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‘I’d put that in a box and ship it off to France if I were you.’
Tony turned when he heard Pepper’s friend, Sharee, say that. Sharee was an archaeologist. She’d come to Tony to negotiate funding for an expedition. They’d just been walking through the common area where the Avengers were looking over the spoils from the last raid on a HYDRA base. Sharee was looking at a bow in Clint’s hands.
Clint chuckled. He spoke in a patronising tone, which Tony had noted was getting more and more common since the “Fall of S.H.I.E.L.D”. ‘Please, I just got this. You think I don’t know what to do with it?’
‘Oh, I think you know what to do with it,’ Sharee said. ‘But if you do, then you will die.’
The Avengers turned and looked at her, hostility in their eyes. Steve’s jaw went tense. Tony fought back the urge to roll his eyes. Instead, he got ready to move and defend Sharee if need be. He heard the warning in it, but those four idiots had interpreted it as a threat. There was one exception.
Thor looked up. He then plucked the bow out of Clint’s hand.
Steve opened his mouth, but Thor beat him to it. ‘This bow stinks of magic.’
‘Yeah,’ Sharee drawled. ‘It’s a blood seal.’
‘Oh. Then our guest is right.’ Thor began looking over the bow. ‘If a blood seal has been placed on this weapon then all who attempt to use it must be of the correct bloodline. Otherwise, they will be killed by the magic.’
Tony looked at Sharee in interest. ‘How did you know that?’
‘The workmanship,’ Sharee said. ‘It’s clearly a Belmont weapon. It was probably lost in a battle at one point and HYDRA just picked it up.’
‘How did you know it was from a HYDRA base?’ Steve asked suspiciously.
Sharee rolled her eyes and gestured to the boxes they were all standing around, like “duh!”
Natasha shook her head. ‘Steve, we’re standing over boxes with the HYDRA insignia and the words “property of HYDRA” printed on the sides.’
‘So, you know these Belmonts?’ Tony asked, deciding to not even touch that.
‘I know of them,’ Sharee said. ‘They’re descended from French nobility. They spent some time living in the heart of Romania – or Wallachia as it was known then – and kept a house there. When the French Revolution started warming up, they sent their kids to that house.’
‘French Revolution?’ Thor asked.
‘A lovely period in France’s history where they beheaded as many of the ruling class as they could get their hands on,’ Tony said. ‘And then started doing it to anybody they didn’t like.’
Thor pulled a face. ‘I understand why the nobility felt it prudent to remove their children at such a time.’
‘Yeah, really.’ Sharee shrugged. ‘But that’s why the Belmonts are still around.’
Thor nodded. ‘Friend Tony, do you know where to return this bow in that case?’
Clint scowled.
‘JARVIS, start looking for these guys,’ Tony said. ‘A family history like that should make them easier to trace.’
‘I have already begun looking, Sir,’ JARVIS said.
***
Clint hadn’t liked the idea of “returning” the bow so, while no one was looking, he got Nat and they helped themselves to it. Stark hadn’t even put any security around it. Now, in the heat of battle, it was in his hand. Clint grinned and lined his shot up. Whoever heard of abra-kadabra-ing a weapon to kill you if you didn’t have the “right” blood?
Clint released the arrow.
It didn’t get far.
As soon as he let go, the magic activated.
***
First…Clint’s fingers were blown apart.
Then, the damage travelled up his arm, into his chest. If he’d been alive until then, his death was painful.
Next, the damage travelled down his other arm, down his torso, and up his neck into his head.
His legs were the last thing to be affected.
All that was left after the fact was a bloody mess of bone and organ fragments.
The Belmont bow benignly dropped to the ground, innocent as could be.
***
Tony sat in the office, cleaning the blood from the weapon.
Thor had been the first to what was left of Clint. He had seen the explosion. He had retrieved the bow and the resulting thunderstorm from his rage had won the battle. But Thor had then turned on the rest of the Avengers to find out who knew Clint had the bow. Turned out, they all had. Tony, himself, had been at a meeting for SI at the time. Bruce hadn’t been invited, so to speak.
