Beginning of the two part finale for Savior. Originally I was going to do a single chapter for this then another for the epilogue but I decided this was instead.

Enjoy.


Natasha had learned a long time ago how fast a situation could fall apart. It was said that on the battlefield the first casualty is often the plan. That phrase was so true that it would have been funny, if she and the others were not so close to death.

"Come on Steve, just hold on!" Natasha hissed quietly to Steve as she did her best to support the wounded super soldier. He was quite heavy in muscle mass alone but Natasha just gritted her teeth and refused to give up. He was able to walk but only barely, Natasha was supporting most of his weight so he would not fall.

She was not hurt hardly at all beyond a few scrapes and cuts. Due to her skill set, she was not in the thick of the combat like the others had been.

The captain was hurt the worst out of all of them. He had taken a beyond brutal beating and been stabbed multiple times by sharp spines. It would have been worse if Thor had not torn Steve's attacker from him.

The entire front of his uniform was shredded and covered in blood. Some of it running onto Natasha, staining her black catsuit red, but she barely noticed.

Natasha had done enough in her life to make even her death lousy penance. Not Steve though, she was going to see him survive this even if it killed her. It was the least she could do since he was hurt so badly because he shielded her.

Under normal circumstances Thor, or any of the other physically stronger Avengers, would be helping Steve. However the Asgardian was already carrying an unconscious Banner. The other two were in no condition to be helping either.

Thor was hurt almost as bad as Steve, but he was going to die before he would admit it or leave a comrade behind. There had been no telling Thor no even if the others were not as injured.

In front of their battered group was Clint. His bow had been broken a while ago along with his arm, so he ditched his quiver of arrows. Instead he was now carrying a loaded automatic rifle slung on one shoulder so he could fire from the hip. Not the best front defense but it was all he could really do with his injury.

Tony was in the back, his armor had been torn in multiple spots. Only one repulsor was functional and his power levels were dangerously low. He was told not to help with Steve or Bruce because he needed to conserve power if they were attacked again.

If they were... there was a high chance they would not survive another assault from those creatures. The things were everywhere. They were worse than cockroaches, at least insects you could stomp and kill. These things varied in size but took a lot to bring down, were covered in sharp spines and more muscular than Thor. It was them that took out Clint's arm and bow.

The smaller ones tended to move in packs like wolves. They did not have the strength or spines of the others but instead had sheer numbers and razor like claws. Tony's armor was shredded because he had been dog piled by several groups of them at once.

It was something else that got to Thor and Banner. The thing had been huge, easily fifteen foot tall with multiple arms and tentacles coming out of its back. The Hulk had tried to rush it and beat it to death but the tentacles had lashed onto him. Natasha was not sure how but it almost was as if the tentacles had sucked the life and energy right out of him. It only took less than a minute for the Hulk to revert back to Banner.

The whole time that was happening, Thor was smashing through a horde of the monsters to reach him. By the time he did, the Hulk was already gone. The Asgardian prince laid into the thing and killed it to get it to release the unconscious doctor.

While he was doing so, another equally large creature flung several spines into Thor's side moments before Stark popped it with a missile barrage.

Thor did not let the injury slow him and killed his opponent and fought on until they were clear.

Ever since this mission had started they were battling for their lives against these otherworldly monsters. They were like nothing Natasha had ever seen, even in terms of aliens. Thor had no clue what they were, which was a rarity. The Asgardian knew most of the aliens that were out there in space but these were something else.

Something far deadlier.

This entire nightmare began when SHIELD picked up a strange signal originating from a small frozen island off the coast of Greenland. The signal seemed to be a large power source of some kind. Whatever it was, it was not human made. Fearing another potential alien invasion, Fury deployed the Avengers to investigate but not to engage unless they had no choice.

The first red flag should have been the fact that the GSP and satellites had this island as a black spot on all charts. Except for the mystery signal there was nothing else coming from or going to this place.

Tony had joked the island was probably haunted or something along with a quip of whether or not this was actually the Bermuda Triangle they were being sent to. Natasha had scoffed at the very idea at the time but had quickly rescinded that opinion upon their arrival.

The moment she set foot on the dirt here something felt very wrong. It was like the air itself was not as it should be.

