𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

33. 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀

     ESZTER FOUND HERSELF IN A STICKY SITUATION. As if she was being tested to choose the path planted for her or one forced upon her, Eszter already knew what she would've done. Ever since that fateful day when Eszter gained her abilities, something inside her changed, and from then on, the teenager hasn't been the same since. While Eszter never took a life, there's never a day she hadn't been close to doing it.

     Beck? Eszter didn't hesitate to take his life if it weren't for Peter; had he not stopped her, Eszter is pretty sure she would've killed him on the spot.

     From the way Eszter sees it, she believes those who cause malicious acts deserve the same pain and suffering they've inflicted on innocent people. If someone's capable of hurting people to get whatever they want, then is it so wrong for Eszter to give them a taste of their medicine? However, that was never the case when the teen became associated with the Avengers. The group's moral compass was always trying to change Eszter's mind--he never saw her as a killer, especially at such a young age. Eszter thought she could fix that part of herself, getting rid of the darkness that lurked in the back of her head, telling her to give her victims the suffering they deserved.

     "I have to what now?" Eszter stared at Agnes wide-eyed, wondering if she should be horrified or ecstatic about this new discovery.

     "I know it sounds a little crazy . . ."

     "Uh, you think?" Eszter scoffed with a shake of her head. "I mean, it does sound a little ridiculous." The young witch turned away from Agnes as she slowly paced the room, trying to grasp everything. Eszter snuck a few glances at Tony's deteriorating body, grimacing. "It sounds too good to be real."

     "Magic comes with a price, Eszter," Agnes warns. "You must make the toughest sacrifices. It's like making a deal with the Devil--well, you'd be the Devil." She tried to joke, but Eszter didn't laugh. "You're the Dark Witch! One's loss is another man's treasure; in this case, your treasure."

     Eszter whipped her head toward Agnes, drawing her legs to a halt. "I just barely found out that I'm the Dark Witch, and you think I can bring someone to life just like that?"

     "Just like that," Agnes repeated with an excited sparkle in her eyes. "I know you can do it, Eszter; with a little training, you'll be able to do so much more." She encourages with a wide grin. Agnes approaches Eszter with a sense of persuasiveness. "Think about it. You can control who lives and who dies; you have the ultimate power to determine the fate of anyone in the palm of your hands."

     "It does sound tempting . . ." Eszter admitted almost quietly as if she were afraid if someone heard her, they would react poorly.

     There's no doubt that Eszter wouldn't hesitate to do what she needed in order to bring Tony back to life. If she has to sacrifice someone to bring back the dead, then so be it. Eszter lost a lot in her youth; she deserves to have her own happy ending.

     Eszter can be at peace knowing she brought Tony back to his grieving wife and first child.

"Then let me show you. I can help you bring back everyone you love," Agnes smiles softly. "Everyone that you lost, they can be yours again."

Eszter thought hard, and she really did; it was so tempting, but there was this stupid voice in the back of her head trying to fight the devil on her shoulder. Eszter knew it wasn't right; it's what Steve would've said, but . . . he's not even here. But as his friend, shouldn't she honor him and everyone else by doing good? Eszter couldn't even think straight, and she couldn't help but wonder if she was making a wrong choice.

Part of Eszter was afraid to go back into those dark thoughts because she didn't know how much it would affect her, but Eszter couldn't forgive herself if she missed out on a good opportunity. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't hesitate to do the spell and bring anyone back to life. Eszter has a gift that no one else could imagine, and here she was, debating whether or not she should give it a try. Was it selfish if she didn't go through with this? Pepper and Tony had done so much for Eszter, and they treated her as if she were their own; they became parental figures in Eszter's life, and she would be forever grateful to have them in her life. However, Eszter felt like she'd be selfish if she refused to bring back the missing piece of their puzzle.