Disclaimer: I don't own the MCU...duh. (I do own my OC though).

So…this is it. We've reached the final chapter. This is my biggest chapter yet, felt pretty good writing it. For those who have continued reading through the fic and have reached this point, I truly hope you've enjoyed this. I've enjoyed writing it, regardless. It's been quite a journey, and I've discovered within a love of writing, and I'm really happy for that. Please leave a review to tell me what you thought of the chapter, the whole fic, my writing, etc. I will continue reading the reviews even after this fanfic has been completed. Thank you for every follow/favourite/review, I have cherished them all! We've had over 22,000 hits – as of September 2021 – I'm really proud of that. Thank you for helping me to achieve that.

I'm afraid I'm going to be taking a break from writing, as I have a series of really important exams coming up in the next few years, but hopefully I'll be back. In the meantime, I will still be putting fics on my community so, (for the last time), please do go and follow it! Some of you may not be satisfied with the ending. I know it doesn't wrap up everything, but I think there is a kind of beauty in letting your mind fill in the rest. There may be an epilogue. I will mark this story as complete, but I have drafted plans for an epilogue, if that's something people might want?

A final hint: I've always believed that Infinity War was the natural ending of the MCU saga. Don't get me wrong, I loved Endgame. But Infinity War always felt so much more...final?...for me.

Iron Symbiosis = Thoughts / texts

Iron Symbiosis = Symbiote thinking

"Iron Symbiosis" = Symbiote speaking

The Quinjet burst through the illusion surrounding Wakanda and the truth was revealed. T'Challa exhaled in relief as they approached the city quickly, gleaming gold skyscrapers towering over the surrounding forested landscape. Inside the Quinjet, Sam and Rhodey were crouching by Vision, both slightly roughed up from the fight with the aliens. Vision lay on the floor, hand clutching his abdomen; a wound that refused to heal, despite superior Wakandan technology. T'Challa went up to Xoliswa, the pilot, humming softly as he tried to work out what to do next. Xoliswa gently directed the ship down to the ground, quietly asking:

"My King…if we cannot heal the Vision, what is to be done? It is obvious that more will arrive to capture him."

T'Challa breathed in deeply, sparing a glance at the injured synthezoid writhing on the floor before he answered the question.

"We will fight to protect what is ours…as we have always done, as our ancestors did before us."

Xoliswa nodded firmly, seeming satisfied with that answer, the Quinjet touching down smoothly on the ground and the ramp opening up to let the passengers inside out. Sam and Rhodey helped Vision up, walking in short, staggered steps towards the daylight. Vision was quite evidently in agony; eyes screwed shut, lips pressed tightly together, small hisses of discomfort escaping now and then. T'Challa paused for a moment, looking down, Xoliswa standing beside him. He had taken Hope's body with them, and there she lay, as if she was sleeping.

"Help me pick her up. We will find somewhere…more suitable to keep her, for now. She will get the funeral she properly deserves once this is all over." T'Challa directed solemnly, knowing this was only the first casualty of many to come.

Xoliswa nodded silently and stooped to lift Hope, T'Challa following suit. He carried her gently; for the least he could do for her was make sure she was not desecrated further after death. He carefully brushed the hair out of her face with one hand, wiping away the blood on her lips with his sleeve. Two Wakandan guards came up to them, intentions clear. T'Challa took a final second to look at Hope, ugly grief bubbling up in his chest as he handed her over, the knowledge of his futility almost too much to bear.

"My King?"

The whispered prompt from Xoliswa returned T'Challa to his senses and he looked up to see everyone waiting for him. Uttering a soft apology, he caught up, following the group to the throne room. They made slow progress as Vision stumbled with every other step, but once they reached the room and the grand double doors swung open to reveal…

A single figure, a tablet on one hand, facing away from the group and gazing out of the window.

"Shuri, what are you doing?" T'Challa said, chuckling slightly at the dramatics.

Shuri turned around, eyes immediately going towards Vision. She strode forward, sandals slapping against the floor loudly.

"Brother. I see you've brought me more foreigners to fix." The curt, semi-joking response elicited another chuckle out of T'Challa, but he didn't respond, watching Shuri carefully as she studied Vision's wound.

"Hmmm. This will require further analysis. You two!" At this, she gestured at two Wakandan guards, who hastened to obey her coming orders, "Carry him to my lab. I will be along shortly."

