Psionic Ch. 89 - Maximus' Crushing Defeat

[February of 2013]

[New York City]

3rd PoV

Maximus, seeing the Avengers and Inhumans poised for battle, smirked as he reached for his Atmo-Gun, a powerful weapon that could manipulate the weather and atmosphere itself. With a wicked grin, he aimed the gun at the sky and fired a beam of energy that created a massive storm cloud above the battlefield.

The sky turned dark as thunder roared and lightning crackled across the sky. The winds picked up, blowing dust and debris across the ground. The Avengers and Inhumans were caught off guard as the storm intensified, with rain pouring down in sheets and hail pelting the ground.

As Maximus held the Atmo-Gun, his manic smile grew wider, revealing a hint of madness behind his eyes. He had spent years perfecting the weapon, experimenting on countless Inhumans to unlock its full potential. Now, he would unleash its destructive power upon his enemies, and none would be able to stand against him.

With a flick of his wrist, he aimed the weapon at Captain America, who had been leading the charge against Maximus and his forces. The bolt of lightning that shot out of the Atmo-Gun was small but deadly, crackling with energy as it hurtled towards its target.

Steve Rogers, though ever the seasoned warrior, reacted swiftly. His instincts kicked in, and he lifted his shield just in time to barely deflect the lightning bolt away from his body. Even with his enhanced strength, speed, and agility, he knew that he couldn't take chances with Maximus and his weapon. The next bolt might not miss.

As he braced himself for the coming battle, Captain America couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease. He knew that Maximus was not to be underestimated, and that his powers and resources were formidable. But he also knew that he had a duty to protect his teammates and his country, and that he would do whatever it took to achieve victory.

...

As the bolt of lightning hit Captain America's shield, it sent a powerful shockwave across the battlefield, causing everyone to stumble and lose their footing. Maximus took advantage of this momentary confusion and fired another bolt of lightning, this time aimed at Medusa.

The Inhuman queen, however, was not so easily taken down. She quickly summoned her prehensile hair, using it to block the lightning bolt before it could strike her. With a flick of her wrist, she sent her hair lashing out towards Maximus, intending to disarm him of the Atmo-Gun.

Maximus, seeing the attack coming, used the gun to create a powerful gust of wind that sent Medusa flying backward. She crashed into a nearby building, causing a shower of debris to rain down upon her. As she struggled to regain her footing, Maximus took aim once more, this time targeting Black Bolt.

The Inhuman king—who was standing about a meter away from Medusa—saw the bolt of lightning heading towards him. Without hesitation, he raised his hands and unleashed a powerful blast of energy that met the bolt head-on. The resulting explosion sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield, knocking several combatants off their feet.

As Black Bolt's attack caused Maximus to momentarily lose focus, Tony saw an opening and quickly reacted. He fired a barrage of repulsor blasts at Maximus, who was caught off guard and stumbled back.

"Nice one, Black Bolt!" Tony called out, acknowledging the Inhuman's assistance.

Maximus recovered quickly and retaliated by firing a beam of energy from his Atmo-Gun at Tony, who just weaved at it.

Tony's mind was working at lightning speed, calculating every move and analyzing every detail. He knew that one mistake could cost him everything, but he also knew that he had to keep fighting. As Maximus unleashed a barrage of energy blasts at him, Tony dodged and weaved through the air, firing his repulsor beams in return.

Maximus, however, was not going down without a fight. He summoned all his strength and unleashed a massive blast of energy from his Atmo-Gun, sending Tony crashing into a nearby building. But Tony quickly recovered and flew back into the fray, firing a volley of missiles and repulsor beams at Maximus.

The Inhuman villain used his mastery over the weather to create a massive storm, hoping to throw Tony off balance. But Tony was not so easily deterred. He activated his suit's anti-gravity technology, allowing him to fly effortlessly through the storm and continue his assault on Maximus.

"Is that all you've got, Maximus? I expected more from the Inhuman genius," Tony taunted, grinning behind his helmet.

"Arrggg!"

Maximus snarled in response, his frustration growing as he struggled to gain the upper hand against Iron Man. Tony continued to dodge and weave through Maximus' attacks, using his suit's thrusters to stay one step ahead of the Inhuman's blasts.

Bam!

With a swift movement, Tony fired a missile from his suit at Maximus, who narrowly avoided it with a quick sidestep. Tony used this opportunity to close the distance between them and landed a powerful punch, sending Maximus staggering back.

...

As the battle between Tony and Maximus raged on, Hawkeye and Captain America nodded at each other. Hawkeye immediately sprang into action, launching a barrage of arrows at Maximus. The Inhuman managed to deflect most of them with his energy blasts, but a few of them managed to hit their mark, causing Maximus to stumble and falter.

