Astrild; Goddess of Love

Chapter 18 - Fight Fire with Steel and Lead?!

Author's Note; As promised second update this week. Remember to comment and vote as always, many thanks, FanGirl8ygc3804

I extinguished my fireball and let my hands fall by my sides, shutting my eyes. A force knocked me down probably bruising my ribs and causing my already painful collar bone to ache. I opened my eyes to see Steve and went to get up.

"Stay down," he hissed in my ear as a tiger flew over our heads. "You alright?"

"No," I said as I shot a stream of fire at the tiger; Auryon who was running at us for a second attempt. "I am now, but not for long. Up, up up up!" We scrambled just in time and diving for cover each way as Pyro sent a stream of fire that scorched the ground right where we were a few seconds earlier.

"Everyone regroup!" Steve called as he vaulted over an abandoned desk. Tony and I flew zigzagged to join him. Bobby created an ice ramp and also joined us narrowly avoiding Pyro's attacks.

"We have four to your three, give up Jo-Pyro. The odds aren't in your favour." I state. He gave me a devious glare,

"The odds are more than in my favour, we have three mutants to your two! Oh Lizzy, when will you learn that's all that counts!"

The use of my pet name, once a term of endearment had become a taunt making my skin crawl. We stood in a line ready for their next attack.

"The winged girl is mine; make sure we're not disturbed." Pyro said his associates reacted immediately. Leo launched himself at Steve but he was waiting and defended himself in time, they were now locked in a hand to hand match. Auryon morphed into a cheetah and shot across the space engaging in combat with Tony and Bobby as a human then and animal so to duck their attacks.

Pyro came towards me and lit a fireball in his palm with his lighter.

"You know this is a fight you can't win." I said.

"You're not the only one who's learnt some new tricks."

I had no telepathy which put me at a disadvantage automatically, but if I could get his lighter from him he'd be powerless. I tried to focus to heat his lighter, no reaction.

"Plastic." I cursed.

"After being with Magneto I had to or he could depower me like you did in training." He said smugly.

I removed my dagger from its sheath and ran towards him he shot a stream of fire at me but I fell to my knees, leaning back avoiding it narrowly. I skidded to a stop next to him and his attack hid my intentions from him. From my position on the floor I reached and dragged my dagger across his thigh, it caused a line of blood to appear. I jumped away and to my feet in a crouch. I called on Earth. It responded immediately coming through the concrete to restrain Pyro with vines. Not for long; he burned himself free. I dived at his midsection holding him to the floor. We scrambled for a minute before he got a hold of my dagger and embedded it in me.

Blood followed around it and soaked into my dress. I put telekinetic pressure on it; slowing the blood flow but not completely. I used a telekinetic wave to put some distance between us. I also out up a small ice wall to give me a few precious seconds to recover. I need to end this and fast.

I sheathed my dagger and quickly went for my gun but he was quicker. He strided back to me as I held it up to shoot he swerved left out of my line of fire and sent flames towards me.

They licked at the gun heating it causing me to drop it. Using my telekinesis I picked it up but before I could fire again Pyro had pulled from me and flung it beyond my range.

He reached me and went for a right hook; he missed luckily but grabbed my shoulder. I spun around bent my knees grabbed his hand and flipped him over my shoulder. He recovered quickly and was on his feet heading for another attack. I was quicker this time catching his left fist and holding it as I punched as hard as I could on the spot I'd already injured on his leg. I also placed my foot just behind his good ankle so that as he bent forward in pain I kicked upwards and he fell.

To my surprise he expected this and grabbed my wrist pulling me with him. I managed to pull myself from his grip too late to not be pulled by him but quick enough to execute a flip and land on my feet.

Pyro reached my ankles from his spot on the floor caused me to fall onto my back despite my previous efforts. A little more of my life blood leaked out of my wound and my own weight crushed my wings against the concrete.

As I looked up Pyro had a knife and was about to bring it down on my heart. I unsheathed my dagger with its dry blood stains even though my grip was weak but before the blades met Steve's shield knocked Pyro's blade from him. In retaliation he sent a stream of fire at him.

"Steve!" I shouted my concern but he was way ahead of me, his shield bounced off the wall and headed back to him just in time to block the flames.

I didn't have time to spare beyond that as Pyro sent his flames at me. I managed to hit the deck just in time, but Pyro knelt on my back causing me to be in pain so suddenly that the telekinetic patch gave out and my blood spilled onto the floor at an alarming rate.

"We are homo superior! Accept it Lizzy! We are better than them," he gloated in my ear whilst pulling my hair forcing me to raise my head to look at Steve and Tony.

I took his moment of gloating to strike. I moved my elbow back sharply into his sternum, catching him off guard. In his pain he got off me allowing me to roll onto my back. This put me in reach of my lost gun.

As I reached for it he sent a stream of fire but I defended with an ice shield. I struggled but got the gun using the tips of my fingers. I took three shots.

The first one flew harmlessly past his ear.

The second embedded itself in his shoulder.

The third missed entirely or not,

"Auryon!" Leo shouted. It found a mark after all. His distraction allowed Steve to get behind him and take him into a choke hold. Leo stopped resisting as Steve loosened his grip and led him over to Auryon; the heavy breathing snow leopard was immediately calmed by this. Tony as Bobby rushed over to me.

"If you were so superior you would know the value of mercy, Pyro," I stated as I stood over him, my blood dripping on him and gun trained on him.

"If you weren't softened by these lesser beings you would know the value of sacrifice!" He snarled and shot a single thin stream of fire to the highest point of the ceiling somehow causing an explosion.

Fire engulfed the building with all of us inside.

* * * * * *

I concentrated on Earth breaking the concrete and creating pockets within the Earth for my allies and enemies.

I held the flames away from myself by creating fire of my own. This wouldn't harm me and it would rob the other flames of the oxygen they needed to burn.

I flew to the roof and retrieved what was left of the device. I then used my telekinesis to hold the building up.

After what seemed like an age sirens sounded. I reached out to one of the fire men explaining our situation. I created tunnels for then to reach the others once they were safe the adrenaline which had kept my body going gave out and I plummeted to the floor. I managed to slow the decent by spreading my wings.

Once I reached the floor I summoned Earth for something to pack my wound. Having done so, I finally succumbed to the blood loss.