Ch 92 Battles for the Stones

"Now we'll have to fight the guy I reckon." Tony said as all recovered themselves a bit.

"Yes." Benjamin told him.

The Quinjet flew towards Wakanda, passing through an illusion of trees to get to Wakanda.

"That is always so awesome." Peter said about Wakanda as all drooled.

"Yeah it is." Scott agreed.

T'Challa walked with Okoye, the Dora Milaje and the Kingsguard, with Okoye saying she had not imagined this when he'd said he'd open Wakanda to the rest of the world. He asked what she had and she said Olympics or maybe a Starbucks.

Everyone laughed as Sam said, "Starbucks. Coffee that inspires."

"I think we should get one of those." T'Challa agreed.

"Please do, Your Majesty." Rhodes said.

"I'm sure Wakanda will win all the Olympic events." Clint said and nods followed.

The Quinjet descended as the Avengers walked out, with Bruce asking if she should bow and Rhodes saying he should as T'Challa was a King.

"But I've not seen any bowing so far." A confused Bruce said.

"Rhodes is screwing with you." Loki smirked as Bruce gave him a minor glare while he smirked and the others chuckled.

Steve shook hands with T'Challa, saying he was always thanking him for something when Bruce bowed and Rhodes asked what he was doing. T'Challa said, "We don't do that here." They walked as Rhodes laughed at Bruce.

Everyone laughed as Rhodes said, "Gotcha!"

"You're really in the mood today." Tony said, "Getting back at me. Playing a joke on Bruce."

"That's what happens when you rub off on people." Fury said to him and all laughed.

T'Challa asked how big of an assault they were expecting and Bruce said quite big as Natasha asked how many people they had. T'Challa said they had the Kingsguard, the Border Tribe and the Dora Milaje. He then pointed at someone and Bucky arrived, with his new arm attached while his hair were well-kempt and his beard was shaved. "And a semi-stable 100 year old man." He joked as Steve hugged him and asked how he was doing. He said not bad for the end of the world as Natasha walked up to him and they shared a kiss.

"Reunion of the lovebirds." Hill joked as all laughed.

"You clean up nice." Scott said to Bucky who smirked.

Later, Bruce and Shuri scanned Vision as she said the structure was polymorphic and Bruce said they had to attach each neuron non-sequentially. Shuri asked why they didn't reprogram the synpases as Bruce said they never thought of it while she said they'd have done their best.

"Uhhhhh….we didn't make Vision's body." Bruce said.

"Nope. We didn't." Tony agreed.

"My sister is a teenager but the behavior needs to be improved." T'Challa said and nods followed.

Shuri said one misalignment could cause a cascade of circuit failures but she could do it in time. She needed as long as they could give her when Okoye's beads beeped and she activated them, saying something had entered the upper atmosphere. From the Q-ships above, some dropships flew out.

"They're here." Steve said as all paled.

"We're too late." Vision said, "The Stone needs to be destroyed."

"Shut up!" Wanda said.

"Please stop talking like that." Thor said too.

Bucky, Sam and Rhodes noticed outside as one dropship crashed on the barrier around Wakanda and Bucky groaned how he loved this place. Several others fell outside the barrier as Vision got up and said they needed to destroy the Stone but Natasha told him to get his ass back on the table while Steve told Wanda to blow it to hell once it was extracted and she said she would.

"Hope that works." Pepper said.

"Evacuate the city. Engage all defenses." T'Challa said before looking at Steve, "And get this man a shield."

"A new shield? Finally." Bucky said.

"Yeah, you needed one of those." Natasha agreed.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Steve said gratefully as T'Challa nodded.

At Nidavellir, the pod flew to the rings as Rocket said they were gigantic and they needed something big to yank them lose. "Leave that to me." Thor said as he held the pod with a rope. Rocket was skeptical as Thor started spinning the pod and it gained speed as Rocket fired the engines at Thor's command and it gained more speed, with Thor digging his heels into the rings.

