HERO COMPLEX

Her head had never felt heavier. It was pounding relentlessly, in rhythm with the pulses of agony radiating from her thigh. She had thought she had been through pain, but she hadn't even scraped the surface of the definition. 

Her eyelids felt as though they had cement attached to them. It took great effort to peel them open, her sight flickering in and out of focus as light shone brightly directly into her eyes. All she could see were blurry figures floating the air, being trailed by one figure flying after them and securing them to the ground. 

Two of the blurry figures were prominent - one of them was shrouded in his signature red cloak, and the other was a dull purple tone. Strange and Thanos. 

A gentle, orange glow radiated from Strange's figure. Messalina realised he must have activated his powers. Thanos staggered back from the force, reacting with power mirroring Strange's from the gauntlet. Strange managed to block the blow, raising a mirror like barrier in between the pair. He swiftly moved his hands, and pushed the mirror into Thanos. The mirror shattered around Thanos, who absorbed the magic into a small black hole of his own creation. As soon as this was finished, he flung the power back at Strange. Stephen didn't hesitate in raising a shield, mutating the dark energy into a swarm of breathtaking butterflies, who flew dutifully back to their master. 

Strange didn't waste a beat, levitating himself and moving his hands in another magic invoking pattern. In an instant, the area was surrounded with dozens of copies of Stephen Strange. Messalina blinked rapidly, her eyes starting to adjust to the light, her head still beating at her mercilessly. She was certain her mind was playing tricks on her; there certainly were multiple Strange's floating around Thanos. 

The copies all conjured whips formed out of orange energy, the whips wrapping around Thanos' body. Thanos struggled under their power, and Messalina felt a smile grow on her face - the mighty villain was struggling under a simple trickster. If he could be defeated with a few illusions, the end would be swifter than she imagined. 

Thanos eventually closed his armoured fist, the Soul and Power stones pulsing. Instantly the copies of Stephen diminished, leaving behind only one man reeling in the air. On the gauntlet, two more stones pulsed with energy, and Strange was pulled forward. Thanos wrapped a tight fist around his throat as soon as he was in reaching distance, Strange desperately fumbling in his grip. 

Messalina's eyes widened. 

"You're full of tricks, wizard." Thanos remarked, and Messalina couldn't contain her shudder. He was taunting them, and she hated it. She hated it just as much as she hated the titan planning on slaughtering in the name of mercy. 

Her horror only grew as Thanos reached for the Eye of Agamotto around Strange's neck, the cage that protected the Time stone. The one stone between total annihilation and a constant battle. 

"No!" Strange cried out, twisting and turning his body in Thanos' grip. Anything to try to get out of Thanos' grasp. 

His large hand grabbed at the chain, snapping the Eye off of it. "You never once used your greatest weapon."  

He tightened his fist around it. The Eye was crushed, and Messalina watched patiently for the resounding energy blast that would follow an infinity stone being destroyed. There was nothing. 

"A fake."

Thanos threw Strange across his old home, watching uncaring as Strange's head smacked against the stone. Strange's eyes drifted closed. 

"No," Messalina muttered under her breath. Now, the light didn't burn her eyes every time she opened them fully. Her head still resisted to each movement; she put that to the back of her mind. She dug her fingers into the rocky surface, paying no attention to the rock slicing open her bare skin. She started to pull herself closer, hissing under her breath. 

Her attention was so fixed on the ground that she couldn't watch what was happening. She could only hear what was going on, and it made her heart erratic. 

Tony Stark was facing Thanos alone. 

"You throw another moon at me, and I'm gonna lose it." Messalina's thoughts were running a million miles an hour. Images of his death circulated her mind, until his blood painting the stone was the only thing she could see. She didn't want to have to witness his death, not again. This Tony may not be the Tony she knew, but he was still a version of him. If she couldn't save hers, she could at least save someone else. 

"Stark." Thanos acknowledged. Her anxiety rose. Just wait a few minutes, Messalina thought to herself. Just hold off until I can get there. 

Tony stopped. Messalina knew he'd be raising his brows and staring at the titan in confusion. He really had no idea how notorious he was. "You know me?" 

"I do. You're not the only one cursed with knowledge." 

She was close. She pulled herself behind a boulder, taking a few deep breaths. Gritting her teeth tightly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Pressing her back against the stone, she fumbled with her belt until her hands grasped at her lifeline. The moment her hands fell on it, she felt herself calm. 

