The Amber Widow

Part 21

Important - So I'm probably really stupid at this point but at the start of the book Zola was 16 years old, so that means MJ, Ned, Alondra and Peter are also 16. Then 3 years later they are all 19 years old. I get that you don't graduate high school then but let's just do this way. Sorry for any confusion.

Third Person:

Drax moves quietly as he shifts to a commanding position beside Mantis and says "Yeah, that's right". Tony stands for a moment with an expression of hopelessness until thinking and saying "alright, just get over her, please. Mr. Lord, can you get your folks to circle up?" Quill responds, "Mr. Lord." Star-Lord is fine", while he motions to Drax and Mantis. Tony answered back, "We gotta coalesce. 'Cause if all we come at him with is a plucky attitude.." Annoyed, Quill says "Dude, don't call us plucky. We don't know what it means. Alright, we're optimistic, yes. I like your plan. Except it sucks, so let me do the plans, and that way it might be really good". Drax then says "Tell him about the dance-off to save the universe." Mind-blank, Tony replies by saying "What dance-off?" Not bothered to explain, Qull says "It's nothing." Peter Parker finally getting something he says "like in Footloose, the movie?"

Excited, Peter Quill says "exactly like Footloose. Is it still the greatest movie in history?" Disliking it, Peter Parker answers back, "It never was." Quill frowns sadly at him. Fed up, Tony says "Don't encourage this, alright?" Peter Parker says "okay". Tony then replies with "We're getting no help from Flash Gordon here." Quill points at Stark and younger Peter while saying "Flash Gordon? By the way, that's a compliment. Don't forget, I'm half human. So that 50% of me that's stupid... That's 100% you." Tony replies with "Your math is blowing my mind.". Interrupting the gossip girls here Mantis says "Excuse me, but...Does your friend often do that?".

Strange is sitting cross-legged, his hands poise in a mystic gesture with the Time Stone suspended between them. His eyes are closed, and his head is jerking rapidly from side to side.

Acting upon the query Tony asks Strange, if he's alright? Strange seems to snap out of it as he starts forward, letting out a cry. Comforting him, Tony says "You're back. You're alright. Hi." Young Peter asks "Hey, what was that?" Speaking breathlessly, Strange explains how he went forward in time to view alternate futures. To see all the possible outcomes of the coming conflict. Quill, asks how many did he see?. Strange answers with "14,000,605". Tony, asking how many did they win? Strange pauses a while before answering, "one".

On Vormir, Thanos and Gamora have just appeared outside a mountain. Thanos threatens Nebula's life as he says "The stone had better be up there...For your sister's sake". Now, inside the mountain where Thanos and Gamora stand before a cloaked, faceless figure there to guard the way. It says "Welcome, Thanos, son of Eros. Gamora, daughter of Thanos''. Confused Thanos says "You know us?" The stonekeeper, "It is my curse to know all who journey here". Thanos asks "Where's the Soul Stone?" Wanting to take his chance he also asks "where's the Chaos Stone''. The stonekeeper says "the chaos stone is gone, now in the hands of a girl now heading to Wakanda. The soul stone however, You should know...It extracts a terrible price." Annoyed about the chaos stone, but wanting the soul stone Thanos replies with "I am prepared".

The stonekeeper says "We all think that at first". The figure glides farther out of the shadows and reveals the face of who we know to be Red Skull, he says "We are all wrong". The Red Skull is now leading Thanos and Gamora to an outside pinnacle. Thanos asks "How is it you know this place so well? The Red Skull says "A lifetime ago, I, too, sought the stones. I even held one in my hand. But it cast me out, banished me here. Guiding others to a treasure I cannot possess." They all come to the edge of 2 mountaintops, and stop at the 1st precipice.

The red skull says "What you seek lies before you. As does what you fear". Thanos asks "What's this?" The Red Skull answers with "The price. Soul and Chaos both hold a special place among the Infinity Stones. You might say it has a certain wisdom. Except the chaos stone is gone". Thanos says "Tell me what it needs". The Red Skull replies with "to ensure that whoever possesses it... Understands its power... The stone demands a sacrifice". Thanos says "Of what?" The Red Skull says "In order to take the stone you must lose that which you love. A soul...For a soul".