Max was led toward where the gods were standing by a very happy and naive goddess of love, completely oblivious to the escalating tension around her.
Zeus and Odin were hurling insults at each other like children in a schoolyard, except these children could level entire continents if they needed to.
"This was an elaborate trick by you, Asgardian!" Zeus roared, lightning crackling in his beard. "You orchestrated this to humiliate me before my own pantheon! To make me break my oath!"
"This was YOUR doing, you lecherous lightning-thrower!" Odin shot back, Mjolnir crackling with power. "Having my battle-brother imprisoned by your wanton daughter! What kind of king cannot control his own household?"
"I deny any involvement!" Zeus bellowed.
"Oh, how convenient!" Odin's voice dripped with sarcasm. "The All-Knowing King of Olympus somehow knows nothing of what happens in his own realm? What are you, senile already? Or just a coward hiding behind excuses?"
"COWARD?!" Zeus's eyes blazed pure white. "I should strike you down where you stand, you barbarian!"
"Try it, you oversexed goat! I beat you once, I'll beat you again!"
Max's eyes met Azzuri's and Fan's across the arena. He gave them a subtle nod, I'm fine. Vnn looked like he was about to attack everyone in the arena, his muscles tensed, barely restraining himself.
Max was brought near Apollo, Athena, and Dionysus, where Aphrodite eagerly introduced him.
"This is Dionysus," she said, gesturing to the young god who held a goblet of wine and looked barely older than a teenager. "He is the youngest, only born moons ago." She turned to Athena. "This is Athena, the oldest among us." Then she looked at Apollo with some annoyance. "And this is Apollo. He has a twin, Artemis, but she is not here. Probably off hunting something in the woods like the savage she is."
"Aphrodite," Apollo said warningly.
"Can you ask her to let me go?" Max said, looking directly at Athena. "Aren't you the goddess of wisdom? Surely you can see this is wrong?"
Athena studied him with those penetrating grey eyes. "I feel this is part of a wider plot," she said carefully. "There are too many coincidences here. I will unravel it."
"No, why don't you just let me go before—" Max started.
"Oh, you worry too much, my emerald heart," Aphrodite interrupted, pulling him closer with the lasso. "Your lover cannot stand up to us. We are gods."
"How do you not know she is the—" Max tried to warn them.
"Hush," Aphrodite said, and Max found himself unable to speak, the lasso's power compelling his silence.
"I agree with Aphrodite," Athena said, though her expression remained cautious. "Nothing can truly harm us here. We are Olympians. We are functionally invincible."
Holy shit, just how young are they? Max thought. Then he remembered, Zeus had only recently overthrown his father, Cronus. The Olympians were still new to their power, still learning of the wider universe before them. They did not know about the Phoenix Force. They did not know what they were dealing with.
And then there was Athena's mention of a plot. So there was something going on, Max thought. This was not just Aphrodite's whim.
Odin and Zeus were still throwing insults, their voices growing louder, their powers building.
"You couldn't lead a flock of sheep, much less an entire realm!" Odin roared.
"At least I am not some exile, you are a prince of nothing!" Zeus shot back.
Zeus flew down from his throne, and Odin rose from the arena floor, and they met in the middle, two skyfathers about to come to blows.
Max looked around desperately, and to his surprise, he caught sight of the Queen of Olympus's expression. Hera wore a slight smile, satisfied, almost triumphant, which quickly vanished as she noticed Max looking at her.
Max narrowed his eyes, growing suspicious. He then looked to the others.
Vnn roared and suddenly leapt, launching himself at Zeus with fury.
Ares intercepted him mid-air, tackling the Starbrand. "You dare attack the King?!"
The two crashed to the arena floor and immediately began brawling.
Vnn was savage and primal, a being of raw strength. He struck Ares hard across the face, drawing golden ichor. Ares punched back, but Vnn barely felt it.
Vnn overpowered Ares, climbing on top of him and raining down blows. "RAAAAHHH!" He grabbed Ares by the throat and lifted him, slamming him into the ground hard enough to crater the marble.
Ares, shocked that a mortal could match him, drew his sword.
Odin and Zeus were about to come to blows as well, lightning around them building to catastrophic levels.
"ENOUGH!"
Hera stood, and her voice echoed through Olympus itself. Not just the arena, the entire realm heard her command. The very fabric of the divine dimension responded to the Queen's will.
Even Vnn stopped fighting, his fist raised above Ares's bloodied face. All attention turned toward Hera.