So, right now, Thor was raking the rest of them over the coals.
Turned out they’d all been aware Clint had the bow, but none of them had taken Sharee and Thor’s warning seriously.
JARVIS brought him out of his thoughts. ‘Sir, the Belmonts have arrived and are on their way up.’
Tony sighed. ‘Okay, J. Let them right in.’ Looking down at the bow, and with his stomach turning, Tony flicked away a piece of…something he’d prefer not to think about.
Honestly, maybe Tony needed to re-evaluate who he was relying on. Clint had ignored a very clear warning – both from an archaeologist (who must’ve read the records of that sort of thing happening) and from an alien (who knew enough to understand what Sharee had been saying). And why? Because he wanted a new bow?
Honestly, Tony didn’t see why he wanted the bow so bad. It was perfectly balanced and very sturdy, yes, but so was any number of bows Tony constructed for him. And though this bow was warm to the touch. Tony had a feeling that was down to the blood seal. The warmth of the wood was probably a warning: you are not a Belmont, do not use me.
Was it just because it was new?
Added onto that, Rogers, Romanoff, and Wilson had completely ignored the warning too. They had all been there when Sharee had given the warning and Thor had clarified. Sure, Tony hadn’t locked it up but that was because he’d assumed Romanoff, at the very least, had done the same research he did. He’d had faith they weren’t this dumb.
It was right there in the data they’d lifted from HYDRA’s computer.
The bow had a full profile. HYDRA weren’t using it because anyone who had tried met Clint’s fate. They didn’t know why it’d happened, but they clearly had been trying to replicate the effects. A generally unsuccessful endeavour given they had no idea what was causing it. But, clearly, no one on this team had done their research.
No one had looked at the data.
Tony was beginning to wonder if this whole thing was above their competency level.
Of course, if it was it meant he’d have to look for competent people.
The door opened and a tall, imposing man, with something of a friendly countenance, walked in. ‘Monsieur Stark, I am Julius Belmont. This is my daughter, Olive.’
Olive was about half her father’s size but she had the same brown hair and eyes.
Tony smiled. ‘Nice to meet you. I believe this is yours.’ He held out the bow.
‘Merci.’ Julius took the bow and looked it over. ‘Ah, yes. Definitely one of ours. I believe this was lost during the French Revolution.’ He frowned. ‘Has somebody else used it?’
Tony winced. ‘Yeah, sorry about that. They were warned not to use it. They were told why.’
‘But decided to anyway.’ Julius nodded and handed the bow to his daughter. ‘Yes, I know the type. Hear the word “no” and turn it into “only if I don’t catch you”. I must say, you did quite a good job cleaning it up.’
‘Thanks,’ Tony said. He was still agitated though and moved over to the bar. ‘Can I get you a drink?’
‘Let’s make this informal and stick with coffee,’ Julius said. ‘I’m sensing some tension here. Were there other parties aware of the unfortunate’s possession of the bow?’
‘Unfortunately, yes.’ Tony nodded and flicked on the percolator. ‘They all heard the warning too. It was found in a HYDRA base, complete with records on what happened to every person who tried to use it before. Let’s just say, I’m beginning to question that team’s fitness to go around saving people.’
‘And for what reason are you looking for people like this?’ Julius asked.
‘Sort of a long story,’ Tony said.
‘I’m in no hurry,’ Julius remarked. ‘Our wealth is ancestral, but it is currently maintained by being on a board that only assembles a few times a year.’
‘Oh, yeah.’ Tony nodded and brought the coffee over to the table. The three of them sat down. ‘The Belmont Estate’s worth a pretty penny in France, isn’t it?’
Julius and Olive both chuckled. The girl was probably raised to take over her father’s seat when he retired. Tony noticed she was about college age, but if she went it would only be because she wanted to. It was the same reason he’d gone to college and earned his multiple PhDs. She had already slid that bow over her shoulder.
