fiction | Part of the journey is the end

7. Titan

A portal opened on Titan, and Thanos walked out, seeing the remnants of the Q-ship when he saw Strange sitting in front of him who said, "You're much more of a Thanos."

"Shit! He's here!" exclaimed Peter. Everyone instantly grew tense for what was about to happen.

"Wouldn't it have been better for you to come to Titan?" Tony asked Thor. "That's where Thanos is."

Thor shook his head. "The Bifrost only travels through the Nine Realms."

Thanos realized Maw was dead and said the day extracted a heavy toll and saw the Eye of Agamotto, saying he'd accomplished his mission. "You may regret that. He brought you face to face with a Master of the Mystic Arts." Strange said while Quill was hiding behind scrap metal and Peter was perched above him.

"Surprise attack? I guess that could work." Rhodey noted.

Strange knew this was Titan. Thanos used the Reality Stone to conjure an illusion of Titan in its glory days, with people roaming too, "It was. And it was beautiful. Titan was like most planets. Too many mouths, not enough to go around. And when we faced extinction, I offered a solution." "Genocide." Strange realized. "But random, dispassionate, fair to rich and poor alike," Thanos said.

Everyone's faces darkened. "That's still genocide, asshole!" yelled Bucky.

"They called me a madman," Thanos said as the illusion faded.

"Of course, they would call you a madman," scoffed Tony. "You are one!"

"And what I predicted came to pass." "Congratulations, you're a prophet," Strange said sarcastically. "I'm a survivor," Thanos said. "Who wants to murder trillions." Strange pointed out. "With all six Stones, I could simply snap my fingers. They would all cease to exist. I call that mercy." Thanos said.

Steve laughed darkly. "I knew he was insane, but mercy?"

"And then what?" Strange asked. "I'd finally rest... and watch the sunrise on a grateful universe," Thanos said.

Natasha scoffed. "Does he really think we'd let him live?"

"The hardest choices require the strongest wills," Thanos said. "I think you'll find our will equal to yours," Strange said as he summoned Tao Mandalas. "Our?" Thanos asked when Tony flew at him from above with a huge chunk of a building, smashing his face just as he activated the Power Stone.

Everyone tensed for the fight. They hoped the team on Titan would be able to defeat Thanos.

Tony flew off with Quill as Thanos shattered the building with the Power Stone and turned them into bats with the Reality Stone as they chased Tony.

Everyone's jaws dropped. "Did he just turn the building into bats?" said Tony, speechless.

Steve nodded absentmindedly. How were they supposed to beat Thanos? He was too powerful.

Then webbing hit his face as a swinging Peter hit him and Drax sliced at his leg, with Strange arriving in his front via portal. He made an Eldritch sword as the two duelled Thanos, who then kicked Drax away and grabbed Strange's sword while removing the webbing. The sword dissipated as Thanos kicked Strange back, but he used a Tao Mandala to protect himself. Quill fired at Thanos from behind as Strange conjured platforms for him to jump on. He planted an explosive on Thanos' back and showed him the finger, "Boom!" He then jumped into an inter-dimensional portal Strange had conjured as the explosive exploded, and Thanos was stunned.