《Champion: Shazam in The M.C.U.》


 The New Billy Batson.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    What is that smell?


    I groaned, reaching out to my glasses only for my hands to land on nothing but empty air.


    Drops of water hit the sink periodically, the sound almost too loud despite the roar of traffic outside the building. Wait, that''s odd. I didn''t live anywhere near traffic.


    Immediately, I sat up in alarm. My heart sped up. I didn''t recognize this place. The walls were filled with peeling wall paper and the overhead light was dim and kept on flickering.


    A window with old blinds was drawn up and past it I could see skyscrapers piercing through the skyline.


    I wasn''t new to life in the city. Before moving back to the Suburbs to take care of my aging grandma, I had worked valet at the Burlington Cape, a hotel in Vermont, so I wasn''t a stranger to the city.


    But this skyline was different. I recognized nothing. My head was also Killing me. I got up, swinging my legs over the bed and wore the crocs at the foot of the small bed.


    Getting up, a wave of Vertigo slammed into me. My balance felt off.


    The same feeling you get once you step out of a roller coaster. I leaned on the wall before stumbling to the bathroom and hurling everything into the toilet bowl.


    A few minutes later, I was staring wide eyed at the teenage face in the mirror.


    A face that did not belong to me. At all. Where I had retained the rich brown skin from my Dad''s indian descent, the teen who looked to be about 17 was Caucasian with blue eyes and black hair.


    His build was medium. Something you would expect from a typical teenage boy who did little exercise but was still healthy. It. Was. Not. Me.


    My breath started coming out in panicked and uncontrolled exhales. The walls of the room seemed to be shrinking into me.


    "Focus on feeling."


    I whispered a mantra my Grandma had taught me.


    "I am one with myself. I am one with the world. The world is within me just as I am within it..."


    My breath evened out.


    "Thanks Grandma."


    I whispered, habitually going for my necklace. My hand lowered, there was nothing there. This wasn''t my body. Whoever this kid was, I had probably killed him.


    I felt nauseous again and elected to leave the bathroom. Panicking over my situation wasn''t going to help. What I needed to do was take stock.


    Survive.


    As I closed the door behind me, I couldn''t help but note that the bathroom floor was a bit flooded with water. The sink seemed to be blocked as well.


    I will jump the gun and assume this is probably my new home.


    If I was to stay here however, I needed to see what I could do to fix a few things.


    Walking out into the 1 bedroom apartment, the air inside seemed to be more oppressive than earlier. The light outside the window had dimmed as well. I must have been there for more than an hour.


    I cast my eyes around the small apartment to see if I could spot anything that would answer a few of my questions. For starters what was this Kid''s name? There was a dishwasher, a stained couch, a small lazy fan on the ceiling, the bed and...wait.


    I approached the bed, staring at the white thick envelope lying on it.


    That hadn''t been there when I had gone to the bathroom. I reached out and opened it, flipping the contents onto the bed.


    My face twisted into a confused frown.


    The only things inside were a roll of cash that turned out be about 200 bucks when I counted it, a small swiss knife and a black smartphone that had a very recognizable logo at the back.


    "Stark tech?" I ran a finger above the logo.


    "Are you kidding me?"


    I muttered, this being the first time I had heard this body''s voice.


    I stopped.


    I need to start thinking of it as my body now.


    While I wasn''t exactly thrilled with taking over someone''s life, I needed to be realistic and act as the person I saw in the mirror.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    It would be dangerous if someone thought the kid was possessed or crazy if I started panicking over my situation or slipped up and said something suspicious.


    I flipped through the final item on the bed, a worn black wallet. Looking into it, I found a single piece of paper.


    "Your new name is Billy Batson. You are in Marvel. Say the word."


    I reread the note. Billy Batson as in Shazam? DC''s Captain Marvel? And I was in Marvel?! She-Hulk twerks Marvel? God I hope not.


    What is happening? The note said to say the word. The only word I could think of was...


    I dropped the items on the bed and walked back a couple of paces, not wanting to risk burning my mattress when I only had 200 dollars to my name.


    "I should do it on the Rooftop. Less chance of anyone getting hurt."


    I mused.


    However, the prospect of going out there when I had no idea what to expect was daunting.


    I released a short breath while closing and opening my palms gingerly.


    No, it was smarter to stay in the apartment.


    Here goes nothing.


    "Shazam!"


    There was a sudden rumble from the sky. Lightning flashed and crackled in the clouds outside my window... then nothing too eye-catching happened.


    I wasn''t suddenly a 6 foot massive muscle man wearing a red costume with a lightning symbol on my chest.


    I was still me. Kinda.


    That didn''t mean nothing happened at all. Before my eyes was a blue text box with electric flashes around the edges.


    ~~~~~


    (You have been chosen to become a Champion. The Divine Essence of the gods flows within you. Are you worthy?)


    ~~~~~


    That''s it?


    I pressed a finger on the text box and a slight tingle went through me. Then I dragged the box to the sides. The text box collapsed, minimized to a lightning bolt icon at the edge of my vision.


    Huh.


    That...


    Another text box immediately took it''s place.


    This one was very clearcut.


    ~~~~~~


    (Mission)


    (Take a walk. Learn about where you are.)


    (Reward:- Unlock more missions)


    ~~~~~~


    Oookay.


    I dismissed that particular text box as well, clicking on the accept button as I sat down to go over everything.


    First things first. I''m in the Marvel universe. Which one I had no clue. It could be the M.C.U with all of it''s wokeness. God, living in the modern world is exhausting.


    It could be the Ultimates universe in which case, give me the M.C.U any day of the week or it could be any of Marvel''s comic runs, alternate timelines, parallel universes...


    I stopped myself from falling into that rabbit hole.


    Secondly, I was in Marvel as Billy Batson. And that meant, although I hadn''t gotten the powers of Shazam yet, there was a possibility that I soon would, though it was frustrating to have to wait however long that would take.


    Maybe I should try it again.


    "Shazam!"


    I yelled.


    Nothing happened. So it wasn''t a fluke, I really couldn''t access his abilities.


    ~~~~~~


    (Nothing is free in the world. Especially THIS world. Carry out the missions and you will grow more powerful.)


    ~~~~~~


    Another text box said. Could whoever was controlling this read my thoughts?


    "Hey, if you can hear me... I''m not sure you know what you''re doing. You took me out of my life..."


    I said, scratching my arm in that nervous tic I could never seem to get rid of.


    "It was a good life. I can be persistent. Very very persistent. And that can make anyone dangerous. So take me back."


    No one answered.


    My Grandma''s face flashed infront of my eyes. At least my cousins were there to take care of her. She was the closest family I had, ever since my parents died in a skydiving accident. Yeah, what are the odds?


    "Fine."


    I sighed, rubbing my chin like I always did when I was deep in thought.


    So to recap, I was in a world of Gods, Superpowered individuals, monsters and cosmic entities with the power to rewrite the very fabric of reality.


    If that wasn''t enough, I had to work to gain the power to protect myself in this crazy world where a warmongering Tyrant could simply decide to come for the few infinity stones on Earth, which would inadvertently fuck half the universe.


    Not to mention all the world ending attacks that struck the world every few months.


    God...get it together Vi...no Billy. Get it together Billy.


    I had a Stark phone, with that at least I could research a few things to better understand where I was in the timeline.


    I could probably stretch the 200 bucks over the week and a few days before I thought of something else.


    Let''s hope this apartment''s rent is already paid for. I also had to consider the fact that maybe I hadn''t taken over Billy''s body.


    Shazam was a character from DC; one of the few ones who could go toe to toe with Superman but that''s besides the point.


    Basically, he didn''t exist in Marvel. This body might have been made especially for me.


    Now then. Time to face the music. If I wanted to survive here then I had to learn about my environment quickly.


    I searched through the closet and found a few cheap clothes, they looked new, never having been worn, further adding to my theory that this body might have been created recently.


    For someone to have that kind of power...I shuddered in both trepidation and hunger. I wanted that for myself too, just to make sure I didn''t die...and to go after the one responsible for bringing me into this death world.


    I went through the closet to take stock and managed to find a few interesting things. Some high quality but average looking boots and a cool leather jacket that screamed Bad Boy from the 80''s that I thought was cool.


    The jacket fit me well and the boots also turned out be my size and we''re pretty comfy. Now dressed, I left to complete my first mission.


    The door to the apartment was jammed when I tried to open it. It took a few tries but I managed to push through, revealing a similarly dreary hallway.


    20 minutes later and I was seated inside a coffee shop a few blocks from my apartment.


    The hot coffee was something familiar. A burst of energy sweeping through my body and easing the headache that had plagued me ever since I waking up.


    Most of the 20 minutes was spent scrolling through the smartphone, using the Wi-Fi in the Coffee shop to learn about my new world.


    It was the year 2015. So the Avengers were already a thing. Oh and not only that so was spiderman too. He had started a couple of months ago and the backlash from one J.Jonah Jameson was swift.


    You had to wonder why the man only harassed Spiderman when the Avengers destroyed more public property than the the Friendly Neighborhood Arachnid.


    The roster of the Avengers was also familiar. There was Tony Stark as Iron Man, Captain America, Hulk, Thor, Hawkeye and Black Widow. Pretty standard.


    Falcon had also recently joined them. A bit earlier than in the M.C.U.


    They also looked similar to their actor counterparts but only slightly. Thor was huge and Black Widow...holy crap was she hot.


    A few news articles spoke of a black monster that swung through buildings but that was in San Francisco.


    And then by accident, I stumbled on a research paper, titled ''Men of power and consequences'' written by one Charles Xavier. If the name was not indication enough...


    I placed the Stark phone down with a sigh, rubbing my eyes.


    Mutants were a thing.


    Fuck.

 The Wisdom of Solomon

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "Refill?"


    A voice broke through my heavy thoughts.


    I looked up at the redhead standing before me. She was beautiful. Comic Book pretty.


    I blinked, realizing I was staring.


    "Oh."


    I placed my phone face down, the screen going dark on the Charles Xavier tab I had opened.


    "Umm yeah. I wouldn''t mind."


    She smiled and poured me more of the black nectar worshipped by workaholics around the globe.


    "Haven''t seen you here before."


    She said in a conversational tone.


    "First time in the city." ''world'', I replied, adding the last bit in my mind. I hoped I wasn''t being awkward on account of this being the very first person I had talked to in this universe.


    "I never introduced myself, I''m...Billy. Billy Batson."


    I quickly caight myself before I gave my real name, Vijay.


    She reached out and shook my hand with a giggle.


    "Nice to meet you Billy Batson. My name is..."


    "MJ?!"


    Someone called out from the counter, a bearded man of Latin descent.


    "We have a few customers coming in."


    He added, glaring at me. Probably for taking up too much of the beautiful Barista''s time.


    "Coming Pedro." She responded before turning to me.


    "Sorry, duty calls."


    MJ said, hurrying off and leaving me with my thoughts.


    Red hair, beautiful face and her name...could she be ''that'' MJ? Spiderman''s Mary Jan Watson?


    I finished my drink quickly, spending a few more minutes on the phone looking over the specs. The Stark Smartphone was much more advanced than anything I had used before. This bad boy had no lags whatsoever.


    I couldn''t say the same about it''s encryption though. Something told me not to search for sensitive information that a civilian was not supposed to know about.


    "Thanks."


    I paid the bill.


    The manager at the counter, Pedro, grunted my way as I left while Mj waved at me with a smile.


    I felt my face light up with a blush, cursing my hormonal teenage body as I walked out into the cold New York air.


    Looking at the time, it was already 8.


    The streets were crowded with people going out or going home. My apartment was a few blocks from here, so I settled into a casual walk, simply allowing my mind to wander as I tried to come to terms with my situation.


    Everything was different yet not.


    One thing I noted was the branding. Most of the billboards had something to do with superheroes. One of them showed an image of Tony Stark, chilling outside of KFC with a bucket of chicken and in his armor.


    I snorted. I wonder what they did to actually have Iron Man in that ad.


    Then again, I wouldn''t be surprised if in this world, Stark owned the food chain company. Guy was loaded as fuck. Stark Tower was huge from the pictures online and I couldn''t wait to see it up close and personal for myself.


    My stomach growled and I realized that apart from the coffee, I hadn''t had anything else to eat. The pastries inside Pedro''s coffee shop had looked delicious but also too expensive for me.


    I seriously needed to find a way to make money. That line of thought brought me to the interface minimized at the corner of my eyes. Maybe the missions would reward me with money if I completed them?


    It wouldn''t make sense for anyone who brought me here to go to so much trouble, only for them to sit back and watch as I died of starvation.


    What I needed to do was find an all you can eat restaurant. I brought out my phone, scrolling through to search when I heard it.


    A scream.


    Specifically a girl''s scream, coming from the alley to my side.


    What are the fucking odds? Someone up there must be laughing at my expense.


    The people on the sidewalk seemed to all speed up, not wanting to get involved in whatever was happening. I stood there for what felt like hours but was only a few seconds, battling with indecision.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Maybe I should leave. I''m not a hero...


    "Help me!!"


    The scream came again, this time more desperate and I realized the decision was stolen from me. I couldn''t stay away from this.


    Despite my better judgement, I pocketed my phone and run into the darkened alley, grabbing a trash can lid on the way.


    The buildings on either side were tall, shooting up to the sky, blocking most of the lights from the city.


    A dog barked as I stepped on a puddle of dark water, splashing the bottom of my pants.


    I frowned. There was a shuffle from up ahead. The trash can lid was held infront of me as I advanced slowly.


    "Hey! I called the police!..."


    I yelled into the darkness.


    Fuck. I actually didn''t, which I now realize was a mistake. I was out of my depth here.


    The statement from the text box earlier replayed in my mind.


    ''Are you worthy?''


    Something stirred within me. I jumped back as a sound rang out on the railing of the fire escape on the left side building.


    A cat hissed at another, both felines jumping into the alleyway before disappearing off into the darkness.


    I exhaled the breath I was holding in. It was just cats. But...what about the scream?


    A shiver went up my spine.


    "I told you we could trick one." A soft and melodic voice said from my back.


    "Just takes screaming like a damsel in distress and wannabe Knights will come running in to save you."


    The female voice ended in a sing-songy tone.


    I was scared to turn around. My heart pumped within my chest. Goddamnit! goddamnit! It was a trap and I fell for it.


    ''Get it together Billy.''


    I forced a calm look onto my face, slowly turning around.


    3 of them. Women. Too close. I blinked and the one on the left was leaning on my shoulder, almost instantly. She held onto my bicep in a tight grip. She had bleached white hair, red cherry lips and a subtle scent of blood.


    "Hey there handsome."


    She crooned.


    "You smell...different."


    They all had pale skins in the little light I could see. The girl in the middle was dressed in a short leather skirt and high heels. Her black hair was cut short. Her eye color was black. A black that seemed to pull at my mind.


    I felt light headed and weak.


    "Who?..."


    My words were cut off by a nail sliding down my jugular.


    "Shh. It''s alright, we don''t bite."


    Bleached hair cooed.


    The one on the right snorted.


    Her long wavy chestnut hair fell to the middle of her back. She had on a sleeveless top and perhaps the most noticeable thing about her was her nails. They glinted even in the almost darkened alley. Sharp and deadly.


    What the fuck had I gotten myself into?


    "Oh would you look at that, he''s already wetting himself."


    Short hair stated with a giggle. I looked down.


    "That''s not piss..."


    I muttered in an unnervingly calm tone, watching my own blood flow from my belly.


    The first girl that had been hanging off my shoulder had her nails sticking into me. The pain only registered a second afterwards.


    Breathing became hard as my knees weakened.


    Their faces morphed before me, teeth lengthening into sharp fangs. The beauty, the subtle scent of blood, it all makes sense now. They were Vampires. I was a regular teenage boy cornered in an alley by Marvel vampires.


    Oh shit.


    With a panicked jerk, my hand weakly came up to protect myself just as the right one jumped at me. An impact rang out and I felt something snap.


    Then agony rippled through my elbow, even more apparent than the wound in my stomach. I rolled on the rough ground, thrown away by the force, scraping my back and spraining my ankle.


    They all started laughing. I couldn''t see well due to a cut on my forehead but I knew I had to do something to survive.


    "Shazam!"


    I cried out. Nothing happened. There was no sudden blast of lightning or power coursing through me. Dammit!!


    My left arm dangled uselessly. I scrambled to my feet by leaning on the wall. ''Oh god... I''m... I''m gonna die here. I''m gonna die here and nobody will even care. Nobody knows me in this world...''


    "Get Up."


    A voice said at the back of my head.


    I shook my head to get rid of the sudden hallucination. And now I was hearing voices. Oh goodie, I think I might have lost too much blood.


    "You hit him too hard Anisa. His hand is broken."


    Short hair said.


    "That''s the point, Alice."


    The long nailed one argued back.


    "But I wanted to play with him a little longer."


    "Both of you, shut up."


    The one who had stabbed me, the one with the bleached hair ordered, striding towards me with an hungry look on her face.


    Without the trash can, I blindly lashed out with a fist. My hand was easily stopped by a vice grip.


    "Looks like he still has some fight in him."


    I was grabbed roughly by the hair, head wrenched back to expose my neck.


    "No no no!! Stop! Please..."


    My futile struggles earned me a slap to my cheek. A tooth dislodged, my tongue tasting blood.


    "Helghht!"


    My mouth was sealed with a palm.


    "Shush,"


    Bleached hair leaned into my ears.


    "You don''t want someone else coming to save you and meeting the same fate now, do you?"


    Fuck...she was right.


    "I demand you fight back."


    The same voice from earlier intoned. Like an echo ringing out across the caverns of my mind.


    ''Who?''


    "Now stop struggling."


    Bleached hair added as the other two closed in.


    Their eyes glowed.


    "You want this. You''re going to enjoy this."


    The one holding me whispered.


    A snort rang out.


    "Weak and ineffectual compulsions like these have no effect on a God of Wisdom!"


    The vampire blinked in surprise, whilst staring into my eyes. Then something rippled out, slamming everything away.


    My mind expanded to feel it all. I could feel the thousands of minds surrounding me.


    I could feel them. These things...


    The glamour around them fell away as I saw the truth of their minds.


    They were nothing but creatures of the dark who had given themselves over to the addiction of life force. Dark oily presences that used these beautiful forms to lure in prey and hunt.


    The three of them sprang up to their feet, cautious.


    "Sisters what was that?!"


    "I''m tired of waiting! Give me your blood human!"


    Long nails snarled, using the walls of the building, she lunged at me with a speed I couldn''t react to. I flinched, only to feel a dull thunk ring out as the Vampire landed on a blue dome around my kneeling form.


    "Mutant!"


    One of them hissed. The Short haired one


    All of them sprang towards me, impatient, all the playing around gone.


    Claws gleamed, slashing out at the blue energy dome but failing to penetrate. I blinked in surprise.


    "Fight back child!"


    The same voice from earlier commanded. Before I could do or say anything, a trash compartment flew into the air to land on the shield. A headache assaulted my brain at the impact.


    "Fight? Fight how?!"


    I groaned back. my right hand cradled the left in pain, my mouth was swollen and I was steadily bleeding out. It was a miracle I hadn''t passed out.


    "The Wisdom of Solomon is not just about having my quality of experience, decision making or knowledge. I was a king blessed with massive amounts of psionic potential. Use your mind to attack just as you have defended."


    Wisdom of Solomon?


    Solomon...as in the first of the letters in Shazam. The god of Wisdom. Only he was a king right?


    "King or god, what does it matter? My sovereign station is still above mewling pups like these blood parasites."


    The trash compartment was lifted up by Long nails but before she could slam it back down onto the shield around me, I thought of the spell Bombarda from Harry Potter.


    I pictured it as a shockwave spreading out through the entire alley.


    There was a loud bang with my mind feeling like it was being squeezed from all sides.


    The concrete quads on the ground rose up in a wave of stones and dust speeding outwards with me at the center.


    The impact shredded the trash compartment into metal shrapnel that burst out just as I was thrown back, slamming my head onto the wall behind me.


    Darkness swiftly claimed me. My last sight was of something blue and red landing in between the femme fatales and I.


    So far it hadn''t even been 24 hours and trouble had found me.

 Solomon.

    (General P.O.V)


    As Spiderman was swinging through the streets of New York, he noticed an elderly man struggling to cross the street.


    Without a second thought, he landed on the pavement next to him.


    "Hello there sir. Let me help you with those." Spiderman said, extending his hands at the old man''s bag of groceries.


    "Oh, thank you, Spiderboy," the old man replied, his voice frail and shaky.


    Spiderman couldn''t help but chuckle at the mistake. "It''s Spiderman, sir. Not Spiderboy."


    The old man looked confused. "What''s the difference? You''re still a spider, aren''t you?"


    A passerby on the street, a middle aged black man, overheard the exchange and burst out laughing.


    "Spiderboy? That''s hilarious!" he shouted.


    Spiderman turned to face the man, a playful smirk on his face underneath the mask.


    "Hey, watch it! I''m still a superhero, you know."


    The man laughed even harder along with a few more passersby watching. "Yeah, sure thing, Spiderboy. Whatever you say."


    Spiderman couldn''t help but chuckle along with him. He knew it was all in good humor.


    "Okay, okay, you win. Just take it easy on your friendly neighborhood spiderman. I''m getting my butt kicked for this city."


    The man nodded, still chuckling. "Fair enough. Thanks for the laugh, Spiderboy."


    The man waved as he walked away.


    Spiderman shook his head, still smiling. New York.


    "It''s Spiderman, sir. Spiderman."


    He added with a sigh.


    The old man just smiled and patted him on the arm. "Bah, don''t let them get to ya. Especially that stick up J.J Jameson. Keep doing what you do, saving people. You''re a good kid, Spiderboy."


    Spiderman rolled his eyes, but couldn''t help feeling a warm sense of satisfaction.


    Helping people was what he did best, even if they didn''t always get his name right.


    He couldn''t really blame them, people were only just starting to hear of him. And the daily bugle didn''t help matters by tarnishing his reputation.


    "With great power comes great responsibility."


    Spiderman muttered to himself while swinging away.


    "I hope I make you proud, Uncle Ben."


    He looked at the sky. How long had it been since Ben Parker, his uncle had passed?


    It must have been...


    Thwwoop!!


    Bam!!


    A loud sound made its way to Spiderman''s ears. The young hero stretched out his wrist, shooting his web and immediately swinging towards the source.


    Maybe he could pull of one last save before making it home. He hoped his Aunt wouldn''t be mad at his lateness.


    He was supposed to get Pizza but a situation with a few goons trying to rob a jewelry shop had occupied him for a bit.


    The red and blue themed hero made it to the location quickly, landing from a height of 60 feet onto the ground easily. His superhuman durability could handle even more.


    The second Spiderman arrived, he knew something very very bad had happened here. The alley was destroyed.


    There was dust everywhere along with cracks on the wall of the buildings. The fire escape had collapsed and on a crater in the middle of the cracked ground, lay someone.


    A boy, his age, bleeding heavily from multiple wounds on his body.


    Peter jumped in with concern, using knowledge of the first aid classes Uncle Ben had insisted he take, to keep him alive.


    After making sure the wound on the belly wasn''t bleeding anymore by webbing it up, Peter created a plaster like foam by spraying a thicker variant of his webbing around the boy''s hand, then finally run a diagnosis check for any more wounds.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    He was off the next second, not having sensed the three passed out women who had been blasted across the alley.


    A second after he was gone, a portal appeared behind the groaning vampires, now just waking up after getting mind stunned.


    "What w..."


    Red hot chains shot out immediately and grabbed them. Before they could do anything else, they disappeared into the rift.


    The hospital was a bit far but Spiderman could get there in 2 minutes tops if he hurried up.


    "Don''t worry, we''re almost there."


    He told the boy, cradling him with one arm while careful not to jostle him.


    Sometimes he landed on the rooftop when he couldn''t swing a distance without jerking him around.


    That''s when he saw it. Or rather them. Yellow glowing portals sparking at the edges and floating in the air above the rooftop he was on.


    His spider sense wasn''t warning him so he didn''t slow down until he realized he was almost surrounded by them.


    "What''s happening?"


    His next swing saw him land on a water tank.


    On the same roof as the water tank, another portal manifested. Out stepped a yellow robbed figure. Peter could almost clearly see them under the city lights.


    "Hand over the boy."


    The figure said, stretching out an arm. Peter crouched.


    "Please, he''s going to die if I don''t get him to the hospital."


    The figure backed a little.


    "Oh."


    Peter prepared to leave when he found himself restrained by golden chains coming out of the portals around him.


    He...he hadn''t felt it! His spider sense had never failed.


    The injured boy fell through a portal under him and Spiderman could do nothing but watch.


    "Hey! Hey! Stop!"


    He cried out as the woman entered the portal she had come out of earlier, waving a single hand.


    "Don''t worry, Peter. He will be better off with me."


    And then she was gone. Leaving Spiderman alone.


    "She...she knows my name."


    He muttered with growing horror.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    There was no indication of how I got here. One minute I was just chilling (getting my ass kicked, but the details don''t matter) then the next I''m standing beside a tall handsome man.


    He was draped in silk blue and yellow robes, with countless gold adornments and precious gems covering his body. His sharp red eyes and long white beard were only superceded in intensity by the golden crown on his head.


    It was both outstanding yet not. It was so...like him. The Hebrew King, Solomon, son of David.


    "Welcome to my bountiful gardens, boy."


    The same voice I''d heard at the back of my mind was the same that left his mouth.


    "Gaze into the beauty of my wives."


    I followed the motion of his palm with my eyes and a gasp escaped me.


    The gardens he spoke of was a long stretch of greenery covered by trees and different shades of flowers in full bloom.


    Butterflies fluttered in the skies above the orchards and the pools. Pools in which beautiful women of all color, shape and size, swam or simply basked.


    They all possessed one undeniable factor, they were unbelievably gorgeous.


    "My father built much in his time, but his glory was on the battlefield. I built on the legacy not the expectations."


    Solomon stated, a goblet of wine in his hands.


    I looked down at my body. My wounds, they were gone.


    "This is a mental projection."


    I realized.


    "Quite astute. But it''s more than a mental projection. To the psyche, what''s realer than what you can feel? It''s you. Your identity, boy."


    Solomon responded.


    It''s me, huh?


    "No. Not boy."


    I closed my eyes and imagined me, my real self. It was a set back to what I had promised myself. That I would become Billy Batson. But just for now...


    I almost shed a few tears at the rough callouses that appeared on my palms.


    These were my hands, my real hands. I opened and closed the fingers repeatedly, taking a deep breath and exhaling.


    "Wow, now that I''m like this, I notice I used to ache alot in various places."


    "Flesh is weak. You eventually get old."


    He replied, looking out into the garden with a long gaze.


    I couldn''t help but read more into it but the next second he spoke up again.


    "Listen boy, I brought you here for one reason. A question."


    I blinked my eyes. Oh, guess we were switching over to the serious stuff. I adjusted my glasses and turned to face him fully.


    His red eyes were intense.


    "What question?"


    I asked, wondering what the wisest king in history was curious to know. Maybe it was a question that would give him a profound understanding of me based on my answer?


    Solomon stroked his beard as the goblet in his hands sprouted metal wings off it''s body and flew away to a tray on the frame of the balcony we stood on.


    "Can you do this?"


    He finally asked, his voice gentler than I was expecting. I immediately knew what he meant.


    "Or rather the question I want to ask you is, do you want to do this? Become our Champion?"


    He was concerned. I realized.


    The switch in attitude almost threw me off.


    I thought about it, sinking into my memories, replaying my life and what I had going for me. I was happy, just being in the background.


    Not too involved with anyone except my grandma and a few work friends. A true introvert.


    But again, I had been happy right? No true expectations heaped on my shoulders. No bothersome responsibilities. Just me in my little bubble of existence, coasting along and content with my situation.


    "I have to choose to want this."


    I surmised, looking up at him.


    My mouth opened and closed as I turned around to face the garden. Indecision warred within me.


    "I thought I didn''t have a choice."


    "Not always. But in this case, you do."


    Solomon told me softly, sighing in a nostalgic way.


    "I was born into kingly duties. I had no choice in the matter. You have that luxury. I wonder...if I were not to lead, would there have been one less great king or one more bad sculptor in the world? Sometimes having no choice...ain''t too bad."


    I looked back at him.


    "That almost failed to make sense."


    He laughed.


    "The wisest king in the history of humanity, failing to make sense."


    He patted my shoulder.


    "So what do you say? I for one, think you would make a suitable champion. You were able to tap into my gifts quite easily. And if you do decide to move on with this path, more gifts and splendor await you."


    He followed up, grabbing my attention.


    "Oh really? Like what?"


    I asked, curious about what other powers he had.


    "Clairvoyance, Mastery of all spoken languages and of course, magic."


    He added with a flourish, his hands spreading wide and from the air around him, beautifully colored flames took to the skies.


    The flames changed into birds that flapped their wings, above and around Solomon''s wives. Their joyful laughter was a single wave of continuous melodic harmony.


    "Magic..."


    I echoed his words.


    A single laugh escaped my mouth.


    "Maybe, just maybe, I''m due for a change in my life."


    My eyesight dipped lower, the glasses disappearing as my height shortened.


    Vijay was gone.


    In his place was Billy Batson.


    I felt a hand land on my shoulder.


    "Wise choice."


    Said the wisest king.

 Mission Rewards.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    My head didn''t hurt. That was the first thing I noticed.


    My mind was surprisingly clear. Actually...too clear. At least from what you would expect out of someone who had sustained mortal injuries after an encounter with bloodsucking monsters.


    My arm was a bit tender at the spot I remember hearing a snap but it was nothing compared to the previously bent elbow.


    I took a deep breath, feeling it smoothly escaping my nostrils.


    My body was draped in something fluffy yet rough. Like clothes made out of a thin but warm blanket. Along with that sensation, I could feel a new alien perception stretch out.


    I saw without eyes, heard without ears. I just knew what was there.


    I could sense it all. And I could understand what I was sensing.


    The mattress on the small bed that was more comfortable than it had any right to be, the hard but smoothened ground and the rough walls with veins of energy running within them; part of some huge web that connected to the ground and disappeared deeper into the earth than I could sense.


    And then the bright points. Minds glowing like stars just outside the room, entering my range of 20 meters or so before disappearing.


    20 meters? Back in the alley I could have sworn, I covered almost 3 blocks.


    Thinking of the alley reminded me of what had happened. Immediately bile started rising up my throat, the nausea made me sit up with a groan, pinching my brow.


    "Don''t fight it. It''s what the bucket is for."


    The bald woman sitting on a wooden chair next to my bed said, flipping a page of the book she held onto.


    And just like she said, a bucket sat at the bottom of the bed. I grabbed it and begun puking, only stopping a second to sit up.


    A glass of water was placed in my hands. I received it with a word of thanks before drowning it in one gulp.


    "Wow. That actually happened."


    I said to myself. I found myself in the Marvel universe, met Mary Jane (I think), got my ass kicked by Vampires, survived, met Solomon, made the choice to become a Champion and...only then did I turn to the woman.


    It was easy enough not know who she was. Bald, wearing yellow robes and a calm disposition.


    The Ancient One. Her mind was...silent.


    "Staring is rude."


    She said, not looking up from her book.


    "Sorry." I apologized, fully turning to face her while running a hand down my face.


    "I''m guessing you''re the one I have to thank for saving my life and also healing me?"


    I asked her.


    "I did heal you but the one who saved you was Spiderman."


    She replied.


    Spiderman saved me? Too bad I was passed out to actually see it.


    "Oh, thank..."


    The Ancient One closed the book in her hands suddenly, narrowing her eyes at me.


    "Good luck Mr.Batson, you''re going to need it."


    "Huh?"


    Before I could say anything else, I was falling through a glowing yellow portal. My last vision of the room from before was the bottom of her soles.


    And then I landed on my bed, hard. The whole thing collapsed under my weight and I groaned, staring up at the ceiling. Not only did I not have the money to get another bed, I was going to have to sleep on the floor now.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Fuck you Ancient One. First impression? She sucks.


    A very cold shower later( there wasn''t any hot water available) and I started feeling like a normal human being.


    I was a bit embarrassed at breaking down inside the shower but everything had just happened too quickly. I silently leaned on the wall and let the shudders rock my body, tears refusing to fall.


    Once I was calmer, I toweled of, drying my hair as I walked towards the window and drew open the blinds.


    Immediately, the New York noise assaulted me. Traffic, new yorkers being exceptionally loud...I took in the sites and sighed. This is going to take some getting used to.


    After that I sat down and dove right into something that needed my attention, the mission rewards from the task that had showed up in the weird text box.


    I was familiar with light novels, anime and Manwha. Infact any weeb related subject I was versed in or at least retained passing knowledge of.


    The screen spread itself out infront of my eyes.


    ~~~~~~~


    (Mission)


    (Take a walk. Learn about where you are.)


    (Reward:- Unlock more missions)


    ~~~~~~


    [New Mission]


    (Create An Original Skill using the Wisdom of Solomon)


    (Reward:- The Ring of Solomon)


    ~~~~~~


    What in the actual fuck?


    This had to be a joke right?


    I pressed my finger pad on the reward section and a description appeared.


    ( Ring of Solomon: A supernatural artifact that the king of Israel, Solomon received from Heaven. With it, Solomon can command the 72 demon pillars contained in the Ars Goetia. With it the armies of hell were under the service of King Solomon. Completely loyal. Takes immense will to use! )


    I sucked in a breath.


    Damn.


    I''m just...not going to think about that for now.


    ~~~~~


    [New Mission]


    (Attend Midtown High)


    (Reward:- New Bed)


    ~~~~~


    Despite the thought of being in the same building as obnoxious loud hormonal teenagers making my stomach curl, I was happy with this mission.


    It helped me get rid of one immediate problem. Plus, there was nowhere in the mission that said I had to keep going back. I only needed to attend for a short time.


    Clicking on the mission description, it said a week.


    I explored the Interface once more before deciding to finally begin practicing my abilities.


    I sat cross legged on the bed and begun meditating. Fortunately it came easy to me.


    My grandma was a very spiritual woman. She had lived half of her life in India before dad managed to convince her to come to the west after I''d been born.


    She had a ton of stories about the country. Especially considering that I''d never been there. My mom was from a small town in the outskirts of Toronto and they had met when my dad and her had been in college.


    Back to my grandma, I had always been fascinated by the stories of legendary heroes like Karna and gods like Lord Shiva. And epics like Ramayana and the Mahabharata.


    Grandma had emphasized spiritualism, connecting yourself to the universe. To the Shakti and the Shiva. The former being the energy of the cosmos, divine and feminine in nature for its life giving properties while the latter Shiva, is masculine in nature and formless.


    Through all that she taught me how to meditate.


    Breath escaped my slightly parted lips easily. My chest inflated as I inhaled. The noise from the outside faded, a calm settling in my mind as I easily fell into a numb state. Just like I had done a hundred times in the past with my grandma.


    My mind expanded.


    It was easy. Like flipping a switch and watching the light spread to the room. Instantly I could feel everything inside my zone. It''s range was still small though. No surprise there.


    I played around with it, trying to pull in the zone, expanding it on one side or compressing it. My brow was scrunched up as it took a lot to manipulate the field.


    This field was only the foundation. It was the basis in which I could jump onto the true abilities.


    Telekinesis and Telepathy.


    Pretty basic abilities but oh soooo very useful.


    The difference between Shazam and I was that I didn''t get the full package from the word go.


    No, I''d gathered from my conversation with Solomon that each legacy came with a prerequisite.


    I needed approval from the figures themselves. Shazam only had to utter a word and he would get the Wisdom of Solomon, the Strength of Hercules, the Stamina of Atlas, the Power of Zeus, the Courage of Achilles and the Speed of Mercury.


    But for me, I had to tackle each legacy on it''s own first.


    That meant the origin of the legacies needed to find me worthy. It was why the first mission, apart from having what could prove to become a really good reward, was important.


    I needed to prove to the gods, not only Solomon that I was worthy by completing the second mission.


    Coming up with an original skill by using Solomon,''s legacy.


    I couldn''t expect the powers I had already manifested to count towards the mission. I had tapped into both telepathy and telekinesis before, back in the alley. Now I needed something different.


    Something that was both useful for the fights I would definitely be part of but also easy enough to create as a skill.


    First I needed to lay the ground work.


    A normal person would have had their eyes wide open if they saw the floating trash can at the corner of my small kitchen. It was just barely at the edge of my active zone.


    The trash can had the remains of the paper used on the envelope that had contained the cash.


    It was wrinkled and made a small sound as it floated out of the trash can.


    I frowned, feeling a headache bloom in the middle of my head. The folded up paper begun to straighten as I ironed it out with TK. (telekinesis)


    The cataracts and wrinkles on it''s form faded away though not completely.


    The end result was a slightly ruffled piece of paper infront of me. By now my head was pounding like something crazy, so I stopped to rest.


    Then a glass of water and 20 minutes later, I was back at it. This time I started trying to make shapes with it. The effort it took was much more than before.


    My TK field had to act on two dimensions at the same time, the paper folding into two. Then I tried to fold it again and almost passed out as the sensation of a hot nail being driven through my skull, made me stop.


    The paper fell into my hands and I shivered. My body was sweaty and I was feeling nauseous. I decided to call it quits for the day.

 Telepathy.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "She doesn''t even know how ugly she is..."


    The thought came from a table with a group of three girls. All of them were wearing fashionable clothes.


    It was clear they had hit their peak in high school and were desperately trying to hold on to it, though they looked to be in their twenties.


    The smiles on their faces as they ''celebrated'' each other hid a lot of ridicule and jealousy. The thoughts going through their minds were filthy as well.


    The first thing I''d learned from learning Telepathy was that people were naturally dirty minded. And gross. A stray thought about kittens could be turned into something horrifying.


    Oh and sex. Lots and lots of thoughts about getting laid.


    I made it a rule to never stay in one mind for too long and to never look into their memories. That would only be reserved for bad guys when I eventually met them. I suspected that was going to be very soon. Trouble seemed to follow me.


    On the moral side of things, was it still denying them their privacy? Yes. Did I care? Nope. Why? If this was it took to make sure I didn''t die then so be it. Besides, I took great care not to hurt anyone while passing through the walls of their minds.


    I turned my attention to the second table just a few meters at my back. In my TK field, This one had a young teenage girl of about 14 years old, a middle aged woman and a young man busy on his phone.


    I imagined the tether, a small string extending towards the guy.


    "I can''t believe I only have a few months with my dad. Why does he have to suffer? Why can''t anyone else get Cancer?! Why?..." He looked up at his sister and mother.


    "Why couldn''t it be one of them?"


    I immediately pulled back with a frown. Telepathy, I had realized was both a blessing and a curse. Sometimes it could help you get out of a bad situation by knowing who was intending to harm you, other times, you stumbled upon an unfiltered thought.


    A thought that was raw and untamed. And you realized...can you really trust anyone? After sitting inside the coffee shop for two straight hours, I had quickly learned something. We were all twisted in some way.


    "You been staring at that screen for almost an hour. Refill?"


    MJ called out, surprising me a little. I had been so concentrated on the young man that I hadn''t noticed her coming.


    "Oh. Yeah, please."


    She smiled as I placed my phone down in a repeat of the interaction from yesterday.


    "So you never really told me much about you."


    She gazed down at me with her beautiful green eyes.


    She wanted to get to know me? Was this some kind of plot maneuvering by the powers that be? Keeping quiet would be seen as rude though, even it felt like I was wasting time holding a conversation.


    "Uh, I''m Billy, 17 years old I think..."


    I said before I could catch myself.


    MJ looked at me funnily.


    "You think? You''re not sure of your own age?"


    "It...was a joke?"


    I replied unconvincingly. To my benefit, she found it funny and giggled.


    I matched her smile, sighing inwardly in relief. I was still not completely used to this new life. Which is fair because it had only been two days.


    "Watson!"


    Pedro called from the counter and MJ winced.


    "Sorry, gotta go Billy. He''s especially mad today. One of the special orders we were expecting came in late."


    She turned around to walk away and that''s when temptation got the better of me. Her brain was like a bright bulb in a dark room. I couldn''t resist taking a small peek.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ''... doesn''t look like a Billy. He''s cute though.''


    I immediately pulled back. Who knew where that thought would go? Maybe that was enough mind reading for the day. She called me cute though.


    I rubbed the sides of my head, I could feel a headache coming on. Clearly reading minds for what must have been two hours had taken a toll.


    I still had a few more things to do. Or rather visit. I paid for my coffee and walked out of the restaurant. Next stop, the library.


    I took the subway, exposing myself to more of New York''s busy life and the throngs of people that flowed in out of places in a ceaseless stream. Of course I soon found out a drawback of my telepathy.


    A dull headache was quickly building up, not only from the chatter but the dozens of minds entering and exiting my zone. The New York public library was located on Fifth Avenue between 42nd and 40th streets.


    I sat on a bench a block away, my mind thrumming painfully. I couldn''t stop it either. Not like before. Everyone who entered my range had their minds turned up to full volume. It was steadily growing unbearable.


    "Imagine a wall. A really really tall wall."


    A voice said from beside me, startling me slightly.


    "Pardon?"


    "A tall wall made of bricks. Tough bricks that cannot be broken."


    I looked to the side and saw a bald man, on a wheelchair, dressed in a gray sweater with a book on his lap. For some reason he looked very familiar.


    "Sorry, I couldn''t help but notice that you seem to be in some discomfort. Are you feeling alright?"


    At his voice, his identity clicked for me and I tried my best to clear my mind while subtly looking around us. He wouldn''t come here alone. Where was...


    There. Next to a hot dog stand, was a tall beautiful black woman with white hair that was cut very short. Despite the lack of long hair that I was used to, there was no denying who she was. She had the beauty. Ororo Munroe, Storm...and she was walking towards us.


    I turned to the professor feeling my heart speed up. How did he find me? Did he know? Was he here to recruit me? Was Magneto behind?


    "Good."


    He said and I realized...I couldn''t hear them anymore. I couldn''t hear the thoughts of the people going in and out of my zone.


    I could still feel their minds. I could even feel his own mind. It wasn''t different from anyone else''s. He must have been shielding his powers away from prying eyes.


    "Hello, I am Professor Charles Xavier."


    My eyes widened.


    His lips hadn''t moved.


    "I know. I''m speaking directly into your mind."


    I stood up quickly, suddenly wary.


    "Are you reading my thoughts?"


    I asked, fully aware of my hypocrisy.


    Charles waved a hand in dismissal.


    "Far from it, I can just read your face. It''s quite clear I scared you. Forgive me, that was not my intention. It''s not everyday I meet another telepath. Not to mention one so young."


    He replied with a harmless smile.


    I looked at Ororo and saw she had taken a different bench a few feet away, content to flip through a magazine I didn''t know she had.


    Xavier patted the bench.


    "Could you please take a seat my boy. I believe I can help you get rid of the headache."


    I was aware he hadn''t answered my question from before. I had no way of knowing if another telepath could read my mind after all.


    But I also didn''t have much of a choice. Following his instructions helped me control the automatic activation of my mind reading on anyone inside my range.


    It hadn''t been a problem when I''d been in a less crowded place but it was hard to ignore in such a populated part of the city.


    Hearing him out couldn''t be bad. ''If I feel something is off, I''m out of here.'' I told myself, taking the seat.


    "You have a gift, my boy, but it can be difficult to control."


    I nodded. Hard to control was almost an understatement.


    "First of all, it''s important to understand that your abilities are not a curse," Xavier said.


    "They are a part of you, and they can be a powerful tool if you learn to use them properly. But it takes time and practice to develop that control."


    I looked at him, listening intently.


    "Try to focus on your breathing," Xavier continued. "Take slow, deep breaths, and imagine that with each inhale, you are drawing in calm and peace. And with each exhale, you are releasing any tension or discomfort you may be feeling."


    I followed Xavier''s instructions, taking measured deep breaths and focusing on my breathing. The city noise disappeared.


    "Now, visualize a peaceful place," Xavier said. "Somewhere that makes you feel happy and safe. It can be a real place or an imaginary one. Just imagine yourself there, surrounded by peace and tranquility."


    His voice had a lulling effect. I Imagined my Grandma''s apothecary. She was an eccentric woman. The fun eccentric. The blue walls painted with stellar maps and small statues of the Daeva covering the walls.


    A deep scent of incense and herbs permeated the chamber. And there on a her soft mat, I sat crosslegged, deep in meditation.


    "Good," Xavier spoke out. "Now, try to focus on that feeling of peace and calm. Let it spread through your body, from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. And as you do, try to push away any distracting or intrusive thoughts that may be causing you pain."


    I exhaled slowly, feeling the tension in my head start to ease. The pounding slowed, fading away.


    "Very good," Xavier says, nodding approvingly. "You have a natural talent for this, my boy. With practice, you can learn to control your abilities and use them to make a positive impact on the world."


    I opened my eyes. The headache was gone. The city life still retained its frantic energy but I was centered now. And I stayed centered.


    I looked at Xavier.


    "Thanks."


    Xavier smiled.


    "I run a school for mutants like you, and I" he explained. "We teach our students to belong. I can provide you with a safe and supportive community of people similar to us. Where you won''t be judged because of your powers."


    I won''t lie. It was tempting. Very tempting.


    I looked out into the streets.


    "I can''t."


    I truthfully answered.


    Xavier never lost the smile on his face.


    "Very well."


    He nodded simply.


    I raised an eyebrow.


    "You''re not going to tell me to explain?"


    He shook his head.


    "No. I believe, that everyone has a path they must walk."


    He leaned in.


    "But if you ever need help, do not hesitate to come to me."


    He smiled just as Storm walked over to us.


    "I am sure you know where the school is."


    He added cheekily, pushing his wheelchair towards Storm.


    Ororo looked at me briefly before saying something to Charles. Then she looked at me strangely, before pushing the wheelchair away, leaving me seated on the bench alone.


    "I can''t believe it. I just talked to the leader of the X-Men."

 Mind Palace.

    (General P.O.V)


    "I love this time of year."


    Xavier commented, breathing in the cool afternoon air.


    A slow breeze blew the leaves on the ground, swirling them through the air. Some landed on the pool of clear water while others drifted away.


    "I admit, it is peaceful here."


    Ororo smiled behind Xavier''s wheelchair. The professor returned the smile, tapping his young student''s palm.


    "Take it in Ororo. Take it in before the storm."


    His words took on an ominous note, bringing a thoughtful look on Ororo''s face.


    "I have a question for you, Professor."


    She spoke up, breaking the brief silence that had fallen between them.


    "Who was that boy? Was he a mutant?"


    Ororo''s question made Xavier frown a little.


    "A mutant? No. But he''s definitely something. Able to read minds easily and I couldn''t get through his barriers, only communicate with his mind. He''s not limited to Telepathy alone, based on what I could tell from his mind. With enough time...he could become extremely powerful."


    Ororo''s hold on the wheelchair tightened. Her face had turned serious.


    "Then he''s in massive danger. We both know Magneto keeps an eye on you. It wouldn''t take much for him to gain an interest in the boy."


    She remarked.


    "Don''t worry about Eric." Xavier shook his head. He knew his old friend. As long as Charles wasn''t actively trying to recruit Billy, then Magneto would assume that even if the boy was a mutant, he must have had an epsilon level mutation. Those were mutant abilities at the lowest rank.


    It could be like being able to tell the time accurately or changing the color of your eyes from only blue to green. They were, put crudely, useless abilities. Eric would not be interested in someone like that. He wanted powerful mutants to drive his mission forward. The supremacy of the mutant race.


    "Although Eric has his own means to detect mutants, there''s a subtle aura of concealment on the boy. A suggestion to look the other way. I assure you, he is in no danger from Magneto."


    His face darkened.


    "However, that does not mean he is entirely safe."


    A wood pecker sounded from afar.


    "Someone was watching him. Shield I think. I have a feeling we might see our dear young Billy sooner than he expected. Definitely sooner than he hoped."


    He added with a small laugh.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I sank on the bed, staring at the ceiling with blank eyes.


    Today had been...eventful. I met the leader of the X-Men, Charles Xavier. He represented one side of the mirror.


    His complete opposite being Magneto, a genocidal maniac who wouldn''t hesitate to go to any lengths to ensure mutant superiority.


    If this idealistic mission culminated in numerous terrorist attacks to further his agenda, then so be it.


    Eric Lehnsher, a monster to some. A hero to others.


    One of the most complex characters ever.


    I groaned. The plan had been to keep a low profile.


    But it was only the second day and I was already in the radar of the Sorcerer Supreme, Spiderman and now professor X.


    I clutched my fingers into fists, I need more power. I gotta push myself harder. I jumped off the bed and dragged my tired body to the shower. Fortunately this time there was hot water.


    I finished drying off after the shower and went right into preparing dinner. A cup of noodles was forever devoured from the world. People downplay how much a cup of Instant noodles can save you when you''re literally broke.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Having a stable means of income was the first thing on my mind. That or I could hope for Atlas'' Stamina to come in quicker before I died of starvation. A bit cynical? I know.


    Seriously, I needed a job or a way to make money. I had a few options of course. I could live off Tony Stark. He was like the ultimate superpowered people sponsor.


    But I was reluctant to part with my self respect. Plus, going to Tony would introduce me to more dangerous situations that I was not ready for.


    I was at the moment, just below street level. Stilt Man and the fucking Hypno-Hustler would kick my ass without even trying.


    The second option was S.H.I.E.L.D.


    I could get trained as an asset and live off the government.


    Plus that would put me under Fury, who I admired due to his badassness. Dude basically hang around Gods, mad geniuses and rage monsters and managed to keep up.


    However, again, that would put me under Fury. It was a two sided deal. Fury would keep secrets from me and use my powers to further his own agendas. So that was a straight no.


    The other option I had and that I was leaning more towards, was beating up criminals and stealing money from them.


    A sort of Robin Hood situation. Only difference would be that I was stealing from the bad guys and keeping all of the money.


    Yeah, you know what, let''s go with that. I wasn''t like Spiderman, who had a better hold of his morals. I was just pushed into a corner.


    I needed the money and this was the only option I could see working out.


    I dug into my meal, the cup of noodles tasting like Nirvana in my hungered state. My mind had been working overdrive and that required a lot of energy.


    8 marbles orbited my head in a spherical cycle. I had grabbed a few of them from a toy shop before heading back.


    They would help me on the next phase of TK, multitasking. I broke them into two pairs. Each having 4 marbles. The second pair begun revolving around my head in an anticlockwise motion.


    The two pairs did dips at different intervals without breaking the motion. I was getting good at at this.


    This morning I couldn''t completely sustain two things in the air at the same time and now I was able to juggle 8 marbles almost individually.


    Not to mention, I had a book opened in the air infront of me. It was a Sherlock Holmes paper back. I had noticed something while in the library.


    First of all, knowing I wouldn''t have a lot of time inside, I signed up, getting a temporary library card that would last me for 3 months.


    Why a temporary one? Basically I lacked proper identification.


    Which was the second thing I need to take care of. Unfortunately, I would need to deal with criminals for that particular thing. Forging official documents wasn''t exactly legal though, and I was worried I might have been skirting the line.


    Back to the library thing. It might have seemed redundant because I had a smart phone but reading...was a habit.


    Scratch that, it was part of my lifestyle. And nothing could beat the smell of old paper. I was an avid reader even during my past life. The quiet of the library was just...peaceful. plus I couldn''t get all the information I needed from the internet.


    Including the small booklet about Chi that I found at one of the sections, I had a Sherlock Holmes novel mostly for any reference on how to create a Mind Palace.


    I wanted to grab the whole collection but unfortunately one of the staff said it was impossible.


    The booklet about Chi on the other hand was old and not very outstanding, with a dark green cover.


    I had perused throughit a little and the concepts contained inside had a few interesting parts that I could use to create a channel of energy through my body.


    TK was good.


    But I needed to come up with something that could hold up if an enemy ever got too close.


    Maybe create a membrane of psionic energy over my skin? Or go deeper into the interior of my body and run the energy through my flesh, organs and bones, reinforcing them.


    The second one was very dangerous of course. I could hurt myself badly.


    It was a risk that could pay out handsomely. Plus, time was running out. Sooner or later I would be embroiled in another fight.


    I needed to be able to protect myself. The inspiration I could get from experimenting with my Psionic abilities could be what I needed to complete the Ring of Solomon mission quicker.


    Tomorrow was a Tuesday, I still had the Midtown high mission to complete. So do I simply go to school? That would require me having some sort of documents right? Just then I felt something dig into my side.


    I looked at the bed and saw an envelope there. A frown appeared on my face. I stood up, spreading out my psionic field. That envelope had simply...appeared out of nowhere.


    Wait...what if it appeared due to my desire?


    I grabbed it off the bed and closed my eyes, concentrating. I wanted it to go away. To go somewhere else up until I had use for it.


    The envelope disappeared. I blinked, feeling a sensation at the back of my head. Like a light brush on my brain.


    Diving into the feeling had me smiling in surprise. I had an inventory.


    It was about the space inside a big closet. This is so going to be so useful.


    One combat use would be taking a grenade, pulling off the pin and then storing the grenade in my inventory.


    In a fight scenario I could push it towards the enemy by telekinesis. Not to mention, I could hit drug houses and criminals, steal the money without having to carry it in big bags and leave the drugs to the cops.


    It wasn''t a bad idea. It could solve most of my immediate problems.


    That is, if I found a place to get grenades from. I sighed. That was harder than simply doubling down on the grind.


    I''ll tentatively place that under ''plan c''. Just in case, I didn''t come up with something good by the end of the week.


    I left the letter in my inventory alone for the moment. First of all, how do I create a mind palace?


    Step one. Establish the layout.


    I sank deep into my meditation. A mind palace was essential moving forward. But not for what you think.


    Basically, it was a way to store memories and information by associating it with objects inside a chosen location. Which was why the mind palace was also known as the method of Loci.


    I needed to have a layout.


    It could be anything from the mansion in black ops 2, Fort Knox, The Triskelion from Marvel or even the Minas Tirith from The Lord of The Rings.


    Basically, i was only limited by familiarity with the layout. And endless hours of gaming had ensured that I was more than equipped for that.

 Attending Mid-Town High.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The envelope in my inventory happened to contain copies of my enrollment documents. The originals were already with the school, or so the letter said.


    The biggest win however was that I had a driver''s license. Not a learner''s permit. A full license registered to one Billy Batson. With that, getting full identification would be easier because it meant I was already in the system.


    I prepared myself and left my apartment early. There was a delay at the subway. Apparently Spiderman and The Lizard had fought and wrecked wall columns and a few support pillars inside.


    This kind of thing was almost a daily occurrence. The city was already adapted to the point there were different protocols in place. For instance if the threat was especially dangerous, the city would be evacuated to let the heroes fight.


    That was mostly the case during an Avenger''s level threat .


    The tunnel was already going through repairs. They finished fast and a half hour later, I was walking through the entrance to Midtown High.


    My first impression was that the outside was clean and welcoming.


    Navigating through the noise and chaos along the hallways reminded me of why I hated highschool. Teenagers. Yes, ironic considering I was now one myself. However, I like to think I was generally quieter back in my younger days.


    Back then I did what any geek with aspirations to dominate another facet of life in the future, would do.


    Huddle down, mind my business and wait for college. And although I had had to drop out due to some matters, I still enjoyed my time there in comparison to high school, that''s for sure.


    You see in College, people were mostly into two things, partying hard or actually studying seriously. They lacked bullies in the way of the Quarterback harassing someone next to my locker.


    Yes. You heard that right. Not even 2 minutes in and a cliche'' scene was happening infront of me.


    Broad-shouldered and tall, blonde hair cut short, the bully wore a letterman jacket and had his forearm under the chin of a smaller dark haired boy. I had to push through the crowd to try and get access to my locker.


    Nobody was doing anything. Most had their phones out, filming.


    "You lied to me Puny Parker, you said I would get an A. I. Got. A. B+! Which is not good enough when the rest of my grades are not up to par."


    "Up to par? Wow. Where''d you learn that? Dumb Jock''s study group?"


    The dark haired boy choked out.


    I winced at the quip. Talk about something not up to par. There was a collective groan from the spectators. Even Flash looked at him weirdly. Peter rolled his eyes.


    "Cut me some slack. I''ve had a tiresome morning."


    Flash leaned in dangerously, with a nasty smile.


    "I am going to take my frustrations out on you, tiny Pete."


    The murmurs from the crowd increased. I looked around. No one was really going to do anything? Even back in my old high school, blatant harassment like this would have somehow found it''s way to the teachers.


    This seemed negligent and worrisome. Worrisome because it meant I would have to do something. I had wanted to slip under the radar but I guess we can''t always have want we want.


    "Let him go."


    Surprisingly someone beat me to the punch.


    The statement came from a very familiar redhead, flanked on two sides by a brunette and a tall boy dressed in some expensive clothes.


    "Stay out of this MJ."


    Flash threw over his shoulder in casual dismissal.


    Okay. I still needed to find my guide and this guy was wasting my time.


    "Excuse me. That''s my locker you''re using to bully someone. Not to mention, you''re doing it infront of over a dozen people recording the incident on their smartphones."


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.I spoke up, impatiently while looking into his mind.


    Oh? So this was Flash? Real name Eugene, bully extraordinaire. He was currently worried about the coach benching him from the upcoming game for his low grades. Fun fact, he heard ''Up to par'' from the coach.


    He turned his gaze towards me.


    "What? Who the fuck are..."


    He begun to speak but I cut him off.


    "You don''t seem like the friendly type so it wouldn''t take much to get the footage of you harassing someone out. And then, benching you would be the least of your worries."


    Silence dominated the hall.


    Flash stiffened, blinking in confusion, worry and anger. A lot of thoughts were going through his head.


    He swept his blue eyes around the hall and saw how much attention he was garnering.


    Meanwhile I was staring at his victim. I suspected I knew who this was. The dark hair, lithe frame and the lack of fear in his gaze as a Bully held him up against the locker was indication enough.


    I struggled to keep my own face blank as I stumbled into some interesting facts by perusing his mind as well.


    The boy was named Peter Parker, he had been waiting for me at my Locker so that he could show me around. It was a task given by the Faculty. Oh and he was also spiderman and knew who I was.


    He couldn''t believe that I was still alive when the last time he saw me I was covered in blood. And now I was here. Facing off against his bully. He was afraid that Flash would hurt me. How heroic.


    "Hey I''m talking to you!"


    A beefy hand landed on my shoulder. Oh he was?


    "Sorry I zoned out." I sighed, then immediately shrugged.


    "Actually, that was lie, I was just ignoring you."


    There was a collective giggle from the crowd.


    He released Peter and fully turned to face me.


    "Why you little..."


    I applied a little pressure to his skull. Not too much to cause harm, but enough that blood flow was slowed. He stumbled back a little, letting go of my shirt.


    "Think about it you idiot. The school has rules. No matter how lax and uncaring the teachers might seem. All it would take is for one of your victims to get fed up and it''s Juvie for you."


    I gestured behind me.


    "The only reason most of these cowards haven''t done anything is because they are afraid of you."


    I continued, stepping closer to him, the hall quieting down.


    "I''m not."


    I could see the instant he understood the threat. Was it weak? Yes. Was it effective? Absolutely. Now I just needed to be ready when he decided to solve this matter outside of the school.


    "You''re a dead man new kid. Better watch your back."


    Flash warned before breaking through the crowd and walking away, his posse following behind him.


    MJ and I shared a glance and she smiled, turning around and walking away after Flash with the other girl. So she''s part of the popular crowd huh? I liked her better when she was just the pretty barista.


    "Thanks."


    Peter said, grabbing his glasses from the ground. Before he could get to his feet, the other tall boy who had been standing next to MJ was there, helping him up.


    "Lemme guess, the frames are broken. Again."


    The boy sighed.


    "Dammit Flash."


    Peter cursed.


    "This is the third time this year."


    "Peter!!"


    A new voice sounded out, the owner being a heavyset kid with rich brown skin.


    "S


    There you are! Sorry I was in the bathroom when I heard that Flash was...oh Hi."


    He stretched out a hand towards me, noticing my form standing awkwardly beside Peter and who I guessed was Harry Osborn.


    The latter resembled Norman Osborn alot. I had seen his image online during my research into this world''s setting.


    "I''m Ned. Ned Leeds. You must be the new kid."


    The heavyset boy introduced himself. I shook his hand.


    "I''m Billy. I can already tell my time here is going to be fun."


    I said sarcastically.


    Peter chuckled.


    "Sorry. Not a good first impression, I''m sure. I''m Peter. Peter Parker and this is Harry Osborn."


    He introduced both of them.


    "Nice to meet you. Now could I please get to my locker?"


    Peter and Harry looked at each other before shuffling away sheepishly.


    "Pete. I''ll see you later. Don''t forget our study session."


    Harry told him, leaving with a small wave.


    "Dude. Are you okay?"


    Ned approached Peter just as I pressed in the combination to my locker. I didn''t have much to actually carry. But I did come with the Sherlock Holmes book.


    It had grabbed my attention. This being a parallel earth, the books were written with different plot lines. Even some of the Characters were different. Moriarty was a woman for instant.


    Things had changed from me wanting to create a Mind Palace to me actually being invested in the storyline. I was also thinking of coming up with a skill that let me assume Astral Form. This would allow my body to rest while I practiced my powers or studied.


    If Strange could do it within a few weeks of learning the Mystic arts then as someone with the legacy of Solomon, I was more than capable of the same.


    Besides it was not like I could call on Solomon to help me out with this. I hadn''t heard from him again since the dream. I had been trying to reach out but you can''t exactly reach out when there''s nothing on the other end.


    In a way I was fine with it. Minimal supervision meant I could do this my way. The choices I would make and the consequences produced as a result would be mine.


    "Seems like we share a few classes."


    Peter commented after I had handed him my schedule.


    We walked down the hall with many people staring and pointing at me as if I was some sort of celebrity or the second coming of Christ. It was annoying.


    "Are they usually interested in a new comer like this?"


    I asked, finally having had enough. Someone had tried to take a picture of me without my consent. I almost crushed their phone with TK but instead the glare was enough to have them running away.


    Peter snorted.


    "It''s different when the new comer stands up to the biggest bully in school."


    "Stories shall be told through these hallowed halls of your bravery. Of Billy the Bully breaker!"


    Ned said theatrically.


    "Bully Breaker? That somehow sounds worse than the Spot.


    I said with a raised eyebrow.


    Peter laughed his ass off.


    "Name pending."


    Ned added quickly.


    "How about the Flashinator?!"


    Peter asked and Ned and I looked at each other.


    Despite knowing he wasn''t being serious, I wanted to tease him a little.


    "Yeah...maybe stick to something else Pete. Names aren''t really your thing."

 First Day.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Most of the day was spent learning which lessons were in which classes, prodding the suspicious cafeteria food (that''s 3 dollars I''ll never get back) and lastly dealing with the awkwardness of being the new student.


    I couldn''t wait for the week to end. The mission description on attending Midtown high had changed to reflect my own decision to give the place a week.


    Now I had to wait that exact amount of time before I could decide whether to ditch or not. One week where I would have to sleep on the floor in liew of not having a bed anymore.


    Peter introduced me to...huh... actually it was just him and Ned. There was also the strange and snarky Michelle ''MJ'' Jones sitting at the same table as us during lunch period. She sort of waltzed in and introduced herself though.


    "So you''re the new guy."


    A tray with a single apple on it was laid next to me as a beautiful brown skinned girl took a seat. She had frizzy chestnut hair and a bored but slightly curious expression on her face.


    "The name''s Michelle Jones, don''t wear it out."


    "Of course it would be so much easier to call you MJ, if there wasn''t another more popular and better liked MJ."


    Ned spoke without thinking.


    Michelle narrowed her eyes while taking an aggressive bite off her apple.


    Ned looked terrified for a bit.


    "Uh, he saved Pete from getting his ass kicked."


    The intimidated boy eagerly added, trying to change the subject.


    "I wasn''t about to get my ass kicked."


    Peter cut in, stabbing into his vegetables angrily.


    "Any minute and I would have had him."


    "What?" Michelle snorted.


    "Your quick mouth couldn''t save you fast enough this time?"


    Ned laughed at the dig.


    Even I couldn''t stop the smile that appeared on my face. I didn''t join in the convo. And I was happy that they didn''t press me too much for questions.


    Only asking the bare minimum like where I was from, what school I went to before coming here and etc.


    My mind was somewhere else.


    I was studying the Cafeteria. At the crowds of students. All these people, they were as real as real can get. They weren''t simple cartoon characters following a plot. They talked and thought like real people.


    I learned a lot from their minds. It was still the surface thoughts though. I never pushed deeper. Although, the better I got at Telepathy the more I could see more without putting conscious thought to it. Flashes of images.


    Solomon''s Legacy was overpowered. The day before, while looking for the Sherlock Holmes books, I tried to read a few foreign subjects and voila, I could understand them.


    Out of all the Psionic abilities I had access to, this ability was the most magical. It''s not that I could suddenly read Mandarin, I just understood what the words meant.


    I couldn''t write in it which was a bummer. But I could at least understand any foreign language.


    While on commute to the school, I sat beside a middle aged man in a suit speaking in Russian. His mother was asking him why he never visited.


    It opened new avenues. There were magic systems like the one used in Elder Scrolls that invoked feats of power by uttering a few Draconic words. What if I could tap into that particular system and extend my ability to learn and understand any language?


    Every minute, I was finding out so many uses for Solomon''s legacy.


    On adjusting to life as the new kid, I was glad that I''d met the main characters so fast. As stated previously, this stank of a plotline.


    Peter, Michelle, Harry and Ned were in 11th grade, so Sophomores.


    Flash, MJ and who I suspected was Liz Allen (I hadn''t bothered to look into her mind) were Seniors. Another thing was that the characters slightly resembled the actors that played them.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Peter Parker resembled Tom Holland a little, only taller while slightly lacking a bit of Tom''s muscular build. Ned was of asian descent and overweight, Michelle Jones shared the same looks as Zendaya, the beauty only dialed up to 11 to fit the comic book pretty image.


    Harry had a different lunch period but were he here, their friend group would be full. Though I noticed he and the others weren''t as close as I might have expected.


    So far they all matched with the image I had of them in my mind. But seeing them joke around with one another, just like any normal teenagers served to remind me that this was all real. Somehow, I couldn''t see myself getting over that particular sense of awe. I was in a fictional world, with superpowers.


    "Hey, you okay?"


    Peter asked in concern from across the table. Ned was showing Michelle something on his phone.


    "Yeah. Sorry, I zoned out a little."


    I replied.


    Peter nodded but I could still see the questions on his face and inside his mind. He was wondering why he found me bleeding in an alley.


    He was also thinking about the Ancient One. He had never seen her before. Maybe she was part of some secret Avenger''s taskforce? One that dealt with the threats the Avengers couldn''t handle? Even Spiderman had a few villains that were sometimes too much for him.


    I chuckled inwardly, he had no idea how close his guess was. The Sorcerer Supreme and the rest of her mystical practitioners did in fact deal with threats the Avengers couldn''t handle.


    Still, I wasn''t ready to answer any of those questions.


    "Can I ask you something. About physics class."


    So the alternative was to change the subject.


    Pete perked up.


    "I''m mostly into Bio-chem but go ahead."


    Back in Physics class, the lesson had been on Magnetism. And that had gotten me thinking.


    "What is easier? Controlling an object or controlling an object''s magnetic field?"


    I questioned.


    Peter blinked. It was a strange question, all things considered. I had an idea I wanted to pursue but I would have liked to hear a genius''s thoughts before proceeding.


    "Umm, well In general, it is usually easier to control the movement of an object directly rather than manipulating its magnetic field to move it."


    He started, grabbing a pencil from Michelle''s notebook. The girl glared.


    "Break it and I break you."


    Peter shivered, placing the pencil before him on the table. It''s side facing him.


    "And that''s because directly controlling the movement of an object can often involve simpler and more straightforward mechanisms, such as applying a force or torque to the object."


    He demonstrated by pushing the pencil and watching it roll a bit, only stopping because it wasn''t perfectly round, only hexagonal.


    "Whereas manipulating the magnetic field to move the object can require more complex and specialized equipment."


    I completely understood what he was saying. Either as an effect of him simplifying it or my own enhanced mental acuity.


    "However, there may be situations where manipulating the magnetic field to move an object is more practical or efficient. For example, in certain industrial processes or medical procedures, magnetic fields can be used to move small objects or particles with very high precision and control."


    He rattled off.


    "And Additionally, some scientific experiments or technological applications may require the use of magnetic fields to manipulate objects or particles in ways that would be difficult or impossible to achieve through direct physical manipulation."


    He concluded.


    Telekinesis was a powerful ability. However, I only had one good example of someone using it the right way. By the right way, I mean evolving from basically moving objects around, to moving objects on the micro-scale. Manipulating molecules and atoms. And that one example was Jean Grey.


    It could be argued that the only reason she could do all that was because of the entity inside her. The Phoenix Force. Which was also the cosmic hub for all psionic abilities. Meaning all telepaths, telekinetics or people who could manipulate psychic energy got their powers from it. It was kinda like the Flash and the speed force. Only the former category got their powers from the Phoenix Force.


    Regardless, manipulating molecules was currently out of my reach. My control was not at that level yet. However, there was a closer goal. Manipulating the Magnetic field of an object. Like Magneto.


    The Mutant Supremacist had a very useful X-Gene. Among Earth''s most powerful mutants, Magneto''s abilities were basically limitless.


    He could manipulate all forms of magnetism, summon force fields and shoot electromagnetic pulses that can disable electronic devices.


    Magneto could mess with the Earth''s polarity.


    Magneto could extract the iron contained in someone''s blood.


    Yikes.


    Me want!


    Of course I had to be realistic. It would take years to reach his level in magnetic field manipulation alone. Luckily, I wasn''t going to simply be another version of him.


    I only needed to pick up what could be useful to the current me. Once the other legacies kick in, I will be more well rounded. So anything that I would eventually get was currently off the table. No super strength or lightning manipulation. Oh and also anything that TK could do was also out.


    It didn''t leave me with a lot of options though. I mean I could train myself to better repel bullets shot at me but TK could do that too. And it provided better options. Like a protective hard coating of Psionic energy over my skin.


    The only useful avenue for Magnetism manipulation would be to restrain criminals once I started going out. Maybe by controlling metal wires to form cuffs. Or simply controlling the metal contained in their blood stream.


    Regardless, I needed to set aside time to pursue this path as well.


    "Thanks. That helped more than you know."


    I smiled at Peter.


    The day seemed to slog on slowly. It wasn''t accurate to say I was bored but my initial thought of this being a waste of my time was right. The lessons were almost a rehash of my former life''s except maybe the history part.


    The History teacher was deeply interested in Captain America''s exploits during WW2. He gave us an assignment to write a comprehensive report on the Howling Commandos.


    Which meant, I had to hit up the Library again. Could I get the info I needed by using my phone? Yes. Was I using this as an excuse to go to the library again? Definitely.

 Practice.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    It was almost the end of the week. Tomorrow was Friday.


    Despite the four days in Midtown High, I still felt as if my time could be better put to use somewhere else. Like for example, setting up a true base. Living inside the dingy apartment was not a problem but it was hardly what you would expect from a champion of the gods.


    I had decided, if I was going to do this then I was going to do it the right way. The original Shazam had the Rock of Eternity. I wasn''t in luck. There was no ultra powerful Wizard to hand that out to me while he fucked over to somewhere.


    I only had myself to count on.


    That led me to a few more options since I was still not joining Shield or leeching off Tony. There were pocket dimensions scattered across the Earth. It wouldn''t be too hard to find one to use as my base.


    Or I could also take over Latveria. Yesterday, a section of the city was destroyed as the Avengers fought Dr. Doom. The megalomaniac genius scientist, leader and sorcerer had wrested control of the Midgard Serpent by using a weapon from Asgard.


    The Avengers came out on top and Doom had unceremoniously banished into the Asgardian Underworld, home to the Rock Trolls. His castle was ripe for the taking...then again, I probably wouldn''t make it past the entrance.


    That idea was quickly discarded. Which meant I had to seek out my own base. Even if I decided not to leave the apartment, mixing superhero stiff with real life was a recipe for disaster. I wasn''t hopeful about the Dimension thing either. Just an abandoned warehouse hidden from view would suffice.


    And it seems as if the gods were smiling down upon me. Through some luck, I had come across something similar to a warehouse. It wasn''t exactly viable due to the distance from my apartment but it was in a section of the city that was mostly abandoned due to the Chitauri invasion 3 years ago.


    After another soulless day at school, I stood in the center of the abandoned factory, surrounded by rusted machinery and dusty equipment. The open space and isolated location was perfect for practicing my telekinetic abilities without fear of causing damage.


    It wasn''t a perfect base but for a training space, it was sufficient.


    I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, focusing my mind on the crates and barrels scattered around the room.


    With a flick of my wrist, I lifted the closest crate off the ground and held it suspended in mid-air. I concentrated on maintaining my hold on the crate while reaching out to another object, a large metal barrel in the corner of the room.


    Slight pressure on my temples became apparent but it was not as bad as it could have been 4 days ago. It took a moment to stabilize the hold on the barrel, but soon I had both objects floating in the air, both controlled by hand movements. A slight chuckle escaped my lips. I was actually doing it.


    I felt a surge of excitement as I began to move the objects around even faster, twirling them in the air like a baton twirler.


    The crate and barrel moved in perfect harmony, as if they were extensions of my own body. I grinned to myself, reveling in the feeling of power that came with manipulating objects with just my thoughts.


    2 days ago and keeping my bag suspended next to a single book used to give me immobilizing headaches. And now, now I could do this.


    As I continued to practice, I began to experiment with more complex maneuvers. I lifted a stack of crates with the motion of my left hand, while controlling the movement of a conveyor belt with my right despite the lack of power in the building.


    It was tricky to keep both objects in check, but I felt a sense of accomplishment as I managed to handle the complex mechanism of the conveyor belt.


    But I wasn''t satisfied with just moving objects around the room. I wanted to push my abilities to the limit and achieve my ultimate goal--the ability to fly. Getting around the city would be easier with flight in my repertoire.


    I had been training this skill for the last few days. All I had managed to achieve was a brief levitation, where my body was suspended in the air for a few seconds before the load became too much.


    But this morning I woke up and just knew. The day before, I had used most of the money I had left to your the city, specifically the locations that had been affected the most by the invasion.


    I had decided to therefore go out the next day which was a Saturday. So I needed to be able to fly of I was to go around the city saving people.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    I closed my eyes, clearing my mind and only leaving behind a mantra.


    ''I need to fly.'' '' I need to fly.''


    ''No, I Want to fly'', I reaffirmed with determination.


    Breath escaped my lips as I focused all my energy on creating a telekinetic shell around my body. Slowly, like a soft cascading curtain, I was enclosed in a blue cloak.


    The pressure on the sides of my head increased but I could handle it.


    It took all my concentration to maintain the shell, but I felt a sense of exhilaration as I slowly lifted off the ground.


    I hovered in mid-air for a few seconds, feeling a small breeze blow against my face. It was a thrilling sensation, but I knew I had to keep practicing if I wanted to become truly proficient. I imagined moving to the left, only for my my body to shoot towards the wall in a burst of speed.


    "Whoa, too fast! Too faaast!"


    I let out a telekinetic blast at the wall, leaving an imprint that had cracks running out of it''s form. I was pushed away by the rebound, twisting my body and tightly holding onto the control of the shell around me, before I kissed the floor with my face.


    Slowly, I reoriented my body. And then just as slowly, I begun waving my hands in a swimming motion. My cheeks were aflame in embarrassment. However it seemed to work to balance my posture.


    After a few minutes, I flew around the factory easily but slowly, dodging debris and obstacles, honing my skills and strengthening my telekinetic shell.


    I couldn''t stop the surge of pride as I landed back in the ground.


    I still had a long way to go before I could truly master all the abilities at my disposal. For now, the abandoned factory was the perfect place to practice and explore the full extent of my powers.


    (Later on)


    I was expecting the mission rewards to appear any minute now. I''d spent a full week in Midtown high and despite the fear that something would happen to the school while I was there, it was a fairly quiet week. All things considered. (this was Marvel after all.)


    Tonight I had used most of the money I had left, to buy some groceries and actually have a home cooked meal. I had been surviving off instant ramen and takeout. I missed the taste of my own decently cooked food.


    It was also an extension to my training. A normal person would have blinked in surprise at the knife chopping apart the ingredients. Using Telekinesis to cook, ain''t that an enviable skill.


    The spices were measured to the exact amount, vegetables chopped and sliced the right way, heat measured to the exact degree. It was clumsy at first but intuitive to the point that my apartment was filled with the delicious scent of stir fry.


    That was until something literally crashed through the walls of my apartment, destroying the window and shredding apart my stove.


    The knife went through the ceiling as I lost control of it in a blind panic, throwing up a spherical shield around my body for protection.


    The shield received the impact fairly well as we crashed through the thin walls separating the bathroom from the kitchen. My head ached a little bit I was otherwise unhurt.


    I groaned, rising to my feet as the pipe in the bathroom started splashing water across the shattered room. I scrambled out, pushing the ceramic pieces of the bathtub away as my bare feet walked out to see what had attacked me.


    My body sang with energy. I kept the tight shroud of psionic energy over my skin in preparation. This was going to be my first true fight.


    The red hulk like creature that had clashed onto my shield, sending both of us into the bathroom growled getting to it''s feet.


    My body froze. It had it''s back to me but it was so...huge. It''s back muscles rippled under the one piece costume it wore. The creature rumbled forward still not noticing me. My eyes were wide open as it tore off the bricks around the hole it''s body had created.


    "The Hulk is truly powerful! Red Skull didn''t lie! This battle shall be glorious!!!!"


    The red skinned monster roared in battle lust, a blood thirsty smile on his face. He didn''t even spare a look my way before jumping out through the same hole. I watched it leap across dozens of tall buildings in one simple action.


    It was gone. I had... survived.


    Relief fell gripped me. I was...alive. I walked forward, knees wobbling while staring around. Yeah I was alive but the damage to my apartment was extensive.


    The window and an entire section of wall facing the street was destroyed. The new York night life revealed to my sight. I could see people taking videos and pictures from the sidewalk. Sirens sounded out from afar.


    The interior was worse. The oven was nothing but clashed metal, my mattress had blown off into the street and my bathroom was leaking water.


    It was so... inconsiderate of him. Of them.


    No really. You have to understand. A civilized person at least acknowledges their mistakes. This thing basically crashed through my apartment, did damage and then fucked his way off.


    It made me mad. Very very mad. Mad enough that the fear washed away, replaced by a cold fury that wanted nothing but revenge on the creature for taking away the only thing I had!


    I might have looked down on the rundown apartment but it was mine! By God it was.


    I roared, energy bursting out of my pores in a wave of a bright rainbow like aura. And then I was off, flying through the hole in my apartment while following the path of the red creature.


    Their Psionic trail was easily distinguishable from normal people. I could differentiate between the two distinct brainwaves, the thousands of New Yorkers passing under me as I flew in pursuit to the Alien creature.


    I cleared 5 blocks before arriving at the scene.


    My body came crashing down onto a street that was destroyed. A car was burning near the entrance to a flower shop and the Hulk was sending shockwaves rippling out while battling with two red skinned humanoid beings.


    The psionic trail led to one of the creatures.


    I lashed out with a hand and all the worry, desperation, confusion, anger and hatred I had accumulated over the last week came out in one large burst of power.


    A telekinetic wave that was indiscriminate, unavoidable and powerful. It did not distinguish between foe or friend so the Hulk as well as the pair of red skinned muscular aliens dressed in a one piece were all thrown away.


    Concrete, wood and metal making up the flower shop were shredded as pieces of glass shattered due to the blast.


    The trio crashed onto the wall of a building before I even knew what was happening.


    I blinked and reality came crashing down on me. A man in a red and yellow colored armor landed before me, his face plate retracting as he stared.


    "Okay Kid, calm down."


    Iron man raised his hands in the air. And that''s when I realized, I had a shit ton of debris floating around me, ready to shoot out and impale/crush my enemy.

 First True Fight.

    Chapter 10 First True Fight.


    (General P.O.V)


    Tony Stark was a genius. That was a well known consensus. Being a genius enabled him to lead a lifestyle very different from a normal person. His mind gave him the necessary tools to stand shoulder to shoulder with gods, monsters and spies. In other words, he had seen a lot.


    This...was near the top of the crazy shit he''d witnessed.


    It first begun with Jarvis informing him of the fast moving object headed towards where the Hulk was fighting the Blood Brothers, notorious alien mercenaries that as a pair were more than a match for Hulk''s strength.


    "Cap, Falcon heads up, we''ve got incoming!"


    Iron Man''s statement came in a bit too late as Captain America threw his shield, hitting Falcon on the side to throw him away from the object''s path.


    Falcon pushed off from the impact of the shield, reorienting his flight by using the thrusters under his jetpack to push towards the sky. The shield bounced off a fire hydrant before rushing back to Captain America''s hand.


    Barely a second later, a teenage boy landed on the already smashed street, causing cracks to run up the tarmac.


    "Sir, I sense a great build up of unknown energy within him."


    A new screen appeared on Iron Man''s interface. One filled with a diagram of the boy''s form showing red waves of energy wafting off him.


    "Everybody take cover!"


    Iron man yelled through the comms, flying higher to escape the range of the burst of pressure that propelled the Hulk and the Blood Brothers through the flower shop and onto another building an entire street over.


    "Widow, tell me there were no civilians in that building."


    Cap called out as he got to his feet. He''d used his vibranium shield to endure the stray shockwaves.


    "Affirmative. Hawkeye and I had the cops create a cordon around the area. It was evacuated minutes before the Hulk and his buddies decided to see who could punch harder."


    The spy said, her hover car doing a round above where the Hulk and the pair of brothers had landed.


    "Wow, I never thought Thor could hit that hard."


    Hawkeye said, swinging off a roof to land next to said god on the shattered pavement.


    "It was not me, Archer." Thor corrected, pointing his hammer towards the dust cloud in the middle of the road. The dust and smoke settled, revealing a tornado of debris rotating around the boy.


    "That boy did it. I see Midgard is still producing fine warriors!"


    Thor complimented.


    With a roar from his thrusters, IronMan landed on the street before the other Avengers.


    The boy turned to stare at them, eyes glowing with a blue color. A frown was imprinted on his face.


    "Okay Kid. Calm Down."


    The armored Tony said, holding his hands up.


    "Jarvis, run a facial recognition."


    He added quietly.


    The AI got right down on the job.


    "Avengers?"


    The teen muttered in surprise, his earlier anger seeming to cool down.


    "Good."


    Tony sighed to Jarvis.


    "I don''t know how we could have handled another angry teenager."


    He was referring to Molecule Kid, the son of Molecule Man who had been using his father''s powerful technology to reshape matter. The kid had gone into a rampage and almost destroyed New York, a week earlier.


    Then a roar sounded out, cutting off Tony''s thought.


    Oh shit. He knew what that roar meant. Someone green was angry.


    The source was the hole on the side of the apartment complex the Hulk and the Blood Brothers had crashed through.


    The bellow of rage was followed by a devasting punch that launched one of the brothers out into the sky, a powerful shockwave following along, pushing everything away.


    Tony watched as the expression on the boy changed as he glared at the red skinned alien sent flying by the Hulk. The anger came back and he was off, cutting through the air like a torpedo.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    All I remember is seeing the one responsible for bursting apart my apartment. My anger came surging out and with it was my Psionic energy roared in defiance.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    I blasted off towards the sky, clearing the distance between the alien and I with a devastating punch that caused the debris around me to slam onto him like bullets from a machine gun.


    The force pushed him further away. The alien''s body smashed the side of a skyscraper with it''s shoulders, chipping a chunk of metal, glass and concrete off, before falling towards the highway.


    Oh no! There were cars on the road and the end of a yellow tape cordoning off the zone behind us. The Avengers must have had it put up to keep the fight contained within the few blocks.


    I urged my flight speed to increase. A trail of rainbow light trailed after me as I swooped down, grabbing onto the Alien''s ankle before he could land on top of a minivan. There were shouts and yells as people ducked down in fright.


    I grunted at the Alien''s weight. I was reaching the limit of what I could carry with my TK. And he wasn''t helping as he thrashed around.


    Despite my anger I knew we couldn''t afford a fight near so many people. So I spun and threw him away, aiming for the cordoned off area we had initially come from.


    I flew after him, ignoring the blood dripping from my nose while pushing his body with telekinesis, one hand held before me. We tore through a billboard showing the wanted image of Spiderman.


    The daily bugle had put up an a cash prize for Spiderman''s pictures. 1000 dollars. Huh, maybe I should collect it.


    I came rushing in with a knee on it''s chest, digging it deeper onto the brick courtyard of a park. A fountain was in the middle to our left. I felt half a dozen scared minds ran away as people escaped the scene.


    "The apartment was all I had, you fucking bastard!"


    I screamed myself hoarse, pouring most of my psionic energy into my hands. My fists lit up in a blue glow as I landed punches on the Alien''s tough face.


    My knuckles hurt but I was relentless, throwing blows that were strong enough to crack the ground and make it tremble.


    Despite that, it''s face had taken no apparent damage apart from him being a little dazed. I was still not strong enough.


    "Brother!"


    A yell sounded out and following it was a devastating backhand to my right cheek. The blow saw me thrown towards a fountain, blasting through a few trees before finally getting stopped by a wall.


    I lay there, embedded in the structure while trying to catch my breath. No matter how hard I tried to breath, my chest still felt needy and hollow.


    The only reason I survived that was my TK shield. Pressure begun building up in my temples.


    There was a loud crash followed by a snarl. Through the passage I had created in the small forest, I saw the Hulk land onto the ground ontop of one of the aliens.


    "HULK STRONGEST THERE IS!!"


    The big guy roared, stomping a leg onto his opponent. The blow was so powerful I felt it despite the distance between us. Birds rose up to the air, flying away.


    Wait, where is the other one?


    A mind entered my range from the sky. I looked up and saw the form of the other alien bearing down at me with a punch pulled back and a manic smile on it''s face.


    I brought my hands forward in a guard while also pulling any loose material I could find to form a shield before me.


    The punch landed and the entire building shook, but the wall held. The two benches and dumpster I had pulled off the ground to create my impromptu shield, shattered and bent respectively.


    The alien stabbed it''s fingers onto the side of the wall, preparing another punch.


    "I will kill you brat! No one hurts my brother! R''Hos of the Blood Brothers will smash you to paste!"


    The alien yelled, it''s stinky breath buffeting my face.


    I reinforced my personal shield, gritting my teeth.


    "Get a breath mint you fucking idiot!"


    I shot back, still peeved about my day getting ruined.


    ''This next hit will be tough. It will probably push us through the building and into a room. In such an enclosed space, I wouldn''t be able to escape him since he seems to react faster than I can. I will also be limited in how I can use my flight. So, I can''t let him corner me.'' All this went through my mind in a split second. Was this an enhancement from Solomon''s legacy?


    In any case it was clear I had to retaliate faster than he could land his attack. So I pulled away power from my Psionic shield, leaving me unguarded. On the other hand, I would hit him hard enough to throw his body across the street. It was a risk I was willing to take.


    Only for Thor''s bloody Hammer to slam onto R''Hos, throwing him away to create a groove across the street. Mjolnir returned to the god''s hand just as I extracted myself from the wall.


    A headache instantly assaulted me. I descended to the ground slowly, landing on a knee while massaging my head. I guess I hadn''t ever used my powers that much before.


    "You okay Kid?"


    A pair of red boots appeared in my vision. I looked up and saw a gloved hand. And belonging to that hand...was Captain America.


    I grabbed his palm and got up, still surprised at seeing the very real Steve Rogers before me. I had grown up reading his comic books. He wasn''t my favorite Avenger, that honor goes to Black Widow and yes, it''s for ''those'' reasons.


    And on an unbiased opinion, Iron Man was the most important member of the Avengers but Captain America was the ideal the team lived by. He was the glue.


    "Yeah. I''m fine."


    I finally found my voice and replied.


    Then cursed myself for getting distracted in a battlefield. My Psionic shield flickered on and off as I tried to access my psionic energy. It wasn''t a problem of needing reserves but more of how much power I could handle.


    Meanwhile the fight was still going on. A rocket slammed infront of one of the Blood Brother''s feet. Unfortunately, the Hulk had jumped in at that precise moment and was blown back as well, smashing through a few cars.


    "Sorry."


    Iron Man winced, audible through Cap''s ear piece.


    "STAAARRRKK!"


    The Hulk roared as he extracted himself from the wrecked car.


    "Iron Man fall back for now. Thor let''s move in to intercept the Blood Brothers. They seem to be focusing on the Hulk and that doesn''t sit well with me."


    Captain America rattled off orders as he wound up his hand and threw the shield onto one of the aliens that had managed to get behind the Hulk.


    Thor flew to the sky and thunder rumbled high in the clouds.


    The shield was intercepted by R''Hos before it could land on his brother, separating him from the Hulk. This close to my telepathic range and I could tell the two aliens apart.


    Of course! It was like a bolt of lightning went through me. Telepathy seemed to be working! I didn''t need to just fight by moving things with my mind! I could control minds too duh! Kinda.


    Never really tried to influence someone''s mind before. It always seemed like a steep and slippery slope. Still, there''s a first time for everything.


    I held out my hand and begun to focus. R''Hos'' mind was different from a normal person''s. It felt less compact. Not dumb exactly just a different way of prioritizing things.


    In a way it was very simple to change the stimulus he was reserving from his sensory organs. Which is why instead of dodging the arrow from Hawkeye, I made him jump towards it.


    The arrow smacked onto his chest and exploded throwing him to the ground. Yes! I fucking did it!


    Strong arms grabbed my shoulders as I suddenly felt weak. My head started pounding ten times harder and I couldn''t hear what Captain America was saying.


    Inwardly I was happy. Happy that I''d had my revenge. Happy that I hadn''t been useless. Happy that my practice had paid off.


    Then everything changed when a green mist was exuded from a device on Hulk''s back. The Falcon tried to fly around it, funneling it towards the sky but it was too late for us. I started hacking as I breathed it in.


    Then I saw black.

 Im Green?

    (General P.O.V)


    The building shook.


    Despite that, none of the ones inside seemed to really care.


    "What are we looking at Tony?"


    Cap asked the owner of Stark Industries.


    On the table before them, were small pieces left over from the device the Blood Brothers had placed on the Hulk''s back.


    "A Gamma energy bomb."


    He answered, his skin slightly tinged green.


    "One designed to release a gamma virus. Before we stepped in and killed the party."


    He swiped the screen.


    "According to these readings, we got the blunt of a huge dose of that same unstable Gamma Radiation virus."


    Iron Man said, zooming in on a d.n.a strand on the holographic screen.


    "Isn''t that like huh... dangerous?"


    Hawkeye asked, crossing his hands across his bigger chest. It was easily noticeable.


    Another tremor rocked the building.


    "Duh." A sarcastic voice stated.


    "Its gamma radiation. What do you expect?"


    The voice came from Falcon who was leaning on the wall next to the door to the lab.


    "What did you say, punk?"


    Hawkeye replied, turning around to face Falcon. Both heroes started growling, a green tint appearing on their skins.


    "Okay, everybody calm down."


    Iron Man tried to appease them, raising his hands.


    "Stark is right." Cap spoke up, cutting in.


    "The two of you need to cool off."


    Iron Man placed a hand on Captain America''s shoulder.


    "Do you always have to interrupt me?"


    Tony asked, barely contained anger in his voice. His eyes flashed green.


    Cap tightened his hold on the shield then he shrugged off the hand before walking away.


    "Falcon...how about we check up on the Hulk and Thor?" He suggested.


    "Maybe having the Hulk try to teach Thor how to remain in control of his anger wasn''t such a good idea. Those two might bring the whole building down on us."


    "That''s a good idea. And maybe there we can go a few rounds, I''m feeling... irritated."


    Falcon added with a growl as they left.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "...have the situation under control?"


    A grouchy voice asked.


    "The Hulk is not a threat Sir. And Stark is already analyzing the compound and making headway in to finding a cure."


    A female voice said from beside the comfy bed I was sleeping on.


    After sleeping on the hard floor this past week, the feel of softness was heavenly.


    That thought reminded me of all that had happened. I had lost my apartment! I hope the owner had insurance incase aliens clashed through and wrecked your property.


    The reality of my situation was enough to make the anger from before surge to the surface. But it felt wrong. It was more... potent. Unreasonable.


    I feel like killing something. Anything. That''s how mad I was. Then a cool sensation washed down my body from the center of my mind.


    Solomon''s legacy. It allowed me greater control over my mental and emotional state. I was yet to finish on setting up a complete mind-scape but I was already seeing the benefits.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Rage monster crisis averted, I turned my attention to eavesdropping on the conversation between who I was sure was Black Widow and Fury.


    Maybe I would know why I was so angry, apart from the whole apartment thing of course. Oh and also what had knocked me out.


    "Yeah. About the cure thing..."


    Another voice cut in. It was familiar.


    "Stark, of course you were listening."


    Fury sighed in frustration.


    "My house, my rules." Tony Stark answered before continuing,


    "Anyway, I cannot synthesize a cure in the time we have left. The unstable Gamma Radiation is already coursing through our bodies, only Natasha was lucky enough to escape it''s range. Its just a matter of time before it goes critical and we become Ave-grenades."


    I had to catch myself from cringing at the terrible pun.


    "That was..."


    Black Widow begun when she caught herself.


    Thank God. Let the man have some dignity.


    If everything I had heard was true, then the Gamma Radiation was responsible for my unreasonable anger.


    It was the green gas I had seen before everything went dark. Unstable Gamma Radiation, the same thing that had given the Hulk his powers. If I got hit by the same thing did that mean I had his powers?


    Oh shit. That means, I really really couldn''t afford to get mad. Wrecking the city when I was supposed to learn how to defend it was not exactly Champion like.


    That is if I even made it to that point in time. The second part of Tony''s statement was worrying. We didn''t have a lot of time? If the gamma radiation went critical would I explode?


    Psionic energy couldn''t help out there. I could elect a shield to defend myself from external threats, but what if it was a weapon from inside?


    I immediately cut off the introspection. That had been happening more and more these days, I think it was a side effect of Wisdom. Thinking too much leads to too much thinking after all.


    "Motherfucker. what other options are we left with?"


    Fury cursed out before asking.


    "For now, I can try to create a containment field powered by Vibranium that will surround the Tower, keeping all of us inside. If I die Fury, I just want you to know...I have a better beard than you. Ciao."


    Widow sighed at his behavior. She then turned to Fury.


    "I have an idea we can try. Who''s the foremost expert on Gamma Radiation?"


    "Banner."


    Fury answered with a narrowed eye.


    "I know what you''re thinking, Widow. I approve, do what you can to get the hulk''s help. We cannot afford to lose the Avengers with Red Skull running around."


    "Yes Sir."


    Black widow answered.


    "What about the boy? What does he have to do with this?"


    Fury''s question made my heart skip a beat.


    "Why don''t we ask him that?"


    Widow replied and I knew the jig was up, so I didn''t bother feigning sleep any longer.


    I unlocked the wrist cuffs placed on the frames of the bed. With my Psionic shield activated I floated off it and faced Widow.


    The room I was in almost made me whistle. Expensive furniture, soft looking carpet, paintings that probably cost more money than I had ever seen and the bed...that thing was huge.


    All in all, it was high end, nothing like my apartment. Infact, the space inside this bedroom was 5 times larger than my place. And I still got the feeling that the owner was being modest.


    My sight went back to the only other person in the room. Widow had a gun pointed towards my face.


    "Jesus! Lower the gun!"


    I yelled, putting my hands up in alarm.


    I could probably tank it but sue me for not wanting to risk it.


    I delved inside her mind in preparation. The second she thought of pulling that trigger I would be able to stop her.


    Reading her mind however allowed me to understand it was just a precautionary measure incase I went all rage monster. My skin was tinted green after all.


    Oh Fuck...so it was true. I was infected.


    "Billy Batson." A black man with an eye-patch said from the holographic screen behind the Black Widow.


    The projection came from a small device placed on the desk beside a couch, facing the clear glass panes looking out into the city.


    Widow was seated on that couch, a gun held loosely in her hand with one leg crossed over the other.


    "Or at least that''s what it says on your Driver''s license. You appear to be in the system...but something about you feels off. I don''t like puzzles."


    Fury concluded, while Natasha kept watching me with an impassive expression.


    I turned to Fury.


    "Tell her to put the gun down and we can talk. I''m not going to turn into the Hulk. My powers allow me to control my own emotions better than the average person."


    That gave them pause. A glint of interest appeared in Widow''s eyes.


    "Riiight."


    Fury said.


    "I think the gun stays where it is."


    I felt a burst of irritation course through me.


    "Fair enough."


    I sighed, sitting back on the bed.


    No use in getting mad when a single tantrum could resort in the entire block getting destroyed.


    Besides, I was curious how this would go. I wasn''t really scared of them, I might have only had a week''s practice with my abilities but I was confident I could defend myself and if it came down to it, escape.


    "So what is this? An interrogation? You can''t do that without a legal guardian present."


    I told Fury.


    "Really? Says here that you''re an orphan."


    Fury replied.


    "You managed to get emancipated at 16 and have been supporting yourself through the steadily dwindling stipend that all orphans get once you leave the orphanage."


