TRUE LIES

I had used my influence to cover up my son Thanos’ crimes. In particular the murder of his mother, Sui-San.  However, none but Eros and I were aware of the terrible crime planned by my son whose sick fascination with Death made him a danger to all.

I had not covered the murder up to deceive the populace of Titan but to protect it. For if the citizens of Titan knew of my son Thanos and his dark machinations, all the peace I created would be lost.  Heaven would then become hell.

“Eros, you will join me at the farcaster gates; there is a visitor that I want you to meet.”

“Father, is all well? I sense something in your voice.”

It had been too long and I could no longer conceal it as it was beginning to seep from the cracks of my broken spirit and spills out before me.

“Just come,” I told him, “it will be self evident when you arrive.”

Often times, deception is required to keep paradise from becoming misery.  Yet no matter how I coated my deception, it would not digest any easier. However, to keep the dream from being tainted, obfuscation of Titans current events was unavoidable.

To the current populace of Titan, Thanos was still my son in good standing and was off traveling through the farcaster gates, spreading peace throughout our system. Most believed him so busy as a prince and so did not think it strange that he never was home. They knew neither of what his dark nature had wrought, nor that when they did finally come to greet him he would brutally and forcefully remove them from this life.

Only my son Eros knew that terrible truth that Thanos was mad and he was a serpent lurking in paradise.

“Father, I have come.  Who is arriving that you wants me to meet?”

I am silent as I.S.S.A.C announces the arrival of the visitor. My son Eros goes blank and his face grows pasty white.

“Father, how is this possible?  I saw her murdered how can Sui-san be alive”…

THANOS AND HIS SHADOW

I came to this world to test my abilities, and seek out a signal, which I had traced to this world to further increase the scope of my power and influence.

Instead, I found myself teleported aboard an outlandish vessel of immense size, with machinery that mimicked the structure of blood vessels and arteries.  I found my body suspended on high, detained in an apparatus of considerable tensile strength.  I hung on what some cultures called a crucifix or a cross. Clinically, a victim died most horribly and painfully desperately gulping for his last breathes but I digress for such limitations apply only to mortals.

My arms and feet were held in position by metal clamps that were created using what I believed to be a form of nanotechnology: a process capable of putting things together one atom at a time and literally enhancing the tensile strength of alloys a thousand fold. However, this particular process seemed advanced even by Titans standard.

The shade that had stung me while in conflict with the forgotten one on the battle word had also returned.   This Death urge, as he called himself, claimed to be under the auspices of an entity known as Oblivion. But even more disturbing was its claim.

The entity claimed to be Death’s very sibling. I began to wonder about my own place in her dark schemes; where did I stand with Death?

My feelings had recently become clouded since I sought my current path. Loving a conceptual being and killing many in her name. It had no doubt begun to tax even one such as I. Obviously my exploits had enhanced my reputation as Mad. However, was I truly unique? Or was I but one amidst the multitude. Did Thanos truly deserve his status as Death’s paramour or was it all self-proclaimed and delusional.  The entity Apocalypses seemed much like me an agent of destruction.

His magnitude and countenance were something to behold. Moreover, my instrumentation showed that he was tapping a signal of considerable power likely the very one I had been seeking myself. Now he not only had me. He had the prize as well. Perhaps Thanos would indeed be the one to embrace his supposed mistress.  In addition, would I find disappointment that I had failed her or worse indifference.  Would I stride across her halls or would I skulk?  My attention was then drawn to the bite of an icy blade against my once unbreakable flesh my ebon sage had returned to whisper new truths in my ears .

My wrists were slit top down, obviously to ensure my death.  Although I did not have to look upon it with my physical senses I just knew. It was something taught when I tutored under the sorcerer in the universal church of truth.

“You’re gonna die, crater face, I can feel it.”

Oblivion and his words cut deep.

“You’re just another killer Thanos. Just like Apocalypse. I’m sure you know it’s hard to make a name for oneself. I mean surely somebody as clever as you must eventually come to realize that you’re not the only one to worship death. There are thousands, tens of thousands possibly millions I doubt mistress death even knows you exist. And even if she did, what do you think she’s going to say when you come stumbling into her realm after getting wasted by Apocalypse? Or worse dying on this cross?

I attempted to speak but the blade he purloined from his body   punctured my throat and blood sprayed outward. I would not lie down. Was I not Thanos? It was merely a mantra    but one I repeated until belief once again began to fester in my black heart.  Then to my surprise I noticed my wounds healed as if they had never been, such were the mysterious workings of the spirit.  I had many questions.  Some to myself while I focused others toward my captor En Sabah Nur.

