( infinity war ) – Hellfirebound

_{Such assurance, however slight, is received positively. Thor finds reason to smile, though the gesture is strained and burdened with the weight of loss. “Nor do I,” he echoes, if out of a need to let the universe know that the god of thunder has no plans to reunite with his loved ones in Valhalla. He could never bear the agony of meeting with them again, until he’d made good on his promise to avenge them.}

_{A sight nod is given to show that he had heard Ky’lar’s remark, after which his attention shifts from the trivialities of conversation to taking action. His eyes light up with a blinding energy, sensitive to each charged atom that floats in the air around them as he holds the axe aloft. He’d observe Heimdall initiate the Bifrost’s teleportation power plenty of times before, but had only called upon it a few times himself.}

_{Within seconds, a torrent of light washes over the duo, carting them off to some faraway place. Thor knew that the bridge needed a fixed destination in order to operation, so he had thought of the furthest star system away from the Earth that he knew of and set course for it. A system that was as insidious and light deprived as the baneful thoughts that currently sought to overtake the benevolent deity’s typically approachable demeanour.}

_{The power of the Bifrost was something Ky hadn’t experienced before. True, he’d been through other means of travel, but nothing like this. If Ky was a bit younger, he would have been asked several questions about it, and how it worked. The only problem was now – being older – he knew that while it was amazing… somethings were best left unanswered. More so given their current circumstances.}

_{While the trip went as planned, Ky had to admit he hadn’t been to many other worlds, and his knowledge of the universe as a whole was lacking. He’d been to Earth and most notably Mephisto’s realm. There had been some others, but nothing like this – or maybe he’d just forgotten what the others were like.}

_{Still, to be so far from Earth… it was breathtaking – more so for Ky as there was a bit of curiosity there. He wanted to explore and to know how this world worked. Hell, he’d want to explore the entire place, but this wasn’t the time nor place for it. No, maybe next time, but not now.}

_{Not when Thanos’ snap and Thor’s failure was still fresh in the God’s mind. Ky may have been cruel, but even he knew his limitations, and wasn’t going to cause something out here. Not when it was just the two of them; he didn’t have to put up an act out here. Nor did he believe it was necessary.}

_{“You think it reached out here as well?” He asked, trying to at least get some sort of dialogue going. It may not have been the best thing to do at the moment, but Ky didn’t know much of what happened. Hell, he didn’t even want to know, and yet some part of him wished everything was just a dream. “—- it’s quiet.”}

It was madness.

Steve was aware of what he had done – but regret was not something that pained his mind. The relief of knowing that Bucky would come back was more than enough to make this deal worth it. Whatever price the demon would make him pay, it would be worth it. He just… couldn’t lose Bucky all over again. One time had been enough. To see him disappear before his very eyes after Thanos snapped his fingers and wiped out half of the life in the entire Universe? To set a damn balance? It was absolutely horrifying. How many people had lost their loved ones? Their parents, siblings – a loved one? Thor had lost his brother. Shuri had lost her brother. Everyone had lost someone in this battle and yet… Steve was the one crazy enough to make a deal with a demon to bring Bucky back.

How would they react if they knew? How mad would they be if they became aware of what he had done? There was always another way. There was always some… back door that could help them win. Prevail. But this time? Steve wasn’t so sure. Maybe there was some way to deal with Thanos and defeat the Titan – but he couldn’t do it alone. He would never be able to do it without Bucky. He needed that support. That safe haven that would make him see that everything was alright. Bucky was his best friend. The last tie to a past that seemed a lifetime away. A constant memory of the man he once was… and the man he was now.

“I’m sorry.” Steve sighed and contemplated the sunset inWakanda. Everyone was indoors. They were mourning and devising new ways to track down Thanos and kill the bastard once and for all. Thunders shook the ground. Thor was probably the one who was the most pissed about it and while Steve knew that he should find the Asgardian and seek to share words of wisdom, he simply could not. Instead, he would sit in the woods. In the exact place, he saw Bucky vanish while waiting for either his friend – or the demon to appear.

