Embers of the Phoenix Part 3

The Milano pulled out of the Yggdrasil hyperlane and there before us in all its glory was the flat land suspended in space, Asgard.

"Dude," Quill spoke up in awe, "you never told me you knew the road to heaven."

"Close enough," I sighed, rubbing my hands, "open all channels and send this message, we are the Avengers and we are here to seek an audience with Thor, Prince of Asgard. If he is not available, then his mother, Sif or any of the Warrior's Three will do."

"Alright," Quill nodded, doing just that.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Felicia asked as she and Wanda stood by my side, "you remember how he acted last time we were here right? Hell, to just get access to a bunch of books he made you beg."

I nodded, "I know...but this time it will be serving his own self interest. And if Odin doesn't than at least Thor would be willing to help...I think."

"Still, it's doing much better than the last time we were here," Wanda replied as we looked out the majestic golden city. Though the palace and the surrounding areas still looked to be under construction, the rest of the city seemed to already be back on its feet.

"What happened last time you were here?" Scott asked.

"There was a fire giant leveling the city and threatening to destroy everything," Felicia replied.

"Oh..."

"We're being hailed," Quill spoke up, "they gave us a place to dock and...apparently someone will be there to escort us."

"That's fine," I nodded, turning to the people in the ship. I had half of them back to base to bring the entire weight of our armada behind us when we go after Angela. Bill and Carol volentured, which left me with Johnny, Felicia, Wanda, Logan, Scott and the Guardians, save Gamora who took Nebula back to Archno.

We landed in Asgard and stepped out, only to be greeted by a swarm of people all cheering at our arrival.

"Hail to the Spider!"

"Hail to the friends of the Phoenix!"

"Asgaurd welcomes you all!" another cried out as we were quickly swarmed with smiling and graft faces.

"Dude, this is awesome!" Quill grinned as a few lovely ladies winked at him.

"Didn't realise we were this liked," Felicia whispered as we struggled to make our way through the crowd of people.

"Indeed you are!" came a loud and booming voice. I looked up and smiled, Thor came flying down, the crowd made space and the crown prince landed, a smile on his face, "Peter! Felicia! Wanda! My friends! It is good to see you all again!"

"It is good to see you again as well Thor," I smiled, sharing a hug with the god.

"My ladies," the bowed, kissing the back of Felicia's and Wanda's hands, "your beauty grows everyday."

"Charmer isn't he?" Rocket snorted.

Thor's head came up suddenly as he blinked at the sight of Rocket. "Peter..." he said softly, "I don't mean to alarm you, but there is a rabbit standing behind you with a very large weapon."

"Excuse me?!" Rocket growled.

"I am Groot," said Groot.

"No that wasn't a compliment!"

"That's Rocket, he's a friend," I smiled, stepping aside to show others, "actually, since we last met, I've made quite a few friends."

"I can see," Thor hummed, "we shall need time to get properly acquainted."

"Maybe some other time...because right now, we have a situation," I said, my light hearted tone giving way to a serious stare, "I need to speak with your father, at once."

Thor looked worried, "may I ask why? Has something happened?"

"Yes...but I think it would be best if I only explain this once as I think it will be Odin himself who can explain this to us as I still have many...many questions."

Thor nodded, quickly waiting for a flying ship for us. We exchange greetings with the people before stepping onto the boat. It took us across the city, much to the awe of those looking upon Asgard for the first time.

Quill was practically drooling at the ladies, Rocket was already scheming on how to steal some gold, Groot was groot, Drax looked like he was still recovering from his hangover and Johnny...well, he was complaining about how slow the boat was.

We landed in the slowly reforming castle ground, while the castle was gone, they had already laid down the foundation as once more the castle garden was planted and the soldiers trained in the yard.

I spotted Sif with a few others by one side, she seemed annoyed. I ignored her and followed Thor into the heart of the castle, where Odin himself was in waiting, with Frigga by his side, sitting on a replica of his throne in a hall that had no roof, but was bathed in sunlight and filled with soldiers.

"Father," Thor stopped before the man and bowed, an action I copied. I looked back to find Wanda and Felicia mimicking me, but Logan and the guardians were stiff as boards. I hissed at them and with the role of the eyes they all bowed, except Groot, who seemed preoccupied with a potted plant to the corner of the room to pay any attention.

"Rise," Odin commanded. When we stood up straight he eyed me with his one blue orb, "Spider, once again your shadow passes through my halls. Last time your arrival marked Ragnarok. I can only imagine what will happen this time."

"Dude, you caused the end of the world?" Quill hissed.

"No….yes….no..." I shook my head, "look, that's not important. Allfather, I come before you this time to ask for you help."

"Oh? Help?" Odin looked amused, "and pray tell, what help do you require?"

"A woman," I began, "she has been taken by the Shi'ar Empire to be killed just for the crime of her birth. We don't have the resources to rescue her alone...I was hoping you would be willing to help."

Odin snorted, "and why would I do that?"

"Because the girl is your daughter."

Odin immediately stand up straight, his wife's eyes grew wide in horror. Even Thor's attention was peaked as worry overcame him.

"Hela is free?" Odin asked, "that's impossible."

"No, not Hela," I shook my head, "your other daughter...the one you had with the Phoenix."

Odin's one eyes went wide, "that's impossible."

I took out my SA and pulled up the photo I took with Angela. Her confused a dazed look and my carefree smile, holding up my cup of ale, "does she look impossible?"

Odin practically jumped out of her throne. His eyes wide in horror, "no...how can...how did she. She was supposed to be dead?"

"Is that what the angels told you?" I asked, gaining his eye, "did they say they killed her? No, she doesn't know the truth, but I figured it out. They lied...to you, to her. She was raised an orphan, unaware of her true parentage. But you tell me...does she resemble the Phoenix you loved?"

Odin was still, his hands shaking, his eyes tearing up. He blinked away the water and turned, walking away without a second to explain himself, not that he needed too. The Allfather was hurting, like any father would.

I put the SA away and turned to Frigga, "I am sorry...but I thought he should know."

Frigga sighed, "again you come to bring out our secrets, again..."

"Mother, what is going on?" Thor stepped forward, "did you lie to me? Again?!"

"Thor-"

"-After the last time I thought I proved myself worthy?! Why didn't you tell me about this?! How many more sisters do I have?! A hundred?! A thousand?!"

"Mind your tongue!" Frigga cried, the fury upon her face reminding everyone in this room that while she was a kind woman, there was a reason Odin held her in such high regard.

"You speak of things you don't know Thor," Frigga hissed, "your father...you and him are more alike than you think. He fell in love, much like how you love you Foster. Before he and I were wed they had a child...a child the woman left when she departed for the cosmos, leaving Odin broken and a motherless daughter.

