Hello everybody and welcome back to "To Eternity, My Witch". Here is the next chapter for the story and enjoy.
I DO NOT Own any of these as they are and were created by their respective creators. Marvel is owned by the late Stan Lee via Disney. Phantom of the Opera (PotO) is owned by Andrew Llyod Weber. LofZ : TP and OofT by Shigeru Miyamoto. Fire Emblem by Shouzou Kaga. Black Butler by Yana Toboso. And finally, Inuyasha by Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 25 Meeting of Time and Witches of Elements
Clint's POV… The next afternoon…
I trained with Stefan, Tony, and Steve outside in the yard, trying to get my emotions under control. Since Natasha, Peter, MJ, and my children were captured weeks ago, Laura and I were a mess. We had more arguments than ever before, and our marriage was hurting. She hadn't been talking with me as much, but she did try to try to keep it afloat. Stefan, Kagome, Steve, Zelda, and Link all noticed, and I had even discovered them one evening talking in depth about ways to help with the situation between Laura and me.
It had set me off, and I ended up having to be sedated due to my rage at them all and at my wife. Laura had wept, trembling at my rage, refusing to talk to me for a few days afterwards. The other Avengers avoided me to give me space and to condemn me for what I did, but after a few days of pondering and skulking in the cemetery which I had been purposely lurking and even sleeping in, I had started to feel alone, regretful and contrite.
I regretted all that I had said and done to everyone that night, even going as far as to apologizing to each one of them a few days afterwards. Stefan and Kagome had noted it the most, both being much wiser in the ways of marriage, and with much more experience, came to Laura and me one evening a few nights back and confronted us on those issues on their own. We had come to see the wisdom in his and his daughter's words that night, much to our chagrin and their admonishment.
Laura and I were much better since then and had much more hope than before. Though Laura had kept her distance for a few days more before she felt completely safe with me again. And with the information on Reila's past and her connections with Amelia and James were crazy to bring it even more together for Laura and me. We had practically adopted had James' daughter as our cousin years back when Lila was born, even inviting her, Ray, and the family over for holidays and when Ray died, Bruce as well. Though with her boys now graduated from college and married, life for Reila had changed.
Pepper and Laura were on the porch enjoying the afternoon sun, watching us and making sure there were extra eyes looking for threats. We had been called to help with everyday crimes in Asgard. Just like on earth, we Avengers were. It was a touch of normalcy that we all needed during this time of tension and uncertainty. During this time of war.
I groaned, looking over to Steve and Stefan, "Hey, could we perchance take a quick break? We've been training for several hours now and doing our set patrol route soon on top of that."
Steve waved, "Yeah. Hey Laura, Pepper! Where's Zelda?" Stefan and Steve paused in their exercises, and we made our way over to the porch of the inn.
Pepper and Laura paused in their conversation to look at me and the others. Laura looked to Pepper to explain. Said woman smirked, "I believe I last saw her in the kitchen with Rin and Kagome preparing dinner for us all here in town. I believe they have cold water in the storage barrel in there if you all need it."
I nodded, "Thanks Pepper." I walked to the inn's door and slipped inside. I noticed Reila was reading a book in a nearby chair. I went over and patted her on the shoulder, "How are you Rebe- Reila? What are you reading?"
Reila looked up to me and smiled, showing me the cover, "I'm alright Arrow. I'm reading a book called 'Little Son of Durin' written by a friend of mine." A small, golden arrow pin bracelet was on her vibranium left wrist. A gift from Laura and I and it had several other pins and charms on it from her family, our family, the avengers, and a few other very close friends. But the arrow pin was what stood out the most.
My face became thoughtful, "That title sounds like it's on the lines of J.R.R. Tolkien. Is it?"
Reila chuckled, "It is, yet this is a fanfiction story based on Tolkien's works. It's the only physical copy of the fanfiction though. I am a big Tolkien fan myself and was able to meet the author who penned this fanfiction. Ray and I were able to get permission from Tolkien's son Chris to print this and add it to my private library. Though he only agreed in turn that Ray and I were not allowed to let other people publish it and buy it."
