Chapter Text
The shadows played tricks in that ancient temple—the kind of tricks that make you question your sanity. But what slithered through those halls was no illusion. The screams of Hydra agents echoed off the stone, growing louder, nearer—until they were silenced. One by one.
Steve strained against the magical chains glowing with runes that bound him to the altar, his muscles quivering from exhaustion and pain. "Buck, you gotta go," he rasped, his voice cracking. "Whatever they summoned—"
"Shut up, Rogers," Bucky growled, metal fingers scraping against the chains. Sparks of blue light flared and fizzled as the runes repelled him. "I'm not leaving you here."
Before Steve could argue, a wet gurgle sounded from the doorway. A Hydra agent stumbled into the room, eyes wide with terror. “It’s... it’s...”
Blood bubbled up from his lips as a silver blade burst through his chest.
The agent crumpled to the floor, revealing what loomed behind him—a creature that shouldn’t exist.
Black, gleaming scales shimmered under the flickering torchlight, its human torso sculpted like a figure from some forgotten myth. The lower half of its body was serpentine, coiled and thick as a tree trunk, gliding silently across the temple floor. It held a bloodied sword in its six-fingered hand, the blade dripping red.
“Jesus Christ,” Bucky whispered, staring at the thing, his breath catching in his throat.
The creature's head snapped toward him, yellow eyes glowing, burning.
Bucky didn’t hesitate. In one fluid motion, he raised his rifle and fired, emptying the entire clip into its chest. The bullets pinged off the creature’s scales, ricocheting harmlessly to the floor.
The creature moved faster than Bucky could process. One moment it stood still, the next its blade was slicing through the air toward him. Bucky barely dodged, the sword whistling past his head, but the second strike slammed into his metal arm, the impact rattling through his bones. The force shoved him back, boots skidding across the floor.
He didn’t back down.
“Is that the best you got?” Bucky snarled, meeting the creature’s blow with his own strength. But the thing was impossibly strong, pushing Bucky back inch by inch, grinding him down with sheer power.
A sharp crack rang out across the room—a stone bounced off the creature’s head.
Steve stood swaying at the altar, face pale, fingers clutching a jagged rock as though it were a shield. His breath came in short, ragged bursts, but his eyes were hard. “Hey,” he wheezed, lips pulling into a defiant smile, “over here, ugly.”
The creature’s head turned, almost... curious. It released Bucky and started circling Steve, like a predator toying with its prey. Its massive tail coiled across the floor, leaving twisted patterns in the dust.
“No! Over here!” Bucky’s voice was raw as he moved, trying to draw its attention back. But the creature ignored him, its eyes fixed entirely on Steve.
Bucky didn’t hesitate. Three long strides brought him between the monster and Steve, planting himself firmly in the way, arms wide. "You want him?" His voice was low, dangerous. "You go through me first."
The creature’s forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air between them. Then, in fluid Hindi, it spoke, “ऐसी भक्ति इस एक के लिए?” (Such devotion to this one?)
Bucky’s brow furrowed in shock, but he didn’t falter. “मृत्यु तक।” (Until death.) His voice held no doubt, no fear. Steve, even in his haze of exhaustion, blinked, confused at the exchange.
The creature began to circle again, slithering closer with each turn. Its blade lowered to the ground as it spoke once more, its voice deep and reverberating through the chamber. "यह," (This one) it hissed, eyes narrowing on Steve, "भाग्य द्वारा चिह्नित है।" (is marked by fate.)
Bucky’s jaw clenched. His muscles tensed, ready for whatever came next.
"उन्होंने इसे इस्तेमाल करने की कोशिश की," (They tried to use him), the creature said, its golden eyes flashing. "एक शक्ति को बुलाने और बांधने के लिए जो उनकी पहुंच से परे है। मैं इसे होने नहीं दूंगा।" (To summon and bind a force beyond their control. I won’t allow it.)
“मैं भी नहीं दूंगा,” (I won't either), Bucky snarled, taking a step forward, but before he could say more, the temple door crashed open, and a group of Hydra agents stormed in, guns raised.
The creature’s eyes flared with rage. In an instant, it turned on them, sword slicing through the air.
Blood sprayed as the blade cleaved through their ranks, its tail slamming another Hydra soldier into the stone walls, cracking the ancient rock.
Chaos reigned as Bucky pulled Steve behind him, shielding him with his body as the creature tore through Hydra's remaining forces. It was a massacre—brutal and swift.
Then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over.
The creature stood over the corpses, its breathing steady, its blade dripping. It turned back to Steve, its massive frame looming over him and Bucky.
"तुम मेरे हाथों नहीं मारे जाओगे, चिह्नित व्यक्ति," (You are not to die by my hand, marked one) it hissed, its voice softer, almost reverent. "तुम्हारा रक्षक तुम्हारे लिए लड़ता है। उसने अपना खिताब कमा लिया है।" (Your protector fights for you. He has earned his title.)
Bucky glanced at Steve, then back at the creature. "कौन सा खिताब?" (What title?)
"संरक्षक," (Guardian) the creature rumbled, gaze locking with Bucky’s. "तुम उसकी नियति से बंधे हो, तुम्हें उसकी रक्षा करनी होगी।" (You are bound to his fate, you must protect him.)
Without another word, the creature flicked its wrist, and the glowing runes on Steve’s chains sputtered out like dying stars. The manacles fell with a heavy clang against the stone. Steve swayed, barely able to keep his balance, and Bucky caught him just in time.
"जाओ," (Go) the creature commanded. "उसे ले जाओ और यहाँ से निकलो। मुझे इस मंदिर से बाकी विधर्मियों को शुद्ध करना है। जान लो, वे उसे लगातार शिकार करेंगे।" (Take him and leave. I must purge the rest of the heretics from this temple. Know that they will continue to hunt him.)
Bucky didn’t argue. He pulled Steve to his feet, wrapping his arm around his waist. "We're getting out of here, doll."
“Buck... my shield…” Steve’s voice was faint, but he managed to choke out the words.
Bucky glanced back at the creature. "वह एक योद्धा है, उन्होंने उसकी ढाल ले ली।" (He's a warrior, they took his shield.)
The creature nodded, understanding. "मैं इसे मंदिर के मुंह तक ले आऊँगा। अब जाओ।" (I will bring it to the temple’s mouth. Now go.)
The temple echoed with distant screams as Bucky guided Steve toward the exit, each step labored. Outside, the cool night air felt like a shock to the system after the suffocating heat of the temple. Bucky lowered Steve onto a stone ledge, reaching into his pocket and handing him a protein bar. “Eat. I’ll call for evac.”
Steve’s head dropped back against the stone, his body sagging in exhaustion. The screams inside the temple grew fewer and fewer until they stopped altogether.
Bucky was about to activate his comm when he heard the familiar sound of something slithering behind them. He turned, tensed—but it was the creature. In one hand, it held Steve’s shield.
With a smooth motion, it tossed the shield toward Bucky, who caught it in his metal arm. Steve’s weak smile flickered across his face.
“Rest up, Stevie,” Bucky muttered, voice rough with emotion. “I’ve got some yelling to do when we’re back.”