Chapter 32: The Tide Turns

The Wakandan sky blazed with the light of a thousand explosions as Thanos' forces descended upon the hidden nation. Jake Frost stood atop the palace, his cosmic senses stretched to their limit, tracking the movement of the Infinity Stones.

"They're coming," he said, his voice carrying to the assembled heroes below. "And they're bringing an army."

T'Challa, the Black Panther and king of Wakanda, nodded grimly. "Then let them come. Wakanda has never fallen, and it will not fall today."

As if in response to his words, the barrier surrounding the golden city shimmered and strengthened, a testament to Wakandan technology and resolve.

Jake felt a presence at his side and turned to see Laura, her claws already extended. "Ready for this?" she asked, a hint of worry in her eyes.

He managed a small smile. "As ready as I'll ever be. You?"

"Born ready," she replied with a smirk, but Jake could sense the tension beneath her bravado.

The battle erupted in earnest as Thanos' forces crashed against the barrier. Wakandan warriors, led by the Dora Milaje, formed impenetrable lines of defense. Beside them fought a mix of Avengers and X-Men, a coalition of Earth's mightiest heroes united against a common threat.

Jake soared through the air, unleashing blasts of cosmic-enhanced elemental fury upon the invaders. Below, he caught glimpses of his friends and allies in action. Storm called down lightning from the heavens, while Cyclops' optic blasts cut swathes through the enemy ranks.

But for every enemy they felled, two more seemed to take its place. Jake gritted his teeth, pushing his powers to their limit. He could feel the Infinity Stones, their energies pulsing like distant stars. Thanos was close, and getting closer.

A scream of pain caught his attention, and Jake dove towards the sound. He found Wanda Maximoff surrounded by a group of Chitauri warriors, struggling to maintain her hex shields. Vision lay on the ground nearby, the Mind Stone gleaming in his forehead.

Jake landed hard, sending out a shockwave of ice that froze the Chitauri in their tracks. "You okay?" he asked, helping Wanda to her feet.

She nodded, breathing heavily. "Thanks. But we need to get Vision out of here. If Thanos gets the Mind Stone-"

"I know," Jake cut her off, his mind racing. He could feel the other Stones approaching rapidly. "We're out of time. We need to destroy it."

Wanda's eyes widened in horror. "But that would kill him!"

"And half the universe dies if we don't," Jake said, hating the words even as he spoke them. "Wanda, you're the only one who can do it. Your powers came from the Mind Stone. You can destroy it."

Tears welled in Wanda's eyes as she looked down at Vision. The android met her gaze, understanding and acceptance in his synthetic features. "He's right," Vision said softly. "It's the only way."

As Wanda steeled herself for what she had to do, Jake took to the air once more. He had to buy them time.

The battle raged on all fronts. In the sky, Tony Stark and James Rhodes fought alongside Sam Wilson, keeping the airborne threats at bay. On the ground, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes stood back to back, a whirlwind of shield and metal arm.

Jake spotted Laura fighting alongside Logan, father and daughter a blur of adamantium claws. He allowed himself a moment of pride before diving back into the fray.

But even as they fought with everything they had, Jake could feel the tide turning. Thanos' forces were overwhelming, their numbers seemingly endless. And then, with a crack of displaced air, everything changed.

Thanos himself stepped onto the battlefield, the Infinity Gauntlet gleaming on his massive fist. Four Stones already adorned it – Power, Space, Reality, and Soul.

"Enough," the Titan's voice boomed across the battlefield, freezing friend and foe alike. "You have fought bravely, but futilely. Surrender the Stones, and I will spare your lives."

Jake landed hard, placing himself between Thanos and where he knew Vision and Wanda to be. "Not gonna happen, big guy," he said, drawing on every ounce of his cosmic power.

Thanos regarded him with something almost like curiosity. "Ah, the anomaly. I remember you. Your power is... interesting. But ultimately insignificant."

"We'll see about that," Jake growled, unleashing a blast of cosmic ice and fire.

For a moment, it seemed to have an effect. Thanos staggered back a step, surprise flickering across his face. But then he smiled, and Jake felt his heart sink.

"Impressive," Thanos said, the Reality Stone glowing on the gauntlet. "But reality is mine to command."