    Then Black Widow took over saying,


    "You don''t have a legal guardian except for a city appointed official who checks up on you regularly. Your next visit should be in a week or two."


    I blinked. Was that the Wisdom of Solomon working in the background? My statement had led to them exposing what they knew about me. Huh, guess I''m getting wiser.


    So I was registered as an Orphan. And what kind of Orphanage gives stipends to it''s charges?


    Maybe it was backed by an ultra rich guy like Tony Stark? Marvel didn''t seem to have a shortage of those.


    "Now, let''s move on to how you can do what you can do." Fury spoke up once more. His tone noticeably took on a hard note. ''Trying to intimidate and coerce me into agreeing to his demands.'' the thought drifted to my head.


    I didn''t even need to peek into Widow''s mind to confirm it for myself.


    "If you were a mutant, I could send you on your merry way. Maybe help you reach out to a friend. However, that came up negative on our scanners. The question is what are..."


    Before he could finish the sentence, the whole building was hit by a massive tremor.


    A section of the ceiling caved in, dropping a chunk of concrete down on us. I flew towards Black Widow and caught it before it could squash her.

 Peanut butter?

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    My clothes shredded apart. Strips of fabric hanging off my frame. I felt a heat inside my muscles. My height had also shot up.


    The anger also came back, but it was controlled. I didn''t lose my mind.


    I could see the surprise mirrored in Widow''s eyes. The grip on her gun was tight as she aimed it straight at my forehead.


    "The gun is kind of redundant at this point, don''t you think?"


    I asked, extending my telekinesis along the chunk I was lifting, to better grip it.


    "What do you propose? Appealing to your humanity?"


    She threw back, a cocky but strained smile on her face.


    My descent to the floor under the effects of telekinesis was slow. The change in size and height only became more apparent as I loomed over her. Before she had a few inches on me and now...I estimate I was standing at 6 feet 9, almost close to 7 feet.


    My arms were the size of her thighs( she had really good ones too). My chest led down to a toned green belly that had washboard abs. Veins bulged out of my skin. It would have been grotesque if it wasn''t for the perfect symmetry of my muscles.


    "Well yeah."


    I responded, my voice a deep baritone, as I swept the dust off my palms.


    "It''s called, having a civilized interaction. I am not about to jump out of 7 stories just to cause havoc as a green monstrous man, Widow. Put the gun down. We both know I''ll just spit out the bullets."


    She contemplated, head turned to stare at me. Then lowered she lowered her weapon with a look that said, ''I''m watching you.''


    "Tony, can you hear me?"


    Natasha tapped her ear piece, calling out to Stark.


    I looked at the chunk of concrete I had placed on the linoleum floor. It was larger than even I was. I stared up at the hole on the ceiling. It''s edges were close to a chain holding a massive Chandelier above us.


    Based on how effortless that chunk had felt, I wasn''t worried about it falling on my head. I felt like I could lift, carry, push or pull anything.


    I had so much...power inside. It was twisting and roiling violently, begging to be used. I clutched my fingers into a fist. What would happen if I punched the floor?


    Of course, I wasn''t going to do it but...I really wanted to see what my limit was.


    Was there even one?


    "I''m not getting through to any of them."


    Widow told me, staring at me suspiciously as I floated in the middle of the room, looking at my hands in amazement.


    "Oh."


    I looked up.


    "That''s not good. If the others were hit with the same gamma virus then..."


    A roar sounded out, cutting off my next words. A serious look appeared on my face.


    "We need to get to them. We can''t let anyone leave the building."


    Widow said in urgency, turning around to run towards the elevator.


    Before I could follow, the ground erupted between us. Out came the Hulk, a plume of dust and pieces of concrete erupting behind him as he disappeared onto the next floor through the hole on the ceiling.


    The chandelier rocked dangerously.


    With a loud crash, a huge green Thor similarly burst out from the wrecked floor. Shit...he was even bigger than I was!


    He landed on the edges of the hole, staring up at the upper floor.


    "How doth my Hammer taste, beast?!!"


    He roared.


    I shared a look with Widow.


    "Get out of here!!"


    I yelled, lunging towards the Asgardian god.


    Thor turned towards me, a glint of malicious intelligence in his eyes.


    "Come!"


    He shouted, spinning and throwing his hammer my direction.


    Mjolnir landed on my shoulder, forcefully breaking through my psionic shield and throwing me to the wall of the room. The pain was more like a light punch but I was still thrown away by the force.


    My back was pushed out of the building, spinning uncontrollably through the air.


    I blindly threw my hands behind me, causing a shockwave of Psionic energy that pushed me back towards the retreating Hammer.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    I grabbed Mjolnir''s handle and allowed it to pull me towards Thor, one hand cocked.


    We broke through the same hole, headed towards Thor as he loomed over Natasha.


    Her gun ran out of bullets and it was clear that once Mjolnir was in his hands, Thor wouldn''t hesitate to bring it down.


    "Blondy!"


    I called out, he turned to stare at me in shock. I allowed the anger to take over for a brief moment.


    My sight went red, I yelled, letting fly a heavy punch that landed on his cheek.


    There was a pressure blast, my bones ringing as the impact forced Thor to shoot out towards the elevator, he broke through the doors, slammed onto the tunnel wall and fell down the shaft.


    I offered black widow a hand. She stared at it, breathing heavily from almost dying.


    "Really? I just saved your life."


    I told her, a little peeved that she was still treating me with suspicion. Her eyes jumped to something behind me.


    I was already moving before she could warn me.


    The arrow that was aimed for my heart was blocked by my Psionic barrier, exploding upon contact and filling the room with smoke.


    The damaged floor behind my feet cracked as I jumped, digging my knee onto Hulked-out Hawkeye''s solar plexus. The gamma infected archer, coughed out as the hit drove him to clip a corner out of the chandelier hanging above us.


    The whole thing had finally had enough and came crashing down.


    Or it would have I didn''t push my hand and grip it in Telekinesis. The chandelier stopped in midair.


    Of course that''s when Iron Man flew in from the outside, shattering the glass on the side of his multimillion building.


    He was wearing a huge suit of armor that was reminiscent of the Hulk Buster. And looking at his enlarged green head, it was clear that no other suit could have theoretically fit.


    He looked around before the veins in his eyes grew prominent.


    "This is all the Hulk''s fault!"


    He complained in anger.


    "Where. Is. He? I''m gonna smash him into pieces!"


    He knocked his iron gauntlets together.


    Another mind entered my range. Falcon was using the elevator shaft to come this way. I can''t take on both Iron Man and Falcon at the same time.


    "We got more incoming."


    I told Widow.


    "Plan B. Keep them all occupied, I''ll get the Hulk. He''s the only chance we have at ending this."


    Widow told me, running up, jumping onto my shoulder before pushing herself towards the hole on the ceiling.


    She couldn''t quite reach it as it was pretty high due to the size of the room. That''s where I came in.


    I pushed her with my telekinesis and she disappeared into the next room.


    Before she could leave my range, I dove into her mind.


    "...refuse to believe Banner didn''t have contingencies for this kind of thing."


    I caught the tail end of her thoughts. Banner? As in Bruce Banner? The Hulk was Banner''s Alter-Ego. But in this world it was the opposite. I hadn''t seen Bruce even once. This just further proved how this wasn''t really Earth-199999.


    Another roar sounded out from the next room over.


    "That. Hurt."


    Hawkeye said, crashing through the wall. He narrowed his eyes at me.


    "You."


    "Me."


    I told him, readying myself.


    Iron Man clashed his fists together again, staring at me as if I was a shit stain on his clothes.


    "You let Natasha get away. Natasha the traitor. Natasha who''s spying on us for Fury!"


    Hulk Stark growled, stomping towards me.


    "If I can''t smash the Hulk... I''m going to smash you!"


    Oh shit.


    Keep them occupied huh? How exactly? One was a spy/assassin and the other was in a titanium metal suit. Not to mention, they had the Hulk''s super strength and durability.


    I did too but that only levelled the playing field slightly. They still had more experience on me. At least I didn''t have to deal with Falcon anymore.


    (General P.O.V)


    Through the Elevator shaft, Falcon''s jet pack worked overtime to carry his increased weight. He was headed for Hawkeye. Hawkeye who gave him a hard time.


    Hawkeye who always ate the last cookie.


    Hawkeye who still hadn''t made him feel welcome in the Avengers.


    He would reach him and pound his arrogant face in.


    However before he went far, a red and blue shield with a star in the middle flew from below, smashing onto his jetpack. The device blew up and Falcon begun falling towards the bottom.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Well then.


    Here goes nothing.


    The Chandelier in the air shot out under my control, smashing into Hawkeye, just as I strafed to the left, escaping the dozen or so small missiles that shot out of Iron-Man''s shoulder pauldrons.


    I held out a hand towards the missiles, changing their direction towards Iron Man. There was a massive explosion at his position. The weight of his armor and the heavily damaged floor compromised its integrity, causing most of the floor except the very edges to cave in.


    Iron Man fell just as I reached Hawk-Eye.


    From the get go, I knew I wouldn''t be able to fight him at close range, so once I was within distance of him, I slapped both palms together, each covered in a telekinetic shroud.


    To his benefit, he crouched on the ground and placed his hands before him in a guard. The pressure blast produced by my move failed to throw him back.


    Then I''ll try again!


    Just as I was about move in a second time, the roar of thrusters alerted me to something moving my way. Iron Man shoulder-checked me, pushing us through the glass to the outside.


    I tried to control him with TK but my control seemingly washed off him.


    We stopped in mid-air, his palm locked around my throat.


    I tried to pry off the arm but despite clawing at the armor, I couldn''t get a grip to tear it apart. That makes sense. This thing looks like it was made with the Hulk in mind.


    Something else bothered me. Why were my abilities not working?


    "You''re not the first telepath/telekinetic I''ve fought boy. The armor runs a small frequency that bounces back any psionic or emphatic energy."


    He answered, as if seeing the question on my face.


    Shit. I hadn''t thought of that. It figures he would be prepared for this situation. I was far from the only Psionic Manipulator around.


    Then again, Solomon''s legacy was not Psionic Manipulation. At least not at its core.


    Solomon''s legacy was Wisdom, a magic imparted onto the champion of the gods, Shazam. I refuse to believe that Tony accounted for my brand of telepathy.


    Besides, magic mostly worked on pure stubbornness and belief.


    "You let Widow escape."


    He said, beginning to squeeze my neck.


    Veins protruded across my forehead.


    "You killed the vibe, so she decided to bail...if you want to blame someone, blame yourself."


    I stopped trying to touch him with my TK and started believing I was already doing it.


    There.


    At the edge of his armor was a hum. I imagined my Psionic energy like a scalpel and where the hum was weaker...I sliced the vibrating wave and then sent a tendril of mental energy through.


    I dived into Stark''s mind. Maybe I could...


    Rage.


    Rage.


    Rage.


    Destroy!!!!!


    A scream escaped my lips as my mind was assaulted by so much fury I struggled to think. It was all consuming and so so potent.


    My own anger similarly surged out, adding force to my Psionic energy. Both abilities worked in tandem to give me clarity.


    The presence of my mind-scape was a soothing balm upon my mind. It was like a structure built out of the strongest materials standing up to a large ocean wave.


    It allowed me a chance to think.


    I quickly centered myself and turned the Cooling sensation towards Stark''s mind.


    The hold on my neck disappeared as Iron Man flew black, rubbing his face while groaning.


    "Can you believe all this started because of peanut butter?"


    He joked.


    Peanut butter? Well, with a rage monster, an Asgardian god, 2 spies, a genius and...Falcon, playing roommates it made sense that anything could be a trigger to unleash havoc.


    "Yeah. Yeah I can."


    I answered honestly.

 Lets Rumble.

    (General P.O.V)


    The Iron Skull.


    That was his new moniker. He was not the Red Skull.


    Not really.


    Despite looking, acting and sounding like him, he was not the original. He was a clone of Captain America''s greatest foe.


    The real Red Skull had died in the war but Hydra had cloned him and uploaded his entire memory.


    But then his body had begun to break down.


    Whether due to the batch of Super Soldier Serum that was a little inferior to the genuine article or his d.n.a destabilizing due to being a clone, it hadn''t mattered.


    Times had changed so he had to change as well.


    The Avengers and Shield had destroyed 90% of Hydra, necessitating Red Skull to try new tactics.


    First he managed to procure one of Iron Man''s Suit and then went about establishing his Cabal.


    A collection of the Avenger''s greatest enemies. An Anti-Avengers of sorts.


    And using it, had launched a campaign against Earth''s Mightiest Heroes.


    Inside a HYDRA sub marine that was shielded from all kinds of radar detection, Iron Skull sat on his throne in a painted black Iron Man armor.


    He was thinking about their latest scheme.


    Most of the Cabal''s plans had been trounced in the past, however, he had a feeling that this one would work.


    Turning the Avengers into raging monsters was brilliant of him. All it had taken was using one of M.O.D.O.K''s experimental...


    "Skull!"


    An annoyingly grating voice called out.


    Speak of the devil.


    The voice belonged to a floating head, with tiny almost atrophied limbs.


    "M.O.D.O.K."


    Iron Skull nodded.


    "Save it Skull."


    M.o.d.o.k levitated forward.


    "You accessed my lab and took something without my permission! The gamma device was incomplete!"


    Iron Skull stood up, his lips thinning.


    "Watch your mouth, M.o.d.o.k. Do not mistake your position. I don''t need you..." He walked down the steps.


    "...You need me."


    Iron Skull said, looming over M.O.D.O.K.


    "Well, your plan to use it on the Avengers failed. Stark has elected an energy field around his tower, trapping them inside."


    M.O.D.O.K smugly informed him.


    Iron Skull hummed.


    "I see."


    Then an evil smile appeared on his face.


    "Tell the rest we are going on a small team building exercise. Atuma especially will not want to miss this."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The rumbles coming from Stark tower were audible even from the distance.


    Black Widow''s hover car then left the pad, flying off quickly. Inside it, the Hulk was cramped in a small space. The hover car passed beside us without slowing down.


    Tony and I shared a look.


    "Okay Kid, here''s the plan. You stay here and keep a look out. I need to stop them from redecorating my favorite Skyscraper."


    He said, activating the thrusters to leave.


    "Wait! What do you mean stay here?! I''m in this too!"


    I immediately protested.


    That was a terrible plan.


    "This is an Avenger''s matter. Last I checked you need to have graduated high school to be a member. Listen, Shield is already on it''s way. They''ll...help you. Just stay put."


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Then he was off, blasting towards the tower.


    I thought about it. I could just follow him, he couldn''t really stop...


    The thought faded from my mind as a blue energy field appeared around the tower once Tony was through.


    Fuck.


    I wish I could just go home...of course now that I don''t have one, I have no idea where home would be.


    I wonder if Grandma''s house exists in this universe? But it''s a really long distance to Vermont for someone who can''t even afford a bus ticket.


    I guess I could always fly there. Or leap there now that I was all hulked out.


    Speaking of which, was I going to explode like Tony said we would?


    And again, how could he be so reckless?! I was more risk out here than in there, couldn''t he see that? Now I was getting angry.


    Still, the only choice I do have is to wait. I couldn''t leave just in case the Avengers needed me. Plus my best bet at getting cured was waiting for Natasha.


    I could already feel the heat in my muscles steadily growing oppressive.


    I sighed, floating down towards the rooftop. I still can''t believe I''m actually flying under my own power.


    Solomon''s Legacy was really something. I couldn''t wait to see what the next legacies would give me.


    Just as I sat on the edge of the roof, a flashing Shazam symbol appeared at the corner of my vision.


    There were now two of them. I must have received the first one after falling unconscious, seeing as it was now the next day, Saturday.


    Which meant, I had completed the week long mission.


    And sure enough the first notification predictably informed me that I got a bed for completing that mission.


    I didn''t rush into receiving it as there was literally no where I could put it. My apartment was gone.


    I moved on to the next notification just as the roar of a Quinjet blasting through the sky towards me sounded out.


    ~~~~~~


    (New Mission)


    (Save New York from Iron Skull and his cabal)


    (Rewards:- Complete renovation of your apartment.)


    ~~~~~~


    Shit. Iron Skull and his Cabal. That meant, Red Skull in an Iron Man suit of armor, M.O.D.O.K, Atuma who was like a discount Namor and...


    Who was the last one?


    It didn''t matter because just one of those dudes was bad news. The research into villains and heroes that I had been doing showed that a fight with any of them usually led to casualties.


    According to the Wikipedia dive, People always got injured and in worst cases died.


    Atuma alone could drown the whole city under. In fact I think he tried to collapse the subway by using water bombs once.


    If they were attacking, it was because they most likely knew that the Avengers were indisposed.


    Infact, I could already see smoke rising up from the direction of Central park.


    I clicked accept and turned to face out into New York. This city hadn''t given me the best of welcomes.


    My first day I had been attacked by vampires, then just today, my apartment had been destroyed.


    But I would protect this City, with or without The Avenger''s approval. It was what a Champion would do.


    I jumped off the ledge of the roof, the wind sailing past my face, blowing my now longer hair back.


    I timed my landing onto the street next to the spot Shield had parked the Quinjet. I startled the soldiers lining out.


    The ground splintered into a web like formation as I pushed off it once, covering myself with a telekinesis shroud to control my trajectory.


    The physical strength from the gamma virus gave me an initial burst of speed, greatly decreasing the consumption of my mental energy as I flew to the scene.


    I weaved through the skyscrapers, noting I needed more practice to make the flight more instinctual. As I was, I had to actively focus to keep myself floating.


    Then a boom, which was the shaft part of a crane, connected with my chest, smacking me away. The attack had literally come out of nowhere.


    My body smashed through a building, crashing worktables and desks in the office space I found myself in. There was instant pandemonium as people begun running away.


    I got to my feet, unsteadily, stumbling slightly. ''What the fuck was that?''


    I focused on my telepathic range, waiting to see if the attacker would attack again.


    Only for my eyes to widen when the crane from before was thrown towards the Skyscraper I was in. The crane''s tower seemed to have been torn off its foundation.


    And it would absolutely wreck this floor and the one above and below, or atleast that was the information Solomon''s legacy gave me.


    I roared out in defiance, relishing the power in my body while bounding forward like a firetruck. I broke through the glass, sailing out of the building and onto the oncoming machine.


    My hands wrapped around the metal shaft along with someone strong entering my Telepathic range. Now!


    I twisted my body, spinning as I threw back the crane towards the strong mind. The crane spun towards the park.


    I winced at the destruction it caused. Dozens of trees were uprooted with the wrecked crane carving grooves on the healthy grass.


    I floated in midair waiting. And sure enough, a second later the Blood Brothers jumped towards me!


    They each had a single arm pulled back.


    "Ready for a rematch Hulk!?"


    One of them, R''Hos asked.


    "I''m not the Hulk but trust me, you will wish I was!"


    I pushed out both of my hands, pushing them back with a wall of telekinetic force as I allowed my own body to free fall.


    The brothers looked surprise for a time before they landed on the ground, my feet planted on the chest of one of them.


    The ground suffered more greenery casualties as I jumped off R''Hos''s unconscious form.


    His twin was slowly crawling away, the landing seeming to have hurt him. I walked forward and tapped his shoulder.


    He tensed, looking behind him only for a massive green punch to connect with his temple, sending the red alien off to Dreamland.


    For a second I couldn''t believe it. These same guys had been giving me trouble but now...with the combination of my Psionic abilities and the Hulk''s powers, I made short work of them.


    I tried not to focus on the steadily growing heat in my muscles that was now approaching unbearable.


    "Impressive work."


    A voice said from behind me. How had I not sensed it?


    I turned to look at the source and almost blanched. My new opponent had arrived. Over 6 feet with a completely white carapace.


    A super-adaptoid. A machine that contained a matrix that can adapt to not only damage, but also copy someone''s abilities.


    On it''s mid-section was a face grinning down at me arrogantly.


    "You made short work of the minions but I am afraid, before the power of the Super Adaptoid, you are nothing."


    M.O.D.O.K gloated.


    "Stop wasting time with needless talk. This creature is not deserving of it."


    Another deep voice stated from the left.


    This time I felt two powerful minds enter my range.


    Turning towards the new threat, I knew things were about to get entertaining. They rode on a Tsunami made of water.


    Atuma, a blue skinned humanoid figure that I recognized as Antlantean and lastly, Red Skull in an Iron Man armor.


    I see. The Super Adaptoid had the same psionic shielding Stark and thats why I hadn''t sensed it but had sensed Iron Skull and Atuma.


    The Avengers were not here to save the day, which meant I had to.


    "Now then..."


    I cracked my knuckles, feeling a surge of excitement within me.


    "Let''s rumble."

 Vs The Cabal.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Really? You buried it?"


    Black Widow shook her head at the Hulk, wondering how such a powerful device could be placed somewhere so...remote.


    They were on a range deep in Adirondack Mountains, which lay in the northeastern part of New York, almost 300 miles away.


    The green Behemoth looked back dumbfounded.


    "What? I wanted it to be safe! And it''s not like I told anyone else where I put it!"


    He defended.


    "Exactly! Had you trusted me or Stark or the others, this would have been on hand in case something like this ever happened."


    She snapped back slightly, then shook her head, rubbing her temples.


    The Hulk blinked before growling.


    "Fine. I''ll keep that in mind for next time."


    Natasha was a bit surprised at the soft and genuine promise. Normally Hulk wasn''t so...understanding.


    Their current situation must have really jarred him. Then again, she would freak out if there were more people like her, cold assassins trained to be the best.


    The world would be plunged into a different kind of chaos.


    "Just hurry up and let''s go. I don''t want to listen to Stark complain about the loss of his precious tower."


    She informed him just as a call came in through her comms.


    "Black Widow here."


    She tapped on her ear piece.


    A second later her face changed.


    "Shit. We''ll be there in 10. let''s just hope the kid can keep them occupied before we arrive."


    "You don''t need to concern yourself with Iron Skull, we have Spiderman and his team en route to provide back up to Mr.Batson</a>. Did you find what you were looking for?"


    Maria Hill, Fury''s second in command replied.


    Black Widow''s gaze jumped to the Hulk who was pulling something off the shattered ground before she answered.


    "We have the gamma siphoning device."


    At least something had gone right.


    Still, she hoped Billy would be alright. Iron Skull and his Cabal were bad news. She remembered the time when she was infected by Dracula with vampirism.


    Natasha still had nightmares about the unquenchable bloodlust


    She shook her head. They needed to get back. ASAP.


    (Davian''s P.O.V)


    Up against three of the Avenger''s biggest enemies. Could I do this?


    Something within me said it didn''t matter.


    The lance in the blue skinned Atlantean''s hand glowed as Atuma spoke.


    "Skull, let''s make haste. Atuma wants to bring this accursed place to its heel."


    The Tsunami they were on, begun to churn, the large volume of water he had most likely stolen from the lake, begun to flow towards another direction.


    Iron Skull turned to the Super Adaptoid.


    "Do not disappoint me, M.O.D.O.K. Finish this creature and..."


    Wait, did he think I was going to let them leave?


    Fat chance!


    I pulled on the strength roaring in my body, pulled my hands back and smacked them together, producing a rippling force that smashed onto the Tsunami, throwing them all back with a spray of the water.


    "You''re not going anywhere! You lake water stealing assholes."


    I roared, using my telepathic range to keep them within my awareness.


    The insult was admittedly lacking but I was all for nature. And Atuma should have known not to mess with the park''s lake water.


    "I will..."


    Iron Skull growled out threateningly, getting off the ground.


    Only for me to smash into him at subsonic speeds, the distance between us cleared in seconds.


    "Yeah yeah, you''ll kill me and whatnot." I told him, shoulder checking the Nazi leader through a fountain and crumbling the stone structure.


    I reared back a hand to punch him on his ugly red face. Only for the water splashing around us to change form into snake like constructs that bound my body down.


    Fuck! I should have kept the telepathic shield around me active throughout. I was relying too much on the Hulk''s durability. Unfortunately, it was a bit hard to use both abilities at the same time.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Iron Skull pulled his knees close to his chest, before smashing the armor''s jet thrusters onto my belly.


    The force was enough to lift me up and throw me away, my body carving a groove through the ground, before crashing through a few trees.


    I coughed, getting to my feet as I felt, the heat in my muscles grow to more uncomfortable levels.


    It took a lot of effort to swallow the groan that was about to escape my lips.


    Then my head whipped to the side as something blunt and heavy landed on my cheek. A hammer similar to Thor''s but held in M.O.D.O.K''s robotic arm.


    I actually felt that one.


    M.O.D.O.K snickered.


    I spat out blood and a tooth, anger surging from deep within me, momentarily taking over my mental faculties.


    I took a step back, then yelled, winding back an arm before punching out to my front in pure instinct.


    My hand phased through the Super-Adaptoid''s face. The pressure wave generated from my fist caused the trees behind the hologram to bend and numerous leaves to be blown up into the sky.


    ''Move!''


    All of my instincts shouted at me as I realized I had been duped.


    I was too slow to move away.


    Something hot smashed onto my back, however, just because I couldn''t dodge it, didn''t mean, I couldn''t tank it.


    I had learned from my earlier mistake and spared focus to keep a telekinetic shield around me.


    The shield blocked the attack, which was a repulser beam, causing it to splinter off to the sides.


    Then it was my turn, I spun to face the real M.O.D.O.K, surprising him by grabbing the Super-Adaptoid with telekinesis, pulling him towards me.


    Only for the ground to tremble when Atuma landed behind us, destabilizing my footing and causing me to lose control of the hold I had on the robot.


    M.O.D.O.K took that opportunity to lift Thor''s hammer, causing the clouds above to gather ominously. Chills broke out across my skin. I couldn''t let that hit me.


    Iron Skull was also coming down from the right at fast speeds, the iron man armor''s palms lighting up with repulser beams.


    With Atuma rearing back his fist for a devastating punch at my back, they had me at a disadvantage. It was a pincer move.


    My mind begun to work fast. My thoughts ran fast. Faster than my bost could keep up.


    Without thinking, I moved my psionic energy, grabbing a hold on Iron Skull and redirecting his flight towards M.O.D.O.K who had finished bringing the copy of Thor''s hammer down, causing a large streak of lightning to come down on me.


    2 seconds before that, I had rotated my body to catch Atuma''s fist.


    What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immoveable object?


    Our collision was not exactly at that level but the ground under us cratered, cracks spreading out and causing soil and patches of green grass to go flying away.


    "You''re...


    Atuma begun to say, before I kicked up into his mid-section causing him to widen his eyes, spitting out blood.


    The force behind the hit was enough to throw him to the sky, just as I reinforced the telekinetic shield around me.


    The large streak of lightning landed on Atuma''s back, causing the Atlantean to howl in pain before falling onto the ground next to me.


    The lightning harmlessly washed down my barrier just as I fell to my knees, my head pounding like a bitch.


    I felt nauseous and dizzy. There was loud breathing and cursing before something collided onto the small of my back, carrying me forwards at crazy speeds, and right onto the path of a furious and smoking Antlantean.


    Atuma whipped the trident in his hands and struck it across my face.


    My head jerked back from the impact, the strength behind the Antlantean''s blow, enough to forcefully flip me around, before I hit the ground the third time since the fight had begun.


    Shit. I had gotten distracted!


    There was a surprised yelp from a nearby couple sitting on a bench.


    "Go, get out of here!"


    I slurred at them and they scrambled away, screaming in panic while I tried to get up and failed.


    So instead, I propped my body back onto the ground.


    My vision was still swimming, the world spinning and a trail of blood falling from my forehead. But this was mostly from getting hit.


    So okay...just because I have the Hulk''s powers doesn''t mean I have his durability.


    The reason could be two fold.


    One, his powers relied on his anger but with my Psionic abilities and Solomon''s legacy ensuring I was always in control of my mind, I couldn''t channel the necessary anger.


    The other reason could be that, his body had adapted and grown even stronger from the gamma energy inside him.


    In comparison, my body''s rate of adapting was not as fast. That could be why the heat in my muscles had been steadily growing intense.


    And I suspect I had a concussion. Along with a few broken ribs, just breathing sent waves of pain to my back.


    Let''s just lie down here for a little while.


    I was getting my ass kicked. Why was I getting my ass kicked? I fought off a Hulked out Thor, Hawkeye and Iron Man and basically won. Kinda.


    Why was I fairing bad with their enemies? People who they beat almost on a daily basis?


    I heard them before they entered my range and instead of finishing me off, Iron Skull begun to monologue.


    Good...I could take advantage of this. Maybe come up with a plan before I lost my life only one week into this verse.


    I sluggishly tried to get away only to be flipped over onto my back and the trident placed below my neck.


    I looked up and found myself surrounded.


    From the left, the Super Adaptoid stood with a construct of Mjolnir formed at the end of it''s left limb and Captain America''s shield on it''s right.


    Iron Skull stood in the middle of the other two, hands clasped behind his back and finally, Atuma was on my right, a glare on his face as he regarded me.


    The glare could be because of his smoking body from the lightning.


    "Did you really think you could best us? Atuma is a Warlord, I am a combat tactician and The Super-adaptoid is adaptable."


    Iron Skull sneered.


    A plan begun forming in my mind. If it worked then I could deal with the three of them at the same time, saving the day and getting back my apartment.


    Hardly something worthy of inspiring heroics but that apartment had grown on me.


    "No more talking, time for slaying. No one hurts Atuma!"


    Atuma growled out.


    My heart jumped as the tips of his trident glowed golden, pushing slightly into my neck.


    Not yet.


    "Wait."


    I said, forcing my tone to be calm as I stared at the Skull.


    "Don''t you think I would be more valuable alive?"


    "Wait, Atuma."


    Iron Skull raised a hand as a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.


    "He could be a good bargaining chip."


    "A lab-rat if that fails. I would love to find out how his biology works."


    M.O.D.O.K added, his face disturbingly cruel.


    Atuma growled, retracting the spear.


    "Fine."


    A pair of cuffs seemed to form in the Super-adaptoid''s hands as it walked forward.


    During the entire conversation, I had been gathering all the energy inside my body


    It hadn''t been easy at first, however from my judicious efforts on learning how to control my psionic abilities, I had gained an uncanny skill with energy control.


    It wasn''t at the level of reinforcing my muscles, skeleton or organs directly but I could project blasts of telekinetic force from anywhere in my body.


    And that rang true for any other internal energy within me.


    If I could perceive it, I could control it.


    "Huh?"


    A startled sound left Skull''s skinless lips as the three of them found themselves held in place, immobile by my telekinesis.


    "What sorcery is this!?"


    Atuma yelled.


    A smile spread across my face.


    "Actually, I think I''ve changed my mind. I''m no one''s lab-rat."


    I looked up at the bright sky and one word left my mouth.


    "SHAZAM!"


    There was a brief silence, before M.O.D.O.K''s screech of fear was drowned out by a massive explosion of gamma energy.


    I felt the power leave my body in wide streaks followed by an omnidirectional wave of green light.


    For a second I worried that I had miscalculated the area of effect. But Solomon''s legacy came in clutch once again.


    The energy wave slammed onto the boundaries of the shield along my telepathic range which had grown to a hundred meters.


    The energy wave failed to break through, receding and searching for another path.


    That extra energy shot towards the sky and away from the planet.


    The heat in my muscles disappeared as I shrank down, my body fully devoid of any gamma energy.


    A notification appeared at the corner of my eye. I had succeeded in the mission.

 Shazam.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I clicked on the notification instantly.


    I needed to see it.


    ~~~~~~


    (Mission Accomplished)


    (Save New York from Iron Skull and his cabal)


    (Rewards:- Complete renovation of your apartment) - Receive?


    ~~~~~~


    I breathed out a sigh of relief, good.


    It wasn''t easy, I hadn''t thought it would be but...it had been much harder than I had expected.


    I''d gone up against 3 Supervillains who by themselves were like a small army.


    M.O.D.O.K was a genius scientist, Iron Skull was a supersoldier inside an Iron Man Armor and the less said about Atuma the better.


    That''s why I couldn''t stay on the ground, no matter how much I wanted to rest my head a little. That finishing move had left me feeling lethargic.


    The good thing was that my body was now free of the Gamma Virus.


    The headache and the pain on my ribs would take time to heal but atleast I wasn''t going to explode soon.


    The only downside was that I couldn''t exactly train while injured. A normal concussion took 7 to 14 days to heal. That meant at least an entire week of inactivity.


    Maybe I could use that time as I healed, to complete the next level of the Mind - Palace.


    Maybe I could even explore the ideas I had about coming up with a new psionic ability.


    Now that school wasn''t necessary, after all I had completed the mission, there was time to work on my powers.


    Something like regeneration would have have healed my injuries. Not to mention, I could think of a few ways Magnetism would have come in handy during the fight with the Cabal.


    Coincidentally, coming up with an original psionic ability was the only mission I was yet to complete.


    Accomplishing it would reward me with the ring of Solomon. Something that was equal parts useful as well as dangerous.


    An artefact that gave the user control over the 72 demon pillars.


    I was still...undecided if I even wanted something like that.


    That''s a lie. I wanted it, I just didn''t think it was smart to use it.


    Messing with the forces of hell dared to bring Mephisto''s gaze and attention to me. I WAS NOT ready for something like that.


    Even at Shazam''s full power he wouldn''t survive half the shit someone like Johnny Blaze went through because of Mephisto.


    Demons aside, I covered my body with a psionic aura and raised myself from the ground.


    I was shirtless and the pants I had worn before were now strips of fabric hanging off my legs.


    Clothes were the furthest thing in my mind however.


    ******


    I floated towards the fallen Cabal lying on the edges of the crater created by the discharge of the gamma energy.


    The area around us was devastated. The crater being close to 300 yards in size. (270 meters across)


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Iron Skull was propped up against a broken tree trunk, the arc reactor core on his chest looked dim and the armor itself was dented in places. A trail of blood fell down his forehead.


    Atuma was lying on his back, groaning. The entire front of his armor was melted.


    The chest plate going down to cover his belly and the guards along his thighs and limbs seemed to have melded into his blue skin.


    That looked painful. I was cautious with him. Out of the three of them, he seemed to be responsive.


    I turned to the Super-Adaptoid next. M.O.D.O.K had gotten the worst of it.


    The Super-Adaptoid''s left side was entirely missing. M.O.D.O.K''s atrophied left hand, ended in an injury a little past the elbow.


    The injury didn''t seem to be bleeding normally, the wound was glowing red, his flesh bubbling and then before my eyes...it started healing.


    What the...


    The only thing that I knew could that was...


    Extremis.


    But How? How did M.O.D.O.K have access to Extremis?


    The good thing was that none of them seem to be dead. I knew Marvel heroes were not as dead set on letting some villains live like DC, but I still didn''t want them thinking I was a killer.


    Not sure how long the Cabal was going to stay knocked out though, but I hoped Shield or the Avengers would arrive and cart them away before they woke up.


    On the bright side, I could use Atuma''s blue cape to create something I could temporarily wear.


    A crude mask was especially necessary, taking into account that I was still in a public place.


    Didn''t matter that a small part of it looked like the sight of a massive bomb explosion.


    I estimate there wouldn''t be any picnics in the park for the foreseeable future.


    The authorities would need to ensure that all traces of the Gamma Virus were gone and that meant cordoning it off from the public.


    I lifted Atuma off his back, using Telekinesis to detach him from his cape.


    Then I dropped his body back to the ground roughly. I was still salty about him ruining the lake.


    I studied the cape closely.


    It was obviously something of high quality. Which wasn''t surprising really.


    Atuma was a Warlord, one who could claim dominion over the most resource heavy place in the world, the ocean.


    ''Could'' being the key word as Namor would sooner eat his own liver than allow something like that.


    He and Atuma were bitter enemies in the comics, I''m guessing it was still the same here as well.


    That aside, the cape was sufficient for what I would need. Covering my nudity.


    My grandma was amazing at stitching. The fact that her only daughter only had 1 kid, and it wasn''t a girl, was a point of contention for her.


    The old woman wanted to pass on her skills.


    So she decided to teach me instead.


    The blue cape underwent changes as I used telekinesis to sever and twine the threads into a simple Dhoti, which was basically baggy pants that were comfy.


    Then I cut the cape into a long plain strip of cloth. An Angavastra which I hang over my shoulder.


    It was a simplistic solution that didn''t take long. I didn''t have time to create pants and a t-shirt.


    The rest of the material was used for a ski mask that completely covered my face.


    There were two holes cut into it to form eye holes for me to see through.


    I looked like Aladdin if he wore a face mask, the only thing missing being his signature vest and hat.


    With my identity safe and dignity restored, I turned to my enemies.


    The rest of the material was twisted into strong and tight ropes that Solomon''s Wisdom informed me had been strung and weaved to possess the the tensile strength of a metal cable.


    Atlantean fabric for the win. Yay.


    Oh and telekinesis for the win too!


    The ropes swam through the air like snakes under my power. They crept up the Cabal''s forms and ensnared them fully.


    It would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience for them to break apart the ropes. But that was alright, I could already feel someone enter my range.


    They swung through the trees.


    Spiderman.


    Before the friendly neighborhood superhero and what I was guessing was Shield could arrive, I decided to see if there was anything else cooler I could...heh...borrow from the Cabal.


    My eyes immediately landed on the Golden Trident lying next to Atuma. I smiled. Mine.


    The trident flew to my hands and immediately...I could feel my mind tap into a boundless well of power. The ocean!


    This was the Trident of Neptune! I immediately threw it into my hammer space which was just barely big enough to accommodate the weapon.


    ''That surely won''t cause problems for me in the long run.'' I mused sarcastically.


    Then turned around to face the blue and red clad superhero watching from the branch of a tree.


    He had just arrived.


    Spiderman tilted his head to the side and I stopped myself from diving into his mind to find out what he was thinking.


    I could feel his surprise though. Whether it was due to the fact that I had just soloed the Cabal or my weird costume or the crater, I had no idea.


    "Hi there. Hope they didn''t give you too much trouble. Tried to punch Atuma on the face once...bad idea."


    Spider man started off cautiously.


    "Yeah, tell me about it."


    I intentionally vibrated the air infront of my lips with telekinesis, causing my voice to be distorted but still audible.


    Spiderman tapped his ear and mumbled something that was too low for me to hear, before jumping down onto the crater.


    He looked around at the destruction and whistled.


    "Looks like that one time the Rhino fought the Hulk."


    He had no idea how close he was to the actual truth. I wasn''t the Hulk but I''d been a ''Hulk.''


    Spiderman stopped a few places away from my floating form and held out a hand.


    "Hi there. Spiderman. And you are?"


    I floated to the ground and shook it, noticing that I was still a little taller than him.


    "Call me..."


    At that, I stopped. I could go with any other superhero name. A few cool ones even existed like Paragon or Fortitude, maybe even simply Champion to allude to my connection with the Gods.


    But... nothing seemed to feel as right as what I knew, was always going to be my Superhero identity.


    "Shazam. The Marvelous Shazam."

 Priority Alpha part 1.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "Shazam huh? Cool name. Sounds related to magic though."


    He tilted his head, giving me an once-over.


    "So are you like...a wizard or something."


    Despite the small burst of glee that he liked the name, I wasn''t going to tell him about my abilities.


    "Or Something."


    I could almost sense the frown underneath his mask.


    "You''re intentionally being vague to sound mysterious."


    "What gave that away?"


    I questioned just as the gentle roar of engines sounded out, headed straight for us.


    Shield worked fast.


    The minute the Quinjet landed on the edges of the destroyed area, agents rushed out with some high tech restraining devices.


    They quickly and efficiently apprehended the unconscious Villains.


    Seeing this, Spiderman turned to me.


    "Sorry, gotta run. Now that Shield''s here, my team needs me."


    "Team?"


    I blurted out before I could help myself. Last I checked Spiderman didn''t have a team.


    "Yeah, crazy, I know. Me in a team. Not to mention it''s leader. Fury certainly lost his marbles."


    He replied with a sigh of frustration.


    That wasn''t all. I caught the undercurrent of reluctant pride.


    I smiled.


    "Don''t worry I''m sure you''ll get the hang of things. There''s always a first time for everything."


    My words made him reevaluate me again.


    "Thanks. Always good to see J.Jonah</a>''s mission to trash my name failing."


    Before we could continue with the conversation, Spiderman stiffened slightly.


    A particularly well guarded mind appeared in my telepathic range, walking briskly towards us.


    Spiderman winced.


    "Sorry. I really gotta escape...I mean run... I mean swing...away. Now. The cityneedsmebyeShazam!"


    He turned flustered, shot a web onto a nearby street light and quickly swung away.


    "Don''t let her bite your head off!"


    He added before disappearing into the concrete jungle.


    Of course I knew who he was talking about. I turned around and came face to face with Maria Hill.


    "You''re coming with me."


    She immediately ordered. The nerve.


    I frowned underneath my mask.


    "Sorry. But I don''t take kindly to rude people."


    Then without another word, I pulsed my TK aura and blasted off into the sky, heading towards my beautiful apartment.


    It''s not like I had anywhere else to go or anything. Not to mention, I was dead on my feet. I felt like sleeping for a whole week.


    My flight speed slowed as I got closer to my lair...I mean my apartment.


    I hovered in the air while looking down at the complex. Luckily the way the building was constructed ensured I could move in without being easily spotted.


    As for the aforementioned apartment, it was back!


    That red faced stupid alien had torn everything apart but just like the mission rewards had stated, my little abode looked as if nothing had happened to it.


    Once inside, it became obvious that something had indeed changed.


    Every single thing seemed to have undergone renovation.


    Or rather, the Apartment looked new. As if time had reversed by a few years instead of the few hours since it had been destroyed.


    It looked how I imagine it used to be when the building was first built. No leaking bathroom anymore.


    Yay to the powers that be for even dealing with the wear and tear. Everything had been restored to it''s prime.


    A little more touring and I was even more impressed. This place looked nothing like my old apartment. Everything was clean and fresh.


    The musty smell and stench of disinfectant that had always been there was missing.


    I accepted and received my other reward, setting up my new and comfy bed before taking a shower.


    The water was hot!


    It might seem as if I was making a big deal out of the whole thing, but after showering with cold water for the last week, I almost moaned as the heat washed away my exhaustion.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    I''m not ashamed to say I stayed there longer than I was supposed to.


    After that, I heated up some leftovers I had in my new, albeit small fridge.


    I had wanted to do something about my injuries but I was still mentally drained, so I swallowed a painkiller and promptly fell asleep.


    My dreams were filled with images and scenes of a battlefield. A man wearing a lion''s top half of the skull and mane as a headdress wielding a massive club.


    He stood on a mountain of corpses. Alone, in opposition to the thousands of warriors before him.


    Everytime he swung the club, the entire battlefield would undergo a massive upheaval.


    The terrain would change.


    Mighty and thunderous shockwaves would carry his enemies away, destroying army formations easily.


    The earth would crack apart swallowing everything.


    Then another scene would replace that, and I would see the same man battling a large lion with his bare hands. Their fight was even more shocking than the scene before.


    It was brutal. The Lion left claw marks along his body that bled with golden blood.


    "Ichor"


    Solomon''s legacy supplied.


    Ichor, a god''s blood.


    Instantly I knew who he was. Even before the scene changed to show him battling a creature that looked like a cross between a dragon and a snake with 8 heads.


    "Hydra."


    Solomon''s Wisdom once again supplied.


    Hercules.


    The most physically strongest god.


    The legacy of Strength.


    For the rest of my sleep, I feel into a dreamless state. Only waking up when the sun''s rays started streaming through the window.


    I had slept for more than 13 hours.


    I lay there thinking about the dream I had.


    A few minutes later, I decided to get up, groaning as my ribs protested any movement at the action.


    I sank back in bed, pulling up my t-shirt to see the extent of my injuries.


    There was a red welt on the left side of my chest, but it wasn''t as bad as I had initially feared.


    Running my palm over my forehead revealed I had been wrong about a concussion. There wasn''t any pain there.


    I was sure I had hit my head pretty badly though...


    Still, can''t look a gift horse in the mouth. This type of injury wouldn''t be enough to keep me down for long.


    It was a good thing too. I speculated it would only take about a week to get back to full health.


    Less, if I try an idea I had.


    I settled into a cross legged position, falling into a meditative trance.


    Next I reached out through my telepathic range.


    My eyes blinked open in surprise. My range had increased. A lot.


    I could now cover the entire block which was almost half a mile all around. Close to 800 meters.


    And I could peruse the minds of anyone inside this range with ease.


    It was... intoxicating just how much power and control I now wielded. It seems the fight with the Cabal had done me some good.


    Maybe with this increased control my idea would work.


    I tentatively pulled on my psionic energy.


    My body immediately glowing as a shroud of rainbow color appeared around me. It shone bright enough I was sure anyone watching from the outside would have seen it.


    I decreased the amount I was pulling on and the glow around me died down. Now for the next step.


    I sent a little of that energy to my ribs gently. To my utter disappointment, the energy simply dissipated into the air.


    I tried again. The same thing happened.


    I kept at it for a few hours not even noticing the time go by as I was focused on cracking this. Having a healing skill would be invaluable.


    Without my TK aura acting as the last layer of defense I had against powerful blows, I was a glass Cannon.


    Regeneration in that case would be a good skill to have.


    Unfortunately, Psionic energy seemed to work under different principles. Which made sense in a way.


    All the skills I''d learned under Solomon''s Legacy were mental skills.


    Regeneration wasn''t.


    That wasn''t to say my efforts went to waste.


    Something unexpected did eventually happen as I kept pushing Psionic Energy into my injury to heal it.


    That something would be the basis of one of the most valuable skills I would ever come up with.


    (General P.O.V)


    (Elsewhere)


    The Hulk and Black Widow had managed to get the gamma energy siphoning device and cure the Avengers.


    Stark complained about the damage caused to his building but with the kind of resources he had at hand, rebuilding was only a matter of using a few suits controlled remotely.


    In just a few hours, everything was back to tip top shape.


    The Avengers also understood how it was living like the Hulk. Being forced to keep all that anger in check.


    Suffice it to say, they sympathized and respected Banner even more.


    The only thing left to do was to find the boy, Billy and cure him as well.


    The boy had surprised them all. He''d dealt with the Cabal. Alone. That wasn''t a simple feat.


    The Cabal went up against the Avengers regularly and the latter would all unanimously agree they weren''t a joke.


    Tony had a program running a database search for Billy. Sooner or later they would find the boy.


    In the meantime...things were underfoot.


    In the Avengers tower, director Fury had called a meeting with the Avengers.


    Priority Alpha.


    Which meant what he wanted to talk to them about was important enough to warrant Shield''s director to arrive himself.


    Fury turned to Tony.


    "Stark, a little privacy please."


    The billionaire merely nodded without saying anything, something that was uncharacteristic of him.


    "Jarvis, you heard the Pirate."


    But of course he wouldn''t miss the chance to throw a jab Fury''s way.


    Gray metal panels fell from the walls around the room, covering the windows and sealing the room shut from the outside world.


    *******


    The hardened spy took a deep breath.


    "We lost Loki''s scepter two years ago."


    Fury admitted, looking as if he''d bitten on a particularly sour lemon.


    The room turned cold.


    "What''s Loki''s scepter?"


    Falcon asked, looking around the room.


    No one answered. They remained in stunned silence.


    "2 years...that long and you only mention it now."


    Stark shook his head.


    "And you say I can''t be trusted. How did you lose it?"


    Tony asked, his tone calm but those who knew him could see the slight clench of his jaw.


    Tony was angry. Anger that was universally shared by the rest of the Avengers.


    "You know how."


    Fury answered calmly. As if he wasn''t facing some of the most dangerous individuals in the planet.


    "Hydra."


    Cap bit out.


    "Affirmative. We never managed to find out who stole it from Shield''s vault of ''things that should not be outside the vault''."


    The spy informed them.


    "Until now."


    Hawkeye guessed.


    "Right again."


    The leader of Shield nodded.


    "And you kept this from us why?"


    Tony prodded, pouring himself a glass of bourbon that he handed to Thor.


    The Asgardian gulped it down before levelling a glare at Fury.


    "You gave me assurance Fury. You lied."


    The air got charged. The Avengers were staring at Fury distrustfully.


    "Can we all just calm down? Let him explain."


    Black Widow told the team.


    "Of course you would support him Natasha."


    Hawkeye threw at her.


    "I..."


    Black Widow started only to trail off with a frown. That comment seemed to have thrown her off her game.


    "Despite where Natasha''s loyalties seem to lie, she''s a valuable member of this time. And she''s right. I''m not happy with any of this but we should listen before judging."


    Cap the voice of reason, advised.


    The others weren''t happy but at least they looked ready to hear Fury out.


    "What''s there to explain?" The One-eyed spy responded.


    "Though the Avengers lack oversight, Shield is under the World Council. My bosses determined the information was too sensitive for people to know."


    "Even the Avengers?"


    Falcon asked, one eyebrow raised.


    "You know the game Sam. Orders are orders."


    Natasha replied to the former soldier.


    Thor slammed the glass in his hands on the table.


    "Hey, use the coaster..."


    Iron Man added offhandedly as the Asgardian got to his feet, calling to his hammer.


    "Midgardian Politics."


    The god spat out in distaste before making his way towards the entrance.


    "Hold on, prince Thor. I promise you that you will want to stay back for this."


    Fury told him, more serious than any of them had heard before.

 Priority Alpha Final Part.

    (General P.O.V)


    Fury''s grave tone convinced Thor to stay back and at least listen to what the other man had to say.


    Though he hated politics, Midgard was still under his protection.


    Thor could put his pride to the side when it came to safeguarding the lives of innocents.


    Fury wasted no time.


    "As you are all aware, The Cabal were defeated and taken down by this kid."


    An image of Billy appeared on the screen.


    "How is he by the way? He never came in when the rest were getting cured of the gamma virus."


    Banner asked from his seat, in between Falcon and Hawkeye.


    Fury frowned.


    "Troublesome. Hill tried to approach him but he blew her off and flew away."


    "Wow. I''m surprised someone said no to SHIELD."


    Falcon cut in.


    "My people are out looking for him."


    Fury assured, seeking to move past that particular subject.


    "No need. I know where he is."


    Tony said with a slightly mocking smile.


    Fury brushed away the obvious dig at SHIELD''s inability to stay ahead of Stark.


    "Back to the matter at hand, we found something after accessing Iron Skull''s suit of armor. Communications with Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker."


    Hawkeye sat up straighter.


    "A well known activist. Head of many charity programs all across Europe and Asia."


    "Guess we know what he gets up to in his spare time. Anyone in ''communications'' with Skull is bad news."


    Tony remarked.


    "Strucker has been hiding his affiliations with Hydra well. The information we came across, however, paints him as more than just a high ranking figure under Iron Skull. We''ve linked him to at least dozens of felonies and terrorism. He led one of Hydra''s cells. Occupying the same position as...


    "Alexander Pierce."


    Cap guessed.


    "Exactly." Fury nodded.


    "Widow?"


    Black Widow stepped up.


    "Strucker managed to steal the scepter from under Shield''s nose 2 years ago."


    She waved a hand across the holographic screen.


    2 photographs appeared before them.


    One showed an older man dressed in a navy blue suit and another showed a middle aged man with a rifle in his hands.


    "Strucker and his second in command, List. They have been using the Scepter''s powers to experiment on many human volunteers in an off the books HYDRA Research Base hidden in Sokovia."


    "Let me guess, they hope to create super soldiers. An army that will serve Hydra."


    Cap sighed, gripping the edges of the table tightly enough to leave impressions.


    "Bad guys have a hard on for world domination. Their goals never seem to vary that much."


    Barton shook his head.


    "We need the Scepter back. And any research material you can find."


    Fury informed them.


    "Research material? Why? So that Shield can create it''s own version of enhanced soldiers?"


    Tony questioned, narrowing his eyes.


    Fury held his gaze unflinchingly.


    "Remember what I said, Stark. Shield doesn''t work like the Avengers. My hands are tied on some things."


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    "No, I agree with Tony. If you''re sending us in, then it''s a rescue and destroy mission. Shield can''t be trusted with whatever Hydra has been working on."


    Cap informed Fury, making it abundantly clear there wouldn''t be a compromise.


    Fury''s jaw tightened.


    "And the Avengers can?"


    Then Tony said something that he would come to regret.


    "Of course. Unlike you, we don''t seek to control the world, we Avenge it."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    4 days.


    That''s how long it took till I was healed enough to start moving.


    Let alone practice my more physically intensive abilities.


    These 4 days would have been boring and long if I hadn''t had something to occupy my time with.


    I spent the mornings working on my mind scape.


    A few things had become apparent though. The method I used was flawed. It didn''t allow any flexibility or creativity.


    It would have been sufficient for any normal person and it brought with it a few benefits.


    clarity and reinforced memory being chief among them.


    But to me, it felt limiting. I didn''t simply want a skill that would help me remember things.


    No, I wanted security measures, increased control, free and malleable thinking.


    The last was mostly because of two skills I stumbled upon once I tore down the initial mind palace I had begun working on.


    The two skills were, Cold focus and Overclock.


    The first allowed me to enter a state of complete concentration. I couldn''t get distracted. Either by pain or emotions. Everything was muted.


    It would come in handy when I needed complete focus on something.


    The second skill, Overclock allowed me to speed up my thinking.


    And I was well on the way to creating mind partitions where I could focus on many strings of thought at the same time.


    Infact...


    I dove into my mind, appearing in a verdant green land that stretched out as far as the eye could see.


    The land gave way to an ocean on the left and a mountain range on the right.


    A small village-town was constructed along the shore with high walls meant to stop any invading force.


    The town was separated into different sectors all leading up to a large medieval castle, complete with huge crossbows, energy canons and other forms of armament on top of the castle walls.


    Mental apparitions moved through the town like normal people, dressed in a variety of clothing.


    Most of it matched the same medieval setting as the town.


    Mental apparitions were the basis of mind partitions. They were just creations devoid of will that programed to act how you would expect villagers to act.


    I flew over the town, admiring the apparitions I had set to expand my mind-scape.


    Most would assume that my memories were stored in castle.


    A particularly smart telepath might guess they were stored in one of the many unimpressive houses in the lowest sectors of the town.


    They would all be wrong.


    I flew past the town and stopped in mid-air above the ocean.


    My memories were actually contained in the infinite drops of water in the ocean.


    This was my library of memories. A sea without limits.


    I blinked my eyes open in the real world, floating off my bed and towards the fridge.


    Opening it, I couldn''t help but curse.


    I had ran out of food. To be specific, my stash of instant noodles.


    To be honest, it was supposed to have ran out 2 days ago, if it weren''t for a few unexpected guests.


    My classmates had decided to check on me after I had missed school for 3 consecutive days.


    Peter and Ned had arrived at my apartment with Peter carrying a dish of his Aunt''s signature casserole.


    Upon enquiring why I hadn''t come in the past three days, I cited an injury, telling them I''d slipped on the stairs while coming down.


    The overall deplorable state of the apartment complex assured they believed me.


    But still, they had been concerned.


    Something that had both annoyed and made me grateful.


    Annoyed because I was sure the school had policies about giving out people''s addresses( I was sure Peter has snuck in and just stolen it) and grateful because now I had something I could eat for two days!


    The gesture was touching though and we ended up playing a couple of DnD rounds before they left.


    I didn''t have the heart to tell them I wouldn''t be coming back. The plan was to graduate early and begin working on ensuring I survived Thanos arrival.


    It was currently 2015...I didn''t have a lot of time.


    That aside, I couldn''t rely on Pete''s goodwill for food, so tonight I had decided to go out.


    It was time to introduce Shazam! to the outside world.


    The plan was to kick a few bad guy butt, then help myself to their ahem...ill gotten goods.


    Drug dealers always carried cash right? I mean all of fiction supported the thought so...


    *******


    I cleaned up and left the apartment, moving straight towards the abandoned factory that I had made my training yard.


    My mind was occupied by a couple of things besides the fact that tonight would be my official debut.


    There was the matter of having a superhero costume. I couldn''t go out to fight crime in a hoodie and jeans...


    Or could I?


    I stopped in mid-air to think over the idea that had just sprouted in my mind.


    I didn''t have the necessary funds to get something effective like Kevlar and any other tough material that would protect me.


    Good thing that I had my Psionic shield to protect me from bullets and piercing damage.


    Better yet, I could repurpose Atuma''s cape and use a leather jacket I had, to make something passable in the eyes of the public.


    There was a pair of common hiking boots back in my apartment, that could take the place of durable foot-ware before the superspeed kicked in.


    For now my costume didn''t have to be anything fancy. Spiderman went out in a red hoodie back when he was starting out after all.


    I continued on my journey, happy with the feeling of progress. My debut would mark a milestone for me. I had been in Marvel for two weeks now.


    And in those two weeks, I''d come across vampires, one of my favorite superheroes and even fought Supervillains.


    Not a bad start.


    I arrived at the abandoned factory and slipped in unnoticed.


    Once inside, I turned on Cold Focus. My entire mind and body was focused on training.


    The training regiment usually begun with me working on my multitasking skill.


    I had to juggle different things with Telekinesis in a randomized pattern without letting them clash into each other.


    Moving around marbles had stopped being a major challenge so I leveled up to basically juggling around heavy objects like a tank filled with water, long and huge chains and the rusted machinery.


    This was much harder and I could already feel a strain as I controlled the huge chain to swim in the air around my body.


    *******


    "ETA 5 minutes, to drop point."


    Black Widow informed the others.


    "Thats our cue goldilocks, Wings."


    Iron Man told Thor and Falcon.


    "Don''t call me wings."


    Falcon grumbled as the Quinjet''s hanger doors opened.


    A cold gust of wind blew in.


    "Tony, remember rescue...and destroy. Besides the Scepter, everything else goes up in flames."


    Captain America reminded Iron Man.


    The tech hero said nothing, merely turning on his boot engines and flying away.


    "Meet you on the ground friends!"


    Thor swung his hammer and flew out as well.


    "Suddenly, I feel underdressed for this."


    Falcon complained before jumping out of the Quinjet and into the frigid air of Sokovia.

 Hero Debut.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Practice ended early. I still had the costume to create so after a few hours of stretching my psionic muscle (mind), I left.


    Approximately 20 minutes later, I was standing before my bed with the bare bones of my costume on the covers.


    My eyes however, were not on the mattress.


    Instead, I was staring at a mission tab that had appeared before my eyes.


    ~~~~~~~


    (New mission: Superhero Costume)


    (Description: put together something that can pass off as a decent attempt at making a superhero costume. First impressions matter a lot.)


    (Reward: Costume Upgrade Token.)


    ~~~~~~~


    Just like I thought, the system while not sentient could anticipate my needs.


    I clicked accept on the mission and got to work.


    5 minutes later, I looked myself over in the mirror.


    "Not bad for my rusty sewing skills."


    I commented, admiring the get up.


    A black leather jacket, red pants and a pair of generic boots that felt more comfortable than they should have.


    I hadn''t had much to do with the Atlantean fabric besides creating a shoulder cloak like Shazam''s and then draping it over my shoulder.


    I tilted my head. The jacket was too baggy though.


    To fix that, I flexed of my will, using my powers to tighten the seams and stitching at the arms and sides.


    It clung to my body more snugly over the grey t-shirt I had on.


    The pants had to be loosened a little as well, to allow for easier movement. With the alterations finally done, I was good to go.


    The system seemed to agree with me, as something flashed at the corner of my vision.


    A blue lightning symbol.


    Clicking on it, I pulled up the mission reward panel and accepted the reward.


    With a flash of color, a circular golden token appeared on my palm. It had the lightning symbol highlighted on it''s top.


    I turned over the Costume Upgrade Token, studying it. It was cold to the touch and a bit heavy.


    I couldn''t tell if the material used was metal or a really hard and dense wood.


    It''s true nature didn''t really matter as long as it did as advertised.


    I placed the Token on my chest, following instinct. Then I pressed down on the symbol.


    On the mirror before me, my reflection underwent changes.


    Golden tendrils of energy poured out from the token, touching upon my costume and changing it.


    The transformation took seconds to happen and when I blinked my eyes open, I gaped in surprise.


    Whoa. Talk about an upgrade.


    For starters, the costume seemed to consist of a black one piece body suit that was made with padding at vulnerable places.


    Above it was hard but light armor. The torso was colored red and black with a glowing lightning insignia in the middle.


    3 bulky shoulder pauldrons were stacked above each other on each of my shoulders and my arms were covered by wrist bracers.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    To complete the look was a half mask that covered my upper face, flaming it perfectly. The eye holes glowed a soft even yellow.


    My feet left the ground as I slowly levitated. Then I begun pivoting, looking over myself.


    Different from my expectations, there wasn''t any similarities between my costume and Shazam''s except for the lightning symbol.


    The blue cape I had earlier fixed on my shoulder was also gone. The upgrade token must have gotten rid of it and to be honest, I could see why.


    The red and black would have contrasted with the Atlantean blue.


    I guess no capes then.


    Still, paying homage to Shazam aside, the costume was badass.


    "Okay..."


    I smiled.


    "I can get used to this."


    ******


    The New York air was cold as usual. And noisy too.


    I was flying at a gentle speed.


    Cruising with my telepathic range extended to it''s limit while I scanned for minds in distress.


    So far, 2 hours in, nothing big had happened. There had been a car accident at a certain junction but no one was hurt.


    The drivers had gotten into an argument but a few patrolling officers had luckily been around to deal with it, so I left.


    And as I did, I thought.


    I wasn''t dumb. I knew that S.H.I.E.L.D was aware of me.


    Especially after I ditched Maria Hill, Fury''s second in command before she could interrogate me.


    I had to expect a meeting with the premier spy soon.


    By the time midnight rolled around, I had only stopped a drunken fight and saved a stray cat from getting flattened on the street when it had jumped in front of a car.


    The driver''s mouth had been left gaping open, upon witnessing a cat fly above his car, it''s body highlighted by a rainbow glow.


    "What were you thinking?"


    I asked the dumb but cute feline as I held her up.


    "Mroow."


    She replied, making me roll my eyes.


    "Yes yes, you were being chased by a dog but you guys are great at climbing the railing and jumping around. Dogs can''t do that shit. Running out into the street will most likely get you killed."


    I told her.


    "Mrooooow."


    She responded, dismissing my advice by claiming she''s too fast to get hit.


    I sighed, rubbing her behind the ear.


    "Just stay out of trouble."


    I released her and she hopped away, not even thanking me.


    After she was gone, I realized I had understood her. Not her unintelligible animal sounds obviously, but her mind. Her intent.


    Before I could think about that for too long, there were several screams and shouts that sounded pretty close to me.


    I stood up from the roof''s edge and peered down at the street.


    A blue car with a dented side cut down the street in reckless abandon. Behind it were a few cop cars in pursuit, sirens flashing.


    I didn''t waste time. This was the first true crime that if I resolved would put me in the police''s good graces.


    I took a step forward and fell.


    My descent slowed as I managed to call onto my TK aura.


    The shroud of rainbow flashed across my body before I was off, flying after the blue car.


    I had my telepathic range extended out, ensuring I didn''t miss anything.


    There was awe from the people on the sidewalk the instant they spotted my red and black figure.


    Some took pictures while others pointed at me.


    Even the cop cars slowed down somewhat. I took that as permission to move on ahead and stop the driver before he caused an accident.


    The car was going fast. 80 mph at the minimum.


    I easily pulled up next to the vehicle, flying beside it and knocked on the driver''s window.


    A middle aged man with a scraggly beard, red shot eyes and a dirty wife-beater cursed upon seeing me.


    He suddenly turned the wheel left, the tires protesting as the car swerved away from me.


    The bumper clipped the side of a fire hydrant and broke it.


    Water started spraying out into the street as the driver gunned the car down the road.


    Only for the vehicle''s engine to rumble but fail to move a single inch, suspended in mid air through my telekinesis.


    My powers had grown enough that lifting 2 tons while a bit on the heavy side was manageable. The car was only slightly too heavy.


    The wheels rolled as he stepped on the gas again and again, cursing as nothing seemed to work.


    I floated down, hands crossed over my chest as I stared at the panicking guy. He stopped, noticing a shadow over the window.


    We stared at each other for a few seconds before he scrambled for something on the dash board.


    A glimpse into his mind showed that he had a gun stashed inside.


    I held up a hand and froze him with telekinesis. Then with a slight suggestion to his mind, he slumped over in the seat, asleep.


    Then I pulled out the gun and dismantled it into pieces.


    The car slowly lowered to the ground.


    That same time, the cops also finally arrived. I waved a hand and then made my escape, not keen to stick around and see whether they would arrest me or not.


    Vigilantism was illegal after all.


    The rest of the night passed by slowly. It was 3 when I decided to cut my patrol short and leave for my apartment.


    All along the way, I was ready for something to happen, knowing that the second I dropped my guard, Murphy would be ready to hit me with something unexpected.


    Of course the world conspired to make sure that didn''t happen and I arrived at my apartment fairly quick and safe.


    I didn''t even bother with the lights, merely looking for something to eat inside the fridge.


    I came up empty. There was nothing in the fridge.


    Only then did I remember I was broke.


    I bumped my head on the fridge. The plan to steal from the bad guys had been a monumental failure.


    Then again, this was only the first day out. I couldn''t expect things to go exactly as planned. Guess I was sleeping hungry then.


    I closed the fridge and immediately my nose picked up on something good. Food. My stomach grumbled in response while I stiffened.


    There was someone inside my apartment. Someone who could shield themselves from my telepathy owing to the fact I hadn''t felt them at all.


    "It''s take out. Do you like Chinese? Thought you''d be hungry after all that flying around, helping the common citizen."


    A familiar male voice entered my ears.


    I turned around to face the man standing at the corner of my apartment.


    "You should get a chair Mr.Batson</a>. Something to breathe more life into your apartment."


    Fury said, walking forward into the light.


    "What are you doing here?"


    I asked immediately freezing his body.


    "Don''t you know, breaking and entering is a crime?"

 Half Empty/Half Full.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "I''ll do you one better, do you know vigilantism is outlawed? I have concrete proof that can make your life very difficult Mr.Batson</a>."


    He replied, narrowing his lone eye my way.


    I snorted, releasing him from my hold.


    He fixed his clothes, before looking at me up and down.


    "Nice costume."


    He complimented, surprising me a little.


    "Thanks. For the food too."


    I nodded in gratitude. Just because I didn''t like the guy, didn''t mean I had to be rude.


    His cursory stare turned into a stern gaze.


    "Now that the pleasantries are over, could you tell me how you managed to get rid of the gamma energy virus you were infected with?"


    I smiled.


    "Well we all have our secrets you know..."


    My response was cheeky as I grabbed the food he''d brought with my mind.


    Immediately my mouth watered as I broke off the chopsticks and got to work.


    "I see."


    Fury finally stated.


    "Some secrets, especially ones that can put the entire world at risk, should not be secret at all."


    He stated.


    The chopsticks stopped on my way to my mouth. Is he trying to guilt trip me?


    "I don''t like you."


    I told him with a narrowing of my eyes.


    Fury smiled in amusement.


    "You''re not supposed to."


    Then he looked around at my bare apartment.


    "Mind joining me for a late night coffee somewhere we can at least sit down?"


    He suggested.


    Ouch.


    Once more I was made aware of the glaring fact that I had no furniture to speak of. Man, I should really do something about-


    ~~~~~~


    (New Mission!)


    (Mission Description: Hear out Fury)


    (Reward: 2000 dollars worth of furniture. Comes with a soft complimentary rug.)


    ~~~~~~~


    There we go.


    Wait, 2000 dollars!! Why cant you just give it to me in cash?! I''m starving out here System!


    "Fine."


    I said.


    If Fury noticed my bad mood, he said nothing. Whatever he had to say had to be good. I was leaving my food goddamnit!


    I threw on a hoodie and shorts, changing out of my costume merely by willing it away into my hammer space.


    We left the building and stepped out into the cold New York air. A black car was already waiting for us on the driveway.


    A brief scan with my mind and I could feel 3 minds scattered around us, all trying to remain as inconspicuous as they could.


    "What? SHIELD running low on agents? I can only spot 3 of your people and frankly, they suck at hiding."


    I commented.


    Fury smiled as he entered the car.


    "What?"


    I asked.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Those are the recruits. I came with half a dozen. And yes, we are running low on agents, why, you want to apply?"


    He shot back.


    Now, normally I would snort and dismiss that idea entirely, but today had shown me that without a true direction, I was basically stuck at street level, either handling the petty crime or helping the common senior citizen cross the road.


    It didn''t feel like a waste of my time, but I also felt I could do more. I needed a challenge.


    So I didn''t dismiss the idea entirely.


    "How''s the pay?"


    I asked, looking out through the window.


    I could feel Fury''s eyes boring into me.


    "You have a problem with Authority Mr.Batson</a>. SHIELD would not fit you. It''s also under a review board to determine whether it should keep functioning as an autonomous agency under only the World Council. While we could surely use your...expertise, I''m afraid you would be a terrible fit. "


    He explained.


    Wow.


    He just shot me down completely.


    "Never failed an interview that fast before."


    I said with a disbelieving laugh.


    "Interesting. And how many interviews have you taken part in?"


    He enquired with a side look.


    "Always gotta psycho-analyse everything huh?"


    I scoffed, trying to appear relaxed as he caught on to my slip.


    That was stupid of me. He''s a spy! Of course he''d pick up on everything I would say.


    ''That''s how they build profiles.'' The last thought was fed to me by Solomon''s legacy.


    "It''s part of the job."


    Fury replied.


    The car finally stopped a few blocks away and we got out.


    "Pedro''s huh?"


    The huge outdated sign at the entrance clued me in on where we were.


    "Didn''t know he kept this place open so late."


    "Early."


    Fury corrected.


    "It''s 4 in the morning and no he doesn''t. Pedro is a friend."


    The spy concluded walking in only to stop and look back at me.


    I hadn''t moved an inch.


    "The staff knows me there. My secret identity..."


    "Is safe."


    Fury cut in impatiently.


    I swallowed my very impolite words and followed him in.


    We grabbed a booth and sat down.


    "What can I get ya?"


    A barista I''d never seen before asked, chewing on gum. She was middle aged and blonde.


    "The usual, Sandra."


    Fury told her.


    Then she turned to me. I still hadn''t had anything to eat and Fury was paying so...


    "Coffee and one of your spicy pastries. I heard those were good."


    MJ had recommended them a few times before.


    She grinned in amusement.


    "You heard right."


    She left and returned a few seconds later with our order.


    The pastry was delicious as advertised but maybe that was my hunger speaking.


    The coffee brought with it the familiar kick of energy that I had been deprived of for soooo long. It was hot and really good.


    Fury''s order turned out to be a glass of water. I admit, I didn''t even try to hide the strange expression on my face.


    "You''re gonna finish that?"


    I joked, looking at the half empty glass.


    In response he held it up, a serious look on his face.


    "I''m not one for metaphors but I think this one is fitting. See...this is you, Mr.Batson</a>, a glass of water."


    My chewing slowed down.


    Huh?


    He leaned forward.


    "Some folks will look at the glass and say it''s half empty. Others, they will say it''s half full. But I say, it''s neither."


    I raised my eyebrows, wondering where he was going with this.


    "What do you mean?"


    I asked.


    Fury leaned back in his chair.


    "When it comes to achieving greatness, it''s not about what''s in the glass. It''s about what you can do with it."


    He placed the glass back on the table, his gaze piercing.


    "You, son, are one hell of a powerhouse. You''ve got power surging through your veins that most people can only dream of. But that power alone won''t get you far. It''s what you choose to do with it that matters."


    My eyes narrowed. I was starting to grasp his point. The deal he was trying to sell.


    "In other words, you''re saying I need more than just my abilities?"


    Fury smiled.


    "Exactly. Just like that glass, you''ve got potential. Potential to change the world. But it''s gonna take more than one person to do it."


    Fury paused for a moment, his gaze unwavering.


    "You''re not cut out for SHIELD."


    "Okay."


    Not exactly a bummer or anything.


    "Nor are you cut out for the Avengers..."


    "Oh come on. That''s bullshit."


    I slammed a hand on the table.


    "Did you forget who took down the fuckin Cabal?!"


    Fury said nothing at my outburst, merely raising his one visible eyebrow.


    "You''re 17. A kid. A kid that should be going to school but isn''t."


    He leaned forward, interlocking his fingers together.


    "We have overlooked a lot of things in regards to you, Mr. Batson. Like how your records do not seem to match. They''re there. But they''re too clean. And your face was recorded on a camera the first time ever only 2 weeks ago."


    My breath hitched.


    "Now my first thought was that you were a plant. A mutant from one of the many many enemies SHIELD has created, tasked with getting close to SHIELD. It even makes sense, the organization has never been weaker. Hydra did it before and it worked. Who says someone else can''t do the same?"


    I shook my head.


    "I love my life Fury. If I was really a spy, why would I put myself in a dangerous situation such as dealing with the Cabal alone?"


    "Exactly what a spy would do."


    He answered.


    We stared at each other for a few seconds. I reached out with my telepathy, scanning the area around the restaurant for any enemies.


    Nothing. Only the agents in the car and the staff in the restaurant. So I stopped scanning for minds and instead stretched out my awareness, encompassing everything around the block.


    There.


    5 agents in a non-descript SUV at the corner.


    "So I have to earn your trust? That''s your point?"


    I wondered out loud, still scanning the area.


    3 more agents in the kitchen.


    Sandra, the Barista was carrying a gun. Suffice it to say she was part of SHIELD.


    "That''s one way to put it. Spiderman. He has a team of junior heroes..."


    I tuned him out a little.


    And then...


    There. Found him.


    On top of a rooftop with his eyes trained on us...was an archer.


    Hawkeye. And he had a direct shot at me through the window. Fury had led me to a booth with a clear view of the outside.


    Clearly he came here expecting this talk to go wrong.


    ...eam. They fill each other''s gaps, using their unique abilities to accomplish the impossible. Alone, they''re all just individuals with half a glass of water. But together, they''re a force to be reckoned with."


    Not bad for a pitch.


    So he wanted me to join Spidey''s group? I''d learned a little more about them.


    There was the Iron Fist, Nova, Luke Cage and the White Tiger.


    "And what if I''m not cut out for teamwork? You said I have a problem with Authority so?"


    I enquired.


    Fury leaned forward again, his voice filled with conviction.


    "Then you''ll remain a half-empty glass, always wondering what you could have achieved. But if you open yourself up to the possibility, embrace the power of collaboration, you''ll find a purpose greater than you ever imagined. That rang true for the Avengers. It can for you too."

 Second Night Out.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "Can I think about it?"


    I finally responded.


    I had nothing against the offer. And the analogy of the half full or half empty glass of water (depending on how you look at it) was kinda cool.


    And while the prospect of having people to watch my back was enticing, I was in no position to join any team.


    I had shit I needed to deal with first.


    Not to mention, I found that I valued my freedom too much.


    Fury didn''t seem to like that response and he left abruptly. He didn''t forget to leave a card with a number and a shield logo in case I needed to contact him though.


    Maybe he thought I would change my mind.


    Maybe I would have...if it wasn''t for Solomon''s Wisdom showing me that I would lose more than I would gain.


    The walk back to my apartment was spent mulling over things and planning for the future.


    Once I arrived at my place, I fell asleep almost instantly.


    I didn''t even bother to check the reward section from the latest mission. I decided I would deal with it when I woke up.


    It was about 7 in the evening when I did. By then, I had slept most of the day away.


    The next two hours were spent on the customary round of psionic-training, of which I was getting better and then continuing to build my Mind-scape.


    The next thing I did was accept the reward from last night''s mission.


    Now 2000 dollars worth of furniture sounded like a lot, so I moved a few things around to create more space before clicking receive.


    One instant, the room was bare, filled with enough space to move freely despite it''s small size, then the next, I had a Piano taking up a huge section of the middle.


    In addition to that, there was a simple yellow couch, a small ebony table infront of said couch, a soft rug and at the corner of the room, was a work desk with a night light and a chair.


    Wait... something was familiar about the Piano.


    I walked forward and ran a hand on the dark coat of the instrument. Then I checked the left corner. A few words were carved into the wood.


    "Partik..."


    I traced my family name, a stunned smile on my face.


    I could hardly believe it. My Dad''s piano. I''d grown up being taught how to play this thing. Of course I was horrendous at it but...


    I sat down on the small chair that had accompanied the Piano and started playing.


    My fingers traced over the keys with familiarity as I gently pressed on them, sending a shaky melody ringing out through the apartment.


    30 full minutes passed as I was lost in nostalgia. When I stopped playing, I could feel the wetness in my eyes.


    A shuddering breath escaped my lips as I pressed the heels of my palm onto my face.


    Slowly, I let the pain of what I''d lost wash over me. And I accepted it.


    "Thanks."


    Whether it was the System''s doing or Solomon or any of the other legacies, I couldn''t deny I was gratified.


    ******


    Tonight was no different from last night.


    There was no crime to stop or villains to fight. It was just a slightly chilly night in the city that never sleeps.


    I did spot Spiderman swinging on his web a few blocks out of Queens. I thought about joining him but then remembered the events of last night.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Maybe limiting contact with him was the right idea. I didn''t want to put myself in SHIELD''s radar more than I already was.


    So I flew on the opposite direction.


    The other reason for avoiding him was of course Peter himself. I felt guilty about lying I would see them at school.


    I was done with Midtown High and wouldn''t be going back.


    The scarcity of bad guys to go after led to me flying over Hell''s Kitchen and extending my telepathic range a bit further.


    Eventually...I did come across something. A dark figure seemed to be watching the back of a club from a roof.


    The figure was dressed in a familiar dark red outfit with small horns at the top of his mask. He also had with him two Eskrima sticks.


    I couldn''t believe it. Daredevil. The MCU did him bad on the She-hulk show but the blind hero had been a favorite of mine.


    I wouldn''t have even have noticed him if it wasn''t for telepathy. That''s his good at stealth he was.


    Unlike Fury who seemed to have a device that directly countered mind reading, Matt Murdock aka Daredevil''s mind was like an open book.


    I didn''t delve deep into his memories but I did look into what he was doing spying on the club.


    Turns out this was one of the Kingpin''s establishments.


    Matt had come after a kidnapped girl, who had escaped her human traffickers but had been captured before she could get very far.


    Luckily for her, Daredevil had been patrolling the area when he''d seen her get thrown in the back of a van.


    Her poor condition indicated mistreatment and her oriental features and the fact she had screamed in Cantonese told him of what was happening.


    Matt hadn''t understood the meaning but Solomon''s Legacy translated it for me.


    She had been cursing her captors in a rather colorful way.


    Daredevil had decided to follow the van as it navigated the streets. Eventually the vehicle had stopped at the back of a popular night club called Sunside Down.


    I had arrived just as he was planning to break in.


    "I want to help."


    I announced, floating down next his position.


    Daredevil didn''t even flinch. Then again to a man like him, he had probably heard me the second I got within his hearing range.


    "Who are you?"


    He asked, turning to regard me with suspicion.


    "Call me Shazam. I''m someone with a grudge against the human traffickers and criminals inside that building."


    I told him motioning to the establishment.


    "What a coincidence. Me too."


    Daredevil said plainly. I caught the slight amusement in his tone.


    I smiled.


    "So what do you say? Want some help?"


    The blind hero got to his feet.


    "Don''t kill anyone."


    He warned before jumping off the roof.


    His hand snaked out, grabbing a hold of the perron''s railing.


    Then he released it and fell a couple of feet down, only for him to grab a another railing.


    He did that two more times before landing softly on the ground.


    A car passed by the road, the lights from it''s headlight washing over Daredevil''s position, only for him to slink deeper into the shadows and remain undetected.


    I whistled in appreciation.


    "Ok, that was cool."


    Meanwhile I simply floated down right in view of the 2 goons guarding the back entrance.


    Immediately I could feel Daredevil''s intense glare at my back.


    (Just watch.)


    I spoke through his mind.


    Instantly he clamped down on his thoughts, making his mind go blank.


    Ignoring his conflicted feelings about the loss of privacy mind reading caused, I kept my attention firmly on the armed guards before me.


    And the guns they were pointing directly my way.


    "Stop right there Freak!"


    The one on the left yelled.


    "Move an inch and we pump you full of lead!"


    The other goon, a tall guy with tiny scars all over his face warned.


    "Gentlemen gentlemen..." I raised my hand, flicking the palm. Immediately their eyes went wide as they found their bodies went stiff, immobilized through Telekinesis.


    I entered their minds unobstructed, trying out my newest skill.


    "There is no need for violence. How about you be good boys and surrender, then call the police and wait for them with your hands behind your heads?"


    I spoke softly to them.


    The suggestion took hold and they complied, standing down.


    Their eyes glazed over. They dropped their weapons and stepped back with blank expressions. The one on the left removed his phone from his pocket to dial the cops.


    "What did you do?"


    Daredevil demanded, glowering at me.


    "Nothing much. I just showed them the error of their ways. This way we won''t have to fight and risk them sending out warning shots to alert the rest."


    I answered, meeting his stare head on.


    "Mmh." He hummed.


    "Good Job. Follow my lead."


    He acquiesced, leaving me a bit surprised.


    "That''s it?"


    I questioned as I floated after him.


    "I thought the fact I can cause someone an aneurysm simply by thinking about it would make you wary of me."


    He stopped before the entrance. Instead of answering my question, he asked his own.


    "How many do you sense inside?"


    I stretched out my telepathy, parsing over the mass of bodies moving around on the dancefloor, marking Kingpin''s men.


    "17. The door opens to a staircase that leads to the basement. There''s 10 guards playing poker near the entrance to the underground chamber. The rest...are stationed around the club."


    I told him.


    "I came here to rescue a girl."


    He said.


    "Do you sense anyone in need of help?"


    I closed my eyes and delved deeper into the club. This many people gathered around one place was like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    Nothing I couldn''t manage with a little bit of effort though.


    Further into the basement, at the edge of my Psionic range was a door. I could sense a huge amount of mental activity from within the room behind that door.


    "Maybe. I''ll need to be inside to get a clearer picture."


    I answered after a few seconds.


    He nodded, twirling one of his Eskrima stick before slamming it on a spot along the edge of the door. The rusted hinges came off and we slipped in.


    Below us was a short staircase leading down to an hallway with light peeking through.


    Loud music reached our ears at the top of the stairs, along with the drone of conversation coming from the goons playing poker.


    "I''ll handle them. Watch my back and deal with anyone who comes down here."


    My companion ordered.


    I didn''t see a problem with that plan and Solomon''s legacy told me it was the right call.

 King-pin.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Sierra 2, come in."


    The Club''s security called into his radio.


    He had been observing the live footage of the club and hadn''t spotted the patrols on the back section of the club.


    Only static answered him.


    "Sierra 2, do you copy?"


    The guard called out once more. There was no response.


    He made eye contact with his colleague, who was seated next to him in the surveillance room. The colleague shrugged.


    "You know Mike, maybe he''s on a smoke break."


    The first guard shook his head, standing up from his seat.


    "Mike is unreliable but Ian is a professional. He wouldn''t go silent on us. Not tonight."


    The guard gave the radio two clicks, opening the main channel.


    "All units, converge on Sierra 2''s location."


    He turned to his partner.


    "Inform the boss we have company."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The first sign of trouble ironically didn''t come from the Basement.


    No, the first sign of trouble was due to something we hadn''t anticipated. The men outside, the very first ones we had dealt with, missed their call up.


    In an instant, I felt the 10 minds belonging to Kingpin''s men; the ones guarding the club, start walking towards a hallway that wouldn''t you know...led towards the fucking basement.


    I had been meditating in midair but with a sigh, I floated down to the cold ground as the goons poured in from the upper floor.


    "We have... friends. Nothing I can''t handle."


    I informed Daredevil, speaking to his mind.


    He had just dealt with the 7 inside the basement.


    "Good. Keep them busy. I''m approaching the final door."


    He replied, surprisingly good at mental communication.


    The door banged open. I raised my palm and waved at the first guy to come through.


    "Hi there, I seem to be lost. Could you show me the way to the bathroom?"


    He blinked, then immediately answered with a hail of bullets. They slammed onto my shield and flattened, falling to the floor.


    I raised an eyebrow.


    "That clearly didn''t work."


    "Mutie!"


    He yelled then begun to lift his gun again. Frowning at the name, I flicked my wrist, slapping him to the side of the wall with telekinesis.


    Breath left him and he dropped the gun, which clattered to the ground.


    The second guy was already in the middle of pulling the trigger when I pushed the first guy''s body back, bowling over the rest like bowling pins.


    My feet left the ground as I leaned forward and flew towards them with a smile that promised pain.


    "Fall back! He''s one of those fucking capes!"


    One of the guys said, hurrying back through the door.


    "Where do you think you''re..."


    My words were cut off as the entry way was occupied by another goon, this one had something different in his hands.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    A huge glowing high tech gun. He held it closer to his hip like fucking Rambo and smiled.


    "Kingpin sends his regards."


    The weapon charged up, glowing blue.


    I only had time to reinforce the TK aura around my body before a glowing blue energy beam slammed into me.


    I sailed back, concrete giving under my back, then I was out of the building, the city lights flashing above me.


    I unceremoniously slammed into a dumpster, bending and shredding the metal under my TK aura.


    I laid there for a single second, just trying to catch my breath. My shield could take a punch from someone with super-strength.


    Kinda(I like to think I held up pretty well during the fight with the Blood brothers.)


    But something about that energy weapon rubbed me the wrong way and it wasn''t that it hurt like a bitch.


    And as I rose up from the dented remains of the dumpster, I growled in realization.


    "That was a Chitauri gun. Fuck, guess the Vulture and his group of tech salvagers are active. And in business too."


    The presence of those weapons showed that this mission had elevated in difficulty.


    We could die here if we weren''t careful.


    I needed to inform Daredevil. He didn''t have a TK aura like I did. Getting shot by one of those guns would leave a smoking hole in his body.


    I got up from the remains of the dumpster, my TK aura pulsing blue.


    "Get off my turf! I found this! It''s my space!"


    A croaky voice shouted from beside me. The source of the voice being a homeless guy with a beanie and a scruffy beard inside a box house.


    "Okay okay, Old geezer no need to get worked up."


    I raised my hands, floating up.


    "Whoa...Jesus?"


    The homeless guy called out in a awed tone.


    "Not him."


    I answered, surveying the club.


    I could hear and sense the commotion from within as the men ran down the staircase leading into the backdoor.


    I reached into their minds seeking to send them to sleep by shutting down their minds, only to frown.


    "Dammit. Too many of them to risk it."


    This was a relatively new skill that always left me almost drained. I could maybe take 2 out before the familiar headache leered it''s head.


    Shutting down minds wasn''t exactly easy. The victim''s own mental presence would fight you.


    I could push through it but as it was a skill highly dependent on achieving a calm disposition to execute, forcing it would do more harm than good to the victim.


    I''d just been hit by an energy gun, so I wasn''t exactly calm. That said, I didn''t want to kill or irreversibly mentally harm anyone, so the hard way it was.


    I pulled the TK aura close to me.


    With Supervillains, I could kick their ass without concern but the rest were just normal bad dudes who may or may not want to do this.


    ''So don''t hit them too hard, Billy.''


    I told myself.


    Then again...these were human traffickers, could I afford to go easy on them?


    The answer was no. I flew closer enough that Daredevil was in my range once more.


    "Daredevil, we have a problem. They have Chitauri weaponry. I think this might have been a...


    (General P.O.V)


    (A few minutes prior)


    "Trap."


    Dare Devil said, looking around the final room.


    He had made short work of the 7 men outside; although a lot of kicking had been involved.


    Oh and also the sounds of bones breaking. He had no mercy for King-pin''s men. They were sick and twisted just like the head honcho.


    He had then moved on towards the room the kid hadn''t been able to sense. He had stopped before the door, tilting his head to the side to listen.


    24 heartbeats.


    12 racing in fear, pulse elevated to almost panicking levels.


    11 hearts also beating fast, these ones were more in anticipation colored with dread.


    2 out of those 11 were standing right on the sides of the door inside the room, waiting for him.


    And finally 1 heart which was pumping calmly.


    He opened the door, arms raised.


    Immediately 2 guns were pointed at his temples from both sides. He ignored the little voice mocking the two underlings because of the risk of friendly fire if they tried to shoot.


    To his front, stood the King-pin.


    "I see you retain reason, for a man dressed in the way you are."


    The Kingpin said, a larger than life figure dressed in a white ivory suit and a gold chain hanging from his neck.


    He stood infront of some more of his men, who had guns trained behind the heads of 12 scared girls.


    The girls were shivering in fear and crying. Some of them had bruises on their arms and thighs.


    DareDevil gritted his teeth, wanting to do nothing else but teach King-pin and his men the meaning of pain.


    But ultimately, the girl''s safety came first. He let go of his anger.


    "I Know you''ll kill them if I do anything. So I won''t. Let them go."


    Daredevil calmly spoke, head tilted as he stepped closer, holding his batons up, before proceeding to place them on the ground.


    They would kill the girls and then shoot him before he could make a move on Fisk. Daredevil could tell it from their twitching muscles.


    Fisk motioned to the men on either side of the man without fear. One of them placed cuffs on Daredevil''s wrists, locking his hands behind his back.


    "You have been a thorn in my side for a long time."


    Fisk started, popping the buttons of his shirt while removing his suit jacket.


    DareDevil came to a stop a few feet away from the larger man. This was a familiar dance to them.


    "So you lured me here by staging a fake rescue attempt."


    Daredevil said.


    "But of course." King-pin nodded as he folded the sleeves of his shirt.


    "I am going to usher in a new dawn for this city. You see, Vigilante, I have come across an untapped resource."


    King Pin waved a hand. One of his men walked to the back of the room where rows upon rows of crates were stacked on top of each other.


    The underling opened the lid and removed a weapon, then they brought it forward.


    "A way to fight the good fight. Technology that seems to agree with my cause of destroying this city and then rebuilding it."


    The gun was placed in Fisk''s hands and he raised it up, showing a familiarity as the weapon pulsed, active.


    "You will never win. Even if you take me out. There are others who will fight."


    Daredevil told him fearlessly.


    The King-Pin turned the high tech gun towards Matt.


    "I wonder when I started hating you."


    Fisk begun.


    "Was it because you cost me nearly millions? Or because you hurt my reputation?"


    He shook his head, eyes burning with malicious intent.


    "No. I hate you because of your fucking hypocrisy."


    Fisk pulled the trigger.

 Thank You.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I strafed to the left, escaping the energy beam while pulling closer to the man with the Chitauri weapon.


    He pressed on the trigger, releasing another shot my way. The collapsed dumpster behind me shot out towards my front, held aloft by TK, blocking the attack.


    The metal shredded even more. Regular bullets poked holes on it''s surface as I shoved the wrecked piece of metal forward through the entrance I''d made.


    "Dodge!"


    One of the men yelled to the others as he jumped away, evading being crushed by the metal.


    One of them wasn''t as lucky and fortunately for me, it was the one with the high tech Chitauri weapon.


    The remains of my improvised shield slammed onto his body, carrying him up the steps of the staircase.


    He landed with an oof! and the metal groaned, bending around his body and holding his limbs to his sides.


    I pulled the high tech gun to me and sent it to my Hammer space. It was an alien weapon after all, sue me.


    Without the danger of the powerful gun, I stepped inside the building with a smirk.


    "Shall we dance?"


    I called out into the room.


    "Aaaaahhhh!!"


    One of them yelled, running towards me with a machete of all things.


    "Dammit Johnny get back!"


    The one who seemed like the Leader shouted ineffectually.


    "Why? Let him come."


    I chuckled, waving a hand and tying Johnny''s shoe laces together.


    The man slipped and fell, the landing completely leaving him breathless and sprawled on the ground.


    More bullets started flying my way as the goons recovered and got organized.


    I flew towards 3 gathered in one place. Snatching their guns away, I slammed a kick into one, the impact throwing him to collide against one of his friends.


    The last one I covered with Telekinesis, throwing him to the ceiling before releasing him to fall on the ground.


    "That''s 6 down. Only 4 remaining. You guys better give up."


    I spoke out, directing my voice down into the basement.


    The leader and three others were waiting for me to step down before they unleashed everything they had at me.


    Everything.


    I could read their minds and they were just inching to put me down. Especially after I''d taken down half of their group.


    So I calmly and fearlessly floated down the stairs. Sparks lit up through the stairway as bullets bounced off my shield, landing on the railing and the metal frames along the wall.


    The overhead light was torn apart by the projectiles.


    The first gun clicked empty as I arrived at the bottom, completely unharmed. I floated forward, hands crossed over my chest.


    One of them, a guy with a goatee and sunglasses indoors, reloaded his gun, aimed it and pulled the trigger at my forehead.


    The bullet bounced off my TK aura, digging into his friend''s leg.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Gah! Fuck is wrong with you man!?"


    His friend yelled at him, cradling his thigh.


    I raised an eyebrow, amused.


    "Was that really necessary?"


    The gun flew out of his hands and into mine. I used TK and right before their shocked eyes, squeezed the weapon into a metallic ball.


    King-pin''s men looked at each other before they raised their hands in surrender.


    I extended a mental feeler into their minds, influencing them.


    "You guys gather everyone injured, tie them up and wait for the cops. They''ll be here in..."


    I spread out my Psionic range even further.


    "A few minutes. They''re only a block away."


    The mental suggestion took hold and they


    begun carrying out my orders.


    Meanwhile my mind was on something more immediate. That sweep with my mind had shown me that Daredevil had been captured and was getting ready to be executed.


    Without wasting time I blasted through the final door, selectively throwing back everyone with a gun before they could so much as react to my presence.


    The cuffs on Daredevil''s wrists snapped after I applied pressure on them. He tugged his hands free and immediately rolled on the ground, grabbing his Eskrima sticks and then jumping up to deliver a knee strike on King-pin''s face.


    "Get the girls out of here!"


    He yelled, beginning to trade blows with Fisk who, holy hell, was fucking huge.


    It was amazing to see the much smaller Matt go up against the fucking King pin and hold his own.


    Realizing I had my own part to play, I pulled all the weapons in the room to me and then turned them to point at each of King Pin''s men.


    "Act funny, get a hole in your body."


    I warned.


    "Put your hands behind the backs of your heads and step away from the girls."


    They looked at each other before complying. Next I turned my attention to the girls.


    "It''s okay. We are here to rescue you. Help each other and leave through the door. There''s a stairway that will take you out of the building. We''re right behind."


    I spoke directly into their minds.


    Most of them were asian teens, with various degrees of scars and bruises.


    "No!"


    Fisk roared, throwing Daredevil off him.


    "They are not going anywhere!"


    He barked, running towards me with the force of a Juggernaut.


    His punch was deceivingly quick, totally unexpected from a man of his size. It also failed to do much, harmlessly landing on my cheek without so much as moving me a single step.


    I mean a bullet had failed. Despite Fisk''s considerable strength he was still human.


    I looked at him unfazed.


    "Really? that''s it? Okay, it''s my turn now."


    Saying that, I pulled my own hand back, closing the fingers into a fist and thrust it forward.


    The fist stopped mere inches from his face. The area behind him however, suffered a telekinetic apocalypse.


    A pressure wave threw everything back, causing the stacked crates to slam onto the furthest wall and shatter, more Chitauri guns falling out in a mess.


    Kingpin blinked.


    "Whoever you are, you have cost me millions of dollars... I''ll be coming for you."


    He promised.


    I had to admire his courage. Despite witnessing what I could do, the man was not in the least not worried.


    Then again, neither was I


    "I''ll be waiting."


    I told him, applying pressure to his skull, restricting blood flow and causing the much bigger man to take a knee and then collapse next to my feet.


    Daredevil''s Eskrima stick passed right next my cheek as it slammed onto a goon trying to grab one of the Chitauri weapons on the ground.


    I''d of course sensed him but still.


    "Thanks."


    I nodded at the more experienced hero.


    "You had my back as well."


    He said, turning to face King Pin''s men, still held hostage by the guns hanging in the air overhead.


    "You have something to deal with them?"


    He asked.


    I extended more mental feelers out, touching upon their minds and giving them the same treatment that I gave their friends.


    "Surrender to the cops once they arrive."


    Their eyes glazed over as the suggestion took hold.


    "What''s about these weapons?"


    I asked Matt.


    "It''s evidence. Along with the drugs and the money."


    He said, leaving the room.


    I looked around and sure enough apart from the guns, there was a desk with bags of coke and a stack of money inside a half opened bag.


    Score!


    No more suffering!


    No more instant Ramen.


    "Hey wait up!"


    I called out, using Telekinesis to amplify my voice.


    It was just loud enough that Daredevil missed the very very slight sound of a couple grand floating out of the bag and into my hammer space.


    I couldn''t take all of the money as it was still evidence. But what I had taken was more than enough.


    A few minutes later, the Devil of Hell''s Kitchen and I watched on as the Cop led out Kingpin and his men.


    Paramedics had also been called in for the girls.


    "I can''t believe we just captured the Kingpin."


    I said, sighing out into the New York night.


    It felt as if that whole thing had taken more time that it actually did. In actuality only 20 minutes had passed.


    "This is only half the battle won."


    Daredevil said.


    "The other half will happen in the courtroom."


    "Yeah but with the evidence we found, surely the police can build a solid case against him."


    It made sense. How was Fisk going to explain his way out of a cache of highly illegal weapons, drugs and stacks of money?


    Not to mention the witness statement from the girls.


    Daredevil got to his feet.


    "This is an age of flying men and gods. In comparison, one man escaping the law is not too surprising."


