Flame

Chapter 35

Natasha with her escrima sticks and Okoye with her augmented spear have drifted together when they're suddenly in the path of a ship thing. We all cringe at the though of seemingly inevitable shredding when Wanda lands in front of us eyes glowing red, lifting the whole Thresher well clear of the ground. "Why was she up there all this time?" Okoye asks us

"Guys, we got a Vision situation here" Sam calls out

"Somebody get to Vision!" Steve orders

" I got him!" Bruce says

"On my way." Wanda adds as I see the child of Thanos approach her and is clobbered by the pommel and rolls down into the large ditch from the Thresher before she can move

"He'll die alone. As will you." The creature hisses at Wanda as the three of us crept up behind her

"Oh honey She's not alone. But you are and you'll soon wish you weren't" I hiss as I light my hands on fire as Okoye silently brandishes her spear on the other side of the creature and nods at me and Nat

The creature leaps for Nat, who has joined her sticks into a full staff, She blocks Proxima's blow with an electrical crackle while Okoye runs around the slope to also attack from the front and I leap over and burn the side of the creature. The creature alternates heavy blows between me, Nat and Okoye but all four of us duck as a single-wheel Thresher tears overhead, the ditch sparing them most of the danger from the wheel-blades. The creature uses the distraction to kick Nat in the face, sending her to the ground and then grabs Okoye by the shoulder and weapon and throws her meters away before grabbing my arm and twisting it and kicking me down

Nat splits her staff back into a pair of sticks to block the creatures swords, and finally knocks it from her hand. The alien takes to her bare fists instead, knocks down and pins the Nat before she triggers an arm-blade from her left-arm armor, and stabs at Nat, who barely manages to block the blade with her crossed sticks. As the edge starts to dig into Nats neck anyway, scarlet energy grabs the alien and tosses her into the air right into the path of another passing Thresher. Dark blue blood spatters on us below as I manage to sit up and Wanda sits up, sighing with relief, her hands still shimmering

"That was really gross" Nat mutters

"Come on we need to get to vision" I say as I help her up

"Everyone, on my position. We have incoming." Steve says I join him along with Nat, Falcon, Okoye and the Black Panther

"What the hell?" I mutter as the wind starts to pick up and I see the blue-black clouds of a Space Stone relocation just before it guessing Thanos steps forward. "Cap. That's him." Bruce says

"Eyes up. Stay sharp." Steve orders

Bruce reaches Thanos first, lunging forward fist-first - but Thanos uses the Space Stone on him, renders him immaterial until the Hulkbuster is half-buried in the stone of the cliff behind him, and freezes Bruce in place. Steve is then is sent flying by purple energy before he even gets to strike a single blow. The Black Panther, armor fully charged kinetically, leaps high and with claws extended, but is easily grabbed by the throat and punched to the ground, his armor discharging violently. Falcon stoops, strafing with both Steyr pistols, but is felled when his wings become rubbery and unable to sustain flight. I aim a load of daggers at the guy and as I run forward I'm pulled downwards by tree roots and pulled downwards.

War Machine joins the fight, firing his guns at Thanos until he uses the gauntlet to crush his armor around him and toss him aside. Barnes runs in firing, and is punched away by the Power Stone.Okoye activates the vibranium-powered elements on her spear and flings it; Power stops it inches from Thanos, and throws her and it aside while wrapping Nat in unescapable bands of earth. Groot stabs his hands into the ground to wrap Thanos in cables of roots, which he breaks easily.

Steve slides under one blow and comes up swinging his deployed arm-shields, punching Thanos in the gut and chin. He grabs the gauntlet, keeping Thanos's fingers unclenched and he looks very briefly impressed at Steve' efforts as he screams before slamming a fist into his head and rendering him insensible

I manage to break free as I see Thor raise Stormbreaker above his head and hurls it -- Thanos fires the whole might of the gauntlet against it, but it only creates a rainbow-like bowshock, not slowing the axe as it slams right into Thanos' chest

"I told you. You'd die for that!" Thor says as he takes hold of the back of Thanos's head and forces Stormbreaker deeper into his chest, staring angrily into his eyes while Thanos cries out in pain

"You should have... You...You should have gone for the head!"Thanks says as he raises his gauntlet and snaps his fingers before disappearing

Steve stumbles into the clearing, holding his left side "Where'd he go? Thor... where'd he go?" Steve asks coming beside me

"Steve?" Barnes ask as I look over and he suddenly stumbles over, and collapses into ashes, much to Steve's shock; he walks over and touches the ground where Bucky's ashes evaporated unbelievingly

"What is this? What the hell is happening?" Rhodey asks as he comes over

"Oh, God."