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.

30/06/2021

So far, so good with Loki. I admit that I never imagined "Lady Loki" would be blonde. Infinity Stones being used as paperweights was also a good demonstration of how 'infinite' and 'boundless' power is not necessarily the same thing.

Ian N: Agree with all those points. Though I find it hard to imagine any species doing worse environmental damage than what humanity has.

Dante 101: My portrayal of Wanda tries to recognise how complex childhood trauma is not something that can simply be shrugged off no matter what superpowers you have.

Ultimatrix bearer: I thought it well past time for Galadriel to have a nice surprise.

Chapter 17 – Infiltrators

Thanos promptly teleported to the bridge with Warbringer at his side. Holographic data windows were displayed in front of them. It represented their largest intelligence breakthrough in more than a year. None grieved for the Q-Ship crew who had been killed obtaining it.

"The transmission lasted only a few minutes before they were destroyed, sire," Warbringer believed the readings were incontrovertible. "The concentration of energy is vastly stronger than any we've recorded. Morgoth must be on Muspelheim."

Thanos said nothing as he considered the Q-Ship's findings. He understood the value of empirical data both as a scientist and a warlord. But it was genius that allowed someone to notice the patterns often hidden within it. He expanded a window that displayed the Q-Ship's sensor readings in a line graph. The line scrapped along the x-axis before spiking towards the end. Thanos immediately frowned in suspicion.

"There were no energy readings up to that point," he remarked about the spike. "Then they miraculously detect an exponential surge."

"It's a pity they didn't learn more before being destroyed," Warbringer assumed he was disparaging the Q-Ship crew's competence.

The Mad Titan did not like have to explain what he thought was obvious.

"We only know about Muspelheim because Morgoth let us," Thanos testily responded before deciding to study the matter in private. "Forward the data package to Isaac," he ordered a nearby technician.

A chastened Warbringer hastily regathered his thoughts. Surely Thanos could see their enemy had made a crucial error? Warbringer believed they should attack Muspelheim immediately. Given openly arguing with Thanos was a death sentence, his ranking Chitauri first lowered his voice.

"Any trap would be futile on Morgoth's part, sire," Warbringer respectfully hinted. "He's incapable of matching your strength."

Thanos did not underestimate the Dark Lord even if his servants did. Warbringer also failed to link what the HYDRA agent had revealed.

"You obviously weren't paying attention," Thanos wearily berated him. "What do you think the Ultimate Negator's for?"

Warbringer struggled to believe the said device could be as powerful as the Infinity Stones in his master's possession. Still, taking out some insurance on the matter might be prudent.

"Destroy Earth, sire," Warbringer suggested. "Cut the Negator off from its energy source."

"I'm not destroying anything until I find out how it works," Thanos stated before teleporting to his lab.

A debrief was scheduled to discuss Lang and Galadriel's mission to the Quantum Realm. Captain America believed it was critical that everyone attend given the Allied campaign had reached a critical juncture. He subsequently requested Gandalf return from his sojourn in Kathmandu. The wizard agreed while discreetly arranging another meeting beforehand.

Gandalf was in his private chambers at Kamar-Taj. His chamber was sparsely furnished even by the Masters of the Mystic Arts standards. However, books and scrolls from the House of Wisdom lay open around the room, including The Book of Cagliostro. Gandalf had locked himself away studying them for almost a week. He believed their contents offered a tiny ray of hope against the overwhelming power of the Infinity Gauntlet. The Istari needed four elements to carry out his plan. Half lay under a cloth upon a table stand in the middle of the room. The other half required the assistance of the Avenger he was closest to. Gandalf's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in!" he beckoned his visitor.

A casually dressed Thor entered before closing the door behind him. He was holding a vial of Pym Particles.

"As requested," Thor passed the vial to Gandalf.

"Thank you, Thor," the wizard took it. "As well as for keeping me informed about things."

"You've been secluded here for days, my friend," the All-Father had been slightly worried about him. "Is all well?"

"First, some privacy," Gandalf said without understatement.

He softly tapped the floor with his staff. The room promptly echoed to the sound of crunching glass. Thor noticed their surrounds take on a fractured appearance. He was unfamiliar with the spell at work.

"This is the Mirror Dimension," Gandalf introduced him to it. "The Masters of the Mystic Arts use it to remain hidden from their enemies." He paused before adding, "Or to practice very dangerous forms of magic."

"I suspect that's the real reason you've summoned me," Thor got the hint.

"Indeed," Gandalf confirmed before extracting a promise. "And in the name of our friendship, I beg that you do not speak to anyone what you're about to witness."

"You have my word," Thor agreed without hesitation.

The White Wizard moved to the table stand and removed the cloth cover. He placed the vial next to two cylindrical containers. The shorter container had an archaic design crafted from wrought iron. Thor's attention was immediately drawn to the taller container though. A bright and dynamic pattern of light shone through its transparent casing.

"That light resembles a Soul Forge's," was Thor's immediate reaction.

"Quantum energy to be precise," Gandalf connected it to the quantum field generator. "Scott had the container on his person when we found him. I brought it here for safekeeping."

"A wise choice," Thor commented. "That energy can heal just about any injury or illness. Ironically, many on Midgard would kill to possess such power."