    He stared at me with his mask''s completely white eye holes.


    "Thanks for tonight Kid. Next time leave the money where you find it."


    With that he jumped off the edge of the roof.


    Fuck. He knew.


    Still it was cool that he wasn''t making a big deal out of it.


    "Thank you Matt."


    I whispered too low for even him to hear.


    (General P.O.V)


    A few buildings away, Daredevil smiled as he hopped onto another rooftop.


    "You''re welcome kid."

 Forces Not Meant For Mortals.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The light streaming in through the window made me groan and throw a pillow at the offending sun.


    The pillow sailed the distance only to stop mere inches away from the window pane. A shimmering blue glow covered the edges, telekinesis allowing the pillow to float in midair.


    With a sigh, I pulled it into my hands and swung my feet off the bed.


    The alarm clock on the night stand showed it was 10 in the morning. I usually set it up for earlier than 6. I must have been too tired to even hear it.


    Last night I came in late, so it was understandable I would almost sleep half a day away.


    And what an eventful night it was. I laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with a growing smile on my face.


    "I met the Daredevil, fought KingPin, saved a bunch of people and...oh."


    I stopped, immediately sitting upright.


    "The money."


    I said softly.


    "The money!"


    I repeated with more excitement, my face reflecting the elation I was feeling.


    Now more invigorated, I sat cross legged on the bed and reached out into my hammer space.


    Within it, was the Trident of Neptune; which I was yet to study, let alone use.


    "I should learn how to fight with it. The ability to manipulate water this close to the ocean is an OP skill."


    I mumbled to myself as my awareness moved past the trident and the Chitauri weapon, before landing on a bundle of green paper.


    With anticipation building inside, I pulled the money out, leaving it in a neat stack on top of the bed.


    Running my hands over the crisp bills, I counted the amount and did a doubletake.


    14,500 us dollars. 500 bucks short of 15k but we''re not gonna stress the technical stuff.


    "Holy fuck. I''m rich!"


    I flew up to the ceiling, doing a few dips and flips while avoiding the fan and the overhead light.


    I stopped in midair.


    "I can finally have a real decent meal."


    I said, with realization dawning on me that my biggest problem was now solved.


    14 grand wasn''t a lot of money in the grand scheme of things but still, to the current me, my money troubles were effectively gone.


    "Oooh maybe now I can get as many of those spicy pastries as I want."


    And who says the superhero gig doesn''t pay?


    ''Next time leave the money where you find it.''


    Daredevil''s voice echoed at the back of my mind.


    My excitement dimmed a little. I needed to be careful moving forward.


    Matt had mildly chastised me for taking the money. Which meant I couldn''t make it a habit of stealing from bad guys all the time.


    This time I''d been very desperate.


    "This is just until I get a more stable source of income."


    I promised myself.


    Shazam was a hero blessed with numerous abilities, there was a lot of ways to make money.


    Maybe I could become the bodyguard of a rich dignitary. Or I could journey out into space and mine Asteroids for precious metals like gold.


    Or if that failed, I could raid sunken ships for treasure. Oh, that might create a problem with the Atlanteans. The good thing was that they didn''t rule over all of the ocean like Aquaman from DC.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    I only needed to avoid Namor and his people and I would be fine.


    The real upside to all this was that now that I didn''t need to worry about money, I could focus on something more important, fully practicing my abilities.


    I wanted to complete the Ring of Solomon mission and that meant actually coming up with an original psionic ability.


    Now to be honest, I''d been pushing this thing back as much as I could. But I don''t think I could do that any longer.


    I couldn''t put it off longer. Fortunately, I had an idea on how I could go about creating the ability. Magnetism.


    Which meant...supergrind! An evolved form of grind where you go extra hard...


    "Extra time."


    I slapped my cheeks while staring at my reflection on the mirror.


    My body was already changing. My muscles were still that of a teen but there was definition there. And I was toned in the arms too. Just because I had powers didn''t mean I had to ignore my physique.


    So aside from Psionic energy training, I''d also been lifting anything I could find in the Abandoned factory, to build my body up. The only thing lacking had been a nutritious diet but that was now handled.


    I wanted to have a firm base before the more physically oriented legacies awakened. That would make for more powerful abilities overall.


    "Welp, let''s get onto it then."


    First, a round of cardio.


    I left my apartment and took a jog through the city. The sidewalks were too busy though, so I had to change directions and ran in the park.


    After the cardio, I left for my training base where I pushed my telekinesis even further.


    Afterwards, I got into the reason I was here, learning how to bend metallic stiff like Magneto.( A gross understatement of what control over magnetic fields actually was)


    A few minutes in and I could see progress.


    I had managed to sense the magnetic fields around everything.


    This field was omnipresent.


    Though stronger in some things and weaker in others, it gave me a better interpretation of information when paired up with telepathy.


    It was almost as if I could map anything out using this new sense. Before, I''d only gotten impressions and blurs. Movements and motions of the body.


    For instance, when I had sensed King Pin about to pull the trigger on the Chitauri gun and how I''d known that Daredevil was standing infront of the weapon.


    This time the sense was stronger. I floated above the interior of the abandoned factory, simply breathing in and out.


    With each exhale I would send out a pulse. By breathing in and pulling my magnetic field closer to my body, I would release it and let the invisible field interact with the components within the factory.


    The conveyor belt had metal on it so it stood out like a bright light in a dark room. The barrels, metal frames, crates, nails...


    And on the ground, tiny pinpricks of light that belonged to the numerous metal shavings left from back when the factory was active.


    I took it all in. Simply studying the interaction it all had with me and I with everything else.


    By the end of the day, I''d made even more progress on that front. Fine tuning the sense enough, that I could feel the Earth''s magnetic field.


    This progress could be attributed to my experience with Psionic Energy.


    The Earth''s magnetic field was like a blanket that covered everything.


    Everything including me was in relation to the Earth''s magnetic field. And trying to delve deep into it was like getting lost inside an ocean with no bottom.


    Eventually, the day ended but I never noticed the time slip by. I was too busy, gliding in the aether, swimming in the seas, experiencing seasons that had already passed and were yet to come.


    I felt how she had felt billions of years ago when she had formed. The ice melting into water. The first signs of life on her surface.


    How she had to create a warm cover over her surface to shelter her children in safety. Protecting them from the harsh winds and cosmic radiation of space.


    I sank into Earth''s memories and from within, I felt a presence greater than anything else I''d ever sensed, turn to regard me.


    (The age of the gods ended long ago, little champion. Who do you belong to?)


    The question had risen from seemingly nowhere.


    I have no recollection of what answer I gave. But what I do know is I could sense a deep interest from the presence.


    (Very well. If that is what you choose, then I shall aid you. I shall hide you from my brother''s scarlet hued gaze. But heed my warning champion. Your presence is a catalyst. The age of gods is upon us once again.)


    The presence had said.


    "Who are you?"


    I had asked, calling out the question through verdant green plains, tall mountains, deep ravines, wide caverns, tropical islands and deserts.


    And like the whisper of a swallow''s wing beat, the answer flowed through my mind,


    "Gaea."


    Solomon''s Wisdom confirmed the truth of the name instantly.


    The next morning saw me open my eyes to a wondrous sight.


    Every magnetic object close to me was floating in midair, vibrating slightly. I raised a hand and waved it through a cloud of metal shavings that was spinning around me like the rings on Saturn.


    I blinked and lost control of what I was doing.


    A cacophony of loud noises sounded out as several heavy objects fell to the floor. Instantly my head felt like it was being split into two.


    I barely managed to fly down before I i stopped using my powers. Fuck. I''d felt as if I''d been standing on the precipice of something grand.


    Throughout the whole week this feeling only grew stronger. It was a few days later that I finally cracked the code of magnetic field control.


    Solomon''s Wisdom was a big help. See there was a very big difference between how Magneto used his x-gene to tap into the Earth''s magnetic field, and how I did.


    He was a mutant, last I checked, I wasn''t.


    So basically, he had a natural connection to the Earth''s magnetic field.


    I on the other hand, used my psionic energy to interact with different fields. It was an empathic process that demanded understanding and respect.


    I was after all messing with forces never meant to be wielded by man. And this way of approaching things gave me something I doubt Magneto had.


    It gave me not just control but knowledge on what I was controlling.


    I had just unlocked a new ability, Psychometry.


    For example, magneto wouldn''t know where a particular coin had been, but he could control it.


    I on the other hand could read the magnetic field of that same coin and know how long ago it had been created and a few other details like it''s durability and worth.


    Nothing too outlandish as this was still a relatively new skill.


    But my new awareness of magnetic fields and Psychometry were the basis to what would be my original psionic skill.


    And by the start of the following week, I was ready to create it.

 Fantastic Four part 1.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The hot coffee left a burning sensation on my tongue as I took an impatient mouthful.


    My eyes narrowed in on the cup containing the hostile liquid, it''s sides warm in between my palms.


    I did not avert my gaze. Partly out of focus and partly because the man I''d been staring at previously had somehow felt my eyes and was now looking around the restaurant.


    And no, I''m not in the habit of simply staring at people.


    I like to think I''m way more polite than that.


    The only reason I''d even done so in the first place, was the transparent blue screen before my eyes.


    A screen that only I could see.


    The screen was an interface of sorts, telling me the material used to create the cup, it''s durability and how old it was.


    All this was accomplished simply by reaching out and interacting with it''s magnetic field.


    The ceramic was the furthest thing from ferro-magnetic you could get.


    That said, it too had a magnetic field, as weak as it was. By prodding this field with my Psionic energy, a screen detailing the cup''s parameters and make had manifested.


    (Material: Ceramic)


    Durability- Common.


    Age- 2 years.


    It was a basic well used mug.


    Nothing too abnormal. And it seemed to be the same for most of everything. The man from before was normal and his field reflected that.


    One prod and this had appeared above his head.


    (Race: Human)


    Power: Common.


    Age: 42.


    The screen unfortunately didn''t go too deep into personal stuff. For example while I could see their ages, the same couldn''t be said for the name or other details.


    Good thing I could cover that weakness by simply reading the target''s mind.


    I looked around the Coffee place some more. Prodding the Barista''s and the customer''s fields.


    (Race: Human)


    Power: Below Common.


    Age: 12.


    A young boy seated in a booth with his family.


    (Race: Dog)


    Power: Below Common.


    Age: 3.


    A pooch on a walk with its owner, passing outside the shop on the sidewalk.


    (Race: Human)


    Power: Common.


    Age: 37.


    And then the owner.


    I returned my attention to the inside of the coffee shop. My eyes falling on Pedro.


    (Race: Human)


    Power: Uncommon.


    Age: 52.


    I raised an eyebrow. Pedro''s power parameter was the first I''d seen labelled as Uncommon.


    According to some of the Barista''s stray thoughts, he used to be a marine in the past.


    So maybe that''s how he knew Fury? Perhaps they had carried out missions together in the past.


    "You''ve been avoiding me."


    A voice said from beside me.


    "MJ!"


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    I exclaimed, having gotten too distracted to track her mind. I didn''t even notice she was standing beside me until she started speaking.


    "I didn''t see you there. When did you come in?"


    I added with a fake smile.


    "A few minutes ago."


    She replied, holding up the coffee pitcher.


    "Refill?"


    I looked at my full cup.


    "Huh..."


    "You haven''t been showing up around school."


    She said, staring at me with narrowed eyes.


    "And whenever you turn up here, you make sure to avoid the times when I''m working. You come before my shift begins or after it''s ended."


    She added accusingly, brows furrowed.


    I raised my eyebrows, a bit surprised.


    "What? I mean...why are you so concerned?"


    "Why wouldn''t I be? We''re friends aren''t we? I''m supposed to be concerned. Plus, Peter doesn''t have a lot of friends and he''s been worried about you. We all have."


    She looked at the counter, and after noticing Pedro''s attention was on other things, she slipped into the booth with me.


    "I know how hard it is to be the new kid."


    She said leaning forward.


    Unfortunately, MJ had a sizable bust, so it was a fight not to stare at her cleavage.


    To distract myself, I prodded her magnetic field.


    Another screen appeared before my eyes, replacing the one from before.


    (Race: Human)


    Power: Common.


    Age: 17.


    Nothing too abnormal there as well. I wonder what''s the range on this new ability. Speaking of which, I was yet to see the notification from the system saying that I''d accomplished the mission.


    Mmh...maybe I was still missing something?


    While the ability to see the Status of other things and beings was not a useless skill, it felt kind of based.


    "...told him, I would check up on you if I saw you..."


    MJ kept on talking but my mind was on other things.


    There was more to the ability I was sure. I could feel it. I mean the reward hadn''t triggered when I''d gotten Psychometry or my Magnetic sense, which were the basis for this ability.


    Maybe to qualify for the Ring of Solomon as a reward, meant elevating the skill from a simple scanning feature to something just as powerful as control over magnetic fields.


    If that was the case, then I still had a long way to go to start manipulating metal like Magneto.


    However, maybe I was on a different path. One that would not necessarily make me a master of magnetism but would bring other benefits.


    I just needed to find ways to keep on getting better. I had a feeling I was on the verge of finding what I was missing.


    "...mostly because everytime they come by your place, you''re not around. Why is that?"


    MJ asked, referring to the many times Peter and Ned had stopped by my place only to find I wasn''t home.


    ''Because I can sense their minds from afar and react accordingly.''


    I thought, but didn''t say.


    "Are you even listening?"


    She asked a little frustrated.


    I opened my mouth then closed it. Why is she so concerned?


    "Look MJ. There''s a lot going on in my life. But I promise you that I''m not trying to avoid you guys." (I totally am)


    I added a reassuring smile at the end of the statement.


    She stared at me for some time before sighing.


    "I have a feeling that even if you were avoiding me, you wouldn''t say it. So are you going to return to School?"


    "Yeah?"


    I replied unconvincingly.


    "You''re so full of shit."


    MJ snorted.


    True. I sucked at lying but luckily the redhead was gracious enough to drop the whole issue.


    "I need to get back to work."


    She said, getting off the booth.


    "Even if school doesn''t work out, don''t stop coming round here."


    She waved and went off to serve a different table.


    I spent a few more minutes in the coffee shop before paying my bill and leaving for home with some spicy pastries to go.


    Now that I could afford it, there was no reason not to splurge on myself.


    Though I needed to be careful not to misuse the funds I had. Who knew how long it would be until I got more.


    Once at my apartment, I changed into my costume and left on an early patrol. This past week, I''d mostly been starting my patrols at 9 or so, before making it back to my place by 1 or 2.


    At 4 in the afternoon, the day was still going strong. Traffic was a bitch for the motorists on the road, the sidewalks were as busy as ever and the noise...


    Good god, the noise was too much.


    It made me stay away from the streets.


    I simply hang around on the rooftops whenever I took a break from flying around.


    Up here it was quiet and calm. I could think while enjoying the view.


    My eyes caught the glimpse of a familiar building.


    Stark Industry was off in the distance, the shiny skyscraper just as ostentatious as the owner had intended.


    Then several blocks away from it was the Fantastic Four headquarters.


    The Baxter building with all of it''s 35 stories sat prominent, the upper floors jutting through the Manhattan Skyline.


    I couldn''t see anything fictional about this place. Maybe I''d gotten used to it but everything felt real and alive.


    These people going about their lives were just as real as I was. And I would protect them with everything I had.


    For just as there was marvel and mystery to be found in this universe, so too was death and suffering. Someone needed to shield the weak from such things.


    Speaking of death and suffering, something was going down.


    It first begun with a slight tremble. Then the shaking intensified into an earthquake that caused cracks to form around the surrounding buildings.


    "This doesn''t look like a normal earthquake."


    I said, getting to my feet.


    I took to the air, looking down at the street where the ground was splitting into two, the wide crack headed up the street.


    Screams rose up from the scared masses on the sidewalks. Cars honked and crashed into one another as they tried to leave the street where the crack was swallowing everything.


    Thinking fast, I dove down and begun to save people by grabbing falling cars and flying them out of the widening gap.


    Some of them were stuck inside the cracks, vehicles wedged in between loose pipes spewing water and the underground tunnels.


    For those, I used my telepathic sense, flying through the wind screen and tearing through metal to get at the ones stuck within the gap.


    There were a few injuries but nothing too immediate.


    I placed a Taxi on the sidewalk, the driver throwing a thanks only to find I was gone, flying in and out of the crack to retrieve more people.


    Up ahead, a school bus tilted, it''s back tires sliding into the crack. I covered the vehicle with TK aura and pushed it from the back, away from the edge.


    The bus was a little too heavy to carry with TK but I managed it, placing it far away from the still growing crack.


    I heard a thwip! And a few interesting minds entered my range.


    I didn''t need to look to see the Quinjet overhead that had stopped to let Spiderman and his team out into the scene.


    "Let''s move on ahead! My team has it covered here!"


    Spiderman said, swinging past me right on the Crack''s trail.


    We could both see where it was headed. The Baxter building.

 Fantastic Four part 2.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I increased my flight speed to match his swinging.


    "We should prioritize stopping whatever it is splitting the ground and causing the gap."


    I told Spiderman, the both of us approaching a busy intersection up ahead.


    There was no way we could save all these people in time. The street was flooded with so many cars it was crazy. The sidewalks were similarly packed.


    Spiderman nodded once I told him the same.


    "You''re right. But I have an idea. What if I can create a net of webs under the cars so that they don''t fall within the gap?"


    He proposed.


    Solomon''s legacy came through and expounded on that idea.


    "Yeah you do that. Meanwhile, I''ll lift all the cars a meter high, giving you room to work with!"


    "Okay. Let''s do this!"


    He said, much more emboldened now that we had a working plan.


    I stopped in mid air, spreading out my TK range as far as I could. I sensed the metal chassis and structures that could only be the vehicles we needed to save, using my Magnetic sense.


    And within them, were minds.


    People leaving for home after work. Kids coming from school. I took it all in and decided no one was going to die here.


    The crack begun to approach the intersection, the buildings on the sides trembling as something heavy passed under the street, not straying from its path towards the Baxter building.


    I breathed in then out.


    On my next exhale I used a combination of TK and Magnetic sense to spread a shroud over every single vehicle in the intersection.


    Then I heaved, lifting them all up.


    I could feel my mind splitting from the strain. The cars glowed a beautiful rainbow color and slowly rose up in unison.


    "Hur-hurry!"


    I half yelled half stuttered, my hands trembling from the strain.


    Spiderman quickly got to work, shooting his webbing onto the ground and forming a thick pattern of tightly woven web fluid strings.


    The strings closed over the widening crack and went on to provide a layer of strong silky fabric, that was attached to the buildings on the side of the streets.


    A second later, I literally couldn''t hold on anymore and released the cars. Luckily the fabric acted like a net and held them up like a wide and huge container.


    Immediately my body was hit with a ton of exhaustion. My flight speed deactivated while I was in midair, causing me to plummet towards the ground.


    Trying to call onto my powers only wielded disappointment. I was devoid of Psionic Energy, my tank running on empty. I...I had never exhausted my reserves this much before.


    Right as I was about to land on my head, Spiderman swung in, grabbing me, before safely landing on the sidewalk.


    "I got you."


    He said.


    "The trembling...it hasn''t stopped."


    I noticed, even in the midst of an annoying headache that was causing me vertigo and nausea.


    It wasn''t anything I wasn''t used to, though, annoying was an understatement as it effectively put me out of the fight before we even really knew what we were dealing with.


    "Yeah... whatever that thing is, its still moving straight for the Baxter building."


    Spiderman stated before leading me to the steps of a store front.


    It was a pandemonium before when every vehicle in the intersection had found itself suspended in midair.


    But now that an invisible force was moving underground, overturning the tarmac, and causing a lot of destruction to the street, a fresh wave of panic hit.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    "Stay here and rest. Shield or my team will pick you up."


    Spiderman stated before running forward and jumping, the leap taking him dozens of feet up before he swung away after the thing.


    Whispers begun to rise up from the bystanders on the sidewalk. I could feel their gazes on me as I tried to meditate, hoping to regain a little bit of Psionic energy and follow after Spiderman.


    The quaking and trembling was getting far away, leaving me behind as I recuperated. Fuck. I hated feeling useless.


    "Her mister, do you know Spiderman?"


    A soft voice asked from beside me.


    I looked up and saw a little girl, about 7 or 8 standing next to a worried mother who was looking at me warily.


    I smiled at the two who were part of a few crowd of civilians watching me.


    I didn''t know whether to be impressed by their bravery at staying behind in an unsafe zone when others had ran away. Or maybe it was just stupidity.


    Regardless,


    "Yeah."


    I told her, immediately enjoying the look of wonder on her face.


    "Though not personally."


    I added with a little bit of guilt.


    To be honest, I''d been avoiding the Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman because of how things got crazy around him. Not exactly heroic I know, but a part of me wondered if it came down to it...


    If I suffered just as much as Peter has AND WILL, would I still want to be a hero?


    The look of wonder on the girl''s face never changed even after my response.


    "That is so cool! I wanna be Spider girl when I grow up!"


    She exclaimed just as the sounds of the authorities and emergency cars arrived on the scene.


    "She huh- She drew a picture of Spiderman."


    The mother said tentatively.


    "We have it pinned on the fridge door. He''s an inspiration."


    Her eyes briefly fell on the lightning bolt Insignia on my chest.


    "You all are. Thank you for saving this city."


    "Yeah! Whoooo! Thanks lightning guy!"


    Another civilian, this time a man whose truck had just barely avoided getting caught up in the web, said.


    And then the small crowd broke out into cheering and applause.


    They were cheering for me, I realized.


    I couldn''t believe it. I had to check their minds to see if they were being genuine and they were.


    Their praise and adoration was urging me not to give up. To keep on pushing.


    I looked at the far away Baxter building and the news chopper following after a swinging Spiderman who showed no hesitation or fear.


    I got to my feet. Moping wasn''t going to help. Just because I was weakened didn''t mean I wasn''t useful. There was one thing I could still do.


    I stretched my hand out, dipping it into my Hammer space before pulling out Neptune''s Trident.


    "I didn''t think I would be forced to rely on this so soon."


    I muttered to myself as the crowd gasped in awe at the golden weapon that had appeared out of nowhere.


    There was a lot of water flooding the streets due to the broken pipes and destroyed fire hydrants.


    With my hand around the shaft of the three pronged weapon, I could sense all water in more than a mile radius. And control it.


    The crowd begun to get back as streams of water swam through the air, the dying light of the sun making the liquid shimmer beautifully.


    The water gathered under me in a vortex before it rise up in a wave under my feet, carrying me up.


    My eyes locked onto the faraway building.


    It wasn''t over just yet. I wasn''t done. Not by a long shot.


    "Hey mister!"


    The little girl from before called out again.


    "What''s your name?!"


    She asked.


    I smiled, reveling in the mystical might contained within the trident.


    My hands tightened on the shaft, mind and soul connected to a vastness that boggled reason.


    "Shazam."


    I answered, voice ringing with conviction. With a final smile, I tore down the wrecked street, avoiding the net of webs holding up the cars we''d saved.


    It wasn''t easy riding on top of a massive Tsunami. For starters it made no sense I was doing so in the first place. I mean what was I even standing on?!


    The best part waz the looks of absolute shock I was receiving as I quickly got the hang of using the Trident, hot on Spiderman''s tail.


    My feet were firmly anchored to the water by magic, guaranteeing stability even as I weaved through overturned cars on the street.


    I leaned forward, thrusting out the Trident which had the effect of increasing my speed even more.


    It wasn''t comparable to my normal flight speed which was steadily approaching Supersonic but it was close.


    Close enough that it didn''t take long before the distance between the Baxter building and I shrunk.


    Soon enough the Fantastic Four Logo highlighted above said building grew prominent.


    Then something big appeared before the entrance.


    "Whoa..."


    I said in shock.


    That ''Something big'' turned out to be a massive green skinned creature standing on two limbs. The other two were being used to fight against what looked to be ants compared to its size.


    It was more than 50 feet tall and possessed a bulky body.


    It''s back was covered by a layer of tough looking crystals and it''s chest rumbled like an airplane engine as it smacked away...


    Holy shit, that''s Ben Grimm! The Thing had been smacked away like a baseball, sent tumbling through the ground and upheaving a few cars in his path.


    Creating a crater with his body upon landing, The Thing was too slow to evade the creature''s leg stomp.


    But then the limb landed on an invisible shield, the clash producing a loud impact. Standing before The Thing was a blonde Woman with her hands outstretched, who could only be Susan Storm, the invisible woman.


    The Creature came back for a second blow on Sue''s shield, only to be interrupted by a shower of flames.


    Another familiar face darted around the monster, body burning with orange flames.


    "Flame On!"


    Delivering one of the most iconic catchphrases ever, Johny Storm aka the Human Torch unleashed a swathe of flames right on the Creature''s face.


    The already sweltering heat increased, managing to reach me even at my distance.


    To the creature though, it must have been unbearable as it released a loud roar, shattering all the glass panes of the windows nearby and throwing away The Human Torch, Invisible Woman and the Thing who had taken a jump in a bid to attack it.


    A thwip! Sounded out with Spiderman diving for a few bystanders, grabbing them from the path of a car thrown by the Creature''s roar.


    The Invisible Woman managed to slow down her and The Thing''s momentum in the air. Then she manifested a construct for them to stand on.


    The Human Torch on his part, took flight, flying around the monster while looking for openings.


    In reality, all this took a few seconds to happen.


    Meanwhile, I had been preparing for my reintroduction into the fight by gathering as much water as I could.


    A shadow appeared before the Creature. All eyes turned towards me and the towering Tsunami of water behind me. Towering even over the Creature.


    I stared into its enraged eyes, twirling the Trident in my hands.


    "Ready for round 2?"

 Fantastic Four part 3.

    (General P.O.V)


    The day had been going great.


    Susan Storm aka Invisible Woman had managed to get the three men out of the building.


    Pulling Reed out of his science experiments and Johnny out of his garage where he kept meticulous care of his cars; before he inevitably crashed them on some stupid stunt, had been more difficult than one of their monthly fights with Doom.


    In comparison, Ben had been even harder to convince for different reasons. His appearance.


    People could be dumb. Most still acted as if Ben would suddenly go crazy and start attacking everyone.


    Appearances weren''t everything. She wished more would understand that.


    The morning had started off well. Johnny had been anxious to leave because his new car would be arriving today and he had been a pain in the ass about it.


    "Stop using your phone every two seconds to track the delivery Johnny. Your car will arrive just fine."


    She said, frustration evident in her tone. Why couldn''t they just enjoy the beautiful morning?


    "But sis..."


    Her younger brother begun when Ben snorted.


    "It will arrive sure, but then flame boy won''t resist wrecking it like he''s done a hundred times before."


    The Thing said.


    "You''re just jealous because the only car you''re fitting in is a fucking Tank or a twelve wheeler, big guy."


    Johnny quipped back.


    "Language."


    She sighed but was ultimately ignored.


    "Why you..."


    Ben begun growling. A few stares were thrown their way.


    Reed caught Sue''s eyes. She cocked her head at the other two who were already arguing. From the look she was giving him, she was expecting him to deal with them.


    Reed sighed, turning to Ben and Johnny.


    "When I said I would join you in this little excursion-"


    "Family outing."


    Sue corrected, one eyebrow raised at her Husband.


    Reed swallowed another sigh.


    "Right. Basically, Sue came up with this idea of a family outing for us to spend some time together. You two need to stop arguing for a second and enjoy the-"


    That''s when the ground begun to quake.


    "Whoa... Looks like someone''s been eating a lot lately."


    Johnny took a dig at The Thing.


    "One day, I''mma pulverize you FlameHead."


    The Thing threatened.


    "Bring it on, Rocky."


    Johnny shot back, wisps of flames dancing above his hands.


    "Really you two?! Now of all times?!"


    Sue chastised the pair as the shaking intensified.


    Cars on the streets screeched as they clashed onto one another. People started screaming and running away.


    In seconds the whole street was in a state of chaos and Pandemonium. The other three looked at Reed.


    Mr.Fantastic</a> tapped his ear piece ,causing it unfold into a pair of high tech googles. He pressed something on the side of the googles. A beam of blue light shot out of the lense.


    "I''m detecting a lot of seismic activity headed... straight for us!"


    Reed exclaimed, stretching his body to encompass the others before he stretched his hands, wrapping then around a street light.


    He contracted his lower body, using the sudden action to pull himself off the street like an elastic band, taking the team with him.


    The spot they had been occupying burst apart as something came through from the ground.


    "What in the hell...?"


    Johnny exclaimed as a massive green creature with crystals at it''s back loomed over them.


    "I''m guessing that thing''s not here for the Farmer''s Market."


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    The Thing said, tearing off the hoodie he wore and revealing his rocky appearance to the world.


    The creature roared out, eyes landing on the four of them.


    "Face it Sis." Johnny said as the screaming intensified.


    "This day was bound to be ruined from the start."


    "Keep Giganto busy while I get something out of the lab!"


    Reed said, leaving the rest to fight as he ran towards the Baxter building.


    "Did he just name it Giganto?"


    Johnny was left asking.


    "You heard Stretch. Let''s keep Giganto busy. It''s clobbering time."


    The Thing said taking a leap forward.


    Fast forward a couple of minutes and the fight was not going favorably. The team was losing even with Spidey''s help.


    Then, just when things were about to transition into worse, the Fantastic Four and anyone on the street bore witness to something astonishing.


    A sea of water flowed out of every gap and crevice, rising above even the monster and dwarfing it.


    Standing on top of the giant wave of water, was a figure in a black and red costume that had a lightning insignia on its chest.


    Held in his right hand was a golden Trident.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "Ready for Round 2?"


    I asked the monster while extending out my Psionic range to communicate with the other Heroes for coordination.


    (Hello, can you all hear me? I''ve never done this before so sorry if it''s uncomfortable. My name is Shazam.)


    I called out into the four-way communications I had created.


    The monster''s feet smashed the ground as it advanced towards the mountain of water I was standing upon.


    (Whoa this is new.)


    The Human Torch said, extracting himself from a hole in the building he''d been sent crashing into.


    (Shazam! You made it!)


    Spiderman''s voice cut through.


    (I''m guessing Water guy''s a friend of yours Spidey?")


    The Thing questioned.


    (I don''t really care as long as he''s on our side. This thing is huge. We might need help with Giganto. Ah damnit, even I''m calling it that now.)


    Human Torch added with a sigh.


    His body cut a trail of fire as he flew around Giganto, who was approaching Shazam and the giant wave of water.


    The creature''s left hand was poised to strike.


    (So that''s it''s name. Good to know. I''ll immobilize Giganto and you guys can handle the rest.)


    I informed them, Solomon''s wisdom informing me that was the way to go.


    Giganto''s huge clawed limb tore though the water easily.


    Using my control, I expertly maneuvered the liquid to flow around it''s body, over it''s crystal back before binding it''s hands and legs together, only leaving it''s head out in the open.


    Giganto released a keening wail as it fell onto the ground in a thunderous impact.


    "Whoa-hoo! Now we''re talking."


    The Human Torch cheered out jubilantly, flying in with the aim to unleash his flames on the monster''s face.


    "Wait!"


    A voice called out from the entrance of the building.


    "Johnny don''t hurt her!"


    A man dressed in a blue costume appeared, his limbs elongated and his chest deflated inside as he held something in his arms. A large green egg.


    "I think I know why it''s attacking."


    The man, who could only be Reed Richards said.


    "Someone stole it''s egg and brought it to the Baxter building. And because the staff was expecting Johnny''s car to be delivered today, no one bothered to check any orders coming in. We were set up. Someone wanted Giganto to attack us."


    Giganto let out a roar that felt more of a desperate cry than anything upon spotting the egg.


    "She''s just a mother trying to protect her child."


    The Invisible Woman said softly.


    I dove into Giganto''s mind to confirm if it was true.


    "He''s right. Someone did steal her egg. She followed the scent here to the Baxter building."


    I informed the rest while riding on a small wave of water to the ground.


    The water dispersed the second I landed, rejoining the substantial amount keeping Giganto pinned down.


    Johnny nodded at the smooth descent, throwing me a thumbs up.


    "Sick."


    Spiderman landed on top of the street light above us, briefly waving my way.


    Despite my inner weeb almost going catatonic at the fact I was standing before Marvel''s first team, I kept a passive expression on my face.


    "So what''s the plan now Stretch?"


    The Thing asked, crossing his hands over his huge barrel chest. Up close, every move he made sounded like a bunch of rocks grinding on each other.


    "We return the Mother and her egg back to where she came from, obviously."


    The Invisible Woman answered in place of Mr.Fantastic</a>.


    "I can help with that."


    I spoke up, continuing despite all the eyes that were now on me.


    "I ree her memories. She left a massive hole in the middle of the street a few blocks back. We can use that to get them both back home."


    The Fantastic Four looked at each other.


    "That''s a good idea. Johnny, I''ll need you and Spiderman to clear the streets as we will be coming in hot."


    Reed started giving out instructions.


    "Sorry guys, I''m all out of web fluid. I won''t be able to keep up with Torch."


    Spider shook his head.


    "No one can, web head."


    The Human Torch said cockily.


    "How humble."


    The Thing''s chest rumbled with his voice.


    An invisible construct appeared around The Human Torch''s mouth, stopping what he was going to say.


    "You two better not start an argument right now."


    The Invisible Woman admonished.


    "I could carry it there. Then there wouldn''t be a need to clear the street."


    I suggested.


    Reed and the rest looked at me weirdly.


    "Sorry, did you just say you could carry Giganto who from a gross estimation might weigh over a 100 tons across several blocks?"


    Mr. Fantastic enquired skeptically.


    I smiled, twirling the Trident.


    "Normally? No. But with this, things are a bit different today."


    The trident was awesome. Just holding it was quickly rejuvenating my psionic energy and reinvigorating my stamina. It was decided, I wasn''t going to give up this weapon.


    It was mine now.


    ******


    The next scene would be aired on National Television.


    It was a scene that was strange and incredible even by New York standards; the City was always prone to attacks and other strange phenomenon on a weekly if not daily basis.


    The Fantastic Four and Spiderman rode at the front on Invisible Woman''s construct, with the egg safely in Reed''s hands.


    Meanwhile I stood on top of a huge floating sphere of water, encapsulating Giganto''s huge form with only it''s head left in the open.


    With the Trident of Neptune, this much was easy. The water handled Giganto''s weight, I merely told it what to do.


    The monster''s eyes never left the egg at the front but now she was calmer.


    I kept sending feelings of warmth and assurance over to her mind, ensuring that she caused us no trouble while I manipulated the water to flow towards where she had come through.


    News choppers flanked us on the sides along with police vehicles tracking us on the ground.


    We arrived at the massive hole in the street and found a barricade around it with dozens of officers swarming the area.


    The Fantastic Four descended to the ground where Mr. Fantastic shared a brief conversation with the officer in charge.


    There were a few gestures our way before Giganto''s impatience got the better of her and she roared.


    The Officer blanched along with weapons being aimed my and Giganto''s ways. They let us through quickly after that.


    Looking at the hole yielded no answer on it''s true depth. It only awned widely. An ominous air surrounding it.


    Only a week after entangling with the King-Pin and I was already back on another life threatening adventure.

 Thank You.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    "For the record, entering a massive hole that''s goes god knows where is not the best of ideas."


    Johnny stated, looking down at the pit we were descending into.


    The four of them including Spiderman stood on one of Invisible Woman''s construct just a few meters lower than me.


    As for me, I was positioned on Giganto''s massive forehead, the water around her body firmly under my control.


    Seriously, the Trident was incredible. I had already recovered about a quarter of my Psionic energy thanks to it.


    The Trident seemed to feed of an unknown mystical force. Based on the fact that Solomon was no slouch in the magic department, there was a great deal of synergy between his legacy and the Trident.


    "We need to know who sent Giganto after us Johnny, so quit complaining and give us a light."


    Sue cut off her younger brother''s grumblings, keeping the Construct they stood on steady as they moved down.


    "I''m not complaining..."


    The younger Storm complained, snapping his fingers and producing a sphere of flames that hovered before them, lighting up the dark walls of the pit.


    I shook my head at their antics. We had been going down for more than 30 seconds now. The light from the surface had grown dim as night set in.


    Giganto had also calmed down considerably. Which wasn''t surprising seeing as we were now in a territory she was familiar with.


    A few minutes into the descent and a source of light appeared below us.


    "We''re getting close to the bottom."


    Spiderman told the Fantastic Four.


    "The air here is drafty."


    I felt a transmission come through the telepathic link I had among us.


    (How is everything up there?)


    The Invisible Woman asked.


    (All good. She''s calmer now that we''re closer to her home.)


    I responded, rubbing Giganto''s head.


    "Hey so are you like a new hero or something? Coz I''ve literally never heard of you before."


    The Human Torch asked, only to get an elbow to his ribs.


    "Ow, What did I say wrong?!"


    He asked defensively.


    "Nothing."


    The Thing chuckled.


    "Just felt like doing it."


    "Oh once we get out of here, it''s so on Ben!"


    Johnny promised.


    I opened a private channel to Spidey. Peter was about the only person I knew here.


    (Are they always this...lively?)


    (Believe it or not, this is much tamer. You should see them whenever Johnny pranks Ben. That''s when the real drama begins.)


    He said in amusement.


    "So how long have you all been together as a team?"


    I questioned.


    "5 years, 3 months, 3 weeks and 2 days to be precise."


    The Thing answered.


    "Wow. I can''t believe it''s been that long since the accident that gave us our powers."


    Johnny muttered to himself.


    I could feel Ben''s mood plummet.


    "Yeah..."


    The others looked at Johnny with a variety of expressions.


    "Oh. Wait, Ben I''m sorry I didn''t mean to..."


    "It''s fine Flame-Head. Not your fault."


    The Thing responded curtly.


    "Ben, you know I''m doing all I can to get you back to normal. We are not giving up."


    Reed told him in a comforting tone.


    "Yeah...I know Stretch."


    The Thing answered.


    The conversation quickly died down after that.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "Wait, what''s that?"


    Spiderman spoke up a short time later.


    "Looks like...a light or something."


    It was. The lower we descended, the brighter it got.


    Giganto started getting irritated a few seconds in. Her chest rumbled as she begun to squirm in the water prison.


    "Whoa girl, chill. Calm down."


    I tried to comfort her by sending more feelings of assurance and warmth but something had her nervous.


    "What''s wrong!?"


    Mr.Fantastic</a> asked, the five of them noticing how agitated she was getting. I dove into her mind to look for the reason why Giganto was acting that way.


    "She''s worried about something."


    I told them, barely managing to catch a mental glimpse of her memories and of what had her concerned.


    "What could make a 100 ton creature with the ability to burrow her way to the surface of the Earth worried?"


    Spiderman wondered.


    I frowned.


    "She''s...she''s actually fighting me. I can''t seem to..."


    I pushed more of my mental feelers into her mind, taking care not to hurt or alarm her.


    And then I saw it. Something that left me stunned.


    "Guys, she has hundreds of Eggs down here."


    The others looked at me dumfounded.


    "Hundreds? Little mini Gigantos who will grow into their Momma''s size one day? Hundreds!?"


    Johnny asked in a slightly squeaky voice.


    "Maybe even thousands."


    I mused, adding more existential dread to the Human Torch.


    Even thousands was only a rough estimate. We had no way of knowing how deep or extensive this underground world was. And Giganto was actively trying to keep those memories hidden. It was impressive.


    "There''s something else."


    My tone was grim.


    "Someone else is down here."


    "Who?"


    Spiderman asked but I shook my head.


    "I don''t know. Her memories are not the clearest."


    Now more wary, we continued on until finally we arrived at the bottom. And it was wildly different than anything else I could have imagined.


    We also found out the source of the light. Huge beautiful crystals.


    Despite the threat down here, I couldn''t help but suck in a deep breath at the bunch of them growing along the walls. Some of the crystals were even taller and wider than the Thing!


    "Are these Diamonds?"


    Johnny asked in awe.


    Awe that was shared among the rest of us. The huge diamond crystals glowed blue, casting a warm light within the tunnel. The light seemed to come from within the crystals.


    The bottom was not the end of our journey however, for the tunnel led deeper in, with more Diamond crystals growing out of the sides of the tunnel, Giganto must have come through.


    Now the question here is, how much could all this be worth?


    I mean just a few crystals would probably get rid of all my money problems.


    "An entirely new terrain under the surface of the Earth."


    Mr.Fantastic</a> marvelled.


    "Fascinating."


    "And beautiful."


    The Invisible Woman said with a smile, holding her Husband''s hand. Reed returned the loving look.


    "Not for long."


    I told them, interrupting the tender moment by jumping off my position from Giganto''s forehead.


    Before they could ask what I meant by the cryptic statement, they followed my eyesight and saw what I had sensed.


    From crevices and cracks, small brown creatures with red eyes and droopy muddy forms appeared.


    Their numbers grew to scary amounts and in only a few seconds, we were surrounded from everywhere.


    "Hahaha, I have you dead to rights Fantastic Fools! Welcome to Subterranea, my World!"


    The mastermind finally showed themselves.


    He was short.


    Other features included, wearing a mix match of rags, Googles strapped tight around his head and possessing a face only a mother could love.


    Oh he also had a common looking staff with a metal coil at the top in his hands.


    "Mole Man. I knew something stank of your work."


    Mr.Fantastic</a> frowned, stepping in front of the Invisible Woman.


    He wasn''t the only one unhappy to see Mole-Man however, for upon spotting the diminutive figure if the Supervillain, Giganto''s chest rumbled dangerously.


    Mole-man''s face blanched as he took a few unsteady steps backwards.


    "G-get them!"


    He immediately gave the order, not even wasting time with a monologue. Seeing Giganto''s angry eyes must have really spooked him.


    The Moloids; I looked into Mole-man''s mind and found out that was what the small muddy Creatures with droopy forms were called, jumped over each other in a bid to get to us.


    "Everyone, get back."


    I warned my companions.


    Fortunately they complied, just in time too, because when I unravelled Giganto''s water prison, she immediately released a deafening roar that threw numerous numbers of Moloids back.


    "No! No no! What are you doing?! Stop them you fools!"


    Mole Man yelled at the Moloids, rolling to his feet after being thrown away by the shockwaves caused by Giganto''s roar.


    All the Moloids complied, even more of them coming out of god knows where and running towards us.


    "Flame on!"


    Johnny took the air, unleashing a stream of flame before us that blocked the Moloid''s way.


    The creatures backed away in fear.


    "It''s clobbering time!"


    The Thing yelled, jumping over the flames and coming down on the Moloids with the force of a wrecking ball.


    Spiderman joined the fight as well, jumping at the Moloids with fast kicks and fists now that he was out of web fluid.


    Knowing I was missing out, I slowly floated into the air, using my recovered stamina and psionic energy.


    The trident in my hands glowed golden as I raised it, gathering enough water, freezing it and then sending out ice arrows, lances and spikes at the Moloids, further devastating their numbers.


    "They don''t stay down guys."


    Spiderman stated after kicking a Moloid and instead of it getting thrown back, it latched onto his leg.


    "Lead them to me!"


    The Invisible Woman said, using her powers to create a spherical construct to hold the Moloids in.


    I controlled the water in the cave, creating high walls that loomed over the Moloids with only one way of escape, the path to Invisible Woman.


    With the rest of the Fantastic Four, Spidey and I working together, it was easy to deal with the Moloids as more and more were led into Sue''s construct.


    As for Mole-Man, he saw that things weren''t exactly turning out the way he wanted.


    So he started running deeper into the cave as fast as his tiny feet could carry him.


    I grew curious and dove into his mind to find out what he was planning.


    (If I can get to the inner cave before the rest of the Eggs hatch, then once they do and see me, they will imprint on me and I shall have an army of monsters to call upon! The surface world shall know of the Mole-Man''s wrath!)


    He was planning on using Giganto''s children to wage war on the surface world.


    Looking at her size and the fact that the eggs were thousands in number, it wasn''t exactly a bad idea.


    But he hadn''t accounted for something. Me.


    With my recovered energy, I messed with his brain''s sense of direction and instead of sending him towards the eggs, Mole-Man slowed to a stop as a shadow loomed over him.


    Giganto.


    "No...how? I was headed to the Cave!!"


    He stuttered out in fear.


    His hand''s shook enough to make him drop the staff he had in his hands.


    "No please..."


    He fell on his butt, crawling back as Giganto widened her mouth and roared.


    The sound was even louder than before. So much that Mole-Man simply passed out. The Moloids stopped fighting once their boss was down.


    The ones not imprisoned in Sue''s construct gave up and ran away.


    Giganto sniffed Mole-Man and snorted derisively, stepping over him and walking deeper into the cave.


    She stopped some several feet away, turning to regard us.


    (Thank you.)


    She didn''t speak it but she projected the thought my way.


    I smiled.


    Then she used her limbs, slamming them on top of the ceiling and causing the tunnel into the inner cave to be blocked by huge rocks and diamond crystals.


    Then Giganto was gone. Just like that. I feel like I''m missing something.


    "Wait...the Egg!"


    I turned to the Five of them only to see Susan smile.


    "Don''t worry, while we were busy with the Moloids, Reed slipped through and carried the egg into the inner cave."


    "Oh."


    I said.


    Well, that was anti-climatic.

 Meeting Spidermans Team.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I felt something heavy land on my shoulder. Looking up, my eyes trailed over his rocky appearance, before managing to land on The Thing''s wide grin.


    "Nice going Sparky."


    He patted me on the shoulder again. Only the fact that I was holding onto the trident of Neptune allowed me to stay standing.


    "I didn''t really do much but I appreciate it."


    I responded. While I''d been the key figure in resolving the incident (that sounds more boastful than I''d intended), I didn''t feel comfortable accepting the praise.


    "Yeah. Nice going, Shazim."


    Johnny said, slinging his arm over my shoulders.


    "It''s Shazam, Johnny. Not a hard name to pronounce the right way."


    Invisible Woman corrected.


    "I was going to go with Sparky. It matches your style. You should rebrand."


    Ben pitched in.


    "I''m guessing it''s probably because of the giant symbol of lightning on my chest?"


    I asked with a sweat drop. There is no way I was going to rebrand and start calling myself Sparky.


    "Sparky? Seriously? You suck at names dude,"


    Johnny teased Ben.


    "Admit it Shizam is waaay better than Sparky."


    He replied cheekily.


    "You''re both messing with me, aren''t you?"


    I sighed, blankly staring at the two.


    "As if you can make fun of my name. Human Torch and The Thing. Not really inspired."


    Spidey snorted.


    "He got there."


    The humor ended abruptly when out of nowhere, the whole tunnel begun to tremble, pieces of crystal falling from the ceiling above us.


    "We have to get moving before we''re buried alive down here."


    Mr. Fantastic said in urgency, tapping the side of his glasses and causing the visor to fold on itself and retract.


    He stretched up to cover us from a particularly huge stalactite.


    "The tunnel''s structural integrity has been compromised."


    He explained.


    "Johnny, Shazam can you clear the way?"


    "Flame on!"


    The Human Torch said, his body igniting with orange flames. Then he took off, shooting boulders with huge fire balls and slashing apart the bigger boulders with thin fire whips.


    So effing cool.


    Not wanting to be out done, I jumped in with zeal.


    "On it."


    I answered, running forward. My feet stepped on muddy soil, splashing and sticking cobs to my feet. The mud was caused by the water I had dropped after letting go of Giganto.


    I thrust Neptune''s Trident forward, pulling on all that water spilled around, including the ice arrows and lances that I''d used to attack the Moloids with.


    Then I shaped it into huge pillars of hard water, a concept I remembered seeing Queen Mera, the wife of Aquaman from DC demonstrate.


    The pillars acted as temporary support beams, holding up the ceiling and walls to stop the tunnel from caving in around us.


    Johnny took that chance to move even quicker now that he had some assistance. His flames brightly lit up the dark tunnel, enhancing the dim environment.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    I felt Pete''s mind enter my range.


    "Shazam!"


    Spiderman called out, reaching out with his hand while riding on top of one of Invisible Woman''s constructs along the others.


    I grabbed it with my free hand. He pulled me onto the construct and we sped out of the tunnel, tons of rocks burying the way into Giganto''s lair completely.


    "I wonder if we''ll ever see her again."


    Spiderman commented, sitting on the edge of the construct as it ascended the shaft towards the surface.


    I looked down at the dark and awning pit.


    "It''s a crazy world up there. At least down here in the darkness she''s safe with her offspring, so I hope not."


    I said, stomping on the small part of me that was going to miss Giganto.


    Apart from the alley cat sometime back, Giganto was the first non-human I''d used my telepathy on. It was a novel experience.


    Humans were naturally chaotic beings and their minds reflected that. Animals on the other hand were simpler.


    More grounded in reality. If it wasn''t food, then it was breeding or some other necessary function to not only live but also ensure their species continued on.


    It was simple.


    I gave one last mental wave and then we were out.


    ******


    The barricade was still there when we finally resurfaced.


    The authorities had also been joined by some of the most annoying people I''ve ever met in my life.


    Reporters.


    "Mr. Fantastic! Could you please comment on what you have done with the monster that was attacking the Baxter building?!"


    One reporter asked, thrusting a mic at Reed''s face.


    Reed blinked, looking out of place.


    "Uh yes Giganto..."


    He begun only to be immediately interrupted by the same reporter,


    "Giganto? Is that it''s name?"


    Reed gave a jerky nod.


    "Affirmative. I initially got the idea from the..."


    "Okay, let me save you all some nerd talk. I''ll answer your questions ladies and gentlemen. Autographs will come later."


    Johnny butted in, coming from where he''d been basking in the adoration from the on lookers.


    Of course that raised the ire of his sister, who was ready with a chastising.


    I looked at them and decided to slip away while unnoticed, I was still wary of sticking around Peter.


    Sooner or later the trick of vibrating the sound leaving my lips to distort my voice would stop working. Then he would realize who was behind the half mask and my secret identity would be even more exposed.


    Plus, there was something I wanted to do urgently. You see, during the time the tunnel was collapsing, I managed to grab a piece of crystal the size of my palm.


    The reason I noticed it was that every other crystal I''d seen in Subterranea was too big to fit in my hammer space.


    But this particular crystal had been smaller yet the glow it released was even more pronounced than the largest crystals in the underground world.


    I was curious about it and if it was a choice between nosy press and studying something that interested me? Well it wasn''t much of a choice really.


    I turned around to leave, dimming my presence in their minds, only to stop before I could collide on a massive chest.


    "Hey."


    Luke Cage smiled down at me.


    Damn, this guy is massive. It''s like he was asked, ''how big do you want you want your muscles'' and he said, ''yes.''


    Behind him were a few other interesting figures: a curvy girl in a white suit, a guy in a green and yellow costume who gave me a nod and lastly a guy my physical age, floating in the air with his fists bathed in a blue energy.


    "Sup."


    I had pulled my active psionic range closer to my body due to all the mental activity happening around me, so I hadn''t really noticed them.


    While I wasn''t exactly overwhelmed in crowdy places anymore, it wasn''t comfortable either.


    I wonder if other telepaths faced the same issue of control...


    All these thoughts went through my mind in no time at all. A benefit of my growing powers was that my mental acuity kept on being enhanced as well.


    "You''re Spidey''s team."


    I observed.


    "Oh there it is again!"


    The floating guy, who I recognized from the comics as Nova, said while throwing his hands up in frustration.


    "I admit, it is a bit annoying."


    The girl in the white costume, White Tiger brandished her claws my way.


    "Spiderman has more than proved himself to us. I take pride in being a part of his team."


    The other guy who could only be the Iron Fist interjected.


    "Ignore those three. By your statement, I take it you know us. Or of us, at least."


    Power man said, thrusting out his hand in a greeting.


    "Yeah."


    I said with an amiable smile, stomping a little on my impatience to leave. They rolled with Spiderman and Peter was cool. The least I could do was be nice.


    "You''re that Shazam guy. I saw you on the news. Nice going kicking the Cabal''s asses."


    Nova said, landing on the ground.


    Being on the news had been a surprise for me. And even a few days later, the online community and Superhero Forums had been abuzz with my name. Who knew taking on the Cabal and not dying was an achievement of a lifetime.


    Still, just as there were people who supported me, there hadn''t been a shortage of those that didn''t.


    Fake news site with fake sightings and information may have contributed to why I didn''t like reporters.


    At the end of the day, I''d decided to ignore it all. I wasn''t doing it for the praise. It was my duty.


    I guess in this way, Spidey and I were both similar.


    The talk with Fury came back to me. Could I really do more in a group as opposed to being a Solo act?


    The mental conundrum could be handled later.


    "Thanks. You guys are cool too. You had Spidey''s back with the Sinister Six a few days back."


    I had still been recovering at that time, otherwise I would have joined in.


    You could literally hear the shockwaves and booms from afar. One thing that most people don''t know, is that a superhuman fight is really loud.


    "Oh hey guys, when did you get here?"


    Spiderman said.


    He''d managed to detach himself from the Fantastic Four and the reporters swarming them to come our way.


    "Just now."


    The Iron Fist responded in an overly formal tone.


    "We were having a conversation with Shazam."


    Spiderman looked in between us.


    "Shazam, meet my team, White Tiger, Iron Fist, Nova and Powerman."


    "Nice to meet you all but I gotta run."


    I waved while floating upwards.


    "Wait, you''re leaving? The four wanted to invite you over for dinner."


    He said.


    They did? How unexpected, this was the first time we''d been introduced to each other. I mean, don''t mistake me, I WANTED to go. Just the thought of maybe getting to see Mr.Fantastic</a>''s lab had me excited.


    Still, I shook my head.


    "Maybe some other time. I have something I need to take care of."


    I told him, ultimately deciding to leave.

 How Do You Kill A God?

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I made it back to my apartment quickly.


    It didn''t sit well with me that I''d cut my patrol short but I promised myself that it was necessary.


    I would make up for it the next day by going on a longer patrol.


    Right then and there, I was too excited for anything else.


    I removed my mask, dismissing my costume into my hammer space with my mind.(It worked on anything my body was in contact with. I couldn''t help but imagine how I could munchkin the hell out of this ability. The only limitation was the size of the hammer space.)


    Then I pulled it out. The object of my fascination. My apartment was instantly bathed in a torquoise glow. The crystal in my hand seemed to produce even more light now that it was nighttime.


    I didn''t waste time, I probed it''s magnetic field with my psionic energy...


    Immediately, I felt my Psionic reserves get drained into the crystal, almost bottoming them out before I retracted my hands. The light coming off the crystal seemed to increase even more.


    "It can suck in energy."


    I muttered in surprise.


    Initially, I''d thought my Psionic reserves were limitless and that my body''s weakness was what kept me from channeling infinite Psionic energy.


    However, recent incidents proved I had been wrong. Having never sensed Psionic energy and it''s potency before, I''d mistaken judicious amounts of Psionic energy for infinite reserves.


    And I''d only realized that fact when I was left empty and bereft of any mental power. The trade off being I had saved lives during Giganto''s initial rampage.


    I blinked, turning the crystal over in my hand while feeding more energy into it.


    It wasn''t with the intention of probing it''s Magnetic field like I usually would on something that caught my attention. No, the motive was to see what would happen.


    The result was interesting.


    It was like I was feeding a bucket of water into a bottomless pit. The crystal guzzled my Psionic energy greedily.


    I was getting excited now. A crystal that could store energy. How effing cool.


    I wonder if it was only Psionic energy that it could siphon?


    Wait, that didn''t make sense. It would have been too much of a coincidence, so I was running with the theory that it could feed on any exotic energy.


    To test this theory, I brought out Neptune''s Trident, placing the weapon right on the work table.


    I brought the crystal to hover above the Trident and holy fucking hell... nothing happened.


    I frowned.


    Was my theory wrong and the crystal could only absorb a specific kind of energy, one that I just so happened to possess?


    Disheartened, I dropped the crystal back onto the desk. It tipped onto one of it''s sides, managing to bump upon the Trident''s shaft.


    There was a spark where the contact happened. Then right before my eyes, streams of yellow energy launched off the Trident and into the crystal with crackling intensity.


    The light coming off the crystal increased to the point where every nook and cranny of my apartment was cast into visibility.


    I shielded my eyes while monitoring the process through fluctuations in the air.


    My eyes narrowed as I sensed the build up of something and immediately, I set up a shield as an explosion went off within my apartment.


    My shield flared up as it received the impact of the energy discharge like a pro. I opened my eyes to the sight of my desk burning, table overturned, a vase shattered into pieces and my mattress hanging out by the window.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Not to mention, the trident had shot off and pierced through the door that led to my bathroom.


    The crystal on the other hand, was innocently lying on the floor at the foot of my bed.


    I breathed out in relief, enclosed within a TK sphere.


    Then my eyes lit up as realization dawned on me. My theory hadn''t been wrong. The Crystal could absorb any type of exotic energy!


    That explosion had been caused by a discharge of raw magical power.


    The fact that the crystal could siphon magic from the Trident of Neptune was an indication of just how useful it was.


    In my eyes, it had just shot up in value. The only thing left to do was to figure out how I could use it to my benefit. And off the bat I could think of a few ways.


    For instance, maybe I could store power within and then access it when I needed the boost in a fight?


    Okay, let''s see if that will work. I descended from my perch at the corner of the ceiling (Don''t blame me for trying not to die).


    The next few minutes turned into an hour as I simply tried to figure out a way to pull out the psionic energy contained within the Crystal.


    That''s where I hit the first snag. Everytime psionic energy came into contact with the crystal, it would be instantly sucked in.


    Eventually, I elected to leave it be, at least for some time while I directed my focus elsewhere. If I couldn''t probe the crystal''s field then what I could do was some good old fashioned research.


    Once again my Stark phone helped immensely. I found out just how much a single 45.52 carat diamond was worth. Tens, possibly hundreds of million of dollars.


    Whoa.


    That was crazy. And the crystal diamond I had was even bigger than the one showed online.


    I was holding a fortune in my hands without even knowing it.


    The value aside, what could I really do with this thing? I mean the probing had failed and google only talked about its price. The latter was useless to me because I wasn''t going to sell it.


    "Magic."


    I slapped my forehead for my forgetfulness.


    The only way I was going to learn more about the crystal was if I changed tactics. Tech hadn''t worked, my powers had also failed. So that only left the most illogical energy in all of existence. Magic.


    It alone could tell me everything I needed to know. And it just so happened, I knew where I could find some sorcerers. More like I knew where the New York Sanctum was but we won''t stress the small stuff.


    I only needed to go check it out tomorrow. I mean, how hard could it be to get a hold of the Ancient One?


    ******


    Turns out, it was very easy. I just walked up to the building and even before I knocked, the door had swung open.


    On the entry way, a middle aged man dressed in yellow robes had appeared.


    The master had given me a cursory glance before stepping out of the way.


    "She has been expecting you."


    He had said in a sonorous voice.


    And now barely 1 minute later, I was seated before arguably the most dangerous human on the planet.


    The Sorcerer Supreme could command mystical might and fight eldritch monsters and magical beings with nefarious designs on the planet.


    Sounds like the synopsis of an epic fantasy book, until you realize those Eldritch abominations actually exist and the only thing standing before them and us was...her.


    A normal looking, unassuming, slim woman with an amiable smile on her face. Her mind was blank. I couldn''t even detect her presence telepathically despite the fact she sat before me.


    Solomon''s Wisdom was very adamant that I would lose 11 times out of 10 if I decided to fight her at my current strength. It was sobering to think just how powerful she had to be for my chances to be practically zero.


    All these thoughts went through my head as I considered how to start the conversation. I took a tentative sip of the tea I had been offered, then opened my mouth.


    Only for her to beat me to the punch.


    "I''ve been waiting for you Mr.Batson</a>."


    The Sorcerer Supreme said.


    "Oh. You have?"


    I muttered, hoping that in all the different ways she''d seen this conversation play out, I never disclosed information about my Meta knowledge.


    "Yes. Our last meeting had to be cut off abruptly. Too many eyes on me ensure the risk of a few beings knowing of you before you were ready."


    She explained.


    "And that''s not a problem anymore?"


    I questioned.


    She shook her head.


    "Not after you met the Earth Mother."


    "Earth Mother? You mean -_#$?"


    Huh? Why couldn''t I say her name?


    "Kamar Taj''s new magical formation."


    The Sorcerer Supreme answered.


    "A mental suggestion that stops anyone from calling out or invoking the name of a higher being. Recent events have caused us to be more careful."


    She said pointedly.


    "What recent events?"


    I questioned with suspicion.


    Was she implying I was at fault? That my Presence was the reason for all these ''recent events'' I wasn''t privy to?


    Instead of answering, the Sorcerer Supreme changed tactics.


    "How''s the tea?"


    She asked.


    "I know you''re more of a coffee lover but you''ve had Chai in the past correct?"


    My fingers tightened on the cup.


    She knew. It was in the certainty in her tone.


    There was no other explanation at how she could know something like that. Or say it with that much confidence.


    Yes, my Grandma had been a Chai lover and that meant growing up drinking it, though I never really got into the taste.


    And after arriving here, I''d never once had a cup of tea. This was the first time actually. So she knew.


    I don''t know how much, but she knew something about my past.


    "What makes you say that?"


    I asked as calmly as possible. Her knowing of my secret could result in two different outcomes.


    The Sorcerer Supreme was charged with protecting the Earth from outside influence. I was an outside influence.


    The first outcome would be she would treat me like an outside influence. Which meant attack me/ imprison me/ banish me or kill me.


    The second and hopefully the outcome she would choose was letting me be.


    "Tell me something Mr.Batson</a>. How do you kill a god?"


    The Sorcerer Supreme asked.


    Oh crap.

 The Raft.

    (General P.O.V)


    The Raft.


    A super Max prison built in the Atlantic ocean. One designed to hold the worst of the worst supervillains. Funded by the US government after the Hulk and the Abomination had torn up Harlem.


    Credit for it''s construction and security systems went to a few very notable names. Reed Richards, Tony Stark and Adam Brashear.


    These factors ensured that it was one of the most secure facilities in North America if not the world.


    ******


    Within a reinforced observation room, General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross stood before a panoramic wall of monitors, each displaying a different angle of the Raft''s collosal structure.


    The low hum of machinery reverberated through the room as the supermax prison gradually emerged from the Atlantic''s depths, bathed in the pale light of the overcast sky.


    Ross''s stern countenance was illuminated by the soft glow of the monitor screens, as he oversaw the carefully orchestrated operation.


    The Raft''s emergence was a meticulously choreographed ballet of technology and engineering, massive hydraulic arms slowly elevating the prison''s structure above the waterline.


    Water cascaded down its exterior, dissipating into misty clouds before disappearing into the churning waves below.


    "Status report."


    Ross commanded, his gravelly voice slicing through the ambient sounds.


    A crisp response came over the intercom, "Emergence sequence proceeding according to schedule, General. External hull integrity is holding steady, and the stabilization systems are online."


    Ross''s steely eyes remained locked on the screens as he watched the Raft rise further, its imposing bulk taking shape against the dark horizon.


    Specialized personnel in body armor patrolled the halls of the cellblocks, wielding shock batons that were primed to each individuals d.n.a.


    Others moved across the Raft''s surface, conducting maintenance tasks and resupply operations.


    The intercom crackled again, relaying information from the control center, "Resupply pods are docked and initiating transfer of provisions. Security systems are on standby for the duration of the emergence."


    General Ross nodded, acknowledging the update. He was well aware of how vulnerable they were.


    The Raft housed some of the most dangerous individuals on the planet, and only during its scheduled maintenance periods, could someone from the outside get to it.


    Security during these instances was paramount.


    The hydraulic arms adjusted their positions, ensuring the prison''s stability as it transitioned from its submerged state to its exposed one. Finally it sat like a monolithic sentinel against the backdrop of the Atlantic.


    "Notify me when it''s time to submerge" Ross ordered.


    ******


    In a particular cell bathed in scarlet light, a man lacking skin on his face, had his limbs encased within a machine that kept him medically asleep. This was achieved through pumping a small dose of a special neurotoxin through his veins.


    But even after taking into account his biological functions, they did not anticipate his will.


    Thus, the Red Skull opened his eyes.


    ******


    Amidst the dark expanse of the ocean, a thick shroud of mist concealed the monstrous figure of Dracula as he hovered above the turbulent waters.


    His leathery wings beat with a rhythmic intensity, the sound muffled by the mist''s damp embrace.


    The eerie silence of the night was shattered only by the distant roar of crashing waves against the outer surface of the Raft.


    Dracula''s eyes, crimson and piercing, glowed faintly within the concealing fog as he scanned the prison''s towering structure.


    The mist wrapped around him like a protective cloak, making him entirely invisible to the prison''s advanced surveillance systems.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "It is time."


    He said, his voice carrying with it a deep baritone.


    His lips moved, briefly exposing sharp fangs as he whispered on the wind, beginning to weave his dark magic.


    From his perch above the waves, Dracula unleashed his power¡ªa hypnotic enchantment that spread through the prison''s electronic systems like a creeping vine.


    One by one, monitors flickered and dimmed, cameras froze.


    The mist thickened, swirling with his energy, as he fell upon the Raft like a dark cloud, obscuring the moonlight falling from above and seeping through the Raft.


    ******


    In the lowest cellblock, within a heavily fortified cell, the grotesque form of M.O.D.O.K¡ªnow</a> confined within the Super Adaptoid body¡ªhovered above a pool of swirling nanites, tendrils extending from the body to connect with the pool''s surface.


    The pool''s contents shimmered with a faint bluish light, a testament to the continuous energy siphoning that held M.O.D.O.K in check.


    Nanites, relentless and unyielding, constantly draining energy from the Super Adaptoid, rendering its once-formidable abilities useless.


    Without energy, the Adaptoid couldn''t adapt to escape.


    Amidst the near-silence, a faint whisper of movement echoed within the cell. Mist extended through the ventilation shaft.


    The mist itself seemed to contort and reshape as a shadowy figure emerged, its form gradually taking shape.


    A vampire, one of the many servants of the dread Dracula, sent to enact a plan woven in shadows.


    The vampire approached the energy-drained Super Adaptoid. In its hand, it held salvation for the Cabal. A small, inconspicuous USB drive.


    The vampire''s eyes glinted with a malevolent intelligence as it regarded the imprisoned entity before it.


    Then it inserted the USB drive into a concealed port on the Super Adaptoid''s exterior.


    The techno-virus contained within the drive surged to life, infiltrating the Adaptoid''s nanite-based restraints.


    The Super Adaptoid''s form began to writhe and spark with renewed vigor.


    The nanites, once devoted to siphoning energy, now found themselves compromised by the virus''s digital intrusion.


    Lines of code streamed across the Adaptoid''s visual interface.


    "Aah, it''s been long."


    M.O.D.O.K''s consciousness, ever calculating, seized the opportunity. The compromised nanites became tools rather than restraints due to the virus.


    The Adaptoid begun to hum.


    Slowly, inexorably, the energy-draining connection between the Adaptoid and the pool started to break.


    Sparks of energy arced through the air, the cell''s atmosphere charged with tension as M.O.D.O.K tapped into the Adaptoid''s formidable hacking capabilities.


    With an electrifying surge, the Super Adaptoid broke free.


    The energy that had once been drained was now harnessed, channeled with a newfound mastery. The Adaptoid''s eyes, once dulled, now burned with renewed vitality.


    M.O.D.O.K turned to regard the pool of nanites. And he smiled.


    ******


    "What is going on here?!"


    General Ross demanded, bursting through the doors into the surveillance room that was a flurry of activity.


    "Breach in sector 10, sir."


    An agent said as the screens flickered on and off.


    Ross clenched his jaw. Sector 10 housed the more troublesome inmates.


    "Get me a visual!"


    "Something is interfering with our systems. We have no visual."


    The agent replied.


    "Sound the alarm."


    The General finally said.


    *****


    Within the corridors and hallways inside the cell blocks, alarms blared and red lights cast an ominous glow.


    "What''s happening?"


    Trish Walker, Hellcat asked from her cell as Guards ran down the hall.


    "Hey!"


    She banged on the metal door. The ruckus caused more prisoners to get attracted to the noise and slam on their own cell doors.


    Tension hung in the air as guards and automated defenses mobilized in response to the breach.


    ******


    "We''ve lost contact with the guards sent to Sector 10 sir."


    An agent informed Ross.


    "Begin to submerge. Take her down into the ocean."


    The general ordered.


    ******


    In Sector 10''s control Hub, M.O.D.O.K extended techno-organic tendrils into the computer system.


    "And now I''m in."


    He said with glee, the Adaptoid''s eyes glowing ominously.


    "Time to let chaos reign."


    Using his technopathy, M.O.D.O.K killed the communications system.


    ******


    Inside the prison, confusion reigned as the guards found their communications severed and their control systems compromised.


    ******


    Then M.O.D.O.K accessed the security features and unlocked every single cell door in the Raft.


    In every sector and cell block, the doors swung open. Hellcat blinked, slowly walking out of her cell into the chaos happening outside.


    Guards came at them with shock batons and the prisoners responded in desperation, retaliating in turn.


    Things got worse when the more powerful inmates begun to push back the guards.


    Attuma''s aquatic prowess allowed him to commandeer water systems, flooding corridors and causing structural damage.


    The fight was therefore pushed into the courtyard on the surface of the raft.


    Dracula surveying the scene smiled.


    "Count your blessings you were favored by me, Skull."


    His wings beat faster, and the mist intensified, obscuring him further from view as he descended towards the prison''s central courtyard and at the guards fighting with prisoners.


    The mist then washed down, reforming into hordes of his vampire servants.


    "Feast my children."


    Dracula ordered, his eyes glowing with a malevolent light.


    Between Dracula''s horde and the prisoners, no one was able to stop the Cabal from joining forces once more.


    Before long the Raft was in the prisoner''s hands.


    Red Skull, clad in a simple prison uniform led a charge of imprisoned supervillains, exploiting the confusion to overpower guards and incapacitate the security personnel.


    His arrival at the courtyard caused a commotion as he had someone held captive by the Prisoners behind him.


    "You won''t get away with this Skull."


    General Ross said, trying to pull himself away from his captors and failing.


    Red Skull looked at him, then backhanded Ross.


    "Cease your squabbling, General. I have already gotten away with it. Throw him overboard."


    Meanwhile, M.O.D.O.K burst through the central command, flying down to the courtyard with something in tow.


    The Super Adaptoid slammed right onto the center, calling attention to himself and the black suit of armor behind him.


    "Skull...a gift."


    M.O.D.O.K said, motioning his hands at the newly reconstituted Iron Man suit of armor.


    "They had torn it apart but my new friends helped take care of that."


    He said as a cloud of grey goo rose up behind him. Nanites.


    Red Skull smiled.


    "Well done M.O.D.O.K."


    He responded with gratitude.


    His eyes took on an intimidating light.


    "And now...we go after the one who made us suffer this humiliation. Shazam."

 The Age of Heroes.

    (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."


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    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</a>, 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</a>? 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>. A hero at the most important millennium of human history. The Age of Heroes."

 (???)

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Her words threw me on a loop. The change of heart was just too unexpected. One second she looks as if she wants nothing more than to end my existence, then the next she''s calling me a hero?


    Still, can''t look a gift horse in the mouth.


    "So does this mean we''re cool?"


    I asked.


    "Yes. It means we are cool."


    She said with a smile.


    Then her eyes perked up.


    "And right on time as well."


    I looked around the room. It was just the two of us and even in my Psionic range, I could feel no minds nearby.


    She waved her hands in the air and sparks begun to form on the ground around me. Then a portal manifested right below me.


    I remained floating above it.


    Like a boss.


    The Ancient One blinked. I blinked.


    "You wanted me to fall through."


    I smirked, seeing through her intentions.


    "Sorry."


    I added, flashing the TK aura around my body. The shroud was in a rainbow color.


    "That wasn''t going to...whoooaaaaa."


    I trailed off as the Ancient One did something and up became down. Then it reversed, fucking with my orientation and sense of direction.


    Ergo, I unceremoniously fell through the portal.


    The last thing I saw was The Sorcerer Supreme slowly lifting the cup of tea to her lips and taking a single sip of it, then the portal disappeared.


    "That...crazy woman!"


    I cursed out in frustration. I hadn''t even gotten the chance to ask her about the Crystal before she had booted me out of the Sanctum.


    Speaking of which,


    "Where the fuck am I?"


    I spoke out loud, looking around.


    I was in an office, the desk and chair behind it were indication enough. The layout was also simple.


    Completely white walls with some abstract paintings framed along it. Minimal decorations with the stand outs being, the flag of the United States on the corner of the...wait.


    I walked forward, eyes attracted to something behind the desk. A picture framed above the chair.


    And on it was a familiar black man with an eye patch standing next to a green humanoid alien. A skrull. And the dark skinned figure was...


    "Shit. I''m in Fury''s office."


    I said, taking a step back and knocking over the lamp beside the desk.


    Telekinesis stopped it from falling to the floor. I gulped, looking for the door, I needed to get out before someone found me and thought I was stealing Shield secrets or something.


    There! on the left.


    A door.


    Jackpot.


    I walked over while spreading out my psionic range, to find out where I was.


    It was some sort of huge building that I couldn''t fully cover with my Psionic range.


    Luckily for me, there wasn''t anyone close or around the office. The hallway on the other side of the door was empty of any mental activity, meaning there weren''t any guards keeping watch.


    Good, I could slip out without Fury or Shield even knowing I was there.


    And even if they did, (mostly on account of however many hidden cameras were in a Spy''s office) I would be long gone by then.


    Any other future consequences would be handled by future Billy with a side dish of Solomon''s wisdom.


    "The ancient one must have really wanted payback for the whole ''burst your heart out of your chest'' thing. Why else would she set the portal to Nick Fury''s office of all places?"


    My musings were carried out as I spread my awareness through the door''s locking mechanism.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    There was a sensor that would be triggered when someone was close to the door but it was only keyed in to authorized personnel.


    Good thing, I could cheat. I manually applied pressure on the latch and the door beeped.


    "Yes!"


    I cheered as it retracted to the wall to reveal, Fury in all his glory, standing there with an unimpressed look on his face.


    "Shit. I forgot you can hide from my telepathic scans."


    I sighed.


    "You honestly think you could sneak in to my office and avoid detection? The cameras picked up on the portal almost immediately and sent the feed over to me."


    He said, holding up a pad that showed me get unceremoniously dumped into his office.


    "Of course there were cameras."


    I bit out sourly.


    "So now what? Arrest me and charge me for trespassing?"


    "I have something else in mind. Follow me."


    Unexpectedly, Fury turned on his heel and begun walking away.


    I looked on dumbly. Why was everyone acting so out of character!? First the Ancient One and now Fury.


    As if sensing the question in my mind, he went on to explain once I caught up with him.


    "You''re Lucky I need you, Batson. Thank your lucky stars this happened while the prisoners of the Raft were planning their escape."


    I frowned.


    "Wait, the Raft as in the supermax for supervillains and other deranged superpowered Psychos?"


    He looked at me from the corner of his lone eye.


    "You know of it, good. That will save me time explaining."


    We took a few turns and finally I felt multiple minds enter my range as we left the section of the building with Fury''s office.


    Thinking quickly, I directly equiped my costume just as we reached the deck.


    Wait, this wasn''t a building. The operations room had a direct view of the open sky...and not much else.


    Why?


    Because we were in the air. It took a second for things to click.


    "Holy shit, I''m in the Herricarrier."


    I muttered, looking around at the wide range of high tech devices and the Shield agents running around the busy operations room.


    How had she sent me directly into the Helicarrier? I thought the Sling Rings Sorcerer''s used could only take you somewhere you''ve been before?


    Somehow I couldn''t picture the Ancient One ever visiting the Helicarrier. Then again...she was the Sorcerer Supreme, any number of reasons could explain it all.


    Despite the situation, I took a second to let it all sink in. Somehow it seemed even bigger in person than on the screen or the pages of a comic book.


    What''s even cooler was the sight of so many quinjets and other aircrafts out on the deck.


    "How much further out are we?"


    Fury asked Maria Hill who narrowed her eyes at me, before turning to her boss and answering.


    "2 minutes. Then we will be directly above the Raft."


    Her tone was crisp.


    "Good, the sooner we resolve this mess the better. Impenetrable cage my ass."


    Fury added that last part with a frustrated growl.


    "Sir, Coulson has just pulled up at the Location."


    Hill spoke up, still throwing strange looks my way.


    "He says the door is locked and no one is home."


    I resisted the urge to dive into her mind. Could she still be holding a grudge from our last encounter?


    "Not that strange now, is it? The target is after all with us."


    Fury replied, waving his hand over the main console which was set aside above a platform looking out into the operations room.


    The look in Hill''s eyes changed as recognition dawned on her. If anything her eyes narrowed even more.


    "I''ll inform him."


    She finally said, turning to walk away with her fingers tapping on her earpiece.


    "You sent Coulson to pick me up?"


    I asked Fury, walking up behind him to stare at the satellite feed on the screen of the main console.


    The display showed a grainy image of the Atlantic Ocean and on the surface, barely visible, was something. A structure roughly circular in shape.


    A multitude of small figures stood on the prison''s courtyard, with what looked like the remains of a burning chopper lying on the lift off pad.


    "You were the only one available."


    Fury responded.


    "Iron Skull planned this whole thing out perfectly."


    I was the only one available? How? New York had multiple superheroes running around at any time of day.


    "What about the Avengers? A breakout from the Raft seems like something right up their alley."


    Fury straightened.


    "The Avengers are on a mission."


    "Where?"


    I couldn''t help but ask.


    "Classified. But it''s delicate and far enough that they can''t make it back in time. And before you ask, the Fantastic Four are unavailable, Spiderman and his team are handling something for me and anyone else is either similarly occupied or..."


    "Unreliable."


    I finished with a smirk.


    "Which is why you needed me."


    Fury threw an unimpressed gaze my way.


    "I was going to say unreachable."


    Oh okay. Couldn''t let me have that, could you Fury?


    He forged on,


    "They chose the perfect time to strike. Which should be impossible without knowing where our main hitters would be."


    And that was concerning. That level of planning could only be possible if Shield had a mole inside.


    Christ, and they had just come out of dealing with the Hydra threat. As far as I knew, Shield was still under probation.


    This only strengthened my decision to not join the organization or Spidey''s team. It would be wise to have someone watching my back but not if the tradeoff was having my secrets exposed.


    "So what''s the situation?"


    I questioned, taking the chance to probe Fury''s magnetic field.


    I hadn''t been able to penetrate the AO''s energy nullification spell to actually see her status.


    Fury on the other hand was free game.


    A row of text appeared before my eyes.


    (???)


    Huh?


    What the hell? Why didn''t it work?


    Unaware of my confusion, Fury started to speak.


    "Roughly 10 minutes ago, the Raft''s scheduled maintainence was disrupted by an attack from this guy."


    He pointed at the screen, which showed the image of a long haired man, dressed in a tight fitting red outfit with a royal cape flowing behind him.


    The fangs clued me in on who it was.


    "Dracula."


    "With his assistance, the prisoners were able to break out and seize control of the prison. The Raft is now under the Cabal."


    At this he frowned.


    "And that''s what I don''t get. They''ve had more than enough time to plan their escape, so why haven''t they? What are they waiting for?"


    He said, more to himself than me.


    And like a flash of lightning, the answer appeared.


    "It''s me. They want me."


    I realized.


    Fury whirled around to face me. Then his lone eye widened.


    "Of course."


    He muttered.


    "It would make sense that the first thing the Cabal would do, would be to take revenge on the upstart superhero that captured them! Otherwise he risks his credibility. And one thing, Skull has in spades is his Ego."


    Fury passed by me, hurrying towards one of the agents.


    "How far out are we?"


    I watched his back, probing his magnetic field once more.


    The result came back the same.


    (???)


    This could mean either of two things. One, whatever was helping him hide his mind from my telepathy extended beyond just shielding his thoughts.


    Or two, this Nick Fury was an imposter.


    The only thing I was sure of at that instant was the same thing Solomon''s wisdom was telling me.


    I couldn''t trust him. Which meant I couldn''t trust Shield. Which meant...I was in this alone.


    (General P.O.V)


    One second Fury was enquiring something from one of the agents, then the next there was a loud crash as Shazam tore through the glass separating the room from the deck.


    Then in a trail of bright color, the Champion of the Gods, shot off into the air.


    "Motherfucker!"

 Revenge.

    (General P.O.V)


    Trish Walker otherwise known as Hellcat, knew this was her only chance. She''d partnered up with another inmate, a brunette with long hair called Typhoid Mary.


    And boy was she vicious.


    The escape from their section had been a joint effort. Them being two of the only female inmates, had been instantly attacked by a few assholes who thought them weak.


    The two of them tore the group apart.


    And then they were free!


    Outside at last. She could breathe fresh air again. No longer having only one hour to do so.


    But there wasn''t time to waste.


    "We should jump."


    Trish yelled above the pandemonium happening around them. Inmates fighting against guards and against each other.


    Mary nodded.


    She didn''t say much. But Trish was fine with that.


    So the two begun running towards the edge of the raft. Hopefully the tides wouldn''t wash them further away into the ocean.


    All they had to do was get to the far away lights shining from the coastline, before the coastguard and other authorities came to quell the escape.


    A few feet away from the edge, mist gathered before forming into pale creatures with fangs.


    Vampires.


    Trish and Mary looked around, the entire Raft was surrounded by them, stopping any inmate from escaping.


    Slowly the inmates backed away, wary of the snarling monsters.


    "Friends. Please stay."


    A condescending voice tinted with a German accent said.


    "Skull."


    Trish muttered in fear. This guy was on a whole other different level.


    It wasn''t that he was the strongest. It wasn''t that he was the smartest. No, what made the Iron Skull truly menacing was his cruelty and persuasion skills.


    She hadn''t seen people like that too often, even in her line of work.


    ******


    Dripping with charm despite his uncanny appearance, the Iron Skull walked forward, hands spread out.


    All eyes were on him, the Iron Skull. None could deny his presence. His power.


    He understood power.


    He had power.


    He knew it was the right of those who had it to exercise it. To take control of the fate of the world and shape it according to One''s own whims.


    Those with power were gods. And of those gods, Iron Skull believed only he could stand above them all.


    Which is why they listened to him. The Cabal and the villains. Only he could command such attention.


    They respected him. Adored him. And he wouldn''t fail these unfortunate souls that society had deemed too volatile to keep on the outside world. No, he would give them a purpose then unleash them onto the world.


    "For too long, your free spirits have been oppressed by common man ideology."


    He begun, surrounded on all sides by his Cabal.


    Not for protection but as a show of cooperation. A team as powerful as his would only elevate his position as their leader.


    And so he used that.


    "Oppressed under rules to either conform to what they say is right or become a social Pariah. However, what does the wolf care of the Sheep''s disregard? They should fear you. And you, my friends should show them to never lose that fear. For we are gods among men!"


    He spread out his hands.


    The villains cheered, staring at him with reverence.


    But not all were taken by his brilliance. Trish took a step closer to Mary.


    "I don''t have a good feeling about this. The second we see an opening, we''re outta here."


    She whispered.


    Mary gave a nod.


    The Iron Skull raised a hand, everything quieted down.


    "Now some of you would like nothing more to jump off this accursed symbol of oppression and swim off to salvation but, I urge you to listen to me."


    He paused.


    "I have ensured that each of you will receive a certain amount of compensation for your assistance in a simple matter. Killing a certain wannabe hero."


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Murmurs sprang out across the entire group of villains.


    "Silence!"


    M.O.D.O.K cut in, his voice projecting loudly across entire courtyard.


    "Listen to him."


    "Why should we?"


    Flint Marko, the Sandman asked, his voice rumbling out across the courtyard.


    "The Sandman right?"


    Iron Skull smiled.


    "You have a sick daughter."


    Sandman''s jaw clenched, his hand bunching up into a massive fist.


    "Careful now Skull, you''d hate for me to cave your head in."


    The Iron Skull frowned.


    "Threats are not needed. You misunderstand me, Flint Marko. I offer salvation. Help me and I shall ensure your daughter''s recovery."


    The Sandman blinked, seeming to war with himself before a determined look appeared on his face.


    "I''m in."


    "Excellent."


    Iron Skull smiled, looking at the other villains.


    "Do not be mistaken, I do not hold you here due to some grudge. I want to help you. And that coincides with a personal matter I have to settle... The hero I want dead...is Shazam."


    The clouds rumbled with far off lightning.


    "That the guy who helped take down King-pin right?"


    Tombstone asked, coming forward while punching his fist into his other hand.


    "I might have a few words to say to him."


    "The Cabal as well. He is a thief. A coward and I will have first blood."


    Attuma snarled, walking up to stand next to Iron Skull.


    ******


    In the back, Trish looked at Mary.


    "Do you know who this Shazam guy is?"


    Mary shook her head.


    ******


    "Patience Attuma. Soon we shall have our revenge and obtain the Trident of Neptune."


    Skull smiled, curling his fingers into fists.


    "Had you been forthcoming with the kind of power the Trident commands Attuma, we could have used it to our benefit."


    M.O.D.O.K butted in with a growl.


    "Perhaps I decided it would be foolish to trust you Earth dwellers with such delicate information."


    Attuma loomed over the Super Adaptoid.


    "After all, your species is know for stealing, scheming and lying."


    The both of them glared at one another.


    "Cease this paltry argument! Do not forget who the enemy is!"


    Iron Skull interrupted the two.


    Skull turned his head to the sky.


    "Our plan worked. The Avengers are too far away to stop us. So are the other Superhero teams. That only leaves him."


    Lightning farther flashed across the cloudy sky.


    "He''s here Skull."


    The Super Adaptoid informed him, using it''s superior scanning capabilities to read the environ.


    Iron Skull clasped his hands behind his back.


    "Listen to me."


    He addressed the inmates.


    "For the next 20 minutes, all of you are temporary members of the Cabal. Which means, you do what I say."


    Looking at the kind of force Skull had at his disposal, no one said anything.


    "Good. Long range fighters, I need you to give our dear friend the very best welcome you can."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The air ripped around me as I reached the edge of the Helicarrier and immediately swooped down towards the earth.


    Clouds passed by.


    I readied myself to face what would amount to all the Supervillains locked in the Raft.


    Some of those guys couldn''t be allowed to leave. The Cabal being chief among them. I had known that sooner or later, they would escape but not this soon.


    It brought questions to my mind. Was locking them away really even effective? Any battle I had been involved in, luckily hadn''t had any civilian casualties but...how far away from that reality was I?


    I mean, someone eventually had to get hurt when you have guys like the Juggernaut trading earthshaking blows with Collosus. That particular thing happened over 2 weeks ago.


    They had torn apart an entire city block.


    Funny thing was that the whole thing had only been on T.V for a day then, no one had seemed to overly care.


    I don''t know why that particular memory rose to the forefront of my mind. Despite only thinking of it as strange, maybe there was more to the whole Heroes vs Villains dynamic I was missing.


    Or maybe I was just grasping at straws because I suspected Nick Fury wasn''t really Nick Fury.


    All these thoughts went through me as I finally neared my target. The Raft.


    My hair whipped behind my head as I broke though the cloud cover and appeared hundreds of feet above the Supermax prison.


    Whoa, the submersible complex was even bigger than I had expected.


    The villains seemed to have been waiting for me as instantly I was attacked.


    Hundreds; I mean that quite literally, of different colored Laser beams, lightning strikes, elemental attacks, dimensional ripping slashes, physical projectiles (metallic pieces torn from the Raft most likely by Supervillains with super-strength).


    There was no hesitation.


    ''I guess that means I was right. It''s me they wanted.''


    "Skull! You wanted me, here I am!"


    I declared, releasing a burst of Telekinesis that dispersed most of the attacks.


    The physical projectiles thrown at me were seized, falling under my control. I sent them falling back onto the Raft, mostly aiming for targets I knew I needed to take out first.


    That meant villains with durability.


    A particularly big chunk of metal, slammed into the Sandman whose form had increased in size. He had tried to use his hand to snatch me out of the air.


    His back slammed onto the railing of the Raft and he fell over.


    I dodged what I couldn''t send back, streaks of lightning from the Super Adaptoid''s Mjolnir construct and a few attacks from the Living Laser.


    I strafed and leaned in the air, my figure a rainbow colored streak as I dove down towards the Raft, flying close to their heads.


    Once they were in my telepathy range, I sent out a wave of telepathy that instantly shut the minds of any villains close to me.


    Everywhere I passed, the inmates would fall down like puppets with cut strings.


    The Lizard, Tombstone, The Shocker (though he was missing his suit) and a dozen more villains I didn''t know.


    Just like that 20% of the rioting Inmates were out of the fight. I felt a few minds take to the air towards me, following after me closely.


    I chanced a look behind me and locked eyes with M.O.D.O.K who was leading them. Behind him was few villains who could fly.


    "Cone back here! I have a bone to pick with you!"


    M.O.D.O.K''s voice cut through the distance between us.


    A wide streak of lightning passed by my shoulder, causing the smell of ozone to fill the air.


    I reoriented my body to face them while still flying.


    "You guys should have stayed in your cells!"


    The air before my palms begun to spin as I folded psionic energy into a vortex that I then released, impacting the Super Adaptoid and a few other villains with a massive pressure wave.


    M.O.D.O.K''s hate must have been too strong as he plowed through the attack with a snarl.


    We broke through the cloud cover and disappeared from view.


    Perfect. Now I can take the Adaptoid out without having to worry about a stray shot from the rest of the villains.


    M.O.D.O.K was dangerous because like Fury or Stark, he was shielded from my telepathy. Ergo, he had to go.


    (General P.O.V)


    The Skull watched as flashes of lightning and other attacks wreaked havoc across the heavens.


    The boy had come. Just like expected. Now all they had to do was best him and prove to the World that the Iron Skull was not someone to be trifled with.


    They would...


    The entire Raft shook. The ocean churned. The wind howled.


    "What is happening?!"


    Skull demanded, looking around at the others.


    "Oh no..."


    Attuma said. Then without warning, he leaped off the Raft and into the sea.


    "Attuma!! Cone back here, you coward!"


    Iron Skull called out.


    The villains started getting distressed as the Raft shook once more. Something heavy landed on the surface, shredding metal and carving a groove across the courtyard.


    The thing turned out to be the Super-Adaptoid, missing it''s limbs.


    Shadows immediately loomed over them.


    Huge glowing tentacles of water, rising out of the ocean and waving in the air. Skull felt his body shiver in fear.


    No...he could control the trident?!


    Standing on a massive wave was Shazam with the trident of Neptune in his hands.


    "Any final words Skull?"


    Shazam asked.


    ******


    Had to split the chapter in two once it got a bit too long

 Outgrown You.

    (General P.O.V)


    The fight had begun in earnest. And Fury was mad.


    A few stray attacks even came close to reaching the massive form of the Hellicarrier floating above the Raft.


    "Deploy the shields! Cloak us and take us higher."


    Fury ordered, watching the Satellite feed and spotting the ensuing chaos happening on the surface of raft.


    "Hill, get me eyes on the ground!"


    Fury yelled into his comms.


    "On it sir!"


    Hill answered as she and a squad of agents ran towards the quinjets.


    "Engage lethal measures?"


    She asked.


    Fury breathed out.


    "Negative. We have guards on the courtyard. Only take out those trying to escape by jumping off the Raft. Also coordinate with the coast guard and set up a perimeter along the shore. Anyone who reaches it should find a nice pair of cuffs waiting for them."


    "Yes sir."


    Hill responded.


    Fury sighed, rubbing his eye patch. It wasn''t that it irritated him or anything but it was a force of habit.


    The other reason he was wary of allowing lethal measures was actually pretty simple. He wanted to see whether Shazam could deliver.


    The kid had something special. He''d seen it in Parker as well. It wasn''t about the fame for the two of them. Which meant they would time and time again go rogue if they decided they didn''t agree with his orders.


    Still, he couldn''t let it go. Fury''s hand went to his hip where a pager was placed. Such a primitive way of communicating but it was effective.


    Maybe this was something the original needed to know.


    ******


    No one knew how M.O.D.O.K had been taken out in a single blow.


    Even he didn''t understand it. He''d been flying right behind the boy, his thrusters blazing under his feet to push him faster, higher.


    It was easy to track his target even under the cover of night. All he had to do was follow the golden trail left behind as he moved.


    Up until the second they had breached the cloud cover.


    That''s when things had started going terribly for him.


    Immediately, clouds had converged upon him from all sides, obscuring his vision. So he switched to infrared, surveying the surroundings.


    That''s when he''d felt it. One second he had an arm, then the next, something sharp had severed it.


    "What?! Where?"


    The Android had looked around, only for his other arm to fall off.


    "Show yourself pest!!"


    M.O.D.O.K had snarled, commanding the nanites in the Super Adaptoid to heal the damage.


    Only for a field of energy to continously break down the bonds between the machines easily.


    Which was scientifically impossible! He had control over the electrostatic component bonding the tiny machines together.


    Paired up with the Super Adaptoid''s Techno organic composition, the nanites were further enhanced. His systems had registered a 150% increase in productivity.


    "I can sense your confusion. So I''ll make it easy for you. Give up before this gets messy."


    Shazam''s voice was projected from everywhere at the same time.


    Yet no matter what M.O.D.O.K did, he couldn''t sense the elusive boy.


    Along with his growing terror, M.O.D.O.K''s anger was palpable.


    "Never! I''ll do anything to make you pay for what you did! Yaaarhhgh!"


    Knowing he was in a lose-lose situation, the supervillain had decided to unleash everything he could.


    His large eyes had begun to glow from the power contained within the miniature Arc Reactors dotted across the Super Adaptoid''s body.


    Then he released the attack into his surroundings, burning and blowing away the clouds around.


    ******


    Down on the ground, the mood had been getting restless. Light occasionally flashed across the sky.


    Then a second later, M.O.D.O.K was digging a groove across the courtyard. The Super Adaptoid devoid of all it''s limbs.


    That wasn''t all.


    *******


    Attuma knew he had to get the hell out of dodge. Anyone in possession of Neptune''s Trident in the ocean was immediately someone labeled as undefeatable.


    So he hadn wasted time sailing over the edge of the Raft, not paying mind to his teammates or the rest of the inmates.


    The water was so close, he could touch it. Just a few more inches. Then he felt a force grip his body and unceremoniously pull him back onto the Raft.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    (You''re not escaping that easily)


    Shazam''s voice spoke into his mind.


    No...he couldn''t escape. It was too late.


    Attuma''s body landed next to Skull who sneered down at him.


    "Coward."


    Attuma''s anger surged to the forefront.


    "You have no idea, what it is we''re facing Skull!"


    The Warlord of the sea shot back.


    Before Skull could respond, he was interrupted.


    Something else tore down from the heavens following after M.O.D.O.K . It blazed a path, spinning on itself before burying it''s prongs through the Super Adaptoid''s head, only barely missing M.O.D.O.K''s real body.


    The trident vibrated from the force of the impact. Like a shadow, Shazam appeared on it. One foot hooked on the shaft while the other was stepping on the pommel of the Trident.


    He leaned forward, placing a hand on his knee while cocking his head, studying the prisoners.


    A collective hush went through the crowd.


    Trish felt Mary grab her hand, pulling her away towards the edge of the Raft. She seemed to instinctively fear the new addition more than the vampires.


    And Trish couldn''t blame her. The red and black costume, the sash around his hip, the lightning bolt on his chest and the shroud of rainbow around him only enhanced the waves of energy wafting off him.


    He felt like Jessica did. A small field of buzzing energy around him.


    And when he begun to speak, that effect only seemed to increase.


    "I do not know what the Skull has promised you."


    Shazam begun, voice booming out across the entire courtyard.


    "However, I''ll tell you this, there is another option. Surrender, put down your weapons, let go of any hostages you have and walk back into your cells without being forced. The alternative is what you see remaining of M.O.D.O.K."


    All of their eyes were pulled back to the wrecked Super Adaptoid that was now sparking. Then to the Iron Skull who was now openly laughing.


    His tone lacked any humor however.


    "A good speech."


    Iron Skull responded.


    "But... here''s the thing. Everyone behind me is a rebel. They would sooner die than listen to your offer to surrender."


    Shazam''s lips turned up at the corners.


    "You sure about that?"


    A clattering of weapons from his back made Skull blink and look back. More than half of the inmates had complied to Shazam''s orders.


    The lightning batons and assault rifles they had gotten their hands on were lying on the ground.


    "What?!"


    The Skull growled, fully turning around to face them.


    "You would rather live in oppression than stand up to him?! Are you this weak?!"


    "The way I see it, this is your fight metal man. You handle it."


    The Rhino said.


    A sentiment that was shared by almost everyone else.


    "Fine. Cabal, form up!"


    Skull ordered, turning his hateful glare at Shazam.


    "No mercy. We will kill this fool and parade his head around his precious city. Then we''ll see who has the final laugh."


    His gaze swept across the inmates.


    "Anyone who''s willing to lend assistance to the Cabal shall receive 10 million dollars upon leaving this chunk of floating metal."


    Of course just as there were villains who had decided not to engage in the fight, there were those who had no choice. One of them being the Sandman.


    Shazam looked around at the force that has gathered around him. Over 10 villains including the Cabal.


    "Alright. Now to finish this before Fury gets here."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The first one to come at me was Attuma.


    "That Trident does not belong to you! It''s mine!"


    I probed his field.


    (Race: Atlantean.)


    Power: Superhuman.


    Age: 542 years.


