Avengers: Aftermath [INFINITY WAR SPOILERS]

Shuri

I lay at the edge of the waterfall, a man's hand holding tightly around my throat. Water is rushing over my face, into my eyes and up my nose.

"Do you yield?" He screams at me.
My senses are blurring, noises and light going in and out of focus. Red surrounds everything I see. If I️ pass out, I'll go over, and Wakanda will be left to this man.

"No!" I choke out.

Your tech will not save you. You are not fit to rule Wakanda. Do you yield?" He yells again.

I hear what's left of my people screaming for me. I hear Okoye and Nakia shouting at me. I can't believe I'm going to let them down.

I hear a voice so familiar, yet completely out of place. I look up. T'Challa is standing above me in his Black Panther suit.

"Show him who you are, Shuri. Show him you are the true Queen of Wakanda. Don't let him forget who your big brother is. Don't let him forget that you are powerful." He smiles at me, caresses my face. Like that, he's gone again.

He's given me what I need to win.

"Do you yield?"

"NEVER!" I scream. I peel his hand off my throat, use my arms to anchor me and use my legs to get under him and kick him to the side of me. He rolls over, almost to the edge. I grab my previously discarded spear, run over to him and stab the spear into his left hand, holding him in place.

"Yield!" I cry.

He grimaces and shakes his head.

I twist it deeper into his skin. He screams.

"For your own sake, do you yield?"

"No."

I pull the spearhead free of his hand and slash it across his chest, holding the tip against his throat.

"One last time, or I will kill you. Do. You. Yield?"

He pauses, shaking with pain.

Finally, he lets out a quiet and shame-ridden, "Yes."

I back away and drop my weapon. Cautiously, I ️ help him to his feet and guide him over to the rocks, where his tribe members are. Then I ️walk back to the center of the rushing pool. Someone places a necklace made of beads and claws around my neck.

Okoye shouts, "Queen Shuri, The Black Panther!"

I step forward and salute.

"WAKANDA FOREVER!"

Everyone salutes and chants.

I smile. I've won, brother. I hope you're watching.

******

I lay in a carefully dug pit of red sand, my arms crossed over my chest. Someone kneels by my side, holding a bowl full of purple nectar. I gulp it down, grumbling in pain as it surges through my veins. I take several deep breaths to put myself at ease. People around me, less than usual, swiftly bury me completely in the red sand. I feel it fall over me, my eyes shut tight.

Soon, I'm in complete darkness. I sit myself up and open my eyes, the gentle African breeze sweeping my braids side to side against my back. Looking around, I stand up and take in my surroundings. In front of me is a tree full of panthers. They stare at me, but not like predators would at prey. Like forefathers at their offspring. That's who they are after all. All the past Kings and Black Panthers. One hops down from its perch in the tree. It approaches me, changing into my father.