Asgardians prided themselves on knowing more about molecular energy than any other realm. Their ruler now learnt that knowledge was dwarfed by that of Ainur.

"It can do so much more than heal, Thor," Gandalf began explaining. "Quantum energy is the closest one can get to the Great Music. It's capable of shaping the very fabric of existence, even the Infinity Stones at a molecular level."

"You're not saying we can use it to disable the Gauntlet?" Thor blurted out in disbelief.

"We'd need immeasurably more than what Scott collected," Gandalf ruled it out before gesturing at the texts around them. "But from what I've read; we've just enough energy to enchant one of the stones, manipulate its nature a fraction to our advantage."

The God of Thunder intuited that the wizard was withholding further details in case they leaked out. He chose not to press the matter out of trust and respect.

"What do you require of me?" Thor came to the point.

"I'm going to cast a spell to transfer both the energy and the particles into the Jar of Chronos," Gandalf spoke the name of the archaic-looking container. "For it to work, however, I need some equally powerful magic acting as a containment field."

"The Odinforce," Thor realised it could be no other.

"Unfortunately, I don't know how taxing it could be to you," Gandalf warned.

The warning came from the belief that Thor was something of an Allied talisman. His very presence provided a huge fillip to morale. That same morale would plummet if he were to fall into the Odinsleep again. The God of Thunder drew on Odin's own words to allay the wizard's concern.

"Fear not, my friend," Thor assured him. "I've never felt stronger."

Gandalf soon began casting a spell in Sanskrit, his staff pointed at the objects on the table stand. The spell caused a pattern of magical glyphs and mandalas to appear surrounding him and Thor. At a nod from the wizard, the All-Father summoned the Odinforce. Golden energy flowed out from Thor's palms and enveloped the table stand. The spell started rotating as the transfer commenced.

Bolts of Eldritch magic forked out at the Jar of Chronos from the other two containers. Quantum energy and Pym Particles began to be magically siphoned into the jar. The pattern's rotations quickly became like those of a centrifuge. Gandalf and Thor strained as they fought to keep the tempest of spacetime particles under their control. The process reached its climax with a blinding flash of light that dispersed both the Odinforce and Gandalf's spell.

Such was the intensity of the process that it had left Thor sweating. Looking at the table stand; he noticed the collector and the vial were now completely empty. A glowing orange rune appeared on the side of the jar.

"Does that mean it worked?" Thor did not know what it signified.

A dishevelled looking Gandalf nodded. "Thank you, Thor," he exhaled in relief.

Both men caught their breath before continuing.

"When are you going to tell the others about this?" Thor had not forgotten his earlier vow.

"Soon," Gandalf forecast. "It'll require some careful phrasing on my part., including some half-truths."

Thor still did not know the precise effects of the wizard's enchantment. A mutual friend would have little difficulty finding out.

"You know they won't deceive Galadriel," Thor wryly pointed out.

"And just like you, she understands the meaning of discretion," Gandalf similarly replied.

The White Wizard teleported them out of the Mirror Dimension. He was contacted by Captain America moments later.

"You there, Gandalf?" Rogers first checked.

"Thor and I were about to come and join you," he assumed it was a reminder about the de-brief.

"Well, the Benatar's just got back," Rogers prefaced bad news instead. "It looks like Thanos knows about Muspelheim."

The Benatar landed at the New Avengers Facility. Danvers, Bilbo and Groot went straight to the living area where the others were waiting for them. Rocket networked the holographic projector with the Quantum Vehicle's locater and the Benatar's log. An overlay of star maps was displayed to those in the room. The data from both vehicles confirmed what Galadriel's telepathy had sensed.

"Well, Muspelheim's in the same sector you were in," Rocket correlated the locater and the log's readings.

"And destroying that ship was Morgoth saying 'Bring it'," Danvers warned about his provocative attack.

All knew that Thanos currently had the power to simply obliterate Muspelheim. But so long as Morgoth remained there, that ran the risk of destroying the Mind Stone as well. That left the Mad Titan one option if he wanted to complete the Infinity Gauntlet.

"Thanos will suspect a trap," Aragorn postulated. "He won't invade until he finds out what it is."

"Yeah, but how long will he need?" Rhodes countered.

Captain America privately shared Aragorn's assessment. He would not make any decision without first hearing from Allies' best strategist though.

"Gandalf?" Rogers request his view.

"There is a degree of truth to what everyone's said," the wizard began. "Thanos wins battles through meticulous planning. He won't attack until discovering everything possible about Morgoth's defences. But nor should we wager on him taking too long."

"Nor should we underestimate Morgoth," Eomer argued. "He must be confident about his trap, no matter what anyone finds out about it."

"Why else would he reveal himself?" Barton concurred.

"Quite right, Clint," Gandalf had reflected about it himself. "The final battle between Thanos and Morgoth will nonetheless take place on the surface of Muspelheim." He sombrely concluded, "And this one will be to the death."

One of the Guardians had witnessed for himself how neither side cared about collateral damage.

"Then we need to free Wanda as quickly as possible!" Bilbo urged. "Can we use the Quantum Realm to break into Muspelheim?"

