CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Riders in the Sky PART ONE
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Wanda Maximoff
His eyes are opening.
Panting, sweat making my ponytail stick to the back of my neck, I lean over him, hardly daring to breathe. "Vis?"
Pale blue eyes lock onto mine, rings and lines swirling into focus. It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. He blinks up at me, his face a picture of calm, and his hand reaches up to brush away the strands of hair sticking to my skin.
"Are you alright?" I ask in a soft voice, my throat catching. Heimdall's eyes are on me, but I can't look away from Vision's, not even to spare a glance to his wounded chest.
Vision seems to consider this, his gaze losing its focus as it drifts from my face to his chest, then to my hands, still hovering above him. "Well, yes. I'm with you."
A choked laugh escapes from me, and I catch his hand in my own, pressing his knuckles to my cheek. "I thought I'd lost you," I whisper.
Something tender crosses his expression, and slowly, carefully he sits up, his breathing shifting as he does so. It isn't perfect, my healing. Heimdall's eyes were invaluable in aiding my powers to move where they needed to go, and I'd made significantly more progress than I'd managed on my own.
Still, a raised, white scar stretches across Vision's chest, and I know if we make it back home, he will need a team of scientists and engineers, and perhaps the Cradle itself to fully heal, to reverse the damage done.
Vision blinks several times, putting a hand to his chest as his unique gaze settles upon Heimdall. "I...don't believe we've met."
"Heimdall," the warrior clasps Vision's hand.
Vision's eyes narrow in recognition. "You are Asgardian."
"That I am."
Those pale blue eyes move to me, his confusion evident on his face. "How did this happen? Where is Captain Rogers?"
My lips part to answer him, just as a deep, bellowing roar rips through the air, the echoes of it reverberating through the hollow log we are hiding in. All three of us stiffen at once.
"Was that-"
Loki's pale face appears in the opposite entrance, his eyes wide and lips pressed together. "We need to go. Now."
"Dr. Banner," Vision says, looking back at the newcomer, then at me. "That was him."
"Hardly," Loki replies darkly.
We move from the log, and I carefully help Vision to his feet, hovering about him worriedly until he grips my hand tightly in his, giving me a small, reassuring smile. As we emerge, we all look to the horizon, above the thick canopy of trees making up the jungle. Plumes of smoke curl up into the sky, just as thick, gray clouds start to form, rumbling their disquiet.
"Thor," Heimdall remarks at the clouds, then looks to Loki. "Your brother is in trouble."
"If he's found that beast, I have no doubt of it." Loki's pale face remains pointed towards the smoke.
"We have to help them." I glance up at Vision, who nods his affirmation that he is alright, that he can do this.
Loathe though I am to charge into a fight again, when Vision has only just opened his eyes, we cannot stand by and do nothing while our friends fight for their lives. The image of the blast ripping through Vision flits before my eyes, seizing my stomach, my heart, my throat.
I grip his hand tighter, my gaze darkening.
It will not happen again. I won't lose anyone else. Not today.
Peter Parker
Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit.
No big deal, Parker, just clinging for your life to a creature that could snap back at any moment and tear your head off. It's like that gif of the cartoon dog sitting at a table in the middle of a burning house. This is fine. I'm fine. What the hell is that from, anyways?
I slide fully onto the saddle, gripping the alien raptor by the spikes protruding down its spine as the pack of them charges through the jungle. The sounds of the battle grow even louder with each passing second; the sounds of Hulk's enraged bellows, the firing of plasma rifles, the roaring thrusters of a ship soaring through the sky, the amphibious shrieks of the Dravec.
I can't guess is if the alien raptor pack heading into battle will be a help or hindrance. As much as I hope that they will turn against their brutal, sadistic masters, they could just as easily be following some silent whistle, some unsaid command to join the Dravec in the hunt.
God, that would suck.
Hey guys, it's me, Peter, here to help save the day! Oh these? These are my alien raptors I used to escape. Oh, they're trying to tear your face off? My bad.
We clear the trees just in time for me to glance up and see clouds forming up in the blue sky, unfolding and roiling and growing like those time lapse videos in nature documentaries. The white quickly curdles to gray, thunder growling ominously in their depths.
Either this is insane alien weather, or…
My eyes drop to the battle in the middle of a massive expanse of sprawling green hills, framed by the towering trees of the jungle.
An alien ship circles overhead, hovering above at least ten Dravec hunters, heavily armed, who are hurtling themselves at a group in its center. My eyes go round at the sight of the Hulk, towering over the rest, bellowing his rage and seizing the hunter off of his back, only to rip him in two.
The Hulk crouches, gorilla like fists slamming into the earth, and my heart lifts as Bucky runs up the green behemoth's back, leaping as he reaches his shoulders. The Winter Soldier unleashes a barrage of energy blasts from his alien plasma rifle midair before he hits the ground and rolls, coming up on his knees to shoot down a Dravec lunging for him.
So. Freaking. Badass.
A glint of red, white and blue spins through the air to decapitate a Dravec hunter, continuing its curve only to be caught by none other than Captain America, who spins with it and plows the vibranium shield into another's skull.
Horrible and life threatening as this situation is, my fanboy heart can't help but nearly squeal with nerdish delight. I can die happy after this, figuratively of course, I really would like to live, but this is the coolest and most terrifying moment of my freaking life.
And then, lightning cleaves the air. It shoots down from the nearly black clouds billowing overhead, a strike so jagged and bright, it turns everything white, and as it hits the ground, it splinters off in every direction, shattering through six alien hunters.
