.ೃ࿔*:･𝐱𝐱𝐱𝐢𝐱. team effort

𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐒 𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐄𝐃 𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐀𝐋, 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐍. The planet, once vibrant and full of life, now lay in ruins— desolate and silent. The distant creak of the Q-Ship echoed through the stillness. Thanos inhaled deeply, his gaze sweeping over the desolate horizon, his expression unreadable, a mixture of weariness and resolve.

A voice broke the silence. "Oh yeah," it said, dripping with irony. Thanos turned his head towards the source, finding Strange seated on a set of crumbling steps. The sorcerer’s cloak billowed slightly in the breeze, its vibrant colors stark against the landscape. "You're much more of a Thanos," Stephen continued, his voice steady.

Thanos tilted his head slightly, as if considering the remark. "I take it that Maw is dead?" he asked, his tone calm, almost conversational. Stephen gave a single, curt nod, his eyes never leaving Thanos. The Mad Titan began to walk forward, each step measured, deliberate. "This day marks a heavy toll," Thanos remarked, his voice low and thoughtful. "Yet he accomplished his mission."

Stephen’s eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. "You may regret that," he replied, a challenge lacing his tone. "He brought you face-to-face with the master of the mystic arts."

Thanos, unperturbed, met Stephen’s gaze with his own. "Where do you think he brought you?"

"Let me guess," Stephen said finally. "Your home?"

Thanos’s lips curled into a sad, almost nostalgic smile. "It was," he murmured. He lifted his foot, resting it on a piece of rubble, and with a casual flick of his fingers, the Reality Stone activated, transforming the landscape around them. The desolate wasteland was replaced by a vision of Titan as it once was—lush, vibrant, beaming with life. "And it was beautiful," Thanos continued, his voice heavy with the weight of memory. "Titan was like most planets; too many mouths, not enough to go around... And when we faced extinction, I offered a solution."

Stephen's expression twisted into one of disgust. "Genocide?" he spat, his voice dripping with disdain.

"At random," Thanos corrected, his tone unyielding. "Dispassionate, fair. The rich and poor alike. They called me a madman. And what I predicted came to pass."

"Congratulations," Stephen shot back, the sarcasm in his voice sharper now, laced with bitterness. "You're a prophet."

"I'm a survivor," Thanos countered, his voice firm, resolute. The illusion of Titan's former glory faded, replaced once more by the barren wasteland it had become.

"Who wants to murder trillions," Stephen retorted, his tone flat, devoid of emotion, yet his eyes burned with a fierce intensity.

Thanos lifted his right hand, the gauntlet glinting ominously in the dim light. "With all six Stones," he said, his voice steady, as if stating an undeniable truth, "I could simply snap my fingers, and they would all cease to exist. I call that mercy."

Slowly, Stephen rose to his feet, each step down the dusty steps deliberate. "Then what?" Stephen demanded.

Thanos hesitated, his gaze lowering. "I finally rest," he answered, his voice softer now, as if the thought of it brought him some semblance of peace. "Watch the sun rise on a grateful Universe. The hardest choices require the strongest will," he added, his voice laced with conviction.

Stephen’s expression hardened as he narrowed his eyes at Thanos. "I think you'll find," he spat, the intensity in his voice barely contained as he clapped his hands together, conjuring blazing orange shields that crackled with energy. "Our will is equal to yours."

Thanos's head jerked up, his gaze sharpening. "Our?" he echoed, the word heavy with suspicion and dawning realization.

Before Thanos could react, he heard a massive crash above him. He looked up just in time to see a massive piece of wreckage hurtling down toward him, with Tony hovering above. Instinctively, Thanos tried to summon the Power Stone’s energy to shield himself, but he was too late. The wreckage slammed into him with bone-crushing force.

Tony smirked, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "Piece of cake, Quill."

But Quill, who had already activated his helmet and was rocketing towards the fight, wasn't as optimistic. "Yeah, if your goal was to piss him off."

As Tony flew away, the wreckage that had pinned Thanos down began to tremble, glowing with a vibrant purple hue. With a roar, Thanos unleashed the Power Stone’s energy, sending the shattered debris flying. The force of it all was directed straight at Tony.