“In all my travels I have never heard of you En Sabah Nur or your mysterious connection with these legendary space gods.”

“AMUSING YOU SEEK TO DISTRACT ME WHILE YOU PLAN SOME STRATEGEM BUT THE QUESTION ACTUALY SEEMS QUITE GENUINE.”

“Indulge me, Apocalypse, often such tedious devices are enlightening for both parties.”

I taunt him and yet he is correct, I would indeed know more of this being and how I my self-compare.   For the moment, Deathurge seemed to have left my side conceivably to afflict another victim. Apocalypse may have realized what I had been planning but seemed to feel he was above me.  It would give me the necessary buffer to attempt my escape.

“I WAS BORN ON AN ORB CALLED EARTH IN AN ANCIENT LAND CALLED EGYPT.  EVEN AS AN INFANT I INSPIRED FEAR.”

I began to focus and visualize my corporeal body free from all constraints from the macro-cosm   to the microcosm.  I focused on the flesh and then spirit. Until I could actually, imagine the very molecular composition of my body itself.   After that, blessed warmth   began in the back of my occipital lobe. It was likely the same one experienced by mystics and magi who sense heat when they claim to heal another.  Through tens of millions of dendrites and thousands of axons it branched out quick silvered through my entire body.

“THE TRIBE ABANDONED ME TO DIE IN THE HARSH DESERT SUN. I FOUND BY A ROVING BAND OF FEARED DESERT RAIDERS CALLED THE SAND STORMERS.  IT WAS THERE I MET BAAL.   HE FIRST RECOGNIZED THE POTENTIAL WITHIN AND, WAS THE FIRST TO CALL ME ENSABAH NUR OR THE FIRST ONE.”

“BAAL’S TRIBE LIVED BY THE CREED THAT ONLY THE FITTEST TESTED BY HARDSHIP WOULD AND SHOULD SURVIVE.

“I KILLED THREE ARMED WARRIORS WITH MY BARE HANDS.

“ON THE DAY OF MY TRIBAL RITE OF PASSAGE INTO MANHOOD.

“AT THE TIME RAMA-TUT RULED EGYPT AND MOST BELIEVED HIM TO BE A GOD. IN REALITY HE WAS MERELY A TIME TRAVELER AND JUST BEFORE BAAL DIED, HE REVEALED THAT I WOULD ONE DAY OVER THROW RAMA-TUT AS REVEALED IN ANCINET PROPHICIES.

“RAMA-TUT IT SEEMS ALSO KNEW THIS AND IN FACT WAS THE REASON HE WENT BACK IN TIME TO FIND ME. 

“THROUGH ME HE WISHED TO RULE THE PLANET.

“ON THAT DAY, I HAD A VISION OF THE DEATHGOD SET WHO URGED ME TO BECOME A CONQUERER. I EVENTUALY CONFRONTED AND DEFEATED RAMA-TUT AND I THEN KNEW THAT ONLY THROUGH WARS AND CONFLICT CAN THE WORLD BE PURGED OF THE WEAK.”

This was the tricky part.  If I lost concentration I could reassemble myself inside out or worse with part of my body materialized inside the floor: a most terrible death. There was a bright flash and a strange feeling of vertigo and I was teleported through space-time via my own energies.

However, I did not take into consideration how weak the process would leave me. But I had little choice as his instrumentation blocked the use of my technology. I struggled to my feet, as the one called Apocalypse seemed to tower over me.

“I AM THE ROCKS OF THE ETERNEL SHORE CRASH AGAINST ME AND BE BROKEN.”

His blow sent me reeling as my broken spirit tried vainly to knit my fallow-nature together again. Yet, I couldn’t shake the accursed words of the shade death urge that claimed I was no more to death then a passing whim. However judging by the power of this Apocalypse fists it would appear that my spirit would not be the only thing broken on this day.

He seemed to be able to control his very molecular structure itself   capable of even changing his form at a whim. Long three-inch spiny protrusions extended from his hand and though I thought I moved to react, I instead found his offense tore great trenches in my stony visage, I attempted my own counter attack but it was clumsy and listless   He easily avoided it and smashed me through the architecture of the floor.

For a moment, I just sat there as despair sank its hooks into me.  I cried out his foul name, “Deathurge!”

