Disclaimer: I have no creative rights over the characters and places you can identify in this story and have no way profited from this work.
01/11/2020
I won't deny this chapter's title is a derivative of Chapter 32's in AoTR. I guess we'll have to see if this one proves just as pivotal for this crossover.
A few italic paragraphs in this chapter given it involves illusions and scrying.
Aragorn II Elessar: The recommendation was also my thanks for being such a loyal reviewer.
Steve993: Agree that Zola is constantly manipulated. But his ambitions are often the reason why.
Chapter 12 – The Queen's Gambit
Morgoth teleported to Middle-earth. He appeared levitating over an underground lake. It was the very lake that Gandalf and Durin's Bane plunged into after falling from the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. Silenced reigned in the pitch-black surroundings. But the Dark Lord was among the few who knew it was home to an ancient malevolence.
Morgoth activated the Mind Stone. A glowing set of eyes appeared on the lake's shoreline in answer to his summons. More sets quickly followed. Hundreds were soon staring at the Dark Lord hovering above them. It pleased him how many the Mind Stone had pressed into his service.
"Harken to me!" Morgoth began addressing his latest servants. "For I am Melkor, Master of the Fates of Arda!
"You have been down here gnawing rocks since the beginning. The time has come to partake in a richer bounty.
"I shall clear path for you to the Endless Stair. Ascend to the surface and spread in all directions. Devour all in your path – plant, animal and the Children of Ilúvatar.
"Strip this world of life as you were always destined!
"RISE, MY NAMELESS!"
Those known in Middle-earth lore as the "Nameless Things" responded with a chattering of teeth that echoed throughout countless tunnels. The lake rippled and frothed before a Nameless burst through from under the surface. Morgoth darkly smiled at the final addition to his horde.
"Gôrdath," he greeted it.
The war between Thanos and Morgoth had inevitably spiralled into an arms race. And like everything about their war, weapons development revolved around the Infinity Stones.
Morgoth used the Mind Stone to make his armies the most advanced to ever march under his banner. Orcs and trolls were now equipped with high quality steel armour and weapons. Bows and arrows had also been discarded in favour of rifles that discharged concentrated bursts of dragon-fire. Thanos had proved no less resourceful with the stones in his possession. For one, he used the Power, Reality and Soul to develop energy rounds capable of destroying shadow spirits. Hundreds of worlds had felt the devastating effects of this arms race over the previous months. The latest was one ravaged by the Mad Titan years before.
The Snap had included worlds where Thanos and his forces had previously halved the population. One such world was Korbin located in the Milky Way. Three quarters of its yellow-skinned inhabitants had been killed over the last several years. That number quickly increased following a diversionary attack by Morgoth.
Prior to departing for Arda, the Dark Lord had teleported a massive force to the Korbinite capital. They quickly overwhelmed what meagre defences the city still had. As Morgoth hoped, the attack gained his archenemy's attention. The Sanctuary II soon entered orbit at the head of an armada of Q-Ships. Thanos used the Space Stone to teleport a combined army of Outriders and Sakaarans to the surface. Surviving Korbinites either fled or hid as the resulting battle destroyed their city in a matter of hours.
As usual, Morgoth's forces preferred attacking at night. The sky above the Korbinite capital was illuminated in a chaotic pattern of energy weapons and explosions. Necrocraft and shadow spirits engaged each other in a fierce dogfight for air superiority. Spirits screeched as Sakaaran pilots vaporised them with their cannons. But the Mad Titan's air forces were vulnerable like their Allied counterparts. Necrocraft numbers continued to fall as spirits struck at their vulnerable points through weight of numbers.
Fighting on the ground was even more intense. Throughout the flames and rubble, orcs and Sakaarans engaged at range or melee. Outriders clashed with wargs and spiders in a frenzy of claws and fangs. While casualties were high on both sides, Thanos's forces were slowly gaining the upper hand. One of the main reasons was because they were being led by his ranking Chitauri.
A trio of orcs charged at Warbringer with swords held high. The Chitauri reacted with inhuman strength and speed, cutting his assailants in half with single swing of his axe. Warbringer released an exalted cry. For while he was captain of the Sanctuary II, it was close quarter combat that he truly lived for. He treated every foe as a chance to prove his might and skill. The Infinity War had proved a boon in that regard. Warbringer had personally killed hundreds of Morgoth's denizens in over ten major battles and counting. The Chitauri would have previously considered all this a sign that his star was on the rise. However, Thanos's favour presently rested with his so-called 'perfect weapon'.
A pair of Attack Trolls were closing in on Warbringer down a narrow street. Warbringer was unafraid given he had killed others like them before. Suddenly, the side of tall building collapsed on the trolls killing them instantly. Warbringer waited for the dust to clear to see who had prevented him from adding to his tally.
