Chapter 370: The Flames of Hope
26th April 2015, Wakanda
(Wanda Maximoff POV)
He waved his hand and Wanda froze in the air, gasping for breath, "I was going to plead my father to be merciful, that this useless little primitive rock didn't deserve to be saved by his glorious self. But you have grown too far. I am going to get the stones from your cooling corpse and use them to wipe..."
Before he could continue, his voice stopped as a blade of red energy went through the back of his throat. Slowly, the image of a struggling Wanda disappeared into red mist, and the real Wanda appeared behind him, holding the blade that killed him, "The first lesson my mother told me is to be mindful of my surroundings and never talk in a fight. It's almost always a distraction."
Before she could celebrate though, the earth started to shake, and she heard Reed speaking up, "The battleship is starting. Dozens of ships are getting deployed. They're priming their weapons."
And just like that, Wakanda was being bombarded by energy shots coming from all over the place. The force field protecting them was slowly being overwhelmed. Things did not look good. Damn, Thanos used his own children as a sacrifice to buy himself enough time for an attack that might destroy the very forcefield that protected them.
(Tony Stark POV)
To be perfectly honest, Tony was still uncertain about their chances in this invasion. He trusted Maximoff, the woman had proved herself to be an able commander, and he had to admit that a few of her ideas did work pretty well.
She also scared him shitless. The military forces of Genosha were just fucking terrifying. The simple combination of their endless 'blaster' mutants and the unending number of portals could get them to destroy a city in seconds. Tony knew that if they somehow survive this fight, the US government was going to ask a lot of questions. Genosha had pretty much turned itself into a superpower, and so had Wakanda with its advanced technology and abundant vibranium resources.
Luckily, or maybe unluckily, the chances of survival were already slim, so the chances of there being angry politicians whining about the mutant threat would be negligible, especially since this mutant threat was doing its best to protect the planet from an alien invasion while the rest of humanity cowered in their homes.
Anyway, Wanda Maximoff was proving herself to be an able commander. Thanos' lieutenants were defeated rather easily, and the first few waves of attacks had stopped. Unfortunately, they were still being bombarded by spaceships, and the forcefield surrounding the city was barely holding. It was a miracle that they had even endured that much damage in the first place. Vibranium was even more impressive than he had thought. However, despite their dire situation, their commander just stayed there unconcerned with the attack.
Tony yelled out to her, "What do we do?"
The woman gave him a slight smirk, "We wait."
"Wait for what? For the forcefield to shut down?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered calmly, she then spoke into her communication, "Shuri, drop the power on the forcefield."
"Are you insane?" the billionaire yelled at her.
"I don't know. But you've trusted me this far," Wanda answered.
What the hell? What was a little madness in front of the insanity that is this battle? The general continued, "Sorcerers, conjure shields above us to protect the city directly. The moment Thanos comes down, we can start engaging the next step. Blasters, keep the Chitauri busy."
So, the force field broke immediately. After all, it barely had any power left since Maximoff asked Shuri to cut it down. The golden shields conjured by the sorcerers protected most of the city. It was like a giant web of golden energy with each sorcerer acting like a knot of sorts. Yeah, apparently, sorcery was a thing. Honestly, the billionaire didn't know how to deal with that revelation in particular, but this wasn't the time for him to freak out about his entire beliefs being shaken.
Still, the entire battle didn't seem to change much, only that the ships started to land and release their troops instead of hovering and bombarding the forcefield. The endless barrages of Chitauri were still intercepted by the blasters connected to portals, that is until he arrived. Thanos was beamed down from the battleship in the sky, and the entire battle paused.
The being known as the Mad Titan stood tall and imposing as he materialized on the Wakandan soil. His presence alone sent a chilling wave across the battlefield, causing even the bravest warriors to pause momentarily in awe, and dread. Thanos wore his formidable armor, a menacing blend of dark purples and blacks, intricately designed with sharp edges and menacing spikes that hinted at the ruthless power he possessed.
