Philophobia ➤ W.M.

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Avengers Tower; Third Person Omniscient

  A week after they had tried to apprehend Ari, most of the Avengers set up shop back in Avengers tower. They decided that it would be easier work from a higher vantage point, even if it could be slightly more dangerous than Avengers Headquarters. Astrilde was convinced that she was being watched by her team members, and she could tell they were trying to keep her from leaving their sight, much less the building.

Unknown; With Unknown's POV

  "..And that concludes our weather forecast. Now onto- Oh my God! Breaking news! Somebody has struck Avengers Tower. We're getting confirmation that anyone within a three block radius in in urgent lockdown-" A news woman's voice broke through his thoughts. He glanced up at the screen, noting anything that could be of importance.

  He brushed back his unusually long hair in preparation for what was to come, pushing himself to his feet. Looking down from his ship to the Avengers tower, he was filled with glee, but also hundreds of years of fury and pain. The fact that he was on Terra didn't help the matter. He hated the planet like it was a parasite, even though he had technically never stepped foot on it.

  Thankfully, he would soon be able to vacate the disgusting planet, just after he completed his mission. A mission that relied solely on his ability to retrieve somebody. Once that person was apprehended, he would be on his way. At least, that was he had planned. And it would have been simple, if it weren't for the certain idiot who decided to blow up the top floors of Avengers Tower.

  The man who looked upon the tower wasn't sure why these were the other's actions, and for a second he thought back to the woman he had heard rumors about in Knowhere all those centuries ago. She was his target's weak point, which would just make his job easier than it already was. Not that it was necessarily easy, given his... past with the intended target.

  A sudden scream echoed from the tower below, and he looked down. His body jolted at the sound, stomach jumping with nerves. He cursed, turning around. His hands immediately darted toward some of the weapons he had been sharpening, and tucked them neatly into several concealed places in his armor. It seemed there would be a fight on his hands, whether he liked it or not.

  Another scream sounded, and he couldn't stop himself from jumping out of his spaceship without a second thought. Nobody deserved to be hurt, especially from his target. He didn't worry about finding a way to get back to the hovering ship, knowing there were other ways to reach it. Instead, he focused on the world closing in on him as he plummeted to what would be a mortal's death.

The Avengers Tower; With Astrilde's POV

  Being in the center of an explosion was definitely less fun than it would sound. Not that she would ever think of explosions as "fun" to begin with. That was more of her brother's interest, and maybe Tony on a good day. Let's just say that this wasn't a good day. Pain seared through her body as she attempted to sit up. The explosion had done a number on her. She hoped Wanda wasn't caught in it.

  The taste of copper filled her mouth, indicating that she was either internally bleeding or her tongue was bleeding. Unfortunately, it seemed to be the former, which would need medical help as soon as possible, since even her feeble healing magic could do so much. Especially with the other injuries she seemed to sustain.

  It was then that she noticed ringing in her ears, the sound of the fire that the explosion caused barely audible. Hoping that she hadn't ruptured an eardrum, she scanned her body for any visible injuries. She grimaced at a cut that went along her shin, but since it wasn't that deep, she didn't fret over it.

  What she did fret over, however, was the pain in the back of her head. Shakily reaching a hand to touch, she hissed in pain. She could feel the sticky warmth of blood, which made her want to throw up. A mild concussion would be lucky, and she didn't have the luxury of assuming the injuries that graced her body was anything more than minor. After all, somebody had blown up the tower, and she knew who.

The Avengers Tower; With Wanda's POV

  Wanda had, thankfully, managed to stagger to her feet. She was far enough away from the center of the blast to shield herself with her powers, though she knew Astrilde wasn't as lucky. Wanda could feel Astrilde's mind like a pulse, though it was weak. Wanda didn't want to know what the weak connection meant, so she focused on finding Tony and Natasha, both of whom were with Wanda a few minutes before the explosion occurred.

  "W-," A cough was heard from Wanda's right, "Wanda. Are you okay?" Wanda could clearly identify the voice as Natasha's, and her tense body relaxed a bit.

  "Nat, what happened?" Wanda asked weakly. The sudden feeling of energy drained washed over her being like a tidal wave.

  "I don't know," Natasha coughed again, "But, whatever it was... it wasn't good."

  "Obviously," Wanda answered, smiling half-heartedly. A scream echoed from somewhere nearby, causing both women to turn their heads in the sound's direction. Wanda's blood ran cold. She knew the only person that scream could belong to, and the answer wasn't a good one.

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