"My only curse is you." A turret of booms could be heard, and a small peek from around the rock told her what she had predicted. Tony had attacked Thanos with a series of rockets. She wasn't sure if he was brave or stupid. 

  Thanos cursed at the onslaught, his body being momentarily shrouded in smoke. In the time he had a mask, Tony flew directly into Thanos. He bounced off of him, flipping and landing perfectly. He instantly transitioned into his next move, his boots clamping into the ground as his gloves transformed into battering rams. He punched Thanos relentlessly, throwing him into the ruined wall behind him.   

Why did you have to fight him alone? Why couldn't he just have pretended to have been unconscious? 

She cursed her friend for his hero complex. 

Thanos brushed off the attack quickly. He reached forward and ripped Tony's helmet off. Messalina's breath caught in her throat as she dragged herself to her feet, her thigh buckling under her, screaming at her to stop, making her fall to her knees. She couldn't stop. She'd never stop. 

Tony's surprised expression was revealed to her eye line before his suit recovered, another helmet forming around his exposed head. Messalina felt her shoulders sag in relief. 

Thanos threw his fist hard at Tony, sending Tony sliding. This gave Thanos the chance he needed to rip the red and gold device from his gauntlet - something Messalina had only noticed in that moment, which must have been something Tony placed on him as she was crawling - unleashing the power of the gauntlet. A stream of energy furiously blasted at Tony. Tony saw it coming, bending to his knee and forming a shield. The energy bounced off of the shield just in time, the sheer force knocking Tony back. 

Tony stepped out from behind the shield, unleashing a flurry of kicks and punches at the titan. Thanos had little time to react, only stumbling back or swaying with each hit delivered. A battering ram to his cheek sent an almighty crack through the air - he cut Thanos' cheek. 

They were so close. 

Messalina tried to pull herself to her feet again, huffing in frustration as her thigh buckled under again. At the corner of her eye, she could see the red soaking her pants, and the droplets falling to the floor. She gulped, only tightening her grip on the boulder and trying again. 

"All that for a drop of blood." His voice sent chills down her spine. He sounded oddly calm, and that was how she knew a shit storm was about to take place. 

Thanos attacked Tony, sending him pinwheeling, releasing the full power of just his fists. It was terrifying to see how powerful the titan was without the gauntlet, his attacks fruitlessly blocked by Tony. Thanos snatched at Tony's helmet, picking him up and blasted his midsection. The armour around Tony's torso weakened, it failing to rebuild as he flew backwards in the air. It made her heart ache seeing him like that, and her body didn't want to cooperate with what her heart desperately wanted. She couldn't move. 

Tony landed harshly, struggling to get to one knee and firing his right hand repulsor at Thanos. The beam is easily deflected by the gauntlet, as if it was merely swatting a fly. Tony stumbled to both feet, the suit feebly trying to complete repairs. Thanos just backhanded Tony, the re-formed helmet snapping off. 

He was completely exposed now. 

Messalina finally managed to get to her feet, shaking so hard she was afraid she'd fall over again. She held tightly onto her last knife, knocking her arm back. She itched to let it fly from her fingers, but she needed a killing shot. She couldn't just settle for irritating or wounding. Her previous attempts proved it did little. 

She needed to get him in the eye. 

With his back to her, it was difficult. Yet her hand still begged for her to release it, to let it fly and lodge itself in his back, anything to take his attention away from Tony. Her mind pleaded with her to just be patient. 

She listened to her mind. 

There'd be more chance of success if her attack was unexpected. 

Thanos fired at Tony again with his gauntlet, Tony crossing his arms to block the blow, his left hand protecting his vulnerable head. In a last bid, he formed the remainder of his right glove into a sword. The moment its formed, Thanos easily caught it, snapping it in half and drove it through Tony's side. 

Messalina gasped. 

All her memories of Tony flew through her head. He was such a great friend - he listened to her, told her when she was doing something wrong and made sure that she was happy. He was by her side constantly, and when they were on a mission together they were unstoppable. And now she was going to watch him die again. 

As much as she wanted to rip her gaze from what was happening, she found her gaze transfixed. Thanos pushed Tony backwards until he sat, placing the gauntlet on Tony's head. It seemed to an act of comfort; it was an act of teasing. 

