NOTE: I have decided not to have Phoenix in the story, as I said in one of the earlier chapters, but it will only be Jean Grey. I still know nearly nothing of Phoenix, that fire-bird spirit from outer space.

Chapter Five

Wind reached down carefully, trying not to disturb anything, and grasped her communicator. She put it to her mouth and whispered so that nothing farther than two feet would hear: "We've got a problem. Everyone stay together, and don't take to the air. And be quiet." Before anyone could respond to her confusing commands, she switched it off.

Trying oh-so-carefully not to step on any leaves or twigs, and succeeding easily, she walked into the clearing. The sunlight hit her pale cheeks and almost seemed to reflect off of them as they would a mirror or a polished piece of glass. The slightest wind had picked up, not Storm's this time, and it made her hair flow around her neck, but she felt something ominous in it.

Suddenly she recognized the feeling. It had been hundreds of years since the last time she had felt it, and this time it was weak, but it was something no one could ever forget, that would haunt a person to the end of their days, or drive them there itself.

"Necromancer…"

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The Invisible Woman gulped. She was feeling claustrophobic, and felt herself nearing her limits. Panic threatened to engulf her in the dark, the oppressive darkness, closing in all around her, smothering her and her senses.

She snapped herself out of her fear. She had to keep control of herself! She would never live through this if she gave herself a heart attack. She could not afford to let her imagination run wild at a time like this. The darkness itself could do nothing to her, and if only she could get her bearings, she could use her powers to…what? What could she do? She couldn't unbind the ropes binding her limbs and keeping her from moving, and even if she could knock out Cheetah, the one guarding her—the clicks from her nails on the tile floor were still haunting her, going this way and that, from here to there, and reminding her she wasn't alone in the darkness—then that would do no good with clearing the dark up and getting out of there and to the Fantastic Four.

She felt despair begin to overwhelm her once again. What to do? There was nothing. She was helpless.

That sense of dread kept growing and growing, with very good reason.

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Superman's head snapped to look at the graceful woman walking towards him. He sighed slightly, wondering what the matter was that she had sent that last command to them all. She had to have good reason, and he knew it; she never used the com-link she had unless it was absolutely necessary. And by her tone, it was urgent. She was never playing around.

He raised his eyebrows inquisitively. She shook her head slightly, showing they still weren't supposed to make any noise. He frowned but nodded and turned back to scan everything. The other heroes had heeded her warning and grouped toward the middle of the clearing, none in the air.

Kayen walked to Wind, and made a few handsigns. Thankfully, a few of the heroes knew sign language, and could communicate that way. Wind signed back for a moment, and Kayen's eyebrows rose incredulously. She seemed to lose herself for a moment, and her jaw dropped. Then she seemed to catch it and closed her mouth, forcing a blank expression.

Superman wondered what could have had that sort of effect on someone as composed as Dark Panther. Unfortunately he couldn't sign, and therefore didn't know what had passed between the two women. But he knew it must be important.

Jhonny rolled his eyes in impatience. A few of the others were keeping him from seeing Wind, and for that Reed was grateful when he caught a glimpse of her himself. Jhonny wouldn't see the spark in her eyes, the seriousness of it and the shamelessness, just the tall, lean figure and the unblemished face. He would be all over her, until he got himself hurt. And until now he hadn't seen the extent of the other heroes' remarks; she looked as if she would easily give him "more than a black eye," as one had said. More like a broken back, or, even worse for Jhonny, a broken ego.

He shook his head so he could keep his mind on what he was supposed to. He wondered why they were supposed to stay this quiet. Just as he started to space out again, there was a snap of twigs behind them all.

Wind's head snapped toward the sound, her hair flowing freely as the wind picked up. Clouds had rolled over the sun, so now everything was covered in shadow. Her jaw was set as she walked very slowly towards the source of the rustling, her mind threatened to becoming overwhelmed by the mental stench that filled the air, and stopped. Nothing moved for a long moment.

But she knew it only meant they were about to be attacked. She put a hand towards the others, a sign to be ready, and hoped they would remember her warning and keep on the ground instead of the air. Everyone watched with a growing sense of anxiety and impatience, and then it happened.

It was so fast no one could have expected it at first. Something hurled itself at Wind's form, and she ducked expertly. No one could see what it was, and only Kayen could guess at it. From what Wind had told her, this would be the first of many.

"No one touch it! Stay away from them!" The silence was broken by Wind. She dodged the thing another time. It never stood still long enough for anything but a blur to be seen. A rotten stench filled the air and choked nostrils. Jubilee broke out in a fit of coughing.

Suddenly two more of the things, each faster than even Flash, hurled themselves at the group of desperately confused superheroes. Each of their instincts were to fight back, but Wind had said for them to stay away. Scott vaguely considered shooting beams at them, but decided they were both too quick and that he shouldn't do anything to them without Wind's consent, since she seemed to know more about these than anyone.

He looked at her and noticed that another had joined her attacker. She was dodging two at the same time, and they seemed strategically placed, coming from two sides at once. "Wind!" he called, forgetting to keep silent.

"Stay away! Whatever you do, do not fly!" she yelled back. She bit her lip and ducked yet again, jumping away from yet another attack, another lunge, another jump, another throw….Finally she threw her arms out and released a huge burst of energy. A blue light consumed the two figures and they fell to turn to dust before they had even reached the ground. Still no one had been able to see what they looked like, but all knew it didn't matter.

She thrust her palm towards the group and the other two assassins disintegrated into the wind. "Dust to dust…," she muttered, repeating the same spell she had just used. Dust to dust.

"What were those?" Beast inquired, awe in his voice. "And what did you just do?" She realized that they all thought she simply had powers like they all did, only more powerful at times. Only now had she had to show that strength, flying, enhanced senses, and psychic powers weren't the only things she could do. But what she had just done was, obvious to anyone, not just powers.

She sighed slightly. So this was when the truth came out. If necromancers were around, they would have to know. There was absolutely no reason to stall their knowing.

"Those were the first of many," she answered truthfully. "There are necromancers somewhere in this, for some reason. Those were, from what I've learned, typically their most prized assassins. What I did was a counter-spell to return the living dead to the dust they were."

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

I'm sorry for the wait again. Things have been hectic, and I've been updating my other fanfictions and stories on fictionpress. I've finally found a good place to go with this, I believe, and you've just caught the beginning of it. I hope to update a bit more often, but I'm not sure if I can during this holiday season. When I'm out of school and such I hope it will be VERY often that I update.

Oh, and I realize I called Wind "Seline" in an earlier chapter. That was actually going to be her real name, but I've decided it's too simple, too regular. So, for now, her real name is, as of yet, unknown to everyone. I'm not even sure yet if I'll make it so that the other superheroes know it. I doubt it.

Please review!

Thanks to (for reviews for the latest chapter): theblondeone07, Malinorn, demons eyes, carebears15

P.S. I know I switched scenes fairly often in the last chapter, and I typically don't do that. I did it to sort of build up suspense. I hope that's what it actually did. And I will also stop naming chapters. I have trouble figuring out names. But if anyone would like me to continue naming the chapters, just tell me, please.