CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
❝ the endgame ❞
ON THE FRONTLINES, Aster fought like hell.
Since her powers had returned, taking down members of Thanos' army was simple. Bouts of cosmic energy left her palms, blowing the creatures to pieces the moment they inched too close to her or the others. The Avengers fought side by side, stronger than they ever had before.
And despite wanting to stop everyone and greet each blipped Avenger, there was no time for that. Not until they were finished defending Earth.
At least, that was what Aster tried to tell herself.
Fighting right next to Aster, Steve picked Stormbreaker up from the ground. A noise of distaste left Thor's lips and he shook his head. "No, no, give me that. You have the little one," he said, tossing Steve Mjolnir. He then turned and looked Aster up and down, nodding to himself as he watched her blast a Chitauri to pieces using her cosmic energy. "And you... you don't quite need one."
Aster's face scrunched up and she lifted her head to comment on their testosterone-off, but then, she spotted Tony struggling to defend himself across the battlefield. Without another thought, she took off toward him, watching as he was tossed to the ground by Cull Obsidian. Before she could fully panic, Peter appeared behind them, shooting two webs at the creature and pulling him away from Tony.
And right on cue, Scott squished Cull Obsidian under his giant boot.
Aster's steps came to a halt as she watched Peter tug Tony to his feet, rambling excitedly in his face. Aster couldn't hear his words but a smile grew on her face as if he was speaking directly at her.
Then, Tony pulled Peter into his arms. Giving him the same hug he gave Aster when she showed up on his doorstep after five years of missing her.
When the two finally parted, Aster was still standing there, staring from afar. Tony caught her eye first, and an understanding smile pulled at his lips. He patted Peter's arm before pointing past the teenager, right at her.
When Peter's eyes met Aster's, the ground beneath her feet threatened to give out. Her blue eyes grew glossy, though the smile on her face never faltered.
Peter grinned, breathing out a laugh while waving a hand in the air. "Ast! Hey! Holy cow! You will not believe what's been going on. Do you remember when we were in space? And I got all dusty? I must've passed out, Because I woke up, and you were gone. I looked for you but—"
Aster was running forward from the moment he opened his mouth. It felt like decades had passed by the time she was finally right in front of him. Tears had escaped her glossy eyes and slid down her bruised cheeks, making Peter cut himself off and frown. He stepped closer to her, unconsciously placing both hands on her arms to tug her closer. "Hey—"
As much as she loved the sound of his voice, Aster couldn't wait a moment longer. Flinging her arms around his shoulders, Aster pushed herself onto her tip-toes and planted her lips onto his.
The hands that were once on her arms slid down to her waist, one snaking around her lower back to pull her closer. The fronts of Aster and Peter's suits met and the kiss deepened, making Aster smile against his lips. Carding a hand through his brown curls, it suddenly felt like they were the only two in the entire universe.
Reluctantly pulling her lips away from his, Aster giggled at the blush coating Peter's cheeks. She brushed a hand through his hair, fixing the mess she had created. His pupils were blown wide and he was staring at her as if she had hung the moon and the stars herself.
Soaking in the feeling of his arms around her, Aster placed both of her soft palms on his cheeks and smiled up at him. "I love you, too," she finally breathed.
If even possible, Peter looked even more shocked. "You do?"
"You left me before I could say it back, Webs." Aster's smile faltered ever so slightly and the sting of her grief returned. "Don't do that again."
His brown eyes softened and he dipped his head down to kiss her forehead. Aster let her eyes slip shut. "I won't. Never. Because that," he panted, shaking his head in disbelief. Blush crawled over his neck. "That was... nice."
Aster raised a teasing eyebrow. "Just 'nice', Parker?"
Peter's eyes went wide and he incessantly shook his head. "No! No, more than nice, I swear—" When she giggled below him, his eyes narrowed at her and his smile returned. "You're messing with me."
"Of course I am," Aster quietly confirmed, snaking her arms around him and burying her head into his chest. "I've missed messing with you."
A chuckle rumbled through his chest and he held her tightly. Aster could hear his thumping heartbeat under her ear.
The sound of Quill yelling, "Ow! " pulled their attention away from one another. Aster and Peter turned, just in time to watch Gamora kick Quill in the nuts.
Not once, but twice.
"Don't—!" Kick. "Touch—!" Kick. "Me!"