I chuckled with her, patting her shoulder gently, "Sounds like a good plan. Well, have fun Reila." She nodded in turn, smiling. I left her to read and headed to the kitchen. After getting some water, I rejoined Steve and Stefan outside. Before I had a chance to join them though, Laura came over and placed a hand on my shoulder. Turning to her, I noticed that she wanted something. "Are you alright, darling?"
Laura smiled sadly, "Yes, just wanted to make sure you know I love you, my arrow." She leaned up and kissed me. I kissed her back with love. She hugged me as our kiss ended and soon, I heard sniffles. I hugged her even closer, offering comfort as she wrapped her arms around me to try to pull me even closer.
I asked quietly, "Are you sure you're alright, Laura?" I led her away from the others' range of hearing to talk to her privately. We stopped behind the sanctuary of Trondheim, near the spring.
She shook her head against my chest, mumbling into my shirt, "No, my heart is breaking, Clint. The loss of our children is weighing heavily on my heart and having the last few weeks having been strained on our marriage about it made it worse. I am sorry." More sniffles sounded as she spoke into my chest, muffling her words some.
I placed a kiss to her head, "Laura love, it's alright. It is I who is to blame for it as well. It seems that with our children's capture we lost sight of our love for a while. But marriage is like that. It's going to have its highs and lows like Stefan said." She nodded into my chest and simply held me close, not saying anything. I felt moisture on my chest; she was crying.
We stayed there, embracing until Steve called to us, breaking the moment. "Seems duty calls to you, Clint. Please come back safely to me." Laura pulled back with tears still in her eyes.
I kissed her again, saying, "As I'll always do." I then joined Stefan and Steve to do a reconnaissance mission for Thor in Asgard. Laura watched me retreat towards Stefan with love, yet her eyes remained sorrowful and longing, her hands clasped against her chest.
Third Person's POV.
James laid on his bed with Wanda on him. He laid there staring up at the ceiling, waiting for when the others were ready. Preparations had taken far longer than expected and they were all forced to stay in Trondheim into the next day due to an attack from a group of bokoblins, several dark elves, and a minor fire demon last evening right before they were to leave. All were defeated with only minor injuries to everyone involved in the skirmish. Everyone agreed it would be wise to stay in case of another attack. In the meantime, he and Wanda were needed time alone.
"I believe Reila, as much as I would like to take on the full responsibility, I need to give it to Stefan. I will accept her, but that's the only option." James quietly said.
Wanda nodded, her tears drying up, "Alright then. Best to do it while we're in Vanaheim James. I don't want to risk Reila hearing about it beforehand."
James sat up stretching. Within the hour, the group was riding out from Trondheim to the Bifrost. James was riding upon Sleipnir, who would keep the other horses near until they would arrive back. Going through the gate, James, Stefan, Wanda, and the rest arrived on the transgate platform. Within two hours' time, they arrived in Tofte and converged on the Sanctuary.
James held up his hand, "Wait. I'll knock." When he did so, Natasha answered, her eyes going wide at the site of the group. She invited them all in and within the hour, she had Peter, MJ, and the children in the sanctuary. The children had gone on a hike with Meg and Charles to a nearby lake to swim.
Clint, tears falling, fell to his knees and hugged his children close, beyond happy to see them safe and reunited. Lila, Cooper, and Nathaniel all cried, so happy to see their father. The reunion was a pleasant one with all that had happened since the wedding took place. Clint and Natasha, like siblings, were beyond glad to see each other as well after he had stood from holding his children close.
Natasha pulled Stefan aside to speak privately after reuniting with Clint. James and Wanda both sighed in sadness, understanding why, watching from the shadows. From their spot in the sanctuary, they watched as Stefan pulled a crying Natasha into his arms, stroking her hair and back in comfort. Both were surprised to see a single tear fall from Stefan's closed eye, not realizing until now how much pain and sorrow he was truly feeling. Much more than he was letting on, harboring alone.