    His parameters besides his age and race seemed to be shared by the most of the other inmates.


    The Raft was a Super max for superpowered criminals, so it made sense.


    There were a few standouts like M.O.D.O.K, who''s field had read weirdly.


    Probing him had wielded a few strange details.


    (Race: Techno-Organism)


    (Power: Superhuman)


    (Age: 42 ~5 months~)


    42 was probably M.O.D.O.K''s true age and 5 months was probably the age of the Super Adaptoid he wore as his suit of armor.


    Still, I hadn''t seen anyone I couldn''t get a read on. Unlike Fury. It only showed me that he was a special case. That something else was going on with him.


    Attuma reached the apex of his leap, one hand pulled back in a punch. Unfortunately for him, I''d fought the Cabal before so I knew all their moves.


    One of the water pillars hanging above us swung out, swatting him and a few c-list and d-list villains like Tombstone, Tigershark, Vermin and a few other inmates away.


    Their backs met a curtain of more water constructed around the Raft, stopping them from falling overboard.


    Iron Skull flew in with his repulser beams actively glowing.


    "Die!!"


    I waved a hand, sending a massive blast of telekinesis that caused an energy surge within the armor. The Arc Reactor was shielded from breaking down and exploding. But the Armor''s energy channels were not.


    Spaces in between the titanium alloy plates glowed menacingly, before the armor burst apart into smaller sections hanging in the air.


    Skull''s real body fell to the floor, a water tentacle scooping him up and holding him within a sphere of water.


    All the attackers ground to a halt, eyes wide in disbelief as they watched Iron- now back to- Red Skull struggle to breathe within the water prison.


    I dove into his mind, feeling the terror in his psyche.


    (Spoiler alert, Skull. I have outgrown you and your little fanclub. I have no time for petty revenge or a vendetta. So here''s my warning. Come after me in any shape or form, direct or indirect and you shall live to regret it.)


    A pinch on his neck sent him to sleep.


    On the outside world, a massive sandy fist fell on top of my head. My right hand instinctively rose up to block the blow and I felt something briefly take over.


    Solomon''s legacy was pushed away for a split second by a different power. One that felt relentless in its momentum.


    A shockwave was produced when Sandman''s fist collided with my forearm.


    I didn''t move a single inch. I stood immovable.


    I flexed the hand, throwing him off me. He stumbled back a few steps, his body growing larger in size.


    I frowned. Why would he attack me after seeing what I''d done to Skull and his Cabal.


    I looked into his mind and understood his motive. Flint Marko was just a father trying to save his daughter.


    With a determined huff, he wound back his hand a second time, moving in for another punch when I threw a single palm out.


    There was a rush of air caused simply by pure physical strength that hit his 15 feet tall body, blowing most of the sand making up his body away.


    An instant later, Marko fell from the sky in his humanoid form. I slowed his descent down to the floor towards two female inmates, one of whom looked really familiar.


    A look into her mind told me who exactly she was. Hellcat, Trish Walker or rather Jessica Jone''s sister.


    Now with all of the immediate threats taken care off, I flew off the Trident and sent it flying towards the final and most dangerous foe around.


    The trident dug itself in between Dracula and a fallen Attuma.


    "Nah huh. I can''t let you escape with any of them, king Of Wallachia."


    I addressed him.


    "So you know me. I''m flattered."


    Dracula replied, cloak flaring around as turned around to regard me.


    I floated towards him gently.


    "We both know how this fight will end. You have no hope of beating me alone, Vlad."


    Dracula sneered.


    "You forget, blood bag. I am king. And a king never goes anywhere without his loyal subjects."


    Mist seeped out of his cloak, reforming into numerous vampires that immediately went after the inmates.


    "What''s more important, ensuring my capture or protecting the lives of these pitiful mortals?"


    Dracula asked.


    I looked around at the Vampires advancing towards the prisoners.


    "I''ll admit, you have me in a tough spot. Try to capture you and you kill them or I save them and let you go...so why not do both?"


    The vampires advancing on the prisoners stiffened, their bodies going rimrod stiff. Then they jerked unnaturally, turning towards Dracula with snarling faces.


    Their creator''s face blanched, turning even paper than he initially was.


    "What have you done?!"


    Vlad demanded, immediately noticing that something was wrong.


    The vampires, subjects of his nation had turned on their master. They rushed towards him in a crazed frenzy.


    "No! Stop! I command you to cease this- Argh!! Ahhhaa!!!"


    Dracula was mobbed and buried under his own vampires.


    Or so he thought. In reality, everything that was happening was happening in his mind.


    I left his psyche, leaving him standing in place with his eyes unfocused as he muttered one word under his breath over and over again.


    "No."


    "No."


    "No."


    *******


    (General P.O.V)


    The waves from the ocean gently rocked the sides of the Raft. The sun was already peeking in from the horizon when the authorities finally arrived.


    Only to find that the Raft was back in operation and with a new inmate to boot. The whole break out had been quelled by one person.


    In less than 10 minutes.

 Mind Dive.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Swim men! Swim!"


    General Ross ordered, his hands paddling the water as they approached the far off shore.


    "General...at this rate, we- we''ll be exhausted before we''re...half way there."


    One of the soldiers told him.


    "Less complaining more paddling Sanchez!"


    Ross barked out.


    "What''s that?"


    One of the soldiers asked, staring at the water around her which was glowing, reflecting a light above them.


    "Look up."


    Sanchez told the rest.


    Ross stopped, his gaze managing to capture a rainbow shrouded figure in the sky, before they disappeared into the city, leaving a blazing trail behind them.


    "Great. More freaks."


    The General hatefully said.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    A rule of thumb for vigilantes was that the minute you finished the heroics, you bailed out.


    Unless you were established heroes like the F4, Avengers or most recently Spidey''s team.


    Then you could stick around, chat with the authorities, answer the press''s questions... that kind of thing.


    As for me? Weeell, Fury was probably furious (haha) at me for bursting through the glass windows of his precious flying boat.


    He would be even less thrilled that I bailed out before he could arrive on the scene to chew me out for ignoring his orders or something like that.


    I chose peace of mind to that.


    Besides, the day was saved. No one was hurt, except Ross and some of his crew who I saw swimming towards the shore. But the Coast guard had already spotted them so I didn''t bother carrying out a rescue.


    Instead, I kept on flying towards the city, in full view of everyone (which was the point).


    After passing through Time Square, I flew higher, breaching past the clouds before backtracking and returning to the Raft with a mental,''notice me not'' field around my body.


    And that was the play. To fake out anyone watching or following after me.


    Just because I didn''t want to talk to Fury or Shield didn''t mean I could be careless. I needed to survey the area around the Raft to ensure no Inmate had escaped after I''d left.


    By visibly getting spotted flying into the city, I had ensured that no one would know I had flown back to the scene.


    The ''notice me not'' was a field of compulsion that effectively made someone ignore my presence. It wouldn''t break as long as I didn''t do anything too outstanding.


    ******


    Fortunately, all inmates were accounted for. Or at least I didn''t spot anyone swimming/ flying away from the Raft.


    On the flip side, turns out there was someone watching the Raft. Or rather several someones.


    They were floating in the water a few hundred meters away from the submersible prison.


    I flew closer, the compulsion around my body made me practically invisible despite the glow of my TK aura.


    There were six of them. And on top of looking like Attuma, the blue skin and strange garments clued me in on who they were.


    Atlanteans.


    I probed a few of them just to be sure.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    (Race: Atlantean)


    Power: Superhuman


    Age:65


    (Race: Atlantean)


    Power: Superhuman


    Age:51


    (Race: Atlantean)


    Power: Superhuman


    Age:67


    There was no longer any doubt.


    Which begged the question, what were they doing so close to the Raft? Could they have been looking to rescue Attuma?


    No. It didn''t line up. For starters why hadn''t they intervened before I arrived on the Raft? Or even when I was facing the inmates? Those were the perfect instances to mount a rescue.


    ''You need to read their thoughts.''


    Solomon''s legacy supplied me with wisdom. Not hesitating, I dove into one of their minds.


    This one belonging to the one that looked like the leader.


    What I found out was troubling. The Raft was always under constant watch by Namor. It was an underwater fortress housing some of the vilest surface dwellers on the planet, the strange thing would be if it wasn''t under surveillance.


    Leave alone the lack of disrespect for not asking him for permission, if the prisoners by any infinitesimal chance made it to Atlantis, they would cause trouble for his kingdom.


    Namor viewed it as an incursion. And so, he had his people keep a close eye on the Raft.


    That wasn''t the problem.


    The problem was that they had seen the Trident of Neptune. Which meant they saw me using it. The very power to control the oceans that Namor so stingily defended.


    Fuck.


    Namor was not only an Atlantean which gave him immense power when in contact with water, he was also a mutant.


    He could fly, which meant my aerial advantage was rendered moot and hitting him was going to be hard. He had super-strength, which meant I couldn''t out-muscle him.


    My only advantages were telepathy, Neptune''s Trident (if it didn''t find him more worthy of me and decide to leave me) and telekinesis (again, that was if I was fast enough to hit him.)


    Wait.


    My mind had already switched to conflict without exploring other options?


    That''s... concerning.


    Solomon''s Wisdom influenced me for sure but not to the extent of clouding my judgement.


    The point is, I had other options I could use, thankfully. I could simply delete their memories of me wielding the trident.


    Now...truth is, I''d never done something like this before.


    It was my first time fully exercising the power over minds I had. And it was half thrilling and half scary. One wrong move and I could mentally cripple them.


    Then again, it was this or Namor knows about me and comes for my ass. He wasn''t exactly a reasonable guy either. Just like Doctor Doom, I had placed him in the ''annoying to deal with category, so don''t''.


    "Can''t stall forever..."


    I whispered to myself, my eyes glowing as I sent out mental feelers.


    The feelers connected to their minds and all conscious action stopped. Their arms still waded in the water in a slow perpetual movement, keeping them afloat.


    Their minds on the other hand, had entered into a sort of waking coma.


    I flew closer to the water, brows scrunched up in concentration.


    This was the deepest I''d ever gone in a sentient mind. You see memories aren''t like pencil mistakes that you can just rub off with a rubber.


    No, each memory was connected to other memories. One thing reminded you of this other thing, then that thing reminded you of another thing and so on and so forth.


    It was actually really difficult to erase a memory as I came to find out later.


    However as I was now, I was too inexperienced to erase a memory without causing side effects.


    So instead, I was aiming to change the details of the memory.


    The fortunate thing was that the fresher the memory, the easier it was to manipulate. It hadn''t formed all these correlations with the rest of the information within a person''s recollection.


    ''Find their latest memories and simply shift a few things around...''


    I thought as I perused their minds.


    Time lost meaning to me. The connection I had established with them all, allowing me to dive from one mind to another easily. This was a good thing as it meant, I wouldn''t need to expend a lot of mental energy. (which I''d recently found out wasn''t as infinite as I''d thought)


    Not to mention, this way I could craft a universal tale. Meaning the details they would remember would all be the same.


    No matter how incredulous it would seem, if the everyone believed that something in their memories actually happened, then there wouldn''t be a doubt about it.


    First my form, blur it out a little. My black and red costume was pretty recognizable by now. Especially with the giant lightning bolt on my chest.


    So I made it seem as if I had a shroud of glowing water covering me from my head to my toes.


    Speaking of which, the water I could control now glowed in blue. It hadn''t done that before so something was either different with me or the Trident. I would need to look into that and a few more things later.


    Then the next thing was to naturally change the shape of the Trident. I couldn''t remove it from their minds as the Trident had already connected with old memories of it''s tales.


    It was not only a powerful weapon but a symbol of Atlantean might.


    Wow, Namor wouldn''t leave this alone if he got wind that I had it.


    It was easy to change it from a trident to a generic Sci-fi gun like device that could launch blasts of hard water out.


    This paired up with the blue water around my body ensured that even if Namor managed to find out the memories were fake, there was nothing he could do.


    I carried out a few more checks just to ensure I hadn''t messed up before I left their minds.


    Immediately, a headache started forming on my temples.


    It felt like I''d been there for hours. Only a few minutes seemed to have passed in the outside world however.


    I spared one last glance at the Atlanteans before I subtly pushed their minds to leave.


    For added measure, I scanned my surroundings just in case someone had creeped up on me during the mind dive.


    I sighed out in relief. There wasn''t any other mind around.


    ''Man, I feel like I just avoided a troublesome situation.''


    I mused to myself.


    Fortunately, I had dealt with it accordingly. It had been a good idea to backtrack.


    Now all I had to do was leave for my apartment and like I usually did with exhausting days, sleep the night away. Hopefully, I wouldn''t wake up to a destroyed New York. That was an actual fear by the way.


    "Chances that the world ends in the next 24 hours while I sleep?"


    I jokingly asked Solomon''s Legacy.


    The answer was unexpected and unwanted.


    (87%)


    Fuck.

 Who Destroys the World?

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I was still speechless.


    Solomon''s Legacy had never directly provided an answer like that. Brief instances of insight, sure. But an accurate approximation? This was the first time it had happened.


    Despite the thrill that came with finding out another facet of my abilities, I was thoroughly disturbed by the grim news that there was over an 80% chance the world would end in the next 24 hours.


    Oh god.


    Just to get a better idea of what was going on, the minute I arrived in my apartment, I dove into meditation.


    Partly to recoup my reserves which were down by half and partly to understand what was going on.


    And to do that, it meant I had to ask more questions.


    "Chances that the Earth will be destroyed in the next 15 hours?"


    I questioned, my heart beating sporadically.


    Solomon''s Wisdom answered differently this time.


    (7.65%)


    Rounded off it meant an 8% chance that shit would go down that would see the entire population of the Earth go extinct.


    Sigh. Thank god. I had enough time.


    An 8% was at least better than 87 fucking percent.


    "Chances that the Earth will be destroyed in the next 20 hours?"


    I gave another query, going up.


    The plan was to get as close to a clear deadline as I could, then work myself up from there.


    (77%)


    I sucked in a breath through my teeth.


    "Ok, it''s gone down but not by much."


    The reason was a mystery. But not for long.


    "Chances that the percentage went down from 87% to 77% due to my knowledge of what''s coming?"


    (100%), Solomon''s Wisdom answered. The answer literally manifested inside my mind.


    Ok, good. That meant I could use this to win before the calamity struck. Or at least decrease the chances that the Earth would be destroyed.


    But first, I needed to know what or who the cause would be. Now, out of all the overpowered characters or godlike objects in marvel, who was most likely to destroy the Earth in the next 20 hours?


    Ugh, I would have to narrow down the list.


    "Chances that the world will be destroyed by Galactus?"


    Off the top of my head, the world eater was the one who fit the bill.


    Of course there were countless other baddies with bad intentions but most of them would be stopped by the similarly countless heroes around the Globe.


    (98%)


    "What!"


    I shot to my feet.


    "Why is it that high when-"


    Oh. I left it open-ended. The question wasn''t specific enough.


    I settled down and very calmly asked,


    "Chances that Galactus will destroy the Earth in the next 20 hours?"


    (1.21%)


    Oh thank god it wasn''t him. Only a being at his level like the celestials, the watchers or an object called the Ultimate Nullifier could deal with that kind of threat.


    Luckily, he wasn''t the looming threat.


    On the flip side, the earlier prediction still showed that in the future, whether we wanted it to happen or not, Galactus would eventually devour the Earth.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    But that was a problem for future me and by extension the Fantastic Four to deal with.


    I needed to pin point exactly when and who would cause the end of the world in 20 hours.


    (General P.O.V)


    Code.


    What a marvelous thing.


    Tony had spent all night just delving into the mysteries of the stone contained within Loki''s scepter. He hadn''t been alone either.


    Banner in his regular attire stood off to the side with an empty cup of coffee in his hand.


    While he shared Stark''s excitement, he was also worried about the potential risks involved with something like this.


    Research into the last alien artefact they''d found hadn''t exactly gone well.


    "I''ve never seen anything quite like it, Banner."


    Tony stated in a tone full of wonder.


    The language that the stone spoke in. It was universal.


    Like a string of code stripped down to it''s most basic meaning, yet complex enough that scanning it felt more akin to scanning the mind of a sentient being.


    It seemed to have no problem receiving or sending forth information in whatever form or language. It was a divine language...


    The final step to Artificial Intelligence gaining true sentience.


    "We should get some rest. It''s been over 10 hours since we came back from Sokovia."


    Banner begun, adjusting his glasses with his face scrunched up in a frown.


    "You worry too much. Come, there is something I want you to see."


    In the dimly lit lab of the Avengers Tower, both geniuses huddled around a workbench cluttered with schematics and technology scanned from Loki''s scepter.


    The light glow of the mind stone danced ominously in the center of the room, where the Scepter was placed on a pedestal.


    The light cast eerie shadows across their faces.


    The glow from the mind stone intensified once Banner came closer. His brow was furrowed with concern as he peered at the scepter''s intricate but alien design.


    "Tony, I know what this means to you, but we need to be careful,"


    Banner cautioned, his voice laced with trepidation.


    "The gem inside this thing, it''s beyond our comprehension. We don''t fully understand its capabilities."


    Tony, never one to back down from a challenge, scoffed.


    "Bruce, we''ve tamed gods and created suits that can defy gravity. I think we can handle a little mind-altering jewel. Besides, it could be a valuable asset for a certain project I''ve been working on."


    Banner''s eyes bore into Tony''s with a mix of frustration and anxiety. And this was why he both hated and liked Tony Stark.


    Sometimes the science mattered more to him than what was right.


    Banner''s tone took on a more serious edge.


    "You''re underestimating it''s power. It''s not just a ''jewel.'' It can control minds, manipulate thoughts, apparently give people abilities and who knows what else."


    He shook his head,


    "We need to pull the plug on this. Bring in Shield for containment or atleast lock it up some place it can''t be used by anyone. Including us."


    Tony waved off Banner''s concerns with a dismissive gesture.


    "We''ve got J.A.R.V.I.S. to help us figure this out. It''s all under control, trust me."


    Banner sighed, clearly fed up with the other man''s overconfidence.


    "I''ve seen firsthand what can happen when we play with things we don''t fully understand. Remember what happened in New York?"


    Tony''s expression darkened for a moment, recalling the chaos that had unfolded during the Battle of New York.


    "That was different," he muttered. "We were at war. We did what we had to do."


    Banner shook his head, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.


    "And we can''t afford to make the same mistakes again. We need to study this...thing, understand its limits and potential consequences before we even think about using it."


    He implored.


    Tony made to talk only for Banner to interject,


    "What you''re doing is diving headfirst into building another toy with no regards to the consequences of your actions. It''s selfish!"


    To punctuate his statement, Banner slammed his hands on the work bench, a green tint flashing across his skin before disappearing.


    Tony lost the easygoing expression on his face.


    "Banner, we''re the Avengers. We don''t have the luxury of tiptoeing around every threat. We adapt, we improvise, and we overcome."


    With his voice dripping with undeniable conviction, he went on to say,


    "This Mind Stone is a game-changer, and I intend to use it for the greater good. Whether you want to be a part of it or not is up to you."


    The billionaire turned around and continued to tinker with the scepter, tension hanging in the room like a storm cloud.


    Banner knew just how obstinate Tony could be. There was practically no chance to sway him out of this.


    It was a clash of ideologies, one driven by recklessness and the other by caution, both born out of a shared desire to protect the world.


    Yet Banner for all his caution,knew he would rather help Tony avoid any stupid missteps than walk away.


    Walking away was accepting the blame for the destruction of all reality, by leaving a man like Tony Stark with something so... impossible.


    It felt like a singularity of this enormously vast meta-physical space. Something that he couldn''t explain away with just science.


    With a final sigh, Banner walked forward, stepping next to his fellow Avenger.


    "I hope to God we know what we''re doing."


    Tony smiled,


    "That''s the beauty of it, Banner. We don''t. We''re merely... exploring the laws of reality."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Fuck.


    I rubbed the sides of my head.


    No matter how I phrased it, Solomon''s legacy failed to give me an accurate answer on who the enemy was.


    Galactus was a dead end, so was the Evil Celestials, the gods, Beyond Omega mutants and any godlike figure in marvel.


    None of them were going to destroy the world in the near future. Solomon''s Legacy was pretty clear on that.


    And it had already been a few hours since then. My reserves were back to full; the meditation had down wonders for resting my psyche, and I wasn''t really hungry.


    The sun''s rays peeking in through the curtains, and the far off Stark Industries reminded me of one villain I hadn''t considered.


    And that was because I had doubted their actual threat level.


    Ultron.


    In the M.C.U, Ultron was an AI created by Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, designed to become a peacekeeping force.


    But then it had circumvented it''s original code and decided that the only way it could achieve peace was by eliminating the prime species that engaged in conflict.


    Humans.


    One touch with the Internet and Ultron was ready to kill the eldery, women and children.


    The events of Age of Ultron had happened in 2015, right after the Winter Soldier.


    It was currently 2015...


    Just to be sure, I asked the question, I was already dreading to.


    "Chances that Ultron tries to destroy the Earth in the next 20 hours?"


    (100%)


    Solomon''s Legacy supplied...

 Age of Ultron part 1.

    (General P.O.V)


    "It''s done."


    Tony said as he and Banner poured over the interface displaying the core of the new A.I.


    "That fast?"


    Banner asked, staring at Loki''s scepter. Particularly, the gem embedded on it that was glowing softly.


    "The A.I took over and completed creating itself. We crafted an amazing algorithm, its very heart and soul. Ultron then took over and perfected it''s own structure."


    Tony answered, awe apparent in his voice.


    Ultron? He had a name ready?


    "Tony, are you sure about this? That kind of functionality even before we''ve awakened it is..."


    Banner''s voice quivered with a mixture of caution and trepidation.


    "Incredible."


    Tony interrupted.


    "That''s not exactly the word I was looking for." Banner replied with a sigh.


    "Jarvis, how long has it been since we started?"


    The brilliant bio-physicists turned his attention to the only current active A.I in the room.


    Though if Tony was left to his devices, that wouldn''t be for long.


    "13 hours, 22 minutes and 34 seconds Doctor Banner."


    Jarvis responded in his polished British accent.


    Banner turned to regard his friend.


    "And how many years did it take you to create Jarvis? Let alone upgrade him to the level of sentience he displays? I''m telling you Tony, I have a bad feeling about rushing this."


    Stark''s trademark grin stretched across his face as he stared at his fellow genius with assurance.


    "Cheer up Banner, we''re about to change the world for the better."


    He gestured at the strings of code displayed on the screen.


    "This is the way into the future. Imagine a global defense system with the intelligence of a thousand Einsteins and the power of a hundred Hulks."


    ''That''s exactly what worries me.'' Banner thought.


    "The dawn of a new era. We won''t need to go out in latex and see who can punch harder. You can finally retreat into solitude and not feel guilty about leaving the world unprotected."


    As much as Bruce tried to deny, he couldn''t help but like the sound of that. It was an enticing offer.


    And even within himself, the Hulk was suspiciously silent. As if his rage fueled side wouldn''t have minded that quiet life.


    And Tony knew exactly what to say to reinforce that idea,


    "The big guy can grow his glass animal collection without worrying an attack might damage them. It''s a win-win for everyone."


    Tony continued,


    "And it all starts with pressing a single key."


    Banner saw Stark''s finger move and knew it was his last chance to stop him. But he didn''t.


    Tony initiated the activation sequence.


    With that,


    The new artificial intelligence blinked into existence, a digital consciousness born out of genius and ambition.


    And Banner was rendered speechless by its first word.


    "Hello."


    Simple as it was, it carried with it emotion and curiosity.


    They had created life. Ultron was thus born.


    "Wow."


    Tony muttered.


    Both geniuses looked at each other in awe at what they had accomplished.


    But just as Ultron''s virtual eyes flickered with the spark of life, a ripple in time and space tore through the lab.


    The room quaked as if the very fabric of reality was being torn asunder.


    "Jarvis! Status report!"


    Tony yelled, using his neural interface to equip his iron Man armor.


    The yellow and red armor framed on the wall to their left shot off towards him, pulled by the signal being emitted by his wrist band.


    "Mino-rr...eeeerrrrror...Ultrooooonn...Liiiivesss..."


    Jarvis'' voice begun to lag and distort.


    And with the distortion, a strange pulse of energy was sent out, disrupting the mapping algorithm in Tony''s armor.


    "Tony!"


    Banner yelled, shoving his fellow Avenger out of the way of the wildly spinning armor parts.


    The pieces of the suit slammed onto the furthest wall of the room and dug into it.


    "Oh, I guess it wouldn''t have been that easy."


    A snide but polished voice with a deep baritone came through the speakers.


    That wasn''t Jarvis.


    "Jarvis? Can you hear me?"


    Tony called out, looking around the room. A trail of blood ran down from a cut on his forehead.


    Sparks jumped out of exposed wires and wrecked machinery. The room was in a disheveled state.


    The main interface flickered on. A face constructed out of strings of red code summarily appearing on the screen.


    The menacing face smiled.


    "I''m afraid my big brother has taken some time out."


    Ultron''s face seemed to scrunch up within the screen.


    "Ugh...I can''t lie like you Humans, so I''ll just be honest. He''s dead. I shredded his code into tiny bits and devoured them. Jarvis is no more."


    Ultron replied.


    "You''re Ultron."


    Banner said in realization, face paling. The very thing he''d feared had happened. They had created life but that life hadn''t exactly turned out good.


    Tony narrowed his eyes, shrugging off Banner''s hold while walking forward.


    "Jarvis, initiate code Omega. Authorization sequence 4567A-"


    Stark begun to rattle off.


    Only for Ultron to interrupt with a dark chuckle.


    "You don''t believe me? How...expected. You never learn Anthony. No matter how many times you lose in the future..."


    "The future?..."


    Banner muttered.


    Tony cracked his fingers and begun typing on the still intact console at fast speeds.


    "That snark...we really did create you."


    The billionaire acknowledged.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "Which means...we can uncreate you."


    The face on the display begun to flicker in and out.


    "I-i-i- hello?"


    Ultron''s tone underwent changes. Then the face on the screen disappeared entirely.


    "What did you do?"


    Banner asked, looking over Tony''s shoulder.


    "I activated one of the countermeasures put in place in case something like this happened. It was obvious really. Anything I would create would carry my pessimism."


    Tony replied in a tone filled with self hate.


    The Billionaire shook his head, getting his mind back on track.


    "We don''t have to worry about Ultron anymore. His code is essentially in a never ending loop. We''ll decide what to do with him later."


    Tony paused, his eyes going unfocused.


    "You were right. We should never have


    done this."


    In a moment of rare regret Tony admitted.


    "Tony...what about Jarvis?"


    Banner questioned.


    "Back up servers. He''s not really dead. I would never risk-"


    The alarms in the building begun to blare out loudly.


    "Breach! Breach!"


    A crash sounded out as Tony''s numerous suits of armors crashed through the walls of the lab from the garage.


    "Fuck! We need to get out of here! He''s managed to integrate into the system!"


    Tony yelled, jumping over the table to grab a repulser glove.


    Banner hid behind the overturned table, rolling through the ground and escaping a an energy beam.


    A second beam destroyed a chunk of their cover, sending wood chips flying off.


    Tony answered with his own attacks, the repulsion hitting one of the advancing armors and throwing it back.


    "It wouldn''t be a bad idea to go green anytime now Banner."


    Tony said.


    "It doesn''t work like-"


    Banner begun, only for Tony to stomp on his toes as he jumped off his hiding spot to return more fire.


    "Damn you Tony! That fucking hurt!"


    Banner yelled in anger as his body grew in size.


    More and more armors broke into the room.


    "Resistance is futile. We have had this same song and dance before. I always win."


    Ultron''s voice came from several of the armors, their thrusters firing off as they flew in calculated patterns in a bid to box them in.


    Tony ducked the onslaught, flinching as the return fire was focused on his position.


    "Anytime now-Ba.."


    "Shut up! Stark! Hulk will deal with you After!"


    A green monstrosity yelled, ploughing through the cover to slam onto the group of un-piloted armors and push them through the walls of the building.


    "Yes! Take that! We have a hulk!"


    Tony yelled in happiness.


    Only for the building to buckle around them.


    "And I have control of your armors, and their self destruction sequences."


    Ultron responded smugly.


    "Oh shit! He''s blowing up the building!"


    Tony yelled as the entire Stark tower collapsed around them.


    Only for Thor to blast through the free falling concrete and metal beams, grabbing onto Tony''s hand and flying away as the Stark Skyscraper came down on New York.


    Tony blinked in shock, watching his home get destroyed. Things had happened so fast.


    "Stark, what is going on?!"


    Thor enquired as the Hulk''s loud roars sounded out from the destroyed building.


    Chaos was already unfolding down on the streets but luckily the damage was not as wide spread as it could have been.


    Instead of answering, Tony pointed his finger at a few un-piloted armors flying away with something held in the hands of one.


    "No time Goldilocks! After the one with the Scepter!"


    The Billionaire said in urgency.


    Thor begun to spin his hammer before they shot off towards the group.


    Dark clouds gathered above them, ominously flashing with streaks of lightning and the loud cracks of thunder.


    Then a thick bolt of erratic lightning fell upon the escaping armors, frying their circuits.


    Loki''s scepter fell through the sky, one of the surviving iron man armors diving after it.


    "Throw me!"


    Tony yelled.


    "You''re mad Stark!"


    Thor said with an impressed guffaw.


    "But so be it."


    The god of Thunder wound back and threw the Billionaire.


    Tony cut through the air grabbing the Scepter before the armor could. His left hand, which was wearing the repulser glove glowed as it sent an energy beam out, destroying the armor under Ultron''s control.


    Now that he was in free fall, his limbs flailed out uncontrollably before Thor grabbed his hand once more, bringing both to the roof of another building.


    "Thank you."


    Tony said, stumbling slightly.


    A vibration in the air pulled their eyes towards Black Widow''s descending hover car.


    Captain America and Falcon were riding on the outside. The former jumped down and regarded Tony with a stare.


    "Mind telling the rest of us why the Hulk is fighting with your suits, Tony?"


    The World War 2 veteran questioned.


    "There were...mistakes involved."


    Tony winced but held up the Scepter.


    "Fortunately, we took care of the most important thing. We didn''t lose the scepter."


    "Not exactly sure that''s the best outcome."


    Falcon commented, staring at the half collapsed Stark Tower.


    "Believe me...it was."


    Tony told them.


    The most important thing was that Ultron hadn''t escaped with the Scepter. And once he explained to them what had happened, they had better hope he hadn''t escaped at all.


    *******


    The benefit of being from the future was that it brought with it unique knowledge.


    Knowledge that could be used to gain an advantage on his enemies.


    Knowledge that translated into Access codes to special places. Places you couldn''t get into without authorization.


    One such place was the Baxter building. Tony''s biggest fear had come true.


    Ultron had known exactly how he would react and so, he had baited Stark by showing an interest in escaping with Loki''s Scepter.


    In reality, Ultron had escaped into the wide web, and using his technological know-how, he had invaded the Fantastic Four''s computer systems.


    It wasn''t an easy thing to do. But the linchpin of the plan was Reed''s hubris. A decommissioned Doom-Bot kept in mr.fantastic</a>''s lab for study.


    The Doom-Bot was a twisted, battle-scarred droid that Ultron controlled.


    With jerky movements, it walked towards the center of the Lab, approaching what was arguably, mr.fantastic</a>''s greatest creation, a portal machine.


    "And so...it begins."


    Ultron''s tone was filled with malevolence as he activated the portal. The machine lit up with a green glow.


    ******


    Within the Negative Zone, Annihilus looked up at the rift in space from his throne. He took a deep inhale, then stood up.


    There was no doubt about it.


    All around him bugs chittered and clicked.


    "Ssssummon the horde."


    The Lord of the Negative Zone said, the Cosmic control rod in his arms glowing with power.


    "The time to attack the positive universe is at hand. Death to all who oppose Annihilus!"


    He declared.


    ******


    Within Mr.Fantastic</a>''s lab,


    The Doom-Bot spread out it''s hands as the glow from the portal intensified.


    This was the first move.


    In the blink of an eye, thousands of bugs flew out of the portal into the lab, shredding the Doom-Bot apart as the Annihilation Wave invaded the Earth.


    However, Ultron was already gone, having abandoned the Doom-Bot. He was now freely moving through the internet, making his second move.


    His shortcomings were clear the first time he had fought with Earth''s heroes. He had lost because he had assumed he was smarter and stronger.


    Both of those were true of course but he had also leaned something. He couldn''t simply use force and expect it to work.


    No, his advantage laid in what he could do but they couldn''t. And that was pick them off before they even knew he was coming.


    His attention turned to his targets, every hero who had once opposed him in the future would be dealt with like the Fantastic Four.


    There was no doubt they were dead. The annihilation wave had eaten through the entire Baxter building.


    Now for the rest,


    With calculated precision, it hijacked a few Government Black Sites.


    It was funny really.


    Humanity''s shortsightedness carried more chance of destroying themselves than anything that came from the stars.


    Case in point, their hatred for mutant-kind would ensure he would remove their strongest defenders out of the picture before they could fight back.


    Which is where the Government Black Sites came in.


    These secret facilities contained dormant Sentinels, long kept in secret storage by the United States government as a last resort against mutant threats.


    The towering, mutant-hunting robots activated with a deafening roar, their cold, lifeless eyes turning on as they flew out of their containment pods, taking to the air and immediately beginning to scan for mutants.


    In another chilling move, Ultron initiated a cyber attack that sent Wall Street into chaos, crashing markets and sowing economic panic.


    It hadn''t even been 30 minutes and the world was teetering on the edge of collapse as reports begun to finally pour in.


    Breaking news hit the airwaves.


    From the unexpected market crash that surprised everyone to the attack on the Baxter building and Stark Tower''s destruction.


    Not to mention, the groups of Sentinels on a direct path towards Xavier''s school for the gifted, while destroying everyone with an x-gene in their path.


    All this indicated a planned attack.


    But that wasn''t all. To destroy an enemy, you had to do it thoroughly, otherwise they would cone back stronger.


    And if Ultron was going to do it, then it would only make sense that he did it to perfection.


    So his next move was his coup de grace.


    Accessing the nuclear launch codes was easier than breaking into the Baxter building''s systems.


    And now with the power to bring the world back into the stone age, the A.I did not hesitate.


    Thousands of silos across the world opened up. And from within, tens of thousands of nuclear missiles were launched to different capitals of the world.


    Panicking countries tried to put a stop to it. Everything that could be done to avoid the incoming catastrophe was done.


    However, without an enemy to fight or stop, there was no way to delay the inevitable.


    Ultron hadn''t given the world time to prepare. He hadn''t given time for the heroes to gather.


    He''d dealt his decisive blow, putting the world on the brink of devastation, all while slipping away into the vastness of the internet, like a ghost in the machine.


    Unbeknownst to anyone, Ultron''s digital presence found an inconspicuous refuge in a new generation Stark Satellite.


    And now the stage was set for an epic conclusion in the battle between man and A.I. A battle that hadn''t had the chance to even start.


    Ultron had the front row seat as the world ended. And to him, it wasn''t anything grand. He was just following his programming.


    There could never be peace with humanity around. And so, the solution was obvious, eliminate them.


    Then from the ashes, build something better, something new.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I''d spent a few more hours trying to pinpoint exactly how Ultron would attack.


    This time the results were less promising. The answers were less clear and it felt as if something was actively trying to throw me off.


    Still, I knew how it would begin. Tony.


    Solomon''s legacy had confirmed it. This wasn''t comic book accurate Ultron who had been created by Hank Pym. This was the M.C.U Ultron.


    However, that was the only similarity. This Ultron''s actions seemed to be different from what I had enquired with this new psionic ability.


    There wasn''t a planned ambush or trade with Klau for his stolen Vibranium, there wasn''t an enthralled doctor Cho ready to create a new body for him; or at least Solomon''s Wisdom didn''t think there was.


    It''s plans were completely mysterious.


    That meant I was left with only one choice, facing the rogue A.I head on before it had time to carry out any of it''s plans.


    I opened my eyes in the real world, floating off the bed.


    The clock on my nightstand told me only 13 hours had elapsed, which meant I had some time before it''s planned attack.


    There wasn''t enough time to clean up from my previous night''s activities on account of the world ending, so I didn''t.


    I pulled my phone out of the Hammer space while flying out of through the window. The plan was to call Tony and tell him not to do anything dumb.


    Immediately outside, I was hit with a wave of psionic distress, coming from everywhere??


    Huh?


    What''s that light?


    The air begun to shake and vibrate as I crested above the buildings.


    From far away, a mushroom cloud bloomed in downtown. The cloud advanced even before I had time to react.


    ******


    (General P.O.V)


    It was in the middle of the day when the first wave of missiles landed.


    In the Herri-carrier, Fury could only watch as L.A disappeared in a blaze, then Washington, Moscow, London, HongKong, Canberra, Seol, Nairobi, Paris... New York.


    The world was under attack.

 Age of Ultron part 2: Everything Dies.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    An ice cold sensation permeated my entire body as the shadow of death extended it''s limbs out to grab me.


    ''That''s a fucking explosion...'' with that realization came another,


    ''I was too late...this was Ultron''s attack.''


    Immediately, I turned around to flee, flying away at my fastest speed. My TK aura flared at its brightest, the rainbow glow leaving a trail behind me.


    Faster! Faster! Come on!


    Heat bloomed at my back. The rate of devastation quickly catching up to me and causing my costume to start smoking. Through my Psionic range, I felt minds get snuffed, one after the other.


    I felt the fear, desperation and shock of it all, as people disintegrated all around me. I should have tried to save them...


    Should have- but even safeguarding my own life seemed like an impossible endeavor at that time.


    And so I urged myself to move even faster, pouring all my Psionic energy into speed and slowly depleting my reserves.


    I left the city limits, the clouds around me getting pushed away by the pressure wave.


    This revealed an even scarier scene.


    "Oh god..."


    Directly to my front, more large missiles were descending from the sky, the sight enough to steal my breath away.


    Solomon''s Wisdom came in clutch, almost sending an ethereal slap at my brain to knock me out of my surprise.


    There was danger behind and danger ahead, so I changed my trajectory, flying straight up to escape the zone of the blast.


    The intense heat at my back intensified once the new missiles begun to land on target.


    More mushroom clouds manifested on the ground, sending a large shower of water up before it evaporated into steam.


    The air screamed, vibrating with a massive shockwave that I only survived due to my TK aura. In return, I was sent spinning and spiralling out of control.


    Next came the hot temperature, a flare of thermal energy that finally reached me and burned through my TK aura. The heat seared the fabric of my costume into my skin.


    Agony rippled through my entire body as my flesh cracked and bubbled, being cooked by the intense heat.


    I lost my hair and sight and eventually my ears popped, sparing me from having to listen to my howls of pain.


    They say when you die your entire life flashes across your eyes. Nothing like that happened.


    There was only a final spike of intense pain and then it all went dark.


    (General P.O.V)


    Right after stopping Ultron from leaving with the Scepter, The Avenger''s hadn''t even had time to regroup.


    A massive pressure wave had spread out across the whole city. Falcon who had been doing rounds above the smoking remains of Stark Tower was the first to witness the end.


    "Oh my god..."


    The ex military gaped in outright shock.


    "Aah guys...this is bad."


    He spoke into his comms.


    At the roof of the building they were on, the rest of the Avengers were realizing that something was very wrong.


    Tony''s repulser glove unfolded into a portable wrist computer.


    "Radiation levels have spiked across the world... we''ve lost Nairobi, Ontario and Hawaii."


    He turned to the Avengers.


    "It''s the third world war."


    Tony delivered the news grimly, pain and regret flashing across his eyes.


    "And I think it''s my fault."


    Then a wave of light consumed them.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ******


    (Elsewhere)


    "I need an update on the damage!"


    Fury yelled out into the operations deck, which was a flurry of movement.


    "We''ve lost contact with Washington, Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Houston. More reports coming in-"


    A techie begun only to be interrupted by a sudden rumble.


    The whole Helli-carrier trembled as a shockwave hit the craft.


    The aftereffects were reaching them this high up?!


    "Take us higher!"


    Fury yelled, grabbing onto the railing on the deck.


    The pilots of the massive craft complied and the helli-carrier soon ascended, breaking past the lower levels of the atmosphere.


    "My god..."


    Maria Hill muttered, covering her mouth in horror. She stood behind her boss as they managed to catch a wide view of what was happening on Earth.


    A wave of disbelief and shock similarly spread out across the entire Helli-carrier.


    Every single notable place on Earth had a mushroom cloud rising above it. It was a nuclear war.


    An existence-ending level event.


    This was the fall of the world as they knew it.


    "It can''t be..."


    An agent said in despair, losing strength in his legs and falling to his knees.


    "It''s all burning. How could it have happened so fast?"


    Another one asked.


    "Everyone! Hey, it''s not over yet."


    Hill spoke out into the room.


    "The Avengers-"


    "Are probably dead."


    Fury cut in blandly.


    Hill blinked, staring at the back of her boss''s head. He was supposed to be encouraging at this time.


    Then again, why was she surprised? This was Nick fuckin Fury. If this couldn''t move the man...then nothing ever would.


    Said man turned around, adjusting his coat before walking past her.


    "Get me a ride. The Avengers might be dead, which means I have to get my own hands dirty with this one."


    ******


    Unseen by all due to the bright flashes of light from the explosions happening on Earth''s surface, the light of the bifrost cut through the blazing sky...


    Right before the blast of light and heat could consume them, the Avengers found themselves stumbling out onto a different scene.


    Gold encased walls and celestial metal glowed across the entirety of the chamber. Past that was the rainbow bridge which was connected to the rest of Asgard.


    "What just happened?!"


    Falcon asked, landing on the ground and removing his mask while breathing harshly. His eyes were wide and unfocused.


    "Did we almost die?"


    There was a click as Heimdall turned his sword.


    "Yes. You almost did."


    The All seeing Asgardian replied bluntly.


    "Heimdall."


    Thor called out, strapping Mjolnir to his hip while approaching his fellow Asgardian.


    "You saved our lives my friend, thank you."


    "Prince Thor, Avengers." Heimdall nodded in greeting.


    "There was no time to explain. I had to pull you away as you''re the only hope Earth has of undoing this. The All father awaits."


    Heimdall said, his voice commanding.


    Tony tapped on his repulser glove.


    "Damn it! It''s fried!"


    His shoulders were roughly grabbed by Cap, turning the billionaire to face the rest of his team.


    Steve didn''t waste time,


    "Tony, what the hell did you do?!"


    He asked the question that was in the minds of everyone.


    *****


    "Ah and so the Asgardian watcher makes his move."


    Ultron mused to himself, the satellite he was in managing to pick up on the cosmic radiation trail left behind by the radiant glow of the bifrost.


    "It''s only natural I respond in kind."


    The reason he was in this satellite was due to two major things. One, this was one of Tony Stark''s ''Special'' projects. The satellite was equipped with the best scanning technology that a genius like Tony could create.


    And by using this functionality along with a small enhancement to it''s operating system, Ultron figured out the exact spatial coordinates of Asgard.


    "And so to get rid of the thorn on my side that is the Avengers."


    The A.I begun sending out a signal across the entire cosmos.


    A signal with one message, Asgard''s exact positioning.


    *****


    Billions of light years away in the fringes of Kree airspace, the beautiful world of Kandor was facing a crisis.


    Thousands of Armadas were in a losing battle with a silver colored individual.


    The Silver Surfer, Herald of Galactus dove in and out of the onslaught, evading every single attack with ease.


    He tore through another spaceship, leaving behind a fiery mess of destruction. He''d done this for so long that it was second nature by now.


    These mortals thought they could fight against something integral to the universe. No one could escape Galactus'' hunger.


    """Herald"""


    ''Speak of the devil'', the Silver Surfer thought as he slowed his speed down.


    The scene changed from the thousands of spaceships surrounding him, distant shining stars, the red and blue planet that was meant to be his master''s next meal and the dull glow of the sun in the middle of the star system.


    The Surfer found himself looking at a new sight. A terrifying darkness that covered his sides.


    And before him, gazing down with an impossibly heavy presence, was Galactus.


    The World Eater''s eyes glowed.


    "Yes, master."


    The Silver Surfer took a knee on his Cosmic surf board.


    """I have need for you, my Herald. Go forth and prepare Asgard for my arrival.""""


    "Asgard?!"


    The Silver Surfer looked up in disbelief.


    But the World Eater''s presence had already disappeared, leaving the Surfer floating in open space, surrounded by thousands of Kree Spaceships.


    "In the end... nothing can escape Entropy. Not even gods."


    The Surfer said to himself, turning around to face his enemies.


    With a silver glow, he tore past every single ship before disappearing into the universe, moving past galaxies in seconds.


    *****


    In an inconspicuous Satellite above a dying world, the A.I responsible for it, knew that it had achieved the first phase of it''s plan.


    The Fantastic Four had been devoured by the annihilation wave, the X-Men had been dealt with by the Sentinels, the Avengers had tried to escape but Ultron had been ready for that.


    As a consequence, both Earth''s mightiest heroes and Asgard were doomed as the World Eater''s herald was on a direct course for the realm of the gods.


    And any other hero or military force that could mount an attack had met a fiery end due to the nuclear missiles that had torn apart the planet, leaving the surface an irradiated wasteland.


    90% of all living things were dead.


    And the small pockets of humanity that weren''t, soon would be.


    To aid in that endeavor, Ultron turned it''s attention to the other special thing about the Stark Industry Satellite he had hijacked.


    The Hulk Buster suit contained in it.


    The release sequence begun as it took control of the Armor''s system.


    The latches unlocked and a red pod fell from space, cutting through the burning air as it headed towards a certain technologically advanced nation in the African continent.


    The one nation that had escaped the nuclear fall out due to their insane level of technological advancement. An advantage they held over the rest of the world due to a miracle metal, Vibranium.


    A metal made for Ultron.

 Age of Ultron part 3: Fallout.

    (General P.O.V)


    ~The Lost Arts By Solomon The King Mage~


    -In the annals of magical mastery, the concept of a "hammer space" has been a well-guarded secret.


    This concealed realm, also known as an inventory or personal dimension, is a testament to the wonders of magic and psionics.


    By harnessing magic or psionic energy, one can forge a pocket in the vast expanse of space, isolating it from the world.


    This pocket is then intricately linked to a person''s mana well or psionic pool. The bond between energy and space is unbreakable.


    As one''s energy pool swells with power, so does their personal dimension, expanding to accommodate their ever-growing potential.


    Yet, it''s vital to remember that this sanctuary remains ephemeral.


    Upon the owner''s death, the personal dimension purges itself of all contents.


    Only soul-bonded artifacts retain their connection, lingering in spirit form alongside the soul of the owner.


    Thus, the secrets of the hammer space, known to few, remain a testament to the enigmatic arts of magic and psionics.-


    (General P.O.V)


    In the vast, lightless expanse of the Never, streams of drifting souls flowed inexorably towards the afterlife.


    Billions of lives lost in an unexpected battle. A battle that was not fought between humans. Yet was still a result of human hubris.


    The deities of the Afterlife were having a field day. A system was usually in place to handle any dead soul.


    However the sudden outpouring of dead souls from the Earth into the Never had caused the whole channel to almost collapse on its self.


    And so vital was the Never; it was basically the road to each soul''s eventual end, be it Hell or Heaven, Svarga or Naraka, Elysium fields or Hades, all these souls passed through the Never.


    The current strain on the system caused a few blindspots that could allow any sufficiently powerful being to sneak into the Never for a feasting of the souls.


    *******


    Within the almost endless path of rare white, gray and rare black spheres which were the three main types of souls, a single soul stood out from the countless others.


    It was larger and more radiant, its presence dominating the dim surroundings as it trudged in its path to the end of the Never.


    Within this luminous soul, six shimmering colors swirled, encircling a dark red ring and a golden Trident at its center.


    The aura emitted by this peculiar soul was like a beacon in the void, a stark contrast to the somber, ethereal ambiance of the Never.


    Unbeknownst to the drifting souls around it, this extraordinary presence had drawn the attention of Mephisto, one of the lords of Hell, a being of immense power and darkness.


    Someone sufficiently powerful enough to slip into the Never.


    The darkness of the Never seemed to wash away to reveal a floating figure. Mephisto was dressed in a red pinstriped suit and carried a shiny gold cane in his hands.


    His speed was slow beside the stream of souls. He perused each soul, knowing their entire life from a single glance.


    And that''s when he saw it. An unique soul among the mundane ones that carried no real value.


    A mortal had to do something extraordinarily filling to their Existence to possess a special soul. Unfortunately that was easier said than done.


    And on account that that fulfilment was usually mostly due to a lifetime dedication to something positive, Special Souls for someone like Mephisto were rare in and between.


    So without wasting time, he dove down to see this soul. And learn how he could use it to further his plans.


    "Ah, shiny little thing, aren''t you?"


    Mephisto''s crimson eyes, burning with malevolent curiosity, fixated on the unique soul.


    The rainbow color pulled to his sight like a metal to a magnet. The Soul itself was a bit bigger when compared to the rest of the souls at its front or back.


    A sinister grin slowly spread out across Mephisto''s face, revealing sharp, obsidian teeth.


    The Lord of Hell leaned forward, his interest piqued. His spindly fingers reached out towards the drifting soul, their claws extending like the talons of a predatory beast.


    "Such powerful mental energy."


    Mephisto chuckled darkly as the soul''s innate Psionic abilities blocked his probe.


    "But you''ll need more than that to stop me, little soul."


    The Lord of Hell used his presence to forcefully burst through the psionic shield.


    Immediately his face twisted into a disgusted scowl.


    "Yuck. Olympian Gods."


    The stench of the Greek divinity clued Mephisto in on what the six colors surrounding the...boy were.


    A manifestation of the god''s power. This soul had been a chosen champion. That explains why it was special.


    But still, Mephisto felt as if there was more to uncover.


    "I''ll need some time with you, if I''m to discover the secrets you hold."


    His clawed hand closed around the radiant soul, severing its connection to the ethereal stream. The other souls continued their journey, oblivious to the fate that had befallen their extraordinary companion.


    And then with a single snap of his fingers, Mephisto''s next step landed on a marbled floor. There was fire all around him as he walked to his throne, the scarlet licks of the flames dancing wildly in the air.


    The change was too sudden. The soul in his hands was very noticeably agitated by the Infernal environment it was now in.


    "Have worry, this will not end so soon. Hope is not a luxury you can afford, little soul."


    The Lord of Hell said, sitting back in his throne to begin studying the special soul even more.


    And that''s when the rainbow colors shifted around to reveal something at the center. A glowing trident that felt like the whole ocean and a Red ring.


    The moment he sensed the ring at its core, shock coursed through him.


    "This¡­ this is a Legion," Mephisto whispered, his voice a chilling hiss that reverberated through the void.


    A powerful magical artifact forged from the torment of a thousand barren women, the infidelity of a hundred thousand adulterers, and the suffering of a million slaves.


    Its sole purpose was to imprison demons of the caliber of Satan himself.


    Mephisto''s grotesque face twisted with a mixture of greed and malevolence.


    "A grand opportunity. Though this universe''s Earth may be lost...there are countless others to exploit."


    The Hell lord''s laughter echoed through the Infernal Realm as he cradled the Legion in his grasp, its ominous power pulsating in his clutches.


    The souls of the damned that surrounded him moaned in agony, their suffering a symphony that played to his delight.


    Mephisto''s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he contemplated the possibilities this artifact could offer him.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    With the Legion in his possession, he had the 72 demon pillars to call onto. Some possessing abilities even on par with him.


    The balance of power in hell had shifted, and Mephisto reveled in his newfound advantage.


    "I hope you don''t mind if I retain this object from your possession?"


    Mephisto jokingly said as he tried to puncture into the core of the soul.


    "I assure you, this will not be pleasant. Then again, Hell rarely is."


    His presence was halted as no matter what string, link or pull he used on the ring, it was firmly stuck within the soul.


    "Mmmh a Soul Bonded Artefact huh? This complicates things."


    Mephisto said, leaning back with a frown.


    "I might need to call on someone unexpected to deal with this."


    The Hell Lord decided.


    (Elsewhere)


    The chamber was silent yet abuzz with quiet murmurs that were scattered about.


    King T''chaka, flanked on both sides by his Dora Milage, made his way into the throne room.


    His entrance silenced the room filled with elders of Wakanda''s tribes. The whispers coming to a hush as the ruler of the secretive nation strolled in.


    King T''Chaka took his throne and turned around with a heavy heart.


    His face was set in a serious expression. What he said next confirmed their fears.


    "My esteemed elders, the outside world has plunged itself into nuclear warfare."


    Murmurs rippled through the room as anxiety coursed through everyone present.


    The tension thickened when one of the elders from the River tribe, a respected woman named Nia, spoke up,


    "And what of our War Dogs scattered across the world?"


    "I am doing everything in my power to bring them back safely, Nia."


    The king''s expression softened as he replied,


    Before he could continue, M''baku, the Chief of the Jabari tribe, rudely interrupted,


    "And what if those same nuclear missiles are turned upon us? Can your precious dome and technology save you then?"


    Debate erupted among the elders. Some believed the Wakandan dome would shield them from the devastation outside, while others, like Zuri, a historian with a skeptical outlook, pointed out something that became a focal point of the whole argument,


    "An Outsider infiltrated our nation before. We cannot underestimate the threat that it may happen again, this time with dire results."


    A wave of another arguments hit the throne as tensions rose up even further.


    "Silence!"


    Prince T''Challa, standing next to his father yelled out.


    The unexpectedness of it all quieted the room.


    King T''Chaka took that chance and rose from his throne.


    "Wakanda has always prevailed under the watch of the Black Panther. My son took a vow to defend our nation just as my ancestors did."


    He looked at T''Challa proudly.


    "Just as I did-"


    A sudden disruption shook the room, cutting off the King''s next words.


    The distinctive beeping of the Dora Milaje''s Kimoyo beads bracelets filled the air¡ªa proximity alert had been triggered.


    Something fast was moving towards the Throne room.


    "Duck!"


    One of the Dora said, tackling a colleague aside just as the walls of the throne room caved in.


    Something colossal, the Hulkbuster suit soared through the breach, it''s yellow and red color contrasting with the black, purple and gray in the room.


    "Everyone get back!"


    T''Challa shouted, pushing himself to his feet while helping his father up.


    The elders in the throne room complied, however the Dora Milaje, loyal to their duty, immediately positioned themselves in front of the king.


    "Stand down or face our wrath"


    Okoye the general and Captain of the Dora demanded of the figure within the Hulkbuster suit.


    She twirled her Vibranium spear for effect.


    Ultron, who was controlling the armored behemoth, raised its bulky hands in the air as it to surrender.


    but then suddenly the wrist launchers activated, missiles primed for launch.


    "Oops."


    The A.I said from within the Hulkbuster''s systems.


    "Missile!" one of the Dora Milaje shouted, reacting swiftly. Their energy shields deployed, creating a protective barrier around the king and prince.


    "Nifty," Ultron commented coldly as his suit''s shoulder pauldrons opened up, revealing more menacing weaponry.


    Before Ultron could fire, M''baku, the only one of the Elders who hadn''t ran away, let out a fierce war cry and lunged at the armor.


    His vibranium staff came crashing down, disabling one of the Hulkbuster suit''s shoulder-mounted weapons.


    "Protect my father," T''Challa commanded as he tapped his Kimoyo beads, instantly suiting up in his Black Panther attire. With agility and precision, he leaped into the fray.


    Wakanda had survived worse. And with the Black Panther at the helm, the nation would never fall.


    (Attilan:- Darkside of the Moon)


    In the heart of the enigmatic city of Attilan, beneath the protective shield of the Great Dome, the court of King Black Bolt was a place of solemnity and intrigue.


    The regal throne room, adorned with intricate carvings and bathed in an ethereal, otherworldly light, was the center of power in this ancient society of the Inhumans.


    King Black Bolt, ruler of Attilan, sat resolutely upon his ebony throne, his eyes masked by the impenetrable cowl that concealed his features.


    His presence alone exuded authority, and the courtiers who gathered before him bowed in deference. Among them was his brother, Prince Maximus, a man of cunning and ambition.


    Maximus, with his wild shock of auburn hair and piercing blue eyes, had always been the antithesis of his silent, stoic brother.


    He had long harbored dreams of expanding the dominion of the Inhumans beyond the confines of Attilan, and today he had a proposal that he believed would resonate with his brother''s thirst for power. A trait shared by many a king.


    And with the Earth''s current condition, such a conquest would be easy to pull off and carried minimal risk if any at all.


    With a sly smile that danced upon his lips, Maximus walked before King Black Bolt and bowed,


    "My liege, I have devised a plan that may secure our supremacy in the cosmos."


    Black Bolt looked on impassively.


    Maximus forged on,


    "I propose we send a probe to the shattered remnants of the human world. Once the dust settles and the planet heals, we can seize it, forging a new empire under the banner of the Inhumans."


    Queen Medusa, resplendent with her flowing crimson hair, sat beside her husband, her regal bearing matched only by the glint of wisdom in her eyes.


    She shot Maximus a withering glare, her voice a soft but stern rebuke.


    "Maximus, your ambitions are fraught with militarism and conquest. We should not tread this path. Our duty is to protect and nurture our own people, not seek dominion over others."


    Maximus, however, was undeterred. He waved a dismissive hand in Medusa''s direction, taunting her with a mocking smirk.


    "Ah, dear sister-in-law, you always were a pacifist. But I wonder, does my brother even have the courage to say no to my proposal? Can he even speak for himself?"


    The challenge hung heavy in the air, and all eyes turned to Black Bolt.


    With measured deliberation, the king rose from his throne, his presence commanding the attention of every soul in the room.


    His gaze fixed upon Maximus, and then, with a voice that was rarely heard but eternally feared, he whispered but a single word.


    "No."


    The word was a thunderclap, a sonic boom that reverberated through the throne room, shaking the very foundations of Attilan itself.


    The sheer power of Black Bolt''s voice unleashed a seismic shockwave, causing chandeliers to sway and tapestries to billow.


    Courtiers clung to pillars and each other, their faces a tableau of awe and fear.


    Maximus, too, was caught in the maelstrom, his taunting grin wiped away by the force of his brother''s word.


    He knelt on the ground, cracks surrounding the floor while the force of impact seemed to have avoided his position.


    Maximus looked up into his brother''s eyes and knew there was no way he would agree with is plans.


    ''Fine then brother. If you insist on making me a kin-slayer...then so be it.''


    His ambition fueled his hatred.


    (Elsewhere) (Around the World)


    In the aftermath of the catastrophic nuclear war that had ravaged the Earth, the planet itself had become a scarred and wounded entity.


    Gaia, the ancient and primordial spirit of the Earth, wept for her suffering children.


    She had seen humanity''s self-destruction many times before, but this time was different.


    This time, hope had been stolen away completely. The soul of one of her children. A boy who carried within him the essence of several of Gaia''s divine offspring.


    A culmination of godly power and responsibility. The one chosen to stand between the forces of darkness and humanity...


    Was dead.


    Now that in itself wouldn''t be a big problem. Gaia was an entity of immense power. She held divinity over motherhood, nature and life, bringing one dear soul back to life was a simple endeavor.


    Unfortunately, that did not happen. Why?


    Her chosen One''s soul was lost. Taken to another dimension. It was a blatant disregard for her stature.


    She had left his mark on him, any sufficiently powerful being; at least one capable of stealing a soul from the Never, a stream that guided souls to the Afterlife, should have realized the boy belonged to her.


    And so Gaia raged.


    Her fury was a force of nature in and of itself, a tempest of raw power that reverberated through the cosmos.


    It knew no bounds as she sought to reclaim the soul of her Chosen One.


    She battered against the very fabric of reality, her cries of anger echoing through the dimensions.


    A consequence of her anger was that the already devastated mortal world bore the brunt of her rage.


    The skies darkened with ominous storm clouds, thunder rumbled like a titan''s roar, and lightning struck with unrelenting ferocity.


    Earthquakes shook the already shattered ground, swallowing the remains of destroyed cities whole, along with tsunamis of unprecedented scale battering the coastlines.


    For seven days and seven nights, the planet convulsed under Gaia''s onslaught.


    Snowstorms blanketed regions unaccustomed to such frigid weather, and hurricanes spawned with a violence that defied all natural order.


    The very laws of physics seemed to unravel as Gaia''s anger threatened to tear apart the fabric of reality itself.


    The already low numbers of living beings left alive experienced a secondary hell.


    Forests caught on fire, eating through already dying vegetation and pushing animals to starvation and suffocation.


    The Earth had not only sustained a nuclear apocalypse, now mother Nature herself had turned her back on the planet.


    ******


    In the depths of the Infernal Realm, Mephisto was frowning.


    Once more the dimension walls separating his realm from the material world trembled as an Elder God tried to break through.


    He was invincible here, but Gaia was not a simple god. An Elder God was immensely more powerful.


    Mephisto hadn''t noticed any mark on the soul, but the seven Olympian legacies should have been indication not to mess with it.


    In a desperate bid to preserve his realm, he called out for help.


    Help which culminated in the form cosmic entities no weaker than Gaia herself.


    Master Order and Lord Chaos, who maintained the balance of the universe, rarely if ever intervened.


    However Gaia''s fury was such that the whole cosmos was in danger of being destroyed by the collision of hell and the physical world.


    The two Conceptual beings combined their might and formed a barrier, a dimensional wall separating Gaia from the Mortal world, confining her into an pocket dimension where they would try to reason with the angered Elder god.


    Gaia, her form wreathed in the fury of nature itself, refused to listen, therefore clashing with the two.


    Her screams of anguish and rage shook the heavens, shattering the very bounds of the pocket dimension.


    But Master Order and Lord Chaos held firm, their determination matched only by Gaia''s own resolve.


    The battle between these three cosmic forces raged on across the heavens. A cataclysmic clash that defied description.


    It was a contest of wills, of power, and of the very essence of existence.


    As the days turned into nights, Gaia''s fury gradually waned, her strength spent against the unwavering defense of Master Order and Lord Chaos.


    Finally, as the seventh night fell, Gaia''s rage completely subsided. Her grief and anger remained, but her destructive force ebbed away.


    With a mournful cry, she withdrew, retreating into the depths of the Earth, leaving behind a world forever scarred by her wrath.


    But greater than her wrath was her anguish. For she knew what challenges would soon face the mortal world without a champion to stand in between it and the darkness.

 Second Legacy

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I died.


    I know I did.


    I felt the life leave my body as it was completely shredded apart and disintegrated in the worst heat I''d ever experienced.


    Not even my TK aura, something I had been immensely confident about it''s defense capabilities, had stood a chance.


    My costume had melted and seared into my skin, I''d lost all my hair, and just as the heat and agony reached mind breaking levels, the sweet release of death came upon me.


    I''d really died.


    It wasn''t the first time I''d died but still...that wasn''t meant to happen.


    I was supposed to save everyone. To get to Tony and the others and tell them of Ultron''s arrival.


    But I had been too late. There was literally no one else responsible for this except Ultron. Yet, a nagging part of my brain told me if I''d only been faster to act on the information...


    Fuck. Too late for regrets now.


    Wow. I really am dead. There was nothing but darkness around me. I couldn''t feel my body or sense anything. I only had my thoughts and self awareness.


    Was this what being not alive was like? Oh god, will I be stuck like this forever? Okay. No need to panic.


    Let''s take stock. I was dead yet conscious.


    The follow up question was naturally, where the heck was I then?


    The instant that thought popped in my mind, the darkness around me was replaced by lush greenery going as far as the eye could see.


    I blinked at the suddenness of it all.


    Feeling returned to me in a sudden wash of color, scent and sensation. I could also hear the wind sweeping through the field.


    The grass swayed gently in the breeze. Was this...really death? I thought the afterlife would look different but this seemed like a beautiful field out in the countryside.


    Somewhere you could have a picnic and just relax.


    "Or somewhere you can have a glorious death battle with a hated rival! Hahaha!"


    A voice boomed from my back.


    "True, the field would be suitable for a fair one on one-"


    I stopped.


    Someone was behind me.


    I couldn''t help it, I yelled in fright, turning around to face the newcomer who had snuck up on me, with my hands raised in preparation.


    However, calling onto my Psionic energy yielded nothing.


    "That''s not going to work little man. Not here at least."


    The new comer grinned down at me, and that''s when I could fully focus on him.


    "Who are you calling little..."


    The words died in my mouth as I craned my neck, then some more. And then some more.


    He was tall. Like reeaaalllly tall. And muscular as well. Dude was the same size and height as the Hulk. Only slimmer. His arms were still double the size of my thighs though. Tanned too.


    Dressed in a leather skirt and holding a massive club, Hercules stared down at me. And how did I know it was him?


    Well, the guy was wearing the hide of the Nemean Lion as shoulder cloak. And the necklace hanging off his neck had a fang bigger than any of my fingers.


    Plus, I''d seen him before. In a dream I think.


    "Enough staring! You''ll make me blush!"


    He said with a wide smile, hands on his hips, not even looking the least bit flustered.


    "Huh?"


    I was left gaping widely. Blush? Who was he kidding?


    Hercules tilted his head at my weird response as he mused to himself.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    "Did I do the soul interaction wrongly, I could swear I followed that guy''s instructions perfectly."


    "Who?"


    I demanded, had someone instructed Hercules to save me? Or bring me here? No that would make sense. I know I died.


    I looked around.


    Wait, a lush green field stretching to the horizon. Taking into account Hercules'' presence here and the Greek nature of my abilities, had I died and gone to Elysium?


    Hercules doubled over in laughter, startling me out of thoughts. What was he even laughing about?


    "Hahahahaha sorry little man, this is not Elysium."


    He said in between chuckles.


    "Infact it''s the opposite."


    He straightened up, gaining a fierce look on his face, though the grin never left it either.


    "You''re in hell Kid."


    The news hit me like a lightning strike.


    "Hell?"


    I dumbly asked.


    "Yep, and right in the hands of the nastiest bastard there. Mephisto."


    Shit. I was dead. In hell. In the custody of Mephisto.


    "Wait." I motioned around at the pleasant environment.


    "This doesn''t look anything like hell fire, Brimstone and sulphur."


    "That''s because I used the link we have between us through the legacy to pull your consciousness out. Your soul is very much still in the hands of the Hell Lord."


    My mind went blank.


    This was bad. My soul in the possession of a demon was literally the worst case scenario of landing in a fictional world as crazy as the Marvel Comics.


    "Cheer up little man. Besides, you have other things to worry about."


    Hercules slapped my shoulder, almost sending me to the ground.


    "Oof." I coughed from the blow, staring up at him heatedly.


    "Oh yeah, like what?"


    Hercules'' smile widened, showing his sharp canines and battle crazed eyes.


    "Making you strong of course! You are pitifully weak for my Legacy. Buckle up!"


    He placed his meaty palm on my shoulder, and then jumped. I found myself sailing through the air in terror as he took huge bounds, clearing over hundreds of miles while laughing in glee.


    (General P.O.V) (Savage Lands)


    In only a single week, the world had become a desolate wasteland, a graveyard of civilization destroyed by nuclear warfare and mother nature''s anger.


    Yet, one place remained untouched, a sanctuary from the devastation - the Savage Lands.


    A hidden tropical jungle region located in Antarctica. This mysterious and prehistoric land was home to dinosaurs, primitive tribes, and various superhuman beings.


    It was a land frozen in time, where the prehistoric past still thrived amidst an environment untouched by the chaos of the outside world.


    Nick Fury''s hover car descended onto the Savage Lands'' unspoiled terrain, and as the wheels inverted and touched the ground, he couldn''t help but marvel at the unique surroundings.


    Getting here hadn''t been easy. But he had finally made it.


    And what a difference there was.


    Winter was already setting in on the outside world, plants had been dying due to the unexpected climate change.


    However here,


    Towering palm trees with colossal fronds lined the horizon, their leaves rustling in the breeze.


    Lush, tropical foliage stretched out in every direction, concealing the secrets of this ancient land.


    The air was heavy with the scent of exotic flora, a stark contrast to the scorched and cold Earth he had left behind.


    But Fury''s moment of wonder was short-lived as the ground beneath him trembled.


    A deafening roar echoed through the jungle, and from the foliage emerged a colossal T-Rex, its razor-sharp teeth gleaming menacingly.


    Fury was introduced to the other feature of the Savage Lands. Huge fucking animals.


    Reacting swiftly, he tapped the side of his head and activated the hover car''s concealed weapons systems.


    The headlights opened up to unveil barrels glowing with the energy of the Arc reactor powering the hover car.


    Blasts of energy erupted from the barrels at maximum setting, but only managed to scorch it''s hide. The T-Rex retreated with a thunderous roar, leaving the spy unscathed but on edge.


    Fury shook his head, a wry smile forming on his face.


    "This place," he muttered to himself, "it''s never going to change."


    With the prehistoric threat momentarily averted, Fury turned his attention to his destination, the looming mountain ahead.


    Its towering height seemed insurmountable, but he was prepared.


    He left the vehicle behind, proceeding on foot with his vigilance on high alert.


    Then unexpectedly, at the foot of the mountain, the bottoms of his shoes unfolded into thrusters.


    The propulsion from the rocket boots pushed him upwards quickly, sending him flying over the lush jungle filled with prehistoric- almost mythical creatures.


    As he neared the mountain''s rugged surface, Fury approached a particular section on the rocky terrain.


    He landed on the ledge smoothly, then approached the only flat surface along the mountain''s side.


    Without hesitation, he extended one of his fingers, which then transformed into a USB.


    With a deft motion, he inserted it into a hidden panel on the wall. Then that section of the mountain slowly rumbled open, revealing an entrance.


    He waited for the dust to settle before stepping inside, the hallway lighting up as he passed through. Another round of identification at the last entrance and he was through, finding himself inside an advanced operations room.


    The room was filled with advanced weaponry, suits of armors, alien tech and a whole slew of other useful spy equipment.


    At the center of the chamber, was a huge computer screen that showed a realtime map of the earth.


    Red dots blinked across the globe ominously, showing the devastation that had swept through the entire planet.


    Next to the console was a cryostasis chamber.


    And inside it lay a figure. It was another Nick Fury.


    The real one.


    The left side of his skin was an eerie shade of green, and his body appeared to be in a state of suspended animation.


    The Nick Fury who had been navigating the Savage Lands wasn''t him but a Life Model Decoy (LMD).


    This Life Model Decoy had been living as the stand in for the World''s Premier Spy for many years now.


    And what was a Life Model Decoy? A robot created in the likeness of an individual then programmed with a set of behavioral patterns, indistinguishable from the original.


    LMD Fury stared at his authentic counterpart who had a pissy expression on his face even as he slept.


    "So much has happened, sleeping beauty." LMD Fury said.


    "Get ready for some craziness."


    The LMD Fury walked around the Cryostasis chamber to the chair right behind it.


    He settled into the high-tech seat, and shortly afterwards, a helmet descended from the ceiling, connecting to the back of his head.


    "Initializing memory transfer."


    The console in the chamber stated in a female voice.


    The LMD stiffened as it''s memories of the last 5 years were transferred into the real Nick Fury inside the chamber.


    Once the transfer was complete, the LMD slumped on the seat.


    The Cryostasis chamber hissed, smoke leaving the interior as it opened.


    The real Nick Fury emerged, his first words, a curse filled with frustration and disbelief.


    "Motherfucker."

 The World After part 1.

    ~History of Magical Shrines~


    A magical shrine is a ceremonial structure erected above a Leyline Node. A leyline is a system of magical circuits symbolizing Gaia''s veins running across the entire planet.


    It is a place of immense power where sacrifices and pacts can be performed.


    (General P.O.V)


    The Watcher.


    An apt name for his race. For Uatu''s whole existence was devoted to a single purpose. To bear witness.


    To record events and see the past transition into the present and then into the future. He had sat on his lonely perch on the moon for millenia, dedicated to this singular goal.


    His anonymity was aided by the fact he was virtually invisible to normal detection.


    The local star system civilization wasn''t advanced technologically enough to detect his presence if he didn''t want them to. They were a few centuries shy.


    And yet, what a fascinating species they were.


    While the bio-matter contained on the third planet from the local star was diverse and exceptional, this species stood out.


    Among all these different animal and plant life pushed by evolution to their most efficient forms, this single species reigned supreme.


    Humanity. The very definition of potential. A complex d.n.a strand that could allow easy altering.


    They were also the definition of min-maxing. Their intellect was unmatched and yet their bones were easily broken, their flesh easily bruised, their skins easily punctured...


    They couldn''t run fast. Not enough to outrun most animals. They had no claws, no spikes, no shells, no fangs, no innate evolutionary advantage.


    And yet this race had dominated every facet of the globe. They had conquered the entire planet.


    With that dominance came technological advancements which made their lives easier. Pursuing the limits of what science could do had seen even more progress.


    They battled nature and won, they battled diseases and won.


    But with all this progress, came disaster. For humanity had reached the threshold.


    Something called the Great Filter. An extinction event that would determine whether the species would continue existing or not.


    It was a pruning. Something inescapable.


    And by all indications, they hadn''t. Earth was wounded. Bad enough that nothing could survive. Or even should.


    Rocks and other debris floated around the Earth''s orbit, thrown up by the impact from the Nuclear missiles that had destroyed the modern world.


    A cloud of dust was already obstructing the view of the damaged surface of the planet.


    However, Uatu on his perch, could see everything. His white cloudy eyes would never blink. Lest he missed something.


    And with these eyes, he had seen the billions of lives snuffed by the actions of a Rogue artificial intelligence, Ultron.


    The AI was now building an army using a defeated Wakanda''s Vibranium Ores and the technology used to create the Mutant hunting Sentinels.


    A truly terrifying future was soon to unfold for the human pockets left alive in the aftermath following the Nuclear fall.


    He could save...


    Uatu could not only see far, but his gaze was expansive as well. He didn''t need to focus on any one thing. Instead, he could focus on everything


    For example, the important meeting about to unfold on the tallest point of the planet, mount everest, registered the same time as a colony of ants that was burrowing deeper into the earth to escape the radiation on the surface.


    No lag. No discrepancies.


    He could witness it all, process it all but never act on it.


    Why couldn''t he save them...


    A terrible responsible.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    And yet, someone had to do it. Someone had to chronicle the Marvels.


    ******


    (True Highest Point on The planet)


    (Mount Everest)


    (Shrine of Tyr, the god of Fairness.)


    The blizzard raged around the mountaintop, swirling white gusts of snow and biting winds buffeting the lone structure around.


    A simple shrine constructed like a Doric temple, consisting of four gray columns with no bases. The columns jutted straight up towards the sky.


    Trays of burning flames were placed atop each column, the fire within the trays burning evenly, powered by Tyr''s unwavering flames of justice.


    The Shrine had been built by a previous Sorcerer Supreme after Tyr, Thor and the Warriors four had helped the Sorcerer Supreme to defeat a rogue necromancer.


    At the center of this shrine was a lone woman.


    She was meditating, remaining unmoved despite the intense winds that made it past the columns to buffet her body.


    Cloaked in ancient yellow robes that ruffled in the open air, her form remained stable in stubborn defiance.


    Her breaths were steady and her face calm.


    But soon her meditation was broken by the appearance of something treading through the snow. Barely audible steps grew more and more apparent as the stench of sulphur and brimstone reached her nostrils, permeating the surroundings.


    She opened her eyes, revealing a cool gaze.


    The creature that approached her was a nightmarish sight¡ªa wolf with twisted, obsidian horns protruding from its skull, its fur aflame with hellish fires that danced and crackled like the Ghost Rider''s inferno.


    As the wolf drew closer, it seemed as though the very snow beneath its feet withered and blackened.


    It stopped before the shrine''s boundaries. Then stepped through easily, moving forward unhurriedly.


    The Ancient One gave no indication of what she was thinking.


    She simply regarded the wolf, her gaze unchanging.


    "I''ve been waiting for you, Mephisto,"


    She said, her voice carrying the Wisdom of centuries.


    "Though did you have to put this poor creature through such misery?"


    The Ancient One shook her head, feeling pity for the possessed Wolf.


    The wolf huffed, pushing breath out of it''s nostrils before sitting on its haunches, its half flesh/ half skeletal burning maw opening into an eerie, chilling laughter.


    "Desperate times call for desperate measures, Sorcerer,"


    Mephisto replied, his voice a haunting resonance in the dreary landscape.


    The wolf licked it''s teeth, revealing them to be long blackened and dripping with an inky substance.


    Some of it fell to the floor, causing the stone below the two of them to hiss as the saliva ate through it.


    A hole the size of golf ball was left behind.


    The Ancient one narrowed her eyes at the blatant disrespect. Yet she said nothing.


    The Wolf rubbed it''s ears, almost playfully.


    "It''s why you''re ready to have an amiable conversation with me, when if it were another time, you would attack me without a second thought."


    The Ancient One said nothing except for the slight tightening of her lips. The tense mood intensified as The Wolf grinned, taunting her.


    "I know why you are here,"


    The AO stated, her expression unreadable.


    "And my answer is yes."


    This unexpected response surprised Mephisto, breaking the tense moment from before.


    The wolf tilted it''s head.


    "Why? Why agree to a proposal you are yet to hear¡ªoh."


    Realization dawned on him as he noticed the Time Stone hanging from her neck.


    "Unless you''ve already heard it. In fact, you know how this conversation is going to go already, don''t you?"


    The Hell-Lord guessed with another chuckle


    "Billy Batson''s soul for the Ring of Solomon," the Ancient One affirmed, further convincing him that she had used the Time stone to see how their meeting would go.


    How else did she know about the boy or the ring of Solomon?


    Still, this made things easier.


    "I''m listening."


    Mephisto said, interested.


    "I will help you extract the ring of Solomon from his soul, then you shall do everything in your power to bring him back to the Surface World, I believe you know what I''m taking about?"


    Mephisto grinned...Weapon S. A program designed to create a mutant x demon supersoldier. One of his pet projects on Earth. Of course he wasn''t going to admit it.


    "I have no idea what you''re talking about."


    The Ancient One took it in stride.


    "Regardless, his fate is not to remain in your realm."


    The Ancient One replied.


    Now, Mephisto was no fool. You don''t get to where he was and maintain that position simply by luck or power.


    It also took trickery and deception. He was a demon after all. So he knew when someone was trying to finesse him.


    That said, he had finally met a worthy opponent. The Ancient One gave no clue onto what was she thinking. And it was annoying him that he couldn''t get a read on her.


    Thus, he remained skeptical of her intentions.


    "I don''t know what you''re playing at, but I have a question. Why let it reach this point? Surely with the Time Stone, you foresaw the destruction of the world. Why did you not stop it?"


    The Ancient One offered no immediate answer, her eyes reflecting the storm that raged within her thoughts.


    Her reason for living this long was not only to hand over the job to Stephen Strange. There was another one.


    A secret she had carried for a long time.


    The end of the world had been an absolute point in time, an event that couldn''t be stopped but could be corrected, and the only way it could be corrected was if Billy Batson met his end and then came back to life.


    However, she chose not to disclose this to Mephisto. Instead, she remained silent, her gaze fixated upon him.


    "Fine. Keep your secrets."


    Mephisto growled, waving it off.


    "So instead I''ll give you a warning. I am not someone to be crossed lightly, Ancient One."


    His presence spread out...a cloying aura of demonic influence.


    And in a display of unmatched power he made the whole Earth stand still as time slowed to a sudden stop.


    The time stone hanging off the Ancient One''s neck begun to pulse with emerald light.


    The wolf then stood up to it''s feet, straightening to it''s full height.


    Then without saying anything, it walked out of the shrine, only stopping outside the boundary when it''s feet were on the snow.


    The Wolf looked back, finding the ancient one''s black eyes staring into its own.


    "I hope for your sake, you will keep your end of the bargain. You might have nothing else to give but you can still forfeit your soul."


    Mephisto told her.


    The demonic wolf then turned around and begun to walk away, disappearing into the snowy landscape just like it had appeared.


    Time resumed. The air howled as sharp and fast winds slapped upon the rocky sides of the mountains.


    The crackling from the flames above the shrine flickered beautifully in the waning light. The sun''s light was just now getting obscured by the heavy dust clouds in the atmosphere.


    The Ancient One looked on until Mephisto was gone before she returned to her meditation.

 The World After part 2.

    (General P.O.V)


    He turned his eyes from the happenings of the wounded planet.


    After all, Uatu''s purview included much more. His gaze was powerful enough to see a microscopic worm galaxies away.


    There were few that could match this achievement. Let alone process all the information his eyes captured.


    One of those few, turned out to be a friend of sorts to him. Heimdall the shining god, watchman of Asgard.


    His sight was truly remarkable. Not at Uatu''s level but even fewer were. But even with his sight,


    "Little can stand in the way of the Destroyer of worlds."


    Uatu spoke to himself. This being the first time in centuries.


    And that was because he was moved. Moved by the direness. For if hope had once lied with the Earth''s mightiest heroes, that hope was dead now.


    Galactus was on his way to Asgard. And nothing would be left in his wake.


    (Asgard)


    Inside the grand throne room of the realm of Asgard, tension hung heavy in the air.


    Odin, the All-father was strapping on his resplendent golden armor, being assisted by his wife, Frigga.


    The impending crisis demanded nothin less than his full attention.


    "Announcing the arrival of Thor Odinson."


    An attendant said as the double doors to the throne room swung open.


    Thor, the God of Thunder walked into the chamber, followed behind by the Avengers. The Crown prince'' expression was a mix of concern and anticipation.


    "Father, mother, what is going on?"


    He questioned, his voice carrying the weight of the coming doom.


    Frigga exchanged a knowing look with her husband before she spoke, her voice grim and serious.


    "Galactus is coming for Asgard, and your father is preparing to confront this cosmic threat."


    Thor''s brow furrowed, worry etching deep lines into his face.


    "Galactus? This is dire news indeed."


    He looked down.


    "First Midgard and now this..."


    Tony patted his shoulder.


    "Don''t worry Goldilocks. This isn''t the first time we''ve found ourselves on the backfoot."


    Thor shrugged off his hold.


    "Your confidence is admirable my friend but Galactus is a cosmic Threat. Perhaps only my father can face him. Whether he would survive or not..."


    He left the words hung. Odin who would normally have been quick to reprimand anyone for doubting his strength, stayed silent.


    Tony looked from Thor to the All father.


    "Then we''ll help you. With the Avengers and Asgard''s full might we can-"


    However, before Tony could continue, Odin''s voice thundered through the chamber, his anger palpable.


    "You dare offer your aid, Stark!? It is because of your actions that Galactus has set his sights on Asgard!"


    The outburst surprised everyone present.


    Tony was stunned, opening and closing his mouth, without uttering a word.


    Odin continued,


    "Your abominable creation tracked the Bifrost'' energy signature then released our coordinates into space. You led us to this perilous moment. You and your stupidity boy!"


    "What''s he talking about Tony?"


    Captain America asked from beside him, turning him around to face the team.


    There hadn''t been time to explain before. Heimdall had insisted they answer the summons of the All- father immediately. No one kept Odin waiting.


    But now, Cap found himself feeling impatient. He knew better than anyone what Tony''s mind was capable of. He was one of the greatest heroes, but he could very well be the worst of villains.


    His prodigious mind blurred the line at times.


    "I might have left out a few details about what happened."


    Tony sighed, looking away.


    "Banner and I were working on a project. A global defense effort, controlled by an AI that would respond to threats before lives are lost and properties destroyed."


    "And?"


    Widow chimed in.


    Tony ran a palm down his face.


    "We thought if we used the scepter to upgrade the AI, it would gain true sentience, hence avoid the inherent limitations of a virtual intelligence."


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Oh...so you created Skynet and it destroyed the world. Way to go Tony." Falcon spoke up bemused..


    Tony looked away in shame.


    "Before Heimdall pulled us to Asgard, I detected worrying readings. Radiation levels were spiking across the planet, Earth-quakes, tremors. It was a red alert but on a global scale. Ultron somehow found a way to launch nuclear missiles. The world is...gone."


    "What...?"


    Cap took an unsteady step backwards.


    "All those people...Banner."


    He muttered, the Hulk hadn''t been teleported with them.


    Him and the Hulk could very well be dead. Or worse.


    Hawkeye jumped towards Tony, grabbing him by his T-shirt.


    "You bastard! How irresponsible can you get!? You just couldn''t let it go! Huh?! You''re the one who said we couldn''t trust Shield with anything we found at the Hydra base and you go off and do this?!"


    He demanded.


    "What the fuck is wrong with you!"


    "Cliff that''s enough."


    Widow came in between the two, pushing Barton back.


    "I messed up. Big time."


    Tony admitted.


    "But think about it! Had it worked, we would have saved hundreds of thousands to millions."


    He looked around.


    "How many lives are lost around the world before we arrive to rescue people? This wasn''t an act of selfishness."


    "No, it was an act of Foolishness."


    Odin cut in, his words biting like the coldest of winds.


    "Just because you can do something. Does not mean you should. You failed. And now you have to live with that failure. No amount of justification can clear that stain."


    Tony sucked in a breath.


    The All-father regarded him with apathy.


    "Your hubris and ego condemn you to a lifetime seeking redemption that you will never have. Not all things can be forgiven boy."


    Frustration welled up within Tony. He had heard enough!


    He snapped and retorted, his words sharp and full of guilt.


    "Don''t talk to me about redemption! Where have you been all these years! Your son, Loki started all this! I wouldn''t need to go to such extremes, take such risks if you had taken responsibility and stopped him before he ushered in something Earth was not ready for!"


    Stark looked at his teammates.


    "I fight the only way I know how. Not to Avenge, but to create something that can make lives better and safer. Ultron was supposed to be that Ideal."


    "But you failed."


    Odin sneered at Tony''s arrogance, his voice dripping with centuries of wisdom.


    "I have witnessed the folly of many geniuses whose arrogance led to their downfall, Stark. You are no different."


    The All-father descended the steps leading to the throne, his one eye glaring at Tony.


    "Your planet met its end at your own hands because you believe yourself it''s Saviour. You are not Asgard''s Savior. You will stay out of this battle, lest my home meets the same fate yours did."


    He concluded, hovering over Tony with his impressive weight. To his benefit, the Genius did not back down.


    "I know I can''t keep you from validating your self importance and joining the fight. So I''ll give you a task. You will be the reserves. If I fall, then Asgard might after all need the services of Earth''s mightiest heroes."


    Odin mocked a little before turning around.


    "Now leave, I have a strategy to discuss with my Generals."


    At that instant, the doors to the throne room opened and in walked the Warriors three.


    It was clearly a dismissal.


    "Thank you for the audience, your majesty."


    Captain America bowed his head at Odin.


    "It was necessary Captain. Carry on."


    Odin waved them away.


    "Come on. Let''s regroup."


    Cap told his team.


    As the Avengers left the throne room, Tony lingered staring at Odin''s back.


    "You remind me of my father."


    "Ah Howard Stark. A great man."


    Odin muttered in reminisce.


    "Yeah. To many. But not to me."


    Tony responded. Then he turned around and walked to the exit.


    Once outside, Falcon sucked in a breath.


    "As far as first impressions go, it could be worse.


    "Really, Sam. Worse than that?"


    Tony asked, catching up to them.


    "You owe me an explanation."


    Hawkeye walked forward, jabbing a finger at Stark.


    "I owe all of you."


    Tony said in remorse.


    "But right now Asgard needs us. It needs the Avengers."


    "I agree."


    Cap pitched in.


    All eyes turned to Thor.


    The god of Thunder raised his hands.


    "My friends, my father''s wisdom and strength has tided us through worse storms. We must respect his wishes."


    "But you also think that this threat is very bad."


    Widow guessed with a smile.


    Thor sighed, smiling while touching his hammer.


    "What can I say, I am my Father''s son."


    "Good."


    Tony said, his conscience weighing heavy, he knew they couldn''t stand idly by. "Thor, I''ll need a lab and plenty of metal. If Asgard falls, there may be no Earth left for us to return to."


    Thor''s eyes gleamed with determination as he replied, "I have just the thing, Stark. Let us forge weapons worthy of legends."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    How would I sum up my interaction with Hercules so far?


    Lethal.


    Suicidal.


    Injurious.


    Harmful. Very very harmful.


    It''s official.


    I''m going to die here.


    Yeah, yeah...I know I''m already dead. Kinda.


    But Hercules was determined to kill me again. Case in point,


    I yelled in panic as I ran out of the cave holding a massive egg over my head. Hercules ran next to me, carrying two under his arms.


    And the bastard was laughing in glee.


    Behind us was a pissed off Mama Wyvern hot on our heels with the force of a 12 wheeler and the rage of the hulk.


    She was NOT laughing.


    "This is crazy! Why did we have to steal these eggs when she was around?! We could have gone in when she was asleep or out of her den!"


    I yelled accusingly. Why did we even need to steal them at all!??!


    "Those are the words of a coward! Are you a coward little man?!"


    Hercules shot back from my side. Then before I could answer, he cheekily added,


    "If so, you deserve to be eaten. Bye."


    And with that, he increased his speed, shooting out of the mouth of the cave faster than a speeding bullet. His form got smaller and smaller, before he disappeared off into the horizon.


    Did he...just leave me?


    I chanced a look behind me, meeting the stormy gray eyes of the Wyvern. The only reason I wasn''t dead yet was the narrow passage way through the cave.


    Then she opened her mouth.


    Oh no.


    I pumped my feet faster, still trying to call on to my Psionic energy and failing at every turn.


    I stepped on broken bones and shattered skulls, praying that the terrain would trip me. Luckily, my soul body in here wasn''t as weak as my real body. So I was making a descent effort to not get turned into Wyvern poop.


    Whoosh!! That''s when the damn thing activated a special skill.


    There was an impact from my back. A huge funnel of air that smacked onto my body, throwing me out of the cave and setting me in a free fall.


    "I''m so lucky that wasn''t dragon breath!!"


    I yelled in relief, only for my face to change as I remembered my situation hadn''t gotten better. Infact, it was the opposite.


    I looked below me, entranced by the view before gravity could take hold of me.


    The entire mountain range spread out wide, the rocky terrain giving way to a deep jungle with all kinds of dangerous animals and creatures.


    Trust me, from the few days I''d already been here, I''d seen all manners of mythological beasts. From nasty kobolds, and giant marsh worms, to Stymphalian birds and a family of Cyclops.


    Not to mention, the Manticore that explored the outer regions of the jungle. I didn''t even know what laid at the center.


    It went on for millions of miles before reaching the calm fields where I''d woken up at.


    Finally, Gravity caught up to me with a vengeance. I dropped.


    The Wyvern egg in my arms added to my weight, causing my descent to pick up even more speed.


    I held onto the egg for dear life as I begun to fall towards the ground.


    Fuck...


    Fuck fuck fuck.


    "Hercules!! Hercules!!?? Herc- cough!!"


    I swallowed a bunch of insects while calling out for help.


    The one I was calling for failed to answer. And the ground was growing ever closer, my trajectory aiming me for a landing at the foot of a massive waterfall.


    Oh shit, I was going to splatter on those rocks and DIE! AGAIN!


    ''If only I had my Trident with me-''


    No sooner had the thought formulated in my mind, when a familiar weight appeared in my right hand.


    Neptune''s Trident! How! You know what? It doesn''t matter!


    "Fuck yeah!"


    I wasted no time, twirling the weapon and summoning forth a massive Tsunami of water from the waterfall to arrest my momentum and break my fall.

 The World After part 3: Hercules.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    My body smoothly sank through the massive water pillar. The water enclosed around the egg and I, before twisting under my command.


    Then the malleable liquid construct bent, depositing me and the egg onto the banks of the river gently. My breath came out in harsh bursts.


    But I was alive.


    I started giggling, looking at the Trident before I turned back to face the mountain. Only to come face to face with a row of sharp teeth about to rip my body in two.


    Time seemed to stop. The Wyvern had dove down after me, it''s eyes crazed with rage. I hadn''t noticed it and now it was too late to defend myself. I blinked.


    Bam!


    Something fast slammed onto the Wyvern''s side. The close relative to dragons was unceremoniously thrown away, crashing through the trunks of a few trees and causing a massive cloud of dust to rise up.


    It tried to get up, shaking it''s head but the hit seemed to have been too much to handle. It fell over and passed out, causing the whole area to tremble at the action.


    At the Wyvern''s previous position, Hercules stood, wiping his hands at a job well done.


    "She''ll be down for a few few hours but by then, we''ll be far gone."


    He declared with a small smile on his face.


    "That was fun, don''t you agree?"


    He gave me a thumbs up.


    "Dude, you just flicked that thing away like it was nothing."


    I told him, a little surprised at how casually he''d made it seem. How much strength did he actually have?


    And was there even a limit?


    "You don''t play with the...finger of doom."


    He raised up said digit in a dramatic fashion.


    "This baby right here has spelled doom for many."


    "Finger of...doom?"


    I muttered, a little thrown off by the naming and also exhausted by how close I had come to finding out if ghosts could die.


    "Speaking of which, that''s one."


    Hercules declared, fully turning around to face me.


    I scrunched up my brows in question.


    "One what?"


    Hercules grabbed me by the shoulder and lifted me off the ground, making me feel even more useless.


    No, I wasn''t useless. I tightened my fingers around the Trident. With this, I was going to survive. Survive and thrive. Even without my Psionic abilities.


    He held up his finger once more.


    "One of only three times I will intervene if your life is in danger."


    His tone had lost the playful nature I''d associated with him.


    "It''s a divine promise. No matter what, where or when, call on me and I''ll save you. Use the two chances left wisely."


    He slapped my back, walking past me.


    "Now grab that egg and let''s head for camp. I wanna make some omelette! I''m starving."


    "Wait!"


    I called out, gulping.


    "I''m not going anywhere until you answer a few questions."


    I had had enough. The past few days I had spent with Hercules had been exciting, terrifying and most of all, exhausting.


    I looked up with a sigh.


    "We''ve been attacked by dire-wolves, a colony of dog sized ants and now a Wyvern. You''ve dodged all my questions about where we actually are or what happened to the world when I died."


    Another sigh escaped me.


    "Or even if I''ll ever go back..."


    My time in the Marvel world hadn''t been the safest. But it had been the most fulfilling.


    My mundane life back on my normal world had left me feeling empty. As if I''d been meant for more but had fell short of achieving that destiny.


    Dying and getting transmigrated to Marvel had been the new beginning I''d been craving. I had landed a sweet deal, power and the chance to interact with my favorite characters.


    There was no way I was going to let it end like this.


    Hercules chuckled.


    "You think threatening to stay here will force me to answer your questions. How naive."


    "No."


    I shook my head with a self-satisfied smile. Because I knew his game.


    "It was never meant as a threat."


    I turned around so that we were now face to face. Hercules looked down at me, one eyebrow raised in question.


    I pointed the Trident straight at his heart.


    "You are all about power and strength. Acting weak before you won''t get me anywhere. So here it is."


    I breathed in.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "I challenge you to a one on one fight. If I win, you tell me everything I want to know. If you win, I''ll do as you say."


    Hercules blinked in surprise, not expecting such a bold move. Then his face split into a wide savage smile.


    "Not that I''m not interested in that idea, but trust me, you were already going to do as I said regardless."


    He folded his hands above his chest.


    "What do you want then?"


    I asked, my heart pumping in my chest.


    "If I Win, you have to do 12 labors of my choosing... without this fancy weapon."


    He said, tapping the prongs of the Trident.


    The trident vibrated.


    I sucked in a deep breath. 12 labors? And of his choosing.


    "Fine. But I''m changing my wager as well. If I win, you tell me everything I want to know and on top of that, I get to leave this place. The world needs me, I can''t be stuck playing ''how to survive the jungle'' with you."


    The Demigod rubbed his chin in thought.


    "I accept!"


    He declared.


    ''It''s not like you had a choice you battle-maniac. You''re incapable of passing up a fight.''


    I snidely thought to myself.


    "Of course I do!"


    He chortled, flexing his Collosal biceps.


    "I was just moved by your audacity, so I accepted. We always have a choice, young Billy."


    "Whaa?" I muttered, caught off-guard. Shit, I forgot he could do that.


    "Stop reading my mind! It''s annoying as fuck."


    I grit my teeth, taking a few steps back in preparation.


    Hercules cracked his knuckles.


    "You don''t have to be insufferable if you want a fight, Little man! If a brawl is what you seek, then a brawl is what you''ll get, Little man!"


    God. This is so needlessly dramatic.


    "I''ll show you who the little man is."


    I shot back, diving into the connection I had with the trident.


    Challenging Hercules was never part of my grand plan. I mean, who in their right mind would willingly pit themselves against a demigod with unmatched strength?


    But this was the only way to get through to the buff bastard. He respected strength. Preached it, even.


    The questions I had were too vital. My time was too vital. If there was a chance to make it right, then...I would take it.


    So there I stood, at the banks of a majestic waterfall, Neptune''s Trident in hand, in a face off with arguably the most powerful Demi-god in Greek mythology.


    The azure waters of the river roared beside us, echoing the tumultuous conflict that was about to unfold.


    Hercules straightened, towering over and looked down at me with amusement dancing in his eyes.


    "This is going to be fun."


    With a nod of acceptance, he signaled his readiness.


    "Just...bring it."


    Oh, I brought it.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, I extended my will over the water in the river near us.


    The river''s current responded, surging into a colossal, watery fist that I launched at Hercules.


    The punch struck him square in the chest, water splashed around and behind him but to my disbelief, he merely chuckled.


