Little Tsu: Ok so um...blah blah blah...here's the next chap.

Ch: 8

"What the hell is happening up there?"

Alister didn't bother answering Clint's question since she knew he already had a pretty good guess. Instead, the expression she had once held upon her features a moment ago were no longer present as if they had never been there in the first place. Lifting her piercing gaze towards the ceiling, she remained silent for a moment longer before finally bringing her gaze over towards the male that was standing outside of the prison. "Clint...Open the door. I can help you; please."

Hearing her speak, Clint jerked his gaze quickly onto her as if he was in a hurry, which quite frankly, he was. Narrowing his eyes slightly in thought, he battled with his duty towards S.H.I.E.L.D and his still remaining care towards the female before him. When another crash was heard above along with blasts and explosions, he snapped out of it and rushed off towards the elevator. "Sorry Alister, but I can't do that. Now I have another invasion to take care of with the rest of the Avengers." With that, he was gone despite Alister's desperate cries for him to free her.

Upon arriving above ground and outside into the streets, his eyes instantly laid themselves on the destruction that was already present. Just months ago, New York had been attacked by Loki and the Chitauri and they had only recently recovered in repairs from said attack. Now the destruction from a completely different race was happening. It was like the Earth had a huge red target painted on it, telling evil aliens to just come and invade them!

Clenching his teeth slightly in frustration, he quickly activated one of his arrows and equiped it to his recurve bow before pulling back on the string and aimming for a lizard man in the distance that was trying to corner a young woman and her child. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he released the string and let the arrow fly as it hit its mark; immediately electricuting the Sssth as it collapsed to the ground in a heap. Watching the two civillians get to safety, Clint quickly took off to aid the others. As he did though, he failed to realize that piercing crimson eyes were watching him from a distance and out of his impressive sights.

Spotting Tony in his Iron Man suit flying through the air and releasing blasts of concentrated energy at the lizardmen that were climbing up the sides of some of the buildings, he also caught sight of the Hulk leaping through the air as he pushed off the side of one building and sailed across the streets as he pile drove one of the enemies that had actually leaped off a roof in an attempt to take Tony by surprise from above; a jagged sword in hand.

"Clint! A little help over here!"

Snapping his gaze further down the street, he spotted both Natasha and Steve on the ground as they were trying to fight off the streams of Sssth that were actually becoming a bit overwhelming for them. Narrowing his eyes, Clint quickly grabbed another arrow and cocked it in place as he brought the string back, aimming carefully. "Get out of there you two!" Just as he said this, Clint released the arrow and hit one of the aliens. However, the moment it did, the Sssth actually exploded, taking out the surroundings with it within a twenty foot diameter. Natasha and Steve had managed to get out of the crosshairs of the explosion, but the other Sssth that had been within range of the blast hadn't been so lucky.

Running over to his teammates, he was met with an irritated look from the one that was called 'Black Window'. "What took you?! Actually, where the hell were you?!"

"Uh excuse me. You two can have your lovers quarrel later when we aren't in the middle of an invasion of 'Attack of the Lizard People'!" Tony then grumbled over the comlink about it being too early in the morning for any of this crap.

"The Man of Iron is correct my friends. We can discuss matters after the battle has been won. For now we must focus on the Sssth for they are a very formitible race to do battle against." Thor honstly seemed on edge when he had landed next to his friends. Not that anyone could really blame him. From what they had been told of this enemy race, even Thor had been defeated by them at one point by the one who had been Sssthgar at the time. If this new Sssthgar was a decendant of that one, who knew how dangerous the current leader was.

As the battle raged on though, it seemed as if there was just no end in sight. The enemy just kept coming and there were a few times where they were even overpowered before they somehow managed to get out of the mess they got themselves into for the time being. However, just when the Sssth army was beginning to dewindle in size and slow down, Clint had made to reach for another arrow when he found that he had none left in his quiver. Cursing under his breath, at this, he lashed out at a Sssth that was closing in on him with his bow as he hit him across the face. He then took that chance to slip the head into his bow and pulled back on the ends as he sliced the string into the Sssth's neck; strangling him.

