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It also really helps when you read things in Nebula's voice when she speaks. :)
"I heard you tried to use my Chitari guards as patsies for your friends' escape." Nebula pulled up to a stop with Loki just below Anaheim's announcement platform. It was in front of the palace and they could survey the battle from inside the circular alcove it made with staircases on either side.
"They were not meant to be the ones blamed in the initial plan. In fact, if Thor and the others would have done as I said, the Chitari would have been well out of the way before Thanos even noticed." Loki replied.
"But, just in case your it failed, you wanted my father to blame me." she finished his thought process with a sneer.
"I thought that would have made you happy. If they'd succeeded, you would have been seen as the mastermind and Red Skull and I as fools." the Jotun ignored her continuous attempts to make him angry.
The cyborg narrowed her eyes at the ground. She drew in a breath to speak, but she didn't seem to be able to let out what she was thinking.
"You don't want him to think badly of you. Even now. I can relate to that, Nebula." Loki said neutrally "Personally I think what I almost did for you would have been a very large step into getting rid of him."
"You went back to your father, Loki. You're with him now." Nebula responded with soft accusation in her tone "You do not get to lecture me on that subject anymore."
The God of Mischief closed his eyes for a brief moment, causing her to look over. Finally. She'd gotten under his skin by simply implying he was doing this for Odin. She was very surprised that there was absolute silence for response this time. Usually he denied that vehemently, but now he just looked aggravated. Rather than focus on it though, Nebula used the awkward time to search for any of the Black Order in the field. She knew their faces and movements as well as her own.
"There." she leaned forward to point "It's Proxima."
"Do you see her husband?" Loki had not even spotted Thanos' servant when he asked the question.
Then he caught her in the corner of his eye. She was leading a group of the new green beasts gradually across the warrior-filled courtyard. Just as Thanos' unfavored daughter predicted.
"No, but he will not be far. We'll both be dead quickly if we don't watch our backs." she glanced at the scepter "Do you plan on using that?"
"Wouldn't that be comical. Using the weapon he gave when I became his servant to turn his current servants into my own servants." Loki shook his head "For now, I will not be."
"They made you soft again." Nebula said with quiet disdain.
He gave her a cold look after she spoke and waited a few seconds before addressing her again.
"Are you coming with me or not?"
"Rogers, they're trying to scoot around you guys on the left." Tony pulled up to hover in midair above the soldier and SHIELD agents "I'm not sure where they're trying to get to, but they want something on our side."
He flew down slightly closer, unable to fire at the creatures from his current height with the other mortals close by.
"I saw several Chitari headed to the women and children hidden up there earlier. Maybe Thanos got tipped off on where they are." Hawkeye said tensely.
"Well, if there was a tip off, then we've got a really really big problem on our hands." Captain America replied. He backed up a few paces before throwing his shield to get the straying beasts' attention.
"I hope that children aren't on the Death God's agenda." Tony landed on the ground by the soldier.
The two of them together fended off the group. The Ironman suit could be seen taking off multiple times to get a better vantage point from the air and then returning to the ground beside his friend.
"He didn't hesitate with Lila." Hawkeye reminded them grimly. His daughter had been traumatized just by her brief interaction with Thanos. He never wanted the Titan to get ahold of a whole group.
"Our base is that direction too. They might just have a standing order to try and breach it." Black Widow proposed. She'd mastered the skill of fighting with an Anaheimien spear and was currently using it to flip an Outrider onto its back.
"No one wants to go near Thor's father." Captain America said. He'd seen enough of Gungnir to know why that was the case.
"Thoughts on Loki's friend?" Hawkeye's voice was strained over the earpiece, making Tony pause a moment to check on him.
"Nebula? I'm not convinced she's on our side." Captain America said in response. He caught his shield as it bounced back to him. Immediately, he had to roll out of the way from oncoming fire. Thanos' servants were approaching in a line formation, shooting at any moving thing.
"Then again," the solider sounded out of breath now "I didn't trust Loki at all either. And now we're magically in this situation."
