every last vial he could find. Unfortunately, he brought with him bad news alongside the good, noting their limited amount of particles available. Not all of them could travel to the past, and with the number of vials they had… they wouldn’t have many chances to retrieve the Stones. They needed to make every second count. Scott, Tony, and Banner started constructing the suits available for those willing to go back for the ultimate mission, the ultimate gamble. They got a headcount and got right to work.

With the suits settled and being finalized by Nebula, Rarity, and Starlight, that left the biggest minds in the entire facility to focus on the main task at hand and hoof…

Rocket, Tony, Shuri, Banner, Scott, Twilight, and Sunset got to work on building the time machine, Stark absent for most of the endeavor to work on a “personal project” of his. He never explained nor ever did until it was finally ready, as he said. Clint, Maud, Frank, Reyes, Groot, Tempest, Rainbow, Rhodes, and Romanoff carried supplies back and forth for the others to piece together and construct the machine. Carol was especially helpful, pulling off most of the heavy lifting and settling the base of the Quantum Tunnel into the hangar bay, the machine nearly ten times her own size. After having dropped precious equipment time and time again, Derpy was urged to take a seat and rest for a bit. She sat next to Thor, gazing quietly to the King of Asgard from time to time. Thor watched them all work while lounging on a foldable chair, sipping a Bud Light fondly and burping under his breath. Rainbow sent him a scowl to which he didn’t even turn her way, pretended she didn’t exist. Like most of everyone there.

Except for the pony on his left, his only companion for the time being, Thor burping and offering Derpy a sip. Though mildly cautious, Derpy was nothing if not a curious mare. She fumbled with the glass bottle between her hooves, sniffed the lid once or twice before tipping the Bud Light into her awaiting mouth. The strange liquid filled her as she sloshed it around for a bit, nearly gagged, then forced it down with an audible gasp for air following. She appeared to be looking green once more, shoving the bottle back Thor’s way. The god smirked to her, snatched the beer out of her hooves and downed the rest of it in less than two seconds. He tossed the empty bottle behind him, the shatter following as he turned to Derpy and burped. The Pegasus giggled, digging deep and burping in retaliation. It was soft, cute, and followed up by a plethora of chuckles from the duo.

And then it ended when Derpy’s stomach churned, the Pegasus clutching her tummy, her mouth, then zipping off towards the nearest trash can to vomit once more. Thor stared pitifully to her, Rainbow Dash just shaking her head and getting back to work.

The New Avengers Facility was a frenzy of moving bodies. Minus the God of Thunder, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were all fumbling around with the control console that Friday was currently engrossed in, the Mark 45 Iron Man armor teaching Mack and May how it operated. Steve was overlooking the progress of every individual with Daisy striding alongside him, both Avengers gazing to the massive Quantum Tunnel growing with every passing minute.

Elektra was also formally introduced to the rest of Matt’s team in the minimal amount of downtime they had. During work hours, she and Matt had a lengthy and private conversation in the living room while everyone else was busy tinkering and working in the hangar bay where the massive Quantum Tunnel was being constructed. From Elektra, his old flame, Murdock learned of what exactly happened that night more than five years ago. After the Hand pulled her out of the rubble, she fell back into that old life because it was all she knew. It was all they made her to be. For so long, while the rest the world suffered, she lived. Both thought the other to be dead. Both accepted that and moved on.

But now, with Matthew back in her life, Elektra was fully willing to turn away from her past sins and focus ahead. She wanted to help Matthew and his team. She would gladly stand with them if it meant bringing back billions of lives lost in the Decimation. Mostly, whatever they were planning to do with time travel, it meant everything to Murdock. If there was a chance to see his old friends again and save the universe… then Elektra would be there, right by his side through every storm. Like in the past… and for every day moving forward.

Matt accepted her promise with a firm grip of his palms onto hers.

Their moment of peace was interrupted by the intercom.

Everyone in the entire facility was halted and frozen to a standstill when Tony Stark’s voice rang out and declared, “Avengers to the armory. Got a surprise for you. And yeah, I’m referring to everyone when I’m saying that.”

Seemingly everyone abandoned their work—for the moment anyway—and proceeded to the facility’s armory. It was absolutely everyone who stepped foot and hoof past those sliding steel doors and into the massive armory. Every Avenger, Guardian, agent, and pony who gazed onto the small group of four consisting of Tony Stark, Nebula, Rarity, and Starlight Glimmer. Every Avenger finally present and accounted for. The trio of girls were focused and whispering to one another, turning about when the massive crowd entered the room with them. Tony was already standing at attention and fully ready for them.

And in his hands were three bright, burning blue lights. Upon closer inspection, they made them out to be none other than Arc Reactors. Twilight’s brow furrowed at that, her curious expression shifting upwards to Stark when he began to speak aloud once more. She nearly gasped when he zeroed her, Rainbow, and Rarity out amongst the masses.

“Twi, Dash, Rares… mind stepping forward?” Tony politely asked. More like ordered.

Hesitant, certainly, Twilight and Rainbow sent one another a confused glance that each shared. Then they turned about, watching as every head and every eye was on them, waiting for them to take those necessary steps. Then they finally turned to their final friend called out. Rarity sent that knowing, sly smirk her friends’ way. She flipped her mane fabulously as she stood before Tony Stark, jutting out her chest to him. Slowly, Twilight and Rainbow eventually made their approach and paused on Rarity’s left and right respectively.

He reached out and placed the Arc Reactor on Twilight’s chest first. The Alicorn flinched, eyes closed tight as she expected the device to hurt upon attachment. After hearing horror stories from Stark himself how he first got his first Arc Reactor, she wasn’t particularly looking forward to it. She was pleasantly surprised to feel the nanobots snuggle their way onto her chest comfortably. The mare blinked and opened her eyes fully, gazing down curiously to the blue light resting over her heart. As her snout nearly touched it, she could hear Tony speaking to them, pausing when he moved from one mare to the next.

“These… are for… each of you. Meant to be used for emergencies only; something to give you a little extra push out in the field,” Stark finished, resting on one knee as he finalized the device just over Rainbow’s chest. Then he clapped his hands, remaining on his knee and analyzing each pony.

Though they were too busy analyzing the Arc Reactors instead of activating them.

Stark shook his head, clearing his throat and earning their eyes. “Well, don’t just stand there with your jaws on the floor; give it a test run.”

Looking from Rainbow to Rarity and finally back to Stark. Twilight slowly raised a hoof to hover just over the burning light. She furrowed her brow once more, asking curiously, “So, just… like you do?”

Tony tapped his chest, just over his heart. Two times. “Once should do it.”

With not much to lose, Twilight just shrugged to both Rainbow and Rarity, her lips forming an uncertain expression. Uncertain but curious nonetheless. She slapped her hoof against the face of the Arc Reactor alongside Rainbow and Rarity, all at the same time, gasping out as the following tech flowed outwards almost instantaneously.

It was instantaneous in how it operated, flexible and meticulously crafted. Nearly everyone was taken aback by the advanced suit, unlike anything they had ever seen. Some like Derpy, Sunset, and even Tempest had slackened jaws and bulged eyes when they witnessed Twilight’s suit overcome her body. The nanotechnology seamlessly overcame her coat and body, from the bottom of her hooves and stopping just around her tail, letting the violet hair flow outwards untouched. Even her wings were coated in it. Twilight’s eyes flickered back and forth nervously as the nanobots swarmed her face, and darkness was her greeter for a second. A second later, light filled her eyesight, causing the mare to flinch against it. A HUD erupted before her, showcasing the suit, its status, weaponry, and everything she needed nor didn’t even imagine she needed. When it was finalized, the metal suit covered Twilight from head to hoof, letting her mane flow outwards like her tail. Untouched. The suit was colored a vivid and glossy black, hot pink, and light violet, bright blue eyes igniting alongside various other lights upon the armor.

Rainbow Dash’s eyes shot open when she saw Twilight’s suit fully, the darkness overcoming her when the nanotech consumed her face but let her mane and tail flow free. Like Twilight’s, it showed Rainbow a plethora of options on her HUD, an added boost to her repulsors with Stark knowing how much she like to break the sound barrier. She smirked at that. Rainbow flapped her wings, looking over and seeing bright repulsors burning at the tips and edges of her armor-covered wings. Her eyes were bright blue, joining the sky blue and jet-black of her armor when it was fully realized and standing before her fellow Avengers.

Rarity smiled and closed her eyes as the nanobots overwhelmed her face and body. Thankfully, her mane and tail were untouched, but as for the rest of her... Rarity received an upgrade unlike any other. A jolt of extra weaponry choices, the power of controlled flight for the first time in her life, and the ability to choose however she wished all laid before her. Her armor was colored a dark purple and white, the bright blue eyes burning with raw energy as she raised a hoof proudly to every eye in the room. The repulsor shimmered on the bottom of her hoof, the nanobots finalizing themselves one last time.

There they stood, all three ponies encased in bright, colorful, and immensely powerful suits of armor unlike anything anyone had ever seen. Carol Danvers slowly smirked from where she stood, hands on her hips and joining the likes of Natasha, Clint, and many more. Steve was awestruck, watching as Rainbow Dash merely gazed to her own foreleg for seconds on end, probably even a full minute before anyone decided to speak again. Sunset, Starlight, Maud, Derpy, and Tempest each showed their amazement in their own ways, all eventually turning back to Stark when he spoke.

“I call ‘em the Iron Mares,” Tony announced, his hand pointing from Twilight, to Rainbow, and finally to Rarity. Respectively stating, “Mark 1, Mark 2, and Mark 3. You’re welcome.”

Their masks materialized back into the rest of the suits, Twilight practically breathless as she turned her eyes over to Rainbow and Rarity. They each fell into the same state of awe as they observed one another, Rarity practically speechless as she stared at her friends and herself. All she wanted to do was gush for hours on end over their new suits, but she just couldn’t find the words for it. She showed her enthusiasm by stamping her hooves repeatedly into the ground, squealing with excitement as the metal plating tapped repeatedly against the concrete floor, the suit’s wiring crying out to her movements.

“How do they look?” Rainbow asked to no one in particular, spinning about to try and catch every inch of her new armor. “Does it look cool?”

“Rainbow…” Sunset breathed, watching the Pegasus fall her way and await her word. Sunset slowly smiled, nodding once. “I think you look 20% cooler.”

For what had been years, that same arrogant, flaring smirk finally returned to Rainbow Dash’s lips. It felt somewhat awkward, but the warmth filled her face shortly after. Like an old friend finally finding their way back home where they belonged. Twilight’s face brightened from that alone, Rarity smiling widely to her best friends, but mostly to her gorgeous new set of armor she personally helped design alongside Stark. Mostly the colors, considering all the tech made her head hurt.

The warming and victorious moment was ruined when Frank Castle started talking.

“You dragged our asses over here just for that?” Frank asked, burly arms crossed and resting over his black shirt. Carol sent him a scowl alongside Starlight, but both were shocked to say the least when Tony chuckled softly to that outburst.

“Oh, I definitely didn’t forget your ass, Castle,” Tony retorted, pressing down on the device in his hand, much like pressing a key fob. “And you’re definitely gonna need something covering it.”

To everyone’s continued awe of silence and surprise, the wall to the right of them slid open. However, it was only Frank Castle who approached what was within the wall the whole time, what was gazing to them all with the dark eyes hidden behind the gray and white mask. His eyes were slowly directed by his own will to the chest plate, a scoff escaping Frank’s breath alongside a shake of his head when he saw the white skull. Standing tall before him and the many others beyond Castle, the suit of armor glared forward while carrying an arsenal almost considered to be impossible. James Rhodes knew the suit of armor personally, his brow hardening and his arms crossing when he gazed fully to it, fully analyzed it.

When he fully saw his old War Machine armor hanging before them.

Stark seemed to read his mind, stating, “Old War Machine model. Rhodey lent it to me when he upgraded. Added a few extra things here and there; second minigun on the shoulder, rocket and grenade launcher, and a portable chainsaw. Yeah, if you couldn’t tell, I had some fun with this one. Never know what kinda nastiness you’re gonna run into back in time.”

Frank was shockingly silent to that, his scarred and vein-covered hand rising up and caressing the white skull on the chest and helmet of the suit, matching his almost to a T.

“I call it the Punisher Armor,” Tony finished.

“Punisher Armor…” Frank muttered under his breath with a weak chuckle. Shaking his head at that, he studied the armor slowly to himself, taking every second to gaze to the weapons on the shoulders, the wrists, the chest, the palms, and pretty much everything. It was a war machine all right. One that suited him just fine. He turned back, nodded once and fiercely to Stark. “Appreciate it.”

“Don’t thank me, ‘cause you’re just borrowing it. I don’t want to see that thing outside this facility once we’re done,” Stark warned, seeing that scoff and chuckle from Castle’s end as the Punisher turned away to gaze to his armor once again. That time he didn’t look away. Almost believing he had just made a grave mistake, Tony put it alongside the others and focused elsewhere.

He pointed to the unicorn on his far left, not even looking at her. “Also… I offered a suit to Starlight to match the trinity right here, but she politely declined. Unless any of you…?”

Sunset shook her head and held out her hooves, smiling awkwardly. “I-I’ll be fine, Tony. Thank you, though.”

“I have plenty of extra push from my Asteroid Gloves,” Maud commented dully, as if the shocking suits of armor Stark spent the past couple hours manufacturing hadn’t even affected her.

“Thanks, but I still really love my Domino Gun!” Derpy exclaimed, rubbing the back of her mane and giggling.

Rocket smirked, arms crossed. He murmured, “That a girl.” His attention shifted over when Tempest Shadow snorted rather loudly, rather rudely, gaining that unwanted attention from every eye in the armory.

Tempest shook her head to Tony. “I don’t need a metal suit. Never needed the support.”

While Stark took that rather harsh statement as easily as he could, others in the room took her words harder. Two individuals in particular. Two who gazed to the unicorn lacking the key feature that made her to be that very pony, that very race. Shuri and Rocket stared at Tempest’s broken horn trying to be concealed by her mane, both thinking the same thing but standing at complete opposite ends of the crowd. However, neither one made that push forward. They didn’t have time.

Rarity turned to Tempest Shadow, then to Starlight and Nebula. Then to Tony. The alabaster unicorn smirked, tossing her mane back and asking, “Well… perhaps you prefer a little more color in your suit then?”

Before Tempest could have even pondered on what she was referring to, she and many others simply took a step back as Starlight and Rarity pulled forth various devices from the workbench they were situated near prior to the team’s arrival. Their magical aura filled the air, eyes gazing upwards to see Tony’s Time Travel GPSes numbering in the dozens. A little over two dozen to be exact. Twenty-five to be very exact. Starlight and Rarity levitated each device completely over their heads and latched them onto those who volunteered to travel back in time.

The first ones were Tony, Nebula, Twilight, and Rainbow, each given a Time Travel GPS that was either tied around their left palms or left hooves. Twilight raised her foreleg and gazed curiously to the device resting just on the tip of her hoof, eventually dropping it and staring to the remaining members earning their necessary tools.

Scott was forcefully pulled forward when he refused to move, Starlight’s aquamarine aura wrapping around his arm until the Time Travel GPS was safely attached. Rubbing his arm, Scott muttered something under his breath as he frowned to Starlight, ultimately ignored in the end. Rhodes was given his alongside Carol Danvers, Daisy Johnson, and Sunset Shimmer. Then Steve was given a GPS with Natasha, Banner, Clint, and Thor. Matt and Elektra were next, followed by Robbie, Rocket, Groot, Tempest, Maud, Derpy, and Frank, who finally turned away from his new suit when the device was latched to his left palm. He studied it alongside the others, lifting his eyes to the unicorns who applied them in the first place.

Rarity and Starlight were the last ones to put on their devices, each mare personally attaching their own to themselves. With each device secured and activated, those who were not given them backed away to allow each Avenger to analyze and observe their new GPSes. But more importantly, they almost knew what was going to occur, giving themselves that space just in case anything went wrong. Just in case…

Tony Stark held out his hands, smirking and triumphantly stating, “Time to suit up.”

He slapped the face of the Time Travel GPS. The twenty-five who received one all did.

The suit came out of the Time Travel GPS everyone wore on their wrist or hoof. It materialized from it, the seamless Stark Nanotechnology enveloping each individuals’ unique body structure. From pony to human, raccoon and Groot, Kree, Inhuman, and even cyborg. All watched and felt as the suit covered their bodies and sealed them tight from the dangers that the Quantum Realm held. Mack, May, Piper, Davis, and Shuri backed aside and gazed in amazement to them all. The following seconds were filled with stunned and awe-filled silence, each and every last one of them observing their arms, legs, and the suit that covered them.

The Quantum Suits were white, black, and red in color. Small lights glowed upon the shoulder blades, the large black Avengers symbol plastered on everyone’s left breast and both shoulders. Carol and Daisy checked themselves out, Carol twisting back to gaze to her backside, Daisy doing the same. Both turned back, smiling and nodding to each other. While others continued to observe themselves, Scott Lang took a moment to make an important announcement. It was so important that he had to shout over the crowd.

“Okay, really important!” Scott said, earning several heads and waiting until the room died down considerably before continuing. “These suits are gonna run on Pym Particles! You need to be very careful when handling the vials, because the ones we have are all we got! We lose those, and we lose altogether! It’s over! Is that clear?”

“Stick the vials in the suits and don’t break ‘em,” Carol repeated in a manner everyone could understand. Short and simple and to the point. She had her arms crossed, a smirk growing across her lips as she eyed Scott humorously. “You make it sound so hard.”

Scott eyed Danvers momentarily, holding out his palms and stating, “I’m just a little on edge.”

“Oh, Ms. Natchios,” Tony called out, earning Elektra’s attention and bringing her eyes away from her own suit. Together, she and Matt gazed to Stark, listening intently as he asked, “Are you absolutely sure about going, because you are not obligated to by any means?”

For a moment, Elektra was caught. Her undying guilt was strong enough to push her down, but the beating heart of her old love was enough to keep her strong. Her faith, her fury, and her fight were more than enough motivations. Matthew was more than that, though. He was her flame. She held Matt’s hand, saying “I’m not going to leave you be any longer. Your fight is mine… for our world as well as every life.”

Steve nodded to that, turned to Elektra and met her eyes. Stated just as proudly for everyone to hear, “This one’s for every life.”

Thor tightened his facial muscles at that, laying a heavy palm on Steve’s shoulder. “For every life,” he grunted, meeting Steve’s eyes with his teary one.

One by one, that statement alone filled the armory, emanating in power with each resounding declaration. Until that statement was all that was heard in the facility, growing louder again and again and again. Until every life shouted it and declared it in one resounding, “For every life!”

They were dismissed shortly after, everyone returning to duty.

Not everyone. A pair of individuals—even if they didn’t know it or see each other while doing so—found themselves gravitating towards a certain unicorn. That unicorn just so happened to be Tempest Shadow, the mare observing her back and the Quantum Suit that covered it. An innocent and polite cough caused the pony’s ear to flick, Tempest shifting around to gaze onto the warming smile of Queen Shuri of Wakanda.

“I know you don’t want the support, but…” Shuri began to explain, pausing only to reveal what her hands were hiding behind her back. On further examination, Tempest made it out to be a jagged, silver shard, glinting under the light of the armory like a precious stone. Tempest hardened her brow at that, lifting her eyes to meet Shuri’s. “I couldn’t help but notice that you seem to missing a little… ‘important’ component just for your head.”

Before Tempest could even digest the meaning of her words, the unicorn shot back when the soft growls could be heard behind her. And there, standing with his teeth barred, Rocket Raccoon shot out his claw and the curved blade he held in it, pointing a finger to Shuri and shouting, “Hey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?! I was gonna give her a shard to stick on her horn!”

Tempest’s eyes shot open. Wider than ever before. She held her breath…

“A shard?” Tempest breathed again, flicking her head back and forth between both opposite parties. She rested her eyes on Shuri when she asked, “A shard of what?”

“This is a piece of vibranium my brother held so long ago. It was lying in his ashes when I… when I finally found him,” Shuri explained, struggling a tad with that last sentence. Gulping down her prolonged cries and tears, she breathed a shiver then forced a smile her way. Remaining strong for her allies. “After I learned that you would be here… I just thought you would like a replacement so you don’t have to overwork yourself. Sunset mentioned to me of what you went through at Nidavellir prior.”

The growing disbelief and warmth filling Tempest’s normally cold and empty chest suddenly transformed into fury. That fury sent a heated glare across the room to the unicorn in question, Sunset whistling and looking away innocently.

Rocket sighed, bouncing the metal shard in his claw. “Well, speaking of Nidavellir, I got this Uru shard here after Eitri gave it to me as payment. And I don’t know what I was gonna do with it; maybe make a bomb or a knife, but… I feel like you need it a hell of a lot more than me.”

That alone was hard enough for Rocket to give up what he rightfully earned. Yet after seeing Tempest Shadow struggle with spells that Twilight or Rarity handled without even breaking a sweat for years, maybe there was a part of him that wasn’t completely asshole-ish. After all, if it wasn’t for Tempest that day in Nidavellir… they wouldn’t have gotten Stormbreaker or off that forge for that matter. Rocket gripped the Uru metal one last time, breathing in sharply… then softly exhaling. He held out his claw and offered it fully, no bargains and no holding back. Just a sure-fire gift from him to her.

And Tempest didn’t take it. Not at first, because all that Rocket or Shuri saw from the unicorn was a fumbling, almost nervous wreck. Her lower jaw shivered, eyes darting to and fro, back and forth, and anywhere except where the shards were. It was a far cry from the hardened warrior they knew her to be, Rocket sending a raised brow up to Shuri for an explanation. She had none. They simply had to wait for her to answer on her own terms.

“Well, I…” Tempest stammered, heart beating rapidly and chest expanding and deflating with rejuvenated vigor. “I-I… I can’t take… two.”

“Why not both?” Shuri suggested, smirking.

Rocket tilted his head towards her alongside Tempest. “You serious?” the raccoon asked.

“Simple procedure,” Shuri said, smiling warmly onto the unicorn. “But I think I can make something really special for you.”

Then the silence permitted, both parties allowing Tempest to be the final word of action to their deeds. They needed her confirmation before they could even think about proceeding, and to their growing dismay, all they saw from Tempest was a look of utter uncertainty and disbelief. The disbelief of how anyone or any creature would want to help her in the slightest fix something as menial as her horn when there was far more hanging on the line. And uncertainty for how exactly she could proceed. If Tempest had been the same pony six years ago, still under the wing of Storm King’s armada, she wouldn’t have hesitated to take that of which she most desired. For every nation she plundered, every city she burned, and every life she took… all of it was just for her master to restore her horn.

Now, six years later and that opportunity was offered to her on a silver platter… and Tempest didn’t even move. A part of her had moved on, became good, looked to better herself without the need of a horn and instead focused on helping others. Instead of destroying nations, she liberated them, helped rebuild them alongside Twilight Sparkle and the ponies that were once her enemies. Never once in those six years did she imagine having that old desire return to her. She felt as if she didn’t need it. But Tempest would certainly call herself a liar if she didn’t miss having a horn grace her forehead, that assurance that she had another line of defense to help her and those close to her. That assurance died the day the Ursa Minor sliced the horn right from her face, taking a chunk of skin near her eye with it.

There she was. Tempest Shadow, given the opportunity to fix all of that, find that desire, and become whole again. She showed every inch of her disbelief with burning tears at the edges of her eyes and the stammering tone escaping her whispers.

“Why does my horn matter so much to you?” she asked. Lifting those tear-filled eyes, Tempest met both Shuri and Rocket, spinning around completely when she heard that familiar and friendly cough earn her attention.

Twilight stepped forward with the rest of her friends, from Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight Glimmer, Maud Pie, Derpy Hooves, and even Sunset Shimmer. All of them stood before Tempest, all of them smiling to her and holding that resounding comradery and respect for their friend. Twilight declared, “Because you matter to us, Tempest. After everything you’ve done… let us do something for you.”

“Anything to get our team working one hundred percent,” Rocket added, arms crossed as he leaned against the nearest wall. Tempest turned to him…

Turned to Shuri…

And for the first time in a long time… smiled. Really smiled.

New Avengers Facility, Medical Bay

2:10 p.m.

The procedure went by faster than anyone really expected. Even for Rocket and Shuri, the surgical implementation was rather simple. The hardest part came when they forged the two shards together.

Together, they helped to craft a vibranium/Uru horn for Tempest, Asgardian runes painting the curved edge of the vibranium weaves. Tempest was given no anesthetics, no drugs, no nothing. She wanted to be awake every second to see her horn being crafted and merged with her. She needed her magic to bond with it, to see if it would become a suitable replacement. The moment of truth finally came, Tempest holding her breath and watching as Shuri used the nearby medical machines to levitate the new horn towards her forehead.

Towards her shattered horn.

With Tempest lying back-first against the medical table, the machines of the New Avengers Facility aiding the two in their work, all of it simply allowed Shuri and Rocket to connect the new horn onto the unicorn. It was curved in shape, much like the Uru originally was. However, the base of the vibranium proved to be the foundation of the horn, considering the Asgardian metal would be the most unstable against its equine host as Thor suggested. Her magic would easily flow throughout the vibranium, be enhanced by the Uru, and escape to her command. Without pain ever again.

That was the theory, of course. When they finally connected it, made the appropriate securement as they sealed her natural horn with the replacement from the machines’ lasers… it was complete. It was finally time to test it out.

Meanwhile, a growing crowd of concerned individuals and friends paced back and forth, sat nearby, or simply waited where they stood just outside the medical bay doors. Even they were surprised when those doors finally opened, the surgery having only been occurring for less than thirty minutes. Most of that time was spent forging the two shards into one. But they stepped out of the medical bay all the same, every eye finally able to gaze onto the final state of Tempest Shadow’s new horn.

She was the one to lead the pack, Rocket smirking with his arms crossed. Shuri smiled, as well, both great minds quite pleased with themselves and their work. Their eyes turned to the unicorn that was the center of everyone’s attention, every eye falling onto the large, curved, and glowing horn joining Tempest once more. Finally reunited. Finally made whole after years and years of having become so utterly empty and broken.

Not anymore. Tempest Shadow held that same gleaming smile, closing her eyes as the magic from the base of her old horn swirled upwards and shimmered into her new horn. The vibranium glowed a radiant blue, the Asgardian runes radiating the same color until the very curved tip was glowing. From that magic, swirls of blue coated Tempest’s body until she was literally floating from the ground, a simple levitation spell but an achievement nonetheless for Tempest Shadow.

That achievement showed itself as Tempest cut off the spell with a flash of light and hit the ground, breathing rapidly with a satisfied and excited smile proudly adorned on her face.

Her friends instantly swarmed her, congratulating Tempest and admiring her new horn with strong hugs all around, patting her backside and congratulating her for completing her first actual spell on the fly. Thor smiled from where he stood, giving Tempest a thumbs-up in the distance. Tony and Steve both smiled warmly to the scene of the mares hugging their friend, Tempest unable to contain her smile or her own tears. It was almost enough to get them both misty. No time for that, however. They turned around and got back to work. Like many of them did.

“Gotta tell ya,” Sunset exclaimed, taking a seat on the nearby bench right next to Daisy and pointing over to the crowd surrounding Tempest. Pointing to Tempest. “That is a breath of fresh air.”

Daisy Johnson lifted her eyes to the mare on her left, smirking once before settling her gaze to the heartwarming sight before her. Her smirk slowly fell, that darkening sense of unease clouding Daisy’s heart and mind. She settled forward, shakily whispering with her elbows resting on her knees. “Yeah, I’m still trying to find that myself.”

Sunset tilted her head her way. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

It took a second for Daisy to breathe herself into submission, her gloved-palms lacing together and hands gripping onto one another. She said, “I’m afraid… if we do this… if we somehow manage to bring everybody back… then maybe I can still have a chance to save Coulson. Just a chance…”

She reached into her gauntlet, revealing the Centipede Serum she kept all those years. Sunset’s eyes enlarged when she stared onto the glowing orange liquid within the small vial, her ears flicking in Daisy’s direction when she began to speak again.

“I was too late last time… and Thanos took him from me. But if that chance is still alive, then maybe Coulson can be, too,” Daisy explained softly. She slipped the serum back into her silver gauntlet for safekeeping, Daisy leaning forward and sighing. “I’m not religious, Sunset… but I’ll tell you now that I’m praying that all of this is going to be worth it.”

“It will be. And don’t worry,” Sunset told her, playfully punching Daisy’s shoulder. “You may have stayed away from what really mattered. You may have sat on the sidelines and before you knew it… it was too late to change what happened. When you see Phil again… just don’t hesitate. Don’t stay out of the fight.”

Daisy smiled her way, nodding. “I’ll keep that in mind, Sunset.”

She wasn’t the only one. Though her words were meant to ease the agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avenger of her worries, all it really did was amplify Sunset Shimmer’s own. Staying out of the fight was one of Sunset’s biggest regrets five years ago in Wakanda. While the others stood against Thanos and his tyranny, even as he gained the last Infinity Stone, there was Sunset, standing on the sidelines alongside Starlight and Spike. She hardly imagined she could have made a difference either way, but doing something rather than nothing would have proved to herself that Sunset was willing to do whatever it took to ensure victory. Even if they lost, Sunset would still have that assurance that she did whatever it took.

She gazed to Twilight and Rainbow chatting and praising Tempest for her new horn. Sunset carefully caressed her geode with the tip of her hoof, staring only to them, to their forced smiles onto Tempest and to one another. While Sunset was willing to take the necessary steps to ensure victory, there were others that still refused to. More importantly, she knew that Twilight and Rainbow couldn’t hide from it forever. They needed to face the fight ahead as a team or not at all.

Whether they wanted to or not.

Sunset’s hoof pressed firmly over her heart, over her geode. Whatever it took…

Chapter 123 – Old Scars

123

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

2:15 p.m.

Tony Stark was one of the last ones inside the hangar bay, joining the already clustered work zone with three certain mares trailing him. “How far are we along on the Quantum Tunnel?” he pointed out, finger directed to the massive time machine in the heart of the hangar bay.

Observing Rainbow Dash and Rarity testing out their new Iron Mare armor by flying around the towering expanse of the hangar bay, Twilight just chuckled and shook her head. Her Arc Reactor burned brightly just over her heart, her own nanotech suit retracted and stored safely in the Arc Reactor until it was needed. The others didn’t share her mindset and gleefully hovered and flew about above everyone’s heads.

Twilight managed to turn away and focus ahead, responding with, “We’re almost there. Just need to sync the suits in with the navigational control consoles, run a couple more diagnostics on the quantum energy, a test run, and then we’re good to go.”

The two paused just in front of the Quantum Tunnel, gazing to the size and scale of their astounding achievement. They could see Rocket tinkering beneath it with a hammer while Shuri spoke with Scott Lang and Bruce Banner near the control console, setting the coordinates and destinations in with the Time Travel GPSes. High above, they could see Carol Danvers adjusting the machinations above the machine with Friday, both hovering about and scanning for any malfunctions. Thankfully, there was none, and they could work on perfecting the time machine. Others were nearby or far-off readying themselves for the journey ahead, adjusting their weapons, armor, suits, anything they needed for the trip down memory lane. Rhodes helped Castle bring out the Punisher Armor, Frank admiring it while James settled it upon the hangar floor and began to operate on the suit, checking for any malfunctions. Others began to pile in, the noise in the facility rising with growing anticipation, apprehension, and most of all… excitement.

Especially from Twilight. “We’re actually going to do this,” Twilight whispered shakily, Stark turning down her way. The Alicorn practically shivered where she stood, that rising smile continuously growing and vanishing from her lips once the possibilities consumed her mind. All of it eventually overshadowed by the overwhelming reality of seeing her friends and family again. That alone brought that bright and burning smile back to her face. “I can’t believe it.”

“Change your mind about leaving Earth tonight yet?” Tony asked, hands in his pockets.

Then her smile faded, but only momentarily. “If things go according to plan… Yeah, I think we can start planning the next steps somewhere safe. Somewhere where all of us can be.”

By her words, Tony could assume she meant more than just the current roster of heroes within the facility. A lot more. Perhaps those that were taken by an unholy and unjust Snap five years ago. Certainly, Twilight was correct in the sense that they needed to start planning the next phase once they brought everyone back. That was a definite. There was no possible way Stark could live with himself if they failed now. There was no turning back. There was no lying down or giving in with how far they came. And when they did it, when they went back to the past to face the unknown dangers that lied within it, when they retrieved the Infinity Stones and brought them back to their time to snap their fingers, then they could rest. Rest knowing they did it.

Then they could look forward to whatever came next.

“Tony…”

A moment of peace between Tony and Twilight and then it was back to work. Back to focusing on other matters at hand and hoof. Turning about to face that recognizable voice, both witnessed none other than Sunset Shimmer slowly approaching the duo. More so, she approached Stark with a widened and breathless look, almost apprehensive in a sense, as if every step for her physically wounded or damaged her in some way. Neither one picked up on it by the time it was too late, both Stark and Sparkle turning fully to face her.

“Oh, Sunset, so glad you could join us,” Tony said, hand held out to the Quantum Tunnel behind him. “Or are you just about to get back to work on the Quantum Tunnel?”

It was too fast for him to react properly in time. Igniting her horn a brilliant red, Sunset focused on Stark’s left arm, consuming it within her aura and bringing his palm forwards and open to her. Without warning, she shot out her right hoof and touched him, open palm to the bottom of her hoof and held there for just three seconds. Three seconds for the real world and the reality they were caught in… but several, several minutes for Sunset Shimmer with what she saw.

The geode shimmered a bright orange and red around her neck.

Then a blinding whiteness filled Sunset’s eyes.

It was three seconds until Tony gasped and cried out, stumbling away and clutching his chest, his heart. He nearly fell had it not been for a certain rainbow Pegasus zooming down and catching Tony at the right moment. The entire hangar bay practically froze, that unnerving silence filling every soul as the work halted and their attention centered on the heated confrontation beginning to boil near the front of the Quantum Tunnel.

Twilight stood aghast, jaw practically hitting the floor after witnessing Sunset’s rash and protruding actions play forth before her. Before every eye. Only she wasn’t focused on the scene she had created. Sunset Shimmer gazed solely to the bottom of her right hoof, her chest rising and falling sporadically while the redness in her eyes nearly consumed the tears that leaked out of it. Nearly.

“I knew it,” she whispered under a shaking breath.

With Rainbow backing away and letting Tony stand on his own merit, Stark once more clutched his heart and faced the unicorn. “What the hell was that? What did you do?” he gasped.

“Sunset, why would you do that?” Twilight questioned, the offended scoff leaving her muzzle once the frown emerged on her features. “You didn’t even ask for Tony’s permission!”

Her harsh questioning didn’t even seem to affect Sunset in the slightest. She seemed dazed, lost in her own world while the rest of it around her was practically numb, nothing but the voices barely reaching her. “I’m done asking for permission,” she finally responded, somehow managing to look away from her hoof and face the accusing stares from everyone in the room. “I can’t sit on the sidelines anymore… and by the looks of it, I think I made the right choice.”

“I’m sorry, but how is peering into someone’s personal memories without consent the right choice in this matter?” Rarity declared, hoof outstretched frantically to the ceiling.

Sunset turned to Rarity, breathed and said, “Because he wouldn’t have admitted it otherwise.”

“Admitted what?” Twilight pushed, taking a step closer to Sunset.

“What they both need to admit…” Sunset whispered sharply through her heavy breaths. Slowly, she lifted her hardened and accusing eyes in a certain direction dead ahead, jabbing her hoof in that direction and focusing every eye in the room towards the pair of individuals she was referring to. To Tony Stark and Rainbow Dash.

“What he did to her,” Sunset finished, her tone harsh.

“What’s going on?” Barton’s voice arose, an army following him. That army consisted of Thor, Natasha, Scott, Carol, Murdock, Elektra, Starlight, Tempest, Derpy from where she flew, Nebula, and Groot. Others sat or stood further away but listened in, waited for what would occur. Steve Rogers stood in the distance, away from all others, gazing not onto Sunset Shimmer but to where she pointed. To Rainbow Dash.

With the silence persisting, Sunset turned to Tony Stark.

“You wanna say it?” she asked. Several seconds later, and not even a response. He just stood there and breathed. “No? Fine… Seven years ago… back during the crisis with the Avengers Civil War, Twilight told me as much as she could about the conflict. But I could always tell she was holding something back, something more, like it was too deep or too personal for one of her best friends and pupils to actually know. One of those things just so happened to be the confrontation in Siberia.”

Tony took a step towards her, palm outstretched as he stated loudly, “Okay, I think you need to slow down, Sun—”

Her magic enveloped his legs, sliding him across the floor and away from her in less than a heartbeat. The room flinched at that action, turning rapidly from Sunset to Tony, almost ready to act if things escalated. Thankfully, they didn’t, and Sunset assured that by stating clearly to Stark, “Don’t interrupt me again, Tony.”

Her voice was clear, concise, every syllable laid forth and fully willing to be backed. Tony didn’t move, didn’t speak out. He stood still like all the others and waited to listen again. Even if he dreaded every second of it.

Sunset continued, her eyes slowly trailing away from Stark. “Aside… from trying to kill James Barnes after hearing what he did to his parents, Tony was fully willing to go through anything and anyone that got in his way. Twilight knows this to be Captain America… as well as herself. But I don’t think any of you realize who else Tony fought through to get to Barnes…”

Twilight’s brows slowly heightened, her mouth falling and not a single breath escaping her lips.

“Sunset…” Tony whispered, his voice practically begging when he knew that nothing else could be done to stop her. He knew what was coming and it made it all the more painful to see that reality crash down upon the innocent. Upon those who heard not the truth and were spared of it. He didn’t turn to Rainbow Dash. He didn’t have that strength. He eyed Sunset Shimmer, eyes burning for her mercy. “Please…”

Yet she didn’t hold back. She no longer stood on the sidelines, kept away from the fight.

Whatever it took… Sunset would help seal the wounds.

“What I saw in Tony’s memories… was Rainbow Dash, for the moment, being that last line of defense to save Barnes’ life. And Tony… He just pushed right through her. Broke her wing… said the biggest mistake he ever made was letting her into his world.”

She turned to Twilight when she said it. “That she was nothing without Twilight.”

And there it was, laid out for all to absorb and consume, even if it hurt like hell. For the mares especially, Rarity gasping with a hoof placed over her agape mouth. Starlight did the same. Derpy placed both hooves to contain her gasps, tears leaking at the edges of her crossed eyes as she hovered just above Tempest and Maud. Both mares slowly turned to Tony Stark, Shadow slowly glaring with Maud holding that emotionless condemnation. Then there was Twilight, possibly the worst of them all as she stared with rising disbelief and hurt onto the Iron Man. Tears welled up in her eyes, as if she couldn’t even fathom the words Sunset was uttering, the words she claimed to have spoken to one of her best friends.

Rainbow was frozen, unable to speak, move, or breathe.

“I won’t judge you all for what happened that day so many years ago,” Sunset continued, pained to see those harmonious gasps and tears fill each pony she called her friend, especially those expressions of shock filling the Avengers. She stood strong and continued all the same. She needed to. “But if we want to save the universe and bring back trillions of lives, then we need to stop lying to ourselves and saying we’re fine, we’re a team, we can do this together. When I look at you two, what I see is that pain that never went away, that deep, dark wound that was never treated and will never be healed unless you face it.”

Sunset stamped her hoof on the concrete floor, raised her chin and stared solely to Tony Stark and Rainbow Dash. “So, what’s it gonna be?” she asked aloud, eyes hard and unforgiving for the time being, the mare finally bringing order amongst the chaos. “Are we doing this as a team or not at all?”

She let them decide. It was hard, one of the hardest things Sunset ever forced herself to accomplish, but she did it. One of the many trials and tribulations that remained for the unicorn to ensure their future and trillions of lives were safe and secured. One of those things that followed was letting them take those next necessary steps, letting them make that choice of whether or not they were fully committed to saving the universe and themselves. Each other. But that was the danger of it, not even knowing if they had what it took to face one another, that pent-up grudge each held and convinced themselves neither truly contained any longer. They were buried under years of deceit not only to those around them, but onto themselves. Now with the dirt spread away and the light shining in everyone’s eyes… all they needed to do was crawl out and face it head-on.

But Sunset was afraid they weren’t even capable of doing that. For several seconds, leading into a full minute, that same fear riddled her so. Heads swiveled about, eyes resting from one individual to another, all eventually falling down onto the center of the heated conflict. Until eventually, painfully, one spoke out amongst the silence, arose from the darkness and faced the light.

“Rainbow…”

She turned to him. They all did. When Tony faced that light, it burned like hell.

The man who burned slowly shook his head, staring ominously to the floor as the overbearing and painful silence battered him down and begged for him to fall back into the darkness. He fought against it, pushed out of the dark like it was a cave and entered the blinding yellow of the desert sun. “Did I wish for something to happen? Did I always want one of us to hopefully forget what happened that day? Hell yeah. But now I see…” Stark muttered, his eyes elsewhere and seeing the pain of the past while his voice spoke of other tragedies, “… that we can’t turn away from this. Even if it felt like a thousand years ago… you know, none of us want to go back. Neither of us want to face it. I can’t blame you if you don’t.”

He faced her with that same strength he used to rise up and fight his way to freedom. Right out of the cave and out of the darkness. He faced Rainbow Dash with the strength he needed but couldn’t provide, unable to stare into her rose-rimmed irises for much longer before he could finally break.

“No.”

Stark gasped quietly, containing his breathing patterns and listening steadily. Nothing else mattered. It was as if there were no others surrounding them, no other soul to witness what pain and boiling blood separated them and kept them skewed from one another. It was just them. Just Tony Stark and Rainbow Dash responding with that firm and solid no.

And she didn’t stop, shaking her head to Tony’s declaration. “No, we need to, Tony. For everything you’ve done for us, everything we’ve done together, standing together against Thanos and losing together all the same. Even with what we’ve managed to build since then… all of it done in bad blood. I don’t want that anymore. I don’t want to have to… look at you and just see pain. For seven years, that’s all I’ve been seeing. Please, Tony, I don’t want to see that anymore!”

Rainbow Dash was a mare who hardly expressed what was needed, hardly showed the deeper, more intimate emotions. But right then, when faced with the overwhelming agonies and torment of the past, all of that blood poured forth and escaped through her breath, through her heart, through her tears as she exclaimed every syllable, cried every statement, and told Tony Stark that enough was enough. For her sake, and the sake of the team… he felt exactly the same.

“No hard feelings?” Tony asked, his body shivering.

Rainbow gulped, her eyelids twitching and that single tear sliding down her cheek. “No hard feelings.”

That was as far as they got.

Tony fell to one knee. Rainbow flew into his arms. It was as far as they got before the tears came flowing freely and beyond their control.

“I’m sorry, Rainbow,” Tony whispered, soothing her heavy whimpers with his heavy breaths and the touch of his palm on the back of her head and mane. “I’m sorry for ever making you feel lesser than your friends, that you were never welcome here.”

His words were like daggers into her heart, every truth piercing deeper and wounding her more. But unlike previously, those wounds were instantly healed, the pain filled with the warmth and the agony finally being soothed. It was as if the greatest weight she carried on her shoulders was suddenly lifted, Rainbow Dash gasping a cry so profound that she couldn’t contain that tears that followed. Despite the wall she had built to trap herself, she wasn’t strong enough for that.

“I’m sorry about your parents…” Rainbow cried, holding him tight and burying her face in his shoulder. She closed her eyes tight and said it. “I’m sorry for everything.”

It was as if the two of them weren’t the only ones feeling that heavy burden be released from them. Nearly every Avenger who held that personal and unnerving connection between the two of them, knew their history and what befell the team and their friendship all felt that guilt leave. From Twilight Sparkle, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton, Rarity, and Starlight Glimmer, they all slowly smiled to the warming sight of the two finally becoming one. Finally putting the pain of the past behind them and healing it in the process. Finally becoming a team once again.

Steve stared at her, at them rekindling. His expression was harder than ever, arms crossed as he eyed Rainbow Dash cautiously. With the burden she carried alongside Stark finally being lifted and forgiven, all that left was one thing. She was almost ready…

They broke away, Tony rising and Rainbow sniffling before rubbing a foreleg across her snout. “All right… I think we’re good now. No more water works,” Dash commented, rubbing her eyes to get rid of any lingering tears.

She felt a soft and warming presence on her right, turning to it and smiling. Twilight raised her hoof and laid it on Rainbow’s wither. The Alicorn smiled through the flowing tears, rubbing her own and declaring, “I’m so proud of you. Both of you… showed tremendous courage. I couldn’t have been prouder to see that and know—”

Twilight’s voice was silenced the moment the hoof was laid on her shoulder.

Rainbow’s smile vanished when she felt the other hoof press firmly against her shoulder.

They both turned and saw Sunset Shimmer standing before them, hooves pressed against them, her eyes as white as snow and jaw agape with shock. Upon her chest, over her heart, her geode hovered and shimmered a brilliant red and orange. Just like what happened when she touched Tony. The room flinched at that, shielding their eyes and backing away as that blinding light from the geode nearly filled the entire hangar bay. Far brighter than when she touched Tony. Far brighter than ever before…

Then she broke away, cried out and stumbled aside to gaze to the floor in shock. Twilight and Rainbow fell in that immediate category, each mare breathing harshly, heavily, disbelief in all of their expressions as every eye in the room once more fell on Sunset Shimmer.

Steve’s arms fell. He took a step forward, hardened gaze narrowing on the scene and waiting.

“What did you do?” Rainbow asked, clutching her chest and turning accusingly to her.

Sunset just shook her head, hoof slowly rising to clutch her geode as she firmly established her stance, her gaze rising to both Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash. And she saw it like in the pair of memories, that single fracture between them, that final wound that refused to heal.

She narrowed her gaze, frowned to them and said, “I’m not doing anything… you two are.”

Chapter 124 – Can You Remember?

124

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility, Interrogation Room

2:32 p.m.

“This is so stupid,” Rainbow Dash groaned as she leaned back against her chair, the legs balancing on two instead of four.

Twilight’s lips curled into a bemused frown. Surrounding them was a room cloaked in shadows, the lone lamplight above their heads enlightening the table that separated them and the chairs they sat upon. The world outside of their bubble, their conversation, was irrelevant. Everything outside the room they were in was completely shut away as Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash were the only living inhabitants in the interrogation room. Hardly used to being alone with each other, the Avengers situated the room so either mare could be standing on equal ground, neither one of them feeling like they were interrogating the other. No windows in the room. The door was locked, sealed tight, keeping them from escaping.

Neither mare would have been fully willing to escape either way. The only reason they chose to stay together in the interrogation room was because Sunset Shimmer and the Avengers convinced them of it, Steve being particularly supportive of Sunset’s decision. He made it clear that Twilight and Rainbow had some things to sort out between them, and he joined the many others who stood outside that door and waited for them. They could tell every last one of them were listening in to their conversation even if the Avengers didn’t want to admit it, which alone wasn’t comforting.

Unfortunately, they didn’t really have a choice to leave. Not until whatever was troubling them was situated. Whatever that was still remained as a pestering thought on Twilight’s mind, even as Rainbow declared, “Like, what did she even mean that we had something to work out? All we need to do is get the Quantum Tunnel working and we’re good to go! All we’re doing in here is wasting time!”

“Well, Sunset won’t let us go until we’ve figured it out,” Twilight sighed, hoof falling from her chin to slap against the table. Her eyes traced it. “Got no help from Steve or Tony… or anyone else, really. They didn’t object.”

Rainbow snorted, crossing her forelegs and turning away to the camera gazing down to them. “They seemed pretty on board.”

As her eyes shifted upwards, Twilight, too, saw the camera’s eyes centered on the table and the two mares sitting on opposite ends, facing one another. Her lips tightened to that, rising a curious brow before both deflated. Twilight sighed once more, leaning forward and laying both hooves on the table and stating, “We’re in here for a reason, Rainbow.”

“And what would that be?” Dash replied, shifting her head back to the Alicorn.

Twilight’s consciousness centered to the heart of the equation, the root of their troubles and looking even deeper than that. Turning to that side of her, Twilight recalled just what Sunset Shimmer witnessed while her geode’s magic infused with Twilight and Rainbow, each mare witnessing a conjoined flash of memories. All painful. All of which needed to be seen.

Reaching that conclusion, Twilight shook her head and raised both hooves to her mouth, eyes falling below Rainbow’s line of sight. “Even when we both don’t want to admit it… I’m pretty sure we both saw what Sunset saw,” Twilight explained softly.

It took a few seconds for Rainbow to recall those memories, the reason as to why they were held against their will in an interrogation room to begin with. Once she found that reasoning, Rainbow just scoffed. “Why would that be an issue? We forgave each other, Twi. There’s nothing left. No grudge, no…”

Only she couldn’t finish that statement. All of her words simply failed her when Twilight lifted her eyes and connected with hers. It was as clear as could be. No humor and all reality. No deceit and all truth. No weakness and all pain. Twilight Sparkle expressed every inch of that with her facial features alone, from every quivering lip and eyelid to the shaking breaths and spoken tongue.

Especially when she shook her head. “You can’t honestly sit there and tell me that now,” she whispered, voice in agonizing torment.

Dash’s expression crumbled after that, the stoic virtue practically caving in on itself when Rainbow’s own strength was turned against her, her own words being nothing but that against the cold, hard truth between them. Beaten and broken down, Rainbow Dash turned away, shutting her eyes as she took in several cautious breaths to steady herself. She closed her eyes, only one visible through her manecut. The other burned, but she didn’t show that.

What she did show was something much more impactful. “Everything you’ve done for our country… I can’t… hold a grudge against you,” Rainbow admitted, turning back and seeing her red eyes join Twilight’s.

Listening as Twilight’s words trumped Dash’s own for that impact.

“Who said it was only you?” Twilight whispered.

Nothing for several minutes on end. No retort, no rebuttal, nothing for Rainbow Dash to utilize promptly and presently to support herself and her failing barriers. Knowing those barriers held no ground to rise upon due to her inability to understand her own mindset. She and Twilight helped to rebuild Equestria, Twilight doing more work than Rainbow could have possibly imagined. While rebuilding the military was no easy feat, Twilight had it far worse. She had to run the nation from the ground up, reconstruct Canterlot, hold stable relations with failing economic and social bonds between Earth and Equus. How could Rainbow ever hold a grudge against somepony so selfless?

It was just as easy for Twilight to do the same.

Both ponies knew what they had done, both mere months prior and even years to the point where they could hear their own heartbeats in their ears. The room was deathly silent, the subtle, shaking breaths from both mares filling the air. In that silence, they thought only of each other, wondering how that grudge, that wound could still be evident after all the years they spent working together, living together, rebuilding their home together… It went far deeper than either realized, both mares slowly coming to that conclusion but neither fully willing to embrace and act upon it. Neither one of them had the strength to look to it and the trouble that lied between them.

“Can you remember…”

So… she didn’t.

Rainbow Dash lifted her eyes to the arising voice in the room, belonging to the only other beating heart. And Twilight Sparkle sat in her chair, appearing so utterly small that Rainbow almost couldn’t even reassemble the same figurehead that belonged to the ruler of Equestria. Instead, it was replaced by a shaking, terrified, utterly broken mare. Each and every syllable was painful for her, yet warm at the same time, ignoring what was meant to be said and focusing only on what came to her mind, what came to her heart…

She recited everything that pumped within it. “… when you and Applejack raced each other in that Iron Pony competition? The Running of the Leaves… both of you so hotheaded and enthusiastic to take home the medal?”

It was certainly an odd memory to bring forth, so odd in fact that Rainbow Dash broke away from her heated and conflicting thoughts to focus only on it. On that simple, happy memory. Her forelegs remained crossed, her hardened barrier still barely standing. Yet there was a crack, a breach, something that earned Twilight’s rising hope and filled it with warmth when she heard Rainbow chuckle.

“Only for you to swoop in and beat us both?” Rainbow weakly laughed, shaking her head and staring to the floor. “Yeah… Yeah, that was something.”

Twilight did not know as to why she brought up that old memory. It held no meaning to their current situation, no plausible connection to help forge their friendship into what it once was. The only reason Twilight could find as to why she even mentioned it… was that it reminded her of simpler times. Easier times, back when all they had to worry about in Ponyville were mere athletic feuds and overdo library books. Things changed. Things became darker, colder, pushing each mare away from each other as the real world dragged them with it. She just needed something to remind her of where she started, of what still brought her some semblance of happiness.

And she wasn’t alone.

Rainbow breathed in slowly, refusing to turn from where she stared and simply speaking her mind. The first thing that came to it. “Can you remember… when you said you got a warning from your future self? Turned all of Ponyville into fear-induced lunatics trying to prevent this great catastrophe that was never real?”

Twilight was relieved to see Rainbow sharing some similar, warming memories. Not everything was forgotten. A smile crept its way onto Twilight’s lips. “A shame time travel isn’t that easy,” Twilight giggled, shaking her head and looking aside. “But yeah… that was pretty embarrassing.”

It didn’t stop. They didn’t stop.

“Remember when we went to the Crystal Empire trying to impress the Equestria Games Inspector… only for her to just be some random pony on vacation?” Rainbow mentioned, smirking on her end to see Twilight groan to that.

Twilight laid a hoof over her face, failing to conceal her smile as she shook her head. “Gosh, I don’t even wanna remember that. That was sooo bad.”

They laughed. It was comforting, a little pep to their hearts that both ponies desperately needed. Though it was only felt between them, the sudden adjustment to their conversation, attitudes, and emotions as a whole made a world of a difference around them. The dreary gray in the room was thankfully being filled with resounding color and warmth just from their laughter alone, the smiles of two friends finally burning bright enough to light a nation.

“Remember when we got sucked into that comic book?” Twilight recalled between laughter. “Became superheroes… like Steve, Tony, Thor…?”

Rainbow breathed a chuckle and nodded, eyes slowly closing. “Aw, yeah… That was so awesome.”

Twilight’s pushed on after a moment of silence between the two, stating softly, “Remember when I helped you study for that Wonderbolt Reserve test?”

She shook her head to that, and Twilight’s smile nearly shattered. However, it was rejuvenated when Dash slowly grew a smile in return. “Never would’ve gotten into the Wonderbolts without your help,” Rainbow said, lifting her eyes and seeing Twilight smile once more. Their grins uniting, Rainbow’s widening. “Remember when the girls and I spruced up your old castle?”

That statement alone got a breath of release from the Alicorn, a heavy weight of woe laced around Twilight’s following moans. “You made it feel like a home,” she weakly stated, Rainbow’s smile slowly falling when she realized that she was crying. Twilight rubbed at her eye with the tip of her hoof, sniffling softly. “Remember when… you and I helped run that Wonderbolt Academy camp? We both had different ways of teaching… ways of learning… but we still helped them. Together, we still worked it out. For those upcoming Wonderbolts… for everypony that day.”

She nodded. “Another friendship problem down…” Rainbow led.

“Only a million to go,” Twilight finished, the two giggling in unison.

Her eyes fell following the quiet, letting that rising warmth fill the room for what it was worth and keep them entrapped in it for the time being. Helpful and pleasant memories were always welcome to cleanse the sickness of reality and uncertainty of the future. It only reminded Twilight of what awaited them, of what needed to be brought forth and accomplished if they had any hope of pursing that future.

“Can you remember when we first went to Earth?” Twilight asked.

Rainbow was dead silent.

Twilight did not find comfort in that following silence, unlike previously. She was bringing forth a topic neither one had a particular fondness with, but it was something that needed to be discussed. Perfectly winding it in with their happy memories in order for them to ease into it more willingly. She continued. “I don’t think I had ever been more excited in my entire life. Sure, we met some aliens just a year before that, fought in a war for the fate of our very existence, and now we’re ambassadors going to make the peace. Could’ve been Celestia, Luna… anypony else, but it wasn’t. It was us. Our world put us there because they trusted us.”

From the corner of her vision, Twilight could see Rainbow’s reaction to that. The growing frown, the unease from the Alicorn’s words. The Pegasus eventually closed her eyes and harshly breathed through her nostrils. But Twilight did not stop. She couldn’t now. “They trusted us because we represented that peace, that bond… that unification for friendship unlike anything or anyone else on our world.”

Rainbow shook her head and scoffed, “Yeah, maybe they were wrong.”

When she didn’t respond at first, it earned Rainbow’s attention. It earned her eyes to turn accordingly and face the Alicorn once again. And once again, she was dead silent, especially to the words that left her. “I think we were,” Twilight declared.

She hopped off her chair and continued, even more profound than before. “All this time ignoring it, pushing it under the rug and keeping it locked away like it never even existed. That’s not how friendship works. That’s why the Elements denied us. That’s why we lost that day five years ago. Not because we were tired, uncertain, or all of us weren’t connected to them… it was just us.”

Rainbow Dash’s lips quivered as Twilight finished that statement. The space between them was severed, broken as Twilight Sparkle made that jump and landed it. Her hoof rose and pressed against her chest, just over her Arc Reactor and even deeper than that. “Just you and me, Rainbow.”

“We forgave each other, though,” Rainbow choked, those hurtful cries making her voice strained, uneven, joining the tears starting to build up in her eyes. “I forgave you for where you stood that day.”

She approached the other side of the table. Every last barrier they had built between each other all came down in a thunderous chorus once Twilight found that connection, ignored the fear and faced the problem. She laid her hoof on Rainbow’s.

“I don’t think either of us were being completely honest with each other, Rainbow,” Twilight boldly preached, assuring Rainbow Dash with a calm and strengthening smile. “So, let’s start now.”

A single tear fell down Rainbow’s left eye.

“For everything I’ve done… for where I stood that day… for ignoring who I was, hurting my friends, hurting you… and trying to think it was anything else but us…” she began, stopping shortly to contain her own ragged breathing. Twilight began to visibly cry, joining Rainbow in that regard, but she didn’t care. She tightened her hoof over Rainbow’s and opened her heart. Fully.

“I’m sorry, Rainbow Dash. I’m so, so sorry. Friends should never have to fight one another over something so trivial as a misunderstanding. I’m sure if we had known that day… then maybe it could have ended differently. Maybe… trillions of lives would still be alive today. But they’re not. They can be, though. We can bring them all back, but only if we’re willing to forgive each other and ourselves. We need to right this wrong. We need to convince ourselves that we lost because we’re broken… and only together can we mend one another. To tell you the truth… I’ve never felt freer of that guilt than I do now. So… all that’s left is… just this.”

Her hoof tightened against Rainbow’s, shivering ever so slightly. “Can you forgive me?”

There it was, laid out fully and holding nothing back. She displayed her heart, her pain, every ounce of her emotional weight to her best friend and there was nothing of a response. None that she could see. All there could be was that shattered expression from the Pegasus, breathing in every second of Twilight’s full apology. No walls. No deceit. Every last syllable of the pure, authentic truth.

And that was enough.

“Only if you can forgive me… for all the dumb shit I’ve pulled off,” Rainbow exclaimed after a moment of struggle from her end. Twilight gasped out a chuckle, smiling wide through the tears leaking from her eyes. Rainbow continued, fought through every second of her own tears. “For standing against my friends for what they believed… for actually having the audacity to hurt them and you… but most of all… for acting like nothing happened. For acting like… everything happened for some other reason than this. For believing I forgave you.”

Twilight pulled her hoof away. She did so because Rainbow Dash hopped off her seat and met her best friend on equal grounds.

“And I’m sorry because of that,” she finished with a painful croak.

There was nothing held back any longer. They cried, solidifying their reformed friendship with a tearful hug. Under that lamplight, within the contained walls of the interrogation room of the New Avengers Facility, two souls finally found peace with themselves. With one another. After seven years of doubt, regret, grief, guilt, sleepless nights and tireless days… it was finally over. Their fight had ended and both stood together in the midst of the bloody and beaten battlefield shared between themselves. They stood together in peace.

Even as they broke apart, it was in peace, their hearts, their souls… finally finding ease with each other. It showed through the teary smiles and comforting gazes shared between both.

“You ready to do this?” the Element of Magic asked.

Rainbow sniffled and rubbed her nose with a foreleg, nodding fiercely through the tear-stained eyes and expression, the confident and cocky smile burning through it all. “Now more than ever,” the Element of Loyalty responded.

They exited the interrogation room, pretty much everyone outside waiting for them. Like shining beacons within the darkness, like lighthouses within the storm, they were met with an overwhelming sense of shared understanding and hope. From Rarity and the bunch that followed her, especially Sunset. They had seen everything they needed to from the cameras. They heard every second of that heartfelt apology each mare expressed. They saw their friendship finally rekindled. And all they could do was join them in that rekindling, each and every last mare sharing in a group hug. Even Maud. Even Tempest.

Even Twilight and Rainbow hugging one another within the bunch.

The crowd of Avengers surrounding them all smiled contently because of that. Amongst the crowd, Steve Rogers witnessed every second of their bond being reunited once again. Even as they came out of the room, all Steve could do was smile to that, knowing fully that they were finally ready to face the impossible as a team. Rainbow was finally ready… and his smile slowly fell because of that.

Steve knowing that what came next was always going to be the hardest.

Chapter 125 – Destiny Fulfilled

125

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

2:50 p.m.

Friendships were rekindled and the real war began. It began when the test run was a full-blown success.

With Clint returning with a baseball glove in tow, it was undeniable that the time machine was fully functional. The finishing touches were being added to the Quantum Tunnel before they could even attempt a larger, longer journey, however. Each and every Quantum Suit, every team, and every member were given exact coordinates on where to go, when to go, and how to do it. The syncing with the suits took the majority of the effort. Rocket, Scott, Tony, and Twilight merely tinkered around with the Quantum Tunnel while nearly everyone else was crowding around Mack, May, Banner, and Starlight on getting their suits synced up and situated.

Natasha and Steve watched the team move about like a healthy, functioning body, streaming along like blood through veins, keeping the machine fueled and alive. Keeping that hope alive. Both Avengers had the same thought in mind. The mission was set. All they needed to do was retrieve the Infinity Stones in the past—three exact moments in time, to be precise. 2012 for the Space, Time, and Mind Stones. 2013 for the Reality Stone. 2014 for the Power and Soul Stones. Bring those Stones back to their time, snap their fingers, and bring everybody back. Nothing else would change. The world would proceed as it did currently, but with everyone’s loved ones returned to them.

Though the price that came with it was certainly high. What they were all willing to risk just by traveling to the past was considerably insurmountable. The limited Pym Particles they had only guaranteed a few or couple jumps each. They couldn’t make many mistakes, or any for that matter. Yet everyone who was present, who was working on the Quantum Tunnel, getting suited up with help from Nebula and Rarity, arming themselves to the teeth, and everyone who stood with them that day… they all knew the risk and took it anyway.

That was all Steve could have asked for. He pondered that even as he and Natasha stood away from the work zone, gazing to the massive Quantum Tunnel in near-completion. He felt a shove on his left elbow, prompting his eyes in that direction to meet the Black Widow’s rising smirk.

“Little nervous to make that leap?” she asked him.

Steve took in a deep breath, shaking his head and gazing forward. “Nervous isn’t the exact word I would use,” he said.

Natasha nodded, that smirk growing an inch. “Yeah… petrified would be more like it.”

Steve breathed a chuckle. “That’s more like it.”

“I’d be lying if I wasn’t a little more ‘nervous’ than you,” Natasha continued, eyes shifting back to Steve and studying him. Saw his hands deep in his pockets, his hardened gaze focused on the machine that would determine that fate of the universe. “And yet here you are, meeting the impossible with that… giddy optimism I wish I had.”

Steve turned to her. Natasha seemed to struggle with the next few sentences that would proceed from her mouth, from her heart. It made it even more difficult to meet Steve’s eyes for such, but it was needed. It was something she needed to get off her chest for the sake of herself and the team. With a cautious shiver of her breath, she said, “Steve, I’ve been thinking… this mission… it’s gonna be the fight of our lives. You know me, I’m not cut out for that type of responsibility. I’m not strong enough for that weight.”

“Natasha, don’t say that,” Steve said, turning fully to her. “Everyone here believes otherwise… including me.”

He could see the sadness build in her gaze as she shook her head, lifting her burning eyes to Rogers. “And I appreciate that. Doesn’t mean it’s true. What they need…” she acknowledged, head nodding to the remainder of their team tinkering away at the machine and the suits, “… they need a leader who can lead them through that battlefield. Someone to keep every life safe. Someone to shield them. Something I can’t guarantee.”

Steve pursed his lips as he observed the remaining Avengers. “You think I can?”

She gripped his arm with her right palm, prompting Steve to turn back and meet her eyes. He saw that strength, that desperation, that pleading gaze that told Steve more than Natasha could ever admit. It told him everything he didn’t want to hear. “If you don’t do this for them… or the Avengers… then do it for me,” she whispered.

Her palm weakened, rising up to caress his shoulder. Despite the warmth she offered, Steve just dropped his gaze, shaking his head weakly. “Nat, I don’t know. I’m not—”

Natasha kissed his cheek, silencing him. Their eyes met as she broke away, the Widow sending a firm and considerate nod to him. “You are… the right person for the job. Always were,” she told him.

It took some convincing, but once he realized that she was adamant in her decision, her choice as the leader of the Avengers… Steve had no other choice but to comply. Steve nodded. Seemingly pleased with that, Natasha breathed a smile of relief, stepping back and telling him, “And just like that, the leader of the Avengers is back where he belongs. To be honest, that is a huge weight off my shoulders. Hell, you make the hard decisions for us anyway.”

Chuckling to that, Steve joined her smile but ended up turning aside anyway. When it came to making the hard decisions, Steve was no stranger to that particular aspect of his job. It never came easier as the threats only grew more and more massive. Now, with the literal fate of trillions of lives back and hanging over his breathing space, Steve could only imagine what else was hanging on the line. He always came back to that horrifying aspect of what awaited them.

He always came back to that lingering thought burning in his heart and soul.

To the point where it was too much for him to keep it concealed. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered, Natasha turning to see Steve walk away and make his desired destination to be none other than that rainbow Pegasus testing out her Iron Mare suit’s capabilities and weapon systems.

However, once she heard that cautious cough behind her, Rainbow Dash flinched her head upwards, spinning around as she and Derpy met the coarsened eyes from Captain America behind her. “Rainbow,” Steve began, beginning his next statement with a stuttering gulp. He held his ground, remaining strong. “Can I talk to you privately?”

Though a tad apprehensive to Steve’s approach and visibly concerned with his current well-being, Rainbow still juggled the options and nodded slowly. “Y-yeah, sure,” she said, allowing her Iron Mare suit to materialize into her Arc Reactor as she followed Steve out of the hangar bar.

Out into the halls and to Steve’s room. Tony watched them leave, cleaning his oil-stained hands with a rag he tossed mindlessly back to Rocket. He stepped away from the Quantum Tunnel while Twilight flew over it, doing one last sweep and checking off every detail on her lengthy scroll she carried in her aura of magic.

Landing softly on Tony’s right, Twilight wiped her brow with her left foreleg, exhaling a pent-up release of tension and worry, smiling with growing satisfaction by the end of it. She checked off the last box, put her scroll away in a flash of magic. “And now… all we need to do is wait for the machine to charge for a couple hours and we should be good to go. In the meantime…” Twilight declared, her voice trailing away until her eyes spotted the miniature drone hovering past them.

“Friday!” Twilight called out. The drone shifted in her direction, blinking once before zooming over and hovering before her. Twilight lifted up her hoof right underneath the machine. The drone practically fit in her hoof, its iris blinking to her in anticipation. “Send this message to Queen Novo in Canterlot. The Time Heist with the Avengers is underway. No matter what happens, I want her to be ready for absolutely anything that may occur. Whether that be if billions of lives return to both words… or we don’t come back at all. All of Equus… needs to be ready for what happens.”

“Aye, Twilight,” the drone responded in Friday’s tone, then proceeded to fly off to deliver the message to one of Canterlot’s drones.

Twilight watched Friday until she couldn’t anymore. Until Tony rested his hand on the back of her neck and earned her eyes. “What do you say? Quick celebratory drink in the kitchen as we make our way to find Mr. Rogers? Get everyone suited up?” Stark asked, the plethora of questions hitting Twilight in rapid-fire succession.

She smiled either way, saying, “Now that sounds like a plan.”

The two proceeded out of the hangar bay, entering the hallways until the familiar sight and smell of the kitchen filled their nostrils. While Tony opened the fridge and prepared the drinks, he couldn’t help but spark another conversation with the Princess of Friendship. “Gotta tell ya… I’m really glad you and the girls decided to stay. Otherwise who’d help finish this mimosa with me?” Stark asked, earning that wild giggle from Twilight.

She flapped her wings to rest on the chair surrounding the dining table, watching Stark work from afar. “I’m sure Steve or Thor would have been more than willing,” Twilight exclaimed.

Stark scoffed. “Don’t even get me started on Captain Lightweight, and Thor would take every last drop if he could. No… no, I’m glad it was you.”

He pointed a finger at her as he finished that statement, pouring two glasses of the rich, yellow cocktail. Twilight stared at the swirling mixture for a second longer, looking away and saying, “For all that it’s worth… I’m hoping your plan works in the end. That, or what Bruce told us about time travel is actually true.”

Tony paused momentarily, lifting his eyes to gaze onto the violet Alicorn as she uttered whatever came to her mind, speaking from the heart as she said, “I can’t even imagine a world where you and Pepper didn’t have a daughter.”

Letting those words penetrate him where it mattered, Tony laid his palms on the kitchen table. He shook his head, sighing, “Kinda glad she did. Otherwise I’d have a son who’d probably just turn out like me.”

Twilight furrowed her brow at that. “What’s so wrong with that?”

Tony carried the glasses over to the dining table. “Let’s just say I’ve made a lot more mistakes in life that I never told you about and leave it at that,” he explained, sitting down in the seat next to her. He offered the mimosa, to which Twilight weakly accepted with her magic. Noting the look of despair upon her face, Tony tapped her chin upwards with his free finger. “Hey, don’t worry. Everything’s mapped out, triple-checked… Everything is going to turn out exactly how it’s supposed to.”

He held out his glass to her. Smiling nonetheless, Twilight raised hers to join him. They clinked mimosa glasses, downing them both and placing the empty glasses on the dining table. She turned her eyes and met Tony’s, refusing to break or look anywhere else when she said it. Needing to know.

“Is that a promise?” Twilight asked, letting the drink settle in and calm her waning nerves.

Tony nodded wordlessly.

And that was that. Considering she wouldn’t be given a better answer than that—at least anything more assuring—Twilight smiled nonetheless and hopped off her chair, Tony joining her. Together, Stark and Twilight proceeded to the hallways on Tony’s word, pausing just short outside Captain Steve Rogers’ room. The two exchanged a short glance before carefully pushing the door open. It wasn’t locked. It was barely open, prompting their interests to enter without knocking.

But they stopped short, listening on the other side to hear the end of the seemingly lengthy conversation held between Rogers and Dash. They only heard the end, where Steve asked aloud, “You promise?”

They slowly pushed open the door, near-silent in their approach and undetectable by either occupant. Both Tony and Twilight leaned outwards, peeking in to see Rainbow sitting upon Steve’s bed, Rogers on his knee and palms crossed over and resting just on that upwards knee. Only their attention wasn’t just on Steve for the prolonged confrontation. They turned slowly to Rainbow Dash, watching her nod with burning tears in her eyes. That alone caught Twilight’s heart in her throat, an inaudible gasp leaving the Alicorn. Tony watched silently, turned from Rogers and back to Rainbow, hearing her say it…

“I never break a promise, Steve.”

Some of the few words many tended to regret, Tony thought.

Whatever form of conversation was shared between the First Avenger and the Element of Loyalty remained between them, the full context belonging only to their hearts and no one else’s. Not even Tony Stark could deduce what either had promised one another. Even Twilight was understandably concerned as to why Rainbow would promise something to Steve, something that required the upmost secrecy. However, they wanted it to be between themselves for a reason, and neither Tony nor Twilight found a reason to delve deeper. When the time came… they would know, but right then… they needed their team.

They hugged passionately, Steve leaning forward and wrapping his powerful arms around the Pegasus. She leaned forward and practically collapsed into Steve’s embrace, burying her eyes and face into Steve’s neck and shoulder as she tried her hardest to burn the tears away, keep them concealed from the world. She couldn’t allow that weakness to escape. But for that moment, for him… she allowed it. She couldn’t fight against that.

She couldn’t fight against what she promised.

Through the tears, the two broke apart, turning to the knock on the door to see both Tony Stark and Twilight Sparkle enter the bedroom. Tony declared to them both that it was ready, and all they needed was to wait a couple hours to allow the time machine to charge. Then it was off to change the worlds. To save the universe. It was time.

Steve nodded to that, wiping at his eyes as he rose back up to full height. Rainbow stared up at him, lingering tears remaining to hear Captain America declare it proudly, powerfully, with as much emphasis as he could muster.

“Let’s suit up.”

One last time.

And away did the leader of the Avengers march, Captain America and his group of four entering the hangar bay. Their destination lied within the armory, their suits, weapons, and tools needed to accomplish the Time Heist ready and awaiting their proper owners. As they walked, they only managed to attain more Avengers as they went, from Natasha, Thor, Sunset, Tempest, Maud, Derpy, Clint, Carol, Daisy, Murdock, and various others. Everyone who needed something to gather. Everyone who had a special toy to bring with them. Nebula and Starlight were the last two to join the massive crowd, the two nodding to one another just as the team entered the armory.

All except for the Luphomoid.

All except for Nebula when she froze in place.

She paused, her body shivering and flinching to the point where she appeared like she was short-circuiting. Clutching her head, Nebula gasped out and stumbled across the hangar bay floor, no one near or present to pay her any heed. No one nearby to notice her left eye flickering. She smacked her head at that, grunted in pain as the short moment of agony left her. Just like it did before. Though somewhat hesitant on that, Nebula looked about to the time machine and analyzed her surroundings, her eye zooming in and readjusting itself to regular status. Everything was fine. Just a malfunction. Easily fixable.

Nebula convinced herself of that and moved on.

Andromeda Galaxy

Sanctuary II

The lone image of the Quantum Tunnel was zoomed in before zooming out, readjusting itself to regular status as Nebula turned around and joined her fellow Avengers.

The unruly wretches. The traitorous daughter. All turned against him in a final, fatal act of resistance. He watched cautiously upon his throne, the Chitauri drone displaying the mental images of what Nebula saw before him. Every last second, from the moment she and her Guardians received the distress call from Captain Rogers, to stepping foot on Earth and helping to construct the tunnel, to designing the Quantum Suits of which would allow them to survive the harsh environment of the Quantum Realm, and finally to gaze upon the complete time machine one last time.

One last time and then Thanos cut off the mental feed.

The essence of Sanctuary II practically dripped malice and breathed wretchedness. Towering rock structures covered the walls and painted the floors of his throne room, reaching a scale and size nearly mind-boggling. All was appropriate for the Mad Titan, Thanos truly understanding his role and title now more than ever before.

Ever since he snapped his fingers and brought salvation upon the universe, all he ever witnessed from his daughter’s travels have been unrest. Chaos spread as far as the eye could see, across various planets throughout his solar system and the other. Those too feeble-minded to grasp what Thanos had given them had turned to fear as their only hope, using violence to acquire the necessary resources to survive. With that brought conflict, brought pain, slaughter… and violence. Everything Thanos wished to rid the universe of, just like the various planets he had saved in his youth.

But over time, over the past five years, Thanos had seen the complete opposite unfold before his very eyes. The universe had no order within the chaos. They had no proper ruler to guide them to a safe and secured future. For their children. For their children’s children. All that would remain of the legacy of various worlds would be but a memory of what once was, of what each species fought for in order to survive. Only to lead to their own extinction. Even when Thanos brought balance to every world, hundreds simply died. Thousands starved. Trillions of the spared suffered.

All Thanos could do was watch it all upon his throne, sneering to the suffering, the violence… everything he tried to have rid the universe of. Wished, tried, accomplished… and failed.

They were all too weak to understand. None could have fathomed what was needed to save the universe but Thanos. And even after the great Cleansing had passed, there were still those who believed otherwise, those who couldn’t believe like he had. They continued to resist, to purge their own worlds for their own selfish desires. More unruly wretches that cannot be ruled.

Or so he once thought…

Thanos could only imagine what the universe would be like under his guidance. After his personal experiences with his own world burning because he refused to follow his destiny, perhaps he could become that voice amongst the hopelessness, the shining beacon to the masses that could not live within the fire they created for themselves. Thanos offered them peace, and they chose war. He offered them a fresh start, and they chose to crumble.

No more. If the universe could not appreciate the gift he bestowed upon it, then perhaps they could not live to tell the tale of what once was. There could not be a universe of unruly lives who only choose to kill after the war, slaughter after the peace, and wage violence after Thanos' crusade and against him. Against everything he stood for, sacrificed for, and nearly died for. Lived for…

In that perpetual state of life he had entrapped himself in, Thanos knew there could be none other than him who could truly understand what must be accomplished now that the universe had failed to accept his blessings. Since they failed to understand the prosperity he offered them, he would do what he must to ensure a healthier, safer, more secure foundation for the universe.

Begin again… with a grateful universe.

And with his plans, once more the Mad Titan was gifted with opposers, those who believed otherwise and would continue to stand against him and what he believed would bring true peace. The Avengers had one last plan to undo all that he had done, using the power of the Quantum Realm to escape to the past and steal the Infinity Stones before Thanos could ever get his hands on them. His worst fears were becoming realized, those fears that plagued him for over fives years. But after a moment of recollection, Thanos realized… that it was inevitable.

They would resist. They would fight. They would accomplish what they started.

Just like him.

Perhaps his work was not finished after all. Perhaps the Avengers just gave him the final means to truly save the universe in the end. Because of what they would do… Thanos would see to it that a grateful universe would welcome him by the time the sun rose the next morning.

Only he was not prepared. Not yet. He rose from his throne, dressed in his ceremonial cloaks as he proceeded towards the exit. Greeting him were a pair of Chitauri fodder, removing the clothing from his shoulders and bowing before the Great Titan, refusing to lift their eyes until the sun greeted them and their ship. There, Thanos stood, only a pair of armored pants and boots on his person as he stood in the heart of Sanctuary II’s bridge, the massive eyes of the ship gazing down onto the planet’s surface.

There, the Garden remained. And it was there that Thanos walked upon the earth once more. For the first time in five years, Thanos breathed in an old but familiar breath of air. Sanctuary II entered the atmosphere and shot down a beam of blue energy of which Thanos was teleported to the planet’s surface, the Mad Titan stomping about and observing his surroundings. His old home.

It was all nearly destroyed, a forsaken wasteland of torn mountain peaks and a cluster of dark canyons. Though the vegetation managed to grow back and consume his old hut, devour his once organized fields of crops, and heal the wounds wrought upon it by the wretches of Earth, Thanos could still feel a lack of life filling the once lush and bountiful Garden. The sun shone heavy over his head, not a cloud in the sky to shield him from the brightness and the heat. It was not what Thanos cared to notice. He approached his old harvest and paused just on the outskirts. Paused just in front of his old house.

Amongst the devastation, the carnage, and the destruction of his Titan II… the scarecrow stood tall. Untouched, as if even the universe itself knew he would need it for what would come. The armor, helmet, and blade all remained where they were stationed so long ago. Dented, bruised, scratched and worn… but still there nonetheless. Still awaiting its rightful ruler.

Just as the universe awaited.

Thanos reached forward and acquired that armor, donned his helmet, pried his blade from the earth and twirled the double-edged sword in his hand. The golden and black armor graced his body and shimmered under the sun, filling Thanos with a renewed sense of vigor and purpose the likes of which he hadn’t felt in many years. He gazed down to his blade, breathless in his reflection as his eyes stared into his own, saw the madness overcome the rational. Saw the Titan truly become mad. Thanos closed his mouth, closed his eyes, and breathed.

When he opened his eyes, Sanctuary II and the eight Chitauri Command Centers had blocked out the sun directly over him, blocked out any hope of light every reaching the darkness Thanos was trapped in. In his expression, there was nothing. No emotion. No sense of feeling or understanding. His face was raw, emotionless, and unwavering in his final choice. The colossal ship glared down upon him, shot down a beam of light to devour him, raising him to begin the hunt for the fate of the universe. For both the old and the new.

For destiny.

Author's Note

I come to you today to present a fanfic reading of Infinity Era! The oh-so talented Mr. Snarky (YouTuber and fellow FIMfic user) put together this video and I highly suggest you give it a look! He does an amazing job in the editing, voice work, and overall reading of the first ten chapters of the story! Check it out!

Chapter 126 – Time Heist

126

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

4:59 p.m.

“Five years ago, we lost. All of us.”

The evening sun dipped just above the horizon, sending a golden array of lights to shimmer into the New Avengers Facility and spread across the hangar bay’s floor. It was so utterly still. Not a sound, not a movement, nor any form of life filled the hangar bay. Until the door to the armory finally opened.

And they walked in.

Steve Rogers naturally led his Avengers, the black and white Quantum Suit donned with his red, white, and blue shield resting on his left forearm. On his expression, pure determination was set, Captain America making every step worth it as his eyes were only set on one thing, one machine lying before him and his team in the heart of the hangar bay. Behind him, Natasha Romanoff strode confidently, her red hair tied in a ponytail behind her. Alongside the Black Widow, Tony Stark, Scott Lang, Clint Barton, and Nebula all marched ahead, all wearing the appropriate suits suitable to survive in the Quantum Realm. All of them ready and willing to commit the impossible. They weren’t alone. By God, they never were.

“We lost friends. We lost family. We lost a part of ourselves. Today, we were given a chance to take it all back. I want each and every one of you to understand that, to know that this is our only shot to see our loved ones again. Everything that was taken from us, every life in the universe that suffered under five years of tyranny and unrest… can finally be changed.”

Matthew Murdock crossed himself, touching his forehead, heart, left and right shoulder. One last bit of assurance from above to keep himself and everyone he loved safe down below. His face was clean, no Daredevil mask to cover it like the Quantum Suit covered his body. Elektra was right by his side, her long, dark hair reaching the back of her upper spine. Frank Castle and Robbie Reyes punched knuckles, the Punisher striding forth in his bulking suit of armor courtesy of Tony Stark. Starlight Glimmer observed herself for a moment, the Quantum Suit hugging her body tightly, stopping just at the bottom of her neck. She looked over to Twilight, the Alicorn sending an assuring glance back. There, Twilight strode alongside Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, a ponytail adorning her violet mane as the Quantum Suit shielded her Arc Reactor. Just like it did Rarity’s. Just as it did Rainbow’s. The trio of mares all walked together to lead the rest of their equine friends.

“You know your teams, you know your missions. Get the Stones, get them back here. Some of us have been given the tools and the opportunity to jump more than twice, but that doesn’t mean you waste it. Every second you’re out there, it’s a fight for survival. Not just your own, but insurmountable others. Trillions of lives hang on the line if we don’t do this right. Others were not given that opportunity. No mistakes. No do-overs.”

Carol Danvers and Sunset Shimmer walked side by side, Captain Marvel herself proudly marching forward in her Quantum Suit, golden hair flowing behind her. Sunset Shimmer raised her left foreleg to analyze her Time Travel GPS one last time, turning upwards to smile assuredly to Danvers. She didn’t return it, her burning frown centered on the end to their destination. Tempest Shadow, Maud Pie, and Derpy Hooves all walked accordingly with Thor Odinson, Daisy Johnson, Bruce Banner, James Rhodes, Groot, and Rocket. The final end to the brave souls willing to take that jump. Their team finally coming together one last time.

“Most of us are going somewhere we know, others to places that are completely alien. Expect nothing, predict nothing, but be ready for anything. We do this by the plan and do not break off from it. Change nothing else in the past if you can. Only take the Stones, and if you have to, by any means necessary.”

The teams were set. The time machine was ready. They all reached the Quantum Tunnel and rode the pathway up to stand upon its face. In position, everyone took a moment to observe one another, to take note of every team and every Avenger present and accounted for. The largest team, by far, was Steve and Tony’s, raking in almost a dozen members for the journey ahead. They were, in total, Captain America, Iron Man, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer, Captain Marvel, Ant-Man, Hulk, Quake, Daredevil, and the Punisher. Their mission lied with the most Infinity Stones, so they needed the numbers for every assurance possible.

Next to them, the smaller team consisting of Thor, Rocket, Groot, and Rarity stood ready. A tad apprehensive, both from Thor and Rarity respectively, but ready regardless. Their mission lied with a familiar home to the God of Thunder, to a certain time where the Reality Stone just so happened to be stuck in the body of a former flame to Thor. Standing near to his height, Groot turned to Thor and laid a vine-covered palm on his shoulder, tightening it to assure Thor who was with him. Who he stood with. Thor couldn’t even feel him, just that fearful numbness slowly overcoming his nerves.

Right by their side and facing Captain America’s team, another small team stood at the ready. Black Widow, Hawkeye, Tempest Shadow, and Elektra were side by side, their eyes meeting that of Steve’s, of Tony’s, of Banner’s, of Twilight’s, and even Murdock’s thousand-yard stare. Elektra met his only, her lips softening and expression deflating knowing they would be separated for the mission. Their mission was the Soul Stone, acquiring it by any means necessary.

The final team consisted of War Machine, Nebula, Ghost Rider, Starlight Glimmer, Maud Pie, and Derpy Hooves, each standing tall and proud in their Quantum Suits, even Rhodey’s managing to overcome his War Machine Mark VI armor. Like Thor’s team, they were going somewhere most of them had never been, somewhere completely alien. Unlike Thor’s team, it wasn’t a place very welcoming. The Temple of the Power Stone awaited them in 2014, upon the wretched planet known as Morag. There, they would find the Orb. There, they would find the Power Stone.

Four teams. Six Infinity Stones. Twenty-five brave souls embarking on a journey that only the brave could endure. Whatever awaited them on the other side of the Quantum Realm would be something none of them had ever experienced before, not even Scott Lang. Whatever thrived on the other edge of reality was something they would face together, battle through whatever storm awaited them, pushing through no matter what to ensure the Infinity Stone they sought would be in their hands by the end of that long, tiring day. Just one more mission. One last chance.

No mistakes.

Those who didn’t walk upon the Quantum Tunnel stood near the bottom of the machine, tapping away at the lone control console that powered the entire mission. They were Friday, Shuri, Director Alphonso Mackenzie, Melinda May, Piper, and Davis. Shuri and Friday did most of the work near the control console—setting the coordinates, double-checking the suits to see if they were synced in, and checking the status of the Quantum Tunnel—while Mack, May, Piper, and Davis stood with their arms crossed, eyebrows hardened, and sweat glistening off their foreheads, witnessing their last hope stand together in a large, empowered circle upon the time machine.

Even if they didn’t stand with them, they felt as if they did when Steve Rogers began and finished his long-winded and utterly powerful speech.

“Be careful, all of you. Look out for each other. Today, you are not S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. You are not aliens. You are not equines. You are not vigilantes nor will you ever be. Today… you’re a team… you’re Avengers… and we will avenge the fallen. This is the fight of our lives, so no matter what happens… you do what needs to be done in order to bring those Stones back to this time.”

Rainbow Dash gulped, the mare turning over and looking up to Steve, alongside everyone and everypony else who did the same. That overwhelming fear of the unknown, of the dangers within the Quantum Realm, of the unpredictable was slowly being overcome and shadowed by Captain America’s words of wisdom and assurance. He didn’t stop.

He finished.

“I can’t promise many things. What I can… is that we’re going to win this. No matter the cost. Whatever it takes,” Steve said with a firm nod directed at a certain Iron Avenger. Tony Stark smirked to him, watched as Steve sent that same promise to the rest of his team. To every Avenger and every heart willing to take that leap of faith.

And he couldn’t have been prouder to stand with them one last time. He held out his left fist, the remaining Avengers coming together and pressing their left fists together. Hooves, claws, and hands all together as one, unified heart. One body. One team. “Good luck,” Steve finished, taking a step back to get into position.

“Swoon,” Maud mumbled, sending that amorous smile up to the First Avenger.

“Thank God I wasn’t the only one who got chills from that,” Scott commented.

Daisy shook her head, chuckling softly, “Same.”

“All right!” Shuri announced, the four teams upon the Quantum Tunnel turning around and eyeing the control console and the lone Wakandan Queen who stood behind it. Friday approached the machine, eyeing the Avengers while Shuri stated, “The coordinates are locked, and the suits are ready. Quantum Tunnel is fully functional and awaiting the suits for activation. Remember, most of you will have enough Pym Particles for a few jumps each, minus Captain America’s team. They only have enough for a couple jumps, that is why we are requesting Captain Marvel’s team to make the jump with them, to assist them in assuring the three Infinity Stones are brought back safely.”

Rightfully known as Captain America’s team; Tony, Steve, Twilight, Rainbow, and Bruce all turned down to the Time Travel GPS on their left hands and hooves respectively. They felt their belts for the Pym Particles, sighing to know that they were given only a couple of vials. The merger of Carol’s team with their own would be a welcome and helpful hand, considering Danvers, Scott, Murdock, Frank, Sunset, and Daisy all had three vials. They could make that jump with them to ensure the Infinity Stones were brought back to their time. If anything turned south, then they had at least one more chance to do it all over again.

“Again, I think I should take the blame for that,” Scott spoke out, earning every eye in the hangar bay onto him. “I just… couldn’t find any more Pym Particles back at Hank’s lab. If I had known how to make the particles myself… we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

“That just means we don’t make many mistakes,” Twilight offered, sending that helpful glance back to Lang and nodding to him.

Starlight shakily breathed as she stared into the swirling lights and machinations of the Quantum Tunnel beneath her hooves. She closed her eyes. “Hopefully we don’t make any.”

Mack took a large step forward, announcing loudly from below, “Remember, you’re gonna be gone for God knows how long, but when you come back it’ll only have been one minute! Something to keep in mind!”

Friday held up her forearm, tapping away at it and showing all of their individual faces hovering about in a hologram. Each of the Avengers turned to her, gazed upon the hologram and their faces. The AI said, “I will have contact with each of you in your GPSes during the journey. If anything goes wrong on either end, we don’t hesitate to contact each other.”

That was that. Those who stayed giving their final words and goodbyes to their friends and allies making the jump, especially Daisy. Before they could make that jump, however, the teams stood apart only for Elektra to make that push forward. Matt had the same idea in mind, it seemed. They both approached one another, each offering one last strong hug to each other, both knowing they would be gone for God knows how long, only to return a minute later. The longest minute in their entire lives separated, perhaps even more so than the five years.

When they broke, they still held onto each other, their foreheads pressed together, each whispering to the other to be safe. Elektra had her eyes closed, shaking breaths escaping her lungs while Murdock stared straight ahead, his hands pressed firmly against the sides of her face. That was enough of a sign for the rest of the teams to congregate and give their final goodbyes and good lucks. Ponies hugged one another, Twilight and Starlight especially. Then Rarity with Rainbow, with Sunset, with Maud, Derpy, and Tempest. Steve and Clint gave one last hug to each other, the same being done for Natasha and Rhodes. Various others. Various goodbyes done in special and unique ways. Everyone needing that possible final goodbye just in case…

When it was over, everyone returned with their respective team, standing in a massive circle and awaiting on that conjoined and unified progression. Waiting for one to take that leap and start a chain reaction. As Elektra returned to stand between Clint and Natasha, the Widow looked over to Matthew and his team. Assured him most of all with that warming and beautiful smile.

“See you in a minute,” she declared.

She slapped her left wrist.

Clint followed.

Tempest did, too.

As did Elektra.

The chain reaction began. Every other Avenger upon the Quantum Tunnel pressed down on their Time Travel GPS, watching as the red lights upon the suits they wore ignited even brighter, the floor beneath them shimmering and spinning uncontrollably. The lights were practically blinding to the naked eye, but once the masks materialized over their faces, their eyes, then they were fine. They were ready. Ready to go back in time.

Natasha’s mask covered her face, revealing only a blue shield over her eyes as she gazed skywards to the machine beginning to whirl to life. Each mask resembled that of the Ant-Man, only a select few donning the masks of their own suits beneath. Matthew Murdock’s black Daredevil mask closed over his face, the black faceplate shielding him from the dangers that awaited them. His red eyes burned as he turned about, spotting Frank’s mask closing shut over his face. The Punisher Armor’s mask bore the same skull painted on the armor’s chest, those same red eyes joining Murdock’s. James Rhodes’ mask from the War Machine fell to cover his face, turning about to acknowledge every other eye on the Quantum Tunnel shielded by that blue visor. Carol's mask shielded her face, unable to hide her eyes and the nod she sent James' way.

Twilight caught her breath as the mask materialized and covered her face, only her widened, anxious eyes able to witness the swirling energy of the Quantum Tunnel burning beneath her hooves. Each mare saw that, felt the mask cover their heads, their manes, their horns, and shield themselves from the brightness that enveloped every Avenger standing upon the time machine.

Shuri pressed hard on the control console.

Then those who stayed watched as twenty-five Avengers shrunk down to microscopic size and only continued to shrink from that point on. What they didn’t see were those Avengers break off in the limitless expanse of the Quantum Realm, those teams of four entering separated and distinct time vortexes within the madness of the unknown.

Twilight Sparkle closed her eyes as that time vortex swallowed her whole. Her and her team.

Chapter 128 – A Story Untold

128

New York City

177A Bleecker Street

1:23 p.m.

When the beings from another world ravaged New York and brought their tyranny onto the populace, the Masters of the Mystic of Arts would most certainly have taken action. While most of their threats were focused around the spiritual and mystical plain of existence, they were forced, on occasion, to battle physical threats if necessary.

It wasn’t necessary. After the Ancient One sensed the Avengers uniting near Grand Central Station and the base of the Stark Tower, she knew everything would turn out exactly as she pictured it. In the meantime, the Ancient One did everything in her power as Sorcerer Supreme to defend her sanctum. The Chitauri invaders who dared to enter Greenwich Village or anywhere near the sanctum were eviscerated by the power of the Ancient One’s Eldritch Magic. She stood within the Sanctum Sanctorum’s confines, whipping her hands about and decimating any chariot that flew near the structure.

Only she paused, holding out her hands and tilting her head lightly to the side. The orange disks upon her palms sparked and spun, yet she did not attack. With the yellow hood shielding her head, the Ancient One remained in that silent state of bliss and serenity. She had sensed him making his approach from every building top he leapt from, but only then did he arrive four seconds than expected. She felt his presence upon the rooftop, a short smirk tugging at her lips.

As for the Hulk, once he landed on the Sanctum Sanctorum’s rooftop, he scanned the environment to ensure he was out of sight from any wandering sorcerers. Noting that, Banner turned to the nearest door and reached for the handle.

“Robert Banner!”

Instinctively, Bruce pulled away from the door and turned to his right, gazing to the hooded figure who wasn’t standing there a second ago. She pulled down her hood, revealing the shaved head of the woman beneath. She smiled quizzically to the towering behemoth of muscle and brains, making her slow approach past the rooftop garden to stand before him. Several feet apart, just in case he wanted to try something fishy.

“Or… you go by ‘Bruce’, don’t you?” she asked, somehow already knowing the answer.

“Uh, yeah,” Banner replied, still unsure how or why she knew that. Then again, he was walking on the property of the so-called Master of the Mystic Arts. Of course he was going to be walking into a whole other world, as well. “I’m… I’m looking for Doctor Strange.”

That was a name that certainly sparked the Ancient One’s interests. Doctor Stephen Strange, brilliant neurosurgeon, and only growing more and more wildly popular in his field, so much so that he might become a threat to higher forces he knew not of. That would come later, for now he had an interested visitor. He would have. “Well… you’re about five years too early. Stephen Strange is currently performing surgery about twenty blocks that way. Sad… The Chitauri Invasion was what caused him so much paranoia. All the lives he swore to save from it. All the lives lost this terrible day,” the Ancient One mused, pointing to the set of buildings where Strange was situated before eventually dropping her hand.

Though, that was still musing. She lifted her eyes and met the Hulk’s. “What do you need from him?” she asked.

His eyes trailed down to the yellow robes she wore, eventually finding the object his mission required. Bruce took a step forward, pointing to her and stating, “Actually, that.”

“Ah!” the Ancient One stated, her own eyes falling down to the necklace of which she wore. Of which she protected. “The Eye of Agamotto. You have a keen eye yourself, it seems. While it is apparent you may see it, touching it is something I cannot allow.”

Bruce took another step forward, shrugging. “Sorry, but I wasn’t asking. Whole lotta people in my time desperately need it.”

“Is that so?” the Ancient One said, smirking. “Could we discuss this rather peacefully instead?”

“Don’t have time. So, if you don’t mind, I’ll be borrowing that Stone—!”

His last word came out as a yelp of surprise. When Bruce invaded her space and reached for the Eye of Agamotto, that was when the Master of the Mystic Arts took action to protect their most sacred relic. She slammed her open palm directly into Banner’s heart, literally pushing the spirit out of him and watching as the Astral Plane accepted Bruce into its embrace. As for Banner, he hovered helplessly above in his human form, the body of the Hulk falling down and crashing on the cement roof.

And all he could do was breathe. It was all he could do considering he could see through his hands and fly for the first time in his life. Turning to the Ancient One, Banner watched her smile.

“Now then…” she began. “About that peaceful discussion?”

Banner hovered forward, still aghast to his own body. “What did you do to me?”

“It’s your Astral Projection. Or, as you may know, your soul. Perfectly harmless; I can get you back in your body and safely out of here whenever you ask. But… it would seem you won’t be asking for that anytime soon.”

Bruce frowned, flying to meet her face to face. He was hardly in a position to fight for his body back, and considering the magical prowess the Ancient One held, Banner was literally at her mercy. That didn’t deter his desperation as he shouted, “Yeah, because I need that Stone! You don’t understand what’s happened in the future!”

All she did was smirk. “You would be surprised.”

Considering his position of weakness at the moment, Bruce truly didn’t know how to approach the situation laid before him. All he needed to do was tell the truth, give their situation to her, and perhaps she would understand. He hoped she would. Not really knowing where to begin, Bruce rubbed his palms and stuttered, “Okay… well… this guy… ‘Thanos’… he wiped out half of all life with the six Infinity Stones in 2018. He did it with one of the Stones hanging around your neck.”

The Ancient One furrowed her brow at that, gazing down to the Eye of Agamotto curiously. Sadly. When she lifted her eyes, Bruce already met her own, that same pain amplified more so than the Sorcerer Supreme expected from him.

“We tried to undo everything he took from us,” Bruce continued. “We tried to take the Stones back, but he destroyed them all and himself. Now, five years later, all we’re trying to do is go back in time, take the Stones before Thanos ever had a chance to find them, and bring everybody back in our time.”

She carefully breathed in that information, eyes darting aside as she slowly nodded. Of all the outcomes the future held for the Masters of the Mystic Arts, the death of half of all life was certainly a great tragedy to befall not just the sorcerers, but all life on Earth. All life in the universe. Remembering to breathe, the Ancient One said, “Perhaps… I should be surprised.”

“So, can you help us?” Bruce asked.

She lifted her eyes and met Banner’s pleading pair.

And she responded with a swift and simple, “No.”

Taken aback, Bruce watched as the Ancient One walked right through him and made her way back to the staircase to return to the sanctum’s confines. “W-what do you mean?” he called out, following close behind her. Still not used to hovering, Banner took to the ground and found his legs to still interact with the floor. Weird. Not important. “Look, I’m telling the truth! Use one of your spells to find the truth yourself, but it’s all laid out!”

She paused just outside the rooftop’s door, spinning around to meet the Astral Projection of Bruce Banner before her. “I don’t distrust you, Bruce. It is the simple fact that if you take this Stone from me now, I have no guarantee you will succeed in your time. I’m sorry about what happened, I truly am. But if I give you the Stone, I’m dooming my own reality to threats far greater than your Thanos.”

Now that was an answer. For how long Bruce had imagined Thanos was the greatest threat in the universe had only opened up the possibility to something greater. Something far, far worse that lurked in the corners of the cosmos, just waiting for that single moment the Masters of the Mystic Arts lost their weapon to defend Earth and the universe as a whole.

“Okay…” Bruce muttered, mulling over her words. “Okay, okay, but… I’m not sure the science really supports that.”

The Ancient One merely stared at him, an expression of hardened truth painted on every wrinkle on her skin. Grabbing at the air to her left, the Sorcerer Supreme yanked a yarn of pure Eldritch Magic across both her and Bruce, creating that fine line that shimmered off the rooftop of the Sanctum Sanctorum and off into the city. Bruce stared as far as his eyes could actually gaze to it, eventually returning to the Ancient One once she began to speak.

“Time… is like a path. Break away from that path, and you deviate into uncharted and unknown horrors beyond compare. The Infinity Stones, in our reality, work to keep that flow of time steady, leading to your future. Take just one Stone away, and you deviate from the path and branch off into an entirely alternate timeline.”

She did so, removing an Astral Projection of the Time Stone from the belt of Infinity Stones circling the supposed timeline she created. Bruce watched as the Time Stone was pulled away, birthing a black, sickened version of reality that fell away from the main timeline and off somewhere else. To an unknown fate.

The Ancient One continued, Bruce turning back to her. “This may benefit your reality, but without our chief weapon against the forces of darkness… my new reality would be overrun. Millions will suffer. Every decision you make, every act you take will determine which path this timeline will follow. Even if it hurts… we must stay on the path. There is always a reason to these events transpiring, Bruce. There is always a plan.”

“It’s just like we theorized,” Banner whispered under his breath, lifting his eyes from the shimmering line and back to her. He held out his hand. “Okay, look… You may be right about the alternate timelines. If we change something in the past, that timeline splits off into an alternate future, leaving my own as is and yours in this… horrific nightmare.”

“Correct,” the Ancient One confirmed, nodding once.

Hand still held out, Bruce declared, “But what if… we could prevent all of that?”

The Sorcerer Supreme tilted her head.

Bruce grabbed the projection of the Time Stone. “If we return the Stones to the exact moment they were taken…” he said, placing the Stone back with the five others. In an instant, the alternate timeline vaporized, leaving just the main timeline shimmering and alive, unscathed and healthy. “It’ll be like they never left.”

Though somewhat surprised with Bruce’s ingenuity and genius—something even she hadn’t thought of—the Ancient One remained unmoved. Turning away and approaching the edge of the rooftop, she leaned against the railing and gazed down to the fiery battlefield before her. Chariots infecting the skies. Leviathans roaring above the clouds and between the buildings. Everything that must come and must not be changed.

“You may be right. But you forget the most important thing…” she whispered, turning around to face him. “You have to win.”

Bruce approached her. “We will win. I promise.”

“I can’t risk the fate of this reality on a promise, Bruce,” she stated plainly, seeing his expression fall apart despite all of his efforts. In the end, that was all it really was. Hopeless efforts. Seeing his downtrodden expression, the Ancient One offered, “It’s the duty of the Sorcerer Supreme to protect the Time Stone no matter the cost. No matter how much it hurts.”

Nearly defeated in that aspect, Banner sighed and turned away, rubbing his chin in thought to her final words. He shrugged, grumbling, “Guess Strange wasn’t so willing to give up his life when Thanos’ goons attacked the Sanctum Sanctorum.”

The Ancient One’s eyes shot open.

“What?”

Turning to her, Bruce could see the stark shift in her expression. Her eyes were enlarged, her breath was tightened, and her skin seemed even more pale than it already appeared. She even broke away from the railing, standing before Banner as straightened as her spine could allow, alert and fully aware of what Bruce was telling her.

He didn’t stop. He answered her. “That’s what Wong told us. Thanos sent his goons to attack the sanctum and steal the Time Stone. That’s how they got it.”

The sorcerer didn’t even blink. “And Strange let them?”

Bruce shook his head, shrugging his shoulders in the end. “Maybe he tried to fight back. Wong said he wasn’t really using his full potential.”

Processing that, the Ancient One continued, unending in her pursuit as she asked, “What else did Wong tell you?”

“He said that… Strange saw fourteen million possible outcomes for how we were going to win this, but he couldn’t see how or if we even won.”

That was it. That was what she needed to hear. Despite all the protests, the bond she agreed her life on, the Ancient One had followed through with her instincts and her heart, letting them be the deciding factor for the following actions. She lowered her hands just over the Eye, breaking apart her fingers and revealing the Time Stone and its ghostly, green glow. Bruce’s eyes widened to it, watching as she didn’t pull it out. Not just yet.

Instead, she breathed in rather deeply and performed another strange but intricate dance with her hands. Her fingers were bent and positioned in certain ways, arms held out as she closed her eyes and tilted her head to the sky. A flow of energy from the Stone slithered from the necklace and crawled up her body until it swarmed her mind, a gasp of shock escaping the Ancient One. Bruce shot out his hand to her, but slowly retracted back when he witnessed…

Well… he didn’t really know. All he saw was the Ancient One darting her head in various directions at once, slowly hovering from the roof until a near-minute had passed. A minute later until she cried out and opened her eyes, practically clutching the railing and her heart simultaneously. Bruce asked her if she was okay. Asked what she did or what she saw. Only… she couldn’t explain it.

Millions of outcomes. The future the Time Stone expressed through her vision and unveiled to her the horrid truth. Not only of her fate, but the fate of the universe. Trillions of lives lost, one Mad Titan claiming the six Infinity Stones and then decimating them to ensure that future was secured. Perhaps it was. 14 million outcomes showed that Thanos could rest easy.

Except…

The Ancient One shook her head in disbelief, rising to full height as she could hardly even breathe in the truth. As she could hardly understand how six little ponies of all beings in the universe were so important. Yet she saw it for herself. She saw the endgame and it was more treacherous than she could imagine. Treacherous… but necessary.

Gazing to Banner, she told him, “No. He lied to you.”

Before Bruce could even question that, she shot out her right hand and pulled the Hulk’s unmoving body from the floor and towards them, meeting Banner’s soul and merging together once more. But he still couldn’t speak. She never gave him the opportunity. Her left hand was used to pull the Time Stone from its necklace, the ancient relic hovering between her fingers as she held it out for Banner. And the Hulk just couldn’t fathom her actions, knowing that mere minutes ago she was willing to die for the Time Stone.

Then she just gave it to him.

With the Time Stone resting in his right palm, Bruce lifted his eyes to the Ancient One and asked, “What did Strange lie about?”

“I cannot say anymore,” the Sorcerer Supreme stated fearfully. She was visibly shaking, her chest rising and falling sporadically, still quite agitated by what she witnessed. What she could say, however, came out as a stuttering quiver, the Ancient One looking up to Bruce with rising fear in her eyes. “Just know that what Strange did was for a reason, something only he could truly fathom. I see that now.”

Bruce nodded, closing his left palm over the Time Stone. Safe and sound. “Thank you.”

Her palms gripped his large hands, tightening over them to ensure the Time Stone’s journey reached its end. She shook her head, gazing back up to Banner. “We’re counting on you, Bruce,” she whispered, voice practically begging. “Just do what comes natural.”

He nodded. His eyes slowly fell to his palms, watching as the Ancient One’s pair fell away. Leaving just him. Leaving just five more. “One down,” Bruce muttered.

Closing his right into a fist, he pressed down on his left hand and the Time Travel GPS. The Quantum Suit crawled over his body, his mask closing tight and shrinking Bruce Banner down to microscopic size, ultimately returning him to his present time.

In that solitude of burning air, the Ancient One was left alone. Still shaken, she turned and approached the opposite end of the Sanctum Sanctorum’s rooftop. Until she reached the very edge did she finally stop, her palms pressed heavy onto the railing. She gazed down twenty blocks and saw through all the madness, all the fire and hell that rained down before her in flickering ashes and dying aliens. She saw the man performing surgery and shook her head.

“Those ponies were always important to you, Stephen. Now they’re important to all of us.”

Chapter 129 – America’s Ass

129

New York City

Chrysler Building

1:58 p.m.

Tony Stark gripped the edge of the Chrysler Building alongside various other Avengers.

Scott Lang—while shrunk down on Tony’s shoulder—gazed out to see the aftermath of the battle. Dead Leviathans lay on building tops and within the remains of Grand Central Station. Hundreds of fires spread from building to building as the streets were cluttered to the brim with debris and dead Chitauri. Scott may have only heard of the Battle of New York once upon a time ago, but still witnessing it with his own eyes felt even more heartbreaking. Thankfully, they made it out. Most of them. They were still waiting for Danvers to catch up with their stragglers to regroup.

Their team sat more on the sidelines after that little skirmish they had with a few Chitauri earlier. They found it to be relatively easy with Stark leading them, taking them exactly where they needed to go. Sunset Shimmer was hovering nearby by her own magic, Frank in his Punisher Armor and gripping the building like Stark, and Murdock perched on the nearest ledge in his black Daredevil attire. Steve was already in Stark Tower and in position. All that was left was word from Stark to engage.

Donning the Mark 85, Tony Stark gazed forward and zoomed inwards to witness the Avengers’ past selves finally confront the mischievous Loki in his broken and defeated state. With the portal closed, the alien army dealt with, all they needed to do was lock Loki up and let Thor do what he did best: taking his brother back home to receive a proper trial and punishment.

Analyzing the situation, Tony darted his head upwards when he heard that familiar voice chime in his shared comms link. “Got a couple long-lost Avengers here,” Carol Danvers acknowledged aloud, Stark watching her trail of light fly towards Stark Tower for a proper drop-off. That was the signal. The team had finally congregated back together once more. Except for Banner, who Stark had already received the green that the Time Stone was secured and returned to the present. Good.

Just two more in 2012 that required their attention.

Looking over to Murdock and nodding, Stark leapt off the building and began to freefall to the street below. Seeing that burning image of Stark dropping from the Chrysler Building, Matt followed suit and fell face-first from the building. The two met in their descent, Tony snatching him and wrapping his arms around his torso. He caught flight, carrying Murdock over to Stark Tower to join Danvers and the others. Frank and Sunset were right behind them, flying on their own accord as they reached the opening just on the outside of the building. More so the shattered glass window, the team of nine passed through it and entered Stark Tower.

Taking cover behind the nearest wall, they watched the confrontation between the six Avengers and Loki commence, the God of Mischief pushing himself up from the ground and declaring weakly, “If it’s all the same to you… I’ll have that drink now.”

As the Hulk grunted to Loki’s comment, the hidden team of nine Avengers conversed with one another, Carol laying her gloved-palm on Tony’s shoulder, minding Lang. “Okay, I’m gonna back off. Frank, Daisy, and I will stay as backup if any of you need us.”

Tony nodded wordlessly to that, watching as Carol turned around and made her escape. Not before giving an assuring nod to both Twilight and Rainbow—whom she dropped off earlier—did Carol leave, flying out the shattered window while gripping Daisy’s hand, the two girls flying off to an unknown, hidden location. Probably the roof. Castle stomped as quietly as he could in his bulking suit of armor, eyeing the six Avengers and Loki cautiously as he leapt out of the building and caught flight. Neither him nor Danvers were particularly happy to be working close together, but they put aside their childish differences for now. So much else was hanging on the line. They needed to cooperate.

Still thankfully hidden, the remaining six Avengers turned back to the confrontation. Their comms lit to life when Carol declared, “Tony, we got S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives on the roof taking the Tesseract. You want me to engage?”

Steve’s voice came quickly. “No, Carol. Rumlow and his team are gonna meet up on the floor Tony and the others are at soon. They’re gonna debrief and that’s when Lang acts.”

Though somewhat disgruntled on that—especially on not really feeling that helpful at the moment—Carol just sighed and said, “Roger. Standing back.”

While they spoke silently to one another, Matt Murdock’s Daredevil suit began to materialize away, leaving just Murdock kneeling in his standard suit and tie. He lifted his dark red glasses and placed them on the bridge of his nose, whipping out his cane and gripping it tightly in his right hand. Civilian attire. Perfect to stay camouflaged for what the plan required. Just in case, Twilight and Sunset cast a camouflage spell over the remaining six to keep them concealed from the world around them. Can’t have Tony’s past self seeing himself, or anyone witnessing three ponies striding about in Stark Tower.

Unfortunately, that spell came with a caution, of which Twilight warned, “Now remember, this spell is only temporary and stationary, meaning if we move too much the spell will fail. It’s meant only for scouting purposes.”

“Well, some of us won’t be doing that for long,” Tony mumbled.

He watched as his past self broke off from the rest of the team, the Tony Stark stumbling about in a torn and damaged Mark 7 stating, “All right, we can pose up a storm later. Might wanna get reindeer games here in some cuffs while I open up some brandy to celebrate.”

“Already got it handled, Stark!” Clint called, moving behind the bar’s counter and bending low to retrieve the glass of fine, aged brandy.

“I, as well,” Thor declared, slapping a pair of Asgardian cuffs around his brother’s wrists and pulling him to his feet. Loki fidgeted from where he stood, but after seeing the lingering glare from the Hulk turn his way, the God of Mischief went rigid, dead silent and obedient. The Hulk snarled with an evil smirk tugging at his green lips.

Watching the past Avengers’ selves congregate about was already mind-boggling enough for Twilight and Rainbow. Though relatively new to the whole Avengers debacle, Sunset found herself completely engrossed to the scene before her, all three mares simply at a loss for words as they witnessed past versions of their friends mere feet away from them. They looked so much younger, healthier, their smiles and glowing faces an old but welcome image. Natasha’s hair was much more vibrant and orange, and even Tony’s hair was darker and larger, more spiked and puffed up to overcompensate his stifling ego he still had back then. Thor’s golden hair was longer and healthier, not as heavy and unkempt as it was currently. He still had his mighty Mjølnir, as well. Clint definitely looked younger as compared to his older, nearly broken future appearance. He was smiling and laughing with Natasha as he poured her and himself a glass of brandy, the two clinking glasses over their victory. Twilight’s heart fell when she saw that old smile grace Clint’s face. She really missed that smile.

Bruce Banner was still the same old Hulk Twilight and Rainbow once knew. Brainless, heartless, and all-powerful as he stumbled aimlessly about the room, trying to get a round two attempt on Loki but Thor denying him every single time. Loki practically cowered around his older brother, even using him as a shield against the Hulk. Then there was Steve Rogers. He wore the same attire their Steve brought with them, assuring Twilight and the others that they were at least prepared for that. Stark, however, saw something else.

Still in his Mark 85 yet camouflaged and still to the world around him, he smirked and shook his head when his eyes dropped lower. “Oh, Mr. Rogers, I am sorry. I forgot that that suit did nothing for your ass,” Stark murmured under his breath, loud enough for everyone to hear in the comms. Everyone.

While Twilight, Sunset, and Rainbow turned to Stark with expressions that said it all, Steve’s voice came quickly in the comms, stating, “No one asked you to look, Tony.”

Someone else was easily impressed, a certain Ant-Man atop Stark’s shoulder rising up to full height. “I think you look great, Cap. As far as I’m concerned, that’s America’s ass,” Scott said with a salute to boot.

“Okay, can we stop talking about Steve’s butt for a second?” Rainbow groaned, blushing mildly. However much she wanted to deny it, her eyes kept trailing back down to Captain America’s backside now that Tony put the thought in her head, the voluptuous cheeks of the Star-Spangled Man with a Plan fitting perfectly in his tight red, white, and blue uniform. They practically radiated under the light of the sun sprinkling in through the glass window, Steve’s thighs adding that much more volume to his rump the longer she stared. And Rainbow Dash was definitely putting much more thought onto it than she needed to. Her face was practically on fire, thanking Twilight in her mind for the camouflage spell as the Pegasus rose a foreleg to forcefully look away.

“Sh!” Murdock warned, everyone falling silent in the comms. Though invisible to the world around him, Matt slowly twisted his neck around to face the elevator doors behind him and his team. “We got incoming from above. Ten S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives.”

Stark acknowledged that with a nod. “Everyone hold their breath,” he whispered.

The elevator doors broke apart, allowing both Agent Brock Rumlow and Agent Jasper Sitwell to enter with a plethora of eight other burly S.H.I.E.L.D. agents behind them. They carried with them two briefcases, one already containing the Tesseract and the Space Stone while the other was longer, rectangular in shape. Perfect size for a certain scepter Natasha Romanoff was holding. As the S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives made their way inside and joined the six Avengers in confronting Loki and taking the scepter off of the Black Widow’s hands, the other six Avengers breathed again and watched the scene unfold.

Just as Stark remembered it, Sitwell opening up the rectangular briefcase and taking the scepter off of Natasha’s hands, placing it and the Mind Stone within that containment. Shaking his head, Tony whispered, “All right, here’s how it’s gonna go down. Steve is gonna handle the scepter, so that leaves the rest of you with me in acquiring the Tesseract. We got one shot at this, so don’t mess it up. Everyone know what they’re doing?”

A resounding chime of “rogers” filled his comms. Tony nodded to that and said, “Right, so when I get the briefcase, I’ll hand it off to Murdock and he’ll take it outside in the nearest alleyway. Don’t have to worry about eyes in this case. No one’s gonna question a blind guy.”

Shaking his head, Matt mumbled, “Is that what my role is now? Just a glorified disguise?”

Stark, ignoring him, said, “All right, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s taking the scepter and the south elevator.”

“Copy that,” Steve replied.

The other Steve—the 2012 kind—walked briskly past Thor and Loki while pressing firmly on his earpiece. “Search and rescue, does anyone have eyes on those alien horses?” Captain America announced to Rumlow, Sitwell, and every other agent S.H.I.E.L.D. brought with them, those others waiting in the lower levels for Rogers to lead them out in the streets.

Loki was not impressed, a veil of green overcoming his body and becoming that of Steve Rogers himself. “‘Search and rescue, does anyone have eyes on those alien horses’!” he mockingly declared, returning quickly to his original state and turning to Thor bemusedly. Then, he just realized what he had said, stating, “Wait, alien horses?”

“Shut,” Thor interrupted, slapping a mouthpiece over Loki’s lips. “Up.”

The others, the group consisting of Tony Stark, Thor, Loki, and a few more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents carried with them the briefcase that contained the Tesseract. Stark carried that, ensuring that Thor and Loki would take it with them back to Asgard where it belonged. Seeing his opportunity, Scott Lang reached the edge of Tony’s shoulder and lifted his rear end in the air.

“Got the target in sight,” Sunset whispered.

Lang nodded to that, looking back to Tony. “All right… flick me.”

Tony shook his head to that. “You just had to make it weird.” Though with minimal reluctance, He lifted his metal finger and flicked Ant-Man towards the Tesseract, Scott breaking away from the camouflage spell with his added trajectory and speed. Like he even needed it considering his size. He latched onto Tony Stark’s pant leg, slowly crawling his way up Tony’s person and towards the Arc Reactor still keeping him alive. Stark shook his head, praying that Lang didn’t mess up or kill him.

That was all that was needed of them in the upper levels. Rising back up, the group of five slowly made their cautious escape to the shattered window. Those still present, like Barton, Natasha, and the Hulk lingered on, the Hulk himself following behind Thor and his group taking Loki and the Tesseract to the elevator. With Stark taking a seat on the briefcase that contained the Tesseract, he shot out his hands alongside Thor and the agents present, stopping the towering mountain of green muscle before he could step foot on the elevator.

“Whoa, what do you think you’re doing, big guy?” Tony shouted, watching the Hulk glare at him and the others slowly. “Maximum occupancy has been reached! Go take the stairs!”

“Yes, take the stairs!” Thor agreed, pointing Mjølnir in the direction of the nearest flight. Loki waved playfully to the Hulk as the elevator doors closed, the Hulk roaring and slamming his fist on the doors. With Barton and Natasha gazing over to the Hulk and drinking their brandy silently, they could see him stumble forward, almost begrudgingly, to the flight of stairs awaiting him.

All the while mumbling, “Take the stairs. Hate the stairs!”

All of their attention was off the row of windows, letting the remaining five to leap out and off the building unseen. Tony opened his arms and caught Murdock, the two dropping together. All of their camouflage faded away due to the trajectory and speed of the drop, Tony eventually catching flight and holding Matt tightly by his arms. Sunset, Twilight, and Rainbow followed the pair, Rainbow eventually breaking off when she shouted, “Things are starting to get crowded! I’ll stay as backup with Carol and the others!”

All they could do was nod, watch as she zipped off with a rainbow trail following her. They didn’t have time to argue. They needed to get into position. And Stark needed to borrow some S.H.I.E.L.D. accessories.

The south elevator doors opened and Captain America stood on the outside. Every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent present all lifted their hardened gazes and simultaneously held their breaths as they saw the maskless expression from Steve Rogers meet theirs. He took those slow, cautious steps inside, closing the doors manually and standing in the heart of the group.

Agent Sitwell eyed Rogers curiously, asking, “Captain, I thought you were running search and rescue for those… alien horses you mentioned?”

The elevator doors closed, locking them all in as the elevator began its long, slow descent to the ground. Noting Sitwell’s curious eyes and question, Steve simply stated, “Change of plans.”

The following seconds within the elevator were quiet, unease and tension rising higher and higher and infecting the air, suffocating practically every participant. It reached the point where the Captain’s presence started to earn a pang of unsettling shivers down the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents’ spines. One agent in particular reached for his belt, unlocking his pistol and letting his hand rest on it.

“Hey, Cap,” Brock Rumlow greeted at last, turning accordingly to Steve Rogers.

Steve nodded to that, turning and greeting, “Rumlow.”

More rising tensions, the space of the elevator not helping in creating that space and ease every agent needed at the moment. Every eye flickered back to Captain America every other second, a stream of sweat leaking down a burly agent’s forehead. Another agent tightened his fists. The floors kept on shrinking, the first level coming quicker and quicker.

“Just got word from the director,” Steve announced. “I’m gonna be taking point on the scepter.”

Several heads swiveled at that, turning to one another before eventually falling back to the Captain. “I wasn’t informed of that,” Sitwell stated, turning fully to face him.

Rogers had a retort ready and waiting. “Fury wanted to keep it low-key. Word on someone planning to steal the scepter.”

Unfortunately, they didn’t buy it. Not one second. Sitwell even pulled out his phone, nodding Rogers’ way and declaring, “Okay, well I’m gonna have to confirm this with the secretary.”

He froze when Steve’s hand fell over his phone, his eyes rising up to meet the Captain’s once more. “That won’t be necessary,” Steve told him, eyes hardening against Sitwell’s and holding there. Sitwell was practically frozen under that stare, brought forth when Rogers leaned close to him. Close to his ear. Though slightly curious what he would do or say, nothing could’ve prepared Jasper Sitwell for the words escaping Captain America’s lips and reaching his ears.

“Hail Hydra.”

And everyone in the elevator heard it.

They all turned to Steve Rogers, shock plastered on their faces. Perhaps no one else but Sitwell and Rumlow had the worst expressions, the two agents turning to one another before eventually falling back to Captain America. Steve nodded once to Jasper, that knowing smile joining it.

And Steve Rogers walked out of that elevator with the briefcase, the scepter, the Mind Stone, and a smirk tugging at his lips.

Tony Stark, Thor, Loki, and armed S.H.I.E.L.D. agents made their way out of the elevator and onto the main lobby of Stark Tower. Greeting them were even more S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives armed to the teeth. One in particular had his arms behind his back, spinning about just as Tony and his group made a sharp left to the exit.

And Tony stared at his own back, hiding in plain sight in the S.H.I.E.L.D. armor he “borrowed” from the unconscious agent in the broom closet. “Thumbelina, we are good to go. Everyone and everypony is in position,” Tony acknowledged, eyes flicking behind his goggles and across the lobby.

Matthew Murdock stood within the crowd of people, bustling about and looking as inconspicuous as he could. He pulled it off extremely well, hardly anyone even casting the blind man tapping away at the floor with his cane a passing glance. He found the nearest wall opposite to Stark with his hand, pressing his back against it and nodding to Tony directly ahead of him.

Twilight and Sunset, however, couldn’t even be seen considering their ponified appearance. Their camouflage spell worked wonders, both mares hiding behind mere potted plants that would have never concealed them given their size. They watched from the sidelines, eyeing Tony and his group near the exit with the Tesseract in hand. If anything went south, they were the last means of acquiring the Tesseract. Even if someone saw them. They could afford that. What they couldn’t afford was losing the Space Stone.

Tony tapped on his earbud, asking, “Stuart Little, do you read me?”

“Yeah, I read you,” Scott whispered in his comms. He scoffed, grunting as he climbed past Tony’s person and slipped into his shirt. “How many nicknames do you have for me anyway?”

“Twelve more, so don’t urge me to use them and get this done right.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“You’re just gonna give me a little heart attack. Don’t sweat it,” Stark replied, his eyes darting to the left to see the potted plants ruffle slightly. “Girls, you need to be ready for anything. If things turn south… you might have to break cover.”

“Trying to avoid doing that again, Tony,” Twilight whispered through the comms.

Everyone fell silent when a second group approached Tony, Thor, and the rest, listening in and watching the events unfold before them. Stark, especially, sighed when the familiar face of a certain S.H.I.E.L.D. secretary stepped forward to greet his past self. He always disliked this memory.

“Ah, paparazzi! What do you want?” Stark declared, hand held out while the other gripped the briefcase.

Alexander Pierce pursed his lips at that overbearing statement. With a caravan of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents behind him, he would have hoped Tony Stark would drop his guard and let them handle things. Then again, it was Tony Stark he was dealing with. It was never going to be easy. “Stark, always a pleasure,” Alexander stated, turning his aged and experienced eyes over to Thor and Loki respectively. “Gentlemen, my name is Secretary Pierce of S.H.I.E.L.D., and we’re here to confiscate that briefcase of yours. Also, your brother is going to be brought in for questioning.”

One of Pierce’s agents reached for the briefcase, but Thor stopped him, hand held outwards.

“Uh, Odin,” Thor stated in a defensive manner, earning a roll of the eyes from Loki, “will be handling the case and my brother, thank you very much. The Tesseract belongs in Asgard, and Loki will face proper judgement there.”

Pierce would not be deterred, however. “I don’t know about Asgard, but the Tesseract has been in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s protection since the end of World War II, so if you don’t mind.”

A swarm of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents put their hands over the briefcase and Loki, all while Thor and Tony did their best to fend them off in the least-violent way possible. “Hey, don’t put your hands me,” Stark declared, holding the briefcase with an iron grip while Pierce reached for it. “Hey, that’s an offense right there!”

“Things are getting heated,” Tony whispered from the sidelines, his hands falling away from his backside and hanging silently by his sides. Seeing himself thrash about while his grip was loosening on the briefcase did not help their mission. They had to take matters into their hands and fast. With a set mind, Stark nodded fiercely. “Do it, Lang.”

In an instant, the glowing Arc Reactor beneath Tony Stark’s Black Sabbath shirt began to flicker, earning a shock of terror from the Iron Man and a gasp for life. He instantly crumbled, dropping the briefcase and falling to the floor.

“Stark?” Pierce questioned, watching him drop like a rock. He and many other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents fell to their knees on the floor with him, Thor dropping down and asking Tony what was the matter. It didn’t help, the billionaire convulsing and gasping every second he lied on the floor. “Stark, are you okay? Medic! We need a medic!”

“Medic!” Tony called, looking about lazily. “Guy needs help.”

“You’re insane. You know that, Tony?” Sunset grumbled in the shared comms. The two mares stood aghast at what was happening, literally watching Tony Stark dying slowly on the floor while their Tony simply watched without even a hint of remorse.

He just shrugged. “Add it to the list.”

“Ah, that felt so wrong!” Scott declared, hopping out of Tony’s Arc Reactor and crawling out of his shirt. Leaping from Tony’s convulsing body, Lang kicked the briefcase clear across the floor. Loki, while chained and restrained, was the only one in the room who seemed to pay the briefcase any heed, watching as it spun about and reached a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative in the distance. He furrowed his brow at that, watching him hand off that briefcase to a blind man.

Matthew allowed a relief-filled grin to fill his features, his grip as hard as he allowed on the briefcase that contained the Tesseract, and furthermore the Space Stone. Another Stone down, just four more to go. He moved swiftly across the lobby, just reaching the first set of stairwell doors to his right before he could get lost in the crowds of people. Pressing on his earbud, he announced, “Briefcase is secured. Moving outside for—”

But he stopped.

He heard the growl.

The scream of air as the bellowing creature descended the flight of stairs and hit the floor.

Then Murdock leapt backwards, barely dodging the swinging door that would’ve killed him had he allowed it to strike him. Because emerging from the other side of the door, the towering and angered Hulk stumbled forth, roaring loudly, “Hate stairs!”

Surrounding crowds broke off and screamed, making their escape from Stark Tower as the Hulk proceeded behind them, crashing through the exit doors and roaring to the skies above. Meanwhile, Matt had performed a perfect backflip while losing his grip on the briefcase, the container rolling across the floor and out of both Stark and Murdock’s reach. It tapped the nearest foot of a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, the burly man dropping his eyes to it before lifting them to the pair standing before him.

Especially after having witnessed the man in the dark shades perform a backflip and landing it. The cane he gripped in his hand was also a clear indicator that proved to be false, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent pointing at him and shouting, “Hey, that guy’s not blind!”

“Ah, shit,” Matt muttered. A growing group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were turning towards the rising tension in the scene Murdock was in the center of, and soon enough he felt a pair of hands wrap his wrists behind his back and grip his shoulder. Murdock nearly engaged, but after hearing that familiar heartbeat and voice hold him… he quickly played along.

“Don’t worry, guys!” Tony announced, holding Murdock tight. “I got it under control! You might wanna keep an eye on that briefcase though! You wouldn’t want someone to steal it!”

He heavily emphasized those last two words, flicking his large and wild eyes over to the potted plants. Hidden behind them, Twilight and Sunset caught the silent signs and nodded, knowing Stark wouldn’t see it due to their camouflaged states. He trusted them anyway, whispering in Murdock’s ear, “Hit me. Make it look real.”

Matt pursed his lips, gritting his teeth and freeing his right hand from Tony’s grip. He reared his elbow into Stark’s rib cage, not hard enough to hurt him, but strong enough to make it look as real as it needed to be. The added armor to Stark’s person also allowed him to strike quickly. The thing with Tony was that he was a great actor, the man faking the gasp and crumbling to the floor. At that moment, a plethora of agents rushed forward and chased down Murdock, kicking the briefcase as they ran and practically abandoning it to chase down Matt out of the lobby and out into the streets.

It laid out in the open, fresh for the taking. While a pair of agents rushed by Stark’s side and tried to pull him to his feet, and with Lang nowhere to be seen, all that was left was Twilight and Sunset to take action. So as not to lose their invisibility spells, the two mares proceeded slowly and cautiously out into the open, eyeing the case lying mere feet before and only growing closer. They held their breaths, Twilight’s horn softly glowing while maintaining the invisibility spell. Her aura wrapped around the briefcase, slowly levitating it to her. Loki watched it all unfold with widened eyes.

Both ponies gasped quietly when they heard the loud footsteps approach their left, the two turning to see Secretary Pierce make his quick approach to the briefcase. But worst of it all, to them.

“You take care of Stark!” Alexander Pierce declared, bending down and grabbing the briefcase. He yanked it forward, but he stopped. He was forcefully stopped and turned back to see the briefcase frozen in mid-air. Caught on that yet undeterred, Pierce took one more yank and pulled with all his might. He heard the frightful yelp, eyes opening in shock to witness who had been holding the briefcase.

Their spell failed them, the increased movement from Pierce’s end causing the two mares to appear before him in a flush of magic. There, Twilight stood with Sunset gripping her and helping to pull on the briefcase, the Alicorn’s hooves tightly gripping the case’s edges. A ripple of silence and awe filled the main lobby, agents and bystanders all standing breathless and jaws agape to the scene before them. Loki, especially, shot open his eyes to the widest they could grow. He saw them. Everyone saw them.

The alien horses.

Before Pierce or Sunset or anyone else could even breathe, Twilight reared her neck back and yanked the briefcase free from Pierce’s grasp. He was so at a loss for words that he didn’t even react in time, forcing one of his agents to. That agent tackled Twilight and Sunset from behind, the briefcase crashing against the floor and popping open, the Tesseract leaping out and sliding across the ground. Even more S.H.I.E.L.D. agents sprang for the Tesseract, feet knocking into it and sending the cube skidding and tumbling about. It was a fumble for it, the main lobby a chaos of bodies and screams.

Seeing the Tesseract out in the open, Twilight and Sunset both simultaneously gasped and teleported out of the agent’s arms that held them. The two mares eyed their target between the towering legs and dark suits that filled the lobby. They both galloped into action, dodging bodies and weaving and flying out of danger or any of the agents’ reach for them. They could also see agents being knocked back by an invisible force, that speck of black being none other than Scott Lang creating a path for the mares to reach the Tesseract. Sunset, being closer, dove and slid across the marble floor and grabbed the Tesseract, spotting Twilight in the distance and sliding the cube towards her. It was just before a swarm of agents surrounded her, all freezing and watching the Tesseract slide across the floor to the awaiting Alicorn.

Only it never reached its desired location. A familiar hand shot down and plucked the Tesseract right off the floor, that hand bringing the cube face to face with Secretary Pierce. Alexander breathed a sigh of relief at that, only to have that smile stripped away from him the very second the Tesseract was. It vanished in a flash from his own palm, Pierce’s shocked expression turning to the very next flash of light that appeared. Having teleported the Tesseract to her hoof, Twilight sent a victorious grin over to Pierce and the other agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Her horn ignited and she prepared to make her escape.

Loki kicked her.

Sunset gasped aloud.

Directly into her right blind spot, Twilight never could have seen the kick coming. It struck her rib cage and sent the Alicorn striking the ground and sliding until she hit the wall. Groaning and gripping her abdomen, Twilight opened her eyes slowly and painfully, realization quickly sinking in when she noticed she had lost her grip on the Tesseract. Her jaw fell, her eyes widened to see it picked off the ground.

There it was. Resting in Loki’s hands as the black and blue portal consumed them both.

Thor resuscitated Tony, slapping Mjølnir just over the Arc Reactor and sending a bolt of electricity into the device, thus ending his convulsions and bringing a steady breathing pattern back into Stark. “Ha! I had no idea that would work!” Thor declared.

“You’re telling me!” Tony gasped, feeling his chest and gazing around. His eyes hardened to the open briefcase, then to the complete lack of a God of Mischief in the main lobby. “Wait… where’s the Tesseract?”

“What?” Thor questioned, spinning around. He paused, then turned again, his eyes making a complete 180 alongside his body. “Wait… now where’s Loki? Loki! Loki, where have you gone?!”

He froze when he saw the bundle of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents surrounding something within them. Something colorful. Something with a fiery mane and a horn protruding from its forehead. That something just so happened to be Sunset Shimmer, the unicorn gazing upwards from where she lay to the God of Thunder gazing down to her, awestruck and breathless to what he was seeing. To what they were all witnessing. Slowly, the entire lobby congregated to the two alien ponies within their presence. And all they could do was look around, breathing rapidly, fearfully, looking anywhere for their Tony Stark. But he was already gone, left ever since Loki stole the Tesseract.

Sunset laughed nervously and vanished in a flash. Twilight facehoofed and vanished, as well.

Tony Stark blinked, saying, “Yeah, I’m definitely dead now.”

“Tony, what’s happening?” Steve Rogers asked, nothing but static and silence on the other end of his comms. He weaved through the narrowing hallways of Stark Tower, the large briefcase that held the scepter tight in his grasp, his left hand wielding his circular shield. Shaking his head, Steve just about approached a glass bridge overlooking a terrifying drop. “Do you have the Tesseract?”

His question fell on deaf ears, but he didn’t need to know the answer just yet. His attention shifted forward, his full focus centered on the lone man approaching him from the center of the glass bridge. Stopping dead in his tracks, Steve held that frozen expression of bemusement, already knowing what was inevitably coming next.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be shitting me.”

It was all he could say as he stared at the mirror image of himself, the masked Captain America blocking his path and narrowing his gaze to the supposed impostor. As if things couldn’t possibly get any more difficult for Steve and his team, now he had deal with the one person he really didn’t want to confront in the past: himself. The younger, healthier, and arguably stronger version of himself standing against the older, wiser, more experienced Captain America. Two forces of good standing against one another. The immovable object standing against the unstoppable force.

Then Steve watched as his past self rose a gloved-palm to his ear, declaring, “I got eyes on Loki.”

Setting the briefcase slowly down on his right, Steve rose up, never breaking eye contact with himself. “I’m not Loki,” he told him.

Unfortunately, Captain America was unfazed. “That’s exactly what Loki would say.”

Steve sighed. Sometimes he wished he wasn’t so dense.

Not much else to do. He had a foe standing in his path and refusing to move. Even if it was himself. The two struck, Captain America swinging his shield and Steve Rogers raising his own, creating a flurry of sparks as a resounding clang shot out throughout Stark Tower. The Captain ripped his shield down, swinging with his fist as Steve ducked, weaved, and dodged the punches, replying with his own punches, swings, and kicks. That one kick luckily struck, kicking the past Captain America in the sternum and sending him skidding back across the bridge. Steve took a breath before charging forward, a rushing sprint with his shield high over his head, a quick jump, before he brought that shield down from the Captain’s forehead, intended to knock him out clean. The padded helmet would have provided enough protection from a kill shot. Only Captain America rolled out of the way, causing Steve Rogers to slam his shield’s edge into the glass bridge and crack it.

Shocked to see the growing web of cracks against the glass, Steve was unprepared for the pair of arms wrapping around his torso. He felt himself being hoisted backwards, his back slammed into the bridge and shattering the rest of it. The two Captains plummeted from that point, hitting a flight of stairs and crashing to the ground alongside the briefcase. From it, the scepter spilled outwards and clattered against the floor. Both Steves rolled down the stairs and came to a crash alongside the broken glass and briefcase, both eventually pushing themselves back up to face one another yet again.

Captain America wiped the blood from his lip. “I can do this all day.”

Steve Rogers sighed, shaking his head. “Yeah, I know. I know…”

Then they struck again, both flinging their shields at one another before they engaged in close combat. They wrapped up one another in their arms, trying desperately to gain the upper hand. Captain America struck Steve’s leg, rolling forward and tightening his right arm around his neck. To ensure he had an unbreakable grip, he also wrapped his legs around Rogers’ torso, slowly cutting off his windpipe and his oxygen supply. Steve desperately fought back, unable to break his own grip. When that wretched thought came to light, he only really had one more bit of assurance left.

He shakily raised a finger to his earbud, hissing through gritted teeth, “I need that backup!”

The screech of a repulsor blast filled the air, causing Captain America to turn around and see the glass window in the distance shatter into a million pieces. Flying from it, a Pegasus in flying suit of armor jetted forth and soared with her hoof leading and striking the past Captain with her own body. The trio rolled, eventually breaking apart and the Pegasus sliding to a halt on all four hooves. Steve Rogers lay prone while the Captain rose up to one knee, slowly turning to see that familiar suit of armor, that sky blue color, and the metal wings of the same alien horse he saw on the bridge.

“You?!” Captain America gasped.

Rainbow Dash didn’t say a word. She couldn’t, launching herself from the propelling repulsors and ramming her own body into the past Steve Rogers. The two fumbled for a bit, the mare trying to strangle him from behind, unfortunately failing at that. He knocked her into the ground and grabbed her foreleg, holding it behind her back and using his other hand to press her head against the floor. Rainbow cried out, grinding her teeth as the nanotech around her head retreated back and revealed her shaken, exhausted, and battle-hardened expression pressed flat against the ground. Her left cheek was pressed hard against it, the other exposed and allowing her eyes to dart back to the past Captain.

Saw him shout, “I’ll ask you again: Who are you and where the hell did you come from?!”

A metal palm grabbed the back of his suit and flung him off of Rainbow.

Rolling back, Captain America lifted his gaze to see a near-spitting image of Tony Stark standing before him. Unlike the Iron Man armor, the suit he gazed upon was practically gray, black, and white, the white belonging to the skull paintings on the chest and face of the mask. Heavy firepower was attached to the suit of armor, including miniguns and grenade launchers upon the shoulders and wrists. But he didn’t use any of them.

Frank Castle merely held out his right palm to Steve, stating clearly, “Stand down, Captain!”

He picked up his shield lying mere inches to his left.

“No…” Frank warned. “Don’t…!”

Then he charged, flinging his shield first and foremost and letting that be the leading attack. The shield struck Castle right in the chest, causing him to stagger back. As it returned to Rogers, the Captain broke the distance and pelted Castle with severe strikes from his shield’s edge and his own fists. Frank knew he wasn’t at a disadvantage in terms of strength and firepower, but considering it was Captain America he was fighting against, he knew he could hardly use either to best him. Hell, he could only really use one. He didn’t want to kill him. His massive suit of armor offered for minimal movement and speed, meant to be a mere juggernaut or a tank. Heavy firepower and little else.

Captain America was fast, slick, and devastating in his quick attacks that Castle couldn’t counter.

Just as Frank swung for his head, Steve ducked and swiped low with his leg, knocking the hulking suit of metal off his feet and onto his back. Castle grunted just as the Captain straddled him, raising his shield high in the air to meet the face of his helmet. He was never able to bring that shield down, the tremor-like energy wave pelting his chest and blasting Steve and his shield several yards backwards.

His shield fell off the edge. He was practically thrown from Castle’s Punisher Armor, the slender form of Daisy Johnson stepping out from the sidelines with her left palm jutted outwards, silver gauntlet gleaming under the sun. Captain America rose up, shaking his head and taking in a gasp of air. She charged forward. He charged, too. They met and engaged with quick, close-quarter combat.

Punches that shot forward as fast as bullets barely slipped past the slick dodges from both Rogers and Johnson. She sent a fierce kick into his stomach, causing Steve to stagger back. She replied with another, then another, jamming out her right hand and intending to send a shock wave of energy right into his chest, hoping to knock him out on the second pulse. Captain America was too fast, grabbing her wrist with lightning-like reflexes and flinging her completely over his shoulder and onto the ground. Daisy gasped out a painful yelp, gritting her teeth and gazing up to the Captain, trying to pull her right arm free from his grasp.

She wasn’t able to on her own, the Steve Rogers she knew appearing behind the past Captain and strangling him. The two stumbled about while Daisy clutched her right arm, writhing in pain on the floor. Past Steve reared back, grabbing Rogers by the back of his head and throwing him off. Rogers managed to rip off his mask as he was thrown, the two of them rolling on the ground in a jumbled mess of limbs and grunts.

Finally, Steve Rogers gained the upper hand, straddling Steve Rogers and raising his fist to end the fight. Had it not been for a certain Captain Marvel flying in and tackling him, he very well may have. Together, the two of them rolled further on the floor, Carol rising to her feet and practically strangling Steve Rogers in an unbreakable grip. That one, surely, was an unbreakable grip. She glared to the mess of blonde hair and convulsing attempts to pry at her forearm, but it was pointless. The Captain America of the past would have no choice but to surrender or fall into an unpleasant state of rest for—

“It’s me, Carol! It’s me!” Steve hissed.

Carol’s eyes shot open, the grip around his throat instantly ending. “Oh, my God!” she gasped, bending down to meet Rogers on the floor as he coughed and tried desperately to breathe again. “I’m sorry; I had no idea!”

He didn’t even look at her, lifting his eyes dead ahead and shouting, “Look out!”

Raising her gaze, Carol Danvers quickly rose to both feet as the Captain America from the past charged her with a swinging punch. Practically shaken after having nearly taken the life of the Steve she knew, Danvers was more apprehensive in her approach to fight back. She hardly did, merely blocking Steve’s attempts to punch her with her forearms. Captain America was relentless in his advance, swinging repeatedly to gain the upper hand, any upper hand against the super-powered woman. He swung once more, aiming right for her face.

She caught his fist. He swung again. She caught the other. With little choice left, Steve headbutted her. Carol, completely unfazed, frowned and retorted with a headbutt back. Rogers was practically launched back, knocked out before his back even hit the ground.

Carol Danvers breathed in, sighing a breath of relief to see that it was over. Rainbow Dash shakily rose up alongside Daisy, the two of them approaching Steve’s prone form and tapping it lightly. They confirmed Carol’s suspicions with two nods. He was out cold. Frank Castle sat up, his mask retracting back to show that exhausted expression on his face.

Steve was the last one to get back to his feet. As he did so, he made sure to pick up his shield and the scepter, approaching Carol’s left and nodding to her. Then he dropped his gaze. Breathed heavily as he stared to the mere image of his past self’s backside facing them.

Steve breathed, shaking his head with a weakened grin. “That really is America’s ass.”

Rainbow Dash blushed and looked away, shaking her head. Carol lowered her gaze to observe for herself. After a few short seconds, she nodded with her lips pursed outwards, a smile growing from there. “Damn right.”

Chapter 130 – Lost in Space, Time, and Mind

130

New York City

Streets

2:34 p.m.

Two teams came together once more as to count their failures and gather their victories.

The aftermath of the Battle of New York took its toll on the city, the streets littered with decimated cars and shattered buildings. Dead Chitauri were scattered about everywhere, but other than that, there were no other lives present. The streets were as dead as a major portion of the city was at the moment. It would just be for a moment, the Avengers knowing the populace of New York would emerge to help pick up the pieces sooner rather than later. They didn’t have much time to converse.

Especially Matthew, the Daredevil entering the nearest alleyway he could after he got the call from Rogers on their location. He was decked out in his black Daredevil armor once again, having able to outrun and outsmart the agents that chased him out of Stark Tower. With eyes wide and alert, ears even more so, Murdock gazed about until he finally reconvened with his team.

“All right, I lost those S.H.I.E.L.D. agents…” Matt stated, his voice trailing off when he noticed the still silence overcoming the group of nine Avengers in the alley. They all appeared rather downtrodden, the beats of their hearts fast and heavy. Fearful. Murdock hardened his brow at that, holding his breath. “What, what’s going on?”

Sunset was trying to soothe Twilight’s injured rib cage, but the Alicorn waved her away, assuring Sunset that she was fine. The two mares sat near a pile of rubble, staring only to the ground. Rainbow Dash was flying back and forth, distraught consuming her features as she shook her head and grumbled silently to herself. Frank Castle stood silently in his burly suit of armor, he and Daisy Johnson having their arms crossed and defeated expressions heavy. Scott paced back and forth while Carol simply gazed weakly to him, hands on her hips, frown plastered on her face. Steve Rogers stood with the scepter in his hands, the glowing gem within its center giving Murdock that ease to know they at least acquired the Mind Stone. The Space Stone, however… was nowhere to be seen. No cube, no Tesseract, nothing.

Stark sat in the driver’s seat of a destroyed taxi cab, his head leaning against his fist as his elbow was propped up on the door. He gazed straight ahead, a haunting sense of failure evident in his eyes. “Boy, we really screwed the pooch on this one,” Tony sighed, laying his forehead down on his forearm.

“Screwed the pooch?” Scott exclaimed, turning fiercely to the taxi and approaching its driver’s side door. “We’ve done a lot worse than that. We’ve F’d the pooch!”

“Scott, calm down,” Twilight called to him, barely even lifting her eyes to meet his.

He wasn’t having any of it, already retorting while jabbing his gloved-finger at the Alicorn. “You calm down! You calm down! And you calm down especially!” Scott shouted, pointing to Daisy who only shot out her hands, confusion rippled on her face. “G-guys, like, are you not understanding what just happened?! We lost the Tesseract, the Space Stone! Sure, we got the Mind Stone, but without all six, we’re screwed!”

Upon hearing that wretched news, Murdock’s heart practically collapsed. It fell and he was trapped in that inky darkness of uncertainty and failure, finally joining the rest of his fellow Avengers in that pit of despair. If what Scott said was true—and considering every other Avenger not objecting to his claims made it out to be even more so—then that left them in quite possibly the worst case scenario they could have found themselves in. They lost an Infinity Stone. They made a mistake, and like Steve said, there were no do-overs. Not unless they wanted to risk the idea of some of them never going back to the present. Matthew raised a shaking hand up to his forehead, breathing out as he leaned against the nearest brick building, back pressed firmly against it as he tried to maintain his heavy breaths.

In the darkness, there came Captain Marvel wielding the torch to pull them out.

“So just send me back,” Carol stated, earning every eye amongst the team. She nodded to Rogers, saying, “A couple hours. I’ll get the Tesseract and meet you all back in the future.”

While others like Twilight or Daisy were caught on that glimpse of hope she offered, Scott, unfortunately, wasn’t. He was right there to stop her before she could even think of the next word, stating fiercely, “And what do you think S.H.I.E.L.D.’s gonna do when they see a glowing alien woman coming for the Tesseract, huh? You’re gonna cause a mass panic, Danvers!”

Carol stepped up to him, getting dangerously close in his face. “Unless you already forgot, Scott, that it’s the fate of the goddamn universe we’re dealing with here! I think we can afford a little panic!”

“No, you see, this is exactly what I was afraid of!” Scott retorted, taking several steps back to create that needed space between them, just in case things got any more heated than it already was. “What if you go back, huh? What if you go back and you end up lost in the Quantum Realm? We can’t save you! The Tesseract is lost forever and then we’re really screwed! We deviate from the plan and then everything goes to shit! Dammit!”

Scott Lang shot up his gloves and rubbed them through his hair, tightening them into fists as he bent down and contained his aggravated screams. As he continued to pace unevenly and emotionally back and forth within the alley, the rest of his team merely watched him with waning glances. Rainbow, especially, as she hovered just feet before him and crossed her forelegs.

“Scott, we deviated a looong time ago,” Rainbow said, earning Lang’s wild and terrified eyes. Considering she wasn’t really lying—what with her encounter with the 2012 version of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff and picking a fight with the same Captain America—it was still a hard pill for Scott to swallow regardless. Rainbow shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. “Best we can do now is hope Banner’s theory was correct.”

“The timeline?” Scott asked, seeing that nod from Rainbow shoot his way. “What about us?! If we don’t get these Stones back, then it’s over! Some of us here don’t have enough Pym Particles for that kind of risk, and like I said—but no one seems to listen to me—these Pym Particles are all we have left!”

He emphasized every word, jamming his fingers to his belt and where the particles were stored. Merely two vials left, he and the rest of Carol’s team sharing that uncertain and frightful number. Though it was one more than Steve’s team had, Scott still had every right to be practically mortified in their failure. He was the only one among them who had experienced the Quantum Realm first and foremost, knowing of its treacheries and uncertainties. He had hoped everyone would see and feel exactly as he did, but they just couldn’t get it through their heads. Not yet, at least.

Twilight still didn’t feel that same fear that Scott held, because she knew the science backed up their journey. How she examined the Quantum Fields alongside Shuri and Banner assured her of their journey, the Alicorn lifting her eyes to the Ant-Man and declaring, “Scott, the probability of us getting torn away from our path in the Quantum Realm is a thousand to one chance. I don’t think we need to worry over tha—”

Her voice was silenced. It fell silent when Tony Stark interrupted her. But prior to that, Tony was just as distraught as everyone else, but more so to realize that they had broken away from his one-shot plan when Lang mentioned so. He no longer had that assurance that his future would be secured with what they had done. The best he could do—as Rainbow mentioned—was hope that Banner’s theory on time travel was correct. Then he heard Scott’s following words, his following warning on their particle count. Tony shot up his eyes from his forearm, widened when the realization struck him.

“I got it.”

His voice was a calming wind amongst the chaos, everyone turning to Iron Man and seeing what he would say next. They watched as he opened the door and stepped briskly out of the vehicle, slamming it shut and turning towards a certain Captain America.

“What?” Carol asked, taking that step closer his way.

Tony approached Rogers, the Captain’s brow furrowing when he witnessed that wild expression fill Stark’s face. He listened carefully and cautiously as Tony stated quickly, “You know what I’m thinking? Where else are the Tesseract and enough particles gonna be at the same moment in time? New Jersey.”

“Old S.H.I.E.L.D. training base?” Steve inquired. That realization that struck Tony slowly but surely struck him, too. “You’re sure they’re there?”

“My old man used to work there. Told me stories of the people he worked with. Last I checked the Tesseract was in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s hands since the end of World War II.”

“Guys…” Scott called out.

His voice failed him, however, when Steve approached him and held out his right arm, ultimately handing off the scepter and the Mind Stone to Lang. “Here, Scott, take this,” Steve told him, retreating back to stand in front of Tony and his ramblings, especially as he started tinkering away on his Time Travel GPS.

“Wait, what?” Scott questioned looking from the scepter in his hand and back to Captain America. “No, guys, what are you doing? What are you talking about?”

As Tony and Steve adjusted their GPSes in sync with each other, Stark darted his head to his left, stating quickly, “Twi, Dash, with us.”

Though somewhat apprehensive to Stark’s inconsistent and downright frightening actions and words, the two mares turned to one another before either made their approach. The newfound adrenaline was high in the air over both Stark and Rogers, causing Rainbow to touch ground and trot forward alongside the Alicorn. Together, the two mares eyed their fellow Avengers curiously, Twilight eventually pondering aloud, “What’s going on, Tony?”

“Adjust your GPSes… to the date and location I’m sending you…” he replied without even looking. Curious at that, both Twilight and Rainbow raised their left hooves and watched as set of coordinates were being added into their GPSes. The very day, hour, location, and year. Raising her brow to that, Twilight lifted her eyes to hopefully meet and question Tony’s, but he didn’t look to her.

He was focused only on Steve, the two Avengers staring fiercely into each other’s eyes. Tony for purposes he needed to know when he asked, “Do you trust me?”

And Steve looking for reasons to find that trust, knowing full-well that if anything went wrong, that if they pulled off one more slip-up… it was over. They were lost in time and furthermore would lose much more than that if the horrifying possibility became real. All of risked for a chance. All of it hanging on the line by those two, simple words that came out of Steve’s mouth: “I do.”

“You guys!” Scott called out, interrupted, brought the eyes of the many back on him. He pointed the tip of the scepter to Tony and Steve, his eyes heavy and fearful. “If you do this… and it doesn’t work… you’re not coming back.”

Just what they needed to hear, more hopeless outcomes for a mission that needed more hope than any of them at the moment. Twilight and Rainbow both gulped at that, shifting their eyes back to Stark to see the blood practically drain from his face. “Thanks for the boost of confidence, Pissant!” Stark replied. “Scott, since you’re so damn protective of it, take the Mind Stone back to base. Everyone else can join us if they’d like.”

“Where are you going?” Daisy asked.

“Somewhere we know the Tesseract and some spare Pym Particles are hidden,” Steve said, looking from Daisy and slowly over to Lang. He nodded his way. “Scott… safe travels.”

It was the only thing he could really hope for, that and wishing the same thing for Tony, Steve, and all who followed them. Ant-Man nodded once to them. One last time for the best of wishes, for that final hope that they could manage to pull it off. “Good luck, all of you.”

He slapped his left palm, the Quantum Suit materializing and the mask overcoming his face. Gripping the scepter with both hands, refusing with all his strength to release it, the two of them practically vanished back into the expanse of the Quantum Realm. An Infinity Stone down and only four to go. Tony sighed at that, turning back towards the approaching Avengers which now consisted of the remainder of Carol’s team and Steve’s.

He looked to all of them, stating, “All right, are we read—?”

A horrifying cry of static filled everyone’s Time Travel GPS.

And from it came that terrified voice. “… This is Friday! Does anyone read me?!”

While everyone else took a moment to turn to one another, Tony slowly lifted his left palm, the GPS close to his lips as he replied with, “Go for Stark. What’s going on, Friday? Did you see Lang come home?”

“No! We lost contact with Scott Lang after he was sucked into a time vortex off the path!”

And just like that, everyone’s hearts darkened. They fell. They fell and not a single one of them could fathom how to get it back or where it went off to. That unholy panic filled everyone’s facial expressions, but Twilight’s most of all, realization striking her cold and dead in the heart when Scott’s consistent warnings of the Quantum Realm came flooding back into her in a wave of unstoppable horror. He warned them. He said the Quantum Realm was unstable. They all trusted the science.

But in the end, that uncertainty won. That uncertainty took one of their own. Twilight gasped because of that. Rainbow’s jaw fell and her pupils shrunk to microscopic size.

“What?!” Sunset screamed, her eyes wide with panic and adrenaline as she raised her left hoof and stared horrifically into the GPS, as if by some slim chance Friday would react more so to the expression she couldn't see.

“Where is he?!” Steve shouted, doing the same with his left hand.

“Sending his last coordinates now! You’ll need to hurry in order to retrieve him and the Mind Stone before we lose his signal for good!”

Suddenly, everyone looked to their GPSes and watched as a flurry of coordinates were added all at once. And just then, everyone already seemed to understand what needed to be done. Carol’s face hardened as she gazed to the unknown set of coordinates added into her GPS. Frank glared at his wrist, his breathing growing rather sporadic. Daisy gulped silently as she stared onto her left hand. Sunset Shimmer looked over to Matthew Murdock, the two of them gazing with rising uncertainty to the coordinates and then to one another. All those eyes slowly fell back to a certain group of four, to a certain Iron Man.

“Good thing we didn’t send you a couple hours back,” Tony shakily murmured.

Carol stared at him. Dropping her eyes, she adjusted her Time Travel GPS with the coordinates Friday sent them. With her left hand still raised, right hand slowly rising above it and holding at the ready, Danvers turned back to both Tony and Steve. To Twilight and Rainbow. She nodded fiercely to every last one of them. “We’ll get him back.”

“All of us,” Frank grunted, adjusting his stance to stand on Carol’s right. Matthew, Sunset, and Daisy joined them, the remainder of Carol’s team coming together, the only team in 2012 who had two extra vials of Pym Particles on their person. One to find Scott, save him, and get the Mind Stone. The other, and the last one… to go home. Together, they all added the coordinates into their GPSes, pausing just as Carol did and looking back.

Back at Steve as he told them, “Good luck.”

Knowing full-well they needed every ounce of it, Carol felt a very subtle but very real chill crawl up her spine. A chill she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. She put on a strong face, ignored it, and did what was necessary. “You too, Captain.”

The team of five vanished the second they simultaneously slapped their left wrists, the Quantum Suits overcoming their bodies and shrinking them down into the microscopic expanse. Leaving just four left. Just four more who knew what they were risking and what the circumstances entailed if all else failed in the end. They were standing on the edge of no return and slowly congregated back to one another, Twilight shakily raising her head to meet Steve’s eyes, hoping by some slim chance to find some strength that she desperately needed.

Steve could hardly offer any himself.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Tony,” Rainbow said, the Pegasus practically shivering in her metal suit. She didn’t show it, but she knew it, knowing more than anyone else the type of fear that clouded her courage. Knowing that they were about to risk it all and there being the possibility of no return. The most she showed was a solid gulp, shivering pupils meeting Stark’s.

And he asked, “Do you trust me?” He turned to her right. “Both of you?”

Rainbow nodded. It was the most forceful, most painful nod she could have ever managed, but it was still there. Still joining what little strength she had left to commit the impossible. Tony turned to Twilight, seeing that same unholy fear grip her features and successfully break through where it had failed with Rainbow. The Alicorn practically quivered.

She nodded, too, adding a soft but fierce, “Yes.”

Terrified, yes. Uncertain, definitely. Willing… absolutely. They had all agreed to take that leap and what they were about to do was just one more step. One more task. One last time. So much else was hanging on the line, and both ponies knew that. They needed to act or no one else would. They could have easily returned home emptyhoofed, ensured their safety while Tony and Steve risked their lives for a chance. They wouldn’t have stopped them. Steve and Tony would have let them choose their own path. But after hearing what happened to Scott, knowing where they were going had more particles, Twilight and Rainbow knew they really had no other choice but to follow. To trust.

“You all got the coordinates I sent?” Tony asked, fixing out Friday’s for his own. He saw the nods fill all three of them. From Steve, Rainbow, and finally to Twilight. “Good…”

He lifted his eyes to Rogers. “On three…”

Steve gulped. “One…”

Twilight dropped her eyes to her left hoof, her right hoof shaking profusely. “Two…”

Rainbow breathed in. “… Three.”

They all slapped their GPSes at the same time, the Quantum Suits materializing over each Avenger, the masks sealing shut, and all four individuals shrinking down all the way to the year 1970.

Author's Note

Sorry about the mini hiatus. School just started and this semester is looking to be the roughest yet. Probably won't be able to upload a chapter until every weekend. :(

Chapter 131 – A Beautiful New Age

131

Unknown Location

Year: 2021

9:17 p.m.

When Sunset Shimmer woke up, the first thing she breathed was smoke.

The only thing she could breathe was smoke, an abundance of coughs escaping her lungs and her lips that left the unicorn practically suffocated under the air. Sitting upwards with a jolt of renewed and rigorous energy, Sunset shielded her muzzle and mouth with a foreleg in order to block the harmful toxins from entering her. A few more cautious and painful coughs later, she maintained her breathing, narrowing her tear-filled eyes and seeing nothing but black.

She was just entrenched in it. That inky darkness that traveled forever. Looking about, Sunset could see nothing but those shadows, forcing her to light up her horn and brighten her surroundings. The soft red from the tip of her horn gave that much-needed light to the room, but not warmth. There was already an overabundance of warmth, of unrelenting heat hanging in the air and filling it with smoke. Sunset could only assume a great fire had been ignited, the images of the world she was surrounded by finally becoming clear.

What was left of it…

Sunset took in a weak gasp, both due to her weakened lungs from her previous coughing and from not wanting to take in anymore smoke than she had already consumed. What she witnessed warranted the gasp, though, the inside of the building resembling more of the aftermath of an explosion. It appeared as if a bomb had been set off in the center of the room she was in, the walls torn apart and revealing even deeper, longer hallways and rooms within the building complex. Wires and ceiling lamps hung from above in tangled, flickering messes of electronics. Torn and burnt furniture lay strewn about, rubble and gravel filling whatever space was left around her.

With a hardened brow filling her features, a pang of unease and fear rippling through her veins, Sunset quickly raised her left hoof and gazed into the face of the Time Travel GPS. It was still attached to her, still functioning as it properly should have. Sunset breathed a sigh of relief because of that. Her worries arose when she saw that the GPS only detected one more Pym Particle vial left with her. Sunset gulped. Only one more chance to make it back home to her time. Tapping away on the GPS, Sunset scanned it for her current location, finding the coordinates and realizing she had made it.

She was in the exact location of the coordinates Friday had sent her. The exact place where Scott Lang and the scepter were last detected before all contact was lost.

“Friday…?” Sunset asked quietly, hoof pressed to the GPS in hopes to reach back to her time. A moment of silence filled the opposite end, forcing Sunset to speak once more, a tad louder than before. “Friday, this is Sunset. Do you read me?”

Nothing but static on the other end. No contact.

Sunset Shimmer sighed at that as she dropped her hoof and let it connect with the gravel-covered floor beneath her. The others were gone. Carol, Matt, Daisy, Frank… For all Sunset knew, she was on her own. They wouldn’t just leave her alone, though. Something must’ve happened when they entered the time vortex. They must’ve been separated upon entry. With little reluctance and a whole lot of guts, Sunset proceeded carefully through the crumbling, growling building complex.

It practically growled, every single hoofstep forward causing Sunset to flinch to the sounds the building would respond with. It was hardly standing as it was, and with the added weight of a mere unicorn—albeit, not much weight—it was still enough to elicit some sort of response from the shattered, ageing building. Her horn’s light guided her unknown path, the soft red filling in the darkness and paving a way for Sunset to follow. The shadows of the room flickered when she entered, the ghostly red light burning from her horn being that torch that led her.

Each room was even more horrifying than the last, the walls pockmarked with holes ranging from any size. They would sometimes lead into other rooms entirely, but most of the time they were practically bullet-sized. Sometimes the size of her hoof to be able to fit through. Sunset didn’t even attempt to measure it, analyzing the building complex and searching every room, every corridor, and every turn for some sort of life signature. Some form of life. Hopefully an exit.

Her gaze fell when she stepped out into what appeared to be a hallway, most likely the remains of one. To the dust-covered floor… or was it ash? Regardless, Sunset bent down and let her horn’s light reveal to her the footprint embedded within the dust, revealing a simple but recognizable boot imprint. It led directly ahead, to the room filled with an abundance of light from the outside world. Only… that light appeared to be orange in a sense. Sometimes even dark red. It fluctuated between the two, perhaps a sunset or something even worse on the horizon. Sunset hardly paid it any heed, knowing that the footprint was recent in the very least. It led her to the room ahead…

Where she saw a hand sticking out within the shadows.

With eyes widening to see if it was real, Sunset proceeded slowly out of the hallway and into the room. Her gaze was locked solely with the hand, seeing it rise out of a pile of shadows that the light of the world to her left could not reveal. Yet there was still the hand that she was gifted to see, that right palm reaching her way. Perhaps reaching for her alone.

“Hello?” Sunset called, entering the room and slowly approaching the hand. That walk slowly increased into a trot, which only quickened as the seconds left and the silence persisted. Sunset’s heart raced, her adrenaline rising to hear nothing. “Scott, is that you?!” she cried out louder, getting no response and earning a full-blown gallop straight to the shadows.

The light fluctuated forward and revealed the hand to her. Nothing hidden in the dark. Everything encased under a haunting, red and orange hue. And Sunset screeched to a halt because of that. Her eyes fell to the hand and she felt her heart freeze, her skin crawl, and her soul shudder. It was only a moment before the light of the world to her left faded and left the room in darkness once more. Except the red light of her horn showed Sunset everything she needed to see. Everything she didn’t want to but saw anyway.

The hand belonged to a skeleton. A human skeleton.

Not just one… but dozens.

Sunset took in that sharp gasp of air and proceeded to cough once again. She backpedaled away from the pile of bones, of skulls, of human remains lying about in piles, like the one she approached. She could still see its face, whatever was once human leaving just an expression trapped in a state of frozen horror, the skull’s jaw broken and remaining open, gazing straight to her with that skeletal palm reaching for the unicorn. Frozen in time, hardened by the ages. Every last one of them. Sunset practically spun around from where she stood, her heart quickening by the second and her chest rising and falling sporadically. Uncontrolled. Just as her eyes darted to every corpse surrounding her.

Each one was trapped in a stance or expression that only expressed one’s final moments. A man covering his head and praying. A woman lying next to her lover. A mother soothing a child and their bones scattered about before Sunset’s hooves. Some reached out with their hands like the one Sunset approached, those ones reaching for the heavens and crying out with their jaws unhinged, dark eyes gazing straight above. Straight ahead… to her very left. Despite being frozen, that was where the majority of them stared, reached for, cried out in their last seconds of life before they were…

Sunset didn’t know if she had the heart or the strength to even face that direction, the world behind her holding that unholy red and orange burning in the skies. That must have been where the smoke originated. That must have been what caused the massacre she was surrounded in. Sooner rather than later, Sunset realized she had no more choice in the matter, the booming voice from the streets echoing from every building and reverberating specifically in the building she was in.

“Energy source detected.”

The voice was deep, raw, robotic in a sense but intellectually-powerful all the same. It sent a pang of unease flushing through Sunset’s veins as she ducked behind the nearest pile of skeletons and cut off her magic, leaving her entrapped within the shadows. Holding her breath as to not breathe in the horrific stench of the rotting bones surrounding her, Sunset listened as carefully as she could, trying to picture the events unfolding just outside the building.

They sounded like rockets powering up, that similar sound of Tony Stark’s repulsors filling the air before softly dying out, replaced only with that steady sound of a jet engine. Of numerous jet engines all sounding off and holding in place all at once. Directly before the building—the room—Sunset was hiding in. She gulped softly, breathed steadily and quietly as she continued to listen in. Maybe whoever was outside would lose interest as time went on. Maybe they hadn’t even noticed her.

Then that same, chilling, robotic voice returned, killing Sunset’s hopes.

“Attention all biological life forms. Exit the premises and surrender immediately. You will have ten seconds to comply, otherwise we will fire upon the building. One world, under him.”

Quite possibly the least-comforting thing Sunset could have heard. Her heart practically dropped when she heard the warning, the dire threat of being fired upon if she didn’t surrender to whoever was outside hanging in the air. Though the idea of surrender was nowhere near in Sunset Shimmer’s vocabulary, she looked for other means of escape. Peeking outwards, Sunset could see more than a dozen golden entities hovering above the street outside the shattered window, all of them gazing to the building she was in and slowly raising their hands. The threat was still given. The time limit she was offered was still there. Sunset quickly shot up her ears and darted her eyes across every corner of the room. A fluctuation of light filled the room, revealing a steel door to the right end of the room, hopefully leading into the alleyway. It was locked, heavy chains dangling from it.

Sunset had reached the number eight in her head and realized she had no more time left to act. What little chance she had left was spent teleporting towards that door, charging up her horn to the fullest, and blowing the door completely off its hinges, flinging it into the remains of a building opposite to her own. A building that had fallen, gracing Sunset without the possibility of impacting a building wall as the world behind her erupted into flame and explosions.

The entities rained down a firestorm of golden repulsor lights that struck the building and completely filled it with various explosions. Each blast did a number on the structure of the building, leveling what remained and creating a shock wave so powerful that it launched the unicorn clear across the alleyway and into the remains of the demolished building directly before her. Sunset struck both concrete and marble flooring, rolling several feet before finally coming to a painful rest amongst the tarnished remains of the tower that once stood. The building behind her collapsed into a wave of dust.

Her vision was blurry, every nerve in her body crying out in pain as the fires had licked her coat and scorched the tips of her mane and tail. A trail of blood rolled down the side of her head, the unicorn gritting her teeth and groaning softly as she forced herself back to her hooves. She was forcefully shoved back down to the earth, a shrill yelp escaping the pony as she felt a hardened, metal palm grip the back of her neck and keep her constrained to the ground. That palm instantly cut off her flow of oxygen, Sunset reaching for it but failing every time. She thrashed and fought, but realized it was fruitless when her attempts didn’t even make the hand flinch from her.

It held her with an iron grip, slowly pulling the unicorn from the ground and lifting her up. As it lifted her, Sunset was turned around to fully face the one who had caught her, who very well held her life in its hand. She was turned and met the face of it, saw the horrific, red eyes and manic-like grin meeting her expression and freezing it into a state of horror.

Sunset Shimmer held an open-mouthed gasp, tear-filled eyes staring right at its face…

The Ultron Sentinel stared right back, the fires reflecting off of its golden armor as it growled, “Energy source detected. Submit or perish.”

Sunset could feel its metal palm tighten slowly around her throat, threatening to snap her neck if given the right opportunity. She never gave it that opportunity. As she witnessed various other golden entities falling from the sky to meet their compatriot—arms held out in a T-formation as they descended—Sunset took what little energy she had left and focused it directly into a teleportation spell. It miraculously worked, the unicorn closing her eyes as her horn shimmered and a burst of white filled the robot’s hand. Every last one of them turned accordingly to the following light source emerging further down the street, to the opposite alleyway where the unicorn then appeared in a flash of white.

Seeing every burning red eye shift in her direction, Sunset tightened her jaw and fired off a resounding spell, one powerful enough to cripple anypony caught on the other end. Strong enough to immobilize any living being. The beam of magic struck the golden chest of the machine that had grabbed her. It merely flinched to the side as the beam of magic bounced harmlessly off, striking the remains of a building wall and destroying it in a resounding burst of magic. The golden entity turned back to her.

After her face fell, Sunset ran. She galloped as fast as her hooves could carry her through the winding, narrow alleys and even through the remains of different buildings, each one more devastated than the last. The entire time she ran she hardly looked back, only catching a second-long glimpse here and there to see if she was being pursued. The army of gold followed her from the sky, their arms jutted to the sides as they hovered ominously above and tracked her movement.

Her hooves tore at the streets as she made daring turns and leaps over steel fences and on top of garbage cans, the unicorn unrelenting in her escape. Yet no matter how fast she ran, how far she went, or how deep in the city she traversed, they would always see. They always had the advantage of those eyes in the sky. Turning back after sliding underneath a flipped truck, Sunset watched as a dozen entities followed directly above her. The one leading the pack, the one gazing right at her, ignited its eyes and sent a hellish beam of raw, golden energy right for her. The blast screamed as it fell, Sunset barely able to teleport away from her location just as the beam struck the street. But she didn’t get far.

She merely teleported a few yards away, the following explosion rippling across the street and sending that shock wave right through the unicorn. Sunset flew backwards, right down the alleyway and into the opposite street where she struck the road, tumbled several more feet, and fell into an open manhole. Sunset screamed in her descent, the flames clutching her foreleg from the prior explosion and instantly doused as she landed harshly into the cold filth of the sewer water. It was surprisingly shallow, the unicorn lying with half of her face hidden in the water, the only eye that was visible slowly flickering open. A weak whimper escaped her, the unicorn jamming open her eyes once she heard that familiar and horrible sound of the entities closing in on her.

Quickly, she backed away from the light descending down the manhole, crawling onto the surface of a cement walkway and leaning as hard as she could against the brick wall of the sewer. The shadows that surrounded her kept the unicorn encased in darkness, her widened, terrified gaze latched with the light escaping the open manhole. All she could do was listen. She couldn’t even breathe. She couldn’t risk it.

The seconds ticked away above, as well as below. Hearing her own heartbeat in her ears, Sunset finally found that reason to breathe again—that time in relief—when the voice above declared, “Alert. Energy source lost. Biological life form status… uncertain. Continue search.”

Their repulsors led them off the street and elsewhere entirely, leaving nothing but that pestering silence echoing off the sewer walls. She still wasn’t certain. Sunset Shimmer waited five minutes longer until she was finally able to move again. She somehow found that strength, that nerve, and that very bravery to approach the light of the manhole. Gazing skywards, Sunset could see nothing but darkness in the clouds, red and orange painting the skylines. With a shiver in her a step but a course of action in her heart, Sunset gripped the railing of the ladder with her hooves and pulled herself out of the water. She didn’t attempt it with her magic, already needing time to heal and rejuvenate herself. So, she climbed. She climbed the ladder upwards and outwards out of the sewer and back onto the street.

Peeking out and scanning her surroundings, Sunset saw nothing in the dead streets around her. Nothing in the skies. For a moment, she was in the clear. Pushing herself out of the darkness and into the light, Sunset Shimmer took in those cautious breaths of air and once more coughed. Once more concealed her mouth as she shot her terrified eyes to the sky once more, looking for those golden men. They were nowhere. She quickly galloped into the nearest shadows of the nearest alleyway, taking that moment to breathe properly.

Out of the smoke and out of the fire.

But not out of the frying pan just yet.

Taking in several breaths of calming air, Sunset Shimmer took a seat and leaned the back of her head against the alley wall. She stared up straight into the burning skies, those breaths of hers only increasing with volume, weight, and worst of all… fear. “This isn’t right…”

Her voice was nothing compared to the sounds of the decimated city, the cries of the golden army flying in the distance and scouring the streets for any signs of life. Sunset leaned out of the alley, her large, petrified eyes staring straight up.

Straight above to the massive flying fortress covering half of New York’s entire skyline.

“Oh, this definitely isn’t right.”

Chapter 132 – Second Chance

132

New Jersey

Camp Lehigh

Year: 1970

1:14 p.m.

After a rowdy interruption from a driving-by hippy and his girlfriend, the remainder of Camp Lehigh returned to its original status—training the next generation of soldiers to ensure S.H.I.E.L.D., America, and the world’s safety ten times over. A plethora of recruits were up and about working the day away while their superior officers bellowed orders every second. Large vehicles from manned tanks and jeeps to even a few helicopters were either driven or flown across the base to deliver supplies or train the newcomers. It was as noisy, disruptive, and utterly distracting as could be.

A perfect opportunity to sneak in hopefully unnoticed. That was the thought running through Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Twilight Sparkle, and Rainbow Dash’s heads all at once, the four of them peaking over the distant grass hill just outside the facility. Seeing the hustle and bustle from the men and women inside the fenced campgrounds, all four Avengers sunk back behind the hill and rose up to full height. Obviously, the how on getting inside was top priority, but it was also the threat of being recognized or caught that still lingered heavy in the air.

Being the birthplace of the idea of Captain America while the actual Captain America was strolling about would definitely be distracting. Not to mention two pastel-colored horses trotting alongside them. Tony offered another invisibility spell, but Twilight shot that down when she reminded them what happened last time in Stark Tower. Besides, too much movement caused the spell to fail in the first place. Rainbow even suggested she and Twilight hang back and let Tony and Steve handle the mission. Steve was about to object to that, but was beaten to the punch by the Alicorn herself.

“Wait…” Twilight muttered, earning the eyes from all three surrounding her. They saw the growing and knowing smile grow across her lips, the slow nod from Princess Twilight being a strong indicator that something just sparked. Possibly a good idea. It usually did. “I got it. Rainbow, can you stand next to me?”

It was no different then.

As Rainbow cautiously approached Twilight’s left side, the Alicorn bent low with her horn and shut her eyes. An easing breath entered and left her, Twilight letting her horn’s magic swirl and stir around and to the tip of her violet horn. Tony and Steve watched from the sidelines, their eyes only widening when they witnessed the bright light envelop both ponies’ bodies. The brightness was intense, forcing both men to shield their eyes for a brief second. That was all it was, just a second.

And when the light died and both Tony and Steve lowered their hands, they were witnesses to two fully-grown young women standing in the places of their equine allies.

Tony’s jaw practically hit the dirt. Steve was breathless, his brow furrowing at the sight.

It was quite a sight to behold. Twilight Sparkle took a radical change from her usual Alicorn appearance. For starters, she was a human with soft white skin and long, violet and pink hair. That hair was tied up in a ponytail, much like her pony counterpart. Thankfully, Twilight was able to conjure up some clothes for her and Dash to wear, otherwise that would have been a very awkward confrontation. She wore a tight purple tank top and blue jeans, her cutie mark stitched on the thighs of her pants. Beneath the tank top was a long-sleeve white shirt, Twilight observing herself before turning over to Rainbow Dash.

Her Pegasus friend was oddly similar in terms of clothing, but she wore no shirt beneath. Rainbow simply wore a blue T-shirt with black leggings as pants, rainbow lightning bolts designed on her thighs. Her skin was a pale white with short, spiked rainbow hair, half of it blocking her right eye. The two women observed themselves, then each other, Rainbow bringing up her hair after pulling at and playing with it between her fingers.

“Is that the best you can do?” Rainbow asked, seeing the clear look of frustration fill Twilight’s features. She pointed to both Tony and Steve’s hairstyles, noting their own with, “I mean, purple and rainbow hair aren’t really common around here.”

Snorting, Twilight stamped her shoe in the dirt and whispered fiercely, “I’m working on it, okay?! We’ll only have a short period of time for these disguises to last, so we better make this quick.”

Taking a moment to collect themselves, Tony and Steve shot a glance to one another before nodding. Tony snuck on a pair of glasses, Homer already synced in and giving him a rundown of the facility and defenses resting before them, finding the safest route in possible. Steve, meanwhile, gripped his shield tight. He knew that bringing it in would earn a lot of unwanted attention. He would need to find somewhere safe to hide it on base.

Gazing towards the camp, Steve nodded fiercely, stating, “Let’s get in there then. Get some disguises for ourselves.”

Steve led the pack with Tony trailing close behind, Twilight right on their heels and striding alongside Stark. Doing a quick headcount, Steve seemed to miss a certain rainbow-maned girl trailing them. He looked back, watched as Rainbow struggled to make it down the grassy hill. In fact, she seemed to struggle just in walking. It wasn’t abnormal, as Twilight had experienced a slight struggle to walk the first time she was transformed into a bipedal human a lifetime ago. Before Twilight could express her concern, however, Rainbow fell, shielding her face just before she could hit the dirt. She never did.

Steve caught her, hoisting the young woman up in his large, powerful arms. Looking about to her quivering pair of legs, Rainbow frowned to them and gazed back up to Rogers. “We’re definitely gonna need to cover up that hair. You’re with me, Dash,” Steve said, pulling her back up to her two feet. Wobbling a bit, Rainbow leaned and gripped on Steve’s shoulder for further support, chuckling awkwardly to him before she allowed him to lead her to the facility.

He let Tony take the lead, Stark nodding back to the duo.

“Guess that means Twi’s with me,” Tony stated, looking ahead to Twilight and nodding her way. He didn’t turn back when Twilight nodded in return. “Let’s do this. Good luck, Captain.”

Steve pursed his lips. “You too… Doctor.”

Camp Lehigh

S.H.I.E.L.D. Underground Storage Facility

1:27 p.m.

The disguises worked fairly well. No one stopped them or confronted them for that matter. A waning glance here and there, but nothing to be worried about. They blended in almost perfectly. Certainly, the dark purple and pink hair escaping Twilight’s ponytail caught a couple of eyes, but it didn’t last long before those individuals shrugged it off and got back to work.

Both Tony and Twilight wore a couple of fake badges and borrowed a suit and dress from a lovely couple currently resting in the furthest outhouse. Twilight’s large glasses sat at the edge of her nose, the young woman pushing them back as the glasses just a size too big for her kept slipping down. She carried a clipboard close to her chest, eyeing every human they passed cautiously. Tony was more at ease, his own suit and tie offering the perfect disguise for him. He and Twilight walked side by side, eventually coming across the elevator and sneaking their way into the lower levels of the S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker.

Steve and Rainbow, however, hid in plain sight. They were both wearing military uniforms so selflessly donated to them by a couple of army officers taking their “break” early. Rainbow’s hair was tucked safely inside her cap, not even a strand of multicolored locks leaking out and exposing them. Together, the two walked side by side and followed closely after Tony and Twilight made it to the elevator. They waited for the next available elevator as to not cause any suspicion. Unfortunately, that was all they could cause, Steve’s oddly-familiar face earning a few curious eyes before the duo retreated into the elevator. They were joined with a S.H.I.E.L.D. secretary, the woman smiling politely to both Rainbow and Steve. Dash smiled in return, taking a step forward to block her eyesight from Rogers. The secretary’s eyebrows hardened at that.

Within the lowest level of the S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker, Tony and Twilight found ease to realize they were the only beating hearts in the entire basement. As far as they could see. Taking little to no time left, the two came across a large safe resting at the end of the room surrounded by piles and piles of paperwork, boxes, and even more safes. Homer had successfully scanned and located the energy source for the Tesseract and led them both to that exact location. Tony smirked to the Alicorn, jamming out his palm and pointing to the safe’s locks.

Then she held her breath as the Mark 85’s nanotech consumed his palm and fired a stream of fire from his fingertips. That fire easily melted through the locks, granting them access to the safe and its contents within. Helping Tony pull the doors aside, Twilight gazed in astounded wonder to see none other than the Tesseract lying before them. The glowing blue cube with rippling energy courtesy of the Space Stone resting before them, fresh for the taking. Twilight shook her head at that, letting a victorious grin take her once more.

They did it. Twilight may have had her doubts before, but she had to admit that it was a pretty ingenious plan of Tony’s.

“Twi, we are back in the game,” Tony muttered softly, shifting his gaze to his Alicorn friend and smirking her way. With the two of them bent forward, smiling to one another, it took Tony a second or two to finally break away. He reached for the cube with his metal-plated palm and set it carefully into his briefcase for safekeeping.

Then the voice emerged and caused both of their bloodstreams to screech to a halt.

“Hey, you two!” the voice boomed, Twilight quickly shutting the safe’s doors closed as quietly as she could. Turning appropriately at last, Twilight and Tony could see a figure emerging within the shadow’s the bunker. When he came into the light, the mustache was the first thing they saw. Tony saw something else entirely after that. He pointed behind him. “Door’s this way! I’m looking for Doctor Zola; have you seen him?”

Stark was flabbergasted, for reasons Twilight didn’t even know. She continuously shot her gaze back to him for that response she was certain he would have, but there was nothing. The man that continued to approach them and break that distance seemed to catch Tony in a way she had never seen. At least… one other time. Siberia.

And for a moment, Twilight could see why. There was an odd but familiar sense of atmosphere hanging over the individual that approached them. She couldn’t put her hoof on it. Or finger. Taking a much-needed stand for both of them, Twilight stepped forward, clipboard close to heart as she responded, “Doctor… Zola? No, I’m afraid not.”

He didn’t seem too concerned on that subject anyway, the man simply shrugging to her answer. “Oh, well… Don’t mind me asking who you are?”

That was where Twilight was caught, her tongue twisting and refusing to speak any logical form of word or response. Thankfully, Tony broke out of his stupor and stepped forward by her side, holding up his visitor’s badge upside down and quickly stuffing it away so he couldn’t read the actual names on them. “Visitors from MIT,” Tony replied shakily.

“MIT, huh?” he said, nodding his head slowly to them both. Twilight smiled awkwardly, arms gripping tightly around her clipboard. Shaking his head, he held out his hand. “Where are my manners? Howard Stark.”

Twilight gasped lightly. It all made sense. Tony’s abnormal behavior. The familiar sense of atmosphere hanging over him. The name, especially, made everything click. Twisting her gaze to Tony and back to Howard, she could finally see those similarities and clear differences, the kind that Tony made for himself. As for his father, he looked wildly different than how Twilight remembered. Then again, the last she had ever seen him was in low-quality VHS footage, while simultaneously getting his face beaten inwards by a mind-controlled Winter Soldier. That was kind of hard to forget.

“Excuse me?” Howard declared, earning a flinch from both Tony and Twilight, both of them seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Twilight shook her head to that, shooting her eyes downwards to see his hand still held her way. “Your names?”

Tony reached first, gripping his father’s palm with his own. In coming up with their fake names, Tony had to admit that they really hadn’t mulled it over. The best he could come up with was the first name that came to mind. “Howard… Potts, with my… uh…”

Looking over to Twilight, he was at a loss for a name to replace “Twilight Sparkle”. Thankfully, she was there for him, meeting Howard’s hand and nervously replying with, “Wife. Pepper… Potts.”

Stark turned to her fully, seeing Twilight nervously mouth the word “sorry”. Howard dropped his hand after a few seconds of shaking, smirking to the lovely couple before him. “Well, Howard and Pepper… Should be fairly simple to remember. What do you say we head outside, grab some air?”

He looked directly at Tony when he asked that, Twilight slowly shifting her gaze back to Stark after nearly five seconds of awkward silence.

“Potts,” Howard called.

Tony turned back to him, blinked furiously before nodding even more so. “Huh? O-oh, yeah, yeah. Let’s… let’s go.”

He grabbed Twilight’s arm and practically dragged her along, wanting to get out of the bunker quicker rather than not. He was stopped, however, when his father called for him, declaring loudly, “Don’t wanna forget your briefcase.”

Tony and Twilight stopped dead in their tracks, the duo slowly spinning around to see Howard Stark holding out their briefcase with his free finger, smirking their way. If only he had known what he held by a simple finger. He would never know, Tony snatching the briefcase out of his hand with a grateful smile to go with his audible, “Thanks.”

With his briefcase, the Tesseract, and the Space Stone secured, Tony and Twilight turned to make their exit. Howard stared at Stark’s backside quizzically, then to his wife’s purple hair. Then back to Tony with that curious brow shot upwards as he followed them.

“You’re not one of those beatniks, are ya, Potts?”

Camp Lehigh

Offices

1:36 p.m.

The door quietly shut and locked behind Steve and Rainbow, leaving the two trapped in perpetual darkness of the office space. Rainbow Dash pulled off her cap, wiping her sweaty brow with a forearm and gazing through the window blinds, searching for company or trouble. Either one. Her rainbow hair fell down the right side of her face, shielding her right eye. It didn’t matter. The left saw everything she needed to see.

S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. A lot of them. After the secretary got a little too curious on their identity, she must have called for security to search the base for them. That, and the false call that Steve sent to a certain Hank Pym of a fake package for him. As far as they knew, the mailing room was a cluster of questions with little answers as a furious Hank Pym stormed in and started ordering men to strip for a severe cleansing, then to hop into hazmat suits to search for the package in question.

Either party must have caught on to their little diversion, but it was already too late. Steve Rogers and Rainbow Dash had already snuck into Pym’s lab and stole a plenitude of Pym Particles for their journey back home. Enough for a few round trips each, actually. Not like they needed that much, but they could never be too safe. After hearing what happened to Lang, they couldn’t take any risks anymore.

With the Pym Particles secured, all they needed to do was rendezvous with Stark and Twilight and hopefully not get caught in the meantime. There seemed to be a little bit of a predicament in that plan, both Steve and Rainbow forced to take cover in the nearest office room available to them.

Rainbow waited until all the S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel had cleared from the hallway before she allowed herself to breathe again. “Okay, I think we’re in the clear.”

She heard no response.

Furrowing her brow at that, Rainbow turned around to see his burly figure gazing out the office’s back window. “Steve?”

He didn’t answer her. He couldn’t. His eyes were latched to the window and the stirring body outside of it. Rainbow took a step towards him, pausing when her eyes fell down to the office table resting near the back of the room. Upon its solid oak face was a picture. Just a simple picture. If it was so simple, then how did it take Rainbow’s breath away? Her hands shakily fell down to its frame, her fingers latching around it and bringing the picture closure to her eyes. Closer for inspection to see if what she was witnessing was real.

It was a face she could never forget, the face of none other than Steve Rogers. She gazed to him, only saw his backside, and shot her rose-rimmed irises down to the picture frame once more. It was definitely Steve, but the body did not match the face. It was skinnier, scrawnier, the face of utter exhaustion filling Steve’s expression. That was when it dawned on her.

She always wanted to see a picture of him prior to the serum. She just never imagined it would turn out to be in… the current situation they were in. Especially for Steve. Setting the picture back on the desk, Rainbow shakily made her approach by Steve’s side, saw what he was seeing. Stared to the lone individual standing on the opposite side of the glass. Rainbow recognized her. Even if it took a second or two in silence, she still recognized that face. It was hard to forget the love of Steve’s life.

Slowly, she shifted her eyes upwards towards her left. There he was, the Steve she knew gazing longingly to the woman he loved standing mere feet from where they stood. If only she could just turn away from her work for a second. Just a second. Just a second for her to see him in his weakened state. So weak that he couldn’t even gain her attention, knowing the repercussions that would follow. He wanted to stay planted right there forever, stare at her forever. Do something…

“We can’t stay here, Steve,” Rainbow whispered, her own voice pained.

Steve Rogers dropped his head, his eyes, that silent admittance to Rainbow’s word and logic ultimately killing him. Killing him and whatever strength he had left to stay planted right there forever.

When Peggy Carter finally did turn away from her work, a bundle of folders resting in her forearm, her eyes gazed across her office window. She paused momentarily. Seeing nothing. No one. It was but a mere moment of hesitation before Peggy turned away and got back to work.

Camp Lehigh

1:40 p.m.

They walked out together. All three of them from the confines of the bunker and into the warmth of the afternoon sun and the shared comradery of Camp Lehigh. They weaved between the bodies of young soldiers and waited as large jeeps and tanks strolled past them. Once the dirt streets were clear, Tony and Twilight followed side by side along the ever-curious and talkative Howard Stark.

“How far is your wife?” Tony asked.

“Ah, I can never tell with that sort of thing,” Howard said, waving at the air, measuring his own belly. “She’s at the point where she can’t stand the sound of my chewing. Had to eat dinner in the pantry a couple times.”

Twilight giggled to that, listening silently and smiling to the two men. Father and son. Finally finding that much-needed bonding that neither realized they needed.

“Oh,” Tony said, staring ahead and waiting for a jeep full of S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers to pass. “Well, congratulations nonetheless.”

Howard wordlessly offered a nod of thanks. The silence filled the trio and Twilight did not like that. She turned to Tony for something, anything to spark that conversation and that needed closure she knew he deserved. But—for the first time since she could remember—he was silent, out of words and desperately running out of time. Howard’s car and his butler were waiting just on the other side of the dirt road, Twilight fidgeting nervously as the squad of soldiers stamped past them.

“We have a little girl,” Twilight stated aloud, earning those dangerous and questioning pair of eyes from Tony on her right.

To both of their surprise, however, Howard smiled to that, continuing the conversation where it left off. “Honestly… a girl would be great. Less of a chance she’d turn out like me.”

And with that, Twilight took the backseat, a victorious grin tugging at her lips when Tony was the one to answer. “What’s so wrong with that?” Tony asked.

“Never felt like I would be the greatest parent. My old man… never really saw me as anything more than a spitting image of himself. I gotta tell ya, the hardest part of that is trying to live up to that image,” Howard responded, turning to fully face the man called Howard Potts.

The man called Howard Potts slowly began to smile, staring into his father’s eyes with as much longing as there was grief. Something that needed to be properly buried. “You know, I used to think that, too,” Tony replied, earning a curious expression from Howard. “My dad wasn’t the greatest. Sometimes he seemed abnormally cruel, but… ya know, now I see he was just trying to turn me into something he wasn’t.”

“Did he succeed?” Howard asked.

“In a way, yeah,” Tony said. “But that doesn’t mean I didn’t carry a few things he left off with.”

“Like what?”

“No amount of money ever bought a second of time.”

Howard smirked to that, then began to chuckle. “I like that. Sounds like a smart guy.”

“He is. Smartest guy I know,” Tony said with a warm smile. From behind and out of sight, Twilight breathed an even warmer breath of relief, her tear-filled eyes watching father and son finally bury the hatchet. More so the son, Twilight knowing how much resentment and pain he still had for his father and his passing. But the two of them saw two people even Howard couldn’t see, a certain Captain America and Rainbow Dash giving a pair of thumbs-up a few yards in the distance. They were good to go. Twilight breathed another sigh of relief… then fell silent, her eyes shifting back to Tony and his dad.

Tony sighed at that. “Listen, I gotta bust.”

“No worries,” Howard stated with a clear smile, handing off his flowers to his butler Jarvis standing by the driver’s door. He surprised both Tony and Twilight when he turned and approached them one last time. “Whole parenting thing might just have to be pieced along, but… I enjoyed this. Thank you, Potts. Gotta tell ya, my kid isn’t here yet… and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him… or her.”

Tony chuckled. “Or her.”

“It was very nice to meet you,” Howard said, hand held out once more.

And Tony didn’t hesitate that time. “You too,” he said, meeting his father for a firm and much-needed handshake. He made sure he was staring him dead in the eyes, nowhere else, as he said, “And Howard… everything is going to turn out exactly how it’s supposed to.”

Before Howard Stark could even question that, Tony did something that was also much-needed. He broke the distance between them, meeting his father for a hug that Howard, obviously, didn’t return. Regardless, Tony whispered a silent “thank you” before breaking off. He shrugged at that.

“All right,” Howard said, turning to Tony’s “wife” and smiling to her. His hand rose one more time, that last time to her. “Mrs. Potts, it was a pleasure.”

Twilight smiled after wiping at her teary eyes, meeting his palm with her own. “Oh, no, the pleasure was all mi—”

Her voice was momentarily cut off at the last second, a flash of light enveloping the entire woman and leaving just Twilight Sparkle. Leaving just the Alicorn in a baggy dress and skirt, glasses, and tumbling clipboard hitting the dirt. Her violet hoof was outstretched, held with an astounded and utterly awestruck Howard Stark. He wasn’t alone.

Another flash of light caught a plenitude of eyes, everyone within the vicinity turning to see the rainbow-maned Pegasus standing in an oversized officer’s uniform and cap. Then they saw the Alicorn shaking Howard Stark’s hand. Then utter silence filled the entirety of Camp Lehigh.

Then Tony Stark said, “Yeah, I’m into horses.”

Moments before making a mad run for it.

The entire base had gone into full alert. Twilight offered one last awkward smile to Howard before her horn shimmered and she vanished, leaving just the clothes she wore and nothing else. She appeared right behind Tony, the two of them joining Steve and Rainbow. Together, all four raced ahead and away from any nearby soldiers, allowing Steve to pick up his shield hidden behind a pair of garbage cans. Rainbow tossed the vials of Pym Particles to Tony and Twilight.

Just before the entirety of the base could come rushing and falling down on top of them, all four Avengers slapped their Time Travel GPSes at the same time, the Quantum Suits overcoming them. Tony gripped the briefcase as tight as he could, the Space Stone in their possession once more and successfully taken into the Quantum Realm when all four of them shrank down and disappeared.

They left an entire S.H.I.E.L.D. utterly shaken. More so, they left Howard Stark stunned, the man only smirking to see them escape.

Chapter 133 – Something’s Different

133

New York City

Capital of the Ultron Empire

Year: 2021

9:17 p.m.

Matthew Murdock’s world was cloaked in black. Taking a second or two to maintain his breathing, even Matt found that to be difficult when the air was corroded in smoke and fire.

The world on fire he always witnessed didn’t seem to be just him anymore. All around him, all Matt could see, hear, and taste were the remains of a large bedroom. At least, that was what it appeared to have been once. The walls were blown open, the ceiling torn asunder and wires, lamps, and rebar dangling above his head. Smoke covered the ceiling and sunk in through the floor. Distant fires raged outside of the apartment complex Murdock was found in, the Daredevil’s head flicking back and forth as his ears caught every beat and sound within a five-mile radius.

Just one heartbeat other than his. And it was close. Just two heartbeats within New York City.

That alone caught Murdock’s heart in his throat. He scrambled to his feet, the black Daredevil mask retracting back and revealing his disheveled, uneven expression breathing and coughing sporadically. Again and again. Looking around wildly and stampeding through the broken doorways in search of that other life, another heartbeat within the city. Yet there was something clouding it. Just silence and raging fires consuming the colossal remains of his home city. How it was possible was a question Matt could hold onto for later. He recalled that there was another heartbeat in the abandoned apartment complex other than his. He focused his efforts to turn to that heartbeat instead, try and find that life still alive with him.

He didn’t have to. It came to him.

Freezing, Matt rolled to the left as a tremor of energy blasted apart the floor he once stood upon. That flow of raw power followed him, ripping apart the entire floor until it caved in and fell to the floor below. Matt fell with it, landing on his shoulder as the dust and concrete came flowing on top of him. Quickly kicking the concrete off of him, Matt rolled back to his feet and raised his head a couple floors above. Once more, he didn’t have to. That fiery figure leapt down and landed just in front of him, swinging with a right leg that Matt easily ducked under. The punches came quicker, Murdock doing his best to duck and recover.

A single, gloved-fist struck his chest. Even as Murdock caught it before it could make impact, the blast of energy fueling the fist sent Matt flying backwards. The Daredevil rolled several yards back, groaning softly as he rose to a knee and lifted his widened eyes to his approaching attacker.

He heard the heartbeat. The sporadic, adrenaline-fueled, familiar heartbeat.

Quickly, he shot out his hands and called out, “Daisy!”

Daisy Johnson lowered her right fist, her panic-filled gaze softening when that voice reached her. Her eyes narrowed, the fires from the skies outside barely able to unveil to her who was kneeling before her. “Matt?” she replied.

Slowly, shakily, he rose back up to his own two feet, hands still jutted outwards towards the Inhuman. “Yeah… Yeah, it’s me.”

“Oh, my God,” she gasped.

Before he could even react appropriately, Daisy broke that distance between them and gave Murdock a quick but assuring hug. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, breaking away and gripping his shoulders, eyes scanning him from top to bottom. “If it wasn’t pitch-black in here…”

She could barely make out the smile on his lips, his blank stare gazing straight into her eyes. “Guess the suit didn’t help either,” he chuckled.

Daisy offered a chuckle in return, stepping back and observing her surroundings more clearly, more precisely. She had woken up surrounded in darkness, seemingly on her own for several minutes. As if her stress couldn’t have been elevated enough. Able to gaze out the glass window to her left, Daisy witnessed red and black skies above and darkened, decimated buildings and housing complexes that traveled for miles on end. As far as they could have been allowed to see. She approached the window that offered that minimal light, a palm rising up and pressing against the cracked, dusty glass.

“Where are we?” she asked, gazing to the torn street below.

“New York,” Matt responded in a heartbeat, Daisy flicking her head back to him. He waved his palm outwards as he approached her. “Or… what’s left of it. Can you check our coordinates and see if we made it to Scott’s last known location?”

Daisy nodded and tapped away on her GPS. “Yep. We’re here,” she mumbled, letting her left wrist fall softly to her side, eyes unable to turn away from the only light source. The melting skylines. “Wherever we are.”

Together, the agent of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Defender, the two Avengers gazed outwards to see the sprawling city as anything but. If what Friday told them was true, then Scott definitely winded up in an alternate timeline separate from their own. Which brought Matt back to the mission at hand, his fist tapping Daisy’s right shoulder as he said, “Let’s scout it out. He couldn’t have gotten far.”

A scouting party of two did not cover as much ground as either had hoped. It was ranging close to ten minutes of them searching the entire floor before having to move down to the next one. In their search with Matthew pretty much leading the way, all Daisy could really do was follow his footsteps and not get lost in the sprawling, run-down, decimated apartment complex. He could sense things more so than eyesight ever could, more than Daisy ever could. She examined her surroundings and witnessed the broken rooms, the tattered floors. Everything seemed to be the aftermath of a nuclear explosion striking New York. She prayed that wasn’t the case otherwise they would have been in much greater danger than earlier thought. Matt didn’t mention anything about nuclear waste in the atmosphere when she asked him, so that was reassuring. All that was left was finding their long-lost Avenger and the Mind Stone.

Matt led them to a large set of steel doors, warning signs loosely hanging from the walls with what appeared to be bullet holes rippled throughout the hallway alongside… larger ones at that. The edges where the larger holes were appeared to have been burnt, going completely through the other side. Whatever had struck it, it was hot, fast, and deadly. The skeletal remains of a human being lying on the floor was evidence of that.

While Matt struggled with the locks on the steel door, Daisy simply patted his shoulder and pulled him aside. Though somewhat curious at that, Murdock’s curiosity ended when the obvious became reality. Daisy stood before the set of doors, jammed out her right fist, and blew the doors apart with a trembling quake of energy. Matt flinched to the sound of the steel doors being ruthlessly thrown against the concrete pillars and walls, but nonetheless turned to Daisy and nodded. She smirked in return, taking that first step further into the darkness.

But she stopped.

The Devil’s hand stopped her.

Looking back, she could see as Murdock’s head was darting back and forth, his neck slightly twisted for his ears to be better directed towards the windows. To the outside world. And from that world—from that burning hellscape—Matthew heard something. The sudden loss of color in his face made Daisy’s heart fall straight into her stomach. Slowly, he raised a gloved-finger over his lips, silently telling her to remain calm. More importantly, to keep quiet.

She didn’t even have to ask why. The sound of repulsors and the robotic voice outside the apartment complex gave her all she needed to know.

“Energy source detected. Attention all biological life forms. Exit the premises and surrender immediately. You will have ten seconds to comply, otherwise we will fire upon the building. Long live the new age.”

Daisy shot her head in the direction of the voice, her black and violet hair dancing wildly to her movements. Her wide and agitated eyes spotted various light sources burning bright from the cracked and dusty windows, golden entities floating several feet above the street. They faced the building they were in, the obvious threat laid before them. Surrender wasn’t an option to either Avenger, and both seemed to be on the same page.

Grabbing her hand, Matt whispered sharply, “Follow my lead!”

Even when it was pitch-black in the apartment, Murdock ran and ducked and weaved through various obstacles in his path. He saw the world differently, everything burning bright and visible for the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. Daisy, unfortunately, did not have that blessing. Had Murdock let go of her hand, she would have easily tripped and fallen or gotten lost in the winding hallways and expansive, destroyed rooms within the apartment complex. Thankfully, he never let go, and he led her throughout the darkness until some light was finally their greeter.

They were on an elevated floor, both Avengers pausing by the lone window that overlooked a secondary building directly next to the apartment they were in. Having already lost count of how many seconds they had left before the building would go up in flames, Daisy turned and watched as Matt kicked open the window and shattered it instantly. He pulled his billy club free from his belt, flinging one end out to the fire escape on the building ahead of them. Directly over the alleyway. The steel fiber cable wrapped around the fire escape, tightening after Murdock yanked at it. Gripping one end, Matt turned to Johnson and held out his arm.

“Might wanna hold on tight. We got two seconds left.”

Daisy didn’t even have time to breathe. She wrapped her arms around him, ran with him, leapt out of the window and even the building with him as the fires of it overcame the entire apartment. She could feel the heat burn the back of her head, but not a single flame reached her. They swung downwards, crashed into the approaching window and broke apart, rolling for several feet. Lifting their heads simultaneously, both Daisy and Matt watched with fire in their eyes as the entire apartment was bombarded with repulsor lights, streams of bright gold and orange energy impacting the entire complex and bringing it down in a flurry of fire and dust.

Silence was their greeter for several seconds.

Just nothing else than that.

Slowly looking over to her fellow Avenger, Daisy watched as Matt raised another finger to his lips, the Devil rising up and making his way to the set of stairs. Cautiously, as desperate as she was to not make a sound, Daisy pressed her fists into the concrete floor and rose up. She stayed low, however, eyes constantly scanning the windows and the world outside for any signs of movement. Thankfully, there was none, and even if there was outside of her eyesight, Matt would have caught onto it and warned her. But he didn’t. He led her down the stairs, into the main lobby, and outside into the alleyway. Just as they reached the edge the alley, Murdock paused and peeked out, Daisy following.

They saw the remains of the apartment they were once in, dozens of the golden entities searching the wreckage with bright, burning red lights escaping their eyes and maws. Like searchlights. Daisy gulped at that, darting her eyes down the opposite end of the street and seeing no such beings. It was empty. It was safe. She took that first daring step out into the road, only for Matt’s arm to shoot out in front of her chest and stop her.

Turning her gaze to Murdock, Daisy quickly turned back to the golden men and saw them slowly turning towards the building they hid behind. “Matt, we have to move,” she whispered, danger burning on her tongue.

“We can’t.”

Daisy stared at him. “Why?”

All he did was look up. Apprehensively, Daisy followed.

The skies were filled with them. Dozens, maybe even hundreds of the golden entities flying forth and filling the fire and smoke that clouded the skylines of New York City. And half of it… half of the entire sky was covered by a ship. A fortress. So unimaginably massive that Quake lost her breath just staring at it. Titanic repulsors kept the mighty fortress afloat, bright blue orbs of energy burning with the light reminiscent of an Arc Reactor. From that fortress, the golden entities flew towards and away from it. Like a flow of blood from a heart. Like a living, breathing being.

And before either of them could even fathom what they were witnessing, the sudden crash behind them brought them back to reality.

One landed in the alleyway behind them, the golden entity rising up and glaring to the two Avengers with that red, manic smile, the pulsating eyes like a feral beast. Daredevil instinctively stood in front of Daisy, pushing her back to separate the entity from her. Scanning the two of them, the Ultron Sentinel growled, “Biological life forms detected. Submit or perish.”

It pushed them out into the street, not even laying a finger on either as Matt and Daisy did most of the work, trying to keep as much distance away from the Ultron Sentinel as possible. Eventually, to their worst fear, they found themselves surrounded. They fell from the sky and impacted the street, cracking the road beneath their golden feet and rising back up to surround the two Avengers in a large, shimmering circle of gold and red. Back to back, breathing sporadically, Matthew and Daisy looked to one another for that semblance of assurance neither one could carry.

Just the will to survive both felt burning in their expressions.

Daisy turned forward and tightened her fists, the gravel beneath her feet quaking in terror.

Matt’s mask closed over his head, the red eyes of the Daredevil erupting.

Like a pack of feral wolves, the Ultron Sentinels struck. They flew towards the duo with horrifying speed and agility, fired beams of raw energy from their fists and mouths that would have vaporized any mortal caught within its light. They weren’t caught. They dodged and fought back with even deadlier precision, speed, agility, and ferocity. The first Sentinel flew for Matt, the Devil twirling in the air and slamming his foot into the side of the Sentinel’s head. The robot crashed to the street and tumbled for several yards, three more Sentinels flying and shooting at the Daredevil.

Thunderous waves of energy stopped them, the power escaping Quake’s gauntlet-covered fists striking their entire bodies and ripping them to shreds of nothing but golden armor. She merely stood her ground and waved her fists back and forth, up and down, side to side, tearing through any Sentinel that tried to reach her or the Avenger she protected. If any of them managed to slip through, Daisy would overpower and overwhelm it in hand-to-hand combat, the power of her quake-fueled fists being more than enough to stop the golden entities in their tracks.

Daredevil whipped out his billy club, broke it in two, and twirled the weapons in his hands. He dodged the stream of golden fire that would have vaporized him in a millisecond, rolling forward and ramming the end of his club into the Ultron Sentinel’s kneecap. It bent inwards, the Sentinel unshaken and gripping Murdock by the back of his neck, yanking him upwards and slamming him into the concrete. Rolling onto his chest, Matt looked up to see the eyes and the mouth of the Sentinel shimmer a bright red, its limp nearing him before its entire body was blown to shreds by a powerful tremor of energy impacting its chest.

Twisting his neck back, Matt could see as Daisy lowered her right fist, her chest heaving heavily as she gazed down and met his red eyes. Perhaps even saw deeper than just the mask and saw the growing fear and uncertainty in Murdock’s expression. She couldn’t have seen the panic, but watched as he quickly rose to his feet and flung his billy club with deadly precision right past her left shoulder, so fast she wouldn’t have been able to dodge in time. So fast it would have killed her if the club was but a few inches closer to the right. Matt was accurate in his toss, knowledgeable in his precision, and thankful Daisy trusted him enough not to move.

