Chapter 419: Cheating Death (2/2)
Chapter 419: Cheating Death (2/2)
Chapter 419: Cheating Death (2/2)
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Tom, May, MJ, and Ned stood in the Avengers Tower, their hearts heavy with the weight of their friends' departures. They were anxious and worried, waiting for Tony and Natasha's souls to return to their bodies.
Time seemed to slow down as they watched Natasha's lifeless form lying on the floor, hoping for any sign of her return. Minutes passed, feeling like hours, and just when they were starting to lose hope, a faint wisp of light shot into the room and merged with Natasha's body.
"Did you see that?" MJ exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.
Ned nodded, excitement and hope welling up within him. "I think that was it! Natasha's soul just came back!"
Tom's heart skipped a beat, and he rushed over to Natasha's side, closely followed by May, MJ, and Ned. They watched with bated breath as Natasha's body twitched, her eyes fluttering open.
Natasha gasped for breath, her body jerking as life returned to it. She blinked a few times, disoriented and confused, before finally focusing on the worried faces surrounding her.
"Natasha!" Tom exclaimed, relief washing over him.
May's eyes were glistening with tears, happy that everything was working out. "Welcome back."
Natasha took a deep breath, her memories flooding back. She remembered the fight with Clint, the fall, and then… nothing. "I... I'm alive?" she whispered, almost unable to believe it.
Ned practically jumped in excitement. "Peter's spell actually worked!"
Natasha managed a weak smile, still a little disoriented. "What… what about Tony?" She asked as all eyes turned to Tony's body, which continued to lay lifeless on the cold hard floor.
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As Tony Stark descended down to face Thanos, he felt a rush of familiarity. He had been in this exact situation before, with the Infinity Stones in his possession, ready to face the Mad Titan. But something felt different this time…
As he landed and saw Thanos in front of him, his gauntlet still adorned with the stones, it dawned on him that Peter's spell must have sent him back a few minutes earlier than he had anticipated.
"Great," Tony muttered, annoyed. "I just had to deal with this once, and now I have to do it all over again."
Thanos turned to face him, a grin forming on his face. "You again?" he taunted. "I thought you learned your lesson last time."
Tony chuckled, brushing off the comment. "Yeah, well, I've got a bad habit of coming back for more."
Without further ado, the two engaged in battle once more. However, just like before, it was a one-sided affair. Tony's frustration over having to repeat this fight coupled with the knowledge of what was to come gave him a sense of recklessness. He fought with all his might, but he couldn't match the raw power of the Mad Titan.
Blows rained down on Tony's suit, denting and cracking the once-impenetrable armor. He struggled to keep up, but he refused to back down. Even though he knew the outcome, he fought with every ounce of strength he had left.
As the battle continued, Thanos kept the upper hand, his immense strength overwhelming Tony's efforts to fight back. Soon, Tony found himself pinned against the ground, his in armor and body in tatters.
"You're no match for me, Stark," Thanos said with a wicked grin. "Your persistence is commendable, but it won't change the outcome. No matter what you do, I will always be… Inevitable!"
Tony, panting heavily, managed to speak through the pain. "I'm not... giving up... that easily."
As Thanos lifted Tony by the throat, ready to deliver the final blow, Tony repeated history once again. He discreetly activated his nano-bot Iron Man suit, which extended its tendrils, silently reaching for the Infinity Stones on Thanos' gauntlet. With precise movements, the nano-bots started detaching the stones one by one.
Thanos, unaware of Tony's actions, continued to taunt him. "You should have gone for the head like last time."
With all the Infinity Stones now safely in his Iron glove, Tony smirked triumphantly. "Well, this time, I'll do better than that."
Thanos frowned in confusion as Tony lifted his hand, revealing all six Infinity Stones. "!?"
"What was it you said again?" Tony asked with a sh*t-eating grin plastered across his face. "Oh, I remember! It's… I'm Inevitable!"
With a smug look, Tony snapped his fingers together, activating the Infinity Stones, and the universe erupted in a blinding light. The ground shook, and everything around them seemed to disappear into a void of pure energy.
As the blinding light engulfed them, Tony Stark felt the toll the stones took on his body. Unadulterated pain and agony filled his entire being, engulfing him completely.
And with that pain came a rush of emotions. Memories of everything he had fought for, his friends, his family, and the world he loved, flooded his mind. It was all coming to an end once more, but this time, there was a small sliver of hope that Peter's spell would work, allowing him to reunite with his family and friends once again.
