Tony didn't know who they were. Nobody did. Not even Strange apparently. Which was odd, considering he’s the only one who could have brought them here.
In the beginning, they didn't even know they were there. It made sense, the Avengers and the Wakandan army were at the front of battle. Fighting directly with Thanos. It seemed this other army had started in the back and fought their way to the middle.
It was only a couple at first. A man on fire saving Bucky and then running off with a friendly wave… on a dragon? Maybe Bucky’s brain was still playing tricks on him.
Then a golden eagle flew in and turned into an elephant right in front of Rhodey. It smashed an entire squadron underneath its feet as it landed, when it turned to start stampeding away, a woman riding a golden horse ran up beside it. Rhodey nearly choked when the elephant turned into a large black bear and turned to the left, lumbering away to another battle.
Apparently this was only the beginning. Faster and faster they saw more and more strangers joining the fight with the avengers. All of them from the backside of the battle, as if they’d caught Thanos in between their two forces. It was made clear that this group had an army of their own, ready to match Thanos’ blow for blow.
The weirdest part?
They were all dressed like Romans.
(The Avengers would later be aggressively corrected that some of them were dressed like Greeks.)
Steve had just finished off a group of leviathans, looking around to catch his breath and find where he was needed. One of the mysterious warriors came running up to him, scanned him and then started pushing him down, another one helping him.
“What- Stop- What are you doing- Stop- I have to get back out there,”
“Get him down, he’s got three broken ribs and some internal bleeding,” the man’s friends forced him down with surprising strength. Steve tried to push back again but the man finally placed his own hand on Steve’s shoulder and a sense of relaxation surged through him. “Calm down, Captain, we’ll let you go in a second, but you need help. Agreed?”
Steve nodded unsuredly. The man’s nod was much more curt, then he turned to his companions, “Go. Find others. We need to spread out, the ones you can heal immediately, do it, the ones you can't, send to the tents.” Hands lifted off of Steve as he heard the retreating footsteps of them leaving.
Steve leaned back against the ground, straining his neck to look at the man. His hands started glowing. He must have stared too long because the man snapped, “Do I need to check your neck as well or are you trying to pull a muscle on purpose?”
Steve dropped his head back down but kept his eyes on him, trust was not freely given.
“Who are you? No, wait what are you- how are you doing that?”
The man sighed, “This will hurt, clench your teeth.”
Steve did as told, just in time for burning pain to lace up his legs and torso. When he could think through the pain again, less than a second later, he was surprised to find the largest of his injuries healed to bruises at worst. His breath no longer stuttered within his broken ribcage.
“Know that it is by the power of Asclepius you are healed. And against my best desires, I release you into battle.” The man in front of him didn't really look like an Asclepius but he guessed it fit with the outfit.
“Wait, why are you guys dressed like Romans?”
The man rolled his eyes beneath the helmet, “Mine is Greek actually. And it’s because we are.”
“Are what?”
“Greek.” Then the man disappeared over the hill, taking with him the sense of calm. Right. There was a battle on.
He spoke into the comms, “Be aware, the strangers are here to help. The man in the white armor is a healer.”
“Oh really? How’d you find that out?”
“He healed my ribs completely. They’re not even fractured, Tony.”
Tony chuckled on the other end of the line, “Yeah, well, tell him thanks for me, his blue-clad friend just flooded and washed out half my enemies.”
When it came to confronting Thanos, they were losing. Badly. Thanos had the gauntlet, he had the last stone, Strange was trying to tell Tony something. Nothing could help, what was-
The power stone flew from Thanos’ grasp. Steve stared as it flew directly to the hands of the female warrior on the golden horse standing at the top of the crater’s edge. The stone floated suspended an inch above her palm, her other hand holding the hilt of a golden spathus . A black crow flew from her shoulder, transforming into a large, muscled asian man next to her holding a sword, a bow and quiver on his back.
Another man flew down, landing with a rumble on the other side of the clearing. He had a golden spear, and with him a woman with a glowing dagger.
Another rumble had the metal dragon next to them, the flames of the rider extinguished, leaving another armored figure in their place.
Steve’s eyebrows scrunched together, why did he hear rushing water? He was answered as a massive wave crested behind Thanos, forcing the Titan to turn and look.
A man and a woman in armor stood upon the wave, each holding large threatening swords, the woman's made of bone.
Instead of crashing down and drowning everyone, the wave set the pair to the ground, rushing towards Thanos. They wrapped around the titan, binding his arms to his side, and quickly formed into liquid chains, forcing Thanos to his knees.
Steve could barely believe the number of warriors also collecting on the top of the clearing, more than he’d seen fighting the entire time. All dressed in Roman and Greek armor, all holding some manner of weapon, whether spears or swords.
