Coronation Of Flame (A Marvel Fanfic)

Epilogue

Did you notice the Civil War reference in the chapter title? If you did, CONGRATS YOU GOT nothing. Just bragging rights. I'm sorry I'm not Tony Stark.

Enjoy, 

LittlePond

Epilogue

The forests of Sokovia were silent.

No wind rustled the canopy, no breeze stirred the undergrowth. The birds didn't sing, the crickets didn't whistle. The Fairy Glen lay unused, the bouncy ground had lost it's liveliness, the sunlight felt artificial.

The base wasn't any different.

Granted, there were far less agents; they had all been deployed in the efforts to take over S.H.I.E.L.D. But walking through the base's halls now felt like walking through the skeleton of a prehistoric creature. Silent, eerie, dead.

The news of S.H.A.D.O's departure had spread through HYDRA like rust on a bike left in beachside rain. Though given S.H.A.D.O's reputation, the 108 kills to their name, it was hard to believe that such a thing could be possible, and yet, the news had been gossiped since dawn.

From where he stood on the observation deck, Hunter Appleshade pondered over this.

Of course, he wasn't surprised that Aurelia had done this, it had been on Whitehall's order that he disabled those cameras way back when. He must've wanted to see how far her loyalty would stretch.

But out of all the emotions whirling inside him; disgust and the sour whirl of betrayal were among the most prominent.

The betrayal part was especially strong as looked down on the Maximoff twins, who had just learned the news.

Pietro Maximoff had lost control of his abilities for the first time since Aurelia left, his trademark blue streaked had covered the room, and once he'd stopped, one could see how much his hair had grown since she'd last seen him.

But Hunter knew that Aurelia would not recognise him like this. Cowering in a corner, clawing at the tiled walls with wide questioning eyes, pondering the same questions on repeat.

Why did she betray me? How could she do this?

Hunter knew because he had been there, years ago when he was a new agent, and the burn of his own betrayal still stung on the skin above his vertebrae.

Aurelia did not know this Pietro. She knew the playful sarcastic speedster who would always win a battle, whether it be physical or verbal. She did not know this struggling, fearful Pietro, who let his emotions define him and would rather cower away from a fight.

Hunter looked over to his right.

While Pietro had been ruined by the news, had ripped down his walls like a village under Roman fire, his twin Wanda remained still.

With an almost arachnid quality, she held aloft the several cubes which Hunter ordered be placed in her cell for practice. Her now blood filled eyes stared empty at them as her gory energy soared around her, consoling her like Hunter imagined Aurelia would should she have been there.

But Hunter was no idiot; he knew that behind those enigmas of eyes, the witch was formulating a plan, a plain to gain vengeance like she planned to with Stark.

Hunter grinned, perhaps now he could full turn them over to HYDRA, now that Aurelia had left.

With a flick of her wrists, Wanda tore apart the wooden cubes.

A cold hand crawled onto his shoulder and Hunter turned around to face his assailant, masking his fright at the touch.

It was Daniel Whitehall, grinning through the pain of losing his protege.

"Hunter Appleshade," he drawled, "I understand you were close with Aurelia during her stay here, were you not?" The man always cut to the chase, Hunter found, there was no crap with him.

"Yes I was, sir," he sputtered, still in awe of the HYDRA legend that stood before him. "There is no need to call me, sir, Hunter. After all, you and I will become quite close over the next few months." Hunter turned to face him, away from the twins. "What do you mean?"

Whitehall chuckled, injecting his shoulder again with his frozen vaccination, "You see, I have a mission for you and I. It has taken me over a lifetime to decipher, but I believe that I am closer to an answer than I have ever been."

Hunter wanted to say that that was obvious, but opted to ask the better question; "Over a lifetime?"

Whitehall pulled him out of the room, his full arm around his shoulders.

"You have much to learn, but I will show and you, and in due time, you will comply, Hunter Appleshade."