Chapter Twenty-four
Dragons in a Pride's Land
Okoye led M'Wabu and Nova through the network of tunnels. The path the trio were following was dug deep into the interior. Specifically, to an abandoned mining area. Going so far underground made Nova think of something more basic than the secret Okoye had learned of it. But enough of that for now. There was another concern of hers.
"Won't we need a torch to see?" she asked about M'Wabu and herself.
M'Wabu shook his head. "We Wakandans have always planned ahead on our projects," he told her. "That means trying to find solutions to problems such as light sources."
"This mine is older than Mount Bashenga itself," Okoye added. "Unlike the ones we use today, it has a mirror relay in the roof. It reflects sunlight and moonlight through them for us to see inside." The Dora Milaje commander added uncomfortably, "A torch would only attract attention."
Once again, Nova didn't bother to use her mind powers to see what she meant. Rather, she halted with her companions atop a flight of stairs leading down.
"You think something is down there?" M'Wabu finally asked the question.
They watched her eyes narrow in fear and disgust. "In truth, I do not know what the pair of you will find down there," Okoye admitted. "If I were you, M'Wabu, I would stay in the shadows and stick to the edge."
Nova glared at her before looking down the staircase. She knew now there was a living creature down there and not a machine, which only meant it could cause more death than she would. It gave her a greater reason to continue her betrayal.
Okoye took leave of the pair. "This is as far as I will take you. Go now," she bid farewell.
Nova gave her an appreciated nod before the Dora Milaje commander headed out. Now alone, the pair began traveling down the last section of the tunnel. After descending a flight of stairs, the tunnel ended at a doorway just a few yards ahead. Beyond the entryway was a cavernous hall bathed in moonlight. M'Wabu stepped towards it, but was prevented by a hand on his shoulder. Ultron's youngest daughter passively listened with her telepathy to see if the coast was clear.
"Anything?" M'Wabu inquired in a hushed tone.
"No, but that does not mean no one's home," Nova informed.
"Well, we should be going in."
Nova nodded. Together, the pair stepped into the room.
All was silent as they clambered down the stairs. M'Wabu adjusted the cloak around him and gripped Nova's wrist with the other hand. They stopped once they had reached the last step.
"I don't see anything," M'Wabu said.
"Don't let your guard down," Nova warned him. "Just because you can't see something doesn't mean nothing's there."
"Can't you use your powers to locate it?" M'Wabu asked.
"I can try, but I'm not willing to risk your ass," Nova said. "We'll have to go through there," she pointed at the exit on the other side across from them.
The pair began to tiptoe towards the exit, hoping they were light on their feet more than ever. By now, M'Wabu had lost some of his initial nervousness as they made their trek. However, a sense of dread filled him. Not only was there no sign of any mortal danger, their journey to the rendezvous point would take longer than planned.
M'Wabu squeezed her hand. The halfling flinched when she felt the tremble in her appendage. She looked over to the boy, his eyes wide with concern and what she believed was a hint of fear. She gently checked his mind again for anything on him. He had spent two years of his life studying and learning from the shaman and priests to become one himself. One of the key lessons was to help ease the mind of stress and the soul of sin. This also meant calming anyone suffering from insecurities.
"I won't let you be seen or harmed by it," Nova ensured. "Just stay by my side and no harm will come to you."
"If Okoye was right, and we find something down here, we may not be able to get out alive," M'Wabu started to panic.
"You must trust me," Nova insisted. "I won't let us get caught. I am a daughter of Ultron. Nothing can hurt me." She straightened herself before concluding, "And if I say you are not to be harmed, then nothing will harm you."
M'Wabu didn't say anything. Nova knelt before him and arranged the cloak on him, pulling the hood over his head. "Listen to me, kid. I know you're scared, and no one is safe anymore. We need to clear a path to safety because Ultron is going to destroy the New World, and he has himself believing he is the savior this world needs. None of this makes any sense. But we cannot ignore this any longer. I cannot stay here while he destroys everything. Something needs to be done. And right now, it doesn't matter because there's only one thing left to do: defy him. We must show him who we really are. Faith is the one thing he cannot steal from us. It's the one thing that reminds us why we fight. So, what is your answer?"