Their receding footsteps soon disappeared and T'Challa faced Shuri's evaluating stare head-on, conscious that there was a whole procession behind him.

"I hope you know what you are doing, brother. I will trust in you, as King of Wakanda, to make the right decisions for our country."

T'Challa noticed the emphasis she put on 'our', as did the foreigners behind him, judging by their awkward shuffling.

"Do not worry, Shuri. I have Wakanda - and the world's! - best interests here. We cannot hide from this coming conflict…no, we must face it with courage, or be overwhelmed in our non-action."

Shuri accepted his words and turned to leave, seeming eager to get to her lab. As she reached the door, she paused for a moment, looking back at T'Challa.

"I believe in you Brother…and Wakanda with me. Oh, and by the way – the White Warrior will help."

T'Challa understood Shuri's cryptic last words and smiled with relief.

After all, they were going to need all the help they could get, and even that may not be enough.

T'Challa sat on the metallic throne, shifting slightly in discomfort. He had always disliked the throne, finding it quite imposing. It was grey and shiny, with wide armrests and a huge back, curving upwards like a pair of horns on an ox. In front of him, the others filed in quickly, conversation breaking out among them.

"God damn she was ice-cold. You sure she's not running the country, Sam?"

"Nah, I don't think so…but she was around last time I was here, too. Don't think we left a good impression – the Rogues, I'm talking about."

T'Challa smiled at their discussion, surveying everyone in front of him. There was, of course, Sam and Rhodey, their conversation not nearly as discreet as they probably thought it was. Along with them were his trusted Dora Milaje, bald heads and red clothing marking them out. A few other tribe leaders and their ministers were present, clothed in beautiful colours. He coughed into his fist, and all conversation abruptly stopped. Leaning forward, he addressed the group:

"Time is running out. My sister is attempting to heal the Vision, but it will take time. Time we do not have. What we do have is our people, an army. We have loyalty and we have weaponry, and we will defend Wakanda until our enemies can no longer attack. This is Wakanda. We do not surrender."

His small speech was met with a resounding roar, one of unison. He stood up from the throne, leaders immediately started to organise, getting ready for-

Boom!

T'Challa rushed to the window, gazing upwards. A blue dome enveloped Wakanda, hexagonal shapes glimmering on it. It protected Wakanda from the flaming debris sliding down the sides, landing on the plains outside of the city.

T'Challa sucked in a deep breath, hearing cheers starting to resound behind him as the others thought that the invasion had failed.

"Prepare for battle." He said, eyes fixed on the clear, blue sky.

Silence met his words, one brave official stepped forward and cleared his throat nervously.

"But…My King…they are all dead, are they not?" He spoke up, looking around him for reassurance, finding it.

T'Challa turned around quickly, startling many of the crowd. He looked at Sam and Rhodey first; they had not celebrated. They knew it wasn't over.

"That was only the first." He said as behind him, beyond the window, tens of alien ships started descending into the forest, hitting the ground in an eruption of fire and fury.

Everything exploded into action at once; people hurrying past, barking orders left and right. T'Challa jumped onto a nearby carrier, Sam and Rhodey hot on his heels. Already, the alien hordes could be seen massing against the side of the dome.

"Is that…Bucky? The Winter Soldier?" Sam asked from behind him, looking at a neighbouring carrier, going the same direction as they were. T'Challa looked across, recognised his distinctive silver arm and M-249, and nodded in the affirmative. The other carrier turned slightly to join the border tribe, heading up the left side of the army, and the carrier that T'Challa and the other Saviours occupied was alone.

There was only one other person on their carrier, a Wakandan soldier, leaning back against the side. He lounged with an almost insolent air, and T'Challa focused on him curiously, never having seen him before.

"What's your name?" He asked, watching as the soldier's lips curled into a half-mocking grin.

"I've gone by many names in the past…but the one you know me by…Loki."

T'Challa stiffened, as did Sam and Rhodey beside him. His Black Panther suit rippled over his body, only leaving his head uncovered, and claws emerged from his suit's fingers.

Loki only continued to grin eerily, not making any sudden movements.

"And why are you here?" T'Challa asked, voice a carefully controlled neutral.

