A Vigilantes Story

A Glimpse Of Frost

Maximus Romanoff

The pain was everywhere, radiating through every fiber of my body. As I forced my eyes open, I could barely make out Newt lying next to me, his breaths shallow but steady. All around us, the others lay crumpled in the aftermath of Von Doom's merciless assault. Just as I tried to lift my head, a strange sensation washed over me, a cooling presence, almost as if ice were gliding along my skin, numbing the pain.

Then I saw him. He stood at the center of the room, tall and commanding, yet ghostly in his calm. His black-and-grey hair caught in a faint light, almost shimmering with a touch of frost, while his piercing green eyes radiated an aura of pure power. Though I didn't know how, I was certain of it.

The moment he lifted his hand, everything shifted. An invisible wave pulsed outward, and warmth followed in its wake, counteracting the cold that had overtaken our bodies. I felt bones knitting, bruises fading, strength trickling back into my limbs. Newt stirred beside me, his face easing from pain to confusion. This man's energy was unlike anything I'd ever experienced, a blend of ethereal calm and raw, unrestrained power.

"Who...?" I managed to whisper, my voice barely audible.

The man's gaze flicked toward me for the briefest of moments, and in that instant, I felt a sense of recognition, like he knew all of us without ever having met. But then, as suddenly as he'd appeared, he turned away, fading into the shadows. I blinked, and he was gone.

Newt's hand gripped my shoulder, shaking me from my trance. His eyes were wide, darting around the room as he noticed the others beginning to stir.

Hope was the first to sit up, her expression wary but confused. She ran a hand over her arms, inspecting where cuts and bruises had been moments ago. "Did we...just heal?"

Riley was next, rubbing her eyes as if to confirm she wasn't dreaming. "I don't know what just happened, but Von Doom sure as hell didn't leave us like this." She glanced around, scanning for any sign of the enemy.

"No, it wasn't Von Doom," I said, barely able to contain the awe in my voice. "It was...someone else." My words trailed off, the details of what I'd seen lingering in my mind like a half-remembered dream.

Scarlett flexed her fingers, testing her strength. "I feel... whole," she murmured, a slight frown of disbelief on her face.

Daniel took a deep breath, his eyes widening as he realized his lungs no longer burned with the sting of electric backlash. "Yeah, like someone just hit a reset button," he added, shaking his head in disbelief.

Hope's gaze turned to me, searching for answers. "Max, you saw something, didn't you?"

I hesitated, glancing at Newt, who gave me a small nod of encouragement. "There was a man here," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Black and grey hair, green eyes that practically glowed. He... healed us. I'm not sure how, but he was powerful, beyond anything I've ever felt."

Riley frowned, glancing at each of us as if trying to decide whether we were serious. "So we have some mysterious healer running around now? Who would do that for us?"

Newt moved closer to me, his hand brushing mine, grounding me with his steady presence. "Maybe he's an ally we haven't met yet," he suggested, his voice calm yet hopeful.

Scarlett crossed her arms, tilting her head thoughtfully. "Whatever he did, he left us better off than before. But why just show up and then disappear? Why help and not even let us thank him?"

Hope leaned back, her brow furrowed. "Maybe he's keeping his distance because he's wary of Von Doom. Or maybe he's got his own agenda." Her tone was thoughtful, like she was piecing together a puzzle.