Those who had been aboard the Benatar were now brought up to speed about the expedition to Muspelheim.

"I'm sorry, Bilbo, but we can't," Lang sympathised with his fellow thief. "Morgoth's blocked off Muspelheim with a subatomic barrier. Anything that travels through it will be ripped apart."

"Journeying there was perilous even before Morgoth," Thor remarked from experience.

The holographic projector swiftly displayed a topographic map of the planet.

"I remember you comparing it Mordor, Odinson," Gimli recalled.

"Mordor on a planetary scale, my friend," Thor clarified for everyone's benefit. "A volcanic and rocky landscape. It's a world of fire, magma and sulphur. Even with their numbers halved, a vast multitude of Fire Demons and Dragons lay in wait for any intruder."

"Undoubtedly all now enslaved to Morgoth's will," Legolas said of Surtur's former denizens.

"All of them protected behind his girdle," Galadriel entered the conversation.

"Morgoth's got a killer belt?" Rocket only knew one meaning of 'girdle'.

The Lady of Light had been waiting upon Gandalf and the Benatar to share what she had sensed in the Quantum Realm.

"The Dark Lord has harnessed Wanda's power for his own," Galadriel started with the bad news. "It has allowed him to obscure his presence on Muspelheim from us. Ships that land there will be instantly disabled. Any soul will be hypnotically paralysed by their worst fears."

Shuri was startled by the implication. "You're saying Wanda's affecting the whole planet?"

"An important miscalculation on Morgoth's part," Galadriel proceeded to the good. "His sorcery has enhanced Wanda more than he knows. Her powers are no longer just psionic."

Gandalf had predicted such an outcome more than a year ago.

"Chaos magic," he softly described it.

"It doesn't sound all that nice," Pippin reacted.

"Not all chaos is evil, Peregrin Took," Gandalf wryly schooled him. "Yourself being a good example."

"Chaos can bring freedom and change as much as order can repress and stagnate," Galadriel was among the few who didn't smirk. "Vision understood this."

The mood of the room promptly turned sombre. Vision had been a friend to many of them. One of them took the opportunity to return to his original point.

"This talk about chaos magic is all well and good," Bilbo argued. "But Wanda won't be able to use while she's still in chains. If nothing else, freeing her will put an end to the girdle."

"But like they say here; it's a Catch-22, Bilbo," Faramir countered with an Earth idiom. "We first need to prevent the girdle from effecting us if we're to free Wanda."

Iron Man had been subject to previously unknown forms of attack in the past. He invariably developed countermeasures to ensure he was not caught off-guard a second time. His response to Wanda's psychic attack in the bowels of Novi Grad's castle was no exception.

"I might have a stop gap," Stark began revealing it. "My armour has an inhibitor that blocks out mind games. I can use it to make a device that protects wearer from the girdle."

"How many can you build in a day?" Rogers responded.

"Well, I'll have to do some calibrations manually," Stark began estimating output. "I'd say five, six devices." He had not overlooked the question's phrasing. "By 'in a day', you mean that's all the time I've got?"

Captain America believed the Allies had been given the narrowest of opportunities to achieve what they had dubbed 'Felix'.

"The battle on Muspelheim will decide who gets the Gauntlet," Rogers emphasised the need for haste. "Our army needs to be as big as possible if it's to be us. We've got to hustle to Middle-earth and grab as many reinforcements as we can, including Thor's people."

Humility compelled one of the Free Peoples' rulers to point out they also required an Avenger.

"Bilbo still has a point, Steve," Legolas spoke in support of the Hobbit. "None of those reinforcements are as powerful as Wanda. Her rescue is no less a priority."

"We can't risk delaying until the battle starts," Aragorn believed they had only one choice. "We need to free her at the same time we're gathering our forces in Middle-earth."

"Meaning we'll have to split into teams," Banner spoke the corollary.

"Three teams," Romanoff broke her silence with understated warning. "In case anyone's forgotten, the Black Tree's still active. They could launch a major offensive while we're all off-world."

"We still don't know what Zola's planning with those particles," Okoye concurred.

A brief silence fell over the room. Dividing one's forces against the threat of Thanos and Morgoth would normally be considered strategic madness. However, the Allies would likely run out time to save the universe if they focused on one task at a time. Making hard but necessary choices was one the constant burdens of command.

"I'll start working on assignments," Rogers decided to make a list. "If anyone's got any suggestions, you'd better hurry and let me know."

"I have two in relation to Wanda," Gandalf immediately advised. "First, the company should be small given the number of devices Tony can make."

"It'll also draw less attention," Rogers believed it was common sense. "What's the second?"

Gandalf took a steadying breath. "Those of us from Valinor should be the ones who rescue her."

As he anticipated, many were startled by the suggestion.

"Why?" Rhodes spoke for all of them.

"The Valar exiled us for disobeying their command not to aid you," Gandalf spoke without regret. "We agreed it would be the only command of theirs we'd break."

"All who travel the Straight Road are not permitted to return to Middle-earth," Galadriel voiced in agreement. "It is among the Valar's most sacred commands. Breaking it may incur a more severe penalty than exile."

Some present had been given little time to study Arda's cosmology.

