C453 Spider-Man (Patreon)

As Peter returned to the Avengers Tower, a determined look settled on his face. The imminent threat of Hela had brought a bit of urgency to his steps. He knew what happened in the movies and refused to allow that in his universe. Asgard was a good ally to the Avengers and earth, he made sure of that, so letting them get wiped out wouldn’t be good. Not to mention the fact that Thor is his friend. With each step, his thoughts swirled around the upcoming battle.

The tower's upper floors was bustling with activity as various Avengers and agents went about their business, but Peter didn’t bother them. For someone like Hela, only the heavy hitters would be helpful. People like Natasha or Daredevil would only get in the way.

Peter quickly made his way to the elevator and punched in a code that led him down to the floors with the Avengers' private apartments. Standing in front of a particular door, he raised his hand and knocked, the sound echoing through the corridor.

Seconds later, the door swung open to reveal Emil Blonsky, dressed in casual attire. The former criminal seemed surprised but still out on a friendly smile. "Well, if it isn’t my benefactor. What brings you here? Want to come in and have some tea? I was just putting on the kettle."

"No thanks." Peter greeted him with a swift refusal. "I've got a mission for us. Get suited up and meet me in my office.”

Blonsky raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "A mission? Care to elaborate?"

Peter shook his head. "I'll explain everything later. Just make sure you're ready to go within the hour."

Blonsky nodded, taking in the serious tone in Peter's voice. "Got it. I'll meet you there."

With that, Peter left Blonsky's apartment and headed back to the elevator. He punched in a specific code that took him up to a heavily restricted area of the tower, which only a select few are allowed access. As the elevator doors opened, Peter stepped out into a huge penthouse.

The penthouse was built on a grand scale, tailored to the size of a giant. The massive space was filled with furniture and equipment that was five times the normal human size. Lamps, light switches, chairs, and everything else was custom made to the largest sizes. Peter walked around the corner and into the spacious living room, where he found a giant green man-child engrossed in a video game, his eyes fixed on the enormous screen.

‘Hulk’s living the life, isn’t he?’ Peter thought as he felt envious of the giant kids leisurely life.

Gunfire sounds filled the room as Hulk played a shooting game, his hands wrapped around a huge PlayStation controller. Suddenly, his character was overwhelmed and killed, and the screen turned red from the blood of his character. With a roar of frustration, he hurled the controller at the TV. But the penthouse's custom-made design prevented any damage, and the controller bounced off harmlessly before clattering to the floor.

"Hey, big guy," Peter called out with a grin.

The Hulk jumped, his massive green form visibly startled. He turned to face Peter, his voice booming as he yelled, "You scared Hulk!"

Peter chuckled, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Sorry about that. Didn't mean to startle you."

The Hulk grumbled, crossing his massive arms and pouting like a child. Peter's laughter grew, finding the Hulk's reaction oddly cute, like a small child’s anger. "Well, I've got news for you. We've got a mission. Ready to smash some bad guys?"

The Hulk's eyes lit up with excitement, his earlier frustration forgotten. "Mission? Hulk ready! Let's smash!"

Peter nodded, gesturing for the Hulk to follow him. "Great! We've got a couple more recruits to pick up before we head out. Let's go."

With a thunderous roar, the Hulk bounded after Peter as he opened a portal big enough for the Hulk to fit through. The anticipation in the giants steps was clear to see. Hulk hasn’t had a single mission since he and Banner were separated, so this was his time to shine.

…

..

.

After grabbing Blonsky from his office, Peter opened a portal to Xavier’s school in upstate New York. Stepping out into the front yard of X-mansion, Peter and his two strongest fighters appeared. The sun cast a warm glow over the grounds, where meta-human children played and studied, their abilities on display in various forms of activity. Though many of them froze and looked over in a mix of fear and curiosity as they caught sight of the Hulks massive form.

Before the kids could swarm him, Peter paced toward the front door. “You two stay out here. I’ll be back in a minute. Blonsky, make sure Hilk doesn’t get into any trouble.”

Blonsky nodded his head. “You got it, boss.” He stood tall, his normal figure a reassuring presence for everyone as he watched over the Hulk, who stood there with an eager expression. The children couldn't help but glance over, their curiosity piqued by the unexpected arrivals.

————

Leaving the Hulk outside with Blonsky, Peter headed inside the building, walking down the corridors he had traversed many times before. The interior was bustling with activity, the school a safe haven for young meta-humans to learn and grow. Thankfully, most children seemed to be playing outside, so Peter didn’t run into many fans along the way.