M'Wabu saw what she meant. She could not play Black Order and babysitter at the same time. It would be like saying T'Challa could play exiled outcast and crowned king was possible. He recalled what the man had said the night the Tribe Elders showed up. Now, reality was hitting on them hard, and they were about to accept their fate.
"I suppose we don't have much of a choice," he slowly conceded. "All right, then. Let's go."
The she-elf attempted to be upbeat to cheer him up.
"You ready for an adventure?" she asked.
"Only if you are," was his reply.
Nova smiled slightly as they tiptoed down the walkway again. She kept her telepathy open, her eyes scouring the room for any signs of danger. Before long she sensed an unsettling aura. Her mind returned to the short conversation she had with Okoye before coming here. There was something that worried her, and she believed that it was something about this place that troubled the commander. Now that she thought about it, Nova wished she had asked Okoye if she could take a peak of her memories and thoughts to see why. Was there really something down here that even her brethren didn't know about? Did Ultron have something down here that he shouldn't?
Something in her power snapped. Nova forced M'Wabu to halt. She had not been the only one to hear the shifting. M'Wabu looked around in worry.
"What is it?" he whispered.
Nova hushed him. The silence that followed was only momentary.
"I know you are here," a deep, resonant voice said.
Nova pulled her companion close to her and held him in her arm.
"Where are you?" the voice continued.
They soon heard something heavy scuttle towards them. There was a loud crunching sound nearby. Nova gripped the column tightly. M'Wabu fell over and would have been unfortunate if the halfling didn't use her power to prevent his capture and straightened him up.
"Come now," the voice coaxed. "Don't be shy now."
Nova was relieved they had not been discovered. Nova mentally gave the boy the command to get out while she distracted the voice's owner. M'Wabu was startled by the sudden voice in his head, but recovered and nodded. Ultron's daughter moved to help her associate escape.
"Here!" she answered loudly as she sprinted for the other side of the room.
She heard a hissing noise. Nova took off as fast she could as thunderous footsteps echoed in the chamber. She reflexively scrambled around a corner and made a sharp turn towards a platform as her pursuer crashed into the wall. Nova cried out as she fell over. She had to duck down beneath the slab and behind the nearest support beam to avoid prying eyes.
"Foolish child," the voice laughed. "You cannot hide so easily from me."
You want a bet?
Nova rubbed her temple to ease herself. Okay, so it did appear that Okoye led them here to show them that thing. And it was evident that the others did not know of it. But why did Okoye of all people know of this person? And what purpose did her creator have to keep a monster down here?
She quickly turned to make leave, only to find herself staring into a golden reptilian eye staring at her. She shrieked and jumped back. She had been focused on her problem that she failed to pick up the thoughts of this beast.
"There you are, thief in the shadows," it greeted her.
"I'm not here to steal anything from you," Nova blurted out. Then she added slowly, "But merely to gaze upon your magnificence to see if you are as great as they say." The eye narrowed at this, causing Nova to squeak, "I did not believe them!"
Hearing this, the monster drew himself up, moving into a more open area for his entire body to be visible to M'Wabu and Nova. Their mouth's dropped at the sight before them. The monstrosity was covered in golden green scales that gleamed in the moonlight. His reptilian head possessed an elongated pair of jaws full of razor sharp teeth. He stood on his two back legs using the talons on his front paws to support himself. The creature finished by fully extending his massive, bat-like wings and thick, heavy tail.
"And do you now?!" he bellowed in response.
Nova was prevented from answering by the stammer in her voice. She had to shake her head to break from the stupor and clear her throat before replying, "Truly, the stories and rumors are nothing compared to reality…what the hell is your name?"
"They call me Fin Fang Foom." The creature regarded her for a moment. "You seem familiar with me, but I don't remember seeing you or any of your kind before."