"And I thought the terms of my house arrest were weird," Lang commented.

"I can't speak to that, Scott," Aragorn first gave a wry apology. "But the lady and Gandalf are right. Those restrictions were enacted by a higher wisdom than any of us possess. We ought to respect it."

The opinion of Isildur's Heir weighed heavily beyond the Free Peoples. When it came to Middle-earth related matters, Captain America felt he was in no position to overrule his co-leader of the Fellowship.

"Vormir showed me there are lines we just can't cross," Rogers reflected about Gamora. "This is another one."

Those exiled from the Undying Lands would not be travelling to Middle-earth. The membership of the rescue party was far from settled though.

"Fine," Danvers accepted Rogers's decision. "But no-one's going to Muspelheim without me."

"Carol would be the ideal one to provide escort," Galadriel endorsed her joining them.

The Allies usually treated the Lady of Light's opinion as final. However, one individual remained outspoken as ever.

"What about me and Groot?!" Rocket was incredulous she had overlooked their credentials. "I'm the one who called Morgoth a pompous turd to his face!"

"I am Groot!" Groot let slip the real reason for Rocket's reaction.

"I don't like us splitting up either, Groot," Bilbo was touched by his loyalty. "But there's only room on this mission for one thief." He could only imagine the traumatic experience of another close friend. "And Wanda's more likely to trust one with a familiar face."

One of the Fellowship both revered Galadriel and had a close relationship with Rocket and Groot. Those elements compelled him to persuade the Guardians to trust the Elf-queen's judgement.

"Bilbo will be in safe hands, lads," Gimli assured them. "Besides, we could sure use your help in Middle-earth. Many of the free folk will be afraid to go to Muspelheim. Bold adventurers like yourselves always give them courage."

"Well, Thor said I'm a noble leader," Rocket acquiesced.

A relieved silence fell upon the gathering. Captain America broke it by initiating the Allied offensive. Its first stage was a high-risk mission to pierce the fog of war.

"We all know the clock's ticking," Rogers said before referring to earlier the meeting. "But we can't afford to second-guess when Thanos will hit Muspelheim."

Iron Man correctly assumed he would have to create the devices after finishing an equally important task.

"When?" Stark simply asked.

For Gandalf, the discussion quickly became background noise as an earlier prediction of his came to pass.

A suggestion about your enchantment, Mithrandir. Galadriel used her telepathy to discreetly talk. It requires a ring.

Ela's mission had been to discover why Morgoth had come to Middle-earth. Her search began in Minas Tirith's extensive library, its scholars dragooned to assist her. A letter from Imhrahil ordered Gondor's other major libraries to provide similar assistance. Ela's search had taken her to Pelargir, Linhir and Dol Amroth. But nothing in their archives gave any clue as to the Dark Lord's purpose. She concluded the answer could lie in an even more ancient settlement.

Haldir described Caras Galadhon to the Fellowship as the heart of Elvendom on Earth. His death at the Battle of Weathertop four years later sealed its demise. Many Galadhrim had departed Middle-earth not long after Galadriel and Celeborn's own departure. Grief over the Haldir's death proved to be the tipping point for the remainder. Caras Galadhon inevitably became devoid of the light and song it had been renowned for. Now Lothlorien itself seemingly needed time to mourn the departure of its elven inhabitants.

Nature not yet started to reclaim Caras Galadhon, the few birds and animals who came to forage being the only exception. Its buildings and structures remained intact. The Galadhrim had taken most of their possessions with them to the Undying Lands. None had come to explore if anything of value remained. Most of the Free Peoples considered it equal to desecration, treating Caras Galadhon as a memorial for the Galadhrim. Less reverent types were deterred by rumours of elven magic that would curse any looters. Caras Galadhon's first visitor since its abandonment had no such fears.

It was a cloudy moonlit night when Ela arrived in the Golden Wood. She gracefully landed on a platform built within the upper branches of Caras Galadhon's tallest tree. It was the very platform where Celeborn and Galadriel had received the Fellowship after its escape from Moria. One of Elanor Gamgee's greatest wishes was to visit the elves like her Sam-dad had. Ela Reaper felt no sense of wonder as she climbed the stairs to the House of the Lord and Lady. Any feelings she had were dwarfed by the hatred towards Morgoth that Thanos had nurtured within her.

Ela activated her armour's x-ray vision upon entering and quickly pinpointed Celeborn's library. She retracted her helmet upon entering the room. Moonlight was streaming through a large oculus window in the ceiling. It was the only illumination that Ela needed given Thanos had enhanced her senses to be as sharp as any elf's.

Celeborn's library was smaller than the ones she had visited in Gondor. Its bookcases were largely empty though, the wisdom they once held having been taken to the Undying Lands. Ela set aside her initial disappointment and began examining what books and documents remained. Most of the text was in Sindarin or Quenya. Ela had no trouble comprehending either language given her translator implant could translate text as well as language (Thanos had updated his translators to include those of Middle-earth). The first books she examined were about subjects irrelevant to her mission such as minerals, winemaking and poems about the seasons. But Thanos had taught her that patience was among a warrior's most powerful weapons. That lesson resulted in Ela making her first major find.