Tony immediately understood why this man was feared in the entire Galaxy. He looked like a purple Hulk, but he just felt something more. It didn't help that on his right hand, the infamous Infinity Gauntlet that Gamora had told them about, held three Infinity Stones. Apparently, that guy had in his possession half of the ingots of creation. Wasn't that a scary thought? The power of the stones was undeniable, especially as they glowed with an otherworldly brilliance, each one a testament to the immense power Thanos wielded, and the devastation he was capable of unleashing. Reality, Mind, and Soul. What a terrifying combination.
Thanos' gaze was unyielding, the intensity in his eyes reflecting a determination driven by his twisted ideology. Every muscle in his massive frame seemed honed for battle, radiating an aura of strength that was both terrifying, and captivating. As he surveyed the battlefield, his expression revealed an unsettling calmness, as if he had already foreseen the outcome and knew that victory was within his grasp.
He was walking amongst the ashes of his troops, yet he seemed unconcerned with their loss. This was a man that had just sent his own lieutenants, the warriors that he proclaimed to be his children in all but blood, to death. Tony knew instinctively that there was no talking to this man; they would either surrender, destroy him, or be destroyed by him.
From the looks of it, he wasn't the only one getting nervous. The assembled heroes and warriors of Wakanda couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as they faced this indomitable foe. The battle that had raged thus far had been fierce, but with Thanos' arrival, the stakes had been raised to an unimaginable level. What was before was the prelude. They were in the endgame now.
Thanos, his voice carrying an eerie calmness, addressed the stunned warriors before him. His words resonated with a sense of conviction that sent shivers down their spines. He was far away, and he wasn't yelling, yet the defenders of humanity heard him all the same, "You have fought valiantly. I have been in countless battles with much more advanced species, yet none of them ever felled my Black Order this decisively. Yet, for all you have impressed me with your prowess, it is in vain. I am a force of balance, tasked with bringing order to a universe plagued by chaos and overpopulation."
His words carried an air of twisted logic, challenging the very fabric of their beliefs. "You see, your resistance is futile," Thanos continued, a subtle smirk forming on his lips. "No matter how valiantly you fight, how fiercely you defend your world, you cannot defy the natural order. I am the instrument of destiny, and your defiance only serves to prolong the suffering. Embrace your fate, or be crushed beneath the weight of inevitability."
Tony would never admit it, but he was scared out of his mind from the sheer will and conviction the being in front of him just had in his voice. Of course, Maximoff seemed to have a plan, "You may be a lot of things, Thanos, but it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself that what you're doing is correct. But what I noticed about you, most of all, is the fact that you also seem to like the sound of your own voice."
Before the Mad Titan could realize what she had just said, she yelled out, "Black Bolt, you're up!"
Tony had no idea what the hell Black Bolt even was. From the sound of it, it was either a weapon of sorts, or a very powerful mutant. His answer became obvious a second later, when a giant portal opened in front of the giant Battleship that Thanos left in the air, and some kind of sonic attack was fired.
Well, calling it a sonic attack would be an understatement. The air crackled with raw energy that could be felt from thousands of miles down. The sheer force of the attack rippled through the portal towards Thanos' ship. A deafening roar reverberated through the battlefield, shaking the very foundations of Wakanda. The impact was immediate and devastating. The sonic waves tore through the metal hull of the Battleship, causing it to shudder and groan under the immense pressure.
The intensity of Black Bolt's attack grew and resonated with unimaginable power. The portal acted as a conduit, channeling his sonic energy directly at Thanos' ship. The structure began to buckle under the onslaught, cracks spider-webbing across its surface, before the entire ship succumbed to the overwhelming force. With an earth-shaking explosion, it disintegrated into a fiery inferno, engulfing the sky in a tempest of destruction.
Tony watched in awe and trepidation as the battle unfolded. The sheer spectacle of power on display was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. Even Thanos himself looked stupefied, and it looked like Maximoff wasn't done yet either. The woman yelled out, "Danvers, you know what to do."