"You don't get along with people who do good differently than you do, do you?" Tony spoke expectantly. They could almost imagine him putting a hand around his ear to listen for his friend's response.
"Well, I mean, Loki wasn't always good, Stark." Hawkeye reminded him, gaze following debris as it flew upward "Or maybe he was. I don't know anymore. It could have been the scepter's fault."
"If he vouched for Nebula, I'll trust her not to kill us. That's about it." Black Widow said "Thanos' daughter? How much could she hate her father to do this to him?"
"I just hope I don't mess up this badly with my own kids." Hawkeye sighed as he rubbed his forehead with one hand. He was only half-joking. Loki and Odin. Nebula and Thanos. Children hating their parents left and right.
"Big guy coming through." Tony warned them from the air this time "Not our big guy though. This could be the one Nebula and Loki warned us about."
"Cull?" Captain America tried to look, but he had to throw another creature from his shield at that instant.
"I think so. Looks like a giant rock man with spikes coming out of him everywhere. Little bit angsty. Nevermind, must be a dinosaur."
"That sounds better. How close?" Hawkeye asked dryly.
"Jarvis says one hundred feet. And closing." Tony said. The Outrider wave was coming to an end now, just in time for the Black Order member to arrive. Each of the mortals fighting below had taken a short-lived break when Loki returned from killing Red Skull and been refreshed as they entered the fighting. But now the team was slowing again.
"I see him." Black Widow informed them. She squinted to get a better look against the sun.
"Definitely a dinosaur." Tony muttered.
Cull swung his chain hammer at a few Frost Giants in his path, sending them rolling to the left. More debris flew into the air from their rough landing and the monster roared after them.
"Did he kill them, Tony?" Captain America asked quickly, beginning to run towards it.
"No, Frost Giants are up." Tony reported, watching them closely "Oh, and coming back for revenge."
Ice started forming on the ground a ways in front of them as the Jotuns sprinted right back.
Hawkeye stopped at the edge of it. Carefully, he put one foot out to test the solid water. His close encounter on Midgard had definitely made him more cautious of anything related to Jotunheim. It was good to know that Loki would be able to save them from such a burn, but, he didn't want to experience that again. For now, the ice seemed safe to tread on.
The Frost Giants leapt at Thanos' servant, transparent blades extending from either arm. Captain America joined seconds later with a hurl of his shield. The disk hit Cull on the right side of his face, causing him to stumble back with a loud bellow.
"Try again, I don't speak 'growl.'" Tony called sarcastically as he flew down to them. Unfortunately, the rock giant recovered a lot sooner than expected and he flung his hand backwards at the iron suit, striking it on the right thigh.
Instantly, Tony was thrown off balance, having lost thrust on one side. He yelled in his helmet for a moment, desperately trying to think through the incessant beeping. He flattened out his palms to slow himself down and regain stability.
"You alright, Stark?" Captain America asked, running to pick up his shield.
"Yep, I just hope they have a pit stop in that palace." the billionaire grunted. He spun around and flew back to Cull with a burst of flame behind him.
Hawkeye pulled back an arrow, squinted gaze following his target as it moved.
"Kill him and Thor gets another hammer." Tony said offhandedly.
"You might need to give that one to Bruce to hold. Natasha, are you going in?" Hawkeye asked, confirming that he had a clear path for shooting. He adjusted his aim ever so slightly.
"No, got my hands full. There are a few Asgardians over here that need medical attention. Frost Giants can't pick them up to take them in."
"Can you handle them, Tony?" Captain America asked.
"Based on how well I handle myself, I think I should be just dandy." the man in the suit immediately backed off the fight and flew towards Black Widow.
"The system has been damaged in the lower portion of the suit, sir. We will lose altitude too quickly with an increased load." Jarvis told him plainly.
"Save your strength, Jarvis. We're going to need all we can get." Tony replied, landing beside an unmoving Asgardian soldier. To immediately contradict himself, he spoke again "Jarvis, analyze him for internal wounds."
There wasn't much blood on the man and he didn't want to risk rupturing any injuries while flying him across the field.
