(This story takes place somewhere during the first Dead Men Tell No Tales story, continuity wise.)

Delirium assaulted the landscape of my imagination with terrible visions of what may be. Of those many lying dead, and of those begging to die. The child's unholy birth would foreshadow the end. The visions were becoming so palatable that I could smell the putrid remains decaying flesh in my nostrils, and in the back of my throat the coppery taste of fresh blood. The visions I was having were beginning to seep into our own world. It seems my terror has given them breath. However so terrifying were the dread epiphanies that even my brother En Du We Gast would tremble despite his iron nerves that he had garnered with years of steady gaming: and with stakes that were always life and death.

In the beginning, the visions were the reason I started collecting specimens. So that if necessary, the universe could be repopulated. However, the dreams were becoming more frequent. In addition, I thought it mere folly that collecting alone could save creation. Who did I think I was the great space being who collected specimens after the gods destroyed everything? Ha ha ha ha I was merely an obsessive old fool as all elders tended to be but I knew it. That was my strength but also my weakness.

I sat and waited for my brother Elders, En Du We Gast and the one who called himself the Contemplator, to arrive. We could then make our move and do what had to be done. Being Elders, we were a patient lot after all we were the first beings to come into existence, and although there a lot of details one thing was sure because we were incredibly old we needed something for us to continue lest we grow bored and die. My family was enough but I feared that I would lose them one day, and if I did then I would need a reason to go on. There was also no way I could allow Thanos to be a threat, at least as long as my family was around. My thoughts were interrupted.

My brothers arrived in dramatic fashion. The Contemplator, a small a seemingly inconsequential being, could be quite formidable as he had absolute control over his body. Even now the contemplator was in an astral form and my other brother, Gast who called himself the Grandmaster because of his own obsession used the method of breaking down his quantum structure and reassembling them over great distances to appear in my ship. Nevertheless of all the Elders, my brother the Grandmaster was the most impressive with a keen mind that had memorized the rules of thousands of different games and who had steel like nerves that allowed him to carry the consequences of his games to there dread conclusions. His power was something to behold for in all my walks I had never seen one of us who were his Equal in raw power. But of any Elders, we were the closest.

I spoke to him first, "We would find a way to slay the child if necessary before it becomes a threat. Perhaps by using your vast network of computers on your home world to hack into the world web and pin point the location of the child by using the intelligence, I have gathered with the visions. According to the dreams I had there would be a great supernova when he was to be born "

Gast replied but it was with sarcasm, "Dear brother, I respect you but even one of my knowledge cannot decipher such arcane musings, even I have my limitations."

The Grandmaster made me fool foolish and there was certain amount of truth in his words but it was all I had.

"His mother was to be a virgin, I said, "or at least she would not procreate in the normal manner, and then there was the Magi who would bring gifts."

Gast spoke again, "Listen to yourself, brother, you sound like your spouting mythologies. His mother was to be a virgin and he was to born with the explosion of a supernova you will forgive me if it sounds a bit to foolish"

"And there was a name in my visions, Alars and Sui-san, I know that is vague but perhaps a prophet is ever doomed to watch," the Grandmaster attempted to comfort me in his own unique way.

"Brother, do not be such a fatalist. I will use my computers to tap into every data base available, perhaps we can come up with something."

The Contemplator interjected, "Perhaps there is a certain amount of fate involved here, after all even as we speak I am on the world of Titan which is governed by one who goes by that very name and also a women his mate. I am there to contemplate on the world tree which is rumored to be connected to Yrrgissil itself."

Gast also spoke, "I.S.S.A.C. the great AI construct also resides and he is rumored to be nearly sentient and the best games man in the universe. Let us go there." My brothers had alternative motives but they would serve as a means for now.

"We need a plan," I said, "Let us pose as gift bearers like in my vision and during our visit. The Grandmaster can use the power primordial to end the child's life without drawing attention." Gast agreed, but I could sense he was more into his games and the Contemplator was there for his own obsession as well. I was not so different, but I still had my wife and child, Corrina, to drive me while they had only there obsessions. Yet, I could not deny that without our obsessions, we would cease to be and perish. The Contemplator broke into my thoughts, "Tell us of your dreams and visions. Once more I have my focus on the great tree."

"I believe I already told of the dreams and visions, Contemplator, perhaps in your trying to gain insight into the big picture, you lost sight of small details."

"Granted, brother, the flesh can be quite bothersome, even flesh as immortal as our own. I seek the meaning of all things."

"Will you never understand how it is the details that make life palatable, Contemplator, not the vague musings of the universe. I see it as the obsession that drives you to live nothing more."

"Enough, my brothers, let us be to our business with the power primordial. I will simply still his life and no one will be the wiser." The Grandmaster was terrible to behold as the very air around him seemed to burn truly his power was up to the task without even a gesture his primordial broke down my quantum structure, and if he so desired he could make it permanent and so I had certain fear. The Contemplator would no doubt rejoin his body via his astral self."

Titan was vast, and the technology a marvel even by Elder standards this Mentor’s feats had truly not been exaggerated this was a paradise and a technological wonder. His accomplishments had gained my respect. Even my brother Gast was in awe or at least respectful.

The three of us saw what seemed an endless line of all those wanting to see the child. It was greater then I had supposed this mentor had indeed garnered a great deal of repute from the surrounding planets in a short time. Then in an elder's reference everything was a short time. An Erie silence then blanketed the world as black ships pierced the atmosphere. They looked more like blades then ships, and it seemed alien to such a peaceful world. As this

I then had understanding as the hovering blades began to slaughter the surrounding populace. I watched in abject horror as flesh peeled away from bone and then even the bone itself melted into nothing. Violet energy lances that used their tendrils to pull down the magnificent achievements of this great world were toppling the great spires of titan. Their great weight crushed those trying to flee its decent. As I walked over, I saw women trapped under the debris her body horribly broken. With all my strength, I attempted to move it. But I had not used the power primordial in such a fashion and my skills were inept. I screamed for my bothers for help but they were no where to be found no doubt off feeding their manias.

