Snap. Destiny Arrives

Five minutes

"Leave." Carol said as she flew gracefully to the ground. "We left you all your transport ships, take your fighters and go." The fighters all turned to Zephin for commands but he looked as clueless as the rest of them.

"Listen to her, go." Valkyrie said. She jumped down from the pegasus to be at Carol's side. Zephin still looked unsure so Carol took a threatening step towards him.

"This isn't your home." She said sternly as he took a step back.

"We can't return to ours." He stammered.

"Your ships are fine."

"That's not what they meant, Carol." Valkyrie said.

"I don't care." Carol said with a raised voice, surprising Valkyrie. Carol turned her head towards Valkyrie and whispered in her ear.

"After what they did to you, I don't pity them." Despite her blunt words, Valkyrie couldn't help but feel a chill from Carol's breath on her skin.

Carol strolled past the fighters towards the forest for the final time.

"I hope for your sake you're not here when I get back." Carol said over her shoulder as Valkyrie followed with the pegasus at her heel.

"Where are we going?" Valkyrie asked.

"The source one last time."

***

Zayum Daeleknux lay motionless on the ground meters away from the source. His body was lifeless but far from drained. Although there was no visible energy like there had been with Carol and Valkyrie, his skin still looked a healthy colour.

"Do you think we should of let them take him?" Valkyrie asked.

"They had their chance. But I think they were too overwhelmed to think about what would happen after." Valkyrie nodded understandably.

"So what about this?" Valkyrie said, moving towards the source. It had reduced to less than half it's original size and swirled around slowly. It almost looked like it was tired.

"We need to get it away from here. It wouldn't be detectable now because it's been reduced but I want to be careful. We need to transport it back to Earth." Carol decided.

"How?"

"I don't know." She admitted. Valkyrie circled the source, examining it as much as she could.

"There has to be something else." Carol thought for a moment and hesitated before speaking.

"I can absorb it." She concluded.

"What?!" Valkyrie exclaimed before sprinting to Carol and grasping her hands.

"That's could be dangerous!" She cried desperately. "What if it kills you?"

"I don't think it will." Carol said calmly.

"Extra emphasis on the think."

"I've absorbed something a lot more powerful than that. I'm sure I can handle it. Emphasis on the sure." Valkyrie tried to think of some other argument but Carol looked so certain she was right. Before Valkyrie could say any more Carol made her way to the source.

Her walk was more confident than she felt. This isn't dangerous. She assured herself but the back of her mind was filled with 'what ifs'.

Carol tried not to focus on the rapid heart beat inside hherrrr chest and instead picture Valkyrie in her mind. She remembered how strong she was to withstand the energy when she was so weak. But Carol knew that was how she withstood it. The source had become her. It was trying to save it's host. Valkyrie was stronger and faster but she would eventually be back to her normal self whether she liked it or not.

But I'm not weak. She thought. What if it rejects me and kills me?

"Carol!" Valkyrie shouted to her. "Don't die." Carol smiled at Valkyrie before stepping into the source.

It whirled around her body in an instant and latched to her like a parasite. Valkyrie. Valkyrie. Valkyrie. Carol thought desperately as she screwed her eyes shut.

Valkyrie watched on as the energy started to grow smaller. It's working. She thought. Carol started to groan at the energy's power against her own. Valkyrie debated pulling her out but she knew Carol would be pissed.

"You got this. Just a little bit longer." Valkyrie encouraged even though she was sure Carol couldn't hear her.

Soon there was only a spark left that shot up Carol's arm as she fell to the ground. Valkyrie raced towards her and lifted Carol's face to make she was OK.

"You're amazing you know." Valkyrie said before kissing Carol on the cheek.

"I know." Carol smiled and kissed Valkyrie back. " Do you think we could have that five minutes now?" Carol asked meeting their eyes.

"I told you." Valkyrie said moving their heads closer. "We can have more than that." They both grinned with happiness and brought their lips together.