The Return of Enchantress #2 (The Avengers)

Chapter 11: Purple Flame

I was flying slightly above the ground and was following Steve through the narrow passages and down restricted corridors till we reached a locked and bolted metal door. I threw the padlock a red flame and it melted like ice-cream on the door.
‘This is the last corridor, Tony is waiting for us on the other side’

But as we reached the door it was opened for us. Standing in the large room was Enchantress.

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The room looked like something of a mansion. It had a very high ceiling with hanging crystal chandeliers. A large platform rose up above a large flight of stairs and sitting like a queen on a silver thorned throne was Enchantress. Her dress was more beautiful and longer than when I had last seen her. It lay in emerald waves at her feet and her shoulders were bare so the white flesh on top glistened. She wore a plain expression on her ghostly face. Her hair ebony and slick like a raven wing. On top of her head was a large silver crown it shined simple and deadly as the sharp edges would easily cut.

‘Arrest the soldier and bring me my daughter’ she ordered, out of nowhere four of the same men who had invaded Stark Tower grabbed Steve and me. Steve struggled against the men but I didn’t at all. The two men dragged me to the platform and dropped me at the bottom of the steps. Enchantress rose slowly from her throne and sauntered down the large flight of stairs. Her steps were silent besides the array of acid coloured dress sliding down the steps behind her.

When she reached me she looked down like I was nothing but scum to her. I looked up at the monster clothed in green before my eyes. I saw her jaw clench when she saw me, her black slitted eyes left me and turned to Steve who had stopped struggling. I didn’t turn around to watch her but I heard her voice. And I realised that it was not honey that her voice consisted of. It was slick black oil.
‘Handsome thing aren’t you’ Enchantress said. ‘And what a shame it is that you were caught up in the likes of my daughter’ She laughed again. And I heard her walk towards me.

I was thinking about a way to get out. If I could distract her and if Steve could take out the others guys. Or if I could use my powers. I tried to get up but I felt her hand slap my scalp and grasp a handful of brown hair. I let out a little groan in pain.
‘Oh no, no, no, please let me help you’ she clenched her hand into a fist and pulled. A blood-curdling scream sounded through the hall and I realised it was mine. I had supported half of my weight to try and stand up.
‘Tell me something Naveen Carey’ she hissed in my ear as she held me infront of her. ‘You chose your father over me. And now look what you’ve done. Made me this monster. Killed your friends, Yourself’ I heard the unsheathing of a sword and saw in her hand the glinting edge of a dagger. It looked ancient and it was imprinted with old runes.
‘It’s funny what happens when one silly little girl, does one silly little thing’ she lowered the dagger so it froze on my neck. I saw Steve wreathed about trying to get free.

‘Don’t you dare hurt her’ he spluttered. Enchantress just chuckled in my ear, it rung and my brain registered it, evil.
‘It’s a little too late for that Handsome’ she taunted. My throat pulsed against the blade as I breathed in and out.
‘Go on, Mother, kill me’ I murmured savagely. The dagger glided against my throat nicking it slightly and I knew how little power it would take to slice my throat.
‘No dear, killing you myself would be much too messy’ she dropped my hair and the knife. I clattered to the floor in a heap.  
‘Besides killing you from the inside out’ she walked up to Steve and put the dagger to his throat. My eyes widened and I began to crawl, but my whole body was filled with lead and pain. ‘Would be a lot easier. To hurt the one you love first. ’ she lowered the knife till it hit his chest lightly. And so very slowly she started to twist the dagger.

‘Revenge is a very fine art my daughter. Too bad daddy never taught you that lesson’ she continued to twist and the fateful sound of tearing brought tears to my eyes. Steve clenched his teeth and tried not to scream out.
‘Revenge isn’t the knife that is fast and daring’ she twisted further. ‘Revenge is the knife that is patient’
‘No!!’ I screamed as I heard flesh rip. I started to crawl and grab the ground to try and get to him. Steve screamed in pain and I saw a line of scarlet blood trickle down his uniform.
‘The knife that is careful and sharp’ she seethed with wild eyes. In one motion she stopped twisting and slashes the knife away.