"I followed your group from Edinburgh, where I arrived too late to help the fight. Where else would I be…but fighting with 'The Good Guys' against a villain."

T'Challa ignored the blatant sarcasm in Loki's words, instead electing to focus on the substance within.

"So you are claiming to be on our side. Forgive me if I find that a little hard to believe."

Loki smiled again, but this time there was something hard in his eyes, something cold and murderous.

"He killed my brother. I want revenge. Isn't that believable enough?"

"Most certainly not. How do I know this is not some kind of ploy to backstab me later, God of Mischief?"

Loki stared T'Challa in the eyes, promised violence hidden within. T'Challa shifted slightly, the two behind him following suit, preparing for battle…

"It makes no difference whether you believe me or not, in the end. You will need my help, and better to have me under your eye than on the other side, no?" Loki challenged, head cocked slightly.

T'Challa stared him down for a few more moments, before relaxing slightly, claws sliding back.

"That is true…as a minimum, will you return to your true form. It sickens me to see you wear another man's skin." He requested, knowing they were closing in on the edge of the dome now.

"That I cannot do…my face is one that is well-known, and I would not put it past one of your soldiers to accidently slay me in the midst of battle, not recognising my noble intentions."

"Noble intentions." Sam snorted, fixing Loki with an untrusting glare.

Loki didn't rise to the bait, waiting to see T'Challa's reaction.

Indecision and doubt warred in T'Challa's mind, before pragmatism won out.

"Very well. I suppose I have no choice but to accept, but do not take that as trust. I have full confidence that you will betray us." He concluded bitterly, catching the dark scowl that Loki threw his way at that remark.

They reached the grasslands at the edge of the dome, opposite the growing alien horde. Even at a distance, their inhumanity was repulsive; sharp teeth, four arms and metal-fused bodies. T'Challa shuddered as he looked at them desperately throw themselves against the dome, dying in droves.

And then, they stopped.

The war cries of the Wakandans was all that could be heard, as the savage growling and snarling of the alien creature stopped. A thin line bisected the masses, a solitary figure walking casually through it. It was Proxima Midnight. She stopped at the outside edge of the dome in clear challenge, waiting for T'Challa to step forward.

He did so, gritting his teeth, Sam and Rhodey echoing his movements. They came to a halt when they were only 5 metres away from Proxima Midnight, a pale blue energy field the only thing separating them.

"Where's the other one…Corvus Glaive, I believe his name was?" T'Challa inquired politely, trying to get under her skin.

Proxima Midnight snarled slightly, the creatures behind her getting that ever bit more antsy.

"Dead, but no matter. The Stone will be in His hand by the hour." She replied, dragging her sword against the barrier to test its strength.

The uncanny silence endured, the alien creatures behind Proxima barely making a sound. It was so at odds with their behaviour earlier that it put T'Challa on edge, his eyes constantly flicking towards them.

"Nah, I don't think it will." Sam replied in response to Proxima's challenge, "I think all you're gonna find here is…a whole lot more failure."

Proxima Midnight regarded the three of them with a sneer of irritation on her face, not bothering to reply, only giving a casual gesture to the dome and-

The alien creatures surged forward with guttural cries of rage, thirsting for blood and death.

T'Challa, Sam and Rhodey hurried back to the Wakandan army, where defiant war cries still filled the air. The onslaught continued, some getting through, quickly picked off by Bucky Barnes and his trusty gun. T'Challa spotted portions of the vicious horde breaking off, and skirting to other parts of the perimeter to spread their forces thin. Immediately, he knew what he had to do, to keep them all in one place.

"Open North-West Section 17 in 10 seconds."

He charged forward, Black Panther suit comfortably sliding over his face. Behind him, he heard the roars and cheers as his army followed him into battle. The barrier opened, aliens charged forward, T'Challa there to meet them and-

Chaos ensued.

T'Challa tore through groups of those damned creatures, slicing them open and absorbing the damage they dealt to him, only to reflect it back onto them in kinetic bursts. For every one Wakandan soldier torn to death, ten of those monsters were slain.

Unfortunately, that was not enough.

