Water Or Wine

Chapter 8

"I gave you ample warning Noelle and yet you refused to hear them." Arishem says, he is holding me in his hand like he usually does during these encounters. I drop the spear I am holding and clench my fists "send me back." I say coldly, looking into the red abyss that is his eyes. He answers after a moment "no." His voice all but echoes through me. I shake my head, tears threatening to spill "you send me back now!" I shout angrily "or what?"

That last part seems to make him chuckle "or what little one? What could you possibly do that will affect me?" The condescending of little one makes me shake with rage. I run a hand through my hair that is falling out of its braid "then I will refuse to serve you. If the deviants come back, I won't help my family kill them. I will do as you have done right now, I will leave. Damn the consequences." This gives Arishem pause and I feel suddenly very proud that I have managed to make a celestial hesitate for even a moment.

"You still don't get it do you?" He asks a hint of entertainment in his voice "I was the one who took away your power, I can put a shackle on you whenever I like and yet you still choose to fight? And for what? Humans that are going to die anyway?" I start feeling sick to my stomach. I look up at him, defiance still lacing my tone "my powers don't matter to me if those I love die! I won't have a purpose, my gifts are nothing compared to the life and love they give me."

The celestial chuckles at my declaration "but you hated feeling weak didn't you." He teases "you hated not being able to defend yourself against the evil that plagues Earth. And I think you do care about your gifts more than you let on." I swallow hard, my whole body still shaking with rage. "But alas." He says sighing deeply "I still have need of you there which means I can't keep you here forever."

-

I fall back into my body with a start and look around me in a craze "what- what happened?" I ask spying Steve sitting on the floor, everyone around me looking defeated. "We lost." Steve says and my heart shatters in two "it's over." I shake my head and take a step back. Natasha places a comforting hand on my shoulder "who's gone?" I ask try to push my emotions away. Steve stands up and Bruce climbs out of his suit.

"At the moment, Bucky, Sam, T'Challa, Wanda and Vision." Steve answers in a miserable voice. My chest feels like it is being squeezed tightly and I have to pour 99% of my concentration on staying standing. "That we know of." Bruce adds more misery to the already glum situation. Some of my closest friends have been taken from me, T'Challa and Bucky. I school my features as Thor makes his way over to me, he places a hand on back "I am sorry Elle." He says using my nickname.

Steve runs a dirty hand through his hair "what happened to you?" He asks "you went to attack him and then just froze, your eyes went white." I keep my expression neutral, feeling nothing but rage boil underneath my skin "I had a little chat with my boss." I explain "turns out, we don't see as eye-to-eye as I thought we did." The others all share a look. I shut down my mental shields and feel power, unlike anything I have experience before rolling through my body like a tornado.

In my mind I silently search for Thanos and it is easier to find him than I expected.

"I won't come for you now." I say into my mind "but one day, in the future I will come for you."

Thanos sounds panicked as he replies "who is that?"

I ignore him and continue "and when I finally kill you just know it will be for all those lives you stole from me and everyone else left on this planet and that I will find a way to bring them back. You will have died for nothing."

I reopen my eyes and take a calming breath "I need to get out of these clothes." A sole reminder of my time in Wakanda and the people I have lost. Without waiting for a reply I stay back towards the palace.