The Weight of the Universe | Avengers

1. Travel Delays

"Aurora!!"

"I'm fine." She clenches her teeth and pants heavily, suppressing the pain. Looking up, both women glance at the female shooter.

"Who allowed you to leave?" The tall, blue woman with black streaks and dark eyes approaches them. As she walks, her blue hair flows graciously down her body and the alien's spear is prepared to fire again. Proxima Midnight has only one task, and she deems to fulfill it. For her father.

"You know, I would usually be impressed by your advanced spear that somehow can discharge energy." Aurora huffs and signals Brunnhilde to make the Asgardians move faster. She inconspicuously lowers her hand to her quad blaster. "But you seem to be a bitch, so I'd better not be. Who the fuck are you?"

"You won't live long enough to know." Proxima's husky voice only reveals determination as she prepares her spear to shoot again, but this time, Aurora is faster and fires. The electricity throws Thanos' child to the ground and stuns her, a painful scream escaping her mouth.

"Leave." Aurora turns around and looks gravely at the shocked Valkyrie. Most people are already in the rear part of the ship, it's now or never. "You need to leave with the Asgardians, there's a cockpit in the east wing, save them."

"What?! What about you?!" Brunnhilde protests and shakes her head wildly.

"I'll make sure that you have the chance to escape– Why is this bitch already getting up, that was like 200 volts." Aurora fires at her again and Proxima Midnight groans in pain, yet she starts to get used to the electricity, Thanos' training has prepared her. Quickly, Aurora's fingers hover over the panel to enable the separation. "I'll give you time. Besides, do you really think I would leave without Loki and Thor?"

"No, Aurora, I'll fight by your side! I won't lose another one again, I swore you an oath!" Brunnhilde still protests desperately as the last few Asgardians get to safety. At least half of Asgard's folk can be saved. Aurora can hear how much Valkyrie cares about her, especially how much the oath means to both of them and she smiles sadly. Pulling her friend into a short and tender embrace, Aurora takes a deep breath.

"I know. But I did, too." With these words, Aurora lets go and pushes Valkyrie forcefully to the other side of the ship. The last thing she sees of the female Asgardian is the shocked expression and her lips forming her name, but Aurora nonetheless presses the button and the door closes.

In the next second, the ship rattles and although Aurora cannot see it, she knows that the rear part has disconnected, now leaving them. Her heart aches and she feels like she's betraying Valkyrie but she had no choice.

"What have you done?" Proxima hisses and Aurora almost smirks in satisfaction at her anger.

"The only right thing." Taking Proxima's distraction to her advantage, Aurora fires a plasma shot and the spears flies away. While Thanos' daughter gets it telepathically back, Aurora turns to the system, quickly giving in some digits to build a connection.

"Guardians of the Galaxy at your service, we only accept jobs with– " Her brother's voice luckily responses fast and it's a load off her mind.

"Peter!" She cuts him off and urgency runs through her voice as she sends him her coordinates. Peter Quill frowns and concern grows thick in his stomach about his sister.

"Aurora?? Where have you been, you didn't call me back at all and I– "

"We're getting attacked! Help me, I need your help, please– " Proxima's shot damages the panel and smoke erupts from the completely destroyed device, Aurora's eyes widen at how close the energy blast was to her face. Without hesitation, she turns back to Proxima and the alien woman glares at her.