sokovia
The wind rushed past my face, stray stands of hair from my plaited ponytail obscured my vision as I zoomed through the cold wintry air. The scene around me was as if Khione herself had conjured it. The matted brown pine needles peaked out through the powdery white carpet, the sun glinting off the expanse of diamond-like crystals all around.
Of course, the serene picture was infiltrated by the swarms of heavily armoured HYDRA guards and machines. With one hand gripped tightly on the handle of the motorcycle, I used the other to slash down the guards that came flooding out of the compound in a quite futile attempt to stop us.
I nodded at Steve, who was on the other motorcycle, and we diverged onto different paths. I rode through the blanket of snow as I mercilessly brought down guard after guard, swiping through their bodies easily with my adamantine sword. Rounding near a small hand-crafted tower where a few machines stood shooting down at us with their weapons.
With all my might, I swung my leg out while lifting myself off the seat. I kicked into the wooden beam of the tower causing it and the machines to cascade slowly into the snow. Stark flew down instantly after, blasting them all into smithereens as I continued forward.
I caught up with the rest of the group and saw one of the great jeeps trailing behind the one that Nat managed to hijack. Seeing no more use of the motorcycle, I sheathed my sword back onto my back. In one great movement, I strained my muscles and let out a low grunt to flip the small vehicle out from beneath me and into the jeep. As my feet planted against the icy cushioned dirt, the jeep exploded into a fire of blinding light.
I leaped over the crossed planks of wood, lined with barbed wire along with my fellow Avengers, ready to crush the inner workings of the HYDRA base.
My feet made contact with the snow once again as I drew my sword. I sprinted through the trees at a rate faster than the average human and came into the sight of these oddly powered machines. I smoothly ducked one of it's electric blue blasts then kicked it square in the chest. As it faltered, I struck my sword into the head of another and yanked it out harshly, it dropping to the floor. I spun around and swiped at the head of the one I kicked, it coming clean off as it spluttered and powered down.
I glanced at Thor flying overhead and called out to him. He swooped down and gathered me into his arms, causing my seemingly permanently heavy heart to lift momentarily. He lifted me onto the platform and my feet slammed against the wood. Together, we fought back-to-back, taking down the dozen or so guards. Once they had all dropped, limp, he carried me back down safely to the group and swung his hammer away.
I puffed out a breath of warm air, creating spirals in the frosty air then set off back into a run. A huge tank rolled out in front of my moonlit eyes. I brought my bow to anchor's point and trained it on the flock of guards in front of it, I shot them down, rapidly decreasing the lines around it while narrowly dodging the lines of blue energy blast.
"Shit!" Stark exclaimed through my earpiece.
"Language!" countered Steve causing me to lower my bow momentarily as I tried to stifle a laugh. I shook my head and continued to shoot at the guards by seeking cover from a tree. "Jarvis, what's the view from upstairs?"
"The central building is protected by some kind of energy shield. Strucker's technology is well beyond any other HYDRA base we've taken." The voice of Jarvis filtered though my earpiece as I launched up into the air and onto a great tank. While in the air, I grasped behind my back and swung out my sword, slicing down at the guard operating the gun on the tank.
"Loki's sceptre must be here," Thor's voice said.
"I agree, the defense system and these machines could not be powered without it," I said with a grunt as I kicked the head of the tank open and threw my sword into the chest of the driver, the tank halting to a stop.
"At long last," said Thor as I tried to regain my breath while still sitting atop of the tank.
As Nat began to speak, I grasped my sword and swung myself off the tank and landed on top of guard. "'At long last' is lasting a little long."
I huffed in agreement as I started to slash down the next influx of guards from the base, hoping for it to be the last.
"Yeah. I think we lost the element of surprise...again," came Clint while I crashed the hilt of my sword down on one of the guards heads.
"Wait a second. Is no one else gonna deal with the fact that Cap just said 'Language'?" questioned Stark.
"I know. Just slipped out." He sighed, allowing me to release that laughter that I had tried to contain.
The line of guards started to shoot mercilessly at me so I dove into the snow, to seek cover behind a sizable tree. I lined up my bow and started to take them down but there were too many and I did not have enough arrows to get through them.
I bit my cheek in thought as I rolled away from an energy blast, it lighting up the tree that I was behind less than a second ago. It was as if a light bulb pinging on in my head as I nocked an arrow into my bow. I narrowed my eyes as I trained my arrow onto the tank sitting motionless beside the mass of guards. I let it fly and embed itself into the blue rim of the sceptre powered machine gun atop of it. As my lilac fletched arrow made contact with it, it the tank and the guards surrounding it ignited in a fiery ball of orange flames. It billowed outwards and I ducked my head behind my arm to shield it from it's glow.