_{Madness was one way of putting it. Ky should have asked for more – should have, but didn’t. Truth be told, bringing anyone back was a massive undertaking.}

_{However, as monumental as it was, it was a challenge that Ky never really could pass up. If he did, the consequences of said actions would have had to be quite dire, and for the time being… they were not.}

_{No, he’d go through with this arrangement, and deal with whatever side effects there possibly would be. If it was bad? Well, he’d deal with it, but only on his own terms. And only if it came to that point.}

_{Bringing one man back should have been easy; a simple hop, skip, and jump between realms. He’d done it before countless times, but this was a bit more tricky. Maybe it had been due to the simple fact that trillions had died. Maybe it had just been due to Thanos – either way, it proved difficult to track the one in question down.}

_{He almost has given up when he had found him. It wasn’t where he’d originally thought to look, but sometimes the last place to find someone was the more unexpected route.}

_{More importantly, he had found what was requested, but found it difficult to remove him. Not that it stoped him – Ky knew well enough to play with the strings of fate. He’d done so before and managed to get away with it ( granted someone had to clean up the mess after words).}

_{Just before returning back to Earth, he paused as he thought about how many more people wanted to make deals, but decided against it. No, he wasn’t going to press his luck – nor did he need a visit from the living tribunal ( again ) as one warning was enough. He doubted he’d get another.}

_{“Perfect,” he said, practically dragging Bucky through the portal behind him – a little worse for wear -, but that was mainly due to the fact the both of them traveled what seemed like centuries. Nothing a little fresh air could clear up.}

_{Still, he’d done his duty, and decided to leave Bucky just near the place he was ‘dusted’. He’d not remember the trip (or so Ky hoped he wouldn’t) or anything after the ‘dusting’. All Bucky would remember (if he did things right) was the events right before the ‘dusting’. A simple trick, but one that could prove complicated if someone interfered or poked too much about the subject.}

_{However, for the ‘reunion’ Ky decided to stay hidden for a moment before taking his leave. His work was done and he wasn’t prone on doing something else like this anytime in the near future.}

^{The other had a good point. Midgardians were in some cases downright stupid, sadly he had the displeasure to witness that first hand, but given the chance, they would do anything to bring back their loved ones. It was noble of them and scary and stupid at the same time – giving your life for the one of your loved one only to never be with them together after all the trouble. What was even the point?}

^{“You think people will be that desperate and do such a stupid move? Perhaps they will if they have nobody to bring back but want to help out a friend in need, but otherwise? They would truly have to be desperate.” He, too, would dare to bargain for one life to be brought back, the one of his mother, Frigga, to be exact, but it was questionable if that was even possible. “Do tell, since you apparently know a thing or two about bringing people back from the dead. Is it possible to do so for people who are dead for a few years?”}

_{“Humanity has always been desperate. Now, more than ever before. They grasp and claw at what they assume to understand. Raking their nails against anything that could attribute to goodness. Then, they destroy it.” Maybe he was being a little…self centered, but his words (from his point of view) were facts.}

_{“In this situation, many have died, and many more are missing. Some could be brought back, but there always is a price to pay.” In short, he could have elaborated on what the price was, but he didn’t feel that it was extremely necessary. “Some are just not willing… compensate me for my efforts.”}

_{He took a step forward. “The longer they are gone, the harder it is; price goes up, effort goes up, and so does time.” It was possible, but sometimes there were… other effects. Not that he’d ever try something like that on his own, but there was always a chance it could work with-out disrupting something major… or drawing too many eyes on him.}

_{“So, in short? Yes. I do believe it’s… possible.”}

fryordie:

hellfirebound:

Keep reading

Oh what he would do to reverse time and try again. Perhaps on the second pass the Norns would deal to him a kinder destiny, one where far less of those he cared about had to perish. But he wasn’t like the wizard or the mad titan he now vowed to kill; the time stone wasn’t in his possession, and so the flow of current events would stay the same.

On the decision to stay or leave, Thor didn’t need to give it much thought, for he had his answer prepared well in advance. “No. We shall depart and make way for someplace far less…familiar than here.” Thanks to Stormbringer and its bifrost enchantments, he had the range to traverse the universe like never before. The only real problem arose when deciding where exactly to go.

“Come,” he bids, taking hold of the axe which awoke with his touch; blue flames engulfed the hammer side of its head, whilst jolts of electricity, harmless to a lord of thunder, sparked periodically all around the weapon. “Stay close or else risk being dismembered.” Which was effectively a white lie, if for the fact that Thor wasn’t sure what would happen should Ky’lar not stay by his side whilst they teleported.

