Chapter Text
Rocket looked at the forge in front of him. “This was a genius plan, Groot. With this, we’ll have that chain done in no time!”
“I am Groot!” Groot exclaimed cheerfully as he swung the hammer down on the material. A tiny length of chain was already visible.
Suddenly they heard a rumbling sound from outside. Rocket looked up and said: “Huh. I guess Quill, Gamora and the others are back.”
“I am Groot?”
“Nah, we’ll say hello when they come see us. No rush, I’m sure they’re all fine. ‘Sides, I think this has priority. I’m gonna go grab another bucket of the stuff. We’re almost out of our first batch,” Rocket said. He walked out of the room, leaving Groot behind with the smithy.
Groot cheerfully continued working, until the door flew open. The entire group came stumbling in, like they were running from something.
“I am Groot?” he asked, distraught.
“We are under fucking attack! The soul stone sent all of its shades. They must’ve hijacked a ship or something, but they’re here and they are not happy to see us. Please tell me you’ve finished making the weapon,” Natasha said.
“I am Groot,” he responded, gesturing toward the forge.
“Shit.” Natasha said. She turned around, barely managing to do so with all the people around her.
“I think we need to split up. If we haven’t got a forged weapon right now we need to make sure we pick shards up from the shades themselves. Another reason to split up is the fact that this room is way too small for all of us,” Gamora said.
Natasha nodded. “I agree. We’re splitting into three groups. Gamora, Peter, Nebula, Drax and Bruce, you guys are our front lines. Try to take out as many as you can.” The group nodded and headed out. Natasha continued: “Johann, Mantis, Gamora from the other timeline: you are damage control. Keep a clear vision of the battlefield and make sure we’re alerted of any things happening. If any manage to get through, you take care of them. Clint and I will try to find a way into the ship, see if we can’t find their leader and take them out. If there even is a leader. Groot…” Rocket walked in as she spoke. “Good, Rocket, you’re here too. You and Groot, finish this thing as soon as possible. When you have, it’s your job to capture one of these things. Clear?”
Everyone else nodded in response. They walked out, leaving Rocket and Groot alone with the forge. “Alright. Let’s get this weapon ready, Groot!” Rocket said. He dumped the bucket on the fire and started smelting it.
Things were crazy, Clint thought. Natasha and he ran through a chaos of shards and smoke. On one side, Drax was using a shard as a club, which somehow proved quite effective in killing the shards. On his other side Banner was just throwing shards at the shades as if they were pebbles.
There were a lot of shades. The pair tried to evade them, but they did not manage to escape all of them. There were just a few they had to fight off. Still, compared to the rest of the horde… “Where are those things coming from? There have to be hundreds of them? This is like the Chitauri all over again!” he said to Nat.
“I have no idea. We’re nearly at the ship though. Come on, let’s see if we can’t find a way in.” she said.
A shade suddenly ran past them. Clint furrowed his brows. Weird, he thought. Why would it ignore them? He shook his shoulders and continued on their path. They had more important things to worry about.
Johann looked over the battlefield, looking for patterns, strays, anything. Nothing. The shades didn’t seem to be thinking, they just attacked. No matter what happened to the others, they kept on fighting, trying to wound or kill them. Well, they were not attacking just anyone… The two Gamora’s attracted most of them. The stone must have made her their main target, he thought to himself. He supposed he was lucky it was not him.
Suddenly he noticed a smaller shade speeding. It was acting weird, not paying attention to anyone else. With a shock, Johann noticed it was running toward him, his head fixed in his direction. Not only that, but its shape looked… kind of familiar.
“Mein Gott…” he said. “It can not be. Nein!” What the hell was happening? It looked like a Linarian. And the way the shade moved, the size and shape… “Killir?” he said, unable to believe his eyes. Yet he felt certain of it. This was, or had been, his friend. What had happened to him?
Killir was getting closer and closer, and Johann knew he had to move. He turned around and ran. Mantis asked him why.
“Frau Mantis, that… Please, notify Natasha and your Gamora. A friend of ours, he… He has become one of them. Tell them one of the shades is Killir.” he said shakily. When he looked behind him, the shade was getting closer still. Mantis nodded, her eyes big with wonder. He kept running.
He arrived inside the building, moving through its hallways. What to do? He could not… He could not kill Killir! He knew once he would have, but not anymore. He had said so. Never again. But what should he do? He knew Killir wouldn’t hesitate, if he truly was under the soul stone’s control… or maybe it was not even Killir. Maybe the shades formed to the shape of people from their memories? But…
It didn’t matter. He would not destroy the shade. But he could capture it, he thought as he recalled the weapon. If he had seen correctly, it was some sort of chain. Besides, Natasha had ordered Rocket and Groot to capture a shade with it. That meant the weapon could be used to capture his friend.