Standing atop the rubble was a five-foot four humanoid covered head to toe in nano-tech armour. The armour was comprised of black and gold scales with a pair of glowing purple eye slits. Unveiled by Thanos several months ago, the humanoid spoke with a modulated female voice.
"Thanos said you're taking too long," she coldly told Warbringer.
Warbringer clenched his jaw in anger at the rebuke. The humanoid ignored him as she rapidly took flight. Word quickly began to spread among Morgoth's assault force. In one instance, an orc ran towards a company of its fellows with the news. The servant of Thanos they feared the most had entered the battle.
"Fall back, boys!" the orc urged as he kept sprinting. "It's the Reaper!"
It was already too late. The said individual had already spotted them from the air. The Reaper could use her armour's nanites to create all manner of bladed weapons. Her favourite was a smaller version of Thanos's double-edged sword. She now summoned such a sword before hurling it at the orcs fleeing on the ground below. The sword spun through the air like a rotary blade, dissecting the company within moments before returning to its owner's hand.
The battle's complexion had changed within minutes. Morgoth's forces on the ground had broken into a general retreat. The shadow spirits were the exception. Most remaining spirits launched themselves at the Reaper in a cacophonous swarm. But the energy supplying her armour had been directly sourced from the Power Stone. Attacking spirits were vaporised the moment they touched her armour, overwhelmed by the energies coursing through the nanites. Others were dispatched with purple blasts of energy that the Reaper shot out of her fists.
Thanos's forces were ruthlessly pursuing Morgoth's throughout the city. All were converging towards the latter's extraction point. Warbringer demonstrated his speed and agility, leaping down from a toppled structure into the midst of four Warg-riders. Both orcs and wargs were swiftly killed as Warbringer hacked them down in seconds. Meanwhile, the shadow spirits had all been eliminated. The remaining Necrocraft turned their attention towards their enemies on the ground.
"Surviving enemies have almost reached the landing zone, milord," one pilot informed Warbringer.
"Strafe the area," he was pleased to now have air support. "Allow none of them to escape."
"All units cease pursuit," the Reaper countermanded his order.
Warbringer knew it was pointless to argue or disobey. He just had to file his report before the Reaper did. All he could do for now was seethe as the remains of Morgoth's army made their escape. Their extraction point was the same place they first arrived on Korbin.
The Dark Lord's dimensional bridge was known as the 'Umbarcol'. The bridge always left a runestone behind so Morgoth's forces could reactivate it to return to Muspelheim. An orkish company had been guarding the runestone on Korbin throughout the battle. The orc commanding the assault force ordered the runestone be activated as soon as he was in sight of it. One of the sentries pressed his hand against the waist-high runestone before looking skywards.
The Umbarcol shot down from the heavens like a green thunderbolt. It resembled a massive version of the sorcerous column that preceded the Witch-king's army when it marched out from Minas Morgul. Morgoth's forces scrambled to reach the Umbarcol for two reasons. As a security measure, the way home was only open for thirty seconds before disappearing along with the runestone. The second reason was that Morgoth's servants had no qualms about leaving comrades behind in order to save their own skin.
After ordering the rest of Thanos's army to halt, the Reaper flew towards the Umbarcol the instant it appeared. Her armour had substantially been a product of the Reality Stone. The Reaper turned herself invisible before landing close to the Umbarcol. She tossed a small metal sphere that landed just outside the dimensional bridge. A miniscule proportion of the Umbarcol's energies struck the sphere like green-coloured lightning for the duration it was open. After the allotted time, the way to Muspelheim vanished without a trace.
The Reaper softly landed next to the undamaged sphere. The sphere had a series of lights studded around its circumference. Satisfied with the readings from her armour's sensors, the Reaper had just one loose end. Orc infantry were generally the slowest of Morgoth's troops. Hundreds of them had been left stranded on Korbin when the Umbarcol closed. That included dozens who were completely unaware that the Reaper was just yards from them. Noticing their dismayed looks at being left behind, the Reaper issued a fresh order.
"Resume pursuit," she ordered the rest of Thanos's army. "Eliminate all survivors."
The Reaper personally joined the offensive. Nearby orcs were thrown asunder as she broke stealth wielding her sword. She effortlessly cut down those within reach with sublime quickness and martial artistry. The Reaper took off in pursuit as the remainder fled the scene. None of the combatants were aware that an Allied operative had been spying on them the whole time.
Bilbo was hiding in the broken remains of a building not less than two hundred yards from where the runestone had been. He had been observing events via a tactical camera scope through a narrow wall crack. It was one of several gadgets that Bilbo had learned to use over the last year. Despite its evil, the One Ring had taught him an important lesson about equipment. Even the most unobtrusive scout needed more than their wits to complete a mission.