_{A nod was given in return; anywhere was better than here. Earth was in shambles and Ky knew that staying back in Meph’s realm was more than likely the best bet. The only problem was that he didn’t know if he could – not when it was clear he was better suited here. Better suited trying to fix this mess than run back home just to watch it unfold.}

_{“An’ don’t worry. I don’t plan on dying today.” Or anytime soon if he was being honest, but in his mind? Being with Thor was far better than anywhere else in the nine realms and beyond. Especially with what had transpired with Thanos.}

_{“Either way,” he said, making his way towards, and then standing right beside Thor. “Let’s see what the universe has in store for us.” At best it would mean a fight… at worst? Well, he wasn’t going to think about that… not yet at least.}

“SAVE YOUR SOB STORY FOR someone who cares, ky.” ross spits the words out, making a point when his hand waves the other away in the air. “sit here and wallow in your own self pity for all i care, but i’ve got better things that listening to your sorry ass.” one last annoyed look and then ross is turning on his heel. he’ll need to met up with tony and figure out a game plan. obviously, strange had seen something. maybe the iron man would know what it had been.

_{THE WORDS DIDN’T PHASE HIM. maybe at one point they would have, but that time was long since passed. the world had changed and ky was just about ready to change with it. no, it didn’t matter what he did – nor did it truly matter what anyone else did in this moment. far more people were dead now than there ever had been in existence and for what? a mad titan’s dream to ‘fix’ reality.}

_{THE VERY NOTION of it forced the demon to shake his head for a moment or two. it was a no win situation he was in, but he wouldn’t classify it was pity – no, ky didn’t even know know to explain it. all he did know was that everything anyone knew about reality was at an end. “no one cares,” he said bluntly, moving to follow ross. “but you’ll owe me one either way.” though, even ky doubted he’d be able to do anything, but it was his own way – no, his version of saying he’d stick around to attempt to sort things out. even if all he wanted to do was ignore it all.}

gcdauoa:

thanos’ lackeys were of no importance to her — unless of course, they got in the way. hela stood in the field of midgard of which she first emerged, looking out towards the sea and unsheathing dual blades at the sound of another. she was going to rule midgard, now that asgard was destroyed — thanos would simply have to get in line, were that his purpose.

@hellfirebound

_{“Impressive.” he should have both kept his distance and stayed silent. the last thing he needed was to get into more trouble than usual, but here he was. there was just something about her and ky couldn’t exactly pinpoint what. “if i say so myself.”}

HE KNEW SAYING THESE THINGS WOULD fall on deaf ears, but ross felt better for saying them. however, the finger that poked him squarely in the chest was gripped and twisted away from his person. the man didn’t let up. “fully human or not, there is more than one species in this galaxy. i’d say ask the guardians but they’re pretty much all gone. whether you’re human or not, you reside in this universe therefore you are effected. it’s your war.” with the utterance of his last word, ross releases ky’s hand and straights himself out. “fuck off for all i care. but if you come crawling back, needed help, you won’t find it with me.”

_{ROSS WAS RIGHT. this war was his own – far more than he realized and it was a chance to do some good for once. though, ky wasn’t in the mood to actually attempt it or even do so. why make anything right when the world – no universe just needed to be tipped a bit further down into chaos. part of him knew it was wrong to do so, but at the same time? he just didn’t care – not when he firmly believed that his involvement wasn’t needed one way or another. “not my war,” he affirmed bluntly. “i didn’t start it and i wasn’t involved. ” it was like he was a broken record – either way? he was done trying to justify himself or his actions. at least to him. “human or otherwise? i’m not going to pick up the pieces when i never was wanted in this universe to begin with.”}

^{A small frown formed on Loki’s face as he listened to the other. Could it be that he was who the god of mischief through he was? It all added more confusion to the whole situation, making Loki, if anything, raise his guard even more, but at the same time he remained in his spot, deciding to engage a fight only if needed.}

^{“I have to admit, I imagined Lady Death to look a lot different than you.” He finally spoke. Naturally, he could have been wrong, but in every tale Frigga would tell his brother and him, it was Lady Death who came to the surviving warriors and offer them to bring one of their loved ones back in exchange for their own life. “What makes you think people here are desperate enough to do so while the Avengers still stand and there is hope that all of this can be reversed?”}

_{“Humans are… complicated, but if you wave an offer in their face that is good enough? They will be begging for the chance.” He’d seen it first hand – even in history, when the idea of Absolution was so grand a thing… people took it in droves.}

_{In this case, Ky was making deals – not a lot of them, but just enough so he could head back home with something more than begging to be forgiven for leaving. Something that hopefully would state his family’s anger. “I don’t know about Lady Death, but I know how people will beg for second chances, and will even trade their lives for others.” A deep sigh escaped his lips. “It may be reversed, but for now? Giving people some sort of…hope is better than nothing.”}

_{@fryordie xxx}

He felt a visceral hatred growing in his gut and knew himself well enough to recognise it for what it was: fear. The brand of alarm that sees steady hands quake, that softens the hardest of resolves with its panic-inducing effects. Thor was jittery, and knew not why such was the case– he only knew that he needed to act, and soon at that. Be it by taking part in a bout of training or using Stormbreaker’s Bifrost properties to teleport himself to a far region of space.