"I raised her," Frigga stood up, "I bathed her. I feed her...and then...during the war with Heaven I….she….she was taken...and killed. Or so we were told."

"Peter," Thor turned to me, "how did you find her?"

"With this," I held out the Phoenix Tracker, "it searched for energy signatures that matches the Phoenix's. I was hoping it would lead me to Jean, but instead it led to me to a child of a previous Phoenix host. It took me a while to put things into perspective but...yeah, I figured it out."

"What was her name?" Thor asked his mother.

"Aldrif," Frigga replied, "we named her Aldrif."

"She goes by Angela now," I replied, "that's what the angel's named her."

"She is not Angela," Frigga snapped back, "her name is Aldrif, she is the first born of Odin...his first daughter. My...my first child."

"I can't believe this," Thor hissed in rage, "you kept this from me...again. I..." he turned and walked away.

Frigga turned to me, her glare hot, "you said the Shi'ar Empire has her?"

I nodded, "yes...she gave herself up voleturealy when they threatened to exterminate a planet which she had saved."

"They're hatred of the Phoenix is well known," the goddess clicked her teeth, "do you know where they are?"

I held up the Phoenix tracker, a map of the universe came up before us. I programmed it to track Angela's familiar signature, following it an empty part of space which, according to the map, literally nothing existed for around three million light years.

I narrowed my eyes as Frigga walked down from the throne, "that is the middle of nowhere. Are you sure your device is not faulty?"

"The Shi'ar don't have this advanced a system and they don't know I have it either, so there is no chance of them finding a way to trick this system. So no, I don't think this is wrong."

"I see," she nodded, "very well...I will speak to my husband...you will speak to my son. But with or without them, the armies of Asgard will depart by tonight's sunset. Gaurd," she pointed to the one cloest to the throne, "guide the Spider and his team. Keep them in your sight"

I bowed as the Queen of Asgard as she departed from the throne room. I turned to m friends and sighed, "I need to talk to Thor, until then you all should look around. There's a lot to do here."

Logan rolled his eyes. I smiled, "Logan," the man raised an eyebrow, "they have liquor stronger than the dwarves."

"You," he growled at the guard, "bar. Now."

"Ah, at once," the man nodded, guiding my team away. I kissed Felicia goodbye, promising to meet later, Wanda nodded, though her glare on my kiss seemed to flash annoyance.

I sighed, I really can't deal with this right now. Romance, it seemed, was as difficult for me as the real Peter Parker.

I walked to the courtyard, spotting Sif, who was leaning by the training yard boundary. "Lady Sif," I called out.

She looked over, surprised, "Spider? What are you doing here?"

"It's...complicated," I sighed, "have you seen Thor?"

Sif pointed to a large spiraling tower, at the top of which I saw the flutter of a red cape, "he's there, visiting his beloved."

I heard and smelt her contempt and tried my best to ignore it, "Jane is still here?"

"Yes, she is living on Asgard, studying with the technology bureau," Sif replied with a sigh, gathering her sword and shield, "if that's all Spider, I have duties to attend to."

I nodded, I knew I should talk to her but she was a near immortal being with a couple of years of maturity over me, I'm sure she can figure this out on her own. I took off into the air and flew over to the spiraling tower, coming upon a garden on the roof where several people were working on what looked to be a giant golden and bronze telescope.

Thor was there, whispering to Jane, who looked worried at the god's words. I slowly landed by the bushes, calling out "Thor."

He turned, irritation clear on his face, "I do not wish to speak to you Peter."

"I know, but Thor-"

"-Not now!" Thor cried, lightning coursing around his hammer. Jane's hands curled around his own and almost if by magic, the lightning dissipated. Thor took a deep breath and let it out. "I know you mean well Peter...but I just need to think. My parents lied to me, the people I trusted lied to me… I need time to think."

Thoughts of my own trickery of the Reality stone surfaced, but I ignored them. I didn't have time to deal with guilt right now.

I sighed, nodding, "I understand Thor...but right now, halfway across the galaxy, your sister, your flesh and blood is suffering and you can't be...split. Damn your parents, they kept this from you and I can't even think of defending them. But...but...your sister is innocent in all this. And she could use her little brother's help right now."

Thor looked sullen, his head hanging before he closed his eyes and growled, "damn you Spider. Damn you and your tricky words...of course I'll help. She is my sister and even then, it's you asking this favour, how would I not?"

I felt guilt and pride filled my heart. I knew I couldn't stay in the presence of God with a golden heart any longer with the guilt actually assaulting my health.

"We leave at sunset," I informed him, levitating into the air, "I'll see you then. It's nice to see you again Dr. Foster, how are things home?"

Jane shrugged, "don't know, haven't been there in some time so..."

I shrugged, "no lose. I know how amazing the galaxy is, you don't want to leave after seeing what wonders it can hold."

I turned and left, closing my eyes to activate Web Vision to track Wanda's strong magical signature. I found them at the mead hall and quickly landed. I prayed that nothing had happened, but then again I had just left them for a few moments. How much damage could they really cause?

I pushed open the door just in time to see Groot toss a giant table over, "I. AM. GROOT!"

"More mead!"

"I will drink everyone one of you gods under the table!"

"Dude! You just recovered from a hangover!"

"Oh, hey Tiger," Felicia waved holding a fork of meat, "you're just in time."

A chair flew over my head. I sighed, what the living fuck.

Sunset:

I held up the communicator on the Milano and activated it. Immediately a holographic image of Carol came up, the woman greeted me with a node, "hey, what's cooking?"

I raised an eyebrow, "god, when did you grow up, the eighties?"

"Ah...yeah?"

"Right, forgot about that," I chuckled, "anyway…how is everyone?"

"Honestly? Everyone's ready for a fight," Carol clicked her teeth, "once they heard we might be hitting the Shi'ar...well, everyone was on board. We have all available ships on standby waiting for your call."

I hummed, "I don't think...I don't think that will be needed."

Carol raised an eyebrow, "meaning?"

"Meaning… I don't want the Avenger's name associated with an attack on the Shi'ar Empire. It would break the fragile truce we have with them. No… such a direct attack will make us targets, it's better to have the Asgardians handle it."

"Right, your god buddies," she rolled her eyes.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

"Nope."

"Hey, he isn't a god...he's like a god."

"Sure...anyway, if you don't want us to fight them directly then...what's the plan?"

I smirked, "a diplomatic mission… Minster Dorik, you still have him secure right?"

"Yes, and?"

"Contact the Shi'ar Empire, arrange for a trade of hostages. Tell them we want to exchange Dorik and the General for Angela."

"You know they will never go for it, right?"

"I know… but it will be a distraction. I want you to lead the negotiations, if I'm right, some high up official will be in contact with you and everyone will be focused on you. While you do that, send the fleet to Dirj."

Carol's eyes widened, "what, why?"

