"Visitors from beyond the stars," the Ancient One said as she stepped into the courtyard, her expression composed yet serious. "Kurogai, Thor… would you care to accompany me to greet them?"
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have bothered. The arrival of extraterrestrial visitors wasn't uncommon—Earth had long ceased to be isolated from the greater universe. But the timing now was delicate. With the recent disturbances surrounding the Infinity Stones, the sudden appearance of multiple powerful cosmic presences could only mean one thing: someone was here for the Stones.
"I'm always curious about off-worlders," Kurogai said lightly, a small grin flickering at the edge of his mouth.
Thor adjusted his grip on Mjolnir and nodded. "If this concerns the Stones, then I'm coming. Father sent me here for a reason."
The Ancient One made a precise gesture, tracing golden circles through the air. A shimmering portal opened, and the three of them stepped through—emerging moments later on a vast grassland beneath an open sky.
High above them hovered an enormous warship, a circular leviathan of metal and shadow. Its underbelly pulsed with dark light, ominous and oppressive.
A ray of energy burst from the ship, striking the ground. Three figures materialized within the beam—Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, and Cull Obsidian, known to most as the Black Order.
Cull Obsidian's deep, guttural voice rumbled first. "Which wretched planet is this? It hardly seems worthy of the Infinity Stones. Let's crush it until it gives us what we want."
Massive and imposing, he rested his colossal axe against one shoulder, staring at Earth with the disdain of a conqueror.
"Don't underestimate any world," Ebony Maw replied smoothly, his thin, serpentine tone cutting through the air. "The King himself warned us—overconfidence breeds failure."
Cull Obsidian snorted. "Caution isn't my style." His grip tightened on his weapon, eager for destruction.
Before the tension could rise further, Proxima Midnight interjected, her sharp voice slicing through the growing discord. "Enough. The King's command is all that matters. We find the Stones quickly and avoid unnecessary conflict."
Ebony Maw inclined his head slightly. "Agreed. The sooner we locate the Stones, the sooner we can return to Thanos."
He knew well that while Thanos had entrusted him with command, both Proxima and Cull were among the Titan's most trusted warriors. They followed his orders only because Thanos willed it. For now, that was enough.
"Then let's begin," Ebony Maw said softly, raising one hand as his telekinetic power rippled through the air.
Before he could act, however, a surge of golden energy flared in front of them. It shimmered like sunlight refracted through glass—and from within it stepped three figures.
The Ancient One stood at the center, calm and unyielding. Thor's presence crackled with faint electricity, his hammer already in hand. Beside them, Kurogai stood silent, his gaze cool and unreadable.
Cull Obsidian grinned, baring his teeth. "Earth's defenders, I assume? How quaint. Magic, perhaps? Or something else?"
"Enough mockery," the Ancient One said evenly. "I am the guardian of Earth, the Ancient One. You stand upon our world uninvited. State your purpose—or I will consider your arrival an invasion."
Ebony Maw's eyes gleamed with cunning interest. "Guardian of Earth… then you must know much of its secrets." He stepped forward slightly, voice low but sharp. "Tell me, human, where are the Infinity Stones hidden on this planet?"
The Ancient One's expression didn't falter, though a faint sadness flickered behind her eyes. She had hoped—foolishly—that this wouldn't come to violence.
"So that's your aim," she said quietly. "Then it seems this can only end one way."
In that instant, the air trembled.
Without another word, the two sides moved simultaneously, energy and power clashing with explosive force. Thor swung Mjolnir, lightning splitting the sky. The Ancient One's sigils of golden light spiraled outward, warping space itself.
Kurogai remained still for only a moment longer, eyes narrowing. Then he stepped forward, his own energy igniting around him—a fusion of cosmic blue and shadowed crimson, enough to make the air shudder.
The Black Order had come to Earth for the Stones. They would find only resistance waiting.
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