The Asgardian library was massive. No, massive did not do it justice. It was like a work of art itself. I know the meaning of the word 'Cosmic' shouldn't be used lightly, but this library looked like it was the archive of not just one planet, but the whole of the cosmos.
It was located in the heart of the city, just before the royal palace. It was made out of gold and marble, like everything else in this place, and designed to look like a giant tree that stretched out into the heavens.
While at first it might seem small, compared to the palace, the inside of the palace, the tree like structure ended, and one would find themselves meeting rows upons rows of shelves, each row big enough to fit a suburban house inside with shelves going till the ceiling which was fifty feet tall.
The ceiling was charmed to have lights that floated about without attachment, the aroma of paper filled the air. Asgardians of all kinds were here, some soldiers, some scholars, some children.
And in inner corner of the library, near the section that covered myths and legends of the cosmos, which was filled with a dozen people, was where the girls and I were currently. With an armed escort of course, courtesy of Thor.
"This is pointless," Wanda huffed as she dropped a tome on the large oak table in the middle of the row. Leaning back in the chair she rolled her shoulders, "we searched every possible index in this place, what now?"
"It's only been three hours Wanda," I spoke up, "this is the collection of information from the whole universe, I'm sure we haven't even scratched the surface."
"Yeah, three hours, meaning we haven't gotten enough rest for this," she grumbled, pinching her nose, "honestly, even for me this is a bit much."
"Well if you don't like it fuck off!" Felicia cried out as she jumped out of her seat and walked away. She was livid, carrying three books with her that she had been going over meticulously for the last hour.
Wanda snarled, "what's her problem?"
"Wanda, don't," I warned. I turned to Jean, the red head looked tired. With reason of course.
When we told Felicia what was happening, and how the last host of Phoenix had left all she knew...we didn't get much sleep last night. We tried, we did. But I barely got two hours, and Felicia maybe four.
The first thing we did in the morning was ask the guards to take us to the library, informing them about the verbal permission Odin himself had given. And so, since nine in the morning, we had been here, researching trying to find something, anything that we could use.
And Felicia I suppose was taking it worse of all. I could smell her anger, her frustration. I turned to Jean, she motioned me to follow Kitten, I sighed and nodded, getting up to follow the silver haired beauty.
I walked through the shelves until I could hear someone sniffle. Rows, near the back, I found her. Books thrown aside, pulling her legs to her face as she cried.
"Kitten," my heart felt like it was going to shatter, seeing her hold up in one corner, alone.
"Go away," she hissed, refusing to look up.
"Kiteen please, I-"
"-Leave Peter! Now!"
The toen was harsh. But I knew I deserved it. But I didn't leave. I leaned down and dropped to the floor, sitting down opposite to her, my head on the shelves, a sigh leaving my mouth as I felt the weight of the long day catch up to me.
After a moment I turned to her and slowly reached out, trying to take her hand, only to have her snap it away, "don't touch me!'
"Felicia-"
"-No, don't you dare," she hissed, looking up from her frown, "you lied to me. Both of you. All this time, you knew what was going to happen, and you didn't tell me! How could you?!"
And like that, I felt my stomach give out. There it was...the truth. I had kept so much from them, so much of the truth, out of fear of being rejected, out of fear from being abandoned...and here was proof that I was right.
"I'm sorry...I'm so so sorry...I tried...I tried so hard to make sure you would all be safe, that nothing would happen...I thought if you knew you-you….you would never trust me again..."
"Kind of proved you right didn't you?!" she snapped.
"Well what was I supposed to do Felicia? Tell you every single possible future I saw in other worlds? Everything that can or may happen? I…. I didn't think-"
"Peter," she hissed, "I don't care that you that you secrets, you always have and I've learned to love you despite them. Every since we first dated, you always knew more than me, and while at first I...I hated that feeling to letting you hold all the cards, I soon grew to trust you enough to let you have power. But now? You kept something from me Peter, something that I had to know! Jean's life was in danger, and rather than tell me, you two kept it for yourselves!
"I thought we were a team Peter! I thought we loved each other, all of us. How is that possible, if I'm always on the outside looking in?! Am I always supposed to be punished for what I did? I know I was wrong to leave, but you can't do this to me Peter, it isn't fair! It's like you don't even love me!"
I snapped, the words didn't come out. They couldn't...I had to prove her wrong. Without thinking twice, I reached over and grabbed her face, kissing her with all my vigor, shocking the girl as I pushed her on the library floor.
She struggled, trying to push me away before growling, forcing a kiss back in rage. Our heads knocked, I reached into her mind, formed a psychic connection, and did what I thought I could only do to prove how wrong she was.
I showed her just how much loved her. I shared my memories. Of every memory I had after she left. Of how I felt, of what I thought. Of how I spent Valentine's day heartbroken, before Jean. How when Tandy kissed me, all I could think off is why she wasn't there.
I showed her all the people who told me to forget about her and move on, MJ, Liz, Flash, Earth 982 version of Peter Parker, May Parker and even herself. I showed her what they said, and I showed her how I ignored them all.
I showed her what I was thinking that night in Riri's lab, when we talked. How I longed to just forget everything and hold her and never let go I showed her how much it pained me the boy I had with her hated me, and the guilt I felt when I learnt I failed to keep her alive.
All of it, her kiss lost momentum. I slowly pulled away, looking down at her as her eyes tried to focus, her mind processing all I showed her.
"I didn't tell you the truth, because I didn't know the truth...because I was afraid of it. I didn't tell you about Jean, because I felt it was her secret to share and something I prayed would never happen. And I don't hate you for leaving me Kitten, I hate you never told me why, but I love that you came back.
"But get this one thing through your head Felicia Hardy, don't you ever dare say I don't love you. I didn't spend a better part of half a year wishing you back, just so that you think I don't bloody love you enough. You, me and Jean are going to live old together, and raise all our kids together. We are going to spend half our lives telling people how a three way relationship works, spend the other half making it socially acceptable and then the rest trying to keep the world from falling apart. You are mine Felicia Hardy, and don't even think for one second that I'm not yours.
"If you have to, blame me for keeping this away from you, not Jean. I told her not to tell you. She's innocent in all of this, and right now she's scared out of her mind. I know you love her Jean, and she loves you. She needs us, both of us. So please….come back, for her, if not me."
She looked at me, pulling herself up and leaning on the shelf again. She sniffed, rubbing her tears with the sleeve of her dress shirt. She closed her eyes, I moved to her side and waited in silence.
"You're a liar," she whispered.
I hanged my head, "I'm sorry."
"You don't even know why I said that do you?" she asked.
"For not telling you about Jean?" I guessed.
"No..." a ghost of a smile came on her face, "Jean told me before we left our rooms that she didn't want to overreact and asked you to stop worrying. She told me that the reason you didn't tell me was because of you...and you just told me the opposite. And frankly, I'm more inclined to believe her."
"Well...she is hotter than me."
"Dick," she playfully smacked my hand. I smiled, extending my hand to Felicia. She looked at it for a second before sighing and taking it, leaning on my shoulder, "I'm sorry….I overreacted."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you...but being able to see other worlds and knowing of futures that might come to pass is maddening, I honestly...I didn't know what was real and what wasn't. If I could keep it away from you, I thought I could deal with it without involving you and Jean..."
"Peter..." she squeezed my hand, "I can't say I can even compare to what you had to deal with. I can barely understand this whole interdimensional crap, even after training at Kamar Taj. But I understand you, and you always have this stupid habit of making the world's problems yours.