"To make it seem like we are going to annex their borders," I replied with a smile, "it will be a stand off, a move the Shi'ar empire will believe is our true objective and your negotiations a distractions. When in actuality..."

"It's to buy time for you and the Asgardians...a distraction within a distraction," Carol replied slowly.

"And if they question our involvement with Dirk, just tell them we were on our way to offer Queen Nyxa our aid in restoring her people's culture...which I'm sure she would be more than happy to accept."

Carol bit her teeth, "this is a risky move… what if the Shi'ar don't want Dorik back?"

"Maybe...but I'm willing to bet the prideful bastards would at least put up a front to show that they value their people's, if not for Dorik's sake then to make sure their other allies don't grow weary at their dismissive attitude."

"It's a gamble."

"It's a strategy… do it," I replied, my eyes narrowed, "and no matter what, do n't engage with the enemy. We are trying to distract them, not start a war."

Carol sighed, "fine… but if this blows up in our face, I get to say I told you so," she dismissed the message and I sighed, rolling my shoulders. I walked out of the ship, just in time to see my crew come up, each of them looking ready for one hell of a fight.

We walked back to the throne room in the royal palace, and there, almost like he had never left, was Odin. He sat on his throne with his wife by his side and Thor by the steps. The army generals of Asgard laid by his side, Sif and the Warrior's Three were armoured and ready as well. Fandral winked at Felicia and Wanda, never gives up does he?

I stopped before the throne and bowed, "I suppose you were right All-father."

"In what regard?" he asked, motioning me to rise.

I stood straight, "it seems every time I arrive in your realm I bring news that changes the course of what is known."

Odin looked at me, and for a second I swore he smiled, "indeed," he got up and hit the butt of his spear against the ground, running out a metal thing that sent everyone rigid, "my daughter...who I once lost through the treachery of the Angels of Heaven… is alive!"

The uninformed masses gasped in shock, most unaware Odin even had another daughter.

"Her name is Aldrif!" Odin continued, "and after so many centuries, I have learnt of her survival...and that someone dares to harm her! A child of Asgard will not be abandoned! A child of Asgard will not be forgotten! We will march into whatever abyss the Shi'ar Empire have imprisoned her in and we will free her!"

"ARGH!" the soldiers cried out.

"For Asgard!" Thor roared, raising his hammer, "for Aldrif!"

"For Asgard! For Aldrif,`` repeated the chant.

Odin stepped down, and as he did a golden sheen came upon him. He now wore his armor and golden helm. He ordered us to follow and we did. And following right behind him was his wife, now dressed in golden armour and carrying with her a sword.

I was shocked, seeing her ready for battle. I turned to Thor, but it seemed this wasn't unusual at all as everyone treated it as the norm. So we followed behind them, making our way to the palace gates where flying chariots lined up before us.

We made our way to the Bifrost bridge, and below us I saw the city change. Gone were the carefree people, left were those in weapons and armour. The city was going to war, prepared war. Not some surprise attacks by Dark Elves, but a prepared invasion.

We arrived at the Bifrost where several hundred ships were waiting for marching orders. Hiemdall was waiting for us at the pedestal, his sword in the place. He bowed at Odin's approach, "my king."

"Spider," Odin turned to me, "show him Aldrif's location."

I nodded, I took out the Phoenix Tracker, engaging the galactic map. Her energy signature came alive, displaying her location… but something was off.

"It's moved," I observed, "last time the readings marked it as three million light years form anything else. Now however, it seems like it's moving further away from the surrounding galaxies, resting at around 3.2 million light years."

"Heimdall," Odin motioned to the tracker, "what is this place where Aldrif is being held?"

"I will see my king," he glanced at it for a moment before turning to the stars. He peered out into the distance and stared, until his eyes widened in surprise, "it is.. A space station of sorts. Built into an asteroid being guided by sails."

"Send the ships after her, prepare my private vessel," Odin turned to me and my team, "you'll be coming with us. First on the ground and in the front lines. I assume you can stomach that?"

"I am Groot!" the walking tree cheered.

Odin turned to him and smiled, "I like this one. Come, to war!" we followed onto a giant golden ship that lowered itself beside the bifrost bridge, lowering it's ramp to Odin and us.

My smiled, I was going to war with Gods backing me up. Not bad for a kid from Queens.

In the middle of empty space:

They should have killed her.

SMACK!

The punch hurt, but not that much. Angela felt blood coming out from a cut on her lip. She spat it out and looked up at the faceless Shi'ar torterur, "you hit like a bitch." If she was honest having her hands bound behind her and being forced to kneel was more of a issue than the physical torture.

SMACK!

Her head was ringing. But she could already feel her angelic body healing the pain, shaking her head she looked back up at her torturer, "God man, have you ever used those dainty things before? Have you never held the handle of a blade before?"

SMACK!

"Enough," came a cool voice. Angela looked up, and the man hididng in the shadows came out again. He was smiling, like he did when she was first brought in. The warden of this prison she found herself in. Lilandra introduced them and left, a sad smile, though Angela was sure it was out of regert not being able to torture her herself.

He was tall, taller than Angela. His temple had a triangular crown, robes of silver and blue, the crest of the Shi'ar Empire displayed proudly on his right breast.

He reached down, cupping Angela's face and lifting it up. He snarled, eyeing her face with his sharp hawk-like eyes, "your Ember body is healing you faster than we can break you it would seem. You are certainly displaying a far more powerful healing factor than the others… no matter. Bring in the wing clippers. Let's see what we can really do with her."

"Fuck you," Angela spat, "may you bloodline rote from the vile actiosn you take."

"You are hardly one to talk about rotten bloodline, Ember," the man spat, pulling away and motioning the men to go and do as he ordered.

Angela looked up, her eyes narrowed, "the Angels of Heaven have the purest blood of all creation. Nothing can compare, bird brain."

The warden crickled his hook like nose, "you are no angel."

"I am," Angela snapped, "I am Angela of Heaven, I am the execution of justice! The thrall of liberty and-"

"Shut up," he swung his hand, striking her across her face.

Her hair fell down her eyes, covering her frame, "you will die for that."

"I am sure," he smirked, "a wingless angel. Amusing. You truly believe that don't you? That you are an avenging angel of sorts… no, you are no angel. Angels have wings, you are an Ember. Your mother is a murderer, your father is some bastard she seduced and your birth is a tragedy upon this universe. You...are nothing more than a mistake."

"You know nothing about my mother!" Angela roared, getting to her feet, pulling on the chains bound her until they were strained, "you know nothing of her! She was an Angel of heaven! A woman of divinity!"

"No, she was the Phoenix," the warden growled, "an agent of chaos, destroyer of worlds."

