88: A new Threat

Explosions erupted across the grounds of the school as shockwaves shook the foundations of every building. Glass shattered, walls groaned, and the X-Mansion itself felt as though it was about to crack in half.

Outside, the source of the destruction hovered in the sky, blocking out the sun—a massive, heavily armed cruiser, its dark hull emblazoned with the sigil of Thanos.

Those gathered in Xavier's office could feel the malevolent energy radiating from the ship as it lowered its ramp with a thundering clang.

Standing at the edge, a massive figure emerged, casting an imposing shadow over the ruins below.

The figure stepped down onto the school grounds, the very air rippling with destructive energy. A fiery blaze surrounded him, igniting the grass and trees in his path.

His mere presence caused the molecules in the atmosphere to combust on contact, sending yet another wave of fiery explosions across the grounds. 

"Who… is that?" Peter asked, his voice barely a whisper as he and Tony peered out of the shattered window.

"I'd wager that's not one of the friendlier types," Logan growled, his claws sliding out with a metallic snikt. "A new recruit, no doubt. We're in for a helluva fight."

The figure continued to stride forward, his thick armour gleaming under the flames licking at its edges. His skin seemed unnaturally grey, veins etched along his neck and arms pulsing with a dim, eerie glow.

Finally, he came to a halt, surveying the X-Mansion with a smirk before speaking, his voice amplified, resonant, and dripping with contempt.

"I am Gallowglass, favoured son of Thanos, the Mad Titan," he announced, his tone mocking as his eyes swept over the ruins with disinterest. "I come bearing the will of my father. You will yield whatever you possess that he desires, or I'll ensure this pathetic patch of land is reduced to nothing."

Tony, ever the first to break the tension, shot Peter a look. "Well, he's not exactly the 'negotiate-first' type, huh?"

But Gallowglass heard him, and his smirk grew darker. "Human, you might as well surrender now. I'll enjoy tearing that suit apart."

The X-Men were already mobilising. Xavier, though visibly strained, called to them telepathically. "Logan, Hank, protect the children. Tony, Peter, we'll need everyone who can fight. We cannot let him reach the students."

Logan stepped forward, his body tense. "Big guy like that? Yeah, I'd say he's here to cause a mess." He looked over at Tony and Peter, nodding. "Time for you kids to suit up."

Gallowglass watched their every move, his expression indifferent, almost bored. He clenched his fist, generating a blast of kinetic force in the air around him. "Oh, please. Let's make this interesting."

Suddenly, he unleashed a burst of energy that blasted toward them. Tony reacted first, throwing up a force field to protect Xavier and the others.

The impact was massive, nearly causing the ground beneath them to split apart.

"Guess we're not sitting this one out!" Tony shouted over the roar of the explosion.

Peter shot a web to the side of the building and flung himself forward, slinging around to come up alongside Tony. "I'm guessing talking this out is off the table, yeah?"

Gallowglass laughed. "By all means, try. I'd love to see you beg."

Logan snorted, rolling his neck. "Big words from a guy who looks like he stepped outta a bad sci-fi flick."

With a growl, Gallowglass de-activated a small part of his force field, the surrounding molecules igniting once again, creating a powerful shockwave that nearly knocked Peter off his web-line. Logan dug his claws into the ground to keep from being thrown back.

Tony took to the air, scanning Gallowglass with his HUD. "Careful, folks. This guy's radiating energy at a level I haven't seen before. We're dealing with a walking time bomb here."

Peter, hanging from a web nearby, glanced down at Logan. "Yeah, no kidding! He's got some serious explode-y vibes!"

Gallowglass sneered, a twisted grin spreading across his face as he lifted one foot and brought it down in a thunderous stomp. The shockwave shattered nearby windows, and the ground cracked, sending debris flying.

Tony barely had time to brace himself as the impact sent him tumbling backward.

"Enough with the quips!" Gallowglass bellowed. "If you can't take me seriously, I'll just have to force it out of you."

With blinding speed, he lunged forward, his fist drawn back. Tony activated his thrusters, barely dodging the punch that would have crushed his armour. Gallowglass's fist struck the ground instead, creating a crater that spread out like a spiderweb.

Peter swung in, shooting webs toward Gallowglass's head, trying to disorient him. 

"Alright, big guy, let's see how you like a little—"

Before he could finish, Gallowglass twisted around, his hand catching one of the web-lines.

With a vicious yank, he pulled Peter toward him, slamming him into the ground with enough force to crack the concrete.

"Spider-Man!" Tony shouted, quickly firing a barrage of repulsor beams at Gallowglass. The beams struck the force field surrounding him, but Gallowglass didn't even flinch. He simply laughed, taking a step toward Tony, who activated his weapons, firing off a salvo of missiles.

They exploded against the force field, but the smoke cleared to reveal Gallowglass unharmed.

"You'll have to try harder than that, tin-man," he taunted, his grin widening. "This is hardly a warm-up."

Logan snarled, charging at Gallowglass. "Alright, let's see how tough you really are, tin can!"

He leapt into the air, his claws aiming for Gallowglass's face. But Gallowglass was faster. He raised an arm, catching Logan mid-air, his grip tight enough to make Logan grunt in pain. With a flick of his wrist, Gallowglass tossed Logan aside, sending him crashing through a wall.

Xavier, observing from a safe distance, reached out telepathically. *"Tony, Peter, Logan—be careful. He's not just strong; his abilities are a danger to anyone nearby."

"Understatement of the century, Professor," Tony muttered, circling around Gallowglass, who seemed amused by their attempts.

With Logan momentarily down, Peter and Tony exchanged a glance. "Alright," Peter said, his voice tense but determined. "We go for his blind spots. I'll distract him; you hit him with everything you've got."

"On it," Tony replied, shifting his repulsors to maximum power.

Peter darted in, flipping through the air as he fired web after web, trying to ensnare Gallowglass's limbs. Gallowglass, irritated, swatted at the webs like they were nothing but cobwebs. "Pathetic! Is this the best Earth has to offer?"

Tony seized the moment. With a roar, he unleashed a barrage of energy beams, the concentrated power slamming into Gallowglass's force field. For a moment, the field flickered, and Tony saw an opening.

"Peter, now!"

Peter launched himself forward, his fists colliding with Gallowglass's jaw. But the impact was like hitting a brick wall, and Peter recoiled, clutching his hand. "Ow, ow, ow! That hurt!"

Gallowglass laughed, unfazed, and backhanded Peter, sending him flying across the courtyard. "You think your little tricks are enough to harm me? You're outmatched, all of you."

Logan, finally recovering, staggered to his feet, his body bruised but far from beaten. He cracked his neck and growled. "Alright, bub. Let's dance."

He lunged again, claws flashing as he aimed for Gallowglass's exposed neck. But once more, Gallowglass was ready. He sidestepped, grabbing Logan by the throat and lifting him off the ground.

"You're persistent, I'll give you that," he said, his grip tightening as Logan struggled. "But it's not enough."

Before he could finish, a blast of energy struck Gallowglass from behind. Tony hovered nearby, his faceplate cracked but his resolve unshaken. "Get your hands off him."

Gallowglass glanced over his shoulder, an amused glint in his eye. "Oh, you're going to make me?"

With a flick of his wrist, he tossed Logan aside once more. The X-Men were barely able to keep up, and with each second, it became clearer that they were hopelessly outmatched.

The force field around Gallowglass absorbed every attack, while his explosive aura left little room for close-quarters combat.