Unfortunately, when the body collapsed, he didn't have enough time to counter as Clint was suddenly sent flying and smashing against a building across the street. Groaning softly in pain, he slowly picked himself up from the ground and saw a Sssth in a completely different attire stalking towards him while grasping a trident tightly in his claws. This must be the Sssthgar that he was told about. Tightening his grip on his recurve bow in realization of this, he quickly managed to block this time as the much taller creature lashed out with his own weapon, but then hissed as he took advantage of this and struck out with his tail; hitting Clint in the face.

Hitting the ground again, he dragged himself up onto his hands and knees before suddenly being grasped from behind and yanked up roughly. "You filthy Midgardian wretch...You wreak of Aasterinian. You have her scent all over you!"

'What?...This thing knew Alister personally?' It was then that it hit him and anger suddenly boiled deep within him. This was the asshole that had threatened Alister and did that damage to her a few days ago in the Amazon! "You...You're the one that attacked Alister, aren't you?"

Blinking his crimson eyes slightly at this, the Sssthgar then tossed his head back and cackled before slamming Clint into the windshield of a nearby totaled car. "So what if I am? You can't do anything about it. You are weak compared to me!"

As all this was happening, Alister could hear all the destruction and chaos above her. However, that wasn't what had her so unsettled. Oh no...What had her so restless was that she could feel that Clint was in trouble. She abruptly halted her panicked pacing as a strong, painful pulse erupted in her chest though, as she felt his pain. Eyes widening, her pupils immediately shrank to near nothing and a loud, desperate cry suddenly released from her parted lips; her eyes clenching tightly shut now as a bright light erupted out of her and the chamber around her completely shattered.

Back above ground, Clint was cringing as he gripped at his shoulder where he had been stabbed. Glaring up at the Sssthgar through his pain, the trident's razor sharp, jagged prongs dripped with blood. Watching as the weapon was raised to deal a blow that would this time no doubt be fatal, his eyes widened as a blur suddenly rushed through the air and smashed into the Sssthgar; sending him flying and crashing along the broken up concrete street in the distance. Landing between them, tail lashing behind the figure in fury, Clint was shocked at who it was. "A-Alister...? What...?"

Standing before him with fangs bared murderously, Alister stood there in her truest form. A semi large dragon with gleaming white scales with teal plates down the side of her legs, chest, and stomach, along with the teal plates on her horns, wings, and tail that were apparent in her humanoid form. Amethyst gems were on the shoulders of her front legs, two on the top of her rear legs, and a smaller one in the center of her forehead. Her semi long muzzle was slightly narrow as a snarl was visible currently; baring gleaming, razor sharp fangs. To finish her look, lavender spikes that matched the color of her wings' membrane rand down from the back of her skull all the way down to her triple axe tipped tail; the spikes ranging in a wave-like fashion from small, to medium and large, to small again. Apparently, in her Illusion 'magic' being finally forced awake from its dormancy by the pain she had felt Clint was in, her truest form had also been unlocked...

Growling at the Sssthgar as he pulled himself back up onto his feet, Alister released a snarl-like roar as she spoke telepathically; her voice sounding doubled to those around her. "You! How dare you harm Clint! I will kill you!"

The Sssthgar was actually a bit surprised by the form the girl had taken on, but then he wiped away the blood that trickled from the side of his head as he narrowed his eyes darkly; his reptilian tongue flicking out. "Well, isn't this an interesting sight. I never knew your kind had such a form. However, you'd do well to not kill me Aasterinian. You try it and you can kiss the antidote goodbye because I'll smash it!" Knowing that she was gonna demand what he was talking about, he silently brought his gaze to behind the dragon and over to the human she was trying to protect as Clint suddenly collapsed to his knees in pain. "My trident is laced with poison. At best, he has only a few hours to live if he isn't given the antidote, which I happen to have in my possession right now."

