Golden Horns and Red Thorns

A New Weapon

//

TERA

//

     Eitri stared at me with confusion and betrayal.

     "T-" Before he could say my name, I looked at him with warning, mouthing 'no' and slightly shaking my head. If Thanos knew that Eitri knew me, this would all be over. "-hanos. Your grace." He shakily muttered, bowing his head for the titan. I let go of the breath I didn't know I was holding in, relieved that Eitri had caught on to what I was trying to tell him.

     "You've betrayed me." Thanos stated calmly.

     "N-no... I did everything you had asked I-"

     "LIAR!" Thanos hollered, stomping up to Eitri and picking him up by the neck. 'Nonono...' My defensive stance faltered. "You will die for what you have done. I spared you your life, and you play me regardless! You are a fool!"

     Eitri began to gasp for air, pounding at Thanos' hand with the metal that encased his own. I winced at the gurgles coming from the dwarf.

     "Wait! Wait!" I yelled out, lowering my spear. "Don't kill him." I rushed out before it was too late.

     "Excuse me?" Thanos seethed, turning his head to look at me, his grip on Eitri's neck growing tighter in defiance of my plead.

     "We need him, you can't kill him."

     "And why would we ever put our trust in him again?"

     "He didn't disappear from the snap, he must be worth something if he's still here. He could fix this." I stared him down, ready to just fucking kill this monster if he didn't put Eitri back on the ground.

     Thanos looked back to him, cocking his head to the side and plopped him down. Eitri gasped for air, the metal blocks instinctively going to scratch at his neck.  "And how do you propose he fix this, little one?" He walked up to me, his pointer finger nudging my chin up so I could peel my eyes off of the dwarf that lay almost lifeless at his feet.

     "I'll wield the stones this time." I more so demanded than suggested.

    "What?" He asked - I had caught him off guard.

      I repeated myself, "I'll wield the Infinity Stones. He can create a new contraption, embed the stones on it, and I can use their power at your command."

     "You are but a Terinnian. You couldn't possibly survive holding such a thing." He laughed.

     "I am, but, when pushed to a certain point, you have no idea what my kind are capable of." A hidden meaning was laced within my words. I clenched my jaw, hoping for his approval.

     "You are without magic. You would die - you simply are not strong enough. You said it yourself, my child."

     I grimaced. 'Now he really is sounding like my father.'

     "Let me prove you wrong."

--

     There was no way to get the rings moving again, they had already refrozen from hours ago when Thor moved them together. Hours ago. The time span had shaken me to the core.

     All in one day, I had lost everything, and I was helping the man who was responsible. Odin was dead. Asgard was ripped from me this morning, and along with it went the people. And then Heimdall was murdered. Thor was left behind on Wakanda, hopefully still alive, and Loki had turned to dust right before my eyes. Hel, I even lost Rocket and Groot. All I had left now was my staff, and it wasn't even mine.