"He has a concussion and a fractured fibula in his left leg. Heartrate, one hundred and eight."
"Good, those are an easy fix. He just has to calm down and get some rest. I'm not a fan of the whole 'organs are destroyed' type of wound. Let's go. Keep the rest alive until I get back, Agent Romanoff."
Tony took off into the air with the man gripped under the shoulders.
Hawkeye finally released his arrow and it struck its target right in the lower arm where there was no armor. Cull roared and jerked a Frost Giant off him. He hurled his hammer with such force that it barely missed Hawkeye even as the SHIELD agent dove to the side.
"Is this thing just Thanos' Hulk?" he asked breathlessly.
"Loki told us it would be hard to beat." Captain America reminded them.
"No mercy guys. See the kill, go for the kill." Black Widow said, checking another Asgardian's pulse.
Hawkeye exhaled sharply, turning around to run back. But, he growled in frustration as more Outriders came from behind the Black Order monster.
"Steve, take a few hundred steps back." he said, rolling his finger over the button on his bow "I want to see how well this guys stands up to a 'Midgardian' bomb."
"I don't think I can get the Frost Giants to back off." Captain America replied. His point was proven as the blue beasts rushed right past his waving arm.
"They speak English. Tell them you're sending in fire and they have thirty seconds to get out of dodge." Black Widow advised, only glancing up briefly as she rolled a soldier over.
"Just try not to make it sound like a threat." Hawkeye pulled out the arrow and slowly put it in place.
Captain America took a flying leap over an Outrider. He approached the fight carefully before attempting to get the Jotuns attention. The larger one of the pair turned to listen, eyes narrowed in annoyance. But as soon as he heard whatever the Avenger told him, he beckoned his partner away.
Unfortunately, Cull followed. Captain America backed up, but he was going to be overtaken any second at the pace he was currently moving. One of the Frost Giants grabbed him by the arm to pull him forward, allowing Hawkeye to release his arrow.
The field exploded and sent dirt flying in all directions. The Outriders screeches as they died covered up all other sounds. Then silence followed, making everyone optimistic.
"He's not dead." a Jotun growled at them, standing protectively in front of those facing the fading smoke.
"Cap, are you okay?" Hawkeye asked, watching as his friend got to his feet. The man was wincing badly, one hand on his lower arm.
"He's burned. Take him to be treated. We'll go after Thanos' follower." the large Frost Giant was clearly the leader among the pair because the other one instantly followed him.
Hawkeye hurried over with a deep scowl.
"They touched you?" he demanded.
"Yeah. Trying to pull me out of the way." Captain America inspected his dark blue burn with a clenched jaw. He waited for it to start spreading, but so far it hadn't moved an inch.
"Do we need to find Loki?" Hawkeye asked, genuinely confused.
"I'm not sure. Does it look like it's moving up?"
The SHIELD agent leaned in more closely, but he still felt like the burn was staying right where it had initially started.
"I think you've too much immortality in you. But the Giants told us to get it looked at." he laughed briefly "Which means nothing. How would they know how much damage their own touch causes?"
"Tony can take you in, Steve. These guys over here are just unconscious. I can't find any injuries on the outside." Black Widow said. She suspected the Asgardian soldiers had all been knocked out by a blast similar to the one Hawkeye had just created "And I don't think they're bleeding internally."
"Who got a booboo?" Tony spoke now. In the distance, they could see him take off into the sky to fly towards them.
Proxima Midnight looked around her surroundings, expression dark. She walked slowly, without engaging in combat, as she made her way across the courtyard. In her hand, she held a three-pronged spear that had a faint blue glow at the handle, resembling that of the scepter.
The Anaheim and Alfheim soldiers were fighting together in this area and any soldier that tried to approach her was met with several snarling Outriders. Frost Giants were fighting to make their way over, but Thanos' servant didn't seem concerned by them.
It wasn't until Proxima sensed a very familiar power that she turned to her left. Her subconscious expected to see Red Skull standing there, but instead it was Loki with the scepter.
