Chapter 14: 13. Aftermath
'.....'= Thoughts
"....."= Conversations
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At the same time....
Steve took charge, issuing crisp orders to Natasha to begin the process of closing the portal. "Natasha, prepare to close the portal," he commanded, his voice ringing with authority as he surveyed the bustling command center.
Natasha's eyes darted to the monitor, and then back to Steve, her expression reflecting a mix of concern and determination. "But Patrick hasn't come out yet," she countered, her voice tense with worry for their young ally.
Steve hesitated for a moment, his jaw tightening as he considered Natasha's words. Patrick was still out there, fighting against the invading forces, and closing the portal would mean leaving him stranded in the midst of the chaos. But Steve also knew that they couldn't risk letting more of the enemy pour through into the city. They had a duty to protect the innocent civilians, and that meant making tough decisions.
With a heavy heart, Steve nodded to Natasha, his eyes reflecting the internal struggle he was facing. "I know, but we can't let more of them come through. We have to close it," he said, his voice firm despite the reluctance he felt deep in his chest.
Natasha's sighed, but she nodded in understanding, her fingers flying across the sceptre as she thrusted it towards the device responsible for opening the portal. The energy that was supporting the portal was interrupted and it started closing.
As the portal started to shrink, a surge of guilt and unease washed over Steve, his thoughts lingering on Patrick out there, facing the enemy alone. The young man had been a valuable asset to their mission, and Steve couldn't bear the thought of leaving him behind. But he knew that it was a sacrifice they had to make for the greater good.
Just as the portal started to contract, Patrick emerged, engulfed in a brilliant, yellow glow.
"Kid's got some serious guts," Tony remarked, a hint of respect in his voice.
Thor nodded in agreement, a smile tugging at his lips. "Aye, he may be mortal, but his bravery rivals that of any warrior in Asgard. Well done, young warrior," Thor murmured to himself, raising an invisible toast to Patrick's valor.
Meanwhile Patrick was moving towards the Stark Tower.
His eyes blazed with determination as he made his way towards Natasha, who was stationed on top of Stark Tower, where the device that had opened the portal stood.
As he reached Natasha, the yellow light surrounding him gradually faded, revealing a look of exhaustion on his face. Despite the weariness etched into every line of his features, there was a glint of triumph in his eyes, a reflection of the monumental task he had just accomplished.
Natasha's expression softened with relief. "Patrick, you made it," she murmured, a note of awe coloring her voice.
Patrick was a bit disappointed as he landed on the top of the Stark Tower. The cube couldn't absorb the energy contained in that nuclear missile letting Patrick miss a steady source of energy that he could absorb from, whenever he wanted.
'I guess I have to depend upon the Infinity stones, until I find another energy source,' Patrick concluded as he approached the stationed device.
Patrick made his way to the device with a determined stride. He carefully examined the contraption that held the Tesseract, looking for any potential weak points or vulnerabilities. After a few moments of analysis, he spotted a panel that seemed to be the access point to the Tesseract. With a quick and precise motion, he pried the panel open and reached inside to retrieve the glowing blue cube.
As he held the Tesseract in his hand, Patrick felt a surge of power emanating from the ancient artifact. The energy within it was immense, and he could feel it resonating with the cube. He knew that this was indeed a formidable source of power, one that could potentially fuel him for a long time to come.
Turning to Natasha, Patrick met her gaze with a confident smile. "I made it just in time," he replied, his voice steady and resolute. He further asked," Is this the thing that opened the big ass portal in the sky?"
Natasha nodded, her eyes fixed on the glowing Tesseract in Patrick's hand. "Yeah, that's the one. That thing has caused a lot of trouble," she said with a wry smile.
Patrick was only half focused on Natasha's reply. He quickly reduced the cube connected to his soul to its smallest size. Now the cube was as small as an ant's eye.
Without any hesitation, he allowed the cube to exit his body and then directed it towards the Tesseract.
The cube reached the Tesseract and became attached to its surface.
There were certain things about the cube that the blue words hadn't explained to him while he was in that white space.
Instinctively, he felt that while the black cube absorbed the energy, he couldn't be far away from it. Otherwise, the absorption would stop automatically. Although he couldn't know exactly how close he should be to it, he got the feeling that he should be at least within the range of ten meters.
Moreover, the durability of the black cube didn't seem to be that great. If it was dropped from a high place or if someone stomped on it, it would break easily. Although it looked like a metallic cube, it seemed more like a glass cube to Patrick. He had to be careful while using the black cube; after all, his life depended on it.
However the black cube had its advantages as it allowed Patrick to modify its size and control it telekinetically.
"So how about we go down now," Patrick said as glanced at Natasha. Everything thing he did was obviously unnoticeable by Natasha and the entire process didn't even take more than two seconds.
Patrick took a step closer to Natasha and gently reached out to hold her by the waist. Natasha's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected touch.
"Hold on," Patrick advised and activated his Glint Glint Fruit powers and a golden aura surrounded them. Natasha felt a rush of exhilaration as they began to levitate off the ground, the wind whipping around them as they descended from the height of Stark Tower.
Natasha clung to Patrick, feeling the rush of air against her skin as they descended towards the waiting Avengers below.
As they descended, Natasha couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. She was amazed by Patrick's power and skill, but she also felt a sense of vulnerability as they soared through the air together. She had always prided herself on her independence and strength, but in that moment, she couldn't deny the comfort she felt in Patrick's arms. However, she didn't show any of these emotions on her face.
The Avengers, assembled below, looked up as Patrick and Natasha gracefully landed in their midst.
Tony, ever the showman, couldn't resist a quip. "Well, well, well, looks like we have our very own superhero romance unfolding in the sky."
Natasha rolled her eyes at Tony's comment, but Patrick smiled and released his hold on Natasha.
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