She stood there, her radiance impossible to ignore. She looked magnificent, regal beauty personified. Her peacock-feathered robes shimmered with iridescent blues and greens, each feather seeming to contain eyes that watched everything. Even in a pantheon of beautiful gods, she stood apart as their Queen.
"There has obviously been a misunderstanding," she said, her voice carrying a diplomatic smoothness that barely concealed steel beneath. "And it seems we will not be able to resolve this through simple conversation or negotiation."
She turned to Zeus, her expression perfectly composed. "So, my husband, why don't we settle this in a way I am sure you and Prince Odin would both appreciate?" She paused for effect. "We were planning to invite the Avengers to watch and even participate in our Contest of Champions, were we not? Perhaps now is the perfect time."
Contest of Champions? Max thought, looking at Aphrodite with an expression that clearly asked what is that?
She only hugged him harder, pressing against him. "Oh, I will enjoy this so much!" she whispered excitedly.
Hera continued, addressing both pantheons. "The Olympians and the Avengers can have a contest. Three matches of strength, skill, and prowess."
She looked directly at Odin. "If the Avengers win, they may leave freely with Nyx's Tears, and with their leader, whom my wayward stepdaughter has so improperly abducted."
Max's eyes widened in alarm. What the fuck is she talking about? Why make this so needlessly complicated? Just let us go.
Aphrodite was clearly delighted with the proposal. "Father, do please accept!" She turned to face Zeus, still holding Max possessively. "I myself will fight for love in this contest!"
Max looked desperately at Odin. He was sure that after years of being friends, nearly fifteen years now, Odin would understand what he was trying to communicate. Odin needed to not accept this.
Max would have spoken to him through their mental link, but it was not working. Some property of Olympus or the lasso was blocking it.
Max gave Odin a very specific look and shook his head subtly. No. Do not accept.
Odin looked back and nodded.
Aha, he got it.
"I accept!" Odin declared loudly, grinning. "I am only sorry that a beauty like Hera will have to watch her husband be beaten so badly!"
Fuck, Max thought.
Hera's smile was satisfied. She turned to the others. "Do you all accept these terms?"
Fan looked uncertain but nodded. Azzuri studied the situation carefully, then inclined his head. Vnn, still standing over a bloodied Ares, simply growled his assent.
Max tried to speak, but could not. The lasso still held him.
"Excellent," Hera said. "The first match. The beast Vnn and the graceful Fan Fei will battle Athena and—"
"Me," Aphrodite interrupted, her voice suddenly serious.
Hera looked at her stepdaughter with surprise. "Are you certain?"
"What are you doing?" Ares said, standing up and wiping golden ichor from his face. "You cannot fight. You are the goddess of love and beauty!"
Aphrodite's expression changed completely. She began to glow with a fierce, burning shade of pink. As the glow intensified, her form shifted.
When the light faded, she stood in full battle armor, golden and lavender, formed perfectly to her body. A spear appeared in her hand, and a shield formed on her arm.
Holy shit, Max thought. That is not the goddess of love anymore.
He knew exactly what this was. This was Aphrodite Areia, her warlike aspect. The form that linked the passion of love and desire with the ferocity of war. Love as something worth fighting for. Desire as a driving force in battle.
"I will fight for my love," she said, her voice carrying steel as she looked at Max. "And I will not lose."
"Very well," Hera said, looking genuinely impressed. "The second match. The King of Wakanda, Azzuri, Champion of Bast, will battle Ares, God of War."
Ares grinned savagely, already eager for proper combat.
"And finally," Hera concluded, "Zeus, King of Olympus, will face Odin, Prince of Asgard."
"Fine by me!" Odin declared, Mjolnir crackling.
"As it should be," Zeus agreed, and thunder and lightning shook Olympus itself, the realm trembling with the power of such beings.
Max sighed internally and hoped desperately that Jade, Agamotto, and Firehair were looking for them.
He paused.
Maybe not Firehair, a part of him thought nervously. Even he did not want to see this beautiful place burn to ash, even considering the current circumstances.
========
Soon, the arena found itself filled with spectators. Lesser gods, nymphs, mythological creatures, all gathered to witness the Contest of Champions.
Zeus was showing off, giving a grand speech from his throne, his voice amplified to reach every corner of the vast arena.
"And we will win!" he declared, lightning crackling around him for emphasis. "The might of Olympus will be known to all corners of the universe! We are the supreme beings, and today we prove it!"
