Chapter 31: Chapter 31: The Age of Heroes.
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(General P.O.V)
The roar of Iron Man's thrusters sounded out among the trees.
"Cap, hostiles at 12 o'clock."
Iron man spoke into his comms.
"Everyone get ready. We all knew enemy contact would happen sooner than later. After Red Skull's capture, Strucker anticipated we would be coming for him next."
Captain America said, revving the engine of his motorcycle while cutting through the snowy landscape.
The Avengers were going after Strucker's base. It had taken over a week just to pinpoint it's exact location. Having been a part of Shield for decades, Hydra similarly had access to superior cloaking tech.
Tech that was advanced enough to even trouble Stark. Though not for long, seeing as they finally knew the base's location.
"Falcon, get me eyes on the sky."
Cap ordered the ex-military who had been flying next to him.
"On it."
Sam Wilson answered, flaring up his wings. With propulsion from his jet pack, he pushed higher past the tree line.
The roar of multiple engines sounded out from their front, the source being enemy vehicles.
"Hulk?"
Cap called out.
With an animalistic yell, something pushed the trees out of it's way as it stormed towards the Avenger's front.
With a mighty leap, the incredible Hulk landed before a truck that immediately slammed into him, causing the vehicles's rear end to rise up to the sky as the whole thing was brought to a sudden halt.
The Hulk's massive hands tore into its chassis.
He picked it up by it's front, shaking the truck to empty out the occupants before throwing the whole thing towards the base.
"Whoa! Watch it. I'm trying to fly here."
Falcon shouted, narrowly avoiding the truck as it fell towards the Hydra base.
The truck tore through the open gates, bowling over more vehicles before exploding in a massive flame.
"Ok, that's cool."
Hawkeye who had been watching the whole thing admitted.
Not to be out done, he let fly a smoke screen arrow right in the middle of the armed Hydra agents shooting at them.
"Less talking. More smashing."
Hulk said, letting out another earthshaking roar.
(Elsewhere)
(Helicarrier)
"Try to keep the damage to a minimum Captain."
Fury said, watching the unfolding events on the jerky camera feed installed on Falcon's visor.
"Remember the objective, get the Staff, rescue people and salvage whatever you can. Can't exactly do that with the Hulk going Hulkamania now, can we?"
"We know what we're doing Fury. Just make sure evac is right on time for the civilians inside."
Cap answered.
Then the comms went dead.
"Did he just hang up on me?"
Fury asked in disbelief, looking around the operations room.
No one met his eyes.
"They are on an active mission sir. Deep behind enemy lines."
Coulson, standing off to the side said.
Fury turned his one eyed stare towards him. Then he gave a slow blink.
"Thank you agent Coulson, I forgot that."
The Spy said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Coulson stood up straighter with a small smile on his genial face.
"Thank you sir."
"Fury, you need to see this."
Maria Hill briskly walked up to the two with a pad in her hand.
Fury received the device and tapped on the screen, pressing play on the footage.
"What am I looking at Hill?"
He asked, spotting a strange heavy mist descending upon the camera's location.
"The last thing the camera feeds on the Raft picked up before it went dark a few minutes ago."
Hill answered, her tone and face grim.
The mist coalesced into the figure of a man in a red body suit, long black hair and fangs.
Dracula.
"Motherfucker."
Fury cursed.
(Billy's P.O.V)
My gulp was almost audible.
"Kill a god?"
I questioned, looking for clarification more than anything.
"Yes."
The Ancient One said, taking a sip of her tea.
She must have been warming it up somehow because despite how much time had passed, the cup was still steaming.
"I believe there are a few ways."
She continued regardless of my stunned expression.
"First."
She raised a single finger.
"Using a powerful artefact. Most likely a weapon like a sword to bridge the gap between a god's unfathomable power and a mortal's innate weakness. For example...David and Goliath."
Her lips upturned at the corners.
"Of course those two weren't gods but the example still works."
She had a point. Even in most stories about Killing a god, weapons were often used. Kratos in God of War with the Blades of Chaos, Percy Jackson with Anaklusmos (Riptide) and etc.
"Okay, what's the second way?"
I asked, forcefully steadying my hands as I brought my own cup to my lips. I was still under the suspicion she was listing out ways to kill me.
"Forgetting them."
She answered.
A brief silence fell in between us. I was waiting for her to explain what she meant but looking deeper into the statement, it wasn't cryptic at all.
Still, it hadn't been what I'd been expecting.
"I see."
I mused, taking another sip of the bitter tea.
"Different cultures meet, they interact, they bleed their traditions into each other. Including their gods. In other cases, an entire culture adopts a new way of living. Their gods are relegated as archaic concepts and figures from various myths. That's what happened. That's how the age of gods came to pass."
She placed her tea cup back on the small table between us.
"Think of it like this. In a time when man had no understanding of how the world worked, their gods were the answer to all problems. Science and innovation changed that. And now those gods who had relied on worship to exist found themselves with no devotees to pray to them. The Age of Gods and Demigods thus ended...until you."