"You're doing it." Hope said as all watched in anticipation.

Rocket pushed the pod to full power as the rings started moving and there was a burst of light as the star began glowing again.

"Nice job, Point Break and Raccoon." Tony said as all clapped for him.

"Thank you." Thor and Odinson said.

Eitri complimented Thor who jumped at pod's windshield and said, "That's Nidavellir." The star shot out a beam of light to where Eitri stood but a part snapped off and the light shut off.

"Damn it!" May said as everyone tensed.

"The mechanism's crippled." Thor realized.

"Thanos covered all his bases." Logan said.

Eitri said the mechanism was crippled and he won't be able to heat the metal with the Iris closed. Thor asked how long it'd take to heat it and Eitri said a few minutes. "I'm gonna hold it open." Thor said.

"NO!" Loki snapped, "That'll kill you."

"Only if I die." Thor said and Odinson chuckled.

"Uhhhh…that's what killing you means." Peter said.

Eitri said that was suicide but Thor countered so was facing Thanos without the ax as he flew towards the star beam. In Wakanda, the army was speeding to the front line on floating ships. Bruce was in the Iron Man Armor: Mark XLVIII, which was another Hulkbuster.

"WHOA!" Bruce said as all were wide-eyed.

"It is pretty ironic." Vision said.

"Yeah, I'm wearing what was supposed to stop Hulk." Bruce said.

Bruce happily said it was like being Hulk without being Hulk when he tripped on a rock and Okoye gave him a look.

"Epic fail." Hill said and all chuckled while Bruce looked sheepish.

Bruce got back up as Rhodes said he had 2 heat signatures breaking through the tree line. Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian were those two.

"They're here." Clint said and all tensed.

The army all leapt off the ships and took positions while T'Challa walked to the front where M'Baku and the Jabbari tribe were chanting. T'Challa shook hands with him and thanked him for standing with them as he called him brother in Xhosa.

"He truly has changed." Tony said as all had respect for M'Baku.

"For the better." Steve added.

Midnight touched the barrier with her blade as Steve, Natasha and T'Challa walked to it. "Where's your other friend?" Natasha asked. "You will pay for his life with yours." Midnight sneered, "Thanos will have that Stone."

"He's dead?" Sam asked, but wasn't convinced.

"Just watch." Benjamin said.

"That's not gonna happen." Steve said. "You are in Wakanda now." T'Challa said, "Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood."

Benjamin, Odinson and Logan winced, knowing Thanos would have dust.

"We have blood to spare." Midnight said as she raised her blade and dropships rumbled. Steve, Natasha and T'Challa returned as Steve and Bucky shared some talk and the dropships opened, with several four-armed white aliens running out.

"What are those?" A horrified Peter asked as all others looked shocked too.

"Outriders." Logan said.

"The berserkers of Thanos' army." Odinson said.

"Shit!" Sam said as all paled.

"This is gonna be something." Wanda muttered.

T'Challa and the Wakandans started chanting 'Yibambe' as Midnight brought down her sword and Outriders rushed them through the trees. They rushed the barrier, trying to pass through but were killed or maimed but they didn't care, shocking everyone.

"Do they not feel pain?" Bucky asked as the others gasped.

"They don't care." Benjamin said.

"Tough sons of guns." Steve said.

Some entered as the Wakandans put on their barriers and fired from their spears, killing some as Bucky put some down with his rifle and Sam flew around, firing with his Steyr SPP pistols and took more down while firing his projectiles as Rhodes dropped bombs from his suit's back, killing many as they exploded while several more swarmed at the barrier.

"They're endless. Like a sea." Natasha said while everyone was pale.

Bruce noticed them circling the barrier and said there would be nothing between them and Vision then. Steve said they needed their attention on them as T'Challa ordered to open North-West section seventeen of the barrier.

"This has gotten worse." Bucky said and all paled.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness." Steve said to him, "For involving Wakanda in this."

"Do not apologize, captain. We would have helped no matter what." T'Challa said.

