So, one of the reasons why this is extremely late is because of lack of ambition and other stuff. This story has always been fun to write. But unfortunately, Chadwick Boseman had passed away due to colon cancer he had been fighting for four years privately. At least we all knew he fought until the very end.

Chadwick, this story is for you.

Chapter Twenty-nine

Battle for the Mountain

It was early in the afternoon when they reached a safe distance in the jungle. D'Kar squatted next to T'Challa, peering at the Great Mound from where they had hidden in the trees miles away through a spyglass. His king gazed upon their destination, taking in every breath he could.

Had it really been almost two months now since the day of his coronation? Three since he had seen the wisps ― Wanda's work, to be exact ― and saw Scott washed up on the river? Had he really been hiding for twenty years, just to come out to start a war in his own country? He could only remember being in a small village, and now here he was, sitting in a place that was familiar and unfamiliar. Allies and friendships will be tested today, with loyalties fractured.

"One minute," Clint whispered.

Around and behind T'Challa, the small army sat and lay in waiting. Waiting for the signal to attack. Nakia and Shuri were tasked to silent the alarms and shut down any systems. They had taken Scott, Bruce, and Nova for an extra measure.

"Thirty seconds," Clint murmured.

To his right sat Tony. He was leaning his head on his knees, positively focused and furious. This man was been through too much over decades of his time as the Iron Man, but he was just as determined as ever to end this reign.

"They're in," Steve quietly announced.

"Twenty."

Tony's head snapped up, allowing him to slip on his helmet. D'Kar quietly ordered his men and the spies to prepare themselves. Weapons were out and ready. No one was to spill blood unless absolutely necessary. If they were lucky, maybe Corvus would be the only one bleeding.

"Fifteen."

"Be ready to move out," T'Challa whispered.

"Ten."

T'Challa turned to Tony. "You don't have to do this if you want."

"Five."

Tony shook his head. "I want to."

"One."

"Move out!" D'Kar hissed. They gathered their arms and quietly made their way down the slopes. And the war had begun.

Ayo stood off to the side, watching as preparations for invading the New World were underway. Recently, she had been appointed as the new general of the Dora Milaje in Okoye's sudden absence. But right now, her own general was what occupied her own thoughts. Okoye's disappearance had caused a rift between command, and she was just as frustrated as ever when W'Kabi barely showed any signs of worry for her.

"Our War Dog spies have responded," W'Kabi relayed to Corvus. "Most of the ones in the southern parts of Vespucia are opposed. Only three of them responded in the eastern coastline of Auradon."

"Then we will strike there first," Corvus proposed. He picked up a well-crafted spear. "It seems like we will succeed again, only on a much grander scale."

Ayo scowled.

"The world will soon know what this place is made of."

The sound of power shutting off echoed over the base. Corvus looked up in confusion and irritation.

"What is going on?" he demanded.

"The jets set for leave have been terminated," a soldier reported. Although nervousness were resulted by the generals, this man was more puzzled by the sudden shutdown of their crafts. "Something is preventing them from turning back on."

"Reboot and set up the signals," Corvus ordered casually. "Find out the source of the shutdown. I want to know who was on the other end."

"Corvus Glaive!"

The sudden voice startled some of the occupants of the platform, forcing cargo loading to a halt. Ayo rushed over with W'Kabi to see who it was that interrupted the process. Relief and joy swelled in her chest as she saw who the voice belong to.

T'Challa stepped from the forest and out into the open, standing right at the base of the Great Mound. He had donned the Black Panther suit, covered from the neck to. His eyes were filled with determination and ambition.

"He lives," Ayo breathed in relief.

"W'Kabi, kill that deceiver!" Corvus ordered.

"W'Kabi, we don't have to do this," a member of the guard said.

W'Kabi glared at him. Ayo took in a sharp breath. She had never seen that face before in her entire life. At least, not made by him. W'Kabi was only focused on the sole individual that stood at the base of the mountainside.

