Clint somehow managed to bring down the ship safely without too much trouble to everybody's surprise, including his own.
Keira, eager to experience a new planet, was the first one to push the button that opened the rear hatch, revealing the new world. She didn't have the patience to wait for the ramp to fold out completely but rather walked along it as it expanded down to the surface.
As she stepped off of it, her feet sunk slightly in the sand pooling around her feet. It didn't take long until Clint and Natasha joined her side, and they all just took a moment to breathe it all in.
The unforgiving wind tugged at their hair, immediately shattering whatever false image the sand might have created. It wasn't warm at all. No, it was cold. With the grains of sand mixed into the wind, it wouldn't take long before their cheeks turned sore.
Just like Clint had said, under a different circumstance, this would've been awesome.
The eclipse threw the planet in a soft, pink-purplish light, looking far more pleasant than it actually was. In the distance, there was a lonely mountain range sticking up out of the otherwise flat landscape. It was without a doubt their target, as if it wasn't clear enough by the two, tall pillars that rose against the sky from the very top of it.
"I don't know if I would deem Vormir cozier than Morag. What do you think?" Keira threw out the question, silently cursing them for not parking the ship closer to the mountain. Why did they have to take the scenic route when they were on a mission?
"No. Definitely not." Clint panted, keeping his hands on his thighs to help push his steps against the sand.
He wasn't the only one fighting the sand. Keira and Natasha had equal troubles with it, their energy draining faster than normal as their feet would sink into the ground, almost trapping them.
"Yeah, doubt Nebula and Rhodey had to fight sand and ice-cold wind." The redhead deadpanned, keeping a hand on Keira's shoulder to balance herself as she pulled one of her feet free. "I suggest a pause before the climbing, anyone else?" Both Clint and Keira nodded in answer, and all of them quickened their pace a little bit, finally seeing the end of the tunnel.
Arriving at the foot of the mountain, they managed to find a crevice that protected them somewhat from the biting wind. Keira's hand immediately flew to one of her pockets, pulling out three chocolate bars. "What? You guys know I don't do road trips without snacks." She defended herself at the surprised looks she received. "Now, you want one, or should I eat these myself?"
Two of the three chocolate bars disappeared from her hand, and she couldn't help but chuckle at the raw speed they were devoured.
"God, I love you, Key." Natasha beamed, folding the wrapping paper before stuffing it into her pocket. "You are the best."
A satisfactory smirk stretched the blonde's lips as she reached out a hand to pat Clint on the cheek. "See? Told you so." This brought her more energy to continue than the chocolate bar itself. So, she was the one who pulled them out of their temporary sanctuary. Glancing over her shoulder as the mountain climb began, she shot a smile at Natasha. "Thank you for that. Love you too, boo."
"I don't even have the energy to argue." Clint muttered under his breath, shaking his head in amusement at the mutant's satisfaction.
"Because you know, in your heart-" Keira began somberly, fighting hard to keep a serious face. "-that I am, in fact, the favorite." And her poker face broke as she burst out laughing at her own terrible joke. It wasn't even laughable, and yet, here she was, clutching her stomach because it hurt so much. "Oh, gods. Someday I'll be the cause of my own death."
Clint and Natasha just glanced at each other, faintly shaking their heads at the mutant. But the smiles tugging on their lips were unmistakable. "If only, Key. If only..."
Keira hopped over a small gap, grabbing the cliff wall for support to not lose her balance and fall back. "Shut up, you two. You adore me. Just imagine how dull this trip would be without me. May I remind you that none of you thought of bringing snacks." Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she was just met by silence. "Yeah, thought so."
Damn, why was she suddenly talking so much? Did her brain just feel the need to try and make up for the last five years that basically had passed in silence compared to the previous years?
Or was her old self finally daring to make herself seen with the possibility of being reunited with Wanda again?