Immediately after the command was made, a golden beam of energy seemed to go through each remaining spaceship, destroying them immediately. One by one, each of the ships that was previously bombarding the planet were destroyed, stranding Thanos on the face of the planet with no way out.
And, of course, this wasn't it. The moment the ships were destroyed, a veritable burst of portals opened around the entire city. When the lights stopped, the army of Chitauri was surrounded by what seemed like tens of thousands of warriors, wearing some kind of golden armor. In front of Wanda, a beam of light that seemed to refract countless colors, when it disappeared, it revealed the familiar figure of Thor.
But the Asgardian looked different, more serious that he had ever seen before. He had this air of experience and command that he had lacked previously. His hammer was also different, quite larger and seemed to be made of stone for some reason.
Silently, the God of Thunder pointed his hammer in the air, and a bolt of lightning beamed into the sky. As if it was a signal of some sort, the Asgardian army charged towards Thanos' army which seemed to have no way out. The forcefield surrounding Wakanda was also up again.
So, that's what she wanted. She needed Thanos to be on the ground for some reason, and he wouldn't do that as long as the force field was up. And now, the Mad Titan's forces were stuck between an almost impenetrable forcefield and an army of powerful warriors that had stood the test of time for thousands of years, and without any air support since the ships were destroyed.
The only issue is that Thanos was supposedly powerful enough to be a threat on his own, especially if the power of the Infinity Stones were as strong as they should be. Maximoff seemed to answer his unasked question immediately and spoke up, "Fire the Etherion Cannon."
A portal shimmered above Thanos and a giant beam of energy fell down on him. All of this happened in less than twenty seconds in total. Seriously, it was a pretty good plan. He only hoped that the Etherion cannon would be enough to defeat the monstrous being in front of them.
By the way, I decided to change up the upload schedule a bit. From now on, I will post two or three chapters a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
If you want to support me, check out my Patreon. I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.
Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.
Chapter 370: The Flames of Hope
26th April 2015, Wakanda
(Wanda Maximoff POV)
He waved his hand and Wanda froze in the air, gasping for breath, "I was going to plead my father to be merciful, that this useless little primitive rock didn't deserve to be saved by his glorious self. But you have grown too far. I am going to get the stones from your cooling corpse and use them to wipe..."
Before he could continue, his voice stopped as a blade of red energy went through the back of his throat. Slowly, the image of a struggling Wanda disappeared into red mist, and the real Wanda appeared behind him, holding the blade that killed him, "The first lesson my mother told me is to be mindful of my surroundings and never talk in a fight. It's almost always a distraction."
Before she could celebrate though, the earth started to shake, and she heard Reed speaking up, "The battleship is starting. Dozens of ships are getting deployed. They're priming their weapons."
And just like that, Wakanda was being bombarded by energy shots coming from all over the place. The force field protecting them was slowly being overwhelmed. Things did not look good. Damn, Thanos used his own children as a sacrifice to buy himself enough time for an attack that might destroy the very forcefield that protected them.
(Tony Stark POV)
To be perfectly honest, Tony was still uncertain about their chances in this invasion. He trusted Maximoff, the woman had proved herself to be an able commander, and he had to admit that a few of her ideas did work pretty well.
She also scared him shitless. The military forces of Genosha were just fucking terrifying. The simple combination of their endless 'blaster' mutants and the unending number of portals could get them to destroy a city in seconds. Tony knew that if they somehow survive this fight, the US government was going to ask a lot of questions. Genosha had pretty much turned itself into a superpower, and so had Wakanda with its advanced technology and abundant vibranium resources.
Luckily, or maybe unluckily, the chances of survival were already slim, so the chances of there being angry politicians whining about the mutant threat would be negligible, especially since this mutant threat was doing its best to protect the planet from an alien invasion while the rest of humanity cowered in their homes.
