Snakebite | Avengers: Endgame [8]

Chapter 28

"You could not live with your own failure. Where did that bring you? Back to me. I thought by eliminating half of all life...the other half would thrive. But you've shown me...that's impossible. And as long as there are those that remember what was, there will always be those that are unable to accept what can be. They will resist,"

"Yep, we're all kinds of stubborn," Tony said. "I'm thankful. Because now I know what I must do. I will shred this universe down to its last atom. And then, with the stones you've collected for me, create a new one...teeming with life that knows not what it has lost but only what it has been given. A grateful universe," he said. "Born out of blood," Steve pointed out. "They'll never know it. Because you won't be alive to tell them," Thor let out a battlecry, and we attacked.

I kicked off into the air, a shimmer passing over me as I went invisible. I soared over to Thanos, pulling my katana out and aiming for his arm. He caught the blade, tossing it to the side. Tony got knocked far away, Thor and Steve following soon after. I landed in front of him, reappearing as I brandished my katana.

"You think you alone can beat me?" He sneered. "No, but I can try," he swept at me with his blade, but I ducked, avoiding it as my mask formed. "You are weak--useless," he snarled. "Maybe I am. But that won't stop me," I swiped at his arm again, him catching it with his own blade. He grabbed my leg, flinging me into a nearby pile of rubble.

Pain shot up my back, my head throbbing after slamming into some metal. I could see Thanos pressing Stormbreaker into Thor's chest, getting closer and closer to killing him. All of a sudden, Mjolnir started hovering and slammed into the side of Thanos' head, rebounding into the hand of one Captain Steve Rogers. I grinned, proud of my long-time friend. "Hell yeah, Cap!" I shouted, gathering my energy in an attempt to stand back up.

I got to my knees, struggling to stand as Cap's shield was split in half. "In all my years of conquest, violence...it was never personal. But I'll tell you now, what I'm about to do to your stubborn, annoying little planet...I'm going to enjoy it, very, very much," his entire army, thousands if not millions of units appeared. I got to my feet, going to Steve's side as he tightened the strap on his shield. We approached his army, two people standing up to fight for the universe. "You know this is it," I said, coming to a stop next to him.

"Yeah. Don't much care, though," he responded. "Two people against the universe. Who would've thought?" I said. "Ready?" He asked. "Always," I responded. "Hey, Cap, you read me? Cap, it's Sam. Do you hear me? On your left," we turned, seeing an orange portal like Strange's open up.

M'ahni, Okoye, T'Challa, Shuri, and Ch'tasi emerged, pausing a yard away from the portal. I let out a shaky sigh of relief, a look of respect on T'Challa's face. My resolve hardened. I was tired, I was beaten, I was emotionally drained, but I was going to fight. And I was going to fight as hard as I could.

Sam soared out from behind him, hundreds of portals shimmering into existence. Strange floated to the ground, summoning shields, Quill landing beside him and retracting his helmet, Drax and Mantis getting into fighting positions, and Spider-Man swinging in, landing and retracting his helmet. Each one of them had a look of resolve on their face. They were ready to fight with us.

"Yibambe! Yibambe! Yibambe! Yibambe! Yibambe! Yibambe! Yibambe! Yibambe!"

I couldn't help the massive grin on my face. Tanya, Bucky, and Groot emerged, Bucky with his gun raised and Tanya with knives in her hands. Entire armies emerged, one led by a pair of women on pegasi, Wanda landing beside them. Pepper, in Rescue armor, landed in front, her helmet raising. Sorcerers, Ravagers, Warriors, Asgardians, Gods, Kings.

Young and old. Strong and weak. Friends and strangers. Gods and men. Kings and peasants.

"Avengers!" I held out my hand, a metallic sound ringing out as Mjolnir flew to my hand. I exchanged a small glance with Cap, not missing the look of pride on his face. "Assemble," Thor and T'Challa let out battlecries, my mask forming over my face as they did. I kicked off into the air, flying alongside this army. As I did, I realized one thing.

Two lone warriors stood to fight for the universe. And the universe rose to fight by their sides.