The world around Jake twisted and warped. His powers flickered and died, leaving him feeling hollow and vulnerable. He fell to his knees, gasping for breath.

"Jake!" Laura's voice cut through the chaos. She appeared at his side, claws flashing as she faced down the Mad Titan.

Thanos barely spared her a glance. With a casual backhand, he sent Laura flying, her body crashing through several trees before coming to a stop.

"Laura!" Jake cried out, struggling to his feet. But before he could move, he found himself frozen in place, the Space Stone's energy holding him immobile.

"Your tenacity is admirable," Thanos said, striding past Jake towards where Vision lay. "But the end is inevitable."

As if to punctuate his words, a massive explosion rocked the battlefield. Jake turned to see Doctor Strange floating in the air, his hands moving in complex patterns as he wielded the Time Stone against Thanos' forces.

But even as the Sorcerer Supreme rewound time in small pockets, undoing critical blows and saving lives, Jake could see the strain it was taking. And Thanos was still advancing.

In that moment, something shifted in Jake's awareness. The cosmic power that had been suppressed by the Reality Stone surged back, stronger than ever. He could feel the Stones, not just as distant points of energy, but as fundamental aspects of the universe itself.

With a roar of defiance, Jake broke free of the Space Stone's hold. Power coursed through him, raw and primal. He took to the air once more, his body glowing with cosmic energy.

"Enough!" he shouted, his voice carrying an otherworldly resonance. "This ends now!"

Jake brought his hands together, focusing all of his power into a single point. The resulting blast struck Thanos square in the chest, driving the Titan back and cracking the ground beneath his feet.

For a moment, hope surged through the assembled heroes. But Thanos merely laughed, brushing off the attack like it was nothing more than an annoyance.

"You continue to impress, young one," he said, genuine admiration in his voice. "But you cannot hope to wield the power of the cosmos. Not as you are."

Before Jake could respond, a familiar voice cried out in anguish. He turned to see Wanda, her hands outstretched towards Vision, red energy pouring from her fingers. The Mind Stone in Vision's forehead was cracking, splintering under the assault.

"I'm sorry," Wanda sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

With a final burst of energy, the Mind Stone shattered. Vision's synthetic body went limp, the light fading from his eyes.

For a heartbeat, silence fell over the battlefield. Then Thanos roared in fury, the Space Stone flaring to life. In an instant, he was there, looming over Wanda and the fallen Vision.

"You think this changes anything?" he growled, grabbing Wanda by the throat.

With his free hand, Thanos reached out towards Doctor Strange, who had landed nearby. The Sorcerer Supreme tried to resist, but the combined power of four Infinity Stones was too much. The Eye of Agamotto flew open, and the Time Stone soared into Thanos' waiting grasp.

"No!" Jake screamed, diving towards Thanos. But he was too late.

The Time Stone joined its brothers on the gauntlet. Power surged through Thanos, the combined might of five Infinity Stones coursing through his massive frame.

"Time is mine to command," Thanos said, his voice echoing with newfound power.

The Time Stone on his gauntlet glowed green, and before Jake's horrified eyes, Vision's body reformed. The Mind Stone reappeared in his forehead, whole and untouched.

With casual brutality, Thanos tossed Wanda aside and ripped the Stone from Vision's head. The android's body collapsed once more, this time for good.

"No!" Jake screamed, his cosmic powers flaring in response to his anguish.

But it was too late. The Mind Stone joined its brothers on the gauntlet. Thanos now possessed all six Infinity Stones, the complete set glowing with terrible power on his massive fist.

"At last," Thanos said, his voice resonating with the power of creation itself. "The universe shall know balance."

As the Mad Titan raised his gauntleted hand, preparing to snap his fingers and reshape reality itself, Jake felt a moment of pure, crystalline clarity. This was what all his training, all his growth, had been leading to. One final, desperate stand against impossible odds.

With a primal roar, Jake Frost, once a scared mutant kid from New York, now a cosmic-powered guardian of reality, threw himself at Thanos. The fate of the universe hung in the balance, and he would be damned if he didn't give everything he had to tip the scales.

The final battle for existence itself was about to begin.