She fixed me with her piercing stare.
"Huh? What do you mean? I'm just a guy..."
I tried to laugh it off yet my heart was pumping erratically in my chest.
"With the powers and abilities of the Greco-Roman gods."
She cut in.
"That effectively makes you a god in today's standards. And that is a very dangerous thing."
"Why? What makes it dangerous?"
I asked, pulling on my psionic energy in readiness. The slight buzz of my TK aura was comforting against my skin.
"Some might see it as a revival of the old practices. Slaughter gods who had gotten used to feeding on the souls and blood of the innocents. Petty gods who think Humanity should bend a knee and prostrate themselves on the ground before them. Cowardly gods holding a grudge on humanity."
She smiled tightly.
And it didn't stop there. She went on to give different scenarios. Mythology had never painted most of the gods in a favorable light, but I had no idea they were this abhorrent.
One thing that was made clear was that the Ancient One was not a fan of them. She had this...not quite disdain but a distaste that spoke of personal interaction.
One that I was betting didn't go well for the other guy.
"Even the decidedly good ones. They will feed off of worship and wage wars for more influence and power."
She concluded, placing an empty cup back on the table.
I blinked, overwhelmed by all the revelations. Still one question remained.
"I get that it's concerning."
I started off slowly,
"And if history has shown anything, it's that power corrupts in one shape or form. Especially the kind of power I wield."
I focused on the cup in my hands, then I let go of it. It remained floating in mid-air. Gently, it begun to rotate, then the tea inside begun to rise up in a tornado shape.
I pushed my control further into the tea, separating the liquid into drops of brown liquid that stayed afloat in the air between us.
"Impressive control."
The Ancient One looked on with curiosity.
But I wasn't done. It was a rare occasion to show off my skills to the Sorcerer Supreme. (doesn't matter she might kill me or banish me or something later on).
The drops begun to vibrate. Her non-existent eyebrows rose up, as the tea evaporated into steam. Filling the air with a cloying tea scent.
I waved my palm once more, sending the steam out through the window.
"You can imagine what that would to a human body. I could kill you simply by bursting your heart. I could even get through the energy nullification spell woven around you."
I told her staring straight at her eyes, as if I wanted her to dare me.
"I would only need to vibrate the air around yoy until I find the right frequency and then..."
I stopped myself, sighing.
My eyes went to my calloused palms. It had only been a few weeks and I already had rough hands.
"But these hands have not done anything that goes against the code you sorcerers work with. I have harmed no innocents."
I shook my head, looking up at her.
"Sorry, I got sidetracked. Through all this, I just wanted to understand- What does any of this really have to do with me?"
"Everything."
She said, without missing a beat.
I sucked in air through my teeth.
"See that's what I don't get. Like am I part of some prophecy or is this whole thing just a warning for me not to go bad and try to enslave humanity?"
I could just see her patience disappearing.
"Listen closely then Mr.Batson, we Sorcerers have a duty to halt chaos in its tracks."
Her eyes narrowed.
"If that means stopping what's coming before it does then so be it. "
Her tone grew hard.
We stared at one another, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Shit. That confirms it. She must have seen something using the Time Stone. Still, her final statement sounded as if we weren't on amiable terms as I had imagined.
Then again I did say I could burst her heart out through her chest.
Eventually, I sighed, leaning my elbows on my knees.
"It sounds as if you're threatening me."
I spoke, allowing Solomon's Legacy to take over for me.
The Ancient One tilted her head, noticing the change.
"Truth is, I have no intention of being worshipped as a god. That sounds like too much of a hassle. Don't get me wrong, everyone loves attention and adoration. But then again, humanity loves to praise it's heroes. There is nothing I can do about that."
I shrugged, remembering how the crowds had flocked around the Fantastic Four in awe.
"Is that what you are Mr.Batson? Do you regard yourself as a hero?"
She questioned.
Yet, I was ready with an answer, having almost anticipated it
"You certainly don't seem to think so."
I replied.
"You believe I'm this symbol that will revive the Age of Gods and bring about Chaos or some other 'end of all existence as we know it' bullshit, but I'm not. Maybe some things are set in stone and will happen regardless of what I do, but I don't care about any of that. I'll fight for my My Ideals. My Motives."
"And what are they?"
She asked, placing her palms inside the sleeves of her robe.
Fortunately, this wasn't something I required Solomon's Wisdom to be able to answer.
"Saving as many people as I can. I might have the essence of powerful gods running through my veins but I am not a god. I am a guy trying to do what he thinks is right and hopefully I won't mess up on the way."
AO blinked, cocking her head to the side.
"Interesting."
"What is?"
I asked.
"In all the different scenarios that this talk takes place...it always ends up the same. You affirming not only to me but to yourself, who you are."
She replied.
Huh? What's going on? Why the sudden change of heart?
My confusion must have showed because she smiled at me. Like a full on genuine smile.
"A hero. Mr.Batson. A hero at the most important millennium of human history. The Age of Heroes."
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