CHAPTER THIRTY SIX
TOGETHER AGAIN
[ AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR ]
"So if Loki was said to be dead, then why is he very much alive?" Natasha asked as they stood around a table, having put Antares back down for a nap after she had cried out the remainder of her energy. Everyone was highly confused, Loki was heartbroken.
"Antares isn't what we call an Enhanced. Her brother was, but there's something living inside of her, it's eating her up from the inside out. I had only been told stories about such things, I never thought it to be true." Loki spoke from his spot in the corner of the room, them having earlier used the word enhanced when explaining the woman's brother and another lady named Wanda. Loki having never meet the two previous, having only met Wanda today.
"What's living inside of her?" Nat asked, worried for her friend, the idea of something killing Antares slowly was horrifying, she was like a sister to her.
"What, like a parasite?" Sam added.
"It's called the Phoenix Force, it's a strong entity that contains many powers and can overtake its host and make them do as they wish." Loki explained, trying to remember as much of the stories as possible, though he had t remembered much due to believing it was a make believe story. "They latch onto a living body and use it for their own needs. It's not here to help Antares, but use her."
"So, that's not Antares but the Phoenix Force?" Sam added.
"No, it's Antares. But it has taken over her body before, when we were fighting Hella." Bruce spoke up. He barely remembered what had happened since it had been Hulk whom had seen everything transpire, however he remembered snipets. The image of the girl on fire and the sound of her aganising screams ripples through his mind like a distant memory, but it was still here.
Loki sighed, brushing his hands down his face as he shuffled around. The image of what little he had seen from the throne room echoed through his head and couldn't help but blame himself. He was the one whom sent his father away to die and in doing so, he brought back his sister. The other Avengers giving him wary looks as they kept their distance.
"Woah, who's Hella? Back track, what happened?" Sam was getting more confused as time went on, only having really meet Anatres a few times. everyone seemed to be confused of what the woman had come face to face with while on her search through the galaxy to find their missing friend.
"Hella was Odins first born, Thor and my older sister. She was the rightful leader to the throne, goddess of death." Loki hissed out. "That's when Antares and I meet. It's also when we found Bruce."
"But the Phoenix Force has emence powers and was able to kill a god, it almost killed Antares that day." Bruce kept on track. She has many abilities that come with her... gifts. But she doesn't know how to fully control them and they seem to come to her in great deals of stress or ergency. Teleportation and Resurrection Forces seems to be just two of them, that's what brought them back here." He continued, pointing his thumb behind, aiming at Loki.
"So when the ship blew up and she was holding you, she used enough of her power to bring not only herself back but you along with it?" Vision piped up, seeming to be the only one whom wasn't worried about the god's presence.
"She doesn't remember anything after the blast, the amount of power she used took enough of her life energy away for her to not realise what she had done. She still believes Loki is dead." Bruce nodded.
"The next time Thanos shows up, who knows what she is capable of after what happened on the ship. Not only did he kill myself but he also badly injured Thor, killed half of the Asgardians and tried to kill Antares." Loki offered, having not remembered what happened after his death. "But her powers still might not be enough to finish him."
"What do we know of Thanos?" Wanda asked.
"That he's the last known survivor of the Titans, that he wants to kill half of every known race in order for the world to keep turning. He's manipulative, cunning and coy. He knows how to win and he doesn't care who dies in the process." Loki spoke up, spitting out every word in distaste, "He is not someone you can easily fight alone."
"We're not planing to fight alone." Steve spoke up, looking towards Sam then Nat.
"Exactly, we're gonna need all hands on deck, where's Clint?" Bruce nodded, looking around the group, seeing that someone from their team was missing.
"After the whole accord situation he and another hero, Scott, took a deal. They're on house arrest instead of going to jail." Nat answered.
"Who's Scott?" Bruce asked, confused at the knew names being thrown around.
"Ant-Man." Steve answered.
"There's an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man?" Bruce looked shocked at the names, Bruce having already given the run down on the four heroes up in space at this current point in time.
"Yeah, but what are we to do about Rigel, do we tell her?" Nat asked, worried as to what might happen to the teenager whom was currently with Tony on a huge space ship. "We can't keep this a secret, it was why she left in the first place."
"No, the last thing we need is her knowing her brother is alive when there's a chance he's going to die in outer space." Bruce quickly shot.
"You can't be serious right now?" Nat snapped back at the man, angered that he would even say such a thing.
"Wait!" Loki's voice cut the two heroes off as he glared between the two, "You mean to tell me that Antares' only blood relative left is actually alive and you're refusing to tell her?" Loki spat at Bruce, having thought he cared more about the girl then he obviously did. Loki knew just how much that teenage boy meant to her and if she knew he was alive, it would give her something worth fighting for.
"She has to know." Wanda spoke up, taking Natasha's side. "It's the least we owe her."
"But then she will be worried for her brother, it's a distraction." Bruce shot back.
"It's her brother!" Wanda cried, the thought of someone keeping hidden that her own brother could be alive when she thought him to be dead hurt. It was betrayle. "It's not a distraction, it's a motivation."
"Guys! This is not up for discussion, there is no way to contact Tony which means no one knows if they're alive or not. For now, she doesn't know anything." Rhodes shot, "She's already in bad enough shape as it is."
"And if she watches the news and seeing 'Tony Stark in outer space with Warpath and Spider-Man'?" Nat asked quietly. "She needs to know."
"I will deny it if you bring this up again but... Miss Romanoff is right. You can't leave her in the dark about this. She is hurting, knowing her brother is fine would make her happy." Loki said, voice not quite sounding as soft as he had meant it and instead it came across more menacing. Natasha and Wanda gave the man a weary look before turning to Bruce with smug smiles.
"Is she even in enough shape to fight? I mean look at her." Sam cried out, taking the conversation back to the main topic. He was furious at the idea that they were going to put a 'wounded soldier' on the battle field.
"She is our best hope." Vision answered silencing the crowed. "If What Loki says is true, then she and Wanda are the only two how could rival against his might."
"Okay look, Thanos has the biggest army in the universe and he is not gonna stop until he... he gets the - Visions stone." The group went silent at those words, however the soft patter of feet slapping against the cool metal was heard and soon a voice accompanied it.
"And he's not getting it." Everyone turned to see a smiling Antares slowly emerge into the room.