❝ NO CRAWLING BACK ❞
( KEEPERS OF THE STONES )
xv. ybambe!
chapter fifteen

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WAKANDA, PRESENT DAY

" How we lookin', Bruce? " Natasha called over the comms, and Helena, who stood across from the woman, followed her gaze behind them at the scientist in the Hulk-Buster, running alongside the jets.

" Yeah, I think I'm gettin' the hang of it. " Bruce insisted, then started shouting as he flew ahead of them, stumbling as he ran, " Wow this is amazing! It's like being the Hulk and not actually being— "

Helena flinched as the big hunk of machine tripped over a rock and rolled in the ground.

" I'm okay. " Bruce insisted.

" I got two heat signatures breaking through the tree line. " Rhodey said, he and Sam having flown ahead of them to scope out the battlefield.

As they came to a stop, Helena saw two tall, dark figures standing near the edge of the forcefield. She didn't need to get any closer to know that they were Proxima and Black Dwarf. The Wakandan warriors piled out of the jets, which took off after dropping them all off.

They got in line, chanting a war cry after M'Baku, the leader of the Jabari tribe. He and T'Challa shook hands and exchanged a few words while Helena's eyes narrowed down at the Black Order. Her hand clenched around the hilt of her sword.

" Helena. " Steve called, walking ahead of the army, Natasha at his side; the Asgardian looked to him with a raised eyebrow. " You've dealt with them more than we have, you should come with us. "

So, Helena followed Steve, Natasha, and T'Challa down to the edge of the forcefield, where Proxima and Black Dwarf stood opposite them.

               " Your hand is looking better. " Proxima commented in her monotone, meeting Helena's sharp glare with a humorless smirk, " Don't get too used to it. "

                 " Where's your friend? " Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow curiously at the absence of Cull.

                  Proxima's face hardened, " You will pay for his life with yours. Thanos will have that Stone. "

                   " We'll see about that. " Helena responded, looking over at T'Challa, who stepped forward to make himself known.

                   " You are in Wakanda now, " He announced, " Thanos will have nothing but dust and blood. "

                  " We. . have blood to spare. " She grunted and threw her arm into the air; the group watched as the ships planted firmly into the ground began to open.

                  Helena, Natasha, Steve, and T'Challa retreated back to their own army. The ships finally cracked open, and Bucky didn't take his eyes off the sight as he asked rhetorically, " They surrender? "

                      " Not exactly. " Steve answered.

     
                      Squinting her eyes, Helena could see black figures jumping out of the ships. As they sprinted on all fours towards the barrier, she could hear their loud, animalistic growls from her place. The Asgardian pulled out the Sword of Serenity, watching with narrowed eyes as they began throwing themselves at the barricade.

                      " Ybambe! " T'Challa called, the army of Wakandan warriors repeating the chant after him, slamming their spears into the ground. " Ybambe! "

                     " What the hell. . . " Bucky muttered as the dog-like creatures began to push through the barrier, frying themselves and falling dead before they could get any closer.

                    " They're killing themselves. " Okoye observed in horror.

                   T'Challa shouted another order, and the soldiers lifted their shields in front of them, holding their spears level with the approaching mutts. With T'Challa's next word, they all shot at them. The mutts that were breaking through we're getting too close for comfort, and, eventually, Bucky joined in on the shooting. Helena watched as the creatures fell, and, with a closer look, she saw that they had four long, slimy arms, and their elongated bodies connected them to their legs.

Sam flew over their heads, making Helena's hair fly in front of her face as he drifted down, shooting at the creatures opposite Rhodey.

" You see the teeth on those things? " Sam called incredulously.

" Yeah, Sam, stand back before you get your wings singed. " Rhodey advised, and they watched as he dropped little grenades at the edge of the barrier, slimy black bodies flying as they exploded.

Helena narrowed her eyes to look through the flames of the explosion, locking on to the mutts outside of the forcefield, which quickly caught on to the attack hitting them as soon as they crossed. Instead, the pack started sprinting around the barrier, moving to the other side.

" This might be a problem. " Helena alerted them aloud, sightlessly grabbing Steve's arm, pulling at his sleeve as she kept her eyes on the creatures. " They're circling around. "

" Cap, if they make it to the other side and get through, there's nothing between them and Vision. " Bruce agreed.

" We better keep them in front of us. " Steve said, and, on the other side of her, T'Challa kept his eyes in front of him as Okoye leaned towards him and questioned how they were going to do that.

