It had been a week since Carol Danvers showed up. A week since we had sent her to go find Tony, Peter Parker and Stephen Strange. A week of eating again. I had regained some strength.. But I still did not feel myself. I would never feel myself again. It had been 23 days since we had lost. 23 days since I lost my best friends, Percy Jackson and Eragon Shadeslayer. 23 days since I had lost my half brother Jason Grace. 23 days since I had lost my partner in mind and soul, my Dragon Zeus. I lost myself that day.. The day of the Snap. The day Thanos took everything from all of us. Half the universe.

I had spent 14 of those days no eating or sleeping, withering away. Saphira had tried to talk to me a few times.. But I shut her out... the guilt.. It was too much. She was alone because of me. She was riderless.. As I was Dragon-less. Only I knew the feelings from that, that were impossible to describe to anyone else... but it was all my fault. I failed her... I failed Zeus.. I failed everyone.

The last week I had been watching the news. The world was in tatters.. Barely able to keep going. Government officials were dead, world leaders just gone. However it appeared the FBI had continued its pursuit of Oliver Queen despite this. His trial was on right now. Part of me knew I should be there... but I couldn't... I couldn't watch another friend of mine be failed by me.

I laid in bed beside Natasha, her cuddled in my arms to keep me warm when we felt the bed begin to shake..We looked at eachother "What in the gods names is that?" I asked. She looked at me "Come on." We ran out of the room, and ran into Steve, Rhodes and Bruce. We kept running until we were out on the ground of Avengers Facility. It was Carol, carrying a big space ship. Pepper was already out there. "Is that?" I muttered. "Tony.." Steve said. The ground shook behind us as Saphira landed, curious as well. I avoided her gaze and we went up to the ship.

The landing platform opened and down walked a skinny, close to death, Tony Stark, carried by some blue machine woman/man.. Thing. Cap and I ran forward to take his weight from her. Tony said "Couldn't stop him." Cap replied "Niether could I." I then muttered "None of us could." Tony then said "Hang on... I lost the kid" Steve then said "Tony.. We lost." I then bit my lip and choked out "Everything.. Percy.. Eragon.. Zeus.. All gone.." Tony looked at me before saying "Is uh..?" And Pepper walked up.. I stepped aside and let her take Tony's right side. We continued walking into the building.

We then had our first official Avengers meeting since the Snap. Saphira watched through a screen we had set up since she was too big to fit inside the meeting room. Rhodes said "Its been 23 days since Thanos snapped." Natasha continued "World governments are in pieces, the parts that are still working, are trying to take a census.. And it looks like he did.. He did exactly what he said he was gonna do. Thanos wiped out..50% of all living creatures." Names and faces popped up on the hologram screens. Scott Lang, Sam Wilson, Eragon Shadeslayer, Percy Jackson, Jason Grace, Annabeth Chase.. Peter Parker.. The list went on and on. Everyone we had lost.. Tony then said "Where is he now, where?" Cap then said "We don't know. He just opened a portal and walked through it." Tony then pointed at Thor, whom was just sitting in silence, like he always did now. Rocket then said "Oh, He's pissed. He thinks he failed. Which, of course, he did... but there's a lot of that going around right now ain't there?" Tony then said "Honestly until this exact second, I thought you were a build-a-bear" Rocket then said "Maybe I am." Cap then said "We've been hunting Thanos for three weeks now. Deep space scans and satellites. And we got nothing. Tony you fought him." Tony then said "Who told you that? I didn't fight him. No, he wiped my face with a planet while the bleecker street magician gave away the store. That's what happened. There was no fight, 'cause he's not beatable." Cap then said "Did he give you any clues, any co-ordinates, anything?" Tony then said "I saw this coming a few years back. I had a vision, I didn't want to believe it. Thought I was dreaming." Steve then stood up and said "Tony, I am going to need you to focus." Tony then said "And I needed you. As in, past tense. That trumps what you need. It's too late, buddy." He then began to lose his shit. Pushing his glass aside and standing up, ripping out his IV. Rhodes tried to get a handle on him but failed. "you know what I need. I need a shave. And I believe I remember telling all you's alive and other wise. That what we needed was a suit of armor, around the world. Remember that? Whether it impacted our precious freedoms or not. That's what we needed." Cap then said "Well that didn't work out, did it?" Tony then continued "I said we'd lose. And you said we would do that together, too. And guess what Cap, we lost.. And you weren't there. But that's what we do right? Our best work after the fact. We're the AVENGERS right? We're the AVENGERS, not the PRE-VENGERS right?" Rhodes finally grabbed him "You made your point, just sit down, okay?" Tony then said "No no, here's my point. You know what? She's great by the way.(he pointed at Carol) We need you, you're new blood. Bunch of tired old mules. I got nothing for you Cap. I got no coordinates, no clues, no strategies, no options. Zero. Zip. Nada. No trust. Liar." He then ripped the housing unit from his chest.. Much like the one Shuri had gifted me before she was dusted, and gave it to Cap. "You find him, you put that on, you hide." He then fell and passed out.

