ZENITH ➸ avengers x pjo au ✔️

what's a happy ending?

❝ BEFORE MY EYES, BEFORE MY WILD EYES,
I FEEL YOU HOLDING ME, TIGHTER I CANNOT SEE.
WHEN WILL WE FINALLY BREATHE? ❞

When the smoke and dust debris subsided, it was ... quiet.

Both Thor and Wanda slowly opened their eyes, only to find themselves surrounded by an aquatic aura. They both sat up, surprised to find their pain and injuries disappear.

The two looked around their surroundings, watching all the chaos beginning to die out.

Kara had done it. It was finally over.

Thor and Wanda glanced at each other, their eyebrows furrowed as they whipped their heads around, trying to look for Kara. Wanda suddenly gasped in shock when she caught sight of the demigod, making Thor look in her direction as his eyes widened.

They both stumbled to their feet, their gazes not leaving the sight of the demigod's splayed out body in a mess of bleeding cuts and broken limbs as they rushed over to her.

"Kara?" Wanda whispered, dropping down next to Kara's bloodied body, cradling the demigod's frame in her arms.

"Come on," she pleaded. "Wake up."

The daughter of Poseidon began to stir into consciousness, a pained groan leaving her lips as the god of thunder and the brown-haired witch watched Kara's faded ocean eyes blink open halfway.

"Hmm," Kara mumbled, her voice garbled by blood as she parted her mouth, the crimson liquid trickling down the corner of her mouth.

The demigod opened her mouth to speak but groaned painfully again in Wanda's arms, drawing a shallow breath.

"Hey, you did it. You won, you saved us all. The war's over. You can finally get your happy ending now. We can bring you back to the tower and heal you, give you nectar and—"

The demigod cut her off. "My job ... my purpose ... is complete."

"It was to make peace," Kara murmured softly, her voice carrying out in the faint wind. "And I have done that."

Kara sighed, closing her eyes, her body getting weaker every second. Thor and Wanda glanced at each other, realising what was happening but the witch shook her head defiantly, not wanting to believe it as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Remember what I told you?" Kara asked as she slowly opened her eyes again, her voice raspy.

Wanda nodded, a tear slipping from her eye and sliding down her cheek. "That dying is the easy part."

The demigod smiled slightly, despite the pain and the taste of blood in her mouth. "I'm at peace, Wanda. The real heroes ..."

"Are the ones who keep going," Wanda finished, dread rising in her chest.

"So keep going Wanda, and don't ever stop. This world needs you," Kara croaked out, looking at Thor. "It needs the both of you and the Avengers."

"Promise me ... that you two will keep going, and continue to bring peace to this world," the daughter of Poseidon breathed out as she looked at the two with an empty yet pleading gaze.

Thor nodded his head slightly, a tear slipping from his eye and sliding down to his cheek, whispering solemnly. "I promise, Lady Kara."

"I-I promise too," Wanda croaked out, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank you," Kara said softly. "I'm glad to have called you both my friends ...."

Her voice trailed off, her eyes drooping as she fought to stay awake ... just alive for a few moments longer.

Kara felt her breath grow thin and more spaced out as the darkness flickered in the corner of her eyes. The demigod didn't know much about death or dying despite coming close to it several times, but it seemed ... relaxing, if she could dare use that word to describe it.

Both Thor and Wanda glanced at each other before reluctantly nodding. "You can finally rest now, Kara."

"Peace," Kara murmured in a faint voice, her eyes growing dull as she slipped further away from reality. "I'm at peace."

The two stared at Kara to see her with a small smile painted upon her lips, her eyes now fully closed. Her head then lolled weakly against her shoulder as her mouth parted. And at that moment, Kara's chest stopped rising or falling.

Wanda was desperate to find any remaining flickers of life or hope in Kara's body, but was met with cold silence broken only by a gentle breeze. She sobbed, cradling the demigod's lifeless body in her arms that she was glad to have called a friend, and maybe something more in the future if she were still alive.

Thor watched Wanda with a glazed expression, his eyes glossy with unshed tears as the hero he had looked up to was lying lifelessly in front of him. Wanda caught sight of the demigod clutching something loosely in her hand and looked to see it was her necklace.

Steve slowly came beside the two with the rest of the Avengers behind him, bowing their heads silently in mourning over the lifeless demigod, realising what she had done in order to save them all.

A bright flash of light then appeared from beside Thor, revealing a dark-haired woman in her late twenties with eyes that resembled the galaxies once the light died down. Everyone jumped to a defensive stance, believing she was a threat until Thor's eyes widened in realisation and bowed to her.

She put her hands up in a peaceful gesture while staring sadly at the lifeless form of Kara. "Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you all."

"Lady Chaos," Thor acknowledged with a hint of respect but his voice cracked slightly.

Chaos flashed him a small pained smile in return before kneeling down next to her champion's form. She looked at Wanda, asking for permission, who nodded, as the Primordial took her champion into her own arms, placing a hand on the demigod's temple.

"Rest, my brave champion. Take your leave in the comfort of those who are waiting for you, and be free. You fought a great battle, Kara. The best fight. You're the strongest, bravest, the most courageous being I've ever come to know, and I'm so proud of you, my champion. Thank you, for everything."

Kara's eyes snapped open for a moment, glowing pure white before the light faded away from within them and her eyes closed again.

Chaos stood up, carrying her champion's limp form in her arms before turning to the Avengers. "Thank you all for risking your lives to aid my champion against my brother. If it weren't for you all, she might've never won and for that, I'm very grateful."

The Primordial's eyes radiated a powerful aura as the destruction around them all began to slowly repair themselves until the city was back to its original state, revealing no signs that a massive battle had just occurred.

"I must take my leave now but before I do so, just know that she's home now." And with that, Chaos vanished, leaving all the Avengers alone in a somewhat tense silence.

They all had done it. It was all over.

As much as the Avengers were happy that the war was finally over but at what cost?

They had both gained and lost a new friend within this war, one that had sacrificed her own life for a world that probably didn't deserve her.

But that was how life worked, didn't it?