The top floor of the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters trembled faintly under the weight of the power gathering outside.

As Luke's troops successively stepped through the portals, the battlefield in front of the building changed completely. What was once an empty plaza was now a sea of soldiers and warriors, every one of them radiating menace.

Behind Luke, the square looked like a staging ground for some nightmarish army out of myth.

There was a row of towering Transformers, their metal limbs gleaming with crimson light that pulsed in rhythm like a heartbeat.

Behind them, the undead Asgardian warriors stood in a grim formation, armor cracked and rusted but eyes burning with eerie green fire. Their weapons, swords, axes, and spears, glowed faintly as though thirsting for battle.

Then came the orcs: hulking, ugly, their muscles bulging with unnatural strength. Their tusks curled upward, and their snarls echoed like drums of war. The Fel energy inside them churned and writhed, making their veins glow faintly beneath their skin.

Not to be forgotten were the robed sorcerers of Kamar-Taj. They had once been protectors of Earth, but their green-glowing eyes now betrayed the Fel corruption coursing through them. Each of them stood unnaturally still, fingers twitching as they felt the abundant life-force around them, eager to drain it.

It should have looked like chaos, a mismatched army of machines, undead, humans, and monsters, but the oppressive aura they gave off told another story.

At the front of the host, the leaders gathered. Gul'dan, leaning on his skull staff, exhaled deeply, his mouth curving into a crooked grin as his gaze locked on Thanos's army in the distance. His eyes burned with cruelty, his posture radiating confidence.

The Ancient One, her bald head reflecting the faint glow of the green energy, stood beside Strange. Both of them had eyes that shone unnaturally, their expressions stretched between serenity and madness. Mordo and Kaecilius lingered just behind, watching the enemy as though they were already dissecting their life force in their minds.

Bumblebee's body shimmered with crimson energy, the Reality Stone's influence crackling through his frame. He gave a mechanical growl, and the other Transformers followed suit, their optics shifting to the same burning hue. Armor plates locked into place as if preparing for something more than battle, annihilation.

Hela was calm, almost disturbingly so. Her hands gripped two conjured swords, black as the void, their edges glinting with deadly light. Her horned helm materialized with a shimmer, and a faint smile played on her lips. She tilted her head toward Luke, smirking.

"Finally… a war worthy of my time."

Doggo padded forward, tail wagging wildly as if the coming bloodshed were some grand game. Wanda rested a glowing hand on his back to steady him, though her scarlet magic flickered restlessly around her fingers. Sharon adjusted Mjölnir over her shoulder with determination in her eyes.

And Luke? Luke simply stood still. No weapon in hand, no aura of menace, no grandiose declaration. He was quiet, almost unremarkable, as though he were just another passerby in the city. But the way the others aligned themselves behind him; monsters, gods, and legends alike, made his presence impossible to ignore.

Even the Avengers noticed it.

They had gathered at the front, but now, one by one, they began stepping aside. Stark let out a sharp whistle.

"Remind me again… whose side are we supposed to be on? Because I'm starting to feel like the supporting cast here."

Natasha gave him a sharp look but didn't deny it. "Don't joke, Stark. Just… don't stand in their way."

Steve's grip tightened around his shield. He didn't speak, but his jaw clenched as he silently admitted the truth, Luke's army looked even more terrifying than Thanos's vanguard.

The green glow in the orcs' eyes, the unnatural stillness of the sorcerers, the metallic thunder of the Transformers, it all reeked of danger. Even though they were allies, the Avengers felt the primal urge to step back, to not be caught between these two overwhelming forces. And so, reluctantly, they moved aside, giving Luke's army space to advance.

…

Inside the S.H.I.E.L.D. command center, the reaction was explosive.

Gasps and exclamations filled the room as soldiers, agents, and even seasoned commanders pressed closer to the glass windows, staring down in disbelief.

"Holy fuck, he has that many?" one of the agents muttered, eyes wide.

Another choked out, "That's not an army, that's… what even is that?"

Even Hill's usual composure faltered for a moment. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes darting between Fury and the battlefield as though waiting for confirmation.

Coulson shook his head slowly, awe written all over his face. "So that's why you trust him."

Fury didn't answer immediately. He kept his one good eye fixed on Luke, his jaw tense. Finally, he muttered under his breath, "That man isn't just another consultant. He's a damn warlord."

The room fell silent. And then, gradually, fear gave way to something else. Relief, excitement, admiration even. Whatever Luke was, however dark his power looked, he stood on Earth's side, and that was all that mattered.

Across the battlefield, Thanos's expression shifted for the first time.

At first, when Luke summoned the Transformers and undead, he had smiled faintly, dismissing them as mere tricks.

When Gul'dan arrived, Thanos's smile had thinned into cautious neutrality.

But when the orc army poured through the portal, when the sorcerers with glowing green eyes aligned themselves beside them, his confidence wavered.

His eyes narrowed. He leaned slightly forward, watching every detail.

"These… are no ordinary soldiers."

Corvus Glaive, standing nearby, sneered. "They're rabble. Beasts with no discipline. They will fall."

Thanos did not respond immediately. His gaze lingered on Gul'dan, who returned the stare with a slow, bloodthirsty smile. The Mad Titan's brow furrowed. For the first time, he sensed not just resistance… but challenge.

"This world," Thanos murmured, "is more dangerous than I imagined."

Luke exhaled slowly. Then, with nothing more than a casual wave of his hand, the order was given.

The ground shook as his army surged forward like a tide unleashed.

The clash was instant and devastating.

Thanos's vanguard roared and charged, a wall of flesh and metal crashing into Luke's forces. But the difference was immediate.

The Fel sorcerers raised their hands, their voices chanting in harsh, guttural tones. Streams of green fire lanced outward, clinging to the vanguard's bodies. The soldiers screamed as their vitality was drained, their flesh shriveling, leaving behind husks that collapsed into the dirt. The sorcerers inhaled deeply, their eyes gleaming brighter with every stolen life.

The orcs thundered into battle with bone-crushing ferocity. One swing of their axes shattered armored vanguard warriors like brittle wood. Their snarls turned into laughter as they ripped through the front lines, Fel energy igniting in their veins.

The Transformers opened fire. Missiles streaked through the air, energy beams scorching across the battlefield. The Reality Stone's crimson shimmer strengthened their assault, making their blasts bend unnaturally, ricocheting into enemy ranks with deadly precision.

And Doggo? Doggo barreled into the fray with unrestrained joy, jaws snapping, his massive form tossing vanguard soldiers into the air like toys. Wanda's scarlet tendrils lashed around him, catching enemies that slipped past, while Sharon covered them with her lightning.

Thanos's eyes narrowed. His vanguard was crumbling faster than expected.

With a flick of his wrist, he raised his hand. "Black Order."

At once, Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive, and Cull Obsidian advanced. The battlefield seemed to pause for a breath as their oppressive presence joined the fray.

But Luke's forces were ready.

Hela stepped forward with a smile sharp as her blades. "At last."

The Ancient One's green-tinged gaze flicked to Strange, then to Luke. She inclined her head once. "We will hold them."

And with that, both she and Hela leapt into battle, their power erupting like a storm as the battlefield descended into chaos.

The final battle finally began.

…