Alone

Chapter 16

"Hello? Is anyone here? Someone, answer me!"

"There is no one here, Marinette."

"There is only you... And us..."

Two figures emerged from the shadows behind Marinette. She whirled around, surprised. Marinette closely observed the two figures. One wore heavy robes coloured in red and gold with a magician's hat perched on his head while the other wore a simple grey skin-tight suit that shimmered with a silvery light. The mask on his face had several broken hearts while the diamonds lining the fingers of his hands were mostly healed. Grey clouds swirled at the centre of his suit while his eyes were drooped, a melancholic expression on his face.

"Who are you?!" Demanded Marinette standing in a fighting stance despite the aching in her side.

"Aren't you a curious one?" Smirked the villain dressed in robes.

"Stop teasing me and tell me who you are!" Marinette shouted.

"I am Twister and this is my... Not-so-faithful companion, Solitude." Introduced the villain.

"Why are you here?" Marinette asked knowing that she was fine without knowing the answer.

"You called us and we answered your call." Smirked Twister gripping his staff.

Marinette glared at the two villains. She could fight them, no doubt about that, but she was easily outnumbered. Two villains with superpowers against a wounded girl. It was hardly going to be a fair fight. Still, Marinette was determined to take her chances.

"Wouldn't you like to go home?" Twister asked catching Marinette off guard.

"Huh?" Marinette asked tilting her head and relaxing the tension in her shoulders.

Twister fired a blast from his staff aiming the snake's head at Marinette. 

Already distracted, Marinette didn't get a chance to jump out of the way and was directly hit in the middle of the chest. The wave of red magic threw Marinette into the wall. She hit her head against the solid wall blackened with age and covered with moss. Marinette groaned as she slid down the wall onto the floor. Her knees hit the floor first and her body jostled with the impact. Her body fell forward, her left cheek landing on the floor sending up clouds of dust.

Twister brought the staff beside him and blew the smoke rising from the snake's mouth. Twister watched as Solitude opened and closed his mouth several times. Twister knew that his comrade wasn't going to be much help and he decided to take matters into his own hands.

While Marinette was fighting to stay conscious, Twister touched the floor with his staff making two soft patting noises. He watched out of the corner of his eyes as red smoke creeped out of the snake's mouth, down the staff and onto the floor. The magic spread out from the staff making quiet hissing noises while slithering towards Solitude. Solitude, too engrossed in making sure that Marinette was alright didn't see nor feel the smoke creeping towards him. He flinched once and stiffened as the magic touched his leg and crept up his body. Solitude stood, his eyes fixated on Marinette. His fists balled as his mind was slowly taken over by Twister.

Solitude felt the power of possession seep into every pore of his body taking control of his heart and mind. The pain was so intense that all Solitude saw within that brief time was red. Red coated his vision as he panted. He could feel the magic fill his lungs. With his breath restricted, Solitude crumpled to the floor. He fell to his knees, one hand clutching at his burning throat and the other fisted on the dirt. Solitude tried to breathe through the coughing fit he was having. He felt his lungs contract inside him now filled with evil magic instead of air. He drew in one single breath before collapsing to his side and going still.