UNKNOWN GUEST

#118 Should've Gone For The Head

From afar, I watched in horror as Thanos snatched Mantis from his shoulder and tossed her aside like she weighed nothing. She flew through the air, her body limp and spinning, before landing in a heap a few dozen yards away.

I could feel the blood pounding in my temples, and my legs burned with every step, but I forced myself to keep moving, charging straight toward the Mad Titan. I didn't have a clear plan—just raw instinct and the knowledge that I couldn't back down now.

Thanos turned around, his cold eyes locking onto me. His massive hand, clad in the Gauntlet, lifted toward me, and in a heartbeat, I saw the stones begin to glow, each one flickering with deadly intent.

Before I could even react, he summoned a massive, broken piece of the ship we'd traveled in, ripping it from where it lay amid the rubble. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the twisted wreckage straight at me.

For a moment, I stood frozen, rooted in place as the ship piece hurtled toward me with the force of a freight train. It loomed closer, a hulking, broken mass of metal, like some ancient beast ready to devour me whole.

I took a deep breath, planted my feet, and braced myself. With every muscle screaming, I threw my arms up, catching the enormous chunk of debris mere inches from my face.

The impact nearly knocked me off my feet, and I stumbled backward, each step dragging through the dust as I dug in my heels, trying to steady myself. The weight was crushing, every fiber of my being straining as I struggled to hold it back. My muscles burned like fire, my arms shaking under the sheer force of the weight, but I held my ground.

With a deep breath and a shout, I gave it everything I had, pushing back against the metal with all my strength. Just then, a web shot down from above, attaching to the ship piece, and I looked up to see Peter Parker swinging in, using his webbing to help me shift the massive object. His feet planted against it, and with our combined effort, we managed to push the ship piece forward, hurling it toward Thanos.

The wreckage slammed into him, and he was buried under the twisted metal with a deafening crash. I dropped to the ground, panting, feeling the relief flood my limbs as I finally let go. For a fleeting moment, I thought we might've had him.

But then, a brilliant purple glow burst from under the wreckage. In an instant, the ship piece was torn apart, metal shards exploding in every direction as Thanos emerged, his eyes blazing with anger.

Before I could react, his massive hand closed around my neck, lifting me off the ground. I struggled, clawing at his fingers, but it was like trying to pry open a steel trap. He held me at eye level, a twisted smirk on his face, his fingers tightening around my throat.

"Mr. Rogers," he sneered, his voice dark and cold, "you were not supposed to die here."

The pressure on my neck was unbearable. I could feel my vision dimming as his grip cut off my air. He knew who I was—the real me. I could barely keep my eyes open, my strength fading with each second. I was running out of time. My vision started to blur, the edges darkening, as he raised his Gauntlet-covered fist, the stones gleaming with lethal power. This was it.

But then, just as he pulled his arm back to deliver the final blow, something brown and fast slammed into his face. Thanos staggered, his grip loosening just enough for me to slip free, and I dropped to the ground, coughing, spitting out dust as I struggled to catch my breath.

I looked up, dazed, and saw that it had been a rock—no, a sharp, compacted clump of dirt—that had hit him square in the face, breaking his concentration just long enough to save me.

Raising my head, I saw Tony hovering above, his red and gold armor glinting in the fading light as he positioned himself between me and Thanos. His face was set, his eyes narrowed with determination.