⏳ --

We'd been travelling for, I was assuming, a day or two. The cold breeze blew through constantly, causing me to shiver, even with Steve's arms wrapped around me. We also hadn't come into contact with any Auradiam yet, which was odd. I could hear them. They were far, but not too far. It sounded like they were...following us.

"Are we there yet?" Tony asked for the nineteenth time.

Astra growled like a cornered lion. "I swear to any god who is listening that I will rip you in two if you ask that one more time. I do not care if the Auradiam find us, I will use my powers to do so."

"You have an anger problem," Clint remarked. "Do Time Walkers have anger management anonymous? Or–"

"You are walking on thin ice, archer," she growled. "Watch your step."

"Enough," Steve said sternly like a parent breaking up a fight. "We don't have time this."

"What are you talking about, Cap?" Tony sassed. "We are in the center of where all time originates and you're saying we don't have time? I beg to differ."

"Shut up, Stark," Nat said, ending the conversation.

Although they were subtly arguing, I was glad that there was still banter within the group. The landscape around us was bleak, but the spirits of my friends weren't. It was comforting. It was comforting to see that the mission and the surroundings weren't dampening their determination...as it was mine.

"I think we should stop for a while," I suggested. "The Parthenope need a rest."

"I think I got dust in my suit," Tony complained. "Gotta get it out. Best to stop."

I saw a tree standing alone a little ahead of us. It was barren from every direction I could see. It wouldn't be too much of a risk to light a fire and get warm; it was absolutely freezing! "There looks like a good place to camp."

It didn't take long to set up. Steve snapped a few branches from the lonely tree's limbs and gathered surrounding twigs to create a small pyre, a light blast from Tony's repulsor igniting the fire. We all sat around it, huddling close to keep warm as the cold breeze gently blew.

"Why did I agree to this?" Sam remarked. "I could be at home right now eating pizza."

I nudged him playfully. "Because it's your job. And this is for me."

He chuckled. "The things I go through for you and your boyfriend."

"How far away are we from where we are going?" Wanda asked, the first time she'd spoken in a while.

"A few days," Astra replied. "Perhaps more. It is hard to tell how long we have been travelling for."

"For all we know we've been travelling for one day or three," I added. "The darkness never changes."

Steve placed his hand on mine. "It will. We'll fix it."

A roar echoed in the distance, the third one since we'd camped. It didn't sound like they were getting any closer to us. It wasn't like there was anything to hunt out here; everything was dead.

"Are those aura suckers getting closer?" Wanda asked.

"Let's hope they're not," Sam said. "We're screwed if they are."

"The Auradiam are the least of your worries, bird man," Astra grumbled. "It is the people who ride them. They are creatures that can be tamed and ridden like the Parthenope. Those who do are dangerous."

Another roar sounded. It was closer this time. Much closer. I stood. How did they get so much closer so quickly? What were they doing? They weren't hunting; Auradiam didn't roar to sound their location when hunting, not to mention there wasn't anything to hunt. So what were they really doing?

Steve stood next to me. "What is it?"

"Something's wrong." I glanced at Astra. "They're not hunting."

Astra warily got to her feet. "No. No, they are not. Those do not sound like wild Auradiam."

"Wait, what does that mean?" Clint wondered, standing with Nat.

Astra and I shared a look. We knew exactly what was coming, who was coming. And we were in trouble. "Blackeyes," we said in unison.

"Black–what are you two talking about?" Tony asked.

"Put the fire out," I ordered, "now!"

Clint and Nat stomped on the flames, desperately trying to put them out. Tony hurriedly put his helmet on. Sam outstretched his wings. Steve pulled his shield from his back, the hum of it slashing the silence.

"The Blackeyes wouldn't seriously come out this far," I hissed to Astra. "It's too far away from their territory."

"There are no territories anymore," she growled back. "The borders have been dissolved."

"Well, that's just lovely. Absolutely fantastic."

"What are you guys going on about?" Sam demanded.

A roar ripped the silence before either of us could reply, very close to the camp. We were in trouble.

"I can't fight, Andi," Wanda said in a worried tone. "I need my powers."

"The aura suckers are gonna be all over us." I powered up. So did Astra next to me. "There's no point in not using them now."

The Parthenope nearby became restless like spooked horses, pacing and rearing onto their back legs, fear clear in their widened eyes as the fire was finally extinguished. The aura suckers were their prey, yes, but trained Auradiam were deadlier than the wild ones. The trained ones hunted Parthenope.

The Blackeyes were getting closer. Voices interrupted the silence, cackling and calling.

"So these Blackeyes are...cowboys?" Tony interjected.

"Worse," Astra growled.

"They're bounty hunters," I added.