Steve dropped to his knees a large gash sliced across his chest. It bloomed ruby and dripped onto the floor in a necklace of red.
‘Steve!’ I screamed and started to crawl on my hands and knees trying to reach him. Enchantress pointed the knife on Steve’s neck.
‘Next time handsome, you won’t be so lucky’ she left him and proceeded to me. As she walked up to me her hand came up and behind her head. She backhanded me and it sent me falling back on my head. The dizzy and nauseating sensation overcame my body.

Enchantress started up the stairs. When she was half way up the steps she turned around and addressed her men.
‘Let the blonde one go.’ She ordered.
‘And the other Your Highness?’ they asked. Enchantress slitted her eyes even more and tapped her finger on her dress.
‘Kill her for all I care. She is of no use to me anymore. Once maybe. But she is tainted now’

I saw them drag Steve away and even in his bloody condition he tried to grasp free. The other two men came over to me.
‘I was once use to you wasn’t I?’ I blurted out. The Queen turned around. ‘I was once untainted’ All four of the men and Enchantress stopped and stared at me. She ordered the two men holding me to back away.
‘Yes, my dear you were once pure’ she receded down the stairs. ‘But you are nothing more than the man who raised you.’ She reached the bottom and looked down at me now.
‘Low, mutant, a monster, feral’ she hissed like a snake.
‘You wish’ I snapped. I snatched her ankle and tugged. Her crown slipped and she clattered to the stairs.

I stood up and Steve got the message and elbowed both of his captives. I pulled the Queen off the stairs and her head bounced on every step as I did so. She reached out and tried to claw me I ducked and punched her stomach. She barely felt it and gripped my hair again. I screamed and clawed at her face. Four bloody lines etched her face like scars. She growled and kicked me off her. I landed harshly on my back. I heard a bustle behind me as Steve battled the Enchantress’ men.

She stood over me and laughed.
‘How brave little girl. Too bad it’s all for nought’
‘Fuck you’ I lashed out. I threw a red flame in her direction and she brought her hand up to protect her face the flame burnt her palm black like charcoal. She staggered backwards in surprise and pain.
‘But how?’ she said flustered. I stood up and now the pain was nothing. It didn’t even touch me. It was gone now. The pain was different, it was new and it had changed me.
‘How? I took your powers’ she snapped at me and stared at her blackened hand.
‘You forget. I may be a mutant. I might be a monster’ I stalked towards her. ‘But I’m Tony Stark’s daughter’

My whole body was alight with purple flames this time and even my vision was clouded with bright purple light. My hair, my arms my entire body was flickering in purple flames like I was on fire. From my entire body erupted the brightest flame, almighty and all powerful. Enchantress was taken off her feet and she was flung to the other side of the room. Right underneath a chandelier. My eyes shot out a flame and the chandelier chord broke and descended down. Enchantress curled up in a ball as the chandelier and crystals shattered. The golden frame imprisoned my mother. She was trapped. My new purple flamed body walked up to her. Now she was cowering. Shivering and she tried to back off.

I snatched the dagger from her hand. And poised it on her chest line.
‘Go on’ she hissed, blood splattered out. I could see the purple reflection in her slitted snake eyes. ‘Kill me, it’s what you’ve always wanted’

I gritted my teeth. And dug the knife in deeper.
‘Yes, yes I have wanted you dead’ I admitted. ‘You may be my mother. But when you hurt my family and me. You pay’
‘And your payment is my death daughter, well I welcome it now’ she giggled out a mutilated gag.
‘Death is too good for you Enchantress’ I seethed. ‘You tried to have me killed, your own daughter’

‘Live with that’ the dagger clattered to the ground with a silvery glint. My Mother looked stunned and horrified if she could have burst into flames her expression would have been enough. I was still ablaze with purple flames but as I burnt out the world shifted.

Everything went shaky and ground beneath me almost swallowed me up. I saw red, white and blue and saw the delicate lines of Steve as he held me in his arms. I reached up and cupped his cheek with my hand as well as I could.
‘Stay with me’

Everything went black.