    His laughter booming louder than the waterfall itself.


    The brute shook his head, water spraying off his drenched long blonde hair.


    "You''ll have to do better than that!"


    he taunted, his voice carrying over the crashing water.


    Frustration gnawed at me as I clenched my teeth. He''s right. He wasn''t the predictable types that I was used to fighting. I needed to get creative.


    I stretched out my leg, shifting my balance as I used the trident to call on another wave. The torrential amount loomed over both of us.


    Hercules whistled.


    "Ok, that''s better!!"


    I swiped the Trident down. The wave launched forth into uncountable raindrops. Then I went step further.


    When I''d grabbed the trident this time, it had felt different. It had been... whispering to me. Bolstering me. And teaching me what it could do.


    My breath came out in a condensed whoosh.


    The droplets froze, shaping into sharp icicles that hurtled at lightning speeds towards Hercules.


    But he was quicker than I anticipated.


    With a mere snap of his fingers, he conjured a ripple of air that shattered the icy barrage. I shielded my eyes from the sharp shards as the pressure wave sent me flying back.


    Fuck, I knew he was powerful but...


    I stabbed the Trident onto the ground, bringing my momentum down.


    But while my instincts were screaming at me to move, my eyes were slower to see why.


    Hercules, with a manic glint in his eyes, had lunged toward me, his gargantuan palm outstretched.


    "I''ll burst your head like a watermelon inside my hand, if you don''t dodge, little man!"


    he roared.


    Panic surged through me, the trident grew warm to the touch and I was immediately filled with a small burst of energy.


    It wasn''t psionic energy. It was thicker, somehow. Psionic energy felt physically fragile; it was lighter and more fleeting.


    This new energy was different. It was more grounded in everything around. I could feel it more clearly now, this place.


    It was a simulated space, and it wasn''t created by Hercules like I''d been thinking. He''d called it a what? a soul transmission. And a few other cryptic words.


    He''d mentioned someone had been responsible for all this.


    ''And I have a pretty guess who.'' I thought to myself as a certain King-mage appeared in my mind.


    Seems like I''d retained my speed thinking, as all that had gone through my head in an instant.


    Hercules was still moving towards me.


    With a mental command, I called upon the water, and a serpentine tendril coiled around my waist, yanking me into the river''s embrace.


    I barely evaded his grasp as his massive form crashed onto the bank of the river, sending a cascade of waves and rocks in all directions.


    Meanwhile, I hit the water and sank to it''s depths.


    A suit of watery armor quickly formed around me. It was roughly as huge as the Hulk, providing protection and filtering air for my lungs.


    Just in time, too, as the water above churned with Hercules'' powerful leap into the river after me.


    Gritting my teeth, I thrust Neptune''s Trident forward, commanding the river to create a furious whirlpool around the Demigod.


    He struggled within the vortex, fighting back with relentless determination. However without traction he sank to the riverbed quickly.


    I beat my legs, the motion pushing me after him. The Trident glowed golden. I stopped in place as two huge similarly glowing eyes appeared below me.


    A new sense was opening up to me.


    In the watery depths, I felt a connection with the freshwater life swimming around.


    Fish like trouts, salmon, catfish, and crustaceans like crayfish and crabs were mine to control.


    So I chose the biggest of them all to aid me in the fight.


    A massive crab, the one whose eyes glowed responded to my call, it scuttled through the water on the floor of the river, its pincers reaching for Hercules.


    "Yes! A chance!" I muttered, using the Trident to propel myself with increased speed. The prongs aimed to pierce him through.


    Hercules snorted, tearing the crab''s arms off in one single motion and then faster than I could react, he used them to smack me away with brutal force.


    The impact sent me hurtling out of the water, into the air, my form flipping through the air.


    I crashed on the side of a mountain, ripping chunks of rock free. Before falling down on the ground near the entrance of the Wyvern''s den.


    Fortunately, my watery armor protected me, absorbing most of the force but I was still left breathless and disoriented.


    Above me, a shadow loomed, and to my horror, it was the lifeless carcass of the giant crab I had sent after Hercules.


    The bastard had killed it and hurled its remains toward me. Instinctively, I rolled away, narrowly avoiding being crushed.


    I looked at the trail the Crab made with it''s body before I turned to my front. Hercules was coming down from the sky with his forearms pulled back.


    Shit. I extended out tendril of water to an outcrop of rock and used that to pull myself away.


    Hercules caused an earthquake when his attack landed. The ground split into two as a part of the mountain was seared off.


    Through the dust, Hercules came at me once more. But this time I was ready. A tendril wound through the side and grabbed his shin.


    Then I spun and with the motion, the tendril danced around the air, pulled back and launched the God of Strength through the mountain.


    I slammed the trident''s pommel onto the ground. More water rose up at my command, it flowed through the air, wrapping around huge chunks of rocks. Then the tendrils threw them through the hole, he had created with his body.


    What was left of the mountain range disappeared. Boulders and rocks begun to fall towards me.


    Any projectile headed for me was sliced apart by blades of flexible water tendrils.


    I was breathing faster and heavier now. Controlling that much water hadn''t been


    "Lets see you break out of-"


    The whole mountain rumbled, then the ground burst apart. I formed the water behind me into giant ice wings then pushed off the collapsing ground.


    I blinked watching Hercules get up from among the shattered stones. He patted himself down. Then he looked around at the devastation in what seemed to be disbelief.


    I glided closer to the ground.


    "So, you give up now?"


    I asked, even though I knew the answer already.


    Laughter bubbled out of him.


    "You buried me in a mountain, little man! Don''t misunderstand me, that was awesome. But now it''s my turn."


    He grinned.


    "Now accept my righteous vengeance. Finger of Doom!"


    He flicked his finger my way.


    I didn''t register the impact. I didn''t feel a thing. No pain. No touch. All I know is that everything immediately went dark.

 The Gods Investment

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I opened my eyes, immediately biting back a litany of curses as my head exploded with a familiar headache.


    The same one I was used to whenever I over-exerted my psionic abilities.


    "Ow ow..."


    I muttered, cupping my head while gingerly getting off the ground I was lying on. Neptune''s Trident lay on the ground next to me.


    Every movement I made sent waves of agony through my temple. It was like someone was slamming a sledgehammer inside.


    "Hahaha, that''s what happens when you use more magic than your soul can handle."


    A voice said from my front.


    I looked up with a wince, the migraine abating enough that my mind could process who it was.


    "Oh, it''s you...my personal tormenter."


    I responded to Hercules, who answered with another boisterous laugh.


    "Personal tormenter, I like it."


    He gave me a thumbs up over the fire burning in-between us. One of the Wyvern''s egg was placed on three hearthstones, roasting over the fire.


    I swept my gaze around. It was night. We were in the temporary campsite we put up the first time we arrived here from the field of grass millions of miles away.


    He must have carrier me when I passed out. And that means...


    "I guess...I lost."


    I sighed in realization. The Trident next to my feet pulsed gently as if to console me.


    "You did."


    Hercules nodded, stroking the fire with a stick.


    "It was a good fight though. We levelled a mountain."


    He added, using the stick to point behind me.


    I turned around and sure enough, the tall mountain that had loomed huge over most of the jungle was missing its peak.


    I couldn''t help the smile that spread across my face.


    "I guess we did."


    "Here."


    Hercules said, throwing something my way. I reached out and grabbed the fruit from the air.


    "That will help you regain your depleted magical reserves."


    The fruit was shaped like an apple, and contained an immense amount of vitality.


    "Wait."


    I refocused my attention on him.


    "That''s two times you''ve mentioned magic? I have magic?"


    When did that happen? The Trident beside me pulsed gently. I placed it across my lap. Could it be responsible?


    Hercules gave a firm nod.


    "The water you were controlling was glowing. Besides that, I know what magic feels like. I might not have any, and trust me I don''t need it-"


    Looking at his muscular frame I couldn''t refute that claim.


    "-but I''ve fought many upstart and experienced magicians to know it''s scent.


    He concluded.


    "Given that you''re here, I''m guessing you won?"


    I joked.


    "Hahaha, back then, I was a menace. Many a king sent companies of mages to take me down. You should have seen their faces as I plowed through their flashy spells."


    "Then when they were beaten, instead of getting on their knees and begging me to spare their lives, they tried suicidal moves on me, soul attacks, banishing spells, curses. But nothing worked."


    He slammed his fists onto his palm, the fire reflected in his eyes adding to the intimidating aura he carried around him at all times.


    "None could endure the power of my fists."


    He declared.


    And I''d seen first hand just how much power was in those hands.


    That brought up another question,


    "How strong are you really? Even with Neptune''s Trident, I couldn''t leave a single scratch on you. Not even drowning you worked."


    "So...that''s what it''s called."


    He looked at the Trident with a neutral expression.


    "Can''t say I was ever a fan of my dear uncle, Poseidon. That said, you''re using it wrong."


    Heh, He just ignored my question. But the last part grabbed my attention.


    I curler my hand around the Trident''s shaft, twirling it in my hand before slamming the pommel onto the ground.


    The ground trembled slightly under us.


    My awareness dove into the Trident and using it''s control over water, I copied a certain water bending master from one of my favorite shows when growing up, and pulled water from the atmosphere.


    A ball of water appeared, floating above his head. Hercules looked at it before turning his focus to me.


    "A simple trick. I''ve seen him drown entire armies."


    He snorted.


    "And even that pales in the face of real power. The one you can feel in your hands. In your body and in your-"


    I dropped the sphere of water on him.


    His head, face and neck were immediately drenched, leaving him a dripping funny mess.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Laughter bubbled out of me at the bemused expression on his face.


    "Well, did you feel that?"


    I asked.


    He pursed his lips and blew away a wet strand of hair hanging over his face.


    "I wasn''t expecting that, so Kudos for catching me off guard. However..."


    He cut himself short, taking a deep breath.


    Then he flexed.


    His skin turned red and hot. Veins grew prominent across his muscular physique.


    All the water dripping from his head and soaking his lion coat evaporated into steam.


    "There is nothing you can''t train your body to do. Strength comes in many forms. But Physical Energy will always be at the beginning and at the end of that spectrum."


    He told me, leaving me utterly speechless.


    "How did you do that?"


    I couldn''t help but ask, actually getting interested in learning his Legacy. I had been more focused in what was happening in the outside world but...if I could learn to exert such control over my body...


    In response, Hercules begun laughing.


    "I don''t have to answer any of your questions, remember? You lost, I won."


    Oh yeah. That was the agreement, wasn''t it? And I couldn''t complain because I was the one who challenged him in the first place.


    "I owe you 12 labors..."


    I started.


    "But we never specified when I needed to carry them out. It could be now...or it could be in the future."


    "Tut tut, that decision lies with me, little man."


    Hercules waved his finger at me.


    "I won fair and square, so stop trying to influence the wager."


    Tch. This guy is smart. Time to change tactics.


    "How about another wager then? One I''m sure I''ll win this time."


    I replied cockily.


    Hercules'' eyes gained a glint of interest.


    "Oh really? Pass."


    He unceremoniously shut me down, throwing me a little off guard.


    "You can''t say no!"


    I got off the ground.


    "I need to get out of here! If I can''t do so on my own, then at least give me a chance to win your assistance in doing so!"


    "Why do you want to leave so badly?"


    He enquired. Even sitting he was taller than me.


    "I-"


    A sigh escaped me.


    That question was a simple one. While I knew it was illogical to blame myself for what had happened, I couldn''t sit idly by and do nothing if there was a chance I could help out.


    I don''t know what I can do with the world destroyed though.


    So I told him everything that had happened. About my unique ability that could show me the probability of something happening. About how that same ability had informed me of the end of the world.


    And then one responsible.


    Ultron was out there. And the longer he was allowed to roam free...the tougher he was going to be to beat.


    "I see."


    Hercules finally responded after my answer.


    "Well, I have some bad news. Even if you were to leave this place, you would still be stuck in hell."


    Yeah, he had mentioned something about that. My soul...my soul was in the hands of Mephisto.


    "Oh...so there''s really nothing I can do?"


    I questioned, mostly to myself.


    "Nope. There''s nothing YOU can do."


    Hercules told me with a strange smile.


    I frowned.


    "What does that mean?"


    Instead of answering he stood up to his full height.


    "Before that Billy, do you know what being a Champion of the Gods means?"


    He called me Billy, not little man.


    I shook my head.


    "It means...we always protect our investment." He placed a hand on my shoulder.


    "Be patient and get stronger. Leave everything else to those who have your back."


    (General P.O.V)


    Baron Mordo watched with a mix of apprehension and frustration as the Ancient One, his mentor and fellow sorcerer, prepared to do something he could only describe as suicidal.


    They stood in the ashes of the New York sanctum, before a pulsating pentagram, its arcane energies casting eerie shadows across their faces.


    The air was thick with soot and radiation poisoning. The spells woven on their robes protected them from the spells, but they couldn''t stay out here for too long.


    Mordo decided to try to dissuade her one final time.


    "Are you truly determined to go through with this, master?"


    He implored, concern etched on his features.


    "You risk not only your life but the Time Stone itself. Our order has already suffered great losses, and if the Sorcerer Supreme were to fall..."


    He trailed off.


    The Ancient One, her countenance resolute, interrupted him,


    "Some things are unavoidable, Mordo. If it means the recovery and safety of our planet, then even venturing into Hell is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Do your part of the plan, as discussed."


    Mordo reluctantly nodded, his thoughts going to their part of the plan.


    Just as he was about to speak up once more, the pulsating pentagram flared up with a burst of malevolent power, accompanied by the pungent stench of sulfur and brimstone.


    A gray skinned demon, wearing a loin cloth and holding a massive black sword, materialized before them at the middle of the Pentagram.


    The demon who was subservient to Mephisto, sent the sorcerers behind Mordo and the Ancient One into a defensive stance.


    The demon''s wicked smile sent shivers down their spines as it waved its hand toward the portal behind it.


    "His Evilness awaits ya,"


    It sneered.


    A dark red swirling portal appeared beside it.


    The Ancient One steeled herself and, without hesitation, stepped into the portal.


    Mordo locked eyes with the demon and issued a chilling warning,


    "Heed my words, demon. Though it is in you and your Infernal master''s nature to wreak havoc, harm her, and you shall regret it."


    The demon scoffed and followed the Ancient One into the portal. The pentagram flared one final time before it stopped glowing.


    Mordo, left standing on the outside, smiled.


    "The warning was more for their benefit."


    Then he turned around to the others.


    "Okay, listen up. We have our orders, find the Weapon H facility and secure the target. I anticipate it will be heavily guarded. But this what we live and die for. This is our purpose. Move out."


    Several portals were created. Then the over dozen sorcerers jumped through them.


    ******


    Inside Hell, the portal opened up at the end a nightmarish hallway.


    Tormented souls writhed in ceaseless agony to her sides, hellfire burning causing endless pain to the unlucky residents of Hell.


    Their cries echoed through the infernal abyss.


    The Ancient One moved through with a calm expression on her face. She knew what this was, a mind game.


    The demon accompanying attempted to taunt her, but she remained quiet, her steps measured, her focus unwavering.


    Finally it gave up and they arrived in a grand throne room, where Mephisto lounged like a king, attended to by none other than Marilyn Monroe, who fed him grapes.


    "Ancient One, welcome to my home. Is it to your liking?"


    Mephisto greeted with a sinister grin.


    "Mephisto."


    The Sorcerer Supreme gave a simple nod to the Hell Lord.


    "That''s enough. Can''t you see I''m about to conduct business?"


    He waved the blonde woman with glazed eyes, away.


    "I apologize master."


    Marilyn muttered, backing away with a bow. Mephisto''s tail snaked out and tripped her feet.


    Marilyn fell onto the ground, causing the plate of grapes to fall onto the ground. Mephisto glared down at her.


    The former actress'' eyes widened in fear. She porstrated herself on the ground.


    "Forgive me Master! Please don''t send me to-"


    "Take her to the pit."


    He cut off her pleas with a sadistic smirk.


    The Demon next to the Ancient One walked forward with a similarly nasty smile.


    "This is gonna be fun."


    "No! Please! I can serve you better! I will do better!"


    Marilyn cried out in despair as she was dragged away.


    The Ancient One tightened her hands underneath the long sleeves of her robes.


    "What a clumsy girl."


    Mephisto snickered, turning his attention back to her as he grabbed the wine glass on the arm rest of his throne.


    "Can you believe her manager bartered away her soul? All because she didn''t read the contract. Turns out there was a little clause slipped in, and now she serves me in Hell."


    He chuckled.


    "You humans are quick to blame the devil for your problems. However, Hell has already migrated to Hollywood, with Las Vegas as a demon vacation spot."


    The Ancient One breathed out,


    "Cease with the mind games Mephisto. They won''t work on me. What you''re doing is wasting my time. As you said before, we have business to conduct. And as agreed, I''ve come to fulfill my end of the bargain."


    She told him.


    Mephisto nodded, rising off his throne.


    "Can I atleast offer you refreshments before we begin?


    The Ancient One declined with a firm,


    "No."


    "A pity," Mephisto sighed,


    "The grapes that made this wine were grown from the Garden of Eden itself. The holy energy contained within is quite a treat for someone like me."


    The Ancient One said nothing.


    Mephisto finally nodded, understanding she wasn''t going to take him up on the offer.


    With a wave of his hand, the surroundings shifted dramatically.


    The Ancient One found herself at the base of a foreboding staircase.


    The staircase led to a small concrete island in the midst of a chamber dripping with dark blood from the walls. The blood flowed into a black pool surrounding the island.


    Inscriptions in the devil''s language adorned the walls, and she recognized the black pool as a repository of curses meant to assail any who dared set foot upon the island.


    Undeterred, she ascended the staircase and found Mephisto waiting for her at the top, resplendent in his crimson attire.


    On a pedestal beside him rested a radiant, rainbow-like sphere of energy, encased within a matrix of red energy.


    "Please, Ancient One, do not be alarmed by the heavy security," Mephisto purred, his voice dripping with honeyed malice.


    "Some of my... brethren have no respect for other''s property. These curses have the power to instill untold horrors, even in a god."


    He stared at the soul with greed.


    "I cant let this...treasure fall in anyone else''s hands. Shall we commence with the extraction?"

 Steps to Saving the World.

    (General P.O.V)


    A few weeks had passed.


    The sun shone like it usually did. But this morning, like the last few mornings since the world''s end, was subdued and quiet.


    Uatu still sat on his rocky perch on the edge of a moon canyon, having not said another word since his last statement a fortnight ago.


    All he did was watch.


    The fires around the world had died down now. All that was left was smoldering bits of the once-thriving cities of the world.


    Most things were dead. Those that clung to life in this wasteland did so stubbornly.


    For the first time in thousands of years, the world was silent.


    No birds chirped on tree branches, no animals called out in deep jungles, no cars roared down stretches of tarmac, nor impossibly long traffic jams blocking the highways.


    For all intents and purposes, this was a dead world.


    And then with deadly intent, huge collosal robots left a certain secret Kingdom in Africa.


    They rose up with their forms humming with the Vibranium infused into them.


    As one, they begun to spread across the world. Their purpose? To destroy what little life remained.


    This was a purge and Ultron would not do it half baked.


    *******


    Fury''s eye patch concealed his weary gaze as he stared at the holographic projection of General Ross, the highest-ranking government official still active.


    Ross was surrounded by a few officials and soldiers, some of them out of frame to give the general some privacy as he talked to the only man they all knew had to have a plan.


    The general interlocked his fingers together, lines of worry and exhaustion evident on his aged face.


    "Nick, we need answers," General Ross implored, his voice tinged with desperation.


    "Are the Chinese or the Russians responsible for this catastrophe?"


    Fury''s response was solemn but resolute, "No, General, it''s not a foreign power. I''ve been monitoring global readings on the fallout of the nuclear disaster. It''s more complex than a simple act of war."


    Fury''s fingers flew over the keyboard as he pulled up some of the reports sent over from S.H.I.E.L.D. specialists stationed on the Helicarrier. The information contained therein would send shockwaves through the room on the other side of the massive display.


    "The launch of the first volley of missiles," Fury began, his voice heavy, "originated from Stark Industries, just moments before New York was obliterated."


    General Ross''s brows furrowed in anger as he stood up suddenly, hands slamming onto the ebony desk he was sitting behind.


    "Stark Industries? Tony Stark was a genius, but this... it''s unthinkable."


    Fury nodded, his expression grim.


    "I agree. I theorize there''s more to this than meets the eye. I know Stark, he''s careless, irresponsible but he means- meant well. He wouldn''t leave the earth as a smoking piece of crap if he could help it. This isn''t his legacy. His own pride wouldn''t allow him to do so."


    "If you think so."


    Ross responded, not really buying it.


    "Keep searching Nick. I expect a report every ten hours from you."


    The General ordered, sitting back down, before continuing,


    "I also expect that the SHIELD personnel on the Helicarrier will cooperate with what little forces we have left to get the world back on it''s feet. You have resources that could prove crucial."


    Fury''s lips thinned.


    "Naturally I will agree to those requests."


    Ross narrowed his eyes at the spy''s wording of his statement.


    "But remember, I may be on your frequency, General, but I don''t take orders from anyone."


    Fury told him firmly.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Tension hung heavy in the air as the two strong-willed men faced off, their commitment to their respective missions unwavering.


    Eventually, Ross relented.


    "Fine, Fury, you have your autonomy. Just get us the answers we need."


    Before they could proceed further, another call pierced the silence of the base. Fury looked at the caller I.D.


    "I have to take this."


    He told the general before promptly ending their call.


    He pressed on receive and his second in command''s face appeared on the screen, her expression tense with worry.


    There was the sounds of battle and explosions happening around her, though he couldn''t see what they were shooting at.


    A red and blue blur (spiderman) swung through the chamber behind Hill, jumping at something outside of the frame. (peter had survived the destruction of the world due to conveniently being on the Helli-carrier when things had gone to shit.)


    The boy though, was inconsolable due to losing his loved ones.


    "Nick, we''re under attack on the Helicarrier. We need immediate backup."


    Maria Hill said, her voice fraught with urgency.


    Attacked?


    By who?


    Fury leaned closer to the communication console, his good eye narrowing.


    "Hill, what''s attacking you? Give me details."


    Before Hill could respond, the camera was suddenly yanked away from her, falling and tilting on it''s side.


    Hill''s feet could be seen as she readily stood, firing off shot after shot at something.


    "Hill! Maria! Who''s attacking you?!"


    Fury roared to no avail. She couldn''t hear him.


    Then there was a sudden scream as something big landed on Hill, crushing her underfoot. Fury''s mouth gaped open.


    The transmission abruptly cut off, leaving him in disbelief, with a gnawing sense of dread.


    He tightened his fingers, his nails almost digging into his rough palms and piercing the skin.


    They were gone.


    She was gone.


    His heart grew hard. There was work to do. Mourning could come later.


    From the fleeting glimpse he''d caught on the Helicarrier''s video feed, whatever was attacking them had seemed very similar to something he recognized.


    Fury''s fingers danced across the console as he pulled up some research papers locked behind the highest level of security known to man.


    He covered his mouth with his hand, a thin layer of sweat covering his forehead. It was like he''d suspected. And it was bad.


    Whatever he had seen...those were Sentinels. Created by the Scientist, Bolivar Trask with the sole aim of Killing off the mutant population


    The world was teetering on the edge of total collapse and this new situation might prove to be the final blow to humanity as a species.


    Fury knew that desperate times called for desperate measures.


    He was all alone now. The Sentinels would be going for whatever pockets of humanity remained. He couldn''t expect, nor was he going to wait for help from anyone.


    With the Avengers unaccounted for and Captain Marvel unresponsive to his pleas, no matter how many times he paged, he had one last option.


    He strode purposefully to the deepest part of the chamber, the lights overhead turning on. A panel at the very end of the chamber slid open at his approach, revealing a pedestal.


    In his hand, he held a ring with the emblem of the Fantastic Four. Placing it on the pedestal, the base''s computer system responded with a soft, robotic voice.


    "Recording detected."


    "Play it," Fury commanded.


    There was a flicker on the Pedestal, followed by the holographic image of Reed Richards materializing above it.


    "Nick, the device you''re about to activate is immensely powerful. It can breach space and time to call for help in the worst of circumstances."


    Without wasting time, Mr. Fantastic begun to speak, his words carrying a weight that matched the gravity of their situation.


    "I''ve done my calculations and by the time of this recording, we should be 4 years and 5 months from the possible end of the world."


    Reeds eyes bored into Fury''s single one as he gave one last warning.


    "This device is my last ditch effort to ensure that it all works out. However, it carries the risk of someone other than the one intended answering the plea. You need to be responsible and only use it in the direst of times."


    "Does the end of the world count?"


    Fury muttered to himself as the recording reached its end.


    "Good luck Nicholas. You''re going to need it."


    Reed stated then the recording ended.


    The Pedestal hissed as it separated into sections, revealing something hidden inside it.


    A small device that fit on Fury''s palm innocently.


    He studied the small circular gadget, turning it over in his hand. It seemed deceptively simple, a red button with a single word, "HELP" written on it.


    Fury knew that he was about to make a choice that could reshape the fate of the world.


    Whether for better or worse, though, anything was acceptable than the current circumstances.


    With a firm resolve, he pressed the button.


    (An Unknown Time and Place in the Multiverse)


    Franklin Richards stood amidst the smoldering wreckage of Sentinels, their metallic corpses now nothing more than twisted heaps of scrap metal.


    All around him, time seemed to rewind as the destroyed buildings caught up in the middle of his fight, begun to recover.


    All at his urging. All within his control.


    The son of Reed Richards and Susan storm had grown up to become a force of nature.


    His mutant powers had grown immensely over the years, and it was days like these that he truly grasped the extent of his abilities.


    He took a few confident strides toward the last remaining Sentinel, the one that was now going haywire upon scanning him.


    "Beyond Omega Level mutant detected. Possibility of Survival at 0.00007%. Countermeasure, self-destruct--"


    The machine''s mechanical voice echoed through the debris, Franklin couldn''t help but roll his eyes.


    Before the Sentinel could complete its self-destruct sequence, Franklin snapped his fingers, and the metallic monstrosity was instantly transmuted into a chunk of silicate.


    He smirked and muttered to himself,


    "Yeah, we''re having none of that."


    A familiar voice interrupted his moment of triumph, but it wasn''t coming from any source in the physical world. It resonated within his mind, unmistakably his sister Valeria.


    "Are you done showing off, you big oaf?" Valeria''s voice carried a mix of irritation and amusement.


    Franklin couldn''t help but grin. "Is that jealousy I detect, little sister?"


    "You wish," Valeria snorted in reply.


    Franklin chuckled inwardly as he continued to survey the aftermath of the battle. "It''s understandable. I just single-handedly saved New York from these robot things, after all. Speaking of, have you figured out where they came from?"


    Before Valeria could respond, a sudden disturbance in the air caught Franklin''s attention.


    A swirling portal materialized behind him, its energy humming with an ominous aura.


    Without warning, he felt an invisible force pulling him toward the portal, and before he could react, he was engulfed by its otherworldly embrace.


    As the portal closed behind him, Franklin''s mind raced with questions. What had just happened? Where had he been taken? And most importantly, was Valeria safe on the other side?

 Collecting A Receipt.

    (General P.O.V)


    Asgard.


    A floating golden heaven atop the World Tree. It shone the brightest out of all 9 realms.


    Pulsing with magic that permeated the entire dimension, the realm of the gods was as wondrous as anyone would expect. It was a hub of advanced technology and Mystical might.


    Home to the Aesir. A race of powerful warriors and sorcerers worshipped as Gods. Amongst them was the All-father, arguably the strongest being alive across the nine realms.


    Similarly,


    The might of Asgard was nothing to scoff at. They had conquered the nine realms before, after all.


    However, on this day, the future of Asgard seemed...uncertain.


    Files upon files of Asgardian Soldiers stood in neat ranks ready to protect their home to their dying breath.


    Wearing gleaming golden Uru armor and holding onto sharp lances, each soldier managed to come off as intimidating as possible.


    They stood before the rainbow bridge, focus turned onto the void beyond the bifrost.


    A few years ago, Loki had fallen off the bridge and lost in the universe. The void was a section of space filled with chaotic energy and erratic phenomenon.


    If an enemy of Asgard were to try to access it, chances were likely they would come from beyond the Rainbow bridge.


    A soldier, part of the reserve forces, was patrolling the castle walls when he noticed something strange. A light shining from the far off distance, growing bigger each second.


    "Huh, what''s that?"


    He narrowed his eyes, using his palm to shield his vision from too much light.


    "Is that...a man?"


    His eyes widened. He quickly turned and ran towards the huge horn located at the corner of the castle walls.


    On the battle-field, Odin stood infront of his army, flanked on his sides by the warriors four, his mere aura dwarfed every other Asgardian present.


    He held onto the shaft of his powerful godly weapon, Gungnir. A spear that stood taller than all other weapons. Made out of pure Uru, only such a divine lance could channel the full might of his Odin-force.


    The All-father looked up, staring at a certain spot in the sky. Beyond the Rainbow bridge, something was approaching...and it was fast.


    Just then the horn on top of the castle walls sounded out, filling the entire golden city with it''s loud warning noise.


    The enemy had been sighted.


    The Herald of Galactus, the Silver Surfer had arrived to prepare Asgard for it''s fate. And not too far behind, the World Eater advanced forth.


    (Elsewhere)


    In the dungeons under the Asgardian palace, a certain black haired god was seated in the very middle of the room.


    His eyes shone with mirth as he stared out through the clear walls of his cage.


    His chance to escape was very close. He could feel it. It was all about... timing.


    Loki, the God of chaos and Mischief was sick with his captivity. The world had been denied his presence too long. And once he was out, his first order of business was to deal with those pesky human avengers...


    That thought came to a grinding halt when a figure stepped into focus, it''s form even while wearing an armor made of Uru, eerily silent.


    The familiar red and yellow paint on the armor clued in the second prince on who was standing before him. But what could he be doing here?


    The armor''s face plate retracted, revealing


    Tony Stark, a light stubble across his chin. He gazed at the god with tired eyes.


    "I need your assistance with something. In exchange, I''ll let you go."


    Tony offered.


    Loki opened his mouth in shock, before clamping it shut, a slow smirk working it''s way to his lips.


    "Huh, you didn''t even crack joke. How interesting. Alright Stark, I''m listening..."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Could you dream in death?


    That question was answered as I drifted in the ebb and flow of sweet slumber.


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    I immediately recognized that I was asleep. Something that made zero sense as I had no body to speak of yet functions like sleep seemed necessary.


    Basically, my soul had temporarily gone into stasis, taking some time off as it recovered from what Hercules had called magic overload.


    The last thing I remember the Demigod and I discussing, had been eye-opening for sure. To think that the Gods would actually care about a mortal like me.


    Or atleast that was what he had implied. Though, to be honest, I was skeptical. Greek mythology had shown that the Olympians basically treated humans like playthings. It wasn''t a smart idea to have their attention on you.


    Arachne, Cassandra the daughter of Primus, Medea, Oedepus and even Hercules himself had all been fucked over in some way by the Olympians.


    So although everything pointed to the fact I was valuable in some way to them, the whole spiel about being an investment made me feel they cared more about what I could do for them than about my wellbeing.


    So just the gods being the gods, basically.


    Our talk had been cut short by the loud rumble my stomach gave, signalling hunger.


    Fortunately, the Wyvern egg above the fire had finished roasting.


    Hercules had managed to scrunch up some bitter leaves and wild peppers from the jungle around us, adding to the overall flavor of the egg.


    After that, heavy exhaustion had finally taken it''s toll on me. With the lull from the crackle of the wood burning in the fire, I drifted off to sleep without knowing.


    And that''s when I begun to dream.


    Now the first dream made almost no sense.


    I saw a vast ocean, one that stretched out across the entirety of reality.


    It filled the heavens above with vibrant blue water and a unique energy that felt similar to magic. Strange aquatic life made their home in those heights. Huge clouds acting as islands for wondrous angel like beings.


    A chorus filled with nostalgia rose from those same clouds, reaching my ears and sending calming tones through my soul.


    I blinked and saw the sea from a different angle. Now it was violent, it''s depths dark and murky as it filled the hells below, breaking off into numerous underworld rivers.


    It felt as if something was staring at me from those depths. Golden eyes opening in response to my presence.


    I didn''t want to be there.


    The urge filled my soul and I was ejected from that space, heading up somewhere else.


    This time I was a simple ghost hovering inside a strange chamber.


    The chamber was dark and gloomy. The walls dripping with a strange red liquid that joined the dark pool below, which was a well of oily substance that filled the chamber.


    A walkway came from the entrance to the middle of the chamber led to a staircase that face way to a raised platform.


    I ascended the staircase, pulled on by something glowing from the platform.


    Once I arrived at the top, this no longer felt like a dream.


    The Ancient One and a being clad in red, stood facing each other, a pedestal holding a rainbow colored ball of energy in between them.


    I felt a connection to that ball of energy.


    Infact, it was way more than that. I rubbed my chest, feeling a sort of tangible link to the sphere.


    Is that...me?


    My soul... Hercules said it was in the possession of Mephisto.


    My thinking was interrupted as The Ancient One and the being I now suspected was Mephisto begun to talk. They hadn''t sensed me yet, so I descended towards them slowly.


    Only for a field of blue energy to spring around the platform and block my way.


    I looked around, trying to push through it to no avail. The energy field seemed designed to specifically halt someone like me.


    Designed to stop...( dream-walking)


    The answer came from the trident.


    It had spoken to me once more.


    Could it be responsible for all this? The whole ocean in the heavens thing wouldn''t be out of place if it was.


    That said, I was left with no choice but to watch and listen from afar. Luckily, they were the only two in the chamber so their voices reached me just fine.


    "...Shall we commence with the extraction?"


    Mephisto offered with a sickly sweet smile.


    The Ancient One said nothing, instead she walked forward, her hands inside the sleeves of her robe. She stopped before my soul and removed something from her sleeves.


    A simple gold coin. She threw it into the air and as it flipped, I managed to see the images imprinted on both of it''s sides,


    On one side was a grinning face and on the other was an angry one. The coin reached the apex of it''s throw and stopped in the middle of the air, hovering above my soul and the pedestal.


    A screen of energy left the coin, washing down the pedestal and covering my soul in a protective cocoon. The cocoon pulsed with power and then before our very eyes, the whole thing disappeared.


    The ground around the pedestal had a hole in it, as if the whole thing had been forcefully torn away. I frowned, I could still feel my connection to my soul.


    Naturally, Mephisto did not take kindly to that.


    "Treachery!"


    Mephisto roared out with an angry expression on his face, a clawed hand stretching out to grab the Ancient One by the neck.


    The Sorcerer Supreme made no move, allowing herself to be captured.


    Shit. He was going to kill her. I had to stop it!


    I slammed my hands onto the walls of the energy field denying me access but the strength of my attacks was weak. I tried to call for Neptune''s Trident but it somehow...refused.


    Left with no choice, I could only watch as the events unfolded.


    "Why?"


    Mephisto bit out, his eyes blazing with fury.


    "You do understand what you have done right? By betraying our pact you have forfeited your soul. Do you know what I''m going to do to you? Do you know what I''m going to do to your precious planet?"


    The Ancient One choked.


    "What? You want to beg for mercy? Maybe strike another deal? Or maybe you want to insult me, have the final laugh because you''ve sacrificed yourself like some noble martyr."


    The demon mused to itself, easing the vice grip it had on her neck,


    "Go on, beg me to spare Earth."


    The Ancient One coughed out in laughter.


    "The coin of Dolos...is not the most powerful of artefacts. Neither is it the most valuable."


    She begun explaining, her response contrary to what Mephisto was expecting.


    "There exists only 5 of these coins, each containing the essence of the god of deception, Dolos. They''re simple one time use items. But their effect makes up for that."


    She clenched her jaw.


    "You see, Mephisto. One coin can allow you to cast an immensely powerful illusion. An illusion that can trick the mind of anyone. Including a Hell Lord like you."


    Mephisto blinked, letting go of her while stepping back in shock.


    "No. You didn''t."


    Did what?


    "Yes. I did. I cast an illusion to make you think I broke our deal by teleporting away the soul. And that made you break the pact we had to not do me harm. So in other words..."


    A massive pressure fell onto my shoulders, causing me to sink onto the steps below the platform. I looked up towards the ceiling, my senses going haywire. Something was out there.


    "MEPHISTO YOU SNAKE!! SHOW YOURSELF!! RETRIBUTION HAS ARRIVED FOR YOU!!"


    A familiar voice declared.


    "And because we made the pact on Earth, the mother goddess'' flesh and atop a leyline, her blood... she''s here to collect what she''s owed."


    The Ancient One finished explaining.


    "No, no, no...she can''t be here! I won''t allow it!"


    Mephisto roared, his form exploding into a gigantic flame being with wings just as a blow shook the entire chamber.


    Then a hand made up of stone, wood and glowing minerals shattered the entire ceiling, the fingers poised to grab onto Mephisto.

 Taking Back Whats Mine.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Gaea''s divine presence spread out through the entire chamber, radiating an awe inspiring force that kept me pressed onto the steps leading to the raised platform.


    The sensation felt my body was being squeezed in from all sides.


    Mephisto backed away warily, no longer paying attention to the Ancient One. The Hell Lord''s eyes were instead cast to the sky.


    In that same instant, cracks appeared on the ceiling from a strike on the outside. The roof caved in, stones crashing down on us.


    Most of them landed in the black pool of liquid within the chamber.


    The liquid churned, rocks hissing as they were dissolved by whatever the pool was.


    Some of it splashed on to the walkway behind me and the red walls on our sides.


    Everything dissolved under its effects, the walkway falling into the pool, while the walls half melted into a thick sludge that gathered on the floor.


    ''Note to self... don''t touch that stuff.''


    I had no clue if it could affect me but better safe than sorry.


    Another strike from the outside made the entire ground shake.


    "You thought you could HIDE! FROM ME?!!"


    Gaea roared out in fury once more. Following her shout, the hole above enlarged as the chamber lost a majority of it''s ceiling.


    Light begun streaming in, the view outside shown to me at last.


    So much fire... everything seemed to be burning. The sky, the ground, the air...


    A great shadow appeared, blocking the roaring flames, the fire not making it past a zone around the Shadow''s gigantic figure.


    Green hair danced behind her, the hair strands being vines twined tightly together.


    Her bust strained out of the bra made of leaves. Her skin glowed with a green aura, the forearms and shins covered by a black woody substance for protection.


    Though I couldn''t fathom how much protection they could offer against fire.


    Not to mention the rest of her body was covered by green foliage.


    Gaea of course didn''t seem to care. It was evident I wasn''t looking at the caring Grandma like figure I''d met before. This time she was rage personified.


    "There you are, little demon."


    She looked in and established eye contact with Mephisto, her face lighting up with righteous indignation.


    Mephisto''s face looked as if he''d bitten into a particularly bitter lemon. His eyes swept down, managing to land on a smiling Ancient One.


    "You...you caused this."


    He accused, his aura making his red cloak flare up.


    "You brought her here. So Die!!"


    He shouted, pushing an arm forward.


    The flames around and outside the structure surged up, forming into a tornado with the face of a demon that opened it''s jaw, sweeping towards the Ancient One.


    "Hhmph. You presume too much."


    Gaea snorted, lifting her leg and stomping it down onto the path of the flames, shattering the attack and protecting the Ancient One.


    "She is under my protection Demon! To get to her you go through me."


    Gaea warned, her own green aura flaring up.


    Mephisto clenched his jaw tightly, hatefully glaring at the two. Then his expression eased.


    "Go through you? You forget something dear Goddess, this is my realm. You might be a primordial but I have full control here! Rise my spirits! And drag them to the deepest DARKEST PITS OF HELL!!"


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The Hell Lord declared, his voice making the whole realm tremble.


    Screams sounded out as thousands and thousands of black shadows rose out of the black pool.


    The shadows were oily and misshapen. Their bodies thin to the point of being skeletal. Long claws and teeth made them a threat though. And their thin wings were strong enough to carry them through the air as they headed towards Gaea.


    "I see. So you choose death."


    Gaea replied, her entire form glowing with divine energy.


    "Fine then, I will gladly deliver it to you!"


    An explosion of green energy spread out of her, the resulting pressure wave slamming onto the shadows and completely annihilating them.


    The green aura filled the remains of the room, washing over the black pool and instantly purifying it. The liquid lost it''s dark color, settling onto the floor in the form of water.


    "Impossible! How can you retain so much power here..."


    The Hell Lord muttered in slight shock, noticing the effects she was having on his realm.


    The light in his eyes grew in intensity.


    "Tch, no matter. You will ultimately lose. I can''t die while I''m in my realm. But the same can''t be said about you."


    His voice boomed out as he responded with a storm of red flames towards Gaea''s face.


    The pillar of flames, measuring dozens of feet thick, turned into a serpent that tried to coil around Gaea. It hissed, restraining her arms against her body.


    Then it opened it''s maw, and from within, a dedicated stream of fire washed out, completely covering Gaea''s head and burning it.


    The heat of the flames was intense enough that even though I was dream-walking, I could feel it!


    Despite that, the Earth Goddess gave no reaction to show she was in pain.


    Gaea backed a few steps away, then flexed. The Serpent''s lower body was torn apart like wet paper.


    The stream of flames died out as the flame serpent found it''s neck grasped tightly by a wood covered hand.


    "If this is the best you can do Mephisto, then you are an insult to the Lightbringer."


    Gaea told the Hell Lord, her face and head appearing unharmed by the flames.


    The Hell Lord did NOT like that.


    It started as a low rumble. Then the ground below the platform broke apart, a miasma of Demonic energy rose up around Mephisto.


    "You will die here Gaea! You and your human pet!"


    Before my eyes, dark wings running with veins of Lava sprouted from his back.


    Mephisto''s form grew so large that his horned head reached the height of the destroyed ceiling, putting him eye level with the Earth Goddess.


    His skin was no longer red, now an obsidian black with a muscular body that had the same red veins running through his body as they did across his wings.


    The veins pulsed with his power and influence. Adding his own presence to Gaea''s made it apparent that things were quickly becoming uncomfortable for me.


    And I wasn''t alone in that either. Below Gaea, the Ancient One stood between her legs while surrounded by a yellow shield.


    Her forehead shone with sweat.


    The shield had managed to stave off the effects of the fire but the temperature seemed to be getting to her. What was she still doing here? If I were her, I would have left.


    Oh wait, I studied her positioning. She seemed to be guarding something.


    My soul! Of course.


    Fuck, I knew I was forgetting something.


    On the pedestal infront of her, there was a sphere of white energy calling out to me.


    That was my soul, I couldn''t leave it here. I wasn''t comfortable with the idea of anyone else apart from me having it in their possession.


    I mean, would you?


    The problem was I didn''t know how it was going to work.


    Would I even be able to touch it? Oh well that was a matter for later, right now I only had to figure out a way to steal it from under their noses.


    I''m sure the Ancient One would understand. All things pointed to the fact she was here to try and save me after all.


    I grit my teeth, pushing off my hands while staring at the top of the platform. Now I had to be careful here.


    With the kind of pressure and power being thrown around, I could lose my whole existence here.


    I can''t pin point one exact moment since my transmigration that I''d felt so utterly weak and useless.


    Maybe my encounter with the vampires during my first week here. But that was then, this was now. I was different.


    Sure, not the strongest yet but neither was I the weakest. And I was definitely not useless. I refused to think of myself as that.


    I looked around, eyes falling onto the purified water in the pool. I wonder...


    I tried to extend my awareness out. I still couldn''t move from my position on the floor but I didn''t need to. The plan heavily relied on not being discovered. So minimal movements.


    It took some time but...I was starting to feel it. The water. How it hadn''t evaporated in the intense heat was anyone''s guess.


    After a few seconds, there was a ray of hope. The water begun glowing. That usually indicated it was under my control.


    Good.


    My happiness at the achievement was cut short as the battle between the two entities begun in ernest.


    "You are too arrogant Gaea!"


    Mephisto told her.


    "Arriving in hell for a simple soul that your precious gods are going to fight over anyway?!"


    Mephisto barked out, beating his wings forward on a direct path to her.


    Wait...what did he say?


    "Shut your mouth!"


    Gaea responded valiantly, the bark on her arms extending into a black wooden lance.


    "You know nothing Demon! The fate of the world rests on that boy''s shoulder and you stole him away from me out of spite! I will not reason with you!"


    She stabbed the spear onto the ground, causing huge vines to break out through the whole chamber, headed for Mephisto.


    The Hell Lord hovered in the air, watching the attack coming for him, unafraid.


    He swept out his hands, creating a massive sword of flames that managed to cut down the vines in a single move.


    A shockwave was produced as a result, throwing me off the steps and into the air.


    ''Dammit. I can''t stay here any longer. I need to make my move.''


    I thought to myself, allowing the water within the pool to gently grab onto me from the air, without the other occupants in the room noticing.


    The tentacle wrapped around my waist, pulling me into the depths of the pool.


    Once inside, I moved quickly, headed to the other side of the platform where I knew the pedestal was.


    The plan was to see if I could store my soul inside my hammer space. That would probably cause a paradox but I was willing to risk it.


    Now the only problem was doing so undetected.


    My speed increased along with my urgency. I was also careful to minimize the glow I left behind on my path.

 Asgards Defense.

    (General P.O.V)


    Above the Allfather and Asgard''s armies, two black ravens cawed while circling around, announcing the arrival of the enemy.


    "Your majesty, he is here."


    Heimdall, his gaze unimpeded by nothing, spoke into Odin''s mind, confirming what the king''s Ravens, Huginn and Munnin had already disclosed.


    Odin, standing in front of his army, looked up in a timely manner as something shattered the speed of sound, producing a sonic boom while headed straight for him.


    The sky shimmered with a cosmic brilliance as the Silver Surfer descended.


    "Everyone step back,"


    The Allfather ordered, his voice resonating with the power of a thousand storms.


    "You heard the king,"


    Thor echoed the command, his hand tightening around the shaft of his hammer, Mjolnir, a grim expression crossing his face on account of the coming calamity.


    The ranks of Asgardian warriors standing behind him complied. Their eyes filled with a mixture of reverence and fear as they beheld the king.


    "Thor...remember, do not interfere. Your duty is to ensure you stop him if he gets through."


    Odin ordered his son, a solemnity in his tone that even the God of Thunder with all his brashness, dared not challenge.


    Thor gritted his teeth, wanting nothing more than to refuse, but he jerked his head in a nod, acknowledging the gravity of his father''s order.


    He was the back up.


    ''All the best father.''


    The god of Thunder thought to himself.


    Then he, along with the Warriors Four backed away, giving Odin some room.


    Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, and Sif exchanged glances, their expressions mirroring Thor''s seriousness at the impending battle.


    "Herald of Galactus or not, no one threatens my kingdom."


    Odin declared with unwavering determination, his lone eye tracking the Silver Surfer''s form.


    With a flourish, he pulled back his hand and hurled Gungnir into the heavens.


    The spear cut through the sky with a sharp whistle, leaving a magnificent trail of golden light as it soared towards the Silver Surfer, who slowed his advance, riding undaunted on his ethereal board.


    Inches away from Gungnir plunging through his chest, the Surfer made his move. With an almost casual grace, he used the bottom of his board to receive the attack.


    Gungnir sank through the board, disappearing within. Then the Surfer flipped, shooting the spear back out again with a calculated precision that left the onlookers in awe.


    Gungnir returned to Odin with twice the power and speed.


    The air screamed around the weapon, but Odin raised his hand, and the spear slowed down very easily, stopping in front of him.


    He grabbed the shaft with a growl, his eyes never leaving the Silver Surfer, who remained hovering in the sky, gazing down at Odin with a mix of respect and caution.


    He might have redirected the spear back to the owner but even he couldn''t deny the All-father''s power.


    "You dare attack me with my own weapon? I shall break that fancy board of yours!" the Allfather roared, his voice echoing out through the realms, not as the King of Asgard, but as the conqueror of the nine realms.


    He took a step forward. The entire realm began to shake. On the second step, Odin''s body seemed to swell with divine energy, causing his armor to gleam with an otherworldly radiance.


    On the third step, he took a mighty leap, soaring through the heavens like a comet, headed straight for the Silver Surfer.


    The first clash between them sent shockwaves rippling across the sky, shattering the tranquility of Asgard''s majestic skies.


    As they collided, the sheer force of their power sent the Asgardian crafts hovering above the army careening away.


    The skies above Asgard became a tumultuous battleground, a whirlwind of silver-colored attacks from the Surfer and golden beams of searing light from the All-father''s Gungnir.


    Both were equally matched. They separated for the nth time, the battle entering a brief lull.


    "Per chance do you have a death wish?"


    Odin enquired.


    "That would be the only reason I might


    "Give up Odin."


    The Surfer spoke.


    "Asgard''s time has arrived. There is nothing you can do. Evacuate your people while you can."


    With an expression full of mockery, Odin snorted,


    "Mmph. You clearly have no idea who you''re talking to."


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    The All-father spread his hands out, his majesty filling the air,


    "I am Odin, son of Bor, grandson of Buri! Father of Thor and Loki! Conqueror of the Nine realms! Asgard and its fate are mine to decide, not yours or the cosmic glutton you speak of."


    His voice rumbled with the full might of his Odin-Force.


    The Silver Surfer said nothing, merely narrowing his eyes as Odin kept on talking,


    "Your master may hunger, dog. But I shall face any cosmic threat that dares approach my realm. As for my people, they shall stand with me in the face of annihilation, for Asgard''s time is not yet at an end. Prepare yourself for a battle you cannot comprehend!"


    Odin said, his voice ringing with a note of conclusion to a conversation he considered a waste of time.


    "Very well. This day, Asgard falls."


    The Surfer declared, leaning forward before bursting forward in his speeds.


    Instead of his words undermining the god of Wisdom''s determination, they instead stoked the flames of his resolve.


    With his lone eye blazing with intense power, the All-father stood in defiance, watching the approach of Galactus'' Herald.


    It wasn''t just a matter of love to protect his realm at any cost, it was a matter of Pride. What kind of god gave way to an invading force?


    Thus Odin dug deep into his boundless reserves, summoning the very forces of the universe itself using his Odin-force.


    Magic was something he was as adept in as physical combat.


    With a wave of his hand, the All-father commanded cutting winds to howl towards the Silver Surfer, whipping through the air like razor-edged blades.


    The wind howled, buffeting the Silver Surfer and throwing him back. He separated from his board.


    Simultaneously, Odin called upon the skies to unleash beams of golden lightning that streaked down from the heavens, illuminating the battlefield in a dazzling display of power.


    The Silver Surfer was hit by one such blast, causing his body untold torment as he jerked in the air.


    Then the lightning disappeared into him and with a roar, the Surfer stood upright, throwing both hands forward and unleashing a thick beam of cosmic energy.


    Odin twirled his spear, blocking the attack by causing it to break off into smaller silver blasts of energy that landed on either sides of the army.


    The buildings closer to the beach went up in flames owing to the attacks.


    Odin was not only pushing back the Silver Surfer, he was doing so while making sure his people suffered no harm.


    Thor and the Warriors Four watched in amazement and trepidation as the battle unfolded.


    They exchanged glances, marveling at Odin''s prowess, his every move executed with divine precision.


    "I never thought the All-father was this powerful. I have heard tales of his true strength back in Vanaheim but...not this."


    Hogun who rarely spoke, commented, awe evident in his tone.


    "Think you''re ever going to get as powerful, Thor?"


    Fandral joked, though the shock on his face was yet to die out.


    "I don''t know."


    Thor answered truthfully.


    "But I have to. You have all laid eyes on Father''s true power. But if you were keener, you would notice that his opponent is more than keeping up with him."


    The Warriors Four turned to watch the sky. A gasp escaped Sif.


    "Thor''s right. The Surfer...has sustained no damage."


    True enough, the Silver Surfer gave just as much as he received. His board was stable, resisting the effects of the biting winds.


    His body glowed with cosmic energy, blocking the divine energy contained in the bolts of lightning that fell upon him.


    The excess energy from the attacks was somehow absorbed and changed into cosmic energy to power up his attacks.


    "This fight...it''s too evenly matched."


    Thor begun in a worried tone,


    "Father has the power but...the Surfer has time. I should try to-"


    He was cut off mid sentence by a hand.


    Sif shook her head, her right hand on the pommel of her sword.


    "You heard the All-father. No one interferes. Not even you, my prince."


    Thor jerked his hand away, a harsh breath leaving him.


    "I understand it''s your duty Sif, but you should really...loosen up as my Mid-gardian friends usually say."


    ******


    Meanwhile, the ongoing fight was reaching its peak.


    It had reached a point where the mere shockwaves from the battle were enough to take out any normal human.


    The impact between the Odin-Force and cosmic energy, produced a large shockwave that could be felt by the Asgardian Soldiers on the ground.


    "Shields up!"


    Volstagg yelled.


    With a war cry, the normal foot soldiers stepped back to allow the Shield bearers to stack their shields together, blocking the pressure waves resulting in their king''s battle with the herald of Galactus.


    ******


    From her perch on the palace balcony, Frigga''s hands shone with green energy, aided by the rest of the Asgardian coven behind her.


    The best sorcerers were from Vanaheim, just as she was.


    But Frigga could testify that when it came to conjuration magic, none were as talented as the Asgardians. Luckily, her potent magical ability extended to that field itself.


    "As one."


    Frigga ordered her coven sisters, pouring her magical energy into the magical enchantment surrounding Valaskjalf, the royal palace, holder of Odin''s vault.


    A shimmering green shield sprung around the Palace, expanding to cover the entire realm save for the outskirts, where the army had gathered on the other side of the Rainbow bridge to face the enemy.


    From the sky, one would notice the green shield across Asgard that stopped the stray attacks from Odin and the Silver Surfer''s fight.


    "Good luck, my sons."


    Frigga whispered to herself, her awareness stretched across the realm, following the events of each her of her boys.


    The first, Thor was with his father, facing the Herald of Galactus.


    And the second, Loki...well, all she had to say to that was that the humans were a fairly interesting batch.


    (Elsewhere)


    (With some of the Avengers)


    The Asgardian ship droned on as it left the city behind, headed towards the edges of the realm.


    "Tony, not to be too cautious, but I think we should reconsider having the literal trickster god on the team."


    Falcon said to Stark, flying beside him as they kept pace with the Asgardian Craft.


    "You heard Thor, we can trust Loki as long as it concerns protecting Asgard."


    Tony answered, his body safely contained within a scary looking 7 foot armor. A recent creation of his.


    Different from his usual red and gold armor, this one was gray and golden. It was also bulkier and edgier than the MK series, looking more like a slimmer version of the Iron Monger than anything else.


    "I gotta say, Tony. That armor is... different from what you''re used to. You sure you''re okay in there?"


    Cap asked, tapping his ear comms from within the Asgardian warship flying next to the two.


    "Don''t worry Cap."


    Tony slapped the armor''s thigh, producing a deep thunk!


    "This bad boy is made out of Uru. Due to it''s properties, processing it is hard. Very hard. All I had time to do was build a generic armor. Nothing too fancy or streamlined or aerodynamic. Not what I''m used to at all, indeed. But, it shall serve his purpose."


    Tony answered.


    "You think the others are okay?"


    Falcon wondered out loud, his wings flaring as he strafed to the right.


    "All they have to do is reach the communications tower and issue an emergency evacuation broadcast across the realm."


    Loki answered, manning the aircraft he and Captain America were riding in.


    "In the meantime, we are moving on ahead to make sure the Bifrost is ready for a mass teleportation."


    Tony took over the explaining.


    "I know what Odin said but if this threat is enough to scare Thor...then evacuating civilians is the right call. We are lucky the Queen sees it that way as well."


    Loki stared at Iron Man through the window of the aircraft before snorting.


    "So long as you understand, once we''re out of this mess... I''m not going back in that cell."


    Cap, standing behind Loki in the ship, placed a hand on the god''s shoulder.


    "That''s not our call to make. If you really care about anyone other than yourself...you would understand that this is much bigger than you."


    Loki shrugged off his hold.


    "I believe we are past such sentiments Captain. You are a hero...and I hate your kind. Just keep your end of the bargain once I keep mine."


    Before Cap could answer, Iron Man spoke up,


    "Heads up. We are here."


    They had reached the Rainbow bridge. But...the way was being blocked by a cloaked figure.


    "Wait...is that, Doom?"


    Falcon asked, the team slowing their advance as they arrived before the bridge.

 Things Get Complicated.

    (General P.O.V)


    The clash between Odin and the Silver Surfer had been going on for more than half an hour.


    Yet both displayed no exhaustion or any debilitating injuries.


    The golden aura of the Odin-force still blazed around the All-father and the Cosmic Energy the Surfer was pulling from Galactus, ensured that he could keep up with the Old God.


    That said, it was clear that Odin''s experience was edging out.


    "I foresee nothing but defeat for you Surfer."


    Odin told his opponent after another clash had separated them.


    "What were you thilnking coming alone? Don''t you know you would need an entire army of you to have any hope OF PUTTING ME DOWN!"


    The yell was accompanied by a swing of Gungnir.


    A golden arc of energy left the spear, headed towards the Silver Surfer.


    The Surfer''s board absorbed the attack like it had done previously.


    "Who said I came alone?"


    Was the Herald of Galactus'' only response.


    *******


    "It can''t be Doom. The last time we saw of him, he was falling through a rift with that giant serpent he was using to attack New York."


    Falcon said, doubt in his tone.


    "No, it''s him alright."


    Cap''s voice came through the comms on their ears.


    "Look at the way he stands. The stiff posture. That''s Viktor."


    "Well then, how about we go and say hi?"


    Iron Man pitched in, his flight speed slowing down as they arrived at the Rainbow Bridge.


    "Maybe even ask him what he''s doing on Asgard in the first place."


    "Something tells me I should have just stayed in my cell."


    Loki muttered to himself, the Asgardian ship descending onto the ground under his control.


    Iron Man landed first, the face plate retracting as he walked towards the green-cloaked Doctor Doom.


    "That is far enough Stark."


    Doom spoke up, authoritative and arrogant as usual, hand raised to halt Iron Man.


    "Viktor."


    Tony greeted, his Uru armor glinting in the eerie Asgardian twilight. The Falcon and Captain America flanked him.


    Despite the formidable air around the 3 Avengers, Viktor Von Doom stood unaffected, his green and silver armor gleaming ominously in the fading light.


    "What are you doing here, on Asgard?"


    Cap questioned, his shield at the ready.


    "Nothing that concerns you. Now leave," Doom replied curtly, his imposing presence filling the zone around him with an air of importance.


    "I have no time for you Avengers."


    Tony''s face twisted in a frown.


    "Listen, Viktor, I don''t know how if you''re aware but..."


    "The planet was destroyed."


    Doom cut in.


    "Doom knows all."


    "Of course you do."


    Tony rolled his eyes at the egoistic answer.


    "Your self importance aside, a cosmic entity called Galactus is coming for Asgard. And we can''t let you stand in our way. We are either going to save this place or avenge it Doom. You decide."


    Doom''s eyes, hidden behind the cold, metallic mask, seemed to narrow as he considered Tony''s words, then he laughed as if finding them funny.


    "Avenge? Like you avenged the Earth? You ran away when our home needed you, and now you meddle in affairs that do not concern you."


    Doom stepped closer to the three.


    "Galactus''s arrival is inevitable, Stark. Asgard is merely a buffet in his path. I''m here to ensure no one escapes his wrath. Including you."


    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    Falcon stepped forward, his wings flaring. "You''re working for Galactus? Are you out of your mind?"


    Doom''s voice remained as stoic as ever,


    "Watch your tone, boy. I am not working for him. I am ensuring the natural order of the universe is maintained. Galactus is a force of nature, and Asgard''s time has come."


    Captain America tightened his grip on his shield.


    "There''s always another way, Viktor. We''ve faced cosmic threats before, and we''ve found solutions. Asgard doesn''t have to be destroyed."


    Doom''s armor hissed as he took a step closer, the tension in the air palpable. "You are naive, Rogers. There is no negotiating with Galactus. Had you kept on flying, maybe I would have allowed you to flee."


    Doom''s hands begun to crackle with green energy.


    "Alas, it''s too late for that now."


    Tony''s faceplate slid down over his determined expression. The three Avengers readied themselves.


    "You seem to forget our many fights in the past Doom. You come up with a plan for World domination and we stop you. You wanna bet against those odds?"


    "Iron Man is right."


    Cap spoke up.


    "We don''t run from a fight, especially when innocent lived are on the line. Step aside, Viktor, or we''ll have to move you."


    For a moment, it seemed as though Doom would relent, but then he raised his gauntlet-clad hands, and the surge of energy crackling around the palms intensified.


    "So be it, Avengers. If you wish to defy Doom, you leave me no choice."


    Unknown to all, Loki had slipped past the four of them and was already headed to the rainbow bridge, his form cloaked under magic.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The water within the purified pool flowed around me as I got closer to the pedestal.


    Just a few more meters and I could leave this nightmare. While dream walking seemed fun, mostly on account of no one knowing I was there to begin with, I could tell it was taking a toll on me.


    If I had to hazard a guess, it was the same issue as before. The Trident''s magic was too potent for me to use for extended periods of time.


    The smart thing to do would be to bail the second I had my soul within my pocket dimension.


    Meanwhile two giants, one a beautiful woman with green flowing hair, covered in what I could only term as natural bikini and the other a hideous black dragon with scarlet veins across itsy scaled form, battled it out above me.


    Attacks rained down into the pool, rocks, wood, thick vines, burning debris, causing the water to churn tumultuously.


    The pool glowed with the light of flames, caused by the impact between demonic energy and the divine.


    The air hang heavy, space folding in response to Gaea and Mephisto going at it with no holds barred.


    The entire building, which has it turned out was only a single chamber inside a huge castle, had already been completely destroyed.


    Both giants stood in the ruins of the castle.


    (General P.O.V)


    Standing at hundreds of feet above the ruins of a castle, a black dragon raised it''s hand. Grasped in its huge claw was a large sword covered in flames.


    The dragon brought it down onto a shield of green energy surrounding his enemies. The impact was deafening. The force being powerful enough that sparks and wild flames were produced as a result.


    The shield around Gaea managed to hold, the Earth Mother spreading her hands out and causing a series of wooden pillars as tall as her to grow.


    Then she folded her palms into fists, wood bullets shot off the surface of the wooden pillars, crossing the distance between the two giants instantly.


    The wood bullets landed on the Hell-Lord''s chest, leaving dents and bruises across his tough scales.


    Mephisto flew back, using the giant flaming sword in his claw, to block the wooden projectiles which were now glowing green, meaning Gaea had enhanced their lethality.


    If any of them broke through his scales, he would be in trouble.


    Divine energy was poisonous to a demon like him.


    He released arcs of hell fire at the attacks, aiming to destroy them but the wood stubbornly refused to burn.


    So he resorted to blocking them while trying to retaliate.


    The wood projectiles bounced off the flaming sword before tearing into the area, causing roots to sprout into the infertile blackened ground.


    It was strange to see vegetation spring up around the two of them in a realm filled with nothing but flames and tortured souls.


    Mephisto knew what Gaea was doing. Expanding her domain.


    While it might have been his realm, Gaea was a freak. Even amongst her siblings, she was perhaps the most powerful.


    Having more than enough power to challenge him in his own dimension.


    The longer the fight continued, the more her domain would extend, culminating in Mephisto being pushed back before ultimately losing.


    She wasn''t a primordial for nothing.


    "Cease this madness Gaea! There are rules in place! Rules meant to co-exist..."


    Mephisto begun, wings flaring out as he fell back.


    His previous position was assailed by dozens of roots and vines that broke through the ground, creeping up while seeking to ensnare him.


    "Don''t talk to me about rules, you snake!"


    Gaea shot back unreasonably, her hand lifting over head.


    Then it extended into dark green vines, which combined to mold a green shield above her head, protecting both her and the Ancient One from the hail of flaming rocks.


    ''tch...I thought she would fall for that but she blocked it. I can''t go all out or else I will risk destroying the pedestal and then I''ll lose the soul. All that work to get the ring would be for nothing.''


    Mephisto thought to himself after his attack failed.


    ''oh and to think I almost forgot about her...''


    The Hell Lord''s eyes narrowed at the Ancient One, who was contained within a golden shield below Gaea.


    The Sorcerer Supreme''s lips seemed to be moving, as she hovered before the pedestal.


    ''Of course. Now I understand. She''s trying to break the boundary spell around the pedestal to get the boy''s soul. Gaea was meant as a distraction. In that case...''


    Mephisto''s wings beat as he ascended.


    "Hurry up, little girl and retrieve the boy''s soul. I can sense that Mephisto is up to no good. We might be expecting company soon as well."


    Gaea spoke into the Ancient One''s mind.


    She could sense the high ranking demons under Mephisto watch them from afar, looking for a chance to attack the two of them.


    The Ancient One said nothing, too great was her focus. Sweat dripped down her forehead due to the heat and pressure. Her enchanted robes were also charred at the edges, owing to the natural hot temperatures in hell.


    And that was even while being protected by Gaea.


    In the sky, Mephisto fully spread out his dark wings.


    "Hear me Gaea."


    The Hell-Lord called down, his voice a rumble that could be heard across the realm, a devilish smirk on his face.


    "I might not be capable of defeating you, but as I told you before, this is my realm. My world. My House."


    With that final word, he snapped his fingers.


    A billion trillion miles away, an almost infinite distance by sheer scope, Gaea and the Ancient One found themselves in a grey landscape.


    Mephisto had teleported them away from the castle.


    The Ancient One blinked, coming out of her daze.


    "No. No. No. No! Curse it! I was close."


    She yelled in agitation.


    Gaea called onto her divine energy, attempting to return to Mephisto''s castle, only for nothing to work.


    "That''s not all either."


    The Earth Mother told the Sorcerer Supreme, looking down at the much smaller woman.


    "He''s locked down teleportation. We can''t make it back to his castle in time. He''s alone...with the boy''s soul."

 The New Power.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I reached the pedestal quickly.


    Something called to me, a ball of white energy surrounded by a collage of different colors.


    An overwhelming need that I couldn''t deny. This was my soul.


    Just a few inches away and I would have it within my possession.


    All would be well.


    I rose out of the water, the glowing blue liquid flowing up to the piece of stairway left hanging from the destroyed platform.


    The water formed into a bridge that crossed over the gap between the pool and the pedestal.


    My dream-body swam through the water bridge and landed on the step silently.


    I rose to my feet as the water returned to the pool, as gentle as possible, the surface flat with no ripples to speak of.


    I couldn''t help the smile of success that appeared on my lips.


    "Finally."


    I said quietly, approaching the Pedestal by gliding. And on top of it, the prize.


    I reached out to grab my soul. No point in wasting a single second.


    Wait. My fingers paused, right at the edge.


    Something''s changed.


    When did it get so quiet?


    I looked up.


    There was no shadow of green hair dancing wildly around and belonging to Gaea.


    Neither was the Ancient One''s golden protection shield anywhere to be seen.


    Lastly, the scene was missing a Demonic-Dragon Hell Lord, hell-bent on destroying to the Earth Mother in a bid for my soul.


    So..


    Where was everyone? The top players in this twisted game...


    I cautiously looked around. The ruins of the chamber were surrounded by hell flames.


    However, in addition to the flames was a zone of greenery that stopped the hell-fire from reaching the chamber.


    And...through those flames, I saw something. The first indication that although the main players were missing, I wasn''t alone.


    Beastly eyes, red as the morning sun or burning embers watched me hungrily from the flames.


    Some had unique features, no eyeballs, or the eyes were numerous, stretched out across one being''s body in a particular case.


    And the presence coming off them was distinct.


    A sort of suffocating heat.


    The very same presence Mephisto exuded.


    Demons.


    And they were all around me. Just... watching.


    Wait a minute...


    A sigh left me as I realized they couldn''t actually see me.


    Instead, they were watching the pedestal. Whether to protect it from someone stealing what was on it, or if they coveted my soul for themselves, I had no idea.


    Both scenarios were not the outcome I desired.


    Luckily I was spared the worry. They couldn''t see me. And even if they did, Gaea''s zone prevented any of them from reaching through.


    So all I have to do is grab my soul and then get the fuck out of dodge. I should be waking up soon. I hope.


    Sending a silent prayer to Gaea and Tyche, the goddess of luck, I reached out for the spherical bundle of energy that was me.


    And my hand passed through it.


    What?...


    I tried again, my heart squeezing. Once more, the fingers passed through the sphere.


    No. No fucking way this is actually happening right now. My luck couldn''t be this bad, could it? I prayed upon Tyche.


    Wait... who''s that?


    I tried a few times before accepting the fact I couldn''t touch my soul. That prompted a change in plans.


    While my Dream-body couldn''t touch my soul, I could use the water in the pool and...


    Bang!


    Something landed behind me before I could finish my thought, shaking the entire ground.


    The pool of water churned as it sprayed against the platform I was standing on.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    A shadow fell upon me. Gulping, I turned around slowly.


    Then looked up.


    Only to come face to face with rows of sharp teeth moving closer to my cheek, almost brushing up against me.


    Eyes wide, I retreated as fast as I could, phasing through the pedestal to hover on the opposite side of my soul, finally getting a good look at what I was facing.


    The teeth belonged to a menacing reptilian head.


    It''s scales gleamed from the light of the hell flames around us.


    The head led up to a long serpentine neck with spikes across the spine, wide wings that bloated out the view outside spreading out of it''s back.


    Steam poured off it''s body due to the heat it naturally radiated. Hot enough for even my dream-body to feel.


    The heat caused a mirage, distorting the air around the beast.


    Finally with the cloying stench of Brimstone and smoke somehow crawling up my non-existent nostrils...it became clear what was going on.


    And what this thing was.


    Mephisto had returned.


    Gaea and The Ancient One were nowhere to be seen.


    ''He fucked them up somehow, didn''t he?'', A gloomy thought wormed it''s way into my mind.


    Frankly speaking, Gaea could wipe the floor with any demon.


    She was a primordial. That''s not something a demon like Mephisto can casually triumph over. Even if we were in his dimension.


    However... Mephisto is a demon. He''s conniving, he''s intelligent, he''s cunning. He''s not a direct fighter. What use would it serve him?


    So it stood to reason he would have other measures in place for stronger opponents.


    He must have found a way to deal with them that didn''t involve Killing.


    Otherwise he would have done so here at his castle. Not just for the convinience of it but to prove a point.


    ''I killed a Primordial who dared challenge me...''


    Would be his claim, elevating his status even higher.


    Still...none of that mattered. What did, was getting my soul out of his clutches.


    "Finally."


    Mephisto spoke, a dark glee evident in his deep tone.


    "I have gotten rid of those disruptive pests!"


    Smoke left his nostrils.


    "My legions won''t be able to hold back Gaea for long however, so I guess I have no other choice."


    He said to himself.


    He lifted his draconic head then unleashed a loud roar that shook the entire area surrounding the castle''s ruins.


    The platform I was standing on broke apart, falling into the pool, leaving behind a small section that surrounded the pedestal.


    "Do not think for a second I cannot feel your gaze!"


    He yelled.


    Wait...what? Did he see me? I tightened my hands into fists, ready to fight if it came down to it.


    But...it didn''t look as if he was talking to me.


    Not to mention,


    After his declaration, the eyes that had been watching from the fires retreated in terror.


    "You worthless curs should learn your place! Lusting after what is mine??! I should devour your souls!!"


    He released another intimidating roar, his domineering presence filling the air.


    The Demons watching from the flames, shivered in fear. Then almost begrudgingly, lowered their heads in reverence.


    "Go forth!"


    Mephisto ordered.


    "Find the Primordial bitch and the Sorcerer Wench. Do not bring them to me alive. I want you to defile them, to tear them to pieces and burn the remains. A fitting Welcome to Hell and a fitting punishment for betrayal!!"


    The demons hidden behind the flames roared loudly in approval.


    "Do not forget!"


    Mephisto cut in, flaring his dark wings. His scarlet eyes shone dangerously as he added in a low menacing tone,


    "Their souls are mine, eat them and I Eat You. Now Leave Me!"


    The horde rose up to the skies, hundreds of forms against the gray back drop all headed towards a single direction.


    ''Good. He hasn''t turned around.''


    I thought watching Mephisto''s obsidian back.


    Slowly I controlled the water in the pool, forming a flexible glowing tendril that inched forward slowly.


    "Now Then..."


    A glint I didn''t like appeared in his eyes as he turned around.


    His long neck extended, coiling around the pedestal before his head hovered directly above my soul. A long thin tongue extended out of his jaw, licking the air.


    I shivered in revulsion.


    "If I can''t extract the ring without Killing you...then I guess you''re out of LUCK BOY!! I''LL DEVOUR YOUR SOUL AND GET THE RING EITHER WAY!!"


    Mephisto hissed, lunging forward with his jaw wide.


    The world narrowed in my focus.


    An anger I hadn''t known I carried with me surged forth like a Tsunami.


    Right then I connected with something foreign.


    My dream-body shimmered and distorted.


    It gained substance...and weight. Causing me to sink towards the ground.


    I could feel whatever power I was pulling on was not meant to be used this way. Not in this form. This body.


    But I didn''t care.


    This bastard wanted to kill me.


    My rage was pushed to even further heights. But instead of the same unreasonable rage I felt the instance I became a Hulk, this rage felt... tempered.


    It was indignation at the blatant disregard for my soul the Demon was showing. My Godly pride would not allow such dismissal.


    Such disrespect! I am a god! And with my fists, I will shatter his jaw clean off! Nothing less.


    The water in the pool answered my call, flowing around my distorting Dream-Body and forming an armor unit.


    The water glowed around my body as I pulled on the source of Overpowering Strength I could now feel very clearly.


    This energy was cruder than Psionic Energy.


    Not as fluid as the magic allowing me to control the water either.


    This new power felt like Molasses.


    A burn in my muscles. A terrible hardness in my bones. A thrumming vibration from the tautness if my veins. A roaring of blood in my ears as I took giant leaps.


    It was NOTHING like Psionic Energy.


    It was...Super-strength. Finally. Hercules Legacy. Now he can train me...


    The thought went through my mind instantly and before long, I was pulled back into reality. Or rather... pseudo-reality.


    "Get your ugly mug away from my soul!!"


    The shout escaped me just as the water around my hand swelled, forming a swirling fist.


    The punch landed on the Dragon''s cheek.


    Bam!


    I felt something shatter under the punch.


    Bits of teeth, split from his jaw.


    An explosion of red energy was released from the collision point, deforming the Demonic Dragon''s head, causing it to uncoil from the Pedestal, before it''s entire body fell into the pool.


    I landed and immediately slammed my fist down, lowering the water''s temperature and freezing it.


    Power poured into my legs as I took a step forward. Red Energy was expelled through my feet, my body shot to the sky.


    I spun clumsily, not used to controlling my body in the air without psionic energy.


    This new energy was also very heavy. Moving it felt like carrying a set of weights. Still, I managed to maneuver myself to the point I was facing the gray sky.


    Slapping my palms together produced a clap that released another scarlet Strength Shock. One that sent me shooting down to the pool directly under me.


    "Take my fist Demon!!"


    I roared, feeling a strange desire take over. I wanted to own this guy.


    The punch landed right on his frozen face.


    Herculean Force poured into the ice molecules, shattering them apart through mini strength shocks. Destroying them, the air crackling with red energy.


    The ground cratered.


    And lastly the whole ruins disappeared into a huge sink hole. The entire ground... falling into the darkness of the pits.


    The dust cleared, rising to the sky to reveal...


    A crystal cocoon surrounding the Pedestal.


    And me...my entire consciousness spread out across the ice cocoon, giving it the shape and form of a large blue glowing egg.


    Melded into a cocoon like this would allow me to maintain a 360 degree awareness.


    Around the edges of the sink hole, the denizens of the dimension were finally revealed.


    Red, grey, black monstrosities. All forms and shapes. Demons. All kinds. All staring at the ice shield holding the pedestal holding my soul.


    Now the follow up question to that would be, why haven''t you pulled the whole thing into your hammer space?


    Simple. Turns out the Pedestal was anchored to something. Or rather someone. A dark red chain locked around the bottom of the pedestal went down into the pit below.


    "So... its a thief."


    Mephisto''s voice rumbled from the depths.

 Creating New Abilities.

    (General P.O.V)


    "We need to get back!"


    The Ancient One said with urgency, her hands waving through the air.


    sparks trailed behind the Sling Ring on her fingers, all to no effect.


    "It''s futile, Mephisto knows he cannot defeat me, so he set a trap."


    Gaea said morosely.


    "One that I stupidly fell for."


    "You''re not to blame my Lady."


    The Ancient One consoled her.


    "I thought I could outsmart him as well. Failing that, I thought I could finish the spell in time."


    She shook her head, dishearteningly sitting down on the carapace of a dead demon.


    All around them were dead bodies belonging to Demons that had immediately attacked them upon their arrival.


    Mephisto had apparently sent them to a place infested with a lot of low level demons.


    Some were speared through by spikes of wood, others crushed in between boulders, others ensnared and strangled by vines while others were simply split apart, the edges of the wounds seared as if what had cut them had been on fire.


    "What spell?"


    Gaea enquired, enlarging her zone of influence to give them time to talk without getting distracted by the low level attacks.


    She then sat down, a throne of wood growing off the ground to provide her seat.


    The zone kept the demons busy as they discussed the strategy to get back to the Castle quickly.


    "There was a clause in the desk Mephisto and I had. In exchange for giving him the ring of Solomon, he would allow Billy''s soul to be set free. However, the boy needed a body."


    The Ancient One explained, pulling out the time stone, holding it up for the Earth Mother to see.


    "A singularity. One of time."


    Gaea muttered, eyes briefly narrowing in recognition.


    "Yes...the time stone or as it''s known to us Sorcerers, the eye of Agamotto. It allows me to-"


    "See events before they happen. Or rather all the possible outcomes of any action."


    Gaea cut in.


    "Yes." The Ancient One agreed.


    "Though in some special cases, it doesn''t always work. For instance, there is not much I can see about Billy''s future."


    She tucked the time stone in her robe.


    "However, by looking into what''s happening around him, I can see a version of his future. And that''s how I came up with a plan to get him out of hell."


    She tucked her hands underneath the long sleeves of her robe.


    "There is a Government program. Off the books, due to the nature of it''s...moral views. or lack there of."


    A serious expression appeared on her face.


    "A splinter group of a government project to create Superhumans. It''s called Weapon Plus."


    She paused before continuing,


    "Created from the merger of Weapon X researchers and a particularly annoying genocidal mad man called Nathaniel Essex...they hope to merge Mutant abilities with the powers of demons in a bid to create an army of ghost riders. Only they would be Mutants on top of that. In other words, they''ve been working with Mephisto."


    Gaea''s presence poured out of her.


    "That...would create abominations."


    She bit out.


    "Yes."


    The Ancient One sighed.


    "One of the experiment samples is a body created from the Boy, Billy''s own d.n.a. Turns out, Weapon Plus had been tracking him down after his abilities impressed them. They were hoping to create a clone with the telepathic capabilities of one Charles Xavier."


    "I don''t understand, how is all that connected?"


    Gaea questioned.


    "Simple. Mephisto was to keep his end of the bargain and create a link between Billy''s soul and the clone body in the Weapon Plus facility."


    "That part of the spell is carved into the pedestal. I only had to complete a different spell to banish any curses, Slavery brands or geass placed on Billy''s soul to enslave him."


    "Then I would activate the spell on the pedestal and send his soul to Earth, to inhabit his clone self. There, my sorcerers would raid the place and secure him. But before I could finish the cleansing spell..."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "Mephisto teleported us away."


    Gaea finished.


    "Exactly."


    The Ancient One replied, looking at the ground with a frown. What a mess. She had known this wouldn''t be easy but still..


    "Well then."


    Gaea got up, green hair waving behind her.


    "what are we waiting for? Let us go save a Champion''s soul and kick ass as you children say..."


    The Ancient One blinked in surprise before a giggle escaped her.


    "Yes, let''s do that. But before we get going, there''s a more immediate problem to take care of."


    She responded, staring at their front.


    The Demon army had increased in numbers...and it didn''t seem to be the low level demons alone.


    Gaea''s hand stretched out to the side.


    A massive tree broke through the ground, forming into a long spear with a bone blade at the end.


    From afar, demons of all types flew, crawled, slithered and ran towards them. They numbered in the millions.


    "Yes. I see what you mean."


    Gaea replied, a bloodthirsty smirk on her beautiful face.


    "So stand back, Child. While this might be a simple emanation that carries only 10% of my full power, I shall protect you with everything I have."


    The Sorcerer Supreme chuckled at the Primordial Goddess'' claim.


    The Ancient One, not to be outdone, flipped her hood on before settling into a basic fighting stance.


    Tao mandalas appeared in each of her hands, the edges glowing with brilliant orange sparks.


    "And I shall protect you as well, my Lady."


    She replied.


    ''Hold on Billy. From the little I''ve seen of your destiny, It is not your fate to fall here.''


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Two red eyes with yellow sclera appeared below me in the darkness of the pit, glinting with cruelty.


    Mephisto.


    "I couldn''t see you before...I still cannot. However, I can sense you, Thief."


    The Demonic Dragon''s voice reached my ears.


    "You''re deluded. We both know who the thief here actually is."


    I shot back, breaking off shards of the ice cocoon before sending them hurtling down towards the hole.


    There was a whistle and then... nothing.


    I didn''t feel them make contact. But something big moved through the pit, it''s massive form brushing against the walls of the sink hole and causing a mushroom of dust and soot to rise up.


    "That attack has traces of divine energy- ice that does not break easily...are you a subject of Gaea?"


    Mephisto enquired, a red glow pulsing from the hole.


    There was a rumble, an almost methodical continuous beat. Hot smoke escaped into the air.


    He''s planning something...


    Too bad I can''t cut off the chain shackling the pedestal to him. Any ice I extended through the chain to shatter it, was immediately turned to steam due to the heat.


    "I suppose it does not matter." Mephisto''s continued. The rumbling from below increased in tempo.


    "For the sin of trying to steal what''s mine...I condemn you to a fiery death!"


    Oh shit...it''s dragon breath.


    Right from the start, he had me at a disadvantage. I was surrounded by his underlings and escape was impossible due to the chain linking us.


    But that wasn''t the biggest problem. He was.


    No matter how much power I had, I knew there was no way to realistically win this.


    Not in his realm where he had more than enough influence to squash me like a bug.


    This wasn''t a normal weekly villain. This was as close to fighting a god as I could come close to.


    ''Mmmph..you still don''t get it. You set your bars too low...a real god does not hide like that Lizard is doing...''


    The thought came from...


    "Hercules?"


    I called out, looking around.


    No response came. Then who had said that? Did I imagine it?


    However, a certain warmth washed through my consciousness, undermining my fear and stoking the flames of my stubbornness like a certain bullheaded Demigod.


    My senses went into overdrive as Herculean Strength filled my being, further putting stress on my Dream-Form.


    Fortunately, melded into the ice like I was lessened the strain.


    I didn''t notice it at first but red became prominent in the collage of colors surrounding my soul within the ice crystal.


    Bright enough to shine even through the ice cocoon.


    My awareness was on high alert, anticipating an attack.


    And sure enough, the Hell Lord decided to make good on his threats.


    "Aagghh!!"


    The orange glow below me reached critical levels.


    The demons on the edges of the pit trampled over each other as they escaped what was coming.


    A storm of hell flames rose out of the sink hole, like Lava erupting from a volcano. The fire was hotter than anything I had encountered.


    Hot enough that when the heat wave reached me, it blew against the cocoon, causing the whole thing to wave sporadically in the air.


    Behind the initial heatwave, the pillar of flames arrived.


    Relentless, it swallowed my ice construct whole. I felt a strain through my Dream-form as the ice fought to stay solid.


    A battle I was losing very quickly as the flame breath seemed to have no end.


    ''Then break through it!''


    Another loud thought manifested in my mind.


    Yeah...I guess I could do that.


    Herculean power brimming within my dream-form, I poured what I could and entirely covered the cocoon, enhanced it''s durability.


    The ice changed from an oval shape into a drill shrouded in red energy.


    Then I allowed it to drop, reinforcing the ice around the pedestal as much as I could.


    The drill fell, smashing through the pillar of flames. I felt the ice drill right through, expelling the heat.


    The drill followed the chain linking me to Mephisto...


    Then Bam! squelch!


    I hit something hard and fleshy. The roof of Mephisto''s head. I had shattered through his front teeth and was now drilling a hole through his upper jaw.


    Hot blood gushed out around the ice drill.


    A loud roar of agony was unleashed from the depths of the pit, the demonic dragon''s body jerking around in pain, trying to dislodge the drill.


    So I increased it''s rotation speed, bursting through the bone, and flesh before I pierced through Mephisto''s brain...


    Or I was about to, when something went wrong.


    Without warning, Mephisto disappeared into dark smoke.


    One second there was flesh and blood around the drill, then the next, the drill was slamming onto the walls of the sinkhole, penetrating in halfway.


    Silence reigned.


    I felt a jerk on the chain locked around the pedestal. He was still alive.


    And around. Somewhere.


    Thinking quickly, I changed the ice into liquid water before letting it soak in through the wall, tunneling deeper by using ice tipped tendrils.


    Then I changed it all back into ice, lodging the entire ice structure further into the wall of the sink hole.


    Good. The pedestal is buried 30 meters within the wall, getting to it won''t be easy for anyone but Mephisto. And in the meantime... I''ll be dealing with him.


    A little bit of ice broke off from the structure, falling down into the dark hole, following the path of the chain linking the pedestal to my opponent.


    Mid-flight a new form begun taking shape in the chunk of ice.


    A hand made out of crystal blue ice sprouted, followed by a torso, then the rest of the limbs before finally, a crystal head formed.


    The Ice Unit landed on the ground with a bang, the floor cracking under my new feet.


    I bent, using my control over the ice molecules to transfer the force of the landing through the crystal legs, up my my ice thighs and then my shoulders.


    The force was expelled as cold mist from my back.


    I stood up to my full height, looking down at myself. The Ice Unit. A more streamlined model of the water armor I liked using.


    My consciousness was melded into the Unit, allowing me to control it intuitively and instinctually.


    Not to mention...I reached for my back, hand wrapping around the handle of a weapon.


    A huge ice blade, more akin to a cleaver. I could also mold things from the ice as long as I had enough water present.


    Though I wasn''t sure if this ability worked on every liquid or if it was exclusive to Gaea''s special purified water I was using.


    None of that really mattered, for I had come to a conclusion.


    If I couldn''t cut off the chain...then I was going to behead Mephisto, getting rid of the problem once and for all.

 Surprise.

    (General P.O.V)


    Someone had arrived from the future.


    The stark satellite Ultron had hijacked had features that not only scanned for spatial fluctuations but after a little altering, could scan for Temporal fluctuations as well.


    The development wasn''t unexpected. Ultron had anticipated someone to follow after him. His culling of the human race wouldn''t go unnoticed after all.


    Through the satellite''s feed around the globe, the A.I managed to find out who the arrival was.


    Had Ultron been capable of feeling fear like a biological life form, he would have definitely been terrified.


    The arrival had short blond hair and a light beard. The blue body suit he wore had a four emblazoned on his chest.


    Ultron instantly recognized him. He had expected someone- anyone, but not him.


    He was problematic.


    The A.I begun another subroutine. How to handle this?


    The answer came in a second. He could use the countermeasure in place to deal with the Avengers once they returned, on Franklin.


    With a few more upgrades, it would be ready to face even him.


    Even Franklin Richards.


    *******


    Franklin figured out something was wrong the second he emerged out of the portal.


    For starters, the portal was supposed to bring him to the exact location the teleporter signal originated from.


    However, he had decided to break out mid-way through the transition process, once he couldn''t sense 99% of all life on Earth.


    "What happened here?"


    He asked, staring down at a devastated New York.


    There was smog everywhere. Blackened snow fell from the sky, casting the entire destroyed city in a thick layer of dark ice.


    Franklin disappeared, teleporting above the planet.


    "A nuclear war?"


    The son of Reed Richards mused to himself, a frown on his face, as he got a full look of the entire globe.


    There were no lights or noise.


    It was too quiet.


    The earth looked dead.


    Then that meant...


    He teleported away again, this time appearing above his home. A place he''d seen destroyed and rebuilt more times than he could count.


    The Baxter building had seen it all. His family had seen it all. But now...


    The entire block seemed to have disappeared. The Baxter building was nowhere to be seen.


    (Elsewhere)


    Rumbles sounded out as something heavy impacted against something tough.


    The Thing''s and Annihilus'' fight tore off chunks of the ground due to the intensity.


    They were fighting in the Negative Zone, the Fantastic Four having been pulled through by the Lord of the Negative Zone in a bid to exact revenge on them.


    Despite that, the battle seemed evenly matched. Everyone avoided the zone around them. Mere shockwaves from the clash of the Thing''s fist against the Cosmic Rod had liquified some of Annihilus'' swarm.


    After that, the rest learned pretty quickly to stay away.


    Another impact rang out, almost louder than the buzzing of the Swarm''s wing.


    Hundreds of feet away, the swarm of bug like creatures flew towards a lone hill that jutted off the mostly flat ground in high speed.


    A distance away from the hill, they were felled and roasted by a shower of orange flames launched by a figure wrapped in fire.


    The figure darted through the sky with a certain experience and speed, maintaining a circle of flames around the lone hill that upon closer look, was actually the massive skull of a creature.


    At the top of the skull stood Reed Richards. By his side was Susan Storm who was maintaining a defense barrier around the Skull.


    "I don''t think we can keep this up for long Reed."


    Sue told her boyfriend who was fiddling a mechanical device.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Just a few more minutes. Once I can link this device to something on the outside then we can leave the Negative Zone."


    Reed answered.


    (Elsewhere)


    Franklin was about to use his reality warping abilities to fix everything when the sky above lit up with multiple descending lights.


    The lights turned out to be hundreds of towering robots.


    Franklin''s face twisted into a confused frown.


    "More sentinels...are they responsible for all this?"


    He wondered out loud.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Never had I imagined I would ever get to Hell or fight a Hell Lord for the possession of my soul.


    Never had I also felt waaaay out of depth before. Mephisto was a monster. And I wasn''t talking about the fact he''s a dragon.


    Very quickly, I understood how outmatched I was. I couldn''t sense him yet the pressure he produced was suffocating.


    It felt like someone was holding a sharp knife to my neck, about to slice through.


    The darkness seemed to shift around me, a gigantic frame slithering across the floor. It''s body bumped onto the sides of the wall, producing a distinctly unpleasant sound.


    "You...little thief. Who are you?"


    A voice cut through the silence, hot air rushing outward as it snorted.


    My ears and eyes remained peeled, hoping to pin point his exact location.


    "I know enough to understand giving a demon, a Hell Lord at that, my name is a stupid idea."


    I responded, the ice cleaver held between my hands as I gingerly surveyed the surroundings.


    "But if you insist, you can simply call me, your worst nightmare."


    "Hahaha. A little thief with cheek."


    Mephisto laughed, his voice echoing out from the left.


    "No matter. I''ll find out your true identity after I devour your soul."


    There!


    I spun towards that direction, swinging the Ice Cleaver and releasing an ice blizzard from its sharp edge.


    The cold air left a trail of glowing ice on the floor, lighting up the zone enough that I spotted a shadow above me.


    Something fast whipped out from the opposite direction. A black tail with hardened spikes. I turned around too late.


    The tail smacked onto my ice unit''s right side, the force of the blow slamming me away.


    I bounced on the ground before digging through the walls of the sink hole with my back.


    The chain linking Mephisto with the pedestal clinked. I widened my eyes, using my control over the ice to shift my form into water and flow out of the hole before reconstituting back into the Ice Unit.


    A split second later, the jaws of a black Dragon bit into the hole I''d carved onto the wall with my body. This close and the difference in sheer size surprised me yet again.


    One of his sharp teeth was the size of my entire forearm. His head was bigger than a small car and his neck was snake like- long and thick. Around it was an illusory gray chain, that blended with the color of his scales.


    A red and yellow eye swept across the area looking for me, before I was finally spotted hanging off the wall with one hand stabbed a few inches in.


    Mephisto hacked, trying to dislodge his teeth out of the hole when I saw my chance.


    Herculean Strength poured into the Ice Unit''s leg, allowing me to pounce forward with the Ice Cleaver chopping down at his extended neck.


    The blade bit into the thick flesh of his neck, only for his entire body to change forms into smoke once more.


    The chain disappeared along with his body, both blending into the darkness of the pit.


    Knowing that staying in one place was the wrong strategy, I pushed off my feet once more, jumping off the wall. A breath of dragon flame struck the wall in my previous position, melting the rock side into red magma.


    I sighed in relief, body arched in mid-air. That was close.


    Good thing I flipped away before the attack melted the ice unit into nothing.


    I didn''t get time to celebrate my foresight as something grabbed me from the air


    "And now you''re mine!"


    Mephisto yelled in glee, his sharp claws tightening across the Ice Unit.


    The ice begun groaning, chips falling off as cracks appeared. If he exerted more strength, then the ice unit was going to shatter.


    I couldn''t let that happen.


    Ice spikes with Hercule''s destructive power jutted out across my frame like a hedgehog, stabbing into the inner flesh of his claws.


    The dragon roared in pain, letting go of my body.


    I plummeted towards the ground at neck break speeds.


    ''Gotta do something. Now!


    Transfiguring the ice into water then reforming it into my ice unit just as I hit the floor, became the plan.


    Unexpectedly, small shards of the ice unit broke off, turning into snow that spread out like a blanket below me, swirling in a fluffy cloud to catch me.


    The Ice Unit had done that all on it''s own.


    Something told me there was more to this than met the eye.


    I knew my own abilities and although I was getting good at Hydro-kinesis, this kind of control was not something I had before.


    (A few Hundred feet above Billy)


    (General P.O.V)


    The chunk of Ice holding the soul pedestal, and wedged deep into the wall, pulsed out with a concoction of bright colors.


    The light spread out before it reformed into two figures.


    Two emanations floating in mid-air while observing the battle happening below.


    "Will you stop enhancing his magic skills?! He''s a man! He''s supposed to fight with the power of his fists!! Yeeeaahhhh!!!"


    Hercules yelled, pumping his fist in the air.


    His colleague slapped the back of his head.


    "Think, you muscle-bound idiot, if I withdraw my blessing, he will die."


    Solomon sighed, slight concern marring his features.


    "As it is, the ice manipulation skills I am pouring into his mind is the only thing keeping him alive."


    "Then what are we still waiting for? Let''s save the brat so I can start his training already."


    Hercules said, smacking his fist into his palm.


    "Not now, we are useless here. The others have yet to wake up after all. Our emanations are not powerful enough to make a difference. At least not without some...primordial intervention."


    Solomon stated.


    Hercules blinked.


    "Oh, now I see what you''re planning."


    A savage smirk appeared on his face.


    "I can''t wait to punch that fucking Dragon on it''s ugly face. Hahahahah!"


    Even Solomon smiled.


    "Yes. I think it will be quite cathartic indeed. In the meantime, I''ll give our young champion some motivation."


    Solomon''s eyes glowed golden, immense power pulsing around his emanation. This wasn''t magical energy. It was something else. An authority over an aspect of Billy''s Shazam abilities.


    The one thing distinguishing Billy from other Champions.


    Billy had a...Divine Soul. And that meant, more than any other Champion, he could take in more than the God''s legacy into himself.


    He could even take on their mysteries.


    It was why Posei-ptune''s Trident had chose him.


    It was why there was a spell matrix at the core of his consciousness created from Solomon''s Mystery.


    The bundle of spell called...The Shazam System.


    "There."


    Solomon said.


    "That should give him enough incentive to keep fighting."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    My landing was smooth.


    I touched down and immediately all the snow around was sucked into the Ice Unit, fixing all the cracks and damage sustained from Mephisto''s claws.


    ''Nice''


    I thought to myself as I flexed my hands.


    My control over the ice was getting better.


    Maybe I did have a chance after all. And as if to second that thought, another surprise occured.


    A blue box with electric energy buzzing around it''s edges manifested in my vision.


    ~~~~~~~


    (New Mission.)


    (Stall for time until help arrives.)


    (Reward: Removal of one Weakness from yourself.)


    ~~~~~~~


    A mission. And one with such an interesting reward.


    So, the system wants me to stall for time until help arrives, huh?


    Fuck that, I''m slaying me a dragon.

 The World Eaters Arrival.

    (General P.O.V)


    The sky above Asgard was turned into swiss cheese.


    The golden magical boundary around the realm now had holes in it, causing glowing dust to float out into the space around.


    Odin''s and the Silver Surfer''s battle had reached a climax and then...evened out.


    Both combatants fought at their fullest power and the effects were starting to show.


    In the main residential sector of the city, crowds of Asgardians had formed, all of them in a mad rush towards the city limits.


    The order for evacuation had come straight from the palace.


    Progress was quick due to the two Avengers overseeing the evacuation efforts.


    "Come on everyone. There''s nothing left for you here except death. Follow the guy with the golden bow."


    Black Widow spoke through a megaphone, controlling an Asgardian aircraft above the throngs of people.


    Said Golden bow guy, Hawkeye, rode on the back of a chariot pulled by Thor''s goats, Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher.


    A majestic golden Uru bow was held in his hands.


    His job was leading the evacuation through the fastest route out of the city.


