But the Red Skull shall not meet his devious goal. Not if Wanda can help it. She aims the Evil Eye at the Red Skull while diving down in a flutter of red satin to seize the red stone once more.
The moment the red stone leaves Wanda's hand, Storm raises a wind to catch it.
She's not necessarily eager to touch it, but she does try to whoosh it away from the Red Skull.
Owing to her concern for the scruffy yet sensitive and manly Star-Lord, she does not pinpoint-control the winds (hard to raise in any case, as Hala practices planetary weather control) and the red stone skitters across the pavement, then up into the air, then drops.
The Red Skull and Scarlet Witch reach the stone at the exact same instant.
The Red Skull is hit by lightning. The Scarlet Witch is also hit by lightning. Both fasten on the stone at the moment their every sense and nerve explodes with blazing light, deafening sound, numbing electrical tingles and even a slight smell of baking soda.
Wanda is in rapport with the Red Skull's mind. He is willing himself to survive long enough to pull down his enemies (an alien, a black woman, a Slav/Gypsy, and an insolent American), even though he himself dies in the process. Therefore, he will turn his rage outward, willing the jewel to make everyone attack everyone else WHILE boiling forth a wave, nay, a sphere of unfocused red force to burn, twist and eradicate everything it can reach!
Because these thoughts are linked, everyone hit by the blast will get very very angry just as they explode. So the anger part won't really register.
Storm picks up the purple stone on the first bounce. She is flooded with the awareness that this is the Love Stone, the Heart of the Universe, and that everyone is truly worthy of love. Yes, even Thanos, for whom Love is the engine driving him to ruin.
The purple energy enfolds Storm like a cloak. She can direct it like a force-beam, use it to enhance her already formidable weather powers, or spread it far and wide, bringing love and joy to anyone she chooses.
And she can even use it to heal wounds, but only if it is done in a spirit of love.
For her part, Wanda intends to throw herself on the magical hand grenade, absorbing the rage so that there is none left to slosh over onto her friends. She will even draw it from the Red Skull himself. She will protect, if it is the last thing she does. Then, she will meet Thanos face-to-face, and, if he truly wishes to meet Death, she will oblige him.
ReplyDeleteWow. Coolest magic item EVER!
ReplyDeleteD'oh! Didn't mean to blast Wanda!
Storm directs the energy at the Red Skull, hoping to touch whatever is making him so vengeful and full of ire.
Or, barring that, perhaps at least distract him long enough for the burnt and crispy Wanda to get the stone...which is also a loving idea.