𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄 — lions den

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 "𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐀?!" Cried the woman whose skin was doused in royal blue. She had practically hopped and skipped over rocks and rubble, bypassing clusters of metal as she pounced at Thanos; landing swiftly on her feet with a snarl pulling at her lips. The weapon in her hand crackled threateningly.

 It was the second time a new arrival had mentioned that name. Quill and his teammates had called and yelled the very same name upon their attack against Emilia, Stephen, Tony and Peter... But now she knew who Gamora was. Though rather begrudgingly, Quill had explained the situation; how the man and his odd little crew had met with Thanos and had suffered at his hand already. How he had aimed his gun at his lover's face, and to his dismay, watched helplessly as Thanos carried her off.

 The blue woman wasn't entertained by Thanos, for he swatted at her just as a man would to a pesky fly. She grunted as she was flung through the air, and Emilia heaved another sigh as she willed herself to continue with her task. Portals opened and closed as swiftly as she could possibly manage. Here and there, her ears caught wind of the words uttered amidst the fight, of the clashing of weapons against the golden gauntlet.

 Then, mere moments after Emilia had continued her assault of flinging anything she possibly could through the dazzling portals, she caught sight of the situation occurring just meters away from her, out of her immediate sight. Stephen was hovering mid-air, Scarlet cloak billowing around him as golden strings — better known as the Eldritch Whips — shot from his trembling hands and tightened around the Titan's left hand; gold-coated fingers becoming rigid as Thanos flexed his hand in an attempt to free himself.

 Drax slid closer, on his knees that scraped against the rubble lying carelessly on the deteriorating ground of Titan. A knife was lodged in his hand, fingers clinging to it in a tight grip as he roared out and slashed at the back of Thanos' knees.

 The Titan buckled, his right leg failing him as it collided with the barren ground.

 Peter Quill — fully equipped with his gun, jet boots and helmet —seized his opportunity to strike. A smile curled at his thinned lips as he lined his shot, and with narrowed eyes, he fired. A gravity mine hurled across the grim planes, it bypassed the dust and grime, and with a thud and a crackle, it landed beside Thanos. Emilia could feel the burst of energy that erupted from the weapon as crackling blue began to curl around Thanos' right — gauntlet free — arm. It rooted the Titan to the ground, struggling against the force.

 Peter Parker flipped over the Titan's head, webs spewing from his wrists with a thwip as they hastily clung to Thanos' body. They stretched and contorted as Peter flung himself around the Titan, doing his best to almost wrap him in webs like an overgrown cocoon. The teenager finally landed upon steady feet, hands coming together to clutch at the webs still connected to his hands; he tugged with all his strength to keep Thanos rooted; the Titan's chest puffed out, struggling against the webs that stuck to him.

 Tony landed on the ground with a heavy clunk, metal whining as his repulsors simmered off. His hands, glossed with hot-rod red and glimmering gold, curled around the gauntlet; holding on for dear life.

 Thanos strained, his back contorting as he roared and tugged with all his might; Peter's feet began to slide closer to the Titan, his grip being far outmatched. He grunted as he willed his arms to pull the webs back, and without a word uttered from the teenager's lips, metallic spider legs erupted from his suit, offering him further footing to keep him planted on the dust-slick ground.

 Emilia watched with trepidation as Stephen summoned his own portal above the shuddering Titan, amber sparks glittered down, raining over them all in a golden flurry. Then, without a noise of protest, Mantis hopped through the portal, legs colliding with Thanos' shoulders as she hastily planted her palms upon his temples.

 That was Emilia's cue. The russet coated rock that trembled by her side, shifting through the air as blue bubbled and twirled around it, fell to the ground and all traces of her abilities faded from sight. Her boots crumbled the small pieces of debris that she landed upon after hopping through the portal.

 Her eyes were locked on the scene, watching as so many people who had known each other for less than an hour came together to fight for their homes and loved ones. How could Thanos possibly believe in his own ideals as he experienced the utter rage and... desperation from those around him. They were willing to do whatever it took to save themselves, the people they loved, and even those they had never spoken to before.