Bit by bit, T'Challa felt himself overwhelmed. There were just too many of them, scrabbling away at his armour, biting at his head and legs. He fell to the ground, creatures all over him as they attempted to devour him…

Out of (k)nowhere, a rainbow-hued light landed not twenty metres from T'Challa, and lightning struck the aliens off his struggling form. He forced himself up, a wide grin slowly breaking out on his features. A figure ascended into the air, sky turning dark and stormy, axe glowing a violent white.

"BRING ME THANOS!" Thor roared, laying waste to the countless alien scum surrounding him. He landed on the floor, eyes aglow with lightning, crackling on his axe.

"Thor?"

The voice was small, almost imperceptible, but Thor would recognise it from a mile away. He turned around, seeking the owner of the voice…

…And there he stood. Loki. Hidden in another's skin, perhaps, but Thor would recognise him whatever shape he took. Thor strode forward, enveloping Loki into a firm hug, ignoring his slight sniffles.

A growl behind him alerted him of where he was and he turned quickly, chopping the head of the alien monstrosity. Loki leapt into battle with him and he relished in the glory of the fight. As they fought, Loki asked him, "So, how did you escape from Thanos, brother? I must admit, I thought you slain."

Thor smiled, opening his mouth to retell his whole adventure, killing many aliens as he did so.

"I imagine Thanos couldn't be bothered to deal with me personally, so he chucked me into space instead! Luckily, I was saved by the Guardians of the Galaxy – great guys, the racoon and the tree over there are part of the group." He explained, moving his way through ranks of the creatures.

"And then, well, I needed a new weapon, brother! So I went to Nidavellir, but…everyone was dead. Thanos had slaughtered all the dwarves."

Loki stopped his daggering of the enemies at Thor's sombre words, turning to face him.

"Truly?"

"Indeed. It was very hard to stomach. But one lived, Eitri! And he and I, with a bit of help from Tree over there, made my new axe, which I call Stormbreaker."

Loki chuckled at the grandiose name, but his merriment was cut off when they both saw a body fall from a Wakandan tower. It was Vision, an enemy alien with him. They shared a look, nodded, and set off in hot pursuit. The Wakandans could handle the rest.

They reached the area of the forest in which they had seen Vision fall into in no time, cautiously surveying their surroundings. Loki with his twin daggers out, Thor holding his axe with one hand as he brushed aside the branches in their way.

"This brings back memories, does it not brother?" Thor asked quietly, creeping forward.

"Yes. Yes, it does." Loki answered equally softly, a small smile playing out on his lips.

Thor halted, Loki behind him doing the same. In front of them they could see Corvus Glaive with his spear sunk firmly in Vision's stomach, foot on his neck. Thor narrowed his eyes and threw his axe which instantly killed Corvus Glaive, his headless body slumping onto the side. Loki knelt by Vision's side, Thor pulling out the spear and tossing it at Corvus Glaive's dead body.

T'Challa looked around the battlefield, deeply relieved at their success. Wakandan soldiers were picking off the final remnants of the alien creatures and Proxima Midnight lay dead by his feet, Sam and Rhodey helping in her death. Further away, he could see Loki and Thor helping Vision up, Corvus Glaive dead next to them. They had won, Wakanda was safe, the universe was safe.

For now.

Thanos stepped through the portal, the vortex closing with a snap behind him. He looked around slowly, seeing the broken Q-Ship and immediately understood its connotations. Looking back, he spotted Toni, sitting cross-legged on a broken piece of machinery, idly twirling the amulet holding the Time Stone in one hand.

"So, the Maw is dead. How unfortunate. Still, you are where we want you to be."

Toni stood up slowly, ignoring a dry throat as she started to talk.

"He's dead, yeah. So is Cull Obsidian, and all your other little killers will be once I find them."

She looked at Thanos in challenge, surprised to find no rage in his eyes. Instead, he smiled, almost fondly, before looking around.

"We assume you do not know where we are." Thanos said, striding forward until he was only thirty metres away from Toni. Toni stayed quiet in answer to Thanos' question, waiting to see what he would do next.

"This was Titan. Our home." Thanos looked almost…nostalgic? He raised the Infinity gauntlet, red reality stone gleaming conspicuously bright as the area around Toni started to warp. What was once broken buildings and dilapidated machinery distorted into gleaming houses and beautiful trees. It was an idyllic scene.

"We tried to save them. They didn't want our mercy. And now we're the only ones left." Thanos said, the illusion disappearing like it was never there in the first place.

