Tony's still down, Thor's hitting the dirt. This is all on Steve for the moment.
It feels so natural to swing the hammer, to hear it reverberate as it bashes against Thanos' gleaming armor and sends the titan flying back. Before Steve was barely abel to hold his own of the three of them against Thanos. Now? He might just have a chance. Steve's heart is a jackhammer in his chest as his next swing misses. The titan's blow clatters against his shield, sending the soldier skidding back in the dirt. Still no movement on either side of him.
Steve raises the hammer and has to steel himself against dropping Mjolnir out of instinct when the air hums before a strike of lightning slams down into the hammer. Energy surges up his arm. Steve doesn't know how he glows with crackling light, doesn't know what he's doing more than just remembering his time spent fighting at Thor's side for years. He aims the hammer toward Thanos and sends all of that stored charge bolting across the battlefield to slam into his foe.
Steve hasn't felt this kind of powerful since the very first time he got into a fight with his new body.
He loses track of how many blows he lands on Thanos. Gives himself in to the flow of the battle. Focuses entirely on the titan in front of him and the weapons in his hands. Lightning strikes, Mjolnir and his shield positively sing out across the destruction. Thanos is gaining back ground slowly but surely. As he gets used to Steve's new attack style he's more easily able to counter it. Catch the human by the collar and slam him into the dirt. Thanos may not be able to wield Thor's hammer but he sure as hell can wield Steve. He's picking the human up and throwing him across the field of rubble.
"You know....in all my years of conquest trying to track down these stones, none of the bloodshed was ever personal." Thanos' words barely make it to Steve's ears while he staggers to get up again. Get his feet underneath him. "But right here? Right now? What I am about to do to this planet you call home....I'm going to enjoy it."
Thanos signals to his ship. Faintly in the distance Steve can hear the sound of the titans troops touching down onto Earth's soil. His groans of pain get drowned out by the roars of Chi'tauri beasts being let loose from their cages. Steve gets back up on shaking feet and watches countless enemies descend. Until everywhere he can see is covered in Thanos' troops. Beating the Titan was never enough. His entire army was still waiting in the wings. He, Tony, and Thor couldn't beat Thanos alone.
Thanos with the might of his forces, his generals, his siege machines...The sky full of monsters...
If I don't make it back, Thor had said. It looks like none of them will now. Shaking fingers grab hold of the leather brace holding his shield and pull it taut. Captain America squares his shoulders. Stands alone before the full might of Thanos's army. It's suicide. He doesn't care.
"--ap, --n you read me?" Static in his ear. Steve shakes his head. Reaches up with one hand to touch at his earpiece. He must have hit his head harder than he thought. Steve's looking around the battlefield. There's nothing--no one else--
Steve knows that voice but it's one that only exists in his heart anymore. Along with all the dead blown away by Thanos' will alone. He doesn't have time for distractions. Steve's almost ready to stumble forward again when the static comes back, louder this time.
"On your left, Cap." Sam. Sam Wilson.
Steve's not quite prepared for what he sees when he turns. Too much to hope for, too unreal to process. A swirling vortex of golden light. Steve's never seen anything like it before. It's too bright to stare directly at though he would know the figures that emerge from it in his sleep. The lost king T'Challa of Wakanda, his first General Okoye, and his baby sister. All dressed for battle. All whole and alive.
It's impossible.
Unless.
Unless their gambit actually worked. The golden portal widens to reveal T'Challa's whole army at his back. The whine of Sam's jet pack cuts through the air before he's flying out across the battlefield in an arc. In his wake dozens more portals are opening up. There are so many people--friends and strangers alike--stepping through to join Steve across the field from Thanos and his army.
"Okay I just got topside, and holy fuck that's a lot of troops. What do you want me to do with the gauntlet, Steve?" Clint's voice is just as awed as his is though it brings the soldier back to the present. For a second, he'd been pretty sure he was dreaming.
He's not.