"Seems like Stefan isn't letting on how much he is truly hurting about Amelia's death, James. Even with my powers, I can't seem to get inside his mind. Though just by observation, he seems to be loving on Nat like a daughter and trying his best to hold up being the wisdom and advisor to all." Wanda whispered to James, still watching the two.
"Well, Natasha did say Stefan and Amelia practically adopted her. She's bound to be quite broken up about Amelia's death. And you must remember, Stefan has been around a very long time. Millennia from what he and Amelia mentioned. He's a master at the art of mind speaking and manipulation, far superior to yours. He's most likely mastered the ability to block people such as you from entering his mind. Even with your beautiful and terrifying powers, I doubt you could get past his mental barriers," James quietly mentioned, sadness welling up in him.
Wanda looked away in sadness, "Seems logical. Come, we need to get to the place where the fragment is." James frowned, turning to the door. Wanda and James went to Libra's spring outside and Wanda got the map out. "Let's see, where is that place again?" They looked over the map and from where Tofte was located about 16 leagues away, a spot that lite up.
"Looks like the ruins where we got Psipherion. Though I didn't see any place that would lead to any structures…" James wondered, pondering the map.
"Do you remember the archway and its statue?" Wanda mentioned as James nodded. "I noticed that archway had doors on the ledge over the place where the mural is with the dragons was. Perhaps that has something to do…" Wanda tapped her chin.
"You'll need this ocarina to get beyond that doorway," Stefan's stern voice sounded. James and Wanda turned to see said man standing near, face hardened and fearsome. He was holding out a beautiful blue handmade glass item. It looked like a football with a protrusion on it. Holes were arranged in a pattern on its face.
"What is an… ocarina?" James asked, confused as he glanced at the object before looking to Stefan.
Stefan smirked, his face softening, "It's this glass item and it's an instrument. Take it. Like I said, you will need it to get beyond those doors that Wanda mentioned."
"How do I play it? How can I? Have you forgotten I have a metal arm and I most likely won't be able to produce the proper notes on it?" James countered, lifting his arm to prove his point, clanking it against the glass babble lightly without breaking it.
Stefan's smirk turned teasing, "Here…" He dug into a belt bag and extended his hand, a few pieces of rubber with stickies on them. "These are rubber finger pads that I made specifically for Reila when she received her metal arm. She is a master violinist and in several other instruments and these pieces helped immensely. She knows how to play the ocarina as well and thus needs these to play instruments. They ever will heat up to your body temperature. Meaning you'll be able to play the ocarina."
James looked at the pieces and placed them on his metal fingers. "Hmmm… genius idea." The pieces were thick enough to properly cover all the holes in the ocarina.
"Look out for any gossip stones as well. There are two more in this world and one in Svartelfheim as well." Stefan added.
"Thank you, Stefan." Wanda said as she went to him. "How are you holding up Stefan?"
"Alright." Stefan shrugged his shoulders.
"No. How are you really doing? I get the fleeting feeling you are not alright, a sense of sadness, the sense of loss and a broken heart. Though my powers don't work on you. At least most of the time. What I do feel… sorrow… always at your mind's edge… I do get a stray thought from you every so often… And your last one I can tell is…" Wanda probed harder, her fingers and eyes flashing some red as she touched his checks softly. However, Stefan grabbed her hand gently and held it away from his check.
He gave her a look of admonition and warning, clearly worried for her had he held her hand away, "Your powers don't work on me because I am a master at guarding my mind. Be warned, your powers and abilities are an amazing gift, Wanda, but they become intrusive and damaging when probing personal thoughts."
Wanda lowered her gazed, ashamed, realizing her blunder, "I am sorry." James widened in surprise.
Stefan softened his gaze and let go of Wanda before turning and walking to the edge of the spring. He crossed his arms, quietly saying, "To be honest, Wanda… I am… not good. Losing my mate of many millennia has taken a toll on me. A heavy toll… Something I feel every time this happens. This is the worst one."