In the blink of an eye, Peter swung into action. With a swift flick of his wrist, he webbed Thanos’s eyes, temporarily blinding the Titan, and followed up with a powerful kick to his face. The impact forced Thanos to stagger, but his grip on the gauntlet remained unbroken.

Ingrid, who had been waiting for the right moment, hurled the largest fireball she could conjure. The flames blazed with an intense heat, so bright they lit up the darkened landscape. But even these flames, which would have incinerated anyone else, only caused Thanos to lose his footing, sending him stumbling backwards.

Stephen summoned a blade. He aimed for Thanos, but he, though partially blinded, sensed the attack and caught the blade in his hand, crushing it with sheer strength before tearing the webbing from his eyes. With his vision restored, Thanos advanced on Stephen, his movements like a force of nature. Stephen barely had time to summon a shield before Thanos’s boot connected with it, the force of the blow sending Stephen skidding backwards across the dusty ground.

Suddenly, Thanos jerked forward as a volley of plasma bolts hit him from behind. Quill, hovering in the air, had taken the opportunity to unleash a barrage of shots. The blasts caused Thanos to stumble, fury etched on his face. With a snarl, Thanos retaliated, channeling the Power Stone to create spheres of raw energy, which he hurled at Quill.

But Quill was already on the move, darting through the air. As he dodged, Stephen conjured a series of floating steps, ascending quickly as he readied another spell. Quill saw the opening and swooped down, planting an electric mine on Thanos’s back. Quill then disengaged his helmet, a grin spreading across his face as he dove backward into a portal that Stephen had just conjured, flipping Thanos off in the process. "Boom!"

Stephen, now hidden from view, whispered to his cloak, "Do not let him close his fist." The Cloak of Levitation sprang into action, wrapping itself tightly around Thanos’s gauntlet, desperately trying to prevent the Titan from using its terrifying power. At the same moment, the mine on Thanos’s back exploded, the shockwave rippling through the battlefield.

Peter reappeared, launching himself from a portal. "Magic!" he quipped, landing a kick to Thanos’s head. Before Thanos could react, Peter was gone again, only to reappear from another portal. "More magic!" Another kick connected, and Peter vanished once more.

Thanos, reeling from the onslaught, could barely keep track of the attacks. Peter popped out of yet another portal behind him, delivering another blow. "Magic with a kick!" he exclaimed, landing the hit.

Finally, Peter appeared at Thanos’s right side, ready to deliver his next line. "Magic with a—"

But this time, Thanos was ready. With lightning speed, he turned, his massive hand closing around Peter’s throat in a crushing grip. "Insect!" he roared, slamming Peter into the ground with brutal force.

Ingrid knew she had to act. Gathering every ounce of power within her, she unleashed a massive flame, the heat so intense it warped the air around it. The blast struck Thanos square in the chest, sending him flying backward and forcing him to release Peter.

Thanos tore the Cloak of Levitation off his gauntlet with a yank. But before he could activate the gauntlet, a missile struck him, detonating with an explosion. Tony had fired it, the blast sending shockwaves across the battlefield. Thanos roared in fury, raising his fist to manipulate the flames, intending to hurl them back at Tony. Just as the firestorm surged toward him, Ingrid threw herself in front of Tony, her flames colliding with Thanos's. The fiery explosion enveloped them both, but Ingrid's powers shielded them from the worst of it, creating a protective barrier that absorbed the heat.

As the flames died down, Peter swung into action. He latched a web onto Thanos's gauntlet and pulled with all his might, his muscles straining against the Titan's immense strength. But Thanos was unfazed. With a brutal tug, he yanked Peter away.

A ship crashed nearby, sending debris flying. Nebula leapt out, her eyes blazing with fury, gripping an electrified staff in her hand. She landed in front of Thanos, her gaze locked on the Titan.

"Well, well..." Thanos rumbled, a cruel smile tugging at his lips.

Nebula's expression was icy, her voice laced with venom. "You should have killed me."

Thanos's smile twisted into a snarl. "It would've been a waste of parts!"

