Black Star: The Legend Begins

ภเ︎𝓷𝓔︎𝐓︎𝓔︎𝓔︎𝓷

THE lid of the Cradle explodes, and Thor is thrown through the air. The android jumps onto the rim of the Cradle, cold fog coming with it. The android, maroon with silver metal highlights, slowly stands up, looking at everyone. Then, without warning, it flies at Thor.

Thor quickly defends himself, throwing the android backwards through the lab window. It almost flies through the tower window too, but stops itself just before it goes outside. The android then hovers a few feet above the ground, examining its reflection in the glass. Steve is poised to attack, but Thor holds out his hand to stop him.

A few moments of silence later, a dark blue outfit appears on the android’s body. It floats down to where everyone is as Pietro runs in to join you as well.

“I am sorry. That was… odd,” the android says. It looks at Thor. “Thank you.”

Thor doesn’t respond, just stares at it. The android stares back. It rolls its shoulders, and a yellow cape appears on its back.

“Thor. You helped create this?” Steve asks.

“You… you didn’t see him charging up the Cradle? The big light show?” you ask, breathing heavily. The pure adrenaline of the past few minutes is catching up to you now.

“I’ve had a vision,” Thor explains. “A whirlpool that sucks in all hope of life, and at its center is that.”

He points to the glowing yellow stone in the center of the android’s forehead. As you stare at it, the yellow seems to grow bigger, brighter, consuming your surroundings. A shock of energy passes through your body, and you feel compelled to touch the stone–

“What? The gem?” Bruce’s voice brings you back to reality.

“It’s the Mind Stone. It’s one of the six Infinity Stones. The greatest power in the universe, unparalleled in its destructive capabilities.”

You catch Wanda’s eye, and for a moment, a secret understanding seems to pass between the two of you. But then something flickers through her eyes, and they ice over before she looks away, her gaze instead focusing on Vision.

"Then why would you bring it here?” Steve asks.

“Because Stark is right.”

“Oh, it’s definitely the end times,” Bruce says.

You giggle at that.

“The Avengers cannot defeat Ultron,” Thor says simply.

“Not alone,” the android adds.

“Why does your Vision sound like JARVIS?” Steve asks.

“We reconfigured JARVIS’s matrix to create something new,” Tony explains.

Steve frowns. “I think I’ve had my fill of new.”

“You think I’m a child of Ultron.”

“You’re not?”

“I am not Ultron. I am not JARVIS. I am… I am.”

“That’s helpful,” you mutter.

Wanda walks up to Vision. “I looked in your head and saw annihilation.”

“Look again,” Vision encourages.

“Her seal of approval means jack to me.” Clint scoffs.

“Their powers, the horrors in our heads, Ultron himself, they all came from the Mind Stone,” Thor says. “And they’re nothing compared to the horrors it can unleash. But with it on our side–”