" We open the barrier. "

Helena tightened her grip on the sword at his words, and she watched him lift his fingers to his ear piece before ordering, " On my signal, open northwest section seventeen. "

" Requesting confirmation, my King. You said 'open the barrier'? " One of the Dora Milaje asked.

" On my signal. " T'Challa repeated.

" This will be the end of Wakanda. " M'Baku noted, a sullen look on his face as he stared at the creatures clawing to get in.

" Then it will be the noblest ending in history. " Okoye insisted.

Helena nearly flinched when she heard Steve's shield extract beside her, raised up by his face. T'Challa called an order, and the warriors lowered their shields. The Asgardian's eyes followed T'Challa as he moved through his people to get to the front of the line.

Then, it was deadly quiet for a second, like everyone was holding their breath in anticipation.

" Wakanda forever! "

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Itai's eyes widened as he watched the army spring into action, sprinting down the battlefield and towards the barrier. Then, while his breath hitched in the back of his throat, a small section of the barrier opened, allowing the black creatures to climb and stampede through.

" Shuri, can you go any faster? " He asked urgently, turning away from the glass as he looked to the young woman.

" If I could go any faster, do you think I would still be doing this? " She retorted in annoyance, raising an eyebrow as she remained focused on the projected Stone.

" Shuri. . how much longer? " T'Challa's voice crackled through their earpieces.

" I have barely begun, brother. " She replied, although with more patience than she had with Itai.

" You might want to pick up the pace. " T'Challa advised, and Itai's eyes snapped over to Shuri's promptly, making a small 'hmph'.

He could tell how badly she wanted to roll her eyes but she kept them trained in front of her as she continued pulling apart the Stone's neurons. Wanda stood near Vision on the table, looking anxiously between Shuri and Itai, but not speaking her concern.

" You can not make me go any faster now that you have decided to accept your duty. " Shuri insisted, and Itai sent a glare her way, even though he knew that she had a point.

Itai turned back to the glass window, bare arms crossed over his chest with one hand lifted to his neck, pulling at his panther-tooth necklace as he watched the carnage happen outside.

Down below, on the battlefield that has become swarmed with warriors and creatures alike. Helena felt as if she couldn't really hear anything, when, in reality, there wasn't a noise she didn't hear. The slashing of spears and swords against the slick skin of the mutts, bodies falling to the ground, yells and war cries, the rushing of her own blood in her ears.

Helena was holding her own against one particular mutt, the Sword of Serenity shaking in her grip as the creature clawed and slashed at her with its two highest hands, pushing down on the sword with its lower ones. It towered over her, forcing her down as it went against the only thing keeping it from tearing into her. One of its claws caught her face, leaving a deep gash down her cheek and a burning sensation throughout her head.

She turned her shoulder, losing her hold against its pressure before whirling back around, using her bandaged hand to hold the hilt while the other wrapped tightly around the end of the blade. Helena gritted her teeth and shoved the sword up into the creature's torso, feeling a sharp pain blossom throughout her hand. Once it stopped slashing at her, she threw it off her sword, watching its body collapse to the ground with a thud.

Helena released the sword, flicking the excess blood off of it before looking to her hand, which was sliced and also bleeding. Crimson red coated her palm, and she felt splatters of the creature's blood on her face as she turned around to face the rest of the oncoming enemies. She saw one barreling right towards her on all fours, it's extra arms flailing wildly, and she raised the sword in front of her defensively, but her arm was visibly shaking, veins prominent throughout her hand.

" I am Helena Eerikdottir, greatest thief in the universe. . . " She muttered, flexing her fingers around the sword; if she wasn't already preoccupied with the chaos going on around her, she would've wondered why it wasn't saying anything to her.

Suddenly, a sharp, burning pain flooded her entire body, like an eruption of lava and entered her blood. Helena cried out in agony and she dropped to one knee, placing one hand to the ground and the other loosely holding the sword in her slacken grip.

" Get up, girl. " The Sword finally spoke, " Get up, or else you're going to lose. "

" I. . . can't. . " She barely whispered, feeling as if she had been struck with lightning, blue eyes wide as she stared down at her trembling fingers, unable to keep them steady. " Something's . . . something is wrong. . "

" You have to, Helena— "

" Helena, what's your position? " She could barely hear Steve's voice in her ear as she let out a pained groan. " Helena, what's going on? Are you okay? "

" No, Rogers, I don't think so, " She breathed, heaving in air as she forced her head up, beginning to rise on shaky legs.

