Blood flowed from the cut—not spurting, but streaming like two rivers branching from the same source and flowing in different directions.
The blood seeped into the cracks in the vitrified ground, hissing.
Then it evaporated in the intense heat, turning into purple mist and dispersing into the air.
In his final moments, Thanos might still have been thinking of his mission, of Gamora, of the loved ones on Titan who had already turned to ashes.
Or perhaps he thought of nothing at all, merely gazing at that gray-blue sky filled with clouds and wind.
Watching the fading glow of energy, watching the woman standing at the edge of the crater, the gem in her brow still shining.
Then there was nothing.
Android 18 stood at the edge of the crater, looking down at Thanos's body split in two.
There was not a ripple in her blue eyes. She had seen too much death. Thanos was merely another opponent she had defeated, nothing more.
Alice withdrew the light of the Mind Stone, and the glow in her brow gradually dimmed.
It returned to that gentle, breathing-like pulse.
She turned around and looked at Android 18. The two exchanged a glance.
"Mission accomplished," Alice said.
Android 18 nodded and removed the Infinity Gauntlet hanging from her waist, holding it in her hand.
The two gems on the gauntlet still glowed, purple and orange, as though letting out one final unwilling sigh for their former owner.
"Master will definitely be pleased. It's time to go home and claim our reward," Alice said happily.
"Yeah. He should still be in the laboratory researching his Silver Superman serum right now!" Android 18 said.
"I really can't wait for the moment that serum succeeds. What kind of state will Master be in then? He'll definitely be