[1] Take the Shot | Leo Fitz

13

The monastery the team arrived at was quite lovely. Nina wasn't much of a history or religion buff but the building held many secrets that she was intrigued to unravel. The team entered with Randolph leading the way.

"Well, it's been a while. I wonder - ah, yes. There it is. Still here," he looked to a book that was set up on a stand. Since Nina didn't trust him, she stayed relatively close and noticed he was looking at a drawing of a man in robes holding the staff, "well, the nose isn't quite right, but..."

"That's you?" Fitz asked as he caught a glimpse of it.

"Yeah, they venerated me a bit of a saint," Randolph said with a prideful smile.

"They're idiots," Ward sighed, showing Nina that he was still mad at him, "where's the staff?"

"It's upstairs," Randolph started walking away and Nina and Ward sandwiched him, making sure he didn't just take the piece and run. May and the pair were the only ones to follow Randolph closely while rest of the team trailed behind him.

"It's quiet," May deadpanned and Nina nodded, eyes darting around the room as if she was expecting an ambush.

"Why do you think I trusted them with my secret? They take a vow of silence," Randolph said as he stood in front of a cabinet and began opening it.

It was unfortunate that the team were too late as the moment Randolph touched the cabinet Jakob appeared from behind a pillar holding the complete staff.

"But when you get them talking, they squeal," he grinned. Jakob held the staff up and before anyone could react, stabbed Randolph in the chest with it. The man went down, taking Nina with him, "if you want to defeat a God, you must become one."

"Damnit Elliott," Nina heaved as she hit the ground and had the wind knocked out of her. Ward didn't hesitate as he grabbed the staff sticking out of Randolph's chest. It glowed orange and he panted as raged filled his body. Nina watched his eyes glaze over before Ward pulled the staff from Randolph's chest and charged at Jakob, sending both of them over the railing and to the floor below them.

When Nina was able to breathe again, she slid to Randolph's side and tried to assess the damage. She didn't know what was happening behind her as Skye ran off and May followed her, Nina tried to stop the bleeding and her hands were coated in red by the time FitzSimmons and Coulson appeared at her side.

"How is he?" Coulson asked as Nina moved out of the way to allow Simmons to take over.

"Hell if I know," Nina sighed as she rubbed the wet blood from her hands along the side of her pants. Coulson nodded and looked at Simmons for her opinion.

"I don't know what to do. He's not human," Simmons was as confused as Nina.

"He's dying," Coulson added and Nina looked down at the blood still coating her hands and completely agreed.

"We know, but she doesn't understand his anatomy," Fitz sighed. Coulson grimaced for a second before shoving his hand in the hole in Randolph's chest.

"W-what in God's name?" "Oh, my God!" Nina almost gagged while FitzSimmons verbalised their disgust in the action.

"Sometimes you just have to jump in and figure things out. Now, Asgardians regenerate faster than we do. Maybe we can keep him alive long enough-" Coulson started to explain.

"For his body to heal itself," Simmons nodded understanding the reason for such an intrusion.

"Okay, what am I looking for?"

"His heart," while Coulson continued searching inside Randolph they heard a loud thud come from downstairs and Nina sent Coulson a pleading look, "go."

"Thank you," Nina bolted down the stairs. There were a lot of steps involved and by the time she reached the floor, Ward no longer had the staff. He was off to the side with Skye while May held two pieces of the staff shakily. Nina watched as she stood up with a scream and charged after Jakob. She swatted him aside but was met with Petra holding the third piece of the staff,