"And I love that about you. You go out of your way to do the right thing...even if costs you everything. But you aren't alone Peter, not this time. Jean and I aren't some damsels in distress, she is a badass and not to brag, I was trained by the greatest thief of Earth. We may not be Avengers, but we can help you lift some of that weight off your back Pete..."
I sighed, nodding, "I know….I...I guess it just goes against my nature."
Felicia smiled, "yeah, I know. Great power, greater responsibility," she leaned in and kissed my cheek, "and I suppose that's one of the reasons I love you Tiger."
She was right. I did have that habit, making all the world's problems mine...in certain degrees. Going beyond what the real Peter Parker ever would...but still remaining true to myself. Maybe that's why I was put in this body? Because deep down...he and I aren't that different after all. Two sides of the same coin...in a way.
"Peter?" Jean suddenly poked her out of the shelves and noticed Felicia and I. She looked at out hands and smiled, "patched things up?"
"Until I fuck it up again, yeah," I smiled, patting Kitten's hand.
"Well, get up, Thor's here, he said the dwarves have come to inspect your blade," Jean replied.
"Right," Felicia nad I got on our feet. I grabbed her books as we walked back to the main table, all the while Jean and Felicia exchanged looks, meaning they were having a telepathic conversation.
Rude, but I was hardly one to talk.
We walked back to the research table we had acquired and found Thor and Jane there waiting for us, the latter pouring over a book Wanda was looking at with great interest.
"This is astrological record of the movement of black holes over five centuries, listed out on an almost daily schedule, how is even possible?! Where did you get the time?!" Jane asked in surprise.
Thor shrugged, "Asgardians live for many years Jane, this was honestly just a weekend hobby by an scholar at our university."
"H-how long?" Jane stammered, horror in her eyes.
"Oh, about ten thousand years to a hundred thousand, give or take," Thor shrugged, without realising the implications. He looked at his human lover, and it suddenly came down on him like a crate of bricks, "J-Jane, I-"
"Thor," I cleared my throat, "the dwarves?"
"Oh, right, yes, well," Thor nodded, turning to Jane, "if you wish, you can stay here, the library is filled with many secrets I'm sure you'll find fascinating."
"Right...thanks," Jane whispered, moving robotically as she sat down, slumping in her seat.
Thor looked like he wanted to say something, but I shook my head, knowing the God, he'll probably just muck it up.
I turned to Jean and Felicia, "I'll be right back, promise."
"We'll stay here, try to figure out anything we can about this flaming chicken," Felicia snorted.
"Hold up, I'm coming with you," Wanda sighed, stretching as she got up, "been cooped up in here too long anyway, need a break."
"Right then, come along, we shouldn't keep the drawers waiting," Thor nodded as he escorted us out of the library and into the streets of Asgard. And waiting for us right outside the library, were three humoungs men with the stubby limbs of dwarves, towering over the rest of us at a good tweety feet.
Each were dressed similarly, brown and black leather with metal gauntlets and goggles around their necks or throats. They carried bags over their shoulders, each stuffed with several metallic tools I couldn't even begin to recognize.
I stopped and looked at them in awe, "okay why exactly is it that one of the biggest beings I have ever seen alive is also called the race of dwarves? Kind of, I don't know, moronic isn't it?"
"Ha! Sharp tongue lad," the dwarf at the lead chuckled, turning to Thor, "I like this one. Much more than that frosty brother of yours."
"Yes well, Loki has his own charms," Thor tried to defend, weakly, "my friends, may I introduce to you the Dwarves of Nidavellir. Their lead by Dvalin," the draw who laugh bowed, he had brown skin and red hair, a thick beard and many laugh lines.
"Pleasure's mine lad," the dwarf grunted.
"And his companions are Moavin the smelter and Effren, the greatest magical crafter the dwarves possess," Moavin was shorter than his companions, standing at fifteen feet with a shaved head and a thin pencil black beard while Eoffren had a black goatee with a head of hair pulled into a ponytail.
"Greetings," Effren nodded while Moavin grunted in acknowledgment.
"And my friends, this is Peter and Wanda, they are friends of mine from Midgard," Thor nodded to Wanda and I, motioning us to come closer.
"So, which one of you possess the uru weapon?" Dvalin grunted, eyeing Wanda and I.
"Me," my clothes shifted, transforming from the casual clothes I wore into my black and white suit. I reached into my backpack and the blade flew into my hand. I drew it out and held it to the light, the dwarves leaned in, their eyes narrowed.
"That's uru alright," Eoffren grunted, eyeing the blade, "and from what I can tell it's loaded with magical enchantments. I'd need to take a closer look to identify them all but from what I can tell their are powerful."
"The refinement is shit," Moavin grunted, almost snarling, "whoever made this couldn't pull out the full utility of uru. It's honestly an insult to the art of metal making."
"But still, the overall craftsmanship is magnificent," Dvalin grunted, "if I was to wager, the blade has a very...unique property when it comes to war. It's been used… a lot. Lad, have you used this weapon to kill?"
I shook my head, "no. I've used it only to protect myself and my allies from enemies that harness magic from the mirror dimension. I honestly am not skilled enough for anything else."
"Good, because from what I can tell the sword is very much an emotional amplifier," Eoffren grunted, "even the slightest hint of violent emotions will cause the sword to react in a negative manner, demanding more violence to satisfy its needs. You did well not to use it before learning about it fully. Someone of sound mind like an Asgardian could be able to stay true and not fall to it's sway, but I doubt you Midgardians could."
"We aren't all weak minded," Wanda snarled.
I was surprised at her aggressive side, "ease up there Wanda, no need to be hostile to the guys who can crush us like bugs."
"I haven't had my morning coffee," she replied back mentally, "and I'm done listening to how weak we humans are. Damn these gods have a nasty god-complex."
"W-we meant no disrespect, of course," Eoffren replied quickly, "it's just a fact you see. The use of uru is unlike any metal, it's both a physical act like wielding any metal, and also a mental one. Something one can safely assume most mis guardians wouldn't be used to doing."
"Could you analyse it?" I asked, "you honestly seem to know well more than me about the subject, and I would rather use this than just keep it hidden away."
"Hm, it would take a while," Moavin grunted, "we would need to take it back to our forge to understand it fully."
"Perhaps another day?" Thor suggested, "right now is not the best time for I to leave Asgard."
I nodded, "yeah...agreed."
"Not to mention we need to get back to researching about the flaming chicken," Wanda snorted.
"Why is that lad? Expecting a war to come knocking on your doors?" Dvalin asked with a chuckle. Thor and I shared a look, the dwarf's eyes widened, "oh...with who might I ask?"
"Dark Elves," Thor grunted.
"B-but they have been dead for centuries!"
"Yes, but just yesterday the Aether reemerged," Thor stated, "and with the Convergence coming soon...it would rather be a risk we did not take."
"You have the Aether?" Eoffren asked in awe, "where is it?"
"I currently gaurd it," Thor said as he took out the vibranium lock box and held it out, "it's safe."
"Really? Are you sure that the Aether is supposed to be in there?" Eoffren asked, looking at the box curiously, "it doesn't feel like it contains an Infinity Stone."
"You know that the Aether is an Infinity stone," Thor asked in shock, "why have you never shared this information with us?!"
Effren shrugged, "it honestly never came up Thor. Do you not know how much knowledge we possess that you may not? It honestly just didn't seem important at the time. But back to this box, why am I not feeling any energy from it?"
"Because it's designed to be that way," I replied, "it cuts out the energy a stone would give out."
"But what about the feedback loop?" the dwarf asked, frowning in curiosity at the metal, "surely you can't expect to deviate the energy of an Infinity stone forever?"
