UNIVERSE BOWL VI: CHAPTER XXI: BLACK ATTACK

             BL Yoda races back to his Horsemen teammates.

“On the verge of losing his mind, he is,” says the Jedi Master to his comrades. ”The dark side to Joseph has it engulfed.”

“If we lose him, what chance do we stand?” asks Hope Summers.

“We cannot dwell on what might occur,” states Exodus.  “We need to focus on only one thing. . . winning the Bowl.”

“If Joseph is lost,” rasps Annihilus, “do we have others to replace his abilities?”

“Did we lose everyone on the Technodrome?” asks Vulcan.

“All three LMDs,” states BL Thanos.  “We were able to convert the two advanced models, but the third was lost in the ship’s destruction.”

“No additional element of surprise then,” says Vulcan.

“We don’t need surprise,” claims Phoenix.  “We succeed on sheer power alone.”

Annihilus points to the sky.  The team follows his outstretched arm and looks above to view BL Dumbledore flying to his team’s section of the city. 

BL Yoda and BL Thanos take to the air.

***

BL Albus Dumbledore stops and hovers.  The wizard lantern faces BL Yoda and BL Thanos.

“I am not surprised to see you among the survivors,” states Dumbledore to Thanos, “especially since you have attempted to hide the continued existence of both Pryor and I assume Summers.  I have already notified my team through my connection with Professor X.”

Thanos grins in response to the conclusions of his enemy.

“A cultivated assumption, Dumbledore,” says Thanos.

“My team is ready for all you tried to hide and we have in place a counter for all of your trickery,” quips Dumbledore.

“Smart you think your team to be; fate shall only tell.  Victorious in your prior battle you may be,” says BL Yoda, “but prevail in the war you shall not.” 

BL Yoda ignites his lightsaber and projects a black shield from his ring.  BL Dumbledore replies by swishing his wand in one hand, while creating an energy sword construct in the other.  BL Thanos simply hovers, contemplating his next educated move.

“So, we are evenly matched aren’t we my friends,” says BL Dumbledore. 

“Not even close,” responds BL Thanos. 

BL Thanos and BL Yoda soar toward Dumbledore.  BL Yoda reaches Dumbledore first. Dumbledore’s sword construct strikes Yoda’s shield, while Yoda’s lightsaber glances off of Dumbledore’s casted spell.   Thanos rushes into the fray and projects a cosmic energy blast, which Dumbledore barely manages to escape. Hogwarts’ Headmaster twists his body and focuses on Yoda again.

“Expelliarmus!” shouts Dumbledore.  “Expelliarmus!!!”

Yoda’s lightsaber flies from his deadened hand, followed by his shield, which dissipates at the connection loss to his ring. 

The Jedi Master calmly floats, looking at his enemy.

“Expelliarmus,” whispers Dumbledore.

Yoda look down in disbelief at his finger.  The ring floats in front of his inanimate eyes.  Yoda fades into dust.

Dumbledore turns to the location of Thanos.

“And now for you,” begins Dumbledore.

“I doubt that,” says Thanos as he unleashes congruent beams of ring and cosmic energies that shred Dumbledore’s body and ring, ripping him apart. 

Thanos, knowing that he is one of two remaining Horsemen members who will enter the final graveyard should he fail in this fight, flies toward his team.