"You have my respect, Stark. When I'm done, half of humanity will still be alive." Thanos pulled the sword out of Tony's side, watching as blood drooled from Tony's mouth. "I hope they remember you." 

Tony's chest shook up and down in a way Messalina hated. It filled her with such hatred, pure, hot fury poured into her veins. How dare he kill heroes, how dare he act as though he's righteous when he's nothing but a murderer. 

Messalina stopped listening to her mind. 

Letting out a cry, she let the knife fly past her fingertips. It was like it was moving in slow motion, ever so slowly moving towards the mass murderer, the one responsible for the deaths of her family, friends, enemies, strangers and innocents. She watched with wide eyes as it flew straight past Thanos and into the debris beside him. 

Her heart fell. 

Both Thanos and Tony turned to look at her. To an outsider, she looked pitiful. Her hand was the only thing keeping her body upright, her arm trembling under the weight. Her thigh was sodden with blood, and her slack jaw was the embodiment of defeat. 

"Felicity Wright, what a pleasure." 

Her heart stopped. How did he know? How could this monster know her real name? 

"Messalina run!" Tony stammered, blood spluttering from his lips as he spoke. Messalina's eyes darted to him, and the sorrow behind them wasn't hidden. She solemnly shook her head. 

"It'll be a shame, having to kill you." Thanos raised his gauntlet, closing his fist. All of the four stones started glowing. 

Messalina kept her gaze on Tony, mouthing an apology. He watched wide eyed as the girl accepted her fate, eyes fluttering closed peacefully. 

She was tired. 

"Stop!" A voice cried out. Messalina's eyes snapped open, and she saw Strange sit up, a dejected expression on his face. "Spare their lives... and I will give you the stone." 

"No!" Messalina shouted, her voice just as broken as she was. 

Strange ignored her warning. Thanos didn't spend any time mulling the offer over, only giving Strange a warning of his own. "No tricks."

Strange shook his head, agreeing to the terms. Messalina shouted out again, helpless as Strange reached up and pulled the Time stone from it's alcove in the stars. He opened his hand, displaying the stark scars on his fingers and their trembling obvious to the naked eye. The stone floated into Thanos' bare hand. They all watch intently as Thanos took the stone and dropped it into the thumb setting. A energy pulse emitted from it, making Thanos wince. 

"One to go." 

A blast came from nowhere, attacking Thanos. Thanos grimaced in surprise, ignorant to Peter's screams of rage and incoming form. Thanos just simply created a portal, and left. 

Peter flew through where Thanos had once been, crashing harshly and rolling several times. He demanded to know where Thanos was, but Messalina didn't care anymore. 

Her body slumped against the boulder. 

They just lost. 

They'd failed. 

- 

hey guys! so i've officially written all of the chapters for this book, i only have about 20 chapters to write for white dwarf of 60 and i was wondering if any of the following fanfic projects catch anyone's fancy:
-captain america: the winter solider. this idea has been in my drafts for probably over a year? i have so much love for it but i haven't planned more than three chapters so it needs a good plan before hand.
-the darkest minds. i legit finished reading the series a few days ago and i'm still in a state of shock. i highly recommend the series and the film is absolutely astounding. liam stewart has my heart and no man could ever live up to his level so a future of loneliness awaits me oops
-the mortal instruments. it would focus more on the book plot since the tv show plot is very wishy washy? like the fuck with nearly all of the story lines? i just can't wrap my head around how bloody awful it is but i can't stop watching. 
-final fantasy xv. literally this game absorbed my life for pretty much half of 2018, and then the last of us and assassins creed odyssey took my attention instead but recently i've been feeling some nostalgia and slowly i'm getting back into it.
-possibly attack on titan.
-stranger things. again its been in my drafts for ages and with the new season coming soon i may have a re watch and plan some fic at the same time.
-fear the walking dead. this is a personal favourite of mine. it already has about 5 prewritten chapters but i never found the motivation to move further on with it so this one is an uncertain one.

these will all hopefully be done at some point (some have more of a plan than others) but i was wondering if there were any in particular that you really want to see. if you want details on them just ask and i'll give you a general idea of what each one would be. and depending on how endgame works out depends on how the second part of this book but the second part of this book is on my to do list. 

anyways i hope everyone has been doing well and that you enjoyed the chapter! see you guys soon,

-thirdwheelchurchill