The Guardians of the Galaxy had been providing a great deal of battlefield intelligence throughout the Infinity War. Interstellar travel still took time even for a ship as fast as the Benatar though. Like Danvers, the Guardians would often arrive well after a battle's conclusion. Korbin had been one of those rare times when they had been within the vicinity of a battle taking place. Rocket used the chaos of the fighting to fly undetected to a hiding spot. It was now up to Bilbo to ensure Thanos and Morgoth's forces remained unaware of their presence.
The Hobbit packed away the camera before journeying back to the Benatar. He discreetly hustled through the city, using the shadows and fallen structures as cover. Bilbo soon reached a lengthy street which marked the halfway point. That was when he noticed to his left a group of Outriders charging down the street. Fortunately, there was a large rubble pile with a narrow cavity right next to him. Bilbo scrambled through the cavity on his belly just before the Outriders reached his position.
Most of the Outriders rushed past the halfling, ignorant he was just yards away. But one halted after catching a whiff of his scent. The Outrider vaulted on top of the rubble pile. Bilbo could see the creature through a pinpoint directly above him. He held his breath as the Outrider sniffed deeply to check if had indeed caught the scent of prey. An increasingly anxious Bilbo wondered if he would need to break radio silence. Unable to narrow down the scent, the Outrider leapt off the rubble to re-join the others. Bilbo softly exhaled with relief before coming out of hiding.
Checking the coast was clear, Bilbo rushed to a steel grate in the middle of the street. He lifted the grate like a trapdoor and entered the manhole below. Bilbo softly pulled the grate back into place above his head before climbing down the manhole's ladder. It was not a lengthy climb. But Bilbo needed to strap on his night vision goggles given how dark it was when he reached bottom. It was part of a maze of cavernous tunnels that existed underneath the Korbinite capital. Unlike when he was lost in the network below Goblin-town, the Company's burglar had a device that automatically took him back to his companions.
Bilbo activated his Aero-Rig and took flight. The jet-pack's navigation system adroitly retraced his flight path back to the Benatar. His journey ended when the Aero-Rig touched down before a tunnel exit on the city's outskirts. Rocket had landed the Benatar within the interior to avoid detection. Bilbo pulled off his goggles as he hurried up the ramp inside. Rocket and Groot were waiting by the tactical screen where they had been monitoring him. The arboriform had grown by more than a foot since the Snap.
"I am Groot?" his voice had also broken.
"I'm fine, Groot," Bilbo now understood his every word. "The Outrider didn't see me. I'm just lucky they don't know about these tunnels."
"Me and Groot used to smuggle stuff through here all the time," Rocket never forgot a good hiding spot.
"I am Groot?" Groot assumed it was his progenitor.
"Yeah, those Korbinites always did have more money than sense," Rocket fondly reminisced before segueing to Bilbo. "Anyway, did you film that bridge?"
The Allies knew about the Umbarcol but had never seen it in action. Bilbo's footage was a breakthrough in that regard. The halfling did not feel any elation though.
"That's not the only thing," he confirmed about the Umbarcol. "Remember that new weapon of Thanos's we've been hearing about?"
"You mean the Reaper?" Rocket recalled its name.
Bilbo took this as his cue and pressed the camera's playback button. Tactical cameras built by Rocket had much greater range than those found on Earth. A holographic recording of the aerial battle started. Groot and Rocket watched in stunned silence as the Reaper dispatched shadow spirits at will. The footage then cut to the Reaper's lethal display of hand-to-hand combat against the orcs stranded behind.
"I'd be cheering if it didn't belong to Thanos," Rocket gave his initial impression of the Reaper.
"I am Groot," Groot postulated.
"I think it's android too, Groot," Bilbo concurred. "I daresay one much more powerful than Vision." The Hobbit followed up with his recommendation, mindful that the Allied communication network was still far from fully secure. "We should head back to Earth immediately, show this to the others."
Rocket's sarcastic nature tended to overshadow that he was an insightful tactician. Impossible as it was to believe, the Allied goal of defeating Thanos had become that much harder. Obtaining the Infinity Gauntlet now required them to find a way to counteract the Reaper.
"We'll wait until the fleet leaves orbit," Rocket referred to the Sanctuary II-led armada.
"I am Groot," Groot argued they had avoided the Mad Titan's vessels before.
It produced a rare admission of fear from his father figure.
"They didn't have the Reaper, kid," Rocket said.
Morgoth was not done with Moria. He teleported from its depths to the summit of Zirakzigil. It was a clear spring day with the mountain snow laying crisp about him. He had chosen this spot to put the Mind Stone to its greatest test yet.
Thanos had supplied the Dark Lord with a trove of intelligence reports during their brief partnership. It was through those reports that Morgoth learnt that Arda was currently under a supernatural pall of amnesia. Upon arrival, he was surprised to sense how weak (by cosmic-level standards) the said pall was. The diabolical genius would have normally paused to consider why it might be weak. In this case however, pride overwhelmed any sense of caution. An opportunity to directly rollback the Ilúvatar's power was one the Dark Lord was unable to resist.
