"Captain, later I'll meet the man in the cloak."
"You hit him directly with the shield, listen to me, exactly!"
Planet Vormir.
Aron, who had always been curious and somewhat inclined toward chaos, decided to take the Avengers team on this journey. If nothing else, he wanted to see how Captain America and Red Skull would react when they met again after all these years.
In his opinion, the fact that Captain America was never present on Vormir in the movie was a huge mistake. Wasted potential.
"And what about me? Am I here to beat someone up too?"
Black Widow, who had also come with them, asked with interest.
"You don't have to do anything. Just watch from the side."
Aron's voice was cold, but with an obvious hint of amusement. It was clear from his expression that he was enjoying something that was about to happen.
Not long after, the four of them reached the top of the mountain, where the Soul Stone was located.
As soon as they approached the summit, Aron immediately felt that special rules governed this part of the planet. As if something was watching them.
In other words, Vormir was a no-fly zone.
Even if Captain Marvel or Thor were here, they wouldn't be able to fly.
"Perfect, so no one can escape," Aron muttered half-jokingly.
Just then, a figure in a dark cloak appeared before them.
"Tony Stark, son of Howard Stark."
"Steve Rogers, known as Captain America."
The figure spoke their names in a cold, almost mechanical tone.
And then it paused.
"Red Skull! What are you doing here!"
Captain America, who had been calm until then, lost control. He recognized that voice instantly. It was his old enemy.
Without thinking, he threw his shield at Red Skull.
"Captain, watch what you're doing!" Tony shouted, but it was too late.
Red Skull raised his hand and caught the shield midair.
"If it weren't for this old man!" the Captain roared, "I'd be married to Peggy! I'd have a life! You ruined everything!"
Red Skull slowly removed his cloak, revealing the familiar red face, grotesque and furious.
"You still harbor hatred, Steve?" he said with a voice full of sarcasm.
"I'll only let go when I kill you!" Captain America replied and charged at him.
In an instant, the two clashed in a wild fight. The shield flashed, blows echoed, and every second was charged with years of suppressed hatred.
"This! That's it!" Aron watched the scene with a smile. His hands were already in his pockets, searching for his phone.
But it wasn't there.
"Let me borrow your phone," he said calmly, looking toward Natasha.
Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her phone from her pocket using telekinesis and started recording.
"..."
Tony and Natasha exchanged looks.
At that moment, it was clear to them that Aron had planned all of this in advance.
He knew Red Skull was the guardian of Vormir. He knew that the Captain and the Skull would meet again. And he had brought them here just to witness their reunion fight.
"Wait a second!" Natasha suddenly jerked. "Why did you bring me?"
Her gaze turned suspicious.
Aron just smiled slightly but said nothing.
While the fight between Captain America and Red Skull continued, Tony finally stepped forward.
"Alright, Steve, enough! We're not here for old grudges, we're here for the Soul Stone!"
"..."
Red Skull, beaten and thrown to the ground, showed a trace of resentment in his eyes.
Couldn't they just talk instead of waiting to beat him up?
"You're here for the Soul Stone, aren't you?"
Although he was angry at Tony's sarcastic tone, Red Skull still maintained his composure and seriously explained how the stone could be obtained.
"To obtain the Soul Stone," he said coldly, "you must sacrifice what you love most. Only then will it belong to you."
He brushed the dust off his cloak and once again took on his mysterious, almost theatrical pose.
For decades, he had been trapped on Vormir. His only entertainment was watching others who came seeking the stone, full of hope, only to realize the price.
When they discovered they had to sacrifice the love of their heart, their faces would fill with shock, sorrow, and despair.
Hehe… he thought, looking at Aron and the others. You beat me up, and now I'll watch you fall apart inside.
But before he could finish the thought~
Smack!
Aron teleported behind him and delivered a strong blow to the back of his head.
"Isn't flying forbidden here?" Red Skull stammered in surprise.
"You can't fly," Aron replied coldly, "but nowhere does it say you can't teleport."
He pulled from the darkness the Black Sword of Death and pressed it against Red Skull's neck. The blade radiated a terrifying, almost divine energy.
"I suggest you watch your words."
Red Skull visibly trembled.
"Master… I… I don't make the rules. The Soul Stone has its own will!" he stammered.
Under the threat of death, Red Skull finally opened his soul and explained everything about Vormir.
The Soul Stone was not an ordinary object. It had consciousness.
Unless it chose to be taken, no one could possess it.
The only way to obtain it was to prove the greatest sacrifice, to lose what you loved most.
Silence.
Tony, Steve, and Natasha were silent.
Tony spoke first: "My love isn't here."
Steve shook his head. "Nor mine. Peggy… she's long gone."
Natasha suddenly froze. Her gaze shifted to Aron.
"No… you're not going to…"
Her heart began to beat faster. As a former spy, she rarely felt fear, but now…
"You're not… you're not going to push me down, are you?"
Her voice trembled.
Aron didn't answer. He only took a deep breath and looked at Red Skull.
"Are you sure that's the only way?"
"It's the truth," the Skull confirmed, trying to keep his head on his shoulders.
Aron's eyes hardened. He made a decision.
"You wait here. I'll be right back."
He opened a portal and disappeared into it.
"He wouldn't…" Tony stared in shock.
"Impossible…"
But in his heart, he knew Aron would really do it. The man who would steal breakfast from someone's bag at the Avengers base… would now sacrifice himself without hesitation.
Tony began to think out loud:
"He wouldn't push Wanda… or Skye… Gwen… maybe Black Cat?"
Natasha frowned.
She knew Aron had more than one woman around him, but none of them were here. So who could he sacrifice?
"No!" Natasha said firmly. "We won't let him sacrifice himself. He's given enough!"
"Then push me!" said Tony, stepping forward.
"The love in his heart is worth more than my life!"
Steve and Natasha exchanged looks.
"Tony," said Steve, "it's not that we don't want to push you… but…"
"We don't love you. It wouldn't work."
Tony fell silent. He looked at them both, then lowered his head.
As they mourned Aron's possible sacrifice, the portal opened again.
Aron returned.
His expression was determined, yet somehow… empty. With him were neither Wanda, nor Gwen, nor Skye, nor Black Cat.
"Aron!" Tony shouted. "What are you doing?!"
Aron didn't say a word. He just stood at the edge of the cliff.
"What is the love of your heart?" Steve asked anxiously.
Aron turned around, his eyes red, but with a trace of madness in them.
He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and raised it into the air.
"Let's go," he said in a quiet but clear voice. "My king with 1300 points just finished a ranked match."
Tony gaped. Natasha froze.
Aron threw the phone.
In silence, they all watched it fall down the cliff, while at the bottom they heard only a faint snap, the sound of the screen shattering into pieces.