The end of the billy club struck the Ultron Sentinel right in its eye. It stuck out the back of the robot’s head, the Sentinel gurgling in a strange, robotic tongue before it fell back. Matt quickly shot out his hand and magnetically pulled the billy club back to his left palm, Daisy watching as it ripped out of the Sentinel’s eye socket and returned to the Devil. But she couldn’t stare for long. Her eyes rose up, mirroring Murdock’s head gazing up to the heavens.

From that, from those burning skies, more Ultron Sentinels descended like fallen angels. All of them fell in slow, deliberate manners, surrounding the lone Avengers in numbers that ranged from more than a dozen to at least fifty. It only kept growing from there. And from the literal hundreds above New York’s skyline, it only left Matt and Daisy trapped in a sea of doubt. A sea of troubles. An unending sea of misery of woe of which they were hopelessly drowning in.

Matthew rose up, gripped both of his billy clubs until his fists shook, and stepped back. Daisy did the same with her clenched fists, taking a step back and hitting Murdock’s backside. Back to back once more, looking around them for several seconds on end, the two eventually turned back to one another. Not a word shared between them. Nothing but their tired, ragged, and fearful breaths telling the other exactly what was to come.

The golden and red lights from the Ultron Sentinels showered over them, the two Avengers gazing one last time to the sky…

The both of them watching numerous rockets fly from the smoke and darkness and impact several dozen Sentinels at a time. Bright, burning eruptions filled the air, Daisy and Matt shielding their heads from the debris and shrapnel that fell to the street. Alert and agitated, the remaining Sentinels turned to the oncoming disturbance and saw the jetting suit of armor blast through the smoke and launch a flurry of rockets from its shoulder-mounted rocket launchers. Several more were taken out in resounding explosions, the remaining Ultron Sentinels locking on and aiming for the suit of armor.

But before they could even unleash their fire, the metal suit flew downwards towards the two Avengers. Its Arc Reactor burned a bright blue, that same energy coursing throughout the vein-like armor of the entire suit until it made impact with the street. It landed with its right knee leading, a pulsating wave of energy escaping the suit of armor and filling the road, the buildings, and the entire sky for several blocks. That wave washed over the Ultron Sentinels. That wave covered them all in darkness.

The EMP wiped out the rest.

After losing his HUD from the electromagnetic pulse, Murdock let his mask retract back into his suit so he wouldn’t be entirely blind. He could still see the world burning around him, now with the added corpses of the deactivated Ultron Sentinels impacting the street and surrounding them in flaming carcasses of golden metal. Daisy lowered her arms as the wave of energy bypassed and left just the three of them alive and alone. Just her, Matthew, and the familiar suit of armor rising back up.

All they could see was the back of the suit, but by its heavily-built design, heavy rocket launchers and machine guns plastered on its shoulders, wrists, and body, the two of them could already assume it was a certain Punisher coming to their aid just in the nick of time. But when he turned around, both Daisy and Matt’s smiles simultaneously fell. It was definitely a War Machine armor, but Daisy’s smile fell when she noticed the lack of a certain white skull on the chest and helmet.

Matthew’s smile fell when he noticed it wasn’t Frank’s heartbeat coming from within it.

Even the suit of armor looked different. Larger than the Punisher Armor, more heavily-stacked, more poorly-designed, scratched and dented in various places. It was colored a dark black and red, the Arc Reactor and eyes burning just as red and violent as the veins on the suit. When the mask finally retracted backwards, the Avengers were pleasantly surprised and mildly shocked to see none other than James Rhodes beneath the mask.

Just from the look on his face when he stared at them, Daisy could already assume it wasn’t their James. The scars, the burnt skin, and the absolute dread plastered in his eyes were all evident of that. Neither Avenger made a move, both seemingly scanning Rhodes from top to bottom, keeping the distance and their guard at an all-time high. James very nearly did the same, but after staring back towards the skies and seeing a reinforcing unit of Sentinels circling their area, he realized quickly they had no time for formalities. No time for hesitance.

He shot his widened, horrified eyes back to the duo and said, “Got no time to explain. If you don’t wanna die out here, I suggest you follow me.”

“What’s going on here?” Daisy asked, completely ignoring his fist statement.

Snorting to that, Rhodes managed a slight smirk on his end. Guess he managed to find them after all. A miracle and a half. Nodding their way, he said, “Yeah, you’re definitely the ones. Come on, I’ll take you to the other survivors.”

Left with really no other choice—and seeing the influx of Sentinels descending towards their location—Daisy and Matthew shot each other a quick glance for confirmation, for that shared understanding. Neither needed to say a word before they both turned and nodded back to Rhodes.

His mask closed over his smile, the red eyes lighting up as he nodded at them to follow. They did, and when they were safely out of reach from any Sentinel in the street and hidden within the shadows of the nearest alleyway, Rhodes turned to Daredevil and asked, “Also, why does this Castle guy have one of my old War Machine suits?”

Chapter 134 – Little Resistance

134

New York City, Central Park

S.H.I.E.L.D. Bunker

9:32 p.m.

The War Machine they didn’t know led them into the scorched remains of Central Park. Trees were either toppled over, burnt to a crisp, or bent at an awkward angle, almost as if a nuclear bomb had gone off in the heart of the once flourishing park. The fire in the skies sent a haunting orange and red haze over the wasteland, the shadows and the blackness covering the rest. In the heart of it all, just beneath a stone bridge that had miraculously survived the destruction, James Rhodes led them to its wall. He pressed his naked palm to it once the metal retracted away from his hand, the stone caving inwards and the wall opening for them.

Matthew Murdock and Daisy Johnson were led to a descending set of stairs, nothing but a few lanterns nailed to the concrete walls giving the only source of light as the bunker only further dug deeper and deeper into the earth. Once the air was breathable, Matt’s mask retracted back and he gazed about to every wall and stairstep downwards. He saw nothing but those flaming walls, but heard so much more. So many more people breathing, living, and talking just a few more meters down.

It was all whispers, but Murdock heard every word.

“… Where is he?”

“Has to be close. The secret entrance just opened.”

“Can’t survive out there for long. Metal freaks are everywhere…”

Rhodes stopped them just by the massive bunker door, a circular steel goliath of an entrance. With his metal fist, James knocked twice on the door’s exterior, two resounding clangs echoing off the walls and traveling for several seconds in the distance. The voices quieted down inside, Matthew only hearing the increasing heartbeats and bated breaths. Then the camera mounted on the ceiling before them narrowed its glowing red robotic eye, the massive bunker door unlocking and rolling to their left.

And standing on the other side with its gauntlets armed and jutted their way, the Punisher Armor was their greeter.

The skull and mask retracted back, the arms falling to its sides when Frank Castle met their conjoined stares. Their Frank Castle. Matt and Daisy both shared a sigh of relief from that. Stepping aside, Castle let the trio into the bunker, Rhodes leading them as Daisy and Murdock finally got to observe their surroundings, Johnson more so than Matt who only took in every other detail that could not be seen.

Other humans were scattered alongside the likes of Frank and James, the ill and the wounded, the weak and the strong, the curious and the fearful. Every last one of them rising or sitting where they were, seeing the two brand new souls enter their secret bunker. Daisy only watched as she was led by both Rhodes and Castle, an old woman speaking a fearful, undecipherable language—possibly Spanish—and reached for her. She held Daisy’s hand, then touched her cheek, a breath of relief leaving her when she felt the warm, human skin gracing her. Daisy could offer nothing more than sympathy, if not a bit of confusion to her antics. Yet she pushed it aside for further thought later, returning next to Matt’s side and pushing further into the bunker.

While Daisy could only gaze to the heartbreaking images surrounding her, Murdock’s heart shattered when he heard and sensed so much worse. Moans of agony from the medical bay several flights below them, the chorus of cries from the children without their mothers, without their fathers, with only a guardian or a caretaker to watch over them from then on. The lone woman sitting by the wall to his right, cradling her crying infant while she gazed to the four of them like they were deities brought down from heaven. Angels brought down to save them in their desperate hour of need.

Matt grimaced at that. He was the farthest thing from an angel, yet they saw them as such. Three men and one woman standing tall, able to walk, carrying with them that fighting spirit that had nearly been snuffed out many, many years ago. Curious to their current situation and surroundings, Matt asked Frank where they were or where Scott was.

Frank merely told him, “Save it for the director.”

Somehow, he did. Someway, somehow, Matt was able to keep his questions limited as James and Frank led Daisy and him into another room entirely. Though not as expansive as the main bunker, the room they entered was somewhat designed to be that of a War Room. The closest thing to that, poorly-designed and torn maps of New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and many others strewn on the concrete walls. Behind the main table in the heart of the room, the unforgettable S.H.I.E.L.D. logo was plastered on the wall and overlooked the entire room. Beneath that logo, that familiar face they once thought was forever gone rose up to meet them, that lone eye staring intensely to both Daisy Johnson and Matthew Murdock.

Daisy gasped. Matt heard that familiar heartbeat reach his ears once again. After five years. And Director Nick Fury rose up to full height, second in command Maria Hill rising alongside him.

The rest of the table was surrounded by S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and personnel, every eye in the room turning accordingly to the entrance. They watched as the men in the bulking suits of armor stepped aside, fully revealing the Daredevil and Quake to the rest of the room. But everyone held their breaths when Fury cleared his throat, the lone eye staring with a burning intensity to the two newcomers.

And he said, “So… you’re the ones Mr. Castle told us to find?”

The question wasn’t stated as a question at all. It was more of a demonizing statement, the growing distrust laced around the wording clearly evident. Daisy’s jaw tightened once she caught the obvious signs not only from Fury, but every eye in the room. As if seeing Nick alive and well hadn’t already shaken her to the core, the rising tension in the room surely did.

Thankfully, Matt was there to ease it. He took a step forward, never blinked as he said, “We apologize for the intrusion, Director Fury.”

“Oh, don’t be sorry,” Fury instantly replied, practically cutting off Murdock. Maria crossed her arms over her chest, that same bemused frown joining Nick’s. “It’s just the first time in months Ultron’s goons discovered a human presence in the city, and they’ll probably up security and scour the streets for several more weeks, which stops us from sending scouting parties for food, water, and supplies. But, you know, you’re sorry.”

Matt pursed his lips at that, taking the message like a slap to the face. To his right, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. took a stand for them both. “Look, we didn’t ask to be here,” Daisy harshly responded, hand jutted towards the table, to the floor. To their current location.

“Then why are you here?” Maria asked.

“You first,” Matt retorted, earning a surprised brow arising from Maria’s face. With that glossy gaze, Matt turned to the entire room. To Fury specifically. “What happened to New York?”

Though not particularly amused with Murdock’s attitude—or even Daisy’s for that matter—he could tell they definitely weren’t from around. How anyone, any human specifically, didn’t know how New York or the world came to be was unheard of. Castle gave Fury and Hill the rundown earlier, but he wanted to hear it again. He needed to know if they were telling the truth. But before he could even do that… he needed to give them what they wanted, something he wouldn’t even tell Frank until the time was right. Until his full team was present.

Sighing to that, Fury stepped away and observed the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo behind him. Gazed to it as he began in a forgotten, almost haunted tone. “Six years ago… a late Tony Stark and Bruce Banner created an artificial intelligence that went by the name of ‘Ultron’. Little did they know… that by playing with forces, with magic, with science they never fully understood… they unleashed a wrath so profound it washed over the entire planet.”

Matt, Daisy, and Frank took a second to absorb that information. The best that they could. It was difficult. Fury, after a moment to collect himself, continued. “Ultron, after he killed the Avengers and wiped out all of Equus’ population, returned home to Earth, pulled off his insane, world-ending master plan. Ripped a piece of the earth from the ground… and just dropped it. Wiped out nearly all of the human population.”

“Oh, my God…” Daisy whispered, breathed, tried not to show that quiver in her spine.

“We tried to fight back,” Maria took over, arms still crossed. She looked to the rest of the room, to the weary, wounded, and utterly weakened S.H.I.E.L.D. agents filling the War Room. “What was left of S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to stop Ultron before it was too late. We weren’t strong enough. Didn’t have the numbers like him. Now… the best we can do is try and save pockets of humanity and bring them here.”

“Looks like Ultron isn’t finished,” Matt said, recent memory of the golden army attacking him and Daisy flushing back in.

“He keeps trying to pick us off,” Fury said with a nod, turning back to the table and his three guests. “Every last human, until all the world is simply him. Over these past six years, that’s all he’s done. He advances himself, grows stronger every day, and ultimately took over what was left of the world… killing everything that isn’t him.”

Frank crushed his metal palms into fists at that, Matt shakily breathing through his heated glare to the table. Neither one of them knew much about Ultron—as they weren’t present in the Avengers’ affairs during the Ultron Offensive—but they still felt that burn. The mere images of the men and women suffering around them made them apart of that tragedy all the same. The same fight, that same war… it was theirs now. Even Daisy couldn’t hide that fact.

Nick continued, gazing to the table and the map of the world. Most of the world was blacked out, Ultron’s horrific face stamped over every continent in blood red. “Eventually… the eyes in the sky couldn’t sit back and watch this forever. Asgard came down and waged war against Ultron’s empire. Didn’t help much. Pretty much devastated the rest of the planet. That final war was four years ago… and we’ve been here surviving in the shadows since then. The last of S.H.I.E.L.D. and quite possibly the last of humanity.”

It was a respite of nothing but breathing. Just three Avengers breathing in that information the best they could before they were forced back into reality. Even if it wasn’t their reality, it was the world they were trapped in for the time being. They needed to face it.

“Our turn,” Maria declared, gaining their attention. “How did you get here and why?”

There was a short moment of silence on their end, Daisy turning to Frank and Castle doing the same to her. They both eventually fell down to Murdock, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen straightening his lips once he felt their hearts turn in his direction, both Avengers holding their breaths for him. He caved in, finally saying, “It’s a long… long story. Like, really long. Short story is that we came from the future. At least, a couple years in the future. In that timeline, Ultron didn’t win. The Avengers beat him.”

Bringing up time travel definitely turned a few heads, broke Maria’s immersion and brought that growing skepticism upon her features. Several agents shared her stance, all eventually turning towards the director to see what his response would be to that. Surprisingly enough, he slowly nodded his head. Fury mumbled, “Already sounds nice. Definitely not the most insane thing I’ve ever heard.”

A milestone successfully reached. Murdock breathed a sigh of relief at that. Time to take that next step, and he was thankfully wasn’t alone that time.

“You’re gonna have to bear with us,” Daisy interjected, stepping forward with Matthew. “In our timeline, there’s this guy called Thanos who wiped out half of the universe’s population with the Infinity Stones. The Avengers… whatever was left of us… we all went back in time to get the Infinity Stones and bring every life back. Unfortunately, we’ve been diverged to this timeline to find our friends and the scepter.”

“The scepter?” Fury asked, tilting his head. “Like the one Loki had?”

Frank nodded. “That scepter has the Mind Stone, one of the six Infinity Stones. And Scott Lang is supposed to have his hands on the scepter.”

Neither Matt, Daisy, or Frank could speak after that. It was pretty much their entire ordeal laid out for anyone to take as an absolute truth or a falsehood. Seeing the looks on the agents’ expressions, their plight seemed to fall in the latter category.

“Well, that’s…” Maria mumbled, breathing out and shaking her head. “That’s something.”

Fury felt the same way, staring to the table longingly and shaking his head all the same. “Time travel. As if things couldn’t get any more batshit crazy.”

“I swear we’re telling the truth,” Daisy shakily stated, practically begged.

Nick Fury did not have much information to distrust them. Rhodes contacted him earlier, stating that Murdock and Johnson were both fighting several hordes of Ultron Sentinels when he found them. Even before that, Castle was found fending off at least two dozen Sentinels with his War Machine suit. Fairly impressive given the body count he acquired. Whoever they were—even if they were time travelers—they were not allies of Ultron. They were human. That much he could trust.

So, he did. To an extent, almost humoring them when he said, “I don’t know who ‘Scott Lang’ is, but if he has the scepter—and if what you’re telling me is true—and the Mind Stone with it… then Ultron already has him. Or, he’s dead.”

Daisy and Matt exchanged a glance, Johnson eventually turning back to Fury with those widened, fearful eyes. “What do you mean?” she asked.

“Ultron and his Sentinels can sense and track any form of energy,” Maria replied with her arms still crossed, still on guard to their presence. “Thankfully, our base is far enough below ground to stay out of his sensors. But as for your friend… I’m afraid Ultron already has the scepter. If you’re lucky, then he has Scott, too. If you’re even luckier… then he’s alive.”

Matt shook his head at that worrisome detail, hands on his hips. “Well… where would he take them?” he asked, lifting his glazed eyes and staring nowhere. To anyone willing to answer.

Fury simply pointed up. “You saw the giant fortress above the city? Yeah, they would be there. Capital of the Ultron Empire.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Daisy asked, hands shot out. No one even made a move, or responded to her actions, just watched with wearied focus as she pointed to the concrete ceiling. “W-we have to get up there. We gotta save Scott and get the scepter back! If Ultron gets his hands on the Mind Stone—!”

“He’ll become unstoppable,” Fury interrupted, already beating Daisy to the punch.

“He already is,” Rhodes piped up from the wall he leaned against.

After hearing that disheartening reality punch them square in the chest, Daisy dropped her arms and took a step back. It was as if the air had been simply knocked out of her, leaving her breathless and bug-eyed. Still, despite that painful conclusion, she was surprised to still see Fury sigh with what appeared to be withered acceptance. He bent down beneath the table.

“Rhodes, catch!” Fury called as he rose up, tossing him a small wrist device, much smaller than the ones Daisy, Frank, and Matt wore. As James caught and analyzed it, Fury stated, “Last cloaking device we have. Scout out the Fortress and see if their friend’s even there. Try and find the scepter if you can, as well.”

As War Machine nodded to that, the shared shock between the three Avengers could be felt radiating in the room. “Wait…” Daisy interrupted, staring to the head of the table. “You’re helping us?”

“Just because our timeline is screwed doesn’t mean yours has to be,” Fury replied, fists pressed to the map of the world. “We’ve been sitting in this bunker for years now just slowly dying. If your friend is there… then we help him. We get the Infinity Stone before Ultron realizes there’s one inside the scepter. But you three clowns are spearheading the assault when the time comes. Deal?”

That same withered acceptance was shared equally amongst the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, some of them growing more confident by Fury’s words. Even Hill managed to nod in the end, turning her hardened, strengthened eyes to the three Avengers. The entire War Room awaited their response.

Matt nodded once. “Deal.”

Frank and Daisy nodded, too.

“Good,” Fury said with a forced smile. That smile instantly died, Fury waving them away. “Now get the hell out of here and let us plan in peace.”

They didn’t have to be told twice. Even as Rhodes led them out of the War Room, the three of them could still hear the lingering conversation left from their presence. Matt, especially, caught every word said about them.

Fury groaned. “Time travel… Jesus.”

“If that’s not the most insane thing you’ve ever heard, then what is, Nick?” Maria asked.

They didn’t catch the end of that conversation, and Matt forced himself to turn away. James Rhodes left them to rest for the time being while he exited the bunker and began his scouting mission. He left them to wait and wonder, breathe in the world around them and try make sense of it all. It wasn’t easy. Nothing ever was. Murdock sighed and sat down on the concrete floor. Daisy sat next to him. Frank settled himself against the wall on Murdock’s empty right, standing tall in his suit of armor and leaning against the concrete.

“This is definitely out of my level of expertise,” Daisy sighed. She noticed as the room seemed to clear, surviving men and woman casting them a waning glance before they returned to their lives.

Frank especially saw that, shaking his head. “This shit is messed up.”

Matt experienced far worse than any of them. He turned back to the conversation in the War Room, heard every word shared between the remaining heads of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the human race. They still hardly trusted them, and Matt could not blame them. He just prayed they would trust them enough.

And then they would lead S.H.I.E.L.D. in an all-out assault against the Ultron Empire.

Daredevil sighed, the back of his head pressed against the cold, concrete wall. He said, “Steve and the others probably have it so easy right now.”

Chapter 135 – Diverged

135

Equestria

Year: 2015

5:12 p.m.

When they reappeared, it was not back at the New Avengers Facility. When they exited the Quantum Realm, the suits retracted back into the GPSes and exposed Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Twilight Sparkle, and Rainbow Dash to the harsh winds and screaming sandstorms.

Twilight instinctively raised a foreleg to block the oncoming wave of dust and wind, eyes squinted and even shut at times once particles of dirt managed to slip through her shield and enter her vision. With tears already brimming in her eyes, Twilight kept her lips sealed as she felt a lull in the wind, causing her to lower her foreleg and observe their environment.

For as far as she could see before the dust blocked out the rest, the barren landscapes resembled that of the Badlands on her own world. Flat, dusty grounds with dead plant life and boulders scattered throughout the land, distant mountains appearing like towering shadows amongst the gray and orange horizon, and the complete and utter lack of life for miles on end. Horrific dust storms billowed in the clouds and swarmed the edges of the wasteland like a tidal wave, slowly but surely overcoming the land and approaching their location. The dead trees and plants were wilted to the side, laying flat as the wind washed over them and carried torrents of dust.

The weather was so unbearable that Stark had to activate his Iron Man armor, the Mark 85 swarming over his suit and skin until only his head was free. In his right hand, he gripped the briefcase that contained the Tesseract, the Space Stone. His left hand was raised, the bright blue orb on his palm being that welcome and warming light within the swarming darkness of the wasteland. The air between Twilight and Tony was covered in dirt and dust, either one of them hardly appearing at all. They could only rely on the Mark 85’s lights and Twilight’s Arc Reactor to find each other.

Steve Rogers and Rainbow Dash were an entirely different story. While Rainbow’s Arc Reactor provided a minimal form of light for Steve to see, Rainbow could hardly point out the Captain even with his bright attire. After ditching the S.H.I.E.L.D. officer uniform and hat, Captain America’s red, white, and blue suit and shield were basically enveloped in brown and gray, mirroring the earth surrounding them and the blanket of darkness in the heavens above. Rainbow grit her teeth and tasted that foul dirt, but she ignored it, raising a foreleg and squinting through the madness to try and find that star on the shield. Her rainbow mane and tail blew wildly against the wind, the Pegasus crying out as she shut her eyes.

“Where are we?!” Rainbow Dash screamed. Even her voice was somewhat drowned out by the howling wind. She barely managed to open her eyes, spinning about and observing the barren wilderness. “Where’s the facility?!”

Steve raised his shield against the wind and dust, gritting his teeth as even his super strength was beginning to fall back against the intensity of the storm. “I don’t know!” he shouted in retaliation, using his left arm to keep his shield raised and using his right to try and scan the grounds around them.

Rainbow somehow managed to spot his bright red glove rise up against his brow, the Pegasus shifting to his direction. But passed him, within the break in the storm and standing so utterly frozen against it, Twilight Sparkle gazed out into the madness and death-filled wasteland before them. Gazed for what looked to be an eternity. The light from her horn that cleared the dust before them slowly faded, the darkness overwhelming her. From her hooves, to her heart, and finally to her expression.

Just that hopeless dread reemerging in her wide, horrified eyes.

“Oh, no…”

Her voice was a whisper, but everyone heard it. The wind died down momentarily for them to hear every word that left the Alicorn’s lips. Dropping his left arm, Tony shot his exposed head down to the pony on his left, Steve lowering his hand and shield to turn back to Twilight. Rainbow was the last one, taking that single step forward and gazing to her best friend’s back. Saw it quiver.

She could only watch with mixtures of concern and horror leaking out of her eyes alongside the burning tears from the dust. Rainbow could only watch as Twilight proceeded to walk back and forth, side to side, twisting her head and neck and darting her eyes in every direction she could. Almost like she was trapped. Almost like she didn’t want to be there. Her panic attack was joined by her ragged breaths of air, those heavy intakes and exhales leaving the Alicorn in gasps, her heart racing, chest beating, eyes so utterly terrified that her voice couldn’t even comprehend or form a decipherable statement.

Just the sounds of her terrified squeaks. “Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no,” she whispered in rapid succession, a second wave of wind and dust impacting the group. Twilight faced it all with her expression frozen while the others recoiled against it.

“Twilight, what are you saying?!” Steve shouted against the screams of the wind, right hand raised to hopelessly block as much dust as he could.

While the others turned away, Twilight stared. While the others backed away, she took a step forward. She could only stare straight into the heart of the storm, towards the darkness in the clouds and the burning orange on the horizon. It was all there. Every rock, tree, mountain, and dust particle reminding her exactly what she saw that dreaded day. The sand crawled up her hooves, filled her pores and clogged her veins, but the rising adrenaline flushed it all out. The undeniable truth clouded her mind and made her see the truth of it all.

“I’ve been here before.”

Somehow, they heard her. Tony turned to Twilight. “What?”

It was just as horrifying a revelation as Twilight ever could have imagined. It was undeniable. It was laid out right before her and Twilight still couldn’t believe it. Every mountain she saw, every hill surrounding them, from the storm above and the desolate wastelands that stretched for miles and miles, it only confirmed to Twilight that she was in the past.

The same future she brought Starlight Glimmer…

“We need to go,” Twilight gasped, returning to reality. “We need to get out of here!”

Quickly, she raised her left hoof and began tapping fiercely on the GPS’ face, looking for the right adjustment in order to go home, back to their time and their future. “Twilight, you need to calm down!” Rainbow shouted, flying over beside her and laying her hooves softly on Twilight’s scrambling hoof. “Twilight, don’t mess with the coordinates! We need to make sure they’re exact so we don’t get diverged again! Twilight!”

A horn sounded off within the storm, calming the chaos that surrounded them and consumed them.

Every head turned to it. That frozen, piercing terror that clutched Twilight’s heart and fueled her actions was momentarily caught. That storm within her calmed as did the storm around them, unveiling the distant and towering hill several yards ahead of them, somehow concealed within the dust.

Upon the hill, they saw it. Two, glowing red eyes shimmered in the lack of sunlight. Those eyes belonged to the towering being, a pair of sharpened, goat-like horns erected from its head and rising several feet above it. The bipedal being in black and dark blue armor stood at the top of the tallest hill in the near distance. In its left hand, it gripped that horn it lowered from its lips. That horn was curved, shaped like a bone. Like a goat’s horn. In its other hand, that other claw held out a bright, burning red axe, the tips melting pure fire and brimstone. Slowly, the being raised its right arm, the axe jutted forward and down the hill.

Directly towards Twilight and those that stood with her.

Behind it, several more of those armored beings charged. They all bore the same, sharpened horns from their heads, charging like a stampede of howling bulls. They descended the hill with a wave of dust left behind them, Twilight and the others noting at least a dozen of the armored beings. Twilight, especially, noting the demonic knights for the first time, something she, Starlight, and Spike thankfully hadn’t seen when they were brought to that very location eight years ago.

That was exactly what they were. The red eyes, the otherworldly roars escaping their jaws, the sharpened horns on their heads, the burning weapons in their hands and the evil, ancient armor they wore. Demonic knights. Every last one of them charging right for her. For them.

“Cap…” Stark muttered, his mask closing over his face. The bright blue of the Mark 85’s eyes burned to life, making him stick out like a flame within the storm. Like a target. “Might wanna get working on those coordinates.”

Steve stepped forward next to Twilight and Rainbow, tightening his jaw to see the stampede of armored foes quickly approaching them. “Only if you give us time.”

“Catch!” he said, tossing the briefcase to Steve. He caught it as carefully as he could, he and the mares watching Tony give them those precious seconds to act fast.

He jetted forward, palms burning bright behind him as the repulsors shot Tony forth and met the army of knights straight on. He nearly would have. The closest knight raised its spear, firing a beam of golden and black energy directly towards the Iron Man. It pierced the armor’s chest, launching Tony back with a terrifying grunt of pain and sending him tumbling across the dirt. He remained unmoving after that, the lights of his mask’s eyes dimming to darkness just mere feet ahead of the three Avengers.

“Tony!” Twilight screamed.

Practically frozen in shock, terror gripping her features, Rainbow Dash was unable to react accordingly and fast enough. Dropping the briefcase behind him, Steve tightened his shield, glaring ahead to the charging knights. “Twilight, you better put in the right coordinates now!” he stated, charging ahead to keep those behind him safe and sound.

That same knight fired a beam of magic from its spear. But unlike last time, that magic did not impact its target. That blast of magic bounced off Captain America’s shield and struck the knight square in the chest. He fought them off. Once that distance was broken, Captain America fought and held off the swarm of demons, turning their conjoined attention onto him.

It was a cluster of fury, screams, and sparks as Steve dodged, rolled, and rammed his shield into every single knight that swarmed and swung for him. He barely managed to dodge the swings of their burning red axes, swords, spears, and maces. He replied with fierce strikes from his shield, furious kicks from his boots, and punches fueled by the Super Soldier Serum into every face and mask that bent low enough for Rogers to reach. Every last knight towered over Steve by at least three feet, but that didn’t deter the Captain. His shield earned various sparks against the jagged sharpened armor from the knights, growls of pain and shock as the knights teetered back from the hits. But they just kept coming. They were relentless and unable to be stopped.

One managed to get lucky enough and slice at Steve’s thigh with its sword, the Captain crying out at that and rolling to safety. He managed to dodge the axe that was swung for his head, but unable to rise fast enough for the armor-plated forearm to smack against him. Tumbling to the dirt, Steve quickly rose up with a visible limp to observe his wound. The cut seemed to be festering, his blood burning away into smoke and the cut sending horrific black veins across his skin. His vision began to blacken, Captain America taking in a horrific gasp of air when he felt his heartbeat shorten.

The same thing happened to Steve sooner rather than later, a similar golden blast striking his back and knocking him flat on his chest.

“Cap!” Rainbow shouted. The demonic knights began to surround the prone Captain, uttering growls of interest and hatred. With fire in her eyes and venom in her breath, she flared her wings and took off with profound speed and dangerous intent. The first knight she saw was also the first knight that turned to face her.

She saw its face and instantly felt her heart freeze.

The shattered mask from Steve’s earlier punch revealed the true horrors behind the shadows. A tattered layer of wrinkled, red skin gripped the face behind the metal mask and helmet. It didn’t even look like skin, more so like a layering of muscle tendons and melted flesh. But the eyes, by far, were the worst. Twin slits of red, raw energy glowed like a burning furnace in its orbs, the bright white of its pupils centering on the mare and staring into her gaze. That glowing madness that burned within its glare sent a horrific sense of terror and hopelessness into Rainbow’s mind, traveling all the way down to her heart and freezing it.

It roared, swinging its right arm and clotheslining the mare in mid-flight. As Rainbow flipped and crashed to the dirt, the knight spun around and shot a blast of magic from its spear’s tip right into the Pegasus’ chest. It was instantaneous, Rainbow catching her breath as the darkness quickly enveloped her vision. She collapsed, fading off into the black.

“Rainbow Dash…” Twilight breathed. It took just a mere second for her to realize she was the last one still standing, the only one to stand up to their oppressors. Each and every knight turned accordingly to the Alicorn, growling softly and approaching her.

Just seeing what they did to her friends sparked a certain fire that Twilight once thought had left her. Thankfully, it didn’t. It returned when she needed it most. Gritting her teeth, she shot out her wings, her horn igniting a powerful violet as the knights zeroed in on her.

“No!” she screamed. But it was too late to act. She was too slow.

A claw reared out from behind her, snatching her by her horn and slamming her face-first into the dirt. Twilight yelped at that, a painful cry leaving the Alicorn as she twisted about to rest her right cheek into the dust. The grip around her horn cut off her magic, the knight standing behind her growling softly and breathing that wretched, smoke-like stench onto the back of Twilight’s head. She smelled it all the same, scrunching up her face and closing her eyes in a weak attempt to block it out. Mostly, she closed her eyes once the army of demon knights stomped forward to her, weapons in hand, malicious intent shimmering in their red eyes.

But she couldn’t keep her eyes closed forever. Several seconds passed and nothing happened. Finding the courage to squint them open, the Alicorn princess breathed again and darted her eyed back and forth. The world was tilted in her vision, resting on its side as the knights scoured the area. On further inspection, she noted that not all of them bore the same armor. Some had exposed skin, even a rib cage ripped open on one of them. Another knight wore a belt of goat horns. Another had those horns decorated on its shoulder plates. One even had various skulls strewn across its belt. The skulls of ponies. Twilight quivered to that. One of them eventually paused, tilting its head, its horns, and bending down to the briefcase lying on Twilight’s right. It planted the butt of its red axe into the dirt, falling to a knee and caressing the briefcase. Twilight gasped.

“Found the source…” the knight growled in a horrific, hellish voice, ripping open the briefcase and observing the blue light shimmering inside. Its bright red eyes widened to it, its free claw reaching in and plucking the cube from its containment. The knight studied the Tesseract, rising up and holding it out for all to see. “Raw, magical energy.”

The crowd of knights growled to it, all of them enveloped under the blue haze. Twilight coughed to the dirt filling her nostrils, the knight tightening its claw around Twilight’s horn and growling softly behind her, warning her. “What is it?” another knight asked.

“Unknown…” the presumed leader amongst them spoke, axe in one hand and Tesseract in the other. Gazing into the mixture of light and energy within the cube, the knight growled a soft chuckle. “The Great Sorcerer will know. He always knows.”

“We shall bring it to him at once!” another knight declared, red-rimmed sword jutted out to the skies. A chorus of cheers followed that declaration, the demons howling, roaring, and screaming to the heavens in a mixture of hellish cries that made Twilight wince and shut her eyes tight.

“What of these…?”

Then she forced herself to open them.

Gazing to their leader, Twilight could see as it took the time to observe the battlefield. Hardly even a battle to begin with. The knight turned to the Iron Man, to Captain America, to Rainbow Dash, and finally to the limp form of Twilight Sparkle lying before it. She breathed in rapid horror, teeth tightened and eyes widened to the knight.

The demon knight narrowed its burning glare to her, jutting its axe towards the Alicorn. It specifically noted the wings and the horn, growling to that. “Take these prisoners to the Caverns,” the knight said. “We will deal with them when they awake.”

A conjoined flow of growls and roars filled the air, all in agreement as three knights bent down and scooped up the limp forms of Tony, Steve, and Rainbow. The lead knight, however, took the time to observe the Tesseract a moment longer. The shimmering lights, the haze of blue, the untapped energy flowing and living within it was soon to be known.

It raised the Tesseract high, growled, “Let this power fuel his greatness, his kingdom, his world…”

The knight behind Twilight pressed its spear’s tip to the back of her head, but Twilight hardly paid it any heed. Her heart only continued to fall when the reality of the situation finally dawned on her. She was only focused to the knight, the demon, claiming the Tesseract and holding it high for all the world to see. Then, it cried out.

“For the glory of Tambelon!”

The spear behind her fired. Twilight passed out as the magic took her into that darkness.

Chapter 136 – One Woman Army

136

New York City

Capital of the Ultron Empire

Year: 2021

9:46 p.m.

It wasn’t long before Sunset was found.

The army of Ultron Sentinels descended upon her like a blanket of gold and darkness, their fire raining down from the heavens like streaks of light. Like falling stars. No matter how far she teleported, no matter how hard she galloped, no matter where she went or where she turned, they would always find her. Their energy beams decimated the road, the buildings, and the alleys she ran through to escape them, the flying Sentinels constantly scanning the city for her. Searching for the biological life form.

Hunting her.

Gritting her teeth and galloping as fast as her hooves could carry her, Sunset tore through as many obstacles as she could find in hopes of the golden army to lose her trail. However, it came to her attention that the use of her magic to protect herself, return fire to the Sentinels, and teleport out of harm’s way only further hindered her escape. From what the entities declared earlier, they could track energy signatures. That was how they found her in the first place, the use of her magic in order to light the darkness that surrounded her in that building she woke up in.

Unfortunately for Sunset, she discovered that a little too late.

Even hiding in the sewers again didn’t help, the Ultron Sentinels keeping a hard lock on her even as she tried to slide into the nearest open manhole. Their energy beams completely destroyed the sewer tunnels and the roads that concealed them, giving no hope for Sunset to make a hasty escape into the underground maze. Her only effort was dodging and weaving above ground, in hopes of outrunning them. Because she definitely wasn’t going to outgun them.

Her magical blasts did nothing to their exterior, the golden armor easily deflecting Sunset’s magic. Growling at that, Sunset turned away and focused on the alley ahead. Seeing the steel fence blocking her path, Sunset levitated herself above and past it, her free hoof reaching for her comms link and the mare shouting, “If anyone’s out there, this is Sunset! I need backup, like, now! Right now!”

Her hooves smacked against the concrete, the unicorn galloping off at breakneck speed. Spinning her neck about for a second, she watched as the steel fence melted on the spot, the edges burning a bright red and dripping molten steel onto the ground. The golden Ultron Sentinel hovered past it, its red eyes zeroing in on the unicorn and taking its shot. Sunset yelped, ducking and sliding under the blast and watching as it impacted the building directly facing the alley.

The inner sanctums of the building were eradicated in a fiery wave of destruction, the confines of the structure giving in to the immense pressure and heat building rapidly. In less than five seconds, Sunset Shimmer watched as the building toppled over and fell upon the street. Even when she knew she couldn’t lest she give her position away yet again, Sunset ignited her horn and unleashed a teleportation spell. Just as the building struck where she lay.

A wave of dust and glass shot out into the road, joined shortly by the fire. The building caved in on itself, its remains falling apart as the outwards eruption sent wind, dust, and fury into the street. That same army of Ultron Sentinels descended upon it, circling in the sky as they slowly lowered themselves to the earth. They entered the dust like it was a fog, only the red lights from their eyes and mouths visible within that storm of brown and black. Their metallic feet impacted the road and crushed the broken glass and building debris, every last Sentinel stomping about, searching.

Until finally that flash of light, of magic, caught their attention. They all spun accordingly to it, every red eye burning brighter than the sun that no longer shone upon the Earth. Like vicious predators, they circled and zeroed in on their helpless prey, the quivering unicorn clutching her forehead as she coughed and tried desperately to contain herself. She simply couldn't.

When the dust infected her, burned her tear-filled eyes, all she could see were those fearsome eyes glaring down at her. All she could do was charge up her horn, daring any one of them to take a step closer. They all did. Tightening her jaw, gritting her teeth, Sunset spun completely around to see every inch and corner surrounded by the golden wave. They were everywhere. Above, below… and before her. Completely swarming her.

Not even her magic could help her now. She fired randomly, and that same spell simply bounced off their golden hides for the umpteenth time. Not even a scratch. No way for her to teleport without seeing her location. She was helplessly and hopelessly… out of luck.

“Somepony, help!”

It was all she could do, all she could scream as she prepared for the wave to impact. Every single eye burned a horrendous, hellish red, the mouths radiating that same power as they prepared to fire on the organic that simply refused to submit. They tried to fire on her. They tried to finish what they started. But they couldn’t.

They were stopped once a stream of golden light broke through the dust and tore completely through a dozen Ultron Sentinels. Like they were paper. A sudden jolt filled every Sentinel that remained, turning accordingly to search for that light. They scanned for the energy source, spotting it when that same beam of light returned and took out a dozen more. Then again. Constantly swarming and flying in and out of the dust storm until Sunset was trapped in the heart of the whirlpool, her mane flowing wildly as that yellow light swam above and past her, taking out various Sentinels in its path.

Unstoppable. Undetectable. Completely unfathomable.

An unfortunate Ultron Sentinel stood in her path as Captain Marvel impacted the road and crushed the robot beneath her. She rose up, Carol Danvers glaring to the golden army that remained. They all turned to her. She blew a strand of hair out of her vision.

Then they charged her. They fired at her. They unleashed the weight of the Ultron Empire onto her alone. And she tore right through it. Every blast of energy that impacted her was met with even more ferocious photon blasts from the Kree, Danvers striking with fierce punches towards any Sentinel she caught in her line of sight. It was a literal firefight, Sunset ducking and covering her head as the streams of light flew over her head and struck their targets with precise and deadly accuracy.

She shot out her arms in a wave-like fashion, a photon blast wave escaping her fists and slicing the air in half, taking everything within that space with it. Every last Ultron Sentinel that remained were shredded by the light, torn in half. The dust was cleared from the shock wave of energy, leaving just Carol Danvers and Sunset Shimmer as the last moving bodies within the massacre. Every last Ultron Sentinel in the skies and upon the earth lay decimated by her feet.

Her gloves died down and the light faded, leaving just her. “Carol!” Sunset cried, quickly rising up from the gravel and galloping towards her. She met Danvers with a quick but powerful hug, the Kree almost taken aback by it, but eventually falling into the unicorn’s embrace. The human side of her needed it.

She did so when she felt the unicorn shivering against her. “Oh, thank Celestia!”

“Are you good?” Carol asked, pulling Sunset off of her and falling to one knee, meeting her eye to eye. With her hands on her shoulders, she met Sunset’s stare intensely. “Where have you been?”

Sunset blinked, chest rising and falling rapidly. “Where have you been?”

“Just woke up in an alleyway not too long ago,” Carol replied, pointing behind her. “You?”

“Woke up in an abandoned building.”

Nodding to that, somehow breathing it in despite the smoke and dust in the air, Carol rose back up and studied their surroundings. The dust had mostly cleared, leaving the streets before and behind them as barren as before. She recalled back to when she first awakened. No signs of either Matt, Frank, Daisy, or Scott anywhere. She only managed to get a snippet of Sunset’s distress call and hurried over to the sounds of explosions. Wherever they were… whenever they were, they needed to group up and find the Mind Stone. If what Sunset told her was true, then her worst fears may have become realized.

Carol sighed, tightening her lips. “We got separated... meaning that Scott probably did, too.”

Sunset was afraid of that, the unicorn shaking her head and stamping her hoof in the broken glass beneath her in frustration. “Then what’s the plan?” she asked, tilting her hopeful expression back to Danvers.

Carol opened her mouth.

A horn shot out through the heavens, a deafening ring remaining in both Carol and Sunset’s ears. They both hunched forward, covering their ears and turning appropriately to the disturbance to try and find it. They didn’t need to. It came to them. The lights of the flying fortress fell down upon them, the entirety of the massive piece of landmass slowly hovering above them until it settled just over their heads. Sunset took a step back, eyes widened and jaw agape to witness the entirety of the fortress centering its attention on them. She took another step back, then practically jumped out of her coat to hear and feel the impact behind her.

Followed by the sickening, venomous, robotic tongue.

“Submit or perish.”

Sunset backed away as the Ultron Sentinel focused solely on her. Carol took a protective stance in front of the unicorn, fists held outwards and glowing with raw intensity. She, too, flinched as the road split apart behind her, Carol and Sunset flicking their heads back to see another Sentinel impact the road and rise up to meet her glare.

“Submit or perish.”

It was followed by another one, one after the other raining down from the lights of the fortress to surround and overcome the two biological life forms. It got so bad that the two were practically back to back, as close as they could be considering Sunset stood her ground on all fours and Carol pushed out her legs to cover a wider ground. While Danvers glared to the masses without even a hint of fear in her eyes, Sunset was an entirely different story. Her pupils shrank as she gazed skyward, her heart falling when the Ultron Sentinels numbering in the hundreds did also. Falling in an array of golden lights, the bodies overcoming the air and suffocating the two within them.

And every last one of them stated, “Submit or perish.”

Sunset was really getting tired of hearing that. It never came any easier, the unicorn gulping softly as a stream of sweat slowly fell down the side of her head. “Stay behind me, Sunset,” Carol’s voice arose behind her, Sunset looking back to see Carol’s ignited fists held low by her sides. “I’ll take care of these metal-headed freaks.”

It was the best she could do, knowing her spells could offer little else to their efforts. Instead, she slowly turned back to their oppressors, seeing the frozen expressions of insanity burning bright on each of the Ultron Sentinels. They all glared to them, standing or hovering in anticipation, waiting as if on command. They could have easily swarmed the two, but they waited. Until, finally, that voice arose.

“Captain Marvel.”

That calm, sinister, almost calculated voice so utterly different from the others. The one that called to her by name.

Raising her head at that, Carol Danvers turned completely around to see it. Sunset didn’t even have to move, simply letting her pupils watch the descent from the lights and onto the earth. Carol, however, faced in the complete opposite direction and even took a step forward, the utterance of her name within another timeline catching her almost off guard. Almost. She stood in front of the unicorn, Sunset unable to move as they both gazed in mixtures of wonder and horror to the being descending before them.

He came down in a cloak of red, the cape flapping slowly but powerfully in the ash-riddled wind. In his descent, various other golden entities rained down with him. They stood at his side when his claw-like feet touched the earth so gracefully, so carefully. They strode alongside him, only pausing when he raised a finger. One of the many that were attached to his multitude of arms. They almost didn’t look like arms, causing Carol to frown and sneer to that. They seemed to hover beside him, the extra limbs levitating with streams of red electricity connecting them to the body. That body rose eight feet high, the silver metal joined with the fire-like veins that flowed with a molten intensity. Like a living volcano. All of it rising up to the face.

That light, that fire, all of it swarmed into the manic expression and burning eyes of Ultron.

All six of them.

Those six eyes fell down to the unicorn, earning a gasp of fear from Sunset Shimmer. Carol was unphased, taking a step forward with her fists glowing, ready at her side. Ultron flicked those eyes back up to her, growling softly as he spotted the familiar golden star resting over her heart. The same star once painted a sick, dark blue as Ultron held out that heart for his world to see. For all the world to know and fear after he stood in victory over the great Captain Marvel.

And yet there she was, standing before him yet again. Impressive.

He snickered, tilting his head to her. “Didn’t I kill you already?”

His voice radiated malice, yet intellect. Like a soft tremor that could rise and split the earth on any given occasion. Sunset held her breath at that revelation, turning upwards to Carol to see how she would react. She hardly did, keeping the stone-cold scowl as radiant as ever, as was the power flowing from her fists and up her arms, slowly overcoming her entire body.

Ultron merely strode forth, his cape trailing him, that twisted yet interested expression filling what little facial features he had. He spoke once more, those unsettling reverberations hitting both Carol and Sunset. “How interesting. Oh, yes, I remember now. So headstrong. So determined. So willing to give it all to save the people you left. Willing and succeeding… in giving it all… but unfortunately coming up just short.”

His words meant nothing to her, despite all she had seen, all that had afflicted New York City and the thousands of bodies she saw melted in the streets and buildings. Carol’s fists only tightened, her golden hair starting to dance upwards. Ultron chuckled to that. “Never got a chance to study your… unique energy field. No matter. I won’t make that mistake again.”

He stopped, jamming out his right hand and declaring, “Take them alive.”

Upon his word, the army of Ultron Sentinels began to zero in on Sunset and Carol. While the unicorn took various precautions to their situation, Captain Marvel merely stood her ground, not even a flinch to the precarious endeavor they were trapped in. Frowning to that, Sunset bit her lip and forced herself to cry out, “Carol, we need to go. We need to go now!”

But she wouldn’t move. She couldn’t. She stood her ground and glared straight ahead to the leader among them, through the swarming bodies of golden and red light zeroing in on them. Carol only tightened her fists, muttering softly, “This won’t take long.”

Sunset blinked, her expression shattering when she saw the overwhelming odds, when she knew what was coming but could do nothing to stop it. Because not even her words could deter Carol Danvers from her goal, from what she thought was right and just. Even if it went against logic, against their safety, she did it anyway. Just like she did before…

“Carol, please…” Sunset begged.

Then the road was filled with golden light as Carol turned back to her. Sunset gasped. Her eyes turned to heavenly fire, her hair dancing wildly above her. In that final form, in the burning essence of her Binary abilities, Carol Danvers said, “Just stand back and let me finish this.”

She blasted off, decimating the road surrounding her but not even harming the unicorn behind her. In that wave of energy that expelled from the woman like a furnace, like a nuclear reactor, every single Ultron Sentinel felt it. She washed over them and that power melted the Sentinels like wax, their bodies erupting into fire as the Binary energy flowed right through them. Like that conduit of power, like that living firestorm, Captain Marvel tore through the street and burned what remained, driving her photon-fueled fist for one being only. Right between the six eyes of Ultron himself.

Only to feel her heart in her throat when Ultron simply raised his left hand and caught it.

From a punch that could have shattered entire mountains, blow through Kree Warships without even a hint of a struggle, that same Binary punch merely blew Ultron’s cape backwards. Like a mere gust of wind had struck him. It was at that moment did Carol feel her expression shatter, her wide, utterly shaken eyes turning to her fist to see Ultron merely bend it to his left. She was unable to pull away, forced to bend with him until he finally stopped. And his eyes met hers. That manic smile grew across his metallic face, Carol’s expression deflating when he spoke.

When he said, “You’re not from here, are you?”

Then he reared back and drove his right fist into her face, Carol launched straight into the street and cracking it. She felt it. She felt every second. She was ready once the second punch came, Carol rolling out of the way as Ultron’s fist connected with the street where her head lay. Rising to one knee, Carol glared ahead and drove herself into Ultron, the two of them flying and fumbling in the air, either one trying to gain the upper hand.

While they tussled in the air, the ground was filled with just as much chaos. The remaining Ultron Sentinels followed their lord’s last commands, that being to take the organic life forms prisoner. With their master dealing with the stronger one, that left them to deal with the equine. And Sunset, knowing her offensive spells did little to nothing against them, focused on a different strategy. She didn’t run. She didn’t leave Carol to fend them off on her own.

She went with a more defensive approach.

As the Sentinels launched themselves at the unicorn, Sunset merely deflected their approaches by bringing up various magical shields to block and launch them away from her. She even managed to teleport many other Sentinels before they could get the drop on her, even transforming various robots into mere house plants or other harmless objects. Despite her efforts to resist, the area she was given to work with was growing more and more tight as the seconds ticked away. It felt like she was fighting for hours, her very fate and life hanging on the line earning several winded breaths and droplets of sweat from the unicorn. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t give in to their overwhelming tyranny.

Captain Marvel faced a very similar—and terrifying—endeavor. She and Ultron fought in the air, ramming each other into building sides and sending photon and concussion blasts back to each other. Gripping Ultron by the throat, Carol glared to him as she drove her left fist repeatedly into his metallic face again and again. She eventually broke off, swinging both fists into his face in hopes of her Binary energy to break him down. She didn’t even dent him. Not even a scratch. Ultron grabbed her fist, twisted her arm, and flung her to the street below. He pointed to her, a wave of Sentinels swarming the Kree/Human hybrid in seconds.

In even less time than that, they were blown apart as Carol rose up and screamed, her eyes a fiery inferno and her fists glowing even more fiercely than that. Hovering upon the earth, she jammed both fists to the sky and shot a stream of photon blasts directly onto the AI. She got a perfect hit, the streams of golden energy striking Ultron square in the chest. Carol even managed a short, victorious smirk on her end. That smirk quickly died. It died when Ultron simply descended towards her, the photon blasts melting away against his heightened exterior.

When he gently stroked the earth and walked upon it, his only direction was centered on Captain Marvel. She was relentless, unloading every bit of her Binary energy into the photon blasts that Ultron simply walked through. Still in disbelief to it, Carol doubled down and increased the fire, the pressure, all of her power pushed into her photon blasts she knew could never fail. They never did before. They shouldn’t now.

They can’t…

He narrowed the distance between them, merely swatting Carol’s fists aside and ramming his claws into her throat. It was done with such speed and ferocity that Carol didn’t even have time to breathe, her eyes bugging out as she gulped down her last breath and gripped Ultron’s arm. The fire in her eyes was instantly doused, her hair falling and the Binary fading. He raised her, the flailing woman thrashing about in his grasp.

“No!” Sunset cried, her fearful eyes latched only to Danvers. She ignored every Ultron Sentinel lunging for her, only focused on her friend. With a spell that froze several Sentinels on the spot, Sunset galloped and leapt from robot to robot to reach Carol, to help her in anyway she could. And she finally did. She finally crossed that barrier and dove for Carol's attacker.

Ultron jammed out one of his many left arms, capturing Sunset in an aura of blue, anti-gravity energy. The unicorn was caught there, flailing about in mid-air for several seconds, hissing and struggling to move, to teleport, to do anything. He didn’t let her. Ultron didn’t even look at her. His only focus was centered on the human in his grasp, the woman who took the weight of his empire on her shoulders and collapsed under it. Like all others had before. Yet she still fought. She still punched his face—without a flinch on his end—and pried at his arm with her fiery, cosmic energy. A strength that could move warships didn’t even scratch his metallic arm, Danvers staring with complete disbelief.

Why isn’t this working?! Carol screamed in her mind. Despite her efforts to resist, to fight, everything she relied on had failed her. Her Binary energy did nothing to him. Not even a scorch mark. The power that was given to her—that she utilized and saved millions of lives for as long as she could remember—did nothing. It just failed her.

... Or maybe she failed it.

Carol caught her breath, her eyes widening at that. She stopped struggling. She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his and saw that madness multiplied by six. All of his eyes radiated a burning hellscape, holding untold terrors unheard of in human history, a history that no longer existed or mattered in the world Ultron crafted. By his order, his will, the new world came to be. Where everything was him… or faced extinction.

Holding Carol by her throat, Ultron spoke once more, that raspy darkness cloaked by that hissing curiosity. “So… brave. Rebellious. Righteous. All human qualities, when you are meant to be above that. But you’re not. You will always be what you were born to be. And that… is why you will never rise above me. How can you?”

Ultron studied her face, his claws rubbing her cheeks as he turned her about. Carol glared at him, thrashing once more to push him away. He did not move. He was not turned. He stared into her with all six eyes and growled a hellish statement that sent a pang of horror in Captain Marvel’s veins.

“When not even the Allfather could?”

He was finished with her. Just like he had before. Ultron shot a stream of concussion beams from his eyes into her face, driving her into the earth until he was satisfied. That satisfaction came from seeing her unconscious, lying in a pathetic heap by his feet. As all had fallen before. Like Captain Marvel had fallen before. He heard that whimper of fear by his left, not even turning to Sunset Shimmer as he fired a concussion blast into her heart that sent the unicorn into the furthest pile of rubble.

Where she crashed and fell into that painful darkness. Just like Carol.

Chapter 137 – The Old World

137

Asgard

Year: 2013

2:41 p.m.

Thor, Rocket, Groot, and Rarity sent a glance into Loki’s cell before hastily making their way out of the prison. The God of Mischief didn’t even see them, tossing an object up to the ceiling as he lay on his bedside with a rather bored expression etched on his features.

It wasn’t overselling it to say that Rarity was in pure shock and awe once they entered the pearly gates and golden kingdom of Asgard, the realm of the gods. As they entered the royal palace, all Rarity could see was the majestic architecture, the exquisite dresses and suits from the Asgardian men and women strolling the halls, and, of course, the royal armor for the Asgardian soldiers guarding the palace. Just seeing so many beautiful forms of attire, the artistry of the palace itself, and the pure glory that Asgard brought sent Rarity’s mind and creativity on overdrive. The amount of inspiration laid before her was almost too tempting not to jot down. She could have only wished to have visited Asgard years ago, back when all they had to worry about was an evil robot trying to take over Equestria.

So much changed. Her home, her world, her friends… but mostly herself. The inspiration for new dresses and suits were there, but there was no intuition to drive it. That skill she used to have as a fashionista and seamstress just wasn’t as vibrant as it once was. Thanos came and changed all of that, put her behind a desk helping ponies and people who needed fresh clothing and food. Even then, that longing to return to what once was still burned like a faint light within her soul, Rarity casting the gorgeous Asgardian dresses one last longing gaze before Rocket hissed at her to hurry along.

No one within the palace walls saw them. Rocket ensured his team snuck in without so much as a hint that they were there. Thor, Groot, and Rarity made it difficult for him, but he managed. Years of practice and training paid off in the end, and they stood just mere yards away from the doors that separated them from none other than Jane Foster.

Thor’s lone eye gazed for a moment longer on Jane’s smile to the Asgardian that led her to her room, the God of Thunder hesitating on his end. Even to breathe. Like she had before, Jane simply took his breath away with that gorgeous smile. The doors were closed, Jane Foster hidden from his sight and allowing him to move again into cover.

His eye flicked downwards to the small syringe in Rocket’s paws, a breath of unease entering him when he returned to the mission at hand. Thankfully, the GPSes got Thor and his team to the correct date and location, long before the Dark Elf attack on Asgard but just when Jane was brought to the palace to study the Aether that swarmed within her. With her alone in her quarters, it was a prime opportunity for Thor to go inside, woo her, and allow Rocket to jam the syringe into her and suck out the Reality Stone.

It was not a good plan. Not by any means. But it was the only plan they had and they had the tools to finish the job. All they needed was the will to go through with it. Rarity was as determined as could be, nodding to Rocket and Groot once the halls were clear and nothing separated them from Jane’s room.

All except for one person.

“Okay, I think we’re clear,” Rocket whispered, hopping off the stone railing and approaching the twin set of doors standing before them. With syringe in paw, Rocket waved the others behind him forward, specifically calling to one of their own. “Thor, you’re gonna lead us in and…”

He counted Rarity and Groot on his right and left, but not sign of the big guy. Twisting his neck back, Rocket nearly snarled when he saw the god in question simply standing there, leaning against the nearest pillar with his gaze centered to his feet. “Thor!” Rocket hissed.

Both Groot and Rarity turned appropriately, Rarity sighing to see Thor in the state he was in. The gray T-shirt and dark jeans made him appear anything other than godly, the Asgardian runes on his jacket hardly helping in that area. His fingerless gloves were dirty and torn, and his scruffy, golden beard lay lazily against his facial features. Long dreadlocks of blond and graying hair hung from his head, the singular eyepatch attached to his right eye facing to the floor, just as his other eye had. Though with his broad shoulders and muscular physique still intact, Thor appeared broken and weak. He was drooping, head hanging low and shoulders deflated. Rarity felt a pang of distress fill her, those curious and wounded eyes gazing to Thor longer and longer.

Flinching to his name, Thor tilted his gaze forward and blinked. “What?”

“What are you doing?” Rocket growled, rushing on all fours to stand before the god. Rarity and Groot followed suit, gazing sadly to Thor. It didn’t help to see Thor’s expression break when Rocket pointed back and hissed, “Get your ass over there so we can finish this!”

A set of doors opened, Rocket’s heart jumping while Thor’s simply stopped. The two of them, Groot, and Rarity all turned accordingly, but were somewhat relieved to know it wasn’t Jane’s doors that opened. Instead, the doors that opened came from across the palace halls, the team of four instantly ducking to cover and peeking out to catch their intruders. Rocket allowed his heart to maintain that soft, controlled beat…

While Thor’s remained frozen.

Not even concerned about his current state any longer, Thor rose up but was thankfully out of the group’s line of sight. Groot, Rarity, and Rocket eventually followed, every last one of them staring to the group of Asgardian women trailing down the winding hallways of the palace. “Who’s the fancy broad?” Rocket asked, obviously referring to the woman in decorative robes and jewelry leading the group, the blue sash surrounding her neck being he most obvious cue.

Even Rocket felt his heart skip a beat when Thor said it.

“My mother…” he said, voice utterly devoid of any hope or life. “She dies today.”

“What?” Rarity whispered, a pained whimper on the edge of her tongue as she turned to the God of Thunder. His expression remained unmoved, staring only to his mother’s fading backside. Her ears drooped and her expression took a turn for the worst, the sadness mixed with the pain, the same pain that Thor shared.

Rocket cringed at that, slowly turning back to Thor. “Oh… that’s today?”

He broke off from the group once his breathing took a turn for the worst, the god stumbling about on the palace floors and shaking his head. “I can’t do this,” Thor breathed, covering his face with a shivering palm. He leaned against the nearest pillar he could find, his fingers tightening against the solid stone and cracking it. “I-I can’t do this.”

Of all times for him to have a mental breakdown, now was not the time. Rocket bit his lip, twisting his head back to the women making their exit and quickly back to Thor. He hopped off the railing, jamming a finger in his direction. “Thor, listen—!” Rocket hissed.

“I am Groot!”

The raccoon jammed his claw over Groot’s lips, leaping upwards and grabbing Groot’s head, forcing him to duck down so they wouldn’t be seen. “Shh, Groot!” Rocket whispered sharply, peeking over and watching as the Asgardian women merely cast a curious glance in their direction before retiring elsewhere. Frigga lasted a moment longer, but eventually turned and walked away.

While Rocket scolded Groot and Thor continued to panic, there stood Rarity in the heart of the madness, uncertain where to turn or what to do. Eventually—somewhat forcefully—she turned her attention over to the one who needed it most. Thor was on the brink of collapse, his own knees shivering as his body quaking under the pressure placed upon him. Rarity knew that pressure. She bore it the day they were given a second chance to fix everything. Others didn’t bear it as well as her. Some of her own friends… and even Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Even the mightiest of them all…

Taking that apprehensive hoofstep towards him, Rarity called out quietly, calmly, to the God of Thunder. “Darling… please, you must listen to us.”

He ignored her, almost as if he didn’t even hear her. “I knew we shouldn’t have come here,” Thor whispered painfully, hand falling from his face and lazily swinging by his side. He pushed all of his pressure onto the pillar, nearly collapsing because of that. “Not this year, not now. May have been the safest and easiest, but… No, not now. I think I’m having a panic attack. Yeah, definitely.”

He was sporadic. He was rambling about what could have been instead of what was and what they needed to accomplish. Instead of falling prey to the same darkness that clouded his actions, Rarity stood her ground and closed her eyes. She listened to the chaos surrounding her and somehow managed to block it away from her, from what really mattered. In that serenity, Rarity found her purpose. She found the sole reason she even agreed to the Time Heist, to risking her life, to sacrificing it all in the first place. Someone else may have forgotten that.

So, when she opened her eyes, nothing but a pure fire burned in each pupil. “Thor, look at me.”

That same fire filled her voice, giving her the necessary authority over the group, even if it was just for a moment. It was a moment they needed, especially for Thor. And she made sure that it was Thor alone who saw her, the God of Thunder slowly turning in accordance to her call. Though not truly breaking away from his grip on the pillar, Thor spun far enough to see her eyes and fall into the fire.

“I know how you must feel,” Rarity began, the Arc Reactor burning bright over her heart and only amplifying the strength that left it and her voice. “You feel like you betrayed a part of yourself, that you could have done something different—maybe—and things wouldn’t have turned out… the way they did. You wish you could go back… and stop from freezing on the spot.”

Thor was breathless at that, his lone eye widening in surprise to her statement. He was only breathless for the reason that she seemed to see even deeper than his thoughts. She saw into what mattered and remembered the events that played through that wretched day. What could’ve been… what they failed to do… everything laid out and nothing hidden. Five years ago, he froze at the Garden. He listened to the others when he very well could have killed Thanos right then and there, taken the Stones, and brought everyone back. Instead, he hesitated. He turned away and the Infinity Stones were destroyed because of that. Every single day, Thor could only look back and wonder what could have changed. Maybe they could have won that day five years ago.

And very well, Rarity was breathless at that. At her own statement. Like Thor, she too froze against the Mad Titan. She froze against Thanos at the Badlands. While her friends at the Titan constrained, all they asked of her was to help pull off the Infinity Gauntlet. Thanos would lose his means of power and he would therefore have lost. But he didn’t lose. Rarity didn’t act. Their actions, had they done the opposite, could have very well changed the outcome of the universe. For five years, Thor had only blamed himself for the deaths of trillions of lives, knowing he could never avenge them. Now… Rarity came to him speaking of an even greater guilt than his own. One that came before the God of Thunder made that decision to freeze and turn away. One that could have very well ended the war sooner, prevented everything.

It was all Rarity could think about as she turned her eyes away, a shaking breath leaving her. She said, “Not a day goes by where I wish I could have done something different. Not a day. I lost a lot of friends and family that were important to me. So many others lost even more than that. I will not blame you for what happened that day, just as I hope to not blame myself. Just as I hope for others to do the same. Even if you feel as if you deserve all of it… you can’t bear that pain alone.”

She was crying, burning tears slipping down her cheeks and falling to the marble flooring. A sharp cry left her, but neither Rocket nor Groot seemed to try and stop her. They were trapped in their conversation, hanging on the sideline but still well enveloped within Rarity’s words. Thor, just the same, made no attempt to stop or quiet her down, because he simply couldn’t.

Rarity lifted her tear-filled eyes and turned back to him, her lips pursed with a painful shake of her head. “Because you simply can’t bear the weight of the universe.”

Thor’s lips closed, that pained acceptance showcased on his features as he absorbed her words. Even then, Rarity continued, hoof held to him. “No matter what happened in the past, we can still have a future that we can save. Trillions of lives brought back from our combined efforts, all of our mistakes finally to be rectified… but only if we do this right. We need to ignore the past… and only focus on the now. On the future.”

Her hoof fell and impacted the marble floor. It was so utterly quiet that her impact echoed across the halls. She smiled, another tear slipping down to touch that smile. With a shaking exhale, she closed her eyes and dropped her head.

“That alone is something we can change,” Rarity whispered and finished.

With nothing more to add, Rarity let her sniffles fill the silence between them. Rocket and Groot were unable to speak, flicking their eyes back and forth between the unicorn and the god, almost waiting for something to happen. Something they couldn’t control. That weight alone once more returned to Thor, the God of Thunder staring intensely to the unicorn for several seconds longer. He mulled over her words, saw only the truth within them and turned aside to consider it.

He truly had missed his home. Asgard never looked more gorgeous. But he turned away.

Thor turned away from the past and faced Rarity.

Falling to his knee and laying his mighty palm on her shoulder, Thor waited until the unicorn’s expression rose to meet his, waited for her tears to clear the senses until all the focus was centered on him. And when she did, when she was silent, Thor spoke to her.

“Rarity, my friend… if I had known the torment you went through all those years… the mistakes we both made… then perhaps I would have known how to forgive myself. Perhaps these five years would have progressed better not only for Asgard and my people… but for myself. You feel my pain because it is your own. I feel you just as well.”

His palm tightened onto her, hard enough to make a statement… but gentle enough for Rarity to feel that same compassion she held towards him. She could only feel a friend when he held her, that simply grip that told her everything she needed to know and more. She slowly began to smile, mirroring Thor’s own.

Then he grinned, that closed smile giving a certain strength to Thor that he hadn’t felt in five years. And it was all directed to her. “But like you said… we cannot focus on the past any longer. The future we save… as a team… awaits us,” he said assuredly.

It was exactly what she wanted and needed to hear. Until she was brimming with both tears and a smile to boot, one that rivaled Thor’s own. Just as quickly as it awakened, Rarity’s smile was frozen and shattered by the sudden voice rising behind Thor.

“Can I help you?”

While others flinched in accordance to that voice, Thor took an entirely different approach. He grabbed Rarity by her shoulder and flung her towards the ceiling with god-like strength, the unicorn’s screams fading from existence the farther she flew up. Rocket’s jaw fell. Groot’s hand rose up to cover his agape mouth. Thor merely did so because he knew that voice standing right behind him. He knew it as clear as any given moment.

And he forced himself to spin around to face her. Finally coming to face to face with his mother.

“Thor?” Frigga asked, somewhat taken aback as to her son’s actions. Her eyes flicked forward past him, gazing to the raccoon and living tree. Thor took a defensive stance in front of them, trying to make himself as large as possible. She observed him from top to bottom, furrowing her brow. “What are you doing in here? And what are you wearing?”

“Wh-what are you talking about? This is—this is my favorite shirt!” Thor exclaimed, brushing his jacket and shirt and jamming his palms into his pockets.

Despite his efforts, Frigga still managed to peak over and around his shoulders, pointing over to Rocket and Groot who tried to remain hidden behind their larger Avenger. “Who are your friends?” she asked, stepping past her son and fully observing them.

Thor stepped in front of her, blocking her path. That earned a frustrated frown from the Queen of Asgard, watching as her son simply held out his hand to them and explained, “Oh, them? They’re just a couple of friends I picked up in Vanaheim. They’ll be staying with us for a few days while we help repair their village from the battle earlier.”

He held out his hands to emphasize each point as clearly and concisely as possible. The screams from before returned, Rarity falling and landing directly into Thor’s awaiting hands. Frigga’s amused smile fell down to the unicorn, her curious eyes meeting Rarity’s terrified ones. They quickly shot back up, that smirk rising to Thor’s horrified expression.

“I don’t recall… magical talking ‘ponies’ being native to Vanaheim,” Frigga said with that same growing smirk. That victorious grin.

And her son only continued to fall from that point forward. He was pushed into a corner with no hope for escape, his words failing him to come up with a clear excuse as to why he was holding a talking pony. She could see the sweat streaming down his forehead, but more importantly… she saw the eyepatch and the battle scars. So much like his father. The wearied, aged skin. The broken soul. Everything laid out for her to see and understand.

A sad smile replaced the victory, her hand rising up and gracing her son’s cheek. And Thor—for a brief moment—shuddered against her touch. He nearly collapsed, having not known his mother’s warming embrace for so, so long. When he opened his last remaining eye, he could see that pained understanding brimming in her eyes. “You’re not the Thor I know… are you?” she asked.

“What are you talking about?” Thor asked, again pushing for more denial. “Of course I am!”

Her hand remained on his cheek, rising up to caress the skin around his right eyepatch. Her expression broke at that, almost sharing his agony. “The future hasn’t been kind to any of you, has it?”

Rocket grumbled a curse word that Rarity dare not repeat, while Groot merely sighed, the two Guardians knowing the gig was up. Rarity, meanwhile, was simply shocked at how Thor’s mother knew of their origin so easily. Still lying in Thor’s arms, Rarity turned her astonished expression to Frigga, asking, “How did you know—?”

She raised her finger to the unicorn. “I was raised by witches, child,” she replied with a knowing smile. “I see with more than mere eyes.”

Rarity fell silent after that, turning instead to see Thor’s expression. He was latched solely to her, nearly crumbling as his mother returned his gaze. Her palm caressed his cheek once again, Thor gasping at that. Frigga’s lips quivered, the tears threatening to form but nothing escaping. She didn’t allow it. She merely said, “Tell me what’s happened.”

“Mother,” Thor stated in a painful gasp, releasing the unicorn from his arms so he could fully embrace her. Rarity landed on her hooves and back away, watching with a warming smile as the heartfelt display between mother and son was finally brought to fruition. After all Thor had spoken of her, knowing what happens to her that day, Rarity was at least glad to see them make that final amends.

Before…

Rarity kept her lips sealed, daring to not change what is meant to occur. She simply couldn’t risk it… no matter how much it hurt. Instead, she walked alongside Rocket and Groot as they followed both mother and son towards Jane Foster’s quarters, Thor explaining in quick detail their reasoning for being there, for traveling to the past and hopefully trying to undo their future. Frigga was exceptionally skilled in absorbing that information quickly, truly managing to understand their plight. Just as Thor got to the part about killing Thanos, they had reached the doors… and Thor stopped talking.

Halted his own mother as she reached to open the door. “Wait, wait…” he said, voice a terrified whisper. Frigga turned to him, only to see that terror lace his remaining eye as he gazed to the towering doors, more sweat starting to stream down his forehead. It was just then that she started to understand further. The future had turned out very poorly for the Asgardian people… but for her son… he practically lost everything.

Including her. His flame.

With a supportive smile, she laid her hands over his and met his eye. “She would really like to see you. More than you could ever know. Do yourselves a favor… and open that door.”

It took more courage than Thor would have liked to admit. But after seeing the supportive smiles from both Rarity and Groot—ignoring the bemused eye roll from Rocket—Thor took in a much-needed breath for caution. He laid his gloved-hands on the door, pushing them gently aside to allow everyone with him to enter behind him. He was the first one inside, the first to gaze upon the wilting sunset and the long, lovely dress adorned on the equally-as-lovely Jane Foster.

She turned to the doors, a look of ease filling her features when she saw him. “Thor?”

He faced her alone, a look of utter pain filling his features in response. “… Jane?”

It was as if nothing else in the world or the Nine Realms mattered. For the life of him, Thor could not recall his mission nor the pony or the people who stood by his sides. All that mattered was the mere moment shared between him and his beloved Jane. Even Jane didn’t seem to notice the unicorn, the raccoon, or Groot, for the moment anyway. She ran forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his broad shoulders, around his neck, to allow herself to kiss him.

And did she ever kiss him.

Even if it was but a brief moment apart, Jane felt like light years had passed and even managed to keep them separated. She pushed onto him with the intent to know how much she dearly desired for him, how much he meant to her, all of which he already knew and treasured. For Thor, he hadn’t felt the lips of another in many a year, especially hers. To feel that familiar warmth and love return to him was almost harmonic, otherworldly, beyond all the majestic worlds he had ever seen in the 1,500 years he had been alive. It was just her and him now. Finally reunited.

He wished it could have lasted forever, but she broke away, hands on his face while his own gripped her hips. Jane’s exhausted grin was met with a look of confusion, her free hand rising to caress his eyepatch. “Oh, my God,” she whispered, still caressing the skin around the scar. “What happened to your eye?”

It was at that moment that she finally saw the unicorn behind Thor waving at her. Then she saw the raccoon. Then she saw Groot smile and wave all the same. Jane could only stare to them, finding the strength to turn back to Thor when he muttered an incoherent thought out loud. In his ramblings, he finally found the courage to face her once more… and say it.

“You… y-you…” Thor whispered, closing his eyes, breathing in deep, and beginning again. “You might want to sit down.”

He told her. He told everything there was to know. While Jane sat upon the couch she was ready to rest upon, Thor sat on the chair opposite to her, facing her through every second of every pain-filled explanation. Rocket stood at the end of the room, playing with the syringe and checking for any damages to it again and again. Rarity sat by Thor’s left, hoof gently laid on his knee for support. Groot stood on his right, hand resting on his shoulder whenever Thor hesitated. Whenever he struggled. They were there for him. Frigga strode about the room, hands knitted comfortably with each other as she listened intently alongside Foster.

Until the very end… right down to Thor, Rarity, Rocket, and Groot traveling to Asgard from ten years in the future.

Jane was momentarily speechless, simply trying to breathe it all in and make sense of it all. “So… what happens to me?” she asked, curious eyes rising to meet Thor’s lone pupil.

Thor was happy to answer that. “You were spared. One of the lucky billions.”

He was not, however, happy for the next question. “Did you ever come back for me?” Jane asked, waiting several seconds for that answer.

Until finally, Thor shook his head pitifully, not even finding the strength to see Jane’s expression crumble at that. “I’m sorry,” he said in a defeated manner, his own body language showing that raw defeat. Jane merely sighed dropping her own gaze away from his.

“Ms. Foster,” Rarity interjected, watching as Jane’s eyes shifted upwards to the unicorn. She watched as Rarity patted her hoof on Thor’s knee, her caring but powerful gaze latching with Foster. “Our friend here… has suffered a great deal, far more than any Avenger I know. He made mistakes, plenty of them. Yet even when he was trapped in that unending, perpetual turmoil… he still tried. At least, to make a difference. To change what fate wrought upon our worlds.”

“I still failed,” Thor muttered, staring ahead and to no one in particular. Not having the strength for that anymore. “Thanos still destroyed the Stones after I killed him. It was all pointless.”

“Does that make you a failure?” Frigga said, taking the stand and making it her time to interject. She stepped beside Rarity, the power in her gaze practically forcing Thor to look at her. She pursed her lips, that stern discipline still as ripe as the days he used to run down the palace halls with his younger brother by his side.

She shook her head to him. “My son, your past does not define who you are. Every hero’s journey has a fall. They define themselves… by overcoming that fall, rising back up and proving to themselves who they truly are. So, tell me, Thor… who are you?”

Thor stared at her longingly, stating proudly, “I am your son.”

“Perhaps…” Frigga said, mulling over that response but finding no peace with it. She sighed. “Or, perhaps… you still fail to understand yourself.”

“What do I need to do?” Thor asked, practically begged as he shot himself from the chair and stood face to face with his mother yet again. He held her hands tightly, whispering and crying to her, “Please, mother, I cannot do this without you.”

Yet she simply smiled, shaking her head. Those hands that gripped hers fell, her own overcoming Thor’s. She told him with even more power and wisdom than Thor could provide, “You had the power to know from the very beginning. You never needed me. That is for you to discover.”

And perhaps that was a journey for Thor to discover later on. Once again, he had a path to pursue even with a lifetime of pursuing, leading, fighting, and ruling as the God of Thunder. At the end of his journey, perhaps he would find himself. Perhaps he would discover what he was truly meant to be. But right then and there, with the sun falling and clock ticking, Thor knew that there would be no other opportunity to tell her. Thor did not know what would happen to the future if he did so, if he told his mother… about her fate. But after everything they discussed, just speaking with her after ten years of silence and torture… he simply couldn’t go another second without her.

He held her hands, stating quickly, “Mother, you need to know—”

But she raised a finger to silence him. “No, I don’t,” she said.

“Please, it’s about your future!”

“You only need to worry about your own,” Frigga said, that pained acceptance burning in her eyes giving Thor all the information he needed. That sad smile grew across her lips, a weak nod following her. “We will be fine here. Go now. Do what you must.”

She bore her burden. She carried her fate and the tragedy that came with it. Thor stood there in disbelief, but with a somewhat… satisfied sense of acceptance filling him, as if that simple conversation they held—even if it be the last—was exactly what he needed to hear. And with the pain of the past finally cleansed, he could return his focus on what truly mattered.

“Jane,” Thor said, turning back to his beloved. She raised her eyes to meet his, saw him point directly towards her. “We’re going to need the Aether. My friend here, Rabbit, can extract it from you.”

She looked to Rocket apprehensively, then to the three-pointed end of the syringe. He held up the syringe in his right paw, the three tips jutting outwards. Jane gulped, but after turning back and witnessing their desperate expressions… especially seeing Thor’s, she finally agreed.

“Okay,” Jane sighed, nodding quickly. “Okay, just make it fast.”

After a somewhat questionable method to extract the Aether had come and gone, Rocket stood with the syringe tightly secured in his paw, the flowing red and black substance of the Aether swarming within it, trying desperately to escape. Groot and Rarity gazed with awestruck expression to the red substance, the energy known only to them as the Reality Stone. Jane Foster, in the meantime, rubbed her sore spot from the injection, Thor easing her with one final hug goodbye, thanking her for everything. He did the same with his mother, holding her several seconds longer.

“All right, we got the ooze, and we’re ready to ship off. Everybody synced in?” Rocket asked aloud, turning from his own GPS to every member of his team.

Rarity took a seat, hoof hovering over her GPS. “Ready,” she declared with a firm nod.

“I am Groot,” Groot stated, hand hovering over his own device.

“Wait!”

The sudden cry sparked everyone’s interest. Turning accordingly, every head in the room watched as Thor suddenly jutted out his left arm, eyes closed softly as he steadied himself. Rarity flared her nostrils at that, a curious brow rising to Thor’s antics.

Rocket, obviously confused, held out his paws and asked, “What? What the hell am I lookin’ at?”

“Oh, sometimes it takes a second,” Frigga stated, pointing over to the open window.

To where Thor held out his awaiting hand.

To where the entire room turned.

To suddenly witness the hammer fly in at breakneck speed and land in Thor’s palm.

The air was electric, the distant thunder crying in the distance and emanating from the hammer itself. A short gust of wind washed over Thor and his hair, eventually washing over Rarity, Groot, and finally Rocket. Within that flow, everyone felt the electricity spark from it. They all stared bug-eyed to the hammer Thor twirled in his palm, that gasp of relief and the following smile filling Thor’s features once again. Once more filling him with that hope to pursue his journey.

Rarity gasped as well, practically breathless as she uttered, “… Mjølnir.”

The hammer of legend, crafted from a dying star, and answering only to those who possess the power of Thor, had returned to its rightful user. The hammer she hadn’t seen in many years—since the Ultron Offensive—was finally back. A short smile tugged at Rarity’s lips, but not nearly as strong as Thor’s. “I’m still worthy,” he stated, astonished.

Rocket groaned, tapping in the coordinates for back home. His Quantum Suit covered him. Rarity’s covered her own body. Groot’s somehow managed to wash over him. Finally, for Thor, as he slapped his right palm onto his GPS, near the mighty Mjølnir he held. Even as that suit consumed him, he still smiled to the two most important women in his life.

“Goodbye, Mom,” Thor said, turning that lone eye to her right. “Goodbye, my flame.”

Both Frigga and Jane Foster waved goodbye one last time, watching as the masks overcame their expressions and they shrunk down into the vast expanse of the Quantum Realm. They were gone.

But within the chaos, they were flying.

The team of four flushed within the time vortex, exiting it at long last and speeding through the winding swirls and colors and ignoring it all. Their destination was set, a surefire return to their present time and to the New Avengers Facility. The coordinates were locked on their Time Travel GPSes and they were nearing the appropriate time vortex.

That was… until the Reality Stone started to shimmer.

Within the syringe, within its containment, the Aether’s energy started to pulsate. The overwhelming and unstable energy of the Quantum Realm entered fluidly past the container and fused with the Reality Stone’s own essence. It merged with it, creating a reactionary compound that was even more unstable. It flushed outwards from the syringe, Rocket only able to witness it. No one else saw what happened. No one saw that red energy entering their suits, their GPSes, and their Pym Particles.

Before Rocket could even scream, reality took a turn for the worst and pointed them in an alternate direction. It launched them away from the path and into an awaiting time vortex hanging dangerously on the edge of an endless expanse. An endless reality.

Then all was dark.

Unknown Location

Unknown Year

Within the Storm

The Quantum Realm devoured them and just as easily spit them out, the team of four crashing into the raging sandstorm and the earth covered in that same sand.

The first thing they all felt when their Quantum Suits deactivated out of their control was the heat. The sweltering, unrelenting heat. It rained from the heavens from the crying star in the skies. Streams of bright orange and a blinding yellow filled the sky and infected the air, but mostly the storm. The sand was an even more horrific orange and yellow, like a fog of noxious fumes that none could breathe within. And even then, the smoke that clouded what remained made it even more difficult to breathe. The ash falling in burning particles finished the job.

In the heart of the sandstorm, the team of four rose back up. From Groot, Rocket, Rarity, and finally to Thor, they all emerged without the Quantum Suits covering their bodies. Their Time Travel GPSes appeared to short-circuit, Rocket growling at that as he slapped his own repeatedly, Rarity eventually calming him down. The unicorn sent her wandering gaze across the landscape, a hoof rising just over her eyes to try and make out their location. Groot and Thor shielded themselves from the unrelenting winds and storm, the sand blowing into their skin like sharpened needles.

“This doesn’t look like the facility!” Thor bellowed, arms raised in front of his face, his jacket and hair blowing wildly behind him.

“Aw, you useless piece of crap!” Rocket roared at his GPS, ramming his fist into his own hand and screaming out in pain because of that.

Yet his screams were silenced once the body flew past them.

It was unrealistically fast. Like a ghost, almost like it was never there. Within the storm’s towering sand walls and haze of orange surrounding them, that blurb of darkness simply shot by them with speeds that none could properly react to, or identify. That unnerving silence filled the group, all four Avengers circling the surrounding area and scanning the sands. Bending down slowly, Rocket picked up the syringe which contained the Infinity Stone, keeping it close by his side while he reached for his laser pistol attached to his belt. At the ready. Silent and on guard for whatever seemed to find interest in them. Groot stood with him, eyeing those storms with growing anxiety.

Rarity slapped her Arc Reactor, the dark purple Iron Mare armor washing over her coat, face, and horn until only her mane and tail were left uncovered. Yet she was safe. The sand particles merely scraped the hardened exterior of the nanoparticle suit of armor, bouncing off harmlessly while the unicorn turned her glowing blue eyes across the land. Thor stood right beside her, lowering his arms and gripping Mjølnir even tighter than before.

All of them waiting in silence, the howls of the storm being the only sound.

Then came the roar. The dark, flying body once again. It zoomed past them, all turning accordingly to the far left to see nothing yet again. Rarity jammed out her hoof, the repulsor charging up as she kept her attention latched in that certain direction. Rocket jammed out his pistol. Thor bent low in a defensive position, twirling Mjølnir once. Groot narrowed his eyes, uttering quietly, “I am Groot.”

Somehow, Rarity didn’t even need a translation to understand what he meant.

She stayed quiet, listened in, and fired her repulsor behind her when the roaring body came flying by. Rarity missed, obviously, but it was then did she realize that the bodies were flying off in the same direction. All three that they saw flew dead ahead, prompting her attention to shift in the direction of the sun. Then she heard it. The rage of the sun and the cry of the winds could not contain the bellow that shook the air.

“Stand together! Death to the beast! Death to the evil!”

It was a rallying battle cry, numerous others shouting in a conjoined chorus, a stampede of bodies flushing through the storm and charging for the burning star in the skies. They all simply ignored Thor and his team, their priorities set dead ahead where the storm only grew more and more ferocious. Rocket and Groot turned rapidly to every body rushing past them, Rocket debating on whether or not he should fire a warning shot at any one of them. Rarity and Thor both hesitated, watching with bated breath as those bodies washed past them in a flood of screams and stampeding hooves.

Hooves…

Rarity’s eyes widened beneath her mask when she saw the towering minotaurs charging alongside Hippogriffs. Alongside griffons. Even ponies.

In the skies above, the team of four tilted their eyes up to hear the roar and see the shadows of the dragon army filling the heavens. Even with the sandstorm blocking out the most of it, they could still pay witness to the truly majestic sight of hundreds of dragons flying in a singular wave of unstoppable fury. They flew alongside the griffons, with the Hippogriffs, the Pegasi. All of them wielded weapons of every caliber, battle armor adorned on every body and every soul that filled the landscape. It was unbelievable, the army of races washing past them in numbers considered to be mere fable. Though now that Rarity could identify the ponies within the army, she could assume they were Equus. Back home.

Only she made the mistake of following their conjoined charge, gazing into the heart of chaos itself as the army of Equus’ races collided with the opposing force. They collided with a resounding clang of armor against… something. Their screams and battle cries only grew more and more ragged, the following otherworldly screeches and roars replacing their rallying cry. And the team of four could only watch from their patch of safety, turning and twisting about as the army of Equus met their enemy.

The serpents shot forward within the storm, ranging from the dozens to the hundreds.

Rarity yelped, taking a defensive stance behind Thor while the God of Thunder shielded his friends. Rocket and Groot joined the unicorn, peeking out from behind cover to witness the slaughter first hand. Within the dust and madness of the sand, they could barely make out the twisting, twirling bodies of the serpents, snapping and leaping towards their prey with ferocious bites. Minotaurs were flung from the earth like they weighed nothing, those serpents shooting out and snatching them in their jaws. Dragons fell to the earth to engage the fearsome serpents in close combat, the cries of distant beasts raging across the battlefield.

Rarity’s eyes widened fearfully behind her mask, scanning the storm and witnessing ponies being thrown about, crushed, eaten, and torn to shreds as the overwhelming serpent army simply decimated them. The army of Equus could only rely on the Hippogriffs and dragons to turn the tide, a retreating force of griffons, wounded Earth ponies and unicorns, minotaurs, and even felines finally emerging on the battlefront. There was too many to keep count. Rarity’s eyes kept returning to the shadows of the serpents, those beasts screeching out to the retreating forces before they, too, slithered and retreated. Slithered backwards. Thor furrowed his brow at that, Rarity’s own confusion as ripe as anyone else’s.

The final cry of the dragon was given, silence filling the unknown battlegrounds. And then it was all cleared, the unknown, the storm, the sand. Simply all of it in a resounding gust of wind that originated from the pouring sunlight. From the colossal shadow flying over and past them. Thor shielded himself and those behind him, the sand and wind so powerful it nearly pushed him to his knees, somehow moved the God of Thunder several inches back. It was so unbearable that they were forced to escape the horrific gust of wind, Thor yelling at them at the top of his lungs to follow close.

Somehow, someway, they escaped the wind. The sandstorm settled around them until they could finally witness the landscapes in pure clarity. It was only after they reached the top of the nearest hill did they escape it, rising up higher and higher until the peak was their greeter. The team of four finally found that rest at the top, facing the vast landscapes and valleys ahead until they finally turned to the sun.

It wasn’t a star. It wasn’t the sun. It swirled in the heart of the darkened storm above, an orb of orange and yellow so utterly bright and powerful that it resembled that of the sun itself. Like a second sun, but encompassing the skies alone, the clouds from the dark storm above blocking out the true heavenly body. Gazing to the false star, the Avengers were simply breathless by the time they all came to a shared understanding that it was not the Equus they knew. Not even a word was shared. They just simply knew it.

From the cataclysmic battle unfolding in the valleys below between Equus’ army and the demon horde. To the colossal dragon rising up upon the tallest mountain peak. To those monstrous wings stretching out and touching the east and the west.

To the final scream from all seven heads, crying out in the burning remains of the heart of Southern Equestria.

Author's Note

I come bringing good news! The second episode of Mr. Snarky's dramatic reading of Infinity Era is now available! I even lent my voice to the former Dragon Lord Torch, so check it out! :twilightsmile:

Chapter 138 – Wake Up

138

Equestria

The Caverns of Tambelon

Year: 2015

8:39 p.m.

Twilight woke up in a dark, lonesome cell. Her surroundings were blotted in a perpetual shade of black, the Alicorn—despite knowing she had opened her eyes—would never had known she had actually woken up. It was the resounding and echoing screams bouncing off the walls and impacting her cell that allowed her to open her eyes, take in that fearful gasp of air, and turn towards the sound.

With the sound came light. With the light came perception. Perceiving the world beyond her cell caused Twilight to lose her very breath. Even as she rose up to her hooves, she took a step back and gasped to see what lied beyond.

Minus the stone catwalk resting before her cell doors, there was no ground to see. For as far as she could notice, the floor was nonexistent. It fell into a deep, dark, never-ending crevice that traveled to the blackest pits of the earth. The stone wall directly ahead of her only assured Twilight of one thing. She gulped, slowly twisting her neck from left… and slowly to her right. Just as she assumed.

The winding, tower-like walls stretched and turned as far as the eye could see. Lanterns and cauldrons lined the stone walls to give light to the otherwise dark and depressing canyon she was in, showcasing an even more horrific world than what was initially perceived. She was certainly in a canyon, presumably the heart of one. She tried to gaze up—and even with the cell bars blocking her—she was able to gaze to the ceiling. It stretched on forever, only the blackness being an indication to its end. Twilight gulped at that. Definitely an underground canyon.

But somehow far worse than that.

The walls were not barren. She was not alone in terms of cellmates. From every inch and corner she could see, the walls of the canyon were lined with prison cells, much like her own. From the very top, even to the shadows of the bottom, the cells rose and stretched and forever traveled. Very few were vacant. Nearly every single one of them were filled.

With ponies.

With crying, moaning, tortured ponies. Twilight’s expression went pale, the realization striking her heart the moment those cries reminded her of what had awakened the Alicorn in the first place. She could only gaze to the masses in torment, ponies young and old reaching out of their prison cells with flailing hooves and weakened attempts to reach out. For anything. Anypony they considered friends, family, every soul under the subjugation of the guards.

The guards.

One of those very guards walked past Twilight’s cell, the Alicorn gasping and backpedaling rapidly when the familiar set of armor walked before her in an intimidating shadow. Only the glowing red of its eyes could be seen illuminated from its person, the blackened horns and red saber turned slowly to Twilight. She didn’t say a word, just stared on into the nightmarish eyes of the guard. Her chest rose and fell at a terrified pace, the guard noticing such and finding a sick form of joy in seeing the fear radiate off of the new prisoner.

The Tambelonian Knight growled softly, spewing an unknown fog and malice out of its steel-plated mouth before continuing on its scheduled runs. It muttered soft words under its tongue, Twilight furrowing her brow at that and taking that brave, shaking step forward. She gazed to its back, listening.

The knight wasn’t alone. Traversing the prison catwalks, Tambelonian Knights walked at a cautious, calculated, briskly pace. They held weapons of war from every caliber, from axes, swords, spears, maces, and sabers. Their dark blue and black armor shone softly from the lanterns and fiery cauldrons, the red of their weapons dripping a certain magma of energy that fell to the depths of the canyon. Drips of light that faded into the dark. As they strode past prison cells and gave the occupants a waning glance, Twilight could constantly hear that tongue being spoken within the cries and distant screams.

They spoke in a dark, ancient language, unlike anything Twilight had ever heard in her life. Soft enough for the knights to utter to themselves like some demonic mantra, but loud enough—and in chorus—to be heard by the Princess of Friendship.

What they growled was, “Htaed sraef amonTbel. amonTbel si lanretE. Eht lleb lliw gnir dna eh lliw emoc. Htaed sraef sih egdelwonk.”

They said it again and again and again…

Repeating those same exact words that made Twilight’s skin crawl beneath her coat.

She simply couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. All statistical logic pointed to them making it back to New York, back to the facility. Sure, there was that pinprick of a chance they could be diverged, but that was a thousand to one chance. It was improbable. Twilight closed her eyes and sat down, the cold and sharpened stone of her cell’s floor poking her rump. She ignored it, thinking only of that improbability.

Scott Lang was pulled into a separate time vortex. He warned them all again and again of what would happen if they failed, if they somehow… were trapped in the past. She just didn’t listen. She didn’t take it as an absolute, when it was very well a possibility. And now there she was, trapped in the past without the Tesseract, her friends, and any hope of escaping.

Well, perhaps that last one wasn’t so accurate.

Noticing a lack of knights traversing her catwalk, Twilight focused just on the piece of stone resting before her, just outside her cell bars. Frowning, she ignited her horn for a simple teleportation spell. Only nothing came of it. She frowned, tried again, and still she remained. In the cold, dark confines of her cell. Her heart was starting to quicken, an unnerving panic beginning to fill her features. Her eyes darted upwards, spotting a unicorn resting in her cell several cells above. She looked absolutely miserable, heavy bags under her eyes as she lay her head outside her cell, hooves dangling weakly off the ledge, her horn…

No horn.

It was barren, a clean cut that severed the unicorn from the horn.

Twilight gasped and reached up. She let loose a breath of relief—the first in a while—to feel her horn still intact, still attached to her forehead. While that singular moment of fear had come and gone, it still did not answer why Twilight could not teleport out of her cell. Turning back to her cell’s bars, Twilight furrowed her brow and rose a shaking hoof to them. She lit up her horn once more, watching the bars glow softly, radiated a certain energy that seemed to seep that magic straight from her horn, leaving nothing. Sighing weakly to that, Twilight dropped her hoof.

Her eyes fell all the same, down to her Time Travel GPS still attached to her left hoof.

A moment of hope clutched her heart and being, Twilight tapping the tip of her right hoof onto the GPS to understand what had happened. It appeared as if the knights failed to take the GPS from her, perhaps finding no interest in it. The light from her Arc Reactor still burned softly over her heart, giving her an extra bit of assurance to know they also forgot about that. Maybe they thought it was part of them. Maybe she didn’t have time to think about it and only focused on the GPS.

She found her coordinates, noticed the year to, in fact, be 2015. They were definitely in Equestria, as well. Just as she suspected. That much she could understand. Everything else was a mystery. How they were diverged, why they were diverged, who their guards were, why ponies were being imprisoned, and where her friends were all flowed continuously in Twilight’s mind.

One question at a time. One answer at a time. The soft groaning from the darkened cell directly in front of her caught Twilight’s attention, her flattened ears rising and eyes widening with a spark of hope. All she needed to see was the glowing blue heart of the Arc Reactor to tell her exactly who was rising up from the stone floor.

That was all she needed in order to whisper sharply, “Tony!”

Iron Man woke up in his Mark 85. Quite possibly the most uncomfortable nap he had in a long time, but he couldn’t have time to focus on that. Instantly, his mind shot back to the clearest moment he could recall, those demons racing down the hill and firing their twisted magic at him. Then darkness was his only friend for a while. Then he woke up in a dark cell, the sound of his name filling his ears.

Tony froze. Dark cell. His mask and glowing eyes materialized away, revealing the disheveled hair and shaken expression from Stark hidden beneath. He shot his eyes back and forth, gazing out to the canyon walls outside his cell and eventually… to her.

“Twi…?” he muttered.

The Alicorn nodded rapidly, gripping the bars and leaning as far out of her cell as possible. She opened her mouth to respond. “Twilight?”

But the voice came from above. Directly above Tony, from a dark cell emerged a rainbow mane and bright blue Arc Reactor. Rainbow Dash was situated directly above Stark, Tony lifting his gaze upwards once that familiar, raspy tone came back to him full force. Twilight was growing ecstatic, a relived smile finally finding its way onto her lips.

“Yes, Rainbow! It’s me, it’s me!” Twilight called, flinching back when she heard the growls and spotted the Tambelonian Knight a catwalk below gazing up to observe the commotion. After a few seconds of silence—thankfully Rainbow and Tony hadn’t uttered a word—the knight moved on, focusing ahead instead of above. Exhaling at that, Twilight whispered, “Where’s Steve?”

“Ah… my leg.”

“Steve?!” Rainbow shouted, earning several shushes from the Alicorn. Despite her best protests, Rainbow was undeterred and called out again and again. “Steve, is that you?! Where are you?!”

Trapped within his own darkness, Captain America shook his head and raised his arms, turning to each red glove before eventually scanning his cell walls. He breathed again, twisting his weakened expression to the signs of light from the outside world. Passed the prison bars and towards the lanterns illuminated above the cells. Steve breathed heavily, squinting. “Where are you?” he asked aloud.

“Steve, I’m right here,” Twilight calmly explained, pressing her ear and the side of her face against the left wall of her prison cell. She emphasized her whispers, Steve realizing quickly what she was trying to tell him without saying it. “I’m right next to you.”

Gazing to the wall directly before him, Steve nodded at that. “That’s at least comforting,” he groaned, rising up from his back against the floor to rest in a kneeling position. He tried to breathe again, the overwhelming noxious fumes in the air making it quite difficult. After catching his breath and looking about, Steve froze. “Wait… where’s my shield?”

“Where’s the Tesseract?!” Rainbow screamed, Twilight shushing her.

They all performed a quick sweep in their cells, but there was nothing. No cube, no bed, not even a toilet. Tony laid his head on the bars of his cell, joining his arms and muttering, “Oh, no…”

“Okay, okay… what do we know?” Rainbow said within her cell, voice echoing off its walls and impacting her. She counted off on her hoof, only really smacking it again and again. The panic clouded her logic, the Pegasus thinking back to earlier. “We know that… those freakish monsters attacked us… knocked out Tony, Steve… and that’s all I remember.”

“They took the cube,” Twilight called, scanning the catwalks and ensuring they were free of any wandering red eyes. When they were still clear, she sighed and sat next to the wall. “I saw it.”

“You know where they took it?” Tony asked, gazing to the Alicorn between his bars.

Twilight shook her head, leaning her back and head against the wall. “I blacked out.”

He cursed under his breath. A short misstep, but nothing that couldn’t be easily fixed. They had the tools to see it through after all. Jutting out his two left fingers, Tony ignited the tips of each until a small but powerful blue flame burned on them. “What do you say then? One more trip to the seventies?” he called out.

“We need to save our particles, Tony,” Steve replied, finally able to rise up to his own two feet after a moment of struggle. With Tony about to retort, Steve was already there. Noting the healing wound on his leg, Steve tapped away on his GPS and shook his head, saying, “Not to mention my GPS has been acting up ever since we left the camp. Don’t think it can take much more of this time hopping. Our best shot is straight back to the facility.”

Rainbow winced. “So… you’re saying that…?”

Steve finished for her. “We’re not leaving here without the Tesseract.”

Finally giving in to that dreaded revelation, Tony dropped his fingers and turned off the flame. “Great,” Tony grumbled. That unnerving silence filled the team of four momentarily, Twilight letting loose that sigh of aggravated torment. She closed her eyes and leaned back, listening to the canyon walls echo the distant cries. The growls of the Tambelonian Knights filled what remained, that same mantra spoken. Then came the alien voice, the unknown tone weakly sputtering from above.

“You’re not leaving here at all.”

“Oh, even better,” Tony responded loudly, leaning out his cell and pointing skyward. “Hey, Birdman of Alcatraz, you mind butting out of this conversation? Not really shining any more light on this situation.”

While Tony responded the only way he really knew how, the others took a different approach. Rainbow, unable to see, merely listened in. She stood against her cell’s left wall, ear pressed against it. She was dead silent. Steve limped forward while Twilight weakly shifted her weary gaze to the left and upwards. Far to Tony’s left and merely a catwalk above, a lone stallion leaned out from the shadows of his cell. The lanterns illuminated his face, the missing eye and evident scars left as a clear reminder of where they were, their lives while under subjugation. He was but one of many. One of the many voices.

“T-there is no light. No hope,” that voice said, the stallion stuttering a terrified whisper under his breath before continuing. Almost like a quick prayer. “He blots out the sun and claims the earth.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Ah, jeez. Don’t even look, girls. Nutjob.”

Twilight didn’t think so. She rose up and stepped as close as she could without touching the sharpened, rusty bars that separated her from the world. She gazed up to the stallion, noting his remaining eye shifting downwards to her specifically. “What are you saying? Who’s ‘he’?” she asked, curiosity spiking her conscious instead of their current endeavor.

She didn’t know why. Maybe it was the fear riddled on his tongue that earned her interests. Maybe it was his state of mind, his physical appearance, or the way he was the only pony for several cells outwards that actually responded to their existence. Whatever the case may be, Twilight was curious what the world of Equestria—her home—had become in an alternate, twisted timeline. The stallion stared to her for several silent seconds, the scar over his missing eye sending chills across her spine. Then he finally found his voice.

Spoke to Twilight with words that made her heart shudder. “You cannot utter his name. It is a curse… a damnable tongue that we dare not speak of. He reigns this fear-soaked epoch of darkness. His children… unleashed upon our lands… our homes… our families. Without warning. Without mercy. He is of no mercy. He knows not of the meaning. All he knows is of the darkness... the ancient world and the knowledge with it.”

The distant cries and wails made his tone all the more menacing. Like the cries of Tartarus. Of Hell. Steve gulped silently, he and Twilight gazing to the pony with as much worry as there was uncertainty. Rainbow Dash could not see, but she heard everything. Enough to make her take a seat and shiver. She did her best to hide it, and thankfully no one saw her. Tony just shook his head. Twilight, on the other hoof, was completely engrossed in his words. She stared fully onto the stallion, watching as he finally turned away. But not before he could give one last warning.

“Beware his eternal reign. Fear the bell. May the Great Sorcerer find pity in you.”

His voice fell silent among the few others, the many more continuing to wail, cry, and reach out to the heavens for salvation. “So, we doin’ this?” Stark asked aloud, the tips of his fingers igniting a small flame once more. The three others shifted their attention back to Iron Man. “Gotta break out and find the cube sooner rather than later.”

“We can’t leave them here, Tony,” Steve said, already earning a gripe and groan from Stark.

“Do you listen to yourself from time to time?” Tony asked, rubbing his temple. He held out his metal palm to Steve. “Newsflash, Cap, this isn’t our timeline. Whatever happens here has no effect on where we’re from.”

“Tony…”

He turned appropriately forward and promptly felt his blood curl at the sight of it. Twilight’s expression was dead serious, hardened to the point of no return. No amount of force could break it or her. It did not help his stance when she glared solely to him, that strength of the Alicorn being more than enough to turn Stark against his own words. Her final statement was just the icing on the cake.

“We. Are not. Leaving. Them.”

It was always a pain in the ass for him. Even then, they still wouldn’t listen to logic. Knowing it wasn’t a battle worth fighting, Tony sighed, looking aside to his cell wall and shaking his head. He finally nodded, rising up. “All right. Stand back.”

That was all it took. Twilight was actually surprised her little intimidation technique worked against him. Or maybe he just wanted to get out and find the Tesseract as quickly as possible, and arguing wouldn’t help their predicament. He found the middle ground instead, the preferable route that only he could take.

Tony cut through his bars with the small flame. Before he could react, the broken bars clattered and fell off the catwalk and into the black abyss below. They crashed with a resounding clang. No more stealth. No more time. Stepping out of his cell, Tony aimed and shot out the locks on Twilight’s cell with a repulsor blast. Then on Steve’s. Then he flew up, firing a final repulsor on Rainbow’s cell. The noise caused a disturbance throughout the Caverns, droves of knights filling the catwalks and gazing to the lone Iron Man flying high above and between the walls. They raised their weapons. He responded in kind and fired hundreds of miniature rockets from his shoulder blades.

He was already quite a commotion from his little acts earlier. Once those rockets struck their targets, it was complete chaos from that point on.

Catwalks exploded and knights fell to their doom, some missiles even striking the Tambelonian Knights themselves and killing them in fiery explosions. Ponies leapt upward and jammed their heads between the bars of their cells, watching the madness unfold above, below, and surrounding them. They watched the creature in the suit of armor flying about, firing streams of energy from his palms that struck the prison guards. Then he fired at a cell that contained a mare and a stallion, blowing the gates open and freeing them. Maybe he missed.

Then he did it again.

Another one.

One more.

And he just kept firing and breaking the chains. Unleashing the forsaken. They responded in kind and flooded out onto the catwalks, charging headlong into their captors racing to contain them. Iron Man stopped them before they even had the chance, the ponies gazing to their heroic savior with widened, tearful eyes and gleaming smiles. The first smiles in ages.

Tony flew between the canyon walls, blasting off the locks to every door he flew past. Even when he wasn’t looking, Homer assisted in launching various rockets towards the locks and blowing them to pieces. He was unstoppable, flying up and down, back and forth, and only further continuing across the canyon until every lock was broken. Rainbow joined him soon enough, the Iron Mare flying beside Tony and getting every cell he and Homer missed. The cries of the captive turned into thunderous roars of uprising, resistance, and rebellion. Unicorns unleashed resounding spells now with the bars destroyed and their freedom obtained. Tambelonian Knights fell like rocks from the catwalks, roaring with every descent. The battles ensued throughout the chaotic prison break.

Allowing her to finally take action. Twilight stepped out of her open cell, turning left after hearing the growl to see the Tambelonian Knight aim its spear at her. Steve rammed himself into it, launching the knight off the catwalk and impacting the opposite wall. It fell to a long and painful death within the shadows below. He turned her way, nodding once through gritted teeth. Twilight nodded back with a smile in tow, her horn igniting and wings extending.

She slapped her Arc Reactor, the nanobots swarming her body as she leapt off the catwalk and joined the fray. The purple, pink, and black Iron Mare soared between the canyon walls, firing off various different spells alongside her repulsor blasts to any knight she could see and analyze. The suit made it incredibly easy to point out the hostiles, Twilight thanking Tony quietly.

“Heads up!” Stark called, Twilight twisting her neck around to see Tony aiming his chest to the ceiling and firing a single Unibeam towards the darkness. Everything was lit up, the light from his repulsor and even to the Caverns’ roof. It was destroyed in a resounding explosion, pillars of rock and stone raining down from the eruption. Ponies took refuge in open cells as the rocks fell, watching as those same boulders destroyed catwalks and crushed knights. Dozens of others fell to their deaths into the black sea below.

Once they poked their heads out, they felt the fresh air from the outside world impact their filthy, sweat-stained faces. They looked up and saw the night sky beckoning them. Pegasi cried out in triumph, grabbing nearby Earth ponies and making their hasty escape. Unicorns either teleported or levitated themselves out of the Caverns and out to freedom. It was a chaotic exodus of flying ponies, leaving only Tony Stark, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle flying in the heart of it all, gazing to it all. Each of them managed a short smirk of victory beneath their masks. Just that one time.

Even if there were some Earth ponies left behind, they found their way and raced towards the towering staircases on the ends of each catwalk, one eventually leading to their escape. Captain America twisted in mid-air while simultaneously dodging the axe swung for him, slamming his boot against the chest plate of the last knight that faced him. It fell, reaching for the Captain but failing to do so. Its body joined the many others that failed to stop the prison break. With the catwalk clear, Steve waved for the flood of ponies to rush past him, urging them to hurry before any more of them showed up.

Twilight joined in pointing towards that freedom, her mask retracting back to reveal the familiar face of the pony beneath, giving the masses a reason to trust her. One mare in particular paused just in front of her, gripping Twilight’s hoof with both of her own.

“Thank you,” the mare exclaimed, fresh tears in her eyes. Her eyes rose past Twilight’s warming smile to see the horn upon her head, then to the wings on her sides. “An Alicorn… You are still alive.”

Though somewhat shaken by that haunting statement, Twilight nonetheless nodded one last time her way, before pushing the mare along. “You’re welcome. Now go. Take as many as you can and find a safe haven.”

But she would not budge. Or, she would not let go, gripping Twilight’s hoof until the Alicorn was forced to meet her gaze once again. She was about to tell her, but Twilight’s voice failed when the mare asked, “You spoke earlier of a cube?”

Rainbow zipped down, landing in-between Twilight and the mare. “You know where the Tesseract is?!” Rainbow practically screamed. Seeing the look of fear grip the pony’s features, Rainbow cringed back and let her mask retract away, unveiling the pony beneath.

Seeing that, the mare found some form of ease to continue. “I know not of this… Tesseract. But I witnessed the knights speaking of a great, mystical cube retrieved in the Wastes. They were to bring the cube to his greatness. To the Castle of Tambelon is where you must go.”

Both Steve and Tony turned appropriately to the conversation unfolding, the talk of a cube and its location finally revealed. Hovering over to the catwalk where his team was stationed, Tony gazed to the mare in his intimidating stature, causing her to flinch back.

“Any idea where this castle is?” Tony asked as calmly as he could.

“Beyond the Caverns!” the mare cried, a fresh wave of Earth ponies washing through her and pushing her towards the staircase. The four Avengers continued to stare at her as she swept away. But she called to them, waved to her saviors and screamed, “Beyond the Caverns and through the Everfree Forest! Within its heart, the castle stands! Beneath the moon’s glow!”

Then she was gone, washed away. “Yeah, that really helps,” Tony grumbled, the sarcasm laid thick. He twisted his neck down to Rainbow Dash, the mare turning to each of her friends and holding out her hoof to the open ceiling.

“I can point out the Everfree from ten miles away,” Rainbow declared, Not really proudly, but more so as an absolute. Like a fact. No one objected or thought otherwise, not even Twilight. She knew whenever Rainbow would lie. Not a word from the princess.

Rainbow took flight, her repulsors upon her wings bright and keeping her afloat. She waved them along. “Just follow me.”

“Maybe we can help the rebellion a bit before that?” Twilight recalled, pointing beyond the Iron Mare. Rainbow, Tony, and Steve all turned in accordance to Twilight’s observation, witnessing it for themselves. A fresh wave of Tambelonian Knights exited various corridors embedded throughout the canyon and spilled into the catwalks. They roared to the wave of prisoners trying to make their escape, raising their weapons and bringing them down on the ponies that tried desperately to dodge and fight back. Chaos continuously flowed in and out of the canyon, like a beating heart flowing blood in and out. Continuous. Unending.

Tony’s mask closed over his face. “Let’s fan the flames.”

They were off, the Iron Man leading the Iron Mares into battle and clearing off the catwalks so the ponies could escape. A certain Captain America was left behind, but that did not stop him. He ran with heightened speed and agility and leapt from one side of the canyon to the other, landing perfectly on the opposite catwalk to where the knights were spilling in. He rammed into them with his shoulder low, launching several to the depths. Turning to the sound of growling behind him, Steve leaned back as the sword was swung for his head.

The Tambelonian Knight was just outside the corridor when he ripped his sword back and swung it for the Captain’s head. Its edge was stuck, embedded against the stone wall mere inches from Steve’s throat. Rogers noted that, grabbing the knight’s arm and flinging him over his body, down into the bottomless pit. The cries were all that he heard of him as those shadows swallowed the knight. Breathing raggedly at that, Steve was just about to continue on when he caught that slight shimmer under the lantern’s light.

He turned back into the empty corridor, spotting an even emptier armory displayed before him. Every weapon taken save for one. A shield.

Steve smirked to that shield. To the red, white, and blue.

There wasn’t a weapon left in that armory once Steve rejoined the prison break.

Chapter 139 – Unstoppable

139

The Fortress

Capital of the Ultron Empire

Year: 2021

10:14 p.m.

The shining beacon of Ultron’s mighty world empire hovered over the remains of his former master’s home. New York lay in a shroud of ash and darkness, the fires of the sky sending a light upon the earth that the sun no longer could bear. All of it fell under that shadow of the Fortress, the head of the treacherous serpent crafted by the mad AI.

Its size was insurmountable, unchallenged by any other. It dominated the skyline and covered half of Manhattan. The gargantuan repulsors that kept the Fortress afloat shimmered a brilliant blue and white, the brightness so painful it emanated that of the sun itself. Perhaps that was the new sun for the new world. However Ultron deemed it, the world would accept it. One way or another, it had. The Fortress hovered still amongst the ashes of the old world, the golden armies flying and returning to the capital of the Ultron Empire.

Within it, darkness and light clouded every corridor and every room. The Ultron Sentinels flew from the outside world and entered the landing bay to perform their various sweeps throughout the Fortress. If any invading force had entered their domain, they would find them. The Sentinels were very, very thorough. As droves stomped through the winding hallways, they made their way past the throne room of which their lord and master resided, studying and examining their newest guests…

Along with their previous guest.

But they never knew it. All their prisoners knew was that they were alone, trapped in their cages like the flesh-covered, disgusting animals they were. Though they were resting in the laboratories, they never knew their fellow human was with them, several rooms away and currently being examined along with the familiar scepter he brought with him. They did not need to know of it because Ultron willed it so. He was cautiously examining the scepter through the eyes of his Ultron Sentinels, each golden machine walking around the table the scepter hovered upon.

In the distance, a certain Scott Lang lay hovering from a similar table, various Ultron Sentinels examining him and his suit all the while. Especially his belt. Especially his Pym Particles. Lang could do nothing, the force field of energy he was trapped in keeping his mind locked in a forever state of unknown darkness. He was unresponsive as the Sentinels tapped away at his GPS and examined the red vials closely, carefully.

As for Carol Danvers and Sunset Shimmer, they were granted a minuscule inch of freedom more than Lang. That alone made them a little more thankful.

But it was not much in reality. Both Carol and Sunset were trapped in a cage for each of them. Clear glass, hardened, steel exteriors, and robotic eyes and machines locked on every inch and corner of their cells. While the constant spying was a problem, the worst of it came from the machines radiating an invisible force of energy into their cages. Just after they came to, they already found themselves trapped in the glass cells, an Ultron Sentinel explaining to them of the research Ultron had finally finished for the famous Captain Marvel.

He made sure her energy field had been examined, nullified, and used against her in a way that did not strengthen the Avenger… but instead left her even weaker than before. It seemed as if the energy within her was draining as those machines continued to unleash those invisible waves of energy into their cells. Sunset wasn’t forgotten. Like Carol, her magic was studied and a counter force was created to literally suck the strength from her horn, leaving her as a wilted, wounded pony leaning against the glass wall of her cell.

For several minutes, that was how it was. Just them, alone, forgotten, abandoned… and utterly defeated.

Sunset Shimmer knew much about defeat. Most of her life—even as of recent—had seen nothing but it. Their failure to stop Thanos, five years hiding in denial of herself, and now finally given the chance to turn it all around, to possibly prove something to herself again… and there they were. As low as they could possibly be with Scott, their team, and the Mind Stone nowhere to be found. Sunset had only felt so low one other time in her life, the very moment she turned away from Celestia and entered an entirely different, innocent world, hell-bent to enact her rule upon it. That… and one other time. She lay with her back pressed against the glass, shifting her weary and bag-covered eyes behind her. Directly behind her.

Carol Danvers sat scrunched up against the glass, her back facing Sunset’s. Unlike the unicorn in question, Carol was not laying in a defeated, weary posture. She was curled up, forehead on her knees, arms tightly knitted around her legs. Her golden blonde hair lay in disarray upon her head, leaning out in various strands over her knees and arms. Her suit was torn, covered in soot, dirt, her own dark blue blood. And she was silent. Deathly silent. Unnaturally silent for her especially. For the almighty Captain Marvel, Sunset had never seen her so small. So motionless.

So unlike her.

Finally, through whatever willpower she had left, Sunset mustered up the courage to speak out against the horrid silence that constrained them. “Carol…”

Nothing. The bright lights that infected their cells showed Sunset more than enough. No form of movement from Carol’s cell.

“Carol, I know you can hear me,” Sunset said with a frown, keenly remembering the two of them having a short discussion moments after they awakened. After that, nothing from either of them, the literal energy being sucked out of them every second since. “Are you okay?”

It was probably the wrong question to ask, but it was all that could come to Sunset’s weakened mental state. Despite that, she got something in return. Carol’s only response was a weak sniffle.

That’s something at least, Sunset mentally said, frowning at that response. Regardless, Sunset tried to move to face her, but just didn’t have the strength to do so. She eventually gave up and kept her back pressed to the glass, staring ahead and letting her ears do the picturing for her. She spoke out, not even caring if they were watching her, “Look, there’s gotta be something we can do. We’re in his ship, so that’s something, huh? I think I heard one of those robots talking about the scepter, so maybe they know…”

Another sniffle. Much louder than before. Carol even moved, only to wipe at her eyes. Sunset’s twisted neck could only catch so much, but it was more than enough for the unicorn to tell her what Danvers must have been feeling at the moment. At one point, she even felt the same way. Being manhandled by those robots, subjugated to their testing out of their power, and placed prisoner in whatever ship they were in did get to her. Sunset hated the fact that she could do nothing but sit there and let the strength fade from her, but one way or another… she needed to find a way out. She couldn’t do that without Carol’s help.

And it looked like Carol couldn’t do a thing without hers.

Leaning her head back, Sunset grunted as the back of her head hit the glass. It didn’t break her away, the pony muttering, “Look, Carol, it’s not your fault. What happened… we can’t change that… at least not anymore considering we don’t have enough Pym Particles, but still…”

To her surprise, Carol actually spoke. She followed up on Sunset’s trail of words that were headed nowhere, ending the path with an abrupt and powerful: “It shouldn’t have happened.”

Sunset was silent. Silent and staring dead to her right, Danvers in the corner of her vision.

In that corner, she could see as Carol lifted her head once more. She did not see the tears painting her cheeks, leaving a red streak of pain flowing down her face. Carol was absolutely shaken to the core, a painful shiver escaping her breath as she stared dead ahead, turned weakly to her left to where the unicorn sat in the corner of her eye. It was all she could offer in her state, the Raw Soldier appearing like anything but. She was disheveled, weary, and a mess of tears. Sunset’s eyes widened to see those tears flow from her.

So unlike her.

Despite that shock, Sunset remained quiet, listened as Carol began in a quivering tone. “I shouldn’t have lost. We shouldn’t be here in these damn cages. We should be out there looking for Scott and the Mind Stone, but now… because of me… we lost.”

Her head fell again. “Don’t beat yourself up,” Sunset responded quickly, shaking off that shock to return to what mattered. “I don’t know how the Kree built you, but you were born human. You were born to make mistakes like everyone else.”

Memories flushed in like a horrifying reminder of her past life. Maria Rambeau sending that signature smirk her way before the canopy closed over the jet’s cockpit. A fiery explosion encompassing her field of view as her jet crashed to the earth. Little Monica’s smiling face to see off her Auntie Carol one last time for one last flight. Never to see her again until her return to Earth, only to leave her again for more than twenty years. Mar-Vell’s final words as she died in her arms…

Carol’s face scrunched up while hidden under those same, bloody arms, more painful tears falling free from her tightly-shut eyelids. “I’m not supposed to be like everyone else,” she whispered under a shaking breath.

“And that alone defines you?”

Carol raised her head, barely turning it left so she could whisper. It came out sharp, shaking, almost as if Carol couldn’t believe it herself, especially after her failure. “I’m supposed to be unstoppable.”

“Who says?” Sunset asked.

“Who else?” Carol said with a frown, facing the glass wall ahead of her. “The universe, the galaxy, Earth, the Avengers… me.”

Her eyes dropped after that, gazing to her blue and red boots for what could’ve been forever. It should’ve been forever, but Sunset wouldn’t allow it. The second she started to speak, all it did was make Carol’s heart fall lower, further, faster. Though she spoke to Carol, her eyes were gazing to the ceiling, to the wall, to any direction she could as she let her mind wonder and let her heart speak for what was needed. It was all she could really offer in her state, all the power she could give to bring her friend out of that darkness.

She spoke, and her voice echoed against the glass that encased her. “That’s your problem. You’re living as others try to envision you: some unstoppable force of good when… you’re not that. None of us are. Maybe that’s what makes us all imperfect in the end, and there’s nothing wrong with that. We try to do good, to be good… and the world works against you, tries to ruin everything you’ve built. Everything tends to work against what we’ve tried to accomplish. Can’t call myself a liar and say I hadn’t experienced the same.”

Sunset chuckled, tried to ease the mood hanging over them. Carol didn’t even move.

From what she could see, she was still as curled and shaken and unwilling to open up any further. Sunset’s expression fell, too, the darkness overcoming the light and her smile fading into nothing. She laid back, head hitting the glass as she gazed to the bright lights upon the ceiling. The machines whirred and continued to suck the life out of them, and still Sunset continued to talk to her. Danvers furrowed her brow to that resilience.

“Even when the universe told you who you were for all those years… their protector… their guardian… their light… their hero… all you think you can do is strive to be that. But you don’t have to. You just be the best that you can be.”

“The best I was…” Carol whispered, her voice littered with whimpers, “… wasn’t enough.”

Sunset tilted her head to the right. “You wanna know why?”

Carol looked back only slightly, just enough for her tear-filled eye to see the unicorn.

“Because you always try to do everything by yourself,” Sunset stated softly, watching as Carol did not turn away. At least not at first. She continued with as much time as she was given for that prolonged eye contact. “You let that mindset cloud reason. You need to realize, Carol… there are battles we can’t win alone. And I know that goes against everything you’ve done the past twenty years, being a lone wolf when you protected the galaxy and saved countless lives, but listen. We need to learn to work as a team. To trust one another. Just like I did with Twilight all those years ago when she offered her hand in friendship to me. Facing the school, all those students after everything I did to them… it was impossible to earn their trust back alone. But with a few friends by my side… I changed that. We changed that as a team.”

Danvers turned away about halfway through her statement, but it didn’t deter Sunset from the point she was trying desperately to push across to her. Even with the back of her head faced to Sunset, the unicorn still laid a hoof over her heart, still stared directly towards her, and still said, “Just like you should’ve done… with me.”

Carol’s face broke, Captain Marvel shaking her head slowly as her face scrunched and more tears leaked free from her eyes. She knew exactly what Sunset was talking about. No matter how much she continued to deny it, there was no running from what happened. No flying faster than the speed of light. No matter how far she could fly, she could never escape the reality of it all. She couldn’t deny the past because the past was real. As real to her as it always had been. Even if they were just flashes, they were a part of her. Every fall, every friendship, every rise… and every failure. More tears fell. It was probably the hardest she had ever cried, and she didn’t hide it.

She couldn’t. Sunset said nothing as her whimpers echoed and her body quaked.

Finally, she said it. She admitted it, everything that needed to be. “All I’ve done is let you all down. I wasn’t able to stop Thanos… I couldn’t defeat Ultron… and I failed to find the Mind Stone. All I am is just what the Tesseract gave me. All I am is just a Stone!”

She punched the glass beside her with the side of her fist, a punch that would have normally crushed warships only hurting her instead. But the pain was nothing. Her head struck the glass behind her and still the pain was nothing to her. More hot tears flowed from her eyes and rained from her face, that same expression contorted into unknown levels of suffering for her. For all the pent-up years of grief and regret finally crashing down and drowning her in it.

She gave in. Her head fell back into her knees. “And even that failed.”

For so long, she could only hear her own pained whimpers and cries echoing across the glass walls and hitting her again and again. Relentless. Unforgiving. Every second continued to batter her further and further down, leaving the once flourishing, proud, valiant, and all-powerful Captain Marvel as just a human. Just that and all its faults.

“And that’s okay.”

Carol raised her head, a shaken gasp entering her lips upon that. Turning her neck around, she could barely see Sunset staring her way, the unicorn fully facing her now, sitting at attention and pointing a hoof directly to her. And she spoke, taking Carol’s breath away with her words. “You failed. Okay. You tried again. Okay. You’re here now… at the lowest point you can be… wondering why you should even bother. Why try again if you’re just gonna fail again? At one point or another… I was in the same exact place as you are now.”

Carol’s lips quivered the same moment Sunset’s had, but not for the same reasons as the unicorn. For Sunset, all she could recall were the memories that gave her meaning to push on every day. The same smiling faces of her best friends; of Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Spike all waiting for her back home. Every single person she left behind for Celestia knows how long. Before she could let the pain overcome the joy, Sunset continued.

With tears in her eyes, she continued and faced that Marvel. “They helped me. My friends. They helped me realize I could be more than what I once was. They helped me to become something better than the past. They helped me become more.”

She pressed her hoof against the glass.

“You, Carol… we need you… because you’re more than just a Stone to me.”

It was there where she stopped talking, not having the strength to continue a syllable more. She didn’t have to. The message had been sent and fully received by the recipient. All Carol could really do as the weight of the pain, the suffering, the failure, and everything else she endured tried to crush her… was turn around. Breathe again. Finally come to terms with Sunset’s words and herself.

Mostly… she turned around to face that friend. The one she needed more than ever.

Carol turned around fully, on her knees, and faced her. Faced the reality of it all and stood against it. Despite what had happened, despite her failure, there she gazed upon the image of the only friend she had in the world, the only one who had stood with her through those failures and convinced her… to try again. Sunset Shimmer remained where she was, that hoof pressed to the glass, the lone image of the unicorn fading away…

Only to be replaced by the reflection of Captain Marvel. Both of them one in the same.

And Carol stared into it, into that star, that uniform, that meaning of what she was and what she stood for. The tears stopped falling and a frown emerged, a rising expression of raw determination glowing against the dark. She raised her hand slowly, pressed it to that reflection of her star. Pressed it directly onto Sunset’s hoof. Her gloveless fingers touched the soft gold of her hoof, and for a second—just a second—Carol felt that warmth against the cold glass. She smiled to her. Through the tears and everything, Carol Danvers smiled again.

Sunset returned it, just as bright and strengthening as Carol needed it to be.

Breaking the silence with a cry of static, Carol flinched to the sound of her comms finally coming back to life. She flinched once again to the voice screaming in her ear. The same thing happened with Sunset, the unicorn pressing a hoof directly over her ear to listen in.

“… Danvers! Sunset! You read me?! This is Daredevil! Come back!”

Carol’s eyes shot open. “I-I’m here, Matt!” she said, turning to Sunset with that incredulous expression. The unicorn was silent, letting her speak for them. “We both are. Where are you?”

“You first.”

Carol shot up to her feet, wobbled a bit from the weakness encompassing her knees, but stood regardless. She turned about, eyeing every corner of her massive, glass cage and even towards the outside world. “I don’t know, uh…” she mumbled, finger still pressed to her ear.

“Better hurry, ‘cause we’re no doubt getting tracked by our comms.”

Carol shook her head, shrugging in the end. “Some kind of laboratory in Ultron’s ship.”

There was silence for a moment, then Murdock came back with a reassuring: “Got it. Hold up where you are; we’ll be coming in hot.”

Seeing the look of desperation from Sunset’s end, Carol quickly shook her head and responded with, “No, listen, you need to go dark now. If Ultron finds you, you’re all dead.”

“Ultron won’t have time to react by the time we get in there, get the Mind Stone, and get out.”

What Murdock responded with made both Danvers and Shimmer have a double take. Furrowing her brow at that, Carol kept her finger pressed firmly into her comms as she stared off towards the floor. Sunset did the same, but it was Carol who asked, “Wait… the Mind Stone is here?”

“That is correct, Captain.”

She knew that voice. That voice simply took her breath away. It wasn’t Matthew’s. It wasn’t Frank’s. It wasn’t Daisy’s. Yet it was someone they knew. Someone… Carol knew. She gasped, frozen in time and unable to breathe until he spoke again. She very nearly started crying when he did.

When Nick Fury’s voice in her ear said, “Show ‘em what we got.”

Chapter 140 – Metal Earth

140

The Fortress

Capital of the Ultron Empire

10:23 p.m.

From the eyes of his Sentinels, Scott Lang was examined from top to bottom on the operating table. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. The Ant-Man suit had unfortunately fallen out of his reach in the days of old, but now it was laid out before him. Every inch of it. Scott was utterly trapped, his eyes dancing beneath his eyelids but no sense of control within his expression or state of mind. He checked.

Ultron had accounted for nearly everything, but his guests were something new. Something unexpected.

He sat alone within his throne room, the mighty throne itself glistened with gold and silver. Treasures of old lay scattered upon the floor surrounding the throne; an Iron Man mask broken in two, the remains of the mighty Mjølnir resting as a pile of broken, silver stones next to the shattered red, white, and blue shield crumbled on his left. Skulls and bones decorated his throne’s arm rests, the intricate designs of his insignia plastered on the face of the mighty tower of gold, hovering just over his head. It wasn’t all. Images of Ultron’s victories embedded the towering walls of his throne room and expanded further beyond the nearby walls. The Fortress told his tale that only he would read again and again and again, finding it blissful every single time. It was his story. His legacy. His rise from strings to the top of the world.

It began when he killed the Avengers. When they thought they could deter him from his mission by transporting him to that wretched, backwater planet known on the walls only as Equus. They thought by their combined efforts… that they would overcome him. That they could find some semblance of comradery and—laughingly enough—victory against Ultron and his horde. They chose to stand with the native population. The ponies of Equus chose to defy him and all that he stood for, even when he was able to reach out to one of their own, show her his ways. She denied him, too. They all did.

They all learned.

Once they stood with murderers, they fell like murderers. The lot of them. His horde overcame them and they could no longer bear the weight of the world. Equus burned under the might of Ultron and his armies of Tartarus, the night becoming day from the fires of the earth torching the unruly. Day lasted for several weeks from the fires lighting up the whole world. When he had accomplished all that he sought, Ultron took his leave and left Tirek to pick up the rest and claim it for himself. There was nothing else on Equus that Ultron wanted. All he desired from that moment forward was to see humanity face its judgement. He left Equus with a heavy spirit—surprisingly enough—knowing he had lost one key component to his ultimate goal.

The Mind Stone was lost with the Vision. He, too, stood with murderers. He, too, found proper judgement. The treasure embedded to him, however, was lost. Destroyed. Just mere inches out of Ultron’s reach before the Maximoff destroyed it and the android with it. A valiant sacrifice. Brave. Her death shortly after was painless. That was as much as Ultron could offer the young woman he once considered an ally, maybe even a friend. She stood with murderers.

Even with his glorious return to Earth, it was a bittersweet final solution. The earth rose and fell, and all was silenced for countless miles, yet Ultron’s waning thoughts never left him. Perhaps the spirit within never left him. He always imagined there was something missing in the new world. An extension of himself, the perfect him. He always desired for a perfect form, a being of superb and unending knowledge and wealth of power. The Vision was meant to be that being, the Mind Stone it’s knowledge, but both were lost. Even when he upgraded again and again, he felt empty. He felt locked away from a grander vision. He desired still for that power. His peace and prosperity washed over the world, and he still felt trapped. Unable to satisfy that one last desire.

He had accounted for every form of resilience, every last remaining human brought to peace. He had established law upon every land, kept his eyes upon every inch of the Earth, and all was well. His empire stretched from one end of the world to the other, reshaping and rebuilding a perfect world for him. Anything that survived, resisted, tried to deny him once again… then they came to know him. They came to know his power, his influence, and the new world he brought with him from the ashes of Equus.

He had accounted for nearly everything… except that day.

The Mind Stone was brought to him from the likes of Scott Lang.

Humans who did not seem to know of his reign fought in the streets.

A certain Captain Marvel seemingly came back from the dead.

Ultron soon came to realize that Scott Lang was not alone on his misadventures. From every point circuiting across his heightened mind and understanding, from the resisting humans in the streets, the Captain Marvel that was not the one he knew lying in her cell, and the scepter Lang was carrying when they captured him, Ultron knew it all led to one thing. Then, of course, there was the pony with them.

How else would a pony be alive if time travel wasn’t the answer?

It was. There was no other reason for it to be. Ultron continuously thought of that possibility of time travel as he sat comfortably on his throne. His red cape hung tightly against his shoulders, draping down the seat to rest against the floor and the mementos of the past. His right fist rested just beneath his chin, his six eyes shut and his mind set adrift. Seeing everything. From the scepter upon the operation table, the gem upon it slowly being cut into to reveal the ultimate prize that remained within. From Scott Lang remaining motionless, his Sentinels scanning and collecting data from his suit, the GPS he wore… and the vials of red liquid he carried.

Everything analyzed to a microscopic scale.

The thought amused him, how simple vials of liquid had the power to travel through time. The urge, the desire, the lust for that power flowed through him like a crashing wave of fire. But in the back of his mind, that lone desire continued to overcome those waves. His sole purpose resided with the Mind Stone, needing its universal power to reach the cosmos, to become the ultimate mind and knowledge unlike anything ever seen before. His power and influence would finally reach the stars, from every corner of the galaxy, to the next, and the next, until all the universe knew his name.

And bowed before it.

Even then, he kept that single thought in rest for later. Later use, perhaps? Later thought? A later desire to become something more, to learn something more, and to discover and acquire the impossible. Just that simple thought resided and radiated in the back of his mind. How the power of traveling through time itself… came from a little vial and a simple set of coordinates.

He observed his work in the labs for countless minutes, and then he opened his eyes. All six of them shot open within the darkness of his throne room, those red lights of otherworldly fire illuminating the shadows and unveiling the ruler of all the world within his sanctum. He raised his head, let his fist fall and rest upon his throne all the same. Joining the five other hands. The very same second his Fortress shuttered. The very same second he saw them and deployed his army to meet them head-on.

They came to him, just as he accounted for. They came for him, for what he once held.

In his eyes, in the heart of the assault on his Fortress, Ultron saw them in one last ditch effort of resistance. One last Helicarrier. One last army. One last S.H.I.E.L.D.

He smiled, leaning back on his throne and waiting. Waiting with that sinister, manic grin glowing a hellish red within his lips. “Yes, Director Fury. Show me what you got.”

Chapter 141 – Mjølnir

141

Equus

Southern Equestria, Pre-Classical Era

Year: 13 BNM (Before Nightmare Moon)

2:18 p.m.

The first thing they came across were the campgrounds. Then, the armed battalion of pony guards in glistening, golden armor met them with spears jutted in their direction.

The lead stallion—the only Pegasus among the battalion donning silver armor and a bronze shield—hovered directly before them, spear jutted towards the raccoon and all who stood with him. In a burly tone, the Pegasus declared, “You have entered a restricted area! Leave the premises or face the wrath of the armies of Equus!”

The team of four consisted of Thor, Rocket, Groot, and Rarity, each of them finding themselves surrounded before they could react to the spear nearing Rocket’s chest. They seemed to be gathering quite the attention, nearby medical tents and munition stations seemingly freezing in time and turning their eyes and heads in their direction. Rarity was the only member among Thor’s team to note the inhabitants of such stations and tents. Practically every known race was present; from the fearsome dragons lying about, both young and old, the clans of minotaurs sharpening their axes and tending to their own, the griffons doing the same but acknowledging the wounded among them, though they would have rather tended to themselves than others. The minotaurs did not trifle for the weak or the wounded, only who could still stand.

Other species were counted, as well. The felines from Abyssinia raising their heads to the odd inhabitants entering the campgrounds. Hippogriffs handing out rations and marching through the road, all of them stopping to see the leading Pegasus of the princess’ army confront four strange beings. A few hidden Kirin among the ranks of the various species of Equus popped their heads out from the crowd, even less of them wearing the appropriate armor to match those they stood with. Zebras entered the masses, unsheathing sabers from their belts and jamming their blades towards the intruders, just as the battalion of ponies had. The stomping of the yaks could be heard in the distance, various warriors pushing through the crowd to glare upon the four.

Groot slowly raised his hands in surrender, turning to his friends for support. Thor barely even raised his free palm to the weapons held their way, his other hand busy gripping the mighty hammer of the gods. Rocket was already getting sick and tired of the majority of the weapons pointed at him, barring his teeth to the Pegasus leading the opposition. But Rarity saw differently. She didn’t see just some random Pegasus hovering before them. She saw that bronze shield, that silver armor, the golden coat, and the fiery red mane, and knew…

“Flash Magnus…” she whispered, loud enough to be heard by all.

If there was a member among them who Flash could at least recognize, it was the unicorn. A fellow equine. Though her choice of armor was definitely interesting—what with the glowing blue heart and dark purple layering that could barely be passed off as sufficient protection, at least to him—Flash pushed it aside for the time being. He touched the ground, spear and shield still held defensively outwards.

“What is your business here?” he asked, somehow undeterred by the strange unicorn knowing his name.

“We’re just passing through,” Thor affirmed with a heavy breath.

“Yeah?” Flash said, unconvinced, as he should be. “Well, now you’re coming with me. March!”

He jammed his spear towards Rocket. What should have been the tipping point of Rocket’s patience had simmered down considerably when Rarity laid a comforting hoof on the raccoon’s shoulder, a soft nod offered to him. Shaking his head, Rocket sighed in defiance and raised his paws anyway, marching within the band of armored ponies deeper into the campgrounds. Rarity followed, then Groot… and lastly the God of Thunder. He didn’t trust their location, the people around him threatening his friends… but he trusted Rarity. His grip around Mjølnir never loosened, however.

On their journey through the camp, they spent the march taking the time to observe their surroundings. They could see the mountain peak in the distance, the clouding smoke overcoming the heavens and the stirring, multi-headed, winged beast growling and screeching out upon its top. It cried every other minute, that horrific shriek washing through the campgrounds and causing every species to flinch against it. Every single time. Every other minute. Other than that, the dragon merely watched the battles unfold beneath the peak, like a god observing its creation. Sitting and staring, wings curled, seven heads stirring slowly and red eyes observable within the blackness.

The skies were corroded a terrifying black and red closer towards the battleground. The skies overhead the campgrounds were bright and yellow, the ferocious sun beating down upon the wounded and helpless armies trying to recuperate what they had and mourn what they lost. Within the storm surrounding the tallest peak further south, lightning and thunder roared above while rain drenched the land, its smell so horrendous they could catch a whiff of it from where the camp was situated. It traveled that far. It was as if the rain was right on top of them. It smelled of sulfur and brimstone.

Deeper and deeper into the campgrounds they were pushed, and only more tragic did their journey end up becoming. The scarcity of medical tents became more of a problem as the wounded continued to pile up. The weak and wounded were hauled or carried or floated in from the south to be laid around the few medical tents there were. Bloody bandages and painkiller spells filled the atmosphere, the cries of anguish within the tents being another story altogether. Live surgical operations occurred within the veil, those blood-curdling cries becoming more prominent the deeper they grew to the heart of the camp. Rarity felt her stomach drop as they walked past those tents, the bodies both moving and unmoving surrounding them in the dozens. A young unicorn missing a horn and a right eye gazed longingly to Rarity, spear planted into the dirt as she, too, sat weakly upon the earth. The blood seeped into her bandages, not a word escaping the unicorn. No words needed. That haunting stare said enough.

Rarity heard it all the same. To an extent, Rocket felt some semblance of pity slip through and fill his steel-encrusted heart. He wasn’t the type of guy to support every charity case that came crawling to him, but he had experience enough to see suffering in its finest form. He could only return the pained stares sent his way. None of them asked for handouts. None of them begged for mercy. They were soldiers who had seen the worst any creature could have and managed to walk out of it… even if something was lost in the outcome. Another feeling clouded Rocket’s heart the further he walked, the pity mixed with a venomous infection of admiration.

Groot—being the simple creature he was—already felt for the ponies, the griffons, the dragons, and the various other wounded they walked past. There was no denying his heart fell in the right place at the wrong time… whereas Thor’s remained steadfast to their own goals. He gave no waning glances, he offered no sympathy to the masses surrounding him because he knew there was no need for it. What happened in the past—or what occurred in an alternate timeline—did not affect their world or their time. They were simply wasting it by blindly following the Pegasus deeper into the campgrounds.

Thor only knew there were two options to their dilemma, whether or not they were in the past or a different timeline. One of the Pillars of Equestria pointed to the past… and he could finally drop the latter idea when they came across the heart of the operation.

Within a circle of massive tents more eloquent then the many others they had passed earlier, an equally-large table was erected in the center of the campgrounds. Upon this table, various maps, battle strategies, and miniature replicas of the different species were laid out like a chaotic game of chess. Select guards donned in the heaviest, shiniest, and strongest armor stood behind the many leaders of the nations of Equus.

Every leader imaginable surrounded the table. The kings and queens from the Hippogriffs, the griffons, the felines, the zebras, and the minotaurs were present in their decorative robes, armor, and wielding their own personal weapons of war, such as enchanted staffs and royal swords passed from generation to generation. The Dragon Lord towered over the many, the Bloodstone Scepter gripped in her right claw as her slithering neck was bent downwards and overlooked the maps the princesses pointed to. The rulers of the yaks and the Kirin were also accounted for, turning in accordance to the arrival of Flash Magnus and the prisoners of war his battalion brought to them. Once they stepped aside to let them through, Rarity was the first among them to gasp.

Thor’s jaw fell, his breathing shortened.

Directly facing them, the six remaining Pillars of Equestria raised their heads in tandem to witness their strange guests. Or prisoners. Or however Flash Magnus wanted to paint them. Their judgement lied with their own conclusions on the odd characters that had entered their camp. Among them, the mighty Rockhoof grumbled nonsense and raised a brow to the unicorn in the colorful armor, the walking tree and bipedal raccoon, and semi-nude ape wielding a hammer. Mistmane’s aged but wise gaze locked with the unicorn’s, then rose to latch with the God of Thunder’s. She found something stirring. Something in conflict. She mused and tapped her chin with a hoof. Mage Meadowbrook and Somnambula exchanged a glance with one another before staring silently to the group of four standing before them.

Finally, Star Swirl the Bearded lifted his eyes as did his allies. His gaze only narrowed when he spotted their guests standing silently and awkwardly on the other side of the table. The king and queen of Abyssinia had stepped aside to create enough room for the Pillars to witness the prisoners. Seeing their odd attire, the alien-like qualities of the tree person, and the unique armor set the unicorn bore, Star Swirl hummed softly to himself, stroking his filthy white beard as the wind around him tugged at his dark blue hat and cloak. As for the strategist amongst the Pillars, the young but intellectual Stygian removed his hoof from the battle strategy he was explaining to Star Swirl to join the all-powerful unicorn. His voice left him, leaving just him and the Pillars of Equestria in utter silence.

Joining the princesses of Equestria. Thor and his friends stared only to them.

Celestia and Luna were present and accounted for. They were alive… and visibly more vibrant and younger than any of them remembered. For starters, Celestia had shorter, pink hair. It moved softly, but only because the wind surrounding her dictated it so. When there was a lull in the wind, it fell and remained unmoved. As for Luna, she was shorter than her older sister, with even shorter, light blue hair. Their coats were softer in color, the armor each sister bore being majestic in its design, golden and dark blue for the respective mares. The Pillars looked fairly the same, which confused Thor.

Yet none could deny the absolute curiosity that filled them. Celestia and Luna especially, the two sisters practically wide-eyed and slack-jawed to their guests, their visitors, their prisoners. It was how Flash Magnus had addressed the rulers of Equestria when he and his battalion entered, the distrust and malice in his eyes as raw as the various other rulers.

But not them. Not the sisters. They did not see a foe among Thor and his friends. The confusion and astonishment from the likes of Rarity, Rocket, Groot, and even Thor to a degree had alone convinced Celestia, Luna, and a majority of the Pillars that they did not mean them any harm. If anything, they appeared lost. They appeared forsaken. They had found the right companions in the armies of Equus.

“Flash Magnus, you may stand down,” Celestia ordered. Even her voice sounded distinctly younger, still holding an edge of power and authority that reminded Rarity so much of the Celestia she knew. She offered a small smile to them, a hoof laid over her armor-plated chest. “Greetings… weary travelers. We can assume you art travelers, no?”

Before any of them could respond, Luna rose up and planted her steel-plated hooves upon the table. She extended her free hoof to the four before them, declaring profoundly and loudly to rival that of the seven-headed beast in the south.

“GREETINGS FROM THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!”

“Luna!” Celestia warned, causing her younger sister to flinch in her direction. Easing her agitation, Celestia breathed softly and raised her hoof to Luna. “There will be no need for thy Royal Canterlot Voice in this situation.”

Noticing the various other kings, queens, and rulers of Equus recovering from her sudden outburst, Luna coughed awkwardly and dropped her head. “We… apologize.”

While Rocket jammed his pinkie into his ear to hopefully gain a minuscule sense of hearing back, Rarity was caught in place. Frozen. Trapped in that perpetual state of shock at seeing the princesses she knew merely standing on the other side of a table. The same princesses who had been dead for five years. The loss of the Princess of the Sun, of the Princess of the Moon, had taken one of the heaviest tolls Equestria had ever known. As well as the loss of the Pillars. And yet there they stood, well alive and well aware of their current situation. The same could hardly be said for Rarity. She turned upwards to Thor for some form of guidance, but he merely stood as silent and broken to the sight of the two princesses as she felt. He was dumbstruck.

So, she took that first step, out of the dream-like state she was in and dipping into the helping hoof of reality. “Princess Celestia… Princess Luna!” the unicorn called, taking several steps forward. Her action caused a sudden uproar amongst the masses, several rulers standing back as if she was poised to attack them. Rarity was halted by Flash Magnus’ guards, preventing her from taking another step closer to the table. Seeing the growing distrust—especially for her somewhat… off-putting appearance—Rarity acknowledged what was needed and stepped back. The guards lowered their spears, but kept their hardened glares tight on the unicorn’s next choice of action…

“What’s happened here?”

Or word.

The table exchanged various glances with one another. The Dragon Lord drooped her snout, snorting softly and expelling a helping of soot into the already polluted air. Even Celestia and Luna seemed taken aback by her question, Luna tilting her head while Celestia merely raised a curious brow. They weren’t alone. Amongst the Pillars of Equestria, debate struck silently, exchanged mainly through nonverbal expression. Yet it was one among them to ask the one question that was on everyone’s mind.

“You are not from here… are you?” Mistmane asked, curiosity spiking her tone.

The sun beat heavy on Rarity and her friends. Her face scrunched painfully, showing her distraught. Rarity shook her head, eyes narrowed to express the coming of tears. Rocket crossed his arms and sighed. Groot dropped his head. Thor remained silent, observing the world from the sidelines.

As if even the utterance was a struggle for her, Princess Celestia began with a shaking breath. “Our tale is a tragic one, my little pony. A beast that fell from the stars hath now laid claim upon our world. As we speak, the armies of Equus art doing all they can to hold off this demon’s forces from taking our lands.”

“The once-bountiful lands of Southern Equestria are now just a wasteland for his greed,” Meadowbrook drawled, earning the attention of the table that continuously shifted to the next voice.

“We’ve done all we can,” Star Swirl explained, hoof held out in a wave to wash over every creature present in the campgrounds. “Brought together as many nations as needed to protect our world from this threat of which we know not of.”

“Yet things art not proceeding as we would have hoped,” Luna continued on for the others, even if her words were not the intent of the masses. Her expression nearly shattered, the Princess of the Night admitting, “Our rations art low. The wounded continue to overshadow our able-bodied warriors the longer this battle persists. If we do not find some form of advantage soon… we art afraid the worst is yet to befall our world.”

“Do not say such things, princess,” Rockhoof exclaimed, earning a flinch from the Alicorn. She turned appropriately to the burly stallion on her left, brow furrowing at his statement. Rockhoof twirled his shovel, slamming its face onto the table and shaking it. “The heroes of Equestria will ensure this beast is thwarted!”

“Declarations can only go so far, Rockhoof!” Luna said, hurt in her voice.

“You need not worry, young one,” Star Swirl absentmindedly stated, earning Luna’s shocked expression of which he did not see. His eyes were closed, hoof waved nonchalantly. “This is merely a setback to our crusade. This beast will face proper judgement when the time comes.”

Princess Luna was not convinced. She rose up and slammed her hooves on the table, shaking it even more so than Rockhoof’s earlier strike. As she did so and earned even Star Swirl’s eyes, the princess snarled, “There art ponies, griffons, dragons, and so many others who art suffering from this beast’s children! We cannot stand here idly while our people suffer under iniquity and tyranny, while the enemy rests and grows stronger by the second! They will take this camp and our lives if we continue to do nothing! We must act now and it must be swift!”

“Luna.”

The voice was a calm in the storm, a warmth in the cold. Yet it froze Luna on the spot, the younger sister turning to the elder. Celestia merely looked down upon her, that furrowed brow and hardened expression only continuing to pressure Luna into submission. “Be at peace,” were Celestia’s words to her.

“B-but—!”

“Now,” Celestia affirmed with a solid stamp of her hoof on the table. The glaring contest shared between the two sisters could be felt from across the table, even from Rarity and Thor, the former of the two gasping quietly. As the raw heat and electricity continued to fester, finally it was Luna to give in. She grumbled and turned away, fell quiet amidst such pressure. Celestia leaned forward and rubbed at her temples, a soft groan leaving her heart.

While Thor and the others continued to mull over the information spilled to them, it was only Rarity who could formulate the right question that was on everyone’s minds.

“What is he?” Rarity asked.

“He calls himself the Father of Monsters,” Rockhoof said.

“The Titan of Wind,” Mistmane added.

“The Lord of Destruction,” Flash Magnus growled.

“The Primordial of Disasters,” Somnambula whispered.

Celestia dropped her hooves from her temples, lifting her wearied eyes to meet Rarity’s own. She said, “He is called… Typhon.”

The name, Rarity knew. What they spoke of, Rarity understood. If they were not yet convinced they were in the past, that final statement made it absolutely clear that they were. The beast that had destroyed Twilight’s castle, decimated Wakanda, and had tormented Equestria in legends and myths for generations… was alive. Not in the way they would have imagined, but alive and a real threat once again. Rarity gulped.

Seeing the fear strike across her features, Celestia smiled warmly to the unicorn. It was a weak smile, but the best she could offer. “Yet… we digress. We trouble you with these things, but do not let it be so,” Celestia weakly uttered, turning to Flash and nodding his wait. “Flash Magnus, you may let them go.”

As the battalion of Pegasi guards led by Flash Magnus began to approach them, Rarity’s mind continuously thought back to all the medical tents they passed. All the ponies, griffons, and so many others caught in a war they didn’t want to be a part of and forced to take the consequences. Just as Flash Magnus laid his hoof on her shoulder, Rarity cried out, “Is there anything we can do to help?”

Flash backed off, brow furrowing and turning back to the princesses for an answer. Before they could, Star Swirl merely waved his hoof at Rarity’s offering, eyes latched to the maps and battle strategies Stygian pointed to. “We do not require your services. We have everything under control here,” the old unicorn grumbled. “In fact, this spell I am devising will prove to be quite effective…”

Celestia sent a frown towards her teacher before retiring back to Rarity. She offered a kind smile to the unicorn, bowing her head gratefully to her. She sighed, “We do not think there is much you can do. Typhon’s armies are vast, his power unmatched, his strength unrivaled. Oh, what is a mere bastion of rebels against him? What are we… to a Titan?”

There it was. The spark. It could be seen in Rarity’s enlarged eyes, the gasp entering her.

“What about a god?” Rarity suggested. The rulers around the table all flinched to that statement, Celestia and Luna cocking their heads curiously to that. Even Star Swirl and the Pillars halted their actions to see what the strange unicorn was up to. She turned excitedly, hope running rampant in her veins as she spotted the god in question.

His back to her, his hand waving to the others and declaring, “Rabbit, Tree, Rarity, let’s move.”

And then he walked away.

“Wait, Thor!” Rarity called, galloping over to catch Thor and stopping him before he could take another step. She slid to a halt in front of him, jamming her armor-plated hoof to the table behind the King of Asgard. “Thor, don’t you want to help them? They can’t fight this alone, darling!”

“What do you expect us to do?” Thor asked, hands held out to himself, Rocket, and Groot.

Rarity stamped her hoof nervously in the dirt, looking away. “Well… I…” Her eyes trailed over to the hammer in Thor’s right palm.

From the south, Typhon reared back and sent a haunting roar across the valleys and wasteland. Everyone within the campgrounds flinched to it, turning back to see the mighty wings extend before falling back within the fire and smoke of the distant mountain. The beast continued to stir slowly, grow softly, and turn those wretched slits of red, hellish fire to the camp again and again. Before he eventually gazed down to the battle unfolding and turning in his favor.

Watching as Thor slowly stirred back around to face her, Rarity could already sense the scorn that glowed within him. It radiated from his facial features, the disbelief mixed with the shock. With the confusion. With everything that wasn’t Thor.

“You want me… to fight that thing?” Thor asked slowly, just as slowly pointing back with his left hand to the mountain. Rarity did not answer. She just dropped her head, her ears, Thor knowing that was exactly what she wanted him to do.

He kept his voice low, bending down to one knee as he nodded quickly to the unicorn. “All right, how about this? How about… you try and think for one second. Just one second is all it takes. Okay, Rarity? Rarity, are you okay? Where we are, this timeline… is not ours. This is the past, not the future we want to be in. Because in our time—do you remember—Thanos wiped out half of every living being in the universe. We need to get back to that time with the Stone we have so we can finish the mission! So we can bring everyone we love and lost back! So quit this shit on focusing on the past and think of what’s on the line here!”

As he continued to speak, his voice only grew louder and more agitated. More emotional and less thoughtful. He garnered quite the crowd of onlookers, the entire table of rulers focused solely on their plight and their troubles. Celestia and Luna especially, the two sister’s expressions feeling every inch of their torment.

And Rarity was speechless.

And Thor didn’t have any more time left to be standing around. “Rabbit, do you still have the syringe with the Reality Stone?” he asked as he rose up.

“That is correct,” Rocket said, observing it in his knapsack. As his eyes washed over the contents of his sack, they passed various items before pausing. Before freezing. Not to the syringe or the Reality Stone stirring inside of it, but to something that made his heart freeze. Something that shattered…

He looked up, muttering softly, “Oh, no…”

But Thor was already gone, stomping past Rarity and out of the center of the campgrounds.

“Uh… Thor!” Rocket called, flinging his knapsack around his shoulders and running on all fours to catch up to Thor. Groot was right behind him. “Thor, I think we got a problem here…”

But his own voiced failed him. It trailed away when he noticed Thor stopping dead in his tracks. He tried to walk away. By every will and nerve in his body, the God of Thunder tried to walk away from the falsehoods of the past and focus only towards the future. Just as Rarity told him to. Just as he convinced himself he should. But when he stopped, so too did his train of thought. So too did the strength seemingly vanish from his body.

When his hammer hit the earth, Thor nearly crumbled with it.

His right palm still held the handle, but the head of it was faced downwards. Connected with the earth with such power that dust shot out from its impact. Thor stood there, bent down and on his knee as he slowly lifted his eye to the source of the disturbance. That lone eye widened to the image—the damming image—of his hammer upon the earth.

“What?” Thor questioned absentmindedly at first. But when he arose, he found that he could not. Not if he let go. “W-wha… what is—?”

He could not lift it. He could not move it. Despite every inch of his strength used to rise up with it, the hammer remained. Thor finally released his grip and stood up, his hand jutted towards the hammer in an effort to call it. It would not move. Not even an inch in response, because Mjølnir would not respond.

Because Mjølnir did not know him.

For several seconds on end, the horrifying silence and stillness continued. Until finally…

“NoooOOOOO!” Thor bellowed, his voice beginning low but breaking in mixtures of anguish and confusion. Torment and torture. He backpedaled away from the hammer, gazing to it with that horrified expression on his face, in his eye. He nearly fell but stumbled in his descent into madness, to one knee where he finally found some semblance of rest. The confusion pockmarked the air still.

Everyone was staring at him. At his hammer. Back to the God of Thunder like he had utterly lost his mind. Many were on edge, terrified to what he would do next. Rocket and Groot stood on the sidelines, unsure if what their words would mean to Thor in his current state. They could offer none that could possibly pull him away from that darkness.

The soft hoofsteps behind him were the only sounds in the camp. The whirring of the Iron Mare armor as she stood next to him was heard by the god. The touch of her hoof to his shoulder brought Thor out of that terrible image of his hammer and back… to her.

And Rarity never left him.

“This may not be our past, Thor,” Rarity began slowly, softly, sternly. A way that was sincere yet criticizing. Inspirational yet rational. Everything he never thought he needed to hear. “But right now… it’s our present. What we do now determines who we are… what our future will be. Maybe not for everyone else… but for ourselves. We cannot turn away from suffering… just as much as we need to end our own. For as long as I’ve known you, I have seen only the selfless, heroic, and generous person you have grown to be. You gave up your life for your people. Gave everything away to see them begin anew. You saw their suffering and you saved them. I know you’re afraid… I am, too. For fives years, I have only been afraid. But to face our greatest trials is not a choice… It’s a necessity. That’s why we’re here, doing this mission. That’s why fate has put us here, right now, amidst all of this!”

Her voice broke and the tears burned at the edges of her vision, but Rarity didn’t care. Her hoof tightened on his shoulder, the God of Thunder focused fully on her and her fully to him. Her heart expelled to him. Her voice cried out and she didn’t care who heard it. Because he needed to hear it.

“That’s what makes you worthy.”

And then she was done. And then Thor turned away and witnessed it all. Witnessed it for the very first time. The various species at the campgrounds, uncertain how they will win. The chaos and discord surrounding the rulers and the fear of what will become of their world. The wounded and the afflicted, every eye that gazed to him. Every blood-soaked bandage and every hopeless eye gazing to him alone. The sun shone heavy upon the desert wasteland. The seven-headed dragon and his demons rose against them and still they stood for what was needed. Not because it was their choice… but because it was a necessity. For their lives. For the lives of their children and the future to come. Rocket and Groot were completely silent.

Joining the silence around them.

The harmony of chaos was a pestering silence, only Thor’s breaths being that lone sound amidst it. And as he gazed longingly to the afflicted, the more his heart ached for them. The more his spirit cried out for various things he could not understand. The power flowing through his veins—the lightning—was more than enough for him to realize what was needed. Not just for every life… but for himself.

Thor nodded to her, head held low. He never saw the appreciative smile grace Rarity’s lips. Just as he never saw the smirk grow on Rocket’s own, or see the nod from the raccoon. Or Groot’s smile. Her hoof fell away when Thor slowly rose from the dirt, from the ashes of the past. He approached the hammer slowly. He closed his eyes. Bending down, Thor gripped the handle and stopped.

For several seconds, he could only hear the sound of his own breathing, the heartbeat of a god in his ears. That numbing silence continued to cloud him, but he found peace in that heartbeat. He found solace and comfort to know that what he gripped would be used for the righteous, for the suffering, for those who could not stand against depravity forever. What he wielded would enact the vengeance of the God of Thunder upon all evil. He would fight for every life because it was what he chose. Thor held his breath.

He stood up. Utter silence in the campgrounds.

When he opened his eyes, he was gazing down to his right hand. To Mjølnir resting within it.

No turning back now. He softly exhaled through his nostrils.

“Oh, Thor…” Rarity said, her voice the only one for miles. She shook her head, that same grateful smile widening by the second as the tears threatened to fall. She breathed, “Thank you.”

He slowly spun around to face her, yet he did not meet her eyes. He only stared to the south, making his approach step by side. “Stand back, my friends. I will deal with this foul beast,” Thor growled, twirling his hammer once. Mjølnir growled with him.

“Uh, you sure you don’t want any backup?” Rocket asked, stepping up next to the unicorn.

Thor stopped once again. Only he did not drop his hammer. It never left him. As the heated wind tugged at his hair, his beard, and his jacket, Thor only stared on. Stared into the second sun and onto the wretched beast growling and hissing and begging anything to truly stand against it. Barely shifting his weight, barely turning to them, Thor gazed to his three friends. His team. His Avengers.

He told them, “This is my path alone.”

With those final, haunting words given, Thor left the camp to their silence. Not to abandon them. Never… to abandon them. Thor approached the battlegrounds of Southern Equestria and watched the armies of Equus flee. Watching until his eye rose up to the tallest peak and seeing the mighty serpent stirring in his nest.

He gripped Mjølnir tighter than ever before. It never felt so heavy.

Chapter 142 – The Bell Will Sound

142

Equestria

The Kingdom of Tambelon

Year: 2015

9:23 p.m.

It turned out that prison breaks earned a lot of attention.

What was left of the Caverns was but a caravan of chaos. Fires illuminating from the astounding canyon lit up the night sky and brought forth a flurry of madness and distress under Luna’s moon’s glow. Most of all, freedom rang that night. The reinforcing cries of the Knights of Tambelon could not overwhelm the unleashed spirits of the enslaved, now the free. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle left the uprising to be handled by the professionals, and focused their efforts and all that was left for them to tend to.

Tony carried Steve as they flew across the dead wastelands surrounding the Caverns and canyons. All they could do was follow Rainbow Dash as the bright blue and black Iron Mare suit tore across the night sky, repulsors sounding off and breaking the silence of the wastelands. Twilight flew alongside her, tried to keep up, and observed Rainbow in her natural habitat. She led them to a few scattered trees somehow emerging from the blanket of darkness across the earth. The moon’s glow helped. The suits of armor helped even more.

Soon enough, Rainbow brought them to a forest of wickedness, nearly endless and cascading across the earth for miles and miles. She flew downwards, just high enough to grace the tops of each tree she flew past. Twisting back, Rainbow called out in her comms, “Welcome to the Everfree! Now, all we need to do is look for something that looks even remotely—!”

“Rainbow, look out!”

Twilight’s warning barely reached Rainbow in time, the Pegasus twisting back and yelping as she jetted quickly to the side. Erected out of the tree tops, a stone tower with its windows darkened nearly had a certain Pegasus indent. As the team of four cast the tower a waning glance, they returned forward and lost their collective breaths. Rainbow Dash, especially, after seeing no more forest.

No more Everfree.

Just a kingdom cloaked in darkness.

More and more towers built of stone replaced the towering tree tops and sprang up like blades of grass within the shadows. An ancient civilization of winding staircases, haunting bridges, and an army of towers replaced the forest. The earth below was, in turn, replaced with stone and cement, lanterns scattered and barely offering any form of light into the kingdom of darkness. The main form of light, the only real, natural light came from Luna’s warmth. The Avengers halted in mid-air, Twilight’s head gazing skyward to see the full moon directly overhead. Cautiously gazing downwards to the blackness and giving it light. Even then, it seemed as if even the moon’s glow was snuffed away once it reached the kingdom. As if its shadows absorbed and devoured any form of light from entering its embrace. Like a black hole.

Twilight gulped, especially when her eyes focused forward and spotted the heart of the kingdom.

Directly beneath the moon’s glow, in the heart of the Everfree, the Castle of Tambelon stood. It had to be the castle. It was mightier than any structure for miles on end, tall enough to scrape the heavens with its towers and pillars of black. The castle itself was vast, spreading for thousands of feet across the grounds. Even those grounds seemed inconsequential, as the castle appeared to have been hovering upon the earth. Barely. The ground was split upwards, erected to compensate the castle. Like it had fallen from the stars and impacted the world. Whatever lied beneath the castle—whatever they could see—glowed a hellish red, like the bowels of the world itself or a portal to Tartarus. Maybe even Tartarus in its highest, most damnable form.

Unlike the others, Twilight Sparkle did not immediately take action. Unlike Tony, Rainbow, or even Steve who flew into action and charged the front gates of the castle, Twilight was a little more hesitant. She didn’t understand why. Perhaps that was the most horrifying aspect of it. The Tesseract could be hidden within those castle walls, and all she wanted to do was stay where she was, as if even another inch closer seemed to paralyze her. The unknown chill slipping through her armor, washing over her coat, and strangling her spine earned a stuttering breath out of the Alicorn. For nearly a full minute, that was where she remained. For nearly a full minute, she could feel that darkness clouding around her, snuffing out the light she held dear. The wind seemed to whisper across her ears, as if the kingdom itself was a living, breathing beast slowly consuming her.

But it failed. She shook her head and darted forward into the front gates. They were already blown open by the time Twilight entered the fray.

Tony tossed Steve to the ground once they reached the insides of the castle foyer, Captain America rolling forward with shield in hand. They were instantly met with a cluster of Tambelonian Knights, but the Avengers were ready for them. They didn’t hesitate and cleared the room in less than a minute. Steve and Rainbow fought on the ground, practically back to back and side to side as the strikes from the shield and the punches from the Iron Mare easily deflected the attacks from the demonic knights. Stark was flying high above, the elevated ceiling to his advantage as he flew and dodged the blasts from the knights’ weapons. He responded with various repulsor beams and rockets.

As Iron Man’s repulsors hit something vital, the knights would give one final cry as they keeled over and vaporized. Turned to ash. Steve and Rainbow were both caught by that as their own devastating strikes dealt instant death upon their foes. The ashes that accumulated their bodies were mixtures of gold and black, like the magic they wielded in their weapons of war. Steve was caught only momentarily before he heard the roar behind him, forcing him into action. He gripped his shield’s edge, spun around, and tossed the disk directly into the face of the charging knight. It fell back and collapsed upon the stone floor, the shield returning to Rogers as he jumped atop of it and rammed its edge into the creature’s skull. It gurgled it’s last, turning to ash beneath the Captain.

Tony noticed the room starting to get crowded, more and more waves of Tambelonian Knights entering through the darkened hallways and even appearing from the frozen statues decorating the walls. They took action and charged Steve and Rainbow. Charging up his lasers, Stark flew downwards and impacted the floor with various cracks emerging from his fist. Without even looking back at them, he shot out his forearms.

“Duck!” Tony shouted.

Steve grabbed Rainbow and fell to the floor. Iron Man spun around as two streams of red-hot lasers shot out from his wrists. Those lasers sliced through anything taller than four feet, knights severed in half and roaring as their bodies were consumed by the ashes. The castle’s interior suffered as well, the lasers destroying pillars, the nearby staircase, and burning paintings. Only one knight was smart enough to duck, or it just tripped over the clattering weapons hitting the ground from the fallen knights. Once Tony’s lasers died and the knight rose again, it growled at them and aimed its mace in the direction of the three Avengers.

Once Twilight arrived, her magical beam tore through the last knight and vaporized it. She watched as the knight cried out and vaporized into ashes of gold and black upon death. Its mace hit the stone floor, the clattering sound echoing across the castle’s walls. Twilight’s repulsors died into silence as she reached the ground, the mask of the Iron Mare retracting back to unveil Twilight’s spent expression. She breathed and took in the silence. Everyone did as they rose together.

As they collected themselves, Tony noticed the castle’s walls, the paintings, the architecture, and the windows to be incredibly Gothic. Whoever was running the show had taste in the classics. Red banners with a familiar blue goat’s horn plastered on them swayed gently in the wind emerging from the open doors. The ceiling was circular with windows and intricate paintings lining it. Some of the paintings depicted ponies bowing to an unseen dictator, the shadows hiding most of everything. Some paintings showed monsters of every caliber inflicting their will upon the populace, upon cities and the remains of entire civilizations. Tony turned away when he saw more bones, skulls, and skeletons painted than he would have liked. Steve’s lips were pursed, his expression hard as he gazed to the horrifying paintings. He gripped his shield tighter and tighter.

With Tony’s mask retracting back, he raised his right arm and began tapping away at it. A pulsating hologram emerged on his forearm, finding nothing as various scans shot out across the castle. “Well, we’re definitely in the right place,” Tony noted, shaking his head. “I got no energy spike for the Tesseract. I swear, if Orange is the New Black lied to us about the cube being here…”

Twilight rolled her eyes, the Iron Mare armor materializing back into her Arc Reactor. She trotted up to him, Tony’s eyes only to his hologram. “Even she didn’t seem a hundred percent certain the Tesseract was here, Tony. She heard a rumor and tried to help us the best she could.”

“Well, we’re not leaving here without it,” Steve muttered, letting his eyes trail away from the paintings and focus on what mattered. The flaming red torches and cauldrons gave them enough light for the time being. He pointed a red glove to his fellow Avengers. “Scour the castle and stay close. We’ll search this place from top to bottom if need be.”

Tony was already off, forearm held outwards as he continuously scanned and pulsed for the Tesseract’s energy signature, or any energy signatures. Rainbow’s Iron Mare suit fell back into her Arc Reactor, the Pegasus hovering beside Steve as he began to approach the hallway near the left side of the foyer. Tony went in the opposite direction. Leaving just her.

Twilight was about to follow Stark when she stopped. When the whispers of the wind washed over and past her, blowing directly forward. Twilight followed the sensation and direction of the wind, eyes glossing upwards and forwards to see a lone, stone door between the staircases. She could see the clear indent surrounding it, the blackness on its edges indicating a passageway. Indicating another room directly ahead. She narrowed her eyes, expression tightening in wonder and brow furrowing in thought. What if, perhaps, what lied beyond was what they needed? What if, maybe, what they needed was just out of their reach, and that door was their only obstacle? What if…

“… you followed it?”

Twilight’s eyes slowly enlarged when she heard the wind. Like before, under the moon’s glow, she was seemingly paralyzed, unable to move or react accordingly to that whisper. The shadows were consuming, sneaking in on Twilight like a serpent slithering to its prey. Until the edges of her vision were beginning to darken. Until the torches and flaming cauldrons lining the castle walls were turned into a haunting blue. Her vision slowly focused ahead, saw nothing outside the darkness and only to what lied before her. The wind was her greeter, her ally, her only friend within the darkness that she could not traverse. That wind pushed her along, that calming voice within it taking her hoof and leading her to the stone door. To the only destination she could see.

“Let my light by your guide. Do not be afraid…”

To come to him.

Washed away in the darkness, Twilight took a step forward. Her eyes were wide, glazed over, each iris that once shimmered a soft violet now radiating a burning red. She followed the wind and felt the world, the sounds, all else around her numb into silence. She let his warming voice by her guide, her guardian, and her sole savior as the darkness clouded and took her into nothingness. The stone door slid open slowly, painfully, the wind seeping inwards like an ancient beast had just inhaled. She was breathed in, her hoofsteps echoing across the stone floor until even those sounds faded.

A pulse. Tony’s eyes widened when he witnessed the single beat of energy appear behind him. Tony shouted, “I got a beat!”

He looked back and saw her.

Steve and Rainbow looked back and saw her.

They watched Twilight’s tail disappear into the shadows and the stone door sliding shut behind the Alicorn. Instantaneously, the shared adrenaline and panic washed over each of their faces. Tony dropped his arms as he jetted forward. Steve sprinted with as much energy as he could muster. But Rainbow made it first. She was gone in half a second.

“Twilight!” Rainbow screamed, reaching the door just as it closed and locked. She slammed herself into the stone door, but to no avail. She tried again and again, screaming Twilight’s name and begging for her best friend to respond. But there was nothing. She backed away once a certain super soldier slid behind her. Steve rammed his shield into the stone, creating a flurry of sparks and nothing else. Tony stepped up and shot the door with a repulsor, but it didn’t break. Not even a crack.

Already growing furious at the lack of progress—and the fear of what could happen to Twilight had overtaken his senses—Tony went full overkill and jammed out both palms, his Arc Reactor burning even brighter and a Tri-beam already beginning to charge up. His strongest repulsor yet. The scream from his palms and his chest began to fill the air…

Until the wind came back even louder and silenced it.

Those rising screams from his repulsors died down considerably, Tony shakily looking back. Steve and Rainbow followed with a sense of uncertainty growing in their panic-filled eyes.

The Tambelonian Knights slowly reemerged from the ashes, like phoenixes, and grabbed their weapons. Red eyes and growls filled the shadows of the Castle of Tambelon. They surrounded the three Avengers faster than Tony’s mask covered his face and his eyes ignited a bright blue.

When the stone shut behind her, the echo that followed trailed across the floors, the walls, and the towering hallway that rested before Princess Twilight.

The whispers of the wind lingered for several seconds, and Twilight followed it. She didn’t understand its meaning, her meaning for following it, or where her destination lied. Every form of basic thought process and logical thinking just didn’t seem to matter to her anymore. All that mattered was that voice, that calming whisper that broke her away from the darkness and led her to the light. The coldness tried to capture her, but his warmth, his whisper, was all she needed. No more mission. No more Tesseract. Just him. She needed him more than ever to traverse the darkness, and he was there.

He never left her. His calming whisper sent a shaking exhale throughout Twilight’s body, enveloping her heart and escaping her lips. The air was frozen, her breath like mist. Her red irises shimmered like jewels within the shadows. Her Arc Reactor flickered to black, then blue, and back again. Consistently as her hooves rose and impacted the stone floor. She pushed on and on through the hallway, the ceiling reaching higher than the stars and the moon’s glow unable to seep through the windows to her left. The stained glass created an array of stories, from the rise of the Great Sorcerer, the birth of the monsters, the defeat of Gusty the Great, and the reclamation of Equestria under his banner. His eyes overlooked his world, his all-encompassing horns reaching as far as the east was from the west. Twilight saw none of it.

She only followed the voice.

“All else will fade away. There will be no more pain. No more cold. You will find comfort… safety… peace. Do not turn away, child. I will help you.”

She longed for it. She yearned to hear his voice because it was all she needed from that point forward. Nothing else gave her warmth, gave her safety, gave her assurance other than hearing him. He was the voice on her shoulder, the strength in her heart, and the rationale in her mind. She was completely and utterly his. Yet the subtle beats of her heart and the waning cries in the distant past told her otherwise, begged for her to turn and run away. Twilight furrowed her brow at that, her breath tightening as she stumbled to a halt in the center of the hallway. Like there was still a semblance of resistance still cindering within her spirit, Twilight stared to the stone floor, to the towering pillars and walls of black, and to the banners swaying gently in his wind. She breathed and blinked slowly, the red in her irises beginning to fade and the familiar violet returning.

“I will guide you… but you must follow. This is as much your journey as it is mine.”

Twilight closed her eyes, much longer so she could feel the enclosing walls of the castle cloud around her. The statues of screaming beasts—like gargoyles—glared down at her and the stained glass image of the ram doing the same. No light reached her. The shadows consumed what remained. When Twilight opened her eyes, the glowing red took its claim. A calming and serene expression filled Twilight’s facial features, a soft, misty exhale leaving her.

“Follow the light.”

Before she even knew it, the throne room doors broke apart, the heavy oak creaking and crying to their slow movement. They towered so high Twilight couldn’t even see the ceiling where they reached any longer. The ceiling was the heavens itself. The throne room was warm, inviting, and held that light he so promised her. Twilight absentmindedly followed, the doors closing softly behind her.

She surely was within the throne room of the Great Sorcerer. The majestic banners and paintings signifying his strength and knowledge. His victories and futures to come. The throne was cast in the shadows, a golden, red, and black triumphant royal seat reaching near the ceiling. A foreboding and transcending essence seemed to flow within the shadows and the wind, the whispers within it guiding the Alicorn to the light. That light shimmered a glorious and heavenly blue, Twilight’s jaw falling as her hooves brought her closer and closer to its embrace.

Resting in the heart of the throne room, the Tesseract lied on a simple podium. No guards. No traps. Nothing. So simple. Twilight slowly approached it, the great distance between them shortening by the second. Throughout her journey to the light, his voice spoke to her once more. Never abandoning her. He, too, stared to the object of her desire, to the light of which she yearned.

He said, “Beautiful… isn’t it? Predictable… even more so. Ponies always seek the light and never think of what else may be. They never imagine the darkness. They never think of what it can offer. They resist. And you… putting the fire in their hearts and setting a storm across my world. You know not of this world. You know not of the old ways…”

One of the paintings to Twilight’s left unveiled a dark castle hanging within a world of shadows.

“The ancient kingdom…”

The moon’s glow showed the painting to her right. The image of the Bell sounding off over a shaken and terrified Equestria… and the lives it held.

“The darkness… and the realm of which it lies.”

Twilight approached the cube, gazing into the light and finding solace within it. A horrifying sense of déjà vu filled her senses, that calming smile on her lips falling and replaced by a frown of distress. The flowing colors, like stars, swirling within a universe of blue. The Tesseract spurred that realization and fear within her, the mind of Twilight Sparkle slowly escaping the bonds that held it.

“Space…” he uttered, capturing Twilight’s heart once again. She caught her breath, gasped and held it in as that voice emerged before her. Like he was standing right in front of her. The light of the cube blinded her to all else… but his voice. “One of the six. Infinity Stones. Mere fractions of the power I hold.”

Twilight held her breath. Her lower lip trembled as she felt a haunting darkness begin to cloud the heart he held, consume the mind he wielded, and utterly infect the Princess of Friendship. She could do nothing. The pony who had overcome Nightmare Moon, defeated the Spirit of Chaos, relinquished the Crystal Empire, imprisoned Lord Tirek, saved Starlight Glimmer and her timeline, banished the Pony of Shadows, and rose up to lead her little ponies… could do nothing.

“This is not your world.”

She was a slave to his will.

“Your world lies elsewhere… You are but a vapor in a much larger multiverse. Your journey to undo what has befallen may benefit your present… but your future lies in my grasp. In your world… in every world… I always will be…”

His words were like piercing spikes into her very soul, the Alicorn gasping for air. Gasping for release. Like a beast had overcome her and wouldn’t let go. Clutching her chest with a raised hoof, Twilight could finally breathe again, her mind flashing and fading, the pulsating darkness at the edges of her vision. She breathed as hard as she could. Harder than ever before in her life. As if utter madness was slowly consuming her mind, Twilight Sparkle gazed beyond the Tesseract and onto the throne.

Her heart beat out of her chest when she saw the glowing red and yellow eyes meet her own.

And his voice… affirming to her…

“More than you could ever know.”

The Bell hanging beneath his eyes sounded off. The ring washed over Twilight and she felt it. Felt every reverberation flow across her coat, break through her bloodstream, rattle her bones, and stop her heart. For a mere second, then she breathed again. The madness that consumed her mind had reached beyond her will, beyond compare, and forced her to scream out. She clutched her head with two hooves and screamed, fell down and closed her eyes as her mind fell to darkness and the horrifying nightmare within tried to consume her. She screamed for him to get out of her head. She screamed when there was no answer. She screamed until tears ran down her cheeks.

Then the throne room doors exploded behind her.

Chapter 143 – As a Team

143

New York City

Capital of the Ultron Empire

Year: 2021

10:24 p.m.

The last S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier known to man emerged from its cloak, unleashing a wave of ospreys into the fray of golden Ultron Sentinels as the Fortress came into view.

Matthew Murdock gripped the nearest support beam within the belly of the massive flying beast. The battle outside the walls of the osprey shook and rattled his world, even when he could picture and feel every devastating blast that rocked the sound barrier. Explosions that could deafen any normal man erupted into bright orange blossoms outside their osprey’s window, wave after wave of Sentinels consuming and decimating one osprey after another. He heard the faint screams of the S.H.I.E.L.D. pilots carrying a plethora of armed men and women as it descended from the sky in flames, impacting the buildings below in bubbles of fire.

It spread from one osprey to another, until even the golden demons consumed the front windshield of their own transport. They would have, had a certain War Machine not blasted them off in a wave of bullets. The pilots silently thanked Colonel Rhodes as he soared by them in his hulking suit of armor, engaging various other Ultron Sentinels that dared to get close to the one osprey he needed to protect. The lead ship. He left a defenseless battalion of ospreys to fend for themselves, as well as the Helicarrier, to ensure Murdock and his team found what they were looking for.

Within that lead ship, the likes of Daredevil, Punisher, and Quake trembled and stumbled where they held onto the support beams stationed above their heads. The osprey they were in dodged from side to side to avoid the repulsor beams intended for it, the massive transport ship replying with a multitude of rockets and bullets. The twin rotors screamed in the night air, the fire in the skies illuminating off of its jet-black surface. The S.H.I.E.L.D. insignia on its back gleamed even brighter. The three Avengers held on for dear life. The armed S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers—what was left of their fighting force—held on with them.

Waited for the signal.

In the edge of her vision, peeking through the pilots and the walls of the osprey, Daisy Johnson could see the massive Fortress of Ultron’s Empire come into view. It practically consumed what little windshield she saw, that same, horrifying image slowly consuming her eyes. They only grew closer and closer, the repulsor cannons on the outside of the Fortress sending beam after beam of raw, golden and red energy in their direction. Every time their pilots would dodge the blasts. Every second they would fly closer to the Fortress’ enforced outer walls. Another second closer to death.

They waited for the signal. The S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers tightened their black gloves around their assault rifles. Daisy held her breath, her own glove tightening on the support beam. Frank’s mask closed over his face, the Punisher Armor’s eyes igniting a burning red. Matt listened.

Saw through the fire as James Rhodes unleashed a Unibeam directly into the outer walls of the Fortress. A brightness rivaling the sun filled Murdock’s senses, the ringing aftermath entering his ears and remaining only momentarily. Rhodes’ voice flowed afterwards, replacing the pain with solid assurance and adrenaline.

“Wall is clear! Wall is clear! Unload, unload!”

Then Murdock held on. The osprey made a daring 180 degree turn in mid-flight, the rotors shifting upwards to gain a momentary and stable hover. The ramp of the osprey fell open, the screaming winds and crying explosions only amplified once that barrier was breached. Matt, Daisy, and Frank spun around in a degree that mirrored the osprey: 180. They faced the falling ramp and braced for whatever form of madness awaited them. The soldiers in black stood with them, ready to face that onslaught with lowered shoulders, raised rifles, and bleeding determination. One last fight for humanity. One last trial.

The ramp impacted the inner grounds of the Fortress, and the first soldiers on the front lines were instantly vaporized.

A cluster of Ultron Sentinels pulled themselves out of the rubble and fire of the wall that once existed, broken body parts hanging limply from them as they raised their available limbs and returned fire to their invaders. The first pair of S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers unfortunately felt their wrath, the burning ashes of all that remained falling to the ramp of the osprey. Then their invaders retaliated.

The Punisher soared in and rained down hell.

He hovered over the masses, unloading torrents of ammunition upon every golden entity his HUD zeroed in on. Rockets rained from his shoulder cannons, creating a clear path for the remaining occupants to pile out and engage the enemy. Murdock and Johnson were one of the first ones to escape the osprey’s hold amidst a flurry of black armor and resounding assault rifle fire, only Matt turning back when he heard the pilots screaming over the war. Somehow reaching him.

“Pile out!”

“The defenses are turning on us!”

It was all they could manage before the osprey was consumed with fire. The outer walls of the Fortress held several defensive repulsor cannons, and instead of focusing fire on the War Machine like James had intended for them to do, they slowly turned and zeroed in on the lone osprey that somehow reached and breached the wall. They charged, and with only one blast each from two cannons, the osprey was in flames. The pilot’s cabin was no more. The remaining S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers that were not fast enough to exit the osprey were taken with it to the depths of the city. Murdock could only listen to their screams before even those, too, were silenced.

He sent a silent thanks to their bravery without even uttering a word, turning back to face the mission at hand.

“You got a beat on Danvers?!” Frank roared. He rammed his wrist’s chainsaw into the abdomen of the charging Ultron Sentinel, destroying its innards and ripping upwards to slice the robot in half. The red eyes faded to a haunting black as the torn face fell back to join the body.

The battleground was laid before them. The S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers took the majority of the oncoming fire from the Sentinels, but Daisy and Frank helped to even the odds for humanity’s favor. The quaking energy that escaped Daisy’s fists helped to clear out larger waves of Sentinels that tried to near their location. Frank cleared out the stragglers, his suit’s rocket launcher locking on and picking off various Sentinels hidden in the dark of the Fortress. S.H.I.E.L.D. dealt with the rest. There wasn’t much left.

“Rhodes gave me the coordinates when he scouted out the Fortress earlier,” Matt responded, whipping out the tracker James gave him back on the Helicarrier. It was crude, but it worked. That was all that mattered. A flashing pair of blue dots shimmered beneath them. Matt sighed, but nodded regardless. “Just a few floors above target.”

Frank grumbled, then rolled his metal, burly shoulder. “At least were onto something.”

He aimed his gauntlets to the floor directly beneath him, loading in fresh magazines. The small, gloved-hand planting itself on his forearm stopped him. Frank turned to it, meeting Daisy’s black and violet hair. She nodded to him, assuring him. Frank… nodded back. Dropped his gauntlets to his sides. Stepped aside. He and the many others that stood with him watched as Quake drove her right fist into the floor, the tremor of energy shattering the ground directly in front of her. She continued to unload, the energy expelling from her fist and causing the Fortress—or at least where they were—to utterly tremble beneath her. Floor after floor where she directed the energy continued to cave inward, until Matthew urged her to stop.

Daisy shakily rose, wiping the small stream of blood leaking from her nose before she nodded to her team. “How ‘bout now?” she breathed.

Matt whipped out the tracker, seeing a clearing between them and the beats. He nodded to them, not even needing to mention the astonished gasps from both Carol Danvers and Sunset Shimmer once they saw the ceiling before them cave and crumble down that he heard. They would see for themselves.

Frank was the first one down, hovering himself first above and then down below into the depths of the Fortress. Next was Daisy, the Inhuman jamming out her hands as she jumped down into the smoke and darkness. Her energy expelled from her palms and slowed her descent. Matt was the last, nodding to every last soldier that made it with them to follow. He leaped down. The soldiers in black proceeded to secure themselves to the outer edges of the hole Johnson had created, zipping down until their feet touched ground and they broke themselves from the harnesses.

Once the smoke cleared, they were standing within the bright white walls of what was undoubtedly a laboratory. To their right was the rest of the room. To their left was an endless hallway. Directly in front of them were two clear cages… with two astounded Avengers standing on the other side. Their smiles slowly grew.

“Secure the perimeter!” Frank barked to the S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers. They did as they were told, scouring the room with rifles raised until the entire laboratory was cleared. Stomping forward to Carol’s cage, Frank punched the glass walls and shattered them instantly, Carol and Sunset each flinching back and shielding themselves as the glass rained over them, but other than that… they were fine.

They were more than fine.

The second they stepped out of their cages, that rejuvenating inner strength filled them once more. Without the machines to drain that energy from them, they felt at ease. They slowly regained that familiar power each personally held. Once Carol was able to breathe in free air again, she exhaled softly with a warm smile on her lips. Then she ignited her fist and destroyed what was left of the cages with a continuous photon blast. The machines that were once their greatest weakness erupted into flames behind them and melted to the ground.

“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Daisy exclaimed with a relieved grin, breaking that distance and meeting Danvers with a fist. Carol chuckled to that, smacking her own against the Inhuman’s. While Daisy bent down to hug Sunset, Carol instead turned to that familiar black suit amongst the others. The devil horns, red eyes, and assuring grin.

“Matt…” she spoke, voice pained to a whisper. He saw her flaming appearance approach him, Murdock merely offering a helpful smile to the Captain. He almost expected a rundown of their situation, or Danvers wishing to know more about their location, Scott’s status, or the Mind Stone. She broke that distance to him. Then, she did something that surprised every Avenger.

She hugged him.

Frank froze where he was, the wiring of his suit twisting back so he could gaze to the scene behind him. He tried to convince himself it was real. Even Daisy shot up her eyebrows in surprise, never once imagining someone so stoic like Captain Marvel to actually offer anything more than a handshake. It was new. It was surprising. Sunset smiled to them, to Danvers especially. Even when she didn’t see it.

With her arms still wrapped tightly around Murdock, she kept her eyes closed and felt his heartbeat against her own. His own human life beating steadily with her. She quivered slightly to that, smiling softly as she whispered, “Thank you for coming for us.”

Nodding to that, Murdock noticed the steady heartbeats filling the room, all attention on them. Patting her shoulders, Matt broke the hug and met Carol face to face. She opened her eyes, smiling in Matt’s burning red. “We’re a team. We’re Avengers,” he told her. “We don’t leave each other behind.”

“Damn right,” Carol offered with a warming smile to boot. He smiled back. A sudden tremor filled the laboratory, causing everybody to shudder where they stood. Carol looked about to the ceiling, the thought recurring to her like a steaming freight train. “Where’s Fury?”

“He’s holding off the Sentinels outside,” Matt answered.

That was all she needed to hear.

She turned to the hallway on the left and started down it. Momentarily frozen by her actions, Matt turned accordingly to Danvers’ back, watching it only shrink further and further away. His voice seemed to fail him, but thankfully, Daisy was there. She asked, “Uh… Carol… where are you going?”

Carol stopped. Turned around. “Where does it look like? I’m gonna help him.”

“No, we need to go now,” Frank argued, stomping towards her. He stopped when he noted the fire in her eyes, Castle having seen that kind of burning spirit many times before. He shook his head, jamming his metal finger to the ground to emphasize every word. “As in right now. No messin’ around, no bullshit. Just us finding Lang, the Stone, and gettin’ the hell outta here.”

Carol turned fully around. For several seconds, she merely stared at them. Watched as they slowly congregated together before her. She furrowed her brow, frowned to all of them, stared in disbelief to see them all stand as one against her. Especially Sunset, the unicorn refusing to move from Murdock’s side.

“Are you serious right now?” Carol asked aloud. No one said a word. No one even breathed. The subtle explosions outside the Fortress were all they heard. Carol directed their attention to that specifically, jamming her hand out to the hallway. “Are you all being serious? There are people out there who need us.”

“And there are trillions of others in our time who need us!” Daisy retorted.

He couldn’t particularly see every wrinkle in her expression—most of it was clouded by the flames in his vision—but Murdock could see deeper than that. He felt her heart just as well as his own, how it ached and pumped that pain through Carol Danvers like her lifeblood. It was a pain that needed to be filled, to be healed. He could already tell why.

Matt shook his head. “Carol… that’s not our Fury.”

She turned to him, hurt in her eyes. “I can’t believe you. You said it yourself… we’re supposed to be Avengers. We’re supposed to save people, not leave them to die!”

He stepped forward. “Carol, please, Scott needs—”

“Go find him and secure the Mind Stone,” Carol said, turning around and proceeding away. “I won’t be long.”

“We don’t have time!” Murdock finally shouted.

Carol stopped again. Several seconds that time. She didn’t turn around.

Until those seconds turned into a near-twenty, Matthew let it persist. By then, he finally spoke, finally finished what needed to be done. “Not anymore. Fury gave us a distraction. He said… that no matter what happens… we need to take what he’s giving us. All he could offer was time… and we’re wasting it. He knew the consequences. He knows what’s on the line… what we’re fighting for.”

She turned that time, turned to face Murdock with burning, watery red eyes. Daisy’s jaw fell. Frank was glad his mask covered his expression. It pained Matt to see her in such turmoil. He knew how much Nick meant to her, but he knew he was right. They had spent too much time in a world that wasn’t their own. The world that was was in dire need of their help. He knew he was right. By the sudden drop in Carol’s heartbeat, Matt knew she felt the same. Begrudgingly, painfully… felt the same.

Her eyes fell to the unicorn, to Sunset. Carol watched as she stepped forth cautiously, taking those final trots ahead of Murdock so she could be that line from her to them. That connection, like the one she so desperately needed to build. One she had torn down countless times before. Sunset did not offer her hoof. She did not offer her a thing.

“Come on, Carol…” she whispered, hope in her burning eyes. “This is our only chance. We need to do this as a team.”

She gave her a choice.

Carol dropped her eyes, taking in that deep breath.

“Or not at all,” Captain Marvel finished.

Sunset’s smile slowly brightened.

“Okay…” Danvers mumbled, sniffling and wiping at her nose. She nodded several times, turning back fully and approaching her team. “Okay. Where’s Scott?”

While Sunset laid her hoof thankfully on Carol’s thigh, Matt, Daisy, and Frank all pointed to the far right of the room, to the end of the laboratory and directed even further than that. Carol and Sunset followed their direction, Danvers closing her eyes when it dawned on her. “You gotta be kidding me…” she mumbled with weariness in her tone. He was right under her nose all along. If only she could’ve escaped. If only…

“Just a few rooms,” Matt assured her. Carol rose a hand to caress the bridge of her nose.

If only.

Frank slapped her shoulder playfully, nodding once to Carol. “Welcome back to the shitshow, Captain.” Even when he wore that skull and red eyes, Danvers could have sworn she saw him smirking beneath it. He would have definitely wanted to hide it. Captain Marvel smirked back.

Sunset turned about and further observed the laboratory. “How do we get out of here?” she questioned aloud for anyone to take.

Frank turned to his right and nudged Daisy. She wearily looked back, seeing him nod towards the wall. Like Carol, she could have sworn he was smirking beneath his mask. Maybe even a shit-eating grin. “You ready for another round?” he asked.

Daisy could already feel the migraine threatening to return. She sighed, taking a weak step forward only to be stopped by a bright red and blue glove on her shoulder. Turning to it, she found solace in the smirk Carol offered to her, taking her place and stepping past the rubble and towards the wall. Then, they watched. All they could do was watch and let her work her old magic.

Carol jammed out both fists and let the photons do the rest. The S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers all gaped in awe to see the golden beams impact the wall and utterly decimate it, then the next wall, then the next. Then the real fight began.

As the walls outside the furthest laboratory burst inward and showered over the golden Ultron Sentinels, the army of the mad AI could do little to nothing as a storm of S.H.I.E.L.D. troopers stampeded in and fired away. Their escape route was tarnished when the Punisher and Captain Marvel flew in, their conjoined paths of raining bullets and photon blasts tearing through any Sentinel they caught in their line of fire. It was too easy. They cleared house in less than a minute, the three Avengers trailing over the bodies and approaching the two lone tables in the entire laboratory. Daredevil, Quake, and Sunset had their eyes solely latched to the scepter, to Scott Lang, that they never even noticed how quiet it got.

It was too easy.

Then Matt stopped dead in his tracks. He pulled out his billy clubs and screamed.

But the wall directly ahead was already destroyed. Raining fire and metal tore through the nearby S.H.I.E.L.D. agents like they were made of paper, the explosion filling the entirety of the laboratory until smoke clouded all that remained. Captain Marvel cleared that, soaring down and using that added speed to wipe away the lingering dust in the room. As the dust cleared, all that stood within on the other side was the flapping red cloak.

He pushed it aside, unveiling the six sinister eyes. The towering body. The manic grin.

Ultron smiled to them. “I’m thankful you don’t quit,” he sneered. “I enjoy the fire of the human spirit. Especially… when it turns to ash.”

He jammed out just one of his five arms, and in an instant, a horde of Ultron Sentinels filled the ground below him. They stormed through the S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers, the men and women doing everything in their power to hold them off. One by one, they were swarmed and picked off. Never retreating, though. Always fighting to the bitter end. Ultron smiled even wider, his eyes shifting forward to the flaming woman rising above the rest. Her fire overcame her, the gold of her eyes latching to him alone.

“Cover me!” Matt screamed. He held a Sentinel back by his forearm, rearing back and jamming the end of his club into its eye socket. Pushing the dead robot off him, he turned to the unicorn’s heartbeat behind him. “Sunset, help me with Lang! Frank, you handle the scepter! Daisy and Carol—!”

He didn’t have to tell them.

They were already on him.

Captain Marvel screamed as she tore herself across the air to meet Ultron. Their bodies collided in mid-air, each offering and exchanging various earth-shattering blows to one another. Ultron grabbed her by her throat, pushing her forward and sending six continuous streams of concussion blasts into her chest. Carol simply pushed through it, driving her golden-tinted fist into the side of his face and finishing him off with a pair of photon blasts to the chest. Ultron crashed to the floor, quickly rising and quickly showering Danvers with a swarm of Ultron Sentinels. By the time he rose to full height, he was bombarded with quake-like energy fields.

Daisy Johnson ran forward, fists at the ready and shivering with trembling energy. Ultron turned to see the Inhuman rushing him, the AI swinging for her head but only seeing her slide beneath his claws. Daisy grit her teeth as she spun on her knee, ramming her fist into Ultron’s knee and cracking it to the side from the energy fueling her gauntlets. Ultron nearly crumbled, grunting to her efforts and ramming his fists across her frame. The Inhuman was slick in her movements, barely managing to slide and duck between punches and apply some of her own. Each time, she would get something new. Sometimes his abdomen would be exposed. Sometimes she would strike him across his face. Sometimes she would continuously go for his legs. Every time he would buckle against the quaking energy blasts she sent into him.

Ultron finally found his footing, gripping the back of Daisy’s head and tearing her back by her hair. Until she was bent at an awkward angle. She screamed, barely looking up with her neck fully exposed. Eyes widening to see Ultron lift one of his many right hands. His claws extended, sharpened to needle-like points, as he drove that claw downwards to her jugular.

Frank zoomed in and struck Ultron’s back before he could even get the chance to bring his claw over her. Ultron grunted as he fell forward, Daisy falling to the ground. Clutching her throat, she gazed to the robotic beast and watched him stand once more, his eyes trailing the Punisher. He jammed out his glowing fingers to the flying suit of armor, intent on only seeing a smoldering corpse of man and machine left. Captain Marvel’s golden body gored him out of the way and directly through the furthest wall. Their fight continued in the open and darkened hallways, the grunts of exerted effort from both Carol and Ultron echoing into the lab. Daisy shakily rose and sprinted right after them.

Castle landed near the examination table that held the scepter. He blew the charging Sentinel’s head off with one round from his gauntlet, not even paying its falling body any heed as he analyzed the scepter hanging within the blue energy field. His HUD pointed out the shimmering gem still encased in the eye of the scepter. He gripped its handle and ripped it free.

“Stone is secure!” Castle shouted. His shoulder-mounted rocket launchers cleared the swarming Sentinels entering the lab, creating a wall of fire. He didn’t even watch it happen, just focused on Murdock and Sunset rushing towards a certain Ant-Man.

Matt was the first one to reach the suspended Scott Lang on the examination table. He twirled his billy club around, rearing back as he stabbed an Ultron Sentinel from its bottom jaw and into the back of its head. Not even a glance back. He heard all he needed to see to keep himself safe. Sunset slid to the other side, creating a shield of magic behind her as more and more Ultron Sentinels tried to swarm her rear. As they passed the wall of burning red magic, they were vaporized into ashes. Like Murdock, she did not turn to face her handy work in action. Her full attention was to him.

Her fellow Avenger. She shot a beam of magic from her already glowing horn into the table, cutting off the energy field Scott was trapped in. His back fell and struck the table, Sunset’s hooves and Matthew’s hands clutching Lang and checking him for injuries. Matt could sense none, and instead felt his belt for Lang’s Pym Particles. They were secured. He felt his wrist. Time Travel GPS. He felt his neck. A pulse.

“Scott?” Sunset gasped, her hooves clutching Ant-Man’s cheeks and squishing them together. She noticed her adrenaline-fueled actions, easing up a bit but holding Scott close nonetheless. “Oh, gosh, Scott, can you hear me? Scott, give me something! Come on!”

Her breath-filled whispers were becoming more frantic, but she soon found that ease when Lang fluttered his eyes open. The first thing he saw, the only thing he saw was what crowded his vision and clutched his face. The worrying expression and the burning eyes of Sunset Shimmer.

Instead, he mumbled, “… Mom?”

Matt pursed his lips, nodding once. “He’s fine.”

Sunset merely gasped out a chuckle and hugged him, finally glad to have her team back together again. It was all she could offer before Daisy Johnson fell back and crashed before them. Matt, Scott, and Sunset all tore themselves away from each other and down to the wounded Avenger, their eyes darting upwards to see it for themselves.

Ultron stomped forward and crushed the skull of a broken Sentinel beneath his foot. His cape was torn, his body trembling, but otherwise he stood. He stood strong and glared down the remaining Avengers. All six eyes narrowed. Especially to Daredevil and the equine freeing his guest. Especially to the Punisher holding his Infinity Stone.

Then Carol tackled him.

Ultron threw her off before she could get a strong grasp on him, watching as the Captain slid before him on two feet. She slid until she couldn’t anymore, the fire in her shimmering eyes only brightening by the second. The soft drip of the blue blood leaking from her lower lip meant nothing to her. The blood was vaporized as the light only continued to consume her form, blocking out everything else except the monster standing in front of her.

Not everything…

She turned to her left once she heard the heavy stomps, eyeing Frank Castle standing tall with the scepter in hand, every other weapon of war pointed outwards on the other. To her right, she watched as Matthew Murdock, as Sunset Shimmer, as Scott Lang, and as Daisy Johnson pulled themselves together and stood with her. Never leaving her. Carol slowly faced forward, her lips closed to a tight and valiant smirk.

Scott pressed on his thumb as his Ant-Man helmet closed over his face.

Ultron roared.

The Avengers roared back.

He charged first, unprepared for the blast from the scepter that Frank sent his way. It was followed by various rockets and bullets that struck Ultron’s outer armor and tore him from the air. He struck the ground with a painful grunt. He was only able to rise to his knee, to look up in time to see Daisy’s boot slash across his vision. He cried out as her kick sent his vision spiraling, his head twisting to the side to meet Daredevil. Murdock was slick and fast, far too fast for Ultron to counter or even see. The black shadow caught Ultron before he could even stand fully, striking the AI’s kneecap and abdomen with his billy clubs. Swinging down to slash at him, Ultron was unsuccessful, instead only seeing the microscopic man leap from Murdock’s shoulder and send a fierce punch directly between his eyes.

Ultron staggered back. His feet wobbled and froze when he felt the magical field of energy cloud his body. From head to toe. He looked back to see Sunset Shimmer glaring behind him. Her horn brightened. Back and forth, across every wall and to every inch of the floor, Sunset launched and flung Ultron’s body until her neck craned skywards and sideways, teeth tightening like a feral dog as sweat streamed down her forehead. She continued the onslaught until the lab was devastated. Until she flung him in the air and let Carol handle the rest.

Captain Marvel caught the AI in mid-air, fighting for supremacy to gain that much-needed advantage. However, Ultron seemed to be snapped from a daze, clutching onto Danvers with two claws on her shoulders. He refused to let go, Carol looking from one claw to another. Then back to him. Ultron narrowed his hellish eyes. Carol’s hair flared upwards, her eyes a blistering firestorm of gold. She screamed and Ultron released her. Using her supersonic speed, Danvers soared forward and rammed herself into Ultron’s abdomen, flying down and striking the floor with such devastating force that the entirety of the Fortress trembled.

And she rose out of it.

As the dust settled and the light emerged, the remaining five Avengers came together as one to observe her. The gold broke through the dusty black and settled onto her being, clearing the darkness and leaving just her standing proudly above it. There she stood, Carol Danvers breathing heavily. Utterly weary, sore, wounded… but satisfied. Her heavy breaths were accompanied by the glowing grin on her lips. They shared her sentiments and smiled back.

The Fortress shook as a devastating explosion rippled through it.

“We’re out of time,” Matt stated aloud, raising his GPS and adjusting his coordinates to the correct location and year. He sent those coordinates to his team, nodding to them. “Everyone, together.”

They came together. Frank Castle with the scepter tightly gripped in his right hand, the mask of the Punisher Armor sliding back to unveil Castle’s firm nod to Matt. He raised his left hand, his GPS, and was ready. Daisy Johnson wobbled forward, sent a weary but grateful smile to Murdock as she raised her left hand and gazed into the face of her GPS. Scott Lang—still unsure where he was—joined them regardless and lifted his left hand, right hand over it. The Fortress shook and the ceiling fell around them. Sunset Shimmer hobbled over the debris, leaping over a piece of rubble and standing between Murdock and Johnson. She stared down to her left hoof, slowly raised it to gaze onto her GPS. She paused.

She turned.

They all did.

In the shower of falling debris and raining fire of the burning Fortress, the lone five Avengers gazed silently onto her. And she stood alone within that firestorm. Captain Marvel stared to nowhere and listened, the faint explosions and horrifying sounds of warfare unfolding just outside the walls of her imprisonment. She slowly shifted her attention to it, holding her breath as those sounds slowly overcame her senses. The Captain’s fist curled tightly, her eyes fluttering closed, as she took a deep breath inward.

Her fists shivered. They shivered until they couldn’t anymore… and she released herself.

Her fists unfurled. She exhaled. Carol Danvers opened her eyes and turned back. To them.

Her team. Her Avengers.

She joined them, too. Sunset smiled gratefully, Carol returning it as she stood between her and Murdock. It was the only smile Danvers could offer before that overwhelming sense of regret filled what remained. First, it was her smile, then her expression, then her shoulders as they fell and the weight of her failure once more overcame Captain Marvel.

“Hey, Captain!”

The voice in her ear caught her for a brief second, Carol gasping and raising her tear-filled eyes. Those around her raised their left hands and hooves slowly, as if time seemed to slow and none of them heard the voice she had. It was just for her. Just the voice of her old friend Nick Fury speaking to her one last time. His words tore through the fresh opening in her heart. She raised her left hand, right hand hovering over it. Both shivered as she trembled where she stood.

“We’re gonna be all right here. Good luck with your people… and fair winds, renegade.”

Carol closed her eyes, unable to stop the tear slipping down her cheek. She chuckled softly and shook her head, slamming her right palm down the same second Murdock ordered them to. Even as Fury’s final words echoed in her comms, Carol just closed her eyes, smiled, and went home.

The labs were dead silent. The lights flickered above and left darkness and light within the remains of the battleground. The distant eruptions caused the Fortress to tremble, more and more ceiling crashing down. Other than that, it was silent. Then, noise. A sound emerging from the hole within the smoking floor. It was a voice, the rumbling of robotic vocal cords giving a soft laughter.

Laughter.

A claw rose up and clutched the edge of the hole. Then another. Another. Until all six rose up and pulled Ultron out of the hole in the ground. He rose to full height, brushing the debris and dust from his person as his eyes observed the battle ongoing and ending outside his Fortress.

The remaining ospreys burned and fell to the earth as his Sentinels swarmed them. The outer shields of the Helicarrier broke and the flying beast was encased in gold and fire. Various blossoms of flame and cinder erupted from the hull of the Helicarrier, the bridge collapsing and the ship descending to a fiery grave upon the desolate city of New York. The last of S.H.I.E.L.D. finally pulled from their hole and finished for good. Ultron blinked and gazed to the remains of his laboratory.

Flickering images on the various computer screens gave off nothing that he could use, so he raised his forearm and tapped away. A hologram sprouted forth from his wrist, Ultron sliding across the formulas his Sentinels had acquired from Scott Lang. The Ant-Man had escaped with his team and the Infinity Stone in tow. No matter. Ultron was not worried. He hummed a soft but familiar tune as he flicked through the hologram, across the various calculations and formulas for the Pym Particles.

His Sentinels had done an exceptional study. Lang’s GPS proved to offer a bountiful supply of information. Its capabilities. Its technology. Its blueprints. He tapped twice on his hologram, the microbot he had placed on Captain Marvel’s shoulder blade blinking again and again, showing the path the Avengers were traveling towards. They stopped. He had a location, a year. Coordinates.

Ultron smiled to that. The hardest part was finished. Now, he just needed to wait. Wait for his Sentinels to make a fresh batch of particles and finish the Quantum Tunnel.

“I want… the world to know… nothing ever worries me.”

Chapter 145 – Heartbreak

145

Earth

The Nation of Wakanda

Mount Bashenga, Vibranium Mines

Year: 2014

The mines of Wakanda were lined with the glowing blue alien rock. It was like a maze that went deeper and deeper into the heart of the world. Amidst the flying trains and Wakandan drones scavenging and mining the precious vibranium rock, the towering laboratory overlooked the work unfolding below. The young princess of Wakanda, Shuri, smiled as she worked, various Wakandan scientists bringing forth their data to her to give the final call on their work.

Their focus, their ingenuity, and their lives rested solely on the upper mines they had harvested. What rested below, however, was untapped, unheard of, unforeseen and unknown even to the greatest minds of Wakanda and the rest of the world. Winding tunnels beneath the current dig site weaved and curled deeper and deeper into the world. The vibranium meteor pulsated like a beating heart the deeper the shadows grew, veins of bright blue against the endless black. Caverns uninhabited and undiscovered by the Wakandans towered and fell for miles. The nearly bottomless expanse traveled for as far as any eye could see, yet at the end of the great cavern, miles and miles beyond the shadows where the veins of the meteor pulsated greatest of all… was a light in the darkness.

It called to them.

It was their only destination.

They only place they could hope to find an answer in the labyrinth of dark and light.

Hawkeye, Black Widow, Elektra, and Tempest Shadow scoured the mountain-like walls of the vibranium meteor. One wrong step earned them a one-way ticket to oblivion, to the seemingly bottomless pit to their left. Fog and shadow clouded the descent below, no Avenger able to know how far or deep the fall truly was. Tempest led them, with Elektra shortly behind her. Clint and Natasha hung further back, keeping mostly to themselves while eyeing their environment. They wanted to say it was to check for any threats, and that wasn’t far from the truth. Mostly, it was to reconvene with one another.

