The Golden Destroyer

The rising sun painted the large bay windows of the Stark mansion with golden reflections. Inside, chaos reigned supreme: empty bottles, leftover food, and a pair of shoes abandoned at the foot of a disheveled sofa. Tony Stark, wearing a coffee-stained tank top and jogging pants, sipped a glass of orange juice while juggling two screwdrivers.

On the coffee table in front of him, printed circuits and half-scribbled plans were piled up. The television in the background broadcast catastrophic news about the "Golden Terror," which he wasn't even listening to. Tony, absorbed in his tinkering, only looked up when Pepper Potts arrived, holding a tablet at arm's length like an urgent report.

"Tony, I hate to interrupt your… morning creativity, but Fury has been trying to reach you all night."

"Fury?" he said, putting down the screwdrivers. "That guy with an eye patch who thinks he's the king of spies? What does he want now?"

Pepper frowned, exasperated.

"Haven't you seen the news?"

She placed the tablet on the table. Images of a titanic monster, glowing with a golden light and ravaging a coast, were everywhere. Even satellite recordings couldn't capture its true size. Analysts speculated that the creature seemed to have been awakened from its sleep, fighting something before turning against everything around it.

Tony leaned in, intrigued.

"Fascinating. I must admit, it's not every day you see a giant creature that makes a T. rex look like a garden lizard."

"This is not a joke," Pepper retorted, arms crossed. "Fury wants you to attend an emergency meeting. He thinks you can contribute something."

"Of course," Tony replied with a wry smile. "Because nothing solves a global crisis like a billionaire genius in a tank top."

---

In a dusty warehouse on the outskirts of Bucharest, Clint Barton adjusted his telescopic sight. His target, a notorious arms dealer, was talking with his associates about a hundred meters away. Natasha Romanoff, meanwhile, remained in the background, her eyes shifting between Clint and her phone screen.

"So, how long before it gets interesting?" Natasha asked in a neutral tone.

"Patience, Tasha," Clint murmured without taking his eyes off his target. "We have to wait for him to bring out the merchandise."

Suddenly, their earpiece crackled, and a deep voice interrupted their concentration.

"Barton, Romanoff. Immediate recall. Mission aborted. Alpha priority."

Clint sighed, lowering his bow.

"Great. Three weeks of surveillance for nothing."

Natasha picked up her bag, more pragmatic.

"Fury doesn't interrupt a mission for nothing. Let's go."

As they got into their vehicle, Natasha activated the dashboard screen. Satellite images of the "Golden Terror" were looping. The massive creature, covered in golden scales, trampled buildings like mere toys.

"A nuclear-level catastrophe," Natasha murmured, analyzing the data.

Clint, arms crossed, shook his head.

"What are we supposed to do against that? Shoot arrows?"

"Maybe," Natasha replied, shrugging. "Or maybe we just have to stay alive."

---

In a dark room at SHIELD headquarters, Earl sat, handcuffed to a metal chair. His face was dripping with sweat, and his hands trembled despite his attempts to maintain composure. Facing him, an imposing agent flipped through a thick file with a menacing calm.

"Earl," the agent began, his cold voice echoing in the room, "you're a smart man, aren't you?"

Earl attempted a weak smile.

"I… I'm just a garage owner. I don't see why I'm here."

The agent brutally slammed a photo on the table, making Earl jump.

"You see this? These are your bank statements. Suspicious transactions, the purchase of a fake identity for a certain Jonathan, an undeclared employee. You want me to believe you didn't know anything?"

Earl opened his mouth to protest, but the agent slammed his fist on the table.

"Don't take me for a fool! You saw what he caused. That giant monster? You're an accomplice, Earl, and if you don't talk, you'll rot in a cell."

The agent's words resonated like a sentence. Earl lowered his head, murmuring:

"I… I didn't know he was capable of that. I knew he was strange, but…"

"Talk," the agent cut in, leaning forward. "Otherwise, I guarantee this conversation will take an even less pleasant turn."

---

I was flying at a dizzying altitude, the wind whistling in my ears. My conflicting thoughts had calmed down somewhat. The voices in my head were still there, but they were like distant echoes that I no longer bothered to hear.

I had flown for hours, long enough to shake off my pursuers. To ensure my escape was as safe as possible. I had generated a massive enough storm to mask my presence as I reached a deserted area, without a trace of civilization.

As I landed, I suddenly felt a presence. No, several. Two distinct groups were converging on me. I slowed down, observing their approaches. At a glance, my eyes recognized who they were.

"Damn, they've been following me all this time without me even realizing it. I need to work on my evasion tactics in the future."

The X-Men, led by Cyclops, were arriving from the north. Some bad mutants, whom I assumed to be the Brotherhood, led by Magneto, were coming from the west.

As the dust clouds raised by my landing dissipated, the two groups emerged almost simultaneously, observing each other warily before turning their attention to me. Seeing that I had no hostile reaction towards them.

Magneto was the first to speak, his voice calm but authoritative.

"Greetings, I am Magneto, leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants. I wanted to tell you that you are a unique being, a prodigy of evolution. The world fears you because it cannot understand you, as it fears all those who are superior to the masses. But I understand you. I see in you a brother, an equal, someone who has the potential to transcend these human chains. Join me, and together, we will shape a world where the weak no longer dictate the laws of the strong."

"A brother? An equal? This guy just seriously compared himself to me? He really thinks I'm going to swallow his pseudo-philosophical nonsense about the strong and the weak? Does he realize I'm not even a mutant or even a human?" I thought, stunned, as he lost all his aura in my eyes.

"So, if I understand correctly, you're offering me to become your right-hand man in your crusade against humanity?" Don't you think you're underestimating me a little here? What do I gain from this, human? I replied, as my voice startled everyone. Bringing one of my heads down to their level.

"You have not yet understood the scope of your power. But you will soon… The choice is yours," he replied haphazardly.

As Magneto prepared to launch into another tirade, Cyclops cut him off, his gaze full of conviction.

"Don't listen to him. Magneto preaches freedom, but all he brings is war and suffering. You don't have to follow that path. You can redeem yourself, make the choice to protect instead of destroy."

I raised an eyebrow, a smirk on my face. "Redeem myself? Interesting. And I suppose you're here to hand out indulgences?"

He frowned, not expecting my response. "This is not a joke. All Magneto will offer you is a downward spiral. We, the X-Men, fight for a future where humans and mutants can coexist."

I burst out laughing, a bitter laugh. "Coexist? You live in a dream world, I see. An ideal future where everyone holds hands? It sounds good, but it's naive."

He clenched his fists but forced himself to remain calm. "We are not perfect, but we are trying. What you are doing right now is leading nowhere. The damage you have caused… You can still change that."

"Change that?" I replied, my tone icy. "I am a predator. What do you want me to be? A nice dog on a leash? No, thank you. You and your idealistic dream, keep it for those who still believe in it. Understood, Magneto."

Saying this last sentence, my body imploded into a tornado of power, as I took human form. Even if it wasn't to my advantage, the cat was already out of the bag. I had no intention of continuing to hide my two natures.

Wolverine, who, for once, was rather calm, was the first to speak.

"What the hell is this!"

"Fascinating," Magneto chimed in.

While they were lost in their fascination with my naked human form, an idea suddenly crossed my mind. It wouldn't cost me anything to try.

"Give me something to put on," I said, fixing my eyes on Magneto. "And I might eventually join you as an observer."