Chapter Twenty-five
Will You Stand By Me?
When he had awakened, he found himself on the bed in the infirmary. He noticed a gas lamp lit dimly right next to the bed he was resting on. He groaned, wiping away the tightness that felt like tar on his eyelids. Little by little, he could smell the sweet fragrances of cinnamon and aloe in the atmosphere. Within the hour, the ability to feel returned to his limbs.
His vision blurred a bit, forcing him to close his eyes and shake his head. He didn't know what it was about the fruit he had taken a bite out of, but it surely had a strong effect. There was no clock, so he counted the minutes with every breath he took in and released. Within an hour, he felt his legs released from the numbness.
Once his mind was cleared of the drugged effects, memories of the night he fled came back to his now alert mind. "Do any of you not understand the importance he is to me?" Ultron had cried out. As he felt more of his senses clearing up and his strength returning to him, it was so clear. He knew what he had to do.
"Well, look who returns from the dead."
T'Challa jerked his head to the side. Sitting next to him was a woman with dark hair cascading down to the middle of her back. Dark circles formed around her eyes. She wore a bizarre suit of green and black. T'Challa had never seen anything like it before.
"I would say it's not the first time," T'Challa rasped. "But that would probably be a lie."
"Near death experiences, maybe. But not when you actually experience it firsthand." She looked at him. "I'm Hela."
"T'Challa."
"Hmm. You know, you don't look like your father."
T'Challa carefully set himself up. "You knew him?"
"Not personally, but he was a good man."
T'Challa frowned at this.
"Oh, don't get like that. Everyone grows up thinking they're parents can't do no wrong. Have you met my father? Before I was born, he set out on a conquest to expand Asgard's empire. Entire civilizations were drowned in blood and tears. Yet he only stopped at nine realms because he decided to become benevolent. Why do you think this realm is still free?"
"I'm sorry," T'Challa said. "Your father sounds terrible."
"Yeah. Try telling him that. He was proud to have it, but ashamed of how he got it."
"Yes." T'Challa looked away. "Can I ask how you can handle the things your parents have done that are considered terrible?"
"I'm surprised that you haven't react to it earlier. Then again, you weren't really born when it happened."
"No. No, I wasn't. You must have helped save me from Ultron. Why?"
"Why do you think? So that you can fulfill your destiny."
T'Challa sat up. His destiny…those were big words. He knew he had to go to Wakanda and reclaim the throne. To liberate the Old World from Ultron's tyranny. To prevent the rest of Arda from being annexed into the empire. He knew what had to be done into order to achieve it. Question was: why was he hesitant?
"I always thought I would die at his hands. Was that why I was able to resist Ultron that day? Because of you?"
"Sure, whatever. Point is, you didn't give up then, and you sure weren't going to give up now when you had awakened. You're meant to do more than just fight for survival.
"Besides," she added, "you were desperate to the point when you looked for help outside. Without you, they wouldn't have known what became of that kid of theirs. Your pal would've died at the river. Those children would've been dead at the hands of the Black Order. Are you not going to see if you can help them heal their own souls? From the darkness and the sorrow?"
Of course he would. If he did, she would have to use force if she had to. T'Challa had broken many rules before. He would have to do it again.
T'Challa sat up, his back tingling from the aftertaste of the fruit's poison. He swung his feet over the bed and stood up. "I must do what has been written."
With that, he left the room.
"Damn," she muttered. "Why didn't I just tell him that in the beginning?"
"I say we go to Wakanda and fight him," Clint recommended angrily. "He's mortal, so he has to have a weak spot. We find it, we attack, and we make him pay. He deserves it, dammit!"
"I agree that Ultron should pay for what he did," Natasha responded. "But we need to follow through to procedure—"
"Discard procedure!" Thor bellowed. "He did not follow a code of conduct when he was on our turf. Why should we do the same?"
"Listen, I know that payback sounds appealing, but this isn't the way to go," Sam said. "We're all just riled up. This isn't the state to be making plans in. It won't end well."
"You never asked!" Thor pointed out. "The orders were only given, no matter how cracked they are!"
"Thor, don't forget where you stand here," Natasha warned.
Clint laughed. "Really? Because our positions don't matter in situations when you've got a guy on the brink of death and two more that are actually dead."
Tony didn't say anything. He didn't disagree. But he didn't want to say anything, despite the damages that had already been done.
"You're not the only one who thinks that," Sam barked at the bowman. "And Ultron's not the only threat. If he so much as succeeds and we all fail, the entire world will be at his mercy. Soon he'll be outmatched, uncontrollable. We'll all be living in constant fear for all time!"
