Chapter 21: Phoenix's Fury

Chapter 21

The black arrow flew true, embedding itself firmly into the window frame with a resounding thud. A crimson light flared from the arrow, signaling danger.

James instinctively spread his wings to shield his face as the arrow detonated, unleashing a fierce blaze that consumed the window in a fiery maelstrom.

Glass shattered as flames licked the air, engulfing everything in their path.

When the inferno subsided, the room lay empty, its occupants vanished.

"Damn it!" James cursed, darting towards the window.

Whoosh! Another arrow whizzed by, detonating into a cluster of smaller projectiles that peppered the wall adjacent to the window.

As the projectiles settled, a blue electric field crackled to life, sealing the window behind a grid of crackling energy.

James halted his advance, recognizing the trap. Tonight, the Russian brothers were out of reach. Delayed by the energy grid, James lost track of the Black Widow and the Rankhoff brothers.

Regrouping, James locked eyes with Hawkeye, perched on a distant rooftop.

Repeatedly thwarted by Barton's cunning, James could no longer contain his frustration.

With a powerful flap of his wings, James streaked toward Barton like a bolt of darkness.

"Nate, I'm running out of time here. He's fast. I can only stall him for five minutes, tops. Move."

As Barton relayed orders into his headset, his fingers flew, sending a flurry of black arrows hurtling towards James.

James sprinted ahead, but a black arrow detonated in mid-air, unfurling into a sprawling net that ensnared him.

Uncertain if his flames could breach the net, James veered aside, narrowly evading capture.

Before he could recover, another arrow exploded, shrouding him in smoke.

James held his breath, emerging from the smoke just as another arrow detonated beside him. The freezing gas left his left leg numb, but the flames quickly thawed the ice.

For the next three minutes, it was a spectacle of acrobatic evasion.

Flame arrows, explosive arrows, adhesive arrows, and electric arrows rained down upon James.

He found himself pushed to the brink, questioning Hawkeye's prowess. Hadn't he single-handedly faced down Loki?

Three minutes later, Barton's onslaught ceased, and James collapsed on a nearby rooftop, gasping for air.

His bronze armor lay battered, wings shattered, and body riddled with wounds.

Barton drew his bow, his grip tight on the arrow feathers. "You've done well. I'll let you go this time. Leave."

James looked up, liquid dripping from his hair, unsure if it was blood or sweat.

"I despise your self-righteousness. You condemn their crimes, yet shield them."

"You don't understand..."

"And I don't want to," James interjected. "They've caused untold suffering. They deserve death."

Barton clenched the arrow tighter. "Your views are dangerous. This world isn't what you think."

James closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. The air around him stirred with an elemental fury.

"I'll see this world for what it is, without your interference."

With those words, James's eyes snapped open, and a surge of power erupted from within him.

A fiery phoenix soared into the sky, its wings ablaze with crimson flames.

Barton gaped in disbelief. How could this be human?

James's power peaked, and with a mighty cry, the phoenix hurtled towards Barton with unmatched force.

"Shit!"

Barton realized he couldn't confront the Firebird head-on.

In a split second, he detonated an explosive arrow on his bow, shielding himself from the blast. The shockwave sent him hurtling away, his armor absorbing most of the impact, but leaving him dazed and winded.

Using the explosion to evade the Firebird's onslaught, Barton watched as it decimated the rooftop before dissipating into the night sky.

James stood amidst the wreckage, bloodied but unbowed.

Harnessing the energy within him, he'd orchestrated an explosive display, emulating the majestic flight of a phoenix.

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