Thud!

Bam!

Captain America charged forward, shield in hand, and engaged Maximus in hand-to-hand combat. The two exchanged blows, with Cap using his superhuman strength to match Maximus' own formidable physical abilities. Despite the Inhuman's best efforts, Cap managed to get the upper hand, delivering a powerful blow that sent Maximus staggering backwards.

Swoosh!

Swoosh!

Meanwhile, Hawkeye continued to rain arrows down on Maximus from a distance, taking advantage of the Inhuman's focus on Cap and Tony. He fired a specialized arrow that exploded on impact, creating a smokescreen that momentarily disoriented Maximus and allowed Cap to deliver another powerful punch.

Bang!

Boom!

Tony, seeing his fellow Avengers in action, decided to launch a full-scale attack on Maximus. He fired a barrage of missiles and repulsor blasts at the Inhuman, who managed to deflect most of them with his energy blasts. However, a few managed to hit their mark, causing Maximus to stumble and lose his focus.

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Tony charged forward and unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, each one powered by the advanced technology of his Iron Man suit. Maximus attempted to counter with his own energy blasts, but Tony's suit was able to absorb and neutralize them.

...

On the other hand. Psionix walked and stood beside the ever-silent Inhuman King and the should-be shampoo queen along with Crystal, Matt, and Gorgon.

"Seems like they already got it, huh." A voice resounded which turned out to be Natasha Romanoff who just finished tucking her useless gun on her waist as she also stood beside Andrew.

Andrew gave her a side glance and also spotted Bruce Banner stealthily walking, afraid that he will get hit by some debris that the battle were producing, as he also stood beside the red-head spy.

"Hmm." Andrew then just replied with a hum at Romanova's casual comment as he crossed his arms and continued looking at the battle seemed about to end.

While inside his mind. He's also occasionally looking at some of the metas that his clones were healing real time and couldn't help but grit his teeth a little as he couldn't wait to personally crush the head of this mad genius Inhuman.

All in due time.

...

As the battle reached its climax, it became clear that the combined efforts of the Avengers were too much for Maximus to handle. Tony's mind raced with calculations and strategies as he worked in tandem with his fellow Avengers. With a determined grin, he quipped, "Looks like we've got the upper hand, guys! Let's finish this!"

Hawkeye responded with a nod, his bow at the ready. "You got it, boss," he replied, firing off a series of trick arrows that detonated in a shower of smoke and flames, obscuring Maximus' vision.

Captain America charged forward, his shield held high as he led the charge. "Avengers, attack!" he called out, the rest of the team following closely behind.

The combined might of the Avengers proved too much for Maximus to handle, and with a final blast from his repulsor gauntlets, Tony sent Maximus hurtling towards the ground, causing a small shaking upon impact.

Hawkeye and Captain America moved in quickly to restrain Maximus, with Hawkeye firing a grappling arrow to immobilize him.

"Nice shot, Clint!" Tony yelled, grinning as he watched Hawkeye's arrow hit its mark. "I knew you'd come in handy!"

Captain America, meanwhile, made his way over to the fallen Inhuman, his shield at the ready. "It's over, Maximus," he said firmly. "You're coming with us."

Maximus glared up at them, his eyes burning with rage. "You may have defeated me, Avengers, but the war is far from over," he spat, struggling against Hawkeye's restraints.

Tony smirked. "That's cute, Maximus. But we've been at this for a while now, and I think it's pretty clear who the winners are."

Maximus sneered at Tony's words, struggling against the restraints even harder. "You may have won this battle, but you will never be able to stop the coming war," he warned, his voice seething with anger.

Captain America stepped forward, his shield raised in a defensive stance. "What are you talking about, Maximus? What war?"

Maximus glared at the Captain, a twisted smile forming on his face. "The war for the future of the Inhumans. A war that will decide the fate of our people," he hissed.

Hawkeye tightened the restraints around Maximus, causing him to wince in pain. "Sorry, Maximus. But you're not exactly winning any popularity contests with that kind of talk," he quipped, a smirk forming on his lips.

Maximus glared at the archer, his eyes burning with fury. "You fools! You have no idea what you're dealing with. You think you can control us, but you're wrong. The Inhumans will rise, and we will reclaim what is rightfully ours," he spat.

Tony stepped forward, a determined look on his face. "I think it's time we put a stop to this, don't you?" he said, nodding to the other Avengers.

With a unified nod, the Avengers prepared to take Maximus into custody and bring an end to his dangerous plans once and for all.

—-—

On the other hand. Andrew just finished willing his mind slightly as the Trikon, the energy entities, dispersed into nothingness. Forever gone.