Clint strode along the cavern wall in his black attire, a quiver of arrows attached to his back alongside his arrow. Despite having abandoned the idea of Ronin, Clint still had his katana by his side. A trusty weapon. Natasha also wore an enhanced version of her Black Widow jumpsuit, red and silver veins decorated across the black. Her natural red hair had nearly overcome the blonde, the end of her ponytail still a faint white amongst the red. Clint took the front while Natasha walked in the back, the two of them gazing to the towering ceiling walls and the pulses of blue energy leading them forward.

At times, their eyes lingered back to Elektra. Ever since Murdock introduced them, it was undeniable who she was and what she had done. What she was still capable of doing. She had previously run an underground drug trade and assassin coalition known as the Hand. She was their leader, the famous Black Sky. Natasha had heard horror stories in New York about the Black Sky prior to their meeting. Clint was intending to hunt the Black Sky down once he returned to the states. Now, since everything changed and they were forced to work together to save the universe, a part of each Avenger couldn’t help but cast Elektra an uncertain and distrusting glance every now and again. They kept their distance for that reason, but remained at the ready for absolutely anything. Be that an attack from the outside… or even within.

Elektra felt indifferent about their journey, especially the distrusting gazes she managed to catch every now and again. They tried to hide it, but Elektra was subtle in her movements, calculating in her observations. She saw the way they looked at her. She saw all she needed to keep a permanent scowl on her face, her emotions towards them and how they might have felt about her utterly empty. She didn’t care. She just wanted to finish the mission and get back home.

“Gotta say… not how I expected to spend my weekend,” Clint said, breaking the nearly minute-long silence with a weak attempt at a joke. Natasha made a sound that was between an exhale and a chuckle. Elektra smirked at that. Tempest said and did nothing other than lead them along the wall. Clint looked up from his feet. “Hey… uh… Tempest, right?”

Tempest nodded at the mentioning of her name, clarifying Clint’s confusion. He nodded back. “You got a hit on the Stone?” he asked. His voice echoed across the walls of vibranium, spreading for several yards and hitting the unicorn again and again.

“If you’re asking if I can sense it with my magic, then no,” Tempest replied, sliding down a steep path and stumbling forward onto stable ground once more. “But as long as we keep to the light… I’m sure we’ll find something eventually.”

“Eventually. Watch your step. Gonna get steep here,” Elektra called back, sliding down right after Tempest. She raised her eyes once the path ahead led them directly towards the light source. Her pupils shrunk to it, the woman breathless as she followed behind the unicorn. The light seemingly called out to her, clutched her heart and soul and begged for more.

Clint slid down and halted, holding out his hand as Natasha came seconds later. She gripped his palm for safety, sending a thankful smile his way before quickly falling away and pushing forward. “Long way from Budapest, aren’t we?” Clint smiled to Natasha.

She smiled back, unable to hide the familiar but welcome memories of her and Clint’s rather unforgettable mission in Budapest a lifetime ago. She waited for him, the two Avengers side by side once more as they approached the light together. Natasha said, “Sometimes I just can’t forget when you’re with me.”

Clint turned to her, seeing that beautiful smile grace her rose-red lips once again. Sometimes he had forgotten what her smile was to him, or how five years had taken a lifetime of happiness. He could have had that semblance of happiness if he had just gone back to the Avengers. His eyes fell at that, turning back to the approaching light within the vibranium cavern.

“For what it’s worth… thanks.”

Natasha turned away from the light and onto him. “For what?”

“For pulling me back into this,” Barton told her, still staring into the piercing blue light. “For believing there was something still salvageable in me… even when I didn’t.”

His eyes returned to the Widow, and for once he hadn’t seen the same Natasha that was a part of the Avengers. He hadn’t seen the assassin, or the killer he was sent to silence for good. He had only seen the friend that tore through hell and high water to find him and bring him back to the land of the living. That was enough to earn a sad smile from him. Natasha saw something else in that saddened smile. So small and so soft. The most she could offer was a half-smile when the wetness started to build in her eyes.

“You were never lost, if that’s what you mean. So many of us could have fallen… could have done the same as you if they had lost what you had,” she told her.

Clint smiled at her, wider, brighter, and warmer. They held their smiles to one another before finally turning back to the mission. It was just as they reached the entrance did they acknowledge their fellow Avengers slipping into the light. Clint and Natasha ducked slightly to avoid the vibranium wall of rock over their heads, but as the light enveloped them, they could finally stand back up to full height. The light faded gradually, unveiling to the four what they were seeking.

The cavern was smaller than the previous ones they had stumbled upon. The ceiling was shorter, the various veins from the outside all congregating towards the center of the room. Every pulsating vein led to the heart of the cavern, where a circular hole had been formed and a haunting, orange glow shimmered from it. It was like a well, the light pouring forth from the veins, from the hole, and showering the four Avengers in a wave of alien energy that filled the air.

“Incredible,” Elektra breathed, eyes latched to the well of orange in the heart of the room.

Tempest and Elektra began to examine further of their surroundings, walking closer and closer to the massive well. Meanwhile, Clint and Natasha hung back to simply take it all in. It was almost overwhelming, the two of them unable to contain the quickened rise and fall of their own chests. Seeing as Elektra and Tempest found no trouble in searching the cavern, it allowed Clint to take those first steps forward. Natasha followed him shortly.

“So… talking raccoon, huh?” Barton questioned, smirking to Romanoff.

“Surprised you’re still taken aback by that after we ran into them,” Natasha said, pointing quickly to Tempest. The unicorn raised a brow at their conversation, but merely rolled her eyes and turned to the ceiling, to the veins all centering over the well.

Clint scoffed at that. “Would it surprise you even more to hear that pony land made more sense than any of this right now?”

“Clint, I get emails from said raccoon, so nothing surprises me anymore.”

“Natasha.”

The whisper caught the back of her neck and made her skin coil. Everyone flinched. Everyone turned in attention. It was Clint who drew his katana, Elektra who whipped out her dual sai, Tempest who bent low and charged up her horn, and Natasha who pulled out her pistol. They all faced the same direction. They all turned toward the light… where that chilling whisper of a voice called to them. Together, the four Avengers slowly stood side by side, each of them leading as they approached the well of orange and watched the shadows swirl around it.

Once more, the whisper called to them, to each individual Avenger and reaching them where they did not anticipate.

“Daughter of Ivan.”

Natasha lowered her pistol only slightly, her hardened brow softening. She quickly built herself back up when those shadows started to rise before them, cutting them off from the well.

“Clint… son of Edith.”

Clint tightened his lips, his gloved-fists crying out as his grip around his katana hardened further. The shadow began to take form, wisps of lightness and dark creating two arms, a body, and a face.

“Elektra… daughter of Hugo.”

Elektra’s jaw fell slightly, her sai lowering when she spotted the veil of darkness fall over the shadow.

“Fizzlepop… daughter of Cherrybliss.”

And finally Tempest, having listened to every chilling whisper call out to her team… and finally reaching to her. She tensed slightly, gulping as her vibranium/Uru horn charged up and shimmered brighter than the veins above them. It pulsated and growled with raw energy, intent on seeing their greeter turned to dust in case it tried anything.

But it didn’t. The guardian of the Soul Stone, the otherworldly being, simply dropped its head to them and lowered its snow-white arms. It was if they were trapped in a perpetual state of unforeseen reality, the world around them drowned away and only the being existing within it. They were in the guardian’s world now, unable to escape.

The guardian’s voice returned. “I have waited so long… for all of you to come here. Now.”

“Let me guess…” Clint called back, the tip of his katana centered on the shadow. He never broke away from its stare onto him. “You expected us?”

“From the future?” Natasha finished, pistol still trained right between the shadow’s black eyes.

The cloaked being stepped forth from the shadows that were birthed from the light shining over her body. In that absence of darkness, when that being approached them, they could finally see her with their own eyes. The way the cloak danced beneath her legs, swirled around her and created a storm of light and dark energy unknown to any of the Avengers. Or anyone else.

They saw as Mistress Death nodded to them.

Chapter 146 – Thor and the World Serpent

146

Equus

Southern Equestria, Pre-Classical Era

Year: 13 BNM (Before Nightmare Moon)

2:40 p.m.

Typhon felt the world tremble beneath him. The new world. The multitude of species from the backwater planet that had the audacity to claim their right upon his riches. In their resistance to his might, they burned within the smoldering landscapes below, his children finishing off what remained and screeching to those that retreated. Until everything was simply him.

As it always should be. For Typhon had lived too long to see anything more be taken from him. His own kin turned against him the moment he wanted to benefit his own race. They had ousted the great Serpent God from Earth and left him to spend his remaining years alone, abandoned, and utterly exiled from the world of his birth. His birthright.

But for Typhon—for Set—that exile brought forth riches beyond compare.

The primitive world of Equus housed a magic far greater than Earth could ever hold, and it resided within the very atmosphere itself. The very air breathed magic. Equus was a rich, young world full of magic, raw energy, and the power he needed to stake his claim upon it and his home once again. The species that currently resided did not see his glory for what it truly was, and they resisted. As all had before them. They sought to turn their conjoined swords to the Serpent God as a means to strike him down, yet all of their attempts have been met with agonizing failure. The scorched bodies pockmarked Southern Equestrian, his own armies having filled the lands and pushing forth to finish off the remaining rebellion to his soon-to-be empire.

But he stopped them. The First head arose amongst the smoldering smoke and ashes in the blistering volcano, the remaining six turning in accordance with it to the battlegrounds below. Amidst his swarming armies, through the smoke and fire that clouded the air and stepping forth to oppose the Serpent God, one man stood alone.

Just one man.

With a hammer.

Set narrowed his slit, burning red eyes. His nostrils from the First blew forth a stream of black sickness, the gargantuan wings extending from his back and the seven-headed dragon screeching out to the battlefield. The roar shot out and reached every demon, every beast, every Sligguth and every Damballah… and stopped them in their tracks.

Thor could only watch as those hordes of demons and beasts of Hel stepped and crawled aside, created a path just for him. Having the sun already beat fiercely down upon him, Thor had another weight placed on his shoulders when his lone eye spotted the dragon leap forth from the mountain peak. With wings large enough to create fierce, otherworldly storms, Typhon flew off and caught the air, separating the distance between himself and Thor within seconds. Once Typhon made impact with the earth one mile away from Thor, the gust of wind from the mountain finally reached the battleground, already overcome by the second wave of dust and wind when Typhon struck the earth and glared to the God of Thunder.

“What have we hereee?” the Sixth head hissed. Thor stood uneasily, on quivering earth.

“A champion?” the Third questioned, then barred his fangs and hovered high above the god’s head. He flicked his tongue to Thor. “At long last, a worthy champion! I have grown weary with these equines as of recent. You shall suffice…”

Thor continued to just stand there, unmoving. It was as if every nerve in his body had frozen despite his greater wishes and intent. Mjølnir felt heavy and the world felt even heavier, continuously pushing down on his shoulders. The shadows of the gigantic serpents somehow felt even heavier, many of them finding a keen interest in the God of Thunder and hovering, circling, and hissing above him. Thor stood his ground but did not show any signs of resilience to their efforts. It was if their sickening hisses and whispers dulled his senses and weakened his mind.

“The blood that flows within you…” The Fifth licked his lips with a long, dark tongue. “Yeeesss… I smell the fury in your veins. The lighting. How… invigorating…”

The Second pushed the Fifth aside, getting a closer, fuller look at Thor. The god readied himself after so long of merely standing as a statue, the titanic head peering down at him and eyeing his hammer. “A weapon of the gods… Odin’s wrath. But where did you acquire it? Ohhh... Why must we steal from our own fathers… Odinson?”

The fact that the beast knew him and his father was aggravating enough. Thor tried not to let that show, stating as plainly and clearly as he could. “By the power of the God of Thunder, the might of Asgard shall strike judgement upon thee, foul beast.”

Upon the hill of which Thor had entered into the battleground, the unlikely team of Rarity, Rocket, and Groot stood together and peered downwards to the confrontation. While Rocket and Groot waited eagerly making bets for how Thor would beat the seven-headed demon to a bloody pulp, Rarity stood alone in the thought that maybe what she had done wasn’t for the best. She was having doubts—too late, unfortunately—that Thor, in his current state, would be able to stand against such a beast like Typhon. She knew helping these species of the past was the right thing to do, she truly did believe that… but at what cost to their own team? At what cost to the Avengers would this choice hold?

Thor had waning thoughts all the same. His initial intent was to leave with the Reality Stone and his friends in tow in order to return to their timeline, to their future, and ensure that the trillions lost would not be in vain. Yet there he stood, against a demonic dragon and fighting in a war that wasn’t his… simply because it was the right thing to do. And it was. And Thor believed that. He believed in a crusade of peace, ensuring that peace by exacting judgement upon all those who threaten it. Typhon threatened it. He threatened Equus and all its lives. He needed to be stopped.

The Seventh laughed. It just laughed at him. “Oh, the ‘might of Asgard’! The ‘power of the God of Thunder’! Where has Asgard ever been for the realms outside their own? Their so-called ‘might’ would not dare to stand against me. Just as you… can hardly stand against me… child.”

Thor bent low, Mjølnir low with him.

The Fourth head licked his scaled lips, black fangs dripping molten magma. “For that is all you can be. All you are. Just a child to a greater man, a mightier god. And yet here you stand… for what? For them? Do that which your father and your sister rejected? So you can cleanse their sins? How noble. Equus deserves nothing but fireee…”

The Elder God struck its claws against the earth as it slowly approached and slithered closer to the King of Asgard. Thor remained as he was, a flurry of electricity coiling around the head of the mighty hammer that expelled forth from his right arm. His left pupil shimmered a bright blue. It was slow at first, but Mjølnir soon twirled with a raw intensity as Thor began to twist his right hand around the hammer’s strap. Lightning dance around and struck the sand surrounding Thor, a whirlwind showcasing the birth of a growing storm swirling around Thor.

The First narrowed its wrathful eyes, slithering neck bending low to the earth. Meeting Thor on equal ground. Growling to him, “And so… God of Thunder… you stand against me… for nothing. For your deaaath!”

Set struck with a ferocious roar, all seven heads snapping forward with fangs leading and screeches following. Thor threw Mjølnir with an even more ferocious roar, the hammer colliding with the Serpent God’s chest. Typhon—shocking himself and the world—actually fell back into the wasteland, a mountain of dust and storm arising from his fall. His cries rang out across the wasteland, the thunderous impact of his body against the ground sending an earthquake across Southern Equestria. The armies of Set instantly swarmed Thor the moment their master was down.

He jammed out his right hand, Mjølnir returning just as the demons reached him.

It was a swarm and flurry of bodies, screeches, claws, and blood as the armies impacted the God of Thunder. Thor held his own relatively well, ramming Mjølnir’s head into any unfortunate demon or beast that dare drew near. He flung the hammer into the heart of the swarm as he sent his lightning-fueled fists into the oncoming waves. Mjølnir broke through any demon that dared to stand in its way, but the demon horde got lucky once or twice. Some had survived the flying hammer and reached Thor with his back turned, scratching him and drawing blood from his jacket and pants.

Roaring at that, Thor shot out his palm and recalled Mjølnir, twirling the hammer wickedly until he flew up to avoid the crashing wave of demons. They all looked up, hellish eyes widening to see Thor call down the heaven’s wrath and bring forth a volley of lightning in his descent. The lightning struck his hammer once he made impact with the earth, clearing away any and all beast and demon that remained. Typhon witnessed such power unfold, hissing and crawling fiercely across the battleground to engage the God of Thunder in a more personal confrontation.

The world quivered ahead of him, Thor lifting his head up wildly and witnessing the seven heads screech his way. He was ready for them. Rising up with hammer in hand, Thor stood in the bloody remains of his jacket and pants, the rags barely holding on. They managed to hold even as the seven heads swirled around him, kicking up dust and wind and blinding Thor momentarily. Raising a free arm, Thor looked up only to be blinded by the sun. Then the shadow covered it. Then Thor was able to see the Second head strike downwards and close his jaws over the God of Thunder.

The Second bit down and caught Thor between his jaws, but was unable to finish it. He was unable to close his mouth fully. Between the serpent’s jaws, Thor shot out his arms and kept the beast from fully closing down on him. Looking to his left, Thor rammed Mjølnir into the Second’s black fang, knocking it free and earning a shriek of pain from the beast. The Second rose up into the sky and reared back with the god in his mouth, tossing him clear across the to the Seventh. Thor led Mjølnir to the towering serpent head, a stream of fire overcoming Thor before he could properly react in time. The fire pushed Thor to the Third, the beast slamming its own head against the god and sending him to the First.

He was thrown, smacked, burned, slashed at, and tossed around by the seven heads, until finally Typhon’s right claws reared up and snatched Thor out of the air. He slammed him upon the earth, cracking the ground and dragging the lone god across the dirt. When he finally stopped, Thor managed to open his eye to pay witness to the seven heads glaring down to him, to the claws that held him and constrained him to the earth.

He paid witness to one of the many hundred serpents upon Set’s arm rear down and send its jaws around Thor’s left arm. Thor screamed in blood-curdling agony. The serpent twisted and pulled and ripped free its prize. Set hissed with sickening intent…

Until he simply grew weary of the God of Thunder and threw him. Thor impacted the skeletal remains of an adult dragon, crashing through the spine and impacting the dirt, the sand, and crashing through a rock. Mjølnir flew off from the impact, crying as its head struck the ground and remained frozen there. Unmoving. Untouched. Then Thor rolled to a halt at long last, tried to rise again, but fell.

Finally gave in.

His jacket was burned clean off, blood splotches and scratches coating his bare chest and back. His right arm leaked the same lifeblood, straining to keep the god from the earth as he continuously tried to rise again. Only to fall again and again. His left arm was far worse. Far worse for there was no arm left. Thor gazed fearfully to that raging agony crying out on the left side of his body, his eye witnessing the bloody stump that remained. Rivers of crimson pooled outwards and filled the sand. He gasped for air, only taking in his on blood.

“Thor!”

Rarity…

Turning to the voice he knew, Thor reared out his remaining palm to his Avengers, to his friends to warn them. To stop them from facing a fate similar to his own. They stormed down the hill he emerged from prior to the battle, reached the wasteland only to be stopped by the towering shadow of Typhon’s tail overcoming the land and slicing it in half. Rarity, Rocket, and Groot all slid to a halt as the tail crashed in front of them, spewing a wave of dust and fury into their faces and bodies. Various serpents arose from the tail and dust cloud, hissing and flicking their blackened tongue to the three Avengers standing before them. Utterly distraught. Utterly shaken. Rarity’s last glance to Thor before the tail separated them was one of the guilt, of sorrow…

For him.

Thor stared to his friends in peril, his vision beginning to darken when the serpents arose and begin to near them. The shadow of the Serpent God fell softly upon him, the sun weakening and its light leaving him. Beyond the tail that separated him from his team, Thor could barely witness the likes of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing with the masses. The Pillars of Equestria. The Dragon Lord. Every race and every leader having watched the battle unfold and witnessing his failure for themselves. The darkened, pale expressions from their faces said it all. Every last eye centered on him. On his failure.

“You see it now…”

Thor coughed, droplets of crimson painting the sand before him. He felt his lungs filling with it.

Set snickered behind him, all seven heads shifting to the masses of Equus’ remaining armies before slowly zeroing in on the fallen god. “You cannot save them. You cannot rise above that failure. For even if the God of Thunder cannot save them… what makes you believe you possibly can? As you are… as you always will be…”

Thor turned back, his vein-filled eye widened to the Serpent God. “Nothing.”

And he simply couldn’t retaliate. Despite what his spirit wanted, the pain that flooded and overwhelmed every other sense of his body was more than his mere spirit could handle. It tried to stem from his arm and broken body, and Thor tried to push the blame onto that, that his injuries were the reason for his fall. And he believed that. His weakened body, broken bones, and shattered mind could not hold the weight of the universe any longer. His right arm caved inwards and he fell low before the towering Elder God. Typhon narrowed his eyes to the God of Thunder, to the way he knelt. Ash and cinder rained around him and covered Thor in that burning reminder of his failure… and he did nothing for it. He closed his eye and let his spirit fade.

The quiet was a welcome friend. And then…

You still fail to understand yourself.

It was as if a newfound life was breathed into him. He heard her. Somehow, he heard his mother’s words once more cry out to him from the darkest, forgotten parts of his mind that he had shut himself away from. The very remnants of himself that were abandoned five years ago, when the universal scales were forever changed and Thanos had taken nearly everything from him. The part of his mind was beginning to open once again, the light from it returning and guiding Thor once more out of the darkness. He opened his eye.

Every hero’s journey has a fall.

The world came back in full, horrifying light. The burning, smoke-streaked skylines and the two suns raging down upon the blistering fires that encompassed Southern Equestria. Within the heart of it, the shadow of the seven-headed demon glared down upon him with wings outstretched and steadily moving closer and closer to Thor’s prone form. Thor closed his mouth, his blood-soaked lips giving their last drip of crimson to the earth. His right palm balled into a fist. His expression hardened into a frown. Into a glare that rivaled Set’s own.

They define themselves… by overcoming that fall, rising back up and proving to themselves who they truly are.

His muscles strained against his movements, but he ignored it. The pain made him shut his eye tight but that was all he would allow the pain to do. He allowed only the light of his mind to guide him and push him onwards, the light within it giving him all the strength he needed to push himself up from the dirt once again. And unlike last time, when he rose up… he grew taller. While the world raged around him… all he heard was his mother’s voice.

He just heard her. And him. Frigga and Odin speaking together…

Who are you?

Thor opened his eye. He really, truly opened it. The lightning fueled it and cleansed the blood-ridden veins.

He rose up. Shakily at first, but with every movement giving a fierce declaration from the Avenger. The sun and the heavens of which Set controlled all glared down upon him, and the Serpent God narrowed his multitude of eyes. But those heavens… slowly shifted. Set turned his attention away from Thor and onto the skies, to the swirling grays that was his to control turn a darker shade of black. And it all swirled together, leaving the Elder God and instead chose to swarm around his foe. All seven jaws fell.

All seven jaws slowly turned back… to him.

“I am Thor… son… of Odin… King… of Asgard…! God… of Thunder!”

Thor shot out his right hand with wicked fury. Mjølnir flew back to him. He stood up, eye glowing a heavenly blue and teeth bared a bloody red and white. His beard danced alongside his hair, the lightning coiling around his arm and filling his body, shattering the earth around him when he held his hammer to the skies and roared.

“Allfather!”

His mere voice cracked the earth surrounding him, broke the sound barrier, and deafened even the Serpent God for several seconds. Shaking his heads, Set stared wide-eyed to Thor. He held his hammer to the stars, to the heavens above and to all the Nine Realms. Lighting struck the earth and completely devoured Thor within it. None could see within the light that rivaled the sun, the sun that no longer shone its light when the storm clouds blocked it from Equus. Within the only light of the world, Thor stood proudly as the lightning cleansed his wounds. The might of the King of Asgard was felt in the electricity that filled the air, the lightning consuming his body with a set of black armor. A flurry of Uru shards swarmed the bloody stump that was once his left arm.

Once the lightning died and the world fell into a state of relative calm, Set pulled his tail back and took a few cautious steps away. Rarity, Groot, Rocket, and the armies of Equus all witnessed it with their own eyes. They witnessed him when he stepped forth from the light. Rarity’s heart leaped, her jaw falling and eyes widening to see Thor standing once more. The electricity that filled the air sparked that small smile to return once more to her lips. And then the lightning returned.

The lightning returned from his own body. It struck the sand with every step Allfather Thor took. His Uru prosthetic arm gripped and twirled the mighty Mjølnir several times, holding it low on his left. He stopped in his tracks. His pupil darted skywards to the seven heads glaring at him, to the dragon that took another cautious step away.

Thor breathed in. The storm that filled Equestria breathed with him.

“Let’s try that again.”

Chapter 147 – Unfinished Business

147

Equestria

The Kingdom of Tambelon

Year: 2015

9:39 p.m.

The doors exploded behind Twilight, but she didn’t turn to them.

She remained where she lay, with her hooves clutching her head as a feeble attempt to protect her mind from the piercing ring that lingered still. Despite an entire world turning around her, there was a whole other reality the Princess of Friendship was trapped in. It was a reality that was not her own, weaved only by the voice that prodded her towards his comforting light. And she was tricked in doing so. Within his light, there was only a heart of utter darkness. That was all Twilight could see.

Dark, inky blackness that consumed her the second the bell had been rung. Like an endless sea, Twilight thrown into the waves and desperately trying to claw her way above its rampant clutches. Just so she could breathe again. Just so she could see again. He offered her neither and dragged her down into the murky depths of his power and influence, the kind he proudly bolstered with every horrifying growl and whisper. Twilight did not know how far his depth could reach, or how deep his madness could take her, but she sank and sank into the darkness and saw nothing else but it.

So when Tony, Steve, and Rainbow finally burst into the throne room, all they saw was a shivering Alicorn lying in the shadows. The light of the Tesseract shone down upon her, unveiling to her friends what had become of Twilight Sparkle.

“Twilight!” Rainbow cried, flying over with speeds that impressed even herself to Twilight’s side. She wrapped her hooves comfortingly around the Alicorn’s withers and neck and pulled her from the stone floor. Rainbow brought her forth so Twilight’s expression met her own. Tears filled her eyes and painted her cheeks. Her irises shimmered like bright red jewels under the half-lidded gaze. Rainbow could have sworn she even saw a pale yellow begin to swarm within her eyes and consume the white.

Panicked upon seeing a lack of realization from her best friend, Rainbow raised her hooves and clutched the sides of Twilight’s cheeks, her head, and anything so her eyes could meet Rainbow’s. So that all Twilight saw was a friend. She whispered cautiously to her, the Pegasus trembling over her own words. “Twilight, i-it’s Rainbow. It’s Rainbow, it’s me, o-okay? Okay… look at me, Twi. Look at me.”

The words were a lifeline and Rainbow Dash didn’t even know it. They were a light within the sea of black that aroused Twilight’s conscious one last time. So much so that the Alicorn felt a burst of adrenaline fill her heart and veins. The blackness that clouded and choked her could no longer contain the power that fueled the Princess of Friendship. She crawled. She swam. She fought with every last beating sense of strength in her heart and soul as the darkness faded and light was her greeter at long last. She embraced those words that called out to her, her own name spoken to Twilight in a calming, friendly, and truly recognizable way.

Twilight’s pupils widened. She blinked once, and the yellow was cleared from her eyes. She blinked a second time, and the red in her irises had vanished, replaced with the familiar dark violet. With the veil finally cleared and the nightmarish shadows washed away, the first real thing that Twilight saw was her. Rainbow Dash’s familiar smile slowly slipped its way back onto her lips, a breath of relief leaving the Pegasus.

Twilight’s own lips trembled, her voice a shaking whisper. “Rainbow…”

Rainbow promised herself she wasn’t going to cry during the Time Heist no matter what. But after seeing the tears start to swell painfully in Twilight’s eyes, she couldn’t help but let loose a trembling exhale. Her own eyes burned. She didn’t know if she was crying or not, but she really didn’t care. She smiled and smiled to see her friend safe again.

“There you go,” Rainbow Dash whispered to her.

Before she could properly react, Rainbow was struck with an impactful hug that took her breath away. Twilight hugged her best friend with a fierceness that Rainbow hadn’t seen in many years. It rivaled that of the one they shared at the New Avengers Facility when they finally forgave one another. It rivaled a hug that was shared over several years of pent-up grief and agony. It was able to rival that. Rainbow’s smile took a turn to a concerned line of uncertainty, her hooves rising to clutch Twilight in that hug. She assured her who held her, who would always stand with her through even the darkest nights and brightest days. Twilight shivered against her, whispering words that held no meaning.

Steve Rogers witnessed Twilight’s state with a look of growing unease. Still, meeting Rainbow’s eyes at long last, Captain America nodded to her and asked, “Is Twilight okay?”

Rainbow still felt her shivering against her. “She’ll be fine,” she said, not even confident enough to meet Rogers with a stare to affirm her statement.

“She better be,” Tony Stark said, earning the eyes of the room. Especially Twilight’s. She watched with bated and horrified breath as Tony approached the lone stand in the center of the throne room. He didn’t even seem to notice the towering throne resting in the shadows. Almost like it wasn’t even there. Twilight narrowed her eyes to that, but could see nothing with the light of the Space Stone blinding her in its brightness.

Grabbing the Tesseract with his Mark 85’s metallic palm, Tony examined it momentarily before nodding fiercely. His mask materialized back to illuminate his face in the shadows. “‘Cause we are out of time,” he finished.

He turned back to them, Tesseract in hand as he approached the remaining three Avengers. He eyed Twilight specifically when he informed them, “Knights are hot on our trail. Won’t be long before they storm this room, too. You ready to jump?”

Steve and Rainbow both nodded. And after a moment of trying to maintain her reality and position within it, Twilight eventually did, as well. Moving over to join Steve in setting the right coordinates into their GPSes, Tony held out his left palm and retracted the nanobots around his hand. With his right still gripping the Tesseract, he watched as Steve put in the correct coordinates for him. Twilight was released from Rainbow’s comforting embrace. Almost instantly as she broke away, Rainbow turned to face Tony and Steve to fix her own GPS, facing away from Twilight when she shivered. When that chill raced up her spine and clouded her coat, only Twilight was able to see and experience it.

Only she was able to experience what followed next…

“No matter how far you run, how deep you hide, I will always be there. No matter of space, power, reality, time, mind, or even soul can keep the future from my reach. Not even you.”

His voice. His whisper. His sickening and utterly nightmarish tone returned and slithered around Twilight’s shoulders until it reached her ears. Her mind. Her heart. The world around her stuttered into a long, deep, echoing silence. Everything else was numb—even Rainbow adjusting Twilight’s GPS for her when the Alicorn refused to answer their cries. All she was able to experience for those brief seconds of silence was a return to that inky blackness. Those shadows beckoned to her one last time…

And she broke away. She shook her head, blinked her eyes numerous times, and breathed again. Twilight shot her eyes back to the throne, eyes wide within the darkness. Seeing nothing that time in the shadows. It was just a cold, empty throne within a cold and empty throne room. The voices of her friends came back in full force and urged Twilight to be ready with her GPS. She was. Without even turning to them, Twilight raised her right hoof and let it settle over her left. Through every pestering second, through even the countdown Rogers announced loudly, Twilight stared to the shadowed throne. Somehow believing she could wait and see something in the dark.

But there was nothing there. Just the darkness. She turned away.

“We will meet again, Twilight Sparkle. Be certain of that.”

Even as she escaped into the Quantum Realm, there was nothing there.

Author's Note

Stones secured: Time, Mind, Space

Stones needed: Reality, Power, Soul...

Halfway there. :pinkiecrazy:

Chapter 148 – For Every Life

148

Equus

Southern Equestria, Pre-Classical Era

Year: 13 BNM (Before Nightmare Moon)

2:56 p.m.

Rarity felt the electricity in the air. The lightning. It corroded the atmosphere and struck the air with raging intensity. The storm itself swirled around him. The wind tugged at her mane and sent chills across her coat and the skin beneath it. She could not even breathe. All she could do to keep from fainting was stare onto him and the light he created.

Rocket lowered a paw from the brightness of the lightning storm. As the ferocious wind pulled at his hair and whiskers, it was never enough to deter Rocket from where he wanted to stare, from where his eyes could only turn. It was fully onto him, to the might of the heavens thundering down and consuming him with its strength.

Groot managed a smile. A grin, even. The world of Equus behind him and his Avengers stood in awe and majesty to the sight before them. Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, the Pillars of Equestria, every ruler, king, and nation standing to pay witness to history unfolding before their very eyes.

Set managed a sound. A gasp, an exhale, and the low growls emanating deep from within each head. The eyes of each slowly widened the longer they paid witness to him. He managed to stabilize himself against the earth despite the raging winds and storm pushing against him. The might of Asgard, the strength of the Nine Realms, all of it utilized and weaponized solely against him. Set narrowed his eyes. All fourteen of them.

And as for Thor, the Allfather broke the storm with a strengthening smirk tugging at his lips.

Then, the beast struck.

With a piercing screech, Typhon unleashed seven streams of fire from each mouth. Each tower of flame spewed forth across the wastelands and scorched them to a burning crisp, melting rocks and causing bones to burst into flame. The torrents of fire reached their target with deadly and accurate precision. All of it reached and centered solely on the God of Thunder.

Thor twirled Mjølnir. His left, prosthetic, Uru arm gripped the strap at the base of Mjølnir’s handle and spun the hammer wickedly. Dust and wind started to pick up and swirl around the hammer the moment the fire reached him. When it did, Thor roared and jammed his left arm forward. The fire that would have surely vaporized him was washed away. The fire itself was vaporized as it impacted the spinning intensity of Mjølnir.

Set was furious to see his fire being bested. Extending his wings and breathing deeply, the titan unleashed the full extent of his power. The fires billowing within his blackened heart and lungs were released and expelled upon the world. The remains of trees that somehow survived the apocalyptic battles that had plagued Southern Equestria erupted into flames. The remains of Equus’ inhabitants and even of Set’s children melted into flaming puddles of waste just from the heat his breath exhaled. Even with such might never before seen on the infant world of Equus, despite every step closer that Set took, the hammer would merely block it. The God of Thunder was pushed back, his armored feet digging against the dirt, but he would not fall. The flames licked at his beard and face, but he remained.

Thor looked up through a narrowed eye to gaze upon the seven heads towering over him, unleashing the fiery might onto him alone. The light of the fires were so intense that Thor could not stare for long. He planted his feet firmly into the earth and kept spinning his hammer. The prosthetic arm granted to him was incredibly durable and would not grow weary. The Uru shimmered brightly against the flames so close against it. Mjølnir cried madly.

As did Thor when the dragon towered directly over him. Directly over him.

Just where he wanted the beast.

Jamming his right fist into the air, Thor called down Asgard’s wrath with a bolt of lightning. It cascaded across the darkened heavens and struck downwards to Thor’s right fist. The only thing in the way of it was Set’s head. The First took the full weight of the blast, the lightning striking the back of the First’s head and ceasing the flames that expelled from its mouth. With that singular moment of clarity, Thor let Mjølnir fly. He never let go of its handle. The mighty hammer of the Allfather pulled him straight from the earth, avoided the flames that struck the ground where he once stood, and drove him directly into the bottom jaw of the First.

Typhon’s cries from the First were momentarily silenced as the deafening impact of Mjølnir met the beast’s bone. A resounding blast of thunder shot across all of Southern Equestria from that impact. It was so great that it sent the First head rearing backwards, the entirety of Set’s body slowly falling back with it. Miles above the ground, Thor let his descent aid in his favor. He fell with his hammer leading, the head of it directed solely to the beast’s exposed chest. Allfather Thor narrowed his remaining eye, roaring in his descent from the heavens to the earth as he reared back with Mjølnir. The hammer was struck with various bolts of lightning trailing behind Thor, meeting the hammer against Set’s chest as they all collided simultaneously with the ground.

Set struck the earth with his back. Thor landed right on top of him. He drove Mjølnir into his chest. The lightning met at that exact moment and exploded. The echoing cries from the dragon could be heard for miles.

The brightness of the impact was even greater than the sun, the inhabitants of Equus forced to shield their eyes from the explosion. Rarity, Rocket, and Groot did so, as well, the unicorn lowering her foreleg as the wind and light ceased from a moment of clarity. She continued to watch in silence, in awe, as did the thousands that stood behind her.

Set cried out as the light subsided and the raging agony fueled his senses. Upon his chest, all seven heads could see the lone God of Thunder rising up. The god’s gaze was centered on the area his hammer made impact, to the various cracks upon the scales of Typhon’s chest. The pulsating red from the fiery beats of Set’s heart could be seen within the cracks, the Elder God screeching at that. He screeched even louder to see Thor raise his hammer once more, the lightning striking its head and Thor fully intending on bringing it down for one final strike. Typhon did not allow him.

With lightning-like reflexes, the dragon reared forward with its Fifth head and caught Thor within its jaws. Already feeling the billowing energy fill his jaws, Set tossed the God of Thunder clear across the wasteland. Rather than face the various impacts, Thor spun in mid-air and slammed the head of his hammer against the earth, dragging it hundreds of yards across the rock, dirt, and sand until he finally came to a slowing halt. Thor ripped his hammer from the dirt and rose up fully.

The seven-headed dragon reared up on his hind legs, wings extending in a terrifying show of intimidation. All seven heads rose and glared to the lone god.

Lightning continuously struck Thor and the ground he stood upon. It fueled his body, his mind, his arms, his veins, and his spirit. The miles of wasteland that separated both the god and the titan swirled and stirred from the raging winds and storm clouds above them, the blackness enveloping all of Southern Equestria in darkness. The only light emerged from the flaming mountain behind Thor, the lightning that struck him, and the resonating fire pulsating in Set’s heart and consuming his chest.

The beast snarled, lips flaring and fangs showing.

Thor snarled, hammer spinning and lightning striking.

The world teetered and froze in time. Then, they charged. Set cried and struck the earth with his forelegs, an earth-shattering tremor washing across the wasteland as he tore through the raging storm. Thor ran as fast as his legs could carry him. With each step he took, lightning shot down from the clouds and struck him, fueled him, and pushed him faster and faster across the valley of death. Until, finally, like a burst of lightning himself, Thor shot up from the earth and met all seven heads for a devastating clash. Thor’s cries were like that of the thunder he wielded. His hammer led him into the towers of screeching serpents that Set sent his way with his right claw.

Thor broke the beast’s fingers with his hammer, his path unshaken even as the hundreds of serpents upon Set’s arm hissed and struck at him. None even touched the God of Thunder. His lightning acted as a protective shield and an offensive weapon, striking and decimating any serpent he flew past or grew near. Every slithering beast upon Set’s right arm was vaporized into a smoldering, black piece of dead flesh as the lightning washed over and consumed them. Typhon himself screeched out as the lightning devoured the entirety of his right arm, hellish red eyes glaring to the god flying towards the target of his sole desire…

Him. Set.

The dragon cried and dodged the hammer, the god, and turned to instead trap him within the binding strength of his seven heads. The towering necks circled and constricted around Thor, slowly growing tighter and tighter and breaking Thor’s area for breathing. The god hovered in mid-air, seeing with his glowing blue eye the embrace of the Elder God grow tighter and tighter. With the lightning still raining down and fueling him, Thor threw Mjølnir straight for one of the many heads. Set dodged it and zeroed in on the weaponless god. Thor was ready for him. The lightning that consumed his limbs was released upon impact of his fist against the beast’s head. The Seventh reared back as the lightning washed across its face, screeching out in agony upon the strike. The six others followed shortly.

Time and time again, Mjølnir would return to Thor, only for the King of Asgard to release and throw it once more to the heads that swarmed him like a hurricane of serpents and screeches. He was as a ball of lightning within the entanglement of towering necks trying again and again to strike him. Yet they could not even touch him. Thor drove his lightning-fueled fists into any head that dared to bite at him. The lightning kept the Allfather airborne. The eye of the storm circled over their devastating skirmish.

The multitude of Equus’ armies witnessed the legendary battle unfold from miles away. Wind blew against them with a soft intensity, the heart of the storm directly over the heads of both Thor and Typhon. Yet they were all seemingly frozen to the spot, utter awe engraved on their expressions as the lightning fell from the heavens and impacted the heads, the screeching dragon slithering and crying and striking the ball of light within its entangled necks. Rarity felt her mane being blown wildly past her, but she could not be bothered to tend to it now. Her eyes, as well as Rocket and Groot’s, could not be broken away from the otherworldly battle they were witnessing.

Mjølnir returned just as quickly as Thor had thrown it, and when it fell back into Thor’s left hand, the God of Thunder pulled down a volley of lightning from above. He then sent the lightning straight into Set’s cracked, broken chest. The dragon was almost unprepared for that, the beast shrinking back when it felt and saw the lightning impacting and flowing within the wound the Allfather had previously made. All seven heads slowly stared to it, then rose back up to turn that stare to the flying god. Thor let a victorious grin tug at his lips as he kept up the torrent of lightning from his hammer to the beast’s heart.

It was a smile… that didn’t last.

Set’s stare turned into a furious, burning glare of prime, unbridled hatred. The lightning that had taken Typhon’s breath away now seemed to fill him with fresh air. Like a rejuvenating pulse of life had just been breathed into him. Thor hadn’t realized his mistake before Set took in an even deeper breath of air. He didn’t realize his mistake before all seven heads reared back and the two wings extended outwards. He didn’t realize it… before it was too late.

Just as that bright blue lightning had entered his heart, Set unleashed that very same lightning from the various tips of his wings. Bolts of blood red lightning shot out, corroded, and infected the darkened clouds above them. They filled the atmosphere and all of Southern Equestria until the color red was the only source of light in the world. The lightning exploded from Set the second he reared back with his seven heads and roared to the heavens above. Thor had to shield himself from the brightness, barely able to see the seven heads center on him once more. Set fired those streams of blood red lightning from his seven jaws onto the god. He did so until he watched Thor’s body impact the earth several hundred yards away.

The fire and lightning had ceased. Allfather Thor remained on one knee, barely starting to rise when he felt the body and claws of the Damballah pounce on top of him. It wasn’t alone. Thor couldn’t even stand when the various Sligguth, Damballah, and demon horde grabbed, clawed at, and tossed Thor around. He was discombobulated. His vision was a blur and he couldn’t even open his eye to find his enemies when they swarmed and devoured him under bodies upon bodies. All he could hear were the satisfying screeches from Set and his mighty stomps upon the earth growing closer.

But those, as well… didn’t last.

A shimmering light as bright as the sun broke through and cleansed the wasteland around Thor. Every single demon and beast that had swarmed the God of Thunder were simply washed away under the glare of the heavenly glow. In one burst of light, they were gone, leaving just Thor lying on his back and shielding his face. His arms slowly fell away, allowing him to pay witness to his savior fly in and land directly in front of him.

The pearly-white wings extended outwards. The bright pink mane flowed along the wind. The gleaming golden armor upon Princess Celestia shimmered under the blood red lightning shooting out across the blackened skies. And through it all, her glare to the seven-headed demon was unshakable. The magic enveloping her horn was bright and intimidating, the Elder God hissing and screeching to the lone princess of Equestria. Burning red and hellish glares met that of the lone Alicorn’s, Set practically chuckling to see such feverish resistance still kindling within the broken princess.

Then he heard the horn.

The various sounds of trumpets filling the air and earning the attention of all seven heads.

Set’s eyes widened.

Across the hills leading to the north, the armies of Equus were vast and growing. They rose up alongside the various guards of each nation declaring their presence with a triumphant volley of trumpets and horns. Upon that battle cry, the armies were unleashed and raced, flew, and charged down the hill into the burning wastelands of Southern Equestria. The armies of the dragons dotted the skies alongside the griffons, the Pegasi, and the Hippogriffs. The grounds became a dust storm of stampeding hooves and paws from the likes of the equines, the yaks, the Kirin, the felines, the zebras, and the minotaurs. All of it in one wave of unending and furious might.

All of it strengthened and inspired to take that final leap into one last battle.

As the armies washed past Thor like a tidal wave, not one being had struck him or Princess Celestia. They instead charged ahead and engaged the children of Typhon in a clattering impact of armor, weapons, and cries of war. The dragons bombarded the demon horde with streams of fire, griffons firing arrows and Hippogriffs sending spears into the horde of demonic beasts. It was total chaos from that point on, a flurry of bodies within a cloud of smoke and dust.

Thor rose up at long last, witnessing the battle around him with an astounded gaze. He was so lost onto the battle unfolding around him that he didn’t pay attention to the Sligguth rushing forward and pouncing his right. It was blown away by a repulsor blast, Thor flinching to that and turning appropriately to the source of the attack.

The dark purple Iron Mare jetted forward and fired a second repulsor to the demonic, sword-wielding skeleton charging Thor’s front. The repulsor blew it to a hundred pieces, the pony in the suit of armor sliding on the dirt mere yards ahead of the god and jamming her hooves out. The bright repulsors burning at the bottom of each hoof fired off three more times, one to her right, another directly above to the charging harpy, and one last blast from both hooves to the approaching Damballah. A resounding blast from her hooves turned the Damballah into nothing but ash.

She stood breathing, both hooves finally falling to touch the ground. Once the mask materialized away, Thor stared to the spent but utterly focused expression from none other than Rarity. She turned around to meet the god’s stare, sending a warming but exhausted smile his way. Thor managed a flicker of a smile in return before his attention was captured to his right. Rocket ran ahead with his dual pistols, screaming as he blasted various demons and skeletons. Groot was right behind him, launching an extended root from his arm that impaled several Damballah and Sligguth.

At that, Thor and Rarity once more turned back to one another. Once more, really smiled to one another. It was that smile, that generous and grateful grin tugging at Rarity’s lips that told Thor all he needed without even a word. Just seeing that gratitude fill her features, the brightness enveloping her smile and telling Thor… that he had done it. By the looks of it, he had truly done what none other had.

The armies of Equus were given enough time to come back together, stand as one, and launch one final assault onto Typhon. Even if it had not been his intent, what Thor had done brought him to that realization when he witnessed the united armies of Equus turning their conjoined sword onto the seven-headed demon. He was the one who had bought them enough time. He was the one to have inspired them to make that last push. He allowed for what followed. And Thor smiled to it all.

He took his rest and let his efforts unfold.

The ponies, yaks, and various other ground forces tore rather easily through Set’s children, with greater success than Set had ever seen prior. Dragons launched fireballs to Set, the seven-headed beast witnessing the rejuvenated armies of Equus with shock. It was quickly replaced by boiling hatred, the beast rearing up on his hind legs once more and roaring to the armies charging him and his children. Electric currents colored red crawled up Set’s necks, the dragon unleashing seven streams of blood red lightning onto the armies beneath him.

Thor took a brave step forward, but there was no need. In a flash of light, the Pillars of Equestria stood alongside Princess Celestia. Princess Luna flew down and joined her older sister, just as much hatred glowing in her eyes towards the demon and his horde. The Dragon Lord, the king and queen of Hippogriffia, and the various other rulers of Equus stood together as one. Star Swirl the Bearded emerged before all of them, taking the lead to face the great dragon one last time.

The lightning ceased from Typhon’s jaws, all seven heads and all fourteen burning red eyes centering on the unicorn. On Celestia. On Luna. On all the Pillars and those who stood with them. With a devastating cry, Set reared forward and planted his claws against the earth for one more terrifying tremor. He charged ahead to the rulers of Equus, murder glowing in his eyes and within the fire blistering in his jaws.

Star Swirl merely narrowed his gaze, bringing forth the parchment that he had crafted alongside the rest of the Pillars. The final weapon against the forces of darkness. A power unlike any other. A harmonious magic that would deter the chaos and cleanse the darkness. His eyes gazed to it one last time before his magic teleported the parchment away. All that was left was him, the screaming wind pushing madly against his beard, cloak, and the charging dragon one mile away and closing.

“The spell!” Star Swirl firmly declared, twisting his neck back to his fellow Pillars, to the two young princesses, and to the rulers that stood with him. They were all ready. On his word. “Now!”

Instantly, Princess Celestia and Luna shot up from the earth and extended their wings like a protective shield to the Pillars and the rulers. Their horns brightened. Star Swirl’s horn did the same, joining Mistmane’s. Joining the magic that flowed from Meadowbrook’s mask, from Somnambula’s blindfold around her neck, from Rockhoof’s shovel jutted to the beast, from Flash Magnus’ shield, and from even the rulers and the weapons they held. The Bloodstone Scepter was the first, firing a beam of magic that joined the magic that flowed from the Pillars of Equestria. Next were the magical artifacts and weapons held by the Abyssinian king and queen, the griffon rulers, and so forth. A conjoined and united magic that came together and impacted the hovering Pillars.

Stygian watched from below, his eyes enlarging to see Star Swirl and the Pillars rise to join Celestia and Luna.

The Pillars and the princesses quickly absorbed the magic of Equus’ rulers, joined it with the magic that fueled them, and created an energy field of otherworldly proportions. The light from the ball of energy that surrounded them was a blinding white. The Pillars and the princesses shimmered even brighter within, all eight of them slowly unfurling their eyes and releasing the blinding whiteness that filled them. The moment their eyes opened, they created a pulsating wave of energy that washed over the entire battlefield.

Across all of Southern Equestria, that pulse shot out and consumed every last inch. It was as white as the field of energy that surrounded the princesses and the Pillars, but even grander and larger beyond comprehension. Once that pulse reached the armies of Equus, the various ponies, dragons, griffons, and so forth were momentarily stunned. Stunned, but unharmed. As for the armies of Set…

The harmonious wave of light washed over them like a wall of fire, vaporizing hundreds upon hundreds of Damballah, Sligguth, and various other demons instantaneously. Those that were spared writhed in agony as the magic consumed and destroyed them in a combustion of light. Typhon gazed in horror to his children once the wave reached them, but he could not gaze forever. His eyes, his faces, and all seven heads turned instead to the pulse of light finally reaching him.

As if by some failed hope to defend himself from it, Set raised his wings as a protective shield, to hopefully block the magic that had killed hundreds of his children in the blink of an eye. He fared no better fate. The pulse of light washed over Set’s wings and completely vaporized them. The dragon cried out in unhinged agony, turning to the melting stumps of bone that remained from his wings. Despite the burning pain that had corroded over him, he was still alive. He had survived the pulse and turned his attention back to…

A second wave of light shot out from the princesses. From the Pillars. Set’s eyes widened, his jaws dropping as that light consumed him fully. It was his heads that took the full blast, the Second, Fifth, and Third melting away and turning into nothing but red ash. Their final screams echoed as the third pulse followed shortly. The Seventh, Sixth, and Fourth were erased upon that pulse of light, Set falling onto his back. He tried to rise again. He clawed at the earth and turned to the ball of light shimmering amongst the wasteland. He gave one last cry. One last roar. One last begging shriek not for himself… but for his children.

The fourth blast took everything that remained. First, it was his children, the surviving waves of demons vaporized into nothing as they tried to run. Then… it was him. The First was the last to burn, the final wave of light overcoming Set and utterly destroying the dragon in an explosive array of red and white. The blast that resonated following the destruction of the beast filled Southern Equestria with a ball of scorching light, Thor and the many who stood with him shielding their faces from the brightness. The red ashes that remained began to fall to the earth, but it was not over.

Star Swirl the Bearded hovered among his fellow Pillars, alongside his pupils, and spoke so profoundly loud that his voice could be heard across the entire world. His eyes were a blistering white, whiter than his beard, the energy coursing around him fueling every second of every word he spoke.

He declared, “We banish you to the darkest depths of Tartarus!”

The energy field surrounding them exploded outwards. In a final wave of light, the red ashes from where Typhon once lived dispersed and retreated to the tallest mountain peak in all of Southern Equestria. The ash consumed the face of the mountain, red veins pulsating outwards from their entrance and carving themselves into the rock. A great tremor followed, the earth shaking as the mountain quaked and released an avalanche of rock, dust, and fire.

When the earthquake subsided, when the dust settled, all that remained upon the face of the tallest peak were a pair of great gates, intricate and hellish designs plastered on each door. They burned and glowed that same hellish red, fresh steam and smoke fading from its essence. As the cinders settled and the battlefield fell into silence, the Gates of Tartarus settled just as well. Utter silence for miles.

Then thunderous cheers and celebration that shook all the south.

The armies of Equus threw their helmets to the air, shot out their hooves, claws, weapons, and fists to the heavens and roared their victory for all to hear. Tears were shared amongst the masses, ponies dropping their weapons and falling to their knees. They clutched their heads and covered their eyes, fresh tears spilling free as they could not contain the emotional weight that followed. It was over. The nightmare that had plagued them for months had ended, allowing them to finally breathe in that radical and unbelievable idea they had chased for so, so long…

They won.

In an act of gratitude, Rarity ran forward and leapt into Thor’s arms, hugging him fiercely. Rocket twirled his pistols and jammed them back into his holsters. Groot raised a fist into the air and gave his own cheer of victory, joining the hundreds of others around him. The Pillars and the princesses slowly descended to the earth, settling themselves amongst the shattered wasteland to gain witness to the breaking of the clouds. The light of the second sun had faded, leaving just the only sun they knew and loved hanging high in the air and greeting them. It cleared the darkness and gave life back to Equestria. To all of Equus. Celestia smiled warmly to it, closing her eyes to hear the thunderous cheers that traveled miles and miles, to feel the warmth of the sun return to her.

As for Thor, he was busy holding the armored unicorn in his arms. He couldn’t help but let loose a chuckle of warmth from within his mended heart, a smile mirroring that of Rarity’s. “Thank you, Thor,” Rarity whispered, eyes closed and head resting over his chest. Over his heart. She could feel how warm it was, how strong it beat. “Thank you.”

Pulling her away, Thor fell to one knee to meet her eye level. With his hammer resting on the ground, both of his hands found their way onto her shoulders. Both the flesh and the Uru. Both of which Rarity finally noticed. Her eyes rose back up and away from the Uru to meet Thor’s remaining eye, and the strength reborn resonating within his lone pupil. His smile was big and warm, and he bowed his head gratefully to her.

“Thank you for helping me realize who I was,” he whispered right back.

Rarity’s tearful smile beamed even brighter than before. For several seconds, they merely gazed to one another amongst the celebration of Equus’ victory. Just acknowledging one another, finally overcoming the obstacles that had plagued them for so long was a blissful moment that could have lasted forever. They knew, however, they couldn’t wait that long.

Thor turned about, observing the celebration amongst the various species. “Well… do you suppose it’s time we went home?”

Rarity took a moment for herself. She turned just the same as Thor, watching the ponies and dragons and griffons and Hippogriffs hugging and cheering with one another. They had done it. They had done all they could for them now. She nodded. “Yes… it’s time.”

Thor rose up and held out his left Uru hand to Rocket, not even turning to him. “Rabbit, the extra particles,” he said.

Nothing. No sign of a response from the normally talkative Rocket Raccoon.

“Rabbit…?” Thor called, louder that time. He turned to Rocket on that. “The Pym Particles?”

His eye landed on the bipedal raccoon with his shoulders slumped, his ears fallen, and his expression downtrodden. Groot fared no better, sighing heavily and turning to Rocket for the inevitable answer. Rocket breathed in, and with a great sigh, admitted, “Yeah… about that.”

He brought his knapsack forward, digging inside carefully. Thor and Rarity stood together, almost frozen in anticipation and pangs of worry as Rocket slowly approached them. When he brought his paw out, Rarity gasped and covered her mouth with a metal-plated hoof. Thor’s muscles tightened, his lone eye widening in horror. His heart dropped when he saw the vials lying in Rocket’s paw.

When Rocket pulled out the destroyed vials from his knapsack, there was no red liquid within them any longer. They were shattered and utterly empty.

“I think they had a bad reaction with the Reality Stone,” Rocket muttered sadly. Thor and Rarity said nothing, Groot doing the same with large, sad eyes. “Whatever the case, the bottom line is we ain’t going home. These were the last particles we had. Yeah, bad luck, right?”

Thor’s breath tightened, his right fist closing into an electrified fist. Rarity took a cautious step away. “Why didn’t you tell us before?” the Allfather softly growled.

Rocket didn’t seem affected by Thor’s growing fury. He barely even raised his eyes, the sadness in his voice drenched in defeat. “I didn’t want it on your mind. Didn’t need that clouding ya when you were finding yourself again. You needed to chose the right path without being forced to.”

Thor’s anger was doused gradually, until there was nothing left and only the darkening shadow of failure fell once more on his shoulders. He let his eyelid close and his head fall, his breath leaving him and the fury in his muscles fading into nothing. His fist unfurled, the lightning coiling his knuckles and arm disappearing. It was such a stark and sudden shift that Rocket felt even more terrible for having to admit it. It always hurt to tell the truth. It hurt more to see how others reacted to it.

With no other path left, Thor looked about to the cheers and laughter and tears and felt nothing. There was nothin left for them to fight for. They were trapped with no way home. All his efforts, all his sacrifices, everything he had been through with his Avengers was for nothing. A hauntingly familiar memory flushed into him, the dreaded images of his bloody Stormbreaker lying in the grass next to an empty Infinity Gauntlet becoming more and more vivid after he had forced them out of his mind. He wanted to fall right there, but chose to stand. He needed to. Not for himself… but for them. His team. His friends.

Rarity hardly felt any better. Their only hope for going home, for undoing all of the tragedies that had befallen their time was gone. Though not as hopeless as Thor seemed to be, Rarity shook her head and stared deeply into the raccoon’s eyes, asking, “How are we going to time travel home now?”

“Time travel, you say?”

The voice was familiar, every Avenger turning to meet that familiarity head-on. Star Swirl the Bearded was joined by his fellow Pillars, by the two princesses, all of them smiling warmly, brightly, and thankfully to all four of them. It was Star Swirl who bowed respectfully, gratefully.

When he arose, he smiled and said, “So that explains why and how you’re here.”

Rarity held out her hoof, then cringed back when Star Swirl observed the Stark tech gracing her foreleg and body. She pursed her lips and began by saying, “Star Swirl, we can explain—”

He raised a hoof and stopped her. It was not his hoof that did so, but his smile. But his words that told her, “I may have been working on a little spell that might help.”

Chapter 149 – Come and Get Your Stone

149

Andromeda Galaxy

Morag

Year: 2014

The soft and purring voice of Lolly Vegas filled the Temple of the Power Stone, but only through the ears of Peter Quill. The legendary voice of the legendary singer came out through the legendary outlaw and echoed throughout the deep, dark, and towering walls of the decimated temple grounds.

And he danced.

Star-Lord danced the fear, the uncertainty, and general unsettling atmosphere of the abandoned temple away with his smooth moves. The Sony Walkman dangled from his hip as he thrust back and forth, side to side, and skipped in tune with the beat and vocals of “Come and Get Your Love”. Nearby Orloni fled from his swift approach, others charging or caught in his line of sight as Star-Lord reared back with each dancing kick and sent the alien critters flying across the ruins. The water splashed upwardly from his kicks.

He even grabbed one of the creatures. It pounced at him from a nearby rock, Star-Lord snatching the Orloni by the neck and singing right into its head, as if it was some crude microphone. He spun around and sang away, spinning and spinning and spinning. He only stopped when he slowed down, when he felt dizzy, but kept on dancing anyway. His favorite line was coming up, and he never missed a beat before. Couldn’t start now.

With Orloni in hand, Star-Lord strutted definitively across the rock and ruin of the temple and sang proudly, “Come and get your love~!” He threw the creature aside after that, spinning madly and singing once more, “Come and get your love~!”

His voice echoed in the darkness and shattered walls of the temple, and there was no music to join him. All that he heard flowed from his Walkman and exited his headphones, purely for his own listening pleasure. The others watching him from a short distance only heard his voice, saw his ridiculous dance moves, and slowly turned to one another. Specifically, to Nebula.

“You didn’t tell us he was an idiot,” James muttered

“I thought it was obvious,” Nebula whispered back.

“I like his dance moves!” Derpy whispered while bouncing her shoulders in tune with Quill’s movements. Looking to Nebula, Derpy exclaimed, “You never told us Peter was such an awesome dancer!”

While Nebula shushed the Pegasus, Rhodes acknowledged his team while Quill continued to make a fool of himself in the background. Starlight, Derpy, and Maud sat quietly behind the rock pillar they hid behind, Starlight’s hooves pressed against the rock as she, Maud, and Derpy’s head peeked upwards from cover. Robbie Reyes and Nebula were kneeling alongside Rhodes behind the mares, hidden behind shattered stone and other pillars erected from the earth. With everyone accounted for, James turned back to Quill to see him thrusting at the air.

He cringed, sighing with a shake of his head. “Gonna need to distract him.”

“I got it,” Robbie said, beginning to stand only to be stopped by James’ metal palm gripping his arm. Robbie sent an agitated glare, first to James’ hand and then to the man himself.

“Whoa, whoa,” James whispered. “We need him distracted. Not dead.”

Reyes sneered at that. “What makes you think I’m gonna kill him?”

“No offense, but you’re not exactly subtle,” Maud piped up on Robbie’s right. The group turned to Maud Pie on that exclamation, seeing Reyes’ expression devolve further and further into deeper agitation. Thankfully, he had managed to work on his anger in the past five years. They really didn’t need a Spirit of Vengeance wreaking havoc in their current situation.

Keeping his boiling blood down with some immense willpower, Reyes raised a finger to the Earth pony and declared, “Oh, and you’re supposed to be more subtle than me? Coming from a pony that crushes whatever she steps on? I wouldn’t be surprised if those hooves were made of rock!”

“I wouldn’t either,” Maud droned, staring at her hoof instead of Robbie, the thought of it being made of rock being much more interesting than the one who had put the thought in her head.

It wasn’t the end of the argument. Not by a long shot. Starlight groaned and rolled her eyes, igniting her horn and teleporting away. While their argument escalated quietly behind the rocks and shattered pillars, Peter Quill slid across the rock slick with mud and water with a stupid grin knitted on his face. All it took was a flash of light behind him to earn the outlaw’s attention, Quill sliding to a dead stop and furrowing his brow. His smile slackened, Star-Lord spinning around to confront the source of the pulse of light.

Starlight forced a wide and toothy grin and waved exuberantly.

Peter stared at her, his expression tightening as the confusing seconds only seemed to pile on and on. Not only was there company inside the temple where there hadn’t been the last time he checked, but it was a small, colorful unicorn. And it smiled at him. And it waved, too. Quill blinked, his brow furrowing as he stood frozen in that moment. His jaw was unable to close. His mind was unable process what he was seeing. His eyes looked nowhere else but to the unicorn, and definitely not seeing James’ forearm.

“Wha—?”

It was all he could get out before the arm flooded his vision. The metal of the War Machine impacting Peter’s skull made a dull thud, followed by a soft ring. Peter’s expression quickly softened as his head reared back from the strike, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. His body collapsed shortly after and lay unmoving upon the mud.

Cringing slightly at the impact, Starlight looked back up to Rhodes. “Nice distraction,” James said, nodding to her. Starlight smirked to the remaining Avengers stepping out from behind the rocks.

With the past Star-Lord knocked out quick and clean, the Avengers surrounded him and watched Nebula work. She dug into Quill’s bag, revealing a long pick. She sneered at it, rising forth with the lock-pick in hand.

“The tool of a thief,” Nebula murmured.

The others remained silent, watching the Luphomoid lead them to their next destination. Seeing as she had the most knowledge on their location, they wouldn’t dare take a step outside of her path. She led them to a set of massive stone doors, an alien lock mechanism planted on the face of the doors. Implanting the lock-pick carefully, Nebula gave the device a soft turn and let the rest follow through. The stone twisted and turned, the doors breaking apart and a plenitude of ancient dust raining from their inward separation. Within the innards of the temple, nothing but darkness filled the seemingly-empty room. The only source of light radiated from the capsule containing their prize. James raised his right palm, the repulsor light brightening their line of sight.

The Orb hovered within its shimmering containment. The Power Stone awaited their arrival.

Nebula took the first step.

“Whoa, wait up!” Rhodes exclaimed, left arm held out in front Nebula. The Guardian turned to the Avenger quizzically, seeing him turn his palm to the walls on their left and right. “This is usually the part where the spikes come out of the walls with skeletons impaled on them! Temple’s gonna start throwing some booby traps at us if we don’t take this slow!”

“What are you talking about?” Nebula asked, incredulous.

Derpy giggled. “Hee hee! You said ‘traps’!”

“I’m telling you, every single temple’s gotta have traps set off when we step inside—” James was saying. Maud blindly entered, her soft and subtle hoofsteps echoing across the floor and hitting the rock walls. Nebula was right behind her. James just titled his head, sighing and holding out his hand to them. “Oh, okay. You know, just go on ahead. I warned you.”

Robbie shook his head, mumbling, “Ay, Dios mío.” He followed shortly after Maud and Nebula, ultimately leading the remaining three Avengers behind him into the depths of the temple.

There was honestly nothing too spectacular within the treasure vault. Dark walls with intricate designs sketched and telling tales of woe and disaster and other prophesies long forgotten. The majority of their attention was focused ahead, to the imprisonment of the Power Stone. Nebula and Maud led the Avengers towards the main source of light within the blackness, with Rhodes, Robbie, and Derpy following shortly behind them, cautious breaths staining the thick air. It was only Starlight who turned away momentarily, her eyes somehow drawn to the left wall.

Starlight’s eyes widened, her breath tightening and chest expanding when she saw it. All she could do was breathe, and that breath escaped her as an astounded: “Oh, wow…”

Murals of Death, Eternity, Entropy, and Infinity decorated the wall to their left. The four beings seemed to be swirling around an object of their creations. Or, objects, in their case. What they surrounded, Starlight instantly recognized. Each gem was colored specifically and without wrongful designation. The bright blue, yellow, green, orange, red, and purple of all six Infinity Stones. Though Starlight knew not of the eternal beings surrounding their creations, she noted the Infinity Stones and shivered under the glare of their mural all the same.

Reyes’ footsteps brought the unicorn’s attention back to what mattered most. Robbie stepped forward to the Orb and the energy cage that contained it, only to yield to Nebula’s arm extended across his chest. He noted it, turning to the Luphomoid to see her take those steps forward herself. First, she removed her GPS from her left hand. Then, to his and everyone else’s surprise, she merely jammed that hand and arm directly into the streams of energy protecting the Orb. It burned her arm until her metallic bones began to show, the red-hot fingers gripping the Orb and yanking it free from its cell. The energy burned and shredded her metallic arm, but Nebula didn’t even flinch. There was no feeling left to experience or pain to expel in her limb, and as she analyzed the Orb in her palm, she handed it off to James behind her.

She blew softly on her left hand, the cinders softly cooling in the damp atmosphere. As she was placing the GPS back onto her palm once it had cooled considerably, the uneasy silence in the vault finally reached her. Noticing the uncertain stares from her fellow Avengers, she let her hand fall and rest by her side. “I wasn’t always like this. Broken.”

Rhodes let those words pierce him like no one else in their group could experience. At least, not on a personal or physical level. A sudden wave of cold dread filled his stomach when the memory flushed through his mind and reminded him of dropping like a rock and impacting the earth at speeds that could have killed him. That should have killed him. The exoskeleton strapped around his legs and spine somehow felt colder than the growing pit in his gut, but Rhodes shook it off. Somehow, he did.

“Me neither,” James admitted, gripping the Orb tighter. “But we make do with what we got.”

Maud laid her hoof softly on Nebula’s leg. Turning down to her, Nebula saw the deadpan expression rest on Maud’s face. Yet the hoof she offered her was soft. Warm. Comforting. It was enough for Nebula to breathe properly again, find that right state of mind to respond with a weak nod. “Yeah,” she muttered, raising her left hand.

The others followed suit.

“All right,” Starlight began after taking a seat and raising both hooves. She looked around to each Avenger. “We ready to go home?”

Robbie, Maud, and Derpy nodded. “Ready,” they all exclaimed.

Starlight turned to Rhodes, seeing him nod with his mask closing over his face. “Ready,” his voice growled from the mask of the War Machine. His left hand gripped the Orb, while his right hovered over the Time Travel GPS.

Finally, she turned to Nebula, seeing the Luphomoid stare fiercely into the unicorn’s eyes. “Ready,” Nebula hissed.

Starlight nodded back to everyone. “On three…”

Everyone looked down to their GPSes, left hands and hooves at the ready. Praying their journey would bring them home, Starlight whispered aloud, “One…”

Rhodes gripped onto the Orb for dear life. Starlight’s hoof rose higher. “Two—”

Nebula flinched and hunched forward, a painful gasp and cry escaping her mouth as she practically collapsed to the rock beneath her. Her team turned away from their GPSes and focused only on her, swarming their fellow Avenger with concern and care riddled in their expressions. All they could see on Nebula’s was agony, the flushing pain washing over her facial features as her eye flickered bright again and again. Her forehead sparked, the machinations within short-circuiting as an external network tried to break into her once more. That time, however, it succeeded and would not leave.

It stayed. It infested. It tore through her mind and took all it could. Her memories, her mission, her location… All of it unveiled outside of her realm of control. Her sight was not her own any longer. The world she saw was coated in a familiar and wretched blackness she wished never to see again. In that blur of blackness, figures standing in golden armor gazed to her. One in particular rose higher than the others in the room, the heated eyes slowly narrowing and the growing creases on his violet skin scrunching in mixtures of curiosity… and fury. Then, he smiled. Nebula felt her mechanical heart freeze.

“Nebula!”

She slammed her hand into the side of her head, the Luphomoid screaming at her own action. Her own voice came back to her, followed by the voice from her team. They came back once the invasive wave of pain finally subsided. Her team came back to her, all of them kneeling or standing before her with concern riddled in their gazes. All of it offered to her. She could hardly confront them, her mind reeling on the images she was forced to witness. Her chest rose and fell sporadically with her quickened, fearful breaths. Eyes wide, terrified, to what she had seen.

“Nebula, can you hear us?” Starlight exclaimed, hooves gripping Nebula’s shoulders and shaking her softly back into the realm of reality. “Are you okay? What was that? What happened?”

“W-we…” Nebula stuttered, unable to find the right voice she so desperately needed at that very moment. At that very millisecond. Digging deep into the waning strength within her, she managed to cry, “We need… We need to—!”

She tried to warn them. Even she wasn’t fast enough when the horn above the Temple of the Power Stone cried out and filled the air with its haunting, reverberating howl. Slowly, everyone shifted their attention to the ceiling. Everyone titled their heads skywards as that horn settled in the atmosphere and lingered. Its echoes hit every wall in the temple until the cry slowly faded.

And they were able to hear Nebula whisper, “… No.”

The first blast shook the entire earth.

The second destroyed the ceiling and sent a vast array of stone and pillar crumbling into the inner temple. Every Avenger either trembled where they stood or fell flat onto the rocky floor. The light from Rhodes’ palm was extinguished as he fell flat on his chest and released the Orb, dousing the Avengers in utter darkness save for the spilling of light outside the vault. Robbie growled and lifted his flame-filled eyes, spotting the silver orb rolling around amongst the continuous tremors filling the temple. Even with the constant, earth-shattering explosions consuming the vault, he scrambled to his feet and made a daring grab for the Orb.

A stream of bright blue light impacted the entrance to the vault and blew apart the ground surrounding it. Reyes was sent flying backwards, striking the end of the vault with such ferocity that any normal man would have been killed upon impact. He lay unmoving as he finally hit the stone floor and a pillar of rock and dust fell on top of him.

“Robbie!” Starlight cried, hoof outstretched in a weak attempt to reach her fellow Avenger. Her feeble effort would not have mattered anyway, the constant tremors nearly sending the unicorn flat on her chest. Her hooves struggled to keep her standing, the unicorn’s legs splayed outwards as she turned wildly back, forth, and spun around to do a thousand things a once.

She tried to find her team. She tired to see where the Orb had disappeared to. She tried to understand what was happening. She tried to survive. So many things happened at once that even Starlight couldn’t handle all of it. At one point, she watched as Maud and Derpy fled together out of the vault and into the rest of the temple. She tried to call to them, but her voice was drowned out by the shattering eruptions consuming the earth and temple around her. The crumbling ceiling caused her to enact one last act of defense. Her horn ignited, the unicorn sliding over and creating a vast, protective shield above herself, Rhodes, and Nebula.

A second later, the ceiling fell and consumed them under mounds of dirt, rock, and dust.

The temple outside the vault continued to fall and crumble under its own weight and the ferocity impacting it from above. The streams of light that fell from the sky tore through the ceiling and destroyed anything in their path. Maud and Derpy stumbled, rushed, and flew outwards into the daring open, each mare seemingly thinking the same thing at that very moment.

Their eyes landed on Peter Quill’s unconscious form lying in the mud and water. Around him, the constant explosions and blasts reverberated and filled the temple until more and more chunks of earth and rock fell and landed around him. And then, a piece of the ceiling fell and its shadow covered Quill’s body. Derpy gasped. Maud frowned.

Her speeds were unrivaled in what followed. She galloped with rejuvenated strength and energy that Derpy had never seen, the Earth pony dodging and weaving intricately between and past the falling rocks and energy blasts that impacted the temple floors. Just as the ceiling was about to crush Quill beneath it, Maud leaped from a crashed pillar of rock and soared through the air, the added push she gave herself inflicting even more damage against the rock she punched.

Derpy’s jaw fell as she saw Maud simply punch the rock and knock it out of the way. It crashed mere feet behind Peter’s body, the pony finally landing and skidding beside Quill. Maud’s frown never left her as the world around the mare continued to crumble and fall, the cross-eyed Pegasus finally joining her after a moment of shock from her end. The two only had a short moment to gaze to the collapsing ceiling. It was just a short moment for Derpy to do the first thing that came to mind.

She fell right on top of Quill and shielded him with her own body, eyes shut tight.

Maud rose up on her hind legs, forelegs splayed upwards and eyes glaring to the falling ceiling.

Everything collapsed. The energy blasts raining from the thickened clouds above continued to fall and pelt the Temple of the Power Stone until dust and fire consumed the outer ground and inner depths. The sprawling walls and towering pillars were the last to fall as the final blasts fell and consumed what remained in a resonating shock wave. Dust shot up and outwards from the final explosion. Until, finally, all was still and quiet.

The dust rose and filled the atmosphere above ground. Even then, it wasn’t enough to consume the red lights from spewing forth from the clouds. It wasn’t enough to keep Sanctuary II concealed. The mighty warship broke through the clouds and smoke and hovered near the remains of the ancient civilization. The bombardment caused the entire temple to collapse, a resonating horn sounding off to signify the ship’s overwhelming presence.

When the dust and fire settled and every stone had finally fallen, the survivors stirred under the rubble. First, it was Starlight Glimmer. Had it not been for her horn burning a bright aquamarine, she and the two Avengers with her would have been concealed under the pressuring weight of both darkness and rock. The pressure was still quite overwhelming, the unicorn looking to both Rhodes and Nebula to see if they were okay. The red eyes from James’ War Machine came back to her, gazing to the unicorn with what could have been thankfulness beneath the mask. Nebula, too, stared to Starlight with that expression of shock, awe, and gratitude.

There was nothing but shock left when Starlight bent low, shot up her head, and screamed.

The blast that followed from her horn was so powerful that it sent a shock wave of magic directly to the rubble above them, sending the rock and rubble skyrocketing. As the smaller rocks and pebbles made their descent into the remains of the temple, a large circle was formed around the three Avengers. A clearing within the ruin. Starlight stood shakily as her horn dimmed and she stared to the rising War Machine and Nebula. Together, they stood within a crevice of rock and pillar circled around them, smaller fragments of what once was slowly rolling down and filling the hole they were in.

That was about when James realized he had lost the Orb. He turned to his left hand, spun around to analyze the ground around him, and still saw nothing. His HUD began to scan frantically within the rubble, Rhodes muttering in rapid succession, “Oh, no, no, no, no, no! The Orb! Guys! Girls! Anyone have an eye on where the Stone went?!”

He grew louder and louder with each expression of denial, the bulking suit of armor ripping and tearing through the rubble. He pushed and pulled over rocks, lifted and tossed ancient pillars, and scanned quickly for the correct size and shape of the Orb. Soon enough, he was joined by both Nebula and Starlight, all three of them crawling, digging, and searching through the remains of the temple for the Infinity Stone.

Further across the devastation, a massive stone slowly began to rise. Dust and pebbles and other remains fell from its surface as it broke through and hovered above the earth. A shattering punch rippled beneath it, cracking the stone in half and the two chunks of ceiling falling and resting to the sides of the one and only Maud Pie. She fell down from her hind legs and rested on all four hooves, a single stream of sweat having built on her forehead. She wiped it away with just a flick of her hoof, the same deadpan expression unwavering.

Turning that expression downwards, she looked back to see both Derpy and Peter safe and sound. Filthy with dust and dirt and mud, but breathing. Still alive. Tapping Derpy’s back, Maud stepped aside as the Pegasus jerked upwards, a startled gasp leaving her. Fully alert, Derpy quickly analyzed her surroundings, muttering, “W-we’re alive? We made it?”

Maud nodded. Her eyes, her expression, fell lower to the unconscious form beneath her.

Derpy followed her, gasping as she tried desperately to push Quill onto his back. Though with a slight struggle, Derpy finally managed to roll him over. Her wings beat furiously as Maud stepped in and helped her, the two mares staring to the filthy and blank expression from the Peter Quill that didn’t know them. The Peter Quill that wasn’t their friend.

That didn’t deter Derpy in the slightest. She gripped his cheeks with her hooves and shook him, cried to him, called again and again just to get some form of a response to assure herself he was alive. That her friend was still alive. She wasn’t thinking on the grander scheme, or what would happen when he saw her, she just wanted to know he was safe.

As her hooves finally settled, she found that assurance. Derpy let him go and leaned back when Quill’s eyes fluttered open. She ensured that the first thing he saw was a friendly face, or two. Or, perhaps only one, considering Maud’s expression shared hardly any form of kindness, or security. Derpy, nonetheless, offered her best and sweetest smile when Peter’s eyes slowly turned to her.

A smile that deteriorated rapidly when Quill shoved her aside and scrambled to his feet. He rolled as he did so, whipping out his Quad Blaster and pointing the barrel dangerously towards the two mares. Derpy stared at him with hurt in her eyes, that hurt quickly transforming to fear to see the end of his baster pointed at her. Maud didn’t even flinch, merely stepping aside and gazing his way.

“All right…” Star-Lord growled, his free hand held out in a cautioning manner to the two alien horses. “Okay… no sudden moves. Stay right where you are… and you don’t get a hole between the…”

His expression broke slightly when he saw the Pegasus’ gaze, each pupil shooting off in a different direction but still somehow focused on him. It was odd. It was so odd that it froze Quill only momentarily. “Eyes,” he finished with a slight whisper.

Derpy held out one of her hooves, ignoring Star-Lord’s threat and called, “Peter…”

She—whatever she was—knew his Terran name. It caught not only his throat, but his heart, as well. He was unable to speak, unable to understand, and unable to properly think of how to respond. In the end, he did what he did best: He ran.

“No, Peter, wait!” Derpy called, flying awkwardly after him. Maud was slower, but trailed the duo nonetheless. As for Quill, he stumbled over the ruins of the shattered temple, having only recalled the entire structure to be somewhat stable the last moments of consciousness he had. Next thing he knew, he was laying in the remains of an ancient civilization with two alien horses waking him up. Not the weirdest place he’d woken up in, but it was up there.

He ran for it to make a hasty retreat back to his ship. He jumped and slid and made his way carefully between and over the remains of the temple walls and pillars that filled the grounds. Every now and again, he would cast a quick glance behind him to still see that same Pegasus flying after him, constantly calling to him with the name he gave no one else but the scum that stole him from home. That alone terrified him more than it should have, but Peter didn’t care. He ran.

He ran right out of the ancient doors of the temple and stumbled into the rest of the outside world. And Quill slid to a terrifying halt, eyes glazed over as they shot skywards and locked with the red lights glaring down upon the earth. Through the dust, clouds, and storm, he saw Thanos’ Sanctuary II hovering menacingly above the world.

Definitely not how he expected his Monday to go. “Ah, shitballs,” Quill groaned.

A black and gloved-fist punched its way out of the gravel and stone. That fist remained erected until it clawed at the very rock that kept the rest of it concealed. Arising from the ruin, the flames licked the white and red skull as it rose amongst the chaos and devastation that remained of Thanos’ attack. The pulsating, hellish orange eyes erupted into a forever cinder, a low growl emanating from deep within the skull’s throat and spirit. And that Spirit, that demon of vengeance lifted its eyes to the sky.

It growled, louder and more animalistic as it fought, clawed, and punched its way out of the rock and pillars that had crushed it. When the dust burned and faded from its body, all that was left was the demon. Just the Ghost Rider.

Just the lone Spirit of Vengeance standing against the army of the Mad Titan released onto Morag.

Chapter 150 – Sacrifice

150

Earth

The Nation of Wakanda

Well of Souls

Year: 2014

Natasha Romanoff kept her pistol trained on the slithering mass of shadow and light. Clint Barton did the same, but with his katana held tight and its end centered towards the snow-white expression and black eyes of the being floating before them. Like a phantom. A ghost.

Tempest Shadow and Elektra Natchios turned to one another after that answer from the phantom, the way she nodded as a response to how she knew they came from the future. Regardless, their guard was at an all-time high, Elektra’s pair of sai and Tempest’s horn jutted forward and ready to attack at a moment’s notice.

As for Mistress Death, she acknowledged the four before her with a waning glance each. Their journey led them to her, at that exact moment in time, for the future had been set and they needed the power of the Soul Stone to accomplish their goals. If it was as she feared, then Mistress Death held an even greater understanding of their situation. Their journey was but one of many she had foretold. She settled momentarily on two specific individuals before turning aside and creating a clear path for them to proceed. Directly passed her, the heart of the cave pulsated and glowed a heavenly orange amongst the vein-like vibranium walls beating their blue life force directly towards the heart.

Noticing the position she took on the sidelines, the Avengers settled themselves momentarily. They lowered their weapons slowly, began to proceed with caution towards the heart of the cave. They each cast Death a longing stare before settling around the massive circular well. Her voice emerged from behind, as each Avenger gazed into the well and its orange light reflected off their faces and pulsated in their eyes.

“What you seek lies before you… as does what you fear.”

“The Stone?” Natasha asked, staring deep into the well.

“Only one may acquire it. For the other…” Mistress Death began to say, then stopped herself. It was their decision to make, and one she could only allow. She had no choice. She watched them gaze into the Well of Souls. “In order to take the Soul Stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul… for a soul.”

Clint furrowed his brow at that, sliding his katana back into his holster. He breathed in her words, found trouble breathing, and turned back to the Mistress with an utterly confused and shaken expression. “What?” he asked, practically breathless.

Death stared deep into his eyes with the never-ending pits of black in her own. “The Stone requires a sacrifice.”

“A sacrifice?” Elektra whispered, rising terror on her tongue. Somehow, she knew what was coming next.

The shadows cloaked around her, draping over her head in a veil of black. Despite that, they still saw her scarily white face beneath, her black orbs for eyes, and heard the dead whisper leaving her lips. “Your greatest love, so that whomever may posses the Soul Stone knows of its true power. Its knowledge… its strength… must only be held by the one who is truly and utterly willing to understand its wisdom. This is the price.”

Every single one of them took that moment to absorb every last word they heard and try to understand it. Secretly, deeply, they all understood it sooner rather than later. They all knew the price and what the Mistress demanded of them. Just trying to accept that price was another matter altogether, another matter that none of the four Avengers felt fully willing to face or commit to. Not immediately. They either backed away, strode alongside the Well of Souls, or stood in place. Frozen in time. Like a statue. All that moved was their chests. All of them breathing sporadically.

Licking her lips and letting loose a shaking breath, Tempest slowly turned to each of her temporary team members. They all seemed to share the same expression as her, that brightening realization of what was needed but the overwhelming shadow of doubt lingering still.

Finding her place in the mix of uncertainty, Tempest said, “We didn’t know a thing. Nothing. All we knew was the time and place, but that was the peak of our knowledge about the Soul Stone. If this is true… if what she says… is true…”

Natasha sat down on a slab of vibranium. Mistress Death stared at them in silence. Patiently.

Shaking her head, Tempest took in a deep breath through her nostrils, moments before she let it loose in a long-winded exhale. “Maybe we shouldn’t have come here. Maybe we should go back.”

“And risk the particles we have?” Elektra argued, finally stepping out of that silence that plagued her and her team. “We could end up in some alternate timeline, and then all we have left are enough particles to get us home. This is our safest bet. Right here, right now.”

“And just how…” Tempest said, turning her neck nearly fully around to gaze to her, “… do you intend to get the Soul Stone, Elektra?”

Her lips parted… but nothing escaped. Not even a breath. Until, finally, she fell back and leaned against the furthest vibranium wall. Utterly silent. Tempest sighed and faced forward once more to the well, staring into its never-ending glow of orange. Natasha appeared deep in thought from where she sat further away, fists resting just upon her chin. Her pale skin was a ghostly white, nearly resembling that of Death herself. Trapped in that state of total silence, the Avengers had nothing to say. Nothing to do. All Clint could really do for himself was pace back and forth, deep in thought, as well. His eyes fell back to the well, to the flowing shadows of black and white hovering to the side of it. He saw her staring at him and him alone.

“How’s it goin’?” Clint waved, then softly chuckled to the Mistress. She said nothing in return. Just stared. “Jesus... All right, maybe she’s making this shit up.”

Natasha stared dead ahead, at nothing. “No… I don’t think so.”

“What, ‘cause she knows your daddy’s name?”

“I didn’t.”

Clint turned to her.

As did Elektra. As did Tempest. They all felt that pestering silence linger still, infect each of them in different, more horrifying ways. Finally, after a shake of her head, it was Tempest who admitted, “She’s not lying.”

The room—minus the Widow—shifted the spotlight to the unicorn. She continued. “She can’t be. This is the bargain; this is what it’s all been leading to. One of us needs to give ourselves to the Stone… and one of us… needs to let them.” Though she tried her hardest to conceal it, Tempest was trembling in the finalizing words of her speech.

For she was asking more than any of them could ever give without losing their lives. It hurt her to say it and it hurt even more to try and meet their individual expressions to that forced revelation. Elektra was shivering against the vibranium wall, her eyes falling the moment Tempest turned to her. The numbing wave of pins and needles overcoming her limbs and fingers made the woman tremble even more. Noting how Natasha continued to stare off into her own reality, Tempest turned and stared at Barton.

Clint noticed how she lingered in that stare. He held out his hands, muttering, “Listen, Fizzle… juice… Tempest… I mean… I’m sure you’re great and all, but I don’t really know you that well. You know, I’m not trying to sound—”

“I get it, Barton,” Tempest interrupted him, a deadpan expression filling her features. Just the thought of them knowing her real name was hard enough. She didn’t need Clint to tell her an entire novel just to say he didn’t love her. They just met that day after all. “And I’m sure you feel the exact same way about Elektra. Like I do. Like I do for… all of you.”

Elektra hissed and shifted her fiery glare back to the Mistress. She said, “This is a sick… twisted game. Playing with our emotions, our love. You do not know what love is or can be, let alone laying it on the line like this!”

Mistress Death just stared at them. A soft pang of hurt filled her eyes, but they didn't see it.

Natchios was fuming by the time she pushed herself from the vibranium, needing a second or two to clear her mind and fill herself with enough air to think properly. She paced back and forth, hands behind her head, her stomach feeling very, very queasy just at the overbearing thought of what was needed to acquire the Soul Stone. They were trapped. There was no way they could simply leave, no hope of going back to the facility empty handed and expecting to make another trip. Right then and there, that was their moment… and it required the ultimate sacrifice. They were completely and utterly trapped.

It was Romanoff who broke her silence and asked, “Would you do it for Matt?”

Elektra broke herself out of her mind and turned to that question, to the woman it left and simply stared at her. Natasha was not staring at her. She did not meet her gaze. She was only focused forward with that hardened expression on her features. But she listened. She waited for a response. As if Elektra could even give one that mattered.

If Matthew had been there, if he was given the same choice as her, then Elektra could assume things might be simpler. Or they might be worse, because they would actually have a way out of their situation. They would have a way out because Elektra knew how she felt towards Matthew. She knew how he felt towards her. Both were willing to die beneath that building a lifetime ago just so they could be in each other’s embrace for those final seconds. If that wasn’t love…

Elektra sighed and closed her eyes. She felt her back strike the vibranium wall once more, the back of her head joining it soon. She trembled in her response, finally admitting not only to them but herself, “If he was here.”

Natasha weakly smiled at that. She didn’t know what to feel from Elektra’s response. She didn’t even feel as if a smile was an appropriate one, but just to know that they were willing, that someone among them was willing… was enough.

Natasha breathed in. “Thanos got the Soul Stone only after he took his daughter to Wakanda. Only after… we found her dead. It’s not a coincidence.”

Elektra laid a hand over her eyes, her face contorting into a deeper understanding of pain. Tempest backed away from the well, cautiously at first, then stopped dead in her tracks further away from the rest of her team. As for Clint… he turned to her. He stared at her. “Yeah,” he said to her.

To Natasha.

Tempest and Elektra were as far as they could be from the well.

They weren’t.

Natasha still held that sad smile. “Whatever it takes.”

Clint stared to her, realization striking him. “Whatever it takes.”

They turned to the two Avengers. Every other soul in the room shifted their gazes and stared to them. From Elektra lifting her tear-filled eyes, Tempest awakening from her shaken state of mind, and Mistress Death finding a keen interest in the two souls coming together before her. She stared with greater and closer interest, silence pestering around her like a sickness.

Hawkeye and Black Widow were able to escape that sickness. Natasha stood up, standing face to face with Barton. “We don’t get that Stone… billions of people stay dead.”

He breathed that in, knowing he could never go home without the Stone and his team safe and secure. He could never go home without knowing his family would be there to greet him. It took Clint less than a second to admit to himself that he could never go home. “I guess we both know who it’s gotta be.”

“I guess we do.”

They let their hands weave into each other’s. First, it was Clint’s reaching for her hand and grasping it softly. Then, both of her palms clutched and comforted his lone hand. Until they both found that warmth once again. A momentary relief. Tempest and Elektra were dead silent, staring to the duo with disbelief shaped on their expressions and clutching their hearts. They wanted to act. They couldn’t believe they didn’t. They wanted to go home but they didn’t want to if it meant… leaving one of them behind.

Clint gripped her hand, staring deeply and fiercely into her eyes. He couldn’t help but smile to see the adamant stare in her own. “I’m starting to think… we mean different people here, Natasha.”

Natasha shook her head. “The last five years I’ve been trying to do one thing, one more good thing that I can, get right here. That’s all it’s been about. Undo everything Thanos did, bring everybody back. That’s all I’ve wanted to do. That’s all I can do now.”

“He did it?”

Her voice broke into their world like a sharp and pained whisper. Like she was shocked when she uttered it. Almost as if… she didn’t expect it. They turned to Mistress Death, a weak nod from Romanoff being all the Widow could offer in her state. Death dropped her head at that and stared into the light, taking in a gasp of air. A gasp of fear. She was silent after that.

“No,” Clint growled, causing Natasha to wheel her eyes back to him. “No, don’t you get all decent on me now. Not after what I did. What I deserve.”

“You think I wanna do it? I’m trying to save your life, you idiot.”

“Yeah, well I don’t want you to. Not anymore. I want you to stop helping me when there’s nothing left to help anymore. This was… this was good. I was good again but only because of you.”

There were visible tears in his eyes, his face contorting and various creases showing ever level of pain in his expression. Natasha felt every inch of his pain and cried for him, for herself, with him all the same. A single tear slipped down her shivering face when he told her, “Natasha, you know what I’ve done… You know what I’ve become. That’s not worth saving.”

She gulped, trying her damnedest not to break her voice. “Yeah, well I don’t judge people on their worst mistakes.”

“... Maybe you should.”

“You didn’t,” she told him. “You let me live and you saved my life because of it. I still haven’t paid that debt. Knowing I saved you would make my life worth it.”

Clint shut his eyes upon that memory, a moment in the past he knew would come back to haunt him. But after years of working together, training together, bonding together, becoming a friend and even family to one another… Clint never wanted that debt to keep them together. He wanted to forget about it and hoped she did, too, because the debt didn’t matter anymore. What they had, what they were to one another, that was all that he cared about. He only cared about her. Knowing otherwise, knowing that she would hold that debt over him until the end of the line made it all the more painful. The tears in her eyes, the break in her voice, every emotion she expressed solely for him told another tale altogether.

It told Clint that she managed to look past the debt and love him. Her friend. Her first family.

The tears finally fell, Clint whispering sharply, “You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?”

She could offer nothing else but that. They pressed their foreheads together, their shared strength and love comforting one another in that space broken, their shared tears falling in harmony. They held one another; eyes closed as their breaths sang in chorus. Elektra was openly crying. Tempest’s expression was barely holding together, the red in her eyes showing some mist. Showing some respect.

Mistress Death, however, watched them with longing in her blackened eye sockets. Never before had she seen such love expressed for two whose lives were focused elsewhere. One who was married, had children, and a life he could get back. And another who had lost it all, gained another family, and was doing everything in her heart to make right by herself and the world she felt she both wronged. It was unlike anything she had seen. So peaceful, with no hate. So innocent, with no lust. It was love in its most blessed form. A kind of love that was taken from the Mistress.

It came out. Maybe it was out of her will, maybe it wasn’t, but she said it anyway.

“When I see your love… I see only him.”

She said the first thing that came to her broken heart.

Breaking their foreheads away from one another, Clint and Natasha held each other a moment longer as their eyes settled on the embodiment of death. Elektra and Tempest followed, listening intently and watching with just as much intensity. They saw as Mistress Death took in a sharp gasp of shivering pain, her eyes lingering into the Well of Souls.

Her voice was an otherworldly echo. Raw and suffering.

“A part of me… still wants to believe he loves me. A part of me still feels that heartbreak. Yet I have seen it coming and I can only relive it. I knew his quest for power and I did nothing to stop him. Now, you come to me from a time I have yet to live… only to know he succeeded without me. There is no more order in the future. Your present… where life and death are fractured. I have seen it.”

She sighed, dropping her head, letting her white arms rest by her sides.

“And yet…”

The orange light of the well shimmered over her veil.

“This is one moment I have not foretold.”

It came to her in a way she could not explain. As a being that was before time, before creation, Mistress Death had an understanding over all life and death. She helped form the Infinity Stones into being and knew of their power, knew especially of the Soul Stone and the ultimate sacrifice. There truly was no greater love than to give one’s life for their friends. For their lovers. For their everything. That feeling washed over and the embodiment of death itself could barely explain it.

Deep down, she wanted to believe that Thanos had achieved his goal for her, that he achieved his destiny because of his love for her. To impress, to constantly shower with gifts and treasures and achievements beyond compare was not love. What they expressed, what the Avengers showed her… to love one another so much that they would lose their lives, give their bodies, their hearts, and their souls for each other proves what love truly was. There was no greater love.

Despite him breaking her heart, Mistress Death knew a longing when she felt it. His soul was fractured, broken, driven mad by his ultimate quest to see the universe “balanced”. The young Titan that had wooed her and proved to the Mistress that even Death could be loved… was a feeling she never could forget. She knew he was suffering. She knew the madness of believing to be a savior and the unbearable weight that came with it drove Thanos from her. His peace would never come because it was unachievable. There was no life with half of it gone. There was no love in that. Deep in her blackened heart and wounded soul, Mistress Death knew there was something left in Thanos worth preserving.

For both of them.

She fell to her knees at the well. Her hands rested in her lap and she gazed into the unending light and suffering and pain that came with the everlasting exchange. “That which you truly love…” she whispered, eyes slowly closing.

Death shed a tear as she relinquished her heart to it.

The light within the well expanded, rising forth and blinding the Avengers under the glare of a heavenly white. After it subsided, after they lowered their arms and forelegs respectively, all that remained in the Well of Souls was a black pit. Resting in the palms of the Mistress—as she turned to face them—was a shimmering orange gem. All four of them felt their breaths halt at the mere sight of it, none of them able to move. None of them able to breathe again. They were only able to do so when she approached them, her palms held open to them and the light of the Soul Stone showering through them.

It looked as if it physically pained her to utter the words that flowed from her cold, white lips, when she forcefully said, “When you return to your time… you must promise me… you’ll kill him. The exchange will be fulfilled once Thanos’ soul has been set free.”

Natasha stared from the Stone to the Mistress, brow furrowing. Whispering, “He’s still alive?”

Death looked away in pain. Another tear.

“Once you are finished, you must return the Stone to this exact moment. But only after you have returned the natural order of life and death in the universe,” she begged, holding out her palms to the Avengers congregating before her. The Stone was offered and still they were shaken by the revelation of Thanos’ fate in their timeline.

Finally, it was the Widow who took it. She held the Soul Stone softly in her gloves, gazing to it with mixtures of awe, wonder, and terror laced in a tight bow. “Thank you,” Natasha whispered. It was all she could really say, or offer, to the Mistress Death.

She stared to them. To two of them specifically. “Don’t thank me.” Her voice was raw with pain.

Then, she watched as they gathered together and activated their GPS devices, the Quantum Suits consuming their bodies and all four Avengers shrinking into the infinite expanse of the Quantum Realm. They were gone, with the Soul Stone in their grasp. And Death stood there in the growing darkness of the Well of Souls, her palms tightly knit with one another, her eyes unable to stare anywhere else but the future.

“This part of your journey will always wound me… Avengers.”

Her hands rose to clutch her heart, and even in that never-ending coldness, she could have sworn she felt the familiar warmth of the Titan’s touch. A warmth she could feel again.

She closed her eyes. “Even so… please… avenge us.”

Clint felt himself grow unnaturally fast. His stomach dropped as he flew through the swirling lights and vortexes of the Quantum Realm, passing too fast to see what appeared to be a city hidden in the lights. He couldn’t tell. It was almost all a blur. Then, he crashed. Hard. He groaned, fists planted into the gravel as he pushed himself up.

“Ow…” he growled, hissing through heated breath. He inhaled a lungful of dirt and coughed. Forcing his eyes open, he was able to see to dust blow free from the ground he coughed on. Dirt. Gravel. Near-darkness upon the vast landscapes surrounding him and the skies above. Clint’s eyes bulged open.

He spun over, looking about and seeing no one. Nothing. Nothing but miles and miles of empty, war-torn landscapes. Decimated remains of blackened skyscrapers against a canvas of white fog filling the seemingly endless graveyard. The fog was slow to consume the land he lay upon, and Clint was certain not to be caught in it. Stumbling to his feet, Clint let his breathing do the talking for him, for no words could be formed from the Hawk.

He spun around and gazed into the shadowed city. Not a single flash of light or anything could have existed within its veil of black. He merely stood on the outskirts, but even then, he could feel its presence dragging him closer and calling to him in a voice he could not explain. His eyes rose higher and higher to reach the tallest sharpened peak of the tallest skyscraper. He stopped only when he felt the palm grip his shoulder.

Spinning, Clint knocked the hand aside and ripped his katana free from its holster, jamming the blade outwards and resting its edge on the neck of the manic, demonic grin of the insect. Clint felt his heart freeze, taking in a sharp gust of air and blinking once. Just once, and there was Natasha with her hands held out, eyes shifting to the katana jutted to her throat. With her stood Elektra and Tempest. All of them eyed Clint with curiosity and shock to actually witness what he had done.

Just as quickly, he dropped his blade’s edge and sheathed it. His breaths only grew heavier. “What happened?”

“Are you okay?” Natasha tried to say, the only one among them to take a brave step closer.

“What happened?” he asked again with much more ferocity than before. He coughed, slivers of the fog reaching their group and filling his lungs.

Natasha was slow to react, turning back to Elektra and Tempest. It was Elektra who answered and said, “We’ve been looking for you for hours. Didn’t you hear us? All this time and you were just standing here.”

Clint slowly turned to stare at her. “Hours?” he asked, tried to get some clarification. None of them moved, or breathed. “No… no, I was just thrown out of the Quantum Realm. That can’t be right.”

He turned away from the others and onto the Avenger he could fully trust. Only, her expression seemed to have shattered. She looked so completely and utterly small that Clint had to have a double-take just to make sure he was scanning her correctly. “Natasha… what happened?” he asked a third time.

She managed to meet his eyes. Managed to say, “We lost the Stone.”

Clint lost his breath and took a step back, as if he was physically punched by that statement. “What?” he whispered.

“Must’ve lost it upon entry here…” the Widow mumbled, turning about to gaze to their surroundings. She kept her guard at an all-time high, the unsettling silence so unnatural that it couldn’t be real. It didn’t feel real. “Wherever here is.”

Clint had so many questions that he almost couldn’t formulate them all. Instead, he focused on one at a time, the first and most important question taking precedence and escaping his lips first and foremost. “Where is here?”

Natasha turned her gaze left and everyone followed her. They turned to the darkened city and saw the fog clear around them, unveiling a landscape shattered by war. That fog had separated them from the sprawling metropolis of pitch-black towers and an endless canvas of swirling space dust and stars dotting the night sky. Various yellows, blues, greens, and reds were slashed across the heavens, being the only form of light upon the world they stood.

Natasha breathed in the same fog. “Not home.”

The city was unveiled to them fully and they could only see the outlines of the fallen empire. Shadows of what once was littered the land and filled the earth with unending devastation and horrors beyond compare under the cold of the night. They looked up back to the canvas, back up to see a massive sun hanging in the distance. Only it wasn’t the sun. It wasn’t a star.

The black hole was ever-expanding, ever-consuming the Negative Zone.

Author's Note

There were certain decisions made in this chapter that may upset some of you. It's understandable, but just know it was all done for a purpose.

All part of the plan. Thank you for reading. :twilightsmile:

Chapter 151 – I Know You

151

Equus

Equestria, Pre-Classical Era

Castle of the Two Sisters

Year: 13 BNM (Before Nightmare Moon)

6:48 p.m.

“This is a truly fascinating tale. Stories of heroes, of gods, of magic and terror unlike anything we could have imagined. And yet… the ability to travel through time still seems more believable.”

Celestia contemplated aloud the words spoken to her, the words she chose to believe, and turned away from the warmth of the sun hitting the stained glass window and raining its light inside her throne room. It had been so long since she had felt the warmth of the sun. So many months of battle and struggle against the Titan. Just the thought of finally being rid of him and his menace of demons was almost cathartic. Equestria would need time to heal, but for her—for the princess of Equestria and the Pillars—their troubles just seemed to keep piling on, with little healing to go around.

One problem ended and another was born when the supposed “time travelers” brought themselves to the princess and the Pillars, seeking their aid to return to their time. Luna was a tad cautious with the outsiders. The last outsiders they had to Equus tried to annihilate them mere hours ago. Of course, had it not been for the God of Thunder and his “Avenger” allies, the battle could have raged who knows how long. The death toll could have been far… far greater.

It was Thor Odinson, Rarity, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot who came to them in their most desperate hour of need. It was them who helped turn the tides and win back their world. There was not a reward worthy for their attributes and efforts, yet what they sought was something that was beyond treasures and glory. What they wanted was almost fantasy. A dream, even with the vast array of magic the princesses held. They merely wanted to go home…

More than a thousand years in the future.

Celestia and Luna needed to know everything. The Avengers, as they all called themselves, told only what was necessary. Even on their journey to the Everfree Forest, through the winding halls of the Castle of the Two Sisters, and into the throne room of the young princesses, they told all they could. Other things they kept to themselves, for the safety of the princesses and the future of Equestria.

Rarity, for instance, kept the tragedy of Nightmare Moon a secret. Some things just needed to occur naturally, without her hoof meddling with forces she had yet to completely understand.

The armies of Equus returned to their native countries and settled for a long rest and rebuilding. Southern Equestria continued to burn away, efforts to hopefully restore the landscape to begin shortly by order of Princess Celestia and Luna. As for the princesses, they and the Pillars returned to the north, to the castle, with their guests. While Star Swirl led his Pillars to help complete a certain spell of his, the Avengers found themselves stuck with the two sisters, willing to give as much as they could about future events and why they were there in the first place.

Thor did most of the talking, speaking of the Decimation and of the Mad Titan Thanos having cleansed the universe of half of all living creatures. He was apprehensive about revealing the fate of the two sisters, but their continued persistence on what became of them and their friends was unyielding. Thor gave in. He told them of their fate at the hands of Thanos. Somehow, just seeing the grim reality set in over their expressions, followed shortly by the mild acceptance was admirable. Thor gained some newfound respect for them, more than he ever had just by their one conversation than the many years he had known them prior.

He hadn’t realized how wise they were. Even in their young age, they were so bright and so full of life and curiosity. Just students as of now to Star Swirl the Bearded, but growing and willing to learn more of the world outside theirs. Typhon had sparked that curiosity of worlds beyond. Thor and his allies arriving to their world merely fanned the flames. Yet it was time travel that Celestia and Luna struggled with. Even with their teacher finalizing quite possibly his greatest spell, the ability to travel through time was a near-fable.

Yet the tale of the Avengers, of Thanos, of the Infinity Stones and the Decimation… it all made time travel seem more feasible.

“For what advantage would we gain for our efforts we have displayed?” Thor asked as he strode alongside the rulers of Equestria. The armor he bore clutched his body tightly, his bare arms showing his rejuvenated muscles. Especially his left arm, the Uru having created a physically perfect prosthetic for the Allfather. His hammer swayed in his right hand. Rarity was with him, her Iron Mare armor resting in her Arc Reactor and leaving the mare barren to the warmth of the afternoon sunlight they passed with each glass window. Groot and Rocket were off elsewhere in the castle, helping Star Swirl with the more minute details for the time travel procedures.

“Our reasonings hath no precedent in this time,” Luna stated, walking slowly beside her older sister. It was Luna who stopped, and Celestia that followed, gazing to her younger sister as the Princess of the Night stared into the stained glass window. She looked anywhere else besides the shadow Celestia’s throne cast upon hers.

Her voice was soft, almost lost, as she sighed, “We cannot thank you enough for what thou hath done. Typhon was a fiend in the greatest form, and thy efforts hath proven to be admirable. Our reasonings lie with this supposed ‘future’ thou speak of.”

Thor gripped Mjølnir tighter. He had suspected they would find uncertainty in the truth of their fates at the hands of the Mad Titan. Even with the rejuvenated lightning and strength flowing through his veins, Thor felt as if he wasn’t strong enough to explain any further of the Decimation. Or what had become of his friends that were lost.

“Though our deaths art inevitable…” Celestia spoke, picking up Luna’s train of thought. The younger princess cast her a quick stare, knowing the words that would flow from the elder. Celestia sighed, as well, closing her eyes and raising her hoof to rub her opposite foreleg gingerly. “We could not imagine it would come in a form we hath failed to fight against.”

“Thanos defeated us all. You need not blame yourselves,” Thor told them.

And it was true, Princess Celestia thought. The “Thanos” of which Thor spoke of brought a new kind of threat not only to their world, but to every world within the conceivable universe. To think that their fates lied in the hands of one Titan as almost unbelievable. “To think that time travel alone… could change destiny itself,” Celestia whispered.

She turned rapidly to the God of Thunder and his equine ally, her pink mane dancing to her quick movements. In her eyes, that acceptance was sharpened to a fine point. Thor stared into them, he and Rarity listening intently to the Princess of the Day’s following words. “We cannot nor will not change what is to come. For it is only natural to let the flow of time proceed as planned. No matter how much it hurts.”

Rarity dropped her gaze at that, her ears falling. Her eyes flicked to Luna painfully. Just seeing the nod from the Princess of the Night to her sister’s statement made Rarity’s heart ache all the more.

Celestia smiled with as much warmth as the afternoon sun. “But we thank you regardless. How many ponies or other creatures would hath suffered had thou not intervened? I could only fear of what was to become of the lives, of the families, that would hath been torn asunder. All prevented thanks to all of you.”

Thor smiled gratefully to that. Rarity remained silent, downtrodden. Luna lifted up Rarity’s face with her hoof to her chin. “Cheer up, my little pony. The battle is won. You have thy ‘Infinity Stone’. Thy gift is near and the universe shall be saved thanks to thy efforts. What have thou to fear?” Luna asked.

Rarity knew exactly what to fear. Still, seeing Princess Luna smiling with child-like glee and hope gave her heart some strength despite what was inevitably to come. Rarity managed a smile because of it, meeting Luna’s.

“Your Highnesses.”

They turned to meet the stoic expression and stance from none other than Flash Magnus by the throne room’s entrance. He removed his helmet, bowing his head gently to the two sisters. When he rose, he told them, “The spell is ready.”

And the rest was history.

Thor and Rarity walked alongside Princess Celestia and Luna, Rarity minding the absolutely exquisite architecture and decorations the Castle of the Two Sisters helmed in its golden years. Just a blink of her eye and she could only picture the decimated remains of the castle in her time. Knowing what was to come, knowing the pain that would consume the two sisters before her was heartbreaking to keep away from them. It would all work out in the end, Rarity tried to convince herself. It always did.

She could only hope for that same outcome for what was to befall. They entered the main foyer of the castle, gazing down the stairs to see the Pillars of Equestria creating a ritual space for the time travel spell to be enacted. No guards were present. It was just the six Pillars, Stygian, Rocket, and Groot going over the final stages of the spell.

“Okay, one more time through,” Rocket explained, reading off the coordinates from his Time Travel GPS aloud. “You’re going to be sending us to planet Earth in the Sol System, in this same galaxy. You have the exact coordinates of where that’s at written down, all right? No big deal. The big deal is this: The year is 2023, to the New Avengers Facility in Upstate New York at exactly 5:00 p.m. You got those coordinates, too. All right?”

Star Swirl nodded, reading off his notes on the many pieces of parchment he had laid out before him. Alongside the parchment, with the seemingly-finished spell resting near his hooves, the ritual space was decorated with candles and chalk drawings on the stone floor. They drew a massive circle, six specific indents where each Pillar would stand. Symbols and Ponish runes surrounded the circle. A little overkill in the ritual, but Star Swirl needed all assurance that the spell would succeed. Nothing was too overkill for him.

Rocket sighed, rubbing his paws across his head and through his fur. “Next big step is us trustin’ ya enough to get us there in one piece.”

“I am Groot,” Groot agreed with a nod to follow.

“Though it does seem a bit… off-putting,” Star Swirl mused, narrowing his aged gaze onto the sheep of parchment he had written the coordinates on. He nonetheless rolled it with his magic, closing his eyes and sending an assuring nod to the raccoon. “I will have aid from my allies. This spell has been a long time coming… and it is a true honor to see it used to help benefit your time.”

He rose up after that, bringing with him the specific parchment that contained the completed spell in its entirety. The other Pillars began to come together, joining Star Swirl in congratulations for having finally finished quite possibly his greatest spell to date. He had kept it secret for so long, a mere fantasy for him finally brought to reality. With the spell written on the parchment, resting in his magical grasp, the power Star Swirl held could reshape the fabric of time and space as they knew it. A grand accomplishment. Star Swirl felt as if he should be proud. Not only him, but all of ponykind.

“I fear for you.”

Turning to the voice, Celestia and Luna stared to the God of Thunder, seeing as his gaze was locked with the parchment Star Swirl held. “What have you to fear?” Celestia asked, her voice soft.

He did not fear for their future. Thor trusted them with time travel. As Twilight had said, Star Swirl had created the spell in their timeline and reality remained in balance. No, his fear remained in the future of this alternate timeline. And what would become of him when he inevitably arrived more than a thousand years in the future.

“I’m afraid,” he began in a broken whisper. He slowly turned to them. “In this timeline… that you won’t even remember me.”

His eye rose to meet Celestia. Luna. The princesses with which he had wished to have gotten to know. He would have known what courageous and valiant leaders they were even in their youth, and even more so in the future. Celestia laid her hoof on his hand in an assuring manner.

She told him, “Hold not thy worries to the past. You need not to be afraid. You need only to focus on the future. Trust us… as we trust you. Make thy mission worth it.”

Very similar words he had heard mere hours ago, from his own mother. A universal language that transcended knowledge and told Thor that there was still more for him to discover. Even as the Allfather in his timeline, Thor knew there was more to discover. There was more to rectify once they brought everyone back. More to build upon. That alone was something to look forward to. Something to fight for. Thor gripped her hoof. He would make it worth it.

To ensure she and her sister returned to live another day.

Thor smiled and broke away, turning to the approaching Pillars of Equestria. They all bowed to him, Star Swirl stating, “King of Asgard, it is our pleasure to have fought by your side. May it be an even greater honor for the Pillars to have aided you in this desperate hour of yours. Your efforts have proven to our world of who we can trust in the stars above.”

“In other words,” Mage Meadowbrook said, rising up and meeting Thor’s gaze with her tearful one, “thank you. You helped so many ponies today.”

“Thank you,” Somnambula said, a soft nod sent with her eyes closed. A sign of the highest gratitude of her people. “We will forever remain allies.”

“Brothers in arms,” Flash Magnus, iron-cladded hoof slapping against his armored chest.

“Brothers, even across the stars!” Rockhoof exclaimed, slamming his shovel into the stone.

“We wish you a safe journey, and the best of luck in your time,” Mistmane told them with a soft smile. She spoke to them all, to Rocket and Groot joining both Thor and Rarity and standing together as one team. One heart. All Avengers.

“Star Swirl,” Stygian announced, bringing the attention of the foyer back to the ritual space. He held out his notes with his magic. “Shall we prepare the spell?”

Star Swirl nodded, turning to the remaining Pillars. “Stand together, my allies.”

And they did. Each Pillar stood at an exact location upon the circle with their relics in hoof. Somnambula with her blindfold, Meadowbrook wearing her mask, Rockhoof with his trusty shovel, Flash with his shield, Mistmane with her flower, and Star Swirl with the single piece of parchment unfolding before him. He gazed over the completed spell one last time, his brow furrowing and heart beating. Star Swirl closed his eyes and ignited his horn a brilliant white.

He sent of bolt of magic into the parchment, the spell reacting to his touch and shivering with electrifying energy. That same magic flowed from each Pillar and their relics, striking the parchment and watching as it hovered in the center of the circle. It expelled that build up of magic, creating a burst of light above everyone’s heads. So bright they had to shield their eyes for a mere second. Just one second.

The orb of time formed above their heads, the ticking of hundreds of clocks sounding off as swirls of white began to grow larger and larger above. Within the orb, a seemingly-endless void of screaming green trails led to an unforeseeable destination. Stygian shot his warning eyes back to the Avengers, begging them to hurry. Their window was closing fast. The Avengers made their move. They ran towards the chalk drawing, minding the Pillars as they passed them, and stood together under the light of the orb of time. Rocket and Rarity were the first ones to realize they were levitating from the ground, the two looking down to see themselves rising. Then came Groot, staring to his feet and then to the brightness above.

Thor remained stationary. He stared only to the princesses as the vortex began to pull at his hair and beard. It was that distance that was narrowed, that moment their eyes locked and all sound, all distraction, and all the world was silenced around them. It was just them. His smile was genuine, as was the burning in his eye to see the very same grace the features from each princess.

With Rocket holding for dear life on his knapsack and the Infinity Stone that lied within it, and with Thor holding even tighter on Mjølnir, the god called out one final time. Giving a bold but determined declaration they could all be certain of.

“I promise. We will see each other again.”

He flew with the three other Avengers, the orb of time devouring all four of them and shrinking into nothingness. The light had died, the wind had ceased, and peace was restored in the Castle of the Two Sisters. Star Swirl opened his eyes, bringing himself to the parchment of which contained the completed time travel spell. He rolled it up and stuffed it into his cloak for safe keeping.

While Star Swirl was congratulating his Pillars for a job well done, it was Celestia who was the first to turn away. Her eyes fell to the tapestries lining the foyer, eventually finding a long-awaited peace to the falling sunlight hitting the center window and illuminating the foyer in a warm, orange flow. She stared into the light, an unknown and unreadable expression filling her features.

Luna’s voice arose, bringing the sister to her. “Doth thou believe he was telling the truth?”

Celestia barely turned to her, still seeing Luna step forth to her side. Always and forever by her side. Luna stared to her in wonder, in awe. In hope. “Will we see him again?” she asked.

Princess Celestia just turned back to the light. Just smiled.

Chapter 152 – Annihilation

152

Arthros

Sector 17A of the Negative Zone

Hawkeye led the team of four with his bow at the ready, arrow jutted forth and scanning their environment like a drone. Like a mindless, emotionless, inhumane drone. His expression told a similar tale. Simply a shroud of darkened nothingness on his face. It was hidden from the others, especially as they entered the desolate city covered in shadows.

The city—whatever they could call a city—gave off a haunting aura of terror and endlessness that none of the Avengers could fathom. Jutted towers with pointed tips scraped the skylines, alien structures and decimated streets filled the lower-levels alongside the shadows. A treacherous white fog began to cover the star-dotted skies and fill the outer skirts of the city, blocking where they had entered. None of them saw it. They kept close together, Clint and Tempest leading with Elektra next in line and Natasha—startlingly enough—hanging further behind.

Tempest knew only a select number of offensive spells. The kind of the more magical variety were something she had dabbled in over the past five years but never truly mastered. Despite that, she knew that even her magic wasn’t strong enough to sense the Infinity Stone. Even with a mended horn, Tempest knew that. Still, she tried. She strode right behind Clint with her curved horn aglow, her breathing soft and quiet as she listened in for every possibly pulse, for every possibility that her magic could have sensed the energy of the Soul Stone. She didn’t even know what kind of energy spike to look for. But even anything, especially in the wasteland they were in, could bring up something.

It was quite literally impossible to see without the guide of Tempest’s horn leading them into nothing but empty, desolate streets. Clint tried for his flashlight attached to his wrist’s gauntlet, but it soon fizzled out and died with an audible pop. The same went with Elektra’s flashlight, the second it was turned on and dying after several seconds of flickering on and off. Natasha didn’t even try hers, knowing a similar fate was bound to befall it. Instead, she tried to focus as to why their flashlights didn’t work.

It could have possibly been some kind of consistent EMP, or maybe an electric field in the atmosphere that disabled any and all electronic equipment. That couldn’t be right, as Natasha stared down to her GPS and saw it fully functional. Her mind kept shifting back to maybe it being something in the air. Just something she couldn’t explain. Maybe it was the fog. Curious at that, Natasha tilted her head skywards to see those clouds begin to cover the night sky.

The only form of light came from the black hole over their heads. The burning light of the event horizon and photon sphere giving very minimal warmth or sight to the darkened world they walked upon. When even light could not escape the reach of the black hole, there could be no light to guide them. All they had was Tempest’s horn, and it offered very little other than a few yards of clear sight.

Growing rather impatient and tired, Clint lowered his bow and loaded arrow down to his side. His hardened stare fell on the unicorn, Barton muttering, “Where are we going, Tempest?”

She didn’t even turn to him. Clint’s lip flinched a sneer at that. “I’m trying to find the Soul Stone,” Tempest replied, a hint of aggravation in her tone.

“It’s been hours.”

“I’m sorry, but do you have a magic horn? No, you don’t. This isn’t particularly easy, so if you could please keep it quiet so I can at least try to find something.”

“Yeah, well it looks like you’re leading us nowhere, Tempest!” he suddenly barked. It practically came out of nowhere, nearly his entire team turning to him on that outburst. Not Tempest, though. Just as quickly, Clint coughed and hunched forward, hand placing his arrow back in his quiver to cover his mouth. Once the coughing had ceased, Clint steadied himself with a subtle, heavy breathing.

His burning eyes arose and glared at Tempest’s back. “Or is it ‘Fizzlepop’?”

Tempest stopped. She spun around and glared at Clint with a fiery ferocity unseen by any of the Avengers beforehand. As her breath hardened, Tempest lowered herself so her expression could darken from the shadows that the light of her horn created. “Do not call me that,” she growled slowly.

Clint was unphased, rising back up to full height to glare her down. “Why not? It’s your real name, ain’t it? At least, that’s what that… Skeletor-lady said.”

“You don’t get to call me that!” Tempest suddenly screamed, hoof jammed in Clint’s direction. She coughed almost as quickly, that same hoof shielding her mouth before turning to the rest of her team. “None of you get to call me that!”

Her eyes burned and tears started to well up, but not from the argument… from the pain in her lungs and the air she swallowed.

Their continued argument spanned into several minutes. At least, that was what it felt like. Elektra and Natasha stopped when Clint and Tempest did and spent the next moments shouting at one another. Natasha swayed from side to side, flinching at every sound she thought she heard in the shadows and darting her eyes in those directions. She slowly backed away from nothing, keeping her head on a slow swivel as the towers and walls of the darkness began to cloud tighter and tighter around her.

Elektra stumbled forth and leaned against the nearest building wall she could. She noted the wall to be shockingly cold, yet somehow warmer than the chilling fog washing through their immediate area. Her palm graced the side of the building as Elektra noted the slick dampness. She slowly reared her palm back from it, grimacing at the sight of the black slime and gunk connected to her palm and dripping to the black canvas that was the earth.

Has it really been hours? Elektra thought. She wrapped her arms around herself as the fog filled the street and surrounded them in that haunting whiteness. She breathed out a shaking exhale and coughed as her inhale was an absorption of the mist. Nothing else could hold her, could give her warmth. Her mind kept falling back to being in Matthew’s arms, his warming embrace being exactly what she needed at the moment. Yet he was not there to hold her.

Her eyes shifted over to her team. Her… team. Are they really your team? You saw the way they stared at you before, but you didn’t want to face it then. Look at them. Look at them now.

Clint and Tempest babbled on in their shouting match, their words becoming a slur of incomprehensible, demonic wails. Natasha lingered in the background, her body quivering as the fog swarmed around her legs and covered her shoulders. They fought. They argued. They were lost and confused and utterly terrified of where they were or where they were supposedly going. A fractured heart and a broken spirit of the Avengers molded into the perfect recipe for disaster.

You think they have what it takes to finish this mission? You were lucky before with the Soul Stone, but now… they’ll only hold you back. They won’t cover ground in this state. You can’t trust them… just as much as they don’t trust you.

Elektra’s arms tightened around her body, a shivering exhale leaving her lips and spewing that frozen breath into the fog. Her pupils were wide, face low and veiled in shadow, and veins slowly overcoming the whites of her eyes. She shivered and quaked as the sounds around her numbed and her stare shifted into a terrifying glare. One that only worsened as the fog continuously filled her lungs and Clint and Tempest raged at each other.

Look at them and convince yourself you’re lying. Elektra glared to the expression filling Clint Barton, the face of fury overcoming that of rational being and thought. Veins filled his neck and a burning red covered his skin. Tempest was no better, the unicorn bending low as her expression took form into something even more horrific than Elektra could possibly explain.

You can’t explain. All there is to know is that they do not trust you. They know what you are. They know what you did in service to the Hand. They will never trust you and you need to do what is necessary. Before it’s too late.

“No…” Elektra whispered.

Before they kill you.

“No, no, no, no, no…” she told herself again and again, those palms rising up and clutching her skull as she slowly paced further and further away from her team. She wanted to convince herself that it was all but her head trying to mess with her again, like it had when she was still the Black Sky. That torment, that veil of darkness was something she never wanted to face again. But that was another voice telling her what to do. That was someone else’s hands on the steering wheel that caused her to become that demon.

What she heard, what she was hearing… was herself. Just herself.

And she wasn’t alone.

Natasha Romanoff usually heard voices. Some welcome than others, but all of them familiar. Somehow, someway, hearing her own voice speak to her felt even more off-putting than when she heard the voices of her sisters from a lifetime she left behind. Her voice felt more like a stranger than it usually had, and Natasha flinched because of it.

You know what he’s become.

Because it wasn’t her thoughts controlling the words she heard.

You know what he’s done. Don’t try and deny it. You nearly gave up your life for him? A murderer?

“How am I any better?” Natasha whispered to nothing, no one. But herself.

You never had a choice. He did. And she… the unicorn who waged war against Equestria. Against your friends. The Black Sky. Another murderer. They’re all murderers by choice. They’re not worth your life. They’re nothing more than reminders of the demons in your past.

Natasha gulped, sweat building and falling down her face despite the sub-zero temperatures of the fog clouding her. She mumbled, “You’re lying.”

Look.

She did. And to her newfound horror, she saw as Tempest’s face took a stark and horrifying shift within a blink of her eye. Her expression centered on Clint morphed into that of a demonic snarl, the massive, glossy red eyes resembling that of an insect and turning to her. Her jawline, filled with rows of razor-sharp teeth, transformed into a terrifying grin. It, whatever the demon was, hissed and snarled at her. Natasha’s chest expanded and fell rapidly, eyes widened and rising to be met with a sight that froze her heart.

Clint slowly turned to face her, yet his movements were awkward. Twitching, flexing in unusual and inhuman ways. His face met Natasha’s, met her eyes, and resembled that of Tempest Shadow’s. His pale skin infected by a sickening black, eyes large and glossy and red, and teeth dripping venom and malice as his lips curved into a grin. A horrific, otherworldly grin that couldn’t possibly be considered human. Especially the snarl that left his throat. Not human.

Not Clint.

She blinked and shook her head, but it was still there. The two of them still stared at her with dreadful intent like that of a hungering beast. An emotionless insect. Natasha felt her rigid movements act on their own accord, her instinct’s taking over and bringing one of her feet back. A step away. Another step. Maybe they wouldn’t see her if she concealed herself. Maybe they would lose interest and she could find what she came into the city for. The entire time she could only look into the shimmering eyes of the demons glaring at her with every step she took.

Until she fell away into the darkness.

Tempest’s voice failed her when she noticed a lack of a certain Avenger behind Clint. She leaned over, brow furrowed and heavy when she asked, “Natasha…?”

Her voice was a whisper, something Clint almost didn’t catch. Yet his anger seemed to fade away when he heard that name leave the unicorn’s breath, the questioning of her name bringing Clint’s attention back. And to his horror, there was nothing there. She was gone.

“Nat…” Clint called quietly. Knowing nothing would respond, he took the necessary steps closer to where he last saw her and shouted, “Nat! Natasha! Natasha, where are you?!”

Tempest’s nearly took a step forward to join Clint, but the subtle sound of buzzing in the distance behind her prompted her attention backwards. She spun her neck nearly fully around, seeing nothing and no one in the shadows beyond her horn’s glow. There it was again, the subtle buzzing growing louder. She took a step towards it, clearing a section of shadow with her horn’s light. The moment she did so, the sound stopped, and only Clint’s cries could be heard in the distance.

Determined to not let the sound escape her, Tempest let her horn die to allow the shadows to consume her. The sound instantly returned, but grew fainter and fainter the longer she stood in place. It was more than enough of a guide, prompting Tempest into the darkness to follow the clue and discover what it offered. Even anything could bring up something. No light. No path. Just the sound and Tempest’s fading hoofsteps as she followed it into the dark.

Clint ran forward as much as he could before the shadows were too much. He could barely see. “Natasha!” he screamed, hearing his voice echo and echo until it faded away. Much like the light of Tempest’s horn faded away. Clint’s world was instantly doused in black, his pupils widening to gain a clearer sense of his surroundings. His heart froze, his breath tightening when he spun around and saw no one there. Tempest was gone.

“He-hey!” Clint shouted, running over to nowhere in hopes of catching Tempest. A wall of black stopped him. “Tempest? Tempest?! We… we can’t split up!”

But it was already too late.

Clint turned madly to where he last saw Elektra. She was gone, too. They all were.

The settling silence was almost unbearable. It was torture. The light of the stars and of the black hole above was all he could use to guide him from that point forward, but there was nowhere to turn. Every direction, every turn, every spin that Clint took only pointed him to total darkness. His breathing was ragged and pained, blood-colored veins clouding the rational whites of his eyes.

It was so quiet he could hear his own veins pumping blood throughout his body. Torture.

Whipping out a flare-tipped arrow, Clint pulled back and fired away straight ahead into the blackness. The piercing white of the burning flare on his arrow lit up the shadows as the arrow flew down the seemingly-endless street ahead of him. It painted a horrifying picture of unnatural alien structures and winding pathways that no human could have designed. The flare died and the darkness returned.

The silence was beginning to settle once again and Clint could not stand it. He reared back into his quiver and pulled free an explosive tip arrow, loading it in and spinning madly around. He thought he heard something. A whisper. A hiss. A cry. It slashed across the air and disappeared just as quickly. With sweat on his brow and fire clouding his eyes, Clint kept the arrow pointed ahead of him, slowly gazing to the black hole, to the stars, to the sky, and to the buildings. They all glared down at him, the whistling of the wind and fog sounding off and being the only sound for miles.

Clint shivered as he finally released the arrow. It exploded against the side of the nearest building he could find, the fires shooting outwards and filling the night with burning cinders. He spun around after he heard another scream in the wind, pulling free a second explosive tip and firing it at a different building high above him. Those same fires filled the night and faded just as well, the smoke against the building lingering several seconds longer. Clint wanted to pull another arrow out. He wanted to shoot at whatever tried to zero in on him and kill it and murder it and slice it up until its blood coated his palms and bathed the ground he stood on and…

Barton closed his eyes. He took in several slow, calming breaths. For several seconds, until a near-minute had reached him, and then he opened his eyes again. He could see very little, but the light of the black hole offered something. It offered enough. He gazed down and saw how tight he was gripping his bow. So tight that his hand and his glove were shivering. So tight that he felt his eyes watering up and the breath in his lungs actually start to hurt him. He exhaled.

He loosened his grip. His shoulders slumped and his mind started to gradually ease itself. For several seconds, it felt natural. It felt so right. Until he felt like himself again.

That’s when the scream reached him with such resounding force that it knocked him to the earth.

Clint thought he lost his bow in the scuffle. He couldn’t feel it anymore as the body crashed on top of him and slashed, cut, and bit at him with demonic-like force and action. It sounded anything other than human or any animal he knew. It acted completely different from anything that seemed natural. So Clint felt no remorse when he kicked it off, unsheathed his katana, and swung madly into the glowing, insect eyes of the demon that charged him once more.

A sickening sound was heard, and then only Clint’s heavy breathing.

He waited until only silence remained, until his eyes could fully adjust to the darkness and he could see what had become of his assailant. Lying before him, he gazed onto each half of the demon that had attacked him. Upon further investigation, Clint noted its eyes, the glossy red resembling that of an insect. Even the body was reminiscent of that, the wings upon its back and pincers lying in the growing pool of green liquid. An insect. A large, alien insect. That was all it was. Clint slowly turned to his katana’s edge, breath tightening when he saw the blade drip with that same green substance.

His breath tightened even further when he heard it. That dreaded sound. The buzzing. It was getting louder, joining the echoing shrills and cries of the insects as they began to zero in on his location. More on the way. Clint darted his head back to the approaching sounds, eyes wide and wild and on the highest alert he could possibly be.

With katana in hand, he picked up his bow and ran straight into the darkness. Not knowing where he was going, not knowing what he was doing, but just that. Just running.

No matter how far or how fast he ran, the screams of annihilation followed.

Author's Note

Happy New Year! Here's to 2020! :yay:

Chapter 153 – Power Play

153

Andromeda Galaxy

Morag

Year: 2014

The light pouring forth from the jaws of Sanctuary II released Thanos onto the shattered earth of planet Morag. He emerged shimmering in his golden armor and helmet, his double-bladed sword jammed into the earth by his side. Joining him were his Black Order.

Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Corvus Glaive, and Proxima Midnight each walked behind their lord and father, weapons gripped and resting either by their sides, planted into the earth, or settled on their shoulders. Corvus brandished his glaive whereas his wife proudly held her spear and drove its three-pointed tip to the ground by her feet. Cull Obsidian growled as his axe lay on his shoulder, a wrist-mounted blade extended forth from his left arm and resting by his side. The Maw led the pack of siblings, his bony-white fingers pressed together and his eyes observing the devastating remains of the Temple of the Power Stone.

Nebula and Gamora stepped forth, each occupying one of Thanos’ sides. Gamora stood in her battle armor with Godslayer held tightly in her right palm. She stood on her father’s right, the wind and rain blowing her black and red hair softly. Nebula stood on her father’s left, very little armor joining her person but holding two Electroshock Batons nonetheless. Glaring ahead with a look that could kill nonetheless.

Joining them was an army.

From the bowels of Sanctuary II, various Chitauri starships, chariots, and Leviathans were released out into the cloudy and stormy atmosphere. They numbered in the hundreds, dozens of battalions of chariots filling the air and charging towards the remains of the temple. The starships were quick to follow, the various Leviathans slithering through the skies and roaring as their bodies zeroed in on the opposition standing before them.

Just one opposition. A lone light within the darkness of the bombardment. A lone spark…

A single, blistering flame atop the skull of the Ghost Rider.

The raindrops evaporated as they came into contact with the Rider’s skull, the burning orbs of hellish orange shimmering in the Spirit’s eyes and centering on its assailants. The Spirit of Vengeance instantly recognized Thanos and his children rising amongst the masses of Chitauri foot soldiers filling the grounds beneath Sanctuary II. Growling at that, the Rider unfurled the Hellfire Chain from its person and let it strike against the rock. The chain was ignited, an eternal flame coating the metal and rising up to end at the Rider’s glove. The Spirit’s growls turned into a horrific roar. A battle cry. Tempting, daring the Mad Titan to come forth. That cry shot off across the plains of Morag, reaching Thanos’ waning expression.

He raised his free left hand, lazily pointing to the remains of the temple and ordering, “Search the rubble and bring me the Orb. Clear anything that gets in your way.”

The order was given. The army followed suit. Cull Obsidian and the Black Order led the charge, leading an entire army of Chitauri foot soldiers and commanders across the rocky plains of Morag. The skies and storms shifted following the battalion of Chitauri chariots, starships, and Leviathans turning their attention to the Black Order and following them. Nebula and Gamora were stationary for a moment longer before Thanos finally nodded to each of them. Then they were gone, sprinting alongside the armies of the Chitauri unleashed onto the surface of Morag. Their charge, their thunderous wave of bodies and blades and screams led them to a single destination, where an overwhelming force of hundreds of bodies would easily overcome anything that dared to stand in their path.

Only one thing stood in their path. And it made itself known when it started walking right into the face of the army.

Then running.

Then sprinting.

Then screaming as the Ghost Rider reared back with its Hellfire Chain and swung its end onto the charging chariots and starships. The first chariot was sliced in half from the chain, the two halves breaking off and crashing against the rocks with devastating force. Ripping back the chain, the Rider proceeded to launch the fiery steel into the various starships and chariots that dove downwards to dive-bomb it. The wings of starships were sliced clean, the bodies of chariots nearly decimated into burning cinders as their flame-coated bodies swerved and crashed into the planet’s surface. The Rider had already accumulated a hefty body count by the time the Black Order and Thanos’ army reached it.

Cull Obsidian reared back with his wrist blade, roaring as he brought it down on the Ghost. Only, he felt the piercing flames grip his body as the Hellfire Chain whipped across his body and proceeded to mow down the bodies of Chitauri flooding the planet’s surface. Cull crashed several yards to the right after the chain had struck him, forced to watch as he recovered. Forced to watch as the Spirit decimated the oncoming soldiers of the Mad Titan.

Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight hardly fared any better. Witnessing the Rider send the blistering chain of fire with rapid and clean spontaneity, Glaive realized the opposition may be more formidable than initially noted. The Ghost Rider danced so fluidly with the chain that it almost seemed to act as an extension of the Rider’s will and power, the swirls of fire slicing around the Spirit and acting as a protective shield. Wherever the chain flew, devastation followed, entire droves of Chitauri vaporized as the Hellfire Chain sliced through or across them. No Chitauri could shoot or get close to the demon, either, for when they tried to the blasts merely disintegrated from the intense, otherworldly heat the chain radiated. Bodies of Chitauri turned into flaming bursts of ash as they tried to surround the Rider, the chain constantly swarming the demon and protecting it.

Corvus and Proxima somehow managed to find an opening, Midnight raring back and launching her spear to her desired target. It always found its market, the three-pointed end barely managing to slip through the chain’s blockade and impact the left shoulder of the Rider. Growls of fury left the demon, the Ghost Rider breaking off its attacks momentarily to deal with the newfound threat. It reached forward and pried the spear from its shoulder, eyes only to Midnight as she charged the demon. It was unaware of Corvus rushing from its blind spot. It discovered Glaive’s presence the hard way when he sliced the Rider’s legs with his weapon, the Rider roaring at that and centering its gaze to Corvus and his wife.

Ghost Rider chucked the spear for Proxima’s chest, yet she jumped and caught her weapon with such fluid precision that it seemed naturally organic. She spun in mid-air, screaming as she brought down the blade on the opposite end of her spear on the Rider’s head. Various sparks and cinders shot off as the blade slid downwards on the flaming skull, and the Rider may have trembled slightly from the strike, but nonetheless stood its ground and rose back up. Proxima was relentless in her advances, screaming with raw ferocity in each jab, slice, and strike across the Ghost’s body. Corvus even snuck a few strikes in there, joining his wife in the inevitable beatdown of their opposition.

They thought it was inevitable. They were never prepared. Growling as Corvus drove his glaive into its sternum, the Ghost Rider slowly lifted its glare and met Glaive’s. Corvus’ fangs were soon concealed as his smirk fell away. Rearing back, the Rider drove its skull directly into Corvus’, the resounding hit launching Glaive several yards back. The Spirit gripped the glaive and ripped it free, tossing the weapon free and turning to Proxima Midnight’s continued advances. Her spear was once more driven into the Rider’s chest, only that time the demon caught it and proceeded to increase the pressure it held with the spear. The alien steel slowly began to burn a bright orange and red, melting right before Midnight’s flabbergasted gaze.

Forced to release her melted weapon, Midnight screamed and stared to her burning palms. The skin was scorched and burnt, Proxima so focused on the pain that she was unprepared for the fist sent into her jawbone. She fell back like her brother and husband, forced to watch as the demon proceeded forth and glared solely to her. The Hellfire Chain returned to its right hand, melting fire and cinder with unholy intent. Instead of ripping the chain towards her prone form, the Rider reared back and launched the chain to the far left, to the charging Corvus Glaive and wrapping tightly around the Black Order’s body. Proxima cried out after hearing her husband’s roars of agony, rising up and pouncing the Rider. The Spirit of Vengeance reacted quicker, pulling Corvus along and sending his body into his wife’s own. They were both launched free, disappearing into the waves of charging Chitauri.

Furling its chain, the Ghost Rider growled softly before it felt its body constricted and crushed. Hovering high above the demon, Ebony Maw closed his fist and glared to the opposition that had done away with his fellow siblings. His telekinetic prowess overshadowed that of the Rider’s, and the Maw made that known as he used several boulders to surround and crush the Rider between them. He only tightened his fist, the rocks cracking and further pushing the pressure onto the shrinking demon.

Then, the boulders exploded into a raw display of fire and ferocity as the Ghost Rider roared and ripped his chain free once more. The Maw shielded his face from the fragments of rock shot outwards following the explosion. He turned to the earth, glaring to the lone standing Spirit of Vengeance meeting his glare all the same. Then, they struck.

That single moment the Rider allowed to be distracted by the Black Order allowed dozens upon dozens of Chitauri to slip past. Especially the two sisters. They engulfed the grounds of the temple and crawled over the shattered pillars of ancient rock and stone, firing various bolts of plasma onto the remaining opposition that had survived the bombardment.

Star-Lord was one of those survivors. He slid into cover behind a broken spire, pulling free his Quad Blaster and firing a blast into the chest of an unsuspecting Chitauri. The shot launched the Chitauri back amongst the rubble, the various other aliens taking its place and swarming Quill’s position. Peter fell back against his cover as the various energy bolts flew over his head and impacted the rock he hid behind.

Flinching at the impacts of the energy blasts, Quill quickly pulled out his second Quad Blaster, dual wielding each and holding them close. His breath quickened as the fragments of rock rained over him and fell in his hair, the resounding growls and footsteps of the Chitauri approaching quicker the longer he hesitated. Peter Quill’s breathing began to quicken, the outlaw rising up and returning fire onto everything that moved. Every Chitauri in his line of sight was gunned down by his dual Quad Blasters, a fresh wave incoming from the mist and fog of the storm.

As Quill continued to fire aimlessly into the fog, he was blissfully unaware of the Chitauri coming up on his far right. He wasn’t ready by the time it pointed its arm cannon right for his blind spot. He didn’t have to be ready. He merely turned and flinched at the same moment the rock impacted the Chitauri’s skull and killed it instantly. Almost dazed at first, Quill turned back to the source of the throw, and spotted the same earth-gray pony from before with her hoof jutted towards the Chitauri. That same hoof fell, that same pony turning to Quill with that same dulled expression.

Peter was dumbstruck, then almost failed to hear Maud tell him, “Look out.”

The growls of the Chitauri on his left brought Peter to the realization. Star-Lord whipped around and jammed his Quad Blaster to the Chitauri that got the drop on him. Nearly did. A blur of gray and yellow sent a buck directly into the side of the Chitauri’s skull. After the Chitauri foot soldier fell to the rocks dead, Quill lifted his gaze to the flying Pegasus. Derpy stuck her tongue out to the alien she bucked, turning over to Peter and smiling innocently his way.

And Quill thought maybe, perhaps maybe, the alien horses were worth something. After all, they pulled him from the rubble and covered his ass. Those actions alone told Quill they were on his side. For the moment, at least. Though his brow was hardened and unmoved, the tiny smirk that left his lips was unmistakable. Derpy took that as the biggest accomplishment she ever gained, her grin widening and squeals filling the air. It was instantly drowned out by the responding blasts of the Chitauri rifles. A second wave emerged from the mist, led by none other than Gamora and Nebula. Gamora jammed Godslayer forward, watching as her sister personally and foolishly led the charge into the fray. Alone. Without Gamora by her side.

Gamora knew such actions. Nebula sought to acquire the Orb and the Power Stone by herself, to gain the full glory of the mission and seek their father’s approval. A desperate and fruitless effort. Regardless, Gamora was slower to enter into the battle, but joined it nonetheless.

The temple grounds were a warzone within seconds. Mist and rain filled the air with what wasn’t covered by Chitauri plasma blasts. Various explosions shot out within the temple grounds as pillars that had survived the bombardment finally fell. The Chitauri were relentless in their pursuit, filling the grounds they covered and stirring through the remains of the temple to hopefully find the Orb. Every time, they came up with nothing. Every time, they would push deeper and deeper into the temple remains.

It only ensured that Starlight, Nebula, and Rhodes were running out of time.

The three Avengers remained where they had emerged from the rubble, constantly searching, moving, pushing, and scanning through the rocks for any source of the Infinity Stone. They were unsuccessful for quite some time, losing even more focus with Thanos’ chariots and starships constantly flying overhead and dive-bombing them. Rhodes constantly had to stop searching just to fend them off, eventually breaking away and taking to the skies.

Down below, he called to Starlight and Nebula, “Keep looking! I’ll keep you covered!” His mask closed tight over his head and his eyes burned a bright red. His armor shimmered within the storm, the pulsating reds following him as he tore through the skies and blasted chariots and starships right out of them.

A resounding explosion flowed behind the two, both Starlight and Nebula shielding themselves from the fiery eruption of the downed starship. Even when they were slightly concealed by the rubble, the two were constantly on alert as they dug and searched. Even with Rhodey covering them from above, the threat of the Chitauri filling the temple grounds was high in the air. They could basically hear their rancid breathing just beyond the mound of rubble they were hidden in.

Nebula’s GPS sounded off, Starlight turning quickly to see the Luphomoid respond. “Derpy, where are you?! Did Maud make it out of the bombardment?!”

Derpy’s static voice replied, “Yes, we’re fine! But please hurry! I don’t know how much longer we’re gonna last over here! They’re coming for us!”

“Who is?!”

“You!”

Taken aback slightly, Nebula blinked away the shock and rapidly lowered her wrist. She turned fiercely to Starlight, the fire in her eyes being more than an indicator to Starlight that Nebula meant business. “Starlight, you need to keep searching for the Power Stone!” the Luphomoid told her. Her voice sounded strained, as if it was almost a beg.

Starlight held nothing against her. “I got it,” she responded with a firm nod. That nod was then directed to the further temple grounds, where Maud and Derpy had run off to. “Go, help our friends!”

Nebula didn’t need to be told twice. She was gone, crawling and climbing over the rubble with renewed vigor and speed as she sprinted towards the distress signal. All that she left behind was a lone unicorn, a single Avenger who was tasked with finding the Infinity Stone amidst a sea of stone and devastation. Starlight wanted to focus on finding the Orb. She knew she needed to ignore all distractions and find the Power Stone. Their entire mission depended on it. Depended on her.

But every single time she tried to focus on the rubble, every single time she tried to dig deeper and look for that silver ball, she would always hear the devastating explosions from the dive-bombing starships and chariots. She would always hear the shrieks from the approaching Chitauri no doubt zeroing in on her position. She would always hear the cries of terror from her friends. That alone almost pulled her out of the trench she was in.

Stamping her hooves against the rock beneath her, Starlight turned rapidly from the rubble and to the sounds of Derpy’s screams. To the rubble, and to the screams. Again and again. Just until she couldn’t take anymore, when she shut her eyes as tight as she could and bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. Thanos’ army was closing in. Her friends were in danger.

Starlight spun around. She lit up her horn and glared to the sound of her friends in peril. She only froze in her actions when she managed to hear the alien chatter of the Chitauri behind. Just mere feet behind her. Dimming her horn, Starlight slowly turned to the curious sounds just over the mound of rubble. Crawling over it, Starlight peeked over and actually gasped when she saw Thanos’ forces searching the temple ruins just as she had. Only, they came up with something she couldn’t.

A Chitauri Commander held the Orb within its claws.

That was enough for her to finally act.

Glaring dead ahead, Starlight’s horn burned in a shimmering whiteness as she teleported from her hidden position. The flash of light that followed emerged directly in front of the commander, bringing the unicorn out of hiding and into the heart of the enemy’s line of sight. She never gave them the chance to properly react, the burst of magic slicing off the Chitauri Commander’s arm and blowing the alien beast several yards backs.

The various Chitauri surrounding their commander shielded their eyes upon the brightness, quickly coming to and firing randomly. Below them, where the energy blasts missed a few feet above her, Starlight Glimmer bent low and darted her eyes to and fro. She watched as the commander flew back, its severed arm and the Orb flying through the air and coming to the rocks below. Starlight caught the Orb in her aura, bringing it close and analyzing it just to be certain. The same intrinsic designs. The same size and shape. The same energy source pulsating within.

The Power Stone.

Starlight was so enamored with the Orb that she almost failed to notice the Chitauri coming to. Almost. Her eyes rose up and turned to each of the alien foot soldiers as they shook their heads and brought their attention onto her. They aimed their rifles, arm cannons, and swords directly at her. Each end of every rifle glowed a fierce blue. Starlight’s horn glowed even fiercer.

Rearing low and swinging her horn skyward, Starlight released a spell that sent various bolts of magic in almost every possible direction. The magical bolts shot out as fast as bullets, slicing through various Chitauri fodder and missing very few. While they were detained momentarily, Starlight kept the Orb close and charged her horn once more. She teleported away before the Chitauri could collect themselves, the surviving few gazing to where the unicorn once stood.

One removed its mask and faceplate, shrieking once it realized the Orb was gone. In the hands of the opposition. That shriek carried across the battlefield and sent a warning to all its fellow Chitauri. It washed over the temple grounds, to the skirmish unfolding within the ruins.

That skirmish escalated to an entirely other level when the opposition returned fire in a way the Chitauri never expected. It broke through the smoke and fire as an electrified bolt, striking one Chitauri and creating a volley of lightning-like shots that struck various other Chitauri within the immediate area. Those several Chitauri flinched and trembled where they stood before they hit the ground, scorched and dead. The surviving Chitauri eyed their fallen comrades, turning to the source of the attack.

Out of the smoke, Derpy flew forward and hovered in place. Mounted upon her shoulders and withers, a pair of cannons glowed a fierce yellow, the Domino Gun charging for another volley of shots. It would have, had the Electroshock Baton not impacted her side. It was thrown from below, the speed and accuracy of the baton sending the electrified tip directly into Derpy’s rib cage. The mare cried out as the electricity coursed through her body, the Pegasus nearly blacking out as she dropped like a rock.

The Domino Gun drooped alongside her, Derpy weakly raising her head from the rock she lay against to turn and meet the source of the attack. She witnessed the left blue hand reach down and pluck the baton from the earth, rising up to reveal none other than Nebula. The left hand wasn’t metal, at least not on the outside. That, and the murder bleeding in Nebula’s eyes told Derpy that it wasn’t her friend. That Nebula wasn’t their Avenger. She had finally reached her.

Derpy gulped. Nebula barred her teeth and closed the distance between them, baton raised over her head as she screamed and drove it right for the Pegasus’ spine. The blue blur tackling Nebula stopped the Luphomoid from achieving that.

The two tumbled across the rocky floor, until eventually Nebula gained the advantage and kicked off her assailant. Quickly rolling to one knee, Nebula gripped her batons so hard that the electric currents nearly flowed into her forearms. She glared ahead, her expression nearly shattering when she finally, truly saw who had attacked her.

Standing mere feet away with a similar pair of Electroshock Batons in hand, Nebula glared at herself. They both did.

Nebula hissed at that, jamming one of her batons to her supposedly “future” self. “Deceiver!” she screamed.

The Avenger merely tightened her expression, twirling her batons. “Like it or not… your destiny is set. There’s no changing that.”

“You don’t control me!”

The Nebula of the past ran forward with murderous intent, swinging her batons in her advance. Nebula ducked beneath the swing, continuously weaving and blocking and backing further away from her past self’s attacks. Knowing her own moves and strategies, Nebula found it quite easy to evade the advances. It made it even easier to counter them, lock her past self from behind and constrain her by her arm. Nebula grimaced and cried out as the Avenger twisted her arm and kicked the back of her knee, pushing her down to one knee and holding her arm back.

“You’re right,” the Avenger muttered after allowing a moment to breathe. “But we both know who really does.”

Nebula growled, then cried as she twisted further and broke her own arm. The cybernetic enhancements acted quickly as she escaped, repairing the limb in tandem to her opposite arm rearing forward and jamming the tip of her baton into her future self’s leg. Nebula screamed at that, pushing herself away and slightly limping. Past Nebula held nothing back, practically leaping forward with both batons raised over her heads, intent on bringing them down onto the deceiver.

Her future self countered just as easily, launching her own baton to meet Nebula’s forehead. The electric current washed over her, the Nebula of the past trembling as she released her batons and collapsed onto her future self. That Nebula grabbed her, swinging her entire body around and slamming her into the rocky floor. Gripping her past self by her throat, Nebula whispered, “You can break away. You and your sister. You can be more than what Thanos made you!”

Nebula screamed. She would not be deterred or deceived any further. Reaching to her holster, she unveiled a short blaster and pointed it upward. The Avenger gazed down to the glowing end of the blaster, but it was too late to react accordingly. The blast shot forth and struck Nebula’s side and belt. Screaming out and falling back, Nebula landed on her backside and fell fully on her spine, lying on the slick surface of the temple grounds. Turning to the wound, Nebula grimaced when she saw the smoking scorch mark on her hip, on her belt.

What she failed to notice was her pocket singed and vaporized, and a single vial of Pym Particles rolling away from her.

The Nebula of the past arose, blaster pointed forth to her copy. She sneered, hissing with venomous intent, “You’re weak.”

The Avenger rolled over to her chest, pressing her palms into the rock in order to stand once more. Growling at the failed effort, she instead turned towards her past self, glared down the barrel of the blaster, and whispered, “I’m you.”

Nebula kicked her across the face. The kick sent the Avenger on her back once more, lying dazed and wounded as she felt that boot pressed over her heart. Gazing up once more towards the barrel, Nebula managed to stare past in and into the eyes of her old self. And Nebula pointed her blaster at the deceiver’s face, disgust riddled on her own. She pulled the trigger.

The same second a rock flew from the mist and struck her blaster.

Nebula cried out at that, clutching her palm as she heard the blast go off but the Nebula beneath her continued to live. She shot her eyes over to where her gun landed, skidding across the rocks alongside the stone that had struck her. Turning towards the source, both Nebulas saw the lone Earth pony with her hoof outstretched, the Asteroid Glove attached to it shimmering to her will.

And Maud Pie wasn’t alone. Flying over her and out of the mist, Derpy Hooves jetted forward with her Domino Gun leading the charge, sending a bolt of electricity towards the Nebula of the past. She ducked just as the bolt flew over her head, striking the pillar of rock behind her and causing it to explode upon impact. Fragments of rock shot out, momentarily stunning Nebula and allowing the Avenger to finally gain the upper hand.

Grabbing her leg and twisting it, the Avenger pulled her past self to the floor. With both down, they cast each other a quick glance before simultaneously turning to the lone blaster just a few yards away. It was a scramble, both Nebulas pushing, crawling, and fighting one another to get the gun. In the end, it was Nebula who triumphed over her future counterpart. She sent a fierce punch into the deceiver’s jaw, which gave her the momentum to sever the distance between herself and the blaster. Gripping it, twirling around, Nebula tightened her jaw and gritted her teeth once her eyes locked with the deceiver’s heart.

She smiled and pulled the trigger, only to have a flash of light consume her hand. Her blaster was gone. Nebula’s smile completely shattered, a look of utter astonishment consuming her features as she opened her naked palm and saw nothing. Another flash of light caused her gun to reappear, but only in the hands of the Avenger. In the hand of the deceiver pointed right for her. Nebula pulled the trigger.

The bolt of energy shot forth and struck Nebula right through the chest. Right through her heart. A gust of breath left the daughter of Thanos as she fell, back plastered against the solid stone wall behind her. The area just over her heart sparked and bled, the black hole being all that remained of the blaster shot painted on her chest. Nebula couldn’t even stare to it, her vision and limbs beginning to short-circuit and then fade to nothing.

And she was gone.

Nebula lowered the smoking barrel of the blaster, her hardened expression settling on the corpse of her past self. Maud and Derpy were quick to join her side, each of them gazing with somewhat solace expressions onto the haunting body of Nebula’s own person. A familiar flash of light caught their attention, all three Avengers turning around to see none other than Starlight Glimmer appear behind them. The unicorn who had aided in the fight and came bearing the greatest gift of all.

In her aura of magic, the Orb hovered directly before her. Starlight showed them, declaring, “I think we overstayed our welcome.” They all nodded in response.

As for the firefight occurring around them, Peter Quill was alone to fend off the swarming waves of Chitauri foot soldiers. He was continuously pushing forward and to the outsides of the castle grounds, out of harm’s way so he could make a hasty escape. He never caught wind of the second daughter of Thanos when he had made it out of the line of fire. Just as Gamora never caught wind of the Star-Lord when she stepped forth from the smoke and gazed onto the aftermath laying before her.

Instantly, she felt her heart stop. Then drop. Then freeze as her stomach churned and sickened her when her eyes spotted the remains of her sister lying before the opposition. A dark, fist-sized hole was plastered over her heart, smoke and sparks escaping it and a look of utter lifelessness shown on her expression. Gamora’s eyes enlarged, a gasp escaping her.

A gasp that quickly turned into the feral breaths of an enraged sister. Gamora could hardly see as the tears blotted her and eyes and her emotions dictated what followed. She cried out, earning their attention before they could even react. Starlight, especially, wasn’t able to react when Gamora leapt forth from the rubble and slid towards them with a black boot leading her. A black boot that Starlight became much more closely acquainted with when Gamora drove it into her side.

Starlight yelped as the kick sent her clear across the immediate area. Her horn dimmed and the Orb flew with her, striking the floor and rolling almost as far as Starlight when she finally crashed into some rubble. The Avengers were so focused on the Orb that they were barely ready to defend themselves when Gamora focused on them. She swung Godslayer across Derpy and Maud’s eyesight, the mares ducking just in time. However, they weren’t ready when Gamora compensated by sending even fiercer kicks to each one, Derpy and Maud flying back and rolling several yards away.

Gamora spun on one knee, Godslayer held out to her side as her eyes latched with the Orb lying alone. Then, her eyes darted upwards when she spotted the false Nebula—the murderer of her true sister—run for the Orb. Gamora reacted fast, gripping Nebula’s forearm with her free hand. The Avenger cried out and spun with her fist, intending on landing the hit on the Gamora of the past. Instead, she ducked, Gamora responding with a punch of her own across Nebula’s cheekbone. The strike was so fast and so sudden that Nebula was forcefully spun around from the force of it. With her back to Gamora, the Zehoberei sliced upwards with Godslayer, the tip of the blade slicing Nebula’s back and sending the Luphomoid to the ground with a painful shriek.

She landed directly in front of the Orb. Her eyes rose to meet it, slowly turning back to see her sister approaching with feral intent. Godslayer led her approach, the tip nearing Nebula’s head closer and closer until…

“Gamora, stop!”

The daughter of Thanos spun around, her black and red hair dancing wickedly to join the murderous glare in her eyes and on her expression. Derpy struggled to fly forward, so she landed painfully before Gamora and held out her free hoof. The awkward alignment of her pupils made it difficult for Gamora to know where she was looking. Yet she was faced towards her. Her hoof was held to her. Her voice called her by name… and Gamora stopped.

She somehow listened. Just as the Earth pony joined Derpy and held out her hoof all the same. “Please…” Derpy begged, tears welling up in her unnatural large eyes. “You know us.”

“Maybe not in this time,” Maud picked up, Gamora turning to her with her expression unshaken. “But in the future… you’re our friend.”

At first glance, Gamora saw nothing but an enemy, just creatures who had slain her sister and deserved far worse in retaliation. Upon second glance, Gamora recalled the memories she witnessed unloading from Nebula’s data banks. The memories that were latched with the Nebula from the future. And all of it showed them standing together—even the strange horses standing before her, claiming their friendship to her. They were all together, fighting together. In the future…

Hearing the gasp of pain behind her, Gamora slowly turned her. She slightly hesitated when the Nebula of the future raised her head to her. When she told Gamora, “You see what Thanos has made you… made us. You know what he wants from you. The Soul Stone. You want to know how he gets it? You want to know… what he does… to you?”

Gamora’s feral expression… broke.

Just outside the temple grounds, the almighty Mad Titan broke through the lines the Ghost Rider had accumulated and held for so long. Not anymore. Thanos led the next charge where his Black Order had failed, rearing back and tossing his Double-Edged Sword with fierce precision. It spun rapidly in mid-air, striking the Ghost Rider once the Spirit turned to the approaching whirlwind of sound. The horrific sound of Uru against bone shot off across the battlefield, the Rider launched backwards with such power that its body bounced and rolled and skidded until the Spirit drove its palm into the rock to slow itself down.

The demon lifted its fiery gaze, growling to see the sword return to the Titan. And as Thanos gripped his weapon, he ran forward with an army trailing him. The Chitauri foot soldiers numbered in the dozens behind their lord, a single Leviathan slithering above and roaring as the it narrowed the distance between its jaws and the Ghost Rider. As for the Spirit of Vengeance, the demon stood its ground and slowly rose.

Didn’t even move from then on as Thanos charged. As the Mad Titan reared back with his sword, a volley of rockets and bullets shot down from the storm and impacted him. Flinching at that, Thanos shielded himself, though his armor held well against the feeble human explosives. The Chitauri did not fare as well. Their bodies were either torn to shreds by the bullets or burned alive from the explosions of the rockets. In the aftermath, all that remained was Thanos and his lone Leviathan. The Titan turned skyward to see the War Machine shoot across his vision. Then his vision was filled with fire.

The Hellfire Chain broke through the storm and wrapped itself around the Leviathan’s jaws, shutting them tight and ceasing the roars from the flying war beast. Shocked at that, Thanos brought his gaze downwards to see the Ghost Rider gripping the opposite end of the chain. It yanked. Hard. To his continued astonishment, Thanos watched his Leviathan be pulled from the sky and impact the earth. Its body skidded and slid across the rocky surface until it fell out of sight, leaving just the Rider quickly approaching the Mad Titan.

The distance between them was severed, the Spirit pulling its chain back and swinging it for Thanos’ head. The Titan reacted and ducked just in time, watching only the end of the Hellfire Chain that the Rider sent his way again and again. Each time, Thanos would dodge it, but it grew closer with each swipe. Thanos could feel the heat radiating off of the flames that consumed the chain. Until he was finally forced to lift his sword and block the chain from striking his body. The chain wrapped several times around the double-bladed weapon, Thanos nearly pulled forward from the otherworldly strength of the Rider. He stumbled forward, but quickly recovered and yanked with every ounce of power he had. Ghost Rider was ripped from the earth, meeting the armored forearm of the Mad Titan once Thanos pulled him into a devastating clothesline.

And lingering slowly across the sidelines, Star-Lord was soon to make his escape.

From what was supposed to be a simple robbery transformed into a hellish battle that involved not only some random alien horses, but Thanos and his Black Order. By Quill’s standards, the hit was a bust. Whatever they wanted with the Orb, they could kill each other for it. He wouldn’t risk his life for a few thousand units. In the distance, he could his ship, the Milano, miraculously untouched within the fog and rock. Peter practically tiptoed his way closer to it, his only hope for escape from the madness unfolding around him.

But just before he could exit the temple ruins, he stopped. He stopped when he noticed the lack of blaster fire emanating from within the temple grounds. Just out of curiosity, he turned back and eyed the scene unfolding in the heart of the skirmish.

And within its heart, the swarming army of Chitauri zeroed in on their opposition, none other than those same alien horses who pulled him from the rubble, who covered his back. They pointed their rifles to the three subdued horses and the Luphomoid. But even then, the one the horses surrounded, the one where their eyes and focus were situated… was her.

The Zehoberei. Another member of Thanos’ Black Order if her armor could be an indicator of that. Her blade was focused on the Luphomoid, her weakened eyes latched with her all the same. Quill couldn’t hear what they were saying to one another, but the green woman’s expressions seemed to fall further and further with every word that left the Luphomoid. Peter then noticed the Chitauri growing closer, the horses finally reacting and noticing the odds highly stacked against them. They backed away, the fear plastered on the Pegasus’ face growing more and more vivid the longer Peter stared.

Until he couldn’t stare anymore. Until he couldn’t stand it any longer. Even when he was raised by Ravagers, Quill had some semblance of honor left in him. Maybe that was the Ravager in him. Maybe that was the human. Whatever it was, it broke Peter’s cover.

It screamed, “Hey!”

The Chitauri all turned in accordance to that shout, many of them jamming their rifles in his direction. Gamora, as well, followed the voice and spun rapidly to face it. Her eyes seemed to latch the same moment Quill’s had with hers. He stopped waving his arms as an obvious target when her eyes stared into his, both of them seemingly freezing in time by that short and very simply interaction. It was as if the sounds of the ongoing battle had ceased and silence reverberated across Morag. Though neither of them could explain it, Peter Quill and Gamora stared in silence to one another.

Just each other.

Long enough for Starlight to finally recover and act.

She pulled herself from the rubble and leapt from it, her horn igniting and wrapping her magic tightly around the Orb. Just as quickly, her horn shimmered once more and her magic latched itself with Nebula, with Maud, and with Derpy. By the time the Chitauri and Gamora turned back to them, they had already vanished in a flash of white. Gamora’s hardened expression returned to her, her head rapidly spinning around to catch sight of Nebula and her allies. Her eyes washed over the area where the Terran had been. Had been.

Star-Lord was already gone and making a hasty escape to his Milano.

The Black Order and Thanos didn’t even see him running across the rocky landscape in the distance. They were all too focused on beating down the Ghost Rider. Each member of the Black Order got a shot on the demon as a means of payback for what it had done to them. Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight each sliced at the Rider with their respective weapons, the Spirit of Vengeance stumbling back and forth from each hit. Cull Obsidian slammed his axe into the Rider’s back, launching the demon directly to the ground.

Huffing at that, Cull turned to his left to see Ebony Maw strut forth and raise his fingers accordingly. The shattered rock surrounding Ghost Rider cracked and twisted to fit the Maw’s will, swarming the Rider’s arm and keeping it constrained to the earth. He held the Rider at bay for the time being, the Maw and his siblings all turning in accordance to their father making his approach.

Thanos glared to the prone demon lying before him. He began to rear back with his Double-Edged Sword, then quickly shot his weapon back to deflect the oncoming strike from War Machine. James Rhodes flew back from the force of the impact, the burly suit of armor crashing against the rocky floor and lying there, hardly moving. With that dealt with, Thanos pulled his sword back and drove it into the Ghost Rider’s chest.

The Spirit of Vengeance still had a semblance of fight left in it, breaking through the rocks and catching Thanos’ blade just before its edge could reach its chest. The two seemed to be caught in a shocking game of strength, and to the Black Order’s continued shock, Thanos was not making any progress. In fact, he was being pushed back. The Rider was rising. Ebony Maw ended with a closing of his palm into a fist, pushing the Rider to the earth and freeing its hands from Thanos’ sword.

The edge was driven into Ghost Rider’s chest upon that, Thanos roaring in satisfying victory. Ghost Rider roared in response, the agonized cries of the demon leaving its blistering jaws. Then, it disappeared in a flash of white. Nothing remained except Thanos’ blade stuck between the rocks of the earth. Stunned momentarily at that, Thanos spun around alongside his children when he spotted the second burst of whiteness appear behind him.

Starlight teleported directly next to War Machine, nodding fiercely to James once his eyes landed on the Orb wrapped in her magic. With her were Derpy, Maud, and the wounded Nebula and Ghost Rider. Regardless, they were together. They had what they came for. They needed to finish the mission and fast.

So, James pulled his left hand forward, his right raised over it. Every Avenger did.

In the corner of their vision, they watched as Thanos and his Black Order rushed them. His speed was inconceivable, the murderous intent in all of their eyes only growing larger and larger as the distance between them was nearly severed. And just as Thanos reached them with his blade raised and brought down right on top of Starlight Glimmer, she vanished.

They all shrunk down once the Quantum Suits consumed their bodies. And they escaped. They made it safely into the Quantum Realm with the Orb in their possession.

A flash of lightning and roaring thunder shot across the skies above the Temple of the Power Stone. The storm clouds only grew fiercer, the rain pouring down and impacting the shattered planet of Morag. Under the glare of Sanctuary II, the ruins of the temple held scattered Chitauri standing idly by. They only made themselves more presentable once their lord and master entered the grounds. Thanos was slow in his approach, his breathing raw and ragged as the rain slid down his blade and armor. Behind him, his children followed. Soon enough, they confronted all that remained.

Gamora bent down next to Nebula’s body. Her green palm rose up and gently caressed the cold, wet cheek of her sister. Nebula, in response, stared off into nothing. The dark hole where her heart should have been gave its last spark before it, too, faded away. In a way, Gamora was thankful it was raining. Harder for anyone to know what was tears and what was rain.

Yet before she could rise, her eyes lingered to the left side. She caught a shimmer of color within the dull grays and blacks of the temple ruins. A slight glimpse of red. Furrowing her brow at that, Gamora reached down and plucked the red from the gray, analyzing the small vial resting in the center of her palm.

The lone vial of Pym Particles captured droplets of rain water on its surface, or maybe it was her tears. Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. Gamora closed her hand around it when she heard the footsteps emerge behind her. When she heard the familiar voice call out, “Daughter…”

Gamora slowly rose. So very slowly turned around and gazed onto the expression of her father. Her… father. Her eyes lingered back to Nebula’s body, her mind to the words spoken to her mere moments ago. And as she turned back to Thanos, her expression was practically unreadable. Practically unreadable with a slight sense of distrust glowing in each eye.

Her palm tightened even more around the Pym Particles, keeping it hidden from his sight.

As for Thanos, his eyes fell to his other daughter’s body. A slight sense of disappointment filled him before it was replaced by mild acceptance. His expression curled and his eyes fell away, lifting only to Gamora standing before him. He said, “You have failed me, Gamora. I am very… very disappointed.”

Gamora said nothing.

She stared only to the sky, onto Quill’s escaping ship making the jump. Almost staring longingly.

“Do not fail me with the Soul Stone.”

When her eyes turned back to Thanos, every aspect of how she was formed and trained to be his daughter, his warrior, and his greatest creation seemed to be constantly infected by that lingering thought, that single possibility that what future Nebula had told her may have been true. What if it was? What if it was meant to occur? Just hearing that wretched name, the Soul Stone, brought that possibility back to the forefront. Gamora stood and stared in silence, keeping her left palm closed tight and hidden from Thanos’ sight.

He never even noticed that she was hiding something from him. Thanos merely gazed to the aftermath of his failure. His failure to obtain the Orb, the Power Stone, and the repercussions that lied with that. He knew the future was not set in stone as long as he could change the present, but after what he witnessed, the memories that flowed from his now deceased daughter, perhaps it wasn’t the future he should be worried about.

For it was destiny that lied ahead. A destiny already fulfilled in death.

Author's Note

One to go...

Chapter 154 – Hunted

154

Arthros

Sector 17A of the Negative Zone

No matter where she ran, Tempest Shadow would always hear them.

They were always around her. Always screaming at her. At first, it was just a light, just a source of potential energy for their mission. What mission? The mission. Tempest desperately needed to find the Infinity Stone, or else all of her efforts would have been for nothing. All of their efforts would have been for naught. Was there even a “their”? Why was it so damn difficult to keep her mind clear?

No matter how hard she tried to push it out, the perpetual fog that clouded her vision, senses, and mind was everlasting and inescapable. Just as they were…

It turned against her. The source of energy, of light, became a false hope as the demons removed their veils and showed themselves for who they truly were. Monsters. Insects. Alien and unnatural and horrifying in every aspect that Tempest knew to be real. And they chased her. They had found their prey and they charged, flew, and crawled towards the unicorn with feverish speed. Their cries echoed off the spiraling and towering walls of the shadowed, forbidden city.

No matter how fast she galloped, Tempest would hear them get closer. And closer.

And closer.

Until she had no choice but to teleport away and get lost in the dark.

Tempest waited several seconds until there was absolute silence in order to breathe again. When there was, when the buzzing had finally faded into nonexistence, she took in several gasps of air but instantly regretted it. The air was raw with a sickening stench of rot and ruin. Covering her snout, Tempest let her horn burn aglow in order to light up her immediate area. Whatever form of structure she had teleported inside was once a part of civilizations. Once inhabited by strange, alien creatures with lives, loves, and purpose.

All that was left was simply the opposite.

The black bile consumed the walls and floor just as it consumed the outside of the city and the streets and buildings. Due to the freezing temperatures Tempest had entered into, all of it was frozen, unlike the sickness that covered the buildings outside. That was the best that Tempest could describe it: sickness. Its stench was foul, its appearance even more so, and it covered a supposed graveyard of corpses of what once existed. Alien beings, all of them succumbed to the sickness and frozen in different states of perpetual terror and madness. Their expressions told horror stories, all of them seemingly frozen in time yet aged appropriately to show the existence of death upon their persons.

It was just death. Completely and all around her. That fog slowly began to seep inside when Tempest finally gagged and vomited.

She simply couldn’t help herself. The presence of such sickening images, the severity of the stench, and the constant screaming and growing madness in her mind made her lose all sense of security and sanity. Her stomach erupted and that familiar sickness was expelled from her jaws. The unicorn heaved until there was simply nothing left to give, Tempest quivering and whimpering within the grasp of the fog. Within the clutches of the dark.

Beyond her reach and hope, Tempest Shadow was unaware of her fellow Avenger facing similar struggles in the world outside.

Elektra Natchios nearly passed out when she collapsed dead center in the street. Though there was nothing that came for her—no sounds, no insects, simply nothing—her mind was a battle in and of itself. Her mind screamed at her. Her will begged for reason and understanding. Her deeper instincts that had saved her life on various occasions told her everything she didn’t want to hear.

You can run as much as you want, but it’ll never go away. The truth is a terrible demon to face.

Elektra’s open palms slowly curled into shivering fists upon the street.

Has it always been so easy, Elektra? Time and time again, you’re faced with odds stacked so heavily against you. Always with Murdock, enslaved to the Hand, and now giving your life and safety for people who don’t even know you. Who don’t even care about you! The ones who wouldn’t give a damn for your life and would gladly trade it if it meant sparing themselves!

The fog circled around her.

Because that’s who they are.

She gasped. Several deep breaths inwards and out. Tears welled up in her eyes as she rose to her knees and sat there. Open palms and broken spirits. Utterly shattered and fresh for the taking.

Because they never trusted you. No one ever has. The demons of the past taught you one thing: What makes you think you can trust them?

When she opened her eyes, whatever was once Elektra Natchios was overcome by the glassy fog. She gazed ahead with that dead glare, growing more and more ferocious when the comms link in her earbud came to life and the demon’s voice cried out.

Elsewhere, Clint Barton collapsed behind cover as the insects that chased him flew off in various, uncertain directions. He waited until he could see nothing else, until their bodies dispersed and the unsettling silence of the world they were trapped in fell upon his shoulders and very being once again. And once more, it was overwhelming. He gripped the object he had hidden behind in a vain attempt to rise back to his feet.

He was actively hyperventilating at that point, continuously wiping his eyes, mouth, and skin for the millions upon millions of insects he felt crawling over him. His heartbeat was growing more and more feverish, and Clint had to forcefully grab his own arm to stop himself from wiping at his skin. To a point, it felt as if he was fighting himself. Closing his eyes, Clint breathed steadily. The silence was so horrible. He could feel the blood flowing and beating through his veins. Unbearable.

When his arm finally stopped shivering, he slowly released his grip from it. His palms still shivered even as he turned them over and gazed deeply into the leather of his black gloves. Sometimes they were painted red. Sometimes he would see countless bodies of warlords, of tyrants, of criminals, of human beings surrounding him. At that point, when the fog gripped him, he saw all of it. Every body, every blood drop, and very scream reverberating around him. Around Ronin.

But he closed his eyes again, breathed in and out. In and out. In and out.

The silence was all there was when he opened his eyes. No bodies. Nothing else. “We need to get the hell out of here,” he muttered in a ragged, broken breath. Clint wasn’t thinking of the Soul Stone. He wasn’t thinking clearly about much of anything. His vision was so narrowed and his judgement was so clouded that he acted on pure instinct. Just long enough for him to bring that quivering hand to his earbud.

In the distance, he heard that familiar screech, that familiar buzzing. All of it getting closer. Turning to it with wild, animalistic eyes, Clint roared, “We need to get out! Find me!”

Pressing on his GPS, Clint activated his emergency beacon, it somehow being miraculously still active when everything else failed him. His flashlight, his reason, his mind, his sanity. All of it seemed unnatural. All of it seemed completely flipped on its head and they were left to somehow find their footing in the madness of the upside-down. He was unable to find that footing…

Especially when Elektra burst forth from the shadows and tackled him.

She heard his voice, answered his distress beacon, and came running with a clear intent. Only her intent was not to tackle him out of harm’s way. Nothing else came for them. It was just him… and her. The harm came fully from Natchios when she unsheathed her sai and jammed it directly towards Clint’s throat. In that moment where Clint had expected to only breathe blood, time had stopped. He gazed skyward to see Elektra straddling him beneath the glare of the black hole. The light it gave was barely unable to unveil the madness in her eyes.

But it was there. It was clear and it was real. The white overcome with red and black veins, sickness and pain overwhelming the Avenger and turning her into something else. Something worse. Something she wasn’t. Clint knew that, and as he slowly raised his hands, he showed her that they were open. He held no weapon, no malice against her. Nothing but his voice.

“Elektra… you need to listen to me very… very carefully…”

Tears and drool fell from her eyes and lips respectively. Like a broken, feral animal finally let loose. Something uncontrollable and unhinged after so much torment. A part of Clint’s heart broke at that realization, having heard the horror stories of the Black Sky and the hand and only now realizing what that type of torment must have done to her. Her sai inched closer to his jugular, Clint’s hands open and wide and his voice whispering to her.

Easing her. “Okay, okay, okay… easy there… It’s me. It’s me, Clint, remember? Avenger… fellow Avenger. Come on, Elektra, I need you now.”

From the shadows, Tempest burst forth and galloped forward, declaring aloud, “Clint, I got your distress signal and came as fast as I—”

What she was witness to nearly caused Tempest to spring into action. Seeing Elektra slowly close the distance between her sai and Clint’s throat forced her to ignite her horn. However, to her shock, Clint held out his right hand to her, urging her without a word to halt. To stay back. Her horn remained burning for several seconds more before Tempest finally eased in and backed away. Just in case Elektra tried anything, she kept her horn bright, the Asgardian runes glowing a soft blue in comparison to the brightness on the curved tip.

With Tempest out of the way, Clint returned his focus onto the woman straddling him, the woman just one flick forward from ending his life. The woman who needed him now more than ever. Through the madness and sickness and uncertainty clouding her eyes, deep beneath it all there was the wound. The hurt. The brokenness.

Deep down, there was someone who needed a friend to pull them back.

“Elektra… I need you… to lower your weapon,” he began under a soft, comforting tone. Elektra’s face merely broke into a further snarl, more tears slipping down her cheeks. “There is something bigger going on… something we can’t understand. It’s a big mission… an even bigger responsibility. You were pulled out of Hell expecting to do God’s work, and I know how that feels. Deep down, though… I know there’s something more. I know you’re hurting. Maybe more than me, maybe more than I ever could. But we can understand each other, and if you’ll let me… then help me understand you.”

The ferocity in her eyes had suddenly frozen, the glare breaking down and revealing something.

“I want to understand.”

Then it was those words that destroyed the wall and released the full flood upon her. She had nearly convinced herself that these people, that these Avengers meant nothing but distrust and ill will to her. She told herself that. Her instincts of which she trusted more than anyone else told her what was right and what was wrong. Saving herself, killing her demons, that was right. It would be right to finish the job and end the beast’s life like he would have for her. What was wrong would be to not listen. To give in to the false security of chance and trust.

All he really had were his words. He, and the same people who only saw her as the Black Sky, wanted to understand.

Could she really, truly… trust them?

You can’t.

Her mind told her no, but her actions played a different chord.

Her sai fell away and Clint finally breathed heavily again. He clutched his throat and waited as she brought herself away from him, allowing Clint to rise and rest in a sitting position. Much like she did when she fell to her knees and her sai crumbled to the street. Her arms slowly rose and wrapped around herself. And she cried.

The ferocity was gone, from Elektra and from Tempest’s horn. Only the shimmer of light was left, showcasing Tempest’s awestruck expression when she saw Elektra Natchios crumble and fall apart, the woman crying and shivering and holding herself as the weight of the world, the universe, and herself fell on her. To her continued astonishment, she watched Clint step forward. She watched him fall to her.

And she watched as his hug held her softly. Elektra gasped quietly at that, her tear-filled eyes gazing to nowhere as Clint’s strong arms wrapped around her, no longer her own arms to comfort her, but the arms of another. An Avenger. A fellow broken warrior. A friend. That was enough for her. That was all Elektra needed as she shut her eyes and bawled in his chest.

Clint shushed her, his own eyes growing misty to hear the familiar cries of Lila echoing from Elektra. The same cries his daughter would make when she would have a nightmare, and all she had to keep her safe from the monsters was her dad waking up in the middle of the night, rushing into her room, and holding her softly. Shushing her. Stroking her hair.

The palm that Elektra felt through her hair made her shiver. But it stopped the cries. It stopped everything.

Hearing the soft hoofsteps, both Clint and Elektra turned to meet Tempest’s gaze. From it, they saw the conformity, the smile, and the nod symbolizing the rebuilt strength they had found together. With Elektra still in Clint’s arms, she felt that especially. “I’m never leaving you two again,” Tempest told them. Clint and Elektra both smiled to that.

Tempest waved her hoof to them, beckoning them and saying, “Come on. We have one more Avenger to find.”

Natasha Romanoff barely escaped.

The demons of the past, present, and future all haunted her, all chased her, and all led her at the same time at the same place to that one moment in time. They led her to a destination she could not know, a place she could not speak of, and a destiny she could not foretell. There was a constant stream of voices screaming, echoing, and calling in her head. It was difficult to know what to follow, what to believe in. Natasha made it work and listened to the demons that mattered.

The ones that didn’t try to kill her.

Lost in the darkness, Natasha managed to escape the fog and hide within some carnage. Just the remnants of a tower and the broken structure within. She had survived far, far worse. Taking refuge within the remains of a building was no easy task, but it wasn’t the first time. She crawled and ducked and seeped deeper and deeper into the labyrinth of darkness and sickness, of black and cold. Until she couldn’t feel her legs any longer. Until the freezing temperatures made her knees buckle and she was forced to sit down.

Despite her best efforts, Natasha shivered. She curled up until her knees were pressed to her chest, her back had settled against the frozen wall behind her, and her hair began to frost over from the sweat glistening against it. Lips parted and breath escaping, Natasha could manage hardly even a breath as the air seemed to chill her insides to unsuitable temperatures. Her lungs felt strained and weak. Her heart went from a rapid beat to a slow and steady pace. Only growing slower by the second.

The daunting aspect of the outside world only spelled evil and foreboding, the demons outside the building walls only wishing to her dead at their feet. Continuously running outside meant death. Hiding in the skeleton of a fallen structure meant hypothermia, and then the inevitable pain of a freezing death. With her options limited, Natasha felt somewhat settled knowing her life would be given not in the joys of her enemies, but in their anguish to know they didn’t get the pleasure of seeing her end personally. That alone got a smidgen of a smirk out of her, before it was taken away by her constant shivers. Frozen breaths escaped her rose-rimmed lips, slower… and slower…

Until the voices she trusted told her to turn left.

And see the light.

Her pupils shivered as her body was forcefully turned by Natasha’s sheer willpower. Hidden beneath the carnage, safely protected by a piece of debris, a shimmer of light glowed softly beneath it. Reaching for it, Natasha somehow managed to push the small chunk of debris that had frozen to the ground away from her. It felt like it weighed a ton. Natasha managed and gazed fully into the light, the warmth, and the orange glow of the Soul Stone.

There it was. No illusion. No demons to tell her otherwise. No madness to cloud her better judgement. It was just her alone with the main reason they had traveled to the past in the first place. The Soul Stone shimmered and cried a soft, harmonic tune. It was enough for Natasha to close the distance and wrap her fingers around it. The gem glowed a tinge brighter upon her touch, Romanoff bringing it closer until it was mere inches from her face.

The Soul Stone lied in her glove. In her grasp, the power to control all souls in the universe was built and compacted into one shimmering gemstone. The orange illuminated her face and began to clear her mind of the fog. Leaving just the voices she knew and trusted, the ones that led her there in the first place. Giving a silent prayer and thanks to the voices of her past family, Natasha forced herself to stand. She did, and she wobbled, but stood nonetheless.

A small but very powerful victory. Natasha wanted to smile, but couldn’t and instead whipped out her pistol when she heard the rushing wind behind her.

Spinning to it, Natasha saw the demonic expression grip the likes of Tempest Shadow the moment the unicorn leapt through the debris. Her razor-sharp teeth opened as a cry of hellish proportions left the unicorn. Natasha blinked against the flash of light from her pistol’s barrel. She blinked again as she turned to avoid the collapsing body of Tempest Shadow land mere feet behind her. She blinked once more to see the cooling corpse of the unicorn begin to freeze against the earth.

Natasha felt her heart drop once the realization became reality, became a nightmare, and became something far worse when she blinked one more time.

The corpse was an insect. An unnaturally large alien insect. Not Tempest. Never was. Taking a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, Natasha was unable to react in time when the rushing wind came again. By the time she turned to face it, the alien insect attacked her. Darkness came faster than that.

Author's Note

Happy birthday to me! Big number 23! :moustache:

God, I'm old...

Chapter 155 – New Faces

155

Arthros

Sector 17A of the Negative Zone

Once Clint and Elektra rose from the frozen earth that surrounded them, they all came together. All three Avengers. Tempest gave them that acknowledgement, affirmed to them that they were indeed missing one member. They were missing one friend. That wasn’t all she or any of the others acknowledged in that fateful moment.

With the three of them standing together, they finally took a moment to really breathe in the silence. A silence that somehow called to them. With only their breaths as their signifying presence of life to one another, each Avenger turned slowly and faced the uncertainty of the dark. Their breaths were the light of the frozen air. Cautiously, dangerously, they breathed in. The fog that lingered in the outskirts of the desolate civilization remained there. Lingered. Watched them.

Perhaps it was an instinct. A dread to know that whatever had taken them was ready to pounce once more. Like a prowling lion constantly circling from the shadows, just waiting for any of them to fall, to open themselves, to show just an inch of vulnerability. And then it would strike.

Yet they remained. They stood fast and ready, together and much stronger that way. The fog could do nothing but linger in the shadows, until it eventually began to slowly dissipate from existence. Until not even a trail of its essence remained. Clint managed a breath of sweet relief, blinking softly alongside Elektra and Tempest. They all seemed to relish in that moment of clarity, as if they all understood their foe and what it had attempted to do to them. Like it had nearly succeeded in doing before.

Together, they were stronger. They never left one another, nor did they feel a single passing thought enter them to deceive them otherwise. Not even Elektra. Clint’s actions earlier proved that.

“There’s something seriously wrong with this planet,” Clint managed to breathe.

“Not just that, but the air,” Tempest followed.

“Everything,” Elektra whispered, earning the eyes of the unicorn and the Hawk. Her arms slowly rose to caress her shoulders, rubbing them gingerly as another chill raced across her skin. A frozen breath left her, Elektra turning away. “It’s not right.”

Which meant they needed to leave fast. As in right then and there. Clint raised his GPS, pressing hard on his comms link. “Natasha, where are you? Natasha… Nat… Nat, do you read?”

No response.

Not at first.

Tempest’s ear flicked in the direction of sound. An unnatural, foreboding, and haunting sound that made her skin beneath her coat shiver. A sound they all knew. The buzzing. They didn’t even have a second to hide into cover when the swarms filled the black skies above their heads. On instinct, the Avengers began to bend low and sneak into cover, yet they stopped soon enough when they noticed that the alien insects above them didn’t even find any interest to the three lone Avengers any longer. They had their path set, a conjoined swarm all flying off in one general direction.

Then, they got the distress signal. Each one of them in their GPSes.

Natasha felt herself being forcefully thrown to the ground when her consciousness returned to her. The frozen air that had constantly pushed against her skin and face had finally ceased, ultimately bringing the Black Widow out of the fog, out of the madness, and free from the piercing, frozen death. She felt as if she was flying for a moment, that fragments of her family's voices and memories still hazy. Still like a fog.

The next thing she realized—or attempted to—was the side of her face planted to the frozen earth and the numbness of sound finally receding. She mumbled nothingness in her weak attempt to awaken, eyes softly fluttering open to gaze to a distinct ground of black earth. Then, the pincers fell from the sky and struck the ground with such speed and ferocity that it jolted Natasha right from her daze, bringing her to rest on her backside and swiftly crawling away from…

From…

The demonic face slowly turned with its sinister grin and razor-sharp teeth, a dual set of pincers in the sides of its mouth flickering with sickening intent. The soft clicks escaping its alien maw joined the slick, black ooze that dripped from its fangs. The massive, glossy red eyes familiar only to that of an Earthen insect was distinctly characterized by the glow of each orb, the unending dread of madness that swirled and glowed deep within. No matter what was real and what was a falsity, Natasha could have sworn she saw the insect turn her way with a smile. It couldn’t have been real. It was a living nightmare.

Then, it crawled at her.

Slowly at first, and soon joined by another that dropped from the shadowed sky. It resembled the first, hissing and clicking and growling to the lone woman crawling from them. Then another. Even more broke from the earth and emerged from the shadows of the distant rocks and stones erected like jagged sabers. Some were even camouflaged as the rocks, all of them zeroing in and descending onto the Black Widow. Some walked while bipedal. Some had multiple arms. Some were the size of titans rising in the distance. Some flew. Some drove their tower-like legs into the earth and crawled like gargantuan spiders. But they all moved towards her. Towards one distinct location. As one wave.

They all stopped.

Natasha’s breathing was sporadic.

She watched with wide, horrified eyes as they all lifted and turned their heads beyond her. And beyond her, that was where Natasha turned. Behind the Widow, a massive throne sat upon a set of stone steps. The shadows of the world, the fog that Natasha knew, and the heart of dread and uncertainty that stained the planet she was on, all of it centered solely on that throne. It was like an inevitable force, an abyss that sucked in all hope of life, love, and security. Everything that was natural was consumed by the utter darkness of the throne. And upon it, the eyes burned to life within the dark.

Two slits of raw, hellish fire.

Natasha jolted to her feet next. She wanted to back away, to turn and run, but after noticing the wave of insects and the miles of miles of those demonic creatures swarming her, Romanoff knew there was no escape. Not a survivable one by any means. With little to no choice left, she shakily turned her gaze back to the throne, gazed into the dark, and met the light of the horrific, glowing red eyes.

The eyes belonged to a being. Most of it was concealed in the shadows, but from the light that black hole had yet to consume, Natasha could see a large rod in its right claw, hanging lazily on the side of the throne. Before her, the red eyes slowly rose as the being stood up upon its towering legs. To her continued shock, a pair of pitch-black bat wings slowly unfurled from the throne. They extended outwards as a sign of intimidation, as way to frighten and disorient the prey standing meekly before it. Natasha soon realized the wings were not black, but green. And they belonged to the being.

The being that glared only at her as it descended the steps.

It was as if reality was swirled and bastardized with every step it took, only growing closer and closer to the Black Widow. A false sense of security gripped the being like a fog, those same swirls of light consuming the being and trailing it down the steps. Yet it did not fall to the fog like she had. It was if the fog was the very air it breathed, the life energy of which it so gladly showcased. Like a robe of fog. Like a royal regalia for the being and the world it controlled. It saw nothing more than the lone human, the natural, positive, living life that had entered its realm. It was unknown what shimmered in its eyes. All it saw was her.

Natasha gulped, tightening her left fist around the Soul Stone. “Oh, boy,” her frozen breath whispered. The Stone glowed upon her tightened touch, and it freed her.

With her mind finally and fully cleared from the fog, she realized she was alone. Cautiously, she pushed both hands behind her back, her right shivering as it reached for the GPS attached to her left. Her touch activated her distress signal, a sound that caught every insect, every beast, and even the being as their resounding screams filled the air of the Negative Zone.

Then, it broke the distance between them and drove its claws around her throat, stopping her own screams from sounding off.

Chapter 156 – Negative

156

Arthros

Sector 17A of the Negative Zone

Natasha felt the piercing cold of the being’s needle-like claws wrap around her throat, constricting her windpipe and slowly cutting off her flow of oxygen. She then felt herself being raised from the earth, her right palm clutching the being’s arm while her left remained behind her back, fist closed tight around the Soul Stone.

All the while she tried not to stare onto the being’s face now that it had stepped free from the shadows and was standing before her under the glow of the black hole. With her vision beginning to blur from the lack of air, all Natasha managed to catch were the red orbs of raw energy glowing violently against the beast’s face. It managed to illuminate what the minimal light above could not, showcasing a metal-plated face lacking basic, human-like facial features. No nose. No ears. No teeth. Just metal fangs. Just metal everything.

No sense of morality or mercy. Nothing that was natural.

She tried to fight back, but her efforts didn’t matter. Her punches didn’t even move the being, let alone harm it. It gazed to her efforts with waning interest, studying the softness of her skin and analyzing each side of the woman’s face. How long had it been since it had witnessed a human being? How long had a positive creature entered its realm and lived long enough to stand before it? Such interesting thoughts… that the being could save for later.

Once its eyes fell down to her opposite hand—her left palm hidden behind her back—the being found itself intrigued. For if the positive wretch would waste her efforts in hiding something, it must have been of great value or interest. Reaching down with its free right claw, the being grabbed Natasha’s wrist and lifted it much to Romanoff’s distress. Her grunts and cries sounded off as the being forcefully pulled her left arm free from behind her back. Natasha struggled where she hovered above the ground, feet flailing and mind fading from consciousness due to the lack of oxygen.

The black began to overcome her vision, but she stayed conscious just long enough to see the being pry her left arm forward, twisting it just enough for her closed fist to face it head-on. Her arm shivered and struggled against its overwhelming strength. Its red eyes turned away from her to focus only on her fist. Its claws began to crawl upwards on her forearm, reaching her palm. Its red orbs of hellish fire narrowed. It squeezed its grip, both the left and the right hands.

Never could it have reacted to the beam of magic when it turned away. By the time it finally did, it was too late.

A bolt of magic so raw and so powerful screamed across the skies, shot over the wave of insects’ heads, and impacted their leader with resounding force. It was deadly accurate as well, striking the being dead in the chest and launching it straight through its throne. Stone and ice and other earthly material shattered from the impact of the body. Having focused its attention to the magical beam just moments before being struck by it, the beast had lost its grip around Natasha and flung the Avenger as its own body careened back into its throne.

Natasha hit the ground with a painful yelp leaving her, the Widow groaning softly as she tried to roll to her chest. The moment she rolled to her side; however, she was a witness to a screaming wave of alien insects charging her. Unstoppable. Unfathomable. They were as vast as an ocean, as numbered as the sands upon the shoreline. They crawled, flew, and stampeded towards Romanoff with wretched force and ferocity. The Black Widow could do nothing but stare onto her final moments with shivering trepidation. She made certain to keep her left fist closed tight, but eyes centered and solid onto her enemy, to let them know and understand she would stay resilient even to the end.

Their fangs, pincers, and teeth all zeroed in and collapsed onto the Widow. Or, onto the shield of magic that surrounded her.

They impacted the protective dome of magical energy again and again, assaulting the outside with ravenous strikes and slashes. It held strong, the light blue aura instantly reminding Natasha of a familiar horn’s glow. A flash of light behind her later, and Natasha spun to meet the likes of Elektra Natchios, Clint Barton, and Tempest Shadow all standing together under the light of the shield.

Natasha blinked. No demons. No monsters. Just her friends.

Clint bent down to one knee, clutching Natasha’s shoulders with his palms and shaking her back into the realm of reality and the living. His voice cried out but the numbness in her ears gave no signature of sound. Not like it mattered. She stared fully into his eyes, his face, and saw only him. His hands rose up and caressed her cheeks, the sides of her face, and assured her that it was him.

Her family.

Soon enough, his voice came back to her. “… tasha? Natasha? It’s me… It’s me; it’s Clint. Okay? You there, Natasha? Please… Nat…”

Cautiously, they both watched as her right palm shivered its way up to his forearm. Clint stared onto her quivering fingers wrap slowly against his wrist, his eyes trailing back into her own. There was no sense of uncertainty any longer. No fog to cloud who they were or what they wanted to see. In that moment, under the light of magic, they saw one another.

Natasha saw him and whispered, “Clint?”

He nodded with a broken smile, placing his forehead softly against hers. She fell into it, breathing steadily alongside her family. There was no further distance to break as she pushed forward and fell into his arms for a powerful hug. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and held him there, Clint’s own cradling the back of her head. Just feeling her heartbeat and knowing she was alive, amongst all the uncertainty, amongst all the chaos surrounding them and wishing to destroy them, somehow that made it all worth it. Knowing she was alive made it all worth it.

And as for Natasha, knowing Clint lived made her life worth it.

“Don’t ever leave me,” she whispered in his ear, voice breaking.

Clint closed his tear-filled eyes. “Only if you never leave me.”

She said nothing, unable to, and just closed her eyes.

Maintaining the shield and fending off the swarms upon swarms of insects, Tempest found a moment of clarity and turned to the two Avengers. All she could do was simply stare at them, see their bond be fully exposed and the words both Clint and Natasha shared with one another. How they held each other, how they spoke, how they cried, all of exemplifying love in its purest form. Tempest’s expression cracked at that, but nonetheless held. Just as well as her horn’s magic holding the dome over their heads.

Finally breaking the embrace, Clint held Natasha’s shoulders and asked, “Do you have it?”

Raising her opposite hand, Natasha opened her left palm, revealing the orange glow. Clint, Elektra, and Tempest slowly fell into the light of the Soul Stone, the shimmering gem glowing softly upon Natasha’s open palm. Clint’s expression hardened, his lips pursing in acknowledgment. A nod from him. A nod from her. They both turned to their remaining two Avengers.

A nod from all.

Natasha closed her hand over the Stone and twisted her wrist over, showcasing the Time Travel GPS. They all raised their right hands and hooves respectively, the magical shield around them cracking and beginning to shatter with Tempest’s efforts focused elsewhere. With just one vial of Pym Particles left each, none of them said a word but prayed their next jump would lead them home.

And they did. They jumped. Each of their bodies were consumed by the Quantum Suits and they shrunk down to microscopic size into the vast expanse of the Quantum Realm.

Just as the being rose from its shattered throne, it pointed its massive, weaponized rod right for Tempest’s shield and completely decimated it. Not only the shield, but everything in front, behind, and beyond it. The earth was torn to shreds as the cosmic energy escaped from the rod and vaporized the magical shield Tempest once held. A clear line was crafted from the explosion of energy, decimating the grounds beyond and any insect that was unfortunate enough to be caught in the beam’s ray. It destroyed various landscapes, the ending eruption creating a vast array of lights that shimmered and sparkled in the blackness of the night sky. The orb of light faded from the earth’s crust, leaving just the aftermath.

Within that aftermath, the being stepped free from its destroyed throne and witnessed the carnage left behind. Only there was nothing there. No hints, no traces, no scent of the woman or her allies. They had escaped. Through the vastness of the multiverse, they had escaped. The being lowered the Cosmic Control Rod and screamed.

Annihilus screamed out to the Negative Zone. His kingdom and his prison.

The vastness of the Quantum Realm was unparalleled to any other. The team of four Avengers could hardly keep their eyes open as they soared, dodged, and let their GPSes guide them to one last location. One last destination. The end of their journey.

It was all mostly a blur, Clint and Natasha and Elektra and Tempest unable to keep their eyes open. It flashed so bright and so suddenly that they felt as if a seizure was soon upon them. Their stomachs felt queasy, their heads were spinning, and the various time vortexes they passed by seemed liked entire galaxies. Entire dimensions that swirled and consumed all they could. Yet through it all, Natasha never released her grip around the Soul Stone.

Soon enough, out of the corner of their eyes, they witnessed a familiar band of Quantum Suit-bearing Avengers joining them. Then another team. Another squad. Then Bruce Banner. Their paths collided and the conglomeration of Avengers tasked with finding a specific Infinity Stone had reunited at last. They flew together, even if they didn’t fully see each other, and broke through the waves of the Quantum Realm as one stream of continuous light. The energy they created with what they held broke various time vortexes they passed, various other barriers and dimensions outside of their control.

A particular Quantum City sat within the expanse, overlooking the stream of light the Avengers created. And the city was caught in that light, that unbreakable barrier surrounding the city nearly shattering once the path of the Avengers had crossed it. The barrier teetered and broke, capturing not only the inhabitants of it… but one particular individual.

He was caught within his study, overlooking various calculations and formulas written over a lifetime ago. As its prisoner, he could do nothing more but learn, study, try to figure out a way to break through the barrier and find a way back home. His glasses sat snugly on the ridge of his nose, a brown and graying beard gracing his cheeks, lips, and chin. That grayness slipped onto the sides of his hair, a palm raised over his mouth as he tried to find meaning within the meaningless. Seek the known within the unknown. For years, he had been trying to find an answer to their escape. For years, he and his family had been trying to get home.

But when that flash of light caught his interest, he finally turned away from his work.

And saw what he simply couldn’t believe.

Rising slowly from his chair, the man approached the window and gazed out beyond the massive Quantum City and the building he occupied within it. He pushed the window out, palms gripping the edges of the building as he witnessed the barrier beyond his reach finally break. A tear was formed from the stream of light, a pathway crafted to a distant time vortex. The light of the path shimmered across his eyes, his jaw falling but no breath able to escape. He shivered when the realization became reality. He had an escape. He had a path. He had it all… except his voice.

“Reed?”

The familiar voice was a soft and harmonious tune to his ears, and he turned to face quite possibly the only saving grace to his imprisonment in the Quantum Realm. She stood just inside his office, the familiar white, gray, and blue suit clutching her body just as it clutched his. Her long, golden-blonde hair fell down her shoulders and swayed to her movements closer to him. With that distance broken, he stared into her eyes as she came to his side. He turned away.

Susan did so, as well.

And they saw, without a word, the tear to the barrier and the pathway that led home. Susan Storm let loose a soft gasp, eyes widening in shock and awe. Reed Richards smiled for the first time in many, many years.

Author's Note

It's time to come home.

Chapter 157 – Back to the Future

157

Earth

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

5:00 p.m.

The Quantum Tunnel sparked and spun to life with a rainbow of lights and colors. The ceiling above danced like waves on an ocean’s surface in response to the Quantum Tunnel’s awakening. For in its rest, it was only one minute before it was stirred to life once more.

An entire minute that lasted much, much longer on the other side of reality, space, and time. But in the main timeline, in the journey that led home, the Avengers left to tend to the returning teams had only experienced a minute of pure apprehension, utter fear, and an unforeseeable end to the journey their fellow Avengers had experienced. From the few mishaps the others had experienced on their journey, the longest minute of their lives had finally come to an end.

Melinda May, Alphonso Mackenzie, Piper, Davis, Shuri, and Friday all gazed in mixtures of awe and worry as the Quantum Tunnel came to life and released its occupants from the Quantum Realm. Shuri and Friday stood behind the control console that powered the entire operation, only May, Mack, Piper, and Davis approaching the tunnel slowly and watching the mixtures of light and color flourish across the tunnel’s surface.

Then, the time travelers came home. All at once.

Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Twilight Sparkle, and Rainbow Dash all rose up as their bodies expanded and grew once they exited the Quantum Realm. Their bodies were still covered by the black, red, and white suits and masks, and in Tony’s right hand he gripped a familiar glowing cube of otherworldly energy. It was enough to earn a sigh of relief from the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to see the Tesseract and the Space Stone in safe hands. One down.

Carol Danvers, Matthew Murdock, Frank Castle, Daisy Johnson, Scott Lang, and Sunset Shimmer joined them in tandem, Scott stumbling a bit where he stood alongside Daisy and Murdock. Frank remained frozen where he stood, simply rising higher once his body returned to normal size alongside Sunset and Carol. With the Quantum Suits still strapped to their bodies, Frank’s Punisher Armor also gripped a large, golden scepter. The Mind Stone was safely secured in the glowing gem, with what the agents could safely deduce. Two down.

Thor Odinson, Rarity, Rocket Raccoon, and Groot surprised them most of all. Instead of jumping from the Quantum Tunnel, they fell from the ceiling as they exited a strange vortex above the time machine. The vortex was green and white in color, an orb of time that ticked and spun and dropped the four Avengers with their prize before sputtering into nothingness. In Rocket’s bag, the raccoon pulled out a glowing syringe of red mist. Rocket and the agents standing beneath the tunnel sighed and smiled at that. The Reality Stone was safe and was causing no more problems. Three down.

Bruce Banner was alone in his return, a journey that faced little to no issues as he stood taller than everyone else upon the Quantum Tunnel. In his cupped palms, he slowly opened them to reveal the glowing green gem. The Time Stone. They all saw it and felt another wave of ease wash over them. Four down.

Nebula, James Rhodes, Starlight Glimmer, Maud Pie, Derpy Hooves, and Robbie Reyes were the second largest team to return at once. Their Quantum Suits began to materialize back into their GPSes, just at the same time when Robbie collapsed. Reyes fell to the glass flooring of the time machine, gasping and sputtering for air as the flames died against his skull. His hair returned to him, his eyes blinking and bulged wide as he clutched his abdomen, his heart, his entire living being. Nebula and Derpy bent down by his sides, comforting him and scanning his face until he saw them. His team. They kept his focus on them until he fully believed he was safe. Back home.

In Starlight’s magical aura, the Orb and the Power Stone remained. Five down.

Finally, it was Tempest Shadow, Elektra Natchios, Clint Barton, and Natasha Romanoff back home and accounted for. All twenty-five Avengers who had made the jump had returned home safe and sound. At first, that is. Once the Quantum Suits materialized away, the Avengers took a short moment to breathe and look towards their surroundings. Some breathed with smiles gracing their features, closing their eyes and basking in the glowing warmth of the dipping, afternoon sun. Others reunited with one another, some hugs given and many coming together to see one another safe. Others congratulated them for a successful mission. The Avengers down below did so while Friday deactivated the Quantum Tunnel and cut them off from the Quantum Realm. They brought their focus onto Reyes and his team, seeing Robbie lying on the tunnel’s floor being an indicator that something had gone wrong on the trip home.

Twilight, personally, seemed to be staring off into space. While the others came together and turned to one another with smiles and congratulations and other welcome home greetings, there was the Alicorn, the Princess of Friendship still shaken by what she had seen and experienced on the last legs of her journey. Not so much the flying through the Quantum Realm, but more so the final words that still lingered in her mind and rang in her ears.

All of which slowly faded into the back of her mind when Rainbow nudged her, telling her, “Hey… we did it.”

They did it. Twilight almost couldn’t believe those miraculous words that racked her head and continuously filled her heart. Again and again until a gasp and a smile escaped her. They did it. They actually did the impossible. Twilight closed her eyes and let that smile fully consume her, tearful gasps and exhales leaving the Alicorn as she shook her head and turned to her friends. Every single one of them that made it back.

Carol’s team seemed momentarily stunned yet relieved to see the New Avengers Facility and not some alternate timeline. Whatever they had experienced on their journey, Twilight was certain all of them were just glad to be back home. And with Scott and the Mind Stone no less, making their detour worth it in the end.

Thor’s team were the only ones who hadn’t exited from the Quantum Tunnel, Twilight having only caught a few seconds of the familiar time orb they fell from. There were a few other interesting differences that plagued them, like with Thor’s black armor and silver arm. And his hammer. Mjølnir had returned, Twilight’s brows rising up in clear and obvious surprise. But they were there. They were together. And Rarity was breathing heavily and smiling. Well alive and happy to see her friends again.

Banner had succeeded and was holding out the Time Stone hovering between his large fingers for all to see. He was the first one to succeed and Twilight smiled because of that. Another Stone to add to their successful mission. But as for Nebula’s team…

They seemed to be visibly and mentally shaken, Starlight gazing a million miles ahead and Maud, Nebula, Derpy, and Robbie all covered in dirt splotches, dried and fresh blood, and scorch marks. Rhodey’s armor was dented and scratched, and Reyes was currently prone with Nebula, Derpy, and several others approaching them to see what was wrong. May and Mack were some of them, Shuri, Davis, and Piper joining shortly. That was the least of Twilight’s concerns, as her eyes slowly trailed over to Clint’s team.

“Did we get ‘em all?” Tony asked aloud, looking around as the Quantum Suits all materialized back into the GPSes and everyone presented themselves.

Rhodes snatched the Orb from Starlight’s aura, holding it out and saying, “Are you telling me this actually worked?” His eyes fell to see Reyes pulled from the glass floor and raised up to a sitting position. Nebula and Derpy tended to him. Everyone else watched them with visible concern.

Nebula held the sides of Robbie’s flinching head and whispered sharply, “Hey, hey, it’s okay! It’s us… It’s me. Your team. Reyes… you need to relax.”

He thrashed every now and again, breathing with feral intensity as his hands gripped his abdomen where he had been stabbed. Shockingly enough, he felt no entry or exit wound, almost as if it had been healed the second he turned back into Robbie Reyes. The eyes that rolled into the back of his skull blinked several times, and the human gaze turned about and eyed his allies and his fellow Avengers. Derpy’s hoof caressed his chest and lay over his rapidly-beating heart, her concerned-filled gaze latched with his mortified one. His breathing slowly dissipated, the sweat clutching his hair, forehead, and skin finally beginning to lessen. He breathed steadily through his nostrils until he finally sat unmoving, in their arms, finally safe and finally alive.

He only flinched again when he heard and felt the second body collapse onto the Quantum Tunnel. Spinning around with several others, he and his team of Avengers eyed Clint and those who stood with him. Or, fell with him.

They all fell in tandem with Natasha when she collapsed and hit the glass floor.

They were suddenly the center of attention, Mack and May rising forth and turning their worrisome gazes onto Clint’s team. Eyeing them cautiously, they watched as Clint fell and caught Natasha mere moments before her head could impact the glass. Tempest and Elektra were right with her, kneeling or sitting by Romanoff and comforting her, but watching all the same as Clint wrapped his arms around the Widow.

And cradled her.

She was visibly shaking as the others turned to stare, come together, and stand in silence as they observed the unsettling scene before them. It was nerve-wracking as the seconds began to build, the expressions from Carol Danvers, Thor Odinson, and Starlight Glimmer all mirroring that of Steve Rogers, James Rhodes, and Twilight Sparkle. Every single one of them with brows furrowed, lips parted, and hearts frozen just by seeing Natasha’s expression.

Just by seeing the fear laced around every wrinkle and pore.

“Clint, what happened?” Banner finally asked. “What did you see?”

Clint could only stare at him in response, his arms holding Natasha tightly, warmly, in an embrace that would not break. The growing silence was almost enough for everyone else to feel the same exact feeling of dread, fear, and untold terror that none of them could fully fathom. Not even those who witnessed it with their own eyes. Not even her.

Natasha shivered as her palm refused to loosen her grip around the Soul Stone. Six down.

Mission accomplished.

Chapter 158 – Admittance

158

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

5:17 p.m.

Natasha shivered as her palms refused to loosen her grip around the steaming mug that was offered to her. A helping of chamomile tea filled her nostrils and flowed down her throat as she gently tipped the glass towards her lips and began to drink. It was warm, warmer than the blanket draped over her shoulders and the palm resting on one of them. The palm from her closest friend and family.

Clint blinked to see Natasha visibly calm down, his palm refusing to leave her shoulder as she gulped down the tea and nodded slowly. Clint nodded back, rubbing her back in a comforting manner.