"This will be the end of Wakanda." M'Baku said. "Then it will be the noblest end in history." Okoye said.

"This will not be our end but his." T'Challa said.

Everyone put down their barriers as T'Challa stepped to the front and shouted, "WAKANDA FOREVER!"

"WAKANDA FOREVER!" Everyone said too.

They charged at the enemy just as a small portion of the barrier opened and Outriders streamed in. Sam and RHoedes were flying up. Steve and T'Challa outran the others and leapt at the Outriders, Steve gutting them with his new shields as T'Challa killed them with his claws and the armies clashed.

"So it begins." Fury whispered.

"Those are the shields?" Clint asked.

"Yeah. Look like those." Steve said, "Different from what I'm used to but thank you."

T'Challa nodded, feeling tense as he anticipated what would happen to his country now.

The battle continued as Steve killed more Outriders with his shield as T'Challa asked Shuri how much longer and she said she had barely begun as she worked on Vision's Stone. T'Challa said she might want to pick up the pace as the fighting continued.

"Do it fast." Wanda begged as all watched with shaky breaths.

At Nidavellir, Thor in the beam of the forge, "Allfathers, give me strength."

"All of it." Loki added, worried for his brother.

"You understand, boy? You're about to take the full force of a star. It'll kill you." Eitri said. "Only if I die." Thor said.

"That's what he meant!" Loki snapped.

"Yes, that's what killing you means." Eitri said.

"See!" Hope said.

Thor held the parts and with all his might, pulled as the beam shot out through him and the mechanism started working.

"You're doing it." Steve said as all watched in anticipation.

"Please don't die." Natasha said.

Thor roared as Eitri told him to hold it and saw the metal melting in fires. Thor roared as the energy burnt him.

"How much power is that?" Tony asked as all watched with wide eyes.

"More than enough to destroy Jupiter." Benjamin said and all of them gasped.

"My God!" Hope said to Thor and Odinson, "You're too powerful."

They simply nodded, watching the recording.

Eitri poured the metal into the mold and started forging as Thor fell down with Rocket flying after him when he bounced off the pod. Groot then looked up from his game, looking worried.

"Finally got your eyes off that thing!" Peter said.

Rocket tried to help Thor and said he was dying as Eitri tore the forge open and asked Groot to help him find the handle, which was missing, because Thor needed the handle.

"Find the handle!" Loki said as all watched with breaths held back.

Groot reached out and growing a hand, wrapped it around the two pieces of the ax, lifting them up and connecting them as the branches intertwined, straightening into a handle. With a roar, he cut off his arm as another started to grow, with the completed ax now falling to the ground.

"Groot finished it!" Steve said as all started clapping.

"Thank you, Groot." Loki whispered.

"Yes, thank you." Thor said too.

"He helped me finish it." Odinson said, still feeling grateful.

The ax started floating as lightning ran through it while Thor's hand twitched, lightning running through it.

"Something big is about to happen." May said as all smirked.

"Oh you have no idea." Logan said with Odinson smirking, waiting for it.

At Wakanda, the battle was going on as Bucky was thrown down by an Outrider and tried to stab it.

"Oh no!" Natasha paled as she held Bucky's hand tightly.

Rhodes was firing at them all, killing many when Cull's hammer smashed him down while Cull and Midnight walked into the barrier.

"Damn it!" Tony said as him, Rhodes and everyone else paled more.

T'Challa was thrown around by several of them as they ganged up on him.

"Your Highness!" May called out as T'Challa was watching with shaky breaths. Was this the end?

Steve tried to hold one back when several ganged up on him, trying to bite while Bruce was knocked down too and yelled there were too many of them.

"Like a sea." Hope said again as all watched, shaking.

"They are gaining on us." Steve sighed.

"Even the Hulkbuster is overpowered." Bruce said.

Everyone watched, almost biting their nails.

Then a beam of light shot down from the heavens, incinerating all the Outriders standing there.