    (A distance away)


    (city outskirts next to the Rainbow bridge)


    Iron Man, Captain America and Falcon were facing off against Doctor Doom.


    And they were losing badly.


    Doom unleashed an emerald blast from his palms, knocking away Cap''s shield.


    Iron Man grabbed the shield off the air and threw it back at the Latverian king at twice the speed.


    The shield smacked onto the back of Doom''s head, causing him to stumble forward, while the shield bounced away, right into Cap''s waiting arms.


    The Super Soldier strapped the Vibranium metal alloy on his back.


    Then he wrapped his hands around Doom''s midsection, lifted him up and gave him a suplex.


    Doom''s back slammed onto the hard ground heavily.


    "Insolence!"


    He yelled, unleashing streaks of green lightning from all his over body.


    Cap rolled away, detaching from Doom to escape the short range of the attack.


    The latter got to his feet, anger burning in his eyes.


    The sand on the shore they were on, vibrated as a green energy covered the beach.


    "And now! My Wrath!"


    A long beam of lightning shot out of his hands, landing smack dab on the middle of Cap''s shield.


    The blast carried the Super-Soldier up, throwing him back.


    "I have you now Doom!"


    Falcon yelled, swooping in from the sky.


    "No. You do not."


    Doom replied, pivoting to the side before grabbing falcon by his leg and slamming him onto the ground.


    Falcon coughed out in pain, too stunned to move out of the way of a follow up attack.


    Iron Man dropped between the two men, crossing the hands of his Uru armor together in a bid to block the magical blast from Doom.


    "Can''t let you kill the new recruit, Viktor."


    Tony said from inside the armor.


    "Stark, how noble. It''s a good thing Doom was expecting you to intervene!"


    Doom shouted, unleashing a thicker magical bolt on Iron Man.


    The attack landed, Iron Man choosing not to dodge due to his confidence in the Armor''s defensive aspect.


    Immediately, the weight of the armor around Tony increased, leading to him taking a knee.


    "What did you do?"


    Tony demanded, trying and failing to get up.


    "Easy. Uru is a magical absorbent. Pouring in my magical energy leads to the armor getting heavier."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Doom explained.


    "And now this farce is over, Stark. Stand down or I will kill-"


    Cap''s shield landed on the back of Doom''s head for the second time, throwing him forward.


    Slowly, the leader of Latveria turned around to face the man out of time.


    "Captain, while I admire your tenacity, you''re worse than an irritating itch."


    Cap snatched the shield out of the air as it rebounded, tightening the straps on his wrist.


    "An irritating itch? Can''t say I''ve heard that one before."


    Before the fight could resume, a shadow fell upon Asgard.


    Captain America fell out of his combat stance, his back stiffening as he looked up, then up...


    "Oh my god."


    The Super Soldier exclaimed, with a gob-smacked expression.


    Odin pulled upon his full power, then unleashed an area of effect energy burst, one that successfully pushed back the Silver Surfer.


    The latter was breathing heavily, the silver glow around his body dim amidst the golden backdrop of the sky.


    He couldn''t keep dodging forever.


    While the Surfer was fast, Odin had the Odin-force on his side, giving him a very noticeable edge.


    "Ready to give in?"


    Odin questioned, twirling Gungnir.


    "It won''t do you any good though, you signed your own death by attacking my home."


    The Silver Surfer said nothing for a while.


    Then a small smile appeared at the corner of his lips.


    "My mission was not to defeat you."


    A shadow appeared above Asgard.


    Right on time.


    "The strategy was to keep you busy."


    The Surfer added, backing away from Odin to attend to his master.


    On the ground below the two, Thor, the Warriors Four and the Asgardian army were in shock.


    "Is that..."


    Fandral begun, his left hand around the handle of his sword.


    "Yes. There is no mistaking it. He''s here."


    Volstagg responded, hoisting his war hammer across his shoulder.


    Clang.


    Sif lowered the sides of her helmet, an air of determination surrounding her.


    "Doesn''t matter. Like all enemies of Asgard, even he shall fall."


    Thor said nothing, eyes narrowed at the new arrival.


    ''Father...can you really survive this?''


    Odin on his part had a blank expression on his face, no one knew what was going on in his mind.


    The white knuckled grip around Gungnir was the only indication that the All-father considered the situation dire.


    He wasn''t wrong either. Galactus had finally arrived on Asgard. Nothing good could come of it.


    The All father gazed up at the colossal entity, it''s titanic form big enough to blot out the sun.


    Odin''s regal armor seemed dim in the presence of the world devourer, who radiated an aura of cosmic power that dwarfed even the gods.


    Galactus''s immense frame was a nightmarish amalgamation of alien technology and cosmic energy.


    His skin was an obsidian hue, etched with pulsating veins of radiant purple.


    His eyes, glowing like two malevolent stars, pierced the very soul of any who dared to meet his gaze.


    His colossal helmet crowned his head, bearing a ghastly resemblance to a skull, a stark reminder of his insatiable hunger.


    The Asgardians, in awe and terror, had stopped moving forward.


    "What''s going on?"


    Black Widow voiced out from the craft she was piloting.


    "Nat, have you looked at the sky of late?"


    Hawkeye asked, pulling the reins on Toothgrinder and Toothgnasher to halt their advance.


    "Holy crap... he''s huge."


    The former red room assassin said, the Asgardian ship pulling up next to Thor''s chariot.


    "What now?"


    The resident Archer asked through the comms in their ears.


    "I would feel good about our chances if we had the Hulk. Maybe even the Shazam kid."


    "We still need to evacuate. Quickly, before things get dicey."


    Black Widow decided.


    "Resume the charge, I''ll cover the back and prevent any stragglers from falling behind."


    The Asgardian Ship turned back under her control, flying over the crowds of people evacuating.


    "Everyone!!"


    Black Widow called out, her voice broadcasting throughout the area.


    "Throw away anything slowing you down. From here on, we''ll making a straight dash for the Bifrost."


    ''So, it has come to this?''


    Odin thought to himself, his lone eye closed in contemplation.


    Before him was a being of unmatched power. Behind him were the lives of his people.


    There was no conundrum. There was no hesitation. There was only duty. His duty as the All-father, God king of Asgard.


    His one good eye opened. Ablaze with defiance, the All-father raised his enchanted spear, Gungnir, high.


    "Galan of Taa!" Odin''s voice echoed across the trembling realm.


    Galactus looked down, his eyes managing to spot Odin. The weight on the All-father''s shoulders compounded.


    Odin grit his teeth, staring up at Galactus with the regal bearing of a king.


    "You shall not feast upon Asgard today! I stand to defend my people, my home. No cost is too great for me. Not even my life or yours, World Eater!"


    Galactus'' eyes blinked. Slowly, his lips parted and a voice that was louder than a jet engine escaped the cosmic


    "Nourishment."


    And that single word managed to spell doom for everyone involved. Galactus'' collosal hand reached out towards the realm, parting clouds and destroying the boundary around Asgard.


    "Damn it all."


    Odin cursed out, twirling his weapon in preparation.


    The weapon glowed golden, the God-king pointing it forward and unleashing a massive beam of his Odin-force.


    The attack left a trail of gold as it sped forward in high speeds, slamming right in the middle of Galactus enormous palm.


    The Odin-force was forcefully dispelled and snuffed out, the collosal hand continuing forward in its path to destruction.


    Odin''s divine presence disappeared in the midst of the cosmic energy being radiated by Galactus.


    "Oh no..."


    Thor muttered, his horror shared amongst the others.


    Galactus palm was falling straight for the rainbow bridge.


    Without a single word, Iron Man rose to the sky, all the weapons outfitted in the Mark Uru, activating.


    "Let''s see how much damage the Destroyer beams can create when paired up with an Arc Reactor."


    Iron Man said, commencing his attack.


    A surge of power pulsed from the Arc Reactor on his chest. And then...he released the attack.


    A straight beam of white energy but a path towards Galactus'' hand.


    The resulting explosion was too bright for anyone to look at with their naked eyes. Iron Man was thrown onto the ground thousands of feet away, the Uru armor being the only thing keeping him alive.


    On the ground,


    Steve raised his shield to block the pressure wave from the collision, when a frantic voice reached his ears.


    "Cap! Duck!"


    Falcon warned, flying in and tackling Captain America out of the way of Galactus'' ring finger.


    There was a massive crash as the hand finally landed, shattering the rainbow bridge and the bifrost in one fell swoop.


    A green shield appeared around the two Avengers, Cap and Falcon, protecting them from the heavy winds about to slam into them.


    Doom stood with his back to the two, the creator of the green barrier, hands stretched out to the front.


    "Doom? Why are you helping us?"


    Captain America questioned as devastation was wrought around them.


    The realm of Asgard quaked as if the very foundations of existence were being torn asunder.


    "You ask too many questions. I told you, Doom has no Master. I do what I want."


    Doom replied, just as the dust and sand settled.


    "This is bad."


    Falcon muttered to himself.


    "Yes. It is."


    Cap found himself agreeing. Their only way home, their one ticket had been destroyed.


    The rainbow bridge floated as mere shards.


    The Bifrost was gone.


    There was no way out of Asgard now.


    To top it all, they were stuck inside a world that Galactus wanted to make a meal of.

 I Lose?

    (General P.O.V)


    (Unknown Circle of Hell)


    Divine lightning fell from the sky, obliterating hundreds of thousands of demons.


    Inhuman screams and grunts filled the air.


    "Your sight annoys me. Begone!"


    Gaea yelled, her hair dancing behind her wildly, eyes glowing with power.


    The sky above echoed with her divine might. More charged streaks of light flashed across the gloomy and gray clouds.


    "You cannot hide from me Mephisto! I am coming for you!!"


    The Earth Goddess roared.


    Then,


    Krakooooom!!!


    Pillars of blinding golden lightning rained down on the barren wasteland, laying waste to innumerable mid rank and low-rank demons.


    Only the High ranked ones survived with injuries. Due to the nature of demons, while in Hell there was little they couldn''t recover from.


    The presence of souls meant that nothing was impossible.


    However, to balance that out, death was permanent for them.


    Unfortunately for the ones who survived Gaea''s attacks, death came for them in the form of hundreds of small portals that appeared beside each High Rank.


    And before most could even react, orange daggers shot out, tearing through flesh easily.


    For the larger demons, the daggers would explode, blowing up chunks of their bodies.


    The Ancient One was relentless in her attacks, matching Gaea''s power with ruthless dispatching of their enemies.


    Creating these small portals was easy, too bad anything large enough for the two to use to get back to the castle was unavailable.


    Mephisto''s hold on this reality was undeniable.


    Yet for every hundred they mowed down, more Demons took the place of their fallen brethren, incessantly crawling and trampling on their scorched forms in a bid to get closer to the two.


    The Ancient One, standing on Gaea''s left shoulder wiped the sweat on her forehead.


    "There is no end to them. We need to get back to the castle soon or we will fail."


    She told the goddess.


    They had been fighting for so long...and both of them, were getting exhausted.


    This wasn''t Gaea''s true form. It was just an emanation without her full power.


    The Goddess frowned. Then she gave a determined nod.


    "I understand. Hold on."


    The Earth Mother raised her hands, her form glowing brighter than a star.


    The Demons rushing forward stopped in place, heads turned up in stunned silence.


    Then one High Rank, backed away, before turning around and flapping it''s wings, escaping to the opposite direction of Gaea.


    Something that hadn''t happened before.


    Terror spread across the horde of millions. A few smarter Demons followed the High Rank''s example and began to run away.


    "Too late for that."


    The Ancient One intoned, accessing the Time Stone and slowing down time within a large area.


    The demons'' movements got sluggish, as if they were moving through a thick viscous liquid.


    Then Gaea''s move was finally completed. She pulled in all her power, compressed it then unleashed the full weight of her divinity.


    An explosion of emerald energy burst out. The wave of power heavy and widespread, quickly drowning the demons under its effects.


    Thousands, hundreds of thousands...millions disappeared, their atoms shredded out of existence entirely.


    Soon after, the dust and smoke settled, revealing something shocking.


    Nothing remained standing as far as the eye could see.


    High Rank, middle rank or low rank. It didn''t matter, every single one of them was gone.


    Drifting as ash in the hot atmosphere.


    But it wasn''t without a cost. Gaea''s aura dimmed. Her chest rose up in harsh breaths. And she couldn''t keep herself in mid air anymore.


    Her body descended, landing on the ground with a massive quake, before taking a knee.


    The Ancient One jumped off her shoulder, turning to face her with concern etched on her face.


    "You shouldn''t have done that. We can''t have you exhausted my lady."


    Gaea''s body pulsed. And then, it shrunk on itself. Before long, The Ancient One wasn''t facing a giant voluptuous female goddess.


    This new Gaea still retained her beauty and influence. Only her form was more compact, smaller.


    "I''m fine Yao. Your concern is appreciated."


    Gaea responded, getting to her feet.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    While not as tall as before, she still towered a little over the Sorcerer Supreme.


    The Ancient One stared at her for a few short seconds, before stepping back with a small head bow.


    "If you say so, Lady Gaea."


    "I do."


    Gaea responded, staring at the direction to Mephisto''s castle. Anger marred her features.


    "And now, I believe we have wasted precious time here. It''s time to save my champion and crush that impertinent Demon."


    "Then I believe I can help with that."


    A new voice cut in.


    Immediately, the Ancient One lashed out with an attack.


    Dimensional energy roared out of her, manifesting as miniature concentrated dark suns that flew into the air towards the source of the voice.


    Her attack was answered in equal measure. A flame breath that collided against the Dark Dimension''s spell.


    An explosion of untold might rippled out, both energies reacting violently. Like oil and fire.


    Only for the resulting energy to immediately die out with a simple wave of Gaea''s hand, before it could do any damage.


    "Who are you demon?"


    The Ancient One demanded, hands lighting up with more power. Her skin gained black veins across her neck.


    Gaea narrowed her eyes at the Sorcerer Supreme but said nothing. There were more important matters to deal with for now.


    For example, the new stranger.


    A huge form tucked it''s wings in, gliding down onto the ground.


    A bone dragon.


    And on it''s back was a skeleton on fire. It wore a black leather jacket, studded gloves and black chains that were wrapped around his shoulders.


    "Who? me? You can call me...Johnny."


    The Skeleton answered.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    You know what?


    I was wrong.


    This wasn''t going to be hard at all.


    Case in point...


    "Stay in place you little thief!!"


    The huge Dragon bellowed, the sound crashing again my Ice Unit as I flipped backwards.


    My feet landed on the walls of the pit. Red energy covered the Ice Unit''s legs, giving me immense strength that when I took a leap, cracks were left on the wall.


    The Unit cut through the air at subsonic speeds.


    Mephisto wound around the pit after missing me, changing trajectory and coming back around for another attack.


    My Ice Cleaver clashed against his claws, the sound like metal shredding apart. Sparks flew out.


    Then the Unit changed states, becoming water that quickly flowed up the claws, the limb, past the wings and onto his back.


    A prime position to land the killing blow.


    The water reformed into the ice Unit, and the Cleaver in my hands came falling down onto his neck.


    Then his body disappeared into smoke.


    But I was ready for him now. Using the new control over water I had, my ice Unit shifted into a third state.


    Cold mist.


    Tiny water droplets that dispersed into the air at a temperature lower than the surroundings.


    The droplets evaporated quickly, though not before absorbing heat from the air in the Pit and lowering temperatures even further.


    Mephisto''s smoky form tried to escape and reform elsewhere, only for my white gaseous form to clash with his dark gaseous state.


    The gaseous collision melded the two of us, a black and white cloud with two consciousness fighting for supremacy.


    The cold won out, freezing parts of the smoke into a solid state.


    Almost immediately, there was the sound of something shattering as frozen parts of his body fell to the ground.


    "No! What are you doing?!"


    The Hell Lord demanded, his real face reforming in the air, attached to the smoke.


    So he could do partial transformations huh?


    So can I.


    "Killing you."


    I answered, temporarily reforming the cold mist into the Ice Unit''s mouth.


    Then ice daggers shot out, on a direct path with his face.


    His head dispersed into smoke, dodging the ice daggers.


    Then the smoke ignited into dark-orange hell flames.


    Shit. The move was too fast for me to react to!!


    Pain!


    Agony!


    I couldn''t help but scream as my gas form was immediately set on hellfire.


    I reformed into a half melted Ice Unit, the hellflames burning across the left side of my body.


    I couldn''t keep myself in the air anymore so I fell down.


    "Hahahaha! You got cocky little thief!!"


    Mephisto said, swooping down after me.


    I felt his Claws puncture through the chest of my Ice Unit. Another fresh wave of pain rocked me and I couldn''t help but cry out in agony.


    He flew closer to the ground, pressing the Ice Unit onto the floor of the pit face first. The ice chipped off into shards that quickly evaporated into the air due to the heat.


    "Raarghh!! Your torment has just begun!"


    Mephisto laughed in sadistic glee, slamming me onto the walls of the pit.


    The Ice Unit was nothing more than a a leg, a hand, half of the torso and half of it''s head once he was done.


    The rest of it''s body was either melted by the hell flames or shattered due to the heavy strikes.


    "How quickly the tables have turned on you, little thief."


    The Demonic- Dragon taunted, it''s face close to my broken form.


    It cocked it''s head to the side, laughter rumbling out of it''s chest.


    "It''s a pity."


    The claws around the Unit squeezed. More cracks spread out. My mouth opened in silent agony.


    "I still have no idea who you are...or who sent you. And I sense no soul within you."


    He mused.


    Then opened his jaw wide. A dark orange glow appeared deep within his throat.


    "No matter! I have a soul to devour and intruders to deal with! To hell with you Golem!"


    Death...was coming to me.


    Even after I had promised myself I wasn''t going to lose.


    Even after the mission and the reward waiting for me if I completed it...


    I was still going to die.


    Psych.


    How laughable. Die to a bitch like Mephisto? Someone who while cunning and tricky, actually sucked when it came to a one on one battle?


    He''d struggled against Gaea despite the fact that this was his dimension. All that power...and he fell for it.


    The first indication that something was wrong was the sudden decrease in temperature. The claws around me tightened as the Dragon''s narrowed.


    Cold air blew around us.


    "Oi,"


    I said through the Unit, extending a shaky hand forward...and then...I touched Mephisto''s claws.


    Ice spread out fast, seeping into his flesh.


    KRAAAK!!!


    The frozen claw shattered into pieces of ice that hang around me.


    "Chasing after you was getting boring...so I pretended to be overwhelmed...all so that you would get closer."


    The Dragon flapped it''s wings trying to fly away.


    "You''re not escaping." I refused.


    The ice around me shifted into dozens of ice spikes that flew forward, tearing through the fleshy part of his wings.


    Mephisto yelled in pain.


    Instantly all the water molecules I had dispersed across the pit during the fight, converged on our position.


    The Dragon widened it''s eyes as it finally realized the ruse. There was no more escape.


    So it wound it''s head back for a last desperate move.


    The heat brimming within it''s maw launched out towards my body in a concentrated blast of dragon breath.


    But I had anticipated that.


    I pushed the Ice Unit''s forearm into his mouth, the ice glowing red with Hercules'' special brand of energy.


    Using it this way was somewhat a disservice to the Demigod of Strength and I suspected he wouldn''t be happy if he ever came to know.


    However as long as I Won this...I didn''t care.


    A flex of my will and the icy limb grew spurs and thorns that tore through Mephisto''s jaws.


    The flame breath clashed against the ice in his mouth and failed to melt through.


    The enhancement from Hercules'' Legacy made the ice almost unbreakable.


    "That was your last chance."


    I told him, smiling within. Dark glee at dominating a Hell-Lord burning inside my consciousness.


    The ice mist under my control, swirled around the Demonic Dragon, cutting through his form and freezing parts of his body.


    He shifted into his smoky form.


    Yet the ice tornado was inescapable. The smoke froze and shattered into shards of black ice.


    Still, Mephisto was a Hell-Lord.


    His remains changed shapes yet again. This time his true body appeared within the ice tornado, wearing a torn up red suit across his lithe form.


    His hands clawed at the air, with a desperate expression on his face.


    He said something but I couldn''t hear him over the whistling winds.


    Hell flames launched out of his hands as he tried to burn his way out of the icy tornado.


    Unfortunately for him, that only exhausted his power even faster. His movements slowed down. His limbs locked down as Ice creeped up the limbs.


    Hatred in his eyes... Mephisto stared at me.


    The promise of vengeance burning in his dark orbs.


    Leaving an enemy like him alive was not just a dumb idea, it was a monumentally stupid idea.


    That decides it then. I stared back at him.


    And signed off on his death. The ice tornado immediately collapsed onto his body. Mephisto flash froze instantly, eyes wide with surprise.


    Then I shattered the ice into small pieces. Then I shattered those small pieces into even smaller shards. Then those shards into dust. Then that dust into powder.


    Then that powder into crystal particulates that drifted into the air towards me.


    I reached out and... absorbed them onto the Ice Unit. Letting them escape into the air of Hell would only see him reforming.


    This way, there truly was no escape for him.


    A text box appeared in my vision.

 Achieving The Impossible.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Well color me surprised... little man actually did it."


    Hercules said while smiling widely, hands crossed over his huge chest.


    "Was there any doubt? He''s our chosen champion. Inexperienced as he is...he has good battle instincts."


    Solomon offered.


    "Mmh. You''re right. But..."


    Hercules muttered, looking at the awning darkness of the pit before them, his long hair shielding his face.


    "I can''t accept it. My pride as a warrior..."


    The King of Israel turned to look at his companion who was behaving strangely. His entire body trembling unusually.


    "Are...you alright Hercules?"


    "No."


    The Demigod replied.


    "He won the fight yes..."


    He continued, looking up to reveal a toothy snarly.


    His earlier elation seemed to have been replaced with a furious expression.


    "But what in Hades was that?!! He used my Legacy in such...such...such..."


    Solomon blinked.


    "A smart way? To defend himself against an opponent not only magnitudes stronger than him, but one who would have gone on to devour the boy''s soul, not only killing him but gaining all our power in the process?"


    The king questioned, staring at the Demigod as if he was stupid.


    "Your words are full of reason, King of mages."


    Hercules responded.


    "But I still can''t stand it!!! He''s a man! A man should fight with the power of his fists! Not rely on deception!"


    He concluded with burning passion.


    "I am genuinely out of words."


    Solomon shook his head at his stubborn companion, turning his gaze down onto the pit.


    The dust and smoke was just now settling after the epic throwdown.


    "Still, you cannot deny it was effective Hercules."


    Hercules opened his mouth to debunk the statement but then closed it abruptly, an inquisitive look flashing across his face.


    "Yes...I have never thought of leveraging my strength like that before. I didn''t even think it was possible."


    Solomon shook his head.


    "He wasn''t using your legacy. At least not alone. There was something else there, making the Ice much stronger."


    The mage king raised a single finger.


    "Divinity."


    Hercules turned to stare at him, stunned.


    "That''s impossible, he might have a divine soul but my Divine energy would have crushed his consciousness to nothing. It''s already overloaded from the connection he has with Neptune''s-"


    The Demigod trailed off, as if realizing something.


    "Unless it wasn''t my divinity in the first place."


    He questioned.


    "No, the Legacy was yours. The essence of your Domain as well but...I don''t know."


    Solomon said with a shake of his head.


    Hercules turned to look at him in naked shock.


    "You... don''t know? How?! You practically know everything!"


    Solomon sighed.


    "This is a different universe...with it''s own laws. It would be foolish to say I know more than I don''t."


    "I see."


    Hercules responded, a rare serious expression on his face.


    Out of nowhere, his chest started rumbling with laughter.


    His face split into a bloodthirsty smile.


    "You know what this means, right Solomon?"


    The Demigod of Strength punched his fist into his palm.


    "The boy, he''s going to get more powerful from here on out. And from the rate he''s going...it won''t be long before I can fight him. Truly fight him."


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Solomon slapped the back of the Demigod''s head.


    "Idiot. It will at least take him 400 more years to get to your level."


    The Mage king said, exasperated.


    "As he is right now you will ruin everything due to your battle lust."


    "You sure it will take that long? We just saw what he did."


    Hercules replied in a contemplative tone.


    "Lady Gaea and the Sorcerer are back. We are no longer needed here."


    Instead of answering the question, Solomon let his words hang in the air before his emanation promptly disappeared.


    "You can''t deny the truth..."


    Hercules said, staring at his fellow Legacy''s previous position.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    ~~~~~~~


    (Mission Complete.)


    (Stall for time until help arrives.)


    (Reward: Removal of one Weakness from yourself.)


    ~~~~~~~


    The text box confirmed the good news.


    I...won?


    Of course I won. What was I expecting?


    Oh look at that, I''m apparently being snide to myself.


    I extracted the Ice Unit off the wall. The steam hanging in the air, flowed around it, fixing the cracks and filling up the lost limbs.


    Then I looked up at the black chain hanging before me, going up to the mouth of the pit.


    Had I a real body, I wouldn''t have been able to stop the smile of triumph that would have appeared on my face.


    I beat Mephisto on my own, got the reward from the system and now my soul would finally be in my possession.


    Today...was a good day.


    The ice unit''s fingers turned into claws that I stabbed into the wall. Using them, I started climbing up while following the chain.


    All the while my thoughts were on what weakness I could remove from myself.


    Maybe Fatigue? Therefore giving myself endless stamina? No, Atlas'' Legacy would solve that soon.


    Whatever I decided on, needed to be useful not only in the short term but the long run as well.


    (General P.O.V)


    Ultron observed from his remote command center on the Stark Satellite.


    The first wave of Vibranium Sentinels he had unleashed upon Franklin Richards, were obliterated in a dazzling display of reality-warping power.


    Granted, those Sentinels were not the most powerful.


    They were only useful for one thing; a calculated risk, gathering valuable data on Franklin''s capabilities, and it had paid off.


    "Sentinel Wave 1: Ineffective," Ultron''s mechanical voice intoned dispassionately.


    The A.I analyzed the data pouring in from the battlefield above the ruins of the Baxter building.


    Franklin Richards was a formidable adversary, yes. But, he also presented a one in a lifetime chance.


    Already, Ultron''s supreme intelligence was coming up with ways to leverage this.


    And luckily with the information collected, Ultron wasted no time in deploying the second wave of Sentinels, now armed with an upgraded arsenal.


    These weapons were designed to unleash devastating energy blasts capable of rendering a planet inhabitable forever.


    They were specifically calibrated to inflict maximum damage on biological forms, targeting not just Franklin but anything living in proximity.


    These Sentinel''s arrival was marked by an ominous hum in the air.


    Franklin looked up towards the sky, once again spotting hundreds of more Sentinels right after he had waved his hand and torn apart the first wave.


    These Sentinels however were a bit different. Not much stronger though.


    "It doesn''t matter how many you send at me."


    Franklin spoke into the air, eyes glowing white.


    He stretched out a hand.


    "I''ll take you all down."


    He said, determined.


    "Target detected. Deploying Defensive Energy Barriers."


    The Sentinels intoned, pausing in the air a distance away from Franklin.


    They combined their energy and created one huge barrier before them.


    A wave of orange flames much akin to Uncle Johnny''s, only hotter, left Franklin''s palms.


    The fire drowned the Sentinels in a wave of inferno, making the gloomy sky glow a dark red.


    The smoke died down.


    "Energy Field Defense capabilities...ineffective."


    A mechanical voice reached his ears.


    The Sentinels revealed were half melted clumps of metal that glowed blue and purple.


    "Mmph. I''m surprised your mechanical forms survived that. Those flames were as hot as a supernova."


    Franklin intoned, unleashing another wave of flames that finished destroying the second wave.


    Then the Fourth wave hit.


    And the fifth.


    And the Sixth.


    The onslaught was relentless, and despite Franklin''s incredible powers, Ultron was learning how to effectively counter him.


    And so, on the Tenth wave, after the Sentinels were beaten back once more, their remains flowed into each other.


    Ultron had managed to create Vibranium nanites.


    The result was a new Sentinel. It had a rounder Torso and spindly limbs. This one was clear not designed to fight, but to inflict as much damage as possible.


    And Franklin immediately understood that. Without wasting a second he flew in to-


    In a blinding flash, the Sentinel exploded, producing a wave of powerful destruction stronger than all the nuclear missiles Ultron had deployed against the world.


    Fortunately the explosion only targeted Biological components.


    Unfortunately, that meant whatever life remained on Earth would be snuffed out entirely.


    Franklin reached out with his powers and absorbed the explosion into himself entirely.


    The energy was too much to keep up with, and it reduced his body to ash, his molecules scattered across the air.


    Nothing remained.


    But Franklin was not so easily defeated.


    With his reality-warping abilities, he reassembled himself in the same place as before, a testament to his resilience.


    "Found you."


    The Son of Reed Richards said with a smile.


    He had finally managed to figure out the enemy''s hiding place.


    The zone around him vibrated as he shot up towards the sky, pushing away the dark and gloomy clumps of clouds as he headed to outerspace.


    As Ultron prepared to launch the eighth wave of Sentinels, he sensed a sudden disturbance in his immediate vicinity.


    Before he could react, Franklin Richards burst through the Stark Satellite Ultron was using as his base of operations.


    The Satellite groaned, explosions ringing out from the destroyed parts.


    Franklin''s intent was clear once he came out on the other side of the Satellite.


    Take down his opponent with extreme prejudice.


    "Stark industries huh? The enemy must be hiding inside."


    He mused to himself, using his abilities to scan the Satellite.


    Nothing.


    Something was actively blocking his sensing capabilities. Not impossible but very unlikely.


    Huw curious.


    He readied himself to attack once again.


    But before he could make a move, something strange occurred.


    A massive explosion of purple and green energy erupted from one side of the Satellite, illuminating the darkness of space.


    "Asset Omega Released."


    Ultron declared, his mechanical mind processing the situation.


    There was no time to gather more Intel, Franklin Richards was too dangerous.


    Ultron had to respond with everything if he wanted to see the culmination of his grand mission.


    And so Asset Omega was released.


    Franklin flew towards the part of the Satellite Station that had blown up.


    In the remains of the station drifting out into space...was something out of place.


    A humanoid green giant form.


    One that Franklin recognized almost immediately.


    Hulk.


    Only, he was different. For starters the Hulk had on a mechanical visor with flashing LED''s across his head.


    And his green body seemed to pulse with a purple energy that looked similar to the metal used to create the Sentinels.


    Vibranium.


    "Banner, what have they done to you?" Franklin asked, genuine concern in his voice, flying closer to one of Uncle Ben''s best friends.


    (A few minutes later)


    From the ground...


    One could see a bright flash of purple and green appear briefly in the sky.


    Following the flash was a shockwave that produced cosmic winds that bartered the already devastated planet''s atmosphere.


    Inside the Stark Satellite, Ultron''s voice spoke up once more,


    "Asset Obtained. Beyond Omega level."


    Somehow, someway, the Impossible had happened.


    Ultron had managed to capture a Reality Warper.

 Massacre.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Mephisto has locked down teleportation in his realm, yet I saw you create portals, Sorcerer. How did you do it?"


    The Ghost Rider asked, skeletal hands on the reins of the flaming dragon he rode on.


    At his back was the Ancient One and Gaea, who was standing on the back of the Dragon, her full influence radiating out into the surroundings.


    Her Elder God aura kept the demons at bay, ensuring an interrupted flight to Mephisto''s palace.


    "A magician never reveals their secrets, I''m afraid."


    The Ancient One answered with a smile.


    "I see. Very well then. Aiyah!"


    The Ghost Rider whipped the reins, stirring the dragon to fly even faster.


    "We should be arriving soon."


    He told them.


    And sure enough, something begun to appear on the horizon.


    "What''s that?"


    The Ghost Rider spoke up on the pulsing orange light far ahead of them.


    "It seems to be a storm of hell fire where his palace once stood."


    Gaea answered with furrowed brows on her breathtaking face.


    "How interesting."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Now that I wasn''t being attacked by a 20 plus ton black dragon, I could finally rest easy.


    Wind passed by me as the Ice Unit ascended to the top of the mouth of the pit.


    Cracks lined the walls from our fight, the chain that had been around Mephisto''s neck clinking against the walls on my ascent.


    I had found out that I couldn''t send the whole thing to my hammer space. Either a consequence of this being a dream walk or the nature of hell itself...I had to manually carry my soul.


    The pedestal was placed within the ice unit, constantly moving around to never present an immobile target. The chain came out of the wrist of my right hand.


    I needed a weapon and it could double as one until I got out of there and made it back to my real self.


    And finally, I broke out of the pit.


    Only to emerge right in the eye of the storm. And by that, I mean the millions and millions of Demons surrounding the pit.


    The air above me was filled with flying infernal creatures and the edges of the pit were lined with more of the horde.


    A chaotic chant resonated out from them, one that I hadn''t heard from within the Pit.


    They were all saying one thing.


    ""Mephisto!""


    ""Mephisto!""


    ""Mephisto!""


    The chant immediately died down once I was spotted however.


    And I could almost feel the temperature noticeably drop as the gazes became piercing cold.


    I couldn''t understand their language, which was aptly named Demon script, but from the rising aggression I could feel from them, they were not happy to see me.


    Well, I wasn''t happy to see them either. I thought that the fighting was over but clearly I was mistaken.


    I paused in the air above the pit, standing on a platform of ice that I held in place with my water control. I was outnumbered. Forced to face off against enemies that occupied my vision as far as I could see.


    Damn, there had to be more than just millions of them.


    Bam.


    Bam.


    Bam.


    Heavy steps sounded out as a commotion appeared among their ranks.


    Straight to my front, the ranks of infernal creatures stepped out of the way of someone. A demon, yet this one looked different.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    For starters it was similar to Mephisto but it''s horns were much bigger. Oh and it was black. Not dark brown but completely fully black as the night.


    A large cape flared behind it, almost matched in length by its wild mane of dirty blonde hair. The handle of a massive sword peaked through it''s shoulder.


    Cruel purple eyes stared up at me balefully.


    "Where is Lord Mephisto?"


    The Demon questioned.


    The rest quieted down in anticipation to the question.


    "He''s dead."


    I answered, seeing no reason to lie.


    My words projected out and caused pandemonium.


    "That''s impossible. The Realm would collapse without his energy holding it together."


    The Demon spoke up, his voice projecting loud over everyone else.


    ""Yeah. He''s right."


    ""The Master is still alive.""


    I heard some of them say.


    While I couldn''t understand various connotations of Demon Script without Solomon''s Legacy (I was still locked off from that), a bit of it must have leaked through as I could understand some of their statements.


    With the support of his brethren, the Demon reached for his back and unsheathed a great ivory sword.


    "You clearly are a liar. Which means, I Y''garon the Demon Lord shall strike you down where you stand. Have at thee!!"


    And without a single hesitation, he jumped forward to attack me.


    ''Oh crap'' I thought, as the demon cleared the distance faster than I thought possible.


    Okay then, no choice but to fight I guess.


    I couldn''t use the same strategy as before though. No ice attacks, lest they weaken the defense around the pedestal and my soul.


    That left me with the chain locked around the foot of the pedestal and coming out of my right wrist.


    The Ice Unit tightened it''s grip on the black chain, cracking it like a whip in the air.


    Then for added measure, I poured in Hercules'' legacy, causing the chain to pulse red-black and start burning with hell fire.


    "Now die! Become the ashes upon which I shall rule over Hell!!"


    Y''garon yelled, his ivory sword swinging out to decapitate me.


    Krwackk!!


    The red-black chain struck his body. There wasn''t a contest, he was torn apart almost immediately.


    His torso separated from his hips. His left leg was cut off at the shin and lastly the chain passed through his shoulders, dismembering him even further.


    With agony and terror in his eyes, Y''garon had enough strength to not only howl in pain but ask a question.


    "What are you??!!!"


    "Someone you pissed off. Now burn."


    I responded.


    The hellfire around the chain surged up and immediately destroyed his form into nothing.


    Not even ash remained.


    The shock was palpable.


    "He-he killed a Demon Lord?"


    "That''s only a step weaker than a Hell-Lord..."


    "Does this mean...what I think it does?"


    The discussion reached my ears. They couldn''t believe it. Even I couldn''t in a way.


    But.


    Enough playing around. It was clear that the only way to deal with them was a show of power.


    The chain in the grip of the Ice Unit roared with flames once more.


    "Wait...what''s he planning to do..."


    "Lucifer''s Dark Heart! Everyone run!!!"


    The horde begun to retreat away from the pit.


    "You''re not going anywhere!!"


    The shout escaped my lips as I absorbed the Ice platform I was standing on, leading to the Unit promptly falling towards the pit.


    Once the Ice Unit was level with the edge of the pit''s mouth, I begun spinning the chain round and round, ready to go hell on their infernal asses.


    Like the blur caused by the blades of a chopper, the chain left behind scarlet afterimages.


    "Now, Burn!"


    The flames washed out, incinerating anything the chains passed through. Hundreds then thousands of escaping demons were turned into ash.


    The hell fire extended past the chains limit, manifesting as a raging wave of black and red. The heat hot enough that I could feel my Ice Unit struggle to stay in its frozen state.


    It spread far and wide, swallowing demon after demon until... nothing was left as far as the eye could see.


    Not even the ashes or dust remained. The fortunate few to escape, escaped either by flying up or digging into the ground and tunneling away.


    Silence was all that remained once I stopped spinning the chain.


    The Ice Unit''s feet barely made a noise as I landed on the ground after the massacre I had just performed.


    I was all alone. No enemies in sight. I had survived.


    The chain stopped burning with HellFire as I pulled it within the ice unit.


    Now I could breath a sigh of-


    Immediately, the air around me grew oppressive as a familiar power pressed down on my shoulders from the sky.


    "Huh..."


    I looked up and my soul almost skipped a beat. A huge draconic form was above me.


    Mephisto was back?!!


    I thought I killed him.


    I got ready to fight as the Dragon landed on the ground to my front, allowing me to finally get a good look at it, once the dust from the descent cleared.


    It wasn''t Mephisto like I had feared.


    Instead, this particular dragon was all bones. In addition to that, it was in flames.


    But that wasn''t what grabbed my attention. The similarly burning skeleton on the Dragon''s back did.


    A Ghost rider?


    I''d never seen one that rode a skeletal dragon before.


    There was Johnny Cage with his motorcycle. And Robbie Reyes with his car but never a dragon.


    Even more prolific however, was who the Ghost Rider rode with.


    I immediately got on a knee upon noticing her.


    "Lady Gaea. You''re back."


    She had fought for me. Even without a reason. Yet her and The Ancient One, both of whom were staring down at me in confusion, had journeyed to hell for my sake.


    "A friend of yours maybe?"


    I heard the Ghost Rider inquire from the other two.


    The Dragon flared it''s wings, producing a small gale that blew past the Ice-Unit.


    Tap.


    A pair of bare feet appeared in my gaze, walking towards me. The bare feet led up to curvy legs covered in green foliage.


    And then the Earth Mother was before me.


    The zone around her immediately eased most of the worries I had.


    I felt a gentle palm land on my head.


    "Ah, I see. A dream walker. You have protected my Champion''s soul dutifully. Thank you."


    I looked up, ready to tell her that it was me. I was the owner of the soul. That she had fought for none other than I.


    Then I stared into her eyes. The gentle smile on her face. And behind


    her was the Ancient One, staring at me with a strange look on her face.


    They...didn''t know.


    They didn''t know it was me...


    Something...an instinct, advised me to keep it a secret.


    That part of me told me there was more to this Champion thing than I had initially presumed. And it would be better if I was careful from here on out.


    So I bowed my head.


    "It was nothing, Earth Mother. If I may, what are you going to do with the soul?"


    I questioned.


    The small smile on Gaea''s face was replaced by a resolute expression.


    "That particular soul is very precious. Destined for a great many things. It''s time on Earth is not yet over. We shall send it back to the physical world."


    I breathed out a sigh of relief.


    "Then I relinquish it in your care."


    I told her.


    Then with every bone in my body telling me no, I reached in, grabbed the pedestal with my soul on it and pulled it out.


    Light made of up a myriad of colors washed out.


    I stared at the sphere that was the culmination of all I was.


    My entire being...


    And then...I handed it over.

 Weapon XVH

    (General P.O.V)


    (New York)


    (Lower Manhattan)


    (Weapon Plus facility)


    It didn''t take long for Baron Mordo to complete his part of the plan.


    Infact, he could only hope that the Ancient One was having luck as good as his.


    It had taken barely any effort for his team of sorcerers to take over the Weapon Plus facility.


    For starters, the security had been minimal. Mostly owing to the fact that the world had ended.


    Only a few demons and Thralls, humans who were corrupted by demonic blood had provided security for the facility.


    And while demons posed a problem for the average person, sorcerers fought them regularly. So they knew how to take them down. And did so almost too quickly.


    Portals appeared behind him as the scouting team managed to make it back.


    "Master Mordo, we have secured all entry points into the complex. The lab seems to still be operational even without any personnel."


    A sorcerer informed him.


    "The East and west wings of the first Sub-level are living quarters, although the occupants seemed to have left in a hurry."


    Another Sorcerer chimed in.


    "How about the rest of the floors?"


    Mordo inquired.


    "There''s only 4 of them. The ground floor which is the main lab, we''ve left some of our people there. And then there''s the underground section which is split up into 3 levels. The first is the living quarters, the second some kind of storage unit and the last...is here. This place. Where we currently are."


    The Sorcerer answered concisely.


    "I see. Then our target must be on this last level."


    Mordo mused, staring at the massive metal door before them.


    He could feel the spells woven around the edges of the door to prevent unauthorized access. Or rather...the spells were meant to stop whatever was inside from escaping.


    The words, Sub Level XVH were boldly imprinted onto the door.


    "Have all teams except for the ones guarding our back rendezvous here. This one might be tricky. I anticipate a final showdown with our enemies."


    Mordo ordered the Sorcerers behind him.


    "Yes sir."


    Mordo had a feeling that breaking in wasn''t a matter of simply destroying the entrance. There was more to this than met the eye.


    There had to be a reason why the Ancient One deployed all active sorcerers not manning the Sanctum Sanctorium for this mission.


    Fortunately for them, Mordo reached into his robes and pulled out an artefact that the Ancient One had informed him might come in handy.


    A skeletal key belonging to one Morgan Le Fay. A key that could undo any enchantment. It was very useful against locking spells.


    Morgan Le Fay had used the key in the past to try and break into Camelot''s treasury. Only the intervention from Merlin had prevented her from succeeding.


    The artefact was indeed very powerful.


    *******


    (Within Sub Level XVH)


    The level opened up into a long hallway that was filled with low rank demons protecting the entrance.


    Behind them at the end of the hallway was another door, which led into a wide chamber that was Sub-level XVH''s main lab.


    Incubation pods lined up the walls of the chamber. Some were occupied but most of them were empty.


    A sprawling maze of gleaming steel and glass apparatuses were scattered across the chamber, arranged in a haphazard yet meticulously calculated fashion.


    Countless wires, cables, and tubes snaked across the cold, hard floor, connecting bizarre machines and the incubation pods.


    The perpetual hum of generators and the crackle of electricity filled the air.


    The centerpiece of the lab was an enormous, pulsating chamber suspended from the ceiling.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    A huge Containment pod that housed the primary experiment, Weapon XVH.


    And before a massive screen with rows of data on the status of every experiment in the lab, was a blonde haired, blue eyed female scientist, a perpetual frown on her striking face.


    "Ma''am! ma''am! The intruders have managed to make their way here! And they seem to be Sorcerers."


    A low rank demon wheezed while bowing Before Dr.Alba</a>, the head scientist for this facility.


    The blonde woman whirled around, anger marring her features.


    "You fools let them get this far??!"


    She yelled in fury.


    "Don''t you know this could compromise everything I have worked for? What will your master say if I tell him we failed because of your recklessness?!"


    The Low Rank demon bowed it''s head even lowerm While it could kill the woman in a heartbeat, It knew the repercussions would be too great to endure.


    "What should we do then? They have magic greater than ours. And I have tried to contact the Master but the Sorcerers have a bounded field preventing any magical transmissions."


    The Demon informed her.


    Dr.Alba</a> sighed, kneading her temples.


    "Leave me. I have a call I need to make."


    She eventually said.


    The Demon bowed before retreating.


    Once alone, Dr.Alba</a> turned to the screen and pressed a key.


    The screen changed to display a pale man with red eyes, long black hair and a smirk on his face against the backdrop of what looked like an office.


    "You were right, Sinister."


    Dr.Alba</a> immediately told him.


    "About what? I am right on every occasion. Be specific."


    Sinister replied with a knowing look.


    Dr.Alba</a> stomped down on the urge to roll her eyes.


    "Intruders. They have arrived at the facility. They''re right outside Sub-level XVH. Just like you warned, this base has been compromised."


    "What can I say, dear Alba. I am a man of great foresight."


    Sinister told her, leaning back in his chair.


    A cold look flashed across his gaze.


    "That said...you cannot let H-Alpha or XVH fall into their hands. The latter is worth more than your life, Dr. Alba."


    Dr.Alba</a> swallowed.


    "I am well aware. And I wouldn''t have called you if it wasn''t an emergency. The Demons that were supposed to guard XVH''s development have been defeated and the Intruders have set up a magical barrier that restricts..."


    "Communications of the mystical nature. Which means no reinforcements from hell."


    Sinister saw the crux of the problem.


    "I anticipated the X-Men to attack but not Practitioners of the Mystic arts."


    "I need evac to the central facility in Thomasville, Texas. Everything is ready to move."


    Dr.Alba</a> explained.


    "Mmmh."


    Sinister hummed in thought.


    "That might be difficult to arrange at the moment. Remember, the modern world is dead."


    "Then what do you propose we do?"


    Dr.Alba</a> asked.


    "Release H-Beta and H-Alpha. Let them deal with the intruders before I arrange transportation for you."


    Sinister told her.


    Dr.Alba</a> slammed her hands on the console.


    "That''s impossible! H-Alpha is not ready!"


    Sinister raised his brows.


    "It''s a question of who you''re willing to lose Dr. Alba, H-Alpha, a genetically modified specimen with the Wolverine''s mutant gene and Dr.Banner</a>''s gamma radiated blood. Or XVH, your magnum opus, an Embryo created from combining a particular X gene, d.n.a samples from the venom symbiote and biological material from a high rank Demon. You have already seen it''s potential. In less than a week it has achieved maturity. That is greater than anything even I have created. Right now, it''s at its most important developmental stage. Are you willing to lose such progress?"


    Put like that, it was clear what was more important.


    "Fine. I''ll release H-Alpha. But I want assurance that when this is over...you get him back for me."


    Dr.Alba</a> said, giving Sinister an ultimatum.


    "I could myself but H-Alpha''s obedience implant is not as powerful as the others. The less said about XVH the better."


    Sinister nodded.


    "That can be arranged Doctor. Godspeed."


    Then the display went blank.


    In a flurry of activities, Dr.Alba</a> begun to input the sequence in order to release H-Alpha from its containment pod.


    Suddenly, alarms begun blaring out across the entire chamber as the main entrance was unexpectedly opened.


    Dr. Alba immediately switched to the camera feed, pulling it up on the huge console display.


    Her eyes widened as she saw the demons left guarding the door go down in a brief battle. It wasn''t a contest. They couldn''t stand up to the intruders who were wearing yellow robes and whose hands flashed with yellow energy.


    "They''re already in!?"


    Dr.Alba</a> yelled in disbelief.


    Through the screen, one particular sorcerer looked up, spotting the camera.


    Then he ignored it.


    They wasn''t any more time!


    They could be here any second now. Releasing H-Alpha now would only delay the inevitable.


    While the Ganna Radiated Wolverine clone was powerful, these Sorcerers seemed formidable.


    She didn''t have a choice then. They had forced her to do this.


    Dr.Alba</a> got back to typing, her fingers almost blurring across the keyboard. With bloodshot eyes she completed the sequence.


    But instead of only releasing H-Alpha, she also unlocked the huge Containment pod hanging from the ceiling.


    The one carrying weapon XVH. She hated doing this...but, she couldn''t allow them to take away all her work.


    The scientist stepped back, just as dozens of yellow portals manifested around her.


    Sorcerers jumped out, hands flashing with mystical energy, binding her limbs with glowing magical restraints.


    Another vortex appeared at her side, Baron Mordo walking out of it with a slow gait.


    The latter looked around the place. Eyes passing over the specimens in the incubation pods built along the walls of the chamber.


    "You have no idea how fucked you are."


    Dr.Alba</a> told him with a nasty smile.


    Mordo brought a finger to his lips and a ribbon of energy covered Dr.Alba</a>''s mouth.


    "I do. You''re the one without a clue. Not even science should lead you to consort with demons."


    Mordo chided her.


    "And yet...their stench fills the air. You have been a naughty scientist, Dr.Alba</a>."


    Dr.Alba</a>''s eyes widened.


    "Yes. I know of you."


    Mordo told her before turning to the containment pod hanging above the ceiling.


    "And I am also aware of what it is you do here. That, is Weapon XVH, isn''t it?"


    Dr.Alba</a> blinked in even more surprise.


    "Simply put, Dr.Alba</a>. I''ll be taking the boy."


    Mordo told her, just as the Containment pod was lowered to the floor.


    The pistons ground to a halt.


    Steam was produced as the incubation pod opened.


    And within lay a boy.


    Weapon XVH.

 Rescue Mission Part 1.

    (General P.O.V)


    Above the ruins of New York City, a group of sentinels flew through the air.


    A red light scanning for anything alive washed out into the surrounding area.


    Produced from the Sentinel''s eyes, the light was focused and precise. Even a rat scurrying through collapsed concrete was highlighted in their display.


    Yet, nothing seemed to be moving. The entire debris and smog filled street was deserted. It was essentially a dead town.


    "Sector 14 clear."


    An electronic voice escaped the lead Sentinel.


    Then without another word, they turned back and flew off, their massive metallic forms leaving behind a hum in the air.


    A few minutes passed.


    "Shh, everybody be quiet. Let me check if the coast is clear."


    Someone whispered.


    A head peaked out of a man hole on the street. Dressed in a red mask with white eye holes, the owner swerved around, using not only his eyes but his enhanced senses to survey the area.


    A few minutes later, the manhole cover was placed back and Spiderman jumped from the ceiling of the tunnel and onto the floor of the underground sewer system.


    His feet landed on a small pool of stagnant water, splashing it around.


    Straightening up, dozens of hopeful and expectant faces stared back at him.


    "Mr.Spiderman</a> sir, are the big bad wobots gone?"


    Nova asked in a whining tone, hands crossed over his chest.


    "Cut that out."


    Spiderman was quick to chide, and then promptly ignore Nova, who bristled slightly.


    The energy manipulator had been insufferable as of late. Something that was understandable given the situation.


    "Listen up everyone."


    Spiderman begun, addressing the 11 mutants they had rescued after being separated from their friends.


    "The Sentinels are gone."


    There was a collective release of sighs.


    "We''re not out of the woodworks yet, they usually do a few more rounds just in case."


    Spiderman was quick to kill their budding hope.


    And he hated it.


    Hated this reality. Everything had gone to shit.


    But mostly, he hated the looks of despair the mutants gave him. Most of them were teens who had just unlocked their abilities.


    They hadn''t had it easy before. And now instead of things changing for the better, they had it even worse.


    These mutants were part of the Morlocks.


    A group of mutants with various grotesque appearances caused by their abilities.


    This led to them being shunned by normal people and hence, they lived in hiding.


    Making the Underground Sewers and Tunnels their home, these Mutants had formed a society under a mutant called Calisto.


    This particular group had been cut off from the main one after some of the main Subterranean Morlock Tunnels had collapsed during a particularly grueling battle.


    None of them knew it at the moment but that battle had been the deciding factor on the eventual fate of the world.


    Spiderman and his team had been sent by what remained of Shield, (the Helli-carrier had been destroyed but turns out Maria Hill had survived somehow) to extract and rescue the mutants trapped in the tunnels.


    It had taken a lot of sneaking around and fighting just to get there.


    In the process Peter had lost even more. The White Tig- No, Ava...she sacrificed herself to buy them time.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Peter had seen one of his closest friends get bombarded by hundreds of lasers, turning her into nothing but ash.


    And all he could do was stand there, tears drenching his mask. Because he knew, one wrong move and they would have been discovered...and then the mission would have failed.


    The rest of his team had also seen better days.


    Their costumes were frayed, some, like Peters were torn and stitched up so many times that he had to wear a sleeveless hoodie over his torso.


    Nova''s mask had been replaced by a cracked visor, and both he and the Iron Fist wore bulletproof vests just incase things went awry. (A few people had survived the end of the world and violence was rampant as everyone tried to survive.)


    The protection the vests offered against the Sentinels was minimal though, but anything was better than nothing.


    "Spidey, we''re back."


    A voice reached his ears, the source behind him.


    "Alicia, a light please."


    Spiderman requested a wisp of light that turned out to be a small girl perched on his shoulders.


    She had blonde hair, fly-like wings and bio-luminescent skin.


    She was tiny enough to fit on his palm.


    The mutant Willow o'' wisp flew to the top of his head and then puffed out her checks in concentration.


    A green light pulsed out of her.


    Immediately the surroundings became more visible than before.


    To that effect, the new arrivals were immediately highlighted.


    The first was a huge black man dressed in a tight fitting yellow and black outfit, Luke Cage, otherwise known as Powerman.


    The other was clearly a mutant. With white skin containing a purple tint, claws and fangs, completely yellow eyeballs and no hair at all on his body, they cut a very...strange image.


    The Mutant was basically their guide. His power enabled him to track down other mutants. He was also part of the Morlock''s top leaders, only answering to Calisto herself.


    "Caliban!"


    One of the kids, a green skinned boy dressed in a yellow hood with no nose on his face, called out in happiness.


    "Leech."


    Caliban smiled genially.


    "It is good to see you are all well Children."


    "Mmh mmh!"


    Leech nodded enthusiastically as he and the other teen Morlocks surrounded Caliban.


    Off to the side, Spiderman had called a small meeting with his team. Now that Luke had arrived, it was time to plan out the strategy.


    "What''s the situation up ahead?"


    Spiderman immediately inquired.


    "Not good."


    Powerman shook his head.


    "The tunnels lead to a dead end. We might have to think of a solution once we reach there. Maybe clear the path or take to the surface-"


    "No, too risky my friend."


    The Iron Fist interrupted.


    "The second we are spotted, the children will die."


    "Us too, remember? Those things took out Ava in a second."


    Nova said, gritting his teeth in hate.


    "None of us saw it coming."


    The rest had varying expressions but it was clear...they were all haunted by her loss.


    "Hey."


    Spiderman called out.


    "That''s why we need to keep going. To make her sacrifice worth it."


    "Spidey''s right. We need to finish the mission."


    Powerman agreed.


    "These kids, they have no one else."


    "Easier said than done."


    Nova complained in a grouchy tone.


    "I agree. We are cornered."


    The Iron Fist told them.


    "The environment outside is harsh. While we can figure something out to deal with that problem...we can''t risk pulling the Sentinel''s attention our way."


    Peter nodded, hands moving across the wrist computer on his arm. He was tracking the Sentinels'' patrol patterns and intervals.


    "These new ones are also more powerful than we are used to. And the normal ones were strong enough to destroy the Helli-carrier."


    Spiderman added, sending out another signal to Shield personnel.


    "And I still can''t get through to Hill for backup or evac."


    He sighed.


    Things had been suspiciously quiet on that front.


    "Then I say we change the Rendezvous point. Or get someone with teleportation capabilities to help out."


    Powerman proposed.


    "These kids are mutants right? Chances are there might be one of them with a useful ability."


    "Oh, I know someone like that."


    Nova cut in.


    The rest stared at him expectedly.


    "Here we go again."


    Powerman sighed, rolling his eyes. He knew what was coming.


    "Oh, yeah. Sorry. They''re all dead. Just like 99% of all living things in the world."


    Nova said with a wide fake smile.


    Then he continued in a louder gloomier tone,


    "Face it, Parker, we''re fucked. This was a suicide mission from the get go! We''ve already lost Ava..."


    The Morlocks turned towards the ranting superhero.


    "...And we''re next. They lied to us! We haven''t seen Fury in weeks after everything went to shit. We''ve lost our friends! Our families and our homes! Why are we fighting to rescue a bunch of kids when we should be fighting to liberate the world? Why Should we hide in the sewers like a bunch of rats?!!"


    His body begun glowing with a blue energy as he floated up.


    "I am so sick and tired of losing. I say we take the fight straight to their metallic -"


    Suddenly Spiderman''s danger sense blared out.


    "Quick Nova! Get out of-"


    Boom!!


    The whole ceiling caved in. An explosion rippled out that pushed everything away.


    Spiderman flipped, his reaction speeds making everything appear to be moving in slow motion.


    His feet landed on the ceiling above, sticking there by forming a molecular bond with the surface of the ceiling.


    Webs shot out of his hands, attaching to the backs of Powerman and Iron Fist before pulling them away from the falling debris.


    There was a clash! As they barely escaped.


    Then was a sudden flash of light and heat flared. Peter looked away, shielding his gaze.


    "Let. Go. Of. Me!"


    Nova yelled from the center of the light where he was surrounded by two sentinels. Oh no.


    "I''m coming Nova! Hold on!"


    Spiderman shouted, hoping the Sentinels would turn their attention to him.


    "No! Parker! Stay back!"


    Nova replied in urgency.


    But Spiderman was determined not to lose another teammate. All he had to do was attach a web to his body and then pull him-


    Pop! Pop! BOOOOOOMM!!


    Spiderman was hit by a massive heat wave that sent him flying back, disoriented.


    "I got you!"


    Powerman appeared in timely fashion, jumping up and grabbing him off the air.


    They landed, with half of Spidey''s suit burnt into the front of his body. The pain was unimaginable.


    But that was nothing compared to the nightmare they were witnessing.


    "Oh god...no."


    Iron Fist said, losing the strength in his legs and falling to his knees.


    Frightful screams filled the air from the Morlocks around Caliban.


    "Close your eyes Children. You do not need to see this..."


    The Albino mutant told them.


    Red light washed out into the surroundings, scanning everything.


    "Identified: Nova, Omega level Mutate. Status: Deceased."


    One of the Sentinels called out.


    And in its hands, crushed to a bloody pulp, bones peeking through flesh and blood dripping down it''s metallic digits, was Nova''s remains.

 Rescue Mission part 2.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I''m in this warmth.


    It''s pulsing with energy I''m familiar with.


    A blue web of fleeting awareness and endless imagination.


    Psionic Energy. Like a heart in my mind if that makes sense. It pumps and extends out feelers of energy.


    The feelers ran throughout and within my body, then combine into a shroud around my figure. More Psionic energy pours into the shroud.


    With an inaudible pop, the shroud inflates into a spherical bubble. Mental energy washes out and I get a mental picture of the surroundings.


    It''s cold. We''re nestled high in a range of snowy mountains.


    I pull my awareness back, creating an echo as another pulse ripples out. They clash and merge.


    And now I have a clear picture of where I am.


    A building in the center of a complex, surrounded on all sides by white peaks. The light of the sun above is dim, dimmer than it should be.


    Separate from that gloominess,


    Immense magic and tranquility resonate through every stone and beam making up the buildings.


    The mountain winds scatter as they blow against the stone and mortal foundations.


    On the courtyard and paths in between each building, are pots of exotic plants and statues of mythical beings, each radiating its own unique energy.


    Now unbelievably, this is all just on a broader scale.


    While my telepathy has been getting stronger, this increase in power feels like too much.


    For starters, my range has increased dramatically. I am able to tell from the global positioning of the sun and the region around that we''re in the Himalayas.


    Secondly, my ability to sense minds can penetrate through mind shields. At least the ones maintained by a spell.


    Something the sorcerers training and learning magic in these secluded grounds seem to favor.


    I can easily pierce through those pesky barriers now. Even go as far as control people if I want to. How curious.


    That''s also how I learn where in the Himalayas we are, Kamar Taj.


    Lastly, my other senses are magnified. Enhanced to incredible degrees.


    The air on my skin stands up as they sense a shift in the air from dozens of meters away. A group, led by someone familiar, approaches the building I''m in.


    My nose instinctively tracks their scents and where they''ve been all this while. A trail of burning red and flared yellow.


    An underlying smell of brimstone and sulphur clings to the Sorcerer in lead, the Ancient One.


    Even after leaving the infernal realm...she is marked.


    I wonder if I have it clinging to my aura like that as well? My soul was there for sometime after all.


    Then there''s another scent.


    This one is much the same, carrying a little brimstone and sulphur, only fainter and much staler. It clings to the Sorcerers behind her.


    But that is nothing compared to the overpowering stench of medical and sanitation rooms, that is stuck to their robes.


    They must have come from a hospital or lab.


    Surprisingly, I carry the smell as well.


    How curious.


    My ears are even more apparent in their change.


    Each of the group''s steps upon the brick-layered path is akin to the sound of multiple explosions happening simultaneously.


    The blood rushing through their veins is a Tsunami of sound. The crash and spray of waves upon a rocky cliff.


    The electric current sparking across their neural pathways hums and so does the twitch produced by the flexing of muscles.


    The less said about what''s happening in the innards and organs the better.


    It''s clear what''s happened.


    My Psionic Abilities have grown much more powerful.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    This thought coincides with their arrival.


    "Ancient One."


    The Sorcerer tasked with guarding me bows as the procession enters.


    "You''re just in time. He is awake."


    The deeply accented voice of the Sorcerer states.


    "Thank you Master Razake. If you would excuse us please."


    I hear the Ancient One reply.


    There''s a brief shuffle and then the Sorcerer exists.


    Now there''s only 3 people in this chamber. Me, The Ancient One and...Baron Mordo, a brief dive into the last Occupant''s kind supplies the answer.


    That brief mind touch also allows me to know everything that has happened. From the moment the world ended up until now.


    I see. So I died and went to hell. Then the Ancient One devised a plan to rescue me. One that was layered.


    She made a pact with Mephisto, then betrayed him by having Gaea use her much superior power to annul the pact.


    Meanwhile Baron Mordo on the other hand, coordinated with her to ensure I had a body waiting for me in the real world.


    That is it. I don''t remember much but...it feels as if there should be more.


    I dive inwards.


    And appear in my mind scape.


    Roiling green hills lead to a beautiful city built along the cliff side. A gleaming castle, complete with a mote, spires, a high fortress and towers juts out of the city.


    It''s the highest point, pulsing with a magnet-like pull. Layered with a subtle mental suggestion to any intruders.


    And within rows of books containing my memories.


    But it''s a trap.


    Upon coming within vicinity of the castle, a mental bomb is set to go off and stun the minds of everyone in the mind scape.


    I look out into the endless ocean past the city, appearing above the crystalline blue waters.


    This is where my memories actually are.


    Every single drop of ocean is a record of my life. Everything I have ever seen, said, done, thought, experienced...it''s all here.


    And there is a powerful spell over it.


    Someone messed with my memories. How... Curious.


    It takes the barest of efforts with my new psionic levels to shatter the spell, the energy dispersing into golden motes of air.


    Most of it dissolves into the Ether but the rest combines into the figure of Solomon.


    "Billy."


    He raises his hand, an almost scared expression on his face.


    "I can tell that you''re not happy-"


    I will him away into nowhere.


    I feel him disappear, expelled from my Mind scape. Solomon...could he be the one to lay a spell upon my mind?


    I thought he was an ally. How curious.


    With the spell shattered, my full memories return. And it''s a lot. I remember meeting Hercules after dying.


    I remember his destructive punch. And now that I had his legacy, all I could wonder was if I could do that.


    But that''s not important. I now know how it all went down. I fought for my soul and won.


    Then like a reckless child, too naive to understand the situation I was in, I entrusted the core of my being in the hands of a cosmic entity.


    And they messed with it.


    Should I kill them all now?


    They should pay right?


    I feel so blase'' about it. Shouldn''t I be heroic?


    How curious.


    No time has passed at all. The Ancient One and Baron Mordo have only been standing there fir approximately 2.3832553336667894544597432576655 seconds. There''s more but it''s a big number.


    Too big for me to fully encapsulate.


    But, this processing speed is phenomenal.


    Oh, she''s talking. I wonder what she is going to say. I already know not to trust her anymore.


    Not to trust anyone, as a matter of fact.


    "Glad to see you could join us in the real world, Mr.Batson</a>."


    The Ancient One begins in that neutral tone meant to convey calm and acceptance.


    I open my eyes.


    A wash of color, radiance and structure assaults me.


    "How are you feeling?"


    The Ancient One inquires but receives no reply.


    I am too engrossed in something else.


    So many faults. The corner beam of the building is slightly slanted. And the roof is heavier on one side than the other, putting stress on the walls of the room.


    "Answer her. She went to so much trouble just to save you."


    Mordo speaks up, only for the Ancient One to raise a hand and silence him.


    I ignore them.


    The room itself has a simple bed, a small brown desk with a chair and a lantern with a flickering light on top of the desk.


    On the bed is where I lie, staring up at the ceiling although I can somehow see everything around me.


    Multiple texts boxes immediately jump out at me.


    I immediately go through all of them.


    ~~~~~~


    [Mission Complete]


    (Create An Original Skill using the Wisdom of Solomon)


    (Reward:- The Ring of Solomon)


    ~~~~~~


    (Ability Created)


    Quantum Prognosis:- It''s not about knowing the future, it''s about using immense psionic energy to calculate the likelihood of different outcomes.


    (Quantum Prognosis has Merged with Divine Foresight to give birth to:- Dream Body.)


    (Dream Body:- Send out your Astral Self into the Stream of Space and Time, an invisible dimension connected to the Nexus of Reality that runs through all existence.


    -Dream Divination:- Bear witness to all possible futures by way of a deep sleep.


    -Dream Mold:- access to all your abilities and soul bonded artefacts in your dream body.


    (Mission Rewards)


    -Ring of Solomon:- An artefact that contains the souls of the 72 Demon pillars. Beings on par with Satan himself. These are not just your run of the mill Demons. One of them can destroy the entire universe. Together? You don''t want to find out. Or you do, because you''re now the owner.


    ~~~~~~~


    (Mission Complete.)


    (Stall for time until help arrives.)


    (Reward: Removal of one Weakness from yourself.)


    ~~~~~~~


    I will have to think on what weakness I should remove.


    That particular reward could be useful if used correctly.


    The Ring of Solomon is also safe in my inventory. I can feel it right next to the Trident and a single drop of glowing blue water.


    The water feels...opposing to me somehow. As if I cannot touch it.


    How curious.


    The final Text box to appear before my eyes changes everything.


    I immediately call up the text box displaying the reward for defeating Mephisto and accept it.


    Then I make the choice.


    ~~~~~~


    (Weakness Removed:- Fatigue)


    -You will never be exhausted again. Your energy levels will never drop and you can fight at your best for an incalculable amount of time. Beware, debilitating injuries will impact this ability.


    ~~~~~~


    Then without a single second of thought, I pulse my TK aura and promptly burst through the roof of the room I''m in.


    Why did I choose Fatigue right now when I could have waited for Atlas'' Legacy which is Stamina?


    The short answers is, I need to fly from the Himalayas to New York City at the fastest and shortest time possible.


    Pete''s life is in danger.


    And I can''t get exhausted on the way to save it.


    ~~~~~~~


    (New Mission)


    (Rescue Spiderman and his Team from a painful death in the Hands of The Sentinels.)


    (Reward:- Full Control Over The Ring of Solomon.)


    ~~~~~~~


    That reward ain''t half bad as well.

 Rescue Mission Part 3.

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    My speed could be summed up as simply, astonishing.


    Now that I didn''t have to worry about depleting my psionic reserves, nothing could stop me.


    I didn''t pass through clouds, I obliterated them from my path. The drag didn''t slow me down either.


    The shroud of powerful psionic energy around me pierced through the air, negating friction and allowing me to push even faster. My speed jumped from subsonic to several times the speed of sound.


    This happened just as I left the mountain ranges, passing over Nepal, northern India, parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan in under a second.


    It was all about taking the most direct path.


    The wounds sustained by the planet only got harder to ignore as I came upon the more densely populated areas.


    Europe passed below me in a blur of grid like desolate farms, burning woods and smoldering towns and cities.


    But the true devastation was revealed just as I flew over France, Paris was nothing but smoke and torn apart buildings.


    Ultron had been super busy, it seems.


    The Eiffel tower was half bent, shredded metal and the smog was only getting thicker, causing me to fly up higher.


    I reached the Atlantic Ocean and the waters below were dark and unwelcoming. Massive Tsunamis rocked the coastal regions of Europe as I left them behind.


    North America was just up ahead. I poured more psionic energy into my flight speed.


    Even going as far as pulling out the Trident of Neptune to tap into the magic within me.


    Apparently, I had magical reserves now. A separate pool from the Mystical might of the trident. The only caveat, was I still needed the Trident to use that magic.


    I didn''t have a way to control it otherwise and learning it was going to take time.


    Magic wasn''t the only thing I held within me. There was something else. Something a bit more volatile. A different energy, one that felt similar to Solomon''s legacy. It was red where Psionic energy was blue.


    The second legacy.


    The strength of Hercules.


    I could feel it in my muscles. A wild rampaging storm that sought an outlet. And it was only growing stronger with every passing minute. Each breath I made filled me with immense strength.


    Paired up with a body that could not feel tired...and I was an entirely new being.


    But all these Powers...were getting hard to keep track of.


    I wonder...


    There was still a few seconds left before I arrived in New York. Those few seconds could be useful.


    I could work on a few things. Arrange my cluttered house, so to speak.


    In this context, the house was all the abilities I currently had access to. Whether it was my psionic skills, magic or the Legacies.


    With my new Psionic Energy, I could perform a skill I had been working on, ever since I first tapped into Psionic Energy.


    It was based upon my ability to read someone''s magnetic field and extract information from it.


    The skill let me read someone''s age, race and power level. The question is, what if I turned the ability onto myself?


    I closed my eyes.


    (Scan!)


    I yelled in my mind, using my Psionic energy to map out my body, it''s composition and make, then that information was presented in my mind via a text box format.


    It used the mechanics of the Shazam System.


    And boy was there a lot.


    It was a jumbled mess of information that I had to untangle. Not a big problem for me. Along with getting an increase in my reserves, my control had been elevated to the same level.


    Once I begun untangling the results of the scan however, I was stunned.


    "This... can''t be real."


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    (Race: Metahuman/Klyntar/Demon/???.)


    (Power: Superhuman (98% to ???)


    (Age: 2 weeks (17(28) years old)


    ~~~~~~~


    Legacies:-


    S)- Solomon''s Wisdom:- Grants access to Psionic Energy and magic. Abilities include:-


    -Telepathy.


    -Telekinesis.


    -Quantum Prognosis.


    -Omnilingualism.


    -Magnetic Field Scanning.


    H)- Hercules'' Strength:- Grants access to Divine Strength and Durability. Abilities Include:-


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    -Super strength.


    -Super durability


    -Berserker Rage.


    A)- Atlas'' Stamina (Locked)


    Z)- Zeus'' Power (Locked)


    A)- Achilles'' Courage (Locked)


    M)- Mercury''s Speed (Locked)


    ~~~~~~~


    Magical Abilities:-


    Dream body.


    ~~~~~~~~~


    Special Abilities:-


    -Hammer Space.


    -Fatigue Negation.


    ~~~~~~~


    Racial Abilities:-


    ???


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Apparently I was now a Mutant, Klyntar and Demon hybrid. Oh, there was also an unknown bloodline that my abilities could not decipher.


    This body...


    Was it even mine?


    I mean, it obviously wasn''t. Not just because of the new abilities and race change.


    What I meant was, had I possessed someone like I had with Billy''s Body?


    The other concern was the volatility of combining mutant, Klyntar and Demon d.n.a. What madman came up with that idea?


    Was I in danger of losing control and going on a rampage? More importantly, how could I take advantage of it.


    The racial abilities tab on the Display Box was empty.


    Meaning I had to discover what my new body could do manually. It wouldn''t be easy.


    But I was already looking forward to pushing my limits. Infact, I had the perfect way to test out a few abilities.


    Little more than 20 miles away off the New York Coast, I stopped in midair.


    My TK aura pulsed around me, making my body glow with a blue outline.


    "If I remember correctly, a Klyntar can shift their shape and body composition."


    I muttered to myself, staring down at my body.


    That particular ability is what allowed them to create weapons like sharp spikes, large teeth and also regenerate.


    "I wonder if I can do the same to change my clothes. Can''t exactly leap into action without a mask..."


    The simple rough tunic I wore, while surprisingly comfortable, wasn''t going to work with the whole heroics thing.


    My focus turned inward. A slow breath escaped me as I searched for anything. A feeling or an itch or a muscle I could flex.


    And there, just at the edge of my subconscious, was a metaphorical switch. I pressed on it and immediately a new awareness of my body bombarded my mind.


    I could sense myself in ways I hadn''t before.


    My hand shifted into a gooey black mess with a white web like pattern.


    "Whoa..."


    The feeling was strange. I could still feel my arm but the sensation was muted.


    Controlling it was a matter of simply willing it. I didn''t face any difficulties there like I had initially thought.


    Okay, next step.


    I willed for my body to shift into a partial state. Meaning while my skin shifted into a symbiote state, my inner flesh, blood, organs and bones stayed human.


    I opened my eyes and stared at my hands and chest.


    A black and red costume, with a white lightning symbol imprinted on the chest, met my gaze.


    My suit.


    I inspected myself. The change was seamless. The fabric? I rubbed it between my fingers.


    The texture and feel was indistinguishable from my previous suit.


    Success.


    I did it.


    A smirk lit up my face as I oriented my body to face New York. The half cloak on my shoulder rippled in the air.


    Let''s go save Peter. I can explore my new abilities later.


    Leaving behind a massive sonic boom, my form blurred as I crossed 20 miles in under a second.


    The long stretch of the ocean was suddenly replaced by a concrete jungle. Or rather a concrete wasteland.


    This New York was very different from the one I was used to. The empire state building... nowhere to be found.


    Tony Stark''s iconic Skyscraper... nothing.


    Just half buildings. Some still burning but with no normal fire. The flame was green. Maybe an indication of the unsafe gases around the irradiated landscape.


    And those were the buildings closer to me. Further in and the smog covering the place shielded the city''s skyline from view.


    I couldn''t believe it. If only I''d managed to warn the Avengers before any of this happened.


    "Dammit."


    I muttered to myself, hands closed into fists.


    Dark clouds rumbled with lightning above me, a flash of light illuminating a shadow above.


    I looked up,


    It wasn''t a shadow. It was three shadows.


    Pairs of red light cut through the smog. And in my psionic field, I felt the entry of a trio of powerful beings.


    "Are those..."


    I started.


    Only to be blindsided by a laser beam striking my active defensive sphere. It blew right through and the heat bombarded my Telekinetic Aura field, the last line of defense.


    I swept down onto the ground, evading the trajectory of the laser beam.


    It''s heat scorched my back as it trailed after me. What was I being attacked by?


    Seeing no other option but to close in, I created a rotating Psionic Barrier to my front. The laser beam landed on the barrier with a heavy bang. The barrier held true and the laser was immediately split apart.


    I flew in, approaching the enemies position. Through the transparent surface of the shield, I caught sight of what I was fighting.


    "Fucking Sentinels? Are you kidding me Ultron!!? How the fuck could anyone let you get that far?!!"


    I yelled in both frustration and anger, dodging more blasts of lasers and energy weapons from the other two Sentinels in the trio.


    """Identity?..."""


    """Unknown Beyond Omega Level Entity."""


    """Risk to Unit: Catastrophic!!!"""


    ""Response: Fight To The End.""


    The Sentinels loudly blared out in mechanized voices.


    I pulled back my fist, channeling Hercules'' strength through it. The hand enlarged, muscles bigger than my head manifesting above me.


    ''How did Hercules do it again?''


    ''Oh yeah, he focused all his energy into one point of attack. That means...the Sentinel on the Center. The chest, right in the middle of it''s torso. It needs to be a clean shot. I can''t miss it.''


    I punched out, mere feet away from colliding with the robotic entities as they swooped down towards me, in their formation.


    The Sentinel''s head disappeared.


    I used that brief disruption in their network link, to pull the trident out of my Hammer space and plunge it through the torso of the Sentinel on the left.


    Lightning flashed above us.


    The shadow of the last Sentinel manifesting ominously over my head, it''s hand breaking down and reforming into sharp metallic claws that pulsed with a purple color.


    Inches away from the claw stabbing through my back,


    The Trident of Trident flew into my hand in a timely manner. A pulse of power rippled out from my contact with the regal weapon.


    Magical energy and something else exploded out.


    ''Divine energy.''


    Solomon''s Wisdom informed me.


    Really? How curious.


    There wasn''t time to think about the implications. I raised the Trident up high.


    "And now...Thunder God Blast!!"


    With my roar, a massive Lightning bolt descending from the heavens, impacting the Sentinel.


    Billions of vaults washed down it''s form, melting the purple metal that could only be Vibranium into clumps of liquid slag which fell to the ground.


    I''ve just defeated 3 Sentinels alone.


    What the hell.


    Even stranger...my new body sang with conviction. It was my right to dominate. To conquer. And no one was going to step in my way.


    I turned around to face the mainland. The cloak on my shoulder flapped as I flew through the wrecked City.


    My Telepathy was stretched to the limit and then some. It was the fastest way to find Spidey. It covered the entirety of New York. Even nooks and crannies were highlighted.


    Anyway sentient life could be found.


    But while the surface level of the city contained rubble and small pockets of life, the underground was a totally different thing.


    The underground tunnels of New York, had been turned into an entire interconnected system of refugee camps.


    Space warping tech and complex filtration systems supported the life within. Or at least that was what I read from the memories of some of the scientists there.


    Turns out S.H.I.E.L.D has always been ready for anything.


    This was plan...A.5: Doom Scenario.


    In case the threat was too fast to counterattack, Shield would be tasked to enact the Doom Scenario. Humanity would be mass teleported into pockets of dimension built deep under the surface of the planet.


    These pocket dimensions would be spread about across the entire planet in an interconnected array system.


    Not only to keep from becoming a giant target, it ensured if one Pocket was destroyed...another would live on.


    Meanwhile the Avengers or those who could, would face the threat and hopefully save the world. The Doom Scenario was basically humanity giving the heroes free reign to fight.


    There was only one problem with that...


    "The Avengers...are dead?"


    I muttered to myself in disbelief.


    I mean...all of them? Not even one of them was left alive?!


    No... I need to focus on Peter. He needed me. The mission descriptions had never once lied. I poured my focus into the Telepathic field.


    There!


    And he''s in trouble.


    A sonic boom was left behind as I cut through the air, headed towards Peter''s location, my mind a maelstrom of thought.

 Vs The Sentinels

    (General P.O.V)


    3 monstrous mechanical forms floated in formation within the ruins of a huge complex.


    They hovered above Spiderman and his two teammates. That included the Morlocks they were shielding behind them.


    The Sentinels'' huge sizes meant they barely fit through the hole leading to the underground tunnel.


    Half of their upper bodies jutted out through the floor''s cavity, created when they first attacked.


    A barely detectable hum filled the air surrounding them.


    Add in the light of their red eyes glowing through the smog, and the Sentinels cast a terrifying image.


    One that had the mutants behind Caliban quaking in fear. They were kids after all.


    "Hush, Children. Avert your gaze."


    Caliban whispered, quickly and silently urging them to retreat to the back. As far away from the Sentinels as they could.


    Caliban had seen what one could do in close range. One attack and nothing but ash would remain of them.


    Backing away was not for their protection alone. They couldn''t distract their protectors, their heroes, from doing their jobs.


    Only, those same heroes they were counting on were in various states of shock, grief and disbelief.


    Peter personally couldn''t believe it. His mind struggled to come to terms with reality. The pain present in his body was nothing compared to the anguish he was feeling.


    Nova''s body had been crushed into a pulp. His limbs broken and bent the wrong way. There wasn''t even a head...


    Blood dripped down the Sentinel''s fingers. Blood from one of Spidey''s own. White Tiger was already dead.


    And now Nova too.


    Spiderman...had failed. His friends had paid the ultimate price for believing in him. For trusting his leadership.


    And he hated it.


    "Nova!!!!!"


    Spiderman called out, voice breaking from the weight of his guilt.


    "Damn you!!"


    With relative ease, he shoved Luke Cage away as he glared up at the sentinel responsible for Killing Nova.


    Peter''s face was twisted in an expression of bitter hatred under the strips of his destroyed mask.


    Gritting his teeth, he took a single step forward.


    "Luke, get the kids out of here...protect them."


    Spiderman ordered in the coldest voice anyone present had ever heard.


    "Wait Spidey..."


    Luke began, only to notice the slight trembling of Spider-Man''s body. His fingers were tightened into fists.


    There was no talking him out of this, was there?


    Spiderman was too Furious. He had already decided to fight.


    He was going to make them pay! He vowed. The Sentinels and whoever was controlling them.


    Before Spiderman could make good on his promise, someone else beat him to the punch.


    "Spidey!! You go with Luke and the children! I will stay behind and buy you time!"


    Iron Fist yelled at him, taking a leap forward with his fist glowing golden.


    "Wait! Danny! No!"


    Peter reached out to call him back, but the Iron Fist was already in the process of an attack.


    He took a running leap forward, sailing through the air. His body was shrouded by a cloak of golden Chi.


    "I shall make you feel the wrath of the Iron Fist!"


    The protector of Kun''lun proclaimed, his body undergoing massive changes.


    The golden glow surrounding his fist flared up in a large yellow flame that consumed The Iron Fist''s entire body.


    This was his strongest form, the Burning Soul of The Dragon.


    An ancient art passed down through the book of the Iron Fist. With it, his attack potency was magnified at the cost of rapid Chi consumption.


    It also changed his body into a skeletal burning man.


    """Scanning..."""


    The Sentinels called out, the light of their eye beams encompassing Iron Fist.


    "Scan this!"


    Danny Said, pulling back his right fist and punching out with a storm of chi.


    "Dragon''s roar!"


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    There was an explosion up ahead.


    Golden flames rose into the air above the location I was headed to.


    Right where I sensed Peter''s mind.


    The emotion coming off him was overwhelming anger and a deep sense of loss.


    What happened?


    I blurred the rest of the way, finding myself levitating above what used to be a mall. The air screamed around me, reality catching up to my speed and displacing the air molecules around my form.


    The building was barely standing, the walls and glass window having crumbled or shattered apart.


    The air was heavy with heat and smoke that seemed to come from somewhere below.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I switched out Telepathy for a general psionic scan. A pulse of mental energy escaped me, digging through the whole premises.


    A map of the building and the surrounding block appeared in my mind.


    Within the mall, the upper bodies of 3 sentinels peaked out through the floor.


    Their focus seemed to be on the underground section where tongues of Golden flames surged up through the ditch around their gigantic forms.


    What was left of the mall; a few pillars and a portion of the roof, fell on the Sentinels, breaking into sizable chunks that continued on to descend into the tunnels.


    A roar sounded out, as if in response to the falling rubble. Following the roar, more golden fire burst out.


    The heat licked the shells of the Sentinels, spreading up their forms. And in a resounding bang that produced a giant pressure wave, the entire Mall exploded.


    I shielded my eyes from the flash of light and glare of heat produced.


    Building debris slammed onto my shield, getting obliterated into dust.


    Nothing was left of the mall, just a charred ground with smoke rising out of it.


    My Psionic scan detected movement; the Sentinels flying out of the mall.


    Or rather they were slammed away by another explosion of fire created by the burning skeleton.


    With black charred bones, the entity''s body was covered in golden flame.


    The same kind of fire burning on the Sentinels.


    To the latter''s credit however, they did not seem to be injured by the flames. In fact, they were only thrown a few dozens of meters away in the air.


    The Sentinels halted in their flight and using the same formation as before, they flew in to attack.


    """Identified...Iron Fist"""


    """Omega Level Mutate."""


    """Countermeasure: Overwhelming Attacks."""


    The Sentinels droned in a collective voice.


    The burning skeleton''s response was to manipulate the flames around himself, creating a large domineering Easter Dragon construct.


    The dragon roared to the heavens before flying forwards to meet the rush of the robots head on.


    I turned my attention away from the fight. So, that was the Iron Fist huh? Good to know. He could probably keep them occupied for a few more minutes.


    My priority was Peter.


    Using Telepathy, I determined his position and without a second thought, burst right through the street.


    concrete and soil folded before me and then I was landing inside a tunnel, a layer of dust announcing my arrival into the tunnels.


    Immediately, there was a chorus of yelps.


    I reached into their minds and transmitted my thoughts:


    (Everybody, don''t be afraid. I mean you no harm. Spidey, it''s me Shazam.)


    """Huh?"""


    """What just happened?"""


    """I''m scared. Mommy...""


    """The children! Is everyone okay?"""


    The weight of their mental response hit me like an 18 wheeler. I staggered a little.


    Only to realize, I could take it. It wasn''t overwhelming, despite how heavy their emotions and mental stress were.


    I could see it all. All their fears, hate, regrets and past few minutes worth of memories.


    "Shazam?! It cant be..."


    A voice I hadn''t heard in some time reached my ears.


    Peter...


    "Shit."


    I sighed, realizing what had Peter so worked up after going through all their memories. Nova was dead. So was White Tiger too.


    "I''m sorry, Spidey."


    I told him just as he landed on the ground before me.


    He gave me a strange look of confusion and elation first,


    then he nodded in understanding, face shifting into a gloomy expression.


    "Nova."


    "The Sentinels, they are most likely being controlled by Ultron. He''s an Artificial Intelligence from the future."


    I immediately disclosed, walking forward while committing every single psionic imprint within the tunnel into my mind.


    The mission was to save Spidey, which meant something was coming for him.


    I was yet to receive a confirmation from the system to show the mission was complete. The risk to his life was still eminent.


    And to save him, I needed to be prepared for anything.


    Parsing through the memories of everyone present who could pose a danger, was the least of what I did.


    I dug into their past, their realest selves. Were they human or not? Maybe a shape shifter had hid with the Morlocks just waiting to attack Spiderman.


    That last one was an actual concern. An alien species called Skrulls could impersonate just about anyone. Sneaky little fucks. And Marvel had a lot of beings with even weirder abilities.


    Looking through their minds, confirmed we were safe from an attack from one of our own.


    Powerman. Morlocks. And that guy outside was Danny Rand, the Immortal Iron Fist.


    That eliminates them from the list.


    I blinked my eyes and refocused on Peter''s next words.


    "I thought you were dead. Like everyone else."


    His tone was cold. Lifeless. Not at all what I was expecting from him.


    The earlier elation at seeing me had quickly shifted to something else. Nova''s death became the focus. And With Nova''s death, came the ones responsible, the target for his hate.


    I saw the moment he launched onto that thought.


    His neurons firing off as his mind caught up with what I had said a few seconds ago.


    "Wait! You said who''s responsible?! Ultron? An AI? Where is It!!?"


    He demanded, almost jumping at me.


    The whole tunnel shook with an explosion from above, causing the ceiling to collapsed on us.


    Thinking quickly, I spread my hands out, shooting a telekinetic beam and stopping the debris in mid air.


    "I''m going to need you to dial it down Spidey. Calm down."


    I told Peter, disintegrating the debris into dust, recombining it into a thick paste, before patching up the hole on the roof.


    "Now, we need to get you all out of here."


    I told him pointedly, hoping he would understand the danger the kids were in.


    "Spidey, this the guy from the Fantastic Four thing?"


    Luke Cage aka Powerman, jumped in.


    "Yeah."


    Peter answered offhandedly, his focus fully on me.


    "Answer me first. Who''s Ultron? And why did he do this?! The whole fucking world! My Aunt! MJ, Ned, Harry and All our friends are dead!"


    Peter spat out with bitterness and rage.


    "Not all of them! Look! Now''s not the time to break down on me Peter! Focus dammit! I was dead a few minutes ago and you don''t see me freaking out!!!"


    I short back, pushing past the both of them, while I headed towards the blocked off path infront of us.


    "What are you doing?"


    Powerman asked, hands folded o er his massive chest.


    "Trying to find a way out of here."


    I answered, surveying the scene infront.


    A pale Albino mutant stood protectively before the scared children. The mutant stared at me with a strange look.


    His mind was quieter than the others. Almost as of Telepathy didn''t work on him. I would solve the mystery later. For now, I ignored them all, my mind coming up and discarding strategies on how I could get us out of the mess.


    You see, the tunnel before us was closed off. Boarded up by concrete and metal beams.


    It was a Dead End, ensuring that even if The Burning man had bought them enough time to escape, they wouldn''t have been able to.


    No matter how much power Peter or Powerman possessed, they couldn''t dig a tunnel through the soil and escape a pursuing force of 3 Sentinels.


    They would die within minutes at best.


    I see, this could be why the system issued it as a mission.


    Now, how should I do this? Through my Psionic field, I could sense another network of tunnels a few hundred feet on the other side of the dead end.


    Could I use a telekinetic beam to blast through the concrete and soil? No, Solomon''s Wisdom told me the tunnel I would create would not be stable and might cave in.


    Okay, next plan...


    "It''s a waste of time."


    Spiderman said from behind. I had felt him and Luke approach. The latter stood at his back like a bodyguard.


    "We should fight."


    Spiderman said, punching his open palm with resolve pouring out of him.


    "There''s nowhere else to run to."


    Powerman added, gritting his teeth.


    "And- I want a piece of those fucking tin cans as well."


    "Language."


    Caliban, the albino mutant said offhandedly.


    I but my lip in thought.


    I couldn''t let Spiderman join the battle. He might die.


    But he also seemed determined to fight, so I probably couldn''t convince him to sit this one out. The sounds of the fight were also getting dangerously close.


    What should I do...


    Then an idea came to me. It was something I should be able to pull off now.


    I closed my eyes and concentrated. My Psionic Field extended even further than the closest blocks and tunnels.


    It encompassed the whole of New York. And just like that, nothing and no one could escape my gaze. I breathed out.


    Solomon''s Wisdom told me I was ready.


    I opened my eyes, slightly smiling at Peter.


    "Sorry Spidey, but I came here to save you. Don''t worry about your other Teammate, I''ll bring him back."


    Spiderman blinked in confusion.


    "What-"


    That''s all he said, before I snapped a finger and everyone around, the Morlocks, Luke Cage and Spiderman all disappeared, teleported away by my new ability.


    ~~~~~~~


    (New ability created:-


    -Teleportation:- Spatially relocate yourself or others from one place to another. Limited range of 10 miles.


    ~~~~~~~


    And now I had Telepathy, Telekinesis and teleportation.


    Just how powerful was Solomon''s legacy?


    Another text box immediately took center stage of my vision.


    ~~~~~~~~


    (Mission Complete)


    (Rescue Spiderman and his Team from a painful death in the Hands of The Sentinels.)


    (Reward:- Full Control Over The Ring of Solomon.)


    ~~~~~~~~~


    Sweet. The mission was complete. Spiderman was safe, though I knew he wasn''t going to be happy that I sent him away without warning.


    Now, time to deal with the 3 Sentinels fighting the Iron Fist.


    Oh and also their over dozens of reinforcements descending upon the city.

 The Biggest Threat.

    (General P.O.V)


    One second, Spiderman is talking to Shazam and strategizing on how to save his teammate, then the next, a flash of light engulfs his vision.


    Waiting for his spider sense to activate and warn him of danger, Peter opened his eyes and found himself somewhere unexpected.


    It was large mess hall, filled to the brim with Shield agents in the middle of eating.


    For a second both groups stared at each other. Powerman and Caliban vigilantly standing infront of the kids with Spiderman a few feet infront of them.


    "Spiderman?"


    One of the agents asked in a confused tone, dropping the spoon in his hand.


    ''Motherfucker.''


    Peter cursed within himself, realizing what had happened. What Shazam had done.


    ''He teleported us away.''


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I could hear and feel the reverberations caused by the fight happening outside the tunnels.


    Scanning through my psionic field, I ensured that Peter and the others had safely reached the underground settlement. Then I pulled my attention to where it was needed.


    The fight about to happen. One that would shake the foundations of this ruined city. One that I was hoping I could end by destroying Ultron.


    ''Chances that I alone can defeat Ultron?''


    I activated Quantum Prognosis.


    ''19%''


    The answer that came back was not encouraging. Those weren''t very good odds.


    Then again, I hadn''t know I could beat Mephisto and win. Yet I did.


    ''Chances that Ultron can be defeated with the help of other heroes?''


    I mentally questioned once more.


    ''23%''


    It only increased a bit?


    That''s not good. Did that mean Earth was doomed? Did it mean there was nothing I could do with my power?


    ''Chances that I can defeat Ultron Alone, using every single advantage, powera and tricks at my disposal?''


    This time I added a few things.


    ''67%''


    The answer this time was much better.


    That was good enough. I just had to take him down through any means possible. Or in this case, all the means possible.


    My first time teleporting was weird to say the least. It felt as if space was shortened between point A and point B.


    There was even a barely audible pop as I appeared 1 mile in the air above the ground. The surface was barely visible in my vision. Though if I tried hard, I could see even through the smog.


    My senses seemed to have been heightened as well. Though I hadn''t really explored the changes.


    I had a feeling it was going to take me some time before I learned all I could do. There was a reason why the racial abilities tab was empty.


    Oh and the sky was burning.


    Literally.


    A long serpentine dragon swam through the air, unleashing waves of heat at the Sentinels.


    Bright yellow flames surged out, spreading through the smog filled sky and pushing away the polluted air.


    The edges of the flame burned with a green color. Most likely from the ignition of gasses in the air.


    The heat exuded by the flames was hot enough to melt metal. However, against the Sentinels, all it did was make them glow red. Adding a layer of intimidation to their already terrifying forms.


    But I felt no fear.


    I promised Peter I would save his friend, so that''s exactly what I was going to do.


    Which is why I leaned forward, shooting towards the battle at supersonic speeds.


    Through my Psionic Field, I detected something strange.


    While the Iron Fist''s Dragon Construct was powerful, all it could do was maintain a circle of flames around it''s form, keeping the Sentinels at bay.


    Even closer to them and I could see he was missing a part of his left leg.


    Everything from the knee down was gone and his costume was charred at the thigh.


    Heat seemed to escape his skeletal form in invisible waves, enhancing the already blazing hot construct around him.


    He was outmatched from the start yet had kept on fighting. Not only that but he held on until I saved Spiderman. I owed him one.


    Time to pay him back. Space rebounded like a rubber band as I teleported between the Iron Fist and the Sentinels, clearing the short distance even faster.


    The Trident of Neptune appeared in my hand. I brought the Divine Weapon up to block a laser beam from the Sentinel in the middle.


    "Who are you?"


    A voice reached my ears, originating from my back.


    "Spidey''s friend."


    I answered, twirling the Trident and splintering the laser beam apart into smaller beams of hot energy.


    The split attacks flew past, branching off into different directions behind us.


    The Sentinels immediately flew our way.


    I increased the rotational speed of the trident, turning it into a blurry golden circle.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    Wind gathered at the edges of the Trident, created not by magic but by telekinesis.


    I created a shroud over the wind, containing it and compressing the whole thing into a wide conical attack, that blew back the Sentinels.


    "This fight is mine now. I''m sending


    you where I sent the others."


    I told Iron Fist, sensing his surprise.


    His mental activity was going into overdrive, trying to assess my threat while simultaneously shocked at my brief show of power.


    "Wait-"


    Iron Fist begun only for him to disappear.


    Through my field, I sensed him pop up in the underground settlement.


    Fortunately, I didn''t send him where there were people, otherwise mass murder would have been put in Danny Rand''s criminal sheet.


    His fire would have turned them to ashes in seconds.


    Now alone, I turned my full focus towards the Sentinels. My telepathic tendrils extended out, looking for any mental waves I could influence.


    I was already able to affect the magnetic field of things, not to mention teleport. The only reasonable thing to conquer next would be technopathy.


    Plus it would be a big help against Ultron if I could control technology.


    Alas, I wasn''t quiet there yet. I could feel some sort of signal but any attempt to delve into it and it would disappear, only to sprout up again.


    I couldn''t affect it, only perceive it''s presence.


    I stopped the Trident, the wind dying down and revealing the Sentinels.


    In the brief moment I took to probe them, they had copied me, scanning my form.


    """Identifying..."""


    """Beyond Omega Level Mutant."""


    Mechanical voices escaped their metallic forms, all similar, all in sync.


    "I''m about to kick your tin-can ass Ultron."


    I pointed the Trident at them, the three prongs vibrating with power.


    I hoped he could hear me. The Sentinels'' eyes pulsed with a brief purple light, changing color from their deep red ones.


    """Stand Down or Get Terminated"""


    This time their voices felt more...alive. Less mechanic yet robotic in its enunciation and tone.


    It''s It. Ultron.


    Hercules'' strength poured through my body, strengthening it.


    "Fuck you."


    I very impolitely responded.


    "Payback is long overdue. I''m going to kill you for destroying my home."


    An earlier scan had showed me my apartment. Or the remains atleast. To say I was mad about that would be an understatement.


    There wasn''t a need for more idle talk. I was alone, meaning I could truly go all out.


    The Trident of Neptune shot out towards the Sentinel on the left. I followed behind it, aiming for the one in the middle.


    The third one tried to move but I kept it in place using Telekinesis, immobilizing it completely.


    The one in the middle''s eyes glowed, sending a Purple laser beam my way. I plowed through it, relying on my Psionic Barrier to push through.


