Hey sorry for disappearing again, but hey the story is almost done! This is pretty much the climax chapter.
DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!
Jack felt his small window of time to get to the stone slipping away. The crowds around him were thinning and men had gathered to bring the statue back into the palace like building. The crowed was his cover, his only chance of getting to the stone. He felt like throwing caution to the wind and running up and grabbing the stone but something told him he wouldn't get within ten feet of the thing before he would be stopped, maybe it was the muscles on the group of men who easily lifted the statue and began to march it back inside.
Jack needed to get close without being seen. Jack spent a moment studying the people around him, who was heading where and how fast. Then he spotted a man who was making his way toward the building. He riding a bike that had a small cart attached to it loaded with small packages. His clothing looked more like a uniform than the other pedestrians and Jack guessed he was a delivery man. People were parting around him to let him pass and as he came close jack took his chance.
With a quick snap of his wrist he whipped his staff at the back of a passing by man's leg, not hard enough to do damage but enough to get the job done. With a cry of surprise the man tumbled into the path of the man on the bike who just managed to stop in time.
He hopped off the bike in order to help the other man up and Jack took that as his cue to move. Jack dropped to the ground, gritting his teeth as pain flared up in his injured leg, then threw his staff into the cart. He stepped forward into the biker. Jack felt his body mold into a new shape. His body temperature spiked, he shouldn't have been surprised that fire demons were so hot on the inside, everything else on the planet was. Jack felt that his hold on the man was weak and his strength was slipping away at a dangerous rate. If he didn't get out quickly he would burn up, literally.
The fire demon stiffened while reaching for the man on the ground. He began to shake, clearly his body didn't like Jack either.
The man Jack had hit was looking around wildly, exclaiming something in his native language animatedly, probably trying to explain why he had fallen and looking for who had hit him. He began to shout at another man who was watching the scene. The third man began to shout back while waving his hands in a defensive stance. He shook his head in denial at whatever the man on the ground had said.
Angry now the man on the ground stood to face the other man. Their voices rose in volume. The man jack had hit raised his fist ready to initiate a brawl. The man Jack was in dove to pull the man back before his fist could make contact. The man swung wildly and avoided hitting anyone. The other man's previously defensive stance shifted into that of an offensive one. He tightened his hands into fist ready to return blows.
Just then guards arrived at the scene and separated the two. The crowds were pushed back and jack felt himself being shoved towards the bike. The two men wear quickly subdued and dragged off and out of sight.
The man Jack was in shook his head and returned to his bike. Jack could feel himself peddling the bike toward the building. He felt a buzz in the air as they got closer to the stone. Jacks view on the world around him narrowed. His vision was fading. Each breath he took felt like he was back in the desert breathing in more sand then air. He had to get out of the fire demon.
Jack was dimly aware of them passing into the palace. The man hopped off his bike and began to walk it through the halls. With each step Jack could feel himself getting closer and closer to the stone.
Jack slid to the side and out of the man who unaware of Jack's presence continued to walk. When the cart passed by Jack grabbed his staff. He quickly turned and flew through the nearest doorway.
Jack looked at the room he was now in. Just like the rest of the city it was quite, only this time it was because he was alone. It was massive. Easily the size of a football field and several stories tall Jack felt like an ant in such a colossal room. Jacks eyes were drawn to the center of the room by an irresistible force like a magnet.
There upon a pedestal was perched the statue. The rest of the details of the room faded away. He couldn't tear his eyes from the golden glow of the stone resting in the statues hands. He was so close he could feel its power calling to him.
His feet began to move without his notice. What was once twenty yards away became two feet in the blink of an eye. All his pains and discomforts were forgotten and were replaced by a warm glow all through his body.
Jack felt like he was in a trance. He had no control over his movements. His every thought was dictated by his need for the stone. He needed to touch the stone. He needed to feel its warmth and power under his icy hands. The buzz he had felt in the air had become an electric roar in his ears. He understood why so many feared it and why so many others were in awe of it. The stone was hypnotizing and Jack was ensnared by its magic.
With a steady hand he reached for the stone. His fingers making the slightest contact before the universe exploded around him. The stones power coursing through him burning him to the atomic level. He could see life and death, what has been and what could be, a million different realities and possibilities. Jack could see stars and planets moving across the universe. Earth spun before his eyes. Children were born. Elderly died. People of all ages laughed and cried as their lives unfolded before Jacks eyes.
