Avengers: Damnation

The Tower Falls

Lumen softly landed in the grassy bank and looked up at the tower. It loomed overhead, reaching up for the misty sky above them. Silence, eerie and ubiquitous, permeated the air around him.

"What do you think's in there?" Nightstar whispered.

Lumen studied the structure, noting the lack of windows. The entire tower was shut to them. Of course, it would be nothing for one or all of them to make their own entrance. But then, as if conjured from a horror movie, the drawbridge slowly began to lower itself. The corridor that revealed itself to them was dark but as they approached the threshold, torches came to life. One by one, they flared up to light the path for them.

"They're expecting us, whoever is in here," Aegis whispered.

Lumen slowly nodded his head. "Well...let's not keep them waiting then."

Together, the three of them walked down the corridor as the torches on either side of them burst with flames. As they went deeper inside, something ahead of them slowly came into view and they came to a halt as the figure took shape.

"Whoever you are, I'm just going to tell you that I'm not in the mood today," Lumen spoke in a self-assured voice with an edge of anger. "So if you're going to stand in our way, just know that you'll regret it."

The figure, bulky and imposing, stood up from its kneeling position. At full height, the being easily towered over the three of them. An over-sized knight in black armor, he held a cleaver in his hand. The blade was easily as tall as Lumen, who assessed the weapon with detachment. "I am the Gatekeeper," the knight rumbled, his deep voice resonating. "And you have strayed far from home...and from safety. You are very brave."

"Bravery has nothing to do with it," Lumen snarled. "Your master has my sons and I'm here to get them back. And if I have to cut through you to do it, so be it."

"Do not fool yourself. You will not pass me," The Gatekeeper promised darkly.

"Yes he will," Aegis called out. "Because he's not doing it alone."

The Gatekeeper stared at Aegis and Nightstar before leveling his attention back on Lumen. "They must love you a great deal to walk so willingly into death with you."

"The only one dying today is you," Lumen promised. Light exploded from around him, a blazing aura. "You, your master, and all of his followers."

"You bark like a hell hound," The Gatekeeper chuckled. "But you are a pup. A pup whose yipping grates on my nerves. I will silence you. And your sons will serve their purpose." He lifted the cleaver and pointed it directly at Lumen. "For the master."

Lumen's hands became tight fists and his eyes narrowed into fierce slits. "Fuck your master," he growled.

"We have to keep moving," Snowbird explained to the group before further discussion could be had. "Every second we waste is another Nelvannu gains."

"But where? You got a map of this place in your back pocket?" Iron Man asked.

Snowbird looked over her shoulder at him. "I do not," she sighed regrettably.

"I knew that I was asking too much," Iron Man grunted.

"My uncle is a deceitful creature," Snowbird replied. "Even if such a map did exist, I would not trust it."

Thor, growing increasingly impatient, scowled at the dark forest path in the distance. The dog, who had remained by his side, licked his hand, drawing him from his dark thoughts. He smiled sadly at the dog, who whined up at him. "What is it, dog?" Thor asked in a defeated voice. The dog closed his teeth around Thor's ax and maintained contact with him. In those fiery, canine eyes, Thor saw something he couldn't explain. The only word that kept coming to him, again and again, was 'friend'. Was this dog who had taken a liking to him for his act of kindness truly his friend? He was a product of Nelvannu's twisted world; was such a thing even possible?