"Ultron," Nova gasped, backing away from. "I…I am a daughter of Ultron.
He was drew his head back, puzzled. He glared at the fourth wall before looking back at her.
"If you don't believe me, ask the Black Order," Nova continued. "We are of the same maker."
Anxiety washed through Nova as he studied her. She hoped she was stalling enough to buy time for M'Wabu to escape. She didn't know that he was not planning to desert her. For he had learned of lore on dragons, the ancestors of all reptiles and birds. He read that these beasts of destruction and elements couldn't resist riddles and deciphering them.
"Impressive," said Foom. "And what about your mortal friend?"
"Who?" a stunned Nova said.
The dragon was angered by the tiny creature's response to his questions.
"I know the very smell and taste of man," he snarled. "Why did you come here while he hides in the shadows?"
"The taste of man?" Nova echoed. "What do you…?" She trailed off of that sentence. Her eyes widened in realization. "The trespassers…."
She squeezed her eyes shut, the image of Ultron giving him a person for a meal made her sick.
"Young humans are a rare delicacy," he replied. "One I haven't tasted in such a short time."
Nova's eyes snapped opened in defiance to his sick nature. She stood her ground as he snaked back towards her.
"How about I show you what this young fair maiden can do?" she challenged. To demonstrate her power, she used her telekinesis to lift the remains of the mine. Unfortunately, she was focused on him to know the second danger. Luckily, her companion was not.
Out of the corner of his eye, M'Wabu spotted the tail inching towards him. Pulling out Nova's dagger, he slashed at the tail's tip. Foom growled in pain as it recoiled, giving Nova the opportunity to strike. She sent chunks of rock one by one, until the last one collided with his head.
"Nova!" M'Wabu called to her.
"Run!" she urged him.
M'Wabu didn't hesitate. He fled towards the exit that she had pointed to earlier. Nova sprinted after him. They made it though the entryway of the tunnel as a column of fire rushed past them. They winced in discomfort at the heat's intensity. They were able to make it into another room.
"Do you not think I would see this day coming?!" they heard him roar. "That the Black Panther would have the Avengers come crawling to these very plains?"
Anyone close to the old mines were confused and frightened of the reverberations. Okoye looked behind her in time to look back.
"What was that?" someone shouted in worry.
Okoye said nothing. She continued to the palace to get some sleep. When she approached, Ultron had emerged from the entryway, his eyes narrowed.
"Who's in those mines?" he demanded quietly. "Have the Black Order sent out there this instance."
The pair fled down the mine shaft, leaping down the narrow pathways. Nova had to keep hold of him as the dragon chased them. The latter was the most difficult opponent the former had faced in her lifetime. But that didn't earn Nova any respect from the dragon. The only thing that burned deep in the reptile than his fire was the desire to destroy Nova for her impertinence. All she wanted was to get M'Wabu as far from here as possible.
She wrapped an arm around M'Wabu's waist. "Hold on tight."
The halfling shot across the room. M'Wabu cried out in surprise of finding himself flying. As they landed on a platform, he emerged from the shadows.
"The king is dead! I will kill what I wish, when I wish to."
"Nothing will shut him up, will it?" M'Wabu hissed.
Nova hushed him. She turned to where their opponent was, only to freeze upon not seeing him in sight. She was even more terrified when she couldn't sense him.
"It's just us down here, sister," Foom began to toy with her. "Your brother was too weak to even save himself."
Nova balled her fists and began to move. M'Wabu knew better. He grabbed the sleeve of her jacket and yanked her back. She looked back to him angrily. He shook his head and brought a finger to his lips.
"Vision betrayed Ultron himself, didn't he?" he continued. "I guessed his foul purpose some time ago."
Both of them held their breaths.
"That filthy wraith thought T'Challa could save him," the dragon mocked Vision's ambition.
Nova felt a chill on the back of her neck. He was close. Very close. Her arm once more snaked around M'Wabu's waist.