Angela's eyes went wide, she couldn't believe her ears. The doors to her dark chamber swung open and the men came in with a silver halow with a glowing green aura inside. It's sides were thick and heavy with wires and blinking lights.

It stood upright, floating between the soldier's. Trailing behind it was a collection of wires and tubes, leading out of the room, they brought it over Angela's head and rotated it, laying it horizontally like a crown before moving back.

"Begin the operation," the warden said, nodding to one of his men. The soldier held out a remote and clicked a button.

For a second, nothing happened, nothing...until a sharp screech rang out. Angela grunted, the noise was… strong. She shook her head, trying to stop it, but just kept coming. And then, the green aura suddenly came down over her, and something clicked.

"ARGH!" Angela screamed, throwing her head back and yelling her lungs out. She could feel her head being cracked in two. The moment the green energy touched her body, it felt like acid was poured on her skin.

She thrashed, the chains straining to hold her still. She cried in pain, tears coming up. And then as soon as it came, it vanished.

Angela gasped, dropping her knees, panting. "Her embers aren't reacting," someone said, Angela didn't know who.

"Strange...she is resisting. What do the scans say?" the warden's cold voice asked.

"The embers are there, but...they are being blocked, something within her is fighting the energy absorber, and it isn't the embers of the Phoenix Force."

"Then what?!"

"I-I am sorry sir, but we don't know. We need a moment to study her scans, it shouldn't take too long."

"See that you don't!" the warden snapped, turning to Angela. He snapped his fingers and suddenly the chains holding her were pulled into the ground, strapping her to the cold ground. Her face was pressed to one side, her breathing strained as she felt the ground coming up to crush her.

"Make sure she doesn't get up," the warden hissed, motiong to his men to surround Angela, "and you doctor, make sure you check what exactly is happening. The Emperor is looking forward to a new pair of feathers and I do not wish to deprive him of such a request."

They walked out, Angela saw his boots leave the door witht eh silver torture device. Her eyes travled acorss the room, seven guards, seven guards with weapons aimed at the back of her head.

Pushing the pain, she looked around. In the corner, she saw them, her ribbons. Her mother's ribbons. Mother...what did he mean? Loreal was her mother, she was an angel..not this...this thing.

She heard the fear in his voice. He was afraid of her, of her mother...but that didn't make any sense. Who was she for him to fear her so much? Loriel was nothing more than the handmaiden of the Queen, a simple woman, a kind woman...a good woman.

Who was the Phoenix? Why do they think she was her child?

They weren't going to tell her, she was sure of that, but… Peter Parker of Earth. He looked like he knew. He understood the situation...she would need to find him and make him tell her the truth. But first, she would have to escape from this place.

Looking to the ribbons, Angela reached out with her mind and moved them. She focused, she needed all her attention to move them. They quietly slipped down from the rack which they were kept, slithering through the darkened floor of the room, approaching the seven guards around her.

"May I ask for a cup of water?" Angela asked.

"You may drink my piss, whore," one spat, but in doing so, didn't notice the ribbon running up her back.

"No...I think I would rather like your blood," Angela hissed. The Shi'ar guards' eyes winded, and then in one motion, without anyone of them realising, the ribbons slipped across their necks, jumping from one to the other like green snakes, making blood spray out of their necks.

When the last one dropped to the ground the ribbons began to move and came to her chains, slipping into their hinges and ripping them open, just enough for her to slip her hands free. They were already worn from her constant pulling, they just needed another push.

Angela took a knee, panting. The ribbons moved up her arms and wrapped themselves around. She felt warm, they were her only reminder of her mother after all.

Taking a second to relax, she moved, grabbing her blades of ichor and the Sword of Stars from where they were kept and rushing to the door. She stepped out, the guards placed on either side were about to scream in alarm, but a cry of shock was the best they got before Angela's liquid metal blades shot out like a whip, piercing a hole through their necks.

She walked down the corridor, it was bright white with metal walls all around her. The gravity felt off, artificial. A space station maybe? At the end of the corridor was a door. Just as she came up to it, the door swung open and on the other side was a surprise gaurd.

"What are you-ACK!" he gasped, one of Angela's ribbons sliced his neck open. He dropped down and behind him were twenty or so guards all in various states of undress. It was a small barrak, and Angela had just caught them with their literal pants down.

She charged, blades of ichor in hand. They didn't even have time to scream for help while she carved them apart. Every slice was aimed at the jugular or their limbs. By the time she got to the last one they had armed themselves, her Sword of the Stars made short work of their protection.

She stood now, bathed in the blood of those who came to torture her. She didn't regret it, not for a second. Walking out again she made her way deeper into the space station, until she finally came across a window.

She looked out, there was nothing nearby, even the stars looked far apart. But, she could see the station she was on. Her eyes winded, "oh Heaven, what have I gotten myself into now?"

With Peter:

When Odin's warship came out of warp, everyone of us couldn't believe what we were seeing. I expected this, but that didn't mean I understood just how… amazing this thing was going to be.

They had built it into an asteroid, carving out a space station from the rocky surface there. It had golden rings attached all around it's middle and at both extremes one could find a propulsion system at was guiding it deeper into space.

"Boy," Odin turned to me, "you have the tracker, use it to find Aldrif and bring her back. I trust you are as elusive as your name sake?"

I nodded, "I am," I turned to my team and Thor, "Felicia, Wanda, Scott you three are with me. The rest of you stay here, help Odin's army."

Logan snorted, "another war? Well, things were getting pretty boring here anyway."

I shrugged, "yeah well, hopefully this place will have some information on Jean's... location. Move out!"

My small strike team took a car sized escape pod that shot us into the space station's orbit. As we flew past the Asgaurdian army, we saw the space station opening up several hangar bay doors on its surface, out of which fighters came blasting out, firing upon Odin's army.

With a literal golden army serving as our distraction... or small lowly boring looking pod managed to land on the side of the space station will little issue. The ship created a small airlock between the pod's opening and the side of the space shuttle, opening it up.

I reached forward and released my stingers, cutting into the side of the space station before us.

"Scott," I pointed to the carved opening. With a focused blast, he blasted through the hull. We walked out and landed onto the corridor, white all over. What is it with these guys and white walls?

"We need to access the station's security system," I told them, "we need to find Angela before-"

BOOM!

The far wall broke apart as a soldier came flying through. "Come! I will serve the role of Charon for all your souls tonight!" came a roar as through the hole that went through 8 walls we saw Angela charge at a squad of Shi'ar, who were quite frankly just doing their best to survive.

"Guess we found her," Wanda snorted.

"Angela!" I carried out, firing a web line to grab the arm of an attacking soldier and pulling him to one croner.

She turned and winded her eyes, "Spider? What are you doing here?"

"Came you rescue you," I replied as he charged through the broken walls, leaping into battle.

"I require no rescue," Angela replied, plugging her ribbons into several people before tossing them aside like trash, "as you can clearly see."

