To Defy Death's Champions!

Storm who was keeping half an eye on Thanos, expecting him to stand up, sighs, but is not surprised.

Storm, holding the Space Gem, asks it to to make this spot a space without death in it...temporarily.

The blue light floods the square, pushing the black energy away. But it seethes, constantly infiltrating the spaces between surges of blue. If Storm's concentration falters for but an instant ... !

But she is filled with confidence. Literally.

"Hey, we got this!" says Star-Lord, taking her hand. Purple light flows into her.

And you know, he's right! They HAVE got this.

Machine Man, unable to use the red stone he holds, is overwhelmed by Death.

"Still okay here!" he chirps, unaware that he's surrounded by black death radiation.

Having been reliably informed by her beloved brother that Death is to be avoided until it is necessary, Wanda uses the Will gem before it is all the way clouded to resist and push back Death.

She also links minds with Reed Richards--who was fiddling with creating a free-willed computer.

"We are in a bit of trouble."

She gives him a mental picture of what is going on. But she -is- fighting off Death, refusing to meet her just yet.

"Death as a personality?" says Reed Richards in her mind. "I don't think we need to share THAT assumption yet. But something certainly is invading the Infinity Gems. Since they are tangible facets of reality, they cannot be changed without changing the entire universe, which is a level of work even Galactus, charged with the power of the cosmos, cannot accomplish."

That's all very interesting, thinks the Scarlet Witch as Death starts propagating up her arm.

"Therefore, it is reasonable to assume, as a working hypothesis, that the Gems are NOT being changed. Rather, they are being tuned to focus on the death which is already present in the universe, much as a microscope focuses on first one object, then another. The Gems are not being changed; they are being used."

"The distinction is important because if they were being changed by a force powerful enough to overwhelm the universe with death, we would have limited options. But if they are just being used remotely, well, each Gem has an operator already. And indeed, Miss Maximoff, you are holding back death effectively, as is Miss Ororo, with the help of Mr. Vell. Mr. Stack isn't doing very well, but apparently he can't die."

"Since Death is a part of the universe, we cannot expel it from the Gems. But we can certainly focus them so that it is no longer being brought into such sharp emphasis. Ladies, Mr. Vell, please try to return the Gems to the state they were in before being seized by Thanos. It should be possible to observe their past within them, and select a state you would like to restore."

Well, would you look at that! It IS possible. And unless there's reason not to, Storm and Wanda can do just that.

Machine Man cannot. And the black energy halo swirling around him has grown quite large!

"Do not resist," says Thanos dully. "It merely lengthens the struggle. But if you need more reason, see now those of your comrades who have crossed over to the other side ..."

Out of the black butterfly wings of Death comes a redheaded woman in a maroon and gold leotard, flying in the heart of a black firebird. The logo on her costume is a skull with wings outspread behind it.

She raises her arms, and fires leap from every building behind Wanda. The fires curl toward her, wrapping the woman in dark death flames.

"Dark Phoenix ... " says Thanos ...

And a flash of black and bone-white blurs out of the Death Portal, around the square ten times, then skids to a halt in front of Storm and Star-Lord. It's a young man, with wild white hair, thick brows, a sarcastic smirk on his face, and smoldering Keds on his feet.

"... and Quicksilver."

"We, the dead, will bring you into our mistress' kingdom."

Thanos starts toward Machine Man, while Dark Phoenix gathers a skyful of dark fire to drop on Wanda, and Quicksilver whips the Heartstone out of Star-Lord's fingers with a snap.

Oh, and behind Thanos, the Red Skull turns in a circle, staring blankly at everything. His eyes are black.