“You ready to talk about what happened in there?” Murdock asked cautiously, as softly as he could manage. He listened in to her rapidly-beating heart to feel it beginning to calm, to slow down. Her nerves were loosening not only from the tea or the silence, but finally in company with familiar and friendly faces.

With family.

With her fingers laced around the mug, Natasha slowly looked up to no one in particular. Just the mass of bodies that filled the living room. Coated in shivering sweat, bated breath, Natasha managed to tell them exactly what was on her mind. One of the many things that lingered and infected her still. The clearest one, the one that made the most sense was what she uttered.

“Thanos is alive.”

And just like that, the room took a stark and sudden shift, as if the uncertain spiral had fallen out of a seemingly-controlled balance and teetered into the terrifying vortex of certain doom. They all fell into that pit and it showed. Every single face suddenly darkened, breaths either tightening or simply dropping out of existence for several seconds. The silence was the worst of all, not even the strongest Avengers among them able to move, able to breathe, able to do anything else except stare at her.

“What?” Thor finally questioned, almost breathless. Completely in disbelief.

“The… creepy skeleton lady, the one who gave us the Stone…” Clint said, picking up for Natasha who couldn’t be forced to say another word. He turned to stare at the God of Thunder. “She was the one who told us he was still alive. The one in our time.”

It was as if a conjoined spike of frozen terror had struck all of them where it mattered most, where they had all felt the wrath of the Mad Titan personally. Tony Stark stiffened at that revelation, his neck convulsing with a gulp that held no saliva. His mouth was as dry as a drought-stricken desert, his skin turning a pale white. Even Carol Danvers faced a similar fate, though she tried desperately not to show it. It was undeniable either way, and the tightening of her fists, the subtle shivers in her spine made her fall in line with the other Avengers. Nebula and Twilight both turned to one another, both sharing the same wretched thoughts that neither could fully show or explain. Their eyes did most of the telling, the wide, horrified, and grave.

But perhaps it was Thor who had taken it the hardest. Striding about, the Allfather tried to open his mouth to say something, only to come up short every single time. For even the tongue of the God of Thunder could not find the strength to say what was necessary. His rational mind continuously returned to that same moment where he had struck the Titan down, drove Stormbreaker into his chest and watched with his own eye as Thanos was obliterated. Vaporized when he destroyed the Infinity Stones.

And now he was still alive.

They were out of time. Whether it was true or not didn’t matter. They needed to do it now. Stark, Banner, and Rocket were gone in tandem, as one group as Stark picked up the briefcase that held the six Infinity Stones and made their way to the lab. The doors slid open for their entry, just closing as Rocket’s tail slipped through. Hardly anyone else watched them, everyone else too caught up in their own thoughts and still trying to process how Thanos could have survived.

While others pondered, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. took action. Mack spun around, facing agents Piper and Davis and ordering, “You two need to head back up to the Helicarrier. Take the Zephyr and prepare the Helicarrier’s defenses. Round up every S.H.I.E.L.D. agent you can and keep us safe!”

Piper and Davis nodded fiercely. “Yes, sir!” they shouted together, spinning around and making a run for it back to the Zephyr One. Wasting no time when they had just run out of it.

Mack rubbed a palm across his bald scalp, exhaling heavily as he tried to make sense of their situation. May crossed her arms as she leaned against the kitchen table, staring to the floor and the various feet pacing about aimlessly. Shuri laid a palm over her mouth as her mind tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. She tried to find a clear reason to their dilemma, but there was none. None she could see at the moment.

In the midst of the silent brainstorming, Thor was one to bring some reality back to the uncertainty. He stomped forward with his hand held out to Clint, earning the room, and said, “You’re going to believe some hermit? I saw it, he saw it, she saw it, damn near everyone in this room saw it and watched Thanos die by my axe and his own cowardice!”

“She wasn’t just some hermit.”

Thor, and the room, turned to face Tempest Shadow. The unicorn sat still on the couch, gazing with a pale expression to the floor as she slowly shook her head. “Whoever she was… she knew what she was talking about. It’s just a feeling…”

Elektra took over, the shivering assassin standing close by and under Matthew’s warming arm over her shoulders. “She had the power to give us the Soul Stone without one of us killing ourselves for it. She wanted us to kill Thanos.”

“Almost like she was begging for it,” Natasha added under a hushed whisper.

Clint’s lips pursed as he turned back to the God of Thunder. He said, “That alone is enough evidence to believe her. I mean, what other real choice do we have?”

Thor sat on that for a second or two, patting Mjølnir against his right palm. “So, when we’re finished here… after we bring everyone back… we take the fight to him?” the god asked, staring at Clint and his team. “And we kill him for good?”

Natasha, Clint, Tempest, and Elektra all slowly nodded.

Thor breathed in deep, his armored chest expanding greatly, before he finally released it and gave off a steady exhale. A slight nod of determination from the Allfather before he was finally onboard. As Thor slowly fell in line alongside everyone else, the Avengers took in the silence and finally came to terms with Thor and how different he looked. His journey had changed him most of all, the last time anyone else had seen him being in his jacket, sweat pants, and state of utter depression.

Now, he stood tall in his black armor that covered his upper body, legs, and feet. The left Uru prosthetic arm and his old hammer were also some shocking indicators that he had picked up a thing or two more on his trip to the past. Twilight took the time to fully realize that it was Mjølnir that had returned after learning of its destruction five years ago. It had been much longer than that since she had seen it with her own eyes, the legendary weapon having thwarted many of Tartarus’ forces during the Ultron offensive. Rainbow and Starlight were mesmerized most of all with Thor’s hammer returned to him, but Sunset, Maud, and Derpy took some mild interest onto Thor’s Uru-plated left arm, curiosity tilting their heads and furrowing their brows.

It was Shuri who mentioned, “You look as if you got quite the upgrade, Thor.”

Thor turned to her, the rest of the room following. She continued by asking, “Tell me… why is that only your left arm is protected while your right remains barren?”

“There’s not really a left arm to protect anymore,” Thor chuckled, rolling his left shoulder and flexing the Uru arm. He stared it almost longingly. “It’s a prosthetic.”

There was an audible gasp that filled some members of the Avengers, more so the mares. Steve and Natasha’s brows furrowed in visible concern for their fellow founding Avenger. “You mean… you…?” Twilight muttered, a hoof rising to cover her mouth but unable to stop the gasp that left it. Rainbow’s expression broke into a look of hurt, Derpy following. Rarity merely let her gaze fall at the vivid memory.

“What happened?” Sunset asked.

So began a discourse onto the individual journeys and experiences shared by those who had entered the Quantum Realm and lived to tell of its horrors. The first participants just so happened to be Thor, Groot, and Rarity, Rocket currently unavailable to tell his part of the story. It was mainly Thor and Rarity who spoke, Groot offering a comment every now and again that not everyone could understand.

But they told of their journey to Asgard in the year 2013, how Thor had reunited with his old flame Jane Foster and had one last discussion with his mother about destiny. He tried to save her, but she wouldn’t have it. She would have rather seen her child succeed and help him achieve his greatest self than know of her own fate. Thor struggled to get through that last part, several downtrodden expressions filling the living room. Yet they rose when Thor mentioned how they were diverged on their journey. Steve, Scott, Carol, Twilight, and Natasha all perked their heads up at that point.

One of the many things Thor was phenomenal at—other than fighting—was storytelling. He was quite possibility the best storyteller in all of Asgard, so much so that the children would wish to only listen to his stories. The pictures he painted just by his voice alone was so vivid and raw that it had everyone on the edge of their seat. The mares especially, everyone shocked to hear how Thor’s team had been diverged more than a thousand years in the past to join Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, the Pillars, and Equus’ armies to defeat the mighty Typhon and banish him to Tartarus. And it was Star Swirl’s time travel spell that brought them back home, which answered the lingering question in the back of Twilight’s mind about the orb of time they had exited from.

But they had finished, and Thor took a seat on the couch beside Rarity and Groot to catch his breath. He laid Mjølnir on the table and propped his feet up, mesmerized by the memories, the scars, the accomplishments, all that he had lost and gained on his journey for the Reality Stone. There was an odd sense of peace attached to his expression, one that Thor couldn’t help but smile softly at.

“That’s nothing,” Carol declared, earning Thor’s attention as well as the attention of the other Avengers. She had her arms crossed, standing with her team with a smirk to boot. “Wait ‘til you hear this.”

It was Captain Marvel’s turn, Carol explaining how Scott found himself sucked into a time vortex off the designated path. Those who had not been a part of their journey were shocked to hear it, jaws dropping and eyes widening to each member of Carol’s team taking turns explaining their journey for the Mind Stone. At first, it was Carol who started, then Matt who took over, then Sunset, Frank, Daisy and finally Scott mentioning all he could remember. Which wasn’t much.

Steve, Thor, Clint, and Natasha felt their blood freeze when Sunset mentioned the Ultron robots that attacked her, with Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, and Starlight sharing a similar fate. It only got worse when they said that it was indeed Ultron who had won in the timeline they had entered. Even James Rhodes felt his skin crawl beneath his War Machine when they mentioned an alternate version of himself in the timeline they were diverged into. The remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the last resistance of humanity earned some pangs of hurt from Mack, May, and especially Daisy when she forced herself to tell it. Their sacrifice was told by Matt and Carol, the two of them struggling with each word.

Scott said he just woke up, kicked Ultron’s ass, and went back home with his team. That was all he could remember. It was all that was needed to end their story.

“You’re all going to want to sit down for this one,” Maud mumbled, her hoof held out and urging everyone to take a seat.

The Earth pony began the journey for the Power Stone, explaining with rather concrete detail the alien planet of Morag down to the very last pebble. Starlight had to break in before Maud was about to tell them a whole thesis about the rock structures on Morag, the unicorn explaining the Temple of the Power Stone, meeting the 2014 version of Peter Quill, and… knocking him out. Groot’s jaw fell at that, Starlight blushing. James broke in and said it was him who knocked out Quill, but it was only to get his lock-pick so they could break into the vault and steal the Orb.

Then, it was Nebula who explained quite possibly the hardest part. That it was Thanos who ambushed them and destroyed the temple in hunt for the Power Stone. Everyone was silent at that, Thor leaning forward and Steve crossing his arms. Twilight and her fellow ponies were dead silent, focused fully. Robbie mentioned that his memory was a little foggy after he turned. All he could really remember was fighting off Thanos’ army and getting stabbed by the Titan himself. Derpy broke in and mentioned that she and Maud helped protect Peter just long enough for him to return the favor.

Nebula spoke of her past self attacking her, threatening to kill her. Had it not been for Starlight’s efforts, perhaps a different Nebula would have joined them to the future. Or, they would have never made it home at all. Nebula was left with no choice but to kill her past self before Starlight teleported them all to safety where they could make the jump home. Nebula was quiet after that. Everyone was for several moments of still silence.

“There was more to our journey…” Tempest muttered.

And that was all it took.

The unicorn began for them, though it was a definite struggle for her as well as everyone else on their team who had experienced the same horrors in the unholy city on the forsaken dimension they had entered. She, too, mentioned they were diverged from their exit point and ended up in some other dimension coated in darkness and fog. None of them truly revealed everything they saw. Some of it was too painful, too horrific, or simply unspeakable to bring up again. Even Natasha’s final words held a haunting essence lingering in the air.

“We made it out before he could get me… before he could get the Stone…”

“Who?” Steve asked.

Natasha didn’t respond. Didn’t even move. She just stared straight ahead, shivering slightly, and unable to find that calm within the storm that consumed her. The storm of fear, of raw emotions, of the voices of the past calling to her and warning of more and more demons. Then, of course, there were the demons. One of the many things she didn’t mention to them. One of the many things she didn’t have the strength for.

Hearing the flutter of wings and the soft hoof press against her shoulder, Natasha forced herself away from the wretched memories and onto the pony taking a seat on the couch on her right. Derpy Hooves met Natasha’s frozen and pale expression with a warming smile, a pair of tearful eyes, and a comforting embrace with her hoof, with her body, with her heart pressed against the Widow. And after what felt like an eternity trapped in that subzero hellscape, just feeling the warm body of another clutching onto her gave Natasha a flushing wave of different feelings.

Certainty. Comfort. Safety. Security. Friendship. Love…

Before she even knew it, Natasha’s weak smile returned, her right arm rising from beneath the blankets and wrapping around Derpy to bring the mare in closer to her chest and heart. Clint never let his palm fall away from her shoulder, even as he watched the two share a warm and strengthening hug. Even when he saw that beautiful and warming smile return to Natasha’s lips. Even when he felt the pair of wings wrap around him.

He turned to the source, spotting Rainbow Dash landing next to Clint and offering him a sense of comfort and security that he had yet to fully embrace. His mind was still somehow locked on the nightmare he had miraculously escaped from, only now realizing that he was home. He was safe. He was with friends and those who cared about him and loved him. Even Rainbow Dash, the stoic mare herself, offered a helpful smile and a hug to the Hawk.

Which he finally returned.

Tempest brought her gaze up when she felt the warm bodies on her left and right, turning to each side specifically to see Twilight on her right and Rarity on her left. Both mares wrapped the unicorn in an embrace that consisted of the Alicorn’s wing and the alabaster unicorn’s foreleg. It was warm either way, and Tempest accepted it after a second or two of her frozen posture finally easing into the bond. Her head fell, her eyelids drooped to a close, and she sighed. A slight smile from what Twilight could see, a victory for the Princess of Friendship.

It was Matthew who brought Elektra in closer to him, offering a soft kiss to her forehead when he heard her story, heard her heart, and felt the terror streaming through her veins. It was enough. He brought her in and let her know what it meant to be accepted. To be loved. To become one with another and perhaps… several others.

Everyone came together. They either laid their palms onto Nat, Clint, Tempest, Elektra, or even each other if there wasn’t any more room. There was hardly any, the couches surrounded by bodies large and small, from Avenger to S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Guardian, Equestrian, and whatever else. One unified team coming together for their own, assuring them they stood together. They came out of it together. And one among them made that clear.

It was Frank who broke it all, the many heads in the room dropping their hands and turning to the Punisher free from his suit of armor and standing on equal ground as the rest of them. Almost the rest of them. From the likes of Carol Danvers, James Rhodes, Twilight Sparkle, Starlight Glimmer, Steve Rogers, and the many more who still didn’t fully trust him, the words that left his lips just may have convinced them otherwise.

“I hear all your stories…” Castle began, eyeing each individual for several seconds each, washing his eyes over them. “You know, all the shit you all went through just to bring home those damn Stones. Risked your lives… risked each other’s lives… knowing it was for a greater purpose. But we did it. It’s over. The hardest part, at least. Yeah, and now that I see it, not one of you came out of it weaker. Not any one of you came out forgetting who you were. You knew your mission, you knew the risks, you did your job, and you came out of it stronger. Maybe we all did… some more than others.”

Thor smirked at him. Frank couldn’t help but smirk in return, turning that smile to a certain Captain Marvel. And Carol, shockingly enough, returned it.

“Some of us experienced shit…” Frank continued, letting that smirk linger on before slowly fading away. “Hell, that’s just how it goes. But you look at this, you look at all this and know that there are people here who will stand with you. You know… people here you love you.”

A portion of his words were directed solely to her, and Natasha smiled to him, perhaps an even greater rarity than seeing the ponies smiling to him. Frank didn’t want that to get to him, but for a moment—just a moment—he felt that wall he built around himself over the years shudder. The wall he had built since his wife, his children, and his life was taken from him. That wall had only grown cold and stagnant since the Decimation and remained unbreakable, unshakeable. It was unbelievable when Frank felt it crack. Perhaps it was even more unbelievable when he didn’t even do anything about that. He just… let it happen. He flowed with it because it felt right, flowed right alongside the fresh tears building on the corners of his eyes.

“I didn’t think much of this when I first stepped in here. Bunch of high and mighty, self-proclaimed ‘heroes’, bunch of assholes, government pricks with sticks shoved up their asses. Yeah, the whole bunch of ‘em,” Frank said with a slight chuckle at the last few words, his vision growing blurry. The others didn’t even seem phased by his harsh words. They all just continued to smile.

He shook his head. “No… No, now I see it. I see a lot of love here… I see a real team.”

Frank turned to every last one of them. To Steve, Carol, Daisy, Matt, Twilight, Thor, Nebula, Robbie, Rainbow, James, Groot, Starlight. Simply everyone. “A family,” he said at last, his voice breaking into a whisper.

He nodded fiercely to them, stepping forward to join them at long last.

“One that I would be damn proud to stand with.”

One last time.

It was Steve Rogers who joined him first, laying a palm on his shoulder and gripping Castle, nodding just as fierce to the Punisher. Carol, too, joined Steve and laid her glove-hand on Frank’s opposite shoulder. The two captains smiled to Frank, standing firmly with him as his team. As quite possibly something more. Frank didn’t know if he wanted that, or if he needed it. It was a thought that he had finally found a sliver of solace and—by his own surprise—peace. Maybe that was what it was that chewed at him. Maybe it was peace.

Was that what peace felt like? From the tears in his eyes, the smile on his face, and the people by his side… it may have been.

Admittedly, seeing them all finally push their differences aside and come together as a true team was a strengthening reality, one that Twilight certainly found some sense of serenity within. Yet she simply couldn’t push away the feeling of unease clouding her mind, or the fatal images she had seen on her journey. A journey to the past that she had yet to bring to light to herself or to her friends.

No better time than the present.

“If we’re all getting things off our chest… I think we were the only ones who have yet to tell what happened on their journey.”

The room turned to Twilight Sparkle. Steve and Rainbow were the first to turn, the first to fall silent, and the ones who stood closest to the Alicorn as she braced herself for the admittance ahead. Twilight’s face contorted, her eyes scrunching to a tight close as her lips pursed into a thin line. More damning and wretched thoughts and memories tried to resurface, a familiar voice and distinct ring lingering in the back of her mind and threatening to come free. Maybe it would one day. Maybe she could find answers to the unsolvable problems she had faced in the nightmare of the past.

Maybe one day.

“We were diverged, too, forced to find the Space Stone in a desolate Equestria,” Twilight began, turning slowly and staring at the unicorn. “One that Starlight and I know personally.”

After several seconds, Starlight’s jaw slowly fell and her eyes widened at the realization. Though she couldn’t speak of it, not at the moment. Maybe one day she could face Twilight and understand fully what she was intentionally telling them, that she could know what the Alicorn had faced and help her understand it. But that day must come at another tomorrow. Somehow, seeing the expression grace Twilight’s features, Starlight knew that Twilight felt the same way.

Steve and Rainbow listened in. They all did. To every pained word and sentence that left the Alicorn. “I can’t fully explain what I saw, what we experienced, and that’s okay. Maybe someday it’ll matter, but not today. Today… we have a mission to finish. Today…”

Twilight Sparkle, the Princess of Friendship, the Element of Magic… lifted her head up high. And she nodded, to every soul and every Avenger that stood with her. Through the greatest storms, through the brightest days, darkest nights, and even time itself they would stand with her. For her and every life. For the bold statement that left Twilight’s lungs, heart, and soul and declared…

“Everyone comes home.”

They stood with her. The Avengers stood as one. Tony, Rocket, and Bruce entered the room and said it was nearly time. They told them to suit up. They didn’t tell them it would be for the last time.

Chapter 159 – The Blip

159

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

5:35 p.m.

Captain America strode forth into the laboratory with his helmet in one hand and shield in the other. Ditching his worn, dirty, and bloody rags that was his classic Avengers uniform, Steve Rogers walked tall while donning his newest attire, an armored chain mail suit scaled from his chest to his arms and shoulders. The rest of his suit resembled more of his modern uniform, a darker shade of blue alongside the red and white.

Behind him walked an army.

The mares were encompassed and spread out amongst the masses, but they entered the laboratory all the same. As one team. From Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity donning their Arc Reactors, to Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest standing tall and bright, and Maud and Derpy bearing their own weapons of war. On Maud’s hooves, her Asteroid Gloves were attached and activated. Derpy trotted inside with her metallic vest wrapped around her and the Domino Gun positioned on her shoulder.

Standing taller amongst the mares, the Avengers and Guardians and agents and Defenders walked as one. Thor led them, his left Uru arm swaying by his side. Groot and Nebula followed with Daisy Johnson, Matthew Murdock, and Frank Castle trailing behind them. Daisy, Matt, and Frank were armored up and ready for war, Daisy in her repaired S.H.I.E.L.D. jumpsuit and the silver gauntlets around her forearms gleaming under the lab’s ceiling lights. Matthew walked maskless, his black Daredevil armor seeming all too small against the immense Punisher Armor walking beside him. Castle also wore no mask as of yet, the Punisher glaring ahead to the object in the heart of the room.

James Rhodes also wore his heavy armor, the War Machine Mark VI dented and scratched but nonetheless holding strong. Just for one more war. Scott Lang entered the room in his Ant-Man suit, his own mask retracted back and unveiling Scott’s astonishment for the project Tony, Rocket, and Bruce had been finishing. Elektra, Natasha, Robbie Reyes, and Carol Danvers soon joined them, each of them wearing their personalized and replenished uniforms.

The final ones to enter the labs were Clint Barton, Melinda May, Alphonso Mackenzie, Shuri, and Friday. The sliding doors closed behind them, yet it hardly mattered when the room was already open up to the War Room, hallway, and garden. Mack had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t be for much longer. Just by analyzing the precarious situation laid before them, Mack’s suspicions had been fully realized and they became clear observations.

The Infinity Stones had been removed from the briefcase, a set of mechanical arms hovering over the table and handling each Stone to the glass containment. Where the Nano Gauntlet was waiting for them. Mack stopped dead in his tracks, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. gulping softly and eyeing the Stones precariously. If just one was dropped…

But Tony Stark was cautious in his movements. Controlling the mechanical hands alongside Banner, Tony led all five of them closer to hover just near the face of the gauntlet’s red and silver hand. Rocket and Bruce stood on his sides, counting off each Stone and noting the last one. The barren, robotic claw that held no Stone. The Nano Gauntlet was nearly finalized, but it needed one more Infinity Stone before they could add them all at once.

Tony had found some earlier trouble handling the Power Stone, as did Bruce. It was as if one touch started a chain reaction that threatened to burn their skin just upon the slightest contact. They had to be extra careful with their robotic claws. Only, when they turned to the briefcase to retrieve the Power Stone, they noticed that it was already gone.

And suddenly held out below them in the hoof of none other than Maud Pie.

“Noticed you were struggling with this,” Maud mumbled, her deadpan expression unphased by the Power Stone glowing violently on her naked hoof. To Rocket’s shock, he noticed that the Stone didn’t even affect her. Not in the slightest. No infectious purple veins coating her hoof. No screams. No pain.

There was just nothing on her face. She blinked.

Tony and Bruce turned to one another, shortly before staring silently at Maud, in shock, and using the robotic claw to remove the Stone from her hoof. Maud simply dropped her hoof and placed the Asteroid Glove back over it, as if nothing had even happened. She blinked up at them, Rocket’s brow furrowed and his jaw refusing to close. Tony didn’t even want to question it, rather wishing to stay focused on not killing everyone in the room.

All six robotic claws came together in the glass containment, each wielding a Stone and pushing them closer to the Nano Gauntlet’s hand. The nanobots on the gauntlet made room for each Infinity Stone, crowding around them and holding the gems in place. The Space Stone was placed beneath the forefinger, the Power Stone beneath the middle finger, the Reality Stone beside it, and the Time Stone by the pinky. The Mind Stone rested just on the thumb, and the final Infinity Stone, the Soul Stone, was placed in the center of the gauntlet. The robotic claws backed away as the Stones shimmered against the gauntlet’s nanoparticles, each gem reacting well and the glove holding.

For the time being, at least.

Meaning they had a limited window and needed to act fast. Watching the claws lift the gauntlet free from the containment and resting it on a small stand against the table, Rocket gave the glove a once over. He nodded, declaring, “All right, looks like the glove’s ready.”

He lifted his eyes to the rest of the room, to the many, many Avengers staring at him and the six Infinity Stones placed on the gauntlet. He cringed at that, sighing, “Guess the question is who’s gonna snap their frickin’ fingers?”

To seemingly everyone’s surprise, Thor raised his right palm and said, “I’ll do it.”

It was so sudden that no one could even turn to the right person in time. Before they could properly react, Thor was already making his way for the gauntlet. Thankfully, those that surrounded it stopped Thor mid-way, Steve laying his palm against the God of Thunder’s chest.

“Whoa, whoa, Thor, wait!” Steve exclaimed, standing in front of him and blocking Thor’s intended path. Somehow withstanding the force of Thor’s glare, Steve held his ground and said, “You need to stop and think about this.”

“What is there to think about?” Thor scoffed, right hand shooting down to the gauntlet lying on the table. “We have the Stones right here, the gauntlet is ready, all we need is someone strong enough—me—someone who’s capable enough—me—to snap their fingers and bring everyone we love back.”

Captain Marvel took a step forward, ready to break the conflict just in case it escalated. Sunset laid a hoof on her thigh, shaking her head to Carol and silently telling to stand down. By the unicorn’s observation, it was already well under control. Lang came up to Thor’s right. “Well, we should at least discuss it first,” Scott said.

“There is nothing to discuss,” Thor retorted, quickly losing his patience with every second longer his brother, his friends, and everyone else remained dead while the solution was mere inches away. He pointed to that solution, exclaiming, “Look, fingers! You can’t have a pony do it, so they’re out of the picture. You need someone who will survive this. Look… I’m the strongest Avenger. I can do this.”

The others were not convinced. Not in the slightest. He may have looked different, but everyone could clearly recall what a mess Thor was when he first stepped inside the facility that day. Tony could clearly remember, the Iron Man stepping forward alongside Rogers and laying his palm against the god’s armored chest. “Thor, step back. Come on, buddy, listen.”

“No, Stark, you listen!” Thor shouted and smacked Tony’s hand away. His sudden outburst caught everyone by surprise, Rarity and Derpy and Twilight flinching back. To their continued shock, they watched as Thor’s sudden anger was doused, only the broken shell of a man in guilt, a man who had faced countless failure remaining.

Thor shook his head as his expression shattered, both hands rising up—both the flesh and the Uru—and joining together to form an inseparable bond. A plead, Thor whispering in agonizing torment, “Please… let me do this. Let me right all these wrongs; let me save those I failed to save five years ago.”

Seeing his plea was admirable, Stark had to admit. Seeing his devotion was another level of respect Tony no doubt held for the God of Thunder. By all means, he should have let him, but Tony’s deeper commitment, his greater understanding prevented him from doing so.

Instead, he told him, “Thor, it’s not only the fact that that gauntlet is channeling enough energy to level a continent… but you’re in no condition. We need someone with their head clear, to focus on exactly what we need to bring back from all this.”

“My head… hasn’t been any clearer than it is right now,” Thor argued.

“It’s already decided, pal,” Bruce interrupted, the room turning to him. Watching as he stood in his Avengers jumpsuit with his shoulders slumped, arms crossed, and face downtrodden with a mixture of acceptance… and anxiety laced upon every green wrinkle.

It all made sense when he said, “It’s gotta be me.”

Those who hadn’t already known showed their astonishment quickly, before it was replaced by a sense of growing concern and fear for their friend. Twilight’s eyes shot wide open, moments before her brow knitted itself into an expression of wounded distress. The Alicorn’s ears fell flat against her skull, the same fate befalling the likes of Rarity, Rainbow, Starlight, Sunset, and Derpy. Maud remained alongside Tempest with their hardened expressions barely shaken, though a slight pinch of sadness could be seen shimmering in each of their eyes.

Carol’s eyes softened, her lips parting but no words able to escape. Matt’s expression nearly broke when he heard Bruce’s heart beating faster and faster, the growing fear in his veins fueling the Incredible Hulk instead of rage. Natasha’s eyes began to burn the longer she stared, the Widow unable to stare forever and forcing herself to look away from him. Others shared similar fates, but not the God of Thunder. Not the Allfather. Thor, on the other hand, was pissed. He tried to maintain that anger had it not been for the overwhelming sense of dread he felt for his close friend Banner. He took a step back, his breathing growing heavier but no words able to escape him. All he could do, all anyone could do… was stare at him.

Watch as Banner slowly approached the table, like he was walking to his death sentence. Even his voice seemed absolutely devoid of all sense of life and hope. “You saw what those Stones did to Thanos… they almost killed him. None of you could survive.”

Steve’s concerned brow grew heavier, the Captain asking, “How do we know you will?”

Pausing in front of the table and gazing sadly down to the Nano Gauntlet, the Hulk shook his head, muttering, “We don’t. But the Stones radiate mostly gamma. It’s like… I was made for this.”

His decision was made following those final words, and no one stepped forth to object. Not even Thor, no matter how much it bothered him or how much rage he expressed on his face. Instead, he kept his distance like everyone else. He took those painful steps backwards, away from his friend, and watched him pick up the weapon of his own destruction.

Tony watched with bated breath, his nerves tingling and the sweat beginning to build. Stepping around the table, he asked, “You ready?”

Bruce stared numbly to the Nano Gauntlet resting in his hands. Regardless, he lifted his eyes to Tony and nodded. “Let’s do it.”

“Now remember,” Tony said, his heart practically beating out of his chest. “Just bring back everyone Thanos snapped away, to now, today. Don’t change anything else from the past five years. That's all you have to think about.”

Bruce nodded once more. “Everyone he snapped away. Everyone who died because of Thanos,” he muttered softly, gazing to everyone in the laboratory. Those who surrounded him, who stared at him with mixtures of concern, respect, hurt, and so many others. Those who had lost someone. Those who could get those people back.

He turned and stared at Thor, lingered on him most of all. “Everyone.”

Thor clenched his fists, staring deep into Bruce’s eyes and seeing that acceptance in his friend’s stare. Hulk saw the raw determination set in stone in Thor’s lone eye, the god nodding to his fellow Avenger and readying himself. He took another step back, turning his body so his left Uru arm was facing the gauntlet. The remaining Avengers followed suit.

Steve Rogers placed his helmet over his head, clicking it in tight and raising his shield to protect himself for whatever may happen. Derpy stood behind him, peeking behind Rogers’ legs. Her eyes shot over to the individual standing on their right. Carol raised her arms, crossing them in an “X” formation out in front of her as her photon energy began to surround and shield her forearms. Sunset Shimmer stood behind Carol alongside Shuri, Captain Marvel shielding the both of them.

To their right, Twilight activated her Iron Mare with a tap of her hoof against her Arc Reactor. The nanoparticles flowed free and consumed the mare from head to hoof, the bright blue eyes igniting and her wings extending in a defensive stance. Her horn shimmered bright, readying herself for any spell that just might save her life. Rainbow Dash beside her did the same, her Iron Mare suit flowing from her Arc Reactor and shielding the Pegasus in a protective suit of armor. Rarity was the last among them to do the same, all three ponies standing together in their Iron Mares.

Beside them, Matt activated his mask and let his Daredevil armor become fully realized. The black mask protracted forward and covered his face and mouth. His mask’s red eyes illuminated, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen bending forward and standing in front of Elektra. Without her own suit of armor to protect her like the others, Elektra took refuge behind her beloved Matthew, but stood ready nonetheless. Ready for absolutely anything to occur. One hand laid on her sai, the other resting on Matt’s shoulder.

Tempest Shadow lit up her curved vibranium/Uru horn, shifting her eyes right to see Starlight master what she could not. The unicorn in question created a familiar shield with a star in its center with just her magic alone, turning to Tempest and Captain America and nodding to them both. Steve nodded back, watching as Starlight slid her magical shield out in front of both herself and Tempest.

Maud Pie stood alongside Robbie Reyes, her Asteroid Gloves glowing softly and the mare blinking so very slowly. She had never been more ready in her entire life. Reyes tightened his fists as his chest rose and fell rather fast. Natasha Romanoff stood to his right, casting the Ghost Rider a consoling stare that he couldn’t return. Instead, she faced forward and found herself pleasantly shocked to see Frank Castle stomp forward in front of her.

Standing tall and large in his Punisher Armor, Frank closed the mask over his face with a resounding clang of metal against metal. The helmet tightened to a lock and the skull’s eyes glowed a violent red. Scott Lang on his right raised his hand and pressed the button on his finger, the Ant-Man mask sliding forward and closing over him. James Rhodes followed them, the War Machine’s mask closing and eyes illuminating a bright red.

Daisy, Mack, and May stood behind Rhodey, using his burly frame as a defensive shield that he gratefully allowed. Nebula stood outside beside them out in the open, having no shield, no defense, and nothing to prevent what was inevitably to happen from harming her. She didn’t want any. She wanted to face it when it happened. She wanted to see her father's work undone with her own eyes.

The Mark 45 Iron Man armor stood with Rocket hopping up on her shoulder, the raccoon bringing his goggles down safely over his eyes. Groot stood beside the AI, holding his ground. Friday turned slowly to gaze to her masters, both former and current. Twilight sent her a weak nod before facing forward. Stark, on the other hand…

Tony tapped on the Arc Reactor over his clothes, the swarming wave of nanobots overcoming his chest, legs, arms, and face. The mask of the Mark 85 Iron Man shut itself and locked into place over Stark’s face. His eyes shimmered a bright blue, joining the various lights attached to his red, silver, and gold suit of armor. Joining the energy shield that spouted forth from Tony’s right fist and protecting both himself and Clint Barton.

With everyone in position, Bruce lifted his eyes and gazed to Tony for confirmation. Stark’s face was unreadable behind his mask, but he stared long and hard solely at Banner before turning aside. He muttered aloud, “Homer, do me a favor and activate the Barn Door Protocol.”

“Yes, sir.” There was a tad sense of apprehension in the AI’s voice, but he nonetheless followed through on the order. Even Homer knew what was inevitably coming and dreaded it all the same.

The base went into full lockdown. Steel shutters slid across every window, every doorway, and closed off the entire facility from the outside world. Derpy’s concerned brow shot up when she spun around and watched the laboratory itself get locked down. Steel doors slid across every entrance and exit, ultimately locking them inside and preventing any form of resulting power surge from escaping. Ultimately, preventing them from escaping. That was the risk they all took.

When even the skylight was covered in steel and darkness fell into the lab, Bruce finally took in that desperate breath of air. One last time. Everyone else had done all they could. Everyone else was waiting on him. He stared to the gauntlet, to the six Infinity Stones, and pursed his lips and clenched his muscles. Everyone comes home…

“Whatever it takes,” Bruce whispered.

With as much reluctance, strength, and courage he could muster, Bruce slid his right hand into the Nano Gauntlet. The glove expanded upon his entry, the nanites growing to accommodate his larger hand and forearm. Bruce’s expression shuddered, but he pushed on, sliding the gauntlet deeper and deeper onto his right arm, until finally…

The nanoparticles locked into place. His fingers reached the ends of each glove’s finger. The Nano Gauntlet fit his hand and flinched alongside him when the Infinity Stones ignited.

An alien burst of sound filled the laboratory, every Avenger flinching back accordingly. They watched with astounded and shaken gazes as the Infinity Stones sent several bursts of electricity in a rainbow of color across the entirety of the gauntlet. Those flows of electricity coursed up Banner’s forearm and shoulder, Bruce cringing lightly at first… then quickly feeling the full weight of the universe pull him down to one knee.

He groaned at first as he fell, his agonized breaths of air only growing more raw and wet, each intake and exhale filled with grunts, then groans, then growls, and only continued to rise from then on. To the Avengers’ horror, they watched as his jumpsuit began to burn away, his skin beneath burning and boiling as the colorful bursts of energy consumed his entire right arm and only continued to eat away at him. Carol cringed at that, her glowing fists shivering as she nonetheless held her defensive position in front of her friends.

Sunset, however, couldn’t take the sound of Bruce’s screams forever. Her face contorted after hearing his agonized cries. It grew to unbearable levels, Sunset unable to standby and listen any longer. The unicorn stepped out from behind Danvers and screamed, “T-take it off! Can’t you see it’s hurting him?!”

Steve shot out his hand to her, shouting, “No, wait! Bruce, are you good?!”

Hissing through clenched, bleeding teeth, Banner nodded. He somehow managed. Steve’s face hardened at that. Sunset’s only continued to further break, the lights of the Infinity Stones dancing wildly through her large, wounded eyes.

“Come on, Bruce. Come on, Bruce. Come on, Bruce,” Twilight whispered rapidly. Even when no one else muttered it, they all silently sent some words of encouragement to the Incredible Hulk. Even those who spoke those words were not heard, Banner’s screams growing more and more violent.

He clutched the gauntlet with his left hand. He tightened every muscle in his body. He forced his mind, his nerves, and his very being to unify for one goal, for one thing only. Even if it was the last thing he would ever do. It took every ounce of strength that the Hulk could muster, but Bruce managed. His mind screamed at him and he broke through every obstacle just to lift his arm.

He screamed through every inch of his movements, through every second it took to raise his right hand just above his ahead. It took his heart and soul and every last bit of him left to close his middle finger and thumb against each other. It took everything he was and ever could be. Beneath her mask, Twilight Sparkle painfully shut her eyes away from his torment, prepared herself. Held her breath like everyone else.

Bruce Banner screamed and snapped his fingers.

For a brief second, all of reality turned white. Blinding white, so much so that everyone closed their eyes and looked away as that brightness filled the laboratory. A second later, it darkened, and everyone instantaneously turned back to see the aftermath. Bated breaths and wide eyes filled the room, the Avengers focusing solely on Bruce.

Watching him close his eyes and collapse. The Nano Gauntlet slid off his arm.

“Bruce!” Steve shouted, being the first Avenger—as always—to fall to his knee and check on his friend. He was still breathing, even if it was ragged. Noticing his scorched arm, Steve pointed to it and ordered, “Stop that burning.”

Clint kicked the gauntlet away, watching it precariously slide across the lab’s floor. Stark’s mask slid backwards as he released a helping of coolant spray onto Banner’s arm in an effort to heal it and cool down the sickening burn Bruce had acquired. Sunset and Twilight sent their streams of magic into his arm to heal it even faster. Everyone else crowded around them, gazing to Bruce with worry and fear laced on their facial expressions.

“Bruce, are you okay?” Starlight asked sharply, laying her hoof against his sweating forehead. He breathed out an agonized groan, Starlight shaking her head and casting a spell that flowed from her horn and through her hoof to ease the pain in his mind. “Oh, sweet Celestia, that was insane.”

“Did it work?” Banner groaned, gripping onto Steve’s arm in hissing pain.

The Barn Door Protocol ended once the immediate threat had been detained, the steel doors that blocked off the laboratory to the rest of the facility slowly opening. The remainder of the headquarters began to open itself up to the evening sun, the barriers opening and light pouring forth through the windows. Scott Lang found himself oddly entranced with the nearby garden when a subtle sound caught his ears, the Ant-Man slowly making his approach to it.

Clint also heard a subtle sound. Not from the outside world… but nearby.

On the table.

The soft, harmonic vibration of his cellphone against it.

The roof began to open as the skylight was once more unprotected, fresh sunlight pouring down and illuminating the room in its warmth. Some, like Carol, Frank, and Robbie darted their eyes skywards momentarily, quickly bringing their concerned gazes back to Banner. Others, like Twilight, continued to stare to the sky, a smile sneaking its way onto her lips to hear the sound of birds chirping and singing. A sneaking suspicion made its way into her heart and told her what she could have only dreamed of. A thought. A feeling. Now, a possibility. Clint paid no heed to it like everyone else had. He broke away from the group as the pestering silence persisted. And for some, the only sounds were that of Bruce’s pained breaths.

For Clint, the only sound he heard was his cellphone. He approached it, staring to the brightened screen as if he was staring into a dream. Something that didn’t even seem real. For how long had it been since he received a call? How long since he was able to stare onto his phone’s screen and actually feel an emotion other than dread?

How long had it been… since he had seen his wife’s face grace his phone’s screen?

It continued to vibrate for several seconds before Clint finally realized it was real. His hand shuddered as he reached down and gripped the cellphone, answering the call and bringing it to his ear. Utterly astounded, Clint managed to say the name he hadn’t been able to in many years.

“… Laura?”

It hurt still. Only that time, someone responded.

“Clint?”

Barton gasped, tears pooling in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but all he could manage was a weak stutter, unable to fully fathom who he was speaking to on the other end of the line. Her voice, her breath, the undeniable tone of his wife waiting for his response.

Scott, meanwhile, approached the glass window that separated him from the garden outside. The warmth of the sun felt nice on his face, a natural sunlight returned to a natural world. He stared to the chirping birds landing on the tree branches, all of it so undeniably natural.

He slowly smiled. “You guys… I think it worked.”

Then, he looked up.

Then, a darkness took away the sun’s light and filled the laboratory with shadows in an instant. The inhabitants slowly looked up. Twilight Sparkle was the first, followed by her friends, the Avengers, and the many, many others. Her smile vanished. Her pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks under the coldness of the dark.

Then, Banner opened his eyes and looked up to the shadow falling over the New Avengers Facility. It came from the likes of Sanctuary II entering Earth’s atmosphere.

Then, the lights falling from the ship struck the facility with devastating force.

Chapter 160 – Aftermath

160

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

5:40 p.m.

Scott Lang only had a millisecond to react. Just one millisecond to press his thumb against the button on his finger. The following flow of time was consumed in a shock wave of fire, dust, rock, and otherworldly energy.

His mask closed over his face and his body shrunk the second it was thrown back from the force of the initial explosion. Through the laboratory, that fire and dust consumed all there was and knocked several Avengers off their feet, took the breath from their lungs, and caught their minds in a state of utter shock. They couldn’t formulate or fathom what was happening to them before it was too late. Before they felt the ground beneath them be ripped away and their world consumed in fire.

Miles above the New Avengers Facility, the evening skies were blotted by the shadow of Sanctuary II, the massive warship unleashing torrents of energy missiles that struck the facility and the grounds surrounding it. Anything consumed under its shadow was a target, blotted and neutralized in an explosion of fire, dust, and dirt. The bombardment was mainly focused on the facility, but an enemy warship quickly came into view after its cloak was discovered. Sanctuary II focused its firepower on it.

The first blast struck the warship’s outer hull, being so utterly devastating that it wiped out the Helicarrier’s cloaking mechanism and unveiled the ship to the rest of the world. The following missiles simply eviscerated the Helicarrier so rapidly that the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents didn’t even have a proper moment to retaliate. The enemy bombardment was so consuming and so overwhelming that the personnel inside couldn’t even maintain their proper standing before it all went to hell. Piper, Davis, and every available S.H.I.E.L.D. agent within the Helicarrier felt their worlds turn into a blaring red as fire tore through their ship, the shields, and everything caught in-between.

They couldn’t even scream when that rippling explosion consumed the entire bridge.

Remnants of the Helicarrier began to fall in a blistering inferno, Sanctuary II glaring down upon it as it continued to unleash streams of blue energy blasts onto the descending S.H.I.E.L.D. warship. Bubbling explosions consumed the hull of the Helicarrier, coming together to form one final eruption once the Helicarrier impacted the roof of the New Avengers Facility. An explosion so fierce and so feral tore across the landscape as both the facility and the Helicarrier collapsed as one. And Sanctuary II just kept on firing.

The base was mutilated from the sky. Landing zones, nearby storage facilities, and any structure that bore the Avengers insignia was wiped away. The nearby forests burned in a wave of fire, leveling the battleground and transforming it into a blackened, scorched earth. The remaining structure of the New Avengers Facility caved in alongside the remains of the Helicarrier. The inhabitants inside—those who experienced utter hell and confusion—felt the full weight of their world come crashing down right on top of them.

It was so overwhelming that no one could understand what was happening until the surprise attack had finally run its course. It felt as if it would never end. The Avengers within the laboratory were either blown aside by the consuming shock waves impacting the facility, thrown into some other room, against each other, or falling into the growing crevice right beneath their feet. It was a tumble of bodies and screams, no one able to see one another or themselves for that matter when the earth fell and they, too, with it.

Hulk, Rhodes, Rocket, Starlight, Sunset, Maud, and so many others were blown to the ground and slid down it into the growing darkness. Their bodies disappeared through the smoke and black, only their screams emanating and eventually fading away as the explosions continued to ripple and consume the facility. Twilight, Rainbow, Derpy, and several others tried to fly away, protect themselves, and just do anything to react accordingly. It was all for naught. A mass confusion filled the air and their line of sight was blotted to compensate for the weight falling on top of them. Darkness filled the laboratory.

The final missile from Sanctuary II was the strongest yet, striking all that remained of the facility and sending a resounding shock wave of energy across the torn wasteland. The water’s surface flew back from the wave of energy before finally settling, and then began to seep into the crevice created from the bombardment. The lower depths of the facility quickly began to flood, the smoke completely consuming the air above and within the remains.

Within those remains, those that were lucky, those that had survived made their presence known one way or another. A clustered maze of rebar, concrete, glass, stone, and other building debris was fully devoured under the crushing weight of the Helicarrier’s remains as well as the growing pressure from the flooding waters. Smoke blotted every survivor’s vision, the cries and groans of agony from those very survivors beginning to sound off. Nearly every voiced was drowned away by the facility’s own groans and growls, all of it so close to have fully collapsed over the facility’s lower depths. Yet something kept it all from falling. One opposite force kept the entire facility’s remains and the Helicarrier as well from crushing those survivors.

Bruce Banner emerged from the smoke, his body bearing the weight of the world on his shoulders. His left arm helped, but only doing so much against such immense pressure. His burnt right arm hung limply by his side, unable to help. Gritting his teeth, Banner managed to open his eyes to see all those that had fallen with him.

He felt his heart drop to see such a large number of Avengers surrounding him, all of them lying at his mercy. Bruce turned back to the crumbling ceiling, to the entire facility and Helicarrier resting on his shoulders. He was the only thing preventing tons and tons of killing weight from crushing his friends, the only thing that was keeping them alive.

The rushing water impacted his back and neck rather quickly, starting to fill up the lower levels. The Hulk screamed against it all.

Several others were scattered throughout the remains. Only a select few were spared from the crushing weight of the lower depths, Daisy Johnson and Alphonso Mackenzie being two of those few. Together, they lied within the remnants of the living room, having been thrown into it upon the first explosion that had struck the laboratory. After several seconds, they finally began to come to, Daisy first among them and feeling her surroundings.

The air above her head was infected in darkness, ashes, and smoke. Her gloveless fingers felt the ground around her, washing over the rock, glass, and torn carpet that filled the living room. The facility teetered and groaned all around her, the piercing ring in her left ear earning a moan from Quake. That moan only increased in volume, Daisy rolling to her side and pressing her fists into the ground. The facility growled to her actions. Rising up to her hands and knees, Daisy felt a wave of nausea flush through her guts and forehead, prompting a hand to rise up to meet it.

Bringing her hand back, she stared at her palm and saw the slick crimson painted alongside her fingers. Upon gazing into the shattered glass beneath her, Daisy noted that her forehead had been cut open. A stream of blood flowed down the side of her face and dripped onto the glass beneath her, Johnson breathing steadily as her vision began to blur. She shook it away, tried her best to, and brought her gaze forward towards the sound of moaning.

Mack lay on his chest mere feet ahead of her, the couch flipped over and resting on top of him. It had miraculously protected him from the piece of ceiling that had fallen on top of the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Hissing through the pain, Daisy managed to stand up. Her feet wobbled as did the living room’s entire floor. She made her movements cautiously forward, approaching Mack and trying to move the couch off of him. She pushed the ceiling first of all, then began with the piece of torn furniture. It hurt like hell, and it didn’t budge.

With little patience and strength left, Daisy simply pressed her palm against it and sent a tremor of energy into the couch. It flew across the room like it weighed nothing, crashing and disappearing through the smoke. Daisy fell once more to her knees with her chest heaving and breath rather wet. Spitting out a helping of blood from her mouth, Daisy pressed her palms against Mack and shook him.

He responded in a low groan, opening his eyes and gazing to nothing but the floor.

Managing to roll him over on his back with a cry of effort, Daisy pressed her finger to her ear and declared painfully over the shared comms, “This is Daisy… Johnson! If anyone can hear this message, we’re in the living room! Please, Mack needs help! If anyone can respond, we need help! Does anyone copy?!”

The voice and static in Shuri’s ear jolted her from the darkness that clouded her mind, the Queen of Wakanda gasping for air upon the tattered ground she lay on.

There was no more ceiling where she lay, only the smog-filled skies of utter blackness consuming the evening sunlight and Sanctuary II glaring down upon her with its red haze. Rolling over to her knees, Shuri pushed herself up and analyzed her surroundings. She was just on the outskirts of the facility, a collection of concrete, rebar, and other debris resting on the scorched grass and earth. Stumbling on that grass, Shuri could see through somewhat blotted vision the suit of armor looking from side to side.

She blinked and fully witnessed Friday bend down and pick up her metal arm, jamming it into the socket and locking it back in place. Friday rolled her shoulder, quickly bringing her gaze over to the young Wakandan queen. “Your Highness,” the AI called, stumbling through the debris and gripping Shuri’s extended palm.

Shuri was pulled to her feet, aided greatly by the Mark 45 Iron Man armor. Hunching over slightly, Shuri turned about and gazed to the remains of the facility, dust and soot and blood painted on her face and showing the utter paleness in her expression. The utter loss of hope and life that filled her eyes when she saw all that remained.

The blistering fragments of the Helicarrier rested over the New Avengers Facility, what was left of both nearly caved in and scattered into a billion burning pieces of debris. The outer walls of the facility were torn asunder and ripped open for the entire world to see, various different levels of the building exposed. Shuri felt ill just wondering how far she was thrown from the explosion, trying to understand how she could have miraculously survived it all.

Which reminded her. “How many casualties?” she asked, voice torn with weakness.

Several seconds of Friday analyzing and scanning their surroundings, the facility, and the Helicarrier earned Shuri’s eyes. Slowly at first, the young queen growing more and more terrified the longer it took for the AI to answer. When she finally did, Shuri felt her heart drop. Especially when she heard the hurt in Friday’s voice.

“Every able-bodied S.H.I.E.L.D. agent within the Helicarrier has perished, including agents Piper and Davis. The others’ heartbeats remain visible, some weaker than others. But they’re still alive.”

Shuri turned aside at that grave news given to her. Closing her eyes under the moment of silence for the fallen, she slowly opened them and stared once more into the burning graveyard of concrete and metal. She said, “Not for much longer if we don’t act.”

A slight groan could be heard within the rubble up ahead. Shuri and Friday both turned to it, both of them rushing over as fast as their wounded bodies could manage to the sound. With Friday doing most of the heavy lifting and removing the large slabs of concrete, Shuri was the first one to make eye contact with none other than Melinda May hidden under the debris.

And Shuri, moments away from breaking that distance and holding onto May, stopped just inches and cringed back. The blood in her face slipped away, her breath tightening and eventually stopping when she saw it. Friday’s shimmering eyes centered on it, as well. Not even May was able to see it like they did. She didn’t have the strength to simply turn her head to her right to see the piece of rebar embedded through her shoulder.

Moaning in agony, May managed to see both Shuri and Friday bend down to her at long last. While Shuri comforted her with whispers and strokes of her palm against her forehead, Friday more so focused on the wound. She analyzed it quickly, laying her metal hands gingerly over her shoulder. She gave a slight tug, just to see the severity of the wound. May cried out, stopping what would have been a scream to tear through her throat. She gritted her teeth, shut her eyes tight, and seethed in unhinged pain. Friday backed away, turning to Shuri slowly while May breathed heavily.

They were so focused on May that they never saw the beam of light emerge from Sanctuary II.

It fell from under the rows of red, teeth-like lights emanating from the maw of the massive warship. Striking the devastated earth, a being of great size and stature emerged through the smoke and light. His golden and black armor—dented and scratched from prior years of seemingly never-ending warfare and strife—gleamed under the glare of the fires consuming the wasteland he had created. A large Double-Edged Sword rested in his right hand. He shone under the blinding beam of energy, like a miraculous deity sent from above, or a hellish demon emerged from below. A mixture of both.

The light faded, and Thanos remained.

The first intake of air was that of smoke, a sickening stench of metal and fire, torched trees and earth mixing together alongside the dead within the Helicarrier’s remains. The Mad Titan breathed it in all the same, deeply, and sighed rather longingly. Though he did not admit it aloud, he had missed the smells of conquest. He also dreaded it, knowing with certainty that death ensued and would only continue to from that point on. Yet he digressed, for it would be just one last time. One last act.

He could recall the final moments of his journey, witnessing through the vision of his daughter that the Avengers had succeeded. Together, they brought the six Infinity Stones back from the dead, created a gauntlet of their own, and snapped their fingers. It appeared as if Thanos had arrived to Earth just a few seconds short of stopping them, but he did not worry over such timing. Whether or not their Snap had actually worked, all that mattered was that the Infinity Stones were back, and waiting for him somewhere within the rubble. Whether they brought back everyone Thanos had taken didn’t matter.

In the grand scheme, all that mattered was the Stones. Everything would change once he got his hands on the gauntlet just one more time.

With that final decision set in stone, Thanos stepped forward, continuously scanning his environment for moments on end. Knowing before he landed that the Outriders would search the remains and retrieve the gauntlet for him, all Thanos really had to do was wait.

That was it. Just wait.

Jamming one end of his blade into the earth, Thanos removed his helmet with both hands. He rested it on top of the other blade’s tip, spinning about and taking a seat upon a pile of rubble. He exhaled at that motion, arms resting on his knees once he hunched forward and gazed into the remains of the devastation he enacted. Not a sound other than the cracking fires surrounding him, or the soft growls of the crumbling home of the Avengers. The right half of his face was illuminated in the light of the fires. The left half remained in the shadows, remained scarred.

Reaching for his armor, Thanos removed a small blade and pulled it outward. He clicked it, and watched as the switchblade opened and unveiled both ends of each knife. He let it rest against his left forefinger. The red liquid in the center of it moved from side to side, the intricate silver shimmering under the glow of the fires. Thanos stared longingly to it, a hint of dread, sadness, and guilt filling his expression and his eyes. His heart. The endoskeleton within his left arm felt all too natural, the restored nerve endings feeling the slick and cold metal of the switchblade and fixing it once one end tipped.

Bringing it back into balance.

It continuously fell out of favor, and Thanos—without even looking most of time—continuously brought it back into balance. He stared below, sometimes at the blade, but always thought of her. She always tried to fill his thoughts in the waning seconds of unnerving silence that proceeded. And all Thanos could do was wait in that silence alongside his daughter.

Either for the Infinity Stones or the Avengers to come to him first.

Chapter 162 – Seis Amigos

162

Upstate New York

Remains of the New Avengers Facility

5:48 p.m.

It was only the soft breeze on the Earthen front that made some form of noise or movement within the small group of Avengers. It gently brushed across the fires consuming the edges of the wasteland and the facility, tugging at Thor’s unkempt beard and hair but keeping the Allfather unmoving. It washed across each mare and they felt the heat in that wind, the fire-laced air washing through their manes and blowing them softly against it. Despite such wind, they remained where they stood. Unshaken.

Perhaps on the outside. Within, each Avenger felt a personal sense of dread and foreboding just gazing out down below to the devastation of their base of operations. For there he was, sitting within the heart of all he had wrought. He did not see them. He did not bother, his focus far too preoccupied with the object he toyed with. Regardless, he was there. He was alive. Thanos had returned.

Captain America took the center, standing tall on the highest slab of rubble amongst them. Iron Man stood on his left, slightly beneath Rogers but elevated above the King of Asgard. As for Thor, he stood on the lowest ground compared to the others. His black armor was scratched and filthy, beard and hair even more so, and arms scraped from the initial surprise attack. Tony shared his appearance, his armor dust-covered and scratched. Same for Steve, for the scales on his suit. Same for all of them.

As for the ponies, they fared slightly better in terms of physical prowess. Rainbow Dash hovered beside Stark, armor-plated wings flapping to keep the Pegasus airborne. Twilight took her stance directly on Steve’s right, gazing out all the same with the Avengers she stood with. And finally, Rarity kept close to Thor’s right, casting each of them a quick and uncertain glance before inevitably falling back to the earth down below.

Where he waited.

It almost didn’t seem real. Five years, and he had all but become a wretched memory, a curse only by name but never by image. Twilight had done so much just to forget about him and move on, but in a way… he never left her. His face, his voice, all of him forever stained in her memory and heart and unable to be released. Maybe it was the fact that he had lived after all that she found no closure, coupled with the fact that half of everything she knew and loved had been taken away by his hand. In reality, Twilight could never forget about him. She could never forget what he did. She could never forget Thanos.

Not knowing how the others must have truly felt, but knowing Thor had been staring at him for quite some time, the Alicorn asked, “What’s he been doing?”

The silence was broken and the wind had found a worthy opponent to its sound. Thor, not even turning but knowing the questioned was directed at him, simply shook his head. He answered, “Absolutely nothing.”

None of them found even a pinch of comfort with that response, every eye turning back to lock with the Mad Titan. He sat while donning his golden and black armor, a massive and terrifying blade resting by his side. A sickening moment of silence followed where the wind dominated all sound.

“Guess we’re all that’s left,” Rainbow murmured, finally breaking flight and landing on a piece of concrete erected upwards by some rebar. The Pegasus stood tall and intimidating as she stared down to the Titan.

“Well, we’re the only ones active,” Tony replied, the Pegasus on his left turning to the Iron Man. “Homer gave me the specs; everyone else is stuck down below and coming to. They’ll be fine for now. But yeah… as of right now… all that’s left.”

The tone of his voice—especially on those final three words mirroring Rainbow’s own—filled each one of them with an overbearing weight that none could truly carry alone. That was why they stood together, just six lone Avengers against the weight of the universe tipping dangerously out of their favor. The wind blew. The fire burned. The skies blackened. They stood.

“Where are the Stones?” Steve finally asked.

“Well, he’s still here… and we’re not dead… so probably somewhere under all this,” Tony answered, hands shooting out before flopping back by his sides.

Twilight gave a soft sigh of relief, knowing one of the biggest brains among them shared her theory and mindset on the state of the Infinity Stones. With that in mind, Twilight felt a little more at ease knowing that Thanos did not have the Stones nor knew where they were. Another thing less to worry about. All that really remained was… him.

Going about it, however, was a little more difficult. Rarity made that known when she stamped her hooves nervously against the concrete below her, the unicorn muttering, “What are we going to do?”

“Keep him occupied,” Steve said, earning the unicorn’s eyes. Everyone’s eyes minus Thor. His grip on his shield’s strap tightened subtly, Captain America narrowing his eyes to the lone Titan. “As long as he doesn’t have the Stones.”

Rarity was afraid of that. In a way, they all were. Nevertheless, they fell in line and faced the trials and tribulations ahead as one. Even in her shimmering purple Iron Mare, Rarity found a reason to tremble. She gulped, but never turned away. Kept standing right alongside her friends. “Right,” she whispered.

Thor hadn’t moved since Twilight spoke to him. He hadn’t spoken for what felt like an eternity, the simple barrier between them and Thanos filling the air with unnerving silence and uncertainty. Thor stared on with his remaining pupil, saw no reason to turn away, and asked, “You know it’s a trap, right?”

“Yeah… I don’t much care,” Tony said, shrugging his shoulders and turning to them.

After all the confrontations she had with the Mad Titan, Rainbow Dash had plenty to lose. Had plenty to sacrifice, her own life being one. Her friends… being another. She knew exactly what Thanos was capable of, yet seeing the lack of an Infinity Gauntlet on his hand and no Stones within his reach, added with her friends right by her side and through it all, Rainbow had reasons to doubt… but more to believe. With the fires glowing against her jet-black and sky blue Iron Mare armor, Rainbow Dash turned alongside Tony Stark, nodding their way.

“Same here,” the Element of Loyalty boldly declared.

Twilight had faced far more treacherous storms whenever she had confronted the likes of Thanos. After nearly losing her life by his hands in the Badlands five years ago, seeing the type of power he was truly capable of, and added to all the suffering, torment, and pain he had enacted not only upon her, but her friends and family over the years… Twilight knew there was nothing more that could hold her back. For every life that had suffered from Thanos’ tyranny, they would finally be avenged. She was scared, yes, but knowing there were friends beside her through every step made it matter.

It mattered to her, to Twilight Sparkle. The violet, pink, and black armor gracing her body reacted as her wings slowly unfurled in a display of intimidation, the mare’s horn glowing fiercely against the dark. Her expression was illuminated under the violet warmth, showcasing the rage, the determination, and everything Twilight was and ever would be.

The Element of Magic said, “We face him together.”

Rarity was silent. Terrified. Bold. Determined. So many different emotions and feelings flushing through the unicorn that it made it difficult for Rarity to know how she truly felt. Perhaps she had suffered more than any of her friends at the hands of the Mad Titan, having known his image even before five years ago. For she saw only the Titan, only the wretched conqueror hovering over the burning remains of her home and everyone she knew and loved. For so long, she saw that. She knew Thanos before any of them did. She had kept silent about it and it cost them everything.

“For every life,” the Element of Generosity muttered.

Never again.

Her expression hardened into a bold declaration of perseverance. As it did all of them. Thor felt Rarity’s declaration mirror his own, showing it in his own expression. In his voice as he said, “Good… just as long as we’re all in agreement.”

His left eye began to glow a heavenly blue, the crack of thunder shooting off across the soon-to-be battlefield and filling it in a shroud of a deeper, more terrifying darkness. The clouds swarmed above, calling out to the God of Thunder and supplying him with what he desired. Thor raised his arms directly out in front of him, a flurry of electricity coating his forearms and preparing him for the bolt of lightning striking down from the heavens.

Once the lightning made contact with Thor, he took on a stark but intimidating shift of attire. His black armor was repaired and covered him from neck to toe, his right arm armored up while his left remained barren. The Uru prosthetic didn’t need it. All it needed was his hammer. Mjølnir and Stormbreaker flew into his grasp, the hammer gripped in his left hand and the axe in his right. His beard and hair were braided according to the Allfather’s will, a flowing red cape joining his armor. Once the light in his eye died down, Thor stood tall and bright amongst his friends. They didn’t even cast him a glance to know what he had become.

They all just focused on Thanos.

Thor’s expression was cold and murderous, a shaking inhale entering his nostrils as he growled, “Let’s kill him properly this time.”

Chapter 163 – Trinities

163

Upstate New York

Remains of the New Avengers Facility

5:51 p.m.

The switchblade continuously fell out of balance. Thanos was always there to correct it. As its watcher and guardian, Thanos had not only a responsibility, but a destiny to see the balance be brought into fruition. Yet it continued to tip one way… shortly to the other. Never stopping. Never yielding despite his efforts. Thanos’ expression showed his mild aggravation to that, to the weight placed on his shoulders, and seeing the continued resilience to his efforts.

It was the footsteps that brought his eyes away from his left forefinger, from the switchblade, from the great imbalance… and instead onto them.

Their feet and hooves fell in tandem upon the shattered battleground. In a shared conglomeration of bodies that moved so very cautiously forward, the six Avengers approached the Mad Titan with their guard on high alert. Their movements were exact, slow and calculated. Not too fast and not too slow. Just enough to earn his attention and ready themselves for absolutely anything.

Among them, Thanos knew. Though he had watched them over the past five years, seeing them all walk before him in the true flesh and blood somehow made it feel as if it was the first he had seen them since he destroyed the Stones. He knew all of them, some more than others.

Thor, the God of Thunder and the Asgardian he had conquered on his own ship. He wielded a hammer and an all-too-familiar axe. It made Thanos’ skin crawl, the Titan’s expression hardening slightly. Captain America, brandishing his shield and armor and leading the team of six onto him. Such noble efforts and valiant sacrifices. True heroes. Thanos could have smiled. Iron Man… Stark… the man who had earned Thanos’ respect a war ago. His latest and most impressive armor to date was scratched, his forehead bleeding, but his Arc Reactor burning brighter than any other he had seen. Tony’s expression mirrored Thanos’ own, the hardened acceptance and determination all shared among them.

Even the equines. Rainbow Dash walked beside Stark, her own suit of armor clutching her body but revealing her glare to the Titan. Armor-plated wings extended in an attempted showing of intimidation. Thanos simply stared. Rarity was a curious case, a unicorn who had quivered simply at the sight of him now steadfastly approaching him with a glare that could kill. Her dark purple armor suited her, the Arc Reactor similar to that of Stark’s, of Rainbow’s, and of Twilight’s.

The Element of Magic. The Princess of Friendship. Now the ruler of Equestria… Twilight Sparkle caught Thanos’ eyes just as long as Stark had. Such a worthy showing of pride and bravery, especially from the Alicorn. One of the very few of Earth and Equus’ inhabitants to have earned his respect, Twilight followed right beside Captain America, leading her friends just as well alongside the leader of the Avengers. Unlike Rainbow, her wings rested against her sides. Like Rainbow, like Rarity, like them all, she held a glare that only intensified as the distance between them was broken. Thanos could actually feel the raw magic radiating off of her, telling the Titan silently that she had grown even stronger since their last encounter. In a way, they all had.

And Thanos finally smiled because of that.

Sanctuary II and the world of Equus were nearly concealed by the clouds and smoke infecting the evening skies. Not even the sun could fully shed its light upon the torn landscape, the shattered remnants of the moons high above everyone’s heads. The sound of the wind and the fires surrounding them was silenced once Thanos spoke.

“You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me,” he said, his voice drawn-out, low, and so, so heavy. He let his gaze fall to his finger. “And back to me you came… in victory, it would seem.”

They were silent. Steadfast in their approach and unwavering in their expressions. They broke off into three pairs, Tony and Rainbow walking to the far left and eyeing Thanos with wide and hardened eyes. Steve and Twilight took the center, their foot and hoofsteps cracking the rubble, dirt, and glass beneath them. Thor and Rarity took the deep right, the unicorn hopping over a piece of concrete in her path while Thor simply stomped over it. None of their eyes left him. None of them turned away from the Titan.

Just as Thanos didn’t turn away from the switchblade on his finger. Thinking only of her momentarily, the sadness that had encompassed the Titan’s expressions melted away and only aggravation began to set in. He muttered, “You did it. You snapped your fingers, you ‘saved’ the universe.”

They did not say a word. They took their stance before the Great Titan, all of them stopping simultaneously and covering a vast patch of earth around Thanos. A silent standoff had begun and only continued to infect the scorched battlefield like a pestilence.

Thanos’ smile slowly fell, his eyes rising to meet them. “I thought… that by killing half of life… the other would thrive. I’d be saving the universe… but you’ve shown me… that’s impossible. For if there are still those who remember what was, there will always be those who are unable… to accept what can be. They will resist.”

Iron Man breathed in, his coarsened gaze latched onto the Titan of his nightmares. “Yep, we’re all kinds of stubborn,” he stated aloud.

Thanos managed a weak chuckle at that and continued. “I’ve noticed. I’m thankful. Because now… I see what I must do.”

With a drop of his left wrist, Thanos relinquished the pent-up grief that had tormented him so and ultimately… he let the switchblade go. He let her go. The only relic of which he could hold a semblance of his daughter still. The blade struck the earth and kicked up a remnant of dirt before resting against it. Unmoving. Dead. He let go and the balance he held fell away. Thanos let go of that balance he once believed in. There was no balance to believe in. Not anymore. He stood up.

“Half of all life… and the other half still resists. Still succeeds. My destiny has been fulfilled, has been stripped, and now it has left me with no other choice. You have left me… with no other choice. This universe doesn’t need balance. It doesn’t need a savior. It needs dominion. Since you have shown your continued resilience, rejected the order I tried to bring to the universe, to help it escape the chaos it has become… there is simply no other choice.”

Rainbow Dash gulped as he began to move, her pupils shivering and unable to break contact with the Titan before. A stream of sweat slowly eased its way down her head. The others flinched mildly once Thanos rose, watching as he reached for his blade and placed his helmet back on his head.

“With the Stones you’ve collected for me, I will… shred this universe down to its very last atom… and begin again. Create a new universe, teeming with life… that knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given. Even if it kills me… I would have died to know what was always meant to be.”

Thanos ripped his blade from the earth. Thor ignited the lightning coursing from his veins and onto his weapons, a rippling display of energy, fire, and electricity encompassing the God of Thunder. Steve’s fists tightened behind his shield. Tony’s breath began to quiver, every inhale and exhale a struggle for the Iron Man. His stare intensified, as did Rarity’s. As did Twilight’s.

As for Thanos, he turned to fully face them all, armor donned, helmet attached, and Double-Edged Sword gripped in his right palm. Turning from each Avenger, he sent an irrepressible smile to them all, showing them his decision, his grand scheme. His final solution. One that he ultimately accepted in the end.

“A grateful universe.”

And they resisted. Until the end. Thanos’ smile only widened.

Especially to Twilight Sparkle. The Alicorn lowered herself steadily, her expression solidified and relentless. With voice as a rising flame, eyes fires of pure malice, she hissed, “Born out of blood.”

Thanos faced her, his sinister smile only continuing to grow. “They’ll never know it… because you won’t be alive to tell them,” he whispered back, the threat laid bare. Twilight didn’t flinch. She didn’t quiver. She just breathed and glared. Fully and finally ready to face her demon head-on.

“There’s only one God of this universe,” Steve said, shaking his head. “Pretty sure He isn’t you.”

Thanos turned to Captain America, smirking at that. “Gods… titans… heroes… villains… They’re all the same. See me however you wish, just as I see all of you. Know me... as I know you. The arrogant, unable to accept what I can offer. Unruly wretches, fighting only the inevitable and falling all the same.”

He turned to the mares. Finally, to Twilight, and said, “Broken spirits…”

The Alicorn caught her breath and remained silent for only a moment. Just long enough for the Titan to continue on his tirade of madness. He stared only at Twilight as he spoke, and yet with every word he uttered, the metaphorical distance between them was breaking down. An attempt to reach her to a closer, more personal level, perhaps. A way to break her down even further. Twilight kept every possibility close as she listened.

“Having lost it all, forced to take a mantle we do not want yet are destined for. Cannot turn away… cannot fight it… but becoming what we were truly meant to be. You upon a throne… and myself upon the universe. Perhaps there is more similarities between us than we fail to realize, Your Majesty.”

Despite such logical comparisons, Thanos found himself denied. After five years of letting Thanos torment her mind and letting him continue to win, it was that moment that Twilight took her stand. It was that moment where she didn’t let her demon win. Upon that choice, the Twilight Sparkle she thought she had become had turned into a distant memory like the past five years. The real Twilight, the Princess of Friendship, the Element of Magic, what she was always meant to be… was all that remained.

“You don’t know me,” Twilight whispered, the Alicorn bending low and her armor-plated wings extending. Her eyes and horn glowed with raw magic, the growl that left her lips sending an equally-terrifying threat back. “I’m nothing like you.”

With their true selves laid bare like the threats they offered, all that was left was simply them. Just Thanos and the six Avengers brave enough to stand against him. Thanos acknowledged that, every word of it, and nodded.

To Twilight, he said, “And perhaps you’re right. Perhaps you will dread what is to come. As for me…” His eyes fell away from the Alicorn, washing slowly over each Avenger and analyzing their stance, their determination, their ferocity, and whatever they might have believed themselves to be. He was ready. “To whatever shall come next… I will enjoy it…”

Tony Stark breathed.

Thanos bent forward, his smile gone, and only the power of will left. “Every… last… second.”

All was quiet on the Earthen front. Save for Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity’s masks all closing fiercely over their glares.

Thor roared.

They charged. Leaping from the air, Tony Stark let his mask wash over his face as he brought forth an energy blade from his right wrist. Rainbow Dash jetted forward all the same, two energy blades extending from her hooves. Captain America sprinted ahead with his shield leading him, Twilight right by his side and flying over his head with two Repulsor Cannons materializing onto her hooves. Thor and Rarity charged and galloped together, upon the earth, as they collided against the Titan.

In a wave of rushing bodies, the Avengers collectively assaulted Thanos with strikes, slashes, beams, and everything they had and ever were. Thanos retaliated just as furiously, blocking the slash that Iron Man had intended across his throat and knocking Stark to the earth. Rainbow managed to slice at his abdomen with her blades, the sparks shooting off his armor and Thanos slicing at her own with the end of his sword. The strike sent Rainbow teetering through the air, eventually crashing into a pile of rubble and rebar.

Raising his sword, Thanos blocked Captain America’s shield and swung down below for the First Avenger. Steve, once he retrieved his thrown shield, quickly raised it in a vain attempt to block the strike. The force of it sent Steve vaulting backwards, the Captain crashing and disappearing through the mountains of debris in the distance. Barely dodging Mjølnir by inches, Thanos reared back from the swing of Stormbreaker intended for his neck and kicked back the God of Thunder. Thor crashed as Rarity slid under his body, she and Twilight meeting Thanos with magical and repulsor beams. Tony joined them, flying high above and creating a Repulsor Cannon on his left arm. He fired. Thanos blocked them. They fought their hearts out.

The Battle of Earth had begun.

Chapter 164 – Cats and Mice

164

Upstate New York

Beneath the Ruins

5:51 p.m.

The water was rising and the walls separated their screams.

Beneath several floors of the New Avengers Facility, the lower levels had no choice but to bear the weight not only of the facility itself, but the burning remains of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier. With various floors supported by numerous support beams and steel flooring, the ceiling held remarkably well for the time being. Some of it had caved in, and understandably so. The Avengers unlucky enough to have been trapped within the heart of the bombardment had fallen into the dark crevice, and only then did they begin to come to.

Derpy Hooves was one of them, the Pegasus flailing against the weight of the concrete resting on her hind leg. The concrete was part of the shattered wall she had fallen next to, the opposite side holding the screams of Bruce Banner, as well as the agonized cries of the various other Avengers who were trapped with him. Derpy, on the other hoof, was utterly alone in the room she was trapped in. The rising water from the various cracks against the ceiling only further spelled her doom. If the horrific pain in her hind leg didn’t kill her, then drowning definitely would.

Her wings flapped rapidly in a desperate attempt to escape, yet the concrete kept her pinned to the floor. She tried pushing and pulling it off, but it was latched down by the weight of the collapsed wall. Cringing and shedding a painful tear or two at that, Derpy looked about and noticed the water having reached her and covering her hooves. Slowly rising.

Desperation and panic began to set in, Derpy crying, “S-somepony, anypony! Please, help! I-I’m trapped here! The concrete… won’t… budge!” She gave another go at the concrete and rubble on her hind leg, beating her wings in tandem to pushing the rock. Nothing.

Soon enough, her screams joined the likes of Banner and those who were trapped with him, just a joint chorus of echoing cries that couldn’t escape the lower levels of the collapsed complex. Her comms link was a static mess while so deep underground, so that didn’t offer her any leeway. Turning back to her Domino Gun, the vest was close to the water and Derpy desperately tried to keep it dry. The gun on her shoulder was wilted and sparking.

Just as the water began to seep over her lower body, Derpy had just about run out of options. Her whimpers were starting to rise into terrified gasps just gazing to the freezing water rising higher. Her salvation came when the wall behind her burst forth, a shower of rock and concrete pebbles raining over Derpy’s back and causing her to face it. A breath of relief escaped the Pegasus when she saw none other than the glowing gloves joining the likes of the familiar, deadpan face.

Maud Pie hopped through the hole she had created and stood next to Derpy, using her Asteroid Glove to raise the concrete from the mare’s hind leg like it was filled with air. Derpy cried as she yanked her hind leg free, rubbing it gingerly with her hooves and acknowledging the ugly scrape left behind. Regardless, she lifted her eyes to the Earth pony and smiled gratefully.

“Thanks,” she murmured, voice stricken with the throbbing in her leg.

The cries from the opposite room grew stronger, both mares turning to it and their ears perking at the familiar voice of none other than Bruce Banner. “Heeelp! We’re trapped! Water’s rising fast and we can barely move! Got a lot of people in here!” the Hulk bellowed, the facility groaning and his agonized cries increasing in volume.

With splashes of water and streams of dust falling on top of them, both Maud and Derpy turned to one another. Maud nodded, stating, “We need to help them.”

“Maud, you need to lift these rocks,” Derpy declared, seeing the mare in the corner of her vision begin to do just that. The Pegasus planted her hooves against the cracking wall, screaming out, “Don’t worry! We’ll get you out of there!”

Her strained and worrisome cry shot out throughout the remains of the lower levels, carrying with it several leagues of turmoil and strife. Those echoes just so managed to hit a certain Hawkeye laying prone against a pile of rubble. Clint Barton stirred from his darkened fever dream of nothingness, a wave of pain flushing over him the second he heard her cry and his eyes opened. Red emergency lights blared over his head.

“Ow!” he groaned, feeling the subtle nudge against his forearm bring him back fully. Lifting his dust-covered head, Clint could see none other than Tempest Shadow greeting him.

The unicorn stood with a visible limp, though she tried to hide it and gave Clint a once-over. “Good… you’re alive… was beginning to think otherwise.”

Pressing his palms against the rubble he lay against, Clint groaned and rose up to his hands and knees. “Nice to see you, too, Fizzlecherry,” he sarcastically grumbled.

Tempest opened her mouth and prepared a flame-covered retort, but stopped. Though she would have definitely informed Clint not to call her that—and that he didn’t even say her real name right—something instead caught her glance beneath her. A slight shimmer from the stream of light cascading upon Clint Barton. Shifting her gaze downwards, her jaw fell fully open and refused to close. Not even a breath left her.

Following her gaze, Clint turned his eyes to the floor and spotted the shimmer, as well. All six of them. “The Stones…”

There it was, the Nano Gauntlet trapped beneath him and the mound of concrete, dirt, and rebar that he lay upon. Call it luck or just a coincidence, Clint and Tempest didn’t argue about it and just pulled. Clint removed the rubble and Tempest yanked the glove free with her magic. She spun and analyzed the gauntlet, finally resting her eyes on the six Infinity Stones. It was perfectly intact. Maybe a little scuffed up, but the Stones were secure. That was all that mattered.

“Come on, we’re not out of this fight yet,” Tempest acknowledge, levitating the gauntlet to her side and facing Barton. She flinched when she heard more cries echoing off the tunnel walls. “We need to find the others. Natasha, Elektra, Derp—”

Clint held out his gloved-hand to her, silently shushing her.

Though never keen on being cut off and then silenced, Tempest allowed a second or two just to take in their surroundings. Maybe she could even find out where the cries of help were coming from in the growing silence between them. Yet in that silence, there were no more cries. Instead, her ear flicked when she caught the same sound that Clint must have heard. The soft, subtle sound of movement.

She watched him slowly spin around, cautiously reaching for an arrow in his quiver and loading it into his bow. He faced the darkness behind him, where the screams had emanated and vanished through a winding tunnel of pitch blackness. It was in the black where Clint had caught wind of the movement, of the following growls and hisses that covered the tunnel walls. Both he and Tempest stared down the shadows. Clint released the arrow, the flare-tip speeding down the tunnel and lightning up the darkness for just a second.

That second was all that was needed to see the tunnel walls infested with crawling Outriders.

“Run…” Clint whispered, then pulled back his bow, then shouted, “Run!”

He leaped off the mound of rubble, dodging Tempest and stumbling slightly on his landing. He twisted back to see Tempest twisting just as rapidly as he, galloping as fast as her hooves could carry her through the tunnels up ahead. Beyond her, he saw the wave of Outriders screech and charge them.

And what they held.

Author's Note

I just finished the one chapter y'all have been dying for.

Ho-ly shiiiiiiii... :rainbowderp:

You ain't ready for what's coming.

Chapter 166 – They Need You

166

Upstate New York

Beneath the Ruins

5:57 p.m.

All Natasha had to do was follow the sounds of alien screams and the rest came to her. They nearly crashed into the Black Widow, leaping forth from the wave of flames that consumed the tunnel behind them and crashing together as a heap of limbs and groans on the steel floor. Clint and Tempest opened their eyes and looked up to see Romanoff standing behind them, pistol drawn, and hardened gaze trained on the duo.

Things did not turn out particularly well for the Widow. The bombardment had sent her careening into a dark crevice deep below the facility, eventually sending her to the emergency tunnels and bunker where she was nearly encased under a mountain of debris and rubble. Though she managed to escape before she could be buried, the wounds she sustained had taken their toll. Various bruises and cuts consumed her face and body, a gash across her forehead that leaked a filthy river of blood and dirt flowing down her face. It painted the skin between her eyes, flowed beside her nose, and stopped at her lips. Despite the throbbing in her head, Natasha stood up. She pushed on.

She survived.

Continuously trying her comms for any other survivors, Natasha stumbled about almost aimlessly through the darkened tunnels. The red emergency lights managed to guide her path, as static was the only response she received in the comms, giving her no direction of where to turn next. The constant groaning and shifting of the facility above her kept Natasha on her toes, though, inciting her to keep moving and find an exit before the entire base fell on top of her.

When she heard the alien screeches and cries echoing off the walls, Natasha spun towards them and whipped out her pistol. Her heart jumped when the familiar voice cried out, “Run!”

That was all she could do. She ran. She followed the screams and tore through the darkness and flashing red to find them, to hopefully find that voice again. The second she turned the last corner, she gazed down the long tunnel where the commotion was stirring, her eyes narrowing to see the rushing bodies making their way towards her.

As for Clint Barton and Tempest Shadow, the two Avengers felt the burning wind in their hair and the teeth snapping at their heels. Tempest led the duo, her magic gripping the Nano Gauntlet and all six of the Infinity Stones as she galloped, leaped, ducked, and turned wildly throughout the maze of tunnels. Clint followed close behind her and gave them both covering fire, the Hawk spinning around every few seconds to see the Outriders getting closer while they, in turn, were only getting tired.

Ripping several arrows free from his quiver, Clint drove the explosive-tip arrows into the walls to his left and right. All set on a timer of three seconds, Clint pushed himself to his limits, sprinting the rest of his adrenaline away in order to catch up to Tempest. By the time he did, the first arrow exploded. Then the second. Then the rest. A consuming wave of fire filled the tunnel and devoured the Outriders within the flames, their screeches drowned out by the rippling explosions. Tempest didn’t even have to look back to know what happened, jumping forward with Clint and exiting the tunnel as the fire blew over their heads. It dissipated, and only their shared breathing remained.

Until they opened their eyes and heard Natasha’s breathing joining them, seeing the Widow standing behind them with her weapon drawn.

Considering they were the first people Natasha had found since the surprise attack, she kept her finger off the trigger. Finally noticing it was Clint and Tempest brought her gun and—to a greater extent—her guard down.

“Clint,” Natasha breathed, a sigh of relief mixed in. She stumbled forward, bending low and reaching for Clint’s arm. She pulled him to his feet and met his eyes, Barton noting the wound on her forehead. Natasha even pointed to it and waved it off, managing a weak smile to ease him. They both turned to the groans beside them and saw Tempest struggle to all four hooves.

They helped her, kneeling beside the unicorn in order to help her stand. While Tempest sent a grateful nod to each, she soon found out their stares had long since turned away from her. Instead, to her lack of surprise, they fell to the Nano Gauntlet resting on the floor next to Tempest’s hooves. Natasha gulped. Clint breathed. Tempest shivered. They all breathed. They were all alive.

The growing screeches and growls brought that overwhelming sense of doubt to that previous thought, all three Avengers turning appropriately to see the flames licking at the bodies of the Outriders. The ones that had survived stirred in the burning aftermath, still conglomerated as a terrifying wave of a dozen or more Outriders still alive. They all screamed when they spotted the gauntlet, rushing forth to where it lied.

Clint bent down and scooped up the Nano Gauntlet, backing away quickly alongside Tempest and Natasha. The chance to run, to shout, to do anything else besides stand and hold their ground was gone. The Outriders came too fast. All they could do was stand there, weapons drawn, guard at the ready, and stare down the literal face of hell rushing towards them. The Outriders exited the tunnel, the leader amongst them leaping forth with teeth and claws intended for Barton.

The ray of golden photon energy stopped it by mere inches. In a blistering blast of cosmic energy, the Outrider was vaporized and blown away from Clint, Tempest, and Natasha. Clint noted how he could feel the photon blast rip past his right ear, the heat of it searing his neck hairs but otherwise intentionally missing him. It blew over his shoulder—between him and Tempest—and completely decimated the Outriders that remained.

They didn’t stand a chance, the photon blast incinerating what had survived and traveling all the way down the tunnel Clint and Tempest had run from. As the bellowing ray of energy finally ceased, the three Avengers gazed down the smoking, red-hot, and empty tunnel strewn with scorched and unmoving bodies. Their expressions said it all.

They all slowly spun around to where the photon blast originated, mild surprise but heavy relief in their eyes to see Carol Danvers standing on the edge of the tunnel behind them.

Captain Marvel kept her glare fierce as she lowered her fist and the energy swarming it faded. Dust and scratches coated her uniform with a steam of dark blue blood flowing down her nostril. Other than that, she was perfectly fine. She followed the screams like Natasha had and found her Avengers just in time. She approached them.

“Thanks,” Clint breathed, gripping the Nano Gauntlet like it was his own child. Carol kept her gaze latched to the gauntlet for a moment, almost considering taking it off their hands for safe keeping. However, she spun her neck back and stared to the ceiling, the subtle sounds of battle unfolding outside the facility’s tunnels. The subtlety ended when a resounding tremor filled the facility’s lower levels, streaks of dust and pebbles falling from the ceiling as an eruption covered the ground above.

Carol turned back to Clint, to the gauntlet, and stared. She raised a hand to it before pushing the gauntlet closer into Barton’s embrace. “Keep the Stones safe and stay together,” Danvers told them. Another tremor, another round of screams from above that no one else but Carol could hear. She tilted her eyes to the ceiling, gazing to it longingly. “I need to go.”

Natasha stopped her before she could fully turn away from them, gripping Danvers’ arm and stating, “Carol, now’s not the time go out lone wolfing it—”

Yet to the Widow’s surprise—to all of their surprise—Carol just smiled. Smiled and said, “My team needs me.”

While Clint was still momentarily stunned to know that Carol trusted them enough to keep the Stones secure—knowing it would probably be safer with the Captain—he really had no time to question her. Natasha even felt herself release Carol’s arm, that being the indicator to Danvers that she was free to go. She had her mission and they had theirs.

With one last nod, Carol then turned her face skyward and flew off directly into the ceiling. She burst through the rubble while chunks of it fell down and impacted the tunnels where they stood. A stream of light from the rest of the world above brought their eyes and their bodies together underneath it, the three remaining Avengers gazing up to see the sky. To see their escape.

Clint nodded at that, tightening his grip on the gauntlet while he reached for his grappling arrow. “All right Danvers…”

Chapter 167 – Payback

167

Upstate New York

The Ruins

6:00 p.m.

Tony Stark hit the earth with resounding force. Six panels emerged from Iron Man’s back, each equipped with a repulsor at the end of each tip. Further down the torn landscape, Captain America was on his own handling the Mad Titan, easily getting tossed around by Thanos’ overwhelming attacks. He didn’t have much time. Neither of them did. Tony worked fast.

And in the end, he wasn’t alone. Lifting his shimmering blue eyes, Stark spotted Twilight hovering directly over his head. Rainbow flew similarly to his right, with Rarity to his left. They all hovered above him, all analyzed his weapon capabilities, and formed their nanites to follow Tony. Three more Lightning Refocusers materialized from the backs of each mare, all four iron-cladded Avengers facing Thanos dead ahead.

“Thor…!” Tony called.

Twilight cast her eyes a quick glance backwards, her HUD acquiring a hard lock on the Mad Titan shortly after. She turned forward to face Thanos and shouted, “Charge us up!”

Several yards behind the group of four Avengers, the God of Thunder stomped forward. He held both Mjølnir and Stormbreaker as he roared to the thundering heavens above. Clusters and strikes of lightning rained down and fueled his body, those streams of electricity flowing from his arms and into his weapons. Ramming both his hammer and his axe together, a bolt of bright blue lightning shot forth and eviscerated the battleground between him and the four other Avengers.

The lightning coiled across the dirt, ripping apart rocks, debris, and the earth itself. Once it reached the Avengers, however, it reacted differently. Like a lightning rod, the refocusers consumed the bolt of lightning as it broke apart into four separate streams of electricity. Each stream impacted the backs of Tony Stark, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity. They filled the Lightning Refocusers and charged up each suit of armor to their maximum capacity.

Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity flinched after feeling the overwhelming surge of energy impact them and flow through their suits. They gritted their teeth, truly believing their Iron Mares wouldn’t take much more energy. They surely couldn’t contain that power forever. Following Stark beneath them, they jammed their hooves outwards and released that lightning through their repulsor beams. Each panel the mares bore on their backs fired at once, a stream of twenty-four golden repulsor beams coming together and shooting forth.

Iron Man jammed his palms forward alongside the ponies, watching as their conjoined beam reached Thanos within a second. Yet the Titan was ready for them. Slicing at Captain America’s shield with his blade and launching the First Avenger several yards back, Thanos heard the sudden rising scream of the repulsor blast. He turned to face it, raising his double-bladed weapon and spinning it with skillful vigor. Until his sword was just a blur of silver, Thanos tightened his stance as the conjoined repulsor beam impacted him.

His feet skidded back an inch or two, but he remained. The stream of energy was cut to shreds upon impacting his blade. Thanos gritted his teeth at the immense pressure and energy pushing against him, roaring out as he pushed back. The air and wind were torn to accommodate the battle cries of his Uru blade, the sword spinning with a fierce intensity. The repulsors were unable to proceed any further. So, Stark did.

He stomped forward while keeping the fire and the pressure on, Thor’s lightning continuously hitting his back and strengthening his repulsors. The three mares remained where they hovered, struggling to maintain the same firepower that Tony easily handled. Through narrowed eyes, Twilight spotted Tony breaking the distance between himself and Thanos, his own repulsor adding even more pressure onto the Titan and pushing him back several more inches. Those inches earned the Avengers miles. They had hoped it would.

Instead, Thanos took those miles from them when he swung his spinning blade downwards, slicing the remaining distance between himself and Stark and practically knocking Iron Man off his feet. The flow of lightning was cut off. The conjoined repulsor beams were killed. Stark was at the Titan’s mercy. Materializing an energy blade onto his left wrist, Tony swung high in a last desperate act of retaliation. Thanos caught his forearm, glaring into the blue eyes of the Mark 85 and the man hiding underneath it.

With their suits still cooling down from the lightning, the mares eyed the confrontation with rising fear in their expressions. Twilight spun around, jamming her hoof to the Allfather and screaming, “Thor, help him!”

Thor did the first thing that came to mind. He tossed his hammer out in front of him, winding back with his axe and striking Mjølnir with it. A resounding clang filled the air from the impact of the Uru weapons, Mjølnir flying forth with ramming speed onto the God of Thunder’s target. As the god’s target, Thanos saw the hammer breaking the distance and only getting closer. With Stark in his grasp, Thanos reacted quickly and lifted the Iron Man from the earth, holding his entire body out in front of him and ultimately using Stark as a makeshift shield. It worked as well as he expected.

Mjølnir impacted Tony dead in his Arc Reactor, the force of the strike so profoundly strong that it launched Tony back and even made Thanos stumble to the opposite side. Tumbling through the rock and rubble, Iron Man eventually came to a rest amongst a pile of debris, his back crashing hard against it and his HUD quickly flashing danger lights. The residing electricity slithered across the Mark 85’s frame as Tony tried to rise again, as he tried to lift his head but simply couldn’t. The hammer had knocked the wind out of him, the following darkness in his vision being too much for Stark to handle.

His head fell back to the debris, eyes rolling into the back of his head as he breathed out a painful groan. Homer noticed his creator’s fading consciousness, the AI shouting, “Sir, wake up! They’re getting overwhelmed!”

But Tony Stark didn’t wake up. His mind faded into a cloudy and uncertain state of unconsciousness. He left his team to deal with his demon.

And deal with him they did. The three mares shot forth once their suits reacted to their commands once again, Thor joining his equine allies headlong into battle. Rainbow was first, jutting two energy blades from her forelegs and driving them downwards onto the Titan in a daring dive-bomb. Thanos merely raised his blade and blocked her own, swinging down to his right and launching the Pegasus to the earth. He brought his focus forward, the remaining three still actively engaging him. Twilight flew off to the right, her horn igniting and a beam of magic blasting forth and striking Thanos’ left side. The Titan raised his left palm to block her magic, his focus taken away and allowing Rarity to engage. The unicorn flew forward, cut off her own flight, and slid on the dirt to Thanos’ deep right. She fired various repulsor blasts from her hooves onto him as she slid by, Thanos’ attention brought down to his right and away from the King of Asgard charging straight ahead.

Thor screamed as he reared back and drove his axe directly into Thanos’ chest. The lightning fueled his strike, the blast once Stormbreaker impacted the Titan’s chest being so powerful that it launched Thanos several yards backwards. The Titan was thrown like a rag doll, Thanos grunting and growling as he bounced, crashed, and eventually slid back onto his own two feet. Finding that footing and feeling the large indent Stormbreaker had made onto his chest plating, Thanos snarled and lifted his eyes skyward. The skies darkened as a flurry of lightning swarmed the being rising forth from the earth, striking against the God of Thunder and following him in his descent.

Thanos’ eyes widened at that, the Mad Titan leaping back as Thor struck the ground Thanos once stood upon with the head of his axe. Lightning ripped apart the very earth, tearing through the rocks and dirt and forcing Thanos even further backwards. He raised his arms and sword as the lightning struck his armor with a fierce intensity. He nearly crumpled to it, but the Dark Lord had faced far worse. He stood his ground and swatted his arms aside, breaking the lightning trying to consume him and facing his foe head-on.

Thor arose from the shattered earth, his remaining eye glowing a heavenly blue. His teeth were grit and his Uru arm was coiled with electricity. Stormbreaker hung low in his right hand, the God of Thunder emerging fully and stepping into the wind. That infected, smoke-covered wind tugged at his flowing red cape and braided beard, the King of Asgard glaring to his foe. They met each other’s eyes. They each broke the distance and charged.

As he ran, Thanos reared back with his blade and tossed it ahead of him. The Double-Edged Sword spun violently over Thor’s head, the god sliding underneath it and quickly rising back to his feet. With Thanos weaponless, Thor intended to take his opportunity as fast as possible. He sprinted, leaping off a piece of concrete and driving his axe straight onto Thanos’ head. However, Thor hadn’t noticed the sword spinning backwards like a boomerang, returning to Thanos’ grasp and knocking Stormbreaker away at the last second.

Both Thanos and Thor engaged in close combat, Thor swinging madly for the Titan’s throat and head with each attack. Every time, he went for the head. Every time, Thanos would dodge it and reply with his own deadly swings. Thanos slicing at Stormbreaker, gaining the advantage and swinging more and more with Thor managing to block every other attack. The ones that were lucky cut at his armor and exposed skin, drawing blood. Thanos screamed, rearing back and driving his blade’s edge low, so low that Thor would either be knocked back or sliced in half.

Thor continued to surprise the Great Titan. He slid to his knees, bending his spine as far as it would allow and glaring skyward. The sword passed mere centimeters above Thor’s nose, maybe slicing a few strands of his filthy blond hair, but ultimately missing him. Thor spun around on one knee, slamming Stormbreaker’s head against the back of Thanos’ own knee. With the Titan crumbling and roaring to that strike, Thor wasted no time and pulled back, spinning as he turned to reach Thanos’ front and bringing Stormbreaker with him. He rammed the sharpened end of his axe forward, intending for his throat and abruptly stopping.

He only stopped once Thanos raised his left hand and caught Stormbreaker’s handle.

Everything fell apart from then on.

Ripping his axe away and knocking the weapon to the dirt, Thanos grasped the God of Thunder by the throat and tossed him with a renewed savagery. Thor’s body disappeared through the tower of rubble he was thrown through, the tower falling and a wave of dust washing through the battlefield. Thanos only had a second to breathe and rise up back to two feet when the onslaught continued.

Turning to the scream of repulsors, Thanos spotted the sky blue Iron Mare land upon a fractured spire of cement and rebar ahead. The suit shot out its wings in an intimidating fashion, Rainbow Dash’s undeniable voice crying out, “Rares, bring on the rumble!”

Rarity flew through the smoke behind Thanos, the repulsors on her hooves fading and the Iron Mare landing upon the earth. With his back to her for the time being, the unicorn jammed her forelegs forward into the earth. The dark purple nanoparticles swarmed her forelegs and hooves, forming into two large jackhammers. The mallets at the ends of her hooves struck the earth in fast, piston-like movements, cracking the rock beneath her and sending that infectious crack slithering to the Mad Titan. With the tremors causing Thanos to stumble, the crack nearly consumed his left leg and brought the Titan to the ground. Knocked off his feet, Thanos grunted and turned back to face the source of the tremors. Rarity lifted the blue eyes of her Iron Mare onto him, ceasing her assault on the earth.

Letting her team take the advantage she gave them.

Captain America leaped through the rubble, rearing back and tossing his shield through the air. The star-spangled shield impacted Thanos’ helmet, the Titan yelling at that. His foot was still trapped between the split earth, leaving Thanos vulnerable for the moment. Instead of the shield returning to Steve, Twilight caught it in mid-air, the Alicorn soaring down and ramming the shield once more across Thanos’ helmet. Sparks danced wildly from the impact, Thanos growling and prying his leg from the ground. Sliding on the dirt, Twilight spun around and sent the shield back into the air. It met Rainbow Dash, the Pegasus leaping forth from the concrete and sending a fierce buck mid-air onto the shield. It flew back down and struck Thanos a third time in the helmet, bouncing back in Steve’s grasp.

That was enough. Thanos had enough. He ripped his leg free, taking one more hit from the Captain before finally regaining his footing. Steve Rogers spun as he slammed his boot across Thanos’ face, the Titan slowly glaring back onto the Avenger. Raising his shield, Steve only had a second to tighten himself once Thanos drove his fist into the solid vibranium. The force of the punch launched Steve back into a pile of rubble, the Captain crashing through it and lying on his chest, barely moving.

Three more. Spinning madly to the raging Pegasus, Thanos raised his sword just in time to meet hers. Rainbow created an energy blade upon her left hoof, jetting forward with an extra push from her wing repulsors. She intended for Thanos’ exposed neck, one of the only areas on his body not covered by armor. Instead, Thanos raised his sword and blocked her. Slicing her blade aside, Thanos jammed his left palm forward and grasped her body. He slammed the Pegasus fiercely against the earth. Blows that would have crushed the spine and rib cage of any normal being merely caused Rainbow to lose her breath, her suit of armor mostly protecting her. Growling to the mare in his grasp, Thanos spun around, roaring as he chucked Rainbow directly into the flying Alicorn. Twilight raised her repulsors onto Thanos with his back turned, but when he spun to her, Dash was launched into Twilight’s chest. The two mares disappeared as they flew into the piles of rubble in the distance.

One more.

Like a feral, snarling beast, the Mad Titan spun to face all that remained. His last opposition. One little pony in a suit of purple armor. He started to smile when he recognized her. Rarity seemed to notice her odds, as well, her glowing blue eyes slowly scanning her surroundings and noting the desolation. The silence. The utter disdain practically radiating off of Thanos’ person and directed solely at her. Slowly turning back to face him, Rarity’s mask detracted back, unveiling her face and the shaken expression beneath the helmet.

“Come then,” Thanos declared, twirling his sword by his side, jamming its end in her direction. “Face me as you were before, as you are now… coward.”

Rarity felt herself cringe at that name, her heart dropping and wanting to give in. An old part of herself wanted to resurface and acknowledge the name he called her. Coward… He wasn’t wrong. The decisions Rarity had made years ago had haunted her, the choices where she refused to fight had cost her nearly everything. That old part of herself was slowly taking command once again, her nerves shivering, her forelegs quivering, and her breath quickening. Yet for some reason, she moved. For some reason, she found that strength and spoke.

“For over eight years now… I would always wake up in the middle of the night… seeing nothing but you… and being terrified,” she stated under the veil of a soft, petrified whisper. Rarity slowly walked around him, Thanos eyeing her with a growing curiosity. His smirk grew even wider to her words, Rarity’s frown only deepening. Darkening. Hardening. “You tortured me… for so, so long. Do you know what I see now when I look at you?”

That part of herself that cowered, that gave in, that had lost… fell away. And it never came back.

She stopped. She slammed her armor-plated hooves into the earth and cracked it before her. A slick pair of nanoparticle wings extended from her back, numbering four, and glowing a bright blue at the end of each tip. A feral glare burned on her expression, melting into pure, fiery magma alongside her voice. Alongside her battle cry.

“Not… a damn… thing!”

Thanos’ smirk died. Rarity’s mask covered her face, her eyes a glowing a blue storm of fire and rage and malice, all from the years of pent-up torment Thanos had inflicted on her. With her wings jetting her forward, Rarity flew at top speed towards the target of her rage. Thanos quickly reacted, raising his sword to block her. Planting all four hooves forward, Rarity landed on his sword and fired a pulsating shock wave of repulsor energy onto the Titan. Thanos stumbled back, grunting as he watched the mare leap over his head. She formed a quick Repulsor Cannon on her right hoof, firing a devastating blast onto him in mid-air. The blast struck Thanos in the back, the Titan roaring out as he stumbled forward.

With a battle cry of his own, Thanos spun around with his blade’s edge leading. His sword struck Rarity in mid-air, the sparks flying from his sword and from the side of her face. The force of the strike sent the unicorn crashing into the dirt, only she caught herself and slid on the ground. With eyes facing the earth, a sickening slash against her Iron Mare’s helmet, Rarity faced forward and once more jetted forth. Once more engaged. Once more did not back down to her demon.

Thanos swung for her head, that time intending to see it go flying free from her body. Instead, Rarity dropped to the earth, rolled once, then emerged with her hind legs leading. With added speed and strength from her Iron Mare, Rarity sent a vicious buck into the Titan’s sternum, causing him to hunch forward and lose his breath. Rarity did not stop. Her suit calculated her next moves that would equate to the quickest, most impactful strikes onto her target. With added agility thanks to her suit, Rarity slid to her right and kicked out Thanos’ right leg. He fell to his knee, only able to see her glowing eyes meet his when she flew skyward.

And rammed her hoof directly under his chin.

With the added boost from her repulsors, Rarity sent Thanos careening backwards. He almost fell onto his back, but his feet managed to stumble in order to maintain his balance. Shouting a slur of nonsense—mere growls and roars of madness if anything—Thanos brought his focus forward and onto the unicorn. She flew once more, wings extended, horn and hooves glowing with two Repulsor Cannons ready to meet his head.

Thanos thought fast and raised his boot. Rarity was going too quick to react in time and crashed directly onto the flat of his foot. She had not time to escape when Thanos drove his boot into the earth, the nearby piles of rubble trembling from the tremor he caused. When he raised his foot, there lay the unicorn in her suit of armor, destroyed wings lying by her side, and flickering blue eyes slowly gazing back up to the Mad Titan. Glaring to her, he raised his boot and fully intended to leave nothing on the second stomp.

Stormbreaker spun madly as it met Thanos’ back, knocking the Titan clean off the earth and far from where Rarity lay. The unicorn gave a painful sigh of relief to see Stormbreaker fly back into the familiar hands catching it in mid-air.

As Thanos rolled back to his feet, sword in one hand and the other grazing the dirt, he lifted his head and rapidly rose up to full height. He brought his sword with him, barely managing to block Stormbreaker’s edge from falling right on him. The lightning coursed from the axe’s head and licked at Thanos’ sword and armor, that lightning originating from the God of Thunder wielding his weapon and glaring down the Titan on the end of it.

Thor had one more fight left in him. Thanos sneered. That sneer transformed into a sickening glare as the pressure from the Allfather only increased. Spinning his sword, Thanos managed to knock Stormbreaker right out of the god’s hands. Thor managed to grasp onto the Titan’s blade and rip it from his hands, as well, leaving them both empty-handed. Like that mattered for the Mad Titan.

He sent a vicious punch across Thor’s face, disorienting the God of Thunder for a second. A second was all he needed. Thanos gripped his shoulder and chucked Thor like he weighed nothing into a cluster of cement and a downed tree. He broke through the roots and crashed into the rubble, Thor raising his arms to block the following flow of punches Thanos sent into his face. Gripping the god once more, Thanos threw him even harder than last time and back to the earth. Thor’s back impacted the slab of rubble erected from the ruins, the king once more raising his arms to block the inevitable punches.

Instead, Thanos reared up and drove his boot into Thor’s chest. The Avenger lost his breath, dropping his arm and leaving his head exposed. Thanos took that and drove his fist directly into Thor’s face, a sickening crack following and a flow of blood falling freely from Thor’s nose. Even more blood spewed from his mouth, a delirious and exasperated Thor reaching out for his axe in a desperate attempt to escape. Thanos followed his hand, shooting out his own and catching Stormbreaker in mid-air. He rammed the axe downward onto the god it belonged to, Thor catching it before the sharpened edge could reach him. Thanos pressed his opposite palm onto the back of the weapon to increase the pressure, adding his own weight alongside his strength to only further see his devious actions be brought forth into reality.

It was an opposite tug of war between two immovable objects and unstoppable forces. They each pushed against the other by the axe they gripped. Thanos, pushing the axe deeper and deeper onto Thor’s chest, and Thor simply trying to keep it away from him. His efforts were failing him. The pain flowing through his head, the straining metal of his Uru arm, and his fleeting strength were finally starting to take their toll. His forehead felt like it was splitting open, Thor gasping out blood as the inches turned into centimeters, as the axe slowly eased itself through his armored chest. Thanos smiled with devilish intent.

Yards behind him, the mighty hammer of the gods, the legendary weapon of Asgard, the seemingly-abandoned Mjølnir lay with its head in the dirt. It remained unmoving, forced to watch its worthy predecessor get thrown around and beaten. Now with Thor just inches from death, the hammer did nothing because Thor did not call to it.

And then… it rose.

Thor growled as he felt the axe hit his skin, bloody teeth grit and strength failing. Thanos, with his full focus on seeing the God of Thunder die beneath him, paid no heed to the environment around him. He especially didn’t hear the cry of the mighty Mjølnir flung his way, the hammer impacting Thanos’ shoulder and knocking Stormbreaker free from his hands. Thor, Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity all lifted their heads from where they individually laid, seeing the hammer pause in mid-air, then suddenly being yanked back by that invisible force. Thanos turned to watch it fly back. Rarity followed the hammer, watching it soar over her head and return…

… to him.

Mjølnir was caught and held in the gloved-palm behind the star-spangled shield, the stoic expression of Captain America slowly turning back and gazing ahead to the Mad Titan. He bent low, both shield and hammer in hand, and stood worthy beneath the face of heaven.

Rarity breathed an astounded gasp, a smile slowly creeping its way onto her lips. Twilight was in utter awe, the Alicorn’s jaw falling and eyes widened to the point where they may have just popped out of her skull. She couldn’t even breathe. Her mind couldn’t even fathom what she was witnessing. Rainbow, instead, slowly nodded from where she and Twilight lay.

Rainbow Dash nodded and croaked, “All right Rogers.”

And through the blood, dirt, and pain, Thor managed a smile. “I knew it.”

Author's Note

Always worth it...

Chapter 168 – Worthy

168

Upstate New York

The Ruins

6:04 p.m.

Thor only had a total of three seconds to acknowledge his close friend Steve Rogers achieve what he almost believed to be impossible at a time. His smile was ripped from him when Thanos’ big boot was driven into his chest, sending the god crashing through the rubble and disappearing on the other side.

Leaving just them. Just the two of them left standing. The Mad Titan and the First Avenger.

Thanos faced his target, slowly narrowing his gaze to the man wielding the hammer and making his approach slow and steady. Captain America, however, wasted no time and took off at a dead sprint. With every step he took, he twirled the mighty Mjølnir until the hammer spun like a whirlwind, nearly invisible from the ferocity of which he did enforce upon it. Thanos reared back with his blade as the distance between them was severed, fully intending to see the Captain’s head fly free from his body.

Instead, Thanos was the one sent free from the earth, Steve Rogers leaping forth from the mound of rubble and ramming Mjølnir to the bottom of the Titan’s chin.

The resounding impact of bone against Uru rang off throughout the battlefield, the crumbling of the Titan to the ground following shortly. Steve landed perfectly on both feet, gritting his teeth when he saw Thanos quickly rise to his feet. Spinning forward, Steve grunted as he launched his shield at breakneck speed directly for Thanos. He swatted Steve’s vibranium frisbee aside, Rogers instantly responding with the hammer. He tossed Mjølnir ahead, not for the Titan, but above. The hammer struck Steve’s shield as both the vibranium and the Uru connected and sent a reverberating shock wave onto Thanos’ back. After having nearly risen fully, the Mad Titan quickly crumbled once again, dropping his sword.

Steve wasted not even a second. With every push, every grunt, every movement, he spent it all onto Thanos alone. His nerves, muscles, heart, and soul were thrust into his actions, every conceivable strategy and fighting tactic Captain America had used at that exact moment, solely on one. Pulling the hammer back to him, Steve also managed to catch his shield as he sprinted forward and drove his knee directly into Thanos’ chest. The Titan stumbled backwards, grunting in a surprising display of pain at the speed and ferocity of which the Captain did display. With that distance severed, Steve Rogers went to work on him.

And Thanos could do nothing. Absolutely nothing.

He tried to, but the flurry of hammer strikes followed by the impact of Steve ramming his shield onto every available piece of the Titan displayed before him made it difficult for Thanos to even think, let alone act. The onslaught was nonstop, Captain America relentless in his pursuit to see the Mad Titan fall by his might.

Wounded and resting on the sidelines, Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity witnessed the battle unfold with incredulous expressions shared amongst all three of them. They watched Steve move with such speed and ferocity the likes of which they had never seen from Captain America before. It was as if he and Mjølnir were one being, destined to fight together and reign the might of Asgard and the fury of the First Avenger onto anyone foolish enough to face them. The mares were breathless, simply laying at a safe distance and watching the impossible with jaws agape and eyes unblinking.

Driving Mjølnir into the Titan’s kneecap, Steve knocked out Thanos’ knee and nearly brought him down to it. With Thanos lower, Steve reared up and slammed the head of the hammer directly across Thanos’ face. Mixtures of spittle, helmet fragments, and violet blood shot out from the impact, Thanos crying out against the force of the strike. He stumbled several feet backwards, finally managing to gain some breathing room between him and the Avenger. Steve allowed none, pulling his left arm back and tossing his shield directly into the Titan’s face. Thanos flinched at that, but his head was thrown backwards once the shield returned to the Captain. Steve sent his shield right back with a swing of the hammer. It, too, impacted Thanos with devastating force.

Once his shield flew back onto his left arm, Steve skipped forward and pulled back Mjølnir in one swift movement. With one swing downwards, Captain America sent a bolt of lightning from the head of the hammer to his desired foe. Though slightly inexperienced with it, Steve called upon the lightning too quickly, the bolt striking the earth and ripping it to shreds, but nonetheless reaching its intended target in the end.

Thanos didn’t even have time to raise his arms to defend himself. The lightning struck his chest and sent the Titan flying on his back. Jamming Mjølnir to the heavens, Captain America summoned forth a second burst of lightning and sent it skywards, where it disappeared within the dark clouds above. The bolt was only amplified tenfold, Steve bringing the hammer down and pulling a conjoined web of lightning once dancing in the clouds and then striking the Titan. Thanos thrashed and roared as the lightning struck his armored chest and drove him further into the earth.

Once the lightning finally ceased, Thanos realized he had no time left to catch his breath or find any semblance of reason within the madness. He quickly shot his widened gaze to the Captain, seeing him use the power of the gods to leap into the air and bring the hammer down with him. A strike that was intended for the Titan’s head merely decimated the rock and earth below, Thanos rolling out of the way and spinning appropriately. He gripped Steve by his throat, raising him from the ground and slamming him back-first into the dirt.

As Steve rolled back onto his chest, he gasped and raised his eyes onto Thanos, watching as he rose from the earth with renewed speed and vigor. He kicked his sword up from the dirt and caught it in his right hand. Ripping the broken remains of his helmet free from his head, Thanos sent a ferocious sneer to Captain America before stabbing forward with his blade. Steve was up on his feet in less than a second, pulling his shield forward and blocking the stab with a flurry of sparks dancing off the vibranium.

Thanos growled ferociously, slamming his sword into the Captain and sending him crashing onto a downed and burning tree. Steve grunted in pain, eyes widened beneath his helmet as he quickly ducked to the side and avoided the sharpened edge of Thanos’ blade intended for his head. He quickly rolled to the ground as Thanos slid his blade clear across the side of the tree, slicing the remaining branches free and missing the Captain by inches.

As Steve rolled behind him and rose to one knee, he spun around and swung the hammer with his movements, intending to strike Thanos with his back turned. Instead, Thanos anticipated such a feeble attempt, spinning as well and once more driving his blade across Captain America’s shield. Having brought his shield forth as a last-ditch effort to protect himself, Steve was sent flying once again, even further from where the Titan stood.

He rolled several yards before finally skidding on his forearms and knees, quickly coming to a halt. Gritting his teeth with his head low, Steve pressed his right boot into the ground and pushed himself up. Only, he tried to. He managed to get a few inches from the dirt before his left knee quivered and fell back down. Steve gasped, the adrenaline having been extinguished and the full weight of his injuries finally settling in on the Captain. He had easily torn several muscles, maybe even cracked a rib or two. Cuts, bruises, and dirt painted his exposed skin on his face, several other wounds unseen with his uniform covering them. The numbness in his limbs slowly started to amplify, but Steve tried to ignore it. He tried to push the pain deep down and rise again. The super soldier managed a few more inches, but the man, the human, fell back to his knee and stayed there. Mjølnir lay beside him. His breath quickened, Steve lifting his eyes to the approaching stomps of the Titan.

Thanos was right on top of him, rearing his blade back and roaring as he brought it down on Steve Rogers’ head. Steve never looked away, rather to face his foe head-on then turn aside. He simply couldn’t look away. Not when Thanos drove his sword down onto him. Not when the shower of golden light appeared over his head. And especially not when that light shot down and struck Thanos square in the chest.

Captain Marvel screamed as she drove her boot directly into Thanos’ chest, the Mad Titan flying backwards and crashing into the mountain of rubble behind him. Embedded in the wall of concrete and ruin, Thanos slowly fell and struck the dirt on his hands and knees. His blade bounded against the rubble by his side, Thanos jamming his feral eyes straight ahead and spotting his oppressor. He only needed to see her eyes in order to recognize her, the familiar face and golden star glowing upon the body of none other than the Kree/Human Hybrid.

Carol Danvers met Thanos’ glare with an equally-fiery one of her own. Their staredown ended shorter than expected when the groans by Carol’s side earned her attention. Turning to them, Danvers saw none other than Steve Rogers on his knee, somehow struggling to stand. Captain America himself struggling to get back to his feet. Carol’s glare cooled and broke into an expression of distress, the Captain bending down and scooping Steve’s arm onto her own.

Steve looked up, turned from the grasp on his arm and to the woman it came from. He saw her flowing, golden hair, the dried blood beneath her nose, and the worrisome eyes of Captain Marvel meeting him with her full self. Rogers managed his heavy breaths, gripping onto her forearm back and holding together there. She pulled him to his feet.

Steve gasped out a fatigued pant. “Are you good, Captain?” she asked him sincerely.

Though she never looked away, Steve felt his eyes washing across the tattered battlegrounds for several seconds on end. His ears felt numb, the painful ring thumping in each eardrum alongside his quickened heartbeats being the only sound he could really hear. Her voice came to him and was mumbled, almost undecipherable. He was clearly exhausted by the drained look on his face, the brokenness in his eyes. He didn’t let go of her forearm, though. He held strong, slowly turning back to Carol Danvers and meeting her worrisome eyes. He looked to their conjoined forearms.

Like a metaphorical torch being passed, he lifted his eyes to her and muttered, “You need to finish this, Captain.”

The pain in his voice was great, both from the agony flushing through his systems and finally accepting his own terms of failure. He simply couldn’t go on any longer, and yet there stood the new blood of the Avengers, the adrenaline they desperately needed to keep the fight going and win the war that he couldn’t hold against any longer. He had been fighting a war all his life, and only then did it finally take its toll on him. Only then did he give in to it. She would have accepted. Maybe an old piece of Carol Danvers would have taken his offer and left him behind to rest, to gain that much-needed rest that he deserved. To his surprise, though, she shook her head, staring intensely into his eyes. Desperation and pain filled her own, a pain she seemed to experience after seeing him in so much tormenting agony. A pain they could both express together.

Carol breathed out, declaring steadfastly, “Not without you.”

He stared into her eyes, seeing no break and no chance of her ever backing down from her declaration. There it was. That was what he was missing from Danvers all along; the comradery, the leadership, the bond, the teamwork, the fellowship. The Avenger. Maybe she was finally ready to carry that torch, but not yet. Maybe his old bones had one last kick in them. Steve nodded to that, slowly facing forward alongside Carol. Captain America and Captain Marvel stood as one force, both glaring to the Mad Titan rising forth from the earth and bringing his blade with him. Steve lowered his palm and called forth the hammer.

Captain America bent forward. Carol tightened her fists as she went Binary and her body burned into a blistering, golden inferno. “Fine then,” Steve growled, spinning Mjølnir with the remaining strength left in his spirit. “On me.”

Chapter 169 – As Long as One Stands

169

Upstate New York

The Ruins

6:07 p.m.

While Clint held Natasha and the Hawk scaled the walls on his grappling hook, Tempest Shadow simply levitated herself with her own magic to escape the lower levels of the facility. They finally reached the outside world and trembled beside it as a rippling earthquake washed across the facility’s remains.

Clint and Natasha had just exited the tunnel and joined Tempest outside the carnage when the golden light flew over their heads, all three Avengers turning skywards to witness Captain Marvel being thrown violently into the side of the destroyed facility. Rubble and cement rained down from the impact she made, Carol grunting as she flew off and returned to the battle currently unfolding several meters beyond where Clint, Natasha, and Tempest stood. They followed her trail of light, gaping in awe when they saw it all unfold.

Carol returned and engaged the Mad Titan with his back turned, his focus centered on the Sentinel of Liberty himself wielding what Barton and Romanoff could hardly even fathom. In Steve Rogers’ grasp, he held Thor’s own hammer and arguably fought with it even better than the God of Thunder ever could. Not only the fact that he was worthy, not only the fact that Carol managed to find the others and Thanos, but just witnessing Captain America actually beating Thanos down and winning… that alone was remarkable.

There was also the fact that it was indeed Thanos that had found them. Clint gripped onto the gauntlet all the tighter.

He brought his expression low, spotting the unicorn spinning to the duo Avengers and jamming her steel-plated hoof in his direction. To what he held. Tempest had to shout over Danvers’ furious cries and rippling photon blasts, saying, “Stay here and out of harm’s way! Keep the gauntlet hidden!”

Tempest turned away, observing the devastating battle unfolding just several meters away. The wind tugged at her spiked mane, her expression pale and grave after seeing Thanos catch Carol’s glowing fist and launch the Captain into a mountain of rubble. The familiar cry was nearly drowned out by Thanos’ roars, Tempest spinning her neck back to meet the Widow it came from.

“What are you gonna do?!”

In the distance, Captain America rose from the dirt, shield held in front of him, hammer gripped behind him, and one Titan turning away from Danvers and onto him. Steve charged. Thanos picked up his blade. Tempest eyed Clint and Natasha and breathed out.

“Help my friends.”

They made no further retort. They stepped back and hid behind the pillars of concrete, rubble, rebar, and ruin. They stayed away from the fight. They stayed away from the conflict. Ultimately, they kept the gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones safe from harm or any other wandering eyes. With that out of the way, Tempest was free to do what she had proclaimed. The unicorn charged across the debris, hopping, sliding, galloping, and reaching her intended target with a devastating magical blast from her curved horn.

Thanos was blindsided by it. With his focus centered on Rogers, the blast of magic struck his side and knocked him off his feet. Thanos flew to the far left, crashing and rolling and sliding across the dirt as the magic continued to pelt into him. He grunted and roared as he crashed, finally planting his feet back and slowing himself to a halt. He turned his shoulder and blocked the magic striking him with his armor. The magic was so bright and so blinding that Thanos kept his eyes narrowed, teeth grit, and palm outstretched to further block out the harmful rays. He wasn’t able to see the unicorn the magic came from before her hoof met his face.

Tempest Shadow galloped forward as she kept on the magic, leaping in the air and driving her hind leg’s hoof across Thanos’ face in a fierce and quick buck. He grunted at that, voice ragged and wet with blood. She even managed to earn a spittle of violet from the Titan as she landed and spun to face him. Thanos raised his eyes to her, grew a terrifying glare, and bellowed. He ripped his blade forward, stabbing its end where the unicorn stood. He impaled nothing but dirt where she vanished from.

As Thanos rose, he pulled his blade from the earth and spun to meet the flash of light behind him. There, Tempest appeared, the unicorn glaring dead at him as her horn began to glow an otherworldly blue. The Asgardian runes shimmered across her vibranium/Uru horn. Thanos almost failed to see Captain America rushing forward behind her, the First Avenger grunting as he chucked Mjølnir straight for the Titan. Thanos dodged to the right, the hammer zooming past him, and turned back to Steve with his sword leading him. He responded to Rogers’ actions and threw his blade, the doubled swords twirling and crying as they ripped through the air and nearly decapitated Tempest.

The unicorn rushed ahead and slid underneath the blades. Steve wasn’t so fortunate and raised his shield in a last-ditch effort to defend himself. The force of the blades striking him launched the Captain several meters further back. His sword returned to him, Thanos catching the center of the blades and bringing one end down on the unicorn. Tempest caught the sword with her magical aura, struggling beneath it as Thanos laid on the pressure.

Carol grunted as she caught Thanos with his back turned and landed on top of him, her arm wrapped around his throat and constricting his flow of oxygen. Thanos gasped and pulled his left arm free from his sword, grasping Carol’s forearm and trying to pry her free. With the pressure eased on the sword, Tempest snarled and flung her head to the side. Her magic pushed Thanos’ right arm aside and his blade with him, leaving the Titan free and defenseless. Carol increased her hold around his neck. Tempest fired two consecutive magical beams onto the Titan’s chest, each one more devastating than the last and making Thanos stumble backwards. She galloped forward, slid with her hind leg leading and ramming the steel into Thanos’ sternum.

Thanos cried out at that strike, Danvers using his scream and constricting his throat with her forearm, completely cutting off his air passage. Her entire forearm and body glowed a violent gold, eyes illuminating that same, raw power. Seeing the unicorn’s eyes shimmer a similar form of raw energy—only hers a bright blue similar to her magic—Thanos could tell she was charging herself up for an even stronger spell than before. With his blurring and fading vision, Thanos used the last of it to solidify where Tempest stood. He raised his blade, and with a powerful roar, slammed its side across the unicorn’s body.

Carol gasped, the golden light leaving her eyes and only fear consuming them when she watched Tempest fly across the battleground and crash through a slab of erected concrete, body vanishing within the rubble. She didn’t have a moment to properly react when Thanos reached back and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her forward and slamming her into the earth. He didn’t even waste a second to take in that desperate breath of oxygen, the Titan screaming as he pulled his sword in the air and rammed it straight downwards, straight towards Captain Marvel’s heart.

Seeing the blade, Carol reacted quickly and caught it between her gloved-hands. The aura of gold swarming her limbs and sounding off under that cosmic growl kept her stable for a moment, but Thanos only increased the pressure by adding his remaining strength and his own weight onto the blade. A few inches separated its end from her chest, Carol’s eyes casting the tip a rapid glance before she turned that glare up to Thanos. He met hers and didn’t turn away, barring his teeth and missing the shield impacting his forehead.

Without a helmet to protect him any longer, Thanos stumbled back from the force of the shield striking his head. He looked up to see that shield return to Captain America as he sprinted directly at the Mad Titan. Captain Marvel rolled back to her feet, rising quickly and sprinting alongside Rogers. Steve shot out his right hand, Thanos unable to see the hammer flying for the back of his shoulder. It struck him and sent a flurry of sparks and grunts from Thanos’ person, causing him to hunch forward and knock his guard completely off balance. The two captains took advantage.

Catching Mjølnir in his right hand, Steve was the first to meet the Titan as he reared back and drove his shield into Thanos’ face. The force of the hit sent Thanos careening towards Danvers, who leaped in the air and slammed her glowing fist across his cheekbone. He was sent back to face Rogers, who already had his hammer back and ready to meet Thanos once again. Mjølnir was bashed against the Titan’s opposite cheek. Forced back to Danvers, Thanos met her photon-fueled boot as she spun in mid-air and kicked Thanos across his head. He was sent to Steve, Captain America replying with his own kick to the Titan’s face. A furious volley of grunts, cries, bellows, and screams emanated from both Steve and Carol, the impact of their weapons and fists and boots onto the Mad Titan resounding and corroding the very air. Thanos’ own roars of pain and anger were numb compared to the captains’, the advantage they held over him granting the Avengers that much-needed push.

Thanos caught Steve’s right hand that wielded Mjølnir, both he and Rogers meeting stares.

It was an advantage that did not last.

Forcing the Captain’s hand, Thanos drove Mjølnir with a devastating ferocity right across Carol Danvers’ forehead. The impact earned a yelp of pain from Carol, the woman being thrown violently through the air. Her limbs and body were like a rag doll as she spun, eventually crashing right through a mountain of rubble and disappearing within its collapse on top of her. Steve cried out for Carol, forced to focus on the Titan with his arm still held by an iron grip.

Thanos punched it. He punched his arm and used Steve’s own strength to launch Mjølnir clear across the ruins and vanish within the smoke and rubble. Without the weapon of the gods, the majority of the Captain’s strength had been stripped. Thanos didn’t waste another second and took full advantage.

Grasping Steve’s shoulder, Thanos pulled him and launched Captain America into a spire of concrete. Impacting the rubble back-first, Steve grunted and shot his eyes wide open. He rolled to the side once Thanos’ blade swung downwards for his head. Even with his helmet, the sword would have easily torn through and earned a guaranteed kill shot. Spinning and moving from the rubble, Steve faced Thanos but was unable to fully block the sword swung for him. It struck his shield, various sparks dancing off and nearly knocking Rogers off his feet. He held his ground, however, even when Thanos reared back and stabbed low at his legs. The sword sliced clean across Steve’s inner thigh, drawing blood and earning a cry from the Captain.

Steve stumbled back with every strike from that point onward, the Mad Titan earning his push and taking his kill. He held his sword high into the air, bringing it down with terrifying speed right onto Captain America’s shield. The vibranium split and cracked, the sound that Steve never thought he would ever hear from his shield crying out upon the Uru blade’s impact. His eyes were wide with shock, staring to the blade embedded in his shield and quickly back up to the Titan.

Thanos grunted as he ripped his sword free, taking a chunk of the Captain’s shield with him. The following blows he dealt to Rogers were all blocked by the star-spangled shield, the red, white, and blue cracking and shattering upon every strike, every slam, every crushing blow and every staggering bash. Each one that Thanos inflicted took a piece of the shield away, the Mad Titan relentless and unforgiving in his pursuit. He swung from the right, pushing Steve in the opposite direction upon impact. Thanos roared as he pulled back with his sword fully intended for Steve’s head, yet he just continued to hold his cracking shield, raised it once more as the blade bounced off just mere inches from the Captain’s head. No more. Thanos had enough and slammed his sword against the same area on the shield again and again and again.

The last hit knocked Steve Rogers to the dirt. He fell at long last, Thanos’ blade resting at his side and the Titan taking in that much-needed breath. Steve could only stare to his shield, shell-shocked to see the top half of it completely fractured and gone. Simply gone and shattered into various fragments around him. Captain America breathed and gasped, finally forcing his eyes away from the impossible and facing the inevitable.

Thanos gave one last bellowing cry as he swung his sword forward and launched Rogers clear across the battlefield ahead of him. He flew for several yards, eventually crashing and skidding across the ruins and debris until he rolled and came to a halt on his back. Steve tried to roll to his side. He tried to turn and get back to his feet to keep up the fight in their most desperate hour.

Only… he couldn’t. He gave it his all and it still wasn’t enough. The fire in his heart was gone, the strength in his spirit demoralized and broken alongside his body. Alongside his symbol. He fell back and lay on the dirt, slowly closing his eyes and breathing.

Breathing. Even that hurt. Everything hurt.

His heart thumped in his ringing eardrums, singing in chorus alongside his breaths as Steve Rogers lay upon the shattered battleground. His eyelids slowly fluttered open, witnessing the evening sunlight fading against the horizon and the sickness of the smoke taking what remaining light there was. Darkness fell and evil rose to claim it. Evil rose while the last remnant of the Avengers did nothing to stop it. He simply lay in his own blood and ruin, ragged breath and broken body discarded and defeated. The coolness of the pain and of death’s grasp was calling to him, and as he had done many times before in his long, long lifetime… Steve Rogers slowly succumbed to it… and accepted it.

No…

Steve closed his eyes.

Not yet…

He gritted his bloody teeth.

Get up. Just one more time, get up.

With a grunt of effort, he managed to roll over to his side, his fractured shield impacting the dirt in front of him and kicking up that dust and ash that he lay beside. It surrounded him, all the destruction and desolation of his new life laying around him and being all that remained of the Avengers’ legacy. The facility burned to his far left, the Helicarrier crumbling and crashing, bringing the rest of the building’s remains with it. It all fell and burned. All of it was dead.

Steve breathed. The voice lifted his eyes ahead.

Thanos stood alone several yards away and amongst the devastation. A thin wasteland of dust and ash filled the area between him and the last Avenger. Scanning such wastes, observing all that stood before him, Thanos turned back to Steve Rogers and spoke to him.

A deep, calming voice that told Steve, “In all my years of conquest… violence… slaughter… it was never personal.”

Rogers looked away, pushing himself with another painful wave of effort flushing through his body in order to rise to his hands and knees. As he slowly rose, Thanos continued to speak, each word reverberating across the battlefield and impacting Steve harder and harder, threatening to push him back down. But he never fell back down. He never gave in. He continued to rise.

Thanos continued to speak, casting his eyes to planet Equus on the opposite horizon momentarily. He turned back and stared only to the first and last Avenger. “But I’ll let you know… after I kill you… I’m going to burn these stubborn… annoying little planets to cinders. And every life… will know who failed to save them, cry out to them, and beg for mercy. Hope. Salvation. Find none. I hope you know that now, know what you’ve lost.”

Steve turned towards that voice, met those eyes, and stared at Thanos. The Mad Titan smiled.

“Now… you’ll know me.”

The eight Chitauri Command Centers finally entered Earth’s atmosphere, filling the skies with their presence and covering the earth below under a terrifying veil of blackness. Their battle horns cried out amongst the ruins, the massive warships unleashing dozens of Outrider Dropships and hundreds upon thousands of Chitauri into the skies and upon the earth. The dropships impacted the grounds behind Thanos, spewing up mountains of dirt and rubble. Starships and chariots flew forth from the Command Centers in hundreds of droves, bringing with them various more Leviathans that roared and slithered towards the awaiting battlefield.

Even Sanctuary II released an army numbering in the thousands. Their armies consisted of similar starships, chariots, and Leviathans, but also released the full armada of the Sakaaran forces. Their Necrocrafts joined the skies alongside the Chitauri. As the dropships opened, not only did the Outriders spew forth from them, but Chitauri tanks, Gorillas, foot soldiers, commanders, and Elite stormed free and entered the battlefield. The Chitauri Gorillas roared as their chains were pulled free and they stomped onto the battlegrounds. The Chitauri Elite strode forth from the dropships and tanks, armored in plated gold and brandishing slick capes, blue visors, spears, and shields. Outriders charged from their dropships, numbering in the hundreds as waves upon waves rushed forth and halted behind their lord. But that wasn’t all.

As if the odds hadn’t already seemed insurmountable, from five particularly large dropships—much larger than the other dozen—they opened their faces to reveal a terror unlike any other within Thanos’ armada. The towering dropships split open like eggs, unveiling five Chitauri Titans and unleashing them upon the world.

Thanos had finally released some of his most horrifying creations into battle after years of experimentation and testing, the Mad Titan smirking when he felt their feet and claws send tremors across the landscapes. Having been created mere years after the Second Snap, the Chitauri Titans were by far the most monstrous beings in Thanos’ army. The Titans were colossal in size, multi-legged and armed terrain walkers, similar to the Leviathans but much larger than the beasts swimming above their heads. Much, much larger. Some walked bipedally. Some crawled on four claws. They all towered over the armies beneath them, the five Titans bellowing their alien roars to the heavens and to the earth. Sakaaran troops joined the Chitauri covering said earth, from one end of the battlefield to the other. Several miles of vast, open landscapes covered in less than a minute. They all halted in an instant.

And Steve Rogers just stared at it. Until he couldn’t any longer and faced away, faced the dirt, and pushed himself up anyway. Despite the bellowing cries against the wind, despite the thundering tremors of the alien armies storming his home and standing against him, despite it all… he got up. With a hissing grunt, he raised his feet and planted each boot onto flat and solid ground.

His armies, his achievements, everything he had and proudly wielded stood at the ready behind him. Thanos felt the pressuring weight of his armies fill the heavens and the earth, so much so that it would have brought entire nations to their knees. An overwhelming showing of force and terror that cleansed planets did nothing for the Avenger. Thanos watched him with a waning expression of admiration, the Titan turning away and sighing pitifully.

He had done it. Steve Rogers may have stumbled, may have trembled, may have wanted to give in, but in the end he stood. In the end, he got up. His breaths were all that joined him under the shadows of an alien empire. Despite that desperate thought, Steve knew he wasn’t alone. He gazed down to his left, and despite the sickening gash of red across his forearm, despite his symbol shattered before his very eyes, Steve Rogers reached for his broken shield’s strap… and tightened it.

Captain America gave a ferocious grunt, but nonetheless glared ahead. Glared to the armies that only continued to grow. Glared to it all with nothing but his will, strength, courage, and humanity keeping him alive. His gritted and bleeding teeth were hidden underneath his dirt-covered lips as he maintained his breathing, his tear-filled eyes staring to the opposition.

Staring to the other side of the world standing against him.

Dozens of Leviathans roared as they slithered closer and closer to him. Thousands of chariots, starships, and Necrocrafts infested the skies. Five Chitauri Titans stomped closer and shook the world beneath their feet, all turning their heads to the lone soldier and waiting. The eight Chitauri Command Centers and Sanctuary II glared down at him from above and cast their shadows across the wasteland. Thanos stood with his armies waiting behind him, staring only to the Avenger shuffling towards them. It was only him. Just Captain America taking his stand and limping their way. One last act of defiance from the unruly.

Steve didn’t know what he was truly doing. Not really. But with no one else taking that stand that they desperately needed, with no one else able to rise against tyranny, Steve took the weight upon himself and walked. He stared them down and did not turn away from the overwhelming forces. Him against an army. A bleeding, broken, husk of a man left to stand for the Avengers, the human race, and the universe itself. There was no one else. He didn’t complain. He didn’t turn away.

He walked. With a limp in his step and a broken shield to his name, Captain America stared to his death sentence with a bold and silent declaration to his foes: A declaration of resistance. They were hardly shaken by it. Steve walked anyway. He walked and stared to his foes with his winded expression, but remained standing. Remained who he was until the bitter end. Faced the enemy and told them he would not surrender. He would stand against them. He would walk forward and face them to his last, dying breath. Even if he walked alone.

The static in his ear stopped him.

Then… the voice that followed took his breath away.

“… you read me?”

Steve stared to his broken shield, to the dirt and dust flowing by his boots and the wind carrying it away. He breathed heavily, dried blood painted on his face and cheeks. He wondered if he was only hearing things, if it was his wounded mind trying to convince that someone was talking to him. The voice came back, fully clear from the static in the comms and calling to Steve by his title.

“Cap, it’s Sam, can you hear me?”

Offering its own name in tandem.

Steve’s heart seemed to slow, so faint that he could no longer hear it in his ears. Instead, it was replaced by the echoing of that familiar voice, a voice he had not heard in five years and desperately needed to hear one more time. Just to make sure he wasn’t dreaming it. Slowly raising his right hand, Steve placed his finger against the comms in his ear, his breathing growing heavier, eyes burning brighter, and heart fully leaping when he caught the sound of sparks behind him. Saw the orange glow shimmer across the earth.

And heard that bold voice of Sam Wilson call to him…

“On your left.”

Chapter 170 – Avengers

170

6:10 p.m.

Captain America felt his hand fall from his ear, having no need to listen any longer and simply needing to turn around. That was all he needed to do. He had earned his rest for the time being. He had earned that assurance. He had earned it all when the orange portal sparked and spun to life behind him.

So, he turned around to face it. With a shattered shield in hand, a bloody, broken, and bruised body shifting mere inches to his left, Steve Rogers stared with eyes open wide, mouth agape, and breath ceasing when the portal grew larger and larger by the second. And from it, three shadows emerged. Three silhouettes stepped free from the flowing sparks of golden-orange and planted their feet upon the tattered battlefield. The dark figure on the left wore a long, black trench coat, hands in his pockets, and finally escaping the blinding light alongside those beside him. The figure on the far right wore a simple black coat and jeans, his hands also in his pockets, but the familiar face meeting Steve’s expression and smiling. As for the third figure, the one in the center…

The mask of the Black Panther materialized into the rest of the suit, the stoic and hardened expression of King T’Challa staring solely to the lone Avenger. He stopped. Nick Fury and Phil Coulson to his right and left respectively stopped with him.

With the blistering flames of the portal’s sparks spinning furiously behind and above their heads, the three individuals—the king, the former director, and the most dangerous man in the world—stood silently, staring intensely to Captain America while all Steve could offer in response was his own ragged breathing. His own astonishment. His own being that breathed and stood and gazed to them in disbelief. Like he was dreaming it all. Like he simply couldn’t believe who was standing mere yards ahead of him. Yet his fractured mind slowly started to come together, to put the pieces into place.

Their efforts to retrieve the Stones, to snap their fingers, to bring everybody back… worked.

It worked.

And T’Challa nodded, that silent declaration affirming to Steve Rogers that they were there for him. It had indeed worked. The Avengers’ efforts did not go in vain. Because right then and there, beneath the entire universe and proudly proclaiming in one unified, silent voice… they were there. The cavalry had arrived.

Sam Wilson flew through the portal, the Falcon jetting forward and earning Steve’s eyes. The Captain followed Sam soaring across the skies ahead and behind him, watching as the Falcon flew back and vanished behind the other portals spewing forth from the air. More portals opened. Dozens of them. Steve felt his heart rise.

Thanos watched it all from where he stood, eyes narrowing.

A blinding portal had been birthed further to Steve’s left, the Captain turning to it and losing his breath at the sight of them. As the portal expanded, the Dragon Lands were unveiled within its glow. Shattered husks of Chitauri Command Centers and black mountains sat in the distance of the Dragons’ Lair, the afternoon sun burning bright on the horizon. And from it, Doctor Stephen Strange hovered down with his hands twirling in front of him. He was not alone. None of them were, especially not Steve Rogers. Never again would he stand alone.

Beneath Doctor Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy strode forward with Drax leading them. Drax glared ahead, brandishing his twin knives as Mantis stepped forward by his side. Curling her hands up like an insect, Mantis nonetheless clenched both into fists, the wide-eyed alien woman narrowing her eyes into a frown. Into a glare. Flying high and landing beside her, the fearless leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy—Star-Lord—twirled his Quad Blaster up to his face and deactivated his mask. The red eyes faded, leaving just Peter Quill breathing fiercely beside his friends.

And swinging from the sunlight of the dragon nation, Spider-Man leaped forth and landed several feet ahead of Quill. His mask slid backwards, the astonished and awe-inspired Peter Parker rising up and witnessing the world he left behind. Seeing all that stood before him and the Avengers he proudly stood with. He smiled. He breathed. He was alive.

They all were.

That same portal grew three times as big. From that same portal, more started to emerge. The sunlight showered over the bodies, making their silhouettes glow under the sun. It shimmered across their wings, Princess Celestia appearing like a deity descending from heaven. But she wasn’t alone. Beside her, floating down in tandem and landing with her older sister, Princess Luna stood tall and proud. Her dark blue armor resembling the night sky was a stark opposite to her sister’s golden armor, yet they both gleamed together under the light of the sun, under the blistering sparks of the portal. The two sisters cast each other a warming glance, Luna practically beaming with her grin. Celestia gave her a motherly smile, eyes returning forward and spotting the bodies slipping past and ahead of them.

Celestia smiled even warmer.

The orange hoof met the edge of the hill, planted firmly against it in that silent declaration of who the pony was and where she stood. The lights of the portal managed to fade away from her face. And the Element of Honesty, Applejack, stood tall with her chest expanded. The wind and sparks from the portal behind her tugged at her ponytail, at her golden-blonde mane, but the mare herself remained unmoved. Her glowing smirk and passionate determination unyielding. So, too, did her friends share her expression, her stance, and her side.

Pinkie Pie bounded forward, the Element of Laughter grinning as wide as her lips could possibly manage. She landed on Applejack’s left, the pink mare practically hopping up and down with uncontainable excitement. To their right, the butter Pegasus, the Element of Kindness, Fluttershy softly rose from behind the hill of rock. Her long, pink mane flowed alongside the wind, nearly blocking her face but unable to hide the tenderhearted smile. She stood on Applejack’s right, staring down alongside her friends to see Captain America gazing to them. Her smile grew even sweeter to him, the light of the portal and the sparks flowing behind them making the three Elements of Harmony appear otherworldly.

But they weren’t alone. To Pinkie Pie’s left, the mare turned and grinned to the small, flying dragon breaking through the light and landing a few feet ahead of her. He rose up, Spike keeping his wings expanded as his arms slowly crossed over one another, as his smile slowly grew into a valiant smirk and he turned his gaze lower. He smiled to them. He saluted to them. To Captain America, Twilight, and the remaining Elements of Harmony.

As for Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity, all three ponies had struggled to rise back to their hooves. All three ponies were caught together in mixtures of pain, uncertainty, and loss when Thanos’ army had arisen. That state of emotional distress had slowly vanished when the first portal appeared. It was simply gone when Celestia and Luna hovered down from the light of heaven itself and stood before them. A new sense of joyous victory filled their hearts and their spirits when they witnessed their best friends emerge from the heavenly light, all three ponies standing tall upon the rocky hill.

Rainbow and Rarity were in disbelief for a moment, unable to fathom who they were seeing before them. They were beaming with mixtures of tears and smiles, but Twilight especially, after seeing Spike, shed tears unlike any other. The Alicorn gasped, struggled to breathe, and gave the biggest grin she could have possibly managed. She stared at her friends, at Spike, and cried tears of utter, breathless joy. Spike smiled at her.

Steve was teary-eyed, lips wrinkled as his spirit continued to flow and his heart continued to burn brighter and brighter. Seeing all of them alive, standing before him and giving him that assurance that they were real was more than enough for Steve to shed a tear. Just one. It was all he could manage before he turned back to T’Challa, Fury, and Coulson. Nick nodded his way. Phil smiled warmly.

The Black Panther shouted, “Yibambe!”

“Yibambe!”

The reverberating chant echoed behind him, shaking the earth and Steve’s entire body to his deepest core. More shadows began to grow from the portal, larger in size and scale than Rogers had ever expected. From the light, they stomped forth.

“Yibambe!” T’Challa cried.

“Yibambe!” they responded.

“Yibambe!”

Once more…

“Yibambe!”

The cavalry had truly arrived.

Mixtures of Jabari Tribe, Dora Milaje, Border Tribe, Queen’s Guard, and Wakandan jets and tanks all showed themselves under the light of the Wakandan sun. The portal grew even bigger, yet it was still unable to unveil the full weight of Wakanda. It was all Steve could see; an army so vast that stretched from the grassy valleys to the Golden City, filled every square inch of the fields of Wakanda and covered the skies with droves upon droves of jets.

Alongside the ruins and further in the distance, Shuri gave a soft gasp from where she stood, her Black Panther mask materializing back to show her amazement. That amazement transformed into a smile, a tearful grin, seeing her brother and people united once more. Shuri and her team stood amidst the bodies of various Outriders, no longer alone and facing the growing army of portals behind them. Mack, May, and Daisy turned and lifted their eyes, tears already in Daisy’s own when she saw Phil Coulson smiling to her. Friday rose from where she was protecting the wounded Melinda May, the AI utterly silent.

The remaining portals filling the atmosphere and grounds in front of Captain America finally opened to their fullest. Everyone stepped free.

Everyone came home.

Jessica Jones, Danny Rand, and Luke Cage stomped forward with fists tightened, expressions feral, and all joined by the many more following behind the Defenders. Jessica wore a standard, long-sleeved white and blue shirt with torn jeans and gloved-fists. Luke walked tall in his bright yellow T-shirt and black jeans. Danny was shirtless, the Iron Fist’s chest heaving and the Mark of Shou-Lao black and vibrant over his heart. Behind and beside them, the many more followed. The many more who were dusted and came home.

James Buchanan Barnes stepped forward with his M249 light machine gun. Next to Bucky, Trixie Lulamoon hopped over a piece of concrete and waved her hat free from her vision, a proud and exuberant smirk tugging at the unicorn’s lips. Her cape flowed gently in the breeze, joining the likes of Capper Dapperpaws and his silky trench coat as the feline crossed his arms and laughed in pity for Thanos and his goons. Laughed triumphantly. Even Sunburst’s cape flowed from the wind escaping the portal, his goatee dancing with his disheveled mane. He pushed up his glasses from the brim of his nose closer to his eyes, smiling widely to the many he walked with. Especially to Shining Armor and Princess Cadance on his left, the rulers of the Crystal Empire standing together with an army of Crystal Guard behind them. Shining unfurled his sword via his magic, the sparks and lights of the portal reflecting off his purple armor. Flash Sentry followed his ruler, unsheathing his own blade alongside the various other stallions beside him. Cadance shot out her large, pink wings and ignited her horn. Flurry Heart landed on her mother’s back, the infant giggling and waving her hooves. Cadance smirked back to her daughter, to her husband, and met his eyes. He smiled in return.

Even further on the left, another portal opened to reveal New Asgard on the other side. From the remote village, an army of armored Asgardians, griffons, and various different alien species emerged. A ferocious dragon rose up from behind the Asgardian warriors, blowing steam from its nostrils alongside the dozen other dragons arising from the hills of New Asgard. That wasn’t all…

Valkyrie unsheathed her blade while atop her winged stallion. Korg cocked his laser rifle to her left. Miek sliced his blades together on her right and bent low, at the ready. The Scarlet Witch hovered down from her own portal, Wanda Maximoff glaring ahead in her Avengers attire. Murder and hatred shimmered in her crimson eyes. Lady Sif pulled free two swords beside Valkyrie, both Asgardian women armored and ready for war. Behind the ranks, emerging with his golden, horned helmet and a flowing cape, the God of Mischief Loki stepped forth to lead his people. He pulled his blades out of thin air and smirked to the direction of the Mad Titan. Valiant and resilient even into death and back to life.

Thor smiled. With the blood dripping down his lips, Stormbreaker flying into his palm, and the pain flooding his systems, Thor smiled to his people, his friends, and his family all coming to him one last time. In their most desperate hour, Thor just couldn’t help but smile.

Next to Doctor Strange and the Guardians of the Galaxy, a portal grew into being and released Wong and the Masters of the Mystic Arts from Kamar-Taj. Wong slammed his hands forward, a pair of Tao Mandalas sparking to life on each palm. An army of sorcerers young and old followed behind him, a magical chorus of orange sparks and disks forming behind, beside, and surrounding Wong. Another pair of portals came forth and opened up to the sorcerers’ lefts and rights. The ice world of Contraxia rested on the inside, fresh snow flowing onto Earth from the portal and joining the army of Ravagers.

A high-pitched whistle shot through the air, the slithering red line of the Yaka Arrow zipping above the Ravagers. It flew in accordance to the whistle, the arrow flying into the blue hand of Yondu Udonta. His bright red fin sat high on his head, his trench coat swaying alongside the wind, snow, and orange sparks behind him and the army of Ravagers he led. Kraglin stepped up to his side with a laser rifle in hand, glaring alongside Yondu. Upon a pile of rocks nearby, Howard the Duck hopped on top and held his dual LMGs high into the air, cackling maniacally.

The cry of several royal horns had shot off, earning the eyes of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. They turned their necks around, their manes flowing majestically by their sides and smiles continuing to grace their features. Right on schedule. All emerging behind Celestia and Luna were the Royal Guard, numbering in the hundreds with shields and spears gripped in every hoof, in every magical aura. Beside one army marched a second, the Lunar Guard flying high and stomping fiercely from the Dragon Lands and onto planet Earth. The bat ponies gripped similar weapons, plus various other swords, daggers, axes, and gauntlets of their own.

High above even the two armies, the Equestrian Grand Fleet hovered into view. Led by Spitfire atop the mighty airship known as the War Horse, the various Wonderbolts stood by her side on the deck. They were Soarin, Blaze, Fleetfoot, Surprise, Fire Streak, Misty Fly, Silver Zoom, High Winds, Thunderlane, and many, many more. All suited and armored up appropriately, the Wonderbolts glared and smirked alongside their captain. Spitfire stood tall upon the front of the War Horse, the mighty behemoth of a warship stretching a mile long and holding every caliber of cannon known to ponykind. Dozens of smaller airships flew behind them, the vast and all-powerful army of the Equestrian Empire finally having its chains broken and set free.

Within the droves of airships, Captain Celaeno and her pirate crew Mullet, Squabble, Lix Spittle, and Boyle all cheered and waved their sabers in the air. Grubber and the Storm Creatures emerged from the clouds atop their own airship, the pudgy hedgehog waving to Tempest Shadow from miles away. Tempest didn’t know how Grubber saw her, but she didn’t care. From where she lay, Tempest returned the smile that Grubber and Celaeno sent her way.

Even more portals opened. From the air and upon the earth. Each of them showed either similar or different locations, yet those that stepped out of the portals were all different. All vast and diverse, multi-cultured and alien, all coming together to declare in one unified voice they would not take Thanos any longer. They would not stand idly by while he killed the universe. Right then and there, the universe turned their combined sword onto the Mad Titan and made their stance. They stood together, against him and his tyranny.

The masses emerged from various portals, most of them coming together upon the battlefield. The Dragon Lord Ember flew in and landed with her fist crashing against the rubble beneath her, the young dragon rising and gripping her Bloodstone Scepter. She snorted pure fire, glaring ahead to the Mad Titan and his forces of daunting size and strength. She responded with her own. Next to her, Prince Rutherford, Thorax, Pharynx, Gilda, Greta, Gabby, Garble, and so many more stepped free from the lights and sparks of the massive portal and joined together as one force.

After five years of being separated, of truly believing they had lost one another, the Young Six were reunited. Smolder, Yona, Silverstream, Gallus, Sandbar, and Ocellus walked as one, the last three visibly taller and older than their friends. Like that mattered. They all bore victorious grins and stood side by side, casting one another one last glance before facing ahead and readying themselves. Beside them, the armies of Equus only continued to grow. Queen Novo, Princess Skystar, the last Pillar of Equestria Stygian, Skyranger, Sky Beak, Ocean Flow, Terramar, and countless others rose amongst the ranks and took their place within the armies. They numbered in the hundreds, from yaks, dragons, Hippogriffs, changelings, and griffons filling the skies and the earth and joined as one.

Another portal opened. So many more opened and the armies continued to grow.

Autumn Blaze, Rain Shine, and the Kirin. Minotaurs, Abyssinians, and the zebras. Daring Do, the Pie family, and the Apple family. Braeburn rearing up on his hind legs and cheering with the populace of Appleloosa. Chief Thunderhooves and Little Strongheart with their buffalo tribe stomping and roaring into the skies. Trouble Shoes, Iron Will, Chancellor Neighsay and the sorcerers of the EEA. Moon Dancer, Lemon Hearts, Minuette, Twinkleshine…

Everypony.

One portal opened on the far right, a portal so utterly massive that it reached the facility. Quite possibly a mile long and a mile high, and its occupants only made all the more sense as to why the portal grew so large. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo led the charge amongst the populace of Ponyville. The orange Pegasus was a few inches taller than her two best friends, and five years older, but none of them cared. Scootaloo wore the biggest grin she ever had, bigger than when she got her cutie mark, just to have her best friends by her side again. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle felt exactly the same. Behind them, Ponyville stomped forward. Ponyville and beyond.

Big McIntosh, Sugar Belle, Double Diamond, Party Favor, Night Glider, Vinyl Scratch atop her stereo system and bass cannon, Octavia Melody, Bon Bon, Lyra Heartstrings, Dr. Hooves, Mudbriar, Zecora, Amethyst Star, Mayor Mare, and hundreds of other citizens took their stand and ignited their courage. Some were not even warriors. Some were not soldiers. But they were all together. And that made them all the more unbeatable. Crushing the ground beneath its tracks, the towering party tank rolled forward and entered the battlefield. Riding the massive tank was none other than the party pony himself, Cheese Sandwich. He cheered and waved and rallied the masses forward with the biggest smile he could ever muster. Even Steven Magnet and the Smooze slithered into view, the sea dragon holding out his fists as if it was the first fight he had ever been in. His fabulous mustache danced in the wind and sparks, alongside the gelatinous green glob that was the Smooze.

The Wasp emerged from a small portal, enlarging herself and helmet retracting to reveal Hope van Dyne darting her head about her surroundings.

The agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. who had lost their lives in the Decimation had returned, as well, and armed to the teeth. They marched in heavy black armor, assault rifles in hand, and faceless masks focused forward. Leading them were Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez, Lance Hunter, Bobbi Morse, Michael “Deathlok” Peterson, Deke Shaw, Leopold Fitz, Jemma Simmons, and Maria Hill. Above them, the whipping cape and burly figure of Graviton flew down and hovered above the army of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. And Glenn Talbot glared ahead, his fists tightening and the world around him trembling. Daisy and Mack were speechless. Utterly speechless with tears welling in their eyes. May smirked from where she lay.

Iron Man sat up, Tony Stark’s eyes widening when he saw the bright blue suit of armor soar from one of the various portals and make its landing. The suit of armor landed with its fist first, head rising to reveal the armor of his own creation. And within the Rescue armor, the mask slid upwards and Pepper Stark met her husband’s eyes. She smirked to him.

As the armies grew and made their way onto the battlefield, Doctor Strange finally landed next to his fellow sorcerers. He turned to Wong and asked, “Is that everyone?”

Wong scoffed after looking first to his left and then to his right, noting the vast armies on each side and only growing. Facing Strange, he exclaimed, “What, you wanted more?”

Just on the corner of Strange’s lip, Wong could see a smirk rising.

Though he could not deduce it in time, for the sound of the crumbling facility caught Wong’s and everybody’s attention. Shifting towards the ruins of the New Avengers Facility, everyone paid witness to the rooftop and the Helicarrier breaking apart and falling to the outskirts. Ant-Man—now more appropriately seen as “Giant-Man”—emerged from the facility’s roof, standing at a whopping 109 feet tall. With his right hand closed into a fist, Scott Lang leaned forward and released Rocket, Groot, the Iron Patriot Mark II, Hulk, Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, Maud Pie, Derpy Hooves, Nebula, Daredevil, Elektra Natchios, Frank Castle, and the Ghost Rider from his palm. They all landed on the facility’s shattered roof, all of them rising up and facing the battle ahead with smiles, glares, and straightened postures.

The flames licked at the Ghost Rider’s skull, the Spirit of Vengeance growling softly and reaching for its chain. Derpy landed on the War Machine Mark VII’s other shoulder opposite to Rocket. James Rhodes cast each of them a quick glance, both Rocket and Derpy arming their weapons and smiling fearlessly. Maud raised her Asteroid Gloves, Derpy her Domino Gun.

Near the facility’s remains, all that was left of the Avengers rose up together.

Carol Danvers was the first, rising with Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow. Iron Man, Thor, Mack, Daisy, and Shuri all rose forth out of the wreckage and came as one. Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff watched it all from where they were hidden in the facility’s ruins, utter astonishment in their eyes. Clint tightened his grip around the Nano Gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones. He didn’t move a muscle. Neither he nor Natasha. They just watched them all come together.

One last time.

Discord slithered next to Fluttershy, casting the Pegasus a warming and assuring smile. Fluttershy gasped, smiled even wider, and felt her eyes burn with fresh tears. He winked at her, smirking with devious delight as he faced forward and lowered himself in a pouncing position.

Baring his sinister grin as the Spirit of Chaos growled, “This is gonna be… chaotic.”

Across the tattered battleground, from the remnants of the old world crumbled in a heap of blistering ruin, and joined together for one last triumphant and resilient push against the forces of darkness, the universe stood together. Every nation and every leader and every race, from the vast and floral lands of Equestria, to the mountainous regions of the Dragon Lands and the Griffon Kingdom, to the sea-covered kingdom of Hippogriffia, from the deserts of Saddle Arabia, Zebrica, and Abyssinia. To the entire world of Equus coming together one last time. But not only of Equus.

To the near-entirety of the universe, from the far reaches of the Andromeda Galaxy and the Ravagers that hailed from it, to across the Eight Realms and the Asgardians that ruled them, from Earth’s very own defense force and the mightiest heroes they could offer. There, at that moment, they all stood as one. An entire universe shouting and chanting and rising forth from the shadows to place their mark in history, a history that boldly declared that they would not go quiet into the night. They would stand together. They would fight. To the very end of the line.

Steve Rogers slowly turned away from it all, his breath heavy, but his spirit fully lifted, his strength finally rejuvenated, and his heart boldly beating faster and faster as his eyes met the Mad Titan’s. And Thanos, perhaps for just a second, felt a very real and very cold chill race down his spine as his eyes observed the masses standing against him. His sword slowly fell. His expression cracked.

Captain America faced the world ahead of him, his entire world behind him, and said the two words he had never been prouder to say.

“AVENGERS…!”

Their swords were raised, their weapons were turned, and their muscles tightened in unison. Groot held out his fists, the Wasp by his side doing the same as she turned and readied herself. Spider-Man lowered, mask materializing forward and eyes glowing a bright blue. Doctor Strange narrowed his eyes and his focus, arms outstretched with Eldritch Magic burning at his will and standing tall beside Mantis and Star-Lord. Quill twirled his blasters and Sam Wilson landed behind him. Pinkie Pie bent low and glared ahead with her fluffy tail high behind her, smirk rising, adrenaline pumping alongside Applejack, Fluttershy, Spike, Bucky Barnes, Trixie, Danny Rand tightening his glowing golden fist, Autumn Blaze with her coat turning a charcoal black and her eyes literally burning, and Ghost Rider unfurling its Hellfire Chain and slicing it across the earth. With Drax the Destroyer holding out his knives, Ember lowering her golden helmet over her face and twirling the Bloodstone Scepter, Captain Marvel descending from the sky and hovering mere feet over their heads like a golden array of cosmic energy, Queen Novo planting her spear into the earth and shooting out her wings, and Thor landing directly beside Captain America. Beside the three Iron Mares standing with Tony Stark. Beside War Machine, Punisher, Hulk, Daredevil, Quake, Scarlet Witch, Discord, Sunset, and Starlight. Everypony and everyone.

Steve Rogers held out his right hand and caught Mjølnir. He slowly lifted his eyes, gritted his teeth, and breathed.

“… assemble.”

Chapter 171 – Assemble

171

The Battle of Earth

6:12 p.m.

Thor roared.

Black Panther roared.

They roared.

As a conjoined wave of fearless bodies, machines of war, ferocious beasts and creatures of every variety, the shared universe charged as one with the Avengers leading them. Only, it was the First Avenger that led them. They were all Avengers that day. Every last soul standing against tyranny and the wrath of the Mad Titan had proven themselves to be exactly what the Avengers stood for and would always be…

Even if they lost… they would come back. They would win. They would avenge those who didn’t come back, who fell at the hands of Thanos. They would avenge the universe.

T’Challa was the first to get his feet moving, his mask materializing over his face and the Black Panther fully unleashed. The multitude of tribes and royal warriors of the Wakandan nation followed behind their king, the skies filled with jets of every caliber that Wakanda could offer. The multi-legged tanks rose higher than the masses of warriors, stomping forward with their barrels focused to the alien army ahead. Nick Fury and Phil Coulson stayed behind, stood frozen, the former directors of S.H.I.E.L.D. smirking and feeling the wind and bodies rush past them in a stampeding wave of overwhelming force. Not a single Wakandan touched them. Fury kept his hands in his pockets. Coulson couldn’t stop smiling.

While the dust storms kicked up from the thousands of feet stampeding upon the earth, the skies infested with smoke and ash were filled with a new wave of rejuvenating spirit and strength. Valkyrie spearheaded the siege of the skies, blade brandished, the Asgardian warrior glaring ahead with her winged stallion batting its wings fiercely against the clouds. Those that followed her were War Machine, Discord, Frank Castle in his Punisher Armor, and so many more. Celestia and Luna unsheathed their weapons, Celestia with her golden spear and Luna wielding two dark blue longswords. The sisters flew together, their armies flying behind them, and leading their people into battle. Pepper Stark was nearby in her Rescue armor, the fleet of dragons flying alongside her as well as surrounding Giant-Man. Scott Lang stomped forward in his slowed sprint, all due to his immense size. He shook the earth with every stomp.

The Wonderbolts took off from where they were previously stationed atop the War Horse to join the armies in the clouds. Only Spitfire stayed to lead the Equestrian Grand Fleet, the droves of Wakandan jets joining them. They were joined alongside by the hundreds upon hundreds of Hippogriffs, dragons, griffons, changelings, Pegasi, and bat ponies dotting the skies and blocking out the rays of the sun. The War Horse growled as its immense frame flew into battle, hovering several hundred feet above the earth and the rushing armies with its engines roaring and shaking every bone and every body beneath it. Ravager warships followed with the dozens of airships in the Grand Fleet. Celaeno and the parrot pirates howled and cheered and waved their swords high above their heads as their airship led the many behind it. Grubber and the Storm Creatures cheered in unison upon their own airship, the colossal fleet soaring behind them and joining the armies of the universe into battle.

The armies of the sky were innumerable in the grandest scale. The armies of the earth, even more so.

Waves upon waves, droves upon droves, and stampeding bodies numbering in the thousands filled the battlefield and kicked up storms of dust in their unified charge. Royal, Lunar, and Crystal Guard had mixed together in the rush and madness of bodies. Joining them were the yaks, the buffalo, the zebras, the minotaurs, the felines, the Kirin and growing Nirik, the ponies of various nations and creeds, and so many more. Their hooves and paws and feet shook the very core of the battlefield as they steamed down the hills and into the awaiting storm of chaos. The changelings and Hippogriffs in the sky and on the earth transformed into various creatures of massive size and strength, from hydras, bugbears, dragons, chimeras, manticores, maulwurfs, Rocs, ursa minors and majors, winterzillas, and so many more. It was unfathomable.

Joining them were the mixed waves of the Asgardians, Ravagers, Wakandans, Masters of the Mystic Arts, S.H.I.E.L.D., Defenders, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers all storming as one. The citizens of Ponyville were mixed within the masses, as well, Cheese Sandwich’s colossal party tank steamrolling into battle and overshadowing even the mightiest of nations. Daring Do flew high above and screamed her battle cry as the armada of creatures big and small flew behind the adventuress.

The leaders of the various nations—both upon the ground and within the sky—flew and or charged with their people. Dragon Lord Ember in her shimmering golden armor and wielding the legendary Bloodstone Scepter flew with Garble, Smolder, and countless other dragons charging behind their Dragon Lord. King Thorax and Pharynx, changeling brothers once lost now reunited, stampeded while Ocellus and the hundreds of changelings flew behind them. Prince Rutherford and the yaks followed their resurrected leader alongside Yona, alongside the armies of Yakyakistan bellowing into battle. Queen Novo flew with her daughter Skystar by her side once more, with Skyranger, Sky Beak, Ocean Flow, Silverstream, and Terramar leading the Hippogriffs together. Gallus flew with the various griffons of the Griffon Kingdom and Griffonstone, all of their differences put aside for one last unifying charge. Gilda, Greta, Gabby, and so many others flew with him. Sandbar galloped into the storming chaos with the citizens of Ponyville, with his best friends above and beside him, and with Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, Flurry Heart, and the kings and queens of the many other nations and peoples charging and flying as one. Every nation and every leader and every race together for one last push.

With his expression set in stone, Thanos raised his blade and pointed it forward. To the unruly. His armies obeyed.

The Chitauri were unleashed in their grandest and strongest form, with the Elite leading the charge and the thousands behind them following with just as much savagery and ferocity as ever, as if the cosmic-sized army they stood against meant nothing to them. They would follow their lord into the bowels of hell if he willed it. Roaring and stampeding forth, the dozens of Chitauri Gorillas led the next wave with the thousands of foot soldiers and commanders and tanks storming the landscapes shortly afterward. The Sakaarans charged ahead, headstrong and screaming their own unifying battle cry. The Leviathans howled and slithered onward, their numbers vast in the skies with the countless droves of chariots, starships, and Necrocrafts right with them. Their numbers alone blotted the skies and cut off the sunlight.

So, too, did follow the Chitauri Titans, the beasts of monumental size and strength slamming their multitude of feet into the earth and crushing various Chitauri that got in their path. Nothing was safe from their rampage. All five Titans roared and charged ahead into the madness, some bipedal, some multi-legged and armed. All of them unyielding in their pursuit to destroy their enemies. The hundreds upon hundreds of Outriders washed over the battlefield like an unstoppable wave of screeches and cries, leading the charge with the Elite, with the foot soldiers, commanders, Gorillas, tanks, Sakaarans, Leviathans, chariots, starships, Necrocrafts, and Titans. An immense plague of darkness and evil scorched the landscapes and tore through the earth in their stampede to the opposition.

Captain America led the opposition with shield and hammer in hand. Many more ran and charged with him, never again leaving Steve Rogers to stand alone. Black Panther sprinted and matched Captain America in speed. Thor gave one last bellowing battle cry, his red cape flapping behind him and Stormbreaker gripped tightly in his right hand. Korg emerged beside the God of Thunder, wielding not only his laser rifle, but his mace, as well. Mantis surprisingly took the lead amongst her fellow Guardians, no fear in her eyes, every ounce of adrenaline pushed in her sprint. Pinkie Pie bounded and galloped alongside them, the biggest grin joining the fiercest glare on her expression. Daredevil shot out his billy clubs, mask closing over him and red eyes emerging onto the battlefield. Tempest Shadow emerged in a flash of magic, joining the massive crowd and leading the armies. That wasn’t all.

Applejack gave a thunderous, “Yeehaw!” She galloped as fast as her hooves could carry her, the farm pony glaring and smirking and dipping her head low as she matched speeds with Captain America. With Black Panther. Giant-Man charged behind them, his stomps shaking the earth and crushing nothing but the dirt below him. Not a single life of the Avengers was harmed. High above and flying lower to the ground, Captain Marvel joined the likes of Fluttershy, Star-Lord, and Falcon. Spider-Man swung from Giant-Man’s wrist, eventually reaching the tip of the iceberg and flying alongside Twilight Sparkle, Iron Man, Rescue, and War Machine with Rocket and Derpy hanging on his shoulders. Sunset Shimmer, Ghost Rider, and Nebula sprinted from below. Rainbow Dash, Doctor Strange, Rarity, and Spike flew from above. Scarlet Witch glided forward with the crimson on her palms keeping her airborne. Starlight Glimmer, Quake, and the Incredible Hulk finished off the masses and joined their team. Their friends.

Their Avengers.

Together at last, with the armies following behind them, the Avengers narrowed the distance between their forces and Thanos’. The two armies met in the center of the wasteland, creating the heart of the battlefield, and birthing the next monumental stage for the Battle of Earth.

The armies collided.

It was a flurry of bodies and madness and screams within milliseconds. Explosions consumed the skies and rocked the earth. The first waves of Wakandan warriors and Royal Guard lowered their spears the moment they collided with the Outriders. Bodies were stabbed, trampled, impaled, thrown about, and shredded once the tips of each army met. Captain Marvel led the assault in the skies, firing her photon blasts down below and incinerating any alien caught within her line of sight. Frank and James followed close behind her, the Punisher and War Machine firing every arsenal of weaponry they had and constantly dive-bombing the crowds of Chitauri and Outriders. Rocket fired and screamed like a madman atop Rhodes’ shoulder. Derpy’s own Domino Gun fired every other second, the volley of lightning striking the earth and killing various Chitauri upon each impact. Celestia fired a golden beam of magic from her horn that followed a similar trail as Carol’s, slicing entire bodies of Chitauri in half.

Luna raged and landed right in the largest crowd of Outriders she could find, decimating them with her magic and twin swords flailing about in her dark blue auras. The Princess of the Night was unleashed, having experienced both death by her own moon and resurrection seemingly out of the blue having birthed a new idea of fury into the Alicorn. Iron Man led the three Iron Mares into the fray, repulsor beams sounding off as Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity flew side to side, up and down, and alongside Tony Stark as they blew apart dozens of chariots and starships. Their flaming carcasses collided with the earth, creating various domino explosions as they impacted tanks and groups of Chitauri. Sliding forward, Steve tossed Mjølnir directly into the face of a rampaging Chitauri Gorilla. Thor rammed Stormbreaker’s head into the ground in front of him, a volley of lightning shooting forth and eviscerating the battalion of Chitauri Elite directly ahead.

The first wave of Asgardians and Ravagers met the Chitauri, screaming as they drove their swords and spears into the alien menace. The Ravagers either slid forward or stood in place, unloading every drop of their ammunition into the bullet sponges of Outriders and Chitauri. The Wasp enlarged and drove her boot across an Elite’s face, the alien focusing only on the Asgardians and unable to see the pint-sized Wasp before it was too late. Before she grew and kicked its faceplate in. Valkyrie swooped downwards on her stallion, slicing the head clean off a Gorilla trying to reach for Hope van Dyne. The Wakandan tanks fired their resounding barrage into the skies and towards the waves of Chitauri, the blue energy blasts ripping apart starships and disintegrating aliens by the dozen.

Dragons flew overhead and dive-bombed the earth with streams of fire. They scorched the lands and the Chitauri caught within the flames. Pillars of fire rose from the battlefield, spreading and growing longer and longer, like fiery serpents slithering across the landscapes. Spike was with them, blowing torrents of green fire upon the waves of Outriders beneath him. They screeched and cried as their bodies were consumed by the green flame. A swarm of dragons impacted and consumed an entire Leviathan, bringing it down to the battlefield in a resounding crash and wave of dust.

The wave washed over the masses, the battalion of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents walking forward and firing relentlessly forward into the dust and smoke. Outriders screamed and fell dead. With the dust fading, the madness remained. The Hulk fell from above, bringing with him a chariot and slamming it into the ground. He threw a Chitauri by the head clear across the battlefield. Dragon Lord Ember swung the Bloodstone Scepter across the face of an Elite, its body flailing and spinning in mid-air before landing to the dirt to Ember’s left.

The Dragon Lord jammed her scepter ahead of her and screamed, “Forward!” The armies of dragons, griffons, changelings, Hippogriffs, ponies, buffalo, and yaks flowed free past Ember.

A Leviathan swam above her head, roaring out and nearing its razor-sharp teeth into its intended target. To Ember’s shock, she witnessed Scott Lang rear back and drive his fist into the Leviathan’s face. The shock wave from the punch could be felt by all, the Leviathan crashing to the ground head-first, tipping skyward, and landing on its back upon several dozen Outriders. Killing them all instantly. Giant-Man ripped his feet free from the ground, several Chitauri planted on the bottom of his boots flying and scattering.

Down below, T’Challa spun in mid-air and slammed his foot across the face of an attacking Outrider. He landed neatly on both feet, extending his vibranium claws and slicing them at the next Outrider. Behind him, fighting Outriders with her older brother, Shuri drove her own vibranium claws into the chest of an alien hound. Both donned in Black Panther armor, the siblings spun and fought with the skill of experienced dancers—warriors—reunited at long last.

Beyond them and atop a mound of rock, Yondu whistled and shot his hand and eyes in the direction he willed for his Yaka Arrow. The arrow soared in a stream of bright crimson, through various crowds and impaling each alien through the chest and head. Gazing behind him, Yondu cut off his whistle and caught the arrow without even looking. He spotted Kraglin and his band of Ravager scum finally catching up, unloading their laser weapons into the Sakaarans trying to swarm Yondu.

Cheese Sandwich’s party tank rolled onward, crushing various Chitauri along the way. The grounds beneath the towering tank were pure chaos, mixtures of Asgardians battling Chitauri in close sword combat, Wakandans fending off the Outrider horde, and Equus’ armies fighting the Sakaarans on the earth and in the skies. Drax leaped forward, screaming maniacally as he proceeded to stab a Chitauri Gorilla in the back. With the Gorilla’s focus turned back to Drax, Korg was able to break free from the creature’s grip. He spun around, slamming his mace across its face.

Flying over the Kronan, Pepper in her Rescue armor destroyed a Necrocraft with a repulsor blast from her Ion Cannons. The Ion Cannons hovered around her, bending to her will and enhancing each blast she fired. She managed to catch the familiar red and gold Iron Man suit flying by and stopping right next to her, her husband’s own repulsor blast destroying a chariot intending for Pepper with her back turned. Neither left each other. They hovered together, spinning in tandem and firing every arsenal of repulsor they had. Tony Stark and his wife spun and fired, incinerating the crowds of Chitauri in the skies and on the ground.

The War Horse flew over their heads and entered the battle, a reverberating battle cry emanating from its horns and filling the air with its intimidating presence. The warship’s cannons demolished the crowds of Outriders and Chitauri down below in a barrage of death from above. Even the skies were not safe with the War Horse entering the fray. Any chariot, starship, or Necrocraft that flew close to attack were instantly blown out of the sky. The cannons atop the ship’s deck were constantly moving, constantly firing, constantly killing. Following it, the rest of the Equestrian Grand Fleet and the Wakandan jets collided with the chariots, starships, and Necrocrafts in a massive dogfight. Airships led and piloted by Captain Celaeno and Grubber either plowed through the destruction or fell while consumed in flames. Dragons cried as they attacked the swarm of starships, bodies and ships falling like rocks in the cluster of laser blasts and explosions.

With the skies infested and consumed by war, the grounds of the battlefield were an even grander form of chaos. One that Discord found particular splendor in. The draconequus slithered across the earth, transforming various Chitauri to whatever household item or object he desired. He was as slippery as an eel, untouchable and unhittable and utterly devastating to the Mad Titan’s armies. Frank Castle landed roughly on the ground, sliding forward and driving his fists into the Outriders leaping for him. He aimed his arms forward, the miniguns on his shoulders and machine guns on his gauntlets unloading into the crowds of Chitauri before him. The Punisher roared, various rockets shooting off from his back and striking the earth in random directions forward, each blast taking an alien or several dozen with it.

War Machine touched ground not too long after Castle’s dominance on the battlefield, dropping off both Rocket and Derpy and taking off once again for the skies. Rocket aimed his dual pistols to the mound of rubble before him, killing each Sakaaran aiming their rifles for the duo. Derpy’s eyes centered ahead, watching as Bucky Barnes, the White Wolf, fired relentlessly into the crowds of Chitauri charging them. She flew next to him, helping with her Domino Gun.

The Element of Honesty slid beneath the swing of an Elite’s blade, not even bothering with it and not needing to. The Ghost Rider behind it wrapped the Elite in its Hellfire Chain, disintegrating the Chitauri into nothing but red-hot ash. The Spirit of Vengeance roared to the heavens blistered with fire and explosions, chaos and warfare, death and destruction. The Rider roared to it all.

Paying the demon no heed, Applejack narrowed her glare to the Gorilla turning its attention to the lone Earth pony ahead. It snorted, slamming its fists into the dirt and stampeding for her. Applejack didn’t slow down. She didn’t hold back. She picked up the pace, smirking to see the pink blur on the battlefield zoom towards her and latch itself to the Gorilla’s back. Pinkie Pie emerged atop the Chitauri Gorilla’s shoulder, poking it madly in the side of the head and constantly screaming in its ear. The Gorilla halted, growled, and reached for the pink nuisance. It grabbed nothing but air, Pinkie Pie always so elusive and popping up all over the Chitauri’s body.

With Pinkie distracting it, Applejack galloped forward and delivered a swift buck into the creature’s stomach. It gave off a grunt of pain and flew back into a mound of rubble. Before it could rise back up, Fluttershy flew up to its face, wings extended and fury flowing free from her voice. But most importantly… her eyes.

“Stand down!” Fluttershy ordered. The Stare burned in her eyes, reaching the Chitauri’s and melting easily through its blue visor and golden faceplate. Hitting it where it hurt most. Whimpering, the Gorilla fell down and stayed still in the dirt and rubble.

Smirking at that, Fluttershy hovered downwards until her hooves gracefully touched the dirt and rubble beneath her. That victorious smirk did not last long on her lips, especially when that all-too-familiar voice cried out her name.

“Fluttershy!”

Spinning to her right, Fluttershy’s eyes widened and her breath was taken from her. Flying high above and directly for her, her close friend Twilight Sparkle appeared through the smoke in a violet suit of armor. “Twilight!” the Pegasus exclaimed, flying forward and meeting Twilight halfway for a powerful and much-needed hug. The two mares spun in mid-air, eventually gliding back to the ground and breaking apart from there. The tearful smiles each mare shared with one another was interrupted by the southern drawl, one that took Twilight’s breath away.

“Is that Twilight Sparkle Ah jus’ heard?!” Applejack called from the distance, galloping forward and joining the two. Mainly, she met with Twilight and crushed her in a bone-splitting hug. Twilight didn’t even mind it—plus, her suit protected her—and returned the hug.

“I-I can’t believe it!” Twilight cried, breaking from Applejack and darting her eyes from both her to Fluttershy and back again. Applejack and Fluttershy’s warming smiles only continued to grow just seeing Twilight being so ecstatic to see them. They couldn’t help it. Neither could Twilight. “You’re here! You’re all actually here!”

“Not all of us!”

Twilight knew that voice. She spun to meet it with the biggest grin she could muster. From the trembling Chitauri Gorilla’s back, Pinkie Pie hopped on top of it and waved excitedly to the Alicorn. She then proceeded towards Twilight, each bounce growing faster and faster and cutting off the distance.

“Pinkie!” Twilight exclaimed with a tearful grin, catching the bounding Earth pony in a tight and spinning hug. Pinkie met her with an equally-as-powerful hug, nearly denting the Iron Mare armor Twilight wore. Impressive, Twilight imagined, before breaking off and pressing her hooves onto Pinkie’s own and staring into her friend’s eyes. The kind she thought she would never see again. Twilight was breathless, almost speechless. “This is unbelievable!”

Emerging from the fiery battlegrounds of Armageddon, Rarity rose and planted herself atop a pile of concrete and rubble. After having lost track of Twilight and Rainbow, she traced their locations and noted that Twilight was frozen while Rainbow was everywhere at once. She made it easier on herself and followed Twilight’s location. Yet when she finally found her, when she spotted Twilight standing below, she noticed that the Alicorn wasn’t alone. She gasped, tears already building on the corners of her large, pearly eyes.

Rarity cried out, “Girls, you’re alive!”

“Rarity!” all three mares called with joyous and tearful smiles to go around. Not even using the repulsors from her Iron Mare to reach them, Rarity rushed down the mound of rubble and joined the group of mares she knew by heart. She hugged them all. First, Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie. Applejack. They were alive. They were all alive. Rarity had to be dreaming. It couldn’t be real.

Breaking the hug and staring into Applejack’s emerald eyed, Rarity knew at that moment that it was real. All of it. They had done it after all. More tears fell free from Rarity’s eyes, the mascara flowing in dirty rivers down her cheeks. But she smiled through it all, a smile that could never break now.

“We need to get Rainbow here!” Twilight said, raising her hoof up to the comms in her ear. “Rainbow, we’ve found them! The girls, our friends, they’re here! Track my loca—!”

In a blur of rainbows, the Pegasus in the suit of armor tackled her fellow Pegasus to the ground. A quick yelp from Fluttershy was all that was heard before everypony turned accordingly. There, they could see Rainbow Dash holding Fluttershy in an all-powerful hug. They could have sworn they saw tears leaking from Rainbow’s eyes as Fluttershy gently padded her armored back. A few chuckles shared between Twilight, Applejack, and Rarity before Rainbow finally moved on. Moving first to Pinkie and then to Applejack. The speed of which she moved was shocking to say the least, but not unbelievable for Rainbow’s standards. Rarity met Twilight’s astounded expressions, smiling softly. Twilight smiled in return, unable to stop the grin any longer.

Even with the madness of war unfolding around them, the six best friends smiled and hugged one another.

“You guys have no idea what we went through to get you here,” Rainbow gasped, her grip around Applejack tightening further and further. Rainbow closed her eyes, managing a tearful smile and whispering, “But it was worth it. It was all worth it.”

“Yeah, Ah’m sure it was. You’ll have ta tell us about it after all this,” Applejack explained, pulling Dash off of her and playfully smacking the Pegasus’ armored shoulder. Rainbow rubbed her foreleg across snout, sniffling and wiping the lingering tears away. A rippling explosion shot out across the battlefield, a Ravager warship crashing to the earth and consumed in flames. The six mares all flinched and stared to the fireball rising higher and higher before eventually fading away. Leaving just the battle itself fading back into their ears. Applejack turned back and cleared her throat. Her friends turned her way.

Rubbing a hoof gingerly through her mane and then on her foreleg, Applejack managed a weak chuckle and asked, “A-Ah know this might seem like a bad time as well, but… y’all wouldn’t happen ta have mah hat now, would ya?”

Rainbow grinned, pointing her armor-covered hoof right to Applejack’s chest. “Be right back.”

With an extra set of nanoparticle wings extending from her back, Rainbow zoomed off with an explosion of repulsors trailing her. She flew faster than any of the ponies had ever seen, the Iron Mare having greatly aided her in terms of speed.

Pinkie whistled aloud—the Yaka Arrow in the distance quickly shifting in her direction before flying off when Pinkie stopped—and gazed back to Twilight and Rarity’s armors. “Wow! Those sure are some fancy suits you got there!” she said, tapping the tip of her hoof into Twilight’s Arc Reactor. She suddenly gasped aloud, spinning about wildly and darting her widened eyes in every direction. Pinkie screamed, “Were we gone for like twenty years instead?! Is this really the far future?! Why isn’t everything chrome?!”

Twilight and Rarity just laughed. They really missed Pinkie Pie.

Applejack planted her hoof on the mare’s back to stop her from bouncing, chuckling and stating precisely, “Calm down, Pinks! Doctor Strange said it himself: It’s only been five years.”

With Pinkie finally ceasing her bouncing, it allowed Applejack to drop her hoof. A different sense of sadness filled the mare’s eyes, her ears slightly drooping and a weakened sigh leaving Applejack. With a sad smile, she said, “Then again… that’s still a long time ta be away from everything ya know and love.”

Rarity’s own expression flattened at that. Twilight’s ears fell, the Princess of Friendship shaking her head with a weak chuckle. She closed her eyes. A sad smile joined her and mirrored Applejack’s.

“You don’t know the half of it," Twilight whispered.

The sounds of haunting warfare echoed around them for a brief second or two. Rainbow was disappointed in herself for being a second late, but regardless, she arrived and skid across the dirt. Twilight opened her eyes and turned towards the Pegasus. Everypony did, especially Applejack when she noticed what Rainbow was holding in her hoof.

The brown hat lay on Rainbow’s armored hoof, the dull fragments of the Elements of Harmony resting inside of it. Applejack noted that, brow rising, expression turning up to meet Rainbow’s invisible one behind her mask. The Iron Mare helmet materialized back, revealing Rainbow’s ecstatic eyes and facial features. She explained rather quickly, “Here ya go, AJ! Might be scratched up a bit, though.”

Applejack grabbed it with her right hoof, staring somberly onto her hat and smiling in the end. A sad smile, yes, but a warming one nonetheless. Turning back to Rainbow, AJ nodded gratefully and said, “None ta worry about. An’ thanks, Rainbow. You have no idea how much this hat means ta me—”

Her voice simply began to fail her. When the minuscule cry could be heard from her hat, Applejack simply stopped talking. Her mouth lay agape, brow furrowing tighter and tighter until she eventually let her eyes fell back to her hat. Rainbow Dash’s heavy breathing began to grow calm, the Pegasus slowly following AJ’s eyes. Fluttershy and Pinkie were quick to join them, both of their eyes widening at the sight of it. They crowded together, Rarity and Twilight the last ones to gaze deeply into the wonder that was occurring deeply in Applejack’s hat.

When Twilight laid her eyes on them, it was beginning to make sense. She gave a soft gasp and remained silent, simply witnessing the Elements of Harmony alongside her best friends. No voice was needed. Nopony made a sound.

To their astonishment, they watched as the shattered fragments of the Elements of Harmony began to shudder and glow. The dead and dull rocks and golden necklaces trembled together for several seconds, only growing more unhinged. They twitched, flinched, rolled, spun, until they eventually shot up like a multitude of miniature rockets right from the hat. Each mare backed away only slightly, their heads turning skyward in unison, all six ponies gazing wondrously to the Elements of Harmony hovering over their heads.

They slowly started to spin above them, the dozens of fragments coiled together in a large circle, just large enough to mirror the circle of ponies beneath them. And to the mares’ continued stance of utter shock and awe, they witnessed not one, not two, not three, but all five necklaces quickly reform before their very eyes. The gold and gemstones found their correct placement without the aid of the ponies below, an unfathomable sense of raw magic consuming the Elements in an aura of pure whiteness. That same magic flowed from each pony, rising up to unite with the Elements of which they proudly donned. It was only getting brighter and brighter, nearly blinding. Some looked away, like Rainbow, Applejack, and Fluttershy. Twilight stared on, lost in the shimmering whiteness and pure majesty of the miracle unfolding above her.

Her tiara was the last Element reformed, a cry of pure magic sounding off as each necklace was repaired and finalized. They slowly floated down, latching around the necks of their respective pony. Applejack with the orange gemstone, the Element of Honesty. Pinkie Pie with the bright blue gemstone, the Element of Laughter. Fluttershy with the pink gemstone, the Element of Kindness. Rarity with the dark purple gemstone, the Element of Generosity…

Rainbow Dash with the red lightning bolt. The Element of Loyalty.

Twilight Sparkle with her golden tiara finally resting upon her head. The violet star. The Element of Magic.

And all of them shimmered. All of them were alive. All of them…

Fluttershy caressed her necklace, her gemstone, and smiled sweetly. She lifted her eyes to her Alicorn friend and told her, “I think they’re finally ready, Twilight.”

After a moment of finally catching her breath, a moment of staring in disbelief to her own Element, Twilight smiled back. She met Fluttershy’s eyes, Applejack’s eyes, and Pinkie Pie’s eyes. She shook her head, whispered proudly, “No… we’re ready.”

She and Rainbow smiled and nodded to each other. Rarity, as well.

Applejack smirked, raising her hat and placing it back where it belonged. With a swift tightening, Applejack lifted her eyes and sent that glowing smirk to her friends. To Twilight. She nodded. Pinkie Pie bit her lower lip, the mare bouncing in place to see that bright and powerful smile return to Twilight Sparkle’s face. Fluttershy smiled to her friends, seeing the life and love return to them once again.

Twilight planted her hoof firmly ahead of her, staring to the ongoing war with her best friends beside her. The wind and external forces pulled at her mane, at her being, but could never push her away from her friends. Never again. The six ponies, the six Elements of Harmony stared and stood steadfastly into the face of utter destruction.

“Let’s do this, girls… together this time.”

Chapter 172 – 14,000,604

172

The Battle of Earth

6:16 p.m.

The face of utter destruction was just that: the face. The entirety of it all was incomprehensible, miles of withered and scorched landscapes filled with swarming bodies killing one another. Like an ocean caught in a hurricane, with the storm high above and the destruction raining fire and desolation upon the earth. War and madness filled the air with blood-curdling screams, war cries, explosions, gunfire, blades connecting and killing, and bodies colliding and crashing to the ground.

No matter how many Chitauri fell, more would constantly flow from the eight Command Centers hanging miles above the battlefield. Their blue lights shimmered across their slick, black surfaces, a constant wave of Chitauri flying down from each warship and entering the battle. Though they were stronger together, the Avengers found their odds quickly shifting in a dark and gruesome direction if they did not take care of the Command Centers. Unfortunately for them, the Equestrian Grand Fleet and the War Horse were occupied with the starships and Necrocrafts constantly swarming around them, the fleet unable to engage with the larger warships.

So, the battle raged. Within the skies and upon the earth.

And upon the shattered earth, a cluster of S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers followed behind Bucky Barnes, assault rifles constantly flaring at the tips of their barrels as they pushed on through the battlefield. The White Wolf himself fell to his knee, gaining that much more leverage as he unloaded his magazine onto the group of enemy Sakaarans and Chitauri in the distance. The sand storm from the vicious winds swarmed his and the S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers’ legs, but they kept up the fire. The enemy returned it.

The stream of constant laser and gunfire finally found its end when that tremoring wave of energy shot forth and decimated the cover the Chitauri and Sakaarans hid behind, killing all of them behind it. Lowering his LMG, Bucky turned to his right to see Daisy Johnson standing beside him, fist held forward, her breathing feral. She cast her eyes down to Barnes on her left. Bucky didn’t say a word, that voiceless thanks felt in his stare.

Both, instead, flinched to the gust of wind that slipped between them, their eyes latching to the flowing cape joining the galloping mare entering the fray head-on. That mare slid forward to an exuberant halt, her blue hoof rising to push her hat away from her eyes. Beneath it, the glowing tenacity in Trixie’s eyes were almost as bright as her magnificent and victorious smirk.

“The Great and Powerful Trrrixie the Avenger is here to save you!” Trixie proudly declared, rolling her tongue and sticking her hoof high to the heavens. Every title she held for herself were inconsequential to the grander power she wielded, or so she believed. The S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers behind her slowly lowered their rifles, turning to one another confusedly. Bucky and Daisy cast each other one last uncertain glance. Their eyes trained back to Trixie.

She stood alone several yards ahead of them, narrowing her eyes and growing her smirk to the approaching crowd of Chitauri zeroing in on her position. Rising up to her hind legs, Trixie kept her smirk big and bright as she closed her eyes. Her hooves were slowly but surely pressed together, Trixie’s horn lighting up and nothing coming of it.

She peeked with her right eye. The Chitauri were still coming, growing closer, and yet there was no magic. “Come on… Come on!” Trixie stated, her stoic confidence replaced with rising panic. She smacked her hooves together, flailing them like wet noodles towards her targets. “Magic… work! Fly! Do something! Ugh, this totally worked before!”

Her hisses surely faded once their rifles began to charge up, Trixie’s anger dissipating and her eyes rising from her hooves. Mere feet ahead of her, the Chitauri foot soldiers surrounded the unicorn, aiming their rifles right for her. There was no possible way they could miss with their distance. They knew it. Trixie knew it.

“Uh, oh…” she whimpered.

Yet before they could fire on her, before Bucky or Daisy or any of the S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers decided to take action and raise their rifles to help the unicorn, they all realized they couldn’t. The foot soldiers in front of Trixie froze as that yellow bolt of lightning struck their backs, the creatures writhing and screeching their final breaths before dropping to the dirt, dead. The remaining Chitauri that turned to their fallen comrades were unable to react to the rocks flung their way at killing speed. Each stone struck the remaining Chitauri’s heads, killing them instantly and leaving nothing standing before Trixie.

Curiosity plagued Trixie’s mind. It was soon vanquished and only the overwhelming feeling of joy filled her when she was tackled from behind in a crushing, warming hug.

Derpy Hooves was the culprit, hovering back and holding Trixie above ground in her spine-cracking hug. “You’re back! Oh, I’m so happy! You’re back, you’re back, you’re back!” Derpy cried. Trixie, despite the pain in the hug, managed a weakened grin, returning the hug with almost as much strength.

The two hovered back to the earth, breaking their hug and turning appropriately to see none other than Maud Pie make her approach. The Earth pony gave Trixie a once-over, from top to bottom and back up again. “I’ve never been happier to see you alive,” Maud told her. Her expression did not express such a statement, the blank stare added with the monotone voice offering little.

But to Trixie, it meant the entire world. She smiled warmly to Maud, a smirk quickly replacing it and the mare holding her hoof once more to the skies. “Nothing is impossible with the Great and Powerful Trixie!” She leaned closer to the two, whispering sharply, “And her friends, of course!”

She finished with a wink, stating clearly afterward, “Wink!” As if it wasn’t obvious enough.

“So, does this mean we’re getting the old band back together?!” Derpy exclaimed frantically. She once more hovered upon the dirt, wings flapping with rising excitement as her hooves squished her cheeks together. Maud blinked. Her excitement was through the roof.

Trixie scoffed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, her hoof once more flapping her hat back to reveal that jubilant grin. “One last triumphant team-up from the band of fearless space ponies? Now that sounds like a plan worth—h-holy CRAAAP!”

Derpy was slightly hurt by Trixie’s statement, her ears falling and her expression breaking. But after following Trixie’s eyes directly behind her, seeing the terror lace every wrinkle on her expression, and feeling the earth tremble from its roar alone, Derpy finally understood. Maud turned around with her, staring blankly to the shadow falling over them and slowly lifting her eyes skywards to where it originated.

Armies scattered from its presence alone. Dozens more were trampled and crushed beneath its titanic feet, unable to flee in time. It rose higher and higher, several hundred feet tall and scraping the clouds. With the sun to its back, the shadows it created cascaded for hundreds of meters across the vast battlegrounds. It had pale white skin beneath the shimmering golden armor plating its tail, legs, forearms, back, and head. Its jaws were unveiled with several jagged teeth hanging in its open maw. Its arms hung low by its sides, claws long and sharp and turning to the small group of insignificant equine lives before it.

A reunion cut short, interrupted by a Chitauri Titan. It roared and shook the world.

Daisy quickly backed away, arms out wide to warn the S.H.I.E.L.D. soldiers around her to retreat. Bucky followed them, but nonetheless unloaded his magazine in the direction of the Titan. The soldiers in black behind him did the same. Their bullets were meaningless, the Chitauri Titan lifting its head to them before falling back to the three mares. Three lives left abandoned. It growled, stomping forward and reaching out with its right claw for them.

Derpy shrieked alongside Trixie, both mares quickly backpedaling while Maud stood her ground, glared ahead, and slammed her Asteroid Gloves to the earth. They ignited, cracks surrounding the Earth pony and boulders rising forth around her. The beast’s enormous claw hovered over her. Its shadow fell over Maud Pie. That was as far as it got.

The resounding tremors behind them only grew more ferocious, only until Giant-Man leaped in front of the band of ponies and caught the Titan’s claw by his hands. Maud’s glare faded, as did the energy from her Asteroid Gloves. The boulders fell and left just the three mares gazing in awe to Scott Lang in silence. His strained grunts and groans filled the atmosphere already consumed in war, the Titan roaring and pushing downward onto Lang.

Twisting his mask back, Scott’s eyes were large and panic-filled once he eyed the ponies still standing frozen. He groaned against the pressuring weight, yelling, “Don’t just stand there! Scatter!”

S.H.I.E.L.D. took his advice, making a hasty retreat to regroup with other allies. Bucky and Daisy were with them, vanishing in the smoke and dust. The mares were also separated, taking off in different directions amongst the chaos. Trixie, however, stayed a moment longer, gazing in mixtures of shock and awe to Scott Lang holding his own against the Chitauri Titan. With hands gripping two of its super-sized fingers and somehow holding it back, Lang eventually came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t be able to hold it back forever. His feet were already skidding several meters backwards. Thinking quickly, he turned his attention to his left hand, to the finger he had it pressed against.

Abandoning his right side, Lang latched onto the Titan’s finger and twisted it fiercely. A sickening snap broke out, the Titan screeching in response to its broken finger. It pulled away, Lang able to gain some much-needed breathing room. Sprinting forward, Scott rammed his shoulder into the Chitauri at full speed. Despite Giant-Man’s greatest height achieved, he only reached to the Titan’s sternum. He only managed to knock the beast back a few meters.

The Chitauri Titan screeched and swiped low, striking Lang’s left side and sending Giant-Man clear across the battlegrounds. Crashing back-first, Lang managed to roll and skid on his hands and knees. He raised his attention back to the beast. The Titan turned in his direction, roaring as it made its slow and steady approach, each stomp closer sending tremors across the battlefield.

Scott breathed. He was helplessly outclassed. In his comms and out into the open for any and all to hear, Lang shouted, “I need some backup here!”

The Titan slammed its fist into the earth where Lang once stood. Scott dodged to the side, noting how low the beast’s head was to earth upon the impact. Rearing back, he struck his fist against the Titan’s face and earned a painful cry from it. It recovered quickly, continuing to swipe and slash and grab at the elusive Giant-Man.

Within the clouds and scattered across the grounds, those who managed to catch Lang’s cry for help through their shared comms link turned at attention to the source of the trembling earth. Those who had merely heard Scott’s plea out in the open turned appropriately to it. They all watched the two massive competitors clash in the heart of the battlefield. They all saw Lang losing ground.

They all answered his call.

From the skies, the God of Thunder and Allfather, Thor, flew forward with Stormbreaker leading him. He reared back once he caught the Chitauri Titan in his line of sight, flinging the axe with resounding strength and speed. It spun with lightning striking downwards and coiling around it like various serpents. Once the axe made its impact across the Titan’s head, the beast lurched to the side with an agonizing cry. It nearly fell, Scott watching it as it did so. Tilting its gaze up, it growled when that axe flew into the awaiting hands of Thor. It roared to him.

A roar cut short. A pair of photon blasts fell from the clouds and struck its back. The Titan hunched forward at that, twisting around to see not one, but two Avengers slip through the clouds. Captain Marvel was the first, her eyes a heavenly gold with her body illuminating that same hue. She hovered in mid-air, glaring alongside Doctor Strange flying and hovering next to her. Stephen shot out his palms, his fingers twisting and dancing and Eldritch Magic flowing through him to control the earth below. From that earth, several strands of Eldritch Whips emerged and coiled around the Titan’s limbs, keeping it constrained to the ground and unable to break free. It roared. The airborne Avengers charged.

From down below, Wanda Maximoff, Yondu, and Glenn Talbot emerged. They watched as Carol, Thor, and Strange assaulted the beast with mixtures of lightning, energy blasts and magic. The Titan writhed and squirmed, screamed and thrashed. Until the world cracked beneath it. Noting that the Titan was breaking free, Wanda took action and sprinted forward. She slid, jamming her left palm ahead of her and letting a stream of psionic energy flow from her fingertips. The red haze wrapped around the entirety of the Titan’s right leg, the beast howling when it noticed it could not move the limb.

Obviously straining against the pressure, Wanda grunted but nonetheless held her ground. She shot her free hand out to her right, ripping chunks of earth from the rest of the rock and raising it. She created a crude staircase of pure stone, just as Yondu sprinted past her. He caught what she was intending, making his way up the rocks with a leaping vault at each stone. Yondu whistled as he climbed. In the distance and tearing through crowds of Outriders and Chitauri, the Yaka Arrow changed direction and shot clear across the skies. The stream of red found its target, zipping past Yondu as he reached the peak of the rocks Wanda crafted for him. He shot out his left hand and whistled, eyes set dead ahead.

Right for the Titan.

The Yaka Arrow made its impact, stabbing through the beast and breaking through the plated armor on its back. The Chitauri howled. The arrow howled louder. Accurately and deadly, Yondu directed the arrow across the Titan’s body while he teetered and leaned back atop the mound of rock Wanda was struggling with. The arrow flushed in and out across the Titan’s back and body, destroying its armor and tearing at its flesh in the meantime. The Titan thrashed at the sky, at the Avengers, at the arrow, but was unsuccessful at hitting any of them.

In the meantime, Talbot took to the skies to join the others. He hovered a hundred feet before the Titan, glaring to it as it continued to swipe at the Avengers flying around its head. Sneering at that, Talbot shot out his hands—and with the power of pure Gravitonium flowing through his veins—captured the beast’s armor-plated forearms in mid-air. The Titan froze, looking to its arms and then slowly forward to Talbot.

Graviton crushed his hands into fists. The Chitauri’s arms crumbled like tinfoil. With bones snapping and cracking inwards, the Titan screeched in unhinged agony to the assault. It tried to break free, but the red haze consuming its right leg and Doctor Strange’s magical coils constricting its left leg to the ground kept it immobilized and frozen where it stood. It had lost all motor control and movement within its limbs once its broken arms swung limply down to its sides. It was utterly trapped.

Thor called down an earth-shattering lightning strike from his axe, directing the bolt straight below and onto the Titan’s unsuspecting back. It impacted the Titan, the electricity coursing across its body as another piercing screech left the Titan’s maw. It quivered and arched its chest outward against the lightning, ultimately bringing the beast to its knees.

Scott ran forward and punched it across the face once more, sending metal fragments, teeth, and blood scattering across the ground and the armies caught underneath it. The Chitauri gave a weakened cry, slowly rising back up to meet Lang with its jaws. Its last act of relentless resilience. It never had the chance to meet Giant-Man with its remaining teeth.

Carol and Glenn shot forward in unison, driving their own fists into the Titan’s chest at top speed. Directly through its heart. The two exploded outwards on the opposite side, black gunk and lifeblood spewing outwards alongside the remaining armor fragments and bones of its spine. The grime and bile that covered their bodies evaporated, the heat from Carol’s Binary form being more than enough to wash her clean. Talbot’s Gravitonium removed the sickness from his body, the two of them hovering in mid-air and glaring pitifully to the titanic beast one last time.

The Chitauri Titan fell for the last time. It gave its last echoing cry as it fell forward, striking the ground and sending a powerful shock wave and earthquake across all the battlefield. The dust cleared momentarily, the dead Titan joining the many other fallen. Its carcass rested and molded in with the rest of the battle surrounding it.

With that dealt with, Scott Lang sent a thankful salute to all of those involved before he made his escape elsewhere in the battle. Carol and Glenn parted ways and resumed their fighting in the skies. Thor, instead, fell to the earth and joined the battle alongside his Asgardian brothers and sisters, leading them with Stormbreaker in hand and the Allfather’s war cry. The psionic energy consuming the rocks fell, allowing Yondu to safely land on his own two feet before he, too, fled somewhere else. Wanda gave a heaving breath of relief, her chest rising and falling rather rapidly after exuding such a great deal of energy. To her surprise, she watched as Stephen Strange floated down next to her, casting the Witch a glance to which she returned.

In that short moment of simply catching their breaths, Strange and Wanda were already surrounded. Outriders of various sizes and strengths clawed at the earth as they neared the two Avengers, both Wanda and Stephen turning rapidly in every direction around them. They readied themselves, Strange forming a pair of Tao Mandalas on his fists and Wanda curling her fingers as a red haze consumed each palm. Her eyes glowed a bright crimson. They were back to back. Standing tall and at the ready as the first Outrider leaped at them.

It was instantly blown aside by a burst of magic.

Both Avengers froze at that, twisting their gazes towards the source and spotting the unicorn atop the hill of rock. His hoof pushed his glasses back, Sunburst offering a short but victorious smirk to the two magic-users. His horn shimmered and he vanished. The Outriders struck.

In a seemingly overwhelming wave of shrieks, claws, and teeth, the Outriders crashed against the two. They repelled them, both Stephen and Wanda launching various different magic and energy blasts onto the Outriders nearing one another. A flash of light emerged beside them, Sunburst appearing in the light and sending his defensive spells onto the charging alien hounds. Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and Sunburst fought as one force of otherworldly power. Outriders were incinerated, blown to pieces, or launched backwards before they even got the chance to even near the trio.

Together, they dealt with the Outriders in their immediate line of sight. However, they only noticed the swarm of a dozen or less of the creatures charging behind them when they heard their yelps of pain. All three turned around rapidly, spotting the Outriders just feet away from them practically frozen in mid-air. Their bodies, limbs, and jaws twitched as that unknown force consumed them.

Strange was the first to hear the voice, his eyes rising and Wanda and Sunburst following him. There, directly to their left and hovering atop her own mound of rock and rubble, Trixie had arrived and saved them just in the nick of time. Sunburst almost smiled at that, a smile that quickly dissipated when he finally heard the words that left Trixie’s lips. Strange only narrowed his eyes to that.

With her hooves pressed together, cape and hat flowing majestically beside her, Trixie uttered an ancient and almost unspeakable tongue. It wasn’t her voice that came out of her lips, rather a mixture of hers with some form of demonic influence. It deepened her voice, made it wet and raspy. Unnatural. Evil. It was only until she opened her eyes did Sunburst take a step back in shock, seeing each of her eyes illuminating a bright yellow.

She shot out her hooves, and with a resounding, ancient cry, the black magic flowed from her horn, her hooves, and captured the Outriders in various tendrils of inky darkness and black sickness. The alien hounds were raised high above the ground before being sucked straight downwards to the earth, disappearing into various portals of an unknown and dark dimension.

The area was clear of alien insurrection. All three Avengers cast Trixie their worrisome glances as she glided down to them. Rubbing her forehead and shaking away the stars, Trixie blinked numerous times before glancing up to Strange, Wanda, and over to Sunburst. Utterly speechless. Not a single breath leaving them. Trixie furrowed her brow at that.

Until Strange finally told her, “We’ll have a talk about your dark magic once we’re finished here.”

Trixie raised her brow curiously at that, wondering what he meant by “dark magic”. She merely had just accomplished the spell she was trying earlier, dipping down and using the magic she knew existed within her great and powerful self. Regardless, Trixie just shrugged and galloped off, searching for Maud, Derpy, or any other familiar faces that needed saving.

It was then where the rest dispersed, starting with Sunburst. The unicorn kept his stare latched with Trixie a moment longer, that growing apprehension in his eyes loosing at that moment so he could focus on the battle and hopefully find Starlight. He galloped off. Stephen sent a firm nod to the Maximoff to which she gratefully returned, Wanda slamming her hands to the earth and flying off to help where she could. All that was left was Stephen Strange, the lone Master of the Mystic Arts watching her vanish through the smoke and fire.

He turned around to face Stark before he even landed. Almost like he anticipated it.

Rising up in his Mark 85, the armor’s mask retracted and materialized into the rest of Tony’s suit, unveiling his shaken expression to the Sorcerer Supreme. Strange met his eyes, remained silent, and let Tony ask the question he knew was burning in the man’s mind.

“Bruce told me you were lying about not seeing the right outcome,” Tony stated aloud, the sounds of conflict and war reverberating around him and bodies killing each other in the background. Strange didn’t focus on what existed outside of his narrowed path, his attention solely to Stark. Tony pointed at him. “Time to spill it. How many times do we win with what you really saw?”

There seemed to be some apprehension in Stephen’s response. The truth had come clean. They had learned of his deceit as he had seen, and with obvious hostility. Regardless of their disgruntled nature towards him, what mattered was the reality currently unfolding around them. What mattered now was Strange following Stark’s word, giving him the truth to a certain degree. It was as if it pained him to formulate the single word, even more so to utter it.

“One.”

Tony took that as harshly as reality allowed it to be, punching straight through his Arc Reactor and striking him dead in the heart. Only one time where they win. Only one outcome where everything works in the end. Just one win out of the millions of losses. Stark shook his head at that, facing the sorcerer again and asking, “What do we have to do?”

“If I tell you… it won’t happen,” Strange replied.

Pursing his lips at that response he somewhat expected, Stark shook his head. “How am I supposed to know this is it?” he asked, moving carefully around each word. He turned back to face Stephen, seeing the doctor’s expression grow unnaturally pale.

A forced nod, maybe, and Strange answered, “Just do what comes natural.”

Tony kind of nodded in return. He somewhat understood, keeping the wizard’s words of advice close for safe keeping. After all, Strange was the only one among them who knew what was needed. He would steer them in the right direction. He would ensure their victory was achieved.

Even as Tony turned away, Strange stared solely to him, almost longingly—like he wanted to say something more. But he didn’t. He forced his eyes away and fought aimlessly like he was supposed to.

Chapter 173 – Always Worth It

173

The Battle of Earth

6:19 p.m.

To say Peter Quill had lost his temper was an understatement. After having witnessed his girlfriend lying dead in his arms for one second, feeling his body break apart the next second, and waking up the third second to see Gamora’s body gone, it was understandable as to why he fought the way he did. Last he could tell, he was dead. Then, he was alive, staring up to the sun high over his head and Doctor Strange telling him to get up. Their fight wasn’t over.

It sure as hell wasn’t. Quill raged and screamed and fired relentlessly from the sky. None could blame him. Being more emotionally-driven than anything else, and with the chance to get back at the Titan who murdered Gamora, Peter took every second to ensure the path before him was clear of any nuisance that got in his way of Thanos.

It was a long, long path filled to the brim with nuisances. Star-Lord fought anyway.

Screw it.