"And now…now you want to murder an incomprehensible number of people. Right?" Toni asked rhetorically, squeezing the amulet in one fist.

Thanos nodded, expression solemn, burdened with knowledge yet freed from all shackles. Toni chuckled lowly, shaking her head. She found Thanos…disconcerting, with the odd way that he talked, emphasising subtle words, the odd plurals that he used.

Just kill him. He's a madman, any reason he ever possessed has been eroded away from a millennia of fire and death.

"With all six stones, all we need to do is snap our fingers…and they will fade away. They will not feel any pain, only the blissful knowledge that through their deaths they have saved the universe. We will have saved the universe."

Toni stood up, preparing to give the signal to spring the ambush.

"We didn't expect you to be so similar." Thanos said, eyes fixed to Toni's. Toni faltered, intrigued despite Yin warning her not to listen to him.

"Similar?" She inquired, taken aback by this seemingly random statement.

"We knew you were also cursed with knowledge, but we didn't expect you to be cursed by that too."

"What?" Toni asked, knowing that her allies were getting antsy, for none of this was in the script. She should've signalled the ambush by now. Thanos smiled, something emerging within his eyes, writhing underneath his skin.

Toni…something's wrong. Really wrong.

"We didn't expect you to be like us." Thanos rasped, and Toni's stomach dropped as a Symbiote emerged from under his skin, strengthening his body.

Fighting erupted; Spider-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy dropped from strategic positions, attempting to overwhelm Thanos. The Cloak darted and wrapped the infinity gauntlet like a scarf, preventing Thanos from using it as Spiderman blinded him with webs.

I…I thought he killed all of us.

Toni leapt forward, hitting Thanos with a series of missiles and bombs, each causing great pain. Thanos managed to get the cloak off his fist and suddenly-

The tables had turned. Thanos used the Power Stone to blow away Toni and the others smashing them into the ground. He strode forward, footsteps cratering the landscape, and Toni could feel the rage emanating off him. Still, Toni knew the plan was a go.

Nebula engaged Thanos in battle, letting Star-Lord sneak up and incapacitate his arms. Everyone burst into action, as this had been planned in advance. Spider-Man stuck Thanos further with his webs, while Mantis jumped on top of Thanos' shoulders, lightly tapping his temples and-

That was enough.

Thanos' pupils went milky white and his physical resistance lessened. Toni helped Drax in trying to claw off the Infinity gauntlet, frustrated to find that Thanos was still resisting.

"Hurry," Mantis cried, shaking in concentration, "Why is he so strong, it's like there are two minds-"

Thanos' eyes snapped open, and he blew the others off him, whipping Mantis into the ground where she lay, unconscious.

"A good try…but not good enough." He snarled, punching Drax until he stopped resisting and tossing Nebula far, far away. Peter and Star-Lord were hit with the same Power blast, sending them high into the sky.

He strode towards Toni, eyes alight with murderous fury,

"My fellow symbiote! Stop this!" Yin cried out, but he received no answer.

Thanos chuckled menacingly, still coming closer.

"We're afraid it's too late for that. I broke my symbiote; it bent to my will, as all things do."

"Then why do you speak in plurals?" Toni asked, scampering backwards, getting ready to fight the Mad Titan.

"An unfortunate side-effect, but one that I am willing to accept. We killed the rest of that species, as your little friend probably knows." Thanos taunted darkly, eyes on the amulet.

HE MUST DIE.

A red tint seemed to invade Toni's vision and she entered a berserker-state, rushing Thanos with a scream of pure fury. She hit him with a yin-infused uppercut, driving him back a few steps. A kick to the head rocked him back, and the hammerblow that followed sent him to his knees. Toni paused for a second, trying to clear the haze in her mind, generated by Yin's fury.

Thanos stood up, wiping a spec of blood off his cheek, panting slightly.

"All of that rage…and you accomplished nothing." He mocked, surging forward and stabbing Toni clean through with a symbiote-blade. Toni gasped, hand scrabbling at her stomach, looking at Thanos with wide eyes. He grinned, plucking the Time Stone from her and crushing the amulet, putting the Time stone on his Infinity Gauntlet. Smirking, a portal emerged behind him, one that he paused in front of.

"You amuse us, Toni Stark. We will return, with 6 infinity stones, and relish in your powerlessness as we save the universe in front of your very eyes."