"But you know the truth as well as I do, don't you? He was suffering long before he was even born. He weighed the value of your own life and found it worth nothing."
"You lie!" M'Wabu cried out. Nova slapped a hand over his mouth and glared at him.
"Why do you think he ran away and didn't come back? As if he truly cared for the rest of us."
"How do you know all of these things when I barely do?" Nova called out into the darkness. She loomed closer to the doorway. "Tell me, beast. How many deaths can your conscience bear compare to him?"
"Mm, more than our brethren combined."
From behind, M'Wabu shouted. Nova looked up too late to realize the dragon had snuck up right on top of them. Having found his prey, he slammed down his talons. Using her telekinesis, she flung M'Wabu towards the nearest exit. He screamed and flailed his limbs before he hit ground. He landed and glared at her as she left the left alcove before it crumbled.
"You could have warned me!"
"Kid, you need to shut up," Nova replied in annoyance. She flung herself to the nearest pathway, landing on the railway. However, the dragon anticipated such a move. He swung a paw and swatted, forcing her to crash onto the nearest platform. M'Wabu could only watch helplessly as it crawled towards her.
Nova sat up, disorientated by the sudden attack. She had to hold her head and blink to rid herself of the kaleidoscopic world swirling around her. Not even her powers could clear her head. Everything seemed so foggy all of the sudden. As her vision returned to normal, she found herself facing the monster. Within moments, he lowered his head towards hers. Nova braced herself for his next move. That was until he sniffed something out.
"It seems our kin have kindly decided to join us."
Despite her desires, Nova couldn't let them know she was down here. All she cared about was keeping M'Wabu safe.
"Leave her alone!"
They looked up to find M'Wabu holding up something that resembled a hose. He pulled the pin and soon, some form of liquid came gushing out of it. The pressure was great enough to cause a form of pain for the dragon. He roared in anger and pain, swatting blindly. Nova quickly scrambled to her feet and leaped into the air, levitating to where M'Wabu was. Seeing her safe made the boy feel more relieved than ever. He had lost a few friends in the past. He didn't want to add Ultron's daughter to the list.
Abandoning the hose, he pulled Nova closer and embraced her. The halfling was surprised, as well as unsure of this act. She had been shown some sign of affection from Vision, but that was only when his forehead was pressed against hers as a sign of comfort. Loosening up, she wrapped her arms around M'Wabu and hugged him back. She would have let it continue for a moment if the dragon's aura hadn't blazed ten times over.
Nova looked at him one last time before they disappeared into the tunnels. They had not continued any further when they heard him bellow angrily, "This is not over, sister. I will tear your friends to ribbons and burn everything in my wake."
She glared back at him, giving him the coldest look ever before they disappeared deep into the cavern.
The pair walked slowly through the tunnel. M'Wabu kept glancing behind them to see if anyone was coming. Nova couldn't blame him for the habit. It became common for him and the refugees the moment they found themselves exiled from society. She actually pitied them.
"Okoye and the Dora will keep them busy, won't they?" her new friend finally asked.
"You and I just need to find a way out of this mountain and fast before the rest of the Black Order find us," Nova said.
M'Wabu recalled what the monster had said earlier. His eyes widened when he realized what he meant. "They're down here too?"
Nova hushed him. It was then she realized how far off course they were. They had been driven away from the secret passage to the City of the Dead. Their only choice now was to go down these tunnels. Nova quietly led them through a maze of passages and stairways that extended through the mine. They halted upon reaching its end. Extending before them was a narrow bridge of stone. The entire cavern seemed to be quiet and empty.
"There's a passage on the other side," she nodded ahead. "It should lead out towards the outskirts."
"How do we know none of your brethren are on the other side?" M'Wabu warily inquired.
"We don't," was Nova's answer.
The pair quietly tiptoed as fast as they could, anxiously looking around. There was a deep crevice in the mountain wall far to their left. Something about it flared in Nova's psyche.
"Shit," she hissed in realization.
"Flee, flee!"
The duo froze in terror as the dragon emerged from his hiding place.