The crowd cheered enthusiastically.
Max was now sitting next to Hera, still bound by the golden lasso but at least wearing a tunic they had provided. Apparently, Aphrodite had insisted he look "presentable" for the games. Apollo, Hermes, and Dionysus were also seated nearby, the younger gods watching with interest.
An announcer, some minor god whose voice carried magically, proclaimed, "The first match! Ares, God of War, Champion of Olympus, versus Azzuri, King of Wakanda, Champion of Bast!"
Now, one would think Ares had this in the bag. But no. Max was one hundred percent sure Azzuri would win.
Ares was the god of war, powered by conflict and bloodshed. But the Earth had been very peaceful for the past few years. Firehair had convinced them all to intervene more actively, keeping most advanced civilizations from major conflicts, especially after the devastating Kurukshetra War. Without constant warfare feeding him, Ares was weakened. Still powerful, but not at his peak.
Ares stood on the field, taunting and showing off with his sword and shield. He was magnificent, golden armor gleaming. He spun his sword, called lightning down to strike his shield, and roared challenges at the sky.
"Behold my son!" Zeus proclaimed proudly.
Max could see Hera finally break into a genuine smile.
Azzuri entered the arena from the opposite side. He carried Gram unsheathed, its outer edges glowing softly with the power of the Phoenix Force that had been imbued within it.
"BEGIN!" Zeus proclaimed.
The two warriors charged.
Their swords clashed with a sound like thunder. Ares fought like the god of war he was, brutal, efficient, and overwhelming. Every strike was meant to kill, every movement honed by countless battles.
But Azzuri held his own.
The Wakandan king moved with the grace of the Panther, enhanced by Bast's divine blessing. He parried, countered, and used his superior speed to create openings. His vibranium armor absorbed impacts that would have shattered normal metal.
The first part of the duel was very entertaining, with many reversals and smart strategies employed by both fighters. Ares would press an advantage, forcing Azzuri back. Then Azzuri would use the terrain, circling around a pillar to break Ares's momentum. Ares would unleash divine power, and Azzuri would meet it with Phoenix fire channeled through Gram.
The crowd was riveting, cheering for both fighters.
Then Ares began to get frustrated. This mortal should have fallen by now. Why was he still standing? Why could he match a god?
"Surprising, isn't it?" Hermes commented from beside Max, leaning forward with interest. "How does a mortal possess this much power?"
"He channels the Panther God," Apollo observed, his divine sight seeing the connection. "But even that should not be enough to match Ares for this long."
"Your brother is about to lose," Max spoke up casually.
He immediately felt Hera's glare burning into the side of his head, but he ignored it.
In the arena, Azzuri began to use the power of Gram even more. Every hit from Ares was absorbed by the vibranium armor. Max could see how the kinetic energy within the armor was growing and growing, building up like a battery charging to critical levels.
Max grinned. Here it comes, he thought.
Ares pressed forward with a powerful overhead strike, putting all his divine strength behind it.
Azzuri caught the blow on his armored forearm, absorbed the kinetic energy, and in one fluid motion released everything.
The shockwave erupted from his body in all directions, a massive explosion of kinetic force that sent Ares flying backward, tumbling across the arena floor. His sword flew from his hand, his shield skidding away after it.
Azzuri was on him instantly. Before Ares could recover, the Wakandan king's foot came down on the god's wrist, pinning his sword arm. Gram's point pressed against Ares's throat, Phoenix fire flickering along the blade.
"Yield," Azzuri said calmly.
Ares stared up at him, golden ichor dripping from his nose, shock and fury warring across his face.
"I said yield, God of War. Or I will be forced to become a godslayer."
Ares nodded.
There was stunned silence in the arena.
Then massive cheers erupted. They came from the Avengers' allies in the crowd, from creatures who had no love for Olympus, and from those who simply appreciated a good fight.
Zeus and everyone near Max looked absolutely shocked. Apollo's mouth hung open. Hermes froze mid-sip of his wine. Dionysus actually dropped his goblet.
Then Aphrodite appeared near Max in a flash of light. She knelt beside him, still in her war aspect, and took his bound hands in hers.
"Do not worry, beloved. I shall win for our love. I will not fail as my brother did."
Max rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Whatever."
The announcer's voice rang out again, carrying across the arena. "The next match! Aphrodite and Athena, goddesses of Olympus, will battle Fan Fei of K'un-Lun and Vnn of the Savage Lands!"