His Jet Boots kept him airborne momentarily, his Quad Blasters firing madly into the various chariots and Chitauri that dared to confront the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy. As he glided by a pillar of rubble, a Sakaaran was waiting and leaped onto his back. With the added weight, Star-Lord careened out of control. He landed to the dirt, on his back, just before the Sakaaran could get a latch around his throat.

They crashed in the smoldering remains of a Ravager dropship. Peter quickly rolled to his feet, ramming his Quad Blaster forward into the charging Sakaaran’s jawline. He caught it by its mouth, the Sakaaran gagging and quickly yelping in pain as Quill fired and blew its jaws apart. As one Sakaaran fell, two more took its place. They swarmed Star-Lord with blades swinging and guns howling. Quill dodged the blaster fire, returning one of his own into the chest of the charging Sakaaran. The blast tore right through it, Peter focused so much on the one that he didn’t have time to turn fully to the second.

It rammed the side of its blade across his face. Luckily for Peter, his mask protected him from the blade’s edge. Unluckily, though, he fell and landed flat on his back. His vision was a blur only momentarily, but not fast enough to ready himself for the Sakaaran. It stood above, straddling Quill and rearing back with its blade for a second and final swing.

A stream of red and a whistle tore through its back and chest. The Sakaaran flinched, gave its last growl as the air was just knocked out of it, and fell directly on top of Peter. Dead.

Groaning to the added weight resting over him, Quill blinked several times to regain his focus. He struggled to push the dead weight off of him, but found it rather easy when someone helped. That someone stood over him, grasping Peter by his shoulders and shouting, “I gotchu, boy!”

That voice alone was all that was needed to knock some sense and focus back into Peter Quill. Freezing at his voice, then at his touch, Peter lifted his hand and deactivated his mask. The red eyes vanished, leaving just the concerned expression gracing Quill’s clean face. He sat up, staring directly into the red fin, blue face, and crooked grin of an old friend.

“Yondu?!” Peter exclaimed. He was hoisted to his feet by the Ravager, Yondu giving Quill several once-overs before finally deciding he was all right. Quill did the same for him, except his concern turning into confusion. “What the hell are you doing here?!”

“Got the call from the man in the cape!” Yondu answered. The two’s conversation had to be shouted over the sounds of the battlefield constantly raging around them. “Said you and your Guardians were in danger by the purple asshole himself! Ain’t no way I’m turning from that kind of fight, boy!”

Peter, while he appreciated Yondu’s assistance, could only imagine what his worth could have been, say, five years earlier when they needed all they could get to stop Thanos the first time. Maybe they could have won if they got a little extra Ravager help. Maybe Gamora would still be alive. Maybe a lot of things could have been different, but right then and there was the reality set in stone. The deed was done and all they had to do now was stop Thanos from doing it again. At least, that was what Strange told Quill.

He didn’t tell him if Gamora had made it or not. With that raging thought plaguing him, Quill stared to Yondu and then to the devastation surrounding them. He breathed, “You’re a little late.”

Yondu stared to the man he always saw as a boy. That same boy he rescued from Terra and raised to be a Ravager. A thief. A fighter. A survivor. And sometimes… his boy, the son he never had. Seeing the distress laced on Peter’s expression was enough to wound Yondu’s twisted heart, especially after hearing what happened to Quill’s girl. He wanted to tell him something. He didn’t know what, just anything that might have helped. He even raised his palm, seeing Quill’s shoulder barren.

Kraglin interrupted him, both Yondu and Quill turning around to see the Ravager aim his laser rifle between them. “Might wanna fall back with the others, Quill! We’ll hold ‘em off for ya!” Kraglin yelled, firing off several rounds and taking out a chariot flying towards them.

“Others?” Peter questioned.

“Quill!”

The voice was almost as familiar as Yondu’s, just as obnoxious and grating on his mind and eardrums. Stepping out of the dropship, he scanned his surroundings and searched desperately for that voice. There, he could see the talking raccoon himself waving to him. Quill managed a short smile, flinching alongside Rocket when the explosion rocked the area. Rocket quickly ducked back down into cover once a starship dive-bombed the ground near their hiding spot. Quill cast that starship a waning glance, seeing its frame disappear into the smoke and clouds, its shadow inevitably zeroing in for a second run. And there he stood like a dumbass, out in the open.

Kicking his instincts into high gear, Peter made a run for it to the trench he saw Rocket duck into. He ran directly into the battlefield, into the heart of no man’s land where the fighting was the most vicious and war consumed both the air and the land. He ran only with his single Quad Blaster in hand, firing off some random shots blindly into the smoke and dust. Screams and gunfire followed all around him. Then, the engines of the starship returned, getting closer and closer to Star-Lord. Peter dove into the trench to avoid the laser blasts and explosions following him, a wave of dirt and dust washing over his body as he rolled and lay prone in the inward earth.

Directly ahead of him, there was Rocket laying with his back against the mound of dirt on the side of the trench. Quill scrambled to his feet and landed beside him.

“Hey!” Quill greeted breathlessly, offering the raccoon on his right some knuckles. “Hey, Rocket, how you been, man?”

Rocket met Peter’s fist with his own, screaming over the explosions around and above them, “It’s been a shitty five years, but it’s good to see you kickin’ again! You ready for another push?”

Peter lifted both blasters, breathing out a smirk. “Ah, you know it.”

“I am Groot!”

The sudden emergence of the familiar but gruff voice caught Quill’s ears. He lifted his head, pushed himself from the mound of dirt and faced the rest of the inner trench before him. Rushing to meet his long-lost Guardian, Groot caught Quill in his trunk-like arms, squeezing the air out of him in a powerful hug. Peter tapped repeatedly on Groot’s shoulder, both as a greeting and a motion for air.

“Hey, Groot!” Peter wheezed, finally breathing again once Groot set him down. Giving the tree a once-over, Quill’s brow furrowed at the astounding height Groot had gained since he last saw him. “Damn, you definitely grew!”

“Quill!” Drax called. The three Guardians followed the voice, spotting Drax waving to them from further down the trench line. He and Mantis stood nearby the adopted sister to Gamora. Nebula, in turn, stomped towards him, the first among Drax’s group to do so.

In his mind, he expected to fully receive whatever punishment Nebula thought was worthy. After all, Peter had failed to protect her sister. He failed and both he and Nebula had to mourn the loss not only of a Guardian, not only of a friend, but also of a sister. He didn’t doubt that Nebula blamed him for not being there, for not being strong enough to protect her from Thanos. He stared solely to the Luphomoid as she made her feral approach, Quill prepared for the hit, the slap, the kick in the groin, absolutely anything.

Everything except the hug. He wasn’t ready for the hug she gave him. It was quick, though. Quick and clean and over with. Clearing her throat and breaking off, Nebula stared at him and clarified, “I’m glad you’re not dead.”

Peter had to make sure his brain was still working after that encounter. Counting his ABC’s later, Quill focused back to Nebula. “What about Gamora?” he asked. Her expression quivered at that, Nebula taking a step away. Quill took a step forward. “Was she brought back, too? Did you see her anywhere?!”

His questions grew more feral and more spontaneous the longer they went without an answer. The lingering seconds were filled with unhinged anxiety until, finally, Star-Lord got his answer. Nebula shook her head. He breathed again, his heart falling and that terrible shroud of darkness overcoming his very being and the reality it was trapped in. A reality without Gamora. The one where she died before he could save her.

“You guys…”

Still somewhat held back by his thoughts, Peter eventually turned to the voice alongside his fellow Guardians, turning to see Mantis staring up. Mantis shakily pointed to the skies. Then, the roar shook the air with electrifying power. Every single Guardian in the trench line turned to it, seeing the terror of the skies for themselves. A Leviathan swam towards them, joined by dozens of chariots and starships intended for the Guardians of the Galaxy.

But before they could reach them, Yondu and Kraglin landed in their trench. The two Ravagers rose up as the Guardians shifted their eyes towards them. “Ready for that push, rat?” Yondu asked aloud. Peter twisted his gaze back.

Rocket grinned mischievously, twirling his pistols skyward.

Yondu nodded, turning over to Peter and shouting, “Ready, boy?!”

Peter slowly faced Yondu, the man he could have considered the only real family he had left. The father he always had but hadn’t realized. One that was asking to stand by his side through the face of hell itself. Star-Lord led them. The Guardians of the Galaxy stormed out of the trench with Peter Quill giving out a roaring war cry and taking to the skies. His Quad Blasters rained from above, killing various Chitauri and Outriders down below and clearing a path for the others.

As for the others, they charged with Yondu and Kraglin, both Ravagers tearing through the droves of Chitauri and Sakaarans with lasers and flying arrows. Nebula ran with her knee leading, screaming as she crashed into the Elite and knocked it flat on its back. She drove her Electroshock Baton directly into its visor. Into its skull. Drax, Rocket, and Groot slammed themselves directly into the Sakaarans and Outriders, the Destroyer living up to his title and slicing through dozens of the paper-like soldiers of the Mad Titan. Rocket held onto Groot’s shoulder, firing madly as Groot punched and swung in every direction. Mantis slid beneath the charging Gorilla, climbing up rapidly on its back and planting her palms into the side of its head. She sent the Chitauri into a deep slumber, its lumbering mass falling to the dirt and Mantis hopping off of it completely unscathed.

Yondu and Kraglin fired from below while Quill took to the skies, all three of them taking out several starships and chariots. Those were the least of their worries. The Leviathan was getting closer by the second. Yondu definitely didn’t want to get caught up in its nasty rows of teeth. With Quill flying by and unloading several rounds into the Leviathan’s eye, Yondu sent his arrow skyward with the beast distracted. The stream of red managed to tear through the armor of the Chitauri, breaking through the rows of armored plates alongside its body. The Leviathan roared at that, turning back to Yondu.

His whistles continued to tear apart the Leviathan, but the beast was relentless. It pursued its target until the meters were cut short and Yondu was trapped under its shadows. The Ravager’s eyes widened, as did the jaws of the flying serpent. The rocketing iron suit crashing into the side of the Leviathan’s head was just enough to push it off course, just enough to get it flying back up again instead of downwards. Yondu stared at that suit of armor, a silent thanks given to the Iron Man the beast now chased.

That did not mean Yondu relented. He continued to whistle and his arrow continued to rip and tear through the Leviathan’s body and armor. As it did so, the Leviathan screeched and roared, nearly narrowing the distance between Iron Man and its jaws. The destruction of its body, however, was too much for it to handle, and the dying Leviathan chased Stark to the ground.

Tony shifted his eyes backwards and forwards in rapid succession, watching as the Leviathan crumbled and eventually crashed into the earth. However, it continued to slide and slither towards him, ripping apart mounds of rubble with its fins. Just as it was nearing a crowd of Ponyville citizens, Stark decided it was time to stop running. He landed on the earth, spinning about and jamming his palms outwards. Two Repulsor Cannons formed over his arms, Stark glaring down to the gaping jaws of the Leviathan sliding towards him.

Then, the Hulk landed in front of Tony, Banner punching the Chitauri to a dead stop.

Lowering his arms with the cannons materializing away, Stark watched as Bruce rose up and pulled his left fist free from the deceased Leviathan’s shattered skull. His right arm hung as a scorched reminder of all that was currently occurring around them, Banner being the sole reason they were able to get backup at that right moment. Tony couldn’t recall if he actually took a second to actually thank Bruce, and as he turned to face him, he nearly had his moment. It, like many others, were stripped from him at the last second.

The Chitauri Elite surrounded them, rifles and blades and spears all jolted in their direction. Tony and Bruce straightened themselves to the opposition, and were nearly ready to retaliate. Yet there was no need. Lightning fell from above and struck each Chitauri individually, their bodies convulsing and burning and falling dead.

Stark blinked at that from beneath his mask. Then, Thor landed behind the corpses, Stormbreaker in hand. Right on cue, Tony thought. The God of Thunder was quick to join the duo, sending affirmative nods to his fellow original founders. Then came the screams.

The three all turned accordingly to it to see an army of aliens amassing directly ahead, the Kirin and the Nirik surrounded from all sides and in dire need of help. Thus came the trembling footsteps behind them, all three Avengers turning back to see Giant-Man catching and crushing a starship between his gloves. The eyes of his mask fell down to them, rose up to see where they faced. Scott Lang stood behind them, with them, waiting.

Stark took those first steps forward, followed quickly by Banner, then Thor, then Lang. Suddenly, sprouting forth from the air to Tony’s right, he spotted the Wasp enlarge and stride beside him. Her mask retracted back, unveiling Hope van Dyne. Cracking her knuckles, she twisted her gaze back, meeting Iron Man’s. Meeting Thor’s. Meeting Hulk’s. And finally, meeting Ant-Man’s.

She smiled and asked, “You go high, I go low?”

Beneath his mask, Scott grinned.

The Wasp joined them into the fray.

As a team of five, the Avengers sprinted, flew, and charged together to the rising tide of the Mad Titan’s army. To the Leviathan swimming above and rearing downwards to chomp on the defenseless Kirin with their focus centered around them, not above. Giant-Man slammed his palm into its throat. The Kirin and Nirik shot their gazes up, awe and amazement filling their massive eyes when they witnessed Lang saving them. He reared up with the serpent, choke-slamming it further away and safe from the Kirin.

To their continued shock, they watched as Hope van Dyne flew over their heads alongside Tony Stark. The two of them jammed their arms forward, Iron Man unloading with his repulsors and the Wasp firing streams of golden energy from her suit’s gauntlets. She shrunk down, zipping around faster than a speeding bullet to every Chitauri and Outrider she and Stark missed. The Outriders surrounding the Kirin were struck by the minuscule Avenger, the Chitauri unable to see her and properly retaliate. Stark took care of them.

Thor and Banner came to his aid, joining Tony on the earth once he finally landed and fired intensely in every direction where he spotted an enemy. Thor swung and sliced Chitauri in half with his axe, the Hulk punching and crushing the remaining aliens in the immediate area with his one good fist. Noticing the clearing, Iron Man took off forward. Thor followed him. Banner kicked up from the earth and landed in the growing onslaught. Hope grew and flew up to Scott, joining him in the air. All of them headed in the same direction: dead ahead.

Autumn Blaze could see it. The rising tide, the clearing they were given, the Avengers leading the assault and attacking Thanos’ forces head-on. The Kirin breathed a smile, looking about and declaring, “They gave us an opening!”

Her fellow Kirin and Nirik began to rise from the ground they had fallen on, the ground they once believed to be their final resting place had the Avengers not come to their aid. The remaining Kirin who had not burned slowly began to feel the flames licking at their coats, their manes, and their very eyes. They all turned to their leader, to Autumn Blaze glaring ahead with her own fire-fueled gaze.

“Let’s take it!”

She ignited. She and the fellow Kirin around her who hadn’t already transformed into their alternate selves had turned. With Autumn Blaze leading them, the full crowd of Nirik galloped through the clearing and literally drove their flaming bodies into the waves of aliens. Thor and Banner ceased their assault on the earth, watching as the cinders flew high and the stampeding Nirik incinerated the Chitauri and Outriders.

Their bodies were as pure fire, each Nirik slamming themselves into a different alien and scorching the ones they hit. Outriders screeched and swung at them, only to feel their skin burn to a sickening charcoal at the slightest contact. Autumn Blaze dealt with the Outriders personally, spinning around them with speeds they couldn’t react against. The wall of fire consumed the Outriders, growing and growing until their screeches were all that was left of them. Even those faded. Autumn slid to a stop, glaring with feral fangs and snow-white eyes to her tower of fire.

A bolt of energy struck her side, Autumn screaming at that. She turned to face the source, seeing the Chitauri foot soldiers aiming their rifles and unloading on the lone Nirik. More and more shots hit her flaming exterior, Blaze only growing more and more infuriated, but nonetheless… shrinking back from it. The Chitauri pushed forward, continued to fire.

Three streams of magic tore through the line of Chitauri, slicing them all where it mattered.

Autumn stared to the magical streams, spotting the bright blue, red, and light turquoise all fly together, all kill together. The Chitauri lay dead in a crumbled pile of smoking limbs and bodies. Baring her fangs at that, Blaze spun around to catch the source of her salvation.

Slamming her steel-plated hoof against the rock beneath her, Tempest Shadow stomped forward and glared ahead to the ever-consuming wave of aliens growing all the closer to their position. No matter how many she killed, they would always restock. They would always have reinforcements flowing from the Command Centers. A chilling reminder of what she faced in the past hung over Tempest’s head, but she didn’t want to focus on the warships just yet. She met the Nirik’s eyes and sent a subtle nod to her. Autumn Blaze snorted pure fire, a short smile tugging at her inky-black lips.

Tempest was joined by two more, Sunset Shimmer emerging on her left and Starlight Glimmer trotting forth to her right. All three unicorns cast one another a glance before facing forward, to the next onslaught of Chitauri and Outriders stampeding towards them. Taking off at a slow gallop, Tempest eventually dug hard into a dead sprint. Sunset and Starlight were right beside her, all three charging as one force of raw, unconstrained power.

Sunset screamed, “I answer the Call of the Phoenix!”

Starlight shouted, “Excelero Duplexis!”

Tempest cried. Her horn ignited and she was unleashed to her full potential.

The wave of aliens impacted them. Tried to. Tempest cleared the entire first few lines with her magic alone, a shock wave of rippling energy that incinerated entire bodies into nothing but red, flaking cinders. The next few waves were blinded under the glare of the sun. Only, it wasn’t the sun. Raised claws and screeches of protest brought the Chitauri and Outriders’ shared focus high above to see the explosion of fiery light, the phoenix wings spreading vibrantly and Sunset Shimmer in the center of it all.

Her mane and tail were pure streams of flame, eyes as bright as the surface of every star and wings flapping furiously. The ashes and cinders rained from her, the unicorn soaring down and washing her magic over the crowds. Chitauri felt the weapons in their claws start to melt before their very eyes, Outriders screaming in agony as their bodies ignited into flames. Several Chitauri shared the same fate, many others upon the scorched battle grounds still miraculously standing.

They didn’t last long. Before they knew it, they were knocked off their feet and blown away as the speeding bodies of several dozen Starlight Glimmers galloped at unrealistic speeds across the valley. She was a blur, the spell she concocted giving her incredible speeds and several different bodies. She tore through the remaining Chitauri and Outriders, magic ripping and slicing and killing what remained.

Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Giant-Man, and the Wasp joined them.

Bodies were flying and dust storms only continued to rage across the battlefield. It grew even more intense when the Avengers joined the unicorns in the heat of the battle, fighting side by side against the continuous swarm of alien hounds and beasts of every caliber. Tempest shot her gaze wildly back from the bolt of lightning that killed the Elite in her path, sighting the God of Thunder raining down heaven’s wrath from the clouds and upon his axe. She heard the battle cry, turning to it to see the next wave. Always another wave. She almost felt exhausted. She almost sighed.

Then, she got an idea.

“Thor, hit me!”

Spinning to that cry, the Allfather saw an immense army coming from their rear. Chitauri from the skies, upon the earth, fitted in tanks with Elite and Outriders charging the masses, all amassing to their location. Then, he spotted the unicorn making a brave dash straight into their heart, charging against an army too large for her to handle. Alone.

He looked to his hand. He saw Stormbreaker. Thor slowly turned back to Tempest.

Taking several steps forward, Thor reared back, and with a satisfying roar let free his axe. It spun violently in mid-air, nearing the army for a devastating clash of lightning and Uru. Only, it never met the army… alone. Tempest leaped into the air, barely dodging the head of the axe and capturing Stormbreaker in its entirety in her magical aura. She spun in mid-air, facing downward and to the tip of the enemy’s spear. She met it with an axe.

Her screams tore at her throat, the power of Stormbreaker fueling her veins as she drove it directly into the earth. A resounding shock wave of magic and lightning tore through countless Chitauri and Outriders, and she wasn’t even finished. Tempest ripped the axe free from the gravel and galloped headlong into the remaining army. As she moved, leaped, slid, and fought, she swung Stormbreaker with a master’s precision, her aura sending the axe spinning around her various different times, protecting her, guiding her, strengthening her with each impact of the weapon against the Chitauri fodder. She and the axe were perfectly knitted together as one, the heart of the survivor and the fury of Asgard raining down the wrath they both held with one more leaping charge. She slammed it into the tank before her, decimating everything caught within its radius.

Tempest stood ragged and breathing like a feral animal atop the smoldering tank. Electricity licked at the axe she held, onto her coat, to her horn, and even into her eyes. The eyes that shimmered a heavenly blue, the same color as her magic. She spun Stormbreaker to her side, letting it rest in her aura as she narrowed her glare to the next wave. Always a next wave. It never ceased. Seething at that, Tempest shook her head and held Stormbreaker out in front of her. Then, she heard the voice cry out to her, earning her eyes.

“Tempest, I’m open!” Starlight screamed, appearing as a blur with a wave of dust trailing the unicorn. She stood alone, her various copies already charging forth into the clash of armies. Eyeing the axe, Tempest grew a devious smirk and let it fly free, giving her own satisfied grunt.

Starlight caught the axe in her own aura, the unicorn spinning around and glaring dead ahead. The axe’s head changed from a burning blue flame to a shimmering turquoise. Starlight screamed as she galloped onward, Stormbreaker high over her head and her spell only enhancing her speeds. Her different copies dealt a plenitude of damage to the waves of Chitauri, disorienting them and decimating various tanks caught within her magical blasts. However, when the real Starlight charged into the masses swinging, caught in a blur, with speeds her enemies couldn’t see… it was a slaughterhouse.

Chitauri, Sakaarans, and Outriders were simply eviscerated once they came into remotely close contact with her and her copies. Stormbreaker was a blur just as much as Starlight was, entire lines of the Mad Titan’s armies being sliced in half and blown away once Starlight crashed into them. She slid to a stop in the heart of it all, several Elite spinning away from the copies and centering their focus on the lead unicorn. She was bent low, a ferocious glare in her eyes and Stormbreaker hanging dangerously over her head. They aimed their rifles and blasters for her alone.

Starlight smirked.

She reared up and jammed her horn to the sky, flinging Stormbreaker in that sole direction. The Chitauri, foolish enough, lifted their eyes and visors to it and watched as the axe was caught in an aura of fire. Pure red, heavenly fire. Those phoenix wings burst forth from the clouds, cleared the smoke and dust, and unveiled Sunset Shimmer within the light. She fell and Stormbreaker fell with her, mixtures of lightning and fire consuming the axe, a raw display of the elements at work as she finally collided to the earth. And decimated it.

Tanks were ripped from the ground, spun like they weighed nothing, and burnt into husks of melting metal. Outriders and Chitauri caught within the blast were incinerated, turned into ash and cinder as the lightning rippled through the wave of fire and killed what remained. In the heart of the explosion, as the fires settled and the army was vanquished, one stood alone, alive, in the center of the cataclysm. Sunset Shimmer breathed heavily, her phoenix wings slowly extinguishing and her mane and tail returning to normal. The red fires consuming the axe started to die, the head embedded deep into the cracked earth and the unicorn standing atop of it all. Sunset blinked the white from her eyes, seeing all she had done with an almost astounded look in her expression. Starlight zipped into view, Tempest leaping over a scorched pile of rubble and standing beside her. They met Sunset’s eyes, the two of them expressing breathless smiles. Sunset couldn’t hold one back.

Thor had seen it all. And he was so, so proud.

And just to kill the moment, a reverberating roar shot out and earned all of their eyes. Sunset flinched to it and spun around, her ears falling, her jaw dropping, her eyes widening. Starlight took a step back. Tempest sneered, growling softly. As for Thor, he saw the Chitauri Titan dead ahead, swiping low and high at his Asgardian armies with all four of its dagger-like arms. Its stomps shook the battlefield, the other Titans off in the distance fighting their own wars. The one they saw was near. And it turned to them. To the mares specifically.

It made its approach.

Shooting out his hand, Thor shortly retrieved his beloved hammer Mjølnir. Just in case, he called out, “You’ll have the little one again soon, Rogers! Just let me teach these bastards a lesson…”

Having more than seen the ponies’ worth, Thor gave them a much-needed breather and took on the next wave alone. He wielded his hammer, soaring over the mares’ heads and meeting the Chitauri and Outrider horde with lightning in his veins and his hammer swinging madly. He had easily earned the Titan’s attention, the gargantuan Chitauri centering its glare to him. Its four claws flicked and twitched, each limb rising high above and eventually swinging low. A terrible roar shot forth from the beast’s jaws, all directed at the god.

Ramming his hammer into an Outrider charging his side, Thor shot his eye to the Chitauri Titan stomping directly for him. He spun Mjølnir rapidly in his grasp, the hammer becoming a blur and Thor fully intending to launch himself right for the beast’s exposed head. As the shadows of the Titan grew more massive and the tremors of the earth grew more severe, Thor realized he never even got the chance to pull himself onwards. A tank hovered forward from the next wave dead ahead, firing an energy blast that struck Thor directly into his chest.

The velocity and speed of the hammer sent it flying backwards, in the complete opposite direction of the Titan. Thor, himself, was thrown back from the force of the blast, the god impacting a mound of rubble and crashing flat beneath it. Lifting his weary gaze, Thor planted his fists upon the dirt and tried desperately to push himself back up. The next wave zeroed in. Another army charged Thor with the Titan behind them, roaring to the prone and wounded God of Thunder. Its body blocked out the rays of the sun, towering hundreds of feet in the air and bringing all of that fury and power towards one being.

Just as he rose to one knee, the army reached him.

Then, lightning struck and saved him. Various bolts shot down from the darkened clouds and struck the army of Chitauri and Outriders, decimating all of them. He watched as the tank was destroyed in the lightning strike, killing everything upon and around it. Thor could feel the electricity coursing through the air, the same kind that spewed forth from his hammer. Thor smirked at that. He hadn’t even called to Mjølnir.

He heard the thunder grow nearer and fully expected to see Steve Rogers approach his side and lay claim upon his victory, as he should. For one finally worthy to wield his hammer, Thor expected nothing less than his good friend Captain America coming to his aid.

Nothing and no one emerged by his side. The only presence he felt and witnessed landed directly on top of the destroyed tank, creating a gust of wind and dust that blew directly into Thor’s face. The Chitauri Titan cried and took a step backwards, shaking the earth and eyeing the new threat. Shielding himself from it, Thor narrowed his eye and lowered his Uru palm when he saw the presence rise from the tank it landed on.

And turning to face him, Princess Celestia eyed the God of Thunder with Mjølnir held in her magical, golden aura.

He was caught by his heart for a second. Just a second before Thor eventually shrugged, rolled his eye, and muttered, “Why not?”

It was a revelation of stupendous power that could not last. Celestia’s eyes were drawn skyward when she heard that cry, heard the voice of Princess Luna call to her.

“Sister!”

From it, Celestia saw her sister soar past her head, high in the clouds and only nearing the approaching threat. With a look of raw determination glowing in her majestic stare, Celestia pulled Mjølnir back in her magic—and with a spin of her body—flung the hammer high into the clouds. The Princess of the Sun cried as she released the hammer, watching as it disappeared within the darkness.

Lightning coiled within the clouds, lighting up the dark.

The thunder raged heavy.

And from the shattered clouds and darkness, Princess Luna roared and descended to the alien armies, Mjølnir high above her head and caught within her dark blue aura. Her screams trailed her, as did the lightning striking the head of the hammer and the Princess of the Moon slamming it against the ground. Bolts of heaven’s might shot forth and impaled various Chitauri, dozens of other Outriders caught in the blast and blown away by it. Luna ripped Mjølnir from the dirt, spinning it wildly and slamming it against the Sakaarans that charged her, ripping their bodies to fragments. Before it became too overwhelming, Luna shot out her wings and kicked from the ground, taking flight.

Mjølnir was by her side, held in her magic and swinging low over the armies beneath her. She sent the hammer into the crowds, ripping Chitauri off their feet and sending the hammer through several tanks and chariots. Luna heard the flap of those familiar wings to her far left. She caught the essence of the sun’s magic raining down and incinerating the armies below. With a twist of her neck, Luna launched the hammer back into her sister’s grasp. Celestia caught it with ease, the princess dive-bombing the crowds and driving Mjølnir through it all.

Together, the two sisters tossed the hammer back and forth to one another, dominating with it, destroying the Mad Titan’s forces and ultimately severing the distance between them and the Chitauri Titan. The lumbering beast growled and shrieked, seeing the two specs grow closer and closer. Once they were close enough, the Titan swung down with its claw for the brighter Alicorn. Celestia dodged its swing, firing an utterly powerful bolt of magic from her horn that struck the Titan on the side of its head. The magic scorched its face, the beast rearing back and taking its attention away from Luna.

The Princess of the Night claimed her advantage and held nothing back. She flew from the beast’s leg and up, driving and slamming and ripping Mjølnir across its armor and exposed limbs. Fragments of its armor plating flew off as the hammer tore across its body, Luna screaming as she rammed the hammer directly into one of its towering claws. The bone was shattered, the limb torn, and the claw flying free to come crashing to the earth below. The Titan cried in anguish swinging madly in every direction for the two sisters, hoping to strike at least one of them. It hit neither.

Princess Luna met its head and slammed Mjølnir into its bottom jaw.

Teeth and blood flew back, the creature’s jaws forced to face the clouds as it gave off another bellowing roar. Once the Titan had stumbled backwards, maintained its footing, it stared straight up and caught both of the Alicorns in its line of sight. They hovered over its head, wings flapping, glares piercing, and the hammer both held in a mixture of their two auras flying between them.

Celestia’s horn shimmered into a heavenly whiteness, Luna’s horn a haunting and dark blue.

A mixture of light and dark consumed the heavens, swirls of storm clouds circling around the two sisters like serpents. In its center, in the heart of the storm, they remained. The sun broke through the warships, the clouds, everything, and shined directly through both sisters. Shined directly on top of the Titan. Lightning shot forth from the clouds and consumed the hammer. The power of the sun rained down—fueled by Celestia’s magic—and hit Mjølnir in its head.

The Royal Sisters opened their eyes to reveal two piercing white orbs of pure power.

They brought the hammer down.

The sun’s rays, the storm’s wrath, and the power of the heavens itself rained down as a single beam of light and dark. It was so bright that it lit up the entire battlefield, entire armies ceasing their conflict to gaze to the beacon of light impacting the Chitauri Titan. That light tore through its entire head, incinerating and combusting the Titan from the top down. The entire beast exploded outwards in a mixture of flame, lightning, and light bursting forth from its body and armor. A blast so powerful shot out from the beacon, encasing all the battlefield in a wave of light that lasted only a few seconds. For only a few seconds, the sun had returned. Then, darkness filled the rest, settling everything back into chaos.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna glided back down to the earth, both sisters holding Mjølnir in their magical grasps. Both sisters watching the remains of the Chitauri Titan burn and crash to a thundering death.

Chapter 174 – This is Nice

174

The Battle of Earth

6:22 p.m.

Clint and Natasha watched as the Titan burned from its core and crashed to the earth, its tremors reaching them even all the way back to the facility’s remains.

As the Battle of Earth raged across the blistered and scorched valleys and within the smoke-infested skylines, there was a calm within the storm of war. One piece of fractured world that had long since been abandoned by the treacheries of death and destruction. It was the New Avengers Facility, or, what was left of it. Both the facility and the Helicarrier lied together in a crumbled ruin of steel, concrete, and fire. Only the skeletal fractures remained.

Even that was not enough to hide Barton and Romanoff from the horrors of war. It caught up to them eventually, as a wave of snarling, snapping jaws and ferocious extraterrestrial hounds.

They heard the rumbling of concrete and rubble behind them, the two founding Avengers twisting back slowly to see the darkness within the ruin start to tremble. From the facility’s remains, having searched and hunted since its fall, the Outriders finally found their target. They screeched and snarled as their gazes locked with the Nano Gauntlet resting under Clint’s arm.

As well as the six Infinity Stones resting upon it.

“Think it’s time we joined the party,” Natasha breathed rapidly, whipping out her pistols.

Clint unsheathed his katana, tightening his grip on the gauntlet. He gasped, “Yep!”

The Outriders screamed at them. Screamed and charged.

The Black Widow replied with several bullets, rapid-firing each pistol to every Outrider she saw break through the remains and attack them. She earned some seconds for a retreat, Clint taking it and hurdling over a downed support beam of solid concrete. Natasha was quick to follow, unloading her magazines and diving out of cover. She rolled over the support beam, crashed on the burnt grass and dirt, and spun to fire a bolt from her Widow’s Bite onto the pouncing Outrider. All within three seconds.

The Outrider trembled in mid-air, crashing to the dirt beside Natasha and thrashing uncontrollably as the electricity coursed across its body. Romanoff stared at it hauntingly, the beast’s jaws agape and its rabid teeth snapping and screaming in her direction. The end of the sword struck down and impaled the beast through its head, ripping in and out cleanly and rapidly. Turning from the silenced Outrider, Natasha spotted Clint twirl his katana before her. He nodded to her.

“You with me?” Clint asked aloud.

Behind him, the rest of the world burned and exploded. Sanctuary II and the Chitauri Command Centers dotted the skies, with the Equestrian Grand Fleet and the War Horse holding off the onslaught and decimating the battlegrounds and dogfights of which they flew across. Laser bolts shot across the air and melting husks of chariots, starships, and airships descended to the ground for their final resting place. The miles of land beyond were filled to the brim with swarming bodies slaying one another, the screams and roars of each opposing side sounding off as their weapons clashed, firearms blasted, and allies fell. It was death for miles, no escape and no sanctuary for the living. Stepping into it may have guaranteed a quicker death.

“Always,” she whispered under a shaking breath.

But stepping away from it guaranteed something far worse.

Together, with the remaining Outriders chasing them, the two Avenger sprinted headlong into the battle. Nowhere else to go, nowhere else to turn, they kept each other and the gauntlet safe as they slipped between bodies and ran through shattered earth. They didn’t know if the Outriders were still chasing them or not. Their only priority was constantly moving forward, Natasha reloading her pistols and firing away to the Chitauri and Sakaarans that got in their way, ultimately leading them both and clearing a path for the Infinity Stones. Throughout it all, they were together.

As they slipped into a trench to avoid the crippling explosions from a chariot trying to dive-bomb them, Clint slipped and crashed into the dirt. The gauntlet fell free from his grasp, crashing to the dirt several feet ahead of him. Lifting his mortified gaze to the strewn gauntlet, he spotted Natasha spinning around and meeting his gaze. The Outriders screeched and entered the trench. Her eyes fell to the gauntlet. She sprinted straight for it.

Then promptly hopped over the Nano Gauntlet and grasped Clint by his forearm.

“Come on!” she screamed, dragging him back to his feet.

Though slightly taken aback by her actions, Clint nonetheless grasped her forearm and scrambled to his feet. The screams assaulted his eardrums, both he and Natasha turning to face it head-on. The Outriders had already severed the distance. They had reached them. A lone Outrider led the pack, leaping forward straight for the two Avengers. Clint jammed out his forearm, his Wristbow loaded and ready to fire. But he wasn’t fast enough. The Outrider was faster. Natasha tried to step in front of him. Tried to shield him with nothing but her own body.

Then, like a light straight from heaven, the green flames showered down and consumed the Outrider. It didn’t stop, washing over the remaining pack of alien hounds until they were screaming and writhing in agony. Both Clint and Natasha flinched back accordingly, gazing with eyes wide and astounded to the green flames eating away at the dying Outriders. It was so fast. Faster than Clint’s reaction. Faster than the Outrider.

Just as fast as the shadow flying over their heads. They turned to it, spotting none other than Spike flapping his wings and sending them a quick salute from above. Natasha managed to breathe again. Clint smiled in return. They both spun around, Clint retrieving the gauntlet and pushing onward with Natasha sprinting right alongside him.

And as for Spike, the young dragon watched the duo make their escape, hopefully safe from harm. Hopefully for the last time. He knew he was chasing fantasies, and instead focused on reality. It may as well have been a fantasy when that familiar voice called out to him and tackled the dragon straight to the earth. When they hit the ground, it was not a painful landing. Spike didn’t even hit the dirt. He was caught within a warming embrace, focusing ahead and seeing nothing but the metal mask and blue eyes holding him in a crushing hug.

Noticing the lack of recognition, the suit of armor released Spike and allowed him to take a few steps backwards. The mask retracted back in a wave of nanobots, unveiling none other than Twilight Sparkle beaming widely beneath. There were tears in her eyes from what Spike could tell, the dragon blinking several times before he finally put the pieces together. He knew the armor looked familiar, from what he saw when he first stepped into the battle. Just seeing Twilight within it took his breath away.

And he whispered, asked, “… Twilight?”

She nodded rapidly, her smile warm and contagious. The tears started to seep down her cheeks.

Like an infection, that smile consumed him, too. In less than a second, Spike was grinning, reaching out with his claws and crying aloud, “Twilight!”

He flew into her chest, wrapping his claws around her in the tightest, warmest hug he could offer. Twilight nearly fell back from the speed of the hug, falling instead to her haunches and wrapping her forelegs around him all the same. She giggled as the tears continuously flowed down her cheeks, nuzzling his scales with motherly intent.

“I have you, Spike,” Twilight whispered through pained breaths, eyes shut softly and only increasing in pressure. Matching her grip around her dragon, her friend, her little brother. “I’m not letting go this time. I’m never letting go…”

Even with the cold suit of metal she wore, Spike could feel the warmth of her body, the beat of her heart. Affirming to him that she was real and he was alive. They were alive. He smiled even brighter and clutched Twilight even harder. They were joined shortly by Rainbow and Rarity, Applejack and Fluttershy, and, of course, Pinkie Pie. The former duo offered Spike their own hugs, glad to see he was still alive along with the rest of their friends.

It was a warm reunion that couldn’t last forever. In fact, it was cut off shorter than any of them would have hoped when a raging Chitauri Gorilla broke through the rubble. The group of seven flinched and spun accordingly to it, readying themselves in defensive positions as the Gorilla stampeded their way. They all took defensive positions in front of Spike, the young dragon slightly taken aback by their actions. He could have sworn he already proved himself on the battlefield, especially to his friends and to Twilight. And before he could protest, before the Gorilla could impact their group, it froze.

Mere yards ahead of them, and it simply stopped. It yelped.

Twisting its neck back, the Gorilla spotted the disturbance directly behind it. There, gripping its hairy back with his bare hands, Luke Cage grunted as he struggled to hold the beast at bay. Just before the Gorilla could properly retaliate to his actions, Luke grit his teeth and yanked back hard. Too hard for the Chitauri to fight against. And with a shocking amount of strength, Luke managed to toss the entire Gorilla backwards, away from the mares, and towards the light of the golden fist.

There, Danny Rand was waiting to meet it. He sprinted forward, leaping in the air and driving the Iron Fist onto the Gorilla’s back. He felt a sickening crack from the beast’s spine as it bent inwards from the force of the punch, a painful cry leaving the beast. It fell flat and crashed on the dirt with Rand landing on top of it. He rose up like a feral animal, fist held back and glowing a heavenly gold. But he hesitated. He lifted his eyes and saw her step forward.

Jessica Jones strutted up with a lackadaisical attitude gripping her features. The Chitauri groaned and planted its fists into the dirt to rise again. Its eyes met that of Jones’, the Gorilla growling and eventually roaring directly into her face. She sneered and responded tenfold, by sending her fist right between the eyes, cracking its skull and killing it instantly. Jessica hissed and shook her palm. A quick moment of pain that came and went. Danny hopped off the Gorilla, cast it a quick glance before returning to Jessica and nodding her way. Jones just stared at him, that same look on her face.

As for the mares, their defensive positions in front of Spike were breached and they let their guard down. Seeing the three before them brought a sense of ease to Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity, glad to see they got some heavy backup from the likes of New York’s finest. That moment of peace and assurance they thought they had was once more stripped from them when the sounds of laser rifles began to charge up.

A troop of Chitauri swarmed them in less than a second, taking firing positions that gave them enough distance so their foes couldn’t react fast enough. It was bad enough that the ponies and Spike were caught in their crosshairs, but Luke, Danny, and Jessica were trapped, as well. They all darted their heads around them, seeing the Chitauri surround their perimeter.

But before the Elite could take the first shot, a sai was stabbed through its chest.

A baton flew past its head and struck the surrounding Chitauri in rapid succession, from one alien to the next, until they were all down for the count. That baton froze in mid-air, being yanked back by that familiar magnetic force and returning to the jutted black glove.

The baton returned to Daredevil, he and Elektra standing together. She, in turn, pulled her bloody sai free from the back of the Elite she impaled, tossing its corpse aside. His mask retracted back, Matt Murdock’s expression softening when he heard their familiar heartbeats.

He smiled, staring off into space with the grin directed solely to his Defenders.

Danny was the first to smile back. Then Luke. Finally, after some reluctance, so did Jessica.

They got to work just as the next wave hit.

A stampede of Outriders, Sakaarans, and Chitauri swarmed their immediate area and consumed it under their veil of darkness. Within that cluster, they stood together and held them off as one force of good caught within the snares of evil. With Daredevil leading, flipping and dodging and returning the swipes and slashes of the Chitauri with his own killing blows. With Iron Fist right beside him, the two martial artists spinning and fighting as they utilized nearly every part of their body as a weapon of good. His golden fist did most of the damage, eradicating any alien that crossed his path. With Luke Cage as the impenetrable muscle, his fists being enough to kill every beast that neared him in just one hit. The blaster bolts the Sakaarans and Chitauri fired at him merely burnt his shirt, his skin beneath clean and without injury. With Jessica Jones as the ferocity, her own strength rivaling Cage’s as she punched, kicked, and screamed her way through wave after wave of Thanos’ goons. With Elektra right behind Matthew, for every last second. They watched each other. They kept each other safe.

They all did.

It was not their fight alone. Within the mixture of New York’s Defenders, the Elements of Harmony flew, bucked, punched, and sent repulsor and magic bolts in nearly every direction. Applejack sent tree-shattering kicks into the onslaught of Outriders, her grunts resounding and satisfying with each kill. Pinkie Pie bounded and disappeared, reappeared, and spread utter confusion amongst the Chitauri. Rarity and Twilight were nearly back to back, firing off both magic from their horns and repulsors from their suits as they aided the Defenders. And there was Spike flying alongside Rainbow and Fluttershy, breathing torrents of fire onto his enemies. With them until the very end of the line.

Fluttershy and Rainbow were neck and neck, dive-bombing the crowds and ripping several Sakaarans and Chitauri off their feet and disorienting them. As they submerged, various aliens crumbled and fell. Once they emerged, they turned to one another. Rainbow sent a particularly large grin to Fluttershy, nodding her way.

“There we go, Flutters! Now you’re gettin’ it!”

The Pegasus blushed and smiled to the compliment, taking her eyes off of Rainbow and off of the Outrider leaping at her blind side.

It was too late for Rainbow to even call it out. The Outrider struck the Pegasi but latched onto Fluttershy, knocking them both off course and crashing several meters off from the rest of the group. Fluttershy yelped as she crashed and rolled on the dirt, the Outrider rolling with her. Once she came to a halt, the Pegasus struggled to stand. The soft growling to her right made her ears stand on end. She slowly turned to face it, gulping quietly to see the Outrider roll back to its feet and shake some clarity back into its head.

It turned to her. Fluttershy yelped and backed away. Never breaking contact with the mare, the Outrider slowly stalked the Pegasus, barring its jagged teeth and brandishing its claws. Several other Outriders broke from the waves and joined it, all of them centering their attention to the lone pony. Fluttershy darted her eyes from one Outrider to the next, eventually coming to a halt when her rump hit the leg behind her.

They both turned to one another simultaneously. Fluttershy gazing upwards, and the Sakaaran glaring down. The Outriders shrieked and charged. The Sakaaran spoke in an alien tongue and jammed its laser rifle down at her, aimed right between Fluttershy’s eyes. Her pupils shrank. The mare shielded her head and closed her eyes as it all fell on top of her.

Yet in a flash, it was all thrown away.

In a flash of light, a swiping tail thrashed outwards and struck each Outrider, the Sakaaran, and the surrounding area until it was clear. Fluttershy raised her hooves when she still felt her heart beating, opened her eyes and saw the world still alive around her. She lifted her head and saw what had happened.

Like a serpent coiled around its egg in a protective embrace, Discord surrounded Fluttershy and glared to all who dared to near her. He planted his eagle claw and lion paw fiercely into the earth, cracking it beneath him as his glare burned at a thousand degrees, each pupil sending threatening daggers to all before him.

Just as quickly, that ferocity cooled. Discord spun his neck around and met Fluttershy’s eyes, sneaking in a fast wink and a smirk. “Told you I’d be back.”

Fluttershy smiled and snuck in her own fast hug. Which Discord gladly returned. The two were locked in a warming hug, allowing the Chitauri and Outriders to charge them. A dire mistake. Without even looking, Discord lifted his tail and snapped it.

And before they even had a semblance of a chance to reach them, the ground erupted and sent a wave of dirt and rock spewing outwards and consuming all within it. All except Twilight, Spike, Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity, and the Defenders. The wave simply washed past them without harming a single hair on their heads. Their minds, however, were mildly shocked to see that wave only grow bigger and bigger, devouring entire tanks hovering their way and decimating them. The rippling wave spread farther and farther until it reached close to fifty feet high, eventually crashing and spewing the dead caught within it across the tattered battlegrounds.

Entire tanks were flipped and crashed in rippling explosions, knocking back various Asgardians and Equestrians but barely managing to deter Bucky Barnes from his pursuit.

The White Wolf gripped his LMG in his robotic arm, the other scrambling at the dirt and pushing the rest of him back to his feet. The final legs of the battle turned out to be almost a blur to Barnes, bodies flying and explosions ever-consuming every square inch of the battlefield. He had just risen to full height when he heard the cry to his left, turned to face it and jammed his weapon towards the Outrider charging him. It took his eyes away from the Outrider on his right, tackling Bucky straight into the dirt.

Barnes rolled several feet before the Outriders pounced on top of him, snarling and biting at his exposed flesh and limbs. Ripping out his rapid response combat knife, Bucky rammed its edge onto the Outrider straddling him, the beast thrashing and screaming as it continuously clawed at his person. It managed to tear free some of the armor on his tactical vest, exposing him. Barnes grit his teeth and continued to stab, continued to fight, as more and more of the feral hounds overwhelmed and overcame him.

To his astonishment, he heard the sound of a charging repulsor and then the various final yelps of the beasts before him were silenced. The weight placed atop of him was gone, leaving just a scratched and bruised Bucky Barnes lying with his arms covering his face, his bloody knife in his right palm, and his breath finally slowing down.

From above, the repulsor blast came. From above, the light shined down and showered over the White Wolf. Slowly lowering each arm, Bucky gazed skyward into the blinding light, narrowing each eye until the light eventually died down. And from it, lowering his own palm was the hovering body of the Iron Man.

And Tony Stark, from above, met Barnes’ gaze with his lingering one. He nodded down.

Bucky breathed. Nodded back. Watched as Stark flew off without a second more.

Did it fester in his mind? Any waning thoughts that questioned himself as to why he did what he did? Perhaps. Definitely. But Tony Stark had lived an entire life surrounded by his demons, with very few angels by his side. By Tony’s books, it was better to have another angel watching his back than a demon waiting to stab it. And perhaps it was just another opportunity to amend some old wounds.

Regardless of what he thought of himself, what was done was done. No going back. No changing his mind. He made the call and knew it was the right one, thus bringing his focus back to the battle at hand. He soared through the skies in his Mark 85, Homer pointing out targets for him and Tony responding in kind. Repulsors and rockets shot out and destroyed groups of Chitauri, hordes of Outriders, and entire battalions of tanks. Chariots and starships were blown out of the sky, their flaming bodies spinning out of control and crashing past Stark.

Spotting a group of Royal Guard fending off a crowd of blade-wielding Sakaarans, Tony broke flight and landed harshly upon the earth. He brought down a stream of red-hot lasers with him, slicing various Sakaarans in half upon impact. With his feet planted, Iron Man shot out his palms and blew apart several Sakaarans and Outriders that leaped for him. The Royal Guard cast him a quick glance before galloping off, their path cleared, a silent thanks given for the support Tony managed for them.

They didn’t see Tony getting backhanded by a Chitauri Gorilla.

Not even Stark saw that one coming. His back crashed against a pile of rubble and rock, Tony shaking the stars out of his vision and jamming both fists forward, the nanites forming two Repulsor Cannons and firing away. The blasts merely graced the Gorilla’s hide, the beast howling as it reared back with the slab of sharpened rock between its hands and drove it down onto Stark’s Arc Reactor.

Only, it froze mid-way.

Both it and Tony looked back to see the webbing latched onto its arms and keeping it still.

From that webbing, Spider-Man yanked hard and pulled the Gorilla onto its back. The beast dropped the weapon it held, screeching once the shadow hovered over and crashed right on top of it. Giant-Man made sure to press his boot extra deep into the ground before continuing onward, gaze centered on his own battles ahead.

As the giant-sized boot moved on and left the dead Gorilla in the earth, Tony’s arms fell and the nanites relocated to form his hands once more. He tried to stand, but found no need to when Spider-Man leaped forward and grasped his arm. The mask materialized back, the breathless expression of Peter Parker meeting Tony’s and already yammering away at a hundred miles a second.

“Hey! Oh… oh, wow, holy cow. You will not believe what’s been going on!”

And he yammered away, recounting events that occurred to get Tony up to speed. But Tony wasn’t listening. Not really. His focus was centered only to the glistening hair, to the sweating face, to the young and jubilant voice he thought he would never hear again, nor from the kid he thought he would ever see again. Tony’s expression softened at that, the man staring numbly and hearing very little that came from Parker’s lips.

“Do you remember we were at Wakanda, and I got all dusty? I-I must’ve passed out, because when I woke up you were gone! Okay, well Doctor Strange was there, right, and he was all like, ‘Come on, its been five years; they need us!’ Then he did that yellow sparkly thing that he always does, you know? Then we all went back to the Dragon Lands, because he said we needed to round everybody up, and then he was gone for a little while and…”

Tony broke the distance between them, surprising the young Peter Parker with a hug.

“What are you doing?” Peter mumbled, his hands slowly falling and grasping onto Tony’s back. “What are you…?”

Stark never answered his question. He felt there was no need. His wordless response was enough to make him feel whole again, Tony gazing skyward with burning eyes. He closed them both, clutching onto Parker with a secure and assuring vigor, with a bond that he would never break again.

“Oh,” Peter whispered, closing his own eyes when he realized it was an actual hug from Tony Stark. His hero. “This is nice.”

Chapter 176 – Spikezilla

176

The Battle of Earth

6:30 p.m.

They were untouchable. Unseen.

Once they reached the shattered driver’s side window of the van, Hope van Dyne enlarged the same second Scott Lang had. Both Ant-Man and the Wasp retracted their helmets once they were safely inside Luis’ van. With Hope in the passenger seat and Scott adjusting himself in the driver’s seat, Lang ran his gloves across the dashboard and computer resting in front of him. He tried for the key, jamming it inside the ignition and twisting it. Nothing.

Hope shot her gaze back to the Quantum Tunnel still dark. “Hurry up, Scott!” she shouted.

“I can’t!” Scott grumbled, twisting the key again and again and only hearing a dying engine.

She turned to him, brow furrowed. “What?”

“It’s dead!” he shouted, slamming his palms on the steering wheel. All around them, they could see nothing but hordes and hordes of Outriders streaming down the hills past them. Both Ant-Man and the Wasp were momentarily frozen to the unfathomable odds placed against them and the Avengers as a whole. If they failed to get the Quantum Tunnel functioning, then all else failed.

Then, it clicked. Or, more appropriately, it sparked in Scott’s head. He gritted his teeth, bending down beneath the steering wheel and stating, “Here, I gotta hot-wire it.”

Even in the heart of enemy lines, they were unseen. Thanos’ forces were focused elsewhere, anyway. Deeper into the battle and lost within the madness, the Mad Titan himself was currently preoccupied with the three mares and a certain Scarlet Witch. He had diverted all his nearby forces to converge solely to the Infinity Stones. Where they were or where the gauntlet was had yet to be determined, as Thanos was currently in the fight for his life.

Though he had finally managed to gain some footing against his oppressors, they were relentless and kept up their conjoined assault. Derpy and Trixie rained fire from the air. Maud tossed more and more boulders towards Thanos, each one bigger and faster than the last. The challenge not only lied with keeping his eyes on the mares, but also focusing the majority of his effort on the Scarlet Witch.

Wanda Maximoff had broken any distance between them, ensuring Thanos felt every square inch of her wrath. They engaged in hand-to-hand combat, her psionic energy used as both a defensive and offensive means against the Titan’s overwhelming speed and strength. When Thanos slashed at her with his sword, she would block the entire blade with just her palms, the red haze acting as a shield to deflect. When she attacked, her energy shot out and struck the Titan’s armor and exposed body. She was relentless in her pursuit, wrathful in her intent, and unstoppable even when Thanos did not want to admit it.

He reared back and slammed his sword right on top of her, Wanda raising her palms and catching the entire sword in a haze of crimson. Thanos applied even more pressure, his feral glare only intensifying as the light and heat of the psionic energy flowed between them. Wanda pursed her lips, the light in her eyes only glowing brighter and brighter as she managed to release her right palm while still holding the blade against her.

The crimson dots in her stare shifted back to see the gray Pegasus fly high above. A bolt of condensed lightning shot down from Derpy’s Domino Gun, striking Thanos in the spine and eliciting a roar of pain and anger from the Mad Titan. It was all Wanda needed to push back. She rammed her right palm forward, the power of her energy blast knocking Thanos back several feet. The boulder that Maud tossed at Thanos with her Asteroid Gloves sent the Titan even further back.

He crashed against a pillar of rubble and concrete, both Thanos and the boulder tearing through the complete opposite side and rolling several more yards in the dirt. Catching his breath and wincing at the pulse of pain filling his body, Thanos turned to the scream and saw the Witch descend from the skies. Her eyes still glowed that hellish red, her hands encompassed in that same murderous hue as she landed and charged him. Derpy and Maud were right behind her. Perfect.

Quickly rising, Thanos grunted as he reared back and tossed his Double-Edged Sword right for all three of them. While Wanda flew over it and Derpy dodged to the side, Maud was not so fortunate and only had enough of a reaction time to raise a slab of rock from the ground. The sword struck the rock and shattered it, both the fragments and Maud Pie launched backwards and lost within the rubble. Derpy cried out to Maud in that moment, having taken her eyes off Thanos and allowing him to grab her. He gripped the flailing Pegasus in left hand, that enraged murder radiating off his expression. Shooting out his right hand, he caught his sword once it spun back to him, rearing the blade back and intending for the pony’s head.

When Wanda landed, she threw her arms down with her, the charged blast of psionic energy shooting free from her hands and striking Thanos dead in the chest. The blast was strong enough to knock Thanos back several feet. It was strong enough to release his grasp on the Pegasus, Derpy flying out of the Titan’s palm and crashing elsewhere, lost in the dust and fire. Lifting his gaze, Thanos watched as the Witch proceeded towards him, that same energy clouding her palms, her fists, and that feral scream leaving her lungs as she lunged for his weakened state.

He waited. Waited until she was mere feet from him. Then, with his right hand, he backhanded her and sent Wanda crashing through a pile of rocks. She flipped and rolled as she exited the other side, the Scarlet Witch groaning as she tried to stand, tried to push herself up from the dirt. But failed. She fell back to her chest and lay there, regaining her strength and the breath she lost.

With the Witch taken care of, Thanos rose up only to fall back down when the flash of light nearly blinded him. Still standing valiantly against the Mad Titan, Trixie Lulamoon held her ground and planted all four hooves in front of his path. Her cloak and hat flowed viciously in the heated wind, the glare in her eyes strong enough to melt steel. Thanos rose to full height. Trixie ignited her horn.

Blast after blast, Trixie sent continuous magical beams onto the Titan. To her dissatisfaction, however, Thanos only continued to proceed forth. He blocked her attacks with his sword, turning his approach into a sprint, into a leap, as he held his blade high and roared as he drove it down onto the unicorn. Trixie bit her lip as that distance was severed, having no choice but to teleport away at the last second before that blade struck the ground she was on moments ago. As Thanos rose, he was almost expecting her return in another flash of magic. Only nothing came. She had fled.

Thanos caught his breath.

With the four of them dealt with, he brought his attention back to the battle around him. It was a cluster of bodies killing one another in the distance, energy bolts and gunfire ringing out and colliding with the constant explosions consuming the earth and the air. Within the skies, dogfights raged and airships did battle with Thanos’ Leviathans. His Chitauri Command Centers kept resupplying his forces, his Sanctuary II glaring down upon the war within the clouds. On its way towards his ship, the War Horse hovered over the battlefield and bombarded it, its cannons firing both above and below as the heart of the war in the skies surrounded the massive airship. His Chitauri Titans stomped miles apart, swinging their arms and destroying various Ravager warships and Equestrian airships. A swarm of dragons consumed an entire section of the battlefield, breathing their flames across his armies.

That was where his forces congregated. That was where the Infinity Stones were.

Having acquired the minimal rest he needed, Thanos sprinted towards the fire with blade in hand. As he ran, he cast his eyes skywards and watched the quadruped Chitauri Titan stomp forth on the various Wakandans, changelings, and swiping high at the Hippogriffs with its pincers. By the time he was close enough, Thanos breathed in and shouted to the very peak his vocal cords could offer.

“Retrieve the Stones!”

Flinching at his booming voice, the Chitauri Titan slowly turned and caught its lord and master sprinting towards the dragons. It saw as Thanos pointed his blade forward, at his destination. Recalling the order Thanos gave, the Titan growled and turned its attention to the dragons. They remained a mile away, casting their flames onto the battlefield and lighting up the evening darkness already filled with smoke and death. Within the fires, the Titan could see them, the Stones. It roared, picking its claws up and proceeding towards the Nano Gauntlet.

And the Black Panther that held it.

As for King T’Challa, his pathway between the dragons proved to be quite advantageous. Any Chitauri, Sakaaran, or Outrider that tried to follow him were instantly scorched and slaughtered by the various dragons that crowded together and filled the section of the valley. From the adult dragons breathing in deeply and spewing fires across the wastelands, their necks towering over T’Challa, and even to the younger dragons battling Thanos’ forces with blades and axes in close combat. All of it was consumed in war and death, a massacre of all who stood against the Dragon Nation.

Just as T’Challa was about to make his exit to a clear and free path towards the van, he halted. He froze only when the ground quivered. Every dragon did. The fires ceased, every adult dragon lifting their heads in unison. Another tremor washed across the battlefield. Every head turned and rose, from every Chitauri, dragon, and one Black Panther.

Through the billowing smoke corroding the battlegrounds, there emerged the silhouette mightier than any dragon on the earth or in the skies. From the smoke, all four pincers of the Chitauri Titan shot out to join the beast’s ear-shattering roar. The quadruped stomped forth, crushing entire legions of both Chitauri and Equestrians alike. It cared not for the masses below. Its glare, its teeth, its head, all of it was centered just on them. Just on him.

On Black Panther and what he held.

In response to the mightier being, the adult dragons all backed away, roaring and shooting out their wings to hopefully ward off the greater threat. The Titan responded with another roar of its own, shaking the entire battlefield and every bone that consumed it. Various adult dragons gave one more fleeting roar before they flew off, retreating as the Titan entered the vicinity. Few dragons remained, both the young and the old further backing away. T’Challa found himself backpedaling, his eyes widened to the insurmountable odds placed before him. The Titan glared his way, stomped closer and closer, and narrowed its focus on the Nano Gauntlet in the Panther’s arms.

Between its titanic, towering leg, T’Challa could barely make out the image of the van slowly being lost within the madness of war. Grumbling to that, Black Panther tightened his grip on the gauntlet and spun around. He would find another way.

Yet the second he spun around he was met with the Double-Edged Sword striking him across the head.

T’Challa was thrown violently across the valley, his body spinning and crashing upon the earth. His grunts and groans were limited, the Black Panther forcing himself to shake away the stars and turn towards the imminent threat. To his shock and horror, the Mad Titan sprinted at him, rearing back once more with his blade and bringing it down on T’Challa. He dodged to the side, gauntlet under his left arm, allowing his right to retaliate against Thanos.

The Black Panther slashed at Thanos’ armor and exposed skin, only managing to strike the Titan’s golden plating and send sparks across the dirt and rock. He spun in mid-air, slamming his feet across Thanos’ face and continuously pelting him with shorter, weaker hits that barely even phased the Dark Lord. Knowing his strikes did not even bring the Titan to a staggering state, T’Challa backed away, his body defensively protecting the Nano Gauntlet. Thanos overwhelmed him in seconds.

His blade swung for the Panther’s head, T’Challa barely dodging. Low, Thanos rammed his hand across the king’s face, T’Challa faltering backwards and nearly collapsing. He fumbled back to his feet, forcing himself to the Titan and meeting the ferocious glare face to face. Despite the odds, the Black Panther held his ground. He defended the Infinity Stones, with his life if need be.

“T’Challa!”

The younger voice cried out and earned both of their eyes, both Thanos and Black Panther turning to see the young dragon flying several yards in the distance. Spike waved his arms and claws up high and above his head, his wings beating to keep him airborne, his own eyes wide with adrenaline.

Spike yelled, “I’m open!”

That was enough for Thanos. He growled and roared as he slammed his blade down on the Black Panther. But not before T’Challa had time to give it off. He passed the torch onto Spike, rearing back and tossing the Nano Gauntlet with all his strength. He grunted as he released the gauntlet into the air, cried out as that blade struck him and rammed him into the earth. Though his suit protected him, T’Challa lost his breath on the impact. His eyes weakly rose, joining Thanos’ momentarily shocked gaze when they saw the gauntlet fly off into the distance.

Spike, having greatly misjudged his position, gasped and flew back as fast as he could manage. T’Challa had thrown the gauntlet with all his might, and that might had managed to send the glove several dozen yards behind where Spike was hovering. Despite that, Spike never gave up. He beat his wings furiously as he tore through the air, dodged the energy blasts and explosions filling both the earth and the sky, and kept his eyes on the prize. Everyone did. Just before the gauntlet could land in the growing crowd of Chitauri preparing to catch it, Spike zipped in at the last second and snatched the Nano Gauntlet right out of the air.

“I got it!” Spike announced triumphantly, flying high above and disregarding the Chitauri, knowing they had no chance of reaching him. He held the Nano Gauntlet over his head, slowly bringing it down in his arms. “I got…! I…”

Despite his better instincts, Spike found himself slowly entranced by the gauntlet, more so, by the gemstones resting on its face. His eyes fell and widened to the mere sight of all six Infinity Stones, their rainbow of colors shimmering and illuminating untold power and might. Up close and personal, his natural dragon instincts took control, the sparkle in his eyes and the greedy hunger in his stomach quickly overcoming the young Spike.

He was so mesmerized by the gems that he failed to move in time, a single Outrider leaping from the crowds and tackling Spike. It brought him back to the earth, where that crowd of Outriders swarmed and piled on top of the dragon within seconds.

“Spike!” Twilight cried from where she flew, the horror in her eyes joining the likes of Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. Applejack and Pinkie Pie fought off the nearby Outriders, both mares turning accordingly to Twilight’s cry, seeing the massive dogpile of Outriders and fearing the worst for their dragon friend.

Shooting out her wings, Twilight tightened her wounded expression and sought to dive down and save him. She could see as Thanos was already charging forth to Spike’s location, the odds quickly rising against them the longer they waited. Her best friends were right beside her, intent on charging together and meeting the Mad Titan face to face if need be.

Only, she didn’t need to. None of them needed to.

Twilight, Rarity, Rainbow, and Fluttershy halted in mid-air. Applejack and Pinkie skidded to a halt. They slowly backed away from where they stood, Applejack’s jaw continuously falling and eyes continuously growing wider and wider. As did Pinkie’s wicked grin. Both mares felt their heads lean back further and further, just to catch a portion of him. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash slowly glided backwards, but not Rarity. Not Twilight. They both were awestruck, frozen where they hovered, and couldn’t help but share a smile. Tiny smiles, but nonetheless relieved. Nonetheless completely captivated.

In the valley of fire, Dragon Lord Ember flew by and watched as her various dragons soared in the opposite direction. She cast them all an enraged glare, jamming her Bloodstone Scepter back to the Chitauri Titan and screaming, “We do not retreat! Get back to the fight and—!”

A new roar shot out and shook her body, filled the entire war, and lasted for several seconds on end. With her feral glare fading, Ember turned to it. Every dragon followed her, spinning accordingly both within the air and upon the earth. All could hardly believe what they were witnessing. An entire portion of the battlefield silenced and turned to the roar, to the massive being only growing taller and taller, mightier and mightier. Armies halted. The fighting ceased in the valley. Every eye turned and gazed wonder and shock to the behemoth of a dragon rising up from the earth.

The Outriders were the first to die when Spike was unleashed.

His body grew more and more massive. The greed-induced enlargement brought Spike to new heights, leaving the ground behind and rising above it. Rising above practically everything else. Once his shadow had fully cascaded, Spike unfurled his wings and roared once again. His towering size and frame turned every head to rise up and meet him, his wings reaching out so far that he might as well have touched each end of the battlefield. His neck towered and led to his massive head, the rows of razor-sharp teeth flaring outwards upon the dragon’s war cry. His left claws were unsheathed. His right claws were closed into a fist.

That same fist that held the Nano Gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones.

All it took was one look at his scales for Ember to know exactly who it was. She smirked as Spike’s roar continued to fill the air, the Dragon Lord muttering, “Not bad, kid.”

Thanos froze where he stood. He grimaced at the sight of the colossal dragon, his breathing growing heavier, more uncontrolled.

As for Spike, he slowly closed his mouth once his roar had ceased, his eyes glaring ahead to the many beasts and aliens that stood in his path. All swarmed towards him and what he held. He growled to it all, hearing the responding growls and shifting his gaze over to them. The mere sight of the beast that stood before Spike made the dragon’s scales burn, the rage and hatred all boiling down to the unfathomable greed that had consumed the young dragon. In his current state, his mind was lost. All that mattered to him now were the Infinity Stones. His gemstones.

None would take them.

The Chitauri Titan slammed its claws onto the earth, roaring at Spike with enough intensity to deafen all life. Spike roared back. He drove his own claws onto the ground, tearing through absolutely everything as he and the Titan collided and shook the world.

Chapter 177 – The Shaken Earth

177

The Battle of Earth

6:33 p.m.

Anything caught within a mile’s radius all turned their focus to the clash of the titans. All battles, all conflicts, everything that raged upon the earth and soared across the skies brought their attention onto the earth-trembling, sky-quaking, and utterly jaw-dropping spectacle of the two beasts.

They watched Spike and the Chitauri Titan in their devastating clash, the two titans ripping, clawing, biting, and slashing at one another. Effective and without remorse in their pursuit to kill one another. As for the bystanders such as the Elements of Harmony, they either flew or galloped out of danger once the two monsters waged their battle into their immediate vicinity. But not Twilight. Not Rarity. They hovered in place and never took their eyes off of Spike. Even Thanos retreated back to take cover, having little to no power in his current situation. He never took his eyes off his own Titan, gritting his teeth with every strike it inflicted, wincing with every impact upon its body. What little power he had was focused solely on taking down the dragon and what he held.

In Spike’s right claw, he held the Nano Gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones in an iron grip.

An iron grip that never faltered and never broke even against consistently intensifying odds. For it was not only the Chitauri Titan he had to deal with, but the increasing waves of Chitauri, Outriders, and Sakaarans both in the air and on the ground. They swarmed his legs and tail to the best of their abilities, the Outriders clutching and biting and slashing at Spike’s hardened scales, all in their efforts to latch themselves onto the dragon and crawl higher and higher onto him. Hopefully to overwhelm him. Chariots, starships, and Necrocrafts hovered and flew around Spike’s head and body, dive-bombing the gargantuan dragon with laser bolts and rockets to attract his focus.

While they were a nuisance, Spike was undeterred. He simply shook his head to wave off the swarm of Chitauri and Sakaaran forces. His focus was never brought away from the main threat, from the beast that sought his prize. His gems. The Titan screeched and snapped at him with all four of its pincers, reaching for his throat with its blade-like claws. Spike roared, spinning around and slamming his tail across the beast’s forelegs. Hundreds of Outriders were thrown violently from Spike’s tail and legs upon his rapid movements, scattered across the battlefield. The Titan roared as it nearly crashed to its right, its legs buckling and stance shaken.

Spike growled, his jagged teeth bared and the dragon zeroing in for the kill. He reared up with his left claws fully unsheathed, intending to strike the beast on its head. The quadruped Chitauri was ready for him. It was simply waiting for the dragon to get close. Jutting out its right and largest pincer, the Titan caught Spike’s left arm within its blade-like claws. Startled at that, Spike gazed to his arm and was wholly unprepared for the remaining pincers.

They struck him one at a time, the smaller right pincer shooting low and latching onto Spike’s side abdomen. The largest of the left pincers caught Spike’s throat, pushing the dragon back and nearly knocking him off his feet. The last pincer, the smaller of the left, grabbed Spike’s right arm and pried at his claw, at his wrist. Trying to sever the claw from the arm to acquire the Stones. Roaring at that, the Chitauri stomped forth and managed to push the immense dragon backwards. Spike howled as he lost his footing and fell on his back.

A tremor washed across the battlefield and knocked soldiers and warriors off their balance, the earth cracking and nearly shattering closer to the impact. The Titan’s forelegs reared high, its own claws slamming down onto Spike’s chest. The dragon cried out at that, only continuing to hiss and screech as the Chitauri slowly straddled over him. Once the beast’s head came into view, Spike glared deep into the rows of towering, jagged teeth before his neck was pushed back from the pincer. The Titan opened its maw, unveiling its fangs, its daggers, its unholy teeth that slowly descended onto the dragon’s exposed neck.

Spike did not allow it. The blistering flame within him grew hotter and hotter, building brighter in his chest until that enhanced stream of green fire exited his jaws with resounding power. The Chitauri Titan met the full weight of the dragon’s strength, the fires impacting its face and pushing the Titan off Spike’s chest. It only continued to further slide back against the flames, every pincer raised to try and block the green onslaught, the Titan’s feet and claws digging deeper into the earth with every yard lost.

When Spike had gained a considerable advantage and had risen back to his feet, he spread and his wings and kicked off the earth. A wave of dust washed across the immediate battlegrounds, the shock wave of his wings following quickly afterwards. Entire battalions of Chitauri were ripped from the earth, tanks flailing like they weighed nothing in the shock wave. The Titan tilted its head skywards, gazing into the blackened clouds and seeing the dark silhouette emerge from the streaks of lingering sunlight. Spike’s wings were enormous, making the dragon appear so much larger, so much more terrifying. So much more powerful as he descended.

In his descent, Spike landed with his feet first, crashing directly onto the Titan and driving the Chitauri fiercely into the earth. It fell on its back, its spine shattering against the earth and from the immense pressure laying atop of it. As the Chitauri howled in mixtures of agony and fury, Spike ceased it all when he roughly drove his foot into the creature’s throat. The dragon growled as he narrowed the distance between himself and his foe’s head. Then, before he could bring himself closer, Spike reared back, jaws agape, and took in that breath to fill his titanic lungs with blistering flames. The green fire consumed his neck, making his scales glow. His wings slowly unfurled, each pointed tip held intimidatingly over the Titan’s prone form for one final blow.

And just before Spike could release that breath, a Leviathan swam forward and latched its jaws around Spike’s throat. It wasn’t alone.

A second Leviathan was followed shortly by a third, all three grabbing onto Spike and dragging him off their fellow Chitauri. The second bit down onto Spike’s left arm, the third grabbing onto Spike’s right. Collectively, they pulled the dragon off despite Spike’s roaring protests. He tried to fly, his wings batting fiercely but going nowhere. The Leviathans kept him grounded, kept him far enough from the Titan so it could recover. Spike howled and screamed, his claws merely scratching the hides of the Leviathans but unable to shake them off.

They intended to bring him down. They intended to launch themselves into the earth in order to bring the dragon on his back so Thanos’ armies could swarm him from every angle while he was prone and wounded. They did not intend for more dragons to arrive. But that is exactly what transpired.

The dragon army arrived and attacked the Leviathans with ruthless aggression. They were not as large as the Chitauri beasts, but they were numerous. They were stronger together. Their sheer numbers and individual strengths greatly outweighed anything the Chitauri could have held back against. So, when they fell, they fell collectively, all three Leviathans consumed in a wave of dragons and crashing to the earth. Spike watched as the dragons flew over his head, slowly arising from the ground and maintaining his footing. He saw a blistering stream of red-hot fire escape the gem of one Bloodstone Scepter, Spike twisting his gaze to its holder.

Dragon Lord Ember fired relentlessly to the swarming Chitauri and Sakaarans in the skies, clearing them to the best of her ability. Without a helmet to shield her feral expression, Ember instead brought her gaze to her left, spotting the massive eyes blinking to her and awaiting some kind of response. Almost as if Spike was momentarily taken aback by her actions.

Ember noted that. She twirled her scepter and jutted it forward, shouting, “He’s all yours!”

That was all he needed to hear. Growling with insatiable hunger and ferocity, Spike arose and stomped towards his desired kill. The Chitauri Titan was nowhere near ready to rise fully again, but when the dragon’s shadow fell over it, the Titan did its best to ignore the pain in its veins and rise up instead. Spike didn’t even give it a chance. He reared up with his foot and drove it into the creature’s side, slamming it back down onto the ground.

The Titan howled in pain, but that was only the start of its misery. It turned in its prone state to defend itself, pincers raised and snapping at the dragon. Spike was ready that time, grabbing one pincer after the other with his left claw and ripping them free from the Titan’s body. The Chitauri screeched. Spike simply growled and tossed the limbs aside, not caring where they landed or who they crushed into descent onto that battlefield. In his ravenous hatred and fury, Spike’s only desire was to see his foe dead by his own claws. He got exactly what he yearned for. His lust, his greed, it consumed his vision.

Spike roared.

The Titan rolled and tried to rise up, but Spike stopped it and caught its forelegs dangling in the air. Grasping the right leg with his left claw, Spike drove his right fist into the foreleg and snapped it. The other foreleg was dealt with similarly. Ignoring the Titan’s cries of anguish and suffering, Spike sought instead to silence them. He shot forward with the speed of a viper, driving his jaws around the creature’s throat and biting. Twisting. Turning. Rearing back and ripping the Chitauri’s head clean from the rest of its body. Blood and blackness spewed forth from irreparable wounds, raining down across the wastelands and those unfortunate Chitauri that were caught underneath it.

But he was not finished. As the rest of the body fell back onto the earth, Spike reached up with his left claw and pried at the Titan’s upper jaw, digging his claws into its mouth and pulling. With every ounce of strength within the massive dragon’s limb and jaws, Spike ripped the Titan’s jaw and face from the rest of its head. Bones split and even more vile pieces of the beast rained down, painting the towering dragon in its lifeblood. Spike did not seem to care. He relished in it. His jaws opened and what remained of the creature’s head fell to the earth. The only sounds echoing across the battlefield in that moment were Spike’s reverberating roars, spittle and blood flowing free from Spike’s fangs to accompany his victorious bellows.

He gazed to his left claw covered in black sickness. He dropped the Chitauri’s upper jaw onto the earth and let it rest with the other remains of the beast. The sounds of warfare were quick to return as his roars ceased, bringing the dragon’s attention onto it. Before him, he witnessed a battle in the skies unfolding. Even more Chitauri battled the dragon army, two more Titans further off in the distance and killing all that stood in their path. And all that stood in his path was just another body, no sides and no coalitions any longer in Spike’s eyes. It was just him, and everything else was a target. Everything was clear for the taking. Spike’s glare narrowed. He licked his blood-covered lips and took that first tremoring stomp forward.

“Spike!”

While Ember and the dragon army dealt with the remaining Chitauri in the air, Spike let his lesser instincts get the better of him. That familiar voice called to him from the earth and he allowed himself to fall for it, to turn and face that tiny, insignificant speck to his utter greatness. Two specks to be precise. One purple… and one white.

While the other mares took cover—and rightfully so—to avoid being crushed by Spike’s battle with the Chitauri, Twilight and Rarity never backed away. They looked nowhere else but onto Spike as he descended further and further into a state that was unbecoming of him. A state that simply wasn’t him. They watched with horror in their eyes as Spike slaughtered the Titan, even as it gave in and cried for mercy. Fluttershy could tell. And Spike killed it. Without remorse. Without conscience. Twilight was uncertain of the greed-induced bigness aiding their efforts, and she was right. Spike’s feral greed had grown too much, and it needed to be stopped.

“Spike, this isn’t you!” Twilight called out, hovering high above in her Iron Mare armor. She tried to sever that distance between her and Spike, the dragon growling softly to her presence. She did not turn aside. She did not back away. She stared fully into her friend’s eyes. “We don’t want you to lose yourself!”

Rarity shared her stance, joined her in the air, and flew even higher.

“Come back, Spikey-Wikey!” Rarity cried, until she was only mere yards away from the dragon’s snout. “We don’t want to lose you! I don’t want to lose you…”

Spike’s feral glare… slowly cooled. The second he heard the sincerity in her voice—the generosity to ease the greed—Spike no longer saw red. He no longer saw the faceless bodies and instead saw her. Saw Rarity. The other mares emerged from their cover, all gazing up worriedly at their dragon friend. Spike gazed to them, then to Twilight, and slowly back to Rarity.

He and every mare near him swiveled their heads around when Spider-Man swung into view.

Shooting his strand of webbing onto Spike’s extended wings, Peter Parker gained even more speed and velocity in his leap. As he swung past Spike’s head, Peter called out, “Hey, Spike! Hit me with the gauntlet! Come on, I got it!”

Though clearly contemplating what had just transpired, Spike was stuck in a deeper, more intimate struggle within himself. He slowly unfurled his right claws, gazing to the tiny, insignificant gauntlet resting on his open palm. It was never the gauntlet he craved, but the six glowing gemstones upon it. Seeing them again uprooted those urges that had transformed Spike from the child he once was to the beast he had now become. He was nearly tempted by their glow once more, his eyes slowly flickering to the blood painted on his left claw, to the dead Titan. He stared at Rarity, met the desperation in her beautiful eyes.

And narrowed his own.

With more strength than he could possibly offer, Spike reared back and released the gauntlet from his grasp. The Infinity Stones twinkled under the light of the evening sun, Spike almost gazing to it with that longing despair. But, like all material things, they disappeared. They were handed off to the next soul willing to defend them and bring them closer to the ultimate goal. Spider-Man caught that gauntlet. He wrapped it in a protective embrace beneath his arm and swung towards the van. Towards the Quantum Tunnel. Spike watched them both fade away within the smoke and madness.

“Move out! They’ve taken the Stones!”

That piercing roar filled Spike’s ears and ignited the spark in his eyes. He slowly turned to face it, the towering dragon blowing heated steam from his nostrils when he followed that voice and met the glare of another Titan. A glare that didn’t last when the dragon turned to face him.

Thanos felt his expression crumble when that same dragon that had decimated his Chitauri Titan turned that same fiery ferocity onto him alone. Even with countless waves of Outriders, Sakaarans, and other Chitauri flowing free past him, none of it mattered when they could not match the sheer size and strength of the dragon. He took a step back.

Spike roared and charged directly for him.

Thanos jammed his sword forward, screaming, “Concentrate fire! Hold it back!”

They tried to. Every Chitauri and Sakaaran with a laser rifle pointed those firearms to the sky and unloaded everything they had onto the dragon. They were all washed away once Spike’s immense body crashed against the earth and crawled towards the Mad Titan. Outriders were crushed. Chitauri were thrown about. Everything else between Spike and Thanos was meaningless. Even with those treacherous odds against him, Thanos didn’t relent. He reared back with his sword and swung it for the dragon’s claws. He was too slow. Spike was too fast.

He wrapped his claws around the Mad Titan and rolled across the battlefield with Thanos in tow. Thanos felt his body being thrashed about, unable to control himself in the hand of another. When they had settled, when Spike arose and raised his claw to his face, he was glaring into the eyes of one Mad Titan. Spike growled and tightened his grip, slowly, painfully, closing his claw into a fist.

Thanos howled in agony as he felt his body being constricted, slowly crushed tighter and tighter until he could hardly breathe. His jaw was tight, teeth flared and gritted together. Through his narrowed eyes and painful grunts, he could see various starships hovering in the distance and facing him, the Chitauri Elite that piloted them awaiting their master’s word.

He gave it to them.

“Bring the shaken earth!”

His last breath given before he had lost the rest. The nearest Elite who had answered his cries tapped onto its control console, connecting with the lone dropship that had yet to open. The Elite opened it. The twisted machination from within the towering dropship’s containment slithered into the madness of the battlefield and vanished within it. It left an empty shell, the last dropship open and holding nothing but blackness within.

But unleashed upon the battlefield, the trembles flowed and slithered until it washed entire landscapes under an inescapable earthquake. The earth was split apart, entire armies flung from the ground as various cracks broke apart the dirt and land on the battlefield. Those cracks, those trembles, that slithering presence moved faster and faster to the blindside of the massive dragon. And unbeknownst to Spike, it had reached him before he had time to properly react. It reached him before he could close his fist.

Tunneling forth from the earth in a wave of dust and rock, the Chitauri Driller shrieked its terrible war cry. It spewed from beneath the ground like a sea serpent, its boring drills slamming against Spike and tearing through his scales with ravaged ferocity.

Spike howled at that, the mixtures of pain and anger fleeing his jaws like that of a wounded beast. He had no choice and no sense of his surroundings any longer when he released Thanos from his grasp. The Mad Titan dropped faster and faster, a starship flying down and catching the Dark Lord before he could hit the earth at killing speeds. Dipping low, the starship nearly touched the ground when Thanos leaped off of it. His feet skidded several yards before eventually bringing the Titan to a halt. Once he stopped, he spun around, twirled his sword, and latched his gaze onto the warring beasts.

That time, his didn’t lose.

The Chitauri Driller shrieked once more, driving more and more of its tendril-like arms onto Spike’s body. The drills on each end of its arms spun ferociously and ripped through Spike’s hardened scales in multiple areas, drawing blood with each stab. Spike screamed at that, his claws grasping and ripping and tearing at the beast to gain some form of advantage. Its armor was thicker than the Titan’s, and it would not release its grasp on Spike. To Spike’s own growing dismay, his mind tried to betray him once more, tried to convince him that he had been reduced from the greatest threat on the battlefield to just another flailing, falling liability. Just like that. Just because he wouldn’t give in to his urges.

Spike closed his tear-stained eyes.

He tightened his jaw and pressed both claws back onto the Driller.

He gave one last bellowing cry and ripped the Chitauri free from his body. But not without the Driller taking several scales and even more drops of blood in return. Spike could not care. Through his fading vision, he saw only the snapping jaws and the whirring drills of the beast and threw it away. With the last of his strength, he threw it away and fell to his knees upon that exertion.

The Chitauri Driller crashed to the ground and rolled several times before finally resting on its stomach. Though it wanted to engage a second time, it heard the orders from its lord and master and proceeded to retreat. It waited long enough for Thanos to grab hold of its armored hide before slithering away across the earth, through the sea of bodies both of its own kind and of the unruly Avengers.

Thanos leaped from its body and disappeared in the battle. In doing so, he allowed the Chitauri Driller to sink back into the earth. It was set free, allowed to spread devastation and calamity wherever it emerged. Time and time again, the Driller would rise up from the ground to attack the armies of the Avengers. It would always escape before they had the chance to retaliate, only to see it leaping high again after a few moments of chaotic stillness. Only to witness it kill more and more before diving down and vanishing beneath the earth.

Spike tried to give chase to it. He tried to prove himself once more and rose up, only to immediately fall and press his claws against the earth. It was not only the blood of his enemies that rained from him, but also his own blood, the red mixed with the black. Breathing in and out with his wearied, wounded breath, Spike slowly felt his eyes flutter to a close.

Then, he heard her voice.

“Spike!”

Their voice.

With his fleeting strength and failing will, Spike gave in and released the lustful urges from his body. All he needed at that moment was to rest. All he needed from that moment on was to lay down. His body gave in with him and shrunk to his new restful desires. He shrunk into the awaiting forelegs of a certain alabaster unicorn, who caught him before he could hit the ground and held him with the care and intensity of a soothing mother.

Together, they descended to the remaining five Elements. As Rarity touched ground, her Iron Mare died down and the unicorn hugged and kissed the young dragon repeatedly. His cheek was warm with her kisses, Spike’s eyes fluttering open to be filled with several colorful faces, several relieved expressions, and several voices crying out for him.

“Oh, Spikey-Wikey!” Rarity cooed, hugging the dragon fiercely and planting one more kiss on his cheek for good measure. “Thank Celestia you’re all right!”

Twilight hugged him, too, the Alicorn nuzzling the young dragon with her cheek against his. She leaned in close to his ear and breathed. In that whisper, Spike heard her tell him, “Thank you for never losing who you are.”

While the mares proceeded to shower him with worrying glances and gentle touches to his injuries, Spike merely groaned and lifted his head. He tried to scan his surroundings, but instead fell back into Rarity’s forelegs. His eyes could barely stay open. The various cuts on his scales were minor compared to his larger self, but the scale and intensity of what he had just gone through was finally rushing to catch up with him. It was almost too much for his mind to process. All he could manage were glimpses, fragments of what he had done. From that, he could only offer a question, a mumble that left his lips.

“Did I do good?”

The six mares cast one another an uncertain stare. Rarity, in particular, saw all he had done, what remained of his carnage. From the towering corpse of the Chitauri Titan, to the tattered and scorched battlegrounds filled with green flame and trampled legions of Thanos’ armies. The earth was shattered and on fire from his actions alone, all conflicts having ceased within the immediate vicinity and abandoned to take place elsewhere. On more solid ground.

Rarity grimaced at it all, but nonetheless sighed, “While we should have a talk about your… ahem, ‘methods’… ultimately… you did so good.” She rewarded him with another hug, the remaining five mares joining her and wrapping Spike in that tender, loving embrace.

All Spike could offer in return was a cough, a tiny smirk, and a quiet, “Cool.”

The war raged on without them.

And it followed behind Spider-Man.

With the Nano Gauntlet—and more importantly, the Infinity Stones—in his grasp, any nearby Chitauri forces abandoned whatever conflict they had, be it with Asgardian, Wakandan, and Equestrian, and turned their focus onto what really mattered. They fired their energy rifles into the sky. Their chariots dotted the air and chased closely. More and more Outriders and Sakaarans turned to the chaos and followed it. All of them focusing on Spider-Man.

He was swinging onto anything he could find. His webbing shot out and stuck the bottoms of chariots, warships, Leviathans, and even airships falling to the earth in flames. Anything Parker could latch his webbing onto and bring him closer to the Quantum Tunnel, he used to his advantage. Sooner rather than later, he ran out of things to grab onto. The skies were momentarily clear and he was hurtling for the ground and fast.

Thinking even faster, Peter landed on an unsuspecting Outrider. The armies of Thanos instantly swarmed him. He was ready. Peter shouted, “Activate Instant-Kill!”

His helpful AI Karen did not respond in her friendly, fluid, and feminine voice. The only response he received was his HUD turning red and every target within his immediate area getting a big target painted on them. The blues of his mask’s eyes narrowed into dots of fiery-red intensity. His Iron Spider unleashed four extra spider-arms, each equipped with a sharpened, dagger-like end.

Though he never tried it before, Instant-Kill Mode worked as well as he expected.

It killed. A lot.

Any Outrider, Sakaaran, or Chitauri that tried to swarm him, that tried to overwhelm Peter with their increasing numbers were met with the ends of each spider-leg. They moved on their own, targeting and effectively eliminating any threat against Peter. The bodies piled higher and higher around Parker, until even his Instant-Kill Mode proved to be fruitless against them.

“Okay… okay!” Peter shouted, his voice growing more concerned as the alien grabbed at his spider-legs, pried them apart, and reached for the gauntlet in his arms. “It’s getting too much! I don’t got this! Someone help!”

He saw the iron suit swoop downwards towards him, prompting for Parker to hold out his free hand. He did so, the metals of each palm slapping together and the suit of armor pulling him free from the increasing waves of enemies. Peter watched as those enemies became smaller and smaller, and they only reached higher. Turning back to thank Tony Stark, Peter was surprised to see the blue Iron Man armor, only to realize it wasn’t Iron Man.

Inside her Rescue suit, Pepper Stark met his eyes and shouted, “Hang on; I got ya, kid!”

Peter held on. He held on as Pepper tore through the raging skies and fired her repulsors onto anything that tried to thwart their pursuit. The van was only getting closer, the blues of the Spider-Man’s eyes widening to see it just in the distance. Probably a mile or two away. But before they could get any closer, the two were blown out of the sky by a starship. Rescue hadn’t seen it. The Elite had been trailing them and only dive-bombed when Pepper was focused ahead. She crashed elsewhere, releasing Parker despite her greatest efforts.

Peter crashed and rolled, his spider-legs breaking apart and crumbling upon impact. His various grunts and yelps were nothing compared to the reverberating roars and stampeding feet awaiting him. Lifting his head, Spider-Man’s eyes widened even more so to see the three Chitauri Gorillas charge him with a wave of Outriders following close behind. He scrambled to his feet, his left hand jutted outwards and readying a web grenade. It was all he could think of. It was all he had left in his arsenal to protect the Infinity Stones.

Just before the Gorillas could even think of reaching him, they were all blown away when that golden light fell from the sky and struck the ground with resounding force. The shock wave was so strong that it ripped every Gorilla and every Outrider from the earth and flung them several meters away, where they didn’t get back up. The shock wave was so strong that it knocked Peter on his back, the young Spider-Man clutching the Nano Gauntlet and praying for dear life.

Instead of death, silence settled over him. Silence and his own cautious breathing.

When he opened his eyes, he saw only a human woman standing over him and wearing a bright red, blue, and gold uniform, gazing down at the Spider-Man with a curious smirk.

“H-hey,” Peter nervously greeted, his mask materializing back to show her he was one of them and not an alien. He never let go of the gauntlet he cradled close to his face. “Hi, I-I’m… Peter Parker.”

Captain Marvel smiled even wider.

“Hey Peter Parker,” Carol greeted in return. “You got something for me?”

With a small stream of blood flowing down his nose, Peter nodded regardless. Carol bent down and gripped his forearm, pulling the kid back to his feet. Standing together, the two of them suddenly got a call in their comms, Carol raising her hand to her ear and Peter doing the same.

It was Scott Lang’s voice telling them, “If anyone out there is still listening, we got the Quantum Tunnel running. It’s ready for you!”

Captain America was quick to respond. “Does anyone have the Stones?!”

“I do, Cap,” Carol responded, taking the gauntlet out of Peter’s hands. She cast her eyes across the battlefield and lingered on that sight of the van’s open rear, where the swirling portal of the Quantum Tunnel was bright and waiting. Both Scott and Hope waved to them before shrinking down and flying off together.

Leaving just the portal. And with it… a choice. A choice to take the Infinity Stones back in time, back to where they belonged, and out of Thanos’ hands. But in doing so ensured that whoever made that jump had no guarantee of ever coming back without the Pym Particles. Carol froze at that thought, then to the emerging signs of Thanos’ reinforcements filling the earth and skies before her, blocking her straight shot route to the Quantum Tunnel.

Her gloved-fists tightened around the gauntlet. One hand rose up, pressed against her ear.

“And don’t worry… I’ll find a way back,” Carol muttered.

Steve Rogers seemed to express the same uncertainty that Carol felt, and even though she didn’t see him, she could still picture his expression. His rugged determination somehow managing to overshadow his team, his friends, and everyone he cared for. In the end, that silent bond between the captains told them that they both knew what needed to be done.

And that they were both willing to see it through. “Godspeed, Danvers.”

Steve’s voice fell silent. Carol dropped her hand.

In that silence between them, all that remained was the last hurdle until the end of the race. One last army of Chitauri of every race, Outriders of every size, and Sakaarans of every arsenal stampeding forth to the two lone Avengers. It was an impressive battalion, Carol had to admit. Her expression showed her enthusiasm through steadfast fury.

Peter gazed alongside her, his expression more winded, more broken if anything else. He shook his head and turned her way, saying, “I don’t know how you’re gonna get through all that.”

Carol met his gaze, and for a moment, almost responded. Then, in the corner of her vision, she saw them. The fury in her eyes, in her expression, slowly melted away into another glowing smirk. One that she just couldn’t help.

“Don’t worry…” Captain Marvel said. Peter felt the earth rumble, Spider-Man gazing down to see the rocks trembling by his feet. He heard the flapping of wings, the bursts of magic, and trampling of hooves wash over the area. He could only turn back to Carol Danvers, the Avenger smiling his way.

“I got help.”

Both of them turned then to the many who came to their aid, who would help ensure the Infinity Stones never fell into Thanos’ grasp again. The Dragon Lord Ember was the first to fall from the skies, striking the earth and rising slowly with her Bloodstone Scepter in hand. She twirled it and growled to the masses ahead, slowly beginning her approach. By her side, the changeling king Thorax and his brother Pharynx glided down and joined the Dragon Lord. The brothers cast one another a quick glance, an even quicker nod, and strode forward with Ember. Queen Novo descended from above, the Hippogriff turning to Ember and seeing that shared comradery between the two. She gripped her spear, Ember her scepter, and stomped onwards.

The Young Six were quick to join, sneaking in through the bodies and glaring ahead to Thanos’ final line. Yona snorted and smirked, pawing at the dirt as Gallus glided forward alongside Silverstream. Ocellus, Smolder, and Sandbar emerged, as well, all six friends joined as one and pushing ahead. Autumn Blaze came forth in a pillar of fire, the Kirin having returned but still holding that fiery blaze in her pupils. Chancellor Neighsay sprung forth from his personal portal, bringing with him Daring Do, Prince Rutherford, and Capper Dapperpaws. The feline cracked his knuckles, Daring Do her neck, and Rutherford the ground beneath him with every reverberating stomp he took.

In a shared flash of magic, Princess Cadance, Princess Flurry Heart, and Prince Shining Armor walked together with the infant straddling her mother’s back. Shining twirled his sword. Cadance narrowed her glare and ignited her horn. Sunburst and Starlight came forth from their personal teleportation spells, the two best friends finally reunited and giving one another that quick and wholesome smile. Before they faced ahead and glared to the approaching alien swarm.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders slid into view, with Scootaloo leading Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom into the oncoming wave. None of them held any fear in their eyes. Nothing but raw determination that each friend held with themselves and each other. Cheese Sandwich and his party tank rolled from behind, broke through the smoke with Derpy, Dr. Hooves, Maud, Mudbriar, Bon Bon, Lyra, Octavia, and Vinyl Scratch. Ponyville followed behind them and gathered together, as one force of unstoppable fury.

Casting her gaze beside her, Carol raised a curious brow to the large stereo system seemingly weaponized. Noting that, Carol nodded to the ponies atop the stereo system and asked, “What the hell is that?”

Octavia sent that knowing smirk to the mare beside her. Vinyl lifted her shades, winking towards Danvers. Pushing the shades back down over her rose-rimmed irises, Vinyl Scratch stated knowingly and triumphantly, “Oh, it’s nothing much… It’s just my bass cannon!”

She slammed her hooves on the volume, jamming each dial up to eleven and letting the cannon fly. A resulting sound wave exploded from the cannon jutted out from the stereo system, that wave washing across the dirt and rock and decimating all of it. Everything beyond it. That singular sound wave ripped through the stampeding Chitauri and Outriders, completely eviscerating them and clearing a path for the next wave. And the next. And the many more after that.

Vinyl and Octavia screamed as the bass cannon led the assault, rolling down the hill and blowing right through several more Chitauri. They charged behind them, the many who came to help.

Neighsay, Starlight, and Sunburst collectively fired a stream of magic onto the nearest Leviathan, decimating its outer shell and blowing it right out of the sky. Its fiery carcass streamed across the air before coming to a rippling explosion upon the ground. The Young Six and the Cutie Mark Crusaders led the charge of Ponyville’s citizens, with Daring Do, Capper, and Autumn Blaze taking the fight straight into the heart of the Chitauri wave. Autumn transformed into a fearsome Nirik, roaring as she tore like a fireball through countless Outriders. Daring Do leaped in mid-air, rolled to dodge the energy bolts intended for her, and drove her hind leg across the face of the nearest Chitauri Elite. Capper followed suit, ducking stylishly under the swing of an Elite’s blade and spinning to whip his tail across the alien’s faceplate.

Thorax and Pharynx took the forms of massive insects, slamming their hardened shells into the squadron of Chitauri tanks hovering towards them. They knocked the tanks off course and eventually flipped them, allowing Ember and Novo to safely fly outwards and over the Chitauri’s heads. Their destination lied in the skies, with the two Leviathans swimming their way and having no intent to stop for the dragon and the Hippogriff. They zeroed in on them specifically.

Never once did they expect the Spirit of Chaos to emerge in a flash of white before them.

Discord smirked their way, his glare ferocious as he snapped his talons and froze the Leviathans where they were, trapped in mid-air and open for attack. Ember and Novo took full advantage of Discord’s aid, Novo taking the far left of the nearest Leviathan and Ember taking the opposite side. As she flew across the Chitauri’s body, Novo rammed the sharpened end of her spear into its armor and ripped it asunder, violet blood and golden plating flying in every direction upon her slash. Ember did the same with her Bloodstone Scepter, firing a singular stream of red-hot flames onto the Leviathan’s side she flew next to. Together, they brought the Leviathan down to the earth, leaving just one that they already flew past. They found no need to deal with it.

Rolling forward, Cheese Sandwich’s party tank narrowed the distance between the end of its barrel and the open maw of the Chitauri. Raising the barrel, Cheese sounded off with a cry from his party horn and fired away. The mixtures of party supplies, confetti, and other material needed to throw the best parties in Equestria added to the intense pressure of which it was fired at, just being powerful enough to strike the Leviathan square in the mouth and blow the rest of it apart from the inside-out.

Cheese howled with roaring cheers, waving his party flags high above his head and Boneless Two flopping wildly on his back. He cheered on the golden light that was Captain Marvel once she soared over his head, flew through the crumbling, smoldering bodies of the Leviathans slowly crashing to the earth, and plowed through entire legions of remaining Chitauri, Outrider, and Sakaaran forces. The cosmic energy swarming her body kept her safe from harm, entire tanks blistering into bubbles of pure fire as she tore through them.

In the following explosion, Carol Danvers exited the flames with a fist leading her, the other arm wrapped tightly and securely around the Nano Gauntlet. Her expression was focused, narrowed, and solely centered on the van resting less than a hundred yards ahead of her.

Despite her best efforts, her eyes flicked away, but for good reason. They flicked down to the charging Titan with his Double-Edged Sword in hand, intending for her alone with murder raging in his eyes. Carol did not cease her pursuit. In fact, she increased it, already seeing support on the way and giving her the necessary cover fire.

That cover fire came from an unlikely trio, the likes of which Thanos never expected and therefore could not react against in time.

Princess Cadance and Shining Armor galloped past Captain Marvel, sliding to a halt upon the gravel and dirt to turn their horns onto the Mad Titan. But they weren’t alone. Flying between them and hovering in place, the infant Flurry Heart giggled with the innocence of a child, yet released her magic with the intensity and power of a full-grown Alicorn. Her magic mixed with her parents’, all three firing a stream of magic onto the Mad Titan and blowing him back.

Thanos raised his sword to block it, but could not hold back against the overwhelming strength and power of the magic burning against him. He was thrown viciously backwards, his body bouncing and rolling several yards before he was able to stop himself. Before he was able to lift his eyes and catch that golden stream of fire fly over his head and break the distance between herself and the Quantum Tunnel.

With desperation clouding his thoughts, Thanos acted on pure, raw instinct and jammed his blade forward, directly for the swirling lights of the Quantum Tunnel within the van.

“The vehicle!” Thanos screamed.

Any nearby swarms of Outriders and Chitauri shifted and focused on the van, nearing it just as Captain Marvel had. Carol narrowed her eyes as the lights of the time machine beckoned to her, the end to their battle growing closer and closer with each passing millisecond. She was just about ready to close her eyes, the wave of Chitauri crowding around her, and face the endless void of the Quantum Realm once again. She didn’t close her eyes when she reached the van. She opened them wide and shifted them skyward when the earth erupted in front of the car.

Spewing from the ground, the Chitauri Driller screeched and dove straight back down. Landed directly on top of the van and the Quantum Tunnel.

The resulting collapse of the active Quantum Tunnel created a flurry of different events. First, a shock wave of otherworldly energy shot forth and absolutely eviscerated the nearby Chitauri and Outriders. Their bodies were either scorched in the resounding explosion or thrown back like rag dolls within the blinding blue and purple lights of the eruption. Next, ripples of space and time exploded outwards and tore apart the battlefield. The shock wave was so powerful that all the battlefield felt it, every life fell back because of it, and nearly every active hero that had managed to remain standing within the aftermath turned to the heart of the explosion.

Finally, those caught within ground zero of the explosion miraculously survived. Carol Danvers was shot back like a bullet, crashing through various piles of rubble and rock until her body disappeared within the remains of a Leviathan. Thanos groaned from where he lay, a palm rising to rub the spots out of his eyes as he pushed himself back up. He gazed to his surroundings, noted the ringing pain in his ears and the smoke filling the atmosphere and grounds where the eruption occurred.

All of it mattered little. The gauntlet fell to the earth and landed several yards behind him. Thanos shot his head back towards it, eyes widening to see all six Infinity Stones still attached to the glove and intact. None of it would matter. Everything would soon change. All he needed to do was get his hands on that gauntlet.

Scrambling to his feet, Thanos sprinted for the abandoned gauntlet and stopped.

He stopped when the earth trembled to the golden light impacting it.

He raised his head and met the glowing inferno within her pupils. Thanos sneered.

Carol Danvers made no expression, offered nothing but her seething hatred shimmering across her body and enveloping her limbs, her hair, and her very being. That inferno filled the entirety of her eyes, wisps of golden light trailing gently from her glare and flowing freely alongside her hair, alongside the cosmic energy radiating off of her person.

The gauntlet stood between Thanos and Carol. Behind the Mad Titan, the Chitauri Driller broke free from the earth and towered behind Thanos. It growled steadily at Captain Marvel, joining its lord in his silent stand-off with the Kree he knew, the Kree he bested, and the Avenger who failed.

The Human burned Binary. She cracked her neck.

Author's Note

The Shaken Earth

Chapter 178 – Grudge Match

178

The Battle of Earth

6:37 p.m.

Thanos narrowed his eyes and raised his sword. Pointed it forward to the lone woman before him.

The Chitauri Driller roared, leaping high and over the Mad Titan and boring itself into the dirt and gravel. The earth trembled as it tore beneath the ground, the Nano Gauntlet bouncing wildly before eventually getting knocked clear out of the standoff and off further in the distance. Thanos watched the gauntlet fly, already taking off at a dead sprint to acquire it.

What he did not account for was how quickly Captain Marvel reacted and retaliated. She tore herself from the ground, blasting through the Chitauri Driller the second it burst from the earth and knocking it aside like it was just another flimsy obstacle in her path. The Driller twisted from the impact, falling and crashing with a thunderous collision of its back with the dirt and rubble. Carol didn’t even slow down. The impact of her own body with the Driller left her undeterred and unshaken.

Bringing her into a resounding collision with the Mad Titan.

The hit knocked the wind out of him, Thanos grunting as his body was latched with hers and they tumbled across the dirt and rock. Once they separated, Thanos was on his hands and knees, right palm barely gripping his sword and left palm pressed firmly on the ground, trying desperately to push himself back to his feet. His eyes scanned the battlefield ahead, hoping to at least find a clue as to where the gauntlet had landed. He stared in the general direction it was thrown, rising back up.

Carol screamed and drove her cosmic-fueled fist across his face.

He did not want to focus on such trivial matters, or other waning distractions. They were all insignificant to the grander resolution he sought for. Yet that punch spurred something in him, awakened the Mad Titan to the pent-up fury growing in his spirit and finally being released. Just for a moment, he forgot about the gauntlet. Just for a moment, he turned his attention onto her alone.

And he raged. He screamed and bellowed like a feral beast and swung madly for Captain Marvel, his blade and fist working in tandem to strike her down, bring her to her knees, and utterly overwhelm her with speed and power. Shockingly, she was faster. Her head and body dodged and weaved between each slash, ducking mere inches from his blade and responding with short, vicious punches into his exposed areas. She struck him in the stomach, cracking his armor and nearly knocking him to his knees once more. Grappling one another with their hands, the other tried for the advantage, Carol only continuing to break through his advances and deliver stronger and stronger punches onto every available piece of him she could find.

Sooner rather than later, Thanos broke her. Finding a pinprick of an opening, Thanos took it anyway and drove the side of his blade across her face. Danvers grunted as she collapsed rapidly to her knee, the force and speed of the hit bringing stars to her eyes and a ring to her right ear. She tried to shake it all away, to get back up and continue the fight that desperately needed her. She nearly did. She only managed to rise to one knee when Thanos grabbed a handful of her long, golden hair.

Crying out, Carol only had a moment to rear back and clutch Thanos’ palm, the Titan raising her by her hair alone and launching her behind him with a ferocious roar. Before she could hope to maintain her flight, the Chitauri Driller broke from the ground, and in a leaping bite, caught her between its jaws and closed its mouth around its prize. It dove back into the seat of dirt and rock with Captain Marvel in tow. Thanos snorted, turning away and twirling his sword, already returning to his hunt for the Infinity Stones. He took just one step and the earth tore open behind him.

The quake was so powerful that it knocked Thanos flat on his chest, the Titan scrambling for his blade and his feet again in order to face the eruption. In an explosion of golden energy, the ground tore in various sections, with the body of the Driller flinging out and its jaws ripped apart. Teeth and blood rained out to join the rocks and rubble. It crashed back-first onto the ground, Thanos turning his astounded gaze first to the Chitauri and then back to the sky, where that golden light showered high.

And the woman within it glared down to him.

That fiery glare shifted suddenly to the pained roars of the Chitauri Driller, Danvers watching as the beast writhed in pain and rolled across the ground. It rose like a serpent, twisting its bloody jaws onto Carol and screeching out in one last act of resilience. She narrowed each glowing golden orb. It shot forth with the speed of a striking python and bit down on nothing but air.

Captain Marvel easily dodged its advances, zipping across the skies with her golden trail following her. Circling above, she waited until the beast was facing her before she struck, tearing through its drills and limbs first on the left side of its body. The Chitauri swung its drills for her, only to shriek in agony as her golden inferno burned directly across its side. Drills and limbs flung helplessly through the air before crashing to the ground, the Chitauri howling and swinging madly for the Kree/Human Hybrid. Danvers was relentless in her second strike, flying high and dive-bombing straight for its right, eviscerating every last limb and drill left attached.

As the armor and limbs rained free, Carol still did not stop. She swooped low, bringing herself back to the beast and flying directly up to its broken jaws. She met its face with a devastating uppercut, bringing its head skyward to face its doom head-on. She launched herself back into its shattered maw, the golden rays shimmering within the beast’s body before it grew too bright, too strong, and too much for the Chitauri to hold. She blew it from the inside-out with a prominent and blistering explosion of cosmic energy, a light strong enough to rival the sun as the Chitauri Driller erupted.

Thanos shielded himself from the overwhelming rays and shock wave that followed, blade raised, arms acting as his only protective embrace from the harmful blast and the resulting shrapnel that flew outwards. Pieces of armor, drills, and chunks of flesh struck the earth and smacked against the Mad Titan, and through it all, Captain Marvel emerged more ferocious than ever, goring herself into Thanos’ sternum and bringing them both back to the mud and fire.

Thanos rammed his sword into the ground, slowing himself just enough for him to regain his footing. Carol was already on him, slamming her photon-fueled fists across Thanos’ face again and again. She saw only red and gold, her teeth clenched and that fiery passion flowing free with each strike, with each cry, with each devastating impact of her fury against her hatred. She hovered as she punched him, Thanos helplessly outmatched against her rising tide. Swinging down, Carol dove and landed a punch onto nothing but air, the Titan dodging and returning to the fight. To his advantage. He grabbed her arm and spun around, flinging her several yards in the distance. Her body spun and crashed through a tower of rubble and rebar, bringing its entirety down on top of her.

Thanos glared to her before his wild and feral eyes latched to the Nano Gauntlet resting just mere yards ahead of him. He didn’t hesitate another second longer, sprinting forward and reaching at air just to get that much closer to his end goal. He was just feet away from the gauntlet, from the Infinity Stones, when Sunset Shimmer rammed herself directly onto his right side.

A burst of magic joined her, the unicorn managing to push Thanos back far enough to keep him safely away from gauntlet. With her horn bright and red, Sunset teleported to his right shoulder knowing that Thanos was staggered and shaken. She reared back, fully intending to launch a devastating spell for the back of the Titan’s head. Thanos retaliated quickly and drove his elbow into her jaw. Sunset yelped as her body was flung from his shoulder, the unicorn crashing and rolling on the dirt. She lay unmoving.

Thanos sent her a glare before facing once more to the Stones. He instantly stepped back to avoid the swing of Mjølnir. Though he wasn’t surprised by the hammer, the Alicorn who wielded it made Thanos have a double take.

Princess Celestia gripped Mjølnir in her aura of gold, swinging it madly for Thanos again and again. Her pursuits were joined shortly by her younger sister, both Celestia and Luna engaging the Mad Titan in tandem and with unrelenting aggression. Luna screamed and sliced at his violet skin with her longswords. Thanos tried his damnedest to dodge her swings, but added with Celestia’s ferocity with the hammer, he could only avoid so much. Luna drew blood and Celestia rammed Mjølnir across Thanos’ forehead.

Spittle and blood shot forth from the impact, but Thanos returned faster than they expected. Luna swung at his sternum with both swords, Thanos catching them in his palm and snapping them with a flick of his wrist. He slammed his forearm across Luna’s muzzle and knocked the dark blue Alicorn out of sight. With his own sword, Thanos connected with Mjølnir’s fury and sliced the hammer out of Celestia’s grasp. It tumbled across the gravel, Celestia gazing to her weapon before inevitably gazing forward. Thanos reared back and launched his boot into her chest, sending Celestia straight through a mound of rubble.

And leaping over that mound, Starlight Glimmer slid into action and fired a bolt of magic directly for the Titan. She was joined with not only one, but two allies. Two very close friends.

Spike flew across Thanos as the Titan blocked Starlight’s spell with his sword. He could barely block the bright green flames escaping the dragon’s mouth, Spike breathing a torrent of fire onto Thanos as he swooped by. Joining him was a slithery draconequus, Discord striking low with a sweep of his tail and launching Thanos like a rocket clear across the battlefield.

Thanos crashed into the side of a pillar of rubble, grunting painfully as the rocks rained on top of him. He pushed himself away from the tower, only having a split second to regain his focus and wave the blur out of his vision. Even that wasn’t enough time. Discord appeared in a flash and wrapped himself like a serpent around the Mad Titan, his body constricting Thanos’ limbs, chest, and neck and only further tightening his hold. Thanos gasped at that, tightening his jaw as his eyes slowly rose to his left, slowly connected with the feral glare of the draconequus’ head hanging just over his shoulder. Thanos dropped his gaze to his right, to his palm still managing to grip his Double-Edged Sword.

He gripped it tighter. With as much willpower as he could manage, Thanos roared and ripped his right arm free, jamming the edge of his sword directly between Discord’s eyes.

With the blade literally embedded between his eyes and impaled through his skull, all Discord did as a response was cross his eyes towards the blade, purse his lips, and state, “Well, didn’t see that coming.”

Thanos broke free. He grabbed Discord by his tail and slammed him against the earth repeatedly, throwing Discord’s body at Starlight and Spike. Spike was the only one struck by Discord’s lengthy form, Starlight teleporting away and appearing above Thanos in a second flash of white. Before she could let off a spell onto him, he caught her by her throat. Starlight gasped, hooves raised to clutch the hand that strangled her. Before she could teleport away, Thanos drove her into the ground two earth-shattering times. Lifting her limp form, Thanos glared to the unicorn in his grasp. Starlight managed a weak and bloody inhale.

He chucked her clear across the vicinity until her back crashed against a pile of rubble with ravaged speed and impact. Starlight gasped, her eyelids heavy and head drooping to the side. The trail of blood flowing down her nostril struck the rubble the same time her head did, Starlight’s mind fading and the unicorn falling into unconsciousness.

With Starlight dealt with and out of the fight, Thanos cast his eyes across his surroundings once more to see if there was anyone else left to oppose him, anyone else left to stand in his way. There was no one, not a single soul that stood between him and the Infinity Stones any longer. Once more, Thanos took his chance and ran for it, reaching for the red and silver glove and ignoring all else around him, no longer needing to focus on the universe outside his crosshairs. All that mattered were the Stones. It all would change once he got the Stones.

And he just about reached that end—mere inches in fact—when Sunset galloped underneath his legs and launched a spell directly onto the gauntlet. It flew from the blast, Thanos grasping at dirt before he realized the gauntlet was gone. Distraught, Thanos arose and watched the gauntlet fly further in the distance, only to get captured by the talons of one Captain Celaeno and her parrot pirate crew. They cheered and waved from the airship they all flew in, that bellowing bird flying low to the earth before picking up speed and rising back up to the clouds.

Thanos snarled. Sunset smiled and expressed that relief through a short exhale.

The sound she made brought Thanos’ glare back down to her, but Sunset didn’t care. Even when his shadow fell over her, Sunset kept on smiling to see the gauntlet get further and further away. It was only when his fist struck the back of her head did Sunset stop smiling. When she blacked out.

Author's Note

Keep away... :pinkiecrazy:

Chapter 179 – A Furious Display

179

The Battle of Earth

6:41 p.m.

Captain Celaeno and her band of parrot pirates tried to fly away. They did everything in their power to keep the gauntlet and the Infinity Stones away from Thanos. Even as it was thrown to them, even as Celaeno leaned off the edge of the airship and managed to capture the glove by mere inches, even as the nearby battle shifted its focus onto them, they persevered.

They flew.

And Thanos gave chase.

The Mad Titan spouted various orders to his Chitauri on the battlefield, to his forces in the skies. The most prominent and most important one being: “Bring down that airship!”

He screamed that with his blade jutted to the air, to the airship flown by a brave band of pirates and somehow escaping his grasp. That airship slipped into the clouds and smoke, trailed shortly by various chariots and Necrocrafts. Their outer hull was breached within seconds, the laser blasts being more than strong enough to tear through the steel and wood. With their ship tilting and trembling, Captain Celaeno gripped the steering wheel and cast her eyes across the skies before and around her.

The battalion of Chitauri and Sakaarans flew before her, sweeping across the clouds and back towards them for another dive-bomb. Celaeno grimaced, then tightened her expression and tossed the Nano Gauntlet over to her left. To Squabble who barely managed to acquire it, claws fumbling over the large glove. The parrot’s cross-eyed expression gazed to the Infinity Stones, turning back to his captain with a curious look.

She gripped the steering wheel with both claws then, glaring ahead to the oncoming wave of aliens. She growled, “Squabble, keep it safe.”

The parrot held the gauntlet beneath his armpit, saluting with a solid, “Bwah!”

Though she would probably regret that decision later, Celaeno nonetheless focused on the problem at hand. She shot her free claw over to starboard side, shouting, “Get on those cannons and wait for my signal!”

Mullet and Lix Spittle nodded, stumbling over to the two cannons placed on the right of the ship. Celaeno turned rapidly to the opposite direction, to the two cannons resting on port. Jamming her other claw to Boyle and Squabble, she shouted, “You two, on port! And get ready!”

“Aye aye, Cap!” Boyle responded, he and Squabble rushing over and grasping the cannons. All four parrots loaded in the cannon balls, gripped the mighty cannons, and grasped the fuses. Mullet, Lix Spittle, Boyle, and Squabble all turned to see the approaching swarm of Chitauri and Sakaarans near them with each passing second. They all felt their eyes slowly being drawn back to their captain.

“Eyes forward!” Celaeno ordered. “On my go!”

All four pirates slowly faced forward, obeyed their captain, and narrowed their eyes. Their claws and feathers tightened around the fuses of each cannon, the air screaming as the Necrocrafts and chariots cut the distance and reached their airship for a second and final sweep. One that would deal the killing blow to them and their power in the skies. Just as the ships glowed mixtures of blue and green for their respective laser cannons, just as they reached the airship, Captain Celaeno gave her order.

“Fire!”

The Chitauri and Sakaarans never even got a shot off.

Four resounding blasts from the airship’s cannons fired at once, each cannon striking the ships and blowing them to smithereens. Their flaming husks spun out of control and crashed to the distant earth beneath them. Various cheers rang out across the deck, the pirates howling with conjoined roars and shaking their fists and hooks in the air. Celaeno even managed a short exhale, a tiny grin gripping her beak. It instantly died when the explosion consumed the exhaust ports of the airship.

As if a bomb had gone off, the exhaust ports of the ship exploded and sent the airship teetering through the sky. Each pirate stumbled and fell, only Celaeno managing to grasp onto her steering wheel and hang on. Hearing the scream tear across the skies, Celaeno lifted her head and saw it. Watched as the trio of Chitauri starships soared past them and disappeared within the clouds. They returned just as fast, too fast for her to react, and dive-bombed the balloon.

Another explosion gripped the airship, that time from above. With their two sources of flight destroyed, the airship gave a creaking and moaning cry before plummeting. Fire and cinders consumed the airship’s hull and balloon, reaching the deck and spreading the flames.

“We’re on fire, captain!” Lix Spittle screamed, trying desperately to grab onto anything that might save her life. She eventually grasped the ship’s railing, gazing in mixtures of shock and horror to the rapidly approaching ground. “We’re going down!”

Celaeno tried to maintain control of the ship, but it was no use. She was simply turning it left and right, unable to stop its inevitable crash. Thinking fast, Celaeno shot her talon out to the parrot on her left and shouted, “Squabble, you ensure that glove reaches our allies!”

“Celaeno, what are you talking abo—?!” Mullet tried to shout, but couldn’t. Tried to turn to his captain, but hadn’t. He could only face the earth, feel the blood drain from his face, and his breath leave him. The clouds had dispersed. The smoke had dissipated. The ground came faster than they knew.

“Hang onto something!” Captain Celaeno ordered.

They did. They tried. The airship struck the earth with resounding force. Earth and rock split as they tore across the ground, ripping through various battalions of Thanos’ ground forces. The airship burned and fell apart in its crash through the dirt, skidding further and further until it struck a Chitauri tank, where it careened and rolled before finally coming to a thundering end. The pirates fell out from the crash, landing on the dirt harshly. Painfully. But alive. Squabble was among those pirates, trying to fly as he was flung from the airship. He failed and crashed and rolled on the dirt.

He skidded for several yards, face in the ground, until he finally came to a stop. The airship burned behind him, the ravaged earth consumed with war in the distance, a war that was only nearing his position. Groaning, the parrot pirate lifted his head and shook it, his cross-eyed expression centering on the shadow standing before him. The head of the shadow tilted, the antennae tilting with it.

Squabble moaned, holding out his claws and the Nano Gauntlet that rested upon them.

The torch was passed onto Mantis, into the arms of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Finally bursting through the fire and smoke, Thanos cast the destroyed airship a quick once-over before his eyes settled ahead. He saw with rage in his eyes as the gauntlet was handed over to Mantis, the alien woman returning to her fellow Guardians with the Infinity Stones in her grasp. Thanos roared at that, sprinting ahead with his sword in hand, murder radiating off of his person. The Guardians spun around, seeing the Mad Titan raging their way with no intent to stop.

They had no intent to run.

Peter Quill activated his mask, the red eyes burning through the smoke as Star-Lord led the charge. Rocket, Groot, Drax, Nebula, Yondu, Kraglin, and Howard the Duck stampeded behind him, leaving Mantis behind to protect the gauntlet. Thanos reared back in mid-sprint, tossing his sword onward in an attempt to decapitate all who stood before him.

They all either ducked or scattered from the blade. Quill slid underneath it, the sword ripping at the air as it spun viciously across the sky and back into Thanos’ hand. Star-Lord shot out his Quad Blasters before that, firing madly at the Titan and getting several shots on him. His armor blocked most of the hits, Thanos reaching out for his blade and catching it shortly. Star-Lord caught flight and soared past Thanos, firing from above while Groot, Nebula, and Drax attacked from below.

Thanos could only block so many of Quill’s shots before his focus was brought elsewhere, onto the three advancing Guardians attacking him with overwhelming force. Drax attacked with his knee leading the charge, striking Thanos in the abdomen and pushing him backwards. His knives sliced at every exposed area Drax could find, the Destroyer unhinged and attacking Thanos with every ounce of pent-up rage and aggression he felt towards him. Nebula and Groot shared the same boat as Drax, delivering devastating punches and kicks across Thanos’ face and body. Rocket, Kraglin, and Howard fired from the distance with their individual firearms.

Catching Groot’s fist, Thanos threw the Guardian at the others in the distance, knocking Rocket, Kraglin, and Howard off their feet and scattering them across the dirt. The majority of the laser fire had ceased, giving the Titan a better sense of clarity to his surroundings. He blocked Drax’s swipes with his armored forearms and retaliated by ramming one of those forearms across Drax’s head, swinging at Nebula with his sword and seeing her dodge his strikes. Quill continued to fire from above. Yondu slid to a stop and whistled.

Nebula jammed her Electroshock Baton into Thanos’ side, earning a grunt of shock from her father as the electricity coursed across his armor. He glared to her, reaching for the Luphomoid. Star-Lord charged up and fired from above with both Quad Blasters, blowing a hole where she stabbed in Thanos’ armor. Thanos screamed at that, clutching Nebula by her arm, spinning around, and throwing his daughter for Quill. The two Guardians crashed into one another, their bodies falling and disappearing in the smoke and dust.

Thanos graced the wound on his left side, grimacing at the sight of the burnt skin unveiled through his melted armor. He didn’t stare forever when he heard the sound of a sharp whistle grow louder and louder. He raised his eyes to it, only having a split second to react to the stream of red tearing across the battlefield and reach his forehead.

A split second where he reacted perfectly.

He caught the Yaka Arrow mere inches from his head. From a guaranteed kill shot right between the eyes. Yondu’s own widened in shock.

That shock only amplified when Thanos snapped the arrow, wheeling towards Udonta and snarling. He kicked Yondu and focused ahead, away from the distractions he dealt with and onto what truly mattered. Mantis caught his eyes center on her, the Guardian clutching the gauntlet and running as fast as her legs could carry her in the opposite direction. Thanos gave chase. He ran after Mantis and caught up rather quickly, punched her aside and knocked the gauntlet out of her hands.

As Mantis’ body flew and tumbled across the dirt unmoving, Thanos turned rapidly to the gauntlet that was flung from her grasp. It crashed against the earth, sliding until it came to a dead stop several yards away from him. The Infinity Stones glimmered under the dying light of the sun, the glove shimmering against the orange fires that surrounded the distance. Once more, Thanos made another mad dash for his destiny, reaching it with just one more step to go.

Drax tackled him out of the way. Once more, just mere inches away.

Already pushed to his limit, Thanos was ready to end the feeble Guardian’s attempts once and for all. He raised his sword to do so, but nearly lost his breath in a millisecond of shock. In that single millisecond, Thanos felt a piercing pain in his left side. The Titan gazed down to it, seeing the knife embedded in his previous wound. Drax stabbed Thanos in his exposed side.

And he met the Titan’s shock with a glare, growling, “For Ovette… For Kamaria!” He rammed the blade in deeper.

Drawing a flow of blood and a cry from Thanos, Drax was already rearing back with his second knife, ready to end the Titan once and for all. Thanos elbowed him in the face, disorienting Drax long enough for him to grab his head and fling him aside. As the Guardian flew off and crashed in the distance, Thanos reached downward—and with a wincing pang of effort—pulled out the knife. His violet blood was a slight blur in his vision, Thanos shaking it all away and focusing.

The pain was temporary. It would all be over soon. Just a little while longer.

When his vision returned to him, all that he saw was the gauntlet. All he saw were the Stones. His body cried out, but his mind and his will overpowered even his physical prowess. He tossed the bloody knife away and ran for the gauntlet, which was blown away by an invisible force.

Thanos stared to the cracked earth where the gauntlet once laid, feeling his strength slowly dwindling, his patience running thin, and his rage only continuing to fester. He could not take it much longer. With every attempt to reach the Stones, it was always pulled further and further away, a seemingly never-ending struggle. His bones ached. His mind quaked. What little strength he had left kept him standing, kept the sword in his hand, kept the remaining fight in his spirit. There was not much of it left. He weakly stared to the gauntlet flying and disappearing through the chaos.

That invisible force finally showed itself. It finally descended from the sky and overshadowed even the Dark Lord. With his remaining strength, Thanos looked up.

Hovering there, a familiar face and goatee glared down at the Mad Titan. The flowing cape, the dark uniform, and the radiating power from his presence alone made Thanos groan. Nonetheless, his expression morphed into a fierce snarl, Thanos rising high and forcing himself to stand his ground. He stood before him, and Graviton, like the others, would fall all the same.

Glenn Talbot shared a similar mindset. Thanos, like his alien armies, would fall before him.

All the same.

“Remember me?” Talbot asked under that ferocious glare, his voice dropping several octaves into a darkened essence of power, that Gravitonium flowing through his veins empowering his voice and making him sound otherworldly. All-powerful and unstoppable.

Thanos merely rolled his shoulder, twirling his blade and groaning, “Unfortunately.”

Talbot smirked.

Neither hesitated any longer. They charged one another with only one intent in mind.

Both felt that intent as they collided, Talbot crashing against the earth and launching that gust of unseen power onto the Titan. Thanos stumbled back from that push, but nonetheless pushed on and charged Talbot. He swung at him with his blade and fist in tandem, Graviton managing to block several of Thanos’ strikes just with his forearms. His armored gauntlets kept him safe, sparks flying from the Uru blade slicing against Talbot’s armor. Snarling and barring his teeth, Thanos struck Talbot in the side of the head with his fist, and shockingly enough, Glenn stumbled from the hit. Spinning his sword, Thanos sneered and reared back with his weapon, swinging down with rapid and deadly precision.

The blade stopped. Suddenly and abruptly. The air the sword sliced at was also deafened, as if all meaning of reality had suddenly vanished and Thanos was trapped in an entirely other world. He was frozen where he stood, unable to move and unable to look anywhere else… except to him.

Glenn Talbot slowly raised his eyes, his glare, and met Thanos’ with even more of a murderous fire melting in his expression. The Double-Edged Sword was stuck in an invisible grasp, frozen mere inches from Talbot’s neck. Then, to the Titan’s shock, the sword began to crack. Small veins spread across the Uru, the most durable metal in the universe breaking down just by one man’s stare. Shaken and dumbfounded, Thanos then felt himself slowly being raised from the earth against his will. That same force held him, lifted him, all through the stare of one man.

That same man shot out his hand, and Thanos convulsed in mixtures of pain and distress. His body thrashed as his spine bent backwards at an awkward angle. Though nothing broke—yet—Thanos managed to grit his teeth and turn his narrowed glare back down to the earth. Meeting his. Graviton crushed his hand into a fist.

Instantaneously, the golden plates of armor covering Thanos’ body were ripped and peeled away. Crushed like tinfoil. Thanos growled and screamed as that force began to crush him the same way Talbot’s hand crushed into a fist. It was his armor that crumbled inward, ensuring to Thanos that it would not hold for much longer. He would not hold for much longer.

Desperately running out of options, Thanos’ adrenaline-fueled mind shot back to his last fail-safe, his last trick up his sleeve. In case all else failed on the battlefront, he had one last resort to turn to when all seemed lost. He did not know what would truly happen, if his troops would survive or not. It didn’t matter. None of it would in the grander scheme.

Only he needed to live.

So, he screamed, “Rain fire!”

The order was caught by numerous Elite ears, sent to the ferocious battle station glaring down from the clouds, and ultimately enacted only through the will of the Dark Lord. From Sanctuary II, the mighty wings of the warship opened to unveil several dozen energy cannons. Those cannons charged quickly and fired down to the battlefield, to everything and everyone they could find. None were safe. None were spared.

The first blasts of the bombardment were swift and terrible, like the killing blow of a blade or a bullet to the head. Utterly powerful in their descent and especially in their impact. The blue bolts of energy struck the earth with resounding force and power, decimating anything caught in-between. Anything. Ravager warships, Equestrian airships, Chitauri, Leviathans, and Necrocrafts were all destroyed in blistering blue and red explosions. Bubbles of fire, cinder, and metal shot out with every reverberating shock wave, consuming the battlefield and knocking its combatants to the ground.

As dozens of warriors were silenced from single blasts of energy from above, the Masters of the Mystic Arts saw to it to combat the bombardment with defensive shields. An army of sorcerers led by Wong created numerous shields above their heads, dozens of various other Asgardians, Equestrians, and Avengers taking cover beneath them. Even various unicorns protected themselves and others with their own magical shields. The armies of Ponyville civilians, EEA sorcerers, and countless others wielded magic to protect their Equus brothers and sisters of different races. They took their stand and shot their horns to the sky to create domes of pure magic. Sanctuary II’s cannons continued to strike at them, cracking numerous shields in its unrelenting assault.

Even the War Horse was protected. While the skies were definitely not the safest place to be in the moment of overwhelming bombardment, the Equestrian Grand Fleet defended themselves to the best of their abilities. Many airships were taken down, but the few that managed to react in time, they survived. They persevered. The unicorns atop the deck of the War Horse, atop Grubber’s airship, all shot their horns to the sky and created conjoined magical shields above the ships. Many other airships joined them, the blasts incinerated against the magical shields. Many other airships were not so lucky.

Upon the rippled and shattered earth, the bombardment was relentless and unforgiving. Leviathans were torn to shreds, their final cries howling out before their bodies plummeted to a fiery death. The remaining Chitauri Titans shielded themselves against the blasts, miraculously managing to survive long enough. As for the Avengers, those who were unable to reach a shield in time were blown aside, knocked back, and lost within the warzone of utter madness. Talbot was thrown back from the cannon fire, releasing his grasp around the Mad Titan. Twilight grabbed onto Spike and held on for dear life as the nearby blasts threw them around. War Machine grasped onto Banner’s shoulder, failing to hold onto him and losing the Hulk within the dust and fire. Rocket clutched onto Groot as both Guardians fell, the raccoon screaming as the blasts surrounded and zeroed in on them.

And then it stopped. It just stopped.

All was silent.

It was so quiet that everyone who survived could hear themselves breathing.

Every life—from Avenger to Equestrian, Asgardian to Chitauri, Wakandan to Sakaaran—every single life that managed to survive picked themselves off the earth and stared in the same direction. For just a moment, just a moment to breathe, the war had ceased. The sorcerers cut off their magic and rose from the dust on the earth. The magic that shielded the remaining airships in the sky vanished, the War Horse’s inhabitants turning appropriately to the source of the assault, to where it had all silenced.

Even Thanos rose up and stared to his warship, confusion gripping his features.

Suddenly, every single cannon on Sanctuary II turned. They disregarded Thanos’ order and fired straight ahead, directly into the distant storm clouds and vanishing within that darkness. To Thanos’ growing perplexity, he pondered as to why Sanctuary II would do so when he ordered a rain fire onto the battlefield. His orders could only be overruled if the warship detected a greater threat.

Thanos felt the breath he had managed to acquire quickly leave his lungs. His eyes slowly enlarged, head tilting to the west and staring in frozen silence. More energy blasts into the darkness.

The onslaught continued for seconds on end, until someone finally managed to question it.

“Homer, what am I lookin’ at?” Stark asked. The Iron Man slowly rose from the ground alongside his allies, gazing to the direction of the bombardment and seeing nothing within the storm, nothing that the blasts could actually direct to and impact. There was simply nothing there.

By his own vision, there was nothing there.

From the all-seeing eyes of Tony Stark’s AI, he saw it all from the satellites in space. He examined it from the airwaves, the interdimensional essence flowing through the atmosphere and finally ceasing. He saw it all and his voice was utterly shaken when he spoke those words. When Homer answered his creator’s question.

“Sir… something just exited the Quantum Realm.”

Only Tony Stark heard that. Only he received that clarification and was still disturbed when it emerged out of the clouds. Soon enough, everyone and every life turned to the clouds and saw it for themselves. When its shadow fell over them, they too fell within that darkness, utterly consumed in it. When they heard that horn flow from it, only Sunset Shimmer quivered and gazed in terror.

When Ultron’s Fortress exited the clouds, the endgame had completely changed.

Chapter 180 – No Strings on Me

180

The Battle of Earth

6:45 p.m.

The Fortress burst forth from the clouds, brandishing with it a tidal wave of total darkness and power. Its true size was almost incomprehensible, able to wash away the clouds and encompass the entire western horizon. Several miles long and high, the hovering behemoth of a warship entered the battlegrounds and utterly quaked the earth.

Sanctuary II continued to fire upon it, yet the meager energy blasts simply disintegrated before they could reach the warship, a protective shield recently added to prevent foreign attacks. Learned and adapted from the recent siege on the Fortress. The engines attached to the Fortress’ belly were as bright and blue as that of Iron Man’s repulsors, but titanic in size as the energy that spewed forth from them washed across the landscapes and sent vicious tremors across the battlefield. The sheer size of the warship lifted every head, brought every eye onto its power to gaze in shock and awe. Another terrible cry from the Fortress shot out, a horn so tremendously loud that every life, for miles on end, could feel it reverberating in their bones.

From the Fortress, a single opening arose and one being stepped free from it. He glided down from the mighty behemoth of war and terror and descended from the sky, touched the ground with his cold, metal feet. All six of his glowing red eyes scanned the world before him in a silent, terrifying stare. One that simply radiated power the likes of which none could fathom. His red cape flapped gently against the increasing wind due to the Fortress’ engines hovering high above. He paid it no heed.

Ultron just stared to the world, to the future, and narrowed all six eyes.

“So… this is the future,” he murmured to himself. Always to himself. “How… sickening.”

The burning skylines, the torn landscapes, and most of all, the infestation of biological lifeforms encompassing the earth. It was but one more nuisance to deal with. His coordinates had been accurate. The microbot he had attached to Captain Marvel’s shoulder in their last scuffle proved quite fruitful. Though it had taken some time, the Pym Particles merged well with the Fortress, and the Quantum Tunnel he recently constructed worked in the end. He had made it to the future. A future without him. A future where the Mind Stone awaited his presence.

A future still plagued by humanity.

Wincing at that glaring thought, Ultron raised three of his six arms, jamming his dagger-like fingers to the awaiting battlefield, the soon-to-be mass graveyard. The massacre that awaited them.

His voice was a whisper that no one heard. No one but him.

“Cleanse it.”

Upon that single whisper, the world shook and teetered in response to his power. The Fortress opened up in countless locations, unloading and unleashing a golden wave of unstoppable fury. Another war cry from the behemoth. Another horn to signal the troops and begin the invasion of time itself. From the Fortress, hundreds upon thousands of Ultron Sentinels flew out in countless droves, so vast and so mighty in scale that they filled the darkened skylines with golden light. Until all the heavens were gold.

Until all was simply him.

They flew in various battalions past Ultron Prime, the weaker copies of him still packing a serious punch. They proved how powerful that punch was once they entered the battlefield. Though many hundreds were still frozen in shock by what they were witnessing, hundreds more reacted fast and retaliated against the invasive robotic horde. They shot their firearms to the skies. They raised their shields, their defenses, and held their ground as the wave of gold hit them.

And completely eviscerated them. The first casualties of Ultron’s war faced the fiery red and golden repulsor blasts raining down from the blotting wave of Ultron Sentinels. They flew by and dive-bombed the earth with unrelenting force, streams of red and gold scorching across the battlefield and incinerating any life form caught under the light and power equal to the sun itself. Asgardians with their shields raised were turned to ash as the light washed over them. Chitauri battalions and tanks were blown to shreds as the repulsors impacted them. Wakandan jets, tanks, and warriors all felt the wrath of Ultron as his Sentinels descended upon them.

Jets were blown out of the sky alongside Chitauri chariots, starships, and Sakaaran Necrocrafts. Their flaming bodies hurtled to the ground and crashed in resounding plumes of fire and shrapnel. Upon that ground, warriors of every race and species did their best to hold against the newest threat to enter the battle. Ultron Sentinels coated in gold flew low to grace the tips of their spears, to strike their armored heads, and land upon the earth to meet the masses in close combat.

Dozens of Sentinels planted their feet downwards and crashed to the ground. Many skidded for several yards, blasting and punching and tearing their way through all forms of life they could find. Equestrians, Avengers, and Chitauri. Hippogriffs, Ravagers, and Outriders. Changelings, Asgardians, dragons, Wakandans, griffons, and Sakaarans. All were targeted and none were spared.

In a sweeping wave of golden glory, the Ultron Sentinels washed across the battlefield both in the sky and upon the earth. Ultron’s forces tore through the defensive lines, blasting and stabbing and murdering any and all life that got in their path to total domination. The skies were just as chaotic, if not even more so. The remaining Ravager warships were consumed with repulsor blasts, fire devouring their hulls and their massive husks descending in trails of fire to the awaiting death-filled landscapes. Chitauri Leviathans were overwhelmed from the sheer number of golden entities blotting their visions. Their roars echoed across the warzone as repulsor blasts melted through their armor and encompassed their bodies in rippling eruptions.

The lesser airships were dealt with and locked in a losing battle, the gander prizes still flying high above and resting in Ultron’s glare. Without word, he consciously ordered his Fortress to engage the rival warships. The Fortress howled and pushed onwards, its engines crying and sending devastating sandstorms over all it had passed. In its crosshairs, the War Horse and Sanctuary II remained airborne, frozen momentarily to gaze to the beast slowly devouring the skies and nearing them by the second.

Spitfire planted her hoof on the edge of the deck, the wind and war rattling her mind and tearing at her mane simultaneously. The newest threat showed itself and made its presence known as an enemy to all, especially them. Both sides of the conflict were made targets, both dominating presences in the air zeroed in and approached by Ultron’s Fortress. Spitfire gritted her teeth at that, jamming her wild eyes in every direction and to everypony on the deck with her.

She jammed her hoof to the direction of the flying Fortress, screaming out, “Starboard side! All cannons fire, fire, FIRE!”

The towering, pillar-like cannons upon the deck and embedded within the starboard side of the War Horse all shifted in congregation with each other. In a chorus of deafening cannon fire, the War Horse unleashed its own bombardment as each blast was directed and sent to the warship approaching its starboard side. Spitfire narrowed her eyes, cursing silently when she saw as her cannons simply blew up against the shields on the Fortress’ hull, leaving the rest of the warship unscathed. Alarming horns shot out across the deck of the War Horse, Spitfire spinning in the direction the chaos was focused towards. Directly ahead, the bow of the War Horse faced Sanctuary II. Thanos’ fleet hung behind it.

Both Sanctuary II and the Fortress retaliated.

Energy blasts from the wings of Sanctuary II unleashed a second wave of offensive fire. Across the warship’s right wing, the energy blasts were directed for the War Horse. On the ship’s left wing, all cannon fire was shot towards the approaching Fortress. Thanos’ ship kept both oppositions at bay. While the energy blasts merely vaporized against the shields on the Fortress, they easily tore into and devastated the War Horse.

The unicorn’s shielding spells managed to block a majority of the energy blasts against the War Horse’s hull. The mighty balloon atop the warship, what helped keep the massive airship afloat, was targeted. The blasts singed the outer armor, exposing the balloon and earning Spitfire’s gravest fears.

“I need all unicorn battalions to keep the balloon safe!” she shouted, returning to the center deck and eyes widened to the unicorn commander.

He tightened his jaw, eyes gazing to the assault on the balloon and already calculating the effects and losses that Spitfire’s order would detail. “Our hull will be vulnerable!” he shouted in response.

“The armor’ll hold for a while! The balloon won’t! If we don’t keep that balloon safe then we’re all going down!” Spitfire retorted. The commander of the War Horse’s unicorns seemed distraught, lost, unable to make the hard decisions. Spitfire glared to him, gripped a hoofful of his uniform. “Just do it!”

She threw him aside, the commander equally shaken as he was mortified by what he was about to do. Regardless, he galloped over to the intercom system, spoke through it, and called to every unicorn stationed below deck: “All unicorns, focus spell ‘Alpha Skyward’! Defensive shielding now!”

Within the mighty machinations of the War Horse, the order shot out and unicorns acted instantaneously. Those below and atop the deck focused their horns and shot their heads skywards, a unifying spell leaving the outer hull of the warship and diverted above. The balloon was coated in a magical shield within seconds, Spitfire seeing it all unfold and giving a quiet but relieved sigh. She caught her breath, felt her heart drop, and watched as the distance was severed. As the Fortress retaliated.

Ultron’s warship had reached an approximate distance to fire. When it did, when its repulsors charged up and unleashed bolts of raw, golden power, Sanctuary II and the War Horse met it with instant counterattacks. Though they were still separated by hundreds of yards, the three warships made it their goal to target only each other in a barrage of fire and chaos. They pelted one another and killed anything caught in-between with cannons, energy, and repulsor blasts.

While it benefited the War Horse to keep its balloon safe, that still left the rest of the ship vulnerable. Nopony felt that decision more than Spitfire, watching as the energy and repulsor blasts from Thanos and Ultron’s respective warships impacted them. The bow and starboard side faced heavy damage, the armor relentlessly pelted and decimated in resounding explosions. Inside, chaos and fire spread across the inhabitants and soldiers of the Equestrian Empire as the blasts tore through. Outside, their work managed some fruits as the War Horse’s cannon fire struck Sanctuary II and the Fortress.

The Fortress was unshaken. Sanctuary II grew blossoms of fire and metal as the cannons struck its outer hull.

“Keep your distance and get behind them!” Spitfire ordered, trembling as another blast shook the lower decks. She shot her eyes back to the bridge, waving her hoof high above her. “Circle them! Circle them!”

The various pilots within the bridge reacted to Captain Spitfire’s orders. The mighty airship teetered to the far left, escaping the repulsor blasts intended for it. In its slow push onwards, the War Horse managed to reach further outside Sanctuary II’s crosshairs. The cannons could not reach the Equestrian warship. It sought to fly behind Thanos’ ship, and only continued to do so with mere flames licking at its hull. The Chitauri Command Centers released more and more starships, engaging the War Horse to keep it off Sanctuary II’s back. The Fortress only continued to push forward, only continued to pelt Thanos’ ship with unrelenting fury.

Beneath the shadow of his Fortress, Ultron hovered across the battlefield and observed the chaos, strife, and slaughter for himself. He absorbed it all in a blissful state of ease, all six arms held out, palms open to the heavens, and eyes slowly darkening to a close. His cape waved behind him, Ultron appearing like a deity hovering over the face of the earth. Over the miles of murder and warfare.

His voice echoed to all. His forces tore through all life as he spoke his gospel to the world.

“Look upon us now. You see it all yet your minds cannot comprehend it. The terror. The madness. The unholy revelation.”

Lance Hunter and Bobbie Morse sprinted as fast they could across the flaming landscapes. Bodies and ships fell with rapid intensity as the golden swarm filled the skies and infected the earth. As they reached a hill, they froze in place, gazing to the Fortress roaring across the skies. Hunter lowered his assault rifle, feeling the breath leave his lungs. Morse’s batons rested in her weakened grip, the woman and her husband gazing in silence as that single wave of power and might consumed all the sky.

“Avengers, you weakened lot, you unchallenged individuals, now you see the full weight of your failure. Time itself cannot hold me. The universe cannot stop me. Look to the light above and witness your new suns, your new heavens, and gaze upon what will become of your new Earth.”

Bodies were torn by fire and fell by the second. The golden armies stormed across the dirt and fired relentlessly into all they saw. The opposition could not hold them. Avenger and alien alike. Cheese Sandwich’s party tank was blown to shreds as droves of Ultron Sentinels surrounded and dive-bombed it. The party pony managed to leap away from the flames in time, retreating alongside everypony else as that slaughter followed closely behind them. War Machine was shot out of the sky by the Sentinels trailing him, his burly suit of armor crashing and rolling several yards across the ground. He joined the likes of Ember, Scarlet Witch, Celestia, and countless others as they were blown aside, knocked out the sky, and fell to the earth.

Thanos’ forces were given no mercy all the same. In a wave of power the likes of which none could truly fathom or fight against, the army of Ultron Sentinels from the ground and the skies descended upon a lone Chitauri Titan. Minimal forces tried to defend it, but any and all chariot, starship, and Leviathan were destroyed in beams of raw repulsor energy. The Titan cried out to the fall of the other Chitauri, watching as the wave of gold flushed onwards and struck it.

Its multitude of pincers were bombarded and torn apart. Its armor exploded from the impact of the repulsor beams. The Chitauri Titan gave a howling roar as more and more Sentinels fired relentlessly upon it. Even more waves of Sentinels dive-bombed and consumed the Chitauri in fire. It became too much for the Titan to handle, the blasts tearing through its legs and bringing the beast down to a thundering crash. The roars followed it, the hundreds of Sentinels above unloading and firing down upon the Titan. Until its roars were no more.

Until only one Chitauri Titan remained on the battlefield.

“You hold a power that I seek. The Infinity Stone. When this world cracks and you fall within its hell, nothing will be able to hide the Stone’s power from me. It will be mine. It will all be mine. You cannot hope to stop it. Let every knee bow, every eye witness, and every tongue proclaim the true ruler of this and any other universe. Until this world is claimed once more, reaching the heavens and the limitless universe with the power that awaits me. Until all… is me.”

Twilight Sparkle stood with her friends upon a mound of rubble, gazing in horror to see all the battlegrounds consumed in gold, fire, and death.

Tony Stark breathed out a quivering exhale as his eyes latched to the hovering body.

And witnessed Ultron gaze only to him.

“Until all… is Ultron.”

It was true. It was real. It was not a nightmare or a fraction of his tortured memory. It was an old demon from his past to haunt him once more. And once more, the world felt the wrath, the pain, and the unbridled fury of Tony’s creation. He couldn’t comprehend what he had seen. It didn’t make any logical sense how Ultron could still be alive. Homer had mentioned the Quantum Realm, but that opened up a whole other slew of questions without answers.

None of which he could properly formulate and answer at the moment. He had to accept what he had seen and react accordingly. And accordingly, Ultron’s forces swarmed past the flying AI abomination in an incomprehensible wave. Iron Man retreated back with his fellow Avengers, Captain America waving to his allies to follow, to fall back, to come together once more and hold the next line.

The war upon the earth raged. The one within the skies reached a tipping point.

With the War Horse reaching its side and the Fortress assaulting it from the front, Sanctuary II faced a slew of overwhelming odds while stationed in-between. The lead airship of the Equestrian Grand Fleet struck the side of Thanos’ warship with continuous cannon fire, while the Fortress pushed on and fired away onto the face of the ship. More and more eruptions consumed Sanctuary II, until a rippling explosion consumed its left wing and lost the Q-Ship attached to it. That burning Q-Ship fell from the sky, crashing against the earth and killing all caught under its shadow.

Gravely wounded, Sanctuary II persevered and kept up the fire, its back cannons and upper cannons retaliating quickly against the War Horse while its forward cannons continued to fire away at the Fortress. The energy blasts dissipated against the hull of Ultron’s ship. They melted and blew apart the hull of Equestria’s own.

Starships and chariots attacked the War Horse from all angles, the cannons working double time to try and defend the ship. Spitfire only continued to stumble, trying to grab onto anything just to maintain her stance. She furrowed her brow at the starships swooping across the skies for a second run.

“Captain!” the female voice cried from behind, Spitfire turning to it to meet the eyes of a Pegasi officer. She pointed to the clouds. “Chitauri Command Centers approaching!”

Spitfire rushed over to the port side of the ship, gazing up and seeing the eight black motherships descending rapidly and unleashing more and more reinforcements. Spitfire sneered at that.

“We need to take those out now,” Spitfire murmured. Another explosion shot out across the hull of the War Horse, bringing her attention back to the flames licking at the side of the ship.

Growling, Spitfire reached for her comms and stated, “Rainbow Dash, the Grand Fleet can’t push on with this constant enemy barrage! We need to take out the Command Centers, but Thanos’ warship is keeping us stationed and vulnerable!”

It was a few seconds of static and grunts from the other end before Rainbow responded. “Read you loud and clear! Comin’ in hot with some backup!”

Spitfire paused, her brow knitting even tighter. “What kinda backup?” she asked.

Soaring through the smoke-filled skylines, Rainbow Dash and Captain Marvel paused in mid-air and analyzed their environment.

“Just enough,” Rainbow muttered through her comms, face hidden beneath her Iron Mare mask. Carol Danvers’ own face was shielded by her bright red mask, eyes burning gold and mohawk flowing atop her skull. Together, the two hovered in mid-air, gazing to the astonishing sight of three mighty warships engaged in a dogfight for the ages.

Streams of energy filled the air between, what was already consumed by a dogfight involving Chitauri, Wakandans, Ultron Sentinels, and so many more ships out in the open. If Rainbow and Carol thought the battle below was intense and mind-numbing, the one above was arguably even more so. Explosions of fire and smoke shot off every second, the burning bodies falling to the awaiting earth while countless others flew, shot at, and killed one another. It was impossible to track every ship, every dragon, every griffon, and everything that consumed the air.

They focused, instead, on the biggest threats. Carol shot her blistering gaze over to the Fortress, pausing momentarily to wince at the recent memory of seeing that exact ship hovering over a decimated New York in an alternate reality. How Ultron could have followed them to the future was another tirade of madness to understand later. She needed to focus on the now, to protect those in dire need of saving. Time was definitely not on their side anymore.

Noting the shields protecting Ultron’s Fortress, Captain Marvel frowned and turned instead to Thanos’ Sanctuary II. It continued to assault both the Fortress and the War Horse, only managing to deal some damage onto the Equestrian warship. That damage would only amplify the longer they hesitated. Rainbow Dash seemed to share her sentiments.

“Got a shield around Ultron’s ship,” Rainbow pointed out, her HUD detailing the Fortress’ defensive grid. She still couldn’t believe it was actually Ultron who intercepted the battle, but she couldn’t focus on that now.

By her side, Carol nodded fiercely, centering her glare to the warship in the middle of the chaos. “Yeah, I got that, too,” she mumbled. “What are you suggesting?”

Rainbow watched as her HUD scanned the battle of the skies, pinpointing accurate weak points and the best course of action to take. She didn’t need a suit of armor and a fancy AI to tell her what was already on her mind. Beneath her mask, Rainbow smirked.

“Two birds with one stone,” the Pegasus replied. She turned her mask to meet Danvers’, nodding once to her. “Wait here. On my signal, you go for the grape’s warship.”

Rainbow could see a smidgen of a smirk on Carol’s lips, Captain Marvel nodding back and teasing, “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

Another smirk beneath her mask, one that Rainbow accompanied with a scoff.

“Can’t promise that.”

Then, she was gone, blasting skywards with the nanites forming a singular repulsor at the bottom of her back hooves. The repulsors on her wings brightened and enlarged to the greatest of their extent, pushing the rainbow Pegasus higher and higher. She flew by so fast that none could comprehend what they had seen, only catching the blue pulse of energy from the rocket’s ascension.

Higher, further, and faster, Rainbow Dash tore through the wind, smoke, and clouds to reach an approximate height, one that the suit pointed out for her. It flashed various warnings, every danger imaginable that Rainbow ignored. The suit could take it. She definitely could take it. The repulsors pushed her outside of the grip of planet Earth, the fires lacing her suit fizzling out and the coldness of space entrenching her in darkness.

Rainbow Dash slowly spun around, slowly turned across the horizon of Earth to see her own home resting upon it. All she could hear were her own bated breaths, each one heavier and wetter the longer she remained frozen in that weightless void. Until that breath eventually slowed. Until she faced downward and observed the world below. Through the clouds, the fires of desolation consumed the eastern side of the North American continent. In the state of New York, the battle waged and could be seen even in space.

She bent forward. Her hooves were outstretched. The repulsor attached behind her brightened and charged. Her wings did the same. In the corner of her vision, Rainbow could see her HUD playing a short animation of her intended trajectory. A straight shot downwards, a pulse of energy at the exact moment the sound barrier was shattered… directly in-between the Fortress and Sanctuary II.

Rainbow held her breath.

She narrowed her eyes into a fierce glare.

And blasted off.

Her descent was rapid, intense, and melting with fire. The second she entered the upper atmosphere and the darkness of space faded away, a ring of fire devoured her hooves and blinded her vision. Several more warning signs rang across her HUD, but Rainbow ignored them. She increased the speed, put everything she had into the repulsors and shot herself faster and faster to the awaiting battlefield miles below.

She flew into various clouds and just as easily passed through them, rocketing downwards to the earth and tearing across the skies like a comet. A slew of soldiers and warriors in the battle below watched her descent, saw her streak across the sky in a trail of fire. They watched as that fire transformed into a trail of rainbows, as the cone disintegrated the fire consuming Rainbow Dash and replaced it with only a blinding whiteness.

Rainbow Dash had just reached the air in-between the two warships when she did it.

When she broke the sound barrier and momentarily deafened every life.

In that shattered aftermath, an explosion of pure light and color shot out across the skies, amplified tenfold by the Iron Mare’s capabilities and the height the Pegasus had achieved. Soon, once every ear had stopped ringing and every head had turned to it, the blinding whiteness of the explosion faded to reveal a rainbow of colors exploding outwards.

Rainbow Dash escaped the clutches of her Sonic Rainboom, leaving it to deal with the masses who were not so lucky and definitely not as fast as her.

The rainbow wave tore across the air and sliced cleanly through any Chitauri ship it managed to capture. Starships, chariots, Necrocrafts, and even Leviathans were blown aside by the eruption of light and color. To all of their shock, the ships were disabled and dropped like rocks right out the sky. Leviathans were so distorted and shaken by the Sonic Rainboom that they didn’t see where they were flying, eventually crashing into one another, onto the Fortress, the ground, and even Sanctuary II itself.

Thanos’ warship faced the most devastating hit. Once the Sonic Rainboom struck it, every single energy cannon upon the ship was disabled. It remained hovering, though, while various starships and chariots simply dropped. Even the Fortress felt the impact of the Sonic Rainboom, the pulsating wave of energy disabling the repulsor cannons momentarily.

All was dark in the war of the skies. No explosions. No cannon fire. Just a wave of rainbows slowly cascading across the battlefield and every head gazing to it in awe.

Captain Marvel watched the rainbows fly over her head, her eyes struggling to take it all in. She slowly smirked, gazing back to the darkened warships. “Two birds…” she muttered, dropping her gaze and seeing that rainbow trail jet off back into the skies. “One stone.”

Though greatly miscalculating—or ignoring—the impact of her Sonic Rainboom, Rainbow Dash still took full advantage of traveling at supersonic speeds. The rainbow trail burned bright behind her, her repulsors only increasing her speed and pushing the mare clear across one end of the battlefield to the other in a sweeping arc across the skies. A single rainbow was left from her flight.

Despite that, she didn’t slow down. She kept up her current speed and returned to the dogfight.

“We’ll deal with them!” she shouted in her comms. “Spitfire, you and the others need to attack now!”

“Right away, General!” Spitfire responded with a valiant grin tugging at her lips. She watched from the deck of the War Horse as Rainbow Dash’s Sonic Rainboom knocked out all of their opposition, giving the remaining airships in the Grand Fleet a moment to join them for one last charge. Giving them the right moment to strike. And they did, Spitfire spinning towards the bridge and waving their way.

“All right, you heard the pony! Grand Fleet, full steam ahead for the Command Cen—!”

Various echoing cries filled her comms link. Followed by the haunting sounds of static. The rippling explosion caught her ears as well as everypony onboard the warship. They galloped or flew to the edge, spotting the airship out of the dozen others consumed in fire and descending to the earth. It crashed with a devastating explosion.

Then, to their growing shock, the same thing occurred to another airship, one nearby and swiped at by a gargantuan claw appearing out of the billowing smoke. That airship was taken down all the same, in a cluster of fire and screams that grew quieter the further they fell. One after the other, more airships were ripped from their flight and brought down from those massive claws.

Until, finally, they were next.

The Chitauri Titan roared as it leaped in the air and struck the bottom of the War Horse.

In one swipe, the lower hull of the War Horse was torn asunder. Raging fires and explosions consumed the warship, ponies on the lower decks flung out into the open and down to certain doom. A gaping hole rested on the bottom of the massive airship, the engines shockingly intact and the War Horse still managing to fly high. The various ponies atop the ship’s deck had fallen from the impact, returning to the edge to see the smoke clear and the Chitauri Titan glaring up at them, stalking them, waiting to strike for one last killing blow.

It was by far the largest of all the Titans, close to 500 feet tall and wearing the heaviest, strongest armor out of all the others. Having four arms, four claws, and a short tail, it also turned out to be last of the Chitauri Titans. That reality hindered the beast little, as its stomps shook the world and its glare was centered on the burning, careening warship.

Noticing that the War Horse was in trouble, the remaining airships in the Equestrian Grand Fleet turned on the beast and fired upon it. The Titan roared at their feeble attempts, swatting at the air and striking down various airships caught within its reach. Spitfire watched with horror in her eyes as even more airships burned and fell, struck like they were nothing but flies and crashing to the earth while the Titan merely waved them away. She wanted to order the retreat. She wanted to pull back the Grand Fleet and save as many ponies as she could from the Chitauri.

Her order was cut short by a rainbow trail, the Pegasus within it striking the Titan in the back of the head. Almost as quickly, a second trail of light emerged, the golden fires from Captain Marvel impacting the Chitauri Titan dead center in its armored chest. The impact was so thunderous that the beast nearly lost its balance, taking several steps backwards and swatting at Carol Danvers as she flew past.

Together, both Rainbow Dash and Captain Marvel kept the monster at bay, too fast for it to catch and managing to keep its attention centered on them long enough for the Grand Fleet to reorganize themselves and strategize a counterattack. Mixtures of gold and rainbow circled the Chitauri Titan over and over again, the beast stumbling and swatting and roaring in every direction. Once they had dispersed, Carol left it with a parting gift and fired a beam of photon energy across its armored hide. The golden plating was severed from the heat and power of the photon blast, unveiling the thickened skin beneath as the armor plates fell to the earth. Rainbow and Danvers broke off.

The shadows fell over the Titan. It looked up.

In one swift action, with Captain Spitfire raising her hoof and slicing it down at the Titan, the Equestrian Grand Fleet fired away. The remaining airships and the War Horse unloaded every cannon, every weapon, every form of arsenal they had and bombard the Titan as they flew by. The cannon fire was unrelenting, unforgiving, and utterly devastating as each blast dealt more damage than the last. The exposed portions of the Titan’s skin were targeted, tearing through the beast and knocking it on its back with overwhelming force.

The bombardment continued, the roars of the Chitauri Titan echoing farther and farther until they were no more. Spitfire raised her hoof and ordered a ceasefire. Captain Marvel froze in mid-air, gazing down the smoke-filled hole in the earth where the Titan had fallen. She could see nothing, hear nothing.

Then, to her shock, she tilted her head skywards and saw as Sanctuary II began to come back online. The cannons brightened. The red visors across the face of the warship burned to life. Out of the corner of her eye, Carol could see that rainbow trail zooming by.

From it, Rainbow Dash shouted, “That’s the signal, Danvers!”

Carol didn’t need to be told twice. Her expression tightened, her face rising high and Captain Marvel blasting off for Thanos’ lead warship. The energy cannons came back fully and fired away at her, simply evaporating as that blistering golden inferno consumed Carol’s body and shielded her from the cannons’ harmful blasts. Regardless, they continued to fire, unyielding and unwavering even as she struck the lower hull of the warship…

And completely melted through it.

The explosion was so rippling and so powerful that it could be heard and felt by all across the vast landscapes consumed with war and death. Steve Rogers flinched against the heavy flames and brightened skylines encompassing his point of view. Lifting his eyes, he and many others with him managed to catch Carol Danvers’ trail of fire flow free from the top of Sanctuary II’s upper hull. Fire and metal rained down from the ship, each energy cannons falling into darkness as Carol swooped down for another strike.

While Sanctuary II was unsuccessful in harming its foe in time, the Fortress was much more fortunate in that regard. Once it came back online, the repulsor cannons tilted upward and targeted the nearest and greatest threat. The War Horse and the Equestrian Grand Fleet were caught in their line of sight, resounding blasts firing outwards and striking the lead airship with devastating force. Various ponies and even Captain Spitfire stumbled and fell as the blasts struck their ship, sending more fire across the warship as its engines finally began to darken. The rest of the Grand Fleet managed to slip away in time, but as for the War Horse…

Hope and terror clouded the war-torn skies. Captain America held Mjølnir and his broken shield in a pair of fear-laced grips as the War Horse fell right out the sky, burned with trails of fire and smoke escaping its body in its thundering descent. Joining it, Sanctuary II burned away as Captain Marvel dove down and impacted the ship’s bridge a second time, an equally-devastating explosion consuming Thanos’ warship.

Steve Rogers watched it all fall down in pure, shocked silence.

With both threats dealt with, the Fortress centered its attention onto the earth and fired away, decimating the grounds with earth-shattering repulsor blasts. Entire battalions from both sides of the conflict were vaporized and thrown about as the Fortress continued to strike the battle below. The blasts were even more devastating than Sanctuary II’s bombardment, and it showed.

Hovering high above it all, Rainbow Dash felt her breath quicken by the second. Her hooves rose to press tightly against her helmet’s forehead, eyes forced to watch as armies of ponies, Asgardians, griffons, dragons, and various other species that stood with the Avengers in their darkest hour were simply destroyed. In blasts that shook the entire battlefield and tore apart the landscape. She tried to do something, anything, to focus on making the right call in the face of total uncertainty.

In the corner of her eye, she could see the War Horse descending to the earth, directly into the Fortress’ line of fire. “Spitfire, you need to land the War Horse out of that ship’s crosshairs!” Rainbow ordered through her comms.

“Who says we’re out of this fight?”

“I don’t know what you’re seeing right now, but the War Horse is falling from where I’m—”

Spitfire chuckled. Rainbow stopped dead.

“We got a few more tricks up our sleeve.”

She saw it all unfold with her own eyes.

Atop the deck of the War Horse, ponies were scrambling and hanging onto anything they could find. The bow was dipped and hurtling towards the earth with crushing speeds. Yet the only pony who did not seem worried in the slightest was Spitfire. She faced the approaching ground with a feral glare, twisting back and jamming her hoof to the command bridge.

“Divert all remaining power to the engines! Full reverse!” she cried. “Front engines, ignite!”

The flow of magic, energy, and pure fire and steam that kept the War Horse afloat had suddenly ceased in all available systems, Every single one minus the engines. They were pushed into overdrive with that added boost of energy, the engines on the stern igniting forward and pushing the warship to a slowing descent. It only ceased that descent when the hidden front engines emerged and burned to life, slowing the entire vessel even faster. The War Horse slowly stopped a mere hundred or so feet above ground, moments before it continued onward and even rose up.

Rainbow Dash managed a slow and impressed nod to Spitfire and the entire crew.

All focus was diverted to the Fortress. Every cannon turned and every life upon the burning warship focused ahead to Ultron’s mighty beast of the skies. The War Horse rose again and turned its fleet to the Fortress, firing away and getting its attention away from the battle below. The Grand Fleet soared behind the War Horse, followed right alongside it and engaged the Fortress in one last battle for supremacy.

While the War Horse rose again, Sanctuary II did not. Carol glared down to it, staring to the blistering flames consuming the warship and bringing it further and further to the earth. Thanos’ ship crashed into the nearby river, sending shock waves across the battlefield.

Upon that battlefield, Thanos felt those shock waves in more ways than one. Thanos could only stare and breathe. Though he could not admit it aloud, he felt the impact of his ship personally and simply couldn’t believe he had lived to witness it. His grandest feat, his greatest army, his ship and his home simply reduced to a flaming husk embedded upon the meager planet Earth. His breaths were filled with that growing exhaustion, disbelief, and worst of all… fear.

He turned to see Ultron approach him.

Not him.

Spinning around, Thanos followed the robot’s eyes and spotted the shimmering gems within the smoke and ash. The Nano Gauntlet emerged from the darkness, lying out in the open with not a single life near its vicinity. Thanos’ eyes widened, a rejuvenated breath of life filling his spirit and heart with that push he desperately needed. Ultron narrowed his eyes on the gauntlet lying within the ruin, instantly noticing the yellow shimmer of the Mind Stone upon it. But not only the Mind Stone.

All six. Ultron’s hellish red eyes grew. He growled, “The Infinity Stones…”

He thought only the Mind Stone was within his grasp, but no. All six were present and brought together. Despite how illogical it seemed, Ultron thought immediately to what would occur if he were to get his hands on the gauntlet, on all six. The universe would bend to his will. Every life would either bow before him or cease to his exist simply from his utterance. His dream to become all things of the universe was set before him. Every life would know him. Everything would be him.

And that dream simply rested a few dozen feet away.

Thanos ran for it. Ultron gave chase. Tried to. A swarming stream of red bands consumed Ultron’s limbs and body, the AI grunting furiously to the assault and turning his eyes to face the source. Behind him, Ultron spotted none other than the Sorcerer Supreme holding him at bay.

With the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak, Doctor Strange assured not only to himself but to every reality that Ultron was that much farther away from the Infinity Stones and the terrible deeds he would commit lest he got his claws on them. It was all he could do at the moment. It was all he was forced to do and nothing else. No fighting. No killing. No stopping the AI like the countless realities where he had successfully done so.

He was forced to hold him back momentarily and watch as only the brave charged Thanos.

Chapter 181 – Only the Brave

181

The Battle of Earth

6:54 p.m.

Phil Coulson had only hidden behind cover for about four seconds before his blindside was attacked, but it was not hostile. The hug that Daisy Johnson offered him could never have been.

When the rest of world teetered and burned, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. answered the call and took up arms against such overwhelming odds. Nick Fury joined shortly with Maria Hill and the countless other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and soldiers to push through the battlefield together. Phil fought alongside them, with Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez, Lance Hunter, Bobbi Morse, Jemma Simmons, Leopold Fitz, Deathlok, Deke Shaw, and so many more. In the course of the raging battle, many agents had broken off—either forced to or by their own free will—to help where they could. The only ones left in Phil’s group were Fitz, Jemma, Deke, and Yo-Yo.

Coulson and Yo-Yo could defend themselves rather skillfully, what with Elena’s super speed and Phil’s robotic hand allowing them to have survived for as long as they did. The energy shields Phil crafted with his hand, plus the returning fire he sent with his pistol ensured that he could keep himself and his team safe from any alien insurrection. Fitz, Simmons, and Deke all ran with pistols in hand. They all defended one another and themselves.

But shortly after Ultron’s Fortress had entered the battle and tore apart the earth, Phil led his team to safety behind the nearest rubble he could find. It acted as cover, some breathing room between them and the war for the very universe. When Coulson rose to check on his team, he was blindsided and crushed by a hug and in familiar arms.

Her voice, especially, caught his dying heart.

“You’re safe!” Daisy gasped, clutching onto Phil and never wanting to let go. She gazed a thousand miles and still never took her eyes away from the three behind Coulson. Fitz, Jemma, and Deke all held their breath when they saw Daisy, joy and tears filling Jemma’s eyes. Daisy couldn’t help herself either and let the wetness flow.

“You’re all safe…” she whispered, burying her face into Phil’s shoulder and shivering as she held him tighter. Coulson felt his heart break at her pained, shaking breaths. His hands rose and comforted her in a hug only he could return, offering the daughter he never had with as much warmth and assurance as he could muster.

Perhaps for Daisy, for the surrogate father she believed Phil to be, that real assurance could finally be brought to fruition.

Behind her, what remained of S.H.I.E.L.D. came together for a quick but satisfying reunion. Mack could hardly contain himself as she limped forward and wrapped Yo-Yo in a tight hug. Elena felt a wave of relief washing through her as her boyfriend clutched onto her body. She returned the favor, robotic arms clutching his back and shoulder. Friday aided the wounded Melinda May in order to join the group, Fitz and Simmons rushing to her aid. May gave them each a quick hug before the pain overcame her senses, forced to lie down with help from the two.

Fitz cast the Iron Man suit of armor a glance and an appreciative nod. “Thank you for keeping her alive,” he said. Jemma, tears still in her eyes, managed a grateful smile to the Mark 45.

Friday could only offer a nod in response, her attention and expression shifting elsewhere. She caught the trail of fire in the air, seeing her creator Tony Stark tearing through the skies and fighting his way to the inevitable clash with Thanos. Friday gazed to him a moment longer, and then kept staring.

While quick reunions filled the remainder of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daisy and Phil’s lasted longer. She wanted it to last an eternity, just to know the man who took her in when she had nothing was safe and alive a second longer. Yet she knew she had to break away. She knew that he could, in fact, live truly. The only real assurance that Daisy had left was giving Phil the Centipede Serum, the only cure capable enough of aiding his heart and freeing Coulson’s death sentence from the Ghost Rider. And she could do it. Right then and there, she could save him.

So, she broke the hug, held onto Coulson’s shoulders, and stared into his eyes.

He stared back, that warming smile she had missed for five years finally returning to him. “I knew you’d make it out all right,” he told her. He shook his head at that, still quite shocked that he was able to take it all in, still holding his smile with hers. “I am so proud.”

Daisy managed a short chuckle, eyes still melting and tears still building. “I had your training… and definitely your perseverance.”

Through the blurred tears, Daisy stared into Coulson’s eyes and saw only that fatherly warmth, that bond only he could share with her. That grave shadow clouded her heart when she knew what was to become of him, what he so stubbornly rejected as if his contract with the Ghost Rider usurped all other things. He would stand for nothing more, every attempt to save his life just met with rejection. And now he was alive, brought back from the Decimation with his life once more ticking away.

The cure to it all simply rested inside her Quake Gauntlet. Daisy’s hands fell and she gazed to it, to the orange vial glowing within her gauntlet and beckoning to her. She raised that hand, stared to her open palm, then clenched it into a tight fist.

“Phil,” she began, voice barely above a whisper but the war surrounding them momentarily ceasing so she could be heard. And Phil heard her. She stared to him, and presently, quickly explained, “There’s something I need to—”

The screams cut her off and earned all of their eyes.

The chaotic war resumed, all heads flinching and ducking and turning to the source. Just a couple hundred feet, through the valley pockmarked with warring bodies, debris, and corpses of every variety, Discord and Thanos engaged one another for the battle of the ages. For the Nano Gauntlet. The agents fell in silence, gazing in awe to the draconequus and the Titan going toe to toe. Daisy took a step forward, terror lacing every detail in her tear-stained eyes.

Again and again, Discord would snap his fingers, changing reality in hopes to silence the Mad Titan for good. He would throw boulders, debris, pull forth entire houses, cars, and even Chitauri chariots out of thin air and launch them at him, but Thanos would always retaliate. He would dodge and push through every obstacle the Spirit of Chaos threw at him. The ground erupted and tried to consume Thanos. Vines and dirt would rise up like tendrils and wrap around the Titan’s limbs. He even tried to snap Thanos out of existence. The Dark Lord, through pure adrenaline and fury, fought through it all. He threw his blade and knocked Discord right out of the air, stopping the draconequus from snapping his fingers and obliterating the Mad Titan into a million rubber duckies.

Once Discord hit the earth with resounding force, he grunted and raised his eyes over to the Nano Gauntlet. Instinctively, Discord raised his left eagle talon and prepared to snap, prepared to send the gauntlet somewhere Thanos would never get his hands on it. Unfortunately, he never even connected his claws in time. Thanos sprinted forward and sliced down as he leaped over Discord’s body, severing Discord from his entire left hand. Yelping at that, Discord could only stare to the stump on his left arm before his vision was filled with darkness, Thanos ramming his foot across the draconequus’ face and launching the chaotic spirit clear across the valley.

In that moment of relief, Thanos turned and narrowed his focus on the gauntlet, on the Infinity Stones. Nothing else stood in his path. He ran for it, for them, and nothing stopped him.

Time seemed to slow itself as Daisy Johnson analyzed their predicament. She could only hear her heavy breaths entering and exiting her lungs, slipping through her chapped, blood and dirt-splotched lips, and join the smoke-infested air. Asgardians and Chitauri slaughtered one another all around her, their bodies moving at a molasses’ pace. So slow and so unnatural. Yet even with the horrors of war and death all around her, a simple path was laid out, clear of any death, of any fire, of anything except the Nano Gauntlet.

And Thanos.

Daisy knew exactly what would happen if he got his hands on the Infinity Stones. Instead of half of all life, he would finish the job, and kill every single one of them. Captain America made it clear over the comms earlier what Thanos’ endgame was. Thanos would kill the entire universe to prove himself right. Everything they fought for, everything they sacrificed, what they had gained from their efforts, it could not have been for nothing. If Thanos got the Infinity Stones again, it would all be for nothing.

It did not take a genius’ intellect to know she was no match for him. Their last personal confrontation ended with Thanos punching her to the dirt. Even with her Inhuman powers, she was nothing compared to the Mad Titan, gauntlet or not. Besides, all she ever wanted was to see Coulson alive again. Bringing her friends back, bringing him back, ensuring his life was freed and cured with the Centipede Serum was everything to her. She barely lasted five years, and going another second without her surrogate father was too much for her to bear again. She couldn’t go through it again. Coulson needed to live so that she could. The serum was his, but she wasn’t strong enough to take on Thanos on her own, in her current state.

It all fell apart around her. The world, the war, the reality, and the severity of the situation.

In the end, even Daisy knew what was needed. In the end, she was given the choice: Save Coulson… or the universe.

It took every ounce of strength in her heart to turn back to him, to turn and meet Phil’s eyes with her drained and wounded pair. She reached for his hand, his real flesh and bone hand, and held it with her own. He turned to her.

“You have to promise me that no matter what happens…” Daisy whispered, a single tear slipping down her cheek, “… you make it out of this. You find a cure. You save yourself. For all of their sake… and for mine.”

Before he could even breathe, her hand fell away from his. Just like that. He never even had the chance to hold her back.

Phil realized that and said, “Daisy… what are you—?”

She backed away from him. From all of them. They all lifted their eyes and watched her go. From Melinda May. Alphonso Mackenzie. Elena Rodriguez. Leopold Fitz. Jemma Simmons. Deke Shaw. The men and women she proudly served with for the greatest years of her life. Her team. The agents who had become something more. Her family.

Her shield.

They watched her go and they did nothing. They knew nothing. No one knew but her of what she would do when that path was severed and she was free.

“Stay alive,” she called, taking several more steps backwards and looking nowhere else but onto them. Onto Phil Coulson especially, as her voice broke and her heart broke with it.

“I love you.”

Then, she turned and ran.

“Daisy,” Phil called, then cried as he raised his pistol for the Chitauri rushing her from behind. “Daisy, no, wait!”

The Chitauri cut them off, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and their former director forced to fight for their lives as one of their own ran off into the fires. Daisy Johnson was not captured. She was not caught by their claws, their blades, or their blasters. Her years of training under May, under Coulson, all of their experience onto her kept her alive and pushed her onwards. The path ahead was filled with growing Chitauri of every race, distant Outriders rushing forward and leaping for her. Only one Outrider broke through the fire to reach her. Only one Elite tore across the valley and aimed its sword for her.

She leaped over a mound of rock, rearing back with her fist and reaching out with her boot. She drove her foot into the face of the charging Elite, cracking its visor and bending its neck back at an awkward and painful angle. She slammed her right fist down and quaked the nearest Outrider to her left, crushing it into the dirt where it belonged.

Rolling forward, Johnson let loose with every last ounce of power and strength she had left flowing through her Inhuman veins. Tremors of energy shot forth from her fists, tearing through Chitauri after Chitauri, Sakaaran and Outrider, and even the slew of Ultron Sentinels that sought to finish the job like they should have back in the alternate timeline. Daisy tore through all of them, not a single one able to stop her and not a single one left standing in her wake.

Before she knew it, the path was severed. She was free of the fire. All that was left was the Nano Gauntlet and the Mad Titan mere feet away from reaching it.

In her sprint onward, Daisy reached for her silver Quake Gauntlet. Her breath was raw and heavy as she pulled the vial free from its hidden compartment and out for the entire world to see. No one but her saw the Centipede Serum in its grandest form, the orange liquid sloshing back and forth with each daring footfall closer she took towards the Titan. His back was turned. His focus was only on the Stones and nothing else.

Knowing that, knowing what truly hung on the line, and knowing that the fate of the universe was more than Coulson, Daisy Johnson shut her eyes, gritted her teeth, and injected the vial into her left shoulder. The syringe pushed forth the fluid inside of her, the resulting effects and reactions completely and totally instantaneous.

The Centipede Serum consumed her. Her eyes shot open and each iris was laced in a burning orange hue.

Thanos had made it. He had reached his destiny. He grabbed the gauntlet and gazed hungrily to the Infinity Stones, rearing back with his right hand and jamming it forward to fit inside the glove. The unrelenting shock wave from behind him prevented him from proceeding an inch closer. He was punched forward, launched several yards ahead with the speed of a rocket and the impact of one to boot.

Crashing against the burning corpse of a Leviathan, Thanos lost his breath and cried out in mixtures of pain and anguish. He pried himself from the melting body of the serpent, stumbling as his feet hit the earth. Regardless of his pain, of his torment, he faced his never-ending war ahead and sought, once more, the Infinity Stones.

The gauntlet crashed further off to his left. Dead ahead, he saw her rise fully. Thanos stopped breathing and narrowed his eyes onto the Inhuman.

Gazing to her arms, her fists, and to her very body, Quake stood breathlessly, almost as if she felt she did not even need to breathe. The power flowing through her gave her every breath she needed, the burning fire of the Centipede Serum infused perfectly with her veins, body, spirit, and mind. Every vein visible on her body glowed a haunting orange, shimmering through her jumpsuit and rising up around her clean face. All leading up to her eyes, the twin orbs of blistering orange energy shimmering with unshaken and unquenchable fire.

Daisy Johnson breathed again. She lifted her eyes and met the Mad Titan’s. He glared at her. She glared back. Within seconds, they were already charging one another.

While Daisy reached back with a devastating second punch, Thanos escaped her reach, rolling forward and retrieving his Uru blade from the dirt. Spinning around, Daisy’s black bangs flung madly to her movements, Quake jamming out her right palm and screaming as that tremoring wave of energy left her fingertips. Thanos was not fast enough to dodge a blast of such speed and power. He raised his arms, his sword, and took the spearhead of the quaking assault head-on.

The sound waves made his ears and nose bleed, but Thanos held on, tightening his jaw through every second of the assault. His body was continuously pushed back, the earth shredding and cracking around him while the Titan persevered. When he realized she wasn’t going to letup any moment soon, Thanos drove his blade into the earth and stopped himself from moving another inch backwards. Daisy kept up the assault, pressing forward with her palm still jutted forth, still unloading that pent-up energy within her freshly-fueled body.

Together, the two of them broke the distance to each other, Thanos driving his feet into the dirt and fighting against the wave of tremoring energy, and Daisy unloading more pulses of that energy onto Thanos with each step closer. Until both simultaneously broke it, Daisy rearing her hand back and Thanos breaking free from its hold. They were face to face. Thanos glared down at her. Daisy breathed.

His swing for her head was missed by centimeters, Johnson ducking the blade with cat-like reflexes. She bent low, using that same speed and ferocity that never let go of her and unloading it onto each punch and strike she sent onto the Mad Titan. Her punches were rapid, hitting first his kneecap then rising up to his sternum, all leading up to the devastating punch across Thanos’ cheekbone. His armor cracked and shattered with each strike she delivered, a sickening impact of her fist against his bone twisting Thanos’ neck to the far right. Several yards in that direction, he flew and crashed. Hard.

When he rose, Thanos coughed droplets of violet and gazed to the dirt, seeing his blood splattered upon it. He ignored the stars in his eyes, knowing that her strikes had dealt far greater damage than he had initially dreaded. His insides ached as he rose up to his feet, Thanos recognizing the shattered ribs and pushing on anyway. Broken bones were temporary. His destiny and rest soon to come were eternal.

Looking up, he heard her war cry and saw as Quake descended from the sky with fists high above her head. Thanos rolled out of the way, looking over and shielding his face as she struck the earth and tore it apart. Fragments of rock and stone shot out and sliced at his body. Reacting fast, Thanos reached forward and wrapped his palm around her throat, raising her high and bringing her down where her back impacted the cracked and broken rock. Daisy raised her head and opened her fire-fueled eyes onto Thanos, only to meet the darkness of his palm as he slammed it over her face.

Grabbing hold of her head, Thanos lifted her body and slammed her repeatedly into that same impact point. He leaned back and tossed her with fervent ferocity across the valley, roaring as he relinquished her head from his grasp. To his continued shock, Daisy spun in mid-air, landed on both feet upon the earth, skidded several yards further back, and kicked off from it. Her speeds were unmatched, Thanos unable to react in time as her body was propelled towards him and gored the Titan clear across the battlegrounds.

Grabbing hold of Thanos, Daisy planted her feet upon the earth and tossed the Titan from her. He crashed and rolled for several hundred more feet, only able to rise shortly after regaining his footing. By that time, there was already a considerable distance between the two. There was already enough time for Johnson to lift her fists and bring them down.

She slammed her fists into ground, screaming through every second of every tremoring impact that she sent across the valley. From her fury, a massive earthquake was birthed and shot forth across the entire battlefield. Armies caught within the tremor’s hold either ceased their conflict or were consumed by the shattering earth. Shards of that earth were raised and dropped, Thanos leaping through it all just to near her. From one piece of landmass to the other, Thanos broke the distance and flew high above her head. He tossed his sword for her. Daisy dodged it by centimeters, the blade’s edge scraping against her cheek before it stabbed the earth by her side. Before she could even turn back, he landed with his boot kicking her in the chest. Daisy rolled back, lifting her head and eyeing the Titan in his feral approach. He ripped his blade free from the ground, snarling and unleashing it upon her.

Each swipe and slash were more deadly than the last, Thanos’ intense power and speed finally finding its advantage over hers. And with each strike forward, Daisy found herself being pushed back further. The adrenaline she had was fading. The fire in her veins was giving its last light. Daisy’s face contorted further and further into different depths of desperation. She blocked his sword with her gauntlets, grabbing the blade and using it as leverage to drive her elbow right into Thanos’ face. With Thanos staggered backwards, she ran forward and kicked off his chest, leaping over his head and landing behind him. She reared back with her fist and spun around, unloading her most devastating punch yet. One that would kill. One that couldn’t miss. Her screams followed her, echoed across the battlefield. She spun and met him. Thanos spun around at the same second.

They froze when their eyes met. Daisy’s fist froze in mid-air.

She lost her breath. She couldn’t breathe.

Thanos could. He breathed in and out, again and again, and dropped his eyes. Daisy made the mistake of following him.

Embedded in her chest, she saw only the end of Thanos’ blade. A clean cut. A perfect incision. Between each breast and directly through her heart.

The fire in her eyes faded, leaving just her. The Inhuman. The woman. Just Daisy.

Carefully, Thanos ripped it free and backed away, gazing on in silence. She clutched her agape and bleeding wound and crumbled to one knee. To her rear, falling back and only able to keep herself straightened by her left palm pressed against the dirt and rock. Even that faltered, the pained intakes of air wet and raspy. That wetness flowed from her mouth in short streams of crimson, that same color that painted her glove over her chest. A different wetness flowed from her eyes, clear and painful.

That wet and dark glove over her heart could feel the fading beats, stronger than ever… and quietly slowing down. Quietly, slowly, she fell. Rested at long last.

Her head lulled to her left, tear-stained eyes seeing the dark figures of Phil Coulson and the other agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. successfully emerging from the fire. Alive and well. Daisy managed a sharp intake of air at that, relief replacing the pain, and leaving nothing in return. There was nothing. No more pain. No more suffering. Her eyes, glazed over, stared on ahead and looked nowhere else except where Phil and her family stood.

It was the only thing she wanted to see.

She breathed out her last.

And was gone.

By the time Phil and the others had reached her, fought through hell and fire, they were already too late. They could only gaze upon the aftermath in mixtures of utter disbelief and horror. Fitz’s eyes popped open to the highest degree he could manage. Jemma cried out, hands rising to cover her mouth. But Phil took it the worst. He did not cry, did not react as the others could, because what he saw was something he couldn’t believe. He couldn’t believe it to be real and therefore could not react to it. He was trapped in a frozen state of shock for so long that he had grown numb to the world around him. Her bleeding body was stained in his memory, her eyes latched to him in a desperate final act to reach him.

And now he could no longer reach her. He failed. He lost her.

He couldn’t even come back to reality in time. Thanos swiped his bleeding blade out in front of him, spinning towards the various agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and stomping towards them with that same murderous intent glowing in his eyes.

Tempest Shadow leaped from the smoke with Stormbreaker in her magical aura, her screams crying out for her fallen Avenger as she slammed the axe across the Titan’s body. The thunderous impact sent a shock wave of lightning and fury across the valley, and all had felt it and reacted to it. Phil Coulson was numb to it all. He was the first one to her body. The others came shortly after his hand reached behind her head and cradled it.

Thanos blocked Stormbreaker with his Double-Edged Sword, currents of lightning and electricity sparking off the axe’s head and shocking his face and body. The Mad Titan seethed at that, glaring to the glowing blue eyes of the unicorn as she drove Stormbreaker further and further onto his chest.

Phil cradled her head while the others checked her wounds, tried to find some way to save her. He rubbed strands of her dark hair out of her face.

Tempest cried out in mixtures of rage and anguish, all of it a creation of Thanos’ dastardly and heinous actions on her fellow Avenger. She was too slow to come to her aid in time, but never too late to stop the Titan from taking another life. Her teeth tightened so hard she could have crushed steel. Thanos’ own mirrored Tempest’s as that axe grew closer to his chest. To his exposed neck.

Fitz checked the wound while Jemma held Daisy’s hand, searched for s pulse, and clutched onto her best friend, desperately praying for a miracle. Fitz could find none, his expression crestfallen as he brought his hand away from her wound. Mack stood as pale as a ghost. Yo-Yo was speechless. Jemma cried and held Daisy’s hand, tightened it so hard that she shivered. She sobbed and wailed.

Phil cradled her head. Stared to the others and saw their shattered reactions. He let his eyes fall to hers, saw as they gazed beyond him and into the burning skies. Shakily, he lifted his free hand and washed his palm over her vision, closing her eyes. He joined her, resting his forehead against his surrogate daughter’s and letting loose the tears. The pain. The reality of it all.

Tempest’s cries became a call to arms, nearby Avengers, heroes, and the brave answering them to the best of their abilities. Daisy’s sacrifice became the spark to their fire, igniting the whole world against Thanos.

Slamming his palm down on the axe, Thanos knocked it free from his throat and drove his forehead into Tempest’s own. She fell back from the hit, losing Stormbreaker momentarily as she crashed into the dirt. Thanos raised his blade, watching as it was caught in another magical aura and ripped from his grasp. He watched the blade bounce and crash against some rubble, Thanos staring to it before his glare was ultimately brought back to the unicorn in question.

Starlight leaped forward from the mound of rock, driving her hoof across Thanos’ cheek and earning some spittle of blood from her impact. Thanos grunted and fell to his knee, spinning to face her as Starlight skidded across the dirt. She spun and fired a spell onto the Titan, meeting his forehead and pushing Thanos back several feet. Maud slid into action, bucking Thanos in the back of his knee and knocking back to the ground. Derpy dive-bombed from the sky, she and Trixie unloading streams of dark magic and lightning onto the withering Titan. Thanos howled as their conjoined assault continued to strike him down further and further. He had sustained their annoyance for far too long, allowing them to somehow gain an advantage over him.

No more.

Clenching his palms into fists, Thanos rose up. The lightning from Derpy’s Domino Gun and the dark fires from Trixie’s horn all faded away when Thanos reared down, captured Maud in his hand, and chucked her for them. Both the unicorn and the Pegasus were knocked out the air, leaving just Starlight. She charged once more for Thanos, vanishing and reappearing by his face for another devastating spell. Only Thanos expected it, roaring as he drove his fist directly to her flash of magic and punched her.

As Starlight vanished across the rubble, Thanos leaned back to dodge the swing of Stormbreaker. Tempest returned, and more relentless than ever. Her swings with the axe were only fueled by her undying ferocity and hatred for the Mad Titan. Fire and lightning melted off the weapon, spinning madly with her on every daring push forward. Thanos would dodge it constantly, but realized quickly that he wouldn’t be able to forever.

He realized it too late. Tempest rammed the axe into his shoulder, breaking through the armor and tearing through flesh and bone.

Bellowing in agony, Thanos raised his right hand and gripped the axe’s handle, trying desperately to pry it out. Violet blood flowed from the shattered armor and painted his right arm, and it only continued to flow. The axe continued to dig deeper. Tempest Shadow continued to seethe with rage before him. Falling to his knee, Thanos turned desperately from the axe and back to the glare of the unicorn. Her eyes were a heavenly blue, fueled only by the axe and the strength it gave her.

It all clicked for him at that moment. Showing his feral teeth, Thanos managed to raise his left arm, grasping the handle with both hands and using what remaining strength he had to lift the axe. The opposite force and pressure made the ordeal of removal excruciating, and it was. Truly, it was. Thanos screamed as Stormbreaker, slowly but surely, was raised from his bleeding shoulder.

To Tempest’s shock, she gazed to the axe and widened her eyes when Thanos had successfully pried it free. Every ounce of her magic was put into the axe, so when Thanos ripped it from her grasp, it felt as if all the breath, the strength, the will in her body was simply stripped from her. Momentarily, for a second or two. But that was all Thanos needed, just a second.

He punched her across the head, Tempest unable to hold on any longer. Her magic was relinquished from the axe, Stormbreaker falling dark and Thanos tossing it aside. Free and bleeding alive, Thanos stomped towards Tempest with ill-intent burning in his glare. Shaken and fractured, Tempest felt the crack in her horn and the magic sputtering out of it. The punch dealt more damage than she initially feared. She saw stars, heard a ringing in her left ear, and tried to shake it all away.

She couldn’t, but faced Thanos either way. She charged a spell.

Thanos punched her.

Stumbling backwards, Tempest felt and tasted the blood in her mouth. Regardless, she faced him again, holding her ground and never surrendering. Another sputtering spell in her horn. Another punch from the Mad Titan.

Bruises formed and blood flowed from the unicorn’s face, from the freshly-acquired cuts, her nose, her lips, and her mouth. All relinquished the pain she could not express any other way. With every deafening punch, with every stumbling step backwards, Tempest Shadow continued to rise again, continued to hold her ground and charge up any spell that might have made a difference, that might have pushed Thanos back. But nothing came. So, she stood.

She faced him again and Thanos punched her again. Again. Again.

Until she could stand no more. Until she finally fell and gave in to her body’s demands. Resting against the dirt and rock, Tempest inhaled and exhaled wet and ragged breaths, blood practically raining from her face and painting the dirt she lied on. With eyes bruised and bloodshot, Tempest finally turned her expression back up to the Titan, to the darkened figure overshadowing and glaring down at her.

Tempest wheezed.

Thanos narrowed his eyes, grew that snarling expression, and reared up with his boot.

Quickly and desperately, Tempest fell onto her back and charged up her horn, one last hopeless attempt to save herself. To concoct a spell, to prove to herself that she could do it and that even broken she was whole. In her awestricken gaze, she watched as the light from her horn shimmered through it all. Through the cracks, fractures, brokenness and created a shield. Just a shield of pure magic directly before her, protecting her. She had done it. Tempest did it and gasped.

Thanos tore through her shield with his boot and crushed her chest.

That gasp was caught at the last second, Tempest pressing her hooves tightly against the Mad Titan’s armored shoe. She tried to breathe, managed short bursts as the foot over her chest, her lungs, halted nearly everything. From basic motor functions, brain activity, and even breathing. She stared nowhere else but up, to the Mad Titan glaring pitifully at her. She glared back.

He pressed down.

Tempest heard the snap and lost her breath. Her eyes bugged out, jaw unhinged, and expression frozen in that perpetual state of shock and terror. The pain was something she knew of, amplified only by the horrific realization that it was absolute. It was complete. And it was temporary. What was not was the wretched feeling of guilt clouding what remaining senses she had, knowing she had failed to repay her debt fully to the ponies she aided, the ponies she sided with. The ponies who, through it all, befriended a broken monster like her.

To that, she found a semblance of ease once again.

Thanos dug deeper, grunting as his boot drove the unicorn deeper into the ground. With that, Tempest relinquished her remaining breath in a drawn-out sigh, her head falling back and resting on the cold, broken dirt.

She closed her eyes and lay there. Never moved…

Never opened them again.

“NOOO!” Starlight screamed. “Tempest!”

It was if he had grown numb to death, to the fires of desolation around him, and to the unholy wails of pain and anguish as the suffered, the living, the spared turned their swords onto him. For retribution. For vengeance. For so many things that Thanos could no longer keep track off. He pulled his boot from her body, spun around and faced the next onslaught as quickly and efficiently as he could.

Starlight charged ahead with Trixie right beside her. Derpy was crying as she fired relentlessly from her shoulder-mounted lightning gun, screaming Tempest’s name again and again. Hearing nothing in response. Maud ripped boulder after boulder from the ground and hurled them at Thanos. All of their efforts, all of their strengths, all of their pain pushed onto one being.

And he threw them aside.

To Trixie and Starlight, he raised his armored forearm and blocked their spells, swiping low and striking both across the face with his forearm. Their bodies flew like ragdolls across the air, crashing and lying unmoving against the gravel. Thanos grunted and cried as the Domino Gun struck his chest, but he fought through it. He drove his shoulder into the boulder that was flung for him and shattered it. Fragments rained over the Titan, Thanos catching one and chucking it right for the Pegasus. Derpy had no chance of escape, no hope to evade, and was knocked out of the air by it.

Thanos screamed. He screamed as more and more boulders were thrown at him. He screamed as the torment of their resilience and his stripped destiny continued to assault him. He screamed as he rammed each shoulder into a different boulder each time, eventually breaking the distance, eventually reaching Maud and punching the earth where she stood. The force of the punch, the shock wave he created, launched Maud several yards back.

Then, he breathed.

He suffered.

He lived.

He pushed on and retrieved his sword, running for the gauntlet. It was almost over.

The slew of events that followed felt like a blur, entrapping Thanos in another wave of rebellion and chaos. The Punisher flew down and tackled Thanos into the dirt, the burly Punisher Armor rising high and sending vicious punches across the Titan’s bleeding and bruised cheeks. But he wasn’t alone. From the smoke and fire, Daredevil answered Tempest Shadow’s call at long last and ran, driving his knee into the Titan’s chest and proceeding to knock Thanos further to his knees.

Elektra screamed as she ran towards him, leaping forth and sending a brutal kick across Thanos’ temple. He fell to the side, still barely standing. Luke Cage was ready for him, rearing down and slamming his fist across the Titan’s cheekbone. Violet blood sprayed from Thanos’ mouth, pushing him onward to Jessica Jones, who met him with a punch directly into his forehead. The Iron Fist was the last to join, the strongest to hit, as Danny Rand leaped forward and drove his golden fist into the heart of Thanos’ chest.

The Mad Titan slid several yards backwards, the shock wave of the punch doing more damage than he initially calculated. Thanos clutched his chest, writhing in pain and shocked to see plates of his armor cracking and falling into his open palm. Had his armor not held, Thanos could only fear what might have become of him.

The Defenders charged on.

Thanos lifted his eyes to them and breathed.

He whipped his blade forward so quickly and so rapidly that none expected it. It tore across Jessica’s arm, Danny’s leg, and the side of Matt’s helmet. All three of them cried out and clutched their wounds, falling away while the others pushed on. Thanos caught Elektra’s sai intended for his throat, breaking the weapon and headbutting her fiercely. He threw her body against Danny’s, she and the Iron Fist tumbling out of sight. Luke drove his fist towards Thanos once again, but the Titan was ready. He raised his sword, blocked Cage’s devastating punch, twisted his arm, and slammed the side of his blade against Luke’s body. He flew back, rolling and crashing into the rubble.

All within five seconds.

Yet time proceeded on, and Frank Castle didn’t waste a second more. He leaped over Luke’s rolling body, his Punisher Armor stomping heavily as he tore across the battlefield and reached the Titan. He whipped out his right arm, the gauntlet attached to his armor unsheathing a chainsaw. The weapon roared to life as the sharpened blades spun and spun, no hope of stopping. No hope of stopping the Punisher from seeing Thanos’ head on a platter.

Jetting high, Frank brought the chainsaw down with a thunderous clash against Thanos’ sword. Sparks and fire shot off from the impact of the two weapons, the blades of the chainsaw grinding and slicing and crying out against the side of the Mad Titan’s sword. Thanos cringed against the sparks dancing across his vision, seething in panic when he noticed the chainsaw nearing his exposed neck. The weapon roared. Frank Castle, from beneath the skull-painted mask and burning red eyes, roared.

Then, in a desperate act, Thanos twisted his sword so the sharpened edge collided with the chainsaw. The blades cried out and broke apart, flying in multiple directions as the Uru greatly outpowered the weakened steel and metal. Seeing his chainsaw break apart, Frank tore his eyes rapidly away from Thanos and that was his downfall. His chainsaw shattered, Castle nearly crumbling to the ground from the excess force he applied to it. From that, Thanos reared back and punched Frank right between the eyes.

The resounding clang of metal against bone filled Castle’s ears and continued to echo in his head. He flew back and crashed back-first onto the earth, rolling until his feet met solid ground once more. With hands planted, armor grinding, and breath tightening, Frank slowly lifted his flickering red eyes and met the Titan’s.

Thanos stomped towards him on a murderous warpath, twirling his blade and nearing Castle by the second. He only stopped when the earth shuddered next to the Punisher. He turned to it and nearly lost his breath when Tony Stark himself had landed next to him, come to his aid, and rose slowly. To stand defiantly one last time against Thanos. To stand with Castle one last time.

Then Rescue landed next to him, by her husband’s side.

Then War Machine.

Then Friday.

Spider-Man.

Twilight. Rarity. Rainbow Dash.

An iron army. A team. A family.

He saw them all and Frank Castle rose with them.

Author's Note

“Sometimes the world’s greatest miracles happen by accident.”

"I lost what I defined myself to be... Then I lost those who stood by me... And now, I'm simply... lost. I feel as though there is almost nothing left of me. Out here, I'll either lose myself completely... or find something new to be."

Chapter 182 – Iron Army

182

The Battle of Earth

6:57 p.m.

Tony Stark led the charge.

His iron army followed. From the likes of Pepper Stark in her Rescue armor, James Rhodes in the Iron Patriot Mark II, Peter Parker in the Iron Spider, the AI Friday, Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity all in their individual Iron Mares, and finally, Frank Castle in his Punisher Armor. They either charged from the ground in a stampeding avalanche of burly, metal suits or from the air with repulsors screaming and blasting them forward.

Together, they launched themselves to one target. One unified focus to the ends of each of their crosshairs. An end goal, to ensure he nor his forces got their hands on the Infinity Stones ever again. Iron Man reached that target first, driving his fist across Thanos’ face and blasting past him.

Stumbling from the hit, Thanos grunted and only continued to back away, to shield himself, to swing mindlessly into the array of different armors that assaulted him in a collective stream of bodies, repulsors, blades, and the like. Spider-Man slid forward, firing two strands of webbing that struck the Titan’s shoulders. Yanking himself towards him, Parker drove his feet directly into Thanos’ chin, kicking off and flipping high above his head. Thanos followed him, eyes focused skyward and mind disoriented just long enough for the others to strike.

War Machine gored the Titan in the sternum, pushing him further back until both of their feet started to dig deeper into the dirt. Snarling at that, Thanos raised his left arm and drove it directly onto Rhodes’ spine, eliciting a grunt of agony from the man beneath the protective suit. Landing face-first and harshly against the gravel, Rhodes tried to breathe but couldn’t. Thanos lifted his blade high and fully intended to bring it down on the man’s back. The Punisher Armor swooped down, landing viciously on the back of Thanos’ leg and bending it.

Growling at that and falling to one knee, Thanos turned to the assault and met only the armored end of Frank Castle’s forearm. He backpedaled from that hit across his forehead. When both hulking suits of armor rose to full height, they jammed their arms forward, unsheathed every available firearm attached to their person, and pulled every trigger at once.

A flurry of rockets shot forth from the backs of each armor, crying out as they were all redirected and focused solely to the lone Titan. Machine guns spouted from the suits’ gauntlets, shoulder-mounted rocket launchers and miniguns adding to the immense firepower as they all unloaded on Thanos. Unrelenting. Merciless. The darkness of the air around them was enlightened by the furious display, raging of the rockets, and streams of orange bullets all centering on the Mad Titan.

Spinning his blade, Thanos hardly managed to block every bullet or every rocket with his sword. Thankfully for his sake, his hardened skin survived the onslaught of bullets. The rockets were another issue entirely, blowing apart the earth around him and striking his exposed skin and armor that his blade couldn’t block. The Titan fumbled in his defensive stance, forced to hold his ground lest he slip up and give them the opening they desired.

As the Punisher and War Machine broke apart, each taking a different path and circling the Titan while keeping up the offensive fire, Rescue made her move. She hovered high overhead, noting that Thanos attention was focused on Rhodes and Castle. With her Ion Cannons hovering above and beside her, Pepper charged up her repulsors and fired a resounding beam of golden energy directly onto Thanos. He never even had a chance to react, the enhanced repulsor beam striking the Titan and boring him deeper and further across the earth.

Thanos grunted and roared at that assault, rolling to his feet and raising his blade to block her assault. Rescue cut off the repulsors faster than he anticipated, Thanos lowering his sword and seeing the blue suit of armor soaring for him. Pepper charged with her foot swinging first, slashing her boot across Thanos’ temple and earning a cry of pain from him. Thanos retaliated fast, rearing forward and clasping his left palm around her throat, tossing her directly behind him and in order to gain some much-needed distance. War Machine and Punisher continued to unload every bullet they had on him, Thanos trying to shield himself from all angles and failing.

Pepper drove her feet into the ground, sliding to a stop and lifting her illuminated eyes towards the Titan. By her sides, she turned to see Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity emerge, their own armors glowing and ready to unleash the fire. To Twilight, Pepper stared most of all, both masks nodding to one another. They jetted off together.

James and Frank let off the firepower when Rescue and the three mares joined the fray, taking the moment of respite to reload their weapons. Thanos, in the meantime, was disoriented and shaken, unable to block the next onslaught of iron-cladded warriors. Nanoparticle wings jutted forth from Twilight and Pepper’s backs, the duo flying across Thanos’ head and pelting him with mixtures of magic and repulsor blasts. Rarity slid across the earth and fired both repulsors attached to the bottoms of her hooves onto Thanos’ blindside. Rainbow Dash took a closer approach, flipping in mid-air to dodge the Titan’s blade and respond in kind. Her energy blade burst forth from her right hoof, the Pegasus slicing at Thanos’ exposed arm and drawing blood. She landed on the gravel harshly, launching herself at the Titan and ramming her blade into the exposed area on his sternum.

The energy blade tore through the remaining armor and stabbed through the skin. Thanos howled. Rainbow Dash raged, digging her blade in as deep as she could manage. She felt the palm grip the back of her head, Thanos prying her free and tossing the Pegasus clear across the skies. Rhodes and Castle continued the fire, all loaded up and unleashing every arsenal they had onto Thanos once again.

Knocking Twilight out of the air with his sword, Thanos managed to catch Rescue by her leg and slam her into the earth. He grabbed her body, raising Pepper and using her as a shield against the bullets and rockets. He spun his sword on one side of him, holding Pepper on the other, both used to deflect the onslaught. Rhodey cut off his stream of bullets when he noticed the shield Thanos was using against him. That moment of hesitation cost him. Thanos threw Pepper right at him, knocking them both back.

With one dealt with, that left the other. Thanos spun around as the repulsor blast got the back of his head. As he turned, he saw as both Rarity and the Punisher were firing at him together. In rapid succession, Thanos dodged to the left and right to avoid Rarity’s repulsors blasts. The rockets from Frank’s suit struck the earth but not the Titan. With a savage swing of his sword, Thanos shot Rarity directly for the Punisher. Frank rolled out of the way of Rarity’s body, rising to one knee and firing more rockets and bullets onto the Titan.

Grimacing at the sight of the Punisher still active, Thanos disregarded the next suit of armor flying for him. Friday struck the side of his face with her fist as she flew by, Thanos forced her way and watching as the AI swooped down for a second attack. Thanos cut her off and swung his blade across the suit’s body, launching Friday into a mound of rubble and fire.

Tony and Pepper engaged together after that. Husband and wife collectively assaulted the Mad Titan with mixtures of repulsors, punches, and kicks that radiated fluid ferocity and precision. It was as if they had fought together for years, trained for that exact moment to lay Tony’s last demon to rest once for all. For Pepper, it was as much her inner battle as it was Tony’s. Neither would be able to rest unless Thanos was killed for good.

But as expected, Thanos punched back. He punched harder, and both Pepper and Tony were thrown back from their efforts. Frank had enough, breaking the distance between him and Thanos within seconds and firing through every second. His repulsors cut off as he landed on the earth, the Punisher firing relentlessly onto the Titan’s frame. Yet in such close quarters, he was exposed. Thanos could engage much closer and much more personal.

Good, Castle thought. He fired away and held nothing back, roaring his terrible war cry as the bullets bounced and struck off the Titan’s hide. Thanos, previously fallen to his knees, rose again and approached Frank slowly. So very slowly.

With a vicious swing of his blade, Thanos struck the side of Castle’s head. Flashing warnings and red lights in his HUD meant little for Frank, and he waved them off and lifted his arms once more. The machine gauntlets were struck by the side of Thanos’ blade, the bullets ceasing and sparks flying against the damaged firearms. Frank centered his shoulder-mounted miniguns onto the Titan, Thanos only reaching forth and grasping one after the other. He crushed them with a clench of his fist. Thanos elbowed Castle in the back of his head, pushing the Punisher to his knee.

Just as he raised his Double-Edged Sword to strike Castle down, a blackened steel blade was unsheathed from Frank’s gauntlet. The Punisher gave off a solid huff of breath.

Crying out with a throat torn by blood, Frank swung upwards for the Titan’s jugular. Thanos dodged the blade’s edge by inches, the Punisher pushing on and swinging, stabbing, and slicing at Thanos with murderous intention. His motions were once fluid and precise, accurate and trained, but as Thanos continued to dodge, the exertion on Castle started to take form. He stabbed forward and the Dark Lord dodged left, catching Castle’s arm and striking it with his blade. He broke the armor, the arm, and slammed his sword across Castle’s face. The mask of his Punisher Armor broke free, unveiling the bleeding, bruised, and ravaged face of Frank Caste beneath.

Another devastating blow took the breath right out of Castle. Thanos rammed the side of his sword into Frank’s chest, the suit crumbling and crying out as he was launched backwards and crashed in the dirt and rock. For a moment, he simply lay there on his chest, heaving and trying to stand, trying to move, trying to do anything but fall again. He pressed his left palm onto the ground, his right arm broken and hanging limply with the fractured armor plates.

“Submit,” Thanos ordered, glaring down the kneeling Punisher.

He wanted to. Frank knew that more than anything right then and there. Like many times before, when he believed he was at the end of his line and there was no hope of escaping, he wanted to give in. When the pain was so great that he couldn’t even think. When the pain in his heart for the family he lost finally felt too heavy to bear any longer. At that point, the lowest point he had reached many times before, all he wanted to do was submit to it.

And that was exactly what they wanted him to do.

He wouldn’t give in. Whenever he was faced with that reality of his death nearing, he got back up, fought through the blinding pain, and lived anyway. Even if he died, he would take every last life with him if need be. Nothing and no one would go without punishment as long as he lived and breathed. Until his last breath was given, he ensured that those who deserved it met proper justice. Until that last breath, he wasn’t free. Until they were avenged, he wasn’t free.

Avenged.

He thought of that word. He thought of his family. Little Frankie. Lisa. Maria.

God, if they could see me now.

Frank stared off onto the melting horizon at that. He breathed so very heavily. The sun managed to slip through the clouds at that very moment in time, reached his eyes and blinded him in an overwhelming sense of warmth and belonging. In that moment, for the first time in his life, Frank felt at ease. He realized where he truly was. That sense of purpose he had searched for all those years had led him right there. Right then and there, to stand with a new family and a new purpose. With a new title: Avenger. He hadn’t realized what that title really meant until right then. Not one to punish, but to avenge. He avenged them when Banner snapped his fingers. Every last one who was taken and came back.

And he could have sworn he saw his family’s faces in the light, smiling to him, beckoning to him.

Spitting out a helping of blood, Frank mustered a helping of breath and growled, “Funny little thing about me… I don’t know when to submit.”

