Wolverine's Enchantment

"What is this trick? Stop her!" Talon ordered.

"To hell with you!" Katherine said over her shoulder as she could feel the energy in her expand. With tears still streaming down her face, she screamed out her rage. But then she looked down at Logan, now tiny below the ship, and saw a bubble of blue-green color surrounding him in the clearing. Relief flooded her. "Fuck you, Talon!" she yelled as the ship began to shake and she began to laugh.

"Katherine, stop immediately," he said and put a hand on her shoulder but it was blasted off by the turquoise aura.

"Go to hell, Talon!" Katherine screamed out and felt a flood of energy and hope and power over the forces that had always controlled her life. "I will rise in power, you piece of shit!" she screamed. "With the sun, the red house will fall forever!" She laughed hysterically, as she hammered harder on the walls of the ship causing the turquoise aura to swell and engorge the vessel.

"But Katherine," Talon pleaded with her, panic rising in his voice as he looked around anxiously at the ship that was now shaking violently, "Be sensible, you'll die too!"

"I don't care! I don't care!" she shrieked. "I've got to die sometime!" She screamed like a banshee, turned her face up and let out a crazy laugh that curdled Talon's blood and caused him to step back from her. She pounded the wall with all her strength, looked down at the now tiny scene on the ground, and shouted, "Loooogaaaaaaaaaaan..."

And then, the aura exploded the ship, sending it into a million red pieces out over the mountainside.

Logan watched in fear and amazement as Katherine stood against the red glass, her mouth opening and closing as she hammered with her fists. What the hell was she doing? She was yelling something and beating on the wall, her aura growing. If only he could get there and help her. He was standing in the clearing, untouched now by the mercenaries, somehow surrounded by the aura. Maybe they both did it. He frowned fiercely as he studied the ship. It had risen to the highest treetops and when the sunlight hit it, something had changed dramatically. Now, he could barely make her out, and all he could do was wait.

Then he watched in horror as the red ship exploded in a burst of turquoise light, sending red fragments flying out in all directions from the blast, a beautiful, terrible sunburst of blue-greens and reds that lit the azure sky, and chilled his blood.

"Oh Jesus, Katherine. No," Logan whispered and sank to his knees. "No, no." He shook his head, tears and grief threatening to overwhelm him as he watched the sky fade. He clenched his jaw and his fists, trying to hold on, as pain seared him through his heart. He'd lost her. Somehow she had tried to save him, but not herself. He hung his head, took a breath and tried to hold down a sob. He looked up and saw that all the beast-men were scattering, and his rage grabbed him.

"Come back! Come back you bastards!" he roared. "Come back so I can fucking kill you!" He yelled out in his fury and desolation.

Then, he stared back up at the place where the ship had been, and blinked. He blinked again, frowned and narrowed his eyes. A blue-green ribbon of light was stretching out from where he knelt, connecting to where the ship had exploded. Logan stilled himself and held his breath.

≈≈

Katherine was flying. Or rather sliding, she thought, and giggled. She felt free, freer than she had ever been. And happy. Maybe I'm dead– this isn't so bad. Oh, and the view is so beautiful!

Then, two strong arms were catching her and she fell back to earth, with a thud.

"Are we dead?"

"Not by a long shot, darlin'."

≈≈≈≈

[Of course the character of Logan belongs exclusively to Marvel. But with the upcoming new movies (2006,2007) and H. Jackman's exciting portrayal of Wolverine, we should all be able to enjoy this wonderful, archetypal, wounded hero. Thanks to all readers and especially to those kind enough to vote or comment.]