"No, but the energy is regulated into the box's internal circuitry, allowing it's system to be powered up, meaning the security features keeping the box locked is powered by the stone itself."
"And what about burn out?" Moavin grunted, "surely the quality of material on Midgard can't hope to keep all that energy regulated at all times?"
"Yes and no," I shrugged, "usually you would be right, the material would burn out quickly. But, I happened upon a substance that was very adapt at the transfer of energy. It's almost magical the way it goes about."
The dwarves shared a look before Dvalin turned to me, "you are an interesting one Midgardian, tell me, are you a smith?"
"Of sorts," I shrugged, pointing to my armour, "I made my clothes, and her's."
The dwarves turned out Wanda and looked her over, "forgive me, but I fail to see what is so special about her wear," Effren said, trying and see what so special about the clothes.
"Easy," Wanda finally broke her silence, transforming her clothes into a plethora of clothes, wearing every costume design she had on store before returning back to the casual set she wore, "it can transform into any scanned clothes with a single thought."
"Amazing," Eoffren asked, "magic?"
I shook my head "science. And, it's also indestructible."
"Nothing is indestructible," Thor and the dwarves replied almost instantly.
"Can you destroy matter? Molecules?" I asked.
Moavin grunted, "we can change the state in which they exist."
"But what if the state in which they exist was unstable?" I put forth, "meaning the molecular bond would always be out of phase? Not relating to electromagnetic bounds of opposing forces? Which would mean-"
"-That the current matter in question would never be damaged in any way, maintain its structure," Dvalin gasped, "you invented unstable molecule technology? Thor, I thought you said Midgard was eons below the level of technology we possess!"
"Most are, but a few minds, like Peter and another friend I know off named Stark, are exceptions," Thor defended himself.
"But still," Moavin hummed, "this is impressive. A mind such as yours, if you had been born a Dwarf, you would be a master smith by your age. Tell me boy, have you a moment to spend? A day or two with us would be quite useful."
I shrugged, putting away the sword and transforming back into my hoodie and jeans combo, "yeah, but not right now. I mean after the Convergence maybe?"
The dwarves looked to each other before agreeing. "Well then, with that out of the way," Thor began, only for Jane, Jean and Felicia come running out of the library, screaming at the top of their voice.
"We found it!" Kitten cried out.
"What are you talking about?" I asked as Jane shoved a giant tome into my hands, opened it to a marked page and pointed at a stanza bellow.
"There!" she grinned, "we found it."
I looked down and read quickly, the flames of hope burning in my soul.
Among the many observations I have made during this project of mine, one does stick out of me and which I fully didn't expect to initially be of any note whatsoever. It really does not have a place in my research on the movement and activities of black holes, but, I believe it is just as important.
I have found a particularly pattern in the movement/actions of the cosmos that I cannot quite readily understand. I have found that in the event of a black hole consuming certain planets, and or, solar systems, an event occurs nearly one year later in that exact location. And event I first did not understand fully, but now I do.
From my research, it is called as the 'Dawn Anew' a sacred act that is done by the cosmic entity of life and rebirth known as the Phoenix Force. It does this actions only when a planet that once contained life is destroyed by a black hole. Why this happens I do not know, nore is it very important. It is just a queer pattern I noted happening and choose to put in.
"It's useful right?" Felicia asked, eagerness obvious in her voice.
I groaned, "yes, I mean, it does mention the Phoenix...but, I mean...it doesn't really help us right now stop it."
"Excuse me, but did you just say the Phoenix?" Effren asked, surprise in his face.
I turned to him and nodded, "yes, the cosmic entity known as the Phoenix Force. I assume you've heard of it?"
"Woah," Felicia snapped up as only know did she and the other women noticed the giants before us, "why are they called draves if they are this big?"
The giant dwarves smirked, while Eoffren nodded, "yes, we are aware of the Phoenix, I doubt there is any out there who isn't. Why do you concern yourself about it so?"
I turned to Jean, who nodded, with a sigh I turned to the crafter, "because the woman I love has been chosen to be it's next host."
The dwarves gasped. "W-why that's wonderful!" Dvalin smiled, "you must be so honoured!"
"What? Why?!" Felicia snapped.
"Because it is an honour!" Eoffren insisted, much to the agreement of his companions.
"Peter," Thor looked concerned, "why did you not tell me?'
I sighed, "honestly, it's because I still haven't come to terms with it myself."
"Norma," Jean snapped as she walked forward and looked up at the dwarves, "tell me, what part of being chosen by a cosmic being, having my body taken over and used as a puppet is an honour? What part of leaving everyone and everything I care for is an honour?"
The dwarves looked to each other, Effren spoke up, "my lady, you must understand. The Phoenix is bigger than just one person, than just one planet. To be chosen is...is marvelous! I mean, imagine the power, the regal standing you would gain in the hierarchy of the cosmos!"
"I want know of that," Jean hissed, "and it has no right to demand it of me...I want this thing away from me...surely you know how? A weapon perhaps?"
"There is no weapon in all of creation that could stop the Phoenix," Moavin grunted, "let alone stop it."
"Wait, I don't' understand something here, help me out," Jane spoke up, "how exactly is this thing supposed to, I don't know...find you? If it's a cosmic being, wouldn't it get lost or something?"
"Jane, the Phoenix is omnipresent," Thor explained, "it's akin to a deity. If it has latched its sight on Jean here, then sadly I don't think it can change its mind."
"But what if we block it's vision?" Jane asked, "I mean, muddle it's senses? Wouldn't that prevent it from finding Jean?"
"How would you blind a god?" Dvalin asked with a snort.
"How did Loki blind his actions from Heimdall?" I asked, "how did he hide the fact that he wasn't dead? That he planned to assemble an army and invade Earth?"
"Heimdall, great soul that he is, is not the Phoenix," Eoffren snorted, "he has limitations, the Phoenix does not."
"Yes, but how did Loki do it?" I insisted, "there has to be a way, right?"
"Perhaps we should ask him?" Felicia suggested, "he is here on Asgard right? So….why not?"
Thor turned to me, "I do not think my brother would help you. He is...most uncooperative these days. It would be easier to convince a mule to kill itself than to get him to help."
"What about a psychic link?" Jean suddenly spoke up, her eyebrows narrowed in thought, "I mean...Jane is right. Even for an omnipresent being, there has to be someway it's tracking me, so how? Maybe a link between it and me?"
"Yes, a psychic link is possible," Eoffren grunted, "but, again, what's the point if you know this to be true?"
"Then, if that's the case, we could block it,' my eyes going wide as an idea came to me, "if Jean is right then...if we knew the Phoenix's energy signature, I could use vibranium to counter the energy link! Deflect it so to speak!"
"But that would mean we would need to know the Phoenix's energy signature," Wanda shrugged, "and I don't even think that's possible."
"About about Jean herself?" Jane said, now looking excited, "if she's connected to the cosmic force, then that means she and it are one and the same, meaning… we would be able to track an signal going from her into space!"
"I can't even begin to imagine how to do that," I muttered, "cosmic energy signatures is not my field."
"But it is mine!' Jane snapped, "I had instruments with me which should be able to track the energy readings. Theoretically I mean."
"If we went back to Earth, could you do it?!" I asked in a hurried tone.
Jane thought for a moment before nodding, "yeah...I think I can."
My eyes grew wide with hope, I opened to speak one more time, when suddenly, the ground shook.
BOOM!
"What the hell?!" Felicia cried out as slowly a dark shadow came over us all. And there, right above our head, looking like a great big shadow, was an armada that suddenly appeared out of the sky.