They're not alone anymore. But the battle is still yet to be won.
no subject
It feels so natural to swing the hammer, to hear it reverberate as it bashes against Thanos' gleaming armor and sends the titan flying back. Before Steve was barely abel to hold his own of the three of them against Thanos. Now? He might just have a chance. Steve's heart is a jackhammer in his chest as his next swing misses. The titan's blow clatters against his shield, sending the soldier skidding back in the dirt. Still no movement on either side of him.
Steve raises the hammer and has to steel himself against dropping Mjolnir out of instinct when the air hums before a strike of lightning slams down into the hammer. Energy surges up his arm. Steve doesn't know how he glows with crackling light, doesn't know what he's doing more than just remembering his time spent fighting at Thor's side for years. He aims the hammer toward Thanos and sends all of that stored charge bolting across the battlefield to slam into his foe.
Steve hasn't felt this kind of powerful since the very first time he got into a fight with his new body.
He loses track of how many blows he lands on Thanos. Gives himself in to the flow of the battle. Focuses entirely on the titan in front of him and the weapons in his hands. Lightning strikes, Mjolnir and his shield positively sing out across the destruction. Thanos is gaining back ground slowly but surely. As he gets used to Steve's new attack style he's more easily able to counter it. Catch the human by the collar and slam him into the dirt. Thanos may not be able to wield Thor's hammer but he sure as hell can wield Steve. He's picking the human up and throwing him across the field of rubble.
"You know....in all my years of conquest trying to track down these stones, none of the bloodshed was ever personal." Thanos' words barely make it to Steve's ears while he staggers to get up again. Get his feet underneath him. "But right here? Right now? What I am about to do to this planet you call home....I'm going to enjoy it."
Thanos signals to his ship. Faintly in the distance Steve can hear the sound of the titans troops touching down onto Earth's soil. His groans of pain get drowned out by the roars of Chi'tauri beasts being let loose from their cages. Steve gets back up on shaking feet and watches countless enemies descend. Until everywhere he can see is covered in Thanos' troops. Beating the Titan was never enough. His entire army was still waiting in the wings. He, Tony, and Thor couldn't beat Thanos alone.
Thanos with the might of his forces, his generals, his siege machines...The sky full of monsters...
If I don't make it back, Thor had said. It looks like none of them will now. Shaking fingers grab hold of the leather brace holding his shield and pull it taut. Captain America squares his shoulders. Stands alone before the full might of Thanos's army. It's suicide. He doesn't care.
"--ap, --n you read me?" Static in his ear. Steve shakes his head. Reaches up with one hand to touch at his earpiece. He must have hit his head harder than he thought. Steve's looking around the battlefield. There's nothing--no one else--
Steve knows that voice but it's one that only exists in his heart anymore. Along with all the dead blown away by Thanos' will alone. He doesn't have time for distractions. Steve's almost ready to stumble forward again when the static comes back, louder this time.
"On your left, Cap." Sam. Sam Wilson.
Steve's not quite prepared for what he sees when he turns. Too much to hope for, too unreal to process. A swirling vortex of golden light. Steve's never seen anything like it before. It's too bright to stare directly at though he would know the figures that emerge from it in his sleep. The lost king T'Challa of Wakanda, his first General Okoye, and his baby sister. All dressed for battle. All whole and alive.
It's impossible.
Unless.
Unless their gambit actually worked. The golden portal widens to reveal T'Challa's whole army at his back. The whine of Sam's jet pack cuts through the air before he's flying out across the battlefield in an arc. In his wake dozens more portals are opening up. There are so many people--friends and strangers alike--stepping through to join Steve across the field from Thanos and his army.
"Okay I just got topside, and holy fuck that's a lot of troops. What do you want me to do with the gauntlet, Steve?" Clint's voice is just as awed as his is though it brings the soldier back to the present. For a second, he'd been pretty sure he was dreaming.
He's not.
They're not alone anymore. But the battle is still yet to be won.