Mastering Illusions

45

We walk until we see the shield.

It's hard to miss. It emits a light blue glow, with a thin, darker blue line crossing down to the earth diagonal from a spot higher up on the shield, I can't see where. It appears somewhat transparent, but I can't really make anything out on the other side. That's probably intentional, on the part of the Children of Thanos. There's nothing on the outside that can be useful to us in here, anyway.

The four of us stop before the shield, Tony shutting off his boot thrusters and popping open his faceplate as he settles on the ground. "Well, we're here," he observes.

Peggy gazes up at the shield, a look of distant sorrow on her face. "I remember this," she says softly.

That's right, she was in the battle at Wakanda. But I don't want to ask her anything about it, because we may be on camera this moment. It's not wise to remind Thanos that I've teamed up with one of his original enemies.

"Now what?" Veers asks. "We've found the end of the arena – which way should we go?"

I glance in one direction, along the curve of the shield, and then glance the other way. There are trees in both directions, and no indication of which way would be preferable. "Well, we know we need to find water, and food, before too long. So –"

Abruptly, I stop talking as I notice the branches rustling to our left. I lift my face, but feel no breeze – it's a localized movement. Which means some sort of creature.

Or some sort of champion.

I just have time to bring up my scepter into a ready position when a blast of green energy streaks out of the trees and hits Tony Stark straight in the chest. He's blown backwards, his faceplate snapping down as he powers up his thrusters, just barely keeping himself from landing flat on his back.

Veers and Peggy both spin to face our attacker, Peggy bringing up her pistol and Veers raising her fists, which are starting to glow. Meanwhile, I've already sent a blast of energy from the head of my scepter in the direction of the attack.

Four against one. Odds are with us.

Another shot from our attacker, and I've traced them to a perch in the branches, concealed by foliage. Aiming my scepter, I let out another beam of energy at where I calculate the branch to be within the leaves. There's a crack, a groan, a yelp, and then the branch breaks off the tree and falls, dumping its occupant to the ground.

There's a mess of dark hair and blue skin and I realize it's Minn-Erva, bringing her rifle up to bear on me. She fires and I deflect the beam into the energy shield, causing it to sizzle.

Then Korath the Pursuer charges out of the trees, as Minn-Erva is still orienting herself after her fall, with twin swords blazing with blue energy, a distinctively Kree design. He leaps through the air at us.

I turn to meet him, as the foremost one of my group, and the one with the weapon best suited to fight his. Tony is hovering in the air now, firing at Minn-Erva, as Peggy takes cover behind a nearby tree trunk, pistol out. Minn-Erva is on her feet now, rifle up, but I suddenly remember that it is a sniper – her preferred method of engagement is from long distance.

Korath's blades slam against my scepter, the energy fizzling, and I knock them back, teeth gritted. I whip the tip of the scepter toward his shoulder, which he dodges and deflects toward the ground, pulling me slightly off balance for a moment. But when he jabs at my upper chest, I release the scepter with my back hand and summon a dagger, parrying his blow as I right my footing.

Tony and Veers, meanwhile, converge on Minn-Erva, who fires off one last desperate shot and then drops the rifle, lifting her arms. Gauntlets that go to her elbows suddenly flare to life, radiating pale green energy.