Flight of the Archangel
Hey there, folks! L1701E here! And we have yet another Sidney-verse story, inspired by…I'm not sure, to be honest with you. Basically, this is set not long after Chapter 8 of "Passing the Torch". In that chapter, Jay Guthrie, aka Icarus, met his end at the hands of his own sister, the mutant-hating Joelle Guthrie. But what no one realized that death wasn't the end for the winged mutant. In fact, it was merely the beginning. For not even death can stop a spirit desiring vengeance…
Disclaimer: All canon characters owned by Marvel Comics.
Chapter 1: Summoning
A demonic-looking dimension
There seemed to be no ground in this dimension, this alternate world. It was nothing but a sea of green sky. A scowling figure, standing around 6-foot tall, stood on what appeared to be a floating rock with a flat top. In fact, those rocks peppered the endless green sky, all in different sizes and shapes. The figure, dressed in a purple-and-orange costume with an orange high collar, crossed his arms and stared at what appeared to be a mystically-created window. His head, which appeared to be a solid structure colored a dark black, with glowing yellow holes for a mouth and eyes, and draped in flame, showed an expression of impatience.
"Grrrrrr…" He scowled angrily, his growl showing the grace and aristocracy of a ruler, but it also rumbled with pure evil. "I tire of your waiting, Selene." He growled. "What is your plan to get the blasted wand?"
"Oh patience, Dormammu." A feminine voice chuckled from the other side of the mystical window. "I have a plan to get you that wand. All we need is a spirit to get it."
"There are times when I wish that virus that is affecting your world's mutant population would claim you, you witch." Dormammu growled in frustration.
Location unknown
"That would not happen, Dormammu." A woman with Roman features, dressed in a black leather teddy chuckled. Her long black hair was straight, and her green eyes shone with arrogance and malice. Her arms were covered by long black fingerless opera gloves, and her nails were painted a bright red to match her lips. Her ensemble was completed by a pair of knee-high black leather high-heeled boots. She was sitting on an ornately-decorated golden throne. The throne was rather appropriate considering her position. She was Selene, the Hellfire Club's Black Queen. She was sitting in a room with walls made of brick. The dark room was lit at the corners by candles. In the middle of the room stood a dais with a scrying crystal, what many laymen refer to as a crystal ball, on it. The window was hovering on a nearby wall. "The humans' virus cannot reach me. Even if it did, my mystical expertise would've allowed me to escape it without so much as a sniffle."
"This would be a lot easier if you did not let your arrogance get the better of you, Selene." Dormammu grumbled. "Because of your stupidity, Dr. Strange, alongside my niece and their student, was able to trap you underneath the Hellfire Club building." Selene shrugged.
"A mere setback." The dark-haired woman shrugged. "I shall find a way out. Not even Doctor Strange's spells are invincible." Her crystal ball flashed red, and the mutant sorceress's mouth formed a triumphant grin.
"You found a spirit?" Dormammu deduced.
"Indeed I have." Selene waved her hand. The ball took off from its dais on its own and floated towards her. It stopped in the air, and the mists in the ball started to clear, showing the spirit. Selene couldn't help but chuckle. "Look at him. And he looks very appropriate. I suggest you take your leave, my dear Dormammu. I'll have a guest coming over…"
The skies over New York City
"It's not fair…" A Southern-accented voice grunted. "IT'S NOT FAIR!" He screamed, swooping high into the air. His young face displayed rage, and his red hair seemed not to be affected by the wind. His red-feathered wings flapped to keep him in the air, although it was a reflex now. He didn't need to flap his wings to fly anymore. He was Joshua "Jay" Guthrie, and he was dead. Not too long ago, he was tortured and murdered by his sister Joelle. And he wanted someone's head. He didn't care whose.
"Jay, stop doing this. Throwing a tantrum is not going to get you your life back." A voice told him. The red-haired mutant turned around and saw a purple-robed figure, face covered by the hood.
"Why? Why'd this have to happen to me?" Jay demanded to know. "Ah had gotten over Julia, finally! Mah career was going well! Why'd you do this to me? Mah life was going great, and then Ah had to get caught by the FoH, and even worse, find out mah sister was one of them, and then she tortures and kills me! Why'd this happen?"
"It was planned for you, Jay." Death told him. "It was the way it was supposed to be. Your time was up. Everyone has it."
"Mah time wasn't supposed to be up!" Jay exclaimed. "Ah want mah life back!"
"Jay, I cannot do that." Death told him. "If I let you live again, it'll cause problems up on top. I'll have to fill out a lot of paperwork."
"I don't give a damn about what you have to do!" Jay snarled. "Ah want mah life back! Ah can't live my dreams if Ah'm dead!"
"Jay, I'm taking you to a wonderful place." Death explained. "A place where you can play and sing again…" Jay only turned his back. "You'll be back with Julia." Jay laughed darkly.
"You must think Ah'm some kind of dumb inbred hick who was born yesterday!" Jay spat out between laughs. "Ah'm not stupid! Julia won't be there! She commited suicide! The one unforgivable sin! Don't lie to me!"
"Jay, what can you do if you live again?" Death sighed. "The world will go on without you. There isn't really a place for a formerly dead guy in the mortal plane."
"Oh, Ah don't know, it worked for-!" Jay snapped.
"You know how that happened." Death grunted. Jay smirked.
"Heh. Ah knew it. You can be defied. It's possible."
"Not likely." Death grunted. Jay growled.
"You know it can be possible! Ah want mah life back! I want to live mah dreams again! And Ah want to make the FoH pay for what they did! Ah want mah hands around Joelle's throat for her betrayal! Ah don't see anyone else rushing to make them pay! Do you know what they've done? Do you know what the FoH have done?"
"Jay, I am aware."
"THEN DO SOMETHING!" Jay screamed. "A lot of people will die from this virus thing!"
"I can't, Jay." Death told the angry spirit. "That's the way it has to be. I cannot interfere in these things."
"But Ah can." Jay snarled. "And ah WILL!" He swooped off. Death groaned.
"Idiotic kid. Doesn't he know what happens when spirits get vengeful?" She flew after him. "I got a feeling this is going to be another bad day for me…"
Stupid Reaper. Jay mentally growled angrily. Doesn't she know what it's like to be betrayed and then have your life taken away from you? No, of course not. And then she tries to con me with promises of going to a great place. Yeah, right. Ah was doing well. Ah didn't deserve to die! There was so much Ah wanted to do! But Ah highly doubt Death cares. Why'd Ah bother trying to plead mah case to her? He then felt something very odd. The redhead looked at the Hellfire Club building. Funny…Ah feel…drawn to that building. Like Ah should go inside… Jay seemed to lose control of his ectoplasmic body as he flew into the building. He found himself inside some basement chamber. "Where am I?"
"Ah, it seems that a spirit has answered my summons." A feminine voice chuckled. Jay turned and saw Selene smiling at him, sitting on her throne. "Hello there."
Next: The Offer The Black Queen makes Jay Guthrie an offer he absolutely does not want to refuse.