 Emilia snapped out of the stupor as Mantis cried out and used her abilities to worm her way into Thanos' head, putting him to sleep with utmost difficulty.

 Emilia's eyes slipped shut. Long eyelashes brushed against her dust-coated skin and her hands rose into the air. They were shaking, it was obvious without even taking a glance at them; her job in their little play to take out Thanos was to protect them all in the event that their plan failed — their backup. She could create force fields around herself, and around those close to her... But never before had she projected a bubble of protection, never before had she expanded them for more than one or two people at a time. But she was needed, as were the powers that fizzled on her fingertips.

 Mantis was clearly struggling, sweat sheened over her milky skin as she groaned and struggled to keep Thanos under her spell. If he broke free and used the power of the Stones... Hell, even if he used just his own power in such close proximity, someone would be gravely injured and they needed every pair of hands they could possibly get.

 Her skin crawled and her blood boiled. Heat was radiating from her as each and every hair that was settled on her arms, legs and neck stood on end. With a pulse that caused her teeth to clamp together painfully, a shockwave of blue spluttered out of her palms.

 Like snakes coiling through twisted grass, the pulse of powder-blue crawled across the cracked ground, it wrapped around Tony's metal-clad legs, then Peters, then Stephens... Until each and every teammate had a projection of wavering blue shrouding their forms. They were obscured, faces seemingly glitching behind their shields, yet neither of them wavered in their actions.

 Stephen flicked his eyes to her, they narrowed in fondness and his head ever so slightly bobbed. He was beyond proud, to the point where he had to focus on his own features to prevent a smile from curling at his lips amidst their ambush.

 Emilia swallowed. Though pride swelled within her bubbling gut and caressed her body like the silkiest of touches, her face remained tight. The energy that went into projecting such power, the energy that went into maintaining the projections and ensuring that everyone could take a hit was exhausting. Her legs shuddered, ready to collapse and fold. Her arms shook where they hovered. Sweat was beading on her forehead, a stray droplet trailing down her left cheek; collecting blood and dust as it went.

 Thanos was screaming. The yells echoed across the dry and dead fields that had once flourished and thrived. His eyes had turned a milky white as Mantis kept a tight hold on him, antennae glowing.

 "Be quick. He is very strong!" Mantis managed to stutter out, her words full of breath as they mingled with the air. Her palms shifted in place, hands and fingers entirely rigid as she grunted once more and closed her eyes to focus.

 "Parker, help!" Tony yelled out, his mask slipping from his features. Doe-brown eyes had narrowed in frustration as the golden gauntlet beneath his fingers refused to budge from the Titan's garish purple skin, "Get over here. She can't hold him much longer. Let's go."

 All words from the others around Emilia began to merge. It felt as though a tidal wave had crashed over her, luring her head underwater like a siren's song. She was growing faint, and she knew that had her eyes been open, black spots would have clouded her vision. It was surprising just how quickly her energy could drain after stretching her abilities so far in such a short time.

 Emilia's breaths were becoming shallow, rasping against her throat like stone against stone. Her skin was covered in a layer of warm sweat that had begun to bead and tumble to the ground; creating a paste as it mingled with the dust below her. Her skin had almost lost colour, a sickly white cloaked her like snow across a field in a deep bout of winter, and the delicate flesh beneath her eyes — though there was always a light grey settled there showing off the fatigue that often grasped at her — was now almost the colour of wine. Her lips were chapped, stinging with every sharp and heavy intake of air.

 Emilia was certain she could hear Quill talking, his tone filled with anger, yet the words evaded her hearing. A sharp ringing had shot through her brain, as though it were an alarm telling her to cease the protection she offered her teammates. Yet she couldn't. She could do this.

 She could finally protect someone rather than harm them. They needed her for this, for if Thanos broke free, they'd all be in imminent danger. The glowing glare of the stones embedded within the gleaming gauntlet flashed behind her eyes. That was the choice; follow the sound of the alarm and cease her actions, or fear the wrath of the Stones, and protect her lover, newfound allies, and friends.