Anyway, Wanda Maximoff was proving herself to be an able commander. Thanos' lieutenants were defeated rather easily, and the first few waves of attacks had stopped. Unfortunately, they were still being bombarded by spaceships, and the forcefield surrounding the city was barely holding. It was a miracle that they had even endured that much damage in the first place. Vibranium was even more impressive than he had thought. However, despite their dire situation, their commander just stayed there unconcerned with the attack.
Tony yelled out to her, "What do we do?"
The woman gave him a slight smirk, "We wait."
"Wait for what? For the forcefield to shut down?" he asked.
"Yes," she answered calmly, she then spoke into her communication, "Shuri, drop the power on the forcefield."
"Are you insane?" the billionaire yelled at her.
"I don't know. But you've trusted me this far," Wanda answered.
What the hell? What was a little madness in front of the insanity that is this battle? The general continued, "Sorcerers, conjure shields above us to protect the city directly. The moment Thanos comes down, we can start engaging the next step. Blasters, keep the Chitauri busy."
So, the force field broke immediately. After all, it barely had any power left since Maximoff asked Shuri to cut it down. The golden shields conjured by the sorcerers protected most of the city. It was like a giant web of golden energy with each sorcerer acting like a knot of sorts. Yeah, apparently, sorcery was a thing. Honestly, the billionaire didn't know how to deal with that revelation in particular, but this wasn't the time for him to freak out about his entire beliefs being shaken.
Still, the entire battle didn't seem to change much, only that the ships started to land and release their troops instead of hovering and bombarding the forcefield. The endless barrages of Chitauri were still intercepted by the blasters connected to portals, that is until he arrived. Thanos was beamed down from the battleship in the sky, and the entire battle paused.
The being known as the Mad Titan stood tall and imposing as he materialized on the Wakandan soil. His presence alone sent a chilling wave across the battlefield, causing even the bravest warriors to pause momentarily in awe, and dread. Thanos wore his formidable armor, a menacing blend of dark purples and blacks, intricately designed with sharp edges and menacing spikes that hinted at the ruthless power he possessed.
Tony immediately understood why this man was feared in the entire Galaxy. He looked like a purple Hulk, but he just felt something more. It didn't help that on his right hand, the infamous Infinity Gauntlet that Gamora had told them about, held three Infinity Stones. Apparently, that guy had in his possession half of the ingots of creation. Wasn't that a scary thought? The power of the stones was undeniable, especially as they glowed with an otherworldly brilliance, each one a testament to the immense power Thanos wielded, and the devastation he was capable of unleashing. Reality, Mind, and Soul. What a terrifying combination.
Thanos' gaze was unyielding, the intensity in his eyes reflecting a determination driven by his twisted ideology. Every muscle in his massive frame seemed honed for battle, radiating an aura of strength that was both terrifying, and captivating. As he surveyed the battlefield, his expression revealed an unsettling calmness, as if he had already foreseen the outcome and knew that victory was within his grasp.
He was walking amongst the ashes of his troops, yet he seemed unconcerned with their loss. This was a man that had just sent his own lieutenants, the warriors that he proclaimed to be his children in all but blood, to death. Tony knew instinctively that there was no talking to this man; they would either surrender, destroy him, or be destroyed by him.
From the looks of it, he wasn't the only one getting nervous. The assembled heroes and warriors of Wakanda couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding as they faced this indomitable foe. The battle that had raged thus far had been fierce, but with Thanos' arrival, the stakes had been raised to an unimaginable level. What was before was the prelude. They were in the endgame now.
Thanos, his voice carrying an eerie calmness, addressed the stunned warriors before him. His words resonated with a sense of conviction that sent shivers down their spines. He was far away, and he wasn't yelling, yet the defenders of humanity heard him all the same, "You have fought valiantly. I have been in countless battles with much more advanced species, yet none of them ever felled my Black Order this decisively. Yet, for all you have impressed me with your prowess, it is in vain. I am a force of balance, tasked with bringing order to a universe plagued by chaos and overpopulation."
