Steve Rogers stood at the front of the pack in the Wakandan fields. Natasha and Bucky stood to his right, T'Challa to his left as he welcome in M'Baku and his tribe to the fight.
It was Natasha, Steve, and T'Challa that took the initiative to approach the barrier of Wakanda, where Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian stood, awaiting them.
"Where's your other friend?" Nat taunted at Proxima, who narrowed her eyes at the blonde.
"You will pay for his life with yours. Thanos will have that stone,"
"That's not going to happen," Steve told her, standing defiantly.
"You are in Wakanda now," T'Challa told the alien woman. "Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood."
"We...have blood to spare,"
The trio returned to stand with their army, turning back to face the barrier as they watched the alien vessels open up into the wilderness.
"They surrender?"
"Not exactly," Steve mumbled back to Bucky.
They all watched as thousands of the rabid, dog-like animals poured out of the vessels, running toward the barrier to engage in the fight.
"Yibambe,"
"Yibambe!"
"Yibambe,"
"Yibambe!"
"What the hell," tumbled from the lips of Bucky Barnes as he watched, astonished, as the Outriders poured through the field, crashing into the barrier.
"They're killing themselves," Okoye muttered, horrified at the sight of the Outriders pouring into the outskirts of her home. Many never made it through the barrier, bits and pieces of their body torn apart by the strength of the barrier.
The team stood at the ready as Rhodey and Sam flew through the air, taking down multiple Outriders near the barrier. The Wakandans drew their cloaks, force fields appearing in front of them as they fired at the remaining Outriders that made it close to them. Bucky stood at Steve's side, firing at them with his gun.
A large explosion rocked the ground at the front of the barrier, fire billowing up into the sky. Some of the Outriders survived, still running across the ground as their bodies burned.
The group was alerted to the sight of many of the Outriders splitting away from the main group, running around the sides of the barrier.
"Cap, if these things circle the perimeter and get in behind us...there's nothing between them and Vision," Bruce's voice flowed through the comms from the Hulkbuster armor as Steve turned his attention back to the problem directly in front of them.
"Then we better keep them in front of us,"
"How do we do that?" Okoye questioned her King. T'Challa shared a quick look with Steve before looking toward the barrier.
"We open the barrier,"
T'Challa made the call to Shuri and her team to open the section of the barrier. Steve stole one last look with Natasha and Bucky before her moved her arms, his brand new Wakandan shields appearing on his forearms.
"This shall be the end of Wakanda," M'Baku mumbled.
"Then it shall be the noblest ending, in history," Okoye sneered, eyes narrowed as she prepared to fight alongside their army.
T'Challa walked to the front of the pack, standing in front of the army as the Outriders ran toward them.
"WAKANDA FOREVER!"
The army let out a war cry as they ran forward into the field. Within seconds, the northwest section of the barrier was opened, more and more outriders pouring inside by the second.
Steve Rogers ran forward, passing up everyone on his sides until it was him and T'Challa leading the pack. The leaped over the shallow stream of water, launching themselves straight into the middle of the Outrider pack.
Twisting and turning, Steve dug his shields into the necks and faces of the Outriders, ripping them apart as their bodies fell to the ground. With each one he took down, though, more appeared.
With a leap, Steve landed on top of one of the Outriders as he threw it to the ground, digging his shields into it until it finally stopped moving once and for all. He shared a quick glance with T'Challa, wordlessly having a conversation.
"How much longer, Shuri?" he called out to his sister over the comms.
"We've barely begun, brother!"
"You might want to pick up the pace,"
Steve and T'Challa fought together, back to back and working with one another. Steve catapulted himself over T'Challa's back to take down an Outrider behind him as T'Challa used the energy distribution attribute of his suit to blast many of them back.
It only took a second, though, for it to all go downhill.
Three of the outriders grabbed onto T'Challa, tossing him back and forth like he was a ragdoll. Steve was pinned up against a rock by one, unable to run and help his friend. It only grew worse when three other Outriders attacked him, forcing him to the ground as they crawled over him, trying to rip him to shreds.
The only thing that went through his mind was Lottie. That this moment right here was it, this was the last moment, and Steve Rogers would never get to see her smiling face again. He would never get to hear her laugh, see her smile, kiss her lips.
He'd never get to marry her. He'd never get the chance to cry as she walked down the aisle. He wouldn't get to buy her their forever home and give her the family he always promised her he'd give.
Using his shields to cover his face, Steve Rogers closed his eyes and just waited for the end. But it never came. Instead, the Outriders were blow off of him, and when Steve opened his eyes, he could see the bolt of lightning right above him.
Both T'Challa and Steve pulled themselves to their feet, Steve wearing a smirk as they looked toward the colorful stream of lights known as the Bifrost.
The colors disappeared as Thor came into view, his axe returning to his hand as Groot and Rocket stood at his sides, prepared to fight.
"You guys are so screwed now!" Bruce's voice could be heard over the comms as Thor ran forward toward the Children of Thanos.
"Bring me Thanos!"
Steve watched his friend for just a moment as he flew into the air, flying down to the ground with a strike of his axe, the lightning taking out hundreds of the Outriders in a second.
Maybe, just maybe, they had a shot.
◼ ◼ ◼
Battle. Has. Begun. Let's. Freaking. Go.