 The veil of blue became stronger as she solidified her resolve.

 "Asshole! Tell me you didn't do it!" Quill's voice, his words finally broke through the ringing, and it was like a mirror had shattered. She finally became aware of everything happening around her.

 With great difficulty, Emilia finally peeled her eyes open; everything was blurry. Black spots danced across the field, bleeding into one another as they grew and multiplied. She stumbled slightly as she drew her attention to Quill who was now face to face with struggling Thanos. The look upon Peter Quill's face was a mixture that Emilia was well aware of; rage, and utter crippling heartbreak.

 Thanos' words came out slowly, "I had to..." a mere mumble compared to the cries of outrage and despair that made Quill recoil before sauntering up to the Titan once more, fist raised before him.

 His knuckles were a stark, pearly white. The palm of his hands grew a deep red against the pressure, "No you didn't." Quill whispered, eyes filling with tears. He no longer cared about those around him, it was as though he and Thanos were alone, finally confronting one another, and it hadn't gone as planned.

 Like the flip of a switch, Quill roared. He was snarling as he finally launched his hand forth, white knuckles colliding with Thanos' chin. He struck again and again and again, all the while ignoring the cries of protest from Tony. All while seemingly remaining unhearing of Stephen's yells of warning, Peter Parker's pleading, or even Mantis' whimpers as her fingers slowly slipped from her target.

 He remained completely unaware of the bubble around him that had shattered like glass. Emilia slipped. The rage-fuelled punches had felt as though they were aimed at her, as though Quill's knuckles had been wrapping against her skull. The pressure of the force fields had been enough to bring her to her knees, but Quill's assault was the final touch of the falling dominos.

 Emilia was forced backwards, her back and elbows colliding with the uneven ground; sharp rocks digging into her sensitive skin and drawing blood like a pricking needle.

 Then, the white that clouded Thanos' unseeing eyes, vanished. Mantis' hold had fallen; her palms were by her side and no longer securing the Titan beneath her and Peter Quill continued to slam his fists against Thanos' face; entirely unaware, or uncaring, of the results he had already begun to yield.

 Stephen, though his tight grip on the Eldritch Whips never ceased, moved his gaze to Emilia; he had to watch, unmoving, as she gasped from the impact of her fall. As her chest rose and fell with hearty wheezes; her lungs begged for a moment of peace. The energy it had taken to secure each and every one of them within a protective bubble had done enough to weaken her completely; yet somehow as she brought her own lidded eyes to his own, she managed to plant her palms upon the dry earth and lift her body with shaking arms.

 "It's coming! It's coming!" Peter Parker cried out, hope finally lacing his voice as he did his best to tighten the grip he had on the gauntlet whilst keeping the noises around him shut away. He struggled and grunted and his fingers slipped for a moment, "I got it! I got it!"

 But his timing was all too late.

 The glazed over look that swam within Thanos' eyes was wiped away within an instant. He blinked just once before throwing his head backwards, hitting Mantis with all the force he could possibly muster. His fingers twitched as Peter pulled the gauntlet, and with a meagre movement, his hand was fully engulfed by his weapon once more, Stones gleaming at him like a trophy.

 He batted Peter away. He threw Mantis into the grey, dull sky; uncaring as the unconscious woman drifted in the low gravity.

 Emilia watched as Peter, though she merely saw a shining blur in his place, launched webs into the sky. He coiled his arms around Mantis, muttering something unintelligible to her. The ringing was back again, as were the bleeding onyx dots that swam before her eyes. Even as her arms trembled beneath her own weight, even as her palms grew bloody from the stones that snuck into her flesh, she lifted herself to her feet and a hollow breath tumbled from her lips.

 Her skin was sodden, yet somehow it was cold. Every light gust of dust-clad wind made her shiver even despite the heat that blistered within her blood. Emilia stumbled slightly as she brought her body upright and narrowed her eyes, trying her best to get them to finally focus.

