The King: T'Challa.

Chapter 24: Balancing the Scale.

We were losing. We were losing bad. The Outriders reminded me of the Lernaean Hydra from Greek mythology; when you cut off it's head, two more grow back. In our case: if you butchered an Outrider; two more took it's place. We were growing tired on the battlefield while Thanos' army only grew restless. Soon, there were more of them than there was of us.

"There's too many of them!"

I heard Bruce call over our comms before a series of 'gyah's and 'aaaghhhh' s followed; Outriders trying to overpower Banner and take him down. I was beginning to make my way towards the Hulkbuster to help when suddenly a large beam of rainbow-hued light landed in the middle of all the action. An axe flew out of it, wreathed with electric looking lightning and tore through the Outriders, freeing us all from their prolonged offence against the Wakandan warriors. The axe flew back to the light and into it's master's hand just as the beam cut out, revealing Thor, accompanied by what looked like a teenage tree and a raccoon, who in turn chambered a round in his large fire arm. I find myself beside the Black Panther as Black Widow and Captain America join us, pausing in astonishment. Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian paused in apprehension at the new arrivals to the the battle. Opening the Hulkbuster helmet and laughing with joy, Bruce shouts from where he stands:

"AH-hahaha! You guys are so screwed now!"

I could see the hurt and anger in the God of Thunder's eyes, well em.......eye. He wasn't here to walk away without blood on his hands, Thanos had cut deep and Thor was here to remove the blade; through revenge. The scale was about to be balanced once again.

"BRING ME THANOS!!!"

Thor charged towards the hordes of Outriders followed by the tree and the raccoon, who I later learned to be Groot and Rocket. Lightning gathered around him as he finally launched himself into the air, before landing in the densest concentration of Outriders and made a crater where they had stood.
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The Kinsguard, Borderers and Jabari were having little to no success going against Cull Obsidian's chained hammer - he either sent them flying or punched them into the ground. So, I took it upon myself to deal with him. As soon as he had the last standing warrior buried three feet in the ground I took my chance and went for him. From watching this guy fight, all those years at Hydra had made it blatantly obvious that attacks from the back were his downfall. I used my enhancement to boost myself up onto Obsidian's shoulders, wrapping my legs tightly around his neck while using my arms to stabilise and lock his head in place, cutting off his air supply; and it worked.....temporarily. The goal was to cut off his oxygen for all long as it took to knock him out. I felt his body grow sort of limp beneath me, taking this as the 'ok' I slowly loosened my grip around his neck; bad move. Before I had time to retighten my grip around him when I felt his body tense up, I was thrown half way across the field. I quickly regained my balance and ignored the ache in my bones as I ran for Cull Obsidian and his chained hammer once again. This time, attacking from the front. We both went head first into the fight, Obsidian swinging his hammer; me dodging it. Me shooting energy beams; Obsidian using his hammer to stop them. It had gone on like this for what seemed like hours, it was T'Challa's voice that broke the monotonous dual; and my concentration. For that split moment it took for me to spot him, Obsidian had already taken it to his advantage. He had risen his hammer, chains clinking together, above his head; ready to bring it crashing down. I heard him yell a war cry as he pulled the hammer down from above his head, I had little to no time to react. I widened my stance and put my arms out in front of me, creating forcefield to protect myself from his hammer; but it wasn't strong enough. As his hammer came into contact with my forcefield, cracks formed in front of me before completely shattering, causing Cull Obsidian's hammer to come raining down on top me.
I was lying in the dirt, unable to feel my limbs as the numbness took over and I was dipping in and out of consciousness. I remember seeing Cull Obsidian marching towards me, hammer ready to finish me off for good. All I could do was just lie there, no power to dig myself up from where I lay. He raised his weapon once again, but the blow never came. All I remember seeing was the Black Panther sprinting up behind him, leaping into the air and putting all his collected kinetic energy behind a punch that lay Obsidian flat; his body creating a 'thud' as it fell limp beside mine. The mask of the Black Panther was the last thing I saw before the darkness took over.
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I woke up to the sound of deep rumbling to find myself in Shuri's lab, Wanda and Vision alongside the Princess. I saw Wanda look down onto the battlefield, immediately getting the cogs in my brain to turn and remember we were in the middle of a battle. I leapt up from the examination table in the lab and sprightly made my way to beside Wanda. I saw movement through the blazing forest, between the troopships and the dome. Shuri was failing miserably to get me to rest as Wanda and myself watched the disturbance reach the edge of the forest. As it did so it turned into vast moving mounds of earth that easily bypassed the force field and emerged - Threshers ,as we called them, sets of massive, motorised, spiked wheels, intended for nothing more than shredding everything in their path. I watched as at least one set of Threshers separated into individual wheels and started veering all over the battlefield. I looked to Wanda, who anxiously looked to Vision before meeting my gaze.

"We have to go back there."

From the look on Shuri's face I knew there was going to be a mini battle between ourselves. She slammed both hands down on the table as she shot up out of her chair.

"Absolutely NOT!"

"Shuri -"

"NO!"

I held the bridge of my nose as I sighed at the stubborn Princess before me, knowing I had to get back out onto the field.

"I have to go back. I can't just sit here and watch! They need as much fire power as they can get out there and enhanced are more powerful than tribe warriors! -"

I pointed out the window towards the battle below us:

"- especially against an enemy far more powerful than what we've ever fought before."

Despite Shuri's protests against the idea, I headed towards the door of the lab, preparing for the fight before me, as I turned back to face Wanda.

"Keep your comms on, I'll let you know if your needed."

With that she gave a nod and I turned to walk back into the firing range.
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