"Oh boy!" Peter said all started getting excited.

Natasha asked, "Is that….?"

"Yup." Odinson said.

"I'm going to love this." Thor said.

"Oh I need to see this too." Loki said.

Stormbreaker flew out of the Bifrost, flying and twirling in the air as lightning ran through it. It killed several scores of Outriders, including the ones that were upon Steve and Bruce. It flew back towards the Bifrost which dissipated as Thor caught it in his hand on return, with Rocket and Groot standing with him.

"YES! YES! YES!" Scott yelled as all started clapping and cheering excitedly.

"GO THOR!" May yelled too.

"You're here." Steve simply said, "We're not dead."

"I won't ever let you all down." Thor promised with a smile.

Odinson winced, knowing he had, but now was not the time to bring it up.

"You look so badass, brother." Loki said as the two laughed.

"Best entrance ever!" Sam clapped.

"Oh yeah! Thanos' army are gonna wish they were never born." Tony smiled as the clapping continued.

"I love this!" Peter said.

"You guys are so screwed now!" Bruce laughed.

Natasha, T'Challa and Steve watched in relief as Bruce retracted his helmet and laughed, "You guys are so screwed now!"

"And I repeated myself." Bruce said and all laughed.

"BRING ME THANOS!" Thor roared as lightning surged through him while Cull and Midnight watched in fear.

"Come on out, Thanos! No point hiding." Bucky said as all clapped more.

"Get this man a Thanos." T'Challa joked and all burst out laughing.

Thor charged and leapt up, Stormbreaker raised as lightning emanated from him and the now darkened skies. He then brought Stormbreaker down on the ground, with the exploding lightning killing more than 100 Outriders as the ground they were on became a smoldering crater.

"How do you like that, huh?" Hope asked as all clapped.

"Not very much." Wanda said.

"We will not go down." T'Challa said firmly.

A portal opened on Titan and Thanos walked out, seeing the remnants of the Q-ship when he saw Strange sitting in front of him who said, "You're much more of a Thanos."

"Now he is here." Tony tensed as Pepper held his hand, knowing he and the others were about to battle Thanos directly.

Thanos realized Maw was dead and said the day extracted a heavy toll and saw the Eye of Agamotto, saying he'd accomplished his mission. "You may regret that. He brought you face to face with a Master of the Mystic Arts." Strange said while Quill was hiding behind scrap metal and Peter was perched above him. Strange knew this was Titan.

"His home turf." Tony said.

Thanos used the Reality Stone to conjure an illusion of Titan in its glory days, with people roaming too, "It was. And it was beautiful. Titan was like most planets. Too many mouths, not enough to go around. And when we faced extinction, I offered a solution." "Genocide." Strange realized. "But random, dispassionate, fair to rich and poor alike." Thanos said.

"Still genocide." Steve sneered as all watched in disgust.

"They called me a madman." Thanos said as the illusion faded, "And what I predicted came to pass." "Congratulations, you're a prophet." Strange said sarcastically. "I'm a survivor." Thanos said. "Who wants to murder trillions." Strange pointed out. "With all six Stones, I could simply snap my fingers. They would all cease to exist. I call that mercy." Thanos said.

"MERCY?!" Thor exploded, "You call universal genocide mercy?!"

"Insane lunatic nutjob." Loki simply said.

"And then what?" Strange asked. "I'd finally rest... and watch the sun rise on a grateful universe." Thanos said.

"You don't get to rest after everything you've done!" Tony snapped angrily.

"The hardest choices require the strongest wills." Thanos said. "I think you'll find our will equal to yours." Strange said as he summoned Tao Mandalas. "Our?" Thanos asked when Tony flew at him from above with a huge chunk of a building, smashing his face just as he activated the Power Stone.

"Another fight." Steve said and all tensed while May tightly grasped Peter in worry and Pepper grasped Tony.

Tony flew off with Quill as Thanos shattered the building with the Power Stone and turned them into bats with the Reality Stone as they chased Tony.

