Thanos smiled as he entered the fray, testing his eye beams against those of the First. The demon was strong. Thanos would always admit when his opponents posessed considerable might. The Magus, Tyrant, the Ultimate, they all possessed might to make even the Mad Titan pause. The First Evil now it seemed was in their league. Thanos felt strain trying to keep up the same level of power that the First exerted against him. His eye beams were faltering against the First's. Thanos knew that this was one challenge he could not win. Facing the demon in his way was suicide even for one whom Death no longer wanted.
But there was one thing that mighty Thanos prided himself upon: adaption. Thanos cut off his beams in mid blast and ducked as the First's travelled over him, striking the ground behind him. Using his momentary advantage, Thanos attacked while recalling all of his considerable combat training. Earth shattering fists connected with the First's face time and time again. If it was at all possible, the demon was fazed. Thanos pressed the advantage and backhanded his foe, then firing blasts of cosmic force from his hands that made the First stagger back. Then with speed that belied his bulk, Thanos ran to the creature and executed a perfect sweeping kick knocking the First Evil onto its back.
Of course not all advantages can be maintained.
"I tire of this game, Titan." The First growled, grabbing Thanos by the throat and squeezing with force sufficient to hurt the Titan. Thanos simply smiled and kept attacking, refusing to yield to his adversary. Even when the First threw him into the air and blasted him repeatedly. Thanos crashed to the ground, damaging it, before rising again.
"Oh but the game is young yet." Thanos said preparing for another strike.
"Are you quite done yet Thanos?"
Thanos turned as Adam Warlock and Gamora appeared in another flash of transporter light.
"Not quite." Thanos growled. Warlock merely looked up and sighed.
"You take this sort of thing far too seriouslly, father." Gamora smirked.
"If I did not then I would most likely be dead and the universe with me many times over." Thanos replied before turning to the First again.
The First however disregarded Thanos and looked at Warlock. Or more precisely, Warlock's gauntleted left hand. The First backed away from Warlock. It was quite possibly the first time that the First Evil had ever known fear.
"This cannot be!" The First said as it backed away ever so slowly.
Warlock regarded him with a smile, "Oh but it is. I imagine you should play it smart and leave while you can, otherwise things could get quite…painful."
The First stared at the Infinity Gauntlet in fear, intense mind-numbing fear. He then regarded Warlock and he regained a more fearsome expression.
"I will go. There is much to consider now." The First stated.
"But you'll be back. Yes, yes I know." Warlock said pointing, "Just so you know, these people and this town is under my protection now. Any antagonism towards them will be met with Divine Wrath. In fact, I'd think of vacating this world immediately. I'll give you time to think it over though. Say…seven days?"
The First's eyes narrowed as it teleported away from the scene.
"Using a foe's own words against them. Interesting, if not a tad drab." Thanos said, arms crossed.
"I like to think of it as irony." Warlock said turning to regard Thanos.
Gamora just sighed, "I just wish you guys would lose the poetry and talk like everyone else once in a while."
"But we're not like anyone else." Warlock said smiling.
"Uh…excuse me? People of bright primary colors?" Buffy said, after clothing herself and approaching the trio, "Can you tell me what the hell just happened here?"
"A case of divine intervention." Thanos said, making Buffy jump at the sound of his harsh voice.
"Uh, right." Buffy replied, eyeing the giant man. He gave Buffy a serious wiggins. Warlock noticed and smirked.
"You'll have to excuse Thanos. He makes a concentrated effort to appear intimidating." Warlock smirked, "Introductions are in order. I am Adam Warlock. This is Thanos of Titan and his adopted daughter, Gamora."
"I'm—"
"Elizabeth Anne Summers, otherwise known as Buffy. You're also the Slayer of demons." Warlock interrupted.
"Wow. You're good." Buffy admitted, "You're not planning to kill me are you? I kinda get worried when people who I've never met already know me. It's statistical probability."
"Actually I'm here to help you and your world." Warlock explained, "Would you care to go inside? We have much to discuss."
Buffy turned and looked to the overly uncomfortable Scoobies and Potentials, squirming after their actions from a few moments previous. Buffy then sighed when she thought of three MORE people in her house. She then noticed several neighbors on their porches or looking out windows who had observed the battle and were now staring at the group.
"Sure. Why not? It's only three more people in my already crowded house, but sure." Buffy spouted.
"I don't have to be All-Knowing to recognize sarcasm." Warlock said, raising an eyebrow.
"Good, because I was laying it on kinf of thick. I should just start charging rent…SAAAAAAYYY now." Buffy thought aloud impishly.