Whatever it was, it sure gave her the energy to not tire of the mountain climb. It didn't take long until the sand blowing through the air was replaced by snowflakes as their altitude increased. The cold wind nipped at their cheeks, and Keira wouldn't be surprised if one, or all of them, caught a cold after this.
And it finally dawned on her why the planet had felt vaguely familiar at first glance. She had seen it before, in her dreams.
Before Thanos, during the years on the run after the Accords.
Among the various nightmares that had plagued her sleep, she could recall a dark planet, hidden by an eclipse. With everything going on at that time, she hadn't paid the strange vision any mind, but now, her stomach seemed to twist in on itself.
Her eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, for she could not recall the end of the vision. And besides, it was only a dream, right?
"Anyone up for a vacation once we're done with all of this? I want a beach, and turquoise water. Oh, and I'm craving some good Piña Coladas." One of her hands trailed along the cliffside to her left, feeling every irregularity in the cold rock. They didn't have much left now, their mountain climb nearing its end. "If they're served out of a pineapple, well, even better." She added in an afterthought, feeling her mouth water at the idea.
"Count me in, minus the pineapple." Natasha panted, keeping a firm grip on Keira's belt, letting the mutant take the heaviest load while climbing. Besides, the blonde didn't mind it, so why not let her do the hard work? "And I bet the raccoon didn't have to climb a mountain." She put a hand on her ribs, trying to massage away the stitch in her lungs when Keira finally slowed down on a more flat patch of rock.
"Technically, he's not a raccoon, you know." Clint panted, grateful for the small breather.
"Oh, whatever. He eats garbage."
Keira just chuckled, shaking some snow out of her hair. Feeling a presence behind her, she spun around with her katana at the ready just as the shadowy figure uttered a single word.
"Welcome."
Natasha and Clint also whipped around with their weapons at the ready. A tall figure loomed in the shadows, its robes billowing around it.
"Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint, son of Edith. Keira, daughter of Nikolay."
In the corner of her eye, Keira saw Natasha's grip on her gun slacked just a fraction. The fact that she didn't know much about her parents had always haunted Natasha. Her mother's name had remained a secret, even after the whole ordeal with Dreykov and taking down the Red Room for a second time. And to hear her father's name for the first time, it rattled her more than she let on. "Who are you?" She said cooly, trying to mask her shock.
"Consider me a guide. To you, and all who seek the Soul Stone."
"Oh, good." Natasha sarcastically cut in, regaining control over her façade. "You tell us where it is, then we'll be on our way."
"Ah, Liebchen." The hooded figure floated forwards, its face finally catching the light. A skeleton face, scorned with red met their eyes, and Keira immediately recognized him. His face decorated many of the portraits decorating the halls of HYDRA. However, she doubted that he still was trying his best to lead Nazi Germany to victory.
"If only it was that easy." Red Skull glided away from them, venturing higher up the mountain.
Keira threw an uncertain glance at her friends, not knowing if it was in their best interest to follow him. But he didn't seem to pose a threat, and after a confirming nod from her friends, she sheathed her katana and followed Red Skull, although, her hand never left the handle.
It was strange to see that the man, or whatever he was nowadays, had survived all those years. Back in the day, he had been obsessed with the Stones, but it seemed like he had been deemed unworthy to wield them. So now, he had to live out his days here, looking like a bad copy of a dementor from the Harry Potter universe.
Red Skull didn't say anything, didn't even glance back to make sure that he was following them as he led them up the last stretch of the mountain.
As they passed between two great stone pillars, Keira couldn't help but gaze up at them. What time it must've taken to carve them out of the mountain, and where were those who had done it? Had they been forced to abandon their home when the Soul Stone took refuge here, or had they simply never existed?
Intricate carvings decorated the stone underneath their feet, and an especially deep line ran straight to the edge of the cliff, acting like a sort of guide. It was by this groove that the wraith halted, and turned around to face them. "What you seek, lies in front of you. As does what you fear."
They neared the edge slowly, almost cautiously as they glanced down.