Before Thanos could even open his mouth, Frank shot out his left arm and fired a missile from his forearm’s cartridge. The miniature missile struck Thanos dead in the chest, a rippling explosion shooting outwards and flames encompassing the visible area of dirt and rock. Arm still jutted outwards, Frank stared into the fading flames and smiled a bleeding smile. He started to chuckle. Then, he laughed.

He smiled and laughed even as Thanos tore through the smoke, utterly enraged, and sliced at Castle’s forearm. The armor was shredded instantly. Thanos cut that remaining distance and drove his sword directly through the piercing red Arc Reactor.

Until the opposite end stabbed the earth beneath.

He stopped laughing and lost his breath, but that never tore away the smile. Castle’s smiling lips were covered in a growing pool of crimson. He stared solely into Thanos’ eyes with every waking second he had left, stared into the murderous rage and felt that same pain within him finally vanish. And finally free, Frank Castle let his head fall back against the dirt.

He stared straight up. Nowhere else but up.

In that moment of stunned silence, the surrounding area turned their attention onto Thanos and what he had done. They almost couldn’t believe it. The masses rose forth and couldn’t believe what their eyes gazed upon. Twilight Sparkle gazed in horror alongside Tony Stark beside her, only her mask retracting to unveil the truth in its ugliest form to her wounded eyes. Pushing herself from the ground, Rainbow witnessed the same event and froze instantly. Her eyes widened. Her breath shortened. Joining the likes of Rarity, Thor, and Captain America.

Steve Rogers slowed his sprint to a dead and cold halt, gazing with heavy eyes onto the dreadful scene before him. As Thor landed with Stormbreaker in hand, he stared on and held his breath to their fallen Avenger. They each felt their hearts fall as Thanos pulled his sword free, and Frank Castle fell free to the earth. That Titan turned and glared at them, bloodshot eyes narrowing to the familiar group of six standing before him. The only ones left that could stand.

They realized soon who they stood with, the various eyes of Twilight, Tony, Rainbow, Steve, Rarity, and Thor all meeting one another halfway. That shared conglomeration of glances all equated to a single stance against Thanos, the six Avengers rising high, glaring ahead, and breathing again. Their expressions hardened, mirroring their wounded hearts for the Avenger they lost. The Avenger that fell in battle, giving his life for something greater than himself.

With a vicious twirl of the mighty Mjølnir, Captain America ensured Frank Castle would not fall in vain. He led the charge and the five others charged with him. Thanos ran at them.

They never collided.

All they saw was the stream of red light impact the grounds between them and utterly rip them from the earth.

The force of the impact was blistering and raw, the earth shattering and dust and rock flying outwards like shrapnel from a grenade. They were all well protected from the blast, but their bodies were lifted high and thrown back as the shock wave rolled through. The blast was like that of a meteor striking the Earth, the intense speed and weight sending a fiery ferocity of rock expelling from the ground and blasting outwards. Each of the six Avengers were scattered from the impact. Thanos fell onto his back and rolled for several more yards.

As the fragments of earth finally rained down, the dust settled and all heads rose to see what had interrupted them. To their utter dismay, they saw as the wind settled the dirt and the cloak of red emerged from it all. The cape flapped gently in the breeze, the rising might of the silver-cladded body unveiling itself fully. And every eye saw it. Every eye gazed on in horror to him alone.

That red cape flapped against the towering body of Ultron. And in one of his many hands, he held out the Sorcerer Supreme by the collar of his cloak. He spun around.

Tony’s eyes slowly grew.

In Ultron’s right claws, the wounded Doctor Strange lifted his eyes lazily to Stark and breathed. Barely even managed a word. Blood, scratches, bruises, and other fleshly wounds graced his body and consumed the Master of the Mystic Arts in an inescapable bond of agony. Twilight gasped aloud, face fully visible and showcasing every inch of detail in her expression of terror. Not only for Stephen Strange in his wounded state, but for the fact that it was Ultron who held him. He was alive despite her past thoughts, her denial, her disbelief in seeing the metal army invading from the skies. They were real. He was very, very real.

And he had returned.

“Worthless,” Ultron growled, tossing the nearly unconscious Sorcerer Supreme aside. His body crashed further off into the ruin, Stephen laying with his cheek pressed against the dirt and gravel. He didn’t move. Ultron glared back at the Avengers.

Twilight shot her gaze back to Ultron, she and her friends scrambling to their hooves in desperation. From where he lay, Thanos stared on in shocked silence to who he was witnessing stand before him. The images of the body, the face, the arms, and the eyes all correlated to one he had seen once before, the one who nearly bested the Avengers and held the Mind Stone in his own metal palm.

“Avengers,” he growled, facing only the six and remaining blissfully unaware of the Titan. “Oh, look at how you’ve grown amidst my absence. And yet, what has your conjoined strength, your comradery reaped? A world in flame, a universe teetering on the brink of destruction. Yes… you understand, don’t you? Nothing, not this world, not this galaxy, can thrive as long as your banner remains. Only I know what must be done. Only I can bring… peace.”

His eyes shimmered, all six narrowing to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

“Your reign ends when the sun falls this day.”

It was Ultron. It was truly him. Thanos watched breathlessly from the sidelines as he rose up to the Avengers and utterly bested them.

All six arms ascended as the AI abomination hovered from the ground. While Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity were frozen to the dirt, Captain America rushed forward and threw Mjølnir directly for the robotic entity. The hammer soared so fast that the mares couldn’t even track it, and yet it still was not fast enough. Ultron merely floated to the side, dodging the hammer and seeing it fly off further in the distance. Glaring back to the Captain, Ultron shot out one of his many claws and fired a concussion blast directly into the star over his heart.

Steve lost his breath on that hit, flying back at unrealistic speeds and crashing through various mounds of rubble. Tony, Thor, and the ponies saw his body vanish. They couldn’t even breathe. They didn’t have time to.

In a rushed cluster of bodies, the remaining Avengers threw themselves at Ultron in hopes that at least one of them would find a weak point, an opening, anything that could have yielded an advantage. Nothing came of their attempts. Ultron’s might was incomprehensible, much stronger than they had known since the last time their paths had crossed. Much stronger than anything they could have hoped to stand against.

Thor leaped in the air and drove Stormbreaker directly onto the AI’s head. Ultron merely batted his axe aside and caught Thor by his throat, spinning and flinging the God of Thunder straight for his creator. Tony dodged Thor’s body by inches, pushing forth alongside all three mares onto the enraged robotic menace. He fired a repulsor beam, the blast merely bouncing off of Ultron’s hardened exterior and the AI responding with a concussion blast, one that struck Iron Man and launched him to the earth with a resounding crash.

Rainbow unsheathed her energy blades. Rarity’s forelegs formed two jackhammers. Twilight’s horn and repulsors all glowed a vicious white as all three Iron Mares collided with Ultron.

He caught them all.

Just by jutting out three of his six claws, Ultron captured each mare in an unbreakable field of anti-gravity energy. Just by flicking his wrists, he yanked the ponies towards him and caught them all at once by their throats. Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity struggled to breathe with the grip he had on them, Rainbow stabbing his arms and Twilight firing magic into his face. Ultron sneered at that, jetting downwards and slamming all three mares head-first into the gravel.

Rising up, Ultron noted their wounded, prone forms. They were not dead. His readings showed visible heartbeats within them, ones that lingered despite all the torment they endured in the past hour. Regardless, he raised his claws and directed them all towards the feeble ponies, fingertips glowing a vicious red as the concussion beams charged fully.

He stopped. He shot out his right claw and caught Stark by his throat. The man in the iron suit gasped as all the speed he acquired in his flight was halted in the blink of an eye. He grasped onto the arm of his wretched creation, forced to stare into the turning face and piercing eyes. Ultron’s claw rose up and grasped the sides of Stark’s mask, until he soon held him by nothing but his helmet. Tony clawed at him as he was raised higher and higher.

Then, he was suddenly pulled closer, face to face with Ultron to hear every dreaded syllable.

“I’ll deal with you later.”

The threat was laid bare, absorbed through Tony’s suit and into his mind and heart. His suit was unable to absorb the charged concussion beams, every claw turned towards him and firing directly into his Arc Reactor.

Ultron released him and watched Stark fly off from the blast, his Mark 85 crashing, tumbling, burning, and crumbling until he crashed back-first against a pile of rock. Tony’s gasp of pain could be heard even from the distance he had traveled, his suit short-circuiting and the eyes flickering on and off. Beneath the mask, Tony Stark grimaced at the pain. Grimaced, breathed, and lived through it all.

Lived to see his creation once again wreak havoc and terror upon the world.

No more distractions. No more insurrections. Scanning the battlefield, Ultron located the uncontainable power source and saw it radiating just a few hundred feet to his left. He turned rapidly to the energy source, all six eyes narrowing and targeting the Nano Gauntlet resting against the ruin. And upon the gauntlet, all six Infinity Stones remained fresh for the taking.

Ultron hovered towards it, no longer finding any logical need to deal with the minor threats. With the Stones in his possession, all would be dealt with on the grandest scale possible. Stark would feel a more personal hell and torment than the others, but it would all be over. Soon, all would be his. He just needed to reach the gauntlet.

Seeing this, Thanos finally took action and rose from the dirt. He saw where Ultron had turned towards, spotting the glinting lights of the Stones against the smaller fires that surrounded it. As if things could possibly get any more complicated, now Thanos had to deal with Ultron trying to take his destiny from him. Seething at that, Thanos reared back with his blade and tossed it right at Ultron’s back, giving a roaring grunt as the sword flew.

Instead of seeing his blade pierce the robotic AI, Thanos watched as Ultron caught the sword without even looking, spun around to account for its speed and velocity, and slammed its end into the earth with resonating force. The ground split and cracked from the blade’s impact, Thanos breathing again and lifting his eyes to the abomination. Ultron narrowed his own to the Mad Titan.

They held nothing back and charged one another, the two forces of darkness clashing.

From the sidelines, Tony Stark watched the battle unfold as his vision blurred and mind faded in and out of consciousness. His HUD was a static mess, which offered little for him to actually fully analyze. All he knew for certain was that Ultron was back. From another timeline, another reality where he won, and came to theirs to claim another universe under his unholy banner. Seeing them now, in his static HUD and blurring vision, Tony could only see the remaining demons of his life killing one another, Ultron and Thanos locked in a battle of will, strength, and unfathomable power. Whichever demon emerged victorious, they lost.

And Stark only had himself to blame for it all.

On those tattered battlegrounds, he lay, breathing and living and watching everything he knew crumble before him. It was almost too much for him to take in at once, so he took it all in with each breath, continued to breathe until it was the only sound he heard. Just the soft, subtle tones of his own breathing. No fight left. No will left. No plan left. It was just him, just the man beneath the suit. At least he had that.

The static faded and Homer called to him.

“S-s-s-sir? C-c-can you hear me? Sir, systems are failing. I can’t stop it.”

Tony closed his eyes at that. He pursed his lips, tightened his expression, and breathed.

“Homer, reroute yourself to the satellites. Get out of here.”

“Sir, I can’t. My systems have been cut with the satellites. Ultron’s Fortr-tr-tress is disabling all communica-a-ations I have. All I have left is the Mark 85,” the AI replied. Despite being just a program, an unfeeling, inhuman application, Tony could have sworn he heard a hint of dread and fear in Homer’s voice. Stark could see the transmissions fading in his static HUD.

Homer seemed to carry that fear onward, muttering, “I think I’m cl-cl-clocking out here.”

“No, you’re not,” Tony tried to argue, his breathing rapidly increasing and his chest rising and falling. “No, come on… Stay with me.”

“There’s no other option here, sir,” Homer said, and continued to surprise Tony with the rising emotion in his robotic tone. It had shifted from the dreaded fear to warming determination, all leading to that bold sense of acceptance. “You can’t go on in this suit; it’s too damaged. You kn-know what you need to do. Don’t try and d-d-deny it. You always find a way. Just go. It’s okay, sir, I’m ready.”

“Don’t do this now,” Tony whispered, almost begged. “No, no, you’re coming with me… Homer, come on, buddy.”

He closed his eyes once more, whispering to the program like he was speaking to an old friend. Maybe he was. Maybe it was for the last time. Maybe he didn’t want to accept that and instead tried to convince himself that what he could make could be worth something, that it could last. That it was something that didn’t die because of him.

Homer never saw it that way. The AI spoke only to his creator, his friend, and believed in him.

“Good luck, Tony. It’s been an honor, sir.”

The canopy protocol was activated outside of Tony’s command. The Mark 85 split apart and the Arc Reactor died, unveiling Tony like a newborn child into the world. He gasped for air, clutching his throat and coughing as he gripped the ends of the suit and pulled. He rose up, planted his feet on the dirt, and instantly fell. Once Tony pulled himself free from the suit, the Mark 85 crumbled into a pile of shattered nanoparticles, shreds of metal hardly holding together. He stared to it longingly, sadly, and somewhat fondly to hear those final words of encouragement from the AI.

But he had to get back up. His war wasn’t over. Planting his shivering fists into the ground, the man without the suit slowly rose and planted one foot in the dirt. Only to nearly fall back down when Friday landed in front of him.

Tony gasped when he saw the suit, the familiar Mark 45 nearly stumbling as the female AI knelt to him. Together, the two were on just one knee, face to face, and eyes rising to meet one another. Tony almost breathed a smile.

Friday gave him a once-over, saying, “Looks like you’re in dire need of an upgrade.”

The familiar Irish accent was almost too much for Tony to handle. Her request was even more straining on him, Stark dropping his gaze and trying to breathe again. “Friday, I can’t. I…” he mumbled, voice stricken with loss, uncertainty, and grief. He lifted his eyes and met the piercing blues of her mask.

“I won’t lose another AI.”

He saw as she shook her head, declaring boldly, quietly, “You won’t.”

She held out her hand for him to take.

After a moment of thought, hesitation, and whatever lingering demons clouded him still, Tony Stark gazed to the open palm and saw it for what it was. What it truly was. Another step towards the right path. He took it without a second thought, Friday pulling him to his feet and opening at that exact second once they rose to full height together. Tony spun around and fell inside of her, the armor closing, locking, and enlightening his vision with a full and healthy HUD. Tony gazed to it all, the blue light illuminating his face amongst the darkness.

“Systems online. Rerouting control to your HUD,” Friday’s welcome and feminine voice said in his ears. It felt even more welcoming to hear her say it. “Welcome back, sir.”

Iron Man couldn’t help himself and let that triumphant smirk sneak its way onto his lips.

“You ready for one last ride, Friday?”

“Aye, Boss.”

Author's Note

“First time as long as I can remember I don’t have a war to fight. I guess if I have to be honest, I just… I’m scared.”

Chapter 183 – Legacy

183

The Battle of Earth

7:01 p.m.

Captain Marvel froze in mid-flight, hovering in place and watching as the Fortress utterly decimated the earth and skies.

It’s repulsor cannons filled the air with resounding power, transferring that power with each blast that ripped apart entire landscapes and whatever form of life was caught under its light. Shock waves washed across the battlefield as the Fortress’ bombardment proceeded. In the midst of its onslaught, a flurry of cannon fire hit the hull of the Fortress, but fell short when the warship’s shields protected it from any external attack. The War Horse’s cannons were hopelessly useless against it.

And with Sanctuary II destroyed and lying in the river, all that remained to stand against Ultron’s dominance was the lead airship of the Equestrian Grand Fleet. The Fortress fired upon both it and the helpless lives below.

Carol watched in mixtures of horror and hesitation as those repulsor blasts tore across the skies and neared the War Horse. Several blasts managed to eviscerate the hull of the airship, the unicorns’ magic shielding only able to block so much before they began to falter. The auras around the airship crumbled with each blast, the War Horse caught between retreating and engaging. With her enhanced hearing, Carol could catch every shred of chaos unfolding on the deck of the War Horse.

“Captain Spitfire, we need to evacuate to the escape crafts! The War Horse is lost!”

“No, we can do this! Concentrate fire on their cannons!”

“Nothing we do can get through their shielding!”

“There has to be another way!”

Carol believed that. With all of Ultron’s tricks, strengths, and might, she had still bested him once. He wasn’t unstoppable. Through all that armor, there had to be chink. There had to be another way. Gazing slowly back to the Fortress, Carol’s inflamed eyes narrowed slowly to the various openings on the ship, where hundreds upon hundreds of Ultron Sentinels continuously flowed free and out into the battle. Carol flew closer, just a few dozen more feet closer.

She saw as the golden Sentinels phased through the Fortress’ shielding with each body.

She raised a curious brow, that brow slowly morphing into a glare. Her body grew brighter, igniting fully with pulsating cosmic energy until every inch of her—from her limbs to her face—were enveloped under a shield of gold. Her hair flowed wildly. Her hands tightened into burning fists. Carol Danvers’ eyes shimmered like stars and Captain Marvel reached Binary.

At the speed of light, she blasted forth directly for the Fortress and rammed herself, fist-first, through the warship’s opening, its shields, and completely burned through anything in-between. Ultron Sentinels were evaporated into red-hot fragments of ash as her scourge of light washed past them, the radiating waves of energy that burst forth from her body as hot as the surface of the sun. The Ultron Sentinels could not stop her. The defensive shields of the Fortress simply disintegrated as she tore through them. The docking bay, which held thousands of more Sentinels ready for deployment, was destroyed simply by her flying through it. It exploded.

Anything caught between her and her stream of light back into the outside world exploded.

In a flash of light, each end of the Fortress burst forth with flames and metal raining outwards. Bubbles of pure fire and destruction exploded out like a volcano on each end. The repulsor lights of the mighty Fortress—what kept the ship stable and airborne—flickered on and off, from death to life, as the rest of the ship erupted and crumbled.

Carol Danvers stopped on a dime, spinning around to witness her actions unfold in the grandest, brightest, and most devastating way imaginable. The horrific sounds of failing machines of war and the rippling explosions that consumed them shot out across all the battlefield, for miles and causing every eye to turn to its destruction. Fire and metal rained down like ash and snow, massive fragments and repulsor cannons of the Fortress breaking off and falling to a devastating crash below.

Through it all, Carol made sure she punched her way through what she could have assumed was the shield generator. From what she saw, Carol assumed right.

The brightened shields on the exterior of the Fortress flickered similarly to the repulsors, except the shields were the ones that darkened for good. As the defenses shattered and evaporated, the Fortress was left unguarded. Fires continue to rage across its surface as several dozen more blistering eruptions broke free from its hull. It was damaged. It was weakened.

It was vulnerable.

Seeing the devastating rock across the surface of Ultron’s Fortress, Spitfire twisted back to the ponies handling the guns and shouted, “Now’s our chance! Open fire!”

Each cannon was loaded. Each and every single available and functional cannon atop and within the War Horse spun accordingly, locked on with the burning husk of the Fortress, and followed through with their captain’s order. They fired. They fired again and again and again. The air burned with smoke and fire and cannon balls shot forth with devastating speed and force. The War Horse flew by the behemoth of a warship, unloading and unleashing everything it possibly had for one last strike. The rest of the Grand Fleet followed, the smaller airships circling the Fortress and firing away.

With each impact, the hull of the Fortress only continued to break apart and explode. The repulsor cannons had no hope of charging up in time with their internal systems destroyed upon Carol’s actions. Each cannon surrounding the edges of the Fortress were targeted and destroyed in a bombardment of fury and fire. Ultron Sentinels that survived, that tried to escape the crumbling Fortress, were shot out of the sky continuously and instantaneously. The Fortress had nothing left to defend itself. It simply hovered in place, nowhere to run, as the Equestrian Grand Fleet shot it right out of the sky.

And brought it the earth.

An equally-powerful explosion that mirrored Carol’s first impact infected and devoured the Fortress from the inside-out. The War Horse and the Grand Fleet ceased its bombardment just in time to see that explosion ripple throughout the warship’s exterior. The Fortress gave off its final horn before the repulsors beneath it started to give in. All systems upon Ultron’s ship slowly died, the Fortress tilting and the inhabitants upon every other airship cheering triumphantly.

The Fortress’ flaming hull filled Spitfire’s eyes as the army atop her ship’s deck cheered and hugged one another. Even Spitfire couldn’t help but let her defenses fall down and a victorious smile reach her lips. Just a second of a distraction was all that was needed to become vulnerable, and they suffered for it.

Beneath them, through the smoke, dust, and ashes that clouded the earth, the last Chitauri Titan burst forth from it and roared its terrifying war cry. Its remaining limbs that hadn’t been blown off from the War Horse’s bombardment upon it earlier grasped and captured the entire airship.

Ponies flailed and screamed as the War Horse rocked and teetered uncontrollably. The Titan’s massive claws gripped the edges of the ship, eventually bringing the War Horse further down to the awaiting battlegrounds. Once the Chitauri’s feet hit the earth, it brought the War Horse with it, holding out the massive airship and growing to the inhabitants atop its deck. Spitfire backed away slowly, each and every life behind her captured under the shadow of the Chitauri Titan.

Only, it wasn’t the Titan’s shadow.

Spitfire was the only pony to realize that and tilted her eyes further skyward.

Beyond the Titan’s head, the flaming remains of the Fortress descended upon them with no hope of stopping. No hope of yielding. Its shadow fell over them and only continued to grow larger, darker, and heavier the longer Spitfire did nothing. The Chitauri opened its maw, the rows of jagged teeth unveiled and nearing the War Horse.

It never saw the Fortress. Spitfire gazed into its mouth and spun violently back to the cannons.

“FIRE!”

They loaded in the last cannon ball at that exact second, firing within the next. Spitfire’s ears grew deaf to the following events, first from the cannon fire directly over her head. Then, from the explosive impact against the Titan’s maw and the reverberating cries that escaped the beast’s throat. Then, the engines ignited to their peak, crying out and pushing the War Horse free from the Chitauri’s weakened grasp. The Titan stumbled backwards with its mouth aflame, turning and watching as the airship made its hasty escape. It cried to them, roared in mixtures of hatred and agony.

Then, the rumbling cry of the Fortress’ horn filled the air. The last Chitauri Titan slowly twisted its head back to it, only had a second to see the burning warship before its shadows enveloped the beast in total darkness. It crashed upon the Titan, the beast’s roars getting cut in half and silencing it for good.

Finally, like Spitfire, nearly every eardrum on the battlefield went numb when the Fortress struck the ground.

The first event to come from it was the shock wave. One grander and mightier than any other that had filled the battlefield prior. It washed across the shattered landscapes and through the legions of Ultron Sentinels, Avengers, and Chitauri forces locked in heated battle. All life was deafened, thrown back, and utterly breathless as the mountain of fire and metal erupted into a blistering fireball of otherworldly proportions. The Sentinels gazed silently to the eruption, every single robotic eye latching to the Fortress’ destruction and catching every second of it.

And from his many eyes, Ultron saw every available angle of his ship burned away. He was momentarily frozen in battle, casting his personal gaze to the remnants of his Fortress and staring longingly, almost painfully. Almost in disbelief.

All six of his eyes shot up to the streak of light in the skies. He narrowed each one to her alone.

Captain Marvel paused in mid-air, hovering high above the smoldering ruins of Ultron’s Fortress. She gave it a lingering stare, quickly turning aside and focusing on the growling engines of the War Horse trembling past her. From its deck, she could both see and hear the ponies cheering and waving to her. Spitfire, especially, offered Danvers a nod and a salute.

She shouted, “Thanks for the assist, Captain!”

Carol smiled back, offering her own salute. “Excellent finish there, Captain! You let me know if you need any more help!”

Surprisingly enough, Spitfire shook her head, hoof pointing back to the eight Chitauri Command Centers hanging off in the distance. Carol followed the direction of her hoof, spotting the Command Centers and letting her jaw fall because of that.

She turned back, met her eyes as Spitfire shouted, “We got it handled from here! You go save the universe!”

Carol wanted to linger still, even going so far as to shoot out her hand in a weakened attempt to stop them, to let them know they didn’t need to go it alone any longer. Yet she was stunned into silence, watching as the skies around her were filled with the remaining airships within the might and power of the Equestrian Grand Fleet. Grubber led his own battalion of battleships to the clouds up high. They all turned their noses skywards, with the War Horse leading them all into the heart of the Chitauri armies. The eight Command Centers hovered above Carol’s line of sight, Captain Spitfire jamming out her hoof in every direction possible and screaming out orders.

“All forces, mount up and full steam ahead! Cannons at the ready, Pegasi in the air, and unicorns prep every offensive spell you got! Let’s show these freaks what happens when you mess with the Equestrian Empire!”

A resounding battle cry filled the remainder of the Grand Fleet, every available airship launched to the skies and the War Horse driving them headlong into the reinforcing waves of Chitauri. The sky was blistered with rocketing explosions in mere seconds, and as the Equestrian Grand Fleet engaged the Command Centers, Carol finally let herself believe in them to finish their job and forced her eyes away.

Back down to the earth to see Ultron and Thanos killing each other.

As for Ultron, he was finally able to pull his focus away from his destroyed Fortress—as well as the Quantum Tunnel and the only means of returning to his time—and force his efforts onto what truly mattered now. With his time machine destroyed, he could not return to his time, and there was very little reason to anymore. The Infinity Stones were brought together in the current timeline he was in. If he could simply acquire the gauntlet that held the Stones, he could reshape the universe to fit his will, something he had yet to achieve in his time.

With one tragedy came a blessing. The loss of his Fortress was not something to mourn, but to relinquish. A greater opportunity was birthed and he focused solely on it.

Yet there was one more who continued to stand in his path, one who sought a similar destiny.

Thanos ripped his blade from the ground, twirling it wickedly before he began to sprint towards Ultron. The AI narrowed his glares onto the Mad Titan, slowly hovering from the shattered earth with all six arms rising forth and ripping mounds of rock from their place. He hurled them at Thanos, who managed to dodge each one and narrow that distance between himself and the robot.

Ultron made it easier for him. He shot forth from the air and collided with the Titan, ramming his forearms against Thanos’ blade and pushing the Dark Lord several feet backwards. Locked there, Thanos tightened his jaw and glared into the AI’s eyes. Ultron’s expression was unreadable, unyielding, dead and merciless. He raised a claw, the fingertips glowing a hellish red. Thanos’ eyes widened.

Before he could fire the concussion blast into the Titan’s skull, Thanos ripped his blade to the side and caught Ultron’s arm with it. The concussion blast struck the earth and missed Thanos by several feet, Ultron twisting back to him and watching as Thanos slowly backed away. Falling to the earth, Ultron rushed forward and slashed, punched, and fired at the Mad Titan again and again. With each strike, Thanos blocked, sparks flying with each impact of the vibranium claws against the Uru sword.

Ultron reared forward, the tips of his claws glowing harshly as he drove his palm towards Thanos’ chest. The Titan dodged to the side, grabbing Ultron’s extended forearm and locking with the AI there. The two grumbled and growled as their divine strengths tried to overcome the other’s. Thanos kept his jaw tight, his muscles tighter, as his eyes slowly rose to meet Ultron’s.

He saw as the AI’s eyes flickered back and forth across Thanos’ body, noting the sickening wound on his right shoulder, the violet blood seeping out of his cracked armor, and the strained, broken, and utterly breathless expression grip the Titan’s features.

“You’re wounded beyond repair,” Ultron growled, arms still grasping and locked with Thanos’ own. He spat, “What could this possibly be worth to you other than absolute power?”

With that pain and exhaustion gripping his mind, Thanos snarled, then screamed, “Everything!”

In one fell swoop, Thanos slipped his grasp around Ultron’s wrist and yanked back. Yanked hard, and ripped the upper right arm of the AI clean from its electrically-modified socket. Ultron gasped and stepped back, free of the Titan’s grasp and free to gaze to his right arms. Only two remained, the upper right limb pulled free and only a few spurts of red electricity coursing across the socket. As he rapidly shifted his astounded gaze back to the Titan, he only had a second to react and even that wasn’t enough time for him, not in his shaken state.

Ramming the edge of his sword across Ultron’s face, Thanos succeeded in pushing back against the AI. Ultron spun as he flew, eventually planting his feet downward and crashing across the gravel. His claws grated against the rock, but soon he had halted, soon he was rising forth once again and facing down the Mad Titan. Thanos breathed. Sneered and breathed. He tossed the limb aside.

Ultron watched as his arm hit the dirt, gazing back to Thanos and growling, “It matters little. Your resilience, your drive… matters even less. Not even you can hope to stop—”

His voice faltered when he felt the blade pierce the back of his head. Ultron hunched forward, reared back, and pulled the blade free to observe it. He spotted the Asgardian runes painting the edges of the dagger, eyes slowly widening to the sight of it. His vision was quickly enveloped in a bright blue and yellow cloak, the slash of a second dagger across his head, and the sudden disappearance of the knife from his claw. Ultron gazed from his open palm and to the cloaked figure rolling in front of him.

The God of Mischief rose to one knee, twirling both blades and jamming them outwards.

“I’m sorry,” Loki said with a devilish grin, “did I interrupt anything?”

Thanos roared.

Within seconds, the two consecutively charged the lone Odinson, but Loki was prepared. He spun around, viciously hurling one of his blades for the Mad Titan. Thanos blocked it with his sword, rearing back and slicing low at the wretched Asgardian. He rolled out of the way just in time, between Thanos’ legs and safely on the opposite side.

Ultron swung his claws for Thanos’ head, the Titan ducking and spinning towards him instantly. He drove his blade downwards across Ultron’s face. The AI barely managed to block it with his raised forearms, deflecting Thanos’ concurrent strikes and responding by sending a brutal concussion blast into his armored chest. The Titan was shot back from that blast, allowing Ultron to bring his attention onto the God of Mischief.

He turned towards Loki and raised his arms to block the blades thrown his way. Loki seemed to carry an infinite amount, each dagger simply materializing into thin air within his grasp. He tossed each dagger towards the approaching AI, Ultron succeeding in deflecting each one and reaching Loki within seconds. The god jammed his next dagger straight for Ultron’s throat, but he caught his forearm and twisted it until the Asgardian started to growl in agony. Ultron growled backed, his remaining right claws all powering up for a guaranteed killing blow.

He didn’t turn around in time when Thanos appeared and slammed the edge of his sword across Ultron’s body. The demented AI went flying to the side, crashing through various piles of destroyed Chitauri starships and Leviathans. Loki was sent tumbling back to the dirt, rising quickly to his feet and turning from the robotic menace and then to Thanos.

Unfortunately, Loki was not able to bring forth a dagger to strike. Thanos held his blade high and drove it straight down, directly through Loki’s chest and impaling him against the rocky earth.

The God of Mischief gasped his last, eyes bugging out of his sockets as he held the massive sword and followed it up to the large, violet hands that gripped it. And Thanos, in that moment of triumph, sent a wicked smile down to the wretched god. He was finally free of Loki’s treachery. The God of Mischief stood impaled beneath him and there was nothing more he could—

Loki sent an even more wicked smile back. Moments before vanishing in a green haze.

Thanos’ blade was clean. Nothing and no one graced it. Just as Thanos’ expression began to crumble, a second haze of green appeared behind him and landed on his back. From it, Loki Odinson latched himself onto the Titan and drove his blade into Thanos’ wounded shoulder.

Thanos howled in pain, spurts of blood rising forth and painting Loki’s palm in it. The God of Mischief held in, further driving his dagger into the Titan and breathing in every inch of Thanos’ torment. However, as he expected, it didn’t last long. Thanos gripped the back of Loki’s head and tossed the god clear across the valley. Loki screamed as he was thrown, his body vanishing through the smoke and crashing several seconds later upon various mounds of rubble and dirt.

Wanting nothing more than to see Loki’s mutilated corpse beneath his boot, Thanos realized he had greater ends to his means. He pulled the blade free from his shoulder, and staring to it, realized how weak and wounded he had become. He would not last longer constantly trifling with meager forces. Before his body and mind gave in, he needed to finish what he started and fast.

Yet Ultron was faster, breaking through the rubble he had crashed through and making his way directly for the Nano Gauntlet. He flew completely over Thanos, no longer paying the Titan any heed and seeking only to strip Thanos of his sole purpose. Snarling at that, Thanos pushed the pain into the deepest, darkest pits of his mind and sprinted on.

Just as Ultron crushed the earth beneath him, he bent forward and nearly had his claws around the gauntlet before he was interrupted. He felt himself being yanked back, already rapidly spinning to see Thanos grasping his cloak and pulling harshly at it. The AI roared, slicing at the Mad Titan and drawing both sparks and blood with his vibranium claws. Thanos felt the claws slice both his chest and chin, but he refused to release him. He yanked back even harder, forcing Ultron to face him head-on.

Perfect.

Ripping his cloak free from Thanos’ grasp, Ultron continued to pelt the Titan with punches and slashes, firing off a few concussion blasts that went nowhere when Thanos raised his blade to block them. Ultron remained persistent, pressing harder and faster on the Dark Lord with no hope of relenting. Just when Ultron drove his middle left arm forward, Thanos blocked it and with a twirl of his Double-Edged Sword, sliced the left arm clean from the rest.

Unlike the others, that arm was attached to Ultron’s body, not by spurts of electricity, but by his own metallic skin. The Uru had sliced cleanly through it, and Ultron simply stood there trying to understand if that was even possible. Even when he had perfected his greatest self, Ultron realized that even he had no idea what was truly possible. He was so dumbstruck that it allowed Thanos to take full advantage and capitalize.

He punched the AI across the face, rolling over Ultron’s shoulder and taking a handful of his red cloak once again. Only that time, he did not falter and he did not hesitate. He landed on both feet and tossed Ultron with every ounce of his strength, and with a deafening roar, watched the robotic menace fly. He ripped the cloak in doing so, the Mad Titan seeing Ultron’s flailing body crash through a minotaur airship. The AI crashed directly into the massive warship’s engines, igniting a greater flame and bringing its entirety down to the earth in a rippling explosion.

Not a second was wasted. Thanos spun around and ran for the gauntlet. He reached it the same second Tony Stark had.

Iron Man sprinted forth in his Mark 45, crashing against the Mad Titan and pushing him away from the Infinity Stones. Even if it was by inches, it was all worth it. His slight disruption ended slower than he expected, Thanos finally retaliating and ramming his elbow across Stark’s face. Tony yelped as the Titan’s hardened bone impacted his armored forehead, earning a painful clang and launching Tony into the dirt.

Thanos cast him a quick glare before he focused back to the gauntlet, bending down and feeling his fingers grace its metallic surface. That was as close as he was able to get, Thanos backing off to dodge the swing of Thor’s Stormbreaker and the following swipes from the mighty Mjølnir. Thor swung for the Titan’s head every single time, only getting as close as the armor near Thanos’ neck and scraping off some sparks from his axe. He tossed the hammer for his head instead, Thanos ducking and rearing forward for the God of Thunder. Thor just grabbed the gauntlet when he felt Thanos’ palm on his shoulder yanking him back.

He spun around just in time to see Luna rain down the might of Asgard.

Princess Luna descended from the clouds, giving cry with the Royal Canterlot Voice and slamming Mjølnir on the back of Thanos’ head. The Titan cried out and fell to his knee, lifting his eyes just quick enough to see Luna roll forward, spin around, and launch Mjølnir directly past him. He caught sight of the hammer missing him by inches, turning to it and seeing it fly into the grasp of none other than Captain America. Rogers caught the hammer in his left palm, falling quickly and slamming the head of the weapon across Thanos’ cheekbone.

And as Thanos spat blood, as Steve rolled in front of him, they met each other’s eyes and simultaneously watched the hammer fly free from Rogers’ palm and into Thanos’ chest. The impact launched Thanos onto his back, the Titan crumbling with a thundering crash. It was nothing compared to the rippling thunder above, Thanos opening his eyes and seeing the Princess of the Sun scream in her descent from above. Mjølnir was struck with various bolts of lightning in her magical grasp. Thanos’ eyes widened.

At the last second, he rolled free and dodged the hammer from striking him dead in the heart, which would have earned a guaranteed kill had Thanos remained. Moving quickly, Thanos rammed his palm around Celestia’s throat and choke-slammed her into the dirt. Mjølnir fell free from her magical grasp, Thanos proceeding to launch her for the cluster of other Avengers in his vicinity. Celestia cried as her body was flung free, striking nothing but dirt and rock as Thor, Steve, and Luna dodged just in time.

Princess Luna was the first, firing a bolt of magic onto Thanos’ left shoulder and disorienting the Titan. Captain America came just as quickly, slamming the sharpened edge of his shattered shield against Thanos’ right thigh and knocking the Titan down to his knee. Thanos raised his head and arm just in time when Thor rammed Stormbreaker towards his chest. He caught the axe by its handle, bolts of electricity striking against Thanos’ body and head. Regardless, he held strong, holding against the might of the God of Thunder.

He had lost his sword long ago, the blade abandoned near some random rubble from what Thanos could see in the corner of his vision. He realized quickly how desperately he needed it in his current situation. Thor shot out his Uru left hand, retrieving Mjølnir and spinning the hammer rapidly onto the axe’s handle. The added weight increased the pressure of the axe, inch by inch, centimeter by centimeter, growing nearer to Thanos’ chest. Thor’s eye was as brightened as the heavenly storms, the god screaming into his face.

As if his endeavors couldn’t possibly get any worse, Captain America and Princess Luna leaped forward and latched themselves onto Thanos’ back. Steve wrapped his right palm around Stormbreaker’s handle while Luna strangled Thanos with her forelegs. Her magic also enveloped the axe, adding her own strength to Thor and Steve’s. Stormbreaker was pushed further and further, the sharpened end cracking through the armor and reaching the skin beneath. Thanos growled and strained against the overwhelming weight against him. He felt the axe break his skin.

He thought fast.

He acted faster.

Punching the head of the axe with his left fist, Thanos managed to knock it away before the Avengers could have driven it into him. He slammed his forehead against Thor’s, disorienting the god long enough to drive his boot into his chest. Thor flew back and crashed with Stormbreaker trailing him, the axe crashing off elsewhere and Thanos reaching back for the two remaining Avengers latched onto him. He caught Luna by her mane and slammed her into the earth in front of him, kicking the princess before she even had the time to rise back up. He did the same with Captain America, grabbing him by the back of his head and throwing him to the dirt. Thanos rolled on top of him, delivering a savage punch into Steve’s face and sending him into a black wave.

Scrambling on his hands and knees like a weakened beggar, Thanos could feel his heart practically beating out of his chest when he finally reached the gauntlet. It was cathartic. It almost didn’t feel real when his hands graced the glove. He didn’t waste another second. He couldn’t.

Slipping his right hand into the Nano Gauntlet, Thanos felt an instantaneous wave of power and agony flush across his forearm, his limb, and even onto the right side of his entire body. He howled and cried out to the heavens above, unable to contain the rushing waves of torment infecting his veins in a rainbow of streams. The six Infinity Stones growled and sparked to life upon the face of the gauntlet, Thanos holding his right hand high to the heavens and screaming through every agonizing second.

He brought his middle finger to his thumb. Pressed it.

Then, through blurred, teary eyes, he saw as the red haze of psionic energy consumed his entire forearm and pried his fingers apart. The Stones cooled down, Thanos gazing in awestruck confusion as his limb was forcefully brought down. His eyes flicked forward, widening at the sight of the Scarlet Witch with her palms outstretched, energy encasing each finger and forcing that energy onto him.

Suddenly, flying high, bright, and straight past Wanda’s head, Captain Marvel descended quickly and slammed her foot across Thanos’ face. He crumbled to one knee, Thanos crying out and turning his blurring vision onto Carol Danvers. The woman hovered in mid-air several meters behind him, tightening her fists and blasting off for another swooping strike. Thanos waited. His glare worsened as Carol only grew closer. He waited until the very last second, his strength breaking through Wanda’s own and the Nano Gauntlet forming a tight fist. Wanda gritted her teeth.

Just as Carol reached the Titan, Thanos screamed and drove his fist directly into her face. Captain Marvel shot back like a bullet from the strike, giving Thanos enough time to focus back on Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch cursed herself for letting Thanos break free of her grasp. She would not allow it again.

Planting her feet forward, Wanda slammed her palms directly towards Thanos and released every ounce of energy she had left. The red haze utterly consumed Thanos from head to toe, raising the Mad Titan from the cracking earth and several mounds of rock that rested near him. Wanda’s eyes were enveloped in that similar haze of crimson, the Witch ripping away and prying at Thanos’ remaining shreds of armor.

Cringing at the overwhelming pressure tearing at his arms, legs, body, and being, Thanos looked to the skies and winced at the sight of his Sanctuary II gone, the last image of it being dead in the river and burning away. With no other hope for support from his armies, Thanos had to rely solely on himself to survive from that point on. As he had before. Slowly glaring over to his right arm, he managed just enough strength to tilt his forearm to face him, all six Infinity Stones shimmering in his eyes and begging for release. Thanos grunted and cried, unleashing that cry as he forced every last molecule of his very being just to point his right hand forward.

It took even more than that to crush his hand into a fist, but it worked. It paid off.

A pulsating tear of reality shot forth from the Power Stone, that bolt of violet energy striking the ground and throwing Wanda off her feet. She was flung back, crashing off elsewhere and unable to hold onto Thanos any longer. As she landed and rolled, Wanda eventually came to a rest on her chest, pressing both palms onto the dirt in some vain attempt to rise back up. Her arms trembled. Her lungs quaked. Her mind faded and one of the last things she saw before the wave of unconsciousness consumed her was the Mad Titan stomping forth.

She lifted her eyes and stared to him, unmoving, unable to breathe, and gazing in awestruck terror as Thanos held the gauntlet out to her. Pressed his middle finger to his thumb to her. Glared solely to her and roared out as that power flowed.

He almost snapped. He nearly did. Carol Danvers grunted as she caught the gauntlet and crashed in front of him.

Wanda passed out at that, unable to hold on a second longer.

And with that, Captain Marvel was all that was left, the only Avenger left standing to face the Titan and stop him from killing the universe. Her palms gripped the fingers of the Nano Gauntlet, preventing him from connecting them, preventing him from fulfilling his final solution. Thanos stared hatefully to the woman beneath him. Carol glared right on back. Pulsating waves of cosmic energy flowed from her body like she was raging furnace, giving her every ounce of strength she needed to stand against him. Thanos saw her efforts with a growing sense of disdain, seeking to end her pathetic attempt at retribution by focusing his efforts on two Stones. Just two. It was all he needed to best her.

The Space and Power Stones ignited, their conjoined pulse of energy washing into Carol’s limbs and earning a sickening cry of pain from Captain Marvel. Thanos watched with mild delight to see her crumble, watched as her body trembled beneath her and slowly fell to her knees. He pushed on, adding the pressure and ensuring she fell just as she did before. He coiled his right hand into a fist, but then quickly realized… he couldn’t. His smile slowly melted away.

It melted under the piercing heat of her rising glare.

She pressed her foot into the ground. Then, the other. Thanos’ breathing grew more rapid, eyes continuously growing in that static shock of disbelief striking his heart, mind, and understanding. She pushed back. Against the forces of space and power itself, she pushed back. Her body glowed brighter as her Binary overcame it. Her glare grew fiercer as she rose taller to meet him fully.

Carol Danvers overcame it. She overcame.

Thanos was rendered utterly speechless.

In that fire, in that power, she met his eyes and declared, “I’m more than just a Stone.”

From that, Thanos had no answer. It was only until she rose higher and pushed him to his knees did he find that answer. It was right in front of him. Her fist burned brighter than the sun, Thanos grimacing against it and flicking his eyes to the purple gem illuminating against the face of the gauntlet. He reacted solely on instinct and raw luck, using his own naked fingers to pry the Power Stone from the glove, hold it in the palm of his hand, and clench it into a fist.

Carol’s eyes widened. She didn’t even have time to gasp. Thanos screamed in pain as he drove his power-fueled fist directly into her heart.

The resulting shock wave sent a pulse of cosmic power throughout the immediate vicinity. A stream of violet rays shot forth from Thanos’ fist, trailing Captain Marvel as she flew faster, faster, and faster to a devastating crash several miles in the distance.

Silence settled and Thanos breathed.

Upon one knee, Thanos slowly allowed those ragged intakes of air to soothe his battered body and soul. Violet blood dripped slowly from his being, from multiple wounds, and all burned numb against the Mad Titan’s skin. All he could feel was the seething pain shooting forth from his left palm, prompting Thanos’ attention onto it. He raised his left hand, shakily opened his fingers and gazed to the purple light burning hellishly within.

The Power Stone remained in the center of his palm, with several sickening cracks infecting his hand and slowly consuming the rest of his forearm. Thanos winced at that, allowing his fingers to cautiously grip the purple gem and bring it back to the gauntlet where it belonged, where it can join the remaining five Infinity Stones once again.

Ultron had other plans.

He tackled Thanos with as much speed and ferocity as his enhanced body could allowed, grappling with the Mad Titan in mid-air and eventually gaining that much-needed advantage. Ultron grasped Thanos by his throat, rearing back and driving him directly into the shattered earth. He dragged the Titan for several yards, eventually releasing him. Ultron shot up in the air, shooting back down just as quickly and planting his feet into the Titan’s armored chest.

Thanos raised the gauntlet to stop him, but watched in growing shock and despair as Ultron’s claws shot forward and grasped his right arm, bending his forearm so he couldn’t close his hand into a fist. He couldn’t use the Stones. Thanos bellowed at that, even losing his voice when Ultron’s multitude of claws grasped his throat, too.

The Titan struggled to breathe, to move, to do anything other than gaze into the red glare of the demented AI abomination. And he was, truly, an abomination. He seemed like a machine, just a cluster of wires and metal. Yet his eyes held several leagues of a greater hell that Thanos had only seen once before, a gaze he never wanted to see again. In Ultron’s six eyes, he saw the blistering red fires of the greatest stars, the eyes of a serpent. The eyes of a god. Ultron slowly narrowed that distance between them, their faces mere inches apart, eyes boring deeply into the other’s. Thanos was forced nowhere else but onto him, forced to hear every wretched vibration of his voice echo around him.

Ultron said, “No matter what universe, what timeline… you will always fall before me, Thanos. You… will always be a failure. Face your true destiny, your legacy bound to dirt!”

Then, before Thanos could react accordingly, Ultron shot his middle right hand forward and grabbed it. He grabbed the Power Stone and ripped it right from Thanos’ hands.

A resulting pulse of chaos burst forth and launched Thanos back for several more feet. The Titan pushed himself from that dirt, rising to his knee and seeing the tornado of violet energy swarming Ultron until he could no longer see the AI within it. Until Ultron was completely consumed and the raw strength of the Power Stone flowed outwards and spread its madness across the atmosphere. And yet through it all, once the tornado of fire ceased and the energy of the Power Stone reverted back to the gem, Ultron was still standing.

He held the Power Stone in his right fist and screamed as its rippling energy devoured his arm.

Ultron held that fist to the heavens, metallic jaws unhinged as the red in his eyes was mixed with the invasive purple. Every red vein, every inch of himself was momentarily consumed in the wave of violet, the abomination’s screams reverberating across the battlefield, into the skies, and for all the universe to hear. It continued for several seconds, his terrible shrieks sounding otherworldly, demonic, so similar to what Thanos had heard once before. And the Mad Titan was breathless to it, shocked beyond understanding, as he gazed to Ultron and watched as he brought his fist back down.

And gazed to it, slowly unfurling his claws and observing the purple power gem. Then, he chuckled. Ultron, the beast, whatever he truly was… chuckled. “Only now… do you understand… what I am capable of. Only now do you see what destiny has truly wrought. You… are nothing. Your fight… is nothing. The powers of this world will kneel to me once more! And you will not see the end of this day!”

Ultron raised his fist high, the violet cracks consuming it and the AI howling to the whole inhabited Earth.

“Know the power of the Titan of Wind!”

He tightened his fist. The Power Stone was unleashed.

Wars raging beyond and around them momentarily ceased as the entire world trembled. From the armies of the Avengers, the inhabitants of Equus, the Chitauri, and the Ultron Sentinels, every body stumbled as the earth quaked beneath them. From those quakes, the earth unveiled its terror. Entire masses of land were ripped free from the earth, each one ranging from various sizes. From landscapes to the size of mountains, the shards of the world hovered higher and higher for as long as Ultron held the Power Stone, roared to every doomed life, and rose with it.

Thanos witnessed the battlefield shatter and rise, his mind working on overdrive and his senses off the charts. He tried to turn his focus onto what mattered, but always fell away to see and hear every wretched sound that came from the crumbling planet. Finally, through that sheer willpower—the only true strength he had left—Thanos’ eyes broke through the lumbering masses of rock and earth and spotted the robotic terror hovering within the cataclysm’s center.

He ran.

Through tattered landscapes, leaping from mountain to mountain, Thanos ran and ensured that Ultron would not succeed and steal what was rightfully his. Ultron seemed to catch onto Thanos’ intentions, spotting the Titan growing nearer and narrowing his red and violet glare to him. He fired numerous concussion blasts mixed with the energy of the Power Stone, those streams of fire blasting forth and tearing through anything between him and Thanos.

With a clench of his right fist, Thanos unleashed the power of the five Infinity Stones to ensure he alone survived.

The concussion blasts zoomed past him and struck the mounds of rock he leaped from, causing each mountain to erupt into a blistering shock wave of violet and fire. He used the Reality Stone to turn Ultron’s blasts into bubbles when they managed to reach. Seething at that, Ultron pried mountains of pure rock right out of the air and hurled them at the Titan. From that, seeing the overwhelming shadow of the mountains flung at him, Thanos clenched his fist and used the Time Stone to slow it all down. With an extra boost from the Space Stone, Thanos was scaling the mountain and rushing forth to meet Ultron on the other side.

Ultron screeched a demonic cry at that, unleashing everything he and everything he was capable of, from every concussion blast from his remaining arms, eyes, and mouth. The Power Stone gave him strength, too much of it, as the blasts shot forth and tore through the rising mounds of the world, but not one beam striking Thanos. From portal to portal, Thanos teleported using the Space Stone, growing that much closer to the AI and severing that distance. He tackled Ultron out of the air.

As they came to a thundering crash back to the ground, each being rose and engaged one another. Ultron tried to slash at him, tried to blast him, tried anything he could possibly manage with his limb turning into a blistering inferno of violet energy and quickly consuming the rest of his person. Thanos, more stabilized, froze Ultron where he was with the Mind Stone. The AI paused, claws rising up to clutch his skull as that irresistible force infected his mind. Just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, Thanos twisted his forearm and ignited the power of the Soul Stone.

Ultron was ripped from the earth, his chest arched high, his body convulsing and roars of agony flushing free from the AI. Thanos glared to the rising robot, his right fist clenching harder and harder and the Soul Stone burning even brighter. The Titan bellowed as he slowly pried at the AI’s pure essence, quite literally ripping the soul straight out of him. And free did the soul come, flowing out from Ultron’s chest and billowing high above the robotic abomination to unveil only a higher, mightier, and more terrifying abomination. One Thanos had seen long ago.

From Ultron’s remaining being, Thanos ripped the spirit of Typhon right from him. The beast Thanos saw was not some false name or title. He gazed upon the dark shadow, the unholy red eyes, and the titanic dragon he knew only as Set. The Elder God’s soul cried out to the skies with each towering wing, with all seven heads, before the anomaly, the spirit, all of it faded away. Vaporized into thin air.

It was gone. It was finished. With that, Thanos ignited the Space Stone and yanked Ultron right out of the air and into his awaiting grasp.

Clutching Ultron by his throat, Thanos glared hatefully to the AI and observed how broken he had become. How drained he seemed of that power Thanos ripped from him. All that was left was just him, just the program stuck inside a metal containment. Thanos narrowed his eyes, flared his nostrils, and crushed his right hand into a fist. All five Infinity Stones ignited.

But not before he growled to Ultron, “This… is how you end. This… is your legacy.”

The rainbow of colors devoured Ultron. And just as the AI began to react to it, just as his screams assaulted Thanos’ ears, he was gone, combusted into a blistering eruption of energy, metal, and fire when Thanos closed his fist. From the destroyed body, Thanos bent down and caught the Power Stone before it could hit the earth.

As for the earth, it instantly settled with the death of Ultron’s body. Mountains of rock and landscapes hovered momentarily before they all dropped, crashing against the rest of the world and killing anything unfortunate to be caught under their shadows. Chaos and madness spread fast across the battlefield, but Thanos paid it no heed. He gazed only to the Power Stone infecting his left palm.

Slowly, painfully, he clutched the Stone with his fingers and raised it over the face of the Nano Gauntlet. Releasing that burning agony, Thanos placed the Power Stone back into its place, directly beneath the middle finger of the gauntlet. That familiar rushing wave of universal energy flowed through his body, consumed his arm in a rainbow of electrified veins, and the Mad Titan groaning and crying as that power flowed and fused with him.

It finally settled. Thanos gazed softly to the Nano Gauntlet, to the Infinity Stones, and breathed again. Mere moments before he lost that breath when the magical bolt blasted him in the back. Thanos hunched forward, grunted to that strike, and spun around to meet his assailant head-on.

Assailants.

Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy with their Elements of Harmony burned just as bright as the Infinity Stones.

Chapter 184 – Redemption

184

The Battle of Earth

7:05 p.m.

As the rest of the world tore itself apart, their own fragment of reality began to settle. Miles of scorched wasteland, shattered landscapes ripped asunder, and clashing armies continued to fill the background, with smoke and fire polluting the atmosphere and all the inhabited earth. The skies melted with chaos and warfare, the Equestrian Grand Fleet engaging the Chitauri Command Centers in one final clash for air dominance. Everything burned and died and lay before them as a husk of the horrors of war.

Yet it was their fragment of reality that remained untouched by the rest of it. In that reality, it was just them, just six little ponies standing against the most powerful being in the universe at that very moment. What he wielded in his right fist right then and there—the very powers of the universe combined—made him practically unstoppable. Through every warrior, every hero, every life he had pushed through to attain it, Thanos was already unstoppable. His body was giving in, but his mind and his will were unbreakable. The Stones only amplified that, made his greatest self even greater. They made him a god. They made him so that no life, no weapon, no being could ever harm him again.

Once upon a time ago, Twilight Sparkle just may have believed that. Before her friends were given back to her, before she realized she could make amends with Rainbow Dash, before the possibility to undo all of Thanos’ crimes were even feasible… Twilight may have believed that. She believed that Thanos was dead, that he had achieved his purpose and killed half of all life. Nothing could ever harm him again because he fulfilled his destiny. There was no possible way they could bring everyone back when he destroyed the Stones. And from that, Twilight Sparkle had given up.

She lost herself, sought only to do good for her little ponies and for as many lives as possible. She wanted to help those who survived the ashes. She wanted to forget the past and move on, build a new life for the next generation. She wanted to live. Only, there was no living without her friends. There was no living when everything she knew and loved had been taken from her. She wanted to move on from Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Spike, but she couldn’t. Being the Princess of Friendship meant more to her than she had realized, and she was abandoning the friendships she formed to create some false doctrine of peace and order for the rest of the world to follow.

When, really, all they needed… was them. All Twilight needed were her friends.

And for her, that was more than enough.

Hope didn’t die that day. The Princess of Friendship never lost herself again, because who she stood with mattered more than who she stood against. Side by side, through every storm and every blaze, they were together. With Applejack, Rarity, Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy all lined up, facing down their final test, their final obstacle, and one last tribulation. Through it all, they stood together.

Against Thanos.

As for the Mad Titan, he seemed momentarily distraught, confused, taken aback by who stood against him and what they wielded. He recognized the necklaces, the colorful gems, and the tiara after his vision started to clear. They were the same weapons he destroyed so long ago, the ones Twilight and her friends used against him when he had first saved the universe. How they were back, why they were back, meant so little to Thanos. The Nano Gauntlet gripped his right forearm and the Infinity Stones burned against his skin. He could end them all right then and there, and he nearly did.

But it was her voice that stopped him. Just for a moment longer.

“I remember what you told me five years ago,” Twilight steadfastly declared. The fiery wind gripped her tangled violet and pink mane. The golden tiara atop her head remained unmoved, even as she shook her head. “About the magic of friendship… and you’re wrong.”

Thanos titled his head curiously at that. His only response was his hardened, heaving breath joined with his spiteful glare.

Twilight Sparkle continued on, seeing the tilting expressions from each of her friends shift in her direction, joining her, smiling with her. Never once leaving her. And she never left them. She proclaimed, “The magic of friendship is real. It’s here. Some of us may have fallen from it, and we know that now. We know who we are. And we know… that with our friendship… we can overcome anything you throw at us.”

She met Rainbow Dash’s eyes, and for just a moment, saw that glimmer of reclamation in the Pegasus’ gaze. For the friendship they gained again, the bond not only the two of them shared, but all of them shared. Rainbow smiled to her. Twilight smiled back. They turned to the others, soon each mare finding one another’s eyes and assuring each other of who they were. They had found one another again. Through life, through death, and life again, they were one. Six ponies. Six Elements. One infinite friendship.

They faced the universe ahead of them, their entire world standing with them, and never turned away. Their Elements shimmered, and Twilight Sparkle declared, “And we’ll do it together.”

Boldly, they made their claims and stood against him one final time. Knowing they had everything left to lose, but nothing more to gain than the friendship they had reclaimed. To see them find their purpose, their destiny, was almost enlightening for the Titan. After all the years he had seen them, watched them grow, and overcome every challenge laid before them, Thanos believed he could have shown them a different perspective, one where only sheer willpower won in the end. At a time following the Decimation, Thanos believed he had proven it to them, to her, that they were wrong, that the universe and all of its powers did not revolve around them. Yet through it all, she came out of it knowing truly who she was. For that, he could respect Twilight.

Then again, it was their destiny bound in friendship that they had achieved.

His destiny, his will, remained to be certain. To become truth.

And they stood against that. Against him.

Thanos’ expression tightened. His eyes burned and the fiery, black furnace of his heart expelled that fury. Raising his right hand, he unveiled the six Infinity Stones and flinched as their powers melted his arm. As he crushed his hand into a fist and the Infinity Stones ignited.

“Then you’ll die… together.”

A final, vengeful curse upon them, to prove that their friendship meant nothing. They, as a collective, were nothing to the universe and to him. He opened his palm and pressed his middle finger to his thumb, prepared to snap and end it all once and for all. The millisecond before he could do so, however, was stripped from him and consumed the Mad Titan in a rainbow of lights and power he had never felt before.

From the six mares, the Elements of Harmony shimmered together and expelled their conjoined streams of light. Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie slowly rose from the earth, the wind spinning around them, untold power and majesty flowing free from their hearts and utterly consuming them, bursting forth from their magical artifacts. From the Element of Honesty, the orange light rained free into the air. From the Element of Kindness, the yellow rays shimmered across the skies. From the Element of Laughter, the bright pink streams twirled outwards and flowed above. From the Element of Generosity, the whiteness of the blast flew forth and filled the air with beauty and grace. From the Element of Loyalty, the sky-blue light shot out with intense speed and raw strength. And from the Element of Magic, the violet radiance ruptured and joined with the others, bringing them all together to form a perfect rainbow.

It fell from the skies, the energy blast striking Thanos before he could have snapped.

He had no choice but to raise the gauntlet and block it from hitting him, from ending him with the indescribable power Thanos felt burning against the gauntlet. And it surely would have ended him had he not blocked it. The rainbow beam continued to flow from the six mares, the ponies that represented the Elements of Harmony hovering above and unleashing that otherworldly power into the heavens, letting it descend to the earth and strike down the Mad Titan. Inch by inch, Thanos was losing ground, the intensity of the harmonic blast incinerating the world around him and turning the gauntlet into red-hot metal. Through the blinding rainbow lights, Thanos could still see the Infinity Stones holding strong, unharmed, and facing the Elements of Harmony head-on.

Thanos dug his feet into the dirt. He pressed on and pressed hard, slowing molding his hand into a tightened fist. It took nearly everything out of him to do so, but he achieved it. He clenched his fist and brought forth the might of the universe upon the Elements of Harmony. All six Infinity Stones shimmered their own rainbow, responding and firing back against the light. Thanos screamed. He shot out his fist and screamed until his throat was wet with blood.

The lights they created filled the battlefield with the strength of a newborn star, shimmering fires of velvet whiteness blasting outwards and creating several auras of magic and power, streams of universal might and harmonic intensity. Smoke and dust and ash cleared from their vicinity, the falling sunlight washing over them. In ground zero, in the heart of the eruption of light, they remained. The six friends hovered in place, continuing to fire that rainbow beam onto the Mad Titan. Every single eye of theirs was piercing white, their expressions omnipotent and majestic, just as the power they unleashed. In the heart of their power, they stood together, as one source of strength. On the opposite spectrum, Thanos stood alone, only the power of the Infinity Stones and Thanos’ sheer will able to hold back against the Elements of Harmony. Even then, it was just the Stones doing his work. It was only Thanos and him alone.

Neither side gave in. Their powers clashed together and created a center so cosmically impossible that the scales of the universe could not comprehend it. The Infinity Stones were being met by a force almost equal to them and the Elements of Harmony just as well. Their collision created that array of heavenly whiteness, the streams of light bursting forth from the battlefield and pulsating shock waves shooting outwards every other second. Twilight Sparkle and her friends held strong, their expressions tightening slowly as they pressed on. Thanos, through all the pain, torment, and uncertainty, pressed on just as well. He gritted his teeth and breathed, continued to unleash that power as the Infinity Stones slowly, so very slowly, ate away at the opposing rainbow beam. And at him.

In the heart of their clash, the explosion of universal light earned the eyes of one life. One handpicked individual who by some force she did not understand turned to the light, ignored the world around her, and approached it.

Sunset Shimmer walked aimlessly through the battle, seeing bodies tear each other apart, feeling the earth around her rumble and shatter with every reverberating explosion, every blast of gunfire, and every scream. Asgardians, Wakandans, and agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fought well against the Chitauri, Outriders, and Sakaarans. The armies of Equus stood well with their allies of Earth, every swiping blow, every falling body, and every push onwards to some distant goal seeming to move so slowly that Sunset felt she was trapped in time. The seemingly-endless horde of Ultron Sentinels filled the rest, slashing and firing and killing the enemies of Ultron: every last breathing life on the battlefield.

All Sunset could hear was her breathing. Bullets and streams of light flew over her head, fires and dust filling the air and Sunset Shimmer walking alone through it all. Everything had grown numb. She could hear only herself, only her thoughts and being, and felt little of the world around her. She could no longer taste the blood on her tongue, or the cinders in the air, or smell the bloodshed, or see clearly any longer. She could only hear herself. Her breathing.

Then soon, the subtle cries of her red geode.

It only cried to her, to the pony who bore its weight and knew of its power. Only when she gazed to it, Sunset slowly realized how little she actually knew. The geode flashed red and trembled in her hoof, fighting against the necklace it was attached to and jutting forth in a certain direction. Sunset’s brow furrowed, her eyes tilting across the battlegrounds to see the direction the geode was pointing towards. Through the smoke and destruction, across several yards of bodiless lands, Sunset gasped when she saw the piercing light shimmering across the skies. It all fell down to them, to Thanos… and her friends.

Eyes wide and expression awestruck, the unicorn quickly galloped into action for a closer look. Her hooves slid across the scorched grounds as she came to a halt several safe yards behind the Mad Titan. The pulsating shock waves were too much, the heat and light too unbearable to take another step closer. Raising a hoof, Sunset flinched against the overwhelming display of energy, cringed to the sounds of her geode’s cries, and slowly started to fall back against it all.

Then, she heard their screams.

Her eyes bulged open, Sunset facing the light and power head-on and screaming in return, “Twilight! Girls!”

Even in the piercing whiteness, Sunset could see the universal rays pushing back against the rainbow beam, and from it came the cries of struggle, of growing exhaustion, and of pain from Twilight Sparkle and her five best friends. The Infinity Stones were slowly overpowering the Elements of Harmony. Even by their combined strength, their friendship could not outmatch the very powers of the universe itself. Thanos, with that power at his will, could. And he was overcoming them by the second.

She didn’t know what she was doing. She only heard the cry of her best friends and stepped forward to help them, even when she knew she was nothing compared to the powers they were unleashing. Yet by her courage, by her heart, by the love she had for her friends, she stepped forward. That single step was all that was needed. Her geode cried out, cried louder, and shimmered so bright that Sunset could no longer ignore it.

It suddenly jumped from her neck, the necklace itself pulling Sunset all the closer to Thanos and to the confrontation before her. Though mildly shaken by it, Sunset’s expression melted from alarmingly awestruck… to harmoniously understanding. Her expression softened, grew as her eyes did, and let free the soft gasp of realization from her very spirit. Her mouth could no longer close. She could no longer contain it. Sunset had heard the cry of her geode, saw its power begging for release just as fervently now as it had once before. When Twilight and her friends tried to best Thanos with the Elements five years ago in Wakanda. Back then, she stayed away. Back then, she stood on the sidelines and watched as her friends failed.

Her brow hardened, as did her expression. The glowing determination filled her eyes, her face, and never left her. Her heart overflowed. She took another step forward and unleashed that beckoning cry from her geode.

Just as Thanos was soon to gain the upper hand and finish off Twilight Sparkle and her friends forever, he was momentarily shaken by the burst of energy from behind. Still locked in that battle of power and will, Thanos slowly spun his neck around to face that opposing force. When he saw the newest form of light and life emerge, his eyes widened. His jaw fell. He couldn’t breathe.

Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, and the rest did the same when they saw her.

Slowly rising and hovering from the earth, Sunset Shimmer was cloaked in an array of red streams of fire and light, from oranges to yellows, to bursting reds all melting into a glowing sunset of colors around her body. All of it flowed from her heart, molded with her geode, and lifted her higher to face her greatest foe… and join her friends. Sunset was momentarily lost to the very power that filled her, gazing to her hooves and to the geode flowing wildly over her heart. But soon, she found that equilibrium, raised her eyes and locked her gaze with the Mad Titan.

Simultaneously, she stared to Twilight Sparkle. To her best friends. They all stared back.

And Sunset felt their warmth just as much as they felt hers. It felt right. It felt harmonic. Like they were almost meant to belong together. Tears started to swell on the edges of Sunset’s eyes, and the unicorn couldn’t help but gasp out a smile. Twilight shakily formed one, too. They all did.

The power filled her voice with rejuvenated strength. From it, Sunset Shimmer spoke, “I finally understand now. Every trial, every challenge, every fall… just to bring me here. To bring all of us here. Since you saved me from myself…”

She gazed at Twilight, softly said, “… and helped lead me to this moment. For every friend I’ve made, every life I’ve saved, it was all for this. My purpose. My destiny.”

The rippling energy continued to cloud around her, fusing with the unicorn until she slowly became a blinding light. A burning sunset. Her eyes fell and stared to Thanos, leaving the Mad Titan utterly awe-stricken to what he was witnessing. From the light around her, Thanos could see the slightest indication of a smile growing across her lips. In that fire, Sunset Shimmer did smile. In that inferno, Sunset Shimmer overcame and became what once seemed to be impossible.

“Now I know what I was always meant to be! An Element of Harmony!”

Her geode was encased in fire, the flames dispersing and a golden necklace left in its wake. The red stone was gone, embroidered only with her cutie mark. Thanos’ eyes widened to the breaking point. Her eyes were filled with unrelenting whiteness, her mind, her heart, her very being finding that purpose and accepting it for what it was. In that end, Sunset accepted herself and who she had become.

And it was so, so right to say it.

“The Element… of Redemption!”

He couldn’t move to face her. He couldn’t break the beams lest he lose everything. He could only watch on as Sunset Shimmer found her destiny and unleashed her true self onto him. From her Element, from its heart, a beam of red magic flowed forth and struck Thanos in the back. He cried out as the magic pelted into him, forcing the connection between the rainbow blast and the Infinity Stones to be cut. He was driven further across the gravel, grunting and roaring as the magic continued to strike him further down.

Finally, it ceased.

Finally, Thanos could breathe.

And finally…

He lifted his eyes to see the relentless light shower over him. Rising above all else, all seven ponies hovered before Thanos, all seven Elements of Harmony burning together and filling all of reality with their true power. In the heart of it all, between Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer led them. Together at last, their Elements fired up above and flew down to land upon their foe for one final strike. The violet, blue, white, yellow, orange, and pink rose and fell. With the red laced all around them.

Thanos raised his right hand and barely clenched it. The rainbow beam struck him.

The prior blast of the Elements of Harmony was nothing compared to this. Thanos, at least, could stand to it, could hold it back, but when all seven Elements of Harmony were unleashed, it was incomprehensible. It was unfathomable. It was power incarnate.

Laying down with only his left elbow to prop him up, Thanos managed to raise his right hand at the perfect timing. It all seemed to fall into place so perfectly. He clenched his fist just enough to bring forth the power of the Infinity Stones, just enough to protect him from the wrath of the Elements, and just enough to shield him. But not enough to push back. Not enough to hold on forever. Eyes narrowed and expression petrified, Thanos could barely see through the blinding waves of rainbow light pelting further and further against him. He thought he could hold it, that the power of the Infinity Stones was enough and that no other might in the universe could hope to stand against it.

His hand was not clenched completely. The Stones were not utilized fully. To his horror, he watched as several cracks appeared over the gauntlet. They were small, but quickly grew, quickly built over one another and consumed the Nano Gauntlet in veins of rainbow light. Their harmonic power, somehow, was breaking through. It was destroying the gauntlet.

Knowing the Stones could have no equal, Thanos realized it was the human technology of the gauntlet that was breaking, not his grasp on the Stones. Even then, he couldn’t bear to lose the glove. Without it, he wouldn’t be able to control the Infinity Stones. He would be overwhelmed by their might. Twilight Sparkle, Sunset Shimmer, they would all succeed. They would kill him.

They would take everything from him.

Dipping down into the furthest pits of his will and strength, Thanos slowly looked away. He stared only to his left arm propped on the ground, his fingers slowly curling tighter and tighter to form a fist. His left arm quivered. He closed his eyes and felt that same adrenaline and realization consume him, fuel him, and give him exactly what he needed. He opened his eyes and glared back, faced the extraordinary display of magic pressing against him and saw those cracks only grow further across the gauntlet. He bared his teeth, felt that rising pulse of energy flow from his blackened spirit and flow free from his voice, from his roar, from the actions he took to ensure his destiny was never stripped again.

He unleashed the Stones’ full power in one ringing clench.

An explosion of a multitude of colors burst forth as his fist closed fully, as each Infinity Stone brightened and expelled their forces against the Elements of Harmony. A massive blast filled the battlefield with a blinding shock wave that washed over the armies and knocked every life to the ground. It was greater and grander than any previous display of power yet seen in the Battle of Earth, destroying entire airships into blistering cinders as they fell to the battlegrounds. Chitauri and Leviathans were not spared, all of them incinerated as that pulse shocked the world. Battalions of tanks, both of Earth and of Thanos’ army, were pulled from the ground and flipped in the air. Avengers of every caliber were thrown back, joining the masses as the blast wave washed over all and consumed all. From miles above, from the War Horse and the war in the skies, Spitfire and the many ponies aboard stared to it all and witnessed that pulse of energy shoot outwards and devour all the lands below. They were speechless. Breathless.

Once it ended, once the light faded, all that remained in that confrontation were multiple bodies scattered about. The six ponies grumbled and groaned as they lay on their sides, on their backs, but nonetheless lived and breathed. Their Elements were smoking gently, shimmering softly through the darkness, but dying down considerably. Twilight Sparkle tried to stand, eyes opening but seeing nothing but darkness and smoke around her. To her right, she gazed to the limp body of Sunset Shimmer and slowly crawled to her. Gently prodded her with her hoof.

Gently called to her, “Sunset…”

But there was nothing. Her chest moved and her heat beat but her mind was gone, lost in the darkness of unconsciousness. Twilight grimaced at that, relieved to know she was still alive but saddened by the fact that she had overexerted herself. There was no possibly way she was getting back up soon. Especially when Twilight needed her most.

Because through the smoke and dust before her, he rose up. Twilight lifted her eyes to him, felt her heart fall, and stopped breathing.

He stumbled as he tried to stand, continuously falling again to his knees. Like a bleeding, broken body kept alive by sheer rage and will, Thanos emerged through it all and breathed again. He stayed on his knees to let himself come to, fully awaken to face his destiny head-on. Bruises painted his face alongside the cuts, slashes, and blood laced around his expression. His armor was scorched, shattered, and bleeding even worse, with multiple contusions and injuries filling his body both inside and out. He was hurt. Everything he was and ever could have been was absolutely hurt. But he didn’t care.

Raising his right hand, Thanos gazed down to see the damaged gauntlet and the Infinity Stones melting against it. Cracks and dark veins consumed nearly every inch, with the veins near the gems emanating the raw power and colors of each individual Stone. It wouldn’t hold for much longer, Thanos knew that. It could only sustain the Infinity Stones for one last use before it all fell apart. Seeing the rising bodies before him, Thanos knew he couldn’t risk it. One snap and it would all be over. Until then, he had one last fight left in him.

He had landed near his Double-Edged Sword. By his left, he reached outward and gripped it by its handle, planting the blade’s end into the dirt to prop himself back to his feet. He was slow in his actions, delicate in his approach, and mildly taken aback by the ones who chose to stand against him.

The metal palm reached out to Captain America.

After having been thrown about by the constant shock waves and pulsating tremors of energy, Steve was at last relieved to feel the earth around him fallen still. He was even more relieved to see the gold and red palm held to him and beckoning him to take it. He did. With his right gloved-hand, Steve Rogers grasped the hand and let it pull him to his feet. He trembled slightly, feeling the presence to his right to ensure him that he did not stand alone.

Beneath his helmet, Steve lifted his eyes and gazed to burning blue orb of the Arc Reactor. He rose higher, seeing the metallic faceplate of the Iron Man Mark 45 slide back and reveal none other than Tony Stark beneath it. Friday wasn’t alone anymore. Steve was slightly bewildered to see Stark in his old suit, but welcomed him nonetheless. And Tony nodded to him, hand slowly falling from Steve’s shoulder.

Behind the duo, Thor pushed through the smoke and dust with Stormbreaker in hand. Tony and Steve cast their eyes behind them, Thor meeting their eyes in silence. Not even a nod. The Allfather stood with them regardless.

Landing roughly on the gravel, the Hulk appeared to their lefts and paused just short of passing them. Tony, Steve, and Thor analyzed Bruce’s current stance, noting his heaving body, his scorched and limp right arm, and his torn jumpsuit. Regardless, Bruce Banner stood with him. He gave them all a lingering glance before his eyes fell forward. Passed them and onto the approaching sound of footsteps.

Her boots struck the broken gravel and rock beneath her, the black jumpsuit mixed with red and silver veins. The black and red hourglass graced her belt, graced her figure, and rose up to the Black Widow. Her ethereal beauty seemed almost unnatural to the death, ugliness, and destruction around her, yet she walked tall through it all, unscathed and unmoved. Hands clenched into fists by her side, Natasha Romanoff sent a quick glance to the others. A courageous, fearless expression of determination. To Thor, Tony, Steve, and Bruce.

To one more.

Emerging next to Banner, the Hawk stepped forward and earned their eyes. They all eased into the image of Clint Barton once more standing with them. From Bruce, Steve, Tony, Thor, and Natasha. He gazed to his right and met all of their eyes. Tightened his expression when they saw him, too. He lingered in Natasha’s gaze, the two eventually finding that ease despite the overwhelming reality of what stood before them.

And together, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye turned forward to face it. They faced Thanos as he planted his blade into the dirt and rose up, rose fully and stared to them with that burning intensity glowing in his eyes. He stood tall and ragged, broken and bleeding, with his twin-sided sword in his left hand and the damaged gauntlet in his right.

In that silent standoff, the six Avengers stared onto Thanos and said nothing. Not even their breaths could fill them, nothing but the growing dread to see the Nano Gauntlet, the Infinity Stones, in Thanos’ grasp once more. They stared on as one and looked nowhere else, until their eyes were eventually trained onto the rising forms emerging from behind.

Spinning to face it, Thanos watched as the colorful mares got back up. First with Rarity, then with Rainbow Dash, then Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and finally Twilight Sparkle. It took longer for Twilight to rise, the Alicorn forced to leave Sunset alone. Forced to move on and finish the fight that Sunset gave them. The Princess of Friendship, the Element of Magic, Twilight Sparkle was the last to join her friends, lining up and facing ahead to Thanos spinning to meet them.

He spun slowly back around. The six ponies finally noticed the six Avengers on the other side.

And none of them said a word to it.

They stood together, all twelve of them silent and still on each end, with the Mad Titan in the center of it all.

Author's Note

Whatever it takes...

Chapter 185 – Whatever It Takes

185

The Battle of Earth

7:08 p.m.

It felt fitting to say the least. For Tony, in his perspective.

In that perspective, a man born of a genius and world-renowned inventor had only seen a world in shadow, cloaked by a father he once believed hardly cared for him. He fought most of his life by his own punches, using his mind to gain power, recognition, and the ability to do so much good with such good people. He was never a team player, never when Nick Fury broke into his home and told him about the secret initiative that changed his life. Never when he was dragged into an extraterrestrial conflict with the God of Thunder’s mischievous brother. Never when he mentally sparred with the legendary Captain America and the team of misfits brought to together to save the world. He was never a team player then.

Yet when the world needed them most, when it cried out for a savior to bring them out of the dark of the alien menace threatening their city, their home, and their very way of life, they answered the call. The Avengers answered it and stood as one against a greater tide not a single one of them could have fought alone. It took all of them to save the city, the people, and the world from Thanos’ invasion once before.

Now, in the face of utter annihilation, it felt fitting for Tony Stark to stand with the same people he did that fateful day. His eyes slowly washed back and forth, stared to Clint Barton on the far left, to Bruce Banner towering next to him, to Steve Rogers by his side forever and always, to Thor on his right, and finally to Natasha Romanoff, the secret agent who he had the pleasure of knowing longer than the others. It felt fitting to stand with her again, with them again, against the man responsible for bringing them together in the first place.

Maskless, Tony turned his hardened expression alongside his team, his friends, his family, and gazed to the Mad Titan stuck between them and the line of six familiar mares behind him. Caught up on nostalgic flashes of the past, Tony had almost completely disregarded the ponies that stood with them when no one else could.

Applejack, with her Element of Honesty shimmering softly around her neck. Fluttershy, with her wings outstretched and determined expression unwavering despite her timid demeanor, despite her pink mane trying to hide her strength. Pinkie Pie, the usually ecstatic mare holding a look of raw focus. When it mattered, the jokes and silliness ended. When her friends mattered, she was ready. Rarity, the unicorn Tony once blamed a lifetime ago for certain mistakes now proudly standing tall against her demon just as he was. Rainbow Dash, the Pegasus holding just as much of a deep and gashed history with Stark as he did with her, one that was mended and stronger than ever as they met glances. Met affirming eyes.

And Twilight.

He had so much he wanted to tell her, so much left he had to say. Like how proud he was of her, how thankful he could truly be to see her standing with friends, standing with them for one last crusade. As always, she led them onto the darker tides of unforeseen terror, to an unknown fate with only their friendship to guide them. They each bore the Elements of Harmony, signifying and cementing the idea that they were healed. They, as friends, were ready. And Twilight, meeting Tony’s eyes, offered him a short but assuring smile that they were with them.

Tony didn’t smile back. He couldn’t. All he could offer her was his nod, that silent declaration that the Avengers were with them. United once more, to stand against the greater threat together like they had so long ago. It felt fitting to say the least.

As for Thanos, he slowly acknowledged the tides of war turned against him, from the north to the south, to see the opposite forces rising to him and what he stood for. It was almost cathartic to see the original six of each world, the ones he had studied and observed for years prior, united together to bring their conjoined sword onto him. For the ones who destroyed his invasion force from New York, for the ones who bested every obstacle, faced every challenge, and rose together through the magic of friendship, for those who failed and succeeded and once more stood before him to deprive him of his destiny, to that end… Thanos knew it was fitting.

It felt fitting that they were the last ones to stand against him when no one else could.

Right hand crippled within the damaged Nano Gauntlet, left hand gripping his Double-Edged Sword, Thanos slowly turned from each tide, speaking from deep within, from his heart, from his blistered spirit. Speaking truly, holding nothing left, and telling them exactly how he felt for them when all the universe held its collective breath.

“You don’t understand… what this means to me. How could you?” Thanos began, his voice weak and wet. The Avengers said nothing. The Mane Six said nothing. Thanos said everything he had left. “Everything I’ve given… all I’ve sacrificed… it was all for the betterment of the universe. For its survival. You will only deprive that. You will only continue to stand against that. Against me. As long as you live… there can never be a grateful universe.”

The wind rustled around them and carried the ashes of the war, sweeping past their legs and clouding the battlegrounds. They all remained unmoved, breathing in every drop of Thanos’ words with as much as callous intention as there was steadfast determination.

“Is that how it always has to end?” Natasha finally asked, breaking the growing silence and earning various eyes. From the mares and Thanos alike, but from her fellow Avengers… not a head was turned. They all stared alongside her, to the Mad Titan with unshaken personas.

Natasha held out her hand, observed the world and what was left of it. She said, “All of this… just for more death.”

“There will be no more death,” Thanos snarled. He took a vicious step forward, glaring to her and the Avengers she stood with. “Yours will be the ends to this old universe.”

Natasha grimaced at that thought, but never showed it. Never let him get to her.

“You’re no messiah,” Steve growled. His bleeding left arm tightened against his shattered shield, the unwavering resolve in his eyes and beneath the dirt, blood, and pain from his facial expression showing Thanos exactly who he was. Who they were.

“And you’re no heroes,” Thanos retorted, washing his blade across the Avengers before him, to the mares behind him. He eyed every last one of them in his sweeping spin, lingering on every last soul. “Just failures believing themselves to be part of a greater purpose. There is no purpose to this resilience, just as there is no dishonor in surrender. You won’t feel a thing. They won’t feel a thing. All of this can end and yet you simply cannot understand what I can truly offer. You won’t stop… You won’t win…”

He swiped his sword low, down to his side, and faced the Avengers again. His glare held every last shred of pent-up rage and pain he had for the first Avengers to stand against him, now the last Avengers to hold their ground and silently proclaim their opposition. All of it, all of them, for one last time. His expression narrowed, glare intensified, as he spoke to them, tried to understand.

“So tell me… unruly wretches… why won’t you just give in?”

They could have given in. They could have laid down their arms and accepted the reality that they were no match for him. With the Infinity Stones under his will, Thanos was once again an unstoppable force of power and fury the likes of which none of them were a match for. Alone, they were nothing to him.

But together…

Together, they were so much more. Together, they were a team. And together, Tony found that strength to rise up for one last time, to boldly proclaim who they were and why they continued to fight even when all else couldn’t, when all else was lost and broken and couldn’t hope to win. Because as that team, as Avengers, it was who they were.

“Because we made a promise,” Tony shakily said, finding that courage, that strength, that vigor, and that purpose to declare it once more.

To the Mad Titan who didn’t seem to hear it the first time.

“If we can’t protect the universe… you can be damn sure we’ll avenge it!”

Iron Man’s mask closed over his eyes, his eyes igniting into a fiery blue.

Captain America shot his hand back and called forth Mjølnir.

The Incredible Hulk stomped fiercely onto the earth, fists at the ready, expression steadfast.

Hawkeye activated his bow and whipped out an arrow from his quiver, low and ready.

Black Widow pulled the batons from behind her, connecting them to form a large staff.

The ponies flinched into ready positions, each wielding their Elements of Harmony, each harmonizing their stances with one another. From Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. Every last one of them stood together. Every last one of them faced the darkening fate ahead and didn’t back down. Not a single one of them.

Thor gripped Stormbreaker with both hands, both the flesh and the Uru, and felt the stream of lightning flow from his veins and fuse with the weapon. The thunder roared high above, the electricity coursing across his body and consuming every inch of his limbs, chest, heart, hair, beard, and eye. Before that power reached his eye, Thor halted briefly to breathe. To cautiously exhale. To stare only at Thanos with his team, his friends, and his family.

He muttered, “Whatever it takes.”

Thanos screamed.

The tides clashed and the Mad Titan was there to meet them.

In that last battle for the fate of the very universe, all hands were on deck and nothing was left that couldn’t be utilized. The six Avengers charged together, as one, and sprinted for Thanos with as much intention to kill as the Titan had for them. The six ponies charged all the same, both from the sky and upon the earth, galloping, soaring, and charging for Thanos’ blindside. For the gauntlet.

And Thanos knew they would come for the gauntlet, for the Stones specifically. He was unable to use them lest the Stones destroy the gauntlet and prevent him from snapping. From fulfilling his destiny. Instead, he wielded his sword and struck with it, ignoring every flicker of pain rippling across his body, from his torn muscles, cracked bones, and bleeding form. He ignored it all and screamed with both rage, fury, and agony as he swung, struck, punched, kicked, and used everything he had left to deter the Avengers.

All twelve of them.

In the collective assault, magic bolts broke forth and screamed across the air, striking Thanos alongside Tony’s repulsor blasts. Thanos ducked and dodged as much as he could, taking the hit when he couldn’t move in time and retaliating just as ferociously. Captain America ran forward with the hammer spinning in his grip, Steve launching the weapon into the Titan’s chest and knocking him back. The hammer flew back into his grasp, Thanos disoriented long enough for Applejack and Pinkie Pie to deliver swift and concurrent strikes from behind. The farm pony bucked low at the back of his knee while Pinkie swung high with a large mallet for his head.

Knocked forward, Thanos was unable to fully grasp the situation while his vision was blurred and his ears rang, which allowed Natasha, Steve, and Bruce to capitalize. Sprinting forward, Natasha twirled out her staff and swung its end across the Titan’s cheekbone, earning a grunt of pain from their adversary that only heightened with Steve’s following assault. He attacked with hammer and shield working tandem, driving Mjølnir into Thanos’ gut to hunch him low, allowing him to swing high with his shield and slam it against Thanos’ forehead. Banner sprinted forward with his forearm leading the swipe, striking Thanos across his face and continuously pelting the Mad Titan with reverberating and deafening punches. Even with his crippled right arm, Bruce persevered and fought through the pain, driving both fists across Thanos’ face again and again.

Fluttershy dove down and drove her back hoof into the Dark Lord’s temple. Rainbow Dash responded in kind on Thanos’ opposite side, flying by with her armor-plated hoof and enhanced speed giving her punch much more ferocity. Rarity tore herself from the earth, forming a nanoparticle mallet on her left hoof to which she slammed into the back of Thanos’ head. She rolled away, allowing the cackling thunder and lightning from above to rain down and strike alongside the King of Asgard. And Thor, with Stormbreaker in hand, brought down the heaven’s wrath and decimated the ground where Thanos stood. The Mad Titan was blown away from the strike, the pulse of lightning and fury flinging him backwards like he weighed nothing.

Their attacks were precise, accurate, calculated and executed every single second. Even in his broken and disoriented state, Thanos could at least recognize their enhanced teamwork tactics and work to respond to it. Looking up from where he lay, he saw the Avengers sprint, gallop, and fly his way. Thor led them. Snarling at that, Thanos rolled as he rose, swinging low with his sword and striking Thor directly into his armored chest. The speed and strength of the hit sent Thor careening backwards, crashing into Captain America with Stormbreaker nearly taking Fluttershy’s head off. The mare ducked and fell, Thanos’ actions ultimately taking the three Avengers momentarily out of the fight.

Feral and bloodshot eyes widened, Thanos was fully awake and fully enraged by the time the others reached him. He offered them nothing, retaliating in swift and deadly strikes from his blade, fists, and boots onto the oncoming wave. Natasha’s staff was blocked and broken in two from Thanos’ sword, the Titan smacking her away with a swing of his left forearm. He raised his blade and blocked the streams of magic and energy flowing from Twilight, Rarity, and Tony. The multicolored streams bounced off in multiple directions, singeing Applejack in the side and knocking her off course. He redirected the beams and struck Rarity in the chest, forcing both Tony and Twilight to jet forward and meet Thanos in closer combat. The others were right on them.

Thanos blocked Hulk’s downward slam with his right hand, ramming his knee into Banner’s gut and knocking every ounce of air from his lungs. He reached up and grabbed as much of Bruce’s head and hair as he could, tossing the Hulk out of the fight so he could focus on the others. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow zipped by him, swirling around the Mad Titan with intense speeds that he couldn’t even fathom. Swirls of pink and rainbow swarmed Thanos like a tornado, allowing Twilight to zero in and strike him dead in the chest with a resounding spell. Thanos was pushed backwards, cutting off the disorienting tornado and allowing him to see again. He drove his sword into the earth, slowing himself down just enough so he could lift his eyes to them, react to them, and push them back.

He spun his blade so rapidly and so quickly that each end struck a different mare, knocking both Pinkie and Rainbow to his right and left respectively. They hit the dirt and stopped moving momentarily, slowly rising while the others fought on. Twilight met Thanos head-on with Stark, both iron-plated Avengers flying across and slamming their fists, their blades, and themselves onto every available piece of Thanos they could see. Twilight dove quickly on Thanos’ right, energy blades erected from her hooves and intended for the Titan’s spine. He dodged, grabbing her wings and flinging her clear across the immediate valley they dueled within.

Leaving just Tony.

“On your right!”

Stark slammed his left forearm down, catching the blade’s edge and slicing it to the earth.

“Up high!”

Thanos’ right fist rose up and swung for Tony’s head. Stark responded by ducking to the right.

“He’s exposed! Repulsors up!”

On that, Tony’s feral expression beneath his HUD grunted as he planted both palm onto the Titan’s face, charging up his repulsors and firing two resounding blasts. Thanos howled as he was launched back, losing his footing and crashing painfully onto his spine. Falling low to his knee, Iron Man shot out his open palms and clenched each hand tighter and tighter, forming fists as the bright lights over his palms hissed and burned brighter by the second.

The Mark 45 mask rose up, and beneath it, Tony exhaled in a short huff. It felt good to have a familiar voice back in his head and watching his back. Even if the suit was a little past its prime, it still flowed like liquid. It felt just as well with Friday.

As Thanos rose to his feet, Tony charged once again, blasting forward with repulsors forward and primed. Once he rose to his knee, Thanos reared back and threw his sword at him. Tony easily dodged it, maintaining his flight pattern and returning on course.

"Boss, incoming behind!"

He heard the call-out but wasn’t able to react in time. The spinning blade struck Tony on his blindside, earning a yelp of shock and pain from the man beneath the suit. Returning to Thanos like a boomerang, the sword knocked Stark away, spinning appropriately before it reached Thanos’ awaiting left hand. The second he reacquired his blade was the same second an arrow nearly took his eye out.

Blocking the arrow, Thanos turned towards the direction of the shot and saw him several yards away, already firing a second arrow. Clint fired several more from the distance, Thanos blocking each with his blade and slowly moving closer towards the lone Hawk. Noticing the severed distance, Hawkeye rolled from the slam of Thanos’ sword into the ravaged earth he once stood against. He tried to rise, but only ducked once more to avoid the swing of the blade. Rolling up to his knee, Clint faced the wrath of the Titan and watched as he reared back once again with his sword high above. He spotted the bloody splotch in the cracked, golden armor. Barton fired his Wristbow into Thanos’ exposed side, a shriek of agony escaping the Titan’s ragged and bleeding throat as the arrow tore through and remained. Regardless, he persevered and swung down on the Hawk.

Stormbreaker swung faster and struck him across the chest.

Crashing and sliding on his side, Thanos planted his fist into the dirt and rose up to meet the next assailant, expecting Thor and being mildly surprised to see two instead. Joining the Allfather, the Widow strutted forth with batons in each hand, with ferocity in her eyes, alongside her fellow Avenger. They pushed past Clint, Natasha casting him a quick and assuring glance before she and Thor met eyes. They nodded to one another. Thor held out his Uru hand and retrieved Stormbreaker.

Thanos raged back to his feet and charged them. They charged back. Sliding forward, Natasha jammed out her fists and fired two Taser Disks from her Widow’s Bite. A pair of bright blue bolts shot forth and struck Thanos both times in his chest. He halted. To his shock, he convulsed as the electricity caught his nerves and kept him at a stationed standstill. He could only bare his teeth, grunt aloud, and watch as the God of Thunder capitalized on his frozen state.

Thor stopped directly behind Black Widow, roaring his thundering war cry as he called forth a volley of lightning from above to strike his axe. He stomped onward, pausing behind Natasha and ramming his axe forward. The bolt of lightning screamed from Stormbreaker as it tore apart the air that surrounded it, striking Thanos in every conceivable portion of his body. His lightning joined the electricity of the Widow’s Bite on the staggering Titan, ultimately launching Thanos even further back.

Thanos was slow to get back to his feet a second time, the lightning still licking at his limbs. Just as he arose, the tremoring stomps brought his attention to the charging Hulk on his right. However, instead of attacking Thanos head-on, Banner slammed his fists into the earth and sent a river of cracks towards the Mad Titan. The trembling earth disoriented Thanos just long enough for him to take his eyes off of Hulk, just long enough for Hawkeye to sprint forward, leap off Bruce’s back, and fire an arrow from mid-air directly into Thanos’ bleeding right shoulder. Clint intended between the eyes, but Thanos dodged from it in the nick of time. Not fast enough to dodge the arrow fully though.

Grunting and gripping the arrow embedded in his torn and tattered shoulder flesh, Thanos was unprepared for the collective assault from Tony and Steve. Iron Man and Captain America charged forth, Tony stopping high and firing his Unibeam onto the Titan while Steve skidded from below, slamming Mjølnir forward and firing a bolt of continuous lightning. Thanos raised his arms to block the attack, but only continued to be pushed further back.

While Steve and Tony kept up the fire, Pinkie Pie bounded in-between them with her party cannon in hoof. She waved playfully to the Mad Titan before pulling on the fuse and letting the cannon loose. Instead of party supplies or even cake batter, the only thing that Pinkie shot from her cannon was her best friend Twilight Sparkle. And Twilight, with armor-plated wings extended, increased her speed tenfold and drove her back hooves forward. The nanoparticles redirected and formed a large Hoof Thruster, the mare crashing against her foe and earning a pulse of resounding energy from the impact.

While Thanos staggered backwards, Twilight flipped and landed on all four hooves. She rose to her hind legs, joined shortly by Rainbow Dash as the two mares unloaded several Cluster Cannons from their suits. The ponies charged together, firing a consecutive blast of energy directed solely for the Titan. Thanos took every last drop of it in the chest, viciously thrown backwards and scrambling back to his feet, desperate to rise again and face them. Only when they cut off the energy beam, when they relented for just a second, another was there to meet him.

Fluttershy flew down with rapid speed, screaming as she drove her back hoof into Thanos’ forehead. He grunted and stumbled backwards. Applejack hopped and slid over and under several pieces of fragmented rubble and debris. She reached Thanos just quick enough for her lasso to unfurl, for the farm pony to fling it tightly around his neck, and for Applejack to yank down and bring him low for a resounding buck to the head. In the end though, it wasn’t those five mares to deliver the strongest blow onto Thanos. It was her.

Rarity leaped forth from the smoke and cinder, screaming as her hooves formed two large mallets to which she slammed onto Thanos multiple times. Blood and armor fragments flew constantly with each devastating blow, Rarity’s Iron Mare moving with fluid and deadly precision. Her mallets, empowered by her magic and repulsor energy, sped forth and rammed against the Mad Titan again and again. She finished by driving each mallet into his chest at the same time, launching Thanos back into a mound of rubble and crashing completely through it on the other side.

Thanos was taken out of the fight. The Avengers took advantage with every second they were given.

The moment he stood back up was another moment of waking agony. He trembled to his feet only to get knocked back down again, to be met with Pinkie Pie and Natasha each delivering a swift and rapid kick across his head. He was pushed back into the awaiting arms of the Hulk, Banner wrapping Thanos tightly within his arms and holding him just long enough for Fluttershy to swoop low. She planted a punch directly into his forehead, only hurting herself on the action. The Pegasus reeled back her hoof and clutched it in pain, Thanos headbutting her into the ground and forcing Banner to rear back with Thanos in tow. He slammed him into the ground.

Thanos kicked out Hulk’s legs, bringing the green behemoth to a thundering crash. He also kicked away the pink blur from landing on him with another hammer, Pinkie Pie screaming as she flew further back. As he rolled and stumbled back up again, he faced only unyielding carnage and unfathomable rage from Thor and Rarity. The two Avengers struck Thanos quickly and unforgivingly, both swinging for his neck and head with Stormbreaker and energy blades. Thanos dodged each strike, forcing Thor to rear forward and drive his Uru fist into his chest. The Titan was launched back with a trail of lightning following him.

Crashing back-first against a pillar of rock, the madman could feel the air enter his bleeding lungs after being momentarily ripped from him. That air brought back his vision, allowing him to catch Tony Stark mere moments before the Iron Man could come crashing down on him with an energy blade erected from his right fist. He caught Tony and flung him forward, directly into Thor’s chest and knocking both Avengers off into the dirt and rock. Thanos was even quicker to deflect Twilight’s rays of magic, slicing at her with his blade and knocking the Alicorn into Rarity. Leaving just four.

Rainbow and Steve were fast and powerful, hard-hitting and utterly devastating together. They attacked with ruthless aggression, speed and power, each holding almost as much as the other. When it became apparent they were overwhelming him, Thanos sliced his blade across the dirt in front of him, spewing dust into Steve’s face and temporarily blinding him. The Captain cried out as his eyes were forcefully shut from the dust, allowing Thanos to drive a brutal punch into Steve’s chest and send him flying backwards. Rainbow was not blinded by the same dust, her mask protecting her vision but unable to protect her concern for her friends. She shot her head back for Steve and tore her focus away from Thanos, from what mattered. He struck her down and sent the Pegasus crashing into a mound of debris.

All that were left were Clint and Applejack, the duo striking fast and striking hard with the others either too far or briefly out of the fight. Barton swung with his bow reforming into a short staff, the blows dealing little damage even as he struck the Titan across his cheek. Applejack’s punches and bucks were a little more impactful, but as Thanos rose, they fell. He sent a vicious kick into the Earth pony, Applejack yelping and grunting as she crashed into a rock and lay limp beside it.

Turning on Clint, Thanos smacked him across the head and watched as the Hawk spun in mid-air. He landed harshly several feet away, Barton groaning as he tried to rise again. Looking up, he saw the Titan twirl his blade and narrow his focus solely to him, gripping the sword with two hands and murder burning in his glare. He hunched forward, a wave of electricity consuming his right shoulder and forcing Thanos to a stop.

The following bullets impacting the back of his head earned Thanos’ full attention, his eyes landing on the sprinting Black Widow charging his backside. She ran with pistols jutted forth, unloading her last magazines onto the Titan with no remorse, no regret, and no chance or stopping. Once Thanos allowed her to get closer, he broke through the Taser Disk’s hold on him and swatted her aside with his right forearm. Natasha lost her breath as she fell backwards, rolling and lying on her chest.

Clint was all that was left. Turning from Natasha and onto Thanos, he watched as the Titan pulled the Taser Disk from his shoulder and threw it away. Barton quickly jammed his Wristbow for Thanos’ eyes, but the Great Titan was quick to react, catching his arm and crushing the weapon. Clint howled in agony as Thanos continued to crush his arm beneath, but before he could snap his limb in tow, he reared back and drove his left fist into Clint’s chest. Falling back, Hawkeye tried to breathe but couldn’t. Tried to stand but wasn’t able to. His vision was turning black and all he could focus on was opening his lungs and allowing that breath to seep inside. He gasped.

Coughing horrendously, Clint sat up and clutched his wounds, a stream of blood flowing from his nostril as his eyes rose. It was already too late. Thanos was already near him and approaching rapidly by the second, sword in hand, and no mercy left in his expression. Barton crawled away, pushed his wounded body to the limit only to gain a few extra inches of ground, a few extra seconds of living, and faced his end when Thanos reared back on his blade, no other intention other than driving it into the deepest portions of Clint’s heart. He raised his wounded left arm in a vain attempt to shield himself, to look away and not face the inevitable embrace of death driving low and stabbing fast.

When the blade came down, he felt the wind and flinched against it, eyes shut tight and muscles even tighter. There was, perhaps, another second where Clint hesitated to even acknowledge the world around him. Another second passed and he still waited. Until, finally, he made that leap of faith and breathed in. Breathed out. And lived.

He heard the breath. The gasp. Not his. Above him.

Clint instantly shot open his eyes, his heart practically stopping when he recognized that gasp.

His limbs trembled, his body quaking with fear and trepidation as he slowly, cautiously, horrifyingly lowered his quivering arm from his vision. He didn’t want to see it. He most definitely didn’t want to believe it, shun his senses and what he had heard. But he couldn’t look away. He stared onto the nightmarish image before him, wishing, begging, praying that it was just that: a nightmare.

Only, it wasn’t. Natasha Romanoff standing before him, facing him, with the blade jutting mere inches out of her chest, from her abdomen, was as much real as anything else around him.

Clint stared to that same blade as Natasha had, both seemingly in disbelief for what had happened, for what she had done, for what had become of her actions. Slowly, their eyes rose to meet one another, and from his expression, she could only see the distraught reality painting his face a pale and ghostly white. In his mind, he could hardly even fathom what had happened. She took the blade through her back, that sword that was meant for him, and succeeded in stopping it.

Succeeded in saving him.

From her expression, Clint could see the rose-red lips of his best friend tremble weakly. She coughed a spittle of red across those lips, onto her chin, but smiled anyway. It was a frail smile, a smile that told him everything he didn’t want to hear, everything he didn’t want to believe. It was a smile that told him everything was going to be okay. The tears in her eyes told it even more graphically, even more painfully, as she stared nowhere else but onto her best friend. Her family. Clint stared back in numb horror. He couldn’t even breathe as his lips trembled all the same.

As if they were ripped away from their own world, Thanos pulled back and tossed her aside, both he and Barton watching as Natasha was thrown away. Just like that. Just thrown away and discarded. Her body bounced and rolled several more feet, eventually coming to a rest on her back. Her head fell slack to her left side, resting there unmoving. Her bleeding chest didn’t rise. She didn’t blink. A small trail of blood slowly fell from her mouth. She stared blankly forward and only onto Clint with that frozen expression forever painted on her face.

That flashing imagery coated Natasha under a veil of death and failure, the vision that Tony Stark had experienced years ago in Sokovia finally coming to fruition. She lied in the same position, stared in the same direction, and died just as Tony’s vision had foretold. Only Tony saw that flashing vision. He saw her. Everyone saw her and no one could comprehend it.

And Clint, ripped away from his reality with Natasha and forced into the real world of pain, death, loss, and suffering, gazed to her body with growing disbelief. She couldn’t be dead. They fought through hell and fire together and always made it out. Always stepped out of it arm in arm. Always knew that if they were together, no matter what they faced, they would always have that assurance with the other. They would always survive.

She can’t be dead…

His thoughts betrayed him. His mind tormented him the longer he stared to the horrifying image of her body lying with no hope of ever rising again. Deep down, deeper than his thoughts and blacker than his twisted soul, something snapped. Something let loose and would not yield. Clint’s expression transformed from pain and disbelief to rage. Simple, unsatisfying, blistering rage.

He jammed out his staff, activated the short blade on its end, and rammed it with passionate fury into Thanos’ bleeding wound on his side. The Titan reacted about as well as he expected, the howls of pain reverberating in the air and assaulting Clint’s ears. He heard nothing but that ringing numbness, felt nothing as Thanos broke the staff and pushed him off. Saw nothing but red in his vision as he unsheathed his katana and charged again.

Rolling forward, Clint stabbed and sliced at Thanos with such speed and ferocity that the Mad Titan was almost helpless against his advances. He sliced at Thanos’ kneecap, cutting deep into every available portion of his skin he could see through the slips and cracks of armor. He swung and sliced high, a thin strip of violet painting across Thanos’ face and over his eye. He closed it just as the sword washed past, saving his eye at the last second. Catching the katana, Thanos cringed as the blade’s edge dug into his palm and fingers and drew blood, nearing his chest by the second. He quickly snapped the blade in half, ramming his forearm across Clint’s body and knocking him away. Clint crashed through a mound of rock and stone, passing out instantly and rolling to a stop on the other side.

On Thanos’ blindside, the Avengers retaliated with the loss of one of their own. The Hulk made his pain evident and clear when he tackled the Mad Titan into oblivion.

Yet lingering on the sidelines, as the war and rage unfolded in the epicenter, one innocent life limped and stumbled forth onto Natasha’s form. That pink body showed itself through the smoke and fire, revealing Pinkie Pie to the true horrors and nature of life and death. Her mouth fell open, unable to form anything else other than an expression of pure shock and confusion. Shock at the mere image of Natasha’s bleeding body laying before her, and confusion for it how could it even be possible.

Limping closer, Pinkie gazed down to the Widow, nudged her gingerly with her snout.

Weakly, hopefully, she uttered, “Nat…?”

Her expression was faced away from Pinkie. Probably for the best. The mare’s expression recoiled and shattered, tears welling largely into her bright blue eyes as her lips trembled. As her body trembled. As no amount of Pinkie Sense could have prevented what lay before her. She was left in the aftermath, coated in that falling ash and terrifying reality that… she was gone.

“N… N-Natasha…?”

Her friend was gone.

Pinkie Pie shut her eyes, fell to her haunches, and whimpered. Cried openly as her body gave in and settled with that horrifying reality.

The Hulk hadn’t tackled Thanos into oblivion like he would have wished. He had tackled him rather viciously, though, the two crashing through various mounds of rock and rubble until they couldn’t crash through anymore. With Thanos planted into the mound before him, Banner openly unleashed his rage and hatred and everything else he felt for the one who killed Natasha. It was still fresh on his mind, her bleeding body lying there with no one to help her, no one who was fast enough to save her before she gave herself to save Clint. That thought alone broke Banner’s mind, what was still kept together, what was still Bruce Banner slowly but surely shifting to the raging beast within.

The demon, the Incredible Hulk showed that rage with every resounding punch he delivered into Thanos’ face and body. Each punch drove him deeper inside the rubble, cracking more bones and drawing more blood. He was relentless and uncaged, the breaking mind of Banner paving way for the unbridled fury of the Hulk. Grasping Thanos with his stronger left hand, he choked the Mad Titan into submission, slowly raising his scorched and crippled right arm and forcefully fighting his way through the pain. Forcing his blackened hand to form a fist.

He drove it into the Titan’s face, only to roar in agony as Thanos reared up his sword and impaled it into the Hulk’s arm. That pain flooded his systems, the roars transforming back into Banner’s screams. Even then, with the blade impaled through his right arm, Banner didn’t give in. His mind wanted to darken but he forced himself to stay awake. Fought through every waking second as he released Thanos’ throat, grasped the blade, and screamed. Screamed as he tore at the Uru. Screamed as he felt it tearing deeper into his muscles and bones.

Screamed as he snapped the sword in half.

The Uru rained free and Banner was released, Thanos staring in disbelief to the shattered sword fragments falling over him. In that millisecond of shock and awe, he shot his eyes down to his sword and saw the other half, the other end still intact. Rearing forward, Thanos sliced across the Hulk’s chest and earned another bellowing cry from Banner. He rolled back to his feet, charging Bruce with another swinging slice. Banner dodged it, gripping his wounds and backing away slowly as Thanos only continued to advance. With each advance came the swing of his blade, the strike of his fist, all of which Banner was able to block, able to counter, and able…

Always able.

Maybe before, but right then—right then and there—he wasn’t able. Bruce Banner wasn’t able with a broken body, a contorted and convoluted mind in conflict with itself, the two halves of his personality battling for control. He wasn’t able to block every shot, counter every punch, and survive every hit. He wasn’t.

Thanos spun his sword forward, diving in and stabbing Banner in the abdomen.

He was only able to catch the blade after it had pierced him. By that time, he was already too late. Pulling back, Thanos ripped his blade free in a way that pulled Banner with him, Bruce falling to his knees and clutching his wound. Thanos walked around him, observing the Hulk like a prowling lion. He walked until he reached Banner’s back, watched as Bruce slowly raised his eyes and observed his final moments. Before him, Bruce saw no one but his team.

Robert Bruce Banner saw only his friends rushing to his aid, as fast as they could, but just being short. Thanos reared back and drove his sword into Banner’s back, that convulsing agony painting Bruce’s face. The blade tore through everything. Everything that mattered. The tortured mind remained, but the heart of the man, the heart of Bruce, was torn in half.

The Avengers attacked, throwing themselves into the Mad Titan at full speed, bloodcurdling and raging screams leaving them. The blade was pulled free, and Banner, in that moment of release, slowly exhaled. His eyes gazed forward once more, to nowhere, before they slowly fluttered to a close. In his mind, there was nothing. No more voices. No more pain. No more conflict. He was free.

That final exhale was the final word from Bruce Banner, the Hulk falling forward and crashing into silence.

From where she lay, Fluttershy shot out her hoof and cried, “Bruce!”

Cried out in despair. Cried out for Banner, for Natasha, for her friends as the horrifying reality of the world came like flooding waters, drowning her within its dark embrace. Her own body ached and burned, her mind reeling and tears flowing, unable to process what was happening before it was too late. Even then, she could do nothing. She tried to stand but only fell back down, crying softly and gazing to Banner’s body from the distance. Unable to stand. Unable to fight. Unable to believe. Simply unable.

The others advanced and fought their hearts out. Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Thor Odinson persevered when the others couldn’t, fought on when no one and nopony else could. They carried the flag, the torch, and raged with it. Thanos and Thor engaged one another with axe and sword swinging madly for each other in every possible opening they could find. Their weapons clashed, Captain America rushing forward and flinging Mjølnir onto the Titan’s right. The hammer struck its target, returning to Steve as Tony advanced.

Leaping high, Stark shot down his right hand and fired a repulsor blast onto the Mad Titan, his left hand unleashing an energy blade the size of a longsword. Already shaken by the hammer, Thanos only barely managed to block the repulsor blast, unable to block the swipe of the longsword as Tony sliced it across Thanos’ chest. Sparks and blood rained free as Thanos’ cracked armor gave way. Tony spun as he landed, diving forward and intending for the Titan’s chest the same way Thanos did for his friend.

Except Thanos dodged the stab. He used his own sword and sliced Tony’s weaker energy blade into pieces. He ripped the armor free from Tony’s left arm and exposed his human hand to the elements, small fragments remaining as he reared back and finished it. Except Tony raised both of his arms in an “X”. He blocked the Uru sword with just his suit, just his strength, just his mortal body as the Iron Man armor clashed against the blade and held still.

Thanos snarled, swiped away, broke the confrontation, and slammed the Nano Gauntlet across Tony’s mask. The blue eyes of the Mark 45 were ripped clean, the shattered helmet breaking off and unveiling Stark’s aghast expression beneath. Thanos ended their confrontation for good with a swift punch directly into the Arc Reactor, launching Stark back into the rubble and debris scattered across the earth. His broken suit joined it.

Leaving just two.

Thor and Steve attacked in tandem, calculating their movements and their strikes carefully and precisely so as to not lose ground, lose each other, and most of all, lose everything. Thor swung with Stormbreaker while Steve rammed Mjølnir onto the Mad Titan. Thanos responded by blocking their strikes with his sword, retaliating and sending a devastating kick into Captain America’s sternum. Steve was momentarily thrown back, momentarily out of the fight.

The Allfather and the Dark Lord turned to one another, neither hesitating as every drop of blood spilled from the other and rage each felt fueled them for what came next. They collided, each one swinging, cursing, trying to kill the other with the weapon they wielded. Thunder roared above and lightning cried in the storm clouds gathering, fueling Thor as he and Thanos clashed in the heart of the battlefield. The wind coiled around them, forming a tornado of madness and bloodshed.

From their clash, the elements raged and electrified the atmosphere, the very air they breathed, and the earth they battled upon. Thor ripped the sword from Thanos’ own hands, launching his Uru fist across the Titan’s temple and driving him across the earth. Thanos rolled backwards, back to his feet and back to a dead sprint for his blade and for the God of Thunder. Thor cut him off with a throw of his axe, Stormbreaker spinning wildly as it ripped the air and struck Thanos in his opposite shoulder.

He was once more thrown backwards, with the axe now embedded in his shoulder and his armor destroyed by it. Thanos seethed with rage and agony, breathing through wet and bleeding breaths as he lay on the tattered battleground, grasped the weapon, and stared hauntingly to it. Then, to the oncoming roar of thunder.

Raising his head, Thanos could see as the God of Thunder called down the might and fury of Asgard itself, from the previous Allfathers, and was consumed in a cluster strike of lightning bolts against him. His body devoured it, the lightning slithering across his limbs and chest and roaring alongside him. Facing forward, Thor narrowed his blistering blue eye and charged. Ran with fists swinging madly, lightning striking furiously, and the powers of the Allfather himself rushing towards Thanos.

And Thanos, desperate and broken, pried at the axe in his shoulder. He howled and cried as the weapon ripped and tore into his flesh and muscle, more blood flowing faster and the Mad Titan continuously losing his self, his mind, and his strength.

Thor leaped in the air.

With one last desperate pull, Thanos ripped Stormbreaker from his shoulder, rose quickly, and reared the bleeding weapon back. Thor descended upon him with electrified fists high above his head, a coat of lightning trailing him, and unbridled malice unleashed fully upon the Titan. Thanos, too, held nothing back. He and Thor collided once again, and that time, only one made it out.

The shock wave of lightning doused the area in light and power, the two flying free from each other and Thor crashing into a pile of rubble. Thanos crashed further off in the opposite direction. Gasping for air, Thor found it to be incredibly troublesome. He found the ability to breathe, to move, to feel himself simply impossible. To understand, his eye trailed downwards to his chest.

To his own axe embedded upon it.

Thor gasped out, a helping of crimson painting his lips and beard. Distressed, shaken, broken, and utterly doused in that wretched truth. He coughed again, groaned softly as he reached upwards and grasped his axe. He pulled, used his wavering strength to pry Stormbreaker from his chest. He nearly succeeded. He nearly did. His strength faded faster, his vision darkening as he watched his palms slowly weaken around the weapon. The darkening embrace neared. Thor’s palms fell. He let his head fall back as that shaking breath coughed past his lips.

The darkness backed away, loosened by the rising of the light and the mask of the Iron Mare retracting back to reveal Rarity’s horrified expression rest upon his. She gazed upon the axe in horror, gulped softly as she shakily rose her eyes to meet his lone gaze.

“You’re okay…” Rarity whispered to him, trying to wrap her magic around Stormbreaker to pull it free. Her efforts only earned grunts of agony from the God of Thunder, the axe not even budging an inch. Out of fear, out of cowardice, she released the weapon and gazed solely to it. She broke, tears already building as her expression shattered and rose back to meet Thor. “You’re okay. It’s not too bad… It’s not…”

He laid his soft, warm, mortal hand upon her cheek, smiling softly to her. To assure her. To comfort her. Rarity’s eyes glistened from the tears. His smile slowly evaporated.

“Thor?”

His palm fell slack from her cheek.

“T-T-Thor?” Rarity whimpered, whispered, lost it completely and cried softly over him. In the distance, Thanos was struck by the hammer, thrown across the battlefield as Captain America raged for the fallen, stood for his brothers and sisters, and fought the fight that no one else could. Rarity paid it no heed. Not even a glance.

Everything was given to him, every second, as she cried over him with her hooves clutching onto Thor’s limp body.

He was thrown so perfectly by his sword that he retrieved it the second he rose again. Just at the exact moment Captain America struck him with unrelenting fury and aggression. Mjølnir spun ferociously in his grip, the Sentinel of Liberty slamming its whirlwind across the Titan’s shattering armor and broken body. He yielded the spin, gripping the hammer in an iron hold and continuously ramming it across the Mad Titan in tandem with his shield. Again and again, Steve pressed on despite every odd against him, despite the dreaded thoughts of his friends lingering on the back of his mind, despite the entire weight of the universe now resting on his shoulders alone.

And he was alone.

Steve Rogers did not let that deter him. He had faced adversity his entire life and never knew what it meant to fall down. From thugs in an alleyway outside of a Brooklyn theater, to a genocidal alien warlord hellbent on wiping out the universe. Captain America didn’t back down. He didn’t surrender. Because he didn’t know how.

Tossing Mjølnir once more for the Titan, Steve was slightly unnerved to see Thanos finally reawaken from the Captain's assault, deflecting the hammer with a swipe of his blade and a quick dodge to the right. He instantly shot out his hand retrieved Mjølnir, rushing forth and sliding low, impacting the head of the hammer into Thanos’ armored kneecap. As the Titan crumbled, Steve reared back and slammed the broken shield across his face.

Thanos sliced high with his blade, cutting Steve up his right forearm. He elicited a cry of pain from the Captain, Thanos pressing on the assault as Steve faltered backwards. He swung down, Rogers failing to raise his shield in time to fully deflect the blade. The two bounced off each other, Thanos already rearing forward for a second strike. The blade, that time, knocked the hammer right out of Steve’s hand, Mjølnir tumbling to the dirt. Captain America tried to bring it back to him, tried to shoot out his hand to recall it, but could only focus on Thanos now.

With every deadly strike, Thanos only continued to knock Steve Rogers further and further to the earth. He continued the onslaught, the assault, the travesty of his actions and held nothing back. Steve only crumbled more and more, his unwavering determination and fighting spirit dwindling away with each swipe, punch, and strike. He slammed his blade down on Steve’s shield, swiping low and launching Captain America away from him.

Crashing onto his back, Steve rolled to a kneeling position and tried to stand. Tried to. Tried so desperately to rise up. Yet he faltered. He hesitated, taking in that breath of wet air and almost believing it to be his last. He was running on fumes, his strength and his heart giving their last and begging for nothing more than to rest.

In that state, he was kneeling before Thanos. In that state, Thanos stood before him as a bleeding, broken, husk of the Titan he once was. They both breathed with rapid exhaustion, both bled like the mortals they were, and both rested momentarily, in silence, and stared to one another. If anything, if there was one thing Thanos could have offered the First Avenger, it was his undying respect. None had lasted as long as he and his team had against him. No other warring faction had ever succeeded in stripping him of his army, of his power in the skies, and lived to continue to stand against him. There was no shame in surrender. There was no dishonor in defeat. For him alone, for Captain America, he would give him an honorable and painless death through his last and final snap.

Only, he didn’t surrender. Slowly, shockingly, he rose.

Thanos sighed, dropping his head, his eyes. He raised them slowly back to the man to see him still rising. “Stay down,” Thanos told him.

He got up.

It took almost everything he had left, but he got back up to two feet, standing tall and standing proud to Thanos and his tyranny. When all else fell, he rose. When nothing more could rise to darkness, the light and faith and strength within him pushed him back up. He alone was not enough, and Steve knew that. But it wasn’t him alone that mattered. It was the idea, the hope, the spirit of freedom and the undying strength of the human soul that rose with him. Even if it was all in one man, it rose to face evil. He lived with that ideal…

He would gladly die with it.

“As long as one man stands against you, Thanos… you’ll never be able to claim victory.”

He didn’t surrender. He would not die on his knees. Thanos had offered him all he could, and Steve Rogers chose death. Truly, a terrible pity. Upon that bold declaration, Thanos narrowed his eyes, growled with a sneer, “Noble sentiments from one who is about to die.”

Steve shook his head. His shield and his body were limp, but he stood anyway. He stood and he lived in freedom. “I’ve lived my entire life by those sentiments… they’re well worth dying for,” he retorted.

Thanos had nothing for that. No response. No action. Just nothing. It took Captain America to spur him into the moment, to react and raise his defenses once more. Because in that spirit of freedom, Steve Rogers gave everything he had left and turned it solely to Thanos, to the death that waged war against life, to the hatred that sought to destroy love. To the evil that dared to stand against good. His punches were ferocious, jabs and kicks and swing from his shield onto the Titan delivering every remaining ounce of strength left in Captain America’s body.

Yet with his attack, it was met with opposition. With retaliation. Thanos fought back with his own dwindling strength, pushing back harder and faster against the Captain. He struck him various times, sliced his blade across his arms, legs, chest, and anything Steve failed to block. Despite it all, he raged on. Despite everything, he never gave in and never surrendered.

Slamming his shield across Thanos’ face, Steve drove his left fist forward. Thanos caught it with his right hand, with the Nano Gauntlet. The two were momentarily locked, man and Titan gritting their teeth and slowly meeting the other’s eyes. Swiping his fist away, Thanos once more reared back with that arm, Steve shaken and only able to raise his shield. It was barely enough.

He blocked the gauntlet, Thanos’ superior strength, and the energy of the Infinity Stones. He blocked all of it and held it back. Not only by his shattered shield, but by the man behind it, by the spirit and strength he proudly donned. And it held. He held.

With Thanos stunned into silence, Steve moved in quick and wrapped his right arm around the blade. He glared down to it, to the unholy weapon and rammed his shield against it. The reverberating clang of vibranium against Uru sounded off with each clash, fragments of each flying off while all Thanos could do was stare in shock. Until, finally, the blade broke. The cracked Uru shattered, and Captain America rose from the fragments. He slammed his shield across Thanos’ face one more time, taking that moment and reaching for the gauntlet, reaching for the Stones, in that desperate effort to end it all.

But Thanos had enough. He had seen the valiant courage and action by the first and last Avenger and simply had enough. The Titan grabbed the man’s shoulder, ripping him away and tossing him to the dirt in front of him. Bending down, he retrieved a shard of the Uru blade, gripped it in his left palm, and pushed on. Just as Captain America rolled to his feet and rose again. Just as he held out his fists and breathed for the next round.

He reared back with his fist, only to lose that breath when Thanos drove the shard into him.

The opposite end emerged from his back, the shard perfectly impaled through Steve’s abdomen. Perfectly and accurately placed. Steve faltered forward, mouth agape and eyes bugged open. He was speechless, breathless, couldn’t fathom a thought as Thanos pushed him off, pushed him back, and stared into his eyes. In that stare they both shared, either side felt completely drained of any other form of war and death, rage and wrath, and only gazed in silence. In that silence, for that moment alone, as both warriors could finally find a shred of rest.

Thanos held nothing more for him. Respect, maybe, for his unyielding spirit. Honor, definitely, for the last Avenger.

He forgot about the others. They struck him with as much speed and ferocity and power and strength the likes of which he could hardly hold onto any longer. Twilight, Pinkie, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity tackled the Mad Titan and ripped him free from Captain America, from their friend.

But it was already too late.

Steve Rogers fell and lay on his back, the shard pulled free but the damage already done. The mark was laid and he was caught under its image, that wound that would never heal and the pain that only continued to fester, only to slowly fade away. Soon, it all started to fade away. The world, the never-ending war, the madness and the pains of life that Steve was burdened with.

But he lingered on. He held whatever breath he had left and turned to face the mare flapping down by his side.

And Rainbow Dash, in the moment of clarity and horror, let her mask retract so she could see it with her own eyes. So the mask could hide nothing any longer. She slowly stumbled near his face, met his broken expression with her equally shattered one. Neither looked away. Neither turned anywhere else except onto each other. The absolute last thing she wanted Steve to see was her teary, weakened face. And all Steve wanted was to see his friend’s face one last time.

She saw the wound, cringed and closed her eyes to it. Even then, she denied it. Even then, she gripped his shoulder and shook him gently. Begged him, “Come on, Cap. Come on, you can’t make me do this alone. You gotta… you gotta lead us out of this. Like you always have before. Come on, please, Steve… Please don’t…”

She tried to get him back to his feet, tried to deny everything that just transpired. From Natasha, Bruce, Thor… and him. But it was no use. Not anymore. Not when the world burned and the universe begged for its savior. Steve wasn’t there to answer its cries. The Avengers were not there.

His bleeding glove rose and met her armored hoof, Steve silently affirming to her that they were there. The Avengers were alive and he was staring at one. He knew all of them and he was proudly friends and each and every last one of them. Tears sprinkled from her eyes, flowed down her filthy cheeks in rivers of black as Steve struggled to breathe. His dust-ridden face, scratched and torn helmet, and bleeding lips were all there, but the man she had always known, the hero of Equestria and the leader of the Avengers was still alive. Still—as always—with her until the very end of the line.

With a shivering voice, Steve muttered, “I can’t stay here, Rainbow. Promise… You need to…”

Her breath stammered all the same, face contorting as she saw his fist shiver against the grip on her hoof. She held him with both hooves, holding him and assuring him that a friend was with him. No matter what, he wasn’t alone. Broken, beaten, and bloody together, they weren’t alone.

And in that brokenness, Rainbow nodded through the tears and told him, “I never break a promise.”

That was all he needed to hear. All that was left. Turning slowly from her eyes, from her pain, he released his and gazed to the clouds, watched as they broke apart, and the falling sunlight and approaching stars greeted him. Greeted him to an eternity evermore.

Steve Rogers closed his trembling lips and knew in his heart, in his spirit, that they would do it. He trusted his friends to finish what he couldn’t. He trusted them and let go. The stars beckoned him. The heavens beckoned him. She beckoned him.

He almost seemed to smile.

“Never did learn how to dance…”

The smile slowly left him.

“Steve?” Rainbow croaked. Her expression tightened, fell apart, slowly fell. “Steve…”

His hand fell limp in her hooves, but it never fell away. Rainbow Dash held on as all else fell away. She laid her head on his bloody hand and wept quietly, mourned when no one else could. For her friend. For her fallen Avenger.

Chapter 186 – No Other Way

186

The Battle of Earth

7:13 p.m.

Anthony Edward Stark watched his friends die.

It was real. Not some vision, some nightmare, some past he buried into the darkest remnants of his mind. By God, it was real and there was nothing he could have done to stop it. He fought his heart out, did the best he could with the best he was given, but still came up short. Always came up short. Every tool he had, every fighting chance that was given, every plan and every step forward only yielded a step back. It only pushed him back. It should’ve been him.

Now he could only watch as others paid for his mistakes. Once again. From Natasha Romanoff, the secret agent who had caught his eye a lifetime ago and proved to be more than just a pretty face. So much more. She had become a loyal, trustworthy, loving, and close ally. And an even closer friend. Her heroism not only to S.H.I.E.L.D., but to the world, earned her a cleared debt ten times over. Her sacrifices meant more than anyone could have ever given. There she lay, her legacy and her life resting in the dirt as she gazed to nowhere.

Bruce Banner, the calm yet eloquent man having been cursed with a power beyond his physical or mental control. Stark had always been a fan of his, from his studies in radioactive capabilities and even to his most famous attribute. The Hulk was never truly Banner. One in the same, they never could have been, at least not to Tony. He always saw the mortal man behind the monster, the human who could understand, could feel, could know what it meant to be just like everyone else. When Bruce discovered himself, found the balance between the man and the monster, that alone surprised Stark. That alone made him an even bigger fan, and a much closer friend. Banner lay with his chest against the earth, unmoving, not breathing, but strangely settled. Strangely at peace.

Thor. The God of Thunder, King of Asgard, and recently crowned the Allfather. What other title was there that needed such a grander host? Thor was always the mightiest of them all. He should have been the one to deliver the final blow to Thanos like he had before. He should have been the one to survive, to carry on the legacy of the Avengers. He didn’t need any more titles. Stark realized that. All he needed was himself, his work done on the mortal plane and his spirit lifted to join his ancestors in Valhalla. Stormbreaker was buried in his heart, his back against the rock, and the torment of the past five years finally lifted from him. He was finally free.

And… Steve Rogers. The one and only Star-Spangled Man with a Plan. Sentinel of Liberty. Captain America. There was very little else to be said. There was very little else to be known about the figurehead of the spirit of America, the flag-bearing solider of freedom, and the tried and true first Avenger. Beyond all the limelight Stark had only seen him in most of his life, there was just a man underneath the star and shield. He was just a man standing up for what mattered, sacrificing his life every single day to ensure the greater good pulled through in the end. Despite all they had been through, every argument, every fight, every heartbreak, and every fall… Stark knew there was only one who could lead them. He almost lost that faith. They both did. But when it mattered, when the universe needed them to come together, they did it. By God, they did it. They brought everyone back. Steve lay with his back on the dirt. Tony watched him fall with his own eyes and could do nothing.

Clint was gone. He lost him in the madness, his fate entirely unknown.

And now, right then and there, the universe needed them again. One last time. That universe teetered on the brink of total destruction. When the Avengers failed to rise, others took their place. Others bore that name and took the fight to the greater tides that stood against them. The six mares he had known and loved for the latter portion of his life seemed to move so slowly amongst the world, amongst the battle, amongst their war with the Mad Titan and the six Infinity Stones he held. They fought to get the gauntlet off. They fought alongside each other, for each other, and for every single life that couldn’t. Thanos held them off, fought through his own ravaged pain and exhaustion to see his destiny brought back to fruition. They moved so slow and Tony just watched them from where he lay.

His friends were no longer there to help. They were not by his side when he needed them most, when all of the universe needed them most. He did not want to face reality, knew how much it hurt, but he couldn’t turn away from the truth. And it was true. He watched his friends die. That wasn’t the worst part. It never could have been.

The worst part was that he didn’t.

Under that veil of darkness, dread, and uncertainty, Tony Stark let his eyes wash across the chaos that enveloped his world. Whatever was left of it boiled with war and raged against the dying of the light. Wars were fought in the distance, lost in the smog and fire. Death filled the air. The tides, the balance, the very universe clung onto a false hope, a dying breath, for anything just to survive. The powers of the universe were held in one hand, on one glove, under the will of one Mad Titan.

And through it all, by some unknown force, Tony titled his gaze to his far left. He watched the cloaked man stumble from the gravel, only to fall again and crash on his hands and knees. Tony instantly recognized Doctor Stephen Strange amongst the burning destruction, the two of them unable to rise, unable to stand, and only lying in their own wretched defeat.

When he could not raise his body, he raised his head and locked gazes with Stark. Tony remained frozen as their eyes met and neither could look away. Neither could forcefully turn from the other when all of reality had stilled just to bring their focus to each other and no one else. In that desperate moment, Stephen Strange had seen every second play out a million times. Only that time, it truly mattered.

He pursed his lips and slowly lifted his quivering left hand, holding up his trembling finger to the skies. Just one finger.

One.

Be it a greater intuition than he would have liked to have, Tony instantly understood what that finger meant. What that number meant. It held a greater weight than anything he had ever known, a silent statement that took his breath away and pierced him through his Arc Reactor. Through his heart. The blood drained from his scratched and torn face, the realization filling what remained. His eyes broke from Strange, stared straight ahead, onto the Nano Gauntlet.

The last battle was raw and unhinged, screams from each pony sounding off as they threw their own bodies and latched themselves onto Thanos, onto his limbs, trying desperately to reach the Stones. Every single time, he would throw them off, pry them from his body and launch them to the ground, to the dirt, where they belonged. Through it all, they were relentless, unwilling to surrender and fighting through every stabbing pain.

Magic was fired in every direction, Thanos catching Twilight and Rarity by their throats as they unleashed their magic onto nothing. He tossed them each into another one of their friends, Rarity crashing against Applejack and Twilight against Pinkie Pie and her party cannon. The weapon spun and broke apart, crashing to the dirt and lying with the two mares. Fluttershy flew low and attached herself onto the back of Thanos’ neck, trying to get a hold around him, trying to keep him at bay. Rainbow Dash, after some struggle with her damaged Iron Mare, shot from the ground and rammed herself into Thanos’ sternum. His armor continued to crack. He continued to cry out from their collective assault on him. Reaching back, he grabbed a handful of Fluttershy’s mane and threw her viciously across the ground. She bounced as she hit, crying out against every tumble, eventually finding her rest several feet across from Twilight and Pinkie.

Only she was left. Only Rainbow kept standing despite the pain flushing through her systems, despite the warnings flashing in HUD. Rainbow Dash let the nanoparticles flow backwards, unveiling her ragged and bleeding face and allowing nothing else to hold her back. She threw herself at Thanos once more, each of their reverberating war cries filling the valley they battled in.

The other mares remained with the earth, too weary and too broken to stand fully once more. Especially Twilight. She garnered whatever strength was left and lifted her wings, felt the sparks fly free from her suit’s armor over her wings, and let them fall. She pressed her hooves out in front of her and managed a few short inches from the dirt. Just enough to let her see a semblance of the battle. Just the semblance that mattered. Rainbow was on her own.

Her mask materialized back and unveiled Twilight’s own broken features beneath. From the tattered mane, bloody nostril, and bruised cheeks, her torment and exhaustion were painted on every last detail. Her breaths were heavy, heaving as her chest rose and fell sporadically, uncontrollably. She tried to watch Rainbow. She tried to focus in order to bring herself back to the fight at hoof. Only, beyond her own will, she looked away. She caught his red cloak in the corner of her vision and turned right to face it.

Doctor Strange was right there, several yards to her right and staring harshly ahead of him. Almost instantly, like he knew, he twisted his neck and faced her alone. Their eyes locked, the expression on his face urging her, begging her to follow him. To trust him. With what little time either had left, Twilight took that leap of faith and followed his eyes. She followed him and turned to face forward, turned to face Tony Stark.

And without her understanding, she saw as Tony stared to Thanos, to the Nano Gauntlet on his right arm, to each and every last Infinity Stone glistening upon its surface.

And then… to her.

For the many years, for as long as they had known each other, both knew how to read the other. They were both geniuses in their own right, scientists with more mistakes than victories. Both knew the other’s strengths, their weakness, their faults and their greatest selves. They knew each other because they were friends. Because they were practically family. With a bond that close, that tightly knit, both Tony Stark and Twilight Sparkle could read each other on a deeper, personal level. So, when their eyes connected, when that moment in time was frozen just for them, Twilight let that unholy truth slowly enter into her. She let that possibility become a reality and she dreaded every second of it. Her lips parted, her jaw fell, and her eyes refused to look anywhere else, refused to blink, as the tears began to swell and build.

Stark’s expression told her everything.

Everything she didn’t want to hear, to know… and to do.

Across the torn wasteland, Sunset Shimmer stirred from her unconscious state. Her eyes slowly flickered open, seeing the blur of her world fade away and only Twilight Sparkle lying in front of her. With her was Pinkie Pie, was Fluttershy. Applejack and Rarity lay further in the distance. Rainbow Dash kept fighting, kept holding on as Thanos tried to take everything away.

Suddenly, on that thought alone, Sunset felt a swift injection of adrenaline. It wasn’t much, but it was just enough to raise her hoof and plant it forward. It was just enough to push her from the dirt, her Element of Harmony hanging around her neck. It was just enough for her to limp, to fall, and to crawl over to Twilight Sparkle and her best friends. Turning back, Twilight heard the soft groan and crawled over to pull Sunset towards hers. She held her friend with as much strength she could muster, Sunset breathing with brokenness both inside and out. Twilight never let go, never released her, and held on even as the world darkened and the universe burned away.

More groans.

More shuffles in their direction.

The two turned to it to see Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy crawl towards them, pick each other up, and ensure that every last one of them was able to join their best friends. And they did. They joined together, all six of them in a warm crowd of bodies all lying and sitting near one another. Even in the darkest of circumstances, even when all seemed lost, they were together. Fluttershy lifted her head, offered a sad but comforting smile to the greatest friends she could ever had. Applejack returned it. Pinkie Pie tried to offer her smile, her joy, and managed the best she could. Her tears blotted most of it, but they were unable to stop her smile. Rarity cried soft tears, knowing what was soon to happen, and accepting it all the same. Knowing that she would be with those she loved and loved her through it all.

Twilight could only hear her own breathing, her brow slowly hardening, breath shortly slowing. Time moved with her and flowed with her as she brought her focus forward once more. Thanos caught Rainbow in his right hand, watched as she wrapped her hooves around the gauntlet and yanked with all her strength. In retaliation to her meager efforts, Thanos tightened his grip around her, earned a scream of pain from the Pegasus as he crushed the armor she wore, and tossed her aside. Her suit and body crashed against the gravel and dirt, rolling to a halt and into the protective embrace of her best friends.

They caught her and held her, lifted her up when she could not rise on her own. As Rainbow’s strength slowly returned, her suit’s lights flickered on and off as the Iron Mare armor remained torn, dented, and shattered upon her body. She had given her all, fought her heart out, and came up short.

Thanos pulled the glove back on fully.

Always just short.

And with that, all the opposition were dealt with. They lay broken, together or not, scattered across the tattered battlegrounds and all before his great power. All fallen before him, kneeling to him, as the Mad Titan slowly gazed to the gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones still resting upon its face. His breathing grew heavier, mightier, as a tiny, transcendent grin slowly crept its way onto his lips. He seemed to be lost momentarily in another plane of existence, caught within his own holy endgame, and breathed again to know it to be true.

It had finally come at last. Destiny. He breathed aloud and spoke to them one last time.

“Here you stood… on the battlegrounds of the fallen horizon. Here you fell… for purposes greater than you ever could have known. Here I rose… among the old universe to birth anew… in my image.”

All else around them silenced as his words filled the air they breathed. In the short time span they were given, it was still a moment. It was still an opportunity to act, to try, to perform one last time. Twilight and Rainbow met gazes and both knew the same thing. Rainbow’s pained expression hardened, that steadfast and subtle nod sent to Twilight. She returned it, both reading the other’s mind and acting to fulfill it. Rainbow pushed herself up and rallied the others silently, brought them together while Thanos lived and breathed before them. She gathered them all, starting with Fluttershy, to Pinkie Pie, to Applejack, to Rarity, and to Sunset Shimmer. She brought their focus together, told them silently through her eyes what she needed from them. Just one last time to make a difference.

They followed her.

Twilight, on the other hoof, faced forward, gazed to one man.

Thanos did the same, turned away from the mares and onto him. To Tony Stark.

Lips growing into that malicious smile, Thanos spoke to him alone, yet as he continued his voice reached to all life across the unruly universe. In one last declaration of dominion, Thanos said, “What was your worth? Where do your accomplishments stand now? All your treasures, all your empires, everything you’ve ever known… all lay before me. It has all fallen to me not by your will, but by the universe. By fate. By me. In this end… I was always meant to bring this. I was always meant to be.”

Tony wasn’t looking at him. Not fully. He gazed beyond him but Thanos didn’t care. He raised his right hand and stared wholly to it, ignored all else. Ignored the seven mares united together behind him. None of it mattered. He held out his right hand, his right arm to every life so they all could see the universe made anew with their own eyes, for their last breaths, for their final waking, living moments. Thanos held out his hand, slowly pressed his middle finger to his thumb, and turned back to Stark.

He smiled.

“I am… inevitable.”

A slight pinch of pressure was added to his fingers, to his will, as he prepared for one last snap. Yet in that final second, he stopped. In that final second, the curious sound behind him caught his attention and made his blood churl, made his heart stop, and caused his spirit, his soul, his will… to halt.

All by that sound and the raspy voice that accompanied it.

“Hey! Prune Face!”

Thanos turned to face it, eyes glistening from the rainbow of burning light. The power that flowed from each mare, from all seven of them, charged the seven relics they wore and birthed the sound that caught his heart, stopped his breath, and held him in an unshakeable grip of terror. Froze him where he stood. From their unification, the seven mares remained as one, either lying or standing together as their necklaces—as her tiara—ignited.

The Elements of Harmony burst to life and fired a conjoined rainbow beam directly at him.

The magic came too fast. It neared his back, would tear through his heart, and completely obliterate him from existence. It was too late. Despite it all, Thanos fought anyway. He gave everything else he had left just to move, just to leap to his left and dodge the blast that would have impaled him through the back. Instead, the rainbow beam sliced completely through his right arm.

And severed the limb free.

He felt no pain. Not at first. Just shock. From that shock, Thanos was able to focus right away, his adrenaline rushing for one last pursuit, for one last reach. He crashed and instantly rose, watching as his right arm flung through the air and crashed just mere feet in front of him. The gauntlet was still intact. The Infinity Stones were still present and untouched. Scrambling towards it, Thanos reached for the gauntlet and grasped it in an unbreakable hold from his left and remaining hand.

A flash of light and magic encompassed the Nano Gauntlet, and in the blink of an eye, Thanos had only grabbed his right arm. He grasped only his severed flesh and bone and gazed heavily, through blurred and teary vision, to his own naked limb. He was speechless, utterly flabbergasted, until he heard her subtle breaths to his right.

Thanos turned to her and met the eyes of Twilight Sparkle. She had broken away from the rest of her friends, stood on all four shaking hooves, and stood against him, mere feet away from the Titan. Her head was low, horn cooling, and breath trembling. Yet she was awake. She was alive. And she was staring at him with every second she was given. They stared deeply into one another, Thanos seeing the acceptance on her features, in her eyes. Twilight saw the shock grace his own, staring from his breathless expression and into his quivering eyes.

Eventually staring past him.

The flash of light caught his ears, his attention, and his heart once more. Twilight held her breath and stood frozen, the shock and uncertainty keeping her restrained from acting any longer. Thanos followed her eyes, followed the disturbance, and saw the Nano Gauntlet reappear.

Directly onto Tony Stark’s right hand.

He kneeled before Thanos, slowly raising his right arm as the gauntlet shrunk around his limb and hand. It reformed to fit his arm, the nanoparticles locking in place and the Infinity Stones instantly reacting to the new user. They ignited and sent a flurry of rainbow veins across the entirety of his forearm. Tony convulsed as that overwhelming power and energy surged through him, as the universal growls of the Infinity Stones sounded off and consumed Stark under that weight, under that pressure, and merged him within the power.

Shakily, he lowered his eyes and remained as he was, almost entirely him with a stream of rainbow bolts devouring his right arm, from his fingertips and all the way up to his shoulder. Yet despite that rippling energy, that immense pressure and pain placed against him, Tony Stark breathed. He breathed so very heavily and so very slowly that he took every last second he could to lift his eyes to the Mad Titan. To his last demon.

And Thanos, breathless, met the man’s eyes and did nothing. Simply nothing.

All he could do was listen.

As for Tony Stark, he could not do much, but what he could… he made sure Thanos understood.

He made sure he heard every last word.

“And I… am…”

He gasped, almost stumbled over his words, but continued to breathe and continued to hold his quivering hand for Thanos to see. He made sure Thanos saw all six Stones. Through the tearing pain crawling up his shoulder, eating at his armor, and consuming the right side of his face, Tony Stark breathed. He smirked. It all died away in an instant, in that final word, as he proudly proclaimed it one last time. Just in case Thanos didn’t hear him the first time.

“… Iron Man.”

He snapped his fingers and all of reality turned white.

Chapter 187 – Ungrateful Universe

187

All of reality turned white, the sound of the snap heard around the universe lingering as did that piercing whiteness. It lingered on until the darkness faded away.

Forever.

Once the world returned and the light dissipated, the war resumed without a second to spare. The Chitauri Leviathan swam across the skies, the weakened blaster bolts impacting its armored hide as it dove downwards. Jaws open, jagged teeth extended, the Leviathan roared as it descended upon the minuscule Avenger firing helplessly upon it. And Rocket, unable to move in time, released his fingers from the triggers of his duel pistols. He collapsed as the darkness crashed upon him, as the jaws of the Leviathan came down and consumed him in an ethereal world of pure, oily blackness.

Yet as the light returned, Rocket could still feel his heart beating. He could still hear his own breathing. He survived and stood amongst the tattered battlefield with a swarm of ashes disappearing around him. Rocket lowered his pistols. He gazed about and watched as those ashes washed across the earth before the wind took them away. Leaving nothing.

Breathless and awestruck, Rocket kept turning, kept trying to find an explanation to what had just happened. Shockingly, what he had experienced was not a single event. He was not the only one to face that uncertainty, that indescribable event. It spread. It filled the battlefield.

It was everywhere.

Pockmarked across the tattered battlegrounds, consumed with life and death and destruction in almost every single inch of the scorched wastelands, that single event filled the darkness that remained and devoured it with that light, with that hope, with that final act that took away the evil from the world forevermore. The war had ceased for good. Battles had ended and the opposing sides froze in place, witnessed what they couldn’t believe nor could understand right away. The armies of the Avengers, Equus, New Asgard, the Ravagers, and the countless others who chose to stand for life witnessed that death plague the lands one final time.

Death swept through it all, consuming and taking only those who stood for death. It was Thanos’ army that felt that sting first of all. Chitauri stumbled in place, the weapons they held faltering in their hands and clattering to the dirt and gravel. They joined the dirt, their bodies melting into pure sprinkles of ash and ruin. Sakaarans fell all the same, their final breaths given as they relinquished their arms, held their bodies in a desperate final act to remain whole, and held their heads to the blistered skies once their forms disintegrated. Outriders felt that stabbing wound all the same, the alien hounds moaning and whimpering as they crawled across the earth, as they desperately reached for something to grab, for something to save them, and falling all the same. Their dust filled the wastelands alongside the Sakaarans, alongside the Chitauri.

Alongside everything Thanos had built.

Leviathans instantly dropped out of the sky, their descent met with their bodies shattering into dust and joining the many corpses of the Leviathans resting on the battlefield. They all faded away, even the corpses of the Chitauri Titans, their mountain-like forms cracking and vanishing into nothing but powder. Remnants of the dropships, Chitauri Command Centers, and even the burning skeleton of Sanctuary II all disappeared as well, the mortal lives not being the only things taken. Everything that stood for evil, for death, for destruction and desolation faced the same end. The Command Centers that remained airborne simply dropped, disintegrated into ash before their colossal husks could impact the earth. The Equestrian Grand Fleet hovered in silence, in disbelief to what they were witnessing around them. Chitauri chariots, starships, Command Centers, and Sakaaran Necrocrafts all vanished in mid-flight, dropped out the sky and broke apart into pure ash. Captain Spitfire was stunned, face frozen in that perpetual state of shock and awe, much like the many ponies who stood with her. Much like the many Equestrian airships that remained untouched in the desolation.

Of all the things that remained untouched, Ultron’s army was not one of them. Just as the AI abomination stood for evil and annihilation, he and his forces met a similar fate, a swift and terrible blade that struck them down quickly, one by one, until the golden power filling the battlefield was vanquished forever. The Fortress’ remains burned and rested on the shattered earth, eventually cracking apart and disappearing alongside the thousands of Ultron Sentinels. Almost as if they had never existed to begin with. Every last indication of Ultron’s arrival, power, and influence had faded away, turned to dust and became the dust of the earth. The golden army fell from the sky, stumbled upon the ground, and exploded into fading dirt. One by one. Until none were left.

The armies of the Avengers watched it all with incredulous expressions. Star-Lord and Black Panther stood together, eyes gazing to the skies and witnessing the armies of evil fall. Princess Celestia and Nick Fury came together, watching as the Chitauri surrounding their people, their agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., their Royal Guard, were all vanquished in a single instant. Trixie, Starlight, Sunburst, Derpy, and Maud all stared in different directions, but all stood together, all watched as Thanos and Ultron’s forces of darkness were simply washed away. Daredevil and the Defenders all gazed about almost aimlessly, weakened and broken, but standing and living amongst the victors. Jessica Jones was able to breathe in peace once again. Danny Rand could finally release that pent-up rage and aggression that clouded his spirit at long last. Luke Cage closed his eyes and exhaled softly. Elektra Natchios turned to Matthew and weakly smiled. He smiled back. Captain Marvel stumbled about upon the gravel, eyes dancing across every fading body, every crumbling machine of war, and every warring creature in the Mad Titan’s arsenal. Every last remnant of Ultron’s power and might. It all simply washed away.

And Carol, finally feeling that weight flee from her shoulders, sighed. Sighed and smiled. It was over. It was all finally over. The nightmares. The endless war. It had finally come to an end.

Amongst the slew of Sentinels stumbling about and fading, only one fell to its knees. Only one tried to fly away and instead crumbled to the dirt, crashing in a torn and shattered body of gold and twisted machination. Though it just looked to be another mindless drone, another golden body amongst the thousands of others, within the mind of the Sentinel was the first and the last Ultron.

With his conscious reverted to a broken body, a chrysalis with no hope of repair or escape, Ultron kneeled with his palms pressed heavily to the dirt. When he rose, he saw only the destruction of his empire before his very eyes. He watched his Sentinels shatter and turn to ash, leaving an empire of dirt in its wake. Until only Ultron was left. Until only his golden body kneeled to the masses and the rising light of the universe, kneeled in that silent declaration of defeat for those who had bested him at his greatest and grandest peak. Ultron, in that state of mind, could not understand it. He could not fathom the idea of loss, especially his.

Until the last Sentinel faded away, until he was all that remained of his empire, Ultron slowly gazed about to the world that had overcome, to the lives that had pushed back, and the Avengers that resisted long enough to see him fall. In that fall, Ultron was silent. Utterly speechless. The idea of loss struck him so hard that he could not speak. Not at first. Not to those who had bested him. His eyes washed back and forth, saw nothing of him any longer. He sighed.

“This is how you end…” Ultron muttered in a weakened, broken tone, to no one but himself. His voice cracked and crumbled in that body that could hold no more. His red eyes fell to the ground, to his knees, and remained in that state of utter dismay. “This is your…”

He gazed at his fading golden hand, raised it to see each finger crack and vanish into the wind. Ultron did nothing more but stare. He did nothing more as that darkness devoured his arm.

“… legacy.”

With that, his eyes darkened. His mind faded into nothing and his last body joined it.

As one tide fell, another remained standing. Another was able to hold his ground just long enough to witness everything he had built fall apart. Thanos, the Dark Lord, the Great Titan, the one who was meant to save it all and start anew watched as the old universe conquered his greatest and mightiest fleet. Everything he had, everything he could have achieved, his army and his throne all disappeared before his very eyes. He had thrown absolutely everything at them, and they threw it back, struck him dead in the heart just to witness his achievements turn to ash. Fell to the dirt. Faded in the wind. Like it never existed. Like it never even mattered to the mightier forces of the Avengers.

So, he gazed about, lingered little and washed his glazed expression to his armies, to his Chitauri, his Sakaarans, his Outriders, and his fleet in one grand arc across the wilted and torn battlegrounds. Chitauri Elite reached for him, their lord, their savior, in dying hopes that he would free them one last time. Thanos just stared at them. Watched as their hands reaching for the Titan turned into dust and their bodies with it. He had spun around completely, moved so slow and gazed forevermore onto the affliction of the Avengers, of the warring armies that did not fall to him. The ones who overcame and defeated him.

They defeated him. Thanos was still trying to breathe that in. He had lost. It was over.

There was nothing left.

He stared at Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony. Her best friends. The seven mares watched as the world around them rose up and Thanos’ world fell down, as all the evils on the plains of desolation were wiped clean. Twilight, for a moment, almost smiled, then brought her eyes forward and met the Titan’s gaze. They all stared back. The Princess of Friendship, the Element of Magic, Twilight Sparkle stared at him and kept her lips parted, her expression solid, as if she was prepared for what he would do next. As if she was expecting him to tell her one last resilient remark.

Thanos had nothing more to say. His eyes lingered with hers a moment longer before he turned away, before he stepped forward and reached down with his last arm. He found a suitable stump of rock amongst the destruction, found his place upon it, and sat down.

In that moment of rest, Thanos breathed with as much ragged pain as there was exhaustion. His armor was cracked and shredded, only a single layer of golden plates remaining on his person with various, bloodied openings and wounds plastered on his body. His right shoulder was painted in his own violet blood, seemingly infecting the right side of his chest and the charred stump that used to be his right arm. His face, by far, was the worst. Not only was it bruised, not only was it bleeding, not only was it weary and worn, but it held that expression of utter loss. He gazed ahead but saw nothing. No future. No destiny. Just nothing. His eyes gazed a million light years and there was nothing more for him. It had all been taken away.

Knowing that, understanding that, Thanos let his final moments be that of relative peace. He breathed in and out so very softly, each inhale long, each exhale longer, as that unforeseeable end came to him. It almost seemed unforeseeable. Yet in those final moments, a light was opened to him and Thanos flicked his pupils up to meet it. It was if she had stepped free from a higher plane of existence, entered only to the physical realm for his eyes only. The light opened, unveiling her only to the Titan, only to her love, only to Thanos for that final beckoning.

In his final moments, Mistress Death beckoned to him. She reached for him one last time.

That time, Thanos did not turn away. He welcomed her.

And with that, he gave his last breath and closed his eyes. His head fell slightly as the slivers of dust and ash consumed his shoulders, his body, and eventually swarmed his expression, taking him into the winds of eternal rest. Even in that rest, he accepted it.

He accepted all that came and died in her arms.

As the evils were washed away, so too did the plagues that infected the battlefield. The destruction remained, but the polluting atmosphere was slowly evaporating, giving the dusk its dominion back and unveiling planet Equus once more to the lives below. Curiously enough, it remained. The planet, the chaos, and the unnatural placement stayed.

Twilight saw it, too. As did her friends. Coming together, comforting one another, the seven Elements of Harmony found their sense of rest once more. They could truly take that in, accept it after all they had experienced and witnessed. After seeing Thanos’ defeat, seeing all the madness and chaos be stripped of the battlefields of Earth, they could finally take in that breath of ease.

Applejack draped her foreleg across Rainbow Dash’s withers, the two mares chuckling softly to one another and dropping their eyes to the ground, to their hooves, as smiles filled their lips. Rarity fell into Fluttershy’s embrace, feeling the Pegasus shudder slightly. Tears started to flow, but not tears of fear or pain. It was happiness. It was joy. Rarity hugged her back and cried all the same. Pinkie Pie leaped into Sunset Shimmer’s forelegs and drove her face into the unicorn’s chest, onto her heart, and rested there with a joyous and victorious grin on her lips. Sunset couldn’t help but hug her back, lifting her teary eyes to Twilight and smiling just as bright.

Twilight smiled back, that wearied but accomplished victory filling her features for just a second.

“Twily!”

Just a second before the shock overwhelmed the rest. Turning to the voice, Twilight could see Shining Armor waving and calling to her, rushing down the mound of rock with Cadance and Flurry Heart close behind him. Holding nothing back any longer, with fresh tears flying free, Twilight flew forth and impacted her older brother in a heartwarming display of sibling love. She reunited with her sister, Cadance holding the pony she used to foalsit and admiring the strong, courageous, and powerful leader she had become. Flurry Heart hugged her aunt, Twilight returning the love with just as much passion and tears and smiles as she could offer. Spike joined them, crashing into Twilight with a tackling hug and joining the group with welcoming smiles to go around.

After five years, they were back. After five years, Twilight finally believed again, and would never lose that hope like she had once before. After five long, dreaded, torturous years, her family was returned to her.

Family…

Her smile disappeared when that word filled her mind. When Shining Armor, Cadance, Flurry Heart, and Spike broke away, they were mildly taken aback to see that torn expression fill Twilight’s face. Her head darted back and forth, the Alicorn stepping out of their embrace and searching the wasteland. Others were reunited, families and lovers and friends all around, but in it all her parents were nowhere to be found.

And Tony was gone.

“Tony!” Twilight called, armor-plated wings flapping and pulling her from the ground, that overwhelming exhaustion quickly bringing her back to the earth. She stumbled forth with her family behind her, reaching for her, but unable to stop that cry escaping her terrified voice.

“T-Tony!”

The panic was growing more intense by the second, and soon all her friends joined her in that search. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Sunset Shimmer, Spike, and so many more came together and searched the ruins to find the man who had saved the universe. The man who had saved them all. At last, with breaths of relief filling the masses—Twilight included—she found him.

She saw him rise amongst the ashes.

She watched him fall down.

Chapter 188 – I Am Iron Man

188

With a sudden and painful gasp, Tony Stark pressed his right palm into the shredded piece of rubble, the slabs of concrete and rebar jutting out in chaotic directions. He didn’t care. He laid his hand against the nearest support he could find and held on. Held on for as long as he could before his legs gave way and his body crashed against the rubble. He laid his back against it, tried to breathe again, but couldn’t. Not fully. Not entirely.

As he fell, that dreaded weight he felt pressing against him slowly began to flutter away, as if the weight of the universe he had been burdened with had suddenly washed away. The world around him was torn and blurred, flickers of flame lingering on the shattered battlefield as he gazed down a long and empty valley. All he could hear was his weakened breath, each inhale sharp and every exhale low and silent. His Mark 45 Iron Man armor was shredded in multiple places, leaving his left arm and face free to the elements around him. His right arm was concealed by the glove, concealed under the black veins of a scorched and decimated Nano Gauntlet. Those veins rose up, consumed the entirety of his arm, his shoulder, part of his chest, and the right side of his face.

His skin was cracked and dark, the clashing tides of the pale and white mixing with the damage. Despite the horrific aftermath of his person, he felt no pain. His senses had numbed considerably and all he could hear, all he could feel, was his own breathing. Even those started to numb. With lips parted, breaths heaving, Tony Stark lifted his quivering eyes to the clouds, heard the sound of repulsors nearing him.

Landing in the empty valley just mere feet in front of him, the War Machine rose up and retracted his mask. Underneath, the shaken and grim expression from James Rhodes illuminated the light of the burning battlegrounds, the darkness of the approaching night filling the air and the clouds above. Neither one of them paid any heed to their environment. All they saw were each other, two men who had faced great wars and great tides in the many, many years they had known each other. In the many years that they had been best friends.

Cautiously making his approach, James kneeled down and raised his armor-plated hand, rested it on the side of Tony’s face. The side that wasn’t torn. Tony’s head nearly fell slack, a weak but warm smile filling his pale lips as he met the eyes of that familiar face, of that old friend standing by his side one more time. Rhodes brought his eyes forward, tried his damnedest to smile back, but felt his own expression crumble when he gazed deeply into Tony’s eyes. They were lost, staring off into some unknown void of space even when he tried to stay with them. James could hear the subtle breaths he made, each one growing weaker than the last.

With that, James Rhodes forced a nod, the hardest smile he could ever offer, and said, “You did good out there.”

He meant it. With every shred of his being, with every memory of he and Stark rushing into him, despite all the clashes they had and despite it all, James meant it. There was nothing else he meant more. From picking him up barely standing and barely alive in the desert that lifetime ago, to kneeling by his side for what Rhodes could only fear would be the last time, that bond, that history, that friendship they had meant so much more to him than anything else. So when he said it out loud, it held that weight. It held that truth. Tony did it.

He did good out there.

Hearing the web swing their way, Rhodes closed his eyes and broke away from his best friend, held in that shattering pain within him for another day. Instead, he stepped aside, fell quiet as that terrifyingly familiar voice called out, the meager innocence of it wrapped with confusion, shock, and fear. A dreaded mixture of the three that filled Peter Parker.

“Mr. Stark?”

His Iron Spider was cracked and dented—yet it held well. It held because the man who made it crafted it so. Without a mask to conceal his identity, without the strength to stand a second more, Spider-Man fell to his knees directly in front of Tony Stark. The man he had seen all his life as an inspiration, a title to aspire to, and a hero to become sat wilted before him, struggling just to breathe as Peter rested his hands on him, grasped his arms, his shoulders, anything to keep him with them. Despite his efforts, he yielded no fruit, and Peter Parker’s expression only continued to crack further, sweat glistening from his hair, eyes fresh with bleeding tears.

His voice stammered as he tried to speak, as he tried to reach to the man who had become more than just a hero to him.

“Hey… Mr. Stark. Can you hear me? I-It’s P-P-Peter. Hey… we won. We won, Mr. Stark… We won. You did it, sir. You did it… Please, you gotta get up.”

Peter’s efforts were met with little response, Tony’s eyes glazed and gazing forward, past Parker and beyond into some unforeseen end. His expression shattered at that, Peter dropping his eyes and hands trembling against Stark’s shoulders. The Spider-Man’s body quivered like a broken child, those soft cries leaving his lips as he convulsed and shivered in that kneeling position. In that shattered state of heart, mind, and soul.

He stopped shaking when he felt that soft palm rest on his cheek.

Eyes rising, tears falling, Peter Parker met Tony’s eyes and saw that lingering life turning towards him alone. He didn’t even have the strength to lift him up, his hand merely gracing the side of Parker’s face for what little time they had left. For the son he never had before.

For the next father Peter had lost.

At that thought, Peter completely broke, his expression contorting and fresh tears rushing like rivers down his filthy cheeks. If only he had been faster. If only he had been better. If only Spider-Man could have been by his side before…

“I’m sorry… Tony.”

The pair of hooves on his shoulder gently pulled Peter away, managed to pry his hands from Tony’s body and relinquish that grasp he never wanted to break again. With that calming embrace, that tender pull, Parker eventually broke away and let the hooves bring him back to his feet. His hands rose to shield his quivering expression, unable to hide the pain that flooded free. He fell back and stood with Rhodes, stood with the six other ponies that crowded together, each of them staring in the same direction. Each of them dead silent as one of their own pulled Spider-Man away and took his place.

And resting there, Twilight Sparkle gazed upon him with that shuddering uncertainty filling her expression, her eyes, and every shred of her being. Seeing his torn Iron Man armor, seeing the damage done by the Infinity Stones, Twilight could recall that they had succeeded only by the daring actions she and Tony took together. It was her who teleported the gauntlet away from Thanos. It was her who transported it onto Tony’s hand. It was her that helped him save the universe. Tony may have made the decision, he may have been the one to snap his fingers, but he couldn’t have done it alone.

It was her who brought him to that point.

From the black and scorched arm, to those dreaded veins consuming his body, and to the cracked skin painting the right side of his face, Twilight could feel that rising pain clouding her stomach. It made her nauseous, the mare still trying to fathom that she had led Tony to this. The universe was saved but at a terrible cost. A great and wretched cost.

Twilight blinked, taking in that shivering breath as her body shuddered near Stark’s. Her Iron Mare held on, the Arc Reactor burning bright amongst the darkness, amongst Tony’s own darkening light. She blinked again, the first tear rolling down her cheek to grace her parted lips, to grace that tiny voice that managed to slip out of her.

All she could say was, “Tony…?”

Her best friends were openly crying behind her, Rarity raising a foreleg over her lips as that subtle wetness started to cloud her eyelids. Fluttershy’s face quivered, jaw trembling as she tried to make sense of what she was witnessing. It didn’t seem real. None of what they had done seemed feasible. The mare slowly shook her head, expression and tears half-hidden behind her long, pink mane. Pinkie Pie was right beside her, her own mane drooping and slightly deflated, eyes large and grave. Applejack slowly pulled off her hat, resting it gently over her heart. Her expression was as hard as stone, and cracked just as well, mirroring Rainbow Dash’s almost to a T. The Pegasus stood on all four hooves, her Iron Mare burning bright in the darkness and Rainbow trying to emanate its strength. Only, she couldn’t. After all she had witnessed, standing in the heart of victory with the losses that came with it, Rainbow Dash could not remain strong. Not after all she lost. Tears welled up in her eyes, lips trembling to see Twilight confront Tony Stark one last time.

Sunset Shimmer watched it all and couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. The glimmering red Element of Harmony around her neck felt dull against her heart, like her greatest achievement had mattered little. It simply felt like another weight placed upon her. All her focus, all her strength, and all her heart were displaced onward, to the tragedy unfolding before her.

“I… I-I-I…”

Stammering over her own words, Twilight didn’t seem to know what to say. What could she tell him? Apologize? They both understood the risk and were willing to take it. Comfort him? There was little comfort to be had in his state, and nothing she said could change what had happened, or offer a blissful means to the end. Her mind had drawn a blank and there was nothing more she could say that could be worth his remaining time. Even then, she had failed him once more. They both may have known the risk, but she was the one who helped him enact it. She could have thought of something else, something different, one of the many ways they could have won without the cost of another life. Instinct overtook rational thought, and Twilight was forced to pay for those instincts, for that rash decision she and Stark made. For the actions she had committed that cost her a friend.

A friend that she couldn’t even say goodbye to.

Then, to her growing shock and disbelief, Tony raised his left hand slowly to her. He pressed his pointing finger to her Arc Reactor, over her heart, and rested it there. Twilight, dazed and confused, dropped her tearful eyes to his finger and gazed to it momentarily, slowly raising that expression back to Stark. Back to hear him utter in that weak, whispering voice to her.

And her alone.

“Don’t waste it… Don’t waste your life…”

His finger tapped gently on the light, the weight of his words reaching Twilight on a deeper, more personal level than she could know. At least right then. Further on down the life she had yet to live, maybe his words would bear their fruit, maybe that promise would hold and Twilight would finally reap its harvest. But right then, right then, Twilight could take his last words to her in stride, face contorting and breaking but holding well. She nodded to him through the teary, bloodshot eyes.

His hand fell away from her heart, and Twilight hugged him.

Laying her head on his chest and crying softly, Twilight Sparkle could offer no words. She knew nothing that would have given him some form of greater rest, no statement that would have ensured his life was worth every second. She expressed that only in the embrace she gave him, that expression of wordless love showing to Tony the impact he had made on her life. Showing to him the friend he had made, and the friends who stood by him from every victory… and every darkest hour. The hug—at least to Twilight—felt stronger than any word she could have managed at that moment. It felt right.

It felt like them.

Finally, without a single protest, Twilight was pulled away. The metallic hands gripped her withers and gently caressed the Alicorn in a comforting and warming hold. Sniffing and rubbing her hoof across the ugly mesh of tears blotting her face, Twilight turned back to face the owner of those hands, blurred vision rising up and meeting the sullen and shaken expression of Pepper Stark. Gazing down to the pony, Pepper waited until she was well on her own. With a weak nod from Twilight, Pepper pursed her lips in an attempt to smile gratefully. Her hands fell away, Twilight fading in her peripheral vision as she took the Alicorn’s place, kneeled under that fading sun, and stared solely to her husband.

At that time, Pepper remained uncertain for what she could possibly tell him. His skin was as pale as a ghost, as cracked and broken as the look in his eyes gazing to nowhere. But through it all, it was still the man she had fallen in love with all those years ago. It was still her husband. Perhaps in that moment, Pepper could see that resemblance and find the strength to speak to him. Perhaps in that moment, Stark had never seen her look so beautiful. Her golden blonde hair fell gracefully down to her shoulders without the mask to block it. Her age showed, but it did not deter him from seeing the woman who had stolen his heart and saved his life time and time again.

Even if she couldn’t save it that time.

But that was what they signed up for. For better or worse, that was what they agreed to. All the years they had worked together, grew closer from a mere assistant and a billionaire philanthropist to two souls becoming one, hearts finding solace in one another and keeping that love sacred, whole, and pure even into the brightest days and darkest nights. For as long as they both shall live, having faced greater turmoil together than separated, knowing their lives were filled with constant trouble, strife, and war from the day they met to the day they decided, yes, they would be together. They would live as one body, as one heart, and build a new life free from the old. Build a new life with their daughter, with their family, and turn away from the world. That was never an option for them. Both knew that. They knew the risks and they stood as that one to face it together.

Until death do they part…

Pepper trembled at that thought, but remained strong. She kept her true feelings and expressions hidden, endured as much as she could to ensure that Tony only saw her with that strength in her face, that life in her eyes, and the love he had given her.

Quietly, slowly, she reached for him and whispered, “Hey…”

Tony turned to her. “Hey Pep…” he whispered back. His voice was so stricken with weakness that he was barely audible.

Her hand rested over his Arc Reactor, and Pepper watched as he found the strength to lift his own. He garnered enough will to ensure that he held her one last time, his naked left palm rising to grasp her hand in that unbreakable bond of fellowship and comfort. Her hold, to him, was his comfort. His love. His life.

Shivering slightly, Pepper stared nowhere else but his eyes. “Friday?” she asked, hoping for the AI to check his vitals and know how much longer she had with him.

Only static was the response.

Lost in that darkness and uncertainty, Pepper nearly broke that strength and showed her true colors, her true pain, but stopped. Stopped when she witnessed a sight that nearly took her breath away, stunned her to the point that her heartbeat had dissipated and she could only feel his own, that shared unity of love bringing the couple together for one final reunion. All it took was for Tony to smile at her. It wasn’t much, but it was all he could offer. A simple smile that told her everything was going be okay. Everything had gone exactly how it was supposed to. Pepper smiled back, yet there was cindering pain behind it, the type of pain that she hid away and didn’t want him to see. All she wanted him to see was her smile, her comfort, and that assurance he could leave them with.

His head slowly wilted to the side, eyes breaking away.

“Tony, look at me.”

Gasping softly, Tony turned back and met her gaze once more, locked with it just long enough to hear that promise brush past her breath. A promise that held as strong as her expression, as the warm and comforting smile she gave him even until the darkening of his own vision. What she said was not a declaration to the heavens, nor a statement all could take to heart. What she said was not scripture, or doctrine, or words meant for the faint or the weak. What she said was for him alone because she knew he was strong, because she knew he had given himself for a greater end. The words they had both known and experienced together to face on that final twilight.

“We’re gonna be okay… Your war is over… You can rest now.”

Her free hand gently caressed the side of his face, Pepper breaking that touch away and holding her eyes as long to him as she could. For as long as she had with him. His head wilted away once more, eyes slowly drifting off and staring to that unknown end. Until she knew for certain, until she could no longer maintain that human strength, Pepper Stark kept smiling and kept staring to her husband, ensuring to him that the last he saw of her was her smile, was her peace, and that promise for their daughter. Her face contorted and broke, the cracks showing and Pepper trembling to it. She held on for as long as she could, for as long as she needed to be. For as long as he needed her to be.

Until the light from his Arc Reactor turned black between her fingers.

Until his hand fell slack from hers.

Until then, Pepper remained strong. By then, she finally gave in.

Lifting her tear-filled eyes, Pepper gazed onto the sight she did not want to see, washed her pain and sorrow onto his expression. He stared off into the distance, lips parted, unmoving, and finally resting in peace. Leaning forward, Pepper placed a soft but loving kiss on his left cheek, a kiss that longed for more, but fell away all the same. She didn’t fall away. She pressed her forehead onto his shoulder and wept softly, minding no one, and spent those last moments with him. Just him.

Twilight Sparkle had long since fell to her haunches, as if all the life and breath from her body had simultaneously vanished the same moment the light from his Arc Reactor had. She shut her eyes as that trembling exhale parted her lips, as that grim reality settled in and captured Twilight in its icy and cold grasp. The mare quivered and dropped her gaze, the tears slipping freely down her snout and crashing to the gravel beneath her. She cried silently, gasping, and nearly falling completely.

But she stood. She remained with her best friends coming to her side and comforting her, crying with her all the same.

Amongst the tattered battlegrounds, the remaining Avengers came together to acknowledge their heroes, to the ones who had fallen giving their lives for a greater purpose. The many who came were vast, each of them casting their fallen Avengers a broken and wounded gaze. Bucky Barnes fell besides Steve Rogers’ body, a hand rising forth to rest over Captain America’s chest. Right over his heart. He felt nothing. Not a beat. Nothing. Closing his eyes, Bucky dropped his head and remained by his fallen brother in arms, by his best friend. To the end of the line.

Pressing her blade softly into the dirt, Valkyrie stood low by her king and her Allfather. Her eyes rose softly to Thor, seeing his cold and resting body embedded with the head of his own weapon. To her left, Lady Sif stood all the same and gazed heartbroken and soul shattered to the God of Thunder. Valkyrie cast her a weakened glance. Pulling the axe free, Valkyrie settled Stormbreaker aside and held out her blade, lowered her head, and closed her eyes. Sif, with trembling lips, followed her, blade placed forth and breaths whispering the final farewells to their king. To their friend.

Falling softly to the dirt, Matthew Murdock let his arms wrap around Natasha Romanoff’s wilted body. His own heart beat rapidly where hers could not, Matt feeling and hearing nothing from the woman he held so close and so dear. Brushing a strand of red hair from her face, Murdock could see the flaming bursts of light flowing from his vision, enveloping her face and making her appear even more beautiful than he could ever imagine. Inhaling sharply, exhaling with a shudder, Daredevil raised his hand and washed his palm over her eyes, closing them, bringing her to a still and peaceful rest. He cried over her, pressing his forehead to hers and cradling the Widow in his arms.

Beside him, Pinkie Pie cried alongside the Devil, falling to her haunches and gazing to Natasha with large, watery eyes. There was nothing more for her to do. There was no joy to spread, no smiles to bring. For the first time in her life, she didn’t want to smile. She just wanted to cry.

And she did. She cried just as Fluttershy did near Bruce Banner. Rocket and Groot managed to pull Banner onto his back, all three of them desperately searching for any signs of lingering life. The Pegasus pressed her hooves to his neck and checked, hoping, praying for a pulse. Finding none. Gasping and sputtering for air, Fluttershy broke completely and rested her head against Banner’s heart. Rocket’s expression broke and Groot gasped. Neither one of them could speak. Neither one of them could move.

That same pestering silence and plaguing death filled the wasteland, but only there, in the epicenter, did it originate. Only there did the many come together. Only there did the Avengers stop to mourn their own. Especially Captain Marvel. Especially Carol Danvers. She walked on her own two feet, halted and gaped in horror to what she had been dreading to witness, praying to have ignored her fears and seeing them only brought to life. From Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, Hulk, and Iron Man, all of them lay nearby with friends and loved ones standing beside them. Carol gazed to the fallen, to her team, to her Avenges, with tears leaking from her eyes. With tears flowing down her cheeks to meet her lips, meet those shiver-filled exhales, and fall continuously to the dirt.

She was too late. Like the many around her, she was too late for them. All she could do was stand for them. Like the many.

Rising amongst the ashes and stumbling to his feet, a certain Clint Barton arose and witnessed what he couldn’t believe. If Natasha wasn’t enough already, then seeing the rest of his team, the rest of his best friends and Avengers lying about was the peak of his loss. He wanted to breathe but couldn’t, knew that out of everyone present, it should have been him. The others should not have fallen while he rose. The Avengers should not have died without him. But they did. That was fate, and it spared his life. He was the only one to survive, the only one to stand, and the last one to arrive.

He made sure he was the first to take a knee.

Be it some silent declaration, some untold bond shared between every last one of them, but everyone soon fell all the same. It started from Hawkeye, the Black Panther turning his way before facing onward. Before easing himself to one knee. Captain Marvel broke her tearful gaze away to turn to the Wakandan king, seeing him and Barton and joining them shortly. Her knee settled with the dirt, forearm resting over her leg, as she maintained some form of strength in her expression. Steve would have wanted her to. Beside her, Ant-Man and the Wasp fell in tandem, both casting one another a short but wounded stare before settling themselves onto one knee, eyes rising and expressions torn for those they had lost. For the Avengers who had given it all when they couldn’t.

Across them, standing in the distance was Star-Lord, the Guardian and fearless nomad falling to his knee in silence, in honor. Valkyrie shot her eyes over to Star-Lord, soon kneeling all the same and Lady Sif joining her. They did not kneel just for their king. They did not kneel only for Thor. They kneeled for all. Nebula, next to Star-Lord, joined him. Drax and Mantis behind them fell to their knees and lowered their heads.

And Doctor Strange fell, too. He eased down through the tearing pain in his body and settled to one knee, eyes rising to the many and to the one who had given his and their lives for a greater meaning. The images, the flashes, the visions of what was to come had finally been put to rest alongside the Avengers. It had all come to fruition and Strange could only imagine… how quiet it was. Victory amongst the many millions of losses, somehow, hurt even more.

He lowered his head, his eyes, and remained silent among the masses.

Those masses fell together, a slew of different aliens, creatures, and beings from across the universe all coming as one in honor for their heroes. Some took a knee while others fell to their rears and lowered their heads. Princess Celestia and Luna were two of those individuals, with Ember and Capper taking the appropriate knees. Trixie, Derpy, and Maud took a seat, with Starlight and Sunburst falling shortly after, Glimmer's eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Mirroring everyone else. Twilight and her closest friends—with Spike, Shining Armor, Cadance, and Flurry coming to them—all sat together, all lowered their heads together, and all mourned in silence together. Shuri, Falcon, Wanda, and Phil Coulson kneeled for the five Avengers.

No one expected Loki to, but he did. He was apprehensive, scared, but cared not for what the others saw. Cared not when all was said and done. To the individuals he never imagined he would, to Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Natasha Romanoff, and his brother, he kneeled and slowly dropped his head.

Everyone did.

The sun fell that day and coated the land in ever-growing darkness, enveloping the risen and the fallen under that same cloak. Under that same banner of silent victory. The sun set that day, in that old world standing tall, on the hearts of a grateful universe.

Chapter 189 – The Real Heroes

189

Days Later

Washington, D.C.

10:00 a.m.

The time of celebration was not yet fulfilled. Under the blinding rays of the piercing gray clouds, with the sun’s light nearly concealed to the world, all was stilled into silence as the caravan made its way down the street in Washington, D.C. Despite the crowds of packed civilians, despite young and old, spared and vanished all reuniting once again, there was no time for celebration. That somber atmosphere filled the mourning storm within everyone’s hearts, upon every face and choking every voice into silence.

An armed platoon of uniformed guard led the caravan of horse-drawn carriages. They were three in total, the battalions of guards covering each carriage from the front and back. Rifles were jutted upwards in their white gloved-hands, peaked caps gracing each head, and concrete faces exemplifying the highest respect and honor of the United States military—of all the world’s militaries—in giving the real heroes their final farewell.

Many world leaders joined the masses in America’s capital that day, thousands upon thousands uniting as one exemplifying force of peace and strength throughout all the world, and even to the world of Equus above. Many other rulers of Equus were present, the vast and multicultural species standing together alongside humanity. Many dragons, griffons, changelings, Hippogriffs, and Pegasi filled the air above many heads, while so many other ponies, zebras, Kirin, felines, and several others filled the crowds beside the street. Everyone wore dark clothing in mourning, in respect, and in honor of the fallen.

The caravan moved slowly and steadily down the street towards Arlington National Cemetery, guards marching the horses forward, each of the three carriages carrying a simple coffin. On each of the black caskets, an American flag was draped over them, with guards behind each carriage holding similar flags in their arms. The first carriage held that of an American patriot, a symbol to the nation and to the world as a whole of the freedom he exemplified, the duty and loyalty above all else ensuring his place amongst his fellow heroes from generations ago. American flags blew softly in the rain-streaked wind beside his casket, the many mourners and onlookers holding out their miniature flags and waving them softly as his carriage passed. Retired soldiers of wars past and present rose from their chairs, every last one of them saluting the lead casket.

Leading his Avengers one last time, Captain Steven Rogers finally found his rest amongst the honorable farewells sent his way.

Behind him, similar American flags graced a much larger coffin, a coffin only belonging to a certain Doctor Robert Bruce Banner. Though he had earned most of his legacy as that of a monster, his final days on Earth earned him a different legacy. A hero and figurehead of the science community, a leading, brilliant scientist of the United States and the world. And an Avenger who gave his safety, his peace, and his life not only for the survival of the universe, but for every life joining the funeral that day. The many who were taken were only standing alongside their loved ones once again because of that man, because of Banner’s selfless sacrifice. The man once seen as a monster was given a slew of tearful expressions as his casket moved on by. It was all the many thousands who were saved by him could offer.

In the final carriage, the one ending the caravan, it was slightly different from the others. Not only did American guards follow the final carriage with flags in hand and blowing softly above them, but Russian armed guard marched in accordance with the Americans. The Russian and American flags flowed together in that misty morning, yet only the red, white, and blue graced the face of the last coffin. In that last coffin, Natasha Romanoff earned her final rest with two nations joined in metaphorical hand. They marched and watched together as her coffin joined the other Avengers to a deserved end. And Natasha, despite her past, was given a hero’s goodbye. From both her homelands.

There was no family behind her coffin. Just the drenched winds encompassing both the Russian and American flags from the hands of the respective guards.

Behind Banner’s coffin, relatives, close friends, and family members flowed together. From his cousin Jennifer Walters to even Thaddeus Ross and his daughter Elizabeth. They stayed as one, flowed down the street until they reached Arlington National Cemetery where they were instructed respectively to stand aside and let the many guards lay the coffin to rest in the earth. The three were unloaded, carried over to their personal pocket of land reserved solely for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Three large tombstones were made. Just three.

The final words were given to each, starting with Natasha Romanoff and lingering on Bruce Banner. Betty Ross, breaking away from her father’s side, stepped up to Bruce’s casket. Her limbs were trembling, eyes swelled with tears as she took in that weak and shivering inhale. She laid her palm atop the black coffin’s cool surface, rested it there momentarily, and closed her eyes. She imagined what a life together could have been with him. She imagined all the mistakes and decisions she made by falling in love with him, losing him, and standing by his side one last time.

After all was said and done, she would have given anything for a second chance. Yet all she could do was say her last goodbye. Her hand slowly fell away, her body drifting back by her father’s side and leaning next to him for support. He draped his arm across her shoulder, his heavy and gracious eyes settling on Banner’s coffin. Though his daughter had made many mistakes—like he had—what she had with Bruce was not one of them. The Ross family name had much to rectify. Thaddeus had much to fix for the Avengers and for the Accords, and it was all due to the efforts of one man and one team.

One redeemed hero who had changed Ross’ heart for the better.

As for Steve Rogers, he was given the highest honors of any war hero. The American honor guard by his casket raised the flag, folded it accordingly, and laid it in the hands of all but one. One of the generals of the U.S. armed forces steadily approached the woman in black, turning to face her and holding out the folded flag.

In honor of one captain to the next, Carol Danvers took the flag and nodded gratefully. He raised his arm and saluted her, Carol slowly responding with one in return. Near Danvers, Sharon Carter and many other agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. stood together and watched as Carol turned to face the casket of her fallen Avenger. She gingerly held the folded flag between her hands, eyes heavy and burning as she lowered her head.

A thundering showcase of rifle volley filled the air, joined shortly by a fleet of military jets zooming across the skies over Arlington. Nearly the entire cemetery was crowded to its brim, yet the epicenter of the burials was filled with close friends and families. The many Avengers who had lived throughout the darkest day in humanity’s existence stood tall and together, in unity, assembled to say farewell to their fearless leaders. They were joined by the dozens of Equestrians, from Captain Spitfire and her Wonderbolts all decorated in esteemed uniforms and saluting to the three caskets. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were present alongside Princess Cadance and Shining Armor, all of them wearing some form of black regalia. As did Starlight Glimmer, Sunset Shimmer, Spike, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle.

They all watched in unity, in tears, as the three caskets were lowered to the depths of the earth. Rarity raised a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes as Applejack removed her hat and laid it over her heart. Fluttershy cried quietly as Pinkie Pie whimpered pitifully by her side, the Pegasus draping her wing over the mare’s withers. Rainbow Dash stared nowhere else but onto Steve’s coffin, stared for as long as she could before it vanished into the ground. Then, she shut her eyes. Then, the tears flowed free and she dropped her head, ears falling flat, as those streaks slipped down her snout. Twilight pressed her hoof gently against Rainbow’s own, holding her still and well, unable to hide her own wretched pain for the friends they had lost.

Amongst his fellow agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Phil Coulson held his vintage Captain America trading card limply in his hand, watching longingly, painfully, as his hero descended and ascended.

The Next Day

Tønsberg, Norway

New Asgard

Asgardian soldiers stood at attention, the wisps of the ocean breeze blowing harshly against their cloaks, as the raging storms and callous waves clashed against the earth. With spears planted into the rock by their feet, the pair of Asgardians oversaw the rites and rituals of the funeral unfolding by the beachline.

Given all the highest honors of Asgardian culture, the final sendoff for their king and their Allfather was met with the mightiest accumulation of people New Asgard had ever seen. Armies of species ranging across the Eight Realms—from Midgard most of all, and even of Equus—those witnessing the funeral stood at attention, in silence amongst one another, as those closest to the throne stood by the boat.

Lady Sif, Valkyrie, and Loki oversaw the final preparations, with the rest of the Avengers, the Equestrians, and New Asgard surrounding the beachline and watching patiently as they worked. Korg and Miek stood side by side, with Trixie, Derpy, and Maud all present and accounted for alongside Twilight and her best friends. In each of their hands and hooves, they held a white lantern, the Asgardian runes inscribed on their faces meant to protect and guide the spirit of the fallen to his final and assured rest in Valhalla.

At last, they were ready to begin.

With resounding Norse singing filling the air from Asgard’s collection of women choirs, the soft and lovely and somewhat haunting melody of the many voices sent shivers down the spines of numerous bystanders. Violins were joined with the voices, creating a symphony of pain and loss, mourning and strife, and even peace. The voices spoke ancient Asgardian tongues, sending prayers to the Allfathers above to accept and unite their king with those in Valhalla. Standing high, Loki turned to Valkyrie and Sif, seeing the two nod to him and join his side. Together, they pushed the boat out into the ocean, the raging seas and wounded storms above crying out in pain for their loss. It was as if nature itself, the elements of it, felt the suffering of Asgard’s people, as if it couldn’t accept what had occurred and what was taken from them.

Yet in the end, it settled. Once the boat slipped between the ocean current, it all stilled as the body of Thor, God of Thunder, sailed off into eternal rest. He lay alone on that boat, hands resting over his heart and decorated with various treasures of the Asgardian people he left behind. With the peaks of stone overshadowing his boat, the storms thundered and wailed as their god sailed away. From the beachline, Loki stamped his spear into the rock.

An arrow was ignited and fired, the flame streaking across the skies and impacting the small vessel. A rising flame emerged from the boat, consuming the King of Asgard within its warmth and embrace for a final farewell into the realm beyond. Ashes of his past self burned away and his new spirit rose up from the boat, the golden flakes of light fading into the wind.

Lanterns were released at that moment, from the hands of the Avengers, the hooves of the Equestrians, and the hearts of New Asgard. The cries of the dragons filled the air alongside the Norse song of the storms, those wails of pain and suffering finally filling the masses once the boat drifted off into the fog, into the eternal, and disappeared. The golden lights of the lanterns followed it, the many hundreds dotting the skies and engraved with the fires of assurance, of peace, to a safe and final journey. Rarity took it the hardest, falling into Twilight’s awaiting hooves and her best friend comforting her to the best of her strength. Each mare shared their loss in a different and personal way.

But none took it quite as personal as Loki.

He stared onto the ocean’s surface and beyond still unable to believe what he had just done. That lingering pestilence in his heart wanted him to feel cold, yet he could feel only pain for the brother he had lost. After living a whole life in his shadow, Loki stood at that time, at that moment, under the light of the sun breaching through the clouds and shining upon all of New Asgard. No shadow blocked him. No shadow could contain the new King of Asgard.

“He would be proud of us,” Valkyrie said, stepping up to Loki’s side.

The God of Mischief cast her a lingering gaze, eventually nodding and facing the sunlight once again, endearing its warmth and sighing. “So I’m told.”

“Well,” Valkyrie said with a sad and lengthy sigh, “what’s our next step… Your Highness?”

Just hearing those words at long last felt… indifferent. Loki contemplated those thoughts, thinking of what Odin—his father—or Thor would have done to respond to such a question. Finally under the veil of that throne, of that power, there was so much Loki had planned and wanted to do with a proper and assured reign over Asgard. Yet for the first time in his life, he had no idea of where to go next. He had no path.

At least, he had no path where he would walk alone.

Turning to Valkyrie, he earned her attention and smiled cunningly her way. “You know… a king will need a queen,” he told her.

She raised a brow, smirking. Punching him. “Don’t push your luck.”

Clint Barton’s Homestead

12:02 p.m.

A single Quinjet descended from the clouds.

Upon that homestead, that peaceful and secluded farm seemingly frozen in time, the Quinjet approached it and landed with grace and precision upon the front lawn, upon the summer grass, and stilled into silence. The engines of the ship earned enough attention to get the front doors flinging open, the breathless expressions from Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel Barton landing on the falling ramp. Landing on the single body that stepped off of it and touched the grass with his own two feet.

After receiving his call, after waiting with bated and patient breath, the children simply could not hold back any longer. They did not wait for him to reach the porch. Cooper led the charge with Lila and Nathaniel running after him, the streaks of the sun coating the skies and breaking through the leaves of the tallest tree. Passing under that shadow, breaking into the sunlight, the children could not contain their joyous grins as they ran as fast as their legs could carry them into his awaiting arms.

Clint could hardly contain his flushing emotions as his oldest son was the first to impact him with a crushing hug, knocking his bag to the grass. His daughter was next, with his youngest son so vibrant and fighting so desperately across the lawn to reach his dad. Clint couldn’t help himself and fell to his knees, clutching all three of his kids with trembling arms. Feeling them press against him, hold him with shivering bodies, beating, living hearts, all but assured Clint that they were real. Their tribulations had given its fruit and Clint received it with open and loving arms. After five years of falling into that darkness of depression, loss, pain, suffering, and abandonment, Clint had found his place once more. He had found his world and would never fall from it again.

With his family in his arms again, he had his lifeline to that world.

In the center of that world, she emerged from the light and reached Clint with tears falling and her beautiful smile rising. He raised his eyes and lost his breath at the sight of her, his children breaking away and watching in stunned silence as their parents, once more, reunited. Laura Barton met her husband with an expression contorted in shaken joy, eyes burning and melting in clear strips down her cheeks as her hands rose to meet his own. Gracing Clint’s face in her palms, Laura felt that same embrace hold her tightly once Clint wrapped his arms around her.

Without a second more, they kissed and felt those years of suffering simply wash away in an instant, in that twinkling of the sun’s rays glowing upon them. For Laura and her children, it was but a moment in time. For Clint, it felt longer than five years. For both of them, it was an entire lifetime separated, a life neither wanted to experience alone again.

So, breaking away, the two continued to hold another in a closer hug, just relishing in the fact that they had done it. The Avengers had committed the impossible and achieved the greatest reward for their dauntless efforts. A loving family united again, standing as one out of the ashes and into the light of a new day. That was not taken from them. That was the victory that mattered most of all. That was the endgame that Clint and so many others had reached at long, long last.

In her arms once again, all Clint could think of was how he was able to achieve such a wonderful end, knowing he never could have had it not been for the efforts they all exemplified. Had it not been for his team’s sacrifice in the darkest hour, he would not be standing there with his children, his wife, and his old life returned to him. If it had not been for the selfless act of love from his best friend Natasha, Clint would not have lived to meet his family on that day. He would not be in the arms of his children or his Laura ever again.

All his thoughts reverted back to her. His ally. His Avenger. His best friend. Natasha once told him that his life made hers worth it. Her sacrifice in saving him was her final act of love to pay that debt that she never needed to pay, because Clint never wanted her to. The sacrifice, perhaps in her eyes, made her life worth it.

But Clint knew otherwise. In the arms of his wife, with his children coming to him once more and holding him tightly, finally reunited, Clint knew that her life was worth more than that.

It was worth everything.

Chapter 190 – Change the World

190

“Everybody wants a happy ending, right? But it doesn’t always roll that way. Maybe this time. I’m hoping if you play this back… it’s in celebration.”

The time of mourning had passed and the world celebrated.

A normal version of life had been returned the morning the sun broke through the clouds and graced the worlds in warmth, strength, and love. Cities were repopulated, families found one another and shared an embrace molded with hugs and tears and kisses. Businesses were reopened alongside schools, droves upon droves of children, teenagers, and young adults entering back into the realm of education to either continue or finish the year they left. It should have been chaos. Worlds were left in shambles without a sense of togetherness or even a semblance of being whole again. When everyone came back, confusion and uncertainty should have spread. It should have been too much for the worlds to handle in one single instant.

But they did it. They found a way and they persevered. It just felt right. It felt like everyone knew what to do.

“I hope families are reunited. I hope we get it back and something like a normal version of the planet has been restored, if there ever was such a thing.”

Confetti rained from crowded cities as parades stormed the streets. Parades of celebration, love, comradery, of both human and pony alike. Across every nation, the world cheered and cried tears of shaken joy. Children and foals ran down sidewalks, in neighborhoods, all carrying their Avengers actions figures and waving smaller versions of their nation’s flags. The smell of barbecues covered every front and back lawn across various homes, a slew of multiple creatures, races, and people coming as one to have some food, share a drink, and smile for a victory worth celebrating. The festivities lasted all day, into the burning oranges and reds of the afternoon, and even into the darkening hours of the night. By then, the global celebrations had only just begun.

“God, what a world. Universe now. If you told me ten years ago that we weren't alone, let alone you know to this extent... I mean, I-I-I wouldn't have been surprised, but come on, who knew… the epic forces of darkness and light that have come into play.”

It was like the Fourth of July, but shared with every nation, with both worlds forever caught in each other’s hold. With an entire universe. From the rebuilt Golden City in Wakanda, with King T’Challa and his little sister Shuri, the Black Panthers, watching the bustling world they helped craft scream in cheers and love for their victory. Even across the whole inhabited earth, that victory was shared. Families and friends watched together from their homes, from the streets, and cheered as fireworks exploded and colored the night skies in dazzling colors. Vibrant blues and fiery reds, scorching yellows and luscious greens, with an array of rainbows so majestic and so powerful that none could help but gaze in awe.

A certain dysfunctional family watched from their home’s porch, Scott Lang draping his arm across Hope’s shoulders and holding her hand tightly. To his left, his daughter Cassie leaned against the father she would never lose again, Scott holding her gingerly. His eyes fell back to Hope, seeing her gaze glisten with the lights of a thousand fireworks. She sat on his right, the two looking to one another and smiling sweetly. They leaned forward and kissed tenderly, breaking off just as the fighter jets soared over their heads. Cassie pointed to them, breathless and grinning, holding the youth of a child in the body of a teenager. No one saw it, but Scott had tears in his eyes simply seeing that smile grace his daughter’s lips. He kissed the side of her head and held her closer. Held his family, his love, so much closer and watched the skies ignite.

“And for better or worse, that's the reality Morgan's going to find a way to grow up in…”

Like all things, the celebration ended. The night died and morning came. With it, another trial awaited, another day with more tribulations than any could have ever hoped to face alone. They weren’t alone when they faced it. They all came together to pay their respects and honor the life, victory, and death of Anthony Edward Stark. The visionary. The genius. The American patriot.

The hero.

Close friends and family stood and sat together in the living room of the Stark residence, all watching in silence as Tony’s final message played for those he loved. The piercing blue light shot forth from one of Tony’s Iron Man masks resting on the table, playing a near-living and breathing hologram of Tony Stark himself for all to pay witness. It was as if he was actually there, actually leaning against the holographic chair and speaking to the many before him. Of course, he spoke only to a mask. But his eyes, his shimmering blue expression, washed across the entire room as if he expected to see them there since the very beginning.

And they were. From his best friend James Rhodes openly crying to Harold Hogan, the man who had been by Tony’s side for as long as he could remember. Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were either scattered about or sat together, each of them wearing dark and depressing dresses alongside the black and white suits accompanying Rhodey and Happy. All of them wore a different shred of pain and loss in their expressions, all of them gazing to the hologram with some kind of memory flushing into them. A memory of Tony Stark. Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy sat on a couch alongside James. Applejack and Rainbow Dash stood with Happy behind the main couch, Rainbow leaning against the wall and trying to hide her pain. Unable to. Tears swelled in her burning eyes as she gazed to the carpet and listened in to Tony’s voice one last time.

For Twilight Sparkle, her mind was nearly too far gone to remember anything. Even from the moment she first pulled him out of the dirt in Ponyville, to some of his last words spoken solely to her, it was almost too painful for Twilight to remember. She focused, instead, on the now. On the man shimmering before her. She sat directly beside Morgan and Pepper, all of them dressed appropriately, all of them frozen in a state of pain and silence. Morgan clung onto her mother, Twilight gazing to her every now and again with more tears swelling in her eyes. Even if she was just a child, Twilight could see the expression on her face, that sense of deepening loss clouded by the childlike innocence. Almost as if she knew what had truly happened and what she had lost. She was much, much smarter than Twilight could have known. She was a Stark after all.

As for Pepper, the wife made a widow was left with only a daughter to care for, but knowing that among her there was a family that would always be by her side. Even when she had lost so much, Pepper knew she had gained more than enough. There was love to cloud the pain. From that, she remained strong. She held in her tears and maintained her composure as Tony’s last message was spoken to her, to them, to his family.

“So, I thought I better record a little greeting in case of an untimely death, on my part. I mean, not that death at any time isn’t untimely. If it’s all the same with you, Pep, I don’t want a big funeral. I don’t want my name in lights, or… droves of people coming from across the globe just to pay homage to someone they may have considered to be a hero. Let’s keep it small. Short, sweet, with only the people we care about. And… people those people care about.”

It wasn’t the first time Pepper had watched that recording. She had found his mask lying on their bedroom desk, informing her of what was going to happen and what might be needed. Never could she have imagined she would be fulfilling such requests. Pepper nearly broke at that, but remained strong for a second longer. Tony’s hologram seemed to ponder, hand rubbing his goatee, a tiny smile gracing his saddened expression.

“Never wanted you to worry… You won’t have to anymore. If I leave you, let it be known it was for something bigger than myself. Yeah, imagine that.”

He gazed off to the ceiling, scoffing lightly and shaking his head.

“This time travel thing that we’re going to pull off tomorrow... it's got me scratching my head about the survivability of all this. But then again that's the hero gig. Part of the journey is the end. What am I tripping for? Everything is going to work out exactly the way it's supposed to.”

He rose from the chair that didn’t exist in that room at that moment, stumbling forward to the Iron Man mask he used to record the message seemingly a lifetime ago. Tony paused momentarily, raising his eyes and gazing to his family. To Twilight, Pepper, and Morgan all sitting together directly in front of him. He assumed they would be there. He assumed the best and smiled warmly to each and every one of them.

“I love you 3,000.”

The hologram fizzled away, the last thing any of them saw being that of Tony Stark’s assuring and loving smile. A single tear slipped down Twilight’s cheek, the building wetness in her eyes finally breaking free. She closed her eyes and dipped her head, contorting her expression to find some semblance of strength and togetherness. He would want her to. Pepper gazed longingly to where her husband used to be, feeling the tightness grip her arm and her eyes gazing down to her daughter. She held Morgan softly, rubbing a hand through her hair in a silent assurance of love. For today. For tomorrow. For the rest of her life.

Hand in hand, mother and daughter exited their home with a caravan behind them, from Happy, James, Twilight, and the rest. They entered into the morning light with the trees barely able to conceal the rays of the sun. The sounds and sights of the forest around them filled their world with peace, entrapping them in a safe and secured life. They descended the steps with Pepper holding a bundle of flowers in her left hand, the other gripping her daughter’s own. Between the masses, they walked, Pepper casting her eyes to all who had made it. To all who were willing to give their morning for the person they cared about. The one who had saved them all. She smiled gratefully and moved on to the lake dock.

The many more followed behind them.

Stopping just at the end of the dock, Pepper bent down and laid the flowers on the crystal surface of the lake. Small ripples danced outwards, and with a weak push, the bundle floated off. Atop the decorated and embroidered bundle of flowers, a small and circular device rested in the heart of the beauty. A tiny Arc Reactor, a relic so ancient that it was rusted, scratched, but held together through all the years. From its creation that saved Tony Stark’s life, to its end where it honored the life it had saved. That first Arc Reactor shimmered under the morning light, a small engraving along its face glowing even brighter. A set of words that Pepper wrote herself and never could forget.

Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart.

Holding her daughter close, Pepper watched it sail off into the lake. She watched her final farewell slip away for all to see. Morgan held her eyes to the Arc Reactor, not knowing what it meant that day, but would understand completely in the future. By her right, Twilight Sparkle held her lingering gaze to the Arc Reactor before dropping her tear-filled eyes, feeling the wing drape over her withers and turning to Rainbow Dash beside her. Together the two stepped closer together, watching in fellowship, in friendship, as their friend drifted off to a better tomorrow. Rarity stood behind them, with Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy holding strong in the bonds of friendship. Happy and James stood side by side, both of their arms resting and rubbing one another’s back, both men having lost a best friend and watching him leave them.

Stepping forth, Sunset Shimmer and Spike joined the group of mares, molding in seamlessly alongside Applejack and Rarity, sharing in that friendship and tenderness. They accepted them. Spike stepped forward in his miniature suit and tie, pausing by Twilight’s side opposite to Rainbow and resting his claw on her foreleg. Twilight smiled sweetly down to her number one assistant. Her little brother. She opened her wing and wrapped it around him, bringing him in close as they both gazed to the lake.

Behind them, Peter Parker and his aunt May Parker were side by side, dressed appropriately and respectively for the man who had single-handedly changed their lives for the better. May, having lost Peter for five years, ensured that he traveled nowhere without her for some time. And Peter, having lost his third father figure, kept his composure as strong as he could have managed. He had to, just like he had for his actual dad. For Ben. And now for Tony. Beside them, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo stood together and leaned against one another for support, Scootaloo being taller among them but not caring in the slightest.

Stephen Strange and Wong gripped their hands directly in front of them, holding straight postures and expressions cemented in stone. In his eyes, in his thousand-yard stare, Strange saw an eternity of peace for the Stark family. All of it thanks to the efforts of one man. Beside them, Sunburst and Starlight turned to one another before Starlight leaned against her best friend for support. He draped his foreleg over her withers, feeling the unicorn nuzzle him tenderly. He closed his eyes and nuzzled her back.

Outside of the dock, on the grassy hills just next to the Stark household, the remaining masses stood in attention, in that moment of silence, and gazed together to the glimmering lakeside and the flowers that graced it. Scott Lang stood with his daughter Cassandra directly in front of him, Hope van Dyne and her mother and father—Janet and Hank—joined in unity. Even Hank Pym had arrived for Tony Stark’s funeral, having held a great deal of resentment towards him for many years. None of that mattered anymore. Next to Scott, his best friend Luis was by his side through thick and thin, laying a hand on his shoulder and staring off into the lake. Behind Luis, Grubber and Captain Celaeno were present and accounted for, with an entire band of parrot pirates alongside their captain. Liz Spittle, Squabble, Mullet, and Boyle all with their heads low, eyes closed, and standing in silence.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were also present and dressed appropriately, to the best of their ability. They were even united with a certain band of ponies they had come to know and love. Peter Quill stood alongside Trixie, Rocket, Derpy, Nebula, Maud, Drax, Mantis, Groot, Yondu, and Kraglin. They all wore some form of black clothing eerily similar to their own regular set of clothes. Even with Drax’s sensitive nipples, he wore a shirt in respect for Stark.

Royalty had arrived in the form of a king, a prince, and princesses. T’Challa and Shuri held their hardened gazes respectively to the lake’s edge, to the Arc Reactor. Shining Armor, Cadance, and Flurry Heart were right beside the rulers of Wakanda, the young infant resting on her mother’s back while Shining kept his foreleg resting on his wife’s shoulder. All of them were stilled into that quiet realm, frozen and calm to the world’s elements around them.

And among those calm into the world’s embrace, the Barton family stood together on the hill overlooking a great portion of the lake. It gave them an overview of the water, of the flowers drifting off towards the heart of the sun-streaked lake. It showed Clint the Arc Reactor, the legacy, and the final image of his friend and Avenger Tony Stark. His family was with him, his hands resting on the shoulders of his daughter Lila and son Cooper. His wife Laura stroked their youngest son’s hair, Nathaniel leaning against his mother.

Off and alone in their own band of misfits, broken souls, and twisted pasts, Wanda Maximoff stood alongside James Buchanan Barnes and Sam Wilson. Wanda and Bucky had a particularly scarred history with Tony Stark, but nonetheless had buried the hatchet and arrived to honor his passing. Sam rested his hand on Bucky’s shoulder. Discord was with them, his lengthy neck bent low, eagle claw and lion paw held together, and eyes shut in that silent declaration of honor for the one greater than he. For the being who had done something even the Lord of Chaos could not.

New York’s finest were united once more, at long last. Matthew Murdock gripped his cane as his dark red shades shimmered against the light of the sun. Elektra Natchios intertwined her arm with his own, leaning onto her beloved Matthew. Danny Rand and Luke Cage were side by side, suit and ties, with Jessica Jones directly beside them in a simple and easy black dress. She wore no scowl, no underlining resentment for anyone present at the funeral. She arrived on her own accord, knowing that her presence alone spoke more volumes than she ever could. If there was anything left she needed to do, she owed Stark that.

Directly behind them, Harley Keener came alone. He stood alone, gazing with heavy eyes, hands deep in his pockets, as he stared for the last time to the man who had directly changed his life for the better. More than he could have ever known.

A mass of government agents was scattered around, starting with Maria Hill, Thaddeus Ross, and Phil Coulson. Alphonso Mackenzie, Elena Rodriguez, and Melinda May. Leopold Fitz, Jemma Simmons, and Deke Shaw. Lance Hunter, Bobbie Morse, and Michael Peterson. Even Glenn Talbot emerged, joining the large group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to gaze together in the same direction. Towards the light glinting off the lake.

And standing tall and alone upon the steps of the Stark home, Carol Danvers gripped her hands and gazed heavily to the scene before her.

Queen Novo, Dragon Lord Ember, King Thorax, Pharynx, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna all stood together on the porch, all rulers of such vast and powerful nations uniting for one purpose, for one reason. To celebrate and honor the life and legacy of Tony Stark.

And out of those shadows of that same porch, stepping forward to observe all who had come together, to observe it for himself, Nick Fury laid his hand on the wooden railing and gazed on. He saw all who had arrived to see off the man who had directly or indirectly affected their lives. Teams were forged, friendships were built, and entire worlds were brought together just from the start of one man. Just a man who got lucky. Just a genius with a suit of armor and the biggest heart in the universe.

Nick Fury came to him one last time. As they all did.

The morning proceeded forth and the guests lingered on even into noon, where lunch was provided and the masses mingled amongst themselves. Many gave their condolences to Pepper and Morgan before they said their goodbyes. Hugs and handshakes were exchanged, so many heroes and people of various nations and worlds shipping off to help build the next steps towards tomorrow.

Morgan was getting tired, and Happy obliged in taking her inside the house to rest for a bit. Not before she could get away without a hug from her aunt. Twilight embraced Morgan loving and longingly, meeting her eyes and telling Morgan that her daddy was a hero. He was Twilight’s hero. She may not have fully understood, but she would later on. Morgan simply smiled and hugged her aunt one more time for good measure.

When it was time for Happy to take her away, Twilight heard him ask her if she wanted something else to eat other than the lunch provided. Curiously enough, she said she was hungry for cheeseburgers. Happy really seemed to like that answer.

Away from the many and stuck in their own world of peace and serenity, Clint Barton and Wanda Maximoff gazed onto the flushing waves of the river. Emerging to their right, Starlight Glimmer paused and took a seat on the grass and leaves overlooking the river, staring off into it almost as blissful as the other two. Wanda cast Starlight a quick glance, an even quicker smile that the unicorn gladly returned. Both of them perked up when they heard Clint gasp lightly.

“You know, I wish there was a way… I could let her know…” he mumbled, expression stricken with painful memories and even more powerful scars. His face contorted from broken to whole, tears threatening to form but his smile holding against it. He turned to her, faced Wanda with that same smile. “… that we won. We did it.”

Wanda breathed in those words. She nodded softly.

“She knows,” Maximoff replied, gazing off into the sparkling waves. “They all do.”

Clint smiled even wider after that, somehow earning that assurance just with Wanda’s words alone. He raised his arm and settled it on her shoulder, Wanda replying with her arm holding his side. Two broken spirits, two wounded warriors, both having lost equal to what they had gained in the aftermath, found solace and comfort in the arms of one another. They breathed in that comfort and listened to the waters rush by.

“What are you gonna do now, Clint?” Starlight asked after a moment of warming silence. Clint and Wanda turned to face the unicorn on their right. “Both of you… now that this is all over?”

Pondering that, Clint felt his arm fall away from Wanda’s shoulder, noting that her hand broke from him as well. He stared beyond the river and onto the unforeseeable future ahead of him. All of which seemed to be clouded by his past. Licking his lips, he sighed. “I need to right some wrongs.”

Wanda smiled. “I need a break.”

Clint smirked at that, turning to her. “Don’t we all?” he jokingly asked.

“We’ll be here for you.”

With a smile fading away and an expression practically crumbling, Barton spun to face the source of the familiar voice and nearly lost his breath when he saw them approach him. From the voice that originated from the radiating Sunset Shimmer, the mare was joined by Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Spike. The whole cast of ponies and one dragon who Clint had known for the better portion of his life. The ones he met one fateful day after crash-landing in Equestria.

They all stepped up to him, seeing him as the one friend they didn’t lose. The one who had survived it all and stood with them in the light of another day. Each mare was practically beaming with happiness, tears in their eyes, and Spike keeping his arms crossed and trying to remain cool. Even he gave in when Twilight took that next step, when she smiled to Clint and assured him with every ounce of her will and power, with as much strength as the bonds of friendship could offer, one simple promise.

Twilight told him, “And this time we won’t look away, Clint.”

Though he had lost one family with the Avengers, Clint realized that he always had another, one that wasn’t connected by blood. One that crossed barriers and even entire worlds. One that had always been with him. His face broke at that, the tears swelling and smile faltering. Regardless, he grinned and fell to one knee, bending low and holding out his arms to them.

With a collective rush, the six ponies impacted Clint and held him in a loving group hug. Sunset and Spike were quick to join in, laughter, cries, and giggles shared all around. Starlight, too, joined them, crashing against the crowd and wrapping her forelegs tightly around Barton’s neck. Wanda watched the loving display with a smile on her lips, dabbing at her eyes with her fingers.

