Chapter 34: The Pawns End
The throne room crackled with tension, the air thick with the echoes of clashing weapons and raw energy. Dimitri's twin swords gleamed menacingly under the green-tinged torchlight, his movements swift and calculated as he faced Wanda Maximoff and Eska Vryn. Baron Zemo, ever the spectator, leaned back against a pillar, watching with detached amusement.
"Really, Dimitri," Zemo drawled, his tone dripping with condescension, "you might want to speed this up. I was under the impression that super soldiers were supposed to be efficient."
Dimitri growled, his grip tightening on the hilts of his swords. "I'll deal with them. You just sit there and keep looking useless."
Wanda smirked, the Chitauri Scepter glowing faintly in her hand as she stepped forward. "Two swords, huh? Overcompensating for something?"
Dimitri's face flushed red with anger. "You've got a big mouth, Maximoff. Let's see if you're still talking when I'm done with you."
Eska snorted from the side, raising her rifle. "Hit a nerve, did we?"
Zemo chuckled, shaking his head as he observed the scene. "Careful, Maximoff. Provoking a man with swords that large could end poorly for you."
Wanda raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. "I think I'll take my chances."
Dimitri charged, his twin swords moving in a blur as he launched a flurry of attacks. Wanda deflected with the scepter, her symbiote-enhanced strength allowing her to hold her ground against his superhuman power. Sparks flew with each clash, the sound reverberating through the chamber.
"You're quick," Wanda said, dodging a downward slash aimed at her shoulder. "But you're not as good as you think."
"Shut up!" Dimitri snarled, his strikes becoming wilder as his frustration grew.
From the sidelines, Eska fired a series of shots at Dimitri, aiming for his legs. He spun, deflecting the bullets with his swords, his movements unnervingly fluid.
"Is that all you've got, Eska?" Dimitri sneered. "No wonder you're stuck playing second fiddle."
Eska raised an eyebrow, her voice calm but sharp. "Second fiddle? I'm just keeping the rhythm while Wanda plays the solo."
The fight raged on, Dimitri's movements a mix of precision and brute force. Wanda countered with controlled strikes, her chaos magic flaring intermittently as she sought openings in his defense.
Zemo clapped slowly, his expression one of amused detachment. "Dimitri, I must say, you're making this far more entertaining than I expected. Although, I can't help but wonder… is this really the best you can do?"
"Shut it, Zemo!" Dimitri barked, his voice echoing through the room. "I don't need commentary from the peanut gallery!"
Eska chuckled, throwing a grenade toward Dimitri. The explosion forced him to leap back, the shrapnel grazing his arm. He hissed in pain, his expression twisting with fury.
"Oh, did that hurt?" Eska said, feigning concern. "I thought super soldiers were supposed to be tough."
Dimitri glared at her, his face red with anger. "You'll regret that."
Eska smirked, her voice laced with sarcasm. "You know, Dimitri, you're no Captain America. He wouldn't have been caught in a blast like that."
The comment hit its mark. Dimitri's movements became erratic, his strikes losing their precision as his anger boiled over.
"Don't you dare compare me to that relic!" Dimitri shouted, his voice shaking with rage. "I'm better than him! Stronger!"
"Sure you are," Eska replied, her tone mocking. "That's why you're bleeding all over the floor."
Blinded by fury, Dimitri charged at Wanda, his strikes growing increasingly reckless. Wanda deflected his blows with ease, her smirk never wavering as she watched him unravel.
"Big mistake," Wanda said, her voice steady. With a flick of her wrist, chaos magic surged through the scepter, forming a blade of crimson energy along its edge.
Dimitri swung wildly, his twin swords clashing against the glowing blade. His rage made him sloppy, his movements predictable. Wanda sidestepped a poorly aimed strike, her crimson blade arcing through the air to sever his arm at the elbow.
Dimitri howled in pain, stumbling back as his severed arm hit the ground. Blood spattered across the stone floor, pooling beneath him as he clutched the stump.
"Oops," Wanda said, tilting her head. "Did I do that?"
Eska seized the opportunity, loading an explosive round into her rifle. She took careful aim, her expression cold and focused. "Let's see how well you run without a leg."
She fired, the bullet striking Dimitri's knee and detonating on impact. The explosion sent him crashing to the ground, his leg blown off at the joint. He writhed in pain, his remaining sword clattering to the floor.
"Well, that's one way to stop him," Wanda said, her tone dry. She glanced at Eska, raising an eyebrow. "You're really leaning into this whole 'explosives' thing, aren't you?"
Eska grinned, reloading her rifle. "What can I say? I think I've found my superpower."
Wanda rolled her eyes, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. "Just don't blow us up along the way."
Dimitri lay on the ground, his breathing ragged as he glared at Wanda and Eska. His once-confident demeanor was gone, replaced by desperation and fear.
"You think you've won?" he rasped, his voice trembling. "You're nothing. Just a couple of—"
His words were cut off as Fracture's voice echoed in Wanda's mind, her tone sharp and eager. **"He's broken, Wanda. Let me finish this."**
Wanda stepped forward, her crimson blade dissipating as she looked down at Dimitri. "You were never more than a pawn, Dimitri. And pawns are expendable."
Fracture's symbiote head emerged from Wanda's shoulder, her maw opening wide. Dimitri's eyes widened in terror as Fracture lunged forward, devouring him whole in one swift motion. The room fell silent, save for the faint growl of satisfaction emanating from Fracture.
"Well," Eska said, lowering her rifle. "That was… effective."
"Messy," Wanda replied, leaning on the scepter. "But effective."
Zemo clapped slowly, his smirk unshaken. "Really, Dimitri? Even in death, you manage to disappoint me. A truly remarkable feat."
He straightened, his gaze locking onto Wanda and Eska. "You've put on quite the performance, Maximoff. But don't think for a moment that this is over. Dimitri was merely a pawn—a distraction. The real game is just beginning."
Wanda's grip on the scepter tightened, her crimson eyes narrowing. "Then stop hiding and face me, Zemo."
Zemo chuckled, his voice smooth and mocking. "All in good time. For now, I believe you've earned a brief reprieve. You'll need it."
With a final, condescending smile, Zemo turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving Wanda, Eska, and Jasmine alone in the throne room.
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