Aphrodite stood, kissed Max's cheek, making him recoil, and strode toward the arena, spear and shield ready.
Aphrodite and Athena faced off against Fan Fei and Vnn.
The battle began, and Vnn went straight for Aphrodite with fury, roaring as he charged. But the goddess in her war aspect dodged his strikes with fluid grace. Her spear work combined with evasive movements that were almost dance-like. Each strike from Vnn's hands met only air as Aphrodite flowed around him like water.
Meanwhile, Fan and Athena squared off on the other side of the arena.
Athena was methodical, her grey eyes calculating every movement. She held her spear and shield defensively, waiting for openings as Fan attacked. The Iron Fist came at her with combinations, high strikes, low sweeps, and punches empowered by her iron fist.
Fan used her Iron Fists to strike with devastating force. When direct attacks failed, she began incorporating some of the magic she had learned from Agamotto. Mystic bindings shot from her hands, attempting to wrap around Athena and restrict her movement.
But Athena transformed into an owl mid-battle, her divine form shifting in an instant. The owl shot upward, escaping the golden bindings, then transformed back in mid-air. She descended with her spear leading, forcing Fan to roll away.
"Impressive," Athena said, genuine respect in her voice. "You blend mortal martial arts with divine power and mystical knowledge. You are a credit to your discipline."
"Thank you," Fan replied, breathing hard but maintaining her stance. "But I'm not done yet."
They continued their battle. Athena fought as the Goddess of Wisdom and War, calculating and flawless in technique. Fan fought as the Iron Fist, flowing like water but striking like lightning, using every tool in her considerable arsenal.
Max turned to look at Vnn and Aphrodite.
Much to his surprise, Aphrodite was holding her own against the Starbrand. She was not just dodging, she was fighting. Her spear strikes were precise and powerful, her shield deflecting Vnn's blows with expert timing. When Vnn tried to grapple her, she used his own momentum against him, throwing him across the arena.
But then Max noticed something odd. Vnn was slowing down. His strikes became less coordinated, his movements sluggish. His eyelids were drooping.
Aphrodite was somehow using her powers to lull Vnn to sleep. Not through force, but through desire. She made him want to rest, to lie down, to surrender to peaceful dreams. It was subtle, insidious, and incredibly effective against Vnn, who was already exhausted and had wanted to sleep when Fan had basically forced him to come, insisting he needed to get out and not just laze around.
Back with Fan and Athena, the battle reached its conclusion.
Athena had been studying Fan's patterns, analyzing her techniques. When Fan committed to a powerful Iron Fist strike, Athena sidestepped at the last possible moment and swept Fan's legs. The Iron Fist went down, and Athena's spear was at her throat before she could recover.
"Yield?" Athena asked.
Fan assessed the situation, then smiled and raised her hands. "I yield. Well fought, Goddess of Wisdom."
"And you as well, Fan Fei," Athena replied, helping Fan to her feet with genuine respect. "You are a worthy opponent. I hope we may spar again under better circumstances."
Fan bowed respectfully, and Athena returned the gesture.
On the other side of the arena, Vnn was barely standing, swaying on his feet, his eyes half-closed.
"I do this for love!" Aphrodite declared dramatically. She spun and struck Vnn with the flat of her spear, not hard enough to seriously injure him, but enough to knock the already drowsy man unconscious. He collapsed to the ground, snoring.
The arena erupted in cheers.
Honestly, Max was very impressed. Both goddesses had fought with skill and strategy, not just brute divine power.
Zeus began celebrating wildly. "Aha! I knew it! The might of Olympus prevails!"
Aphrodite flashed back to Max in a burst of light, kneeling beside him breathlessly, still clad in her war armor. "See, my beloved? See how I have fought for you? I conquered the beast in your name!"
Max only shrugged, his expression deliberately neutral.
Aphrodite looked genuinely hurt by his lack of enthusiasm. "You... you don't care?"
"I'm tied up with a magical lasso against my will," Max said flatly. "What exactly do you want me to say?"
Before Aphrodite could respond, the announcer's voice rang out again.
"And now, the finale! The match that will decide everything!"
The crowd roared with anticipation.
It was one to one. Zeus versus Odin would decide it all.
Zeus descended from his throne, lightning crackling around him dramatically. He wore his finest armor, golden and radiant, covered in divine symbols. He carried his lightning bolt.