"Learn," Morgoth activated the Mind Stone.
He emitted a psychic pulse that swept across the planet. It quickly lifted a mental fog that had been in place for almost seven decades. The true history of the Quest of Erebor was no longer hidden from the Free Peoples.
Those who had known Wanda and Vision were shocked they had been unable to remember them for so long. Most of the current Free Peoples had been born after the Quest. They were more struggling with the existential horror of how close Ultron had come to preventing them from ever having existed. Morgoth was pleased by the heartache and dismay he had caused. However, it was not the ultimate objective of his test.
Removing the pall was like issuing a direct challenge. Morgoth waited and waited but could not sense any reversal of his psychic pulse. The Dark Lord was satisfied with the results of his experiment. Just as he suspected, 'The One Above All' would not overturn anything he did with the Infinity Stones. That included using them to silence the Great Music.
At least I don't pretend to care about Eä, Morgoth called his greatest enemy a hypocrite.
The Dark Lord did not waste any more time gloating. For his second-greatest enemy would be arriving any minute. Morgoth glanced down the slopes at the corpse of Durin's Bane.
"Such a humiliating end, my servant," he mocked the demon's defeat at the hands of Gandalf. "But you can still be of use to me…"
The Silvan colony at the New Avengers Facility had gradually come to resemble an elven settlement. Legolas and his subjects had used the nearby woods to craft decorations and outdoor settings. Amidst their Wakandan dwellings could be found lanterns, benches, feasting tables and gazebos. Preferring their traditional weapons, they had even set up a bowyer and forge to maintain them. The most secluded part of the settlement was not used by any Silvan though.
Galadriel resided in the facility. But most of her time was spent outside in the surrounding woods. Her new mirror rested upon a stone pillar located within a small clearing. The only artificial noise was a nearby water feature. Just like she had in Caras Galadhon for centuries, Galadriel scooped some water in a silver pitcher and poured it into the mirror. The new mirror was an improvement on the former in at least one aspect. A spell from the Masters of the Mystic Arts now allowed her to telepathically hear any conversations she witnessed. Unfortunately, the Dark Lord had severely limited the new mirror's utility.
Morgoth had infused his discord with the Mind Stone's energies to cloud other's perceptions. The Time Stone at least allowed Thanos to have some glimpse of the future. By contrast, Galadriel's mirror struggled to pierce the temporal fog. Half the time it failed to scry anything. The other half were of events currently taking place on Earth. Strange had said the Allies were only victorious in one of the Infinity War's millions of possible outcomes. Unable to see the future, the Lady of Light still did not know any more about that infinitesimal chance than she had a year ago.
Galadriel patiently waited to see if the mirror would reveal anything today. Her heart lifted as the water's surface started to ripple. The image was of a van in storage. Galadriel initially thought nothing of it. The Snap had produced a plethora of unclaimed property. Her opinion about the van's significance changed after the mirror provided a rare follow-up image.
At first, the Elf-queen thought she was looking at the night sky. The image resembled a dense interstellar nebula. Stranger still was the red-suited man in the foreground, floating as if in zero gravity.
"This is Scott Lang!" the man frantically called for help. "Can anyone hear me?"
It was then a massive shadow-like form hurtled across the image like a freight train. The outward pressure from its motion sent the man tumbling out of control.
"You better not be having a coffee break, Hank!" Lang thought the shadow was a liquid spill.
Molecular displacement was not the only thing the shadow left in its wake.
"Help me," a voice faintly pleaded.
"Wanda?" Lang thought he recognised it.
The image ended. Galadriel was still unsure about several elements. But she had no doubt her new mirror had finally scored a significant breakthrough. The intelligence gained was too valuable to sit on.
"Natasha," Galadriel used her earpiece.
"Yeah, Galadriel," Romanoff responded from her office.
"Can you please summon the others?" she requested an on-site meeting. "I've just discovered something about Wanda."
There was a beat at the other end. Despite their best efforts, the Allies had struggled to find any fresh leads about the Scarlet Witch.
"You saw something in your mirror?" Romanoff assumed.
"A hidden path," Galadriel confirmed. "And possibly a guide."
The Reaper entered the bridge of the Sanctuary II. Many of the Chitauri gave her a wary look as she walked by them towards Thanos. The Mad Titan first unveiled her to his army not long after the Battle of Nidavellir. All ranks were stunned, none of them having the tiniest clue the Reaper existed until then. Her emergence also saw a massive break in tradition. Thanos said the institution known as the Black Order had been disbanded – the Reaper would be his sole second-in-command and heir. It capped what had been a dark day for one Chitauri in particular.
Warbringer returned to the Sanctuary II earlier. He wasted no time in personally delivering his report to Thanos. The Reaper joined them just as Warbringer was speaking about the Umbarcol.
