Age Of Miracles | Pietro Maximoff

Chapter Forty-Eight: That's The Endgame

Music is "End Credits" by Alan Silvestri from the Avengers: Infinity War OST.

Picture is Birnin Zana, capital of Wakanda.

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"Anyone remember when I carried a nuke through a wormhole? Saved New York? Recall that? A hostile alien army came charging through a hole in space...We're standing three-hundred feet below it! We're the Avengers. We can bust arms dealers all the live-long day, but that up there? That's...That's the endgame. How were you guys planning on beating that?"

"Together."

"We'll lose."

"Then we'll do that together, too."

- Tony Stark & Steve Rogers, Iron-Man and Captain America

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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

The Earth around us shakes as the remaining Chitauri Elite and outriders amass around Thanos. In the ashes a few meters away, I see the remaining figures of Corvus Glaive and Black Dwarf. Somehow they've survived the crash of the Sanctuary. They don't look happy about the destruction of the place they probably called home.

I shake my cracked Gauntlet as the armies of the Mad Titan surround us. Whatever control he has over them is barely holding. The Chitauri arm themselves with weapons much more dangerous than their previous versions. They look to Corvus as their general, but he holds out a hand to stop them from advancing. The outriders scratch and wail at us, seemingly held back by their master. If they could break through, they'd tear Killbane and me apart. In our injured state, we would be nothing but a snack.

Thanos steps closer to us, smiling because he knows he's a snap of his fingers away from winning. However, I don't think he wants to kill us with the Gauntlet. Not all at once, at least. He wants us to pay, to burn and suffer, for killing Death. He wants us to fall to our knees and beg for the same.

"I've won," he says, almost relieved. "It would be wise to surrender peacefully, Gloria Maximoff. Maybe then some of your species can be spared."

I scoff, leaning over Killbane's bleeding body in defiant protection. "If there's one hallmark of humanity, it's that we don't go gentle into that good night. We rage against the dying of the light."

"Dylan Thomas," Thanos nods, knowing the familiar lines.

"You a fan?" Killbane sputters, sarcastically.

Thanos turns to him with a scowl.

"We'll never give up!" I shout, turning to look around us. We're surrounded by the most ravenous creatures ever known, led by the most dangerous men of all time and space. I don't know where we are or if help is on its way. My friends--my family--they may already be dead.

Yet still, I remain.

"I would rather die on my feet--fighting you--than live for even a moment on my knees," I growl at the Titan, taking a stand. Killbane slowly pulls himself up as well, wincing at the pain. We stand side-by-side, willing to die right then and there. "Death is only the end if you assume the story is about you. I happen to know for a fact that I'm just a character."

Thanos raises the Gauntlet towards me, and the armies around us start cheering--in an animalistic, screeching sort of way. "All I wanted was Death. That was all. And you took that from me."