Odin strode into the arena from the opposite side, Mjolnir in hand, clad in full Asgardian armor. His eyes blazed with power as storm clouds gathered above him.
Max hummed the tune of Thunderstruck by AC/DC as he imagined it playing while the two faced off. He would not lie, he was having some fun.
The announcer began his proclamations.
"ZEUS! King of Olympus! Lord of the Sky! Wielder of Lightning! Slayer of Titans! Defeater of Cronus! Supreme Ruler of the Divine Realms! Master of Thunder! Father of Gods and Heroes! The Almighty! The All-Seeing! The—"
The titles went on and on, each more grandiose than the last. Max rolled his eyes.
Finally, the announcer finished Zeus's introduction and turned to Odin.
"And… Odin. From the barbarous realm of Asgard."
That was it. That was the entire introduction.
Odin almost fried the satyr announcer on the spot. Lightning shot from Mjolnir, barely missing the terrified creature as it scrambled away.
"BARBAROUS?!" Odin roared. "I AM THE PRINCE OF ASGARD! SON OF BOR! WIELDER OF MJOLNIR! SLAYER OF FROST GIANTS! SLAYER OF SURTUR, YOU DAMNED BLEATING GOAT!"
Max could not help it. He laughed.
Even bound by the lasso, even in this ridiculous situation, seeing Odin's indignant fury was hilarious.
The match began with Odin and Zeus clashing in the center of the arena. Odin wielded Mjolnir. Zeus met him with his lightning bolt. The weapons collided, and the entire arena shook. The ground cracked. Pillars swayed. Reality itself seemed to bend at the point of impact.
Max could hear exclamations of awe from the young gods next to him. Ares, Apollo, Hermes, Aphrodite, Athena, and even Dionysus, who suddenly looked sobered by the sheer magnitude of power on display.
"Father is magnificent," Apollo breathed.
"They both are," Athena said quietly, her tactical mind analyzing every movement.
The battle escalated rapidly. Zeus and Odin took to the sky, fighting among the clouds. They moved so fast it would have been impossible for a normal person to follow them. They were blurs of gold and silver.
Odin swung Mjolnir in a devastating arc. It connected with Zeus's ribs with a sound like a mountain splitting. Zeus was sent flying, crashing through a bank of clouds.
Zeus recovered instantly, hurling his lightning bolt like a javelin. It struck Odin in the shoulder, and the Asgardian roared in pain and fury. The sky rumbled as lightning fell like rain across Olympus.
They clashed again and again. Zeus landed a punch that would have shattered a mountain. Odin's head snapped back, but he countered immediately with a headbutt that drew golden ichor from Zeus's nose.
They grappled mid-air, two warriors testing their strength. Zeus's hands crackled with electricity, burning Odin's armor. Odin summoned a storm that battered Zeus with hurricane-force winds.
Mjolnir met the lightning bolt again.
CRACK.
The sound echoed across dimensions.
As they fought, Max's eyes drifted to Hera. His thoughts about the plot Athena had mentioned still lingered, pieces slowly falling into place.
Hera had a smile on her face. Not just when things were going well. No, she smiled even wider when Zeus was hurt by Odin's strikes. When Mjolnir connected with her husband's face, when Odin's storm winds sent Zeus tumbling, Hera's smile grew.
Then it all became clear to Max.
Aphrodite had said it was Hera who pointed Max out to her. Why would Hera do that? Wouldn't she hate Aphrodite and most of the gods here, since they were all products of Zeus's infidelity?
Max paused. It all made sense now.
He looked at Hera, and their eyes met.
"You," Max said, his voice tight with realization. "Why?"
"I do not know what you are talking about," Hera replied smoothly, her expression perfectly composed.
"It was you," Max continued, the pieces clicking together. "You orchestrated this whole thing. But I don't understand. Why have me taken? What does that accomplish?"
Hera did not respond. She only smiled that same knowing smile.
"You do realize the danger Olympus is in?" Max said urgently. "A big cosmic fiery bird will come looking for me. She won't stop. She won't negotiate. She'll burn everything until she finds me."
Hera looked at him, then continued to smile.
"No," Max said, horror dawning. "You wouldn't."
Hera glanced back at the fight, where Odin had just slammed Zeus into the ground, the King of Olympus carving a crater into the arena floor.
"But why?" Max demanded. "Why risk Olympus?"