A black-covered tome lay on its side on a bookcase's bottom shelf. Ela picked up the tome and opened its cover. Reading the title page, Ela thought she had hit pay dirt. The tome contained eyewitness accounts of various battles from the First Age. Ela sat down in a nearby chair and started reading. The more she read, the more questions it started to raise within her about the Infinity War.

Morgoth performed many destructive feats against the Noldor and their allies. These included unleashing country-sized magma flows, summoning impenetrable clouds of shadow and cursing his foes with misery and death. But from a military point of view, Ela struggled to reconcile these feats with what Thanos told her. More than a year ago, Morgoth had instantly halved the population of dozens of galaxies. Yet the tome indicated the Dark Lord had not perpetrated any similar genocide during the First Age. Was it because he was less powerful then? But he also had a much smaller theatre of war. Why waste centuries expending his strength when he could've killed the Free Peoples in an instant? Ela finished reading and closed the book with a frustrated sigh. After standing up, she noticed something out the corner of her eye. Ela froze at what she saw.

Hanging on the wall facing her was a large tapestry. It depicted the Fellowship's first audience with Galadriel and Celeborn. Banner, Rogers and Thor could be seen among the woven figures. Ela's gaze quickly fell on Sam though. She gave him a withering look. For Morgoth was not the only individual that she was angry with.

Crunch.

Ela's ears perked up at the far distant noise. If she didn't know better, it sounded like a tree splintering.

Crunch, crunch.

The prompt and increased repetition of the noise raised suspicions about it being natural. Ela certainly believed it was worth investigation. She immediately left the library and exited outside. Ela then raised her helmet and flew west towards the source of the noise. The Golden Wood swiftly passed under her as she flew just above its treetops. Her armour's display indicated that the forest's animals were fleeing east. But sensors were unable to ascertain what they were fleeing from. The crunching noise abruptly stopped as Ela closed in, prompting her to activate stealth mode as a precaution. Ela reached her objective and a salient unlike any she had seen before.

Ela had fought across desolate landscapes before. But none like the one she was hovering over. A large area starting from the western boundary of Lothlorien had been stripped bare. All that remained of the dense mallorn forest were a few stumps shorter than even a hobbit. If any animals had been killed, Ela's sensors could not even pick up a trace of their DNA. Even stranger was there being no readings of fire or weapons discharge. Unable to determine a cause of destruction from air, Ela descended to take a closer look on the ground.

The surface reminded Ela of the no man's land that trench warfare invariably produced. Great quantities of soil and bedrock had been violently churned upward. The ground now dipped and rose at irregular intervals. Ela's attention was quickly drawn to the large holes dotting the surface. They resembled the entry to a burrow. A still invisible Ela walked to the edge of one and peered inside. However, stealth mode was of no help against a race of creatures with sonar vastly superior to any bat. One of them vaulted up through the darkness straight for her.

WHAM!

Ela was flung unto her back after being directly struck. Seething at being caught off-guard, Ela scrambled back onto her feet to see what had hit her. Her assailant stood just yards away. It was the most grotesque creature Ela had ever encountered. Standing seven-foot tall; the creature was humanoid in appearance with earthen exoskeleton. Along the crown of its head was a random pattern of six spider-like eyes. Worse was its mouth though. The orifice more resembled a gaping hole, from the top of the jawline all the way to the chest. It was filled with razor-sharp jaws but had no tongue nor vestibule. Ela did not know it at the time. But the creature was one of the nameless things that Morgoth had enslaved to his will. She only knew that displays of hostility deserved a similar response.

Ela fired an energy blast directly into its gaping maw. To her surprise, the nameless effortlessly absorbed the attack. For the innards of a Nameless were akin to a singularity capable of absorbing the most intense energies. The nameless leapt at her with inhuman agility. Ela displayed her own reflexes, shoving the nameless away from her with a telekinetic thrust. The nameless, however, was part of a pack numbering more than a score. Many poured out of the surrounding holes. Others closed in from below ground, each's rapid burrowing leaving an esker in its wake. Ela only had time to notice that not all the nameless resembled the first one. Some were pale and eyeless, others had tentacles for mouths, while one was headless with large jaws spread across its chest. A fierce battle broke out between Thanos's perfect weapon and Arda's most ancient malevolence.

The pack closed in on their prey at breakneck speed. Ela again fired an energy blast at her initial assailant, this time targeting its exterior. She needed a longer than usual burst to breach the exoskeleton. The breach sucked the rest of the exterior into the singularity it covered. The nameless was destroyed as if it has been struck by a Dark Elf grenade. Unfortunately for Ela, the time needed allowed others in the pack to come to grips with her.

One of the pale ones clamped its jaws around Ela's left arm. Unlike shadow spirits, the Nameless suffered no ill-effect from touching her armour. Ela dispatched the pale one by summoning a cluster of spikes that punctured through its head. It was then a nameless burst out from the ground near her. Taken by surprise, Ela stumbled as the nameless grasped her legs from behind. The rest of the pack piled upon her, clawing and scratching at her armour. It was the first time Ela had found herself on the back foot to Morgoth's forces. Worse, her armour was not immune to the unnatural destruction that the Nameless embodied. Sensor readings indicated that she was losing nanoscales faster than which they could be replaced. She only had moments before the nameless began tearing at her flesh.

