The Rogue Mage

Chapter 2

     It was incredibly hot, the sand blowing into Natasha's eyes. She didn't know why anyone would want to live here. But as she followed Strange and Steve through the village, she began to understand why Kimera would have chosen this place. It was remote, the people had their faces wrapped up to keep out the sand. It was have been easy to hide. 

   The house, or more accurately, the shack, where the rogue mage was sheltering was on the outskirts of the village. It looked like it was about to collapse in on itself. 

 Strange held a hand up, "You should probably wait here. Mages can be quite hostile to outsiders."

 "Now he tells us," Natasha grumbled. 

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    There were people outside of her hut, three of them if the energies she was sensing were correct. Kai had two options, either flee or fight. She was excellent at fleeing, but the tempermental elemental mage inside her begged for a confrontation. She decided to give it one. 

   Crouching at the back of her hut, Kai waited, silent as a spider. Patience she reminded herself, have patience. 

  The man walked into the hut, he was tall, with the clothing of the sect of those that followed the Ancient One. Kai disliked him immediately. But then again, she disliked almost everyone immediately. 

   He raised his hands, as though sensing Kai's presence, "Don't attack. I come here only to speak with you. The Mages Association did not send me. I swear it."

    Kai stood up, holding the ball of fire in her palm. Every single instinct in her body was telling her to light this wizard on fire. But the logical side of Kai, the side that had been keeping her alive for years, said to listen. To listen and wait.

    "Speak Wizard. But do not lie," Kai summoned as much danger into her voice as she could, glaring at the man.

 "I would like to recruit you to join the Avengers-"

 Kai's harsh laugh cut the Wizard off, the sound of her cackling filling the small hut. The flame danced joyously in her palm. 

 "Kimera, I'm serious."

"Are you? Are you really?" Kai continued laughing. 

"Yes Kimera, because the Avengers need you- the world needs you."

"Let the world burn then." All humor was gone from Kai's tone. "Let it all burn."

"Kimera I know you're angry, I know what happened in your past. The Ancient One told me-"

 "Did she now?" Kai snarled. 

"I know about your parents, their crimes, that you were punished. I know why you hate the Mages Association. But Please Kimera, let the Avengers prove to you that the World is still worth saving." The Wizard went on, stepping toward Kimera. "Join the team, then judge the world for yourself, from the eyes of a hero."

  Kai didn't want to reassess the world. She knew she hated it. But... A mage of her abilities was nearly immortal- did she really want to spent centuries alone? Was her hatred of the Mages enough to condemn the rest of the world? She really didn't know much about humans, having either been shut away from them or avoiding them her whole life. Right now all she could think was that she wanted the Wizard to stop saying that name, that name her parents had called her, one she hadn't used in years.

  So why not? If she disliked the team, she could just leave, and if they tried to stop her- she'd kill them. 

 "Very well then Wizard. You have yourself a deal."

The man extended a hand, "Call me Dr. Strange. Thank you for reconsidering Kimera."

 Kai extinguished the flame in her own hand, then crossed her arms, "It's Kai. Call me anything else again and I roast you alive."