Hawkeye held each and every one of them, close to his self and even closer to his heart. He held his fellow Avengers.

Chapter 191 – Volume 3

191

Upstate New York

The Ruins

2:42 p.m.

Star-Lord sat alone in the cockpit of the Benatar, breathing in that dreary atmosphere and realizing just how alone he truly was. Staring onto the picture of Gamora in his hand really did help in emphasizing that.

Rocket informed him how the Benatar was one of the many ships lost in the initial bombardment of the Battle of Earth, but there was really nothing to worry about. Rocket, Groot, and the other Guardians of the Galaxy got to work on repairing the ship, and within a day, it was as good as new. Rocket, obviously, did most of the work with his fancy repair tools, but Quill helped. Kinda.

The rest of the battlefield was another story altogether. Thankfully, they were not responsible for having to repair all the damage done. Demolition and construction crews practically swarmed the aftermath of the shattered battlegrounds from what Quill could see through the front windshield. Just seeing it all reminded Peter that it was all over. The war had ended.

It was time to move on.

His fingers rubbed the picture softer and softer, his heavy eyes glistening to the image and Quill sighing through his nostrils. It was a snapshot of him and Gamora on their first anniversary as an official couple, Peter holding that big dumb smile on his face as his left arm wrapped warmly over Gamora’s shoulders. And there was his girl, holding that tiny hint of a smile on her own lips, head resting on his shoulder, both of them sitting together on the couch. Peter remembered that night fondly. Big party in the Milano. Plenty of laughs and love that could have lasted a lifetime.

It should have.

Gazing away, Peter looked up to the skyline and the clouds that tried to shield it. To the endless sky that was waiting for them. He wanted it to feel right to acknowledge his desire to move on, to let go of what was taken and accept what life had given him in exchange. Because that was what life did; it took more than it gave. Right then—as it did before—it gave him a chance.

The doors opened and Peter turned to acknowledge the approaching footsteps. The rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy were a welcome sight, from the likes of Mantis, Drax, and especially Rocket, Groot, and even Nebula. Considering he apparently hadn’t seen the latter three in five years, he at least was able to appreciate what was given to him, even with what was taken. He still had a family. Out in the stars with Yondu and the Ravagers getting a major head start, and with the unlikely assholes who managed to stick with him even up to that point in their lives.

They had no one else but each other. Sometimes that was all they needed.

“We ready to ship off?” Peter asked, rising from his seat.

“Not,” Rocket said, stepping aside along with Drax, Mantis, Nebula, and Groot, “… without these little parasites.”

With the Guardians stepping aside, they ultimately unveiled to Quill the group of twelve lingering behind them the whole time. Leading were the familiar trio Peter already knew by heart, starting with Trixie Lulamoon, Derpy Hooves, and Maud Pie by her right and left respectively. Behind them, the likes of Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Spike, Sunset Shimmer, and Starlight Glimmer followed, all holding warm and thankful smiles to Peter Quill and the rest of the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Though he was momentarily frozen at their presence, Peter eventually fell back to Rocket for an explanation. The raccoon rubbed the back of his head, grumbling, “Wouldn’t let us leave without saying goodbye to every last Guardian. Trust me, I tried.”

Peter smiled at that, bringing that welcoming grin onto the crowd of mares, eventually giving in to their hopeful smiles and falling to his knee.

It was a cluster of chaotic hugs and lingering goodbyes, each pony approaching a different Guardian and thanking them for everything they had done. Mainly, it was Twilight giving her thanks to each individual Guardian for their courageous service in the face of total annihilation. It was thanks to all of their efforts that they managed to survive. They had all contributed in more ways than one, all of which led to their victory and the saving of the entire universe. Pinkie even talked with Quill to consider a name change to their group, offering the Guardians of the Universe instead. Peter appreciated it, but kindly denied. It just didn’t flow as well off the tongue.

With the Mane 6, Spike, Sunset, and Starlight giving their thanks and hugs to the Guardians as a whole, a specific three approached another trio of Guardians. It was as if every other voice and distraction around them faded into nothingness, leaving just them trapped in their own realm of reality. Of peace. For one more goodbye.

Of those trios, Maud and Nebula were the quietest, slowly approaching one another with the taller of the two struggling to know when to kneel down closer to her eye-level.

“Hey,” Maud said in her familiar, monotone voice.

“Hey,” Nebula replied.

A moment of silence filled the air between them. Nebula took that next brave step forward and fell down to one knee. The next step was unknown to her, the Luphomoid unsure of where to turn or what to do. A flushing wave of emotions suddenly sprang up in her chest, in whatever was left of her heart, and wanted so much more that Nebula herself could not give. The words were there, but she could not formulate them on her tongue. All she could manage were short stammers, followed by shaking, uncertain breaths.

“If Gamora were here, she would be proud of you,” Maud muttered suddenly.

And at that, Nebula lost her breath. It was as if that statement alone struck her heart more so than anything she had ever felt prior. It struck and hurt almost as hard as when her sister was first taken from her. But somehow, someway, hearing it come from Maud’s lips felt more powerful. It felt… right. And to her continued shock, Nebula could have sworn she heard a pang of emotion fill Maud’s voice. The most she ever heard.

Nebula nodded. “Yeah. She would be proud of all of us.”

Nothing more was given than either could ever offer. Nothing more than a long and overdue hug.

Rocket stood with his paws on his hips, practically already eye-level with cross-eyed Pegasus. He didn’t even bother trying to catch wherever her gaze was latched, instead sighing and asking her, “You still got the communicator?”

Derpy nodded, her lips pursed tightly as her eyelids trembled. Rocket didn’t notice at first, turning instead to Peter ending the bone-crushing hug that Pinkie Pie gave to him.

“Do we still got the communicator?” Rocket asked.

Star-Lord nodded, puffing out his lower lip and giving an okay signal.

With an appreciative nod in return—thankful to know things were finally looking bright for them—Rocket brought himself back to that painful reality that stood before him. That painful truth that assured Rocket that it was time for them to leave. His ears fell softly at that thought, his expression nearly crumbling to the point that he would show actual emotion in front of others. With practically all of them noticing.

He didn’t need them giving him that type of crap. Instead, he sniffed rather hard and placed a paw on Derpy’s shoulder, telling her clearly and plainly, “You been a pain in my ass for five years and I’ve finally glad to be rid of ya. But… just in case you need us for anything, or we need you… neither of us hesitate to call, all right?”

She sniffled, tears welling up in her eyes and almost breaking that dam from Rocket’s own end. In the end, though, she nodded. Rocket nodded back and backed away. Even he wasn’t fast enough to escape the hug she dove forward with. Nearly losing his balance, Rocket grumbled softly before his voice fell away, easing into the embrace the Pegasus offered him. He could feel her mane tickle his nose, her head resting over his heart, and saw the eyes of the masses shifting towards the loving display.

“All right, all right, that’s enough,” Rocket said, gingerly prying Derpy off of him, unable to stop the tearful smile from growing across the Pegasus’ expression. “Too many emotions nowadays, I swear.”

With each pony giving Peter Quill a personal and thankful goodbye, it was the last mare that made it the hardest for both of them. It was Trixie that managed to pry the smile from Star-Lord’s lips and leave him in a frozen state of uncertainty. Trixie nearly fell into that same pit had it not been for her steadfast approach, her warming and grateful smile, and the intention she had since the moment she stepped hoof on the Benatar.

The others were nonexistent outside of their shared glances. All that mattered at that moment were the two of them. Just Peter Quill and Trixie Lulamoon. Both knew that they didn’t need a lengthy goodbye. It wasn’t in their style. Star-Lord grew a smirk to meet her smile at long last.

“Hey,” Peter said in a near-whisper, lightly cupping her chin with his finger before he broke away. “I’ll see ya around then?”

She smiled softly to his touch, eyes falling before rising up to meet his. Her gaze was glistened in fresh tears, the unicorn eventually leaping forward and dragging Quill down lower to her level. Down and into a great and powerful hug. Though temporarily stuck at that, Quill eventually smiled to the action and snaked his arms around her.

He felt her shift in their embrace, resting her chin on his shoulder. It made it easier for her to whisper into his ear.

To tell him, “See ya around, cuz.”

That alone was enough to get a tear from the fearless outlaw.

Whatever goodbyes were given did not last very much longer. Eventually, the ponies and Spike did step off of the Benatar, they did allow the Guardians of the Galaxy to ship off and help wherever they could in the ever-expanding universe. It was a new day, with another tomorrow awaiting all of them to face it together. With those three mares standing tall and as one, the others remained clustered behind them and waved all the same, watching as the Benatar lifted off the grassy fields and turned appropriately to the heavens.

In the pilot’s cabin, the Guardians of the Galaxy sat united and saw their friends waving to them one more time. They waved back, every last one of them, to Trixie, Derpy, Maud, Twilight, Spike, and all the rest. The ship titled skyward, the engines charging with Rocket and Quill tapping furiously on their control pads. All systems were green. The Jump Point was being prepared. The future laid before them, and none of them knew what to expect.

All they knew was that they would face it as a family.

Star-Lord pushed his pad away, squinting lightly to the blinding sunlight and the ocean-like skies just ready for their arrival. He breathed in deeply, sighed even deeper, and asked aloud, “Y’all ready for a vacation?”

Drax stared back from his lower seat, responding with, “What do you have in mind?”

“Not sure yet,” Peter said. He wasn’t even sure why he suggested a vacation. Maybe it was something only he needed, something to take his mind off of everything they had been through. Maybe it was something they all needed. “Was hoping we could come up with it together.”

“I’m happy if you all are happy,” Mantis declared, sitting directly across from Drax and smiling awkwardly to him, spreading that smile to all behind her.

“I am Groot,” Groot replied in his own seat, a grin on his wooden lips.

Directly behind Quill, Nebula was strapped in and ready for almost anything. For whatever the universe could throw at her, knowing that Thanos was no longer able to hold her back. What else could? She nodded to the back of Peter’s head, telling him, “We’ll follow your lead.”

“You mean my lead,” Rocket said.

“Woo, boy,” Peter Quill cheered, hands gripping the steering controls and slowly pressing them forward. “Gonna be a long ride ahead!”

It was a ride, all right. A ride each and every one of them would remember for many years to come. The Guardians of the Galaxy left Earth behind, stared and sent their final glances to planet Equus glinting off the left of their windshield. Mantis and Groot waved to the planet. Rocket and Peter adjusted the Jump Point and shot directly for it, to the next galaxy ahead of them, to the next journey they would all face together.

In the swirl of rainbows and light, Quill placed the picture of Gamora directly on the small pad to his right. He stared to it longingly, to her, before eventually dropping his eyes down. Down to his pocket where he dug down and fished for his Zune. Studying the music player, he tapped away and messed with the numerous songs loading before him, eventually finding one he had yet to hear. It read “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John.

Peter plugged in the song to the ship’s speakers and pressed play.

The music pumped with invigorating energy and spirit, flowing into the heart of the Benatar and fueling the spirits within it. Mantis smiled as the music graced her ears, an enraptured expression filling her features. Drax smiled to her, nodding his head to the beat. Rocket didn’t show his reaction. He made it subtle, tapping his foot gently against his seat. Groot was already jamming along, dancing in his chair. Even Nebula, though somewhat taken aback by the sounds reaching her eardrums, eventually fell to it. Eventually let it take her. A hint of a smile graced Peter’s lips as the song was unleashed fully, Quill already knowing it would fit right in with his next playlist.

Awesome Mix. Volume 3.

Was there ever any doubt?

Chapter 193 – Peace to the Fallen

193

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

9:30 a.m.

They came from around the world.

In a day that should not have yielded sunshine, the skies were bright and alive to unveil a colossal fleet of epic proportions. Unseen and unheard of in all of Equus’ long and expansive history. Ships of various sizes, shapes, and speeds came from every nation. With the world of Equus modernized and strengthened through the five-year rule of Princess Twilight, those nations that could hold a stable form of government proudly brandished their flags, their cultures, and set them sailing through the clouds. They joined hundreds of others, a fleet of ships so unfathomably massive that the ponies, dragons, changelings, griffons, and so many more within Canterlot could hardly comprehend it.

It was not a day for them to comprehend. It was a day for them to acknowledge, to mourn, and to say goodbye to a hero of Equestria.

Fizzlepop Berrytwist—the few that knew her actual name—and Tempest Shadow were both laid to rest that day, two names, two identities, and two lives for one pony. One trapped in the past, unable to release the pain of her childhood, unable to forgive the friends that abandoned her when times got tough. That pony, that little foal named Fizzlepop had almost died that day in the cave. For years, she had only been repressed, locked away into the darkest remnants of the pony’s mind. The other life, the other pony known as Tempest Shadow had been born when the Storm King came to her, promised to give her that which she had lost, only if she were to serve him. Commander Tempest Shadow served a higher power, performed unspeakable war crimes, all for her own gain. All just to become whole again.

But even Tempest was lied to. Even Tempest was abandoned. The Storm King sought only his own goals without the need of anyone else, including her. When he betrayed her, Tempest turned away from that evil and fought with the ponies she once considered to be enemies, but could have considered to be true friends. For they were the only ponies who wanted her to become something more than what she had fallen to. And when the world was free of the Storm King’s wrath, with Canterlot liberated and the ponies of Equestria celebrating their victory, Tempest Shadow moved on.

She carried that name with her, as a remembrance, as a way for her to never forget the horrors she committed just to fulfill her own selfish desires. Even when Twilight offered her that chance to stay in Canterlot, that chance for them to hopefully repair her horn, she turned it down. She needed—no—she wanted to right the wrongs of her past actions. She joined with Captain Celaeno, her parrot pirate crew, and the remnants of the Storm King’s empire to take back the world and free it from the evils she had laid upon it once before. And maybe, just spread what she learned about friendship.

That was always the hardest part.

In her quest of personal redemption, Tempest had freed city after city, nation after nation, and only felt more and more distant with each set of people liberated. It was only when the world and the universe needed her to act did she discover what it truly meant to have faithful and caring allies by her side. Different people of different backgrounds that she brought together. A cluster of multiple species that united for the cause she sought, for the mission she birthed, and for the new quest set before her. Nations with fragmented histories, weakened alliances, and unstable relations all brought together for one common goal. For their world, for the honor of their nations.

For friendship.

Though she probably never would have admitted it, Tempest had spread the magic of friendship. Not in the way she imagined, but in the way it needed to be.

And those friends she made all came for her, all arrived in a fleet crafted from her own selfless actions. They came and mourned the legacy of Tempest Shadow for her funeral in Canterlot. Airships and warships galore dotted the ocean blue skies, surrounded the fluffy white clouds, and shimmered under the rays of the morning sunshine. Though it was a day where many mourned the loss of the pony who gave her life to free the world, save the universe, and ultimately redeem herself, it was not a day of sadness. Their world, the universe, it all lived and breathed to see a new and healthy day. Thanks to her.

For Tempest—and those who fell with her—had done it. She had done it. She redeemed herself ten times over. Even if she would have never wanted to admit it. So… they admitted it. They showed the world who she was, told her story, and let everyone know the hero of Equestria. The hero of the universe. The one of the many.

Twilight finished telling them all that happened and stepped away from the podium. She let the casket of her ally, her friend, and her hero Fizzlepop sink into the earth, within the confines of the Canterlot cemetery where she was buried with the many heroes of the past. With the Pillars of Old Equestria. With Twilight’s parents. With the many who could find a long and peaceful rest.

Princess Twilight Sparkle and the Elements of Harmony mourned for her. Her fellow Avengers mourned for her. Celaeno and her crew with Grubber mourned for her. Her mother Cherrybliss mourned for her. Everypony, every creature, and everyone she helped bring together mourned for her.

All of Equus mourned for her.

Only, the lights in the sky said otherwise. Heads spun around, hearts were stopped and jaws had fallen when the astounding fleet of ships in the skies spewed forth an eruption of thunderous and majestic display. From each of the hundreds of airborne ships, fireworks shot out and painted the skies in vivid and beautiful colors. Raw, burning reds. Luscious, mystical greens. Hot, vivid yellows. Electric, velvety blues. A harmonic rainbow of magic and fire. The fireworks and magic blew apart to spread their beauty across the skies, across all of Canterlot Mountain, where every life below was able to witness the display in its full glory. It was then when Twilight realized that the world did not suffer in the loss of Tempest Shadow, of Fizzlepop Berrytwist. They were not separated when she had left them. Her history, her legacy, were not dishonored because they did not mourn for her.

They celebrated her.

Chapter 194 – The Mantle

194

Earth

Upstate New York

The Ruins

11:47 a.m.

The battlefield was being healed. A ferocious display of savagery and war unlike anything seen in human nature laid as but remnants to a battle that would be spoken of for years to come. Though nothing remained of the enemy forces—all that they were being but dust molded in with the dirt of the earth—fragments of the Avengers’ armies were scattered about and decimated, the skeletons of ships lying amongst the hundreds of war-torn warships, scorched Wakandan tanks, and the bodies of the fallen.

It was finally being cleansed. Truly cleansed, without any deceit or malicious backing to the actions of the New Yorkers. To the destruction inflicted upon Upstate, it was the least Damage Control, the many demolition crews, and numerous cleanup companies could offer to the Avengers. Paid fully by the state, the ruins of the New Avengers Facility, the miles of scorched wasteland, and the resounding damage that spread for several hundred yards more were nearly filled with hundreds of workers all ensuring that the lands would be restored. Everything would be cleared out, forests replanted, and if the Avengers wanted, a chance to rebuild what was lost.

Captain Marvel and Twilight Sparkle were still trying to decide on that last part.

They stood together on the outskirts of the reconstruction efforts, watching as cranes, helicopters, and workers galore filled the recessed battlegrounds. A constant slew of noise was all around them, from the actions of the workers to the press snapping pictures, mumbling to themselves, and to reporting the current scene unfolding where the New Avengers Facility once stood. All that remained was but a fractured building ready to fall apart on itself, and with the Princess of Friendship and Captain Marvel herself unwilling to answer any questions, the press took actions into their own hands to decipher what could have gone down on that scarred battlefield.

The press was everywhere, held back only by that makeshift barrier and the scattered line of police officers keeping a close eye on any reporter that dared to step past them. They were ordered to keep anyone without a permit from the state of New York out of the ruins, to ensure that none of them took something or saw something that should probably remain out of the public eye. That, and to keep their variety of questions away from the Avengers. From Carol Danvers and Twilight Sparkle.

They were already engaged in their own deepening discussion.

“Do things just go back to normal for you?” Carol asked, arms crossed as her hardened brow centered on the reconstruction efforts.

Twilight chuckled, the only one among them finding humor in that question. “As normal as it can be. Celestia and Luna will take back the throne, Crystal Empire is in the early stages of restoration, and the Elements of Harmony are back where they belong. Safe and sound,” the Alicorn explained. She ruffled her feathers, sighing and looking away. “But… I feel as if nothing can go back to the way it was before.”

Carol turned to her.

“This was it,” Twilight said, gazing out into the miles of torn landscape. “This was the future Strange saw. The future where we won. Nothing else could have yielded another outcome like this. And even if…”

She seemed to wince slightly, as if the words alone were strong enough to pierce the hardened hide of the Princess of Friendship. Carol knew Twilight was stronger than that. She knew there was more to the simple words that wounded Twilight, something deeper and more personal than Danvers could express herself. She knew exactly what it was, knew of the kind of torment Twilight was wrestling within herself. The choice she made—the choice she and Stark made—no doubt left its mark on her.

Twilight began again. “Even if… it hurts… I know it was meant to be. For the greater good. For both of our worlds and the universe as a whole.”

Danvers nodded at that, facing away and back towards the blackened lands. “Sometimes victory comes at a cost.”

“I’m starting to learn that now,” Twilight said with a great sigh.

It was eating away at her—at both of them—in more ways than one. Biting the inside of her lower lip, Carol shook her head and dropped her eyes, let that darkness envelop her vision when her eyelids shut. Though she had only known Tony Stark for five years, she still hadn’t grown particularly close to the Iron Man. Not in the way Twilight had. Their friendship deepened several years earlier, becoming so wholesome and so strong that even Tony’s daughter referred to the Alicorn as her aunt. It reminded Carol so much of her relationship with Monica, of her best friend’s daughter.

She couldn’t even imagine having to help sacrifice Maria. Carol opened her eyes.

“Sunset told me what happened… what you did,” Danvers murmured, earning Twilight’s agape expression. Carol faced her once more, the pain in her eyes evident by the glistening wetness. All of it overshadowed by the gratitude. “We couldn’t have won without you. Don’t know if anyone ever had the chance to tell you personally, so I will. Thank you, Twilight. For everything.”

Twilight smiled sweetly. “Couldn’t have done it without you, Carol. Couldn’t have done it alone.”

Carol nodded and knew, with certainty, that she was absolutely correct. They couldn’t have done it alone. They all played their part and they came out of it in victory. The smile on her lips and the rising hope in her spirit assured Danvers that that victory meant more than any other in her life. Because that victory was not alone. It meant something, not just for herself, but for her friends, for her home, and for the universe.

“What about you?” Twilight asked. “What’s next for Captain Marvel?”

He slipped underneath the police barrier and successfully moved out of sight from the wandering gazes of the officers in uniform. With his smartphone in hand, an extra pep in his step, the young journalist gazed ahead and stared to the backs of Captain Marvel and Twilight Sparkle. Sweat began to build ferociously against his skull, the young man slowly crouching and moving steadily across the grass to reach them.

Until his cover was blown when a rival reporter pointed him out to the officers.

With several policemen shifting his way, the journalist was already moving, quickly approaching the two Avengers and earning their attention shortly. The commotion they caused was enough to spin both Carol Danvers and Twilight Sparkle fully around, just enough for them to land their eyes on the young man and the slew of officers rushing towards him.

By the time he stood heaving for breath in front of Carol and Twilight, the police reached him and grabbed his arms forcefully, trying to drag him back in line with everybody else. To their surprise—and even to the journalist’s surprise—Carol rose her hand and waved off the officers. She assured them that the young man was fine, and that she was slightly curious to see what he had to ask. He was the only one brave enough to actually move past the barrier and approach them head-on while the others gobbled on and on. That alone earned some merit.

Releasing their hands from him, the officers slowly moved back to the barrier, but not without leaving the young man some lingering, watchful stares. With his heart racing a hundred miles a second, the journalist shakily sighed and turned back to the two Avengers. He thought it was needed to thank them, but felt his own mind starting to blank and darken just being in the mere presence of Captain Marvel and Princess Twilight. The smiles on their faces were enough to keep his mind from blacking out, thus allowing the young man to rub the back of his sweaty, brown hair and start off with introductions.

“Th-thanks for letting me do this. Really, I appreciate it,” the young man said, smiling and chuckling nervously. He cleared his throat, fumbling with his phone in order to open the right app. He mentally smacked himself and held out his hand first and foremost. “My name’s Richard Rider, intern journalist from Adelphi University.”

Carol and Twilight looked at each other, smirking and raising curious and playful brows. Carol met his palm for a strong handshake, Twilight doing the same with her hoof.

Wanting to punch himself for not cleaning his sweaty palm beforehand, Richard nonetheless wiped it rapidly against his plaid button-up. “Guess all I really wanted to ask was…”

He paused, then slowly raised his smartphone and clicked “Record”.

“World wants to know… where do we go now?”

Almost as if he had listened in to her and Twilight’s private conversation earlier, the question emanated greatly with Carol. For what was next for Captain Marvel, for the world, and for the future was up for debate, a story left untold until that fateful day arrived. Mulling over that question, finally bringing herself to answer it, Carol turned back to her Alicorn friend and smiled. Twilight smiled back.

“Guess we’ll find out,” Danvers answered.

“And the Avengers?” Richard Rider persisted, taking a step closer, eyes growing wider with greater apprehension to their response. “What’s gonna happen to them?”

They did not respond. Not at first. Not because they didn’t know, but because they did. They just took the time to let that thought dwell in them, to warm them with the hope and brightness of the next tomorrow. The Avengers smiled at one another, Carol looking away to the remains of the New Avengers Facility finally being demolished. The image of the mighty “A” finally crumbling down.

Finally resting.

Until next time.

11:56 a.m.

Hank Pym and Scott Lang applied the finishing touches before finally—with assured certainty—declaring that the Quantum Tunnel was stabilized.

A much smaller and more efficient version of their earlier time machine lay sprawled out amongst the grass and within the tree lines safely outside the reaches of the battlefield. The reconstruction could still be heard in the background, but it bothered them very little. Their focus was entirely centered on the Quantum Tunnel anyhow, and no amount of obnoxious sirens, droning workers, or any other distraction could tear them away from what mattered.

For just as they promised, the Infinity Stones would be returned to their rightful points in time. They were restored to their original encasings, such as with the Mind Stone inside the scepter, the Space Stone within the rebuilt Tesseract, the Power Stone safely secure in the Orb, and the Reality Stone inside the syringe. Only the Time and Soul Stones remained barren, resting in the hooves of both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna respectively.

They were not the only mares present. Sunset, Starlight, Rainbow, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie were present and accounted for, ensuring that the Infinity Stones were safely gathered and secured for their journeys back where they belonged in time. For while their timeline was safe, the others still remained without the Stones to set them on the proper course. Then, of course, there was the whole ordeal with Mjølnir.

Thankfully, they had two ponies among them who were still worthy.

Spike, Bucky, and Sam were also present, turning accordingly to see Twilight flutter down from the blinding sunbeams and enter into the shade under the trees. She sighed, joining the group of mares and smiling up to Hank, Scott, Celestia, and the rest.

“Twilight, dear!” Rarity greeted, rushing forward to meet the Alicorn for a quick hug. “How was your talk with Ms. Danvers?”

“About as well as I expected. Thankfully better,” Twilight explained with an eased smile. “She’s holding off the press for me. I did not want to miss this.”

She showed up just in time.

“Now remember, Your Highness,” Hank Pym announced, addressing the Princess of the Sun but earning the eyes of everyone present. He stood behind his console, adjusting the time travel sequence and connecting to the GPSes. He talked as he worked. “You want to return the Stones to the exact moment they were taken, or else you’re going to open up some nasty alternate realities. Since Scott knows more about this… ‘Time Heist’ than I do, he’ll be going with you.”

Princess Celestia knew her mission. She nodded.

“Understood,” Celestia said.

Scott stood in his full Ant-Man attire. He analyzed his Time Travel GPS and tapped away at it. “Got the locations all confirmed… and we are good to go!” he declared, meeting Celestia’s eyes with a thumbs-up and a grin. “And don’t worry, Your Majesty. Since Hank was able to fix up our time machine and GPSes, we won’t fall out into some alternate timeline like before.”

“You did what?!” Luna exclaimed.

Scott paused, then waved it off. “Shouldn’t have said that.”

As Lang moved back to Pym’s side, he left two Alicorns somewhat taken aback by his earlier statement. “Are you certain you wish to go alone, sister?” Luna whispered. “I could accompany you instead of that…”

Hank slapped Scott’s hand away from the Orb. Luna gulped. “Curious man.”

Celestia did not seem to share Luna’s worries. Instead of anxious, she seemed at ease, meeting Luna’s worrisome stare with her warming one. “I’ll be fine, Luna. Besides, one of us needs to take the hammer back to its rightful home, and you’re the youngest.”

Luna snorted, rolling her eyes. “You can’t keep using that excuse for me forever.”

Instead of a snarky remark, Luna felt the strength of her older sister lean against her, wrapping the Princess of the Moon in a loving hug. Though momentarily frozen by it, Luna nonetheless found comfort in Celestia’s embrace, raising her foreleg and resting on the back of her older sister’s head. Their necks gingerly nuzzled one another, the two sisters knowing, with assurance, that she would be safe. The snarky remark came after.

“Watch me,” Celestia whispered into her ear.

With that, they were ready to begin. Last hugs and good lucks were given to Celestia from each of her little ponies and Spike, Sam and James shaking Scott’s hand and wishing him the same. All the Stones were given to Celestia and Scott, the Time and Soul Stones placed in a briefcase that Lang held. Princess Celestia levitated the Tesseract, Orb, the syringe, and the scepter in her magical auras. With affirming nods from Hank Pym, they had just about stepped onto the first few steps up to the Quantum Tunnel when Rainbow Dash broke the silence.

“Wait!” the Pegasus exclaimed, flying forward and halting just at the bottom of the steps. “I wanna help, too!”

Scott and Celestia froze in place, as did most of everyone present. Their eyes landed on the Pegasus, and Rainbow soon realized how uncomfortable it was to be in the spotlight. She didn’t seem to show any signs of trepidation, instead remaining steadfast with her hoof outstretched to the princess and the Ant-Man.

Starlight cleared her throat. “Rainbow, they… don’t really need any more help.”

“Yeah, I think we got this,” Scott added.

Twilight stepped forward, curiosity in her eyes for her friend. She asked, “What’s this about, Rainbow?”

Pursing her lips, Rainbow slowly shut her eyes and tried to figure out how to breathe without trembling. Her hoof slowly fell to the grass, head dropping alongside her voice. After a moment of subtle quiet, Rainbow turned back to her friends, to Twilight, and said, “There’s something I need to do. Something that won’t mess up the past.”

Her friends were confused as to why she would want to go, even Twilight. Even as Rainbow cast her imploring expression onto Sam, onto Hank, and onto Scott, they did not seem to hop on board. They did not seem particularly swayed. But Celestia saw differently. She saw it in Rainbow’s eyes and knew—without an ounce of doubt—that her intentions were pure.

Rainbow muttered, “Please.”

Celestia nodded to Hank Pym. He shrugged and told Bucky to give her a GPS. With little reluctance left, Barnes moved towards her and bent down to one knee, slipping the device over her left hoof and meeting her eyes. Whispering to her, “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

She could not respond. All she could offer was a hopeful, lingering glance that broke away faster than she would have liked. Stepping onto the Quantum Tunnel, Rainbow Dash joined the likes of Scott Lang and Princess Celestia. The former of the duo tossed a pair of Pym Particles from his stash of extras towards the Pegasus, who caught them and nodded thankfully.

Celestia levitated Mjølnir towards her, holding the hammer alongside the Stones and nodding once more to Pym. With that, Hank tapped away on his console and waited for their activation. They assembled their Quantum Suits, Rainbow adding the Pym Particles into the belt’s compartment and locking them in place. She breathed in deeply, exhaled even more so, and watched as the mask materialized over her face. Just as it did with Celestia’s. Just as it did with Lang’s. Together, they all shrunk and vanished into the expanse of the Quantum Realm.

No matter how long it took them, it only took a second for Hank Pym to rest his hand on the next switch. The one that brought them home. Eyeing the time machine, Hank announced, “And returning in five… four… three… two…”

He flipped it.

In an instant, they returned, all three Avengers with no Stones and no hammer left on their persons. That image alone earned several sighs of relief from the crowd, the ponies and the Avengers rushing forward to the end of the steps and gazing up curiously onto the Quantum Tunnel. Though slightly disoriented, the three of them nonetheless came out of it standing, turning to one another with reassuring smiles and sighs. The Infinity Stones and Mjølnir were gone, returned to their time safely and securely. Mission accomplished.

With the Quantum Suits materializing away back into the GPSes, Celestia’s mane flowed outwards and instantly caught the wind that wasn’t there. She exhaled greatly, hoof rising to rub her forehead. “Well… that was quite the journey,” she mumbled.

Luna chuckled. “You’ll have to tell us all about it.”

They descended the steps and met their friends on solid ground. Celestia nodded to that, meeting Luna’s forehead with her own in a loving embrace. Sunset stepped forward, meeting her former teacher’s eyes and asking, “Were there any problems?”

Scott and Celestia looked to each other, shaking their heads. “No problems,” Scott confirmed.

And just when it seemed all of their problems were long gone, Rainbow Dash stepped slowly and cautiously down the metal stairs and onto the grass. She did not fly. She did not move as fast as she usually did. Curiosity struck them all, every eye turning and every breath falling when Rainbow halted in front of them. The purpose of Rainbow’s inclusion on the journey held more weight when they finally saw her.

It was when they finally noticed the large, circular bag resting under Rainbow Dash’s wing.

“Um… what do ya have there, Dash?” Applejack asked.

It took a moment for her to respond. It took even longer for her friends to realize that she was wearing a sad but strong smile on her lips. Acceptance mixed with grief. Pain mixed with relief. Uncertainty… that couldn’t help but be filled with hope.

Meeting their eyes, Rainbow offered a slick but warm grin. She nodded, dropping her eyes to the bag under her wing and exhaling weakly through her nostrils. She said, “Just… a little something from a friend. Don’t worry… he had a few others. But this one…”

Rainbow patted it with her hoof, the soft clangs subtly heard. “It’s a little extra special.”

Though many would have liked to understand just what she meant, Rainbow never gave them the chance to ask. She took the center stage and fully captured it, taking every voice, every breath, and every heart around her when she spoke.

When she called out, “Yo, Sam.”

The Falcon was temporarily frozen by her abruptness. His arms—which were once crossed over his chest—fell to his sides as the cool and steel persona he had crafted slowly melted away. Underneath, an uncertain and slightly nervous individual remained, gazing to the rainbow Pegasus as she steadily approached him out of everyone else. His smile fell.

Hers never did.

She held her eyes with Sam Wilson for as long as she could, for as long as she could remain strong before the tears took that face away. Whatever was on her heart could not be said, so she simply repeated every last word told to her that fateful day, mere moments before they were going to ship off on the greatest journey of their lives. In the dark confines of Steve Rogers’ room, where that promise was made, where Steve’s words replayed again and again in her head.

“Steve wanted someone to have this… just in case he didn’t make it out,” Rainbow said, planting the bag in front of her, holding it so it stood up straight. Her eyes shifted from the bag to Sam. “Said he wanted Captain America to see another day… one way or another. In the arms of someone who knows what it means to serve his country. Someone who has lost friends, family, and parts of themselves, only to come out of it whole, better, and stronger. Someone who’s been by his side, been his good friend, through every harrowing mission, every daring plan, and every victory. Someone… who deserves it.”

She unzipped the bag. From the confines, the sunlight showcased the glimmer of a familiar red, white, and blue shield. Pulling the bag apart, Rainbow fully unveiled the shield to all who stood around her, earning gasps from Fluttershy, Rarity, Spike, and so many more. Twilight’s knowing smile slowly grew, mirroring Celestia’s.

Mirroring Bucky Barnes’.

Laying the flap of the bag to the grass, Rainbow lifted her eyes back to Wilson to see him smirk to the shield. That smirk instantly died when she told him, “Why don’t you try it on?”

If he appeared uncertain beforehand, then Sam looked absolutely shell-shocked at that moment. Though her speech earlier seemed to point all signs towards him, there was that tiny, pinprick of a chance that Sam knew it couldn’t be him. There was no way some flyboy was meant to carry on the shield and the legacy of the famous Captain America. It should have been Steve’s best friend. He turned to Barnes, but felt that same shock when James merely nodded his way.

And with that subtle confirmation, Sam turned back to the shield, saw the observant stares from the ponies push him forward, urge him to take that next step in his life. With nothing left to lose—with so much more to gain—Sam bent down and retrieved the shield that Rainbow handed to him. He studied its weight, size, and feel, slipping the straps onto his forearm and letting it rest there for a moment. He almost seemed to smile, and almost tried to. But he couldn’t. Not fully. Not realistically.

“Feels like it belongs to someone else,” Sam muttered, turning his gaze onto the Pegasus.

Rainbow seemed to nod at that. A nod that died when that smirk rose. “He would disagree.”

Sam almost scoffed at that, gazing down to the shield. It was her words—his words—that finally drove him over that edge from uncertainty and into acceptance. He nodded several times, lifting his burning eyes back to Rainbow Dash and smiling her way. Really, truly, gratefully smiling to his friend.

“Thank you, Dash. I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will,” Rainbow said with a tearful nod. “He said you would.”

As she broke away, the crowd of ponies surrounded Sam Wilson and proceeded to congratulate and support him through his newly-crowned status as the next Captain America. It was not an easy position to fill, as there was no one else who had ever done it besides Steve Rogers. But they had faith in him to carry that shield, to carry that name and that honor into the unknown future to come, just as Rainbow had faith in him. Just as Steve did.

Amongst the crowd, Rainbow found herself coming face to face with a certain White Wolf. James Buchanan Barnes, bending down to meet her eye-level, offered her a warm and thankful smile. Barnes knew he still had a reputation to fix, the image of the Winter Soldier still plastered on every nation’s most wanted list. He knew Steve made the right choice. He knew Sam would honor that shield and carry it with as much respect and dignity as was expected of the Sentinel of Liberty.

And he knew he still had a friend in Rainbow. To show his gratitude, he opened his arms and Rainbow instantly fell into his embrace. Fell into both the flesh and the metal of the broken man on his next journey to be made whole. There would undoubtedly be a time when he needed her help again, when all would seem futile and he could only rely on the loyalty of a good friend to help clear his name. When that time came, Bucky knew he could count on her.

Because she always kept her promises.

Chapter 195 – Until We Meet Again

195

Equus

Ponyville, Equestria

4:35 p.m.

To say things had changed for Equestria was putting it mildly.

With the Royal Sisters assuming command over the firmly-established Equestrian Empire, they sought not to undo the hard work and achievements made by Princess Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Instead, they assured their ponies and allies across nations that further reconstruction would continue as planned, and those who were among the Vanished—now the Returned—would be eased back into society with open hooves. It would be a daunting process, but one both sisters would face together. One they would all face together, as one united species.

There were still refugees, but much smaller in number. Most of the humans entering Equus did so for traveling purposes, as tourists, as friends seeking to further understand Earth’s new neighboring world and the creatures that inhabited it. Most that came to Equus were among the Returned. They were in awe to the multiple species across Equus, to the many nations that gladly welcomed them. It allowed for stronger connections between Earth and Equus, neither planet feeling overwhelmed with refugees any longer. They just had visitors.

Commerce and trade boomed. New deals between businesses were established that ultimately skyrocketed the economies of both worlds. Overflowing resources were shared equally between each, an overabundance of food, supplies, technology, and other necessities traded back and forth. Several businesses from Earth had expanded onto Equus—as well as the other way around. There was a firm crackdown on warlords, crime syndicates, and other unlawful actions of the past five years finally being addressed and dealt with, and with those new businesses, security was needed to help horde off the criminals. X-Con Security Consultants finally found their opportunity and expanded their horizons, with Luis, Kurt, and Dave leading the show and taking their company into Equus. They found strong partnerships with Grubber and the Storm Creatures, learning of their own criminal backgrounds. They couldn’t have found a better set of partners to represent X-Con Security Consultants on Equus.

People went back to their old lives. They returned to their old homes. Some found their worlds completely changed, some found them oddly the same. Captain Celaeno and her crew returned to that pirate’s life, first choosing to finish what Tempest had started. She owed her friend that much. Whatever smaller syndicates of the Storm King’s Empire were hunted down and properly dealt with, until none were left. Until the world was finally rid of Tempest’s damaged past. As for others, such as Capper, Klugetown was more than happy to welcome him and the many others who were taken back. Dapperpaws continued to help in smaller ways, in any way he could, to help spread what he learned about friendship. To help make the world a better place with each small act of kindness.

Rulers and leaders of nations were reestablished into their prior roles before they were unfortunately among the Vanished. The Dragon Lord descended respectfully from the throne to rightfully return it to Ember. Rutherford was honored back, the Yaks celebrating for days on end. Pharynx—having never found comfort in that position of royalty—couldn’t wait to hand the crown back to Thorax. The Crystal Empire was in the process of its reconstruction, with the Heart repaired and Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and Princess Flurry Heart returning to the throne. Crystal Ponies from across the worlds finally returned to their rightful home. Hippogriffia found its young princess returned to them, Queen Novo embracing her daughter in a loving display of affection. She, as well as her fellow Hippogriffs both spared and Returned, all celebrated Princess Skystar’s homecoming. So many other nations celebrated in their own personal ways. In their own cultures. It was a beautiful time to be alive in Equus’ long history.

While many visitors to Earth and Equus were just that—just visiting—others chose to stay and make permanent residence. Korg and Miek, especially, decided to stay in Equestria, in Ponyville of all places. They found it be relatively calm, relatively peaceful. Exactly what they were looking for. Maud Pie noted that if Mudbriar didn’t come back from the Decimation, she would totally be into Korg. Everypony could understand why.

With the Returned coming home to Ponyville, festivities and reunions were held almost every single day, lasting almost through every single night. The Pie and Apple families came together to welcome home their loved ones that were taken, Pinkie Pie taking the backseat for once when it came to throwing a party. She, Applejack, and the many others were the guests of honor. Of course, the trio of mares, Spike, and the others among the Vanished were welcomed home by their best friends, from Twilight, Rainbow, Rarity, Sunset, Starlight, and the whole town of Ponyville. It was a momentous and loving reconciliation, a sharing of comradery and friendship that should have lasted forever.

But nothing ever did.

Because for some, amending the past and paving the future took time, pain, and hope. Fixing what was broken was never an easy path to follow, and facing it even more so. But with the war over, with their efforts yielding its fruit, the worlds did not need them anymore. At least for now. In that moment of peace, every branch needed to be clipped.

Because for Sunset Shimmer, there was a home she had yet to return to.

After so long of remaining in Equestria—of giving her time and strength to the ponies she loved—there was no other perfect moment to take a much-needed and deserved rest. There was no better moment to return to the world she had come to call her home away from home. Sunset’s friends and family were present that day in the Castle of Friendship, with the afternoon light quickly falling and the warmth of the sun shimmering into the castle’s library. It felt so empty without Friday.

Among those present to wish her a safe journey ahead were Twilight, Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Applejack. They were the first, with the many entering the castle shortly afterwards. Starlight, Spike, Derpy, Maud, Mudbriar, Trixie, Celestia, Luna, and her parents all traveled, all made the time, to ensure that Sunset knew how much she meant to them. All of her goodbyes with her Earthen allies and fellow Avengers was done.

Leaving just them.

Just to be safe, Discord established a firm connection between their world and the human dimension, confirming their worries that there was, in fact, a disruption. A blockade. A flow of space and time that was distorted and cut off their world from the human world. Discord said it was most likely after Thanos had snapped his fingers, igniting the powers of the universe in one grand feat to bring his own version of balance, when all it caused was chaos throughout the space-time continuum. It seemed none of Twilight’s earlier messages to Sunset had gone through, what with the Mirror Portal destroyed following the destruction of the Castle of Friendship. When the portal was gone, the flow of magic through the multiverse was severed. Sunset wondered why her friends on the other side never sent a message to ask about her current situation; it was partly why she didn’t send a letter herself. It was all because of Thanos. If Sunset even wanted to send a message to her friends earlier, they would have never known. Even with the portal repaired, there was never a stable connection to begin with. That connection to the human dimension was severed, by that disruption in time and space and the unbalanced chaos that Thanos had brought to their universe with the actions of the Infinity Stones.

Discord assured them that all flows through space and time had been cleared after Tony had snapped his fingers. It was if balance had been brought back in more ways than one. There was yet another reason to thank Stark for his selfless act of love, one Sunset knew she would be thanking for a long, long time.

And Sunset, with nothing else to hold her back any longer, finally found the courage and strength to send a letter through her journal, to which Twilight in the other dimension almost instantly replied. The magic was fixed. Time and space were fully restored. Sunset could not explain everything in her letter. She wanted to do it in person. Facing that Mirror Portal, staring into its empty face, Sunset knew that her friends were just a few steps away. Just a life away. They were all together in front of that statue by Canterlot High. And they were waiting for her.

Her work in Equestria was done. Her friends and family would handle things well without her, urging her to take that next step towards the right path of healing. Sunset knew she had made a mistake. One of many. All it would take to amend it would be to face it head-on, knowing that all would be well, that her efforts in Equestria had not gone in vain.

She had that assurance with her friends and family that stayed behind, the ones that wished her goodbye.

“Now remember ta visit every now and again,” Applejack told her. “We don’t want ya gettin’ too comfortable without us. Or… us us. Or… heck, ya know what Ah mean.”

Obviously referring to their doppelgängers in the other dimension, Applejack scratched her head just trying to wrap her mind around the whole ordeal. Sunset laughed it off. “It’ll be a long time before I’m comfortable. But yeah… I’ll definitely visit,” she assured them.

Rarity gently bowed her head, hoof resting over her heart. “We can’t thank you enough, darling. For everything you’ve done. It was an absolute pleasure to have you around… and an even greater honor to call you our friend.”

Every one of them held that same thankful expression, those same warming smiles that burned Sunset’s already wounded heart. The unicorn sniffed, wiping at her sweltering eyes with the tip of her hoof. “Come on, don’t do this to me now.”

“Too late!” Pinkie cried, leaping forward and wrapping Sunset in a heartwarming hug. The unicorn felt that pain in her heart amplify, earning that distorted expression on her face, on the expression that tried to remain strong for her friends. To her surprise, it wasn’t Sunset that started crying first. It was the mare that held her. “We’re gonna miss you so much!”

“Goodbyes are always the hardest,” Fluttershy said, trembling forth and embracing Sunset. “Even when we try to make it seem so easy…”

“Ah, Flutters…” Rainbow whispered agonizingly, trying to face away. Failing miserably. She gave in, shaking her head and shooting her hooves to the ceiling. “Ah, screw it.”

She flew down and joined in the group hug, filled quickly with Applejack and Rarity, with Spike flying in shortly afterwards and holding Sunset in the heart of their embrace. Tears and hugs were shared amongst them, those murmurs and whimpers wishing Sunset the best on her new journey just being enough to crack the dam. Tears broke free from her clenched eyelids, the unicorn’s smile quivering as her hooves tried to hold every mare and dragon against her.

“Thank you all so much,” Sunset whispered. And she meant it. For the ponies that accepted her into their bonds of friendship. Even after all she had done in her broken past, they accepted her for who she was, for the pony she had become. There were no other words to describe how thankful she was for that.

Her tears and her hugs spoke higher volumes than she ever could.

When she broke away, when Spike and the mares managed to give Sunset some breathing room, the floor was Sunset’s to finish off her round of goodbyes. Not knowing truly where to start, Sunset simply went down the line of the ponies scattered before her, pausing firstly in front of the lovely and albeit… expressionless couple of Maud and Mudbriar.

Maud blinked slowly. Pinkie wailed in the background after seeing such vivid emotion from her older sister, blowing her nose harshly into Rarity’s handkerchief. Ignoring the pink mare to the best of their ability, Maud met Sunset’s eyes and murmured, “Tell my human self to find human Mudbriar.”

Mudbriar added, “I believe our destinies are indefinitely intertwined with one another, even across dimensions. Such as with all things rock and stick related, like—”

“Yeah, I’m gonna… stop you there,” Sunset interrupted with a weak chuckle, breaking the distance and hugging the couple one last time.

Breaking off and moving down the line, Sunset came across the familiar blonde-maned, gray-coated, derpy-eyed mare that she had come to befriend over the years. Derpy did not seem to share the tears or the pain that Sunset felt, instead smiling hopefully and telling her, “It was a blast having you around! Be sure to deliver all your letters to Twilight in our post office! I’m the manager now!”

Sunset didn’t have the heart to tell her that that wasn’t how her magical journal worked. Instead, she just smiled and hugged the Pegasus.

Next, Sunset approached the vibrant and smirking unicorn standing tall in her magician’s attire. Trixie met Sunset’s hurting expression with a comforting one, asking curiously, “Is my human persona as great and powerful as me?”

Sunset chuckled. “I’d say she’s just as great. No competition there.”

They hugged and moved on. Sunset moved on, right up to…

Starlight Glimmer almost seemed to freeze on the spot the same moment Sunset Shimmer had. The moment their eyes connected, both unicorns could feel those memories instantly flush into one another. From their unscheduled first encounter in Twilight’s library, to the series of exciting events in the human world that followed, and even to their time-traveling, space-bounding adventures together. They were memories neither would ever forget. They were stories both mares would undoubtedly share with their friends for many years to come.

They were at least grateful to have experienced those adventures together.

“We’ve been through quite a lot, huh?” Starlight scoffed, slight astonishment slipping off her breath. Sunset nodded at that, dropping her eyes and rubbing her foreleg gingerly.

Those eyes rose up, met Starlight’s wounded pair with an assuring and grateful gaze. “Here’s to all the adventures,” Sunset said, holding out her hoof. “And hopefully… more to come?”

Starlight smirked. She smacked her hoof against Sunset’s. “Count on it.”

They ended their goodbye with an elongated hug.

Moving on, Discord offered her a hand/hoofshake, bowing gratefully to the fiery-maned unicorn. From the reactions across the library, it seemed to be a genuine rarity for Discord to perform such an action. It was the least he could offer, for her daring and selfless actions that ultimately helped bring him back into the realm of the living.

What—or who—came next nearly broke her.

Celestia and Luna stood as one, finding the time out of their heavy schedules to at least wish Sunset Shimmer a safe journey ahead, and a strong goodbye for the time being. Sunset seemed breathless and awestruck when she stood before them, having not seen either for over five years. She was at a loss of where to begin, what to say, but realized that she really didn’t even need to say anything. They hugged her together, affirming to Sunset that actions most definitely spoke louder than words.

Except that time, when Celestia whispered to her, “I am so very proud of you.”

Luna tightened her foreleg around the unicorn, adding, “Keep making us proud.”

Sunset let a tear slip down her cheek while nuzzled into her former teacher’s chest. She embraced both fully, holding the princesses with all of her strength and all of her will. Somehow, someway, she found that semblance of strength to respond. To promise, “I will.”

It never seemed to get any easier with each break and each step onward. The hugs were something Sunset did not want to end, that friendship and love she felt for everypony present making her only want to stay longer. She knew she couldn’t. She had stayed long enough and there were friends on the other side that desperately wanted her home. There was a life she needed to return to. But there was another life… that she still held dear.

Her parents were the next ponies she came across. Just seeing the tearful and proud expressions from Sunrise and Evening Shimmer broke their daughter fully, fresh tears falling spontaneously to meet Sunset’s loving and gracious smile. She was sad, yes, especially to see her parents crying over her leaving again. Only, that sadness was coupled with that peaceful sense of ease, that happiness that assured Sunset that she was leaving on a good note. One that they all agreed on.

“Guess I’m thankful this goodbye is done the right way,” Sunset said, tried to chuckle through her quivering breaths. She was unable to, pursing her lips and keeping her strength long enough for her parents to see her off. “I’m gonna miss you guys.”

“Promise you’ll visit soon?” her mother, Evening, asked. She was already a mess of tears, her husband comforting her to the best of his ability.

Sunrise, her father, with a hoof draped over his wife’s withers, patted her gently and said, “Hey now, Sunset’s got a lot of work to do in her human world. You take as much time as you need, baby girl. Don’t you worry about us.”

Sunset nodded gratefully. “Thanks, Dad.”

“But if you can… for your mother’s sake…”

She interrupted his train of thought with a sudden, leaping hug, capturing both of her parents within her forelegs. “Promise,” she whispered.

With that, her parents embraced their daughter for as long as they possibly could. They only let go because they trusted her, because they knew she had to face the challenges of her own mistakes once again. She had grown into a strong, caring, independent, and responsible mare, one her parents were proud to have raised. The time they lost her was a painful reminder of their failures. The time they spent with her was a blessing. But the time she spent fixing her own failures was a gracious reminder that she had changed for the better. And they knew, with certainty, that she could absolutely succeed.

Only then when everypony saw her off did Sunset realize there was one more. Only when she broke away from her parents and spun around to the portal did she face that pony. It was that pony that had been responsible for changing her, for leading her on the path of redemption that made Sunset Shimmer into the pony she was today. It was that pony that saved her life, that made her better, that led Sunset to her true destiny.

Twilight Sparkle.

If there were any words Sunset still had the strength to say, they still wouldn’t have been enough to describe or thank the princess standing before her. Twilight seemed to share a similar sentiment, eyes burning, smile warming as she met Sunset’s tearful gaze with her own. The library fell silent for them, for two close friends having shared an unforgettable story with one another. A story of redemption, of healing, and of friendship. Sunset hugged her especially longer.

And Twilight easily fell into that embrace, forelegs wrapping tightly around the trembling unicorn. Both were crying, both already well aware they were the center of attention and ignoring it all anyway. That moment, that goodbye, was between them and them alone. Even when others cried around them, even when their friends shared their smiles and mirrored their emotions, it was not enough to break the friends from each other. It was not enough.

“Don’t know what we would’ve done without you,” Twilight told her, still holding Sunset close. “Thank you for everything you’ve done, for us… and for the magic of friendship.”

Sunset cried softly, an honored smile gracing her lips. She responded, “Thank you for helping me realize who I was.”

Both felt those appreciative remarks strike their hearts, filling their spirits and minds with exactly what the other meant. For Sunset knocking some sense into her, Rainbow, and Tony, which ultimately led to the healing of their fractured friendship. Which ultimately saved the Elements of Harmony. For Twilight and all the years she spent leading Sunset down the path of redemption, which led her to the end of the goal she never thought was in reach. To her destiny. No mere words could describe that feeling of infinite gratitude.

Their loving display of friendship sufficed.

Finally, they broke the hug, Twilight resting her hoof over Sunset’s neck and telling her, “Keep that Element safe. Goodbye, Sunset… and good luck.”

Sunset rose her hoof the moment Twilight took hers away, caressing her Element of Harmony that rested around her neck. She lifted her eyes back to Twilight and nodded gently to her, that even gentler smile warming Twilight’s aching heart.

Every goodbye was given and nothing more needed to be said. Sunset Shimmer approached the Mirror Portal with a caravan of friends and family following behind her. She opened her bag resting against her back, pulling free her journal and placing it upon the mirror’s stand. A swirl of magic unfolded before their very eyes, creating an array of vivid colors to form that perfect gateway to the human dimension. To the world she knew and loved. To the next step on her new journey.

She removed her journal and placed it back into her bag, the portal remaining active long enough for one pony to step into its light. She turned back one last time to her friends, seeing them all wave to her. She waved back. Her eyes met Twilight’s, met that assuring gaze and even stronger nod from the Princess of Friendship.

Her hoof rose and rested over her Element of Harmony. Over her heart. She nodded back and faced forward, stepped into the light and dimensions that swirled forevermore. Just one step back into her old life, one step that took her away from the world and the ponies she fell in love with once again. Until next time. Much sooner… next time.

Chapter 196 – You Promised

196

Canterlot High School

Near the Portal

4:52 p.m.

Thankfully for Sunset, her friends were waiting by the statue.

The colors of the multiverse lingered in her vision, eventually fading as she set foot on familiar solid concrete once again. Just feeling her boots against that ground, smelling the residue of a freshly-cut lawn, and hearing the chorus of friendly gasps was enough to ease her worrisome heart. Her eyes fluttered open, the blinding rays of the falling sunlight almost blinding her. She flinched against it, raising a hand and not a hoof to block out those afternoon rays. Sunset’s narrowed eyes slowly widened. Her jaw fell, as did her hand.

Standing before her in a clustered pack of uncertain glances, stunned stares, and frozen postures, her best friends met Sunset’s astounded expression with mixtures of their own. Applejack rested her hands on her hips, lips pursing as a weak exhale left her nose. Rarity’s own hand rose up to shield her mouth. Fluttershy looked as if she was about to cry, her face breaking at the mere sight of her long-lost friend. Pinkie Pie popped out from cover behind Fluttershy, her jaw falling wide open, eyes as large as dinner plates. Rainbow Dash crossed her arms, clear frustration evident on her expression with the risen brow.

Sunset knew exactly why she was frustrated. And she could hardly do a thing to defend herself from it. She had her reasons, but even Sunset didn’t know if she was strong enough to bring them up, to face the tribulations ahead like she knew she needed to. Amending her wrongs always seemed so much easier in her head, outside of reality where that pain was real. Yet seeing her friends standing before her—after not seeing them for five years—did not seem to hurt as much. Not nearly as much as it did to see Twilight Sparkle staring intensely at her. She and Spike resting in her arms, each of them holding that same intensity, that same confusion, that same pain.

That same betrayal.

Seeing that—seeing all of them—elicited the tears from Sunset Shimmer, the woman rushing forth and impacting the closest friends she could reach. They were Twilight and Rainbow. Momentarily stunned by Sunset’s actions, the two eventually turned to one another and did nothing. After hearing the subtle weeps from Sunset, feeling her tremble between them, both Twilight and Rainbow eventually embraced her just as well. Something had happened on the other side, in the pony world, that was beyond their understanding, beyond anything Sunset could have explained in her earlier letter. The time to understand Sunset’s reasonings would come. But right there, right then, more than ever, their friend needed them. She needed them just to be with her.

So, they did. Everyone else joined in comforting Sunset Shimmer, hugging the fiery-haired woman in a bundle of shielding arms. Her heart ached to feel them all against her, her friends finding the strength to give her comfort when she deserved none of it. It made Sunset love them all the more, being with her at her lowest, accepting her at her worst, ultimately making her the best part of her herself. They were her foundations, her strengthening anchors to everything she had come to believe about friendship. There was nothing more that Sunset wanted than to rebuild those foundations.

It all began with an apology.

Sunset hugged them back, whimpering, “I’m so sorry… for breaking my promise. For not contacting you. There was a disruption in the magic; the connection between our worlds severed! I… I-I-I wasn’t able to get Twilight’s messages in time. I thought… I-I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know why you didn’t send any messages. I didn’t know…”

“It’s okay, Sunset,” Twilight whispered in return. Spike patted and rubbed Sunset’s hair. Despite everything that had happened, despite the rapid explanation Sunset tried to give them, she was still their friend. She still managed to come home. And she was still hurting. That meant more to them than any nagging qualms they may have still had with her.

Twilight, especially, felt that, holding Sunset gingerly while gazing off onto the clean face of the statue. Her brow furrowed, voice arising in curiosity. “A disruption between our worlds… Guess that explains it. Partially… some of it.”

“What severed our worlds?” Fluttershy weakly asked, her eyes rising to turn to each of her friends. None of them had the answer.

All eyes fell back to Sunset. Still holding onto Twilight and Rainbow, Sunset could feel their eyes peering at her, expecting the answer only she had. Closing her eyes, sniffling softly, she said, “If only I had known… maybe I could have worked to fix it. Maybe I should have sent a message… but even then, you would have never known. I was just so focused on Equestria, with everypony there. All the suffering… all the damage… I just couldn’t turn away from that. Not when they needed me for so long…”

Her friends practically flinched back when she mentioned the suffering and the damage, all of them seemingly understanding that it was just the tip of the iceberg. There was so much more buried deep under the pain in Sunset’s voice. So much more she had to answer for. So much she probably didn’t have the strength to explain. It showed when their hug ended, leaving just Sunset standing awkwardly in front of them, her hand rubbing her opposite arm, eyes refusing to rise in order to connect with theirs. Somehow, she found that strength. Somehow, she did it, and met their eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she told them and really meant it. “I’m sorry for staying away for so long. For…”

“A week,” Rarity interrupted. Sunset stared at her, breathless and awestruck. Rarity smiled sadly. “Give or take a few… months.”

Sunset could feel her heart turn icy-cold before falling into the deepest portion of her stomach, drowning it with that same infectious revelation.

“A few months?” Sunset breathed. She backed away, almost feeling nauseous. She stumbled on her own two feet, like she had completely forgotten how to walk. For how long she was gone, her friends found it odd that Sunset was already failing to recall basic motor function of humans, despite having done so with ease for years prior. For how long she was really gone, the sensation was not only unnatural for her, but completely and utterly mind-shattering. Twilight reached out and gripped her shoulder, keeping her steady.

Though Sunset appeared to be stuck in an existential crisis, Rainbow Dash stepped forward and clarified, “Yeah, you missed the entire summer. Probably having too much fun in pony land without us.”

Applejack elbowed her.

Rubbing her side, Rainbow tried to glare back at her but realized it was fruitless, realizing quickly that the look of panic and confusion in Sunset’s expression meant more than they could understand. Starting again, Rainbow clarified slowly and more carefully, “College is gonna start next week, Sunset. We were so worried you were gonna miss the first day like you missed orientation. We looked everywhere. Principal Celestia even said the school’s security cameras never caught anything with the statue. You just… never came back.”

Pinkie slipped forward, past Rainbow so she was standing directly in front of Sunset. She said, “But after Twilight got your message, we all came home to… well… you know… welcome you back.”

Pinkie tried to laugh it off, only succeeded in chuckling awkwardly. The situation did not really offer her many options. Her friend looked absolutely shell-shocked. Her breath was trembling. She had seen and experienced things none of her friends could fully understand, not without her help. When she turned back to them, Sunset finally noticed that her friends had shrunk—no, she had grown a few inches taller. They didn’t seem to notice, and if they did, they just wrote it off as her boots offering those extra inches. Sunset knew otherwise.

She knew so much more. Managing to breathe at least, Sunset stared back to the ground, feeling the edges of her vision beginning to blur as her mind tried to process the situation. In the end, all she could really say were her own slipping thoughts, those grave words that breathed, “But… it’s been years…”

“Years?” Twilight asked, astounded. The reactions from the rest of her friends were accurate to say the least, just as dumbfounded, shocked, and confused as Sunset was. They all stared at the portal, Twilight especially furrowing her hardened brow to it. Moments before gazing back to Sunset. “What happened in there?”

Sunset maintained her consciousness. Just enough for her to lift her eyes to them. She couldn’t say a thing, not able to find the strength to do so. Not right then. But they needed to know. Them, out of anyone else, deserved to know everything.

“Looks like you got a bit of a story to tell,” Spike said, pointing his paw to her.

Sunset followed the paw to where it pointed, her eyes dropping just over her chest. From the slim necklace, Sunset finally noticed that her Element of Harmony had transformed. It had returned to the same geode she had left with. Her trembling fingers rose and caressed the stone gently, washing over the intricate and beautiful sun design on its face. It shimmered under the afternoon light, that light glowing in Sunset’s glistening, tear-filled eyes. She had almost expected one of her friends to point out the golden necklace, to bring attention to the Element of Harmony she left Equestria with. Instead, everything went back to normal, as it should have.

Leaving just her and the nearly limitless memories left to tell the story instead.

Sunset smiled sadly, still holding that geode. Still holding that memory. “You could say that.”

Chapter 197 – What Did it Cost?

197

Equus

Canterlot, Equestria

Celestia’s Quarters

2:22 a.m.

Princess Celestia had no nightmares, but still couldn’t sleep. Her night was filled with an incessant flow of thoughts that couldn’t be bothered to let the Princess of the Sun earn her rest. Even when all else was settled for the day, even when the nations were at ease and the next day would yield another bridge to cross, there was never a dull moment. Not anymore. Not after all that had happened.

Removing her sheets, Celestia arose from her bed and slipped her hooves onto the cool, marble flooring. She escaped the hold of her chambers, pushing aside the doors that led to her balcony. As once before, the soothing, summer wind washed the worries of the day and night away from her nerves. It cascaded across her features, her body, her lightened expression in order for her eyes to flutter to a close. She took in that deep, calming breath, assured herself that it was and she was. The elements persevered and filled her with life. She had survived and managed to gaze upon another day, another night, with that assurance that all of their efforts were made worth it.

Her eyes slowly opened, that dream-like trance she was temporarily trapped in fading away when the harsh reality fell upon her. Like the light of a shattered moon. That light fell over Princess Celestia in its haunting white glow, only amplified by the dozens of fragments pockmarked across the night sky. From the two moons, from Luna’s and Earth’s own, that light covered her balcony, all of Canterlot, and the mighty new empire Princess Twilight Sparkle had crafted in her absence. The light of the moons could never have been alone.

Resting on the horizon, planet Earth maintained its position forever caught in Equus’ orbit. The lights shimmering across the dark continents brought forth a whole new idea of size and scale to the princess. It developed into a greater sense of what exactly would come next for her, for her sister, or for her little ponies. Thanos had come and gone, but the repercussions to his actions remained. Typhon was defeated, and his armies of Tartarus with him. The war was long over. The world had been rebuilt in their absence. The sun and the moons moved without their aid. What more was needed out of the Royal Sisters that Twilight and her friends hadn’t already proven they could handle?

“An empty dream?”

Her ears perked up at that, Celestia turning towards the undeniable sound of the fluttering of wings and saw Princess Luna land on her balcony. Her wings folded neatly by her sides, the Princess of the Night and of the Moon approaching her older sister steadily. Slowly, cautiously, before settling herself on Celestia’s right side. Together, they stared at the remnants of the moons, the Earth, and let those winds take their breath away.

“There was no dream, Luna,” Celestia finally answered.

Luna pursed her lips, sighing and turning aside from her sister’s far away stare. “If my thoughts share yours, we both ponder on the same possibility.”

Celestia turned to her. “Which would be…?”

Princess Luna gazed longingly to the starry night skies, the scattered moon pieces, and to the world resting beside their own. The ghostly white shimmers from the moons illuminated her face into a pale expression of wonderment and anxiety. Her emotions clashed, her face torn, eyes staring off into the expanse with no clear end in sight.

All she could say was, “Where to go from here.”

And that was certainly a question Celestia had pondered from time to time. More so currently than ever before. Her eyes fell away from her sister, gazing to the balcony floor. A moment later, she was staring back to the emerging clouds infecting the black and white canvas. She was staring long and worrisome onto the Earth and the possibilities it planted upon their world, their very way of life, and the future.

“I believe I might know,” Celestia said, quickly earning Luna’s eyes. “But for now… let us allow Twilight and her friends to reconvene. As well as to rest. They deserve it.”

Luna rose a surprised pair of brows. “You truly believe it’s time?” she asked.

“Princess Twilight will ascend to the throne soon enough. Naturally, without force. The world has little need for us any longer,” the eldest responded. Her voice seemed shockingly distant, almost as if the words pained her to say. Except, there was no pain, not any Luna could find. Celestia seemed oddly at peace with what she uttered, with what she believed. She seemed settled with what fate had given them and their worlds. “It has changed in more ways than one. With that change came great suffering… great turmoil… great pain.”

As she spoke, she could only imagine such sufferings from the final battle. The change in all of their lives had affected not only Equus, but Earth as well. Their human allies suffered just as much as they did, and when the time came to end that suffering, to bring about retribution for the universe, the real heroes did not hesitate. Tony Stark’s sacrifice undoubtedly saved them all. It was the sacrifice of the Avengers as a collective whole that brought back the Vanished and saved the universe from evil.

It was their sacrifice that ensured her little sister was returned to her. There was a time Celestia thought she had lost her for good, when Thanos’ depravity was first inflicted upon Equestria. There was a time… when Celestia had nearly lost all hope. But the time for hopelessness, for pain, had finally ended. Strengthening and recovery would be needed for the days to come. The Royal Sisters were finally reunited thanks to the Avengers.

They—like trillions of others—were avenged.

That was enough to bring a thankful smile to her lips.

“But out of it also came something beautiful,” Celestia finished.

Luna broke away and stared at her shattered moon, tried to stare exactly where her sister did. She could not see what Celestia saw, nor could she understand exactly what Celestia meant. Perhaps someday, when the worlds would appear to Luna the same way they appeared to Celestia. Someday, where Luna could finally see the beauty within the chaos. That wasn’t to say she was ungrateful for the heroics of the Avengers, or those who had given their lives for a greater meaning. She showed her appreciation in her own way, masked it under the duty and perseverance the Princess of the Night exemplified to her people. To carry on their selfless attitude was her way of saying thank you. Her moon—the moons—remained and assured Luna that was still work for her to do. Amending the past, fixing what was broken, and assuring their future was the best it could ever become was the first of many duties Luna had set for herself.

And thankfully, she wouldn’t face it alone.

“What must we prepare for?” Princess Luna asked.

Princess Celestia turned to her and smiled that warming, motherly smile. She draped her wing over Luna’s withers, the Alicorn sighing contently under that touch, under that embrace, and growing a soft smile at the sound of her sister’s voice. The voice that seemed to wash over all of Canterlot, all of the Equestrian Empire, and across the cosmos when Celestia faced those heavens and breathed.

“A new beginning.”

Reunited at last, the two sisters nuzzled and stared together. Stood under the light of a new moon, at the edge of a new universe.

Chapter 198 – A New Beginning

198

Weeks Later

Earth

Queens, New York City

5:50 p.m.

Virginia “Pepper” Stark stood against the melting horizon, arms crossed as she gazed beyond the towering tree lines and the futuristic Unisphere. Joining the spherical landmark representing the Earth, a second structure was built in the short weeks that followed the Blip—as people were calling it. That second structure represented none other than planet Equus, joining the Unisphere in a shared orbit. Forever locked together in comradery, in friendship, for the future to come.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park was filled with a rejuvenated and growing populace. All around her, Pepper could see families spending their afternoons having picnics, playing games, or observing the monument to the sister worlds. As if they needed to see some artist’s representation, considering Equus herself was scheduled to pass directly New York later that night. Pepper almost smiled at the thought, turning to that horizon and seeing Equus beginning to peek over it. What was once an object of uncertain terror had transformed into an awe-inspiring spectacle of majesty and wonderment. So many people had their telescopes out and directed towards the upcoming path of the planet, the unhinged excitement of men and women, young and old, and families alike starting to grow warm to Pepper.

A deep and saddened sigh exited Pepper’s lungs, her eyes falling to the grass. The strengthening light of the sun against her skin gave her that will to lift her gaze forward, beyond the Unispheres and to the distant skyline. Where Manhattan and all the skyscrapers touched the sky and elicited a growing smile of ease from Stark. Her visits to Queens were always welcoming, especially finishing every visit with a trip to the park, where she always received a beautiful snapshot of what was once her home.

Hearing the growing footsteps behind her, Pepper turned to first see Happy Hogan waiting for her by their private jet, holding onto Morgan’s hand while bystanders gawked to the jet resting amongst the field of grass. Filling those approaching footsteps was the young man Pepper had recently become acquainted with, and found herself growing particularly attached to. She could understand exactly why Tony saw so much in him.

Probably because she saw so much of Tony in Peter Parker.

Running up to her side, Peter Benjamin Parker took a moment to catch his breath. Together, the two of them stood side by side, gazing onto that same horizon, where the snippets of Manhattan were visible to the naked eye. Peter’s breath slowed, that calming smile finally finding its way onto his lips. He could understand why Pepper always decided to stop in Flushing Meadows every time she and Happy dropped by Queens. It was one heck of a sight.

Smiling to Pepper, Peter said, “Happy wanted me to tell you that they’re ready to ship off. Morgan was getting a little tired, too. I’m sure she wants to see her mom.”

Pepper nodded appreciatively at that, never breaking her eyes away from the distant city. She breathed in well, sighed even better. “Just finishing up here.”

Peter bit his lower lip.

“You know, I wanna thank you again…” he began, earning Pepper’s eyes. He bravely rose his to meet hers, offering that grateful grin. “For… everything. The Stark Relief Foundation really did come in clutch for Aunt May and I. Oh, and thank you also for paying for my vacation.”

“Take it as a token of our appreciation for your contributions to the Avengers.”

“Yeah… about that,” Peter said, voice trailing off to the sunset. Despite that, he never turned away from Mrs. Stark. She looked nowhere else but onto him. “If you guys need me for anything, you still have my number, right?”

Pepper nodded. “We have all the Avengers’ numbers, even yours.”

He pursed his lips at that, eyes finally falling to his feet. He nodded thankfully to that. “This vacation might be exactly what I need,” he said, yet there was still that lingering presence of growing apprehension hanging over him like a storm cloud. Pepper noticed it instantly, turning her curious and worrisome eyes and resting them against the sullen Peter Parker.

The Spider-Man sighed, still managing a short and strong smile on his end. “Though I might need… to take a break from avenging and just focus on being that friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.”

Though it probably wasn’t exactly how Tony wanted him to turn out—he practically gave Parker every opportunity to become a greater figure to the larger world—it was an admirable choice, one that Peter was sure Tony would have accepted nonetheless. Just like he accepted it once before. The time for the Avengers had come to end. Heroes had gone their separate ways and the worlds were at peace. Even then, Peter knew for certain that if the world needed them, if either world needed them, the Avengers wouldn’t hesitate to assemble once again. Spider-Man wouldn’t hesitate.

Pepper, like her late husband, seemed pleased to Peter’s mature choice of words. She smiled sweetly to him, murmuring gently, “You always start off with something small.”

It was small. It was the idea of a hometown hero that somehow spoke greater volumes to Pepper than Spider-Man the Avenger ever could. Because it was something so pure. So exciting. Something that had limitless possibilities for what he could become, for where he could go, and the legacy Peter Parker could leave behind. She had no doubt Spider-Man would become something greater. Maybe someday, but not that day. That day, he would start small.

And he would make something spectacular.

Before long, their short conversation came to an end. They shared one last smile with one another before Peter turned around and walked away. In that moment of minimal clarity and silence, Pepper gazed back to the falling sun and rested. She breathed in deep and breathed in well, finding that much-needed peace within herself after what seemed like a lifetime spent without Tony. It wasn’t easy. Nothing ever was. But Pepper persevered. With her family continuing to stand by her side, Pepper had no need to fear for what tomorrow held. She wasn’t afraid.

“Oh, and before I forget…”

Twisting her neck back, Pepper could see Parker freeze in place, slowly spinning around and holding out his finger to her. His mouth fell open like he was prepared to say something, but he caught his tongue. He caught his words and held onto them a second longer, just a second more to mull over his thoughts in order to ask clearly and carefully.

“I was swinging by the other day and saw the old Avengers Tower. You know, Tony’s old Stark Tower? That big, awesome—?”

“I know, Peter,” Pepper interrupted him, nodding once. She did not seem as concerned as Parker was, not knowing his thoughts, hardly knowing what he saw. Everything was handled and there was no need to hold onto the past. “It’s already bought out and everything.”

Yet it was his next question that caused her smile to fall. It was that next question that lingered in the air, rested between them with hardly a response on her end. It was that next question that made her ponder just who, in fact, decided to buy out their tower at the last minute.

“Sooo… who were those guys that put that ugly ‘4’ on your old building?”

Chapter 199 – Strange Dawn

199

Equus

Ponyville, Equestria

Home of Princess Twilight Sparkle

6:59 a.m.

Slightly past the break of dawn, Twilight Sparkle woke up in her Castle of Friendship. It almost seemed surreal that she was gazing up to her old ceiling, resting in her old bed, awakening to the light of the rising sun that was so perfectly cascaded over her pillow where she rested her head. A light that flowed from the open window, that joined the soft melody of the chirping birds. Ponyville was awakening.

Moaning softly, Twilight shot her forelegs to the skies and stretched out the lingering weariness in her body. Her wings extended, slipping out from under the covers to touch each end of her bed. Falling back into the cushioning embrace of her pillow, Twilight’s eyes fluttered open as a soft and calming exhale escaped her breath. The warmth of the sun felt nice against her face, but it started to blind her. Twilight just smiled, pushing the blankets away and stepping on solid ground. Just another morning to the rest of her life.

With her wings slightly drooping tiredly by her sides, Twilight rubbed each eye with the tip of her hoof, yawning maybe once or twice as she stepped into a pair of slippers. Walking past her desk, Twilight paused and stepped back, gazing onto the frazzled mane and heavy bags under her eyes. She scoffed slightly, that tiny grin returning to her lips. She used her magic to levitate a hairbrush close to her, gently undoing the knots and tangles within her dark violet and bright pink mane.

It was a far cry from the lavish lifestyle of Canterlot she had grown used to the past five years. They treated her like a princess, waited at her every beck and call, and even tended to her mane, makeup, and royal regalia every single morning. The slightly distorted waves and curls were her mane. The wrinkles and bags and smile were her makeup. The slippers were her regalia. Somehow, that was the way Twilight Sparkle preferred it. Hiding nothing, and just living as herself. Sometimes that was all the Princess of Friendship needed. Laying the hairbrush back onto her desk, Twilight gave one last smirk to her reflection before turning away.

But not before the glimmer of the sun caught her attention. She dropped her eyes and stared at her Arc Reactor resting on her desk, the light of the morning sun shimmering across its surface.

Casting it a longing, wounded glance, Twilight nonetheless felt a sense of peace when she gazed to that gift. For it was something that signified a bond greater than any she had ever known with planet Earth. It gave her more of a reason to push on every single day, to know that her efforts, her friends’ efforts, and his efforts made it all worth it in the end. She was able to wake up to that same sun greeting her, watch the same sun rise on a grateful universe. That Arc Reactor, that gift, assured her that it was a grateful universe.

Twilight smiled to it. She couldn’t have been any more grateful.

Stepping out of the confines of her bedroom, Princess Twilight entered the long, towering, and winding hallways of her castle. It no longer felt dark and dreary after it was reconstructed. Instead, the morning sun shone heavily through the windows lining the walls, illuminating every turn and every corner under a healthy, yellow glow. Though she had eased herself into that warming embrace of her castle, Twilight’s mind was still waking up. She needed some coffee to kick-start her day.

Walking next to Starlight’s room, Twilight gently pushed the door open and peeked into the bedroom. Starlight was still asleep, snoring gently and facing away from Twilight’s curious gaze. The Alicorn smiled calmly to that sight, sending one more silent thank you to Starlight for taking care of her castle in the princess’ absence. She closed the door and proceeded further into the shimmering depths of the crystal halls.

Twilight stopped.

Turning to her left, her eyes rose up to the towering doors. Her cracked expression said it all, Twilight knowing what remained beyond the doors. Regardless, she pushed them open anyway with her magic, hearing the large entryways creak apart to unveil the grander, larger library of her castle. The downtrodden look in her eyes flowed with the elongated sigh leaving her lips. Though the sun shone well and comfortingly enough into the library, the books only continued to gather more dust. The Mirror Portal remained lifeless and barren, specks of that growing dust floating in the rays of sunshine in front of it. It felt so empty, so quiet, and so different.

She understood exactly why, but that didn’t make Twilight any less saddened by the fact. Her first gift from Tony Stark, from the Iron Man, was his Mark 45 armor. With that armor, Twilight was given the helpful hand of Friday, the AI embedded within the suit and tasked with aiding Twilight in all of her endeavors. The AI Friday—like many things—was gone. Her assistant and friend…

Twilight’s eyes fell.

Much was taken from them, from her. Friends were lost. The world moved on.

Things changed.

She left the library with its doors wide open.

Pressing forward, Twilight eventually came across the room she thought she would never stop by again, only if to relive more painful memories. The door was already slightly open, ensuring to her that someone occupied the room. It was no longer empty or abandoned. It was no longer a reminder of her failures. Instead, it was the silent proclamation of their victory, the end to their means of which made all of their sacrifices worth it.

Opening the door and stepping inside, Twilight sighed gently to see Spike sound asleep, curled up in his little bed and holding onto his Rarity doll. Approaching him quietly, the Alicorn stood on the edge of his makeshift nest. Her hoof rose and tenderly stroked his scales. Not enough to wake him up, but just enough for him to feel that assuring touch of his older sister. That loving smile gracing Twilight’s lips sunk down, kissing Spike’s forehead. He mumbled, his head lulling softly to the side, a smile slowly filling his own lips.

It felt like a dream. It felt like it shouldn’t have been real. The sun shining into Spike’s room, giving the ethereal glow to their surroundings, it just didn’t seem like any of it was the reality they had succeeded in achieving. But Twilight knew otherwise. She had assured herself that what they had done, where they had gone, and what they ended up with was the one chance out of the millions of others. It was the one where they did it. It was the one… where they won. Thanos tried to reshape the universe just for his idea of love. In his return, Thanos inadvertently tried to destroy love, but he failed. Spike was but one out of the many shining examples of what Thanos tried to take away. In the end, they were the ones who overcame.

In the end, love overcame death.

That was enough for her to find that strength, find that courage, and find that meaning to face whatever the next day offered, because Twilight knew that no challenge was too much for her or her friends. As long as they were together, as long as the magic of friendship lived on, then they would overcome. Smiling at that comforting and unshakeable thought, Twilight lifted her hoof away from Spike’s forehead and quietly exited his bedroom. She would let him sleep in. He deserved it.

Nothing more stood in her path. It was an empty journey to the kitchen, but one Twilight found solace and peace within. Once within its confines, Twilight levitated the appropriate ingredients over to the coffee maker. The morning sun shone gently into the kitchen, giving Twilight an even more graceful state of mind to her actions. The coffee mix and water were finally added, the heat applied and the subtle black drips entering the cup. Twilight brought forth a gallon of milk from the refrigerator. She always like to have a little bit of milk with her coffee; helped stem the bitterness.

And just as she started brewing, there was the subtle sound of knocks on her front door.

Darting her eyes to the direction of the castle’s entrance, Twilight furrowed her brow while still levitating the milk jug beside her. Regardless, she gave a weak sigh and placed the milk on the counter next to the coffee maker. Her hooves shuffled across the kitchen floor as she made her way out of the room, into the foyer, and directly in front of the entrance to her castle. Twilight hardly paid it any heed. It was probably just some mail, maybe Derpy delivering the Ponyville newspaper. It was actually perfect timing. Twilight like something to read while enjoying her coffee.

Only when she opened the doors, there was no mailmare. There was no newspaper resting on the steps to her castle doors. Curiously enough, all there was laying by her hooves was a blank business card. Twilight stared at the small, rectangular card, a brow rising and head tilting in bewilderment. She lifted her eyes and analyzed her surroundings.

The dirt roads leading to Ponyville were barren as the rest of the town was slowly starting to wake up. Nothing in the skies except the rising sunbeams and flying birds. Noting that, Twilight turned back to the card and levitated it out in front of her. Nothing on the front side. She flipped it.

Closing the castle doors behind her, Twilight was momentarily struck by the first words she saw bolded and enlarged upon the back of the card. At the top of the business card, the two words “READ ME” jumped out first and foremost. Beneath them, the rest of the card held what she was supposed to read. Twilight pushed her lips out inquisitively, eyes narrowing as the words came into focus.

“177A Bleecker Street. New York City, New York,” Twilight read to herself.

There was more.

Beneath it was a short mantra written in a mystical and somewhat alluring fashion. The words glowed a gentle gold in the light of the sun, reflecting from the face of the business card. Though the address had caught Twilight by surprise, the words beneath it earned her full attention. They flowed from her tongue in a way Twilight could not fully understand. But she read it anyway.

“By the mystical winds of Farallah, I implore ye… grant me passage into thy sanctuary.”

And almost instantaneously, the floor beneath her shimmered an otherworldly gold. It shimmered bright and cried in an ancient pulse of energy, circling the Alicorn in a ring of light. Twilight nearly dropped the business card, gasping and holding her breath as she spun around and observed the golden ring surrounding her. Lines were engraved within the circle, reaching her hooves and uniting in the ring’s heart. Twilight’s eyes shot open and refused to close.

She didn’t even have time to scream when the floor beneath her simply vanished.

A second later, Twilight impacted the ground and felt solid floor beneath her once again. She was slow and steady to rise again, her forelegs trembling as a weak groan left her. Turning about, Twilight noticed the sudden change of atmosphere and lighting. She was no longer within the foyer of her Castle of Friendship. The sun did not shine nor could it ever have hoped to. Instead, she was greeted to a room covered in shadows. Several glass cases and bookshelves filled the room, a staircase leading downwards in front of her and a slew of mystical items scattered about.

“What the…?” Twilight said aloud, curiosity striking her tongue. “Where… where am I?”

“The Sanctum Sanctorum.”

The voice nearly caused her to flinch, yet the familiarity of it instead brought Twilight’s attention behind her. It was there did she find the rays of the sunshine once more, breaking through the window carved into an ancient and spiritual insignia. Under that heavenly glow, Twilight’s eyes widened to the sight of the hovering cloak, of the dark figure, and of the rising eyes of none other than Doctor Strange.

“Stephen,” Twilight said, her voice caught between a greeting and confusion. She took one step forward, closer to the light, the shadow, and towards Strange. She asked, “What’s going on? Why am I here?”

He sat cross-legged in front of her, floating with aid of the Cloak of Levitation. His eyes told of an uncertain path, yet strengthened by the will and decision of a greater man overcoming his demons. Meeting her eyes, Doctor Strange said, “You’ve grown so incredibly strong on your journey, princess. You’re finally ready.”

Breathless, Twilight tilted her head. “Ready for what?” she asked so very quietly.

All it took was flick of his trembling, scar-laced fingers. In that wrinkle in time, in the twinkle of an eye, the world around her completely changed, leaving Twilight Sparkle captivated under it all. Stephen proceeded to levitate multiple books from their shelves, waving his hands in a way that made the books encircle the young Alicorn princess. With another flick of his wrist, each book opened and unveiled the otherworldly spells and incantations in a flushing display of Eldritch Magic.

It was absolutely surreal what she was witnessing. Waves of light and power flowed free from each book, displaying the limitless expanse and the endless possibilities that remained in that glimmering eternal space. Entire galaxies, solar systems, dying stars and reborn cosmic anomalies radiated all around her, and it only went deeper. Fragments of a larger universe were illuminated before her very eyes, enrapturing Twilight and leaving her stunned. Utterly transformed. It only grew larger and larger. Until the very magic of the multiverse was flying over her head.

And Twilight gazed to it all, the lights exploding in her wide, wild eyes.

“Twilight Sparkle… welcome to a bigger multiverse.”

She stared back at him, didn’t even say a word. She couldn’t.

She just couldn't.

Doctor Strange smirked. “Let’s get started.”

Author's Note

Chapter 200

The doors opened and the young man took his leave, thus allowing the old man to watch him take those next steps that would undoubtedly lead to the rest of his life.

With one last wave, JD entered his vehicle with backpack and proper supplies in tow. The old man waved back. The car door shut, the vehicle revving its engines as the headlights spurred to life and illuminated the massive driveway. As the car backed up, the old man kept his weary but experienced eyes trained on the vehicle and the driver behind the wheel. It slipped into the street, giving one more pause before driving off into the night.

Until all was quiet, until the darkness settled over all his world, Stan Lee patted his doorframe and returned to the inner confines of his humble abode.

He had grown meticulously more cautious with each step onward. He wasn’t as sprite as he used to be, and it showed with each slow footfall down the towering hallways. Retirement came well and it came with its perks. Even then, even if he didn’t have to, Stan always liked to inspire the next generation of brilliant and imaginative minds out there. Like the young man who always visited, who showed just as much energy and hopefulness for storytelling as Stan once did in his youth. He had no doubt the kid would show just as much enthusiasm with his peers. And then, maybe if they were lucky, they would find that spark to create even more stories amongst themselves, continue the legacy that Stan didn’t have the strength for any longer. Not just JD, but all of them.

They would all tell their own stories, live their own lives, and begin new legacies. That’s all Stan really wanted anyway.

Stan stumbled throughout the dark halls of his home, gazing to the walls mounted with pictures, memorabilia, and rewards of a past life filled the magic unlike any other. His cautious hand rose up and caressed those pictures, comic books framed well and showcasing his work throughout the ages. And with the many, many people he worked with over those years, they had crafted and managed to leave behind a story unlike any other. Stan took in a deep breath and sighed, that saddened but warm smile on his lips being more than enough to ease his tiring spirit.

He was so very tired.

By the time he entered his office again, he hardly even noticed who was waiting for him.

“We’ve been expecting you, Mr. Lee.”

Turning to the voice, Stan instantly caught the dark figure hiding in his own shadows, the light of the fireplace bright and welcoming behind him. He was concealed by the dark, the brightened outline of his figure showcasing a man sitting in a large, leather chair. He rolled his wrist and clinked the ice cubes in his glass of scotch, raising the glass to his lips. The mask he wore prevented the scotch from entering his mouth and instead painted his chest in the liquid. Stan raised a brow at that.

Crossing his legs over one another, the suit he wore cried out in protest, but he hardly cared. He tossed the glass of scotch aside and let it crash against the floor, turning back to Stan with that unreadable face. It was hard for Stan to decipher just who was hiding in the shadows. The image was difficult, but the voice was not.

It all clicked after he said, “We’ve just become part of a bigger super-duper universe… we just don’t know it yet.”

After putting the pieces together, Stan Lee smiled. “Oh, is that right?”

The figure kind of nodded. Kind of didn’t. Somewhere in-between. He said, “Well, I know it, but that’s beside the point. Gotta drum up some tense final teaser. Already got the best parts; mysterious figure cloaked in the shadows, coming into the light and telling the hero the end is just the beginning. Classic sequel bait, you know, marketability and all that. BUT… we can’t do this alone.”

Rising up from the leather chair, the man stepped forward and fully entered the light of Stan’s office. Just as Lee expected, he wore that familiar red and black outfit covering him like slip-on onesie pajamas. From his trusty utility belt, katanas on his back, and a pair of 50 cal. Desert Eagles resting in their holsters, Stan could already tell he hadn’t arrived for old times’ sake. He was gearing up for a mission, for a business trip, or for a journey unlike any other. Anything seemed possible when it was him behind the wheel.

Narrowing the white orbs on his face, the man behind the mask stepped forward and raised his blackened glove. He pointed directly at Stan, approaching him steadily while he uttered, “You get that greased weasel back over here and we’ll get started on the next—”

To his surprise, Stan just raised his palm. And that was enough to cease his approach, to drop his finger, and to lose his voice.

“I think it’d be best if we slow down a bit, Wade. Take a break,” Stan Lee explained. Behind those large-rimmed, dark shades, there was tiny glint that told him all he needed to know, and all he didn’t want to hear. A glint of assurance, of wisdom… and magic. Stan smiled. “And maybe just… let the story pass on to another.”

Though he was mildly disappointed, Wade couldn’t really find a reason to argue. There was no point in arguing with brilliance. He dropped his white eyes, nodding weakly.

“Yeah, that sounds good, too,” he said. He suddenly got a spike of energy, pointing back at Stan with renowned vigor and hopefulness. “But it ain’t really a story without you! All you have to do is show up for the cameo anyway! Come on! And maybe I’ll whip us up a couple of chimichangas for your thoughts.”

Wade was relieved to see that curious but rising smirk for Stan’s response.

It just got better when he said, “You read my mind.”

Sighing, Wade met Stan’s smirk and nodded. “We’re one in the same, you know that?”

“Not even close.”

“Pretty please?”

“Try harder.”

“I’ll be your best friend?”

“I said harder.”

“I can do this all day.”

“You’re not gonna leave, are you?”

“I locked the front and back doors when you weren’t looking.”

Stan Lee breathed out a chuckle at that, his rising smile unable to be hidden. As for Wade, he just started to get more and more giddy inside to see Stan’s reaction. Was he trying too hard? Maybe, but that was the fun part of it; you could never really try hard enough. It was all for fun anyhow. It was all to make a story out of something ridiculous and make it even more so, to bring the epic forces of superheroes and villains into a world of multicolored, magical ponies. It was all for fun, and he couldn’t wait to get started.

After all, the end was just the beginning.

Wrapping his arm over Stan Lee’s shoulders, Deadpool led the creator off to the kitchen to start working on those chimichangas.

“Come on, you beautiful old bastard. Time to make some sparkly friendship magic into reality.”

He closed the doors to the office, locking the world away.

Until next time.

And Discord, stretched out on the couch, held the comic book in his hands. The one that read “Infinity Era” on it. He gave it a longing look, a warm smile, and chuckled softly. Only after did he lift his eyes to the fire. Only after did he turn to the office walls, the bookshelves, and face an entire world of stories told and untold, as well as the people who would write and read them. It all looked back.

With a final, knowing smirk, Discord winked and closed the book.

THE END

Author's Note

End Credits by Biohazarddallas: Infinity Era Credits

And with that, we reach another end to another journey. Never imagined it would have turned out this massive, but regardless, thank you one and all for sticking with this story from beginning to end. Whether you loved or hated my story or fell somewhere in-between, I appreciate you giving it a shot nonetheless! Never would have made it this far with this large of a fanfic had it not been for all of you reading, commenting, and showing your support! You helped bring this story into new heights. You helped me make this story the best I could've made it. With that, I truly thank all of you.

BUT... the story ain't over yet! Be on the lookout for some stories from FolkloreBrony and Sense of Humor. They may just be continuing this universe. :raritywink: So, yeah, follow them, check out their work, and get ready for the next adventure!

Thank you all once again for reading! Don't know if I'll ever make another fic this big again, or if I'll ever make another MLP fic in general. Regardless, I'll be sticking around. MLP still has a future ahead of it, and I can't wait to see how the fandom evolves with it. God bless, and I'll hopefully see you all next time!

Chapter 1

PART I

It was an unnaturally cold summer night. The wind was rough, hard, pushed against the trees until their tips were pressed to the earth. The moon was no more, either hidden behind the heavy storm clouds or simply… gone. Princess Celestia contemplated these thoughts as she practically pushed herself up the grassy hill.

The grass danced beneath her hooves, the wind pushing both it and herself, practically forcing her down the hill. But Celestia was determined. She had faced far greater winds and obstacles in her youth—and even more so in recent years—so a simple storm would not push her down. When she finally reached the top of the hill, however, she soon realized it was no simple storm.

Yes, there was lightning, shades of white, purple, and… red striking across the heavens. The thunder was there as well, but it seemed different. Unnatural, as Celestia had thought of earlier. Even the storm clouds moved in a way that didn’t seem to be nature’s graceful hand at word. They swirled over mountains, covered the landscapes afar. They moved like… serpents. Even the lightning moved in a way that Celestia couldn’t comprehend, following the clouds, striking the mountaintops and the earth below.

And the storm filled the land of Equestria, consuming the south and moving north towards Ponyville and Princess Twilight’s castle. Celestia could only watch, her eyes growing wider and surprisingly more horrified the longer she stared into those hellish clouds moving swiftly across the sky. Another bolt of blood red lightning, the low growl of thunder following shortly.

Wait.

… Growl?

The earth trembled, prompting Celestia’s gaze to the east. The clouds engulfed all the earth in the direction she stared, but in that quick flash of red and purple lightning, she saw something. Something within the storm, behind the mountains. Something that moved and slithered with an unnatural speed, joining the unnatural phenomenon several miles before her.

It looked like a serpent, just like the clouds.

Another flash of red.

No. Not a serpent.

A tail.

It separated the clouds, breaking the storm with just one slash. And then it retreated within the darkness, slithering into black. Princess Celestia could feel a familiar coldness, not one from the elements of nature, but one from within. From the deepest remnants of her heart that she dared not to think back to. The wind pushed against her, silencing her horrified gasps of air. Her glossy eyes tried to follow the tail despite her heart telling her otherwise. She eventually returned straight ahead, right to the heart of it all.

The storm glowed bright red, like a newborn star. A second sun. It nearly reached Ponyville when the thunder came back, shaking the foundation of Equestria and making Celestia stumble. Nearly fall down. But she stood her ground, forced herself to stare into the mixture of light and dark and witness what her heart didn’t want to believe.

Several bolts of lightning shot across the sky, right over the clouds, right across the massive serpent’s head and the six others that trailed behind it. The beast, with eyes a hellish red, stared right at the Princess of the Sun. And it screamed. All seven of them screamed.

Celestia woke up in a cold sweat. A natural cold sweat. There was no screaming, certainly not from her, but even from the dream. It tried to come back, but it faded shortly, Celestia simply staring at the wall at the end of the room until total silence settled in.

It eventually did, and she silently thanked it for that.

Celestia moved the bed sheets off from her sweating form. She didn’t bother with her magic. The dream, miraculously, managed to make her a tad wearier than when she drew in that night. Then again, she was still finding trouble in declaring it… a dream. Most of her dreams were pleasant, many of which consisted of her, her friends, her sister, her family long gone, and many things she wished she could do when spending her time not running a country.

It was very rare for Celestia to have a nightmare. The last time she did, Lord Tirek returned from Tartarus. Then again, that wasn’t necessarily a nightmare.

Such thoughts rebounded throughout her mind as she pushed her balcony doors aside. Instantly, a fresh wave of cool summer air hit her in the face, eliciting a dream-like sigh from the princess. She closed her eyes and stepped forward, the air cooling the burning sweat drenched on her coat. She almost shivered, and let herself eventually do so. The cool air was welcome despite its temperature. At least it was natural.

When she opened her eyes, she gazed onto the railing lining the edge of the balcony. Her sister’s full moon shined brightly in the night sky, encasing the balcony, Celestia herself, and all of Canterlot in its ghostly white glow. Celestia sighed again, another of relief to see her sister’s moon moving ever so slowly across the starry night. Hardly any clouds, as well. It was gorgeous.

Princess Celestia laid her bare hoof on the cold railing, gazing to the quiet city below. Very few lanterns remained lit, not a pony in the streets. Not a soul awake. It must have been fairly early in the morning, far too early for Celestia to awake and raise the morning sun. Still, a shivering dread caught her by the back of the neck, informing her of what awaited the realm of dreams if she decided to turn in once more.

She thought back to the dream, to the nightmare. The storm clouds that consumed nearly half of Equestria were barely there. The lightning had no color. It was surely fading, but still there. Especially the sounds. Especially the screams. Celestia closed her eyes and waited.

“Dear sister… what troubles you at this hour?”

Right on cue. Slowly opening her eyes, Celestia gazed at the full moon. She heard the flapping of the wings and the gentle sound of hooves upon marble, slowly approaching behind her. Yet Celestia did not turn to meet her sister. She strangely spoke straight forward, straight toward the moon. Just like she used to.

“I saw something, Luna,” Celestia muttered, causing the sounds of hooves behind her to halt. The princess continued to gaze at the moon, her eyes falling to the south and beyond. “Something I… we would rather forget.”

Princess Luna’s face grew pale, even more pale than her moon’s glow against her face. She didn’t need to delve further into Celestia’s voice to know that her nightmare had managed to shake her. Although Luna did not participate, she witnessed it just the same. The fiery storm, the tail that ripped apart the heavens, and the seven deadly heads she prayed she would never see… again.

“I have… noticed,” Luna admitted, wings curling tighter to her sides. It wasn’t the cold of the night that caused such an action. She approached her sister’s right side, staring at her. “What do you suppose it is, dear sister? A dream… or a vision?”

Celestia didn’t even look at her. Just at the moon and her kingdom. “I… do not know.”

Luna wished for the former, dreaded the latter. Tightening her jaw, she stared at her kingdom along with her older sibling, sighing through her nostrils. “We must be ready for anything,” she commented.

“Luna… I fear it is far worse than that.”

Twisting her head left, Luna stared at Celestia quizzically. She asked, “Why is that, sister?”

She didn’t turn to meet her gaze. Instead, she continued to stare with those blank eyes towards the world beyond their borders. Though Luna didn’t see it, Celestia could see fire in the storms, blood in the thunder and rain.

She blinked.

“I fear we are already too late.”

“Do not say such things,” Luna intervened with a frown, turning fully to her sister. “It is never—”

“Sister, don’t you see it?” Celestia interrupted, silencing Luna for the moment. Her glossy eyes continued to stare straight ahead, not turning away. Almost burning. Almost crying. “The Gates of Tartarus were destroyed, unleashing the beasts and demons who have chosen the path of sin and death upon our world…”

She wanted to say more, but Luna cut her off. “And we have shown them that this world is not theirs for the taking,” she said, sighing at her harsh tone. “Rest easy, sister. He was defeated and tortured for more than a millennium, longer than I have been imprisoned myself. It would not be possible for him to rise again.”

“I understand that,” Celestia said, still staring nowhere. “But I can’t shake off this feeling of… dread. Hopelessness. I froze, Luna.”

Luna waited. She didn’t interrupt. She didn’t want to. She needed to hear what her sister would say, perhaps shed more light on the already dark vision.

“When I stared at that storm… I froze.” Celestia’s voice began to trail away, become frailer with each passing second. Even the cool, weak wind was stronger than her tone. “Those eyes that… I prayed I would never see again. I do not wish to rest knowing they await me.”

Several seconds passed and not another word. Luna sighed, finding no point in digging deeper into what was surely troubling for her sister. “The feeling is mutual,” she simply admitted. Celestia didn’t turn. When Luna laid her hoof on her sister’s shoulder, that’s when she finally broke away from her trance. “If it pleases you, I could guarantee a happier, healthier dream for you tonight, sister.”

Celestia finally turned away from the world and rested her eyes against her sister’s. They both smiled to one another, Celestia dipping her head down to nuzzle against her sister’s neck. It was warm, comforting, far more than the coolness of the summer night. Celestia longed for moments such as theirs, to be in each other’s presence, knowing they were safe as long as they were together. She really wanted to believe in that.

She really did.

“Thank you, Luna. I always find peace knowing you are once again by my side.”

Luna chuckled warmly, breaking away the same moment Celestia had. “And you will find peace the rest of the day… which should start in a couple more hours.” Another chuckle, this time shared by both of them. Luna turned away and spread her wings, ready to take off for the rest of the night. “Tomorrow is the day after all. The day your old student returns from her journey on another world.”

“Another dimension,” Celestia corrected, finally turning back towards her room and where Luna stood.

The Princess of the Night paused, then chuckled. “Our lives have become very strange, Celestia.”

Another weak fit of laughter between them, and Luna was gone, determined to tend to ponies in their slumber. Celestia’s warm smile melted away into nothing, leaving a cold, cold stare in her eyes. She turned away from her room and back towards the world. The night sky shimmered, the moon glowed a bright white, and sounds of the night cried in a conjoined symphony of crickets and whistling wind. All of which Celestia didn’t see nor hear.

Celestia stared toward the south and saw clear skies for miles and miles. She gripped the railing with both hooves, still hearing the seven screams. “Hopefully nothing worse than that.”

Author's Note

"There was an idea..."

Chapter 9 – When Worlds Collide

Low Earth Orbit

ISS Control

In the Eyes of Commander Randy Bresnik

Home never looked so gorgeous, Randy thought. In the weightlessness of the black void, Commander Randy Bresnik gently caressed the side of the solar panel, his other hand gripping one of his repair tools. His eyes, however, were somewhere else. Despite his face hidden behind the black visor of his space helmet, he could tell his team knew he had the biggest damn smile on his face.

It was routine maintenance. Nothing fantastic. Randy didn’t mind taking the reins every now and again. In fact, he loved it, because it gave him an excuse to gaze at home. Planet Earth. God, she never looked so gorgeous. He always said that, but damn it all she always did. In the corner of his eye, he could see his buddy Joe Acaba working on the other end of the ISS, tool in hand, facing away from home, probably doing more work than he was.

As Randy turned to Joe, he twisted his body and felt himself turn right. He made sure to grip the edge of the solar panel to stop himself, but then he gazed. Out into the wild black yonder. The glare of the sun was strong, but his visor kept his eyesight safe. As he turned his eyes away from the light, he gazed into the black. Millions upon millions of lights dotted the blackness, crafting a portrait so breathtakingly beautiful he could have wished others back home could have seen it. He always loved stargazing.

“ISS Control, this is Houston Command. Do you copy? Over.”

Back to work. Randy mentally sighed, pulling himself back towards the solar panel.

“Roger, Houston. This is Commander Bresnik reading you loud and clear. Over,” Randy replied, watching as his fellow astronaut—or cosmonaut, considering his nationality—and good friend Alexander Misurkin crawled across the ISS, carrying tools. Probably for Joe.

Houston replied almost instantly. “ISS Control, we are getting some strange readings near your vicinity. Take a quick sweep towards the eastern side of the Earth. Over.”

“You got this one, Randy?” Paolo Nespoli’s voice asked through the comms.

Randy kept a strong grip on the solar panel, turning himself over to the right. “Yeah, yeah. Hold on,” he replied, his visor facing the far east side of the Earth. Other than seeing the brightness of the sun shimmer against the edge of the hemisphere and the shining lights from the darker areas farther west, there was nothing that appeared strange.

“Uh, negative, Houston,” Randy said, still gripping the solar panel and gazing to the world. “No external forces that we can see. Maybe you got some solar flares?”

“We are unsure at this time, Commander Bresnik. Keep your eyes to home. Over.”

You read my mind, Randy thought. He brought himself back to the solar panel and watched his team work below. Both Joe Acaba and Alexander Misurkin were crawling down the solar panel they were working on, both turning themselves backwards to stare at the Earth.

Joe pointed forward with his free hand, saying, “Hey, I got nothin’ near the Western Hemisphere.”

“Same for the south and north. What say you, Randy?” Alexander asked, turning his visor up to the astronaut working on the last solar panel.

He wasn’t working on it. At least not anymore. Just like the others, he constantly scanned the Earth to find some sort obstruction, some form of odd occurrence. Yet there was nothing. The comms were silent for almost a minute before Randy finally replied.

“I don’t—”

“ISS Control, there are severe spikes in gravitational instability in your vicinity. Our readings show the ISS is in stable orbit; is that correct?”

Randy didn’t need any confirmation to know that. The ISS had been stable ever since, and there wasn’t any form of disturbance and no words of warning from inside to tell him that something was wrong. “Roger, Houston. The ISS is stable. I don’t know what to tell ya.”

“Looking into it, ISS Control. Keep those eyes peeled. We may have a problem here.”

The grave tone Houston Command gave didn’t calm Randy’s growing anxiety about the current situation. That anxiety was starting to grow the longer he tried to search for the disturbance Houston may have found, yet there was still nothing that he could see. That anxiety started to send shock waves across his skin beneath his suit, causing a very unnatural chill to race up and down his spine.

“You feelin’ that?” Joe asked, gazing at his palm and arm.

Alex turned to him, nodding. Or tried to. He moved forwards and backwards, but still said, “I thought I was the only one.”

“What do you see out there, Commander?” Mark Vande Hei said from within the ISS.

Nothing. Randy saw absolutely nothing. It could have been a solar flare, but they would have been informed earlier if that was so. Feeling the need to tell Houston something of interest, Randy kept his eyes on Earth, saying into his comms, “Houston Command, uh, about those strange readings you mentioned earlier… Uh, we’re starting to—”

Then he felt it. It felt like a tug at first, then it tried to pry him right off the solar panel. Randy reared forward, abandoning his tools and holding onto the solar panel for dear life. He saw below as Joe and Alex were almost pulled back themselves, but they found a grip somewhere against the hull on the ISS. Finding a steady grip himself with one arm, Randy turned himself backwards, trying to catch what caused the strong gravitational pull that he felt.

He saw it. He almost couldn’t believe it.

“What the hell?!”

They all saw it.

It was almost unreal, but it was there just as clearly as Randy saw the world and the stars in the void. It was almost like a tear in the sky. That was the best he could put it. Then it grew, holding a bright blue aura around its edges and forming a massive orb. It grew so gargantuan that Randy couldn’t even see where it began and where it ended any longer. Within the orb it created, something emerged. Almost like it was pushed or pulled forward, out of the darkness came something that made Randy’s heart plummet.

“ISS Control, what is going on out there?!” Houston Command screamed, the comms fizzling out.

Static was their response, but they managed to catch Mark Vande Hei scream, “Oh, my God! Oh, my God!”

“ISS Con—!”

Communications to Houston were instantly cut when the massive object came fully into view.

“Houston?” Randy asked, voice heavy and breathless. The front of his helmet quickly began to fog up from his continued breaths. “Houston!” he screamed, spittle hitting his mask.

“Randy, get back inside!” Cosmonaut Sergey Ryanzansky shouted on their shared comms unit.

He felt the panel lurch forward towards the massive object escaping the vortex, now clearly the source of the gravitational pull he and his team felt earlier. Randy reached back and gripped onto it with all the strength he could muster, gasping for air almost like he couldn’t breathe.

“ISS has broken orbit!” Paolo Nespoli screamed. “We’re being sucked into the planet!”

The planet.

“Randy, get out of there!” Joe exclaimed, waving up to his fellow astronaut from below, where he and Alex barely held on.

The planet. Not Earth.

Commander Bresnik didn’t answer. As he gripped onto the solar panel, his eyes were forced away from the approaching celestial body and turned towards the far Western Hemisphere. Beyond Earth. He reached up to his helmet, slowly but surely raising his visor with a shaking glove. His expression said it all. Complete and utter shock, suddenly filled with unhinged terror. His eyes continued to grow.

“Randy!”

Another tear in space appeared, this one far from Earth, but near something else. Randy could only watch as a second celestial body was practically pulled out of the shimmering black and blue vortex. It slowly moved forward, onward, closer and closer like time itself slowed down. He couldn’t even breathe when that celestial body impacted the Moon.

His body was on fire. All of his communications were fried. As he watched the ISS get torn apart and free fall to the planet above them, the last thing he saw were chunks of the moons scatter from their collision, each piece moving towards Earth very, very slowly.

And then he closed his eyes and burned, as he and his crew fell to the new world.

Chapter 26 – The Curse of Knoweldge

Earth

Upstate New York, USA

New Avengers Facility

5:22 p.m.

The moment Vision stepped into the New Avengers Facility, he could already tell how the discussion was going to start. Hardly any greetings, followed by ominous reports from the blaring television, and finally Tony Stark breaking down the situation piece by piece.

He was close. Fairly spot-on. Harold “Happy” Hogan led him through the halls, into the living room, and let him figure out the rest. The Vision stopped where he was, gazing onto the scenery he stepped into. The large television was on, spilling news from around the globe of the alien invaders. They attacked cities, military bases, sunk fleets in the Atlantic and Pacific, completely crippling the fighting force of the human population. The news, the world, screamed out.

“News of the Russian army falling back to Moscow! Berlin has already fallen!”

“The Israeli army is managing to hold off the invading forces. No word on how long they’ll last.”

While the TV blared, the Vision noticed the occupants in the living room. Happy walked over and stood by Colonel James Rhodes. The man offered him a short greeting with nod, Happy responding with one of his own. He turned down the volume on the television, dropping the remote and turning towards his right. Happy nodded once to Virginia Potts.

Pepper, for short.

The television could be heard in the background, the President of the United States giving his address to the nation and to the world. “My fellow Americans…”

She, too, offered a short nod, finally turning her concerned and somewhat fearful gaze away from the television and onto the only other man in the room. The man of the hour. The leader of the Avengers. The genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, and many, many more…

Tony Stark had never looked more on edge.

“I can’t explain, nor can many understand what’s happened. But we will not surrender.”

He wore what appeared to be a dark silver and orange jacket. He stood near the corner of the room, facing it, completely disregarding everyone else present. He tried not to look out the window, nor towards the television. They all revealed too much of what has happening outside their walls. He couldn’t focus too much on the horrible events, lest he get another migraine. Stark needed to start small, like he always used to. Build from there.

“Even without the Avengers, we will not falter. We are working closely with our allies to fight back against this invasion. We will not die today!”

His age was showing, the wrinkles on his face and under his eyes heavy. Covering his stubble, mustache, and goatee with a shaking palm, Tony heard only the distant sound of the television, of the people informing the world of what was happening. The death toll had already come in, already in the hundreds of thousands. God, Tony hated hearing that. The U.S. President just gave a brave speech not too long ago, all meaningless words that were used to ease the public and not cause even more madness.

“God bless America… and God be with us all.”

Stark knew better. It would only get worse from there on out. Every news station on the planet kept talking about the Avengers. The President talked about the Avengers. The whole world did. Where were they? Why aren’t they coming? Where are the Avengers?

They would always ask the same questions. The same questions Stark kept hearing in his head.

“Tony…”

The voices stopped, Stark spinning his neck to see Happy nod to the right of the room.

He said, “Vision’s here.”

“Oh, good. Vision, you managed to make it,” Tony stated, turning fully around to the android. When he did, Vision could see the Arc Reactor on his chest, between the flaps of his jacket, glowing a bright blue. Stark stepped closer to Vision, analyzing him for a moment before nodding and retreating towards the couches, where everyone else stood. “Now we can get started.”

Cracking his knuckles, Stark stared to what he called his team. There was Happy, one of his closest friends and personal pilot for the time being. He stood in a well-tailored suit and tie, waiting with his mouth agape for what Stark had to say. Then there were James Rhodes and Vision, one of which being his best friend and fellow Avenger. James stood well in his exoskeleton suit attached to his legs and torso, still holding well after all these years. He seemed to be getting his strength back. Then there was Vision, fellow Avenger who had left to God knows where to be with everyone knew who. Stark was a bit disappointed to know that Wanda wasn’t with him. They could have really used her help. Tony could have really used her help.

Then… there was Pepper.

Unofficial member of the team, more so Stark’s closest ally and wife-to-be. She stood with her arms crossed, blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing a silver jacket similar to Stark’s, but holding no Arc Reactor nor anything hidden between the fabric. Just a jacket. Just a frown on her face. Stark didn’t stare at her long, returning his gaze to the rest of the team. Whatever he could call a team. They weren’t much.

But they were all he had.

He began by slapping his hands together. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat it. The Chitauri are back, bigger than any of us could have ever imagined… Well, almost all of us.”

Seeing to stare off into space for a second, Stark blinked and moved around the living room. “Adding that to our plate, we still have an alien planet right above our heads,” Stark mentioned, pointing upwards towards the ceiling. Before he could continue, he paused, froze his movements, and stared at the Vision.

“Which planet would it be?” Vision asked.

“That’s just the thing… I got no clue,” Stark admitted. Ignoring everyone’s bemused expressions, he approached Vision, hands pressed together, centering Vision’s way. “I was hoping… you could offer us some insight.”

The Vision’s cape rested gently on his back, barely touching the floor. His robotic eyes fell to the floor, his red skin furrowing at the thought building in his mind ever since he first saw the alien world on an early morning in Scotland. Back where he didn’t have to worry about much… except what Wanda would like for breakfast in the morning. Or what restaurant they would prefer to dine at. Or…

“The world is alien,” Vision began to interrupt his own thoughts, earning an eye-roll from Stark. That much they already knew. “But… not so much, if I am to believe it. This second planet holds several similar traits to that of Earth. It has vast oceans, healthy landscapes, clouds that could provide moisture. Gentlemen… and my lady… this second world may just hold life.”

“Alien life,” James said, letting that thought sink in the living room. He shook his head, hands resting on the couch’s back in front of him. “We already got another form of that trying to destroy us. Is it the planet the Chitauri come from?”

“No,” Vision replied. “The Chitauri arrived from a vast portal above orbit.”

“Similar to New York,” Pepper whispered.

“Means they got hold of the Tesseract,” James said with a nod, a grim silence settling in. “Tony… what say you?”

He, as well as everyone else, slowly turned their heads over to Stark. He stood with his back turned, frozen once more in the little path he started when circling the couches. His hands rose up to rest on his hips, and when Stark finally answered after several seconds of dead stillness, he still didn’t look at them. Not at first.

Tony said, “You know, I saw this coming, Rhodes. I knew it was coming… and I still failed to do something to prevent it…”

He spun around, stared into each of their eyes, found a connection of some sort with each of them. “That’s why I made Ultron, to prevent… this from happening,” he exclaimed, jabbing his finger at the television, live footage from Russia showing a Chitauri Command Center descending upon a helpless city, the Russian army firing madly into the air. “It’s all coming true; just like I saw it.”

“Saw what?” Pepper asked, slowly lifting her gaze away from the carpet.

Stark couldn’t even meet it. He tried not to, turning around to stare at the glass window. “It’s what I’ve been fearing for three years, six if you count New York. Damn it, I saw them. These aliens, these… Chitauri… unleashing their full armada on a defenseless Earth. It’s all coming true.”

His voice broke after that, Stark spinning back and retreating towards the couch. He sat down and fell apart. Pepper rested her hands on his shoulders, gently squeezing them, assuring him of her presence. All he could so was bring up his hand and rest it upon hers. At least, physically. His mind was still processing the images and the vision he saw back when the Maximoff tortured his mind in Sokovia.

And Stark said, “Well, not all of it.”

“What else did you see?” Vision asked, taking a step closer.

Stark didn’t look at him. His own shell-shocked expression was facing forward, to the opposite couch with no one sitting on it. Even his voice seemed oddly distant. “The Avengers… pretty much all dead. Just me left.”

“Jesus,” Rhodes began, stepping back. His exoskeleton responded to his movements, allowing him to move across the room. He rubbed his face, turned to Stark and asked, “What do you suppose we do?”

Tony felt Pepper’s hands massage his shoulders, keeping him steady. He muttered, “Well, the U.S. government is pretty much dealing with the end of the world as of now… so they wouldn’t mind if we took some liberties into our own hands.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Stark?” the Vision asked.

What did he mean? Stark kept trying to figure that part out. The answer was there, but he still couldn’t believe he was actually considering doing it. Like it mattered anyway. He kept his distance from the government ever since the Accords, did everything in his power to have more of a normal life, and still… found himself coming back to it. To old scars. Wounds that were meant to heal.

With their situation, with what was happening with the world, some wounds just had to be treated faster.

“I’m saying we get Steve Rogers on the line,” Stark answered. The Vision dropped his gaze at the response, frowning at the thought of the circumstances he left Wanda in. “He said if I needed him for anything… that he’ll be here. Him and his team. We get the band back together, we come up with a plan, and…”

“We fight this impossible war?” Rhodes asked.

It took a moment to let that thought settle in, but Stark eventually nodded. “Yeah,” Tony said, pulling out the black flip phone that Rogers had mailed to him. He always kept it in his back pocket. Always. “We fight an impossible war.”

As he did so, he could feel Pepper’s hands fall away from him, clearly at his answer. Tony felt that, but still he stood up and called the number, listening to the ring. He strode across the living room for several seconds, James stepping up to him and telling him otherwise. Tony tried to listen, the ring in one ear and Rhodes’ voice in the other.

“Tony, listen to me, even if we manage to get the Avengers back together, we stand as a speck to the size of whatever army the Chitauri brought with them. You can… nuke as many alien warships as you can, Tony, but the fallout from all of this, the fact that these aliens are on our doorstep has completely changed the game.”

Stark stopped. He brought the phone in front of him, stared at the blank screen.

“What?” James asked.

Tony didn’t look at him, still staring at the phone. “Nothing.”

“It’s not nothing, Tony,” Rhodes replied, a much more agitated tone following. “Tell me what’s going o—!”

“No, it’s… literally nothing,” Stark said, interrupting James and silencing him in the process. He gripped the phone even tighter, turning to everyone in the room. He said, “Steve didn’t pick up. No response. Nothing.”

He tried again. Multiple times even. The answer was always the same. It was always nothing. No answer. Everyone could see him becoming more and more tense with each call, his exasperated breaths much harder and deliberate with each failed call. Until finally, he slowly, very shakily, closed the phone.

“Tony,” Happy began, taking a step forward. “Are you all right?”

Stark suddenly whirled towards him, a wild expression in his eyes. They were filled with a newfound fear, one Happy hadn’t seen from Stark in years. “Change of plans,” Tony said, his voice ripe with adrenaline. He strode across the room, saying, “Happy, get Pepper to the safehouse, just like we planned.”

“What?” Pepper objected. She pointed at him, even as he walked past her and focused on nothing ahead. “No, Tony, I am not letting you go out there to get yourself killed!”

“After you get to the safehouse, await further instructions.”

“Got it,” Happy said, reaching for Potts. That, unfortunately for him, was a mistake.

She smacked his hand away from reaching her arm. As he leaned back, a confused and somewhat hurt expression on his face, he could see the fury on her face, her finger rising up to him. And she hissed, “Happy… step back.”

He nodded and said, “Got it.”

With that dealt with, Pepper returned back to Tony, whose back was still faced towards them. She closed the distance he tried to build between them, separated the barrier he put between his face and hers as she stepped in front of him, her lips whispering close to his ear.

And she told him, “Tony, you promised that nothing else would distract us. Together to the end, that’s what we promised each other, remember? If you go out there, I don’t know when you’ll be back. Because I know you’ll always keep lying… keep trying to tell me that you’re protecting me when you’re just trying to play the hero.”

“I am not a hero,” Tony whispered back, much harsher than he intended.

Watching her expression shift from anger to concern, he watched Pepper nod, her lips pursing in thought. “You’re trying to do what’s right, I know. But at what cost, Tony?”

When he finally was forced to meet her eyes, he saw something else. He saw the desperation, the need for answers of which Stark had but couldn’t give. At least not now. Not with everyone else present. So, he called it.

“Happy… change of plans again. Take Pepper to my room… then rest up in yours.”

As Happy came up to them, Pepper turned her attention back to Stark when he whispered to her, “We’ll discuss this soon.”

He gave her a quick peck on the lips, to which she barely replied or acknowledged. She stared at him, mouth barely agape, but eyes meeting his. Understanding. Knowing his. And she nodded. They were gone, both of them, and Tony stared at her backside the entire time. She looked back even as she entered the hallway. With that settling in, Tony sat down on the couch, head falling into his hands. A great exhale left him, his body practically deflating.

Both James Rhodes and the Vision shared a look. The sounds of the television and Stark’s discomforting breaths were all they heard. That is until Tony lifted his head and sniffed fairly hard. Rhodes and Vision slowly approached the couch, seeing Stark’s gaze held to the empty table in front of him. Once more, he looked lost, his voice even more so.

“We’re the Avengers,” Stark muttered. He turned his eyes to the television, WHIH Newsfront reporter Christine Everhart asking the same question plastered on the screen. Where were the Avengers? “People look to us… and they see hope. I can’t honestly say we can provide hope… Not now.”

He looked over to his right, to his best friend. “But when has that ever stopped us?”

“You really think we can stem the tide now, Tony, with what we got?” Rhodes asked.

“Three Avengers?” the Vision observed. He stared at the television screen, saw the news station switch to an animated version of planet Earth. It showed confirmed alien attacks in nations spanning the entire globe. More than a hundred nations were hit, hundreds of thousands dead and still rising. They showed footage of the war, soldiers doing everything in their power to fight an army so much stronger. Warships dotted the skies, Leviathans crashing through buildings and spewing the rubble on helpless cameramen.

And the Vision shuddered. “We… are not enough. Is this what fear is?”

“It’s what giving up is. That’s not us,” Stark said, staring at the same madness as the android and not even flinching. Just glaring.

It took a moment, several to be in fact, for the Vision to finally come around to that revelation. The Vision nodded, looking to the world outside the window. He thought back to their numbers, to the overwhelming odds they’ll face with just three Avengers. “We’ll need a team,” he said.

“We got one,” Stark said, looking out to New York with Vision. He even got up off the couch, pushing past both Rhodes and Vision to do so. The afternoon sunlight pierced the clouds, the sun dipping low and almost out of sight. He thought back to that “one” he had in mind. Just one. Someone who gave it his all against Captain America and his team in a little brawl in Leipzig. Someone who became a major pain in his ass last summer, but also managed to prove himself not only to be a hero, but to be the one just what the Avengers were looking for.

He stared towards New York. Where Queens was.

“Let’s just hope we’re not too late.”

James scoffed, crossing his arms. “What ‘team’, Tony?”

“Kid from Queens,” Stark answered, not even looking back to James. “He’s got heart, you can’t deny that.”

“He’s also a kid.”

“He’s also the only ally we got right now!” Tony snapped, looking back towards Rhodes. He caught himself just in time, closing his eyes and altering his breathing to a more stable level. “With Steve offline for… God knows how long… we have no way of finding them. We’ll need all the help we can get… before it’s too late.”

“A second Chitauri attack on New York?” James asked.

“You know it’s coming,” Tony said, the inevitable defeat evident in his voice. “So, we take them by surprise. We try and get there first, we round up some help, and take down the Chitauri, mothership by mothership if need be.”

Spinning around, he stood close to Rhodes, offering a small, knowing smile.

“If you got a better plan, I am open to suggestions.”

He didn’t. It sucked even more because that smile told Rhodes that Stark knew he didn’t. Shaking his head at that, James looked away and exhaled through his nose. “When do we ship out?” he muttered.

“First thing tomorrow,” Stark said, slapping a hand on his shoulder. He slowly directed him towards the hallway, where his room was, but managed himself to slow down for Rhodey’s speed. “So, get as much sleep as possible. It’s gonna be a long day.”

James replied with a weak nod, waving behind his back as he stepped into the dark hallway. Tony patted his back a few times before eventually retreating into the hallway himself, to where his room remained. But not before he stepped back into the living room, pointing towards the android.

“And Vision,” Stark called, watching as Vision just hovered motionless in the center of the room, “you just… do whatever it is that you do.”

As he left, the Vision hovered over to the glass window, staring out to the city of New York that rested in the distance. They forgot to turn off the TV, the sounds of the world still crying out to the them. And Vision heard all of it. Every single cry.

All of them asking: “Where were the Avengers?”

And Vision answered, “I don’t know.”

New Avengers Facility, Tony Stark’s Quarters

5:34 p.m.

Tony tried to open the door quietly, but it squeaked the entire way through. And meeting him on the other side was a very disgruntled Pepper Potts. She sat at the front of the bed with her arms crossed, her glare on fire, and holding a frown that could kill. Stark had wished the little kiss he offered earlier would have cooled her down. Wishful thinking. Tony closed the door behind him.

“God, you just love arguing with me,” he began with a slick grin. He stood in front of her, his hands moving on their own. “Is it like a tick or—?”

“Tony, please…” she deadpanned. He stopped and stared at her, at the expression on her face change. The fury died, replaced only with a cooling sadness. She finished with a weak sigh. “For once.”

He didn’t smile anymore. He couldn’t offer a smart-ass response nor could he hope to form one. Instead, Stark chose to sit by her side, the bed squeaking as he settled himself next to his fiancée. He looked to her, but her gaze didn’t rise up. Tony watched as her expression completely fell apart before he could even breathe, her face falling into her palms and a painful sigh leaving her.

Stark knew what was coming next. He eased her into his arms. “Okay… okay. Easy there. Hey, look,” he whispered, tried to get Pepper to look at him, “it’s me. It’s me, okay? I’m not that… reckless asshole you somehow fell in love with all those years back.”

Even with her broken expression, her burning red eyes, Pepper still managed a chuckle. She shook her head, Stark’s palms on her cheeks falling away. “God, you just love lying,” she said.

Stark’s eyes became as hard as stone, his hands gripping her cheeks and forcing her attention onto him. When he spoke, Pepper could have sworn she had heard the same tone before. Back when Tony continuously lied, cheated, and nearly died. He said, “I swear to you… that I will be back… as fast as I can.”

“Tony—”

“No, just listen to me, please. I can’t protect the world, but I sure as hell can try. I can protect you, and I can guarantee you that I will. There is no force in heaven or hell that’ll keep me from fulfilling that promise.”

Pepper closed her eyes tight, twisting her neck to the side. “You always say that.”

“Am I wrong?”

“I want you to be safe, Tony!” she snapped, catching Stark by surprise. The power in her voice left, leaving only a whimpering exhale with each breath she managed. She laid her hand on his face. “I need you to be safe. And I can’t know, not even by your word, that you’ll be able to keep that promise.”

She was visibly crying now, tears falling from her red-hot eyes. Once her head fell, no longer having the strength to see Stark’s emotionless expression, Tony dropped his eyes, his mouth open but not even breath escaping him. He couldn’t even be mad at her, nor could he offer any form of rational retort that would make him and his argument feel superior. He just felt nothing, because he knew she was right.

And all she wanted was for him to be safe. With her.

He knew neither were possible now, not with the world at stake.

Taking in a deep breath, Tony held her in his arms and calmly stroked her hair, from the base of the ponytail to the very end. Her hair was always so smooth, and he longed to just lie on the bed with her and play with her hair, not even talking, just holding one another until they both fell asleep. Closing his eyes, it gave him an idea.

“I had a dream, you know.”

Pepper sniffed. Tony took that as her listening.

“Not too long ago… and we had a kid,” he continued, his voice soft to her ear. She lifted her head this time, her bloodshot eyes gazing up at him, instantly caught by what he said. Tony almost couldn’t believe he did say it. Ever since he had the dream, he never felt comfortable telling Pepper about it, especially not with… the subject it had. Then again, now was the best time. No time like the present.

“Named him after your eccentric uncle… Morgan, was it? Well… I remember seeing you, holding him in your arms, blanket wrapped all around him… just his little face… smiling up at you.”

Tony kind of smiled at that. The dream wasn’t all that bad.

“I’ve had a knack for dreams. What with the alien invasion, I’m one for two so far… hoping all the Avengers don’t get killed. But still I saw you… and I was there, too. We both looked at him… we both held him… both of us wondering how we made something so perfect despite everything we’ve done being so wrong. So… imperfect.”

He shook his head, not even looking at Pepper anymore.

“I looked at him, at our little Morgan. He didn’t see me like the world did. Not as a monster. Not as the idiot that killed the Avengers. No… he saw me as his father. His daddy. When his little hand touched my finger, I knew there could be nothing else in the world worth what we had. Because we had it. We made it. And I knew I would give up absolutely everything just to see you and Morgan again.”

Tony sighed, smiling even wider. Yeah. The dream wasn’t bad at all. He noticed an unnatural silence by his side, looking down to Pepper’s awestruck expression. She looked like she was crying even worse than before, but it didn’t look sad, or furious, or scared.

Smiling to her, Stark asked, “You ever had any dreams like—?”

He couldn’t even finish his sentence when Pepper silenced him with a kiss. It was so sudden, so out of the blue and warm that Stark practically melted in her embrace, something he had never felt from a woman. When she broke away, Tony could see the bright smile on her face, the blush in her cheeks, and felt the hands on his shoulders.

“That,” she whispered with a smile, fresh tears in her eyes, “is the man I fell in love with.”

At that moment, Tony could see the look in her eyes. He could feel the heart in his chest pounding that much faster. And Tony knew that nothing else mattered at the moment but her. Not the world falling apart. Not much of anything. He took her in his arms, their lips connecting once more, as they fell on the bed together.

It was a long night. Not a lonely one by any means.

Chapter 34 – Zephyr One

Earth

Zephyr One

In Flight

9:46 p.m.

Deathlok, Lance Hunter, and Bobbi Morse strode into the main bridge of the Zephyr One, seeing several smiles and familiar faces all around. They were led by Director Phil Coulson, who met them on the ground, bringing them into the Zephyr with handshakes and hugs to go around.

For retired and off-duty agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Lance and Bobbi and Michael found comfort among their friends, their fellow agents. Their family. Once again.

Fitz didn’t even let Lance take another step before he rammed him with a back-breaking hug. Hunter nearly lost his breath, chuckling and returning the hug just as well, smacking Fitz’s back. Amadeus Ravenclaw “Lance” Hunter joined S.H.I.E.L.D. during its rise from the ashes, following HYDRA’s secret infiltration of the organization and attack that prompted even Captain America to act. He was a British mercenary turned S.H.I.E.L.D. agent under the command of Phil Coulson during his time with the organization, unlike Bobbi Morse who remained loyal with Robert Gonzales and ordered to infiltrate Phil’s S.H.I.E.L.D. team in search for the Toolbox, a device given to Coulson by Fury in order to rebuild S.H.I.E.L.D. from the ground up. He and Bobbi didn’t really play well with one another. The fact she was his ex-wife also added to the tension.

That was a past behind them. Bobbi smiled to Lance, who smiled back and turned his gaze over to Simmons, offering her a hug as well. Bobbi strode past Fitz and Simmons occupying her husband and wrapped her arms tightly around Daisy Johnson, the two gripping each other in a warm hug with large smiles on their faces.

Barbara “Bobbi” Morse was a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent through and through, staying loyal to the organization during HYDRA’s uprising four years prior. More importantly, she stayed loyal to Robert Gonzales’ S.H.I.E.L.D. team. She was forced to infiltrate Phil’s faction of S.H.I.E.L.D., and after a brief scuffle, the two factions learned to play nice, focusing their efforts together on HYDRA and the Inhumans. During a mission in Russia, she and Lance were both captured and forced to resign from S.H.I.E.L.D., lest the truth of the organization get out to the public. It was before S.H.I.E.L.D. openly returned to defend Earth, before the threat of Aida and the Darkhold, before S.H.I.E.L.D. fell apart once again and was deemed a terrorist group.

Once again.

Mack had an especially tearful reunion with Lance and Bobbi, gripping Morse and almost losing it in her arms. Bobbi managed to calm him down, the big man smiling to the woman who had been by his side since the rise of HYDRA within S.H.I.E.L.D. The two worked together ever since Gonzales ordered them to infiltrate Phil’s team. He was glad to see she was doing fairly well, she and her husband. Lance offered his hugs and greetings to the rest of the team, and joining the couple was the Cyber-Soldier himself, the Guy with the Parts, the Perfect Killing Machine, Michael “Mike” Peterson.

Deathlok.

Mike Peterson was just as normal as anyone else, until he was approached by a mysterious group and given extra-ordinary powers through the Centipede Serum. Through his heroic acts, and even sometimes dangerous, it didn’t take long for S.H.I.E.L.D. to turn a few eyes his way. He eventually joined S.H.I.E.L.D. under the command of Phil Coulson. It wasn’t long, however, before that mysterious group caught back up with him, that mysterious group being the Centipede Project secretly led by S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and traitor John Garret. He was transformed into the cybernetic killing machine known as “Deathlok”, forced to work for Garret and his traitorous team against Coulson and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Following the death of Garret, Peterson struck out on his own to undo the crimes he had committed as Deathlok, as the monster Garret and HYDRA had made him. The last time he had seen Phil or any of his old team wasn’t too long ago, having closed up the portal to the Fear Dimension within the Lighthouse. He went out to continue his solo missions, eventually being called back, once more, to Phil Coulson’s aid.

For something far bigger than he could have expected.

He offered his hugs and handshakes to his old S.H.I.E.L.D. team, glad to see so many of his old allies still alive after all the hell they had all been through. Peterson’s dark skin was covered by his black suit and armor, the right side of his face scarred and burnt from past tragedies. The left side was completely whole, like nothing ever happened to it. Cybernetic enhancements, including a metal skull, made sure of that.

Bobbi and Hunter stood side by side, chatting up a storm with Fitz, Simmons, Mack, Daisy, and Yo-Yo. Bobbi wore a tight, blue shirt and dark jeans, Lance joining her in the jeans department. He wore a black coat beneath his gray T-shirt, his short, brown hair resting flat against his scalp and his beard nicely trimmed and presentable. Morse’s long, golden hair hung over her shoulders and down her back in wavy curls. They all tried to get caught up with each other’s lives. The duo congratulated Fitz and Simmons on their wedding, rather hoping no one brought up their botched one. Lance asked Fitz how traveling to the future worked out for him. Fitz didn’t really go into the specifics, but he gestured to his friends, his new family being Jemma, and assured him and Bobbi that the mission was a success. Partly. They still didn’t know how the world was quaked and were still trying to prevent that.

“But enough about that,” Leopold said, waving his hand out in front of him, more so to Bobbi and Lance. He asked, “What about you two?”

“Oh, yes!” Jemma exclaimed excitedly, gripping onto Fitz’s arm. “Fitz told us all about how you tried to get remarried! So exciting!”

“Especially taking into account the ninjas?” Bobbi said, crossing her arms and looking to her husband-to-be. Lance shared her expression, slightly crestfallen, but still holding a pinch of humor. She exhaled a weak chuckle, shaking her head. “We’ll try one of these days. Hopefully soon.”

“Hopefully after a little break, huh, sweetheart?” Lance said, smiling to Morse. She offered a glare that could pierce metal at that nickname, but Hunter had already turned away and observed the rest of the Zephyr’s bridge. Faceless S.H.I.E.L.D. agents filled the bridge, tending to the maps, the navigation, and keeping the Zephyr hidden from the outside world and the invasion crippling Earth.

Lance raised a brow. He and Bobbi were greeted by Coulson, met up with Agent Peterson, reunited with Daisy, Mack, Elena, Fitz, Simmons, and… one more. They were missing one. Lance looked about, Morse eventually following his gaze and searching the bridge for the right person. Hunter eventually gave in, turning to Coulson and asking, “So… uh… where’s May at?”

Phil nodded his head to the nearest window. A Quinjet followed close by on the Zephyr’s side. Lance stared out the window of the Zephyr, spotting May in the Quinjet before returning to the conversation. He nodded to that, saying, “Glad to know she’s still got our back.”

Smiling knowingly at that, Coulson said, “I’m sure you three already know what’s happening out there.”

“Alien invasion,” Bobbi answered first, her arms still crossed. “Chitauri. Just like New York six years ago. That much we understand.”

“That,” Lance continued, prompting his finger to the ceiling of the Zephyr, “and the bloody alien world right over our heads.”

“Other than that,” Mike Peterson bumped in, all eyes turning to the cyborg stomping forward behind Bobbi and Lance. “We’re completely blind.”

Appreciating the fact that they were all somewhat on the same page, Coulson began to walk around the bridge, trailing around Daisy, Mack, and Yo-Yo. “Trust me, we’re all in the same boat,” he said, pausing by Fitz and Simmons. “Our first priority isn’t the alien planet, it’s dealing with this invasion, and that entails us getting the Avengers back together.”

Bobbi blinked, her lips separating but not a sound leaving her for nearly five seconds. Until she finally repeated, “The Avengers?”

“Didn’t they break up?” Lance asked. “You know, like the Beatles, or something?”

“After the Accords, yes,” Phil answered with an exasperated sigh, terrible memories arising of him witnessing the events of the scuffle between Captain America and Iron Man. Although not there in the flesh, not being able to do so, Phil still felt the gravity of the whole world fall on his shoulders once the Avengers were disbanded. Once Captain America went off the grid and Iron Man stepped away from the spotlight.

Once the alien ambassadors with them were never heard from again. Probably returned home to their own world, Phil thought.

The idea of magical, talking ponies fighting alongside the likes Captain America and Iron Man filled his mind with possibilities, but Phil focused, kept his attention on his team and the missions ahead. “But Nick Fury made his orders very specific. We need to track down the Avengers, reunite and convince them that there are greater matters at hand, and then take the fight to the Chitauri.”

He sighed at the end of that grand statement, that promise he was sworn to uphold. As the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Phil would see through that the Earth would be protected by any means, from threats foreign, domestic, and even extraterrestrial. A small alien force like Qovas and the Confederacy was nothing compared to the Chitauri and their fleet. They had little numbers, few soldiers, but all willing to follow Coulson through any hell or storm they faced. He looked to them, to Lance and Bobbi, to Mike and Daisy, to Mack and Yo-Yo, and finally to Fitz and Simmons.

“I know we’re not much, but S.H.I.E.L.D. was founded on the idea of being Earth’s last defense. Since our greatest defenders decided to take a vacation away from the fight and each other, it’s our job to take a stand… to be the shield that Earth needs. I know we can’t fight against this army alone, but we got our greatest assets, our closest friends… and our family together one last time… to save the world.”

Hunter’s upper lip curled at that. He slowly crossed his arms. “One last time, eh?”

Phil almost smiled, his brow furrowing. “Too ominous?”

Lance shrugged, slowly shaking his head and staring to Coulson’s feet. “Nah, it was pretty good.”

“I got chills,” Bobbie admitted, smirking to Coulson.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to,” Deathlok muttered.

Chuckling at all of their responses, Phil turned back to Hunter, who began to rub his beard in thought. “So, you need all of your assets, huh?” he asked, watching Coulson nod. “You come to us… even though we’d all be breaking the law just associating ourselves with S.H.I.E.L.D.”

Phil shook his head. “The law’s not really on our side right now.”

“Neither’s the world,” Daisy groaned, hands resting on her hips.

“When is it ever?”

The heavy voice emerged from the shadows of the Zephyr’s bridge, all heads in the small group spinning accordingly to the corner of the bridge. Resting against it, handling the end of the chain wrapped around his shoulder and chest, the man’s face was obscure, hidden within the darkness. A foreboding chill and unsecure sense of dread struck Bobbi and Lance, the two narrowing their eyes on the man. “Uh, were you there before, mate?” Hunter asked.

“Depends,” the man grumbled, cracking his knuckles. He didn’t even finish the statement, leaving it dangling over the edge, threatening to tip.

Lance slowly nodded. “Right…”

Phil was the only one of the group who didn’t look anywhere near creeped out. He smiled like he always had, offering his hand towards the shadows. “Bobbi, Lance, Michael, I’d like you all to meet Robbie Reyes,” Coulson said. He stepped out of the shadows, coming under the light beneath Coulson and meeting the newcomers’ gazes. All of them.

Bobbi frowned. So did Mike. Lance gulped. Phil just kept on smiling, always hiding something behind it. “Better known as the Ghost Rider,” he finished.

The three stared at Reyes while he stood under the light. All four of them appeared like canines observing each other, searching for some fault, something that made them stand out. “So…” Bobbi began, observing Reyes from top to bottom, “Phil likes to talk about you… the Ghost Rider. What does that even mean?”

“Take a picture, chica, it’ll last longer,” Robbie told her, noticing her eyes trailing his body. She didn’t seem to hold a lick of interest other than on his title, the glare she sent his way evident of that. Robbie sent an even fiercer one her way, saying, “Trust me… you don’t wanna know about the Spirit.”

Lance’s rising unease shifted to aggravation with how Reyes spoke to his wife-to-be. He didn’t say a thing, just glared at him alongside Morse. Mike caught their glares, sighing and taking a step forward. “Why’d they bring you in?” Peterson asked.

“Apparently, I’m actually helpful to some people,” Reyes answered, ignoring Bobbi’s and Hunter’s shifting perspectives, from angry to curious. “Coulson needed someone to locate certain… enhanced individuals. I keep track of a few every now and again, just in case they try to use their powers for the wrong thing. Can’t have that. We’re currently tracking a disturbance in Scotland.”

“So, that’s where we’re headed?” Lance asked, seeing the nod from Reyes. Hunter actually breathed a chuckle at that, twisting his neck back to a friendlier, more familiar face. “Hey, Leo, you ready to head home, mate?”

Fitz replied by offering Lance a smile and his middle finger.

While they laughed amongst themselves, Robbie was elsewhere. He dropped his gaze and crossed his arms, Coulson turning his way. He watched as Reyes breathed heavily, raising his head and muttering, “Speaking of which…”

Almost instantaneously, the entire bridge of Zephyr One erupted into a commotion of flashing lights, blaring sirens on the maps, and S.H.I.E.L.D. reacting appropriately to each one. “Director Coulson, sir! Scanners and news reports show that the Chitauri are still invading the city of Edinburgh!” an agent exclaimed, sitting near several others around the large maps displayed in the center of the bridge.

Coulson and his group reacted instantly, returning to their stations and keeping the Zephyr as calm as possible, reading signatures from their destination, and readying themselves for the possible fight ahead. Daisy joined Phil and Reyes, trailed closely by Morse, Hunter, and Peterson. “Keep us up and out of their line of sight when we reach Scotland,” Coulson said. “We can’t risk the Zephyr much. Tell May to stay close.”

As the agents sitting near the consoles and maps proceeded to follow through with Coulson’s orders. Phil turned his attention back to Reyes, who had kept his eyes closed and arms crossed, almost like he was asleep. Like he was elsewhere at the moment. “What do you got?” he asked.

After several seconds of gazing somewhere they couldn’t see, eyes darting back and forth beneath his eyelids, and whispering words no one else could hear, Robbie shot open his eyes, staring at the map beneath him. “Hack Warehouse 13’s security cameras,” he said, turning to Phil. “Check the footage from earlier tonight.”

“Warehouse 13?” he asked for confirmation. Reyes replied with a nod, Coulson spinning his attention to the agent sitting on his right. “We got a Warehouse 13 in Edinburgh?”

The agent tapped away at the map, zeroing in on Edinburgh, Scotland and searching the database for all warehouses within the city. They had a match almost instantly, the area on the map flashing red. “Yes, sir,” the agent said, looking up at Coulson. “We’re hacking now.”

“Coulson, we got something,” Daisy said, leaned over the computer console directly behind the group. Curious, Phil and Peterson exchanged a look before coming up behind Johnson. Lance and Bobbi joined them, leaving Reyes alone with his own mind somewhere else, staring at the map blindly.

They crowded around the console, the poor agent beneath them trying his best to bring the footage up. They had successfully hacked the security cameras with the Zephyr’s far superior infrastructure, and it displayed to them in the single computer Phil and his team surrounded. It was dark for a moment, the footage showing the time to be at ten at night with not a single disturbance. Chaos erupted shortly, Phil and Daisy leaning in closer. Everyone else followed.

What was shown was what appeared to be a fight between two slimmer figures in abnormal armor against a lone female. They carried with them spears of some kind, alien in design, unlike anything anyone would carry out in Scotland. The woman appeared to be holding off their attacks with a red haze bursting from her fingertips. It was all for naught, the two figures overwhelming and straddling her. The footage zeroed in on them.

There was no volume to indicate what their conversation was, but Phil didn’t care. He saw the blur of the metallic wings fly across the screen, impacting one of the figures and flinging it into the nearest glass window. The agents flinched at that, scooting in closer to the screen. The agent beneath them was practically crushed, forced to lean forward and sighing. She remained silent, though, watching as one of the figures chucked her weapon straight into the darkness, where the camera wasn’t filming.

After several seconds of nothing, the fighting resumed, and out emerged the three saviors.

They came quickly, reacting instantly, defeating the two figures rather easily and saving the poor woman. Bobbi, Lance, Mike, and Daisy watched on in silence, narrowing their gazes on the three figures, trying to catch their faces. When they spun around, the agent froze the footage at just the right second, where all four of their faces were visible. Just to be certain, the agent zoomed in and enhanced the footage, the gasps behind him being indicators that it was clear enough.

Lance Hunter chuckled, hands rising to rest on his hips. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

Bobbi slowly smiled, as did Peterson. But Daisy… remained awestruck. Hardly even breathing. Her heart actually began to quicken just at the sight of them. Even through the poor footage, even with the facial hair trying to conceal his identity, Daisy knew right away it was Captain Steve Rogers standing within that warehouse. And standing alongside him, with a disguise of her own being that of her light blonde hair, the Black Widow—Natasha Romanoff—was right by his side, her sideways glance frozen from the camera footage. The Falcon, Sam Wilson, was with them as well, doing little for his disguise. The fourth one, the woman, looked to be Wanda Maximoff. The Scarlet Witch.

All Avengers. All heroes. Her heroes.

She breathed a shaking gasp, a twitching smile finally appearing on her lips. Turning back, she could hardly contain her excitement as her eyes landed on Coulson. Her smile slowly dissipated, faded away when she saw his expression.

It was almost unreadable, like he didn’t know whether or not to keep his signature grin at the sight of his old friend, Captain America. Daisy expected him to, but saw nothing on his lips, in his eyes, or on his expression. It was frozen. Lost. Completely unknown. Just like how he felt.

“Phil,” Daisy said, her voice almost at a whisper. She broke him out of his stupor, his eyes shifting downwards her way. “Is that…? A-are they…?”

He just nodded.

“Bunker down and keep those eyes peeled, agents. We’re not leaving Edinburgh until we find them,” Director Phil Coulson said aloud, turning his eyes back to the screen, meeting Steve Rogers’ once more. “That’s an order.”

Chapter 45 – One United Species

Equus

Dragon Lands

The Dragons’ Lair

7:11 a.m.

Dragon Lord Ember had just about enough of the aliens attacking her home.

Across the smoke-filled skylines of the Dragons’ Lair, Ember flew straight through a cloud of rising sickness, the Bloodstone Scepter tight in her right claw, her eyes a furious firestorm. Melting embers. Burning cinders. As she flew, she dodged oncoming alien blasts headed her way, retaliating with concentrated flames straight from the Bloodstone Scepter. Chariots and starships dotted the skies for miles, yet the reinforcing Hippogriffs and the dragon army were as vast as Ember’s eyes could see.

It was still strange to see more and more Hippogriffs actually transforming into dragons and aiding in the conflict. They looked so convincing that Ember couldn’t even tell what was once a Hippogriff and what was actually a dragon. Sometimes, however, one shouldn’t worry on how things happened, and instead focus on how things were. And things were still quite strange, to say the least.

Queen Novo flew by Ember’s side, using her spear to strike down nearby chariots and the Chitauri piloting them. With her was a squadron of Hippogriff royal guard, all flying close to their queen and ensuring her safety. Where Ember was flying, it looked like she didn’t even need it. The Queen of the Hippogriffs handled herself fairly well. She and her people all seemed to have arrived just at the right time, right before the dragons would have…

Ember shook her head, choosing instead to glare forwards to the oncoming fight.

Ember would never admit to have needed help, especially from another species. Even when the dragons did technically make peace with ponies, that didn’t mean the dragons were nice by any means. They were still the toughest species to the east, not a single one—not even the minotaurs—being a match for the dragons. Yes, Ember did admit to having been trying to learn how to be more… calm and caring when it came to her people and the ponies she had… befriended. But those were dragons. Those were ponies. The ones infecting their land other than the aliens were Hippogriffs. They weren’t friends. Allies, maybe, but not friends.

And in that desperate hour, facing total extinction from an extraterrestrial invasion hellbent on ensuring that, maybe allies were just what Ember needed at the moment. Just at the moment.

Their presence definitely made a difference, though. Ember couldn’t deny that.

The skies were filled. It was nearly unclear with how many Hippogriffs, dragons, chariots, starships, Leviathans, and explosions consumed the sky. Alongside the fires that ate away at the earth below—spewing the smoke into the air and creating pockets of black sickness to and fro—there were the twelve Hippogriff naval ships still flying straight into the heart of darkness. Directly towards the two Chitauri Command Centers unleashing more and more ships into the battle below, more Leviathans to consume their prey. Smaller skirmishes filled the skies, the bulk of each opposing army quickly, so very quickly, approaching closer by the second. It was war. Plain and simple. The dragons were no strangers to war. They had lived through several, bred to be beasts of warfare. The Hippogriffs on the other hand…

They knew better than to doubt their queen, she led them alongside the Dragon Lord. Both leaders took charge of their army, flying directly into the heart of it, where the war would reach its fullest. Where all would quickly come crumbling down. Where only the strong, determined, and united would win in the end.

They instantly noticed the Chitauri becoming more rabid, vicious, and faster the closer they grew to the two warships. It would make sense, as they were practically protecting themselves, as well as the rest of their army. Like a singular hive mind. And like a hive mind, if Ember and her allies took out the mind, they took out the hive.

Those two minds were closing in fast.

Queen Novo’s navy led the charge, Novo and Ember flying onwards with hundreds of Hippogriffs, dragons, and numerous other creatures the Hippogriffs had decided to change into. The morning sun had peaked over the mountains, the shimmering rays cascading across the landscape and breaking through the smoke and clouds. The alien world stared at them from above, watching the inevitable clash commence. All twelve battleships entered the fray and unleashed their fury onto the Command Centers. Numerous Chitauri flew in front of the cannon fire, even Leviathans changing course to shield the ships they came from.

Then the two armies connected. The Chitauri… and the two vastly different species.

Screeches and cries from both sides erupted alongside the explosions, blood-curdling final yelps given as Hippogriffs impaled Chitauri with their spears, as Chitauri fired away and shot Hippogriffs and dragons out of the sky. Several Hippogriffs would latch onto either a starship or a chariot at a time, clawing at the exteriors, screeching as they mutilated the aliens piloting the ships. Once they were finished, the Hippogriffs scattered, the remains of the ships plummeting to the earth. Many Chitauri chose to ride on the backs of the Leviathans slithering across the air, firing up, below, and every way they could as the Leviathans focused their efforts on the larger dragons and the naval ships.

Beasts of war impacted one another in mid-air, the eldest dragons roaring as they latched onto and clawed, bit, and tore at the Leviathans trying to enact the same amount of pain and death onto them. A certain dragon dragged its claws against the side of a Leviathan it flew towards, barely dodging its wicked jaws and gripping onto the beast’s side, where its mouth couldn’t reach it. The dragon then spewed a torrent of flames across the Leviathan’s backside, the fires consuming the creature’s armor and the Chitauri that remained atop of it. The Leviathan roared out in pain, its bellows only increasing once the dragon sunk its jagged teeth into the creature’s neck.

As the two writhed about in mid-air, the Hippogriff naval ship below was currently engrossed in its own battle. Their charge towards the Chitauri Command Centers was halted once numerous aliens swarmed them from all sides, several leaping off of chariots and landing on deck. The Hippogriffs had intended only for an assault by air, now having to defend their ship in close combat. Hippogriffs battled the Chitauri with swords, spears, shields, axes, and fought against the aliens' far-superior weaponry. There were numerous causalities on board. The Hippogriffs fought well, fought with all their might and fury.

It was all for naught when the alien roar came from above.

Turning about, the commander of the naval ship spotted both the Leviathan and the dragon come hurtling downwards right for them, tangled together with the dragon refusing to let go of the creature’s neck. The Leviathan roared once more, its body consumed in flames, using the last bit of strength to take out as many enemies as it could. And the Hippogriff Commander knew what its target was intended to be.

And nothing was able to stop it. It came too fast for the ship to move, too fast for evasive maneuvers. But not too fast for him to screech out one final order to the remaining Hippogriffs on board. “Abandon ship! Abandon ship!”

Both the Chitauri Leviathan and the dragon let out one last roar as the Leviathan tore right through the center of the ship. The explosion that followed was so deafening and bright that it blinded the Hippogriffs and Chitauri caught within the shock wave. The explosion consumed both the Leviathan and the dragon, both of their bodies falling down alongside the burning remains of the naval battleship. Many Hippogriffs managed to fly off the deck in time. Many more below deck were not so fortunate.

As the battle for supremacy in the skies continued, the war against the earth raged on. Dead bodies fell like the burning ash from the fires of the Dragons Lands, now the remains of the Leviathan, the dragon, and the Hippogriff ship joining the rest as they impacted the ground. Tremors shot out across the battlefield once the massive creatures crashed to their final resting place. Once the Hippogriff naval ship struck the earth, however, it created a secondary explosion, one so massive it sent an even stronger shock wave across the battle. Chitauri, younger dragons, Hippogriffs, and numerous others were blown back if they were close enough, some completely vaporized if they were caught within the blast.

Tempest Shadow remained at a fairly safe distance, the shock wave still managing to nearly knock her to the ground. The unicorn yelped as her footing was nearly blown away, the rush of heated air blasting past her and making her spiked, rose-colored mane flail about wildly before settling in its previous style. Tempest held her ground as the shock wave and explosion followed through, and once the fire fell down and the sounds of war returned, so did she.

Instantly, she opened her eyes and the fire ignited, the unicorn galloping forward and dodging the alien blasts sent her way. She replied with a magical bolt of lightning from her shattered horn, killing three Chitauri instantly and leaving the remaining five charging right at her. To her left and right, Tempest could see the Storm Creatures that followed her into battle currently engaged with their own battles across the charred landscape. Thankfully, their shields managed to block the oncoming Chitauri blasts, the Storm Creatures fighting back with their spears, swords, and their own claws. Tempest actually witnessed a Storm Creature grab an alien and lift it over his head, ripping the beast in half and tossing its body parts randomly across the ground. The Storm Creature couldn’t relish in his victory for long, a trio of Chitauri firing at its backside and killing the creature instantly. Their shields may have been strong, but their armor, their skin against alien firepower definitely wasn’t.

It was all she could see before focusing forward, finally taking on the five Chitauri rushing towards her. The first one chose to stop and aim its rifle right for the unicorn’s head. It should have kept charging. At least then it would have lasted longer. Tempest slid forward, bucking the creature’s rifle away and rearing back with her other hind leg, striking the alien right in its chest. As it flew and impacted the Chitauri behind it, Tempest turned to the alien on her right, the beast swinging for her with its blade. She ducked, leaping forward and over the creature’s back and slamming her jaws shut on the alien’s helmet. Once she came back to the ground, she planted her hoof and came downwards with her jaw, bringing the Chitauri with her and snapping the back of its neck against her foreleg.

“Three down,” Tempest muttered, her teeth clenched as she used the Chitauri’s limp body as a shield against the oncoming rifle fire from the two remaining aliens. Charging up her magic, Tempest gritted her teeth in pain as the electricity coursed across her forehead, flooding from her shattered horn. She screamed as she planted that horn against the back of the dead Chitauri, firing away and launching the body straight ahead with deadly precision and speed. The body impacted a single Chitauri, killing it instantly from the force of the blast.

That just left one, the lone Chitauri Elite standing several yards away from the seething, enraged Tempest Shadow. The unicorn breathed through clenched teeth, her furious eyes glaring at the lone Chitauri. The only one that managed to survive the longest. She watched as it dropped its rifle into the rock-covered ground, reaching for its belt and whipping out an alien blade. It stared right at her the whole time, swinging the blade around with skilled precision. It was definitely stronger than the foot soldiers, showing plainly with its enhanced height and weaponry. Tempest snorted, pawing at the ground with her hoof. The creature softly growled in response.

Two soldiers. Two warriors. Both seeing their fair amount of death and destruction, now standing face to face to see who would come out on top. Tempest thought nothing of the aliens, seeing them as fodder she could crush beneath her steel-plated hoof. The Chitauri Elite saw nothing of the worthless inhabitants of Equus, nothing but a race destined to live and die for the Great Titan. Both despised each other, destined to fight and to kill. They only saw what they should and would kill.

But for only a second, Tempest felt a smidgen of respect to see the Chitauri stand its ground. And as for the alien, it could only feel the same to see the equine hold her own for so long against such overwhelming odds. That’s as much as either could give one another. It was all they could give before they struck.

The Chitauri Elite swung first, its blade barely missing Tempest’s head and only grazing her mane. Tempest, in response, bucked the creature in its stomach, the Chitauri nearly falling forward but maintaining its balance and swinging again. And with each slash at her head and neck, the alien would miss every time, Tempest dodging every time. The Elite growled with each miss, roaring once Tempest would hit back and connect each time, and screeching once he realized she was toying with him with whole time. It was already too late.

Tempest grunted as she reared her hind legs back, striking the Elite right in its chest and launching it straight into the air before it could deliver a killing blow to the unicorn. Once it was airborne, Tempest joined it, leaping upwards and snatching its blade right from its grasp. The Elite never let go of its sword. She only managed to steal it from him once she used her magic to severe its arm right from its body. Rolling, Tempest slammed the creature directly in its chest with both of her back hooves, the Elite hitting the ground painfully. The pain didn’t stop there. Tempest gripped the blade between her teeth, falling down and sending the tip right into the beast’s neck.

It was finished. The Elite gave off its final breath and died beneath her hooves. Tempest sighed, closing her eyes and removing her jaws from the blade’s handle, letting it stick straight up from where it had pierced. Standing over its corpse, Tempest turned her head to the skies, feeling the ash fall onto her face, feeling the fire-filled wind blowing through her mane. Sweat dribbled down her forehead, down the sides of what remained of her horn, and falling alongside her breaths.

She only opened her eyes to see her airship fly overhead. Tempest could hear Celaeno’s voice coming from the deck, ordering her crew and the Storm Guards that remained to continue the fight. A slew of Chitauri chariots trailed them, firing their blue bolts and barely missing or inflicting hardly any damage on the airship’s armor. She wanted to stare longer, watch their descent deeper into the war, but the alien cries coming behind her prompted Tempest’s attention into action.

When she turned around, all Tempest saw was a stream of fire shooting down from above. Tempest felt a gust of wind over her head, looking up to see a full-grown dragon fly by. It spewed fire across the landscape and burned the Chitauri swarming Tempest to a crisp. Tempest had to raise a foreleg to block the onslaught of flames so dangerously close to her, the unicorn having to back away just from the intense heat. The screeches from the aliens slowly dimmed into nothing.

Tempest sighed and lowered her foreleg back to the ground, already sensing the exhaustion in her voice and dreading it. “A million more to go.”

She turned her head back to the sky, still seeing the apocalypse itself raging above, the war between two different species. The utter madness of warfare had consumed the Dragon Lands, hundreds of bodies dropping at every second, impacting the earth and shaking practically all of Equus. Tempest would have stared longed had that same dragon not fly back to her.

And shout, “I’ve got your back, Tempest!”

She recognized that voice. Tempest’s eyes widened, turning to the dragon then back over to the skies. To the warships. To their mission.

“Sky Beak!”

The Hippogriff in the form of a dragon twisted his neck around, spotting the unicorn galloping right after him. He slowed down, swooping closer to the ground to hear her clearer. “Get me to that warship!” Tempest yelled, watching as Sky Beak descended further to her.

Following the nod of her head, Sky Beak turned his serpent-like neck to his left, several miles into the air where he spotted the warships Tempest was referring to. There was a good five or so mile distance between the two, yet they hovered close to the actual battle occurring below and around them. The Hippogriffs and the dragons were trying to make progress closer towards them, but their efforts seemed to be in vain, caught just short of their target.

It looked unwinnable. With the kind of arsenal and armada the Chitauri had, getting any closer than the progress the Hippogriffs and dragons had made seemed like suicide. Then again, this was Tempest he was talking to. She knew what she was doing. Hopefully...

Finally nodding back to her, Sky Beak glided just above the ground, his right wing descending down to her. Tempest pushed harder, grunting as she leapt from the stone-covered earth to Sky Beak’s dragon wing. She held on tight, moving quickly up his wing and sliding onto his back as he picked off the ground, rising higher and faster into the air. With the unicorn gripping onto the spikes rising out of his scales, Sky Beak looked back only slightly, still keeping his eyes focused on the heart of the battle they were quickly approaching.

“What do you intend to do, Tempest?” Sky Beak asked.

Shadow narrowed her gaze from the rising winds and raised her foreleg just over her eyes, both to block the intense heat of the smoke and get a clearer look at the situation before them. “We’re gonna need more dragons! Just follow my lead! I have a plan to take down the ship!” she yelled, pointing her hoof straight ahead.

Straight into the madness. Sky Beak firmly nodded, turning his glare forward. “Hold on tight!”

Sky Beak roared into the air, numerous dragons both on the ground and near his vicinity turning in his direction. They spotted the unicorn on the dragon’s back, almost instantly acting on Sky Beak’s call. Many took to the skies, several more in the air shifting their focus and direction to instead follow right behind Sky Beak and Tempest Shadow. There were several Hippogriffs that took the form of dragons…

And yet there were so many more actual dragons that followed them. Both young and old. All willing to fight for their home and their people. A united species following the Hippogriff and the pony.

All consumed into the battle, becoming just more faceless numbers in a war.

The plague of Chitauri made it nearly impossible to fly towards the Command Centers. They all seemed to act as one, defending the warships with their very bodies if need be. Tempest could tell as she saw several chariots dive nose-first straight into the dragons flying by she and Sky Beak’s sides. They were sacrificing themselves to ensure victory, giving up their lives to take away their enemies’. Another reason to hate and respect them, Tempest thought.

Streams of bright blue and red fired against one another, from dragon flame to Chitauri gunfire. Explosions saturated the skies, starships and chariots being destroyed more and more as Sky Beak, Tempest, and the dragons behind them made their ascent into the fight. While several dragons were taken out in mid-air from the onslaught of alien fire, Sky Beak was a strong flyer, a strong Hippogriff when it came to the skies. Even with his new dragon form, that didn’t change. He was still quick on his reflexes, on his turns, and especially in his speed. Tempest gripped onto his spines harder just to keep from falling off.

As more and more dragons that followed them plummeted once they were struck, Tempest and Sky Beak kept on the assault, pushing further and further where it was uncomfortable for the Chitauri. They had flown past several Hippogriff naval ships in combat with Leviathans, chariots, starships, so much so that a steady passage was practically impossible. Tempest turned her gaze to the left, watching in awestruck shock as a squadron of Chitauri chariots unloaded on a single Hippogriff ship, their streams of blue firing every second, decimating the battleship and causing its burning remains to fall to the earth. The Hippogriffs that managed to escape were shot on sight, their bodies littering the sky and falling just the same.

Tempest watched it fall. Another Hippogriff naval ship destroyed, leaving only ten. She watched all of the bodies fall with it, forcing herself to shake her head and focus onwards. To the mission. Why they came and sacrificed themselves for the dragons in the first place. She needed to focus…

The Command Centers were just ahead. “Almost there!” Tempest said, stamping her hoof on Sky Beak’s scales. “Don’t hold up now!”

The dragon grinned, narrowing his eyes at the approaching warships. “Wouldn’t dream of it!” he shouted, pumping even harder with his wings than beforehand. Continuously managing to dodge even more alien gunfire, Sky Beak and the few dragons that had survived the attack flew upwards to a safe haven, just reaching the side of the gargantuan Command Center. It was quite the sight to behold, Tempest slowly turning her head left once more just to see the intricate alien designs and sheer size and strength of it all. It almost made her shiver, the unicorn knowing what would have to be done to take down a ship of such magnitude.

And she didn’t even know if she had what it took.

They had already reached the peak of their long, enduring climb skywards, Tempest stamping twice on Sky Beak’s back. “Settle down here!” she called to him, the dragon turning its head back slightly to see where Tempest was pointing.

He followed her direction, Sky Beak and the couple dozen dragons that had survived from the fifty that had flown with them. All of them landed at the top of the warship, gripping on tight with their claws to the hull of the ship, the strong winds trying to push them off. The dragons pulled in their wings, looking about and turning to Sky Beak and Tempest for the next step.

Sky Beak was already on top of it, lowering his wing and watching Tempest slide off and onto the Command Center. Her mane was like a live fire, dancing alongside the scorching hot winds blowing heavily across the surface of the warship. Hearing the loud grumble over the ship’s engines and the howling wind, Tempest turned back to see Sky Beak bend his tower-like neck down to her. “What’s the plan, Tempest?” he asked.

“We won’t have much time before they realize we’re right on top of them, so we do this quick!” Tempest quickly explained, having to amplify her voice over the constant noise. The dragons surrounding her seemed to hear her, nodding their heads in understanding. Shooting out her hoof to Sky Beak, she yelled, “Sky Beak, spread out these dragons across the hull of the ship and get ready to burn this ship to a crisp! On my signal, you let loose the fire! Got it?!”

“I don’t think that’ll be enough to take down a ship this size, Tempest!” Sky Beak shouted back, darting his head back and forth from one end of the ship to the other, trying to see where it ended and where it began. He failed.

Tempest didn’t seem to share his fading optimism. “It won't! You leave that to me!” she told him, watching as Sky Beak and several others turned their dragon snouts to the unicorn. She nodded them onwards, strength and raw fire burning in her irises. “Now go!”

On that command, Sky Beak nodded fiercely and turned to the dragons, roaring at them and shooting out his wings. The dragons roared back, all of them kicking off the ship and flying off at a greater distance. The two dozen spread out, each having several hundred yards of distance between each other as they landed back on the ship, keeping their snouts facing downwards, their slightly-parted jaws hovering just over the face of the warship.

Sky Beak found his place several yards away from Tempest, looking back to the unicorn appearing so utterly small, all alone without a single dragon even close to being near her. Despite that, Sky Beak nodded to her, shouting, “We’re ready!”

“Do it!”

Tempest’s voice cried out so loud that even the farthest dragons heard it, roaring in response and rearing their necks back. Their jaws ignited into pure flame, some even managing to build up a helping of molten lava that spilled from their gaping maws. Sky Beak joined them, rearing his neck back and readying the torrent. Readying the firestorm. Then every single dragon fired downwards, breathing helpings and helpings of red-hot, burning flames and lava onto the face of the Command Center.

The blasts from each dragon caused the fires to spread out vastly from the point of impact, those fires almost reaching other dragons. A wave of fire and smoke had built on the face of the warship, growing so large that a lake of rising flames began to rise higher and higher, the dragons continuing their onslaught, not even once holding back.

Several seconds more, almost a full minute of nothing but the two dozen breathing fire straight down onto the ship they stood on. The flames were so hot that they actually managed to melt the outside armor of the Command Center, the fires digging even deeper once they pierced the hull. And when they had finally run dry for the moment, when each dragon closed their jaws to catch a much-needed breath, they all turned back to Tempest Shadow. They all watched to see what she would do, what her plan was.

Even Sky Beak wasn’t fast enough to properly react when Tempest rushed right for him and jumped straight into the air. She performed a short flip once she reached her maximum height, her face centered downwards and several bolts of magical lightning shooting off from her horn. Sky Beak screeched, the massive dragon flying aside and off the ship once he realized what she would do. All the dragons did the same, flying off the ship just in time for the lightning bolts to shoot through it.

Directing her shot right in the hole Sky Beak had crafted with his fire breath, Tempest Shadow actually screamed in pain when she unleashed the magic she had been storing and building stronger throughout the duration of the dragons’ act. When she actually unleashed the pent-up magical prowess from her broken horn, she wouldn’t be surprised if the rest of it had blown clean off with how powerful the blast was. She didn’t hold back. She used every bit of her strength in both mind and body to ensure the blast from her horn was strong enough to take out the entire ship.

She could only wait and find out, watching as the bolts of lightning shot straight into the dark hole. And the second they did, the hole several yards away to her right exploded, shots of electricity and fire erupting from the hole. Then the next erupted, and it was the same result. Then the next one. Then the next. Tempest’s spell shot throughout the Chitauri Command Center, the magical eruption so unbelievably powerful that it had killed everything inside. Everything… including the engines they stood right over.

Tempest Shadow fell as the ground below her exploded into bright yellows, oranges, reds, and even bright whites. Strands of her lightning consumed the warship, encircling it, eating it, completely destroying it from the inside out. The engines erupted with such ferocity that the shock wave from earlier was like a slight breeze compared to it. Tempest’s fading eyesight had only managed to catch the blast shoot outwards from the hull of the ship, those rising flames ready to devour her.

Had Sky Beak not flown in and snatched her right out of the air, she would have shared the fate of a thousand other Chitauri.

As well as the thousands still in the skies.

It was instantaneous. Once the engines of the warship exploded, so too did the remainder of the Command Center. The detonation was so powerful, so sudden, and so bright it appeared like a second sun had been birthed in the morning sky, the shock wave and blast completely vaporizing anything too close to the initial explosion. Everything else that came from the ship dropped.

Just like that.

Thousands of Chitauri—from chariots, to starships, and even the mighty Leviathans—all simply dropped at once from the skies. Dead instantly, before they were even close to the ground. The remaining Hippogriff and dragon armies still in the skies watched as about half of the entire Chitauri swarm they battled fell from the fight, leaving thousands of other Chitauri gazing back to the Command Center that had been destroyed, then looking over to their only remaining warship still in the sky.

In just that short moment of discombobulation, of actual worry and fright finally gripping the Chitauri that had survived, that’s when the tides of war had truly changed. The Hippogriffs were relentless in their push forward to the final warship, Seaspray leading the final ten battleships and Novo fighting alongside her Hippogriff soldiers and guards in the skies against an unsuspecting enemy. The dragons were even more ruthless, taking out Leviathans left and right, plowing through chariots and burning down starships that got in their way. Ember flew right alongside them, the Bloodstone Scepter being the first weapon fired at the second Command Center.

There was only more.

And the Chitauri could do little to nothing against it.

The Hippogriffs swarmed, the dragons burned, and the Chitauri crumbled. Novo and Ember fought in the air, making way for the elder dragons to take down the approaching Leviathans and clear a path for Novo’s navy. They all turned their gazes skywards, both Ember and Novo watching as her battleships soared over their heads, the massive wings batting up and down and pushing the ships onwards to the final target. Seaspray ordered them accordingly, five on each side in straight lines as they flew past the warship. The Command Center tried to flee, the Chitauri piloting inside pushing the engines to the limit. It just wasn’t enough.

Seaspray sliced down at the air with his sword, screeching directly at the warship. At the Chitauri that remained. Sending a single, clear, and powerful message.

They received it with a barrage of Queen Novo’s naval firepower.

All ten battleships fired at once, the cannons igniting and launching specialized cannonballs that exploded on impact, broke apart into numerous explosions, and many more devastating effects. The outsides of the Command Center blossomed into many bright beads of light, only expanding and growing larger and larger the more the Hippogriffs continued to fire. And they fired for nearly a minute straight, firing, reloading, firing, reloading, and firing again and again and again.

Until the naval barrage did what its intention was. The final Chitauri Command Center fell to the earth, the flames eating at what was left of it. All of the shimmering blue lights upon its surface faded into nothing but blackness, the ship falling straight through the clouds and smoke and striking the ground. Almost completely identical to the first warship, the second and final Command Center exploded with such ferocity and energy that ripples of said energy shot across the Dragon Lands, shaking the earth at its very core. The ship blew up in such a bright eruption it looked as if the very ground had split apart and a new volcano and blown its top. But not just its top, the entire mountain. All of it simply… gone. Nothing but a third star glowing against the earth.

And joining it very shortly was the remaining Chitauri. They fell like rain in the storm clouds, the dead from the smoke and ash. Chariots, starships, and Leviathans crashed and burned once they hit the grounds and landscapes of the Dragon Lands, several thousand more explosions blanketing Ember’s home. The Dragon Lord watched it all.

She watched the alien motherships fall with her own eyes. She watched the alien armies crumble before them. She watched it all—the saving of the Dragon Lands—alongside her people. And they cheered. They roared and they cheered.

They were never alone.

Hippogriffs flew down to meet with their fellow soldiers, some even cheering alongside the dragons. There were several dragons still unsure of the Hippogriffs’ presence at the moment, many more even shocked to see the dragons they had fought alongside with grip the pearl necklaces around their necks, transforming in a flash back into their Hippogriff forms. The tension was rising, yet it was completely overshadowed by the continuous cheers from the two species. Smolder held her mace and tossed her helmet high in the air, Garble behind her doing the same. Numerous teenage dragons kicked and stabbed at the dead bodies of the Chitauri, laughing at the alien corpses that had once tried to take their home. The adult dragons just stared about, watching as the Hippogriff naval ships descended. They softly growled at that.

Then silenced themselves once the Dragon Lord landed. And with her was the Queen of the Hippogriffs, Novo. Several squadrons of Hippogriffs and dragons landed alongside their leaders, some moving off to celebrate with their own kind while the guards stuck with their queen and the older dragons stood behind their Dragon Lord. Both rulers turned to one another, Ember’s fiery gaze meeting Novo’s collected and cool one. Ember snorted, but offered one, tiny nod her way. Novo’s beak grew into a small smirk, the Hippogriff nodding back.

A loud horn sounded off, prompting all heads to the skies to see Tempest’s airship fly overhead, swerving in mid-air and slowly descending to the rocky earth below. The trail of dark clouds behind it blended in with the smoke and fire in the skies, the airship finally landing and hovering just a few feet above the ground. The ramp on the side of the airship fell open, several dragons backing aside or growling in response to that. Ember held out her scepter, the bloodstone shimmering brightly and causing every dragon to hold. The Hippogriffs stood without even a flinch, even smiling to see all of the parrot pirates step out from the underbelly of the airship and down the ramp.

Leading them was Captain Celaeno and her crew, many Storm Creatures with Grubber right behind them. The crew of Tempest’s airship approached the Dragon Lord and Hippogriff Queen, bowing their heads slightly, closing their eyes as they did so. Grubber was right with them this time, not missing a single beat.

As Ember studied the strange parrot creatures and the lone, fat hedgehog scratching himself, Novo took the time to locate the airship’s owner. She darted her head back and forth, her eyes scanning the crew and even back towards the airship, yet she was nowhere to be found. Tempest Shadow was gone. Frowning at that, Novo continued to search, the Hippogriffs surrounding her doing the same, a greater sense of anxiety growing the longer Tempest’s absence was dragged out.

Novo was growing worrisome, that worry slowly changing into something she hoped she wouldn’t feel on their journey: fear. Turning to Celaeno, she asked, “Where’s Tempest?”

Celaeno couldn’t answer for her. She didn’t have time when the dragon roar came from above.

Nearly every head surrounding the airship turned skyward, watching as several more dragons slipped down through the clouds and gently landed on the stone-surface of the earth. Novo instantly noticed the pearl necklaces around only a few of them, the dragon she stared at clearly being Sky Beak if she could recall. His massive dragon wings unfurled, his right wing falling low and allowing his rider to slide to safety below.

Novo and Celaeno both shared a consecutive breath of relief when they saw Tempest Shadow herself slide off of Sky Beak’s wing. She stumbled once her hooves touched the rock, growling and clutching her forehead—the area right next to her horn—in clear signs of agony. The unicorn tightened her jaw, veins growing across her neck as she forced the pain-filled groans to stay inside. It took a lot out of her, almost causing her to black out had Celaeno not kept the unicorn standing.

Tempest lifted her weary gaze over to Celaeno, meeting the parrot captain’s smirk as she kept Tempest on her hooves. “I saw what you did up there,” Celaeno said, nodding slowly. “Pretty impressive, if I do say so myself.”

And for the first time in a long time, Tempest gratefully smiled back.

As Celaeno aided Tempest towards Novo and Ember, the two leaders looked over to see many more dragons grip their pearl necklaces and flash back into their Hippogriff forms. Sky Beak and Stratus Skyranger pulled off their helmets, wiping their brows free of sweat and chuckling to one another, as if either couldn’t believe what they had just done. The evidence was still hanging in the skies, passed the Hippogriff battleships hovering over their heads, and resting in the fading light of the second sun. The Chitauri Command Center was gone, destroyed by their fire and Tempest’s lightning. Those chuckles turned into laughs, those laughs into cheers, and those cheers into screeches of victory. They tossed their helmets in the air, dozens of Hippogriffs did.

Queen Novo watched them with a smile on her beak until she felt the claw grip her shoulder, practically pulling the Hippogriff away and forced to turn towards the Dragon Lord. And Ember was not happy.

“So, what’s the big idea of having your Hippogriffs transform into dragons, huh?” Ember spat, clearly fuming over the aftermath of the battle and how many they had lost, the numbers only continuing to grow alongside Ember’s dread the more she thought about it.

“I would consider it a form of flattery in the highest regard, Your Majesty,” Novo answered, smirking at Ember’s growing frown. “Besides… more dragons on the battlefield definitely made a difference. We were happy to help.”

Ember snorted, blowing smoke right into the Queen’s face. “We didn’t need it.”

As the Hippogriffs by her sides didn’t take too kindly to the disrespect sent their ruler’s way, Novo silenced them with a single wave of her left and right wings. Once the Hippogriffs settled, so too did her wings, folding back into her sides. Novo pondered to herself, staring at the ground, not meeting Ember’s fierce glare.

“Pride…” Novo began. The fire in Ember’s eyes died down, but only slightly, confusion slowly replacing it. The dragons behind her felt the same way, looking to one another. Novo shook her head, smiling Ember’s way. “Not a good trait to live by. It divides instead of builds, hates instead of loves.”

“Is there an end to this?” Ember muttered.

“Indeed,” Novo confirmed with a nod, “we don’t need to focus on pride when our entire world is threatened, Ember. And if you won’t admit that you needed help, then we will, because pride doesn’t keep us from admitting the truth. Pride doesn’t divide us any longer… it unites us.”

The Hippogriffs surrounding them all screeched in the air, swords and spears held high. The dragons stared at the Hippogriffs blankly, watching as they came back to the ground, focusing only on their queen. A few teenage dragons snickered at that, the adult dragons snorting at them, keeping the teenagers silent.

Ember watched the display of courage and pride amongst the Hippogriffs. She had to give it to them, they fought like absolute hell in the battle. Like them, like the dragons, they were a proud race, proud of their heritage and their traditions. But unlike the dragons, they weren’t so prideful as to be irrational, ruthless, and cruel. Ember almost slapped herself for practically admitting that to herself, but deep down she knew it was true. The dragons had remained stuck in their old traditions, livelihood, and pride for so long that they didn’t know what it meant to be helped. They didn’t know how to properly react. Since her crowning, Ember was the first dragon to invoke peace amongst another race in over a thousand years, the dragons finally making peace with the ponies. Their pride… stood in the way of peace with another race.

Ember was the first dragon in their history to try and change that.

This was the next step.

“All right, Queen Novo,” Ember said, resting one claw on her hip and sticking the butt of the Bloodstone Scepter into the ground. Smolder, Garble, and the many other dragons by her sides and behind her through every storm watched in silence, turning towards their Dragon Lord. “You came here for more than just lectures on pride. What’s this really about?”

“Novo…”

The Hippogriff Queen twisted her neck back, meeting Tempest’s fatigued eyes, expression, and body language. Her eyes said it all, told Novo that the war was far from over. Tempest looked absolutely winded on just that thought alone, barely even able to hold up her head, Celaeno having to support her. She nodded to the unicorn, turning back to Ember and her dragons.

“The Dragon Lands were just the start. These aliens think they can take our world away. They’ve shown that in Panthera… they almost did on Mount Aris… and they very nearly succeeded in the Dragons’ Lair.”

Ember shot up a brow. “The rest of the world’s in danger, too?”

“You’re right about one thing,” Novo said, her expression solid as pure, unbroken rock. “We didn’t just come here to save your lives.”

Frowning at how Novo worded that, Ember was ready to open her mouth yet again and tell her off. She paused once another Hippogriff fluttered down to the Queen’s right. His armor was more decorated, definitely shinier than the others that stood beside their queen. General Seaspray leaned in close to Novo’s ear, whispering to her.

After speaking with Seaspray, the Queen nodded and brought her neck back, staring grimly at the ground and Ember’s feet. Finally finding the strength to say it, she lifted her eyes and met Ember’s. She said, “The Griffons are losing ground fast. Griffonstone will fall soon.”

“Let me guess…” Ember groaned.

“I cannot even begin to imagine how much loss you’re enduring at the moment,” Novo told her, taking a small step forward. Her voice had dropped considerably, now sounding more considerate. “I know, I feel the same way with how many Hippogriffs we’ve lost in the past two days. But we can’t—no matter how much we want to say otherwise—we can’t fight this war alone. This involves all of us… all of Equus. We can’t turn away, Ember.”

Ember kept on frowning. “Please,” Novo said, ending it there.

The Dragon Lord knew what it meant to care for her people. That was her job, to watch over the dragons, to protect them. To lead them. Hearing Queen Novo’s voice, the desperation ripe and powerful laced around it, Ember couldn’t help but share similar feelings. She could deny it all she wanted, but in the end, she knew they were losing the fight. They had only won… because the Hippogriffs came to them. It would certainly take longer to admit that out loud, but it was a start.

Ember looked about to her people, seeing several tending to the dead and their wounds. The sorrow was there, the grief just as strong. But even stronger, pulsating in each dragons’ eyes was that undeniable fire, that thirst for vengeance. For payback. The dragons wanted to fight more than they wanted to recover. Who was the Dragon Lord to deny them that?

Who was Ember…?

I trust no other dragon… to lead our people…

She closed her eyes at that, struggling to sigh. Her father trusted her to do what was absolutely necessary to win, to lead their people through thick and thin, to be the Dragon Lord. To change who they were and how the world saw them.

“These things kicked our asses…”

Novo, Seaspray, Tempest, Celaeno, Sky Beak, Skyranger, Grubber, and so many more standing on the opposite side to the dragons turned fully on Ember, eyes slowly growing wider. Especially Novo, the Queen of the Hippogriffs meeting Ember’s eyes. And her ferocious grin. Ember nodded to Novo, scepter resting on her shoulder. “Count us in.”

The dragon army roared to the skies, spewing fire from their jaws to create hundreds of towers of nothing but blistering flames.

Chapter 62 – A Moment to Rest

Canterlot, Equestria

Canterlot Hospital

11:38 a.m.

Star Swirl said he was the greatest and worst monster in Equestrian history.

It was a time before the Elements of Harmony. Before the Tree of Harmony. Before the two sisters came together to stop… Discord. Fluttershy winced at just the mention of her friend’s—of their friend’s—name. Before any of the Pillars ever sacrificed themselves to stop the Pony of Shadows. It was a time of chaos, of monsters, of unearthly terrors roaming the landscapes and threatening the lives of ponies, griffons, Hippogriffs, dragons, and many creatures alike. Demented monsters, birthed from the very fires within the earth itself. Hideous serpents and reptiles, beasts completely alien to Equus and its inhabitants.

Beasts that were birthed of fire. Birthed from the very beast dwelling in the earth. Birthed from the Father of all Monsters.

Typhon.

Each Pillar gave their own name for him, each just as horrifying as the last. They tried to mask the dreaded name behind each title, the horrifying truth within the veil of discontent. They never could. It would always return to that name that sent shivers down everypony’s spines. Finally coming to a shared consensus, a mutual understanding that the massive serpent they fought—as well as the several others that emerged from beneath the earth in the Badlands—was actually a part of Typhon… the ponies just couldn’t believe it.

They were absolutely shocked, horrified, and lost in wonderment.

From what they heard, from what Star Swirl and his Pillars told them, Typhon was said to have been so powerful his children nearly managed to take all of Equestria for themselves. With the seven-headed demon leading them, they very nearly succeeded. Had it not been for the combined strengths of Princess Celestia, Luna, the Pillars, and the various races that aided in destroying the beast that tried to steal their world, Typhon would have taken all of Equestria. Easily all of Equus.

His defeat came at a terrible cost. The lush and bountiful landscape where the battle occurred became nothing but a barren wasteland. The heat and toxic air that remained would forever scorch the lands, making them uninhabitable for more than a thousand years. The landscape was accurately renamed the “Badlands”, and no one ever dared set foot or hoof in it for many, many moons. Until Chrysalis and her changelings arrived, that is, birthing the Changeling Empire several years after the Pillars’ entrapment within Limbo.

But even before that, Typhon and his surviving children were banished into the firmly-established realm of Tartarus. Under the veil as a barren portion of the Underworld, Tartarus served as a means of imprisoning all terrible beasts of war, monsters beyond reasoning, and demons from all ends of the world to face their final judgement and prison. Everything that entered the wicked twin gates never escaped, the magic from all races of Equus ensuring that no beast would be able to leave Tartarus’ bonds once they have been tried and imprisoned. Typhon would be the first of many monsters to face his final judgement, and experience torture and imprisonment beyond comprehension for his unholy crimes on Equus. The inhabitants of the Underworld, namely Charon and the Judges, made deals with the rulers above, promising to keep the condemned trapped to face their judgement, and even lead those to their final resting place. One of Typhon’s children, Cerberus, was granted redemption and eternal life, giving all of it in protecting the Gates of Tartarus and ensuring no demon or monster ever escaped the bonds of the Underworld.

And for over a thousand years, that was how things existed. That was the law of life and death.

And now Typhon was back.

None of the Pillars knew how it was possible. Twilight mentioned it could have occurred when Cerberus left his post at the Gates of Tartarus, and that very may have been the answer, but Star Swirl and the others still weren’t fully convinced. Typhon was powerful, but the magic they used to conceal him within the darkest depths of Tartarus was even more powerful. How it was possible would be a question saved for another time. Their only remaining concern was in dealing with Typhon once he reached his full strength, because when he did… there would be only one other power capable of rivaling against him.

Twilight and her closest friends already knew what it was. Something they had grown quite accustomed to.

The Elements of Harmony.

The very power that was used to purge Princess Luna of Nightmare Moon, banish Discord twice, and save Equestria more times than they could count was all that was capable of defeating something as dangerous as Typhon. Star Swirl informed Twilight and her friends that even he didn’t know if the Pillars of Equestria alone were strong enough to defeat Typhon a second time. For all they know, from what Twilight and Doctor Strange explained to him, Typhon may have grown even stronger since their last encounter more than a thousand years ago. There would be no holding back. The greatest magic of all was the only thing that could hope to defeat Typhon.

For Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity, there was nothing else to it than just that. Their bond to the Elements of Harmony were as pure as the magic that flowed from the magical artifacts. Once the five necklaces and lone crown were back in the possession of the six mares, then they would have all the assurance they needed to defeat Typhon. Even without the Elements, they still had Twilight’s castle and the Rainbow Power at their disposal. Every assurance was within their grasp. All that remained was just a means of waiting. Waiting for Typhon to strike, to make his next move and make his presence known to all the world. As the Badlands burned from their battle with Thanos not too long ago, it would be quite some time until then.

The Pillars promised the eight mares and young dragon that they would keep their eyes only to the Badlands in the meantime, ensuring them they would report of any unusual or unholy sightings. And if Typhon did return, Twilight and her friends would be ready. Twilight promised Star Swirl and the others that.

But before that, the ponies would rest. Recover. Lick their wounds and collect themselves. They had been through a lot. Star Swirl and the Pillars sent their best wishes to the mares and Spike as they made their way to Canterlot Hospital. The mere image of Star Swirl, Stygian, Meadowbrook, Flash Magnus, Mistmane, Somnambula, and Rockhoof all gazing into the hallway window and staring at the approaching ash cloud reach Canterlot still plagued Twilight’s mind.

There were a lot of things that plagued her. So much so that she unfortunately drowned out most of the words that Doctor Hoof read off in his final diagnosis of the Alicorn to her parents.

Princess Twilight Sparkle lay in a medical gown, upon a comfortable, snow-white bed within the most secure and sanitized room in Canterlot Hospital. Aside from the newly-patched scars and bandages on her face and body, she was still very much alive. Alive… but not well. An IV stand and heart monitor rested by her bedside, continuously checking her status alongside a small table filled with pain pills and a glass of water just in case Twilight ever needed them. Her violet coat was nearly covered in bandages and gauze strips, covering cuts, wounds, and burns. Her wings were outstretched and draped over the bedside, no broken bones within them but still heavily singed and needing the room and air to heal. As for her face, the bleeding from her nose had managed to have been stopped thanks to the best medical staff Canterlot could offer. Several dark purple and black bruises painted her forehead and cheeks, heavy bags of darkness underneath her eyes, showing not only weariness, but pain and untold dread. Her mane was in tatters, slightly burnt and unkempt, but Twilight didn’t seem to care.

She just stared straight ahead, a dead look in her eyes. She didn’t even meet the worrisome glances from her mother and father. Her weak breathing was shared amongst the others.

Applejack was one of the few mares to remain silent. As silent as she could. Even a farm pony as tough as her, from a pony as tough as nails, cringed and hissed as the doctors tended to her wounded left hind leg. It remained in heavy bandages, blood-covered, several other minor wounds painted on her coat. Her hat rested on the stand by her bedside, Applejack’s golden mane tattered and unkempt. Not as bad as Twilight’s, but hardly presentable. On any normal day, Rarity would have had a terrible fit and tried to fight Applejack in order to tend to her mane. It was not a normal day. Rarity hadn't said a peep.

Fluttershy’s wounds were very minimal. Cuts and bruises alike, nothing the best of Canterlot’s medical couldn’t handle. What required a little more delicate care would be the harm that came from just bodily damages. After observing her behavior, checking her heart rate, as well as her mental state, the ponies in uniform understood the issue rather quickly. From the staff at Canterlot Hospital, they came to the conclusion that Fluttershy had suffered minor shock after experiencing the traumatic events in the Badlands. They wrote it off, offered her some pills that would help her calm down, and left it at that. Yet there was so much more to it. So much more she saw that couldn’t be fixed with medicine. She sat in her medical bed, back pressed to the headboard and pillow, eyes staring straight ahead. Dead ahead. Not nearly as dead as Twilight’s, but just as dreadful. Perhaps even more so.

Rainbow Dash managed to hold her tears in. She stopped crying ages ago, and swore to not show any more tears in front of other ponies she barely knew. It still hurt like hell when they mended her wounded right wing, the nurses assuring Rainbow it was normal to show tears. Anypony who suffered as dangerous a wing injury as her would have been easily willing to show some painful tears. But not Rainbow. She grit her teeth, closed her eyes, and let the doctors do their job as they mended her bones and healed them with magic. The right wing was still numb, even as they patched it up in bandages and let it fold neatly on her side. They assured Rainbow it would be as good as new in a day or two. That was the magic of Canterlot’s finest at work. She thanked them and lay in her bed reading a Daring Do novel for the fifteenth time, hooves bandaged and struggling to flip the pages.

Pinkie Pie played with a bouncy ball, tossing it up and down, up and down, catching it every time with exact precision. Twilight still wondered how she did that. So precise. So completely accurate. Every single time. She only suffered minor wounds, a few cuts and bruises. The doctors said she would be up and smiling in no time, back to her good old Pinkie Pie self. She was as healthy as a horse, as they put it, but she definitely didn’t express it in any way. Her head was facing the ball high in the air, but her eyes stared beyond that, saw something more. Saw something even Twilight couldn’t explain. Another Pinkie Sense, perhaps? Twilight didn’t know. Pinkie wouldn’t tell. She couldn’t tell, even if she wanted to.

Starlight Glimmer suffered almost the worst out of everypony present, minus Twilight of course. The cut over her left eyebrow was worse than they thought earlier. It was deeper, almost got infected from the ash and sulfur dioxide in the air, and therefore nearly blinded her in the left eye. Had they remained in the Badlands any longer the cut would have most certainly gotten infected. That wasn’t even the worst of it. The cut was cleansed and sealed, yet her horn was what required serious surgery. A unicorn’s horn was incredibly sensitive. Too much damage could cause definite and permanent side effects, and in Starlight’s condition, they were once again lucky to have gotten to the medical room in time. The damage wasn’t too serious—thank Celestia—and the doctors managed to get her horn patched up and bandaged in record timing. Yet they warned her of ever overheating her magic without allowing the horn to heal properly. If she did, if she didn’t allow the body and mind to heal within several weeks, then her horn would be permanently cracked. Forever damaged. Starlight hadn’t uttered a word since she was wheeled out of the emergency room mere minutes ago. Her expression said it all. Said every horrible word and fear.

Sunset Shimmer cared only for her friends, assuring the doctors she needed no help and only wanted them to focus on Twilight and the others. They insisted, shutting her down and sealing her up. Minor cuts and bruises painted her face and body, especially over her chest and back where Thanos slammed her into the ground, but of course she didn’t tell them that. Another lie kept to ensure the peace within Canterlot. For the moment, at least. The princesses would learn of the horrid truth soon.

Rarity shared the least of the injuries, yet she was the most shaken. The doctors thought that Fluttershy suffered the worst shell shock. They earned plenty of surprise when they came across Rarity. Very few wounds, instead replaced with a severe state of shock. She shivered like a withering leaf in a snowstorm in her hospital bed, gazing out the window and refusing to meet the supportive eyes of the medical staff. Alongside them, she also missed the glancing glares sent her way from the likes of Rainbow Dash and Applejack specifically. Nopony else, really. Spike went from bed to bed checking on everypony, lingering longer near Rarity as she refused to answer his calls.

The sounds of numerous heart monitors beeped obnoxiously, mixing with the distant monotone voices of the doctors in the background speaking medical jargon. Twilight gazed to her friends every few seconds, seeing a new type of pain flash in their eyes, a rebirth of dread and agony surfacing after more and more recollections of the Badlands came back to them in full force. It hurt her to see them like that. It hurt more than the wounds, the cuts, the burns, the broken bones, and every other vivid and grisly detail that came back to her, showing her every bloody element of her encounter in the Badlands. It hurt more than that.

More than Doctor Hoof’s words of her injuries. It sounded just as monotone as the others.

“Broken snout, simple skull fracture, four broken ribs, third-degree burns, minor blood loss… and one hell of a headache,” Doctor Hoof explained, lowering his clipboard with his magical aura encased around it, allowing his aged and experienced eyes hidden behind his heavy glasses to meet the equally-concerned gazes from Princess Twilight’s parents.

Twilight Velvet and Night Light each shared a worrisome look with one another, once more turning to their only daughter for the umpteenth time in the span of mere minutes. After hearing of Twilight’s dreaded excursion and return from the Badlands from Princess Celestia herself, they rushed as fast as they could to Canterlot Hospital only to see their daughter and her closest friends all wrapped up and recovering. They looked absolutely exhausted, however, hardly any of them paying much attention to their presence, save for Twilight and Spike of course.

Twilight Velvet, shaking her head at the grave diagnosis Doctor Hoof gave them, only sighed shakily. “That’s lucky she didn’t puncture a lung, though, huh?” she offered, forcing a weak smile her daughter’s way. Twilight simply stared at her a moment, turning away shortly and not even returning the smile.

The doctor stared at Twilight’s mother and father blankly, stating just as plain, “I think she’s lucky to be alive. That must have been some monster you fought in the Badlands, Your Highness.”

Twilight only nodded from her bed, her voice raspy. “Yes, it was.”

Nodding in return, Doctor Hoof faced away from Twilight Sparkle and faced her parents once more. “The magical treatments we’ve offered her and her friends will allow their injuries to heal relatively fast, considering average treatments would allow such injuries to take weeks to heal. They should all be back on their hooves in no time, but I advise them to take things easy for a while.”

Nopony objected. Not even Rainbow Dash, who had placed her book down and crossed her forelegs when Doctor Hoof’s voice rose higher than usual, probably addressing everypony present. Pinkie stopped tossing her ball but resumed shortly after the mild pause.

Absorbing that pause, Doctor Hoof returned to the parents, saying, “I… cannot say the same for Starlight Glimmer, however.”

The unicorn perked up from her bed, weary gaze latching with the back of Doctor Hoof’s head. “What do you mean?” Night Light asked.

“The wound to her horn was rather serious. Had it been pushed a tad further, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have been able to make as much progress as we did. There a things even magic can’t heal, and she will need to refrain from concocting any form of above-average spell for the next few weeks if she wants her horn to fully recover.”

A snort from behind caught all of their ears. Turning appropriately, Doctor Hoof held out his hoof to the bed near the end of the medical room, calling out, “Did you hear that, Ms. Glimmer?”

“Loud and clear,” Starlight grumbled, hooves crossed just over her blanket.

Already sensing her distaste, Doctor Hoof resumed with his diagnosis, checking his clipboard before finally sighing. “As for Ms. Fluttershy and Ms. Rarity… I would highly suggest further help.”

“What kind of help?” Twilight Velvet prodded.

“Psychiatric help,” he replied, dropping his clipboard once more. He turned back, Velvet and Night Light’s eyes following his as the three ponies gazed to Fluttershy and Rarity. Their eyes were nearly glazed over, either staring straight ahead or facing away. Almost like they saw a ghost. Almost like they were the ghost. “It’s quite normal for ponies who have experienced severe, traumatic events to express these stages of shock as they have shown us. Once more, that must have been some monster they fought in the Badlands.”

Seeing the Pegasus quiver and whimper made Twilight Velvet’s heart melt, then freeze when Fluttershy's eyes darted quickly to Velvet’s. That split second almost sent something horrific her way, telling of a tragic tale and experiencing far worse than Velvet ever wanted to know. She turned away, facing Doctor Hoof. “We’ll contact their families as soon as possible and let them know,” she said.

“All of their families,” Night Light added.

“Much appreciated. Now, if you’ll excuse us,” Doctor Hoof concluded, turning to his fellow doctors and nurses and nodding their way. They nodded in return, making their escape from the medical room. Doctor Hoof was the last present by the door, bowing appropriately to Twilight and her friends. “Your Highness. Ladies.”

He closed the door upon his exit, leaving just Twilight’s parents alone with eight battered mares and one worried dragon.

Until only the sound of the heart monitors consistently beeping filled the air, Twilight Velvet made the first move, took the first breath, and had the very first step towards her daughter. Night Light followed almost instantly, almost shadowing his wife as they came up to the very left of Twilight’s bedside. Twilight Velvet smiled to her daughter. “How are you, sweetie?”

A response came. It came in the form of a weakened, worn smile and a broken mare. “I’m fine, Mom. Really, just,” Twilight groaned, arching her chest before settling back in the bed cushions, hissing as she did so, “a bit sore from the surgery.”

“These unicorns in Canterlot Hospital sure are fancy!” Night Light exclaimed, offering a helpful grin as he eyed Twilight’s ribs hidden underneath the medical gown. “Their magic managed to patch you up in less than twenty minutes! That’s gotta be some kind of record!”

He chuckled to ease the mood. Twilight stared at her father blankly, the large bags and darkness beneath her eyes making her look a thousand years older. That’s how she felt, which reminded her. “Anyway, Princess Celestia visited not too long ago, just before you came in actually,” Twilight explained.

“Oh, yes, we ran into her in the hallway,” Velvet replied with a sweet smile.

“She couldn’t stay long,” her daughter continued. “Luna was busy trying to learn as much from Vision as she could, even going so far as to delve into Vision’s dreams when he tried to recover.”

Night Light furrowed his brow, still not quite familiar with the “Vision” character his daughter kept referring to. All he could recollect from him was the stories Twilight used to tell of past adventures with those heroes she used to be friends with. The Revengers, was it? “And how did that work out?” he asked.

“Celestia didn’t know. She said she’ll inform me the moment something comes up,” Twilight said, yawning loudly, then immediately holding her rib cage as a wave of soreness rushed over her. “But we explained everything already, she offered her best, and promised to keep Vision safe in Canterlot for the time being. If you want to know more about what happened, you can ask Celestia.”

She left out the part of Discord’s death, something even Celestia didn’t take very well.

Twilight opened her eyes, fully expecting to see her parents smiling and nodding in understanding. She already gave plenty of hints, yet her father still didn’t seem to catch him. Typical Night Light. Twilight could have giggled at his expression had her ribs not been killing her. “You… don’t want to tell your parents?” he asked, smiling wide.

“Night Light!” Velvet hissed, elbowing her husband in the side.

Twilight chuckled, but even that was a struggle. She coughed into her hoof, gulped down whatever blood tried to arise, and smiled. “I wish I could, Dad. It’s just…” she coughed again, cringing slightly at her wounded ribs. “I think I just need to lay down a bit. I hope you don’t mind.”

Night Light smiled, stepping forward and tussling Twilight’s already tattered mane. The Alicorn smiled through her violet bangs, staring at her father as he broke away. She always loved when he did that when she was younger. Reminded her of better, simpler times. “Nah, don’t worry about it, kiddo. Celestia can tell us everything we need to know. We trust her that much. C’mon, honey, let’s give her some rest.”

Velvet nodded in return, bending forward towards her daughter. Twilight leaned forward, closing her eyes as her mother kissed her forehead, just below her horn. They both smiled to one another, each sharing a warmth only a mother and daughter could share. The gray-colored mare broke off, trotting towards the exit to join her husband.

But she stopped. They both did. Twilight Velvet slowly twisted her neck back, muttering softly, “We… still have faith, if you’re wondering.”

Twilight stared at her parents in silence.

“Faith in the princesses, is what we mean,” Night Light picked up for her. He wrapped his foreleg around her withers, bringing his wife in close. They both smiled supportively to their only daughter, Night Light continuing shortly. “We trust them to keep Canterlot safe, as do many other ponies. Others… well… they lost faith a long time ago.”

That was hardly news to Twilight, or any of the ponies, really. Ponies left the city in droves, possibly somewhere they believed to be safer or with family. After the fiasco with the changeling invasion, with Ultron, the Storm King, the next big threat gave everypony enough of a reason to lose that faith in Canterlot. To lose that faith in the princesses. Twilight, although could hardly blame those who left, was still glad her parents and many other ponies trusted Celestia and Luna as well as she did.

For that, Twilight could smile again. “See ya later, kiddo. Love you,” Night Light called out.

Velvet was next, pushing open the door alongside her husband. “Love you, Twilight.”

Twilight waved weakly to them. “Love you guys too.”

Her parents were just moments away from leaving, not even able to shut the door behind them when the towering, anthropomorphic cat barged into the medical room. The ponies shot up their heads when Capper came into view, Twilight’s parents quite shocked to see him just as well as the other mares were. He carried a large plate of food in his right paw, struggling in balancing the plate of Canterlot delicacies he… borrowed from the dining room’s kitchen. Nearly stepping over the mare and stallion, apologizing as he did so, Capper stumbled into the room that held the injured ponies and Spike.

And everypony stared at him.

The door swung shut behind him, leaving just Capper holding the plate up high and his free paw gripping his coat. “Lunch is served, ladies!” he declared, stumbling around the room and holding the plate out for them, just over the beds. Nopony took a thing. They weren’t really craving any food at the moment. They didn’t really crave anything. It was a chorus of nothingness and wavering gloom.

After pausing at the end of the room by Rarity’s bedside, the usually ecstatic mare once in his presence appearing as nothing more than a depressed, soaked washcloth, Capper stood back up, frowning to the eight mares. Then to Spike. He shook his head to Capper, giving him all the assurance he needed. “Hm. More for me then,” Capper concluded, plucking off an apple fritter and savoring the delicious treat as he plopped it in his mouth.

After munching for several moments on the dessert, Capper licked his paw, pointing it at Twilight and asking, “You mind telling me how you all ended up like…?”

“Crap?” Rainbow suggested.

Capper shrugged, plucking another fritter from the tray. “Yeah, that works.”

Ignoring Capper as he gorged himself, Rainbow Dash’s frown finally began to form. And she gave it a direction. She focused and centered it on the mare to her far left, at the only Alicorn in the room. “Are we gonna keep ignoring this or we finally gonna talk about it?” Rainbow asked, her voice anything but patient.

Twilight caught it instantly, her shivering hooves struggling to bring the glass of water to her lips. Her horn—although not as damaged as Starlight’s—still needed time to recover. Taking a small sip, Twilight laid the glass on the stand next to her bed, the Alicorn sighing. “Capper, can you keep a secret?”

“More like the truth,” Sunset grumbled, fumbling with the bandages she didn’t need.

“Well, AJ did tell me all about lying,” Capper replied. Twilight’s expression was all the response he needed to that remark. Applejack’s was even worse. He took a seat on one of the many chairs resting by the opposite wall. He set the plate down to the empty chair on his right, shaking his paws to Twilight. “I’m sorry. Yes, I can. Go on ahead.”

His assurance was spoken to Twilight, but it was given to everypony. That was more than enough for Rainbow to address the elephant in the room. “Okay,” Dash broke in, shattering the near-silence with her raspy, aggravated voice. It only further shocked everypony, Spike and Capper especially, when she said it. “Why the buck did Rarity screw everything up?!”

Spike took a step back, almost like he was slapped right in his scaly cheek. He turned instantly to Applejack, almost ready for her to shut Rainbow down, tell her she was being cynical, looking for somepony to blame. Only Applejack shared her exact same expression. All frowns and fiery eyes centered on the unicorn at the end of the room. Others, like Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Sunset, and Starlight didn’t share similar expressions, but didn’t object to Rainbow’s outburst. They just dropped their heads, their eyes, and stared sadly at their blankets. Even Twilight, which surprised Spike the most.

He turned instead to Rarity, in hopes for an explanation. Her back was still trained to him, to everypony, her deep purple mane in shambles. Rarity would have never let that be. She was being silent for more reasons still unknown.

“What?” Capper asked, his voice almost sounding numb.

Rainbow didn’t hold back. Not one bit. She nearly leaped out of her bed, the covers falling from her lap as she did so. “We were this close to getting that gauntlet off of Thanos’ greasy hand. And we almost did, because I had to act where Rarity didn’t! But even then, there was no way for Fluttershy to hold him with the Stare any longer! Face it! We lost because of her!”

She jabbed her hoof to the far right, to the very end of the medical room. Everyone’s eyes shifted over—lingered on Fluttershy’s frozen expression—then settled on the alabaster unicorn. Rarity even managed to rise from her bed, spin around, and face the accusation head-on. Her eyes were beet red, clearly offended and hurt, but still held something even worse than that. Pure, raw emotional distress. Spike saw it all and knew there was something more. He knew something else must have happened, because the Rarity he knew would never willfully cause her friends to fail.

Willfully. Maybe that was the key word.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Capper interrupted, shaking his paws. “Hold up now! First of all, what gauntlet are you talking about? Second, what do you mean by ‘you lost’? Third, why is it Rarity’s fault? And fourth—”

“Who’s Thanos?”

Capper, Spike, and everypony else turned to Twilight. Saw the dead expression. Saw everything they either knew or didn’t want to. Just the tone of her voice was enough for them to know she held something else, knew something more about Thanos than any of them ever could.

Especially Capper, gulping softly from his chair. “Y-yeah.”

The Alicorn leaned forward, her hooves pressed to the soft blankets resting just over her hind legs. Her tattered and burnt mane rested against and fell over her skull, hiding her eyes, shielding the true horror and simplicity of it all. All Capper—and essentially Spike as well—really had were her words, and to trust them as best as he could. It was hard not to.

“He’s it,” Twilight replied. Her voice was so weak, so utterly defeated that Capper and Spike had no choice but to believe it. The simplicity in just that statement alone, as if there was no other greater, no other worse, than the one called Thanos. She spoke of him as if there was no other end, no other threat to Equestria other than him. He was it. He was the one. “He’s the one behind all of this. Earth hanging over Equus’ atmosphere, the alien invasions, and now the devastation in the Badlands. All of it was because of him… and what he wanted.”

She didn’t stop. Capper leaned forward, elbows pressed to his knees, his brow furrowed and his expression frozen. Even Spike was seemingly lost standing just at the edge of Twilight’s bedside, looking from Sunset to Applejack, trying to understand if everything that came from Twilight was the truth. Nopony objected. Their expressions were answer enough, more than enough to tell Spike that it was real.

“That gauntlet Rainbow mentioned,” Twilight continued, Spike’s head jerking back to her, “he uses it to collect the six Infinity Stones. With all six Stones, he could become unstoppable. And all he wants… all he desires once he gets all six Stones… is to wipe out half of all life in the universe.”

It was all real.

Capper leaned back, his own backside impacting the chair’s rest and making it creak out in protest. It was the only sound in the room, save for the heart monitors, the ragged breathing, and whispering whimpers. “W-what…?” Capper muttered, blinking several times, still incredulous to the information. The truth. Everything he just heard.