In the dark distance, I could make out moving forms running towards us, creatures on four legs, the cackling voices loud and clear in front of us. Fortunately, it was just bright enough to have a battle. It felt like one was going to happen.

"What do we do?" Wanda asked, her hands glowing red as she prepared herself.

"Nothing," Astra replied sternly. "We do not attack."

"What?" Clint growled through clenched teeth, bow raised and an arrow notched at the ready. "You are kidding, right? Wait, you're uptight, so I guess you're not."

"Depending on who is leading them, the Blackeyes are always open to negotiate."

"Gee, they sound like Jedi," Tony remarked. "Peacekeepers to the end...or not."

Steve sent me a look, an are you sure look. He wasn't going to make a move unless I thought it was best to, and if he wasn't going to make a move neither were the others. With that said, I hoped that my decision was the right one. "I want to see who's leading them." I was hoping that it wasn't who I thought it was, and so I powered down. So did Astra and Wanda.

Like Astra and I thought, the aura suckers had riders on their backs. The figures, all men, were of varying sizes and dressed in red and black. They were definitely from the Blackeyes crew, judging from the blood red eye painted on their chests and the bloody streak across one eye of their mounts.

The aura suckers came to a halt yards away from us, and their riders dismounted.

"Andi, are you sure about this?" Nat hissed next to me.

I didn't answer as I tried to get a better look at the leader sauntering towards me as the rest of his men stayed with the mounts. And when the light from the swirling galaxy and moon above shone on his face, I couldn't help but groan. I knew him. And I wasn't going to enjoy his company, just like the last time we'd met.

I raised my chin. "Cidus Khofen."

"Andromeda!" he exclaimed in his heavy Middle Eastern accent, arms out wide. "Long time no see!" He turned to the others. "And you've brought some friends. How nice!"

"What do you want, Cidus?" I sighed, running a hand over my face. "You only stalk people when you want something."

He pulled an expression of mock shock, a hand over his heart. "What do you mean, dear one?"

I smirked. "Nice try. Spit it out."

His mock shock melted away to a serious expression. "Only the foolish travel this far into the Chronos. Eon's reach is far. His reach has extended as far as where we now stand. The question is: what do you want?"

"What's it to you?" Sam demanded, warily edging closer to Steve's side.

Cidus glared at him. "What business is it of yours, Sam Wilson?"

"How do you know his name?" Nat wondered, her Black Widow bites around her wrists powering up and glowing blue.

"I know many things, Natalia Alianovna Romanoff. It's part of my job."

"What are you doing here?" Astra snarled. "This is far from your territory."

"I've come to complete a job." He began to back away towards his crew and sent me a sly grin. "You know me, Andromeda. A bounty hunter must complete his job at any cost. And I've been promised a fairly good price upon completion."

"Who hired you?" Steve asked, his shield humming as he slightly raised it defensively.

"I'm not at liberty to say." He tapped the side of his nose. "Rules of bounty hunting, Captain. Never reveal your contacts."

"But sharing is caring, right?" Tony's helmet closed over his face, the eyes lighting up. "Politeness is important."

The Blackeyes' hands glowed with power as Cidus re-joined them. The Auradiam behind them hissed and growled. Cidus grinned. "I like you, Andromeda, I really do. I liked Eilian as well. His death was–"

"Don't you dare mention his name!" I snarled. "You have no right to speak his name!"

"Come now, he was my friend too." He rested a closed fist on his hip and gripped his chin with his thumb and index finger. "I know you two were..." He sent a smug glance Steve's way. "...frisky while you were trying to find those Vault Shards."

"Who hired you?" I growled through clenched teeth. I powered up. "I won't ask again."

"Neither will I," Cidus replied in the same tone. "I will not say." He raised his hand high. "Besides. You will not like it if you find out who did."

He lowered his arm, a clear signal for attack. And then the Auradiam charged.

"Avengers!" Steve called, and the fight began.

I whipped my hands up to create a shield in front of me just in time for an aura sucker to smash into it. I watched the sides of its neck frill open like a reptile as it dug its sabretooth-like fangs into the shield. The fangs glowed as the aura sucker absorbed the energy from the shield, and it completely dissolved, leaving me exposed.

I stumbled back. Well, shi–

"How do we beat these things?!" Sam yelled as an aura sucker chased him around like a cat chasing a bird.

"Going Chuck Norris on their asses isn't exactly working!" Tony grunted as he threw an aura sucker from his back and fired a repulsor blast at it before returning to the sky.

"We must break off the fangs and stab them into the sides of its neck!" Astra bellowed back, throwing a ball of time energy at the nearest Auradiam, the creature completely inhaling it like a dog snapping up a treat thrown to it. "It is the only way to kill them!"

An aura sucker lunged at me, and I rolled away. I regained my footing as my back hit another's, a familiar one.

"Having fun yet?" I heaved.