“Thanos of the Planet Titan!” The wave rider's voice boomed.
“Who are you to speak my name, child? I am unstoppable!” The Mad Titan growled and pulled against the chains.
A large, burly woman stepped up from the crowd where the wave had landed, “Let me handle him, Poseidon, we’ll see just how unstoppable he really is!” She looked ready to jump in and pummel Thanos with the butt of her spear. The man- had she called him Poseidon??- reached up and rubbed the bridge of his nose under his helmet, “Ares. always ready to fight.” He shook his head and opened his mouth to speak-
“You stand in the presence of the Children of Olympus, Thanos. With crimes against the Gods to your name, and yet you think yourself undefeatable?” The flying man from before spoke, voice just as booming as his friend.
Children of Olympus? Did that mean these were the Gods of Olympus?
“Any man who thinks himself invincible is a fool, and is fated to fall on his own sword. We did not think you a fool, and though it is rare, I have been wrong before.” The female warrior from the wave spoke this time. Steve was having trouble keeping up.
Thanos snarled and struggled again, “And who are you to know me at all?! I am the Mad Titan, Bringer of Balance to the Cosmos!” He yelled and surged forward, breaking the watery chains and lunging at the woman. Steve rushed to intercept him, he didn’t get very far; Thanos was frozen in place with only the raise of a hand from Poseidon .
“Attack her and you will die where you stand, Mad Titan. ” The title sounded more like a mocking sneer coming from his mouth.
Another woman from the crowd leapt down, landing in front of Thanos with a deadly glare on her face. Even more deadly was the silver arrow she plunged into Thanos’ neck. The tip came out the other side covered in blood, but no more blood left the wound.
“I knew men brought damage and despair to the world, but it seems it’s males across the stars that share the same failings,” she growled into his face.
Steve really had no idea what was going on. The din of fighting was starting to fade in the background, quiet but not gone, the familiar faces of his fellow avengers stood around him.
Thanos asked the question that was on the edge of everybody’s tongues, “Who..?” He rasped, his voice strained. From the arrow in his throat or something else?
“I stand before you as Artemis! Goddess of the Hunt!” The black-haired, silver clad warrior shouted to the crowd, then leaned back down to Thanos, “And I claim you as our next prey, Thanos .” She spat his name viciously.
Strange finally piped in from where he’d gone silent with wide eyes, “And who are the rest of you?”
“I stand before you as Athena.” “As Poseidon.” The two from the wave spoke, and yeah, the wave certainly made sense now.
“As Ares.” “As Ceres in form of Demeter.” The burly girl from before and a shorter girl wielding two sickle blades stepped forward.
“I stand as Jupiter in form of Zeus!” The flying one said, and it seemed Asclepius was not nearby, because Steve didn’t hear his name shouted. Several others from the crowd stepped forward, each shouting names.
“As Janus! As Ceto! As Concordia in form of Harmonia! As Vidar and Nemesis! As Horus! As Seth! As Hypnos! As Calliope and Thoth! As Krishna! As Olelbis! As Anansi! As Boreus! As Zelus! As Coyote! As Tezcatlipoca! As Baldr! Forseti and Rashnu! As Uksákka in form of Terminus! As Ops! As Cura!” Names were shouted around them, and Steve realized that not all of them were Greek or Roman.
A few of the warriors standing before him still had not been named when a woman with a long, black braid stepped forward, “I am Reyna, Praetor of the Twelfth Legion and Daughter of Bellona!” Another Woman now stood beside her in even more armor, holding a shield.
The girl with the glowing dagger went next, “I am Piper, Daughter of Aphrodite!” A beautiful Woman appeared next to her in a flowing dress.
Then, the person on the dragon, “Leo- er, Leonidas, Son of Hephaestus!” He stumbled a bit when he looked up from a gadget in his hands. A short, rather sturdy Man suddenly stood next to him, as tall as the dragon’s brassen shoulder.
Another boy stepped from the crowd, holding a black sword, “Nico, Son of Hades, King of Ghosts!” An even gloomier man faded into sight right behind him, a hand on Nico’s shoulder.
“Frank Zhang, Second Praetor of the Twelfth Legion and Son of Mars!” An angry biker’s form flickered next to him but no one appeared.
“And I am Hazel Levesque, Chosen of Hecate and Daughter of Pluto, Commander of Riches!” Then Hazel threw her hand forward and yanked it back to her. Thanos was suddenly pulled to the side, the Gauntlet trying to pull away from him. Clearly Thanos was still not willing to let go of it. For a second, it seemed like Thanos had regained control of his power.
And not a moment later, the sword of Poseidon separated Thanos from his own forearm.
Blood finally started to flow from the wound in his neck. A neck that was currently being threatened by the same sword that removed his hand.
