At Sam's whisper, Clint followed the man's gaze.
"Well, shit. That makes getting them out there kinda difficult..." The Archer mumbled, following them with his eyes. There were too many guards following them. "Oh wait- i got an idea- Sam, can i leave you alone here? I need to get a good disguise..." Without really waiting for an answer, Clint hurriedly sneaked down towards the path, behind the last guard. Silently he took the man out and quickly changed into his armor, hiding bow and quiver underneath it. He even wore the helmet (even though he hated helmets) to not get unmasked too early. He then followed the others into the town. When he passed the gates, he looked around, trying to find Wanda and Sharon even though he knew it was in vain, since every sane human would have hid in this situation. Since he didn't find them (obviously), he tried something that felt weird to him, not being used to it. 'Wanda? Uhm, no idea how this works, but can you hear me? Would be nice and really helpful...'
"You alone can't do anything against Stane, Prince Antony. We need to leave, unless you want to die, because that's undoubtedly the reason Stane wants you to come to him." Thor continued to walk, pulling the Prince with him through the tunnel.
"You think I don't know that?" Tony tried to fight his way out of Thor's hand.
"Tony…" came a voice that made the Prince freeze as he looked over his shoulder.
"Where are you going?" Stane was there, in his full, big armor. If Stark remembers right, it was magic proof and lighter than it looked.
"We're about to have guests… Be a good boy and meet with them."
"Calm down Steve…" James managed a smile on his face.
"I'm not… dying 'till… I get the bastard…" a humorless chuckle escaped him.
This was a hopeless situation, but he was so amused. Maybe it was because to him it felt familiar. Could be Steve's worry. He honestly didn't know…
"I am calm. It's just...two things. You're too calm, and this reminds me of too many situations from back then..." Steve mumbled lowly, then sighed. At least there are no civilians..."
"Silence!" the Red Skull hissed and pulled on the chains.
"Behold! Your precious city!" Schmidt grinned as the two looked at the burning remains.
"…Bravo… you didn't… do much of anything…" James' remark earned him yet another crack of the whip.
"Now then… shall we proceed with the execution?" Johan grinned and dismounted his horse.
"…no one's… watching genius…" Barnes coughed up some more blood.
"Oh worry not. I have my means," the Skull smirked and grabbed the assassin by his hair.
"I am honestly starting to rethink about keeping you as a slave… perhaps you'd do better as a pet," he forced the Winter Soldier's head up and down, until a small, fat man came forth.
"Is it time my lord?" the small man asked.
"Yes Zola it is…" Skull grinned and took a cloth Arnim had on him to tie it around Bucky's mouth.
"What do you think Zola? All it's missing is a dog collar," kneeing James in the stomach, the assassin groaned and would have fallen to his knees if Schmidt didn't have a hold on his head.
"You're a bastard, Skull" Steve hissed, glaring at both men. "An inhuman monster." He was struggling against his chains again, blood slowly flowing down his hands. The urge to punch Skull directly into the face was getting stronger, barely bearable.
"What-?" before Sam could actually know what was happening, Barton was already gone and he was left there, alone. He bit his lip and closed his eyes tight.
"I said I'd never use it again…" he told himself, but it didn't work.
"Damn," he hissed and rushed away and towards what was left of their Rebellion camp.
Quickly searching around, he found the spot. Moving away the earth around there, he felt the metal plates and dug under until he was able to take the metal lid off.
"…Sorry, Riley, I need to do this," he whispered and took out the package from under the lid.
'Barton?' Wanda blinked in surprise as she heard the archer.
'How did you? Why are you here? What's happening?' she quickly asked, with Sharon making sure there wasn't anyone around who could find them.
"This isn't good… no in the slightest…" Carter muttered.
"Then it is true… The Red is on the move…" Sif closed her eyes for a second.
"Yes, and I need Loki. Now," Romanoff insisted.
"…You do realize what you're asking…" Fandral wanted to be sure.
"He could turn on you… Kill you…" Hugan added.
"He is more powerful than you seem to give him credit," Volstagg swallowed.
"I'm aware of that!" the Widow yelled.
"But there is no other choice! I'm trying to save lives here! Trying to save the Kingdome! I don't care if you live here for the rest of your lives, but I'm not going to stand back and watch as the Red takes over and destroys everything!"
The four were silent as they listened to her. In the end, Sif took a step forward.
"You are correct… We have been hiding away for too long…" she turned to the three.
"We shall fight with you," putting her arm across her chest, Sif nodded.
"Good," Natasha was relived but kept it serious.
"Now, where is he?" the three males motioned to follow.
As she did, they lead her not too far away and before a cave, which had smoke coming out of it.
"Right here…" they nodded towards the entrance.
"Okay…" she nodded back. "You go on ahead. They need all the help they can get," she told before stepping into the cave, instantly feeling warm.
'Wow! It works! Cool!' For a moment Clint got a bit excited, before he got serious again. 'I uhm...tried just something? And Natasha said i should get Barnes and Rogers if possible. Currently I'm the last /soldier/ who entered the town. Sam is...i don't know. I left him at the edge of the forest, just before the gates. Where are you? Are you okay?'
"Hey you!" Someone spoke to Barton, who got out of his thoughts and saluted out of reflex. "Yes sir?" - He was fortunate enough to have thought about changing his voice before he answered.
"Take two other men and search through that alleyway. If anybody is still here, i want them dead."
