Guardians of the Galaxy [1]

10

When Astra stirred, she saw that she was back on Xandar. And by that, the ground, not the atmosphere.

Around them, Xandarians were gathering around them. They suddenly started sobbing and crying out, and Astra looked behind her to see Ronan emerging from the ruins of the Dark Aster.

After all this time, he's still alive?! she thought, dumbfounded.

"You killed Groot!!" Rocket yelled, charging toward Ronan. With a simple flick of the Cosmi-Rod, Rocket was thrown back by the Power Stone's purple energy.

"Behold!" Ronan addressed the Xandarians. "Your guardians of the galaxy. What fruit have they wrought? Only that my father and his father shall finally know vengeance. People of Xandar, the time has come to rejoice and renounce your paltry gods! Your salvation is at hand!" He raised his rod, ready to strike down on the surface and kill everyone on Xandar. He shouted words in a language Astra didn't recognize and was about to strike his rod down, only to stop and stare at someone in confusion.

"Ooh, child, things are gonna get easier. Ooh, child, things'll get brighter," Quill sang as he danced. "Listen to these words. Ooh, child, things are gonna get easier. Ooh, child, things'll get brighter." Ronan lowered his rod, completely confused by what was going on.

As Quill kept singing and dancing a little crazier, Astra caught sight of Rocket and Drax fixing something out of the corner of her eye. She inwardly smirked, knowing Quill was causing a distraction, and she shifted a few inches so that in case Ronan looked her way, he wouldn't be able to see them.

"What are you doing?" Ronan asked.

"Dance-off, bro. Me and you," Quill replied. He continued dancing, until he looked at Gamora. "Gamora?"

Gamora quickly shook her head.

"Subtle. Take it back."

"What are you doing?!" Ronan raised his voice.

"I'm distracting you, you big turd blossom," Quill replied as he kept dancing.

Astra heard the sound of a gun cocking, and she quickly moved out of the way as Rocket connected two wires together and Drax fired a bullet. It smashed the Cosmi-Rod to pieces, freeing the Power Stone and letting it freefall to the ground.

Quill leapt forward to catch it before it could hit the ground. So did Ronan. But Quill was faster.

"NO!!" Gamora screamed.

Quill grasped the Stone in his hand and started screaming in agony. He writhed on the ground in pain as purple embers were released into the air. Black smoke with tints of purple swirled around him.

The force knocked everyone else back. Through the smoke, Astra watched in horror as Quill's skin started to burn and slowly disintegrate, and she knew she had to do something. But the Power Stone's radiation was too strong  for her to get to him.

Idiot, said a voice in her head, your powers come from that same frickin' stone. Use them!

"PETER!!" she heard Gamora yell. "Take my hand!"

Quill took Gamora's hand and she, too, started screaming in agony as the Power Stone's energy spread to her.

Astra understood what she was doing. They were sharing the burden of the Stone. If Astra could just get to them - maybe they wouldn't disintegrate at all, like the people in the Collector's holograms.

Moments later, Drax clasped his hand on Quill's shoulder and the energy spread to him.

Astra projected a force field around herself and walked through the smoke. She grabbed Gamora's hand, and at the same time, Rocket grabbed Drax's finger.