Adamantine (A Post-Black Panther Bucky Barnes Love Story)

8

Bucky's about to say something when, suddenly, I hear Michael's voice in my earpiece.

"Aurea, you need to get over here- now," Michael yells, sounding panicked.

"Michael, what's wrong?" I demand, stiffening as I get a sense that something bad is about to happen.

"Tribes from- from Chad or Nigeria or somewhere are coming. They're invading. Oh my God, Aurea, if they get here and you aren't here-"

"Michael," I snap, "pull yourself together. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I'm on my way."

With that, I end the call and turn my eyes on Bucky.

"We need to go," I say blankly. "There's an invasion."

"Great," he sighs. "Who's invading?"

"Some neighboring tribe. I don't know," I admit. When we run outside, I stop suddenly. I can sense the metal weapons getting closer.

"Aurea? What's-"

"We don't have time to go on foot," I say, dreading what's about to happen. I look at him pleadingly. "Please don't ask any questions until this is all over."

"Aurea, what are you talking about?" he asks, alarmed.

I don't answer him. At least, not directly. Instead, I pull a slab of vibranium to just below the surface of the Earth. Just high enough for mine and Bucky's feet to touch it. I hear his confused protests behind me as I make thin metal travel up our legs to our knees, and I propel the sheet of vibranium forward toward the palace.

I imagine Bucky's probably cursing up a storm, but all I hear is the wind. It only takes maybe a minute before we're there, and I release Bucky and I from the metal.

"What the hell was that?" Bucky demands as we run into the building.

"I'll explain later," is my only response. We bust into the control room, and I see Michael freaking out in the corner.

"Oh, thank God!" Michael exclaims. "Aurea, you need to take them down. You know you can. Please."

"Relax," I tell him, grabbing his shoulders. "Michael Griffin, you're an ambassador. You're representing the United States of America, and you look like you're about to start sobbing. Calm. Down. Go get a shot of vodka or something. Whatever the hell you need to pull yourself together. Let me take care of this. Got it?"

"You're right," he pants. "I'll- I'll just, uh, sit down."

"Yeah. You better," I snap. I go over to Shuri, ignoring everyone else. "How much time do I have to get to the battlefield?"

"Two minutes," she replies with a frown. "It isn't enough time."

"Yeah, you don't know me," I smirk. I pull a round, flat vibranium shield from the wall, and I have it hover. I hear Shuri shriek in shock. I jump up on it, and I look back at Bucky. He's staring at me with wide eyes. "Keep an eye on Michael for me?"

"Yeah," he breathes. "I will."

I nod my thanks and send myself through the window that overlooks the field. The glass doesn't bother me, and the metal shield melts into the ground once I've landed.

"Here we go," I mutter.

"Ms. Azar!" T'Challa yells, and I glare at him.

"No offense, Your Majesty, but shut up," I snap at him. The Dora Milaje starts to advance on me, but with a flick of my hand, their spears and weaponry fly out of their hands and zip over to me. They hover around me, and the presence of so much vibranium feels like a drug. "Let me handle this."

The advancing warriors stop a little when they see me. I smirk at their reaction.

"Open the barrier," I tell the king. He goes to protest, but one glare from me stops him. He instructs Shuri to open it, and about three hundred warriors come running in.

Not for long.

I push my hand forward, and the spears go launching through the air. They embed themselves into the front line, and the men fall over. I let the first few rows get a little closer before I close my eyes and pull up vibranium from deep inside the planet. The ground vibrates beneath my feet, until the vibranium pierces the surface. It comes up in sharp, deadly points, and they pierce through several of the men.

One man dares try to shoot at me, and I laugh and force the bullet back into him. I pull shards of metal from the Earth and use them as throwing daggers, sending them into anyone who tries to kill me.

It seems like only moments pass before I'm finally face to face with the group's leader, all the other men having either fled or died.

"Who are you?" he demands in a thick, gruff voice, and I stalk forward with a smirk on my face.

I grab ahold of the metal in his armor, and I force him closer to me.

"You want to know who I am?" I hiss in a deadly calm, quiet voice. His wide, brown eyes stare at me in total fear, and I feel a jolt of joy go through me. I love seeing my enemies afraid of me.

I pull a spear of vibranium from the ground, and it pierces through him before he can even react.

"I'm hellfire."

And I let his body fall.