Ships big as Earth's residential buildings came down, swarming with small mobile pods. And leading them all at the vanguard was a giant black ship shaped like a cross.
"They're here," I hissed, my costume reacting to my thoughts, suiting me up. I snapped to Thor, "the cube!"
"Here," he said, tossing me the Aether, "it's safer with you! I'll have to bring up our armies and head them straight on, Peter, you must escort Jane and the dwarves underground, keep them safe!"
"What?! But I can fight!" I cried out.
"We all can," Jean stepped up as she, Felicia and Wanda morphed into their suits.
"Then do so by protecting our people, the civilians," Thor pleaded, "please Peter, this is not your fight, but mine."
"Bullshit! It's all our fights! And the longer we argue on this-"
"Thor!" we heard a cry as Sif and the Warriors Three came racing to the Prince of Asgard, all suited up.
"Sif," Thor nodded, "the palace needs to be put under lock down, I don't know why they are here or how, but we must assume they are here for vengeance against Asgard if not for the Aether."
"I've already called for a platoon, we'll be with you all the way," Volstagg grumbled with a node.
"Good," Thor then turned to me, "Peter...I cannot protect the king and queen and my people. I understand you wish to help, but please….I need you to keep my people safe."
I wanted to argue, to protest. To say I would be more help to him where I was, but….I knew he was right.
I sighed, "fine, but," I reached into my backpack and pulled out the Ebony Blade and looked to Eoffren, "you said the sword's effects on the mind won't affect an Asgardian right?"
The dwarf looked curious and nodded, "yes, exactly."
"Good. Sif!" I tossed the blade to her, she caught it with ease, moving it around with expert ease, "I'm leading this to you, understand? It's better in your hands than collecting dust with mine."
"I...I am honored," she nodded, removing her own blade and putting it aside, sheathing my in it's scabbard, "I'll use it to protect my home and return it once I am done, I swear."
"Good, now, we haven't a moment to lose," Thor turned to Jane, "I'll be back soon Jane, I promise."
"Go get them," she smiled and without another word, Thor spun his hammer and launched himself into the air, zooming through the Asgardian skyline. The world seemed to slow down as he went faster and faster towards the main ship. We could feel the electricity in the air. And then-
BOOM!
He crashed into the side of the ship, shifting it off course. The sound seemed to mark the beginning, because as soon as Thor began ripping that ship apart, the others moved to rain down hell on the city below.
"Alright, we have our jobs," I turned to Sif, "where can we escort the people?"
"Down there," the female warrior pointed at what looked to be a golden and brown subway entrance that I could have sworn wasn't there before, "in the event of an invasion the city has underground bunkers that we use to hide out people. Take them down there and nothing can hurt them."
"Right," I turned to the girls, "how do you want to do this? Team up or together?"
"We can cover more ground if we split," Jean said as she levitated into the air, "Felicia and I can take the East side, Peter, you and Wanda can take the West."
"Right," I nodded and turned out the dwarves who were looking at us with curiosity, "you three should get down there and hide, it wouldn't look good if we lost three ambassadors during a war."
"Are you kidding boy? This is the most excitement we've had in years!" Dvalin cried out in joy as he and his companions reached to their sacks and took out smithery tools they had repurposed as weapons, "we live for this boy! Or did Midgard's stories not tell you that we were warrior smiths?!"
"Of course, it's always with the fighting with you guys isn't it?" Wanda sighed.
"Either way, they help is appreciated," I activated my suit's thrusters and grabbed Wanda by the armpits, lifting her into the air, "move out!"
We split up and went our separate ways. I flew Wanda between the sides of buildings and just as we cleared out first turn we came upon a large square filled with people, being fired upon by soldiers dressed in black with plane white face masks.
"Drop me," Wanda cried out.
"What?!"
"Just do it!" she yelled.
I sighed, "fine!" I flew over the Dark Elves and let go. And she dropped down, the wind batter her red coat. But as she came closer and closer to the ground, I saw an aura of red kinetic energy building up around it, my sensors went crazy and I watched in awe as she collided into the ground like a cannonball.
BOOM!
Dust and sand filled the air, the elves around where she dropped had been flung threw the air while the rest looked confused, pointing their guns at the smoke.
"Dark Elves of Svartalfheim!" came a raw primal cry for the smoke. There was a gust of wind which sent the closest Elves flying back as the smoke scattered, leaving a glowing Wanda Maximoff in a crater the size of car with hands alight with red energy the likes of which I have never seen her use before, "you aren't welcome here….so fuck off!"
She threw her hands out wide and a blast of energy knocked down every Elf around her.
Suddenly my spider-sense kicked in, I turned to see a small battalion of black fighter pods approach us, taking aim at the people below.
"Sexy, please as much power as we can manage to my repulsors," I ordered as I closed my fist, feeling the repulsors power up.
"Heyo!" I cried out, flying into the squadron and throwing my hands out, "and goodbye!"
Twin bursts of energy blasted the rows of ships apart, knocking three out of the air and alerting the others. I shot out two web lines and stuck the burning remains of the ships to the side of buildings, keeping them from harming the people below.
"Peter, I belive you have gained their attention," Sexy added as the rest of them began firing on me immediately.
"Kind of noticed that!" I cried out, doing my best to maneuver through them, when suddenly I felt my spider-senses kick in again, but I couldn't move in time to avoid the blasting, and I felt something hit me with enough force to kick all the air out of my lungs.
I flew across the sky and into a building, driving through the windows and into what looked to be an Asgardian living room.
"Damnit," I hissed, pulling myself together, "what's the damage Sexy?"
"No physical damage to your person Peter, the vibranium in your suit absorbed all the kinetic energy," the faithful AI replied.
"Huh...cool," I picked myself up and walked to the giant hole in the wall I made, looking down at over a dozen fighter ships all aiming their guns at me. "can you analyse their onboard settings Sexy? Find out what makes them tick?"
"Yes, but it will take some time."
I couldn't fly out of this, no, I needed mobility, not speed. I smirked under my mask, guess it was time to go old school. I crouched and waited, waiting for them to strike, to move. And they didn't disappoint.
PEW!
The ship to my left fired. I jumped over the shot, landed on my feet and bounced out of the building and into the air. I landed on the cockpit window of the drone and looked inside to see the pilot look up at me in shock.
"Hey! You got a bug on your window! Might want to take care of that," spidey senses fired up, I jumped away just as another ship fired at me, getting and blasting their alley in the process.
"You just shot your own man? Aren't you guys supposed to be going extinct?" I landed on another ship and shot a web line, catching the shot down ship and swinging it with all my might. I felt my suit's internal support system kick in and aide me as I spun the ship like a ball and throw it into another.
The sound of their explosion was music to my ears. I jumped off the ship I stood on just as someone else fired on it, I danced through the gather drones, each one trying and failing to get me down.
I liked flying, more than anything. But it just wasn't me. This, jumping, leaping, swinging through the enemy, missing them by just a hair's breadth, this was me. Oh how I missed this.
I shot out webline, one after another, carefully moving each ship to fire on their own. I then webbed up the destroyed pieces, keeping them tied up in my cocoon of webs.
"Oye! Peter! Coming up!" I turned to see Wanda send several Elves flying into the air with her mind.
"Got them!" I yelled, firing several web bullet to past them against the sides of buildings, binding them to each other. I then turned to the last five ships and quickly moved to bring them down.
"Peter, I got it! Their engines are located in the back of the ship, knock it out and you put them down."
"Got it!" I jumped to avoid balster fire. I leaped to the other side of city square and fired off a web line. I did this over and over, missing every shot they took at me by a hair's breadth while creating a thicker and thicker layer of webbing before moving to end this.
