Chapter 98: A Refusal to Acknowledge
As Felix moved closer to get a better look at the Cloak of Levitation, the magical artifact seemed to have an idea of its own. It began to float directly toward him, a sight that instantly shocked Felix. While he was curious about the magical cloak, he had no intention of claiming it as his own.
Seeing it drift toward him, apparently wanting to recognize him as its master, Felix felt a pang of guilt.
"If I were to take this cloak now, what would Doctor Strange do?" he thought. He couldn't bear the thought of leaving Doctor Strange without his "lover," and the cloak didn't offer him much in terms of usefulness.
He could already fly at incredible speeds, and beyond that, the sentient cloak had no other discernible purpose for him.
Therefore, Felix decided to leave it for Doctor Strange. He couldn't become the Sorcerer Supreme and then take away his predecessor's future wife. That would be just too unkind.
"I'm not your master," Felix said, stepping back from the approaching cloak. "In about five years, your real master will find you."
He wasn't sure if it could understand him, but it seemed to stop and hesitate, swaying left and right as if unsure of what to do. It was like a child facing the temptation of candy from a stranger.
"This feels a little weird," Felix muttered. "I need to get out of here."
The cloak's movements were so human-like that it seemed to be putting on a pitiful expression, with what appeared to be tears in its eyes. Felix felt a sense of speechlessness–, as if he were abandoning it. Still, he hardened his resolve and turned to leave.
As Felix walked away, the Cloak of Levitation's corner, like a hand, slowly rose, mimicking the classic gesture of a heartbroken character.
"I swear, you don't even have a nose, so why are you making that face?" Felix thought, sensing the cloak's movement. He didn't linger and quickened his pace.
The cloak watched him disappear, then slowly lowered its "hand." It seemed to lose its purpose, its collar drooping as if in defeat. It floated back to the wall, hung itself up, and returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened.
"It's not that I don't want to be your master," Felix said with a sigh, feeling the cloak's return to its previous state. "It's just that you'll only truly shine with Doctor Strange."
The incident with the cloak was a mere blip, but it made Felix wary of casually inspecting the other magical artifacts. He instead meticulously explored the entire New York Sanctum, and what he found was astonishing. The sanctum, a European-style castle with antique architecture and flickering candlelight, felt solemn and dignified rather than old or outdated. Its location in New York City, surrounded by towering skyscrapers, was completely out of place.
It was only due to special spells that it didn't attract the attention of passersby. Felix decided to temporarily stay there, though he made a quick trip back to Kamar-Taj to retrieve some tea for himself while he waited.
He didn't know exactly when Loki would open the portal and summon his Chitauri army, but he knew it would be within the next few days. Felix was certain his wait wouldn't be long.
Felix's prediction was correct. At that very moment, Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., was having a far less comfortable time. Loki had stolen the Tesseract from under his nose, and with his special spear that glowed with blue light, he had entranced Dr. Selvig and Agent Barton, turning them into his loyal followers.
The loss of the Tesseract was a significant blow, and the fact that Loki could use it to open a wormhole meant he had a deeper understanding of the Cube than S.H.I.E.L.D. did. Nick Fury was certain Loki's plan was a major conspiracy that might threaten the entire planet.
The next day, after a fruitless search by S.H.I.E.L.D., Nick Fury once again proposed restarting the Avengers Initiative to the World Security Council.
"Director, what are our next steps?" Agent Hill asked, her face grave.
"First, we'll summon the Captain and Natasha," Nick Fury replied after a moment of thought. "Then we'll send Coulson to ask for Stark's help. We'll also ask him to bring his friends, including Dr. Bruce Banner. They might just provide a very unexpected solution."
Fury had a premonition that this incident would reveal secrets and surprise the world.
Time passed slowly, and nearly two days had gone by since Loki had stolen the Tesseract. The situation was unfolding just as it did in the original timeline. Following Nick Fury's orders, Captain America and Natasha arrived at the Helicarrier. The only difference was that Dr. Banner was absent.
However, Coulson had already contacted Tony Stark, and they were expected to arrive soon, likely bringing more than just Stark and Banner with them.
"Let's disappear from this world," Nick Fury ordered. The Helicarrier, the crowning achievement of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s secret technology, rose slowly from the sea and activated its optical stealth mode. At the same time, S.H.I.E.L.D. received a report that Loki had appeared in Germany. His goal was to acquire the special materials needed by Dr. Selvig. Short on manpower, Nick Fury dispatched Natasha and Captain America to the location, hoping they could stop Loki and, if possible, capture him. However, Fury had no illusions that it would be an easy task.
As Natasha piloted a Quinjet toward Germany, a meeting was taking place in Stark Tower among six members of the Justice League. Tony had designated the top floor of his newly completed building as the team's headquarters. Almost all the members were there, having rushed to the tower after receiving an urgent call from Tony—everyone, that is, except for Felix and Captain America.