Once the light died down, I glanced around the area around me to see it clear of any movement. So, I sprinted off closer to the compound while keeping my eyes peeled for any others.
"We have an Enhanced in the field," came Steve abruptly.
I flitted my way quickly through the trees, searching for any signs of activity yet I still didn't catch the faint stream that rushed towards me, knocking me into the air. I cursed myself and whipped my head up to catch the activity again but to find no traces. If only I had continued to use my powers during the last year, to strengthen them, I could have caught whatever that was. I feared that I wouldn't be able to use them again, in order to summon the energy I needed to lift my spirit to absorb the aura of the moon. I didn't think that I had that energy within me anymore, not since my mother's desertion for the last year, not since my father's death.
"I just came into contact with it, they seem to have some sort of...super speed," I said into my earpiece, pushing the regret and panic of my powers to the back of my mind.
"Clint's hit!" Nat yelled into my ear causing me to stop my run and contemplate whether to turn back or carry on.
A sharp blast of electric light shot towards me but I quickly deflected it with the end of my bow, making my mind up for me and I hurried towards it.
"Stark, we really need to get inside," said Steve as I shot down a few guards that emerged from the bunker.
"I'm closing in," said Stark as I slid through the snow, avoiding it's beam then jumped up onto it and struck my sword into it, a reign of yellow fire blasting me through the air and into the icy carpet. I tenderly touched my cheek, wincing at the ugly burn but knowing it will most likely completely heal within a day or so.
"The drawbridge is down, people," said Stark through my earpiece as I breathed a slight sigh of relief as I picked up my undamaged sword.
I looked at the vast distance I still had between myself and the base and shook my head at the futility. I turned back and headed towards the main line of action as the area was now clear. I mentally punched myself for discarding my motorcycle as I could have gotten there and infiltrated the compound, it was better to risk my own life than them risking theirs. They had people to live for, I for one, no longer did.
"Clint's hit pretty bad, guys. We're gonna need evac," said Nat as I neared another tank.
Not slowing down, I drew my bow and shot my silver arrows into it's front wheels, jamming them. I heard the explosion behind me as I released arrows at the line of guards behind it.
I strained my ears for any sound of activity but hearing none.
"We're locked down out here," said Nat as I caught sight of the nearby machines holding their hands out in surrender.
"We have a second Enhanced. Female. Do not engage," Steve said as I continued through the winter wonderland. "I got Strucker," he came again a few seconds later.
"Yeah, well I got something bigger," said Stark. "Thor, I got eyes on the prize."
I looked up to the heavens in relief at his words, finally retrieving our objective after these countless missions.
I slowed my pace slightly as Thor dropped down next to me, his hammer slowing to a stop.
"Ready to go," he said extending his hand to me, his eyes light at Stark's news of the sceptre.
"Yeah," I nodded, moving my left hand with my fingernails chewed off to his muscular palm as the adrenaline vanished from my body, leaving my heart heavy once again.
As my hand came into contact with his rough skin, my shoulders felt a little lighter.
* * *
"You're going back to Asgard," I said to Thor as we walked down the ramp of the quinjet after it had settled onto the Avengers tower.
I couldn't deny the mountain of disappointment that I felt as I wouldn't be able to see him as often as I had been this past year. As much as I hated to admit it, he was a vital part of me, helping me push through my days. Him leaving meant that there was no possible relief of the dark shadow that pressed over me.
"I have no choice, Selene. I have to return Loki's sceptre to my father and who knows what he shall have me do once I get there."
"No, it's okay. I understand. I'm most likely going to stay in Olympus. See what needs to be done there. Besides, I sold the house, it was too much to bare being alone there," I said, the last part quieter than the rest.
"You are more than welcome to come with me, to Asgard, I mean. There is nothing to say that you cannot, our realms are now united in harmony thanks to you," he said, smiling at me.
"No, I couldn't. I can't image what Zeus would say if he was to hear that I was there instead on at Olympus."
"And I would have no problem telling him that you are there on my orders," he replied, smirking at me.
I looked down to hide the light tinge that appeared on my cheeks. "I don't know Thor, maybe another time. Tartarus is not as stable as it used to me and we cannot afford any more civilian casualties."
"In that case, if you ever need anything, don't be afraid of dropping onto Asgard. No matter the importance of the task I am doing, it will always come second to you."
and so age of ultron is officially hereee!! very very excited for this guysss. please do vote and comment. thank you so much for readingg!!