"Understood sir." Clint saluted again and pointed to two other soldiers, gesturing them to follow.
'They are searching through the town. You better be in this alley, or you will have serious problems' He warned Wanda, walking in front of the other two soldiers, entering the first house to their right.
Thor couldn't do anything. He knew that armor, it was magic-prove. The mage clenched his teeth. He did not know what to do...
Attacking was not an option, obviously. He lowered his head and quietly mumbled some spells - he needed every bit of help he could get, so he used his magic to enhance his strength and speed.
Then he grabbed Antony, threw him over his shoulder, and ran, following the tunnel again. After he put some distance between himself and Stane, he spoke another spell, letting the tunnel behind them explode.
Working so much magic was exhausting, so he soon stopped and set the Prince down, catching his breath and fighting the headache. "We need to follow this tunnel until we arrive in the mountains."
"Wanda?" Sharon heard footsteps and wanted to see if she had support.
"It's Barton…" Maximoff quickly said.
"What?"
"Just – be ready. Two guards are with him."
"Okay, haven't tried this in a long time…" Sam mumbled and put something on his back.
"God, I hope I still know how to fly this thing…" he swallowed and pulled two strings while spreading his arms as a pair of wings opened from his back.
"So far so good," he grinned, looking over the edge of the boulder he was standing on. He could see the city right below.
"No! I'm sick of running!" Tony called fire in his eyes.
"I'm not getting you or Pepper killed because Stane wants me!" Stark knew those magic attacks Thor set wouldn't hold the man for long.
"Just – get her out of here! Make sure the people are safe. I can handle Stane!" and without much thought, Tony took the opportunity that the wizard was taking a moment, to run away and towards his 'uncle'.
"Stane!" he called, seeing as the old man has made his way past the destroyed tunnel.
"You wanted me? Well here I am!"
'Okay, Nat, stay calm…' she told herself, moving slowly and carefully in the darkness.
"Who goes there?" came a low, strong and inhuman voice.
"Natasha Romanoff. I need your help," she spoke back.
"The Black Widow…" it came again and the assassin heard something scratching the stone.
"What do you have to offer to the Great Loki?" in the following moment, she could see a large, green dragon head right before her eyes.
"Name your price."
Clint and the other two soldiers had divided when they had entered the house. The archer waited for a moment, acting as if he really was looking, before they reunited.
"Nothing."
"I didn't found anything, either..."
Clint nodded at their answers. "Same here...good. Upstairs then. I've got a feeling that something's there." The soldiers nodded and started walking. When the first of them was walking the creaking stairs upwards, Clint walked behind the second one and with one grip head him in a headlock, holding his mouth shut to keep him silent, and only let go when he fell unconscious. 'Could you take out the other one?' He asked Wanda meanwhile, seeing as the soldier was already upstairs.
Before Wanda could even warn her friend, Sharon swung her sword as she was hiding and cut the guard down, making him roll down and crash.
"So, what now?" Carter smiled and looked at her friend.
Wanda wanted to speak when she sensed something in the back of her head. Or more accurate, many things. Her power had recharged allowing her to do so.
"Rogers and Barnes… They're here… they're in danger…" her eyes were glowing as she spoke.
"Sam… he's near… right under us. No… above…" she didn't really have full control over what and when she sensed it.
"And… there is a great power coming…" as the light died down, Scarlet started panting.
"Hey, easy…" Sharon was by her side in moments.
Before Thor could say anything against the young Prince, he had already vanished, and Thor clenched his teeth. "Foolish, Prince Antony. Foolish and dumb. You're getting yourself killed, and i can't do anything against it - forgive me Lord Stark for not being able to protect your son." He looked back into the tunnel, before leaving it, with Pepper on his back. He then went to the cave-system, trying to find Jane.
"Thank you Captain, I take much pride in that," Skull smirked and released James, finally allowing him to fall to the ground.
"But worry not. You won't be here much longer. You won't have to see what I do to your dear friend," Red smirked and turned to Zola, completely ignoring the man at his feet.
"Now, prepare it. I want the whole Kingdome to bear witness to this," with a quick nod, Zola took rushed over to a stand which was still relatively whole and opened his bag. From it, he pulled a crystal, about the size of a bowl and set it on the wood. Chanting a few words and tossing some magic dust in the mix, the crystal glowed blue.
"All is set my lord. Everyone in the Kingdome shall receive your message."
James entered a coughing fit and tried to move as best he could, but it only looked like he was crawling into himself. His eyes were going from blurred to dark and slowly closing. The blood loss, infection and other wounds were starting to take its toll on him.
'Shit… I… can't… not yet…' he said to himself.
Steve's struggling intensified. "Buck! Hey Buck, don't sleep now! Don't die on me!" He didn't really care about this Zola or Skull anymore, instead sort of crawling closer to his (dying) best friend.
'Okay, here we go!' Sam called in his head, jumping off the bounder, holding his breath and spreading the wings. As they caught air, they forced him up and above the forest.
"Yeah!" he cheered, amazed it worked.
He was gliding his way towards the city and saw some figures moving around, but he couldn't really tell one from another so he kept flying around. And that's when he saw it. On the top of the hill. He couldn't help but smile as the army from the front lines arrived.
"Alright men!" Rhodes called, leading the charge.
"We swore an oath! To always fight for our Kingdome. So today, we fight to save it! From the Red and from Stane! Do not fear and do not falter! When you see an enemy, attack!" and with those words, the others cheered before the rode towards the city.