Retnikopf: Widow Of Siberia (old Version)

Chapter 5 - Vormir

The rocks that surrounded the two widows were shrouded in a purple hue. Landing the ship had been a bit shaky but they had managed it without damaging the ship too badly.

Their eyes travelled up, the mountain they had to climb was huge, emotionally but mostly physically at the current point.

"This sucks," Yelena sighed, taking the first steps up the rocks to get to the top, "she couldn't have died in a more accessible place, could she."

Vienna chuckled lightly as she followed behind her sister. She hadn't expected it to be easy, and it wasn't like there was space to land the ship properly up there. They had no choice but to make the climb.

----

"The views nice," Vienna said once they reached the top, Yelena having fallen behind got there a few moments after her.

"Yeah, it's really breath taking," Yelena said, the sarcasm dripping from her tone as her usual bored expression clung to her face. "Must have been nice to look at when she fell to her death."

"Red guys not even here," Vienna sighed, stretching before walking forward, "that's a bit rude. We came all this way to see him."

They walked over to where the ledge was and looked over. The red stain on the rocks at the bottom, sending shivers through the both of them.

"There is no stone here," a deep voice made them snap their heads round, a red man in black robes was sort of floating towards them, "I cannot guide you to what you seek. It is gone."

"We don't want the stone," Vienna told him, "we want our soul back."

"That is not how this works," the red skull told her, frowning in confusion at her seemingly unfazed expression.

"The deal you put forward for the soul stone, 'a soul for a soul', under that the soul stone is worth one soul," Vienna explained, "Natalia Alianovna Romanova's life was also counted as one soul. That was the trade made by the Avengers. The Avengers then gave you back the soul stone, one soul. You owe us a soul. We choose her's."

"You're a smart one," The red skull laughed, her logic was undeniable but he had ways of talking round her, "yes I seem to owe the Avengers a soul, but unfortunately, you are not an Avenger."

"Excuse me?" Vienna asked, her eye twitching as she watched him worm his way out of this.

"Self proclaimed, 'we are not joining your boy band', that's what you said, isn't it?" the red skull smirked, he wasn't sure if it was possible to bring a soul back, there was one thing he could do but whether it would work or not is a different story, "you never joined the Avengers, you fought along side them, you stole from them. But for you, the deal does not apply."

"Can we make a new one?" Vienna asked, the desperation breaking through in her voice, "you can have another soul, take mine. I'll jump right now."

"Vienna no," Yelena yelled at her, "we just got you back, I'll do it."

"Giving that which you do not want is not a sacrifice Miss... What is your name?" he asked, a deep frown on his face. This had never happened to him before, he was usually pretty good at this.

"I don't really have one," Vienna smiled awkwardly after the sudden change in tone, "you can call me Vienna, that's what my mother called me, or Retnikopf is my last name I guess. Don't know where that came from though, it's not my mother or father's name."

"Right, Retnikopf," The red skull shook his head to try and get the misstep out of his head, it was time to test her. He didn't want to be distracted. "giving your life when you don't want it is not a sacrifice, it's a donation and I don't except charity. What can you offer that is worth a soul to you?"

"I... I... I don't have anything else," Vienna stumbled over her words as she looked down at the floor, "it doesn't matter, we'd be stuck in a cycle. I give you my life, Yelena or Natasha give one of theirs to get me back. Yelena gives her life, Natasha and I fight to give one of ours to get her back. She gave her life to save more than just us. She saved the universe."

Yelena could only stand and listen in the shock. It was a lot to take in as she watched her sister fall to her knees.

"She saved everyone and she'd do it again if doing this reverses it all," Vienna continued, tears falling from her eyes, "she died a hero and it is selfish of me to ask for her back. I can't offer anything worth her soul. I don't deserve it."

The red skull smiled. The most precious thing to living creatures is their will to live. It gets more precious the smaller it gets. Letting go of that final thread takes more from someone than anything that was taken from them before. Giving up her last reason to go one, sacrifice that which gave her life. A selfless act to bring back a selfless person. That was enough for him.

He had to go and try his one option, the only souls he can reach are those sacrificed for the soul stone. They are eternally tied to this place. He couldn't take her without her agreement made in her own free will. All he could tell her was who was asking. Not the context. Not the consequences. Her decision had to be untainted.