Soon enough, he reached Xavier's office, where he found the telepath seated behind his desk, surrounded by a mountain of paperwork. Charles Xavier's expression was focused yet tired as he shuffled through the documents. Nearby, Erik Lehnsherr, also known as Magneto, lounged on a couch with a leisurely smirk.

Ever since Peter brought them back together, the two former Allie’s have slowly built up trust in one another again. Now, the work in perfect harmony with one another. Charles handles anything school related as well as public relations, and Erik manages their forces, vanquishing any sort of enemies that threaten innocent meta-humans.

“Yo,” Peter walked in, noticing Erik’s presence. "Good, you’re both here. That saves me a trip."

Charles looked up and smiled tiredly. "Spider-Man, how can we help you?"

Magneto glanced over, his smirk shifting into a more neutral expression. "What brings you to our humble abode?"

Peter took a seat in front of Charles’s desk, a determined glint in his eyes. "I've got an important mission so I’m requiring a team. Suit up and grab anything that you’ll need."

Charles leaned back in his chair, a curious expression on his face. "You have our attention. What's this mission about?"

Peter shook his head, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "I'll explain everything, but I'd rather have everyone together first. It’s easier that way."

Magneto stood up, his interest piqued. "Very well, I'm ready. Let's not keep everyone waiting."

As Charles grabbed a few essential items from his desk, including an Kree blaster pistol, Peter led the way back outside. The trio made their way across the grounds, stepping out into the front yard once again. The sight of the Hulk and Blonsky waiting there, surrounded by curious meta-human children, signaled the gravity of the situation.

Suddenly, they both realized that if Peter was bringing both Hulk and Abomination along for the mission, then this was a fairly serious situation.

The children's voices hushed as they saw the principal and Magneto step outside. Not wanting to get into trouble, the kids all scatter across the yard, bringing amused smiles to both Charles and Erik.

As they ran off, Peter noticed two familiar faces in the distance. ‘Is that Wanda and Pietro?’

Both looked a bit younger than they were in the movies, appearing to be in their mid-teens. They were a bit older in the movie and they certainly didn’t appear in the United States. Not to mention Xavier’s school.

‘They must have been rescued or applied for enrollment…’ Peter thought curiously as he glanced at Magneto. ‘I wonder if they’re his children in this universe?’

Putting the Maximoff siblings to the back of his mind for the time being, Peter waved his hand and conjured a golden portal. "Alright, let’s go."

Charle paused, his expression serious. "Where are we going?” He asked the question that everyone else wanted to know.

Peter's gaze swept over the group. "To Asgard..."

————

-Vormir-

Hela's eyes fluttered open as her surroundings came into focus. The sound of water lapping against the rocky shore reached her ears, and she found herself standing in the shallow water at the base of the cliff that she originally landed on. Groggily, she pushed herself up, spitting out a mouthful of water and surveying her surroundings.

Memories flooded back into her mind, recalling the encounter with the Red Skull and the revelation of the Soul Stone's location. She remembered the chilling words he had spoken, telling her that in order to obtain the coveted stone, she had to sacrifice someone she loved. But love was a foreign concept to Hela…

Suddenly, a smirk curled Hela's lips as she remembered her defiant decision. She took a chance and hoped that it would pay off. Red Skull had been her ticket to the Soul Stone, her only chance at crushing her father and taking her rightful place as Queen of Asgard. And he had paid the price for standing in her way.

With a flick of her wrist, Hela's powers over death and souls had surged forth. Red Skull's tortured screams echoed through the air as his life force was torn from his body, his soul writhing in agony as it was forcefully extracted from him. Hela's eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure as she recalled him withering and dissolving into nothingness, his form dissipating like ashes on the wind.

As the memory of his screams faded and silence settled around her, Hela opened her palm, revealing the Soul Stone cradled within. The stone shimmered with a golden light, pulsating with power. Her fingers closed around it, and a surge of energy coursed through her body. The Soul Stone was hers, a token of her triumph over death and her mastery over souls.

Hela's smirk deepened as she held the stone between her fingers, basking in the sense of accomplishment. She had no loved ones to sacrifice, but she had taken what she desired by force, asserting her dominance. With the Soul Stone in her possession, Hela's weakened state from her forced escape meant nothing. She had all the power she needed in the palm of her hand.

A/N: 1772 words :)