End of an Era - Avengers: Endgame

Sixteen - Death of Infinity

Sanctuary II, Thanos's Ship - Space

Many Years  Ago

Some years later, when the girls were older - only a little older, they were still children in Adonia's eyes - Thanos started bringing them on his various balancing missions, testing their skills as warriors. He had begun their training right away, as soon as he had 'adopted' them, and now they were ready in his eyes. Ready enough, at least. 

"Mother-" Gamora knelt forward in a bow before Adonia, who sighed at the gesture and at the name.  "I will make you proud," the girl promised. The warrior, the survivor.

Adonia smiled down at her. "I know you will." 

"As will I." Nebula also knelt before her.  "Mother."

"I know. Good luck." She then drew both of them into a tight hug, not wanting to let them go. After all, this would be the last time she would see them.

Goodbye my daughters, I will miss you. I am sorry to do this but it is for the best. 

After Thane's death she felt a pain she thought would never be soothed, and while that void could never fully be filled again, these charming girls had definitely helped sooth that wound in her heart, deep in her soul left by her beloved son's death. 

"It would go a lot smoother and faster if you were to join us," Thanos told her, his way of saying, 'Use the Stones. We need the Stones.' Always the same. 

"It is not my mission any longer," was her response, always the same. 

He eyed the Stones floating around her wrist. She knew that look - she had come to know it all too well, had seen it in many pairs of eyes: want.  People who had seen the potential of the Stones, and wanted it for themselves. Perhaps she had been naïve to think Thanos would not be the same, would not turn out to be the same, but she had had her hopes. That was her curse as the Stonekeeper, to grow close to someone only to later realize it was only her immense power they valued, above all else. It had happened too many times. 

She waited until they boarded the ship and left. The next step would be painful, but it was necessary: she had to get rid of the Stones.

She knew Thanos all too well - he was determined to get what he wanted, and eventually, he would gain the Stones.  So she had to prevent that from happening, or, at least, delay him for as long as was possible.

She took hold of the Stones' energy and pulled at it, willing it to break.  Her screams grew louder and then louder still, until, at last, the Stones broke their connection, and split from her. The connection was severed. 

The blast caused by her actions shook the departing ship, knocking Gamora and Neblula off their feet. The ship stopped and returned to try and find out what had happened. The blast made Thanos recall the death of his son years before, but, while similar, this blast was different.  

Nebula found her first and let out a pained cry at the sight before her, the awful sight.

Adonia lay lifeless in the middle of the floor, her glow gone - as well as the Stones.

All six of the Infinity Stones were gone, had disappeared, vanished without a trace, leaving her dead in their wake.

The sisters held each other and cried. Thanos knelt by his fallen love's side, before her body was engulfed in orange energy and carried away to the Soul Realm. 

As for the Stones, they traveled, across dimensions, universes, worlds and times, where they would remain until, if fate would have it, they would one day be reunited. 

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The Realm of Death - Space

Many Years Ago

"Well, well. Surprise, surprise. It has been a long time since you have graced my domain." A smile crawled up Lady Death's lips when she saw who her visitor was. "Welcome back, Lord Thanos. Tell me, Mad Titan, to what do I owe this unexpected and pleasing visit?"

Thanos knelt before Lady Death, sitting upon her throne of bones.  "Adonia is gone."

"She left you?"

"She's dead. The Stones have been cut from her, severing their connection, cutting off her lifeforce."

"Shame, I thought you had come to see me." Lady Death examined her nails, sharp, long, and black just like the shadows stretching all across her domain.

"Bring her back - please," he begged.  

"Oh Thanos dear, now you know I can't just do that."

"You can't or you won't?"

"Even if I wanted to - which I don't, for the record - you won't find her here."

"She's not here?"

"No, trust me, I would know if she was. I have been seeking to find her soul here for centuries."

While this brought a certain hope, it also filled him with dread - where then, could she be? "Where is she then?"

"I don't know, and quite frankly I don't care. But she's not here, meaning she isn't dead. Lucky you.  You know she can't really die. She's not really, truly dead.  Clearly she has various tricks up her sleeves. You know as well as I do that there is only one way to bring her back."

And he did.  The Stones were scattered, across time and space. They needed reuniting.  

He had a new mission.  

(Wow, I can't believe we're nearing the end... But there's still a few chapters left! 

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed ! :))