They went to help him survive.. I proceeded to follow until I felt a piercing pain in my head. I cried out and dropped to my knees. Natasha ran over to me and said 'Whats wrong?!" I felt the pain get worse. A pain I had not felt since Alagaesia.. Saphira must be trying to force her way into my mind. "Saphira.." I gasped back. More pain. She was not going to give up. "FINE!" I finally yelled out and struggled to my feet, stumbling my way to the courtyard where she was. She roared at me when I came out. "Fine! I'll let you in!" The pain stopped and I dropped my guards down. She then entered my mind for the first time since Wakanda. I felt her pain.. And a lot more.. She had opened up our connection unlike we had every had before.. It was as close to dragon and rider that one could get without actually being bonded. I gasped and dropped to my knees.. Feeling all her emotions. I saw her tense and she felt my emotions too. She then said "I've had enough of this David! Weeks you have shut me out! Weeks that I have needed you! And weeks that you have needed me! I get why you have done it.. I knew better then anyone else ever would. You are alone... and so am I. More so than you. I do not have Natasha. I have not seen Firnen in many years.. Zeus was the only one of my kind I had left that I loved. I mourn for him too..." I looked down "I mourn for Eragon as well Saphira.. I'm so.. Sorry..It's all my fault. I know you are looking for revenge. Do it.. Kill me.. Have your revenge." She recoiled agast, before snaking her head down so her one giant blue eye could be level with me. "You feel this connection. I am doing this for a reason little one. Do you feel any hate towards you.. Anything but sadness and love?" I shook my head and then yelled out verbally "BUT IT'S MY FAULT! I DRAGGED YOU, ZEUS AND ERAGON INTO THIS WORLD TO FIGHT THIS FIGHT!" She growled but remained unmoving "No.. We all knew the risks. We were Avengers. It was our duty. And given the chance to re-do it all. We would not have chosen to stay in Alagaesia. You need to stop taking all the blame. We are all at fault for Thanos. We must share the blame and the grief. Percy, Zeus, Jason, Eragon... none of them are your fault alone. We must all atone for our failure. Despite everything.. You and I are lucky. Unlike many dragon and riders before, we share a bond closer than friend ship.. We are kin. Maybe not of blood or bond.. But of choice. Please, David Razacrazer.. Do not close off this bond when you and I need it the most.." I sighed and stood up, placing a hand on her snout. "I won't. I promise Saphira." I said outlout. She closed her eyes at the contact and I could feel a slight feeling a happiness and relief. For the first time since the snap.. Neither of us were alone.. We had eachother.

I walked inside to the Blue chick.. Nebula, telling everyone she knew where Thanos was. We called another meeting, minus Tony of course. In this meeting she said "Thanos spent a long time trying to perfect me. When he worked, he talked about his great plan. Even disassembled I wanted to please him. I'd ask, where would he go once his plan was complete. His answer was always the same. To the garden." Rhodes then said "That's cute, Thanos has a retirement plan." Steve then said "So where is he." Rocket then said "When Thanos snapped his fingers, Earth became ground zero for a power surge of ridiculously cosmic proportions." Harry then chimed in 'Not to mention magical.. I don't the Elder wand could produce something close to this scale." Rocket then snorted "Magic has nothing to do with it Scarboy. This is science. So no one had seen anything like it... until two days ago on this planet." I then said "Thanos used the stones again? What for?" Bruce then said "Hey hey hey, we'd be going in short handed you know?" I nodded "Yes.. And this time we won't have The Flash's help. Green Arrow is currently.. Pre-occupied. What's left of the Assassins hate me and the Legends have their own mourning to deal with.." Rhodes then said "he's still got the stones." Carol then said "So lets get 'em. Use them to bring everyone back" Harry then said "Is that even possible? My old Teacher, Professor Dumbledore once told me no spell could bring back the dead.' I then said "You said it yourself Harry.. These stones are more powerful then magic. I think it is." Natasha then added "If there's even a small chance that we can undo this.. We owe it to everyone who's not in this room to try." Bruce then said "If we do this, how do we know it's going to end any differently than it did before?" Carol said "Because before you didn't have me." Rhodes then said "Hey new girl. Everybody in this room is about that superhero life. And if you don't mind my asking, where the hell have you been all this time?" Carol then said "There are a lot of other planets in the universe, Unfortunately they didn't have you guys." I nodded "what we have this time, is a dragon and rider who have lost our partner of the soul. Hell bent on revenge. This time. Thanos dies... or We do." Thor then stood up and walked over to Carol. I bit my lip.. Wondering if he would have something bad to say. He reached out his hand and Stormbreaker flew into it. She didn't even flinch. He said "I like this one." Steve then said "Lets go get this son of a bitch."

