The stars burned cold and distant above the flagship of Thanos, the Mad Titan. The ship was a monolithic vessel of obsidian, sleek and unforgiving, just like the being that commanded it. But inside, there was a tension that hadn't been felt before. Javier Sánchez, the man who had slipped through Thanos' grasp time and again, was about to do something no one could have imagined. He had a plan—one that would shake the very foundations of the galaxy.
---
Javier stood before the massive throne room, the air thick with the presence of power. The walls were adorned with the ruins of entire civilizations, trophies of Thanos' conquests. The Black Order stood behind him, silent, watching with bated breath as Javier faced the Mad Titan himself.
Thanos was seated on his throne, his imposing figure radiating a sense of complete dominion over everything. His deep, amber eyes flickered toward Javier, the glint of interest hidden beneath a veneer of disdain.
"Well, well," Thanos said, his voice like thunder. "The elusive Javier Sánchez, the one who continues to evade my grasp. To what do I owe this... interesting visit?"
Javier's smile was mischievous, his eyes dancing with a knowing glint. He didn't seem intimidated in the slightest. "I'm not here for your power, Thanos," he said, his voice steady. "I'm here for something far more... personal."
The Black Order exchanged curious glances, their minds racing. What could Javier possibly want that was personal? His history with Thanos had always been one of defiance, one of trying to elude the Mad Titan's grasp.
"You'll forgive me if I'm not quite as intrigued as I should be," Thanos said, leaning back in his throne. "You have my attention, but you haven't earned my respect."
Javier stepped forward confidently, unbothered by the Titan's harsh words. "I'm not looking for respect, Thanos. I'm looking for something far more... precious."
The Black Order looked at each other, then at their father. There was a sense of confusion in the air, as if they could not comprehend what was about to happen.
Thanos' eyes narrowed, suspicion now rising in his voice. "And what is it you seek?"
Javier didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned to the side, his eyes locking with the three women standing silently before him—Gamora, Nebula, and Proxima Midnight. They were dressed in their battle attire, their expressions cold, their movements poised with a tension that could be felt across the room.
Gamora's green eyes met his with a flicker of emotion, but she said nothing. Nebula's mechanical arm glinted under the dim lights, her gaze sharp and wary. Proxima Midnight, the warrior who had always been ruthless in her loyalty to Thanos, watched him carefully, her hands ready to strike at any moment.
Javier's smile widened, and he turned back to Thanos, his voice rich with both charm and sincerity.
"I'm here to ask for their hands in marriage," he said simply.
The room fell utterly silent.
The Black Order, already uneasy with Javier's presence, froze in shock. Nebula clenched her fists, her expression a mix of confusion and irritation. Proxima Midnight's eyes narrowed, her usual confidence replaced by a rare flicker of uncertainty. Even Gamora, who had felt the pull of Javier's presence before, stood motionless.
But it was Thanos, the Mad Titan, who reacted first. His voice boomed through the chamber, filled with rage.
"You dare!" Thanos roared, his massive hand slamming against the arm of his throne. The Black Order flinched, but Javier remained unfazed. "You have the audacity to come before me and ask for my daughters' hands in marriage? You, who have defied me at every turn?"
Javier didn't flinch. He took a slow step forward, his eyes locking with Thanos' fiery gaze.
"I dare," he said, his voice unyielding. "I've spent enough time with your daughters to know what they truly want. They're warriors, Thanos. They've been shaped by your hands, yes. But they're not your property. Not anymore."
A strange quiet settled in the room after his words, the weight of his audacity hanging heavily in the air.
"You think you know my daughters?" Thanos' voice was low, dangerous, like the calm before a storm. "I have raised them. I have forged them in the crucible of war. You are nothing but a fleeting distraction, Sánchez."
Javier chuckled softly, a sound that sent a chill through the room. "Perhaps. But sometimes a distraction is just what's needed to shake things up."
He turned his gaze to Gamora first, his voice softening. "Gamora, I've seen the way you fight—your strength, your pain, your desire for something greater than this life you've been forced to lead. You're a survivor. And I would be honored to stand by your side, to give you the future you deserve."
Gamora didn't respond immediately, but the flicker of emotion in her eyes was enough for Javier to know that his words had reached her.
Turning to Nebula, he continued, "Nebula, I've seen the battle within you. The anger, the hatred. But I've also seen the moments of vulnerability. You've been a weapon your entire life, but you're more than that. You deserve more than that. And I'd be honored to help you find it."
Nebula's expression shifted—just for a moment—before she masked it once again with her usual cold demeanor. She said nothing, but Javier didn't expect her to. He knew how to win her trust.
Finally, Javier's gaze turned to Proxima Midnight. "And you, Proxima. You've been a force of nature, a fierce warrior. But I see the loyalty beneath the steel. You've fought for your family, for Thanos, for something you believed in. I want you to know, I respect that. And I want you to know that I would be honored to have you by my side as my equal."
Proxima Midnight's face softened, just slightly. Her cold exterior cracked for the briefest of moments.
Turning back to Thanos, Javier stood tall, his voice unwavering. "I don't seek your approval, Titan. I seek only their hearts."
The silence in the room was deafening. The Black Order stood motionless, and even Thanos seemed caught off guard by Javier's boldness.
But then, slowly, the Mad Titan rose from his throne, his enormous frame casting a shadow over the room. He took a step toward Javier, his eyes locked onto the young man's, his voice low and full of venom.
"You think you can win my daughters' hearts? You think they'll choose you over me?" Thanos' voice was a quiet snarl. "You are nothing compared to what I can offer them. Power. Control. The universe at their feet."
Javier's eyes were filled with defiance. "I offer them something you never have. Freedom. Choice. The chance to be more than just weapons in your war."
For a long moment, Thanos said nothing. The tension in the room was unbearable.
Finally, Thanos spoke, his voice colder than the vacuum of space itself. "If this is a game you wish to play, Javier Sánchez, then play it. But know this—if you fail, if you hurt my daughters in any way, I will personally ensure that your end is as painful as possible."
Javier met his gaze without flinching. "I wouldn't expect anything less."
---
The room remained tense as Thanos sat back on his throne, his eyes burning with an intensity that seemed to pierce straight through Javier. The Mad Titan wasn't done, but Javier had thrown the first stone in a game that would change everything.
The Black Order remained silent, unsure of what would come next. But one thing was clear: Javier Sánchez had just set the galaxy on a new path. And no one—not even Thanos—could predict what would happen next.
End of Chapter 62.