My hand began to shake and spittle dribbled down my chin as I strained until every muscle in my body screamed, "NOOOOOOOO!"

The Grandmaster’s hand brought me back to reality, "Brother, what transpires that you draw such attention to us?"

"I am fine," I said.

But I doubt if he believed me, for the Grandmaster could probably read even my thoughts for the extent of his powers were unknown even to me who had spent a great deal of time with him. However, with my hands trembling and my body almost white I doubt he had to read my mind

I did not know how much longer we would have to wait to see the child but I didn't have to see him I could feel him I could sense the grip he had on this reality already. There was an awareness that perhaps he even knew we were here. After all, he was no ordinary child

My perusals along with my brother’s were drawn to a great hologram, which hung over the city. It was of course unmistakable; it was the mother and her monster child. Yet, strangely the image reminded me of my own wife and my Corrine. There was a great beauty as the monster child was juxtaposing with the loving mother. I felt my resolve begin to falter as I stared at the hovering image. That I would not have the strength to carry out my dread mission. And even if I somehow managed to kill the child, how was I different? Especially when I had my own reasons that had nothing to do with ensuring the universe survival. I loved my wife and daughter but so did this woman love hers. Who was I to end his life?

Then the world around me grew dead and the image of the mother and child faded. The air had a chill and my body began to exhibit the unmistakable characteristics of gooseflesh. Stench was nearly overwhelming as the body count began to grow, a child were dead and sitting with his face completely burned away it was quite disturbing as I fell to the ground to cradle the dead youth in my hands. Then it spoke without even a mouth to speak the words. They are only a burnt and charred head and yet it still had all of its hair.

"SAVE US FROM WITH THANOS. SAVE US FROM WITH THANOS."

I was then encircled by a band of children singing. The faceless children horrifying to be hold, but even in the midst of my horrific vision, I could here the voices of my brother elders trying to call me back to the real world. But the visions were becoming more real and they were lost to me.

I felt my body go stiff and a great gauntleted hand then pushed itself through my chest cavity there was gasp as the hand destroyed my lungs and on this hand were six stones and they began to speak

"There is nothing you can do, the wielder of the gauntlet cannot be smited until the appointed time, and not even an elder is powerful enough to hinder the will of the Infinity Gems. So while you may watch you may not act. While you may see, there is no one to share that terrible vision not even your wife and child. And know this, Collector, they too will grow weary of life even if you could end the servant of death’s life and then you will be alone.

My brothers held me up as my strength was all but gone but I had returned from the dreams but. So terrible was the last vision that my mouth had a trickle of blood coming down the corner of my mouth. It would appear even if I could muster the will to do the deed, I might not live long enough to finish the task. But no matter, my brothers still would see him and kill him even if I could not."

I waited as we were nearly upon our goal. The line had moved much during my visions but when I turned to my brother the Contemplator, he was clearly somewhere else. His attention obviously drawn to some cosmic tangent other than the matter at hand and I could see Gast playing with what appeared to be a gaming council of sorts.

Yes our obsessions ruled us not the other way around we were possessed not the possessors. My eyes again saw something out of the normal a great man with eyes that reeked of death but he was hooded so I could not see his face

His voice was like the grave, "Let me show you what I have sown."

The great being gestured for me to follow and my brothers were still distracted so much that it did not even seem to phase them that I was leaving. He showed me a great room and I began to vomit as I saw something even more terrible, some kind of large specimen vivisected for study.

"This is my mother," it said.

I pushed him away, "You're a monster and I will see you dead."

It pulled back its hood and it was the purple anti-beast from my dreams. "Will you?" it said sardonically, "Look at your brothers: the Grandmaster so obsessed with his games that he has already forgotten his purpose, and the Contemplator, almost gone from the start your obsessions Elders are your undoing. And my obsession with death will be the universes undoing." It smiled at me.

My body began to convulse and hemorrhage, it was now clear that the visions would kill me for they were now reality.

I tried to focus on my wife and child to bring me back. I was now before the child and my brothers each lost in they're own obsessions it was up to me and yet it was so innocent and beautiful. It did not matter if I was caught but before I could act, the child spoke.

"Do it." I was astounded the child could speak or was it another terrifying vision?

" You cannot because you are weak it is your lot that will be exterminated, for the weak cannot be tolerated."

"You cannot speak," I said, "you are a child."

It then replied, "I have never been a child."

The child then grew to monstrous proportions and held me in an unbreakable grasp, "That is ever the curse of seers is it not?" The creature was inviolate I would die, "Forever destined to watch but incapable of action for the visions are so terrible that they become reality."

I blacked out and when I had awakened, I was safely on my ship with my brothers by my side.

"So did you kill the child?" said Gast, "you were in there for sometime, I would have used the power primordial but I thought you more then capable."

I did not wish to appear weak, so I said I did it. "I killed the child." I was a liar and perhaps my brother knew this, but they said nothing. I returned to my obsession of collecting for I knew now that it must take up my every moment if the universe is to go on for my weakness has caused a transfer of obsessions. But that is what drives us on. After all if an Elder loses his will to live he dies.

Continued in Dead Men Tell No Tales #12

We hope you enjoyed this chapter in a new series which will dig deep into the hidden past of Thanos the Mad Titan!  If you enjoyed it, please let us know by e-mailing cpufeedback@yahoo.com or by filling out the form below.

Please leave your comments below:
If you want to be contacted or have e-mail included.
Leave name if you would like it in our letter column.