𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙣𝙙 || Book 2

Chapter 12 ྿ This Isn't Love

The scenery of space was viewed as it cut to the inside of it with a mountain in the distance towards the right as what looked like waves showed below, but there was no water. Thanos and Gamora teleported at the bottom a few miles away from the mountain itself as they began to walk towards it.

V O R M I R

"The Stone has better be up there." Thanos states as Gamora looks up at him. He then turns to face her as he adds "for your sister's sake."

The scene cut them walking up the mountain and through the little pathway as they finally and eventually made it up. He stopped once he spotted the Red Skull. "Welcome, Thanos, song of Alars." He spoke as he was floating in mid air. "Gamora, daughter of Thanos."

"You know us?" Thanos asked as Gamora looked at him before returning it to the floating figure. "It is my curse to know all who journey here." The skull spoke. "Where is the Soul Stone?" Thanos questioned. "You should know... it extracts a terrible price." That's when Thanos took a step forward before stating "I am prepared." The flying figure finally landed before walking forward. "We all think that at first. We are all wrong."

Two long structures that look more as if they were either pillars or towers stood tall on top of the mountain as they all made their way up. "How is it you know this place so well?" Thanos questioned. "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." The Skull said before adding on. That was when they had all reached the end and a long cliff was revealed. "What you seek lies in front of you. As does what you fear."

"What's this?" Gamora asked as she realized she was standing at a cliff with Thanos. "The price." Skull said, "Soul holds a special place among the infinity stones. You might say it has a certain wisdom." He finished.

"Tell me what it needs." Thanos said.

"To ensure that whoever possesses it understands its power... the stone demands a sacrifice." Skull said.

"Of what?"

"In order to take the Stone, you must lose that which you love." That's when Thanos quickly looked at him as he added, "a Soul, for a Soul." Thanos started to think for a moment as Gamora could be heard laughing behind him.

"All my life, I dreamed of a day... a moment... when you got what you deserved." Gamora started to tell him. "And I was always so disappointed." She shook her head lightly as she walked over to the other side of him from behind. "But now... you kill and torture... and you call it mercy. The universe has judged you." She points towards the cliff. "You asked it for a prize, and it told you no." Her eyes became watery due to the wind blowing. "You failed. And do you wanna know why? Because you love nothing. No one."

That's when he turned around to face her and muttered a "no." She tilted her head to the side as she saw his tears. "Really? Tears?" She said and that's when the Skull informed her the truth. "They're not for him." Everything in that one line hit her like a ton of bricks as she glanced down before looking back at him. He started to walk towards her as she took steps back. "No.." she said softly. "This isn't love."

"I ignored my destiny once. I cannot do that again." He mentioned towards her as she looked down. "Even for you." That's when she ripped out the blade he had given her when she was just a child before turning around and stabbing herself, but before she even got to, it vanished and she looked at her now empty hands in disbelief. Tears started stream down her face in defeat. "I'm sorry, little one." He said as he then grabbed her arm and started to drag her with him.

She looked at him with a face as she grabbed onto him with her free hand before yelling "No!" He didn't stop however. He kept on dragging her with him as she tried her best to fight back until he threw her over. She reached out and tried to grab on to something but was unsuccessful. Thanos watched as she made her way down. The sad look she carried as she screamed out and held a hand towards him. She made impact and died at the scene as the Soul was delivered and Thanos got what he wanted.

He was teleported into a different area as the view panned to now show him floating in what looked to be a small lake of a sort. Still in space however. The colors of the sky was a reddish purple as he sat up once he had awaken. He wasn't on the mountain anymore but a mile or two away from it. Bringing his hand up, he noticed the gauntlet still there but no stone. It wasn't till he brought up his other hand when he spotted the bright light. The light was the stone right in the center of his palm. He felt a bit guilty for what he had done but not as mush so as he had gotten what he truly wanted since the very beginning.

A/n: chapter's shorter than the others for a reason. I didn't really enjoy writing her death. The feels man...