Out of all of Rando Week, this was one of the chapters I couldn't wait to write. I kept on replaying it in my head and was so excited about it.

Chapter 185: At Wakanda's Border Part Three

The Great Mound - 17:02 PM

Imanu was looking over progress reports, experiment charts, and reviewing any new developments coming from the labs. On any other day, they would debrief to King T'Challa but they went to him since he and Queen Ororo were absent and Princess Iqadi refused to step inside. It was going as he expected, people going to him one at a time and showing him their work. He can't help but notice they're more at ease talking to him than their leader. It could be because he knows the real working environment of the Mound and has been there almost as long as he's been married, or because he's more approachable.

But then the eyes of people he would talk to grow distant. Voices become whispers as they speak slower, delicately choosing their words as if someone's listening.

Imanu turns around to see what's the deal and understands their sudden caution and he dismisses all the workers to return to their stations.

An unexpected visit from Princess Iqadi.

Even Imanu's intimidated for a moment, his gut poking at his ribs to tell him to get back to work as if he was still a small miner or junior scientist, whatever his role was. Her usual calm and stoic silences the usually noisy mines and machines as she walks down the steps from the observation deck to the working grounds of the mines. A crisp outfit and big, bold, observant eyes scoping the scene. An absent-looking gaze that's really taking in everything, looking for threats and creating plans in case a danger struck. He notices a quick lip twitch, coming from the fact that this is a new environment for her, one she's been scared of her whole life.

But when she smiles at him, he eases up at the presence of his wife.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Imanu says. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Iqadi responds with a plastered smile. She looks over her shoulder before quickly returning her gaze to him.

"Are you sure? You'd never willingly walk in here-"

"I did sneak in that one time after our wedding, don't forget." She purses her lips into a small smile. "Checking working conditions that seemed to have improved because we married. Doesn't excuse for what happened before but at least it's over."

"And I love you for that. What about now? Do we need to go?"

"I'm focusing on you and I'm keeping calm."

Imanu smiles, exhaling a small laugh. Never would he think he'd be standing here with his wife. "Well, my dear, welcome to The Great Mound. My second home most of my life."

"It's prettier than I ever thought. Truthfully, I didn't think much of it because I'd delve into an anxiety attack."

"A lot has changed since I was working here."

Imanu holds the small of her back as they walk towards the railing to look over as much of the Mound as they can see. Her steps were slow as she walked here so he keeps his hand on her as she looks everywhere.

Her lips part as she takes in the dark blue ambiance with glistening sections of vibranium and small dots of lights to guide walking paths. Many pathways weave below, some for walking and others for transport vehicles. Workers in various uniforms scattered through the abyss. It's ironic how a seemingly big open space is still closed off and underground.

Imanu doesn't look around. He knows this place so well that he can draw it in his sleep. Instead, his eyes are on Iqadi. He watches her look around and take in everything, filling in the blanks in her imagination for The Great Mound. It's when her eyes stop moving and she's fixated on something that he grows concerned about her mind taking over.

"Iqadi," Imanu says to recapture her attention, "are you okay?"

Iqadi's eyes snap back to him. "I'm fine, I'm fine."

"You spaced out and I was concerned-"

"-that my claustrophobia would act up. I'm keeping you on my mind. I will remain calm here."

Iqadi kisses him until they notice a worker approach them. They part, turning their heads to see the worker remove her construction hat and bow her head towards them. Iqadi and Imanu know this isn't right since that's not a custom practiced here.

-o-

"Anasi," the worker introduces, "just have to say that it must be a special day for the Princess of Wakanda to stop by."

"Not really," Iqadi responds.

"No, a special day for us. Look, we didn't expect you to be here. We thought you'd be in the throne room so that you'd greet us when we'd seize it. Just thought we should let you know."

The realization dawns on Iqadi as Anasi grins at them. She recognizes a Trojan horse ambush that's made its way to the throne to prove a point. Imanu's grip on her hand tightens when he pieces it together.

"No, my sister…" Imanu mutters. "You better not touch her!"

Iqadi is about to charge towards Anasi but stops when Anasi steps back and phases right through the equipment against the wall with a mischievous grin. Iqadi skids on her tracks and turns around to see Imanu's perplexed expression as deafening alarms go off, red light blaring around them nearly blinding their vision.

Iqadi can barely move. The sounds stiffen her body as if she's trapped in cement. Her mind warps, reminding her where she is, but she refocuses her attention on her current crises: emergency in the mines and the seizing of the throne room with Kili in there.

"Imanu, let's go!" Iqadi screams but she isn't sure if he heard her or even saw her mouth move.

They sprint across the path as workers scramble to turn off the alarms. Suddenly, they stumble as the ground and walls shake around them. Everyone looks around and sees equipment and rocks falling from above. Anasi must have set an explosion by phasing through the system. The computers must've not known what to do with that foreign entity in its hardware so it had no choice but to explode since it was too much to handle.