"You boys are missing a point," Natasha said. "We have to remember why we're doing this."
"Then we need to stop him," Steve exclaimed. "Our work is the reason why Arda is where it's at today. It's a signal to the world that it's going to be in the highest form of war if nothing is done."
"Are you insane?" Natasha objected. "We cannot force our hand. We have to come up with a way we can—"
"Without payback?" Clint asked. "Because that works out so well—"
"Even if revenge sounds tempting," Bruce voiced, "it isn't the right thing to do. Putting that aside, Ultron showed he's unpredictable. He's as restless and ruthless as the last batch we fought. We can't dismiss the consequences this time."
"What consequences?" Thor barked. "He's not going to get away with this!"
"Exactly!" Clint said. "He's crossed a line today. We can't treat him like he's still Peter."
"There's nothing stopping you."
Those were the last words anyone would think Tony would say here. There was a lapse of silence for almost a full minute as all eyes were on him. Steve opened his mouth to speak, but turned to the doorway. Everyone looked behind to the entryway and found T'Challa standing there. He waited until he held their gaze, knowing they would listen.
"I cannot stay here. I cannot rest while he sits on the throne. He is a monster in our making. I must go back. I must take back the throne, I must. I have to right the wrongs that were made. I know now what I have to do, but I cannot do it alone. Will any of you follow me? Will any of you fight with me? Won't any of you bear the mantle of an Avenger once more?"
Thor got up from his seat. T'Challa turned to face the Norse God of thunder. He watched as Thor reached a hand out past his shoulder and Mjolnir came flying into his hand. T'Challa barely flinched, nor did he blink.
"I like this one," Thor announced.
"That's a yes from him," Sam said. "But, I'll admit that I miss those days. I'm in."
"Hell, yeah," Clint agreed.
"Well, war will be coming for us either way," Bruce added. "Then again, when do I ever get what I want? Count me in."
"Me too," Natasha said.
Steve nodded to show he was in the agreement. All heads turned to Tony to see what his choice was.
"Why is everyone looking at me?" Tony asked. "This is a major no-brainer."
"Well, what are we waiting for then?" Sam wondered. "Let's get going."
"Wakanda's heavily protected, with technology that is beyond Earth's," Natasha reminded. "In addition to it, Ultron has a huge army to back him up. We need to plan around them."
"Lives are in danger, Romanoff," T'Challa spoke. "Do not forget, we have many resources that…" Shock and horror struck him suddenly. "The Great Mound," he realized.
"Okay, time out here," Clint said. "What's that?"
"Our largest source of vibranium," T'Challa explained.
"That will mean that he could use it all to bring the world to it's knees," Steve confirmed.
"We need to go now," T'Challa professed.
"Not with you in that condition," Steve put to him.
"Ultron made it very clear he will stop at nothing to get what he wants," T'Challa said. "It will be for more than the throne. If I cannot get back in there in time, there may be no way of stopping him."
"You think you'll be up for it?" Natasha asked.
T'Challa glared at her. "All my life I have been hiding. I've been running away from my problems and my responsibilities. I'm done running from them. It's time I face them like a man."
All was quiet by stunned silence when they heard a voice. Everyone looked up towards where the noise came from.
"T'Challa!"
Nova and M'Wabu had made it to the mountain. Both had been relieved to know that the dragon had not made it to Strathcona yet, but Nova knew it would only be little time until he got there. It was crucial to get to the Avengers and T'Challa as quickly as possible. However, M'Wabu's excitement to see his friend could not prevent her from letting the boy run in to greet him.
"T'Challa, I am glad to see you alright," M'Wabu gasped for breath. "There is something we need to—"
He stopped short upon seeing the other occupants of the room. He drew in a gasp and covered his mouth. He could feel his knees losing their strength.
"Oh, my gods. Hi!"
Sam was chuckling at this as he came forward. He looped an arm around M'Wabu's shoulders, only to let the boy fumble until he was clinging to his shirt.
Nova stood in the doorway as she reached up and wiped the tears from her eyes as well. She was surprised to find herself shedding tears at the sight around her. The last time she had seen the Avengers was when she had planned to find Vision and aid Ultron. Looking at them now, she felt remorse and joy swelling inside of her.
"Um, can we come in?" she asked. "It's important."
Thor looked at the others before looking back to her. "Well, since you're already inside, why not?"
Nova stepped inside. "There is a conspiracy going on—"
"Wait," T'Challa commanded. The girl looked up at him, but he paid no heed. He turned back to the others, waiting to see what they had to say about this. When no one objected, he turned back to Nova and M'Wabu.