"Yeah, I figured," we quickly made short work of them men, Angela looked worse for wear, a little haggard, I could smell the pain and confusion around her, but I knew bringing it up would only annoy her.

"So," she replied, looking over my shoulder to see my companions, "are these more of your Avengers?"

I smiled, "yeah. Scott, also known as Cyclops" I motioned to said young man who nodded, "Wanda, the Scarlet Witch," she raised an eyebrow at the name, wasn't something she very much liked, "and Felicia, the Black Cat, my lover."

Felicia's mask moved away from her face as she flashed her smile, "you know, you said she was from Heaven, didn't say she was this pretty."

I rolled my eyes while Angela seemed to push back a blush. She cleared her throat, "while I appreciate the thought, how exactly are you going to get me free? We will be shot down before we even enter warp."

"Don't worry, we have a distraction already happening," I replied, "but we need to get you out of here, right now."

"No," Angela glared, "I am not leaving. Not until I have the head of the warden."

"Angela is this no time for revenge."

"Yes it is! He tortured an angel of Heaven! He will not live to see another cycle!"

"Oh for the love of- Angela! We are fighting a war to save your ass, the longer you take, the more people die!"

"I did not ask for you to come, and I will not be a victim! He dies, by my blade!" Angela growled. She was shorter than my by a few inches, but I could feel the threat.

"Peter, I doubt the Asguardians will have too much trouble with the Shi'ar Empire," Scott spoke up, "from what I saw their have the numbers and better weapons."

"Asguardians? Why are they here?" Angela asked, her fists tightening around ehr weapons and anger and fear came over her head.

I glared, "they are here to help you. I told you didn't I? You have been misinformed. They are not monsters Angela, so I suggest at the very least you give them the benefit of the doubt," it would honestly break my heart if she behaved this was to Frigga or Thor. They of all people don't deserve Angela's hate...maybe Odin, but not the others.

Angela clicked her teeth, "fine. But I meant what I said, I'm not leaving until the warden's head is removed from his body."

I sighed, "fine," I turned out the others, "anyone want to go on a revenge mission?"

"I'll help," Scott spoke up as he picked up a blaster from a fallen Shi'ar soldier, "if this station is similar at all to the warships we acquired then I can navigate to the command station."

"I'll go with them," Wanda replied, "keep both of them from biting off more than they can chew."

I nodded, "great, then Felicia and I will head to their server room, if they have something like that," I walked to a nearby panel used to pass on notice throughout the station. It had a similar design to the ones on the stolen warships I had so I was able to break the panel open and access the station's systems through my SA, "we'll meet you three after. If we don't come then leave us and go, we can find our own way out."

"A fine plan, let's go," Angela replied, turning and heading to a door.

"Wrong way," Scott called out, pointing the opposite direction, "the lifts are usually placed towards the edge of every floor." Angela narrowed her eyes, grumbled, and turned directions. Scott sighed, "wish us luck."

"We don't need luck, we have me," Wanda smiled, nodding to Felicia and me before leaving with Scott and the redhead Ember.

Once we were alone, Felicia leaned onto the wall next to me, crossing her arms, "so, you going to tell me what we are really here for?"

I turned to her with a smile, "well, since you are supposed to be my better half, what do you think?"

"Well… seeing as we are basically in a prison where they took a child of the Phoenix, I'm guessing, and so are you probably, that they might have some information about Jean stored on board. Am I right?"

I nodded, "exactly. It's a secure space station in the middle of nowhere and according to these readings, it has had only one prisoner for the last century, Angela."

"Not doing a very good job of holding her are they?"

"She's a child of Odin and the Phoenix. They never had a chance. And the distraction didn't help. Got it," I pulled up a map, I tapped onto a large room present deep inside the station just above the energy core, "it's labeled as an information source."

"Sounds wonderful," Felicia smiled, her mask covering her face, "what are we waiting for?"

With Angela:

Angela looked to Scott, her eyes fixed to his visor. The boy noticed her staring and turned, "can I help you?"

Angela narrowed, "is there an issue with your eyes?"

Scott seemed surprised, "oh...ah, well I have this power that I can't hold back. These," he tapped said visor, "keeps them in check."

"I see… what sort of power?"

KRAKOOM!

A nearby wall came down as several golden robbed Asguardians came tumbling out, following after them was a large Shi'ar soldier that was built like a tank.

"GRAA!" it roared, raising the large mace like weapon it had on hand, ready to bring it down over the fallen Asgaurdians. That was until Scott pressed the button on his visor.

BOOM!

The giant flew back, landing in a heap, unconscious. Angela turned, "impressive."

Scott smirked, shurgging, "I think so."

"Much thanks Cyclops of the Avengers," one of the saved soldiers said as they got up, "we would have died if not for-princess?!"

They gasped as immediately they dropped to their knees, bowing before Angela. The angel grew tense, seeing her assumed enemy kneeling before her. She moved to her weapons before Wanda grabbed her shoulder, tightening her grip.

"They are allies, not the enemy," the woman reminded her.

Angela looked at their kneeling forms, "why did they call me princess?"

Wanda looked surprised, "didn't Peter tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"Your father...he's Odin. The All-father, king of Asgard."

"He is whom?!"

With Peter:

I sneezed. "Bless you Tiger," Felicia said as she threw the last unconscious soldier onto the pile of people we had taken down.

"Thanks," I sniffed, could I be coming down with something? Could I even get sick? Space flu maybe? Either that or someone is talking about me. I put the thought out of my mind and turned out the door to our objective.

It took seconds for Sexy to open the door for us. Those plain silver doors opened up and we found darkness on the other side awaiting us. We stepped inside, I tapped my SA that was connected to the room's system and with a click the room was illuminated.

It wasn't a server room, no, it was something much more. It was a library. The shelves were just seven feet, the room itself was big enough to hold a small apartment. Seems like a waste of space...or these books were worth the space.

"You should have brought Wanda," Felicia grumbled as we walked past the rows of books, "but then again she might use this as a chance to get into your pants so..."

"I thought you were open to sharing?" I smiled, pulling out a book and looking it over. It was a written record going back a thousand years. Research conducted by a Shi'ar scientist and testimony from a survivor of a planet the Phoenix had destroyed.

"I am open to sharing, provided you share with me too," Felicia huffed, walking past, looking for something to catch her eye, "by the way, Angela?"

"No, I'm pretty sure she strictly plays for the other team," I smiled, turning the pages, "meaning you might have a shot, but remember I don't like sharing unless I get to share too."

"Oh I remember," Felica called back, disappearing into the library.

The written record was… one sided to say the least. The books pictured the destroyed planet as virtuoes and a key part of the Shi'ar economy. But if one looked between the words, one would realise the reason it was so important to the economy, was because of their primary proffession: slavery.