"Yeah," Steve breathed, batting one of the feline creatures away. "Fun. That's the right word."

I ducked as his shield slammed into the face of an aura sucker in front of me, sending it flying. I turned to him and grinned. "Is there a better word for what's happening?"

And then the Blackeyes joined the fight.

Cidus charged at me, and I was ready for him. I stuck my hand out and a bolt of golden lightning shot out. He dodged, the bolt striking the ground where he stood mere seconds before. He aimed a kick at my head which I blocked with my shield-protected forearm. He kicked again and I blocked with my other arm. He went to strike my abdomen. I moved to protect it when he feigned and struck me with a swinging kick. His boot collided with my face, sending me to the ground. I rolled away in time as he slammed his foot where I'd fallen.

The battle halted momentarily, Cidus and I squaring off. I spat out the tangy blood before wiping drips from the corner of my lips.

Cidus smirked. "You have gotten better at fighting, Andromeda."

"I've had a lot of practice since we last met."

"As if you can beat me." A knife dropped out of his sleeve and into his palm. "You couldn't last time."

I wasn't worried that I didn't have a weapon. I didn't need one to win. One side of my mouth rose in a smirking side smile. "Times have changed."

He lunged at me and swung his knife. I leaned back to dodge and leapt back when he swung again. Cidus threw his open hand my way and ball of orange time energy blasted out. I rolled away as it hit where I'd be standing, and I retaliated with an energy ball of my own. As Cidus went to dodge it, I made my move. I dashed to the left and slammed my fist into his side. He snarled as he swung his knife, just missing the top of my head. I moved to his back and kicked him, throwing him forward. His knife skittered out of his hand.

I leapt onto his back and wrapped my arm around his neck, my legs around his waist. Teeth sunk into my arm, and I roared in pain. Cidus stumbled back and fell, landing on top of me, knocking the wind out of me. He sat on top of me, pinning my arms to the ground.

"You're still not as good as me, lovely Andromeda," he whispered to me. "You're still sloppy."

I struggled against his weight. "I'm not even trying!"

"Get off her!" Steve grasped the back of Cidus' coat and ripped him off me.

I leapt to my feet and charged at Cidus, only for Steve to step in front of me. The fight had halted around us, the Avengers and the Blackeyes backing away from each other yet still waiting for the standoff to continue.

I watched Cidus' brow rise in pleasant surprise as we watched Steve and I. "Oh." A cackle escaped his lips. "Oh, this is perfect! Another man you're going to drag down to the depths with you."

"Your words mean nothing to me," I spat.

"But what do they mean to him?"

I resisted the urge to glance up at Steve. I was afraid of what I'd see there.

Cidus charged. I jumped in front of Steve and raised the knife, pointing it at Cidus' neck as he skidded to a stop right in front of the blade.

"No one dies today," I concluded, ending the fight. "Too many have died already under this sky."

Cidus glared at me. I glared back. The staring contest felt like it had gone on for hours when Cidus broke contact to look at his men. He cocked his head to the side, silently ordering the retreat. The Blackeyes stepped away from the Avengers. The Auradiam followed their riders, snarling and stalking away.

I didn't lower the blade pointing at Cidus' neck. "Who hired you to kill me?"

"I will not say."

"The Chronos rides on me being alive, Cidus. Perhaps it's pretty obvious that Eon hired you to take me out."

Cidus scoffed. "You think too big, Andromeda. My employer is a sly one; unbelievably he's slyer than me. Primavera's lackeys like yourself are ignorant." He shrugged nonchalantly. "You have a traitor in your midst, Andromeda."

My blood ran cold. Everything felt numb, my limbs heavy like lead. My eyes flicked to my friends around me, and then to Astra. She stared back at me, her expression completely blank. A traitor? Within the Walkers? How...? I didn't understand. How as there a traitor among us? But the bigger and more important question still remained: who was the traitor?

I flipped the knife to hold the flat of the blade, offering it back to the bounty hunter. "We have a common enemy in Eon, Cidus. We shouldn't be fighting each other."

Cidus sent me one more glare before taking back the knife, sheathing it at his hip. "Sometimes you have to know when to give in. Perhaps it will be safer if you hand yourself over to him. Less will die."

"I can't do that."

Cidus shrugged. "Suit yourself." He mounted his aura sucker. "A monster has started this war, Andromeda. History has proven that the monster always wins."

I straightened. "Monsters don't make war." My eyes flicked to Steve standing behind me, glaring at me with hard and displeased eyes. "War makes monsters."

Cidus inclined his head before calling out, his men joining him, and ran off into the darkness.

If we had a traitor in our midst like Cidus claimed, we were in trouble. A lot of trouble.

❈Author's Note: Hey, there! If you liked this chapter, please consider giving it a quick vote! Thanks for reading!