The wood was pressed to her shoulder and it was tucked out of the way.
‘Yeah, so I’ve got time if you do,’ Julius said. ‘And…if you can make me agree with you, I may have some people I can point you in the direction of.’
Tony blinked. This might work. ‘Okay…’
***
Steve was getting fed up with Thor going on and on and on and on about it.
‘…I have no idea what you were thinking! You knew the weapon was dangerous! You knew it was more likely to kill him than not! Are you all literally children? Do you really believe that just because you want something, you should have it?’
‘That’s enough!’ Steve had put up with this long enough. Thor was way out of line. Steve was the leader. Steve was the only one with the right to reprimand anyone. ‘We had no way of knowing what would happen when Clint used that bow.’
‘You were told,’ Thor growled. ‘The scholar told you. I told you. You have no excuses for allowing Barton to just take the bow and then attempt to use it.’
Natasha pulled a face. She’d been in a sour mood over it ever since Fury had called her to make a phone call. Who to, Steve didn’t know. Still, Steve was angry about being told off. He was even angrier that Thor wasn’t the only one to do it. Fury shown up for a “what the hell were you thinking” lecture.
‘Look!’ Steve snapped. ‘What happened to Clint was tragic, but who else would I trust a bow like that to?’
At that moment, an arrow struck the wall, barely missing Steve’s nose.
He spun, and he was shocked. There was a kid, holding the bow in question. She’d clearly just fired the arrow. Then she spoke in a French accent. ‘Didn’t your mama ever teach you not to take things that aren’t yours?’
‘What?’ Wilson demanded. ‘How did she use the bow? Isn’t it supposed to kill people?’
The girl smirked. ‘I see why you ignored it. In one ear, out the other.’
Thor stepped forward. ‘I presume I have the honour of speaking to a member of the House Belmont?’
‘You do.’ The girl lowered the bow. ‘My name is Olive Belmont, daughter and sole heir of Julius Belmont. I presume you are Prince Thor of Asgard.’
‘I am.’ Thor grinned. ‘Please accept my humblest apologies for the misuse of your property, Lady Olive. As a warrior I know the importance of the hunter’s mount. I should also like to express these sentiments to your father.’
‘I have been informed that you had no knowledge until the archer was dashed to pieces,’ Olive said, folding her arms and tucking the bow to her side. ‘You have nothing to apologise for.’
‘That’s not funny!’ Steve snapped. ‘Clint’s dead because of your bow!’
‘On the other hand…’ Olive stepped around Thor. ‘Clint is dead because he tried to play finder’s keepers. You were explicitly told that if anyone besides a Belmont tried to use this bow, they would die. Yet you all ignored that, because Clint wanted this bow.’ She turned back to Thor. ‘By the way, you may have to wait a bit for my father. This sequence of events has led Stark to believe these people are incompetent so he and my father are discussing the options.’
Steve felt anger roll in his gut.
Natasha scoffed. ‘That’s rich, coming from Stark.’
Olive turned slowly and looked her dead in the eye. ‘How so?’
‘Hmph. Stark’s an egomaniac and a narcissist. He’s only Iron Man for the glory. There’s a reason we don’t take him on most missions. His skills are extremely limited. He’s an attention whore who cares about no one but himself.’
Olive looked at her a moment. ‘I’m talking about Tony Stark, not you, Mademoiselle I’m-Too-Important-To-Arrest.’
Natasha jerked back, eyes widening.
Olive then smirked. ‘You’re the one who overvalues themselves. I saw that hearing last year. It looked like you were trying to imitate Stark’s from 2010. But that was about protecting his intellectual property. You committed a federal crime.’
Natasha scowled, the same way Steve always did when he was faced with bullies.
That settled it.
‘Hey, enough of that!’ Steve stormed over and towered over her. ‘Natasha was instrumental in taking down HYDRA. You ought to be thanking her on bended knee for that one.’