My heart stops entirely.
"YES!" I pump my arm up in the air, exhilarated, drowning in adrenaline as the raptor pack surges forward through the grasses towards the battle, towards my friends, towards THE FREAKING GOD OF THUNDER HIMSELF.
Thor.
I'm about to fight with THOR.
The Asgardian lands on the ground, eyes glowing blue white, sparks shooting off of his hands, just as another surge of hunters emerges from the distant treeline, and two Dravec ships join the third still circling.
My heart is beating so vibrantly, I can barely think. All I know is that this is it, the big, ultimate battle between Avengers and Dravec. We are outnumbered, by a lot, and more will just keep coming. But I'm fighting with some of the biggest, baddest warriors in the universe, and I am so pumped by what I have just seen, I have no doubt in my mind that we will take every single hunter down.
We got this. We so got this.
I am so swept up in the excitement of it all, I can forget any lingering fear and pain. I move into a crouch upon the alien raptor's back, the soles of my boots sticking firmly to the saddle as I raise myself up, readying my body and my webshooters, in case I need to take the dinosaur like creatures down.
So close, I'm so close to the battle I can see Bucky's head lift, can see his eyes locking on mine.
This is it, Parker, your big entrance. Don't screw this up. You're charging into battle on the back of an alien raptor, in a herd of them. (Herd? Pack?) You're the calvary. These are the big leagues of the Avengers, and it's time to show them what Spiderman is made of.
An old movie quote comes to mind, one I've never dared to use while in the suit on account of the tattle tale protocol Karen dutifully reminded me of before I could ever attempt it. But Karen is offline, Mr. Stark isn't here, and May will never know.
So, shooting a shit-eating grin at Bucky, who just took down two alien hunters at once, I whoop loudly and yell, "YIPPEE-KI-YAY-MOTHERFU-"
"--Finish that sentence, and I'm telling Aunt May."
My head whips around so fast, I nearly lose my balance and fall off my alien steed.
"Mr. Stark!"
Brilliant red and gold streak past me as Ironman blasts through the sky, hands raising, repulsors firing at the near army of alien hunters surrounding our teammates.
He's here. HE'S HERE.
I don't even care that he ruined my entrance, that he cut me off before I could unleash the most badass quote of my superhero career. He's here.
"I leave you alone for a week, and I find you riding dinosaurs and cursing like a sailor? Clearly you've been hanging around Rogers too much. Hey-Steve, where do you get off corrupting my intern with your filthy language?"
I leap off the alien raptor, spinning midair to barrel into a Dravec hunter, just as my ride rips into a second one, the creatures turning on their masters just as I had hoped. My fist slams into the hunter's face, and then I catch sight of a glint of black. Flipping back, I dodge the swipe of its wrist blade as it surges to its feet.
It's easy to hear the smile in Captain America's voice as he yells back to Mr. Stark. "You were taking your sweet time to get here, so I figured I'd share a few pop culture references I've picked up while we waited. Thought you'd be happy."
"I did my own corrupting, thank you!" I add as I dodge two more blows, and then as the wrist blade comes down on me a third time, the alien's forearm is caught by a crimson and gold armored gauntlet. The Dravec's head whips to the side, just as a blue tinged blast of energy erupts from Ironman's palm, blasting the hunter into the air.
Between the adrenaline and the relief and the overly exhausted hysteria lifting through my body, I feel like I might explode-laugh, cry, scream, collapse, all seem equally likely. So when Ironman turns to me, I consider it a freaking miracle that I just look up at him, grin, and say, "Hi, Mr. Stark."
"Hi, kid."
I can't see his face through his helmet, but I can hear the relief, the fondness in his metal tinged voice.
Then I notice the silver threads lining his suit, but before I can ask, my spider-sense goes haywire. We both whirl at the same time, and then I lunge, snatching a sparking spear mid-air before it can connect with Ironman's chest.
Mr. Stark looks down at it briefly. "Can I see that? Thanks."
He takes it out of my hand, winds his arm back, and hurtles the spear into the air. It moves so fast I can barely see it, and then it plows straight through the hunter's throat. It sinks to its knees and collapses.
Ironman turns to me, and just as my senses blare in warning again, he reaches forward and yanks me out of the way by my suit. I whirl just to see him grappling with one of the alien raptors, his metal encased hands holding back the straining, snapping jaws. The beast shoves forward so hard, Mr. Stark's boots slide down into the dirt.
Eh, so much for them being on our side. I quickly fire a web at the alien's huge feet, entrapping them in a huge wad of it attached to a single thick strand leading to my webshooters.
"Hey, kid, what have we told you about bringing home strays as pets?" Mr. Stark asks, voice strained as he wrestles with the giant head snapping for him.
"Uh...was that a rule? I feel like that wasn't a rule."
I yank hard on the webbing, and the alien's feet cinch together just as Ironman gets a firm grip on its jaw. He wrenches it to the right as I pull left, and the creature goes down hard just before Ironman's fist slams into its temple. It goes limp, and we stand back, breathing hard.
"Well, it is now," Mr. Stark says. "No pets."
Explosions rip the air, and I whip my head around to see silver streaking through the gray sky, the metal illuminated by the reds and orange flames bursting at the tree line. War Machine unleashes his missiles, and I suddenly realize that weapons and blasts I distinctly remember as having no effect on the Dravec on Earth are suddenly ripping them apart.
