Avengers: Destiny Arrives

A Long Way From Home

Ebony Maw spared a brief glimpse over his shoulder and smirked. Reed Richards was immobilized by the coolant. Which left only the recently-awakened Dr. Strange. He stalked toward him, stopping just a few feet away. Locking eyes with the sorcerer, he reached out with him mind, lifting up dozens of thin, sharp needles. They floated closer to Strange until each tip was just barely touching his body.

Strange looked about, taking notice of the transparent, glass-like structures as they hovered menacingly close to him. He looked back at Ebony Maw and conveyed no fear. This creature wouldn't break him. He wouldn't allow it. The Time Stone was too precious for that.

"I would like to tell you something, Stone-Keeper," Ebony Maw said as he clasped his hands behind his back and began to pace a short distance in front of Strange. "In all the time I've served Thanos, I've never failed him. I am, I would wager, the best of his children. And though he has never told me so, I know he feels this way too."

Strange ignored Ebony Maw's self-promotion, instead focusing on how he would endure the torture tools that surrounded him.

"If I were to reach our rendezvous on Titan with the Time Stone still attached to your vaguely irritating person, there would be judgement. I'm sure you understand my predicament. The concept isn't too complex for your human mind."

The needles closest to Strange's face slowly being to touch his cheekbone. Then with a terribly slow pace, it started to penetrate the skin, digging into him. The tool did not make an actual physical wound. Instead, the pain was purely psychic. The pain was exquisite.

"Now, I know this hurts you," Ebony Maw coldly spoke. "I know the pain is unbearable. And it will be even more unbearable should I proceed with this. I know you'd rather not feel that pain. So, I ask you now...give me the Stone."

Iron Man watched from a hidden alcove above, his helmet retracted. He looked at Strange and listened as Ebony Maw made his threats.

Good. He doesn't have the Stone. Yet.

Then his eyes took in the presence of Reed Richards. The man was frozen in place. Even from his vantage point, Iron Man could see that some sort of coolant had encased him. He quickly scanned the man from afar, noting that his vital signs were still intact. He could be saved from his situation with a quick application of heat. But that would have to wait until Ebony Maw had been dealt with.

A sudden presence snatched at Iron Man's attention. He spun around, taking aim with his palm when he saw that the presence he'd sensed was Strange's Cloak of Levitation. It had tapped him on the arm to gain his attention and now hovered close to him.

"You are a seriously loyal piece of outerwear, aren't you?" he whispered.

That was when a familiar, but dreaded voice spoke from above him. "Yeah, speaking of loyalty," Spider-Man said as he slowly descended via a strand of webbing. He silently dropped to his feet next to Iron Man and raised his hands. "I know what you're about to say. That I shouldn't be here. But listen to me. I was going to go back home. I really was. But it was such a long way down and I just thought about you on the way and I got stuck to the side of the ship."

Iron Man rolled his eyes. "You're right. You shouldn't be here."

"Listen, this suit is ridiculously intuitive. So if anything, it's kind of your fault that I'm here. Sir."

Iron Man shook his head. "This is my fault? My fault that you decided to stick around on the big circle of doom space ship? This is where I don't want you to be, Peter. This isn't Coney Island or field trip. It's a one-way ticket to...to something awful. Something I wanted to protect you from."