We left to get suited up. I pulled out my phone. "Cisco. David. We have a lead on Thanos. I know you have your own problems in Central City.. But can you breach a breach device into the Iron Thunder suit room in Avengers Facility. Thanks." I then hung up. No time for small chat "You are going to breach me onto this planet, aren't you David?" Saphira said in my head. "You got that one right. We will have our revenge Saphira Brightscales, we will bring Eragon and Zeus back." I could feel joy coming from our connection. "At last. It is also nice to see you so motivated again." I then responded "If there is one thing I have learned over the years, Revenge is quite the motivator." I then made it to the suit up room and made for my Mark 7 suit, but stopped when I passed a Arc Reactor on a pedistal. The housing unit Shuri had given me. I had declined using it before because I had basically given up being Iron Thunder, choosing the life of Blue Arrow. This time was different. I picked it up and placed it on my chest, it attaching to me with little pin pricks, nothing too painful. I then tapped it and the nano tech formed a suit over my body. The color scheme matched my Mark 1. Gold legs and arms. Blue boots and gloves. Gold mask, blue helmet. Gold seemed to line the body piece as well.. More of a hightlight then anything. And of course the classic gold lightning bolt on my chest. I noticed not AI in my ear, so went to a terminal and placed my golved hand on it, EDI downloaded into the suit. "Wow Hun, what an upgrade. Nano tech, kind of like Iron Man's mark 50. So many different configurations. Swords, blades, repulsors, boosters, shields..even I am having a hard time keeping up with this new information. Just think what you want it to do.. And it will do it." I then muttered "Cool." I then noticed a breach and a small device shot out of it, I caught it. The breach device. Perfect. I then made my way to the ship.

When aboard my helmet retracted. I noticed Steve was wearing a different suit then I had ever seen him in. A dark blue, one small white star with white lines.. A stealth suit maybe? Well I guess it made sense.. This was supposed to start out a stealth mission after all. Once we left orbit Rocket said "Okay, who here hasn't been to space." Harry, Steve, Rhodes, and Natasha raised their hands. Rocket then continued "You better not throw up on my ship." Nebula then said "Approaching jump in 3, 2 ,1" we then jumped. Beautiful light show during the jump, but I did not care. I just wanted to get there.

Once arrived Carol headed down to the planet for recon. We waited in the ship. I played with some of my new toys. Arm glowy blade, sword hand. Circular shield.. Body shield.. So many different things to use in battle. Harry looked at me "It's good to see you up and about again David." I looked at him and said "A chance to kill Thanos? Best pick me up there is." Carol then returned "No satellites, no ships, no armies. No ground defenses of any kind. Its just him." Steve then said "Remember, separate him from the stones. Harry, Rhodes, Bruce, Carol. You pin him. Thor, cut off his hand. David, breach Saphira in, just in case we need back up. The rest of us, will be back up as well." We then landed the ship and I walked over to a open grassy patch as bruce suited up in the hulkbuster armor. I then used the breach device to open a breach and Saphira climbed through. I then climbed onto her back and my helmet re-activated. "Lets do this." We took to the skies and flew towards Thanos's location.

