Ice Witch's Assault

Soon as Mystique hurled the large spike of ice, Nathalie shrieked on top of her lungs as she called Jonathan.

"Jonathan!"

It flew with swiftness and her eyes witnessed how it aimed at his left shoulder; it was a step late when he turned around from the momentum he built up from running as much as he could.

Terror was surfacing in Jonathan's eyes from the impending doom.

With only thought in her mind that it might work for another time, Nathalie reached out to him, intercepting the ice spike that would stab his chest.

When the tip of the ice touched the back of her hand, the smooth crystalline surface jagged when dents and cracks resurfaced, branching in all directions before it exploded to mist.

She coughed hard and watched her hands tremble out of fear and not from the impact of the power it carried. Her focus shifted as Jonathan grunted from the pain he got. Upon checking, pulling his jacket down, there were no blood signs that bloomed on his inner sleeves, which she mouthed hearty gratitude.

Before she could comfort him, a scream reverberated the frigid air and garnered their attention to her.

"I'm beyond livid!" Mystique's eyes gleamed brightly; anger raged within her as she jumped by the edge of the balcony, with a flurry of snow in her glass heel that got her to descend with grace.

Meanwhile, Jonathan quickly picked up the pace as he cursed and shot at the witch one more time.

With the power of ice in Mystique's arsenal, she tried to block for the most part, but it also compromised the balance on her glide, shaking and rocking side to side.

He bit his lip as he sensed how he was almost out of ammunition; he then aimed at her heel before reloading.

From the last bullet caused, a blast of cold happened midair, which had him panted hard.

"Miss Quinn, we gotta move!"

"Where—"

His hand snaked around her hips, trying to get up, and encouraged her to run away with him. With the rush of adrenaline going on, she didn't have to think twice.

Nathalie caught a glimpse of how her house had lights on, but she couldn't find either her mother or father from the windows.

"You're not hurt..."

Despite his utterance, Nathalie chose to ignore him and called out her only family.

"No! Mom! Dad—!"

"They're safe!" Jonathan shouted at her. "I'll explain later!"

Her eyebrows seemed to connect into one, more wrinkles formed her forehead, but she ought not to contemplate further and trust him for now when Mystique was coming for them.

Outside the gate was a narrow street, but it wasn't a long path that she hadn't noticed they were out of it from the ceaseless sprint for a few minutes.

"You shall pay for this! I didn't come here all the way not to curse you for eternity!"

Mystique's voice echoed somewhat beyond the shrouded darkness that lingered behind them. Jonathan flinched and didn't say a word as his body moved on its own.

Nathalie didn't have the spare time to wipe the sweat from her forehead, despite noticing the snowflakes landing on her refined aquiline nose. Her feet were bare, sore, and wounded, but she endured it as her tears fell slowly, slightly freezing her rosy cheeks. Her shoulders and throat struck with cold with every air that struck her.

If not with Jonathan that was with him, she would've collapsed already.

But it's not like she could run forever.

"Miss Quinn, we can't give up!" Jonathan slowed down and stopped dragging her arm from the hot chase.

Her body seemed to have given up on her, but her mind had her gears turned from such overpower, eyes glancing around her surroundings as she shivered like a crazy person.

"I must—have gone crazy…" she croaked.

Jonathan clicked his tongue and had a sudden urge to carry her, if needed be, when she turned around there were surging tides that crashed in between walls and along the path.

"You gotta be shittin' me—"

Even Nathalie was horrified when she saw it in her eyes just several yards away from them. In a split second, her stomach felt a tight grasp as she somehow got dragged away by Jonathan from the road.

He tried as much as he could to bring her to a higher platform but he got pushed away from the strong current.

From a distance she noticed how Jonathan swam amidst the chaotic waters. His face looked shocked upon seeing her but he was determined to get to her.

The water rose higher and higher.

"Jonathan, take my hand!"

His face said it all, he scrunched from the effortful arm strokes and kicks, but his rather swift movements turned sluggish, as if he carried something heavy with him.

Meanwhile, Nathalie held tight and tried to get close to him, and when she was about to save him when the subtle silhouette of Mystique formed within the waters, her face so close to his, and arms that hugged around him..

The witch smirked at the Goddess.

Which then dragged Jonathan to the depths of the terrifying waters.

"No!" Nathalie shrieked.

Waves grew stronger than ever.

Nathalie covered herself from the inevitable disaster that awaited her, she closed her eyes and held her breath for as long as she could but she noticed how the water behaved not too cruel to her.

'This can't be! I hope he's safe!'

Initially, the water altered her senses, burbling sound abuzz with the flickering light in her sight. Although something happened then.

Whenever she went, the water provided a gap of air for her to breathe and move.

She knew she had to chase after him.

Her heart thumped for every stride she took, all she thought was to save him from her clutches. The water that got darker soon calmed down and washed out of her sight.

'I'm almost there! I'm almost there!'

She looked around but her ears perked up when she heard of Jonathan's call of despair.

"Crazy bitch—Stay away—!"

Nathalie's heart thumped fast as she followed the direction, only to see in the distance had shook her to the core.

The witch had an intense gaze for Jonathan to share with while she licked her lips as though she was ready for the dinner that was served.

To top it all, Mystique was on top of Jonathan.