S1-136
Cosmic destroyer... destroyed
11:32 AM
08/07/3272
Planet Vez-2 - Suburban Cul-de-sac
Aran-Johnson residence
Music
Chibi-Robo: Plug Into Adventure - Broad Daylight
As Michael was watching TV with Rocco, Samus, and Jenny, he received a communications link from the Avengers on his new IMC PDA.
"Michael, we need your help. Get a team together and head to Earth's moon." Tony was requesting assistance?
"Right. What about the Shadow?"
"Thor already headed out towards the Dreadnaught."
"Solid copy. We'll be there."
11:47 AM
08/07/3272
The Dreadnaught
Altar of the Shadow
Music
Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded - Castle Oblivion
As the Shadow meditated in his usual place, he was visited by Thor Odinson. "Shadow, we humbly request your assistance. The tyrant known as Thanos is on his way to Earth. He knows of the Traveler's presence on Earth, and he is coming to end it. We need your help."
"I don't know anyone by the name of 'Thanos', but if he threatens the Light, I will help. I will assemble my Taken."
12:03 PM
08/07/3272
Earth's moon - Ocean of Storms
Archer's Line
Music
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - Parlay
Michael's team and the Shadow's Taken had arrived on Earth's moon. The team consisted of Samus, Jenny, Mark-18, Spyglass, Carlos, Adam, Blisk, Jack, Sarah, Falco, and all their Titans.
A single being was walking in the distance.
SCANNING...
RECOGNIZED IN AVENGER'S DATABASE
1: Thanos
the Mad Titan
The Shadow tightly gripped the Darkscythe, ready for whatever tricks Thanos had up his sleeve.
Michael's Vanguard-class Titan, DL-2671, picked him up and placed him inside the cockpit, transferring the controls. "[Pilot control initiated.]"
Out of all the Shadow's Taken, Michael saw one that he hadn't seen in a very long time.
SCANNING...
NEW ENTRIES
1: Oryx
Sentinel of the Shadow
"Is everyone ready?" Spyglass asked.
A round of overlapping responses were heard, each one an approval. They were all good to go.
"So, this is the new force humanity has assembled to oppose the might of Thanos?" Thanos questioned, looking over the force that stood to face him. "No matter. You shall be the first to feel the wrath of Thanos!"
Music
Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - Mogenar Boss Theme
Carlos rained down on Thanos with Quad Rocket munitions, bombarding him with powerful missiles. However, Thanos simply walked out of the dust cloud, seemingly unharmed.
"Titans, activate your Cores!" Adam ordered. All Titans, save for MF-8472, unleashed devastating attacks against Thanos, somehow doing very little.
Michael couldn't believe his eyes. "How... How is he resisting our attacks?"
"It's the Infinity Gauntlet! That's how he's withstanding your attacks!"
"[Tony's right. Look at Thanos's arm. That golden glove appears to be the source of his invulnerability.]" It was at that point that Michael decided a new tactic. He filtered his Light into DL-2671's Burst Core, supercharging it. "[Burst Core overclocked. Firing.]"
The powerful stream of Light-infused Arc Rounds somehow managed to affect Thanos, while also pushing him back, and the Infinity Stones were seemingly sparking with instability. "WHAT?! How is this possible?!" Thanos was very much surprised.
"The Light... Thanos is vulnerable to the Traveler's Light!" Adam called out the advantage to the rest of the IMC battle group.
Michael understood. "The Light is a paracausal essence! The Infinity Stones have no power over it!"
With that, the Guardians-Pilots focused their Light through their Titans, hammering on Thanos.
Before Michael could overcharge the Burst Core again, he felt strange.
Music
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End - The Heart of Davy Jones
Everyone present began to dissolve into dust. Thanos was erasing them from existence using the Reality Stone!
The Traveler's voice was heard. "No...! No! This will NOT be how you die!"
A pulse of Light was let out from all of their Ghosts, causing the disintegration to momentarily cease, then seemingly go in reverse!
Before Thanos could try again, the Sentinel of the Shadow attacked him. The Shadow turned into particles that traveled straight into the Taken Hive god, allowing the Taken King to meld. "You've ended enough lives for an eternity! I think it's time YOURS BECAME ONE OF THE LIVES THAT WILL END!"
Suddenly, a collection of six noises could be heard, and the Infinity Gauntlet was glowing. "I can hear the Infinity Stones...! But... they're... screaming?"
"They know who I am." With that, the Shadow unmelded from Oryx, sending a skeletal punch straight into the side of Thanos's face, fracturing his lower jaw.