"What do we do?" one of his men asked nervously.

Inner conflicts were always made in the hearts of close friends of the adversaries. However, W'Kabi had already made up his mind long before this hour.

"Border Tribe! Phambili!" W'Kabi commanded.

A dragon flier responded to his command, ready to shoot at whatever moved below them. W'Kabi led his men down the hillsides, with a few remaining behind. T'Challa released a battle cry before he ran forward and soon, the Pasha and Avengers broke through the treeline and followed him with their own cries. Sam and Tony flew above them airborne as they charged towards the Border Tribesmen and the aircraft.

Normally, Corvus would have found this fascinating. But the mood was cut by the Avengers' appearance. Seeing them in person made him uncomfortable and wary. He had heard the stories of these seemingly immortal warriors, who had eradicated anyone that dared to come to Arda to lay waste on it. Taking out supervillains who were capable of destroying mountains set him close to the edge. Then his senses suggested that someone was creeping up on them.

While the allied army had prepared in the forest, Okoye had used the opportunity to slip away and go around the mound. Now she had used the carriers to stealthily conceal herself from prying eyes. Maybe calling Everett out for being a fool in Glashiem was hypocritical on her part. But for a master warrior, an unsuspecting opponent with their back turned was too good an opportunity to pass up. Okoye stood poised beneath the undercarriage of a jet in attempt to surprise Ultron's son. However, he gave W'Kabi the command to kill T'Challa which, unfortunately, he was glad to carry out. Now the Dora general waited until they were running head on to meet their opponents before she revealed herself, catching the Dora and Corvus by surprise.

"You! Your father's heart is filled with so much hatred that even you're not fit to be king."

Okoye tapped her staff against the ground twice to indicate preparation for battle. Ayo and the rest of the female guard didn't hesitate to fall in line.

"Oh, for god's sake!" Corvus yanked his glaive from the ground to ready himself for a fight.

"Ayo, the king," Okoye motioned down the mound's incline.

Ayo nodded. She lead the Dora down towards the fight, leaving Okoye and three others behind to face Corvus.

"Phambili!" Okoye repeated W'Kabi's command. This time, it was against the enemy. They positioned themselves as the fourth one made her first strike against Corvus.

Down below on the slopes of the mound was where the carrier shot as the Border Tribe rushed to meet their opponents. The allied forces wove to dodge the blasts that came at them. The Border Tribe slowed to a halt before they brought up their shawls up and activated the shields. However, Thor leaped over the wall and towards the back. He brought his hammer down and let the sparks fly, causing the men to go flying forward and for T'Challa to take a stray spear and fling it at the jet, bringing it down.

Taking this as an advantage, D'Kar ordered his men to engage. The main idea was to disarm their opponents rather than kill them. As the two sides came into grips with one another, the Dora had caught up to aid the forces in overwhelming the Tribesmen. Like them, their main objective was to deprive them of their weaponry.

T'Challa had found himself engaged to W'Kabi. What followed between the pair was a fierce hand-to-hand combat. This wasn't like the friendly sparring they were used to growing up. A wedge had separated them, making T'Challa upset and angry. It drove him to finally disarm W'Kabi and throw him back.

"W'Kabi, stop! Stop this madness!" T'Challa pleaded.

W'Kabi stared up at him defiantly. He climbed up on a rock that was sticking from the mount's side. He pulled out a familiar horn.

"No!" T'Challa cried, and he rushed forward to stop him. But the horn's tip was at W'Kabi's lips and he blew into it.

Everyone stopped as the Border Tribe started to chant. They looked around in confusion.

"Look out!" Bucky suddenly cried.

The wreckage of the aircraft was torn apart as a white rhinoceros came charging forward. Two more followed closely behind it. Now, both sides had to try and avoid them as they blindly ran through the battlefield, with W'Kabi mounting on one of them.

