(Outer-space)
A massive spaceship was cutting through the cold darkness of space, making its way toward a distant destination at a speed faster than light. The exterior of the ship was covered in layered brown scales, giving it the appearance of some ancient cosmic beast. Massive wings extended from its sides, stabilizing the vessel while also assisting with its warp propulsion systems.
Surrounding the colossal craft were countless smaller warships, forming a terrifying fleet that stretched across the void. Inside them were millions of soldiers belonging to the powerful Chitauri Empire. Even some Kree aliens who had allied with the master spread around.
This massive mothership was the infamous Sanctuary II.
Within this war vessel were countless sections and chambers. Some rooms housed rows upon rows of Kree soldiers preparing for battle, while others contained various alien species that had pledged loyalty—or submission—to their master.
At the very top of the spaceship was the throne room of the fleet's ruler.
The throne chamber itself was almost like a universe of its own. Artificial stars burned softly in the distance while floating asteroids drifted slowly like wandering galaxies. The entire chamber felt less like a room and more like a pocket of space carved out by advanced alien technology.
At the center of this miniature cosmos floated a massive throne. It towered several meters high and looked as if it had been forged from the heart of a dying star, its metallic surface glowing faintly with alien energy.
And seated upon that throne was one of the most feared conquerors in the universe.
Thanos.
Clad in golden armor and wearing a helmet that shone brilliantly under the cosmic lights of the chamber, he looked every bit the tyrant he was known to be.
He was a huge, bald, purple-skinned alien with a powerful, burly frame. His eyes carried a chilling indifference, as if every other being in existence existed far beneath him.
Sitting there was a warlord who had forged his power through slaughter and conquest.
An exile from his home world who had risen beyond impossible odds through sheer intelligence, brutality, and ambition.
A dangerous being whom even other galactic conquerors refused to take lightly.
Even worse, he was a fanatic.
A man obsessed with pleasing the divine.
The so-called lover of the cosmic entity known as Death, someone willing to do absolutely anything for her approval—even if it meant wiping out entire civilizations across the universe.
Now, that same terrifying conqueror was heading toward one of the most remote planets in the cosmos.
Earth.
Suddenly, a tall figure appeared on one of the floating platforms inside the throne chamber. The teleportation had been allowed by Thanos himself.
Sensing the presence behind him, the massive throne slowly rotated.
Thanos' eyes snapped open and immediately swept over the newcomer.
"So, it's you… the Asgardian boy."
His deep voice echoed throughout the artificial cosmos.
"Yes. I have completed my part of the mission."
The newcomer—Loki—stood proudly, dressed in his iconic green attire with a golden horned crown resting on his head. His expression carried the usual arrogance that followed the God of Mischief everywhere.
"It's time for you to fulfill your part of the deal."
Being an Asgardian god, pride was embedded deep within Loki's nature. Bowing before others was something he rarely did, and the only being he ever truly submitted to was his father, Odin.
Moreover, Loki believed most life forms were naturally beneath the gods.
To him, this arrangement between himself and Thanos was nothing more than a mutual agreement. They were partners in a deal—nothing more, nothing less.
So even while facing a universal conqueror, Loki showed no visible fear.
For several seconds, Thanos gave no response.
He simply stared at Loki, his heavy gaze studying the Asgardian carefully as if trying to uncover hidden intentions.
Even the proud God of Lies felt slightly unsettled under that gaze.
Still, Loki maintained his composure, his face betraying no emotion.
"Give me the stone," Thanos finally said.
A cunning glint flashed through Loki's eyes the moment he heard the request.
He deliberately slowed his movements, placing a thoughtful expression on his face as if considering something deeply.
Thanos immediately noticed the delay.
A faint trace of mock amusement appeared on his purple face.
"Do not play games with me, boy," he said calmly. "As promised, I will grant you a portion of my army to command during the invasion."
His voice remained steady.
"Furthermore, I will help you secure that little throne you desire."
Hearing those words made Loki's heart bloom with excitement, though he maintained his mask of indifference.
"Maybe I should ask for more…"
The thought appeared almost instinctively in his mind.
Unable to suppress the temptation, he began to speak.
"But—"
Before he could finish his sentence, an overwhelming pressure suddenly crashed down upon him.
The entire chamber trembled.
Thanos' voice followed immediately after.
"Do not test your luck, Asgardian."
"My patience is limited."
His eyes glowed faintly.
"Now… give me the stone."
The pressure surrounding Loki became almost unbearable. Even the void-like environment of the chamber seemed to shudder beneath the force.
Loki forced his body to remain standing.
But the floor beneath his feet cracked under the strain.
"Fine, fine! Here it is!"
Realizing his body could not endure the pressure much longer, Loki quickly produced the glowing Mind Stone and tossed it toward Thanos.
Watching the so-called god surrender so quickly, a faint sneer formed in Thanos' mind.
"Odin's offspring are cowards".
The stone floated above Thanos' palm. Even he himself dared not touch it barehanded. He could only use the power of his throne to keep it afloat.
A strange light reflected in his eyes as a decision formed in his mind.
A curved scepter suddenly appeared in his other hand. Its golden body was covered in intricate alien runes, and a calm yet mysterious aura radiated from it.
As Thanos embedded the Mind Stone into the head of the scepter, a slow smile formed on his stern face.
He could already imagine the future. His grand mission completed. And the one he worshipped—Death herself—finally acknowledging him.
Fwoosh—
BOOM!
