Chapter Text
“We’re not going to make it.” A statement and a realization all in one. Strange froze as the monster crushed the spinning platform that would have been their only way to the book of Vishanti. Everything was strange in this inter-universal pocket; gravity was wherever the floor happened to be, and everything moved of its own accord.
“No we-we have to!” America insisted, trying to keep the tremor from her voice, “-you said it yourself, we can’t let them get my power.” She glanced at Strange, waiting for him to cast some sort of spell or offer some sort of solution.
“We can’t let it get your power.” Strange agreed quietly, unnervingly calm. His eyes glazed over as he turned to face her. America took a step back, eyes widening.
“You said you’d protect me.” His eyes were full of remorse.
“I know. I’m sorry.” Strange raised a hand as the monster roared behind him. America took a few more stumbling steps back, her heel catching on the uneven ground and nearly sending her stumbling into the abyss. Maybe she’d have preferred that to what was about to happen.
A blue light began to gather at her chest, draining her power and funneling towards Strange. America was raised from the ground as more and more wisps of energy flaked off of her.
“You’re-” She gasped, barely managing to get the words out, “-you’re killing me!” She couldn’t fight it, couldn’t so much as squirm as the power drained out of her and took her life with it.
“And in the grand scheme of things, your sacrifice will mean infinitely more than-” Strange’s self-righteous explanation was cut off as one of the monster’s razor sharp tendrils pierced through his chest. He choked on his words and on his own blood, America’s power escaping from his grasp and returning to her as she dropped to the ground. She coughed and gasped, scrambling backwards to get away from the man she’d once considered her protector.
Her eyes darted to Strange, watching the red stain growing around the hole in his chest, then to the monster holding him aloft, then to the unguarded book behind it. She got to her feet, fists clenched as she decided on a course of action.
America ran, darting past Strange and leaping from the platform. Her foot found purchase on the monster’s head (if it could be called that) and she pushed off of it, landing in a roll on the platform below. The Book of Vishanti was mere meters away. America didn’t know what she’d do with it once she reached it, but grabbing it was the first step in any plan going forward.
She started forward, arm outstretched as she reached towards the book. She didn’t hear the horrible sound of the monster’s tendril leaving Strange’s chest. She didn’t hear the horrible sound Strange’s body made as it struck the platform above.
America had nearly reached the book when the white-hot tendril wrapped around her wrist.
“No!” She pulled against it as more of the monster’s limbs wrapped around hers, restraining her as she struggled and fought. She kicked one of the tendrils, but another wrapped around her ankle before she could react.
America screamed.
The power surged out of her, pushing outwards behind her and forming a collection of star patterns rippling through the air. Her power had only ever worked when she was terrified. Of course it would work now.
Strange, selfish and half-dead as he might have been lying on the platform, was not a complete moron. He sent out one last collection of spells, slicing through the tendrils holding the child and sending her tumbling into her star-shaped portal.
America screamed again as she passed from universe to universe, falling blindly through the multiverse with no control of her powers.