Chapter 80: Red Skull and Thanos
AN: Sorry for the dy, been busy during the weekend and originally was going to post this yesterday but...I fell asleep midway while writing thetest chapter XD
Also, don''t sleep and write. When I woke up, I saw I typed a bunch of things and it somehow turned into a Chinese novel...since I have been reading thosetely... :P
Anyway, not much Benjamin in this chapter but is more about...well, as the title suggests, Red Skull and Thanos.
This part naturally deviates from the movies andics but is something I just added here for a twistter on.
That''s all, enjoy!
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<strong>Chapter 80: Red Skull and Thanos</strong>
<span style="font-weight:400">Outside Earth’s atmosphere, arge ship appeared from warp and quietly hovered in space.
<span style="font-weight:400">It hung over Earth like a deadly de about to slice the whole in half.
<span style="font-weight:400">And it may just do so…as inside this ship was none other than the Mad Titan himself.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos.
<span style="font-weight:400">Around him, six figures stood menacingly.
<span style="font-weight:400">One had a face akin to a bloodied skull. This person is of Earth, the Red Skull of HYDRA.
<span style="font-weight:400">Years ago, during his encounter with Captain America, he was engulfed with the energy of the Space Stone, the Tesseract.
<span style="font-weight:400">This energy appeared to have disintegrated him into ashes but in truth, he was sent to a far-off called Vormir. Home to the Soul Stone.
<span style="font-weight:400">Years passed as he was trapped in that, unable to do anything but observe as various beings try to take the Soul Stone and fail.
<span style="font-weight:400">As time passed, he gradually noticed his…rather special abilities.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, unlike Captain Marvel who had gained the Space Stone’s seemingly boundless light energy, he had gained its opposite. A dark energy capable of manipting space.
<span style="font-weight:400">With this ability, he was able to ess the various corners of the universe. And with it, knowledge of the universe as well.
<span style="font-weight:400">He knew that the Soul Stone existed in Vormir, but was unable to get it. For he had nothing to sacrifice.
<span style="font-weight:400">That’s when he remembered about a daughter he had on Earth.
<span style="font-weight:400">And so he set out to return to Earth. However, by that time, Earth was being invaded by Loki and Thanos’ Chintauris.
<span style="font-weight:400">The energy from the Tesseract interfered with his own powers, which led him to unknowingly appear in front of Thanos instead!
<span style="font-weight:400">That was when he was forced to make a deal with him.
<span style="font-weight:400">Naturally, he did not n on going through with that deal, he only epted it so he could live.
<span style="font-weight:400">When he was finally let out, some time had already passed and Earth was already peaceful once more.
<span style="font-weight:400">He did not appear out into the light, instead, he hid in the shadows as he looked for information on his daughter.
<span style="font-weight:400">He even ignored it when HYDRA was very nearly eradicated by Benjamin and his EPD.
<span style="font-weight:400">For no matter how many heads fell, two more will take their ce!
<span style="font-weight:400">When he finally found where his daughter was, he sent Baron Zemo to slowly win her over so as to not alert SHIELD.
<span style="font-weight:400">Yet somehow, that Benjamin and his sted EPD found out and interfered yet again!
<span style="font-weight:400">What’s more, sometime after that, they seemed to have known that he was still alive! He was even defeated by the likes of Captain America and his Avengers!
<span style="font-weight:400">Even with his new abilities, he wasn’t capable of dealing with all of them along with Captain Marvel, and was nearly caught instead.
<span style="font-weight:400">WIth no choice, he abandoned his n and fled Earth directly to regroup.
<span style="font-weight:400">He had been observing Benjamin for a while and knew that he could not match him. Only a monster can kill a monster.
<span style="font-weight:400">That’s when it urred to him.
<span style="font-weight:400">He can use Thanos to go against Benjamin.
<span style="font-weight:400">And so he started hatching a n.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was a good thing that while looking for his daughter, he also found an orphan boy.
<span style="font-weight:400">He took care of him as he would a real son of his. All so he can nurture ‘love’ with him…and then exchange him with the Soul Stone.
<span style="font-weight:400">Since he was unable to get his daughter, this child would do.
<span style="font-weight:400">Soon, he went back to Vormir with the boy.