The Phoenix didn't destroy a place like a buddihst temple, no it burnt down a slave pit. It burnt evil, and from the records, the destroyed world eventually was mined and had its resources used to benefit the nearby system.

Rebirth. Not destruction. I'll admit, dealing with the Shi'ar Empire even made me waver in my trust of the Phoenix, but I never lost hope. Doubted, yes, but never gave up. Jean would never do something like this...I know her too well.

The rest of the book talked abour some kind of gem that was found on the destroyed planet, seems it was considered important because it was literally the only thing left whole after the Phoenix's attack. Large, pink. Kind of ugly.

"Peter! Come here now!" Felicia cried out in a mix of fear and horror.

I dropped the book and ran, already summoning magical shields at the ready to defend against anything I may encounter. I found Felicia stunned to one spot, starting at a glass case. And inside… it was something that could be described as a grotesque monstrosity.

Red hair, all in the same shade but they were in different styles, long, short, curly, straight. Some were odd, rolled up like drill bits, tightly wound like the arms of an octopus, some even were feather like. But they were all hair...and they were attached to scalps.

They had collected trophies, this much I could understand. Trophies from the Embers they had caught before. They had killed them, scalped them, and they hung them up in a glass casing, suspended. Stitched together in the form of a mural, depicting a bird with its wings spread open.

I felt...I didn't know what I should feel.

What could the Phoenix have possibly done? What did it do to have earned their hate, making them hunt down and scalp it's children?

The mural was so large it reached the ceiling. How many scalps of hair would that have taken? How many hundreds...thousands...I-I.

"Peter, Jean..." Felicia turned to me, fear in her eyes. My hand was shaking, they couldn't stop.

"These bastards," I hissed, "they-they...what have they done?"

"They hunted them down," we knew this, but saying it made the nightmare all the more real, "they must have been doing this for centuries."

"The books," I looked around at the shelves, "we need them. All of them. I need to understand why...why did they do this?"

"And this?" Felicia pointed to the scalp.

I growled, I raised my hand sent a force of psionic energy into the structure. It shattered apart, the mural of scalps came down. I summoned lightning between my fingers and sent a bolt, the dry hair caught fire, they began to burn bright as embers flew into the air.

"Grab as many books as you can and put them away," I told Felicia, we shared the same hardened look, "I'll see if they have any more...trophies..."

"If you do, I get to burn the next one," she hissed, running to the shelves, opening up her personal bag of storage and quickly shoving every book she could grab.

I quickly began running through the room, looking around for anything else that they kept as a trophy.

God, I...I can't imagine Jean in a place like this. I...no, stop thinking that. I can't focus on what would be, focus on the now.

I looked around and to my surprise found another display case on the far back with several pictures in it. It was off older iterations of the Phoenix, the display tag said as much. I looked through them all and noted that they were all red haired and quite beautiful.

Most of the pictures were able to capture their faces, and the ones that didn't, well they had pictures. But as I was going through them all, one picture stood out to me. An old one, probably the oldest of them all. It was a picture of a woman who looked very much like Angela.

I smashed the case open and took the picture, she would want this...I think.

BOOM!

The entire station shook. My eyes winded, the war must be tipping to someone's favour.

"Peter! We need to go!" Felicia said as she came back.

I nodded, "right," hopefully the books she managed to grab will be useful. We moved to leave the room, only for a tornado of heavy footsteps to meet us at the door.

"By Orders of Emperor D'Ken! We ordered your immediate surrender!" the squad captain cried out.

Lines of Shi'ar soldiers faced us, armed and aiming at our head. I turned to Felicia, she smiled. This wouldn't take long at all.

With Wanda:

It felt like the soldier's numbers were finally thinning. Wanda for one was glad. There was only so many wall panels she could rip out and throw at them. The red head however seemed to only grow stronger and stronger every second in battle, even Scott seemed to go numb from the many shots he fired off.

But now they finally reached their destination. The last of the guards outside the command center fell to Scott's optic blast, knocked back into the door which was then ripped apart.

Angela stepped through, ribbons flying around lined with red, blade shining gold as they morphed from a mace to two curved blades, "Warden! I will have words with you!"

There were three layers of the command room, the first had several soldiers with guns. The second had several soldiers with guns and the third has several soldiers with guns. Each layer had holograms and terminals placed around them with steps lead to the top where the warden himself stood. Overhead was a window, displaying the battle happening outside.

The entire command center turned and fired. Wand came forward, ripping a wall panel and shielding them against the onslaught. She turned to Angela and growled, "next time, maybe attack first and yell later, yeah?"

Angela grumbled, waiting for the firing to stop. The hits kept coming, forcing Wanda to add more layers to the slowly burning away panel.

"When I say so, grab both of us and hold onto the ground, got that?" Scott told Wanda, Wanda nodded. They waited, Scott took a deep breath and in one quick motion, jumped out of cover, removed his visor and fired at the glass window in the command room.

KRAKOOM!

It shattered. Immediately the entire room began getting sucked out into the vacuum of space through the hole Scott made. The soldier screamed in terror as they flew out, having nothing to hold onto.

Wanda moved quickly, grabbing Angela and Scott with her telepathic powers and pinning all three of them to the ground. They slowly began moving apart, but luckily Angela's ribbons came in handy as they gently grabbed around Scott and Wanda's hips, binding them together.

Moments later metal sheets came down over the window, saving the rest from being sucked out into space. The moment air pressure returned to normal, Angela removed her ribbons and leaped, jumping over the three levels of the command center, right to the top, where the Warden was on his knees, his arms wrapped tightly around his bolted down seat.

"You dirty-" he began, Angela's blades came out and through his arms.

"Shut your mouth," she hissed.

"ARGH!" he began to cry, dropping to his knees in pain as blood oozed out of his body. "You maimed me! You fuckign maimed me!"

Wanda and Scott reached Angela, and looked in shock at the bloody stumped. "Damn," Wanda whispered in equal parts shock and admiration, "now that's revenge."

"The device you used, what was it? Where is it?!" Angela hissed.

"W-why do you want to know?" he asked, his face growing paler by the second.

"So that I can burn it," Angela hissed.

"It's too late," the warden admitted, "you may have done something to prevent our troops to aid us in the attack but the moment you arrived the Halo was sent off the station. It is gone, forever out of your reach."

"Bastard!" Angela cried, swinging her hand and striking him across the face.

"End this quickly," Wanda said looking at the monitor, "the Shi'ar Empire can be here any moment, Carol's distraction won't last long."

"I will take my time with him as I see fit," Angela hissed, picking the warden by his collar, the Sword of Stars drawn and placed under his throat, "his pain is the only thing that will satisfy me."

"Warning! Warning! Structural integrity of Station Deathbird has been compromised. Warning! Warning, hull breach detected." went a robotic voice.