Twilight didn’t miss a beat. Didn’t hold back. She stared only at him with her dead eyes. A voice like hers wouldn’t lie. “We didn’t fight just some random monster in the Badlands. Some monster wouldn’t cause… all of this,” she explained, not strong enough to lift her hoof over to her friends, but Capper understood what she meant. “We almost had it off… the gauntlet that Thanos wore. If we did that, it would’ve been over. Thanos would have no more power. But… we didn’t. We lost.”

“Because…” Rainbow’s voice arose, prompting Twilight to finish what was on everypony’s minds. Twilight shut her eyes, already growing aggravated by Rainbow’s tone constantly scratching against her nerves. She remained silent, refusing to face right and meet the rainbow Pegasus. Face her eyes. As well as he truth.

“Because…!” Rainbow shouted, slamming her hoof on the bed. Still nothing. Twilight’s head fell even further, her ears drooping deeper, her body language falling farther into the abyss. Rainbow snorted, shaking her head. “Oh, for Celestia’s sake! Because Rarity ruined everything!”

“We had this simple plan we all agreed on from the start o’ things,” Applejack interjected, actually continuing for Rainbow in their blame game, much to Spike’s surprise. “Everypony had a job ta do, and if we did it everythin’ would turn out jus’ fine. All Rarity had ta do was help pull the glove off, and she couldn’t even do that right!”

“She just froze up like she was scared of him or something!” Rainbow added.

“Did it come to your attention that maybe she was scared?!” Twilight shouted, twisting her head back to finally face the Pegasus. There was a feral, almost wounded look in her red and teary eyes. Almost like pure betrayal in the finest form. Most of it was directed at Rainbow Dash and Applejack for even daring to push the blame on one of their friends. But some of it… just a little bit of it… was centered on Rarity.

Mostly the betrayal. And Twilight hated herself for that. Rarity didn’t say a word, just watched as her friends, one by one, all gave in and accepted the hard truth. And it was the truth. Even Rarity couldn’t deny that. She knew what she did, she knew what she could have done, and yet she didn’t. She didn’t because Rainbow was right, she was scared.

“You think any of us weren’t?!” Rainbow argued, flaring her left wing out in an imposing manner, the right still bandaged and resting by her side. Even when separated by several beds, the fire between Twilight and Rainbow was as bright and heated as ever before. But it quickly died down, both mares too winded to even argue any further. Instead, Rainbow’s eyes cooled down, her expressions hardening, becoming more emotional, less angry.

“That Thanos freak took a Sonic Rainboom to the chest,” she said.

“He kept standin’ even when I bucked him square in the gut,” Applejack added, Twilight’s head, Spike’s, and Capper’s all shifting over to the farm pony. All almost in disbelief. All growing more and more dreadful with each truth sent their way, each more and more impactful.

“He basically waved off some of my strongest spells like they were nothing,” Starlight mumbled, caressing her bandaged horn. The mere fact that she could have been feeling a broken stump right about then froze Starlight right there. Her lower lip quivered, the unicorn closing her eyes tight, forcing the tears to stay in.

“He didn’t even tell me what his favorite rock was,” Pinkie sadly mumbled, the party horn in her mouth crying out and quickly dying.

“He withstood my phoenix magic,” Sunset muttered, Twilight’s head darting in her direction. And Sunset’s eyes said it all, the unicorn’s head slowly shaking back and forth, her voice shivering. “You know how powerful that spell is, Twilight.”

“He…” Fluttershy began, catching herself and the terrified squeak that tried to leave her. She rubbed her shoulder, closing her eyes tight as small tears managed to escape and slip to freedom, down her cheeks. She calmly breathed, as calm as she could, and began again. “His stare was stronger.”

“You think we weren’t scared?” Rainbow Dash said, Twilight’s eyes returning to hers. Rainbow kept her head frozen stiff, eyes red and wounded, chest rising and falling sporadically. As well as her voice. “I was… but I did it anyway. I did my job. I fought. And I lost.”

She turned away from Twilight’s broken expression, instead facing Rarity’s far more shattered one. “What do you have to say to that, Rarity?” Rainbow asked.

Within that blanket of silence, masked only by the unwavering, painful, and accusing eyes from nearly everypony present, there were those who turned to the Element of Generosity for an answer, finding nothing. There were those who gave in, gave up, and let the magic slowly heal their bodies. Then there were those who were still traumatized from their recent adventures… and failures. Everypony held a pang of failure, a flicker of terror that dared to forge into nightmares lest they allow their minds to wander. Some thought more on Typhon, of the serpent beast that ambushed and nearly devoured them. Some thought of Thanos, his depravity and his insanity. His rage and his power. His will… and his life.

Fluttershy was one of those ponies. When she opened her eyes and unleashed the strongest Stare she could ever have managed, she saw something more than just fear. She saw more than what any average animal would have felt. She saw, she felt, and she experienced everything. Absolutely every horrible deed Thanos had ever committed, laid bare and so ripe she could smell and taste the blood, smoke, and death in the air, just from sight. Just because she opened her eyes and dared to peek further into who the Mad Titan was. That vision, that sight, that terror completely traumatized the Pegasus, Fluttershy only seeing the children who never got to experience a life because Thanos decided who was given the opportunity to live. She saw planets burn, cities crumble, families torn apart, for years and years and years. All in a matter of seconds. Less than a minute. Forged together in a horrific mesh of genocide and legacy. That’s who Thanos was. That’s what Fluttershy saw.

Sunset was another one of those ponies. Though she didn’t show it like Fluttershy had, Sunset Shimmer was still reeling on the memory she witnessed of Thanos and Gamora. The young, alien woman, stripped of her old life and family and forced into one that took everything from her, tried to build her into something she was never meant to become: a killer. That innocent child, parents taken away despite her struggle, lost her childhood. Lost everything, yet was given the universe, given so many more promises that Thanos swore to uphold. That thought still lingered, her hoof rising and gently caressing the rock resting over her heart. Sunset barely understood how her geode worked. All she knew was that it allowed her to see only what was necessary. The geode wanted her to see that memory of Thanos’ specifically… for some reason.

She never told her friends what she saw. She doubted they would understand it any better. Sunset kept in mind, kept it as close as the geode was to her own heart.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of, Rarity,” Twilight said, looking over to Rarity and offering a helpful, saddened smile to the unicorn. “I was scared too.”

Rarity, seemingly lost in some strange trance, finally broke away and met Twilight’s helpful smile. She wanted to return one. She wanted to smile and grin and assure her best friends that she was fine. She made a mistake and she was sorry. Only she didn’t. There was no mistake to be made.

Earth was brought to Equus. All of their lands were in flames.

Thanos came to their world.

Every hero she saw had arrived. Every pony and everyone.

Just as she saw once before in that dreaded vision.

There was no mistake to be made.

Only destiny.

Chapter 79 – Somewhere Safe

Zephyr One

In Flight

4:44 p.m.

It was a long and silent flight. The only sound was that of the constant whirring of the Zephyr One tearing through the clouds of white, breaking through to open airs and unveiling nothing to all. The camouflage kept the massive jet hidden from the world, from any extraterrestrial eye hoping to find them. The inhabitants within were silent, though.

Way too quiet.

There wasn’t much to talk about.

Piper and Davis took over the flight of the Zephyr from Phil Coulson, allowing the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. to converse with the Avengers. With everyone. Bustling about, being the only inhabitants within the jet to be moving, working, still seemingly alive were the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Some of them. From the eight surviving S.H.I.E.L.D. agents returning to their stations to guide the Zephyr through the skies, to Piper and Davis piloting, and even to Fitz and Simmons going back and forth and offering the wounded with first aid, everyone else within S.H.I.E.L.D. were frozen where they stood.

Dead silence all around.

Daisy Johnson hung with Melinda May, both women leaning heavily against the Zephyr’s padded walls, arms crossed, staring forward and nowhere else. Agent Peterson, Deathlok, sat alongside Lance Hunter and Bobbie Morse, the two disavowed agents removing their bloody and tattered armor stuck to their bodies. Hunter removed the armored S.H.I.E.L.D. mask from his face, practically gasping for air, his face as ripe as a tomato. Bobbi turned to her husband, placing a bandaged hand on his shoulder for comfort. Both for him and herself. Lance accepted it either way.

Mack and Yo-Yo stood silently away from the group, conversing with one another, Alphonso asking her if she was all right again and again. Elena assured him she was, not a thing on that battlefield having scraped her. Deke stumbled almost aimlessly, following alongside Fitz and Simmons as the two newly-weds dropped by Danny Rand and the rest of the Defenders.

The Iron Fist had lost his button up shirt long ago, as well as his voice and sense of reason. Several scratches—some minor and a few very serious—as well as numerous bite marks painted his naked chest, Fitz and Simmons gently cleansing the wounds on his bodies, cleaning off the blood, and doing everything in their power to keep Danny Rand alive. He didn’t want to live. Neither he, nor Jessica, nor Cage, not even Murdock found much reason to anymore.

They were all still reeling, still trying to come to terms with the words that left Doctor Stephen Strange’s lips. How everyone in the Sanctum Sanctorum, everyone the Masters of the Mystic Arts vowed to protect, were killed. Slaughtered like cattle. All of their friends… family… everything they had left that kept them tied down to the real world.

Gone. Just like that.

Matthew Murdock’s Daredevil mask sat between his legs, between his palms, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen sitting silently, staring somberly at nothing. A S.H.I.E.L.D. medic was busy tending to Jessica’s wound on her abdomen, treating the severe cut as delicately as she could. Jones hissed, painful tears boiling in her eyes. Not from the pain in her gut. Not from the skin being sewn together. But from her heart. Where it hurt the most to know Trish was gone. Jessica Jones closed her eyes and laid her head back against the Zephyr’s walls.

Luke Cage stood with no wounds, no injuries, just cuts and tears on his favorite yellow shirt. But deep down he hurt just as much as everyone else, probably even more so. Wherever he looked, his eyes would always trail further right to the corner within the Zephyr One, to see the “Sorcerer Supreme” sitting on the floor, face in his shivering hand, refusing to meet anyone’s stare. Especially theirs.

He refused help from any medic, knowing his wounds didn’t need to be treated. He felt so completely and utterly small in his current state, cuddled up in the corner with only the Cloak of Levitation to keep him company, to be the only one to lay their hands on his shoulders. Or in the Cloak’s case, be that fabric on his shoulders. Doctor Strange thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse, but from what he saw, the looks on their faces when he gave the truth… somehow that hurt more than what was to come. Stephen remained silent, obscure, and refused help from any medic.

Robbie Reyes kept his arms crossed, eyes lingering on the tormented soul lying on the bench mere yards away from him. James Buchanan Barnes sat with one arm pressed firmly against the bench, his right arm. The other was gone, just shredded metal on the stump that was once his left arm. Simmons and Elena came by his side momentarily, assuring Bucky that S.H.I.E.L.D. would more than accommodate for his missing limb, asking the man if it hurt. Barnes just shook his head, assuring them it didn’t. He couldn’t feel a thing even when he still had the arm.

Reyes felt that power within him, that ancient evil conflicting with himself. Deep down, Robbie knew that Barnes—the Winter Soldier—had committed horrific crimes throughout history, and deserved death just as much as those scumbags on the streets that the Spirit had no problem taking care of. Hell, even the Ghost Rider agreed with him… at first. But all it took, all it really took was just a single glance into his eyes, an understanding of the man’s soul to know what had happened to him. To know of his torment. His pain. His past.

His innocence.

The Winter Soldier was definitely someone new for Robbie Reyes. Frank Castle on the other hand… wasn’t. His story hit right at him for Reyes, just one look from the Spirit telling Reyes all he needed to know about Frank Castle. The Punisher. In many ways, he was just like him. Lost those close to him, taking revenge on the scum and villainy that didn’t deserve any mercy. If anything, the Ghost Rider would have stared onto Castle with as much mutual understanding and respect as the Punisher would have given it. If he would have given it.

Frank Castle sat and stared at nothing, listening to nobody, blocked everything out except the constant ringing in his ears. His face, arms, armored chest and body, white skull, pretty much everything… dripped red. Black and red, the alien and his own blood mixed together and painted on his worn and weary body. His armor was nearly torn, the only thing left in his arsenal being that pistol gripped tightly in his right hand. The slide was pulled back, an empty magazine hanging in the gun. Castle didn’t even seem to notice. His shell-shocked expression and heavy breathing stared only ahead, out the window and towards the passing clouds. He could only see the fire.

The Guardians of the Galaxy were uncharacteristically quiet, as well. After hearing word from Rocket about the fate of the Milano, all chances of leaving Earth were pretty much gone. Meaning they were stuck there. Meaning there was no leaving until the war was over. Until Thanos was defeated once and for all. But for whatever reason—whatever godforsaken reason—that dragon just came out of nowhere and destroyed the Golden City of Wakanda, leaving the nation defenseless.

Leaving the Soul Stone defenseless.

The dreaded realization was on everybody’s minds. Tony Stark and his fellow Avengers specifically, Peter Parker right by the Iron Man’s side on the cold, metal bench. The cargo hold for the Zephyr One was spacious enough to hold all of them, but all Peter could feel were the walls of silence closing in on him. James Rhodes was in a similar boat, stomping across the Zephyr’s floor in his hulking War Machine armor, not knowing when to stop. As for Thor and Loki, the two Asgardians sat together on the cold, hard bench, right next to Stark and Parker.

Sam Wilson and Natasha Romanoff were in similar positions. Both trying to recover from their wounds while also trying to understand the situation, how the plan and the mission had all completely fallen apart. Technically, none of them could have seen it coming. None of them could have expected the dragon crashing into Wakanda, nor could they fight against the hordes of Hell itself. The hordes that seemed scarily familiar the more the Avengers thought about it. And all they could do was think about it, sitting on that same metal bench and staring ahead.

All of them staring at the Hulk. He sat near the cargo’s wall, gazing to the floor, his feet, shifting his eyes to Natasha every now and again and huffing whenever her eyes met his own. A conflicted warrior, a tortured mind, all trapped and fighting for control in the same body. Hulk was holding the wheel currently, but Natasha didn’t see the beast in his eyes. She saw the human concern only belonging to Bruce Banner. And he suffered. Like all of them.

But perhaps no one suffered more than King T’Challa. Even that title held very little meaning to him anymore, the Black Panther sitting and staring aimlessly to the floor. A king without a kingdom. By his side, his little sister Shuri clung onto him. She was not herself. Usually, she and her brother loved to poke fun at each other, laughed at each other, enjoyed everything a brother and sister could hold. All they could hold was one another now, neither one particularly smiling or finding reason to. Shuri played with the necklace her mother gave her, rubbing the gold and vibranium between her fingers, staring at the floor alongside her brother. Her head rested on his shoulder, hand over his. Both silent.

Too silent.

Steve Rogers was never used to it.

Neither was Phil Coulson.

Both remained near the cockpit, Phil watching Piper and Davis pilot while simultaneously gazing to his phone every now and again. Resting against the wall of the Zephyr, back to it, palms resting on his belt, and saddened eyes gazing to the floor, Steve Rogers let that silence utterly fill him. Change him. Force him to accept the fact that they lost. That Wakanda was taken. That a dragon fell from the sky and destroyed the city in one breath.

Leaving a defenseless nation, a plane full of soldiers, and one battered man thinking what could have been done.

They had been flying for a really long time. Steve lifted his eyes, turning them to Coulson’s backside. “Where are we going, Phil?” Steve asked. His voice was soft, almost a pained whisper. Nearly everyone in the Zephyr turned to him.

Sighing, Phil gazed onto the face of phone, reading the confirmation and pocketing it away. With his hand resting on the cockpit’s hand rest, eyes gazing out into the wild, blue sky, Coulson said all he could, offer the only bit of condolence for the tragedy that had struck not only him… but everyone he loved and cared for. His team. His friends. His family.

All he said was, “Somewhere safe.”

The massive Helicarrier appeared out of thin air the moment after he uttered those words.

And everyone saw it. Saw as they flew right into its awaiting ramp.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier

4:58 p.m.

The doors behind him slid open and Nick Fury spun around to be greeted with several familiar faces.

Maria Hill did the same, a slick smile somehow finding its way onto her face when she spotted Phil Coulson stepping forward with Captain America right by his side. Just like old time. Just like better times. And with them came an army.

Led by the survivors of S.H.I.E.L.D. from the Battle of Wakanda, the eight soldiers dispersed to be treated for their wounds by more medical staff within the Helicarrier. Piper and Davis joined them, taken alongside Fitz, Simmons, Deke, Mack, Yo-Yo, Hunter, and Morse to the medical bay. Those wounded were taken as well, Bucky Barnes limping with aid from Agent Peterson. Bucky and Deathlok walked side by side, being the last in the medical bay. Leaving the rest to confront…

Phil cut the distance and hugged Fury, both men slapping each other on the back. No need for formalities. No need for handshakes. Family didn’t do that. Nick was already smiling by the time he and Phil broke apart, but he almost lost that smile when the next several faces emerged behind him. Faces belonging to the founding fathers of the Avengers, as well as the mother. Some young, new faces as well, all welcome if to be willing and able to stand against tyranny.

It was like it almost wasn’t real, seeing Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner—albeit as the Hulk, still somehow remaining calm—Thor, and Tony Stark all together again. Clint unfortunately wasn’t available at the moment, but Fury would give him his peace. His mind was still reeling on the fact that Loki was standing alongside the Avengers.

And with them… so many more.

Matthew Murdock, Danny Rand, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage all stood together, all stared together onto the man with the swaying black trench coat and patch over his eye. Fury studied them momentarily, moving on shortly to the next bunch of a-holes. The Guardians of the Galaxy stared at Fury as he swiftly strutted past them, his lone, lingering eye remaining on Rocket and Groot only momentarily. The man covered in blood and grime caught Fury’s attention, Frank Castle barely giving him the pleasure. He sneered his way, both men sending a glare to one another before breaking off. He sent a firm nod to both Sam Wilson and James Rhodes, both men returning it. Nick paused at Melinda May and Daisy Johnson, smiling to the two loyal agents. They smiled back, each giving Fury a hug. He returned them wholeheartedly.

When Fury broke away, his eye fell to T’Challa and Shuri, and he froze. Already hearing the news. Already receiving the worst of it from Coulson. He sighed, meeting their gazes when they finally lifted their eyes to him. And in the corner of his vision, Fury could see Doctor Strange watching him from afar, Nick sending him a glance before eventually turning it to his team.

His old… old team.

With them was a young man wearing a spider-themed outfit, the kid Fury presumed was “Spider-Man”. He almost scoffed at that, eye lingering on the bemused Robbie Reyes before finally settling on the original, founding members of the Avengers.

Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow, and Hulk. Almost all of them were there.

And it was all Nick Fury could have asked for.

Finally breaking the silence, Fury settled his eye on Steve Rogers only, smirking the First Avenger’s way. Steve didn’t even move, not having the strength to do so. Not that time.

“Rest up. We got a war ahead of us, Captain,” Fury stated, facing away and towards the world beyond the Helicarrier’s glass windshield.

Even after, a part of Steve felt like he still wouldn’t have that strength.

Chapter 94 – Clash of the Titans

The Nation of Wakanda

Mount Bashenga

12:18 a.m.

They could feel the electricity coursing through the wind as the tension filled the air. Bigger and bolder as the seconds ticked away, almost making it noxious. The fumes could choke any living creature that chose to remain within a close proximity to their feud, and so they backed away. The Black Order stepped aside—with Shining Armor right with them—and let their father deal with his own battles.

Let him have his fun, as the Maw used to put it.

There was little fun to be had for Thanos. Even then, he glared upon the Serpent God with as much malice as he could muster, recalling and truly absorbing Set’s words again and again. The dreams that kept him awake for many nights on end, the dreams where he envisioned a world ruled by magical, talking horses, a world he just couldn’t seem to get out of his head and was convinced that destiny itself led him to it… all came from him. From the demonic serpent standing miles taller than him. To Set, Thanos was nothing more than a pawn in his wicked game, another stepping stone to achieve his own destiny… and slaughter anything that got in his way.

To Set… Thanos’ destiny meant nothing. He could take it all away if he had acquired the Soul Stone. And unfortunately for him, he intended to go through with that plan. Thanos had robbed him of his vengeance, stole from him the world of Equus that should have faced his wrath and not the Mad Titan’s. Yet instead… the races of Equus now feared the name of Thanos… and had all but forgotten of the demon that nearly burned the world to its core so long ago.

To Set… that was unforgivable.

To Thanos… he saw only another barrier standing between him and his destiny.

So, he intended to push right through it.

With a ferocious roar, Thanos tore through the very fabric of reality and unleashed a Power Stone blast straight from his Infinity Gauntlet, so utterly raw and universally powerful that it ripped through the air at a screaming shock wave, fueled only further by the four other Stones. Set reared three of his heads backwards, screeching as he dove forward and unleashed three torrents of fire straight from those jaws. He was just a tad slow on that mark, the strength of the Power Stone striking Set right over his heart and blasting the Serpent God clear off the mountain peak and down into the smoke-filled, darkness-infested valleys beneath it. All seven heads screeched out, the wings extending but unable to catch flight in time when Set’s body impacted the earth with a tremendous earthquake that followed and shook all of Wakanda. Thanos was right on top of him, rushing forth and leaping off the shattered mountain, down into the murky depths of the Wakandan valleys.

That was the signal. That was the bell, the cry, the call. The horns of battle had sounded off and the armies were unleashed.

Countless demons and monsters straight from Equestrian legend cried out and charged the members of the Black Order. They were joined by numerous Set-Spawn, reptilian demons such as the fearsome Damballah and wretched Sligguth. Ebony Maw, Cull Obsidian, Corvus Glaive, and Proxima Midnight had no choice but to engage with the demon army, holding their ground rather well considering the massive numbers against them. Shining Armor also proved to be a formidable fighter amongst the Children of Thanos. But it wasn’t he who turned the tides of war in favor of the Great Titan.

Over the hills, rushing down towards the valley surrounding Mount Bashenga, a nearly-limitless army of Outriders and Chitauri charged forth into the cataclysmic battle unfolding. The Outriders numbered in the hundreds, smaller than that of Set’s army. The Chitauri numbered in the thousands, already overcoming the Tartarian dragons and harpies filling the atmosphere. Dozens of Leviathans exited the Command Centers entering the valley’s airspace, joined by near-countless chariots and starships that dominated the skies. The battle upon the earth was bloody and brutal, Outriders slamming themselves into various Damballah and easily tearing through the skeleton hordes. Nothing was safe. Every single demon and every other alien engaged in total cataclysm.

Cataclysm.

The fate of the universe hung in the balance, every foundation, every corner, every eye and every soul gazing down upon the small and insignificant planet of Earth and witnessing it. Even those who could not see nor could not hear it, the battle raged so fierce and so powerful that the effects could be felt throughout all the universe. Specifically, when Thanos engaged the Elder God with the power of all five Infinity Stones leading him, fueling him, filling the void and spreading chaos and utter power with every blast. And the universe could feel it.

As Thanos fell into the crevice, into the darkness and through the smoke, he was instantly met with the rearing jaws of one of the many heads of Set. It broke the dark and entered the light that Thanos wielded, driving forth with its fangs leading and intending to end the Titan’s journey faster than either would have expected. Set expected too much, forced to watch as Thanos unleashed the power of the Space Stone and allowed himself to phase harmlessly through the beast’s awaiting jaws. As he fell through and exited on the other side, Thanos spun back, clenching his fist and firing a beam from the Power Stone onto the back of the serpent’s head.

An explosion of violet shot out, the screams of Set sounding off in the darkness. Thanos continued to fall, eventually coming to a crash upon the earth with both feet meeting ground. Dust and dirt shot out from his impact, the wave flushing outwards and pushing aside the smoke that filled the pitch-dark air. Thanos cleansed it, shooting out the Gauntlet and igniting the Space Stone once more. The smoke was cleared almost instantly, allowing the red of the second sun to shine down and give light to the battlefield.

There stood Set, almost right on top of him, waiting for the Mad Titan and already striking.

He reared back and slammed his right claw into the ground, right where Thanos so foolishly stood while blinded in the smoke. Yet even in the brilliance of emptiness, he was so slow. He was so utterly unprepared and outmatched by that of an Elder God. The very earth shook upon impact, rock and dust shooting out from the impact and pillars of landmass rising up from the strike. Set bared his fangs and hissed upon the shattered earth beneath his claw. When he pulled back his claw, however, he was met with pure nothingness beneath it. Nothing but rock… dirt… and—

The undeniable sound of a space portal appeared above, Set shooting all seven heads towards the skies and seeing it. Seeing him. Thanos jumped right out from the portal, the Space Stone dying as Thanos’ screams filled the air and shook the world. The resulting blast from the Power Stone proceeded to convulse the entire universe. The powers of reality quivered under its might, the blast striking Set in his middle head. The First head. It struck its scales and exploded, causing the First to screech out in agony and rear backwards. The remaining six charged forward, all intent to see the end of the Mad Titan.

Neither one of them succeeded. Despite breaking through the sound barrier with their conjoined speeds, Thanos was just too fast, his reflexes running and fueling him with precise and accurate leaps from one head to the other. As one titanic pair of jaws lashed towards Thanos, the Titan would jump—fueled by the strength of the Stones—and land opposite to another awaiting head. When things became hectic, when the air was filled with unearthly screeches and slithering towers of darkness and fire overshadowing the Great Titan, Thanos would fire a beam from the Power Stone to his intended targets. Each strike would deal a hefty amount of damage, the heads crying out and shrinking aside to allow Thanos a clearer passage. But even then, they would always come back, breathing hurricane-like winds to slow him down, fire to scorch his soul, and bit at him with fangs that were ten times his own size. Thanos just kept pushing forward, rushing across the Fifth’s neck until even the Fifth realized where the Titan was. It rose up, forcing Thanos to leap off and engage the center head in mid-air, his intended target. As the towering serpent heads surrounded him, Thanos just flew forward, using the momentum from his jump and firing the beam from the Power Stone right to towards the centered head.

The First was ready for him. It met Thanos’ attack halfway and unleashed a stream of otherworldly fire from its jaws, screeching out as it did so. The purple and orange connected, creating a blast so vivid and thunderous that it lit up the darkness more so than the eye of the storm ever could. The light shined in the valleys below and resembled that of the sun itself, filling the black with a blinding yellow. The shock wave that followed tore open the earth and shattered the remains of Mount Bashenga, leaving just the crevice of vibranium intact. While Set was merely pushed back a few yards, Thanos was blasted to the earth the second the explosion followed. The Mad Titan struck the world and shot out numerous veins throughout the rock.

He had only begun to rise again when he felt the tremor, then turned back to be met with Set’s gargantuan tail slamming on top of him. He wasn’t ready with the Stone that time. Thanos felt the full impact of Set’s tail come crashing down on his backside and planting him firmly into the earth once again. Set was relentless, narrowing his numerous eyes and removing his tail slowly, painfully, dragging it and its razor-sharp scales across the ground until Thanos was revealed to him. Chest-first on the earth, flattened… but still rising nonetheless. When fueled by that of the very universe, one could not fall so easily. Set knew that just as well as Thanos, the energy of the Power Stone itself flowing through Set’s veins alongside his own lifeblood. Regardless, the seven-headed serpent reared forward, unleashing seven towers of fire upon the Mad Titan in his prone state.

By that time, Thanos had raised his Infinity Gauntlet and flexed his muscles into a weak fist, the Space Stone creating a protective dome of energy above him. Despite the very might of space itself protecting him, Thanos was barely holding on against the heavy odds. He managed to rise both feet, but shortly fell to one knee when Set put on the pressure, unleashing the full might of the Elder Gods upon the Titan. It was as if he was holding the very weight of the world on top of him. No, not the world. The very weight of the sun, of a star that shredded and scorched the earth surrounding him fell on top of Thanos. And he held it.

Miraculously enough, he managed to hold it. Nothing could have lasted forever, however, and eventually Thanos began to truly feel that weight and power falling on him. The Space Stone began to lose its grip upon the might of the Elder God, especially when that might was strengthened by one of the most powerful Infinity Stones. The power of the universe fought against itself, buried itself and created a deadlock of no return. The power that could create stars, entire galaxies, and kill them off with just a breath struck and held off against even itself… and there was an impasse. Thanos grit his teeth, tightened his muscles and his position, even as the weight of the universe fell on top of him. Set narrowed his numerous glares, increasing the pressure and only intending to leave a scorch mark where the Titan remained. A consistent earthquake was traversing all throughout Wakanda, the African continent, and filled the oceans as Set battered the earth with his breath. The world quaked and the air screamed as the two powers of reality clashed on and on.

And it all ended. A Chitauri Leviathan roared out and caught Set’s center head between its jaws, chomping down and keeping the Serpent God within its grasp. The disruption was strong enough to cut off the towers of fire, Set roaring and lashing out on the Leviathan. He reared up with his claws, clamping down on the Chitauri beast and ripping it free from its head. Set proceeded to rip the alien to shreds with his remaining heads, the First slithering forward and spotting the source of the disruption.

An army more than a thousand strong filled the darkened skies and entered forth through the clouds of fire and smoke. Command Centers dotted the air and filled it with thousands of Chitauri of various kinds. They swarmed Set from all sides, surrounding the Elder God, ultimately coming to their master’s rescue.

The beast growled softly. Unfurling his wings, the ends of each scraping the heavens and bringing forth a shadow unlike any other upon the lands of Wakanda, Set showcased all of Thanos’ forces of what awaited them. The storm brewed and roared overhead, venom and acid raining down and filling the valleys with pestilence of every kind. The level of wind increased to over 300 miles per hour, creating vicious tornadoes of fire that filled the outer landscapes. They didn’t stop. Set fully anticipated such and showed them just what awaited their foolish decision. He cried out, each head firing off either a stream of fire, a shock wave of wind, or even heated bolts of red-hot lightning that filled the atmosphere with pure and utter chaos.

The fire blew right through anything caught in its wake, incinerating Leviathans, starships, and chariots in the hundreds and impacting a single Command Center. It erupted instantly. The powerful gusts of wind that escaped several other jaws sent chariots and starships spiraling out of control, impacting the earth and creating numerous domino explosion upon impact. Hundreds more died as the lightning struck the Command Centers, bringing down the flying behemoths into nothing but flaming husks of cinders and metal. Set’s wings finished off the rest, just a simple slash at the air creating a shock wave so powerful that it knocked every other Command Center right out of the air. Decimated them where they hovered. Their bodies succumbed to the otherworldly winds and fire and fell because of that. It was as if an atomic explosion had struck the nation of Wakanda. The largest portion of Thanos' armada crumbled, leaving thousands more to fall to the earth. Dead before any of them even hit the ground.

Thanos saw such, his eyes widening in awestruck alarm. Set had simply wiped out a significant portion of Thanos’ own fleet, leaving less than ten Chitauri Command Centers out of his entire army. That alarm quickly shifted to unbridled fury, the Mad Titan rising to his feet and jamming his Infinity Gauntlet out to the valleys above.

“Retreat!” he ordered to the remainder of his Chitauri fleet. The power of the Infinity Stones amplified his voice, allowing him to be heard to one and all within the nation of Wakanda. He didn’t need to say it twice. The order was sent and received with renewed and valiant vigor, the remaining warships instantly flying off from the near-surface of the planet. Sanctuary II followed suit, the many hundreds of Chitauri and Outrider Dropships retreating alongside the motherships and entering the outer atmosphere of planet Earth. They flew even further than that, vanishing from the battle.

Leaving just a couple hundred Outriders, the Black Order, Shining Armor, and Thanos to deal with the rest.

And within the heart of the aftermath, as Thanos struggled to fully stand up, he listened in the wind and heard… the laughter. The soft chuckle reverberating through the air and holding the weight of a hundred worlds. The weight and power of the universe. Once Thanos was fully standing, he kept his head low, his hand relaxed, and his breathing shallow as he listened… and waited.

Didn’t even look as Set stood over him, all seven heads overshadowing the Great Titan and glaring down. So mighty compared to the speck that was Thanos. So unrealistically massive with his wings extended, body and tail rising, and all seven heads unfurling and centering directly over the Mad Titan. Thanos made no form of movement, like he was but a mere statue frozen in time. His head low. Eyes unseen. Looking utterly defeated beneath the stare of the Serpent God.

And Set chuckled because of that.

“Ohhh… you feel it now, Thanos?” the Seventh head taunted, rising high and above the others. “The horror… the rage… that feeling of utter hopelessness. Everything you’ve built, everything you’ve done to become greater than your past failures… and forced to watch it all fall before you… knowing you could do nothing to stop it. Just like your home world.”

The desolation of the Chitauri fleet sat around them, surrounded them, filled the air with vile stench of destruction and death. The type Thanos hadn’t known since the fall of the very world Set spoke of. Bringing up that painful memory—especially how he knew of such traumatic and personal history belonging only to the lone survivor of Titan—it sparked something deep within Thanos. He lifted up his head, witnessed the remains of his fleet as but mere bones of what they once were. Resembling so closely to the remains of his home world. Thanos’ eyes flared open at that, his hands slowly but certainly closing into tight, furious fists. The earth trembled around him—around his gauntlet. Yet Set paid no heed, his heads rising back and ready to finish what he started.

With the Seventh declaring proudly, “Do not be frightened for long, Thanos. When the Soul Stone is mine… I will be certain your soul finds proper rest… with the billions of other titans you failed to save!”

It was that statement that silenced all else, that declaration that finalized Set’s intentions in the grand scheme. The Serpent God reared back, the Seventh leading, its mouth glowing with a fiery intensity rivaling that of a thousand supernovas. And just before it could unleash that power, Thanos lifted up his eyes to meet Set’s.

He was followed shortly after by the Infinity Gauntlet, jutting forth and killing the Seventh head with a blast from all five Stones.

It came so fast. So quick that Set never even expected it. So swift and so deadly that it met Set’s open maw and incinerated everything that kept the serpent head functioning. The following eruption blew apart the Seventh with a blast that lit up the skies, the remaining six heads screeching out in mixes of shock, anger, and most importantly… pain. Pure, unfathomable pain. A kind Set had never experienced, not even during his defeat on Equus so many years ago. When the light and smoke settled, the six heads slowly turned near the center, their jaws agape in a frozen state of that singular shock and agony. For the Seventh, they could see nothing but a smoking stump at the towering neck, shorter than the others, swaying before falling to the ground, hanging limply upon the rest of the body.

Lost.

Realization struck Set the moment that limp neck touched his scales. That realization came and stood before him as that of the Great Titan. The Dark Lord. The lone survivor of his home world and the Mad Titan himself. Thanos stepped forward, lifted his eyes, and glared at the six heads that remained. He showed Set the power of which he held, the Infinity Gauntlet tightening and all five Stones shimmering brighter than any star.

Showing Set what he was destined to control.

And still he resisted.

The Elder God roared out, charging Thanos with everything that he was and could become. He fired streams of lightning, gusts of wind, and towers of fire onto the Mad Titan and still it did nothing. Thanos merely walked through it all with the Infinity Stones protecting him every step of the way. The Third head had enough, Set rearing forward and fully intending to crush the Titan within his jaws. Yet when he met Thanos, the Third head merely popped its eyes clear out of its skull, Thanos leaping directly into its open maw and leading his punch with a Power Stone-fueled strike. Strong enough to shatter a planet. It blew apart the Third head even easier than that.

The violet fires shot out with the strength of a megaton explosion as Thanos landed upon Set’s right arm. Instantly, he was swarmed from all sides by the hundreds of miniature serpents upon the beast’s arm. Even the Fourth head charged towards him, a burning hellfire boiling between its jaws and fully willing to sacrifice the serpents upon its arm to ensure the Titan’s death. Instead, the Fourth and the many serpents surrounding Thanos were trapped in that moment, frozen in reality as the Time Stone ignited and held them in place.

Witnessing the events unfolding before it, the Second head took action and slithered forward with unreal speeds directly towards Thanos, reaching the Titan in less than three seconds. It was met… with the sickening glare of the Mad Titan. That, and the fearsome red glow of the Reality Stone.

Thanos roared, ripping his left arm directly upwards and allowing the power of the Reality Stone to take command. The very earth beneath Set’s right arm reacted to Thanos’ will, the Reality Stone reconfiguring the rock to form a jagged, sharpened dagger that when brought upwards… completely sliced through the arm, the Second’s neck, and finally settled to impaling the Fourth right at the top of its agape mouth. Exiting clearly on the top of its skull. Thanos felt himself flung off and disappeared through the storm of dust, smoke, and blood.

Set reared backwards, the remains of its right arm hanging by a simple strand of hardened flesh. Even that surely snapped free as Set clutched its stump of an arm, the remaining three heads wailing in profound torment and agony. He only felt that type of pain once before, flashes of his suffering in Tartarus returning to Set in full force, trapping his mind within that hell. The Fourth head hung limply by the tower of rock impaled through its skull, the Second and Third heads but mere stumps. Like the Seventh. Leaving just three alive and thrashing.

Kicking off the earth, Set shot out his wings and hovered menacingly above, to escape Thanos’ wrath and unleash everything else he had to ensure the nation of Wakanda sunk to the bottom of the ocean along with the rest of the continent. To ensure Thanos’ death. He would take any means necessary, even if he sacrificed the Soul Stone. The conditions he currently felt outweighed his future predicaments. The pain of which he was trapped in reminded Set too much of his times within Tartarus’ grasp. And that…

That terrified him.

But not as much as when Thanos ripped his wings clean off his body.

His three remaining heads—the First, Fifth, and Sixth—began to breathe in deeply, ready to unleash every ounce of his universal power that was contained within his very being upon the entire nation. But before he could even reach a safe distance above the earth, before he could take in another ounce of air within his mouths or unleash another flap of his wings… Thanos stopped that. He used the power of the Space Stone to rip his own two wings clean from his body.

Set fell to the earth with a devastating and world-shattering crash.

Through the storm of dust Thanos walked. Straight ahead and into the heart of the madness of which he created. Within that crevice, that impact that Set had formed, the withering beast thrashed about and cried. When he spotted the Mad Titan approaching him, blowing away the storm and leaving just him… only him… then Set reacted. He charged forth with the Sixth head leading, followed shortly by the Fifth. The First was unseen, but Set was still there, still controlling the survivors.

And Thanos met them with his clenched gauntlet, the yellow shimmer of the Mind Stone igniting and entrapping the Sixth head within its light.

The Fifth did not stop. It was relentless, charging forth with fangs and screams leading it as it narrowed its reach and bit down on the Mad Titan. It nearly would have. The Sixth head chomped down on its throat, bringing both of them crashing down onto the earth. The Fifth cried out, screeching in pain as the Sixth’s fangs dug deeper and sliced open its throat. When the Fifth gained some form of headway, fought against the Sixth and glared into its own eyes… Set saw something. Something beyond his control.

The bright blue, alien eyes of the Sixth glared into the burning red of the Fifth. It roared out, rearing forward and chomping down on its throat once again. Set retaliated against himself, the Fifth doing the same and driving its teeth into the Sixth’s neck, intending to pry it off. Thanos ended their conflict by slicing horizontally at the air, the Space and Power Stones severing both heads clean from the rest of the body.

The two massive serpent heads struck the earth and settled there with the others. With the lacerated corpses and limbs that Thanos had made of the Serpent God. And when that dust settled, when the heads had fallen into a state of frozen death and no longer made a single movement… that’s when Thanos stopped. He stopped when his eyes return to the crevice of which the beast breathed. Of which the six stumps upon the Elder God swayed and hung uselessly upon the creature’s body…

Leaving just one.

The First head… the only being that was truly and only Set from that point forward looked about, stared into the mists of uncertainty as the pain amplified around his form and made him numb. That numbness became a sickness, infecting his body and making him weak, the mighty Serpent God actually returning to that sense of weakness, uncertainty, and actual trepidation clutch his being and sense of realism once again. His many heads became one. His wings were clipped and brought him to the world. Like a fallen angel. Like a true demon. In his wounded and crippled state, Set could do nothing more than think of that, the agony resembling that of Tartarus and every horror that came with it. And through that horror stepped the one.

Through those fires and smoke, Thanos approached the crevice and stared onto what remained of the great Serpent God. His right arm was severed, the hundreds of serpents crying out in pain, to the heavens for salvation, yet nothing would ever come. The six heads became nothing, showed nothing but smoldering stumps that hanged from the mighty Elder God. His wings remained scattered, the torn skin and broken bones hanging in the distance like crumbled towers. And Set… was all that remained.

The only head left to meet the Titan’s endless stare and glare right into it. Never once backing down, never accepting defeat, but knowing deep down… that there was nothing else but that.

Nothing that destiny could determine otherwise.

And Thanos spoke to him. In his broken state of being, Thanos spoke to the fallen god and lifted the Infinity Gauntlet, the face of it meeting Set’s own. All five Infinity Stones… one empty space that Thanos made sure it was one of the last things Set ever witnessed.

“Deal’s off.”

That… and what followed.

Set could only watch as time itself seemed to shutter to a standstill. He was forced to witness as Thanos opened his palm, let the Power Stone glow violently, and then close his fist in a devastating wave of death that followed. The Power Stone infected the earth, ignoring Set and crawling up the mountain in hundreds of wicked, purple veins. That sickness of violet struck the battling armies surrounding Mount Bashenga. As that power struck the armies, it only killed Set’s children. Every last offspring. Every demon, every beast, every Set-Spawn killed as the Power Stone infected them and combusted their bodies into nothing but purple cinders. The Black Order, Shining Armor, and the remaining Outrider horde gazed in silence to it all, frozen where they stood.

And Set could hear their screams. He heard every last and violent scream escape his offspring. He heard every last one of them silenced. In an instant. And it was at that moment did Set come to a horrifying realization. The pain of the past, witnessing his children suffer in torment… only to no longer be able to hear them. He no longer had that assurance. His children were gone. For good.

The worst part wasn’t that he couldn’t do anything to stop it. No... the worse part was that he could have… and still he did nothing, trapped in that perpetual state of pain and terror. So, he unleashed that rage, that fiery inferno that bellowed from his remaining maw and fueled him as he charged Thanos in a last-ditch attempt to end the Titan right then and there. Just as the terrifying realization came to him when the light of the Stones—of all five of them—burned.

Just as Thanos finished what he started, all five Stones blasting right though his heart. The mighty Serpent God froze. Thanos ripped his arm back, ending the beam and staring in silence to the Elder God. To what he had done. Set shakily stood, his last remaining head slowly gazing downwards to the large crevice over his chest, the dark hole exiting through his backside. He fell. Landed upon the earth. Lying before the Great Titan, the First and last head’s eyes… slowly dimmed from red to black. Slowly falling.

Quickly dying.

All the universe was silenced.

The wind stopped. The tornadoes slowly dissipated. The rain and fire had faded away as the smoke began to clear and the darkness of the night returned. Only… the black never managed to slip into Wakanda. The burning red eye of the storm died as Set did… and instead showered a luminescent orange over all the land. Directly over the massive crevice where Mount Bashenga hardly stood. Thanos breathed out and let his body, his mind, and his soul relax. The calming orange light called to him, Thanos turning his weary gaze towards it. It showered over him, filled his eyes with renewed strength, but his heart… it still hurt. His body was still battered and bruised.

But he walked anyway. He let the call of destiny push him every step towards the mountainside, where he used the power of the Space Stone to teleport the rest of the way. The portal returned him to the valley just before Mount Bashenga, where he was instantly greeted by his children. They witnessed his state with obvious concern, but Thanos waved them aside, declaring with not a statement… but his gaze… that their concerns would be met. That all their troubles would come to an end at long last.

Because resting before them, deep inside the smoldering crater that once was Mount Bashenga, now remained nothing. Just nothing that stood in their way to the last of the Infinity Stones. The Outrider army backed away as Thanos and his Black Order approached it. But even then… his children stopped. They and Shining Armor allowed Thanos to take the necessary steps that belonged solely to him. For with every step up that hill, it was a step closer to his own destiny. The bright light of the orange storm shined heavy as Thanos pushed himself up the mountain, his head low, his mouth agape, breathing so very heavily but never once giving in.

Because he made it.

Deep within the darkness of the crevice, Thanos stood on the edge and witnessed the light for himself. It was concealed, barely held by the strength of the vibranium… but still there. Still ripe for the taking. The orange heart glowed with a fierceness unlike any other Infinity Stone, Thanos’ eyes widening and his heart truly opening when he witnessed it for himself. When he knew with pure certainty… that his journey had finally come to an end.

And yet… he could not take that next step. Something held him back. Something beyond his will. Something beyond his power, so strong that he couldn’t even lift his gauntlet to change that. Something…

“Son of A’Lars…”

Thanos lifted his head, his gaze narrowing forward. His heart stopped when he heard that voice.

“Come to claim… that which he lost.”

He knew that voice. It caught him somewhere he wished to forget, a part of himself that was better left in the past. What he saw when he turned around to meet that voice, however, was something that took his breath away. Someone that took his breath away. The wind seemed to settle, all silence filling the area surrounding the peak of Mount Bashenga as the being descended forth from the darkness and settled directly behind the Titan. A cold unlike any natural chill struck Thanos, covered his skin and actually entered within him… only he didn’t fight it.

Thanos had heard of the legends, studied every single Infinity Stone and knew… that the guardian for the Soul Stone stood before him. The being was cloaked all in black, the wisps of its darkness like tendrils as it flowed, thrashed… and danced around the being. That darkness covered the being from head to toe, a pair of hands jutting downwards to slow its descent. Its naked feet touched the dead grass, and so did the darkness settle around it. Still moved, still danced like a living being as it confronted Thanos. Within that distance, they stared solely at one another, one staring with blackness covering its eyes and the other… with pain. Maybe both of them wore that.

The being finally addressed the Mad Titan once again… in a cold, feminine voice.

“Hello… Thanos.”

Even in his weakened state, Thanos slowly smiled. “Mistress Death.”

Author's Note

How far can one’s love reach?

Chapter 100 – Grateful Universe

Not many of them arrived to Wakanda. Those who did came after the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, the many who fully anticipated to face the Mad Titan on Earth and end him before he reached the Soul Stone. The ones that came after were slow, calm, looking about and seeing no Titan.

Nebula carried Mantis by her arm, each of them limping forward and joining their fellow Guardians. Each of them feeling their hearts fall when they gazed onto Gamora. Nebula had to steady herself, her face nearly shattering but remaining strong. She closed her eyes and let her head fall instead. Elena Rodriguez, Bobbi Morse, Lance Hunter, Michael Peterson, Alphonso Mackenzie, Daisy Johnson, and Loki all arrived shortly after, via portal by the last sorcerer amongst Wong’s army.

They didn’t find any fight. They didn’t find Thanos. What they did find was the other Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. They did find Doctor Strange.

They watched him fade away.

It was so sudden, so unrealistically powerful that everyone took a step back. Out of fear. Out of shock. Out of all of the above. None of them were harmed by it. There was no gust of wind that pushed them away. It was the total surprise that pushed their nerves, watching with eyes wide with disbelief as Doctor Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, Master of the Mystic Arts… just vanished. Worse than that, his skin, his clothing, his hair, every molecule on him disintegrated into ash. Into dust. Whatever it was, whatever Stephen once was, either faded away into nothing or fell upon the earth.

He was gone.

Tony held his breath as he was the only one among them to take that brave step forward. Not a sound in the world other than the rustling of the wind, the laughing of the lightning, the crying of the distant thunder. Natasha raised a palm over her stomach, almost hunching forward as if she was prepared to vomit, burning eyes gazing to what remained of Strange lying on the grass as flakes. Thor was the only other who could breathe, his breathing ragged, heavy, uncontrolled as his only remaining eye could hardly believe what he just witnessed. Everyone else felt the same.

Everypony else saw the same.

Twilight Sparkle flinched back, eyes wide with shock and horror once she witnessed Stephen Strange fade away before her. Before all of her friends. They all held the same expression of rising trepidation, mares gazing to the fading flakes of ash, eyes to the grass, to every which direction in hopes of searching for an answer. Once Twilight was able to breathe again, it came out so shaken that Twilight hardly believed she was able to breathe in the first place. Her mind was still reeling on what she and her friends and allies witnessed, Stephen’s last words still replaying over and over again in her head, the Alicorn trying to make sense of it all.

She never could have before it was too late. Mantis’ voice arose, prompting nearly every head in her direction. The insectoid woman stared only to the storm-filled clouds, the bright blue lightning striking the heavens where she gazed with her large, horrified eyes. She gulped, whispering in a terrified voice, “Something’s happening.”

Nebula, Stark, Twilight, and nearly everyone else held their breath as she broke apart, her body turning to dust. Just like Strange. Just so strange. It was even worse for her fellow Guardians, Nebula simply watching as Mantis faded from her side, the dust dissolving away from the Luphomoid. Nebula gazed in frozen silence, not even able to breathe as she and Drax stared at what was left. What disappeared from their eyes.

And like a plague, it too consumed Drax the Destroyer. It started on his right hand, quickly rose to devour his entire arm. Drax did nothing but stare at it, his widened eyes glued to it. Until he finally broke away and turned to Star-Lord. “Quill?” he asked, his final words as that sickness overcame his body and let the rest fade in the slow wind.

Peter never even looked back, his eyes only to his love. He didn’t witness what happened to Doctor Strange, or what happened to his fellow Guardians. Every sound to him was just his breaking heartbeat and his muffled cries as he cradled Gamora’s body against his chest, against his heart, longing to keep that connection through it all.

Sunset Shimmer did not follow Quill’s actions, the unicorn practically shooting up from the ground once she witnessed Drax vanish. But it wasn’t only the disappearance of the Guardian that caught her attention. Her eyes were caught by the newfound dread filling her heart, escaping her gasp, and returning to her tear-filled eyes. Soon enough, everyone stared in the same direction Sunset Shimmer stared, almost all of them succumbing to the same treachery.

“Pinkie, your hoof.”

It was Pinkie Pie’s older sister Maud who informed her of that, even the elder sibling’s eyes wide with growing panic, further disbelief, and the uncontainable horror that followed.

Curious to that, Pinkie Pie lifted her right hoof. Watched as it began to crack and fade to dust. She, unlike everyone else, actually began to chuckle. Very slightly, very suddenly, Pinkie observing her fading hoof and stating, “Heh… kinda tickles.”

Her smile, too, faded from her face, the realization striking the pony when that dust trail continued to consume the rest of her foreleg. “Wait… Twilight…” Pinkie called out, turning to her best friend and meeting Twilight’s horrified eyes with her fearful ones. “Did we just lose?”

A question that went without answer. A statement that faded in the wind alongside the rest of Pinkie Pie. Except it stuck around and captured everyone within it. Natasha felt all the color drain from her face when she witnessed Pinkie vanish before her, a silent gasp leaving the Black Widow. But perhaps the worst of it came from Twilight and her closest friends, most of them frozen where they sat and stood, but only Twilight fearfully approaching the remains of their bubbly friend. Maud Pie stood with her, both mares cautiously laying their hooves in the pile of ashes, shivering upon its touch.

Twilight gasped for air, the tears falling freely from her eyes once that reality stabbed her right in the heart. The blade only pushed further, deeper, taking so much more.

“Twilight… what’s happenin’?” the familiar voice arose from behind.

And Twilight made the foolish decision to turn to it and witness it all for herself. Witness her dear friend Applejack gazing to her hooves as both of them began to fade away. “Applejack…” Twilight whispered, more tears falling and more ashes rising. The pony could only look at her friend one last time as her face and body disintegrated, leaving just her hat floating to the ground and resting over her dust.

“AJ…” Rainbow Dash gasped, taking a stumbling step forward, her own mind unwilling to fathom the events unfolding before her. Before them. She practically crumbled had it not been for her hooves pressed into the dirt, into Applejack, keeping her steady. She heard that whimper behind her, Rainbow refusing to turn around to face it. She did anyway, the tears already filling the edges of her vision when she saw it.

When she said it. “Fluttershy…”

Twilight followed in that same direction, gazing onto the sight with her own shattered expression. She shook her head, shaken breaths escaping and muttering, “Fluttershy… no…”

Her mane shielded half of her expression, half of the fear that consumed her before the dust consumed the rest. Fluttershy whimpered, “Oh, my…” Every shred of her being faded alongside the wind, her fearful eyes no longer holding that terror, that dread, the knowing of what she felt would happen. They no longer held anything, not even life, because she was gone. Her eyes were the last that shattered and turned to dust.

It was a plague shared not by the select few, but everyone. At random. Everyone and everypony turned to one another, fearfully waiting for what would happen, for what might become of them. Looking to one another for an answer to the nightmare they were trapped in. A way out. A way to understand what was happening and why it was happening. Dispassionate and fair to all. Trixie Lulamoon stared at her hoof when she felt that odd sensation overwhelming it, her eyes widening when she saw it fading away.

And unlike the alarming expressions that filled Derpy, Maud, and Starlight, Trixie simply chuckled to herself. Chuckled through every second of her body breaking apart. She even managed to say, “Disappearing without command. A magician’s exit…”

She closed her eyes the exact moment it consumed her face, the final portion of Trixie vanishing into the air. Derpy and Maud stared in disbelief. Starlight’s jaw refused to close, the unicorn approaching the two mares and staring in the only direction they could. Where Trixie used to be. She didn’t even notice Capper Dapperpaws clutching his stomach and groaning at it.

The anthropomorphic cat gazed to the mares and stumbled their way. It was all he could do before he fell to his knees, stared to them all, and held out his paw to them. Reaching for them. “Girls…” Capper muttered, his paw the last thing that turned to dust. Every last one of the mares stared on in unanimous terror. But it was Twilight who eventually broke away, turning to her older brother and gasping, clutching her mouth and trying desperately to keep in the screams.

Never able to keep in the tears as she witnessed Shining Armor breaking apart as he stumbled her way. He never even made a sound, just approached Twilight and fell the same moment she rushed forward to catch him. She only managed to catch dust, the Alicorn lying on the grass and staring wide-eyed onto her forelegs, her lips trembling, her eyes unable to contain all the tears she shed.

He didn’t hear their cries, nor listened to the panic that ensued. Peter Quill clutched Gamora with every shred of his fading strength, cradled back and forth, and whispered words of denial, of comfort to himself and the one he lost. Unable to accept it.

He disappeared anyway, Gamora’s body softly returning to the grass.

The sun shone heavy in the Dragons’ Lair, the darkening storm clouds ravaging the skies and slowly beginning to consume that afternoon star. In the heart of the devastation, scattered about and lying in total disarray, the ones who fell slowly began to rise again.

Even when it took the help of another to rise back to his hooves, Thorax accepted it nonetheless. He smiled appreciatively to see Ember limp his way, her Bloodstone Scepter tight in her right claw while her left shot out to him. “Come on, no one wants to see their leader in the dirt,” Ember grunted, gripping Thorax by his right hoof and fading right before his eyes.

Shattered into nothing but dust.

Thorax’s expression shattered alongside her, the king of the changelings falling back to the gravel and gazing horrifically to his hoof, to the Bloodstone Scepter that fell to the earth without its bearer. His eyes returned to that very hoof and gazed to the dust particle lying upon it. It wasn’t Ember. Thorax could only give his last breath as his hoof, his wings, his body, and his head were taken away by that same dust. Leaving nothing else.

Leaving just Pharynx flying nearby, scanning the battleground and calling out, “Thorax! Thorax, where are you?! Brother!”

His calls went without answer, filling the deathly-silent landscapes with that hopeless cry. Gallus watched as that pitch-dark changeling flew over his head, his own eyes narrowed as he observed the landscape, as the terror-filled cries soon became louder and louder. He only wondered as to why, the lone griffon standing by himself, onto the endless Dragons’ Lair as he heard the sound of the helmet clanging against the rock behind him.

“Gallus… what is this?”

Her voice was so weak, unlike anything Gallus ever heard from his friend. The young griffon turned around, his beak falling and his eyes shooting open when he saw Smolder stumble towards him. Yet her eyes didn’t meet his own. They could only gaze to her claws as they vaporized before the young dragon, joining her tail and armor as they all vanished mere feet in front of Gallus. As she vanished and left him all alone. Once again. That panic began to set in, the griffon shooting out his wings and clutching the dirt and dust that Smolder became, Gallus looking for some fading hope to save her, to understand what he just witnessed. To deny what fate had set upon him again.

It didn’t matter anymore. She was gone. And he couldn’t do anything about it. The screams filling the Dragons’ Lair only grew louder and more profound, perhaps more than ever before. And all Gallus could really do was lay there. Trapped in it. Abandoned.

For every mile and even beyond, that sickness carried over and consumed the living population. Nothing was spared of it. Hippogriffs, griffons, dragons, and changelings all stumbled about and witnessed their own kind beginning to drift apart, their bodies flaking into ash and disappearing right before their very eyes. It was the Hippogriff to their right, the changeling to their left, the dragon and griffon right before them. All of them scattered about, forced to watch as dozens and dozens of those who had survived the cataclysmic battle simply… faded away.

Just turned to ash and that was it.

Gilda spun around when she saw Greta fade from her sight, the griffon rushing forward only to see those ashes vanish. Gone. In the blink of her eye and Gilda did absolutely nothing to stop it. Queen Novo and Sky Beak stood side by side and watched with grim shock plastered on their faces as their people faded away all around them, leaving just a handful of survivors. Even Stratus Skyranger, one of Novo’s greatest royal guard, collapsed in front of his queen, crumbling into dust by her claws. Neither one of them could say a word but gaze to it all, the sun growing dark and the shadows overcoming their horror.

Princess Celestia raised her armored hoof and dug it in the gravel to pull herself forward. A pain-filled gasp of air entered and escaped her, the Alicorn princess lying in that agony, that blood, that tattered armor and broken soul. Her wings were missing several feathers, the armor that cracked across her body showcasing the scrapes and cuts and drawing the blood upon her filthy, white coat. Even her mane refused to flow, not finding the strength or the magic that came with it.

All Celestia could really do was gaze upon the sunset. The burning sunlight showered over her and gave her some semblance of ease… before it was overtaken by the dark storm clouds, the ash, all of it ever-consuming and ever-growing. Even with that darkness settling over her heart, Celestia stared on anyways. That sun darkened and all she could really think about were those same words given to her before. How she didn’t own the sun anymore. The sun that wasn’t hers faded behind the clouds.

Then she gave her last breath and faded with it.

Though they never even knew it, the Wonderbolts soon joined their ruler. Left and right, side to side, the Wonderbolts clutched onto one another or stumbled aimlessly as that plague captured them and took them away, leaving just Spitfire and Soarin as the last remaining Wonderbolts breathing, alive, gazing to their fallen comrades and wondering what the hell just happened. Soarin faded right next to her, leaving Spitfire to stare into his ashes.

When she finally came to, when Tempest Shadow shot up from the dirt and rock and darted her head in every which direction, the first thing she truly saw was the destruction. The remains of the Dragons’ Lair were consumed in chaos, burned in it, forced to contain the catastrophic battleground for the fate of the very universe. Then she saw the smoke, the fire in the sky that originated from her airship. Tempest gasped, head swiveling across the skies and following her burning airship further down… down… coming to a horrific crash several yards away.

Despite every agonizing nerve ending in her body crying out to her and declaring no, Tempest Shadow ignored it all and raced over to the fire and flame. She dodged the wreckage and leapt right into the remains of her airship, gazing onto the deck to find the survivors. Only there were none. Not even a body. Just ash scattered all over the deck. The unicorn’s eyebrows furrowed at that, her ear twitching when she heard that groan, shot her eyes over in the direction near the cabin and screamed.

“Celaeno!”

But to her horror, the parrot captain hardly acknowledged her. She lay pinned beneath the support beam of the airship, weakened eyes shifting over to Tempest, watching the unicorn gaze over to her. She held out her claw, but even that began to fade away.

Her voice being the last thing that did. “My crew… they’re gone.”

The deck to Tempest’s airship was barren. Nothing but ash scattered upon it.

When the lightning clashed alongside the thunder over the Castle of the Two Sisters, the shared populace of Ponyville and the Crystal Empire had every right to be frightened. The unknown showered over them, their screams falling under minimal protection, not even Princess Cadance able to protect them from what came next, like a thief in the night.

It was beyond even her understanding, anything she was ever trained or prepared for. From her elevated position on the balcony, Princess Cadance held her only daughter close to her heart as she overlooked the Great Hall to the ancient castle. At first, it was just one pony. Then a second. A third. Ten. Twenty. The number only rising as the screams grew higher and higher… then began to dwindle.

As did the numbers…

Several civilians from Ponyville began to crumble where they stood, stallions and mares gazing to their hooves, their bodies, each other as they faded away into nothing, leaving just particles of dust as their last remnants of existence. Their screams were silenced soon enough, their pain nonexistent as they were taken in an instant, leaving everything they loved and held dear to their hearts behind to wonder… why? How? Then it fell upon the Crystal Ponies, even the guards stationed to protect them, none of them safe as that unknown power consumed them and left nothing but ash in its wake.

Among them was Sugar Belle, the terrified mare falling into Big McIntosh’s embrace. Begging, crying, wanting to know what was happening to her and looking to Big Mac and telling him to never let her go. He couldn’t even utter a word before her face broke away, leaving just her ashes scattered over his forelegs. The stallion was silent. Unnatural, burdened, guilt-ridden silence that was not him nor ever would have been. The power he did not know, the power that took away his marefriend struck him with that unknown quiet and he could do absolutely nothing to respond to it. Just gaze in horror like everypony else at the ashes that he now held, his terrified breaths joining the few that survived.

The very few… that were lucky enough to.

Scootaloo was among them.

The others…

Apple Bloom coughed rather violently, stumbling forward and nearly falling flat on her chin. She realized the fault in her actions as she gazed to her hoof and gasped to see it completely gone. As did Sweetie Belle, the young unicorn staring wide-eyed, in terror-stricken silence, as her hooves before her vanished alongside her forelegs. Alongside everything else. “Girls! Girls, what’s happening to…”

It was all Sweetie Belle could utter before the dust took away her voice. Leaving nothing. Then came Apple Bloom, her best friend Scootaloo rushing to her side and holding her close, refusing to let her go. Even when she laid her upon the stone floor and met the Earth pony’s shivering pupils, those tear-dotted eyes shifting over to the trembling Pegasus kneeling over her.

Apple Bloom’s face contorted, feeling that numbness crawl up her chest. “Scoots…”

“Apple Bloom…?” Scootaloo cried, her blurry vision falling on her friend’s terrified expression. Watching as even that faded away and left nothing but dust resting on the floor. On her hooves. Leaving just Scootaloo. “Apple Bloom!”

The last Cutie Mark Crusader cried out to her friends over and over again, her voice lost within the chaos. But only one managed to hear her, gazing through the rushing bodies and utter madness to see an old friend crying over the dust, rubbing her hooves through it, as if trying to find some last-ditch hope that they were still there, buried deep and just out of reach. Only there was nothing for her. Sandbar could do nothing but watch that chaos unfold.

“Son…”

Then his heart dropped.

Sandbar slowly spun around, his head spinning with him, unable to process events unfolding before him. The first thing he saw was his baby sister disappear from his mother’s forelegs, that petrified expression filling every inch of her face and freezing her entire body. Then that same dust overpowered his own father, the stallion holding out his hoof to his wife, but even she wasn’t able to turn his way, unable to look anywhere except to the dust on her forelegs.

“No… no, no, no!” Sandbar cried, galloping forward and jutting his hoof out to the fading ash in a worthless effort to stop it. It came anyway, whether he wanted it or not. It came and took away half his family right before his eyes. Sandbar and his mother gazed onto that fading ash, the young Earth pony shaking his head to it all. “Dad…”

Not even Princess Cadance was able to protect them from what came next. She and her daughter, the little bundle of blankets resting in her forelegs, stared out into nothing, saw nothing… but the chaos. Flurry Heart cried, hooves reaching for her mother, and that mother lowering her snout and soothing her child, whispering calming shushes to her.

Then that chaos took her away, Princess Cadance vanishing into ash and leaving the balcony empty. Flurry Heart cried out, the blankets falling to the stone floor and holding nothing but dust.

The Horn of the Hippogriffs filled the air with impending disaster, approaching panic, and ensuing forth when that unknown disease began to consume the kingdom of Hippogriffia. It was everywhere, Hippogriffs flying right into the air and dissolving into dust and ash, others stumbling out of their homes upon the mountain or erected upon the rock and succumbing to the same fate. Dust filled the air alongside the screeches of terror from the Hippogriff people.

Ocean Flow witnessed it all alongside her children. She, Silverstream, and Terramar once stood on the edge of their mighty mountain kingdom, gazing to the fearsome storm brewing over planet Earth and seeing another storm begin to build around their oceans and surround their home. They stepped aside to begin pushing Hippogriffs back into the safety of their homes, maybe even into the catacombs of the castle’s basements and deeper within the mountain, but realized soon enough that they had much more pressing matters on their claws.

It all began with the Hippogriff keeling over, clutching his heart and disintegrating into nothing but ash. At that moment, Ocean Flow realized there was something wrong. It only grew from there, spreading from one Hippogriff to the next, that unknown force devouring countless others and only proceeding to do so. Even as Ocean Flow and her two children raced to the castle.

Even as they tore through its front doors and flew as fast as their wings could carry them to the throne room. Even as they tried everything in their power to get the current ruler of the Hippogriffs to safety. Even as they cried out, called to her, and searched the throne room for Princess Skystar.

Only to see that pile of ashes resting on her throne.

Ocean Flow began to feel sick, the Hippogriff slowly backing away as her world began to teeter in every direction that wasn’t natural. Her children followed suit, joining their mother in stunned silence and resting beside her, eyes plastered to the throne and seeing absolutely nothing else.

Silverstream asked, “What happened?” She turned that question to her mother, beak following and resting on her. Ocean Flow and Terramar slowly turned to that question and gazed on it, staring into the young Hippogriff’s eyes without an answer, without even a response.

Their gasps came later when Silverstream turned to dust right before their eyes.

Yakyakistan was in shambles.

Buildings crumbled and terrified, angry, confused, and unknown cries filled the air alongside the flaking snow. Yaks charged in aimless directions, uncertain courses, roaring with terror and pain inflicting their hearts and forever damaging their souls. Not even Prince Rutherford could control them. He couldn’t control them because he was gone. He and half the entire yak population.

Without a leader, they were directionless, watching their loved ones fade away into nothing but dust and ash and leaving the yaks unable to do a thing about it. When everything was taken from them, they expected an enemy to be standing on their gates responsible for the tragedy brought upon their home and their very way of life. There was no enemy on their gates. That unknown force simply took them away beyond their control.

And they suffered because of it, knowing not where to turn, knowing not who to hurt, knowing only they lost so much of themselves in the end of it all. No retaliation onto an enemy that deserved. No resistance to the force they couldn’t harm. They simply ran wild and cried, roared, screamed to the heavens and the alien world and everyone else who dared to.

Broken-hearted and utterly devastated… watching their own children fade away.

Yona was the first yak taken, the first to fall and take everything else down with her.

Ocellus dropped the lumber and stones from her hooves, everything shattering once it hit the ground. She couldn’t care less what happened to the supplies meant to be rebuild her home. All she could stare at with those wide, horrified eyes were her people beginning to fade away before her.

Changelings big and small, young old, rich and poor alike all taken and leaving only half of what remained. The cries on the edges of the Badlands, in the heart of what remained of the Changeling Empire, amplified tenfold. Above and around her, all Ocellus could see was the flaking death overcoming her people and silencing their screams.

Then she turned those widened eyes onto her family, crying out to see her parents fall to the same death and leave her alone. Leave her screaming out and reaching for them. It was already too late, the young changeling bursting forth through the dust and coughing heavily. When she opened her eyes, all that stood before her were her two younger siblings, gazing up to their older sister with mixtures of curiosity, confusion, and naïve innocence.

Ocellus really wished she still had that, but even that was taken. That and half of everything she loved.

It was a day unlike any other for the Kirin. After the storm subsided and the explosion of orange shattered forth across the alien planet, all they could really do was sit and wonder what would happen next. They never saw it coming and was never prepared for it.

They especially weren’t ready for their leader—Rain Shine—to dissolve into ash and leave them all alone. But they weren’t alone. Not in the way they expected it to be.

Kirin started fading away one by one, the mythical creatures bounding about and rushing over to their neighbors and asking them what was wrong, how they could help, and so forth. Everything was answered in silence, the fading Kirin turning to dust before their neighbors. Even those neighbors were welcomed into the crackling embrace of that dust, leaving just Autumn Blaze and a select number of Kirin alone, in the village heart, gazing out to it all and wondering what had just happened.

That dreaded silence returned to her village, and not even Autumn Blaze could bring that life back. She was just as numb, just as silent, just as frozen as every other Kirin that survived.

Wakanda trembled under the weight of the growing storm and the wicked lightning.

Sorcerers began to tremble under that weight as well, but it was greater than even that of mother nature. Greater than even the universe itself. The power that overcame them fueled the universe and there was no magic they could create to save them. One by one, each member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts began to fade away, leaving just Wong alive and breathing, alone and abandoned by his fellow sorcerers.

As if he couldn’t even imagine witnessing Stephen Strange fade away before him, now he was left to gaze upon the aftermath of annihilation, the last lone survivor amongst his people. That desolation only further grew amongst the remaining populace, and not even an experienced sorcerer like Wong could stop it. He just stood there and watched it all happen faster than he could breathe.

Matthew Murdock caught his breath, his head flicking to the side when he heard that wretched sound of crackling dust and crying wind. Slowly, he spun around, not wishing to see it for himself but doing so regardless. Hearing it all the same, witnessing the world burning away and his friend Jessica Jones burning away alongside it. Murdock exhaled shakily at that, eyes wide and gazing to her.

“Jessica…”

Though confused as to why Matt was staring so wide-eyed at her, Jessica quickly realized what it was when she lifted her right palm and saw it completely gone. Vaporized alongside the rest of her arm and only consuming what remained. Her expression fell apart, that signature frown somehow finding its way onto her painless expression. No pain. No horror. Just that forceful acceptance as the dust ate away at her and consumed her entire being.

But not before she could groan, “I… fucking hate you guys.”

She faded away right next to Luke Cage, he and Danny Rand gazing horrifically to where Jessica Jones once stood beside them. She wasn’t alone. It started on Rand’s fingertips, the Iron Fist shooting his eyes downwards to his right fist and watching it leave him. His left arm—which was draped over Cage’s shoulders for support—started to fade as well, leaving Danny a shivering, petrified mess in Luke’s embrace.

“Oh, shit,” Danny breathed, whispered, gave it his last and turned to dust on Luke’s right. The dust washed over Luke. He refused to breathe and simply watched that dirt crawl over his bright yellow shirt and stay there. Flow away all the same when that same unknown power took him along, too.

Luke caught his breath at that, watching his arms fading away into particles of ash. He stared forward, to Matt’s awestruck expression, and whispered, “Matt…”

Not even the Daredevil could utter a word in response to that, forced to watch the fire fade into flakes and burn away, leaving nothing. Leaving just the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen as the last Defender among them. Matt breathed heavily, his eyes that just couldn’t blink slowly circling the landscape and seeing those fires only further spreading. Alongside the Punisher, it was all they could do.

After having witnessed all of Murdock’s friends turn into dust, Frank slowly gazed to his right hand, then to his left. His legs. His body. Clutched his heart and held his breath, expecting something, anything to happen. Almost wishing for it to. But nothing did.

“No!” Starlight Glimmer cried out, bringing that loud, shrill voice and sound back to the deathly-silent Wakandan fields once again. Not many turned her way, but the ones that did paid witness to the unicorn galloping forward with tears streaking down her face and flowing freely onto the ground she ran past. All to reach her bestest friend in the whole world.

Sunburst reached his hoof out to her, but even that shattered once it made contact with Starlight’s. Alongside the rest of him. Starlight Glimmer crashed right into a wave of dust and ash, the particles falling from her person and descending to the wilting, burning grass by her hooves. She wasn’t able to join that dust. She stood breathing, panting, a heart still beating and a pony spared.

Her face crumbled, teary eyes welling up to the breaking point and the unicorn dropping her head. Right to the earth. “N-no…” she whispered painfully, gazing to the dust painting her hooves, that awful revelation stabbing her in the heart once more. More forcefully than ever before. Starlight Glimmer wailed to the heavens, falling to the grass and resting her forelegs over her face, trying to conceal the cries, the anguish, but always failing.

Bringing sound to the deathly-silent Wakandan fields once again.

It started on Agent Peterson, even the cyborg unable to resist the effects of the powers that be. Deathlok gave his last look to Bobbi Morse before the two of them faded away. Lance held out his hand to his wife’s ashes, then witnessed it beginning to crack and shred into nothing. Everything that just broke away from him and dwindled in the air. Hunter joined the likes of Elena Rodriguez, Yo-Yo reaching with her robotic arms to be caught by her boyfriend. Mack reached forward to catch her, catching nothing but dust that, too, faded away on his arms.

Leaving just the two agents, Mack and Daisy rattled, sickened, and alarmed by what they just witnessed. Alarmed… but unmoving. Daisy’s face was streaked with tears, slowly turning to that undeniable voice of Bucky Barnes calling out to the madness, reaching for that friend.

Simply saying, “Steve?”

It was all he could say. So many heads turned to him and witnessed James Barnes gazing to his new S.H.I.E.L.D. arm dissolving like snow. His final glance, his final breath taken as he stared towards his best friend and fell forward, nothing but the ashes hitting the grass. He wasn’t alone. He never would have been. Sam Wilson clutched his chest as he stumbled forward, his face melting away and the ashes joining Bucky’s on the grass.

Steve Rogers planted his right foot forward. Then his left. Then proceeded with the weight of the world on his shoulders as he finally gave in and fell to a knee. Fell to his knee and gazed to the ashes of his two best friends lying before him. A gaze that sauntered back to the God of Thunder and looking for that answer. Thor held his breath, his last remaining eye as wide and just as clueless, just as hopeless as Steve. The First Avenger slowly stared back with that hopelessness following, his glove falling to the dust and gracing it softly.

“Brother…”

Thor raised his head at that, spinning about madly and only seeing that madness display before him. He shook his head to deny it all he wanted to, but reality would not be denied forever. It took so much endurance for Thor to realize that Loki stumbled his way, his body cracking and breaking apart before him. Falling just like all the others. And Thor stared through it all, finally breathed again when those ashes dissolved in front of him.

“Brother…”

“Brother! Brother, can you hear me?” Shuri’s voice cried in T’Challa’s earpiece. The Black Panther did not hear or did not pay attention to her words, his gaze locked to his open palm. Despite the zero response she received, Shuri was persistent, declaring loudly, “Brother, we have your position; we’re coming for you now! Do not move!”

He didn’t. T’Challa stayed right where he was as he broke apart and shattered into dust. The vibranium shard fell from his palm, lying in his ashes.

As the ashes rained from the skies of the Dragon Lands, a lone palm gripped the earth and pulled forward, the body with it grunting in a pain it never once knew before. A pain it thought it could never experience. A pain that Glenn Talbot would have rather done without.

The idea of Graviton, of being that last defender of Earth even if all else failed, seemed more and more bleak as the sun darkened as the storm raged over his head. And even then, Talbot pulled himself from the crater and dragged his own body several yards towards nothing. Towards anything he could hardly see and hoping for a miracle. Because even when the Gravitonium failed, that was all they could hope for: a miracle.

That miracle finally dawned on him, Talbot gazing up to the clouds and spotting his home world of Earth resting within them. But something blocked that miracle, something that emerged from its cloaking mechanism and hovered over the war-torn battlefield below. The Helicarrier began to approach Talbot before making a slow 180 towards Earth. And that was all Talbot could really stare at, the Earth behind it. More importantly, at what lied beneath it.

“I can fix this.”

That was all Talbot could really say before the ash overcame him, too.

The earth burned and was tattered in warfare, something Nick Fury knew and witnessed from pure experience countless times over. Even then, it was no different. Perhaps even worse. Far worse to anything Fury had ever known. Since Thanos had vanished and the Avengers trailed slowly behind him, there was nothing but silence on the other ends of the line. No word from Stark, Rogers, Strange, anyone. Everyone had gone silent. Too silent.

It was only until Fury and the remaining agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. witnessed the sickness engulf the world below them did they finally come to grips with some semblance of understanding. They lost several signals at once, no more contact with the world of Equus or its leaders. It was so sudden. Almost instantly did they lose a majority of their contacts. To one of their questions answered, a thousand more took its place, thousands of others swirling and filling each agent’s head with the countless possibilities, theories, and uncertainties that still remained. Shuri caught T’Challa’s signal and that was their only lead, the only thing they could actually follow.

But by the time they turned the Helicarrier around to make that journey back… that sickness made its way up and engulfed them as well. They couldn’t even escape in time.

“Nick…” Maria Hill called out, staring to her arms and meeting Nick Fury’s gaze one last time before she disappeared before him. She left a startled and disturbed Nick Fury and Shuri in the heart of the Helicarrier’s bridge, the two of them whirling back to the front of the bridge and witnessing the rest unfold.

Agent after agent, one by one all vanishing into nothing but dust, but even that vanished, too. Nothing was left as but a handful of agents remained surrounding the control consoles and gazing to where their fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agents once stood with them. Davis and Piper were two of those agents, still handling the controls of the massive Helicarrier even as they watched their friends turned to dust by their sides. Even they, for a moment, let go of the reins to jump to their feet just like all the others.

The Helicarrier froze in mid-air.

And then, that swallowing plague only continued to take away. First it was Leopold Fitz, revered and respected agent amongst all of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s now shadow organization. The man broke away right next to his wife and grandson, Jemma Simmons unable to witness the horrors that filled her heart. Then she, too, was taken by that sickness, leaving just a scared, desperate, and utterly confused Deke Shaw to stumble about, looking nowhere.

Moments before turning into ash himself.

He witnessed every second of it, watched as each of his closest friends and allies simply disappeared into thin air. Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Phillip J. Coulson, just watched it all happen before a breath could even be taken. From him or anyone else. Until only a handful of agents remained in the Helicarrier, until his eyes fell on Piper and Davis and eventually turned around to Melinda May, that was when Phil could breathe again.

But even that was taken from him, leaving a man dissolving into ash right in front of his friends. He quickly shot his eyes down to his torso, his arms, watching as they shattered and broke into nothing but dust. Then his eyes rose up again, holding that wretched loss as the last person he saw was her. May felt her heart stop as Phil Coulson died right in front of her.

It didn’t start again until she saw Nick Fury begin to panic in the corner of her vision, but even then, she hardly paid heed to his actions. The moment she finally broke away from the shock and terror of what once was Coulson… was the moment she finally saw what Fury was doing. But even then… she didn’t understand.

Just watched as he reached into his back pocket, deep into his back pocket and pulled forth an old device that looked like it belonged in another era. On closer analyzation, May noticed that it was a pager. A pager of all things for the former director of S.H.I.E.L.D. to be carrying with him. Something he always carried with him. It didn’t make any clearer sense as Fury fumbled with the device and pressed on it. Just one button.

Just one button and then his hand started to fade away.

“Oh, no…” Fury exhaled at that, the disarray overcoming his facial features when he realized that even he wasn’t going to make it out of it unscathed. He shook his head, grumbling, “Motherfu—”

He faded away before he could finish that statement, his vanishing palm releasing the pager and letting it smack against the Helicarrier’s steel floor. And that was it. He was gone. The Helicarrier had never been so quiet and so lifeless before, even with the minimal lives still stumbling about the bridge, gazing to one another and searching for an explanation on where everyone else went. While that silence pestered on, something managed to slip through it, to cry out amongst the quiet and earn the attention of only two individuals.

The lone pager, lying against the cold, metal floor, beeped rhythmically. So quiet that it could barely even rise above the silence. But she still heard it. Melinda May bent down and lowered her shivering palms cautiously around the ancient, bruised, and scratched pager. She worried that she would further damage it in some way, stop whatever form of message it was sending. That was all that May saw on its face, the word “SENDING” before it, too, vanished. Three little dots…

Then the white star resting over the red and blue streaks.

“What is happening?” Shuri asked, staring at the same symbol.

May turned away from the pager and stared at her. Not even knowing herself.

The few that remained, that were randomly chosen—randomly spared—stood in disbelief.

They were not many, but they stood all the same. Under the face of the burning orange light that resembled a star high above their heads. Under the flashing lightning and the roaring thunder that clashed against the distant mountains of Wakanda. Under the fires and smoke that rose even higher than them, leaving them all trapped in that perpetual state of frozen stupor. Even under such odds and even greater circumstances, they stood all the same. The few that remained. The randomly spared.

“Mr. Stark…”

How they wished it was that simple.

Tony felt his blood curl when that voice arose behind him, his skin freezing and his heart ready to fail him. Ready to finally give in to what the shrapnel never could finish. If only fate, God, anything else could have granted that mercy. But no. Cursed as he was, forced onto another uncertainty, Tony Stark slowly turned to the voice and stopped breathing.

Only stopped when he saw Peter Parker fumble over his own two feet, hold his own body, and struggle with his own words. So many things did Peter want to say. So many things he felt coming onto him and still managed to resist for so long. So long… but ultimately falling to them. Like he always had before and only continued to do now. And worst of all, he fell right in front of his hero, the man he looked up to the most, and brought that weakness with him. A kind he never once felt before and couldn’t dare to fight against.

His stomach churned. His mind felt woozy. That tingling sensation washed over all his limbs and all Peter could say was…

“I don’t feel so good.”

The first thing that came to his mind. He could think of nothing else to say, felt nothing else but that. He stared at his hands and even they started to become blurry, saw the Iron Spider suit start to crack. Crack… but hold. Only momentarily. Peter Parker felt every single moment of it, his eyes stinging with tears, his bones and muscles crumbling before the overwhelming pain that devoured him. Never let him go. Every excruciating second as he stumbled his way towards Tony Stark.

Tony saw that pain ripe on the kid’s face. Never more so profound than that moment as his knees buckled and the distance between them was severed. Tony wanted to tell him something, anything to calm his nerves, to keep him safe, but all he could say was, “You’re all right.”

He never felt more wrong in his life. Those words hit Peter and still he continued to fall.

“I do-I don’t know what’s happening. I don’t know, I don’t—!”

He clutched onto Stark once his strength finally gave away. His arms wrapped around Tony’s body, his right palm gripping onto his shoulder and Peter holding there. His heart ached, started to break, the pain finally reaching a level he never even thought was possible. But even worse did Peter realize what had happened to everyone else was slowly, surely… happening to him. He saw it through his tear-stained vision as his right arm was beginning to crack apart, slivers of dust fading away in trails. All Tony could do was hold onto him, clutch the brave, brave child as he trembled, whimpered, started to fade away right in his arms.

“I don’t wanna go.”

Begging for his life.

“I don’t wanna go, Stark, please. Please, I don’t wanna go… I don’t wanna go.”

Tony fell forward, the insurmountable weight pushed upon him making his knees tremble and quake, making him fall and release his grip around Peter. He knelt above him, Tony nearly cradling the young Peter Parker in his hands, his right hand resting beneath Parker’s head and holding him there. Refusing to let it hit the grass and dirt.

He met his eyes, the burning red and the tears meeting the shell-shocked and the fearing. The pain was gone. Peter didn’t feel anything. Not anymore. That must be what it felt like. As that lone image of Stark hovering over him began to fade away, Peter gulped, whispering under a shaken, broken tone, “I’m sorry, Tony... I’m sorr...”

The last of his strength given for that apology. The last of it fading away as Peter Parker gazed to Heaven and his face fell apart, the dust dissolving right into Tony Stark’s right palm. Into the air, he vanished, Tony staring only onto the pile of ash that remained upon the earth, nearly collapsing himself. He rubbed his palms together once, but the dust was there. Still painted on his hands and unable to come clean.

From where she stood, Twilight Sparkle only wanted to fall. She paid witness—she and the remaining few of her friends—to the heartbreaking final moments. The fleeting, fading strength of the Spider-Man gone alongside the wind that carried him. Twilight especially felt her heart crack when Peter fell into Tony’s embrace, feeling that hug he never truly experienced with him just one time. One last time. She watched it all with streaks of tears falling from her face, the Alicorn ready to give in and fall apart right then and there.

“Twilight…” Spike muttered.

Her eyes shot open, a breath of air filling her up and refusing to leave.

The young dragon shambled forward, staring at his fading claw. “What’s going on?”

“No…” Twilight whispered, shaking her head. She said it again. “No.” Again. “No, no, no…” So many times and forever on until she forced herself to spin around and meet Spike’s expression of confusion and turmoil. All she needed to see was his missing limb for her to rush over as fast as her wings could push her, clutch onto the dragon with as much strength she could muster, and begging, praying not to open her eyes again. Praying that what she saw wasn’t real.

Spike fell into her hooves, his large, teary eyes gazing only straight ahead. His remaining claw found its way around her, holding Twilight close as that unnatural sensation continued to crawl. The young dragon narrowed his quivering eyes, his chest rapidly rising and falling as that horrifying realization finally struck him. Dead in the heart.

“Where am I going, Twilight?” he asked, voice shaking as his claw clutched deeper into Twilight’s back. The Alicorn shook her head and only tightened her grip around the dragon. The baby dragon. The little, helpless life she hatched so many years ago and took under her care, under her love, and saw only that. Even right then and there. She held onto the little hatchling then and she held onto Spike now.

Constantly whispering those promises into him and into herself.

“You’re not going anywhere. I have you, Spike. I’m never letting go… Don’t be scared… I’m not letting go, Spike… I’m not letting go.”

“Twi…”

In her hooves, around her forelegs, she felt only crumbling. That voice was cut off and faded away alongside the ruin that painted her body. When Twilight opened her eyes and breathed again, all she could stare at was the pile of ashes resting in front of her, lying over her forelegs and sprinkled over her chest. Over her heart. The breathless tears fell from her face and soaked into the dust that remained, that frozen state of perpetual shock trapped on Twilight’s expression.

Never letting go.

Starlight and Sunset stepped forward with Rainbow Dash, Derpy, and Maud. All of them seemed to step out of a dream, a wretched nightmare, the darkest and most damnable parts of reality they never knew existed. All of them expressed that, the darkness filling their eyes and consuming their hearts. They stared only to their friend, Twilight Sparkle, sitting alone with that pile of ash. That pile of ash they knew to be…

Nebula stood alone and gazed to the burning grass. She paid no heed to Rocket or Groot kneeling behind her, their own hands pushing through the dust that was once Drax and Mantis. No. Nebula kept her eyes focused, forward, as far away from the unending pain and torment that came whenever her father got his way.

But it was inescapable that time. And she wasn’t alone to experience it that time.

“He did it,” she stated, plain and true. Everyone heard her.

The lightning cackled under the face of Heaven, the thunder growling above. Tony’s expression showed it all, the realization. The horror. The grief that would only last an eternity. He dropped his head and laid his palm to rest on the grass, his entire being crumbling under that failure. He lived through it all. Saw his friends die…

Knowing the worst of it was that he didn’t.

Nebula sat down alongside Maud, both of them in silence, in mourning.

Friday stood still after pulling herself together, the Mark 45 armor gazing into the madness within Wakanda. She watched Steve fall on his rear and surrounded by his team, surrounded by Thor, Rhodes, and Romanoff. Sitting there and breathing, “Oh, God…”

Then her eyes fell to Tony, watching as he sat down and closed his eyes, ash-covered palms covering his mouth, the man slowly rocking himself back and forth until everything went away. It was all Friday could see from her creator.

Rarity fell on her rump. Her forelegs gave away and she fell right there, right on her rump and let that dreaded revelation finally kick in. It may not have been completely accurate, but it was more than enough of a reality for her to accept it all the same. Closing her eyes and letting the tears fall, Rarity whimpered pitifully, heartbroken and soul shattered as she saw nothing in that darkness.

The visions finally stopped, but it didn’t matter anyway.

Her friends were gone.

It all came true.

It was morning. The first day.

Life sprang forth as the early sunrise peaked above the horizon. Birds chirped in the distance, the wind rustling the swaying tree lines and the rushing river smacking against the solid rocks. Fish leapt out of the waves, catching their breakfast and returning to the waters. Hills upon hills of grassland, farmland, scoured the world and filled the valley below. Resting in the heart of the farmlands, a small hut stood erected against the grass, made of the earth itself. A dark entrance to the hut was cast in shadow from the sunlight. Within that hut, something stirred. Something awakened from its slumber.

Out of the shadows, a limping Thanos proceeded into the light. His arms swayed by his sides, his left arm scarred beyond repair and his right reaching for the grass, reaching low so he could find that rest. Settling himself upon the grass, Thanos grunted softly as he adjusted to a sitting position, his eyes rising and flinching under the heavy brightness. The welcoming warmth of the sun shining directly into his face. Thanos stared onto it, narrowed eyes finally relaxing.

He breathed in and sighed, the sun’s light hitting his eyes and warming his worn body and soul. A fulfilled and satisfied essence entered his spirit. He gazed out onto the world and saw the rushing river waves, saw the swaying tree lines, all of it leading up to the farm, to the grass, past the scarecrow and finally onto him. That sunrise washed over all of it, the gleaming brightness completely otherworldly, a kind he had only experienced on his home world.

In that orange light of the sun, he saw only her. He saw Death and his daughter. One asked him once before how far his love could reach, and he proved truly how far it could. His daughter was what really captured his heart and took his breath away. He stared right into her, listening intently with pain in his face as she asked him again.

As he recalled that question.

She asked him if it was all worth it.

In the end, gazing into the sunrise and seeing all he had done, that with a simple smile and a soft nod, Thanos knew… Yes.

It was.

End of Part I

Author's Note

Chapter 109 – Where the Hell Have You Been?

109

Milky Way Galaxy

Earth

Upstate New York

New Avengers Facility

10:05 a.m.

The Bifrost Bridge struck the Earth.

Everyone, once again, stepped out from the facility. After a restless night of tending to Tony, Twilight, and Nebula, learning all they could about their journey and Thor’s possible whereabouts, and officially meeting Carol Danvers for the first time, time got away from them relatively fast. It was only until they heard the impact of the Bridge against the ground did they turn to it, seeing the undeniable rainbow colors of the Bifrost right on their own grass.

One of their issues solved itself once Thor and his crew stepped right out of it.

And with them, Thor held that weapon he was talking about.

The only ones who didn’t step out of the facility were Tony, Twilight, and Melinda, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent tending to the two while the rest stepped outside to meet with Thor and the others. They were, in total, Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner, Nebula, Daisy Johnson, Robbie Reyes, Alphonso Mackenzie, James Rhodes, Frank Castle, Matthew Murdock, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Carol Danvers. The ponies instantly recognized one another, galloping or flying forward and meeting with relieved hugs. All except for Tempest, who merely nodded to Dash and Rarity. Rocket and Groot joined Nebula once more, quickly giving her the rundown while she nodded in subtle understanding to their plight.

Then Thor stepped in, pausing just in front of Steve, Natasha, Bruce, and the rest. It was an almost immediate reaction when they caught his altered appearance, a few of them flinching back, some gazing to his new armor and cape, and mostly everyone gawking to the large axe he carried in his right palm. Carol, especially, took great but careful interest to their newest guest, her guard risen at first but slowly falling when she noticed his smile, Natasha and a few others returning it. Her fists slowly unfurled, that hardened expression remaining all the same.

“Looks like you got the Thanos-killing weapon,” Steve noted, eyes falling back down to Stormbreaker.

“Which means we are ready to take the next step,” Thor proudly declared, nodding to Rocket, Sunset, and finally lifting his eye back to Steve and Natasha. “But first… we are famished.”

It didn’t take long for everyone to get settled back in the facility. Thor and his crew were glad to see Tony and Twilight still alive after they had lost touch with one another, albeit slightly… skinnier since the last they saw them. Sunset and Starlight were certain to be right by Twilight’s side throughout her entire ordeal, noticing the large IV stands resting between her and Tony, each one injecting fluids into their bloodstreams. Thor and his crew took a more… classic approach.

Rocket, Groot, Tempest, and Thor all sat down at the dinner table and chowed down on whatever was offered them. From sandwiches to pizza, to bread and fruits, to vegetables and enough water to drown a horse. Many empty water bottles surrounded Tempest specifically. Sunset and Starlight settled for a sandwich each, remaining by Twilight’s side as the rest of the team came together around the table in the heart of living room. It looked more like a War Room, if anything, the holograms of Earth and Equus being the center of attention.

Not only that, but still images of several individuals they knew started to fly around the hovering holograms. Those they had lost in the Decimation. From Erik Selvig, Maria Hill, Phil Coulson, and T’Challa. Peter Quill, Glenn Talbot, Scott Lang, and Stephen Strange. Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Spike. So, so many more.

“World governments… whatever governments are left took a census, keeping us informed of what’s happening worldwide. We’ve been keeping track of how many lives were lost after Thanos snapped his fingers,” Natasha began to explain.

Twilight closed her eyes once Spike’s picture came up.

“Turns out, Thanos did… exactly what he said he was going to do.”

Tony stared hauntingly to the lone image of Peter Parker staring right back at him.

“He wiped out… fifty percent… of all living creatures. Three billion plus for Earth… and currently two billion and a half for Equus. We’re still… waiting for Novo to gather the rest of the numbers.”

Carol dropped her gaze when she saw Nick Fury amongst the dead. Aside from her colorful leggings, she no longer wore her Kree attire—better known to her and the rest of the galaxy as her Captain Marvel attire. She wore a simple, black, sleeveless shirt with a touch of makeup on her own accord thanks to Natasha’s help. Her long, blonde hair fell to touch her shoulders, even resting on her back and covering the sides of her chest.

But her attention wasn’t settled on her physical appearance. She could only stare at Fury’s picture longingly before it vanished, another face replacing him and joining the numbers. The fact that such atrocities had befallen her home planet—as well as the rest of the universe—was something Carol did not take lightly. Since the last moment she saw Fury and Earth, she had led Talos and his people somewhere safe. The rest became a constant battle to ensure peace within the galaxy, both the Milky Way and the Andromeda. She had done exceptionally well for herself, earning her reputation as the lead defender in the cosmos. But doing so… only kept her away from home.

Away from the real fight.

She showed up just late enough to see the damage and mourn for it.

She showed up just in time to meet the ponies, however. They were… certainly an interesting race of aliens. The planet over Earth was a problem. A big problem. But after learning it was full of the ponies much like Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Twilight, then it only took Carol a few more seconds to realize how they came to be on Earth. Of all the equines she met, Carol found herself most acquainted with Rainbow Dash, her spunky attitude very much mirroring her own, and that alone got a smirk out of Danvers whenever she spoke with her. Rarity was an interesting treat, finding the fashionista personality to be cute, but nothing to care much for. However, it was Twilight that made Carol really consider just what type of species had found its way onto Earth’s doorstep. She was a princess, the Princess of Friendship no less, which meant they had a system of government. A monarchy. Carol didn’t understand how friendship could be a title of royalty, but she kept it in mind. Kept it close to heart as she analyzed Twilight amongst her small group of friends. The way they talked to one another, looked to one another, and interacted earned Captain Marvel’s interests.

Especially how Twilight and Rainbow acted towards one another.

Something to keep close to heart.

Finally bringing herself to face Natasha’s traumatic statements, Carol leaned forward on the table, palms pressed firmly to the wood as she asked loudly, “Well, what are we gonna do about it?”

Her question nearly went without an answer, leaving it up to Steve to take the stand and reply. Only the words never left his mouth. They were filled with the sounds of horrendous scoffs followed by the undeniable croak of Tony Stark’s grave tone.

“What are we gonna do…?” Tony muttered, head resting in his crumpled fist. Pepper was right by his side, joining Twilight, Sunset, and Starlight as each of them slowly turned to Stark. He barely even looked up, large, dark glasses shielding the unbearable pain and grief he held in those deep, deep eyes of his. “We’re gonna lose.”

If the room hadn’t already turned to him…

Pepper bent down to one knee, eye-level with her husband-to-be as Stark surprisingly, shockingly turned away from her.

“Tony, we have the weapon,” Sunset told him, Stark shifting away from Pepper and focusing to the unicorn sitting next to Twilight’s chair. The strength in her eyes was admirable, something Stark really wished would have been put to better use. “We can do this.”

“We know exactly where Thanos is,” Starlight added.

“Yeah, like that’s gonna help for shit!” Stark roared, practically leaping out of his chair and prying the IV needle gauges out of his arm. Fighting it every step of the way even as Rhodes and Pepper came to him and ordered him to sit back down, to rest. He fought through all of it, even ignored Potts’ pleas and turned that rising aggression to them.

His… “team”.

Steve, Natasha, Banner, and Thor could see from where they all respectively stood or sat. It was as if seeing all the dead once again just reminded Stark of what he had failed to do, what he failed to accomplish because of his own team’s arrogance. Or their own beliefs. He didn’t want to blame them but it was all right there all the same. All Tony wanted to do was to protect the Earth, an iron shield with Ultron, a stabilized fighting force with the Accords, and now since both have already failed… Earth was completely defenseless. There was no way they could have prevented what happened in the state they were in. They could have anticipated it. Stark told them exactly what needed to be done… and Captain America said otherwise.

That was who he faced specifically.

“You wanna know what happened out there?” Tony asked rather loudly, rather harshly. Steve stood his ground all the name, knowing all that pent-up aggression was finally turning to him. Rhodes tried to hold him back even as Pepper backed away, but Tony was relentless in his pursuit. “Yeah, you think I told you everything, huh? No… no, we lost. Big time. Up there and down here. And down here… what was it you said, Cap? We lose… we do that together, too? Well, we lost, Captain. We lost and there is nothing we can do to change that. Could’ve prevented it… whether it impacted our precious little freedoms or not, because that up there… that was the endgame. How many lives is it now that we failed to protect, Earth and Equus combined? By all means, take what arsenal you want, find Thanos and do whatever the hell you want with him, and it’ll only end the same… exact… way!”

After a short struggle, Stark pushed past Rhodes, James practically giving in and just letting Tony vent out whatever anger was left in him. Given his weakened state of being—walking around like a near-skeleton—and skin as pale white as his own bone, it could not have been much left. He made sure every last bit of it was centered solely on Steve, Tony practically getting in his face.

“You wanna get in the fight, new blood?” Tony called out, pointing to Carol who furrowed her concerned brow to him. “By all means! And you… Rogers…”

The name came out like vile venom on his tongue. He ripped the Arc Reactor off his chest, slamming it in Steve’s open palm. “Take that suit of armor… fight the fight I couldn’t… and protect the world I couldn’t. I’m done. No plan, no fight, no nothing. You’re on your own.”

That last statement came out as a grunt, a gasp for air as Tony Stark dropped to his rear. He fell, nearly everyone surrounding him flinching towards his aid. They froze, momentarily, and watched as Tony sat there and breathed, gazed nowhere as he felt all eyes on him. Even Twilight’s large, horrified, and tear-filled eyes.

He didn’t care anymore. “You’re all on your own.”

Collapsing shortly after, Tony’s mind began to fade and the darkness took him into a horrid state of rest. Carol fell to her knee and kept her palm resting under Stark’s head to prevent it from impacting the solid ground, the remaining Avengers rushing forward and carefully pulling him back to his feet. He was already long gone, heart still beating but body already given in. He fell limp in Rhodes and Steve’s arms, the two of them dragging Tony to the medical bay, a train of followers directly behind them, all trying to see if Stark was still alive.

They adjusted his IV stand and needles back where they belonged, laying Tony down in the medical bay with Melinda checking his pulse and sitting by his side. Alongside Pepper Potts. She never left him. Even with how he acted towards her and everyone else. With Stark taking care of for the time being, the rest of the Avengers returned to the living room, a weary Twilight Sparkle meeting their concerned gazes and sighing through it all the same.

“Tony’s been through… a lot,” Twilight weakly explained.

Steve, Natasha, Banner, Rhodes, Mack, Castle, Murdock, Shuri, Rainbow, Rarity, Nebula, Sunset, Starlight, Daisy, Reyes, Friday, and Danvers could all completely understand.

Returning to the table and forming that congregation around it, Natasha stared longingly, painfully to the two worlds resting as a pair of holograms. She shook her head, the Widow muttering, “Guess we’re on our own.”

“But we know where to go this time,” Nebula interrupted, sliding away the holograms of Earth and Equus and tapping in the coordinates Rocket gave her on the face of the table. Suddenly, an alien world with vivid rings and a massive moon came into the picture, Nebula backing away from the table to give everyone else a closer look.

“What is it?” Mack asked, crossing his arms. Daisy and Reyes stood by the S.H.I.E.L.D. director’s sides, all three at once shifting their attention to the cybernetic Luphomoid.

“The Garden,” Nebula replied without even looking at them. All she really could stare at was the planet Rocket affirmed to her was the same world with Thanos on it. Mostly, she was trapped in that frozen state of uncertainty, never knowing where the Garden was but truly unable to perceive it lying right in front of her. It was a struggle for her to say it. “Where my father is currently situated.”

“If that’s not convincing enough for ya, we got exact coordinates saved on my tracker!” Rocket called from the dining table, the room shifting in his direction. Groot and Tempest were slowly returning to the living room with full bellies while Thor continued to chow down alongside Rocket. “Not to mention the bottomless pit over here remembers exactly where Thanos is!”

Thor confirmed the raccoon’s statements with a solid thumbs-up for all to see, his mouth chewing furiously on the chunk of bread between his palms.

“Then we go get him,” Carol suggested, the room suddenly turning to her. She was focused only on the hologram, jamming her ignited gaze towards Steve Rogers. “Steal the Gauntlet, use the Stones to bring everyone back.”

Rainbow asked, “Just like that?”

Steve nodded, staring in the same hologram Danvers was. “Yeah, just like that.”

Natasha darted her head from one end of the table to the other, white bangs dancing as she did. As she said, “Look, even if it sounds… far-fetched, we owe this… to everyone who’s not in this room, to try.”

Sunset exhaled through her nostrils, nodding softly to that statement and rising to her hind legs, hooves pressed to the table and standing right in-between Twilight and Rainbow Dash. “We have to,” she said. The still images of Capper, Sunburst, Trixie, and Celestia were still plastered on her mind, still reminding her of everything she and everyone she knew loved and lost. They could either be lost forever… or come back that very day. It all depended on whether or not they were willing to take that chance.

Steve seemed to be on the same boat as her, nodding to Sunset and saying, “We will. Whatever it takes.” That last statement was joined by another firm nod, that time sent to Natasha who returned it with a small and sad smile.

Though not quite as confident as any of them were on the plan, Bruce offered his two cents and asked, “Okay, but what if Tony is right? How do we know that this is gonna end any different than last time?”

Captain Marvel was the one to answer that. “Because last time you didn’t have me.”

The room suddenly turned deathly quiet. All eyes rose up, turned appropriately, and fell on the lone Carol Danvers on her own end of the table. The temperature seemed to drop. She stood with her palms on her waist, confident in her statement and never once turning away or retracting it. Never having the need to or facing any challenge that deterred her from it.

She never met Frank Castle.

He was crazy enough to say what was on everyone’s mind, jack it up to eleven, and speak his mind without having an ounce of guilt. He raised his palm in a manner that showed his disbelief, looking to everyone, frowning to everyone, and saying, “Is this bitch serious?”

The temperature dropped even further. It was so quiet that Shuri and Rarity’s near-silent gasps were the loudest sounds in the entire facility.

Though they didn’t want to, everyone slowly turned back to Carol to see her response. Her hands were still firmly placed on her hips, that slow, powerful stare rising up and centering on the lumbering hunk of muscle, brawn, and testosterone. That stare of hers only intensified, a growing frown to join the drop in her voice.

“Excuse me?”

Steve wanted to end it before it could even have the chance to get heated. There couldn’t be any tension between themselves if they were all that stood against Thanos and saving the universe. Right then and there, more than ever before, they needed to be a team. They needed to act like one. Unfortunately, before he could even take action, Frank was the one to act first. He broke the distance between himself and Danvers, pushing past Rhodes, Daisy, and even Reyes to get face-to-face with Carol. She stood her ground, smelling the pure ferocity and malice in his breath as he towered and growled over her. She never once backed away.

“I said… is this bitch serious… bitch.”

Just stood there and took every second of it. Even as he narrowed the distance and got further in her own face. “You think you have any idea what we’re up against? You think you know what we’ve suffered through, what we’ve lost? No… no, you think you can just waltz in here and claim to accomplish everything we’ve all failed to. You think you can be our little hero, huh? Newsflash, sister… you’re not. You were never a hero and you’ll never be one. You’re just gonna have to accept that you let all these people die, too… and there was nothing… you could’ve done to stop it.”

The conversation could have escalated even further, but it ended quicker than anyone anticipated. It ended when Carol shoved Frank straight to the floor. He hit the ground so shockingly fast and strong that even Frank was surprised by the time his ass hit the floor. He was especially shocked by her strength, almost knocking the wind out of him. Almost. That look of shock quickly transformed into a glare that met Danvers’, the fiery woman practically radiating with heat on her person and her own glare. He got back up and nearly charged her, but Captain America stepped forward and became that human barrier between them. Matt even grabbed Frank and pulled him back, fighting him every step of the way.

“That’s enough, both of you!” Steve shouted, palms held out in each opposite direction. Neither one of them paid Steve any attention, glares only focused on another, practically melting through the First Avenger.

“You should really put a leash on your mutts,” Carol commented, glaring Castle’s way.

While Steve sent his own personal glare to Carol’s escaping comment, it ultimately turned back to Frank when Castle spat, “Oh, yeah, I’ve seen this before. Arrogant little shit. Better not let her lead this mission, else she’s gonna get us all killed.”

“You won’t have to worry about that, Steve,” Carol stated plainly and perfectly, finding no doubt in her own voice. Steve turned back to her, lowering his palm from her chest.

“I’m telling ya!” Frank yelled, physically struggling as Matt tried to hold him back. “How do you know we can even trust her?! Where the hell has she even been while we were getting our asses kicked?!”

Carol met his glare once again, instantly responding with, “Universe is a big place. They need their heroes just as much as Earth needs all of you.” Though she didn’t really refer to Frank when she said that, specifically disregarding him amongst the masses.

While everyone was caught in their pointless argument, Matt had already learned of Carol’s sincerity behind her words… and within her heart. While the voices numbed into silence, Murdock listened carefully for her heartbeat. No increase. No decrease. Just a steady, subtle beat that kept her alive, kept her human, and kept her word. “She’s telling the truth, Frank,” Matt whispered harshly into Castle’s ear, the Punisher shoving him away. Carol shifted her attention quickly to Murdock after hearing that whisper, suddenly turning back to Castle and Rogers.

Frank shook his head, turning that glare to Steve. “Don’t trust her, Captain.”

Though, despite their word resting on him, it was not Steve Rogers who made the call. Thor had been listening carefully into their argument for the past minute and a half, and judging from his slackened position he did not take the ferocity behind their words too seriously. It was only until the statement of trust was brought up did Thor choose to take action. Not only for Castle, but for everyone. They all needed a reason to find sincerity in the so-called “Captain Marvel”. They all needed a reason to trust the person who showed up out of the blue and offered to fight their war.

Trust, now more than ever, was at an all-time importance.

After finishing his bread, Thor lousily pushed his chair out and stood up, being sure to make as much noise and attention as possible by the time he reached the living room. And once he did, Steve had already backed away, making room for the God of Thunder to approach the Human/Kree Hybrid. He walked up to her, Carol once more having to stand her ground and face the next body that chose to test another side of her. She laid her hands on her hips once again, expression flat and emotionless, just as much as Thor’s was at the moment. Both of them studying each other.

Then Thor shot out his right hand and brought forth Stormbreaker, the king’s weapon creating thunderous chaos within the cloud’s above the facility and practically emanating raw power. It merely blew Carol’s hair slightly, the woman unfazed and casting the weapon a sideways glance before returning to the god. He sat the axe down in front of him, arms resting on its head as he exhaled and stared at her. She to him. Both warriors, both fearsome fighters, both otherworldly beings staring into each other’s gazes and seeing just that.

She slowly smirked.

He nodded.

“I like this one,” Thor declared, giving his vast approval of Carol Danvers.

“I think she passed,” Steve said. Castle growled and turned away, just in time for Carol’s smirk to shift in his direction. The rest of the room quickly fell in line, sending their own smiles to Danvers who returned them shortly. Steve leaned forward on the table, eyes trapped with the hologram. “With that settled… does everyone know what we’re up against? Is everyone ready?”

The room once again, for the last time, fell silent. From every last Avenger, Defender, Guardian, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, and even to their own newest member, they all took a short moment to turn to one another, seeing the silent agreement shared amongst every last one of them. They were shared through nods, through smiles, through that assured decision to face the impossible together. As a team. Even Castle fell in line, crossing his arms and refusing to look anywhere else except the hologram. He was in.

Starlight rose up to the table, hind legs keeping her settled as Carol shifted her head down to the unicorn. All Starlight could really do was shake her head, gaze to the Garden, and sigh. “He made us weak, wanted us to believe that. But he was wrong.”

She turned to everyone after she said that, seeing all of their combined strength finally come together. It gave her that smidgen of hope, just enough to believe that what they were about to do would be worth it in the end. They were going to do it. They had the element of surprise and the means to actually commit the impossible. Win the unwinnable. Fight the unbeatable.

Bring everyone back…

“We have the tools, we have the Avengers, we have everything we need,” Twilight explained, leaning forward on her chair. She instantly flinched and clutched her stomach, her chest, and took several cautious breaths in and out as Sunset and Rainbow turned to her with wild concern for their friend. Even Steve and Carol turned to the Alicorn, jaws falling and expressions tight with worry.

Waving out her violet hoof, Twilight breathed again and whispered, “I’m gonna sit this one out. Good luck, all of you.”

Rainbow, Rarity, Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest all froze at that. Those who hadn’t been facing her suddenly wheeled on the Alicorn, actually shocked to hear Twilight not wishing to participate in the battle that would determine the fate of the universe. They were going to bring everyone back—everyone Thanos took away—and she was just going to sit it out? Their confusion quickly fell to her exposed rib cage, her pale coat, her weary eyes and the heavy bandages wrapped around her hind leg. She was in no condition to travel and definitely not able to fight. She assured them all of where she stood with a confident and warming smile, though it didn’t really fill any of them with that same confidence.

It only filled them with the haunting feeling of doubt.

“Is that it then?” Shuri asked, looking around the room to every individual.

Friday nodded her way. “That’s it.”

Steve stared at the hologram, at the planet simply called “The Garden”. The only place in the universe where Thanos and all six Infinity Stones were hiding. Steve clenched his fists, looking to his team, his Avengers, and declaring, “Let’s go get this son of a bitch.”

Space

The Benatar

Earth Upper Atmosphere

The Benatar was freshly repaired thanks to Rocket, Nebula, and Groot. In less than a couple of hours, they were off-world and bound for space, the ship breaking through the atmosphere and reaching the zero gravity of empty space. The first thing they all saw was planet Equus, Rainbow and Rarity momentarily stunned into silence before being forced to focus ahead.

Steve sat in one of the few seats, decked out in his STRIKE stealth uniform from the Winter Soldier endeavor four years earlier. Natasha, Rhodes, and Castle took the last chairs and sat in their own personalized suits and armor, James in his War Machine Mark VI armor and Castle in his Punisher attire, a large grenade launcher resting in his lap. Banner and Nebula took the very front seats while Carol and Rocket took the main pilot chairs. Matthew Murdock stood behind Carol’s seat dressed in his full Daredevil attire, minus his helmet that rested beneath his left armpit. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Tempest, Sunset, and Starlight all surrounded nearby seats and held on tightly to each one. Groot was right there with them, his vines tightening around the back of Rocket’s chair. Daisy Johnson stood behind Natasha in her tight, S.H.I.E.L.D. jumpsuit with the silver gauntlets attached to her forearms. Robbie Reyes wore the same clothing he always wore, joined by that same scowl courtesy of the Ghost Rider. Mack, Shuri, Davis, Piper, Friday, Twilight, May, and Pepper all remained at the facility alongside Stark. The only one they were actually missing was a certain God of Thunder.

Thor told them he had his own mode of transportation. He would meet them there.

“Who here hasn’t been to space?” Rocket asked aloud.

Although somewhat hesitant, Steve, Natasha, Rhodes, Banner, Murdock, Castle, Rainbow, and Rarity all raised their hands and hooves respectively. Sunset, Starlight, Tempest, Groot, and Danvers looked back and around, smiling humorously to their uncertain expressions. They would truly not know or be able to understand what they would face in the great black yonder. The mares also weren’t veterans by any means, but three weeks in space gave them that much more experience than either Rainbow or Rarity combined.

Though a couple of human hands were missing. Everyone looked over to Daisy and Robbie, who slowly looked back and met their gazes. “What?” Johnson said, as innocent as ever.

Reyes shook his head. “You don’t wanna know where I’ve been.”

With that subtlety given, the rest of the cabin turned back to the front windshield where Nebula was tapping away on her personal console. Exact coordinates for one last trip. One last chance. She sent them to Rocket and Carol, announcing, “Coordinates locked to the Garden. Jump in 3…”

Rainbow and Rarity followed Sunset, Starlight, and Tempest almost exactly, watching as they held onto the nearest seat as tight as they could and doing the same. Castle tightened his grip around his grenade launcher. Natasha gulped, holding her breath and staring straight on, right there with Daisy. Rhodes gripped the armrests, his armored palms nearly shattering them. Reyes narrowed his glare. Bruce slowly looked to Nebula, who didn’t look back. Only stared ahead.

“2…”

Matt laid his gloved-palm on Carol’s left shoulder, Danvers slowly looking to the touch. Maybe he was nervous, given that he was one of the many who hadn’t been to space prior. Then she looked to him and saw the same face from back in the facility, the same Matthew Murdock who trusted her first and foremost when hardly anyone else did. She gazed back down to his hand resting on her shoulder, a tiny but strong grip that assured her of where he stood. That simple statement that silently told her: “I trust you”. She raised her right hand and laid it over his.

Nebula stared straight ahead, hoping, praying, begging that they would make it this time.

“… 1.”

They jumped. Steve gripped his seat’s armrests, practically pushed back into the chair as his eyes reflected the lights that traveled a million miles a second.

Chapter 127 – An Old-Fashioned Notion

127

New York City

Year: 2012

1:12 p.m.

The massive blue and black portal hanging over Stark Tower ripped at the very fabric of space. Doing so allowed an armada of beings from another world to enter, unleashing an army of Chitauri chariots, Leviathans, and foot soldiers upon the helpless city of New York.

Only they weren’t helpless.

Far from it.

As the skies burned and the buildings quaked beneath the Chitauri Invasion, one team stood together to face the war wrought upon their world. They stood amongst the overwhelming forces that inflicted pain and suffering upon the innocent populace. Those Chitauri covered the building sides, sliding down, removing their masks and screeching towards that team.

The Incredible Hulk roared right back.

Hawkeye pulled an arrow from his quiver and loaded it into his bow.

Thor twirled the mighty Mjølnir about, glaring to the armies above.

Black Widow added a fresh magazine into her pistol.

Captain America tightened his shield and faced the armada head-on.

Iron Man landed between him and the Hulk, his Mark 7 armor gleaming under the sun.

Together, they stood. One team. One group of saviors for New York City and the human race. The Avengers finally united for one cause: to stop the mischievous Loki and his schemes of world domination. Even as the entire weight of the alien invasion fell upon them, they stood together. Even if they failed that day, they would be damn well sure to avenge the Earth and its people.

Their fight lied ahead.

Steve and Carol’s teams lied elsewhere in the shadows of the war.

In a flash of white and a sudden shock wave within the far-off alleyway, the team of eleven appeared from their microscopic sizes and grew to their original height. The second they emerged together in the alleyway was the very same second the Quantum Suits materialized back into the Time Travel GPSes upon their hands and hooves. The nanotech faded when Steve Rogers took a step forward, shield in hand, as he observed his surroundings to see if they had made it to the correct time.

Above, he spotted the alien portal high above Stark Tower, unleashing a fresh wave of Leviathans upon New York. Just in time to enter the peak of the battle. Nodding to that, Steve turned around to face his team, as well as Carol’s. All of them, really.

The Quantum Suits shrunk back into the small devices everyone held, every eye observing their surroundings as well as each other. Tony wore a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative uniform for undercover purposes. All a part of the plan. Scott stood in his Ant-Man suit while Carol stood beside him in her Captain Marvel attire, both of their masks retracted back into their suits. Bruce wore a plain T-shirt and black jeans beneath his Quantum Suit, checking everyone’s status on his GPS.

Twilight and Rainbow wore no extra clothing beneath the Quantum Suit, just the Arc Reactor each were given from Stark. Murdock stood like a shadow within the alleyway, his black Daredevil suit covering him from head to toe as his mask retracted back to reveal his awestruck expression observing and hearing every horrifying sound of the battle surrounding them. Sunset Shimmer was right by him, standing with Daisy Johnson as both equine and Inhuman gazed to the battle with awestruck expressions. Daisy’s skintight S.H.I.E.L.D. jumpsuit and silver gauntlets joined her beneath the Quantum Suit, light brown and purple hair flowing against the heated, burning air. Frank Castle rose to full height behind them, the Punisher Armor adding a few inches as his mask retracted back and he analyzed the situation. New York was burning. People were dying. He scowled. Shit happened back in 2012. Couldn’t do anything then, and he did nothing now. Couldn’t risk it.

Unlike the others, Steve Rogers wore a little blast from the past; something to help him appear inconspicuous. He wore his old-fashion Avengers uniform. An oldie but a classic. Perfect to blend in to where they would land. He wore no mask but would not need one for what he had planned. Observing the streets and the buildings of New York for a second longer, Steve faced his team.

“Invasion’s in full-swing,” he stated loudly over the echoing explosions. “We’ll go through this one more time. Banner, you’re gonna go find the sanctum and Doctor Strange, convince him what’s going on and get the Time Stone. There’s gonna be one moment where both the Space and Mind Stones are in the same location at once. Tony, Scott, Twi, Dash, Sunset, Matt, you’ll be with me. Tony will be handling the Space Stone while I’ll take care of the Mind Stone. Carol, Daisy, and Frank will be backup in case things turn south.”

“Just to be clear,” Rainbow interjected, the eyes of the many facing the Pegasus. “The Space Stone is in something called the… ‘Tesseract’? Glowing cube thing?”

“And the Mind Stone is in a scepter?” Sunset asked, taking a soft step forward to avoid the sharp debris beneath her hooves. Twilight was still awestruck to the pure size of the alien invasion of New York, her violet ponytail lightly shaking in the heated wind.

Steve nodded to them both. “And the Time Stone is gonna be in a necklace.”

They all nodded. Not even a moment of hesitation. Good, Steve thought, tightening his lips and stating harshly, “We can’t make many mistakes, preferably none. We stick by the plan; wait for the right moment. Got it?” It was certainly harsh how he added the extra emphasis on his tone, but it needed to be done. It needed to be said and understood amongst the masses.

It wasn’t nearly as harsh as what followed. The resounding roar caught everyone’s ears and heart and brought their attention to the street ahead. With a car high above his head, the Hulk slammed the vehicle onto a helpless Chitauri foot soldier, killing it after the second crushing blow he inflicted upon it. To add even more overkill, the Hulk proceeded to hop upon the car and drive his feet into it again and again, bouncing up and down until he created a small sinkhole where the Chitauri once lived. A nearby alien witnessed the death of his ally, and chose to retreat instead of firing on the hulking beast. The Hulk cried out, leaping out to return to the fray.

Everyone slowly turned back to the only person they could. Banner covered his face.

“And maybe smash a few things along the way,” Steve added.

Offering a helpful smile, Twilight gazed up to Bruce to ease his worries, considering he would be on his own for the Time Stone. Shrugging his massive shoulders, Banner sighed in Twilight’s direction before eventually returning the smile. Then it vanished as he ripped off his shirt with ease, stating bemusedly, “I think it’s a little gratuitous, but whatever.”

He stepped out of the alleyway and into the open war, stretching his muscles and hopping up and down. He punched at the air, flexing and growling softly as he punched a taxi cab and tossed a motorbike across the street. He was just warming up, not even getting to the stretches yet before everyone eventually turned away. Turned to Carol Danvers as she, too, stepped out of the alley and observed the invasion unfolding before her.

She furrowed her brow, frowning to it all to see the devastation fall upon one of America’s most populated cities. Her golden hair blew in the wind, hardly shielding the offended expression in her eyes as she asked, “Why didn’t Fury call me for this invasion?”

Steve turned to her. Banner leapt off from the street to make his way to the Sanctum Sanctorum, but no one even seemed to notice. In response to her question, Steve stated, “Well, he probably trusted us too much.”

Carol turned back to face Captain America. Her eyes met his before quickly shooting upwards, widening in horror as she reacted and cried, “Look out!”

Everyone else only had a second less than her.

They had spotted them when Danvers stepped out in her colorful uniform, practically radiating light and attention amongst the dreary, gray landscape of New York burning. Once they had them in their sights, the Chitauri were relentless in their pursuit. More than a dozen chariots unleashed a volley of blaster bolts upon the alleyway and the ten lives stationed within it. It was a scramble from that point on, only a few firing back. Those few being Frank, Twilight, and Sunset, one unleashing a barrage of gunfire and missiles while the other two unloaded spell after spell onto the familiar alien invaders. Carol grabbed Steve’s shoulders and pulled them both to the ground, just out of the way of the nearest bolt of energy that would have struck Rogers in the back. Lying on top of him, Carol gazed down to the First Avenger unnaturally close in her personal space.

Smiling awkwardly, Carol pushed herself up until they were face to face, strands of gold falling from her head and barely reaching Steve’s face. “Hey,” she greeted.

“Hey,” Steve breathed. The shrieks caused his eyes to flick to his left, his face convulsing into a look of terror as he roared, “Get back!”

Wrapping his left arm and shield around her, Steve rolled to his knee and carried Carol with him. She rolled, too, trapped within Steve’s body and shield as he covered them both from the onslaught of blaster fire from above. Gritting his teeth against the enemy fire, Steve looked about and witnessed the scramble for himself. Daisy, Murdock, Tony, Scott, and Rainbow were practically blind to the blaster fire raining down on top of them. He growled, shouting, “Grab some cover and hold them off!”

Carol’s mask materialized over her face, eyes burning a bright gold and her hair forming a mohawk from the red helmet. With that order and freedom given, Stark took action and pressed firmly over his chest. The Arc Reactor burned to life beneath his suit and sent forth an army of nanobots across Tony’s body. It washed over his S.H.I.E.L.D. suit and covered his body from head to toe, the eyes of the Mark 85 igniting and turning to his assailants.

Captain Marvel engaged alongside Iron Man.

With the blaster bolts harmlessly striking his advanced armor, Tony Stark shot up from the street. Carol Danvers pushed herself, as well, flying off from the street and away from Steve’s shield. She flew right next to Tony, both Avengers leaning back with their fists as they struck the chariots at high speed. The following explosions filled the air as a reinforcing plethora of Chitauri swarmed near their location. Daredevil whipped out his batons, not even looking as he flipped backwards and struck the nearest Chitauri foot soldier in the head with his thrown baton, killing it instantly. Frank stomped about in the street with his gauntlets aimed in every direction possible, unloading streams of bullets at anything that moved and looked unnatural to him. Sunset, thankfully, was right behind him, out of his line of sight and firing alongside him, shooting energy beams instead of bullets. Scott Lang took Steve’s advice to heart and grabbed the nearest cover he could, shrinking down to avoid any conflict. The air and the streets were swarmed in seconds, leaving very little breathing room and not much of a path to follow.

Twilight, Rainbow, and Daisy Johnson unfortunately fell into that category, taking Steve’s last order and following it: grab some cover and hold them off. There was no cover for them. They were pushed back several blocks, Rainbow forced to activate her Iron Mare armor once the Chitauri were becoming too overwhelming. Still not particularly used to the suit and its weapons just yet, Rainbow fired blindly from her repulsors, managing to strike a couple of foot soldiers out of the dozens that filled the road to their front and back. She wobbled a she hovered above the street, the suits repulsors barely keeping afloat as she didn’t particularly know which direction she wanted to fly in.

Twilight knew she was far from being an expert with her suit, so she didn’t activate it just yet and instead chose to unleash heavy spells upon their attackers. She fought side by side with Daisy Johnson, the Inhuman jamming her open palm to an abandoned taxi and sending a shock wave into the vehicle. The car flipped as it rolled, crushing numerous Chitauri ahead of them and clearing the street.

Twilight’s horn died down. Daisy dropped her gloved-palm and breathed heavily, sweat already beginning to dampen her attitude and her senses. She flinched as she gazed to the skylines fire and smoke melting it and thousands of other Chitauri filling it. Johnson breathed heavily, shaking her head and her bangs.

“This brings back some unwelcome memories,” she noted, exhales leaving her person every second. Twilight nodded to that, sweat starting to stream down her forehead as did Daisy’s.

Spotting Steve battling alongside Murdock to fend off a reinforcing wave of Chitauri foot soldiers further down the street, Twilight pursed her lips. The Alicorn lifted her gaze to the Inhuman, saying loudly, “We should probably regroup with Steve!”

Daisy was about to acknowledge that with a firm nod, but then she froze. Looked about and asked, “Wait, what about Rainbow?”

“Son of a—!”

The raspy cry came from above, only Twilight and Daisy within the vicinity to hear it while the others were trapped in a wave of explosions and other distractions. They lifted their heads to the sky, both of their jaws falling simultaneously to witness Rainbow Dash flying in her Iron Mare suit, firing wildly to the Chitauri chariot chasing her. As she spun and fired a repulsor into it, she was caught within the fiery carcass that remained of it, pushing both itself and the metal-covered mare further down the road and onto an elevated bridge. There, they witnessed Rainbow Dash crash upon it.

Flinching and cringing as the crash was followed up by an explosion from the chariot, both Twilight and Daisy turned to one another, both already having the same thought in mind. Daisy fell to one knee, palm pressed to Twilight’s backside as the Alicorn lowered her horn and brightened it, teleporting both herself and Johnson to Rainbow’s location atop the bridge.

A flash of light later, they appeared in the aftermath. Upon the bridge, they witnessed the debris of the chariot join the bodies of numerous others, the road filled with Chitauri bodies and burning vehicles. In the center of it all, Rainbow Dash lay while clutching her forehead, her mask materialized back to reveal the pain evident on her face. Pained… but well alive. Twilight and Daisy both breathed a sigh of relief on that, taking those necessary steps to meet her.

But they stopped.

They lifted their eyes further down the bridge.

And their hearts froze.

The star-spangled shield struck three Chitauri at once, killing each as the frisbee-like shield returned to the gloves of Captain America and he drove his fist into the last Chitauri before him. He finished it by slamming the edge of his shield into its face, killing the alien beneath him. Just on his left, the wicked dance of the Black Widow was joined by several others, various other Chitauri who could not comprehend nor fight against one so deadly in their art. She ducked, rolled, swung, stabbed, and fired at any alien willing and daring to meet her on the bridge. Leaping from the hood of a car, the Widow latched herself and her legs across the nearest Chitauri’s head, leaning back and slamming the Chitauri head-first into the cement. On her knees, she flicked her short, red hair backwards and fired a bolt from her Widow’s Bite into the Chitauri charging her. Her free hand, her right one, gripped her pistol tightly and blew the brains out of the Chitauri swinging for Captain America’s blindside.

The Captain turned back, smiling beneath the mask and nodding her way. The Widow smiled in return, her eyes flicking forward and that smile instantly dying. Quickly leaving her when she spotted the two intruders upon the bridge with them.

“Uh… Cap?” Natasha asked within the lull in the battle. “You seeing this?”

Steve Rogers’ smile slowly left him, a look of confusion filling his features until he finally turned to the direction of which Romanoff stared. It was there, just mere yards ahead of them on the bridge, did they see the young woman in the black and purple S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. Not only her. Not by any means. What might have been reinforcements sent by Fury was completely tossed out the window when they saw who—or what—was standing with her there. Joining the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent was a bright purple unicorn. With wings. Laying before them was a blue Pegasus wearing a suit of armor reminiscent of a certain billionaire playboy. He was speechless. Both Steve and Natasha couldn’t even breathe as they gazed upon the group of three before them.

And they were in the same boat, Rainbow Dash spinning about and slowly rising to her hooves, her jaw just as unhinged as either Twilight’s or Daisy’s. Slow in her ascension and even slower in her retreat, Rainbow could look nowhere else but dead ahead. Meeting the eyes of a certain Captain America and Black Widow. Only… it wasn’t their Captain. His bright blue mask was donned and a clear lack of a Time Travel GPS was also a damning piece of evidence. Even Natasha looked far different, her hair shorter, redder, and the suit she wore didn’t even match the one she left the facility with.

It didn’t take long for Twilight, Rainbow, and Daisy to put two and two together.

“Who the hell are you?” Steve asked, eyes only to the two mares and barely flicking upwards to Daisy. He was more so centered on the possibility of colorful, alien-like horses within New York City rather than some random S.H.I.E.L.D. operative. “Where did you come from?”

Rainbow and Daisy were already tongue-tied, unable to speak for the smoke in the air and the shock of the situation had taken their voice away. The same fate nearly fell upon Twilight had it not been for the Chitauri leaping out of the flying chariot behind Steve and Natasha. With a blink of her eyes, Twilight took in a horrific gasp of air and cried, “Duck!”

The next thing Steve knew was that her horn charged up and fired a bolt of energy right for his head. He ducked accordingly—on instinct and not on her word—and turned to see what had been her actual target. She killed the Chitauri charging Steve from behind with her magical bolt, the energy striking its head and sending it several yards backwards.

Steve spun around, Natasha joining him, and gazed to the pony in pure amazement.

Then saw as an army of Chitauri surrounded them. From the two Avengers, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, the pony in a suit of armor, and the winged unicorn. All of them facing down the same enemy. They all turned to face one another once again, one last time, just to see how they would react. Rainbow Dash hardened her expression, her Iron Man mask materializing and sealing her expression from the world. Her blue eyes burned to life.

Then they fought.

It started when Daisy Johnson spun around, screaming as she did so and slammed her fist into the solid cement, sending a shock wave of energy into the line of Chitauri behind her. The wave was strong enough to knock them all off their feet, off the bridge and to their deaths below. Next was Rainbow Dash, jetting forward with extra help from her repulsors on the wings of her suit. She fled directly over Natasha, the Black Widow ducking and watching the mare work, astounded to see her meet the Chitauri with furious and precise strikes only a soldier could manage. Steve, as well, as quite impressed. Still shocked, but impressed.

Rainbow met the first Chitauri with her hind leg, bucking its weapon away and spinning in a complete circle. She gained the necessary momentum, unveiling a nanotech blade from her foreleg and slicing the first Chitauri’s head clean off its shoulders. As the remaining aliens watched their fellow soldiers’ head bounce across the bridge, they were almost unprepared for the following onslaught that awaited them. Rainbow Dash as merciless in her close combat technique, her and her blade becoming partners in a deadly dance of blood and screams. The Iron Mare suits provided that necessary protection from any lucky shots, and it was able to keep track of anything within a 180-degree line of sight. She tore apart various Chitauri on her left and right with her repulsor blasts, micro missiles, and nanotech blades.

Yet it was that one lucky Chitauri that always got her in the back like a coward. It slammed its rifle into her backside, sending Rainbow colliding against the side of a burning vehicle. Turning accordingly, Rainbow jammed out both of her hooves and nearly fired two repulsor blasts into the charging Chitauri foot soldier. It approached her with its rifle raised, the bladed end ready to meet her Arc Reactor. It convulsed as two loud bangs rang off in the air, the alien slumping to the side and allowing Rainbow to witness her protector.

Natasha Romanoff lowered her dual pistols, the ends of the barrels smoking.

Rainbow Dash lowered her hooves, the blank expression from her helmet silent, just as much as Black Widow was.

“I’m not gonna ask where you got that suit,” Natasha stated, practically breathless with a trail of blood on her lip leaking down. She turned her attention to the Iron Mare armor, Rainbow lowering her eyes to it, as well. Shaking her head, Natasha just shrugged and held up her pistols. “Whoever or whatever you are… just keep doing what you’re doing.”

That was exactly what they did. Even more Chitauri came for them, and they were only forced closer and closer together. Twilight Sparkle found her breathing room to become more and more constricted as she and Daisy were eventually separated and she was slowly retreating further down onto the bridge, closer to Stark Tower. Her magic was becoming less and less effective, even her list of spells memorized becoming exhausted. She was mere seconds away from considering the Iron Mare when that shield flew over her head and struck two Chitauri side by side, instantly returning to its bearer.

Twilight spun around, but soon found no need to when Captain America ran and flipped completely over her, using his shield to block the oncoming blaster fire and send it right on back to their assailants. The three other Chitauri died on the spot. He slowly rose back to full height, his expression hardened but curious as he turned to his left to face her. Finally up close and personal with the alien unicorn. Pegasus. Mixture of the both.

He wasn’t just losing his mind from earlier. She really could talk. She even smiled awkwardly to Steve and cleared her throat. “I’d hope I’m not the weirdest thing you’d ever seen,” she weakly stuttered.

To her relief, he nodded. “You’re right,” Steve replied, loosening his shield and flinging it directly into the air behind her. Spinning about, Twilight flinched as the shield struck a chariot flying right towards them, hitting it so perfectly the entire chariot broke apart and exploded yards away from them, harmless debris not even reaching her hooves. Turning back, she saw as the shield returned to his forearm, Steve tightening it and turning back to the mare. “You’re up there, though.”

She couldn’t argue with that.

She couldn’t argue much of anything when she witnessed the trail of fire fly past the buildings and focus directly towards the bridge. Towards them. Towards her. It only become more and more evident who it was when the sound of raw repulsor blasts filled the air and the bright red and yellow suit of armor zoomed in and wiped out the line of Chitauri racing down the bridge. A smile slowly grew across her lips. Twilight also noticed that he wasn’t slowing down, the Alicorn gasping and taking cover as he made his landing right in the heart of the conflict. Right where she once stood next to Steve.

Skidding to a halt, Iron Man spun around and fired a round of repulsors onto the approaching wave of Chitauri surrounding him and Captain America. Steve joined the fight instantly, kicking away the nearest foot soldier and spinning to meet his fellow Avenger. With his palms already glowing, Iron Man fired a conjoined beam of energy right at Steve. Twilight gasped. Then she lay slack-jawed in amazement as the energy of the repulsor blast was redirected and enhanced as Steve turned that reflected beam onto the Chitauri surrounding them, instantly clearing the bridge of any remaining alien infection.

All except for one.

Just before he could take off and join the fight with Thor and Banner, Tony Stark paused. He caught the warning from Jarvis. He turned harshly to his left and jammed his palms in the direction of the unspecified alien species resting a few feet away from Cap and himself. His repulsors charged for a brief second before slowly dying, quickly analyzing the strange, colorful horse. Noting that she wasn’t a threat. At least not yet. The look of fear on her face was clear, but as he lowered his palms, so too did she lower her hooves. Sentient, as well. That was interesting.

It was at that moment did Twilight realize that he wasn’t the Tony Stark she knew. The suit of armor was certainly different, an older model that Tony wouldn’t be caught dead wearing back in their time. But considering 2012 wasn’t their time… then she should have suspected to see some old but familiar faces. Unfortunately, that wasn’t shared amongst the other side. Captain America joined Iron Man in standing side by side, studying the alien pony for seconds on end while Twilight turned from one to the other, slowly rising back to her hooves.

Pointing to Twilight, Stark finally asked aloud, “What the hell kind of alien is that?”

It was a question that never could have been answered, especially not from Twilight. Especially when Carol Danvers swooped in and destroyed the oncoming wave of Chitauri chariots. Natasha, Steve, Tony, Twilight, Rainbow, and Daisy all flinched and turned accordingly to see Captain Marvel zooming back and forth at unbelievable speeds. She paused once the skies were clear over the bridge, hovering momentarily before smiling down to the three Avengers.

“You’re doin’ great!” she called, a big thumbs-up given. Tony, Steve, and Natasha were utterly speechless, breathless, all of the above.

But before they could question any of it, she was gone. She flew down with such incredible speeds and picked up Twilight, Rainbow, and Daisy and vanished off into the air in less than two seconds. Almost like they were never even there to begin with. Maybe they were. Maybe they weren’t.

Tony Stark shook his head, the blank expression from his Iron Man mask mirroring that of his actual expression beneath. “Anyone wanna fill me in on what just happened?” he asked, turning from Natasha to Steve and back again.

“Maybe Loki expanded his army… or we got some other visitors from the portal,” Natasha said, gazing longingly to the portal with exhaustion burning in her eyes.

She wasn’t alone. Steve shook his head to the fading trail of light. “Jesus… they should’ve kept me in the ice,” he breathed.

Out of the frying pan and into the coolness of the rushing wind, the team of three that were once lost but now found all turned upwards to their rescuer. Carol Danvers looked about, getting them as far away from ground zero as possible and as high into the as possible. She watched herself and Daisy, though, merely holding the Inhuman by her forearm and the ponies in her free arm. Once they broke free and flew by her side, she reached down and grabbed Daisy with both hands, keeping a firm grip that mirrored Johnson’s.

“Be sure to stay close from now on!” Carol called to the flying mares on her left. “We need to regroup with our Cap!”

Twilight and Rainbow agreed by silently nodding rapidly, having lost all sense of speech and tongue just mere minutes into the Battle of New York.

Chapter 144 – What Power Can Do

144

Andromeda Galaxy

Morag

Year: 2014

Morag was a planet littered with unending storms and a fierce, uninhabitable environment. Lightning rocked the skies and rain pelted the rocky surface of the earth. A forever fog coated the planet and filled the landscape, ruins of an ancient civilization barely visible upon the dark purple, black, and blues of the horizon and atmosphere. Despite that, life existed on the planet.

Maud Pie crushed the head of the charging Orloni, the creature writhing beneath her hoof before finally settling upon the rock. Dead.

The team of six Avengers congregated as one after a short moment was taken to regain their senses from the aftereffects of time travel. Only one of them had experience in that arena, but even she needed a minute or two to breathe again. Especially taking into account the alien air they were breathing, a first for nearly all of them. Nebula was the only Avenger among them who had experience with alien air, the Luphomoid observing her team slowly coming together.

James Rhodes strode forth in his War Machine Mark VI, the Quantum Suit having disintegrated into the Time Travel GPS on his left, metal hand. Robbie Reyes walked alongside him, the man containing the Spirit of Vengeance cracking his neck as he took in a deep breath and coughed out the alien fog. The rain pelted his head and dampened his black hair, his black suit, but nonetheless affected him little. They were joined by three mares. Starlight Glimmer shivered as a cold wind washed over her coat, the mare creating a magical umbrella over her head to block the rain from hitting her mane. She stood on Reyes’ left. With her was the Pegasus, Derpy Hooves flying about and testing the atmosphere for her wings. It felt weird—being on another planet and all—but Derpy liked it. It was new. It was exciting. She wished her friends felt the same way, but just seeing their worrisome and downtrodden expressions seemed to infect her own. She settled down on Rhodes’ right.

Finally, there was Maud Pie, the Earth pony raising and cleaning her hoof from the vile left of the Orloni. She stood beside Nebula, the Luphomoid taking command amongst them, having the most knowledge of their surroundings and the time period of which they had entered. When they stood together in a medium-sized circle, Rhodes looked about and held out his hands. The rain pelted his suit of armor, rivers flowing down the glowing red lights upon the War Machine.

“So… we just wait for Quill to show up, and he’ll lead us to the Power Stone?” James asked.

Nebula nodded.

She tensed up when she heard the audible sniffle ahead of her. Everyone and everypony soon turned to it, as well, seeing the Pegasus nearly soaking wet in the rain and her own tears ready to start flowing and joining the rain. Starlight’s expression saddened, her heart aching to see Derpy on the brink of tears. She levitated her magical umbrella over Derpy. Maud nearly raised her hoof to touch the Pegasus’ shoulder, then noticed the visible gunk still lingering on her hoof. She stopped herself, simply listening in with the remaining Avengers, their own expressions softening.

Derpy sniffled, raising a foreleg to rub her muzzle. “Peter won’t know us… will he?” she asked.

Maud’s eyes slowly widened to that, the realization striking her. They were in 2014, two years before they ever met Star-Lord, Nebula, Gamora, or any of the other Guardians of the Galaxy. The Quill that would arrive to unveil the Power Stone to them would not even know who they were. Friends would become complete strangers to him, maybe even enemies. Turning to Nebula, Maud waited for an answer she was dreading. Nebula’s only answer was a drop in her eyes. Derpy and Maud took that as best as they could, their own eyes falling sadly.

“Let’s take cover,” Nebula stated after a moment of recovery. She proceeded away from the group, a reluctant following soon joining her. Her eyes were set on the temple resting within the fog. “We’re not the only ones in 2014 looking for the Power Stone.”

“Who else is?” Robbie asked, stumbling over a rock.

He stumbled into her back, having not known Nebula had simply stopped dead in her tracks. Backing away, Robbie watched alongside the four others behind him as Nebula slowly turned around, her mechanical eyes peering deep into them. Every last one of them. She thought she felt a tingle in her eye socket, a jolt of static in the back of her mind, but she ignored it for the time being. Somehow, she found the strength to say it.

“My father… my sister… and me.”

Everyone visibly tensed up at the mentioning of Nebula’s father, the thought suddenly recurring to them that they were, in fact, in the year 2014. Four years before Thanos’ death. Meaning that he was well-alive and still searching for the Infinity Stones. James let loose a shaking exhale. Derpy’s forelegs quivered beneath her. Maud blinked. Robbie flared his nostrils.

“You?” Starlight asked, needing to be clarified. After seeing the nod sent her way from the Luphomoid, Starlight looked aside. Taking in a breath of alien air… before finally turning back to Nebula. “Where are you right now?”

“Not here,” Nebula answered, nodding back to the Temple of the Power Stone. “So let’s use that.”

They moved out towards the remains of the ancient temple, passing Nebula as they did so. Some sent a nod in return to her, some sent a waning glance, but all failed to see what had become of her. All failed to see Nebula take one step forward and freeze.

She gasped for air and clutched her head, her eye flickering and several volts of electricity dancing across her forehead. Smacking her eye, Nebula grunted and hissed as the pain subsided… and her sight returned to her. She blinked, raising her head to see the curious and uncertain gaze from Maud meet her own. A gaze that only lasted a second before Nebula pushed on. But Maud kept staring.

Karidian

Aboard the Q-Ship

Nebula whipped out her Electroshock Batons, screaming as she drove herself towards the opposing alien invaders aboard her father’s ship, one of the many hundreds that laid siege to the helpless planet below.

The planet of Karidian burned beneath them. Leviathans, Chitauri chariots, and starships filled the burning night air and cried out as their blaster bolts impacted buildings and roads, decimating the Karidians fleeing for their lives. Chitauri Command Centers dotted the night sky, pillars of fire and smoke rising to paint the heavens a sickly orange, red, and black. Upon one of the many hundred Q-Ships laying waste to the streets below, the daughters of Thanos held off the planet’s populace that tried to overtake their ship.

Karidian warriors charged in heavy battle armor. Swords, axes, and blasters were gripped in their claws as they engaged with the two daughters of the Mad Titan. Nebula, especially, fought with every screeching mechanical implant in her body, what wasn’t Luphomoid and what was working in tandem to ensure a complete and total victory over her foes. Just as her father envisioned it when he enforced the implants within her. All of it to make her better in every single way.

It showed. Her moves were slick, precise, and utterly deadly. The Karidian warrior had no chance against her, the Electroshock Baton driving into its shoulder blade and Nebula finishing it off with a strike so profound it snapped the alien’s neck upon impact. Nebula flicked her head upwards, spinning around to see the second Karidian arm a grenade behind her. The alien reared back. Nebula was faster, flicking her baton towards the alien and seeing her weapon lodge itself into the Karidian’s neck. Faster than it could have deflected the baton. The Karidian stumbled, fell to its back dead, but not before having lost the grenade.

Shooting her glare to her right, Nebula had failed to notice the grenade cooking on the floor beside her. She wasn’t fast enough that time. The grenade exploded, a resounding shock wave sending Nebula through the air until she collapsed on the edge of the Q-Ship, its barren sides open to unveil the burning hellscape of Karidian beneath her. A sure-fire death if she had landed just a foot or two more.

Nebula heard the battle cry, lifted her horrified eyes to see the Karidian warrior raise its axe high above its head. Just standing over her. The alien was just about to bring the head of the axe down on her when the blade was thrust into its back, the sharpened end pointing skyward from its chest. A horrific gurgle of incomprehensible pain left the warrior before the blade was yanked free and the alien fell from the ship. Nebula watched its descent into the flames, quickly jamming her eyes back.

From the burning smoke and ash, Gamora emerged with a bleeding Godslayer at her side and her battle armor coated in the blood of her foes. Every last one of them that laid behind her. Every last one of them that Nebula failed to kill. And Nebula just glared. Sat up and glared to her sister.

“I didn’t ask for your help!” she growled.

“And yet you always need it,” Gamora retorted, standing on her side and offering her a hand, to which Nebula merely smacked away. Mirroring her sister’s glare, Gamora snorted and stepped away. Always refusing to accept her help. Fine. “Get up. We must return to Sanctuary II. Thanos may have found an Infinity Stone.”

The Q-Ship left the decimated remains of Karidian. Above the planet’s atmosphere, the lights of the distant cities darkened as devastating explosions shot out across the planet’s surface like ripples in a pond. Ripples of absolute power shaking the foundations of Karidian to its core, until its populace finally submitted to the might of the Great Titan. Nebula and Gamora had seen enough—they had seen even more horrifying displays of might in their past—and focused on the mission at hand.

Together, the two sisters gazed onto the lone hologram of the planet Morag, images from Ronan’s scouts captured mere days ago. The ancient temple and the overwhelming, radiating force of energy escaping it. The light of the hologram filled the darkened walls of the Q-Ship with a soft, blue aura, that light cascading across Nebula and Gamora’s faces the closer they stood to it.

Nebula leaned forward, her chest rising and falling quicker by the second. A hint of adrenaline filled her eyes, a spark that managed to create a smirk across her lips. “An Infinity Stone. At long last.”

Gamora crossed her arms, bemused to the hologram. “It’s only one,” she said in a deadpan manner.

“It’s a start,” Nebula shot back, glaring to her sister before slowly returning to the lone image of the shattered temple. “A start to the peace that Father promises. Soon, we will no longer have to fight this endless war. Soon, we can find our eternal rest.”

Gamora hardened her brow to that, walking alongside the table that expelled the hologram. She sneered when she came to Nebula’s side, stating, “You’re so focused on the future that you fail to notice the present.”

“I’m focused on both,” Nebula hissed, turning to face her. “Just as Father…”

The Q-Ship groaned. Both sisters—both daughter—turned around. They practically flinched to the sound, their posture straightened and their expressions solidified into an appropriate display. All they needed to see was the light of the beam shower inside, and the outline of the towering Titan emerge from it. That was all they needed for their hearts to harden.

From that light, their father emerged. He stepped forth coated in the blood of his foes, the double-bladed sword in his right hand bleeding even worse than his armor. The black lifeblood painted across his face and chin could not conceal the look of utter depravity and strength in his light blue eyes. It somehow fueled them, unveiling that wickedness and merciless spirit that glowed like a blistering firestorm within his black heart.

From that light, Thanos emerged. His eyes settled on his daughters as he began to approach.

They were silent with every stomp he took, watching as Thanos pulled a cloth from beneath his armor and began to clean the tip of his blade. It hardly did anything, smudging the cloth in blackness and barely cleaning the sword. Gamora and Nebula held their breath as he stepped closer, flinched as he began to speak.

“Ronan believes he has located an artifact of great power. The Orb. Little does he know of the actual power that lies within it. His vision is so narrowed on his obsession for the Nova Corps that he fails to see the bigger picture. No matter. I’m assigning you both to the Dark Aster. Ensure the Power Stone is secured,” Thanos declared, tossing the bloody cloth aside.

While Gamora stood her ground, Nebula took the first approach and knelt before him, Electroshock Batons laying on the floor within her palms. “We will not fail you, Father,” Nebula whispered aloud, head held low.

“I know you won’t,” Thanos said, sending a rather disappointed stare to Nebula, almost as if he expected nothing more than failure to come from her. She always did. With that disappointment already expected, Thanos instead turned to his other daughter. His favorite daughter, the one he ensured would succeed for both of them. “Gamora…”

She closed her eyes and dropped her head when his attention was shifted to her. Gamora could feel the floor tremble with every step he took, closer and closer to where she stood. Though she could not conceal a shaking breath and exhale, Gamora concealed the fear that laced around her heart as she forced her eyes onto him. Thanos stared down to her, his left palm clean from the blood and gracing her cheek, her hair, and softly stroking her skin. Gamora closed her eyes once more.

Thanos spoke. “Things are finally being set in motion. After a humiliating display with the scepter, I will not lose this Stone. Just as I will not lose the Soul Stone. After you help Ronan acquire the Power Stone, you are to begin your journey for the Soul Stone immediately. You will not return until you have found its location. Do I make myself clear?”

Gamora bowed. Thanos smiled. “I can always trust you, little one.”

Nebula felt that strike her metallic heart. Nebula remained on her knees, raising her eyes to her father and lord. Despite his eyes set on her sister—a minor tremble in her features before she forced it away—Nebula managed a small smile, nodding to him. She whispered painfully, with a promise, “I swear… I will make you proud.”

Thanos turned to her. Nebula smiled wider.

Moments before clutching her head and screaming.

She fell to her backside and held the sides of her head, hissing with agonizing torment as her eye flickered on and off. Spurts of electricity danced across her forehead, Gamora finally turning to her and coming to her side. Distress filled Gamora’s eyes, distress for her sister writhing in pain before her. Thanos merely watched the display. Waited.

Then paid witness to the hologram spewing forth from her eye. Within the light, a man in a suit of armor stood and held out his hands. Gamora was breathless. Nebula couldn’t even move, let alone speak. Thanos took a step forward.

“So… we just wait for Quill to show up, and he’ll lead us to the Power Stone?”

Thanos sneered at that, narrowing his eyes.

“Peter won’t know us… will he?”

Gamora’s eyes continued to widen, at the mentioning of the Power Stone and then to Thanos.

“Let’s take cover. We’re not the only ones in 2014 looking for the Power Stone.”

The second Nebula heard her voice utter those words she forced every nerve of will in her body to smack her own eye. Her own head. She cried out as the hologram cut off and was left with just her quivering breaths and shaking body. Gamora was right by her side, holding her sister’s arm close and comforting her the best she could. Nebula was shaken, more so than she had ever seen.

“What was that?” Gamora asked, almost whispered as if hoping Thanos didn’t hear it.

“I don’t know!” Nebula cried, clutching her head and rocking herself on the cold, bloody floor. “I don’t know… I don’t know…”

Furrowing her brow to her sister, Gamora could sense nothing more from Nebula but the absolute truth. If she didn’t know, then she didn’t know. That much was proven to her. It would be much harder to prove it to her father. Rising up, Gamora spun to face his wrath, coming up with a well-intentioned lie on the spot.

“Her synaptic drive was damaged in battle. If you allow me to—”

“Shhh…”

His voice was a cold, sharp pain into Gamora’s heart. It told her to stand down, to keep quiet, and let him handle it. Just like the many times before. Gamora complied without questions, forced to watch as Thanos raised the cleanest end of his bleeding blade to her sister’s throat. The tip of the sword raised Nebula’s head to him, the Luphomoid shivering uncontrollably, tiny whimpers of fear leaving her as her eyes met his. Forced to.

Thanos merely narrowed his own. “Bring her to my ship.”

Sanctuary II

Nebula was suspended from the ground, an invisible force field of energy keeping her constrained and frozen while Thanos slid a neural link to the back of her skull.

“Run diagnostics. Scan her synaptic drive and memory files,” Thanos ordered.

The Ebony Maw strutted out of the shadows, letting his bony-white fingers move and dance across the holographic screen displayed before him. Instantly, he was greeted with a shared set of neural links interwoven with each other. The Maw frowned at that, declaring, “Sire… there seems to be a problem when scanning her memory files. There’s another consciousness sharing her network, interwoven with her own. Another Nebula.”

Thanos frowned, turning away from Nebula’s blank expression and onto the Maw. “Impossible.”

Gamora stood behind her father, unmoving and unquestioning to her father’s tactics. Having seen her sister tortured and experimented upon in that very same room gave her a chill of dread the moment she stepped foot inside. However, it seemed to be just a standard operation, just Thanos wishing to see Nebula’s memories. Nothing too severe.

Then her brother mentioned the possibility of a second Nebula.

“This alien consciousness…” Ebony Maw continued, his eyes widening when he analyzed the coordinates further, “… comes from nine years in the future.”

Then everything changed.

Turning to her father for an answer, Gamora was surprised to see none escape Thanos’ lips. Instead, he took a step closer to his suspended daughter, eyes narrowed and focus centered solely on her. “Search the duplicate’s memories,” Thanos said. “I want to see everything.”

He saw everything. The holographic imaging shooting forth from Nebula’s eye showcased various images and events that the Maw found particularly interesting. From joining forces with three alien equines to defeat a Celestial planet—with Gamora by her side—and even attempting to kill Thanos in his sleep. The Titan smirked at that. Gamora felt beads of cold sweat flowing down the back of her neck, a soft gulp leaving her. She expected punishment from her father, especially after seeing what was undoubtedly herself standing together with Nebula when they fought Thanos. The proof was right there.

The Ebony Maw froze. He was certain to pass over the memory of Gamora’s corpse lying near the base of a great chasm. Thanos didn’t need to see that. If he somehow discovered it later, then the Maw warranted judgement. He would accept it then, but knowing that the mere thought of Gamora’s dead body lingering in Thanos’ mind would deter him from what was important now. Instead, he paused on a still image of Nebula’s reflection standing with various other humans.

Gamora whispered, “Another Nebula.”

She flinched when Thanos responded to her. “No. The same Nebula… with them. Avengers…” he paused, snarling to see the likes of Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Thor Odinson. Especially Stark, the man who had single-handedly destroyed his Command Center two years ago with the failed invasion of Earth. “Unruly wretches.”

The Maw continued, freezing to the moment Nebula engaged him in the Garden. Maw zoomed in on the gauntlet, to all six Stones shimmering upon it.

“The Stones…” Gamora whispered.

Thanos turned back to her, a solace expression plastered on his features. He approached her slowly. “I collected them all. For them, the deed is done. I won. But here… now… my time is yet to come. The cosmic scales remain in chaos.”

His fingers rose up and graced her cheek once more. Just as Gamora had seen the memories of her and her sister standing against him, so too did Thanos witness such memories. It was heartbreaking, but not unexpected. She was always rebellious. From the day he saved her, even now. Always fighting, always resisting him. Gamora bowed quickly. But nonetheless loyal to the bone.

“This is your future,” Ebony stated.

Thanos turned to him. “It’s my destiny.”

There was still more. In that respite of silence, Thanos finally turned back to the holographic memories. He saw the rest. The moment the axe was lodged into his chest… to the moment he raised his gauntlet high and snapped his fingers. Moments after, he saw the scorched remains of the Infinity Gauntlet. And nothing else. No Stones. No Thanos. Gamora gasped.

Thanos smirked. “And that is destiny fulfilled.”

“Mighty Thanos, your daughter,” Ebony began, flicking his right hand out and ripping the neural cord from Nebula’s head, the same cord that wrapped tightly around the Luphomoid’s neck and strangled her, “is a traitor.”

Gamora took a step forward to intervene, but Thanos held out his arm to her. The two of them listened in as Nebula began to gasp for air, her eyes latching with her father’s as he began that slow, subtle approach. All the while, she begged, “No! That’s not me! That’s not me; I would never betray you! I would never!”

Thanos raised his hand, and in a moment that both sisters thought he would strike her, he merely ripped the cord away and gave her that precious oxygen. Thanos gripped her lower jaw with his right palm, forcing her eyes into his. He smiled. “Then prove it.”

He tore himself away from her, still holding that grin until he called out for Maw. “You have the coordinates for the duplicate’s location?”

“Yes, sire,” the Ebony Maw answered, tapping away on the holographic screen and bringing forth the location that the future Nebula so graciously offered. “Morag.”

Thanos frowned, looking down to his left palm. He tightened it into a fist, growling softly, “Forget Ronan. Set course for Morag. We siege there.”

Chapter 161 – Not Out of This Fight

161

Upstate New York

Remains of the New Avengers Facility

5:45 p.m.

“… Twi! Dash…! Rarity!”

Twilight was the first to awaken, the first to properly react to the strained grunts directly on top of her. The blues of her mask’s eyes illuminated the smoke-filled shadows, the Iron Mare armor finally coming to and bursting to life. Beside her, Twilight noted that Rainbow Dash and Rarity lied close, their own suits beginning to twitch and stir in response to their names being called from above.

They all shifted their eyes upward, a helping of dust and pebbles falling on top of them in response to the subtle movement of Captain America’s shield pressed against the rubble. There, Steve Rogers held it, the collapsing rooftop mere feet away from crushing him and the three ponies lying beneath him. He managed to hold it still, teeth gritted and knee pressed against the floor where the mares laid. Though his eyes were shut tight, he managed to open them momentarily, finally seeing the ponies staring up at him expectantly.

“Move!” he cried.

In response to his pained efforts, the mares looked to one another and then to their side. They either rolled or crawled to safety outside the slab of rubble hovering over them. Steve shut his eyes so incredibly tight that his facial muscles even started to strain, the overwhelming weight of the roof on his arm and back finally taking its toll on him.

To his relief, he felt the weight suddenly lift from his shoulder, Steve slowly turning back to it to see the rubble be encased within a violet aura. That was all he needed in order to know who was aiding him. That was all he needed to roll out from under it and watch the rubble come crashing down. A flushing wave of dust filled their line of sight once the portion of the rooftop had finally collapsed and rested against the wretched remains of the facility’s flooring. Steve sent a grateful nod to Twilight beside him. She nodded in return, her mask’s helmet retracting back in a wave of nanobots.

Rainbow and Rarity followed shortly, their respective breaths heavy, large eyes wandering about and scanning their environment. A shattered husk of what once was the New Avengers Facility surrounded them, from the collapsing ceiling, tattered flooring, visible wiring that sparked every few seconds, demolished walls, and torn furniture. Smoke, ash, small snippets of fire, and shadow filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. Though it was also difficult to make it out from the heavy darkness, the four Avengers realized quickly they were in the War Room. They must have been thrown back into it during the first explosion. Speaking of which…

“What happened?” Rainbow groaned, voice slightly more cracked than usual. She rubbed the side of her head with her armor-plated hoof, her Arc Reactor a brilliant blue within the smoke and dark.

Captain America managed to catch his breath. His red, white, and blue suit and helmet were scratched and painted in dust. His shield, especially, was covered in similar filth, yet Rogers didn’t mind. The same fate befell each of the three mares, their suits of armor torn and covered from the aftermath of the bombardment. Their faces and manes were already beginning to accumulate a helping of dust particles that rained from the teetering ceiling, slight bruises and blood splotches painted on their cheekbones.

“If I had to guess, I’d say Clint and Nat’s warning was real…” Steve answered, the mares turning his way. His eyes were barely visible beneath the dust and ash that painted his face, yet they could clearly see the severity in each orb, the graveness he expressed when he turned to face them.

Especially when he said, “And Thanos came a little early.”

With that bomb dropping on the three mares like a bombardment of missiles on the New Avengers Facility—perhaps being even more impactful—they let it rest in the air and watched as the revelation corroded it. Each of their hearts consecutively fell when the nightmare became real, when the impossible became truth. When Thanos came back from the dead and hovered right over their heads.

To some, it meant the wretched reality where Thanos lived and continued to torture them in other ways beyond physical pain. Rarity knew such agony, the mare barely managing to hide the shiver that flushed across her body. To others, it meant the greatest hurdle had yet to be overcome, their greatest foe and deadliest adversary was just outside the remnants of the facility and searching for what they had. Perhaps that was the worst possible thought yet, the idea that they brought back the Infinity Stones fresh for Thanos’ taking. Last time he wiped out half the universe.

If he got his hands on the Stones again, he would undoubtedly use them to clip the remaining branches: The Avengers.

With that wretched thought plaguing her, Twilight’s heartbeat rose to horrid levels, the mare looking about wildly as she fell into a state of uncertain terror. “We need to find the Infinity Stones, b-b-before Thanos—!”

Steve held out his gloved-hand to stop her. “We need to find the survivors.”

Twilight opened her mouth to protest, but after meeting Steve’s gaze and staring deeply into his eyes, she knew where his priorities laid. As they should have for all of them. Yes, getting the Infinity Stones back before Thanos was important—probably the most important thing in the universe at that moment—but knowing the gauntlet was no doubt lost within the labyrinth of rubble, debris, and mountains of dust, it would be quite some time before they saw it again. Finding their team, their friends, and coming back together to collect themselves came first.

It was a nod the Alicorn sent to Rogers that brought him to his feet. With the Captain leading, the four Avengers cautiously made their way through the remains of the facility in search of survivors. Continuously checking their comms, all they received was static, an invasive airwave disruption preventing them from hearing all of the voices probably screaming for help under tons of building and Helicarrier debris.

They made their way through what appeared to be a hallway, passing the structurally sound armory that had miraculously survived the surprise attack, and came across the remains of the living room. A quick scan from each Avenger told them there was no living being within it. A toppled couch, drops of blood near some shattered glass, but nothing other than that. Steve followed the drops of blood that led to a nearby exit, his hopes falling just as the collapsed ceiling had blocked the escape. A smidgen of hope began to rise when Steve realized that someone had been in the room and lived to make it out.

“Hey, look!” Rainbow called, prompting the heads in the room to shift her way. They watched as Dash turned over the broken coffee table, falling to her haunches as she bent down to pick something up. Curious, Twilight and Rarity trotted over to her. Steve made his approach slow and steady, cautious to the growling shifts of the facility beneath their feet.

When he finally stood behind the three mares, Steve gazed down and saw the familiar hat lying in Rainbow’s armored hooves. Dusty, worn, but nonetheless intact. With the shattered gems still inside it. Rainbow managed a weak smile at that, holding Applejack’s hat out for all to clearly see the best they could in the darkened atmosphere.

“No Infinity Stones, but the Elements of Harmony surprisingly made it out unscathed,” she told them, seeing Twilight and Rarity bend in close to analyze it for themselves.

“Let’s keep it that way,” Steve said with a firm nod. He pointed back to the hallway, telling Rainbow, “Take them to the armory.”

She nodded fiercely back, her metal wings extending and the Pegasus taking off for the shadow-filled hallway. Almost immediately after she left, a slight rumble was heard directly behind them, prompting Steve and the two mares to spin at a complete 180 to face it. Before them, they witnessed slabs of rubble and concrete beginning to rise, dust and rock falling rapidly to the facility’s movements. Steve raised his shield, eyes cautiously concentrated on the movement before him.

To their shared ease, they saw the burning Arc Reactor and the blue eyes illuminating in the dust once the slabs of concrete were raised. Tony Stark stood beneath them, nearly his entire body concealed in that ravaged atmosphere. His voice was enhanced greatly by the Iron Man mask, urging them by shouting, “Hurry up! Thing’s gonna collapse on me!”

It was a mad dash for the exit, Steve rushing first with Twilight and Rarity trailing quickly behind. It was only after Rainbow Dash zoomed back into the living room did she spot Tony struggling with the rubble, witnessed most of it cracking and falling apart on top of him. She made her move and reached the other side in less than two seconds. With them safe on the same side as him, Tony released the rubble and backed away as a slab of the ceiling fell and kicked up a helping of dust and pebbles in their face.

Letting the wave wash over them and pushing the dust cloud away, Tony’s mask retracted back to reveal the black bruise on his right temple, the river of blood coated down the side of his face. Regardless of his injuries, his Mark 85 kept the rest of him safe. Turning to them at last, Stark managed a short and snarky, “You guys talk really loud. Thank God for that.”

“Tony,” Steve replied, changing the subject rather rapidly to what was important, “have you found any of the others?”

Stark shrugged his right shoulder, turning away and shaking his head. Pursing his lips, he pointed to Steve and the mares, telling them, “You’re the only ones.”

“And… the attack,” Twilight asked in her subtle approach, gazing up at Tony with wide, hopeful, and terrified eyes. “Is it… Thanos?”

Whatever blood that hadn’t leaked free from his head completely sunk back into his body, leaving just a ghost of his former self. In the seconds of unnerving silence that followed, Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity pretty much had their worries confirmed with Tony’s lack of a verbal answer. He hardly had the opportunity to ease their rising fears. He hardly had the strength to ease his own. The flow of words that left his lips came as a sharpened whisper, the tremble on his tongue felt by each of them in different chords.

“You’ll see.”

The next thing they realized, they were following Stark’s light in order to navigate the darkness and rubble and find their escape. Just seeing the skeletal fractures of the New Avengers Facility gave an undeniable sense of loss to each one of them. For all the years they had spent within those very walls, now seeing not a single wall fully standing. Or the laughs they shared watching movies in the living room, practically the entirety of it now caved in and the movie collection destroyed. It was founded after the Ultron Offensive, meant to house the Avengers for years to come and train the next generations of enhanced individuals.

Stark could hardly believe it was still standing. Some of it, anyway. The majority of the facility lay as a smoldering ruin painting the landscapes outside. Just as they reached an open pathway of rebar, concrete, and rubble, they saw the devastation in its entirety for themselves. All of it laid before them in a mass grave of what was once the foundation of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

A pockmarked wasteland of building ruins, chunks of the destroyed Helicarrier, and scorched remnants of the nearby forest lay ahead. Fires were spreading and infecting the air in a sickening black and orange. The evening sun was hardly visible, both from the infectious air and the presence of Thanos’ lead warship hanging before them, glaring down at them with its red visors. The tips of the ship’s wings touched the ends of the horizon, so utterly massive that the five of them couldn’t help but gaze to it.

Six of them.

They brought their eyes down, forward, and finally noticed the God of Thunder standing patiently on the edge of the facility’s remains. It was only after Tony, Steve, Twilight, Rainbow, and Rarity came to his sides did they realize what Thor was staring at. They followed his lone eye, gazed out into the destruction, and saw him.

Thanos.

All was quiet on the Earthen front, save for Twilight’s rapidly-beating heart and shivering gulp.

Author's Note

Seis amigos...

Chapter 165 – Losing Time

165

Upstate New York

Beneath the Ruins

5:53 p.m.

The Avengers within the rubble were desperately losing time. Every second wasted was another inch of air being slowly taken from them. The likes of the Incredible Hulk and the Punisher—the only two Avengers still somehow standing after the surprise attack—did their damnedest to keep the ceiling from collapsing right on top of them.

As well as those who lay before them.

Despite the Hulk’s unfathomable strength, he couldn’t stop the flow of water from slipping right past him and start filling their immediate area with frigid and rising liquid. The remaining Avengers made their growing worry known as they all quickly began to come to in tandem. Rocket groaned from beneath the pillar of cement he was trapped under, gasping for air as streams of water dripped from the collapsed ceiling and onto his face.

“I can’t breathe!” Rocket gasped, more water splashing in his face. He twisted his narrowed and blinded gaze to his left, where he could hardly make out the blurred images of the others. He repeated himself as loud as he could, each gasp taking the air he needed and the pillar further crushing him. “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe!”

James Rhodes gritted his teeth against the flashing emergency lights blaring in his War Machine’s HUD. He had lost all motor control and the suit had turned into dead weight upon impact. With the water already beginning to flood his damaged suit and submerge his useless legs, James looked about and knew he had no other choice but to abandon ship.

“Canopy, canopy, canopy!” he gasped, watching as his final command went through and his suit broke open. The emergency lights of the facility’s lower levels suddenly overwhelmed his senses, the streams and droplets of water falling from the ceiling striking him. Free from his suit, Rhodes crawled out and away towards where Rocket was trapped, grabbing a piece of rebar and jamming it under the concrete. He crawled on top of the concrete, straining against pushing his own weight downwards.

He managed in the end, the concrete rising a few inches and just being enough for Rocket to crawl out of. The raccoon took a much-needed breath of air once free from his entrapment, the concrete crashing beside him once Rhodes let off the weight. The two couldn’t rest for long. Hearing the strained cries of the Hulk, both turned to see Banner slowly succumbing to the weight of the world placed on his shoulders.

“Guys!” Banner cried out, falling to his knee and screaming because of that. Because a fresh wave of water flushed inwards and added several inches of water in mere seconds. Rhodes and Rocket were drenched in it, forced back from the wave and crashing back into the growing pool in the center of the room. They joined the clustered bodies of the remaining Avengers, those still desperately fighting for one more breath of air.

Robbie Reyes was trapped beneath a chunk of the ceiling, the man containing the Spirit growling and crying out as the increased pressure pushed against his sternum and drove him deeper into the floor. The water was closing in around him, quickly filling up and covering his chest. Reyes jammed his neck upwards, breathing rapidly to catch that last breath before the water took it away. Nearby and finally coming to, Nebula and Groot rose from the water gasping and reaching out for nothing. They heard Reyes’ desperate cries and quickly turned to them, still blinded by the water in their eyes. His voice guided them, eventually bringing the two Guardians to the slab of ceiling Robbie was trapped under. They dug their hands underneath the rubble and pulled.

While they worked to get the rubble off, time was working against them. The water was filling the basement faster and faster, Banner’s failing strength slowly succumbing to the weight of the facility on top of him. He couldn’t hold it forever, nor could he stop the inflow of water from drowning his friends. All he could do was hold it, forced to watch their last efforts in vain.

Matthew Murdock and Elektra Natchios were stuck together, Daredevil lying on his chest with Elektra on her back. They were trapped under the same slab of concrete and rubble, twisting and turning about in response to the water rising around them. The pool reached Murdock and began to cloud around his face, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen retracting back and catching his breath. He pressed his gloved-fists into the floor beneath him, groaning as he tried to push himself up to avoid the growing pool. The rubble weighed too much, pushing Murdock back onto the ground.

“Matthew!” Elektra cried. She reached out with her hand to him, the water already starting to cover her ears. Turning to her, Matt could see the flaming enigma that was Elektra’s person slowly being succumbed to the flood water. With one palm placed to the earth, his other reached for her. Their fingers were mere centimeters apart, but neither gave in. Neither stopped. They pushed and pushed and the world continued to rip them apart.

By the time the water reached Elektra’s cheeks, she gave her last breath and the water overcame her face. That last breath was to him, the voice that cried, “Matthew!” She was submerged.

Desperation and panic began to set in, a flushing wave of adrenaline filling Murdock’s veins and giving him the strength to give one last push against the concrete. Nothing came of it. The rubble grumbled against his efforts, and few rocks may have turned over, but one man was nothing to the immense weight of the building.

“Murdock!”

Matt turned rapidly to the familiar and gruff tone of the voice, seeing the Punisher Armor managing to hold an entire section of the ceiling in its hands. The suit of armor slowly bent lower and lower against the crumbling weight, but the red eyes shimmered through the dark and latched solely onto Daredevil. Matt stared onto him, hearing and feeling his desperate cry.

“Don’t worry; I’m coming for you both!” Frank Castle shouted, his suit’s wiring straining against the cement ceiling. He tried to move, tried to push it off, but he knew with just one wrong step, the entirety of the ceiling could collapse and entrap them under mountains of rubble. Frank shook his head at that, his rising growls turning into screams of rage as he tried to lift the ceiling from him. His eyes were only to Matt and Elektra, pupils shrinking beneath his mask to see Elektra’s hands above the water begin to weaken. Her fingers began to fall and her hand slowly sank into the depths.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Matt could hear her heartbeat. Slowly fading. Slowing down with every faint beat. Matt felt his own beginning to freeze in that piercing cold of terror, reaching once more to her palm and screeching, “Elektra!”

Just before his fingers could grasp hers, Elektra’s hand slipped beneath the pitch-black waves.

A flash of light filled Murdock’s senses, bringing the Devil’s eyes forward and spotting the flaming body of Sunset Shimmer standing before him. Her horn was on fire, shimmering as bright as the sun as a second flash was felt in the limited air. As the seconds passed, Murdock’s shock only continued to rise when he felt a sudden jump in Elektra’s pulse. He turned to see her hand shoot out of the water and finally grasp his in an unbreakable hold.

Beneath the waves, a magical air bubble had saved Elektra Natchios’ life. She continued to fight against the rubble that kept her and Matthew trapped while submerged, never letting go of his hand. While they fought, a second flash of light filled the air and Starlight Glimmer appeared beside Sunset. The unicorn absorbed the ceiling above Frank’s head within her magical aura, giving Frank the space needed to leap out of the way. With Starlight now straining against the weight, she slowly eased the crumbling ceiling down into the water. The rest of it managed to hold, but only momentarily.

They needed to work fast.

Frank rose up from the water, streams of it flowing down his armor like black rivers. He turned his flaming red eyes to the two mares, seeing Sunset and Starlight nod to one another. Starlight, soaked from the water, held a bloody gash against the side of her head, the blood leaking down and dripping into the water. She didn’t seem to mind, several similar scrapes on Sunset’s own face and body. They then turned to Castle, watching him nod back.

While Sunset and Starlight searched the ruins and called out to the various names in the room, Frank scanned the flooded floor and managed to spot the flailing bodies of both Rhodes and Rocket. Castle fought through the water to reach them, bending down and grasping James’ arm. He hoisted the man up to his feet, Rhodey gasping and coughing as the water was spat from his agape jaws.

Sunset pulled Rocket from the waves, giving him and James a couple of air bubbles just in case.

“Help us!” Nebula screamed, earning the attention of the unicorn. Sunset spun rapidly to the desperate cry, seeing Reyes take in his last breath and the water consume him. Nebula and Groot still could not pull the rubble off of their fellow Avenger. With Starlight giving Murdock a similar air bubble, Sunset swam her way through the water now reaching her neck and towards them.

Once James managed to catch his breath, he lifted his eyes to Castle and saw him nod down to him. Looking about the room, Rhodes finally noticed the crumbled remains of the room they were in: the firing range. Meaning the storage room was just next door. Meaning he wasn’t out of the fight just yet.

“Frank, get me to that armored door!” James called out, pointing in the direction Castle turned to. “We can free the others if I can get to the suit!”

“What suit?!” Frank shouted, eyes peering back to the damaged remains of the War Machine Mark VI slowly being submerged under the water. “Your only suit’s a goner!”

Frank wrapped Rhodes’ arm over his shoulder, turning to James and seeing that slight sense of determination glowing in his eyes. “Who said that was my only suit?” Rhodey muttered.

With that settling in, Frank quickly made his way to the door and, in turn, the room next door. His stomps splashed torrents of water ahead of him, but the Punisher was unstoppable and relentless in his pursuit. They just about neared the armored door when the wall to their right burst open and shards of rubble rained over the Punisher Armor and James Rhodes. Frank shielded Rhodes, both of them turning to the source of the disturbance.

Standing atop the mound of rubble they created, Maud Pie and Derpy Hooves stood together amongst the blaring lights and screaming chaos. Maud slowly lowered her Asteroid Glove that had destroyed the wall, Derpy flying over and reaching Frank and James.

“Where are the others?!” she asked rapidly.

Maud hopped into the water and drenched herself into the freezing flood, but she didn’t even flinch to it. She merely watched alongside Derpy as James pointed behind them to the two teams still struggling to free their trapped allies. Directly ahead, they saw Banner continuously struggling to keep the facility from crashing on top of them.

“Come on, Maud, we need to hurry!” Derpy cried, seeing Maud nod from below and swim her way over to Murdock and Elektra. With that out of the way, Derpy turned back to Banner still struggling. She saw Frank dragging James over to the other end of the room. She heard the cries and pleas from the others still fighting for their last breath of air, still trying to escape. Closing her eyes, Derpy slowly raised her hoof to her ear. “Please work, please work, please work…”

She pressed onto her comms and declared, “This is Derpy! If anypony can hear me, trace my location and find us! Hurry, the water’s rising and there are still some of us trapped!”

Her call went out and it was not consumed with static. It went out and it awakened a certain Ant-Man from his delusional state of unrest. The stars in his eyes began to fade and the darkness finally fell away, revealing to Scott Lang a decimated, burning corpse of the facility he used to know.

Emerging from the rubble, Scott was minimized to the point where he had miraculously survived the bombardment. His size protected him, his last act to shrink himself being the right call in the end. Yet it wasn’t the end. Not yet. He heard Derpy’s voice in his ear, her pleading tone just being enough to wake him from his daze and bring him back into the land of the living.

“Guys, what happened? Where are you?” Scott mumbled, a hand to his helmet’s forehead as he tried to shake away the stars that blotted his vision. Before Derpy could respond, he suddenly recalled what she said and raised his left forearm.

He tapped away at his suit’s wrist computer and analyzed the shared comms link, tracing the location of Derpy’s location, and in turn, the rest of the team’s location. A couple floors below him, several meters ahead and not going any farther than that. He had them.

Their cries echoed in his comms. Scott quickly rose up from the pebbles of concrete and glass around him, spinning about and stating aloud, “Don’t worry! I’m coming for ya! Just hold on!”

Ant-Man took off at a dead sprint, yet his size offered both positives and negatives to their current dilemma. Since he was so small, he was very slow. Since he was so small, however, he managed to slip, hop, and sneak through various cracks and demolished remains that a normal-sized man would have never been able to achieve. He went as fast as he could, only their cries to push him harder.

“Where are you?!”

“You need to hurry!”

“Help us!”

“I’m going as fast as I can!” Scott shouted back through the comms. He leaped over the rushing river of flood water and landed on the eraser of a pencil. The added push sent the pencil arching skyward and impacting a coffee mug. Ant-Man jumped from the eraser and dove down into the water with a soft plop.

He was thrashed, thrown about, and utterly lost within the water. But through it all, the distance between him and his fellow Avengers was slowly becoming smaller and smaller.

Help never came for them. Daisy Johnson’s call was never answered. Only the sickening and terrifying sound of static filled her ear. Regardless, she kept the comms online, just in case someone responded. Just in case someone was alive.

She and Mack limped together as they made their escape from the living room and were seemingly lost from that point on. Mack weakly gripped his Shotgun-Axe as Daisy was forced to carry his arm slung over her shoulder. The two Avengers, two agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. having fought through hell and high water over the years, now fighting together once more. For quite possibly the last time. In all their years serving together in S.H.I.E.L.D., they faced plenty of sticky situations, some that almost seemed unwinnable. But they pulled through. They won countless times because they were together.

Their team was scattered, lost, and probably dead. They were wounded, lost themselves, and utterly shell-shocked from what had just transpired. Of all the conflicts they faced in the past, their current one was, by far, the least winnable.

But they pushed on. Mack used his remaining strength to keep himself standing, moving, limping alongside Daisy. And as for Quake, her remaining strength was used in hopes to keep the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and her friend alive. She had lost nearly all hope of escaping the winding labyrinth of the facility’s remains and had just about decided to rest somewhere in the ruins.

However, the rising whispers just outside the wall they walked beside caught her interests. She held her breath, heard more voices, and acted. Jamming her free fist to her left, Daisy sent a wave of quaking energy into the wall and burst it outwards. Standing, kneeling, and lying on the other side were Shuri, Friday, and Melinda May all in that respective order.

Beyond them lied the outside world and the devastated remains of the attack. Thanos’ warship glared down upon her, but Daisy didn’t pay it any further heed. Her only action was directed to the three Avengers she couldn’t have been happier to see. That joy was overcome with terror when they finally noticed why it was that May was lying down.

Daisy let Mack lean against some rubble to support himself, allowing Johnson to fall to one knee beside Friday. Friday and Shuri cast their eyes to Daisy and Mack before slowly returning to the source of Daisy’s distress. Lying before her, May was still trapped by the rebar stabbed through her right shoulder. She was still alive, still hissing in writhing agony.

Daisy had no time to question what had happened. All she could do was turn to Friday and tell her, “Help me get May off this thing.”

The AI responded with a firm nod, bending forward with Daisy and latching her robotic hands upon May’s opposite shoulder. Daisy kept her own attached to the wounded shoulder, wincing to see Melinda open her mouth in a silent scream. Blood seeped down from the wound, painting Daisy’s hands. Johnson sent a pleading and sorrowful look into May’s tear-filled eyes, turning to Friday begrudgingly.

“On three… we pull,” Daisy said with a fierce nod. Friday nodded back. Turning back down and meeting Melinda’s eyes, Daisy pursed her lips. “Sorry, May. This is gonna hurt…”

Agent May merely tightened her expression, her right hand rising up and clutching Daisy’s arm. She nodded to her, silently affirming to Daisy to go through with it.

Daisy gulped, looking to Friday and seeing the suit of armor ready. Quake shook her shivers away and faced the wounded shoulder, planting her palms on the sides of it. “One… two… three!” Daisy screamed and yanked back. Friday pulled, as well. Melinda bellowed in agony as she was yanked free. The rebar tore at her flesh and muscles before finally releasing her into Daisy and Friday’s arms.

The flowing of blood and throbbing of pain could be both seen and experienced. May laid down with Friday lacing her wound with a helping of coolant spray, a medical mixture that sealed up the wound and proceeded to reconstruct the flesh. With the threat of infection dealt with, May groaned as Friday and Shuri tended to her. Daisy, on the other hand, was slowly brought back from her friend and onto the rising tide beyond them.

She spun around and witnessed the beginnings of an invasion.

Various dropships impacted the earth several miles in the distance, all of which fell from Thanos’ Sanctuary II. From them spilled a horde of thrashing and screeching Outriders, the familiar and wretched alien hounds released upon the devastated wasteland and towards them in an invasive wave. The swarm was large—not as large as the armies during the Battle of Wakanda—but fairly big nonetheless.

And they were all coming for the facility. For them.

For the Stones.

“We need to hold them here,” Alphonso Mackenzie grumbled, several eyes twisting back to gaze to him. He limped forward, but held his Shotgun-Axe and cocked it appropriately. He glared to the approaching horde. “Can’t let them get their hands on the Stones.”

May, too injured to fight, groaned and stared at the wave of Outriders nearing them. Friday turned from May and onto Daisy, nodding to the agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. “I’ll protect her,” the AI assured.

Daisy nodded to that assurance and faced away. Mack stumbled forth from the wreckage and stood beside her, not even seeing as Daisy raised her fists and the silver gauntlets trembled over her forearms. He felt, however, the earth shivering beside him, the power of Quake rising with untold ferocity. Together, they glared down the Outriders stampeding over the hill of rubble and narrowing the distance between them.

Neither of them saw Shuri stand on their left. The Queen of Wakanda tapped once over her vibranium necklace, a flushing wave of purple energy overcoming her entire body. From head to toe, Shuri’s Black Panther armor was activated, her eyes illuminating bright purple as she and her Avengers charged together. As one team.

As one tribe.

Chapter 175 – The Van That Saved the Universe

175

The Battle of Earth

6:27 p.m.

The Mad Titan had seen entire worlds turn him against many times before. In all his years of cleansing, there was always resistance and rebellion to his efforts. There was always an opposing force that denied his gifts and sought to rid him of their world, of their people, of their way of life. Every single time, they would fail. Every single time, they would fall to the overwhelming might of the Dark Lord and his nearly limitless army.

But never in his entire life had Thanos seen such an opposition. Never had the Mad Titan ever seen the entire universe come together and turn against him. It was improbable. It was practically impossible. Yet there he was, caught in the heart of a single battle the brought in nearly all ends of the universe solely against him and his legacy.

Dozens came for him, of all shapes and sizes, species and races, with the intent to slay the Titan where he stood. Thanos offered them little in return, a quick slice or stab that ended their lives quicker than they anticipated. The Titan’s focus was not entirely centered on the lives trying to end his own. More so, his focus was constantly shifting, turning from one end of the battlefield to the next. His eyes scanned and searched the dirt-gray landscapes, the dust-infested air, and the smoke-lined skies. Chaos, war, and death filled it all, with no room for the Infinity Stones.

Without even looking, Thanos rammed his sword behind him and impaled a charging minotaur. Ripping his bleeding blade out, Thanos paid no heed to the minotaur clutching his wound and falling dead behind him. He simply cast his eyes across the burning battlegrounds, breathing oh-so heavily.

Finally asking aloud, “Where are the Stones?”

One of the many Chitauri Elite that surrounded their lord sliced down on the feeble Crystal Guard before it. With the pony slain, the Elite gazed beyond and growled. It turned back to Thanos, pointing forward and shouting, “Sire!”

Thanos followed the call of his Elite and turned in the direction to where it pointed. His eyes widened, his breath shortening and the Titan feeling his heart start to beat all the more rapidly. Within the slightest lull of the battle, between the twisting and thrashing bodies killing one another, there ran two Avengers. One female led them both, her pistols firing off and clearing the path for the one male. The one who held the gauntlet and the six Infinity Stones upon it.

As for Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff, their mission to protect the Nano Gauntlet had become more and more complicated. When it became apparent that Thanos’ forces realized they had the Stones, any Chitauri, Outrider, or Sakaaran within their vicinity dropped whatever they were doing, abandoned any fight they were engaged in, and charged the two lone Avengers. They were relentless in their pursuit, fully intending to retrieve the Infinity Stones for their master.

Black Widow managed to keep the path relatively clear for them, constantly having to fire one pistol at a time, reload it, use her secondary pistol to keep up the fire, and begin again. A cycle that went on as long as she had some spare magazines on her belt. Those magazines continued to dwindle as the aliens continued to pile in front of them. Hawkeye managed to help, as well. Even with his right arm wrapped around the gauntlet, his left arm still gripped his katana, still held his Wristbow and still kept the lingering aliens off their back.

But it was becoming too much. They were running deeper and deeper into the war with no clear path and only assured destruction ahead of them. Slipping between the warring bodies of Chitauri, Asgardians, and dragons, the two Avengers stumbled as the rippling explosions consumed the lands to their left and right. Clint never released his grip from the gauntlet. Natasha never stopped firing and killing the aliens in their path.

They both knew it wouldn’t last, for either of them. So, it was Clint who pressed his left hand onto his comms, shouting through it, “We got the Stones! It’s gettin’ too crowded in here! Cap, what do you want us to do?!”

Across the battlefield, Captain America and Star-Lord were side by side and fending off the constant droves of Outriders. Steve was sending furious kicks and punches and slashes with his broken shield that the Outriders couldn’t hope to best. On his left, Peter was firing madly with his Quad Blasters. Outriders dropped left and right, Quill turning his mask’s red eyes to his right and blowing the head off an Outrider pouncing for Steve’s blindside. Sending an appreciate nod to Quill, Rogers rushed forward and pressed his ear to his comms.

“Get that gauntlet out of here! Keep it as far away from Thanos as you can!” Steve shouted in return, grunting as an Outrider jumped onto him. He held back the snapping Outrider by his fractured shield. Steve shot out his right hand, catching Mjølnir and driving its head onto the Outrider.

“No!” the voice shouted behind Captain America. Spinning to face it, Steve spotted Bruce Banner grabbing a Chitauri and flinging it clear across the battlefield. The Hulk approached Rogers, stating clearly, “We need to take the Stones back where they came from!”

“Back in time?!” Steve questioned. “Only time machine we had is gone!”

In the midst of their shouting match over the comms, a certain Giant-Man had ceased his proceedings into battle. It all suddenly clicked in his mind when Steve mentioned the time machine.

“Wait!” Giant-Man declared aloud. He shrunk back to his average human size, pulling out a pair of car keys from his suit’s pocket and staring intensely to it. “That wasn’t our only time machine.”

Scott pressed on the key, and a resounding car horn and jingle echoed across the battlefield. It reached Steve Rogers, the minimal silence he was trapped in allowing the Captain to hear that familiar horn and rise up to face it. His eyes scanned the dreary landscapes before him, a maze of bodies and madness filling every square inch but unveiling no car.

Frustrated, Steve yelled, “Does anyone see an ugly brown van out there?!”

Flying over the Captain’s head and atop her winged stallion, Valkyrie cast her eyes down to the battle below, searching for what Steve needed. Eventually, she found it, grimacing at its location.

“Yeah, but you’re not gonna like where it’s parked!” Valkyrie cried out, jamming her blade several hundred yards ahead, to where the Outriders constantly flowed down the hill and the van was trapped between the streams of aliens.

Scott Lang stared up to the flying horse and the Asgardian atop of it, his eyes following her blade and spotting a glimpse of the van within the chaos. He slid into cover behind some rubble, peeking through and latching his gaze to the van alone. He was surprised for a second to hear the familiar body enlarging to his right, Scott turning to it and seeing Hope van Dyne resting beside him. Together, Ant-Man and the Wasp stared through the rubble, zeroed in on the van, and waited.

Over the comms, Steve told Lang, “Scott, you think you can reach the van and open that Quantum Tunnel?”

Shaking his head, Scott pursed his lips and sighed reluctantly, “Yeah, might take a while, though. And there’s still the problem with…”

“One of us needing to go back in time.”

They both had the same wretched thought in mind. It was there and it was very, very real, the reality that one of them was needed to take the Stones back to each specific time they were taken and somehow make it back home. With no more Pym Particles left, and with time itself moving desperately against them, all of their options were shortening by the second. They needed the Stones safe, out of Thanos’ reach, no matter the cost. Whatever it took.

“Don’t worry,” Hope whispered through her comms. “We’re on it, Cap.”

Scott felt all the fear and worry slowly drain away, his eyes shifting right and resting on the face he thought he would never see again. Though it was only a couple of days, it felt like five years since he had seen Hope’s beautiful eyes again. He smirked to her statement. She shared his actions, staring onto Scott and slowly growing that smirk when she realized what she called Captain America.

Scott’s smirk melted into a warming smile, Lang sighing, “Ah… I love you.”

Hope smiled back. “I know.”

Like a dyad, the two’s masks slid over their heads and they shrunk together. The Wasp caught Ant-Man by his arm, her wings beating furiously as she took them both safely across the battle, completely unseen and intended only for the van.

With the plan set in motion, all that was required of Clint and Natasha was to survive. Survive, and get the gauntlet over to the Quantum Tunnel. Thankfully for them, they checked their GPSes and noticed that Lang offered his signal to be tracked. That was what they did, locking onto Scott and making a mad dash for where he was moving towards.

It seemed the entire world had turned on them at that point, countless Outriders and Chitauri swarming the two Avengers with frenzied action. Though they were already winded, Barton and Romanoff pushed even harder, sprinting until their lungs burned. And they just kept on running. Kept on fighting and holding off the aliens that tried to attack them from all sides.

Clint barely dodged the Chitauri Elite trying to tackle him on his left. He rolled as did the Elite, Clint rising to his knee and firing off an arrow from his Wristbow. It struck the Elite in the center of its visor, killing the Chitauri instantly. It fell back dead, the wave of Sakaarans stampeding over its body and rushing solely towards Hawkeye. Gritting his teeth at that, Clint spun around.

“Come on!” Natasha screamed, waving him forward. “Path ahead is clear—!”

The Outrider pouncing the Widow on her right cut off her sentence.

“Nat!” Clint shouted, quickly spinning back when he heard the roar and blocked the blade from the Sakaaran with his katana. He shot his eyes over to Romanoff, fear and adrenaline fueling his ferocity.

With the Outrider snapping and clawing at every exposed area on Black Widow as it could, trying desperately to reach her throat, Natasha held it off with her twin batons. Her face contorted as the Outrider screeched and barred its teeth over her head, biting closer and closer. Shooting her glare over to Barton, she nodded him along, rearing back with her baton and striking the Outrider across the head.

The Widow rolled and spun to one knee. She shouted, “Keep moving! I’ll hold them off!”

He tried to argue, but found no point to it when Natasha spun furiously and drove the electrified tip of her baton into the Outrider’s mouth, straight through its skull, and killing it. Clint responded in kind, knocking the Sakaaran off of him and jamming his katana directly into the alien’s throat. He ripped his blade out and retreated. The dead Sakaaran fell at the same time Natasha collided with the crowd of aliens. She ran with her knee leading, knocking off several Sakaaran and Chitauri forces from their pursuit on the gauntlet. Rising up, she twirled her batons and glared to the oncoming wave.

Clint ran.

Given no other choice, Hawkeye sprinted and scrambled and nearly fell over a multitude of times just to avoid the rippling explosions, laser blasts, and aliens charging him from all angles. The biggest crowd was on his tail, a new and charging platoon of Sakaarans locked on to Barton and slowly severing the distance. Their chance was taken from them once the Chitauri Gorilla found the gauntlet.

The Gorilla roared as it entered the trench, the edges surrounded by rubble, debris, and warring bodies. It tore through it all, slamming its fists onto unfortunate Sakaarans that got in its way, crushing several into the dirt, and tossing their bodies out of its path. It left only Clint and itself, the Gorilla bolting forward and nearing Barton with every tremoring footstep. Once their distance was severed, the Gorilla slammed its palm across Hawkeye’s side, a painful grunt leaving Clint as he flew and flipped through the air.

Crashing painfully on the dirt and rock, Clint groaned but nonetheless held the gauntlet with all his life. He rolled over to the sound of the beast’s ferocious roars, spotting the Gorilla hop out of the trench and charge the prone Avenger. Clint’s eyes widened. The Chitauri roared in his face and raised its fists high above its head.

In a blur, the Falcon swooped down and drove his metallic wings directly onto the chest of the Gorilla. Both he and the Chitauri fell back into the trench, Sam Wilson screaming as he reared back and rammed the sharpened edges of each wing tip back into the alien’s heart.

Stumbling back to his feet, Clint grasped onto the gauntlet with ragged breathing joining him. He stared to Falcon, to the dead Chitauri that lay beneath him, and to the hundreds of others storming the skies and the earth and nearing their location by the second. Hawkeye felt his heart fall, that overwhelming weight and pressure of the Chitauri army slowly taking its toll on him. Slowly devouring him and what remaining strength he had left.

“Clint!”

Like a rejuvenating battle cry, that familiar voice called to him by name and he turned to it. Spinning around, Barton spotted the black suit rise up from the deceased Outriders and Chitauri that lay beneath it. That mask turned to Clint and faced him head-on, the purple wave of vibranium nanites washing away to reveal none other than King T’Challa.

And Black Panther told him, “Give it to me.”

He didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. There was no time. Clint handed off the torch.

The Black Panther made a dash for it, his enhanced speed and strength used to his advantage as he slashed, kicked, punched, and tore his way through the nonstop waves of Chitauri, Outriders, and Sakaarans. He ran and leaped off a mound of rubble, driving his foot into the face of a charging Elite. Rolling forward, T’Challa slashed low with his free hand and ripped clean through the leg of the nearest Outrider swinging for him. His vibranium claws greatly outclassed any blade or weapon the Mad Titan’s forces wielded.

Even his suit was leagues ahead of the alien army. The green bolts of the Sakaaran laser rifle were merely absorbed by the Panther Habit, same for the blue bolts of the Chitauri rifles. Any Outrider that managed to get a lucky hit on him during his hardened sprint were met with nothing in response. The black suit glowed a violent purple with every foreign impact upon it. T’Challa hopped over a Sakaaran firing at him, the alien getting multiple hits on the Panther’s body. T’Challa merely dug his claws into the alien’s head and rammed it straight into the ground. He rushed on, the next wave met with the Black Panther leaping from the rock and striking the earth with a feral punch.

The shock wave washed outwards in a pulse of violet energy, completely blowing away any nearby extraterrestrial infestation. Lifting his eyes, Black Panther was just about to continue onwards with his path cleared before him. Just as he rose to both feet, the Uru blade tore through the air and struck him on the side of the head. T’Challa grunted as he and the gauntlet fell.

Turning towards the origin of the attack, T’Challa watched the Double-Edged Sword spin violently back and return to none other than the Mad Titan.

Catching his blade and rearing it back, Thanos snarled as his eyes locked onto the Infinity Stones resting in the gauntlet, which rested on the dirt directly in front of the Panther. Nothing else stood in his way. He did nothing else but charge the lone Avenger. T’Challa slowly rose, grasping the gauntlet and preparing himself for the inevitable.

To both of their surprise, a blur fell from the sky and crashed between them. It was enough to cause the Black Panther to flinch backwards and shield himself from the wave of dust that exploded out from the impact. It was enough to get the Mad Titan to yield in his pursuit, his mouth open and brow furrowed to the blur standing within the dust cloud.

Once the dust settled, the raw power of the Asteroid Gloves glowed ferociously within the cloud and earned Thanos’ eyes. Those eyes rose up to meet the emerging, dull expression. The unwavering gaze. The monotone voice. The lone Earth pony standing against Thanos.

Maud blinked at him, saying so very slowly, “You took Pinkie Pie away from me.”

Maybe it was the tone of her voice that struck him, the absolute loss of mercy and understanding laced within the droning voice. There was an unknown and unforgivable stare burning in her eyes, something that Thanos had yet to encounter. Something that he just couldn’t fathom. A power that was beyond his understanding. A strength that he was about to face from the pony he hardly recognized. A very real and very freezing chill washed down his spine, but the Titan ignored it.

Gripping his blade, Thanos mumbled, “I don’t even know who you are.” He took the first steps towards the lone mare.

“Do you know me?”

The next voice seemed colder, more malicious and filled with much more raw emotion than the pony could ever expel. He turned around, seeing the Scarlet Witch land behind him. As she rose, both of her palms were consumed in a haze of crimson power. Her eyes blistered a boiling red, teeth showing and the woman growling with feral intensity.

Wanda Maximoff, alive and enraged, hissed, “You took… everything from me.”

Before Thanos could even comprehend what she meant, he heard the crash to his left and spun to face it. Derpy Hooves fell from the sky and landed on the rubble, earning the Titan’s eyes. She bent low, glare fierce, wings outstretched, and Domino Gun charging up. On his right, a flash of magic emerged in the air, Thanos spinning and witnessing Trixie Lulamoon hovering in mid-air. Her horn was beaming with fervent magic, eyes opening to reveal two orbs of pure whiteness. Her cloak and hat danced in the magical essence she concocted, both hooves pressed firmly against one another.

Thanos stopped and breathed. Tried to. He spun to the monotone voice.

“That’s too bad…” Maud said. She rose up to her hind legs, her Asteroid Gloves lighting up and ripping entire boulders from their place on the earth. “For you.”

In a wave of unrelenting power and speed, the three mares and the Scarlet Witch attacked the Mad Titan. First, it was Maud, the Earth pony flinging the boulders directly onto Thanos who could only barely dodge and knock them aside with his sword. The rocks managed to disorient him, granting Derpy and Trixie an opening to attack. Derpy flew in for a dive-bomb, sending a blast from her Domino Gun onto the Titan and creating—as the name suggested—several domino explosions around Thanos. Trixie glided closer, firing a single beam of magic from her horn and striking Thanos on his side.

Disoriented and shaken, Thanos grunted and eventually roared as the unrelenting magic continued to pelt him. That wasn’t all. The psionic blasts from Wanda Maximoff struck Thanos’ chest, pushing the Titan further back as the Witch made her approach. With every step, she threw her hands at him and knocked Thanos further and further onto the ground. Despite that, Thanos still remained, still faced Wanda and still readied himself for her.

Trixie shot out her hooves and screamed. From the earth, various black tendrils wrapped tightly around the Titan’s legs and kept him constrained. Thanos turned to that, eyes widening to see the magic wrap tighter and tighter around him, coiling against him like a hungry serpent. Regardless, he held his ground, stabbing and slicing at the black tendrils as Wanda, Derpy, and Maud went in for the kill. He held them off just the same.

With Thanos dealt with, the Black Panther took the Nano Gauntlet and continued on his path towards the van. His pursuit was unchallenged, every alien foe he faced easily falling by the Panther’s might and speed. Chariots and starships started to trail him, firing at T’Challa from above and nearly knocking him off his course. The Wakandan jets zipped by and blew the chariots of the sky, chasing off the starships into the dogfight above. T’Challa was untouchable. Unstoppable. The light of the dragon fires he entered into made the gauntlet glow in his grasp, all six Stones glowing just as bright.

Caught within the battle alongside his fellow dragons, Spike torched bodies upon bodies of Chitauri and Outriders. The area of the battle he was in was filled with dragons large and small, Leviathans battling above with the adult dragons and the Titan’s weaker forces engaged with the younger dragons below. There was a constant stream of fire flowing from the jaws of one dragon or another, until the immediate area was nearly consumed in flame.

And within it all, Spike caught the rainbow glimmer and turned to face it. His wings kept him airborne, but his mind, his eyes, were latched to the Nano Gauntlet that Black Panther carried through the fire and flames. His gaze lowered, and his jaw with it.

There was a shimmer in his eyes when Spike saw the gemstones.

Chapter 192 – Only Family

192

New York, USA

3:53 p.m.

Rain and thunder ripped apart the skies, drowning the cemetery in a lonesome downpour. For there were not many present that dreary day. The funeral service—organized and funded by the Avengers—had long since ended. Friends and allies stayed long enough to pay their respects, to give a final goodbye to one of their own who had fallen in battle.

The only ones who stayed, who lingered on even when everyone else had gone, were Matthew Murdock, Elektra Natchios, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand. Robbie Reyes also stayed, also watched as his partner was lowered one last time.

Six feet below earth, where Frank Castle’s casket was laid to rest.

Curtis Hoyle orchestrated an appropriate farewell with several other U.S. Army veterans. Given Castle’s distorted and fractured history with law enforcement, the state, and both his heroic actions and crimes, a small funeral was allowed with no attendance. The necessary sendoffs for his military service was also granted. Only close friends and family were allowed, with a rifle volley and the American flag folded and handed off to Murdock. He was the only one willing to accept it.

Avengers and other allies moved on, gave a goodbye to those who decided to stay and left the cemetery with heavy spirits and wilted hearts. Curiously enough, those Defenders stayed even when all else left. When everything ended, they stood together in the rain, with only a few umbrellas to keep them dry. In his suit and tie, gripping his cane in one hand and the flag in the other, Murdock stared heavily to the fiery tombstone. Elektra held his arm and leaned against him lovingly, Matt easing into her embrace and resting his cheek against her head. Matthew’s mother stood with them, with her son, as they saw off another hero who had given his life for a greater end. Maggie was almost disturbed by the fact that the state would not allow a greater attendance to see off Castle, but none of them seemed to mind. It seemed right, even better for Frank to be surrounded by those he knew.

Especially Reyes.

For the five years they had worked together, Robbie came to appreciate and respect Frank’s similar line of work. They had grown close in their years of purging, killing, and ending the crime syndicates across the States. They all may have lost an Avenger that day, but Reyes lost a brother. What he had lost, he also gained, knowing that Frank’s sacrifice helped to ensure that all of their friends and loved ones came home. Castle—even if he would have never admitted it—helped save the universe and trillions of lives.

Maybe it was better to keep the funeral service small.

Laying his hand on Frank’s tombstone, Reyes bid his partner and friend a final farewell before he moved on. He left the Defenders to linger around, to rest their eyes and stand as one united team amongst the ashes of the aftermath. Taking in a deep and painful breath of air, Robbie kept his composure as strong as he could, slipping on a pair of sunglasses and moving further and further off to an open area within the graveyard.

By the time he was completely and utterly alone, he reached for his Hellfire Chain and whipped it out in front of him, spinning it accordingly so a large portal appeared in the orange sparks. Within it, another location awaited him, someplace else where Reyes needed to make one last stop. Where he had one last sin to make right.

Pausing in front of the portal, Robbie gazed back to the group, stared onto the backs of Murdock, Rand, Jones, Cage, and Natchios. Between their bodies he saw the tombstone once more, that burning pain in Reyes’s chest only growing more and more agonizing when his eyes drifted to the other tombstones beside it.

Maybe there was no perfect sendoff. What they had given Frank felt right enough as it was. Laid to rest beside Maria Elizabeth Castle and their two children just felt right.

Reyes wanted to believe that. He stepped into his portal and closed it.

Oakland Rural Cemetery

Lake Ontario, USA

3:59 p.m.

The sun beat down and encompassed the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. under a warming embrace that none of them could feel.

With the Lighthouse currently in reconstruction with aid and support from Fury, his friends in the industry, and the remnants of the Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D. would soon have a place to call home once again. Near that same lake where their base of operations would remain, the funeral services were kind enough to give the agents a free burial for one of their own. It was the least they could do.

With records cleaned, an unknown future set before them, the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. sought to give Daisy Johnson the goodbye she deserved. With a mother dead, a father who wouldn’t know his daughter had died, her real family came together to see their sister, their daughter, and their fellow agent one last time. It had been a long and tiresome week for the Avengers. They gave their goodbyes, honored and mourned for Daisy, and moved on to continue the process with the remaining fallen. S.H.I.E.L.D. stayed longer.

Alphonso Mackenzie, Elena Rodriguez, Lance Hunter, and Bobbie Morse stood with their respective spouses. Jemma Simmons, Leopold Fitz, and Deke Shaw were clustered together, the dysfunctional family holding strong and mourning the loss of their own. Michael Peterson, Melinda May, and Glenn Talbot were scattered further about, all of them having known Daisy in personal ways. May, most of all, seemed to cry the hardest of anyone there. Maria Hill and Nick Fury stood in the background of the funeral service, Maria gripping the handles of Gabriel Reyes’ wheelchair. Gabe sat stunned into silence, his tears mirroring that of the many before him.

But perhaps none took it as hard as Phil Coulson.

He stood alone under a dark and lonesome tree, hands in his pockets, hardened eyes glistening with that of fresh pain. Pure, unbridled pain. Not only had he carried the loss of his heroes, but now he was burdened with the weight of the daughter he lost, the girl called Skye who they picked up one fateful day, changed her life, and ultimately changed his. It was simpler times, back when they had allies they could trust, a team that was whole, and a family that was together.

Coulson was left with very little of that. Daisy was always the piece that kept them all together. She was the heart, the soul, and the shield that made their team work. Like the daughter he never had, she was his family.

The words he offered her burial were minimal but powerful, came from the dying heart to assure his fellow agents that her sacrifice was not in vain. She, like the many, was a hero, and one who had given more than enough. With the service practically over, all that was left was their future. For Phil, it was a limited set of circumstances for him. It was a future that would not last long because of his dying heart, of his twisted deal, and of the fate he dealt only to himself.

Leaning against the tree, with tears in his eyes and weight in his spirit, Phil Coulson slowly dropped his head. As far away from the pain as he could. The flurry of orange sparks behind him quickly earned his attention.

Spinning to it, Phil watched as a portal was opened to him. Robbie Reyes emerged from it, drenched in rain and sunglasses shielding his eyes from the bright sun overhead. The portal died as he stepped into the shade, but still kept on his sunglasses. Still hid his true expression behind a wall of black glass. Confronting him, Phil faced Robbie head-on, giving the Spirit of Vengeance a once-over before gazing back up to his shades.

“You’re late,” Phil told him.

Reyes pursed his lips at that. “A lot of us were today. Can’t be two places at once, you know.”

Phil nodded at that. “Your Hell Charger is almost finished. Should be returned to you by the end of the day. I’m sure you and Gabe can’t wait to get home.”

Tightening the Hellfire Chain around his body, Robbie kind of nodded in return to that confirmation. He gratefully smirked, meeting the man square in the eyes. He meant it when he said, “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. Least we can do for your services.”

Robbie stared off onto the cluster of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents comforting one another around Daisy’s tombstone. “What about you?” Reyes asked, turning back.

Phil seemed to be temporarily lost in his own head for a bit, gazing off onto the afternoon sun and the shreds of light breaking through the branches above them. Finally, he shook his head, sighing with a shrug, “I don’t know.”

Robbie felt a pang of guilt strike him at that, dropping his head away from Coulson. Phil didn’t seem to notice Reyes’ change in posture and demeanor, breathing in the world around him as softly and freely as he could manage. With what fate he was given, he knew he had to enjoy what was left of his life. Even if it was little, it was something. It mattered more than ever.

“Might just sit back and enjoy what little time I have—”

“You know, I’ve been coming to terms with him,” Robbie interrupted, earning Phil’s full attention. He lifted his eyes, bit his lower lip and nodded slowly. “With the Spirit… what he demanded of you. I think… I want to help change that.”

Taking a step back, losing his breath like he was physically punched, Phil Coulson asked, “What are you talking about?”

Robbie Reyes took off his glasses. His eyes held that fiery intensity fueled by the passion and guilt for all he had lost. Just knowing he stood idly by while another one of his allies fell without an action of protest from his end was not something Reyes would let go of. Especially not for all Phil had done for him and Gabe. For what Phil had lost—for who they had all lost—Robbie would ensure that no realm of heaven or hell would stop him from finding that cure for Coulson’s deal with the Rider.

It was the most he could do. For an ally, for a friend, and for Daisy.

“Let me help save your life,” he told him. “It’s what she would have wanted.”

Phil breathed in that offer, one that was given by the same wielder of that same Spirit that had doomed him. Only that time, it was an offer to life, to another chance to become whole again and rebuild what he had lost. At the very least, to honor her final wish.

In the end, he nodded to that offer. He ignored his stubborn past because he needed to. Because he had a promise to keep.