Wanda floated over to him, tears falling down her checks, "I am sorry, Stefan. It's… it's my fault. She died because of me. I am so weak. The weakest of the Avengers." James began to protest, but he went silent at Stefan's words. Stefan touched Wanda's tear-streaked check gently with a finger. Sympathy, compassion, and love were in his eyes.
"No. It is not your fault, Wanda. She did it because she wanted it. She wanted to prevent the grief of a father and husband. She sacrificed herself to allow this world's heroes to continue their quest. Yes… I am… heartbroken. Beyond that… but I continue to help them to finish their quest. And that… that takes courage… and wisdom… and power… to do so." He turned to James to look him in the eye. "Keep that in mind, James. For it will come in handy when it is necessary."
James nodded, grateful for his advice, "Thank you for the sage advice."
"Before you leave, I need to teach you the song on the ocarina that will open the door to the temple." Stefan pulled out a second ocarina, one that was emerald green. It took them about a half hour before James mastered the song. The song was called the Song of Time, one that he resonated with, remembering it from when he howled it. Stefan mentioned as they were practicing it that the song was one that was created by Amelia's late sister Farore.
"If I'd say so myself, James, you're a pro at this." Stefan smirked.
"Uh… thanks?" James smiled awkwardly, unsure of what to say and embarrassed.
Stefan laughed, but sobered, "Yes. I must warn you though, use that song sparingly. It's one that can have strange effects on yourself and different items in the dungeon you're about to enter. And not only there, but also in life. Now off with you. We will wait for you until you two arrive back. Be wary as you go. As dangerous as the fused shadows are, the mirror fragments are even more so. They are based on similar magic, but far more corrupt and deeper seeded in the arcane and damnable portions of evil. Even you Wanda, should keep yourself of touching it for long periods of time."
James and Wanda nodded. "Time for me to become a wolf again, Wanda." James took Wanda's impish hand.
"Alright, wolfie." Wanda laughed when James growled, before she touched him with the talisman. As soon as she did, Wanda transported them to the sacred grove and James trotted up to the ledge where the doorway was. Wanda transformed him into his human form, and they stood before the doorway.
"Well, it's now or never." James said. He pulled out the ocarina and played the Song of Time. The statue flashed before disappearing from its placement. James, smirking, pushed on the doors and beyond the doorway was a restored sacred grove. James and Wanda walked through, and they were inside a restored building. The doors slammed behind them, but they were unlocked. A plaque near the passageway at the other side of the room had a note attached to it. The words were foreign but translated into Russian as they approached.
James and Wanda approached it and Wanda read the note out loud, "'Dear adventurer, as you delve deeper into the temple of time, be wary of the ceiling and floor masters. If you get into their clutches, they will force you to come to this beginning room, trying their best to stop you. The guardian was summoned by Ragnar not too long ago and is rather enraged. However, there is an ally within the temple itself. They are reflections of Zelda and Link's past in Hyrule. Unknown.' Seems the person who wrote this was here not long ago." He noted, the ink smudged a little at the end when he ran his fingers over it. It was a note that had been written only minutes before their arrival and its author was around somewhere. However, James ignored the eerie feeling as he looked around.
Putting away the note, he continued with the Temple of Time. Passing into the next chamber, James had to play the song again to continue. The temple seemed to be frozen in time. Sand littering the floor and piling up in the corners. An old tune quietly played in the background from somewhere. The song of time. It was an ancient song. However, there were monsters frozen in time, only coming to life when he neared them, evil had literally raged through the temple itself.
Wanda was able to help him keep the floor and ceiling masters at bay. James found a shield with a note inside a crazy maze. It was guarded by several Redead knights. After defeating the Redead knights, James took the note of the shield and read the note in his head, "Adventurer, this shield is the mirror shield. It can reflect things such as magic back at the enemy you are battling. Good luck." James narrowed his eyes, "Hmmm…"
Throughout the temple he had gotten the eerie feeling that someone lurked around him, always following, never showing themselves. He did glimpse movement every so often, in shadows or perhaps the fleeting movements of someone… or something… trying to stay hidden. Wanda cooed in his ear, "You see the movements, don't you? The feeling of being watched?" He nodded and continued. Coming upon a door, James peeked inside and growled when it locked behind him. A knight, covered in silver armor, held a large axe and he was in battle stance.