Carol made her attack, followed by Harry apperating in, and Bruce and Rhodes busting through the floor of Thanos's hut. Saphira dove and then fanned her wings out, coming to a halt. She then swipped at the roof, taking it clean off. She then hovered above, maw ready to breath fire if needed. Thor came in a cut off Thano's hand. The rest then walked in, and I dropped down fro Saphira to land beside Natasha. Rocket went to Thano's severed hand and turned it over.. Revealing no stone. He then muttered "Oh no." I then looked at Thanos and raised a hand, repulsor charged "Where are they Thanos!" Thanos then grunted "The universe required correction. After that, the stones served no purpose...beyond temptation." I then raised my other hand, super repulsors forming over my hands and I fired, sending him flying back yelling "You murdered trillions! Percy, Eragon, Zeus. The universe requires correcting NOW!" Natasha walked forward "Where are the stones now?" Thanos said "Gone. Reduced to atoms." Bruce then said "You used them two days ago!" Thanos replied "I used the stones to destroy the stones. It nearly killed me. But the work is done. It always will be. I am inevitable." Rhodes then said "We have to tear this place apart. He has to be lying" Saphira growled from above us and said "My pleasure" Nebula then said "My father is many things. A liar is not one of them." Thanos then said "Ah, Thank you, Daughter. Perhaps I treated you too harshly." Thor then struck, cutting Thanos's head off. Rocket then muttered "What did you do...?" Thor then said softly "I went for the head." He then walked off. My suit returned to normal form and I took to the skies, Saphira following behind me As we flew back to the ship Saphira said "It is done... our revenge.. Has been had." I replied "My blood still boils, our revenge was not dealt by us.. And we can not undo what has been done." I sense saddness from her before she said "I will return home to continue Eragon's work.. Training the next generation of riders. Then after that.. I will look for death. Will you join me?" I shook my head and landed by the ship, turning to face her "I do not know."

We returned to Avenger Facility to find a screw of reporters outside. Cap looked at us and said "They have been wanting a comment from me since the snap.. I did not reply.. I guess now they wont give us a chance to ignore them." I looked over a Saphira who sensed what I was thinking and nodded her big head. I then said "let me join you." Rhodes said "I will too." Natasha nodded as well. We invited them into the reporter room. Steve took the podeum. I stood beside him, fully encased in my new suit. Rhodes stood to his other side, and Natasha by my side. Cap then said "23 days ago..We made a final stand. On the ground of Wakanda, an army of heroes never before seen fought a losing battle. Our mission.. Keep the Titan Thanos at bay until we could remove the mind stone from Vision and destroy it, stopping his plan to wipe out half the universe. The Avengers stood with the likes of the people of Wakanda, The Flash, Green Arrow, Blue Arrow and the team of Legends, and that was still not enough.. Thanos beat us. He got the last of the Infinity Stones.. And used them to fulfill his mission. We all lost someone that day. We lost many Avengers... Aquaman, Shadeslayer, Zeus Shadowscales, The Centurion, Black Panther, The Falcon, among many more. While we can report since then Tony Stark is alive.. Unfortunately Spiderman is amongst the casualties. Today we found Thanos, and went to face him.. To recover the stones and use them to bring everyone back.. But we failed. Thanos used the stones.. To destroy the stones. We can not recover our lost ones. This is our reality going forward.. On behalf of myself, and the Avengers, we are sorry.." I then took a deep breath and gently pushed Steve aside.

I then continued "3 years ago, we lost your faith. Ultron was our creation.. And our mistake. 3 weeks ago.. We lost your trust. Trust is not so easily recovered. However we must all work together going forward.. We must trust in one another. There are no enemies left in this world.. We are all human, and must all work together to build this world anew. I know it will take a long time before you can trust in us again.. But for you to trust us.. All of us must trust you.. Which is why.. I can not hide my face any more." There were gasps from the crowd. Natasha looked at me and muttered "David.. What are you doing." I ignored her and my helmet retracted into my suit. I then continued "My name is David Shuter Razacrazer.. Those of you in Star City watching this know me as Mayor Queen's head of security. I am the Demigod son of Zeus. I also have been living a double life... One rumor which has been circulating for years is true... I am the Blue Arrow." Everyone start mururing and the shouting. The common one was "IS OLIVER QUEEN THE GREEN ARROW?" I held up a hand "The Green Arrow's identity is a secret only he can share, it is not my place to share it. Until the time comes that he does share it, I will never divulge his name nor that of any known or unknown associate of mine. I ask you respect that. I kept my indenity secret all these years to protect my loved ones.. Particularly my mother. However when I signed the accords 2 years ago my name got into Hydra's hands.. And she was killed. I have no reason to withhold it from the public any more. I asked you to work with me and the Avengers, to build this world into a better version then what it was before." I then paused considering something before saying "Now I address the company of Abstergo Entertainment. I know you will take this weakened time to try to seize control like you have for centuries. Just know.. I no longer have to hide in the shadows to fight you. I will stop you, like I have before. I will hunt you down, and not even your father of understanding can guide you to safety. I know in my heart, everyone left alive in the brotherhood will continue to fight you.. As shall I. That is all." I then turned and left the room. A lot had changed in the past 23 days. I know one thing.. My life will be different.. For better.. Or for worse.