The Mad Titan's laughter echoed harshly, like the grinding of rocks in a relentless crusher, growing louder and more ominous as the purple energy of power surged through his veins. His muscles flexed, simultaneously expanding and contracting, as if both their quality and density were augmenting alongside their immense strength. This transformation rendered the Mad Titan leaner and more imposing, his silhouette becoming more intimidating and towering, rather than grotesquely oversized as it often appeared.
Thick streams of multicolored light coursed through his body, infusing it with potent and otherworldly cosmic energy. These vibrant energies converged in Thanos's eyes, which burned with an intense radiance, crackling with barely restrained cosmic might.
In an instant, the vivid lightshow vanished, and with it, the Mad Titan's maniacal laughter abruptly ceased. The ensuing silence was stifling, broken only when he directed his blazing, multicolored gaze toward the still-kneeling Ebony Maw.
"Set a course for Earth. We will take the entire fleet, leave nothing to chance!" His voice resonated in impossible ways, emanating from everywhere and nowhere all at once, sending shivers through the spines of the weak-hearted.
The sun-sized blockade, which to the naked eye resembled a colossal metallic planet, began to disassemble into travel formations. Each member of the Black Order assumed their place beside the Mad Titan as the fleet altered its trajectory toward its ominous destination.
Seated once more upon his massive throne, Thanos turned his piercing gaze to Ebony Maw and Black Dwarf, two of his most devoted followers who had risked their lives to retrieve an Infinity Stone for him. Internally, he resolved to reward their unwavering loyalty.
"Maw... come!" he commanded, gesturing toward the frail wizard. Ebony Maw approached with haste, dropping to one knee in reverent submission.
"Yes, my lord, how may I serve?" he responded. Maw felt, rather than saw, Thanos move, the space around the Mad Titan shifting as he advanced toward his loyal servant.
Thanos extended his Infinity Gauntlet, its embedded Time Stone and Power Stone glowing with purpose. He grasped Maw's aged head, the power of the Time Stone visibly taking effect. Maw's frail form was revitalized, his back straightened, and all signs of age vanished. The rejuvenated wizard let out a cry of ecstasy as his body returned to its prime.
The Power Stone emitted a radiant amethyst light, enveloping Ebony Maw like a shimmering shower. This energy subtly enhanced his abilities, changes that would reveal themselves when next he used his powers. Overcome with excitement, Maw remained kneeling as the surge of power coursed through him.
After dealing with Ebony Maw, the Mad Titan turned his attention to Black Dwarf and repeated the process. However, unlike the colors that appeared with Ebony Maw, this time the flashes were Blue and Purple, representing Space and Power, respectively.
"RAAAAAHHHHHH!" Black Dwarf unleashed a thunderous roar that reverberated through the surroundings, shaking the space and sending nearby consoles and their alien operators flying as if struck by an explosive force. Many were injured, and some unfortunate ones perished upon landing awkwardly on their necks.
The Blue light of Space enveloped Black Dwarf in a protective cocoon, forming an armor of pure spatial energy that passively slowed any incoming attacks. Meanwhile, the Purple light of Power surged through his internal organs, bone structure, and musculature, fortifying them with immense cosmic strength and imbuing them with a faint purple glow.
Black Dwarf's muscles became denser and more compact; each fiber infused with a level of power beyond the alien's previous comprehension.
The Power Stone's transformation was far from over.
What began as a faint violet glow erupted into a fierce, pulsating radiance, an inferno of amethyst fire that surged through Black Dwarf's being. His immense form quaked as raw, untamed energy reshaped him, carving through muscle, bone, and sinew with every relentless pulse.
His skin solidified under immense pressure, becoming as unyielding as celestial metal, impenetrable even to adamantine. Beneath the surface, veins glowed like molten comet-cores, each rhythmic pulse flooding his body with pure, unrestrained power.
Black Dwarf gasped, then choked as a shockwave detonated from his chest, distorting the air like fractured glass. Monitors shattered, armored walls crumpled, and nearby soldiers were flung aside, crushed by the overwhelming force of his metamorphosis.
For a moment, guttural snarls were all he could produce, his mind grappling to control a body ascending beyond its own limits, threatening to overwhelm his consciousness.