I threw myself at the back end of a ship, plunging my fist into its hulme before jumping off, watching it drop down like a sack of potatoes and bounce off the webbing trampoline I had made.
One after the other the ships fell until finally they sky was clear of those drones. I looked down and saw the Elves inside climb out, guns in hand, reading to shoot the webbing trampoline and crush the people under them.
"No!" I cried out, reaching out and sending five red ribbons out of my hands, grabbing their weapons, and pulling it free. I threw the blasters into the air and fired a repulsor blast at them, blasting them all to pieces.
I jumped, landing on the trampoline with them. They charged me, fists raised an a roar on their lips. It took me five seconds to knock them all out.
Webbing them onto a building I jumped off the trampoline and found Wanda standing over a small mountain of bodies, holding one Elf by the throat.
"Wanda!" I yelled.
She stopped squeezing her fist and turned to me, and for an instant, I saw the weapon HYDRA had designed. Seeing the destroyed land around ehr and the piles of dead bodies, I understood. She was powerful...deadly even. I had never seen this side off her when she was with her, I realise now...she must have just done a better job at keeping it hidden than I thought.
"You let some alive?" she asked, tossing the nearly dead corpse aside, walking off the mountain, "you should have killed them."
"They are going extinct, endangered, you wouldn't kill a panda would you?" I asked.
Wanda turned to the crowing people, they looked scared, though to be honest, they looked more scared of us than of the elves. "I would if the pandas were people people by the thousands."
"Alright...we need to move," I turned to the people, "you all need to get underground, where's the nearest way there?"
"T-through there," an elderly man pointed to an alleyway to the left, "there is a path to the bunkers there."
"Then that's where we'll go," I nodded.
"I'll take the lead," Wanda said as she moved, "come on! We don't have much time." I had to admit, this was a first seeing her so pro-active in leading, guess she just needed the right motivation.
I pulled up the back as we hurried the people to safety. Like the old Asgardian said we found a bunker entrance right out of the alley. As we guided the people through down though, the ground itself suddenly began to shake.
"What the hell?" Wanda asked as the people began to look worried.
"Look! The palace!" someone yelled, pointing to the golden castle to the North. If the streets looked like a war zone, the palace was like no-man's land. It was partially aflame and partially broken down. And approaching it now was a ship larger than the ones leading the Dark Elves. And the worst part was that i recognized the design.
It looked like a large cylinder that had been twisted around with flat ends on either side. I had seen Ronin the accuser use it, a gift from the Mad Titan himself. And I had seen Thanos himself use it to destroy the last remaining Asgardians. It was a ship from Thanos' fleet and it was part of the attack on Asgard.
"This is wrong, it shouldn't be here!" I cried out as I watched ships drop down like the shape of fangs, crashing down into the ground, breaking the nearby structures apart. I watched as those drop ships opened up, releasing hundreds of black four armed dog like creatures. They pulled out and began destroying everything in their paths and I realised that maybe this time, my actions may have triggered a change so monumental, that for once I wouldn't know just how this day would end.
"Peter! The sky!" Wanda cried out, pointing to seven giant rifts in the sky that were suddenly forming over us. I could see images in the rifts, one of fire, one of ice, one of greenery and one of Greenwich Earth.
"Right….world aligning disaster, forgot about that."
"What do we do?" Wanda asked in a worried tone.
"We….we need to stop them," I looked to the hordes of Thanos' warriors swarm the people, the Asgardian army had already put down most of the Dark Elves, but now were slowly being overwhelmed by the new enemies, "if-if who I think is on that ship, then we need to be prepared to leave," I turned out the Asgardians, "this place might not be safe, you all need to get into different boats and leave!"
"What?! Are you crazy?!" someone cried out.
"Listen to me! You are not safe in there! You aren't safe anywhere! All of you right now need to get onto the biggest ship you can find and fly out of this world! When the danger passes, you can come back, but until then you need to flee!"
"We will not abandon our world!" someone else cried out.
"Well then you stay here and die!" Wanda dried out, "but if the rest of you want to live...then run."
"T-the shipping yard," the old man form before spoke up, "there are many ships there. More than enough for us all."
"Then you get there and get the hell out of here," I told him.
"The others, they will need to be warned," the old man realised.
"I will do it," a young boy suddenly volentured, standing proudly before the group of civilians, "I'm the fastest runner in all of Asgard uncle Baeter, let me do it! I'll run to the other bunkers and tell them all!"
"But Stilius-"
"No uncle! I have to do this," the boy's eyes shined, "if I don't do this now, how will I ever call myself an Asgardian?"
Wanda and I shared a look, we were both very impressed.
"Alright, then you run and get help while the rest of you get the ships at the yards ready," the ground rumbled again, I turned to find the streets now swearing with those berserker drones, all moving towards the castle which was protected now by a barricade of soldiers, but I doubt they would last very long.
"We need to hurry, I'll tell Red and Felicia to do the same, their still within my telepathic range," Wanda said as she closed her eyes and began to focus.
I nodded in agreement, I turned to the people one last time and nodded, "hurry, we'll stall them as long as we can."
"Brave sir and lady! W-who are you?" the old man asked.
"My name is Peter, this here is Wanda, and we're from Midgard, just passing by," I smiled, ignoring their shock at finding that they had just been saved by a couple of humans.
Wanda and I turned to the main road and found ourselves at one end of a very large road that stopped at the Palace.
"Do you have an ideas?" she asked, "because I don't think I can take on those many of those….things."
"I….I think i might, but, to be honest, I'm not sure how long I can hold it on my own."
"What do you need?" she asked.
"Well, you have the power and I have the focus," I held out my hand, "team up?"
Wanda raised an eyebrow, "if this is some ploy to get me to sign up with your harem, you're so going to get your ass kicked," she placed her hand on mine and held on tight.
"Don't worry, I think you might enjoy this," I grinned as I closed my eyes and began to focus. I knew I had the power to make this real, but implying it was another matter entirely. I focused and slowly, the image came into my head.
"Woah!" Wanda cried out as I formed a red sphere of psionic energy around us and began lighting us into the air by forming a red pillar below us.
"Alright Wanda, link us up and help me make this thing," she nodded and did just that, her raw power being feed through my mind, creating the vision I saw.
Slowly the energy began to spread out, moving through the air, forming the skeletal structure and then the muscle structure of what I had in mind. Years of studying animal biology became useful to me, finally, as I used that and memories of the skeleton structure of a T-rex to make this idea a reality.
"Peter, you have got to be kidding me," Wanda said in part annoyance and amazement as the structure I created came alive around us with the sphere we were in serving as the heart of the psionic structure.
"This, is freaking AWESOME!" I cried out, throwing our hands into the air, a motion the structure we were inside mimicked as it also let of a cry of uncontrolled excitement and power.
It's jaws opened and out of its mouth came a thunderous roar that drew the eyes over everyone around it, "SKREEEOOO!"
With Jean and Felicia:
"Get to the ships! Hurry!" Jean cried out.
"But what if they get us while we're flying off?" an elderly woman asked.
"We have your back ma'am, trust us," Felicia said in the calmest voice she could.
"And why should we?!" an older man cried out.
Just then two Dark Elves ran into the group of retreating Asgardians and got ready to fire, only for Felicia to pounce on them both, driving her sharp claws threw their necks, killing them without a second thought.
"I suggest you listen to my friend," Jean said as she telepathically flug the Elves to the air, "she has a very short temper."
They didn't say a thing after that.