With that final sentence, he disappeared, leaving behind only misery and destruction.

Thanos strode through the warping portal and it vanished into smoke behind him. His attention immediately honed in on Vision, lying on the ground with an expression of extreme pain on his face. Between him and Vision, a line of people, all trying to stop him completing his goal.

"We're going to save the universe." He growled, using the space stone to float a metal-covered being into a nearby rockface.

"And you're trying to stop us. Who's really the villain here?" He asked, knowing that he would not get an answer.

A man with some kind of primitive rifle stepped forward, roaring as he shot small pellets of metal towards Thanos. His efforts were in vain. A quick application of the Power Stone quickly removed him from the one-sided fight.

"You have slain our children. We cannot begrudge you for that. We would have done the same, in your circumstances. But now, it is time; time to realise that failure is the only thing you will find here." Thanos remarked, another hero flying forward.

It was a human with metallic wings, screaming incoherently as he fired yet more of the pellets at Thanos. They could do no harm, and like the others, he was brought to his knees quickly.

"I am a god, one which the universe will thank when we have blessed them with eternal life. We have sought this Death for our whole life, and we will not be stopped. " Thanos finished with a snarl, swatting away a black suited hero, purple lines etched in his sides.

There were only two left between him and his goal. Thanos recognised them, one the Traitor and one the Leader. He would show them what a 'god' truly was.

"We have sacrificed more than you Asgardians could ever know, and I have lost my heart in this journey. We do not regret it."

Thor stepped forward, lightning crackling between his fingertips, his eyes, his axe.

"Vengeance…will be MINE" Thor roared, rushing at Thanos, murder on his mind. Loki followed suit, green energy sparking between his fingertips as daggers appeared in his hands.

"Balance," Thanos grunted, deflecting Thor's wild blows, "Must be kept. I am the only one worthy enough to keep it. "

He twisted around, intercepting a stealthily-approaching Loki and sending him flying into a tree, where he collapsed into a heap on the ground. Thor roared with impotent fury, unable to cast the slightest bit of damage on his opponent.

He punched Thor with all the might of the Power Stone, driving him into the ground. Thor grabbed his gauntlet as it went for his head mid-swing, holding it in place with visible effort. Thanos watched, impressed despite himself, before punching Thor with his other hand and rendering him insensate.

Striding forward, he reached Vision's crumpled body, hoisting it upwards and gazing at the Mind Stone in the centre of his forehead.

I think…I think I was less murderous, before I bonded with the symbiote. I think it changed something about me, not for the better-

What was he was thinking about? It didn't matter, he was so close to saving the universe, all he needed was one final stone…

He plucked it clean off Vision's forehead, wires sparking as Vision's body fell to the floor, dead. Remembering his vow, he made another portal using the Space Stone, T'Challa diving desperately at where he had stood just moments before. The Infinity Gauntlet had been completed.

After a while, Loki helped Thor up, both of them gazing upon the devastation of their failure. Two Asgardians, standing in a clearing, Death all around them. Broken bodies lay scattered; testament to Thanos' rampage. The setting sun cast long shadows on their figures, stretching across the barren landscape.

And, in time, only one shadow would remain.

Toni gasped in excruciating pain as her wound slowly repaired itself, with help from Yin. Both of them weakened as they were, it was slow-going, painful progress. She was still slumped against broken machinery, warped pieces of metal pressing uncomfortably against her back. The dusty atmosphere made it hard to breathe, compounded by the fact that she knew they had lost.

He was too strong. We never stood a chance.

Toni kept quiet to Yin's fatalistic, defeated words, instead focusing on slowly getting up. Looking around, she could see the others were also stumbling around, everyone heavily injured. The others were also burdened by the irrepressible knowledge of their failure. The consequences of that failure were almost too great and terrible to think about.

Time seemed to have taken an almost dreamy quality, as Toni had no clue how much of it had passed since Thanos had taken the Time Stone. When he had plucked it from her unresisting fingers, then crushed the metal surrounding the stone with ease. All she could think about was how she had failed, they'd failed and Thanos had won. She knew that he still had one stone to find, but she no longer doubted that he would get it.

He was inevitable. Unstoppable. Perhaps the workings of the universe agree with his goal.