James grunted in frustration and battled with the knight. Discovering he had the advantage over the knight, which he dubbed Silver Fist, he shoved the knight into the wall. Silver Fist slumped and James smirked, making several hard hits against the knight. After a few more rounds, Silver Fist tried to hit James, but he was met with James' vibranium arm, which broke his axe. James smiled with victory and stabbed Silver Fist through his heart. The knight toppled over after he pulled out and a chest appeared against the back wall. Opening the chest, James found a note and a quiver full of icy and fiery arrows.
The note was read Wanda "Adventurer, here lie the fire and ice arrows of Hyrule's hero, Link, Hero of Time. Take them and fight against Twinrova. The arrows will ensure your victory against her. Anonymous."
James hummed, and he placed the quiver on his back and moved through the temple. Coming on another door, Wanda found more evidence that someone was following them and urged James fast through the temple. Going through the door, they came to the basement.
In the temple's basement, he and Wanda faced a river monster, and it held the guardian's key around its neck. Defeating the creature, James jumped into the river and dove down into the water and grabbed the key from the monster's neck. As soon as he was on shore, he heard a person skulking around somewhere. "Hmmm…" James mumbled out quietly. "Wanda, be careful there is someone lurking about."
Wanda nodded, though as she turned to towards the door, a man dressed in blue and black Sheikah clothing, his face covered, jumped in front of her and blocked her path. He was in battle stance, like a samurai, waiting. James growled and pulled her out of the man's reach in a split moment. He pulled Psipherion from its scabbard.
The man narrowed his eyes before relaxing his stance, "Sheik." He tapped his chest as he turned and tapped the guardian's door. James narrowed his eyes and Wanda hmphed behind him.
"Are you telling us to open it?" Wanda asked suspiciously.
The man nodded and held out his hand to James. Said person hesitantly shook the man's hand before he put Psipherion away and turned to open the guardian's gate. Within the room, the walls were crumbling, the ceiling was weak looking, and the floor was cracked. The floor was technically a bridge connecting to a central platform, surrounded by four smaller raised platforms. The floor below was a solid 50 feet or lower than the platforms, filled with stagnant water that smelled fowl.
"Who dares to enter my lair?" A rasping woman's voice boomed.
"What do you mean your lair, Kotake? It's my lair." Another haggish voice sounded.
"Oh, shut up, Koume. It's our lair. Come let's entertain our guests." The first voice said, before letting out a crackling laugh.
Two witches on brow sticks came flying up from below circling James and Wanda. James growled, "Wanda keep an eye on both." The one of the witches had blue hair, Kotake, and the other red hair, Koume. Both were crones and ugly green.
They continued to fly as they battled with him and Wanda, forcing both to get separated. As Sheik and Wanda battled Kotake, James remembered the arrows as he fought of Koume's flames and blows. He pulled out the arrows and looked at Koume with narrowed eyes. Setting an ice arrow to his bow, James fired at Koume, effectively putting out her fire. She screamed in pain and fell onto a platform. He raced over, jumping onto the platform, and slashed at Koume giving her several bad wounds before she deliberately rolled and fell from the platform to the water below and disappearing.
Kotake flew around faster and more erratically, obviously enraged at her sister's pain. James again loaded an arrow, a fire one, and aimed. However, before he fired, Kotake sent out a blast of ice and it hit his right shoulder. It was cold, and instead of the harmless cold as expected, it froze his shoulder, forcing him to misfire the arrow. Growling in anger and pain, James avoided Kotake's ice and sending some back towards her with his shield. Though the ice he sent back at her tended to give her more energy to fight him, Sheik, and Wanda.
After a half hour, James wiped out another fire arrow and took aim. Kotake tried sending another ice volley at him; however, he grunted in pain when it hit his should again, but he let out the arrow. His aim flawless as ever, Kotake got hit in the shoulder with the arrow, screaming in pain and falling to a different platform. Just like with Koume, James raced over and attacked her, giving her several bad lacerations before she also deliberately fell below to the water with her sister.
