Vormir.
2014.
This is the location of the Soul Gemstone, and the ones responsible for retrieving it are Black Widow Natasha Romanoff and Hawkeye Clinton Barton.
When Hawk emerged from the river of time, Natasha and Clinton were already climbing the mountain.
High above in the sky.
Hawk's figure was concealed by the thick clouds of Vormir, his gaze piercing through those clouds to finally settle on the two struggling climbers below.
Natasha quipped, "I bet that raccoon doesn't need to climb like we do."
Clinton, also climbing beside her, thought about it.
"Technically, it's not a raccoon."
"It eats garbage, Barton."
"Alright, it's a raccoon."
Clinton couldn't argue with Natasha's reasoning.
Just then.
While the two were bantering, a raspy laugh reached their ears.
Natasha instantly drew her gun, and Clinton also pulled out his ronin sword, looking towards the direction of the voice.
"Welcome."
"Natasha, daughter of Ivan!"
"Clinton, son of Edith!"
The speaker was completely shrouded in a gray cloak and shadows.
"Who are you?"
"You can consider me your guide!"
With those words, the figure in the gray cloak revealed a crimson skull face: "A guide for you, and for all who come here seeking the Soul Gemstone."
He looked like the Red Skull.
He was actually the Red Skull.
After battling Captain America long ago, while Captain America was sleeping beneath the ice, the Red Skull was transported here by the Space Gemstone, left alone with the Soul Gemstone for company, passing time on the desolate planet of Vormir.
After Red Skull appeared, he turned around and headed toward a platform not far away that appeared not to be built by natural forces, but whose origins were now impossible to trace.
Natasha and Clinton exchanged a glance and then lifted their feet, following the leading Red Skull.
Soon.
On the soul sacrifice platform.
Red Skull turned at the edge of the platform: "What you seek is before you, as is your fear."
Natasha approached the edge of the platform, gazing down into the abyss.
"The Soul Gemstone is down there."
"One of you can take the Soul Gemstone away, as for the other?"
Red Skull, like an NPC, recited his lines: "To obtain the Soul Gemstone, you must lose what you love. It is a death trade, a soul for a soul."
Hearing this, Natasha and Clinton instinctively looked at the Red Skull.
A death trade?
After Red Skull finished speaking, Hawk also focused his gaze through the clouds onto the Red Skull.
The Red Skull, cloaked entirely in gray, seemed to sense something and instinctively looked up towards the clouds.
But…
He saw nothing.
Of course.
If he could see Hawk, Hawk felt he might as well find a tofu block and smash himself with it.
After all these years of struggle, if a mere ground-bound spirit could easily see him, his efforts would have been for nothing but a dog's business.
Yes.
A ground-bound spirit.
This is Red Skull's current state, a kind of translucent, ghostly presence, unable to interact physically with the outside world, bound to this planet as a spirit.
As for why Red Skull is this way, it's quite simple.
Remember how the Infinity Gemstones work?
With mana, mana is consumed; without mana, life is consumed.
Years ago, Red Skull attempted to use the Space Gemstone to leave, only to get interrupted by Captain America, leaving him stranded here, and unable to pay the cost of using the Space Gemstone, he lost his life. However, because this is where the Soul Gemstone resides, his spirit remained here.
This isn't fortune; it's a punishment.
Think about it.
He knows the Soul Gemstone is just below, but he cannot touch it, nor can he leave here. To a Red Skull filled with a thirst for power, this is a torment.
But that's not the point.
What interests Hawk is the one thing Red Skull just said.
This is a death trade, a soul for a soul.
So…
Is this a metaphor?
Or a literal description, is this trade governed by Death?
Hawk pondered curiously.
Just as he was thinking, on the soul sacrifice platform, Natasha finally moved before Clinton could and leapt off the cliff.
Boom!
The moment her body hit the ground, Natasha felt a surge of pain, and then discovered she was in an indescribable, inexplicable space.
In the next second.
She saw a bar not far away with the name 'Hell Tavern' written on it.
Natasha paused, looking at the Hell Tavern in front of her, thought for a moment, walked to the door of the Hell Tavern, and then pushed the door open and went in.
The tavern was empty, looking very much like it was closed.
Natasha stood at the entrance, looking inside.
"Hello, is anyone here?"
"Close the door, I haven't had the chance to clean up outside yet."