I turn a quizzical look to Mr. Stark, and he gestures to the silver lining the plates of his armor. "We leveled up. Wait till you meet the new kid on the block."
Bucky Barnes
The scrawny little idiot lives.
And not only is he miraculously still alive, but he's charging in on a pack of vicious looking alien beasts like one of those cowboys in the old, black and white Roy Rogers flicks Steve would sometimes make me go see with him back before...before everything.
That dark, hollow part of me that had been ready to swallow me up, ready to mutilate and murder every goddamn alien on this planet, settles back.
The kid is alive. A lot more battered than the last time I saw him, but alive. Now I just have to make sure he stays that way. A little easier said than done when he's darting around the battlefield faster than my eyes can keep up with, firing webs and delivering punches and kicks as he goes.
It's impressive. Peter's quick moves and sporadic maneuvers assist each of us in turn, while keeping the Dravec thoroughly distracted, setting us up with almost easy takedowns.
Banner bellows somewhere behind me, the beast unleashed at last, plowing through lines of hunters that come spilling out from the jungle like ants, our fight practically alerting every single alien on the planet to our location.
It hadn't taken long for our rescue party to be discovered by Dravec hunters. They'd ambushed us about a mile away from here, and this time, Banner hadn't held back. He'd unleashed the creature I'd never had the pleasure of meeting before this, and our battle had quickly taken us to open ground.
Above, the sky darkens, thunder rumbling in competition to the Hulk's savage growls, and I see Thor leaping into the air, lightning racing up his outstretched arms. When his body lands, the impact so hard it creates a crater in the earth that I can feel all the way from where I am standing, the lightning shoots from his hands to snake through the air like white fire, spearing the aliens aiming their plasma rifles at him.
Ironman and War Machine work in tandem to bring the three ships circling above us down. So far those crafts have resisted firing down on us, though I know they have the capabilities to do so. Likely because they want to bring us down in hand to hand combat with their warrior's weapons so they can take our bodies as trophies.
Gods and monsters.
Steve and I share a glance.
"Life's gotten a hell of a lot weirder since us," I comment, wrenching the nearest Dravec into an ironclad hold as Steve raises his shield and slams it down upon its skull. I release it, and the alien falls lifelessly to the ground.
"What makes you say that?" he gives me a wry grin.
A flash of his eyes tells me to duck, and I drop to the ground as he tosses his shield with a grunt of effort. I hear it slicing the air as it spins, and then there's a dull thwunk as it makes impact with another hunter.
I surge forward, drawing my two jagged, alien daggers as I duck under Steve's still outstretched arm to face the Dravec advancing on his exposed back.
It changes direction at the last minute, slashing wildly at me with the blades jutting out from its wrists. I raise my own daggers in response, the metal singing and sparking as they clash against each other, an impact I can feel through my arms.
The alien draws its arms back only to spin and slash again. I duck beneath the blows, dodging to the side and stabbing at the exposed flesh between armored plates, just under where its arm meets its shoulder. It screams, going to its knees, and I drive my second knife into its throat.
"You're right," I pant as I straighten, turning as Steve calls his shield back to him and attaches it to the holster on his forearm. "None of this is strange at all."
"All in a day's work."
The ground shudders as Thor lands beside us, an alien spear in his hands and black blood splattered up his arms. The three of us shift, going back to back as six hunters close in on us, weapons raised.
We mirror them, and Thor says, "Just like old times, is it not?"
"A bit," Steve agrees.
"Let's do the ThunderCap."
"Just because Tony called it that, doesn't mean we have to."
"The ThunderCap?" I deadpan.
Steve sighs, the sound full of longsuffering. "You may want to get down, Buck."
I raise a brow, but ready myself to do so.
Thor is grinning, full of excitement that raises the hairs along my neck and arms with its electric anticipation. "Ready when you are, my friend."
"Now!" Steve goes down on one knee, raising his shield up over his head. I'm already on the ground, arms covering my face, my eyes squeezing shut at what I guess is coming.
I hear Thor yell, hear the blasts of plasma rifles as the aliens fire, and then my skin is buzzing with electricity. There's a sharp clank of sound as Thor brings the alien spear down upon Steve's shield, and then the world explodes.
Even with my eyes shut, with my arms clamped over my head, I can see the bright white light that shatters in every direction, lightning streaking out with an explosion of sound and heat.
The ThunderCap.
Steve and I straighten, electricity still buzzing in the air as we survey the damage, the ring of obliterated Dravec parts and black scorch marks all around us.
"That was SO AWESOME!" screeches Peter a little distance away, half hidden behind Ironman.
"Did we forget about the rules? Teammates are always to be given a heads up when the ThunderCap is in play," Stark grinds out with irritation, brushing at the black scorch marks, still sizzling, along his shoulder.
The three small ships are nothing more than scrap metal and flames burning along one hillside, a victorious War Machine stalking from the wreckage. Hulk breathes heavily, teeth grit together as he growls and kicks at the debris. His hands are curled into fists, clearly not ready for the fight to be over.
"Everyone alright?" asks Steve, and surprisingly, we are.
"That wasn't so bad," Thor scoffs, rolling his shoulders and kicking at a fallen plasma rifle. "In my adventures, I have taken on worse odds, fought in far fiercer battles. This was child's play."
"Did you really just say that?" Rhodes demands skeptically. "Are you trying to jinx us and bring down the whole goddamn armada?"
