Thank You,
Knight Teir: "Luis Marrufo"
For Becoming A Member On My Pa'treon. The Emperor Protect.
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Supreme Court.
Several elders observed that the agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. were not too heavily injured. They let out a collective sigh of relief.
Hyeon spoke with a weary tone, his expression grave, "Although only Coulson has fallen… Loki's objective was achieved."
The weight of his words settled heavily in the chamber. The other elders exchanged grim nods.
Elder Sith let out a deep sigh, "To think Director Fury went through all that effort to assemble this team… Only for Loki to dismantle it so easily. Now Thor is gone, and the Hulk has vanished as well. Those two were the cornerstones of their combat strength, and now, they're both out of reach."
He leaned back in his seat, his brow furrowed, "It will take a tremendous effort to bring them back."
Elder Gladwin interjected, his voice steady but lined with concern, "Are preparations underway for the equipment to track the Cube?"
Another elder shook his head slightly, "Not yet. Several of our top physicists are still working on the modeling process. It shouldn't be much longer, though."
Once those devices were ready, they would scour the entire Terra Federation for traces of the Cube. If found, the impact on the Federation would be monumental. However, wielding such a power would not go unnoticed. Other beings, watchers from the shadows of the cosmos, would inevitably take interest.
But the elders remained unfazed. In a world defined by paradoxes, power was the only true safeguard.
"And we cannot overlook the launch of the Webb Space Telescope," one elder added sharply, "These are critical steps. Nothing can be allowed to go wrong."
The gathered leaders gave resolute nods. As the secrets of the Earth Age unraveled, the Federation's preparations for looming crises only grew sharper.
[ Central Control Room, S.H.I.E.L.D. Aircraft Carrier. ]
[ Alarms blared relentlessly, red lights flickering across the consoles. ]
[ "Everyone to your stations, now!" a voice barked over the intercom. ]
[ Fury rushed through the chaos, finding Coulson slumped and bleeding. He knelt beside the agent, gripping his shoulder. ]
[ Coulson managed a weak smile. "Sorry, boss… he got away." ]
[ "Stay with me, look at me!" Fury ordered, his voice cracking with desperation. ]
[ But Coulson only chuckled faintly, coughing through the pain, "No, boss… I'm clocking out." ]
[ "No!" Fury's denial was sharp, but powerless. ]
[ "It doesn't… matter, boss," Coulson whispered, "If they… don't have something… use it…" ]
[ He never finished the thought. His breath stilled, and the light in his eyes faded. Fury bowed his head, silent tears threatening to fall. ]
Across Terra, viewers watching the live feed were struck with grief. Though Coulson was just a humble field agent, to many he was the glue holding heroes together. His loss hit harder than anyone expected. And that simple, heartbreaking line, clocking out, was enough to break countless hearts.
"Agent Coulson is dead."
"Medical team is en route."
"They've arrived."
[ Faces around the command deck were heavy with sorrow. In the empty conference room, Tony sat slouched in a chair, Rogers sitting across from him, both of them consumed by silence. Fury entered, carrying something in his hand. ]
[ "These were found in Coulson's jacket," Fury said softly, "I don't think he ever asked you to sign them." ]
[ He placed several Captain America trading cards on the table. Blood stained their edges. ]
Gasps echoed through the observation chat.
"Oh no… Coulson said he was looking for Rogers' signature."
"He really was Rogers' biggest fan!"
Tears flowed freely as viewers reacted.
[ Fury's voice carried a grave weight, "We've lost the Cube's signal. Banner's gone. Thor's gone." ]
[ He paused, his lone eye shadowed with guilt, "I have nothing left to give you. I lost this eye… maybe I brought this on myself." ]
[ The silence that followed was suffocating. ]
[ Fury's voice dropped even lower, "Yes, I wanted to build an arsenal with the Cube, but I never had the nerve to finish it. Because I was gambling on something riskier." ]
[ He circled behind Tony, "Operation Avengers. Tony knows what it means." ]
[ "The original plan was simple: Bring together extraordinary individuals, and see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when the world needed them most. Send them into battles we could never win ourselves." Fury's gaze hardened, "Coulson died believing in that idea. He died believing in heroes." ]
[ Tony shot up from his chair and stormed out, silent fury in his eyes. ]
[ "Well," Fury muttered, watching him go, "guess it's an outdated idea now." ]
"This… Fury's spinning some big story!"