"The Stone is down there." Natasha muttered, looking like a statue as she took in the sight of the drop. The mutant's grip around her wrist was like iron, ensuring that she wouldn't accidentally fall over the edge. It was a long fall, as the cliff was higher than any manmade building.
Should one fall, or jump, certain death would be the outcome.
"For one of you..." Red Skull earned their attention once again, and Keira felt her stomach drop at the ominous tone in his voice. Of course, it wouldn't be as easy as climbing a mountain and then rappelling down it. "For the other two... In order to take the Stone, you must lose that which you love. An everlasting exchange. A soul for a soul."
Keira just shook her head slowly. "No way. This isn't happening." Her eyes were stuck on the abyss below her, Red Skull's words echoing inside her head. She barely even noticed when Clint and Natasha backed away from the edge, the redhead slipping out of her grasp. Could the wraith's words really be true or was it just a test, to see who would sacrifice themselves? Every cogwheel inside her brain was spinning, trying furiously to find a way out, a loophole that would allow her friends to live if it turned out to be more than just a trick.
Red Skull didn't say anything more but merely remained by the cliff's edge, silently observing and waiting to see who would sacrifice their life for the greater good.
While Keira remained anchored to the spot, her two friends started to pace. They too didn't want to believe the price that the Soul Stone required. It was interesting to sense the different paths their brains took.
Natasha took the analytical road, trying to recall all that had been said about both Vormir and the Soul Stone. Irritation flowed in Clint's veins, annoyed that they hadn't been forewarned of this very crucial step in the process of obtaining the Stone. And Keira simply wanted to ensure that her two friends could depart from Vormir unhurt.
Seconds became minutes, all of them passing in silence as they all thought of the unbearable choice they stood in front of. Natasha eventually sunk down on a forsaken log, elbows on her knees as she laced her fingers together.
None of them had been ready for this. How could they have been? To lose one of their friends hadn't been on the list for today, but there was no math to be done here.
One life in exchange for the lives of billions? One of them would jump.
The only question was... Who?
But Keira already knew who it would be. It was going to be her, no question about it. There was no way in hell that she would stand by and watch either Clint or Natasha sacrifice themselves.
No, the mutant was the one with the least to lose, and therefore, it had to be her.
Clint had his family. Cooper, Laura, Lila, and Nathaniel would come back to find the archer alive. Their happy future together would not be ruined if Keira had a say in the matter.
And Natasha... Not only had she been forced to watch as those she called family fell apart when half of the Avengers disintegrated, but also bear the news that her second family was no more. Yelena and Melina had also turned to dust. Alexei as well. If there was a chance for the two sisters to be reunited again, it would be worth it.
Keira on the other hand? She only had Wanda. And Wanda could live her life without the mutant in it. At least, that's what Keira thought.
"Hey, how's it goin'?" Clint stopped his eternal pacing and shot Red Skull a two-fingered salute, a frustrated chuckle leaving his lips. "Jesus. Maybe he's making this shit up."
"No." Natasha shook her head faintly, staring unseeingly at the ground. "I don't think so."
Clint turned on his heels and scoffed. "Why? 'Cause he knows your daddy's name?"
"I didn't." Natasha said softly, feeling the look Clint threw her, rather than seeing it. But something had clicked in her brain, the facts finally falling into place. "Thanos left here with the Stone without his daughter. That's not a coincidence."
Clint hummed in agreement, the realization finally setting in. "Yeah."
Keira had remained frozen on the spot by the edge, staring down at the bottom of the cliff, her eyes trailing the decorative grooves in the rock. The wind tugged at her hair, suggestively pulling her nearer the pit of death. What irony it was that she had been joking about her death, just mere minutes before. She couldn't feel her cheeks any longer, the snow long since having numbed them. Her brain seemed to be running on the spot, trying its hardest to come up with a conclusion, but being unable to do so.
It didn't help that Red Skull just watched them silently, a constant presence that did nothing except wait, offering no words of wisdom to get out of this predicament.
