Hidden | Bucky Barnes

twenty five

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Proxima Midnight alternated heavy blows between her two opponents, Wanda and Ellie, all three of them ducking as a single-wheel Thresher tore overhead, the ditch sparing them most of the danger from the wheel-blades. Proxima used the distraction to kick Natasha in the face, sending her to the ground. She then grabbed Okoye by the shoulder and weapon and throws her meters away, she kicked Ellie in the back of the legs taking her to the ground.

Natasha splits her staff back into a pair of sticks to block Proxima Midnight's swordblows, and finally managed to knock it from her hand. The alien decided to take to her bare fists instead, knocking down and pinning Natasha to the ground. Proxima triggers an arm-blade from her left-arm armor, and stabs at Nat, who barely managed to block the blade with her crossed sticks. As the edge started to dig into her neck, scarlet energy grabbed the alien and tossed her into the air right into the path of another passing Thresher. Dark blue blood spattered the women below. Wanda sits up, sighing with relief, her hands still shimmering.

"That was really gross." Natasha muttered as Ellie helped her up.

- - -

The three women continued to run into a woodland area, to join the rest of the team. Bucky grabbed onto Ellie as she almost collapsed, sitting her on the floor his metal arm tightly around her shoulders.

"Are you okay?" He asked her as she caught her breath, she nodded.

"Shuri has Harry." He informed her as Ellie pulled the gun from her holster shooting one of the aliens, too tired to use her powers.

"Told you you'd need it." Bucky smirked.

"Don't be a smart arse." Ellie muttered.

"Are you okay?" Wanda asked Vision who flinched in pain before he could answer. "What? What is it?"

"He's here." Vision announces grimly.

"Everyone, on my position. We have incoming." Steve said, everyone preparing for battle once again.

"What the hell?" Natasha whispered as the blue-black clouds of the space stone appear just before Thanos steps forward.

"Cap. That's him." Bruce confirmed anxiously.

"Eyes up. Stay sharp."

Bruce reached Thanos first, lunging forward, fist-first - but Thanos used the Space Stone on him, rendering him immaterial until the Hulkbuster was half-buried in the stone of the cliff behind him, and freezes Bruce in place.

"Holy shit." Ellie muttered as she attempts to use her powers against him but is thrown back effortlessly.

Steve is sent flying by purple energy before he even gets to strike a single blow.

"You alright?" Steve asks her as he helps her stand up.

The Black Panther, armor fully charged with its kinetic energy, leapt high and with claws extended, but Thanos easily grabbed him by the throat and punched him to the ground, his armor discharging violently as he tried to breathe.

"Wanda. It's time." Ellie heard Vision tell her.

"No." Wanda replied, her voice cracking.

"They can't stop him, Wanda, but we can. Look at me. You have the power to destroy the stone." He told her again, Ellie coming up behind her placing a hand on her shoulder giving her a look.

"Don't." Wanda muttered.

"You must do it. Wanda, please. We. Are. Out of time."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. You can. If he gets the stone, half the universe dies."

"It's not fair." She turned around and begged Ellie.

"I know, Darling. But only you can do it, I can hold Thanos off but only you can destroy the stone." Ellie told her as she watched her husband get thrown away by the power stone.

"It shouldn't be you, but it is. It's all right. You could never hurt me. I just... feel you." Vision said. Wanda extended a trembling hand and started aiming her energy at the Mind Stone, tears streaming down her face.

Wanda watches all the failed attempts to kill Thanos over one shoulder, and turned back to Vision to add her left hand to her tearful effort.

Steve slides under one blow and comes up swinging his deployed arm-shields, punching Thanos in the gut and chin. He grabs the gauntlet, keeping Thanos's fingers unclenched. Thanos looks very briefly impressed at Cap's efforts as he screams before slamming a fist into his head and rendering him insensible.

Ellie looks over her shoulder again and sees Thanos approaching unopposed. She held out her hands throwing her powers towards him, but he starts to make slow headway.

"It's all right. It's all right. I love you." Vision said softly to Wanda.

At those words, the yellow Mind Stone finally started to crack. Vision's face is overcome by an expression of joyful peace, and as the crystal fragmented completely, a pulse of pure yellow energy explodes from him, shuddering the trees for many meters around his epicenter. Wanda's and Thanos's energy subsides. Ellie was thrown back in the explosion, and watched Thanos talk to Wanda as Bucky and Sam helped her up.

"She did it." Ellie muttered sadly, looking down at Vision, as Bucky kissed her forehead.

"Now... is no time at all." Thanos exclaimed loudly as he reached forward, clenching the gauntlet, an emerald glow surrounding his wrist, making a gesture very similar to that Doctor Strange made when activating the Eye of Agamotto. In response, a bead of yellow light started gathering in on itself as time reversed and growing in size, solidifying into an intact and conscious Vision.

"No!" Wanda shouted she lunged for Vision but was easily swatted away.

Thanos picked up Vision by the throat, lifting him to eye-level, and digging the fingers of his right hand into Vision's forehead, digging out the Mind Stone. He pulled it loose, and Vision went limp and colorless; he tossed the lifeless android aside like trash, Wanda screaming and crying. Bringing his gauntleted hand up, he slowly moves the Mind Stone over the last empty setting, and drops it in. The energy surge is much more than any previous - his torso is wreathed with iridescent static and he bellows from the sensations.

Ellie and Bucky managed to get over to Wanda, who was clinging onto Vision's lifeless body.

"Shhh, it's okay sweetie." Ellie whispered as Wanda collapsed into her arms, sobbing.

Ellie looked at her husband to confirm he was dead, Bucky gave her a small nod, a tear falling down her face.

As Thanos studied the completed gauntlet, a massive bolt of lighting struck him, digging him into the ground and grinding him back for meters. Thor has arrived, eyes glowing with power, stooping down from the sky like a bird of prey. The God of Thunder paused his attack, reverses his position, raises Stormbreaker above his head and hurled it -- Thanos fires the whole might of the gauntlet against it, but it only creates a rainbow-like bowshock, not even slowing the axe as it slammed right into Thanos' chest.

"I told you. You'd die for that!" Thor growled as he took hold of the back of Thanos's head and forces Stormbreaker deeper into his chest, staring angrily into his eyes while Thanos cried out in pain.

"You should have... You... You should have gone for the head!" Thanos growled as he raised his gauntlet and snapped his fingers.

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