"They were routed, sire!" Warbringer ranted about Morgoth's force. "We would've killed them all if not ordered to halt."
Thanos saw right though his flagship's captain. Warbringer was trying to raise his own standing by diminishing the Reaper's. The Mad Titan had no time for petty politics within his organisation. Warbringer needed to be reminded that his master promoted no one above their level of competence.
"Did you achieve your objective?" Thanos questioned the Reaper.
The Reaper said nothing as she returned to him the metal sphere. He took a cursory look at the display.
"Excellent," Thanos was satisfied with the readings. "Unlike others, you've never failed me."
Warbringer was livid with envy. The fact he was no match for either Thanos or the Reaper only made it worse. Fortunately, the other Chitauri continued to report through him. One them came up and handed him a data tablet. Like many overly ambitious individuals, Warbringer believed success was just an opportunity away.
"A report from Arda, sire," Warbringer relayed the tablet's information. "Our satellites have just detected a pulse from the Mind Stone."
Thanos's travels through time had not been a complete waste. Nearly every one of them showed Morgoth returning to Arda about a year after the Snap. The network of satellites had been calibrated to detect the Mind Stone's energy signature.
"Location?" Thanos wanted specific co-ordinates.
"Unable to triangulate," Warbringer first gave the bad news. "But there is an enemy portal opening near Minas Tirith."
"We need to find out what he's up to," Thanos reflected about the Dark Lord.
"I volunteer to lead your force, sire," Warbringer tried grabbing the opportunity.
He was instead humiliated for the second time in as many minutes.
"We'll handle it," Thanos replied before teleporting away with the Reaper.
Prior to departing for Wakanda, Aragorn had issued a proclamation to be distributed throughout the Reunited Kingdom. The proclamation told his subjects why their king and his court had to suddenly depart for Earth. It included information about Thanos, Morgoth, and the Infinity Stones. Half of Minas Tirith was killed when the Snap occurred. The proclamation meant the survivors knew it was due to their heroes suffering a cataclysmic defeat. Despite this, the Reunited Kingdom had not fragmented in absence of its ruler. Main reason being the White Tree had not stopped flowering – Aragorn's subjects taking it as a sign their king was still alive. For more than a year they had clung to the hope of him returning. Many were soon to question if that hope was a forlorn one.
It was an overcast morning in Minas Tirith. Residents were abruptly thrown asunder as the Umbarcol slammed into Pelennor Fields. The dimensional bridge dissipated revealing hundreds of heavily armed orcs within sprinting distance of the Great Gate.
"For the Dark Lord!" the orc commander bade them to storm the city.
Soldiers along the Othram scrambled as the orcs charged forward with a bloodthirsty roar. Morgoth's host was already under the trajectory of the trebuchets lining the wall. Nor were there enough archers on duty to break their charge. The watch officer atop the Great Gate knew there was only a slim chance of keeping the orcs out.
"Close the gate!" he practically screamed.
Civilians on the first tier were already fleeing in panic as the gate's mechanisms started to crank. Its mithril-encrusted doors were among the strongest of ramparts ever crafted by Durin's Folk. But it still took time to close them given their size and weight. The watch officer quickly deduced the orcs would have more than a wide enough gap to pass through. Morgoth's host could almost taste the inhabitants' fear when their path was suddenly blocked.
A portal opened before Thanos and the Reaper stepped out in front of the Great Gate. The orcs halted in the face of their worst nightmare. Thanos could have easily destroyed them with any one of the Infinity Stones. But this was a diplomatic mission as a much as a military intervention. One that required a further demonstration of the Reaper's prowess.
"Show them you're more than the armour," Thanos ordered her.
The Reaper had been bestowed with inherent powers. She started by raising her hands and reaching out with her telekinesis. Trebuchet crews were stunned as the pieces of masonry used for ammunition (some weighing 1,000 lbs) seemingly levitated on their accord. The Reaper psionically flung the masonry at the orcs, crushing many of them. Surviving orcs were given no time to regroup.
The Great Gate's doors closed as the Reaper leapt over fifty yards through the air. Displaying her superhuman strength, she slammed her fist into the ground upon landing in front of the orcs. The resulting kinetic energy shattered both orcs and masonry alike. Thoughts of storming Minas Tirith vanished as the orcs broke and fled. Many of the dead had been armed with dragonfire rifles. The Reaper used her telekinesis once more, using the rifles like a fleet of drones. Surviving orcs stood no chance as dragonfire rained down them.
Thanos had been watching his servant's display much like an artist basking in their masterpiece. It was then he sensed a familiar presence close by. He used the Reality Stone to break Morgoth's spell of concealment, revealing the latter's presence for all to see.