"Superstitious nonsense," disagrees Thor, gesturing to the empty sky, the scattered bodies.
"Did we miss the fight?"
I turn, a smirk curving my lips at the sight of Sam Wilson gliding down from the sky. He gives me a little grin, reaching out a hand. "Good to see you, man."
"Likewise," I say, as I clap my hand against his. Beyond him, emerging from the tree line, stride T'Challa and Hawkeye.
"Sucks for you, Barton," Stark calls out to him, sweeping a hand over the battleworn ground. "You missed all the action. How many have you killed? Just the one? I'm at nine."
"Day isn't over yet."
"Where's Wanda and Vision?" asks Stark, looking to Steve.
As Steve answers, I move closer to Peter, my eyes taking in the burn on his arm, the bruises barely visible around his throat, peeking over the high collar of his suit, the mottled purples and cuts lining his face.
He looks at me with equal concern, his eyes darting to my side, still covered in the gray bandages. For whatever reason, this kind of pisses me off.
"I'm fine," I say in a low voice, and his big eyes dart back up to my face as he pales slightly, like he knows he's in trouble.
I open my mouth to demand just what the hell he was thinking by running off to be bait, when he suddenly goes rigid, his gaze shooting over my shoulder as his lips part to cry a warning. I whirl, eyes scanning the horizon for the threat, just as the spear embeds itself into the back of Steve's right shoulder.
The impact sends him to one knee, his mouth parting in shock, in pain, and as I lift my plasma rifle, I see a slim arrow shooting through the air, sailing far beyond the treeline. A second later, a Dravec falls to the ground, dead.
Stark is the first one to reach Steve, his gauntleted hands steadying the man before he can fall. The color has drained from Steve's face, beads of sweat already forming across his forehead, but he says in a breathy, strained voice, "It's ok. Didn't...didn't hit anything major."
"Let's let the ones who didn't just get skewered be the judge of that, shall we?" Stark suggests, voice tight. "F.R.I.D.A.Y.?"
I don't hear the A.I.'s response, because Clint jogs up to us, his eyes on the trees. "We've got incoming. A lot of it."
"Let them come," Thor steps forward. "There is fight in me yet."
"Can it, Point Break," Stark snaps as he yanks the spear from Steve's shoulder. I step forward, fists clenched as my friend cries out through clenched teeth just as Tony raises his gauntlet and sprays some kind of foam into the wound, which solidifies and seals it almost instantly.
T'Challa surveys the open field. "We are too exposed here. We should take cover within the trees."
"Too late," Clint nods towards the horizon, and we all look.
Six massive ships materialize, easily three times the size as the three before, their camouflaging technology dissipating as they hover above the jungle canopy. Their bay doors open, and Dravec warriors begin spilling out and forming tight, organized formations.
These are not like what's been hunting us. These have armor that encases their entire bodies, face included, and who are equipped with a great deal more weapons. The Dravec facing us are not the hunters, fighting to gain position among their elite by bringing back trophies of seasoned warriors. This is their fighting force, the hunters who have ascended the military ladder to join the ranks of their soldiers.
We'd held our own so far, but half of us are injured, exhausted, and weak. There is only so far that adrenaline and survival instincts can carry a person. The other half may be fresh, but they don't know this enemy, haven't been hunted by them.
The Dravec have the numbers, the weapons, the home field advantage.
Steve and I share a grim look, thinking the same thing, and my eyes move to his injured shoulder.
What had seemed like a sure victory had only been a taste of the real battle.
The Dravec have finally shown their true faces. And it might just be the last thing we ever see.
Tony Stark
The incorporation of vibranium threads in my suit have not only provided me with a significantly more solid barrier between me and the aliens fists, but are also powering and amping up my repulsors. Blasts that barely tickled them back on Earth now send them stumbling back with burns or holes in their bodies depending on the aim and proximity. It's superb design, the metal both shielding and acting as a suped up battery for the clean energy coursing through my suit.
Still, despite the upgrades and the numbers, things aren't looking good.
They look like shit.
An army advances on us, not unlike the Chitauri, but this time, half our people are running on steam and injured to boot.
My eyes flick to Rogers, his body held stiffly, his face pale as he readies his shield. Barnes stays close to his side, an alien plasma rifle he'd lifted from a dismembered corpse in his hands as a trio of soldiers advance on them.
Neither are in great shape.
So I lend a hand, swooping down and snatching a Dravec up by its shoulders before shooting back high in the air. "Wilson, think fast!" I say, and then hurl the alien into the sky.
Sam dives, arms outstretched as if he will catch it, then he pulls up at the last minute, and the hunter goes plummeting to the ground with a sickening crunch. "Oops," Sam grins. "Missed."
"Nice going, butterfingers," I call out, shooting down to the battlefield below.
Clint's voice floods the comms. "Seven, eight, eleven-"
"Where'd you learn to count?" I demand as I blast a Dravec warrior with both hands that had been aiming what looked suspiciously like an alien version of a rocket launcher at the kid.
"Three at once, Stark. Read em and weep."
I land on the ground at the kid's back as he shoots two web meshes into the alien's helmets, blocking their vision. He charges at them, leaping into the air with his feet tucked and arms spread before twisting mid air into a double spinning kick that connects with their skulls and sends them crashing to the ground.
"Nice moves, kid," I commend as I slam my fist into a Dravec's jaw and dodge a swipe of its wrist blade. My fingers clench, activating a new weapon that surges up to my forearm in a whir of clicks and shifting metal panels. Six metal shards go shooting out, wires attached to their ends and back to my arm.
