Galaxias: Retaliation

Balance

(Warning: Some essence of  this chapter has been taken from Avengers: Infinity War. But no major spoilers for the movie. Enjoy!)    

Narrator's POV

Fire and ashes. Rubble and blood.

This is all that remains of Kolkata now. Once the City of Joy, of rejuvenance, it is now nothing but a dire testimony to the rule of oppression over the humans.

"We are under assault, I repeat, we are under assault!"

Smoke rose from the smoldering bodies of the people whose lifeless  bodies lay on the ground. They'd been stabbed, cut, burnt, ripped apart mercilessly till the last drop of life had trickled out of them.

"We are under assault! Request immediate backup-Ack!" The man's attempt at sending a distress signal over the radio was cut off as Corvus drove his glaive into the man's heart. He clutched his bleeding heart and fell down to the ground, dead.

"Rejoice!" Said Ebony Maw, as he saw the Chitauri rounding up the surviving Kolkatans. Women laid pooling in their own blood, children staring with lifeless eyes and the men who'd laid down their lives protecting them accompanied them on the ground, their floors being totally littered with their bodies.

"You've had the great privilege of being saved by the Great Titan!" Ebony continued as he trode over the lifeless bodies of the people, regarding them as nothing more than trash." You may think this is suffering but no! It is salvation!"

"The universal scaled tipped towards balance because of your sacrifice!" He clasped. his long fingers together." Smile, for even in death, you have become children of Thanos."

He gave an eerie smile towards the survivors." Is this not simpler? Is this not your natural state? It is the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."

A young girl, of about 7 stood up." Not to men like you."

Ebony looked at the girl closely." There are no men like us, child. Accept the truth, and it will be simpler."

The girl glared at Ebony." There are always men like you."

Ebony smiled grimly. This will be fun. He thought. With the help of his telekinesis, he summoned a blaster from a Chitauri and pointed it at her." Look at your youngest, people. Let get foolishness remind you of your own. Let her be an example." He fired.

The girl cringed and crouched, preparing to die. But the shot never reached her. Surprised,she opened her eyes, only to see Ebony in a state of rare shock.

Nemesis stood between the girl and Ebony, his sword withdrawn. His dark lean posture towered over everything else, as he sent a murderous glare at Maw. His muscles were flexed taut, his free palm being balled into a fist. He had deflected the blast with his sword.

Taking slow steps, he walked towards Ebony, who seemed quite taken aback." You have no reason to kill this girl, Maw."

For the first time in his life, Ebony was at a loss for words." This...this is outrageous!"

Nemesis tilted his head at one side." Is it? We were simply told to round them up, not kill them. That authority is his, and his alone." He pointed at the gigantic purple giant who was looking at the horizon.

Ebony stuttered." All my life I've served Thanos, I've never....never...failed him! And you dare-"

"Fail me, and I will not be as tolerant and lenient as him. You hear me?" Nemesis gripped his sword tighter. Ebony gulped.

Thanos tore his eyes away from the horizon, away from the beautiful sunset. It reminded him of the sunset of his own planet, Titan, when it was still at its glory. It saddened him to see his planet getting destroyed due to overpopulation, yet he felt it was a necessary sacrifice.

It enabled me to see my destiny.

For millennia, he conquered, decimated, annihilated entire planets. Destroyed entire systems. Killed masses. All for one purpose only.

Balance.

Now that the universe was his, it would now longer suffer. There would no longer be starvation, poverty, overpopulation.

Thanos looked back at the survivors being rounded up. He saw Nemesis cornering Maw and threatening him. Thanos didn't care. Ebony could die for all he cared, but Thanos didn't want to lose as good a general as Maw.

He beckoned a Chitauri to bring the girl who'd been brave enough to stand against Ebony. She was young, brave and naive. She reminded him of his own daughter, Gamora,whom he'd killed to get the Soul Stone.

The Chitauri brought the girl, who looked up at him with no sign of fear in her eyes." Who are you?" She asked.

Thanos smiled and took her hand, leading her a little far from the crowd." Someone who can help you."
He brought out a small, double-edged knife and unsheathed it, letting the blades whip out freely. Balancing it on one finger till both sides were level, he looked at the girl." Do you see this? This is balance. Neither side is too heavy or too light. Both sides have the equal amount of pressure. This is what I bring. Balance."

He tilted it to one side, and it fell." When one side becomes too heavy, it collapses, taking everything with it. This is what I prevent. Chaos."

He picked up the knife." What is your name?"

"Nilakshi."

He gave her the knife." Now, you try."
The girl gingerly placed it on her finger and tried to balance it. It fell, and she tried again.

Thanos signalled his army to fire at the survivors. The air got filled with the shrill sound of blasters being fired and the cries of mercy and agony of the humans. The girl tried to look but Thanos shielded her." Don't look. No distractions. Focus. Concentrate."

Nilakshi smiled as the knife finally balanced on her tiny finger. With a look of truimph, she looked at Thanos who smiled at her.

"Balance."

Double update! Wow. Yeah I just updated "Galaxias:Rise of the Fallen" a few hours ago.(though that wasn't a chapter) but yeah.
You guys seen Infinity War? It's downright awesome man. Watch it.
As you may know, "Galaxias:Rise of the Fallen" is up for the Fiction Awards 2018. Do nominate my book if you feel like. All details are given in its last chapter.
Please don't forget to vote and comment.