At the core of his Cosmos.
At the source of his newly mastered Sixth Sense.
With the Reality Stone reinforcing him, Hawk still could not manifest his Cosmos as a true universe—he had not yet awakened the Seventh Sense, the mark of a Gold Saint.
But…
Power does not lie.
An overwhelming force surged through his body, far beyond what he had wielded before, flooding every fiber of his being.
Inside his Cosmos, the fiery red gem that had become the Phoenix's Eyes shone like a crimson sun, illuminating every corner.
Hawk slowly stood. He lowered his gaze, raised his right hand, and clenched his fist.
Boom!
The air and even space itself cracked in his palm as if crushed by sheer force.
He lifted his head.
Far off, those watching from safety turned their eyes skyward—for the heavens themselves had begun to change.
The Convergence had begun.
Golden spires of Asgard's palace appeared above Salisbury Plain.
The eternal glaciers of Jotunheim followed.
Then came the flames of Muspelheim, the rune-etched towers of Vanaheim, the radiant forests of Alfheim…
Before the eyes of Earth, the Nine Realms aligned, layered like a celestial mirage.
Hawk's gaze pierced them all. Past Asgard's halls, beyond the blazing Muspelheim, until it fixed upon a barren twilight land of ash, stone, and silence.
There—
A wild figure emerged. A woman, her black hair unkempt, her green armor torn, yet her eyes sharp with unbroken defiance.
Their eyes met across realms.
And then—
A golden beam from Asgard's palace struck, and the desolate land was erased from sight.
"Hela…" Hawk muttered. "The Goddess of Death. The one Odin sealed away."
For an instant, her image lingered in his mind, only to vanish as the Convergence shifted again. Earth was Earth. Asgard was Asgard. The vision passed.
Hawk lowered his eyes and saw Peter swing closer in a flash of red and blue.
"Long time no see, Peter."
"Uh… what? It's been half an hour. I've been here the whole time."
"To you," Hawk said with a faint smile. "To me, it was much longer."
He remembered the endless darkness, the trial of the senses, the eternity of silence. He had wandered far longer than a mortal measure of time.
But he had returned.
Because someone was waiting.
Gwen.
Hawk breathed deeply, steadying himself. "Where are Gwen and Mary?"
"Probably just finishing breakfast at the hotel," Peter shrugged.
Hawk nodded. "Then let's head back."
As they turned, Thor approached with Jane, joined by Natasha and Barton.
"Hawk," Jane greeted softly.
"Dr. Foster," Hawk replied, bowing his head. "I owe you for the Aether. If you ever need my help, call me."
Jane blinked, then smiled faintly. "Congratulations."
He chuckled. "Thank you."
His gaze shifted to Natasha. "Didn't you head to Africa?"
"Just returned," she said. "Resting before I go back."
Hawk smirked, then glanced toward the massive chasm left in the plain. "Remember—I was on defense again."
Natasha's lips curved. "We know."
Finally, Hawk faced Thor.
"God of Thunder."
"Hawk." Thor gripped Mjolnir, his deep voice sincere. "You are strong. And thank you—for saving Jane."
Hawk met his eyes, smiling. "One day, let's test our strength. Out there, in the stars."
Thor's eyes gleamed with battle lust. "Why not now?"
Hawk shook his head, looking toward the fragments of his shattered Cloth glittering across the grass. "Not now. My armor was destroyed."
The Phoenix Cloth lay in pieces.
He had considered restoring it with the Reality Stone—but that was impossible. No single Infinity Stone could replace another's domain. And he had already bound its full power into his Cosmos.
The old armor no longer belonged to him. His reborn Cosmos demanded something new.
"Besides…" Hawk's lips curved faintly. He thought of Gwen waiting, unaware of how close death had brushed past him.
"My girlfriend is expecting me. I'm not about to keep her waiting."
Thor blinked. Then he felt it—the sharp, burning gaze of Jane.
Slowly, stiffly, he turned his head.
Sure enough.
It was Jane.
…
(End of Chapter)
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