Do or Die
The signal was yet to be given as the barrier was ready to be open. But the suspense came to an end when the king proudly and boldly shouted, “WAKANDA FOREVER!”
T’Challa crossed his arms as his helmet was engaged. Like a truly honorable king, he led his army towards the center of the battle field. At his rallying call, they took off in a synchronized stampede. With weapons at the ready they charged, and in no time at all, both Steve and T’Challa were at the helm of their advancing infantry. A ray of light alerted them to the opening of the barrier and the two leaders pushed themselves harder to break away from the pack and make contact with the enemy first.
As they collided with the alien hellhounds, Evie skilled swordsmanship and witchcraft shred them to pieces. With each one she slayed, her fury intensified. As their blood splattered on her clothing she reveled in the fact that it meant one dog less in her path to killing Thanos’ children, and then the titan himself. But the Outriders were over running every square inch of the battle ground. It seemed that no matter how many they fended off or cut down, ten more cropped up in its place.
It was a never ending cycle.
Strike, dodge, deflect. Kill, block, kill, block… again and again. The sound of snarling, groaning, and screams filled the air as they were getting swarmed from every angle.
“God damn it! Just die!” As Evie chopped down a few more, she caught a good look at the pandemonium all around. Every single person on that playing field was fighting tooth and nail with everything they had. As she pulled off one of the creatures from one of the Dora Milaje, her senses made the bells start to ring in her head go crazy. Evie threw herself over to other woman as a whole pack of demon space dogs tried to maul them.
Instantly she projected her force field, but with the massive teeth and claws so close to their faces, the Wakandan special forces officer turned to look at her, already accepting their end. “If we really are about to die, can I get your name so I know who to thank once I am in the Ancestral Plane? I will tell the ancestors to send their blessings wherever you may go.” Having a surreal moment of clarity and gratitude in knowing she might not die alone in a theater of war, Evie took the woman's hand. “Genevieve Stark, but my friends call me Evie…”
“Evie, I’m Ayo. It has been an honor serving at your side.” She gave her a curt nod, with a small smile. “Ayo, the honor has been all mine… But I’m not dying today and neither are you!” With some new found determination, Evie amplified her strength. Void relishing the opportunity to really go feral. Both women gripped their weapons tightly. As soon as she dropped the shield, they were engulfed in darkness, emerging just outside the pile up of barking monsters.
At once Evie held up her hands. They didn’t even have a chance to see themself getting swallowed by a black fog when the sound of howling and yelping was heard. While Stark disposed of the Outriders, Ayo covered her six. Seconds later the snapping of bones and squelching of fleshing being churned came after. When Evie rejoined Ayo to continue fighting, a disgusting mess of grounded meat and bones was all that was left in the dirt.
But again they just couldn’t catch a break.
At some point they got separated and Evie was pinned in a ditch. Her blade knocked from her hands as she was exerting what was left of her energy into both protecting her baby and holding off the swarm. Then without warning, there was a brief moment in which time seemed to have frozen. A large beam of rainbow energy instantly disintegrated a few dozen Outraiders, and Evie’s heart finally felt a tiny twinge of true relief and hope.
From the Bifrost a battle ax was hurled. Everyone paused to stop and marvel at how the magnificent weapon flew through the air, electrocuting Outriders. Frying them on the spot or slicing them in two, providing aid to Steve, Banner, and a few others who’d also gotten pinned down. Using the ax to her advantage Evie propelled the rabid dogs to its path before following its trajectory back to its owner.
Standing there in a ring of scorched earth was Thor Odinson, accompanied by a well armed raccoon dressed in a little vest and a tree-like being. Evie could hear Bruce cackling with joy. “Hah! You guys are so screwed now!” However, she knew Thor was there for the very same reason she was. With lightning still coursing through his body the three of them charged towards the mouth of the opening with Thor demanding, “BRING ME THANOS!”
With her resurgence, Void had Evie picking up the pace with how many she was taking out. With the sword summoned back into her hands she was playing a lethal game of whack a mole. The only signs of her position being the dissipating puffs of black smoke left in her wake. After some time she’d managed to work her way to Thor’s new friend. The guy, made of bark and branches, got spoked when she appeared. Almost like a kid… Oh he is a kid!? Teen? How to tree based lifeform age? She quickly spit out, “I’m a friend!” When he looked ready to wind up a punch.