With that purpose in mind he ran toward the room Rocket and Groot had been in. Before long he arrived, panting as he stopped running.
Rocket turned around. “What’s going on?”
“Is… Is the weapon ready? I need it to… to capture a shade,” he said, still trying to regain his breath.
“I was just about to send word it was, actually. Which shade?”
“The one behind me. Give it!” Johann said.
Rocket blinked, then turned around and picked something up. He turned back toward Johann and handed him a chain, its length about the same as Johann’s height.
“Thank you,” Johann said as he turned back around. He saw a flash of orange run up to them. He threw the chain and prayed it was indeed the right person.
He didn’t know why he was chasing this person.
In the back of his mind, a voice told him to go after someone else, someone with green skin. Somehow though, he knew he wanted to chase the person with red skin. Who was he? Did it matter? The person was running from him, and he wanted to catch him.
Suddenly the person disappeared from sight. It didn’t matter. He knew where he was anyway. He kept running.
The person stopped, and he kept running.
He saw the person, and he kept running.
The person turned around and threw something. He kept running, until suddenly something wrapped around his legs and…
It was like a fog had lifted. Killir looked around and saw Red Skull standing in front of him. How had this happened? Why had he been chasing… He suddenly remembered what had happened back at his ship, some time ago. How he had been…
“Killir?” Red Skull interrupted his thoughts.
Killir tried to speak, but it didn’t work. It didn’t…
“Please, Killir. Can you speak? If you can not, just nod if you understand me?”
Killir nodded enthusiastically. Red Skull exhaled in relief.
“It is me, Johann. What... What happened to you?”
Killir slid his hand along his throat.
“You were killed? By who?”
Killir gestured to himself, then outside.
“You killed yourself? Or… Wait. The soul stone?”
He wobbled his hand.
“Sort of... Its bearer?”
He shook his shoulders.
“You don’t know. Well, it doesn’t matter. You’re free from them now.” Johann said.
Killir tried to smile, but he couldn’t. He nodded again. He didn’t mind. He had his own thoughts again. Everything was fine.
“What? Which one of your servants has escaped our grasp?” Alyish said. She turned her head. “Ah. The new one. Do not worry, mistress. He will be back under our control soon.” She closed her eyes and searched. Where was their renegade soldier?
Killir felt something pulling at him, trying to force the fog back in. No! he thought. No! He started shaking and hitting things that weren’t there, trying to keep his mind to himself. He raised his head at Johann, praying he would help him.
Johann looked at Killir, pained. It seemed his friend was suddenly being forced to something he did not want. Was it the chain? What...
Then, Killir raised his head and seemed to look at him, pleading. He extended his hand toward him. Johann hesitated for a moment. What if it was a trap? That, however, did not match with the other shades’ behaviour. He put his hand in Killir’s, and to his surprise Killir’s hand disappeared into his. Killir’s arm followed, then his shoulder, then the rest of his body.
Johann knew that behind him Rocket and Groot were watching. They were most likely horrified, but he, strangely, was not afraid at all. He did not know what was happening, but he felt it was fine. Killir would not hurt him.
He had expected something, he had to admit. But, even after every part of Killir’s shade had evaporated, there was still nothing. Disappointed, Johan went to pick up the chain.
That went different than I thought it would.
Johann blinked. What? he thought. That had not been him.
I’m in your brain. What the fuck.
Killir?
Yep, it’s me.
You are in my head.
I am.
How?
I have no idea. They were trying to force me back, and I didn’t want to go. I didn’t know what to do, but I knew I needed help. I wasn’t actually asking for you to hold my hand, but it turns out it’s good you did.
They are gone now?
Yep. Completely gone. Don’t think I can leave anytime soon though. You’re gonna be stuck with me, I’m afraid.
If that is what it takes to save you… so be it. I must admit, I am kind of glad you are not completely dead.
My body is.
I am sorry about that.
Don’t be. Wasn’t your fault. It was that lady’s.
What lady?
“You okay?” a voice suddenly asked? Johann turned around and looked at Rocket, who seemed slightly concerned.
“Yes. I am fine.”
“Good. Kind of thought you were taken over by that shade.’
“Not taken over. He has, however, taken up residence in my head now. But, it is fine. He is a friend.” Johann responded. Rocket raised a brow.
“Quill’s my friend but I wouldn’t want him inside of my head. Well, whatever you’re comfortable with. Can I have that chain back?”
Johann went to pick it up. “Here you go,” he said as he handed it over.
“Great. Now, Groot: let’s go kill some of those shades. If you want to, you can join in, guardian,” Rocket said. Groot joined him and the two walked down the corridor.
Sounds like a decent plan, Killir said.
It does. Shall we join them?
Great idea!