"Goddamnit!" Sam snapped while all watched in anticipation.

Then webbing hit his face as a swinging Peter hit him and Drax sliced at his leg, with Strange arriving in his front via portal. He made and Eldritch sword as the two dueled Thanos who then kicked Drax away and grabbed Strange's sword while removing the webbing. The sword dissipated as Thanos kicked Strange back but he used a Tao Mandala to protect himself.

"Please, do it." Wanda was muttering.

Quill fired at Thanos from behind as Strange conjured platforms for him to jump on. He planted an explosive on Thanos' back and showed him the finger, "Boom!" He then jumped into an inter-dimensional portal Strange had conjured as the explosive exploded and Thanos was stunned.

"Nice plan." Steve smiled, "Very coordinated."

"Star-Lord isn't the worst." Odinson told him.

The Cloak of Levitation wrapped itself on Thanos' left hand on Strange's command to prevent him from closing his fist as Strange conjured portals from which Peter jumped to attack. "Magic!" He said as he jumped into a portal. "More magic!" He said as he jumped out and kneed Thanos before jumping into another. "Magic with a kick!" He said as he kicked Thanos and leapt into another. "Magic with a-" He was cut off as Thanos grabbed him in a chokehold and furiously slammed him to the ground, "Insect."

"No, no, no!" May was saying as she held Peter so tight his knuckles were pale.

"Technically, it's an arachnid." Peter quipped to lighten the tone but it didn't work.

Wanda shuddered, remembering seeing this scene in Benjamin's memory as all watched, tense.

He threw Peter into Strange and ripped the Cloak off as Tony fired missiles at him but he absorbed the flames into the Infinity Gauntlet and fired back at Tony, sending him back as Peter webbed Thanos' hand and swung at him but was smacked down as Thanos ripped the web off.

Everyone watched, shaking and breathing heavily as May and Pepper grasped Peter's and Tony's hands respectively.

Then a Necrocraft rammed into Thanos from behind, sending him down as debris fell upon him. As he got up, Nebula leapt out and punched him.

"Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned." Fury said as all watched, tense.

Thanos greeted her as she said, "You should have killed me." "Would have been a waste of parts!" Thanos snapped.

"Fuck you!" Scott said as all glared at Thanos.

She furiously attacked Thanos with her electric baton, asking where Gamora was when she was kicked away just as Strange conjured dark red metallic bands to restrain Thanos' left fist while Drax kicked his knee, sending him down as Quill threw a gravity mine, restraining his other hand just as Peter webbed his chest and swung in the front. Tony flew down and grabbed his left fist, trying to pull the Infinity Gauntlet out as the binding spell disappeared. Thanos struggled and Peter had to use the legs while Strange opened a portal above Thanos and Mantis jumped down, using her powers to temporarily put him to sleep and told them to be quick as he was very strong. Peter ran up to Tony and both started pulling the Infinity Gauntlet out.

"It's working! It's working! It's working!" Tony said as all started feeling some relief.

"Star-Lord made a good plan." Steve said.

"Pull it out. Pull it out." Hope was saying.

"It's about to be over." Scott said. Once again, the situation had made them forget Vision's fate.

Benjamin, Odinson and Logan were grim again.

Quill stopped in front of Thanos and taunted him, saying this was his plan as Mantis said he was in anguish and he mourned. Quill asked why he was mourning and Nebula said he had gone to Vormir with Gamora and returned while she hadn't. Quill started getting angry as Tony begged him to cool it, "WE ALMOST GOT THIS OFF!"

"Uh-oh." Rhodes said as all paled.

"Please, don't!" Tony begged as all watched with wide eyes. Tony didn't want Quill making the same mistake as him in an infinitely worse situation.

"Asshole. Tell me you didn't do it!" Quill roared as Thanos said, "I had to." Quill snapped, "No you didn't." And then he started hitting Thanos with his blaster, "NO YOU DIDN'T!" Mantis' hold was broken as Tony stopped Quill.