He smiled at her, as if he could tell exactly what she was thinking.
"And this is what? Your last stand?" she asked, changing her course to walk towards him instead.
"If it is, I'm glad that you're here to watch it succeed." Loki replied, waving the scepter to accentuate his words.
"You'll pay for Red Skull's life with your own." Proxima said flatly. Her right hand jerked to block a strike from the side as Nebula materialized from Loki's maintained illusion. She twisted the dagger in a circle, trying to free her weapon to stab the cyborg.
The God of Mischief sailed at her, trying to do the same with his scepter. So, instead, Proxima yanked herself free and spun around to face the two of them with her spear pulled back threateningly.
"I wasn't sure if you were dead or alive, Nebula. You always were the odd one of our group." she said coldly.
"She actually was the one who made the numbers even." Loki replied in place of the Luphomoid "I hear the group is dwindling now. Down to four are you?"
"Thanos will find plenty more soldiers willing to become his children. It's a rewarding endeavor." Proxima jerked her chin slightly "You'll find your death in Thanos soon enough."
"People keep telling me that, but so far my death has yet to come to pass."
"You joined them." Proxima tilted her head at Nebula, ignoring Loki. Her adopted sister narrowed her eyes as she paced.
"The Asgardians are just a means of me reaching my goal of ending Thanos." she rasped "And you along the way."
A small clang of metal made Loki turn around warily. Corvus Glaive stepped up slowly, his javelin in the same defensive position as Proxima. His wife formed the barest hint of a smile.
"Looks like we may just make your death a reality."
"Then I'll see one of you in Hel." Loki said dryly.
The Jotuns looked around sharply as they backed up to keep pace with Hena. The princess was returning to her father with optimistic news. Their soldiers at the commons were holding up well; little fighting had been seen there. The Frost Giants had shown up almost immediately after her, reporting that they were supposed to protect her while she was out. Hena had barely managed to hold back a smile. Her heart still warmed at the thought of Loki ordering his personal guards after her.
But that had quickly faded. The way back to their site was dangerous and combative every step and the Frost Giants had nearly been killed several times just to save her from receiving a cut.
Odin was the first one to see her incoming and he immediately announced her arrival to the rest of the group. That gave her a sudden burst of energy to sprint the remainder of the way.
As soon as she was within a few feet of her father, the Jotuns turned and left her side. They ran faster now that they weren't held back by the princess' pace.
Hena looked after them, panting hard as she tried to get enough air without gasping.
"They're returning to Loki." Odin spoke to answer her silent question. He had little say in whatever the Frost Giants did, but he did respect their complete and uncomplicated loyalty.
"Where is he now?" she asked, backing up a few steps to her mother.
"Still searching for Thanos' Black Order. I imagine he'll find one of them soon enough." Odin responded, carefully observing the battlefield for both of his sons.
Behind them, her gaze fell on something else. Captain America was leaning against the rocky wall that surrounded their protected area. Asgardian healers surrounded him and were carefully tending to his arm. They would move both in and out of the way and she only caught glimpses of the injury.
"Did Frost Giants touch him?" she asked incredulously.
"They saved me." Captain America corrected her quickly "Or tried to."
"Apparently his half-immortal skin doesn't let the Frost Giant blue spread like it did with Hawkeye." Tony said. His helmet was retracted so his face could be seen now.
"Loki's guards stayed a few feet from me to be certain. They're more amiable than they seem." Hena said. Then she turned to her father for the real news she needed to share.
"Thanos' creatures have not been attacking the commons. They've seen minimal fighting over there since the battle started. Kedi believes the attack has been too focused on the palace for them to bother."
"Good. I just pray they don't change their tactics on a whim." Valder rubbed his eyes "Cull got away from the others. If those servants are making their own decisions, we'll have to monitor several strategies at once."
"We have the upper hand now." Svleiva said from behind. She told Mazi to stay seated and then walked over to her husband.
"We are still on the defensive. He knows we are not attacking him." Valder finally allowed the frustration to come through in his voice.
