Frostbite

Eight

The fighting didn't let up, but neither did we. Thor's arrival made a large difference on our side. I took down a group of them, impaling them as ice protruded from the ground. I turned to the god as we grew closer.

"Bruce said you were dead," I panted, my tone almost accusing.

"He was mistaken," he replied, embedding his axe into one of the beasts. He kicked it aside in disgust.

"Well, I'm glad he was. Where's Mjolnir?"

His jaw clenched and he ignored the question, so I didn't push the subject. One of them lunged for me; I jumped into the air, using mandalas to hop around it before landing behind. A disc appeared in my hand, and I lashed out, slicing its upper body. It fell to the ground, and I noticed Steve growing closer as well.

He killed another and glanced over at Thor saying, "New haircut?"

Thor grinned and ran his fingers along his beard, "Notice you've copied my beard."

Steve nodded and gestured to his own face with a weary nod. Thor's tree friend skewered three of the beasts at once and glanced over at us, obviously pleased with itself. My mind was still reeling over the tree part. Oh, and the talking raccoon I had seen harassing Bucky.

"By the way, this is a friend of mine. Tree," Thor introduced, pointing the axe at his comrade.

"I AM GROOT!" he snarled viciously, holding the trapped dogs in the air.

"I am Steve Rogers."

I shook my head at him with a snicker before turning away once again. A few moments later a deep rumbling caused me to pause and stare out past the dome. Something moved quickly out of the forest, underneath the earth. The ground crumbled and broke apart as it moved forward. Suddenly, several enormous motorized spiked wheels erupted inside the dome. They'd take out everything in their path.

"Move!" I screeched, opening a portal for everyone around us to get out of the way as one came hurtling toward us.

"Fall back! Fall back now!" T'Challa ordered, warriors scattering everywhere to avoid being crushed.

It closed in, and I could hear Steve yelling from behind me, but I didn't turn around, instead I focused on the wheel. My heels dug into the dirt as bright blue beams shot from my hands, hitting the hunk of metal. The ice zig-zagged up until it was completely covered, teetering dangerously as it stopped. Finally, it came crashing down, the impact shaking the ground around us.

"Well- that worked," I huffed, staring wide-eyed at the machine. Steve whistled in appreciation at the sight. Red magic from across the field alerted us to Wanda's presence. She easily took out a line of the wheels, using them against the enemy.

"Guys, we got a Vision situation here," Sam called, and I glanced back at where he was supposed to be. He was flying through the air, tangled with one of the aliens, and they quickly disappeared down into the trees below. More of the beasts came trampling up to us.

"Somebody get to Vision!" Steve ordered, racing for the approaching enemies.

"I got him!"

"On it," I replied at the same time as Bruce. We couldn't let them take the stone. God only knew what they would do to him to get it.

I opened a portal and stepped through into the area I had seen them land in from across the field, leaving the raging battle behind. Vision was crouched on the ground, clutching at a fresh wound. I stepped in front of him, my trident in hand as I faced the towering alien from Scotland and the big brute from New York.

"Vision you need to go," I softly said over my shoulder as Bruce landed next to me. Bruce immediately lunged for the bigger one and they rolled over the cliffside as they fought. The other one advanced forward with a smug expression on his face. Too bad he hadn't died already.

Our weapons clashed, the sounds echoing through the forest as we fought. I kept pushing forward, trying to get distance between him and Vision. He took a stab at my shoulder, but I dodged it, freezing flames shooting across the space between us. The hit singed his arm and he hissed in pain, launching himself at me.

Stumbling, I hit the ground, rolling away in time to miss being shish kabobbed at the end of his spear. I scrambled back up, my eyes scanning for my weapon that had flown out of my hand. His spear came swinging around and I deflected it with a shield, both of us dancing around the other.

I lashed out with one of them, but he easily avoided it and retaliated even harder. His body collided into mine, pinning me against a tree, my feet dangling as his hands wrapped around my neck. I just prayed Vision had gotten the hell out of range.

"Did you really think you could keep Thanos from the stone?" he jeered, lifting his spear to finish the job.

"He won't have it," I managed to hiss as I struggled to just breathe. 

From the corner of my eye, I saw Steve charge into the clearing. He smashed into the alien, both of them crashing to the ground. My knees hit the ground, and I doubled over gasping as I gulped down air again. The male tried using his height to his advantage, but Steve was just as determined.

He knocked Steve back, who tumbled over a fallen tree and the male threw himself on top of him. I shakily shot up and raced for them. The male had his back to me as I approached. Vision hadn't left like he'd been told and tried to help, but I beat him there. I latched onto his shoulders breathing onto his back before he had a chance to move. He went rigid as his body froze over, the ice cracking as it spread until he let out a final huff of air.

Vision picked up the enemy's spear and thrusted it into him, the ice shattering to pieces all over the forest floor. I grasped Steve's arm and helped him back up. Vision leaned against a tree, panting from the exertion and pain.

"I'm pretty sure you were told you to go," Steve said, shaking his head.

"We don't trade lives, Captain."

Wanda dropped from the sky and rushed to Vision's side. I finally spotted my trident and went to grab it. As I bent over, a sharp pain in my side forced a soft gasp from me. My hands flitted over the spot as I collapsed to my knees, but there was nothing there.

Steve bent down next to me, examining the spot I was clutching. My stomach rolled and I grew nauseous, something wasn't right.

"What is it? I don't see anything," Steve said in confusion.

"I don't know. It just hurt, like something stabbed me," I gritted through my teeth, refusing to voice aloud what I actually thought. The feeling faded and my body relaxed again. I snatched my weapon from the ground and got back up as if nothing had happened. I could tell from Steve's face he wasn't going to drop it.

"They're retreating. Thor's taking out the remaining pillars," Sam informed us to my relief. Wanda's frantic voice caught our attention and we turned back to the couple.

"What? What is it?"

"He's here," Vision whispered in dread.

It was silent as we processed what he meant. Thanos had come for the stone himself.