"Shit!" Sam said and all sighed as mood plummeted.

"Why couldn't he control himself?" Scott asked and all found themselves blaming Quill now, feeling disappointed in him.

"It was the only way." Odinson said, "Strange's plan is working out."

"How?" Steve asked.

"Just watch. And don't hate Quill." Benjamin said, "He reacted. Just like any of us."

Everyone found themselves softening on him a bit as Benjamin was right.

Peter almost had it off when Thanos woke up and head-butted Mantis, knocking her out before snatching it back and pushing Peter off.

"NO!" May said as the tension worsened.

Thanos pulled Strange to him and pushed him off before throwing Mantis away as Peter grabbed her and saved her with his legs. He then kicked pushed Tony off and kicked Drax away before knocking the Guardians out with the Power Stone. Tony attacked with a blade he had conjured but was head-butted away as Thanos used the Power Stone to break the moon above and rain down huge chunks of it. Tony flew around to avoid as one hit him while Quill, Drax and Nebula were sent flying around.

"Shit's getting worse." Logan said as everyone's hearts hammered against their chests, hoping that someone beat Thanos.

In Wakanda, Shuri continued the procedure as Wanda looked out. Cull killed some Wakandans when T'Challa leapt at him and punched him, the kinetic energy sending him down.

"Good one!" Hill cheered as T'Challa smirked.

Bucky picked up Rocket and they both fired at several Outriders, killing them. He put Rocket down as he asked, "How much for the gun?" "Not for sale." "Okay, how much for the arm?" Bucky looked at him and walked off as he said, "I'll get that arm."

Everyone chuckled as Bucky said, "Please keep him away from me."

"Will do." Thor said.

Thor killed several Outriders with Stormbreaker as Steve asked, "New haircut?" "I noticed you've copied my beard." Thor said and Steve nodded with a smile.

Everyone chuckled as Thor said, "They do look the same."

"All of us are beard bros." Tony said and more chuckles followed as Steve and Thor groaned.

Groot stabbed Outriders with his elongated hand and lifted them as Thor introduced him and he roared, "I am Groot!" Steve thought he was introducing himself and said, "I am Steve Rogers."

Everyone burst out into hysterical laughter as Steve said, "At least we know each other now."

"He said 'let's fuck them up.'" Odinson said and laughter increased.

Wanda watched from above as the forests shook and five giant spiked wheels burst out from the ground.

"Shit!" Sam said.

"Damn it!" Rhodes said.

"What the fuck?" Tony said.

"What are those?" Hill asked.

"Threshers." Odinson said as the mood tensed more.

"No." T'Challa muttered.

T'Challa ordered everyone to fall back while up above, the flame of decision formed in Wanda's eyes.

"Oh boy!" Clint said as he looked at Wanda.

Natasha and Okoye killed Outriders when the threshers came at them. Then Wanda leapt between them and using her powers, stopped the threshers and crushed scores of Outriders with them.

"That's my girl!" Clint beamed with pride as all cheered.

"Nice one." Bruce said too.

"Thanks." She said.

Wanda looked at the two as Okoye asked, "Why was she up there all this time?"

"To guard- oh no!" Steve said and all paled as it hit them.

"This was their plan." Fury realized.

Midnight told someone to take it and in Glaive snuck into the palace.

"Son of a bitch!" Tony said.

"He was alive after all." Natasha said, "They were planning this."

Glaive fought the guards outside, beating them down as Ayo attacked. Shuri worked faster but Ayo was beaten down so she took out her blasters and fired, fighting Glaive as the table was shattered.

"Sister!" T'Challa yelled in worry as Loki put a hand on his shoulder.

Ayo got back up but both were thrown down as Glaive saw the table empty. Then Vision leapt at him and threw them both out the window as it shattered.

"Oh no!" Sam said.

Sam noticed and told the others as Steve asked someone to get him. Bruce flew up as Wanda said she was on her way when Midnight punched her down and stood over her, "He will die alone and so will you."