All Minas Tirith was instantly gripped by the Dark Lord's dread aura. Its inhabitants found themselves paralysed in supernatural terror. Many remembered feeling similarly afraid when the Nazgul lay siege to the city. Soldiers along the walls had no doubt they were seeing Morgoth in person. By contrast, an unafraid Thanos knew he was only projecting his consciousness. The owner of the Mind Stone was not alarmed at being discovered, his gaze remaining solely on the Reaper.
"I'm almost impressed," Morgoth commented about her display.
The last few moments exemplified why their war had reached a stalemate. Each of them was a master of feint and deception. Thanos had long anticipated the Dark Lord's return to Arda. Morgoth had sacrificed the orcs just to get a first-hand look at the Reaper.
"You still need convincing?" Thanos retorted about his assessment. "Just tell me your location."
"Patience, my former ally," Morgoth patronisingly counselled. "Death will come for you soon enough."
The Mad Titan inferred his enemy would soon be making his crucial move. Playing on Morgoth's vanity might allow him to gain further information.
"How did you get past the vortex?" Thanos did not expect a straight answer.
"I created this world," Morgoth first lied. "There are paths into it beyond your satellites and keen."
"How long do you think you can keep them hidden from me?" Thanos kept needling him.
The Dark Lord had his opening. "Longer than your daughter hid the Soul Stone," he goaded.
Thanos's brow furrowed at the thinly veiled reference to Gamora. Intelligence gathering gave way to a cold and implacable wrath.
"When I claim the Mind Stone," Thanos darkly vowed, "I'm going to cast you into a dimension far worse than the Void."
Morgoth was smug his provocation had had struck a painful chord. Nor could the Mad Titan's vow go answered. Possessing the powers of the other Valar included Mandos's gift of precognition.
"I don't need a stone to know the future, boy," Morgoth slowly began circling Thanos. "I shall claim the Gauntlet from your corpse and destroy Eä. But only after I have the pleasure of using it against your forces." He halted behind the Mad Titan and whispered in his ear, "Do you want to know what I'll do to your precious Reaper?"
An enraged Thanos spun around like lightning and struck him with a fully charged Gauntlet. Morgoth released a deafening screech of agony as his consciousness snapped back to Muspelheim. Thanos briefly glowered at where the Dark Lord had been standing. He returned his attention to the present where the Reaper had just finished mopping up the orcs. She flew back and knelt before her master, hoping he was satisfied. The Mad Titan softy placed his right hand upon her head.
"I am most pleased with you," Thanos gave his blessing. "Now let's see how grateful these wretches are."
Minas Tirth was freed of the Dark Lord's aura the moment his consciousness returned to his body. Soldiers and civilians were still left dazed and frightened though. That included the Guards of the Citadel. They had only just started collecting themselves when Thanos and the Reaper instantly teleported to the Court of the Fountain.
The guards on duty immediately raised weapons, unsure if the pair were friend or foe. Tensions receded slightly after the purple-skinned one requested a parley. However, he would not reveal his name until the Acting Steward arrived. One of the guards immediately complied. Fetching his superiors would buy time for reinforcements to arrive.
Dozens of guards were soon rushing to take position within the Citadel. Thanos and the Reaper soon found themselves surrounded by a ring of shields bristling with spears. They largely ignored the guards given they posed no threat to them. As they waited for negotiations to begin, the Reaper directed her eyes to the White Tree. Despite hearing many stories about the tree, this was the first time she had seen it in person.
"The tree is flowering," the Reaper directed her master's attention to it. "It flourishes when all is well in the land."
"The universe smiles on our work," Thanos considered it a good omen.
The guards in front of them parted ranks. The Acting Steward and his ranking military commander strode through the gap and halted yards from the fearsome arrivals. Both armoured, the former carried under his arm a helm decorated with white swan feathers. Thanos discreetly used the Soul Stone to verify their identities.
"I'm told you wish to parley," the Acting Steward began. "I'm – "
"Prince Imrahil of Dol Amroth," Thanos interrupted before identifying his second. "And Captain Damrod."
Prior to departing for Earth with his court, Aragorn sent a letter to Imrahil appointing him Acting Stewart in their absence. Damrod had been promoted shortly after the Malekith War, leaving Tharbad to take charge of Gondor's Rangers. He had just returned to Minas Tirith from patrol when the Snap occurred.
"How do you know us?" Damrod warily asked.
"I know many things about this world," Thanos gave a chilling smirk. "Including how vulnerable it is to Morgoth."
"Who are you?" Imrahil finally asked.
"Thanos of Titan."
There was a loud clang of metal as the guards assumed a more aggressive posture. Aragorn's proclamation did not include a detailed description of the Mad Titan. Tensions mounted now his subjects knew the face of their enemy.
"I see you've heard of me," Thanos mused at their reaction.
Gondorians would not attack during a parley no matter how diabolical their enemy. If only because they now had a chance to resolve a year-long mystery.
"Where is our king?!" Imrahil angrily demanded.