" Alright, Helena, I'm on my way— " Steve assured her, but she didn't hear much after that; the Asgardian lifted the Sword of Serenity, and, in it's reflection, she saw what she believed to be a strike of lightning, with no thunder following it.

She left her curiosity in the dirt as she was abruptly tackled into the ground. The blue of black above her moved rapidly, reaching down near her face and chomping as it slashed at her. Helena turned her face to the side and held the sword up as high as she could, letting out a loud yell of anger and pain.

She was surprised when the mutt fell off of her, landing on its back with its head detached from its body. Helena threw her head back and exhaled in relief, chest rising and falling unusually fast as she let her guard down for a short moment.

That moment was a poor decision made by her exhaustion and need for a breather nearly cost her her life. Helena felt another shot of pain erupt down her leg, sparking all the way up into her spine, and her head immediately snapped to the source of the pain.

In the midst of her haze, a mutt had snuck up on her and sunk into her right leg with its jagged, uneven teeth. Latched on just above the knee, the creature growled and snarled as it violently shook its head, as if it was trying to rip her leg right off her body. Helena clenched her jaw as she screamed behind closed lips, reaching for the sword, which was just inches from her fingertips.

The woman finally opened her mouth and yelled angrily, stretching her fingers as far as they could physically go, just barely brushing against the hilt. Electricity crackled between her fingertips and the hilt, and then she swore she saw the lightning again.

This time, thunder boomed right after it.

Helena's fingers wrapped around the sword, which became stuck to her hand almost like glue. With a war cry not unlike the Asgardian warriors' traditional one, Helena slung her arm over and slammed the sword down into the mutt's head. It released her leg and growled before roaring its jaw open again to attack.

Helena inhaled sharply and lifted the sword from her seated position, but she didn't have to strike again. She saw what she thought was a lightning strike, and watched as the powerful surge of energy shot down into the ground, near the barrier. Nearly seconds after, something came flying through the air, blue strikes of energy erupting from it. As it got closer, Helena realized that it was an axe, and it cut right through the mutt's body, killing it on impact before it flew further down to attack more of the creatures.

Then, Steve's face was in front of hers, grabbing her hand without a word and pulling her up. Helena reluctantly allowed him to drape her arm over his shoulders, not exactly enthused about needing help, but not objecting it either. Her leg felt like it was on fire, and she was sure it didn't look any better.

The two of them stood and watched as the axe went flying back into its owner's hand, right where the beam of energy ceased. Standing in its place was a face Helena was happy to see. Thor, sporting a new haircut, as well as Groot and Rocket, gun in hand. He didn't waste a second before he broke out into a run, sprinting towards the creatures.

" Bring me Thanos! "

Even with all the pain radiating through her body, Helena managed to smile.

" This battle is not over, Rogers. " She told him, and he glanced down at her, seeming to be catching his breath as well; with a slight grin, he nodded his head.

" You're absolutely right, so let's get back in it. "

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Itai noticed Wanda walking over toward the windows, eyebrows furrowed as she stepped closer, peering out to see the battle outside. He followed her, the troubling expression on her face meant something was wrong.

                When he stood beside the witch, he saw the ground moving. Near the edge of the barrier, the ground lifted and lowered before five large ring-shaped contraptions burst out of the ground. They began rolling down the battlefield, decimating anything near them with their vicious blades. He heard T'Challa yelling to fall back on the ear pieces. Wanda briefly looked off to the side, seeming deep in thought.

                  " Wanda. . " Itai called, making the woman look over at him, eyes slightly widened with a questionable look; he nodded towards the window, " they need you out there. Go help them, I'll stay with Shuri and Vision. "

                   Wanda looked back at the window then to Vision, her face showing conflict before her eyes settled back on Itai with an unsure expression, " I. . . "

                  " I will protect Vision and the Mind Stone. " Itai insisted, giving her a solemn look as his eyes dragged across to the window. " They'll die without you, Wanda. I promise, I'll protect him. "

                  He could see the reluctance on her face, but eventually she gave in. She exhaled quietly and nodded at him, moving past the table and whispering something to Vision before she left.

                  " I hope you are ready, Itai. " Shuri called, glancing up at him with an expression that he rarely ever saw on her face — uncertainty, doubt. " They are not going to give up easily. "

                  Itai gave her a half grin before he turned around to look out the glass, tapping a button on either of his silver bracelets, allowing two sharp blades to eject from them; they served as both a shield to his arms and a weapon.

