Ch.17

Months into the new year a son was born to Daisy and I and she called him Calvin after her father, Calvin Johnson. Medical nanites healed her up and the doctors made sure she and the baby were fine. Calvin was swaddled and put in Daisy's arms before he was shown to his brothers and sisters. The war against Hydra finally reached it's peak as the Ten Rings soon wiped them all out down to the old families who worshipped them Hydra because it was tradition.

With one more issue dealt with, Fury asked what I knew of Dracula and vampires in general because he was back and causing trouble. I told him how to contact the hunters and warned him to wear a suit at all time because exposed skin meant fresh blood to the vamps. I explained how they were soulless assholes and at one time there was a cure but it was lost to history.

I warned him of their worshippers that wanted to be vampires so they did anything for them during the day. I told him of born vampires and turned, the difference and of the alien vampire gods he'd need to deal with if Dracula falls as well as Mephisto's reprisals after Drake's dead which is why I'd forced him to sleep instead of killing him. The last thing I did was warn him Drake can shapeshifter to look like other people.

Yeah, that went well and ended with the extinction of the vampire species by the halfbreed Blade. Then came werewolves and again, alien werewolf gods and a bunch of other shit. The world was full of weird shit and the Ten Rings were responsible for cleaning it all up and keeping it from affecting the common people. Forcefully retired general Ross soon became the Secretary of State and Sokovia was pushing for accords to control the Avengers as well as all Avengers.

It gained traction because of Seoul and the ship explosion in south Africa. I was busy hunting down Klaue and bringing him to Wakanda to make peace with them on behalf of the Avengers. Tony signed the Accords when they gained traction because of his guilt over Ultron and Natasha, Wanda and Pietro signed as well. I abstained, telling Ross I was retired, a bit like him and he threatened to tell the world I wasn't in prison where I should be.

I shrugged. "Do that and you'll have a lot more than just the accords to worry about. There'll be a war between powered individuals and humans which is pretty stupid when humans can and do have powered parents and children. That's on you, not me. Like I said, I'm retired, a bit like you actually."

He scowled and I yawned before Jessica, and Daisy signed them. Jean said she wouldn't and it wouldn't be wise to threaten her. Ross really didn't, clearly knowing and having read the report on the origins of her immense power. Instead he relied on the rest to persuade those that didn't sign to do so.

Tony told me he'd take away my lab privileges and I shrugged saying I'd quit and build my own lab. He turned to Ross saying he tried but he's got nothing on me and neither he nor the rest wanted to threaten the two most powerful Avengers. Bruce didn't sign either and instead left with Betty through a portal while Ross scowled. I closed my eyes while Steve and Tony argued until Steve walked out.

Ross told me I could no longer play the vigilante if I didn't sign. I shrugged. "Don't really care. I have my kids, my lovers and my lab to keep me occupied. Like I said, I'm retired and so is Kratos. Thor isn't here to decide because he's off world quelling raids done by assholes because Odin is retiring as king of Asgard so he can't decide. Much like him, I can leave earth and find a planet of my own to settle on and protect if it comes down to it. Hell, I have an open invitation to live on Asgard these days."

I gestured to Wanda and the rest. "They can play government sanctioned hero here and I can not care less there with the kids. They have the power to come and go from earth at will so there's no reason I have to listen to this."

I gestured to Ross and he scowled while I added that Bruce and Betsy can do the same because Asgard would welcome a warrior or a scientist with Bruce's abilities and mind. Ross asked. "You'd really leave earth after thousands of years protecting it?"

I shrugged. "The Ten Rings has a hundred thousand warriors and a capable leader. Shield is up and running, the Avengers and other gifted individuals are protecting the planet. I've done my duty and job protecting humanity for longer than your distant ancestors walked on two feet. What in the hell makes you think I won't leave now that my priorities have shifted?"

He was at a loss for words as I sighed. "I can't protect the world from the shadows anymore, I can't protect it in the light without imprisonment or forced to someone else's will, yeah, good luck with all that. The only reason I continued to fight after I retired from the Ten Rings was because my kids live on earth and my lovers like this planet. I've fought long enough, now I'm ready for peace even if I have to skip planets. If you all can't handle if from here with all I've done so far, humanity wasn't meant to last. I'm only one man after all."

Vision said one man could make a difference if it was the right one. He said my very presence was a deterrent to the supernatural entities and with my having left earth it will become significantly more dangerous for both the Ten Rings and the world at large. I shrugged. "You'll survive or you won't, I'm not responsible for propping up humanity for the rest of eternity. The Ten Rings are working on spaceships, energy shield satellites and satellite weapons platforms to defend against invasion. From there I imagine they'll fuse with Shield and jumpstart the Sword program as they step into the limelight. If Tony can build better suits and bots with the Vibranium without unleashing another AI death squad, I'm sure the Earth can protect itself even without the Avengers."

Vision tilted his head and said I was forgetting the supernatural entities. I waved a hand. "The Masters of the Mystic Arts have their magical shield sanctums and the time stone which is like your mind stone. What the shield won't protect against, they can with Shield and Sword if necessary. Look, the beings that can be a threat to earth can feel that I'm alive regardless of where I am so they won't attack unless they're sure I'm dead or won't interfere. I'm not the ones setting the terms of the accord, the world is and if they don't like how I handle things, fuck em."

I stood and slid the accords to Ross. "I'm tired, old and set in my ways. I do things my way and since you and the governments insist on calling anyone that doesn't sign a terrorist, it's best I not be here to get in your way. I've done my duty, put it above everything so long I don't remember life before it and I'm done living that way. I'll protect my family and if earth gets desperate enough to repeal this dumb ass decision I'll come back to fight, but I don't live by the rules of others."

Vision said the word society and I held up my hand. "Kid, I'm older than the word society, much less it's meaning."

I turned back to Ross. "Those are your terms, now you have mine. This isn't a debate because I will outlive and outlast this entire planet simply by being immortal. In the end I won't save a world that doesn't want to be saved by me. Save yourselves or learn to accept my terms because I am that stubborn."

I turned and left, not saying a word beyond telling my lovers we were moving to Asgard. We stayed long enough to see the civil war between the Avengers happen and watch as Natasha, Wanda, Daisy, Jean and Jessica were labeled terrorists with Steve and his faction. After that we portaled with the kids to Asgard where Odin welcomed us and Loki tried to pretend to be Thor who was out.

I broke his illusion and asked Odin if he was blind. The old king was showing signs of fading after being so old. Loki was sent away and warned not to try that again by me when I noticed Odin's condition. Odin told me Frigga passed, killed by time it seems and it was catching up to him as well.

I offered to heal him and he shook his head, saying he was headed to earth himself to see the stars like he'd done with Frigga when they were younger. I clasped his arm and told him. "It has been an honor old friend."

He smiled wryly. "That it has, old friend."