"Run for your lives," he taunted. "There is nowhere to hide."
They desperately sprinted to the other side. He was toying them like a cat with a mouse. As his prey reached the other side, he hit them with a fresh blast. It forced them into a larger hallway just as intended. For the hallway was large enough for him to move through. As he commenced pursuit, the duo turned a corner into a corridor lined with tunnels on each side. M'Wabu learned they were heading for a dead end.
"This way!" he pointed to the nearest one. "He won't be able to fit through them. Come on!"
Nova looked behind her at the sound of heavy footsteps. The dragon was turning the corner. She was going to take a huge risk now. This was a better chance of escape by keeping the dragon on her.
"Go inside!" Nova ordered him what felt like the final time.
M'Wabu was forced to take cover as the beast unleashed another firestorm. Nova scrambled forward to avoid the oncoming flames. She held her palms up to raise a psychical shield in defense of the onslaught. The pressure of the fire was too great, she realized.
"Nova!"
M'Wabu brought out his dagger once more and rushed forward. He brought it down and smashed the side against a tail as its owner snapped at Nova's shield.
He clamped his jaws down and turned his attention to M'Wabu. There was something different about the boy this time. He could see the fire in his dark, young eyes. What was once full of innocence was now replaced with passion, determination, and wisdom. Whether to be annoyed by this or not, the beast now knew this brat was an obstacle, and he needed to get rid of it.
Nova was confused as to why the firedrake was no longer attacking her. She leaned to take a look at what caught his attention. She was horrified to find her companion facing the dragon alone. What was scarier was the look in his eyes and his battle stance, holding his only weapon in his grip tightly. The dragon opened his jaw and surged forward when Nova manipulated the gravity around him and yanked him back.
"I thought it was between the two of us. What's the matter this time? Can't handle some competition?" Nova taunted.
The dragon replied with a menacing hiss. Nova used her powers as a weapon again. She raised her hands up. Her eyes had become pools of blackness. The bands on her face, nose, and ears lit up with lavender. White strands of hair were floating, as if the wind was picking them up. The halfling curled her fingers into fists. The ground around the dragon began to crack. The roof above them began to shake. Nova had told M'Wabu to get out of the room as quickly as he could. He now realized why when a chunk of the ceiling fell to the floor. Backing up, he saw Nova's eyes lock onto the beast's.
"Opin rẹ wa ninu ina ati hesru," she coolly told the dragon.
Nova promptly dropped to her knees and slammed her palms down on the floor. The ground beneath the dragon began to cave in, sending it down into the abyss. Chunks of the ceiling came down fast to bury the reptile. An agonized roar resonated off of the walls and ceilings of the abandoned mining shaft.
M'Wabu slowly came forward out of the hall. He tiptoed towards the opening and peered over the edge. The seconds dragged by, but there was no sign of their opponent.
"Is he dead?" he softly questioned their fate.
There was no immediate response.
"Let's not wait around," Nova told him.
The pair took a different path to the outside. They slowly passed through some of the most majestic tunnels as Nova knew these were in better conditions than the rest, plus they had wider panels. However, the farther they went, the more narrow it became. Soon, Nova was forced to duck her head down.
The two had finally made it to a room dimly lit. Nova coughed at the foul aroma that hit her nose. She lifted her shirt up to cover her face from sniffing the stench. As her eyes looked around, they widened at how ruined and abandoned the place looked.
"The Garden of the Heart-shaped Herbs," M'Wabu lamented. "It's destroyed."
Nova scanned the charred plants in their bedding. Only once she had been in this room, and she found no interest in it. However, looking at its current state, she couldn't help but grieve for the beauty that had been dilapidated by one man's ambition. She crouched down in front of one bed, only to see something in it.
"Not all of them are gone."
M'Wabu looked up. Nova reached underneath a blackened plant and plucked out a vine by its root. She held it up and, to her satisfaction, bright purple bulbs dangled at its end. M'Wabu's eyes lit up upon seeing it.