Wanda and Scott turned to each other, they both knew that something was coming.

Boom!

"That sounded close," Scott noted as he and Wanda turned to the origin of the noise.

"What is it?" Angela asked.

Wanda typed at the terminal and pulled up a security feed, displaying the intrusion. A hole in the side of the station the size of a man. Shifting through the footage they found what we're looking for. A yellow blur of energy flashed by.

"Scott," Wanda turned to her fellow mutant, they both recognized that energy signature.

"What is it?" Angela asked again.

Scott put the gun aside and reached up for his visor, finger at the ready, "my brother."

BOOM!

The walls to the command room exploded and a figure in red and blue soared inside. His eyes glowed yellow, his arms surrounded by glowing golden energy. He snarled, looking down at Angela and the rest, recognizing them all.

"Avengers," he hissed, "I knew you were apart of this!"

"Nice to see you again goldilocks," Wanda smirked.

"Unhand the warden Ember," Vulcan hissed, his eyes narrowing at Angela, "and your death will be swift. I won't even use the hallo."

"How about," Angela had her ribbons curl around the warden's neck and tighten, "you watch him die instead?"

"ARGH!" Vulcan cried out, sending out a blast of energy so powerful the very air around him exploded back. It came right at them, Wanda was about to pull them away from the path, when Scott suddenly blasted back.

Red met yellow, a mix of two energy signatures but so similar yet different. Wanda and Angela were blasted back, even the Warden was thrown to the side. Scott stood his ground, not moving an inch, and in the end, it was Vulcan who was blasted away from the impact.

He smashed into a wall, growing in pain. He pulled himself out, his eyes narrowed at Scott, "how?"

"A friend told me it's a form of interdimensional energy I can channel subconsciously," Scott replied as he stepped forward. Vulcan came down to meet him, his curiosity at this human trumping his duty with the warden.

"Energy from another dimension? Interesting, I myself use the energy around me, but your method means you can create energy," Vulcan replied, understanding the idea quickly, "but...it doesn't matter."

Vulcan raised his hand and sent a blast of energy at Scott, engulfing the mutant. "Scott!" Wanda cried out in horror, the thought of burying a friend, it was too much.

But when the light died down, Scott and his UMF suit stood unphased, He had raised his hand to protect his visor, and other than a little bit of burn marks, he was unhurt.

Vulcan's eyes winded, "how?"

Instead of replying, Scott reached up and sent an optic blast at Vulcan. In the man's surprise, he forgot to dodge, it hit him square in the chest, but, just like Scott, he was left unharmed.

"W-what is going on?" Vulcan asked, "that...that didn't hurt."

"I thought so," Scott replied, "my body is immune to my own energy, it's why my eyes don't rip apart my eyelids...it would seem it is also immune to your energy as well...Gabrielle."

"Who?" Vulcan asked, confusion clear on his face.

"Gabrille," Scott replied, stepping forward, "that's your name...your real name. You are Gabrille Summers, son of Christopher Summers, you know him as Corsair, and Katherine Summers, the human woman out of whose womb D'Ken ripped you out off."

"W-what?" Gabrille asked, horror dawning on his face, "lair...you're lying!"

"I am not," Scott replied calmly, "your real name is Gabirlle Summers...you are…. You are my brother. D'Ken, he isn't your father, he's your kidnapper. He murdered our mother, enslaved our father...killed our older brother Alex...he destroyed my life, our family Gab...you...you are my brother."

Krakoom!

The sound of thunder in space meant only one thing. Wanda and Angela looked to door and sure enough a small army of golden armoured Asguardians came charging in, spears drawn, and at their head was Odin and Thor, both looking more energetic than before.

"Vulcan, crown Prince of the Shi'ar Empire, do not attack, surrender and you will be treated like a prince of your stature should be," Odin announced, though the moment he did, his one eye went straight to Angela, his attention taken all on her.

Just then the far wall was broken apart as Peter and Felicia came charging in with the remaining soldiers of the Shi'ar Empire behind them. The moment they entered the common room though the Asguardians got ready to engage. The Shi'ar soldiers took one look at them before ordering a retreat.

"After them! Now!" Odin ordered half his men, "I want this station captured and torn apart!"

Peter and Felicia approached Wanda, his site trialing towards Scott and Vul-Gabrille, he sighed, "so...is this like an Empire Strike's back moment or what?"

On Asgard:

The Warden was in chains. His stumps were healed and then he was tossed into the dungeons, taken to Asgard and now placed front and center in Odin's throne room.

Vulcan was not bound but he was no less a prisoner, made to stand with dignity while the warden kneeled.

I stood besides Thor, on his father's side. My team next to me and at the very end, furthest away from Odin and his throne, was Angela. She was silent the whole way back. Wanda had told her about Odin, I half expected her to fight the man to deny it, but...she was quite, which honestly felt way off given the little I know about the woman.

Either way, we were all silent, we were waiting. Waiting for an ambassador from the Shi'ar Empire, and I have a feeling I knew who it was going to be.

The doors to the hall opened and sure enough, Lilandra herself walked through. Unarmed with no bodyguards. She was showing a lot of good will by coming here alone, she had my respect for that alone.

"All-father," Lilandra began, bowing as one would a king, "may I ask the meaning of this invasion? This declaration of war you have struck against the Shiar is highly unlike your policy. Asgard has not been a part of the wider universe's issue for centuries, let alone conduct an unprovoked attack on a Shi'ar Empire base."

"Unprovoked?" Odin began, his voice slowly rising from a tremor to a booming roar, "unprovoked?! Would you call kidnapping and torturing a child of Asgard unprovoked?!"

Lilandra's eyes went wide she looked like an owl. Maybe she was part owl, who knew?

"A child of Asgard?" Lilandra asked, fear in her voice, "w-who?"

"Aldrif," Odin said, smashing his spear against the ground, sending a wave of enerrgy out that pushed every back by an inch, the sheer raw energy alone was enough to frighten us all, allies and enemies, "my daughter."

"D-do you mean," Lilandra turned her eyes towards Angela, "b-but there must be a mistake! She is an Ember! A child of the Phoenix!"

"She is," Odin replied, "a child of the Phoenix, and me. Birthed by the bloody raptor...but raised by my wife," Odin reached to Frigga's hand and held it, I could feel just how much he needed her by his side, how he was barley holding onto his control, "and you tortured her. You planned to kill her, and then..." his eyes turned to me, "you planned to scalp her and add her mane to your collection. Did you not."

It wasn't a question. I was beginning to wonder if telling him what I found was such a good idea. I can't image what he was feeling right now.

"My king, I beg of you, we did not know. If we did, we wouldn't have touched her. Mercy, please, " Lilandra feel to her knees, begging. Asgard was considered a legend even to this day for a reason.