And unlike laughing like she wanted to, Aster couldn't help but stare at her sister with wide blue eyes. She knew from the interaction alone that it wasn't present-day Gamora. It had to have been 2014 Gamora, who didn't know Quill was the man she somehow loved yet.
The hand on her back urged her forward, to which Aster lifted her head. Based on the gentle smile that Peter had on his face, he could sense her hesitance. "She's from the past," Aster quietly mumbled. "Not the Gamora that knows me as well."
"She's your sister, Ast. She's gonna love you at any point in time."
Peter's words gave her the bit of confidence she needed. Squeezing his hand, Aster gave him one last nod before running off. She barely took two steps before spinning on her heel, running back to plant a kiss on his cheek before taking off again.
From the ground, Peter groaned, "You missed the first time... Then you got them both the second time."
With a disgusted look on her face, Gamora glanced over at Nebula, who had since joined her side. "This is the one? Seriously?"
"The choices were him, or a tree."
Nebula caught Aster's eye first. The moment she did, Aster knew it was present-day Nebula. Her expression softened, making 2014 Gamora turn.
When Gamora laid eyes on her little sister, she turned her full attention to the teenager and breathed, "Aster?"
Aster held her breath, nodding once. Just like Peter said, Gamora smiled, walking forward until she was close enough to hold Aster by the biceps. There was a dumbfounded look on her face. "You're so... you're so grown up!"
Pursing her lips, Aster leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Gamora, holding her older sister tightly. Gamora didn't complain, reciprocating the embrace with a soothing hand on the back of Aster's head.
Peeking past Gamora's shoulder, Aster beckoned over an awkward-looking Nebula. "Come on, you're not getting out of this one."
Nebula rolled her eyes, though there was a small smile on her face as she accepted Aster's outstretched arm. Gamora seemed confused at her lack of hesitance, but she didn't complain.
Thanos watched his three daughters embrace from a distance, narrowing his eyes. His two most loyal daughters had been swayed onto the enemy's side. And instead of feeling blame burn in his own chest, he decided to pin that blame on the one who has given him the most issues since the day she was born.
After all, Aster was just like her mother.
───
As time went on, the battle only got more intense.
Aster and Tony gravitated to one another's side, just like they usually did. Swiping her hands through the air, Aster blasted Chitauri with her cosmic energy left and right. She and Tony were working in tandem, trading blasts to keep Thanos' army at bay.
"Cap, what do you want me to do with this damn thing?"
When Clint's frantic voice came through their comms, Aster straightened up, scanning her eyes across the battlefield. She eventually spotted the archer, holding the Gauntlet to his chest as he ran with it.
A beat of silence passed before Steve's voice came through, "Get those stones as far away as possible!"
"No!" Bruce immediately protested Steve's idea. "We need to get them back where they came from."
"No way to get them back," Tony chimed in, twisting around to blast another Chitauri to pieces. "Thanos destroyed the quantum tunnel."
"Hold on!" After Scott spoke, a muffled horn playing the tune La Cucaracha sounded in the distance. "That wasn't our only time machine."
Aster knew exactly what he was talking about. A relieved sigh left her lips. "Scott, did I ever tell you that I love that van?"
"No, I'm pretty sure you told me it was creepy. And ugly."
"It is. Still love it."
A chuckle came through her comm. "Anyone see an ugly, brown van up there?"
Valkyrie, a bounty hunter that Thor had briefly introduced Aster to, flew overhead on her Pegasus. "Yes! But you're not gonna like where it's parked!"
"Scott, how long do you need to get that thing working?" Tony asked.
"Maybe ten minutes."
Aster hurled a few throwing stars in the direction of two Chitauri trying to attack her and Tony. "You work on that. We'll get the stones to you."
"We're on it," Hope, who was Scott's... well, Aster didn't really know what they were, affirmed.
Aster and Tony flew into the air when a group of Sakaarans swarmed them, hovering back to back as they evaluated their next move. Before they could act, Doctor Strange floated in, trapping the Sakaarans with his magic and slamming them through portals he synthesized in the ground.
When the sorcerer landed, so did Aster and Tony. Tony dissolved his faceplate, pointing at Strange as he took a step forward. "Hey. You said one out of 14 million, we win, yeah? Tell me this is it."
Doctor Strange's eyes flickered between the two Avengers. Only for a second. Aster could've sworn that she saw a glint of hesitation pass through his eyes. "If I tell you what happens, it won't happen."