They find their homes embedded into the armor of six Dravec soldiers, who look down, unimpressed.
"Wait for it," I say, and then electric bolts of energy surge through the wires and explode as they make contact with the steel shards stabbing into black metal chest plates. I release the wires as the six go flying back.
"Hear that, Barton? It's the sound of six at once."
He doesn't respond. Either too jealous or too preoccupied with staying alive to do so. There's a sound at my back, a sound that jolts through me like my electric shock backfired, and I whirl.
Peter's on the ground, and that's all I need to know before I am blasting any alien in close proximity to dust and surging forward to plow my metal covered fist into a helmet so hard it cracks. A Dravec lunges, grappling me from behind and trapping my arms at my sides. I blast up into the air, fire my thrusters on full and spin so fast its grip loosens, then releases entirely, and I fire a missile that takes it straight into the ground with an explosion that wipes out two others.
I land hard, the earth shuddering beneath me as Peter staggers to his feet, eyes wide.
"You good?" I demand, eyes scanning him for new injuries over his old ones.
His expression is sheepish as he admits. "Yeah, yeah I'm-I just tripped."
I stare. "How you managed to survive this long is beyond me."
"Bucky helped. A lot. And a rock alien named Korg."
"Ok. For the rest of this fight, you stick with the buddy system. Got that?"
Christ, he doesn't even have his mask. As he gives me what he must suppose is a reassuring grin, we dive back into the battle, Peter looking vulnerable and young and oh so breakable in his dirty onesie.
T'Challa slides across the grass in front of me as I take on two at once, his claws out and shining as he kicks off one alien, crosses his clawed hands into an X in front of him, then slashes out as he reaches another alien's armored throat.
Slivers of black armor slide to the ground like ribbons, and the alien falls hard to its knees, then its back, its throat open and ebony blood spilling down its front. As the Black Panther lands in a crouch, a Dravec warrior unleashes what looks like a jagged blade attached to a taser and lunges for him.
Holding my two in an ironclad headlock, I watch as T'Challa leaps back, spins over the blade, and claws at the back of the alien's knees. It shrieks and staggers, whirling and swinging its blade wide. The king grabs the swinging arm with one hand and slashes down with his other with a warrior's cry.
Wails rip through the air as the Dravec looks at the bleeding stump where its arm used to be.
"Heads up," I call, slamming the two skulls of the aliens I am holding together and shoving them forward as T'Challa, severed arm and alien sword in hand, decapitates them.
"Majesty," I acknowledge with a dip of my head.
"We are losing this fight," he says in response.
"You call that losing?"
T'Challa gestures to my right, where a struggling Steve is now being backed by both Barnes and the kid, all three of them a sorry sight as their battered forms face off against menacing, freshly armored soldiers.
Rhodes and Sam are valiantly trying to take the force out from above, but its making them easy targets, more and more plasma blasts and projectiles being fired at them until they are entirely focused on not getting shot out of the sky.
Clint seems to be doing ok from his perch, but even the Hulk and Thor seem to be taking on more than they can handle.
My stomach sinks, tightens. We need more firepower, we need a goddamn army of our own, we need-
Crimson light blasts from the tree line in a whirlwind of streaking energy. It ravages through two of the ships, devastating bolts diving through the metal panels and bursting out the other side in a massive explosion. The burning ships collide with each other with a horrific crash of sound, smoke pouring from their backs as they plummet to the earth to take out a chunk of the ground force.
We need a witch.
Wanda Maximoff
Ripping through two of the Dravec ships had cleaved something inside me, the force weakening my knees, leaving me breathless. I stumble back into Vision, who steadies me with a worried glance.
"I'm fine," I gasp out, blinking away the spots and the nauseating dizziness. Too much. I had expelled too much energy too fast, without taking the time to gather my power beforehand.
But I have more in me, and there's no time to wait.
My eyes begin to focus, enough to see Loki watching me with a strange look glinting in his eyes...something curious, measuring.
"Wanda?" Vision's grip on my arms tightens, and I see the Dravec forces regrouping. Turning towards us.
I straighten, inhaling deeply as I stalk forward from the treeline, crimson energy pulsating around my arms, burning from my eyes. I'd expelled a great deal of power, but I am far from through. I am exhausted, shaken, but I am tired of being hunted.
Baring my teeth, I raise my hands, fingers curled as I draw psionic energy from the very air around me until the palms of my hands are warm and bright with it. Guns are raised in my direction.
"Go to hell," I growl as I drop to one knee and slam my hands upon the earth.
The ground splits, scarlet light shooting out like lightning in the cracks, glowing and burning and surging towards the enemy in a fatal rush. Hunters fall as the earth quakes beneath their feet. They shriek as the brilliant energy blasts through them, tearing them to pieces or sending their bodies flying.
Straightening, feeling unsteadier by the second, I turn to look over my shoulder. Vision's feet lift off the ground as he takes to the sky, the stone upon his head glowing like the sun. Heimdall unsheathes his sword, face grim as he charges into battle.
And Loki...Loki holds my gaze even as he draws twin long knives and flips them in his hands, as he races forward and slits the throat of a Dravec hunter trying to get to its feet.
Then he disappears into the chaos.
My eyes lift as a brilliant yellow beam burns into the legions of warriors, ruthless in its intensity, and there is Vision, hovering midair, his cape flapping behind him, looking glorious and healed and-
A target, I realize, as hunters below lift their weapons.