Someplace where, with luck, an aggrieved lightningslinger may muster the full wrath of his element without consequence.

“You know not of that which you claim to speak of, demon.” A rebuttal that could be condensed into far fewer terms; drop the subject. Caught in an uncharacteristically negative mood, the god’s jaws were parted enough to afford him a near constant scowl, ill at ease until he has the opportunity to give vent to the apprehension that has claimed him so strongly. “And on the very same matter, I wish to hear no more of it.” Least they repeat what he’d heard a thousand times since the battle for Wakanda took place; he bungled a prime opportunity, and in his failure, allowed for trillions throughout the known universe to be erased from existence.

_{Ky knew fully well what Thor meant. Everything had gone downhill since Thanos and now? Whoever was left ended up picking up the peaces. Ky should have just turned tail and gone home – maybe then he could go back to some sense of reasonability. He may have hated his family, but at least they were… predictable.}

_{“Then let’s go somewhere.” Ky knew that he’d have to elaborate to the extent of what exactly he meant, but he wasn’t going to. It would call become clear soon enough. “Somewhere far away from here,” he said, taking a step closer. “It will do us both some good.” Or, in other words, it would get both them away from everyone. True, it might not have been much, but maybe training, fighting, or just being away from earth would do the both of them better than just sticking around here.}

_{“Unless… you’d rather stick ‘round here forever.”}

Steve was aware of what was at stake here. He knew how others would react, especially those who had seen Bucky vanish before their very eyes. People would make questions. Suspicious would arise and the veteran knew that the backlash for what he had just done would be… no short of monumental. What would Thor say? Or Natasha? What would Bucky say if he knew what he had done for the sake of saving him? How badly would his best friend react after learning why he had come back and no one else had? It was a price that Steve was willing to pay. It was something that only he could do. Maybe there was a way. Maybe later down the line, they would find some way to undo what Thanos had done.

MAYBE.

But how was he supposed to focus when he was blinded by grief and pain? To see Bucky die before his very eyes not once – but twice? That was far too much. He would even give his own life in exchange for Bucky’s if that was what it took for him to have the other man back. The one who didn’t want to fight. The one who wanted nothing more than to live his own life and put his past of war and conflict behind his back. It was his fault that Bucky had vanished. It was his fault that things had… been the way they were now. But it was not too late to make amends. They would stop Thanos and they would find a way to bring the ones who died back. They would find a way to right their wrongs. But for him to do that… he needed Bucky. He needed that ONE person that would make everything so much better and bearable.

Blue eyes turned to the demon and even though he knew sooner or later, he would have to pay the price for this – Steve was oddly at peace. Whatever the demon wanted, he would do. It was his end of the bargain. Whatever it took to bring Bucky back. To bring the one person he cared about the most back to the world of the living. It was not his time. Not yet. “Thank you.” Lips curled in a half smile and Steve offered his demonic contractor a short nod. If the blond could truly bring Bucky back – he would pay the price. It was worth it. “How do I know it is my time to fill my end of the bargain?”

_{He didn’t expect thanks. Nor did he expect true gratitude for what he was about to do. Tinkering with fate always came with a price – usually, he had something to weigh it out with properly, but words held their own power. A favor for a favor – something he did out of pure necessity than actual want.}

_{Bringing one man back wouldn’t tip the scales one way or another – the scales were already destroyed. That was what happened when the Titan decided to snap their fingers and throw the entire universe. Whatever balance there was… it was torn asunder.}

_{All that was left was the fragments of what was once known as reality. Dust littering every room, street, and corner of not just the world, but the universe at large. A price to pay for someone who decided that most of all life needed to be eradicated.}

_{Maybe in another time Ky would have done the same thing, but not like this – never like this. Though, he doubted he’d ever get ahold of an infinity stone. Especially now… that they were all currently held by a very mad Titan.}

_{“You’ll know.” It was a lie, but also a truth in all reality. Ky didn’t know when he’d call either one or a majority of his deals in. However, he knew fully well that when the time came? He’d be calling it in no matter what they were doing or what was on the line.}

_{“Until then,” he said, hands slipping into the pockets of his pants, “I’ll be watching and I might even show up now and again.” Of course, the final words from his mouth were doubtful, but they held some sort of truth all the same.}