"Whatever it takes." Natasha's voice was soft as she looked at Clint, who had stopped beside her.
Clint glanced at the edge of the cliff, where the mutant still stood, before repeating the words. "Whatever it takes."
Not liking the finality in his voice, Keira spun around so quickly that she nearly cricked her neck. "You two shut up for a moment and let me think." She pointed a warning finger at them before returning her gaze to the horizon. If they tried something stupid, she wouldn't hesitate to play dirty. Her teeth were aching, and it was a miracle none of them had broken yet from how hard she was clenching her jaw.
There had to be a loophole, there just had to be. She just needed to figure it out. With her mind frantically spinning, the depressive conversation behind her turned into a blur. Even if she had tried, she doubted she would've been able to make out the words. But an idea had popped into her head, finally, and while it was a very, very slim chance it would actually work, it was worth a try.
It took her a moment to collect herself, to put on the mask that wouldn't reveal her actual feelings. But once it was on, she turned to face Red Skull, a calm and cold look on her face. "A soul for a soul, that's the price, right?" She questioned, wanting to have the rules laid out in front of her so she could spot the faults in her plan before the wraith in front of her did.
Behind her, both Clint and Natasha had fallen silent, listening to her conversation with surprise painting their features.
"Yes. One must know the terrible cost of obtaining the Soul Stone."
Alright, not too surprising. The Soul Stone wasn't supposed to be acquired easily. All Keira needed to do was to keep her head cool, and hopefully, her plan would pan out. "And why does it need to be a loved one? If the price is simply 'a soul for a soul' as you so delicately put it, then it shouldn't matter which soul pays the price."
"A loved one must pay the price, or the Soul Stone would simply be too easy of a target for those driven by greed." Red Skull shook his head slowly, his black robes billowing around him.
Fingers wrapped themselves around Keira's wrist, temporarily breaking her focus on the wraith. Looking back, she was met by Natasha's shining eyes.
"Key, it's okay. We all know who it must be." Natasha's voice was low, a new sort of tenderness in it.
But Keira stubbornly shook her head. "If it must come to that, yes, then we do know who it must be. But it will not be you. Nor will it be Clint." She met the green eyes determinately, and even without telepathy, she knew what was whirring in the redhead's mind.
Natasha's deepest wish had always been, and still was, to repay the world, to make amends for the sins she had committed in the past.
For a short moment, Keira considered knocking the redhead to the ground and trapping her there to ensure that she didn't do anything stupid. But instead, she closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against Natasha's. "All I beg of you is to not do anything rash, okay? Just... Give me a little time."
Natasha copied the mutant, and also allowed her eyes to close. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself, you idiot." She said in a low voice, shaking her head faintly.
"Natasha. Please."
It was the use of her whole name that convinced her more than anything. Keira never used her full name, ever. "Okay. Okay, I trust you, Key."
Relieved that Natasha would stand down, if even for a moment, Keira opened her eyes and straightened her back. "Don't think I won't hesitate to knock both of you on your asses if you try something stupid." She looked over at Clint, who gave her a tiny nod.
With the insurance that she had a few minutes of playtime, Keira shook her head in an attempt to clear it before facing Red Skull again. If she let her feelings get the better of her, then she would undeniably fail. As she turned around, she tried to recall everything she knew about the wraith, or Johann Schmidt, as he was called back in the days.
She still didn't trust his words. The fact that a loved one was required for the sacrifice just didn't seem right. He stated it himself, 'a soul for a soul'. If that was the case, then the state or relationship to said soul shouldn't matter.
"Long ago, you sought the Stones. In fact, you dedicated your life to it. And for a time, you even had the power of the Space Stone in your grasp. But once it touched your bare skin, it sent you here. You were deemed unworthy to wield it." She had to fight herself to keep the eye contact steady, and she knew she had hit a nerve when his jaw clenched. This was merely guesswork, she was putting the pieces together as she went along. But she had lowered her mental defenses, and as she talked, mental images from a time long forgotten had flashed across her mind. So, she knew she was on the right path.