Nebula didn't hesitate. She charged at him, her sword gleaming as it slashed through the air. Thanos blocked her strike with a swift motion, the force of the impact reverberating through the ground. He batted her weapon aside with a powerful backhand. "Where's Gamora?" Nebula demanded, her voice trembling with desperation.

Thanos's response was a brutal hit that sent her sprawling to the ground, his face contorted with rage.

Stephen conjured glowing energy ropes that shot out and latched onto Thanos’s gauntlet. Thanos struggled against them, trying to pull his hand free, but Drax seized the moment, charging in with a powerful kick to Thanos’s knees. The blow forced Thanos to stumble and kneel, giving Quill an opening to shoot an electric magnet onto the ground beside him, anchoring his other hand down.

Peter swung back into action, creating a web line to hold Thanos back. He activated his spider legs, anchoring himself to the ground to increase his leverage. Stephen, seeing the opportunity, opened a portal above Thanos, from which Mantis dropped down, landing on his shoulders. Without hesitation, she placed her hands on Thanos’s temples, her fingers trembling as she focused her energy on subduing the Titan.

Thanos let out a guttural scream as Mantis strained to put him under, her eyes squeezing shut with the effort. His immense power fought against her, his muscles twitching with resistance, but slowly, his eyes began to roll back, his eyelids fluttering as he succumbed to her influence.

"Is he under? Don’t let up," Tony ordered, his voice urgent as he and Ingrid began to tug at the gauntlet.

"Be quick..." Mantis choked out, her voice trembling with strain. Tears welled up in her jet-black eyes, the effort to hold Thanos under nearly overwhelming her. "He is very strong!"

Tony glanced at Peter, who was still holding the web. "Parker, help! Get over here!" Peter released the web, scrambling over to join Tony and Ingrid.

"We've gotta open his fingers to get it off!" Ingrid shouted, her voice cracking under the pressure.

Quill landed in front of Thanos, breathing heavily, the intensity of the moment etched on his face. "I thought you'd be harder to catch," he muttered. He pointed a finger at Tony. "For the record, this was my plan." There was no response from Thanos, his mind too entranced to register the taunt. "Not so strong now, huh?" Quill sneered, leaning in closer to Thanos, his eyes burning with a mixture of anger and desperation. "Where's Gamora?" he demanded, his voice filled with raw emotion.

Thanos groaned, his voice barely above a whisper, yet filled with a deep, aching sorrow. "My... Gamora...?"

Quill’s eyes narrowed, anger flaring up inside him. "Oh, bull—shit," he spat, leaning even closer to Thanos. "Where is she?"

Mantis's hands trembled against Thanos’s temples, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps as she struggled to maintain her hold. "He is in anguish!" she exclaimed, her voice strained with the effort of keeping Thanos subdued.

"Good," Quill hissed, his face inches from Thanos’s.

Mantis's breathing quickened, her eyes wide with the emotional turmoil radiating from Thanos. "He... he..." she panted, struggling to find the words. "He mourns!"

"What does this monster have to mourn?" Drax asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

Nebula's face paled as the horrifying realization dawned on her. Her voice broke as she whispered, "Gamora..."

Quill whipped around to face her, his expression shifting from anger to bewilderment. "What?"

"He took her to Vormir. He came back with the Soul Stone... but she didn’t."

Quill’s breath hitched, his chest tightening with a mix of rage and sorrow. He turned back to Thanos, his mind spinning.

"Okay, Quill, you gotta cool it right now, understand?" Tony’s voice cut through the tension, laced with urgency. "Don’t, don’t, don’t engage, we’ve almost got this off!" Tony’s voice rose. But Quill wasn’t listening. His eyes were locked on Thanos, his expression a twisted mix of rage and heartbreak.

"Tell me she's lying," Quill demanded, his voice trembling with the intensity of his emotions. He leaned in even closer, his face inches from Thanos's. "Asshole! Tell me you didn’t do it!"

"I... had... to," Thanos murmured, the words barely escaping his lips.

Quill’s face crumpled as tears welled up in his eyes. "No, you didn’t..." he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his pain. "No, you didn’t..." The rage that had been simmering beneath the surface finally erupted as he screamed, "No, you didn’t!" and with a feral cry, he swung his pistol, striking Thanos across the face with brutal force.

"Quill!"