BlackHill | If only

Chapter 20

Natasha's POV:

I had never seen anything like this before, thousands upon thousands of Thanos' army were squirming at the gate. Attempting to squeeze themselves through the Wakandan barrier.

I felt my entire body shake with fear as we prepared for battle along the field. It didn't seem like there was enough of us to survive this mass destruction.

I glanced over at Ria and she sent me a look of reassurance. Her gaze instantly calmed my nerves and I managed to turn my focus back on the chaos before me. We had to hold them off for as long as possible until Wanda could destroy the stone.

The gate suddenly flew open, just a small section, but enough to release the hoards of chitauri on us.

Steve and T'challa charged out ahead in a frantic sprint. I ran after them, heading into the mass. The sound of my heart became my lifeline. My blood now rushing around my body becoming a river of adrenaline.

The first kill was easy, one shot from my bites and it fell down right before me. Another came striding towards me. This time wasn't so easy, but nonetheless, it still fell to the ground with a thud.

It felt endless, the monotonous killing, just one after the other, piling up in a trail of death. Every so often I tried to find Ria. I kept looking up, hoping to see her alive and fighting.

But every time she was never there.

After some time a voice crackled in my ear. Steve was trying to contact us on comms but his voice kept cutting out. I had to pause for a moment, only to hear, "Thanos......Vision.... come quickly".

I turned on my heel and sprinted in the direction of the lab. Just praying that Wanda could complete the mission.

My breaths were now coming out ragged and shallow, every inhalation a trial. As soon as Steve appeared in my sight I slowed myself down. Taking in as much oxygen as humanly possible. "What's going on Steve?"

"I think Thanos got to Vision."

As he spoke, the ground instantaneously shook with vigour. I felt a coldness all around me, raising the hairs on my skin. Steve's face dropped and a look of pure terror reflected in his eyes.

I tried to contain the shake in my voice as I spoke, "What the hell was that?" Steve's expression turned cold, "He's here".

We both ran in the direction of where the sound came from. Through what felt like endless amounts of trees and foliage. Until we came to a clearing, pure shock struck my body and I could no longer move as I took in the scene before us.

Vision lay unmoving, grey and lifeless. His body curled up and static next to Wanda. Her face was one of pure agony, tears streaked across her face like rivers of anguish.

Thanos stood over her crumpled figure, his hulking body towering over us all. My gaze was drawn to the golden gauntlet adorning his fist. Now complete with all six infinity stones, each one a flickering reminder of the battle lost.

He only spoke three words before the unthinkable happened.

"I am inevitable".

A flash of blinding light emanated all around us as Thanos raised the gauntlet and snapped his fingers.

My heart dropped as I realised what he had just done. Half the population. Gone.

Thanos disappeared into a void before any of us could retaliate. What good would it do now anyway? My hearing became muffled and I felt paralysed as pure shock descended over my body.

Even Steve screaming was only an echo in my mind, "BUCKY!?..... SAM!?"

A movement from the forest revealed Sam running into the clearing, shaking me from my stupor. "Steve, Nat, what's going on?" There was a moment of silence as I looked down at Sam's hands.

He was turning to ash before my eyes, floating into nothingness. It consumed his entire body until not a thing remained where he stood. Only an empty void.

Steve began to shout again "Sam!!!.... SAM!!!" I turned to where Wanda was sitting, only to see dust floating towards the sky over Vision's body.

My heart dropped even further as I realised who I hadn't seen throughout the entire battle. That's when I began to scream.

"RIA!!!"........"YELENA!?"..... "WHERE ARE YOU?!"........ "RIA?!!!"

My voice became hoarse as I continued to scream, I began to run through the forest, searching for any sign of life. I was so preoccupied with my search I collided with someone running towards me.

I looked up and relief spread through my body. "Oh my god. Yelena. You're ok".

She wrapped me in a hug, "Nat, I was looking for you everywhere I thought you had disappeared. Like the others".

"I pulled away slightly, "Have you seen Ria?" Yelena's face dropped and she shook her head. Only leading me to think the worst.

Yelena spoke again, sounding slightly off, "Nat... I don't feel so good".

Yelena was staring down at her hands, now dissolving into ash. It began to travel up her body, claiming her arms.

I pulled her into a hug, squeezing her tightly, tears now running down my face. "Please don't leave me". I shut my eyes as I felt the pressure release from my arms.

When I finally opened them, Yelena was gone. All existence of her now in the abyss.

I fell to the floor, unable to contain the agony wracking through my body. The tears flowed freely now. Falling to the ground in pools of torment. Knowing I'd probably lost the two people I cared about most in a matter of seconds.

I felt arms wrap around me, a scent so ingrained in my brain now filling my nose. I looked up to see Ria knelt beside me.

Her arms enveloping me in her body, "I'm so sorry Nat".