"Get your hands off her!" Clint snarled as all glared at her.

"She's not alone." Midnight turned around to see Natasha and Okoye, ready to fight.

"OH yeah!" Tony cheered as all smirked.

"She is screwed." Hill said about Midnight.

Midnight attacked with a roar as Natasha blocked with her baton and Okoye also helped with her spear. Vision was kicked down by Glaive and smacked away by Cull when Bruce flew in the way. Cull grabbed him and they both flew to a distance as Bruce tried to fight but his arm was chopped off while Hulk didn't come out in spite of his begging.

"Why is he not coming out?" Hope asked but Bruce didn't answer.

"That suit doesn't have spares." Tony said and Bruce sighed.

Bruce begged Hulk but his face transformed and roared, "NOOOOOOOO!" Bruce returned to normal and said, "Screw you, you big green asshole! I'll do it myself!"

"Let's see." Tony said.

Bruce punched Cull several times before being thrown down. As Cull was about to land the finishing blow, Bruce attached the severed gauntlet to him and said, "See ya!" He activated it and Cull was sent into the air, with the barrier destroying him.

"YES!" Scott cheered as all clapped.

"I did it!" Bruce said.

"Yes. You did. Good job." Steve smiled.

"Hulk, we got a lot to figure out, pal." Bruce said.

"Yeah we do." Bruce agreed.

Natasha and Okoye continued battling Midnight as a thresher passed above and Midnight beat them both down. Glaive stabbed Vision, "I thought you were a formidable machine. But you'll die, like any man." He retracted glaive as Vision fell down.

"NO!" Wanda said as all tensed, worried for Vision.

Steve then pushed Glaive away and fought him, telling Vision to get out.

Everyone sighed in relief.

Natasha split her baton into two and disarmed Midnight before being punched down. Midnight tried to stab with her blade as Natasha tried to push back. Then Wanda lifted Midnight with mer magic and a thresher ran into her, killing her.

"Ugh!" Bruce said as all looked a bit disgusted.

"Still, she's down." Natasha said.

"Which leaves one." Steve said.

Natasha got up, Midnight's blue blood on her face as she said it was gross.

"It is." Natasha said as all looked a bit disgusted.

Steve fought Glaive and disarmed him but was thrown down as Glaive started choking him when his own glaive burst from his chest and Vision lifted him from behind, killing him.

"Nice one!" Tony said as all cheered.

"Thanks, Vision." Steve said and he nodded.

"Not a problem, Captain." He said.

"Now all four of them are done for." Thor said and smirks followed.

Steve helped Vision and said he'd told him to go as he said, "We don't trade lives, Captain."

Everyone smirked again.

On Titan, Peter saved the Guardians with his webs as Strange flew down to battle Thanos. Strange summoned Tao Mandalas and fired bolts of Eldritch energy at Thanos which he leapt to avoid and fired a blast with the Power Stone. Strange countered by opening the Mirror Dimension in the middle to absorb the beam and pushed it back at him. Thanos destroyed it with the Power Stone's punch and transforming the remnants into a Black Hole, threw it back at Strange. Strange cast a spell and the Black Hole was transmuted into mystical butterflies.

"WHOA!" Peter said as all were awed.

"He is so powerful." Loki said, feeling a bit jealous.

"Thanos is having a hard time." Thor said, "Maybe he can do it."

"I hope so!" Tony said.

Strange then made an army of clones and all restrained Thanos with Eldritch whips.

"He's doing it!" Fury said.

Then Thano activated the Soul and Power Stones, destroying the clones as the real Strange was sent back and his astral form was seen for a second.

"No, no, no!" Scott was yelling as all watched desperately.

Thanos activated the Space and Reality Stones, pulling Strange to him by changing the landscape and held him by the neck, "You're full of tricks, Wizard. Yet you never once used your greatest weapon." He ripped out the Eye of Agamotto and crushed it as nothing was inside, "A fake."

