The sudden burst of upbeat music echoing across the battlefield made both fighters freeze mid-combat. Marcus and Ronan turned their heads simultaneously, confusion written across their faces as they spotted a man with wild hair and a leather jacket doing the most ridiculous dance moves they'd ever seen.
The moment Marcus laid eyes on this guy, a familiar melody popped into his head unbidden. "Hey, hey, what's the matter with your head, yeah..." He couldn't help but grin despite himself. "This guy's like a walking comedy show!"
Marcus felt his smile widening as recognition hit him. Sure, this Star-Lord looked pretty different from what he remembered—maybe a bit scruffier, definitely more desperate—but there was no mistaking those absolutely terrible dance moves. At a time like this, in the middle of a life-or-death battle, who else would have the sheer audacity to bust out moves like these? Only Peter Quill would think interpretive dancing was a valid battle strategy.
Meanwhile, Ronan stood frozen, his Universal Weapon hanging loosely at his side. The Kree Accuser had faced down countless enemies across the galaxy—warriors who screamed battle cries, others who begged for mercy, some who charged at him with nothing but raw fury. But in all his years of conquest and destruction, not a single opponent had ever... danced at him.
His purple energy shield flickered uncertainly around him, the Power Stone's energy wavering as his concentration completely shattered. What was he supposed to do with this? Ronan's tactical mind, honed through decades of warfare, had absolutely no protocol for dealing with whatever this human was attempting.
"Come on, don't just stand there watching!" Star-Lord called out, throwing his arms wide like he was performing for a sold-out crowd. "This is a group activity, people! Everyone join in!"
He spun on his heel, pointing finger guns at both Marcus and Ronan while sliding backward. "You've got the rhythm in you, I can tell! Feel the beat!" Void falcon formf
Marcus had to bite his lip to keep from laughing out loud. Classic Quill, he thought. Leave it to the guy with daddy issues to turn a space showdown into a dance-off. But as ridiculous as it looked, Marcus could see exactly what Star-Lord was doing. The kid might act like a goofball, but there was definitely some strategy behind the madness.
"Hey big guy!" Star-Lord shouted at Ronan, moonwalking in a circle. "I bet you've got some moves under all that blue armor! Come on, loosen up a little!"
Ronan's eye twitched. "You dare mock me with this... this primitive display?"
"Mock you? Dude, I'm trying to include you!" Star-Lord struck a dramatic pose, one hand on his hip and the other pointing skyward. "This is 'Come On Eileen' by Dexys Midnight Runners! Classic music! You're missing out on some serious cultural education here!"
The effect was exactly what Star-Lord had hoped for. Ronan's concentration was completely shot, his grip on the Universal Weapon loosening as he struggled to process this bizarre turn of events. The purple energy crackling around the Power Stone began to dim and flicker, no longer the steady, overwhelming force it had been moments before.
Marcus saw his opening and took it without hesitation.
"Rule number one of fighting," Marcus called out as crimson energy wings erupted from his shoulders, "never get distracted in the middle of battle!"
His Xaku form shot forward like a guided missile, razor-sharp talons extended. The crimson claws tore through Ronan's weakened energy shield like it was made of tissue paper, shredding the purple barrier in a shower of sparks.
At the exact moment the shield collapsed, a crackling arc of electricity zipped past Marcus's shoulder. Rocket's perfectly aimed shot struck the Power Stone embedded in Ronan's weapon with surgical precision.
CRACK!
The impact sent shockwaves through the Universal Weapon. The Power Stone popped free like a cork from a bottle, spinning end over end through the air as purple energy discharged wildly in all directions.
"YES! Did you see that shot?" Rocket whooped, pumping his energy rifle above his head. "That's what happens when you mess with Rocket! Nobody makes a better shot than—"
"I am Groot!" Groot rumbled approvingly, giving his small friend an encouraging pat that nearly knocked Rocket over.
"Exactly, buddy! We just saved the day!" Rocket grinned, showing all his sharp little teeth. "Look at that fancy Accuser now! Not so tough without his shiny rock, is he?"