I let a searing aura of crimson burn around me, brighter and brighter, drawing their attention. My palms face each other, fingers curling like I hold a ball, and a single spot of red energy begins to form there, growing with every second.
Look at me.
Here I am. I am the target. I am the bigger threat.
And as their attention turns towards me, Sam dives down from above, wings tucking as he plummets. His body spins as he nears the ground, and then his wings flare wide, the razor sharp metal edges slicing through Dravec aliens like they are made of butter.
One goes for his back, and I thrust out my arms, sending my energy sphere hurtling towards the Dravec. Sam takes off into the air, and my power plows through the alien, leaving a smoldering hole in its chest.
"Wanda!"
Something clatters near my feet. I lift my hands, power glowing-
PAIN
It rips through me-locking my limbs-muscles spasming-agony burning through every nerve-
I'm screaming, but no sound comes out.
And then it's over, and I drop to the ground, limbs loose and trembling. A pair of arms catch me before my head can crack against the earth, and I'm gasping and shuddering.
"I got you, kid."
I blink up into Clint's dirt streaked face, and I have never been more relieved to see that grim smile upon his face. "Clint-" I wheeze.
"They tagged you with one of their debilitator discs. Hang on, the pain will pass."
Clint gently rests me upon the grass as he spins up to his feet, his bow snapping out from his hands. I am frozen on the ground, muscles spasming, forced to do nothing but watch.
A massive hunter looms over the archer, and Clint blocks a strike with his bow, then another, and as a blade comes streaking down, he twists to the side. Clint snaps his bow in half, and then there are two razor sharp curving knives in his hands. In a twisting maneuver too fast for me to see, he brings the Dravec to its knees, then drives both blades into its neck, just beneath the mask fastened around its face.
Kicking the body to the ground, Clint slams the two curving weapons back together, like the bow had never been split, and then he's yanking an arrow from his quiver and firing it into the distance.
I shove to my hands and knees, gasping as pins and needles stab all over my body.
"Easy," Clint calls over his shoulder as he fires more arrows. Explosions rip through the air after each one is sent flying. "Don't force it."
"No time," I say through clenched teeth. I lift my hands, and even the crimson light wavers and shudders around my shaking fingers. My eyes search the battle for Vision, my heart thudding frantically in my chest.
I find him a second later, concentrating on a ship and working alongside Thor and War Machine to bring it down.
There's a bellow of pain at my back.
Clint and I whirl, just in time to see six massive Dravec surrounding the Hulk, who's been brought to his knees. Crimson ropes have been tossed over him and stretched taut, their heat burning into his green flesh as two more hunters approach, spears raised.
I slam my hands down, releasing a blast of energy that propels me into the air, my hair coming free of its ponytail as the wind whips around me.
My feet crash into the closest Dravec, sending it buckling to the ground, and then I shove my hands out to either side of me, gripping two hunters within scarlet bursts of light. Another wave of my hands sends them flying back.
The two wielding spears charge at me, only to drop to the ground a second later, arrows embedded into their skulls.
Hulk roars, thrashing, and the three Dravec still attempting to keep him trapped in their burning net lose their footing, then their grips on the ropes. I seize one with my power by its throat, and with a curl of my fingers, its neck snaps with an audible crack. Hulk takes the other two, beating them down with his massive fists.
Growling, snarling, he whips towards me, teeth bared and eyes wild. I stumble back, heart pounding at the sight of all that rage, remembering how I had once triggered it and set it loose upon the world, remembering how Bruce Banner still refused to trust me.
My instincts scream at me to raise my hands, to call forth my power and create a shield to protect myself.
I drop my arms. Let all traces of my power fade. Let the light in my eyes die. I stand there, even as the Hulk charges at me, bellowing his fury, the heat of his breath stinging my eyes.
I don't move.
He stops. Pants. Growls. Glowers down at me.
There's recognition in his bottle green eyes, and I swear he gives me the slightest nod before whirling, letting out another roar as he charges back into the battle.
My shoulders slump, and my breath rushes out of me. Legs still shaking, feeling perilously close to passing out, I turn, catching sight of Heimdall decapitating not one, not two, but three Dravec at once with a mighty swing of his sword.
Then pain bursts at the base of my skull, and everything goes black.
Clint Barton
Damn it!
I've lost Wanda.
Metallic screams rip through the air, bursts of thunderous sound. My eyes lift to the dark heavens, just in time to see one of the alien ships unleash a deadly beam of burning light.
Horror seizes my insides with icy claws as Thor vanishes within that blast of energy.
"No, no, no," I breathe.
The big Asgardian with the sword is roaring in denial, cutting down Dravec as his frantic eyes search the skies for the god of thunder.
Chest tight, I sprint across the field, leaping up onto a pile of burning debris, using it as a step ladder to charge up the side of a demolished ship. I crouch when I reach the top, my eyes searching the battlefield below for any sign of Thor.
There's none.
Goddamn it.
T'Challa is nearest me, claws out, his black suit illuminated in bursts of purple light as a swarm of Dravec pummel and wail on him. The king goes down to one knee, and I already have an arrow notched and ready to fly.
But I don't have to let it go.
An explosion of purple light sends all the aliens flying black, the Black Panther standing victorious, claws outstretched as his suit returns to its dark state.
Handy little trick.
"Anyone have eyes on Thor?" I ask tightly through our comms as I let three explosive arrows fly. "Or Wanda?"
