Avengers: Destiny Arrives

A Dreadful Parting

Dean launched himself into the room, his palms throwing big bursts of light across the floor. The bursts rose up like walls of light, colliding with the Black Order. Ebony Maw raised his hands and a sheet of metal shot up between himself and the light, protecting him from the attack. Proxima Midnight, who had her back to Dean, was not so fortunate. The attack drilled into her back and she was thrown across the room and sent smacking into the wall. Cull Obsidian and Corvus were blinded by the attack.

You were supposed to be away from here, Thor thought as he watched Dean fight. You were supposed to be safe.

Dean advanced and held out his hands as he stood between them and Thor. The light show persisted, gaining strength and fury with every passing second. Thanos held up his hand in an attempt to shield himself. That was when Dean saw it- the blue stone was now glowing brightly. A strange rippling portal opened up before it and the light Dean was firing off was being rapidly absorbed in what appeared to be a black hole on the other side.

Fatality Eclipse took advantage of the reprieve from Dean's light. He drew his whip and slung it in Dean's direction. It wrapped around Dean's ankle and energy pulsed from the weapon. Dean's entire body was flooded with intense pain. His light was instantly snuffed out.

"Master!" Fatality Eclipse called out as he gave a powerful tug, yanking Dean to the floor. Dean landed with a painful thud and was then dragged with alarming speed toward Thanos and the Black Order.

Thor watched from his bondage, angry beyond words at his inability to act. Tears fell and he thrashed helplessly. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

As Dean's body rushed to meet him, Thanos lifted his foot and stomped on Dean's throat, halting his movement. "What have we here?" he asked in a playful voice as he leaned down and looked into Dean's eyes.

Thor gave an agonized growl, unable to speak for the strip of metal that covered his mouth. As Dean lay under Thanos's boot and thrashed in pain, it was as if Thor was watching their entire future being set ablaze. Their wedding. Their family. Their hopes and dreams. All of this was currently laying beneath Thanos's cruel boot, just waiting to be utterly crushed.

"The Inhuman prince who gave Loki, Amora and Acrimon so much grief," Thanos spoke smoothly as he looked down into Dean's face while he struggled to breathe. "Killing you right now should be easy enough," he continued as he started to press his boot harder into Dean's throat.

Don't beg, Dean told himself as he held onto Thanos's boot. Don't let him see you're afraid. The whip was still wrapped around his ankle, exuding a painful surge of power that seized his entire body. A continuous spasm of hurt shot through him.

"Pardon my interruption," Loki spoke smoothly as he approached the group. "But I would caution you to spare the Inhuman Prince's life."

"And why would I do a thing like that?"

"The Reality Stone sought him out once. I believe that is one stone you haven't got," Loki pointed out as he looked at the two Stones on Thanos's gauntlet.

Thanos looked down at Dean and smiled. "Is that so, Inhuman? Did the Reality Stone speak to you?"

Loki ventured forward and chose his words with care. It was strange, he thought, that after all this time he would be attempting to save Thor's Fair One rather than see him dead. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on him. "It inhabited him once. He could be useful in finding it again."

Thanos looked down at Dean and smiled before leaning over and grabbing him by the collar. He removed his foot and Dean gasped for breath as he was lifted up from the ground.