"Where's the real one?" A shocked Tony asked.

"Just watch." Benjamin said.

He tossed Strange away, knocking him out, when a nanotech clamp stopped him from closing his fist and Tony flew down, "You throw another moon at me, and I'm gonna lose it!"

"Now I'm pissed!" Tony said angrily as all watched with anticipation.

"Stark." Thanos said. "You know me?" A shocked Tony asked. "I do." Thanos said, "You're not the only one cursed with knowledge."

"How?" Tony asked as all were shocked, "How does he know me?"

"He found out about you when you thwarted Loki's plan by flying up the nuke." Odinson said as all listened, "He kept up a bit with the happenings on Earth."

"He considered you the biggest threat because of that and because you prepared for him to an absurd degree." Benjamin said, "He feared you."

"You are both futurists." Logan said and Tony was unnerved by the comparison a bit, "Two sides of the same coin."

Tony panted as Pepper held his hand, "He knows me. He has been in my head since 2012."

"My only curse is you." Tony said and fired missiles which Thanos blocked with his Infinity Gauntlet. He flew at Thanos, transforming his feet into the huge jet as he kicked Thanos down before punching him back with conjured battering rams. Thanos ripped off his helmet but another appeared as Thanos punched him back and ripping off the clamp, fired from the Power Stone, with Tony using a shield to block.

"Please don't die." Pepper whispered as she held Tony's hand and all watched with wide eyes, worried for Tony.

Thanos stopped and Tony kicked him and pinned the Gauntlet with a foot clamp before hitting him with battering rams, sending him down. The force was enough to make him bleed a little as he said, "All that for a drop of blood."

"If you can make God bleed, then people will cease to believe in him. And there will be blood in the water. And the Sharks will come." Tony said as all looked at him with respect shining in their eyes while glaring at Thanos. They were the sharks that would devour him.

"You did it." Steve said, "At least you showed he was fallible."

Tony simply nodded as all watched.

Thanos threw him of and started pummeling him before blasting him away with the Power Stone. Tony fired with his reforming suit but Thanos used the Power Stone to block as they fought and Thanos blocked an attack of Tony. Tony formed a dagger and tried to stab but Thanos grabbed his hand and broke it off before stabbing him.

"NO!" Everyone in the room yelled as Pepper held Tony so tight his knuckles were pale.

"I'm here." Tony said, "Relax."

"He's killing you!" Pepper yelled.

Steve clutched his fists angrily, worry for Tony filling him like all others as all glared at Thanos.

"You have my respect Stark." Thanos said, "When I'm done half of humanity will still be alive." As Tony gasped, he said, "I hope they remember you." He pointed the Infinity Gauntlet at Tony.

"NOOOOO!" Pepper yelled, holding Tony's hand tighter.

"DON'T!" Scott yelled at the same time.

"No, no, no." Peter was muttering.

All watched in anticipation.

"STOP!" Strange said as they turned to him, "Spare his life...and I will give you the stone."

Everyone sighed in relief.

"But he said he would choose the Stone over them." May said.

"Things have changed." Logan said.

"No tricks." Thanos said and in spite of Tony's protests, Strange conjured the Time Stone.

"Where was it?" Peter asked.

"He had disguised it as a star of Titan." Odinson revealed to their shock.

Thanos took it and inserted it into the Gauntlet as power surged through him, "One to go."

Wanda held Vision's hand tightly.

Quill fired at Thanos angrily but he escaped via portal as Quill asked, "Where is he? Did we just lose?"

"Yeah." Tony sighed as he looked down while Pepper cradled his head and everyone watched them sadly.

"Why would you do that?" Tony asked Strange. Strange looked at him and said ominously, "We're in the endgame now."

"That's part of the plan?" A shocked Pepper asked.

"Yes." Odinson sighed.

"But how?" Hope asked, "Thanos has caused too much damage."

"Just watch." Logan said.

With heavy hearts, they continued watching.