"What's up with his eye, though?"
"He said he brought it on himself. Probably something shady from his past."
"At least now I finally get the origin of the Avengers."
The Administration Dormitory. Elenora and the others sat in stunned silence, realization dawning. Their role within the Terra Federation was becoming clear. They weren't just another unit; they were the Federation's Avengers.
Just as they leaned forward to continue the stream, a message flashed across their screens: TRAINING GROUND ASSEMBLY
Elenora's brow arched in surprise. "A strength assessment? For us?"
A smirk tugged at her lips, "Ordinary people… what right do they have to measure us?"
If Thor and the legends of the Earth Age themselves appeared, she would submit without hesitation. But these bureaucrats and staffers of the Terra Federation? They had no business testing them.
"Let's go see what this is about," she said coolly.
Across the Administration dormitories, nine individuals received the same summons.One by one, they left for the training ground.
[ Elsewhere, aboard the carrier. ]
[ Tony stood at the shattered glass railing where Coulson had fallen, staring silently into the abyss below. Rogers approached quietly. ]
[ "Was he married?" Rogers asked softly. ]
[ Tony's gaze didn't waver. "No." ]
[ "In my mind… he could play the cello," Tony added. ]
[ Rogers lowered his head. "That's a shame. He was a good man." ]
[ Tony's jaw tightened. "He was an idiot." ]
[ "Why? Because of his faith?" Rogers asked, confused. ]
[ "No," Tony said sharply. "Because he went after Loki alone." ]
[ "He was just doing his job," Rogers countered. ]
[ Tony spun on him, "He was off the grid. He should've waited for backup. He should've-" ]
[ "Sometimes, Tony, there isn't a perfect ending," Rogers said gently. ]
[ Tony scoffed. "Yeah, I've heard that before." ]
[ "This isn't your first time losing someone on the battlefield, is it?" Rogers pressed. ]
[ "We're not soldiers!" Tony snapped. "I won't be Fury's pawn." ]
[ "Neither will I," Rogers replied firmly. "But right now, we put this aside. We focus on what's in front of us." ]
[ Tony's gaze flickered toward the bloodstains Coulson had left behind. ]
[ "Loki's looking for a new energy source," Rogers continued. "If we can track-" ]
[ "He's after a person," Tony interrupted. ]
[ "That's not the point." ]
[ "It is the point!" Tony growled. "That's what Loki wants. He struck us here, at our core. Why?" ]
[ "To break us apart?" Rogers asked, realization dawning. ]
[ "Exactly," Tony said grimly. "Divide and conquer is smart. But Loki knows he doesn't have to beat us. He just has to make us fall apart and put on a show while doing it." ]
[ Rogers' expression hardened. "Yeah. I caught him on King Street." ]
[ "That was just the preview," Tony said as he strode off. "This… is the opening act." ]
[ "Loki wants grandeur," Tony added. "A stage. A crown. To stand atop the world with the spotlight on his name." ]
[ He cursed under his breath and stormed away. ]
"Man, Coulson's death really hit Tony hard."
"Yeah, they seemed close.""He was right, though, Coulson shouldn't have gone solo. He was just an agent."
"Exactly. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents aren't soldiers. Even they aren't equipped for this."
"Rogers isn't wrong either, though. They read Loki like a book."
"Yeah, Loki's a drama king. Wants everyone kneeling before him."
"He's dangerous… and arrogant."
"What's Tony onto now? He looks fired up."
"Guess we'll find out in the next scene!"
[ Rogers donned his gear, opened the hatch, and turned to Natasha, "It's time to move." ]
[ Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Where are we headed?" ]
[ "Talk on the way. Can you fly a jet?" Rogers asked. ]
[ Hawkeye emerged, looking shaken but free from Loki's control. ]
[ "I can fly," he said flatly. ]
[ "You armed?" Rogers asked. ]
[ Clint nodded. "Yeah." ]
[ "Good. Suit up," Rogers ordered. ]
"Yo! Clint's back!"
"So Loki's mind control isn't permanent? That's a relief."
"Finally, some good news."
"Even controlled, Clint was lethal. This is a huge gain."
"Compared to Rogers and the others, Clint and Natasha are just human… but they're damn good at what they do."
"Something's happening. Everyone's suiting up."
"Tony's definitely figured out something big!"