Sorcerer in the Marvel Universe

The one who had thrown Captain America across the room needed no introduction.

It was Peggy Carter.

The transformation was all but complete.

Only the final, almost imperceptible step remained.

She still looked like the elderly woman she had been moments before, save for the immense pair of black wings unfurled behind her. Yet appearances had become meaningless. She had snapped steel restraints with her bare hands and tossed Captain America aside as though he weighed nothing.

No ninety-year-old woman should have possessed that kind of strength.

"Mmh... aaah!"

Peggy doubled over, a muffled cry forcing its way from her throat.

Suddenly both hands flew to her face, covering her eyes.

Then she screamed.

A brilliant torrent of emerald light erupted through her fingers.

At the same instant, the demonic wings dissolved into drifting motes of light.

Green fel flames engulfed her body.

They didn’t consume her. Instead, they burned away everything except the simplest remnants of clothing, while the arcane tattoos carved into her skin blazed with radiant emerald light.

Captain America, still sprawled where he’d landed, forgot to move.

He simply stared.

The transformation continued.

Her snow-white hair darkened from root to tip until it became the rich brown it had been in her youth.

Wrinkles vanished.

Age spots disappeared.

Frail skin tightened.

Bent posture straightened.

Within seconds, the ninety-year-old founder of S.H.I.E.L.D. had become a young woman again.

Melinda could only gape.

"You..."

She looked from Peggy to Evenson.

"What did you do?"

Evenson watched his masterpiece with unmistakable satisfaction.

Pure professional pride.

Nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that Peggy’s newly regenerated body was now covered by little more than magically preserved scraps of clothing.

"Sometimes," he said quietly, "people don’t have to accept the fate they’re given."

Peggy drew a shaky breath.

"I... I saw it..."

"Agent Carter."

Evenson’s voice cut her off immediately.

Peggy’s head snapped toward him with predatory speed.

Her eyes flew open.

There were no irises.

No pupils.

Only twin infernos of emerald fel fire burned within their sockets.

The instant she recognized Evenson, the tension left her body.

She relaxed.

Her lips parted, as though she wanted to continue speaking.

Instead, Evenson reached into his pocket.

"You should probably put something on."

He offered her a long black cloak.

Peggy blinked in confusion before looking down at herself.

A heartbeat later—

"Oh... good heavens!"

Her voice was young again.

Strong.

Clear.

She spun around so quickly she nearly stumbled, one hand bracing herself against the wall while the other clutched at her waist in an instinctive attempt to preserve what little dignity remained.

"I don’t recall you mentioning this part of the ritual."

She snatched the cloak from Evenson and wrapped it tightly around herself.

Peggy Carter belonged to another era.

She had spent decades as an intelligence officer and had done what missions required.

That didn’t mean she enjoyed public indecency.

Outside of work, she’d never even worn a bikini.

Evenson spread his hands helplessly.

"I didn’t expect an audience."

"I certainly didn’t plan for the room to fill up halfway through."

Peggy gave him a pointed look before fastening the cloak securely.

Only then did she turn back around.

The first person she noticed wasn’t Steve.

It was Melinda.

"You look familiar..."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Melinda?"

"Yes, Agent Carter."

Melinda managed a weak smile despite the curse.

"It’s me."

Peggy studied her for a moment.

"My..."

"You’ve grown up."

A pause.

"...Actually, you’ve grown old."

Melinda almost laughed.

If anyone else had said that, she’d have held the grudge for years.

Coming from someone more than sixty years older who now looked twenty-five...

There wasn’t much she could say.

"I suppose time catches everyone."

"Except you," she muttered.

Evenson stepped closer.

"How do you feel?"

Peggy almost answered honestly.

Then she caught the subtle warning in Evenson’s eyes.

Whatever she had witnessed during the ritual wasn’t something to discuss in front of everyone.

She changed course smoothly.

"I feel..."

She clenched one fist.

"...Wonderful."

She smiled in amazement.

"Better than I did in my twenties."

Then something suddenly occurred to her.

"When I woke up..."

"I think I threw someone."

Her expression became slightly guilty.

"He isn’t hurt, is he?"

"No."

Evenson nearly laughed with relief.

For one terrifying second, he’d been afraid her first instinct as a newly awakened Demon Hunter would be to incinerate Steve until nothing remained except a smoking skull.

Instead, she’d merely thrown him.

"He survived."

Evenson pointed across the room.

"He’s over there."

Peggy followed his finger.

The moment she recognized the man slowly climbing back to his feet, every emotion imaginable crossed her face.

Joy.

Disbelief.

Love.

Resentment.

Longing.

Sixty years of waiting compressed into a single breath.

Then every trace of softness vanished.

She folded her arms.

Her expression became perfectly stern.

"So."

"You finally came back..."

"Steve."

Captain America still had no idea what was happening.

He didn’t understand how Peggy had become young again.

He didn’t understand the green flames.

He didn’t understand the wings.

But he knew that face.

He knew that expression.

He’d seen it once before, long ago, when he’d proudly shown off his new shield.

Almost by instinct, he raised it again.

A terrible survival instinct whispered:

This is going to hurt.

Peggy’s emerald eyes flared.

BOOM!

Twin beams of fel energy blasted from her eyes and slammed into the vibranium shield.

Steve disappeared completely behind it.

"You..."

Peggy walked toward him.

"...still owe me a dance."

She grabbed the front of his uniform and effortlessly hauled him to his feet.

"Do you remember?"

"I..."

Steve swallowed hard.

"I remember."

Captain America had faced Nazis.

Hydra.

Aliens.

Super soldiers.

He had rarely known fear.

Standing in front of Peggy Carter at this particular moment...

That was different.

"Then why?"

Her voice trembled.

Tears welled in her burning green eyes.

"Why did you make me wait sixty years?"

Steve’s heart twisted.

"I’m..."

"I’m sorry..."

He didn’t know what else to say.

The apology never finished.

Peggy kissed him.

Long.

Passionate.

Sixty years of love, grief, hope, and regret poured into a single moment.

When they finally separated, she looked at him with quiet resolve.

"Now."

She took his hand.

"We’re going to finish that dance."

Without waiting for an answer, she led Captain America toward the door.

Watching them leave, Evenson rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Dancing with a Demon Hunter..."

He muttered to himself.

"That’s a dangerous hobby."

He paused.

"Let’s just hope Peggy doesn’t decide to start with First Blood."

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