Warlock put his head in his hand. This was the universe's best hope?
Captain America stood atop the Rolling Thunder as it rolled down the streets of Washington. It was an amazing piece of work. A giant tank-like vehicle with an enormous gun mounted on the back and two giant missiles locked in a compartment in the mid-section. General Hawk climbed out of the front, his dress uniform replaced with more battle practical fatigues and helmet. He even had what seemed to be a large jetpack strapped to his back.
"She's a great piece of work isn't she?" Hawk said as he stood by the Captain.
"What is she, one hundred, one hundred and twenty feet long?", Cap asked.
"Actually just about eighty five feet. Still a decent sized vehicle." Hawk replied.
"We didn't have any land vehicles this size back in World War Two." Cap explained.
"Actually this isn't our biggest vehicle. There's the General but currently they're all down. The Rolling Thunder's a little older but it has every bit as much firepower." General Hawk said.
"I'd hate to be on the receiving end of that thing." Cap said in regard to the large gun in rear.
"That was the general idea." Hawk laughed.
"We're getting close to the spire. Think we can scratch it?" Cap asked.
Hawk just smiled and looked at all the G.I. Joe Havocs, Badgers, and Thunderclaps following behind on the ground. He then looked to the sky and saw jets and helicopters flying overhead, armed to the teeth.
"Yeah I think it's safe to say we're going to put a dent in it." General Hawk said with a smile.
The battle envoy approached the spire, which had been considered a quarantine area. Only military personnel were allowed in. They didn't really have to worry about civilians getting in the way though. Much of Washington had been evacuated. The situation was an ideal campaign. The envoy stopped its approach and got into firing position. Hawk looked over to Cap and tossed him some earplugs. Cap tossed them back.
"Already have a pair in, but thanks." Cap said with a smile. Hawk nodded and excused himself. He walked forward and climbed down into the Rolling Thunder's cockpit.
"Armadillo, get Duke on the horn." Hawk ordered the driver.
"Yes sir." Armadillo said raising Duke on the radio, "Armadillo to Duke, Armadillo to Duke. Do you read? Over."
"I read you Armadillo." Duke's voice replied over the radio.
"General Hawk would like a word with you Duke." Armadillo explained.
"Put him on." Duke ordered.
"Yes sir."
Hawk took the radio and began to speak, "Duke, are the men in position?"
"Yes sir. We're ready. Just give the order and that thing goes to pieces."
"Fire when ready. Hawk out." The General said signing off.
Outside, artillery shelling commenced. The darkened sky was lit up by the attack. The spire was racked with explosions. Rockets and shells bounced against the surface, causing superficial damage. When the ground forces stopped firing, the air forces took over and delivered pinpoint accurate blasts of firepower. The spire held.
"Fire the missiles." Hawk ordered Armadillo.
The middle section of the Rolling Thunder opened up, with the massive gun on the rear sliding back. The missiles then slowly rose upon their platform. Huge missiles near as long as the Rolling Thunder itself. They took off with a mighty roar and drew a bead on the spire. Crashing into it, they produced an explosion like a giant blast of thunder, which made Captain America think that's how the vehicle got its name.
The spire still stood. The Joes were no less determined though, and began to reload their weapons for another volley. But that's when certain things became more noticeable. Holes began to open up in the spire. Large ones at the bottom, small ones towards the middle, and more large ones up top. Captain America and the Joes were confused. That was until a loud bellow was heard from one of the bottom holes.
Instantly, bright red flame shot out of it reducing a Thunderclap to slag and a few brave men to dust. Out from the bottom hole they came, giant dinosaurs that superficially resembled a Triceratops, but were more the size of Brontosaurs and with flaps of skin on the sides of their heads that hung like elephant ears. And they had razor sharp teeth. Definitely not plant eaters. Flames shot from their mouths and engulfed more Joes.
From the top, massive birds shot out, screeching in the blackened sky. Or at least they looked like birds. Strange yellow beams shot from their mouths. The beams hit a jet head on, slicing it in two. More beams fired down, slicing apart tanks, cars, and even human beings. The gigantic creatures issued forth from the top of the spire and cackled maliciously.
Captain America trained his eyes upon the middle of the spire and saw other things coming. Grabbing a pair of binoculars, he saw what they were. They were the size of men, albeit they were hideous with deformed, animal-like faces, and long sharp fangs. There were hundreds of them approaching the holes, brandishing twisted spears, swords, and axes. They howled to the dark sky and set their eyes on the humans down below. They began to climb down the spire towards the human forces, joining the large dragon like creatures below. They were the very face of evil.
They were an army. An army of Turok-Han vampires.