Liza Palmer - Avengers: Destiny Arrives

WRITTEN BY LIZA PALMER

EH3

Lo Anjjctc* New York

2019 MARVEL

All rights reserved.Published by Marvel Press, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of thisbook may be reproduced or transmitted m any form or by any means, electronic ormechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage andretrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Forinformation address Marvel Press, 125 West End Avenue, New York, New York10023.

Designed by CatalinaCastro

Cover illustration byLente Scura

Illustrations by SteveKurth

Cover art by Lente Scura

Cover design by CatalmaCastro and Kurt Hartman

ISBN: 978-1-368-05237-5

Vis it www. D i sneyBooks.com and www.Marvel.com

Contents

Title Page Copyright PartOne Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Part Two Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6Chapter 7 Part Three Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Part Four Chapter 11Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Epilogue About the Author

Hoveringdead in space, the ship was ablaze. Lights were blinking on and off as itspower systems began to fail. A voice called out to anyone who could hear them,pleading for help. Beggmg for mercy.

"This is the Asgardianrefugee vessel Statesman. We are underassault. I repeat, we are under assault! The engines are dead, life support isfailmg. Requesting aid from any vessel within range. We are twenty-two jumppoints out of Asgard."

The ship responsible for the destruction of the Statesman dwarfed the vessel, menacing as it hung,its curved wings enveloping them. The colossal ship was the Sanctuary: II the base of the galactic "MadTitan," Thanos.

"Our crew is made up of Asgardian families. We have very fewsoldiers here. This is not a war craft. I repeat, this is not a war craft. "

Aboard the Statesman , a figureemerged from the destruction.

"Hear me, and rejoice."

Ebony Maw strolled through the wreckage. His flat, elongated facehad sunken eyes and wide lips that stretched across a mouth that rarely smiled.Tufts of white hair swept down the back of his head. His tight black robes weretrimmed m gold, and these, along with his dark pants and heavy boots, left onlyhis face and hands visible. He pressed his hands together, his long fingertipstouching gently, as pale and wrinkled as his face. His voice was unnervinglysoothing given the chaos that surrounded him.

"You have had the privilege of being saved by the GreatTitan."

He stepped over several bodies, all badly wounded. "You maythink this is suffering."

Heimdall, former keeper of the Bifrost, grunted, bloodied andbruised as he tried to lift himself. Blood ran m his eye as he collapsed backdown, mentally praying to Odm and the All-Fathers of old.

"No." Ebony Maw looked to the heavens, his voice raised."It is salvation."

As Ebony Maw ambled amongthe dead and dying, the remainder of the Black Guard followed behind, puttingthose clinging to life out of their misery once and for all. Considered his"siblings," they were all found and raised by Thanos, taken fromtheir home worlds as the Titan continued his march across the galaxy on amission. A mission that only he and his disciples could fathom as just andnoble. There was Proxima Midnight, her horned head and deep-set eyes gloweringas she held her electric staff, charged and crackling. The lithe Corvus Glaive,looking like a dark hooded elf, held his double-ended spear by his side, readyfor a fight. Cull Obsidian's huge frame dominated above them all, deadlytechno-hammer gripped in his hands as he snarled, his scaly skin andbone-ridged head striking fear into the survivors who dared look upon him.

"Universal scales tip toward balance because of yoursacrifice." Ebony Maw looked mto the eyes of a gravely wounded Asgardian,his face softening. "Smile," he said, as the dying woman heaved herlast breath. "For even in death, you have become Children of Thanos."

EbonyMaw joined the Black Guard as they surrounded their prisonerLoki, the God ofMischief himself.

Loki gave Ebony Maw a withering stare when Maw was finally donepontificating, but then slid his gaze to the figure that loomed above all else.The figure that these enemies called "Father": Thanos. His purplehide-like skin was covered in battle armor, his helmed head revealing cold,dispassionate eyes. And for the first time m his life, Loki decided to remamsilent.

"Iknow what it's like to lose," came Thanos's measured, gravelly voice as helooked down at the wary, yet still defiant Loki. "To feel so desperatelythat you're right, yet to fail nonetheless."

Thanos looked down at the broken and battered figure at his feetand lifted Thor from the ground as if he were a rag doll. Then, Thanoseffortlessly closed the space between him and Loki, while holding a squirmingThor closer to his adoptive brother.

"It'sfrightening. Turns the legs to jelly. But, I ask you, to what end? Dread it.Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now it's here. Or should I say,I am."

Thanos dramatically lifted his hand to reveal that it was glovedin gleaming gold: the Infinity Gauntlet. Forged with six settings, one on eachknuckle and a larger one on the back of the hand. Each setting was designed tohold an Infinity Stone, one of which he already possessed. The violet glow ofthe Power Stone pulsed as he flexed his fist and curled his fingers.

"You talk too much/1 Thor spat: blooddripping from his mouth. Loki's eyes flicked from Thanos to Thor:his mmd reeling with clever misdirects, resourceful trickery, and possibleescape routes.

"The Tesseract." Thanos's voice was matter-of-fact."Or your brother's head. I assume you have a preference/' Loki's faceremained strategically expressionless as he appeared to weigh Thanos'sproposition.

"Oh, I do/ said the God of Mischief his voice daring."Kill away."

Thanos bit back his surprise at Lokf s apparentindifference to his adoptive brother, and without breaking eye contact, hetightened his hand into a fist: and placed the Infinity Gauntlet onthe side of Thor 's face. The Power Stone lit up upon contact, and smokeinstantly began to rise off Thor's searing flesh.