"Yes. I was banished here. Doomed to guide others to a treasure I cannot possess." Judging by the tone in his voice, this fact still caused him some discomfort, even after all these years.
Keira nodded slowly, keeping the mask of indifference intact. "And so, you must stay here for all eternity, offering guidance to those who seek the Soul Stone. If it is taken, your servitude will end. Is this correct?"
"I believe so, yes."
Okay, slight hiccup. She hadn't counted on his liberation once the Stone was taken. Switching gears faster than a race car, Keira swallowed her nerves. "You've watched over the Soul Stone for so many decades. Probably seen a few attempts to attain it, I don't doubt?" She ended the statement as a question, wanting to see if she had a chance to pull herself up out of the pit she had found herself in. Hearing footsteps behind her, she sent a warning look over her shoulder at her friends. They needed to be still if she ever would be able to possibly fix this, or she wouldn't be able to concentrate.
The wraith simply nodded, not elaborating like Keira probably would've done.
"I can't help but think after so many years as a guardian, you form a bond with the thing you're watching over. Regardless if it's voluntary or not." She paused, carefully reading every little muscle twitch or change in the red face.
And if she wasn't much mistaken, there was a flash of agreement. Not knowing what Red Skull actually was, she didn't want to dive into his mind unless she absolutely had to, so sticking to the surface it was.
Allowing herself a small breather, she averted her eyes from the wraith and inhaled deeply. Before returning her gaze to Red Skull, she shot Clint and Natasha a warning look again. She could tell they were getting a bit nervous, or maybe impatient was a better word, not really seeing the plan she was carefully laying out, bit by bit. But it would hit them soon enough though.
"Let's say that the Soul Stone would be destroyed. It would mean that all your years as a Stonekeeper, in the end, meant nothing."
Red Skull's eyes hardened for just a second, and Keira knew that her hunch had been correct. If the rest of her hypothesis was correct as well, then she could possibly save not only her friends, but herself as well. None of them would have to lose their lives.
"I might not know how it feels to be a Stonekeeper, what it feels to have been loyal for so long." Compliments always helped, but in this case, let's just skip over the fact that it hadn't been voluntary at the start. "But I think I would've wanted my guardianship to mean something. In my future, however, life takes a turn. The Soul Stone, along with the other Stones, are wiped from existence. They are no more."
It took all of her concentration to not fall off the wagon, her brain screaming for release from this type of focus. "All those decades... Just thrown away like it's nothing. Like dust in the wind." Keira caught a snowflake on her fingertip and gently blew on it. It swirled up into the air, only to disappear from sight. She inwardly fought not to cringe at the theatrical gesture, but for this conversation, it was a necessary evil to paint the picture.
Red Skull's face fell for just a second, but she caught it before he had a chance to hide it. As she couldn't let her emotions show on the outside, she had to fight hard to keep the victorious smile off her lips. "But what if I can offer a solution where that doesn't happen?"
The wraith's eyes hardened, but there was something behind the veil that told a different story. "And how would that be a possibility?" His tone might be skeptical, but Keira knew she had struck gold.
"What if I could offer you something... more?" Keira had to trod carefully now, the ice under her feet was thin as a sheet of paper and one wrong step would cause her entire world to collapse. "What if I can offer you peace? A way for you to know that your long years of servitude meant something and that the Stone remains safe?"
Red Skull floated closer to her, towering above her. If this was meant as an intimidation tactic, it didn't work. Keira remained unmovable, steadily meeting the wraith's gaze.
There was no doubt in her mind that he must be longing for peace. Doomed to live as a Stonekeeper, she didn't doubt that he was immortal, as to never meet the soft hand of Death. But how long could a mind live in eternity, before life lost its meaning?
Even if his servitude would come to an end when Thanos came knocking, there was no chance in hell that Red Skull would feel like he had fulfilled his duties when the knowledge of the destruction of the Soul Stone plagued his mind.