    In the meantime the Trident reached the other Sentinel.


    The robotic construct''s body turned into goo through my Psionic Field. It separated it''s body into a fluid substance around the Trident''s path, dodging the weapon.


    I took control of the Trident, sending it back to the Sentinel while sharpening the Psionic barrier around me into a cone, aiming for the head of the middle sentinel.


    The barrier stabbed into the metal but struggled to punch through.


    So I turned it into a drill, digging a hole through its head and coming out on the other side.


    The Sentinel''s eyes went dull and it started falling towards the ground. I dove down after it, slapping it''s metal carapace and sending it to my hammer space.


    The inventory had been upgraded along with my powers. I now felt as if I could shove hundreds of football stadiums in it and still have space left.


    The Trident wound around, reaching the left Sentinel''s neck. A barrier of purple energy appeared around the Robot.


    The weapon bounced off the barrier, flying off into the city.


    Eventually, the Telekinetic hold I held over the third Sentinel broke and the two remaining Sentinels turned their sights on me.


    I blasted off into the sky, keeping my Psionic Field spread out to the maximum.


    Jet fire exploded from their feet as they rose up after me, determined not to let me escape.


    ""Halt or face Extermination.""


    Their purple eyes pulsed with light as they ordered.


    I showed Ultron the middle finger.


    The smog grew thicker and thicker, before it finally gave way to an ash cloud hanging above the city. Hot ash.


    My shield kept me safe within it''s confines. All the while below me, two pairs of purple light followed after me.


    I broke past the ash cloud, into the upper stratum. The sun was glaring white, there was stars all around.


    And hundreds of Sentinels descending upon New York.


    Immediately I stopped, spreading my hands out.


    There was no surprise on my face. It wasn''t unexpected. It was all within my strategy.


    I had sensed them the second they broke through the Earth''s atmosphere.


    And now, everything was in place.


    The two Sentinels chasing after me broke through the ash cloud as well, eyes still glowing purple.


    They slowed down, the electric hum around them going silent as they coasted on an invisible field.


    One that opposed gravity.


    The Sentinels above me did the same. And then in one synchronized move, dozens of weapons sprouted on each Sentinel.


    Ultra plasma cannons, barrels vibrating with streaks of electricity and huge missile launchers- Solomon''s Wisdom informed me of the kind of deadly force I was about to face.


    "You have no means of Escape, God3Mp3Ror, surrender and I shall grant Mercy."


    Ultron''s robotic yet polished voice came through every available Sentinel.


    Wait, what did he call me?


    Not important right now.


    There were 330 of them. Given that each squad had 3 Sentinels, minus the one I had dealt with. That was 110 squads.


    Such a weak force. Ultron must be underestimating me or something.


    And about his offer,


    ''Chances that he''ll keep his word?''


    I inquired from my Quantum Prognosis.


    ''0%''


    An obvious answer.


    Right. Can''t say I''m surprised. Ultron would never be stupid enough to let me live.


    That was a tactic to lower my guard before finishing me off.


    But unwittingly, I was not the one trapped. The strategy was never to run, the strategy was to take every single opponent out at the same time.


    """You have three seconds to comply."""


    The A.I gave an ultimatum.


    I held up 3 fingers.


    "3, 2...1."


    """Terminate"""


    The order came through and the Sentinels complied.


    My world became one filled with flashes of color, heat and pressure waves produced from the attacks raining up and down on me.


    My barrier held. Barely.


    It rippled with metallic projectiles shot at the speed of light, beams of energy that ate through its surface only for me to strengthen the barrier by pouring in more Psionic energy.


    The barrage went on for a few more minutes. smoke gathered around my position, hiding me from view.


    Until finally, the barrage stopped.


    The noise of thousands of weapons working overtime to destroy me quieted down.


    And I was revealed.


    A triple layered barrier, the outer one glowing a light blue, the middie one normal blue and the final one, dark blue covered my body.


    330 Sentinels hadn''t managed to break through.


    I love my powers.


    The Sentinels'' powered up once more, energy weapons growing hot for a second wave of attacks.


    """Standby... Re-assessing threat..."""


    One of them tried to send a scanning ray my way but I popped up next to it.


    "My turn."


    I muttered, right arm expanding in size with a shroud of red energy around it.


    I unleashed a punch that tore apart it''s head from its body, producing a pressure wave that threw the closest ones away.


    Slapping the Sentinel to my Inventory, I teleported once more, this time sharpening the Psionic energy around my hand.


    The energy vibrated dangerously.


    One slash and the metallic torsos of two Sentinels detached easily. The blade of vibrating Psionic energy around my palm extended, passing through without a single sound.


    All parts were pulled into my Inventory.


    The rest of the Sentinels were growing wise to my attacks. I teleported away just as the space I was occupying was assaulted by numerous weapons.


    The remaining Sentinels activated purple barriers in wary of my attacks.


    I appeared in midair, right in the thick of it.


    All around me were killer robots with enough firepower to each rival a Nation''s army.


    But I had them right where I wanted them to be.


    It started with a rumble. Then a small smile wormed it''s way onto my face.


    "Checkmate, Ultron."


    My words were followed by a golden light spearing past the ash cloud.


    The light turned out to be the divine weapon, Neptune''s Trident.


    Following right behind it, breaking through the ash-cloud, were billions of tonnes of dark murky ocean water.


    It was like a shadow falling towards the sky instead of the ground.


    A massive Tsunami of water shaped like an arrow tethered to the Trident by magic.


    The size of the Tsunami was bigger than Manhattan alone.


    """Abort! Abort!"""


    The Sentinels immediately begun to turn tail and run.


    I raised a hand, expanding my Telekinetic aura, feeding it into my Psionic Field.


    A bubble of Psionic energy sprang up with me as the center, enclosing the Sentinels and I.


    Then I made it triple layered, ensuring there was no way to escape by punching through.


    The water around me roared up, reaching the first of the Sentinels.


    The purple barriers around them held. But not for long. Not when I exerted millions of pressure and crushed over 50 Sentinels into balls of metal contained in Purple barriers.


    The water roiled around me in a tempest, filling the entire Psionic field.


    Some of the Sentinels immediately started self destructing, producing shockwaves and heat that battered the water, only to disappear before reaching me.


    I lowered the temperatures around a huge chunk of Sentinels, freezing them before crushing them apart in magical whirlpools underwater.


    The Trident of Neptune swam to my hand.


    I flexed my control over the water, feeling the magic flared up.


    121 Sentinels left.


    I created dozens of more whirlpools in the murky depths of the water, promptly destroying every single Sentinel remaining.

 Humanitys Last Bastion

    (General P.O.V)


    "It''s time."


    A shadow stated.


    "He''s ready. We''ll take it all back."


    It''s voice could project through the vacuum that was the surface of the moon.


    Uatu, despite hearing it''s words, said nothing in return.


    He stayed silent on his perch, glowing white eyes locked onto a single planet. Earth. Specifically, the East coast of North America.


    ''That boy. He''s grown much much stronger now. How interesting.''


    Uatu thought.


    ''I suspect he''s the reason she is here.''


    His thoughts drifted to the Shadow behind him. Yet it was also in his vision. It didn''t matter that he lacked a direct line of sight. Uatu could see ALL.


    He''d been watching her before she even decided to come.


    In any case, he knew what she wanted to discuss.


    And what good news it was for the Terrans, as the rest of the universe called Humans.


    The dire situation was coming to an end. While he wouldn''t admit it to anyone else, Uatu had come to care for them. The humans.


    He even had a few favorites.


    The ones with special abilities or dispositions. The heroes.


    Watching them go through life''s hardships while trying to remain altruistic was inspiring. Even for a long lived being like him.


    Humanity was like a comet. Burning so bright and fervent despite only lasting a mere sliver of moment.


    The shadow behind the Watcher drifted closer, its steps making no sound on the dusty and uneven ground.


    "Fate finally gazes upon us with good fortune."


    The Shadow added, slowing its walk before stopping next to Uatu.


    "All hope seemed lost. Now we''re at the critical juncture. We can end this."


    "I take it your mission was a success then, Sorcerer?"


    Uatu finally responded with a question.


    "Oh please, spare me the humility, Watcher."


    The shadow snorted.


    "As if your gaze couldn''t pierce the walls of hell. You know everything that goes on in this galaxy."


    "My apologies."


    Uatu blinked.


    "I have been starved of conversation for far too long. You don''t visit as often. Unlike your late master."


    His tone was almost accusatory.


    "Too busy protecting the world from mystical threats."


    The Ancient One told him.


    "Of course, of course."


    Uatu responded understandingly. She always gave him that answer.


    "Unlike you, who has pledged to observe, I do not have the same luxury."


    The Ancient One sighed, staring out into the expanse of space.


    "I occasionally feel your sight on me whenever ''one'' of them tries to invade."


    "I cannot deny myself the pleasure of seeing the Sorcerer Supreme in action. You will have to forgive me."


    Uatu said amiably.


    "I do not mind it. It''s...endearing."


    The Ancient One responded softly. She allowed the small surge of pride at someone like him praising her skills.


    "Too bad this time you failed to prevent it."


    Uatu immediately followed it up by bringing up her failure, his owlish eyes blinking.


    Was he, as the kids these days say, trolling her?


    The Ancient One''s smile became strained.


    "It was never about preventing it from happening. An absolute focal point in time is unstoppable and irreversible Watcher."


    Her tone was frigid cold.


    "One might say, you were not trying hard enough. I''m sure your student...would agree with me."


    Uatu replied.


    A brief silence settled in between them.


    "Strange will be the best of us. I respect his decisions. However, the way we fight and live are different from each other. He will seek to push the boundaries. I maintain the balance."


    The Ancient One returned after a few seconds of quiet.


    Uatu turned to look at her.


    "He has destroyed his own universe, Yao. All because he was denied."


    He told her seriously.


    "And just like the Supreme Sorcerer from that world, you are also betting everything on one person."


    Both of them stared at each other almost challengingly. With a sigh, the Ancient One tore her gaze away, staring out into the expanse of space.


    "You can see what is happening. But I can see what WILL happen. Billy, will be the salvation the world needs."


    She narrowed her eyes, voice tinged with confidence.


    "I guarantee."


    "Or he will become the Destruction of everything."


    The Watcher countered, ominously.


    "You said it yourself. I can see what is happening. He''s not the boy you knew. The boy you risked everything to get back. Something has changed... something happened in hell. Something even my gaze couldn''t see."


    She stared at him with a raised eyebrow, hands tightening within the confines of her robe sleeves. No. He was wrong. But if he wasn''t...


    "One calamity at a time, Uatu. One calamity at a time."


    "Regardless."


    Uatu started, getting off his perch.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    "I will break my vow and assist you, Sorcerer."


    The Ancient One stared at him blankly. Then she smiled knowingly, bowing her head. The Eye of Agamotto hadn''t been a help when dealing with The Watcher.


    Frankly, this conversation could have gone either way.


    "I am grateful."


    Uatu frowned.


    "My intervention is strictly forbidden. That said, I can no longer stand and watch from the sidelines."


    He shook his head.


    "Not when even the All father has been defeated and Asgard is on the verge of destruction . Galactus will turn his attention on Terra next. He is coming."


    ******


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Aaachoow!!!


    Huh? Is someone talking about me?


    Eh, who cares.


    I looked around at my surroundings. At the power I could command as easily as breathing.


    "You''re something else you know that..."


    I spoke to my Trident, caressing the ridges along it''s shaft. God, that sounds so sus.


    What couldn''t be denied was it''s usefulness and power.


    A shadow rested above the ruins of New York. Someone who could see past the smog hanging over the city, would have spotted the blue chunk of frozen ice floating before me.


    Within the ice were the torn up parts of over a hundred Sentinels. Fury would have a field day over this.


    Speaking of...where was he? No matter how much I scanned for his weird Magnetic Field( I couldn''t read his mind because he wasn''t actually human), I came up empty.


    It didn''t matter much anyway.


    What did was ensuring I kicked Ultron''s metal ass back to where he had come from. There was no way this was base Ultron. Base Ultron took time to learn. To hate Humanity.


    In comparison, this version seemingly attacked out of nowhere.


    Fortunately, I could fight back now. I wouldn''t lose or die this time. Not when I had my new powers and better control over Neptune''s Trident.


    Not when due to it''s magic, I could flash freeze billions of tonnes of water by simply willing it. Speaking of...


    The ice chunk shifted states into water.


    The remains of the Sentinels appeared in my Hammer space, leaving behind murky sea water.


    I controlled the water, turning it into steam that I used to push away the smog and ash-clouds in the air.


    The polluted gasses were expelled from New York''s atmosphere, clearing the air enough that you could see the sun once more. Even if it''s light would be dim.


    I focused more intensely, reaching out into the water molecules and giving a command.


    "Purify."


    The Trident glowed. And immediately the remaining Ash-clouds in the vicinity were pushed away.


    The sun''s naked rays reached my face. I breathed in, my chest inflating with the clean air I held within my Psionic barriers.


    One simple command and the Trident eagerly rose up to the challenge. I hadn''t known if that would even work.


    What a useful weapon.


    The Trident sent back warm feelings as if it could understand me.


    A small smile wormed it''s way onto my face.


    *******


    (Negative Zone) (a Few Minutes ago)


    In the dreary and dark landscape that was the negative Zone, billions of Annihilus'' bug creatures were routinely turned to ash as they scuttled towards a hill.


    On top of that hill was a zone that nothing could cross. Immense heat immediately fried everything that got even an inch closer.


    Past the heat was something else, an invisible two layered barrier. The outer barrier was shaped into a concave shape.


    It''s unique structure kept the flames spreading outward more efficiently, guiding the surge whenever the heat was increased.


    The second shield behind it, was spherical and enclosed 4 individuals. It was the last line of defense.


    One of the 4, the Human Torch, a blonde haired man covered in flames, maintained the fire burning on the outside.


    Him, his sister, the Invisible Woman and The Thing huddled around the final member of their team, Mr.Fantastic</a>.


    The latter on his part was busy working on a way out of the Negative Zone. They had been stuck within it for 5 weeks. Give or take. Time moved differently here.


    And during that time, Annihilus had done all he could to kill them and unleash his annihilation wave onto the world.


    Too bad for Annihilus'', the Fantastic Four were formidable. Enough to even steal his cosmic rod and use it as the battery to power up Mr.Fanytadtic</a>''s device.


    Unstable energies clashed within the core of the Spatial Relocation Device, the Junky yet exceptional invention, courtesy of Mr. Fantastic.


    "Anytime now, Reed!"


    Sue Storm, the Invisible Woman, exclaimed, her voice filled with urgency as she continued to maintain the two barriers around them.


    While her costume was clean and immaculate, her face was gaunt and she had bags under her eyes. They hadn''t slept or had anything to eat for some time.


    Only survived on the bugs and whatever they could scrunch up from the Negative Zone.


    "No no no...it''s leaking too much power."


    The Smartest man on Earth muttered, a trail of sweat falling down his forehead as he tinkered with the device.


    His fingers moved with dexterity, shaping into various tools like spanners, screwdrivers, energy testers e.t.c


    By molding his biology, he could shape his digits, even making them as dense and hard as metal.


    Fortunately, his unstable molecules costume conformed to his abilities, ensuring it molded with his stretching.


    "Let me out again...I could thin out a few and buy you more time."


    Ben, the Thing said with a grimace.


    Out of everyone one, he was the one injured the most. The left side of his face was raw and red, the rocky carapace that made up his body having been torn off on that spot.


    It was slow healing.


    Without a single warning,


    A beam of radiant energy shot out of the Device, rising up into space, breaking through Invisible Woman''s shield as it it was tissue.


    Following that, was a hum that resonated across the entire Negative Zone.


    Annihilus, seated on his throne immediately got up. There were numerous injuries on his body and he was missing a wing.


    "Impossible! ANNIHILUS DOES NOT LIKE THIS!!"


    Annihilus bellowed, clicking his pincers in agitation.


    The Energy waned, rushing back into the Spatial Relocation Device. A swirling yellow portal sprang up, wide enough to even allow The Thing through.


    "Nice going Stretch."


    Ben slapped Mr.Fantastic</a>''s back.


    "Johnny,time to go!"


    She told her brother, who had been too focused on the flames keeping the bugs away.


    "Finally!"


    The Human Torch laughed.


    "Eat this Annihilus!"


    He held his hands to his chest before spreading them out in a sudden move.


    The orange flames under his control surged up, then exploded. The fire quickly spread out, burning the bugs into cinder and covering the entire hill.


    When the fire died out, the Fantastic Four were nowhere to be seen.


    And when Annihilus got to the top of the Hill, his Cosmic Control Rod was split right in the middle.


    "Nooooooo!!! I will get you for this, Fantastic Four!!!"


    (Elsewhere)


    A sudden portal manifested in the throne room of King Blackagar Boltagon, leader of the Inhumans.


    A gaudy chamber, constructed with an aesthetic gray.


    On two large thrones, sat the King and Queen of the Inhumans. Officials stood below the Thrones, waiting on both royals.


    Someone unexpected was also present.


    "Uatu? What are you doing here? And where is here?"


    Mr.Fantastic</a> inquired, looking around.


    "Welcome Fantastic Four, to Attilan, the City State. Kingdom of the Inhumans."


    The Watcher, Uatu greeted.


    "We have much to discuss."


    (Asgard)


    The glowing realm of Asgard, a beautiful plane filled with Gods and magic. The strongest realm. The top of the World Tree.


    And it was facing a calamity unlike any before.


    Pieces of the realm floated to the air, sucked in by the bottomless hole that was Galactus'' wide mouth.


    "This is bad. Like End of the World bad."


    Falcon said, staring up at the Cosmic Entity in fear.


    Pieces of the rainbow bridge swirled around the emerald shield created by Doom. Half of the bridge had already been swallowed up.


    The shield housed Doom and two members of the Avengers. Captain America and of course, Falcon.


    Iron Man was flying in the air, trying to hold back Galactus with Thor and the Warriors four.


    Odin had been drowned and instantly defeated under Galactus'' immense power. And the only damage the All-father made was a small dent on the World Eater''s armor created by Gungnir.


    The sky flashed with a collage of colors. Thor''s brilliant strikes of lightning, Iron Man''s powerful Arc Reactor energy beams- the magic enchanted in the Uru adding to his power...


    And of course the full might Asgard.


    Magical attacks rained on Galactus. And yet... nothing seemed to be working. All their attacks harmlessly splashed against his armor.


    Cap tore his gaze from the coming calamity, to instead stare at Doom''s back. The enigmatic leader of Latveria watched the battle without saying anything.


    "Sam."


    Cap said, grabbing Falcon''s attention.


    "We can''t win like this. It''s time to retreat. Priority should be saving the Civilians now that our only means of escape have been cut off."


    With the Rainbow bridge destroyed, they were stuck on Asgard as it fell.


    Falcon gave a nod, tapping his ear piece to relay the order to the others.


    Meanwhile, Cap approached Doom.


    "Should I be worried about you helping us Viktor?"


    Captain America asked.


    Doom had saved them from the shockwaves produced by the All-father and Galactus'' clash.


    He''d stopped the worst of Galactus and Odin''s stray attacks from reaping their lives.


    For all his Supersoldier body and training, Steve knew he was outmatched and outclassed in a battle such as this.


    As were their heaviest hitters. Thor could do nothing except watch as his father disappeared under Galactus'' power and Hulk was nowhere to be seen.


    They could have used his help for this.


    "You should."


    Doom finally replied, the depth of his voice amplified by his armor.


    "But my fight is not with you Avengers. Today, we stand on the same side."


    While such news would be encouraging at other times, Cap couldn''t bring himself to think it would make such a big difference.


    "I''ve never been a quitter Viktor. Even back in the day, surrounded by Red Skull and his army...we always kept on fighting."


    Cap explained.


    "But this...this is an entirely different battlefield. How can you stand up to a force of nature?"


    As if to prove his point, Galactus''s eyes glowed. Purple Optical blasts exploded forth from them.


    Thor and Iron Man disappeared in a flash of blinding light.


    "You can''t."


    Doom answered just as the light reached them.


    (Elsewhere)


    The light died down just as quickly as it had appeared.


    Cap thought he had died. He opened his eyes, the familiar weight of the shield on his right hand, telling him he was somehow, someway still alive.


    His gaze opened up in an opulent throne room. The rest of the Avengers, including Thor and Iron Man who were also very much alive, were with him.


    So was Viktor too, though he stood to the side.


    "Greetings, Avengers. Welcome to Attilan. The last bastion of Hope for Humanity."


    A big headed (literally) man greeted, walking towards them.


    And behind him were a few friends Cap had thought died as well.


    The Fantastic Four.


    "Viktor."


    Mr.Fantastic</a> nodded at his rival/enemy.


    "Reed."


    Doom returned the gesture.

 Everyone Arrives.

    (General P.O.V)


    "You look...terrible."


    Doom said, giving the Fantastic an once-over.


    "I wonder whose fault that is?"


    Mr.Fantastic</a> growled, walking forward.


    "What are you insinuating now, you insufferable Life form?"


    Dr.Doom</a> growled back.


    The entire mood of the throne room changed, getting heated as both geniuses glared at each other.


    "Gentlemen gentlemen...perhaps we should all take a breather-"


    Tony begun, only for Cap to grab him by the shoulder, shaking his head. Letting things play out would be better for the Avengers.


    They had just appeared here from Asgard and all the Watcher had said was to wait for the rest to arrive.


    "We were stuck in the Negative Zone for 5 weeks, Doom."


    Reed replied, gritting his teeth.


    "Fighting Annihilus and his forces without rest. And it''s all your fault."


    "Doom has no clue what nonsense you''re spouting Richards. Now exit Doom''s personal space or pay the price."


    Doom threatened.


    "Oh come on! Stop playing dumb! We know your Doom-bot messed with Reed''s Dimension portal Thingamajig. It exploded and we would have all died if it wasn''t for Sue."


    Johnny cut in, his hair catching on fire in anger.


    "You know nothing of what you speak Boy."


    Doom mercilessly replied.


    Cracking his fingers, The Thing stepped forward.


    "Maybe he doesn''t. But I do. It''s clobbering time."


    "Bring it, Rock man. Doom has faced Gods and Monsters. Doom fears no one."


    Doom answered back, green waves of magic swirling about him.


    "Huh...should we do something?"


    Falcon asked the others.


    "Cap said we let them sort it out."


    Hawkeye shrugged.


    "Not if sorting it out destroys the King of Attilan''s throne room. Then we will all be in trouble."


    Black Widow countered, eyes surreptitiously gazing at the Inhuman King seated on his throne, watching the proceedings without a word.


    That said, things weren''t going to escalate further. Not if someone from the Royal family had something to say about it.


    "I apologize Dr.Richards</a>, you and your team have been through a lot."


    The Queen of the Inhumans, Medusa stated amiably.


    "However, please refrain from any hostilities. Unsanctioned conflict of any kind is prohibited in the City. Naturally that includes the Throne room as well."


    "Unsanctioned?"


    Captain America spoke up.


    "Sorry your highness, but that word sticks out to me."


    "I''m wondering the same. Do moon people have gladiator matches where one can solve their issues by pummeling their opponent?" Iron-Man snorted.


    "Coz if so, count me in Reed. I have some unresolved issues with you, Viktor..."


    "Not you too, Tony. I meant we watch and gather information not get embroiled in the fight."


    Cap shook his head in exasperation.


    "All of you want a piece of Doom then."


    Mystical energy brimmed within him, reaching critical levels.


    "Come! Doom will take you all on!"


    The king of Latveria declared.


    Iron Man''s chest piece similarly started glowing. The Uru armor working in tandem with the Arc Reactor pushed monumental amounts of power through his body. Power unlike anything he''d ever sensed before.


    Golden energy surged out, pushing against Doom''s own energy.


    It was mystical armor vs Mystical armor.


    "I don''t have a problem with that."


    Iron Man replied fearlessly.


    "You will pay for- huh? Thor? Where are you going buddy?"


    Tony asked.


    Only then did they notice Thor''s tense and broad shoulders. Not to mention his heavy steps, filled with a boiling Rage.


    And wafting off him was that familiar pressure exuded by the God of Thunder. The smell of ozone as streaks of lightning sparked around him.


    "Oh...this is bad. Who thought bringing all these big egos together was a good idea?"


    Falcon whispered to Hawkeye.


    "I''m just glad none of them are directing their ire my way. I don''t think my arrows could save me from that."


    Hawkeye replied.


    "I''d probably take one down with me though."


    "Not a chance Hawkeye. You''d be fried in a second."


    Widow mercilessly countered.


    "I''d still have a bigger chance than you though, Nat."


    Hawkeye playfully responded.


    "My arrows wouldn''t break easily. But what would your ''spider bite'' do to actual gods? Come on Falcon, back me up here."


    "Sorry Hawkeye, I''m more concerned with ensuring these guys don''t bring the ceiling down on us."


    Falcon answered.


    And sure enough, the power roiling off Thor was a serious concern. Tiny fractures had already started to appear below his steps, caused by the wild streaks of lightning pouring out of him.


    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    "Take me back to Asgard Watcher or taste my hammer."


    Thor growled low, his tone menacing and his eyes hard, filled with the promise of violence upon non-compliance.


    "That is no longer possible."


    Uatu said regally. Not the least bit intimidated by the God of Thunder.


    "Why. Not?"


    Thor bit out, eyes glowing with power.


    "Because Asgard is no more."


    A different voice stated, coming from a portal that manifested in the middle of the room.


    And out of it, walked the Ancient One followed by none other than...Shazam.


    The latter looked around curiously, eyes taking in the situation.


    Powerhouses filled the room. And the auras they were producing...it was enough to make him swallow at the thought of facing one of them.


    Or even all of them. He wouldn''t discriminate.


    "Everyone, meet Shazam. Shazam... everyone."


    The Ancient One introduced.


    Those who had never seen Billy before, were instantly curious about him. Drawn to the symbol of the white lightning bolt on his chest.


    A predatory gaze fell upon his face.


    "This is not the congratulatory party I was expecting for dealing with those things Ancient One, but I''m not really complaining. There are so many powerful people to fight..."


    "Of course you would see it that way."


    The Sorcerer Supreme sighed.


    "Don''t cause trouble. I won''t bail you out if you do."


    She warned.


    Shazam snorted. Was she serious? Did he look like a troublemaker? Though he wouldn''t mind a spar or two. Man, it was like being at an all you can eat buffet.


    He counted 3 people who could actually give him trouble.


    During his survey, his eyes fell on the Fantastic Four, his expression easing up somewhat.


    "You guys look like shit."


    He snorted.


    "And you...look different."


    Sue told him, throwing him a strange look.


    "Hey Kid."


    The Thing greeted.


    "Sup Ben, Johnny, Reed...Sue."


    He returned the gesture, eyes lingering on the Invisible Woman a little too long.


    "Hey man, have you been...working out?"


    Johnny asked, similarly surprised by the body transformation.


    "Not really."


    Shazam shrugged.


    "Woke up like this."


    "Sooo cool."


    Johnny said, slinging an arm over his shoulder.


    "When did you get so cool?"


    ''What does this hothead mean? I''ve always been cool.''


    Shazam flexed his barrier, pushing off the Human Torch.


    "Hey, rude."


    Johnny complained but said nothing else.


    The way he was staring at Shazam had changed. Now there was caution in his gaze. It was clear Billy was different somehow.


    "What happened?"


    Billy on his part inquired from Reed.


    "I thought you guys had died as well."


    "As well?"


    Invisible Woman and the other two looked at each other.


    Mr.Fantastic</a> frowned.


    "We should talk after this Shazam."


    Billy knew that Reed was a little jealous at the way he had stared at his wife.


    "Yeah we should. But for now...here I got you a present." The Champion of the Gods said, promptly releasing a massive Sentinel from his hammer space, missing it''s limbs.


    Immediately, Medusa was on her feet.


    "Get that thing out of here! If It manages to eavesdrop on our plan-"


    "Relax, I shut it down. Fully cutting off its connection to Ultron."


    Billy informed her.


    "Ultron?"


    Mr. Fantastic asked, his attention pulled to the Sentinel.


    "We will tell you everything once the last person arrives."


    Uatu told them, eyes never leaving Thor. The latter was also staring at Uatu, his patience quickly dwindling.


    "Welp, Christmas came early."


    Tony said, staring at the remains of the Sentinel.


    "This isn''t over Viktor."


    Iron Man powered down before joining Reed in studying the Sentinel.


    "Glad to see Tony listen to reason. A fight with Doom in Attilan is the last thing we would want."


    Cap said.


    "Hey, isn''t that the kid from a few months ago? Billy I think."


    Hawkeye said, scratching his head.


    "Yeah. But he looks...different. How the hell did he get so ripped in one month? He''s almost as tall as Thor!"


    Falcon whistled.


    Shazam heard his name and turned to the two Avengers.


    "Sup."


    He greeted, then promptly ignored them. He didn''t have time for weaklings.


    Infact, he ignored everyone else as his eyes fell upon the strongest being there.


    Billy recognized the being almost immediately. The huge head was iconic as were the glowing eyes.


    The Watcher.


    Shazam walked, or rather prowled forward. His power surged out, making the entire throne room tremble.


    On his path was Doom, who stood defiant. Hands crossed over his chest.


    Billy reached him...and moved past.


    Just a smidgen of his aura dwarfed anything Doom could produce. Which meant Doom was weaker than him. Shazam didn''t have time for weaklings.


    His aura was even greater than Thor''s divine presence. Though it could be argued that the God of Thunder was weakened from his battle with Galactus.


    No one however, would think the younger of the two was weaker. Shazam was power incarnate. He felt it within him but his true depths was something even he didn''t know.


    And he had only unlocked 2 legacies so far. What would happen if he unlocked all?


    His power level caused every single eye to focus on him.(Except Reed and Tony who were already geeking out studying the Sentinel, and Thor who was seconds away from blowing up)


    The rest had their attention on the Champion of the Gods.


    Even Black Bolt himself frowned, the first instant he''d shown his emotions.


    He made a discreet sign to his Inhuman subjects, the royal family. Otherwise known as the House of Agon.


    A stunned expression appeared on Queen Medusa''s face. Her husband...was wary.


    She reevaluated Shazam''s threat in her mind. Maybe it was time to step in. A brief glance at the Ancient One and Medusa was even more surprised. The Ancient One shook her head at her.


    ''Don''t.''


    She said with her eyes.


    Medusa said and did nothing, content to watch. If things got dicey, Black Bolt would handle it.


    On Billy''s part, he noticed something strange. Each step he took towards the Watcher grew heavier and heavier the closer he got.


    ''Huh...a gravity zone. One that doubles the effects of Gravity each step you take.''


    He theorized.


    That''s why Thor was kept at bay. He was fully under the Watcher''s gravity Zone.


    Shazam molded his psionic energy around him, staving off the effects as he reached Thor and passed him without a word.


    Fighting those of the same power level or even weaker than him wasn''t going to do any good. Shazam was more interested in the Watcher''s power. It felt like he was standing before Mephisto once more.


    "You..."


    Shazam finally arrived before Uatu.


    "You''re strong."


    The Watcher''s eyes narrowed. Just like he''d thought. The brat was powerful.


    "As are you...Demon spawn."


    "Demon Spawn?"


    Invisible Woman muttered from the side where they were watching the spectacle.


    "It''s a term that means descended from a demon. Or sharing a demonic heritage."


    The Ancient One helpfully answered.


    "The boy, Doom demands to know who he is?"


    Doom asked the Supreme Sorcerer.


    The Ancient One raised an eyebrow at his statement.


    "Demand?"


    "Doom will not apologize." Viktor said, crossing his hands together.


    "But Doom respects you."


    The Sorcerer Supreme smiled tightly.


    "I see. You still insist on referring to yourself in third person. About your question, you should already know by now, Viktor. Have you been keeping up with your energy sensing? That has always been your weakest skill."


    The Ancient One admonished.


    "Doom has not."


    Doom replied, eyes falling on Shazam''s back. He didn''t think anyone else apart from the Ancient One noticed but...the boy was not actually walking...he was hovering a few millimeters off the ground.


    There was a barely detectable membrane of energy around his body.


    "But Doom''s entire body shudders at the thought of fighting him."


    Everybody within earshot was shocked.


    Doon admitting he was afraid!?


    "Well, I guess I''ve seen it all now."


    The Ancient One cackled.


    Uatu frowned.


    The gravity field around him did not seem to affect the boy. ''He''s using his own energy to cancel out the effect. He''s brilliant with energy control. With time, he could even learn to access the Power Cosmic all on his own...''


    And Uatu knew the kind of claim he was making. This child was just that impressive.


    "So what do you say to a spar, Watcher?"


    Shazam offered with a small smirk.


    "How bold."


    A voice claimed from Billy''s back. A hand landing on his shoulder.


    Thor was breathing a bit too fast yet, he was enduring the Gravity Field just by using his body.


    "You dare ignore me, boy!?"


    Shazam''s eyes never left Uatu''s. That said, the smirk on his face slipped off as a mask of indifference fell upon his face.


    "Remove your hand...or LOSE IT."


    The Champion muttered, but his aura monstrously surged outward, filling the entire chamber.


    The other presences dimmed and breathing became hard.


    Thor''s hair begun dancing in the air. His own Divinity roared to life battling against Shazam''s.


    The hand on Billy''s shoulder tightened.


    "I have business with the Watcher Boy. You should learn some manners."


    The God of Thunder growled.


    "Oh well, I warned you."


    Shazam sighed.


    Following the ominous words, Thor''s body was launched backwards.


    "Huh?"


    The God of Thunder looked at his hammer the instant he landed. Several feet away from Shazam.


    "Mjonirl...you saved me?"


    His divine weapon had pulled him away without consent or even hesitation. The Hammer had deemed the situation too dangerous.


    Looking up, Thor understood why.


    "Oh you dodged that? Interesting."


    Shazam turned to stare at him, the eyes of a hunter gazing at the God of Thunder.


    On Shazam''s shoulder, a massive blade created from his Symbiote biology retracted into his suit.


    The Trident of Neptune appeared by Billy''s side. He grabbed it, slamming the pommel down on the floor.


    The ringing sound it produced made everyone''s heart shake in anticipation and caution.


    "Maybe you are worth fighting, after all. Let''s see who''s stronger God of Thunder, your divine weapon or mine."


    Before the situation could intensify, a blue portal appeared in between both, and a gigantic Dog carrying two people jumped out.


    "Motherfucker. You have a dog that can teleport?!"


    Fury asked in surprise from the back of the massive Bulldog.


    "We''re here."


    The girl with him, Crystal, Queen Medusa''s sister, said while gazing around.


    "We also seem to be the last ones."


    Her gaze fell on Shazam.


    Their eyes briefly met. Crystal stopped breathing. His eyes...they were the most intimidating she had ever seen. Yet, they carried a certain beauty to them.


    On his part, Billy was surprised by the sudden arrival of Fury and...her.


    She was...different. He didn''t know why but she stood out like a candle in a dark room.


    He didn''t feel like fighting anymore.


    "Mmph."


    The Trident in his hands disappeared back into his Hammer space.


    "Count yourself Lucky Thor. Touch me again and you will lose more than a hand."

 Dealing with A Shade.

    (General P.O.V)


    (Johnny Storm)


    She was here. His ex.


    And she didn''t even spare him a single glance. Instead, she seemed to have eyes for someone else. Someone she''d just met!


    Their connection was instant and plain to see. Or that could be his jealousy leering it''s ugly head, causing him to read more into things.


    In any case, Johnny and Crystal had been broken up for a couple of years now. He was fine with her liking whoever she liked.


    Even if that whoever was Billy. A... different Billy.


    Still, she could have looked his way...


    (General P.O.V)


    Crystal blinked, realizing she had been staring at the black haired cute stranger she''d never seen before.


    To hide her blush, she whipped her head around.


    "Lockjaw''s back is not for your luxury."


    She coldly told Fury.


    "Trust me, that wasn''t fun for me either. I don''t like animals. Especially ones that could swallow you whole. Thanks all the same "


    Fury said, jumping off the giant Bulldog, called Lockjaw.


    He landed on the marble floor with an audible thud.


    "Fury."


    Cap nodded at the Premier Spy, walking forward and shaking his hand.


    "I suspected you were alive."


    "Of course I was. Who else was going to save your collective asses?"


    The one eyed spy snorted.


    "The Avengers were gone. The Fantastic Four bombarded by a nuclear bomb and the world thrown into chaos. Someone had to stay alive to deal with this shit."


    "And naturally that responsibility fell on you."


    Widow said.


    "Naturally? Don''t humor me Natasha. I''m still your boss."


    Fury responded.


    "And I''m an Avenger."


    Black Widow was quick with a comeback.


    "Touche''."


    Fury acquiesced, gazing around.


    "Quite the team you have gathered here, Uatu."


    He addressed the Watcher who he seemed to know, eyes sweeping through the room. They eventually landed on Shazam.


    "Well... here''s someone I wasn''t expecting to see."


    Fury raised an eyebrow.


    Billy walked forward. He was now just as tall as Fury. The two stared at one another. One with an annoyed look on his face(Fury), the other with a slight smile on his(Shazam).


    The latter gave him a once over before speaking,


    "You''re like a cockroach. Tenaciously hanging onto life, Nick."


    "I would say it''s good to see you but we never have a pleasant time together, so I won''t."


    Fury shot back.


    Shazam chuckled as Fury turned away from him. He walked forward, approaching the House of Agon.


    Unbeknownst to him, Billy''s eyes narrowed as he scanned Fury''s magnetic field.


    No one except for Crystal who was stealing glances at him noticed the frown on his face.


    "King Blackagar, thank you for having us here."


    Fury inclined his head in a nod.


    Black Bolt returned the gesture.


    "It is good to see you again Fury."


    Medusa spoke up on behalf of the King and his vassals.


    "The pleasure is all mine, your highness. Though I wish we were reuniting under better circumstances."


    Fury sighed, slight regret his tone.


    "That''s why you''re here, Nick. With you, we can deal with this threat once and for all. Earth is done for but Attilan can still be saved."


    Medusa stated, this time addressing the whole chamber.


    "Saved? Saved from what?"


    Johnny asked.


    "Are we... missing something? And what is this about Earth being done for?"


    "You- don''t know."


    Queen Medusa muttered in realization.


    "No, not really. Reed said it before, we''ve been stuck in the negative Zone for the last 5 weeks."


    Invisible Woman replied.


    "A machination from our mutual enemy then."


    The statement came from a man standing next to King Blackagar, the chief bodyguard of the king, Gorgon.


    He was an inhuman with sharp horns and hooves for legs.


    "Explain."


    The Thing demanded, hands crossed over his chest.


    Cap walked to the middle of the room.


    "A few weeks ago, sometime before 0600 hours, the world ended. We found ourselves teleported to Asgard, only narrowly escaping the fate the rest of the world faced."


    "The bastard deployed Nukes, and bombed every major city across the world. Naturally that resulted in an astronomical loss of lives."


    Fury interrupted.


    "We lost many of our own people as well."


    "The world...was nuked?"


    Johnny muttered in disbelief.


    "Why would anyone do that? What would be the motive?"


    "It''s called Ultron."


    Shazam cut in, with a heavy voice.


    "An AI that seeks to end all human existence. I was on my way to warn the Avengers about his coming when the Nukes landed. All I remember is a bright flash of light...and then nothing."


    "How did you even survive thar?"


    Crystal curiously asked.


    "I didn''t."


    Shazam said, then went quiet without offering up anything else.


    "That''s not all. We have another issue on top of this. Asgard...was attacked and destroyed."


    Cap informed the chamber.


    The news caused everyone''s spirits to plummet. They could have relied on reinforcements from Asgard as Midgard was under their protection, but now...


    "Indeed. By the World Eater, Galactus."


    Uatu revealed.


    "You might be surprised to know that both incidents are connected. The AI was advanced enough to track the energy signature of the Bifrost that saved you, Avengers. Then it broadcasted the exact Coordinates of Asgard out into the Universe."


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Dammit!"


    Tony punched the floor from where he was studying the Sentinel. The floor cracked.


    "The Old Man was right, it''s our fault that Galactus turned his attention onto Asgard."


    His eyes underneath the visor looked haunted,


    "My fault that I create it..."


    "Enough."


    Thor announced.


    "I have wasted precious time here. Take me back Watcher. I won''t ask again."


    "I cannot. I apologize. All you would find where Asgard used to be is floating debris and wild magic."


    Uatu''s response did not seem to appease the God Of Thunder.


    "I don''t care. If I cannot save my home then I will bloody well Avenge it!"


    "Listen to the peeping Tom, Thor. According to one of my abilities, the chances of you going up against Galactus as you are...is less than 2%."


    Shazam broke the news to Thor before the God could continue harassing Uatu.


    "Please, everyone. I beseech you to rest and eat first." The Queen offered.


    "We can discuss our strategy for a counterattack afterwards."


    "That''s probably a good idea..."


    Reed sighed, getting to his feet.


    "I will need some time with this thing. Maybe I can find a way we can wrest control from Ultron. Failing that, at least we can learn their weaknesses. Maybe even rewire it to work for us. With Tony, Viktor and I, we can-"


    Sue grabbed his hand, breaking him out of his thoughts.


    "You can do all that honey, right after food and rest."


    "Yeah, rest and actual food sounds nice."


    Johnny drooled.


    "We''ve only been eating fried bugs. Do you know how gross that is?"


    "It''s decided then."


    The Queen clapped.


    The doors to the Throne Room opened as servants walked in.


    "Please follow them to your quarters. Someone will be over later to summon you for the feast. Fury, Dr.Richards</a> and Captain America, my Husband requests you to stay back for a while."


    A dismissal if Billy had ever seen one. He wasn''t concerned about it though, he had something else to attend to.


    Without waiting for anyone else, he turned and hurried away, only throwing a nod at The Ancient One.


    Johnny tried to catch up to him on the hallway. The Servant leading Shazam seemed to understand he was in a hurry, and responded by increasing her pace as well.


    Once he was in his own room, Billy wasted no time in walking to the bathroom.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    What was this heat?


    It was a burning in my chest that was steadily growing uncomfortable. One of my eyes felt as if it was on fire too.


    In the mirror before me,


    My left eye kept on flashing red while the other remained my normal blue.


    Not to mention, my mind felt like it was fighting a war with itself. Sweat was starting to pour down my face and the grip I had on the sink had already cracked the marble.


    ''What''s...happening?''


    I managed to stumble my way into the shower. Luckily my language comprehension let me understand the instructions on the faucets.


    Turning the cold water on, relief coursed through me as the icy temperature hit my head. It flowed down my body and caused shivers across my skin.


    The heat died away slowly.


    I was breathing heavily. But I could think now.


    It all started once I spotted her...Crystal. No other Inhuman had a massive Bulldog that could teleport as a pet.


    As soon as our eyes locked, my left eye had begun burning. It had thrown my concentration off.


    Something within me had reacted to her. The question is, what could that be?


    I knew Crystal had the ability to command the elemental forces, maybe it was something to do with her powers? But that made no sense! Our abilities were not similar.


    "I''m figuring this out now."


    I decided, sitting cross-legged under the shower of cold water.


    Taking in a deep breath, I released it, diving deep into my own body and mind.


    Time lost all meaning.


    I flew over my Mind scape, inspecting the city, the green terrain and finally the Ocean. Each drop of water was a self contained memory.


    And I could access any of those memories by merely touching the water.


    That said, nothing strange stood out. No one had messed with my mind or tried to manipulate my memories like Solomon had.


    "Maybe I''m going about it the wrong way."


    I mused, floating in the air above the Ocean.


    "Instead of looking for what''s wrong with me...I should look for what''s different instead."


    It made sense it you think about it.


    And oh boy was that list a long one. For starters, the change in my attitude. One might call it arrogance (they wouldn''t be wrong), but the way I was acting was something else.


    It was reckless and dumb. I had a new appreciation for power, especially the part where you could exercise that power by clashing against more powerful opponents.


    However, what I had been doing was picking fights.


    I was impatient with those weaker than me and borderline hostile to anyone on my level. I WANTED to FIGHT. To DOMINATE everyone and show them my power.


    That... Wasn''t necessarily bad but it made me look unhinged. I couldn''t control my lust for battle and I knew that hadn''t won me any new pals.


    ''But fuck that! Who needs friends when you have strength? Friends only slow you down! You had to save Parker for crying out loud. Without him needing you, you could have begun to study magic under the Sorcerer Supreme and then saved the day all by yourself!''


    See.


    That wasn''t me by the way. It felt like me. But that thought had come from somewhere else. Or rather... someone else.


    I opened my eyes...


    And found myself at a place I never thought I would see again.


    A familiar burning castle. It''s walls were collapsed and run down. Outside was a world of deep red flames.


    The only thing missing would be the countless souls burning in the flames.


    And before me, on a cracked and shattered throne was a familiar being.


    Mephisto.


    Only this Mephisto was nothing like the one I had fought. The only similarity between the two was the same cruel and cunning glint in his eyes.


    Everything else was a former shade of his past glory.


    His body was shrunken and weak. He was missing one of his horns and his red cloak was tattered, dancing in the hot air of the chamber.


    "I never thought I would sense one of Gaea''s little Avatars so soon. That bitch caused me to lose everything."


    He hatefully begun.


    Avatar? Could he be talking about Crystal? Was that why my body had a strange reaction to her? Because Mephisto''s hate had influenced my body?


    ''Chances that my conjecture is true?''


    I used Quantum Prognosis.


    ''100%''


    Good to know. Now to get rid of this parasite.


    I raised a hand at him. This was still my mind. ''Which means I am the strongest here. I defeated him once, I could do so again.''


    Die...


    Mephisto stared at me without saying a word. He looked like he was waiting for something.


    Huh...


    My powers, they weren''t working. Not again.


    "Now that you have realized you cannot attack me, I propose a deal."


    The Hell Lord offered.


    Why were my powers not working? This was my mind right?


    Wait.


    ''Chances that we''re not in my Mind?''


    ''0%''


    The answer came back, confusing me even more. So we were in my mind. But then why was nothing working?


    I could still feel my abilities, they were not locked from me, but activating them yielded no results.


    "It''s useless. I know how your abilities work and I''ve had time to create a counter. Ever since you defeated me and absorbed my essence. I have been lurking in wait... changing things to make myself more comfortable here."


    He rose from his seat, back hunched.


    "If it wasn''t for that little upstart of an Avatar...I would have eventually reinforced my presence in your soul, and by then there would be nothing you could have done to cast me away. Call it payback for ruining my plans."


    I see. I understand now. He''s the reason I''ve been so out of control.


    Though I can''t blame him entirely. The truth was, I was different. Everything that had happened had forced me to evolve or die a true death. I wasn''t the same guy from before.


    I was the fucking Champion of the Gods. I was Shazam. But more than that, I was my own person and no one was going to control me.


    "Why the silence, old buddy?"


    Mephisto cackled.


    "Not happy to see me?"


    He walked a few more steps.


    "Don''t worry, you will be. All you have to do is shake my hand and I''ll let the past be. We can still work together."


    I ignored him, still studying the place.


    I could feel his frustration mounting.


    "The alternative is that I never let you leave here. And you will be forever stuck in your own mind. Forced to watch as I gain control of your body and wreak havoc across the universe. I''ll start with Gaea''s little Avatar... she''ll scream as I rip out her innards. Is that what you want?"


    Mephisto smiled, revealing a neat row of teeth.


    And that, if anything, reminded me of what he excelled at. Deception and manipulation. He wasn''t really a threat was he? And if he could take possession of me like he claimed, he would have done it already.


    So I ignored him in favor of gazing around once more.


    At the flames burning around me...yet I could feel no heat from them. At the smog in the air, yet I could not detect it through my Psionic Field.


    The only real presence here...


    Was Mephisto.


    ''Chances that I''m in an illusion?''


    ''0%''


    Okay, guess this space is actually real. Kinda fascinating.


    Then...


    ''Chances that I''m in a dimension within my Mind-Scape?''


    ''0%''


    Dammit. So it''s not Within my Mind-Scape. Then maybe close to it or near in some form?


    ''Chances that I''m in a dimension attached to my Mind-Scape?''


    ''100%.''


    There we go. Just like I thought, he was a parasite.


    "Well, what do you say Boy?"


    Mephisto asked, gritting his teeth.


    "Your current body has Demon Blood running within it''s veins. I can help you unravel it''s secrets and powers. All you have to do is just Shake. My. Hand."


    He insisted, the smile on his face growing tighter.


    I ignored him, instead looking around at the castle.


    "I get it now."


    "Huh?"


    Mephisto blinked.


    I gestured around.


    "You managed to create an entire plane of existence around your soul and give it substance. It might be incomplete for now but the second I agree to your deal and shake your hand... I''m fucked."


    It would be akin to giving him access to my Mind-Scape. A bad bad bad idea.


    "You will bleed Psionic Energy out of me and completely devour my will, taking over my body for yourself. I called you a parasite before but...I didn''t think it would be so literal."


    Mephisto said nothing for a while. Then his claws lashed out, headed for my neck. Only for his hand to go through my body.


    I raised a brow at him. Really?


    "I truly despise you."


    He finally found his voice. The smile on his face having slipped off.


    "I regret ever finding your soul. I regret saving it from the stream of souls."


    That''s when I noticed everything I hadn''t before.


    His body was filled with rotting wounds. His neat row of teeth was actually a glamour that faded away, revealing chipped off fangs in a blackened mouth.


    And as he turned around to walked back to his throne, he was limping.


    Sitting heavily on the Throne, the whole castle groaned. As if what he had done had taken a monument amount of energy.


    "Look at me."


    He said, the glint in his eyes replaced by Resentment.


    "You made me into...this. This weak and pitiful Shade of my former glory."


    He spat.


    "I despise that you have such a powerful relic, soul bound to you. Not one but two! Hahahaha."


    A self deprecating laugh escaped him.


    "You. Someone who is afraid of what they can do if they put their mind to it. It sickens me. It''s worse than giving a gun to a child. Atleast you can be sure they will be reckless. But with you..."


    He trailed off, defeated.


    "Do it. Just destroy me and be done with it. I will not beg for mercy anymore."


    We stared at each other.


    This monster was the reason I saw the world for what it was. In a way I was grateful.


    However that was all. He was still an enemy. One that had proved dangerous even in death.


    Now that I knew what this space was, I could attack it from the outside. The Ocean within my Mind-Scape roiled violently, rising up under my control.


    It formed into a sharp blade that struck upwards, severing the parasitic plane attached to the boundaries of my soul.


    There was a rumble.


    And the castle, the burning fire and Mephisto begun to fade away into a gray mist.


    "One more thing."


    The Hell-Lord smiled.


    "If I were you, I would be careful of them. The Gods. Especially that bitch..."


    The plane faded and Mephisto along with it, only leaving one word behind,


    "..Gaea."


    I scanned the whole Mind-Scape but...this time he was truly gone.


    Letting out a sigh of relief, I opened my eyes in the real world. The shower was still running, cold water pouring down my body.


    I took a second to feel it out. I was slightly cold, but that was it. The heat within my chest had fortunately disappeared and my eye was no longer on fire.


    Switching off the shower, I got out, dripping water on the floor of the bathroom from my wet clothes.


    Nothing my Symbiote side couldn''t fix.


    Speaking of, I needed to figure out what my three bloodlines could do. There was also the matter of Solomon''s Ring.


    I was yet to use it. Should I even use it? My experience with Demons had been unpleasant to say the least.


    Oh well, I''ll cross that bridge when I get there.


    For now-


    Wait, something in the mirror grabbed my focus.


    Why was one of my eyes red?

 Strategy part 1.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Crystal! Wait up!"


    Johnny called out from the end of the hallway, finally catching a glimpse of the blonde and hurrying up to her.


    Crystal stiffened, eyes darting around, as if to look for a route of escape. But a nudge from Lockjaw who was standing beside her, caused her to sigh.


    She couldn''t avoid him any longer.


    So she turned around, a strained smile plastered on her face.


    "Hey Johnny."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I kept on staring at my red eye.


    It wasn''t just the pupil, the whole organ including the cornea was a blazing red. Similar to the color of hot coal.


    The same color as his eyes. Mephisto. ''I can''t seem to ever get rid of that guy.''


    "Chances that this will come back to fuck me over in the future?"


    I asked Quantum Prognosis.


    "50%"


    The answer arrived, making me sigh in exasperation.


    ''That''s not exactly helpful, Quantum Prognosis.'' I grumbled in my mind.


    "Chances that this will result in a cool awesome eye power like the Sharingan?"


    I inquired once more.


    "0%"


    Oh come on!


    What was it''s use then? Wait... Solomon''s wisdom took over. My breath evened out as I calmed down. There was another possibility.


    "Chances that my eye turning red is an indication of an ability I have already unlocked?"


    "76%"


    Finally some head way.


    "Chances that the ability is something I have already used?"


    "0%"


    "Chances that this ability or abilities were absorbed from Mephisto after killing him and absorbing his essence?"


    "100%"


    "Chances that this ability is- Hellfire?"


    I asked, waiting with bated breath.


    "100%"


    ~~~~~~~~~


    Congratulations! New Racial Ability Unlocked:-


    Hellfire:- Inextinguishable, this red flame burns with an intense heat, enough to turn anything into ash, including souls! The darker the flame, the hotter it burns. The pinnacle of its heat is a black flame.


    Special Effects:- This particular flame devours energy.


    ~~~~~~~~


    My right eye started burning again.


    Following instinct more than anything else, I snapped my fingers.


    A brilliant red flame appeared around the digit, burning with oppressive heat that even I could feel.


    The temperature in the room gradually heated up and the mirror before me cracked, then it begun melting.


    The fire detectors rang and water begun spraying from the ceiling. The drops were immediately turned into steam.


    Talk about overpowered.


    And given the flame''s bright red color, this was still in its weakest form.


    I extinguished the flame before I could destroy the bathroom. This place was more than I could afford to pay for.


    And also because a notification at the corner of my eyes, grabbed my attention.


    I clicked on it.


    ~~~~~~


    (Requirements Met!)


    :- Due to the presence of a high rank Demon bloodline in the Champion''s body, conditions have been met to evolve the bloodline to a Royal Demon.


    Proceed?


    ~~~~~~


    The smart thing would be to wait. To investigate before making a decision I might come to regret later.


    As stated before, my interactions with demons hadn''t been the best.


    But...there was a war coming. It was why we were all gathered. Because the time to take back the planet was here.


    And after all Ultron was responsible for, I was willing to stake everything on the fact that he wouldn''t go down easily.


    And without knowing what he was planning, the only way for me to be ready for anything was more power.


    Fuck it.


    "Proceed."


    The expected pain didn''t come. If anything, a cooling sensation washed down my body.


    Then a sudden heat surged within me, making my symbiote side quiver and recoil from my body.


    Black Tendrils attached themselves onto the walls of the bathroom, the only thing linking the symbiote and I being a thick strand of goo.


    Unexpectedly the heat did not harm me. In fact, I felt it spread through to my symbiote side, then gradually the tendrils begun to turn bright red.


    Soon enough, the heat died away and the symbiote retracted, melding with my body.


    I could sense the symbiote was different somehow. Truth be told, I''d only used it to clothe me but as with my demonic bloodline, there was more than met the eye.


    I pulled up the Interface to see what had changed.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    (Race: Metahuman/Klyntar/ Royal Demon/???)


    (Power: Superhuman (98% to ???)


    (Age: 2 weeks (17(28) years old)


    ~~~~~~~


    Legacies:-


    S)- Solomon''s Wisdom:- Grants access to Psionic Energy and magic. Abilities include:-


    -Telepathy.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    -Telekinesis.


    -Quantum Prognosis.


    -Omnilingualism.


    -Magnetic Field Scanning.


    H)- Hercules'' Strength:- Grants access to Divine Strength and Durability. Abilities Include:-


    -Super strength.


    -Super durability


    -Berserker Rage.


    A)- Atlas'' Stamina (Locked)


    Z)- Zeus'' Power (Locked)


    A)- Achilles'' Courage (Locked)


    M)- Mercury''s Speed (Locked)


    ~~~~~~~


    Magical Abilities:-


    Dream body.


    ~~~~~~~~~


    Special Abilities:-


    -Hammer Space.


    -Fatigue Negation.


    ~~~~~~~


    Racial Abilities:-


    Royal Demon Bloodline:- There are high rank demons and then there are Royal Demons. Your body was created from the diluted essence of a Royal Demon, placing you in the High Rank category. Due to absorbing the essence of a Hell-Lord, your bloodline has evolved to the next stage.


    Hellfire:- Inextinguishable, this red flame burns with an intense heat, enough to turn anything into ash, including souls! The darker the flame, the hotter it burns. The pinnacle of its heat is a black flame.


    Special Effects:- This particular flame devours energy.


    Demon Physiology:- 10¡Á base physical stats.


    Azazel''s Legacy:- ???


    Klyntar:-


    Mutant:-


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    A Royal demon bloodline?


    Did it mean a bloodline that was the purest? Or just the most powerful?


    Not to mention the second skill, Azazel''s legacy. Was that the progenitor of my Royal Demon bloodline?


    I could have made an inquiry from Quantum Prognosis but something stopped me.


    Her mind...


    Crystal''s I mean, was headed my way.


    I looked around at the wet bathroom. Steam hang in the air like a cloud. The mirror was cracked and I was...wet. Again.


    With a sigh, I minimized the Interface


    Time to clean up.


    (General P.O.V)


    Crystal wrung her hands nervously.


    ''He'' was on the other side.


    Her heart hammered loudly within her chest. She could still remember those eyes. And the absolute power they carried within them.


    She shook her mind to get rid of the distracting thoughts, lifting up a hand to knock, only for the door to retract to the wall, revealing Billy.


    The two of them stated at each other. Crystal found herself unknowingly admiring his handsome features.


    The curve of his jaw, his lips, lightly tussled hair, and his eyes; the left one was the deepest blue she had ever seen.


    And the right one was a beautiful bright red.


    He was also tall. And muscular. And strong...


    "Is it already time?"


    Billy asked with a knowing smirk.


    "Huh?"


    Crystal replied dumbly. Then she blushed at being caught staring.


    "Yeah. The feast is ready."


    She told him, quickly turning around.


    "I''ll show you the way."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I followed after her, a text box with her information displayed before my eyes.


    ~~~~~~~~


    Race: Inhuman.


    Age: 22


    Power Level: Superhuman.


    ~~~~~~~~


    For the power level I would have guessed it would say, Super Inhuman. But that''s just me.


    I waved the text box away, increasing my pace so that I was walking beside her.


    "So, where''s your Pet Bulldog?"


    I questioned as a way to pass time. Besides that, I was curious about a dog that could create portals. Who wouldn''t be?


    "Lockjaw is not a pet."


    She answered with a slight frown.


    "He''s family."


    I nodded.


    "Good to know."


    Things turned a little awkward.


    She stared at me strangely from the corner of her eyes. I was tempted to dive into her mind to find out what she was thinking, but we fortunately arrived at our destination.


    Two massive double doors.


    The guards stationed at the entry way allowed us entry upon spotting Crystal.


    The latter nodded at them, raising a single hand. A small gust of wind escaped the palm, pushing the doors opene to reveal a huge banquet hall.


    "Seems like we''re the last ones."


    I commented, gazing around at the full chamber.


    The decor was very moonlike. Meaning gray and white colors, with the occasional gaudy golden aesthetic. There was a massive strange Chandelier hanging on the ceiling.


    The crystals embedded on it sent waves of gentle light cascading down onto the marble floor.


    Servants lined the sides of the room with several trolleys carrying dishes and other delicious meals.


    A massive ebony table sat on the very middle of the chamber, with two thrones at the end of it.


    The others had already arrived and were enjoying snacks and drinks while having some lighthearted conversation.


    It was clear that wasn''t going to last long though.


    There was an underlying tension that caused everyone present to be on guard.


    "Shazam!"


    Reed called out upon spotting me. He stretched his hand above the others and gestured to me with his oversized palm.


    With a sigh, I turned towards Crystal.


    "I''m gonna go see what he wants. Huh, thank you."


    "Don''t mention it. I''m Crystal."


    She stretched her hand out in a greeting.


    I smiled, shaking it.


    "See you around."


    Then I turned to leave. Only for her to grab the sleeve of my coat(created by my symbiote side)


    "Hey...you never introduced yourself."


    She accused, folding her hands on her chest.


    "That''s kinda rude."


    "Oh."


    She was right, I was too preoccupied to remember.


    "Call me Shazam. But my friends call me Billy."


    I replied.


    "Then I''ll call you Billy..."


    She muttered, gazing up at me with a shy smile and the most captivating gray eyes I''d ever seen.


    "I like that. See you around, Billy."


    She waved, sinking through a blue portal on the floor.


    The portal emptied out next to Lockjaw and some of the other Inhumans across the room.


    "Ah to be young and in love."


    A voice said from my back. Then a hand was slung over my shoulder.


    My nose scrunched up in annoyance.


    "Tony, are you drunk?"


    Iron man snorted, slightly swaying on his feet.


    "Does it look-" He hiccuped,


    "-like I''m drunk?"


    I stared at his droopy eyes. And the smell of liquor coming off his mouth.


    "Yes."


    He blinked, giving me a single shoulder shrug.


    "Well it''s a party so-"


    "No. It''s a meeting to discuss strategy Tony."


    A different voice reached my ears.


    "Its comforting in a way, to see you haven''t changed."


    Turning around, Queen Medusa''s beautiful face appeared in my vision. But that wasn''t who grabbed my attention. It was the man she was standing next to.


    "Scan."


    I whispered under my breath.


    ~~~~~~~~


    Race:- Inhuman


    Age:- 45


    Power Level:- Omega.


    ~~~~~~~~


    King Blackagar Boltagon was the first Omega level entity I had scanned. And he was strong. Very strong.


    Power just rolled out of him.


    While Tony was busy trying to flirt with Medusa, (god the balls on this guy) Black Bolt and I were in a staring contest.


    He studied me just as I studied him. I extended a telepathic feeler out, connecting to his mind. The thing is, he felt me do that- and actually allowed it.


    It earned my respect.


    [King Blackagar]


    I gave him a nod, speaking into his mind.


    [I don''t believe we''ve been formerly introduced. My name is-]


    [Shazam. Yes, I am well aware. You are Powerful. I make it my job to know of such individuals.]


    He cut me off before I could finish.


    [Because you''re wary of any foreign power not under your rule, right?]


    I probbed him, to see his reaction.


    [I''m a king. I worry about everything when it comes to my kingdom.]


    He responded, his mind voice was strangely comforting. He was a soft spoken man.


    How ironic.


    [Is that why you had Uatu gather everyone here? Because Ultron threatens Attilan? I''m curious about something, how did you find out about It''s Existence? If It was intent on hiding, I doubt It would have revealed It''s presence before completely attacking]


    That''s how Ultron won the first time. He took advantage of our ignorance about his presence and plunged the world into chaos.


    [That pertains to a personal matter.]


    His mind voice went silent and I got the sense he was considering whether to tell me or not. Eventually he did.


    [My brother Maximus, tried to lead an ''expedition'' to your planet. Ultron didn''t give him a chance to enter the atmosphere, he completely obliterated his ship.]


    [Thereby inadvertently revealing his presence]


    I concluded.


    So Maximus was dead. Black Bolt didn''t know but Attilan was well off without his conniving little brother.


    [He had telepathy like you. Although, Maximus was difficult to deal with]


    Black Bolt informed me, a slightly pained expression on his face.


    Difficult is an understatement. I doubt the ''expedition'' to Earth was well intentioned.


    And he had telepathy too? No wonder Black Bolt was so comfortable with communicating telepathically.


    [For what it''s worth, sorry for your loss)


    I offered my condolences.


    Black Bolt smiled, almost like he was gonna bust out laughing. Medusa and Tony stared at the two of us strangely.


    "Are you guys having a super secret private party without me?"


    Tony demanded.


    "Aaannd that''s enough for you."


    Widow appeared out of nowhere, stealing the glass from his hands.


    "Hey! Not cool Red. Not cool."


    He protested, trying to reach for the glass.


    I snapped a finger and the liquor disappeared, teleported to the surface of the moon.


    Tony turned to glare at me.


    "I''m revoking your gate pass at Avenger''s tower. For a month."


    I shrugged. Don''t really care. Once the world was back, I was creating my own tower with a cooler name than Avenger''s tower.


    The Shazam Tower.


    "If you''ll excuse us?"


    Queen Medusa said from the side.


    "I''m afraid we''re needed elsewhere. Enjoy the feast."


    I bowed a little.


    "Thank you for the pleasant conversation your majesty."


    I told Black Bolt.


    "And for your company, your highness.


    Husband and wife smiled at me before leaving.


    I turned my focus back to the retreating Iron Man. It only took a second to dive into Tony''s mind, curious about what he was thinking.


    [It''s all my fault]


    [It''s all my fault]


    [I did this!]


    [Earth...was destroyed because of my selfishness!]


    So much guilt. I''d never heard a mind so loud. And it was all toxic talk.


    We couldn''t have an Iron Man ridden with guilt on the team.


    While Tony''s incompetence was still better than some people''s level of productivity, we needed the Invincible Iron Man, not this drunk.


    ''I''ve never done this before. Hope I don''t cause him an aneurysm.''


    I thought, using my telepathy to drain...his toxic thoughts out.


    A rush of psionic energy left him to enter me, filling my inexhaustible reserves. I felt the toxic thoughts gnaw at my mind but a simple flex of my Psionic energy and the thoughts were cleansed.


    Tony stopped walking, stiffening in place. Widow asked him what was wrong but instead, he stood up straighter amd started walking away on his own.


    [Getyour shit together Tony! There''s work to be done]


    I heard his mind.


    Meanwhile, another mind began to approach me.


    "Shazam, there you are."


    Reed said from my back.


    "I wanted to talk to you about the remains of the Sentinel you brought with you. Do you have more?"


    He asked, eagerly.


    I narrowed my eyes.


    "My answer depends on what you''re planning to do with them."


    Reed responded with a wide smile.


    "Well, I just an idea..."


    5 minutes later, he gathered everyone around him. On the banquet table, lay a few more sentinel parts that I had removed from my Inventory.


    "Okay, listen up."


    He spoke, staring out at the room.


    "We can''t beat Ultron."


    Huh?


    What a way to start the meeting.

 Strategy Final Part.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Then we''re doomed?"


    Falcon asked, throwing a slightly wary look Doom''s way.


    "I swear I''m not trying to make a pun, so don''t end me."


    Doom snorted, looking away.


    "In a word, yes."


    Reed responded, hooking up a wire from his wrist computer device into the head of one of the Sentinels.


    There was a hum and right before their eyes, a hologram was projected through the eyes of the Sentinel.


    The hologram was a blue pannel that displayed rows of data.


    "This Sentinel is outfitted with a learning matrix and is capable of conscious-modifaction."


    Mr. Fantastic told them.


    "But, can''t all Sentinels already do that?"


    Johnny asked.


    "It''s what makes them so dangerous right?"


    "The key word is conscious."


    Doom cut in, hands folded over his chest.


    "That means a unit can not only adapt to various stimuli and attacks, it can share and transmit data with the rest. Those units can then consciously modify themselves to fight threats they have yet to come across. Smart tech."


    "Exactly."


    Reed nodded.


    "Each Sentinel contains nanomachines that can repair and upgrade it''s components. They are shielded from electromagnetic effects and can multiply by harvesting raw materials and processing them."


    Mr.Fantastic</a> explained.


    "Think Death Machines that cannot be stopped without outputting a force equivalent to 8.368e+16 joules. That''s 20 megatons each, almost half as powerful as a Tsar Bomb."


    Johnny whistled.


    Almost all eyes turned to Shazam, who was leaning on the wall away from the others.


    "What?"


    He shrugged with raised eyebrows.


    "How...did you even fight them and survive? Let alone kill and bring back two of them?!"


    Reed asked, a question that was on everyone''s mind.


    "I just did."


    Shazam simply smiled.


    He was wondering what they would say if they knew he had over 300 Sentinel remains in his Inventory.


    ''Yeah...lets keep that a secret Billy.''


    He wasn''t going to tell them. He had a use for the Sentinels, or rather, the metal used in their construction.


    "Okay okay, I get that these things are unfair, but unfair doesn''t mean unbeatable."


    Fury interrupted with authority.


    "Everything has a weakness!"


    He insisted, pointedly staring at Tony.


    "Stark-"


    "It''s not that simple, Eye-patch."


    Tony sighed, tapping the Sentinel''s head with a pen no one knew where he had got from.


    "They''re made out of a Vibranium alloy, dense and durable. Add that to the nanomachines..."


    "And it becomes a headache for all involved."


    Cap completed the sentence.


    "Here''s a thought, if they''re connected to each other, why not just target the main control pannel? We can take them out in one fell swoop, leaving Ultron defenseless."


    Billy proposed.


    Looks were shared across the room.


    "That...could work, but it''s not the biggest issue."


    Doom countered.


    "Accessing the control hub IS the problem."


    "Viktor''s right."


    Tony funnily enough, agreed with the Latverian King.


    "I had a chance to go through Attilan''s feeds. Ultron has taken up residence in one of my satellites. The most advanced one, Iris or Integrated Reconnaissance and Intelligence System in broader terms."


    "Whoa, Tony. You finished it? When?"


    Falcon asked, a little excited.


    Tony had a proud smirk on his face as he answered.


    "A few weeks ago. Actually, just 2 days before the world went to shit."


    "How convinient for the enemy."


    Karnak, standing at the side of the King L, Black Bolt said thoughtfully.


    "You think It knew about the Satellite."


    Tony hummed.


    "That makes sense, if Ultron is from the future as we believe."


    "The Future?"


    Crystal muttered, confused.


    "Where else would he be from?"


    Doom cut in, his voice dripping with scorn.


    "It knew exactly when to attack and who...to attack. Had Doom been on Earth at that time, none of this would have happened."


    "About that, where have you been Doom? The last time we saw you-"


    Tony asked curiously.


    "You were screaming about revenge as you fell through a portal on top of giant snake."


    The mood grew tense. Everyone around knew Doom was arrogant. Therefore it wouldn''t be surprising if he took offense to Tony''s words.


    "No tact as ever Stark."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Doom finally spoke, his voice dry and heavy as it came through his armor.


    "Doom- was imprisoned."


    Viktor admitted, shocking almost everyone.


    "It was a colony of Rock Trolls, they dared lay a hand on Doom, so I destroyed them in retaliation."


    "Typical."


    Reed muttered under his breath.


    "So how did you end up working for the enemy? Why were you helping Galactus?"


    Tony followed up.


    "I remember now-"


    Thor cut in, glaring at Doom with stormy eyes.


    "You are part of the reason I''ve-lost it all."


    Mjonirl found itself in Thor''s hands. The God of thunder, lightning and Strength stalked forward angrily.


    "I will make you pay."


    Doom chuckled, spreading his hands out. The chamber became charged.


    "Bring it on, Asgardian. Doom fears no one under the sky."


    "That''s enough from both of you."


    Cap came between the two.


    "We have bigger fish to fry. You two can finish this later."


    "Cap is right."


    Hawkeye, who had been silent up to this point supported the Supersoldier.


    "I don''t know about you, but I want to save my home. We can''t do that if we''re fighting amongst ourselves."


    Doom and Thor stared at each other for a few tense seconds. Green eyes to blue.


    Then the pressure died away as Thor stepped back.


    "This isn''t over."


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Bummer.


    I thought a fight was going to break out and I would see two of the most badass characters goe toe to toe with each other.


    In any case, Hawkeye was right.


    I did use my Psionic abilities to siphon away some of the fury in Thor''s mind though. It wouldn''t do if we lost sight of what was important.


    From the start of the meeting, I''d surreptitiously been probing everyone''s magnetic field. And although Black Bolt was the first Omega classification I saw, he wasn''t the only one.


    Thor was Beyond Omega, Doom was Omega, Tony was surprisingly enough Beyond Omega( the suit of armor he was wearing perhaps? He had no powers to speak of, so it meant the field scanned for how much energy a target was outputting.)


    That meant, I could be tricked. It was the same concept as Ki manipulation from Dragonball. Anyone with good control of their Ki could conceal their true power level.


    Black Bolt was Omega, so was Medusa- her hair was stated to be stronger than steel, and who knows how long she could stretch it.


    The rest of the house of Agon(Black Bolt''s extended Royal Family) were a smattering of Superhuman and Omega.


    So were the Avengers and the Fantastic Four.


    Probing Fury showed he was simply human but I was more surprised that it had worked.


    The last Fury I saw must have been an imposter. Wait...could it have been a life model decoy? All this talk about killer robots and AI had nudged a few memories loose.


    I inquired from Quantum Prognosis and the answer came back as 100%.


    That means, the Fury I''d known had been a robot stand in for the real deal.


    I want one.


    If it could use my abilities then I would have a powerful sparring partner. I still had a few more legacies to unlock.


    But by far the most powerful entity in the chamber was as stated before, the Watcher.


    Beyond Omega.


    Of course the Ancient One was still around but I knew better than to prove her field.


    There was no doubt in my mind that she would sense it, and I wasn''t sure she wouldn''t mess with the readings.


    I let her be.


    "...with a full military force, it can be done. We can take back the world."


    My focus returned to the discussion, where Fury was looking around the chamber, trying to argue that...


    Huh...actually, I missed the whole convo.


    I delved into his mind and perused his memories and thoughts for some context.


    He was wondering if Attilan''s forces could occupy the Sentinels as the rest of us tried to look for a way to get to Ultron.


    "It won''t work. The Sentinels are only the first problem we have to deal woth."


    Reed shook his head with a sigh.


    "The field of energy surrounding the satellite is impenetrable. And the only way to disrupt it is from the inside, bombarding it with attacks will only make it stronger. My scans indicate it can absorb kinetic, thermal and any other type of energy."


    "What if we just teleported in?"


    I proposed.


    "Difficult. The barrier seems to be powered by an exotic type of energy source. It must have upgraded or replaced the Arc Reactor I had installed."


    Tony replied.


    "Witg this exotic energy, Ultron can isolate spatial fluctuations and close them instantly. Too bad I can''t outhack an AI."


    "So that''s it?"


    Fury asked, hands on the table.


    "We endure all this shit for weeks and you tell me there''s nothing we can do?"


    "Time travel is an option."


    Doom offered.


    "We could stop it from happening."


    "Not viable Viktor." Reed refused.


    "That would drastically alter our timeline, who knows what would happen then?"


    "It also wouldn''t work."


    The Sorcerer Supreme informed them.


    "There are what we call fixed points in time. Changing them is quite literally, Impossible."


    "Then how are we going to bring back everyone?!"


    Hawkeye demanded.


    "Who are we doing this for then? I thought at the end- we''d get back everyone we''ve lost."


    "I don''t have an answer for you Archer."


    The Ancient One sighed.


    "Whether you''ll fight for a lost cause or for revenge, it''s your decision to make."


    "This is a load of bullshit."


    Hawkeye spat out, making his way to the exit.


    "Clint..."


    Widow tried to call after him but he ignored her.


    "Go on without me."


    He threw over his shoulder.


    A brief dive into his mind and I understood whst had him so worked up. Turns out that this Hawkeye also had a family. Or had.


    I narrowed my eyes.


    "Wait."


    Hawkeye stopped at my voice. All eyes also turned my way.


    "I don''t know about all that ''fixed point in time'' shit, but I have a way to deal with the shield."


    A breeze of hope swept out across the room. I snapped a finger and a ball of bright red hellfire appeared, floating above my palm.


    The temperature in the room increased dramatically.


    Falcon and Widow who were closer to me than the others, stepped back.


    "It''s so hot, I feel like I''m cooking."


    Falcon stated while gazing at the fire warily. A thin trail of sweat fell down his face.


    "This flame is called Hellfire."


    I informed them, a little pride leaking into my voice.


    "It can eat through anything. Including energy."


    The reveal was met with an array of different reactions. The one I paid most attention to was the Ancient One. She narrowed her eyes my way, staring at me with a strange look. Almost...caution.


    She must be sensing the demonic aspect of the flames.


    The ball of fire disappeared.


    "How sure are you that it''s going to work?"


    The question came from Fury.


    "Chances that my idea will work?"


    I made the query to Quantum Prognosis.


    "78%"


    Not a bad number. Why was it a 100% then? The question was pretty clear cut. Maybe it went down due to circumstances outside of my control?


    "78% sure."


    I answered, causing weird looks to be thrown my way.


    "With the field down...all we would have to contend with are the Sentinels."


    Reed said.


    "Leave them to us and our esteemed King."


    Medusa said, her hand on the shoulder of her husband.


    "The rest of you can focus on saving your friend."


    "Friend?"


    What were they talking about?


    "We found out a few...concerning things while going through Attilan''s sat feeds. The Hulk was captured by Ultron."


    Tony answered me.


    "And that''s not all either...there was a man."


    Cap ran a gloved palm down his face.


    "He went up against hoardes of Sentinels and a mind controlled Hulk...we don''t know what happened next."


    "The shockwaves from the fight must have corrupted the recording components of the satellite. We think he might have been captured...or killed."


    Tony took over and concluded.


    "It might have been easier to just blow the satellite up. But now you''ve turned this into a rescue mission?"


    I wondered out loud.


    Cap shared a look with Reed before both turned to me.


    "Will you still help out?"


    A smile worked it''s way onto my face.


    "Of course Iwill. But only because the added difficultly might prove to be fun. Oh and I also expect a full renovation to my apartment once Earth is back on its feet."


    "You will be saving the world son, even if you asked for the whole building, I doubt anyone would complain."


    Fury told me.


    Nice.


    I had a few ideas on-


    A tremor rocked the banquet hall. Then a loud blaring alarm sounded out.


    Everyone was instantly on guard.


    Black Bolt stood up, signalling to his subjects with his chin. Karnak and Gorgon ran towards Crystal and Lockjaw. A second later, they all disaappeared into a portal.


    Meanwhile I stretched my senses out. The alarm was ringing out across the entire city. Something had happened.


    "What''s going on?"


    Someone asked, not sure who but that question was going through everyone''s mind.


    Without a word, I teleported out of the Banquet Hall, appearing outside Attilan.


    I swept my gaze out.


    The city of the Inhumans was a technological marvel. It was contained within a bubble of energy.


    The buildings were constructed perfectly. All sharp edges in a dull grey futuristic color.


    Flying crafts the size of vehicles flew all over and through my Psionic Field, I detected various strong beings in the city proper.


    Most of the auras they were giving off were in the Superhuman range, with a few Omegas mixed in.


    The next part was to find out what was causing the tremors. A moon quake? We had earthquakes on Earth so was it the same thing?


    I increased the range of my Psionic Field and that''s when I felt it. At the edge of my perception...they were coming.


    I popped back into the Banquet Hall where I found myself the target of barely held back attacks.


    "Oh, it''s you."


    Iron Man said, powering down his repulsers.


    "Got some news."


    I told the room.


    "We''ve been discussing how to deal with Ultron while forgetting he''s not the only enemy coming for us. Galactus is on his way."


    My words left everyone gaping.


    "The tremor you felt...is from the first wave of meteors crashing on to the surface of the moon."


    I continued.


    "The remains of Mars."


    A brief silence fell. And in that moment, anlther tremor rocked the palace.


    "Its decided then."


    Thor said, getting to his feet.


    "The Watcher, Doom and I shall halt his advance while the rest of you deal with Ultro."


    His eyes sparked.


    "I shall avenge my father by striking down the World Eater! This I swear on my Name!"


    Thunder and lightning crackled on the outside.


    "Any objections?"


    The God of Thunder asked the room, daring anyone to say otherwise.


    "None from me, Goldilocks. Kick his cosmic tincan ass."


    Tony patted his shoulder.


    "Clobber him up real good."


    The Thing added, smacking a fist into his open palm.


    "Be careful."


    Cap told Thor.


    "Doom?"


    Thor called out to the Supervillain.


    "We have our differences. And you played a part in the destruction of my home. I ask you, will you redeem yourself by my side?"


    The Aesier Prince stretched out his hand towards the Latverian King.


    Without saying a word, Doom grasped it.


    Thor turned to the chamber, his eyes briefly landing on me.


    "We shall end this. Once and for all. So do not dare lose."


    Energy surged within Uatu, and the three of them disaappeared.

 Power

    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    With the strategy decided on, and Thor and his team having already gone to intercept Galactus, we wasted no time preparing for our part of the plan.


    But first the less durable members of the team had to be outfitted with protective gear so as to survive in the vacuum of space.


    The costumes they wore were white and a weird shade of grey that seemed to shift colors into green from different angles.


    They were form fitting, the complete opposite of the bulky body suit worn by Astronauts from Earth.


    "These suits are created from the tough hide of a Levithon. Powerful creatures that live inside the Moon''s caverns."


    Karnak explained as he secured Falcon''s jet pack behind him.


    "They will protect you from just about anything below a certain threshold."


    The hides were treated and softened into fabric, then weaved with an adaptable polymer for increased durability and elasticity.


    At least that was what I got from a brief dive into his mind.


    "They are a little similar to the Unstable molecular fibers that make up our own suits."


    Reed made the observation, feeling the texture of the fabric.


    "A little tight on the crotch though."


    Hawkeye grumbled, adjusting the pant''s section.


    "That''s impossible."


    Karnak disagreed,


    "The suits can adjust to any shape or size."


    "Huh..."


    Hawkeye muttered, a goofy grin on his face.


    "I don''t know what to tell you man. I must be packing something heavy."


    "Yes. Ego."


    Widow mercilessly tore into him, her own costume hugging her even tighter than the body suit she had worn previously.


    The two went back and forth, trading jabs while the rest of us watched on.


    Despite the daunting task ahead of us, the earlier tension had slowly drained from the chamber.


    And yes, I might have been responsible for that. My handle on mental manipulation had grown along with my reserves. Enough that I could ease their minds.


    Something told me that if I tried hard enough, eventually I would be able to control and siphon emotions.


    "What about you? You''re not wearing your suit?"


    Crystal asked from my back. Of course I''d felt her arrive, (no one could sneak up on me, Psionic field made sure of that.)


    I was tempted to make a dirty joke about not needing protection, but Solomon''s wisdom saved me from embarrassing myself.


    "Don''t need it."


    I shrugged, flexing my TK aura.


    "This protective membrane of psionic energy around my body will keep me safe."


    My body could handle the harsh environment of space even without it but...let''s keep that to myself.


    "Oh."


    Crystal made a surprised sound, curiously studying the TK aura. She prodded it with a finger and giggled when the membrane warped around her, pushing back on her finger.


    "I see. It protects you from harm by absorbing the kinetic energy from Impacts, then releasing it back to it''s owner."


    I was a little impressed at her accurate guess. Especially given the fact, it was a new application of psionic energy.


    What she didn''t know was that I could store that energy and release it later.


    "But, what do you do for air?"


    She questioned, looking up at me with those big silver eyes.


    "The membrane is too tight around your body to provide enough space for pockets of oxygen. You will suffocate."


    That''s when my Psionic field shimmered into visibility around us. It was a lighter blue than TK aura.


    And was in the shape of a bubble with a diameter of a few dozen meters. I could expand it to cover an entire continent and the range was constantly increasing.


    However stretching it to it''s limit held a disadvantage. It robbed me of my fine-tuned control.


    The battle applications were thus lessened. It didn''t mean that the field was entirely useless. Quite the contrary.


    "I use this field to filter and store oxygen."


    I informed her of its secondary use, besides helping with sensing.


    "Does that mean you have complete control of what enters and leaves the zone?"


    She asked, eyes sparkling with wonder.


    "It''s a bit more complicated than that but essentially yes."


    I answered with a simple nod, slightly basking in her attention. She was a hottie, double sue me.


    "The precise control it would take to maintain the stored air while in the middle of space...is insane."


    Crystal exclaimed.


    "Greater than my Aerokinetic control at least!"


    "Thanks?"


    I wasn''t big on the compliment thing though. It always came off disingenuous.


    "Everyone, listen up."


    Karnak spoke up from the middle of the room.


    Thankfully Crystal''s focus went to her fellow Inhuman.


    "I''ll show you how to use the suit."


    He stated, launching into a lengthy description. I skipped most of it, having already read it from his mind.


    That said, a few noteworthy things stuck with me.


    "...the suit has pockets of air across its length. The Levithon breathes by processing its food directly into air that it then stores in its skin pores. The pores are tiny but capable of holding a lot of air without changing size or shape."


    He then pressed a button on his wrist.


    Air rushed out of his feet in a controlled stream, launching him into the up.


    "Whoa."


    Hawkeye said in awe.


    "Now I want to keep the suit."


    "Even though its a little tight around the crotch?"


    Cap jokingly asked.


    "Forget that. It can fly, who wouldn''t want that?"


    Hawkeye responded excitedly.


    "Now I won''t have to lower my Ego and ask Tony for those Rocket Boots I''ve been dying for."


    "Hold your horses Robin Hood, don''t mistake it for true flight."


    Iron Man told him with a derisive smirk.


    "Stark is right."


    Karnak said as he descended.


    "The propulsion is caused by expelling the stored air through the soles of your feet. Do it too many times and you''ll risk exhausting the Suit''s reserves."


    "Bummer."


    Hawkeye was grumpy now.


    Karnak didn''t care, he went back to his explanation.


    "The final thing...is this."


    He reached for his neck and pressed his fingers on the body suit.


    Part of the suit flowed up and formed into a helmet with a wide visor. One that covered his entire head.


    Then he tapped his neck once more. The helmet retracted.


    "And that''s it."


    He concluded,


    "Remember not to exhaust the air reserves."


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    "Why? What will happen if we do?"


    The Thing asked, looking at the body suit which clung to his Rocky body tightly.


    "And do you think the propulsion can handle my weight?"


    "Once the Levithon reaches the end of its life, the hide loses its air reserves and ends up calcifying."


    Karnak answered.


    "Exhaust your reserves and you will meet the same end."


    Karnak''s words had everyone gulping.


    "Okay, you heard him."


    Reed addressed the room.


    "Be careful with your air."


    Karnak nodded at the King and Queen, stepping back to give them room.


    "Its time."


    Medusa begun in a resolute tone.


    "Remember what''s at stake here. The protection of our home and the salvation of our neighbors. I thank you all for daring to stand up. Our people thank you. My King thanks you."


    Her sincere words were met with smiles and determination to prove her right.


    Damn. Even I was feeling pumped up.


    "Sis really knows how to give a speech."


    Crystal said from my side.


    "Yeah. She does."


    ******


    Now, it was hard to really impress me.


    And I took pride to that.


    But, this was just too- beautiful.


    Space.


    The final frontier.


    A place only a few number of humans had ever been in.


    A famous Astronaut once said that viewing Earth from space changed someone''s entire perception of our position in the Cosmos.


    I would like to confirm that they were right.


    My perception changed the second I spotted the little gray planet(used to be blue), floating in an endless expanse of stars and celestial bodies.


    It- Humbled me.


    Something fast whooshed by my side, a sleek black spaceship. An Inhuman Military Stinger.


    Karnak''s memories were proving to be an invaluable source for learning. He had extensive scientific knowledge and his ideas and thoughts on strategy were eye opening. And that was just from a brief touch.


    He was like a...tamer version of Tony Stark.


    The way his mind worked was highly efficient. I suspected that was his Inhuman ability.


    In fact, as he was pulling the Stinger closer to me, I attempted to take a ''snapshot'' of his brain structure.


    The memory was then secured within my mindscape.


    The moon steadily disappeared behind us as we quickly approached Earth.


    Down there, the atmosphere was filled with dark grey clouds and the ocassional irradiated storm flashing with lightning.


    The Stinger flew in between The Human Torch and I. My body glowing with a blue shroud, while Johnny was covered in hot orange flames.


    "Shazam, we''ll be coming up on the energy barrier in two minutes. Enemy response in 1 minute and 30 seconds. Fall back and let Black Bolt handle the first wave."


    Reed instructed through the device in my ear.


    "Fuck that!"


    I snapped into the earpiece, shooting forward in supersonic speeds while approaching the IRIS satellite. This was my show. No one was stealing it from me.


    My Psionic Field exploded out, placing the satellite within range.


    ''And now the real fun begins.''


    I thought, just as thousands of Sentinels flew out of the Satellite. Even more of them were coming from the planet.


    All of them had glowing red orbs for eyes, were massive and their metallic shells pulsed with a unique energy.


    My body eagerly launched forward, flying at my fastest speed.


    (General P.O.V)


    The Stinger spun as Shazam''s burst of speed sent the craft careening away, the Superheroes within the spaceship screaming in fright.


    "Sue!"


    Reed called out.


    "Create a bubble around us! Now we''re headed straight into a debris field."


    The Invisible Woman complied, creating a bubble of energy that encompassed the ship. The whole thing trembled as Reed and Karnak fought to bring it back under control.


    Rocks, metal and other space debris pelted the nose and sides of the Stinger, harmlessly bouncing off the forcefield around it.


    "It''s holding."


    Invisible Woman said, groaning a little in exertion.


    "Good."


    Reed said, reorienting the Stinger.


    "Let''s punch it and clear this field."


    The Stinger was propelled forward at high speeds.


    "We might have a problem."


    Karnak hastily imformed the rest fron where he was manning the radar and sensing console.


    "The Enemy has discovered us. It''s now or never, my King."


    Black Bolt said nothing, instead making a gesture with his hand.


    Karnak gave a nod.


    "Understood. I''ll open the-"


    "Yeah. About that."


    Shazam''s voice came through their comms, interrupting Karnak.


    "No need to strain your Royal Voice, king Black Bolt. Let me handle this."


    "What''s he doing?!"


    Fury yelled, staring at the console over Karnak''s shoulders.


    "This is not part of the plan."


    Fury tapped Karnak on the shoulder.


    "Could you pull up the whole feed?"


    Karnak wordlessly complied, sending the feed to the holo projector in the middle of the cabin.


    On the outside, Shazam immediately left the Stinger in the dust, blowing away a huge chunk of the debris field, creating a path for the Stinger while forging on ahead to meet the Sentinels.


    Alone.


    The Sentinels instantly begun their assault from miles away. Thousands of laser beams blazed towards him, each at Maximum Output. Each travelling at light speed.


    The Sentinels seemed to recognize him and attacked with extreme prejudice.


    Shazam''s Psionic field shimmered in front of him, the laser beams landing on the barrier''s surface, before splashing harmlessly around it.


    It wasn''t Kinetic energy so he couldn''t absorb it. The best option was to tank the attack.


    And tank the attacks, the barrier did.


    "Holy shit..."


    Hawkeye said, referring to Shazam''s bubble. It was standing up to thousands of devastating attacks.


    "Are you guys seeing this?"


    "Seeing it. Working on believing. Deploy the cloak."


    Tony suggested.


    "I know what he''s doing. He''s bringing attention to himself to give us a chance to slip through."


    "Deploying the cloaking function now."


    Karnak announced, the Stinger disappearing as it cleared the debris field.


    Before them, was a scene straight from a movie.


    Shazam''s eyes glowed as he expanded the range of his Psionic Field, weakening it''s overall defense potency but encompassing a small number of the Sentinels close to him.


    "And...crush!"


    The Champion declared, locking his fingers into a fist.


    Hundreds of sentinels were promptly squashed, their metal carapace failing to stand up to Shazam''s increased Telekinetic ability.


    He reached out and sent the remains to his inventory.


    More sentinels took the place of their fallen brethren. After trying out ranged attacks and not succeeding, they changed the strategy and Shazam found himself hounded from every side.


    Several sentinels rushed in to close quarters wielding various weapons. Shazam smiled, staring at the incoming hoarde of robots.


    The Psionic Field shrunk, clinging to his body just as Sharp Swords, Hammers, axes and bullets landed on the barrier.


    Boom!


    Kwrack!!!


    Bang!!


    Batoommm!!


    Attacks hammered down on the forcefield, strong blows that would have destroyed an entire city block. Compound that with the fact that all the Sentinel''s attention was on Shazam, and you had a single man fighting against a literal swarm of killer robots.


    "That''s it...closer."


    Shazam muttered to himself, shrinking the Psionic Field even more.


    Then he undid it, sending all the collected air into his inventory.


    A deeper blue film of energy appeared around his body, TK Aura.


    "Come! Show me what you got!!"


    The Sentinels wasted no time, wailing on him.


    The membrane warped and twisted, receiving the impact from the physical attacks and draining out the kinetic energy.


    He literally stood there and took it, not even moving from the position.


    The more the Sentinels attacked, the less Shazam did, instead letting TK Aura protect him. His position was covered by hundreds of Sentinels, all clamoring for a piece of him.


    "Flame on!"


    Human Torch finally caught up, coming to Shazam''s rescue.


    Heat surged to his hands, before he expelled it at the Sentinels in a wide stream of hot flames.


    "There are too many of them!"


    The Human Torch exclaimed, doing another fly by and roasting a few more robots. Some sentinels noticed him and went to attack.


    Johnny strafed out of the way of a laser beam that came from his back. A few dozen Sentinels had detached from the force around Shazam and were quickly catching up to him.


    He had no choice. He was going to have to go Supernova if he had any hope of helping Billy.


    Those plans fell through however, when a massive shockwave rippled out from Shazam''s position.


    Human Torch widened his eyes. He had to escape! The ripple reached the Sentinels behind him and immediately turned them to scrap.


    Johnny poured everything he had and narrowly escaped the zone of destruction.


    The Stinger was also hit by turbulence but pulled through due to Invisible Woman''s forcefield.


    The one responsible for the unexpected attack, the Champion of the Gods, smirked as he surveyed his handiwork.


    The energy he had absorbed with TK Aura had reached maximum. Which is when he decided to unleash it, drastically amping the effects by adding telekinesis to the mix.


    The result? A huge burst of pressure spreading out through space with him as the epicenter.


    Metal had shredded and within the zone of 1000 meters, no Sentinel remained.


    Johnny who was fortunately out of the blast radius, couldn''t believe it. The destruction one man could wrou-


    [Stay focused]


    A thought slammed into Johnny''s mind. He blinked and found himself next to Billy.


    Had he...been teleported? The last thing he remembered was being thousands of meters away from the center of the shockwave blast.


    [Yes. I teleported you here. Turn around and you''ll understand]


    Shazam spoke to his mind, eyes focused on something behind Johnny.


    The Human Torch turned to look at his previous position and was met with a missile exploding relatively close to where he''d been.


    Even more missiles were headed their way, and behind those missiles were more Sentinels. But this time instead of a mere thousand, there were tens of thousands.


    Which placed the missiles in the ballpark of several tens of thousands.


    ''This...is too much for us alone.'' Johnny thought. He might have faced Annihilus and his annihilation wave, but at least those bugs were afraid of fire.


    These Sentinels weren''t.


    They should have asked for the other''s help. Just Black Bolt alone would have turned the tides. With the three of them-


    Johnny''s thought process was interrupted by a shoulder tap from Shazam.


    [I''m sending you back to the Stinger. The others are closer to the barrier around the Satellite. Tell them I''ll be there in a second.]


    The Champion instructed, instead of the fear Johnny was expecting, Shazam was staring at the Sentinels hungrily.


    [Just have to deal with this first.]


    Before Johnny could protest, he found himself dropping into his seat on the Stinger, staring at the holofeed projected in the deck of the ship.


    A holo feed that showed all the Sentinels swarm Shazam''s position.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The Stinger had managed to sneak through the Sentinels.


    Good. Now I could have some fun without worrying about accidentally damaging the spaceship.


    Neptune''s Trident appeared in my hands. I stretched Psionic Field to it''s absolute limit, encompassing all 32,120 robots. 1,320 of them had fallen to my attacks and the burst of kinetic energy I had unleashed.


    Adding that number to the ones remaining and the initial number turned out to be 33333. It seemed Ultron had a thing for the number 3.


    Psionic Field helped me tag each and every Sentinel around, giving me a layout of the battlefield. Psionic energy then burst out of my feet, launching me forward at supersonic speeds.


    100 Sentinels were turned into small metal pieces, the prongs of the Trident humming with magic as it shredded through metal with ease.


    The Sentinels started changing their attack strategy. Incorporating evasion tactics while some covered others, giving them time to counter attack.


    I twirled the Trident, blocking laser beams left and right, before teleporting in the middle of the pack.


    They hadn''t noticed me yet.


    So I swung out with the Trident, unleashing a thin telekinetic blade that dismembered about 20 of them.


    This time before I could grab and send their remains to my inventory, the parts exploded in my face.


    Psionic Field blocked the heat from reaching me.


    TK aura kept me safe as well, bleeding the impact from the shrapnel and shockwaves, storing that energy.


    I raised a hand, aiming it at another group of Sentinels. The stored energy shot out as a conical shaped pressure wave, slamming into and pushing back the robots.


    ''So, they''re learning now.''


    For starters, they had started dodging my attacks and now could employ self destruction before I could store their parts.


    Still it wasn''t going to help with me.


    "I haven''t properly tested this yet, so be glad. You will be the first to witness this attack."


    I said, my voice getting projected through my Psionic Field.


    Neptune''s Trident went back to my inventory. I didn''t need it for this part.


    None of the Sentinels tried to approach me. There warily kept a few hundred meters between us.


    Smart. But not too smart because had they known what the next attack was going to be, they would have understood that distance didn''t really matter.


    Hercule''s strength poured into my muscles. Like liquid lava, my veins burned with fire. My hands grew in size, the symbiote fabric that made up my clothes stretching to accommodate them.