Marcus couldn't help but laugh as he watched the scene unfold. "Nice work, everyone! That was some solid teamwork."
Even though Marcus had plenty of other ways he could have handled Ronan—powers that would have made this fight much shorter and definitely more decisive—there was something satisfying about watching this ragtag group of misfits actually work together. They'd managed to turn what could have been a brutal slog into something almost... fun.
A swirling vortex of void energy opened in Marcus's palm, creating a powerful gravitational pull that drew the tumbling Power Stone straight into his waiting hand. The gem was warm to the touch, thrumming with barely contained cosmic force.
Ronan, meanwhile, was having what could generously be called a very bad day. Seeing the source of his overwhelming power flying away from him, he let out a roar of fury and swung his Universal Weapon toward Marcus with desperate strength.
"GIVE IT BACK!" Ronan bellowed, his weapon cutting through the air in a vicious arc. "THAT POWER IS MINE!"
CLANG!
The Universal Weapon collided with Marcus's Blade in a shower of sparks. But without the Power Stone's enhancement, it was no contest at all. The weapon that had channeled cosmic forces just moments before now felt as fragile as cheap metal. Marcus's crimson-edged blade sliced clean through it, cutting the ancient Kree artifact in half like it was made of cardboard.
Ronan stared down at the broken remains of his weapon, then up at Marcus, his face cycling through disbelief, rage, and finally something that might have been fear.
Marcus pressed the tip of his Blade against Ronan's throat, just hard enough to dimple the blue skin. "You know what, Ronan? I'm actually kind of disappointed."
The Kree Accuser's eyes darted between Marcus's face and the blade at his neck. "What do you mean?"
"It's been more than twenty years since we last crossed paths," Marcus said, his voice carrying a note of genuine sadness. "Twenty years! I was expecting... I don't know, some improvement? New tricks? Better tactics?" He shook his head. "But you're exactly the same as you were back then. Same brutality, same narrow thinking, same complete inability to adapt."
Ronan's jaw clenched. "I am perfection. I am the will of the Kree Empire made manifest. I do not need to—"
"And that's exactly your problem," Marcus interrupted. "You never learned to grow."
The Power Stone pulsed in Marcus's free hand, and he could feel its incredible energy calling to him. For a moment, he just looked at it, this little purple gem that contained enough raw force to crack planets in half. Then, almost casually, he closed his fingers around it completely.
Ronan's eyes went wide. "NO! You fool, you'll destroy yourself!"
Instantly, violent purple energy erupted from the Stone, racing up Marcus's arm and across his body like liquid lightning. The energy pathway of his Xaku frame lit up like a neon sign, turning from their usual white to brilliant, electric purple. The power was incredible, almost overwhelming—like trying to drink from a fire hose made of pure cosmic force.
"Marcus, what the hell are you doing?" Rocket shouted, his voice cracking with panic. "Drop that thing before it turns you into cosmic dust!"
"I am Groot!" Groot added urgently, his wooden features creased with worry.
"Yeah, what he said!" Drax rumbled, actually taking a step back despite his usual fearlessness. "I have seen what that stone does to people! You will be destroyed!"
"Seriously, man," Star-Lord called out, his dancing completely forgotten now. "I've heard stories about those Infinity Stones! Just holding one is supposed to kill you instantly! You need to let go of that thing right now!"
But Marcus didn't let go. Instead, he stood perfectly still, his head tilted slightly as if he was listening to something only he could hear. The purple energy continued to cascade across his body, but rather than tearing him apart, it seemed to be... changing. Flowing. Transforming.
Slowly, the violent purple glow began to shift and fade, replaced by the familiar white radiance of pure Void energy. The cosmic power of the Stone was being absorbed, converted, made into something else entirely.
"You seem to have made a fundamental mistake, Ronan," Marcus said, his voice perfectly calm despite the incredible forces flowing through him. The purple light was almost completely gone now, leaving only the soft white glow of his usual powers. "This thing has no effect on me whatsoever."