"But if I am to grant you this favor, I need something in return." Keira held her ground as the wraith's eyes bore into hers, searching for any lies.
Cursed to know deception from sincerity, Red Skull knew the truth. And after so many years, he was indeed longing for peace. It had been ripped from his grasp the moment that the Space Stone had deemed him unworthy. "You shall get what you wish."
Keira's heart did a double take at the simple words. Maybe she was jumping the gun, but in her ears, it sounded like her friends would be safe. That the talk of a loved one taking the fall was simply a way to scare people from searching the Soul Stone without the willingness to sacrifice something dear to them. Something that fit, considering that the Soul Stone held such immense power.
She could, of course, be wrong.
But if she wasn't much mistaken, Red Skull had some sort of ability to know most things, such as the family history of those who visited. She had barely heard her father's name in over twenty years, and yet, the wraith hadn't hesitated to utter it. Maybe it was some sort of omniscience or something like that. Whatever it was, she was sure that there was no misunderstanding between them.
Now the only question was; would she be able to do what had to be done?
Keira gave a little nod before turning her back to the wraith. Walking over to Clint and Natasha, she just put her arms around them. "Thank you for trusting me." She whispered, glad she had been able to avoid any physical disagreement.
"Of course." Clint bowed his head, leaning his forehead against the mutant's shoulder with one arm around her.
Natasha smiled, her chin resting in the crook of Keira's neck as the warmth of the hug embraced her. "Always. You sure you can do this?"
Neither Clint nor Natasha knew exactly what the mutant was planning, but it sounded like there was a plan at least, so they trusted that.
Keira pulled back, and managed to stretch her lips into a somewhat convincing smile. In all honesty, she had absolutely no idea if she would be able to do this. She had never tried anything remotely close to what she was planning, but she would be damned if she didn't try. And in the worst-case scenario, she would simply have to knock out her friends and jump over the edge herself.
Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that though.
She grasped their hands and gave them a little squeeze before releasing them. "I got this."
Well, at least she sounded convincing. Always something.
The first step in her plan had succeeded. Red Skull's interest was piqued and he had agreed to her terms. The second step shouldn't be a problem at all, since creation had been her forte for years. Much thanks to her rogue year. Like they say, every cloud has a silver lining, so, in this case, creating a body for the wraith was the least of her worries.
However, transferring a mind? That was a completely different story. She had never attempted anything like it before.
With her eyes on the edge of the cliff, Keira took a deep, steadying breath. "I'm the boss, I'm the boss, I'm the boss." She muttered under her breath, trying to hype herself up by echoing Scott's words from so many years before. And surprisingly, it seemed to work, igniting a tiny flame of hope inside of her.
How hard could it possibly be?
Taking a few steps closer to Red Skull, she stretched out her right hand. With the sight of the eclipse in front of her, she let the diamond flow from her fingertips, like fine dust. Around three feet in front of her, it settled, slowly crystallizing. It didn't take long until one could glimpse the outline of a body growing from the ground up.
To the best of her ability, she tried to base the golem's features on how Red Skull had looked back in the days, when he had still been Johann Schmidt. It might seem like a bit of an overkill, but she didn't want to risk the wraith going back on his word.
Speaking of Red Skull, he was floating closer, almost impatiently, and was eyeing the golem with great interest. "What now?" He asked calmly when Keira lowered her hand, the diamond creation complete.
"Now... I transfer your mind over to the golem. Once it's complete, you will be mortal again, and you will be able to find peace." Again, just a theory but hopefully it held some truth.
Now, it was time for the hardest part of her plan. And she had no idea if it would actually work out the way she thought it would. Who knew, maybe this would prove too much for her, and she would die trying.
Keira exhaled deeply as she closed her eyes, allowing her mind to connect with the Stonekeeper. The outside world seemed to disappear in a blur as she got sucked into the wraith's consciousness.