"Where are Peter and Wanda?" Felicia asked as she cleaned her claws, "we need to regroup, whatever this new army is, I don't like our chances."
"I'm sure we'll find them, we just have to-"
"SKREEEOOO!" the roar cut through their conversation. Felicia and Jean shared a look before Jean flew into the air, carrying Felicia with her as they cleared the Asgardian skyline and saw a red giant structure standing before them.
Felicia's jaw dropped, "Oh. My-"
"-Did they-"
"-Yes."
"But….how?"
"I don't know."
The Palace:
The soldiers were being pushed back. The Outriders were weak alone but strong in mass. And they there were in mass that's for sure.
The soldier would never admit defeat, but they all knew they would die here, right now would be their last stands. They would die protecting their people, their only hope now would be a peaceful end.
And then, came the sound that would be spoken about in Asgardian mead halls. It may be forgotten over time, but, for at least the next thousand years it would hailed as a victory cry to beat all victory cries.
"SKREEEOOO!"
The Outriders, for a second, turned their attention to the roar. To the gigantic red beast that had suddenly appeared on the main road leading to the palace. The beat stood on two gigantic legs and was half the size of the palace itself. It resembled a dragon of sorts, sav no wings, instead it had coral like fins running down it's back and two small arms with a massive swinging tail behind it.
For a second, the soldiers feared that death would be upon them all. If that thing was an enemy, they would all die. But then, it spoke.
"I'M GODZILLA BITCHES!" it charged, it's massive steps shaking the ground. It leaped into the air, a feat seemingly impossible for something of its mass. And then.
BOOM!
It landed right in the middle of the Outrider army.
I spun, it's giant tail serving as a scythe as it cleaved down all the monsters around it. It stepped its feet on their numbers, killing hundreds with each step. It came closer and closer to the palace, and the soldiers felt hope cleanse their souls once more.
"For Asgard!" they cried out, pushing the destable Outrides back several feet.
And then, the monster deployed it's most devastating blow against the Outriders yet.
It's heart began to glow bright, for the more observant of the men, they noticed to people inside that thing, one red and the other black. The red one's eyes were glowing, their hands alight. And slowly, the monster, this Godzilla, opened it's maw, and out came a red blast of energy that cleaved right through the Outrider's army, parting it in half.
"My the All-Father," the captain of the gaurd whispered, "what is that?!"
"SKREEEOOO!"
And then, as soon as it came, it vanished. Disappearing into nothing, leaving behind two individuals, who flew across the sky, over the army they had just reduced to one-thirds and into the golden palace.
"Sir….what is going on?" a soldier asked.
"I don't know….but one thing's for sure, I think they are on our side."
With Peter and Wanda:
"Th-tha was exhausting!" Wanda painted.
"But so fun," I replied, feeling my own energy near empty, my suit taking control and flying Wand and I away into the palace.
"Tiger! Wanda!" we landed on the palace balcony just in time to see Jean and Felicia arrive, landing before us.
"Did you seriously just make a Godzilla out of Psionic energy?" Jean asked, her eyes still wide with shock.
"You could do that?!" Felicia joined in.
"No normally," I admitted as Wanda and I slowly managed to pull ourselves together, "but with Wanda's power, we kind of managed to pull it off. Though it seriously wasn't enough. I mean, it lasted maybe five minutes before we had to stop."
"Yeah, but in that five minutes you destroyed more than half of those things!" Felicia yelled, "damn it, now I'm regretting not having psychic powers as well!"
"Yeah well, maybe next time we-" I stopped, my spider-sense started to hit me. Hard.
"Tiger? Is something wrong?" Jean asked with worry. I turned around, and there, flying over ahead, was the ship, his ship. And lowered down from it was a small vessel, carrying what looked to be two people.
The gigantic war ship then began to fly away, moving further and further away from Asgard, while the vessel it released came down before us on the balcony, the two people on it stepping out to massive sizes. I recognized both of them at once.
"I shall admit," the first one spoke, standing at nearly thirty feet tall. He was burning, literally cloaked in flames with a crown in the shape of a 'V', a broad sword strapped to his back and a tail swinging behind him, "your abilities were impressive. I planned on taking my sweet time, watching Asgard burned before I finished the job myself, but it would seem I will have to fight myself."
"No need," his companion growled. He was also massive, nearly half the fire giant's height. He looked like he could make the Hulk look like a twig with massive arms and horns on chin. He wore a black sleeves vest with a black uniform, a red and blue banner divided by gold tied around his hip and a massive pickaxe like tool strapped to his back, "my father sent you to complete a mission, it will done."
"Surtur," I whispered at the flame covered demon, "Obsidian."
"Oh look, he knows of us, lovely," the aging demon chuckled before coughing out hard.
Obsidian threw him a look, "enough talk, you head down to the treasury, I'll cleave you a path," he drew his weapon and turned to us, "remember our deal Surtur, Asgard falls-"
"Yes, I know," the demon growled.
"The hell it will," I growled, stepping forward.
"Oh, and you and these women are planning to stop us? Hm?" he chuckled.
"Yes," Wanda's eyes glowed, "now shut up and fight."
"Very well," Surtur smiled, "but don't say I didn't warn you."
"ARGHH!" Obsidian swung his weapon, the head of which detached and flew out with a chain attached behind it.
I jumped forward and over the weapon, kicking it of course before webbing it to the ground. "Didn't your mother ever tell you it was rude to throw deadly weapons at strangers?"
"ARGH!" Obsidian pulled, ripping his weapon off the ground before swinging git back at me again.
"Let's dance asshole," Felicia said, throwing multiple smoke bombs at Surtur, cloaking the Demon in black smoke.
"Pitiful," the demon said as it swung it's blade, clearing the smoke out, just in time to see Wand and Jean telepathically throw a marble pillar at his head. Without barely an effort, he raised his blade and cleaved through the rock.
"Stop playing around with the females Surtur! Get to the vault!" Obsidian ordered as I webbed his eyes before summoning a magical whip and grabbing his weapon and pulling it out of his hands.
"Very well," Surtur snorted as he brought his blade down. It struck the marble floor and the shock wave sent the girls flying away.
"No!" I cried out, distracted for a second. Obsidian used that second to pull the webbing out of his eyes and leap at his weapon, grabbing it in midair and pulling it back, hard, snapping my magical whip in the process.
"Die, peasants," Surtur leveled his blade at the girls and threw his power forward. A blast of fire came right for them.
"No!" I sent a repulsor blast at Obsidian, hitting him right in the face, blasting him across the balcony before turning back. I was about to summon shield to protect them, when suddenly Jean crawled forward and threw her hands up in protection.
KRAKOOM!
Fire net fire as Jean gritted her teeth. Her hair flowing back as somehow Surtur's flames were being kept at bay threw Jean's pure will alone. The flames seemed to burn the ground around her, but she was unharmed.
"Impressive," Surtur said, stopping his flames, "to have stopped my flames alone, you have such raw power," Jean dropped her hands, covered in sweat. Surtur leaned in his eyes narrowed, "how? How is this possible? What….are y-"
"HEY ass wipe!" he turned, just in time to see two giant canon coming out of my arms aimed at his face, "fuck off!"
BOOM!
Surtur cried out in pain as he was blasted through half a dozen walls, going right into the throne room of the palace where I saw Odin and Thor fighting Malekith and his forces.
"What the-Surtur?!" Odin cried out in horror.
"Odin," Surtur spoke as he got back up, seemingly unfazed by my attack. The two stared each other down.
"Thor, handle Malekith and protect your mother," Odin and Surtur began to circle each other, "I have a fire bug to crush."