Before Ronan could respond, Marcus's free hand shot out and clamped around the Accuser's head like a vice. Ronan's eyes bulged as incredible pressure squeezed his skull from all sides.
"You know what I find really interesting about you, Ronan?" Marcus asked conversationally, as if he wasn't currently crushing someone's head in his grip. "You're so devoted to the Kree Empire. So absolutely convinced that you're doing the right thing. I bet you'd do anything for the Supreme Intelligence, wouldn't you?"
Ronan tried to speak, but Marcus's grip was too tight. His blue face was starting to turn purple around the edges.
"Actually, don't answer that," Marcus continued. "I'm going to find out for myself. And then, I think I'll pay your Supreme Intelligence a personal visit. I'm very curious to meet it."
The color drained from Ronan's face—not an easy feat for someone whose skin was already blue. The Supreme Intelligence was the most closely guarded secret of the Kree Empire, a living computer that guided their entire civilization. The fact that this human knew about it was terrifying enough, but the casual way he talked about visiting it...
Marcus's eyes began to glow with soft white light. "Don't worry, this won't hurt... much."
Suddenly, Ronan went completely rigid, like someone had flipped a switch and turned him into a statue. His eyes were still moving, still aware, but his body was completely frozen. Marcus was doing something to him, something that went far deeper than physical paralysis.
Long seconds ticked by. Finally, Ronan's body jerked back to life, and he gasped like someone who'd been underwater for too long. But when he looked at Marcus now, there was pure, undiluted terror in his eyes.
Marcus smiled, and it wasn't a particularly pleasant expression. "Just as I thought. You really would do absolutely anything to expand the Kree Empire, wouldn't you? Even the things that would make other people sick to think about."
He tightened his grip on Ronan's head. "Well, that makes this next part a lot easier for me."
CRACK.
The sound echoed across the battlefield like a gunshot. Ronan's body crumpled to the ground, his head twisted at an angle that definitely wasn't compatible with continued life.
Marcus straightened up, brushing his hands off like he'd just finished some routine maintenance. "So," he said, looking up at the star-filled sky above them, "anyone know which direction Hala is from here?"
The Xaku frame dissolved around him in a cascade of white energy, leaving Marcus standing in his normal clothes. He looked completely relaxed, like he'd just finished a pleasant conversation instead of executing one of the galaxy's most feared warlords.
They stood in uncomfortable silence. They'd just watched this human casually handle a cosmic artifact that should have killed him instantly, then snap the neck of someone who'd been throwing them around like ragdolls just minutes before.
"Um," Star-Lord said, his voice cracking slightly. "Are we... are we cool? Like, you're not going to do the head-crushing thing to us too, right?"
Gamora had her hand resting on her sword hilt, but she wasn't drawing it. She knew better than anyone how pointless that would be right now. Drax was trying to look ready for battle, but his knees were definitely shaking. Even Groot had taken a small step behind Rocket, which was saying something since Groot was afraid of practically nothing.
Marcus looked at them for a long moment, then broke into a genuine smile. "Relax, guys. You did great back there."
The collective sigh of relief was almost audible.
"Especially you, Star-Lord," Marcus added, nodding toward Quill. "That dance routine was absolutely perfect. I couldn't have planned a better distraction myself."
Quill's face lit up like Christmas morning. "Really? You thought it was good? I mean, I've been working on those moves for years, but nobody ever really appreciates—"
"It was definitely... unique," Marcus said diplomatically. "Although I have to say, I saw moves like that more than twenty years ago back on Earth. That style's pretty retro now."
"Earth?" Quill perked up even more. "You've been to Earth recently? How is it? Are people still doing the robot? What about breakdancing? Please tell me breakdancing is still cool."
Marcus was about to answer when he caught sight of Gamora, who was watching him with calculating green eyes. He could practically see the gears turning in her head.
"You want to ask me something," Marcus said, meeting her gaze directly.
Gamora straightened, her jaw set with determination. "Thanos. He's collecting these stones, isn't he?"