With Poseidon already in front of him, Zeus jumped in too, as well as the Gloomy Man(™) who’d appeared next to Nico and could only be Hades.
The difference between the three was startling. Two looked like teenagers or young adults, Hades a full grown man, they did not appear as brothers. But.. they had to be. Right?
“You are no Titan, Thanos. I am a Son of the Titans, of Rhea and Kronos,” Hades glowered down at him, “Frankly, the fact you stood unopposed until now is astonishing.”
“I am inevitable. You call yourself by the names of gods but even you cannot defeat me,” Thanos snarled. But it sounded desperate, like even he was trying to convince himself of it.
Hades scowled darkly, “I do not call myself a god. I am a god. God of the Underworld and Afterlife . And you, Thanos, are mine. ” Hades placed his hand on the Mad Titan’s skull. The Avengers stared as the purple skin decayed and burned away. Thanos screamed the whole time until he was nothing but ash disappearing to the wind.
The three gods that stood before him turned to each corner of the battlefield. Hades put his hand out in front of him, Poseidon swiped his sword in a wide arc and Zeus simply pounded his Spear to the ground and pointed it outwards.
Any remaining creatures from Thanos’ armies dropped where they stood, like puppets with their strings cut, death suddenly striking them to the ground. Jarring earthquakes opened gaping chasms, waves crashing up out of them, grabbing the monstrous bodies and falling back into the earth, taking bodies with them with the crest of each wave. Massive flying motherships were struck with harsh bolts of lightning, each disintegrating and being carried into the earth as winds howled and raced across the battlefield.
Nothing remained except the Avengers and their Allies, the Wakandan Army and the Army of the Gods. No one quite knew what to do with that last one.
Hades and the others finally looked back down, unfortunately choosing to look directly at Steve. “Olympus has felled a mutual enemy, but the issues of mortals remain.” Poseidon spoke.
“They are not ours to deal with.” Hades said.
“And if they affect our Pantheon, or any other again; it shall be the mortal world that pays the price.” Zeus looked like this was an unpleasant thing to say, but his eyes were hard with resolve. It almost sounded like a warning.
Don't screw up. Next time, it’s your head on the chopping block .
Tony didn’t seem to like that, “Excuse me, the mortal world will pay? What, like we didn’t live through the last five years? You people are not the only ones who suffered because of the Purple Titan, you know.” Tony’s face plate receded and he stomped up to the gods.
Poseidon smirked and chuckled a little bit, "You remind me of myself, Anthony Stark. I'll visit you when this is over. Hopefully, we all will."
"WHen It'S OvER!? ItS OvEr NoW! YoU JuST EnDed IT!"
"Hardly,” Zeus scoffed, “Olympus is in Chaos. Half of everything was dusted, Stark. Not just humans. Not just aliens. Half of every species in existence. Including Gods, Demigods, Monsters and everything in between. Power has not been restored, we stand as placeholders.”
“Enough. Olympus calls us home.” Hades growled. Then vanished.
Poseidon looked to the sky like he was talking to someone, “Hecate, send us your path.”
Several sections of the army started to fade and disappear, as if hidden by a fog until they were gone completely.
“Hey! What the hell!? You don't just get to drop all this, be all dramatic and then dip out!”
“You clearly lack experience with gods, that’s basically all they do to us.” Leo commented from where he and the rest of the main group had gathered behind Poseidon and Zeus.
Steve saw Asclepius approach from the left, he looked at Steve, “Your wounded lay in an encampment to the East. Behind the high ridge. And though they are as few as we could manage, the deceased are at the end of the same valley.”
Even now that Steve knew he was a god, Asclepius’ shoulders looked heavy with the words. Poseidon laid a passing, comforting hand on his shoulder as he passed and stepped into the obscurity.
A cloud of mist had rolled in behind the group, slowly enveloping the group one by one. The Girl, Hazel, jumped gracefully from her horse, rested her forehead against his snout and then leaned back. The horse was in the distance in seconds. By the time the Avengers looked back, the metal dragon was gone as well.
Poseidon looked behind Tony and Steve, instead making eye contact with Thor, who’d also approached.
“Are you coming with us, Thor Odinson?”
“I feel I must, if only to see a few of my fellow Aesir restored. Vidar and Baldr were family in the House of Odin and their loss from the magicks of New Asgard was felt.
“Wait, what. Sorry, who? Uh no? Where are you going?”
“Worry not, Friend Stark. I will be back, and we shall sit in the company of friends and warriors together again. But it has been a long time since the many pantheons had reason to come together like this.”
The group walked into the white, shimmering fog behind them, talking amicably with Thor despite having assumedly never met him before.
When the entire army was gone. Gods and all, there was nothing but rocky, barren land, a faint dusting of gold and lots of questions for everyone.
But at least it was over.