His words carried an air of twisted logic, challenging the very fabric of their beliefs. "You see, your resistance is futile," Thanos continued, a subtle smirk forming on his lips. "No matter how valiantly you fight, how fiercely you defend your world, you cannot defy the natural order. I am the instrument of destiny, and your defiance only serves to prolong the suffering. Embrace your fate, or be crushed beneath the weight of inevitability."
Tony would never admit it, but he was scared out of his mind from the sheer will and conviction the being in front of him just had in his voice. Of course, Maximoff seemed to have a plan, "You may be a lot of things, Thanos, but it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself that what you're doing is correct. But what I noticed about you, most of all, is the fact that you also seem to like the sound of your own voice."
Before the Mad Titan could realize what she had just said, she yelled out, "Black Bolt, you're up!"
Tony had no idea what the hell Black Bolt even was. From the sound of it, it was either a weapon of sorts, or a very powerful mutant. His answer became obvious a second later, when a giant portal opened in front of the giant Battleship that Thanos left in the air, and some kind of sonic attack was fired.
Well, calling it a sonic attack would be an understatement. The air crackled with raw energy that could be felt from thousands of miles down. The sheer force of the attack rippled through the portal towards Thanos' ship. A deafening roar reverberated through the battlefield, shaking the very foundations of Wakanda. The impact was immediate and devastating. The sonic waves tore through the metal hull of the Battleship, causing it to shudder and groan under the immense pressure.
The intensity of Black Bolt's attack grew and resonated with unimaginable power. The portal acted as a conduit, channeling his sonic energy directly at Thanos' ship. The structure began to buckle under the onslaught, cracks spider-webbing across its surface, before the entire ship succumbed to the overwhelming force. With an earth-shaking explosion, it disintegrated into a fiery inferno, engulfing the sky in a tempest of destruction.
Tony watched in awe and trepidation as the battle unfolded. The sheer spectacle of power on display was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. Even Thanos himself looked stupefied, and it looked like Maximoff wasn't done yet either. The woman yelled out, "Danvers, you know what to do."
Immediately after the command was made, a golden beam of energy seemed to go through each remaining spaceship, destroying them immediately. One by one, each of the ships that was previously bombarding the planet were destroyed, stranding Thanos on the face of the planet with no way out.
And, of course, this wasn't it. The moment the ships were destroyed, a veritable burst of portals opened around the entire city. When the lights stopped, the army of Chitauri was surrounded by what seemed like tens of thousands of warriors, wearing some kind of golden armor. In front of Wanda, a beam of light that seemed to refract countless colors, when it disappeared, it revealed the familiar figure of Thor.
But the Asgardian looked different, more serious that he had ever seen before. He had this air of experience and command that he had lacked previously. His hammer was also different, quite larger and seemed to be made of stone for some reason.
Silently, the God of Thunder pointed his hammer in the air, and a bolt of lightning beamed into the sky. As if it was a signal of some sort, the Asgardian army charged towards Thanos' army which seemed to have no way out. The forcefield surrounding Wakanda was also up again.
So, that's what she wanted. She needed Thanos to be on the ground for some reason, and he wouldn't do that as long as the force field was up. And now, the Mad Titan's forces were stuck between an almost impenetrable forcefield and an army of powerful warriors that had stood the test of time for thousands of years, and without any air support since the ships were destroyed.
The only issue is that Thanos was supposedly powerful enough to be a threat on his own, especially if the power of the Infinity Stones were as strong as they should be. Maximoff seemed to answer his unasked question immediately and spoke up, "Fire the Etherion Cannon."
A portal shimmered above Thanos and a giant beam of energy fell down on him. All of this happened in less than twenty seconds in total. Seriously, it was a pretty good plan. He only hoped that the Etherion cannon would be enough to defeat the monstrous being in front of them.
By the way, I decided to change up the upload schedule a bit. From now on, I will post two or three chapters a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
If you want to support me, check out my Patreon. I tend to upload drafts of early chapters on there to get people's opinions of them so you can read up to 20 chapters ahead as a bonus.
Thank you guys for your support in these hard times.
