ʜɪꜱ ꜱᴀᴠɪᴏʀ ━ Bucky Barnes/Avengers

40: a soul for a soul

DIANE

When he stood there, fear crept up on me like a parasite. I could feel it consume me whole. I shouldn't be so afraid, but upon knowing all of the risks, the sight of him just makes me revolt.

He merely stared at us once he exited the portal. His eyes searched for what each one of us could possibly be hiding. Once he stops at Vision, a smirk follows his face.

Now he was coming for it.

"Eyes up," Steve prepares the team, strutting towards Thanos. "Stay sharp."

I apply a quick cold bandage on my hands in a rush as the other team begins to push. But Bucky sets me aside, hiding me behind him. I wish his presence was enough to satisfy the anxiety slowly building up in my chest, but one glance at Thanos was all it took to send shivers down my spine. As frightened as I was, there was much to lose, and failing this mission would mean failing the whole team, even failing myself.

I take the chance to study the giant as the rest begin to attack him, taking a look at the golden gauntlet where all the colorful stones lay. From what I remembered, six stones were needed to fulfill his mad desires, so I begin to count one by one the stones on each of his knuckles. And once I had finished, the worry did not subside at all.

"He has the five stones." through shuddered breaths, I inform the team, "One more and he'll succeed."

"Then we must stop him at all cost." T'Challa's voice speaks through comms. Perhaps everyone had spoken too early because once Banner attempts to throw the first punch, he had been defeated immediately. Then came Steve and the King, who were at too much of a disadvantage against the powers of the stones as they suffered its aftermath. Knocked out on the floor, the only contenders left standing were me, Bucky, Nat, and Wanda. With Wanda guarding the stone, Bucky and Nat charge together, leaving their post to charge at Thanos with a battle cry. And just as presumed, they get thrown off with one flick from the giant's finger.

I yell his name. My first thought was to run after him, but Nat does so instead while Wanda tells me to stand down.

"Diane, you can't!" she says.

I grew tired of doing nothing. And maybe I was overly confident I wouldn't get hurt, but I couldn't just stand and watch as my whole family lay on the ground.

"If I do nothing, we'll lose. If you go and get hurt there will be no one to destroy the stone." I tell Wanda. She looks at me with a hint of realization, understanding what I truly meant.

Her breathing shudders as she responds with a hesitant nod. I leave before her mouth could let out another word or cry.

Facing Thanos I became weak with each step that I took. What frightened me even more, was that while I'm running towards him for my life, the titan was walking with a grin. Not caring about the distance that shortened between us.

For some odious reason, my feet came to a slow halt as I witness him raise his left hand. A purple aura ignited from it. The power stone. And he was going to use it against me.

I'm forced to ready myself, bringing out my cold hands in a defensive stance once again. Bucky and Steve were knocked out on the dirt from a distance and everyone else was either out on the field or unconscious somewhere else.

I place my finger on my earpiece, "Guys, I don't know who else is still on the line, I hope you're just fighting your asses off and not dead but," I glance up to the titan who was still making his way towards me, "I could really use some help right now."

In a deep and spine-chilling tone, the giant speaks, "No kind of help will save you, young one." His raspiness leaves my stomach even more uneasy. His eyes showed no remorse or mercy, only driven by one selfish goal.