"Negative," grits out Rhodes. "We need some backup here, now!" I catch sight of him with Vision at the ship that took down the Asgardian, both blasting at its weapon to no avail. A weapon that is recharging.
Shit.
"On it," says Tony as he takes off from where he'd been hurling one Dravec into another, blasting for the weapon.
"On your tail!" I shout in warning as an armored warrior rears back his arm and snaps it forward, a red hot whip lashing through the air. I let my arrow fly, but the Dravec shifts enough that it misses, like it knew it had been coming, and with a loud crack, the whip connects with the back of Tony's suit.
Sparks fly, the impact sending him careening to the side, low enough to the ground that a second Dravec leaps upon him, knife raised.
Another arrow is already notched, but pain rips suddenly through my shoulder. I stumble forward with a cry, the arrow clattering to the ground far below. A muscled arm hooks around my neck, yanking me backwards, pressing tight enough that my air flow is immediately cut off.
Teeth clenched, lungs straining, I nearly lose my grip on my bow, but instead twist it in my hands and drive it backwards over my shoulder.
The Dravec shrieks in agony, releasing me as it stumbles away. I inhale raggedly, wheezing as I whirl, yanking my bow free from the eye socket of the alien hunter, black blood running down its ruined face. Planting my left foot back, I kick out at it, hard, and send it flying off the crashed ship to the ground below.
I spin, eyes searching for Tony, only to find Peter locked in combat with the alien who had dragged Ironman down, fiercely defending his mentor. Stark himself is bound by the fiery whip, his suit straining and sparking as he tries and fails to get free as the hunter stalks closer.
"EVERYBODY MOVE!" yells Rhodes through the comms, just as I slide down the wreckage to run to the kid's aid.
Our eyes lift to the sky, the alien craft's weapon burning bright as a sun, War Machine and Vision blasting it with all they have, finally making a dent it, but not enough.
There's no time to move, none at all. That blast radius will wipe us all out in seconds.
My muscles tense to run anyways, and then the world explodes. I throw my free arm up to shield my body on instinct at the bright burst of light, but it's coming from the wrong direction. A massive energy beam barrels into the ship from its far side, blasting a hole straight through it.
I look up in shock at the alien ship that had just destroyed one of its own. War Machine and Vision soar out of the way as the destroyed craft goes down in a flurry of smoke and smoldering pieces.
"What the hell?"
My eyes move to the traitor ship, to the front of it, where the metal panels lift and separate to reveal the thick glass windshield beneath. I squint, not sure if I believe what I am seeing.
But then T'Challa mutters, "Bonisa." And his little sister waves cheekily down at us from the cockpit of the alien craft.
"Well, I'll be damned," I say as the bay doors open, and three figures drop to the ground.
A/N: GUYS DON'T BE MAD XD
Yeah, this is a two parter. I'm sorry guys, I really wanted to keep it a single chapter, but where I was writing it was nearly 16,000 words of non stop action and it was getting too heavy. I figured you guys could use a breather in between all the action, and since I'm nearly done with the second part, I will post that soon! Maybe tomorrow or the day after. :)
AH I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S HERE! The big finale! What a ride this has been! I hope you guys are enjoying all the action! It's all been leading up to this. And the next chapter is going to be bananas too.
SO interesting to hear from where you guys are from! A lot more out of country readers than I thought! Very cool! Thank you for all who participated in my random poll. :) Your support truly means the world to me.
GOOD NEWS! I went to the doctor yesterday for an upper nerve test. After being shocked and stabbed with needles all over my arms and neck, OUCH (No joke, I had no idea what to expect and after being shocked, the doctor goes, "Ok, needle time!" in an entirely too cheerful voice. I was like, "Come again?" :O), I don't have carpal tunnel! It's tendinitis, which is curable with rest and taking care of myself! Yay!
Special thanks to PippinStrange, as always, for being a phenomenal beta. Our late night writing sessions are a blast, and your fangirling and editing are out of this world! I can't wait to read your up and coming fic! You guys, it's going to be so gooooooood.
Any artists out there participating in Inktober this year? PippinStrange and I are, and we are posting to our instagrams! Today's prompt had me drawing Venom, so if anyone would like to check it out and follow me, my instagram name is mscrystalbeard
sparklydog9: Omg, I know. I almost did it too. Almost. :O then I decided to give Peter a break, for now. ;)
KiernanCo: Ahhh I'm so glad it makes your day! I hope part one lived up to your expectations! Much more to come! I've been to Florida a couple times! Definitely for Disney World and Universal Studios. ;)
Puppens101: Sorry about your wrist! And hopefully this update finds you at a good time and not during anything important! lol! XD Never been to New Jersey! that's cool!
The Striking Storms: Ah thanks so much! Don't worry, more stories are already in the works ;)
screechyfangirl: Yasssss!
StarStepper: I almost did! Peter made it out from being branded by the skin of his teeth! Lucky kid! Or….is he? :D THANK YOU SO MUCH! Hopefully I didn't leave you hanging for too long
monkeybaby: Hello from California! thank you!
Lailuh: thank you so much! WOW! It makes my heart so happy knowing I can make your day better
Bishi-bishi: HELLO! :D I LOVE hearing from new readers! Gosh, bless you for binging! THANK YOU SO MUCH! REALLY! Means the world to me! I am on Ao3, but I don't post consistently there because it's a lot more difficult to manage and I'm so busy writing and posting new content here. Love from California! So cool you are from the Phillipines!
cargumentluv: LOL! Ahhh thank you so much! :D :D :D Hello from California!