"I've never been so happy," the boy sobbed, touching the tender plant. "But oh, it can take years to replenish this place with just a few."
Privately, Nova preferred to have it planted somewhere safe from Ultron's prying eyes to continue the tradition. The thought of seeing the people rejoice in seeing one of the herbs survive made her smile nonetheless.
There was a low rumble beneath their feet. Nova thought it was an earthquake. But M'Wabu knew there never had been one since there had been no recordings of one.
"Nova," he whispered. "I think the dragon's still alive."
Nova cursed to herself. She grabbed the surviving bulbs and placed them in a casket on her belt. "We have to go!"
M'Wabu nodded in agreement. He climbed to his feet and rushed over to one of the walls. Nova went after him, and found herself surprised to find a passage she hadn't seen before. The boy slipped through it cautiously, and she followed close behind.
"How far are we to the mountains?"
"Haven't you been outside the palace grounds?"
"I've spent most of my life in seclusion."
"You've been missing out on a lot then."
"You don't need to tell me twice, kid."
M'Wabu let out a soft laugh. He emerged outside of the crack in what looked like a secluded hall. Nova felt incredibly light once she emerged as well. Flashes of memories swamped her mind, but she quickly shook her head clear of them. Looking both ways, M'Wabu led her down to the right.
"Is Wakanda just a network of tunnels or have they always been down here?" Nova finally asked calmly.
"This is a hall," M'Wabu said. "But, I can see why you ask."
They emerged in the forest, basking in the moonlight of a moon that hung over them. All seemed quiet and calm, but soon to be disturbed by the coming danger. Feeling it would be safe, Nova started to walk forward, M'Wabu tagging along after her. Their destination was up ahead. Once they crossed the river, they would be safe and far from the capital. If only if they had been paying attention to the one miscalculation.
The mountain's side exploded outward the moment they had made it back outside. A combination of fire and rock saw the the side topple overhead. M'Wabu flinched as a shower of heavy stone struck the ground behind them. Birds and animals scattered at the sudden noise that had awakened them. As the cloud of dust settled, Foom emerged out of the broken wall in a maddened rage.
Their combined efforts hadn't done any damage to the dragon. The only thing that was wounded was his pride. Foom's response was to counter Nova's taunt.
"Ashes?!" he frothed. "Ashes?! I will show you ashes!"
He leaped over the duo as he stormed for the nearest clearing. Left in the dragon's wake, the pair was confused (as well as relieved) by his actions. Such was his wrath, Nova caught a sliver of this thoughts. She was horrified by what she had discovered.
"He's going to destroy Strathcona!" Nova gasped in alarm.
M'Wabu gave her a look.
"T'Challa and his friends are there," Nova explained.
Her companion shared in her horror.
"This isn't their fault!" M'Wabu pleaded. "You cannot go west. Wait!"
He ran after the dragon before Nova could stop him. He forced himself to a stop as Smaug took off into the night sky. The dragon spread his massive wings as he flew west bent on revenge. Nova arrived at M'Wabu's side. The halfling screamed and slammed her fist into a tree.
"That fat bastard can go crawl in a hole and die!" she screamed. "I've just lost my brother this year!"
M'Wabu frowned at this. By the way she had said it, it sounded as if this wasn't the first loss she had experienced. "You mean you've lost more before?"
Nova blinked, as if she had awakened from a trance.
"There had been others close to you that have died under Ultron's reign, am I right?"
Nova looked up ahead, wanting nothing more now than to leave this dark place. Wakanda had been a huge mystery to her since her emergence. It was now potentially a new home. More importantly, a home with a brother who had started a loving family and gained close friends. In less than a decade, all of that had been taken away from him. And he was taken from her. All of that had masked a deep-seated fear. She wanted what he had. And now it was impossible.
"I can't…" She swallowed and cleared her throat. "Not again."
Just as M'Wabu had believed, the halfling blamed herself for the death of her brother. But he could see that there was something else she was hiding. The prospect of responsibility and pain again terrified Nova. It was a vulnerability that showed itself when she ventured into the New World. Surely her brethren would exploit without hesitation? Especially Ultron.
