Aboard the Sanctuary II, Vilgax watched the Plumber flagship eclipse the stars. When he saw the familiar green and black hourglass logo displayed on its hull, a jolt of something primal shot through him. At first, it was delight, but it was quickly soured by the foul taste of a long-buried memory.
Once, long ago, before cybernetics and dark science had sculpted him into the super-powerful warlord he was today, he was just another Chimera Sui Generis. Even then, he had terrorized the spaceways, and it was during that era that he had met the bane of the first half of his life: a human plumber from Earth named Max Tennyson.
Max Tennyson was a legend among the Plumbers. A mere human with no innate special abilities, he had nevertheless made a name for himself across the universe, armed only with Plumber-issue technology and his own indomitable will. He had even risen to the rank of Magister. The sight of that sigil not only solidified Vilgax's belief that the Omnitrix was near, but it also dredged up a past he desperately wished to forget.
But he quickly shoved the fear back into its cage. He was different now. He was Vilgax, a being hundreds of times stronger than the one Max Tennyson had humiliated. The enhancement serums that had coursed through his veins had granted him immense strength, speed, and a hide that was all but invulnerable. He was a god of war now.
Thanos had learned of the Plumbers' arrival only moments before, from a trembling Gamora. The news was strategically useless. No sooner had she landed in the Sanctuary's hangar bay than the colossal battleship had appeared in Xandarian space and opened fire. Its initial salvo had been effortlessly blocked by the flagship's energy shields, but then came the defiant broadcast.
This time, even Thanos couldn't remain seated.
"I hadn't even begun to look for you, and yet you deliver yourselves to my doorstep?" A cold smile touched his lips.
In his view, the Plumbers hiding on Sakaar would have been a minor inconvenience. He didn't know for certain if the Space and Mind Stones were on Sakaar or on Earth. But now, with his enemy taking the initiative, the plan had changed. There were few beings in the universe who could wield the power of the Infinity Stones as he could. He refused to believe his foe would be so foolish as to bring them into open battle. And without the Stones, a warship bigger than a planet was of little consequence.
He glanced down at his gauntlet, at the purple gem glowing with quiet menace. Victory was already in his grasp.
"Father… Nebula has betrayed you again," Gamora said, her head bowed in fear. She braced herself for the tyrant's unpredictable wrath.
But contrary to her expectations, Thanos was calm. It was as if he didn't care at all.
"That does not surprise me, my daughter," he said softly. "A traitor's nature is to betray. But you…"
He turned, his towering form casting a long shadow over her. He brushed his massive palm across her cheek, and Gamora's body went rigid with terror.
"You rarely disappoint me," he continued, his voice a low rumble. "Except for one thing…"
Gamora thought he was referring to her failure on Morag. "I'm sorry, Father," she stammered. "But the Plumbers…"
"I am not referring to your failure," Thanos interrupted, his tone turning stern, laced with a chilling disappointment. "I don't recall ever teaching you to lie, did I?"
Gamora's blood ran cold. She understood now. The Soul Stone.
"When I have the Space Stone and the Mind Stone back in my possession," Thanos said, his voice dropping to a whisper, "we will have a long talk, and you will confess everything." He flicked his hand, sending her stumbling away. He then turned and strode toward the main bridge of the Sanctuary. The Black Order soldiers on deck snapped to full alert.
As soon as he gave the order, they would unleash the full arsenal of the warship.
"Destroy the Plumbers!" Thanos finally commanded.
Immediately, the colossal vessel shuddered as it entered full combat status. Every laser battery, every missile silo, every ounce of the ship's terrifying power was unleashed, bombarding the Plumber flagship in a torrent of destructive energy. The Plumber vessel returned fire in kind.
For a moment, the void of space once again became a raging battlefield. Countless Plumber fighter craft, swarmed from their hangar, drawing the attention of the Chitauri. The higher-ranking Plumbers joined the battle directly. Beta Ray Bill, leading a squadron of gladiators, dove straight into the atmosphere of Xandar, a thunderbolt aimed at Ronan the Accuser. Nebula, piloting her own ship, banked hard toward the Sanctuary, intent on settling the score with her good sister.
In terms of sheer numbers, the Plumbers were still at a disadvantage. Their forces numbered in the tens of thousands, but Ben couldn't risk deploying all of them at once. Against the endless Chitauri swarm, it was a grueling battle of attrition. However, where the Chitauri were mindless locusts, the Plumbers were carefully selected warriors. Skill began to balance the scales.
With the Plumbers' intervention, the people of Xandar finally had a chance to breathe, but their world was already lost. Most of the Nova Corps had been annihilated. Xandar could now only survive under the protection of its newfound, and previously rejected, saviors.
Inside the ruined palace, Ronan's attention was fixed on Caiera. It was all the opening Beta Ray Bill needed. He dropped from the sky like a meteor, his fist connecting with Ronan's jaw in a thunderous impact. The blow sent the Accuser flying, and in that instant, Bill scooped up the fallen forms of Queen Adora and the unconscious Irani Rael, carrying them to safety.
As a weapon, Bill now wielded a massive, two-handed hammer—a spoil of war from the Chitauri Warlord that have been reforge from the Warbringer axe. Ben had given it to him after their return to Sakaar. Now, he raised it high, its heavy head crackling with energy, and pointed it at Ronan.
"Kree," Bill bellowed, his voice echoing through the ruins. "Your opponent is me!"
Thanos watched the battle rage, but he knew this was all just a prelude. In this universe, technology and weapons had their limits. He had a different philosophy. He believed the end of science was theology, and the end of weapons was a simple, brutal contest of physical might. The outcome of this war would not be decided by ships or soldiers. It would be decided in a battle to the death between him and the so-called King of Sakaar.
And with the Power Stone in my hand, I cannot lose.
Thanos was overflowing with confidence. He picked up his massive, double-bladed sword—the Tyrant's Blade. With a grunt, he slammed the Power Stone into the hilt, embedding it deep within the metal. A violent surge of purple energy coursed up the blade and into his arm, spreading through every vessel in his body until his very skin glowed with cosmic power.
He held the power of a star in one hand and his Tyrant's Blade in the other. He was invincible.
There would be no more games, no more strategy. He would assault the Plumber flagship directly and personally eliminate the stumbling block that was the King of Sakaar.
He turned to the hulking form beside him.
"Vilgax. Let's go."
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