Wanda came awake all at once. It was a reflex she'd developed from her youngest days, and never tried to unlearn.
Cold marble under her cheek. Sunlight.
The throne room in T'Challa's palace. Someone had put a blanket over her?
No.
Not a blanket, Vision's cape--
Viz?!
She looked around frantically, seeing her downed teammates, but no sign of him.
No. No, no, no---
The mix of sorrow and grim determination in the Black Panther's eyes told her that for once, her fears were true.
She screamed at them, mixed fury and dread, when they held her back from going after him.
Once, she would have lashed out, made them move.
Once...before she promised Vision that she would never again treat other heroes as she had him, because of a difference in beliefs.
The explosion shook the ground under their feet.
She felt a vast wrenching as if part of her was being ripped away. and then ...nothing. Silence.
Darkness that was broken by bursts of flame as the Chitauri vessels slammed onto Wakanda's soil.
Barnes returned with Vision's remains. Tried to speak to her, to offer regret or comfort.
The other Avengers were beginning to stir. She shoved past him and went outdoors.
It was almost too easy. There were no distractions, no reason to divide their forces or hold anything back.
They let the main force of the Chitauri cross into Wakanda, and then raised the barrier behind them.
She enjoyed the confusion, and then growing panic, in the aliens' eyes as they realized that they were trapped in the shielded area with her.
Scarlet fire filled the meadow, leaving shattered bodies, melted armor covering bits of flesh, bones and organs littered across grass that was damp with ichor.
They screamed. Tried to flee.
Until there was only the other female left--Proxima Midnight.
Wanda dragged her to her knees. Looked into her eyes. "One chance," she snarled. "Your life for the answer. Where is Thanos?"
She hadn't been able to save Vision.
But she could avenge him.
Proxima shook her head. "I...will not..."
Wanda gestured dismissively... and beheaded her.
"Scarlet!" Rhodes' urgent yell made her glance up, to see a portal open, with a large, purple-skinned man striding through it.
She grinned, licked blood off her chin, and strode forward.
As she did, the Avengers hurried to join her.
They had almost reached the portal when a lightning bolt blasted from the clear, summer-blue sky.