911 | james barnes

021

8:03am, November 14, 2013

New York City, New York

Violetta's body lurched up from its previous position on the floor, preferring to float a few feet above the ground. Her hands were still glowing a golden hue as the door to her bedroom burst open. Tony was there with his Iron Man suit on, Bruce just behind jumping to see over Tony's shoulder.

"Hey Little Flower, you wanna turn down the sun for me?" Tony's sarcastic voice cut through the eerie silence that had befallen the bedroom. The glow got more intense as she turned around, revealing the peaceful face of the Banner child with fully golden eyes. Tony gasped, stepping back as he watched the steady rise and fall of Violetta's chest.

"What's going on? Violetta, try to control this. You're not in any danger here. It's just me and your Dad, okay?" Tony reassured as he stepped out of the suit, leaving it to stand half open in the middle of her room.

"There is always danger. You are simply too naive to see that. Were you aware of the demon following your young companion? Did you know that this child is being followed by the Diavol Metus? The Perditious Herald of Fear?" Violetta's body spoke, though a much more venomous tone came from her lips. It was like her body was only moving and something else was inside of her.

"What are you? And what is a Metus?" Bruce fired, a vein in his neck began to bulge green as the threat to his daughter became so much more real.

"I am Evangeline, foolish mortal. The Divine that has kept your daughter alive for so many years. And as I just said, Metus is the Herald of Fear from the depths of the Perdition." Evangeline spat, her tongue laced with poison as she spoke to the two men.

"What do you mean you've been keeping Violetta alive?" Tony asked, seeing that Bruce was too busy trying to control his anger at being called a mortal.

"After the explosion when the child was four years old, a reaper was sent to retrieve her soul, though on her soul's arrival in Arcadia, the True decided her to be too full of potential and power to die at such a young age. So, he sent my spirit to inhabit her body at all times. Whenever Violet came close to death or faced danger beyond her capabilities, I was retrieved from Arcadia to take control of her body, removing her from the dangerous situations and healing her body. Recently, her presence has attracted the curiosity of the Deceiver, and he has sent Metus to call upon my spirit in the hopes of destroying Arcadia and taking it for himself." Evangeline explained, lowering the intensity of the golden glow as Tony was still squinting. The billionaire nodded along with the explanation, the concept of angels and demons not too surprising after he fought aliens and flew through a wormhole a little over a year prior.

"So, you basically possessed her but you only come out when she's going to die?" Bruce clarified, his brow furrowed deeply. He seemed to be having a much harder time processing the information of his daughter's survival.

"If that is the only way for you to understand, then yes. That is essentially what I have done." Evangeline told him, then gave him a smile like a kindergarten teacher would give a student. He glared at her in return, clenching his muscles to will the Hulk to make some minor appearance to scare the woman off, though he just ended up grunting like a rabid dog.

"Well, what can we do? I'd much prefer to have my little flower around than some weird angel in her body all of the time. What can we do to stop this Metus thing?" Tony asked, sitting down on the corner of Violetta's neatly made bed. Evangeline floated closer to the window, staring out at the city below her in wonder.

"You and your team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes have not the strength nor will to best the Deceiver and his Heralds. The only way to defeat the Deceiver is to wager the thing that which you cherish most and duel him to the death, where he will punish the souls for all eternity when you inevitably fail. Due to my inhabitation in the child's body, she is eligible though I am unable to participate in the fight. She will die, and so will whoever she loves most dearly in the world. All that you can do is leave the Heralds to their work. The Deceiver will not attack so long as he knows I exist within this body." Evangeline continued, her speech ended with both Bruce and Tony's jaws on the floor.

"So, you're expecting us to just wait until they get bored of her?" Bruce exclaimed, standing from the bed, voice laced with incredulity.

"Well, that or sacrifice your newly rediscovered daughter. You have two options Mr Banner, and for her sake, I hope you choose the right one. I'll be going now, try to keep her under watch and keep track of Metus. 'Till next time, Mortals." All of a sudden, Violetta's body slumped to the floor, all traces of gold having disappeared from her form. The two men rushed forward, Tony ordering F.R.I.D.A.Y. to ready the medical bay for tests to ensure the teenager was okay while Bruce cradled her head to his chest, whispering soothing words into her hair.

The scientists looked at each other, worry etched into every particle of their skin. They needed to assemble the Avengers, and they needed to save their girl.