//------------------------------// // Chapter 177 – The Shaken Earth // Story: Infinity Era // by JDPrime22 //------------------------------// 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.