M Ch 96: Uncle Maw (Patreon)

Recap:

Erik successfully made Wanda a dictator. Since Erik had already obtained his new body and their place was safe enough, he went on Earth to pick up Alice (his adoptive niece) back from Earth but she was in the middle of a final graduation test.

Meanwhile, the girls, Cindy and Wanda were relaxing on the garden dome in mars but then Gamora ambushed the girls.

It seems Gamora thinks that they have killed Ebony Maw and taken everything from him. After a brief fight, Erik came back, but since rocket had stolen something precious from Xandarians, their forces were after the trio (Gamora, Rocket, Groot).

The item Rocket stole was so precious that even Kree were after it and they followed Gamora to Erik's base. Forcing him to fight both armies on his own.

But since Kree forces are allied with Thanos, Erik knew that Thanos must've gotten to know about the base in mars and him. He guessed that Thanos would know instantly that Ebony Maw had switched bodies since his fighting style was heavily inspired from the memories of Maw.

So, Erik decided to kill Thanos but when he tried to open a portal to Thanos's domain, he found that Eldritch magic was blocking opening sparkly portal there. He concluded that it must be because Supergiant was back as she is the only one who knew Eldritch magic among Thanos's army.

So, now Erik decided to kill Thanos even if he had to take the long route, now, since his plan required Gamora's co-operation, he decided to convince her that he's Ebony Maw so that she'll help kill Thanos.

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Recap over

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As Erik approached Gamora, her eyes slowly fluttered open. She blinked, disoriented and still groggy from being unconscious.

Her immediate instinct was to fight, but she found herself restrained by Erik's telekinesis, the man who she believed had killed Ebony Maw and stolen his resources.

"Where am I?" she demanded, her voice cold and sharp as her eyes locked onto Erik.

"You're aboard my Mothership," Erik replied calmly, watching her with a measured gaze. "I understand you're confused, but I need you to listen carefully."

"Listen?" Gamora spat, her eyes narrowing with anger. "You murdered my uncle and stole everything from him, not even sparing his clothes! Why would I a dirty scavenger bastard like you??"

Erik sighed, knowing this wouldn’t be easy. "By Uncle... you mean Ebony Maw, don't you? Gamora, I need to tell you something. I didn't kill Ebony Maw... but... I am Ebony Maw, the adopted son of the Great Mad Titan, the strategist of the Black Order."

Gamora's expression turned from anger to confusion. "What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" she tilted her head, her voice laced with disbelief and annoyance.

"It's not nonsense," Erik took a deep breath, remembering the days when he used to act as Ebony Maw, and most of all used that tiring English.

His lips curled up into a condescending smile as he spoke his words, "What you behold before you is merely a new vessel for my soul, within this form resides the very essence of Ebony Maw, the person you had acknowledged as your Uncle during his dying moments."

He squinted his eyes a bit, suspicion and curiosity filling his eyes, "What, I wonder, compelled you to succumb to such strange sentimentality and address me as 'Uncle', I have been curious for a long time... I also seem to recall, in the haze of my fading consciousness, the ghostly imprint of something tender upon my cheek in that final moment..."

Gamora's eyes widened as she heard his words but the last sentence caused a deep shade of red to cover her green face.

She was blushing remembering that she kissed Ebony Maw's cheeks.

It wasn't that Gamora was overly pure or had romantic feelings for Maw. Their relationship wasn't close either. But during the few days she spent with him planning her escape from Thanos, those meaningful conversations, their last mission on High Evolutionary's planet, and then the final escape...

All of these made her realize that Ebony Maw wasn't exactly an evil person, just an efficiency and result obsessed old creature.

She even came to respect him a bit.

And when he sacrificed himself for her, she couldn't help but get overwhelmed by feelings.

She knew that Ebony Maw was a cold-hearted and practical person.

She knew that their relationship was ultimately just a deal.

She knew that he might not care for her at all.

But despite all that... He was the only person who showed her kindness after Thanos adopted her, even if it was just another quirk of his to get a feasible result.

She couldn't help but feel an indescribable affection toward him at that time, that's why she called him Uncle and even kissed his cheek before leaving him.

But... now that same Uncle is standing before her, not particularly emotional at all while she has been acting all emotional, heartbroken, and vengeful for the person who might not even care for any of that.

It was just... embarrassing!!

'Wait...' Gamora gathered her composure... and her brows once again twisted into a scowl.

"What proof you have that you're Ebony Maw?" Gamora asked.

"You demand proof?" Erik walked towards her emotionlessly, "You're mistaken, Gamora dear, you can't demand anything, look at your bound limbs, you're merely a captive. And the only reason I'm keeping you alive is because I need something from you."

"If you're really Ebony Maw then you should know what kind of woman I am. You can't force me to do anything." Gamora smirked.

Without breaking eye contact, Erik lifted her chin with his fingers, "I don't really care what kind of woman you are. I don't care if you believe I am Ebony Maw or not.

"But know this, that you have created great trouble for me. Because of your foolish actions, Thanos knows about my whereabouts and unlike you, the great Titan wouldn't waste time pondering over useless things, he knows that I betrayed him and he must be preparing to kill me as we speak..."

Gamora listened silently as the blond man who claimed to be Ebony Maw spoke with seriousness.

"Sigh... Right now, I am planning on launching an all-out attack on Thanos's base. I should've been able to handle it with the help of my companions but Supergiant has returned, so, it's not gonna be as easy."

"Supergiant, huh... I've never seen her but her archives said that she was the most powerful among all of us. So, you need my help in defeating her?"

Despite her limbs being restrained, Gamora's mind worked on strategies to kill Thanos as she processed the info Erik gave her

"No, you can't beat her even in your dreams, Gamora... I have planned another task for you and your flora and fauna companions."

As their conversation flowed, Erik relaxed the restraints on her hands. Engrossed in the conversation Gamora didn't even notice that.

"And that's the final phase, it will be handled by me, Wanda, and Cindy."

Gamora closed her eyes for a bit, somewhere along the conversation it felt like she was back on the day when she and Maw were planning their attack on High Evolutionary.

Gamora didn't know Maw at a deeper level, she barely had conversations with other members of the Black Order other than Nebula. Her conversation with Maw increased only after Erik formerly known as Jerry had transmigrated into his body. That's why talking with him made her realize that Erik really was Maw.

She chuckled a bit, causing Erik to raise his brow, a bit in confusion.

"Is there something you find amusing in the stratagem I proposed?" He asked.

She shook her head, "It's just that... no it's nothing..."

"Then that'll be all, we'll be arriving at 'his' Sanctuary in 1.5 hours. Gather everything you need and brief your companions on the mission. You and your teammates have a crucial role."

Gamora nodded and walked towards the exit of the chamber "Where are they anyway?"

"They're in the torture chamber at the corner of the hall," Erik replied.

"You didn't torture them, did you?" Gamora asked with a bit of concern.

"No, I just threw them in there for the aesthetics and to instill a bit of fear in them." He grinned.

Gamora rolled her eyes in exasperation, "That won't work on those."

Erik nodded, obviously knowing about the fact.

As Gamora finally walked out of the chamber, she mumbled something in a really low voice with a small smile.

"Thanks for saving me twice, Uncle Maw..."

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Thanks for reading.

This chapter took a long time to write, I think not writing for a month has affected my skills a bit...