Ela steeled herself and took to the air with a mighty cry. The pack was flung backward as burst through them. Hovering just yards above the ground, Ela performed a violent pirouette. Now it was the nameless who were caught off-guard as she projected a shower of nano-blades down on them. Most of the pack was killed in seconds after being pierced with multiple blades. The remaining nameless were wounded and scattered. Ela was pleased a few had survived, feeling she had point to prove at ground-level.

She landed in front of one and summoned her sword. Ela cut the nameless in half with one swing. She promptly dispatched the others in a vindictive display of martial arts. The pack's pile-on had compelled Ela to prove she was the better at hand-to-hand combat. Even a momentary setback felt like a betrayal of all Thanos had taught her. But the Nameless were unlike any foe she had trained for. A deep rumbling announced the entry into the battle of the pack's last surviving member.

The ground erupted as the creature broke through to the surface. The resulting explosion of dirt and rocks briefly obscured Ela's vision. She released a startled yelp as a tentacle whipped out like lighting and pulled her off the ground. It was attached to Nameless both larger and even more alien-looking than the others. This subspecies was some fifteen-foot-tall resembling a living butte. Six insect-like legs around its base allowed it scuttle along the surface. More than a dozen tentacles – some with claws – lined its cavernous mouth at the 'summit'. Dangling by her feet, Ela noticed the tentacles looked softer compared to the body. The observation allowed her to escape becoming the monster's latest meal.

Ela severed the tentacle around her feet with an energy blast. The Nameless felt no pain given their primeval physiology had no nervous system. The one attacking Ela merely lashed out with its remaining tentacles. A hovering Ela deflected them with her sword before releasing it with powerful throw. The sword spun as it sliced through the tentacles like a boomerang before returning to Ela's hand. Having been stripped of its defences, the nameless made to retreat down the hole. Ela reached out with her telekinesis. Her whole body began to tense as the nameless strained to break free. Cracks started to form on its exoskeleton. The nameless splintered into several pieces, causing it to collapse into nothingness.

It was a rare battle where Ela found herself perspiring in its aftermath. While still ignorant of their name, she had no doubt the vanquished had been servants of Morgoth. Only intelligent creatures could successfully ambush her like that. She had two further realisations as her adrenaline began to recede. First, the creatures must have been able to sense her coming from a long way off. Second, others had more powerful sensors than her armour's.

"Operations, I'm coming aboard," Ela contacted the Q-Ship. "There's something I'd like to discuss."

Before the Allies could enter Middle-earth, they first needed to blind the Q-Ship orbiting the planet. Captain America believed the task could not wait until tomorrow given time was of the essence. Those who had been in the living area that morning could be found in the hangar that afternoon. All were waiting on the research team who were making some last-minute checks before Iron Man entered the Quantum Realm. In a tacit admission about the mission's risks, Stark had asked his family to come for support. It led to his daughter being nursed again by one of the Free Peoples.

Pepper watched as Galadriel gently rocked Morgan in her arms. Morgan stared directly into the Elf-queen's eyes and smiled in awe. Until now, Pepper had only known Galadriel by reputation. Stark once described the powerful telepath as a spoiler alert wrapped in an enigma. But Pepper sensed behind the mystery lay a warm and caring individual. Her reaction to Morgan's smile could only be described as maternal.

"I remember when my own daughter looked at me so," Galadriel remarked.

Pepper correctly supposed it must have been thousands of years ago. "We named her after an uncle of mine," she said about Morgan's name.

It earned a demonstration of the Lady of Light's telepathy and subtle humour.

"An eccentric one," Galadriel picked up Pepper's thoughts. "It was apt naming Morgan after him."

"Why's that?" Pepper didn't follow.

Galadriel's eyes twinkled. "I sense she'll be every bit her father's daughter."

"Thanks for the heads up," Pepper dryly reacted. "I should hide my armour before she finds it."

Her husband's description was not without merit.

"I suspect we'll have need of it well before Morgan does," Galadriel solemnly reflected.

Theirs was not the only private conversation taking place in the hangar. Romanoff and Okoye would not be among those travelling off-world. They would instead be leading Allied operations against the Black Tree. Apart from Zola, there was still the mystery of the build-up in black magic. The Masters of the Mystic Arts had pledged to aid in finding the Black Tree's headquarters. Allied counterintelligence efforts also benefitted from a renewed friendship.

"Clint's staying to fight the Black Tree," Faramir privately informed Aragorn. "With your permission, my liege, I'd like to remain as well. The Black Tree's as much a threat to our people as those of Earth."

The High King of Gondor and Arnor gave something of a guilty smirk. During their exile, his consort had been helping train a group of warriors.

"I was actually going to ask you to do just that," Aragorn revealed. "Arwen believes her place is with the Dora Milaje. They'll be crucial to any attack on the Black Tree's headquarters."

"I'll guard her with my life, sire," Faramir vowed.

Returning to Middle-earth was still risky even if the Allies escaped detection. Contingency plans were needed to ensure the Reunited Kingdom's survival.