"ARGH!" I turned, just in time to see Obsidian try and tackle me. I leap over him and blasted him in the back, knocking him down to his knees.
But Obsidian was relentless, he got back up and continued to attack with his weapon. He attacked me constantly and viciously. "ARGH! Stop moving around!"
I landed on the balcony and squatted, "hey, it's not like I want to die. What kind of idiot do you take me for?"
"A dead one!" he roared as he charged at me, I waited for the last minute before jumping away. He crashed through the balcony railing and roared as went flying down. I thought I was in the clear when suddenly his weapon's head came flying up and grabbed my leg, dragging me down with him.
I was pulled down, I flicked my wrist and with a 'skit' my stingers came out. I swiped down and cleaved through Obsidian weapon with ease, freeing myself. I levitated in the air and watched the servant of Thanos crash down into the Castle grounds below.
I slowly came down, watching him for any sudden movements. I approached his body cautiously, he was still, not moving. But I knew he was alive, I could hear his heartbeat. He was faking.
I took another step closer when he suddenly got up, "GRAH-ack!" his roar was cut shot as he looked down and saw my hand sticking into his chest. His chest began to leak blood out, gush it. This was the first time...the first time I killed someone with my bare hands. But for all the lectures I had given myself on why it was morally grey, I could honestly say I felt nothing.
He dropped back down, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. He didn't have a heartbeat anymore. Hell, judging by the amount of flesh I had ripped though he barely even had a heart anymore.
I stepped back and was about to fly back up to join the girls and when I saw a device attached to the side of his hip beginning to glow. I reached down and picked it up. It was a small circular disk, I tapped the button to the side, and suddenly a hologram came alive over it.
"Obsidian, is it done?" he was just as….purple as I thought. He wore a helmet, but i could make out it was hime. That ball-like chin couldn't have belonged to anyone else.
"I'm sorry, but your ugly big friend can't come to the phone right now. Can I take a message?" humour was always my best defense mechanism.
"You….are not Obsidian."
"No shit Sherlock."
"Who are you? Where is my son?"
"Dead."
I see his eyes widen for a fraction of a second, "my Black Order cannot die to such ordinary people...who are you?"
"Me? Oh, I'm no one….but if you ever think about attacking this world or any world again, then I'm your worst nightmare."
"You know who I am?"
"Yeah...Thanos."
"Then you know what I do...you have seen my forces. What I have sent today to Asgard is just a fraction of a fraction. You cannot hope to stand up to my armies, you cannot hope to win."
I leaned in close, "kiss my ass purple man," and crushed the disk in my hand. I dropped the shattered object to the ground and sighed, even as a hologram, I had to say, that guy was one intense mother fucker.
I blasted back up to the balcony, just as the girls were getting back tot hier feet.
"Are you alright?" I asked, helping Jean steady herself.
"A little tired but….I think I'll manage," she admitted.
"How did you do that?" I asked, "I've never seen you so...strong?"
"I-I don't know," she rubbed her head, "but I...I can feel it Peter….that power? I can feel it now. It's not there in the back of my mind anymore, it's here, at the very edges of my fingers. And I...I think it's getting stronger."
"But why now?" Felicia asked, "what's changed?"
I looked up at the sky, the worlds were coming closer and closer, "it must be something to do with the Convergence….I don't know what but….we don't have time for this. Jean, whatever you do, don't use that power again. The Phoenix will scenes you and come after you...please Jean, be careful."
"I understand Tiger," she nodded.
"Right, let's see if Thor needs help," we nodded and rushed, jumping through the holes in the walls Surtur made when I blasted him, arriving at the throne room. Just in time to see Odin get blasted back on his ass by Surtur.
"You have gotten old Odin," the fire giant sounded pleased, extatic even, "I'll admit, if my new well wisher hadn't given me the embers of Oaugi to recover my strength, I too may have been feeble like you. But I am strong! And you, will die with the rest of your people. For today, Ragnarok has co-"
THUNK!
Mjolner hit him up the head before returning to Thor, "sorry. But not today."
"Thor! Do not ignore me!" Malekith cried out. The rest of his army had been brought down it seemed, only he remained standing, "you and your father will pay for this!"
"Enough!" Surtur roared as he smashed his sword into the ground. The enetier throne room began to shake.
"Hold onto something!" I cried out as I grabbed Jean and Wanda, Felicia already on one pillar, climbing up using her sharp claws.
The ground broke apart, a giant hole forming before Surtur. The ceiling broke down, I watched as the visage of Thor and Loki came crashing down revealing the truth of Asgard behind it, Hela and Odin in a sea of blood.
"Look Asgardian," Surtur pointed to the ceiling, "that is your true legacy! Of war! Of destruction! And now, it's time to end the reign of the cruelest dictators in the whole known galaxy!" and with than, he jumped into the pit, going down into the darkness below.
"NO! Vengeance will be mine!" Malekith cried out as he tried to charge Thor with a blade in hand, only for Sif to come between them, blocking the Elf with the Ebony blade and cutting his right hand clean off.
"Go after him!" Sif yelled back. Thor gave her a node before he did just that, jumping in after the demon.
"I have failed," Odin whispered as he got back to his feet, "I am so old, and I have failed."
"My love!" Frigga called from behind a pillar as she rushed to her husband's side, helping him to his throne.
Odin looked up at the mural on the ceiling, tears coming down his lone eye, "I'm sorry...I am so sorry. My age… my power..."
"He will stop him, our son will stop him," Frigga promised.
"Yes….he will," Odin turned to us, "boy, go, help my son. I promise, save Asgard and you will be our allies till the end of time."
"Okay...but more because Thor's my buddy," I turned out the girls, "you all up for one last fight?"
"Bring it," Felicia said as she dropped down besides us.
"I will come s well," Sif said as she turned to me and nodded.
"What about Malekith?" I asked.
"I may be old, but even I can protect my wife," Odin growled as he pointed his spear and blasted the maimed weeping elf, sending him flying back into a wall, "you will not die just yet cur. For the crime of threatening my wife, you will wish for death, but will never get it. This I promise."
I didn't know what to say, so I shut up. Which was an odd thing for me to do. We approached the hole Surtur made and jumped through. Sif free falled while the rest of us floated down telepathically.
We landed at the beginning of a great hallway, decked on both sides by walls made of stone. "Where are we?" Wanda asked.
"The entrance to Odin's treasure room," Sif said, "come quick, we haven't a second to lose.'
We rushed through, I looked around and saw several items of power. For a second, I thought I saw the infinity gauntlet, but then I realised it was a fake, like Hela said in Ragnarok. Though it did have me wondering, what was Odin doing with something like that in the first place?
We past by several other treasures, one of which I recognized. The Space stone. I wanted to grab it, I really did. But if Odin found out it could mean war with Earth, something no one wanted. So I took my attention away from it and back to following the sound of battle.
We reached the final chamber in the hall, just in time to find Thor on his back, Mjolner tossed aside and Surtur with his blade up, about to strike Thor down, "let the legacy of death die with you, Odinson."
"Sorry, but if anyone's going to kill that oof, it's going to be me," came a cheeky british voice as suddenly Loki appeared out from under an illusion, holding in his hand what looked like a sub-par version of the tesseract.
"Loki?!" Thor cried out.
"What?!" Surtur turned, just in time to get a blast of cold air come hit him straight in face. Blasting him aside, right into a light brazier.
"Yes, yes, it is I, come to save the day once more," Loki smirked, "I was going to escape with some of Odin's best treasures, but really, who does this fire big think he is?"
"Loki what have you done?!" Thor cried out, summoning his hammer and getting back up.
