Chasing the tesseract

Chapter 66

"Why did you bring me here?" I ask coldly, turning to face my fathers, well if I can really call him that, unwelcoming eyes as I greet him upon a small, deserted planet. Purple rocks and dust coat the planets surface, the unnaturally orange sun dipping just below the edge of the planet as light fades from view.

"You shall see my child." Thanos answers, grabbing me by the sleeve before leading me towards a tall tower of rocks that stands behind him. The mountain stands high, higher than any skyscraper would ever stand back home. Intricate patterns lie upon the stone, pattern that seem to narrate in some language unrecognisable to me as we make our way to the top.

Once we reach it, a deep voice booms out in the silence, starting even my father and causing him to cease in his tracks. "Welcome Thanos, son of A'lars." voices the looming figure as it floats from within the darkness. "And welcome Abi. Daughter of Howard Stark."

Thanos tightens his grasp on me pushing me forwards almost like I'm a human shield. Great to know he has his fatherly protectiveness on high alert. "You know us?" He asks cautiously as the figure grows close enough for us to make out his features. Where skin should lie, red flesh greets our eyes, two dark black eyes staring into our souls. The mans bone structure remains visible through his thin flesh, a small hole where his nose should sit.

"It is my curse to know all who visit here." The man responds, Thanos loosening his grip upon my arm and stepping forwards again. My eyes narrow upon the strange man, my mind scanning for possibilities as to where I recognise him from. Then it hits me. He's Johan Schmidt, aka the Red Skull. I remember Peter and Tony telling me about him when we first met. Yeah... he tried to kill Captain Rogers. "To help all those in search of the soul stone."

"The stone?" I practically spit the words out as I pull my arm free from my fathers grasp. "That's why you brought me here?"

"With this stone I am closer to reaching my destiny." Thanks respond blankly, making his way over and following Red Skull deeper into the mountain. I could run right now whilst his back is turned but it would be useless. He'd have shot me before I could even reach the end of the path.

"Destiny, shmestiny. It's all you ever go on about." I grunt, reluctantly following him further onto the mountain before we come to a halt at the edge. My eyes wander down over the ledge, glancing my upon the long drop that awaits any unfortunate creature that comes any further that this. A destiny I would never wish upon anyone. Not even the cruelest of souls.

"The stone demands a sacrifice." Red skull explains, Thanos turning to face him with ever so slightly narrow eyes. A sacrifice? Of what? A goat? I highly doubt Thanos brought a goat to sacrifice and if he did then he's even more pathetic than I thought. "In order to take the stone you must loose that which you love. A soul for a soul."

A laugh comes from within me before I can even register his words. A soul for a soul. How poetic. "You killed and you tortured and all for what?" I ask Thanos who turns to me with a blank face. Suddenly, this day was becoming my favorite day ever and you know why? Because it was the day he finally realized everything he's done is for nothing. "You failed. And all because you love no one." I grunt, a smile spreading across my face upon his slowly descending smirk. A small tear manages to push its way out of his iron trench that prevents all his emotions from breaking free. "Really? Tears now. After you've gotten so far." I ask him, the irony of his situation incredibly entertaining to watch.

Red skull glances down at the floor, swallowing hard. Despite his history, he hated watching this part. The part where people had to choose what was more important to them. The stone or the one they love. Every time, they chose to leave the stone but something told him this time wasn't the same. And he was dreading every second of it. "They're not for him." He announces reluctantly, fear flashing over my eyes briefly.