Infinity

Chapter 164

Vormir: October 2014

Nat's POV

It took us several hours to reach the top of the mountain. As we climbed the air grew thinner and colder, near the top it began snowing and there was a very thin layer of it on the rocks making it slick. We had to slow our pace down significantly in order not to fall off the edge, but we made it.

"I bet the racoon didn't have to climb a mountain." I huffed out as we approached the top.

"Technically, he's not a racoon, you know." Clint said back.

I rolled my eyes as him as we stopped. "Oh, whatever. He eats garbage." I said annoyed sending Clint a glare.

"Welcome." I mysterious echoed behind us.

In smooth rapid motion, Clint and I drew our weapons and turned towards the voice. I was holding out my gun in front of me with both hands while Clint held up his sword.

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Floating in the middle of the path to the top was a cloaked figure. It floated a few inches off the ground and it's dark cloak billowed out in an unnatural way with smoak tendrils wisping off the frayed ends. I couldn't make out its face because of the shadows of the hood it wore.

"Natasha, daughter of Ivan. Clint son of Edith." It said in the same deep echoing voice as before.

In a synchronized formation, Clint and I slowly moved forward, never lowering our weapons. Whatever this thing was it had something to do with the stone and we needed to find out more.

"Who are you?" I asked tensely. I didn't like that this thing knew things about me that I didn't even know about myself.

"Consider me a guide. To you, and to all whose seek the Soul Stone." It answered.

"Oh, good. You tell us where it is. Then we'll be on our way." I stated in a slightly sarcastic yet still threatening tone.

The cloaked figure then landed and took a few steps towards us. "Ah, Liebchen. If only it were that easy."

He stepped into the light as he spoke. I know it was a he now because I could see his face. His skin was a wrinkled blood red and adhered to his face. I could see every crevice along his face and instead of a nose there was an empty who like you see on skulls.

The German he spoke threw me a bit. I wasn't expecting him to switch to another language from earth. It really led to the question of the identity of this person. The three of us stared at each other for a moment longer, before he turned and started floating up the path towards the two stone pillars at the top.

Clint and I exchanged tense looks before lowering our weapons and following him up to the top. We kept out weapons out since we didn't know what to expect. We reached the base of the huge pillars, and I looked around. At the base of the pillars and just beyond the ground evened out and formed a ledge that led to a straight drop into the center of the mountain. The even ground beyond the pillars had a perfect circular design engraved into it with two perfectly straight line going through the center going in a horizontal and vertical direction. The ledge itself was different. Outlining the ledge was a semi-circular design with three different layers. The outer layer was the was simple. It was smooth with just a rim that jutted out forming the half circle. The following layer was defined by a slight step down from the other with a crosshatch design. The inner most layer was the most unique of the three. Instead of jutting out it was concaved in a perfect half circle in the mountain's edge. The edges of the circle weren't smooth either. Instead, it took the shape of a perfect zig-zag design. The space leading up to the edge was arrayed in perfect thin diamond shapes. The points of each of the diamonds were each connected to something. The long ends started at the edge of the connecting layer and ended at the edge, while the shorter ends connected with the diamonds adjacent to each of them. It was an eerie sight.