Wanda racing over, asking in concern, "James! Are you alright?" She put her hand over his shoulder. He noticed Wanda sported a nasty burn on her left shoulder and back.
"No, but we must deal with Koume and Kotake below somehow. Are you alright, doll?" James grunted, pain in his shoulder.
Sheik hissed in warning from across the chambers, "Be warned, the twin witches are coming again." James and Wanda turned, and the witches flew up into the air far above the platform.
Koume screeched, "Kotake! Time to become one!"
Kotake sneered at James, "Indeed. This wretched man is needing someone to kill him."
James and Wanda watched with wide eyes in horror as Koume and Kotake became one person, a beautiful, yet scantily clad witch with two ponytails. One side was blue and the other red. The gem on her forehead was also half blue and half red. Her outfit was too raunchy, and she held a scepter in each hand, one in hot flames and the other letting of flaming tendrils of ice.
Sheik yelled, "I'll distracted Twinrova the best I can. Use both an ice and fire arrow on her! She three times as dangerous in this form!" He dodged Twinrova's flames who growled in frustration. James was caught in her ice barrage, forcing him to use the shield which caused Twinrova to whimper in pain and to float higher to avoid him.
Though he never got to use his arrows as Twinrova kept coming at either him, Sheik, or Wanda relentlessly for hours. He gained a nasty burn wound to his leg during the battle. James growled and did as Sheik said, as he distracted Twinrova. Remembering Clint's training James pulled out two arrows, one fire and one ice. He dodged to his left another icy fire barrage from Twinrova and took aim at her. The arrows hit their mark with a sickening thud… Twinrova screamed in pain and fell heavily onto the platform below her, limp yet twitching in pain.
James raced over to attack her before sending Psipherion into her chest, effectively killing her. Twinrova screamed and James pulled Psipherion out of her chest before she raised into the air, clawing and gasping in pain. In moments, she let out her last breath and fell to the platform, separating into very dead Koume and Kotake. Their souls floating above their bodies.
They were arguing about who was older when a hooded person came out of thin air. The figure had a huge monstrous scythe in hand. The figure's face was masked in unnatural darkness under their cloak's hood and their hands here covered in monstrous looking gloves. The Grim Reaper. Koume and Kotake screamed, yet they could not move from where they were above their bodies. The hooded person raised their scythe and reaped their souls, both disappearing in moments. The hooded person snapped their fingers and disappeared moments later. Unbeknownst to all present it was Amelia's soul disguised as her Grim Reaper alias in spirit form.
Sheik who helped them smiled and used a hand to lower his scarf from his face. James and Wanda looked at Zelda in shock. "How?!" James asked the woman.
Zelda smiled, "Well, reason why I am here is because this temple was transcribed from my own world to here. I had a strong feeling that it would be, and my fears were confirmed when I arrived minutes before you did. It also a blend with the desert colossus. However, I suggest we get back to Tofte. Get the fragment. Wanda, please if you would, make a portal for us as the door is locked."
Wanda growled at her, "I will, but before we go… How in the world did you get inside the temple without moving the statue in front of the door?" James crossed his arms, unamused at Wanda's anger and Zelda's secrets.
Zelda remained where she stood, amused and mildly chuckling, "Well, as I just said, this temple has been transcribed here so I know a lot of secrets on how to get past the front door. I'll explain more once we are out of here."
At Zelda's words, Koume and Kotake's bodies darkened and shattered into twilight specs. The specs of the mirror far outnumbered than a fused shadows' specs before they coalesced into a mirror fragment, one that would fit in the holder. Wanda grabbed it and pulled it into her pocket dimension. "Awesome! One fragment done!" Wanda exclaimed, excited beyond the moon, her anger at Zelda now forgotten.
