Villains never win -265

Down in Shuri's workshop, the atmosphere was thick with tension. The screens lining the walls displayed the chaotic scenes of the invasion, and the young genius's fingers flew over the controls as she tried to regain some measure of control. Her mother, Queen Ramonda, stood beside her, eyes wide with worry as she watched her city—their home—fall apart before them.

"It's not supposed to be like this," Shuri muttered, frustration and fear creeping into her voice. "All the defenses we put in place, all the precautions—how are they doing this?"

Queen Ramonda placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, trying to offer comfort despite the overwhelming dread that hung in the air. "We've faced threats before, Shuri. We will find a way to endure this."

"But this isn't just a threat, Mama," Shuri said, her voice trembling. "They're not just attacking us; they're destroying us. They came prepared, they knew exactly how to counter everything we had. It's like they're tearing down everything we've built."

One of the two Dora Milaje guards standing nearby stepped forward, speaking with the calm, steady tone that characterized Wakanda's elite warriors. "Princess, there must be something we can do. There must be something you can use against them."

Shuri paused for a moment, her eyes scanning the data flowing across her screens. Then, suddenly, she froze, the battle between her brother, father and the enemy commander had taken a turn.

No longer was it a two on one battle, in the moment they had looked away, everything had changed.

Napoleon had been happy enough to play around with his opponents, more than confidante enough in his own ability to know he couldn't possibly be hurt or lose. But with the news about Dr. Bright, he no longer felt like playing around.

And so, the people in Shuri's workshop watched as the armored men started to open fire on the two beaten Black Panthers. With their weapons means to break through Vibranium defences, the Black Panther suits didn't hold up.

The shock was palpable in the workshop as Shuri's breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide with disbelief. She watched helplessly as her brother and father, the very symbols of Wakanda's strength, were brought to their knees. Each shot from the Foundation soldiers sent ripples through the vibranium suits, cracking them, leaving her family more exposed and vulnerable.

"No… no, no, no!" Shuri muttered, her voice trembling as she desperately tried to access the systems that controlled their remaining defenses. "They can't… how are they doing this?!"

Queen Ramonda tightened her grip on Shuri's shoulder, her face stricken with fear, but her voice was steady. "Shuri, you must focus. There has to be something we can do."

Yet it was all for nothing. There just wasn't enough time. They could only watch on in horror as the old king and the future king, T'chaka and T'Challa, was shot again and again, their suits giving out and mists of blood spraying out as they were, without a doubt, killed.

The world seemed to stop in that moment. The screens in Shuri's workshop froze, displaying the horrific image of T'Challa and T'Chaka lying motionless on the ground, blood pooling around them. The vibranium suits, once proud and unyielding, were now in tatters, shattered beyond repair.

"No… No!" Shuri's scream tore through the silence, echoing off the walls as she slammed her fists against the console, her tears streaming down her face. "This can't be happening… It can't be happening!"

Queen Ramonda collapsed to her knees beside her daughter, a wail of despair escaping her lips. The two Dora Milaje guards, usually stoic and unwavering, stood paralyzed, tears brimming in their eyes as they watched the heart of Wakanda break before them.

"How… how could they…?" Shuri gasped, her voice hoarse with grief. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she tried to focus on the controls, desperate to find some way, any way, to undo what had just happened. But there was nothing left. The defenses were gone. The city was burning. And her family—her brother, her father—were gone.

Ramonda pulled her daughter into her arms, holding her as she sobbed. "We have to be strong," she whispered, though her own voice was trembling. "For them, for Wakanda… we have to be strong."

"But they're gone, Mama," Shuri choked out. "They're gone…"

The workshop fell into silence, the only sounds the distant echoes of gunfire and explosions from outside. It was as if the entire city was mourning with them, the very heart of Wakanda breaking in unison.

After a long moment, one of the Dora Milaje stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tears streaming down her face. "Princess, Queen Ramonda, The golden city is lost… we might attempt to retreat, the royal blood must not be lost."

For a moment, Shuri stared at the Dora Milaje guard, her mind struggling to process what she had just heard. The words felt foreign, impossible. Retreat? Abandon the Golden City? The very idea was unimaginable. This was their home, their legacy—how could they even consider running?

"No," Shuri said, her voice barely more than a whisper. Then, louder, more resolute: "No! We're not running. We can't just leave them! We can't… We can't let their sacrifice be in vain!"

Queen Ramonda squeezed her daughter's hand, trying to ground her. "Shuri… sometimes, survival is the only form of resistance left. If we fall here, then everything Wakanda stands for dies with us."

Tears welled up in Shuri's eyes, but she blinked them back, forcing herself to think clearly. "There has to be something… anything…"

"Shuri." Ramonda started. "Wakanda is more than just a place, more than just Vibranium; it is a nation, and a nation is its people; as long as the people, as long as just one of us survives this, then so will Wakanda."

Shuri stared at her mother, feeling the weight of her words sink in. They were true, painfully so. Wakanda was more than its walls, more than its vibranium—it was the people, their spirit, their unwavering strength. And right now, that strength was all they had left.

"But what can we do?" Shuri asked, her voice breaking, the feeling of helplessness nearly overwhelming her. "How do we protect our people when everything else is falling apart?"

Queen Ramonda took a deep breath, steeling herself. "We lead them, Shuri. We guide them out of the darkness, and we make sure that they live to see another day."

Shuri nodded, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "We'll need to move quickly," she said, her mind already racing with possibilities. "There's a network of tunnels beneath the city, secret routes we can use to escape. I can redirect the last of the power to buy us time, to slow them down."

Queen Ramonda nodded. "Do it."

As Shuri began working, the Dora Milaje guards positioned themselves at the entrance of the workshop, ready to defend their queen and princess with their lives. "We won't let them get to you," one of them said, her voice resolute.

"Thank you," Shuri whispered, her fingers flying over the controls as she began rerouting the remaining energy reserves. The screen flickered, and the image of T'Challa and T'Chaka, broken and bleeding, faded away, replaced by a map of the tunnels beneath the city.

"There," Shuri pointed to a hidden passageway. "This will take us to the mountains. From there, we can regroup, figure out our next move."

Queen Ramonda placed a hand on Shuri's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "You're doing the right thing, my daughter."

Shuri nodded, though her heart ached with every word. "I just wish… I wish we could have saved them."

"We will honor them," Ramonda said softly. "And we will make sure their sacrifice means something."

As they prepared to leave, Shuri took one last look at her screens, one last look at the city that was her home, now ablaze and overrun. "I promise," she whispered, "Wakanda will rise again."

And with that, they fled into the darkness, carrying with them the hopes and the legacy of a nation on the brink.

AN

(Bit of a short chapter, I don't like doing it, but it just felt right ending it there, given what I have planned for the next one.)

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