The Secret Asgardian (An Avengers Fanfiction)

Chapter 37: Regroup

37. Regroup

Tony was surprisingly quick, despite the suit, and he managed to keep up with my sprint easily. 

He shot a few repulsor blasts at the Minotaur who just shrugged the pain off and continued to chase us. When we darted around the next corner, I ran smack into something solid with enough force to knock me to the floor. Tony grabbed my hand and pulled me up, and we looked at a weary Thor.

“We have to go, uncle! There’s a Minotaur behind us,” I told him quickly, and he hefted his hammer and smiled.

“Let it come. This ‘Minotaur’ shall taste the wrath of Thor!”

“Good luck with that,” Stark remarked, and we retreated behind Thor, watching apprehensively.

As soon as the Minotaur rounded the corner, it took a hammer to the face. It flew into the wall, which cracked at the impact. It snorted angrily and got up, baring its blunt teeth at Thor. 

He swung his hammer again, and I heard a loud cracking noise as one of its horns snapped in half and clattered to the floor. There was a murderous expression in the Minotaur’s eyes, but it whimpered and retreated, back the way we came.

“Do you think it’s gone?” I asked sceptically as the sound of hooves disappeared.

“Not a chance,” Tony replied easily, and I frowned slightly.

“I see you two found each other,” Thor said mildly, and I thought there was something like suspicion in his eyes – I hadn’t forgotten his ‘talk’ - as he looked from me to Tony, who shrugged slightly.

“I saved your niece from a creepy chicken-lady.”

Thor looked at me for confirmation, and I nodded, flushing slightly.

“Then you have my gratitude. Come, let us find Diana – she may be in greater danger now that the Minotaur is back on the hunt,” Thor said, and pushed past us and automatically taking charge.

I raised my eyebrow but said nothing and dutifully followed him. Stark walked beside me as we followed my uncle.

“Do you think he has a clue where he’s going?” Tony murmured to me, and I snorted softly.

“He’ll act like he does but I know he doesn’t.”

“It is in my instincts to know where I am and which direction is right,” Thor interrupted our silent laughter, and then he frowned slightly as we reached a forked passage.

Left or right?

“So, which way now?” I asked sweetly.

He was silent for a moment, before we both looked down the right passage, hearing the same thing.

“Diana!” I shouted, running down the right passage, toward the screams.

I wheeled around the corner, and spotted Diana huddled against the wall, cringing away from another Harpy.

I sent a fireball spiralling at it just as Tony sent an energy blast. The shocked Harpy didn’t have time to react before being blown of its clawed feet and it smacked into the stone wall.

Diana, wide eyed, leapt up and clung onto me. The notes were gone, and I tried to mask my disappointment. We’d just have to go carry on blind.

“I thought you’d never find me,” She said shuddering, and I ruffled her hair.

“Of course we would. And now we’re all back together.”

I looked around at my little team with a confident smile.

Suddenly a grinding noise from behind had me spinning around. I watched as a huge gap in the wall began to appear, as a section of wall was pulled down into the ground, revealing a narrow passage that lead to another door.

We didn’t even have to speak, and simply began to walk down the new passage, with me in front and Thor at the back.

I only hesitated a second before grasping the heavy metal handle and pulling the door open.

I stepped into another cave. I didn’t even bother trying to figure out how we’d managed to get from a labyrinth out in the open to a cave. The craggy ceiling was high and completely blocked out any light. There was a stream running through the cave, and the water looked crystal clear against the dark rocks. Burning beacons were positioned around the room, and a similar door to the one we had just stepped through stood on the opposite side. There was a bare patch of smooth-ish rocky floor at the top of the room, and there were four mats laid out on the floor, along with a pile of empty bowls. The sphinx’s voice suddenly spoke, but I couldn’t see her in the cave.

“You have passed the second task. You successfully managed to regroup and survive the creatures within the labyrinth. Congratulations. You may take this time to refresh yourselves, and you will face the third task in three hours. Good luck.”

The voice faded, leaving us to do as we pleased.

An hour later, the only sound came from Thor’s snoring. He and Diana had opted to take the time to sleep, and were both currently fast asleep on their own wicker mats.  

I sat near to them, gazing into the running stream unseeingly.

What would the next task be? Would we survive this one? Where was Loki? Had he already completed the tasks and managed to reach Atlantis? What about Steve, Natasha, Bruce, Clint and Peter? Were they here too? Would we have to fight them? I bit my lip worriedly, so deep in thought that I didn’t even notice Tony sit beside me, still donned in his suit except his helmet, which was now off completely and was on the floor beside our sleeping companions.

When I noticed him there, I didn’t say anything, and my gaze flicked back down to the water. He was quiet for once, just a comforting presence while I brooded. I put my head in my hands and sighed, feeling stressed.

“Are you prepared to fight your own team mates if the time comes?” I asked slowly, looking up again, but not at him. I could feel his gaze on me.

“It depends.”

“On?”

“Whether there’s another option.”

“What if there isn’t?” I asked harshly, feeling anger kindle within me. I hated Loki and S.H.I.E.L.D for putting me through this.

“Then yes, I would,” Tony replied, making it sound like the easiest thing in the world. I glanced at him sharply. The cave was suddenly silent.

“I wish Nick had never dragged me into this,” I said angrily, and he smiled slightly.

“I’m glad he did,” Tony admitted, seemingly looking into my soul with those brown eyes that I just couldn’t resist.

“Why?”

“Because if he hadn’t, I would never have met you.”

I glanced away, flushing slightly, but I couldn’t help a question from blurting out.

“Do you really mean that?”

“Yes.”

That was enough for me.

I smiled as I moved closer, and he grinned back easily, his eyes burning into mine. My lips were almost touching his, my eyes closed, when I was interrupted again.

“Eldrid!” Thor exclaimed, and I pulled away reluctantly, not appreciating Stark’s look of pure amusement as an angry Asgardian stumbled to his feet.

“What – you – him – explain!” Thor managed, looking shocked and annoyed, and I stood up nervously, feeling like a naughty child.

A glance in Tony’s direction told me that I wasn’t going to get any help from him, as he was barely managing to control his laughter.

Well, this was going to be fun.

At least, for Tony Stark it was.