Heroes21: Wow, Australia! That's cool! Don't worry, one more chapter of battle still to go!
Vivienne: French and from Romania, dang! Very cool! Thank you for your reviews!
silver-roses12: British Columbia? So awesome! Don't you worry! Two more stories for this series are already in the works, so it won't be too long before I am posting again once this story is done.
RedHood001: WOW WHAT A REVIEW! The length and detail of that one floored me! Thank you for taking the time to do that! I loved hearing all your thoughts on the chapter, about Korg and Hulk, and Cling and all the others! Loki and Wanda (and Vision) definitely have some unresolved stuff to take care of. And as for Dr. Strange….he may be making an appearance before this series is finished. ;) Gosh, thank you so much for all your kind words! It just wows me that you guys love my stories so much, and that my chapters are bookmarked on your computer to reread! Ahhhh I love it so much! Eee! And dang, all the way from Indonesia? That's amazing! The final fic in this series will be HUGELY epic, don't you worry ;)
DarylDixon'sLover: we shall see!
NW NightwalkerHp: A Korean in Australia! Very cool! So glad you're reading!
BeccaRave: Thank you! And Virginia is on my bucket list! I'd love to travel there someday
Kairianna864: Next chapter will be intense also! And yes, plenty more content to come!
LoonyLovegood1981: Thank you! And yes, from Germany! So cool! I won't say too much since I don't want to spoil it, but I think you will enjoy the next chapter!
Cakewhiz: Ahhh THANK YOU! *heart eyes* Gosh, that would be THE coolest thing ever!
KHARAKI TAKAN: Thank you! lol!
MewWinx96: Hi! Glad you're enjoying! New England, awesome! :)
betsythefox: Hi there! From Demark, wow! Hope you liked it!
Ghost staffy: I love Korg too! and the references ahhhh! so fun to write! :D Your hashtag was amazing also XD
ImmortalDragon123456: Will definitely be some fluff to come after all the epicosity is through!
GinaBoo: I know! I can't believe we are here either! I was so happy to bring those four together too! ALlll the reunions! Finally! More to come on that front as well!
AppleSpongeCake: RIGHT? Craziness! As to your request for a Where They Go cameo. It's written. It's epic. But it's not for this fic. ;) You'll have to wait for Sound of Silence for that one.
Ann: Aw thank you so much! That is seriously so so so kind and generous of you, and I really appreciate your nice thoughts and prayers! I am so grateful for PippinStrange and her support and our relationship. These fics wouldn't exist otherwise! Thank you for your review! Much love!
NCC-1701-Z: That would be a cute one-shot! I really enjoyed splitting off the characters in this one and seeing how they'd interact! I love that you made the connection between Bruce and Bucky! They and Peter were SO fun to write together
Thebookworm33: Ahhhhh a fellow Californian! Thanks for reviewing both chapters! That was amazing! I missed writing, and I missed hearing from all of you! And oh my word you are so so so kind! wow! THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your compliments and love seriously made my day, and I am so thankful for you and all my readers who take a moment and express such kind thoughts to me! WOW! Dude, a t-shirt would be INSANE! XD You're the best, seriously
Sara B: I would truly love to visit the UK! I adore big bro Bucky too! Such a fun dynamic to write! PLENTY of that coming up too! ANd YES to the scrawny little idiots! Lol! XD That scene in Age of Ultron with Clint and Pietro slayed me. I laughed so hard, I knew I had to pay tribute to that moment somehow. I hope some of your questions were answered in this chapter, and that the rest will soon be answered in the chapters to come! Thank you so much for your review!
gammathetaalpha: Thank you very much! More Hulk to come!
Writer-at-Heart0: Thanks!
icotnoir: Yassss! Thank you so much! He's a blast to write.
Kirby Lane: Ahhh thank you! I am such a sucker for the Avengers being protective of Peter. Thank you SO much for your remarks on the transition scene with the rescuers coming in! I'm really glad you enjoyed it! I hope you liked this chapter too!
WeirdWarrior: Hi! So yeah, the focus is mostly on Peter but does venture off quite a bit to the other characters. There is definitely some Bruce/Natasha moments coming up soon! Hope you'll enjoy!
PippinStrange: GUUUURL YOU'RE THE BEST! LOVE YOU!
EleanorGardner: Canada! So neat! Sometimes I wish I was Canadian instead of American. lol. So glad you're enjoying!
Leiah Cloud: I love big bro Bucky too! And Clint! Yeah, poor guy has seen some stuff, but at least he has his coping mechanisms. Enjoy that wine, gurl! I'll have a new chapter soon, I promise! And Finland! Yes! Amazing! Can't believe it's already snowing!
AllShallFade777: DUDE! Thank you for all your reviews on my fics the past few days! They were such a delight!
Linkstar90: England! Wow! and thank you so much!
YOU GUYS DON'T WORRY! After this, there will be a few chapters of recovery and wind down and fluff, and a killer end credits scene. And two more fics to follow! This isn't the end!
COMING SOON:
Chapter Seventeen: Riders in the Sky PART TWO
The remaining Avengers come in to play as the battle escalates into one big showdown! Will all the Avengers survive? Does Korg return? What happened to Wanda? Will the Dravec be victorious? Find out who makes it and who doesn't in part two of the climactic final battle!