"It will come to that. I would follow him if he tried to flee now." Odin said "It would be foolish to allow him to grow in strength again."
"Then shall do so now? I do not want to put my mens' lives in such risk, but there may be more death while we remain static."
"Loki's fighting." Hena broke in. Svleiva stepped up next to her and was followed by Frigga and Odin.
The God of Mischief was in brutal combat with a woman they could only assume was Proxima Midnight. Each blow she struck had tremendous force behind it. And she hit again and again with no more than half-second pauses.
Then another ran in to the fight and suddenly Loki had enemies on either side. He thrust Proxima away, but only in mere moments to stop the attack from the other.
"He's fighting two alone. Where is Nebula?" Frigga demanded.
"We should not have trusted that woman." Svleiva replied. She took ahold of her Valder's arm as Loki narrowly avoided what could have been a death blow.
"No, no, she's there!" Hena's voice was shrill with anticipation.
Nebula had quickly either just entered or perhaps returned to the fight and was now fighting Corvus. Loki turned his full attention to Proxima with a brandish of his blade.
"Has Thor found the other one?" Frigga asked. Part of her hoped he had not so that he would be available to find and help Loki.
"Ebony Maw." Hena replied, repeating to herself the name the God of Mischief had told them. He'd been labeled the most dangerous by Loki. He resembled Thanos' dead telekinetic creatures, but was fully sentient and would easily lay down his life for the Titan's cause.
"Young lady, stop." that sharp order came from Odin behind them, leaving Frigga's question unanswered. He had Gungnir held out to bar Mazi's way to the Tesseract. Svleiva backed up in horror towards her daughter.
The little girl blinked, as if coming to her senses now. She looked up at Odin, who had come closer.
"It feels powerful. I want to hold it. It feels like the scepter did on Midgard." she said earnestly. Hena pulled in a worried breath, even knowing that her sister didn't remember her interaction with the staff.
"Yes, I imagine it does. But, this thing is dangerous and dark." The Asgardian king had softened his tone from his previous shout "You have enough power yourself. Leave it where it is. We may need it later."
Svleiva took her daughter's shoulder in her grasp as Mazi nodded slowly up at the king. She turned away and followed her mother to the alcove farther back. The queen nodded appreciatively at Odin as she retreated.
"Why does she want them so badly? The scepter and now the Tesseract." Hena asked, blinking worriedly at her father and taking her attention off Loki.
Valder shook his head "She's still learning how to use her powers and she cannot control them. They are seeking out energy sources. They want to wield them. We went through this with you as well. Mazi has just been more affected." he glanced at the Tesseract "And you did not have such items within your reach."
A explosion on the field cause Frigga to inhale sharply. She quickly went to the edge of the hill in front of them. Hena desperately tried to figure out what had caused the queen's reaction as she put the battlefield back in her line of sight.
"Was that the scepter?" she asked. The energy hadn't felt quite the same, but from a distance perhaps she could not tell.
"The woman has something similar. It struck Loki's." Frigga descended further. Odin left his position to follow his wife.
The smoke and dust had not cleared the area, but many bodies could be seen scattered in the radius of the blast sight.
"Oh, Father." Hena's voice broke as she tried to speak.
"They're not ours." Valder said quickly as he searched each of the bodies for Anaheimien armor "Nor Asgard's. Thanos' people took the worst of it."
"Do you see Loki?" Hena nearly snapped at him. Figures were now running through the area in all directions, but she didn't recognize any of them.
"I do." that was Frigga from up ahead. A blast that size could seriously injure an Asgardian and kill them if they were already wounded before the impact.
Loki was lying prone on the ground, several hundred feet from where the explosion had taken place. He had blood on him, but the spatter from Red Skull had not been cleaned off and they couldn't tell the difference from this distance.
The queen exhaled in relief as her son pushed himself up to a sitting position. However, he had not gotten away unscathed. His movements were painstakingly slow as he tried to maneuver himself. Proxima Midnight lay just a few feet from him and her presence must have brought the situation rushing back. He rushed to get up and nearly tumbled back to the ground within seconds. Frigga jerked out a hand as if to catch him from this distance.