A powerful cosmic pressure exploded outward from the Infinity Stone.
Yet surprisingly, Thanos remained completely unaffected.
The helmet on his head shimmered faintly, the runic patterns engraved into it suppressing the chaotic energy of the stone.
However, the same could not be said for the other person in the room.
Below the throne, Loki was completely stunned.
The pressure from the stone sent his mind reeling for several seconds. If not for his powerful Asgardian physique, he might have fallen into a powerful illusion.
More importantly, Loki understood the stone's true power.
Seeing someone remain completely calm under its influence was… terrifying.
At that moment, Loki finally understood that the being before him was far more dangerous than he had originally believed.
"Phew… good thing I didn't push too far earlier." Relief washed over him internally. "I might have died without even leaving behind a grave."
The fusion ended after several minutes, and Thanos' face gradually returned to its usual stern expression. The faint glow around the scepter faded as the energy stabilized.
He looked down at Loki with complete indifference before casually tossing the scepter toward him.
Panic instantly washed over Loki as he stared at the incoming weapon.
He couldn't understand what Thanos was planning by returning the Mind Stone to him. Judging from the Titan's gaze, it certainly didn't look like anything good.
Still, Loki hurriedly stretched out his hand and clumsily caught the scepter.
Before he could even process the situation, Thanos' voice echoed across the throne chamber once again.
"Use this stone to speed up the plan. I want the invasion to proceed as soon as possible."
Thanos cast a cold glance at him.
"Fail me… and bear the consequences, boy."
The moment Loki heard the word boy, a surge of irritation and wounded pride rose in his chest. The God of Mischief had never liked being looked down upon, especially not by someone who treated him like an insignificant pawn.
But he quickly forced those emotions down.
Right now, he simply wasn't strong enough to challenge Thanos.
Not yet.
"Yes," Loki replied calmly. "I'll make sure to hasten the process."
He gave a brief salute-like bow, masking his thoughts behind his usual composed expression. With a casual wave of his hand, green magical energy swirled around him and his figure disappeared from the throne chamber.
Yet just before leaving, a rebellious thought quietly passed through his mind.
You wouldn't mind if I take a few benefits for myself… right?
After Loki vanished, the massive floating throne slowly rotated back to its original position.
The artificial cosmos inside the throne room returned to complete silence. The distant stars flickered quietly as asteroids drifted through the void.
Only a single thought crossed the mind of the Mad Titan.
What exactly is Lothor planning?
--- ✦ ---
After settling Nina down safely, Zayne hurried back home after receiving a notification from Kara. It was an update regarding the stocks he had recently purchased.
Today was the perfect day to sell.
The charts were practically exploding upward for the rest of the week.
The reason was simple.
Tony Stark had just begun one of his yearly massive investment waves, and the ripple effect had sent several stocks skyrocketing. The market was practically in chaos, and Zayne had placed his bets at exactly the right moment.
Now, sitting in front of his laptop, Zayne couldn't stop his lips from stretching into a wide grin, revealing a row of white, perfectly aligned teeth.
The number displayed on the screen had changed dramatically.
What had originally been a modest $3,500 had now grown into $450,365.
The value had multiplied many times over.
(A/N: It's fantasy guys. I know most stocks can't scale that high, but in rare cases it can happen.)
"I finally have some financial strength," Zayne thought with a sigh of relief.
"It's time to implement my plans."
His eyes remained locked on the screen as new ideas began forming rapidly in his mind.
"I don't need raw materials or production machines. I already have an infinite amount of those in my base."
"All I need is a legitimate company operating in the real world. Once that's established, everything else will begin to move."
He leaned back slightly in his chair, crossing his arms.
"It shouldn't be too difficult. I've built several companies back on my former planet."
Within seconds, a complete framework formed in his mind.
For someone like Zayne, building a company, managing its operations, and pushing it to the top of an industry was almost child's play.
With his experience—and the social connections inherited from Tommy Oliver—he could finish most of the groundwork within a month. Production could easily begin the following month.
"But before all that…"
Zayne murmured quietly.
"I need to prepare for tomorrow."
Standing up, he walked over to his wardrobe and opened it.
A few seconds later, black lines appeared across his forehead.
There was absolutely nothing inside worth wearing for tomorrow.
Tomorrow was his date with Kira.
Zayne had no intention of half-assing something like that.
It was his first real date in this world, and he wanted everything to go smoothly. He was certain Kira was probably making her own preparations as well.
"Damn… It's actually weird for me to have an empty closet."
A strange sense of disbelief crossed his mind. It almost felt like going from riches back to poverty. Still, Zayne quickly pushed that depressing thought aside.
In his previous life, he had risen from an ordinary boy to one of the wealthiest individuals on his planet. If he could achieve that once, then repeating the process here would be nothing special.
Making a quick decision, he grabbed a brown jacket and headed toward the door.
"I should buy something decent to wear tomorrow," He muttered to himself. "And maybe get a new car while I'm at it."
A playful smile appeared on his face.
"After all… I'm a little rich now."
With that, Zayne walked out of the house, got into his small car, and drove off into the evening streets.
Tomorrow was going to be a very special day for him.
--- ✦ ---
We are getting closer to the end of the first arc, guys. I'm kinda nervous because I want it to be a good outro. All in all, I'll try my utmost best.
I noticed I've been improving my writing and editing skills at a visible rate. I would like to thank you all for not giving up on me and offering me comments and criticisms. It has helped a lot.
Bless me with Power Stones, guys!!!.