Okoye and her team continued to battle against Corvus. Even with four against one, he proved to be a worthy and difficult match. Corvus never relented, and neither did they. Years of training and preparation made the Dora Milaje more respectful, if not for their headstrong and loyal leader.

The tables quickly turned when Corvus managed to break through the assault and grabbed one of the Dora, holding her hostage. The others were forced to halt in their advantages. Seeing no other choice, Okoye ordered her subordinates to stand down.

"Wakanda forever," the warrior whispered.

Without a warning, Corvus took his glaive and slit her throat, letting her corpse fall to the ground. An angry Okoye cried out and all three resumed the attack. Okoye gave her companions a knowing glance and they were quick to follow her lead as they locked their spears around Corvus' neck.

"Ezantsi!" she commanded.

The warriors forced Corvus onto his knees. The son of Ultron hissed as he struggled to break free. His hand blindly searched for the glaive he had dropped. Upon grasping it, he used it to hit at the spears. What happened next was a blur, but he was free from his imprisonment and the Dora Milaje warriors were far from him now.

"Wakanda forever!"

Nakia and Shuri had taken their companions down to the labs. Scott and Bruce had worked quickly to shut down the power grid on the jets and pass the security. Shuri had revealed her armor and a Dora uniform to prepare for battle. Nakia had been reluctant to take the armor, but time was not on their side. They had to quickly suit up before heading up to the field, leaving their comrades in the labs.

They reached the platform in time to see Okoye and two members of the Dora be sent flying down the slopes. Nakia shouted Wakanda's line of loyalty, catching Corvus's attention. He recognized the younger one by Ultron's description. He would have failed to send out the crafts to their destinations. Perhaps securing the princess would make up for it? He charged at them and leaped over Nakia with the grace of a feline. Both women found themselves fighting against him.

Nakia slashed at him with her chakras and combative skills, while Shuri pulled on one of her gauntlets and fired. Corvus had found himself to be dueling the pair. However, Nakia gave him an opening to slice at her thigh. The older woman cried out in pain, forcing Corvus to kick her towards the battle below. She crashed into a nearby boulder, knocking her out.

Shuri let out a battle cry. She fired at her adversary. Except this time, she gave him the full power of her gauntlets. Corvus proved to be tough physically. He was quick to break through the barrage and swipe at one of her gauntlets, shortening it out. Then, he lifted a leg and slammed his foot into her.

A powerful kick sent Shuri tumbling towards the pit. She found herself lucky to have not fallen down the hole. She felt a hand grab her shirt in a vice grip and lift her up. Shuri desperately held the wrist that connected to the hand. Until now, the Black Order member never saw the Black Panther's sister as a threat. She proved a nuisance simply for existing now.

"I thought you were strong, child. But you'll die like any man."

"You'll still be second rate," Shuri spat out.

Corvus hissed and threw her into the crates. In time for T'Challa to witness as he looked up from the latest Border Tribe member he had disarmed.

"Shuri! No!" he cried. He tried to get to her, but he had to dodge one of the rhinos.

Luckily, Sam was still airborne. He was able to hear T'Challa's cry in time as he flew overhead. Spotting the fight going on by the docking zone, he reported to the others, "Guys, we've got a Princess Protection Program out of control."

"Somebody get to Shuri!" Steve radioed through the comm.

Down below, Scott heard the message. The task was done, and he was not about to sit around and wait for their next command. Not when one of his closest friends was in trouble.

"I'm on my way," he responded. He rushed up towards the surface, Bruce not too far behind.

Shuri crawled towards the crates that had toppled over. She reached out for a sword, but Corvus had appeared and kicked it to the side. Next, he grabbed Shuri roughly by the back of her shirt and lifted her up again.

"Poor little princess," Corvus taunted. "No mother. No father. And now, no brother. All alone."

"She's not alone."