                     " Neither will I. "

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                Helena quickly found herself amidst the fighting, back to back with Bucky Barnes, a man she had barely been acquainted with. Rocket stood a few feet away from them, shooting the mutts that got a little too close. The Asgardian listened to the Sword of Serenity as it told her to turn around, and she quickly swung the sword over her shoulder, slicing straight through a mutt that had nearly taken Bucky's face off.

                Bucky made a surprised face and nodded to her gratefully before warning, " I'd duck. "

               Helena crouched down as well as she could with her brutalized leg, and heard the gunfire as Bucky held Rocket up with his vibranium arm, spinning around as they shot at the mutts around them. When they had destroyed about a dozen of them, Bucky tossed Rocket down, the raccoon laughing hysterically.

                " Well, that was fun. How much for the gun? " Rocket questioned, and Bucky gave him a dry look as he answered that it was not for sale.

                 " What about the arm? "

                   " Rocket, now is not the time for your foolish jokes. " Helena interrupted, and the raccoon narrowed his eyes as he looked up at her, the sun leering down on her, casting an awful shadow; he noticed her leg, though, and seemed surprised.

                     " Hey, Princess, long time no see. " Rocket greeted her, gesturing towards her leg. " You're not looking too hot. "

                     " I'm still alive, though. " Helena replied with a ghost of a smile.

                       " You two know each other? " Bucky asked as he shot another mutt that was running their way; he raised an eyebrow as he looked between the two extraterrestrials.

                       " Unfortunately. " Helena confirmed, making Rocket scoff and grumble under his breath.

                    Back in the lab, Shuri was making progress, but not enough so that Itai felt comfortable in their plan. The man took a deep breath as he paced over to the lab, watching Vision's discomforted face as Shuri separated the Stone, piece by piece.

                       Then, there was a shout from the doors that were across from Shuri, who stood at the top of the lab, leaning over Vision. Itai saw the girl visibly flinch, and he held a cautious hand out to her, waiting and watching the door for another sound.

                       Then, a feminine voice called out in alarm, and there was another crashing sound before the doors bursted open. Obsidian Cull walked through the doorway, stabbing the last two Kong's Guard men before letting them drop to the floor like nothing. Shuri moves quickly, trying to finish as much as she could before Cull reached her. She removed the hologram and grabbed her blaster, turning on the man and firing at him.

                Cull easily deflected her shots with his scythe, slashing at her and breaking the glass barrier, sending Shuri flying down to the bottom floor. Itai's eyes went wide as he lunged towards the princess.

                    " Shuri! " Itai yelled, but Cull had jumped down to the second level before he could reach her.

                    Itai stared Cull down, watching as the tall alien slowly looked over at the table, seeing that Vision was no longer laying there. Itai knew that he had to keep him away from Vision, no matter the cost, so, when he saw Vision out of the corner of his eye, he snapped into action.

                Vision charged at Cull with a roar, tackling him backwards, towards one of the tall windows. Itai moved quickly, running to the two of them and grabbing Cull by his suit, shoving both of them through the glass. As it shattered, the two of them fell with the shard, and Itai managed to see Vision flying down after them.

                  " Guys, we got a Vision situation here. " Sam called over the ear piece, but he was cut off abruptly.

                   " Somebody get to Vision! " Steve ordered, and Helena, from across the battlefield, noticed the three bodies falling from the tower and began limp-running in the direction of the trees.

   
                      " I'm on my w— " She was cut off by a mutt tackling her unexpectedly, throwing her to the ground with a hard thud.

                     The creature's advantage didn't last long, because its head was chopped off before her within seconds. Black goo splattered along her face, joining the old, dried blood. Helena squinted her eyes into a disgusted expression as she looked up to see Thor wielding his axe before her. He held his hand out to her, and she gratefully accepted it, standing with his help.

                      " Thank you. " She said, giving him a half smile, pausing for a moment as he returned it, and then she hugged him in a mixture of blood, sweat, and dirt. " I'm very glad to see you. "

                     " I would hope so. " Thor commented as they separated, remembering the situation at hand; with a raised eyebrow and a boyish grin, he insisted, " I did take a star for you. "

                    Helena gave him a questionable look before she started limping away, swinging her sword in hand as she remembered the intense pain she felt before he arrived.

                " I believe we took that star together. "

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note.

so close

If you have any feedback about this chapter, I'd love to hear it! What'd you like about it, what'd you dislike about it? A specific character, relationship, or scene caught your eye? Brotps? Otps?

Any predictions or worries for the future chapters? Anything else you'd like to mention? I'm all ears!

until next time,