Then, silence.
His breathing steadied. His stance straightened. And when his eyes opened, they gleamed with a cold, calculating intelligence that had not been there before.
This was no longer mere brute strength. No longer unrefined rage.
It was precision. Mastery. Absolute dominion over power itself.
The Power Stone had not just amplified him, it had perfected him.
Lifting his colossal hand, Black Dwarf curled his fingers into a fist. The space around it rippled, trembling as if that simple motion could crush a star.
A deep, resonant grin spread across his now-refined features.
"I… feel... strong!" he rumbled, his voice deep and thunderous, shaking the air with the weight of a god's step. "I feel as though I could rend a solar system apart with my bare hands…"
Thanos observed him, his expression inscrutable, calm yet inescapable.
"As you should," the Titan intoned. "Strength without purpose is squandered. You are no mindless beast to be unleashed… but a weapon honed for destiny."
Black Dwarf knelt, not out of fear, but reverence, his massive frame trembling under the balance of newfound power and restraint.
"For you, my lord," he vowed, his voice resonating with devastating potential, held in check only by his devotion. "I will shatter worlds."
Thanos turned away, the multicolored glow of cosmic energy shimmering around him, his gaze locked on the distant speck of Earth in the starry projection.
"Then steel yourself," he murmured, his voice imbued with the silence of death and the inevitability of destruction. "For soon… the universe will come to know what true power truly is."
As the colossal fleet advanced toward Earth, Thanos seized the moment to endow Proxima and Corvus with formidable enhancements. Proxima received the ability to rend through space with her deadly spear, enabling her to strike her enemies from every conceivable angle. Meanwhile, Corvus, imbued with the power of the Soul Stone, acquired the capability to cut through magical barriers and energy-based constructs. His blades now reverberated with the eerie wails of the souls he had claimed.
Back on Earth, the Civil War had reached its peak as Tony Stark and Captain America confronted each other in a climactic battle. Spiderman, perched atop the cocoon he had woven around the enraged Black Panther with his spirit-silk suit, observed the scene below. The relentless scratching of claws within the cocoon was the only sign of the Wakandan king's presence.
Meanwhile, Raven used her empathetic abilities to calm Scarlet Witch's turbulent emotions by revealing the truth, that her brother was alive and that she was not alone in her grief. The two seemed to reach an understanding when William suddenly appeared beside the cocoon. He gazed at the battered Iron Man and the exhausted, wounded Captain America. Both heroes, despite being pushed to their physical limits, summoned the last reserves of their strength and charged at each other for a final, desperate, rage-fueled strike. Before their blows could connect, William flickered between them, effortlessly catching both fists.
BANG!
The resounding impact echoed across the battlefield like a thunderclap, drawing the attention of those still conscious to the source of the sound.
The battlefield stood still.
Tony's helmet cracked further at the brow, sparks dancing across his battered faceplate. Steve's knuckles, raw and bleeding through torn gloves, strained as his shield arm locked in preparation for another strike. Yet neither man could move, paralyzed in place.
Their eyes fixed on the silent force standing between them.
William stood as an immovable pillar, calm and unyielding, his expression impossible to read. The ground beneath his boots fractured outward, a perfect ring of destruction spreading as though the earth itself acknowledged his presence.
"Enough," he commanded, his voice low, yet carrying the weight of mountains.
An invisible shockwave rippled outward.
The wind roared. Fragments of concrete rose into the air. Smoke twisted and coiled, as though bowing in deference to him.
Tony's arc reactor faltered, flickering weakly. Steve felt the vibration deep in his bones, every instinct screaming predator.
Spider-Man's throat tightened as he swallowed.
Raven's aura trembled faintly.
Even Wanda hesitated, her breath catching as her wide eyes registered the overwhelming energy radiating from him.
"Look at yourselves," William said softly, his gaze shifting between the two wounded symbols of heroism, their ideals unraveling under the weight of anger and pride. "Soldiers waging a war born of fear. Fighting each other. While something far more dangerous approaches."
