Among the six Infinity Stones, the Soul Stone was without question one of the strongest.
It commanded life.
It could sense, steal, bind, and even enter the realm of souls itself.
But the way to claim it was cruel beyond measure.
At least… for Hawk.
To obtain it meant sacrificing the soul of the one dearest to you. Only then would the stone appear.
So—
Forget it.
Better to grind through battles, awaken the Eighth Sense, learn to walk between life and death, and then storm Hell itself to rip his sister's soul back from Mephisto's hands.
Hawk buried the thought. Under Gwen's gentle urging, he washed his hands and stepped out of the bathroom.
The four of them regrouped in the lobby. London was not for sleeping—it was for sightseeing.
And so, after Mary's relentless messages to their group chat, Hawk and Gwen abandoned their room to continue their trip.
…
On Salisbury Plain, Natasha and Hawkeye were still stuck cleaning up.
Hawk had left after felling Malekith. Thor had left after slaughtering the remaining Dark Elves.
But Natasha and Clint couldn't.
She pressed a hand to her temple, scanning the carnage—bodies strewn across the grass, the gaping scar in the earth, glittering fragments of a shattered Cloth scattered like coins.
Fortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s cleanup teams had arrived, working like bees: bagging corpses, stripping weapons, collecting shards of gold. Natasha only had to supervise—fieldwork wasn't for senior agents.
Clint returned from a call.
"Laura mad you won't make it home?" Natasha teased, shading her eyes from the sun.
He sighed. "Work comes first."
She didn't press—he never liked discussing his family. Instead, she asked, "Thor?"
"Gone. Told Jane he'd be back soon."
"The last time he said 'soon' was after the Battle of New York."
"I know."
"And Hawk?"
"London agents reported—they just went into a museum."
Natasha's mouth twitched. "Great. I was planning to go there myself."
Clint sighed. "Yeah. I bought the tickets."
"Refundable?"
"No."
"…"
They exchanged a look, then stared at the wrecked plain, lost for words.
Neither noticed the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent nearby, who slipped a bloodstained golden shard into his pocket before resuming his work.
Cleanup dragged on until nightfall.
Meanwhile, Hawk and the others toured museums, dined at the hotel buffet, and slept soundly. Tomorrow, they would move on—fifteen days in all, with London only the start.
Days passed quickly.
By the time they returned to their first hotel, it was already the eve of their flight back to New York. Gwen and Mary sat on the couch, reviewing photos. Peter had gone to fetch an old album from Harry's London flat at Felicia Hardy's request.
Hawk stood on the balcony, eyes closed, his mind within his Cosmos.
The Phoenix Eyes burned like red suns. Each pulse of the Phoenix Heart expanded his universe further.
Even now, his speed hovered only around Mach 300—Mach 500 if he unleashed his Cosmos fully. A boast by mortal standards, but for a Silver Saint, nowhere near the peak.
A true Silver Saint could brush against the speed of light.
He had far to go.
Opening his eyes, he turned inside. "Wen, I'm heading downstairs."
She glanced up, nodded, and returned to sorting photos.
Downstairs, Hawk spotted a familiar figure—no armor, just a casual suit, golden hair tied back, a simple umbrella in hand. Thor.
"Thor."
"Hawk!"
Thor rose with a booming laugh, embracing him like an old friend. Jane sighed softly at the display.
"Sorry," she said, smiling at Hawk. "He's been unusually excited since he came down."
"Of course I am," Thor cut in. "Unless Asgard truly needs me, I'll stay on Midgard. I thought life here would be dull. But with you around, Hawk, I don't think it will be."
Hawk blinked at Jane. She nodded, unable to hide her own joy.
"Congratulations," Hawk said warmly.
"Thank you." Jane accepted the blessing. "Thor heard from S.H.I.E.L.D. you were still in London and dragged me to find you."
Hawk wasn't surprised—he expected S.H.I.E.L.D. to track his movements. As long as they didn't intrude on his daily life, he didn't care.
"I'm returning to New York tomorrow," Hawk said.
"Perfect," Thor grinned. "Jane, when do we fly?"
"The day after," she sighed.
Thor turned back to Hawk. "Then we'll see you in New York. I'm friends with Tony Stark—we fought together in the Battle of New York."
"I know," Hawk smiled. "I was there too—Queens."
Thor froze, then remembered the strange ripple he'd sensed that day, too busy stopping his brother's madness to investigate.
"So it was you," he breathed.
"Yes."
"Then we are battle-brothers already!" Thor declared. "When Jane and I return, we'll gather with Stark. And I'll be waiting for our duel."
Hawk grinned back. "New York, then."
"New York!" Thor laughed.
…
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My P@treon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][[email protected]/euridome]
[Thank You For Your Support!]