Placing her hands on her hips, Aster took a moment to catch her breath. "You better be right about this, Strange."
An Outrider roared in the distance, making all three of their heads turn. Tony re-activated his faceplate, pointing at Strange once more. "Welcome back, asshole."
Aster rolled her eyes, though a small smile was on her face. Doctor Strange was sporting a similar look, but there was still a grim look in his eyes that Aster forced herself to ignore for the time being.
When Tony took off, Aster splayed her palms out by her sides, launching herself into the air after him. A flurry of blue and silver magic surrounded her as she soared through the air.
Aster flew over Clint, who was struggling to fight Thanos' army off with the Gauntlet in his arms. She twisted mid-air and swooped down, blasting the creatures surrounding him. Landing right in front of Clint, she held her arms out to him and winced at the heavy breaths leaving his lips. "Wanna pass it off?"
Lifting his head, Clint handed it over to her without any hesitation. "Don't have to ask me twice."
Aster peered up at the sky, trying to evaluate her next move. Chitauri had chased her through the air, closing in on her and Clint. He swiped an arrow from the pack strapped to his back, giving her a nod as he readied his bow. "Run. I'll hold them off."
Nodding, Aster held the gauntlet to her chest and took off in the direction of the van. She kept one hand free, blasting anything that dared step in her path.
The terrain beneath her was rocky and unstable, but that didn't stop her. Aster stumbled a few times, but she had her eye on the van, and she wouldn't stop until she reached it.
A double-edged sword came out of nowhere, nearly slicing her head off. Aster slid to her knees and missed it at the last second, staying close to the ground as she watched it boomerang back to Thanos. Pure fury contorted his expression as he snarled at Aster, running at her at full speed as soon as his sword was back in his hands.
Aster wasn't even able to get back to her feet before a cloud of red invaded her vision and Wanda landed in front of her. She felt Wanda's rage and grief boil together, creating a dangerous mix for anyone in her path.
Wanda glanced back at Aster, checking her over with glowing eyes. When Aster gave her a reassuring nod, the Scarlet Witch finally refocused on Thanos, pinning him with a piercing glare. "You took everything from me."
Thanos shifted on his feet. Aster straightened up at the hint of fear in his body language. "I don't even know who you are."
With a tilt of her head, Wanda promised, "You will."
Red magic bled from Wanda's palms as she slowly lifted into the air. Piles of debris on either side of Aster rose with her, making the teenager shuffle back a bit. As soon as Thanos took one step toward them, Wanda hurled the piles at him, crushing him momentarily. She barely even let him recover before hurling blasts of her own energy at him.
Still on her knees, the remaining debris around Aster shifted and rocks suddenly closed in on her body, attempting to tug the Gauntlet away from her tight grip. She saw Maw in the distance with a smirk on his face, twisting his wrist to control the rocks.
Aster gritted her teeth, holding onto the Gauntlet tightly as the debris began to crush her. But before she could panic, a familiar voice yelled, "Hang on! "
A web attached to the gauntlet, yanking Aster out of the pile of debris. As soon as her body was free, Peter caught the brunette, keeping her wrapped in his arms as they landed on the ground.
Aster didn't have time to thank him. She peered around, realizing that they were being swarmed by Chitauri. She pressed herself closer to Peter, keeping the Gauntlet safe between them. "Webs!"
The eye slits in his new suit widened a little. "Activate Instant Kill!"
Robotic Spider Legs popped out of the back of Peter's suit, stabbing any Chitauri that got close enough to him and Aster. Keeping an arm wrapped around Peter, Aster directed her palm at the ground and charged it with cosmic energy, blowing the remaining Chitauri to pieces with the flick of her wrist.
Breathing heavily, Peter turned and made sure all of the Chitauri were gone before loosening his arms. Still, he didn't let go of Aster, just let her back up enough to face him.
She giggled at the stunned expression on his face when he deactivated his mask. "Getting used to the suit yet?"
Peter shook his head, letting out a disbelieving laugh. "I will never get used to that."
A low hum filled the air, making both teenagers look up to where Thanos' ship was floating in the atmosphere. Cannons began spreading across the exterior of the ship, aiming right down at the battlefield.
Dreadful anticipation made Aster's skin itch. She pushed herself away from Peter, raising both hands to point her palms toward the sky. The cannons fired in sync, raining blasts down at both armies.