<span style="font-weight:400">On that cliff, he still remembered hisst conversation with him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Father, what are we doing here?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Child, what do you think of me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“What do you mean? Father is the best! You took me in when no one else would!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...Will you do something for me?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I will do anything!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Jump off.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“...”
<span style="font-weight:400">The child looked up at him to see if he was joking.
<span style="font-weight:400">Seeing his serious face, the child smiled and nodded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Father, don’t cry anymore. I will jump off now.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Cry?
<span style="font-weight:400">Only when the child had disappeared from his vision did he notice the tears in his eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">How long has it been…since he cried?
<span style="font-weight:400">He only took the child in as backup…he was just a pawn to be sacrificed so he could win.
<span style="font-weight:400">That’s all it is.
<span style="font-weight:400">Then…he nked out.
<span style="font-weight:400">When he woke up, the Soul Stone was in his hand.
<span style="font-weight:400">As he held the stone, he thought for a moment if this was worth all of it.
<span style="font-weight:400">But that thought onlysted for a second as he clenched the stone and his eyes burned with determination.
<span style="font-weight:400">This is worth everything!
<span style="font-weight:400">With this stone, he will conquer not just Earth, but the entire universe!
<span style="font-weight:400">HYDRA will prevail!
<span style="font-weight:400">But…
<span style="font-weight:400">His ns changed as he tried to use the Soul Stone.
<span style="font-weight:400">He felt his own soul get sucked into a strange empty world.
<span style="font-weight:400">And in that world, there was only one figure.
<span style="font-weight:400">A being cloaked with the ckest color there is…embracing it as if light is not permitted to contaminate it.
<span style="font-weight:400">That being turned to him.
<span style="font-weight:400">His eyes immediately focused on its face.
<span style="font-weight:400">What he saw…could only be described as Death!
<span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, the whole area was filled with echoes.
<span style="font-weight:400">He recognized some of these voices.
<span style="font-weight:400">He knew…these all belong to the people he had killed!
<span style="font-weight:400">Even…his son…
<span style="font-weight:400">The next instant, Red Skull’s eyes snapped open.
<span style="font-weight:400">He tossed the Soul Stone to the ground as sweat poured on his back.
<span style="font-weight:400">Red Skull was not someone who gets afraid so easily but even he…was not able to keep a calm mind after what he had seen and felt.
<span style="font-weight:400">It wasn’t just because it looked scary, but the fear seemed to seep into his bones and filled his every thought.
<span style="font-weight:400">“...This was a mistake…my mind isn’t strong enough…”
<span style="font-weight:400">He knew that the way he got the Soul Stone was somewhat ‘cheating’. Although he got the stone, the stone itself didn’t approve of him.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, he didn’t give up.
<span style="font-weight:400">Without a choice, he revised his n and instead offered the stone to Thanos in exchange for revenge and Earth.
<span style="font-weight:400">At first, he thought that even Thanos may not necessarily be able to use it but…he was wrong.
<span style="font-weight:400">When Thanos attempted to use the stone, he encountered the same thing Red Skull did, only, it was much more intense.
<span style="font-weight:400">Yet he only frowned at the fear.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you making me doubt my purpose? That won’t work. Everything I have done is necessary for the universe. By eliminating half the poption, bnce will be restored, and more shall be embraced by Death.”
<span style="font-weight:400">When Death heard that, she was pissed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Turns out this guy is one of her admirers…what a sin it is to be so beautiful…
<span style="font-weight:400">…Death’s been rubbing off on Benjamin’s narcissistic nature since she has been with him for a while…
<span style="font-weight:400">She was about to obliterate him to nothing but then remembered that Benjamin is about to deal with him anyway so she didn’t bother with him anymore.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thinking that he had subdued the stone, Thanos grinned arrogantly and ordered to immediately head to Earth.
<span style="font-weight:400">Back to the present.
<span style="font-weight:400">Along with him and Red Skull, the other five were his ck Order.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ebony Maw.
<span style="font-weight:400">ck Dwarf.
<span style="font-weight:400">Corvus ive.
<span style="font-weight:400">Proxima Midnight.
<span style="font-weight:400">Supergiant.