Toni shook her head wildly, refusing to believe that. No, in no circumstances could his goal ever be considered worthy or just. It was the goal of a madman, an egomaniac, and-

He had succeeded.

TONI! BEHIND YOU!

Toni turned as quickly as her aching body could allow, twisting to see a blue-black portal disappear, leaving only a purple figure behind, not 5 steps away from her. It was Thanos, bleeding; great, gaping wounds all over his body. He panted harshly, one hand holding the Mind Stone, desperately trying to attach it to his Infinity gauntlet.

A flash of hope infused Toni and she charged forward-

One hand creating a Yin-blade, arcing towards a wrist-

The Mind Stone fused into the gauntlet, electricity running down the sides of Thanos' arm-

Chop.

Toni breathed heavily, face-to-face with Thanos, the hand holding the Infinity Gauntlet falling to the floor. She looked at him, triumphant victory shining in her eyes, whispering-

"I win."

Thanos didn't reply, didn't even scream at the loss of his left hand. Instead, he just looked at her, not moving a muscle…

"I told you we were alike." A voice sounded out from behind Toni, one she dreaded and feared.

No.

No.

No.

NO!

NO!

The Thanos in front of her faded into dust, and she turned around quickly, hoping beyond hope that it wasn't-

Thanos stood there casually, not a scratch on his body, all 6 infinity stones attached to his gauntlet. Behind him, all of Toni's allies stood immobile, eyes closed.

"H-How?" She asked plaintively, collapsing to her knees.

"I am the holder of the Reality and Mind Stone. I merely showed you what you wished to be true, watching how you would react. You did not disappoint. As for your friends, well, I am not without mercy. I put them into a utopia of their own imagination, where they will wait, for now."

Toni had no words left to speak. She looked up at Thanos' expressionless face, and found nothing to say.

Out of nowhere, the Cloak flew at Thanos, attempting to wrestle the gauntlet off his hand. Thanos used the Power Stone on it, and it scattered into red ashes, falling slowly to the floor.

"Once you collect all 6 stones, their power becomes unimaginable." Thanos revealed, looking at Toni as he continued to speak.

"I...Am...Inevitable."

Thanos raised the golden Infinity Gauntlet, 6 infinity stones gleaming gloriously upon it.

There were 14,000,605 possible outcomes.

His middle finger met his thumb in a deliberately slow action, seemingly content to bask in his victory.

Of those, they won only 1.

SNAP

This was not the One.

Toni watched, numb, as Thanos left through another portal. She made no attempt to stop him, made no attempt to do anything. She watched as her allies regained their senses, looking around in confusion. Peter saw her lying on the ground and hastened towards her, helping her up. She stumbled towards where Thanos had snapped his fingers, standing still once she had reached the spot.

"S-Something's happening." Mantis whispered, before turning into ashes. Toni staggered forward, knowing what was going to happen - she had seen it in her worst nightmares. Soon, Quill and Drax followed suit, both not making a sound as they corroded into dust. Nebula looked at Toni, expression regretful, and disintegrated.

"Ms Stark? I don't feel so good." Peter whimpered from behind Toni, making her spin around in slow-growing dread.

Peter had collapsed onto the floor, eyes wide as he slowly crumbled.

"No no no no no no." Toni repeated, hurrying over to where Peter had fallen, kneeling by his side. She could see his violent attempts to cling to life as he scrabbled at her shoulders, trying to find purchase. He looked up at her, tears pooling in his eyes, panic written on every line of his body.

"I don't want to go Ms Stark." He whispered into her ear, choking on the words.

Toni's heart fractured in that moment, knowing there was nothing she could do but watch. She watched as his panic turned to acceptance, watched as he dissolved into dust, watched as he mouthed an apology to her in his final moments. What for, she would never know.

And then, he was gone. Toni remained kneeling by where he used to be, hands hanging uselessly by her side. The wind blew the dust away, but Toni stayed motionless.

I-I didn't expect this.

Yin?

This, this is strange. I don't know how much time I have left.

Yin, no, please, please, I can't lose you too.

I could not have found a better partner. I'm sorry.

Yin, are you still there?

Yin?

Alone,

on a lifeless planet,

black dust of the dead

slowly settling onto the

desolate

blood-red sands of Titan

…

Toni Stark broke.

Checkmate