Shuri and Corvus looked up to find Natasha. They noticed Clint approaching as well. Both were ready for a fight. Clint gave Natasha a nod, but it was Corvus who lunged first. He believed these people to be inferior just for being human. However, Natasha and Clint were equal in strategic fighting, due to longevity and the decades of practice and skill. Their movements were precise and lethal as if they had been choreographed.

The doors from the halls opened up. Scott immediately rushed through the entryway with Banner behind him.

"You help them. I'll take care of Nakia," Bruce said.

Scott nodded. He picked up an abandoned short-spear and rushed to join the melee while Bruce went to check on Nakia.

Meanwhile, T'Challa and his own people were finding themselves cornered. On a command, the Border Tribe soldiers activated the shields from their cloaks, forcing the opposing force to be fenced in, some separated from the others.

"T'Challa. You and your men have three seconds to lay down your weapons," W'Kabi said.

T'Challa unsheathed his claws. He could hear the others prepare themselves. There was no way he was going to go down without a fight this time. Not after all that he put himself and his loved ones through.

"One…two…"

W'Kabi stopped at a sudden chant. Most of the allies looked around for the source. No one knew for sure where it was coming from. Then, a cry broke through the crowd, and a warrior found himself lifted up in the air ― by M'Baku himself!

"Witness the might of the Jabari first hand!" he said. He sent the man in his grasp flying into a shield.

Before anyone knew it, the warriors of the opposing side found themselves assaulted by members of the Jabari tribe. Barriers were broken, and the allied forces quickly resumed their fight. Weapons and metal clang against each other.

The fight between the quartet and Corvus hadn't broken. No side had been able to get their weapon past the other. Until Corvus' weapon had cut right below her eye, sending Shuri spinning around and falling on her face.

"Shuri!"

Shuri planted her hands on the deck and, raising her head up, looked up at Scott's horrified face. He watched the blood ooze from the cut and down her cheek. Grunts from both Clint and Natasha confirmed the fight wasn't yet over.

Shuri watched as his face became one of pure, unadulterated fury. Scott walked up to her and helped her to her feet without saying a word and turned to the fight. What ensued next would have made Nick Fury proud.

He let out a war cry and charged at Corvus. Ultron's third oldest son was caught by surprise of the unexpected noise. He turned around in time as Scott moved in. Corvus smirked inwardly and threw his glaive, thinking this pathetic man wasn't worth a match. But due to his determination and the herb's effect, Scott had been quick to catch Corvus' glaive and commenced to beating him with both weapons.

Meanwhile, the fight became more aggressive. Both sides were ambitious to force the other one to back down. Most were knocked down and disarmed. Though, M'Baku seemed to have a flair with his combative skills.

To W'Kabi, he would be an easy target. He sat upon Ubukhali, his prized white rhino. Ubukhali snorted and pawed at the ground, waiting for his rider to command the charge.

And that is what he did. He had Ubukhali go straight for M'Baku, who slammed his knobkerrie into any Border Tribesman who came at him.

"M'Baku!"

T'Challa's warning alerted the Jabari leader of the coming attack. He quickly dredged up a plan as his opponent came closer and closer to him…

Only for W'Kabi's path to be blocked by Okoye and D'Kar.

Ubukhali was forced to a halt upon seeing the pair. Upon recognizing her scent, the rhino licked at Okoye's face. This allowed M'Baku to charge back into the fray. Both of them waited as W'Kabi descended from his steed.

"W'Kabi, for the love of the gods, drop your weapons and have your men surrender," D'Kar pleaded.

W'Kabi looked to Okoye. "Will you have them kill me, my love?"

"For Wakanda?" Okoye smiled sweetly, before she forced it away and held her spear to him. "Without question."

W'Kabi pulled out his sword, but he hesitated. D'Kar and Okoye still remained poised, ready to fight back if they had to.

"Tell me, my love; when did we allow evil to enter our borders and rule us?"

