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Without hesitation, Shuri practically lept from her throne, urgency tightening her jaw.

"What is it?" It wasn't so much a question as a demand.

Okoye grasped for words, shaking her head for a few silent moments. "It's… we don't know, your majesty. We think it's some sort of portal but we can't get into the room. It's causing disturbances throughout the castle-"

As if shot from a gun, Shuri bolted towards the door. Okoye wasn't long after her, followed soon after by the present Avengers. Thor snatched Stormbreaker. As he ran amidst the group, only one possibility flashed in his mind: Thanos. Maybe the Titan made a mistake and sent himself right back into Wakanda. Though not dead, Thor's blow had certainly left him seriously wounded and the Gauntlet was no better off. It's reliability was certainly in question from it's burnt appearance. For the first time in the past hour, the thunder god smiled. Perhaps revenge would be his after all.

Purpose set him off at a speed he didn't know he could reach, easily surpassing his companions as he flew after Shuri and Okoye. As they ran down stair after stair, Thor heard a deep, bassy hum that sent his head spinning. Dread suddenly filled his legs with lead, making him feel as if he were running through gel. Everyone else seemed to feel it as well and they slowed to a halt. At that point they were greeted with the sight of the rest of the Dora Milaje guarding a metal door. They stood at a far off distance from it, however, and from their faces even that distance was painful.

Okoye gulped for air, keeling over and leaning on her knees. "We… we can't get any closer. There's… there's something… we don't know why."

Shuri didn't seem to hear her. As if unaffected, she marched towards the door. Steve glanced at Thor in mutual understanding and the two ran to meet her.

"Your majesty, you can't go in there."

Shuri whirled around to Steve, sweat beading on her forehead. "And why not? It's my lab, my work."

Thor gently took her by the shoulders. "Your people need you. They need your strength." He pointed towards the door. "Whatever's in there could kill you. Let Steve and I go in first to see what it is and we'll kill any bastard that tries to mess anything up."

The young queen stared him down for a moment. Eventually, however, she yielded, sighing. "You'd better."

Thor grinned. "Of course we will. That's what heroes do."

With that, he released Shuri and turned towards the door. The pair waited until the queen was back with the rest of the party and then cautiously moved towards the door.

"I see you've expanded your vocabulary." Steve mused.

Thor shrugged. They approached the Dora Milaje, who silently parted to allow them through. As they grew closer, Thor heard hissing whispers in his head. Dread welled up inside him until he felt as though he would implode. Even Steve seemed to feel it as well, wincing and clutching his chest. They were at the door now, the supersoldier's free hand on the handle. He glanced at Thor, and with a nod, he opened it and the two rushed in, slamming the door behind them.

The voices grew to a roar with words indistinguishable from each other. Though he couldn't tell what they were saying, he could hear their agony. Steve groaned beside him, clamping his hands over his ears and grimacing in pain. In the center of the room, a black ring marred the ceiling. Fiery red matter oozed from its middle, showering the floor with sparks and glowing stone. Ash cast a sick hue on the tables in the center, though the ones at the outer corners remained a pristine white. Acidic, dry air enveloped the pair. They choked as they advanced towards the anomaly.

"What the hell is it?" Steve's scratchy voice called out, barely audible above the voices in Thor's head.

The Asgardian shook his head. "I don't-"

Suddenly the voices died in his head. Strangely enough, the silence seemed more offensive. As soon as they stopped, though, a familiar voice cut through the reaches of Thor's mind.

"Hello again, brother."

His face went slack in shock.

"Hela?"

Her smooth laugh echoed in his skull. Like lightning, an image of a woman clad in black flashed in his mind. Her grotesque, protruding helmet stood stark against deathly pale skin. Fire burned in a wall around her like a canopy, shrouding her black obsidian throne in eery light.

"Miss me?" She purred.

Thor gritted his teeth, dropping to the ground and sending Stormbreaker skittering across the floor in the process.

"What do you want?"

He could almost sense her disappointment though his mind's eye couldn't see her face. Slowly, she rose from her throne. Even as she walked toward him, no sound responded to her steps.

"What, a sister isn't allowed to pay a visit to her little brother?"

"Not when said sister is supposed to be dead!"

Again the laugh intruded into his thoughts. Ash sprinkled into his hair and sparks burned tiny holes through his armor.

"Oh brother, you have a lot to learn about me." Though there was nothing there, Thor felt a hand ruffling the hair on the back of his head. "Actually, I have a gift for you."

He reared up as his eyes adjusted back to his surroundings, whipping around to see an exceedingly confused Steve Rodgers. Almost as if sensing the question in Thor's mind, he nodded and pointed to his own ear. He could hear Hela's voice, too.

Thor scanned the room. "What could you possibly have to give me?"

The portal sparked, sending a shower of ash onto the floor. "Oh… you'll see. I wouldn't want to rob him the joy of explaining it to you himself."

A growl ripped itself from Thor's chest and he jumped to his feet.

"Enough with the games!"

Hela's face flashed in Thor's mind again. Her teeth bared like a dog's as her nails slashed across his face. Suddenly his heart began to slow and a pounding thrumed in his ears. His breath caught in his chest, his sight began to go dark, and he dropped to the ground.

"Don't toy with me. I could stand by, but I'm choosing to help."

Without warning, flames exploded from the portal, creating a beam reaching from the floor to the ceiling. Light blinded Thor and Steve as searing heat sent them scampering to the outer corners of the room. Suddenly, everything stopped. The room returned to its normal temperature and the burning smell dissipated. Thor remained crouching near the door, part of him traumatized by the whole incident. The return to normality made him realize he was breathing normally again.

"Thor."

Steve's shocked voice broke his trance and he slowly turned again to the center of the room. The portal was gone, any trace of its presence having completely disappeared save for the charred ends of tables. Various machines hummed back to life with steril beeps. However, in the center of the room lay a prone figure.

Thor rose to his feet with his eyes fixed on the unknown person. Summoning Stormbreaker, he slowly moved towards Steve, who had moved to a corner near him. The pair moved towards the still mass on the floor without a word.

As they moved closer, Thor could hear quiet whimpers escaping the body. Its chest moved up and down in quick, erratic movements. Any color that the clothes once bore had been charred into a uniform black that matched its wild hair. Even from a distance, Thor could see that it held something in its hand, gripping with all its might. The mass in the ash stained fingers glowed with an aggressive light.

Slowly, recognition dawned on him and he moved toward the figure with greater purpose.

Finally, he reached it. Practically throwing Stormbreaker to one side, Thor knelt beside the figure and gently brushed the hair out of his face. Shock sent his senses into numbness as he stared at the pale face. The man's mouth moved in voiceless words, sweat dripping down his face as his head rocked from side to side.

"You're welcome, Odinson."

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