"Consider the fact that I did not declare out right war mercy," Odin replied, motioning his hand to Vulcan, "take the boy and leave. And if that child D'Ken wishes to fight then...tell him to bring every single damn soldier he has. It would take a hundred men to defeat on soldier and a million to touch my son. Leave and never return, or I promise you only ash and blood when you do."

"A-and the warden?" Lilanda asked.

"Death," Odin replied, "no one hurts my daughter."

For a second, I smelt love from Angela. Love that was mixed with fear, resentment and hate, but love nonetheless.

"My lord, please, Warden Ko-"

"Say another word and your head will join his," came Odin's reply. He motioned the guards who surrounded Lilandra and Vulcan, the latter who had eyes only for Scott, "take them away."

The two members of the Shi'ar court was taken away, the throne room doors closing shut behind them. Scott sighed. I reached up and squeezed his shoulder, "next time, he'll either come back looking for answers...or come back refusing to accept what he heard."

"Yeah," Scott replied, "but...did I do the right thing?"

"Family first Scott, always," I replied, "he deserves the right to know he isn't alone...and who his real enemy is."

"Bring forth the warden!" Odin roared. The man was dragged forward, made to stand before the court, "you have tortured and sought the death of the princess of Asgard. What say you in your defense?"

"The Ember...will burn you all," the Warden hissed, "you think she is your daughter? No, she is death given form! Kill her now Odin! Or see your people killed!"

"Silence!" Odin slammed his spear into the ground, "I let you speak to allow you to muster a defence, not to slander my daughter! Guards! Bring me my axe!"

"It matter not!" the warden cried out, "none of it does! My death is nothing compared to the millions the Phoenix is responsible for!"

"Millions of monsters," I hissed. The court turned to me, I looked at him with cold eyes, "the Phoenix doesn't burn those who protect life, no, it only harms those who violate it, mutilate it. So if the Phoenix burns you...well, then you did something to deserve it."

"What about the children?! The millions of children which were just accidentally killed?! As a casualty of it's rage?!"

I squeezed my fist, "what about the children you enslaved?"

"What about them?! They had no future anyway?! The Phoenix has killed so many! What right does it have to have a child?!" he turned to Angela, "what right does it have to bear children when it has destroyed whole planets?!"

"Death is a far better option than the life of slavery your empeir offers," I hiss.

The axe was brought forth, Odin placed his spear in his wife's arms gently, taking the rough wooden handle of the uru axe.

"Killing me will not make a difference," the warden cried out, "another will take my place! Another will kill the bitch!" he glared at Angela, "and then kill the other one as well!"

"What other one?" Thor asked, his grip on his hammer tightening.

"The Phoenix," the warden replied with a sadistic smile, "it's growing weaker. We may not be able to track it but we can analyse the energy it gives off. It's growing weaker, the host is growing weaker. We only know of one reason for the Phoenix to grow weaker naturally. Only one. The host is pregnant, a new Ember will be born and we will kill that one too."

Odin aimed his axe and got ready to swing. I didn't know I was moving until I was already grabbing his axe by the blade and holding it back. The axe dug into my hand, nearly cleaving it apart, but I didn't care.

"What did you say?" I asked, looking down at him with eyes filled with madness.

"The Phoenix is pregnant, it's host this time is pregnant," the warden replied, "and when she lays that egg, we will finally be able to kill it once and for all. We will hang her corpse in our halls! Her bones shall fill our king's goblet and her skin will be the finest coat! The Phoenix will die and so will the abomination inside of-"

I turned, grabbing the handle from Odin and swinging it across. It cleaved through him with no resistance at all.

The warden's bloody head came rolling down the golden tiles. My hand still, not shaking in the slightest from the sight of the decapitated body. I swung the axe down, plunging it into the ground.

Smack!

The meaty sound of his body hitting the floor rang out. I felt numb, the silence was deafening. I couldn't feel anything beyond the feeling of utter shock running through me, ice cold veins, a hole in my stomach that was wrecking.

"J-Jean is...pregnant?" Felicia asked.

His heartbeat was steady, he wasn't lying.

"Wait, but that means," Wanda turned to me.

Hope...Hope Parker.

"I'm sorry, but what's going on?" Quill spoke up, clearly confused, "isn't Jean that friend who went missing? Why is she pregnant?"

How long was it since we started the journey? Six months with the dwarves and the two months in space establishing the Avengers. Eight months...eight months…

"Peter, are you okay?" Thor asked, walking up to me, trying and failing to shake me out of my stupor.

"Of course he isn't boy," Odin hissed, "he was just told his lover is pregnant with his spawn and learnt of it from the Empire that plans to kill them both!"

I need to stop them, I need to become stronger. I need to become stronger now. The powers I have, Thor's powers, I need to learn how to use them.

I turned around to Odin, the king looking surprised as I met his eye. I dropped down to one knee, "King Odin, I know this is unruly and improper, but I haven't a second to lose. I was the one who informed you for your daughter's existence and it was my team who helped rescue her. I was also the one who saved her life in Dirj. IIn light of these accomplishments I ask from you a boon."

"Oh? And what will you be asking me?" Odin asked, clearly amused.

I looked up at him, "a weapon. One strong enough that I can protect...protect my child. I do not have access to the uru or the forge to make on...nor the skills."

"You wish for me to ask the dwarves to make a weapon for you?" Odin asked.

"I do."

"And why should I give a foreigner access to a weapon that he could very easily one day use against my own people?"

I turned to Thor, and reached out. The god understood my meaning, he looked nervous, unsure, but he slowly brought Mjoner over my outstretched hand and dropped it.

I wrapped my hand around the handle and held onto it as it pulled me down.

TANG!

It hit the ground. Hard. "Peter," Thor moved to help, but Odin held him back with one arm, watching me carefully.

I pulled, and the hammer pulled back, growing heavier and heavier as I did.

I didn't have time for this. I had a duty, a mission. I had to save Jean I...I had to save the child, our child. I have to fight, I needed to grow stronger than I was, I need to find her and protect her. Whatever it takes.

I felt it budge. Shaking just an inch that drew everyone's attention to it, Odin's shock and Thor's dismay.

Hope Parker would be born into this world and I would hold her in my arms.

I could feel the weight reducing.

Whatever it takes, I would be there.

It grew lighter still.

Whatever it takes, I will fight off every single Shi'ar soldier if I had too.

I raised it, curling my arm.

Whatever it takes.

I raised it into the air.

KRAKOOM!

Lightning roared in the background as Mjolner glowed. I felt a damn breaking inside my own body. The limits I put on Thor's powers came rushing out of my body and into the hammer. It glowed and with it my own body began to hum with power.

"Peter Parker of Earth," Odin spoke, a smile coming on his usually stoic face, "you are worthy."