Til Death Do Us Part.

A Hero's Death.

In a panicked, last ditch attempt to keep the plague that was Thanos away from the gauntlet the heroes fought with every last bit of their strength. 

Thor, Tony, Steve, they all were thrown brutally to the ground. But, just as the Mad Titan had grabbed hold of the the glove, the Nano-Gauntlet stretching out and sheathing itself around his purple hand, Captain Marvel came sailing down and in a frenzied fury, she stopped Thanos from snapping his fingers. 

With her body aglow in celestial energy Carol nearly succeeded in ripping the glove off the Titan's hand with his resolve faltering at her immense strength, unable to shake her off. 

But, as a last resort the Titan had to improvise. Swiftly, tearing the Power stone straight out of it's place on the glove Thanos held the shimmering gem in his palm and used it's abilities to incapacitate Carol for good. 

A brutal hit by the Power stone causing her to fly into the distance and crash amongst the rocks and rubble. Her not able to recover from the intense hit in time. 

But, getting to his feet, the Iron Man latched himself onto the gauntlet tethered to the Titan's arm. Desperate and alone, it was just him and Thanos now. 

And, as I looked across the desolate, burning plain I wondered what he was doing. The mechanic injured, and therefore acting recklessly. Holding onto the metal glove for dear life as Thanos swung him around with ease, trying to shake him off like an annoying little gnat. 

Roughly, Thanos managed to kick the frantic Iron Man away, sending him sailing into the debris as the genocidal maniac tightened the glove around his hand. 

Again, he went to fulfill his "destiny", going to claim victory once more just like back in Wakanda. The heroes all left hopeless in the dirt, only able to watch the annihilation in which he'd create. With our last sight being him callously smiling down at us. 

"I am... Inevitable." The Titan proclaimed across the wreckage for all to hear as he snapped his fingers. A corrupt grin of pride cast across his purple features as he thought himself a God. 

But, nothing happened... 

The gauntlet he wielded was empty with no glittering gems, no power... And, to the Titan's shock he looked over to see that Tony had stolen every single one. 

The billionaire's makeshift gauntlet made out of his own Iron Man suit, the red and gold armor controlling the energy from the stones, but not enough... 

And, I watched as the stones power slowly ate at his Nano-Tech armor as searing multi-colored veins ran up his neck like lightning streaking across the sky. 

'He's going to die...' I thought to myself as I watched my friend struggle to control the stones, knowing he couldn't. 

He was a human and no suit of armor could change that. But, he was sacrificing himself to give the world it's 1 in 14 million chance. 

"And, I... Am Iron Man." Tony declared before snapping his own fingers, causing a surge of blinding white light to cast across the horizon. 

And, as the light faded, so did Thanos' army as they all turned to ash. 

To the Titan's surprise and horror it was his turn to watch feebly as his comrades died before him, being reduced to mere piles of soot at his feet. 

The Titan powerless, defeated. Rendered helpless, just staring as his army disappeared, their ashes being swept up within the gusts of wind. 

And, taking a weary seat down onto the smoldering ground, last to go, Thanos himself turned to ash as well. Bowing his head and closing his eyes he too, faded away. 

From afar I saw Tony collapse to the ground, half of his body charred and badly scorched. And, I watched as Rhodey, Peter, and Pepper came to his aid. 

But, the deed had already been done. And, as much as I wanted to say goodbye to someone I had grown to be very fond of over the years I knew it wasn't my place. Tony's last moments alive needed to be spent with those who loved him the most. 

Rhodey knelt beside his friend, and he knew it was the end just like I did. But, it seemed the young Spider-Man didn't as he rushed to his Mentor's side. 

"Mr. Stark? Can you hear me? It's me, Peter. We won, Mr. Stark. We won. Y-You did it, Sir..." Peter choked out, breaking down in tears. 

Gently, Pepper moved the teen aside before she herself went to say goodbye to her partner, her husband, the man she had loved for so long. 

"Hey, Pep..." Tony whispered out, weakly lying against a chunk of metal, his face burned, his eyes filled with nothing but love as he stared into her eyes. 

Pepper sat beside her loved one and placed a hand on his Arc Reactor, it's blue light dim. 

"F.R.I.D.A.Y.?" 

"Life functions critical..." 

The Iron Man gave her a weak, almost guilty smile. Him knowing that he was going. And, Pepper knew it too... 

"Tony, we're going to be okay," She reassured, wanting nothing more than to bring Tony peace. To finally let his mind be at ease even if it was a lie and took everything she had to gift him a calm, regretless ending as he drifted off. 

"You can rest now..." She said, knowing the hell Tony had been through since he became Iron Man back in 2008. 

He was a man who never knew how to stop, who was relentless in keeping everyone he loved safe, who had sacrificed everything, now even his own life, for the greater good... He could finally rest. 

And, only after Tony's Arc Reactor died out did Pepper finally cry, all the strength she had mustered up crumbling as she wept at his side.

As did the heroes around who stood in silence, mourning Earth's Best Defender, the man in a can who sought out peace above all else.

I watched as Pepper kissed Tony's cheek while I stood beside Bucky and Steve and I let myself cry as well, feeling as Bucky pulled me close. 

The battle was over and after Tony sacrificed his life I knew that this would be my last fight too. The end was near...