Chapter 14: Rejoice! The Treacherous King is Dead!
The Other stood in stunned silence.
As one of the few high-intelligence beings among the Chitauri, he had experienced countless battles, large and small. The concept of a "decapitation strike" was nothing new to him. But witnessing Lothar execute one in such a manner—this was a first.
Most assassins moved with utmost caution, doing everything possible to avoid alerting their target. Yet, Lothar had no such reservations.
He cut down every living being in sight, leaving a trail of corpses in his wake.
The path leading to the palace was gradually dyed in blood. The Other, following closely behind, had transitioned from shock to numbness in just five minutes and over a hundred slain palace guards.
Lothar's brutal efficiency shattered The Other's conventional understanding of what it meant to be an assassin. "If no one lives to raise the alarm, then the infiltration was flawless"—suddenly, it made perfect sense.
Truly, a disciple raised by Lord Thanos. His interpretation of "stealth" was nothing short of insightful!
However, just as the royal palace came into view, The Other stepped forward and blocked Lothar's path.
"Hmm?"
Lothar's icy gaze sent an instinctive shiver down The Other's spine, his body urging him to retreat. Summoning all his willpower, The Other bowed deeply, speaking with utmost respect.
"Prince Lothar, allow me to take the lead from here."
"The final stretch of this path is a restricted area," he explained. "I lack the authority to escort you through it unnoticed. However, as a high-ranking official, I do possess clearance to enter the palace and meet with the Chitauri King."
Feeling the need to prove his worth, The Other sought to demonstrate that he wasn't just idly following along—he wanted to leave a good impression on Lothar, the formidable warrior under Thanos' command.
"Does it make a difference?" Lothar flexed his wrist, not sparing The Other a single glance, his eyes locked on the palace ahead. The combat prowess of the Chitauri was, in his view, pitifully weak. Whether or not The Other had clearance was irrelevant.
Either way, he would simply bulldoze through.
"..."
"According to my knowledge, within the Chitauri King's palace, at least three highly powerful mechanical beasts lie dormant. If they are disturbed, the King will escape through a secret passage known only to him. To ensure success, it would be best if I led the way," The Other reasoned, lowering his stance further. He knew his place well.
"Then go on ahead," Lothar flicked his tail, sending The Other stumbling forward. The sudden shift in balance nearly caused him to fall.
"Please follow me, Prince Lothar." Steadying himself, The Other suppressed any resentment and respectfully bowed before leading the way.
As he had promised, Lothar encountered no further resistance upon entering the palace. With The Other's clearance, they strode past the palace guards—semi-mechanical beings programmed for strict adherence to protocol—without raising a single alarm. The assassin and his guide walked unchallenged into the throne room, where the Chitauri King orchestrated his defenses against an ongoing invasion by General Corvus Glaive and Proxima Midnight.
"My King," The Other addressed the figure seated upon the throne, his eyes ablaze with unrestrained fervor and joy. The Chitauri King frowned.
The longing in The Other's gaze was unmistakable. There was no longer any attempt to conceal his hunger for the throne. If the Chitauri King failed to recognize the betrayal now, he no longer deserved his crown.
"So this is him? The so-called King of the Chitauri?"
A cold voice sounded from behind The Other. Lothar, his face impassive, cast aside his black cloak, revealing gleaming silver armor that shimmered with a piercing chill. The sight of it caused the Chitauri King's expression to change drastically.
"Lothar, son of Thanos?!"
"How is this possible?! How did you—?" His words faltered as his gaze locked onto The Other, his once-loyal subject.
"Why? The Other?!"
His voice was hoarse with disbelief. At this critical juncture, when he was forging a brighter future for the Chitauri, why had his most trusted subordinate turned against him?
"You are old, my King. Lord Thanos' power is beyond our ability to resist, yet you foolishly insist on opposing him."
"So you've sided with Thanos?"
"I do this for the survival of our people."
With the plan reaching its final stage, The Other no longer hid his intentions. He turned and knelt before Lothar, pledging his allegiance.
The Chitauri King's face darkened. At his command, the mechanical palace began to dismantle itself. A deafening roar filled the air as three massive floating mechanical beasts emerged, their immense forms blotting out the sky. Razor-sharp fangs gleamed ominously, and their thunderous roars shook the throne room.
These were the King's trump cards, hidden away for dire situations. In his mind, they were more than enough to devour the two intruders—especially with the palace guards still standing outside.
The Other's face twisted with dread.
Why had Lothar not struck first? Why had he allowed the King to unleash his beasts? The Other had warned him!
"Target: Lothar. The Other."
With a wave of the King's hand, a torrent of firepower erupted toward them. Explosions blossomed against Lothar's armor like dazzling fireworks. The mechanical beasts lunged at him, tails whipping as they bared their bloodstained fangs.
"Prince Lothar?!"
The Other kicked away an advancing guard and turned—just in time to witness Lothar being swallowed whole by one of the beasts. His pupils shrank in horror.
It was over. Everything was over.
Panting heavily, The Other lost focus for just a moment—long enough for the Chitauri King to strike him down with his scepter.
"The Other," the King sneered, gripping The Other's jaw. Malicious glee twisted his features. Pressing the glowing blue scepter against his chest, streams of data surged forth, rewriting his internal systems at the King's will.
"You've lost—"
BOOM!
An earth-shattering explosion tore through the hall, the shockwave flinging the unprepared King across the room.
Seizing his chance, The Other scrambled to his feet and, before making his escape, snatched up the King's fallen scepter.
Glancing back, he saw Lothar emerge from the inferno.
The monstrous mechanical beasts, once so terrifying in The Other's eyes, now lay in ruins—each of their massive heads crushed in Lothar's grasp. Jagged scraps of metal rained down amid the burning wreckage.
"Impossible?!"
From where he lay, the Chitauri King stared in disbelief at the figure striding through the flames.
"You are too weak."
Lothar stepped up to the fallen monarch and shook his head disdainfully. With a flick of his crimson tail, he impaled the King's heart.
"Rejoice! The treacherous King is dead!"
Holding the glowing blue scepter, The Other immediately revoked the former King's final order for the army to fight to the death. Then, as the Chitauri high command arrived late to the scene, he dropped to his knees before Lothar, pledging his undying loyalty.
"I, The Other, new King of the Chitauri, swear my allegiance to the great Lothar, son of Thanos!"
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