Fifteen - Battlefield Reunion
Avengers Facility, Upstate New York - Earth
2023
"Steve - you lose this again, and I'm keeping it." Tony held up Cap's shield, kneeling over his fallen teammate. "And trust me, Morgan would be very happy about that. Pepper and I, not so much..." He held the shield out to Steve. "Come on, get up, Buddy. That's my man." He helped Steve to his feet.
"What happened?" Steve asked, surveying the damage. All that was left of the Avengers Facility and the area around it was rubble and dark wasteland.
"Like Adoni - Adonia? Like Adonia said, you mess with the elements, they tend to mess back. We messed with time, now its messing back at us."
"It sure is one hell of a mess."
"Yeah, sure is."
Meanwhile, Thanos had descended down from his ship and now stood amongst the rubble himself. 2014 Envy, still his loyal personal guard at this point, stood at his side, blade in hand.
"So this is the future," Thanos stated, surveying the barren, destroyed landscape around him.
"Pitiful," said Envy.
2014 Nebula, the Nebula they knew, strode up to them proudly. "Father."
"Daughter. Well done."
"Thank you, Father. They suspected nothing. They didn't even notice."
"The arrogant never do." Thanos stabbed one end of his double-bladed sword into the ground, then removing his helmet and setting the piece of armour atop the weapon. Then he sat beside them on some rubble. "Go, find the Stones. Bring them to me."
"Yes Father." Nebula bowed her head. "And what will you do?"
"Wait."
"For what?"
"For whatever comes."
"Well done, Sister," sneered Envy. Nebula only scowled back before disappearing back into the rubble that just minutes ago was the Avengers Facility building.
"Ready the fleet," Thanos ordered Envy.
"Father." She bowed her head and headed back to the ship.
Steve and Tony found Thor amongst the damage. They joined him where he was standing on a slight hillside, watching over Thanos.
"What's he been doing?" asked Tony.
"Absolutely nothing. Just sitting there."
"Where are the Stones?" asked Steve.
"Somewhere under all this, with the rest of the team and Stone Lady," said Tony. "But he definitely doesn't have them."
"Good, then let's keep it that way."
"Agreed."
"You know it's a trap, right?" said Thor.
"Yeah, but I don't much care," replied Tony.
"Good. Just so long as we're all in agreement..." There was a crackle of thunder and a flicker of lightning overhead as Thor summoned his armour as well as Stormbreaker and the Mjolnir he had retrieved from Asgard in 2013. "Now, let's kill him properly this time."
"Also agreed."
All suited up, armed, and ready, the trio began slowly approaching where Thanos sat.
The Mad Titan chuckled as he watched them approach. "You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you? Back to me," the Titan spoke. "I thought that by eliminating half of all life, the other half would thrive. I was wrong. You've shown me that that is impossible. For as long as there are those who remember what was, there will always be those who are unable to accept what can be. They will resist."
"Yup, we're all kinds of stubborn here," said Tony.
"I'm thankful. Because now I see that I was for so long misguided. But now, I know what I must do." The Mad Titan rose to his feet and the trio stopped their approach. "I will shred this universe down to its last atom." Thanos donned his helmet and picked up his sword. "And then, with the Stones that you have collected for me, I'll create a new one, teeming with life that knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given. A grateful universe."
"Born out of blood," said Steve.
"They'll never know. Because you won't be alive to tell them."
"AHHHH!" Thor dove in, brandishing both his hammer and axe, both flashing and flickering with lightning.
Tony and Steve were quick to follow his lead, and they too leapt in to attack. Despite being out-numbered, Thanos put up one hell of a fight. But, then again, Tony remembered when, on the planet Titan, Thanos had proven himself to be a formidable foe against half the team.
Tony was knocked down, and Thanos was currently pummelling poor Thor. This ceased abruptly when Mjolnir flew past them - only Thor himself had not summoned it.
The hammer flew past them and right into the awaiting hand of Steve.
Thor beamed. "I knew it!" Thanos responded by tossing him aside before charging at Steve.
Steve certainly had gained an upper hand with the help of the mighty hammer, but, with both of his teammates currently unable to assist him in the fight, he was quickly overpowered by the Mad Titan.
Thanos swung repeatedly with his sword, slicing apart Steve's shield. Soon, there was barely half of the iconic shield left.
Steve had collapsed to his knees, staggering, fighting to remain upright and ready for the oncoming attack.
But Thanos paused the fight to speak. "In all my years of conquest - the violence, the slaughter - it was never personal. But I'll tell you now: what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying, pathetic little planet, I'm going to enjoy it. Very, very much."
"Enjoy this-" Steve attempted another attack, swinging upwards with his half-shield, but Thanos simply backhanded the wounded, weakened soldier, sending him crashing back to the ground.
"Speaking of-" Before anyone could do anything else, a new voice spoke, causing the Mad Titan to freeze in his place.
A silhouette emerged through the smoke, revealing Adonia. "Is this personal enough for you?"
Thanos's jaw dropped, his expression as though he had seen a ghost - he essentially had.
"My Love?" he said in a voice barely above a whisper.
She gave a small smile. "Hello, Titan."
The sword fell from his hand, crashing to the ground, as he stared, utterly shocked, at her.
"Impossible..." he breathed.
"Though not quite." She shrugged. "On your feet, Captain." She reached out a hand to help the fallen soldier to his feet.
"Thanks for showing up," he grunted, though accepted her offered hand.
"Everything happens for a reason - keep it in mind," she reminded him.
Thanos's face fell. "You're with them?" Tony and Thor had now joined Steve at her side as well.
"I cannot let you do this."
He noticed the Stones, her own set of Stones, hovering around her hand. "How?"
"You collected them and brought me back."
"I succeeded then."
"Yes, you did."
"Destiny fulfilled."
"Yes, and now I must fulfill mine. Who's in control now?" With that, she held up her hand baring the Stones, and snapped her fingers.
Perhaps not the reunion on the battlefield you were thinking?...
Only a couple of chapters left - but lots more to happen! ;)
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)