Aster gritted her teeth and focused on her energy, surrounding those on her team in forcefields. Peter splayed his arms out and his lips parted in shock as blue and silver sparkling energy surrounded him.
When his panicked eyes met hers, Aster nodded to the Gauntlet. "Take that and run! Get to the van, I have to hold these until the cannons stop firing!" she yelled over the sound of the blasts raining down beside them.
Reluctantly, Peter nodded and clutched the Gauntlet to his chest, slowly backing away from her. "O-okay!"
As soon as Peter was out of sight, Pepper's tentative voice came through Aster's comm. "Uh, is anyone else seeing this?"
Aster turned, swearing under her breath when she saw that water was beginning to flood the battlefield. One of the cannons hit the dam, though Doctor Strange was quick to control it with his magic, twisting the water up into a waterspout.
"I got this. I got this!" Aster wasn't sure if Peter knew his comm was on, but she was glad it was. "Okay, I don't got this. Help! Somebody, help!"
Aster rose into the air, still holding the forcefields in place. She scanned the battlefield frantically, trying to spot Peter through the mess of debris and soldiers.
"Hey, Queens, heads up."
By the time Aster found him with her eyes, Steve had already acted. The super-soldier threw Mjolnir for Peter to anchor his web to, pulling him out of the pile of Chitauri that were once attacking him. The web was sliced mid-air by a blast from the cannon that had slipped past Aster's protection, making him free-fall toward the ground.
"Hang on. I got you, kid." Pepper flew down at caught Peter, making Aster's shoulders relax in a moment of relief. She threw him onto Valkyrie's Pegasus, keeping both him and the Gauntlet away from the mess on the ground.
The rain of fire got more intense, forcing Aster to tear her eyes away from Peter. She closed her eyes and directed all the energy she could into spreading her forcefields. The exertion made her limbs ache.
Suddenly, the rain of fire stopped. Aster opened her eyes, squinting in confusion when the cannons all redirected their aim toward the sky. "What the..."
"F.R.I.D.A.Y., what are they firing at?"
At Tony's question, F.R.I.D.A.Y. let out a near excited, "Something just entered the upper atmosphere."
A comet broke through the atmosphere, hurling down straight at the Sanctuary. Aster finally released her forcefields when the comet cut straight through the ship, destroying it once and for all.
She breathed out a laugh when Carol Danvers came out on the other side, flying through the ship once more to make sure it was in pieces. The entire structure crashed into the lake, to which Carol stayed hovering in the air to admire her work.
"Badass," Aster mumbled, flying over to where Carol landed.
Carol turned and spotted Aster, giving her a nod of recognition. There was a small smile on her face. "Starlight."
Attempting to contain her excitement, Aster nodded back. "Captain Marvel."
"Hi."
Aster and Carol turned, finally noticing Peter. He was tucked into a pile of debris, still hugging the Gauntlet to his body. His face was caked with dirt and blood and his eyes were on Carol. "I'm... Peter Parker."
Carol smirked a little, sharing an amused look with Aster. "Hey, Peter Parker." She nodded toward the Gauntlet. "You got something for me?"
Extending an arm, Aster leaned down to help Peter up. Once he was back on his feet, he rested his weight on her for a moment, staring at the army that was charging at the three of them. "I don't know how you're gonna get it through all that," Peter mumbled, making Aster bite her lip to stifle a giggle.
Wanda landed next to them, just as Valkyrie flew in on her Pegasus. "Don't worry," Wanda said.
"She's got help," Okoye assured him, joining their sides.
Pepper landed on one knee in front of Aster. Mantis, Gamora, and Nebula joined them next, followed by Shuri and Hope. The women of the Avengers stood tall together, and in the moment of power, Aster couldn't help but feel her heart ache at the fact that Natasha wasn't with them.
It used to be just them. The only two girls known as heroes to the world. But at that moment, Aster realized that they were no longer alone.
So, Aster held her head high and charged forward. She fought side by side with the strongest women in the universe, feeling the same power and comfort that Natasha used to give her during a battle. She fought with everything she had in her.
Carol took the Gauntlet and began to fly toward the van, which was powered up and ready for the stones. Thanos appeared in front of it, about to intercept Carol. Pepper and Aster rose into the air and shot their respective powers at him before he could. It knocked the Titan off of his feet for a mere moment, but just before Carol could reach the van, he had already hurled his sword straight into the Quantum Realm.