It was different from anything she had ever felt or encountered before. Words failed her, and even if she tried, she wouldn't be able to describe it. Memories kept flashing past her retinas, threatening to overwhelm her. But she knew she needed to see past them. To find the root, the part that used to be human.
Through the little parts of her that were still connected to the outside world, she heard Red Skull groan at the intrusion. Yeah, it wasn't a picnic for her either.
Even if he wasn't deliberately fighting her, it sure as hell felt like it. She hit wall after wall, and had this been a physical fight, she would've been beaten bloody. But she knew her mission, and she was determined to finish it, or die trying.
Through the whirlwind that was Red Skull's memories, Keira caught a glimpse of Steve. Even back in the day, the supersoldier fought for what he thought was right. It gave her another push of motivation, reminding her why she was doing this.
Almost desperately, she dived into the memories with newfound vigor. It was difficult to navigate through it all, the wraith's mind being so immense. Once upon a time, Red Skull had been a mortal man, and back then, it probably would've been an easier feat to find the root of his being.
But now, he was a Stonekeeper, an unknown entity, cursed with immortality to watch over the Soul Stone.
Her knees threatened to buckle with every push she made within his mind, and the taste of iron was starting to grow thick on her tongue. If she didn't find what she was looking for soon, she was certain that her body would give up before her mind did.
And as if her prayers had been heard, she finally felt it.
The very root of his being. The part that once made Red Skull human. A part of him that could've been untainted, had he not made the choices he did.
It was such a strange sensation to feel something so primal, a such raw part of another being.
She braced herself, gathering all her strength. This was it. With a huge effort, she ripped it out. It didn't fight her like she thought it would do, but rather followed her like a ripped-up weed.
The outside world started to flicker as her legs started to sway. Her consciousness was balancing on the brink of collapse, and with her last remaining powers, she reconnected Red Skull's mind to the diamond golem.
It took everything she had to try and make sure that all the pieces of his mind got placed in the right order. She needed him sane, and of sound mind. Otherwise, it would be all for nothing.
The very moment she managed to connect the last piece, her body gave up. She crumpled to the ground, black spots taking over her vision.
"Key? Hey, Key, come on."
Somebody was gently slapping her cheek, and she blinked as Natasha's face came into focus.
"You don't get to die on me yet." Natasha ignored the tears of blood that ran down her best friend's cheeks, but merely exhaled in relief that the mutant was still alive.
Warm hands pulled Keira back up to her feet, Clint holding most of her weight with an arm around her waist. Natasha was on her other side, acting like a stabilizer. Keira didn't have it in her to apologize for the discomfort she was causing her friends at the moment, but merely focused her gaze on the diamond golem.
Or rather, focused as best she could while the world was still spinning.
The golem slowly raised a hand, rotating it while scrutinizing it closely. The black robes that had been his vessel for decades turned into dust and got blown away into the wind. "Impossible..." His voice was practically the same, although without the eerie echo it held before. It was fascinating, he could feel the mortality in him once again.
Natasha and Clint watched the golem with apprehension, still holding Keira tight. They still weren't sure if he would honor his word.
Keira fought hard to ignore the pain searing through her body. Tiredness tugged at every muscle of her being, and all she wanted to do was to sleep for a month, or perhaps a year. Somewhat clumsily, thanks to her friends' hold on her, she managed to wipe her face against her arm. Blood smeared all over her sleeve but she couldn't care less at the moment. "I've upheld my deal of the bargain." She croaked, her voice barely holding. It almost felt as if it too, had gotten a beating during the mental transfer.
The golem lowered its hand and fixed its eyes on the mutant, nodding serenely. "You did. And now..." It glanced over its shoulder at the horizon "It is time for me to uphold my part. Being here for so long has given me perspective. I now understand why I was banished here." Slowly, it turned around and walked over to the end of the platform. "I abused its power, but now, I get a chance to do one good thing. Maybe this time, I'll be deemed worthy."
And with that, the golem stepped over the edge.
