I Am Soul - Spider-Man / Peter Parker [2]

Chapter Fourteen - Battle of Earth: Destiny and Doom

Maria groaned in agony as she began to shift her body. Being thrown through the air was not as fun as it looked. Maria took a deep breath before she pushed herself up onto her knees and hands. She struggled to take in deep breaths for a moment, her body being hit with a bout of strong coughing. Eventually, the coughs subsided and Maria managed to choke out a command to KAREN to search for Peter, whom the AI found quickly.

Just as Maria went to move towards him she suddenly noticed the silence of the battlefield. The explosion had stopped everything. Upon thinking of the explosion, Maria's eyes snapped open and she sat back scanning for the source of the explosion, she had no idea what had caused such a devastating attack on all sides. However, it wasn't long before Maria's eyes landed on something that stopped her heart.

The ugly brown van was gone.

Their last time machine was no longer in sight. All that was left was a gigantic blade, a double-edged sword Maria knew to have come from the warlord lodged into the ground. His weapon was where the heart of the van should have been. In that moment, Maria knew they had not succeeded in getting the stones back to the past. But that left the question as to where were the stones now.

Suddenly the sounds of grunts and groans gathered Maria's attention. Someone was fighting! Spinning around on her knees, Maria found the culprits to her great horror.

Thanos was going after the stones. Maria watched as her father who had tried to stop the warlord was thrown away only for Thor to take his place in defending the gauntlet. Maria knew in her heart that they couldn't stop him getting the gauntlet, if she was going to do something she had to now. But what?

Maria's head snapped around to look back at the brown van which was decimated ... except for Thanos' sword. A blade stronger than any other on the battlefield. Quickly, Maria darted to her feet. Once more, Maria knew she had to call upon the fallen. She needed their strength to finish this. With a heavy sigh, Maria activated her powers once more. Her eyes glowing brightly before she began feeling strength enveloping her limbs. Her strides became stronger, longer, faster. With the added strength, she closed the gap faster than ever before. Even when Maria found herself stood by the van, she continued to gather more and more strength, she had to, she had to get as much strength as she could.

With utter ease, Maria reached forward and pulled free the lodged weapon that had buried itself deep within the earth. The blade felt as light as a feather to the young powered teenager. A smirk took over her face as she turned to look towards Thanos and the gauntlet.

On the other side of the battlefield she found Thanos wearing the gauntlet ... up against Captain Marvel who was more than a match for the warlord. However, no matter Marvel's strength and powers Maria knew she was the one who had to defeat Thanos, she knew that fate would ultimately lead to that point which meant that somehow Marvel would lose. Maria quickly began charging towards the pair, Thanos' large weapon in hand, swinging beside her. She was running out of time.

~8~

He had thought that Marvel could stop him. Tony had watched as the woman had overpowered Thanos. Had the warlord's hand in her grasp and him kneeling before her. It had looked like it was over but the warlord was wise. Whilst Marvel was strong and powerful there was one thing, well six things, that would always beat her. Tony had watched as the Titan had grasped the Power Stone, pulled it free from its casing before he clutched it in his fist and hit Marvel with it.

She had stood no chance. The superhero had been sent flying through the air, no match for the Power Stone leaving Thanos with the gauntlet and all six stones. Tony couldn't believe it. They were going to lose again. How could this be possible? They were so close. He had to do something. Charging to his feet, Tony grabbed the gauntlet clad hand of Thanos and tried to pull off the glove, his fingers pawing at the stones that lay within the metal.