I felt my body being rent with chains of ebony.  My flesh itself peeled from my body’s frame and flopped on the floor like a wounded animal.  I began to look around for Apocalypse. But he was nowhere to be seen. However, I had no doubts he would    follow up his attack against my person Time seemed to wind down and I saw a stumbling mass of flesh shambling toward me.   At first, I did not recognize it, as it appeared to be mismatch of odd body parts thrown together almost randomly.

But as the horror drew near, I came to a startling revelation.

“MOTHER”

It was most indignant and what was meant to tumble me into the abyss.  But instead it increased my resolve all the more. She was my mother and more than that she was my gift to Death. I would no longer tolerate such an affront to my dignity or all this self-pity.

I smiled as the reverberation echoed to the bottom of my being. Thanos was back. Thanos is ever prideful but I digress.  Such ingratitude is unbecoming to one whom I owe to my rebirth; let it not be said Thanos doesn’t pay his debts.

I spray the area with my most devastating weapon and Deathurge’s essence is scattered amidst the chamber. 

The old nature had returned and perhaps not to late as my contest with Apocalypse once again renewed.

However, this Thanos was quick to the kill and Apocalypse would pay dearly for death urges premature departure.  When he confronted me, he was double my size there was a saying in some cultures about the bigger, they are. But I doubt Apocalypse would appreciate the sentiment while. I was tearing one of his limbs completely from its socket.

To his credit, Apocalypse did not even flinch. However, it would have been nice if he could at least have screamed. 

I followed my initial assault up with a deadly combination as I surround my fists with an energy nimbus and reigned high impact blow after high impact blow against what would soon become an iron cadaver. Our battle took us through the bio-metals walls and something like crimson covered our forms. I then began to grapple with him and entangled him in a network of nigh unbreakable arteries from the shattered wall. I began to wonder if this ship was alive as I heard a great howling.

However, this conflict was far from over as he broke his bonds and forced me backward. Then the unexpected occurred and I grew inflexible struggling even to stir.

“THE TECHNO VIRUS I IMPLANTED WHITHIN YOU BEGINS TO TAKE EFFECT AT LAST A PITY I WOULD HAVE ENJOYED SEEING WHICH OF US WAS THE MOST FIT.

“I CAME TO THIS PLACE ORIGINALY TO SEEK OUT CELESTIAL TECHNOLOGY. I FOLLOWED THIS SIGNAL ACROSS THE TIME STREAM ITSELF, BUT THEN YOU INTERCEPTED THE SIGNAL AND IT CHANGED.

“I COULD NO LONGER USE IT SAFELY, AND SO I PREPARED YOU AS MY VASSEL AND USED THE TECHNO-VIRUS TO MAKE YOU, HOW SHALL WE SAY, MORE CONDUCTIVE.

“LIKE MYSELF, YOU ALSO PREPARED TO DRINK THE ENERGIES AND PREPARED YOURSELF WHICH SAVED ME PRECIOUS TIME.”

“The Celestials? How do you mask yourself from their presence?”

“THE ANSWER IS SIMPLE, THANOS.  I DON’T. I HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND THEY SEEMED INDIFFERNT WHILE FULLY BEING AWARE OF MY PRESENCE. HOW COULD BEINGS AS POWERFUL AS THEY ARE.  HOW COULD THEY NOT BE AWARE?

“BUT THEY HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA AND HAVE INTERFERED NOT.”

“That may be or perhaps you have overlooked the obvious, perhaps they merely saw your downfall.”

He did not foresee it and underestimated my own ability to control my body and not realizing that Thanos always stays true to himself.   I used the techno-virus and turned it back upon its creator to a most deadly effect. 

I did not gloat long to give him a chance to renew the conflict Instead I gathered my energies and obliterate all evidence of his existence.

But I was still left to contemplate a single question was I truly deaths paramour? Or was I just one of many? Regardless with or without death I was ever Thanos and that was enough for now.

Interlude: COSMICPOWERS

“Lord Chaos, will the universe now perish since Deathurge’s assault failed?”

“Master Order, Apocalypse was not truly destroyed and simply withdrew, he saw no need to continue since the equipment needed was damaged.”

“Lord Chaos, Thanos downloaded certain information before he destroyed Apocalypse ship, but not before Apocalypse had a small sampling of Thanos genetic code. A code he will sell to a mysterious group called the Enclave.”

“Yes, Master Order we will have our champion and that champion will be Adam Warlock.”

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