"It's more in case something happens to me," Aragorn clarified. "At the least the men here can still look to both their Queen and Steward."

Aragorn's clarification was as much an unspoken attempt to tie an important loose end for his realm. The office of Steward had been vacant since Boromir's death. His younger brother had been mentally and emotionally unwell for so long to even contemplate the issue of succession. The resolution in his voice indicated he was now ready to step up like Boromir and their father before.

"For Gondor," Faramir assumed the mantle.

Stark was wearing his armour minus his helmet. His Quantum Suit would cover the armour in a protective layer. Shuri and Banner was conducting a final compatibility check of the respective nanites. Doubt continued to nag Banner about using the Quantum Realm to board the Q-Ship.

"Everything alright, buddy?" Stark noticed his troubled expression.

"Hulk scared," Hulk quietly confessed.

"About what?"

"Even if you avoid an electric current," Banner spoke for both of them, "its magnetic field could still give you a fatal brain seizure." While not necessarily smarter, there was no doubting whose neurochemistry was the more robust. "Maybe I should go instead."

Iron Man politely said none of the Allies knew more about Q-Ships than himself.

"We've calculated this to the nth degree," Stark assured Banner. "It'll work."

The product of Radagast and Sam's labours was a white tonic with purple swirl.

"Drink this just in case," Shuri handed it to Stark in a small metal cup. "It's made from the white tree. It'll protect your neurons from any magnetic radiation."

"You get the idea from Egg?" Stark queried.

"You'll have to ask Galadriel," Shuri parried both the credit and the pop culture reference.

Stark blinked at this. Since when was Galadriel an expert on the neurological effects of radiation? Then again, an 8,000-year-old psychic would know more than a bit about brain chemistry. He shrugged and drank the tonic to the last drop. Medical practitioners found nearly all medicine left a bitter aftertaste. Stark's expression was more bemused.

"It tastes, ok?" Banner inferred about the tonic.

"Best…grape-flavoured milk I've ever had," Stark tried describing it.

The billionaire was soon ready to depart. He tenderly kissed Pepper and Morgan before raising his helmet, activating his Quantum Suit immediately afterward. The rest of the hangar cleared away as he stood before Ultron's rims. They would be able to monitor the mission's progress, including Stark's vital signs. But constant communications would significantly increase the risk of him being caught.

"Remember, Tony, strict radio silence," Rogers spoke using his earpiece. "Text message only when you're done."

It was no small relief to the Allies that Iron Man was not going alone.

"You just saved Friday from reminding me again," Stark wryly assured.

Rogers smirked at this before giving a confident farewell. "See you soon."

Shuri and Banner activated the rims. The former privately shared Stark's confusion about the tonic, not having time to study its properties. It meant Shuri had prescribed it solely on trust. Sensing her thoughts, Galadriel gave a cryptic assurance as the portal to the Quantum Realm opened.

It'll help him find peace, Shuri.

Diving into the microverse was unlike anything Stark had experienced before. The sub-atomic world hurtled by before entering the quantum void.

"How're feeling, boss?" FRIDAY checked on him.

"Normally I'd need a three-day bender to see stuff like this," Stark found the patterns around them bordered on the psychedelic.

"Initiating flight path to the Q-Ship," FRIDAY pushed on with their mission.

The drones had identified a safe path through the Quantum Realm. 'Safe' was a relative term in this case though. Stark's display indicated there were some unnatural fluctuations within the vicinity.

"It's Morgoth's discord," Stark compared the data with that from Galadriel and Lang's mission. "Remnants of it anyway."

"He might've been travelling to Arda all this time," FRIDAY hypothesised.

The display's readings promptly updated.

"We're about to find out," Stark noticed they had reached their destination.

He exited the quantum void and began to increase in size. FRIDAY took evasive action to avoid the Q-Ship's electric currents. Those currents were a vast torrent of raging electrons at the atomic level. The constant colliding of countless particles generated turbulence worse than any Stark had experienced while airborne. FRIDAY noticed he was beginning to feel the strain.

"Hold on, boss!" she rallied him. "We're almost through!"

Her voice became muffled as Stark's ears began loudly ringing. The Avenger was on the verge of screaming as he succumbed to sensory overload.

The noise and pain suddenly stopped. Stark opened his eyes and found himself wearing a white tunic. Even stranger was finding himself in the CEO's office of Stark Industries! He looked out the window and saw a purple aurora dancing across the night sky.

"Pretty sure this isn't Lo Pan's," Stark glibly reacted to it.

"Glad I was right about you becoming a great man."

A startled Stark looked to his left and the voice's owner. It was his father from when he last spoke to him.

"Dad?"

Howard simply nodded. For once, Tony didn't care about rational explanations. He cast aside all cynicism and tightly embraced his father. Decades of unresolved guilt, anger and grief gave way as Howard embraced him in return.

"I'm sorry," Tony softly sobbed. "I'm sorry."

Much had happened since his parent's deaths. Many of choices since then could hardly be called 'wise'. Tony just hoped his father understood that things had not been easy for him either.

"There's a lot I'm sorry about too," Howard warmly comforted him. "Like never saying how proud I am of you."