"I gave him and the others a chance to return home," Thanos had Midnight deliver the ultimatum. "They chose exile."
"You killed half our people!" Damrod raged given his wife had been one of them.
The Mad Titan was a brutally honest individual. But he was also adept at using misdirection to turn a conversation to his advantage.
"A small taste of what Morgoth has planned," Thanos replied.
As he hoped, the opposing party was thrown by this.
"Morgoth?" Imrahil was unable to hide his confusion. "But…Mithrandir said you freed him from the Void!"
"I'm sure that's what he said," Thanos sighed with annoyance at his mention of Gandalf. "This whole city just witnessed the truth," he reminded them of the battle. "I just saved every one of you from this."
He activated the Reality Stone, believing a picture was worth a thousand words. Imrahil and his subordinates were suddenly thrust into an illusion as real as any.
Minas Tirith was in flames under an angry red sky. Orcs were pouring through the city, butchering soldiers and civilians at will. Its white paving was stained in the blood of inhabitants. Some guards shuddered as they witnessed their families being eaten alive by the orcs. The final image was set in the Court of the Fountain. Using the Mind Stone, Morgoth forced the Citadel Guards to burn the White Tree.
Thanos terminated the illusion a few moments later. It had to be impressed upon Aragorn's subjects that he could not save them from such horrors.
"Morgoth has destroyed countless words with the Mind Stone," Thanos said others had suffered such a fate. "The universe is fortunate that I have the other stones," he raised the Gauntlet as part of his pitch. "I am the only one able to stop him. I offer you my protection."
"You mean you ask for our submission?" Damrod believed him no different to Sauron.
"I'd sooner rule an ant hill," Thanos disdained Gondor's significance. "We only want information."
It was a signal to the Reaper who retracted her helmet. What Imrahil and his followers saw shocked them even more than the illusion. They would have expected the armour's wearer to be someone resembling Thanos. It was instead a breathtaking young woman with long blonde hair and entrancing green eyes.
"This is my daughter," Thanos proudly introduced his greatest creation. "Ela Reaper."
When Thanos teleported outside of Bag End a year ago, he believed fate had gifted a replacement for Gamora. Members of the Black Order had been augmented with cybernetics and bionic enhancements. Augmentation took a quantum leap following the Battle of Nidavellir. In the privacy of his throne room, Thanos used the Infinity Gauntlet to transform Elanor's very being.
Sam's eldest screamed as the energies changed her at a molecular level. The Mad Titan willed himself to continue despite the feelings of guilt stirred by the Soul Stone. As he planned, Elanor emerged from the process both taller and older. Aging her into a young woman belied the fact she was also now immortal. Thanos was ultimately a developing a weapon though. To that end, he used the stones to vest Elanor with all the powers and abilities of the late Children of Thanos.
"I've asked her to investigate what Morgoth's up to here," Thanos said before coming to the crux. "We face a mutual threat. I think full access to your archives is a fair price to keep you safe from it."
Imrahil and Damrod looked at each other in surprise. When it came to offering protection, evil warlords expected to be paid a hefty tribute at the very least. Thanos's price was unusually cheap compared to the power at his disposal. Then again, maybe his disparagement about ruling Gondor was sincere.
"And if we refuse?" Imrahil tested that sincerity.
Thanos did not vow death and destruction. What Gondorians most feared in their current situation was living without hope. Imrahil and Damrod felt uneasy as their enemy turned his gaze to the White Tree.
"I'm looking to plant something new in my garden," Thanos hinted.
Morgoth had been caught totally off-guard. The combined charge from the Infinity Gauntlet had caused him excruciating pain. It had also been a humbling reminder that Thanos was still more powerful than him. The Dark Lord decided to lay low for now and finish what he was constructing with the uru. But his bruised ego first needed tending. Tormenting his favourite prize was always an effective balm.
The Scarlet Witch currently lay pale and listless on the floor. She had been chained to Morgoth's throne throughout her captivity. The chain did not just drain her energy. Its magic also sustained her, eliminating the need for food and rest. For the Dark Lord wanted Wanda's experience to be a dehumanising one. She did not even have a pebble to mark time. Still, she preferred solitude to the alternative.
The Dark Lord's presence filled the throne room. Wanda gingerly looked up as he strode towards her.
"How fares my girdle?" Morgoth greeted her.
Wanda knew from bitter experience that any show defiance or disrespect was instantly punished. Like many prisoners of war, she had discovered something of modus vivendi in dealing with her captor. The Dark Lord was as misanthropic as they came. Human insincerity being a great source of entertainment to him.
"Never better," Wanda replied.
"Your lying is rather quaint," Morgoth chuckled.
Wanda shuddered as he tousled her hair. The Dark Lord's touch was always so cold. As usual, Morgoth checked his prisoner remained secure. Wanda continued their charade of polite conversation as he examined her chain.
"Still winning out there?" she enquired about the Infinity War.
