UNANSWERED QUESTIONS HALTS THE PAIN

Locusta grunted, her body landing harshly on the floor with a thud. It felt like now all of the pain that had built up over the war - the burning in her veins had grown from an ember into an inferno, the slice across her stomach and her aching back. Her physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional torture. 

As each second passed, the more likely it seemed that the madman would win. 

She twisted onto her side. Thanos had now made it closer to Wanda, her body twisted away from him as she poured her energy in destroying the Mind Stone, and the love of her life along with it. 

It finally reached a crescendo. 

An almighty crack could be heard in the clearing. Vision's face fell into an expression of joyful peace, slacking as the crystal fragmented fully. A yellow energy pulse exploded from it, shuddering the trees all around them. 

Wanda's red energy disappeared. 

Locusta stared at where Vision's body was slumped. That peace still resonated in his dead features, making Locusta have to turn away. The stone had been destroyed, they were one step closer to victory. 

Locusta's eyes scanned the area. It took in Bruce still absorbed in the wall, with all the heroes collapsed on the floor. Even with all of their fighting, Thanos stood tall. 

She imagined victory would feel a lot different than this. 

Thanos took a step closer to Wanda. "I understand, my child. Better than anyone." 

Wanda's tear streaked face twisted into a snarl. "You could never." 

His hand reached down to stroke her hair, his hand grazing the air just in front of it. Locusta kept her eyes trained on the interaction, her curiosity piqued. If this was Thanos' defeat, or at least a step in weakening him, surely he would be more angry? 

"Today, I lost more than you can know. But now is no time to mourn. Now is no time at all." 

Locusta's eyes darted to the gauntlet. There, nestled within the glove, was the glowing green stone that would reverse all of their hard work. All of the bruises and cuts and blood and death would be for nothing. 

She was right when she believed it didn't feel like a victory - it was because it wasn't a victory at all. It was their defeat they were experiencing, not the downfall of Thanos. 

Thanos clenched his armoured hand, his hands moving in a pattern too familiar to Locusta's watchful eyes. 

It was the pattern Strange made when he used the stone. 

Realisation hit her like a truck. The Strange from her reality, and this one, must both be dead. 

Stephen Strange no longer ceased to exist in her life. 

She could feel herself falling apart at the thought. The man who mentored them, who taught them and trained them to be who they were today, was forever erased from their lives. No more re-dos, no more second chances. 

They had failed. Again. 

A scream ripped out of her throat. Before her eyes, Vision was coming back to life. His body was gaining it's ability and his eyes drifted open. The android was alive. 

Not for long.

Wanda screamed out, reaching for her love. She was swatted away by Thanos, his hands already grabbing a hold of Vision. Vision struggled in his grip, legs kicking out against the titan. It was all futile, the terrifying thought becoming clearer as he dug his fingers into Vision's head. A roar of pain emitted from Vision's mouth, it being cut short as the stone was pulled loose from his head. Vision went limp in Thanos' grip, his body losing the bright colours that once caught the eye. 

Thanos tossed Vision aside. It was a careless action, one of someone who saw Vision as a pawn in a game. Now he had served his purpose, he could be sacrificed. 

Thanos brought his gloved hand up to the light. He flexed his fingers, admiring the way the gauntlet looked on his hand as he moved the Mind Stone towards the remaining empty setting. Locusta held her breath.

The blast of energy was possessive. It attacked Thanos' body, static wrapping itself around his torso. He bellowed at the feeling. As much as Locusta hated to admit it, she smiled at the sound. If they couldn't win, they could at least inflict pain. It was the least the monster deserved. 

Thanos twisted and turned his hand in the light. His eyes were hungrily eating up the sight, making bile rise up in Locusta's throat. The horrors he could inflict with the whole power of gauntlet sent goosebumps down her spine. She would've been better off dying with Strange back in her home reality, rather than see the aftermath. 

Out of nowhere, a giant bolt of lightning struck down Thanos. Thanos was pushed back from the impact, stumbling a few steps back. He lifted his hand to look up at where the strike had come from, Locusta's eyes following him. 

She nearly cried with joy. 

One of the strangers Octavian arrived with could be clearly seen in the sky, power radiating off of him. He stooped down like a bird hunting it's prey, pausing momentarily to raise his axe over his head and launch it. Thanos noted the incoming attack, using the full force of the gauntlet against it. 

The axe simply slammed straight past the stream, slamming into Thanos' chest. 

The man landed on the ground. Now that she could see him without being distracted by the reunion of her friend, or being blinded by the sun, she gasped. Thor, the god of thunder, knelt in front of a gasping Thanos. 

"I told you. You'd die for that!" Locusta thought solemnly back to the slaughter of the Asguardians. She guessed they weren't safe in this reality either. They were destined to be a dying species. 

Thor took a hold of the back of Thanos' head, pushing his axe deeper into Thanos' chest. He stared directly into the titans eyes as he did so, his face indifferent to the pained cries Thanos gave out. Locusta almost encouraged him to push harder - she glued her lips shut. 

"You should've..." Thanos weakly muttered. Suddenly, his voice grew stronger. It had been a facade all along. "You should've gone for the head." 

Thanos raised his gloved hand. He snapped his fingers. 

"No!" Thor screamed, just hands still pushing down on the axe. 

Locusta's eyes danced down to the gauntlet. The metal was scorched, melted from sudden heat. The infinity stones weren't glowing. 

She couldn't find the ability to lift her body off of the ground. She was frozen in place. Always she had questioned what would happen if Thanos got all of the stones. Now, those questions were about to be answered. 

Some questions are better left unanswered. 

"What did you do?" Thor demanded angrily, a vein popping out of his forehead. 

It was like Thanos was in a delirious state. He didn't notice Thor's demands, merely creating a portal and teleporting away. His body disappeared into the portal. All he left behind was the axe. 

Steve stumbled into the clearing, his hand clutching at his left side. He turned to Thor, frantic. "Where'd he go? Thor, where did he go?" 

Just behind the super solider, his friend uttered one word. "Steve?" 

Locusta watched as Bucky stumbled over, collapsing into ashes. Her jaw went slack. She couldn't tear her gaze from where he fell, his body nowhere to be found. 

Her eyes went wide. 

"Curio! Octavian!" She forced herself onto her feet, pushing the pain aside. Agony lit up her every nerve - none of it mattered. 

Her last tie to her old home may be gone. 

She repeated their names again, voice cracking. 

She couldn't lose them. Not them too.

-

hey guys! only 3 chapters to go, then bonus features!

see you guys soon!  

-thirdwheelchurchill