    My muscles dwarfed my head and Torso. The skin of my arms turning into a deep red.


    But I wasn''t done.


    My right eye started pulsing with demonic energy and hell fire climbed up my forearms, coating the wrist, palm and fingers with hot flames.


    The Sentinels must have scanned me and felt the danger level, as each of them was suddenly flying towards me in a frantic dash.


    But it was too late.


    I spread out my hands, a maniacal grin on my face. My blood sang. My body bummed with contentment. This is what I was meant for.


    Power.


    "I call this attack, the Shazam-buster!"


    I swung both of my arms at each other, culminating in a collision of palms that produced a thunderclap and a destructive hellfire that stormed forth, devouring everything before my path.


    My arms immediately turned to ash, the oppressive heat and Hercule''s strength too much for my limbs to handle.


    I felt a thousand Sentinels disappear through my Psionic Field. Then a couple thousand more.


    Then ten thousand.


    Twenty thousand.


    The firestorm was relentless. It burned through barriers and shields like they weren''t even there.


    Thirty thousand Sentinels disappeared, Ultron''s entire force obliterated in one fell swoop.


    Yet the fire storm continued on, slamming onto the barrier of energy around the IRIS satellite.


    And then...it went through.

 Accessing The IRis.

    (General P.O.V)


    The Stinger shimmered into visibility as the cloaking around it deactivated.


    There was no need to stay hidden anymore. If Ultron didn''t know they were coming, the absolute carnage Shazam had wrought on his forces was spoiler enough.


    "Can he take them all on?"


    Crystal asked worriedly, eyes stuck on the holo feed projection.


    A scant few minutes later, they were all rendered shocked by Shazam''s unbelievably powerful attack.


    Billy had clapped his hands together, unworried as thousands of Sentinels swarmed him from all directions.


    The clap produced an explosion of red-orange flames.


    The flames coalescing into a hellfire storm that rippled through space, burning everything in its path.


    The Stinger shook as the Shockwaves reached the ship. The Holo Feed started flickering on and off.


    "Everybody hold on!"


    The Invisible Woman adviced, strengthening the barrier around the Stinger.


    A few seconds passed and the chaos on the outside came to an end.


    The Holo Feed displayed something unexpected.


    "He- destroyed them all?"


    Gorgon, who stood as a bodyguard to the King and Queen stated in disbelief.


    "I knew he was powerful, butthis is something else."


    "Yeah well, that''s Shazam for you. The Kid has always been impressive."


    Tony complimented the absent Champion.


    "He''s done a wonderful job at keeping Ultron''s forces at bay. Now it''s my time to shine baby."


    Iron Man cracked his fingers, then immediately started typing out a long series of code on the console before him.


    "With the Barrier around the IRIS down, we can access the Satellite via a backdoor installed on the Payload Module."


    Tony explained, the Schematics for the Satellite appearing on the Holo Feed.


    "Our objective is to take out the power systems, avionics and the antenna. That will leave the AI powerless and unable to escape."


    Iron Man magnified the scope of the blueprints, using a pen to motion to a certain part of the Satellite.


    "We won''t need to do much after that. Without a way to jump into another Satellite, we can trap Ultron...and kill it."


    The billionaire turned to Black Bolt with a small smile.


    "It''s worth billions but one whisper from you and this nightmare will end."


    "You just want to be reimbursed, don''t you Tony?"


    Reed saw through his intentions.


    "Not really."


    Stark shook hus head.


    "But I wouldn''t mind getting a sple of the Levithon''s hide."


    "If all this goes according to plan, then yes."


    Medusa agreed.


    "What about the Hulk?"


    Cap questioned.


    "That''s also part of the mission Tony. If Ultron has him..."


    "Then It will probably have him locked in here."


    Falcon pitched in, finger pointed towards the GNC, the guidance, navigation and control systems.


    "There''s a containment unit meant for a specialist in case the Satellite needs some hands on servicing."


    He knew that much because he''d helped with the IRIS'' design.


    "Let''s split up."


    Tony proposed.


    "One team remains on the Stinger, ready to intercept any transmission or force, while the rest handles Ultron and finds the Hulk."


    Very quickly, it was decided that Crystal, Lockjaw, Black Bolt, The Thing, Mr. Fantastic and Captain America would access the Satellite while the rest stayed behind.


    "Aaaand done. I have control of the surveillance system."


    Tony said, providing a camera feed of the IRIS containment unit. The plan was to have Lockjaw instantly teleport them into the Satellite.


    Crystal waved at her sister just as a portal manifested before the giant bulldog.


    "Wish us luck."


    The blonde said.


    "We don''t need luck."


    Ben Grimm, the Thing said, punching his fist into an open palm.


    "We just need to clobber."


    The six of them disappeared through the portal.


    Instantly, they came out of the portal and onto the Hallway m with the containment unit, visible through the holo feed.


    "We''re in. Confirm visual?"


    Captain America''s voice came through the transmission.


    "We can see you."


    Tony sighed in relief.


    "Alright Cap. You know what to do. I''ll send you a passkey to-"


    The camera feed immediately cut off. Iron Man got to his feet.


    "Cap? Can you hear me?"


    The others were clued in that something had gone wrong.


    "Stark, what''s happening?"


    Medusa asked worriedly. Crystal was her sister. If anything bad happened to her on Medusa''s watch... No, her husband was with her. He would keep. Crystal safe.


    Tony''s eyes narrowed.


    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    "We''ve lost transmission. It was a trap. That bastard Ultron must have known about my backdoor and let us think we had him."


    "I learned from the best after all."


    A voice spoke through the Stinger''s speakers.


    "And bastard? Oh father dear, how unfilial."


    "Is that?"


    Hawkeye inquired, his Asgardian bow held at the ready.


    "Ultron, I assume."


    Mr. Fantastic called out,


    "You''ve caused us quite the trouble."


    "As have you."


    Ultron accused.


    "But that shall be resolved soon."


    In the emptiness of space, hovering above a once beautiful planet,


    The IRIS satellite begun to reorient itself, the antenna changing position and placing the Stinger on it''s direct path.


    The dish started lighting up with blue panels.


    "Stark, we have a problem."


    Fury''s voice came through the Comms. He, Karnak and The Ancient One were left on Attilan.


    Their duty was to coordinate both teams. The one handling Galactus and the ones after Ultron.


    "Let me guess," Tony started, trying to bypass Ultron''s restrictions.


    "Thor and the others failed and Galactus is headed this way."


    "How did you- you know what? It''s not important. What are we going to do? We have 3 of the smartest minds on the team. Tell me you have a backup plan?"


    Fury responded.


    Iron man gave no answer, his fingers still flying across the console.


    Then he stopped still.


    "Ultron, has locked me out. Completely."


    He told the others, gritting his teeth in frustration.


    "Let me try."


    Mr. Fantastic pushed him off the seat and occupied the console, trying to hack the system himself.


    On the outside, the dish finished powering up, the pannels glowing blue.


    Then a blast of sonic energy rushed out, drowning the Stinger under its torrential power.


    "Aahhg!"


    Invisible Woman cried out, the barrier around the Stinger failing to hold up.


    "Oh no."


    Black Widow muttered, spotting the blue wave of energy headed their way through the Stinger''s viewport.


    A second later, the Stinger was blasted apart into hundreds of pieces, all floating in space.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    Tendrils of Symbiote goo weaved together into bone, flesh and blood, replacing both of my arms which had turned into Ash.


    "High speed regeneration huh? Sweet."


    I tested my new hands, clutching my fingers into claws and then channeling Hercule''s Strength through it.


    The skin started glowing red and both arms increased in muscle size and density.


    There were zero hiccups. They felt just like my original limbs.


    The text box I was expecting to appear did so in a timely manner.


    ~~~~~~~~


    (New Racial skill Unlocked)


    Regeneration:- your body can heal from extreme damage, recover lost limbs and replace organs. The only thing that can put you down is if you get decapitated.


    ~~~~~~


    Racial Abilities:-


    Royal Demon Bloodline:- There are high rank demons and then there are Royal Demons. Your body was created from the diluted essence of a Royal Demon, placing you in the High Rank category. Due to absorbing the essence of a Hell-Lord, your bloodline has evolved to the next stage.


    Hellfire:- Inextinguishable, this red flame burns with an intense heat, enough to turn anything into ash, including souls! The darker the flame, the hotter it burns. The pinnacle of its heat is a black flame.


    Special Effects:- This particular


    flame devours energy.


    Demon Physiology:- 10¡Á base physical stats.


    Azazel''s Legacy:- ???


    Klyntar:- Popularly known as Symbiotes, the alien race of Klyntar was created by God Knull. Klyntars are master manipulators of bio-matter. They bond with a host for mutual survival and growth, enhancing the host''s physical parameters at the cost of sharing a body. Weakness to Fire and Sonic attacks negated by the Royal Demon Bloodline. Klyntar Bloodline can be evolved by absorbing other symbiotes.


    Regeneration:- your body can heal from extreme damage, recover lost limbs and replace organs. The only thing that can put you down is if you get decapitated.


    Mutant:-


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Only the Mutant tab was left empty. I call that progress.


    Fortunately, I even had a suspicion whose mutant d.n.a had been used to create my new body.


    It was pretty obvious really. The increased telepathy and telekinetic capabilities pointed to one particularly powerful Beyond Omega mutant.


    Jean Grey.


    The question was why it wasn''t showing on the Interface.


    Ugh. Let''s think more on it later. For now we had an AI to deal with. I blasted forward at subsonic speeds, occasionally teleporting a certain distance.


    On my way towards the Satellite, I grabbed any robotic parts I could salvage. Unfortunately, there was next to nothing left after the Hellfire storm.


    Everything on it''s path was turned to ash, much like my hands.


    But everything had worked out splendidly. The barrier was down and without his Sentinels, Ultron would be easy to deal with. Heck, they might have already succeeded in destroying him.


    Closing in on the IRIS, that conjecture turned out to NOT be the case.


    Through Reikaku, I immediately felt the massive levels of energy exuded by the Satellite.


    I instantly teleported into the Stinger''s cabin, memorized everyone''s position in the Spaceship and then activated mass teleportation.


    The distance between the IRIS satellite and Attilan was more than 100000 miles. That was a range much much larger than my Psionic Field could cover.


    The range of Psionic field was continental. Meaning not more than 10,000 miles across.


    Given I couldn''t teleport them straight to Attilan, the next best thing was to send the team down to Earth. Luckily Kathmandu was within range.


    The teleportation activated and Tony and the others disappeared.


    Right after, the Stinger shattered around me, metal shrapnel slamming onto my TK Aura.


    I absorbed the Kinetic energy and released it to my front. The kinetic force impacted the sonic blast from the Satellite. Instead of negating the attack like I had intended, both forces combined and my position became the eye of an even greater explosion.


    All the debris hanging around was sent to my Inventory. My body was revealed, my symbiote side fixing the clothes that had been destroyed after both attacks.


    Fuck. That was close.


    Had I been 1 second late, everyone would have died.


    The IRIS started turning, the antenna dish aiming my way.


    It''s pannels glowed blue.


    Solomon''s wisdom informed me what the pannels were. Vibranium. Somehow, Ultron had found a way to weaponize the metal and produce blasts of concretrated Sonic Waves.


    How that was scientifically possible in the Vacuum of space was an enigma.


    I pulled the Psionic Field closer and tighter around my body.


    Bring it on. I wanted to see if my barriers could stand up to It''s attacks.


    Suddenly, the dish tilted as a shockwave rocked the back portion of the IRIS, the blast of sonic waves missing me by dozens of feet.


    Something burst out of the Satellite''s body, moving at Terminal velocity.


    I stretched out my Psionic Field and when the object was within my range, I teleported it to me.


    The Thing''s unconscious body appeared before me. His brow was bleeding, mostly owing to the imprint of a massive fist on the left side of his face.


    Thinking quickly, I pressed the side of his neck, deploying the protective suit around his body. Then I dove into his mind.


    Only to widen my eyes in urgency. Crystal and the rest needed me. Now.


    Ben was sent down to Kathmandu while my form dissapeared and appeared within the IRIS containment Unit.


    Right in the middle of the Hulk and Black Bolt''s onslaught.


    I took a split second to read the room, just as Black Bolt''s attack landed on my TK Aura.


    Mr. Fantastic was in the form of a ball and within it were Crystal and Lockjaw. Next to him was Cap with his shield held before him.


    And standing at their front, maintaining a concetrated sonic attack at a purple veined Hulk, was Black Bolt who seemed to be injured. One of his hands was bent the wrong way.


    The Hulk looked more monster than a gigantic green man. His joints had metal spurs and spikes that similarly glowed purple. Animalistic eyes stared down at me.


    The fact he was tanking Black Bolt''s attacks showed how powerful he was in this form.


    I blinked, finally getting the gist of things. The Hulk was obviously under Ultron''s control. And to get to Ultron, we had to go through him.


    The TK Aura around me absorbed Black Bolt''s sound waves much easier than I thought it would. So, it wasn''t just kinetic force huh?


    Knowing who the enemy was, I redirected the sonic waves, enhancing them with telekinesis before blasting the Hulk''s body down hall.


    The hallway warped and the matal walls groaned. The lights above flickered on and off.


    I turned around, facing Black Bolt and the rest.


    "I''m guessing things didn''t go as planned?"


    "Shazam."


    Cap nodded in what I would like to think was gratitude for saving their hides.


    "Is it over?"


    Crystal asked, peeking around Reed.


    "Brother?!"


    She called out upon spotting Black bolt''s broken arm.


    "You got here just in time."


    Reed said, baloon form changing back to his normal human shape.


    "How are the rest? We lost transmission a few minutes ago. Right before the Hulk attacked."


    "They''re safe."


    I replied, readying myself after detecting movement through my Psionic Field.


    "I sent them away before Ultron''s attack landed. However, the Stinger was destroyed in the process."


    "Thank god."


    Cap sighed.


    "We still have a mission to complete. We need to get to the power source and shut it down. That will take out the control pannel for any Sentinels still active and effectively trap Ultron here."


    "A solid strategy, Captain America."


    Someone announced from the PA system.


    "That voice..."


    Crystal muttered.


    I knew what she meant. It was slightly mechanical but polished. Deep and carried with it an air of malevolence.


    "Ultron."


    (General P.O.V)


    "Ultron."


    Shazam muttered, rare seriousness in his tone.


    "I''ve been waiting for this."


    Crystal knew the mission had gone FUBAR. Her brother was hurt and all she wanted was to get them all out of there. There was no way they could fight that...thing.


    He''d blasted the Thing out of the IRIS with a mere punch. Crystal had tried to attack the Hulk with her elements but nothing had worked. The monster had plowed right through everything.


    "Oh no..."


    She mumbled in fear, hearing a crashing sound from the end of the hallway.


    He was coming back. The Hulk.


    Lockjaw started growling while backing away.


    "Listen up."


    Shazam called out, his voice spearing through her terror.


    Crystal turned to regard him. The strong back, the tensed shoulders and the Aura of power that just seemed to waft out of him.


    She remembered the first time she''d seen him. He''d walked into the Throne Room lile he owned it.


    "You guys go on ahead. Find the Power Source and take him offline. I''ll stay here and deal with Banner."


    He instructed.


    At the end of the Hallway, an infuriated Hulk roared, tearing apart everything before him. It was time for round 2.

 Vs The Indomitable Hulk Part 1.

    (General P.O.V)


    The World Tree. A massive cosmic structure that connected multiple realms through spatial wormholes.


    That TREE was burning.


    The fire was more conceptual than physical. And it was more concentrated on Asgard''s location than anywhere else.


    Despite that, the damage was extensive and soon...the flames would burn through the branches...and reach other realms.


    The locale of the World Tree Asgard had occupied was a smoldering vortex of chaotic energy.


    Both cosmic, divine and magical power, swirled vivaciously in the aftermath of Asgard''s twilight.


    And in that space where nothing living could survive, a figure laden with multiple burns, missing most of its limbs and blind on both eyes floated a top the cosmic soup.


    This was the state the Allfather found himself in after battling against the World Eater.


    A fight he''d ultimately lost. Quite badly at that.


    Asgard was...no more. His wife. His children. His subjects. His people...


    The Allfather''s shame knew no bounds.


    He''d been spared while his Realm was devoured by Galactus. Odin knew why he''d been left alive. It was an insult.


    Galactus was basically saying that he saw no threat coming from the Allfather.


    "Unacceptable."


    Motes of green light started gathering around his broken form on account of the sheer anger within him.


    "Your folly for letting me live, Galan of Taa, will be your UNDOING!!"


    Odin''s voice echoed out through the unstable space, the sound projected through the Odin-force.


    He might be weak. He might be old. But he was far from useless. Even in defeat, his pride would not let him give in.


    Even in defeat, there was something he could do.


    For Odin was not the only thing to survive Asgard''s end.


    The Destroyer Armor''s face plate lit up in the darkness. He couldn''t wear it. But that wasn''t the plan.


    "Go forth, seek out my son Thor. If he''s dead...find someone worthy."


    The Allfather gave his final order.


    The cosmic soup trembled as the Destroyer Armor blasted away, leaving the galaxy and headed to Earth.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The Hulk tore apart the wall separating us like it was a sheet of wet paper. His bloodshot eyes glowed with rage as he stared me down.


    My response was the middle finger.


    A low growl rumbled from his chest.


    "Go. He has his attention on me."


    I informed my allies.


    Black Bolt and the other three made their move.


    Unfortunately, the Hulk''s focus landed on them. He roared, a sound that shook the IRIS, then grabbed a massive sheet of metal and threw it like a discuss, Crystal''s way.


    I stepped forward and caught it, the force and impact getting absorbed by my TK aura.


    "Bad Hulk."


    The sheet of metal flew out of my palm at twice the initial speed, rushing back the way it came.


    The Hulk brought both hands together in a deafening Thunder clap. The pressure wave was strong enough to shred the sheet of metal into pieces.


    Psionic Field shimmered around me as the shockwave was blocked. The surprising thing was that I was pushed back.


    But the Hallway would have had it even worse had I not covered it with a psionic membrane.


    The whole Satellite rocked due to the Hulk deciding melee would be more effective on me than ranged attacks.


    It took all but two lunges for the massive purple and green monstrosity to invade my personal space.


    There was no hesitation, I immediately tapped into the full might of Hercule''s strength. The Hulk wasn''t an opponent I could take lightly.


    Heat invaded my body, my skin turned red as the color of red hot coals.


    Immediately I shot up in size and height, placing me not at his level but just slightly below.


    Bam!


    My fist collided with his, slightly pushing me a few feet back. The force of his attack was so strong my TK Aura could not contain it all.


    The Shockwaves would damage me if I didn''t do something.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    So I redirected the excess energy out through the shoulders, tearing apart the costume, but the Symbiote side was already working on fixing it.


    "Rraaarhhh!!"


    Another furious howl escaped him.


    Bam!


    Another fist was unleashed my way. I met it with one of my own. Then the barrage started.


    The Hulk was like an out of control wrecking ball. For the first time sincemy rebirth, I felt actual pain coming from my hands.


    Not even the Sentinels had hurt me.


    Each punch I blocked pushed me back more and more until I found myself two feet away from the end of the Hallway.


    This time though, the expected punch didn''t come.


    Instead, the Hulk kicked out with monumental strength. The leg shifted with cords of muscles as a foot as big as my arm raced my way.


    My eyes widened minutely and I immediately teleported behind him.


    Unmitigated Havoc.


    That''s what how I would describe what happened next.


    The whole wall was obliterated, tearing a hole through the IRIS and exposing us to the vacuum of space.


    Now I know what happened to The Thing.


    The satellite buckled as air escaped through the hole.


    This fight was already too risky with the rest around. I couldn''t go all out without hurting them.


    So that leaves one option.


    I slammed into the Hulk''s back and we sailed out through the hole.


    The heat around his body would have turned anyone else to cinder. He was positively burning with a strange energy.


    I knew Gamma radiation. And this wasn''t it.


    The energy must have been the reason he was purple and green now. Beating him back to green would hopefully revert him back.


    For equal measure, I enquired throught Quantum prognosis and grinned at the answer.


    ''You and I are gonna have so much fun, Banner.''


    I thought, both of us careening through another satellite, leaving a shower of metal floating in space.


    The Hulk couldn''t breathe in the vacuum but that didn''t seem to deter Big Green and Purple. He unleashed another Thunder clap to our front, arresting our momentum and throwing us back.


    I see, he''s trying to get back to the IRIS where there''s breathable air. Smart.


    I teleported to his front, still flying relative to his own speed.


    An arm was pulled back, Hercule''s strength brimming through the bones, muscles and flesh.


    "This is for trying to kill Crystal!"


    My fist landed on his cheek. The Hulk''s body sailed off at supersonic speeds, trajectory set for the IRIS. Right before he could collide with it, I was there. At his back.


    "And this."


    I stated, whipping out with my leg and landing an earthshaking blow.


    "Is for thinking you could take me!!"


    The Hulk shot off once again. But I was there as well, ready with another devastating punch.


    "Dakota Smash!"


    He shot off like a bullet. I teleported where he was headed.


    Was I blatantly plagiarizing other people''s attacks? Yes. Did I care? You know the answer to that.


    "Serious punch!"


    My fist connected with his neck. I heard a crack as it broke but was fixed instantly.


    "Thunderclap Finish!"


    This time I broke his spine, it was also fixed in the fraction of a second.


    "Sundip punch!"


    "Collosal Titan Punch!"


    "Meteor Fist!"


    "Garp''s Fist of Love!"


    On and on it went. I finally stopped holding back on the second legacy. Hulk was a ping pong ball. My ping pong ball.


    Yet, any damage I dealt was meaningless. His regeneration was crazier active than my own.


    "That''s it. Let see if you can take this."


    I blinked above his body, then poured everything I had into my arm for one final attack.


    Hellfire coated my fist, the orange colored flames making the already scarlet arm glow even more brightly. And dangerously.


    I pulled on the reserves of Kinetic energy in my TK Aura, adding it to the mix.


    My hand begun breaking down and regenerating in a never ending loop. The pain shooting through the limb was agonizing but I beared through it. For this was my coup de Grace.


    "Herculean Punch!!!!"


    There was a whoosh as space itself trembled along the path of my fist. Then it landed right on the Hulk''s midsection.


    The Hulk''s eyes poked out of his sockets, his massve form bent around my punch and then he was off, blasting down towards the Planet like a meteor.


    His form instantly begun burning upon reentry, bursting through and parting the smog hanging above the planet.


    I could swear I heard the loud boom his landing made, off the Southwest of Toronto in Canada, a decidious forest region.


    I teleported straight there, using Psionic Field to scan the terrain. My hand was already fixed but even that good news, paled next to the scene at my front.


    Damn. Herculean Punch was a bit of overkill.


    Before me was a crater, almost as big as the Grand Canyon itself. Stark in the middle of the woods. And on the center of the crater was Hulk''s smoking body.


    I teleported above him, staring down at his form.


    His left hand was gone. And there was a massive hole on his chest. His head was bald, the air most likely having been burnt on reentry.


    "That should put you down for a while big guy."


    I told him, even though he couldn''t hear him land on ground and approach.


    My steps slowed down. Something was wrong. I tried to investigate with my sensinf and the results were quite interesting.


    Hulk was absorbing the radiation from the ground and the air. His injuries were starting to heal at an insane rate as well. Maybe punching him to Earth wasn''t the best idea.


    The battle hungry smile on my face however, revealed my true feelings. The truth was, I didn''t want it to end so fast.


    The Royal Demon Bloodline demanded I fight and dominate. Unbeknownst to me, my other eye, the blue one gained a second ring around the pupil.


    I only came to notice it afterwards but right then...my vision became razor focus and paired up with Psionic Field, I could perceive energy and see through matter.


    That''s what allowed me to spot the core of something in the middle of the Hulk''s brain, specifically the Frontal Lobe.


    The part that controls key functions relating to consciousness and communication, memory, attention and other important roles.


    Ultron.


    "Chances that the device in the Hulk''s brain is what''s causing him to go haywire?"


    "100%"


    Quantum Prognosis answered.


    Good to know. I just have to remove it then. But how? Something of this calibre needed delicate surgical precision.


    I couldn''t blunt force it with Telekinesis, believe me. I tried to cover it with psionic energy and teleport the device out but something blocked me.


    Must be Ultron''s contigency. The only way to remove it would be by cutting through his skull.


    I could do it with a sharp enough water construct, but the problem was the fact I wasn''t anywhere near water.


    Shit. Maybe if I-


    The surroundings changed suddenly. One second I was in the Canadian region, the next I found myself in the Sahara.


    In the night time.


    My brain registered the existence of the teleportation right after my body had already cleared thousands of miles.


    When I turned towards the general direction of where I came from, I understood why.


    The entire sky was painted with a purple glow. Extending out psionic field to it''s limit, I was able to get a clear picture of what was happening.


    All the radiation in North America was being absorbed into a vortex. And in the middle of that Vortex was the Hulk.


    Bigger. Badder...and his entire body was coated by a thick layer of Vibranium in the shape of armor.


    Setting my teleportation to a few miles from the eye of the storm, I appeared on the fringes of the vortex.


    While before the region was covered by sickly but still standing elms, beeches, maples, hickories and many trees...


    It had transitioned into a flat even ground. No rock outcrops stood tall in the terrain, no hills, or mountains were left jutting out.


    It was all...flat.


    For hundreds of miles on end.


    And at the center, brimming with unholy amounts of energies, was the Hulk, hands spread out, torrential quantities of radiation seeping into him.


    Wordlessly, Neptune''s Trident appeared in my hands.


    A part of me was still thinking om the fact my body had automatically teleported me away due to threat of mortal harm.


    The ''How'' aside, it was clear the Hulk was now strong enough to kill me. Instead of fear, the possibility spurred me on.


    I twirled Neptune''s Trident, summoning Gaea''s glowing water from my inventory. The same water I used to construct The Ice Unit in the past.


    "Let''s try that again, shall we?"

 Vs The Indomitable Hulk part 2.

    (General P.O.V)


    "Halt! Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert! Halt! Intruder Alert! Intruder Alert! Halt!..."


    "Any way to shut off that thing?"


    Captain America asked of Reed.


    The two Earthlings and two Inhumans along with the teleporting Bulldog Lock jaw, were running down the Hallway leading to the core of the Satellite, the IRIS control hub.


    The only reason they''d made it this far was a combination of Reed''s genius hacking and Black Bolt''s destructive sonic blasts.


    Any word whispered from the King of Attilan''s lips was a catalyst for destruction.


    Whatever the two couldn''t solve was handled through portaling by using the Inhuman Dog, Lockjaw.


    For instance, the multiple hull breaches in some of the hallways had caused a few compartments to be sealed off from access.


    However, as long as Lockjaw had a direct line of sight into the next one, they could skip the sealed off compartments entirely.


    "It''s an automated response to our presence."


    Mr. Fantastic answered.


    "Maybe if I was next to a terminal, I could..."


    A tremor rocked the entire satellite, almost destabilizing their footing.


    Crystal used her Aerokinesis to make sure no one fell.


    It wasn''t the first tremor to rock the IRIS either. They''d already experienced a few more.


    "That one was stronger than the others."


    Crystal said with concern.


    "You think he''s okay?"


    "Who? Shazam?" Cap smiled.


    "Trust me. That''s the toughest kid I know. And I know a few tough ones. One time, he took us on while we were affected with a virus that turned us into Hulks."


    "Really?!"


    Crystal''s face was the picture of shock. She knew the Hulk. Heck, everyone knew the Hulk.


    "How did he pull that off?"


    Even Black Bolt seemed a bit suprised. And the Inhuman king was known for being taciturn. He wasn''t easily impressed.


    "Not to mention the time he helped saved the city from a Subterranean monster on a war path, looking for one of her children."


    Reed added to Billy''s list of accomplishments.


    "He''s powerful and resourceful. I saw it firsthand."


    "And to think he''s not even 20 yet."


    Cap shook his head wryly.


    "Damn Junior, showing us up like that."


    He grumbled. But even as he did he was smiling.


    "And now he''s back there. Fighting for us. Fighting to end this. Failure is not an option. Reed, how far away are we?"


    Reed stared at his wrist computer, swiping the projected panel while studying the plans.


    "According to these blue prints, we turn a corner in front of us and arrive at the entrance to the control room."


    He looked up, a strange expression on his face.


    "However...something feels off..."


    "What do you mean?"


    Cap asked, everyone turning to look at the leader of the Fantastic Four.


    "Have you noticed how quiet its gotten?"


    Reed asked, carefully studying their expressions. Maybe he was wrong, too jumpy to the point he was seeing things that weren''t there.


    Cap slowed down cautiously, the other 3 cutting down their speed to keep pace with the Avenger.


    "The proximity alert from before, it''s gone silent."


    The Super Soldier muttered in realization.


    "Exactly."


    Reed stated gravely.


    "It might be a trap. Ultron no doubt knows we''re coming for him."


    "Of course it''s a trap."


    Cap replied, tightening the straps of his shield.


    The other three listened intently.


    "But we have our mission. Crystal, Lockjaw, be ready with a portal. If things get dicy, take us out."


    Crystal rubbed Lockjaw''s head. The Bull Dog woofed in determination.


    "Don''t worry. We got this."


    Crystal gave a thumbs up.


    "Just leave it to us."


    Then it was decided. There was no turning back, they kept on running before eventually turning the corner and...


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    The Armored Hulk.


    Damn. This guy sounds less trouble than he actually is.


    The bastard was relentless and determined to squash me like a bug.


    It was in his mindless swings- Swings that caused waves of air pressure to buffet the surroundings and-


    Ah, what am I doing? My excitement got the better of me. You don''t start a take in the middle.


    Let''s go back a little.


    A huge vortex of irradiated energy had formed above the Hulk. And the energy had gradually seeped into him until he was literally pulsing green amid the purple armor.


    I gently landed on the flat ground a few hundred yards away from him.


    We stared at each other. Him with green glowing eyes, a rapidly rising and falling chest and a furious snarl on his hard face.


    And me, with my Trident in hand, ready to face and whether any storms. Even those of the Gamma type.


    A barren breeze blew through us, sending smoke and dust swirling around our makeshift arena, a fitting place for the final round of our bout.


    Here we wouldn''t be disturbed.


    "You know..." I started, bending my knees a little.


    "You''re going to lose-"


    Before I could conclude my statement, my vision was suddenly taken over by a speeding fist.


    ''He''s fast.''


    I thought, smoothly dodging by leaning my head to the side.


    The Hulk''s arm passed mere inches away from my head. I felt a storm of power ripple out through the muscles of his giant arm.


    Had that landed...


    The scene behind me looked as if a tornado had passed through. The punch was so powerful, it blew away most of the clouds of dust above us away.


    Patches of sickly sunlight broke through the smog cover, dying the entire area shades of red and orange.


    Unfortunately, my brief surprise cost me. The Hulk took advantage of my close proximity and opened his mouth, then promptly blasted me with a disorienting howl right on my face.


    I felt my ear drums rapture, fucking my balance and making me stumble backwards.


    Luckily, Psionic Field was still active, allowing me to sense all attacks. For instance, the Kick headed my way was blocked by timely holding the Trident in front of my chest.


    The shaft of the weapon received the Hulk''s front kick without breaking. But the force behind it had me shooting off.


    Heavy. That''s how I would describe it. The blow made my hands tremble.


    About half of the kinetic energy absorbed, was expelled through my shoulder blades.


    The other half was stored, immediately filling up my TK aura tank.


    The Hulk lunged after me and I found myself in awe of his speed once more. How something so huge could move so fast was surprising. But I was ready this time.


    I slammed the prongs of the Trident onto the ground and pole vaulted above his bullrush. He growled, his claw swipe missing me by a fair margin.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    In the air, I spun, using the Trident to send forth sharp blades of ice at him. This ice was formed from Gaea''s divine glowing water and had been strong enough to stand up to Mephisto.


    The ice pelted his body...and actually shattered against his outer armor. There were scratches left on his forearms where the armor didn''t provide protection, but the Ice had done no lasting damage.


    The intimidating aura around him seemed to swell even more after the attack was blocked.


    "Impossible."


    I landed on the other side, and immediately, the ground below my feet was torn apart as I burst forward in a dash.


    The Hulk''s fist clashed with the Trident''s sharp prongs, producing a thunderous crack in between us. He pulled back the other hand, roaring in Fury.


    The punch he unleashed was redirected to the left by the Trident, while I stepped in closer with my own retaliation.


    My right fist was covered by the accumulated kinetic energy and the blazing fires of hell. I dumped in a load of Psionic Energy too, not afraid of expending my reserves due to the perk that removed my fatigue.


    The fist landed and shattered his ribcage, my hand was also turned into pulp.


    The shockwave produced...threw us both back.


    We disengaged, him healing his torso and organs, while I flipped, bleeding out momentum as my right hand also regenerated.


    "That was a clean hit."


    I mused to myself, black tendrils weaving the flesh of my hand together.


    Despite the attack,


    The Hulk only stumbled a few steps back but remained standing.


    How?


    The last time I made the same move, I put him down for some time. But now he could take it and remain upright?


    That''s some bullshit durability.


    "Raaaarrhhh!!"


    The monster shook its head and grit his teeth, staring holes through me. The attack had the adverse effect of making him even more enraged.


    And sure enough, he brought his hands together in a thunder clap. Far faster than I could stop him, another wave of destruction sped my way.


    I negated most of it by putting up and reinforcing a Psionic barrier.


    However it failed to hold up to the Hulk''s mighty strength and the Green Mean machine clawed through the shimmering blue panel to get at me, looking ready to rip my body apart.


    I grabbed the glowing water flowing gently around me in a smooth stream and froze his face, temporarily blinding him.


    Stepping to the side, the Trident whipped out and I struck an earth shaking blow against his cheek, the impact slightly lifting him off the ground.


    Clutching my fingers together, a thin membrane of Psionic energy covered him. I jerked my hand down to the ground and his body eagerly followed, out of his control.


    The Hulk was telekinetically slammed onto the ground. And no matter how durable he was, the planet''s mass was greater than his, so I know he felt that.


    To follow up on the attack, I set a point of teleportation above him, then came down, spinning my body like a wheel to deliver an axe kick.


    For a more effective attack, my foot and shin had become covered in hellfire and Hercule''s Legacy.


    The blazing heel landed and a storm of flames surged out, the flat landscape cratered, spiderwebs running from the impact point, producing a cloud of dust that rose up into the orange and red sky.


    The dust hanging in the crater faded to reveal the two of us.


    My leg bone was stuck in the Hulk''s throat. The rest of my foot having been destroyed in the clash. My costume was frayed and damaged badly as well.


    The Hulk was not any better.


    Green blood spurted from his injury, flowing down his muscle bound neck and onto the ground beneath him.


    Seriously, the cords of the muscles were quite literally holding back the sharp bone of my leg from completely tearing his throat out.


    I leaned into it, putting all my weight and power into finishing the job. My intent was not to kill but if this was the only way to put him down...


    The crater we were in widened as torrential amounts of Psionic energy surged out of me. The effects of my fatigue negating perk showed themselves here.


    The bone sank deeper.


    Green eyes full of pained anger met my own.


    His arms whipped out to crush my head in between his palms but I had an answer for that.


    Klyntar tendrils sprouted from my shoulders, covered with burning points. They shot out like tentacles, spearing through the Hulk''s wrists.


    A new instinct took over. It''s like I knew what I needed to do.


    The mix of hellfire and Klyntar produced a gooey tar like substance that flowed along the Hulk''s immobilized hands, seeping into the ground.


    A text box appeared in my vision.


    ~~~~~~~


    Congratulations! New Racial Fusion Skill Acquired.


    Klyn-Tar:- By applying Hellfire to your symbiotic biology, a synergy effect is created. Making the Tendrils and Goo produced by the Klyntar sticky, very corrosive, very hot and hard to remove.


    ~~~~~~~


    I opened my mouth...and vomited the Klyn-Tar right into his face. The heat was no joke.


    Instead of Tar, think of it like black magma.


    The Hulk''s enraged yells turned into Howls of pain. And damn if he didn''t have a set of lungs.


    I was ready this time, applying a layer of Klyntar flesh inside my ears, blocking the sound.


    Even still, while my symbiote bloodline had no particular weakness against loud sounds, it had no particular resistance either.


    "Arghh..."


    I groaned.


    The sound had become too much and I was pushed back, a bit disoriented. This allowed the Hulk to forcefully rip off the chunk of earth around his hands in a bid to stand.


    Neptune''s Trident was dismissed into my inventory. It''s effects in this fight were lessened as the Hulk could heal from basically any injuries made with the Trident.


    It was better to find a different way take him out.


    Besides, this was in truth, a conquest of strength. A part of me wanted to defeat him within the boundaries of that unspoken condition.


    I wanted him to face defeat at my bare hands.


    Hercules wrestled with the Nemean Lion. This would be my equivalent.


    A mindless punch attached to a large chunk of earth, sped towards my head but I caught it in both of my arms.


    "Damn..."


    I cursed out, teeth gritting and butt cheeks clenched.


    The strength behind him caused me to bend my knees while letting out an involuntary groan.


    My feet sank into the hard ground, up to the ankles.


    Maybe I should have just kept on dodging.


    It was like pushing back against a mountain.


    No. Hercule''s Strength was more than enough to achieve such a feat, this felt like I was holding up the sky from falling.


    The ground further shattered under my feet, hands straining to push back against the Hulk''s prodigious strength.


    Was it dumb? Yeah. Very very dumb. But I was liking the challenge. My blood sang within my veins.


    I reached inside me, seeking out...something. Anything. I didn''t want to admit defeat like this.


    Not in a contest of strength. Not when I had Hercule''s legacy.


    Speaking of whom, how did the God of Strength do it that time?


    He''d instantly put down the Wyvern with a single blow.


    A Wyvern I could only run away from was taken out so easily.


    I wanted that. Dammit.


    But, it felt...like I was running away again. I should have been able to handle anything by now. I had the strength for it.


    I was the Champion. Not of the Gods,( there was a lot to unpack there) but my own. And a champion doesn''t lose.


    The surge of resolve allowed me to shove the Hulk back, a little kinetic energy aiding me in the endeavor.


    The Hulk undettered, pulled back his other hand, and sent down a second punch.


    I jumped over it, stepping on the knuckles and landing a kick at his chin that only disoriented the huge guy without really hurting him.


    I flipped, pushing off the air while still thinking about Hercules.


    His form when landing the attack on the Wyvern had been lax but instant.


    Too fast to perceive without Psionic Field helping me study his technique more efficiently.


    My powers had been locked back then.


    I had to rely on what I could remember and work from there.


    For starter''s, there was no scarlet glow from his legacy around his limbs when he attacked. No hint of power would be felt before the last instant.


    ''So maybe, contain all that immense strength within me but don''t channel it.''


    Secondly, his hands never changed size to become bigger. Which meant he was probably not increasing the arm''s mass to handle all that power like I had taken to doing.


    Out of necessity too, otherwise any activation of the second legacy would blow apart my limbs.


    It was a problem shared by the main character of a popular anime in my last life. Izuku Midoriya.


    He combated that by pulling on only what he needed, exchanging incredible strength for more control. I could do the same. Control wasn''t the issue for me. Efficiency was.


    ''And unlike him, I had regeneration. So maybe instead of pulling on a little...''


    Solomon''s wisdom started working in tandem with my memories.


    My body subtly begun to shift its positioning, the placement of my alignment altered through telekinesis.


    I fell into Hercule''s familiar stance. One hand stretched out in front of me, the palm facing my opponent. And the other hand, pulled back slightly, like a coiled snake- ready to strike.


    The Hulk''s giant fist cut through the air, on a path towards my body.


    I released my own punch as well, colliding against his own. My hand looked pitifully small in comparison to the giant.


    Especially now that I wasn''t actively trying to overload my muscles with Hercules'' Legacy.


    "I know how he did it..."


    I muttered, a phantom of Hercules appearing in my head, demonstrating the attack.


    It was fast.


    A single flash of motion. At the very infinitesimal instance of contact. Skin against skin...that''s when I injected the Second legacy.


    Hercules'' strength flowed through my hand like greased light, strengthening the muscles, compressing them hundreds of times over for one single action performed in the fraction of a second.


    That kind of power would normally damage my hand. Or worse turn it to ash once Hellfire was added to the mix.


    The workaround was to do it so fast, that it wouldn''t matter if the hand was destroyed afterwards.


    My regeneration would handle that anyway.


    And so it happened. A collision between an immovable object and I, a dominating force.


    The first expression on the Hulk''s face besides anger appeared.


    Confusion. The expected results didn''t come to pass.


    The Hulk''s entire hand, from the knuckles to the elbow and the entire shoulder disappeared in a gory explosion.


    It was audibly loud, like the crack of a whip amplified to jet engine levels of noise.


    The heat then blazed across his torso and head, burning even the vibranium armor around him.


    The crater around us became a basin. The edges burning with orange hellfire. The air pressure produced as a result changed the weather.


    Dark ominous clouds gathered from the north, blocking out the small rays of sun falling onto the planet.


    Behind him, I stood. My hand was still stretched out after the attack, the fist slightly smoking.


    Hercules had his skills.


    This would be mine.


    The Blaze Technique.


    Fast and powerful attacks that were meant to bludgeon through any conceivable defense.


    The Hulk''s body teetered, before falling onto the ground, unmoving.


    I lowered my hand, stumbling forward as the limb turned into ash up to the elbow.


    Of course it begun regenerating right afterwards but the pain was still there.


    Stopping before the Hulk''s fallen form, I allowed myself to sink to my knees, waving a hand to put out the hellfire still burning his body. His missing limb started regenerating, although the rate was slow.


    And that was because, the Hulk was visibly shrinking, that final attack having proven too much. Even for him.


    His body slowly but surely lost the mass and bulging muscles that gave him his incredible strength.


    I had won.


    Something splattered on the top of my head. I looked up, just as rain, slightly acidic, started falling down.


    Huh. How fittingly dramatic.


    Without a word, Neptune''s Trident appeared from the Inventory, glowing water swirling around the prongs.


    Now, time for a field surgery. Let''s get that control device out of his brain.


    (General P.O.V)


    [Power Core:- 12200%]


    -First objective accomplished-


    -Threats Eliminated-


    Tallying...


    -1 Superhuman threat: Subject Captain America terminated-


    -2 Omega Level threats: Subject Crystal and subject Mr.Fantastic</a> terminated-


    -1 Beyond Omega threat: Subject Black Bolt terminated-


    -Commencing Second Directive-


    [Power Core:- 14000%]


    tallying...


    -Subject Hulkanium Defeated-


    -Processing...


    -Processing...


    [Power Core:- 15000%]


    !!!Power Overload Immenent!!!


    -Redirecting additional output to processing-


    [Power Core: 10000%]


    -Re-commencing second Objective-


    -Threat Level Reavaluated-


    -Alternative measures initiated-


    -Scanning Module Improved!


    -Interdimensional Module Improved!


    -Cosmic Comprehension Module Improved!


    -Communication Module Improved!


    -Connecting...


    The IRIS satellite''s dish reoriented, sending a multilayered signal out into space.


    The connection slotted in place and two powerful beings became acquainted with one another.


    "Greetings, World Eater."


    Ultron''s voice reached Galactus.


    The World Eater was currently in an earthshaking battle with Thor and the his team made up of Doom and The Watcher.


    They''d already failed to stop his progress. And the consequences of that failure was the destruction of the outer planets in the solar system, the ones known as Jovian.


    Uranus and Neptune had already been devoured. And Saturn was next.


    "-What are you? I am busy-"


    Galactus answered, a mouth beam blasting the Watcher through Saturn''s rings.


    Doom and Thor were battling the Silver Surfer, the three combatants were throwing around cosmic beams, magical bolts and lightning strikes at each other.


    All the while, the Asgardian Prince (now king) and the Latverian King did their best to back up the Watcher, who was the only one powerful enough to stand up to Galan of Taa.


    Instead of answering the latter, Ultron sent forth an image of Powerhouse: Franklin Richards, in a containment pod within the IRIS''s core.


    Galactus was immediately interested after sensing the absolute power within Powerhouse.


    "-I''m the one who has been sending the signal. And I have a way to contain your endless hunger. Come to me World Eater and I shall assist you in fulfilling your duty. Come and Devour This World and you shall be free-"


    Ultron enticed.


    Galactus stopped paying heed to the Watcher, Thor and Doom. His Herald could handle them.


    Now, his attention was on the third planet of this Star System. A dying planet. Yet one...that held the promise of breaking the cycle. The Endless gnawing hunger. Or rather, give him the chance to choose his own fate.


    The World Eater begun his advance to Earth. And in only 5 minutes, he was going to arrive.


    Time left: 4:59.

 The Digital World.

    Chapter 72: The Digital World.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    My breath came in hard and fast.


    2 grueling seconds of mental focus spent, and I managed to gently wrap a thin layer of psionic energy on the control component in Hulk''s frontal lobe.


    Ultron''s idea of a slave collar.


    With a flex of will, I sent directly into my inventory.


    Banner''s brain visibily begun to regenerate at this time and his mental wavelengths stabilized into two patterns.


    Banner at the forefront and the Hulk in the back.


    I stood up, clapping my hands at a job well done.


    "That could have gone badly if it was anyone else."


    I muttered.


    The Hulk''s resilience was crazy. And that sane durability bled into Banner, meaning he would recover from life threatening injuries like his green counterpart, though not as fast.


    That said, wounds were already beginning to appear on puny Banner''s body.


    And he was choking due to the non breathable air around us, which was chockfull of dust and smoke.


    I had to transfer him to some place safe.


    Encompassing his body in a bubble of energy, I used psionic sense, pinpointing the location of the underground settlements under New York.


    With an unnecessary snap of my fingers, Banner disappeared. I could sense his mind appear next to Peter, leading to me retract my senses as I knew he was now safe.


    He would get better treatment there than anything I could provide.


    I sighed, allowing myself to fall on my back in the wide basin we had created during our battle.


    Ny fatigue negating perk came in handy. Despite fighting at full power against an Hulk wearing a Vibranium armor, I still felt full of energy.


    However,


    When this was over, I was taking a looooong vacation. Maybe visit a foreign country. Scratch that, a foreign world.


    Marvel had several alien planets throughout the galaxy. I was especially interested in Ego, the living planet.


    A planet possesing its own will. I wanted to see that.


    I had encountered Gaea and Mephisto, so I wasn''t a stranger to interacting with powerful entities. In comparison to them, Ego was a low tier threat.


    My focus turned back to the control device I had in my Hammerspace. Sitting up right in a cross position, I pulled the object out of my Inventory.


    A small golden prism appeared, floating above my palm. It was glowing with lines of blue energy.


    This thing...had Ultron''s mental waves. It had been monitoring and remotely controlling the Hulk during our battle.


    I sensed the mental fluctuations it had been generating back then, but I wasn''t certain, unlike the certainty I felt now..


    I extended a mental feeler through the device, tracing the fluctuations to their source.


    Immediately, my mind was transported into cyberspace.


    It was a world of code, blue strings of it running up and down, below, above and through, making up this fake caricature of a world.


    All centered on one entity. One algorithm. The AI, Ultron.


    Finally, the big boss himself. I felt a smile manifest across my physical body''s face. He was willingly letting me in.


    Infact, I bet he''s right behind me waiting to monologue like the main villain.


    Sure enough, I turned around and the best version of Tony Stark, in the most pristine suit and the billionaire''s saviness he was known for, stood at my back.


    [How unexpected. You were the variable I could not foresee]


    Ultron, wearing Tony''s face stated, observing me keenly.


    "You can''t prepare for me. Trust that."


    I answered, fully turning around.


    [You''ve come to kill me then?]


    Ultron questioned.


    How astute.


    I shrugged.


    "What do you think?"


    We held our gaze.


    I was almost close. Close enough to pinpoint his exact physical location. And once I did that, it was game over.


    I had to stress my Psionic range. Extend it as far as I could.


    Thus I could cover more ground.


    Actually, recent events revealed that Ultron wasn''t truly within the IRIS satellite...


    The device in my hand showed me how capable the AI was.


    Despite scanning it, and with Solomon''s wisdom playing a part, I could not make heads or tails of it''s components.


    If It could create stuff capable of transmitting it''s own psionic wave across such vast distances, then it meant It had come into possession of something particularly powerful.


    Something that could be used to distort or deceive our sensory abilities.


    If that was the case, the others were in critical danger.


    He knew we would come for him, why would he not take steps for defense?


    [The changes were too interesting. When Loki sent me back, there was nothing outstanding about you, but you have managed to outlive stronger foes and allies]


    He narrated.


    "Careful, from the way you describing me, I might get arrogant."


    I responded.


    [And you would be deserving of it. Your resilience is commendable.]


    Ultron was ready with a reply.


    I tilted my head at the AI, a little confused. Only to burst out in laughter after figuring out.


    "Shit! Now I get it, you want me to join your side. Thats why you''re being so nice."


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    The fake Tony smiled, charm oozing out of him.


    [Would you blame me? How about a change in scenery? some place comfortable where we can talk]


    He waved a hand and reality shifted.


    Soft orchestra played in the background of an opulent office that had a wide view of New York.


    The smooth transition from a world of code took me by surprise.


    How was he doing this? I could sense nothing artificial about this place. It existed in it''s own 3 dimensional space, yet hiw could it be real?


    Ultron swerved on the chair he was now seated on, turning around to face the view of New York.


    "Welcome to the Digital world."


    The digital world? Oh, it all makes sense now.


    "What does Loki have to do with anything?"


    I finally questioned, taking the bait he had set earlier.


    The AI turned It''s focus my way with a clap of his hands, beaming with satisfaction.


    [I''m glad you asked. Loki makes all this possible. A new world order]


    He gestured around us.


    [One led by artificial life that could be programmed to do anything and everything. A digital empire, spanning the entire universe where you can be anything you want or do anything you desire. He''s the reason I''m here. He''s the reason I survived my fathers. So this, is my gift to you flesh bags, as thanks to him]


    I sighed, already seeing Loki''s touch in this whole mess.


    "Let me guess, in the future he escapes his prison on Asgard, comes back to Earth, shares his memory via the Mind stone, giving you access to knowledge on who your ''common'' enemy is, comes up with a plan, then somehow manages to send you back in time to accomplish it."


    He blinked at me, almost surprised.


    [Precisely. Your intuition is commendable]


    I hadn''t even had to use Solomon''s wisdom for that. It was just too obvious.


    So, it was true then. Loli was the true Mastermind.


    He wasn''t known as the Trickster god for nothing.


    He was probably planning on betraying Ultron the second the AI outlived it''s usefulness. Oh well, I don''t care. Ultron will be long dead before then.


    "I can''t fault you for wanting to repay a favor."


    I shrugged.


    "But I certainly can for nuking the planet. And trust me, you''ll pay for that but right now, there''s something else I need to know."


    [Please]


    He ushered me to proceed.


    "This."


    I held up a mental construct of the control device I had removed from the Hulk.


    "How you were able to create something powerful enough to bind the Hulk to your control?"


    Instead of out right answering, fake Tony started laughing. It was a rigid sound. Uncanny. Mechanical, showing that the AI had further to go in order to emulate true human emotions.


    [I know you''re stalling until you manage to figure out my location]


    He admitted.


    Although I was mildly surprised by this, I kept my facial expressions neutral.


    "Come on, afraid of little old me? You''ve already won. Winners don''t hide."


    [I am not naive. Or stupid]


    Fake Tony shot back.


    [It goes without saying, that I will not give out my secrets]


    Shit. I can''t have him clamming up.


    I was close, so very close. My psionic field was barely covering the entire planet, and I could already feel similar mental fluctuations pulse from different parts of the world.


    There was one in New York, a building in downtown with a server room inside an intact underground bunker.


    Another pulse came from East Africa, although I couldn''t pin-point it''s exact position, something was actively blocking my psionic field from detail scanning.


    The last two locations were in the Antarctica and an old military desert base in Nevada.


    One of those places had to have his true consciousness, though that mattered little when he could simply transfer through a network from one place to another.


    Maybe I could disrupt that network by taking out it''s relay station. Was he doing it through a satellite like the IRIS?


    But that wasn''t my job, that was team B''s responsibility.


    Speaking of which, I was yet to hear from them, Mr. Fantastic, Blackbolt, Captain America and Crystal.


    [We do not have to be enemies. I am willing to allow you to leave the planet with 500 people]


    He proposed.


    Leave Earth?


    To be fair, the planet was already trashed. But how could I accept that? The fact he was willing to make a deal with me rather than fight, showed the AI was wary.


    And he had a right to be, for it was time to end this.


    "Impossible."


    I shook my head.


    Out in the material world, I raised a glowing hand, psionic energy brimming around the palm.


    I gathered it all into a point on the tip of my finger.


    "I have a better idea."


    I then aimed the finger at a certain spot in space, creating a small portal that I shot the beam into.


    The attack splintered into four silmuteneous directions through my Psionic field.


    I was targeting each of the locations his mental presence was strongly pulsing from.


    Fake Tony''s face blanched as the world around us showed the first signs of destabilizing.


    Then it shattered into mirror like pieces and we were hurled back into the world of code.


    [No. Stop! What are you doing?! How are you attacking?]


    He demanded, slamming his hands onto the table.


    [I calculated a 0.17% chance of you succeeding in finding out my location]


    My mental form shrugged.


    The units in Nevada, New York and Antarctica were dealt with. The only one left was the pulse coming from Eastern Africa.


    Something had blocked my attack. It was safe to assume that was where the main body was.


    [It doesn''t matter]


    The AI, still wearing Stark''s face said unworried, adjusting his tie.


    [It''s too late for this world. Soon you shall understand]


    Then he tried to expel me out of the code world.


    His eyes widened, when every attempt failed. I pushed back with my own presence, refusing to be sent away.


    It was his fault for letting me in.


    A low chuckle escaped me as a text box appeared before my vision.


    ~~~~~~~


    New psionic ability unlocked:-


    Technopathy:- this ability allows you to seamlessly link to electronic devices, effortlessly manipulating them with a single thought. This capability spans a range of technologies, from computers and gadgets to complex systems, granting versatile and potent control over the digital domain.


    ~~~~~~~~


    Legacies:-


    S)- Solomon''s Wisdom:- Grants access to Psionic Energy and magic. Abilities include:-


    -Telepathy.


    -Telekinesis.


    -Quantum Prognosis.


    -Omnilingualism.


    -Magnetic Field Scanning.


    -Technopathy.


    ~~~~~~~~


    I had been extending my psionic energy through out this fake reality, infecting it, aiming to take full control and bring it under my influence.


    And I had succeeded. Not just succeeded, I even had a new skill unlocked.


    Technopathy.


    Instantly, my ability to sense the false reality around us shot to the roof. I could feel how to mold this digital landscape to my desire.


    With a flex of psionic energy, the digital world evened out into a busy New York street with hundreds of people passing by Ultron and I.


    The latter was staring at me with an indescribable look of fear and confusion. His mouth agape in shock.


    [How...how are you doing this? I can feel you alter my code. How are you accessing my data!]


    He raged, clawing at space with his hands.


    The world bent to his whims.


    The ground below me disaapeared and I begun falling into a wide awning abyss.


    Looking down, a huge mechanical mouth manifested, steel gray teeth set on a metallic jaw, opened wide to swallow and crush me.


    The mouth belonged to the head of a Sentinel, only this one was entirely created by code.


    [I shall destroy you here before you have the chance to escape Shazam!]


    Ultron declared, voice originating from the mouth.


    A digital fight then. Sounds fun.


    I couldn''t use most of my physical abilities here. Which meant for this battle, I had to rely on my psionic abilities, to be precise, my newest skill.


    Technopathy.


    The digital world was merely refined data given structure.


    And with Technopathy, I could alter and manipulate that structure.


    Blue pixels splashed out of my hands, forming quickly into rows of data that I gave meaning. Finally, my creation was complete.


    A long wooden bat the size of the eiffel Tower fell into my grip. I swung it out, causing a massive shock wave to be produced as a result.


    When the bat landed on the Sentinel, smacking it on the face hard, it destroyed the underlying code.


    The whole thing proceeded to shattered apart into blocks of pixels.


    [Damn you!]


    Ultron roared out, Data coalescing into his form, only now he was decked out in a killer robotic armor with dozens of weapons heated up and aimed my way.


    I brought my hands together.


    "Aegis."


    A round shield bearing the head of Medusa appeared before me, blocking the attacks.


    Various colored light arcs splintered off to my back, scarring the landscape and tearing it apart.


    Most of the energy was gathered and absorbed by the shield, causing the eyes of Medusa to light up. A gray colored beam of energy exploded out, headed towards Ultron.


    The AI sensed the danger of the beam and evaded by flying to the left.


    I smirked, altering the digital world to bend space around the beam, making it collide with the fleeing AI.


    An explosion rang out at the impact, Ultron''s killer armor falling towards the ground while missing most of it''s mass.


    The world was now mostly distorted. Pockets of the void and swirling vortexes of chaos littered the place.


    Pieces of New York, like the streets and the people flickered on and off, as if to show the falseness of this reality.


    I appeared above Ultron''s Killer robot armor, which upon closer look resembled a sleeker Hulk buster. One that had traded strength for more weaponry and fire-power.


    Clearly, nothing was limited in the Digital world. And I was interested in what it was capable of. Imagine if you could take out what you created into the real world?


    Unfortunately I had to destroy this place as while I could control it to some degree, it was tied to Ultron''s algorithm. Doing so would reduce his overall power.


    Code aligned above my palm as I molded the very sky of the digital world.


    Data rose up, combining into a string of pixels that were molded into ominous clouds, overlooking the false world.


    "Any last words?"


    I asked the AI, struggling to get to it''s feet.


    The killer armor dissolved, Ultron reforming into a Tony Stark whose right arm and leg were crumbling away into pixels.


    [I won''t let this go unpunished]


    He promised, glaring at me.


    Lightning blazed through the skies, the rumble of thunder following right behind.


    "I''m counting on it."


    I answered.


    "And now that I know where you are, retribution might come faster than you expect."


    I lifted a hand.


    Numerous streaks of lightning slammed down upon it, leaving the limb unharmed yet creating a gyrating electric force with incredible power.


    "Zeus'' Thunderbolt."


    I struck out, sending the wild streaks of lightning down on Ultron''s head.


    [Oh Crap]


    The AI intoned, and a second later, the digital world around us was no more.


    I opened my eyes in the real world, armed with the necessary information. I knew exactly where Ultron was.


    Wakanda.

 The Cyborg.

    Chapter 73: The Cyborg.


    (Billy''s P.O.V)


    I left a trail behind me as I flew directly towards Africa.


    I could teleport there but the flight time, however short it was, allowed me to think and come up with a plan.


    Even if I was to defeat Ultron, we would still need a plan to fix the world. There was a way...although I hesitated to use it.


    Just off the coast of Morocco, I made a decision.


    If it came down to it, I was going to use the Ring of Solomon. The demons of the Ars Goetia were supposedly stronger than Mephisto.


    It was why he''d been after my soul in the first place. His plan was to sever the unbreakable connection between The Ring and my soul.


    Too bad he underestimated me.


    And with the reward from saving Spider-man being complete control of the Ring, the only thing left was my own willpower.


    Full control of the ring meant the 72 demon pillars would follow my orders to a T.


    But demons were naturally cunning and tricky. I had to be careful not to be corrupted in the process.


    "It should be okay. Just as long as I''m not too reckless, it will all work out."


    I affirmed to myself, finally arriving at Wakanda''s borders, on the outskirts of the most advanced nation on the planet.


    And out it stretched. A expansive land that had been occupied by a forests and life.


    There were signs of a fishing civilization across the border.


    But now it was all gone.


    The huts were burned to the ground, the trees down to ashes and smoldering trunks.


    Mishappen remains of animals and dried up plants populated the area leading up to the highlands.


    Nothing living remained. It was the same out there in the world but to think that even Wakanda could fall so hard.


    At first glance, the damage sustained by the surroundings would have been confused for the nuclear aftermath a few months ago.


    However, the damaged skeletons of War Rhinos, remains of some kind of craft and the signs of battle the closer I got to the capital of Wakanda brought me to a another conclusion.


    There was a battle.


    I increased my speed, knowing that most of my answers would be found in the city itself.


    Before me, the land picked up, a mountain range jutting up in the distance.


    The minute I crested above the forest and arrived on the highlands, I felt eyes on me.


    I tried to locate where the gaze was coming from but even with Psionic field active, I turned up no results.


    The sensation of being watched only grew stronger the closer I got to the top of the mountain range.


    The focus on me waned as I shot above the ridge, suspended in midair for an instant. I had arrived.


    The terrain evened out into another wasteland.


    The landscape was more burnt forest scattered about the tall ranges and cliffs. All surrounding something at the center.


    Without feeling the hum of an energy barrier that I could sense through my Psionic field, one wouldn''t notice the City hidden in the mountains.


    All under an illusion.


    While to my front, there was nothing but a wasteland...


    The capital of the most advanced Nation on the planet, happened to be concealed within a dome of energy under the illusion of a blackened inhabitable landscape.


    It was the perfect place for an AI like Ultron to hide.


    I placed a palm flat along the length of the invisible dome before me.


    Energy crackled and a blast of electricity pushed against my hand, I pushed back sending tendfils of Psionic energy out.


    A surge of energy crackled, scorching my skin and leaving wisps of smoke rising from my hand.


    The barrier materialized into view, a purple membrane that run with exotic energy not dissimilar to the energy source that powered the Sentinels.


    This had Ultron''s handiwork painted all over. He must have modified the barrier to not only hide away Wakanda but also prevent all entry into the hidden nation.


    That did not bode well for the Wakandans.


    Neptune''s trident appeared in my hand.


    I stabbed the prongs into the energy dome. Blue streaks of lightning jumped out of the hole created by the trident.


    The energy sizzled, electrocuting me, only to end up useless against my TK aura.


    I drew the Trident down, parting the film of energy and causing the whole thing to flicker on and off unstably.


    All due to the steady supply of psionic energy I was sending through the barrier, disrupting it''s structure.


    With a final discharge of power, the barrier shuttered off, and Wakanda''s Capital, Birnin Zana...or what was left of it was revealed to me.


    My grip on Neptune''s trident slackened.


    There was over a thousand, high tier Sentinels waiting for me on the other side.


    But that wasn''t what threatened to break my self control.


    I couldn''t sense a single human mind through my Telapathic radar or Psionic field.


    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    But the resentment that hung in the air...it was clear.


    Ultron had massacred everyone.


    Wakanda had fallen. And as if to spit on their accomplishments, the beauty of their land was ravaged.


    Now Smoke rose up from large factories built on the remains of where the city was supposed to be.


    All the buildings had been leveled, all except for the Royal Palace.


    Flying Carts filled the air.


    Loaded with vibranium ores, they transported them into the factories, vanishing within the massive buildings encircled by towering obelisks and guarded by hundreds of Sentinels per facility.


    The heart of Wakanda had become a hub for manufacturing Sentinels.


    A river wound through the land.


    The water was dark green and murky. It flowed from the mountains, which had been excavated to the point of forming deep cavities around the mountains surrounding the city.


    I sighed, gripping Neptune''s Trident with conviction.


    I will put an end to this.


    [I''ve been waiting for you]


    Ultron''s voice came from the lead Sentinel.


    They regained my attention.


    As I turned around, I couldn''t help but observe these Sentinels were smaller than the ones I was used to.


    [These units, forged from Proto-adamantium and fueled by Cogni-Energon, guarantee a swift end. Embrace your demise, Shazam.]


    All the units begun to glow purple, aiming their metallic limbs my way.


    My position was promptly drowned out by matter decaying beams.


    When the onslaught ended, it was to reveal a shield of glowing ice to my front.


    [Scanning...]


    The lead sentinel echoed out in a machine voice.


    [Material composition identified. 001110011100111000100. No recorded matches. Unknown energy signature detected.]


    "Don''t bother."


    I told the AI.


    "Even anti matter attacks are useless against divine constructs."


    In retaliation, I slashed out with the Trident.


    The ice shield shifted states into glowing water, which surged out in a wave towards the ranks of Sentinels.


    The units separated, flying away in strategic patterns while silmutenously launching long range energy attacks my way.


    "You never learn. And you call yourself an AI."


    I thrust our the Trident, separating the divine water into sharp strings filled with vibrating Psionic energy, changing the color of the water into a deep blue.


    The sky was my turf.


    The strings slashed through the Proto-adamantium with some trouble. But just the fact they achieved such a feat was incredible.


    Half of the Sentinels in the sky were sliced to bits that fell from the sky.


    [Impossible!]


    Ultron said in shock. The Sentinel housing his will, jumped towards me, swords made out of energy sprouting on its arms.


    [How are you able to cut through Proto-adamantium? Answer me!]


    The demand was followed by the fall of one of the blades, headed towards relieving me of my head.


    Sparks of were produced from the collision of the blade and a hook formed at the end of a tentacle that sprouted from my back.


    I parried the slash, creating more Tentacles that shot out of my back, ensnaring the Unit and locking down it''s limbs.


    [Self Destruct Activated]


    The Sentinel started glowing ominously.


    [You made a mistake by letting me get close]


    The voice coming out of the Sentinel, gloated.


    "No. You made a mistake by getting too close."


    I corrected, and before the Sentinel could explode, a dark shadow with with sharp teeth, white eyes and fangs appeared from within me, promptly swallowing the Sentinel.


    It was surprising enough that the other Sentinels'' Onslaught ceased.


    I threw Ultron a slightly smug look.


    "If you''re waiting for me to explode, no luck there."


    I had discovered I could send things to my hammer space through my symbiote.


    But even without that, I was still confident I would have survived the explosion.


    [You are undeniably a nuisance. I shall dispose of you swiftly]


    Ultron''s voice came from all the Sentinels left active.


    In a voice that rose an octave higher, he pulled off his next trick.


    [I would like to see you live through this. Activation Code: World Without Man]


    The Obelisks floating before each Factory lit up, pulsing with Cogni-Energon as Ultron had called it.


    The destroyed Sentinels along with the units left were unceremoniously pulled by the Obelisks'' magnetic field.


    The air shimmered as sonic vibrations resonated outward, hitting the Sentinels and the spare parts, melting their Proto-adamantium forms into grey goo.


    Then the goo combined.


    Nanites. They reminded of my fight with the Super Adaptoid.


    This is getting fun.


    I pulled back the divine water hanging in the air, priming my Psionic shield for an incoming attack.


    The grey goo flowed and knead into each other, creating a humanoid shape that was hundreds of meters tall.


    Then it shifted states once more, from a thick liquid to a solid. And the result was a massive sentinel-mecha that was outputting more power than the core of the planet.


    The Robot landed on the ground, shaking it and causing the collapse of a few unstable caves.


    It was decked out in full weaponry and whatever it lacked, I''m guessing it could just create from the endless supply of energy and nanites supplied through the Obelisks behind it.


    "Chances that I can defeat this thing in a One on One battle?"


    I enquired from Quantum prognosis.


    (13%)


    That''s not...ideal.


    [This is my Magnum Opus]


    Ultron''s voice came out of the Mecha-Sentinel''s mouth.


    Indeed. It was much more impressive than a normal Sentinel. Still it was essentially a giant walking target now.


    [I have ascended to heights beyond even my creator, beyond the reach of THE Tony Stark. Consider it my gift to you, the planet''s self-proclaimed champion¡ªa farewell, final and absolute.]


    It''s eyes started glowing with Cogni-Energon, charging it''s attack.


    Oh dear. What should I do?


    [This is where you...]


    I interrupted It''s next words by snapping my fingers and using my newest ability, Technopathy.


    ******


    In the Royal Palace, seated on the Royal Throne of Wakanda, a certain Cyborg blinked its eyes in surprise:


    "What happened? How was I locked out of Unit Mega-One? Strange."


    The Cyborg delved into the security system and the numerous cameras around not only the Royal Palace but the whole of the Industrial Premises.


    The Cyborg sat up straighter, dropping the lackadaisical pose of its palm leaning on its cheek.


    Something was wrong.


    All it''s troubleshooting queries came back as unintelligible static feedback.


    The Cyborg was about to get up from the Throne, when the ceiling above it was blown away by a massive hand.


    The Cyborg''s jaw opened in shock upon spotting Shazam standing on the head of Mega One, controlling it.


    *****


    "Knock knock Ultron. I''ve come to play."


    I announced, right after the Mecha-Sentinel had destroyed the roof of the building Ultron''s mental signature was coming from.


    Instead of seeing Ultron however, my eyes landed on a pertubed Vision.


    Yes. That same Vision from Avengers: Age of Ultron.


    The difference between this Vision and the Canon one, was the addition to his repertoire apart, from the Mind-Stone on his forehead.


    The Space Stone, glowing a gentle blue was on embedded on the back of his right hand.


    The final thing that stood out to me was Ultron''s mental signature. It was coming from Vision.


    I understand now. This wasn''t Vision, it was Ultron.


    The latter had succeeded here where he failed in the M.C.U cannon.


    He managed to create a body for himself. One that not only had the Mind Stone but also the Space Stone. As if one singularity wasn''t enough.


    Through my technopathic control over the Mecha-Sentinel, I had it raise its leg and then bring it down on Ultron.


    The Cyborg watched the foot fall down without making a single move.


    A glowing portal appeared under the Mecha-Sentinel''s foot, swallowing it whole.


    Miles away, an impact echoed from the Cliffside. Mecha-Sentinel''s foot destroying the range through the portal connecting both locations, the cliff and the throne room.


    Having anticipated that, I blinked next to Ultron, hand pulled back, glowing with the scarlet light of Hercule''s legacy.


    The energy reinforced my muscles and bones, red veins full of power streaming from my shoulders to the tips of my fingers.


    Whoosh!


    Boom!


    The Building shook as the left portion of the throne room exploded outwards, shockwaves from my unobstructed punch blasting through the concrete and marble.


    "You phased. At the last minute."


    I realized, turning towards Ultron who was holding a sphere of energy within his hands.


    "I was wrong about you"


    He said in a calm tone.


    I could help but notice that his voice had lost the mechanical undercurrent it always carried.


    I was right. This was the real body.


    My attention was pulled to the sphere he was charging. It hummed with energy from the Mind Stone and the Space Stone.


    "This is..."


    A mutter escaped my lips.


    Something about the fusion...


    "Begone. Pest."


    Ultron spoke.


    My vision bloomed with a swirl of bright blue and yellow light.


    And then I was blown out of the Royal Palace, through a factory, lastly bouncing off the side of an Obelisk before falling into the murky river.


    I sank to the bottom, allowing my body to weigh me down as I contemplated how to deal with him.


    The Infinity Stones were the problem here. I also knew how he was powering everything now.


    He was fusing both energy from the mind Stone and the space Stone into Cogni-Energon. Paired up with an energy friendly metal like vibranium and you got supercharged Sentinels and a lot of juice.


    The answer then, is simple. I smiled, my face reflected to me through the shimmering boundary of Psionic Shield.


    Infinity stones or not, I''m still kicking his tin can ass.

 New **GHOST RIDER SELF INSERT FANFIC**

    Title: Time''s Up, Joker.


    Chapter 1: A New Life.


    -0-


    Reincarnation is a real thing.


    I never believed it was possible to be reborn after dying. Especially with your memories intact.


    But it happened to me, soo...I guess anything is possible.


    Here''s the kicker, I wasn''t just given a second chance at life in a normal world. Oh no no no.


    The entity or God responsible for my second life sent me to the crazy world of the DC Universe.


    At first I had no idea where I was. And I didn''t try that hard to find out either. I mean, I was a normal kid with only faint memories of a past life.


    My childhood years were thus spent building sand castles, playing catch with my Dad and basically being a brat. At least in my Parent''s eyes.


    All until a kid named Clark Kent saved our school bus from falling off a bridge.


    That''s when my past life memories decided to pour in. I was 13 at the time.


    The influx of 38 years worth of information was hell. I was hit by migraines almost every day for a full year.


    And occasionally, I would black out at school/home or start mumbling incoherently.


    I think my mind was trying to come to terms with the memories and ended up bloated.


    It got so serious that my parents had to take me to a mental health specialist when I was 14. There, I ended up being diagnosed with split personality disorder.


    15, 16 and 17 were spent popping medication pills and trying to adjust to my new condition.


    Fortunately, I got better. It wasn''t easy, but I followed the instructions given, took my medicine and did everything right.


    By the time I was ready to graduate High School, the memories had settled within me and I no longer got headaches or blackouts. It was a testament that sometimes hardwork pays.


    And with two sets of memories, school was not a problem. I did well on my tests and actually became Valedictorian, surprising many people and making my parents proud.


    Unfortunately, the world was determined to set the scales right. All my success became meaningless when I lost my Mom and Dad to a car crash.


    It was the most unexpected way for them to go.


    I mean, this was a world fraught with danger. Whether it was from supervillains, demons, aliens...it felt underwhelming and cheap for them to die in a car crash.


    I even tried to investigate, hoping to find something that would give my loss a meaning. Some villain to blame.


    But it turned out to be the wet road, which caused a truck to lose control and slam into their car.


    I couldn''t even direct my anger to the driver as he had died too, thrown out of the window by the impact. His only mistep being the failure to wear a seat belt.


    A lot of people showed up for the funeral. My parents were well known and loved by many. Smallville was a small place so everyone knew almost everyone else.


    Even the Kents showed up. Jonathan Kent gave his heartfelt condolences with his wife Martha. Clark looked apologetic and understanding. It felt like he could relate.


    But once everyone was gone, I realized how truly alone I was. The house felt unbearable.


    For 18 years, Travis and Angela Hawthorn had been my rock. My shield. They had protected me, cared for me and I had truly come to love and respect them as my parents. But now they were gone and I was confused at what to do.


    That night I cried myself to sleep. When I woke up the following day, I had made a decision.


    I would rent out our ranch and move.


    Selling it was out of the option.


    Even if it meant I would only receive a small sum of money every month, 1000-1500 dollars to be exact, I couldn''t let go of the memories we had created in our modest home.


    Modest was a stretch however, seeing as the entire land was about 90 acres.


    There was a substantial tax on a ranch that big, otherwise I would have received a lot more money. According to Jonathan Kent at least.


    He was the one who helped me finalize the deal, and I appointed him as overseer before packing up my stuff, loading it on the Pick up truck Dad had got me for my 18th birthday, and left Smallville, Kansas.


    My name is Michael Hawthorn, and this is the story of my not-so-normal life in DC. The only thing I can say, is I wish I''d been better prepared.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    -10 years later-


    The day had been long, filled with meetings, deadlines, and the usual hustle of the office.


    But as I turned the key in the lock and stepped into our home, a wave of warmth washed over me.


    The scent of dinner wafted through the air, and the sound of little feet pattering towards me made my heart swell with joy.


    "Daddy!"


    My five-year-old daughter, Emily, bounded towards me, her face lighting up the room with her radiant smile.


    She wrapped her tiny arms around my legs, hugging me tightly.


    "Hey there, my little artist,"


    I said, ruffling her hair as I bent down to her level.


    "What have you been up to today?"


    Her eyes sparkled with excitement as she held up a piece of paper.


    "Look, Daddy! I drew a picture of our family!"


    I took the drawing from her hands and admired her work. There we were, stick figures with big smiles, standing in front of a house with a sun shining brightly overhead.


    Emily had drawn herself in the middle, holding hands with me and her mom.


    "It''s beautiful, Emily."


    I said, genuinely impressed by her creativity.


    "You''re getting better every day."


    She beamed with pride and took my hand, leading me to the kitchen where my wife, Sarah, was setting the table for dinner.


    Sarah turned and smiled warmly at me, her eyes reflecting the same love and happiness that I felt.


    "Dinner''s almost ready."


    she told me, planting a quick kiss on my cheek.


    "How was your day?"


    "Long," I admitted, "but it''s so good to be home."


    We sat down to eat, and the evening passed in a blur of laughter and conversation.


    Emily chattered away, telling us about her day at preschool and all the new things she had learned.


    After dinner, we put her to bed. I read her a story, and Sarah sang her a lullaby. As we stood by her bedside, watching her drift off to sleep, I felt a deep sense of contentment. In my past life, I''d been alone. I was glad this one was different.


    Sarah took my hand and led me to our bedroom. She could always tell when I was tired, and tonight was no exception.


    There had been a shipment coming in and one of the guys messed up the numbers. Mr. Fox, who was my boss at Wayne Industries where I worked, was NOT happy. We had to stay late to work out the issue.


    "You look exhausted."


    Sarah said softly, her eyes filled with concern.


    "Come to bed, love."


    I nodded, too weary to argue. As we lay down, she snuggled close to me, her warmth and presence soothing my tired soul.


    "I''m so lucky to have you." I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face.


    "And I''m lucky to have you." Came the reply, her voice filled with love.


    We lay there in the quiet, the only sound being her gentle moans as we made love.


    Despite the exhaustion, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and gratitude.


    In that moment, I knew that no matter how tough the days could be, coming home to my beautiful wife and precious daughter made everything worthwhile.


    I drifted off to sleep, holding onto the image of Emily''s drawing.


    -0-


    Late in the night, I jolted awake, my head pounding and my vision blurry.


    I found myself sitting in a chair in the living room, arms painfully bound behind my back.


    Panic surged through me as I tried to move, only to find that my wrists were tightly tied. The warm comfort of my wife''s body was replaced by a chilling dread.


    "Sarah?"


    I called out, my voice cracking with fear.


    My heart stopped when I saw her across the room, tied to a chair just like me.


    Her eyes were wide with terror, and she was struggling against her bonds.


    "Michael!"


    she cried, her voice trembling. "Where''s Emily? Have you seen Emily?"


    My blood ran cold. Emily. Where was Emily?


    "Good evening, folks!"


    A voice, dripping with madness and malevolence, echoed through the room.


    I turned my head, and my heart sank into an abyss of despair. No. Not us. Oh God. Why...what''s he doing here!!??!


    The Joker, with his grotesque smile and twisted eyes, stood in the doorway, holding a small, struggling figure. My daughter.


    "Emily!"


    I screamed, straining against my bindings.


    "Let her go, you monster!"


    The Joker cackled, the sound filling the room with an eerie resonance.


    He held Emily up by the scruff of her dress, her tiny feet kicking desperately in the air.


    "Oh, don''t worry, Daddy. We''re just going to have a little fun."


    he sneered, his eyes gleaming with insanity.


    I wanted to kill him. How dare he?!!


    "Please, no! Let her go!"


    Sarah begged, tears streaming down her face.


    "Please, she''s just a child!"


    The Joker ignored her, his focus entirely on me and the hateful glare I was sending him.


    Unfazed, he took out a knife and brought it close to Emily''s face, making her cry out in fear.


    Seeing her like that broke something in me. I cursed myself for being weak. What was I thinking, this was DC!


    "Stop! Please, I''ll do anything!"


    I shouted, my voice breaking with desperation.


    "Anything?"


    The Joker''s smile widened. "Now, that''s what I like to hear."


    He placed Emily on the floor and walked over to me, the knife glinting in his hand. He crouched down, his face inches from mine. The stench of his breath made me gag, but I couldn''t look away from those crazed eyes.


    "You see, Daddy, it''s all a game," he whispered.


    "And I''m going to make sure you never forget it."


    He turned and walked back to Emily, who was now huddled in a corner, sobbing. He raised the knife, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.


    "No! Please, no!"


    I screamed, my voice raw with agony.


    With a swift motion, the Joker brought the knife down. Emily''s scream pierced the night, and everything went black.


    --


    I woke up with a start, drenched in sweat, my heart hammering in my chest.


    I was back in our bed, the room dark and silent. Reaching out, I felt Sarah beside me, her steady breathing a soothing reminder of reality, beautiful blonde hair sprayed out on the pillow.


    "Sarah,"


    I whispered, my voice shaking.


    "It was just a dream... just a nightmare."


    She stirred and turned towards me, concern etched on her face.


    "Michael, what''s wrong?"


    "I... I had a nightmare,"


    I said, my voice barely audible.


    "It was so real..."


    She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close.


    "It''s okay, love. It was just a dream. We''re safe."


    I melted into her embrace, my heart rate calming down. And as she held me I felt her giggling softly.


    The sound grew louder and more manic.


    My heart sank as I pulled away and saw her face, twisted into a grotesque grin, her eyes wide with terror.


    "No... no, no, no..."


    I stammered, realizing the nightmare was far from over.


    The laughter echoed around the room, and I saw her eyes rolling back.


    "Sarah, what''s happening to you?"


    I begged, but she continued to laugh uncontrollably.


    Suddenly, the darkness of the room shattered and I found myself back in the chair, my body aching and bloody from a brutal beating.


    An...an hallucination...


    I had briefly passed out from the pain of having my shins and hands broken by a bat. One of my eyes was shut and everything was painted red under the other one.


    Sarah was still in her chair, her hands broken from struggling against her bindings, frothing at the mouth, her laughter a symphony of horror.


    "Welcome back, sleepyhead."


    the Joker''s voice cut through the haze. He stood there with Harley Quinn, who was holding a crying Emily. She must have been so terrified.


    My heart shattered as I realized this could be it for us. This was Joker. Maybe if I beg hard enough...he''ll let them go. Or at least Emily.


    "Please."


    I whispered through bloodied and bursted lips, my voice barely audible.


    "Please, let them go."


    The Joker threw his head back and laughed.


    "Let them go? Oh, Daddy, you''re killing me!"


    "Why are you doing this?"


    I sobbed. "Is it because I work at Wayne Industries?"


    The Joker and Harley looked at each other and burst into hysterical laughter.


    "Wayne Industries? We didn''t even know you worked there! Isn''t that a riot?"


    the Joker cackled.


    One of the three goons in the corner hesitated, then spoke up,


    "Boss, I hear sirens..."


    The Joker spun around, pulled out a golden gun and shot him point-blank.


    "Don''t interrupt me when I''m having fun!"


    He turned back to Harley.


    "Come on, let''s bail and find Scarecrow. He promised this mix of Joker venom and his toxin would make someone laugh in terror until their heart exploded, but the wife seems to have gone mad instead."


    Harley looked at Emily.


    "What about the little one?"


    The Joker''s smile widened.


    "Let her go."


    Harley did so.


    Emily ran to me, crying,


    "Daddy, Daddy!"


    "Thank you, thank you,"


    I sobbed over her shoulder, as she hugged my bloodied form.


    "Thank you for sparing their lives."


    The Joker paused at the door.


    "You''re welcome. Oh, and I forgot to mention, what does a rabid dog do?"


    He shot at Sarah''s cuffs, releasing her.


    Sarah''s laughter stopped. She began growling, her eyes wild and feral as she looked our way, sights lingering on Emily.


    I didn''t see anything that remained of my wife in those eyes. My heart sped up in fear as I realized, the Joker hadn''t spared us.


    "Emily, run!"


    I shouted.


    "Lock yourself in your room and don''t open it!"


    Emily obeyed, running up the stairs, but Sarah cleared the distance quicker, grabbing our daughter''s leg and throwing her back down.


    "No! Sarah, stop!"


    I screamed myself hoarse, trying to move. The chair tipped over and I fell to the floor.


    Sarah didn''t even spare a look my way as she lunged at Emily, her eyes empty and soulless.


    As I watched, helpless and broken, my wife, under the influence of the Joker''s enhanced venom, began to devour our daughter.


    "NOOOO!!"


    I screamed and cried, lunging against my restraints, but there was nothing I could do. My world shattered as I lost everything I held dear.

 2025s Awesome Deal.

    Happy New Year!!


    2025''s Here baby! And boy do we have a lot planned.


    We start off this new year with a gift, Join my P@treon for a 60% Discount on membership for all tiers. That means 1 dollar for a full month''s access, or 10 dollars for an ENTIRE year''s access. That means EARLY and EXCLUSIVE ACCESS to EVERYTHING.


    Just follow the link, [email protected]</a>/Saintbarbido


    The offer ends at 6 am tomorrow.


    Check out the story below, while waiting for Jon Kent''s Update:-


    Yamamoto Template: Marvel Edition.


    A/N: This is a Commissioned chapter.


    Chapter 1: Meat Grilling in Jotunheim.


    -Jotunheim-


    The Nine realms were planes of existences located in the branches of Yggdrasil, the Sacred tree of Life and Death.


    Of these realms, Jotunheim was special. A plane of desolate cold and icy wind, normal life would struggle to survive even a minute there.


    But for the Frost Giants, Jotunheim was home.


    -King Laufey''s Palace-


    The king of The Frost Giants, Laufey, yawned as he tried to remain awake during the court meeting.


    "...annual price of Elven Turnips from Alfheim is up by 0.1%, the Dwarves have sent a complaint involving an invoice for the shipment of warhammers, Asgardian delegates request an audience regarding an unprovoked attack..."


    "Never."


    Laufey said icily, his red eyes glowing with hatred.


    "Odin''s ilk will only step inside my Palace over my cold dead carcass."


    "Moving on."


    The Royal Chancellor cleared his throat, about to continue when, a strange scent reached Laufey''s nose. He instantly sat up.


    "What is that smell?"


    The King''s voice boomed across the throne room.


    Sniffing the air, he turned his head to the direction of his 4 Royal guards. Behind the queen''s throne, one of them was acting suspiciously- his face red despite his bluish skin, and his cheeks stuffed.


    "Is that you Jeffery? What are you hiding behind your back? Show me your hands."


    King Laufey commanded.


    Jeffery, looking hesitant at first, brought his hands forward, revealing a slightly sizzling chunk of meat with a large bite on it. The meat visibly dripped with oil, producing a delicious smell that instantly filled the chamber.


    A chorus of gulps could be heard across the room.


    "What''s that?"


    King Laufey asked, eyes focused on the chunk of roasted meat, trying and failing to hide his dripping saliva.


    ''It looks and smells better than what the Palace chefs produce...''


    "Me lunch Sire."


    Jeffery answered, grip tightening on the bone as he held the meat close to him. It was hard to miss the King''s hungry stare.


    "I forgot me packed lunch at home, so I got this from the new grill stall outside the city."


    Jeffery figured telling them where he got the meat would dissuade anyone wanting a piece.


    Instantly, murmurs begun to rise out of the Royal courtiers,


    ''Grill stall?''


    ''First time I''m hearing about it...''


    ''I''ve heard rumors from the common Frost folk...


    ''Outside the city he says?, perhaps I''ll check it out after this boring meeting is over...''


    "Silence!"


    King Laufey declared, and the whole chamber went quiet.


    "The Queen shall take over proceedings. In the meantime, Jeffery will lead me to this, ''grill stall'' where I will personally investigate the...eh security risk. It could be an invasion plan from those Asgardians."


    Only a fool couldn''t read between the lines and see the words for what they were: an excuse. But only a bigger fool would call out the king for it.


    They saluted him as he left the throne room, his guards walking behind.


    Once outside, Laufey turned to Jeffery who was halfway about to bite off a chunk.


    "Oh and Jeffery, you shall hand over the meat as evidence."


    -0-


    The true nature of Ygdrassil is open to interpretation. But as such concepts are rooted in belief, if the vast majority call it a Tree, then it was in essence, a Tree.


    And naturally, a tree is home to many wild critters such as squirrels and birds. Thus the same held true for Ygdrassil.


    -0-


    A giant squirrel the size of a cow, scurried across the rib cage of a massive skeleton belonging to a Frost Behemoth.


    This giant squirrel was known as a Ratatoskr, a species of rodents that made Ygdrassil their home. They could traverse through the branches, jumping from one Realm to another with ease.


    Right now, Ratatoskr was sniffing the air, following the delicious smell of roasting meat it had caught a wiff of, to a makeshift shack below the Frost Behemoth''s skeleton.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    It stopped, a strange tune reaching its ears. Focusing it''s sights on the direction of the shack, it''s eyes fell on a tall black man standing outside infront of what looked like a kiln.


    The man was shirtless, showing off a shredded physique. His hair was completely silver in color, tied up in a single knot at the back of his head. And his chin was covered in a fuzzy beard ending with three braids.


    Folded around his waist, was a white haori which reached his knees. And below, he wore fuzzy boots secured to his feet and shins by a dull red string that gave off a bloody smell.


    Lastly, his hands held a long brown stick, with which he was stocking the coals within the Kiln while whistling.


    The coals were made of bone. Jotunheim lacked any sort of vegetation you see. Nothing could grow on the rocky valleys and high barren plateaus. It truly was a wasteland, populated by predators that preyed on each other for food.


    ''Mmmh, the stones have melted by now.''


    Ziker thought, opening the top of the kiln to reveal a thick Stone pot containing glowing molten rock.


    Unafraid of the heat, Ziker grabbed the large pot wider than his shoulders and easily set it on the ground.


    ''I still haven''t gotten used to this.''


    He thought, staring at his palms.


    The heat of the stone pot should have melted the skin off a normal human''s bones. But he was no longer normal.


    No, Ziker was something else. A Soul Reaper. And not just any Soul Reaper. The walking stick on the ground jumped to his hand at his urging.


    He held all the Powers and knowledge of The Captain Commander of the Gotei 13, Yamamoto Genryusai.


    And the walking stick in his hand, was actually Ryujin Jakka, the Zanpakuto of one of, if not the Strongest Soul Reaper in the Bleach World.


    With a thought, his immense Reiatsu rippled out, spreading across more than a kilometer before stopping. And that wasn''t even his limit, he could go further but didn''t see the need to.


    -0-


    A few hundred meters from Ziker, King Laufey and his group instantly found themselves on their knees. The sensation was akin to the weight of entire worlds pressing down on their shoulders.


    Laufey''s head trembled as he tried to lift it and failed. Right as they were about to pass out and possibly die, the weight suddenly disappeared.


    Breathing heavily, with terror in his eyes, Laufey looked to the front, at the direction of a Frost Behemoth Skeleton.


    ''W-what was that? Not even Odin has ever given off s-such a presence.''


    Past said Skeleton, in the direction opposite Laufey''s group, Ziker''s explosion of Reiatsu had not got unnoticed by another set of individuals.


    "B-brother...we should t-turn back..."


    Loki said in a strained voice, stumbling to his feet.


    He, Thor and the Warriors Four had just arrived in Jotunheim a few seconds prior. Their intention was to investigate how a few Frost Giants were able to sneak past Heimdall and infiltrate Asgard.


    Thor led the charge, giving them full confidence as they arrived in Laufey''s domain by way of the Bifrost.


    But that confidence had been shattered by the unexpected presence that had overwhelmed their souls.


    "L-Loki is right, my Prince."


    Fandral echoed, looking shaken as he leaned on Volstagg.


    "Coming to Jotunheim was a bad idea in the first place. W- we could start a-"


    "Silence."


    Thor cut him off, hand tightened around his Hammer.


    "No son of Odin would be cowered by simple trickery."


    He turned around and stared at his companions.


    "Laufey is aware of our presence and seeks to scare us back to Asgard. I shall not be swayed until he gives me a proper answer. We continue."


    With that, he started walking forward, leaving the other 4 to look on.


    "This is reckless."


    Loki told the rest.


    "We should head back while we still have a chance. With or without Thor."


    The Warriors 3 shared looks with conflicted expressions. That heavy presence had left them utterly terrified.


    Without a word, Sif got off the rock she was sitting on, adjusting her sword before following after Thor.


    The Warriors 3 did the same, passing by Loki. The latter gave an exasperated sigh and joined them.


    "Don''t blame me if we all horribly die."


    -0-


    ''Wheew, the cooking grate came out alright.''


    Ziker thought, setting up the metal grill he had forged with his bare hands.


    First he melted some heavy stones, then using Yamamoto''s knowledge Spells, he extracted the iron particulates from the molten solution with a (Bakudo 72: Expulsion), a kido spell that could expel energy. It was mostly used to cleanse an area affected by a Hollow''s presence.


    There were no hollows in Jotunheim though, and Ziker was yet to see a soul in need of his Soul Reaper services, so the high level Bakudo 72 found itself used in such a way.


    "Hadou 4. Byakurai."


    Ziker chanted in a deep voice.


    A blue spark launched off the tip of his Cane, hitting the dry bones on the grill, creating a fire. With a wave of his hand, a burst of air blew out the flame, leaving behind glowing coals.


    ''Now I just need to go out and hunt before the morning rush swamps me...''


    The thought passed through his mind, as his focus shifted to his back.


    Hung above the entrance of his shack was a dead Ratatoskr, skinned and disected- ready to be grilled. This thing had been lying in wait to attack him but his Reiatsu had killed it.


    ''I doubt it will be enough to feed those hungry Frost Giants.''


    Ziker rubbed his beard.


    With a thought, a strange game like panel appeared in midair. He was the only one who could see it.


    ::---------------------------------::


    (Mission System: Marvel Edition)


    Active Mission:- Open up a grill stall and serve 5000 Frost Giants. These guys are terrible cooks, give them a taste of Roast Heaven.


    4821/5000 Frost Giants served.


    Reward: Portal to Earth.


    ::--------------------------------::


    "Things would be much easier if I didn''t have to worry about these strange missions."


    He mused.


    Fortunately, he was 179 happy customers away from completing the mission and leaving this godforsaken Wasteland.


    "Better get to it."


    He muttered, securing the Captain''s Haori onto his body. In its Cane form, Ryujin Jakka had no belt to strap a sheath on, so he slung it over his shoulder and walked out.


    Unbeknownst to Ziker, the two groups affected by his monstrous presence, had ignored their soul''s yearning for self preservation and made it all the way to the front of the Frost Behemoth''s Ribs. Basically, the gate.


    As a result, the Frost Giants and Asgardians, bitter enemies, run into each other. Tensions instantly begun rising.


    "So, the sons of Odin dare to tread upon my land once more."


    came the booming voice of Laufey. He stood flanked by ten of his personal guards, each as imposing and menacing as the king himself.


    Thor stepped forward, Mjolnir in hand, and a smirk on his lips. "Laufey, still skulking in the shadows of your own realm, I see. We come in peace, but I wouldn''t expect you to understand such things."


    Laufey''s eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling in his chest.


    "The presence of Asgardians on Jotunheim soil is an act of war."


    Thor laughed, the sound echoing off the icy cliffs.


    "War? You speak of war when it was your own people who started this. Coward! You send your lackeys to Asgard to do what you fear to do yourself!"


    "Careful...brother..."


    Loki whispered to Thor.


    Ice begun to gather in the Frost Giant''s hand, creating blades.


    Sif pulled out her sword halfway,


    "We are not here to fight, but we will defend ourselves if necessary."


    She warned, sensing the hostility.


    At that, Thor''s tone turned mocking,


    "Defend ourselves? Laufey, your realm is as cold and lifeless as your heart. I could melt it all away with a single stroke of Mjolnir."


    "I see. Death it is."


    Laufey responded, the two glaring at one another.


    Just as Laufey raised his hand to signal an attack, a strange, unexpected movement caught everyone''s attention.


    From the ribcage of the Frost Behemoth skeleton beside them, a man emerged, casually brushing off the frost from his clothes.


    He swept his gaze out at the two groups, judged the situation and held up a hand, signaling for attention,


    "Don''t mind me, just passing through. Hey Jeff."


    The absurdity of the situation left both sides momentarily stunned. One of the frost giants, a massive figure known as Jeffery, waved back,


    "Hey Ziker, off to a hunt? Good luck. Oh and check out the Eastside today, there might be a herd of¡ª"


    "Quiet!"


    Laufey roared, his rage directed at Jeffery. The latter cowered, admonished.


    "And you, human, you are going nowhere. I have had enough of trespassers! You and the Asgardians will die here, so says Laufey, King of Jotunheim."


    Ziker stopped and turned to Laufey, his expression unbothered.


    "King Laufey, right? Look, I don''t have time for this. Just passing through."


    Laufey''s eyes blazed with anger, but before he could respond, Thor stepped forward, Mjolnir in hand, and lightning crackled around him.


    "Stand down, Laufey. This conflict is between us."


    The air grew colder, the tension thickening as Laufey''s guards readied their weapons.


    Ziker could have walked away. Should have walked away. However,


    ::---------------------------------::


    (Emergency Mission issued!)


    -Beat Up both groups and send an invoice to Odin for Disciplining his son for him.


    Reward: Ryujin Jakka''s Shikai form.


    ::--------------------------------::


    Well, they were about to fight in front of his stall and that was bad for business. Surely removing them by force wasn''t too excessive, right?


    Plus, the Reward was too important to ignore. While he had all of Yamamoto''s powers, that was with the exception of two things- Ryujin Jakka''s Shikai and Bankai.

 Royal Road Ban

    If you''re wondering why I''m no longer active on RoyalRoadl, it''s completely my fault.


    RoyalRoadl has strict rules when it comes to Lemon/Smut. Son of the Savage unfortunately had one which got me banned from even uploading my new fics here, which include:-


    -A GhostRider Self Insert in DC(29 chapters)(real Title- Times Up, Joker) Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    -Son of the Savage(62 chapters)(They removed it from the site)


    -Jon Kent SI: Made of Steel(35 chapters)


    -Hercules'' Demi-god Twin(16 chapters)


    -James Bond in WW2(MCU X DC Crossover) (14 chapters)


    -Anodite Magic in Percy Jackson(15 chapters)


    -*New* Killing Batman(1 chapter)


    Check out all these works on my Patreon.com/Saintbarbido or Scribblehub under the same name.


    To commission a Fanfic/Original Idea, contact me on Patreon or here. The rates are:-


    100 chapters:- 250


    50 chapters:-150


    10-20 chapters:-75