"Even if they choose to sacrifice their lives for a purpose?" M'Wabu referred to the accident.
Nova flinched. The day of her birth was still fresh in her mind. She was unhinged, killing more than what Corvus and Proxima had combined. Ultron thought of her as a failure and ordered her to be executed. However, Wanda and Vision had become determined to help her ease her pain. Pietro had welcomed her from the start. She now remembered something days before their murder. Her telepathy sensed the reaction to her brethren. They were eager to rid themselves of the Maximoff twins. Maw's thoughts, however, were focused on something else. Whatever it was, she could not see it. It caused her to shudder.
"Do you want to know why I was not angered so quickly when you said T'Challa could be dying?" M'Wabu questioned. "Because he had survived worse than that. You saw what he had done after Zuri's death."
Nova nodded in remembrance.
"We need him now more than ever," M'Wabu stated. "And Okoye knows it too. He needs to be warned about this."
"How?" Nova asked.
"Well, you can fly, right? How fast and how soon?"
"M'Wabu, I'm not flying material. I can't even—" She trailed off. M'Wabu noticed that her eyes had left his gaze. He turned to the river. A small sphere with strange markings was floating in its waters. Nova ran past to the riverbanks. She snatched the orb out of the river. The she-elf turned it in her hands. Like many people who find a treasure, her eyes laid over it, not bothering to look around her or utter a word.
M'Wabu took a cautious step towards her. He dreaded what she had in mind. "What is that?"
Nova looked up. M'Wabu saw something different in her eyes this time. Like they had a chance of preventing numerous innocent lives from being taken in the New World.
"The solution to our problem," Nova replied. "Question is: are you ready to step out of your comfort zone, boy?"
It was late in the afternoon when they finally returned to Strathcona. However, the attitude the regime had towards them was less hostile than when they first met. They had not forgotten what happened in those ruins in the mountains, lest they wanted a repeat of the episode.
Shuri would have found that hilarious, but all of her good cheer had faded all in one glorious morning. Two of her friends were dead, and somehow her brother, her only family left, was left behind in the Avengers' care. She classed that as unfair. After hours of thinking, she decided it wasn't worth fretting over about.
She currently sat at the table with the others, Cassie in her lap. The girl had already cried her tears, but Shuri could feel more coming towards her. It was hard to see Scott's daughter like this, so quiet and sad. It felt more like the happiness she had kept hold to herself was slipping from her grasp and fluttering away in the winds of fear. It made Shuri angry to see it all come down to this.
So, they had gotten back after all. She had never imagined returning like this. Bucky had to help explain what had happened. How it was Scott who had shown up and deliver the news of Klaue being in custody, only to find T'Challa and Vision gone. Imagine the reactions when they returned, only to be told that Ultron had robbed them of that victory by showing up, murdering Klaue, and leaving with his corpse. Somehow, both parties were unaware of his presence until it was too late.
Shuri wasn't in reality anymore. She imagined this all to be a dream, that they had never left the city or the island. She expected T'Challa, Scott, and Vision to walk right through that door any minute now, and the room would be full of good joy. It was only brief during those times during their voyage back here, because it felt like a killing blow when reality crashes hard into them.
"My life is nonexistent," she whispered.
"What?" Bucky asked.
Shuri shook her head. She pulled Cassie closer to her, afraid that she might also disappear from the land of the living.
"I can't believe Scottie is gone." Luis had spoken those words. The crying had passed, but not the shock. "I mean, he's survived worse than a fall from a cliff. How can that have killed him?"
Bucky raised his head slightly, but Everett put a hand on him. The lone wolf gave him a sideways glance before looking down again.
"That punk," Dave spoke. "Did you manage to lay one on him?"
"A lot more than the last guy," Nick said.
"Nicholas," Nakia sighed, but she did not further pursue the argument afterwards. In times like this, she wanted nothing more than to just punch something. Right now, she wanted a miracle.
