Chapter 96 – Ambush
96
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.
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And what if this time he kills her with the same dagger he gave her all those years ago? Poetic.
Gamora might be making a mistake coming in...
Very gripping ancd enticing this chapter is.
If only she knew that she is helping him achieve his destiny by doing that...
Oh god. We’re so close to that moment we’ve all been dreading!
Outnumbered but not outmatched. Even in his weary and emotionally conflicted state, Thanos just single-handedly obliterated nearly the whole United Species Army and knocked everyone else aside like their increased numbers meant nothing to him. This was all the easy part for him, but he still has to do the hardest part. And it's coming closer every second Gamora is unknowingly charging towards her own fate.
You should have gone for the head.
Damn it! Even though I know his intentions, I can’t help but admire Thanos in this chapter. His body is damaged from his fight with Set. He’s emotionally shaken from the revelation told to him by Mistress Death. He’s been separated from the Black Order, and he stands alone against wall-to-wall enemies and under constant attack.
And he just. Won’t. Stop!!!
The One United Species Army, on the other hand, has already suffered heavy casualties, including General Seaspray.
The fight between Thanos and Tempest was short, but fierce! Once again, we are shown just how much of a bad-ass the unicorn is. She’s definitely Avengers material!
Am I too optimistic to think she may have survived that?
Poor Gamora. She doesn’t realize that she’s actually helping Thanos achieve his goal.
i don't know what to say, the last remnants of resistance have been almost wholely swatted away. I only hope someone can stop what may be coming next.
Damn
Now it really does come to a head
Hey, Thanos. This is me playing the world's tiniest violin.
Okay, that was awesome.
Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!
static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11132/111326605/6568033-bubble+gun.gif
9567686
9567701 Maybe they all did...
9567741 If only she knew.
9567746 Time for the storm before the calm...
9567749 To be fair, a harpoon is harder to aim than an axe. And the Time Stone cheats. Still, it was all their fault.
9567839 Tempest ain't out of this fight just yet.
9567966 Guess we'll have to see together.
9568405
9568776 media.giphy.com/media/10hfegXGKVRVNm/giphy.gif
9568939 "I like him."
9569646
So close.....
We lost the hippogriff’s ships and Tempest is ko’ed not convinced she’s dead, but there’s still a lot of bodies to go through. Including the one person he didn’t want to kill.
9570534 Yet so far...
9570565
Will Steve and Tony do cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/16002755/Marvel_Studios__Avengers_Endgame__Special_Look__1_.2019_04_02_09_23_43.gif
In Part II: Endgame?
9570588 Depends on the context of the situation. We'll see.
Gamora, no!
Kick his purple butt tempest 😠
Gamora no it’s a trap 😧😱
This is the beginning of the end. The final battle of the Infinity War. The One United Species Army finally confronts the enemy they have been preparing for all this time. They seemed to have Thanos on the ropes for awhile there, but he completely turned the tide of the battle once again thanks to his stones. He wiped out so many of them at once, even General Seaspray! I can't believe we lost him too. Just another name added to the list that needs to be avenged.
The scene where Tempest finally confronted Thanos was awesome. Despite her broken horn, she showed why she is such a badass by scoring multiple solid hits on Thanos. But all it took was one solid blow to send her flying. As sad as it is that was the obvious conclusion. I doubt Tempest is dead, probably just KOed at the moment. But she needs to get up fast, because Thanos just found Gamora!
I think that was my favorite moment of the battle! Thanos just suffered a great, perhaps even fatal injury, showing that despite having the Infinity Stones, they don't make him unbeatable. Yet he still manages to undo it all with the Time Stone, reversing time to just before it could happen and reacting accordingly.