"Why have you two come here?" he inquired of their presence.
Nova looked away from him. She wasn't sure where to start. She had to warn him about the dragon that was coming. She wanted to warn them all about Ultron's plan to attack the New World on such a short notice. Where to start indeed?
"Two reasons," she decided. "Ultron is still pissed that he failed to gain a win against you. He was also angry that your friend declared himself an Avenger, and that you managed to befriend them. In fact, more so that he's planning to launch a full-scale incursion of the New World in a fortnight."
"Don't see the problem with that," Clint said. "It should give us time then to figure out how to stop him."
"That's what Ultron thought as well," Nova told him. "Which is why he created another general — a dragon. He's sent it to destroy Strathcona and kill everyone in the town because of the part they played in T'Challa finding you guys."
Thor's eyes widened. It was enough to convince him that this inhuman had indeed come to warn them. From what he had read on Arda's history, there hadn't been a dragon sighted for thousands of years. To see one come to life, especially under the care of an unstable creature themselves, was proven to be quite dangerous.
"They are right," Thor concluded. "We must act now."
"And you know this how?" Natasha asked.
"What? You think I sit on my ass all day?" Nova snorted.
"I like her," Clint commented.
"Me too," Sam agreed.
"No. I mean, how do you know all about this?" Natasha questioned. "Ultron had to have trusted you for a reason. Otherwise, you wouldn't have known about it."
"The same way I knew he killed Vision," Nova said simply.
"She is a daughter of Ultron," M'Wabu revealed. Too late he realized what he had done, but he got no reaction from Nova. She must have known he was about to say it. She would have stopped him before he had a chance.
"You…you're one of his kids?" Bruce asked.
"Does not mean my loyalty to Ultron surpasses his," Nova pointed out. Her eyes narrowed at the memory of Vision's corpse.
"And the others?" Sam asked.
"Also her brethren, yet not of blood nor bond," T'Challa answered for her.
"That makes no sense," Clint said.
"It does if you know your practices well," M'Wabu told him.
"If I can guess correctly, all of the Black Order had been created through dark means," Thor stated. He turned to Nova for confirmation, to which the she-elf nodded. "All of their gifts and abilities had to come from somewhere, and it had to be him. They'll be nothing compared to what the next one will unleash. But with another one of his children siding with us—"
"Is she?" Steve was not fully convinced. He turned to their unexpected guest. "Are you? On our side?"
Nova resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, she would have been asked that. It seemed that the two Wakandans and Thor were the only ones with some form of faith in her. Although she had her own personal plans, she would rather see Ultron stopped than simply killed. In her mind, that meant giving them something they all would consider sacred. She turned to her comrade and nodded. M'Wabu reached into his bag before retrieving something from inside it. In his hands was a teddy bear dressed as a ranger with a blue neckerchief and spectacles. Cradling it in his hands as if it were fragile, he offered it to them.
"Will this suffice?" he asked.
Silence fell over them. T'Challa was confused as to how a stuffed bear was worth something valuable. Glancing up, he could see the stunned look at the Avengers' faces. He knew now that it held importance over them. Natasha was the first to react, coming forward and taking the toy from the boy. It was something she hadn't seen since the boy that became Ultron had left.
"Pyotr's bear," she whispered in recognition.
"Where did you this?" Tony asked Nova.
"Are you kidding me?" she said. "He's had it this entire time. He values it above all else. In exchange for its return, I believe he will do what you ask of him."
Although her motives weren't made clear yet, T'Challa couldn't help smiling. There was more to her than he had realized. The young general had desire all what her older siblings were granted. And yet, she was willing to waste it all away for doing the right thing.
"How is this yours to give?" Bruce asked.
"It's not," Nova answered. "I took it without his knowledge."
"Then why would you…?" Steve started.
"I'm not doing it for you," Nova said. "My only concern is toward the rest of my brethren. They will become victims themselves. I would save them if I can. My brothers and sister, the people in Wakanda and the world do not deserve to be punished for an accident that occurred thirty years ago. Not even you guys."
The pair looked to them. They waited to see what their response would be. The Avengers might currently be in a delicate position. But even Steve's leadership still remained unchanged.
"The fight's coming to us," he concluded before issuing his first order in decades. "Ten minutes. Get what you need."
As the others rushed to gather supplies and equipment, Steve stopped T'Challa from leaving.
"What?"
"Your suit," Steve pointed out. "Is it actually vibranium?"
T'Challa stared at him. "Yes. Nanotech if you are wondering."
"Good. Because Thor has a technique that might help you in the future."