<span style="font-weight:400">These five figures knelt in front of Thanos with Ebony Maw at the lead.
<span style="font-weight:400">“My lord, we have arrived. Earth is yours to take.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos smiled with an arrogant grin.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Descend.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“As youmand.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The next moment.
<span style="font-weight:400">Several parts of the spaceship broke off and began to fall onto Earth like the meteors that once wiped out the dinosaurs.
<span style="font-weight:400">Buildings copsed, mountains cracked, and the sea overturned…it was a disaster.
<span style="font-weight:400">Everyone shouted as they ran around but were still crushed.
<span style="font-weight:400">Finally, a huge part descended on New York, creating more destruction in the city.
<span style="font-weight:400">After itnded, a hatch opened and several figures appeared.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was none other than Thanos and his ck Order plus Red Skull.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos looked around casually and scoffed at the fleeing people.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wow. Did you practice that line in front of a mirror?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, a casual voice was heard amidst the chaos.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos turned and saw a figure sitting on the hood of a car without a care for the world.
<span style="font-weight:400">That figure was even ying with a piece of stone in his hand, seemingly unbothered by all the destruction around him.
<span style="font-weight:400">That person looked up and watched Thanos and the others approach him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Let’s see, purple nutsack of a chin. You must be Thanos.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos didn’t look insulted. He only nced at him coldly and spoke.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I sense the stones on you. Hand them over or I shall take it off your corpse.”
<span style="font-weight:400">The person scoffed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Do you think you’re amazing with one Soul Stone?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“It is enough.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Oh yeah? How about now?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The person extended his hand and suddenly, the Soul Stone removed itself from Thanos’ gauntlet and flew into the hands of the figure in the car.
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos’ eyes widened and tried to grab the stone but the stone flew fast.
<span style="font-weight:400">Ebony Maw immediately tried to use his telekic powers but it was also not of help.
<span style="font-weight:400">They weren’t able to do anything but watch as the stone flew out of them and into the hands of that person.
<span style="font-weight:400">That person held the Soul Stone casually and looked at it a few times before chucking it into his pocket.
<span style="font-weight:400">He grinned teasingly at Thanos and the others.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Still confident?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos red at him angrily.
<span style="font-weight:400">Although he didn’t know why the stone flew to him, it didn’t matter. He will still destroy everyone that tries to go against him!
<span style="font-weight:400">At this moment, Red Skull approached Thanos and whispered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Lord Thanos, that man is known as Benjamin Freed. One of Earth’s Heroes.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Before Thanos could say anything, Benjamin cut in.
<span style="font-weight:400">“No, no. I’m not one of the heroes. I’m with the police. Now hands up and get on the ground. Surrender now before any of you get hurt.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Hearing Benjamin’s mocking tone, Thanos narrowed his eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Surrender? Look around you. You may have the stones but look at your precious. You’ve all but lost.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Thanos waved his hand and the next moment, his army appeared from the ship part that dropped to Earth.
<span style="font-weight:400">Although this scene appeared to be a standoff, one side had millions of army yet on the other side, there was only Benjamin and his car.
<span style="font-weight:400">Still, Benjamin didn’t seem to mind.
<span style="font-weight:400">Instead, he showed a grin.
<span style="font-weight:400">“How about you take another look around.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly, a red mist started to appear on the debris around them.
<span style="font-weight:400">The destruction disappeared, reced by a wide grasnd instead.
<span style="font-weight:400">Then, Benjamin waved his hand and hundreds of portals appeared around them.
<span style="font-weight:400">The next moment, his side of the field was filled with the Heroes of Earth.
<span style="font-weight:400">The Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Guardians of the Gxy, Sorcerers, Wakandans, Asgardians, and the rest of his EPD members.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Did you really think I was gonna sit there and do nothing while you lot destroy my?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Benjamin shook his head and stood up.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Now then, let’s try this again.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Under the dumbfounded looks of the others on his side, he took out a megaphone from somewhere and put it in max volume.
<span style="font-weight:400">“THANOS! YOU HAVE BEEN SURROUNDED! SURRENDER NOW OR WE WILL USE LETHAL FORCE! THIS IS YOUR FINAL WARNING!”