Thor moved slightly, but Olive held up her hand.
‘My knees very rarely touch the ground,’ Olive said arrogantly. ‘It’d do you well to step back, big guy.’
‘I’ve never stood down for bullies!’ Steve declared.
Olive cocked an eyebrow.
The next thing Steve knew he was flying through the air. He hit the ground, hard. His face throbbed. Sam was running over to him, eyes wide and alarmed, as Steve pushed himself up. There was something warm under his nose. Olive stood there, arm still out with the bow still in her hand. Clearly, she’d hit him with it.
‘Who was towering over whom?’ she asked pointedly.
Scowling, Steve charged. He aimed a punch for her.
Olive sidestepped.
Steve tried again.
She sidestepped again.
Steve lifted his leg and kicked at her as hard as he could.
Olive ducked under his leg and turned. Her free hand lifted and wrapped around his ankle. The next thing Steve knew he was flying over her shoulder. He slammed face-first into the ground. His face throbbed but he sprung to his feet. Thor was no help. He was looking at Olive in admiration.
On the other hand Steve noticed Natasha and Sam looking alarmed, but they leaned forward like they were ready to charge to his aid.
Steve turned back to Olive. ‘I can do this all day.’
He charged again.
Olive’s knee slammed into his gut with enough force that every muscle in his body locked.
‘You sound like a stupid braggart.’ Olive let him drop to the ground.
Sam and Natasha attacked.
Steve did not like the smirk on Olive’s face when they did.
***
‘So…she beat them up?’ Bruce was watching the CCTV footage with Tony.
‘To be fair, they attacked her first,’ Tony said.
Bruce chuckled. ‘Well…to be fair, she did fire an arrow across Rogers’ nose.’
‘But didn’t actually hit him,’ Tony said. ‘And, after that punch-up, no one’s going to believe she couldn’t have if she wanted to.’
‘So…how did she beat up a super-soldier, a former airman, and a spy assassin?’ Bruce asked.
‘Well, turns out demons are a thing,’ Tony said.
‘Demons are a thing?’
‘Demons are a thing. Demons and vampires. The Belmonts have been fighting them since the 12th Century. Julius told me they’re trained to do it practically from the cradle.’
In other words, it was nothing for one of them to flatten a super-soldier, a former airman, and a spy assassin. They dealt with things far stronger and far more lethal on a daily (nightly?) basis. ‘So that blood seal thing…?’
‘Yeah, that’s something that was decided on early.’ Tony grinned. ‘As a result, some of the most powerful weapons humanity has created…can only be used by the Belmonts.’
Bruce looked curious. ‘More powerful than anything you ever created?’
‘My old toys have nothing on half the shit they’ve got,’ Tony said. ‘And I honestly don’t think that stuff could be in better hands.’
Bruce nodded. ‘You said they already dealt with that armada you saw at the Battle of New York?’
Tony smirked. ‘Well, so to speak. They used their contacts to work out what was going on. Turns out there’s this guy called Thanos who thinks the solution to the resource crisis – which is a universe-wide problem, by the way – is to cut the population in half.’
‘You’re kidding.’
‘Nope. So, it turns out, he’s going around collecting these artefacts called the Infinity Stones to do it to the whole universe. Just snap his fingers and half of all life will just be blown away. But he’s got this glove-gauntlet thing to do that.’ Tony chuckled. ‘I don’t know how they did it, but the Belmonts stole the gauntlet, blood-locked it, and then put it back.’
‘Blood-locked?’ Bruce asked.
‘Yeah. Apparently, when something’s got a blood seal, it’s referred to as blood-locked. We’re still building up a defence if he does come here – and the Belmonts think he will – but if he does get around to snapping, he’ll be the only one destroyed.’
Bruce nodded. Then he looked at Tony. ‘You look confused.’
‘Well, I told Sharee,’ Tony said. ‘And she said something weird.’
‘What’d she say?’
‘She said: I don’t know whether we should stop him, or let him get the Stones and let that happen.’