A breath of relief left Keira's lips, and if possible, her body crumpled even more. Had it not been for Clint and Natasha, she would've hit the ground in a heap. But now, they all slowly sidled to the edge to finally glance down at the bottom of the cliff.
The golem stared up at them, unseeing but unbroken.
Would it even work? With a body that remained whole, could the soul still offered? Could an old Stonekeeper's soul even count as a sacrifice? After all, he walked over the edge to give the Stone's existence a meaning, and wasn't that a sort of love? Far-fetched maybe, but perhaps that was all it took.
The wind picked up, tugging wildly at their hair as they backed away from the edge to not fall over it. A bright flash of light exploded, and they all snapped their eyes shut to not go blind.
The very first thing Keira became aware of was the water pooling around her. Out of instinct more than anything, she quickly scrambled up into a sitting position. Her right hand was curled into a tight fist, a bright orange light shining through the gaps of her fingers. She didn't pay attention to any of her friends as both of them came around as well. With her eyes fixed on the light rays, she swallowed hard as she slowly raised her fist out of the water and unfolded her fingers.
In the middle of her palm lay an orange stone. The Soul Stone. It worked, it actually worked.
Clint and Natasha both placed a hand on the mutant's knee, smiling brightly at her. They had done it.
"You look like shit." Natasha chuckled as she pulled the mutant in for a tight hug, ignoring the bloodstained cheeks. "How the hell did you pull that one off, huh?" She muttered, burying her face in the crook of Keira's neck. She had been so close to losing either of her friends and somehow, they all had survived it. Strong arms embraced them as Clint joined the hug.
"Yeah, you pulled off the stunt of the century, Key." Clint breathed in disbelief, his arms around the two women. "And I'll kill Nebula when we get back."
Keira could barely get enough oxygen down in her lungs, sandwiched between her two friends. But she didn't care. Tears of relief and happiness ran down her cheeks, mixing with the blood already there. Yeah, she probably did look like shit. "T- Told you everything would be okay if you just- just shut your pieholes, d- didn't I?" Her voice shook from exhaustion, and she allowed her eyes to close, leaning her head against Natasha's shoulder. Oh, how she would love to just dig herself under a rock and sleep for half a century.
"You did." Natasha could do nothing but smile, slowly stroking Keira's hair with her free hand.
Clint was the first one to detangle himself from the hug and push himself back to his feet. "You did it. You crazy son of a bitch, you did it." With a wide grin on his lips, he helped the two women up from the shallow water.
With one arm around Natasha's neck and Clint propping up her other side, Keira felt like a kid learning to walk. Her legs felt like jelly, and she doubted she could take more than a few steps on her own. "I'll forgive you for calling me a son of a bitch simply because it's a Jurassic Park reference. Don't you d- dare think otherwise." She narrowed her eyes in reprimand but her beaming, albeit tired, smile told him all about her satisfaction that he had used a movie reference.
"Oh, he knows it's your weakness, Key. We all do." Natasha chuckled, hoisting up the blonde a tiny bit. "You guys ready to go home?"
Keira rolled her eyes in a playful manner, tightening her hold on the Stone. The last thing she wanted to do was to lose it while traveling through the Quantum Realm. Throwing the dark eclipse one last look, she nodded. "Let's go home."
~~~~~~~~~~
A/N: Soo... They all survived Vormir! Did it go as you hoped, or did you want any of them to sacrifice themselves? Couldn't help but notice that some of you wanted me to kill Clint hahaha, which was very entertaining haha!
I gotta say, this chapter kept bugging me. I had multiple scenarios play out for this part, and it took a loooong time to write them all and try to find ways forward. Even when one of them sacrificed themselves, it still felt a bit flat...
So, I must give a HUGE thanks to my friend @SierraCara who came up with the idea of creating a body and transferring a mind into it. It helped a lot hahaha.
And yes, they didn't get to sacrifice anyone, but I'm still quite happy with this outcome! Hope you are too! 😊