There was a sound from outside. Everyone looked towards the door. Nick got up to his feet and marched straight for it. When he opened the door, no one was there.
"Anyone there?" Luis asked.
"Nope," Nick said. As he stepped back inside, an automatic figure suddenly dropped from the roof behind him. Cassie let out a shattering scream. Nick quickly tried to shut the door, but was prevented from doing so when the creature stuck a blade in the doorway. All of the occupants jumped to their feet.
"Hang in there," Bucky said. "We're coming!"
The back door was thrown open, and a berserker stormed in. Dave quickly grabbed a pile of plates and threw it at it. Another berserker managed to break through the window and somersaulted into the room. Luis grabbed a chair and swung it over his head. The furniture splintered upon impact, knocking the berserker to the floor. Everett quickly shoved Cassie underneath the table.
"Stay there," he ordered.
"Look out!" Cassie shrieked.
Everett turned around in time to see a berserker swing its ax at him. Quickly, he took hold of the vase on the table and hit the creature sideways. Kurt leaped on top of the berserker, putting it in a choke hold. One more berserker entered through the back, letting out a hideous screech. Nakia rushed forward and used her training to disable the monster. Luis pushed the desk straight towards it. The berserker found itself pinned between the desk and the wall. Nakia wasted no time grappling for its sword and driving it in its gut.
"Nick! Catch!" Luis said, throwing one of his daggers at him. Nick quickly used the one he was fighting as a shield, watching as the tip of the dagger drove itself through its back.
"I'll take that," Shuri said, pulling the dagger from the corpse. Nick just rolled his eyes before stripping it of its weapons.
Dave wrapped his arms around a berserker and tripped it. Taking the poker from the fireplace, he smack the creature repeatedly on the head with it. He grabbed its weapon and hurled it to the one attempting to attack Everett. It struck its head, forcing it to fall to the floor. Everett took the knife before rushing back into the battle.
Bucky looked over at a berserker advancing on Shuri. He was about to run over to aid her when Shuri reached into her bag, pulling out one of her gauntlets. She fired heavily at the creature, forcing it backwards. More berserkers kept coming in through the windows and doors. Bucky fired at one with his rifle, watching it fall to the ground as Luis killed it.
He stopped when a shrill scream filled the room. He turned around and saw the table flip over to reveal Cassie. Bucky shot at it without hesitation. However, this cost him to drop his guard. A berserker that had been advancing towards him used the moment to club him in the back of his head. Cassie cried out, but they were saved when Nakia approached from behind and slit the back of its neck with one of her chakrams. The little girl rushed over to Bucky's side.
"Cassie, get back there!" Nakia cried.
"Mr. Wolf, please wake up," Cassie pleaded, shaking him. Bucky gently shook his head and groaned, grabbing his head as he sat up.
"Cassandra…" Bucky began. He looked up and jumped to his feet, putting Cassie behind him as a berserker advanced towards them.
The berserker suddenly stopped and stiffened. Then, all of the automatic warriors raised their daggers and drove them into themselves. They dropped to the ground, dead. Nakia, Shuri, and Bucky were shocked to find a familiar elf-like being standing in the center of the mess, her dark eyes hard and an arm stretched out.
"You killed them all," a dazed Dave said.
Nova didn't bother to reply. She kept her telepathy open for T'Challa. She scanned the minds of the others for an answer as to why he wasn't there with them. She was shocked to see that he was in the Avengers' care. No matter, she would give him her message there. First things first…
"You have to evacuate the town and get everyone as far away from here as possible," Nova informed them as she headed for the door.
"Why should we listen to you?" Shuri demanded.
"You want to be burned alive?" Nova countered.
"What's she talking about?" Everett wondered.
Suddenly, they saw flashes of images appear in their minds. From her betrayal to Ultron's latest wrath, Nova showed them what they needed to know. She was gone by the time they had all the information. In horrid understanding, they looked to each other.
"Oh god," Bucky exhaled.