Had she of known then what was going to happen she would have asked Fury to send a hell of a lot more backup for the Avengers.

Shortly after the quinjet dropped them off and left, they were under attack. Dozens of these things had been on them within seconds of each other. After fighting them off, they tried to contact Fury for an update that they were compromised.

They were met with only static. Something on this island was jamming all radio signals.

They had seen what looked like a radio tower in a compound of some kind as they landed. So they had decided to make their way there to see if they could get any answers or if they could contact SHIELD.

It had been a huge mistake.

After reaching the radio tower, they found to their horror that the equipment was already demolished beyond repair. Even Tony said it was hopeless to fix.

To make matters even worse was that the base seemed to be where these things were coming from. Specifically, the subterranean part.

It was their escape from the radio tower that most of them had been injured. Dozens of the monsters, but these with wings, had ambushed them. They were the source of Steve's injury. One had swept down to attempt to snatch Natasha in its claws but Steve pushed her out of the way and took the hit instead. Like a wolf seeing wounded prey, another was upon him the moment Steve fell.

After the fliers were dealt with, the larger ones showed up to move in for what they thought was the kill. Somehow they had managed to kill them all but not without injuries among most of them.

Now they were trudging on, all but Natasha injured and partially crippled. They were dodging groups of the monsters as they went when they could.

Natasha had realized too late they were being herded. Focusing too much on Steve, she had not been paying attention, none of them were.

It was not until they walked right into its perimeter did they notice they were being led back to the compound with dozens of the things right behind them.

The Avengers attempted to run but only made it as far as the courtyard of the base when another group appeared in front of them. Followed by two more groups on their right and left.

They were completely surrounded on all sides.

On the ground, on the buildings, the creatures were everywhere Natasha looked. There was not just dozens now.

There were hundreds.

Even at full strength, Natasha was not sure this was a fight the Avengers would have been able to win. If Endymion were with them maybe they could have.

That had been another red flag in itself. Endymion had been on the quinjet with them before they arrived. He would not say why he was there but did not get off with them. As far as Natasha knew, he was still onboard somewhere way above them.

It was right as the creatures began advancing on them that Natasha saw a bright flash of light high in the sky.


"I still can't get anything." The pilot of the quinjet grumbled.

The plane's co-pilot had to resist slamming his fist on the controls. Nothing was working right. Their orders were to wait a safe distance away while the Avengers scouted the island but now they lost contact. The radio only had static, even while trying to reach SHIELD itself there was nothing.

Something on the island was jamming all signals.

A hand on the backs of their seats caught the attention of both pilots.

"Gentlemen we do not have long." That other passenger, Endymion was standing behind them. His coat removed and resting on a nearby seat. "The Avengers are running out of time."

The co-pilot was about to open his mouth to say something but the other man cut him off. "What do you need sir?"

Looking at his partner, the co-pilot wanted to ask what he was doing but he answered before the question could be voiced. "Direct order from Fury himself, if this guy gives an order, pretend it's a direct order from Fury himself."

Endymion ignored the exchange between the two pilots. "First off, remove these two rings for me please." Endymion held his hands out to the pilot, whom pulled the rings, one on each hand, off without hesitation.

"Now, you will not be able to reach SHIELD by radio for a time." Endymion began. "Wait up here until I give the signal then land for an emergency extraction." With that, Endymion turned to walk to the back of the quinjet.

"Wait a sec, what's the signal?" The pilot called back to him.

By now, Endymion was at the back of the quinjet. He had already opened the back ramp into the cold night air.

"A fireworks show," was all the odd man said before leaping from the quinjet.

"Was he wearing a parachute?" The co-pilot leaned over to the other man.

"No."


The Avengers had backed up together, forming a defensive square with Steve and Banner in the center. If these creatures wanted to get to the two injured men then they were going to have to go through the other four Avengers first.

The beasts were so numerous that it was not going to matter what defense was drummed up. They were going to be overrun within seconds.

By now, the things were packed all around them, the horde less than two dozen feet away. There were so many packed shoulder to shoulder that Natasha could not see the snow beneath them.

Just as the first group rushed forth to begin their attack, a baseball sized golden light streaked down from the sky.

The first monster was a few steps away when the light struck it and obliterated the thing. Within seconds, more lights were falling.

