Interlude: THE PRODIGAL'S RETURN

They were from the darkest reaches of space and served as the mad Titans assault force with shapes and forms that I would barely have called humanoid. An inferno of flame was being sprayed all across Titan in massive waves.  The community I sought to protect was being liquidated I watched on as my own son Eros attempted to stop his mad brother from committing   genocide on his own people and I was pleased to watch my son jumped boldly into action against   Thanos. However, this Thanos was not the one who left. This one was the one who caused me to nearly shudder as his face was completely without remorse and without any hesitation. He was like unto stone when he smashed my sons skull with a single blow and beat him until his brothers body was a bloody rag.

Anger seethed within me as the power cosmic came to a head and caused my optics to glow like a flame. But I knew that if I confronted him at that instant I would end up the same as the rest of those I loved. Nevertheless, across the carnage and broken spires of Titan I met his gaze with my own. The trap had been set.

I made my way to my personal chamber where the A.I construct I.S.SA.C. quickly used an electronic signal to lock multiple doors  behind me.  I waited on the other side for my son’s arrival.  The sound of wrenching metal could be heard as he ripped the doors clean off one by one. I instructed the world computer.

“I.S.S.A.C, when he enters you will use the incendiary beam to turn him to ash.  Thanos must not be allowed to continue – no matter what the cost, even if all of Titan must fall.”

However, for some reason Thanos stopped his assault and for a moment, there was a dread silence.  

“GREETINGS, FATHER, YOU CAN NO LONGER HIDE. THANOS IS EVERYWHERE.”

It nearly leveled me as somehow Thanos had downloaded himself into the world’s computer, creating a huge visual of him.

“Thanos, my son, you have been a terrible son and I a terrible father, but for better or worse I must stop you.  Though I have wept unending tears since the day you first killed your mother, I take full responsibility for your actions and will not allow you to punish our people for its leaders.”

“FITTING FINAL WORDS, FATHER, I WILL SEE YOU BEYOND THE VEIL.”

I awoke in a cold sweat, and thanked the stars that it was just a dream, but there was no doubt in my mind Thanos was coming. Of that I was sure and I prayed that I would forgive myself, for if I could not, then all of Titan would surely be damned.

The Apocalypse

My long-range scanners, which were built into my gauntlet, showed incredible energy fluctuations over the horizon. The source of those fluctuations were armored Titans that stood nearly 2000 feet. In addition, in the lore of my home world they were reputed to be space gods.

Being in their presence, I had no doubt at their ability to carry out whatever agenda their master had decreed.  For other than my mistress’ presence I had never been so close to sensory overload Celestials as they were called were ominous and impressive and their origin was as mysterious as the space gods themselves were.

The Cognitorum of Velasrius believed them to be from out side the multiverse itself.   During my own studies with the cosmic web on titan, I had learned of the Philospix Ultimus of the Uch Tul Hegemony whom believed the space giants were stars that had reached the end of there cycles and were spewed from the bowels of black holes.

The religious zealots from the winding mists, an obscure race that stayed on titan believed the Celestials might have been survivors of a previous universe.  

The metaphysicians of the Betans believed the Celestials metaphysical manifestations of the evolutionary process and the Celestials were delusions and not actual physical entities.

It was long rumored even on Titan that they visited worlds with the first host performing terrible experiments and altering the races genetic code itself.  While the second host returned after a century or so to inspect what there, handiwork had wrought.  However their return often sent a civilization back into its dark ages.

The third host would come to cultivate, while the fourth and final would bring judgment.  I could not be certain where this society currently was.  Then it was as if they were answering my very question as one of the great space giants raised his massive hand sending great torrents of blood streaming from the heavens themselves.  I was in awe at the extent of Celestials’ power.

In the glaring blood red sun, I saw a figure, which I could not quite make out, but it appeared to beheading in my direction. In addition, according to my instrumentation, its speed was increasing geometrically. Apparently, I had at last drawn the attention of my delusions. When I had first came to the black nebula and sought this world, I had two purposes. The first was to immerse myself in the most demanding environment I could find, while the second was to discover the rumor of a mysterious warrior who often decimated the ranks of this gladiatorial world with   ease. I had my suspicions on who or what this warrior may have been based on the intelligence I had accrued on the subject matter.  His attire was like one of the space giants but smaller. Yet still, he was a Titan in his own right.  His armor was scarlet as the blood from the skies covered him in scabbard of blood.

I prepared to greet my guest as only Thanos of Titan could but I suddenly felt the icy chill of the specter that called himself Deathurge return.

“Why do you continue to insinuate yourself in the matters of death – be gone?!” 

My energy lance passed completely through Deathurge as if he never existed.  It was but a momentary lapse but ample time for the armored entity to topple me from my current position to one of spiraling from the plateau.

I smiled widely as I hit free fall.  The rate of acceleration doubled with every moment. It was at this point that I considered that perhaps I erred and should have learned to fly like my brother Eros after all.   I next considered teleportation but I realized I would still have the same momentum when I landed.  I instead opted for physics.   However, my impact was softened somewhat as I landed on the ever growing pile corpses that had accrued. My great mass caused me to sink deep within the depths of the Necroscape itself.

Through broken bodies and entrails, I climbed to face my opponent once more and I wondered if perhaps he was the one I sought, I observed mistress death still engaging in the feast of the dead. When I was met by an iron fist, which caught me with enough force to send me hurtling across the landscape.

I realigned my broken jaw and allowed my control over molecules to do the rest. I proceeded to test this interloper as only I could but when we next engaged he used a different approach and grappled with me.  My limbs were in some kind of arm lock maneuver.  His strength nearly rivaled my own but still I had to test his limits for if I was correct I could easily double my current abilities. Unfortunately, to do this test accurately I was forced even to the point of pulling my arm out of its socket.   However, it was unavoidable if I was to gauge him accurately, I caught him with one of my own blows. And it came from above and hit with such force that he was driven to the ground I then grabbed his head in a vice grip and ripped his helm from his armored form to reveal long hair the color of chestnut and a square jaw.

Mistress Death was very aloof as we battled on. This time I allowed him to ensnare me and when he attempted to lock me, I reversed the maneuver on him to show him that Thanos was not quick to repeat the same mistakes.  Blistering eye beams then streamed out of his sockets freeing himself from my hold on him.

This gave me much needed distance.  To perform the final test, I allowed my energies to build and then released a fatal dosage.  The warrior immediately fell and I would have been disappointed had I not witnessed a resurrection of startling proportions. One moment he seemed to be on Mistress Death’s door and the next he was completely unscathed, much like myself.  

Clearly this last test had proven my theory quite adequately.  There was now no doubt whatsoever, his strength, his ability to fly, and the control over his molecular structure was an   Eternal like myself, more than my brothers from Titan, likely from the first tribe of Eternals and the ones who exiled my father. I smiled and extended my hand, for dialogue would now prove more beneficial then battle for I must know all I can.

"Greetings warrior, I am Thanos of Titan.”

“I am formerly called Gilgamesh, but now I only call myself the Forgotten One, for I will not reclaim my name until after I see my elusive grail. I have heard of you, and I find no reason to trust you, the son of Alars.”

I saw a great starship out of the corner of my eye and then my body went numb.  There was a great flash of light, and I felt myself being transported it was nearly black when I sensed that I had arrived with only the hum of machinery in the background.  I also found myself unable to move as my arms were being restrained by manacles of an unbreakable metal likely an advanced form of nanotechnology which was often used to increase a metals tensile strength.  I saw a great figure and I awaited for him to make himself known.

“Welcome, Thanos of Titan, I am En-Sabah Nur, but you may call me Apocalypse.”

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