James nodded, though suggested, "Yes… We still must get the last piece of the mirror Wanda and then to the Twilight Realm to defeat Ragnar…"
Zelda nodded, "I will tell you all about the Twilight Realm and this temple as we make our way back to Trondheim. For now, Wanda, please can you make a portal? We must get to the entrance of the Temple of Time." The floor underneath them trembled slightly.
Wanda complied and created a portal which led them to the entrance of the Temple. Once they were safely through the temple's gateway to the outside, the archway and its doors collapsed back on itself, leaving no way to reach it again.
"What was that all about?" James thought out loud, clearly confused at the door's collapse.
"Like I said moments ago, the Temple of Time reflected the one from my realm. The Temple of Time here reflected that realm and this place, which most likely was a temple of some kind at one point in the past, made itself its resting place. Once we completed it and killed Koume and Kotake, its purpose wasn't needed anymore and therefore, it collapsed on itself. I came here before you arrived here to make sure you had everything you needed to defeat Twinrova. A nasty set of twins they are, and they are also a reflection of my realm, though with Ragnar's arrival, he brought them over physically. So, they were both a reflection and called here.
"And once Amelia brought my people from all countries there over from my realm to her and Stefan's realm; thus, my realm was destroyed. That is why this temple is a reflection. Her sister, my aunt, Farore Nayrudin's mission and wish was complete and thus, sadly my realm destroyed. As much as I would have liked otherwise, I have realized it was needed to be done." Zelda explained sadly as she shook her head.
Wanda looked at her sympathetically, "I'm sorry, Zelda."
Zelda shook her head after she wiped a tear from her eye, "Don't be, Wanda. As much as I miss Hyrule, I found and gained much more." She smiled, James and Wanda thinking of Stefan and Amelia. A noise sounded and they all looked towards the sacred grove. A golden wolf with a missing eye sat near the door to the sacred grove where James got Psipherion.
"Wait. The wolf." James pointed.
"Yes. What about it?" Zelda asked, interested in it.
"That wolf is the ghost of the Hero's Shade who's teaching me skills. Before we go, I need to go down and meet with him." James mentioned.
Zelda nodded, "Very well." She and Wanda waited on the ledge as he dropped down to the floor below. Approaching the wolf, it got ready to attack as it growled at him. He pulled out Psipherion and prepared to fight. The wolf jumped growling as it did. Soon enough he was in the Aether world. The Hero's Shade taught him the skill Mortal Strike. Soon he was back in the real world, the Hero's Shade whispering in his ear as he climbed to Wanda and Zelda, "Next time you come, be warned, you will be meeting stronger enemies which the next skill you will need to use against." James hummed in agreement, albeit quietly as he climbed to stand next to the ladies.
"Let's get back to Tofte and then back to Trondheim. Stefan is waiting." Zelda suggested. Wanda nodded, transforming James into a wolf before Zelda touched his shoulder. Wanda transported them both and herself to Tofte's spring.
~Late that evening…~
That evening, James and Wanda were in the sanctuary's basement, sleeping alone together. "Wanda." James whispered, sadness welling up in him. She felt his sadness and wished to know even though they both knew she was welcomed in his mind. The others had made camp outside near the spring's edge and Natasha, the children, Charles and Meg joined them, leaving the basement to themselves and the main level to Peter and MJ.
"Yes, James?" Wanda asked.
"This is not what I imagined for a honeymoon. You don't deserve this horrible curse or any of this horrible fate. I've wished for nothing but peace since this happened." James mumbled out.
Wanda hummed, her powers going off, "Bucky. There is nothing more I love than saving the world with you and being in your presence."
James smiled, "Thank you love." Wanda smirked.
"As much as I want to make love right now, we can't because of my impish form. But I have another idea." Wanda smiled seductively.
James' eyes widened some at her suggestion. Though before he could do anything to prevent her from doing something, she had locked the door to upstairs, a sound barrier forming, and had him suspended in the air. She took off her mask and had him undress as well. Soon she had him in her clutches and giving him the time of his life, something he hadn't in a while.
Hope y'all are doing well. Please like and/or leave a review; let me know what y'all are thinking of the story thus far.
Until next time,
WS. Z.