His Frost Giants arrived by his side just now, having stopped at the explosion. He finally found a proper balance on his feet and pointed a finger at the Black Order member. From where they stood, he could just barely be heard.
"Pick her up." he ordered, backing up closer to where both of his parents stood without taking his eyes off the field "Pick her up!" he raised his voice "Nebula!"
The Jotuns took ahold of Proxima, still careful only to take hold of her armor. She was coming to her senses now and Loki wanted her well controlled.
"Nebula!" he shouted, his anxiety disguised as anger.
"Don't wait for her." Svleiva murmured. Though only she could hear herself, she still dipped her head in shame at her harsh suggestion.
However, Frigga opened her mouth to say the same words aloud. They had no alliance with Nebula. They had no reason to ensure she was safe. Loki's life was far more important to her.
Fortunately for all those watching, the cyborg came appeared through the fading debris in the air. She ran over to them, indifferently killing a listless Outriders along the way.
"Corvus is gone. He returned to Thanos." she growled at Loki. The king gestured at the Jotuns holding Proxima.
"Bring her back here." he said tensely, waving one hand towards the alcove. Frigga and Odin returned just a few steps before they arrived.
Hena jumped as Thor dropped to the ground behind her, her complete attention on Loki. He stood from his landed kneeling position. The hammer was covered in dirt and blood. He'd not been resting even if Ebony Maw had not been found.
"The Warriors and Heimdall are still searching. I came back after the explosion. What happened?" he asked.
Since Hena did not know, she simply responded "Loki has brought in whom we think is Proxima Midnight."
Thor moved his gaze to the approaching Frost Giants in realization. They were bringing a woman who was clasped tightly around her upper arms. Even though she was awake, she wasn't struggling as one would expect.
"Doesn't seem your style to hold me prisoner, Loki." she said with the same emotionless tone as all of Thanos' children.
"At this moment you're more useful alive than dead." he replied flatly.
"You'll be dead soon enough. I'll make it sooner if you like." Nebula said in her turn.
Thor moved around Hena and took his place by his parents. The woman his brother spoke to had the same darkness around her eyes that Loki had when he'd seen him on Midgard. Looking back at the Tesseract with a small scowl, he did a double take at Captain America. The solider was just getting to his feet, but the attention was on the violet colored portion of his arm.
"I'm fine." he said immediately, before any questioning could commence. So, Thor let it go, though the thought of treachery on the battlefield came to his mind first.
"Loki, pull back the Frost Giants." Odin advised "They're losing more confrontations than they are winning right now."
"Oh, yes, hell forbid you lose them." Proxima mocked quietly from her constraints. The Jotuns holding her gave a cold look over at the Asgardian king. It had been obvious from the beginning that they did not want to retreat from the fighting. Even temporarily.
"Corvus is going to warn Thanos that we have her." Nebula spoke before giving Loki a chance to consider what Odin said.
"He won't come for her. Corvus maybe, but he won't make it more than a foot in here." he replied.
"We fought Cull." Captain America informed them from his place several places away. He winced and lightly grasped his injured arm "He got away, but we aren't sure if he was injured."
"Somebody needs to get Banner on his scent." Loki said, annoyed someone had not already done this. Hena gave a sly glance at the scepter, eyes in a deep scowl. She wanted more than anything to rip the cursed thing from his grasp, but she remained where she was with a frustrated clench of her fingers.
"If you give yourself up, Loki, I'm sure Thanos would grant some sort of mercy to your 'loved' ones." Proxima said coolly.
"Don't speak." Frigga warned her. She gave the woman a hard stare. Encouraging ideas that were likely already going through Loki's head was not something she was going to allow.
To her relief, her son ignored the goading and instead beckoned a Frost Giant other than the ones holding Proxima over to him.
As he ordered the Jotunheim army to back off, Odin and Valder immediately started reorganizing the placement of their men.
College=little time
This chapter was not as exciting, but you just wait. It's a comin'!
Thank you!