When Thanos turned back around, the Shadow was standing there, with all of the Taken behind him.
Music
Destiny - Regicide
"Thanos, the Infinity Stones know who I am. Do you?"
For the first time in his life, Thanos began to shudder in fear; a fear he could not overcome, even with all the Infinity Stones.
"I am the Taken King. Do you know WHAT the Taken are? As Commander Zavala once said, 'Once Taken, they are already dead.'. How can you kill what is already dead? The army of the dead oppose you, Thanos. You will die either way. You will either cease to exist, or become one of my own. Your choice."
Taken miasma began to leak from behind Thanos's eyes, slowly spreading across his skin. "Who... WHO ARE YOU?!"
The Shadow chuckled. "Heh heh heh... They call me... the Shadow. I am the Grim Reaper, and your end is here. My name... is... Death." The blade of the Darkscythe began to glow with Ascendant energy as the Shadow effortlessly hoisted Thanos up by the neck. The Mad Titan struggled to break free, but found his efforts futile. "Let's see... Should I induct you into my mindless army of erased souls? Or should I drain your life energy and permanently degrade you from existence entirely?" The Shadow then pulled out a coin from his cloak. "Heads for Taken. Tails for the Grasp of Death." He flicked it into the air with his bony thumb, catching it in his left hand.
The coin landed on Tails.
"Any... last... words?"
Due to the presence of the Shadow, the Infinity Stones were unresponsive, leaving the Infinity Gauntlet useless. "Please... have mercy..."
"To receive mercy, you must first give mercy. You... have given none. Thanos, you shall be sent..." He then sliced through Thanos's chest, then cut his throat, before ripping him open while he was still alive, and tearing out his heart. As Thanos reached for his stolen organ, the Shadow threw it up into the air, then pulled out the Touch of Malice, and shot the heart. "...to Hell."
It began. Thanos was dying, and there was nothing he could do about it.
Thanos weakly grabbed the Shadow, then reeled back for a punch with the Infinity Gauntlet, but his left arm turned to black dust, causing the Infinity Gauntlet to drop to the ground.
As Thanos turned to dust, the Shadow absorbed his strength. He sent a single Echo into the dying tyrant's head, taking everything. When the Echo returned, Thanos's head dissolved into a black powder. Eventually, nothing remained of Thanos. He was gone for good.
Music
none
With that, Michael disembarked and picked up the Infinity Gauntlet and used his Spectre arm to pull out the Infinity Stones, passing them over to the Shadow to hold them.
"The mad tyrant, Thanos, is no more, and the Infinity Stones are under our possession. What do you suppose we do with them?" Thor asked.
In Michael's head, the Traveler could be heard. "What you do with the Infinity Stones is up to you. But think about it. Make the right choice."
"Why don't I put them in a place where they'll never be stolen from?"
12:28 PM
08/07/3272
Planet Earth - Low orbit
Approaching the Traveler
Music
Destiny - Traveler's Promise
With the Infinity Stones kept in a container, ZJ-7349 flew as close to the Traveler as she could, with Michael in the cockpit. "[Michael, we're here.]" Michael disembarked, landing on top of the Traveler.
Michael put down the container and opened it. "I have a feeling they'd be safer in your hands, T."
"If you insist, I will keep the Infinity Stones." They vanished from the container, leaving no trace. "The Shadow performed well against Thanos. Not only that, but I actually felt... sorry for the tyrant."
"Strangely enough, I keep feeling the power surge caused by the Grasp of Death."
"The balance of yin and yang. I felt it too. Thanos was tipping the scale off-balance, but with the Shadow on the same side of the scale, it can be safe to assume that he just... pushed Thanos off."
"By 'pushed Thanos off', you mean completely absorbed his life energy, reducing his body to dust?"
"Yes, that. The way the Shadow executed Thanos was... disturbing."
"Ripping out his heart, throwing it into the air, and shooting it?"
"That's not something you get used to seeing."
"Well, that's true. Hmm... It's peaceful up here."
"If you wish for a place to meditate, I hear the top of Felwinter Peak is perfect."
"Hm. A tempting offer, but I've been there already."
"Well... I suppose this is an appropriate time to... speak in person."
"My brain is all ears." Michael chuckled. And for a second, he could hear the Traveler chuckling as well.
THANOS IS DEAD!
The Traveler now holds the Infinity Stones. Any seeking to claim them have missed their final chance.
See you next time.