Avengers: Destiny Arrives

Raging On

Shuri continued to work with Vision, though Wanda's sudden absence put her immediately on edge. Of course, she'd seen what the troops beyond the palace were facing. Some of those massive death machines would have clawed their way into the city if Wanda hadn't gone to lend a hand. Shaking off the fear, she continued her work, even as the sounds of combat emerged in the chamber beyond the lab. Too much depended on her steady hands and nerves- an entire universe.

Vision's eyes widened and he looked up at Shuri. "Your highness," he said in a somber voice. "I believe we may be at the end of the line. They've orchestrated their strategy perfectly. They knew they needed only to force our hand and we'd have no choice..."

Shuri shook her head. "We are not at the end of the line, Vision," she spoke in a sharp voice. "Your family is fighting for you right now. Refusing to give up on you. I won't either."

Vision felt a powerful stir of emotions. My Family, he thought. The words were so powerful as they rang through his head. He smiled and slowly began to rise from the table. "Princess Shuri," he said in a solemn voice. "You are brilliant. And you are brave. But my family needs me now."

At that moment, Corvus Glaive stormed into the lab, his spear dripping with blood from his assault on the palace security forces. Shuri spared a glance as members of the Dora Milaje engaged before quickly focusing on disconnecting from Vision's systems. She looked over at Vision and nodded.

"Where is the Stone-Bearer?" Corvus Glaive roared as he fought through the women.

Shuri reached for her nearby weapons- two handheld weapons resembling panther paws. She took aim at the menacing alien and fired. Sonic blasts tore across the space between them and struck him in the chest, sending him crashing against a wall. "Get out of here!" Shuri shouted over her shoulder. She turned back to Corvus Glaive and continued to assail him with sonic blasts. She approached him with every attack, hopeful that she could subdue him long enough to cover Vision's escape. The Mind Stone was the key to victory or defeat, and she would lay her life down to protect it.

Corvus Glaive snarled from the continued attacks, but then he felt a powerful force striking him from the side. Vision, now free from Shuri's equipment, charged him instead of running. He gripped Corvus Glaive by the shoulders and flew upward, their ascent sending them crashing through a nearby window as they hurtled toward the nearby mountain.

Shuri took a deep breath and spoke into the communicator. "Brother- we were attacked by the enemy. He and Vision have just flown to Mount Bashenga!"

Sam, who had just spotted the emergence of Vision and Corvus Glaive, relayed this to his team before a creature leaped into the air and snatched him from the sky.

"Someone get to Vision!" Steve shouted.

Bruce spun away from the recently destroyed Threshers. "I'll get him!" he called out before engaging the thrusters and rocketing into the sky.

Wanda, meanwhile, watched as Vision carried Corvus Glaive across the sky with a heavy heart. "I'm on my way!" she assured her team.

Proxima Midnight smiled as she sneaked up on Wanda. The witch had abandoned the Stone-Bearer, just as she'd hoped. She could easily spear the woman where she stood, but that wouldn't do. She wanted to see the despair in her face, knowing that all was truly lost. Only then would Proxima Midnight know that she'd had her revenge for their earlier battle.

Wanda cried out in pain as the butt of Proxima Midnight's spear smacked into her face. She was sent tumbling into a nearby ditch that a thresher had craved into the earth. She attempted to crawl into a standing position when a hand grabbed her shoulder and forcefully threw her onto her back. She stared up into the cruel face of Proxima Midnight, her head awash with pain.