That memory echoed in his mind suddenly. He turned to the battlefield, taking in his surroundings. Most of the participants were scratched with bruises and wounds. Others held each other off at length. Some were bleeding from the scars that were forming. And now W'Kabi could see the consequences that had happened.

What was he doing? What had he been thinking? He could see now what damage was done. He only wanted Klaue brought here to face justice for the murder of his parents and those who died. Despite everything he had believed in, the very idea of what his country stood for by evolving while helping the world, he had yet done more harm than good. He would still do it too, if he allowed this fight to continue, he realized.

Without hesitation, W'Kabi threw down his mambele and slowly sank to his knees. His men also did the same upon witnessing it. The deed had been done, but there was still one problem left.

Natasha and Clint stood by, watching in amusement as Scott continued his assault against Corvus. By the latter's reaction, he wasn't prepared at all for the onslaught. Scott continued to back him further towards the edge. Until Corvus lashed out, raking his face with sharp nails. That only pissed Scott off even more as Corvus regained his weapon. Natasha only had enough time to move in and drive one of her blades into the enemy's side. Even with his inhuman abilities, Corvus was forced to drop his weapon. Clint noticed something in the corner of his eye. He grabbed the pair and yanked them back when a heavy box coated in purple was thrown at them. All four had to roll out of the way.

"Corvus!"

They looked up to find Nova sprinting to Corvus. She knelt down besides him to access the wound. "Get up."

"I can't," Corvus grunted in pain.

Nova looked over to Scott. The corner of her mouth twitched before she used her powers to lift up Corvus.

"Where is your master?"

Nova whipped around to the voice's owner. The Dora Milaje, Pasha, and Jabari Tribe warriors had subdued the Border Tribe. Their respective leaders, along with Steve and T'Challa, were closing in on them.

"Where is he?" D'Kar repeated his question.

Nova slipped him a smile. "On his way."

The encounter would have been less believable if she had stuck around. Nova engulfed herself in her own power and cradled Corvus in her arms before taking off into the skies. Everyone watched as the pair took off into the east. Scott was wiping his face off from the blood that started to cover his face.

"Okay. I know who not to piss off in the future," Clint said.

Scott lowered his cloth down. "Did I really just do that?"

"Yep, and you should have seen the look on his face," Natasha said.

T'Challa barely said much. He had only watched as Nova and Covus disappeared until they were only a tiny speck in the sky. It would not be long before Ultron returned to Wakanda. The battle would be upon them, and destiny would be revealed.

"Your Highness." D'Kar bowed before him. "What happens now?"

T'Challa looked down at his mentor. He looked to the east and then he began his first order.

"Evacuate the cities. Engage all defenses. We head for the city now."

"An evacuation could take days," D'Kar said. "We may not have time on our side, given Ultron's location."

"Corvus was injured. With a wound like that," Nakia had replied, "they would need to use any resource they have outside of Wakanda before they can return."

"Good thing we have all the good stuff," Shuri said.

Okoye smirked. It felt good to have some of her closest friends back. While T'Challa's sister began to banter with Bruce and Tony, she decided to spark conversation with the sole female member before she made a snarky comment of her own.

"You are the Black Widow then?" she asked, walking alongside Natasha.

"The one and only," the assassin confirmed.

"I don't think we have properly introduced each other. I am General Okoye. From what the stories have said, you have a heart of a Dora Milaje."

"Your friends mentioned you a few times while they were with us, but I was never given a full description of them."

"We are Wakanda's elite force of women warriors," Okoye proudly prefaced. "Our duties include protecting the king."

Natasha felt a twinge of sadness. She was once a member of an elite force of women herself, but no good had come out of it. She told this much to the general herself.

"I have a lot more innocent blood on my hands than I do of the wicked. Clint back there, he made the call. He chose to steer me onto a different path. Because of him, I learned that I didn't have to be indebted to anyone."

"Meanwhile, we had to face the Witch of the Weird Wood," Clint grumbled.

Shuri blinked. "She existed?"