Morgoth did not reply at first. He was inspecting the chain's output as much as its restraint. The flow of energy from the Scarlet Witch was as strong as ever. Satisfied, he gave the Avenger his full attention.
"Verily," Morgoth answered. "Do you tire of captivity?"
"I can do this all day," Wanda dryly assured.
The Dark Lord knew who she was quoting. He started to torment Wanda.
"That reminds me," Morgoth feigned in recall. "Your friends will be arriving here soon."
The Scarlet Witch's mood abruptly changed. As Morgoth anticipated, the news did not cheer her one bit.
"What?" Wanda's fear slipped out.
"They received my invitation a short while ago," Morgoth described it.
The Scarlet Witch was also now confused. She struggled to believe the Dark Lord would directly contact the Avengers.
"You think they won't suspect a trap?" Wanda pointed out the obvious flaw.
The images Galadriel saw in her mirror were all part of a grand rouse. That rouse included a trick the Dark Lord had previously played on Bilbo.
"Of course they would," Morgoth had impersonated Wanda's voice. "But they will never ignore a cry of help from you."
Thanos and Ela were standing at the Citadel's eastern embrasure looking towards Mordor. They were tying up loose ends before the former departed. All things considered, Imrahil ultimately agreed to the Mad Titan's request.
"At least they have more sense than Tivan," Thanos remarked largely to himself.
"I will get their scholars to aid me, father," Ela said about the archives. "Every piece of information about Morgoth will be yours."
The Mind Stone would have allowed Thanos to give Elanor a genius-level intellect. But like with the Snap, he had used the Silmaril as a stop gap when transforming her. Its ineffable light massively boosted her learning capacity. An intense training program quickly saw her become eerily proficient in the arts of war and espionage.
"Don't limit your search to here, daughter," Thanos instructed. "Chase down any lead no matter the location. Use whatever force is necessary."
"Where should I base myself?" Ela considered this could be a lengthy mission.
"The Q-Ship in orbit," Thanos ordered before activating the Space Stone, briefly bathing Ela's armour in its energies. "That'll allow you to pass through the vortex unharmed," he described the adjustment.
Ela had a troubled look despite being clear about her mission.
"What's wrong, little one?" Thanos noticed.
"Why do you allow everyone to believe you killed half their people?" Ela referred to the Snap.
Thanos's eyes briefly flickered. The biggest drawback of not having the Mind Stone was that he could not eradicate Elanor's conscience. Ela Reaper's loyalty to him was beyond doubt. But Thanos could not forget that his plans for genocide ultimately turned Gamora against him. Despite his sociopathy, the Mad Titan never again wanted to feel the pain of losing a favourite child. He kept his history of conquest and slaughter hidden from Ela, teaching her the Infinity War was a crusade to stop Morgoth. Her accepting it was founded on the greatest half-truth that Thanos had ever invented.
"It's like a told you," he had thoroughly indoctrinated Ela prior to unveiling her. "People need to fear me. They must believe I have the strength and will to defeat Morgoth. Otherwise, they'll try and stop us from doing what's necessary. You are the only one I can trust."
Thanos taught that even his other servants would betray him if they saw him as weak (Warbringer's envy only proving this was 'true'). Ela sincerely believed the Snap had been the Dark Lord's doing. For Thanos's half-truth ultimately played on an echo of childhood innocence. Like Elanor Gamgee, Ela Reaper thought nothing but the best about her father.
"I would never betray you, father," she promised. "I just wish others knew truth about you."
The Mad Titan was confident she would never discover it. Once they had retired to the Garden, his reward would be Ela's eternal and heartfelt devotion.
"I don't care what anyone else thinks, little one," Thanos put a paternal hand on her shoulder. "The only thing that matters is that you believe me."
I've been hinting about Elanor having a larger role since ADA's conclusion. Thanks to readers who guessed what I had planned but chose not to spoil it.
"Ela Reaper" is an obvious nod to Thanos-616's obsession with death (a play on "Hela" and "Grim Reaper"). Readers are correct in assuming her armour is meant to resemble that of the Mark X Sentinels from Days of Future Past. Given she played Elanor in RoTK, I imagine Alexandra Astin in the role of Ela Reaper.
Some may find it to hard to believe Ela holding Morgoth responsible for the Snap. Tragically, children are often recruited as soldiers because they are far more vulnerable to psychological manipulation. As Voltaire observed: "Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities."
The Nameless Things are one of the many enduring mysteries from Tolkien's works. My take on them will be further revealed in future chapters. Umbarcol approximates to "Doom-carrier" in Quenya.
This chapter should not be taken to imply that the Mind Stone is more powerful than The One Above All. Just that He's a thousand moves ahead of everybody else.
It was always my intention to bring Ant-Man into the MTCU. Though Korbin's appearance does not mean Beta Ray Bill will be joining it any time soon.