The Witch He Loved

Chapter 22

All I can feel is my magic, I use it to surround myself, forming a bubble of power, ready to burst when I hit the ground. 

One second I'm flying through the air. The next I'm plummeting, heading straight for the centre of the hostiles. 

I hit the ground. My bubble taking the brunt of impact I land on one knee and it bursts. A waist high circle around me shoots out, taking down about 30 of the guards that were firing at us. 

I raise my head and look into the terrified faces of men, all aiming guns at me, I check my shield is still in place before standing. I look around at them, there is a good 4 meters between me and them filled with the body's of their knocked out team. 

A shot sounds out behind me, I feel it hit my shield but it dissolves on impact. I slowly look over my shoulder at the men there, they all look like they're either ready to run away from me or fire at me. 

"That wasn't very nice was it? I thought your boss wanted me alive?" I ask them.

A few guns get cocked and feet shuffle though the body's on the floor around me, coming closer. 

A dramatic sigh leaves my mouth as I summon my sword with my right hand, pulling a dagger out of it's holster with the left. 

"Let's go then boys." 

I dance around them with my weapons, throwing out powerful attacks, fuelling them with my power as I take down more of them. I manage to maintain a balance of holding my shields and powering my sword as they keep coming, I notice they're thinning out at the same time I see the others fighting nearby. 

We keep pushing through them, getting back near each other. I see they're all still looking pretty energetic, none of us willing to stop.  As we all make a stand together the few remaining guards stop firing to look around themselves, at seeing how many of their team had fallen they dropped their firearms on the ground and backed away with their hands on their heads.

"Smart move, help me cuff them Buck." Steve says, they move forward, kicking the guns away. 

Tony stands in front of me, his mask popping up so I can see his face.

"That was a pretty impressive throw huh?"  

I let out a laugh at him while putting my dagger back and vanishing my sword, letting my power go for the moment. "I just kicked ass and all you're focused on was your aim?" 

He shrugs. "I guess you were pretty good too"

I shake my head at him, amused. "Sure Tony, it was good aim"

We wait for Steve and Bucky to finish up before we all continue the short walk to the property, stopping a few meters from the wall. 

"Split up into your teams, I don't think this guy will have many more men but be on your guard, watch each others backs. Lets find Nat and get out." 

We all nod at Steve and break apart. 

Tony picks me up and flies us up to a balcony at the far end of the building, dropping us down quietly, we take cover at either side of the door leading inside. 

He gestures for me to follow behind him and I nod, we enter the building. Standing still for a moment pressed up against walls we don't hear anyone near us. We go past each room, opening the door and entering together making sure to check every inch over for Nat or the device. 

"You'd think a guy this crazy would have more precautions in place" I whisper to Tony.

He silently agrees as we get to a break in the hallway. It stretches out before us for a few more rooms but heads of to the left too. 

Me and Tony look at each other before walking apart. We start taking rooms off either of the corridors separately, knowing neither of us would be far if we needed help. 

I make it to the door of the last room in the corridor when I hear Steve talking over comms. 

"Guys I've got Nat. She's been knocked out but seems otherwise ok" 

I breath a sigh of relief for my friend.

"Any news on the device?" 

"Sorry, there's nothing else here." 

A collective sound of curses and groans rings out before being hushed. 

"Get her back to the jet, We'll meet you back there when we've found something." 

I push the door open, knowing we're almost done here and that we have Nat back, I just want to get this done. My eyes scan around the room as I walk in it looks like some sort of office but just like all the rooms, there's no one here. I check on the desk, shifting papers around but there isn't anything there. 

I'm giving the room another once over when an excruciating pain shoots straight through my head, my body buckles forward at the impact and I almost fall to my knees. An arm quickly wrapping around my waist helps keep me up. 

"My what a pretty little witch, I know your friends can hear me so let me say this just once for them. Get out of my house or I'll make this considerably worse for her." 

A fresh wave of pain shoots thought me as I try to summon my power, I can't help but let out a scream of pain. It feels like someone is trying to carve my head open. 

I must pass out momentarily because the next thing I know I'm being carried down a set of steps. The sun has started dim but the light still makes the pain in my head throb. 

"I thought I told you to leave my house?" The voice from behind me says, his voice gruff and thick with his accent. 

"I mean technically we did" 

I barely hear part of the conversation, I start to feel delirious, a dizziness coming over me as the pain subsides.

"She'll pay for your cocky attitude Stark"

Just as the last wave is finally leaving a new pain starts up, it starts in my forehead and feels like claws scraping over my brain, it shoots down past my neck and in between my shoulder blades. Blinded by pain I don't realise I'm screaming and bucking until I'm dropped onto the floor, no longer being held up.

I lie on the floor twitching and whimpering as arguing continues around me but I can't focus on them. 

In my pain induced haze I gaze at a lonely blade of grass a few feet away, it seems so out of place in the middle of the dirt covered ground but it's such a beautiful green. I'm mesmerized by it as it seems to grow and dance around itself in the wind. I try to move my head to look at it better and I watch as it changes shape. 

Where the blade of grass once was I see a green shimmering mist appear in its place, starting small it twists and turns in on itself, until it grows into a tall oval like shape. Black boots blending into a set of dark green trousers step out of the mist. I lift my eyes higher trying to ignore the aching in the back of my skull, taking in the green and black leather tunic. 

I close my eyes tightly for a moment thinking my brain is summoning up images to comfort me. When I open them again he's still stood there, the mist dispersing around him he looks almost relaxed, picking an invisible speck off his sleeve he lets go of it to the wind. 

"I do apologise for the intrusion," 

He looks up at the man stood behind me, sounding genuinely apologetic. 

"But you must understand,"

Then he moves his eyes down to me, they flash gold and green as they connect with mine. 

"I once made a promise to My Lady."

I try to reach out to him, but my arm only makes it a couple of inches.

"I broke that promise, when she needed me most."

His face fills with a rage unlike one I've ever seen as he looks back up and the man. 

"I'll be spending the rest of my life making sure no one else hurts her."