"Because it would hurt my dear husband," Hera said simply, her voice carrying years of accumulated pain and rage. "Yes, I know of the Phoenix's power. I have watched you and your companions for some time. She will come for you, and perhaps she will burn some of Olympus. Maybe a great deal of it." Her smile turned cruel. "It would hurt Zeus. It would show him the hurt I have felt all this time. Every betrayal. Every affair. Every bastard child he parades before me."
"She will destroy this place," Max said desperately. "Not damage it. Destroy it. You don't understand what you're—"
Hera waved a dismissive hand, cutting him off. "I believe the combined power of the gods can bring her down. It will cause enough damage that Zeus will finally understand—"
"You dumb bitch," Max said flatly.
The words hung in the air like a death sentence.
"You dare—" Hera began.
"You know what? I don't care," Max interrupted, turning away from her to watch Odin and Zeus continue their battle.
The battle was growing more and more intense. Both skyfathers were now bloodied. Zeus leaked golden ichor from cuts across his face and torso, while Odin bled red from a gash on his forehead that ran down into his beard. Mjolnir and the lightning bolt struck again and again, each impact shaking the foundations of Olympus itself. Both warriors went at each other with everything they had.
They grappled in the sky, trading blows that would have killed lesser beings.
"I fucked your grandmother!" Odin taunted, grinning bloodily.
Zeus's face turned purple with rage. "You barbarous, crude, disgusting—"
"Oh yeah, he did!" Max chimed in loudly, unable to help himself.
It was true. Max and Firehair had once walked in on Odin and Gaia going at it. They had nearly destroyed a mountain. One thing Max learned from that experience was just how kinky Mother Earth could be, especially when she asked both him and Firehair to join them, among other things he desperately tried not to remember.
That only made Zeus angrier, his lightning crackling wildly out of control as Odin laughed and hurled more taunts.
"Your grandmother was very vocal about how much better I was than—"
Max was about to add another comment when he froze. He felt it. His ring. It was closer, getting closer and closer. The bond that had been blocked was suddenly screaming at him.
Max looked at Aphrodite urgently. "Leave. Now."
Aphrodite looked confused. "Why, my love?"
"Just leave!" Max said desperately. "You do not want to be here!"
A blinding light appeared in the sky. Not the golden light of Zeus's lightning, but something else. Something that made reality itself shudder.
There, in all her terrible glory, flew Firehair. Her entire body was bathed in cosmic flames, red and gold fire burning with the power of creation and destruction. Her eyes blazed with the Phoenix Force, her hair flowing like living flame. She was magnificent and terrifying, the woman he loved.
"I AM PHOENIX!" she declared, her voice shaking the very foundations of the dimension itself, echoing across every corner of Olympus.
Her eyes found Max. Their gazes met.
Oh yeah, Max thought. They are fucked.
Firehair flew down, and fire rained from the sky. Cosmic fire burned through divine protections as if they were paper. Buildings erupted in flames. Gardens turned to ash. Olympus, the eternal realm, was burning.
Agamotto descended with her, and with him came the ring. It shot through the air like a green comet, trailing energy.
As the ring neared Max, the lasso, the divine artifact that had bound him, began to loosen, unable to withstand the ring's power and will. In a blinding flash of green light, the ring slipped onto Max's hand.
Max stood once more as the Green Lantern, power flooding through his body.
"You need to leave!" Max shouted at the gods. "NOW!"
Zeus and Odin had stopped fighting, both turning to watch. Zeus stared in horror. Odin watched in grim delight as Firehair burned Olympus to the ground. Buildings collapsed. Temples crumbled. The perfect realm was becoming an inferno.
Zeus's face was a mask of disbelief and terror. "No… no, stop! STOP! STOP IT!"
He flew at Firehair, lightning bolt raised.
Firehair swatted him aside with a casual gesture. Phoenix flames engulfed him. Zeus screamed as he fell, crashing into the ground unconscious, his armor melted and his lightning bolt scattered.
The gods were terrified.
Hera's face twisted with pure regret as she realized what she had unleashed. Aphrodite stood frozen in shock. Apollo, Hermes, Athena, all of them stared in horror as their eternal realm burned.
Max looked at Aphrodite and shouted urgently, "RUN, YOU IDIOT! RUUUUN!"
Firehair's blazing eyes found Max, then shifted to Aphrodite standing beside him. Her expression turned to pure fury.
She flew straight at the goddess.
Max stepped between them, emerald construct shields forming instantly. "TIME TO LEAVE!" he shouted to everyone. "WE'RE GOING NOW!"
