Summers' Purpose

Chapter 69

The acrid smell of smoke hung heavily as ashes and debris filled the skies. She opened her eyes to a burning world. The fear rose from her chest and into her throat, making it harder to breathe as she looked around to see the charred and blackened remains at her feet, living and unliving. There was fire and destruction everywhere she looked. The fear now moved down into her belly, growing into something more violent—more sinister.

She closed her eyes as the sensation grew within her, making her skin prickle—the pain pulsed throughout her but it was welcomed with anticipation. Excitement. It eventually spread throughout her body and mind, until the heat was all she knew. It was her, and she was it. Together as one as anticipated by the poor souls who didn't know what they would create, what they would welcome into the world. The constant rage that burned hot from within her expanded beyond her physical body, perpetually growing as it fed off any survivors that were unfortunate enough to take another cursed breath.

She felt it in her bones—the rage of the pathetic humans as the chaos around them turned them against each other. Nations were at war, feeding the never-subsiding hunger for revenge as long as she let them. As long as she wants them to do so.

She saw some familiar faces in the middle of some rubble, She knew they would've tried to save the world as they usually did. But how could they save something that didn't want their help? How could they save something that craved its demise and ruin? Now they were equally poisoned by the heat that flowed in their veins as their desperation and good will finally rotted itself into a deep wrath. Who or what is there to avenge if nobody wants help?

She looked on as they battled among themselves, ignorant of everything else except for the person causing them pain at that moment.

Bucky finally got a hold of Steve, ripping his shield off him before he threw him to the ground. Steve, not quite enraged yet, tried to reach out to Bucky, but he knew the man in front of him wasn't his best friend anymore. Bucky pummeled into Steve, his metal hand either landing on Steve's face or cracking the ground beside him. The ferocity of his hits shocked Steve and he just managed to push Bucky off of him. He rolled away and got a hold of his shield, using it to block Bucky's hits when suddenly from the corner of his eyes he saw Tony swooping in.

His suit was looking worse for wear and his helmet was gone, revealing a disheveled Tony. That was when Steve noticedthe dangerous glint in his eyes. Before he could warn Bucky, Tony took advantage of Bucky being distracted and fired a beam at his side, throwing him some distance away from them. He continued firing relentlessly at Bucky, finishing off with missiles for good measure. Steve screamed at Tony to stop but he knew it was useless. He couldn't fight off the rage anymore and he violently flung the shield at him, watching it hit the side of Tony's head with a sickening sound before the suit eventually dropped to the ground.

Clint and Natasha were fighting to their best limits, using every dirty trick they learned from their former trade. Blows and kicks were exchanged without holding back, each one bruising and breaking bones as much as they could help it. They don't see each other in the same light as they did anymore, blinded by their desire to overcome their opponent. Clint swiped Natasha's legs to throw her down, directing heavy blows to her ribcage before he grabbed her neck and used his weight to pin her down.

Natasha gasped for breath, knowing her ribs were likely cracked from his punches. She didn't back down, but instead, she pretended to be too hurt. She needed one moment of weakness from Clint and he gave her that, realizing for a brief moment who it was he was trying to kill. She shocked his temple with her Widow's bite, pushing him off her as he struggled to compose himself. He looked up and saw Natasha rushing to him. He brandished a knife but missed her throat, jabbing it beneath her clavicle instead. Natasha screamed as she felt the blade tear into her but that didn't stop her. She climbed on his shoulders, reaching down to his neck and quickly twisted it, kicking off him as his body crumpled to the ground.