The Seven ✦ {Avengers}

Chapter 37:

"Come on, guys. You've never seen a place like this before. Take in the surroundings," Clint optimized. The girls just shot him a death glare. They began their ascent on the mountain, slowly climbing up the rocky surface that seemed to be rather flat and paved for a mountain. Many had probably walked this journey before them, and some might've turned back, but Lorelei doubted it was for an alien athlete's exercise. They all got closer to the top of the mountain

"I bet the raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain," Nat grumbled as she panted at the hike they had almost completed. Clint was panting too, despite his earlier optimism.

"Technically, he's not a raccoon, you know," he corrected.

"Then what is he, a muppet?" Lorelei suggested sarcastically.

"Whatever, he eats garbage," Natasha ignored his correction. A sudden voice caught their attention.

"Welcome," a floating spirit in a ripped hooded cloak appeared suddenly, slowly floating towards them. Lorelei activated her powers quickly into a ball of white light with what almost looked to be colourful electricity. Nat drew her gun and Clint pulled out his sword.

"Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint, son of Edith. Lorelei, the Guardian," he seemed to know all. The three of them moved closer, preparing for an attack.

"I'm not the Guardian," Lorelei spat.

"It is my curse to know all, Guardian," he replied eerily.

"Who are you?" Natasha held her deathly gaze.

"Consider me a guide. To you, and to all who seek the Soul Stone," he explained.

"Oh, good. You tell us where it is. Then we'll be on our way," she suggested in almost a threatening tone.

"Ah... if only it were that easy... " he trailed off, coming into the faint light a little more.

"Red Skull," Lorelei muttered under her breath.

"In another life, yes, when I too sought the stones. They banished me here, as did you,"

"I'm starting to think this legend is real, Lorelei," Nat told her, not taking her eyes off him.

"Where is the stone?" Lorelei spat. Red Skull slowly turned around and began leading them toward the top of a cliff. They cautiously followed, prepared for anything.

"What you seek lies in front of you... as does what you fear..." he began. Natasha looked over the edge of the cliff, only to see hundreds of feet before hitting a bottom.

"The stone is down there," Nat said. Both Lorelei and Clint began to look over the edge.

"For one of you. For the others, in order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul, for a soul," he explained grimly. Natasha, Lorelei and Clint all looked at each other. Natasha went back from the edge, knowing what he meant. She sat on a rock and began to think about it. Clint paced. Lorelei sat with Nat, and her leg began to bounce. It was a thing she did when she was anxious.

"How's it going? Jesus...Maybe he's making this shit up," Clint suggested.

"No, I don't think so," Nat contemplated as she sat on a rock far from the edge of the cliff.

"That's just wishing at this point, Clint," Lorelei added.

"Why, 'cause he knows your Daddy's name?" Clint asked Nat mockingly.

"I didn't," she replied seriously, "Thanos left here with the stone and without his daughter. It's not a coincidence," the redhead pointed out grimly, knowing the fate of one of the two of them. Clint blinked sadly, and hung his head, knowing what this meant.