The atmosphere inside the meeting hall softened after Peter's response. His steady voice had carried more than words—it carried a quiet determination that left everyone moved. John's gentle smile lingered in the silence that followed.
For a moment, the hall felt warm, safe.
John leaned back slightly and looked over the gathered faces. "I know there are many questions in your hearts. Please, ask them. I'll answer as much as I can."
That invitation opened the floodgates.
Skye raised her hand like a student in school. "Um… if this is a year-long training program, what exactly are we supposed to learn first? Basic spells? Or straight into combat?"
Natasha gave her a sidelong glance, amused at the eagerness, but John answered with his usual calm tone. "Magic has no shortcuts. You'll begin with the fundamentals— maditation, runes, and mana control. Combat will come naturally when you're ready."
Fitz frowned in thought. "What about technology? Does it have a place here? Or are we expected to drop it altogether?"
John's lips curved faintly. "Technology is part of who you are. Use it. Adapt it. Combine it with magic. You'll find the results surprising."
That sparked murmurs of interest across Coulson's team. Jemma's eyes lit up at the possibilities.
Peter, still sitting, asked hesitantly, "Will my spider abilities… interfere with magic?"
"Not at all," John replied. "If anything, they'll make you stronger. Magic enhances the natural gifts of the body and soul. You'll simply learn how to direct it better. Same goes for you skye."
Peter and skye nodded, relieved.
Questions kept coming—about safety, about missions, about the strange world they now found themselves in. John answered each one with patience, his calm voice smoothing away the edge of uncertainty that had settled earlier. Slowly, the group's hesitation eased.
And then—
A sound tore through the air.
A roar.
It wasn't just loud. It wasn't just powerful. It was primordial.
The sound echoed across all of Mars, shaking the very atmosphere. Windows rattled, the metallic walls of the academy hummed, and the floor beneath their feet seemed to tremble.
But it was what came with the roar that chilled everyone to their core—the pressure.
A weight pressed down on every living being.
Animals in the distant forests collapsed to the ground, their bodies shivering violently. Birds fell mid-flight, wings refusing to move. Even the strange native monsters of Mars, usually fearless, crouched low, whimpering, their eyes wide with terror.
None of them knew what had made the sound. But their instincts screamed one thing—danger.
Inside the meeting hall, the effect was immediate.
Every person froze as the roar rippled through their bodies. For a single breath, it felt like their very souls shook loose from their flesh. Faces went pale. Sweat broke across foreheads. Natasha's hand instinctively went to her weapon.
----
Outside the building, captain America and the others were in the same situation.
"What the hell was that?!" Bruce gasped, his heart hammering in his chest.
" Here she comes." Tony mutter to himself.
---
Coulson's team exchanged panicked looks. Simmons clutched Fitz's arm tightly, while May's usual composure cracked—her lips pressed into a thin line, eyes sharp with worry.
Even Peter felt his chest tighten painfully, like invisible claws had dug into him.
One by one, they all rushed toward the exit, their legs moving before their minds could fully process what they were doing. The instinct to see the source, to confirm the threat, was overwhelming.
Only John remained seated for a moment.
He let out a long, dramatic sigh, his shoulders drooping slightly. "So… she's found me."
His voice was low, but Natasha, standing nearest, caught it. She glanced at him, curiosity flashing in her sharp eyes. But she didn't ask. If John had sighed like that, she would find out soon enough.
John rose to his feet with his usual calm, gesturing for Natasha to follow. Together, they walked outside.
The sight that greeted them stole the breath from everyone's lungs.
A shadow covered the city.
Not a cloud. Not smoke. A living shadow.
High above, wings stretched wide enough to blanket the sky. A colossal creature hovered there, its scales glistening like obsidian under the sunlight, its eyes burning like purple flame. Its presence was suffocating—like a mountain had come alive, floating above them.
It was a dragon.
A Bahamut.
Gasps filled the air. People pointed, some staggered back, others simply froze where they stood. Even the Avengers, who had seen gods, aliens, and monsters before, stood utterly speechless.
"Oh my god," Wanda whispered, her voice trembling.
Clint's mouth hung open. "That's… that's not real. That can't be real."
But it was.
The massive dragon hovered, its scales shimmering as it peered down. Its roar had been one of joy, but to those below, it was nothing short of terrifying.
Yet John didn't flinch. He merely looked up with a helpless expression, as though recognizing a friend who had arrived in the most inconvenient way possible.
Nyx.
After hours of searching the earth, Nyx had finally sensed her master's aura here. She had flown at her highest speed, tearing through the void between worlds, only to find this desolate red planet. For a moment, disappointment had clawed at her.
But then, at the far corner, she had felt it—a paradise amidst the barren wasteland. A paradise filled with her master's unmistakable presence.
Overwhelmed with joy, she had roared with all her might, announcing her arrival to the world.
And now, at last, she hovered above Stardust City.
Her amethyst eyes found him instantly—the figure she had been searching for.
"Master…"
With a slow, majestic grace, Nyx began to descend. As she moved closer to the ground, her colossal form started to shrink, scales dissolving into shimmering light. Wings folded inward, claws receded, her long tail faded away.
By the time she touched the earth, the terrifying Bahamut was gone.
In her place stood a woman.
Tall, breathtakingly beautiful, with long dark hair that shimmered with faint traces of her dragon form. Her amethyst eyes glowed with a warmth that softened the fierce majesty she had carried moments ago.
Without hesitation, she walked straight toward John.
The Avengers instinctively stepped back, their weapons half-raised. Coulson's team gawked openly. Even Natasha tensed beside John, though she forced herself to stay still.
But Nyx paid no attention to anyone else.
When she reached John, she grabbed his hand tightly and pulled it into her embrace, holding it against her chest as though she never wanted to let go.
Her voice, now soft and almost childish, trembled. "Master… why did you leave me alone? Do you know how hard I searched for you? I looked everywhere… and you weren't there…"
Her words poured out like the complaints of a spoiled child.
John stood awkwardly, caught between amusement and helplessness. His expression was stiff, his free hand hovering in the air as though unsure whether to pat her head or push her away.
"Nyx…" he muttered.
But she only tightened her grip, burying her face closer.
Around them, silence stretched.
Mouths hung open. Eyes bulged.
No one spoke because no one knew what to say.
A dragon—an actual dragon—had just transformed into a woman before their eyes.
Not a hologram. Not an illusion. A real, living, breathing dragon.
The sheer majesty of her earlier form had left no room for doubt. The pressure, the roar, the wings that had blanketed the sky—all of it screamed truth. And now, that same creature was clinging to John like a child reunited with her parent.
"This… this is insane," Bruce whispered, unable to tear his gaze away.
"Tell me I'm not dreaming," Fitz muttered, his voice shaking.
Wanda's lips parted, but no words came out.
Peter simply stared, eyes wide, his young mind struggling to process what he was witnessing.
Fury, for once, was speechless. His eyes flickered between John and the woman holding onto him, suspicion, awe, and disbelief all fighting for dominance.
And through it all, John simply stood there, sighing inwardly as Nyx clung to him like a child afraid of being abandoned again.
The truth was undeniable.
The dragon had found her master.
And Mars had just witnessed the most magical scene of its new age.