The very fabric of the universe was twisting and stretching, until a rip was torn through existence. The rift pulsed with dark energy. And then a girl fell through.
"What's happening?" the girl spoke with an Irish lilt.
"That, my dear Valkyrie, is…" the tall man trailed off uncertainly. Valkyrie scoffed.
"You don't know do you, Skulduggery?" Skulduggery huffed.
"Of course I do, it's just -" A scream interrupted him. "Valkyrie!" he shouted, lunging for her hand, just as she disappeared into the rift in space-time. He stumbled through empty air. The rift was gone. And so was Valkyrie.
The Avengers were lounging around in the common room, when suddenly an alarm started blaring.
"JARVIS, what is it?" Tony asked lazily.
"There appears to be an unauthorised person in your workshop," JARVIS replied.
"Right," he said, suddenly focused. "Cap and Nat, you go in front. Try to reason with them, or at least get their intentions. Legolas, you wait in the vents. The rest of us will suit up and wait outside in case of an attack."
"On it." Clint replied.
Valkyrie dropped to the floor of the room she was in. Quickly and efficiently, she analysed the room. No attackers, seems to be a workshop of sorts, she thought. Reading the air, Valkyrie quickly ascertained that there was an individual in the vents above her, preparing to jump down, and five others creeping towards the doorway. She immediately got into a defensive stance, just as the first two walked in, in casual clothes.
Steve Rogers walked into Tony's workshop with Natasha by his side. He could feel her tense beside him, even though she feigned nonchalance.
"Who are you, and what are you doing here?" he asked, in a commanding voice.
He saw Natasha freeze beside him, and felt his own shock. The 'intruder' was just a girl, barely even fifteen.
"That's what I'd like to know!" she replied defiantly, in an Irish lilt.
"What are your intentions?" the other woman asked.
Valkyrie frowned. "My only intention is to get out of here, so if you could please point me in the direction of the nearest shunter, I'll be on my way."
"I'm afraid we can't let you do that just yet-" the man cut off as her foot hit him in the stomach. He was much stronger and quicker that anyone should be, but eventually she had him in a headlock.
"Don't come any closer," she hissed at Natasha.
"How did you do that?" Natasha responded, white as a sheet. "He's a supersoldier, how did you do that?"
Valkyrie blinked. "No wonder he was so hard to take down. But I've fought worse."
Natasha snorted. "Worse than a supersoldier? Yeah, sure."
Valkyrie scoffed. "I've fought literal gods – two of them – and I've fought and survived Lord Vile."
"Who's Lord Vile?" Natasha said, confused.
"What the hell?! Everyone knows Lord Vile!" Valkyrie said, incredulous.
"I think we have to have a conversation…"