"Get out of here!" Iqadi and Imanu scream to all the workers on site.

There are many secret doors and paths in the Mound. Everything is connected for accessibility so that research, location, and extractions are easier. Not to mention emergency exits.

Imanu's gut, the former mine worker, almost tells him to run. He's run through these drills so many times that it's muscle memory. He knows to stop all current operations and get as far from the vibranium as possible. Hide somewhere safe until it's clear or take the nearest exit. At the end of the day, don't hesitate to switch loyalties.

But he's not a labourer anymore. He hasn't been for years.

Once the workers closest to them are in the clear, machinery and glass from the observation deck above rain on Iqadi and Imanu. They rush to each other after having separated to help other workers get out before them. Iqadi and Imanu run with the goal of getting to the throne room, covering their heads.

Before they could grab each other, the platform they're standing on gives way and they're falling. They tumble around, trying to grab hold of each other through the falling debris.

Iqadi turns her eyes white and screams as she calls on the elements for help. She stops when something from above explodes because her powers needed to enter to save them. From what she understood about the mines, it's that they were built to absorb vibrations since vibranium is sensitive to movement and they work a lot down here. Her powers will blow the safeguards and destroy the whole country. Her eyes turn back to brown as a lone breeze she managed to summon was enough to spiral her body towards Imanu. They collide mid-air and he managed to grab her wrist with one hand and snag a ledge with another.

For a moment, her head stops spinning as she looks up at her husband. Battered and scratched up and etched with worry and tear streaks along his cheeks, she imagines she looks the same. Debris and vibranium continue to rain around them. He's holding onto her over the continuous drop. One of them has to get to the throne room.

"I'm focusing on you but you need to let me go," Iqadi says.

Imanu looks at her for a moment longer. She knows he won't do it but it's his sister. Imanu turns around and sees a giant boulder heading towards them so he lets go as the boulder crashes on the ledge once keeping them up.

The Great Mound goes deep because of the meteor that struck Wakanda.

They continue tumbling and falling down the deteriorating mines but at least they're holding onto each other. Their bodies are pressed together, tighter than they've ever embraced each other. Self-preservation kicks in as they thrash to change their orientation and yet, they feel the empty weight of limitless gravity in every direction.

Imanu's hand brushes the back of Iqadi's neck and that's when she remembers her new necklace that morphs into her suit. She tears it from her neck and presses it against Imanu's chest, right between his collarbones. Her Panther suit pixilates, forming on his body against his protests. Once the suit is complete, he hugs her tighter, spinning them around so she's on top.

For a moment, it feels like they're speeding like the meteor as it fell from the sky. They must be making landfall soon.

Iqadi burrows into him and they hit some slanted debris, rolling towards the ground. The unexpected tumble separates them and they land on the dusty earth. Imanu, in the Panther suit, scurries over to Iqadi who lies nearby. He rolls her onto her back and her eyes fumble open.

"Don't tell my father I let you wear that," Iqadi mutters before blacking out.

-o-

Imanu didn't think they'd survive that fall. He didn't think they'd hit the bottom.

He barely knew the mine had a bottom.

Imanu holds Iqadi in his arms, keeping a hand on her neck to track her pulse and breathing despite her Panther suit keeping a monitor of her vital in the corner of his line of vision.

Panther God … he's wearing her Black Panther suit. He has no time to wrap in that blasphemous action his wife did. Why didn't she put it on herself and take the fall for them? She would've. She should've. His mind already has too much to process from the mines exploding, Iqadi telling him mid-fall to drop her into the abyss, and Kili in the now-seized throne room.

What can he do from the bottom of the mines? Imanu removes the mask of the suit, pixelating it away to morph with the rest of the suit. He takes in his surroundings: boulders of the Mound, fallen infrastructure, vibranium pieces and shards surround them, nearly caving them inside. There is just enough room for them to stand but he's trying to orient himself since his head's still spinning.

Everything happened so fast.

He's happy Iqadi is unconscious since it's better than her collapsing into a panic attack. Her body is relaxed and settled and he needs time to think.

He needs to do the same.

The mines have been compromised and the throne room is seized. Kili. She was doing her homework in the throne room the last they saw her.

Imanu's chest tightens and tears spring to his eyes. He leans back and looks up, not seeing anything. It's nearly completely dark minus the subtle glow of Iqadi's suit on his body and he resists tears as he starts muttering a prayer that the Panther God got Kili out and she's hiding safely somewhere.

For now, if anyone's getting him and Iqadi out of here, it's him.

For those of you who have read Mark of Athena … that says enough. A wonderful book that I can't even open because it traumatized me.

This is now one of my favourite chapters.