"Alright, almost everyone's here," Tony began.
"Felix said he won't be involved in this, and the Captain was just summoned by Nick Fury. So, it's up to us to figure this out."
"Stark, what kind of big event is happening that you've called all of us?" T'Challa asked, surprised. It was the first time in two years that Tony had called for an urgent meeting of the Justice League.
"According to Coulson's intel, a man from Asgard came to Earth, stole the Tesseract, and has declared war on us, on Earth." Tony explained. "And he's apparently named Loki."
"Wait, Stark, what did you just say? Loki is alive?" Thor asked, jumping up from the sofa. "That's impossible! My father and I saw him fall into the abyss of time and space. Could he have fooled us all again?" The news left Thor in a state of disbelief and excitement.
"Calm down, Thor," Tony said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I know this is a lot to take in."
Thor sat back down, still looking amazed but with a hint of happiness in his eyes. "If I tell my father and mother, they'll be so happy," he said.
"Though with Heimdall, they probably already know." Despite the shock of his brother's survival and deceit, Thor was overjoyed to have him back.
"I hate to rain on your parade, Thor, but your resurrected brother has declared war on our planet," Tony said, his tone turning serious. "I need to know which side you're on."
"That's a stupid question," Thor replied without hesitation. "I'm on Earth's side, of course! But Loki's actions don't reflect Asgard. We've always been protector of Midgard. I'm sure I can talk some sense into him and take him back to Asgard. Yes, that's what I'll do!"
With a newfound purpose, Thor stood up, grabbed his Stormbreaker axe, and, with a flash of lightning, vanished from Stark Tower.
"What in the world? Thor is so impulsive!" Tony exclaimed, speechless. "I wasn't even done talking!" He sighed.
"Forget it. We can handle this without him."
"Based on the information Felix gave me, this is far more complicated than it seems. I doubt Thor will be able to talk Loki out of this," Tony said to the others. "So, it's time for the Justice League to make a grand entrance."
Tony was visibly excited. Their team had been together for two years, yet they had never acted collectively, and almost no one knew they existed. Even S.H.I.E.L.D., with all its resources, had only suspicions. Tony had a strong feeling that this was the moment for them to emerge into the world's spotlight.
"Justice League members, get ready!" he announced.
Tony and the others were flying in a special aircraft toward S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier. When T'Challa first saw the plane, he was furious. It looked identical to the aircraft used in his country of Wakanda.
"Stark, you thief! Did you steal all of Wakanda's technology?" he grumbled. First the energy shields, now this. He wondered what would be next.
All members of the Justice League, except for Felix, Thor, and Captain America, were present, including Danny Rand, who had recently joined the team.
"You all head to the Helicarrier," Tony said, standing up. "S.H.I.E.L.D. just sent an update. Loki has appeared in Germany, and the Captain has already gone there. I'm going to provide backup."
He pressed his chest twice, and his nano armor instantly covered his entire body. He then jumped out of the aircraft, his thrusters firing violently, and shot toward Germany.
"Jarvis, give me more power!" he commanded. Even though he was already flying at supersonic speeds, Tony felt it wasn't fast enough. A moment later, his calf armor changed, forming huge ejectors that emitted a more intense flame, doubling his speed.
"Now this is what I'm talking about!" he shouted, flying toward his target.
Meanwhile, Loki, with Hawkeye and some other followers, had successfully carried out their plan in Germany. Hawkeye had obtained the special materials needed by Dr. Selvig to open the portal. But instead of leaving, Loki sent Hawkeye away with the materials and stayed behind as bait, hoping to draw out and defeat Earth's greatest fighters.
Just as Loki was about to kill an old man who had resisted him, a man in a uniform with a shield appeared, blocking Loki's attack. It was Captain America.
"A man out of his time," Loki sneered, his eyes filled with fury. He raised his scepter, ready to strike the Captain. At that moment, a distant, meteor-like flame shot toward them. In the blink of an eye, it was hovering in the sky above.
"Natasha! Long time no see! Did you miss me?" a familiar, cocky voice asked over the plane's comms, accompanied by rock music. Natasha's lips curved into a helpless smile.
A beam of energy from the sky shot down and struck Loki, instantly sending him flying. He landed hard and was in genuine pain, not faking it this time. He couldn't believe that in just two years, the man in the iron suit had become so powerful. A single blow had caused him such agony that he felt he couldn't stand.
"Can my plan even work now?" he wondered, feeling a deep sense of doubt.
With a clank, Tony landed in a dramatic kneeling pose.
"You reindeer man," he said, "surrender now!"
Behind him, four independent floating arc like construction appeared, and a blinding light began to gather in his palms and on the arcs. Loki was shocked by the sheer power of the energy.
A hit from that would surely leave him a broken mess.
"What did this human do, take drugs? How did he get so strong all of a sudden?" Loki thought, a feeling of dread washing over him. His plan had already gone awry.
......
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