"I believe I just saved your life, a thank you would go a long way you know?" he snorted.
"A thank you?! You threw him into the Eternal flame!"
"Yes, which burns anything that goes into it, including him," Loki snorted.
"No! It doesn't!"
"Thor, don't be silly, of course it-"
KRAKOOM!
Out of the flames Surtur stood up once more and smirked. Loki turned to Thor, "we should run."
"RUN!" we all turned and ran. The chambers began to heat up, the air almost unbreathable as we got back to the hole we came out of and flew back up.
"What happened? Is he-Loki?!" Odin cried out in surprise.
"Run!" was Thor's one word reply.
"I knew it! It's always you isn't it Loki?!" Odina cried out in rage and he and Frigga followed us to the balcony.
"Bad parenting later, running now!" I yelled. We all leaped off the balcony. I grabbed Felicia and Sif. Thor took Loki and Odin his wife. We flew through the air and landed on the roof of a nearby large structure. We turned back, just in time to see the entire palace exploded into stone, gold and fire.
"I AM ALIVE!" Surtur roared as he grew to hieghts I couldn't even imagine anything alive being. "AND NOW, ASGARD WILL FALL!"
Just then, a fleet of Asgardian ships suddenly flew in, blasting Surtur in the face.
"ARGH!" he cried out, trying to swat them away, but failing. I looked around and realised that there were ships all around his, most of them filled with Asgardians, the people we had saved, they had come back to try and save us.
"They are keeping him distracted, but they can't do it forever. We need to stop him," I turned to Odin, "do you have anything? Anything that can help us?'
"I-I..yes, we could trap him, inside the palace," Odin turned to Thor, "if you charge the energy powering the castle's barrier it could by us a few minutes!"
"What good will a few minutes do?!" Loki cried out.
"It's better than nothing boy!"
"YA!" Jean grabbed her head and dropped to her knees.
"Jean!" Felicia, Wanda and I were at her side, holding her steady as she began to shake, "Jean? Are you okay?"
"The girl's scared is all," Odin dismissed her and turned to the fire giant, "Thor, take away his blade, without it, Surtur won't be able to break apart Asgard!"
"Yes father!" Thor spun his hammer and with a battle cry heard all through the land he began attacking Surtur, though it looked more like a fly hitting a wall that an epic battle.
"Loki," Odin turned to his foster son and sighed, "Asgard needs you….will you help us?"
"And why must I? You threw me in a cage!" Loki roared.
"You tried to enslave my world asshole!" Felicia cried out.
"And?" Loki snorted.
"Loki...please, for me?" Frigga begged. The man looked like he wanted to object but just sighed and nodded.
Odin nodded, "thank you...the casket you hold Loki, was made to be used by a frost giant...it's true power only you can awaken….do you understand?"
"Yes...father, I do," Loki nodded, he walked forward, I watched as his skin began to turn blue, his eyes red. He held out the casket with both hands and for a second, it felt like winter itself had come for us all.
That was before the casket had all it's chill turned down towards Surtur, hitting him in the gut like a cannonball.
"OF!" he gasped, holding his stomach in pain. The momentary distraction allowed Thor to knock Surtur's sword free of his grasp and hit it across the city.
"We can do this, we can actually do this," I whispered.
"Peter!" Jean hissed, I turned and gasped at seeing the tears in her eyes. She looked at me, begging, pleading, "I can hear it Peter. I can hear it speaking to me."
"W-what is it saying?" I asked.
"I-It's saying it can help...it can help me defeat Surtur," she whispered, "Peter, I can save us...all of us."
"No, Jean, no!" I cried out, "fight it Jean! We don't need it, can't you see?! We're winning!"
"What is the girl on about?!" Odin demanded.
I opened my mouth to tell him it was nothing, but before I could, Jean cried out, "the Phoenix! It's coming!"
"SONS OF ODIN!" Surtur roared as he swung his fist down at Loki, only to have Thor knock it aside with Mjolnir, "INSOLENT PESTS! NO, WORSE THAN PESTS!" and with a well aimed swat, he got Thor with his fist and sent him flying down into the ground.
"THOR!" Frigga cried out in horror.
"AND NOW, THE ICE!" Surtur reached for his blade and raised it into the air. He swung the weapon, sending a wave of fire out, making Loki's chilling winter into a soft summer breeze.
KRACK!
A split came down the middle of the Casket of Winters as ti shatter in Loki's hand. The frost giant was blasted back, Frigga managed to grab him and hold him, though he was undoubtedly unconscious.
"Girl! Do it! Do it now!" Odin cried out, prompting Jean, "if you don't, everyone will die!"
"No, Jean, don't-'
"-Shut up boy! There are thousands, hundreds of thousands of lives at stake!" Odin roared, turning his one eye on Jean, "and you can save them all. Just say yes."
Jean's eyes went wide as she suddenly stopped shaking. She turned to Felicia and then me, and with a smile, she whispered, "I love you… both of you and I…..I am sorry." I opened my mouth to object, but just then, two flaming orbs replaced Jean's green eyes as suddenly, a cry took over the battlefield.
"KRYA!" it came out of one of the rifts in space caused by the Convergence. We watched as what seemed like a second sun came out of these rifts in space and time, taking on the form of a bird.
This raptor spread its wings, it's edges covering the whole of Asgard, towering even over Surtur himself. It looked down at us, us, less that ants in it's preakness. And it picked one of us to inhabit.
I watched, helpless as Jean was covered with a column of fire, carried into the air, limp, almost unconscious. Her hair flew up, spread out. The planet sized bird began to shrink, becoming smaller and smaller until it created a stream of fire that entered Jean's body.
And then, silence.
Even Surtur was silent as we all watched the levitating girl in the middle of the air with a golden aura and flowing red locks.
And then, she opened her eyes. And instead of the eyes I knew, I grew to love, orbs of fire had taken its place.
"Begone," were the first words out of Jean's mouth as she flicked her hand at Surtur.
And the result was an explosion. And explosion so bright and powerful I threw everyone, even Odin himself off our feet.
KABOOM!
I grabbed Wanda and Felicia and covered us with a psionic barrier, getting the brunt of the damage. Wanda did her best to supply me with energy, but she was still tapped out.
We were septn flying through the air, the world itself seemed to be on fire as the wind howled over us, the sky was ablaze with light, and ground seemed to splinter down in half.
We landed on one of the main roads of the city, on top of a broken down building. I released the girls and as one we all looked up. Surtur was gone. Not a trace of him remained. The only one left standing, was Jean.
"Jean?" I whispered.
For a second, I thought she heard me as she turned. She turned and looked at me. But those burning orbs didn't recognize me...they didn't love me. And without another word, Jean began to fly away, into the sky of ripples and tears in space, and vanished without a trace.
"No..." I whispered, dropping down to one knee.
"W-where did she go?" Felicia asked.
"I-I don't know," I replied.
"Peter...what are we going to do?"
I was quite. Silent. And then, from the sky, I saw a ray of light come falling down to us, landing before the two us. Inside that light, was a feather, a single feather. It was a sign, a message.
"...get her back," I reached out and took the feather in my hands, holding Felicia's hand with my other, picking myself back off the ground, "Jean...she gave up her freedom to save us….we're going to get her back."
Felicia squeezed my hand and nodded. We looked out at the sky as the ripples in the universe began to split apart. The Convergence was over, never to be seen again for five thousand years. We would have to start there, I just know it….somewhere out there… Jean was waiting for us.
So Today is my birthday M going to party full on but i also posted two more chapters As a gift to myself hahahahahah......