Jack could see himself clutching the stone unable to let go as his body began to smolder and he could see father half way across the universe arguing with the Avengers. He looked exhausted, his eyes rimmed with dark shadows and his cloths disheveled. The other Avengers looked no better as they tried to calm a frantic Loki which only seemed to fuel his passion. Jack could see Thanos and his armies flying across space on his mission to destroy Loki. A cruel satisfaction at knowing the destruction he will cause exuded from him and Jack felt his blood boil at the sight of the monster.
It hurts.
Jack could feel as his body burned away from raw energy streaming through him, but it was nothing compared to the burning of his mind. It was all too much. How could he have ever thought he could control the stone? He was going to die and it would all be for nothing. He fell to his knees, one hand holding the stone and the other on his staff.
His staff.
Jack didn't know where the thought came from or what he was supposed to do with it. Thinking hurt. He was pretty sure he had stopped breathing.
I will not die, not now, not like this.
Jacks ripped his eyes away from the stone to his Staff. He watched as his hand lifted the staff and brought it to the stone. He was moving in slow motion, it was like he was trying to swim through molasses. He wasn't sure how his hand was even moving.
Jack pictured his father. The small smile he would give Jack when Jack said something clever. The way his eyebrows would dip ever so slightly when he was trying to work out a particularly difficult problem. The way his eyes would get a far off shine when Jack asked about his mother. It gave him strength to keep going.
I can do this.
The molasses thinned and his hands came together. When the stone touched wood it engulfed the staff in its brilliant glow. The power redirected itself into the staff fusing the stone to the wood. There was an explosion of power and Jack was released from the stones grip. Energy dispersed itself in every direction in a halo of light.
Jack was flung back off the pedestal. His back smashed against the unforgiving ground. He saw stars as his head connected with stone. Gasping for breath Jack clutched tightly at his staff like it was his lifeline.
When he regained his vision Jack looked down at the wooden rod in his hands. His eyes widened at what he saw. Now infused into the crook of his staff sat the infinity stone. Jack could still feel its power radiating and when he closed his eyes he could once again see the universe in motion around him, but it no longer burned him. Some primal part of Jack knew he could wield the power of the stone now.
He could destroy the universe he wanted to. Jack could turn planets to dust, rewrite history, and seek revenge on those who have hurt him. But jack didn't want any of that. He never wanted to hurt anyone. All he wanted was his little ragtag family he found for himself to be safe. He didn't want anyone to threaten them again.
Jack could feel the stone react to his thoughts. He felt it release some of its power and when Jack closed his eyes he watched as Earth vanished.
He could feel that the planet was still there but was simply invisible from the outside. When Thanos would inevitably come to the place where earth once was he would be unable to find it. To him and anyone else looking to harm Earth, it would simply be gone. But to anyone else on Earth life would remain the same as it had always was. Satellites would continue to take pictures from space, the sun's rays will still warm the planet, and Earth would go on without ever being aware of it near destruction.
Dad's going to be safe. I can go home.
"STOP!"
Jack spun to see King Surtur surrounded by armed guards at the entrance of the palace.
"What have you done?" Jack could see the look of horror on the Kings face as his eyes fixed on the glowing stone embedded in Jacks staff.
"I'm sorry!" Jack started to apologies before being interrupted.
"KILL HIM!" The King demanded. The guards lifted their various weapons. Those with swords rushed forward was a fearsome battle cry while arches raised their bows and fired. Jack knew he couldn't fight that many.
Suddenly Jack's staff began to glow. Jack watched as a wave of arrows flew through the air towards him. The light continued to intensify until Jack could no longer see the deadly projectiles he knew were seconds away from impaling him. He squeezed his eyes shut to block out the blinding light and threw his arms up in front of his face in a feudal attempt to protect himself.
The light died down along with the sound of battle cries and as the seconds ticked by Jack realized he wasn't dead. Slowly Jack lowed his arms and peaked an eye open. He was confused by his surroundings.
He was no longer standing in a palace on a distant planet burning under the fire of three suns. Instead he stood overlooking a million dollar view of New York City in the living room of Stark Tower. The Avengers stood around him staring open mouthed at his sudden arrival.
"Jack?" the voice came from behind him, soft and disbelieving, as if the speaker couldn't trust what his eyes were telling him. A voice jack had feared he would never hear again. He turned and came face to face with Loki Odinson.
"Dad." Jack's eyes filled with tears. He dropped his staff and flung himself into the strong arms of his father. As cool arms wrapped themselves around him Jack buried his head into his father's chest and let the tears fall.
"I'm home."
AN: Well there you go, an extra-long chapter to make up for an extra-long wait! Please tell me what you think.