 A shimmering pulse of indigo light spewed forth from the gauntlet nestled upon Thanos' fist; with a sick smile, he watched as Drax, Quill, and even the blue woman were forced backwards, tumbling across the ground like toys tossed from a bored child's crib.

 Tony was swatted like a fly; the clang of metal crashing against metal made the throbbing within Emilia's skull flare up once more; she was almost certain her skull was ready to split into a million pieces.

 A trembling hand filled her vision, it was blurry and the motion seemed to lag as her eyes struggled to keep up; yet the blue that dusted her fingertips was always intelligible. For once, the powers that rested within her skin and bones were finally bringing a sense of comfort. The control she held wiped that fear of harming another person; as she stood on knees that threatened to buckle as blue simmered around her skin, she finally felt comforted by what Dormammu had forced upon her.

 She watched through bleary eyes as Stephen conjured a weapon, a sword crafted from Eldritch Magic glinted in his hands, light almost bouncing off his scars. The amber covered him in a limelight. He struck once, twice, three times, yet with each swift movement of the golden weapon, Thanos simply strayed to the side. A smirk was tugging at the Titan's lips, and then he struck.

 Stephen gargled out a yell as he slammed against a rock; the warmth on his forehead alerted him to blood that had begun to ooze from his right brow, trailing to his cerulean eyes.

 It was enough for Emilia to finally get a grasp on a bout of energy. She was the last one within the lion's den, facing Thanos after everybody had been forced back with new and raw wounds to show for their efforts. Her feet stumbled over one another, but her vision was finally clear enough for her to cause the damage around them to drift into the air.

 Rocks, scrap metal, debris; it all came together as Emilia rose her hands into the air. Glaring blue dazzled around each piece of material that was trapped within her hold; it looked like sparks of electricity. A grunt left her lips as she threw her hands forth, feeling the energy that had spurred from Stephen's injuries subside.

 Rock after rock was launched at the Titan, though just as he had done with each strike of Stephens conjured sword, he moved to the side or he'd call upon the Stones in his possession to manipulate her attacks.

 One rock exploded into a cloud of bubbles that drifted into the air, popping as they went. The ragged piece of rusted metal she had shot towards the Titan's neck turned into a burst of butterflies that flew back to her like a swarm of angry bees.

 Thanos was silent. Emilia was silent, bar the heavy breaths that contorted her lungs.

 His head slowly cocked to the side as he surveyed her, watching the crackle of blue that had danced over her palms and fingers slowly die out like embers on a wet log. He was curious, that much was obvious by the gleam in his eyes and the slight tug at the left corner of his lips; yet like themselves, he took no precautions.

 Just as Tony finally decided to join the fray once more, Thanos rose his golden fist and the Space Stone began to shine. A brilliant sapphire blue filled their view, yet the consequences of the stones' use was not something that Emilia, nor Tony could waste time marvelling at.

 The moon that had been hanging high in the sky like a children's mobile was enraptured by the Space Stone, it shattered like a mirror beneath a trembling fist and began to scatter throughout the sky. Pieces of the moon came hurtling towards Titan, slamming into the dry and decrepit ground.

 Tony did his best to soar throughout the sky, growing closer and closer to the ground in an attempt to scoop Emilia up and blast the pair of them away from the assault on the planet, but it was no use. He was struck midair; groaning as his side throbbed.

 Emilia threw her hands up. Usually the action would result in a steady bubble rippling around her body, protecting her from the outside. This time, it was a mere film of blue; thin and fragile; a replica of the very feelings coursing through her skin and bones. The shield couldn't possibly protect her from the onslaught of rocks that rained from the sky like shooting stars.

 A smaller piece bounced off the bubble, leaving it to ripple like a dew-drop slipping onto the surface of a lake. The next collision was far stronger; the bubble burst, a splash of blue erupting around her before finally, everything faded to black, and a pulsating burst of pain erupted from the forefront of her head.

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11-05-2022

don't forget to let me know what you think; and remember that i now require a particular number of comments and feedback before i consider releasing the next part (this is just to ensure people remain engaged and supportive, as well as allowing me to see what you all enjoyed most!)