Chapter 212: Welcome to Earth

Meanwhile, at home, Jon was helping Ayla with her schoolwork when they noticed the anomaly outside. Both of them turned to the window and stared at the scene unfolding before them.

A bright beam of energy pierced the sky, ripping apart the fabric of space, while a seemingly endless army of extraterrestrial soldiers and massive mechanical beasts poured through the gap—the kind of visuals you would expect from a blockbuster movie.

Annie, who had been resting at home, also saw what was happening and instinctively rushed out the door to get a better look. Before stepping out, she made sure to shout back at them, "You two stay inside!"

Jon and Alessa, of course, had no intention of following those orders. They nodded to Annie, only to turn around and follow right behind her the second she stepped out.

"Didn't I tell you to stay inside?!" Annie yelled.

"Uh... yeah, about that," Jon said, glancing at the massive Chitauri army invading the city. "I have a feeling staying indoors isn't exactly going to keep us safe."

Annie opened her mouth to protest, her frustration clearly mounting, but something in front of her caught her attention.

She turned around, and there it was: a Chitauri soldier had landed a few meters away. Maybe it had been knocked out of the sky by Iron Man, or maybe its flying vehicle malfunctioned, but whatever the reason, the alien now stood before them, very much alive and ready to fight.

Annie instinctively placed herself between Jon, Ayla, and the soldier. The Chitauri didn't hesitate. It raised its laser weapon and fired, a blue beam of energy heading straight for them.

Annie closed her eyes, preparing for the worst. But the fatal blow never landed.

Instead, Jon had stepped forward, shielding her from the beam. He didn't flinch, and the shot seemed to have no effect on him.

"Jon?!" Annie gasped in disbelief.

Jon turned his gaze towards the Chitauri soldier, his voice dripping with disdain. "Welcome to Earth, scumbag."

The next moment, hellfire engulfed his entire body as Jon transformed into the Ghost Rider. His eyes were twin pits of flame, and the air around him crackled with an unholy heat. He swung out his hell-forged chain, and with a single fluid motion, the Chitauri soldier was reduced to ashes.

"Jon, you…" Annie could hardly believe what she was seeing.

The Ghost Rider turned his flaming skull towards her, trying—perhaps—to offer her a reassuring expression, though it looked nothing short of terrifying.

With a sharp whistle, Jon summoned his mount—Igris, a massive skeletal dragon, engulfed in fire. With a leap, he mounted the fiery beast and took to the skies.

Instead of heading straight for the battlefield, Jon had another stop to make. After all, the Avengers seemed to have things somewhat under control for the moment.

He guided the flaming dragon towards the New York Sanctum, one of the mystical sanctuaries protecting Earth, where the Ancient One stood vigilant.

The Ancient One, cloaked in her robes, remained calm as always, her eyes following the incoming figure. She didn't join the Avengers in their fight against the Chitauri—not because she lacked power, but because this invasion was, in her eyes, still a minor threat. Her priority was to ensure the sanctums remained unbreached, and for that, she trusted the Avengers to handle the rest.

The fiery dragon landed, and Jon dismounted smoothly, the flames around him subsiding slightly as he approached.

"Ghost Rider, I expected you," the Ancient One greeted with a serene smile.

"Of course. You still owe me a favor," Jon's skeletal grin almost seemed to widen, the hellfire burning fiercely behind his eyes.

"Indeed. So, what do you require?" she asked, her smile unwavering.

Jon paused, staring at her. "You mean you don't already know?"

The Ancient One chuckled. "I am not omniscient. I can observe souls and discern their intentions, but I rarely use the Eye of Agamotto for trivial matters."

Jon nodded, conceding her point. "Fair enough. It's nothing too grand—just a bit of assistance for what's to come."

She didn't hesitate. "I agree."

Jon blinked, surprised. "You don't want to ask why I'm doing this?"

"Your soul speaks clearly. You mean no harm," she replied.

Jon gave a curt nod, mounting the dragon once more. "Alright, then. We'll speak after the battle."

The skeletal dragon, Igris, flapped its massive wings and ascended, carrying Jon towards the heart of the battle.

At the same time, Dr. Banner—or rather, the Hulk—had arrived on his rickety motorbike and leapt into action, fighting alongside the Avengers against the invading Chitauri.

Jon and Igris arrived just in time to witness a moment that would soon become iconic. The six founding members of the Avengers—Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye—stood together, encircled, ready for the next wave, waiting for Cap's orders.

And then, seemingly out of nowhere, a massive mechanical Leviathan crashed down, its colossal body hitting the pavement. As the Avengers looked up, expecting another fight, they realized something had already taken the beast down.

"Tony, did you handle that?" Cap asked, his brow furrowed.

"Do I look like I'm capable of that right now?" Iron Man shot back, exasperated.

"Hulk?" Cap turned to the green giant.

Hulk snarled, shaking his head. "No!"

"Thor?" Cap asked the Asgardian.

Thor shrugged, still gripping his hammer tightly. "I have yet to face one of those."

It was then that Tony said, "Hey, Cap, maybe just look up, and you'll see."

The Avengers turned their gazes skyward and saw the Ghost Rider, mounted atop Igris, hovering above them. Jon's entire form was ablaze, the skeletal dragon beneath him roaring defiantly.

The Ghost Rider saluted the Avengers, then turned towards the sky, blazing a path upward—his target was clear: the portal connecting Earth to the void.

"Welcome to Earth~!" Jon bellowed, laughing as he tore through the Chitauri forces attempting to block his path.

In the air, Jon whipped his fiery chain, cutting down countless Chitauri soldiers, while Igris incinerated others with his flaming breath. Even the Leviathans were no match for the hellfire they unleashed.

He pushed forward, bursting through the Chitauri line until finally, he was close enough to charge straight into the portal. With one concentrated blast of hellfire, he tore through one of the Chitauri warships, igniting it in an inferno.

The result was immediate. As the Chitauri mothership burned, the forces on Earth began to falter—Chitauri soldiers collapsing mid-battle, their mechanical mounts dropping from the sky like flies.

The Avengers, watching from below, were momentarily stunned.

"Who… is that?!" Captain America muttered, confused.

Tony looked at the others, finally putting two and two together. "Oh… That's Flaming Skeleton."

Cap frowned, looking up at the blazing figure. "Flaming Skeleton? The name… it's a bit ridiculous, isn't it?"

Tony shrugged. "Yeah, maybe that's why he had people trolling me online."

Black Widow, watching the chaos unfold, simply shook her head. "Honestly, Tony… I really doubt he'd waste his time trolling you."

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