A massive emotional weight lifted from his son's shoulders. Tony's thoughts caught up with him as he wiped away his tears.

"Is mom, ok?"

"She's fine. Better than fine."

Tony sensed that was the only assurance he would get in that regard.

"You know about Morgan?"

Howard grinned at his granddaughter's name. "Puts it all in perspective, doesn't it?" he knowingly replied. "No matter what else you come up with, she'll always be your greatest creation. Just like you'll always be mine."

Tony felt himself being pulled somewhere.

"You've still got a job to do, Iron Man," Howard advised him.

Tony did not plea to stay even for a second more. Howard calling him "Iron Man" was the perfect way to let go.

"Love you, Dad."

"Love you too, son."

"Boss, boss, wake up."

Stark's eyes opened at the sound of his AI's voice.

"Friday, what happened?"

"We hit the edge of a magnetic field," she reported. "You blacked out a few moments."

Was the vision of his father nothing more than an electromagnetically induced hallucination? Stark decided to keep it private for now. Imaginary or not, his father was right about having a job to do.

"We made it?" Stark referred to the Q-Ship.

"Just as planned," FRIDAY confirmed. "Right in the operations room."

It was where a Q-Ship's computer core was located. The core resembled a column of round platforms encased within a transparent cylinder. None of the Chitauri in the room were aware of the ant-sized intruder watching them from one of the platforms.

"Let's get this show on the road," Stark focused himself.

"Boss, it's the Reaper," FRIDAY immediately drew his attention elsewhere.

Stark sharply looked up as the said individual entered the room. Ela had just returned from her skirmish against the nameless. She retracted her helmet as she strode up the ship's operations officer. Despite being happily married, Stark still possessed an element of when he was a playboy.

"Ten years ago, I would've wanted one," he was immediately taken by Ela's beauty.

Those outside the core carried on oblivious.

"You wished to speak with me, Lady Reaper?" the officer had received her message.

Any subordinate who had earned Thanos's displeasure suffered his cold wrath. By contrast, Ela still possessed her natural father's temper. She floored the Chitauri officer with a rapid punch to the face.

"Hm, reminds me too much of Ms Rushman," Stark had second thoughts.

"I was just ambushed by a hostile force!" Ela berated her subordinate. "Why wasn't I warned?!"

The Chitauri wisely remained on his back. "We detected no such force, milady!" he knew his life was potentially at stake. "All our sensors are operating at maximum efficiency!"

Ela considered this a moment. Her armour had not detected the ambush either. She concluded Morgoth's newest servants were somehow invisible to sensors. Thanos's forces potentially faced a new and significant tactical problem. One that would require all his servants to solve.

"Not efficient enough," Ela stated before sending a data package from the battle. "Find out why they escaped our sensors and fix it."

The officer got back on his feet after she had stormed out of the room. All Chitauri present promptly began carrying out her command. The only human in the room resumed his mission just as quickly.

"How was your date with Griot?" Stark enquired.

"They won't detect the algorithm," FRIDAY knew what he was really alluding to.

The algorithm that Bilbo used was just the prototype. The final version gave full access and control of a Q-Ship's communications and critical systems. The best thing was that Ela and her crew would be completely unaware of it. Stark delivered the algorithm with the same type of hacking device he used aboard the SHIELD Helicarrier. Pym Particles made the normally button-sized device smaller than a pinhead. Stark attached it to the computer core, absently singing like he did at the Nexus.

"Oh, I'm hacking into your system,

"And there's nothing you can do."

A tense silence filled the hangar at the New Avengers Facility. They were waiting on tenterhooks for Stark's code phrase indicating his mission had been a success. Some of those present shuddered when an email chime echoed throughout the hangar. On screen was a message from Stark. While deliberately enigmatic, his code phrase clearly reflected his love of heavy metal.

ENTER SANDMAN

Multiple sighs of relief and elation abounded. The black box from Maw's Q-Ship had led to a small but important victory against the Mad Titan. Ultron's rims activated as Iron Man safely returned. Before anyone could say anything, Stark made an addendum to his code phrase.

"Unfortunately, Terminator Barbie's aboard too," he described Ela.

No one's been keener than me to get Ela back on stage. I intend keeping her there until story's end. Nor will I deny her display was influenced by some of Hela's in Ragnarok.

My interpretation of the Nameless draws upon several sources – LOTRO, "GeekZone" YouTube Channel, and Edge of Tomorrow (film). I'm of the school that equates them as an unintended by-product of Melkor's discord. And like Ungoliant, their nature is akin to a black hole.

Galadriel's tonic is (obviously) the product of the white tree growing in the Garden of the Heart-Shaped Herb. Readers can decide for themselves if Stark was hallucinating or visiting the Ancestral Plane. Either way, I wanted to give him some closure with Howard like in Endgame.

The quantum energy that Scott collected was something of a canonical loose end that I wanted to incorporate into the MTCU. However, the 'Jar of Chronos' is another of my own McGuffins. It was also a nod to Stark referring to Gandalf as 'Old Father Time' in RoTA. But the telepathic inhibitor is from Iron Man-616.

And Kurt Russell's casting as Ego gave me an excuse to slip in a couple references to Big Trouble in Little China.