"NO!" Firehair's voice overlapped with the Phoenix, cosmic and thunderous. "THEY WILL ALL BURN FOR TAKING WHAT IS MINE!"
"You already burned it!" Max shouted back, gesturing at the flames consuming Olympus all around them.
Max spotted Odin nearby, limping, bloodied but alive. Fan, Azzuri, and Vnn regrouped with him. Agamotto was already weaving portal magic, his hands moving in complex, precise patterns.
"Agamotto! Get us out of here!" Max commanded.
The Sorcerer Supreme thrust his hands downward, and golden portals opened beneath them all. Odin, Fan, Azzuri, Vnn, Max, and Agamotto dropped through.
"Wait!" Aphrodite cried, reaching desperately for Max. "My love!"
She was cut off as they fell through the portals, vanishing from the burning realm.
Max dragged his lover down through the portal with him. The last thing he saw before it closed was Olympus in flames, gods scrambling desperately to save what remained of their home.
=========
They all arrived back on Earth, landing in a clearing somewhere in the northern wilderness, far from any civilization.
Odin looked happy, the happiest Max had seen the Asgardian in years. Despite being bloodied and bruised from his fight with Zeus, he was grinning ear to ear, laughing loudly about how he had beaten the King of Olympus and watched his realm burn.
Fan was checking on Vnn, who was still asleep from Aphrodite's power, making sure the man had not been seriously injured during the contest.
Azzuri sat on a rock with what looked like the Tears of Nyx in his hands, a small vial containing liquid that seemed to hold starlight. The Wakandan king had apparently completed a small side quest of his own, acquiring the artifact they had originally come for while everyone else was distracted by the chaos.
Agamotto looked completely shaken, his usual composure shattered. Max was fairly certain Firehair was the cause of that.
And Firehair herself had calmed down somewhat. She was in Max's arms as they floated above the others, his hands resting on her waist as she hugged him tightly, her face pressed against his chest. Max also held the lasso in his arms.
"You have another woman's smell on you," she said quietly, her voice edged with warning.
"Well, she was all over me," Max explained carefully. "I tried to get away, but she had this lasso that—"
Firehair began to glow again with the Phoenix aura, cosmic flames flickering around her body.
"You stopped me from burning her," she said, her voice blending with the Phoenix's. "Why?"
"She was a naive goddess who was used by her stepmother," Max said gently. "Hera orchestrated the whole thing to hurt Zeus. Aphrodite was just a pawn."
Firehair stayed silent for a long moment. Then the flames dimmed slightly. She did not seem entirely convinced, but she accepted his explanation.
"A great day!" Odin called from below, raising Mjolnir triumphantly. "One that calls for celebration!"
Firehair loosened her embrace slightly, a small smile forming when Odin mentioned celebration.
"Max," she said softly. "I have something to tell you."
Max looked at her, seeing the mixture of nervousness and joy in her eyes. "What is it? Is something wrong?"
"I'm pregnant," Firehair said simply.
Max's eyes widened in shock. Time seemed to stop. His brain short-circuited.
He could hear gasps from below. The others had heard.
Firehair looked at him, hurt beginning to show at his silence. "Max?"
"Wow," Max finally managed, a smile slowly forming across his face, then growing wider and wider. "This is… this is great! This is wonderful!" He pulled her into a passionate kiss, Phoenix flames and green light swirling around them both.
Max broke the kiss and looked down at the others with the biggest grin they had ever seen on his face. "I'm going to be a father!"
"HUZZAH!" Odin roared, raising Mjolnir to the sky. Lightning crackled in celebration.
Fan smiled knowingly. She had already figured it out, of course. "Congratulations to you both."
Azzuri wore a wide smile. "A great blessing."
Vnn woke up at that moment, confused, looking around groggily.
Agamotto had a small smile on his face despite his earlier terror. "Well," he said thoughtfully, "this is going to be very interesting. A child of the Phoenix and the Green Lantern."
"I'm going to be a father!" Max said again happily as he and Firehair floated back down to join the rest. "We need to get the others. Nur, Ghost, everyone. For a proper celebration!"
Max held Firehair close, both of them smiling, surrounded by their family.
Life was good.
Yes, yes it was.
.
.
.
Upcoming Chapters...
Chapter 62: Birthday
Chapter 63: Ice Age Man
Chapter 64: Avengers v Masters of Evil pt.1