Two big muscly arms came from behind, sweeping her off her feet. “Evie! Oh thank the Norns and Allfathers you're safe!” He sat her back down, pointing to the little guy, “oh, by the way, this is a friend of mine, Tree!” The tree impaled several Outriders before turning back to them, slamming down the creatures.
“I am Groot.”
“I’m Evie.”
Thor placed his hands on her shoulders before searching her deeply. “Evie, how's the child? Are you both well?” She nodded, blinking away the moisture trying to gather at the corner of her eyes. “Loki’s final trick… he casted an enchantment. A protection spell.” She placed a hand on her disguised womb, “your nephew is strong. Just like his father.” A bright and toothy smile took over Thor’s face before it faltered.
“We will make him pay. All of them.”
“Of course we will…”
She turned in time for both of them to hack down a pack of space dogs rushing them. “I won't settle for anything less than his head and heart on a silver platter!” He chuckled mirthlessly, “then you shall have it little sister.” Just then the colossal pillars releasing the hell spawns started to rumble once more time. Evie took off at a breakneck pace, something told her they were in more an even bigger headache than just the beasts.
Sure enough, the forest trees started to shake, shift, and fall as the ground beneath them moved. Then the barrier lit up as something enormous was tunneling underneath the surface of the earth. As the fighting continued, towering grinders erupted from the ground. From her position Evie barely had enough time to save a handful of soldiers as the giant wheels churned up flesh and dirt alike. T’Challa came over the comms yelling, “fall back! Fall back, NOW!”
And it wasn’t just one, nope. They had released four and seconds later they were disbanded into several pieces to wreak havoc. Evie contained two still fully attached, employing every ounce of force into keeping them cemented into place. From the corner of her eye she could see another hoard coming to storm her from the sides. Thinking quickly she knew it was a risky move, seeing how she was already overworking her body. But she lifted them anyway, spinning around and sending the drills towards the incoming attack.
Following her lead, Wanda was now on the field too and doing the same. All in the nick of time to protect Natasha and General Okoye from becoming ground meat. However, something told her Wanda shouldn’t have left Vision’s side. Trudging forward, she spotted Proxima speaking into a device. The horned demon then had eyes on her, and Void was more than ready to get her hands dirty. As she marched forward Sam came over the radio shouting, “guys, we got a Vision situation here!” Followed by Steve telling anyone to get to Vision. Bruce and Wanda both call it, but she saw how Proxima took advantage of the situation to take a swing at the redhead. Sending her tumbling into a dried up river bed.
But as Evie tried to go help her friend, another grinder came barreling towards her. And she was forced to take it out before advancing. With another two grinders down she was about to join Nat, Okoye, and Wanda when Bruce was yelling into her ear. “Guys! Vision needs backup, now!” She ran, as fast as her tired legs could carry her before disappearing into a black mass.
Proxima had knocked down the women and had Nat on the ground, holding off a blade away from her neck. Evie jumped off the river bank holding her sword in both hands. As she wrapped her legs around Proxima’s backside, she drove the blade straight down the center of her head. As they both crumpled to the floor Nat sat up covered in purple ooze panting, “that was really gross.” But Evie didn't have time to acknowledge her. “Wanda get to Vision, now!” With Wanda flying to join Vis, Evie assisted Nat in getting up but fumbled. Both she and Okoye held Stark steady. “ Bozhe moy , you okay!?” Widow had never seen her this drained before. Her face was creased with worry at how bad a shape the girl was in.
Short of breath Evie wheezed out, “peachy! Just, just need a second to catch some air.” With the tables finally turning to their favor. Evie sensed the change in the air and it was evident by how the Outsiders were turning tail back into their ships. Thor was on the rampage. As the warcrafts started to lift off the ground, he came swooping in. Turning any stragglers into crispy char as he ventured forward. Imploding them from the inside out. When he came bursting through the top he didn’t hesitate to move on to the ones already in the air.
In turn, Evie took hold of Nat and Okoye right as the winds started howling ominously. Something or better yet someone was coming and it wasn’t good. She called upon her magic to carry them towards Steve and the others. Every person left standing was grouping around Vision and Wanda defensively. The feeling of expectancy was thick in the way the air carried itself.
All of them motionless, just waiting for the inevitable.