"..."
Natasha looked towards the direction of the voice, glancing over to the bar counter.
What she saw.
Hawk, dressed in a full suit, was inside the bar mimicking Mephisto's demeanor at the time, mixing cocktails.
Hawk looked up, seeing Natasha standing at the door without blinking, chuckled, "Close the door, don't you find the stench outside overwhelming?"
After all, ever since Mephisto died and Hell fell into his hands, he had neither had the chance, nor the inclination to clean Hell.
Moreover, he hadn't incorporated Mephisto's Hell into his Little Cosmos or his Wutong Tree.
So...
Hawk hadn't expected that the Hell Dimension would follow him here.
However, he remembered Mephisto took the Heaven Dimension, which had the ability to traverse the Multiverse. He'd wager Mephisto had likely tricked him again.
Saying something about relocating the Hell Dimension to the Heaven Dimension, while actually secretly setting up the Heaven Dimension's multiverse-traversing function into Hell Dimension.
But this was fine too.
It all worked out in his favor.
Hawk said as much, then took out two glasses, pouring the mixed cocktail into them, before looking again at Natasha standing at the bar's entrance.
Natasha came to her senses, turned around, closed the bar door, then walked toward the bar, pulled out a tall stool, and sat down.
Hawk pushed a glass of bourbon cocktail to Natasha.
"Try it."
"Thank you."
Natasha took the glass, drank a sip under Hawk's watchful eye, then looked at him, "It's a bit sour, too much lemon."
Hawk raised an eyebrow at Natasha's comment, took a sip from his glass.
And then...
He made a pained expression.
Hawk stuck out his tongue, looking at Natasha.
"Is this just a bit sour?"
"I'm okay with it."
"You must have a screw loose."
Hawk shook his head, took Natasha's glass, poured the content into a nearby sink, then honestly took out a bottle of 1982 Thunder Bourbon, poured two glasses, and pushed one to Natasha, "How does Death feel?"
Upon hearing the words, Natasha took the glass, pursed her lips.
"Painful!"
"Do you regret it?"
"No regrets."
Natasha chuckled, then seemed to remember something, "If the Soul Gemstone didn't require this to be obtained, then I'd regret it."
Hawk smiled, "The way to obtain the Soul Gemstone is soul for a soul, even if I wanted to take the Soul Gemstone, I'd have to follow this rule."
The rule stands.
Assuming he didn't flip the table, if he wanted to take the Soul Gemstone, he'd have to follow the rule.
Natasha looked at Hawk's smiling face, at her surroundings.
"So, where is this?"
"The edge between life and death."
"I'm not dead?"
"Depends."
Hawk sealed the bottle again, took a sip from his glass, looking at Natasha, "Do you want to die?"
Natasha didn't answer this question, but looked at Hawk.
"Did Barton get the Soul Gemstone?"
"Not yet."
"Why not?"
"Because your soul hasn't been traded."
Hawk's lips curled up, "Soul for a soul, your soul is still with me, naturally, the Soul Gemstone won't appear. If you really want to die, leave the bar, your soul will be completely sacrificed, and Barton will also get..."
Before the words were finished.
Without hesitation, Natasha got up from the stool, and quickly ran towards the bar door.
It was clear.
She was rushing to die.
Unfortunately...
Natasha pulled with all her strength trying to open the bar door, but the door didn't budge.
Hawk stood behind the bar, quietly watching Natasha's struggle to open the bar door.
After attempting a few times and finding she couldn't open the bar door, Natasha turned to Hawk, "Without the Soul Gemstone, our plan will fail completely."
Hawk crossed his arms, looking at the anxious Natasha with some curiosity.
"Why, Natasha."
"What?"
Natasha instinctively frowned, then seeing the intent behind Hawk's gaze, she opened her mouth, seemed to realize what Hawk wanted to ask, pursed her lips, but said nothing.
Hawk's eyes were calm.
How did the saying go?
Among all the Avengers, only Natasha treated The Avengers as a family to run.
Because to the other Avengers, they still had families.
After the Blip, Natasha worked day in and day out for five years trying to keep this "family" together because compared to other Avengers who had others to care for, all she cared about was The Avengers.
Natasha took a deep breath, looking at Hawk.
"You said you wouldn't get involved in our affairs, so what are you doing now?"
"Because you're my friend!"
"..."