But as the light subsided and the echoes of Thanos' defeat faded away, Tony found himself alone on the battlefield with no sign of Thanos or his army. The universe around him seemed different, altered.
"Did it work?" he muttered as he collapsed on the ground, his body fried from using the stones.
As he looked down at his gloved hand, the one that held the Infinity Stones, he knew that something had changed. The stones were gone, and he could feel the lingering power within him.
Tony's mind raced with possibilities. "Did I succeed?"
However, before he could find any answers, a feeling of exhaustion washed over him. The strain of wielding the Infinity Stones took its toll, and Tony's body started to give in to the immense power he had just harnessed.
…
As the dust settled and Thanos's army disappeared, Pepper Potts watched in horror as the blinding light dissipated, revealing the aftermath of the battle. Her heart pounded in her chest as she searched desperately for Tony, praying that he had survived the onslaught as well.
"Tony!" she called out, her voice trembling with fear.
Moments later, she spotted him, collapsed on the ground, his Iron Man suit battered and broken. Pepper's heart sank as she rushed towards him, pushing past the debris that littered the battlefield. Her eyes locked onto his face, which was pale and filled with a mixture of pain and exhaustion.
"Tony!" she cried out again, falling to her knees beside him. "Are you okay?"
Tony managed a weak smile, though the effort seemed to drain the last of his energy. "Hey, Pep," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I did it... I made things right..."
Pepper's eyes filled with tears as she gently cradled Tony's face in her hands. "You did, Tony," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "You did."
Tom, who had rushed over, looked on in shock. "Mr. Stark, you did it," he said, noticing Tony's horrible condition. "A-Are you okay…?"
Tony chuckled softly, his breaths growing shallow. "No, I don't think I am," he replied, looking at Tom with a mix of pride and exhaustion. "But I'll be back… So just wait for me…"
Pepper's tears fell freely now as she held Tony close, confused by his words. "J-Just hang in there, okay?" she pleaded. "We can find a way to heal you... Just don't die. Please… don't die."
Tony shook his head gently, his strength waning. "It's too late for that, Pep," he said, his voice barely audible. "I knew what I was getting into... and I'd do it all over again if it meant keeping you and our daughter safe."
Pepper's heart shattered as she realized the gravity of the situation. "No, Tony, please," she sobbed, unable to accept what was happening.
But Tony's gaze remained steady as he looked at her lovingly. "I love you, Pepper," he whispered. "Always have... always will. Just… wait for me-"
With those final, yet cryptic words, Tony's body went limp in Pepper's arms, and she let out a heart-wrenching cry of anguish. Tom placed a hand on her shoulder and joined her, his expression filled with sorrow as well.
"He did it," Doctor Strange appeared, a solum look on his face. After all, he knew this would happen. This was the one in a million chance he was betting on, but he certainly wasn't happy about it.
As Pepper grieved, Tom couldn't tear his eyes away from the fallen hero. Tony Stark, the man he had looked up to and admired, had sacrificed himself so that everyone else could live.
"We'll make sure that everyone knows what he did," Tom vowed, his voice filled with determination. "I'll make sure they remember him, forever."
Pepper looked up at Tom, gratitude shining through her tears. "Thank you," she whispered, her heart heavy with loss.
Together, they mourned the loss of Tony Stark, unaware that they would be seeing him in about a years time.
As the sun set on the battlefield, Pepper held Tony's lifeless body close, unaware as a dim transparent light shot out of his corpse and dashed away, disappearing into the distance.
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"Tony…" Natasha grumbled as she paced around the room. "What's taking him so long?"
"Maybe the spell couldn't bring him back…?" Ned spoke what everyone was thinking and received harsh glares for doing so.
Natasha turned to him, furious. "If you have nothing good to say, then don't speak! He'll make it back. He has to…"
…
..
.
As they waited, slowly losing hope as time passed, a faint wisp of light appeared in the night sky, like a shooting star. It swirled and danced before shooting in their direction.
"Is that?" Ned whispered.
Natasha snapped. "Didn't I tell you-" She froze as she caught sight of the wisp in the distance.
The wisp of light grew closer, and within its glow, they could see the faint outline of a figure. It was Tony, his form flickering like a mirage.
Natasha's eyes filled with tears. "It worked!" She exclaimed as the flickering figure of Tony surge at the tower and shot into his body.
Tony gasped, his eyes flying open as he took in his surroundings. He was back in the Tower, alive once again.
A/N: 1731 words :)
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