Jerking her head around as she angled her semi long neck to look at Clint behind her, her eyes widened in worry and panic suddenly at the sight of the pain he was in. The fact that she could mentally feel his pain made it all the worse as she let out a slightly frightened, crying roar to him.

"I can give him the antidote if you'd like...But it comes at a price."

"Don't l-listen to him Alister! I-It's a trick!"

"Foolish primate. You know nothing!" Hissing ferally at Clint, he brought his piercing gaze back onto Alister as she suddenly reverted back to her humanoid form in a slight flash of light that had engulfed her. "I will be pulling my army back for the time being so that those left can recover. Come with me willingly Aasterinian and I'll give your disgusting...'human'...the antidote he needs to live...Deny and I'll let him die and take you with me by force regardless."

Alister was silent for a moment on this, but then tilted her head down sadly as she drifted her gaze onto Clint. He held a look of pleading in his pained gaze towards her as if begging her not to do as he said. Begging her not to go with the enemy. Biting her bottom lip to fight back the tears that threatened to appear, she finally nodded her head. "Please...Give Clint the antidote...I will go with you without a struggle...I will not fight back..."

"A-Alister, no!"

At hearing this, a malicious grin found its way onto the Sssthgar's features before he pulled out the antidote and slipped it into a tranq gun. "That's a good girl. Wise decision..." Taking aim, he fired and the needle-like end stabbed into Clint's arm like a tranqualizer dart and the antidote slipped into his blood stream. Though the antidote was doing its job, he knew the human would not beable to recover quickly enough to try and stop them. Slipping the gun back against his belt, he turned around and headed off as he called for a temporary retreat to his remaining forces. "Come along now Aasterinian...We're leaving for the time being..." With that, the Sssthgar suddenly vanished.

Alister hesitated for a moment, but then made to turn around to follow. However, the weakened call of her name halted her as she glanced behind herself at Clint once more. Seeing the expression in his ice blue eyes, her own softened sadly before she turned around and walked over to her companion. Falling to her knees before him since he was still knelt there on the ground, she pulled the weakened man into her arms as she held him desperately, thinking this would surely be the last time she ever gets the chance. "I am so sorry Clint...For everything that has happened. If not for myself, maybe this would not have occured..." Finally pulling back, she locked her apologetic, tear filled eyes with his own hurt gaze before finally leaning in as she tenderly brushed her lips against his in a kiss.

Clint's eyes widened in shock as this happened, but before he could react to it beyond that, the kiss was broken as Alister pulled away from him all together and rose up onto her feet as she began to walk away. Feeling panic settling in his mind at watching her beginning to leave, he cried out after her in almost desperation. "Alister, come back! Don't do this! You'll be killed; don't you see that?! Alister!"

Halting one last time, the small Malakete lifted her head and glanced over her shoulder as she casted him a sad smile. "I know...But at least I have bided you and the others a bit more time to heal. Please Clint...Live..." At that last word, Alister vanished from the place where she once stood...

As the others began to arrive where Clint was left to try and help him up onto his feet so he could get tended to back at the HQ, the words the small girl had spoken to him earlier kept repeating in his head; unable to fully come to terms of what all had just happened.

"...I fell in love..."

Clenching his eyes tightly shut and his teeth together, Clint hung his head down as he struggled to keep his emotions under control while the image of her bright smiling face appeared in his mind.

'Damn it...Alister...'

To be continued.

Little Tsu: Yeahhhh...Evil. Also, I'm usually so much better & more detailed in fights...Yet this time, my mind was just...*makes a squishing sound*. I'mma 'cry' if I'm beginnin' ta lose my touch in typin' out descriptive, intense battles.q~q

Anywho, till next time...And PLEAAAASE review! I need your thoughts!