William's gaze shifted to the dark blue sky, where flickering stars dotted the endless expanse. His ki senses flared in alarm, signaling an impending threat, and, as if on cue, a colossal ship emerged at the edge of the solar system. Towering in size and bristling with massive gun batteries, the Sanctuary II had arrived. Moments later, an armada of smaller ships began to materialize, their numbers in the thousands, filling the system and dimming the distant starlight with their overwhelming presence.
The Harbinger of Ruin descended from high orbit, lowering itself onto the airport tarmac with a grace that belied its dark and brutal appearance. From within, William's companions emerged, his children, as well as Hulk's own family, who stepped out in a single group, having grown close to one another during their time aboard the ship.
Hulk, who had been on the moon, descended swiftly, leaping from the lunar surface and landing on Earth with a tremendous impact that shook the surroundings. In his grasp, he carried the unconscious Sentry, now reverted to his human-like Robert state after his body had fully healed from the sustained damage.
Gently placing the unconscious Robert on the ground, Hulk turned to his wife and newborn son with a warm smile, embracing them tightly. He wanted them to feel his deep love before the inevitable battle he could sense looming on the horizon.
Raven, Kara, Anissa, Myrina, Lady Sif, and Zatanna stood resolutely beside William, unwilling to leave him in his hour of need and determined to fight alongside their warrior husband. Meanwhile, Harley Quinn, lacking the power and skills for such a battle, lovingly cradled the children, Solan and Argenta, displaying a tender, motherly demeanor that stood in stark contrast to her usual chaotic persona.
As millions of ki signatures flared to life from the approaching fleet, William raised a hand, using the reality stone to access his system space. With a wave, he created a massive dimensional door.
From the portal emerged hundreds of Kryptonian soldiers in battle gear, led by the formidable General Zod, who wore a battle suit that was meant to enhance as well as protect. They soared out in precise battle formations, their keen senses allowing them to see the incoming fleet clearly in the vast expanse of space above.
William began ascending slowly, as though giving the others time to follow, before abruptly accelerating with such force that sonic booms shattered the air and a burst of ki energy surrounded him. He rocketed toward Earth's upper orbit, prepared to once again envelop the planet in a protective barrier. Yet, an inexplicable sense of unease gnawed at him, as if this effort might not suffice.
He shook his head, waiting patiently for his companions to catch up. The last to arrive was the Hulk, his flight hindered by his naturally lumbering and cumbersome physique, making him the slowest among them.
Reaching into his system space, William retrieved a bag and handed out healing senzu beans to those around him. They accepted eagerly, watching in awe as William's strength was fully restored after consuming one of the small beans. Encouraged, they chewed the beans voraciously, marveling as their own energy surged to its peak and their injuries vanished as though they had never existed.
The crunching sound of beans echoed in the air, and for those unaccustomed to such miraculous effects, the experience was nothing short of astounding. Their renewed vitality filled the space around them with an almost tangible sense of power.
BOOOOM!
A ripple tore through the void, shredding clouds apart as reality trembled. The stars flickered, not dimming, but recoiling in shock.
From the invading armada, a vast section of space warped inward, bending around a single point as though gravity itself had been rewritten.
Black Dwarf emerged from the breach in the void, no longer merely large but utterly monolithic. A titan forged by power, discipline, and unyielding will, his every movement so precise it made space ripple like disturbed silk.
His gaze locked onto William in an instant.
A stare like colliding suns.
"So," Black Dwarf rumbled, his voice dripping with contempt, "You are that golden warrior? You don't look so tough."
Before William could respond, Hulk leapt in front of him, raising a massive hand as if to claim the battle for himself. Turning back toward Black Dwarf, Hulk cracked his knuckles, a fiery battle lust blazing in his eyes.
"You think you are tough? Hulk is the strongest there is!" Hulk growled, advancing toward Black Dwarf with deliberate menace.
Space trembled as the colossal alien surged forward, wielding an anchor-shaped weapon already arcing into a devastating swing.
Without warning, Black Dwarf hurled the massive weapon at Hulk's equally massive form. Hulk swung a mighty fist to deflect the projectile and deny his opponent's weapon, but before his punch could connect, the weapon vanished, wrapped in spatial energy. Its mass disappeared, leaving Hulk momentarily stunned, his eyes widening in surprise. In the blink of an eye, the weapon reappeared directly behind him.
CRACK!