𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐃| 𝐒. 𝐑𝐎𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 |

twenty five

The three heroes walk toward Thanos, their steps slow and deliberate. The aura around them is palpable, a wave of raw power and determination that crackles in the air. Their eyes are locked on Thanos, who sits calmly amidst the destruction, watching them approach with a knowing smirk.

"You could not live with your own failure," Thanos says, his voice calm but laced with condescension. His eyes gleam with dark amusement as they draw nearer. "Where did that bring you? Back to me."

Steve, Thor, and Tony don't respond, their silence a testament to their resolve. The weight of their collective purpose presses forward as they steadily close the distance between them and the Mad Titan. Their faces are grim, focused, their expressions saying more than any words could.

Thanos rises slowly, his gaze fixed on the trio. He begins to pace, a rock in his hand that he idly plays with, the sound of it cracking in his grip cutting through the silence. "I thought by eliminating half of life, the other half would thrive, but you've shown me that's impossible. As long as there are those who remember what was, there will always be those who are unable to accept what will be. They will resist."

Tony scoffs, visibly bored of Thanos' self-justifying speech. His face shows no fear, only thinly veiled impatience. "Yep, we're all kinds of stubborn," he says dryly, his tone laced with sarcasm.

Thanos narrows his eyes, unimpressed by Tony's defiance. "I am thankful," he continues, his voice eerily calm, as if he were speaking about something mundane. "Because now, I know what I must do. I will shred this universe to its last atom and make a new one, teeming with life. A grateful universe."

As he speaks, Thanos begins to suit up, the plates of his armor clicking into place, his form towering and imposing. The ground seems to vibrate with the weight of his words, and the skies above seem to darken in response. Thor's eyes blaze electric blue, the storm inside him growing fiercer as he clutches both Mjolnir and Stormbreaker, ready for the inevitable battle.

"Born out of blood," Steve says, his voice steady but filled with anger and disgust. His grip tightens on his shield, the weight of his words filled with the righteousness of someone who has seen too much death, too much loss.

Thanos turns toward him, his smirk returning, smug and self-assured. "They'll never know it," he says, his voice cold and filled with dark certainty. "Because you won't be alive to tell them."

With those final words, the tension between them snaps like a breaking wire. Thor's grip on his weapons tightens, his muscles coiled like a predator ready to strike. Tony powers up his suit, the arc reactor glowing brighter as his HUD flashes with data. Steve steps forward, his shield raised, the familiar weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders.

The battle is about to begin, but this time, the stakes are higher than ever. Thanos' fist flexes, the ground beneath their feet shaking as he prepares to face them head-on. There's no more conversation, no more hesitation—just the steady rhythm of breathing, the crackle of thunder above, and the final charge toward the man who threatens to erase everything they hold dear.

Thor's battle cry rings out like thunder, a primal roar that shakes the battlefield. The skies above seem to answer, lightning crackling through the dark clouds as the fight begins. Thor charges forward, leading the attack, his muscles rippling with power as Mjolnir and Stormbreaker blaze with electricity. Steve and Tony follow immediately behind him, the three Avengers leaping into action, their movements synchronized in perfect unity.

Thor is the first to strike, swinging Mjolnir with a devastating force toward Thanos. The hammer collides with the Mad Titan's armor, sending a shockwave through the ground, but Thanos blocks it with his gauntlet, gritting his teeth. Not pausing for a second, Thor brings Stormbreaker down with a fierce, arcing slash, aiming for Thanos' head. But Thanos is quick—he ducks under the blow and counters with a punch to Thor's midsection, sending the God of Thunder stumbling back.