All around the Avengers, the lights fell. Each ball was like a grenade going off when it hit something. The monsters were being decimated by the dozen on impact.

Trying to avoid the barrage, the Avengers had clustered as tightly together as possible because they quickly realized something.

The deadly lights were avoiding them completely.

All over, the lights were falling but in a circle around where the Avengers were standing, the ground was completely untouched. The snowy ground had been vaporized into normal dry dirt, the only snow remaining was the perfect circle where the Avengers stood.

All in all, Natasha felt much like someone had called an artillery strike down right on top of their heads. Regardless, it was the only thing that saved them from being ripped apart by ravenous monsters.

When it finally ended, barely a handful of the creatures were still alive. All the dead ones were gone. Likely turned to dust by whatever it was hiting them.

Natasha thought that was it until another light came down from the sky. This one much larger than the others.

He looked every bit like a guardian angel descending from the heavens. It took Natasha a moment for it to register what she was seeing before her.

Endymion stood before them now. From his back were golden, bright translucent angel wings. In a single blink of the eye they were gone, but the man himself was still there. He was missing his normal coat but that was not that strange.

It was his eyes.

Normally they had been silver like polished jewelry, odd though that was, they were even weirder now.

His eyes were literally glowing with a pale blue light.

The view of Endymion's eyes lasted only a second for Natasha. The creatures must have sensed a new threat because they were instantly upon him.

He moved before Natasha even got the chance to blink.

Endymion was a whirlwind as he drew the short blades from their position on his back. The three smaller monsters that attacked him were dead before they could raise their claws to attack. Without even looking, Endymion ducked and drove his blades backward into the two beasts coming up behind him. Both were killed instantly.

A loud roar then sounded throughout the courtyard.

When Natasha turned toward the sound, she saw yet another creature different form the others. This one had the similar spines all over it, but this looked like a cross between a rhino and a black panther.

It was already rushing toward Endymion when Natasha's eyes caught it.

Endymion was already mid-charge when Natasha turned back to him. He sheathed his blades at his back and went in with his bare hands. Just as the brute was going to pounce on him, Endymion dropped into a kneeling position.

To Natasha's surprise, she Endymion was sliding across a patch of ice that had appeared at his feet. The man slid directly under the panther-elephant and swung his fist up at the creatures underside. A loud clap of thunder followed the blow.

Endymion rose back to his feet mid-slide and stopped. The beast behind him hit the ground with a heavy thud, a huge smoking hole blown through its body.

If Endymion was the source of the falling lights like Natasha thought, then that would mean he just decimated all of the creatures!

There had to of been hundreds of the things!

Natasha knew the man was tough, their previous battle was more than enough proof of that, but this was something else.

Endymion looked around as if searching for any other threats. Before Natasha could call him over, he suddenly appeared at their side.

Even Natasha could not help but jump in surprise.

"Captain Rogers is badly wounded but he will survive even without my help." Endymion was kneeling at Steve and Banner's sides. "As will Doctor Banner but we have more serious concerns."

"Like what?" Clint was glancing over in their direction but was surveying the area for more hostiles.

"Indeed my friend, you slew all of them." Thor sounded impressed. Hell, Natasha had to admit she was too. Not everyone was a literal one man army.

"You don't understand. They found a rip. If it is not sealed soon..." Endymion began but was cut off when the ground began to violently shake. It was so intense that most of the Avengers were thrown from their feet to the ground.

Endymion froze.

The man hissed something under his breath in a foreign language that was definitely not from anywhere on earth. "He's here."

Rising to his feet, Endymion glared ahead as the quake ceased. The look in his eyes chilled the near fearless Natasha down to her very core. If looks were able to kill, that scowl would demolish entire planets.

"What the hell was that?" Stark groaned as he climbed back to his feet.

Endymion was dead silent, scarily so.

"How many more could there be?" Natasha asked. It was a question she was not entirely sure she wanted an answer to. If Endymion's behavior was any indication, something was coming.

Something far, far worse than what they had already faced.

Endymion turned to her, his glowing eyes boring into her own. "Those several hundred demons were only the vanguard, the first wave has not even arrived yet."


Hope you all liked it. Leave a review please so I know what you all think.

Next chapter is when things get intense: He Who Brings the Shadow.