The van exploded in a flash of light, blowing anything in its path back. Aster crossed her forearms over her face and took the brunt of the hit, tumbling back and smacking her head on the ground harshly.
She groaned and rolled over onto her side, blinking the stars from her vision. The world around her spun as she tried to regain a grip on her surroundings, struggling to get to her feet. She heard the sound of conflict in the distance, urging her to get up and steady herself.
By the time Aster had climbed over the crater she was in, she saw Carol on one knee, using all of her power to keep Thanos' fingers from closing. Dread settled in Aster's gut when she saw the Gauntlet sitting snugly on his left hand and all of the stones in their respective places.
Scattered on the ground around them were Tony, Steve, and Thor, all beaten down. Carol nearly had the upper hand, pushing herself up to her feet. She didn't even budge when Thanos tried to headbutt her.
But in a flash, Thanos ripped the Power Stone from the Gauntlet and held it tight in his free fist, using it to punch her away. And with that, he had full power over the gauntlet. Again.
Panic flooded Aster's mind and her knees shook. Not again. This couldn't happen again.
Not too far away, Doctor Strange stood, still holding the water from flooding the battlefield. When Aster laid eyes on him, he was already staring at her.
She waited for him to jump into action and attack Thanos, but he didn't. Instead, he pursed his lips apologetically and held one shaking finger in the air for her to see.
The realization punched Aster right in the lungs.
The van was destroyed. There was no longer any way to send the stones back to where they came from.
There was only one option left.
She was the one in fourteen million chance they had at winning.
So, pushing down the fear that threatened to consume her whole, Aster delicately nodded.
While returning her gaze to Thanos, Aster caught Tony's eye first. He was still lying on the ground, clearly injured. His wide, terrified eyes were on her. Almost like he knew what she was going to try and do.
Pressing her lips together, Aster raised both hands and swirled them in the air, creating a forcefield that surrounded just her and Thanos. Caging them in. Tony's eyes blew wide with panic and he shouted something as he attempted to get to his feet. His words were muffled through the forcefield. Aster made herself look away from him.
Thanos placed the Power Stone back into the Gauntlet, letting out a pained yell at the gamma radiation coursing through his body in response. And with her heart hammering in her chest, Aster lunged forward.
She grabbed his left arm, pulling down on the Gauntlet with every last bit of strength. Thanos snarled at her, backhanding her away in an annoyed manner. She hit the ground again, this time, leaving her hauntingly still.
Thanos stared at his daughter's limp body as he raised his left hand back into the air. "I tried to tell you from the beginning, daughter." He curled his fingers, finally turning away from her and pointing his eyes toward the sky. "I am... inevitable."
But unlike the last time he snapped his fingers, nothing happened. Only a quiet metallic clink. Then, nothing.
Stunned, Thanos twisted his hand, finally coming to the realization that none of the Infinity Stones were where they should be.
Spinning around, the Titan's eyes blew wide. Aster was on her knees and the Infinity Stones were swirling in the air around her. She had her right hand raised, her knuckles splayed forward so that he could watch as each one landed on the back of her hand. The stones were held in place using her powers, and as soon as there were six stones attached to her hand, a surge of energy crackled down her arm.
Electric pain coursed through her body, originating where each stone clung to her skin. Still, Aster tipped her chin up and stared Thanos in the eye, letting out one final shuddering breath. "Well, we... W-we're the Avengers. And I... I am Starlight."
And with that, Aster snapped her fingers, engulfing herself and the battlefield in a blinding flash of white.
AUTHOR'S NOTE!
*nervously laughs*
...hi
for the millionth time, i am so sorry for always hitting you all with a cliffhanger.
this was a LONG chapter, and a lot happened.
peter and aster finally reunited, and it made my heart swoon.
AND THE KISS!!!
i've been waiting to share that scene for a long time, they are just so innocent and cute.
(yes, i am avoiding talking about the ending)
before i even started writing this book, before i even knew what aster and her story would bring, i knew that she would be the one to snap her fingers.
aster has lived her life in fear, she has let thanos control her, and it's about damn time she shows him that he cannot control her.
i'm so proud of her :')
anyways, stick around, there's plenty more to come.
i promise, just trust me on this one!
<3 mal