Rogue: Annihilation (An Avengers Sequel)

12. We Can't Let Thanos Win

Thanos stood before us, being both nothing we expected him to be, and everything we expected him to be at the same time. He walked forward purposefully and slowly, like he had all the time in the world. Maybe our team was so insignificant to him that he felt like he did.

Banner was the first to face him. He ran at the purple alien, but Thanos remained completely unfazed, holding up his gloved hand. Banner flew straight through him, falling into the cliffside behind him. Raising the glove again, Thanos caused the Hulkbuster armor to become stuck, trapping Banner in place.

Steve tried next, but Thanos used the purple Stone within the glove to throw the Super Soldier aside without even touching him.

T'Challa launched himself into the air towards the alien, but Thanos easily caught him by the neck, using his un-gloved hand to forcefully punch him into the ground.

Next, Sam flew towards Thanos, shooting him with the guns that he held in each hand. But within seconds his wings failed, becoming stationary, and he too was forced to the ground.

"Rogue," Wanda said, grabbing my arm tightly, her nails leaving an imprint. "Shield Vision. I have to help them."

My eyes widened in surprise. "Wanda, you have to destroy the Stone."

She shook her head frantically. "I won't. I can't."

I grabbed her shoulders, shaking them slightly. "Wanda, I know how hard this is, I know that it feels impossible. But Thanos is right over there, and if you don't destroy the Stone, he will take it," I reminded her. "Half the universe is at stake."

Her lower lip trembled. "What if it was Stark?" she asked me. "Could you do it? Could you kill him?"

I looked at Thanos's gloved hand, my chest shaking as I breathed. Tears filled my eyes when the green Stone caught my eye.

"Thanos has the Time Stone," I told her. "So... Stark might already be dead." I wiped away the tear that had fallen to my cheek; there was no time for tears. I couldn't let myself be distracted by painful thoughts when we were so close to ending this. "But whether he is or not, we can't let Thanos win. Wanda, please?"

Before she could speak, Vision took her hand.

"They can't stop him, Wanda," he told her. "But we can. You have the power to destroy the Stone. We are out of time."

She shook her head again, her voice little louder than a whisper. "I can't."

"Yes, you can," Vision nodded soothingly. "It's alright. You could never hurt me."

Tears fell down her face as she raised her hand, a red beam of light travelling straight from it to Vision's head. I covered them both in a force field, looking around to see how much time we had left.

Bucky, Okoye and Groot had all taken on Thanos, and he'd picked them off one by one, as if they were nothing.

Steve tried for the second time, fighting Thanos with his bare hands. He grabbed the Gauntlet, straining as he tried to stop Thanos from gaining the upper hand. But the purple alien, ignoring Steve's struggles, punched him in the face with his free hand, knocking him out.

Then his gaze fixed on us.

"This is it," I warned Wanda, as Thanos walked closer, his eyes only focused on the Stone. Putting my hand out towards him, I used my electricity to debilitate him. He was caught off guard, and it showed, but nothing could delay his mission. He walked towards me, the electricity making him slower than ever before. But just like with everyone else, he raised his glove and sent me flying, landing a few feet away. Now Wanda and Vision were uncovered, unprotected.